Chapter Four

Sweet Madness

"Parkinson, do you know what was in the box I ordered that fool Nott to get?" a cold voice hissed amidst a scantily lit chamber. The man kneeling in front of him gave a slight shake of his head.

"The box contained information that I desperately needed.This item which I requested is now in the Order's care, and the man whom it came from in the ministry's care. It angers me to know it slipped through my fingers," red slits glared at the memory.

"However, there is one last person left who could tell me what I need to know," the shadowed figure continued, watching the minion in front of him. "Once we have it, we can move on to the next phase of my plan, which involves Hogwarts."

The black-hooded man before him gave a low nod of his head.

"Find that person and get the information."


The sensuous smells of the welcoming feast greeted a groggy, though slightly less tired, Ginny. The Great Hall, just like the train, had added a table for all of the extra security. She randomly took a seat, Neville sitting beside her and Colin beside him.

Moments later, she sensed movement on her other side and turned to see Malfoy, unfortunately, seating himself next to her, Zabini on his other side.

Just peachy.

Determined to ignore him, she smiled, waved, and nodded at anyone she could find that she knew and took inventory of all the odd stares the table was getting. Already, rumors were flying around about the extra people. She managed to have a few words with Luna Lovegood as she passed to take the seat next to Colin.

As everyone settled down, Professor McGonagall stood to bring the Sorting Hat to the front of the room. It sang yet another version of its song, the first years were sorted, and Dumbledore stood to give his speech. The usual announcements and warnings were given, before he addressed what the student body had been whispering about.

"As you all have realized, there are a few," he thought for a moment, "well, actually, many new additions to the school staff. They are here for your security. They have the power to deduct points and give detentions. The only difference between them and the regular staff is that you will not be taught by them. I expect that you will all respect and listen to them, despite the fact that you may want to treat them like your old school friends.

"Also, Professor Snape has been given the Defense Against the Dark Arts position. His replacement for both Potions and Head of Slytherin House is Draco Malfoy. With that said, let us feast!"


The entire meal Draco could feel her, sitting beside him. He basked in Ginny's presence, not yet bothering to speak to her. There were very few times that she tolerated his presence, and he didn't want to take the chance that she might move if he agitated her. He took deep breaths; sitting so close to her was almost intoxicating.

Through his hazy mind, a voice slowly began filtering through. "Huh?"

"Ah, have you returned from la-la land?" Blaise's sarcastic comment made Draco rein himself back in.

Ignoring the remark, he said, "Sorry, what were we talking about?"

"Zabini and I were just engaging in some witty banter. I don't suppose you have anything to add?" Draco turned at the sarcastic comment to see Ginny looking at him expectantly. He had the feeling that she purposely didn't tell him what they were chatting about, just to put him in the hot seat.

It didn't bother him, though. "Actually, I don't have anything to add. Carry on," he dismissed her, turning back to his dinner.

He could tell that she didn't like being brushed off from the way her eyes momentarily flashed.

Blaise smirked on his other side. "So, Draco, how's it going with you and Parkinson?"

Draco shot him a glare, wondering what he was playing at, until he realized that the redhead sitting next to him had dropped her fork and it clattered to the ground. He glared at Blaise harder. He had done that on purpose!

Ginny wondered why she had such a strong reaction to that comment as she picked up the new fork that magically appeared in the old fork's place. From the awkward silence that ensued, she new all three of them had noticed her butterfinger moment.

Deciding she was tired of the tension, she said, "Malfoy, if you're a teacher, how come you're not sitting at the staff table?"

He scoffed. "I thought you were supposed to be observant, Weasley. Look around. I'm not the only teacher at this table."

Indeed he wasn't. Ginny could have pinched herself for getting so rapped up in Malfoy to not notice something so obvious.

"Besides," Draco continued with a raised eyebrow, "It's not every day that I get to torment my favorite Weasel."

"Favorite Weasel? Since when have I been your favorite Weasel? And why do you have that very disturbing gleeful look on your face?"

"Because I just realized that I can torment you for a whole school year, again."

Ginny groaned as she set her fork down and put her head in her hands.

"What's the matter, Weasley? Getting to see me every day getting you all hot and bothered? Or is it the wandering dark corridors at night?" Draco didn't know what had gotten into him. He was flirting with her. He suddenly came to his senses and hoped Ginny took it as taunting, not flirting.

Alas, no such luck.

She looked up from her hands as dessert appeared with an incredulous look on her face. "Okay, now you're freaking me out. Are you…teasing me?"

He couldn't help himself. "You never answered my question."

Her face turned red as said question registered. She was getting defensive. "There is nothing about you that could get me all hot and bothered."

Draco smirked wickedly. "Are you sure?" he whispered in a low voice.

Ginny was just about to demand what he meant when she felt something squeeze her knee.

He put his hand on my leg! Something's not right.

Ginny jumped out of her seat so fast that if she had been sitting in a chair instead of on a bench, the chair would have gone flying. As it was, her plate full of dessert did go flying, right onto Draco's robes. The plate slid down his front, leaving a cream trail, before landing with a crash onto the floor. Most of the hall turned to look at what had happened. Since Ginny was standing up, most attention was locked on her. Until Draco stood up, eyes glinting.

Draco had to admit, he hadn't seen that coming. But now his pristine robes were covered in sweets, and Ginny was looking far too clean. As he stood up, he noticed her dear-in-headlights look. She shivered at his look, and the hand to knee thing was forgotten.

As Draco turned back to the table, she wondered. What was he going to do? It became evident when he turned back to her holding a chocolate pie in his hand.

Her eyes widened. "You wouldn't."

He only smirked wider. Behind him, the rest of the hall, student, security, and staff included, watched with bated breath. Off to the side, it was all Blaise could do not to laugh out loud.

"Oh, wouldn't I, though?" He took two steps toward her, but all she could manage was a half step back, before she froze. She kind of did want to see if he would do it.

"It was an accident!"

"I don't really care." The pie came down on top of her head, spilling chocolate all over her shoulders and mixing with her red locks. He mouth opened in surprise. The pan slid down the back of her head before landing with a plop on the floor.

"Fine then. If that's the way you are going to be," she went back to the table and picked up a large bowl full of thinned honey glaze that is supposed to be drizzled over whatever dessert, and a small bowl full of powdered sugar. She marched right up to Draco and dumped the runny honey on his head, before splashing the powdered sugar in his face.

He had closed his eyes, but he could still feel the powdered sugar coat his face, and the honey was soaking into his hair and running down his face over the powdered sugar. He licked his lips then opened his eyes, looking through coated eyelashes at the spitfire before him.

And then the tension broke.

"Food fight!" Some anonymous kid screamed, and that was all it took for every kind of dessert imaginable to go flying this way and that across the hall. Even Dumbledore was participating, as shown by the apple pie he launched at McGonagall, who looked very affronted at this. Hagrid was making quite an attack from behind his huge chair, and Professor Snape seemed to have put a spell on himself that sent anything flying at him back at the attacker.

Someone had turned their stretch of the security table over, and Neville had himself barricaded behind it while Colin, next to him, was right in the (literal) throws of it all.

"Brilliant, Ginny!" he screamed before getting caught back up in the action.

The Gryffindors took their lead and their entire table was on it's side, launching a formidable attack on the entire rest of the population.

Ginny was suddenly hit with a guilt attack, until she really looked at the hall. Everyone was laughing and having a good time. Even the Slytherins, who were getting hounded by the Gryffindors, seemed to be having fun. This was just what they all needed to lighten the mood.

Somehow Blaise Zabini had gotten all the way to the Ravenclaw table, and was now standing on it and hammering the kids with blueberry tarts. He jumped off the table when they started throwing just the blueberry filling back.

Ginny looked back over at Draco, but his eyes had never left hers, and the look he sent her sent shivers up her spine.


(A/N) Okay, meant to update a long time ago, but stuff happened. The end of school snuck up on me, my computer is still not cooperating, and a girl that I went to school with died in a car accident. So, I think I might be over my temporary writer's block finally. Jeez, I'm so flustered, I don't know if this note made any sense. Review!

Peanut Butter