AN: I'd really just like to thank everyone who reviewed the first chapter, it means a lot to know that some people out there are enjoying this. This chapter isn't my favorite, but it's necesary for plot, so without further adieu...

Bringing Down Addie

Chapter Two

Threats and Agreements

Hermione woke me up the next morning much too early for my liking. She was shaking my shoulders violently.

"WAKE UP!" She screeched.

"Go 'way." I mumbled in my sleepy haze.

"No, listen Ginny, you have to get up NOW!" Hermione continued on.

"No." I muttered stubbornly, burrowing farther into the warm blankets.

"Fine," Hermione pouted stopping her screeching, "I'm sure you wouldn't be interested then if I was to tell you that Ron just flooed with some very interesting news."

"Yes." I muttered.

"And I'm sure you would be even more disinterested if I told you it had to do with Harry and a certain ice queen we know?" She trilled.

"Yes." I said, flopping over on the bed so my back was facing Hermione.

"Fine, I guess I'll just have to go console Harry on his latest breakup without you then." She said in a resigned sort of way.

It took a few minutes for Hermione's words to sink into my groggy brain, but as soon as they did I bolted out of bed, resulting in a run in with the bed side table.

As I sat on the floor nursing my bruised bum I stared at Hermione incredulously.

"What!" I shrieked.

"I know." She squealed, "He broke it off with her!"

I don't think I've ever seen Hermione as excited as she was just then while she spewed the entire story.

Harry had taken Addie someplace quiet and told her that although he really liked her, he thought they were just too different for what they had to go anywhere.

I have never been prouder of that boy before in my life.

"Are you sure?" I mouthed almost inaudibly.

"Positive. Now, I don't know why you're still sitting there, we have to go over and see how he's doing." Hermione ordered me, turning around and grabbing a jumper off of one of the chairs in the room and tossing it at me.

"Isn't that kind of like – prying?" I asked apprehensively.

"Absolutely not. Ron says he's fine. Besides, we need to get you over there quick so you can console him when he's emotionally unstable. Now go change." Hermione informed me impatiently, pushing me towards the loo.

"Hermione – that is…" I started.

"What?" She smiled at me impishly.

"Positively cunning." I praised her.

"I know." She smiled proudly before she gave me a final push into the bathroom and latched the handle.

An hour later, before I had let the situation fully sink in, Hermione and I were being ushered into the boy's flat by Ron. He was absolutely beaming.

"So?" I asked when I had gotten into the warm hall, shivering from the nippy air outside.

"She's gone!" He whispered excitedly.

"Obviously." Hermione muttered in exasperation, "How's Harry though?"

"Oh, that." Ron murmured, "He seems fine to me."

"I have to tell for myself, is he in the back bedroom?" Hermione asked.

Ron nodded sending Hermione off to approve Harry's mental stability for herself.

"Is he really okay?" I asked Ron, thankful to have Hermione busy with something else at the moment.

"I think so. Yeah." Ron agreed with his previous statement, "But I think he's still a bit…"

An impatient rapping sounding at the old oak hallway door cut off Ron's words.

"Suppose you should answer that?" I asked. He nodded and went to unlatch the door handle. Ron blocked my view of the doorway, but judging by his reaction I had some idea who was calling.

"Uh…" I heard Ron stammer. "HARRY!"

I heard two sets of feet pounding down the carpeted hallway, and looked up in time to hear Hermione swear a colorful choice of words and watch Harry pale drastically.

"A – Addie." Harry stuttered, "W – What are you doing here?"

"Nice to see you too Harry." I heard the all too familiar drawl, before I saw her push her way past Ron and make her way securely into the hall. "We need to talk."

"I don't know what you're doing here, but I though I made it clear yesterday that I thought we were better off not seeing each other any more." It was plain by the sheen of sweat on Harry's face that he was incredibly uncomfortable.

"Well you see I don't quite agree with you there, dear." Addie snapped waspishly, moving so she was facing Harry head on.

"I don't know what you're playing at but I would like you to leave. Now." Harry's voice trembled a bit as he spoke, but he remained resolute nonetheless.

"No, Harry. I'm not leaving until you listen to what I have to say." She smirked at him.

I wasn't aware of making any motions towards the girl who had tried to ruin my life, and had almost succeeded, but I was suddenly very aware to Ron's overly tight grip on my upper arm restraining me.

"Fine then. What do you need to ask me?" Harry asked in resignation.

"Not ask, Harry, tell." She smiled her evil smile, "I stayed up all last night thinking about your abrupt change of heart, and I've decided I don't like it. And what I don't like doesn't fly." She whispered the last part, her voice dripping with venom. "I will not let Harry Potter break up with me. No, no way in hell."

I was seething. Absolutely seething. I was prepared to run over there and snap her spindly neck with no regrets if Ron's hold on me hadn't been so tight. Judging from the heavy breathing behind me, Ron and Hermione were having just about the same thoughts.

"You will forget about what happened last night, and we'll go on as normal. We'll get married, and I'll be Mrs. Harry Potter." She voiced lazily.

"You can't do that." Harry spat. He was clearly upset.

"Yes I can. I have a deal running with Witch Weekly, Gladrags, and The Nimbus Corporation, not to mention The Ministry of Magic – all of which becomes useless if we break up. I will not lose those endorsements." She continued on, ignoring Harry's protests.

"What?" Harry asked incredulously, "I never knew about those."

"That's because I never told you about them. Why would I? You would have thought I was using you." She informed him.

"Well you were!" Hermione declared ferociously.

"Aren't you clever." Addie spat cynically, "Of course I was using him! Who would want to go out with him anyway?" She made a gesturing motion over to Harry who looked like he had just been run over by a truck. Repeatedly. "He's whiny and sappy and a right pain in my backside. But, despite all that people seem to like him, and that gives me leverage by association."

"How – What?" Harry asked, looking between Ron, Hermione, and myself pleadingly.

"So. Harry, what do you say we get back together?" Addie cooed menacingly at Harry, "I'll forgive you."

"No." Harry said resolutely. "No, we're through." His eyes were burning with hate.

"Pity. I thought you might say that. But trust me, you will say yes. You see, I'm having dinner with daddy tonight, or as you refer to him, Coach Lewis. I would hate to have to tell him that I had seen his star seeker, my lovable boyfriend, shagging his best friends slaggy sister." She purred.

I felt my jaw drop. Harry's stare met mine across the room, and for the first time in a long time, I saw fear in those green eyes I loved so much.

"Wait a minute!" Ron exclaimed, releasing his grip on my arm and taking a step towards Addie.

"Oh shut up." Addie swore at Ron, effectively stopping him in his tracks so she could turn back to Harry, "Now, daddy will believe me. As far as he's concerned, I'll be absolutely heartbroken." She sneered at Harry, "And ever since my mum left him he's been trying extra hard to make sure his baby girl is taken care of. And if me being happy means that he has to fire you, he will do it."

I could see the internal struggle that was battling within Harry's mind. A fight on whether to hold onto his dream job, or his happiness. And the question of which was more important.

"Please, Addie, don't do this." Harry begged her, "It just didn't work out."

"Too right it didn't." She scoffed, "But, we don't really need to like each other, you just need to be in my control."

"Harry can just find another Quidditch team. Any team in the league would be mad not to sign him!" Ron interjected, forever loyal to his best friend.

"Ah, well, I thought of that. You see, if he does decide to switch teams, I'll make sure to slander his secrets to the press. After they hear what I have to tell them about their fearless hero, I have a slight inkling he'll have more than a little trouble finding work."

"You don't know any of my secrets." Harry growled, glaring at the wall, clearly determined not to meet Addie's gaze.

"True. You were always too secretive for your own good." Addie agreed loftily.

"HA!" Ron declared, "There you go."

"I wouldn't laugh so soon." Addie sneered haughtily, "Just because I don't know his real secrets doesn't mean I can't make some up. And trust me, the ones I'll leak, will be much worse than any real ones he has buried in his closet. Much worse."

The room was dead silent after her latest revelation. Not only was this girl, this absolutely despicable girl ruining my life, but she was trying to destroy any semblance of a life Harry had built since the end of the war. There were just some lines you didn't cross regarding Harry when in front of two Weasley's and one very clever bushy haired witch. And Addie had just crossed that line.

"Now, I have to go. I have a robe fitting at Gladrags for my new modeling job. Of course, I'll have to meet with the head of the company first seeing as how I'll be the new spokeswoman. I don't want to be late." Addie announced casually, turning to look at her appearance in the hallway mirror and fluff her hair.

I watched in utter astonishment as she withdrew a compact from her bag and applied a touch of blush to each cheek. Addie had just threatened to destroy the most famous wizard in Britain, and she was acting as if she had just finished Sunday tea with her best friend. It was – odd.

"Harry." She turned back to look him over, her eyes raking over his figure, "I've made reservations for lunch tomorrow with daddy's friend from The Nimbus Corporation. He may be interested in having us do a cover together." When Harry didn't answer, Addie clicked her stiletto on the carpet causing a muffled thud. That damned stiletto… "Harry…" She spoke calmly, but her voice was dripping with both hidden and exposed threats.

"W – Where are we eating?" Harry's voice raked over the silence. I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

"El Sol. It's a new place down in the shopping district. Supposedly it's Mexican cuisine with a twist. I certainly didn't pick it; it was all daddy's friend. Mexican food makes me feel nauseous." Came Addie's lengthy response to Harry's unexpected question.

"Oh," Harry whispered.

"You don't need to worry about the menu. I've already laid out some approved menu options on your desk." She sighed, still looking in the mirror, as she applied a bit of gloss to her pouted lips. "This is important to me Harry, so do try to wear something nice. Preferably the clothes I had bought for you in Hogsmeade last month." She snapped the lipstick bottle closed before stuffing it back in her bag, "Besides I've already alerted the press, and we're looking at about ten reporters scheduled to show up. I don't want you making me look bad." She gave Harry a withering glance before she strode purposefully for the still open door.

I was so surprised by her recent revelations that I barely noticed the cold blast that was brought as she pulled the door open, and it took me even more time to realize that she was talking to me.

"How are things going with that neighbor of yours Ginny?" She paused her exit, narrowing her eyes questioningly at me. "Fine." She sighed, continuing on her way out the door, "Oh," She stopped once more, "You might want to find an eye shadow that goes better with your complexion. That green makes you look pale as a ghost."

"Goodbye Addie." I grated out. She gave a sniff of distemper, and then she was gone once more.

I was barely able to appreciate her departure when I was jolted out of my daze by Harry cursing and slamming his fist into the wall.

"Harry." Ron mumbled moving over to grab Harry's fist in his own. "Calm down, mate." He whispered, moving Harry into the sitting room and lowering him into a chair.

"Would you be calm?" Harry whispered, his voice devoid of any type of feeling. "Tell me Ron. If your ex-girlfriend came stomping into your flat telling you that if you didn't get back together with her, flaunt your relationship to the press to further her career, and be her lap dog, she would get you fired and your name absolutely ruined. WOULD YOU BE CALM?"

"Harry, Ron's right. You need to stay calm. This is no way to rationalize the situation." Hermione scolded him lightly, although she looked about as ready to start screaming as everyone else in the room.

"Did it ever occur to you that maybe I don't want to rationalize the damned situation?" Harry snapped at her. Hermione looked highly affronted, and still bristling, settled herself in an armchair, only to stare heatedly at Harry's raging figure.

"Harry…" Ron tried again, although he looked rather cautious.

"What, Ron?" Harry grumbled.

"Do you want something to eat, maybe? Some tea?" Ron asked quietly.

Leave it to Ron to try and fix a problem with food.

"No. I don't bloody well want tea." Harry grumbled.

His gaze was fiery, and his face was pinched. It was obvious he was seething, but it was even more obvious that he was hurt.

From what Hermione had described, Harry had just broken up with Addie the night before, not been regaled with her true ways. This, for him, was the first time he had realized that for five months of his life he had been used in one of the worst ways possible. It was absolutely devastating to watch. There had to be something I could do to help.

"What if we were able to fix it?" I pondered out loud, not really knowing what I was saying.

"What?" Ron asked.

"What if we could change the situation? Give Harry the upper hand perhaps." I continued speaking with my brain tuned off.

"What exactly do you mean by that?" Hermione asked me, her face scrunched in concentration.

"Well, right now Addie has the upper hand because she has more allies." I reasoned.

"So we need allies then?" Ron asked, "That's not a problem, we could get the twins, and Bill, Charlie, even Percy. Then there's always the old Hogwarts crowd. They'd help."

"No." I muttered. "We need to keep the information limited. If enough people had an idea of what was going on Addie might just go through with her threat. What we need to do is outsmart her in her own game."

"How?" Harry asked quietly. He looked so sad and puzzled. It was a sight that made me want to cry and kiss him senseless all at the same time.

"Well…what if we tried threatening her?" I asked.

"No." Harry mumbled, "It would never work."

"We don't know that. It could work perfectly." I declared.

"I don't know Ginny. There has to be some other way." Hermione interrupted my thoughts, "Addie may look like a brainless bimbo, but she's smart. She knows what she's doing, and I'm sure she's considered every way we could out threaten her."

"She has to have something we could dig up. Everyone has a past!" I continued to argue.

"True, but I just don't think that's the way." Hermione contradicted me again.

"Well then fine, what if we…switched who has power?" I questioned.

"Meaning?" Ron asked.

"Well, what if we were to give Harry the power in the relationship. Have him pretend to love her and then drive her away." My voice rose a bit, "Oh, I just don't know. What else is there to do?"

"Maybe we could report her to the Ministry?" Ron wondered aloud, "That might work."

"She'd find a way around that." Harry grated, "She's smart like Hermione said. I used to be impressed by it before today."

"Well…" Hermione mumbled, "Ron would you like to join me in the kitchen for a moment?" Hermione shot Ron a meaningful glare and after a few seconds realization dawned and he hastily followed her from the room.

I was startled by Hermione and Ron's quick departure, but tried to settle my thoughts back onto the devastated raven-haired boy before me.

Harry's eyes became fixed with mine for the second time that day, and I found myself having to remember to continue breathing. Oh, but Merlin it was hard.

"Gin…" Harry said slowly, "What did you mean just now?"

"Huh?" I snapped back to reality once he addressed me.

"About your idea. I pretend to fall in love with her and then get her to break up with me. Were you serious about that?" He asked me, his face showing lines of concentration.

"Yes, I suppose. If it's a way to help." I answered.

"So, you're saying to me that I, well do what first, exactly?" He asked, scooting forward in his chair to get closer to where I was standing.

"Well. Pretend you had an epiphany…that you never wanted to break up, and then just do all the things you know she hates." I explained, making it all up as I went along, "Even Addie's human, she can only take so much before she cracks and has to get away from it."

"Do you really think it would work, though?" He asked hopefully.

"Maybe. I don't see why not." I told him, still not fully thinking what my plan would entail. I was too busy just trying to placate Harry.

Harry didn't talk again after that, but rather crossed his arms and stared down into his lap. Either he was severely depressed or lost in thought. I couldn't tell which one.

Just then I heard a clambering at the entry to the sitting room, and looked up to see Ron and Hermione balancing teetering towers of tea and biscuits between themselves.

I heard my stomach make a loud grumble, and I cringed in embarrassment. Harry looked up to meet my eyes once more – three times in one day – and he gave me a bit of a crooked smile, before giving a half-hearted laugh. I laughed back and tried to act as if I hadn't been mortified a few seconds earlier. Besides, it wasn't my fault I hadn't had a chance to eat breakfast.

- - - - -

I woke up early before Hermione the next morning and was pleased to find the flat blissfully silent.

I made my way into the cramped kitchen working my way around potted plants and stacks of Hermione's books. I made myself tea, but before I allowed myself to take a sip I paused to listen for stiletto heels.

I smiled to myself when I heard nothing.

I let my mind wander back onto the night before at Harry and Ron's house. Harry had told us, however dejectedly, that he felt like he couldn't ignore Addie's demands. He wasn't willing to sacrifice his job or his reputation.

I couldn't argue with him, however much I wished he would stand up to Addie and find a way to vanquish her like he had Voldemort. Harry had worked so hard since he left school to regain his footing and not fall into depression after the war had ended.

It had taken a few months, and quite a few bottles of fire whiskey, before Harry had settled upon professional Quidditch as his top career choice. Luckily, he didn't have to pull that many strings to make the reserve team his first year on the team, and by his second season he was the first string seeker.

For Harry Quidditch had always been a constant. No matter what happened to him he had always had Quidditch. It had been the first talent he had latched onto immediately in the wizarding world. He had played on the house team, used it to defeat flying keys and dragons, and then there was always his late night rendezvous around the castle.

When Addie had asked him to choose between a life away from her and a life away from Quidditch it wouldn't have taken a genius to figure out what he would have chosen. Because in all reality, for Harry, Quidditch was his happiness. No matter which decision he made he would lose a major part of his life.

I tried to remember those reasons behind his decision as I cursed Addie repeatedly and scolded Harry mentally for succumbing to her demands.

Yet, another strange thing had come about through Addie's threat. Something I would have never thought would happen.

After the debacle in the sitting room after Addie's brief departure Hermione, Ron, Harry, and myself had batted around ideas about who we could tell about the situation and what we would tell them about Addie.

The entire time I had felt an extra pair of eyes attached to my face, but whenever I had looked over at Harry he had been looking into his mug of tea. But I knew he was watching me all the same.

He had nodded supportively whenever Ron or Hermione would come out with a particularly outlandish idea waiting for them to back themselves into a corner and give up on their notions.

It was collectively decided by the end of the afternoon – well, at least collectively decided by Ron and Hermione, that there was no way to get rid of Addie. At least not anywhere in the near future. But I still felt Harry's gaze on me.

We had eaten dinner and Ron had challenged Harry to a game of chess. Harry, of course, lost horribly. He could never beat Ron.

It was late when Hermione and I had decided to head back to our own flat. Ron had tugged Hermione into another room, most likely to say a 'proper' goodbye, but Harry had stayed with me.

"I keep thinking about your idea from earlier." He had told me as I put on my coat.

"What Idea?" I had asked.

"The one where I pretend to go out with Addie and then drive her away." He had answered, handing me my scarf from the coat rack.

"Oh." I had paused, "Why, d'you want to try it?"

"Actually, yeah." He had informed me just as Ron and Hermione had emerged from the back bedroom looking properly disheveled. That had been the end of the conversation.

Harry had given both Hermione and I hugs and wished us well, Ron had patted me on the back, and that had been that.

Now, I was wondering what Harry was scheming in that adorable head of his. But more importantly, I was wondering what part he wanted me to play.

I shuffled around the flat for the rest of the morning, moving things around as I went. There was really nothing else to do.

Hermione got up not soon after I did, but she was needed at work, and had to leave early. She was overly devoted to her job at the Ministry in the Magical Creatures department, in my opinion.

By the time noon rolled around I was still in my dressing robe and had come to the conclusion that I was destined to a day of boredom. I was very wrong.

I studied the thermometer on the wall only to find that the temperature had dropped below the freezing point when I heard a scuffle in the sitting room.

"Hello!" I called, fingering my wand nervously.

"Gin, that you?" I heard a deep voice call back. I knew who it was at once. No one else ever called me Gin.

"Hi Harry." I greeted him as he dusted himself off and walked into the kitchen where I had been watering a plant.

He looked more gorgeous than usual. He wore a pair of faded denim jeans and a very soft looking gray sweater. His hair was windblown and his cheeks were a rosy pink. He looked absolutely delicious.

"Hey," he greeted me hastily, "I don't have a lot of time, but I wanted to talk to you. Are you alone?" He asked.

"Yes." I answered slowly, becoming increasingly aware that I was in my fuzzy pink bathrobe and slippers, my hair was a mess, and I had mascara under my eyes. In other words, I did not look Harry worthy. However, he seemed not to notice. Thank Merlin for small miracles.

"I've stayed up all night thinking about what you said yesterday – about your plan." He stuffed his fists into his pockets, "And I don't know, but it seems like it may have potential. I mean nothing else seems to be able to work, and I really don't want to be with Addie, but I don't want to stop playing either. But your idea, it's good Gin. It's really good."

"Oh – happy I could help?" I asked uncertainly. I really didn't know what else to say.

"Gin, would you be willing to help me?" He asked, his eyes boring into me.

"How?" I breathed.

"Help me bring down Addie." He breathed in the same voice. "I don't want anyone else to know. Not Ron. Not Hermione. Not anyone. But I trust you, and I know you can help me with this."

"Why me?" I asked in a small voice.

"Because you're smart, mischievous, you've got that temper, it was your idea, and no one seems to be a better choice. Hermione would overanalyze everything, Ron would let it slip, the twins would make everything too obvious…I just," He was pacing now, "I guess I just trust you with this the most."

He wanted me to help. Me. The one with the speckly freckles and the gawky shoulders. Me.

"I can't stay with her. I just know it. But I can't leave her either, or – well you know what she'll do. And did you hear her yesterday?" He looked frantic, "She said she was going to…marry me. I can't marry her, I can't have kids with her, I just can't."

"Of course Harry. Of course I'll help you." I smiled at him.

"Good." He looked immensely relieved, "I have to go to lunch with Addie, but tonight, would you want to have dinner with me at the Three Broomsticks?" His face had contorted into disgust when he mentioned Addie's name.

"That sounds very nice." I almost squealed. Key word there being almost.

"Thanks Gin. I mean I really appreciate – just thanks." He looked extremely nervous and before I could reply he had apparated away, leaving me behind, very confused in his wake.