Chapter Three

Well that was that. Ron got sent to Madame Pomfrey's and Harry and Hermione stayed with him there for the rest of the day (albeit with their homework, Hermione saw to that). So his day had gone rather well, Draco thought, as he made his way up to his room in the Slytherin Dungeons. Snape had praised his potions making while Longbottom had succeeded in getting a Troll thanks to that rather loud explosion that utterly shattered his cauldron.

So, he decided, the year was looking up. That was until he found the ominous letter lying on his bedside table with the Malfoy seal on it.

Groaning, Draco picked it up, figuring that he had best just read the letter lest it turn out to be a Howler.

Draconis Malfoy:

Due to recent events that have transpired between the Families Malfoy and Parkinson, you are no longer to be wed with Miss Pansy Parkinson. So I have taken it upon myself to find you a suitable wife of both a pureblood wizarding family and an ancient one.

Once I had sorted through our extended family and discarded those possibilities and the Parkinson child, I was left with but one family.

You are to in any means possible woo the young Ginerva Weasley and capture her feelings.

She is your intended.

Do not attempt to disobey me for I will know if you do.

Lucius Malfoy

Draco hurled the letter into the fireplace in his anger and shock. Married to a Weasley! Something was wrong. Perhaps his father had been hit with a bat boogie hex that had damaged his brain, for that was the only explanation Draco could think of.

As he watched the parchment crackle and burn, the flames searing through the letter and yellowing it before finally leaving naught in its place but ash, Draco realized that he could turn the situation to his advantage.

First of all, he no longer had to worry about that pug-faced moron his father had him paired up with. Secondly, he could drive Weasley up the wall and thirdly, he could destroy all hopes said Weasley had of marrying his little sister off to Potter and leaving himself with the Mudblood.

And the best part of it all was that Draco wouldn't have to worry about actually marrying the Weasley for another seven years at least.

So Draco checked the time, it was 4:17, he had plenty of time. Weasley was probably in the Common Room doing homework. It would be simple enough to find her.

Draco shut the door behind him, making his way through the twisted passages that led to the Common Room. When he entered it, he heard the raucous voices of various Slytherins, Pansy's in the lead,

"W-E-A-S-L-E-Y

Her hair is red

Her face is freckled

Her family is poor

She's in love with Scarhead

She's A W-E-A-S-L-E-Y!

Wart- faced

E-!"

The song was cut short by Draco's angry voice.

"Shut up! All of you!" He yelled. The Slytherins stopped, amazed that he was standing up for a Weasley.

"Go do your homework, or go hex each other. Whatever it is you pathetic imbeciles do."

Everyone was still too shocked to move. Crabbe spoke first,

"But, it's Weaselette…" His voice trailed off and he and Goyle quickly left. Draco turned his stern glare on the others,

"Out, now!"

Everyone started to move then, except for Blaise, who had just entered the scene. He walked over to Draco,

"What's going on here?"

"Nothing." Draco said, "Just go. I want to speak with Weas-Ginny." He amended. Blaise looked puzzled, but he left nonetheless.

Draco turned to Ginny who was staring up at him in amazement.

"What did you do that for?" She asked in a quiet whisper, smoothing out the wrinkles in her robes and hastily wiping away the forming of a tear.

Draco attempted a friendly smile, but it came out more like a demented frown. Ginny laughed. Draco stiffened. He didn't like being laughed at, his eyes flashed angrily, but then he remembered this was Ginny. He was trying to gain her trust.

"I don't like it when everyone gangs up on the weak because that's taking over my job."

Her smile vanished, "You're despicable."

"And you…" He paused, waiting for enlightenment to strike. It never did, "You're a Weasley. However, I'm inclined to think that you're different from the rest of your large clan because you are the only one to be sorted into Slytherin. So it might be worth making your acquaintance." Ginny's frown left, but she didn't smile.

"So you're saying now that I'm in Slytherin you will pay attention to me?"

"No, I have a much better idea. I am going to make you popular. And not popular the way your brother is, I will make you popular because of who you are, rather than who you hang out with."

Draco circled around her.

"And what exactly do you want in return?" Ginny asked.

Draco stopped. "That," He grinned, "Is for me to know and you to think about."

Ginny walked up to him, "So you're proposing a truce?"

He shook his head, "No, I'm proposing a friendship."

Ginny appeared puzzled, but she nodded all the same, sticking out her hand, "Fine, but you have to promise not to insult Harry or Hermione."

Draco smirked, "What, not worried about me insulting your buffoon of a brother?"

Ginny gave him a look, "Sadly, I realize that Ron is in dire need of some good insulting. His head's gotten far too big for the rest of his body to support."

Draco grasped her hand, "No insults to Potter and Granger then, but you can never stop me from taunting them."

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Whatever." She pulled her hand away, "So um, what now?"

Draco began to circle her again, "Well, for starters, I want you to go find your new best friend Millicent Bulstrode, ask her for some copies of Teen Witch Weekly (she'll be only too willing to give you some) and then the two of you are to look through it for any clothes your heart desires. I will pay for them all."

Ginny couldn't hide her shock. "Bloody Hell!" Realizing what she had just said, Ginny's face flushed. "I mean, you'd do that for me?"

Draco shrugged, "That's what friends are for."

Ginny smiled, "Thanks." She gathered up her things and then sped off in the direction of her dormitories. Draco on the other hand stood in the Common Room alone, repulsed by what he had just said.

That's what friends are for.

Ugh. Next he'd be saving people just like Potter and putting his life on the line to protect the world from crazed psychopaths. If the Slytherins ever found out he'd be the laughing stock of Hogwarts for centuries to come.

Over in the Girls' Dormitories, Ginny and Millicent were both seated on a bed, crouched over a copy of the Teen Witch Weekly, ogling at the clothing.

"Oooh, Look at this!" Millicent exclaimed.

Ginny's glance was caught by a pair of jeans and a clingy tube top, "Wow!" She didn't even bother to look at the price. Draco would take care of it.

"And look at this!" Ginny flipped the page and pointed to a similar outfit. Millicent nearly fainted from happiness and amazement at the 'incredibly hip outfit'.

"Gosh!" She exclaimed, "Isn't this soo fun!"

Ginny laughed, "Yeah, it is!"

Millicent closed the magazine and pulled out some nail polish. "And now, for the really great part!" She un-capped the bottle "Manicures!" Then proceeded several laughs of girlie pleasure and surprise before the two were interrupted by a rather annoyed Pansy.

"Will you two shut up!" She shrieked angrily, "I am so sick of this!"

Millicent, "Go stick your head in a bucket Parkinson, it might freeze of some of those warts!"

Pansy snarled at her, reaching for her wand, but Millicent was too fast. She and Ginny whipped out their wands,

"One move Parkinson, and you'll be sorry." Millicent growled.

Pansy laughed, "What, like I'm supposed to be afraid of a freak wielding Teen Witch Weekly and her sidekick the size of a mouse!"

"No," Millicent said in a dangerous tone, "But you are supposed to be scared of Blaise Zabini and Draco Malfoy."

Pansy put on a cool front, though she was shaken by that simple statement, "Please, it's not like they would bother to come help you two when it comes to choosing sides. Everyone knows that I'm going to marry Draco one day."

Millicent rolled her eyes, pocketing the wand, "Right, I'll tell you when that day is—in your dreams." She and Ginny turned back to their nail-painting while Pansy proceeded to sulk. Nothing new there.

A/N:

I admit that it took me awhile to get that chapter up, and it is rather short, but I am currently editing the following chapters because I forgot to write about some things that ocurred in HP and CoS, so I wasn't able to put up double chapters this time to make up for it. Sorry, I'll try to update sooner next time!

Sweet As Butterbeer: Thank you, as I've said before, I positively loove to write comedy stories, especially when people can't stop laughing when they read them (that includes me, I was re-reading the section where Sanpe was explaining away Ron's in-ability to talk "He had a slight accident with a poker. It wasn't a very pretty sight." Really, I have no idea where I come up with these ideas) but I digress. Thanks for your review, and all your praise for my stories! I love it!

Pussin Boots:Yes, well Ginny will be doing much better as the story progresses now that she has some friends and now that no Slytherin with a brain will bother her. So now she will be living well...can't really tell you what as it would kill story but oh well, hopefully, you get the point. Thanks for reviewing!

CCoLoMBiAnMaMi11: Thanks, I hope the story is to your liking so far! Please continue to read and review!

stars-so-bright: Draco is hard on Ginny in the beginning because he has been brought up to believe all Weasleys are dirt. Now, when his father abruptly changes this theory, Draco is shocked, but nonetheless, he does what his father wishes as he sees something in it for him. He can annoy Ron and Harry to the enth degree, while still follow his father's orders. As the story progresses though, Draco finds that his relationship with Ginny, while forced in the beginning, slowly grows into an actual friendship, which scares him a little as he hadn't expected that to happen...but anyways, if I keep on summarizing, I'll give away the entire series. So, thanks for your review, I hope I cleared up any questions you had, and please continue to R and R!

And for the rest of you that haven't reviewed yet: SHAME! I know there are a ton of you, because there are at least 200 people who have read this story, and as of yet have not reviewed yet. I can tell because I'm an author who has her ways (and technology to back them up), so I expect some more reviews. That being said, have a lovely day and keep on smiling even as those evil Marshmallow Men come down from Mars to take over Earth. (We all know they plan on doing it, but what no one knows is that I'm ready, with my marshmallow sticks and a roaring campfire--oh yes, BEWARE evil marshmallow men!)

no idea where that came from :)