Don't like? Don't read, don't complain. Flames shall be used to roast marshmallows, thank you.

Natters-nutters: Oh Merlin, I'm sorry. I hadn't noticed just how much time I had taken to get my arse in gear & update. It actually took Mishavay's review to guilt me into checking this story again & it was then that I realized that it had been months since I had updated. Positively awful. I hate the authors who have these great stories with these thousands of reviews & they just leave them hanging there in the Indefinite-Hiatus-Limbo because they never update! & so now I hate myself because I realized I'm partly one of them because although it's not such a great story & it doesn't have thousands of reviews I do have it in the Indefinite-Hiatus-Limbo. So I'm scum. Uh-huh. Whatever. For reals, I had started this chapter ages ago, but I had never really taking it to heart finishing it. I mean, I had just focused all my energy into reading instead of actually writing (btw, you wouldn't believe the stories they're publishing as of late! Everything is total shite…I will change it into almost everything, or I'll be hanged, though I do believe it's everything. Except for Misconceptions by Heart's Cadence. Go & read her story, aye? It rocs socs, uh-huh.), so my stream of attention wasn't really great for writing mood, but I guess that after all I've read (d&g rockers, suckers & fuckers), I finally found my inspiration somewhere on that road so, yeah, here it is. The awaited chapter nine. Hopefully, I haven't lost the special touch for this story.

Ta.

I wouldn't have killed Sirius; I wouldn't have made Snape kill Dumbledore either. I wouldn't have forced Ginny to go out with Pothead. Yeah, she was forced, didn't you know? Well, it's privileged information. Only d&g shippers know the true story. So no, I'm not bloody Rowling. Though we all love her, don't we? After all, she did torture Harry in the fifth book. So yeah, we love her.

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"I will not care if you sell your soul to Lucifer himself. You shall bring me a name, and you shall bring it to me now," he said silkily, his tone of voice belying his fury.

"Sir Malfoy, I'm afraid this search isn't as simple as it appeared to be at the beginning. The woman has taken great lengths to protect her identity. Not even Gloria Whitman, Witch Weekly's editor in chief, knows who she is," a gruff voice answered by the crackling line.

"And you know that because what, you asked?" he said scathingly. "You idiot. You're working for me, Draco Malfoy, nemesis of this so-called journalist, the name itself is considered a plague in those offices at this moment and you just parade in asking for her name? Gloria Whitman does not have a naïve bone in her body; those flimsy articles have her magazine selling rates sky high. She knows what she is doing, and not for all the galleons in the world will she leak her name to you, of all people," he sneered.

"Well, sir, I'm open to suggestions." The mocking comment caused more of a rise out of him than what he was willing to admit. He sat upright, his grip on the phone went knuckle-white and his eyes spontaneously narrowed dangerously. Shakes had been working for him for years, and it appeared to be that the hound was getting a bit too self-assured, too cocky; confident that everything he knew about the Malfoy family could be used as a weapon in his favour. Maybe Lucius had been right after all.

"I don't care what you do Shakes, as long as I'm behind your merry trips to Overdose Land you will have to do what is required to do. And do you know what I'm requiring of you as of right now?" he asked silkily. "I'm asking for a goddamned NAME!" Draco thundered as he slammed the phone.

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"Blah, blah, bloody trash," Ginny muttered as she threw the five inch file over her shoulder. "Ooh, food!" she said excitedly as she spotted a can of cashews shoved to the back of the file drawer. She reached for it hungrily and apparently didn't catch the sound of sloshing inside the old can as she opened it. An acrid smell reached her nostrils and she violently let go of the can. "Fucking Morgana! What are flobberworms doing here" Twisting her features in a grimace of I'm-grossing-out, she shoved the drawer close. "Let Gloria have a lovely goodbye present," she muttered with a grin. "I still can't believe the bitch fired me…" Ginny complained as she shoved yet another thing into the already packed box stacked with the useless clutter that used to be on what used to be her desk.

No more.

"It was too cramped, anyway," Ginny said reproachfully as she looked around her tiny cubicle—it wasn't even an office, dammit!—and realized how much clutter she still had to pack. Binders brimming with papers, useless folders were everywhere and 'Hell' was still present in her north wall. Staring hardly at the cut outs and articles that now covered the whole wall as she walked toward them, she stood there, her face almost pressed against the paper clippings and face to face with Draco Malfoy's aristocratic features.

"I hate you," she whispered forcefully, her stare locked in Draco's grainy black and white moving face. "It's your entire fault, did you know that?" She started pacing in front of the wall; Draco's face jumping out at her from every picture and causing her to glare all the more hatefully. His sneer always was a typical characteristic, and in a moving picture it didn't improve much. "I can't even…! Agh! You're everything bad, you're everything evil, you're everything…"

"His parents would be so proud. Why don't you run and go tell them just that? They have been waiting to hear that for ages." At the sound of the silky purr, Ginny inwardly jumped, but the only physical sign of any notice was her fist as she wound it up more, her nails digging in her tender flesh.

Without turning around, she spoke. "Just what are you doing here? Oh, forget it, stupid question. I take it our favourite person has already exploded into his typical rant? Just what did I do now?" she emphasized as she plucked an article from her 'Hell' wall looking completely nonchalant as she scanned the cut out that spoke of how 'the gorgeous Malfoy heir' was 'the most eligible bachelor' and just how blah blah…it just screamed of Witch Weekly. Ginny still didn't comprehend how come she worked—had—in such a shallow magazine. How could they praise and blather on so much about a fiend?

Stupidity should be punished with death…but then again, more than half of the people of the world would turn up dead, wouldn't they?

The thought made her snicker. Though pity it was cut rather short.

"I rather admire your weird ability to go from irked to jovial in two seconds flat, love." The burr erased all trace of diversion from her face as she came to count again that she actually had a visitor.

"And I don't admire your ability to pop anyone else's good day. You just have to spoil it, hm?" she retorted as she magicked an empty binder from the stack of files that were on the floor and stuffed the article she had ripped from the wall into it.

"I rather doubt that getting fired would count as a good day, Ginevra," Blaise smirked as he casually leaned against her desk and assessed her with shrewd and bright eyes.

Upon his comment, however, she snapped around but managed to stop the glare from slipping into her impenetrable gaze as she looked at him. She lifted a corner of her mouth in a big resemblance of a smirk and responded.

"And you're not making it any better, as I'm sure I already mentioned. And this is going nowhere as I now mention, so would you please get to the horrible point?" she asked sweetly, making sure her fabricated dimple flashed as she placed her hands on her hips.

"Since when do men have to have a point when they want to see their girlfriends?" Blaise asked innocently as he toyed with a black paperweight.

"Oh, that's a good point," Ginny answered unruffled. "But see, I don't see any men here, Blaisey dear," she finalized with a yearning sigh.

"And here I was, thinking you had grown up. Ah well, mortals do tend to make mistakes, you know," he answered as he straightened up and smoothed his black blazer. "I take it then that you won't care to hear about the simply perfect plan I devised to complement your utterly malevolent treacheries?" He gave a disappointed sigh and shrugged. "Oh well, I'll take it to the next scorned anonymous journalist who happens to hate Draco Malfoy and has a sex history with his best friend," he paused, as if thinking. "Pity, I believe there are quite a number of those out there. Au revoir cher un!" He blew her a kiss and winked as he slowly and gracefully walked around her cubicle and disappeared into the hum of activity that was Witch Weekly.

"Damn him to Hades and back," Ginny cursed as she stood, hesitant against her Hell wall. It didn't really take that long. "Zabini! Get your hot arse back here, you insufferable sexy bastard!" Somehow that didn't quite sound as offensive as it had in her head.

"You called me dear? I heard something about hot arses and damn sexy bastards."

"We don't have a sex history," Ginny mumbled, trying to hide the fact that she was in fact, smiling.

"What was that, love? Couldn't quite catch it with those wonderful lips of yours refusing to cooperate," Blaise purred in her ear as he snaked a hand around her waist. Oh he was enjoying himself alright. He wanted to count in how many ways he could wind this girl up.

"Get your hands off me Blaise. I remember my recent plans of your castration quite lucidly, so you better keep your hands to yourself."

"My castration?" Blaise inquired, his dark eyebrow immediately shooting up. "Pity. You don't want to do that, love. There would be a lot of vengeful deprived witches after your delectable arse if you actually succeed," he declared with a faked wistful sigh, his hands still wrapped securely around her waist.

Leaning back against him, Ginny couldn't help herself, "I'm afraid that I would end up killing myself, then, if we're talking about deprived witches," she murmured against his ear.

"My, is that a proposition, love?" he asked, trying to hide his own smile.

Giving a sigh, Ginny pulled herself from his grasp. "It would be if you were another person and I hadn't sworn off from sex life," she declared with a dismissive wave of her hand as she resumed her packing.

"Sworn off—?" Blaise couldn't even bring himself to finish the question.

"Why, yes, I'm a nun of the Draconian Order, we save ourselves for the one and only Draco Malfoy. And since we know that us mortals cannot possibly interest him we are charged with celibacy for the rest of our unfortunate and woeful lives," Ginny declared seriously.

"Celibacy?" Blaise inquired with a smirk. "I'm afraid I cannot take your word on that, cher un. You wouldn't be able to tolerate a single night without sex," he finished as he stepped closer to her, once again hugging her from behind. "I'm afraid your body was made to suffer through that pagan custom." His hands lowered to her hips and Ginevra silently agreed.

"Oh well, you can blame those randy nuns. Corrupt even the most saintly souls, they do." His chuckle brought a small smile to her lips. He always appreciated her comments.

"You really shouldn't have dumped me," he said lovingly. A smile was threatening his lips. He had almost forgotten this charming side of her. She was actually one of the few people that could make him smile sincerely. Pity that their time together had been cut short. But, as she had so accurately pointed out a week ago, it wasn't exactly her fault that they weren't together still. He had been wondering ever since. His head was swimming in what if's and would's and or's. It was tiresome and repetitive. What if Pansy hadn't "found a use for him after all"? Would they still be together? Or their fling would have died out eventually, as it was typical when it involved him on the picture? Who would have ended the relationship, him? Her?

"And trio out with Parkinson?" she asked with disdain. "I can share sometimes, but really, Parkinson?" She sniffed as if highly offended, unaware that she had snapped him out of one of those uncommon reveries where he actually considered his future.

"Parkinson's a slut," Blaise declared carelessly, the remnants of his thoughts already blown away by the sprite in front of him.

"And it took you all this time to realize it," she snorted. "You had me between your legs, quite literally, mind you, and you chose her. What do you males see that I can't?" she asked curiously and not without a bit of hurt.

"Well, for one, you don't have to "woo your way into her pants". Her legs are always spread open. You have to admit that's a rather strong point," he smirked without holding back. He was sure that Ginevra wouldn't even notice that he had been crude. Ah, the joys of a household full of males.

"Ew, I can't believe we're actually discussing Parkinson, of all things," she said delicately, her pert nose wrinkled in distaste.

"I can't either, I can't either."

"So, Blaise darling, you ready to take me out for a late lunch?" Ginny simpered happily, a simple smile tracing her lips.

"Don't you have to finish pa—" he stopped himself as he looked around. The place was entirely cleaned out. There were only boxes upon boxes upon boxes…an endless tower that was staggering precariously, balanced with what Blaise was quite sure was magic. Three quarters of those boxes were labelled in bold letters spelling out 'Hell' and a picture of Draco Malfoy scowling tagged at each and every one of them.

"I keep him as a reminder," she said with a shrug as she followed his gaze. Blaise raised his eyebrows in an unspoken question, but received no verbal answer. Though he wasn't quite sure he needed one.

"Ah, touché," he simply said, letting the matter rest for now as he led her away.

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Draco angrily let go of the papers he had on his hand with an impatient growl as he ran a hand through his hair. He had been unable to concentrate all day long, and only that wench was to blame. Shakes had kept proving to be worthless and he was getting impatient as his private hound was rendered incapable. He hadn't been able to make a single dent on the dense question mark this "LG" represented and it had been more than two months already. It had Malfoy on the brim of madness. He had gone to work hoping to be able to push some things around and actually get something done, but here the calls of ravenous reporters were just as frequent and just as annoying. More so because important meetings were constantly being interrupted when a harried reporter managed to barge in through security and start with the repetitive questions which he could almost cite from memory already; merely by rote. What was so interesting about a life-less, albeit sneaky, journalist that didn't have anything else to do and suddenly decided to target one of the wealthiest bachelors in wizardkind son of the Dark Lord's ex-right hand by unearthing obscure family secrets, anyway?

"Damn her to hell and back," he growled as he slammed his chair back and grabbed his cloak, thundering out of his oppressing office and managing to extricate a yelp of surprise from his always cool secretary. "I shall not be returning, Flavia, I'm afraid this is all for the evening. If by any chance the phone rings," At that moment the phone decided to prove his comment irrelevant by doing exactly that, and it was all Draco Malfoy could do to stop himself from slamming it into the wall. "Please tell them that I am not available, nor shall I be for at least a week. It doesn't matter who it is, I shall not be disturbed. Not here, not at the Manor," he said lowly. "I don't want any kind of interruptions at my own household. If I happen to chance any kind of disaccord concerning a reporter calling my own house with stupid and inane questions, I will make sure to hold you responsible for it," he growled as he walked away, his black cloak billowing behind him; darkly threatening.

He really should show some self-restraint, but at the moment those words were aliens to his vocabulary. He was angry enough to strangle anyone who would cross him, or his path. His only hope was to survive this trapped inside Malfoy Manor until he managed to find out the face behind the articles. When he found out her face, her name, he would be able to pinpoint the exact cause of this anger that she thought appropriate to vent in this way. If she wanted to unleash all her frustration, that simply was no way of going on about it, and he planned to tell her just that.

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"Merci beaucoup," Blaise intoned suavely and the waiter made away with a bow. Having already placed his order he took a long, calm sip from the wine that was sitting before him with a grace that blended his muscle movements into lazy elegance. The comfortable silence that had settled in between them was just occasionally broken with the far away clink of cutlery from the other tables nearby, the sensual murmur of hushed conversations and the lull of the slow beat music in the backdrop of the restaurant. It was a far cry from Ginny's life lately, and she couldn't help but revel in its relaxing atmosphere. Her life had been too hectic; with scrambles that led her nowhere as she tried to settle with her boss the sum of her remission check and while she tried to get her brain functioning enough to spill some scrawled words that mildly resembled a rough draft and just the tension of knowing that sooner or later Draco Malfoy would find out who she was, or who LG was or… It had finally taken its toll and she was more than ready to succumb to unconsciousness for a few weeks, only rising to eat and drink, only to once again fall into a deliciously oblivious stupor.

Ginny hadn't noticed that Blaise had been staring at her from the brim of his cup for quite a while. Mainly because her eyes had been closed, her body instinctively drinking the calming draught this environs offered and probably because she had all but forgotten that she was very much accompanied. "What is it, Blaise?" she asked simply, if not somewhat happily, her own hand reaching for her wine cup and immediately stilling as his suave baritone laced the killer question.

"He broke your heart, didn't he?"

"Straight for the bull's eye, hm?" she hummed as she finally brought her glass goblet to her lips, consciously not answering his question.

He clucked his tongue and shook his head in a playfully scolding manner. "So he did break you, didn't he?" She knew this would be coming sooner or later; Blaise wasn't one to stand by and let everything happen around him. He had to be part of the now, and she couldn't—wouldn't—stop the barrage of questions he was sure to send her way. It was inevitable, they both knew it, and even though it was a bit sooner than what Ginny's taste preferred, there was nothing she could do about it. He had every right to ask.

And she had every right to not answer.

"Do I look broken to you, Blaise?" she asked as she stood up, walked to his side and twirled especially for him, her black working robes a bit tatty but still fitting her well. The long sleeves only accentuated her tiny hands, and although the robes should have skimmed somewhere around two inches above the knees they now hit mid-thigh dead on. Her feet were clad with black trendy flats, and her legs were merely toned. Her long hair was tied up in a wanting-to-be bun at the back of her head and her face was flushed and relaxed. She was the picture of commodity and she looked every piece in place.

"Perhaps," Blaise drawled as he appraised her from head to toe with a penetrating gaze that would have reduced any female to an ecstatic shivering puddle.

"If I were, would you pick every single piece?" she asked into his ear, and he could feel her mischievous smirk as he failed to answer instantly. "And now, if you excuse me, I have to go to the loo, would you mind?" she continued to whisper in his ear.

"Would I mind what, love?" he asked indulgently.

"Would you mind ceasing your devouring of my persona?"

Ah, he had walked right into that one.

And she smirked at him that slow and so damn sexy smirk as she sashayed away, an extra beat to her hips.

Touché indeed.

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MUST READ: I know, all that waiting for this. Although I kinda liked it. Even though it's short. So I apologize for not updating in such a while. Hopefully I'll be able to keep this rhythm up & keep my stories up to date. Oh, btw, I'll keep reloading the old chapters because I keep tweaking here & there to make them look a bit more presentable. There are not major changes that will affect the whole plot (could someone please tell me what it is?) but yeah, there's a bit moving around. Couldn't help it, I was reading it over & at parts, some lines, I just found them too immature or childish or whatever, so there are some words changed, cut, pasted, rearranged, you know the dance. You must not worry my fellow & faithful readers. Chapter ten is already under construction, & I shall be posting it within the week. That's a promise.

Reviews:

Mishavay: Hey! First of all, thanks for the review. It sort of snapped me back into writing. I'm really glad you like this story so far, even though it hadn't been updated in ages. Hope to keep hearing more of you. I love your story, btw.

Firefly820: Lol. Thanks for the chocolate. Deeelicious. And DGB? Hmm…I think I shall leave that only for Promised Redemption. In here it may scare some readers away :snickers:

KireiArrow: Oh! Ppl are finally feeding me! Heeh, I'm sorry for this horribly late update, but I swear I'll try to stop that from happening again. Hope you keep liking the story.

Coldflamez: Thanks for the review. Really, those things are what keep me going, even though sometimes it doesn't appear. But I'm so thankful.

Mem0rycafe: aw, you make me blush! & it's a shame you hate camping. Although it sucked. Anyways, that was a long time ago, I hope you're still interested in this story of mine. Even though it's getting repetitive I'll say it again. I will update more frequently now. I adore your reviews. You make my day.

Blissfulxsin: aww! Chocolate! Gods, I'll just grow fat with so much food! Don't worry, it makes me feel loved. & I know! She's such a sucker. :snickers: but she's a must for this story. Later I'll let you have a go at her. It doesn't matter if she doesn't come back alive. Huh. Thanks a lot for always being there.

Youngwriter56: Thanks again & again & again for your review.

Napolean: Ooh, you'll see in next chapter. Blaise has a card under his sleeve that hasn't been showed yet. He'll come to the rescue.

As always, thank you, EVERYONE out there for their constant support in this. I know I've been a sucker in the updates, but what's done is done. Hope you have a space to forgive me.

always & forever,

°gyn