Author's Notes: Eep, this took awhile to get out huh? Sorry all! Oh by the way, I realize this is rather AU if you've read OOTP, but, ah well. So, yeah.

Disclaimer: Don't own, don't sue.

You've Got Mail: Ch.9-Blackmail Is A Sweet, Sweet Thing

Ginny whirled around the corner, and slumped against the wall. She then put her face in her hands and gave a muffled scream.

"Ginny?"

She stopped screaming and looked up. "Oh. Hey Tina," she said with a surprising amount of calm for someone who had just been shrieking into her hands.

Tina raised an eyebrow.

"Uhhh.I was just, um, relieving stress," Ginny explained half- heartedly. Tina didn't buy a word of it, but she nodded anyways. "So what are you doing here?"

Tina smiled. "Looking for you. Lunch is almost over, but I brought you some food. Thought you might be hungry; I doubt Malfoy fed you," she joked, pulling a napkin filled with rolls and an apple from her school bag. Ginny ate voraciously, not caring how she looked. She was starving.

Tina wrinkled her nose, but didn't say anything, well, until Ginny swallowed too much bread and started hacking viciously. "It's like watching a train wreck," she remarked with amazement.

The redhead blushed, and stopped coughing. Tina just laughed and they started off towards their next classes.

***

Draco shook his head and took a glance at his watch. Hmm, he still had about half an hour before lunch was over, that was enough time to sit and quickly wolf down some food. He started off towards the Great Hall, his trademark scowl/smirk unknowingly making its way onto his face.

He was just passing by a broom closet when he heard a giggle, followed by what definitely sounded like kissing noises. Draco smirked wider, and moved closer to the door, ear almost flat against it.

"Ohhh, oh," the girl moaned, and Draco's fiendish smile only grew. The word blackmail kept floating through his head.

There was the sound of clothes being ripped open (Draco had very good hearing) and he snorted. Someone's getting some, he thought to himself. What he heard next almost made him gag.

"Hermione." Draco recognized that voice. Potter.

Blackmail was now being shouted in his head.

***

Ginny sighed as the bell for the start of afternoon classes rang.

"Why does it have to be so loud?" She muttered to herself sulkily. She was walking towards her Muggle Studies lesson alone, since Tina had Divination now. Not that she had wanted to go; Tina thought Trelawney was as much of a crackpot as Harry and Ron did. Ginny had just laughed when she said this. She had taken Divination the last couple years, but finally decided that Muggle Studies might be less of an attack on her senses.

She slowed down as she got nearer to the end of the hall before the Charms corridor. There seemed to be some kind of a fight going on. Ginny just rolled her eyes and turned the corner.

Immediately she saw the problem. Malfoy. He seemed to be making fun of Hermione and Harry. Ginny's eyes widened. He knows they're a couple, she thought with an inward gasp.

Crap.

***

"Hey Granger, I'm surprised to see you here," Draco drawled lazily as he walked up to the crowd outside the still-locked Charms room. The Dream Team was standing outside, talking and laughing as if two of them hadn't just been getting it on in a broom closet. Well, he'd put a stop to that.

Hermione wasn't amused. "And why's that Mal-ferret?" She asked nastily. Weasel and Scarface were already moving to flank her, and the other students had gone quiet at the prospect of a fight.

Draco smirked. "Well, it's just that after that little escapade in the broom closet between you and Potter, you didn't sound like you could walk," he said it slowly, each word rolling deliberately off his tongue to hang in the air between them.

Pandemonium broke out. Hermione gasped loudly, Harry colored and launched at Draco, yelling, only to be stopped by an irate Ron, who was trying to yell back at him. The Slytherins were laughing uproariously, while Gryffindors were either trying to hurt them or holding others back.

Draco moved neatly to the side as Ron charged at him, his momentum sending him straight into Pierce Avery. He escaped to the back of the crowd, looking over his creation with not too little pride.

Draco heard footsteps coming towards him and immediately assumed a dueling stance. He looked up to see Ginny standing in front of him. She was almost crying.

"How could you," she whispered softly, before shoving past him and running away, red mane flying.

He was so preoccupied with watching her, open-mouthed with shock, that he didn't even notice Harry's fist until it connected with his jaw. Then everything went black.

***

Ginny rushed down the hall, not caring who she bumped into or shoved aside. For some reason she felt awful, like he had betrayed some trust she didn't know she had given him.

She had finally calmed down by the time she got to her class. She wasn't upset that it had been Dra-Malfoy saying those things, she was just, emotional. Yes, that was it. So, she sat through Muggle Studies perfectly fine, only sniffling ever so often.

And if anyone asked why her eyes were red, she just told them it was allergies.

***

Draco winced and rubbed his jaw again. Stupid Potter with his stupid right hook.

He was in the library, on Saturday morning. There were only a few people around, being as it was before lunch, and most were sleeping still. Draco was waiting for Ginny, but she was already twenty minutes late. He was losing what little patience he had.

Finally, though, just as he had started flicking bits of paper into a crack in the wall (he had surprisingly good aim), the doors burst open and she stepped through. Ginny glanced around, spotted him, and scowled before marching over. He gulped. He could remember her anger the day before.

Ginny got to the table and just stood there, arms crossed. He arched an eyebrow and gestured vaguely to a chair. "Well," he told her. "What are you waiting for? We've got work to do Weaselette."

She shook her head. "No. I refuse to work with you, unless we get a few things straight here." Her voice was tight with anger.

Draco frowned. "Fine, I suppose. What are these few things?"

Ginny finally sat in the offered seat. "Firstly, don't insult my family or my friends. Second, we split the project work equally. And third," she said quietly. "You're going to apologize to Harry and Hermione."

Draco almost jumped. "What?!? Apologize to Scarface and the Mudblood? Why in the name of Merlin would I do that?" He asked her with amazement.

Her brown eyes had narrowed at the name he called Hermione. She leaned across the table towards him "Yes, you'll apologize, and mean it. Do you know, that right now, Hermione is in her room sobbing, Harry's trying to explain things to Ron, and my brother isn't speaking to either of them?" She sat back, shaking her head slowly, and when she spoke again her voice was much softer. "I'm amazed. With one sentence, you managed to destroy a six-year friendship."

Draco felt some sort of pang of guilt, but he squashed that quickly. "Yes, it's a gift," he said arrogantly. "And as for the apology, I still don't see why I should. If it's a punishment, need I remind you that I have three weeks of detention for provoking them and fighting?" He told her viciously, before leaning back with a cocky smile. "Besides, I did them a favor. Tell me, is it better for me to tell them quickly, or for Weasley to slowly piece together the clues-which could take a while-so that by the end, Potter and Granger had been lying to him for much longer?" He asked her.

Her eyes narrowed to little slits now. "Ron wouldn't have humiliated them in public."

He inclined his head; she may have had a point there. "So? You still haven't told me, what happens if I don't apologize?" Draco asked her, his tone was light and mocking.

Ginny smiled sweetly. "Well, then, ferret dearest, I distribute this throughout the school." She reached into a bag and pulled out a stack of photos, handing one to him across the library table. He took it reluctantly, though he was still amused at the thought that she could threaten him.

He stopped being amused as soon as he saw the photo.

It was him, dancing in front of a mirror and wearing pearls. Nothing but pearls. True, there was a desk in the way of-there, but it was still embarrassing.

Draco gasped. "Hey! What the-this isn't even me!!"

"Ah, the wonders of modern photography," Ginny told him with an evil grin. "I got Colin to help me out with this one, and let me tell you, he was more than happy to help."

He snorted mutinously. "Ha, course he was, the little fairy," he muttered darkly under his breath. Unfortunately Ginny heard.

The blow came so quickly, he wasn't even sure he'd been hit, except for the noise. Then, a warm heat spread over his cheek, turning quickly to a burning sting. He hissed in pain, and rubbed his cheek gently. "Fuck, woman!"

She was standing now, outlined against the lights and looking more menacing than ever. "I told you before, rule number one. Don't insult my friends," she said furiously. "Now, Draco, you have until Monday to apologize. In front of people. And if you don't." she waved the photo threateningly, and he grumbled in ascent. She smiled brightly. "That wasn't so hard, now was it?"

And with that, Ginny swept off, leaving a very angry and pained Draco behind her.

***

Ginny managed to make it to the dorm room without snapping and breaking something. God, he drove her so insane!

"He is such a prat, I just, ERGH!!!" With that she hurled a one of her pillows through the half-closed of another bed by the window. Ginny froze when she heard an "Ow!" coming from that bed. "Oopsies," she murmured nervously.

"Hey, who threw that?" A familiar voice asked, sounding rather peeved, before throwing open the curtains and sticking a blonde head out.

Aimee.

Her ex-friend scowled. "Oh, it's you," she remarked nastily. Aimee was about to shut the curtains again, but Ginny, not really knowing what she was doing, cried out a quick, "Wait!"

Aimee hesitated, clearly not sure if she should listen to the redhead, but finally nodded and sat up. "What do you want?" Just because she hadn't slammed the curtains in Ginny's face, didn't mean she had to be nice.

Ginny winced at her tone, before walking and sitting one of the other empty beds near Aimee's. "I don't know, I guess I just," she said with a shrug, "miss being friends with you." Her voice was soft, barely audible even though there was no other noise.

Aimee looked down at the ground, fingers nervously playing with the hem of the bedspread. "Me too," she replied.

They both looked up at each other, and smiled nervously, before starting to speak at the same time.

"I never should have yelled at you-"

"I overreacted a lot-"

Ginny and Aimee broke off with a smile, before they finally spoke again, though this time their words were the same.

"I'm sorry."

***

Colin was waiting in the common room for Aimee to go down to lunch together; she usually slept very late on the weekends. He gave a sigh at the thought of Ginny and their argument. He didn't want to choose sides, but Aimee was so much more clingy and sad about the whole affair, he couldn't help but spend more time with her than Ginny. Though he did assert his friendship for that whole photo blackmail affair.

Colin grinned widely at the thought of what Malfoy would look like when he first saw the photos. He couldn't wait for Ginny to tell him the details.

And speak of the blackmailing devil, he could hear her laughter from the top of the stairs. He looked up, and his jaw dropped.

Aimee and Ginny were walking down the stairs, laughing and talking like the friends they used to be. Colin stood slowly from his armchair, and walked in amazement towards them.

"I take it you two made up?" He inquired with a smile. They laughed.

"Yeah, and we'd also like to say, we're sorry for putting you in the middle," Aimee told him.

Colin just grinned and shook his head. "Hey, what're friends for?" And on that note, they all started down to lunch.

***

They walked into the Great Hall arm in arm, carefree and happy, until Ginny spotted her brother. He was all alone, though Harry was mere feet behind. She slowed to a halt, and Aimee and Colin slowly stopped with her, giving her questioning looks.

"What's wrong Gin?" Colin inquired.

She tore her eyes away from Ron now trying to walk faster and avoid his ex best friend. "Nothing, just watching Ron," she told them softly. Colin and Aimee followed her gaze, before the blonde patted her on the shoulder sympathetically.

"Yeah, everyone heard about what Malfoy said, and their whole fight. It sounds awful!" She said with a sigh.

Ginny nodded, and they continued into the dining hall, and sat at the Gryffindor Table. "It was, I was just passing by when it happened. Merlin, I think McGonagall must have given out more than thirty detentions; everyone was fighting!"

Colin nodded gravely, before brightening suddenly. "Hey, which reminds me, did you go through with the plan?" He asked Ginny. She nodded happily, and Aimee glanced at both of them in confusion.

"What are you talking about? What plan?"

They had started eating, so Ginny swallowed her roll quickly before starting to explain. "I was-and still am, rather-mad about what Malfoy said to Hermione and Ron and Harry. So, Colin helped me make these," she told Aimee, grabbing one of the photos out of her robe pocket. The blonde took it, with slight curiosity, before getting a glance at it. She gave a shriek of laughter, causing many to look their way. "Shh!!!" Ginny hissed at her. "I don't want anyone else to see!"

Aimee calmed down, and gave the photo back to her friend. "That's great! What are you making him do?"

"First, he has to apologize. In front of witnesses. And since we're partners on the DADA project, we have to split the work equally and he isn't allowed to insult my family and friends."

Aimee winced. "Wow, bet he didn't like that," she commented with a wry smile.

"Not at all. But, as you saw by the photo, I have leverage," Ginny said, smiling.

They all laughed, completely unaware of a pair of eyes, watching them with fury.

***

Draco groaned and rolled over, stuffing a pillow over his ears. If he ignored it, it would stop, he chanted to himself.

But the tapping at the window didn't stop.

Finally, he gave a growl and sat up, fumbling at his night table for the light switch. He found it, and blinked at the sudden brightness.

"This had so better be worth it," Draco moaned, as he shoved back the covers and stood.

It was Saturday night, rather late actually. He had been sleeping peacefully, but then there was this annoying tapping sound at the window. It was an owl. Draco's eye twitched angrily, before opening the window and letting the beastly thing in. It gave a hoot and swooped around him, then dropped the letter on the bed and flying back out.

He sighed and shut the window quickly, it was cold outside, and his boxer pajamas offered little insulation (A/N: Ha, couldn't resist! *resumes drooling*). He climbed back into his bed, and sighed happily. So comfortable. Draco was about to fall back asleep, before he remembered the letter.

He frowned. Who'd send him a letter this late? He recognized the owl, it was one of the schools', so he couldn't tell by that. Draco just shrugged and ripped it open.

Damn. It was from her.

Malfoy-(it read)

I'm sending you this just as a reminder of our little 'arrangement.' I want you to apologize tomorrow, but I'm giving you a few options. You may either apologize in front of the whole school at breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

And if you don't, there is the little matter of the photos to contend with.

By the way, about schedules for research, I'm thinking Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursday after dinner. Send me an owl back with your reply.

Sweet dreams.

-Ginny Weasley

Draco scowled viciously. "Great, just bloody great." He muttered darkly under his breath, before turning the light off and falling backwards onto his mattress. He could deal with all this later.

***

Ginny sighed slightly into her eggs, before glancing back up at her brother. He was sitting next to her, not at his usual spot near Hermione and Harry further down the table. That morning, she had walked down to find him staring at the empty fireplace, not even blinking, so out of pity she invited him to sit with her at breakfast.

That pity was fast dwindling, as Ron continued to rant about his best friends' new relationship.

"-and it's not even that they're going out, it's that they're just.snogging! Yes, that's it, they've ruined our friendship to sneak around behind my back for some good snogging sessions. And then Malfoy of all people finds out! I'd like to have known, but not like that. I wish they had told me," his voice was quieter as he said that, but Ginny winced anyways. She had known since almost the first week and Harry and Hermione, but she had just sort of assumed Ron had known. No, not even assumed, because that would require thinking about what she had seen. She'd just seen them kiss and forgotten about, knowing that both Harry and Hermione wouldn't want anyone else to know.

Now she rather regretted her dismissive attitude.

Ron had stopped talking to shove toast in his mouth, now spraying her with crumbs as he said some absolutely incoherent phrase (though since it sounded rather mean, she was glad she hadn't). Ginny grimaced.

"Ron, please, say it don't spray it," she told him with utter disgust, throwing her napkin at the older redhead. He glared at her but wiped his mouth anyways, temporarily shutting up to eat.

Ginny was relishing the quiet when Draco finally came down to breakfast. It was Sunday, so most were still sleeping. The perfect time, he reasoned, to give that damn apology.

He walked up the aisle between the tables quickly, hoping to get this over with as quick as possible. Slowly, people stopped eating to nudge one another and stare at him, so that by the time Draco reached the middle area, he found himself facing a quiet audience.

Inside he gulped; outside he scowled. "Good morning everyone," he greeted smoothly. "Sorry professors and students for disrupting your meal, but I have a little, announcement, to make." Draco coughed before continuing in an utterly dry and business-like voice. " I hereby retract the harmful and rather crude statement I made at lunch on Friday of this week, to Harry Potter and Hermione Granger. Thank you. That is all." And with that, he turned on his heel and marched to his seat, sitting down calmly amidst laughs and shocked whispers. Even the teachers looked rather stunned.

Though, as Ginny thought to herself, Harry, Hermione, and Ron easily took the prize for most surprised.

***

Beep beep.

Ginny whirled around, eyes bright. She practically skipped over to her laptop, sitting down in front of her desk. She moved the cursor, and checked his message.

ResidentEvil: Hey Cocoa.

She smiled. Making up with Aimee, seeing Malfoy apologize, now talking to Dragon. This had turned to be a great weekend.

Pyropinkmonkey12: Hi Dragon. What's up?

Draco made a face at the screen. What should he tell her? That he had been blackmailed into completely destroying his reputation? Or having to work with that annoying weasel on a major project? Finally, he just sighed. Didn't want to burden her with his problems.

ResidentEvil: Not too much. Got a lot of homework, and that project is still going on.

Ginny read his message with a frown, as she racked her brain. His project was in, uhhh, English, right? Or was it that one with the chemicals, Scieon or whatever? Thankfully he saved her from having to reply to that by asking her what was up. She grinned. "Where to start?" She wondered aloud.

Pyropinkmonkey12: Oh I'm doing pretty good, you remember that fight I had with my friend? Well, we made up, so I'm happy about that. Life is pretty good for me right now.

Draco scowled.

ResidentEvil: Ugh, it's the opposite for me.

Ginny stifled a grin, before typing out the ultimate gooey girl response.

Pyropinkmonkey12: Awww, there there, I'm sorry.

Draco rolled his eyes and was about to reply scathingly somehow, but she cut him off.

Pyropinkmonkey12: Hold on one second.

"Oh lord, Gin, I hope you aren't talking to that guy," Aimee warned her with an exasperated sigh, as she walked through the door. It was Sunday night, and she had just come back from the library, finishing up an essay she had forgotten about. All their other dorm mates were out.

Ginny twisted in her chair, scowling at her friend. "Yes, is there a problem with that?" She demanded, slightly peeved at being interrupted. In addition to talking to Dragon, she had also been playing this fascinating online game called Slime Volleyball, in which little blobby things bounced a ball off their heads at each other. If the ball hit the ground, the opposite player gained a point. Because of the distraction, she had lost.

Aimee rolled her eyes, and continued attempting to wrestle off her shoe. "It's just so, weird, you know?" said Aimee.

Ginny cocked her head to the side. She didn't find it all that weird. Except for the fact that she really had no way of knowing he was who he said he was.

Aimee had gotten that shoe off, and moved onto the other one. "Well," she continued. "What if he's really some like forty year old serial rapist? That'd be kind of bad."

Ginny snorted. "You sound like my mum," she remarked. Aimee sent her a death glare, which she ignored. "Don't worry about it, it's not like I'll ever meet him. This is harmless, I promise." The blonde didn't look too convinced, so she sighed. "Cross my heart and hope to die."

Aimee smiled. "Alright."

*** Yay!! Finally out!! Anyways, a bunch of you asked last time what was wrong with Ginny. I don't know, maybe it's because.HER TEACHER IS EVIL!!!!! Heehee.