Author's Note: Wow. I'm amazed at how many death threats I got for that teaser. ::dodges one last barrage of pointy objects:: A ton of people commented on the fact that all I gave you was Drunk!Ginny. But really, her behavior as a drunk in this chapter is a key part in the subtler plot of this fic, and definitely holds some hidden sociological and political meanings. Alright that's a lie. Drunk!Ginny is entertaining to write and I needed it for her and Draco to meet up in this chapter. Ok after that loooong author's note, the chapter is here, and it's (hopefully) good, so read!!

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

You've Got Mail: Ch.12-Changed Plans

ResidentEvil: Hey Cocoa

Pyropinkmonkey12: Hi

ResidentEvil: What's up?

Pyropinkmonkey12: Eh, not too much. You remember that huge project I told you about? It's still going on, but at least it's gotten a bit interesting now. You?

ResidentEvil: Hah, nothing so fascinating. Even though it's a beautiful autumn afternoon, I'm shut up in my room, doing homework.

Ginny laughed as she read Dragon's response. She could just imagine a boy's face fake pouting. Dragon could be so prone to drama sometimes. By now, she had learned to just laugh at him and move on.

Though, as she considered it, he seemed to actually be right. Outside her window, brightly hued leaves were falling, and a gentle breeze stirred one branch against her window. She typed a reply to Dragon, and their conversation continued casually for a little while before he signed off, saying he had to do homework.

Ginny grimaced as she realized that she too should probably be doing her homework too. Though she would be excused from classes to go on the Russia trip, she wasn't excused from the workload. Exhaling softly, she pulled her Transfiguration book and parchment towards her, and headed for the Common Room.

The first thing she noticed upon her descent of the spiraling staircases was her brother. He sat in one armchair, closest to the fireplace, hunched down with his hands clasped broodingly over his chest. Ginny sighed inwardly. He'd been that silent and moody since the revelation that his best friends were sneaking around behind his back. In that respect, Ginny was almost glad she wasn't part of their little circle, she'd hate to go through such pain as her brother.

Though, she thought with annoyance, I might as well be in that pain, for all the comforting I'm gonna have to give Ron.

Outwardly, she smiled sadly. "Hey Ron," she said softly while sitting in the armchair next to his. He grunted in response. Ginny ignored it. "How're you and your partner doing with the project?"

Another grunt, this time accompanied by a slight shoulder shrug. Ginny felt her lips twitch in annoyance.

"I thought I heard someone mention you'll both be going to Paris next week, that sounds great!"

A louder grunt.

Ginny finally snapped. Clenching her fists, she stood up and towered in front of his chair. "Ronald Weasley, that is IT!" She shrieked. He looked up, startled, and that expression only magnified when she grabbed his arms and heaved her older brother to his feet. There weren't many people in the Common Room, but those who were there either gasped or started to giggle quietly. She glared at them.

"What are you doing?" He hissed.

"I'm getting you off your lazy arse, and forcing you to make up with your best friends! You've all been together for nearly seven years, and I'm not letting all that time go down the drain because of a stupid fight!" Ginny yelled.

Just at that moment Harry and Hermione walked sullenly through the portrait hole. They both looked as miserable as Ron, but their expressions changed when they saw Ginny yelling at Ron.

Ginny took firm hold of her brother's shoulders and steered him to where the pair was standing. "Now, Ronald, what do you have to say to Harry and Hermione?" She said patronizingly.

He squirmed in her grasp. "Nothing!" He said with a scowl, pouting a bit.

Her grip tightened; Ron yelped. "What do you have to say???" Her voice was like iron.

Ron sighed a bit. "Harry, Hermione, I'm sorry I overreacted about you two. You're a great couple, and I hope you'll be able to forgive me," he told them sincerely.

Ginny let go of him as Hermione rushed forward to hug him. "Oh, you shouldn't be apologizing, it's all my fault! We never should have been sneaking around, it was all my idea! I was just scared of what you'd say!"

Harry stepped forward too, smiling at his two best friends. "Hey, it wasn't all your idea, 'Mione, I thought it was a great idea. I had tons of chances to tell Ron, but I didn't. I'm sorry, mate." Hermione, sniffling a bit, let him into the hug, till they were all together once again.

Ginny felt a slight pang in her chest and left the room quickly, not wanting to watch the trio any longer.

: : : : :

Draco was walking slowly to his room from the library, deep in thought. He had just been talking to Cocoa earlier, and when he'd been forced to sign off, it had been rather annoying. He liked talking to her. He liked making her laugh, and he liked hearing about her day.

He stopped, with one eyebrow making its way upwards. He liked her.

However, before he could even follow that thought any further, slight, sly footsteps reached his ears. Instantly on the defensive, he settled into a slight crouch, right hand reaching for his wand. Once it was securely in his hand, he peered around him, and walked towards the noise, seemingly coming from a side corridor near him.

Stopping once he heard giggles, Draco sighed. It was probably just Peeves.

"Wheee!!!!"

"Oof!"

Alright, so maybe it wasn't Peeves. Peeves didn't jump on his back, squealing like a school girl.

Once Draco started breathing and coughing, he shoved the girl (it had definitely been a female squeal) off his back, and gripped her arms. He let out a sigh of exasperation when he saw it was Ginny Weasley, clutching a half-empty bottle of Firewhiskey and swaying on her feet.

He dropped her in disgust; she fell to the floor, and looked up at him dazedly. "Hey youss," she slurred out, dissolving into giggles.

"Weasley..." he growled out through clenched teeth. Crouching, he grabbed the alcohol bottle, ignoring her protests. "I think you've had enough of this."

The redhead pouted, reaching up for the bottle weakly. "Give that back, Dra...Dray...Drey..."

"Draco," he supplied with annoyance.

"Draco!" She smiled brightly. "That's it, Draco!"

He stifled the urge to roll his eyes. At least she wasn't attacking him to get the drink back, as he knew some drunks would. What on Earth had possessed her to drink half a bottle of Firewhiskey? "Weasley," he started, then sighed as he realized she was busy staring at her hand, bringing it close to her face then back again, fascinated. He nudged her with his foot. "Hey, Weasel. Why'd you get so drunk?"

She switched suddenly from being overly happy and bubbly, to sulky. If he needed any more proof of her drunken state, there it was. "Don' wann' say..." Ginny slurred.

Draco's lips twitched. "No, that's not an answer. Why did you get so drunk?" He demanded.

She opened her mouth, and Draco smirked inwardly. Finally, he'd get some kind of real answer!

Unfortunately, the only answer he got was vomit all over the stones next to him.

"Ugh!" He yelled. Gagging, he stepped away from her, trying to resist the urge to scream and hop around, flailing his arms. He masked it with a shudder.

Ginny had collapsed on the floor, groaning a bit. Draco sighed. He heard some footsteps approaching, and knew that it might not be such a good idea for either of them to linger. She looked in no position to walk on her, so he knelt and tried to help her up. She flopped against him, as boneless as a rag doll.

"You're really pushing it," he muttered darkly, finally relenting and picking her up, with one arm awkwardly under her knees and the other under her back. He started walking, not quite sure where to take her and finally deciding on his room.

She was murmuring something quietly, and he leaned his head down to hear her better.

"Stupid trio...always together...little me, left all alone...why me?...not fair..." She was saying angrily. Draco quickly put the pieces together. Damn, he thought with an mock sigh, I guess the Dream Team is back together again. And she's the forgotten one once again.

Deep down, he almost felt bad for her. No wonder she felt like drowning her sorrows in liquor. Sighing once more, he tightened his hold on her and walked quicker.

By the time, he got to his room, the girl was asleep, and he was almost staggering with her dead weight. Getting annoyed, Draco headed straight for the bathroom. With a slight fumble, he managed to turn on the water. He let the cold water run. When the water level had reached an appropriate height, Draco leaned over ungracefully and dumped Ginny straight in the freezing tub.

As he retreated out of the bathroom, he could hear a shriek of "DAMN YOU DRACO MALFOY!!!" His smirk just widened on his face. Life could be good sometimes.

: : : : :

When she finally emerged from the bathroom a little while later, Draco was reading his Potions book quietly. Well, more like staring at one sentence, waiting in anticipation for Ginny to leave the bathroom. He sincerely wanted to see the murderous look on her face. Looking up, he could see he hadn't been disappointed. Her eyes were barely more than slits in her head, and he could tell the blush on her face was from anger. His gaze drifted over her. Her hair was still damp, and the sound of water dripping drew his eyes to her clothes. She was still in her soaking school uniform.

"Why didn't you just dry your clothes? Where's your wand?" He asked her curiously.

Ginny winced from her hangover, and then looked even angrier, if that was possible. "I didn't exactly bank on needing it when I went out to get myself smashed, Malfoy," she ground out through gritted teeth.

An idea popped into his head. "You know," he drawled lazily. "I could let you borrow my wand. But..."

"But what?" If looks could kill, Draco would be dead and rotting already.

He smirked. "But I don't really feel like it. So you just stay here like a nice little girl, and once your clothes dry, you can leave. Or you can ask me very nicely," he said, standing from his bed to lean against the bed post.

Ginny sighed. "Oh please, please, please, won't you let me use your wand so I can get out of here?" She asked in a monotone.

"Nuh-uh. Nicer than that. I can still feel the hate all the way through," retorted Draco, shaking his head.

"Please, Malfoy?"

He appeared to consider it. "That's better, but still no," he told her, twirling his wand between his fingers. Draco looked down and smirked. "Besides, that white blouse is quite lovely see-through. Lilac bra today? Any matching panties?"

Her hand was moving quickly to slap him across the face, but Draco had foreseen her move and ducked his head to the side. There was a hollow Thwock sound as her palm hit the wooden bedpost, before she yanked her arm back, cursing profusely. Still bright red with anger, however, she just tried to punch him in the stomach.

Draco grabbed her hand and twisted it, till she gave a yelp of pain.

"Let go of me you bastard!" Ginny shrieked.

He hung on grimly. "Sorry, dear, but you forfeited all rights to hit me when you got smashed and jumped me, Weasel."

She stopped struggling, and looked down abashedly. He loosened his grip just a tiny bit.

"So what did you get drunk for anyway? You mumbled something about the Dream Team, but I didn't quite hear." He had understood the reason for her drinking perfectly well, but it was so much fun to see her cowed like this.

And cowed she was. Her head sunk further down towards her chest. "I-I- "

He cut her off. "You..?"

Her head snapped up angrily, and she wrenched her wrist out of his hold. "Why the hell do you care anyways Malfoy? It's none of your goddamn business, so just leave me alone!!"

She stormed out the door angrily, and Draco sighed, knowing he'd blown it once more.

: : : : :

Ginny stalked to the library, shoving aside younger students and glaring at those who gawked at her wet clothes. She launched in, and threw herself at her usual chair, slumping down to hide behind stacks of books.

She almost felt like crying, or getting drunk again. Wait, never mind, she thought as she remembered the consequences of that decision a few hours ago. She felt sick at the thought of how she'd acted. Burying her face in her hands, Ginny was glad that the library-this part of it especially-was completely devoid of people to stare at her.

She stayed in that self-pitying position for a while, until she heard footsteps. Ginny prayed they would turn, and somehow leave her to her wallowing, but no, they got closer and closer. Finally, the footsteps stopped very close to her and she heard the scraping noise of a chair being pulled out.

Ginny peeked through her fingers, and shut them again quickly, barely containing a moan of despair. It was Malfoy. He was just sitting at a table a bit away from hers, calmly reading some big book. She waited for him to call out or something, or even just look up, but no, he just sat there.

Ginny just kept her head down on the desk, eyes shut, till she finally heard his voice.

"Nice day, isn't it?"

She lifted her head in disbelief. "Excuse me?"

He ignored her comment. "Well normally I'm not such a fan of autumn-a spring guy, I am-but these colored leaves are actually rather pretty."

Ginny gave a snort.

"So, what brings you to the library? I hope it's not last minute studying, tsk tsk, you should really be keeping up with your work. 'Never put off till tomorrow what you can do today,' that's what my mother always said. Or is it 'Life is like a sewer... what you get out of it depends on what you put into it.' You know I always get those confused...hmm..."

Ginny gritted her teeth. "What on Earth are you going on about Malfoy? Just leave me alone."

Draco paused. When he finally spoke, Ginny could hear the sadness and hesitation in his voice. "I suppose I feel, uh, bad. I figured out what happened between the Dream Team to make you drown your sorrows. I just wanted to make you say it because-well, because I don't know."

"Because you're an evil bastard?" She suggested with a small grim smile.

His face twitched. "I suppose I deserved that one," he muttered.

There was silence for a few moments, before Ginny spoke.

"D'you think it was stupid of me to get drunk over that?"

She heard the scraping of chair against floor, and Draco slid into the seat across from her. He took a deep breath. "I think," Draco said carefully. "That it's really none of my business. If you want to cry and get drunk over the Dream Team, it's your choice. I wouldn't advise it all the time, but hey, your call."

Ginny laughed, and Draco inwardly sighed in relief. Eager to change the subject, he pulled the brooch out of his pocket.

"Should we start looking up information about this beauty?" Draco asked, running his fingers over the smooth gold surface and turning it so it glinted prettily.

Ginny nodded, looking just as mesmerized as he was by the shiny brooch, and they got to work.

Later, as Draco was browsing through the magical items section for a book on medieval jewelry, his hand traveled into his pocket and found the brooch once more. He was stroking it, letting his mind wander as he mechanically pulled out books and shoved them back.

Ginny had been so secretive about this whole damn project, from William Claydor to Russia to the brooch. "What's the big deal about this stupid little thing?" He murmured softly. But even as he said the words, he knew that somehow, for some reason, the small gold brooch was a big deal.

An idea was beginning to form in his head. Later, he'd think back on that decision and wonder if it had been blind luck or some sort of hindsight. Maybe just a bit of both.

Grabbing one small book in the corner of the jewelry section, Draco flipped through the pages till he found the right spell, and smiled.

: : : : :

Ginny sighed softly as she rotated her neck to the right, then the left, gently easing out the kinks she had formed from almost an hour of bending forward. She'd found a lot of information on the brooch (it seemed to have been pretty common in the Middle Ages) but so far she'd had little luck with determining its actual importance in spells and charms.

Getting annoyed, she decided to take a break and see how her partner was doing. He'd disappeared awhile ago, into the back section of books. Ginny stood and peered around her, but the library was quiet and still. She closed her book and started walking around.

"Malfoy?" She called out hesitantly. There was an answering grunt from a few bookshelves to the right. Ginny headed towards the sound.

"Malfoy, if you aren't doing something productive, I may just kill you," muttered Ginny angrily. She turned the corner, and was pleasantly surprised. He seemed like he'd actually been working. He was sitting on the ground, two books open in front of him, and a few others scattered around. He was peering into one of the open books and was holding something in front of him. At the sound of her footsteps he shut the books and hid whatever he'd been holding, spinning with the look of a wild animal in his eyes.

"Oh, it's just you," he said with relief and mild disgust. Ginny rolled her eyes.

"Just wanted to see how you're doing. Made any progress?"

Draco coughed and started rearranging the books around him. "Eh, well you know how it is..." he trailed off. Looking up, he added, "I guess I haven't made much progress really, but I'm close."

She sighed deeply, more out of disappointment than annoyance really. "Well, what were you holding?" She asked.

"I may have found something. Don't get too excited though." He reached out to pass her something and she walked closer. "I'm quite positive the brooch does have some magical qualities, I just don't know exactly what they are."

Ginny took what he offered; it was just the brooch. She peered closely at it. Was it just her own mind thinking of what Draco had just said, or did the bauble really seem different? She looked up, opening her mouth to ask him something, but he cut her off.

"You should take it, until we leave for Russia, but take good care of it. I don't know what it is about this thing, but I get the feeling it's more important than we know." His tone was grave, and Ginny nodded solemnly, gazing down at the bit of gold in her open palm.

He started packing his stuff up, sliding the books into the places where he'd found them. "I have to go," Draco started. "Quidditch practice and all that. I suppose I'll see you when we leave?"

She nodded, and he passed her on the way out of the library, pausing for a second beside her. He reached out, and gently closed her fingers over the brooch, fingers lingering as he pressed her fist closed. "Remember what I said," he whispered, and then he was gone, leaving Ginny with her heart racing and her mind whirling, trying to calm down.

: : : : :

"Mister Malfoy? Would you stay behind for a moment?"

Draco stopped in the middle of packing his things and looked up curiously, before nodding impassively at Professor Ivanovich. Pierce and Stephen, already starting for the door to their next classes, gave him strange looks, wondering if they should wait for him. He waved them out the door. Draco walked up to the front desk. "Professor?" He asked.

Ivanovich stayed seated. "I just wanted to remind you that the east Europe Portkey group will be leaving tomorrow at nine, outside the Transfiguration classroom. Your head teacher will be Professor McGonagall. From your port in Europe you and Miss Weasley will be going to St. Petersburg; no one else is going that way so it will only be you two and a guide at the other end. I trust I don't have to remind you of the rules?" He raised one dark eyebrow, and Draco found himself flushing faintly as he shook his head no.

Ivanovich raised his hand in a curt dismissal, and Draco started for the exit, before stopping short. "Should I tell Weasley the meeting place?"

The professor froze for a split second, but then he cleared his throat and continued shuffling papers. "No no, don't worry about that, Professor McGonagall will tell her. And one more thing: leave off on the researching tonight. I know you both have been working hard. Just take the night off for relaxing." Ivanovich smiled widely at the younger boy. Draco felt himself yawning widely, and suddenly, sleep sounded like the best thing in the world to him. He said his goodbye-which was split halfway by a loud yawn-and started out the door, willing himself to wake up a bit.

Draco barely even made it to his room before collapsing on the bed and beginning to snore softly.

: : : : :

Ginny was walking with Colin and Aimee to Herbology after lunch when she heard someone yell, "Miss Weasley!"

She turned around, in surprise. It was Professor McGonagall, rounding the corridor and coming nearer to the trio in the middle of the hall. Ginny looked at her friends. "You guys go ahead; I'll be there in a second. Tell Sprout I had to talk to McGonagall."

Her friends nodded and left, and Ginny walked towards her Transfiguration teacher.

"Yes Professor?" She asked with genuine curiosity. McGonagall wasn't the type to chase after students.

The older woman seemed a bit winded, so she took her time in answering. "Tomorrow you'll be going with me by Portkey to your hotel in St. Petersburg. The Portkey leaves at seven, on the beginning of the trail outside the Forbidden Forest. I don't think I need to tell you to be on time."

Ginny frowned. "I thought we were going first to Prague, with a big group," she objected.

"We had to change the plans," McGonagall said. "The group was too big, so you and Mr. Malfoy will be going to Russia separately."

Ginny nodded; the professor jerked her head curtly and walked down the hall, obviously in a hurry. The redhead checked her watch and hurried off too.

The professor ducked behind into the nearest closed door, having just enough time to shut it tightly before she collapsed on the floor.

A series of short spasms and choked back gasps later, Professor McGonagall looked very different indeed. Her robes fit this new body much tighter around the shoulders and chest, and ended shortly at hairy wrists. It was clear too that the robes were much too short, probably ending around muscular calves.

One large rugged hand undressed the new body, slipping easily into a crisp shirt and slacks, before shrugging on a more correctly fitting robe. The other hand fished out a mirror and held it up.

Boris Ivanovich smiled coldly at himself in the mirror, and headed out the door, hand discreetly patting the vial of Polyjuice in his pocket. Once he shut the door, he heard someone call his name. He turned to face the real Minerva McGonagall.

"Yes Minerva?"

"I just wanted to make sure you told all the students about the departure time tomorrow?" She asked him.

He nodded and smiled kindly. "But of course," he said in a murmur.

: : : : :

Ginny yawned and then shivered, wrapping the edges of her Muggle windbreaker tighter around her body as she walked. The air around her was foggy, but off in the distance she could see the dark line of the Forbidden Forest looming. She shivered again, but this time she wasn't so sure it was from cold. Something about having to meet so early in the dark and cloudy morning by the Forest scared her.

Her feet had begun walking quicker of their own accord, and she checked her watch. 6:54. Good, she was just on time. She reached the path to the Forbidden Forest and stopped, tapping her foot impatiently and slightly worriedly. Ginny knew Draco could be an inconsiderately tardy git, but Professor McGonagall? Something was wrong.

Her eyes widened; the silence around her was suddenly oppressive and too silent. She inhaled deeply, and was about to spin around, when a hard object met the back of her head, and she slumped to the ground, her head a blinding pain. Then, "Stupefy," and merciful darkness closed in.

: : : : :

Sorry again about the wait...Super thanks to all reviewers:

Dizzie May, Croaker, The White Wolf, deatheater4life, Writergurl4, ncjn, saccharine, lilblondiey214, Yamis-girl202, MoonlightPrincess, CheesieCake, rutupatel, jessiebear, Whippy Bird, mell8, thundergoddes, H.S, Dracoluver209, Kassi of Pirate's Swoop, Draconigena1, timeneverhealswithoutyoubymyside, MaurderMoonyLover, zennou-sakusha, SarkLover, Skitzo-phrenick, Ginny234448, Lara Potter, rockon2680, Moranar, tuesday54, Loving, Crystal Moon Magic, Me Acorn and Sometimes Banana, duckie, bigreader, Starswinger, Lollypop Ladeez, Karandash, Femme Draconis, Icy Lullaby, Grumpy1, little-rowie, kneh13, LilJenReeds, and HeatherWeasley- Lover. (Sorry if I forgot you!)

AND great thanks to everyone who contributed to getting that little review number to over 300! I love you guys!