A/N: Hey! I am back. Senior year has been a bit stressful. I haven't had time to even attempt to sleep, let alone write. It's awful. But I'm back, hopefully with a few chapters. Ohh and thanks for the virtual slaps to slim, they made me laugh. I don't know if I ever mentioned this, but he's like my real Draco, and I am of course Ginny; without so many brothers. =] Read on DraGin lovers, read on. [Pronounced dragon.]

Disclaimer: I claim ownership to nothing but your DraGin fix. =]

Later Thursday September 18, 1997

Draco was still looking at the letter skeptically and disbelievingly when Hermione said, "Well you might as well open it up Malfoy, we're going to hear it anyway, won't burst into flames leaving a mess on the floor."

Draco shot her a menacing look, but reached his hand for the letter slowly. His mother had never sent him a Howler, as she never yelled, nor would she air dirty laundry in public. That's what house elves were for. He opened the letter and his mother's calm, strong, but assuredly angry, voice stood out.

"Draco Lucius Malfoy, I haven't a clue what it is you think you are doing at Hogwarts, but I assure you, that if you do not figure it out and change the path you are on right this instance, there will be severe consequences. I am beyond words concerning what you have been doing these past few weeks. I have a meeting with Ms. Weasley tomorrow after your potions class, I suggest you be in your office when I am finished or so help me Merlin, you will wish that it was your father coming for a visit."

With that the Howler burst into flames, and the three Slytherins looked at each other.

Blaise was the first to speak, "Well, that went well. Better than I expected."

Draco nodded in agreement, "Yes, but I have a strong feeling that Ginny doesn't plan to show up for this little meeting, and instead planned this little shindig with my mother. I have no doubt that she is the reason for my mother's howler."

Blaise and Pansy put on their 'uh-oh' looks, while Hermione, though intelligent didn't quite understand the workings of Slytherins, asked "So what does that mean?"

The three Slytherins looked at each other once more before looking back to her. Draco rubbed his fingertips against is forehead, as if it pained him, before sighing and saying, "It means tomorrow is going to be a long, awful day."

Ginny sat back in her office chair and appeared to unaware that the four founders were dealing with the turmoil associated with last minute paper exchange. In all actuality, the turmoil was really just an illusion. The readers loved the article and most of the staff was impressed. Ginny had been receiving compliments all morning. The only two that actually believed that there was a problem was Draco and Hermione. Even Narcissa gave Ginny her compliments on the article. Narcissa's issue lay with Draco and the fact that he had been the influence behind it due to his appalling actions. Following the delivery of o the article, Narcissa had promptly written Ginny, complimenting her on her writing skills and set up a meeting for the following day. She also assured Ginny that Draco would regret behaving in such an intolerable manner.

Ginny was feeling rather smug. If Draco Malfoy wanted to play games, then games they would play, but this time, she was choosing the games.

The article Ginny wrote was just the incentive Narcissa needed. It was the perfect way to initiate her plan to get Ginny and Draco together before the Christmas holiday. It would take work, there was no doubt about that, but if there was one thing Narcissa vowed her son would have, it was love, and she'll be damned if some pureblooded blood curse threw it all to hell.

Friday September 19, 1997

Not only did Draco not get any sleep the previous night, but his morning was getting off to a bad start. Someone had thrown apart his office, no doubt he would find out the moment he had two seconds to spare to cast the revelation charm. Then it seemed as though the house elves had taken a personal vendetta against his breakfast, which was clearly inedible. After that he headed to potions to realize Ginny was not there, nor did she show up at all, leaving Draco to make an extremely complicated potion by himself. Normally, he would have no qualms, however, had Ginny been there, the potion would have been made twice as fast, so when Neville' potion exploded throwing pieces of corrupt potion into Draco's nearly immaculate potion during its critical state, it would not have caused his own potion to explode, setting off a chain reaction throughout the room. Needless to say Draco was saturated in everyone's potions, which caused his hair to curl unnaturally and turn an awful shade of yellow blonde. And finally, to top it off, he now had to meet with his mother, who no doubt was ready to metaphorically rip him to shreds for his less than appropriate behavior.

Across the hall in Ginny's office, she and Narcissa were having a pleasant conversation.

"Ms. Weasley, you are a smart girl, and I like you, so, I will be relatively straight forward with you. There are two very important things you should know. I love my son dearly, but Draco needs his ego deflated and someone who will challenge him and keep him in check. Draco's father needs to be put in his place and learn that he no longer has a place in our lives, that he no longer controls our lives. It is my understanding, that my son has some sort of attraction to you and my husband has some sort of appreciation for your sharp tongue. I would like you to use those facts to your advantage however you deem fit. I need you to be a part of the Malfoy circle as long as possible and causing as much socially acceptable damage, to both my husband and my son, as you can."

"Are you saying you want me to date your son and use that fact to aggravate your husband?" Ginny asked with amused eyes.

"Not necessarily, though that would be effective, and easy to accomplish. It would appear that you have some sort of effect on my son that no other has been able to bring out in him. Whatever it is you bring out, it seems to make Draco's father appalled, and the public enthralled. Your little stint when you visited Lucius in Azkaban made it in the papers. The headlines said something about 'Littlest Weasley sends Malfoy Patriarch into a Rage with an Unexpected Visit'. They don't know what you said of course, but there were pictures of you outside his cell and pictures of a less than happy Lucius afterward. Whatever it is you're doing, I wish for you to keep it up. This is my official extension to you to join Blaise and Pansy in the Malfoy social circle. It is a permanent offer that you may accept at anytime, and will remain even if you so choose to accept and change your mind. You will have access to all Malfoy benefits should you enter the Malfoy circle regardless of how you choose to be a part of that circle."

"Mrs. Malfoy, you are aware that I am not only a Gryffindor but a Weasley?"

"Yes, of course. This particular task calls for someone of your status. It wouldn't be effective if it were any other person, particularly if it were a Slytherin. It has to be you Miss Weasley, otherwise, it simply won't work."

"I have a few ideas on how to proceed, should I accept. However it depends on how far you are willing to go to get the results you're looking for."

"Whatever you are willing to do Ms. Weasley, you have my full support."

"You are aware that this has to be done my way, without interference, correct?"

"Of course, I expected no less. You are a Gryffindor so you have my full trust in this particular area."

"I wouldn't be so quick to trust all Gryffindors, if I were you Mrs. Malfoy. Some of us are more Slytherin-like than you'd expect."

"Which is precisely the reason I picked you. In order to get to a snake, you have to think like one, and in order to think like one, you have to in part be one."

"Ms. Malfoy, there is no doubt that I intend to take your offer, even if you hadn't offered the Malfoy benefits as part of the package, but make no mistake. I know you are holding back some vital information, and I have every intention of finding out what that information is."

Narcissa smiled, "Of course Ms. Weasley, what kind of Slytherin would I be if I hadn't held something back? And quite frankly, I would have been disappointed if you claimed any less."

"Well then, now that we have an agreement, we have our work cut out for us, and there are a few more things we need to discuss."

Draco was highly agitated. He had been waiting nearly two hours for his mother, missing both his transfiguration class and now his charms class. Fed up, he stormed out of his office. As he slammed his portrait closed he looked up and stopped when he noticed Ginny and his mother hugging in the hallway, chatting as if they were old friends.

"Mother?" he asked, clearly surprised.

Narcissa turned feigning shock, "Draco? Oh my, I completely forgot that I was keeping you waiting. I'm sorry darling. As it turns out, my meeting with Ginevra took a bit longer than anticipated. Unfortunately, I no longer have the time to have our discussion on you less than appropriate and certainly appalling behavior these past few weeks, however do not for one second think you are by any means off the hook. I have a meeting with your father's attorney. Something about keeping both you and Ginevra here away from him and his oh so charming cell in Azkaban, which will no doubt throw that wretched head-healer of yours into a tizzy. Merlin knows she loves to make our lives miserable with all of these stipulations for your release into the public. Ginevra and I are working on a little project together which will require attention not sufficient enough for owl post, so I will be around regularly. I'll owl you next time I'm in the castle, and we will have our chat. Now I must be off, but Ginevra and I will need your full cooperation for this project, and I expect that you will be complacent." She said the last line with a pointed look.

Draco narrowed his eyes at Ginny, but said nothing.

Ginny, taking her cue, decided to jump in. "And by taking on this particular project, much of my time will be consumed, especially if I intend to keep on with all the extra work at the paper and my duties as prefect and alternating between beater and chaser on the team. Unfortunately, if you planned on having me do that portrait of you anytime soon, you're going to have to hold off. I simply won't have the time until I'm finished with your mother's project."

Draco nodded his head curtly towards her once, bade his mother goodbye, turned on his heal and walked out. He didn't really know what was going on with the world lately, but he was beginning to get more than a bit irked. His life was turning upside-down, and he was not a fan of it.

As Draco walked away, Ginny and Narcissa looked at each other with the same conspiring look. It was going to be a rough road, but the two conspiring women were too excited at the prospect of where it was headed to actually mind the ride.