Chapter Eleven

Snape growled under his breath as the black mask he wore threatened, once again, to slip. He hardly trusted the damn boat he was on already and yet he knew he would have to let go of the helm if he wanted to keep his mask on.

He was certain he was going to kill all of them. Of all the stupid, inane things that he could be doing with his time right now, sailing across the Lake to stage a mock battle with Draco Malfoy, was quite possibly the last one he would have ever imagined himself capable of.

He released his grip on the helm for a bare second, just long enough to tighten his mask then his hands all but flew back to the wheel. Pansy assured him the ship would make its way the Slytherin ship but Snape wasn't entirely sure he trusted her. Sure, she had gotten him this far but still.

It was tempting to abandon ship but he had promised the girls. Besides, he was dying (just a little mind you) to see how this was going to work out.

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Draco leaned on the railing and watched the distant lights of the HMS Hogwarts. He was resisting the urge to grab a spy glass and look for the familiar figure of Ginny Weasley.

Why did she fascinate him? He couldn't answer that. It started with the pirate angle. She was the most amazing and gorgeous pirate he had ever seen. Albeit before he had seen her he had never seen a female pirate before. Now he had them in abundance and still GInny shone through.

Every girl in Hogwarts could dress like a pirate and yet Ginny would still be the only one he saw. It wasn't merely that she was the first he had ever seen. There was just something about her fiery red hair and long legs and pretty freckled face that make him want to be Sir Francis Drake to her Spanish Armada.

He ruminated for a second on Parvati. She was a sweet girl and it was obvious that Theo was growing sweet on her. Draco hadn't expected much from the 'kidnapping' but Theo was more than infatuated with the pretty Indian girl.

Now Pansy...well that had been a surprise. He hadn't expected her to get distracted during their mission but suddenly she was and by Gr- Hermione of all people.

Draco settled further against the railing and ruminated on Hermione Granger and Pansy Parkinson. Draco had to admit he liked how Hermione would treat Pansy. Hermione was honest and brave enough to take care of Pansy and Pansy was just girly enough that she would adore Hermione for how she stood up for her. Pansy was capable of fighting her own battles of course, but every girl liked having a guy there in case things went bad.

So the problem really was GInny. First there was her plethora of overprotective brothers. Ron was bad enough. The twins had disappeared a bit back but Draco was sure if he made a move on Ginny they would come back, dragging the rest of the red haired brethren with them.

Draco shook his head. Look at him, thinking of starting a relationship with Ginny. As if something like that would ever work for him.

Draco buried his head in his hands, growling under his breath. "Shit, shit, shit."

He wanted a relationship. Shit.

Draco snapped out of his reverie as a loud, evilish laugh broke the night air.

He spun, staring up at the figure, dressed entirely in black, on the fore deck of his ship.

"Blaise, Theo, get your arses, up here," he called down the stairwell before turning once again to the figure on his fore deck. "Who are you?"

"The Dread Pirate Snape, of course," the figure laughed.

Draco stared at his potions master, trying very hard not to laugh. He was entirely in black, black mask included. He actually looked swarthy and rugged.

"Holy shit," Draco muttered as his crew burst onto the scene. Draco glanced at THeo. "Parvati?"

"Locked in Pansy's old cabin," Theo confirmed.

Draco nodded and turned back to his potions master. "What is this all about?"

"You three have failed to do proper justice to the Slytherin name as pirates. As your house head, it falls on me to regain dignity for this sorry bunch."

"No disrespect meant," Draco drawled to keep himself from snarling. "But I'm captain here."

He looked at his mates. Both nodded in agreement.

Snape sighed. "Mister Malfoy, you leave me no choice but to attack in force."

Draco was about to laugh and ask what Snape could possibly do when the professor showed him. Suddenly, and without warning there were several more figures in black on the deck. Draco knew these men were spells but he pulled his sword anyway.

"Better be careful, gentlemen," Snape warned, leaning against the helm. "They won't aim to kill but you certainly don't want to let them hurt you too badly."

Draco parried in first and growled. The shadow figures were sadly better than he was. It was annoying but their style was outdated and Draco kept throwing in things from newer movies he had seen during that one summer with Cousin Tonks. The moves bought him time to fall into a rhythm and he was able to take down three.

Unfortunately the Slytherin crew was sadly outnumbered.

Draco could hear something behind him and he spun, trying to engage the two villians at once. The figure behind him stepped forward, lunging with a single thrust and dispatching the villian on the other side.

Ginny Weasley looked at him through a curtain of shocking red hair. She gave a quiet laugh then stepped away to engage another villian.

Draco stood, dumbfounded, for a second, watching her excellent form. She was magnificent, moving with a flawlessness that stunned and staggered him. Blaise and Theo soon stopped to watch her too as she dispatched the remainder of their foes.

She tossed back sweat-damp hair from her forehead and shot Draco a bright smile. "Looks like you owe me one."

She moved to leave the ship but Blaise and Theo stepped to stop her. She looked at them then turned to Draco, a slight smirk on her face as she placed her hands on her hips. "What is this all about?"

"What are you doing here?" he asked, moving towards her.

She cocked her head, her expression slightly sad. "I thought it was obvious."

She stepped forward and took his face gently, but firmly in her hands and kissed him full on the lips.

"Pirates steal things," she whispered into his mouth.

She stepped back, a grin on her pretty face. "That's three."

"Three what?"

"Three things I've stolen from you."

Draco opened his mouth to object that it was only two (Pansy and the kiss) but Ginny's eyes flickered towards the stairs that led below deck. Draco felt his jaw drop. Surely not...

He turned to face the stairs, Theo and Blaise turning with him. With her adversaries distracted, Ginny ran and dove neatly over the side of the ship and into the waters below.

Draco ran to look in time to see her surface, stroking strongly towards her ship.

"Fucking little minx," he muttered admiringly.

(A/N: Well? Did you enjoy it?

To MidnightWriter1213: Ron is sooo going to be jealous later. I promise you! Especially once the DG stuff gets more vocal. And by that I mean I plan to have them stage table top duels. :3

To Don: glad you like it!