Honestly, I lost count of the chapters.

Elaborate Plans In Motion

Hermione groaned as she pushed the plate of food away. Ginny let her hair fall infront of her face, hiding her smirk. Hermione noticed it anyway. "You would do best to keep any thoughts you might be having to yourself."

Ginny looked up from her potions essay and spread her hands innocently. "Who me? I didn't say anything."

"You were thinking it. It's not my fault I had to miss dinner."

"And just why was that?" Ginny asked archly, scribbling half heartedly. She could have done the essay in her sleep but she needed Hermione in the kitchens right now. It had been easy really. During lunch, she had mentioned that she was running a little behind on her essay for potions and desparately didn't want to fall behind. Ron had turned a few shades darker as he realized his potions essay was due tomorrow and he would have no time to do it tonight without skipping the rendevous he was having with Parvati, the one no one was supposed to know about.

Ron had begged and pleaded. Ginny was the tough love kind of girl and steadfastly refused to help him. Hermione folded like a sock and spent her dinner break helping him out. Ginny had offered to accompany Hermione to the kitchens for a bite if the older girl would look over her own essay.

Hermione wrinkled her nose. "Because I was helping your bleeding brother with his bloody potions assignment. I swear he should just quit the damned subject. He's only in it because Harry is. You'd swear they were joined at the hip or something."

Ginny giggled and added a final flourish to her essay. "There." She pushed it over to Hermione.

Ginny studied the older girl as she read the essay. Ginny knew it was O material but she liked to have a second oppionion. And Mione was the best.

Hermione Granger was undoubtedly attractive. there was no way to deny that while still being fully truthful. No, from her slightly tamed hair to her pretty face, any guy should go for that. So why was Harry gay and Ron tramping around with Parvati? Ginny had no idea. She herself would never see Hermione in that light. It had taken her a while, but she finally figured out that Hermione was too much like an older sister for her to really feel that way about her. After all, Ginny wasn't too keen on incest.

Ginny cleared her throat, beginning the next step in the game she and Draco had spent many study periods hammering out. "So, Mione, I just have to ask, why aren't you and Ron an item yet?"

Not entirely to her surprise, Hermions sighed. "I don't know. I won't lie, back over the summer we tried, but... well it just felt like kissing my brother, if I had one. I guess it just isn't meant to be. And he does seem happy with Parvati."

Ginny nodded, glad Hermione at least knew about that torch. "What about Harry?"

Hermione wrinkled her nose. "Please! He's much too careless. I need someone... methodical. He has to set his mind to wooing me."

Ginny opened her mouth to say something but Draco suddenly tore into the room, looking wildly for a place to hide. He slanted a glance at Ginny. "Any chance of helping out a Slytherin?"

"Nope," She grinned.

"Not even your lab partner?"

"I can do them all by myself." Ginny laughed.

Hermione was about to voice something along the lines of getting a room, when Pansy Parkinson sauntered into the room. She made a beeline for Draco, a grin on her face.

Ginny glanced at Draco. "This what you running from?"

Draco winced but nodded. Ginny sighed, "Oh, just this once."

She got up, intercepting Pansy easily. In one swift movement, Ginny pulled Pansy to her and soundly kissed the Slytherin girl. Pansy stood stock still in shock for a moment even after Ginny let her go. Then she began to scream and rushed from the room, scrubbing at her lips.

Ginny fell to the bench in hysterics. This would be a most interesting challenge.

"What was that about?" Hermione hissed. Ginny noticed with amusement that Hermione was bright red. That was interesting indeed.

"Just helping out a partner. After all, we are doing a love potion tomorrow and I'd rather not drink my own potion. Besides, I like the idea of darling Malfoy here fawning after me for a few hours."

Draco had recovered his smirk. "Fat chance, Weasley. You'll be fawning over me too."

Ginny smirked back. "Don't bet on it. You get to do yours thursday."

Draco winced and swore. "Ah, well. Bye, Ginger."

Hermione looked at Ginny. "What was that about? Malfoy was almost civil to you!"

Ginny shrugged. "I've been helping him with some things lately."

(A/N: Oh, yes, the plan is working nicely. Next chapter will give you a real reason Pansy was behaving such. And no, Ginny doesn't like Pansy.