Breaking the Rules

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters you may recognize from the wonderful world of Harry Potter, they all belong to the revered JK Rowling; I just like to play with them a little.

BREAKING THE RULES

Draco cursed as he rushed down the path to the Quidditch pitch. He had been certain that training was scheduled for tomorrow afternoon, but Pansy had informed him the team was on the pitch waiting for their intrepid leader. Of course, she followed this statement with a cackle that would put the hags in Knockturn Alley to shame.

Without thinking of who might be occupying the change rooms, Draco burst through the door. A piercing scream almost deafened him the second he crossed the threshold. The world seemed to slow down at that precise moment. His brain was furiously yelling at him to turn around and leave. However, his seventeen-year-old hormones seemed to have placed a permanent sticking charm on his feet.

A girl was screaming at him to get out, but his ears were ignoring her demands. The view was far too captivating to move away. A towel, held in place by her hand, covered her tall, slim body. It occurred to him, somewhere in the back of his mind that the towel hadn't been there when he first walked into the change room.

He watched as she bent over to retrieve her wand from the bench. Her long legs did indeed go all the way up. The creamy flesh was beckoning to him, begging him to reach out and stroke it. His eyes almost left his head when the towel slipped from her hand. It was every seventeen-year-old wizard's fantasy — alone in the Quidditch change rooms with a naked witch.

Pain sliced through his body as he was flung into the wall. His befuddled mind distantly registered that the pain was caused by the stinging hex the girl had just hurled at him. He didn't much care; the view was still splendid.

"GET OUT, MALFOY!"

The shriek just about burst his eardrums and effectively got his feet moving towards the door. Back in the bright sunshine, his senses began to return to him. He was stinging all over from the hex and his head hurt where it made contact with the wall.

Even as he rubbed his aching head, he smirked arrogantly. The girl in the change rooms was in superb shape. There weren't many witches at Hogwarts he regarded as worth chasing, but this witch was different — she had his attention. At that moment, it occurred to him that he had no idea who she was. If asked, he could have given a faultless description of her legs, or the swell of her breasts, but with his eyes busy elsewhere her face hadn't registered.

Determined to discover her identity, Draco leaned up against the outside wall of the change rooms. She had to come out at some point and then he would make his move. A hundred pickup lines ran through his head. It was difficult to decide on the best approach, after all he'd already seen her naked, even if it was by accident.

After what seemed an age to the teenage wizard, there was some movement at the door. He was about to push off from the wall and pursue his quarry, but he stopped suddenly when he saw who walked from the change rooms.

Ginny Weasley was hurrying along the path back to the castle.

Draco shook his head. There had to be some mistake. That particular girl couldn't be the same one he'd ogled so imprudently. His witch must still be in the change rooms. He resumed his position against the wall. Time seemed to slow down, or so he thought as he waited.

After what seemed an eon to Draco, Pansy came traipsing down the path. She looked smug; an expression that always worried him.

"Why aren't you training, Draco? I came to watch you."

"I'm waiting to get into the change room," Draco replied impatiently.

"There are two rooms, use the other."

"My gear is in that one." His irritation with the girl was growing and he flung his hand in the direction of the room the screaming girl was occupying.

"Who's in there?"

"Some girl."

Pansy rolled her eyes at him. "Shall I give her a hurry up for you?"

"Yeah, that would be good." Draco appeared disinterested, but he was privately elated Pansy had made the offer. Little did she realize just how much he wanted the girl to come outside.

Minutes later Pansy reappeared in the doorway. "There's no one in here."

"What? There has to be! I saw her."

"Maybe you're seeing things?"

"I'm not seeing things, she was in there. She screamed at me and I didn't imagine that."

"Whatever," Pansy responded flippantly. "The room is empty now, so you can get changed. I'll wait for you at the pitch."

Draco resisted the urge to snarl at his friend as she passed him. They'd known each other practically all their lives, and because of that Pansy rarely showed him the respect he though he was due, particularly as she got older. She'd gone from a simpering girl to an arrogant young woman some time when he wasn't paying attention. He thought he preferred the simpering girl, she was far less likely to challenge him and easier to manipulate. Put simply, it made his life easier if he could get her to do what he wanted without a struggle.

As he changed, his mind drifted back to the screaming girl. It couldn't have been the Weaslette, surely. It didn't bear thinking about. There was no way she could look like that under her faded, too small uniform. When he grabbed his broomstick he pushed all thoughts of the girl from his head. He couldn't dwell on it at the moment, not with Quidditch practice.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Ginny stormed back to the castle. She couldn't believe her luck. All she'd wanted was an hour or so on the pitch to clear her head, but no, the Slytherin team had to come and kick her off. Then their ferrety captain invaded her privacy while she was getting dressed. It was unbelievable. The way he wouldn't leave until she hexed him. Her blood boiled. When she caught up with Malfoy, he was a dead man or boy or whatever he was now.

Her mind continued to invent new ways to torture him until he begged for mercy or died, whatever came last. First his eyes, she didn't like the glazed way they were examining her body. Then his mouth, the way it went all slack when her towel slipped was simply disgusting. Next his legs would be in her firing line, mostly because they failed to move when she first screamed at him. She was half way across the Entrance Hall when her brother called out to her. So caught up in her evil plotting, she'd failed to notice him and Harry coming down the staircase.

"Ginny, what's wrong?"

"Nothing," she lied automatically. If she so much as hinted at what Malfoy had done or not done she wouldn't have a chance to seek retribution herself.

Ron looked at his sister skeptically. He didn't believe her. "Sure, now how about you tell me the truth?"

"I said nothing was wrong," Ginny ground out angrily.

"Fine, don't say I never show concern then." He turned to Harry. "I tried, didn't I?"

"Just go away, Ron." Ginny stormed up the staircase. All she wanted was a little privacy to continue plotting her revenge on Malfoy.

"Yeah, you tried," Harry agreed. "But don't push your luck; remember what happened last time you kept on at her?"

Ron's face screwed up in revulsion and he muttered, "She told me what was bothering her."

"What if it's the same problem again?"

"I don't want to know!" Ron mounted the stairs to the Great Hall. Food was good at a time like this. It kept him from opening his mouth and asking questions he didn't really want answers to.

Harry chuckled heartily as he followed Ron. He'd been trying to erase the memory of the last time Ron had pushed Ginny to tell him what was bothering her for a couple of weeks now. Put simply, he really didn't need or want to know that she was feeling horrid, because she had cramps. Of course, Ron wouldn't leave it there, he had to know what was causing the pain and when Ginny spelled it out to him, both boys just about expired from embarrassment. There were some things she should keep to herself.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The Great Hall was full of noise, as it usually was during mealtimes. Draco tried valiantly to keep his attention focused on his plate, but his mind and eyes kept wandering to the redheaded witch at the Gryffindor table. He was still firmly telling himself it couldn't have been her in the Quidditch change room, but something at the back of his mind, or was it his groin, kept nagging him.

She was laughing at something one of her silly little friends was saying. The creamy flesh of her neck was exposed when she tossed her head back to laugh; in what he thought was an unladylike gesture. He could envision himself gnawing on her flesh, turning the pale skin red. How had he not noticed her before? That was a lie. He had noticed her. In fact, he usually ended up on the wrong end of her wand. A snarl built up in his throat as she reached out and touched Potter's arm. What was she touching him for?

"You can't stop thinking about her, can you?" Pansy purred into his ear.

Draco swung around. Minutes ago he'd been sitting between Crabbe and Goyle. "How did you get there?"

"I squeezed in," Pansy admitted. "I've been watching you."

"So."

"Watching you watching her."

"What makes you think I'm watching anyone?"

"It was her you saw this afternoon in change rooms, wasn't it?"

"No," Draco denied.

"Come on, Malfoy, you can't lie to me. I know you too well." Pansy smirked confidently. "Besides, I heard her muttering to herself on the way back to the castle."

His interest was piqued and Draco quirked an eyebrow at his friend, imploring her to go on without openly admitting his curiosity.

"But you're not interested in any of that," Pansy said, dismissing his obvious interest.

"Parkinson," Draco growled.

"So, you are interested," Pansy responded smugly.

Draco growled at her and she rolled her eyes at him.

"I didn't hear everything she was saying, just fragments—"

"Just get on with it!"

"She made mention of you, butt-naked, leave and die."

"That's it?"

"Yes, that's all I heard." Pansy picked a piece of invisible lint from his shoulder. "Mind you there's a message in those few words if you care to look closely enough."

"Pray tell how do you get a message out of four unrelated words?"

"It's not hard, Draco. You walked in while she was getting changed, didn't you?"

A grunted of acknowledgement came from the blond wizard.

"And you didn't leave when she told you to, did you?" Pansy waited for a response, but received none. A sure sign Draco was guilty as charged. "So, she storms back up the castle muttering to herself using the word die— a lot."

"Your point?"

"Your life is in danger. She's going to kill you for not leaving straight away."

"Says you."

Pansy shook her head. "Says her."

"Ridiculous," Draco spat. He should have known better than to have this type of conversation with Pansy.

"If you think so," Pansy replied casually as she gracefully stepped over the bench seat. "Oh, there was one other thing she mentioned— Apparently, she detested the way your chin just about hit the floor when her towel dropped. Drooling like a heathen, were we?"

Although his upbringing had taught him well to hide his emotions, Draco had to fight hard to keep his face from flushing bright red. As ridiculous as it seemed, he felt like he'd been caught red handed peeking in the girls' lavatory right at that moment.

Pansy leaned over and whispered into his ear, "The tips of your ears are red, Malfoy."

Draco snarled and pushed her away from him. Escape from Pansy and the now curious stares the pair of them were receiving was the only thing on his mind. It was bad enough his own mind wouldn't let go of the memory, but to have Pansy know the girl got to him was potentially ruinous. If he could let go of the memory, as fine as it was, he might be able to salvage some dignity.

He strutted out of the Great Hall completely oblivious to the fact that he was actually following the girl who'd not left his thoughts since earlier that afternoon. It wasn't until he reached the doorway to the dungeons that he realized she was climbing the Grand Staircase. A smirk tugged at his lips.

For reasons he didn't wish to examine too closely, Draco followed her at a distance. She didn't know he was behind her, as far as he could ascertain, and from the route she was taking, he thought she might be heading to the library. Not that it mattered because he had no intention of stopping until he was ready or she discovered him.

The longer he followed her, the clearer it became that she wasn't like other girls, the girls who vied for his attention. Perhaps it was the way she didn't roll her hips in some exaggerated parody like the other girls? Hers was more of a subtle sway, barely even there to the casual observer. It was mesmerizing. No longer watching where he was actually walking Draco failed to notice that his quarry had stopped in her tracks and was bending over retrieving something from the floor. He walked straight into her rear end. Sheer reflex made him reach out and grab the witch by the hips to stop her pitching forward onto her head.

It wasn't until she started swatting at his hands did he realize he hadn't released his grip on her. She felt good—right, in his hands.

"Let me go," Ginny ground out angrily.

"What if I don't want to," Draco whispered before he could stop himself. What had come over him? This was a Weasley. Given she was beautiful, but still not of his class.

She stiffened. "If you don't let go, I'll do a lot worse than make you sting a little bit."

He held her for just a fraction longer than he should have. One minute she was flush against his body and the next she was facing him, with her wand firmly planted in his neck.

"Now, I'm going to pick my things up and go on my way. If you so much as think about following me again I'll hex you clear into next week. Do you understand?"

Draco nodded as her wand pushed further into his neck.

"Good."

When she turned around, Draco quickly slipped his hand in his cloak and drew his own wand, just in case. She might have been nice to look at, but he didn't trust her.

His eyes followed the gentle curve of her derriere as the fabric of her skirt tightened across it when she bent over. Draco cursed his uncontrollable hormones as his groin stirred a little. All he wanted to do was run his hand over her backside; to see if it felt as good as it looked.

Ginny straightened up again. "Malfoy, your wand!"

"What?"

"Remove your wand from my arse."

He looked down and sure enough his fourteen inches of black walnut was in his hand, and it was poking her firmly in the backside.

"If you don't put it away now, I'm going to bring mine out to play," Ginny threatened.

He should have been at least a little concerned at her tone, but he couldn't bring himself to care when he was this close to her. "Do you want to play, Weasley?"

She spun around to face him. Her expression was calm and a little amused, if he wasn't mistaken. With deliberate precision, Ginny pinched his wand between two fingers and pointed it away from her body. Then she deliberately looked him up and down, her amusement growing to make her eyes sparkle in a most enticing way. With a last smirk she turned on her heel and walked off.

"You didn't answer my question, Weasley." Draco had no idea why he was pursuing this issue so far. He should have just insulted her and gone back to his common room, but something kept him in the drafty corridor.

Ginny stopped and turned around again. She regarded the blond Slytherin for a moment, and then walked purposely towards him, stopping only when she was mere inches from his body. She smirked in a way that made his blood run cold. "You don't have the balls to play with me, Malfoy."

Draco stood there watching her flounce off. His brain was still trying to process what she'd just said when she reached the end of the corridor. All of a sudden he broke into a run. He had to catch her. He'd show her who had balls.

By the time he caught her, she was almost to the library doors. Without thinking about what he was about to do, Draco grabbed her shoulders and shoved her rudely into the wall. Before she could even react his mouth crashed down on hers.

He smirked as he raised his head to look at her. She was trying to push him away from her, but he stood firm.

"What the bloody hell do you think you're doing?" she bellowed.

"Playing," Draco replied, his confident smirk still in place.

"You obviously don't understand the rules."

"I think you underestimate my comprehension."

Ginny rolled her eyes to the ceiling. She should just hex him and get on with her homework, but homework was boring and this was interesting at least, and would be even more so when she left him howling in pain. "Rule number one, don't ever touch me."

"Don't touch you? So I can't do this?" Draco ran one hand down to her hip and the other cupped her face.

Ginny tried to remove his hand from her hip, but he was persistent. "No."

"Or this?" His hold on her firmed as his head dipped to again claim her lips.

A muffled 'no' was lost between them. His touch was soft, caressing and utterly intoxicating. Ginny knew she should be pushing him away and screaming blue murder or hexing him until he died, but bringing herself to put a stop to the best snog she'd ever had was another matter entirely. Lost in the sensations he was evoking on her body, she melted into his hard chest.

The sound of students coming closer interrupted their little encounter. Draco reluctantly stepped away from her and straightened his uniform. "I think you require some revision, Weasley. The rules you're playing under are completely outdated. Meet me at the Quidditch pitch tomorrow at three."

He knew how she'd answer his invitation if given the chance, so without waiting for a response, Draco strode away self-assuredly. While he wasn't certain she'd meet him, he was quietly confident. If he didn't miss his guess, she'd enjoyed that as much as he did. Perhaps he could give her a little reminder snog tomorrow, if the chance presented itself, just to make certain she'd show up for some 'revision'.

Quizzical looks from his friends greeted him when he entered his common room. They knew better than to ask where he'd been or what he'd been doing, unless he offered to tell them. Thoughts of what everyone would think of what he was doing were pushed brutally aside. Something about the way she'd kissed him back told him she was worth the trouble if they were found out. He sank onto the couch with a pleased smile on his face. Tomorrow afternoon couldn't come fast enough.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Written for Shardrive by request of Potatomaker. Thank you to Rainpuddle13 for her amazing beta skills!

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Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters you may recognize from the wonderful world of Harry Potter, they all belong to the revered JK Rowling; I just like to play with them a little.

BREAKING THE RULES

REVISION

Draco huffed impatiently and slumped against the wall of the Quidditch stadium. He had clearly said three o'clock, and it was already a quarter after. She was late. Even though he was well hidden in the shadows, he had a clear view of the path leading to the stadium, so he knew she hadn't snuck past him, and he had checked around the general vicinity when he first arrived to make certain she hadn't arrived early.

He would give her a little while longer to show herself, and then he would leave, but she would feel his fury for standing him up. Most witches would have been here early, eagerly awaiting him to join them. A voice in the back of his head reminded him that Weasley was not most witches. Weasley was an entity unto herself.

"You're waiting for her, aren't you?"

Startled, Draco jumped and spun around. "Where did you come from?" he snapped.

"I was already here. I've been watching you," Pansy said with a smirk. She'd easily avoided her blond friend when he'd scouted the area upon arrival. "She's not coming."

"She'll come," Draco said confidently.

"Why? Because no one can resist you?"

"She'll come," Draco growled.

"Well, if she does show up it will only to be to hex you."

"What makes you think she'd hex me?"

"That's what she was considering in the library last night. You know the way she mutters to herself... Oh, you don't, do you? Well, it seems she was having some trouble deciding which hex to use... You know, to inflict the greatest amount of pain." Pansy grinned broadly at him.

"Rubbish."

"Don't believe me then, but as a friend I had to warn you."

"Parkinson, go away."

"Fine," Pansy replied flippantly, turning to leave. "You want to be careful, Malfoy, she's not the sort to be trifled with."

"I'll do as I please."

"Oh, well, I guess I tried." Pansy smiled at him in a feral fashion. "Any last wishes?"

"Yes," Draco snarled, "for you to disappear."

"That I can do." Pansy began walking away, but paused as she saw a flash of red hair coming down the path. "Oh, Malfoy, you'd best brace yourself, she's on her way to cause you pain."

Draco craned his neck to see just the tiniest flash of bright Weasley hair coming down the path. Not wanting to seem too eager, he consciously schooled his features to a virtually bored expression and leaned back against the stadium casually. As she drew closer, he could see she wasn't going to look his way at all. He smirked self-assuredly. She was a smart girl and obviously knew there was little to be gained by making their little rendezvous public knowledge.

He watched as she disappeared inside the very change room she'd been in yesterday afternoon. Although he felt the urge to rush in there after her, Draco waited a few minutes and then entered.

"It's about time you turned up," he drawled. "Are you always this tardy?"

"Excuse me?"

"We had an appointment," Draco reminded her.

"I didn't agree to meet you."

"Then why are you here?" Draco asked, confident she'd stammer her way through some pathetic explanation of how she wasn't here to meet him, when she really was.

"I have Quidditch practice."

He arched a knowing eyebrow at her. It was a nice excuse, and she didn't once stammer. "Quidditch practice?"

"Yes, you know—broomsticks, balls, and tactics." Ginny spoke slowly as if talking to a dim child. "Not that we need them to wipe the pitch with your sorry excuse for a team."

"You'll need more than luck and slow brooms to secure a victory over Slytherin," Draco retorted a little more harshly than he'd intended. He took a deep breath and calmed himself before continuing. "You know, I could instruct the team to go easier on you."

Ginny snorted derisively. "You mean they've been playing at their best?"

"Maybe I should tell them to target you," Draco snarled.

"Ooh, a challenge! I love a challenge," Ginny mocked.

"Weasley, you and I both know you're not here for—" Draco paused as he heard voices outside the change rooms. It suddenly occurred to him that it was quite possible that the Gryffindors did have a Quidditch practice scheduled.

"Mmm... I wonder what my brother would do to you if he found you in here with me?" Ginny pretended to ponder this for a moment or two. "He'd probably have a poke at you first, and then he'd Floo for the rest of my brothers. You know, I have six brothers in total."

Draco looked around wildly for somewhere to hide. While he wanted to learn more about this perplexing girl, he saw no point in risking his life to do so.

"Oh, for goodness sakes, get in here!"

He looked up to see her holding one of the equipment trunks open. The space looked far too small for him, but there seemed to be no other choice. He would have to squeeze into the trunk or face the prospect of death by Merlin only knew how many Weasleys.

"Come on, hurry up, or they'll be in here before you even move," Ginny urged.

Draco obeyed without question then. Her instance that he get out of sight told him clearly that she didn't want him to be caught. It was a tight fit, but he did manage to fold his body into the trunk.

"Something tells me you don't want me to be at the mercy of your brothers," Draco commented smugly when he was finally in position.

"And let them have all the fun? I don't think so." She smirked evilly. "I'll let you out when it's safe."

Before Draco could respond, the lid went down on the trunk and he was in total blackness. His heart started to beat a bit faster when he heard the bolts sliding closed. What if she left him in here? No one knew he was here, except her. Perhaps Pansy would miss him at some stage, but that wouldn't be for hours, maybe even not until tomorrow morning. It was then that he started kicking himself for being foolish enough to put himself in this position for a pathetic case of lust.

The noise level outside the trunk increased for while. Draco recognized a few of the voices — Potter and Weasel, to be specific. Before long everything fell silent. He waited for the witch to open the trunk, for surely she had remained behind to release him. Time passed slowly and he tried to reassure himself that it just seemed like a long time, because he was locked in a trunk. However, he eventually had to admit to himself, at least, that she had deserted him. Possible solutions ran through his head one after another, but none of them were plausible considering he couldn't reach his wand.

Panic began to invade his mind, and Draco started to make as much noise as he could to alert anyone to his whereabouts. He could envision his own funeral, hear his own eulogy... suffocated to death while coveting a bit of skirt. His mother would be devastated. His father would be disgusted. And he would be dead.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Good session everyone!" Harry expressed loudly as the Gryffindor team entered the change rooms. "Ron, you want to watch how far you come out off the hoops in the game."

"You just keep an eye out for the Snitch, and I'll worry about the hoops," Ron grumbled. It had been a hard session, and after two hours on his broom all he wanted to do was eat and sleep, in that order.

"Ginny, you need—" Harry started. "Where is she?"

"Still in the air," Ron informed his friend and captain. "She'll come down when we're done in here."

"I wanted everyone in here, damn it!"

"Well, she's not being in here while we're showering," Ron said firmly.

"Fine," Harry growled. "We'll have a meeting in the Common Room after dinner. Everyone will attend... No excuses!"

A rumble of acknowledgement came from the rest of the team as they prepared to hit the showers.

Ron frowned and spun around. "Hey, what's that noise?"

"What noise?" asked Jimmy Peakes, holding tight to his beater's bat just in case.

"Shut up, everyone!" Ron listened carefully for a moment and then started to advance slowly on the trunk in the corner. He could hear bumps and funny sort of strangled sounds coming from within.

"It's a Boggart!" Demelza Robins said from behind him.

"Shut up," Ron snarled, kneeling next to the trunk. From the sounds it was making, he didn't think the thing inside the trunk would turn into a giant spider the moment he laid his eyes on it. He reached for the bolts.

"Ron, stand up before you do that," Harry warned. "You don't know what's in there."

"I think it's more of a who, than a what," Ron mumbled.

"It doesn't matter, stand up just in case."

"All right." Ron stood up and then slid the bolts into their unlocked positions, moving away from the trunk hastily.

"You didn't open it," Ritchie Coote pointed out.

"Wait," Ron whispered.

All of a sudden the lid of the trunk burst open to a chorus of gasps.

Harry stepped up in front of his team. "What are you doing in here, Malfoy?"

"What does it look like, Potter?" Draco rasped out as he lifted himself out of the trunk. Though thankful for his freedom, he wasn't about to let the audience know that.

"It looks like you were trying to spy," Ron interjected gruffly.

"Think what you will, Weasley," Draco sneered croakily. His voice lacked its usual sting after two hours of yelling for help. "You wouldn't believe the truth if I told you."

"You wouldn't know what the truth was if it bit you on the arse," Ron pointed out succinctly.

Draco smirked, his devious Slytherin mind going to work to decide the most painful way to hit back at the redheaded oaf in front of him. "Fine, if you must know... I was in here trying to get into your sister's knickers when we heard you lot coming. She stuffed me in the trunk to save my life."

Ron's expression had gone from smug to rage and then to mocking disbelief, as Draco had explained his version of events. "You're full of it! Ginny wouldn't touch you with a ten foot broomstick."

"Like I said before, think what you will, Weasley," Draco drawled. "It matters not."

"Oi, where do you think you're going?" Ron asked as the Slytherin started for the door.

"I very obviously don't want to be present during your showering ritual," Draco replied superciliously.

"Just let him go, Ron," Harry instructed wearily. The last thing he had the energy for tonight was a battle with his nemesis. "Even if he was here to spy, he didn't hear anything."

Draco could hear Weasley muttering obscenities as he exited the change rooms. Relieved that he'd escaped without injury, Draco headed straight for the Quidditch stadium. He still had a score to settle with the oaf's sister, and if he'd heard correctly, she was still flying. Rather than risk his life by making a public scene, Draco slipped into the bowels of the structure. If he was right, she would eventually be alone in the change rooms, and that was when he would extract his revenge. After all, he'd waited this long, so what was a little while longer?

Along with keeping an eye on the witch in the sky, he also kept a close watch on the change room door. Draco wanted to be certain all the other members of the Gryffindor team left the building, before making his move. He didn't need to be told if they found him to be still hanging around that his health would suffer.

After what seemed an eternity, but was probably a far shorter time than he took himself to clean up after training, the Gryffindor team began to file from the room. Draco observed Potter walk back into the stadium and whistle to the Chaser still on her broom, to let her know they were done.

From his vantage point, Draco could see Potter escort the witch to the change rooms. The dolt gave her flying tips while they walked, as if he was some sort of expert. Of course, this amused the blond, considering Weasley had most likely been flying well before Potter even knew broomsticks existed. When Potter finally left, she went into the change rooms — alone.

Draco waited patiently until The Fool Who Lived was well out of sight before stepping out from under the Quidditch stadium. He looked around carefully, checking to see if anyone else was in the general vicinity, before exposing himself entirely. When he was certain no one else was close by, Draco crossed to the change rooms and silently slipped inside.

He could hear one of the showers running and a light, melodic humming coming from the bathroom area, but apart from that the change rooms were as serene as the forest. A smirk tugged at his lips as he surreptitiously crept across the floor, collecting her wand from the bench on the way, and peeked into the showers.

In hindsight, it was probably a mistake of gigantic proportions to spy on her while she was showering, but he couldn't help himself. The lure of her naked body was too much for his hormones to ignore.

He admired the way her back arched as she rinsed the soap from her hair, imagining how it would feel if she arched into his touch. His tongue flicked out unconsciously to wet his lips, as he noted how the water fell off her pert breasts and took up the trail some inches below to the crisp curls between her legs. In his head, he was caressing her slick skin, and tangling his fingers in those curls just enough to make her gasp. It was just like perusing a live Playwitch magazine, and his body was reacting in much the same manner.

A piercing scream followed by a hard, wet thump in the middle of his forehead brought Draco back to reality. So caught up in his fantasy, he'd failed to notice that she'd opened her eyes, thrown a bar of soap at him and was now staring at him in horror.

"GET OUT!"

"Come on, Weasley, it's not like I haven't seen it all before," Draco said boldly. The knowledge that she wasn't hiding her wand on her person anywhere gave him confidence to assert himself and chase exactly what he was after with conviction.

"Out," Ginny ground out angrily, reaching for her towel and securing it around her body tightly.

"I don't think you really want me to leave," Draco commented casually. "I think you want me to stay... To give you that lesson I promised you yesterday."

"You're delusional," Ginny spat as she pushed past the Slytherin and left the shower area in preference for the locker room.

Draco turned around on the spot, leaning on the door jam and smirking as she furiously searched her carelessly discarded Quidditch uniform for something. The view, while not as good without the towel, was quite enticing. There was no doubt in his mind what she was looking for. He extracted her wand from the back of his pants, and twirled it around his fingers as he held it up. "Looking for something?"

"My— You! Give me my wand, now!"

"You know, something tells me that wouldn't be entirely good for my well-being, so I think I'll hang on to it for just a while longer," Draco responded thoughtfully, shoving the length of wood back down his pants.

The incensed witch snarled at him viciously. "You know, I don't need my wand to beat you to a pulp."

Draco quirked an eyebrow at her in amusement, even though his mind was reminding him not to trust her — she wasn't like other girls and would more than likely follow through, or try to, on her threat. "You don't want to do that, not really."

"Don't tempt me, Malfoy, because right now nothing would give me more pleasure."

"What you want is to feel my lips on yours again, isn't it?" Draco advanced a few paces. "You enjoyed that last night, didn't you, Weasley?"

"I most certainly did not!"

"Now you're telling fibs. You loved it."

"Like I said before, you're delusional," Ginny snapped, eying the advancing boy up and down, deliberately pausing to take in the view at his groin. "It's not surprising really, considering all the blood in your body has collected in one place."

The color rose just a little in Draco's cheeks. He knew he was sporting a raging hard-on. He was trying valiantly to ignore the way his trousers were straining, considering there was little he could do about it now, and it obviously wasn't going to go away on its own. Besides it was her fault. Who ever heard of anyone looking so damned shagable while they were washing their hair?

"Are you blushing?" Ginny snorted with laughter. "Oh my god! Draco Malfoy is blushing!"

"Shut it, Weasley," Draco growled.

She cocked her head to the side and looked at him with merriment still dancing in her eyes. "And what if I don't?"

"I'll make you," he ground out irritably.

"Sure you will," Ginny purred, giving him a saucy wink.

Draco blinked at her, completely taken aback by her sudden change of attitude. Perhaps her amusement had mellowed her temper? Could he be so lucky? He could live with the mortification of her teasing, if it meant he might be able to get close to her again, and in doing so perhaps even do something about the subject of her mockery.

"Now, if you don't mind." Ginny looked pointedly towards the doorway leading outside.

"As a matter of a fact, I do mind," Draco drawled slowly.

"Malfoy!" The death-threat in her tone was unmistakable.

"It's not like I haven't—" Draco paused to look her up and down predatorily. "—seen it all before."

"Because you've barged into the change rooms uninvited!"

"A mere technicality, Weasley."

"A technicality that could land you in detention until hell freezes over," Ginny pointed out smugly.

"Only if someone finds out."

"I might be tempted to—"

"All right, I'll turn around."

"No, you'll give me my wand and disappear."

"I'm afraid I can't do that, Weasley."

"Why would that be, Malfoy?"

"Like I said last night, you're in desperate need of some revision, and it would be remiss of me to ignore that fact."

"There is nothing wrong—"

"Au contraire." Draco stepped closer to her again. He was mere feet from her now, and the urge to reach out and touch her was making his fingers twitch. "I feel you do need some revision," he whispered thickly.

"What makes you think you're the one who should give it to me?" Ginny asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Well, I have had a lot of practice, and what you need is a man with experience."

"A man? Thanks for clearing that up, Malfoy. I'll make sure I go looking for one the first opportunity I get."

Draco gaped at her for just a second before fixing the redheaded witch with an icy glare.

"Did I say something wrong?" Ginny feigned ignorance. "Oh... oh! You meant you! But you're just a boy." She had to slap her hand over her mouth to stop from laughing aloud at the Slytherin, with the now deflated ego, in front of her.

Draco snarled in the back of his throat and closed the remaining feet between them in one large step. "I'll show you the difference, shall I?"

"That's not really necessary," Ginny said quickly, stepping away from the angry wizard.

"You can run, Weasley, but you can't hide," Draco teased, closing the gap again.

She cursed the state of her undress. If she was actually dressed, she could have kicked him where it was guaranteed to stop any persistent wizard and escaped, but to risk such a move with only a towel around her would have not only left her exposed, it would have been silly. Instead, Ginny pushed off his chest hard and turned towards the door. She wasn't truly surprised when she only made it a few steps before she felt his arm snake around her waist and pulled her into his chest.

"Where do you think you're going?" Draco whispered into her ear.

"Let me go!" Ginny cringed when she heard how weak her voice sounded. All she could do was hope that he wasn't perceptive enough to read anything into the tone she'd used, because it most definitely said, 'don't let me go'.

"I don't think you really want me to."

Ginny willed herself not to react to his breath puffing against her neck, but she couldn't help it; gooseflesh rose in its wake, making her feel delightfully giddy. If that wasn't enough, she found herself rather liking the way his strong, muscular arm held her against his hard chest. When she started to remember what his lips felt like on hers, she lost all sense of propriety.

Draco loosened his grasp on her just a little when she started to turn in his arms. Something told him this wasn't a bid for freedom, or a ploy to facilitate her escape. Her eyes were like windows to her soul, and he knew what she wanted by taking the briefest of glances.

As his mouth descended on hers, Ginny's eyes fluttered closed. Like the night before, she melted into his chest and her brain ceased to function, except to recognize just how good a kisser Draco Malfoy was. She could feel his hands wandering over the towel covering her body, and winding through her hair. Before she realized what was happening, his tongue was exploring her mouth with such skill that her knees went weak. If he were to step away from her now, she'd more than likely land on her nose on the floor.

She tasted faintly of mint and chocolate, so sweet he could have dined on her mouth forever. Her hands eventually gave up their purchase on the top of the towel and began to inch their way across his chest. The tingling trail they left served only to make his brain more dysfunctional, but at least it silenced the nagging voice in the back of his head that was insisting this was not a good choice. As soon as Draco felt her hands spread over his back, he allowed one of his hands to drift down to her derriere and pull her flush against his body.

Ginny gasped into his mouth when she felt the hard bulge of his pants through the towel. It wasn't that she didn't know it was there, because it was she who pointed it out earlier, she'd simply never been so close to an excited man before, and the way he felt surprised her. When his fingers started massaging her backside, all thoughts of what his body was doing floated out the window. Ginny knew the towel covering her modesty must have been riding up with his attentions, but she found she didn't much care, so long as that delicious feeling between her thighs didn't disappear.

With reluctance, Draco began to draw his mouth away. Air was becoming an issue for him, and he'd been accused of being able to breathe through his ears in the past, so he figured it would be the same for her. He placed almost imperceptible kisses over her face in an effort to maintain contact with this girl who was making his thoughts go down paths they'd always avoided before. "I think you could do with some more practice, Weasley. Just to perfect what we've gone over today. I suggest meeting at least once a day."

"Once a day?"

"Yes, and just so you know, I only take on one student at a time." Draco placed a feathery kiss on her forehead.

"What are you saying?" Ginny asked cautiously.

"Let me put it this way: I'd hate to have to waste hours in detention for discouraging anyone else who felt the need to touch you."

"I see." Ginny smirked, catching on to what he was requesting in a roundabout way. "Well, you are aware that I don't like any witch even glancing at what's mine."

"I can't stop them looking, but I can bat them away when they try to touch," Draco offered.

Ginny thought for a moment. "All right, but if any one person is persistent I want to hear about her from you."

"I can accommodate that wish."

"Good, because the alternative is to remove your reason for being looked at." Ginny glanced down to where his erection was prodding her insistently.

"Yes, well—" Draco swallowed hard and slapped himself mentally. What was he getting himself into here? She was not only a Weasley, she was decidedly scary to boot.

Yesterday he'd been quite happy with his life: sowing his wild oats in as many fields as possible, without a care in the world. Now he was not only considering seeing one witch exclusively, it actually made him feel good to be thinking along those lines. All it had taken was one glimpse of her creamy flesh to comprehensively befuddle his mind. Powerless to put a stop to the compulsion to be with her, all he could do was go along for the ride and hope he survived, or that someone identified the fact that he'd gone nutters and admitted him to ward forty-nine at St. Mungo's for urgently needed treatment.

"So, are we going to tell anyone or are we going to slink around in the shadows?"

When she smiled at him all his doubts evaporated. He might not be planning to make any loud declarations from the Astronomy Tower or have designs on making a grand announcement in the Great Hall, but he didn't want to have to sneak around. Yes, something told him she was worth the trouble they were likely to encounter. That was as long as he survived her brothers finding out.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

AUTHOR'S NOTES

Thanks to Rainpuddle13 for her amazing beta skills!

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Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters you may recognize from the wonderful world of Harry Potter, they all belong to the revered JK Rowling; I just like to play with them a little.

BREAKING THE RULES

WHOSE RULES

Even after the night before, there was some doubt in her mind that Draco was serious about being exclusive. A little voice in the back of her head kept telling her he was a Slytherin and he just wanted a good snog. Of course, the fact that it had been his idea was also in play, but she reasoned that it could have been part of his foil. After all, she wasn't naïve enough to believe everything she was told or promised, and some boys would say anything to get the cooperation of a girl. Draco Malfoy was no exception. She knew he liked to play the field, so his insistence that they be exclusive, or rather she be exclusive, seemed out of character.

As she ventured downstairs for breakfast, Ginny pondered what would happen next. No one knew they were 'together' yet, and she knew both houses would be in an uproar once the news got out. Still caught up in her thoughts, Ginny failed to notice the Slytherin welcoming party of one awaiting her in the Entrance Hall.

"You disappointment me, Weasley."

Ginny stopped abruptly. "Excuse me?"

"I thought you'd have at least hexed him."

"He stole my wand," Ginny answered smartly.

"You don't need a wand to cripple him."

"I know, but I chose not to."

"He kissed you, didn't he?"

"That's none of your business, Parkinson."

The black-haired witch rolled her eyes. "And another one falls under the spell of the great Draco Malfoy."

"I have not fallen under any spell," Ginny snapped.

"No?"

"NO!"

"Oooh, you're a bit touchy for someone who's denying the possibility." Pansy grinned nefariously. "But then you're right in character for someone in denial."

"What do you want, Parkinson?"

"Just to let you know what sort of effect you're having on a very good friend of mine and that I seemed to be wrong about you."

Ginny blinked at the older girl. "You're talking in riddles."

Pansy sighed heavily. "I really expected you to hex him to the point where he'd be drinking soup through a straw for a month, but you proved me wrong—not one hex was flung. Of course, the only explanation that could possibly explain this is he kissed you first."

"So, I didn't hex him and yes, he kissed me."

"Good, isn't he?"

"I'm not really in the mood to exchange notes."

"I haven't had the urge for a while, but practice makes perfect, so he has to have improved with the number of girls he's bedded," Pansy responded matter-of-factly. "That's not the part that's of concern though."

"What is your point?" Ginny really didn't need a full run down of Draco's history with other women, she was well aware of his reputation, and her stomach was starting to grumble about the lack of breakfast.

"My point is, you've turned him into some moony fool who can't concentrate on a simple conversation for more than two minutes at a time, and I don't need to be told where his thoughts are wandering."

Ginny smiled. This was good news. If it was true, it would allay her fears greatly. "So?"

"So, this is not the Draco Malfoy I love to taunt. You're turning his mind to dragon dung and you're spoiling my fun."

"Parkinson, why don't you just go and find yourself another pet snake to tease."

"I would, but as you can see the pickings are rather thin."

Both witches looked towards the doorway leading to the dungeons to see the rest of the seventh year Slytherin wizards emerging for the day. Crabbe and Goyle were solely focused on making it to the Great Hall for food. Theodore Nott was absently scratching something he ought not to in mixed company, and Blaise Zabini was yawning widely.

Pansy smiled sweetly at her housemates and turned back to Ginny. "See what I mean?"

Ginny nodded amusedly. They were a motley crew to behold, especially first thing in the morning.

"Parkinson," Blaise Zabini called across the hall.

Pansy lifted her chin haughtily. "Zabini, I see you haven't yet woken up."

Blaise approached the two witches, not paying any attention to Ginny at all. "What the bloody hell is up with Malfoy?"

"Why do you ask?"

"He kept me awake most of the night."

"Doing what?" Pansy asked curiously.

"Talking... in his sleep."

The Slytherin witch raised a curious eyebrow at her housemate. "Tell me, what was he talking about?" she purred.

"You know what he's like, you only get the odd word here and there." Blaise screwed his face up and added, "Plus the moaning."

Pansy bit the side of her mouth to keep from laughing. "What words did you catch? You know I can usually put together what's bothering him from those."

"Let's see." Blaise stifled a yawn. "Oh god... yes... love... red... Ginny, whatever that is, and a ton of moaning like he was— well, you don't need to know that bit."

"That confirms it!" Pansy announced.

"Confirms what?" Blaise asked. "That he's finally lost his mind? Gone the way of his dear Aunt Bella?"

"No," Pansy huffed. Boys could be so blind at times like this. "He's in love."

"Love? Malfoy?" Blaise looked at Pansy as if she'd taken leave of her senses. "Maybe with himself, but no one else stands a chance while there are still mirrors in the world."

"I've no doubt he still holds himself in high regard, but he's in love with a girl."

"Who then?"

"Ginny."

"That's a person?"

Pansy nodded. "Yes, we formerly referred to her as the girl Weasel, Weaslette... umm—"

"I think that's enough," Ginny cut in, none too pleased with what she was hearing.

"Oh, sorry, I forgot you were still there." Pansy smiled sweetly at the other witch.

Zabini looked at the Gryffindor for the first time. "Who are you?"

"I'm Ginny."

"You?" The dark-haired wizard looked her up and down, and then nodded thoughtfully. "I can see why Draco couldn't keep his dreams out of the gutter."

Ginny's eyes almost bulged out of their sockets and her hand was already plunging into her cloak to retrieve her wand when she was interrupted in quite a disturbing way—someone began nibbling on her neck. "What are you doing?"

"Mmm—having breakfast."

"Draco, if you don't mind, I'm about to inflict a serious injury on your dorm mate."

Draco's eyes flicked up and he smirked at Zabini. "This is your cue to run away as fast as you can, before she follows through on her threat."

"Can't you control her?"

"Not yet, I haven't had time to train her, but I promise I'll distract her for as long as I can."

Ginny spun in Draco's arms. "You what?"

"Calm down, I'm just trying to keep you out of detention, because if you hex Zabini I won't be able to take you into Hogsmeade tomorrow." Draco placed a kiss on her cheek and then let his mouth trail down her neck. "Zabini, get out of here now," he hissed over her shoulder.

"You're just protecting your housemates," Ginny accused him sourly.

"They can look after themselves and if they can't, too bad," Draco responded lifting his head to look her in the eye. "It's you I don't want in detention tomorrow."

Ginny sighed. She didn't believe him, but he did have a point and she now had a date for Hogsmeade. "All right then."

"Mmm... You don't sound convinced. Whatever can I do to change your mind?"

Ginny smiled at him warmly. "Tell the truth?"

"No, that's no fun." A smirk moved across his mouth. "I know something that is far more fun."

"Oh?"

"For Merlin's sake!" Pansy huffed as she walked off.

Draco's head descended to capture her lips in a searing kiss. Ginny reacted automatically. Her hands wandered straight to his back, one caressing its way up to the nape of his neck and the other sitting just on his belt line, tugging lightly at his shirt. She could feel his hands pulling her into his body, and holding her firmly in place. The same delicious feeling she experienced between her thighs last night had just started to flare as one of his hands drifted down to caress her derrière.

"Mr. Malfoy, unhand that girl now."

Draco growled under his breath, and turned to face his Head of House, keeping Ginny out of sight as much as he could. "Professor."

"I should not have to remind you about inappropriate behavior," Snape growled.

"My apologies, sir, it won't happen again," Draco intoned respectfully.

Snape's mouth twitched as he considered his options. "I assume you're on your way to breakfast?"

"Yes, Professor."

"Do see if you can make it to the Great Hall without stopping for a snack," the professor hissed.

"Thank you, sir." Draco grabbed Ginny's hand and practically dragged her in the direction of the Great Hall.

They were mere feet away from the Potions Professor when they heard him mutter, "A Weasley? Lucius will be inconsolable."

Draco stifled his laughter as they took the stairs two at a time. There was no doubt in his mind that he'd be summoned to his Head of House's office sometime today. The perfunctory threats to inform his father of his behavior would be made and with whom he'd been misbehaving, if he refused to give her up—which he would at this stage. The feeling he got yesterday that this girl was worth the trouble had been further confirmed last night in his dreams. He'd never had dreams of that caliber about real girls or women—the models in Playwizard didn't generally count as real people.

Ginny stopped short of the doors to the Great Hall. "I think we should walk in calmly."

"You're right," Draco agreed, pulling her over to the side and kissing her thoroughly.

His tongue had just begun to explore the minty freshness of her mouth when they were once again interrupted.

"Mr. Malfoy, what was it I said about stopping for snacks?"

Draco couldn't help the cheeky grin that plastered itself across his face. "I'm a growing boy, Professor, and sometimes we just can't wait until we get to the table."

Professor Snape looked at the Gryffindor beside his student. She didn't cower from him like a lot of other Gryffindors, and that irked him a little. "Miss Weasley, go to breakfast and consider yourself less ten house points."

Ginny pinned the professor with a murderous look. She knew he wouldn't remove points from his own house and that arguing the point would only result in the loss of more points. With a last squeeze of Draco's hand, Ginny walked past the Potions Master with her head held high.

"Mr. Malfoy, my office now!"

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Ginny wandered up the corridor on her way to her final class for the week. As she had all day, she kept her eyes pealed for any sign of Draco, because she'd not seen him since early this morning. She was beginning to think Professor Snape had kept Draco locked in the dungeons all day when she caught just a glimpse of his platinum blond head further up the corridor. Try as she might she couldn't keep his head in her sight as the crowd of students changing classes surged up the corridor.

All of a sudden Ginny was pulled into a small alcove, next to a suit of armor. Her surprised gasp was cut short as a pair of lips captured hers in a fervent kiss.

"I've missed you," Draco admitted a little uncomfortably when he released her lips.

"Have you? I like the sound of that."

"Don't go reading anything into it, Weasley. I was just—" Draco trailed off, not exactly sure what he had been doing making such a confession.

"You were just being honest," Ginny prompted.

"No—well, I—"

"It's all right, you don't have to say anymore. I know the truth, and besides it hurts my ears to hear you stammer."

"I do not stammer."

"Not when you're snogging me anyway," Ginny retorted with a nefarious smirk.

"Are you asking for something, Weasley?"

"Just making a suggestion."

"And what might that be?"

Ginny rolled her eyes. They had limited time and here he was intent on playing games. She grabbed his necktie and pulled him down to meet her. The moment their lips met, she demanded access to his mouth. Of course, Draco didn't think to argue, nor did he have the urge to complain.

She melted into his chest as his arms snaked around her. As she had on previous occasions, Ginny forgot where she was when his effect on her took hold. The notion that she could quite happily feast upon his mouth for the rest of eternity wandered lazily through her mind. He tasted so sweet, as if he'd been sucking Sugar Quills all day. Somewhere in the distance, Ginny could hear people moving past them, some commenting, some simply gasping in shock. She didn't care who saw them, just as long as he kept stroking his tongue like that against hers.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Ron Weasley stood, staring, completely aghast at the scene before him.

His sister was snogging Draco bloody Malfoy.

There was only one explanation for this: he'd gone barking mad. It was simple really, because there was no way on magical earth Ginny would ever touch Malfoy with a ten-foot broomstick. Hadn't he told Malfoy that himself?

In an effort bring this hallucination to an end Ron Weasley approached the kissing couple carefully. He felt sure, the moment he got close enough, the two figures would simply dissolve into wispy smoke and his nightmare would be over.

It didn't happen. He was mere feet away from them, and they were quite obviously ignorant of his presence. Blood started to thunder through his veins to the point where he couldn't see straight, let alone think logically. Ron reached out and grabbed a handful of Malfoy's pristine robes.

"Get off her," he roared, throwing the blond backwards into the opposite wall.

"Ronald!" Ginny shrieked, trying to push her way past her brother and check on her boyfriend, who appeared to be a bit rattled.

"Stay out of the way, Ginny!" Ron strode over to the prone Slytherin and picked him up by his shirtfront. "If you even think of getting that close to my sister again I'm going to kill you," he bellowed.

"I don't believe your sister has a problem with me getting close to her, actually," Draco ground out as his shirt and necktie tightened around his neck. "I rather think she enjoys it."

Before he even consciously acknowledged the notion, his fist connected with Malfoy's face, and then all hell broke loose.

"RON! HOW COULD YOU?"

Ron dropped the now unconscious Slytherin and watched him slide down the wall with morbid fascination. He was aware that Ginny was shrieking at him and that quite a crowd had gathered to watch the show. It wasn't until the horde of nosy students began to part for his Head of House that the surreal feeling of the situation evaporated and Ron thought of the consequences his actions were going to bring him.

"Mr. Weasley, wait in my office," Professor McGonagall snapped. "The rest of you, off to class. Miss Granger, inform Madam Pomfrey that she has a patient on the way."

Ron watched miserably as Professor McGonagall flicked her wand over Malfoy, using Mobilicorpus to levitate his body for the journey to the hospital wing. Ginny was flitting around the ferret, gathering his things while she muttered some not terribly complimentary things about him, Ron. It was enough to make him feel ill. He sighed heavily and wandered off in the general direction of his Head of House's office. There would be no talking his way out of detention this time, and it stung just that bit more knowing that tomorrow was a Hogsmeade visit. It was, in his humble opinion, infinitely unfair.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Ron returned to the common room grumbling loudly at the injustice of having to spend tomorrow doing Merlin only knew what while everyone else enjoyed themselves in Hogsmeade. One would think that listening to Professor McGonagall harp on about the wrongs of Muggle dueling for over an hour was punishment enough any wizard.

Just to rub salt into his wounded pride, the first person he came across was his sister. This was all her fault. If she hadn't been snogging Ferret-face he wouldn't have had to hit the bastard. They would have simply exchanged insults like every other day.

"Ginny, how could you?"

"I'm not speaking to you," Ginny answered curtly. "I can't believe you did that!"

"Me?" Ron gaped at his sister incredulously. "ME! What about you? You—you—did that with him!" He couldn't quite articulate exactly what she'd been doing, because in all honesty it made him feel sick to the stomach.

"If you mean I kissed my boyfriend, then—"

"Boyfriend? Since when?"

"Yesterday, actually," Ginny answered flippantly.

"Ginny, do you really think—" Hermione started.

Harry cleared his throat loudly and put his hand on his friend's arm to silence her. "Just let Ron sort it out, Hermione."

"But—"

"You know better than to get involved when they're like this," Harry whispered. "I'm surprise Ginny hasn't hexed him yet."

"I think I'll go to bed," Ginny announced while Ron was still choking on her news. "Oh, Hermione, I can't go into Hogsmeade tomorrow with you. Draco asked me to go with him."

"Fine," Hermione mumbled, frowning deeply at her younger friend.

Struck mute by his sister's betrayal, for that's what it was in his eyes, Ron could do nothing more than watch her flounce upstairs with a smug expression on her face. About two minutes after she vanished his ability to talk returned in an almighty rush of fury. "Do you believe her?"

"Well, I—" Harry started.

"I mean, of everyone she could be snogging, she's doing bloody Malfoy. What did I ever do to deserve this?"

Harry waited a moment before hazarding a response. "It doesn't have anything to do with you, but I agree. Why Malfoy?"

"It's not like Ginny to even give him the time of day," Hermione added.

"He must have something on her," Ron growled. "Or maybe he's using the Imperius."

"Could be a Love Potion," Harry suggested, trying to help his best friend.

"Don't be ridiculous," Hermione said impatiently. "Love Potions are illegal and the Imperius is an Unforgivable."

"Doesn't mean he wouldn't use them," Ron grumbled. There had to be something making Ginny act so peculiar. She couldn't possibly be doing this of her own will.

A giggle from behind the three friends garnered their attention immediately.

"It's so hard to have a private conversation around here," Hermione huffed irritably.

"Malfoy doesn't have to use potions or curses to get a girl's attention," Lavender informed them knowledgeably.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Oh, don't tell me, it's his stellar personality."

Lavender looked at the bookworm who shared her dorm room. "If you must know—"

"Yes, I must know," Ron insisted.

"It's the way he snogs," Lavender said simply.

"Snogs? But that would mean she would have had to kiss him if that's the attraction," Ron expressed, clearly confused.

"What is it you caught them doing this afternoon, Ronald?" Hermione asked intolerantly.

"What do you mean the way he kisses, Lavender?" Harry enquired curiously.

"He can make your toes curl without even trying," Lavender replied excitedly.

Ron grimaced. "Toes curl?"

"There are his hands as well." Lavender sighed breathily. "He certainly knows how to please a girl."

"What do you mean?" Ron asked tetchily. He didn't like this talk about Malfoy's hands one little bit.

"Oh, they make you forget where you are. His touch is truly magical."

"He's not doing that to my sister!"

"I didn't say he was, but you obviously think so," Lavender retorted defensively before walking away with her nose in the air.

"She said she's going into Hogsmeade with him tomorrow, so we'll just stay really close to them," Harry suggested.

"I can't." Ron dropped onto the couch sullenly. "McGonagall gave me detention."

Harry groaned in frustration for his friend. "Well, I can keep an eye on them for you."

"Thanks." Ron offered his friend a small appreciative smile.

"No problem." Harry grinned broadly. "It'll drive Malfoy nutters if I follow him around all day."

"Yeah," Ron agreed flatly. He doubted that Harry on his own would be much of a deterrent to the likes of Malfoy, and it definitely wouldn't bother Ginny. There had to be another way to make sure the slimy git kept his paws to himself.

After a few minutes of consideration, a smile began to tug at the corners of Ron's mouth. An idea had begun to blossom in his head. It was harsh and he'd never done anything of the sort before, but it would work and that was the most important thing.

"Are you coming upstairs?" Harry asked, yawning widely as he got to his feet.

"No, there's something I need to do first."

"Okay, I'll see you in the morning then."

"Yeah," Ron responded absently, getting to his feet

As Harry disappeared up the staircase Ron sat himself down at a desk and pulled out a sheet of parchment. He knew it was playing dirty, but desperate times called for desperate measures.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

AUTHOR'S NOTES

Thanks to Rainpuddle13 for her amazing beta skills!

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Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters you may recognize from the wonderful world of Harry Potter, they all belong to the revered JK Rowling; I just like to play with them a little.

BREAKING THE RULES

ANOTHER RULE

Ginny thundered down the staircases, cursing everyone she could think of and then some. She was late. The ramifications of her little announcement last night had come to light this morning, when everyone who knew her, and even a few who didn't, had something to say about her new boyfriend.

When she burst into the courtyard she didn't have any trouble finding Draco. The place was almost empty and he was waiting by the statue, looking displeased at best.

"Sorry."

"I was beginning to wonder if you were coming or not," Draco snapped.

"I was held up."

"Draco Malfoy, Slytherin," Draco said to Mr. Filch, who marked his name off on the long scroll of parchment. He turned to his girlfriend and looked expectantly. "Are you coming?"

"Yes, yes, of course," Ginny responded. "Ginevra Weasley, Gryffindor."

The moment the words had left her mouth Ginny felt the pressure of Draco's hand in the small of her back, guiding her out of the school grounds. Once beyond the school gates, Draco led her over to the side of the path leading to the village.

"What kept you?"

"Look, I said I was sorry," Ginny retorted. "I got held up, that's all."

"Who held you up?"

Ginny sighed heavily. He obviously wasn't going to be satisfied until she explained herself fully. "I sort of told Ron you were my boyfriend last night."

"And?"

"How do you think he took the news?"

"I'm hoping it wasn't well."

"I think that's an understatement, and it's not over yet."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I escaped last night while he was trying to process the information, but this morning he sent Hermione to harass me."

"What did Granger do?"

"Lectured me all morning," Ginny said flatly. "On the evils of seeing you."

Draco laughed coldly. "So, I'm evil?"

"Yes, according to them."

"Well, the solution is easy, Ginevra."

Ginny fixed the Slytherin with a glare. "If you call me that again I'll have to kill you."

"I must remember that." Draco grinned wryly. He'd found a soft spot, though he was not foolish enough to believe that if he overexposed said spot that he would live to enjoy it. "As I was saying, you can get rid of the annoyances easily enough by simply telling them to go to hell."

"You know nothing about Gryffindors, do you?"

"I do so! They're stupid and ugly and..." Draco trailed off and swallowed hard when he felt her glare burning into his soul. "Present company excepted."

"You're talking about my friends and family," Ginny reminded him harshly.

"Those same friends and family who have been making your life hell?"

"That's not the point!"

Draco held his hands up in surrender. "All right, forgive me for trying to help."

"If that's what you call help," she spat.

He took a deep breath and reminded himself, once again, that she wasn't like other girls. If this 'relationship' was to work it was going to take a considerable amount of effort. Draco regarded his girlfriend critically. She was angry with him in a way none of his other girlfriends had ever been; his girlfriends to date had been simpering sycophants who agreed with everything he'd suggested — Ginny Weasley was definitely not like them and he was going to have to remember that. Of course, the question he had to answer was whether he had the patience to pursue this any further?

Ginny folded her arms across her chest and continued to glower at the blond in front of her while she waited for him to respond.

A smirk tugged at his lips when she folded her arms to sit under her breasts, and he decided that he rather liked her angry look. She was hugging herself so tightly that her breasts were swelling over her arms. The memory of what they looked like unfettered danced through his mind, teasing him a little. It was then that he made a conscious decision to do whatever it took to keep her happy for the time being. At least with her, life wouldn't be boring and that was a bonus, not to mention she was sinfully sexy when she was furious.

He stepped towards her and carefully reached for her shoulders. "I'm sorry. All the other girls I've ever seen just want to rubbish the person who's upset them, and I thought that was just what witches did."

"Well, I don't do that."

"I know that now, and I won't do it again." He hazarded a kiss to her left temple. "Am I forgiven?"

"I suppose so."

"You don't sound convincing."

"What do you want me to do? Kiss your feet?"

Draco bit back the nasty retort burning on his tongue. Here he was lowering himself to make her smile again and she continued to make gratuitous comments. "Ginny, when you're annoyed with someone or something do you generally take your feelings out on the world at large?"

"I don't think so," she answered. "But Ron thinks I do."

As much as it irked him to admit, even to himself, he had a feeling Weasel was right about that. "Why don't we go into Hogsmeade and have a great day together?"

Ginny nodded and started off down the path to the village, ignoring his offered hand.

"Is there anything you have to do while we're there?" Draco asked, catching up with her in just a couple of strides.

"No."

"There are a couple of stops I have to make, but they won't take long."

"All right."

"Are you okay now?"

"Yes."

"Again, you're not convincing me."

"Why am I not convincing?"

"You don't sound happy."

"You don't know me well enough to know when I sound happy."

"While you have a point, I like to think I'm perceptive enough to know if you're not smiling, you're not happy."

Ginny turned and faced him, baring her teeth in a hideous parody of a grin.

"Go back to frowning," Draco muttered. "It's less frightening."

She only just turned her head in time to hide the real smile that had forced it way through her mood.

As they walked through the main street of the small village, many Hogwarts students stopped to stare at the odd couple. Ginny began to feel distinctly exposed. "What are they staring at?" she hissed.

"Just the most beautiful witch at Hogwarts," Draco answered confidently. Compliments always soothed women, or so his father told him.

Ginny smiled softly at him for the first time that day and something inside his stomach fluttered in a sort of nice, but uncomfortable way. Draco reached for her hand and was pleased when she didn't pull away — he would take this gesture as affirmation that he'd been forgiven without having to hear it from her mouth again. Of course, now that they were holding hands the stares and comments from other students were becoming more obvious, not that she seemed to be bothered any more.

"Wait right here, I just have to place an order in Dervish & Banges," Draco said, placing a lingering kiss on his girlfriend's mouth and giving her backside a tight squeeze.

"All right, but don't be too long," Ginny warned with mock sternness.

She wandered over to the shop window when Draco disappeared inside the store, absently examining some of the items of display. Through the crowded window display she could just make out Draco standing at the counter. He appeared to be handing over a list of some sort to the owner and then her eyes almost left her head when she saw him pull his bag of gold out. It wasn't that she didn't know he came from a wealthy family, because everyone knew that, she'd just not given it any active thought before and it was only now that she realized her boyfriend was, to put it bluntly, rolling in it.

"Ginny!"

"Oh my God! What are you doing here?" Ginny squealed as she was picked up and spun around.

"I just thought I'd come and visit you."

"This is wond—" The sound of someone clearing their throat nearby distracted Ginny just long enough to look over her shoulder and see her clearly furious boyfriend. Ginny frowned in confusion as she was placed on her feet. "Draco, this—"

"Yes, do tell me who that is, Ginny," Draco snarled, pinning the older wizard with a murderous glare.

"Oh, you think—" Ginny started to laugh heartily.

Draco turned his cold glare on his new girlfriend as she almost doubled over with mirth. "This is not in the least bit funny, Weasley."

Ginny sobered at the sound of her surname being used. Draco hadn't called her 'Weasley' since the day before yesterday when they'd decided to see each other exclusively. "Draco, this is—"

"I don't think I care to know now," Draco sniffed as he turned on his heel.

"Oh for goodness sake, you big git! Charlie is my brother!"

Draco stopped, mentally kicked his own arse and then turned around. "Your brother?"

She rolled her eyes at him. "Yes, my second oldest brother. Now would you like to come back, so I can introduce you?"

"For the sake of propriety, I will."

"You'll have to forgive him, Charlie, he's an insufferable git at times," Ginny explained to her brother.

"Jealousy will do that to a bloke," Charlie muttered amusedly.

Ginny giggled lightly at her boyfriend's expense, earning herself a withering glare. "Draco, this is Charlie. Charlie, this is my boyfriend Draco."

Charlie offered his hand to the younger wizard. "Malfoy isn't it?"

"Yes," Draco admitted proudly as he shook the man's hand.

"Ron has told me all about you."

"I can assure you, anything Weasel has said about me is entirely fabricated."

"He might have said something nice about you," Charlie suggested.

Draco snorted. "If Ronald Weasley ever said anything nice about me, I'd be the first to have him committed to St. Mungo's locked ward."

"So, what are you doing in Scotland, Charlie?" Ginny asked in an effort to shift the conversation away from Ron. The last thing she needed was Draco telling Charlie exactly what he thought of his youngest brother.

"Like I said, I thought I'd come visit you and meet the new boyfriend Ron's been ranting about."

"I'm going to kill him," Ginny snarled with conviction.

"You know you should really keep those thoughts to yourself, little sister, or someone might think you're serious."

"You know I'm serious."

"Yeah, but someone might hear you," Charlie warned. "You wouldn't want to be locked up before you've had time to make him suffer, would you?"

"Ginny and I were going to get some lunch," Draco interjected. "Would you care to join us?" All this talk of causing Ron Weasley pain and killing him was getting his hopes up a little too much, so he thought a change of subject was better than the disappointment when nothing happened.

"Sounds good." Charlie grinned. "Err—you weren't thinking of going to Madam Puddifoot's, were you? Because if you are, I might give it a miss."

"Of course not," Draco answered indignantly. No wizard worth their reputation would be caught dead in that teashop, unless they'd erred on the side of having to grovel to make it up to their girlfriend and Draco didn't ever grovel, he just got himself a new girlfriend. "We were heading to The Three Broomsticks."

"Excellent!"

Draco tried a several times to walk next to Ginny as they made their way up the street, but each time he smoothly tried to slip in beside her, her brother thwarted him. By the time they reached the inn, Draco was in quite an agitated state and he was struggling not to make his displeasure known. He simply wanted to hold his girlfriend's hand. Was it really too much to ask?

Charlie, being the gentleman that he was, held the door open for this sister. Once she was safely inside, he quickly stepped in front of Draco to block his path. He could have been mistaken, but he could have sworn he heard the blond teenager growl. Charlie chuckled to himself. This was far too easy.

"Go right to the back," Charlie suggested to his sister. "I reserved us a table earlier on the off chance you wanted to have lunch."

Draco followed Ginny and Charlie through the establishment, passing many empty tables. He was beginning to wonder if Ginny had forgotten what she was looking for when she came to an abrupt halt near the rear of the pub. With Charlie immediately taking up residence on one side of her, Draco thought carefully before moving closer. He didn't want to repeat the ridiculous dance they'd been doing all the way here, so he stepped up behind her. When he was finally close enough to her, he slipped an arm around her waist and leaned in to nibble on the delicate shell of her ear. She was speaking to someone, but he didn't much care who at that point — he was finally next to her again.

"Oi! That's enough of that!"

"Geez, Ron, you said he wasn't very bright, but that was downright stupid."

Draco's eyes flicked up to find the person who had insulted him, and his heart leapt into his throat. He'd been so determined to get next to Ginny that he'd somehow failed to notice the five redheaded men sitting at the table in front of them. He didn't need to be told that this lunch was probably going to be not terribly good for his health. Either physically or mentally, it didn't matter; all that did was that he would undoubtedly suffer at the hands of her brothers.

"Malfoy kindly invited me to lunch," Charlie announced. "You don't mind if the others tag along, do you, Draco?"

He'd been had. That was all there was to it, and he only had himself to blame. After all, it was he who extended the invitation for lunch. Draco cleared his throat and prayed that his voice would come out sounding normal. "Not at all."

"Excellent! Take a seat," George offered.

"I'm starving," Fred added.

"Before we sit down I'll introduce you to everyone," Ginny offered happily.

"All right," Draco answered hesitantly, even though he didn't see the point of getting their names, because he was not only unlikely to remember them, he also hoped to never come across any of them again.

"This is my oldest brother Bill. Next is Charlie, who you met before. You might remember Percy; he was Head Boy when I was in second year. The twins you'd have to remember — that one is Fred and this one is George. Of course, you know Ron." Ginny smiled brightly at him.

"Pleased to meet you all," Draco ground out with a tight smile.

"You can slide in here, Ginny," Bill offered.

Draco watched in barely concealed horror as his girlfriend slid into the chair next to her oldest brother and left him to take one of the spare seats on the other side of the table, which would also mean he'd be sitting next to Charlie. Given that one of the chairs was on the end, Draco quickly scrambled for it, so he would only have to sit next to one Weasley.

"Draco, can you move up one? It's a bit hard to squeeze in there." Charlie looked expectantly at him.

"Err—sure." Draco looked to his right. One of the twins, he couldn't remember which, was regarding him with a decidedly wicked grin. He didn't trust any of them, but he'd heard rumors about the twins during their time at Hogwarts and he trusted them even less.

Across from him Ron Weasley sat looking incredibly pleased with himself and it suddenly occurred to Draco that there was something very wrong. He pinned Ron with a meaningful look. "Aren't you supposed to be in detention?"

Ron laughed heartily at the idea.

Charlie slapped Draco on the back heavily. "Old Professor McGonagall loves me, so when I told her all of us were getting together for lunch she couldn't keep him locked away."

"I see." Draco couldn't quite believe it. Everyone accused Professor Snape of being too lenient on his students, yet Professor McGonagall let Weasley off and he physically attacked him.

"I wish we knew she loved you so much," George whined.

"Yeah, we could have saved so many days detention," Fred agreed.

Charlie snorted loudly. "No one could have saved you two."

"Come on—" Fred started.

"We weren't—" George continued.

"That bad," Fred finished.

"Your behavior at school was always appalling," Percy reminded them pompously. "Neither of you finished."

Fred looked across the table at his odd brother. "We didn't—"

"Need to." George nodded his head once resolutely.

"Because we're brilliant," Fred reasoned.

"All right, you three, give it a rest," Bill ordered.

"Someone has to remind them of the embarrassment they cause the family," Percy stated sanctimoniously.

Bill leaned forward, placing his elbows on the table and looked at his opinionated brother. "If you don't watch yourself, I'm going to let them use you as a test subject."

"You wouldn't," Percy responded confidently.

"Yes, he would," Charlie assured him. "And if he doesn't, I'll use you as a snack for Rosie."

Ginny sat up excitedly. "Oh, do you have a new one, Charlie?"

"I do! She's so beautiful."

Draco looked at the man sitting next to him with unmasked horror. "You're going to feed your brother to your girlfriend?"

Charlie frowned and tried mightily not to laugh in his sister's boyfriend's face. "Rosie isn't my girlfriend."

"May as well be," Ron interjected.

"You're so funny, little brother," Charlie responded sarcastically.

"What is she, Charlie?" Ginny asked eagerly.

"Hungarian Horntail."

"Oh, wonderful!"

"A dragon?" Draco scooted over as far as he could in the opposite direction of the wizard with the odd dreamy expression on his face. "You have a pet Horntail?"

"She's no pet," Charlie countered.

"Then—"

"She's as wild as they come," Charlie continued.

That confirmed it for Draco: the whole family was insane, with the exception of Ginny, of course, but even she had her moments, as he was fast discovering.

"Charlie is studying dragons in Romania," Ginny told Draco across the table.

"Oh," Draco uttered. This just confirmed his diagnosis. For the life of him, he couldn't think of a good reason for getting close to a deadly beast and here was a man actually studying some of the most deadly. You could get killed doing something like that. Not that one less Weasley in the world would have bothered him.

"Do you like animals, Draco?" Charlie asked.

"Not particularly," Draco responded with a grimace.

Ron sniggered into his hand. "He's not very good with them."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Draco asked haughtily. There wasn't anything he couldn't do or that he wasn't good at; and the thought of Weasel saying otherwise rubbed him the wrong the way.

"A certain Hippogriff didn't find you particularly nice," Ron reminded him smugly.

"That was an out of control wild beast," Draco snapped.

"Hardly! Buckbeak was harmless," Ron retorted. "He even let Harry ride him."

"Hippogriffs are harmless," Charlie added. "You just have to remember to keep your manners about you — they're easily offended."

"That's where his problem lies," Ron observed almost seriously. "He has no manners."

Draco glared across the table. "Unlike you, I was raised properly, and I have impeccable manners."

Through Ginny's gasp and several feral growls, Draco could hear Ron snort with laughter.

"Any last wishes, Malfoy?" Ron asked amusedly.

Draco suddenly became very much aware of the men sitting at the table, the very angry men. He couldn't believe he'd allowed himself to be baited by Weasel of all people. There was only one thing he could do to try and save his life. "What I meant was, I paid attention to my mother when she was teaching me etiquette, unlike you."

"Sure you did," Ron answered smugly.

A quick glance around the table assured Draco that none of the others had believed his attempt at amending his statement either. All he could do now was continue, because it was too late to back out, and there was no way in hell he was apologizing to this lot. "Anyone who knows you would agree."

"He might be stupid," George noted.

"But he has a point," Fred pointed out.

"Ginny, the least you could have done was pick someone with some functioning brain cells," Bill commented offhandedly.

"Ron and Draco aren't exactly friends," Ginny mentioned.

"More like worst enemies," Ron declared.

Ginny shot Ron a deadly glare. "What I was trying to say was they're always at each other's throats."

"Is this relevant?" Bill asked.

"Yes, because anything that is said in the heat of the moment shouldn't be counted. They're always insulting each other and it doesn't necessarily mean that they believe what they're saying about the other."

Bill considered his sister's explanation for a few moments as the two younger men scoffed. "All right, we'll let that go as normal behavior between those two."

Ginny smiled brightly at her oldest brother before sending her boyfriend a cheeky wink. What she missed was Bill leaning back in his chair casually, coughing lightly and giving a sly nod to the twins.

"I think we should order some food," Charlie announced.

"Yes, grand idea," Draco agreed quickly, thankful for the change of subject. He knew he came close to not making it out of The Three Broomsticks alive for that little slip.

The table was suddenly full of noise as everyone decided and discussed what they were going to have for lunch.

"Right, has everyone decided?" Charlie asked over the din.

Percy extracted a quill and piece of parchment from his pocket, fussily placing it on the crowded table. As everyone called their orders out, he carefully noted their preferences and then passed the parchment to Bill.

The oldest Weasley brother scanned the order quickly. "Draco, you've not ordered anything."

"Couldn't get a word in edgewise," Draco mumbled.

"Not to worry, you can accompany me to the bar," Bill responded.

Draco got the distinct impression that refusing the suggestion wasn't an option. He sent Ginny a tight smile and followed Bill to the bar. This was not how he'd envisioned today going, but then he knew he shouldn't have been surprised — after all he was now dating a Weasley.

When they reached the bar, Bill handed the order to Madam Rosmerta and Draco added his own order.

"Before we return to the table I want to have a private chat," Bill said leaning on the side of the bar.

Draco bit back the urge to tell him to go to hell and nodded to show he was listening.

"Rosmerta, can we have a couple of Firewhiskies," Bill called.

The innkeeper eyed the blond Slytherin warily.

"I turned seventeen in June," Draco said with a heavily sigh.

"Right then." Rosmerta put two tumblers on the bar and filled them a third of the way with Firewhisky. "But I'm warning you, you're not getting drunk here."

"I have no intention of over indulging," Draco assured her haughtily. He could only imagine what would happen to him if he didn't keep his wits about him while in the company of the Weasley wizards.

Bill took a mouthful of his drink and waited for Rosmerta to move away. "You'd best listen up, because I'm not in the habit of repeating myself. I know who your father is and the type of upbringing you've had. My sister is not one of your toys to be discarded when you're bored. If you hurt her, I will kill you and then Charlie will feed what's left of you to Rosie. Do you understand?"

Draco stared at the man next to him. He was having quite a time believing his life had just been threatened in such a way. It wasn't that he didn't take the man seriously, quite the opposite actually. Bill was so calm that Draco had now doubt he would follow through with his threat. "Yeah," Draco responded, taking a large mouthful of Firewhisky.

"Good. Now smile, Ginny's coming."

Draco glanced over his shoulder and sure enough his girlfriend was on her way to save him — not that he needed saving per se — with a not so happy look on her face.

"That's enough, Bill."

"What are you on about, Ginny?"

"You know exactly what I'm on about." Ginny eyed her brother dangerously. "Now leave Draco alone."

"Well, that's just charming!" Bill sighed affectedly. "I buy a bloke a drink and get accused of harassment."

Ginny shook her head at him. "Go back to the table."

Bill picked up his Firewhisky, rolled his eyes at his sister and sauntered back to the table quite pleased the boys had been able to detain Ginny long enough for him to get his message across.

"Are you all right?" Ginny asked.

"Of course." Draco smirked confidently at her. "Your brother is a real gentleman — he bought me a drink and then threatened my life."

"I should just kill the lot of them," Ginny seethed.

"Don't worry about it," Draco insisted. "Things like this are expected."

Ginny sighed and shook her head. "Can you put your testosterone back in your pocket for a moment?"

Draco snaked his arms around her waist and pulled her against him, suddenly unmindful of where they were. "I'd rather put it in you — I mean your pocket," he corrected quickly.

"I think your true thoughts were expressed the first time," Ginny observed with a cheeky grin.

"It was a mere slip of the tongue," Draco assured her. If he knew how she'd react, he wouldn't have been so worried, but fear of the unknown had him steering this relationship down the path of innocence for the time being or trying to at least.

"That better had be all that slips."

Draco stiffened as someone growled in his ear. He swallowed heavily as he shot his gaze sideways to meet the eyes of Charlie Weasley. "I—it—"

"Save your stammering," Charlie said indifferently. "I know what you're thinking. I used to be your age."

"Oh, for goodness sakes, Charlie, leave him alone," Ginny demanded.

"Now, if I did that I wouldn't be doing my job as your big brother."

Charlie's cold smile sent chills down Draco's spine. He quickly decided that the man in front of him was the most dangerous of all the brothers.

"Charlie," Ginny warned.

"As for you, it doesn't do a brother's temper any good to hear you talking like that. We might just start killing off your boyfriends before those thoughts can even form in their tiny little brains," Charlie informed her. "Now, why don't the two of you come back to the table?"

"Where you can keep an eye on us?" Ginny enquired sarcastically.

"Precisely!" Charlie beamed at his sister. "I knew you were smart. Come on."

Ginny rolled her eyes in an exaggerated gesture, grabbed Draco's hand firmly and started back in the direction of the table. "I can't believe the way this lot are acting," she hissed over her shoulder.

"They're your brothers, they're supposed to be obnoxious idiots," Draco returned in a whisper.

"Oi, I heard that!"

Draco stopped and turned to face Charlie Weasley. "Well, then you'd have ascertained that I was agreeing with your conduct, because Ginny is your sister and you see it as your job to protect her," he stated haughtily.

Charlie laughed heartily. "I think you're getting a little defensive, mate," he said as he pushed his way past the ticked off blond and walked to the table, still chuckling.

"We'll eat lunch and then we'll escape," Ginny promised.

"They're not going to just let you walk off into the sunset with me," Draco responded flatly.

"Well, if they try to stop us they're going to meet with the pointy end of my wand," Ginny growled.

Draco ran his hand down her side and around to cup her bottom. "Have I told you how irresistible you are when you're threatening to hex someone?"

Ginny's eyes flashed mischievously as her hand wandered up to his neck. She encouraged him to bend a little and when he was close enough she ran her tongue along his lips. Draco tried to pull away from her, but she kept a firm hand on the back of his neck. "Kiss me," she whispered.

"They'll kill me," Draco countered.

"I won't let them," she murmured, nipping at his bottom lip.

"I must have a death wish." Draco claimed her mouth without further argument.

He could hear her brothers complaining loudly in the background, but every time he tried to pull away she tightened her grip on him, then did something utterly wicked with her tongue. The thought that she might be trying to have him killed crossed his mind a couple of times. They might have been "good" wizards, but he was under no illusion — if they needed to kill someone they could force themselves not to enjoy it too much.

A heavy hand finally landed on Draco's shoulder. It wasn't entirely unexpected; in fact he was a little surprised it had taken so long to arrive. "Enough, Ginny, one of your brothers has his hand mere inches from my neck," Draco mumbled around her busy tongue.

With a huff of indignation Ginny pulled back, eyed her youngest brother dangerously and walked off to take her seat.

"Lunch has arrived," Ron informed Draco with a feral grin.

Draco narrowed his eyes at Ron. There was something not quite right about the way the other wizard was acting at the moment. He certainly wasn't conducting himself in his usual bumbling manner and that was a worry. Still, with lunch going cold on the table he wasn't about to worry about such things now. Draco took his seat between Charlie and the twin he was forced to sit next beside.

"I saved these from Ron's stomach," George said, passing Draco something under the table. "Madam Rosmerta brought them out for each of us. Those are delicious. Ron almost nabbed yours."

"Thank you," Draco intoned genuinely, looking at the treats in his hand.

"I'd enjoy it now, because someone is sure to pick them up if you leave them on the table," George whispered.

Draco nodded and quickly popped one into his mouth, while the other was stuffed into his pocket. As promised, it was delicious, but halfway through chewing it he began to feel a little odd.

"Draco, are you all right?" Ginny asked, concern clear in her tone.

He swallowed the sweet concoction as quickly as he could and tried to respond to his girlfriend's question, but found he was unable as the odd sensation intensified. All he could do was sit there and watch Ginny's face contort into an expression of disbelief.

"Oh my god! You gave him a Canary Cream! I don't believe you two!"

The laughter from the six men at the table was just about deafening. Draco looked down to where his lap used to be, but all he could see was feathers — snowy white feathers.

"Calm down, Ginny, he'll molt soon and you'll have your ferret back," Ron choked out through the tears of laughter spilling down his cheeks.

Sure enough, before the merriment of the others began to calm, Draco found himself sitting in a pile of feathers. "What was that?" he ground out.

"That was one of our most successful lines!" Fred responded proudly.

"The Canary Cream," George informed him.

"Brilliant—"

"Aren't they?"

"We sell—"

"A ton of them—"

"Every day—"

"Though we've—"

"Never seen—"

"Someone turn—"

"White before."

"Can't either of you finish a full sentence?" Draco snapped irritably. He was getting an almighty headache from trying to keep up with those two. The notion that they shared a brain was indeed a very real possibility.

Fred and George looked at each other and then with broad grins looked directly at Draco. "No," they answered in unison.

"If I suffer any side-effects—"

"Don't worry, there aren't any known side-effects," Charlie assured him. "Otherwise they wouldn't be able to sell them in Diagon Alley."

Draco merely growled under his breath. If only there weren't so many of them.

"Let's just eat lunch before the food goes cold," Bill suggested. "You two have had your fun now, so no more. Clear?"

The twins put up a token protest under their breath, but neither made a scene over the demand from their oldest brother.

Draco was surprised that this lot of miscreants could actually eat in a civilized fashion. Lunch actually passed with no further incidents or snide remarks, and he was astounded that they were actually conducting an intelligent conversation during the meal — not that he joined the discussion after what they'd done to him.

The moment he placed his cutlery back on his plate Ginny announced that it was time for them to move on, much to the vexation of her family. For the sake of propriety, Draco shook hands with each of the men — a gesture he would regret for the next month as his right hand was squeezed and pumped far more vigorously than necessary each time.

As they walked out of The Three Broomsticks, Draco stuffed his aching hand into his pocket to protect it from the elements. He frowned and pulled his hand from his pocket, examining the item he'd found within its confines. After the lunch he'd just endured Draco thought the sweet in his hand was just what he needed to put today back on track. Without thinking twice, he popped the sugary treat into his mouth.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Ginny marched back into The Three Broomsticks furious at her brothers and even more annoyed with Draco for putting anything in his mouth that they'd given him. She hadn't even seen him eating something until it was too late and then when she was trying to ask him about what he had his eyes had simply rolled back in his head. There was no question in her mind about who was responsible for this turn of events.

As she approached the table where her brothers were still sitting they started laughing so hard not one of them could sit up straight. Even Percy was having trouble breathing.

"George, give me the antidote!"

"Can't," George answered between great guffaws.

"George, I swear if you don't hand it over now you're going to start wishing you'd never been born," Ginny growled.

"I don't have it," George swore.

Ginny's eyes went straight to her other twin brother. "Fred?"

"Aww come on, Ginny, it's just a bit of fun."

"It's not funny when you slip that stuff to unsuspecting victims."

"What's wrong with you?" Ron looked at his only sister like she'd changed personalities with someone he didn't know. "You used to find this kind of thing funny."

"Well, I don't find it funny when my boyfriend is the victim."

"Fred," Bill said nodding towards Ginny.

"Fine." Fred retrieved a small sweet from his pocket. "Here you go."

Ginny took the sweet and stowed it safely in her own pocket. She looked at each of her brothers in turn. "Don't think for one minute that you're going to get away with any of this. I'm telling Mum."

Her threat was met with yet another round of raucous laughter. Not that she stayed around long enough to let it get to her. She had a boyfriend to revive.

Back on the street Ginny knelt beside Draco and slipped the antidote into his mouth. Moments later he blinked at her as he started to wake up.

"What happened?"

"I've got a new rule for you," Ginny started patiently. "Never, ever put anything in your mouth that one of my brothers has given you."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

AUTHOR'S NOTES

Thanks to Rainpuddle13 for her amazing beta skills!

-->

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters you may recognize from the wonderful world of Harry Potter, they all belong to the revered JK Rowling; I just like to play with them a little.

BREAKING THE RULES

A CONSCIENCE

Draco kept his eyes firmly on the castle for any sign of Ginny. He hoped, foolishly, that she might be able to escape the attention of her oaf of a brother and his equally annoying friends. It became apparent the moment they returned from Hogsmeade the day before that Ron Weasley had decided to take up a new hobby: following his sister around.

After dinner the evening before, Draco and Ginny had decided to go to the library to do a little homework and spend some time together. The evening had turned into a huge game of hide and seek, covering almost the entire castle. While it had been amusing at the time, Draco didn't think he had the patience to endure the antics of her brother and his friends again.

"She's totally befuddled your mind."

Draco jerked and turned to face his amused friend. "Parkinson, can you at least cough or something when you approach."

"Why would I want to do that?" Pansy reached out and removed an invisible piece of lint from his chest. "It's such fun to see you jump."

"What do you want?"

"I was just passing."

"No you weren't."

"You're right, I wasn't. I've been sitting over there watching you." Pansy pointed to a small grove of trees where she could have easily hidden. "Do you know how funny you look every time there's movement at the doors?"

"I do not look funny."

Pansy shrugged. "If you say so."

"Just go away," Draco growled.

"I saw you yesterday, in The Three Broomsticks." Pansy smirked. "Already having lunch with the family? This must be serious."

"I was set up," Draco ground out.

"Really? And was your avian personality set up as well?"

Draco snarled at his friend. Students who had witnessed the mortifying event had reminded him of what her brothers had done to him countless times already.

"Oooh I'm sorry, that's a bit of a sensitive issue, isn't it?" Pansy stroked his chest in what was supposed to be a smoothing manner.

"I'm not interrupting anything, am I?"

"Ginny!" Draco plucked Pansy's hand from his chest and pushed it back to her own body with a little more force than was entirely necessary. "You made it alone."

"I see you didn't."

"Oh, don't mind me." Pansy grinned broadly at the younger witch. "I was just getting his heart racing for you."

"Pansy was just leaving." Draco threw an icy glare at his friend.

"Don't leave on my account," Ginny told the black-haired witch spitefully.

"I'm not," Pansy retorted with a deadly smile. "Draco, I'll see you at dinner."

"Yeah," Draco mumbled, willing the witch to just disappear.

"Ta ta, darlings."

Draco half-raised his hand to bid his friend goodbye, but it dropped back to his side when he saw the expression on his girlfriend's face.

"Mind telling me what that was all about?"

"It was nothing."

"It didn't look like nothing."

"Well, it was," Draco snapped.

"And you're acting as if I caught you doing something you shouldn't."

"I am doing no such thing."

"Well, tell me what she was doing here."

"She was talking to me. My friends are allowed to talk to me, aren't they?"

"Talk, yes. Touch, no." Ginny raised an eyebrow at him.

"Pansy is just a touchy, feely person."

"That's odd, she's always stuck me as the glacial, venomous type."

"You don't know her."

"No, but you obviously do."

Draco sighed heavily. He had the feeling he was digging himself a rather large hole at the moment. "Look, we've known each other since before either of us can remember. She knows it makes me uncomfortable when she gets touchy, so she does it to make me squirm. It's not a part of her personality that everyone sees."

"So, you're special then?"

"Ginny, there is nothing going on between Parkinson and me."

"I didn't say there was."

"You're insinuating it, which is even worse."

"If you're reading all that into it, you must be guilty."

"I am not guilty of anything. I've not done anything more than talk to a life-long friend," Draco explained slowly. "Now, are we going to take a walk or are we going to stand here until your bloody brother finds us?"

"Let's walk."

"Good."

They set off towards the lake in silence. Draco was trying to figure out a way to get Ginny to believe there was nothing going on between Pansy and him. At the same time his mind was coming up with ways to punish his friend for allowing that thought to blossom in Ginny's mind in the first place. He had no doubt Ginny was furious. She was walking exactly the same way she had the day before when they were walking down to Hogsmeade.

Although it was a move that could very well see him lose a limb, Draco slung his arm around her shoulders. "I have an idea."

"Do you?" Ginny tried to shrug his arm away unsuccessfully.

"Let's just forget about everyone else and just concentrate on us."

"You'd like that, wouldn't you?"

Draco stopped and turned her around to face him. "Ginny, I haven't looked at another witch since that first afternoon I saw you in the Quidditch change rooms. There is nothing going on with anyone else, nor do I want anything going on with anyone else. I want to be with you, and I hope you want to be with me."

Ginny blinked at him in disbelief. She'd never heard Draco speak so impassionedly about anything. "There's definitely nothing going on between you and Parkinson?"

"No, we're good friends and that's all. Look, I don't know about her, but for me the thought of snogging her makes my stomach churn. It'd be like kissing my sister, if I had one."

"All right, I believe you."

"Thank Merlin!" Draco muttered under his breath.

"But just so you know... I don't trust her."

"I can understand that, but just remember she'll often do things just to make me feel uncomfortable."

"Did you know she tried to warn me off the other morning?"

"When?"

"Remember when I was going to hex Zabini?"

"Yes."

"She'd just got through warning me off, in a round about way, before he arrived."

Draco sighed. "I'll have a word to her, okay?"

"If you feel you have to."

"I'll do it for you."

"You don't have to do anything for me."

"In reality it's more for me, because if she doesn't stop, and you hex her, I'm going to be spending a lot of time alone while you're in detention."

"Fine."

"Come here," Draco said, gathering her in his arms. "We're wasting valuable snogging time."

"We are," Ginny agreed.

Draco cradled her face with one hand and lowered his mouth to hers. He'd only just brushed her lips when a burst of giggles from somewhere behind him interrupted his flow. Draco pulled back abruptly and spun around to face the amused gathering.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Pansy watched the scene unfold from a distance. She knew he would be furious with her and would most likely scare the wits out of the younger students, but they were a necessary sacrifice if her plan was to work. Besides they would get over it eventually.

Satisfied with the havoc she had instigated this afternoon, Pansy turned back towards the castle. Should they come this way, she didn't want to be caught spying on them.

She'd only just reached the courtyard when she heard a familiar voice coming her way. To say that she wasn't in the mood to deal with Cataleen Baddock was an understatement. The sixth year girl had been badgering Pansy since Friday morning about Draco. She simply couldn't understand what he saw in Ginny Weasley and had asked Pansy for her assistance in making certain this 'relationship' was doomed to fail. In short, the girl was driving Pansy to distraction. What Pansy needed was somewhere to hide, now.

Without any forethought, Pansy grabbed the shirt of the first unsuspecting wizard taller than her to come close enough. She turned him around and pulled him into an all-consuming snog before he could protest. After thirty seconds of so whoever it was stopped struggling and began to respond to her in a way she'd not expected. Pansy silently congratulated herself on subconsciously picking a man who obviously knew how to please a woman.

She felt his arms slowly encircle her and then gently encourage her to melt into his chest, not that Pansy needed any encouragement. In fact, a broad manly chest was just what she required at the minute — given her knees were beginning to feel dreadfully weak. When his velvety tongue begged permission to enter she didn't have the strength to deny him. This kiss was evoking reactions the witch had rarely felt, and more importantly thought weren't possible with a simple kiss.

Despite not wanting this union to end, Pansy had no choice but to withdraw gracefully. Her desperate need for oxygen had her panting lightly, or so she told herself that was the reason for her labored breathing. As they parted Pansy's eyes flickered open. The first thing she saw was freckles—lots of freckles.

Curious as to who was the owner of not only the freckles, but the magic tongue as well, Pansy stepped back and looked up a the boy. It was then that the screaming began in her head. How could she not have noticed whom she had grabbed?

"Well—err—that was—unexpected," Ron Weasley stammered. The initial shock of being accosted in such a manner by Pansy Parkinson, of all people, had evolved from disgust into anger and then, as his brain function transferred to its southern most site, all those negative feelings went by the wayside.

"Don't read anything into it. I was simply in need of a hiding place for a few minutes," Pansy snapped haughtily, pulling herself together and putting more distance between them. "It's not like I looked at who I was grabbing ... Because you know if I did, there's no way I would have gone anywhere near you."

"Yeah, well— Thanks to you I've got to Scourfigy my mouth now," Ron retorted weakly.

Pansy huffed indignantly and strode off with her nose in the air. The whole thing must have been her imagination, because there was no way Weasley could make her feel like that.

Just before the courtyard fell out of her line of vision, Pansy glanced over her shoulder. He was still standing where she'd left him, and he was staring at her. His expression was quite odd. She'd not had anyone look at her like that before. The moment he noticed her observing him she turned around and walked out of sight. For some reason her stomach felt a little strange, she frowned and put it down to what she ate for lunch, because it couldn't possibly have been caused by the way Weasley had looked at her.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

A group of six or seven first and second year witches were blatantly watching their every move, and giggling quite loudly at them. Draco snarled and took a step towards them.

"What do you think you're doing?" Draco snapped.

Silence fell immediately.

"Well?" Draco pressed impatiently.

The only response he received was a few owlish blinks from the now wide-eyed little girls.

"Draco, leave them alone. You're scaring them," Ginny whispered.

"Who sent you out here?" Draco continued, heedless of Ginny's words.

"Pa—" One of them began, but she stopped abruptly when a brown-haired bespectacled witch elbowed her sharply.

Draco smirked and advanced on the one who had opened her mouth. "Tell me who sent you out here."

"I—I can't."

"Of course you can," Draco said in his most convincing tone. "You can tell me anything."

The younger witch shook her head.

"Why don't I make it easier for you? I'll give you a name and all you have to do is say yes when I guess the right person." Draco paused to give the witch an opportunity to respond, but she just stood in front of him, staring at him with fear clearly in her eyes. "Was it Pansy Parkinson?"

The girl twitched, almost unconsciously, but it was enough for the blond seventh year standing over her.

"I knew it! She's trying to drive me insane," Draco growled.

"Draco, let's just find somewhere else," Ginny suggested. She didn't think they had conclusive proof that it was Parkinson's doing, but she did believe it had been her. For some reason Pansy Parkinson didn't want them to be together.

"Go about your business," Draco instructed the younger students authoritatively. "If we see you again you will regret it."

The young students scattered immediately. Draco snarled in the back of his throat just for extra effect as they ran away.

"I told you she doesn't want us together," Ginny said softly.

"Well, her antics aren't going to work," Draco growled. "I'll deal with her later. Shall we walk before she sends another group of her little minions to disturb us?"

Ginny took his proffered hand and they strolled further away from the castle. She was beginning to think this relationship was a very bad idea, no matter how good he snogged or how wonderful he made her feel in his arms. They didn't really have anything in common, so the attraction was purely physical and real relationships couldn't survive on that alone, even school romances.

"I think we're well hidden here," Draco muttered as he stopped and pulled her into a small cove of trees.

Ginny stiffened and stopped before he could pull her against his chest.

"Is there something wrong?"

"I was just thinking that this really isn't a good idea."

"We won't be seen down here, so if they can't find us, they can't disturb us."

"No, that's not what I meant." Ginny shook her head. "I mean this 'us' thing."

Draco took a step back and gazed at his girlfriend in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"We don't have anything in common."

"So?"

"All we have is physical attraction."

"That's enough for me."

"It's not enough."

Draco frowned and blinked a few times. Was she breaking up with him? Girls didn't break up with him. He discarded them when he was bored. "Are you saying you don't want to be with me?"

"I—" Ginny glanced into his eyes and saw something she'd never seen before flick through his beautiful gray eyes. For just a fraction of a second Draco Malfoy looked vulnerable. "I don't know what I'm saying."

"You were—"

"I think you should kiss me," Ginny said in a low voice, stepping towards him and running her hands over his chest.

"No," Draco replied, removing her hands from his body, so he wouldn't be distracted. "You said it wasn't enough."

"I've changed my mind," Ginny said simply, wishing she'd never opened her mouth.

"So, one minute it's not enough and the next it is?"

Ginny sighed heavily. Why did she open her mouth? "I was just thinking about what Parkinson is trying to do to us. What if we're not committed enough to get through that? She won't be the only one trying to split us up."

"Haven't I just got through telling you that I want to be with you? Nothing has changed in the last ten minutes. I still want to be with you and I won't let anyone tell me I can't have what I want."

This was not the response she'd expected, nor was it appreciated. "I'm not a possession."

"I didn't say you were."

"You implied it."

"I didn't mean to." Draco closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "What I meant to say was only you or I can make that choice. At the moment I want to be with you and I hope you still want to be with me, because I really couldn't give a flying Flobberworm what other's think of our relationship."

Ginny arched an eyebrow at him and bit back the urge to laugh. "Flying Flobberworm?"

"My mother is easily offended," Draco mumbled. He couldn't believe he'd just used that saying in front of a girl he was trying to impress.

"It's cute," Ginny responded amusedly.

"So, does this mean we're going to stay together?" Draco asked quickly. It seemed like as good a time as any, considering she was smiling.

"Yes, but it can't be all snogging and no talking," Ginny warned. "We need to get to know each other as well."

"If you insist," Draco drawled, looking her up and down predatorily. "I rather think I know all I need to know about you already."

"Oh?"

Draco nodded as he gathered her against his chest. "You have six brothers, who I'm not permitted to accept food from. You have an incredible body, and just the thought of you naked makes me hard—"

Ginny burst out laughing and slapped his arm lightly. "Excuse me?"

"That's quite an embarrassing situation when it happens in Potions," Draco defended touchily. "On with my list! You have the most incredible pair of lips."

"All right, I think that's enough," Ginny interjected.

"There's more," Draco offered.

"I'm sure there is, but aren't we wasting snogging time?"

Draco smirked. "Sacrilege!"

Ginny pressed against the hard planes of his body and beckoned him to lower his head. When he pressed his mouth onto hers all the doubts she'd felt earlier dissolved. All that mattered was the heat that was beginning to develop between her legs.

The next hour or so became a blur of lips and hands and mind-blowing feelings. At some point they had sunk to the grassy ground. Ginny didn't think her body had ever ached to be touched like it did when Draco was kissing her. She wanted to feel his hands on her, in places that a good girl saved for her husband. It was probably a good thing her inexperience in dealing with anything beyond snogging left her unsure of how to have him satisfy her aching need or things may well have easily got out of hand.

Draco rolled over onto his back and stared at the clouds moving across the sky as he tried to calm his breathing. He wanted her more than he'd ever wanted any other girl, and he didn't think he'd have a hard time convincing her either, but something was telling him not to go that way, that it was too soon. Not only was this Weasley girl different from the others in the respect she'd not hesitate to hex him if he dared to upset her, she was also making him act peculiarly. All he'd cared about in the past was getting a shag for his own personal satisfaction, but now he was actually considering her feelings. She was definitely screwing with his mind.

"Umm—maybe we should go inside?" Ginny uttered.

"It's almost dinnertime," Draco conceded.

"I'm not really hungry."

"Well, I'm starving."

"Oh," Ginny muttered disappointedly.

Draco frowned. "What's wrong?"

"I thought we could—umm—maybe—"

"Ginny, what are you trying to say?"

She took a deep breath and looked him in the eyes. His usual stormy gray orbs were almost black, and as naïve as she was at times, Ginny didn't need to be told that he desired her.

Draco's frowned deepened when she mumbled something that he couldn't quite hear. "I didn't hear you."

"I thought we could find somewhere more private," she said in a rush.

"Oh... oh." Draco couldn't quite believe his ears. She actually wanted to sleep with him. "Err—I think we should... go to dinner."

"Umm—you don't want to?"

Draco exhaled roughly. There was nothing he'd rather do right now, but that nagging feeling in the back of his mind was growing quite a voice. "It's not that I don't want to, because believe me I do—"

"But?"

"I don't think we should... not yet at least."

"My brothers scared you."

"No, it has nothing to do with them. I just want to wait until— it's right." Of course, regaining one's senses would be a good thing as well, Draco added to himself. What was he doing? She was right there inviting him into her knickers and he was turning her down. Hell had certainly frozen over.

"What do you mean 'right'?"

Draco shrugged. He was beginning to think it would just be easier to shag her now, but it just didn't feel right. Was he developing a conscience? The mere thought was ludicrous, but he was at a loss as to explain why he was acting in this manner. "I'm not sure."

"All right, I guess we should go into dinner then," Ginny said quietly, getting to her feet.

Draco quickly stood up and grabbed her hand, bringing her back to his chest. "I really do want to, you know that, right?"

Ginny nodded.

"I just—" Draco groaned in frustration. "In fact, I don't know what I want. I have absolutely no idea why I haven't already ripped your knickers off." He placed a light kiss on her forehead. "All I know is that something is telling me we should wait. Can you trust me with that?"

"Yes."

Draco dipped his head and claimed her mouth in a sensuous kiss. "I think we should go to dinner before I tell my conscience to go to hell."

Ginny laughed lightly and plucked a stray leaf from Draco's hair as they started back to the castle.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"What is this? Adopt a Gryff week?" Blaise asked as he took his seat at the Slytherin table.

"What are you on about?" Draco asked irritably, trying to keep an eye on how far Finnigan was leaning over his girlfriend.

"First you start locking lips with the littlest Weasley," Blaise pointed out. "Now Pansy's snogging the other one."

"What?" Draco frowned, taking his attention off the Gryffindor table briefly. "Don't be absurd!"

"I'm not. She just about devoured him this afternoon in the courtyard," Blaise said as he reached for a platter of roast beef.

"You must have been mistaken," Draco responded haughtily. "There's no way Pansy would touch that Neanderthal with a ten foot broomstick."

"I'm just saying what I saw." Blaise shrugged casually and began eating his dinner.

Draco turned his attention back to his girlfriend, pushing all thoughts of who Pansy might be snogging to the deepest recesses of his mind. After all, the mere notion of Pansy even looking at Weasel was preposterous.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

AUTHOR'S NOTES

Thanks to Rainpuddle13 for her amazing beta skills!

-->

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters you may recognize from the wonderful world of Harry Potter, they all belong to the revered JK Rowling; I just like to play with them a little.

BREAKING THE RULES

OPPOSITION

Draco couldn't believe how well everything was going with Ginny. They often crossed paths during the day — especially when he went out of his way — allowing them time for a quick snog in a secluded corner before they continued to their respective classes, and they spent most of their time together after classes until curfew.

She had even accosted him in the Quidditch change rooms after his Tuesday afternoon training session. A training session he'd had to deny her access to after complaints from his team. Rather than being angry, she had understood perfectly — informing him to expect much the same treatment from the Gryffindor team when their training session came about on Thursday afternoon — much to his relief, and she had snuck into the change rooms after everyone else had left. They had missed dinner that night, but neither of them minded.

It also seemed as though her brother had given up annoying them as well, not that Draco expected that to last, but for the time being it made things a little more pleasant. Apart from in classes, Draco had not seen Ron Weasley since the weekend, and in class the Gryffindor oaf seemed more distracted than usual. Perhaps it was because he'd heard the ridiculous rumors flying around about his activities with Pansy. Something like that would bother Weasel, because it messed with his reputation for hating Slytherins.

Draco had heard numerous recounts of what had happened in the courtyard on Sunday since Blaise first mentioned it, and he still didn't believe it. To make matters worse, the rumors had begun to grow with more fabricated reports of incidents in deserted classrooms, broom cupboards and various other locations around the castle. Like him, Ginny had scoffed at the idea that her brother would even look sideways at Parkinson, let alone lock lips with the witch.

Of course, Professor Snape had reported to his father about his reluctance to give up his pursuit of the 'Weasley girl', as each of them had so succinctly dubbed her. Lucius had, predictably, been furious and Draco had received an owl in which his father had made his feelings on the matter crystal clear. Draco had made certain Professor Snape was watching when he hit the missive with an Incendio.

What Draco liked most about his relationship with Ginny Weasley was the fact that it wasn't boring. In the past he'd hooked up with a girl, shagged her brains out a couple of times and then discarded her due to boredom. With Ginny he was learning something new every day. They hadn't yet taken their relationship beyond snogging and a few unintentional gropes, and he found he didn't really mind, even though he'd had to make more than one visit to the little wizard's room for personal comfort. He actually enjoyed talking to her, and the more they talked the more they found they had in common. Just knowing she cared for him made him feel warm inside, which was something very different to anything he'd previously felt for anyone who was not a blood relative.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Ron strolled down the corridor trying to appear casual, and failing miserably. In truth, he'd never been tenser. The past few days he had been a mess of guilt, nerves, and last, but certainly not least, lust. He had no idea what was really going on or why. All he knew was he had to put an end to the debauchery he'd found himself involved in. Of course, he'd been trying to put a stop to it, because it was wrong on every conceivable level, but every time he came within a few feet of those lips his mind seemed to go blank.

It was all her fault of course. If she had only looked at whom she was grabbing for a quick snog on Sunday he wouldn't be in this predicament. What made matters worse was her inability to just leave him alone, because he most certainly wasn't doing anything to encourage her. He'd even insulted her while waiting to enter Transfiguration on Monday. She'd retaliated just like normal, however, after class he found himself alone in a corridor with her. The next thing he knew he had lost ten points for being late to Potions and another ten for the silly grin plastered on his face that Professor Snape mistook for an insolent smirk. It wasn't as if he didn't try to wipe the smile from his face, because he did, but after a snog like that a wizard had a right to grin, right?

The rest of the week had gone much the same with Ron losing countless house points for tardiness between classes, because his hormones insisted on being heard. Of course, the loss of house points wasn't the worst of what was happening — even though they'd not been spotted together, since the courtyard incident, people were beginning to talk. If they were the last two out of a classroom, Ron had suddenly bent her over a desk for a bit of 'how's your father'. Both of them dismissed the rumors, easily at that, but it didn't mean they weren't somewhat disturbing.

All of a sudden he found himself in a broom closet. This wasn't fair. He wasn't even consciously choosing to walk into places like this; his legs were just carrying him. She was there, naturally.

"Look, Parkinson, we can't—" Ron looked down at the witch in the cramped space with him. The moment their eyes locked he briefly registered that it had been a monumental mistake to look at her. He shook his head in an attempt to clear his thoughts. Then she began worrying her pouty bottom lip with her teeth. He had to maintain his brain function if he was to get through this. "What I'm trying—"

"Weasley, just say it for Merlin's sake."

Her voice washed over him like a warm wave of honey. He could feel his good sense slipping away from him as his libido surged. "I don't—"

"Yes?"

"I—" he tried again, but his head began to dip—the traitor that it was.

"What were you saying?" she asked when he was mere inches from her face.

"Forgot," Ron mumbled, claiming her mouth fervently.

He could feel her delicate hands clutching at his old, faded cloak, trying to pull him against her curvy body. There was nothing he could do but surrender. The way she made him feel was too strong to deny, at least for the moment. She felt amazing under his hands. The swell of her breasts, the curve of her hips, and her tight bottom... How he wanted to feel all of her without any barriers.

They parted slowly, neither really wanting to release the other, but knowing they had to.

"Class," Pansy whispered.

"Mmm..." Ron's eyes snapped open, his senses returning to him in a rush. "Yeah, we should."

Pansy's hand stopped him from opening the cupboard door straight away. "Meet me tonight?"

His mind was screaming at him that it wasn't a brilliant idea, but with all the blood in his body now situated below his belt, his mouth seemed to be taking direction from his other brain. "Where?"

"I'll get word to you later."

"Okay, but I have Quidditch training."

"I know." Pansy smiled softly at the tall wizard. "I'll think of somewhere and let you know."

Ron nodded and opened the door of the cupboard. He stood in the doorway watching her run down the now empty corridor. They would both be late for class again, and he would most likely lose more house points or earn himself a detention. It occurred to him that he didn't really care and that was the greatest worry of all. For the second time in less than a week. he felt he'd gone barking mad.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Ginny stood at the head of the path leading to the Quidditch Stadium, her lips still tingling from Draco's kiss. At the moment, her gaze was firmly on his retreating back as he returned to the castle. Who ever thought that seeing Draco Malfoy would cause her stomach to flip-flop instead of her hand to twitch for her wand? It had been a week of madness, but she wouldn't have changed a thing. He was really putting an effort into getting to know her and their relationship was moving beyond physical attraction. In short, she was discovering that Draco Malfoy was a nice person under that attitude. Not to mention he had a sharp wit and was a worthy bantering partner in anyone's terms.

"You're still disappointing me, Weasley."

Ginny rolled her eyes and wondered just how long she'd be in detention if she maimed the irritating witch.

"I thought you would have given up this foolishness before now," Pansy continued.

"You'd like that wouldn't you?" Ginny spat. "You'd love to get your claws into Draco."

Pansy snorted. "Hardly."

"What is it you want then, Parkinson?"

Pansy regarded the furious witch in front of her. She knew she was playing a dangerous game and could very well be placing herself in some real danger if she pushed this Weasley too far, but she consoled herself with the knowledge that she was doing it for Draco's own good. "I want you to act as you're expected to act."

"I suppose you're going to tell me how that is?"

Pansy huffed impatiently. She knew this girl wasn't stupid, so why couldn't she simply take a hint? "Why don't I just tell you what you're not supposed to be doing?"

Ginny looked at her expectantly, but remained silent for fear it would be a hex that came out of her mouth rather than something more polite.

"You're not supposed to be falling all over yourself to be with him."

"I'm not," Ginny responded indignantly.

"Yes, you are, and the public displays of affection are rather nauseating. You're contaminating him with your loose morals."

"What?" Blood had begun to thunder through Ginny's system at a rate that was dangerous to anyone in the immediate vicinity.

"I know you Gryffindors don't give much credence to etiquette, but he's a Slytherin and we generally conduct ourselves with decorum. Which means that all this snogging and hand holding where everyone can see is simply out of the question."

"I know what you're trying to do, Parkinson, and it won't work," Ginny growled. "I won't stop holding his hand or kissing him where everyone can see, because if I do he'll think I've lost interest. You just want him for yourself and you're not going to get him while I've got anything to do with it."

"Oh, really?"

"Yes, and by the way... Draco told me himself that the thought of kissing you makes his stomach turn," Ginny added viciously.

"He didn't mean that," Pansy purred. Under the guise of throwing her hair over her shoulder she threw a quick glance at the castle. The Gryffindor Quidditch team was emerging, so she didn't have any time left if she wanted to get her message to the other Weasley.

"He did," Ginny retorted.

"Well, I have somewhere I need to be," Pansy announced before turning on her heel and strolling away as if she hadn't a care in the world.

Ginny stood, fuming at the arrogance of the girl. There was no way she was going to allow Parkinson to break them up, and if she thought she had a chance Ginny was going to make her regret the day she was born.

"Are you all right, Ginny?" Harry asked concernedly.

"Someone doesn't look happy," Ron commented, absently stuffing a small piece of parchment into his trouser pocket. "Who deserves hexing?"

"Parkinson," Ginny ground out. "I swear, if she comes near me again, I'm going to hex her clear into next week."

"What's she doing?" Ron asked anxiously. The thought of his sister hurting his current snog buddy was unexpectedly distressing.

"She's trying to get Draco! For some reason she actually thinks that warning me off every chance she gets is going to work."

"There's nothing wrong with that," Ron blurted.

"Ronald!"

"What? I don't have a problem with Parkinson trying to split you and Ferret up."

"Well, I do, so that makes it a problem," Ginny informed him sharply.

"Fine," Ron muttered.

Ginny pinned her brother with a dangerous glare. He was supposed to be on her side, no matter what. "I'm going to get changed for training, so don't come in until I come out."

She stormed off down the path without waiting for a response. Between Parkinson's idiocy and Ron's unsupportive attitude she was ready to throttle someone. A few hours in the air was exactly what she needed to calm down.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Draco strolled down the path casually. He knew they weren't supposed to meet until after dinner, but he was at a loose end so he decided to wander down and walk Ginny back to the castle. Just as he rounded the bend he stopped. The entire Gryffindor team was coming towards him and by the sounds things weren't all that harmonious within the team.

"You didn't have to throw it at my head," Ron complained ardently.

"I don't know why you have a problem with it, Ronald. After all, you stopped the Quaffle. Isn't that your job?" Ginny snapped. "I should be the one annoyed, because it's my job to get it through the hoops."

"You bloody well aimed at my head!"

"Well, you should have ducked!"

"Then it would have gone through."

"And I would have done my job."

"Ron, Ginny, enough," Harry complained. "Ron, she just threw the Quaffle. She didn't aim for you."

"Could have fooled me," Ron grumbled.

"It's not hard," Ginny responded sharply.

"Merlin, give me strength," Harry muttered. He needed to separate the brother and sister before they declared war on each other. "Look, Ginny, isn't that Malfoy?"

"Yes," Ginny responded, increasing her pace.

Draco watched her come towards him. He wasn't quite sure what mood she was in at the moment. The smile on her face was welcoming, but the way she'd been speaking to her brother was of concern. "Hello. Did training not go as planned?"

Rather than answer the question, Ginny reached for her boyfriend's tie and pulled him down to her. His mouth was wet and warm, and exactly what she needed right now. It didn't take a genius to work out that it drove Ron Weasley nutters to see his sister with Draco Malfoy. She knew exactly when the team passed them, because she could hear her brother muttering things about ferrets and death.

Draco gently extracted himself not long after the Gryffindor team had passed. "Why do I have to feeling I was just used to upset someone?"

"Oh, the thought of me with you upsets him all the time," Ginny answered flippantly.

"Are you going to tell me what happened during training?"

Ginny frowned. "Why?"

"I'm not deaf, Ginny. I heard you coming up the path."

"Oh, it was nothing." Ginny shrugged and grinned at him cheekily. "Ron stopped the Quaffle I threw."

"Isn't that what he's supposed to do?"

Ginny nodded. "Yes, but we have to check the rule book to see if stopping the Quaffle with the Keeper's head is permissible."

"He stopped it with his head?"

"Well, I'm sure if he saw it coming he would have adjusted his position," Ginny admitted candidly.

Draco shook his head. "Remind me not to go anywhere near you on the Quidditch pitch."

"I wouldn't do that to you," Ginny purred, stroking his chest affectionately.

"You won't mind if I don't take your word for it, will you?"

Ginny hid her head in his chest and laughed.

"We have about an hour before dinner," Draco stated. "Like to take a walk or something?"

"I would," Ginny answered, taking his offered hand. "I've got so much homework that I'm going to have to go to the library after dinner and make a start on it."

"I was going to suggest a trip to the library tonight for homework." Draco winked at her sexily. "I have a bit to get through myself."

"Oh good, you can help me with my Potions."

"Can I now?"

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Of course, unless all those rumors about you being the best student Professor Snape has had in years are lies."

"I'm good at Potions!"

"Excellent! I need help, and as my boyfriend it's your responsibility to make sure I don't fail your best subject."

"Ginny, you must be good or you wouldn't have made it into N.E.W.T. Potions."

"Last year was a breeze, but this year is really hard," Ginny explained. "He's not giving us much direction. All he does is hint at what he wants and then expects us to produce it."

"And?"

"Well, I'm not that good at reading Snape's mind, nor do I want to be." Ginny shuddered for effect. "God only knows what creepy thoughts he has slithering around in there."

"He mostly thinks about Potions," Draco responded absently.

"How would you know? I know he's your Head of House, but—"

"He's also a friend of the family. I've known him since before I can remember."

Before she could stop herself, Ginny uttered, "Poor you."

"Excuse me?"

"Well, having to put up with Snape all your life."

"He's a very intelligent man and a formidable wizard," Draco stated conclusively.

"That's all well and good, but his personality leaves a bit to be desired."

"What you see at school isn't the man who visits my home."

"Come on, Draco, I don't think I've ever seen the miserable old bugger smile, and that says a lot about a person."

"McGonagall doesn't smile," Draco pointed out.

"Yes, she does," Ginny refuted.

"Well, I've never seen her smile."

"Maybe she doesn't like you?"

"How could she not like me? I'm a good student, I'd be her top student if it weren't for Granger, I'm polite, I don't disrupt her class—"

"Draco, it's not me you have to convince," Ginny interrupted softly.

"Well, I've never done anything to cause her to dislike me."

"And I've done everything to give Snape reason to like me, except kiss his arse, yet he detests the sight of me."

"He doesn't detest you. He doesn't know what to make of you."

"What?"

Draco closed his eyes and cursed himself silently. There were certain things, privileged information, he wasn't supposed to talk about.

"Draco, what did you mean?" Ginny pressed.

"Nothing, I shouldn't have said anything."

"You can't say that and then leave me without an explanation."

Draco stopped walking and turned to face her. "Look, Ginny, I can't say anything. If word ever got back to him, he'd never trust me again."

"I won't say anything, but I'm dying to know what he really thinks of me."

"Fine," Draco agreed. "Most Gryffindors are afraid of him or are openly hostile towards him, but you're neither and it confuses him."

"Confuses him?"

"Yeah, you're not like the rest, and he's not sure how he should deal with that."

Ginny laughed. "So, because I don't tremble in my shoes or talk to him rudely, he's confused?"

"Something like that," Draco admitted. "It's not like it matters."

Ginny followed when Draco started walking again. "When did he tell you this?"

"Who?"

"Snape."

"The other day."

"Do you discuss me a lot with your Head of House?"

"Only when he brings the topic of you up."

"How often is that?"

"Since last Friday, it's been every day."

"Why?"

"He thinks we're a bad match, and Father isn't terribly happy with me either, so he feels compelled to remind me of this."

Ginny fell silent, Draco's explanation playing over and over in her mind. He was obviously under pressure to end it with her.

"They're both getting most frustrated with me, because I refuse to listen to them."

"Umm—if you're getting too much grief wouldn't it be better to—"

"No," Draco cut her off sharply. He didn't need to hear where she was going with her idea, he knew. "I don't want to listen to them, because they're both wrong about you. My father is speaking from years of prejudice and Professor Snape is simply passing on his words."

"I just—"

Draco stopped walking and again turned to face her, this time placing a finger under her chin, so he had her undivided attention. "I want to be with you and nothing they say can change that."

"All right," Ginny agreed softly.

He had no idea where these feelings had sprung from, but this week he'd not only surprised everyone else, he'd also astounded himself. The little voice in the back of his head that kept telling him Ginny was worth the trouble was still insisting he make the effort to get to know her. Time was moving on and he knew they needed to start back to the castle soon if they were going to make it in time for dinner, but before he reminded her of that he wanted to have a little entrée. From under hooded eyes he watched as her lids slipped closed just before he claimed her mouth.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

AUTHOR'S NOTES

Thanks to Rainpuddle13 for her amazing beta skills!

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Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters you may recognize from the wonderful world of Harry Potter, they all belong to the revered JK Rowling; I just like to play with them a little.

BREAKING THE RULES

DISCLOSURE

Ginny slid breathlessly into her seat at the Gryffindor table. They'd got a little carried away outside, and when they realized the time they'd ran all the way back to the castle in fear that they'd miss dinner. She looked across the Great Hall and saw Draco slip gracefully into his chair. Ginny smirked when the thought that Draco was probably the only student in all of Hogwarts who didn't look ungainly getting into his seat at this house table crossed her mind. When he looked in her direction, she returned his wink with a smile.

Hermione looked at her friend with concern. "Are you all right, Ginny? You're breathing rather hard."

"I'm fine," Ginny claimed, glancing around the immediate vicinity. "We lost track of time, so we had to run. Where's Ron?"

"He went to the hospital wing," Harry replied seriously.

"What on earth for?"

"A headache," Hermione said gravely.

"Oh, for goodness sakes! His head is harder than a rock."

Harry put his cutlery down and focused his attention on the younger witch filling her plate with food. "He's been gone for ages. Maybe there's something wrong?"

Ginny looked to the staff table and then back to Harry. "I doubt it. Madam Pomfrey is at dinner, and you know she doesn't leave the hospital wing when she has a patient."

A thud at the doors of the Great Hall garnered just about everyone's attention. Ginny was amused to see her brother rushing into the room, rubbing his shoulder; he must have collected the doorframe in his hurry. The longer she watched him, the more it occurred to her that something wasn't quite normal. His appearance could be described as scruffy at best, but that wasn't really out of character. Ron was not known for tucking in his shirt or tightening his necktie. It was his face that bothered her the most. He was flushed so bright red that his freckles had almost disappeared, and yet he had the biggest ear-to-ear grin and an odd twinkle in his eye.

"Evening all!" Ron exclaimed cheerily as he sat down beside Harry.

Ginny didn't respond. His whole demeanor was out of place, especially considering he'd caught a Quaffle with his head and Harry reporting that he'd gone to the hospital wing. Her gaze drifted back to the doorway as another student made a hurried entry for the evening meal.

The witch who was fast becoming a thorn in her side all but ran to her house table. While there was nothing unusual about students rushing to any meal, there was something that struck Ginny as curious about this student's sudden appearance.

The witch in question was quite disheveled. Her normally perfect hair looked as though she'd been dragged through a bush backwards, her white button down shirt wasn't tucked in prissily as it usually was, and her tie was loosened. Ginny had never seen her look less than impeccable, so this was quite a turn up for the books. Of course, she wasn't the only one to notice, but she was the only one who had been caught staring at her. Ginny returned the nasty glare from across the room with a sneer and turned her attention back to the conversation around her.

"Ron, what did Madam Pomfrey say?" Harry asked interestedly.

"Oh, I err—didn't make it."

Harry frowned. His friend's behavior was quite out of character, not to mention that Harry knew of only one thing that could put a smile that bright on any man's face. "What about your headache?"

"What headache?" The beaming wizard looked at his friends with confusion.

"Ron, you were complaining about a massive headache. You were going to get a potion from Madam Pomfrey," Hermione pointed out.

"I umm—it—I went for a walk—yeah a walk, and it went away," Ron stammered.

"Lucky, bugger," Harry mumbled.

"A walk made your headache go away?" Hermione questioned.

Ron's eyes flicked to Harry. He knew his mate had caught on to what sort of a walk he'd taken. "Yeah, it was—"

"Walks are relaxing, and that's good for a headache," Harry interrupted, his grin growing broader as he backed up his mate's obvious lie.

"Yeah, relaxing," Ron confirmed.

"You've had a shag, you sly bugger," Seamus announced at the top of his voice. "Who did you nail?"

Hermione rolled her eyes in an exaggerated gesture at the Irish-born wizard. "Seamus, can't you think of anything else? Unlike you, Ron isn't obsessed with—" Her voice trailed off as she noticed the guilty expression on her best friend's face. "Ronald! How could you?"

"I—well—ah—"

The bushy-haired witch huffed disgustedly and stormed out of the Great Hall without finishing her dinner.

The year six and seven wizards of Gryffindor house immediately besieged Ron with demands that he share his tale of good fortune.

Ginny shook her head at the boys and moved away from their conversation. The last thing she wanted to hear was a detailed description of her brother's sex life. At least she knew why he hadn't been bothering her this week. She briefly wondered whom he was seeing, because as far as she was aware Ron didn't have a girlfriend at the moment. Not that his status couldn't have changed in the past week, because it was entirely possible she'd simple not being paying attention to his activities.

As soon as she finished her meal, Ginny left the Great Hall. She had about forty minutes until she was due to meet Draco in the library and wanted to freshen up a little before collecting her books for the homework session they had planned.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

By the time Ginny got to the library Draco was already there. He'd spread out his books over a table and was already furiously scribbling away. She paused not far from where he was sitting and waited for him to notice her arrival. They'd studied together a couple of times over the past week, but she'd not actually watched him work before. The way his brow furrowed when he was concentrating was very cute — not that she'd tell him that, for obvious reasons.

A soft smile slipped across her face as he slowly lifted his head. The moment noticed her Ginny saw his eyes light up brightly. It didn't last long, but it didn't matter. She had seen it and it had reassured her that their relationship wasn't a farce — he did feel something real for her.

"Hello there."

"Come and sit down," Draco offered, clearing half the table for her.

Before her backside settled into the chair, Draco pulled her to his chest for a brief kiss. A harshly cleared throat from nearby reminded them of their location and he released her immediately.

"What are you working on?" Ginny asked, opening her copy of Advanced Potion-Making.

"Transfiguration. I swear McGonagall is trying to drive us all insane with the amount of homework she's setting of late." Draco reached over and stroked her hand affectionately.

"She's not as bad as Snape."

"Let's not have this discussion again."

"Fine, I was just saying."

"What do you have to do for Professor Snape?"

Ginny sighed resignedly. "My Draught of Living Death didn't work, so I have to examine how I went wrong, and what I should do to correct it before I attempt to brew it again."

"Do you know when it went wrong?" Draco questioned.

"Well, I'm not sure, but the steam it was giving off was pink."

"It should have been blue."

"I know that."

"What happened then?"

"Snape used Evanesco."

Draco chuckled. "He rather prefers it when students don't blow their cauldrons up in his classroom."

"That may be so, but it doesn't help me."

"It does, because you know it was wrong before it was even halfway through, so you just have to go back over what you did to begin with and find the mistake."

Ginny growled in frustration.

"It's not that hard," Draco stated. "I'll even help you, but first we'll get you a proper reference for that potion."

"But I worked from—"

"Yeah, we all do in class, but that doesn't give you the tricks of the trade. You know, the little things that make a difference to the outcome."

"All right. So where will I find the right book?"

Draco grinned, quirked his eyebrows at her cheekily and rose from his chair, holding his hand out for her. "The Restricted Section," he whispered.

Ginny eyed her boyfriend cautiously. "I really have to get this done tonight."

"You will. Don't you trust me?"

"In the Restricted Section? No."

"I solemnly vow I will behave myself."

"Okay then, but you make sure you do."

Draco held her hand tightly as they walked to the Restricted Section of the library. He held the door for her when they entered and then led her to the very rear stacks. "All of the Potion's books are right down the back."

Ginny quirked an eyebrow at him skeptically, mistrust clearly flashing in her eyes.

"I'm not trying to lure you back here. They really are at the back for some reason."

"Snape probably doesn't want any of us to find them."

"Could you imagine anyone telling Madam Pince where to keep her books?" Draco posed with a smirk. "I don't know why Professor Snape doesn't tell everyone about the references in the library. Merlin knows he'd be a lot happier with the level of work from everyone if he did."

"Then he'd have nothing to gripe about," Ginny grumbled. "How do you know about them?"

"As he's a family friend, I'm privy to such information, and my father told me where they were as well."

"It figures. He looks after his own—" Ginny's words morphed into a shocked gasp as they rounded the final corner in the stacks.

Draco frowned at first and then his face screwed up into an expression of revulsion. "Really, Weasley, activities like that should be carried out behind closed doors, if at all by the likes of you."

Ron jerked away from the witch he was with and hurriedly tried to right his clothes. "Piss off, Malfoy."

Ginny slowly moved away from Draco. Her brother's accomplice was doing a good job of staying out of sight and she was curious to see whom he had been carrying on with. With Ron and Draco concentrating on each other it was easy for her to slip down the side of the bookcase.

"You!" Ginny gaped furiously at the witch. "How dare you!"

"How dare she?" Ron asked infuriated. "What about him?"

"She's using you, Ron. She's been trying to warn me off Draco, so she can get her hooks into him. This is obviously a ploy to dispute the fact that I caught on to her little plan."

"Don't be ridiculous," Ron contradicted.

"You're full of it, Weasley," Pansy spat venomously, glaring at the redheaded witch.

"Ron, she's never even looked in your direction before, except to throw a hex at you. Why can't you see that she's using you?" It suddenly occurred to Ginny that all the rumors floating around must have been true. "It's a bit of a coincidence that she starts snogging you only days after warning me off Draco."

Ron's eyes flicked from his sister to the pretty Slytherin uncertainly.

"Come on, Ron," Ginny said impatiently. "Why would she start snogging you, of all people?"

"There's nothing wrong with me," Ron stated, his pride suddenly appearing.

"I didn't say there was, but you're not her type." Ginny threw a hand in the direction of Pansy. "I mean, look at her!"

"There's nothing wrong with her," Ron refuted.

Ginny rolled her eyes. Why were boys so blind? "It was her that you were with this evening, wasn't it? She was the one you shagged! No bloody wonder you won't listen!"

"I—well—"

"You shagged him?" Draco asked Pansy in disbelief.

Pansy shrugged in an effort to appear casual. "It just happened."

"Yeah, I'll bet it just happened," Ginny parodied her cruelly. "That was just the clincher, so he'd do whatever you wanted him to."

"Believe what you will, Weasley," Pansy growled. "It's not like I care."

"Why don't you just admit it? You're using him to throw me off." Ginny advanced of the Slytherin witch. "You would never have even looked at Ron before this and now you're— well, you're doing everything and you're doing it anywhere by the looks."

"Rubbish! Draco, will you talk some sense into your girlfriend?"

"Leave Draco out of this! It's between you and me," Ginny snarled. "I'm going to tell you this just once: leave my brother alone."

"And if I don't?"

"Then I'll make you," Ginny threatened.

"Oh for goodness sakes! Draco, when are you going to train this one?"

Draco only just caught his girlfriend around the waist when she lunged for his friend and fellow Slytherin. "Calm down, Ginny. We'll work this out."

"Draco, she's using him!"

He carried her a small distance away from the caught couple. "I know Pansy, and she wouldn't put herself through that just to get to you. She does have some scruples."

"Draco!"

"Look, this is getting out of hand and we're all going to get in trouble if Madam Pince hears us, if she hasn't already. Let's just leave them be for now and I'll talk to Pansy later."

"Oh yeah, and she'll tell you a pack of lies and you won't even question—"

"Remember when I told you I've known Pansy longer than I can remember?" Draco waited for Ginny to acknowledge his question with a nod. "Well, I can tell when she's lying, so if her motives are immoral then I'll know right away."

"Ask her now!"

"I think we all need a chance to calm down. I'll confront her when I get back to the common room tonight and let you know in the morning."

"It's my brother's feelings."

Draco took a deep breath. He didn't care about Weasel's feelings, but he dare not say that right now. What he did care about was Pansy's behavior. It wasn't like her to just give herself to someone like she apparently had, so he found it unlikely she would have done it to irk Ginny. "Ginny, I'm not talking to her now, because she's too worked up to get a straight answer out of. Later I'll sit down with her and I'll get the truth. All right?"

"Fine," Ginny ground out.

Draco looked back over to his friend and her odd choice of partner. "We'll leave you to it then."

Pansy silently mouthed, "Thank you."

Before leaving Draco cleared his throat subtly and pointed to the scrap of black fabric by Ron Weasley's feet. "You might want to pick them up or you'll ruin this excellent spot for all of us."

Without taking his eyes off the blond wizard, Ron scooped up the knickers quickly and stuffed them in his pocket.

Before leaving the aisle, Draco quickly scanned the nearby shelf. He plucked a large tome from the third shelf and gave Ginny a wink. "Come on, we've got homework to finish."

Ginny stood stubbornly for a few moments, but when Draco slung his arm around her shoulders she had to start walking. Before they left the aisle, Ginny glanced over her shoulder and glared at Parkinson. "You'll want to button that shirt properly or everyone will know what a—"

"Enough," Draco growled, cutting her off sharply.

"I was just being helpful," Ginny insisted.

Draco glanced at his girlfriend cynically. The last thing she could convincingly claim to want to do at the moment is be helpful to Pansy. This was a mess he'd not anticipated, and now it seemed it was up to him to sort it out. He sighed mentally. Why was life suddenly so complicated?

When they reached their table, Draco quietly explained to Ginny what she had to look for in the book he'd selected for her, and then set about getting his Transfiguration homework finished. Of course, concentrating at a time like this was near on impossible. Thoughts of what Pansy and that oaf were up to kept invading his mind like a bad nightmare that he couldn't wake up from. He sighed heavily and tried to focus on the task at hand.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Draco yawned widely as he entered his common room. As he'd been on the fourth floor this evening, he'd walked Ginny back to her common room and then had discovered it was a very long walk back to the dungeons. All he really wanted to do right now was have a hot shower and drop into bed. Between all that had transpired in the Restricted Section and the paper he had due for Transfiguration, he'd done his head in tonight.

The common room was empty, save for one person: Pansy Parkinson was sitting on the leather sofa, obviously waiting for him. Draco sighed mentally and made his way over to her. His shower and sleep were going to have to wait.

Draco sat down right next to his old friend. "What's going on, Pansy?"

"I don't know."

"What about Weasley?"

"Accident."

Draco arched a blond eyebrow at her. "Oh?"

"Mmm... I was trying to hide from Cataleen Baddock, and Weasley was convenient."

"So, now you're snogging him in dark corners and broom cupboards?"

"Something like that." The smile on the girl's face said there was far more going on than just a couple of innocent snogs in the dark.

Draco snorted lightly. Of course, after tonight he knew there was more going on than would be considered decent. "I gather he's not complaining."

"No, I don't think he's got much to complain about."

"Where are you going with this?"

"Why?"

Draco sighed heavily. "If you screw with Weasley's heart, it's going to make life difficult for me."

"How so?"

"Ginny won't be happy if her brother—"

"Draco, I have no intention of getting rid of Weasley just yet," Pansy admitted in a rush. "I like him— a lot."

Draco nodded. He knew what she was going through. The strange mixture of feelings that went hand in hand with seeing a Gryffindor was very confusing. After all, they were Slytherins and as such, were not supposed to even like the Gryffindors.

"Did you have something on your mind?" Pansy asked after several minutes of silence.

"Why did you do it?" Draco asked outright.

"Snog Weasley?"

"No, try to keep Ginny and I apart."

"I didn't. I was trying to get you together."

Draco looked at his friend incredulously.

"Draco," Pansy said with exaggerated patience, "if you'd been allowed to just go barreling into a relationship with her, you'd have just used her up like all your past girlfriends. You would have lost interest the moment you'd shagged her, and then tossed her aside for the next willing girl. I'm not the only one who thinks she's perfect for you, but I was the only one who was willing to do something to make sure you didn't mess this up. So, I set about making her think I was after you, and in doing so she was determined to keep hold of you even longer."

"But I haven't—that is we—"

"Yeah, I know," Pansy cut in to save her friend the embarrassment. "Meanwhile, you've fallen for her, because you've taken the time to get to know her. She's gone past the point of just being a pretty face or having a great rack. She's an interesting person that you like spending time with."

Draco smirked. He couldn't hide anything from Pansy.

"Of course, the question still remains... What are you going to do about her?"

"Nothing."

Pansy frowned. She knew it was never definite that her plan would work, given the difference in background and the centuries old dispute between their families, but his answer did confuse her.

"I don't want to do anything about her." A small smile of genuine happiness crept across Draco's mouth. "She's my girlfriend."

She looked at him expectantly. There was more he wanted to say she could feel it, but to push him would be akin to casting a Silencio.

"I love her," Draco whispered.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

~fin~

AUTHOR'S NOTES

Thanks to Rainpuddle13 for her amazing beta skills!

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