A/N: Alright ladies and gents, here it is- the coveted eleventh chapter. Spooky title, no? lol This is THE PINNACLE of the fic, the moment I've been itching to tell you for quite some time. Not to build you up and let you down of course…hope you enjoy it. I know you're not crazy about D/G, but this is very necessary to go through. Unless you'd like to be confused of course. As always, happy reading…
"Why the hell not??"
"Surely you realized this was just a temporary thing-"
"What the fuck!?"
"Honestly, this couldn't have gone on forever, we'll always have the library-"
"So, you just give in to temptation and that's it? Not good enough for a second go?"
"Well, I didn't say that…"
"Then what's the fucking problem?!?"
"It's simply bad business, Weasley; I can't be seen traipsing around the halls of Hogwarts with an underprivileged bloodtraitor on my arm, now can I?"
The heat rose to Ginny's cheeks in an instant, a wave of anger crashing over her uncovered form, "I can't believe this! So it meant nothing to you?" she spat, snatching her sodden knickers from the floor.
Draco arched a brow, lips pursed in amusement, "Wow, Weasley, I didn't know you cared."
"My name is Ginny," she said hotly, words spurring from her mouth like poison, oozing toxins into the air as it rang throughout the dampened walls.
Malfoy rolled his eyes, "Really? Never would have guessed. Anyway, it's nothing personal- I do have a girlfriend."
"That dismal excuse for a human being, Parkinson? Merlin, Draco, she's slept with the entirety of the Slytherin Quidditch team- yeah, she's much more respectable than I am. Filthy whore," Ginny muttered under her breath, grabbing every article of clothing she could find in the eerie darkness.
"Tough break, love," Draco shot, trying to conceal the smirk tugging at his lips.
"Well, what if Pansy were to mysteriously disappear?"
"Haha, you planning on knocking her off, Weasley? Perhaps your bloodlines aren't as tainted as they seem…in a mental sense," he mused, a steely fire sparked beneath an iron curtain.
"She's horrible, Draco- a fucking cow compared to me!" Ginny cried, upturned palm gliding against a naked hip, indicating her slender frame, "Why can't this work? I'll do anything…" her expression softened, words barely above a whisper as poignant brown pleaded for an answer. She searched his pointed face, hidden by shadows in the flickering light of their hidden chamber. Ginny approached him carefully, breath frozen in her chest as tender steps echoed in the twilight.
"Weasley, I've got much more pressing matters on my mind than whose got more of a right to shag me," he said with a snort, straightening his tie as he grinned, "You've no idea what you're dealing with, and I'd advise you to cover yourself up and move on with your life, as sad and disappointing as it may be."
Pain struck arrows within her heart, every syllable stabbing at her insides with unrequited vigor, "But why? I don't understand…" she whimpered, cowering before him in a world of broken dreams.
"There's some things you're just not meant to understand!" Draco bellowed, fists clenched in anger as fire burned in his eyes, turning his back to Ginny so as to stare at the billowing curtain.
"Draco, I can help you, I'll do anything-"
"No! That's the last thing I need, another Gryffindor hot on my trail, every waking moment following me around the bloody castle…" his head snapped up at attention, eyes wide with realization as he whipped around to a startled Ginny, lips twisting into an evil sneer as his gaze fell upon the frightened redhead.
"Wha- what is it?" she squeaked, fiddling nervously with the wadded blouse she held between her fingers.
"Potter…"
"What about him?" Ginny asked in a timid voice, brows crinkling in curiosity.
"Weren't you the one that sent him a singing valentine? Chased him around the corridors for a week?"
Her cheeks flushed crimson, embarrassed by past infatuation and forgotten longing, "That was years ago, I barely even remember that-"
"But it was you, wasn't it?" he asked in a forceful tone, gray eyes glinting as his smile broadened across pallid features.
"Well, yes…" she reluctantly admitted, settling her gaze upon the stony floor.
"Fantastic," he breathed, smacking his hands together, "I believe we can work out some sort of an arrangement after all, Weasley," he drawled, eyeing her with orbs of twinkling silver.
Ginny nodded her head with a hint of fearfulness, excited at the prospect but terrified at the look in his eyes.
"Potter got a girlfriend? Fancy anyone?"
"Well, erm- I think maybe Hermione but I don't really know…"
"Ah, the all-knowing mudblood with poor grooming habits, how touching," he mocked, face littered with elements of distaste.
Ginny's eyes flitted about the room in a panic, afraid she may be losing her chance,"She might like my brother, though, I'm not sure. No one's really dating out of that group-"
"Excellent! He's single then. Well, not for long…" Draco trailed off, flames of wickedness dancing in his eyes as they captured Ginny's, drawing closer to her quivering form, "Date him."
Ginny gasped and dropped the crumpled wad she held in her hands, falling to the floor along with her jaw, "Why?"
"I need you to keep him busy for me. Out of my hair for a while," he reasoned, running a hand through the shining locks that molded to his crown.
"But why? What is he doing? Can't we just keep our love a secret?"
"'Our love,'" he snorted, propping a leg onto the leather armchair as he swiftly zipped his trousers, "I would hardly call it that, but whatever," he quipped, raising his eyes to the darkened ceiling. "Anyway- quite frankly, Weasley, I don't think you can be trusted. How do I know you won't go running off to Potty and the Weasel with anything I let you in on? Spilling my secrets to that nosy know-it-all all hours of the night?"
"But I wouldn't! I-"
"Yes, but I don't know that. Tell you what, Weasley, you get Potter to fall in love with you- start dating in public and such- and I'll continue seeing you on the sidelines. Do we have a deal?"
"Go out with Harry? But I haven't fancied him for ages, it's always been you…" she confessed, biting her lip as she avoided his gaze, the concept of playing Harry swirling in her mind like powdered snow on Christmas Eve.
"That wrenches my heart, Weasley- I never would have thought," Draco jeered, holding back the sinful laughter that longed to be released, "Alright, I'll do one better, Ginny," he called, her heart fluttering profusely as the name rolled off his tongue, "Steal Potter's heart and smash it into a thousand pieces. Go out with him for however long it takes, making sure he falls head over heels, then break up with him. Tear his heart out in front of the entire castle. That's how I'll know that you'll be loyal to me. As long as you keep up the 'dating charade' we can meet and continue our forbidden rendezvous. And when you break it off, I will publicly declare my liking for you," he finished, steely gaze boring into Ginny with the force of a jackhammer.
"What about Pansy?" she asked suddenly, head still shuffling the cards she had been dealt.
"Gone. Who cares about her anyway? Like you said, she is a whore-ish cow," Draco confirmed, biting his tongue behind a furtive mask.
Ginny smiled at this, rings of russet shining darkly in the amber glow, "So, if I date Harry and break up with him, you promise to pledge your love for me in front of everyone? And we can be seen together in public?"
"I solemnly swear," he said in the gravest of tones, standing inches away from his captive as his smile slowly returned, "but you have to make sure he only has eyes for you, now. Heartbreak isn't as effective if you're fancying someone else. Granger had better be after you're idiot of a brother, otherwise you have quite a daunting task," Draco warned with a hint of amusement, grin properly in place.
"Consider it done," Ginny said with delight, beams of sunlight radiating from within as she soaked in the sinister darkness, locking eyes with Draco as he brushed a hand along her shoulder.
"Then let's celebrate," he silently declared, breathing into her neck as knickers once again crumpled to the floor, burning candles in the distance smoldering to a close.
A/N: Dun, dun, duuuuuuuuuuun!!! LOL Whoda thunk it? Well, it all goes downhill from here I can assure you. This WAS their first meeting, which you might have been confused about before, and I can tell you that Ginny hasn't been shagging random co-eds in the corridors. Some of you thought Justin Finch-Fletchley might have had some significance in the library, but the only reason I used him was because he was muggleborn, and a pureblood (and probably halfblood) wouldn't know who Hitler was (just like Ron) and I really wanted to throw that joke in there. It was such a good red herring I HATED to ruin it in review explanations, but now you know : ) At any rate, hope you liked this one, next chapter will pick up where 9 left off- there just possibly might be some tension in there. Perhaps. Just a trifle. I can't see why anyone would be angry… Lol! Anyway, there you have it. The mystery has 'somewhat' been solved. But surely you'll stick around for the aftermath? Where DID Hermione's wand get off to? It's not like she'll be needing it….R&R if you please!!