The Pike for Erlthegrl

December 29th, 2008

• Title: The Pike
• Rating: Sorta naughty
• Possible Spoilers/Warnings: Canon to the entire series except for the epilogue. Very mild warnings for language and sexual content.
• Author's Notes: Credit for the original idea of a magical tournament goes to romance author Kresley Cole. I completely stole the idea of something she called “The Hie.” I’ve changed the name to The Pike and the details etc. but the original idea came from her books.
• Summary: Draco and Ginny compete against each other in The Pike – a professional wizarding tournament that’s also highly illegal. What’s even more illegal is the memory of their one night stand five years ago and how their leftover feelings confuse and distract them until the only left to do is to eliminate the competition.

The Pike

Part I. Resolutions

It was lucky that the ramshackle and tottering old house was protected by outside charms. Otherwise muggles and wizards alike would probably have heard the raucous laughter and commotion that was a natural part of any party thrown by the Weasley family. This party in particular had reached all new heights of all-around hilarity complete with rather drunken toasts. Perhaps it was the absence of their parents to a ministry function that had inspired the Weasley siblings to let loose in an even bigger way. But it was New Year's Eve after all and every year they celebrated after the death of Voldemort was to be toasted many times over.

"To Parry Hotter!" George Weasley lifted up his half-empty glass of Firewhiskey. "For his winning schmile, his schtunning good blooks and his skills in defeatin' dark wizards!"

There was a chorus of agreement and an echo of similar toasts before the occupants of the room tossed back their own. They were all highly drunk, despite Ron's wife Hermione casting several sobering charms on them all. Since Hermione'd had a few drinks of her own, perhaps her charms weren't up to their usual snuff.

The toasts had been going on for quite some time; each one had been sillier than the last. George's suddenly serious toast had the effect of a very good sobering charm and the giggles and guffaws eventually quieted down until Bill, Charlie, Fred, George, Ron, Hermione, Harry and Ginny were all sitting in quiet contemplation. It had only been five years since Harry had defeated Voldemort and the world had changed so much they scarcely knew how to catch up.

"Let's make New Year's resolutions," Hermione said suddenly.

There was a chorus of groans at the suggestion but Hermione insisted and everyone eventually grudgingly agreed. "I'll go first," she said. She bit her lip in thought for a moment and then her face brightened. "I'm going to learn how to cook for real!"

Another round of groans and a few bursts of laughter got Ron, Fred and Ginny smacked on their arms. "Damn woman," Ron groused while rubbing at his elbow. "S'not my fault you can't even boil water."

Hermione glared at him and then lifted her chin. "Well I'm going to learn. I'll ask your mother to teach me."

"She's tried before," Ginny pointed out. "The lessons didn't take."

"They will this time," Hermione said stubbornly. "That's my resolution. Who's next?"

"I'm going to get Percy back," Bill said determinedly. "He is a member of this family and even if he is a git, he will act a part of it or I'll kick the shit out of him until he does. It's killing Mum and Dad."

"Good on you," George said, slapping his elder brother on the back. "It's about time that idiot came back around. Now that Ron has Hermione he's wised up and stopped falling for our tricks."

"George," Hermione urged, quickly cutting off what was sure to be her husband's loud and violent show of protest. "What's your resolution going to be?"

George placed a theatrical hand on his chin in thought. His expression was comically serious for a few moments and then it softened. "I guess…I'd like make Angelina talk to me again. I was stupid and need to apologize. Even if she won't take me back, maybe we can be friends again." His expression twisted into a sudden look of distaste. "Yeah, friends." He said the word as if he had a bad taste in his mouth.

"It's your own fault," Ginny scolded him. "You were a complete git to her."

"I know, I know." George shoved her and she shoved him back. "What's your resolution pixie? You finally going to get back with Boy Wonder over here?"

It was a testament to how much he'd drunk that George dared to mention such a thing. Since Harry and Ginny had broken up two years ago and had made no moves towards reconciliation, the subject had been taboo around the Weasley household. Molly Weasley had been miffed to say the least with her daughter but Ginny had remained firm in the midst of intense pressure to reconcile with Harry. For his part, Harry would only state that they had grown apart and their break-up was for the best. If Ginny disagreed, she wasn't saying.

Ginny didn't even bother looking over at Harry to see if he'd heard George's remark. Instead she punched her brother in the upper arm. Hard.

"Ow! Ginny, that hurt!"

"You deserved it. Shut up about me and Harry already."

"Ginny and I are just friends," Harry said shortly.

"Yeah," Ginny agreed, glaring back at her brother. "So cut it out."

"Fine, fine," George grumped, rubbing his arm. "Sorry. Go on then, Gin. What's your resolution going to be?"

Ginny sat back in her chair and crossed her arms over her chest. Refusing to meet her brother's eyes and focusing instead on the glass her hand, she said nonchalantly, "I want to win the Pike."

The reactions to this seemingly casual statement ranged from disbelief to incredulity to shock. Hermione's eyes got wider than Ginny had ever seen and Ron's face turned bright red. It was to their credit that no one laughed. But then maybe they could see how serious she was as it was immediately obvious that she was not joking. After all, Ginny hadn't been in a joking mood for the past two years.

It was Charlie who spoke first.

"No."

Ginny rolled her eyes and prepared herself mentally to do battle. "You can't stop me."

He pushed his chair back from the table and loomed over her menacingly. "Like hell I can't. You just try it and I'll -"

"Stop!" Hermione stood up and placed herself in front of Ginny. "This isn't the way to solve anything." She turned and faced Ginny. "The Pike," she said slowly, "is the most dangerous Wizarding competition ever. Why would you want to win that?"

Ginny ran a hand through her long red tresses. "To prove that I could."

Bill slammed his fist down on the table. "It's ridiculous, Ginny! There's no way you could win that - there's no way any of us could! I know you're a hell of a curse breaker but the Pike is beyond anything you've ever experienced. People die, Ginny. Or they get lost and are never found. It's a stupid tournament that the Ministry should have shut down centuries ago."

"The Ministry does not approve the Pike," Hermione reminded him. "It's illegal. They've tried several times to find out where it's held and shut it down but the location is a well-kept secret. They've never found it."

"And they won't," Harry spoke up. "It's run by wizards who have a vested interest in hiding from the Ministry." He looked at Ginny. "Entering the Pike is suicidal at best. Even if you were to win, you'd have to do horrible things to get there. You might even have to kill your competitors. Are you ready for that?"

Ginny ignored the stupid question and instead focused on Bill. "You helped trained me yourself and you know my skills. You know how good I am."

"Modest, isn't she?" Fred spoke up for the first time.

Bill nodded at first, but then shook his head. "You are good, yes, but no one is that good. Sometimes, NO one wins the Pike. They have to declare a draw because no one can compete on that level. I'm telling you Gin, this is a bad idea."

"Besides," Charlie cut in. "The Pike is about more than breaking some curses. Its endurance and strength and a knowledge of magic that is beyond most wizards. There's no way, Gin."

Ginny stood up, her expression haughty. "Well, it's a good thing I'm not looking for your approval." She grabbed her wand and those closest to her flinched automatically. "I believe it's time for me to leave."

"Ginny," Hermione pleaded, grabbing her arm. "It's illegal! You could be killed!"

Ginny stared down at her and for just a moment, Hermione could see something so intense in her friend's eyes that she swallowed thickly and removed her hand from her arm. "Please, just think about what we've said."

"It's a goal, Hermione," Ginny said tonelessly. "I would think that you of all people would support such an endeavor."

Before anyone could draw their next breath, the youngest Weasley turned on her heel and Apparated out of the room.

Part II: News

Three years later:

Blaise Zabini appeared in the front parlor of Malfoy Manor with little fanfare. He was not completely unexpected as he and Draco had a standing engagement on Thursday evenings for cigars and brandy. In fact, he was such a frequent visitor the house elves didn't even bother to announce him anymore.

Going in search of Draco, Blaise swept off his outer cloak and folded it neatly before laying it on a nearby wing chair. His taste in clothing was rather expensive and he was meticulous with his garments as a result. He stepped out of the room and into the Great Hall. His Italian leather shoes made sharp clicks on the highly polished marble floors as he strode across the Hall to the only open doorway. Inside, he found Draco standing in front of a large fireplace. The fire reflected off of his friend's pale blond hair, turning it a shiny copper. His best, and only, childhood friend had a contemplative look on his face that worried him.

Make no mistake about it, Blaise was a bastard; and he knew this. He was a first-rate jerk and always had been. But even he knew how to enjoy life. And for the past few years, he'd watched from the shadows as Draco Malfoy had turned harder and colder than he knew was healthy. He could never be sure if it there had been one particular event that had sparked the decline or if it was a gradual change. But he hated seeing the dead look in Draco's eyes; and he hated not knowing how to stop it.

"You're late."

Blaise rolled his eyes and flopped down on the sofa behind Draco. "Hardly."

Draco said nothing but waved his wand over his shoulder and a tray with a decanter of brandy and an empty glass floated over within Blaise's reach.

The two friends sipped in silence for a few moments. Draco seemed to be in a particularly pensive mood and Blaise had no inclination to draw him out of it.

"I heard something today that might interest you," Blaise finally broke the silence. Draco did not acknowledge his statement but cocked his head as if waiting for Blaise to continue.

"Ginny Weasley has entered the Pike."

If Blaise was the type to show overt emotion, he might have gaped at Draco's reaction. The blonde's head whipped around so fast Blaise thought he might have broken something. The speed at which several expressions - shock, anger, and something else Blaise couldn't quite name - washed over his face was mind-boggling.

"What did you say?"

"I said Ginny Weasley, you know - Arthur Weasley's only daughter - has entered the Pike. Don't you remember her? Gryffindor. From Hogwart's. A year behind us at school. Red hair? Fabulous tits as I recall. And an arse that --"

"I remember," Draco said through gritted teeth. Blaise was astonished to see that he was gripping his Brandy snifter so hard that his already pale fingers were even whiter.

"Draco? What the hell? What's the big deal if Weasley has entered the Pike? I know she's supposed to be a hell of a curse breaker, but she's no match for you -"

"I don't care," Draco burst out before turning back around. "I'm just surprised is all. I can't believe Arthur Weasley would let any of his brood enter the Pike."

"From what I heard he's not all that happy about it," Blaise said honestly. "But I don't think she bothered to give him much of a choice."

"No," Draco murmured. "She wouldn't."

"Do you…know her?"

"No." Draco's answer was immediate. "Not really."

The answer was right but the way in which it was said was unsatisfactory. Blaise wasn't sure Draco was telling the truth. But then his friend often dealt in half-truths designed to throw someone off the scent.

"I apologize Blaise but I'm going to have to cut this evening short," Draco said abruptly. He turned around and set his snifter on a nearby table for the house elf to clean up later. "I've got an early meeting tomorrow and need a good night's sleep."

Blaise hid his surprise, again, and finished his glass in a swallow before smoothly standing up. "Fine. Good luck then. I'll see you later."

Draco nodded and Blaise, who knew better than anyone when he wasn't welcome, made his graceful exit and didn't bother looking back. If he'd had, he might have seen his oldest friend show the first teaspoon of emotion he'd shown in a long time.

Draco stood in front of the fire, his arms outstretched to grip the front of the mantle. His short fingernails clawed into the fine wood but he didn't feel any pain as splinters gouged themselves under the nails. He was lost in a memory he'd buried deep a long time ago. It came roaring back with such a vengeance now that instead of the fire, all he saw was the curve of a hip; soft sprays of freckles and a sheen of sweat on creamy skin. Instead of the red of the flames, he saw a different kind of red that wrapped around him and filled his head with a scent he'd never quite gotten rid of.

******

Ginny answered the incessant pounding on her front door with a scowl. She'd been getting some much needed sleep after a grueling 36-hour-long job in Peru and had been having a lovely dream about friendly dragons with silver eyes. The knocking had interrupted the best part.

"What?" she snapped irritably as she opened the door. "Bill? What the hell? You know I've just gotten back -"

"Do you have some sort of death wish?" Her eldest brother interrupted, pushing his way past her into the front hallway of her flat.

Ginny sighed and closed the door before sagging wearily against the door. "You heard?"

Bill threw his muscular arms in the air and gestured wildly. "It's all over the bank! It's all the Goblins are talking about; half of them think you're nuts, the other half are grudgingly impressed but still think you're nuts."

"Well, you can't win 'em all over," she murmured to herself, before setting the latch back on the door. "C'mon through, I'll make us some tea." She moved past him and headed for the kitchen, his irritated stomps following behind her.

"Tea? You want to make tea! You're headed for certain death and you want to make tea!"

Ginny didn't answer and instead busied herself with warming the kettle and preparing two mugs. Bill continued to rant and rave behind her; the threats ranged from telling their mother to getting the rest of their brothers to bodily restrain her until the Pike was over.

"Sugar?" she asked politely.

Bill gaped at her and, accepting his mug, slumped into the closest chair. Ginny sat down more gracefully and they each took a sip.

"You knew I wanted to enter," she said after a moment. "I've been talking about it for three years." "I wasn't sure you were ever serious," he answered glumly.

"You never bothered to ask," she replied lightly.

"Didn't want to," he said, shaking his head. "Didn't want to know."

"Well, now you know," she exhaled. "I was serious. It's just taken me this long to save enough to pay the entrance fee."

Bill took a big gulp of his tea, seeming to welcome the way it must have scalded his throat, and finally looked at her. "Why?"

She shrugged, her attention going to a scratch on the table. Her thumbnail picked at the varnish. "Something to prove, I guess."

"That's just it," he said, "What? What do you have to prove? You're smart, successful, beautiful and frankly…a bit scary sometimes."

Ginny grinned appreciatively but she felt how the smile didn't go all the way to her eyes. How could she explain it to him? How could she explain it to anyone when she didn't quite understand it herself? All she knew was that outrunning the memories was the only way to survive. A man's smirking face flashed quickly into her mind and she flinched.

Bill eyed her shrewdly.

"What?" she asked innocently.

Bill rubbed his temples like he had a headache. "Okay, I'm going to say something here and I'll probably be sorry for it but I'm your brother - it's my duty to confront you about these things."

"Confront me about what?"

Bill leaned forward and spoke earnestly. "I'm talking about that giant chip on your shoulder. You've been carrying it for a few years now, and I want to know why. You used to have so much fun - even in your job - now I get the sense that you're just hanging on. But I don't know why. Why did you change? What happened?"

Ginny finished the last of her tea and tried not to flinch again when the ghost of a hand she'd tried to forget slid down her spine. "I don't know what you're talking about. I'm still the same as I always was."

Bill shook his head and she was surprised to see that he suddenly looked sad. "No. You're different. I don't know what happened or why, but it started about five years ago, when you and Harry broke up. I know you've said that it didn't bother you, but maybe -"

"No!" Ginny said firmly. "I am not still carrying a torch for Harry. I swear, Bill; I was over him before it was even over. That's not it."

"Then what?" he insisted. "Why do you have to prove yourself all the time? Who are you trying to impress? You take the toughest jobs, the ones no one else will take; you're never around - you take unnecessary chances and risk your life nearly every day. You never let anyone get close to you anymore. Now you've entered the Pike which you know has a fatality rate of -"

"I know how many people die in the Pike," she interrupted. "I don't have a death wish, Bill. I just…" she hesitated. "I just need something to do."

Her brother, who had always seen more than she remembered to give him credit for, sat back in his chair and studied her intently. Ginny tried to hide what she was feeling, tried to banish the memories of the one night that had changed her life forever, but the memories came barreling forth like a moving train. She'd tried to outrun them for five years by distracting herself, and now she could curse Bill for bringing them back again. A sudden ache squeezed her chest and she felt the surge of emptiness and loneliness in the pit of her stomach. Her fingers clenched around her mug and she fought back the memory of silver eyes and long, white fingers.

Bill saw and noted all of these things. "You're not trying to prove anything are you?" he asked quietly. "You're trying to run away."

Ginny would neither deny nor confirm his statement. He couldn't know what had happened - no one could. So many people wouldn't understand - especially her family.

"Ginny, tell me what happened. Please. Did someone hurt you?"

She shook her head and laughed hollowly. No. What happened had been her decision. And she'd paid for her conflicting feelings about it ever since.

They sat in silence for a few moments and then: "You're not going to tell me what happened are you?"

Ginny looked up at him and laid her hand on top of his clasped ones. "I can't tell you," she said honestly. "And believe me, you don't want to know."

Bill sighed and stood up. "I'm not giving up, you know. There's got to be a way to make you give up this craziness."

She laughed then, a genuine laugh and shoved him towards the front door. "Keep trying big guy. See how far you get."

Bill stopped at the door and gathered her up in a fierce hug. "I mean it," he said. "I want to know what's going on with you and I won't leave you alone until I find a way to help."

"There's nothing to help," she whispered. "It's just something I have to deal with on my own."

He pulled back. "And life-threatening Wizarding competitions help?"

She lifted one shoulder casually. "Somewhat."

Bill nodded, kissed her forehead and with a final grimace, let himself out. Ginny watched him go and then with a sigh, trudged back to her bedroom. She hoped to return to the dream of the friendly dragon she'd been having before Bill knocked on the door; unfortunately, she dreamt of something else entirely and when she woke up again, she felt even lonelier than before.

Part III: From Cold to Hot

The directions had been less than clear but Ginny finally managed to find her way to the unauthorized Portkey that was hidden behind a Muggle shopping mall in downtown London. As unfamiliar as she was with London, she was even less familiar with the way these illegal things worked. She'd entered the Pike, over the objections of her family and anyone else who knew her, but that had been the easy part.

The rules for the Pike were that there weren't any. Pretty much anything went. Even murder, though it was officially against the rules, was not punished. Contestants had thirty days to complete a set of tasks worth a variety of points. At the end of the month, whomever had the most points won the most dangerous Wizarding competition ever designed. It was a simple enough game, except that the tasks were nearly impossible to complete and the competition was fierce. Some people trained their whole lives for the Pike. Ginny wasn't sure she had enough ruthlessness inside of her to play this game but she was determined to try. Winning the Pike would set her aside from other curse breakers and she'd be in higher demand than ever before. More importantly, it would prove to her family once and for all that she could take care of herself. Hermione would say that she had some sort of complex that made her need to prove herself. Ginny didn't care.

At precisely 11:58 p.m., the Portkey activated and Ginny found herself transported to a dark, damp place with a low torch burning on the wall. She got to her feet and looked around. It was a cave. A rather small one by the looks of it. This was where they were holding the Pike?

"We're waiting for the other Portkey to activate," a smooth and cultured voice said behind her.

A trickle of cold dread washed over Ginny as her brain registered the owner of the voice. She hadn't seen or heard from him in five years and the memory of her one brush with insanity had haunted her since. What was he doing here?

She turned around slowly, hoping to delay the moment, and then suddenly there he was. Draco Malfoy. She blinked twice, trying to make him go away. But when he gave her a familiar cold smirk she knew she wasn't having a nightmare.

"Holy shit," she murmured.

Draco raised an eyebrow at her language but made no other response. He wasn't sure he could actually. Looking at her was like reminding himself of everything he could never have: softness, warmth, light…energy so hot it burned.

"What in Circe's name are you doing here?" she blurted out.

He gave a low chuckle but there was no actual mirth in it. He didn't feel much like laughing; this competition had suddenly gotten a lot more complicated now that Ginny Weasley had actually shown up.

"I'm entering the Pike, same as you," he said smoothly. Inwardly he was impressed with the steadiness of his voice. Draco Malfoy had felt cold inside for a very long time and the warmth that was returning at the sight of her was making things a bit difficult. He frowned. He liked being cold. He liked being a bastard. Overall, the less he acknowledged his emotions, the simpler his life was.

Ginny cocked her head at him. "What? Aren't you going to tell me I have no business entering the competition? Aren't you going to tell me how awful I'll be?"

Draco shrugged casually. "It's no business of mine. Besides, I figure one less Weasley in the world is a good thing."

The corner of Ginny's mouth lifted and Draco said cursed silently in his head. She probably expected him to say such things. He hated being predictable.

"Why are you entering? Tired of murdering and pillaging?"

"Of course. Even us Death Eaters get tired of the same old-same old," he returned. "Thought I'd try this instead. Anything illegal to get by."

She nodded, still half-smiling at him.

"I'd expect to see someone like me here," Draco said, pointing at himself. "The question is," he pointed at her, "what is the precious baby of the Weasley family doing here?"

Ginny's eyes hardened into pinpoints of brown and black and a part of him that Draco ignored sighed heavily at the loss of the sparkle that had been twinkling at him. Oh well, he still had that long red hair to gaze at it. He remembered it being soft and silky and he'd wanted to spend hours wrapped up in it.

"None of your business ferret-face."

"Ferret-face?" He stepped closer, pleased when she stiffened. "Haven't we moved past that old insult?" And then, because he was apparently a glutton for punishment, he leaned down and ran his nose up the side of her neck, inhaling as he went. He whispered directly into her ear: "That's not what you called me last time we saw each other."

Ginny put a hand on his chest and shoved him away from her hard. "That was a long time ago. We can go back to ferret-face now."

"Long but unforgettable, right Weasley?"

"No," she said firmly. "In fact, I'd forgotten until this very moment."

He smiled then, a real smile because she was genuinely amusing. "Liar."

Ginny huffed and busied herself with looking for the next Portkey. She couldn't let him know he'd gotten to her. The truth was she remembered the night they'd shared all too clearly. She'd just broken up with Harry and although it had been the right thing to do she'd still been distraught about the ending of what she'd thought was to be her life destiny. Distraught enough to accept Draco's invitation to dance at the nightclub she'd escaped to - though she'd no idea why she had accepted at the time. What she had discovered was that Draco Malfoy was as much of a bastard as he had been at Hogwart's. But for some reason it hadn't been nearly as annoying as it had been back then. They'd talked and argued and fought all night and by the time dawn had rolled around she'd been more turned on than she had ever been in her entire life.

She'd thought she was crazy until he'd cut her off mid-tirade and hauled her against him for a mind-blowing kiss that hadn't stopped until they'd been horizontal in his bed with his gray eyes boring holes into her with their intensity. What followed was pretty much a blur except for those smouldering gray eyes that had anchored her throughout the most passionate experience Ginny had ever known. Harry had been no slouch in bed but Draco Malfoy had erased his memory with only one night. Ginny still remembered the stars she'd seen when she had climaxed. Every night when she went to bed, she recalled the way it'd felt as if he'd taken her to another plane of existence where she belonged only to him. The mark of his possession still hovered deep inside of her. It's what still made her recoil at the thought of anyone other wizard touching her.

She had never fooled herself into thinking there could have been a future for them. He was who he was and she was who she was. Weasleys and Malfoys did not mix and they certainly didn't sleep together and live happily ever after. But she could not help remembering how it had felt between them - how good it had been. She and Harry had broken up quite amicably because it had been obvious that something was missing. And for one night - she'd found it in the form of Draco Malfoy. Her family's greatest enemy. The memories had been chasing her for five years; she ran because she didn't know how else to handle the leftover feelings from that night.

The passion they had shared had marked her, claimed her, until even now she could feel the possessive of his gaze. It was an unhealthy obsession - obviously for both of them.

She would never, ever admit this to him. Draco Malfoy was arrogant enough. Not to mention even more achingly gorgeous than he'd been five years ago. It was amazing how even perfection could be improved.

"Lost in the memory?" He asked her snidely and startling her back to the present. He was still standing too close and she took an automatic step back, despite her body's protest at the move. The cells in her body seemed to be stretching for him and she suddenly hated every traitorous one of them.

He straightened abruptly and backed away. "The Portkey is about to activate." He picked up an obviously out of place quill from the ground and handed it to her. As the Portkey vortex took a hold of them, his eyes caught hers and held them until an icy gray was the only thing she could see.

Part IV: The Pike

Draco and Ginny left one cave for another. The new location was much larger and filled with an eerie green light that came from several balls of light that hovered over the crowd. An odd conglomerate of creatures and wizards were assembled, all awaiting instructions for this year's competition.

Ginny saw werewolves, vampires, a group of particularly surly Goblins, Veelas in their raging bird forms, and more shady looking wizards than she cared to count. Hyper-active Pixies flitted around and she wondered how Pixies could compete in such an event.

"Flint," Malfoy murmured. "Can't believe he showed up. Bastard."

"Marcus Flint?" Ginny craned her neck. "Why is he here?"

Draco gave a half-smirk, half-frown that fascinated her in its complexity and said, "He wants something that belongs to me."

She had just opened her mouth to ask what on earth he was talking about when the ugliest wizard she had ever seen stepped up on the tallest rock and sent off a loud boom from his wand.

"Welcome to the 3, 047th annual Practically International Kamikaze Event!"

"Kamikaze?" Ginny asked aloud.

"The Pike was originally started by a group of Japanese samurai who were wizards, Weasley," Draco drawled from beside her. "You entered this competition and don't even know its history? Stupid."

"Jerk-face," she hissed under breath. The insult was childish but it sure as hell made her feel better. Better she felt anger than the mind-numbing ache that was spreading throughout her chest. She hated, hated, her reaction to him.

Someone nearby shushed her and she tuned back into the ugly man who was speaking. His eyes bulged with age and his skin, which had turned a sickly shade of yellow, was covered in spots. His greasy hair hung down to his shoulders and he shouted out instructions with a fevered look and the occasional spray of spittle. The oddest thing about him, however, was that he was wearing some of the finest robes Ginny had ever seen. She supposed that he'd gotten rich off of the heavy entrance fee she and previous contestants had shelled out.

As the wizard spoke, scrolls of parchment suddenly appeared in all their hands. Ginny unrolled hers and saw that it was a list of the tasks they could choose from. Every task had a point value assigned to it; some were worth as many at 100 points; some as low as 10. The higher the point value, the higher the danger and complexity of the task. If she had any chance of winning this competition, she couldn't do any tasks lower than a 50-point value.

"The winner of this year's competition will receive the famous, and often infamous, Malachi Ruby!" The wizened wizard held up a ruby the size of a large fist. It was inset into a diamond and gold chain link necklace but that paled in comparison to the ruby itself. One of the hanging lights in the cave hit the gem just right and the occupants of the room seemed to collectively hold their breath as the jewel lit up from the inside. Ginny was spellbound along with the others at its beauty. It sparkled and shone with an inner fire that enchanted.

She was so distracted she didn't notice Draco's unusual reaction. His jaw tightened and his fists clenched. By the time she noticed his behavior, the ruby had disappeared back into the wizard's cloak. "Malfoy," she whispered. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," he said tensely. "Leave me alone."

She tsked, not really offended as she expected such rudeness from him, but she couldn't help to be curious about the reason why he was standing so stiffly. Since that night five years ago, Ginny had decided there were layers and complexities to Malfoy that she would probably never glimpse. She wasn't sure what his reasoning had been in sleeping with her; maybe like her he'd been caught up before he realised what was happening. Who knew why the bastard acted the way he did?

Shaking her head, she focused back into the wizard's speech but it wasn't really anything she didn't already know. They were bound by wizard-oath to not reveal anything about the competition to anyone else; what they were doing was highly illegal and it was each wizard or witch or other magical being for himself. The man finished in what she supposed he thought was a flourish and the contestants immediately broke into small groups again. A large hour glass appeared in the center of the room; it would count down the thirty days of competition which did not begin until the first drop of sand fell in exactly 25 minutes.

Draco turned to Ginny, his face resolute. "I won't be taking our past history into account, Weasley. Don't get in my way. I will win this competition and I'll use every dirty trick to do it. I don't care if you've been in my bed."

Ginny, who looked affronted that he would feel the need to even say such a thing to her, shot back: "What, no honor even now, Malfoy?"

Draco inhaled sharply and stalked towards her, backing her against a large stalagmite rising from the floor of the cave. "You talk to me about honor, Weasley? Where's yours? You're in this competition too. And honorable women stick around the morning after."

He closed his mouth abruptly. Draco couldn't believe he'd brought that up. It didn't bother him; hadn't bothered him. He did not ever imagine what would have happened if she had stayed after that night they'd spent in his bed. Gads, this woman made him angry. And horny. Damn her.

Ginny smiled sympathetically at him. "Still pining, Draco? Shame. Did I hurt you? The big bad Draco Malfoy? I didn't know former-Death Eaters had -"

Draco cut her off by grabbing her arm and twisting it behind her back as he yanked her against him.

"This is getting familiar," she told him wryly. "Is this the only move you've got?"

"You've seen my moves," he hissed back to her. "You just won't admit it. You've never told anyone, have you? Squeaky-clean Ginny Weasley wouldn't dare to admit to slumming with Draco Malfoy."

Ginny opened her mouth but since he didn't want to hear her agreement, he twisted her arm further and she whimpered instead.

"Listen to me and listen to me good, Weasley," he said in a low voice. "Get out and get out now. This is no place for a girl like you. I won't protect you - no one here will. They'll kill you or worse if you stand in their way. Go back home to your cozy little home. I'm sure Potter is waiting for you."

Her eyes flashed angrily at him and before he knew it, she had twisted and flipped him over her shoulder. Draco landed flat on his back staring up at the cave ceiling with Ginny grinning down at him, one booted foot pressed into the center of his chest.

"I think it's you'd that better watch out, Draco," she said, leaning over him. His eyes flitted down to the cleavage she'd just presented him with and back up to her face. When she saw where he'd been looking, she smirked and leaned over even further, giving him a clear view. "This is no place for little boys," she whispered into his ear. "Or even little men." She stood up, removed her rather shapely leg from his chest and with a little wave over her shoulder, disappeared into the crowd.

"Damn," he cursed aloud.

"Quite a witch you got there," a dark-skinned wizard with a Spanish accent said admiringly from behind him.

Draco groaned and got to his feet. "She's not my witch," he ground out, brushing the dirt off his robes.

But the raging erection he was now sporting was a clear testament to his lie.

Part V: Task #37 - Pluck a feather from the tail of an Augurey (50 Points)

Draco Malfoy lived by a few simple rules he'd learned the hard way were the only way to survive: Always win, never make promises, and never, ever, tell anyone that he'd slept with Ginny Weasley five years ago. The single experience had ruined him for all other women. It was his greatest secret (including the many things his father made sure he knew while he'd been in service to the Dark Lord) that he had not had sex in five years. It certainly hadn't been for lack of trying, but even now the thought of another woman's…assets…didn't do much for him.

Draco knew his friend Blaise was concerned about him. He'd mention it every now and then, how he thought Draco needed to lighten up and get a girlfriend or stop working so hard. But what was there to do besides work and make more money than he knew what to do with? He couldn't fuck; he barely slept and every day he struggled to reconcile his past with his present. Since his father's disastrous association with the Dark Lord, the Malfoy name had fallen out of favor. Draco would do anything to see it restored to its former power. Because when he got right down to it, being a Malfoy was the only thing he knew how to do. It was the only thing that was important to him. And so he worked day and night to make disgustingly respectable deals and nauseatingly schmoozed with the right sorts of people.

It was a pretty good plan and it had been going pretty well until that night with Ginny Weasley. One night of mind-blowing ecstasy had shown him what the other half lived like - the people who lived because it was fun, who did things that made them genuinely happy and who made the most of every day. One night with Ginny had shown him there was genuine light and warmth in the world and that she had enough for both of them. He didn't care that they'd been half-drunk or that they'd spent the entire night disagreeing. He preferred to think of the arguing as foreplay because by the time dawn had rolled around, he'd been hard enough to rip through his slacks. Ginny in a snit was the sexiest thing he'd ever seen. He had started saying things just to tick her off and watch as the flush from her anger darkened her skin and the flames in her eyes jumped with each breath. It had been…unbelievable.

So when he'd woken up the next morning with the tentative idea that perhaps he could learn to enjoy something about life and then discovered that Ginny had disappeared from his bed, he had felt something inside of him shut down and retreat to the shadows. He had known instinctively that she felt they had made a mistake.

Now, he lived for his work and the Malfoy name. It was what he did. It was who he was.

Except now, seeing her again, reminded him of the way she had felt in his arms, and the way she had taken all that was dark inside of him and warmed it until it felt more like a blanket than a burden. He hated her for that and he hated even more that he was once again intrigued by the long flowing red hair that hung down her shapely back as he imagined wrapping it around his fist while she -

"Stop it," he muttered to himself. He looked down in disgust at his traitorous cock which was already swelling at the turn his thoughts had taken. It wouldn't get hard for other women except the ONE woman it couldn't have; proving that it did indeed have a mind of its own.

"Well, you can't have her," he grumped to his crotch. It only twitched in response and Draco turned his attention to the witch in question who was currently stalking the Augurey nest on top of an extremely tall tree in the deep darkness of a forest in Ireland.

The Augurey, or the "Irish Phoenix" wasn't necessarily a dangerous bird but this task was worth so many points because actually finding one was so rare. Draco had been searching for three days before he'd had to swallow his pride and ask that ridiculous gamekeeper at Hogwart's about helping him find this one. His own feather had already been sent off to the Coalition in charge of the Pike and he'd been preparing to leave when he'd heard the soft sound of Apparition nearby.

When he had seen it was Ginny, he had been impressed in spite of himself. Now he watched from behind a tree as her exceptionally fine backside slid smoothly into position on a branch. He was tempted, so tempted, to do something that would scare the Augurey away. Then she would lose the 50 points and he'd be ahead. But something stopped him. Maybe it was because he knew the way her mouth fell open when she was nearing a climax; maybe it was because he remembered the taste of the sweat on her skin after sex; or maybe it was because he suspected he knew why she had entered this contest and could hardly blame her for wanting to compete.

He certainly hoped it wasn't because he was going soft.

There was a sudden flurry of movement, a loud screeching protest from the bird, several curses from Ginny and then she emerged, dirty and scratched but triumphant. She held the feather aloft and shouted with enthusiasm and Draco felt something inside of him give a little as he was the only witness to her joy and the smile of exultation on her face. He shifted and his clothing made a rustling noise as it rubbed against the bark. Ginny froze and looked at his direction, her fingers reaching for the wand that was strapped at her hip.

"Relax, Weasley," he drawled, coming out from behind the tree, "it's only me."

"Only you," she spat, her hand still wrapping around the handle of her wand. "Are you following me?"

He shrugged. "Wouldn't be against the rules if I was." She glared at him and he laughed. "But no, I'm not. Just so happens I've already sent my feather off. I was waiting to see if you could do it."

She shot him a look and then took out her scroll of tasks. Spreading it out on the forest floor, she laid the feather on top of it and said the spell that would send it back to the event organizers. After it disappeared, she straightened up and said, "I'm surprised you didn't sabotage me."

"I did think about it," Draco admitted freely. "But then I got distracted by the sight of your arse in those leather pants." Which was actually true.

She frowned at him and rolled the scroll up before shoving it back into a knapsack that was slung diagonally across her body and fastened securely to her waist and shoulder. Smoothing her hair back into a fresh ponytail, she pointedly ignored him and started heading for the same clearing Draco had used earlier as an Apparation point.

He fell into easy step next to her, shortening his strides to match hers. "Where are you headed to next?"

Ginny stopped and stared at him incredulously. "You think I'm going to tell you? We're competitors, Malfoy. I'm not going to explain my strategy to you!"

He nodded thoughtfully. "Fair enough." He continued staring at her though, fascinated at the way the sunlight shone through the trees and dappled in shining spots on her flaming hair.

"What," she asked, swiping at her cheek and chin. "Do I have something on my face?" She rubbed her nose. "What are you staring at?"

"I'm just remembering what you look like naked." Which was again, not a lie.

For a moment it looked like she would deck him but then dismissed him and strode past him at a faster pace. Draco knew that what he was about to do was really, really, really stupid. Possibly the worst decision he had ever made in his entire life. But he simply could not stop himself. He had to know.

He took a few quick sprints and caught up with her. Yanking on her arm to get her to stop, he swung her around and pulled her against him while simultaneously backing her into the closest tree trunk.

"What are you - stop it!"

"Shut up, Weasley," he answered irritably and cut off the rest of the protests with his mouth. The instant his lips touched hers, a spark jumped from her to him and traveled through his body until his cock was swollen, his blood was singing and his head was spinning. He breathed shallowly through his nose, pressing her harder into the tree until he was plastered against her front. His mouth assaulted her softer, more pliant one and his tongue swept inside to coax hers to come out and play.

As if she had a choice. Ginny could not stop herself from slowly melting into him and wrapping her arms around his neck to lift up on tiptoes so that she could press her mouth against his harder. Dimly, a part of her brain registered that he still tasted the same - smooth, cool peppermint. Draco's hands slid down to grip her buttocks and he lifted her even higher so that she had no choice but to wrap her legs around his waist while he continued plundering her mouth. His arousal nestled comfortably between her thighs while his tongue plunged and then retreated and then tangled with hers and withdrew completely until he was sucking only on her bottom lip. She whimpered at the teasing and he chuckled darkly in his throat before angling his head to give her what she wanted. Her hands traced muscles they had never forgotten about and found some new ones they longed to discover.

Draco, who'd let his hate for Ginny Weasley and all she represented build up for a long time, poured every ounce of it into the kiss. He hated the way she made him weak; the way she made him need to touch her. He hated that he'd never quite forgotten her or the way she'd just left as if he, Draco Malfoy, wasn't worth sticking around for. He hated that he'd let just one night with a Weasley affect him for so long…hated her long red hair, and the way she laughed with her whole body instead of a dignified chuckle like his mother had once perfected. He hated that he couldn't let her go without kissing her…hated that she'd entered this damned tournament…and he hated how he was afraid that he didn't really hate her at all.

With a snarl and a superhuman effort, Draco set her back on the ground before pushing himself off of her and taking two steps back. Ginny stayed, slumped against the tree trunk. They were both gasping for breath and her eyes were glazed over. Draco didn't want to think about what he looked like. That he was aroused was more than obvious.

"Why?" she asked breathlessly. "Why did you do that?"

It took every ounce of cool he'd ever had to shrug casually and try to pretend that he was less affected by the kiss than she. "I just wanted to see if you tasted the same."

"Why?"

Draco didn't really have an answer, at least one he didn't feel like exploring further. So he remained silent, watching as she gathered her hair back into its long ponytail. When had he undone that?

Ginny straightened and gathered her knapsack from the ground - something else Draco had no recollection of untying - and sighed. "Do you ever…I mean have you ever thought about -"

"Spit it out, Weasley."

"Do you think about that night? Have you ever wondered what would have happened if I'd stayed the next morning?" She blurted the question out like she couldn't wait to be rid of it.

It was a testament to how un-scared Ginny must be of him if she had the guts to ask such a question. No women he'd ever spent the night with ever bothered to pretend it had meant anything to him other than a quick fuck.

"No," he said flatly. "I don't. If you hadn't left, I would have made you go. You did us both a favor, Weasley."

He wasn't sure what he'd hoped for but it wasn't the thoughtful nod or the quick tilt of her head like she was trying to figure him out.

"Hmm…"

"What," he snapped. "Why do you ask a question if don't like the answer."

She busied herself with tightening the straps on her pack. "I didn't say I didn't like the answer," she informed him. "I expected that answer actually. What I'm wondering now is why you think I'm stupid enough to fall for that shite."

Ginny stepped closer and wrapped her hand around the arousal still tenting his trousers. "This," she said, her hand squeezing his cock through his Muggle jeans, "isn't for that Augurey."

With a smirk, she patted him…patted him…,turned on her heel and Apparated away. Draco found he was glad she'd left because the expression of shock on his face was most unbecoming of a Malfoy.

Part VI: Task #12 - Steal a Chimaera's Egg (100 points)

It figured that the sort of people who'd run a contest like the Pike would also want something that had been classified as a Grade A Non-Tradeable goods by most wizarding governments in the world. Ginny scowled as she rolled up her scroll of tasks and shoved it back into her knapsack. She didn't know why she kept choosing tasks that forced her to face dangerous magical creatures; although to be fair, a large number of tasks were devoted to stealing things from animals. She wondered if they were making some sort of horrible potion and shuddered to think what kind of potion could be made from a Chimaera's egg and the feather of an Augurey.

Even though it had taken her three days to find one, the Augurey had been a walk in the park compared to a Chimaera. They were known for being particularly ferocious and highly dangerous with the head of a lion, the body of a goat and the tail of dragon. One who was guarding eggs would be nearly impossible to get past. Ginny sighed and set off across the field she'd Apparated into. It just so happened that she knew exactly where a herd of Chimaeras lived. She'd worked on an ancient Greek temple not too far from here last year and the curses laid by the ancient Grecian priests had been only half of the problem - the other half had been the herd of wild Chimaeras that kept creeping up on them.

Ginny had decided to approach the site during the day when the Chimaeras would be sleeping. She climbed the ruins on the west side of the temple and stashed her pack underneath some rocks before grabbing her omnioculars and going to find the herd. The Greek Ministry of Magic had protected the whole area with wizarding charms so the Muggles couldn't see it, but the animals were still confined to a large wildlife preserve. She headed west and it wasn't too long before she found several sunning themselves near a small lake.

Ginny laid flat in the brush and raised the omnioculars to her eyes. She laid there for over an hour watching the Chimaeras. It was quiet and peaceful and she felt herself relaxing for the first time in a week.

Which was probably exactly how he snuck up on her.

"What do you see?" A voice suddenly whispered in her ear.

Ginny yelped and dropped the omnioculars before twisting around to see a smirking Draco Malfoy on all fours, crouched over her. His eyes were glittering and icy gray and she shivered, remembering the way he'd practically thrown her against a tree two days ago and kissed her silly. She wasn't stupid, she knew he desired her…what she couldn't figure out was why. They were supposed to hate each other. She certainly hated him.

She ignored the flip in her stomach when she remembered the feel of his mouth against hers.

"What are you doing here," she hissed.

He smirked. "Following you."

She spluttered. "Why?"

He raised a perfectly shaped eyebrow at her. "You want to win, Weasley, you go for the big points. It wasn't hard to figure out what you'd do next." He scooted in next to her and lay down on his stomach. "Give me your glasses. I want to watch."

"I'm not helping you," she said outraged. "Get your own!"

He sighed. "Fine," and reached into coat pocket to retrieve a small pair of omnioculars that were by all appearances brand new and were probably the most expensive pair on the market.

"Git," she grumped and twisted back around on her stomach. They lay side by side, watching the herd. It was silent except for the occasional sounds from the animals. Ginny didn't bother to examine why she was so comfortable with Draco Malfoy right next to her but then she supposed that when someone made you scream intelligible sounds during orgasm they lost a bit of the scariness.

She snorted suddenly and clamped a hand over mouth to keep in the giggle. Draco's eyes narrowed as he turned to look at her. "What's so funny?" he hissed.

She shook her head. "You…me. Look at us. Whoever would have thought a Malfoy and a Weasley would be lying together in a pile of dirt watching a bunch of Chimaeras."

"Shut up, Weasley," he said, turning back to the animals. "We're competitors, not bosom buddies."

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Yeah right, Malfoy. Admit it, you like me. You followed me because I'm not scared of you and you're intrigued by me."

If it was possible for him to scowl anymore, Ginny didn't know how he'd manage it.

"Relax, Malfoy, s'not like we're getting married or anything."

Draco continued to ignore her. Ginny shrugged and went back to Chimaera watching. There were at least three spots she thought might have nests. Chimaera buried their nests partially in the ground and then laid on top of them. Getting one wouldn't be easy.

"It's too late to get one now," she mused aloud. "The sun is setting. We'll have to wait until tomorrow morning."

"We?"

She shot him a look out of the corner of her eye. "Going somewhere?"

"Well…" he shrugged. "Can't stay here…"

"Why not?"

Draco looked at her like she was stupid. "Because were competing against each other. We can't spend the night under the stars together like it's some sort of friendly camp out."

Ginny sighed and got to her hands and knees, prepared to crawl out of her space and back to a safe distance from the Chimaeras. "Fine. See you around then."

She crouched and moved swiftly back to the ruins where she'd stashed her pack. Looking over her shoulder, she noticed that Malfoy had followed in spite of his earlier statement. She hefted the pack over her shoulder and, looking around at the options, decided to make camp inside one of the ruins that still had the semblance of a ceiling. Malfoy apparently had the same idea and he followed her, his face set in a grimace. He ducked underneath the low archway and Ginny couldn't help but admire the way the muscles in his back flexed as he climbed over some stone blocks in the way.

As she made her camp, Ginny mulled over the kiss he'd given her in the forest in Ireland. So many things about it had been unexpected, not the least of which was her reaction. She'd melted like butter and clung to him like some sort of helpless female. She was only mollified by the fact that he'd been just as bad off. After all, he was the one who had kissed her first.

No matter how much she tried to tell herself that she hated him, it was pretty obvious that she at least desired him. This was nothing new as the memory of the one night they'd spent together had haunted her for five years. And that fact that she hadn't really had any desire to be with anyone else in that long of time had to mean something.

"Why does he have to be such a bastard, though," she muttered to herself as she unpacked the essentials she'd need for the night.

If Ginny had known that she could be in such close proximity to Draco and not melt into a big puddle on the floor, she might not have made such an effort to avoid him the past five years. Instead, she traipsed all over the globe hoping to get rid of his memory in what was probably the most spectacular failure of her life. She didn't know why fate had suddenly thrown them together but she could neither deny her reaction to him nor that he was possibly the worst choice she could ever make for a relationship.

And still that kiss lingered in her mind. It had awakened parts of her that had long lain dormant. She admittedly wanted more. Lots more. She was just a big walking pile of contradictions today.

"Is that all you've got?"

She looked over her shoulder and frowned. "What do you mean?"

He gestured to her sleeping bag. "Don't you have a tent? Some sort of shelter?"

"No. Why would I need one? It's a beautiful night."

It was his turn to frown. "What if rains?"

She shrugged. "I'll use a weather proofing charm. What's the big deal?"

He sighed and looked back at his own state-of-the-art tent that was probably a lot bigger on the inside than it looked on the outside. "I'm sure I'll regret this," he muttered, turning back to her, "but there's plenty of room in my tent, you can stay inside if you want."

Ginny lifted one eyebrow. It was a tempting thought, especially since there was a bit of breeze this high up on the ruins. But being that close to him…all night…nope…not the best idea.

"That probably ranks right up there as the worst idea you've ever had," she said bluntly. "And considering that mark on your arm, that's saying something."

He scowled at her, not even looking at the mark to which she'd referred. "Fine. Be stubborn. I'm just trying to be nice."

The other eyebrow went up. "Really?"

"Yes, really," he bristled. "I can be nice you know."

"And you have no ulterior motive in getting me to stay in your tent with you?"

The look in his eyes darkened and his nostrils flared slightly. "I don't need ulterior motives. If I wanted you in my bed, I'd have you."

She laughed. "Your earlier actions seem to indicate otherwise."

"That was just a kiss, Weasley. Don't let it go to your head."

"A lot can happen just from a kiss, Malfoy," she reminded him. And then suddenly the desire was back; flaring between them like a spark on a match. The air was charged and the intensity of the past seemed to sweep through the area. She shivered and was gratified to see his fists clenching - a sign she wasn't the only one affected.

"Fine," he suddenly snapped. "Suit yourself." He stalked back to his tent on the other side of the clearing.

"He is the competition, he's competition," Ginny chanted over and over to herself as she continued laying out her bedroll and gathering supplies for supper. They were seriously crossing the lines here.

Later, over a mutual bonfire they'd silently agreed to share, Ginny watched the flames play over his pale skin. Draco's head was propped up on a nearby rock, his feet stretched out before him towards the fire. He made even a casual lazing look elegant.

"Stop staring at me, Weasley," he murmured without looking at her.

"My name is Ginny," she replied automatically.

"So?" he smirked at the fire. "You don't call me by my name either."

"True," she conceded. "It's too familiar, somehow."

His smirk widened. "You really are scared of me, aren't you?"

She shook her head. "Not really. Not of you."

"Yourself, then," he stated with confidence. "You're scared of your reaction to me."

"Yes." There was no point in denying it. Especially since she suspected he was scared of exactly the same thing.

"In fact," he continued. "You've been running from me for the last five years. You've pulled some pretty crazy stunts. I've kept tabs, you know."

"Don't look so surprised," he said at her reaction. "You think I'm immune to the memories? You think that night meant nothing to me?"

She hated the honest mood he was in. She was not prepared to have this conversation. "I never knew what you thought," she said frankly.

"And you didn't care," he finished bitterly. "Yeah, I get it. I'm too evil or some shit."

"You're a Death Eater," she pointed out. "That pretty much sums it up for me."

"Was a Death Eater," he corrected. "That sonofabitch is gone. And don't talk about things you know nothing about, Weasley. You've no idea what its like to be me."

Ginny closed her eyes, already regretting her next question. "So, um…did that night mean something to you?" Because I can't seem to forget it, she finished silently.

Draco was silent and she held her breath, waiting for his answer. "It meant something," he admitted slowly. "But I'm not going to pretend that anything would have been different if you had stuck around the next morning. It was a one-night-stand, that's it. That's all it will ever be."

She nodded and swallowed hard. She knew he was right, but hearing the words coming out of his mouth was more difficult than she'd thought.

"Why are you here?" she changed the subject abruptly. "Why are you competing?"

He shot a glance at her and then looked back at the fire. "The necklace," he said shortly. "It belongs to the Malfoy family and has for centuries. The Dark Lord sold it off years ago to pay for his precious war. It was the oldest heirloom we had and I would see it returned to my family. To Malfoy Manor."

Ginny was surprised. "That's it? You're doing it for the ruby?"

"It's more than a ruby," he said icily. "It's a symbol of my family's wealth and power and has been for generations. Voldemort sold a lot of our possessions during the war and I've been trying to get them back. This is the last piece I've managed to track down."

"Why not just buy it back?"

"I've tried that," he answered. "They won't sell. This is the only way to get it. It's my heritage, Weasley. Surely even you can understand that."

She speculated. "I guess," she said, finally. "But I've always thought of heritage as something that came from inside you. In the way you lived your life."

"Typical reaction from a sappy Gryffindor," he scoffed. "My heritage is my family's possessions. In our power. If I'm ever to restore my family's name, I'll need the ruby."

"I didn't know you cared about restoring your family's name."

"You don't know a lot of things about me."

She sighed, tired of the banter between them and stood up. "I'm going to turn in. See you in the morning."

Draco nodded and she brushed off the dirt from her backside before turning around.

"Oh," she stopped suddenly and turned back to face him. "Draco," she began softly. He looked up at her, his face blank; she hated to see that dead look in his eyes when she remembered them filled with such life.

"...whatever it was, you know, five years ago, it was pretty damned spectacular."

He gave a ghost of a smile and nodded in agreement. "Yes. It was."

Ginny went to bed, content that they'd made the first moves towards peace about what happened between them.

Draco went to bed frustrated at himself and his erection. Again.

******

A loud clap of thunder awoke Draco but that was okay because he hadn't been sleeping very well anyway. Not with Ginny Weasley less than 15 feet away. His reaction to her was completely without reason.

Thinking of Ginny reminded him that it was now raining and she was without shelter. Cursing himself and this sappy streak he seemed to have discovered for her, he got out of bed and flipped open the flap to his tent.

"Weasley," he called irritably. "Get in here!"

It took a few minutes but she finally appeared in the entrance, her cheeks red with cold and her hair in a tangled wet mess. Her feet were muddy. "It's really okay," she told him between chattering teeth. "I'm fine behind the charms."

"No, you're not," he snapped at her. "Don't be so stupid and get inside." He stepped back and allowed her to enter before setting his own weatherproofing charms and special wards at the entrance. The tent was supposed to come furnished with such things but one could never be too careful.

Ginny looked around, surprised at the small size of the tent, and only seeing the one pallet he'd made on the floor, asked, "Where should I sleep?'

Draco bit his tongue to keep from answering with a lewd comment and crawled back under his covers. "You can sleep here," he said shortly. "Just don't get too close."

She bit her lip but crawled in after him and he tried valiantly not to notice how the cold rain had hardened her nipples underneath her tank top. In mutual accord, they turned their backs to each other. Draco pulled the blankets up to his chin and tried to forget she was in the same bed with him.

"Why are you being so nice to me?" she suddenly asked. The question was asked softly and with confusion.

"I've no idea," he said, only being half-honest. "I find myself doing a lot of things around you that I wouldn't do around normal people."

He felt her shift around to face his back. "Like what?"

Draco tsked impatiently, anxious to get back to sleep, but rolled on his back and stared up at the ceiling of the tent. He wasn't about to explain to her how he hadn't fucked in five years because he couldn't get through the motions with another woman without feeling ill. And he certainly wasn't going to discuss his dreams with her. She couldn't know that she was his only weakness; the one that he'd never been able to rid himself of.

"Like sharing this bloody tent with you," he finally answered her. "And not sabotaging your attempt to get that tail feather the other day. And lying in the fucking bushes with you while we make plans to each steal a Chimera egg. If you were anyone else, I'd have dueled you and sent you away so you couldn't get the egg."

He turned his head on the pillow to look at her and instantly knew it was a mistake. Her big brown eyes were almost luminous in the darkness and her pale skin was like a beacon.

She reached out with one finger to trace his features and his cock hardened further at the softness of her touch. The soft pads of her fingers traced over his jaw line and up his cheekbone where they traced his eyebrows and down the bridge of his nose.

"Don't," he ground out. "Don't touch me."

"I dream of you," she whispered. "Almost every night. And you are still more beautiful in person than in my dreams."

"Stop saying that," he snapped. "This isn't a romance, Weasley. We aren't going to live happily ever after."

"I know," she shook her head, taking her hand away. "I know! It's crazy - even the thought of it…"

She fell silent and Draco wished that he could read her mind to see what she was thinking. Could she sense how much he wanted to throw her on her back and plunge into the softness he could never forget?

"But you know," she said slowly, startling him from his vision. "If you weren't a Malfoy and I wasn't a Weasley…I think I would want to try."

Her words stunned him. "Even with this on my arm?" He lifted up his forearm that held the Dark Mark. Ginny stared at it, her eyes frightened. Draco wondered what she saw when she looked at it. He doubted that she saw the lack of choices it represented. Or the darkness that still swirled around it. It was a darkness he would never be rid of.

"I don't know." Her expression was troubled as she looked at him. "But it calls to me, and that scares me." She finished in a whisper.

"What does it say?" He asked quietly.

"It…it wants me to touch it. To soothe it. To take away its pain."

"Can you do that?"

She shook her head. "I don't know. I don't think so. I don't see how."

Draco didn't either but her words had touched something inside of him and even though he knew he'd be disgusted with himself later, he couldn't stop himself from throwing back the blankets, rolling over on top of her, pressing his chest against hers and covering her mouth with his own.

She gave a whimper that he interpreted as positive and he didn't waste time trying to ply her with soft, searching kisses. It was an angry kiss, full of everything he hated feeling for her, and once again, she took it all and gave only goodness back to him. He suspected that if he let her, she take everything he had and make it light.

Their mouths fused together as he stroked her tongue with his own. He tried to force his hands to remain still but he was powerless against them as one of them fisted in her hair and the other snaked around to the small of her back and lifted her waist to press against him.

He paused for breath and she had just enough time to gasp, "Draco! Please…" before he continued his assault, forcing her back into the pallet until she could not move unless he relented. Her nails dug into his shoulders and one knee came up alongside his hips. He was amazed that she wanted him closer and he lowered his hips into the vee she'd made with her thighs. He groaned as he ground against her, letting her feel the erection he'd been sporting since he saw in her that damn cave. She whimpered again as she moved with him, her hips coming up to thrust against him in a way that made his eyes roll back into his head.

Draco shifted his weight until he was lying completely on top of her. The movement allowed her to bring her other knee up and soon they were moving against each other in a way that made him wish their clothing did not separate them. She mumbled something against his lips and he lifted his head to look down at her.

Her eyes were wide and glazed over with passion, her lips - full and red now that he'd kissed them to death - were trembling and tension lined her face.

"This is a bad idea," she whispered breathlessly. She continued to move against him though and the last word of her statement went up an octave as she groaned it out.

"I know." He thrust against her again and marveled at how close he was to spilling in his pants.

"We should stop."

"We will."

"We will?"

"Yes." In what was a supreme effort, he stilled his hips, causing her to cry out in protest.

"Why?" She panted underneath him, her pelvis straining to move against him.

"Because I'm probably going to steal your Chimera egg in the morning after you get it."

That stopped her and the look in her eyes went from passionate to anger in an instant.

"What?"

"You heard me. This is a competition, Weasley. I can't keep giving you freebies."

"Why you -"

"Wait," he bent down and kissed her again over her very vocal protests. "I need to tell you something else."

"What now?" she asked skeptically. "You're going to decapitate me in my sleep?"

"Don't be ridiculous," Draco said impatiently. "No, listen."

He kissed her again, because he couldn't help himself and then nibbled kisses along her jaw and towards her ear, where he whispered, "You've been honest with me and so I'll return the favor and tell you my biggest secret: I'm dead without you. That one night with you made me feel more alive than I've ever felt before and I've been dead since you left. I was dead before you and I was dead after you."

"Draco, that's -"

"The truth," he interrupted, lifting his head again. "It's the bloody truth, Ginny. I wish you'd never entered this damned contest, wish I'd never seen you again, because it's a hell of a lot easier not reminding myself how you make me feel."

"I didn't know," she said in a small voice. "Please, let's just -"

"No. We're done here." He got off of her and scooted back until his back was against the tent wall. "I told you. We can't keep doing this. From now on, we're strictly competitors."

She sat up and watched him with tortured eyes before nodding and pulling the blankets back around her.

"Don't look at me like that. You know we can't do this. We're not star-crossed lovers. We're just two people who turn each other on."

Ginny opened her mouth, perhaps to protest, but then thought better of it and closed it. She nodded again and lay back down, carefully scooting over to put more distance between them before turning her back to him.

Draco lay back down, now wide-awake, but determined to get through the night. Eventually, Ginny's soft breathing indicated she was asleep and he let himself relax a bit until his eyes grew tired and he rested.

Part VII: Task #89 - Retrieve a branch from the Flowering Devil's Snare on top of Mt. Webekuk (100 points)

The Flowering Devil's Snare was so named because it was the only Devil's Snare plant that actually flowered. Herbologists assumed this was because it was the first Devil's Snare plant ever and all subsequent plants found throughout the world had come from a single cutting of the original. The flowering made it look prettier but it was twice as deadly; perhaps because the meanness had not yet been bred out.

Ginny cursed all of this and Draco Malfoy's name as she climbed the first of ten cliffs to the top of the mountain. In the past 15 days, she'd survived volcanoes, floods, a few deadly Goblins, and a brush with some werewolves that still gave her nightmares. But if it hadn't been for Draco Malfoy stealing her Chimera egg - as he had fully promised to do - she might not have had to do this death-defying climb to the top of the tallest mountain in the world. Mt. Webekuk was even taller than the Muggles knew. Wizarding charms protected the top 50 feet from Muggles because of the dangerous plant life - namely the Flowering Devil's Snare.

This was the second-to-last task Ginny had decided to do and it was more dangerous than anything she'd attempted so far. She focused her attention on finding footholds and places to grip. She'd cast warming charms and a featherweight charm on herself and her wizarding climbing equipment was charmed to not break and to be extra secure. Soon she'd have to cast a bubble-head charm on herself because the air was too thin to breathe.

She worked steadily past the first few cliffs and then took a rest after the fifth. She sat on the edge of the cliff, her legs dangling off the edge while she caught her breath. She wondered if she was doing this the hard way and then decided that no broom or other flying device would be able to make it with the headwind. It wasn't the first time she'd climbed a mountain, but it was the first time she'd been so high.

By the time she reached the last cliff, Ginny was disturbed by the buzzing in her ears. The bubble-head charm kept her breathing but she was still light-headed. She collapsed on top of the mountain, her muscles aching, her lungs crying out for more air. She breathed as shallowly as she could.

Once she had rested, she got to her feet and stumbled until she got her footing. The top of the mountain was anything but flat and she had to plant her feet at an angle to keep upright. Looking around, she spotted a small cave that she recognized from the books she'd read about the Flowering Devil's Snare. Pulling out her wand and whispering "Lumos" under her breath, she moved closer.

The light on her wand grew as she got closer to the entrance of the cave. She couldn't see anything but darkness past the rock line and taking a deep breath, climbed the few feet left.

The earth dropped down as soon as she stepped into the cave and the subsequent fall caused her light to go out. Immediately she felt a snaking tendril wind itself around her foot and begin to drag her backwards.

As she scrambled around for her wand, another heavy vine crawled up her leg until it gripped her thigh. She cursed under her breath and continued feeling around for her wand, determined not to die in this dark cave where no one would ever find her.

With a desperate shout, her fingers closed on the handle of her wand and she shouted the lighting spell with a roar. Light filled the cave but the Devil's Snare vines still gripped her with surprising ferocity, although they had stopped moving.

"Get off me you slimy plant," she pounded at the vines with her fist until they loosened and snapped back into the nest of the plant, the edge of which she could barely see.

Ginny got to her feet and bravely moved forward, holding her wand before her like sword. The plant moved only a little but at least it made no aggressive moves towards her. It was actually quite beautiful - the dark blue, almost black, vines curled in and around themselves and at some point were so thick they were the size of her thigh. The flowers that bloomed here and there were the most unusual shade of purple.

Ginny knelt by the closest flowering branch and pulled out her knife. It took her almost an hour to saw through the thick hide of the plant. The core of the bush groaned and shuddered as she cut and she'd had to fight off several attempts to pull her away. Finally, sweating and covered in dirt, she emerged from the cave, bubble-head charm still intact.

Ginny ran for the climbing line she'd left on the edge. She was anxious to leave the claustrophobia feeling the cave had given her and get back down to where she had stashed her pack. The branch she'd cut off the Devil's Snare wound itself around her arm, squeezing it tight and she left it there while she hooked herself back into the climbing harness.

Ginny was descending at a rapid pace and had reached the last cliff when the first Stunning spell slammed into the rock just beside her left ear. She pushed off the rock and whirled around, looking for the source while feeling for the wand in her waistband.

A scary looking wizard with purple hair was pointing his wand at her far on the left side of the mountain. He looked to be climbing the mountain while she was descending. Perhaps he'd seen her success and was looking to capitalize.

"At least it's not Draco this time," Ginny muttered under her breath. She pushed away thoughts of the blonde wizard and sent a stunner back before sliding the wand back into her waistband. The shot missed and she figured her best chance was to descend at a pace the other wizard couldn't keep up with.

She moved quickly, letting her line out faster than she normally would. Descending at such speed wasn't good for her lungs but she was like a sitting duck here on the side of the cliff face. The other wizard reversed directions, heading for her with a murderous grin on his face.

Ginny reached the final plateau where she had stashed her pack and quickly unhooked the harness from around her waist. Another spell shot went over her head and she ducked underneath the rock overhang, tugging at the hooks on her line.

"Ginny!"

Her head whipped up at the sound of her name and she was surprised to see Draco standing over by her campsite.

"Behind you!" Draco pointed upwards and she barely had time to hit the rocky ground before a suspicious looking green spell whizzed past her.

Unfortunately, she hit the ground with too much force and she slid down the gentle incline, heading for the cliff's edge. Panicking, she put out her hands to stop the slide but she couldn't get enough friction to stop her movement.

She heard Draco shout out an angry curse behind her and then another desperate yell when he turned towards her and saw her plight.

"Draco!" she screamed as she headed for the edge feet-first, her hands and feet scrambling to grab onto something.

Draco ran towards her but she knew with a sudden horror that he would not reach her in time.

"Draco," she whispered, her eyes meeting his panicked ones. Her feet went over the cliff as he gave one last lunge for her outstretched hands.

Ginny's hand flailed about for the edge of the rock and then suddenly Draco's hand was there, gripping hers with surprising strength, pulling her up short from the fall she'd nearly completed. She dangled in the air off the mountain; Draco's strength the only thing that kept her from plunging to her death.

"Don't look down," he instructed through his clenched jaw. "Look at me."

Ginny couldn't help it and she looked down. The sight of her feet dangling above the clouds made her feel woozy and she rolled her head back up to look at Draco.

Sweat was dripping down his face and his muscles bulged with the tension of holding her. His eyes were wild and panicked but the focus of his attention was completely on the grip he had on her hand. "Stupid witch," he ground out. "I told you not to look down."

Draco's feet lost their hold momentarily and he slipped a few inches down the gravelly incline. Ginny dropped too but he managed to maintain his hold on her. "It's okay, it's okay," he chanted, more to reassure himself than her, "I've still got you."

Their wands were both lying on the ground so Draco knew he couldn't use magic to get her up. "I'm going to pull you up," he warned. "You'll have to help so I don't slip and fall."

She nodded, scared speechless, but she swung her other hand up to grip his wrist and braced her feet against the side of the mountain. Slowly Draco moved backwards, using his feet and knees to keep himself from slipping again. When he'd moved back far enough, he hauled her up, pulling on her arms until he was sure he was going to pull them out of the sockets. When he could reach her shoulders, he let go of his grip on her hands and gripped her underneath her armpits and dragged her the rest of the way up back onto the top. She collapsed on top of him and they lay together panting on the rocky slope.

"Th-thanks," she gasped. Her head dropped onto his shoulder and he couldn't stop himself from wrapping his arms around her torso and holding her close. What if she had fallen?

"When I catch my breath, I am really going to yell you about this," Draco managed. His heart was pounding so loud he could hear roaring in his ears.

Eventually Ginny caught her breath enough to lift her head. "We should probably move," she said shakily.

Draco nodded, his lips still white with tension and slid out from underneath her. Together they crawled and then walked back to flatter ground. Ginny sagged against a large boulder and slid to the ground, resting her head on her knees - the Devil's Snare was still wrapped around her upper arm. Draco took to pacing; random, angry thoughts running through his head - the most prevalent of which was that Ginny could have died. If he had not been here, she would have fallen off of the cliff and he would probably never have known what had happened to her.

The anger, both at the wizard who'd been trying to hurt her and at the situation they found themselves in boiled inside of him until he felt like exploding. He hit a nearby rock that was taller than he with his fist and barely registered the pain.

Ginny lifted her head. "What are you doing here anyway?"

The anger burst out of him and he made a strangled guffaw. Draco strode over to her and, grabbing her around her upper arms, yanked her to her feet. He lifted her off the ground and shook her until her teeth rattled and her dusty red hair danced in wisps of flame around her head.

"Are you mad?" he shouted at her. "You could have died! And for what? Some stupid competition!"

"It wasn't my fault!" she shouted back hotly.

"You could have died!" he continued to rant at her. "If I hadn't been here, you would have fallen and no one would have ever found the body! Do you remember what I told you? I am DEAD without you! Don't you know what that means?"

"No!" She burst out. "I don't know what that means. I don't understand you at all!"

Draco set her back down on her feet and leaned in close, trapping her between his body and the boulder. "I am cold, Ginny. So cold. And for one night in my life, I learned what it was to be warm. And then you left and I woke up even colder than I was before. But if you die, if you leave forever, then I'll never have the hope of being warm again. It's a metaphor. Don't you get it?"

"Yes. And for what's its worth, I'm sorry," she whispered. "I didn't think you'd want me there. Didn't think you'd care."

"I know," he replied. "And you were right to think that. The problem is that I don't feel that way at all, not even a little bit and it makes me so fucking angry that I can't see straight."

He let her go and resumed his pacing. She stumbled with the freedom and wrapped her arms around her. She looked surprised when her fingers touched the Devil's Snare vine. Spying her wand lying nearby, she scooped it up and tugged the vine off before walking over to her backpack and using the task scroll to send the tendril back to the Pike organizers. When she was done, she stood up and watched him pace angrily around.

"What's happening to us, Draco?" she asked quietly. "What are we doing?"

"Damned if I know." He stopped his pacing on a sigh, finally willing to admit to himself that their feelings for each other were at least mutual. He desired her more than he'd ever desired anyone before. "This can't be healthy."

She snorted and then laughed at his scowl. "C'mon, it's a bit funny. A Weasley and a Malfoy mad for each other. My parents would freak."

"My parents are probably rolling in their graves right about now," he murmured, looking out over the horizon. "My father would have -" he broke off and looked down at the Dark Mark still visible through the dirt on his arm. "Well, I don't suppose he could have done much worse than he did."

"Did he make you get that?" she questioned, nodding her head at his arm.

The corner of Draco's mouth twisted it up. "It wasn't so much a matter of making me do it," he said dryly. "It was more of a matter of expectation. If I wanted to survive, if I wanted my parents to survive, then I did as I was told. At the time it was exciting. I'm a little smarter now."

Ginny nodded and looked around. "What did you do to that guy that was chasing me?"

Draco shrugged. "Dunno. I hit him with a stunning spell but was too busy chasing after you to see where he fell."

Ginny was alarmed. "He fell? Then he's probably dead!"

"So? He was trying to kill you. It was him or you. I didn't even have to think twice."

Ginny snapped her mouth shut because what he said was sort of sweet in a way…in a very twisted way.

"So why were you here?" she changed the subject abruptly. "Were you waiting for me? Looking to steal my branch like you stole my egg?"

He scowled at her. "I think you more than got me back for that when you threw up that ward that kept me out at the volcano in Chile."

She bit back a grin. "Yes, that was pretty ingenious. I charmed it to react especially to snarky gits."

"I didn't appreciate the way it knocked me out for two days," he retorted. "I lost valuable competition time."

She shrugged. "Oh well."

"Yeah, well, at least I got to the Quill of Truth before you."

It was her turn to scowl. "Only because you trapped me in that closet you bastard."

He grinned and summoned his wand. "Well, I hadn't planned on stealing this one from you. I hadn't even imagined that you'd attempt it. I'd just arrived when you came barreling down the side of the mountain." Draco cast several cleaning charms on himself. His black t-shirt and jeans straightened and unwrinkled, the dust disappearing and dirt falling off. His shoulder-length hair fastened itself back into its customary ponytail and he looked impeccably groomed once again. Ginny suddenly felt extremely dirty - which she actually was - and dumpy.

"I've made camp a bit further down the mountain," he told her. "You're welcome to come and use the shower in my tent."

She lifted an eyebrow. "Use your shower? Are you trying to be nice again or lure me into a sense of false security?"

He shrugged. "I can't help it. I'm a sucker for a dirty redhead."

Ginny blushed and nodded her thanks before turning around and bending over to gather her supplies. The tight tank top she was wearing had long since become untucked from her pants and when she bent over, it rode up, exposing her greatest secret to him.

"What. Is. That?" Ginny stood up swiftly and clapped a hand to the small of her back. "Nothing. Just a tattoo."

She heard him quickly walk over to her and she stood frozen while he yanked her hand away and then she felt his long fingers brush away some of the dirt on her skin.

Draco stared at the tattoo on her skin, transfixed at the symbolism of what he was seeing. The sudden anger, along with a new, possessive feeling, came roaring back and he turned her around. She looked guilty.

"That looks awfully familiar, Weasley," he said icily. "In fact, it looks like an exact replica of the dragon I've tattooed on my shoulder, except that it doesn't move. Where on earth did you get it?"

For a moment it looked as if she was preparing some cocked-up story but then she relented and said. "I had it done by a Muggle artist in New York. In America. I drew him a picture and he copied it."

Draco remembered how she had been fascinated by the green dragon with silver eyes he'd long ago had tattooed on the back of his shoulder.. She'd been enchanted when it blew puffs of smoke on it skin or when it curled and slept as she stroked it.

"You've got my mark on you," he said in a low voice. "Care to tell me what that means?"

When she didn't answer he shook her by arms. "Damnit, Ginny! Talk to me. What does that mean?"

"I'm not sure! It just seemed like the thing to do!"

Draco gripped her arms tighter. "You're ashamed aren't you? Ashamed that you're attracted to me? That's why you left that morning isn't it? That's why you've been trying to kill yourself for the past five years, you're ashamed that you let me into your bed!'

"No!" she burst out. She began twisting in his arms, trying to get free but he was stronger. "Not anymore! I was at first - but since that night, I've been a bit of everything - ashamed, mortified, scared, worried, and resigned and now I'm obsessed. I don't know what to think anymore!

"Obsessed? Don't talk to me about obsession! I haven't slept with a woman in five years!" Draco shouted at her. "That's obsession! I can't get you out of my head no matter what I do! The thought of being with someone who isn't YOU makes me sick to my stomach. I've spent the last five years working myself to death in an effort to forget you but nothing seems to work! Wait…why are you crying?"

Ginny laughed at him through her tears and reached up with shaking hands to grip his face. "Because I've been doing the same thing you idiot," she told him in a shaking voice. "Why do you think I take the hardest curse breaking jobs? Why do you think I do stupid things that no one else will do? To try and forget about you," she shook his head. "You dumbass. The adrenaline helps for a few minutes and then I feel so lonely that I don't know where to go next. And then I think of you and remember how it felt to be with you and then I feel guilty -" she stopped and took a deep breath.

"I got the tattoo two years ago when I realized I would never be able to forget what happened between us. It's a reminder. That I was never the same after you touched me."

"And don't try to pretend you don't feel guilty for your feelings," she told him. She let go of his face to wipe the tears that were making tracks in her dusty skin. "You're angry that you like me."

Draco pulled her closer, all thoughts of anger vanishing in an instant. "You are wearing my mark on your skin," he said huskily. "That is the sexiest thing I've ever seen."

And then he kissed her.

He could instantly tell the difference between this kiss and the two previous ones. His anger was gone, leaving only an urge to possess her. To make her his again. To remind himself what it felt like to feel her warmth. Instead of pouring his anger into her mouth, he kissed her with all the desire raging in his body, all the confusion of his feelings and something greater that he had yet to name.

Ginny gasped and pressed closer to him, his arms sliding down to wrap around her waist. He lifted her off her feet and opened her mouth even further with his own so that he could taste every inch of her. Before he knew what he was doing, Draco had twisted on his feet and Apparated them both back to his campsite.

"Draco?" Ginny said his name breathlessly when he set her down on her feet and shoved her inside his tent. He followed quickly after her and set to work on removing her tank top.

"I'm filthy," she told him when he tugged the shirt over her head. "We can't -"

"Yes, we can," he hushed her. "You knew we would the moment you saw me in that cave. We can't stop ourselves, Ginny. I'm tired of fighting it and I'm tired of this perpetual hard-on that I can't get rid of."

Instead of answering, Ginny's head fell back and she hissed when he yanked her bra down over her breasts and cupped them in his hands. Murmuring appreciatively, Draco lowered his head and lifted one breast to his mouth, his lips closing over the tight nipple and suckling gently.

Ginny moaned, one hand sliding up to finger through his hair and she cradled his head to her breast. "Merlin, Draco…"

Draco sucked more of her breast into his mouth, inhaling the scent of her skin as he did so. It'd been so long since he'd even wanted to know what a woman smelled like and the cells of his body seemed to recognise this particular woman's scent. Already his cock was swollen against the front of his jeans, crying out for release. When Ginny's other small hand fumbled between them and rubbed her palm over it, it practically roared in desperation.

"This can't be slow," he gasped, lifting his head from her breast. "I can't make it slow. It has to be fast."

"Yes, damnit, hurry Draco," she gasped. She let go of his hair and her fingers fumbled with the button and zipper of his jeans; when she finally freed him, his cock tumbled out into her hands. She closed both hands over it, her mouth open as she panted, her eyes glittering with lust.

"Please," she whimpered.

Draco could see that she was too far gone to cooperate so he took care of them both, reluctantly stepping away from her seeking hands so he could remove his shirt and jeans. He tugged off his boots and threw them in the corner and then moved back to Ginny. She'd had the presence of mind to unsnap her bra and he slid it down off her arms, noticing a fresh wound on her ribs as he did so.

"Where did you get this?" he murmured, his fingers tracing the gash.

"Werewolf in Calcutta," she answered breathlessly. "Never mind about that. Hurry!"

"Right. Sorry." He went to work on the fastenings of her leather pants. "But we'll be coming back to this tendency you have for getting into trouble later."

"Fine. Whatever," she growled. "Just get the damn pants off me, Malfoy and let's fuck."

"I love it when you talk like that," he groaned as he tugged the pants down her thighs. "What the bloody hell?" he said when he reached her calves.

"Oops, sorry. Wait, I'll get those." Strapped to both legs and ankles were a variety of throwing knives and other various weapons of torture - including what looked like a Muggle gun and a spare wand. "Better not touch them, they're charmed only for me."

Draco gaped in amazement as she unstrapped several holsters, tossed the weapons aside with increasing frequency and kicked the pants off the rest of the way. "Should I be disturbed that I find this incredibly arousing?"

She grinned then and stood in front of him wearing only plain, white cotton briefs. "If you're lucky I'll let you play with my knives sometime."

He laughed and was even more amazed to find that he was having fun. He, Draco Malfoy, was laughing during hot sex with a woman. Sex before had always been routine, something to pass the time with or to use as an advantage over a business client. But with Ginny…damn, there was that warm feeling again.

Two seconds later, he had her underwear stripped off and had pushed her down onto the pallet. She opened her arms and her thighs for him and he hesitated, torn between putting his mouth on her there or filling it with his cock. He wasn't sure he could hold off that long but he desperately wanted to taste her again. He'd tried to go down on a few women several times throughout the past five years - once it'd been obvious that he couldn't have sex with them - but the taste and smell was never the same and he'd never succeeded. They'd always left in a huff after he pushed them away in disgust.

"You can do that later," Ginny said impatiently. "I want you inside me now."

Draco grinned and dropped to his knees between her outstretched thighs. He came over her, propping himself up on his arms and bent his head to kiss her again.

Ginny arched up, brushing her breasts against his chest and lifted her pelvis, brushing the soft curls between her legs against his stiff cock. "Witch," he growled against her lips. "I'm trying to be a gentleman."

"Well stop it," she snapped. "I'm ready now and you don't get inside of me in the next five seconds, I'm going to do something you'll regret."

"As much as I would like to see that," he groaned, lowering himself so he was resting on his elbows. "I'll comply."

He reached down, gripped himself with one hand, and began working himself inside of her. She was tighter than he remembered and he had to force himself to go slow. The wet, hot channel gripped him like a tightly-squeezing fist and when he was only halfway in he had to stop and breathe shallowly to keep himself from spilling too soon.

"So fucking tight," he groaned. Ginny's wide eyes stared back at him and her mouth opened and closed but no sound came out. She arched and titled her pelvis and he slid in another inch.

"Please. Honey," he gasped. "You have to stop moving."

"Just do it," she panted. She looked up at him with brown eyes that were suspiciously wet and he locked eyes with her as he plunged the last few inches until he was completely inside of her. The intensity of the joining surged through him and his heart swelled and pounded with possessiveness until he thought she surely must be able to hear it.

"How many others have there been?" he asked through clenched teeth.

The tender look on her face changed to confusion. "Others?"

"Other men," he ground out, his fists gripping the blankets on either side of her head. "How many men have touched what's mine in the last five years?"

"No one," she shook her head. She lifted her head and pressed urgent kisses along his jaw and up to his lips. "There's been no one since you, Draco. I couldn't even think of being with anyone else."

"Th-that's good," he tried not to stutter. "'Cause I'd hate to have hunt down a bunch of wizards and go on a killing spree."

Ginny laughed and kissed him again, her tongue dancing inside his mouth and retreating again. "Move, you oaf." She twisted her hips in a most delicious manner and Draco was forced to withdraw slightly and then slide back inside. She flexed her muscles around him, squeezing his cock even tighter and he stilled his hips.

"I'm not going to last long if you keep that up."

"Please," she begged, "I'm so close."

Those were the words he wanted to hear. Draco pushed himself up onto his hands and, keeping his eyes locked with hers, began moving faster and faster until he was plunging inside of her so hard that with each downstroke she moved a little up the mattress.

"It's so good, Ginny," he groaned, lowering himself so that he was propped up on his elbows again. "So fucking good."

"I'd forgotten," she gasped breathlessly. "I forgot how good this was."

Draco felt a tingling at the base of his spine that signaled his approaching orgasm but he was determined to hang on for her. The world around them became a blur until he could only see Ginny's eyes as they moved together. He could tell when her climax was almost upon her, both by the way her eyes glazed over and by the fluttering around his penis. He was glad there was no around to hear her scream as he enjoyed every noise she made and when she cried out his name with her climax, he felt more powerful than he had ever felt before. Her tiny nails bit into his back - now dripping with sweat - and her knees clamped so tight on either side of him, he was sure they'd leave bruises.

Just as the spasms around his cock began to subside, Draco let loose and with a final plunge, spilled himself inside of a woman for the first time in five, long years. The fact that it was Ginny, again, made it even better and he shot long, thick ropes of semen into her, until he nearly passed out with the feeling. The orgasm rolled through him, tingling in the very tips of his fingers and toes and he broke his eye contact with her to let his head drop to her now sweaty shoulder while he roared with his release.

They panted together. Ginny lay staring wide-eyed and open-mouthed at the ceiling and Draco lay unmoving on top of her. There didn't seem to be anything he could say; nothing that would appropriately sum up what had just happened between them.

Finally, Ginny said: "Wow."

Draco didn't have the energy to laugh at that so he just nodded wearily and hummed his agreement. He slid off of her, flopping very ungracefully onto his back and pulling her with him until she was nestled into his side, her messy red hair tickling the underside of his chin.

"Sleep," she murmured. Draco couldn't figure out if it was a suggestion or a warning.

"Yeah," he breathed. "Sleep now, because we're doing that again really soon."

*******

When Draco had told her they were shagging again really soon, she hadn't realised he meant all night long. He'd recovered rather quickly and had soon settled himself between Ginny's thighs with a wicked grin and an appreciative moan before he closed his mouth over her and took her to previously unvisited heights of ecstasy. Just as she was about to pass out from his ministrations, he'd reared over her - his lips and chin wet- and plunged back inside her. Her third orgasm had taken a bit longer but she'd crested so high that she had actually passed out.

This had greatly amused him and he'd woken her slowly. The few minutes sleep had revived her and she rolled them both over until she was on top. The surprised look on his face had quickly given way to a slack-jawed look as she had demonstrated that she was not entirely without power in this…whatever it was they were doing.

Now, Ginny awoke slowly to the sun streaming through the window at the top of the tent. They'd both slept barely three hours and every limb and muscle was deliciously sore. She had no idea how Draco had such stamina but he had definitely outdone his previous record from five years ago. She shifted her legs and winced when the soreness between her thighs made itself known. She thought maybe it was that last time, when he'd woken her before dawn to pull her to her knees and take her from behind, that had bruised the already-tender flesh. But she wasn't complaining.

She was lying on her side. Draco was spooned behind her with one hand possessively cupping a breast and when she moved, his hold tightened and one hand slid over her hip and down her thigh to grip her knee. Ginny involuntarily whimpered when he pulled her leg back and over his own hip, opening her up for his now questing fingers.

"I'm sore," she finally managed to say. He didn't seem to care that the inside of her thighs were still sticky with all the activity they'd managed the night before. His fingers slid over the evidence and up even further where the pink flesh had been rubbed and stroked until it was raw.

"Sshhh…" he whispered into her ear. His touch was delicate, light and coaxing; Ginny found herself spiraling higher than she thought she could at this stage. When she arched against him and gripped his hair in her fist, begging him softly for release, that's when he replaced his fingers with his cock.

Draco slid into her slowly and Ginny again felt that same sense of completion she'd been feeling all night. It scared her but the slow movements from inside of her kept her anchored. It was a dose of reality; she could sense that he was saying goodbye - that he didn't expect these moments to last.

She knew he was right and that it couldn't work between them but she found herself crying anyway. Draco pressed his cheek to hers and he must have felt the wetness on her own because he gripped her tighter and sped up his thrusts. His hand left her hip and moved between her thighs again where he gently rubbed and rolled her clitoris between the soft pads of his fingers. Ginny knew she was about to come and the quiet urging he'd begun whispering in her ear pushed her faster towards completion.

"Come, Ginny," he said in her ear. "Come for me."

Ginny wanted to but she knew that when this moment was over that they would have to part. As much as she knew he was wrong for her and she for him - she couldn't help but prolong the time they had together.

"Stop holding back," he hissed.

"I don't want it to end," she panted, and cursed her inclination towards honesty. She was shaking and sweating with the effort to hold back her orgasm.

"It has too," he said quietly. "You know this." His fingers increased their movements and soon she was spiraling and floating on a cresting wave. Draco came with a desperate shout in her ear that sounded suspiciously like a sob and she felt the warmth from his seed spilling into her.

Ginny cherished the last few moments together as they lay panting, still grasping each other. Draco soon slid out of her and she felt the loss with a pang. She knew instinctively that if she didn't leave she was going to get left.

It took only a few moments to shower and locate her clothing. Her movements were stiff and she walked gingerly while she avoided his eyes. Finally she grabbed her wand from where she'd thrown it last night and prepared to Apparate back to her own campsite. Draco watched her through hooded eyes and when she was already to go, she stood helpless by the door.

"I don't really know what to say," she offered. "But…um…it was really great."

"Back to being just competitors, eh?"

She nodded and Draco stood up, the blankets falling smoothly away to reveal his naked perfection. Ginny swallowed and forced her eyes away from his body until she felt his hand grip her by the chin and force her face back towards him.

Draco's eyes bored into her and she felt frozen by the intensity of his gaze. "Thanks for keeping me warm."

"You're welcome," she whispered and then she launched herself at him, her mouth finding his, her tears wetting both their cheeks. "I know this can't happen again," she said between kisses, "but it was great while it lasted."

"It was amazing," he agreed, his arms squeezing her in some semblance of a hug before setting her back on her feet. He took a step back, a blank look coming into his eyes and then Ginny knew the Draco who had made love to her all night long was gone again.

"See you around, Weasley," he said casually.

"Goodbye, Draco." She refused to stop using his first name.

Ginny turned and stepped out of the tent before quickly Apparating back to her own campsite and gathering the supplies she'd left there. She rather thought a long, hot bath was in order.

Part VIII: Task #56 - Retrieve Page 47 from Salazar Slytherin's Diary located in the private Headmaster's Library at Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. (100 points)

It was fitting that what Ginny hoped would be the beginning of her greatest triumph - winning the world-famous Pike - would end at the site of some of her worst moments in life.

As she stood outside the gates of Hogwart's, memories flitted through her mind at a rapid pace. She had enjoyed most of her time here but the whole experience was overshadowed by the possession of Tom Riddle's diary in her first year. The memory of being kidnapped and being responsible for the near-death of Muggle students caused intense feelings of guilt, shame and humiliation. It was an experience she had never quite recovered from - one that had changed her irrevocably. Years of self-searching had led Ginny to the conclusion that it had left a stain on her soul. A part of her would always echo the darkness…the evil…that had been Tom Riddle's soul.

It was this part of her that she suspected was so drawn to Draco Malfoy. Draco had his own darkness to contend with - most of it surrounding his past and that horrible mark on his arm - and something in Ginny recognised something in him. This both scared and fascinated her. She no longer believed that Draco was evil but she wondered how much it would take to push him over the edge?

Forcing away thoughts of him, she took a huge breath and unfolded Harry's invisibility cloak that she'd nicked last night while he'd been sleeping. He would be mad when he woke up and found the note she'd left behind but she suspected he would be more irritated that she'd managed to get past his paranoid wards and steal something from him while he was sleeping.

Unseen, Ginny slipped past the slightly-open gates and approached the castle. Getting in the building would probably not be a problem; it was getting in the Headmaster's library that would be the biggest problem: Hermione Granger was known for her spell work and she was almost as paranoid as Harry.

It didn't bother her that she was about to break into a friend's private offices. Ginny knew for a fact that Hermione was out of town on vacation with Ron. She would probably never know Ginny had been there. What bothered her more was that she was going to hand over information from Salazar Slytherin to people who would probably abuse whatever knowledge it contained.

After circumventing Filch and a tartan-pyjamed McGonagall, Ginny reached the circular staircase that led to Hermione's office. She thought she could guess the password as she knew that Hermione always picked a password relating to things she missed about the Muggle world. When she whispered: "movies," the gargoyle guarding the entrance sprung aside and she stepped on the first step and rode quietly to the top.

Her heart pounded with excitement. She'd seen the latest results of the contest - she and Draco were tied neck-in-neck for first place. If she could retrieve this document, then she would win the tournament as there was no other task left for him to perform that had this much point value.

Ginny had done her research and when she reached the locked door that led to Hermione's inner sanctum, she whispered a series of complicated spells under her breath. It was her knowledge of Hermione that helped her guess which wards the other witch would have placed on her office.

The door opened with a soft snick and Ginny entered the office. Wary of silent alarms that Hermione might have set and that she might have missed, she hurried through the office and to the connecting library. Getting in this door was going to be a bit trickier.

Ten minutes later, Ginny was sweating under the invisibility cloak and cursing underneath her breath as she attempted to break the last ward on the door. Hermione wasn't the youngest Headmaster in the history of Hogwart's for nothing, she decided. The witch had some serious skills and would have made an excellent curse breaker. With a final complicated twist of her wrist, Ginny broke through the ward with a soft, triumphant shout. She stayed still, waiting for any indication that she'd set off any alarms and when all remained quiet, she took a deep breath and entered the library. She wasn't stupid enough to think that Hermione wouldn't know something was happening soon.

The school of Hogwart's hid many secrets and a good many of them existed in this room. Ginny battled her conscience away and hurried over to the library's catalog to find the valuable book specified in the Pike's task scroll. It didn't take long; many of Slytherin's things had not survived his fight with the other Hogwart's founders and the diary was in a specially designed case at the back of the library.

Ginny whisked off the cloak as she hurried through the stacks and around large display cases. Normally she would have loved to peek at some of the treasures here but she felt a sense of urgency about this task. She finally reached a long row of dusty display cases and searched quickly for the one in question.

The glass case housing Slytherin's diary was unassuming at best. It was small, dark and very dusty. Ginny cast a series of spells on the case to determine what sort of protections and enchantments she had to deal with. She took out a small notebook and a Muggle pen and began making notes of her findings. It was tedious work but she went as fast as she dared.

She was so caught up in her work, she didn't notice the soft footfall behind her until it was too late. The tip of wand suddenly pressed hard against her neck and she stiffened.

"We really have got to stop meeting this way," a voice drawled in her ear.

"Draco." Ginny barely had time to breathe out his name before she was yanked against a hard chest and thighs. One pale arm snaked around her waist and held her tight while the wand continued to press into her flesh.

"Weasley, Weasley, Weasley…" Draco tsked. "Once again, your assistance proves invaluable to my eventual win of this contest."

"If you steal this from me, you won't really be winning," she pointed out breathlessly. Her heart pounded and her blood sang to be so close to him again. Her week of self-imposed recriminations and assurances that she'd be stronger next time went flying out the window and she pressed closer into him, going up on her tiptoes so that her head dropped back onto his shoulder, exposing her neck to him.

The hold on his wand faltered a bit and then she felt the tip of his nose brush against her skin. Draco inhaled.

"Stop trying to distract me," he murmured. But she felt his lips brush a soft kiss on her neck and then his hold relaxed enough to allow her to twist away from him. In one smooth move, she had slipped out of his arms and lifted her wand so that they were standing wand-to-wand.

Draco grinned and his eyes lit up with something she didn't dare to hope was admiration.

"I'm taking the page," she informed him coldly. "You're not getting this one from me. I deserve to win."

Draco scowled. "And I don't? I'm doing this for better reasons that you are. I deserve to win just as much."

She laughed. "You're trying to win for that stupid necklace! How is that deserving?"

"I fight for my family honor," he said through gritted teeth. "That's as noble of a cause as anything."

"Your family honor?" Ginny laughed again. "The Malfoy's don't have any honor left!"

"Exactly my point." The grip on his wand tightened. "I will not live the rest of my life ashamed of my last name, Weasley. I need that ruby. It brings good luck to my family."

"It hasn't worked so far," she pointed out. "You are the last of your line, Draco. What will you leave behind except that ruby? What good will that do?"

"It's a legacy," he said, raising his voice. "It's the only one I've got! The Malfoy name is not going to die with the world only remembering what my father did to it. This is all I have, Weasley. Don't make me hurt you to get it."

Ginny wanted to shout at him that he could have HER if he'd just be willing to fight for it a little more. But she knew he'd probably reject that idea right out of pocket. No Malfoy would choose a Weasley over power and glory. And although she felt his logic was flawed, she couldn't help but feel a bit sorry for him. This was a man with whom she had shared intimate parts of herself. Despite their attempts to deny it, they connected on a deeper level than both of them were willing to admit. And so Ginny found herself admiring - just a bit - the way he fought for something that was important to him. After all, he could have found a more dishonorable way to get his family's ruby back…other than the cheating and stealing he'd done so far…

Of course, she had cheated a bit too.

Ginny lifted her wand a bit higher. "Look, you want that page; you're going to have to go through me. I'm not giving up after everything I've gone through this past month. I got here first - the page is mine."

"Besides," she added smugly, "there are some intense curses on the diary. Only a professional would be able to get into that case."

"I'm not without some talent," Draco said dryly. "Do you think I'd get all this way without doing my research?"

She shrugged. "Fine. I guess we're at a standstill then. I'm not budging and you can't make me."

Draco sighed. "I really don't want to duel you, Ginny. But I will if I have to."

"Go ahead, Draco," she said emphasizing his name. "And plan to lose."

He held up a hand and lowered his wand. "Okay, wait just a minute. Truce, okay? For five minutes?"

She narrowed her eyes at him. "No tricks?"

Draco shook his head. "I swear. I just want to talk to you without this damn competition between us."

Ginny examined his eyes, which suddenly looked haunted, and she knew instinctively that HER Draco was back. She lowered her wand and they stood, staring at each other. It was amazing how more attractive he looked when he wasn't being so ruthless.

"I've missed you," he finally said. His eyes never left her face; it was as if he was trying to memorize it."

Ginny swallowed but suddenly found herself unable to speak. She simply nodded instead. Draco lifted an eyebrow at her and continued.

"When this is over," he said slowly. "We probably won't see each other again. I'm going to move to France. My mother had some holdings there and I think it will be easier to conduct business from a more central location in Europe."

"Running away?"

He shook his head. "No. But it's too hard to stay here, Ginny. Everyone is always suspicious of me and my intentions; and it'll just be a matter of time before we meet at some Ministry function and one of us will slip and then your family - namely your brothers - will probably kill me."

"Probably," she conceded. "But the sex so far has been worth it."

He smiled faintly. "Yes. It has."

"I can't believe you're just going to leave!" she burst out. "I - I thought…maybe when this was over…" She did not want to voice what her greatest wish was for the fear that he would laugh. She knew it was crazy to hope but she couldn't help it.

"You thought what?" he asked, not unkindly. "Look -" he walked over and gripped her shoulders. "I don't know how to name what is happening - what has happened - between us, but you know as well as I do that it wouldn't be a good idea. Your family would never understand and I have some business associates that would not like it either. I'm not a nice man, Ginny. And I don't know how to be. You deserve someone who can give you everything you need; someone kind and good and who can be seen with you in public."

"And what do you deserve?" she asked softly.

"Very little," he said grimly. "I certainly don't deserve you. I may be a cold-hearted bastard but even I can see that you deserve to be in the sun. And I wouldn't be able to stand there with you."

"You don't know everything about me," she said, shaking her head. "I'm not perfect, either, Draco. No one is. And everyone deserves to be forgiven mistakes."

"I didn't make mistakes," he corrected her. "I made choices. And they were the wrong ones. People like me don't wind up with some flowery, happy ending."

""I never knew you beat yourself up so much," she said, stunned. "I've always thought of you as so confident, so self-assured. It never occurred to me that you were so insecure, so afraid."

"Yeah, well, I've got lots of issues," he confirmed. "Comes from decades of dark magic you know."

She snorted and then laughed.

"What's so funny?" he scowled at her.

"Oh, Draco. If people could see you the way I've seen you, they wouldn't think you dealt in dark magic."

"No," he said frostily. "I don't. Not anymore. But I have in the past and things like that leave a stain, Ginevra."

She nodded vigorously. "Yes. I know."

His eyes narrowed and then understanding dawned in them. "Oh, yes. Well, I suppose you would."

"The point is," she insisted, "that you can't just run away. If you want to restore your family name then you should do it here, in England. Where it was ruined in the first place. If you leave now people will just have their suspicions confirmed."

"That may be, but the arrangements are already made," he said. "I'm leaving."

Ginny sighed and took a step closer, letting her forehead drop onto his chest. "I can't go through the rest of my life without having sex, Draco. I nearly didn't make it last time. There are only so many ways to work off sexual frustration."

"I'm sure you'll find someone eventually."

She lifted her head to look at him. "And how will that make you feel? To know that another man is touching me? Kissing me? Coming inside of me?" She pushed him because she knew that he must feel something for her.

His lips pressed together tightly. "I'll manage. And I'm sure I'll learn to be happy for you. I want you to be happy."

"So, what, you won't even fight for this? For us? You aren't even willing to give us a chance?"

"There is no us," he spat out. "Stop being melodramatic."

"You are such a coward," she breathed. "You were there, Malfoy. What happened five years ago and last week in that tent doesn't happen every day or even every lifetime."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Yes," she said angrily. "You do. It's not normal, Draco. Our reaction to each other. It's magical and you know it."

"Look," he said impatiently. "I don't believe in that shite and I don't think you do either. In a few seconds we are going to duel over that damn diary and then I will win the Pike and move to France and you'll never see me again. So could you please just let me say this one thing without arguing?"

Ginny huffed and crossed her arms over her chest. "Fine. Go ahead."

Draco took a deep breath and then kissed her lightly on the forehead, the cheeks, her eyes and then finally her lips. The male scent of him wrapped around her even as his cool lips branded her. "I just wanted to say that I will miss you. Every damn minute of every damn day."

"Then don't go," she said, brokenly. "Stay here. We'll find a way."

He shook his head, his lips still hovering near hers. "How? Sneaking around? Lying to people? That wouldn't be much of a life or a relationship. We'd wind up hating each other."

He backed away and Ginny felt her heart lurch when she saw the steely determination in his eyes. And when she thought about all they had shared in the past month - the way he'd challenged her and forced her to see past her old prejudices and assumptions; the way he made her heart sing and her body tingle; the way he made her laugh; the way he tried so hard to pretend that he didn't feel anything for her - that was when she realised that she was in love with him. She, Ginny Weasley, was in love with Draco Malfoy.

It was something that no longer caused her to feel guilty. She'd spent five years running from the memory of the way he'd touched her soul and now it all seemed so silly. Who cared if they weren't exactly right for each other? Who cared if their families were mortal enemies? Who cared if it was complicated?

It occurred to her that maybe he didn't care like she did. Maybe that's why he was so unwilling to give them a shot. He was a Malfoy, a Slytherin - they weren't known for taking anything less a calculated risk. So maybe all this mushy talk was just a way to get past her so he could win?

No. Ginny believed that Draco cared. But she knew that he didn't know why; and that it probably scared him. She couldn't see a way out of this mess. He cared, but it wasn't enough to give up everything he was working for. And she loved him, but she wasn't about to admit that to someone who didn't want it.

Her eyes flitted back to the display case where the diary rested innocently. An odd memory hit her then; it was of her Mum giving up the last piece of a chocolate cake to her Dad. Ginny had been six and the rest of the cake had already been handed out to their children. An unexpected guest had also shown up so there was only one piece left for both Molly and Arthur. Her mother had smiled quietly and without a shred of regret, silently slid the last piece onto his plate. Her father had noticed and the two of them had a quiet conversation with their eyes that even Ginny could understand at the time.

She knew with sudden clarity why this memory had come back to her. And she knew what she had to do.

It was a sneaky, but Ginny smiled at Draco and then stepped forward to slide her arms around his neck. She brushed his lips with her own and although her actions startled him, he responded automatically, wrapped his arms around her waist and crushing her against him. He kissed her ardently, his long blonde hair falling forward to tangle with hers. Ginny's head swum the immediate desire that ricocheted through her. Her head titled and Draco's tongue delved deeper. He made a moaning sound of longing in the back of his throat and Ginny almost hated to break the kiss and press her lips to his throat.

She played her part well. Draco never felt it as she raised her wand and he never heard the spell she whispered against his skin. There was a flash of red light and then he slumped forward onto her before she could gently lower him onto the floor. After confiscating his wand, Ginny stepped around him and went back to retrieving the document that would win the Pike.

******

When Draco awoke, he was lying on the floor of the Hogwart's Headmaster's Library. He came awake very slowly, only halfway realising where he was and why he was there. He groaned when he sat up, holding his head as the room swum around him.

It didn't take him long to figure out that Ginny was gone and that the witch had stunned him before she left. Ignoring his dizziness, Draco scrambled to his feet. The glass case was still intact but the diary was inside of it, propped open to pages 46 and 48. She'd taken the page.

Draco's fist hit the side of the case in frustration. Ginny would win the contest. He'd lost. An overwhelming sense of defeat swept over him and his shoulders sagged, the fight going abruptly out of him. The ruby necklace that had been in his family for generations was gone. He'd meant it to be a symbol and over the past few months had grown to think of it that way. Ginny didn't understand it but among the pureblood families that Draco socialized with, the return of the ruby necklace would have sent a clear message that the Malfoy family was regaining what they had lost - or rather, what Lucius had given away. Now Draco would have to rethink and regroup. Perhaps when he went to France. Alone.

Sighing, he looked around for his wand. He felt for his pockets finally finding his wand in his back pocket along with a carefully folded note.

Tucking the wand back into his pocket, Draco opened the note. A smaller piece of paper was folded inside a larger piece and he looked at the large one first.

"I didn't feel like fighting over it; I'd rather just give it to you. Love, Ginny"

And then a few lines down: "The important thing is this: to be able at any moment to sacrifice what we are for what we could become." Charles Du Bos

His mind reeling, Draco opened the smaller piece of paper. It was old and yellowed and covered in tiny, spidery handwriting. In the top right-hand corner, the number "47" was written, followed by the date. Draco fingered the parchment. It was frail and thin and he suddenly felt as if he should be wearing gloves. The fact that he was holding it must have meant that Ginny had removed any curses or enchantments that had protected the diary and its contents. The writing was hard to read but Draco made out a few words before deciding that he didn't really want to know what he was handing over to the wizards who ran the Pike.

He examined Ginny's message again. It was cryptic at best; she was obviously trying to make some sort of point but he was damned if he could figure it out. He was humbled by the gift but unsure why she would do such a thing. She had wanted to win almost as badly as he had.

Draco had won but he didn't feel very good about it. He didn't like the fact that she'd knocked him out and then retrieved the page only to hand it over to him. What was the purpose? Of course, if she hadn't knocked him out then there was no way he would have let her just hand over the page, he would have wanted to fight her for it. And if they had fought, he might have lost…

Draco left the library and the office in a daze. He avoided being seen but it was only half-heartedly. His mind was too busy examining Ginny's actions. It was almost as if she had wanted him to win. In fact, she had insured that he would. Why had she changed her mind?

He supposed he could ask her but something stopped him from going to her right away. Maybe it was his pride or maybe it was something else. All he knew was that he was more confused than ever.

Part VIIII: Winning it all

Blaise Zabini heard the news in a most unusual fashion but as soon as it reached his ears, he Apparated to Malfoy Manor, perturbed that Draco had not told him personally.

He found Draco in the library standing in front of a jeweled case and staring down at the biggest ruby he'd ever seen.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Blaise breathed out. He was transfixed by the necklace, as were all who came in contact with it, but sufficiently irritated to remember his purpose for coming.

"Sorry," Draco replied dully.

"I had to hear it from a man who was selling tickets to the next Falcons game. Care to tell me why?"

Draco shrugged his shoulders and continued staring at the necklace. Blaise began to wonder if it'd locked him a spell. He strode over to the box and slammed it shut. Draco did not move; he only looked up at his friend. The look in his eyes was haunted but they were alive with emotion. It had been a long time since Blaise had seen his friend look so human.

"Hmmmm," murmured Blaise. He backed up and considered the evidence before him.

"What?" Draco asked sharply. "What's that mean?"

Blaise sat down in the chair across from his friends and put his ankle on his knee in a deliberate casual pose.

"Who is she?"

Draco opened his mouth and then shut it again. He sighed and then pushed the box away before standing up to pace in front of the fire.

"Draco?"

He laughed. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

"How do you know if you won't try?" Blaise replied reasonably. "Does it matter? You look better than I've seen you look in years."

Draco gave a strangled sound. "Better? I can't eat, I can't sleep. Well, I could never sleep. But I've always been able to eat before. And the dreams that come when I can sleep - they're almost nightmares. Not to mention this sort of sick feeling in the pit of my stomach-"

"Sounds like you're in love."

Draco stopped his pacing and gaped at him. "In love? Don't be absurd. I've never been such a thing in my life." He shuddered.

"Well I've been in love loads of times," Blaise informed him. "And it always feels exactly like that."

"Don't be ridiculous," Draco snapped. "I'm not in love with her. I just don't understand her."

"Aha!" Blaise said triumphantly. "The sure sign of someone who is love. The quest to understand your woman; the drive to figure out the mysteries she possesses."

"I figured out her mysteries already," Draco said shortly. "Several times in fact. What I can't figure out is why I want more. And why wanting more makes me feel like I ought not to want anything."

Blaise looked at him blankly and Draco waved a hand. "See what I mean? I can't even get my thoughts straight; she's got me so tied up."

"Being tied up can be fun," Blaise pointed out.

"Shut up."

"What's her name?"

"Ginny Weasley."

Blaise almost choked on his own tongue. "Ginny Weasley? As in-"

"Yes, as in," Draco said impatiently. "And before you even ask, I'm not going to tell you the sordid details. All you need to know is that I feel something for her, and have for a very long time. But it's impossible. I am who I am and she is who she is and the two don't mix. Besides, she's entirely too good for me."

Blaise leaned back in his chair and looked at his friend thoughtfully. "How long have you cared for her?"

"'Bout five years," Draco answered distractedly. He nibbled on his lower lip in a habit Blaise remembered from their Hogwart's days but that he hadn't seen in a long time. "We had a one-night stand then; after she'd broken things off with Potter. When I woke up the next morning she was gone."

"And you've been pining for her ever since?"

"I wasn't pining," Draco scowled. "But yes. I am unable to get her out of my head and it's very irritating."

"Well," Blaise took a deep breath. "This explains a whole hell of a lot."

"Explains what?"

"Why you've been drowning yourself in booze and work these past few years," Blaise said candidly. "And why you've been an unfeeling bastard."

"I've always been a bastard," Draco reminded him.

"Yes," Blaise conceded. "But it's been getting worse. I've been quite worried about you." It was the closest Blaise would ever come to admitting his friendly affection for Draco.

"But now I see your dilemma," he continued. "Although I think you are being rather melodramatic. You like the girl, why can't you just date her?"

Draco shook his head. "It's too complicated. There's her family for one; and this damn mark on my arm."

"Do you think she cares about that?"

"Well, she has before. But I thought…" he looked down at his arm. "I think she was beginning to get over it."

Draco finally stopped pacing to get Blaise a glass of brandy and the friends sipped quietly until, "Does she have feelings for you too?"

Draco hesitated. "I believe so. She seems to think it's a given that we're mad for each other. But she knows it would be difficult. She never came right out and said she'd be willing to try but, well…"

"Well, what?" Blaise prompted.

"She purposely lost the last task," Draco said slowly. "We were going after the same thing and our points were tied. I was prepared to duel her for it but she knocked me out and when I woke up, she'd retrieved the item and stuck it in my pocket." He stood up again and walked over to his desk to grab a piece of parchment. "She left me this note."

Blaise read the note silently. "By all that is pure and magic in this world, you are the biggest idiot to ever live."

"Hey!"

"You're right," he handed the note back to Draco. "You certainly don't deserve her."

"But what does it mean," Draco was on the verge of pleading. "Why would she do such a thing? She could have won! Instead she hands it over to me?"

"Because she loves you enormously large prat!" Blaise stood up and poked Draco in the chest. "She gave it up for YOU; so that you would win. She knew it was important to you and she sacrificed what was equally important to her to let you win."

"Look," he grabbed for the note again. "Read what she wrote, the quote. What does that mean?"

Draco had already read the note a million times by then and still had no idea what the quote meant.

"Damn you're obtuse," Blaise sniffed. "It means - obviously - that a person who is willing to give up part of who they are can become someone different."

Draco looked at him blankly.

"Good merlin, Draco, open your mind! She's trying to tell you that you don't have be the same person you've always been. You can change. Sacrifice your pride, man, and your plans and take what she is offering. Love, loyalty, support. Look at what she has already sacrificed for you. Isn't that worth more than all power and money in the world?"

"You always were such an idealist, Zabini." Draco grabbed the note back and stuffed it into his pocket. "People would never accept a Malfoy and a Weasley together."

"Who cares about other people!" Blaise threw up his hands and stalked off. "If you love her, then you'll put up with all that crap. Besides, you're a Malfoy and a Slytherin. You don't let other people tell you how to live your live; you take your life and make it your own. That's the Slytherin way. Not catering to other people's ideals and trying to make them happy - that was Lucius' way and look where it got him. The Draco Malfoy you claim you want to become doesn't let other people tell what to do. He sets the standard, do you see?"

"I don't want to be with her for political reasons," Draco snapped at him. "It's not about that."

"I know," Blaise nodded. "But since you won't admit that you love her, what other way can I make you see reason?"

Draco stepped back and took a deep breath. "You are the most irritating friend ever."

Blaise smirked and gathered the robe he'd slung on a nearby chair. "It's a gift." He whirled the robe around his shoulders theatrically and bowed slightly. "My regards to Ms. Weasley when you see her. Please tell her I can't wait to meet her and explain what a suffering git you are."

"Get out of here."

Blaise laughed and showed himself out. He felt lighter than he had in years. Doing good works seemed to agree with him.

******

With what was a weird sense of déjà vu, Ginny stumbled sleepily to her front door and yanked it open amidst another loud round of pounding.

"You again," she grumbled when she saw who it was. "I might have known." She stepped back. "Might as well come in," she sighed. "Am I right in thinking you aren't going to leave any time soon?"

"Right," Bill confirmed, stepping inside and shaking off his rain jacket. "I wanted to talk to you."

"What a surprise." She shut the door behind him and shuffled past him into the living room where she flopped back on her sofa and laid her arm across her eyes. "Can I interest you in tea?"

"Rough night?" Bill asked with one eyebrow raised.

"Rough month."

Bill sat down in a nearby chair and examined her closely. "I heard about Draco Malfoy winning the Pike."

Ginny stiffened but tried not to show it. "Did you?"

"Yes. Apparently he just barely edged past you in the end."

"Well, these things happen."

"You are awfully nonchalant for someone who just lost a competition she considered so damn important."

"What do want me to say?" She lifted her arm and looked at him. "I lost. It's very simple. Draco was better."

"Draco?"

Ginny cursed silently and chose not to respond.

Bill inhaled deeply and looked down at his clasped hands. "Something you'd like to tell me, Gin?"

"Not really."

"I'm not stupid you know. I heard some interesting rumors from the Goblins."

"I know you aren't stupid."

"Dammit, Ginny!" Bill got to his feet and began pacing angrily around the room. "I'm tired of your evasiveness!" He stopped in front of her. "Look, this is what I know: I know SOMETHING happened to you a few years ago and that since then, you've done everything you could to be as far away from here as you can get. I know that ever since you and Draco Malfoy both entered the Pike, rumors have been swirling about the cozy competition between you two. And I suspect, deep, deep down in my gut where I always get these strange and crazy hunches, that the two are somehow related."

Ginny lost her cool and exploded up from the couch. "Fine! You want to know what happened! I'll tell you! But only because I am so sick of you thinking this is any of your business!"

"I am your brother!" he said, poking himself in the chest emphatically. "What happens to you happens to me! To your entire family! And we deserve to know what's going on!"

"Fine! Five years ago I fell in love with Draco Malfoy!" she shouted at him. She shouted and it felt good to finally say it out loud. And once it was out she couldn't stop herself from continuing. "I fell in love with him and I've been running from it ever since!"

"Yeah, exactly," she said, pointing at the look on his face. "That's exactly why I didn't tell you or anyone else. I knew you wouldn't approve."

The look of shock on her brother's face was almost comical. Except that now that Bill knew the rest of her family would find out and she shuddered to think of her mum's reaction.

"But why? Do you even know him?" he finally managed.

Ginny nodded and wrapped her arms around herself. "Yes. At least, I think I do. I couldn't tell you why except that when I'm with him, I feel complete in a way I didn't know existed. He's…he's like a part of me. Something inside of him … it calls to me."

"That's stupid." Bill scoffed and rolled his eyes. "You sound like a bloody romance novel."

She scowled at him angrily. "Well it's the truth. I don't know how to explain it any better than that."

"But, Ginny…" Bill now sounded defeated. "Draco Malfoy? Seriously? What? When? Does…does he know? Does he feel the same?"

"He does."

Ginny and Bill stopped still when they realised that neither one of them had spoken. Bill whirled around and Ginny gasped softly when she saw Draco standing in the living room archway. He was dressed all in black, as always, with his blonde hair tied back severely at the nape of his neck. He looked liked the fierce and intimidating Draco Malfoy that was known for being a ruthless business man. But now his eyes were fixed on Ginny and they burned with something that was intimidating in an altogether different way.

"Draco," she said breathlessly.

"Of course it took him awhile to realise it," Draco said smoothly. "But I think the git has finally come around."

"Realise what?" Ginny asked, trying to keep the hope out of her voice.

"That he's in love with a Weasley." Draco gave her a twisted smile. "And that some things are more important than business or family honor."

She lifted an eyebrow. "And what else?"

"That even though he doesn't deserve her, he will spend the rest of his life trying to make himself worthy of her."

"Wait a minute," Bill interrupted. "Are you saying that you," he looked at Draco, "and she," he pointed to his sister, "are together…like together, together?"

"Well," Draco answered, "it will be complicated and probably really hard sometimes but I'm willing to try if she is."

Ginny nodded. "Bloody hell, yes. She is…I am, I mean. I'm willing to try. Oh, hell…"

"How did we miss this?" Bill asked no one in particular. Because by then Ginny had launched herself at Draco who had caught her with both arms and was more interested in snogging him then explaining herself to her brother.

"Ginny," Bill spluttered. "What the hell are you doing? Draco Malfoy? The Death Eater?"

Ginny did not stop her activities although she did mumble something against Draco's lips that sounded suspiciously like, "He's not a Death Eater." The two were wrapped around each other so tightly that Bill didn't see how they could breathe. Draco's long, pale fingers wound themselves tightly around Ginny's long, red hair and one arm slid down to grip her about the waist. It was when Ginny gave a small hop and wrapped her legs around his waist that Bill decided he might not want to stick around for what was coming next. The soft, murmured whispers coming from them as they kissed were more than disturbing but Bill couldn't tell if it was because this was his sister that Draco Malfoy was confessing his undying love for or if it was because it was DRACO MALFOY.

Malfoy lifted his head from Ginny's neck, his hair already falling out of the ponytail, and glared at Bill with lust glittering in his eyes. "You might want to leave. Your sister is about to get shagged."

Ginny purred, actually purred, and Bill quickly beat a hasty retreat; sacrificing his brotherly duty to defend his sister's honor in favor of NOT seeing Draco Malfoy's hands descend to places he never wanted to acknowledge his baby sister as having. As he grabbed his rain jacket from the front hallway he heard Draco say, "This doesn't change the fact that I'm still a bastard you know. It's bred into me; I can't do anything about that part."

"It's okay," Ginny reassured him. "I like you this way."

Shaking his head in disbelief, Bill let himself out of his sister's flat and slumped against the wall outside her door. He had to find his brothers; normally he would have protected his sister's privacy but this was Draco Malfoy for Merlin's sake. Actions had to be taken.

He stepped outside and turned towards Diagon Alley to track down the twins first. An image of Ginny writhing against Malfoy in her living room flashed into his head and he suddenly changed his mind.

Pivoting on his heel and heading in the opposite direction, Bill decided that finding a neighborhood pub was of the utmost priority.

******

"Here's the plan," Draco explained to Ginny as he walked her backwards to her sofa. "We're going to fuck first, then talk," he pushed her onto her back on the cushions and loomed over her, "then we'll fuck again." He knelt between her spread legs and began working the buttons on his shirt. He grinned down at her when her hands impatiently caressed his chest.

"Then your brothers will break down your door," he continued, yanking the shirt past his wrists and throwing it across the room. "You'll defend my honor and then I'll defend yours. I might get beat up - although the chances are very unlikely - and then after they leave, we'll fuck again."

"Sounds good," Ginny panted from underneath him. "When do we get to the first part?"

"As soon as I get this damn pink monstrosity off of you," he answered, tugging at the long t-shirt she wore. "What is this anyway? You shouldn't wear pink; it clashes with your hair." The t-shirt soon joined Draco's shirt on the floor and his eyes roved over her naked form. "There, that's much better."

Ginny arched her back, offering her breasts up to his mouth. When his mouth closed over her left nipple, she groaned and rocked her pelvis against the front of his thighs.

"Patience is a virtue," he murmured, switching to the other nipple.

"Fuck patience."

Draco chuckled and let her breast go with an audible pop. Leaning back on his heels, he began working the loop on his belt buckle. Ginny watched him hungrily and lust twisted in his stomach at the look in her eyes.

"You keep looking at me like that and this is going to be over before it starts," he warned.

Deciding to help, Ginny reached out and yanked down the zipper, giving a pleased exclamation when his swollen cock spilled into her hands. "Looking at you like what?" she asked, her gaze fixed on his penis. Her thumb grazed the tip of the mushroom-shaped head and wiped off the drop of liquid it found there. She lifted innocent brown eyes to his stormy grey ones and lifting her hand to her mouth, slowly licked the drop off her thumb.

Draco cursed harshly and quickly pushed his trousers past his hips. They hung around loosely around his thighs as he fell forward onto his hands. "Witch," he growled, before reaching between them and pushing himself into her.

Ginny gave a sharp sob of joy or pain, he couldn't tell which, and wrapped her legs around his hips, her pelvis thrusting up to take him deeper. Draco withdrew slightly and was just about to push back in when Ginny said, "Stop."

"What?" He lifted his head and looked down at her dazedly. "Did you say stop? Now?"

"Yes. Stop," she panted. "I want to know; what changed your mind?"

"Now?" he repeated. "You want to know now?"

"Yes," she confirmed. "Before this goes any further. I have to know."

Draco glared down at her but she tightened her grip on hips and would not let him move. He'd probably be bruised in the morning.

"Do you not remember the plan?" he asked impatiently. "Fuck first, talk later. I thought we agreed."

"I changed my mind," she said plainly. "Just tell me quickly. Please."

He let his breath out sharply and propped himself up on his elbow. "Fine. I was miserable okay? I had the ruby, I'd won…thought I finally had everything I'd been working for. But then…"

"Then what?"

"I realised I had no one to share it with," he said, shrugging. "Who else cared about my accomplishments except for me?" He scowled down at her. "I blame you. I never cared about sharing things with anyone until you."

She smiled and Draco had to admit that her smile was on his top five list of the most beautiful things he'd ever seen. Right after her glorious red hair and just before her quite fabulous arse.

"Anyway," he continued, his eyes dropping down to where her breasts were pressed against his chest. He tried moving his hips again - just to get a little friction going - but she squeezed him tighter. "I couldn't figure out why you gave up the Pike for me and I was going crazy trying to make sense of everything when Zabini stopped by and told me I was being an idiot."

"Zabini?"

"Blaise Zabini," Draco elaborated. "He's my best friend…well, the only friend I've got, really. But regardless, I showed him your note and he understood it immediately and explained it to me, in not so many words."

She frowned. "I didn't mean to make it so difficult it for you. I thought it would be obvious."

"Well it wasn't," he grumped. "Not to me." He was only slightly mollified when she lifted her head from the couch cushion and kissed him softly on the lips.

"But then I'm not much used to sacrifices or love or any of this really," he told her. "In fact, you might want to think twice about this. I'm going to be pants at this relationship thing."

Ginny flexed her inner wall muscles around his cock and he groaned. She smiled wickedly and said, "I'll help you."

"And you'll be patient with me?" The hold she had around his hips had lessened and Draco began to move again in a slow rocking motion that had her hissing and whispering his name.

"Yes," she gasped finally. "I'll be patient."

Draco reached back and grabbed her knees, pushing them up until her legs dangled over his shoulders. He gripped her hips and withdrew almost completely from her until only the tip of his cock rested inside of her.

"Say it," he demanded harshly, twin spots of red appearing on his cheeks. "I need to hear it."

"I love you," she answered without hesitation. "Beyond all reason or thought; I love you."

Draco slammed back into her, one of his hands automatically leaving her hips to protect the top of her head from hitting the arm of the couch. "Say it again."

"I love you, I love you, I …. oh, Draco, love you so much."

They moved together quickly and urgently towards completion. The sounds of sweaty flesh slapping against each other and their passion-filled cries filled the room.

"No one has ever loved me before," Draco panted, his hips moving like pistons between her thighs. Their eyes locked. "And I've never loved anyone either. You are the first."

"The last," she corrected him. "I'm also the last."

Draco gave an exultant shout and stiffened, spilling into her with body-wracking spasms. She joined him soon after and as she clenched around him, her body undulating with the orgasm he'd brought her to, Draco acknowledged silently that maybe what was between them had a little something to do with magic after all.

"Yes," he agreed, his head dropping onto her shoulder. Long strands of platinum hair draped across her breasts. "You're the last."

Part X: An Epilogue

Two Years Later:

"Get your hands off that broom."

Ginny froze in mid-reach and looked around guiltily as Draco stepped out of the shadows of the Burrow's kitchen. He'd been watching her for several minutes; soon after the rest of her oafish brothers had scrambled for the back door after the Quidditch challenge had been issued. Ginny had looked so heartbroken as she watched them head out the door; he'd known then that she'd make her move when she thought he wasn't looking.

"I wasn't going to fly it," she said defensively as he snatched the broom from the corner by the door. "I am allowed to touch things you know."

Draco merely lifted an eyebrow at her and gave her his "I wasn't born yesterday" look that Ginny particularly despised.

"Liar," he said mildly before placing the broom out of her reach.

Ginny watched with hungry eyes as he shut the broom inside a nearby closest and placed a ward on the door that she'd probably be able to crack in a few minutes if she really tried. She must have looked very crestfallen because Draco gathered her into his arms and hugged her close.

"I want to go flying," she finally grumped, pressing her face into his hard chest. She inhaled his familiar scent of expensive cologne along with another scent that was uniquely Draco and felt a fluttering somewhere in her abdomen that had nothing to do with the reason why she couldn't go flying.

"Well you can," he reasoned, "in about four more months." One hand traced down her side until it rubbed the swell of her stomach.

As it always happened when Draco touched her, Ginny felt herself melting. She still hated him for that. They'd been together for two years, had lived together for over half of that and still she got tingles when he touched her.

"But you know you can't get on a broom while you're pregnant," he reminded her. "I'll not have my wife, who happens to be carrying the Malfoy heir-"

"I'm not your wife," she interrupted. "We're not married." It was an old argument for them. He'd been after her to marry him for weeks; but she wasn't confident that Draco really wanted to get married. She was sure he loved her, but in an uncharacteristic show of insecurity, Ginny worried he only wanted to get married because of the baby. After all, the pregnancy had been a total shock to the both of them. Draco had even passed out when she'd told him.

"Details," he said impatiently. "You're my wife. Just because we don't have a piece of paper that says so-"

"Yeah, well that piece of paper is pretty important if you want this heir to be legitimate," Ginny pointed out.

Draco gripped her shoulders and glared down at her fiercely. "He is legitimate. You are mine."

"Not in the eyes of the law."

He huffed and let go of her. "I asked you to marry me, you said no."

Ginny propped her hands up on her hips. "That's because you were only asking me because of the baby!"

"I was not," he replied hotly. "I asked you because I love you, you silly witch."

"Oh, will you two shut up!"

Draco and Ginny turned towards the source of the outburst and saw Molly, Hermione, Ron and Bill standing in the back doorway. Molly looked furious, her face was red and her hands were propped up on her hips in a familiar stance. The rest of them just looked mildly amused.

Her mother stalked over to the couple and pointed an angry finger at Ginny. "Stop being so stubborn! This man loves you and wants to marry you and I'll not have my grandchild born out of wedlock!"

Molly's face was flushed and she looked so angry that Ginny wondered how long her mother had been holding her thoughts back.

"Mum," she began.

"No!" Molly cut her off with a sharp slice of her hand. "I've had enough of this. You are being ridiculous and your emotions are out of whack because of the baby. Draco asked us months ago for your hand in marriage. Before you even found out about the baby."

"You did?" Ginny looked at Draco in shock. "Why didn't you tell me?"

Draco looked uncomfortable and shoved his hands into his pockets. "I wanted it to be a surprise. But then you told me you were pregnant and turned down my proposal anyway. I didn't think it mattered."

But it did. It mattered a lot. Ginny's heart soared. For weeks she'd been worried about nothing. She suddenly felt very foolish.

"Why didn't you tell me?" She asked her mother.

Molly humphed and scowled at her. "He wouldn't let us. I wanted to but he said it wouldn't make a difference." She gave her a pointed look that clearly said, "Now, don't you feel stupid."

"It does make a difference," Ginny said quietly, turning back to Draco. "You should have told me."

He scowled at her. "I've got my pride, you know."

Yes, he certainly did. She rolled her eyes. In their two years together she'd heard just about enough of the Malfoy pride.

"Draco." Molly looked at him encouragingly. "Go on, ask her again. If she doesn't say yes, I'll hex her myself."

Ginny heard a distinct chuckle from behind her. In fact, she heard several distinct chuckles. She peeked over her shoulder and saw the rest of the Weasleys watching them. Great.

"Fine." Draco sighed and reached into his back pocket, pulling out a black velvet box. He thrust it at her. "Marry me?"

"Gee, that's romantic," she commented dryly.

He glared at her, his perfectly shaped eyebrows pointing downwards into a perfect vee. "I've already tried romantic. You had your chance."

Ginny eyed the ring box. She knew what was inside as he'd showed the ostentatious diamond to her before. But she had no idea that he'd been carrying it around with him. She suddenly felt very sorry for the way she'd dismissed his earlier proposals. He'd never indicated that it hurt his feelings but it must have hurt to be rejected so much. She looked up at him. His face was scowled but his eyes were sincere and if she wasn't mistaken, a little vulnerable.

"I don't know," she said softly. "You're snarky, arrogant and bossy."

He smirked. "And you're impulsive, reactive and stubborn."

She smiled at him and felt something like excitement tingling inside of her. "Made for each other, yeah?"

A slow grin broke over Draco's face and he opened the box, plucked out the ring and threw the box over his shoulder. It landed somewhere underneath the kitchen table with a soft thump. He grasped her left hand and lifted it. "Yes?"

"Yes," she confirmed.

The smile he gave her then was so beautiful that it took Ginny's breath away as he slid the diamond ring on her finger. He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed the ring.

"It's about bloody time," Ron muttered from the doorway.

Draco gathered her to him and she wrapped her arms around his neck, squealing when he lifted her off her feet. "Yes," he murmured in her ear. "It is. Are you done being insecure now?"

"Yes," she said and pulled back, regret written on her face. "Draco, I'm so sorry. I don't know what I was thinking -"

He shut her up by kissing the breath out of her. He pulled back before it got obscene and said, "I love you," his cool, peppermint breath hovering around her lips.

That seemed to seal the deal and Ginny decided to save her prostrations and guilt for later. As usual, Draco seemed to understand her better than she gave him credit for. Perhaps she just hadn't been ready to accept it earlier. Her hand smoothed down over the soft cable knit sweater that covered the swell of her stomach. Their child rested within her, snug and safe and her heart swelled at the thought of what she and Draco had created together.

The rest of her family came over to congratulate them. Most of them had been able to put aside their previous prejudices about Draco and eventually come to accept him. Ron and Harry were still less than thrilled but she'd threatened them enough that they no longer were as obvious with their feelings. Draco would never be best mates with any of her brothers but as long as they recognised that she was happy and didn't try to kill him, Ginny could live with it.

Surprisingly, it had been Molly Weasley who had welcomed Draco more than anyone. Like Ginny, she'd been able to see his vulnerable side and had apparently decided to accept him as some sort of mission - much like she'd accepted Harry all those years ago. At first Draco had been put off by her attention but he'd gradually come to appreciate her mother. He would never admit it, but he secretly liked all her nagging and mothering.

"So, when is the big day?" Her father asked after shaking Draco's hand. More than anything, Ginny admired her father for being able to put aside his prejudices for Lucius Malfoy and learn to like his son for who he was.

"Next week," Draco said firmly. "I'm not waiting any longer."

"Next week!" Molly shrieked. "There's not near enough time -"

"That's what house elves are for," Draco reminded her. His hand grasped Ginny's. "I'm pretty sure Ginny won't want anything too fancy anyway."

"That's right," she confirmed. "Let's just have family and a few friends."

Molly looked so crestfallen that Hermione took pity on her and dragged her away to start making lists. She gave Ginny a wink that assured her she'd keep her mother in line and not let her get carried away.

Later, after a joyful dinner during which Molly bombarded Ginny with questions on flowers and china patterns, Draco and Ginny escaped to the silence of their own home.

"Whew," Ginny said, collapsing into the soft cushy chair Draco had installed in their bedroom after she moved in. "I'm beat." She toed off her shoes and let her head drop against the cushion. "Carrying another human being around in your stomach is exhausting."

"It's been a long day." Draco crouched on his heels in front of her and rubbed both hands over her belly. "How is he?"

Ginny lifted her head and scowled at him. "Why do you keep on insisting it's a he? There's a fifty percent chance he is a she."

Draco tossed his shoulder-length blond hair back confidently and Ginny nearly rolled her eyes at the affected but - for Draco - completely casual move.

"It's a boy," he said plainly. "Malfoys make boy heirs." He said this as if she should accept it as a fact.

"I hope it's a girl," she grumped. "It would serve you right."

Draco's eyes glittered as he pushed up her sweater and gently stroked her stretched stomach. "I would like a girl too," he confessed in a hushed tone. "A girl with your hair and my eyes and your freckles and my sense of style."

Ginny softened and rested one hand on the top of her belly. "Well I can't wait to have a boy with your hair and my eyes and your sardonic smile."

"I do have pretty hair."

They grinned at each other and then Draco kissed her belly before lifting up to kiss her on the lips. The kiss lasted longer than either of them had intended; by the time he pulled away, she'd thoroughly tangled her fingers in his hair and one of his hands was cupping a breast under her bra.

"They're only going to get bigger aren't they," he said, squeezing gently. "I mean, I love your breasts but it's fascinating how they get bigger."

"Git."

"Mmmm…yes," Draco murmured, leaning down to nuzzle her neck. "But then, you're the one who agreed to marry me."

Ginny's stomach flip-flopped. "Yeah," she breathed. "Guess that was pretty stupid. Oh well, at least you're rich."

Draco pulled back and sat back down on his haunches again. He stared at her, his eyes tracing her features. She'd rarely seen him look so serious.

"What?"

"I was just thinking about Slytherin's diary."

"Slytherin's diary?" Ginny was confused. "Why?"

"I'm just very grateful to it," he explained. "If it didn't exist, then it wouldn't have been selected as a task for the Pike and then we might not be together."

"Gee, that's sort of sweet."

He grimaced at the word "sweet" but continued: "I'll never be able to thank you enough for giving up first place for me." He kissed her hands where he gripped them. "It brought me to my senses."

"Although," he frowned. "I've always been a bit worried about what kind of information we handed over to those Pike people."

Ginny shifted in her chair uncomfortably. "Um…about that…"

He lifted one eyebrow at the guilty look on her face. "What? About what?"

"It wasn't real. The page I left you - it was a fake." She continued hastily at the look of shock on his face. "Are you sure I've never told you this? I was sure I already explained this part."

Draco shook his head slowly back and forth. "No. I'm quite sure that you never told me this." He stood up and gave her his most intimidating look. "What do you mean it was a fake?"

"Well I couldn't give them the real one!" She rushed to explain. "I wanted you to wait but I couldn't let them have the real page - did you read what was written on it?"

"No," he admitted. "I decided I didn't want to know."

"It was a potion," she told him. "A potion that Slytherin was working on to control someone's mind. I couldn't let them have that, so after I knocked you out, I took out the page but I copied it and changed some stuff on it so it won't make sense and destroyed the original page."

"You destroyed a page of Salazar Slytherin's diary," Draco choked. "Just like that?"

She looked at him sternly. "It wasn't anything that anyone should ever have access to."

Draco stared at her, aplomb for several minutes and then a large grin broke out over his face. "You are amazing, you know that?"

"Yes," she said seriously. "I am."

He laughed and dropped back down to his knees in front of her. "I can't believe you did that. What if you'd been caught?"

She shrugged. "I wasn't."

He gave her his most exasperated look and she chuckled before grabbing his roving hand and tugging him into the oversize chair. Once Draco had settled down next to her, one arm wrapped around her, the other resting on her belly, Ginny waved her wand and a fire sprang to life in the nearby fireplace.

"Ginny Malfoy," she said out loud. She rolled the words around on her tongue trying to get a feel for them.

"I like it," Draco said, pressing a kiss to her temple. "It sounds right."

"Yeah," she agreed. "It certainly does."

ORIGINAL REQUEST:
• Briefly describe what you'd like to receive in your fic
  I want them to compete for a professional sport. I don't want Quidditch, I don't want this easy for the writer *evil cackle* Something clever that when we read it we go 'heh good job that's funny and brilliant.'
• The tone/mood of the fic: Right now I'm in a light and fluffy mood. So something with wit and sarcasm all over the place.
• An element/line of dialogue/object you would like in your fic: I want there to be trickery. They are competing here, let's have them really go for it!
• Preferred rating of the fic you want: I'm going for some NC-17. While being light and fluffy right now I always like some dirtyness.
• Canon or AU? It can be AU.
• Deal Breakers (anything you don't want?): Cliche's flying everywhere. I don't want Draco to be changed, I want Ginny to fall for his darkness and angst.

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