Ginny stormed through the corridors of Hogwarts like a manticore on the warpath. Fellow classmates took one look at her face and leapt out of her way for fear of getting trampled in the hunt or pounced upon for hindering her search. It didn't take long for her to find the object of her wrath. He was the only person oblivious to Ginny's desire for bloodshed, the only person who didn't flee, the only person left standing when the crowds parted before her.

The sight of him had steam blowing out her ears, but Draco Malfoy didn't acknowledge her until her hands landed on his person, shoving him against a wall.

"OI, WEASLEY! What is your PROBLEM?"

Her fists clenched around two handfuls of his robes as she pulled him down so that they were nose to nose.

"You are telling people that we slept together?" Her voice came out as a hiss, but no one could mistake what she said.

"I'm doing what?"

"Of all the idiotic and disgusting rumors that you could have spread, why, Malfoy, WHY that one?"

"I have no idea what you are talking about, you bloody harpy!"

"Padma Patil told me that she over heard you telling Parkinson that I was the worst shag you've ever had! It's a complete and utter lie and you know it!"

"If that's what she told you, then why don't you go push her into a bleeding wall? I never said such a thing! I would never pretend to sully myself with you. To be quite honest, your tits aren't big enough, your waist isn't small enough, and I'd be afraid of catching whatever that is sprinkled all over your face!"

Ginny sucked in a long breath through her nose, her whole body rising, standing taller, straighter, and their audience gasped and took a step back. Her wrath of minutes before had evolved into something uglier and scarier. Even Malfoy tried to make more space between them, but he was impeded by the wall, trapped between a rock and something even worse: a Weasley.

Everyone expected her to shout and beat her fists—or at least pull her wand—but Ginny did none of those things. In a soft voice that was more terrifying than any physical assault she could have committed Ginny said, "I'm glad to hear it. I wouldn't sleep with you even if we were the last two people left on Earth. Frankly, your hair isn't black enough, your eyes aren't green enough, and you certainly don't have a single courageous or honorable bone in your body. I just want you to know that this—" she ran a hand down the side of her body, following the shape of her curves "—this is the best thing you will never have."

She spun on her heel, her robes and hair flying dramatically behind her, and stalked back down the corridor, leaving silence in her wake. Draco was left staring after her while their audience began to whisper amongst themselves.

By dinnertime, the news had spread from the witnesses of the encounter to their friends and siblings, and the gathering of the student body in the Great Hall for dinner only exacerbated the gossip. When Draco and Ginny entered the Great Hall—separately, of course—the whispers died down, at least where they might have the opportunity to hear them.

By the next morning, it was a well-known fact that Ginny had turned down Draco's proposition of sex—or had Draco turned down Ginny's? Either way, there was no chance in hell that the two would ever sleep with each other, and everyone knew it.

This created the perfect opportunity for the subjects of all that gossip.

The door closed behind Ginny a little harder than usual, making Draco jump upon her arrival.

"You know, what you said yesterday was really unnecessary," she said as she began unbuttoning her robe.

"You think so? I wanted to make it convincing." Draco replied, watching in interest as she revealed inches of more skin with every button she undid. "Yours was a low blow as well. Did you have to compare me to Potter? Of all people? You know how he irks me."

Ginny sniffed. "It was the worst insult I could think of." The robe fell to the floor, puddling around her feet, leaving her wearing nothing but her socks and matching knickers and bra. "Aren't you a little warm?" she asked, eying the fully clothed Draco from head to toe.

"All in due time," he said, grabbing her by the hand and pulling her against his body. He rubbed his hands against her curves, outlining her body from waist to hips, back to her waist, and then up to her breasts. "I lied, you know. I love these just as they are." He cupped her breasts in his hands as he spoke, rubbing his thumbs along the edge of her bra.

"And my waist?" she challenged, unable to help the smile that spread across her face.

"Perfect."

"And my freckles?"

He leaned down and kissed her nose, her cheeks, and then he leaned further to kiss the column of her neck, the tops of her shoulders.

"I'd like nothing more than to be covered in them."

Ginny laughed, pushing him away from her. Then she rethought that action and pulled him close again. Since he was taking his time undressing, she began the process for him. As she started with the first button of his robe, she said, "You should know by now that I don't prefer Harry over you." She kissed his skin as it was revealed, and instead of replying to her with words, Draco grunted. "And what else did I say?" Her hands paused at the buttons in Draco's hip area. "Oh, right. It looks like you do have one courageous and honorable bone in your body." The smirk on her face mirrored the one on his. "Git," she said, throwing the robe off his body.

"Let's pretend we're the last two people on Earth, yeah?" Draco said when his arms were full of Ginny.

"Sounds fabulous," she replied.

All around the castle rumors reinforcing Draco and Ginny's hatred for each other had spread—and that was exactly the way they wanted it.