Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns Harry Potter etc, please don't sue me!

A/N: Help! I'm posting one of my fanfictions on an inkit competition and I need your help deciding which one! Please let me know which completed one over 2000 words you think is most enthralling and well-written! Thank you!

To the reviewers - thank you!: BlackRose851 [Thanks!]; LonelyConfused [Why thank you XD ]; Guest1 [Thank you! Glad you liked the scenes, I suppose she is quite happy to use any means to meet her aims]; Guest2 [Parchment details are below :) ]; Bwitchmd [Wow, so many details, I'll try to answer them all. Voldemort and the war don't really exist in the story; while Harry is still the Boy-Who-Lived, I suppose I'm just pretending that Voldemort fell down a magic-proof well and has been forgotten forevermore - his death eaters remain either in jail or diligently pretending to be law abiding (thus the Slytherin children are just rich, proud, and self-centered: no offense intended to your affiliated house...it's mine too!). On the flirting, not sure quite what you mean... they are somewhat aware but cautious - more explanation is in the coming chapter. Sadly Tom probably won't be making a reference in this one; I don't want Ginny to really have such a convenient excuse, she steals because she likes the thrill - no ones perfect and this is one of her flaws]; Bite [I'm glad you're enjoying the interactions. This story is unlikely to feature those components, it won't really fit with these characters as I've planned them, but thanks for letting me know your thoughts :) ]; and Lisa89 [Thanks, I'm glad you're enjoying it. No worries, I appreciate the effort of you putting the review in English to save me translating online :)].

Happy reading!

Recap:

She jumped up and ran down the stairs, checking the common room floor. Nothing. She opened the corridor door and looked around. No parchment.

A pool of dread settled in her stomach.

Well at least I don't have to wonder for long; potions is first up this morning. In the meantime, I'll check under the bed again…

When Ginny stepped into the potions room an hour later, she saw Draco watching her with a speculative look from his seat against the wall to her left.

She sat down and turned towards him, eyes glaring. As she opened her mouth to demand he return her missing letter, Snape swept in and called for silence.

'The hospital is in dire need of a blood replenishing potions. As a simple third year potion, I expect you all to manage brewing the potion individually with ease. Anyone who fails to have a perfect potion on my desk by the end of class will lose their house more than a few points. I want absolute silence. I will also grant house points for any perfect potion that can be sent to the hospital wing for use. Begin.'

Huffing in annoyance, Ginny prepared her cauldron and quickly moved to the stores cupboard to get the ingredients. Draco stayed at his desk until she returned with her ingredients.

Avoiding prat.

Sitting in silence, she brewed her concoction carefully to ensure no mistakes, even when she heard the hiss of a spoiled potion to her right, she kept her focus.

Draco finished just as her own potion was cooling to reach perfection. Bottling his potion into multiple vials, he carefully took them to Snape. She watched their interaction as she counted the passing time in her head, she saw Snape give a whisper of a smile and nod his head towards a bench on the left. Draco set down the vials, returned and collected his belongings with a smirk and a mocking wave of his fingers. Just before he left the table, he dropped a note in front of her and then left the room.

When her potion was cooled completely – thankfully she finished second – she put it into vials and took them to Snape. He scrutinised it carefully, then gave her a measly amount of points and told her to leave quietly.

She quickly gathered her belongings and left the room, hoping to catch Draco, but he was long gone by the time she reached the corridor.

Looking down at the note, she unfolded the crisp parchment.

Ginevra,

I'll be working on my potions task this afternoon in the library from four until dinner. You are welcome to join me and reclaim the property that you left behind.

D.M.

Stuffing the letter into her pocket, she strode to her next class. Fortunately it was one she shared with Melody – hoping that her friend had endured a terrible Slytherin quidditch training section recently and would happily grouse about Draco with her, Ginny quickly headed to class.

Slumping into her chair next to Melody for Charms, Ginny offered an unamused expression.

'What's up?' Melody asked, eyes twinkling.

'Why are you so cheery? I wanted you miserable,' Ginny sulked.

'Ha, wonderful friend, aren't you? I'm cheery because I just asked out a guy a like and he said yes.'

'Blaise Zabini?'

'Yup,' she replied, popping the 'p'.

'And where will you two be going?'

'Italy in the Room of Requirements.'

'How romantic – you realise he is Italian so has probably been to the real one.'

'Of course, but that might work in my favour – he could say that it hasn't the atmosphere of real Italy, then I'll say I've never been, then he'll offer to take me sometime, and whola a trip to Italy with Blaise!'

Ginny rolled her eyes, but a smirk formed on her face anyway. 'A grand plan – just need to get passed date one.'

'Phish! We are made for each other.'

'If you say so.'

'Like you and Malfoy.'

Ginny spluttered instantaneously, coughing to clear her airway. 'Did you addle your brain in Transfiguration!'

'You and Malfoy, don't think I haven't seen your spark – take the quidditch trials for example – the magnetism could have changed gravity and doomed us all!'

'You're a ridiculous exaggerator,' Ginny refuted.

'Tell me you don't think he is attractive.'

'I came here wanting to moan about Malfoy, and you insist on expounding his desirable attributes.'

'So you admit he is desirable,' Melody countered with a smug grin.

'I'd be blind not to think that he is handsome.'

'I asked about attractive.'

'How dumb do you think I am?' Ginny answered with a withering look.

'Not in the slightest, Bestie.'

Ginny scowled at her friend and started to practise the latest spell that Flitwick has finished droning on about – it was one she had learnt long ago when she first started stealing.

At four o'clock, Ginny arrived in the library and headed for the table that she'd found Draco at last time.

He was sitting waiting for her, leaning back on his chair so that two legs were in the air, his feet casually crossed on the table in front of him.

'Hello, Ginevra.'

'Draco,' she replied with narrow eyes and tossed her bag on the table with a thud, she held her now empty hand out expectantly.

Draco pulled some folded parchment from his pocket, running his fingers along the folds thoughtfully.

Ginny scowled. 'Any time now, Draco.'

'Your twin brothers seem to have mislaid a book. They sound frightfully distressed.'

'You read my letter!' she accused.

'Only a little, it was hard to miss the comment – the letter was unfolded when I picked it up and your brothers did write in capitals with underlining; yes, they seem quite anguished.'

'And you think I believe that?' she snapped.

Draco shrugged. 'Believe what you will, but that is the truth,' he answered calmly.

Ginny studied his face. His open expression looked honest, but with a Slytherin it was always hard to tell; she still couldn't really read Melody and the two had been friends since her first day when the twins had stuck them together with some spell and mutters of inter-house bonding (although their deranged cackling ensured she didn't believe their reasoning).

'Hmm, whatever – just give it back.'

'You know, I find it frightfully curious that you are creating a potion for invisibility – why did you take their book and why do you need to make it invisible?'

'I didn't take their book – they've gone and dropped some potion on it and it's shrunk or something.'

'Awful careless of them – given their apparent protectiveness over said book. Does it really have all their pranks listed?'

'Probably.'

Draco smirked. 'So why this potion then?'

Merlin, he's like a bloody Hippogriff with a ferret! He he, ferret. I suppose it can't hurt for him to know, sibling pranks and what-not…

Ginny sighed. 'Fine, yes, I took it. Now I need to give it back without them noticing.'

'Why give it back?'

'Because they are distraught without it and I've had my fun.'

'Frightfully Slytherin of you, Ginevra,' he replied with an appreciative tone.

Ginny rolled her eyes. 'Will you just give me the letter back? I never finished reading it.'

'You didn't? Did you get to the part about your boyfriend?' There was something in his voice, but Ginny couldn't quite place it.

Ginny scoffed. 'I don't have a boyfriend.'

'You don't?'

'No.'

'Why not?'

'That is none of your business.'

Draco's face took on a predatory smile and he stood up, sauntering towards her, stopping only inches in front of her.

'Ginny! What are you doing with Malfoy?' came a shrill voice from behind her, Ginny angled slowly to face the intruder. Draco's eyes flickered between the two girls' faces.

'Hermione, hello. What brings you to this corner of the library?' Ginny asked.

'I was researching the spider incident.'

Ginny felt a surge of pride at the memory, before managing to dampen it back down.

'In the Potions section of the library?'

'Yes, I thought that a potion could have been used. But you didn't answer my question – what are you two doing?'

'Researching for our potions projects,' Ginny lied easily.

'Without any books?' Hermione questioned, leaning around to see the empty table.

'Have to decide on books before collecting them,' Ginny answered blithely, and she heard Draco shift slightly at her side.

Hermione's brow furrowed into one line as she watched them. 'You looked very cosy when I arrived.'

Ginny raised an eyebrow at Hermione. 'Do you think it is more productive to be shooting fire spells?'

'Of course not, but it doesn't mean you need to be so… close.'

'Hermione, shouldn't you be researching for the potion that could have altered Ron's pillow? I daresay you only have a particular amount of time allotted to that research today and it is slipping away on the topic of Malfoy,' Ginny answered pointedly.

Hermione jumped. 'You're right, I need to get to work. But I'll be at the next table over…'

Hermione moved around into the next aisle to take the next table. Draco sneered and flicked his wand to create a silencing charm around himself and Ginny.

'I saw your expression when she mentioned your brother's spider incident.'

Ginny looked at him expectantly in silence with the perfect look of innocence.

'You were proud – it was just a flash, but I was watching your face. Now why would you be proud of that? A nasty attack on your brother? You were involved.'

'I need you to swear to silence.'

'Alright. I so swear.'

'With your wand.'

'Dangerous, and what will be my punishment for spilling the information I am about to receive?'

'Dragon Pox.'

'That's quite deadly. How about a week in a coma instead? That also means I will be unable to play Quidditch for that week.'

Ginny tapped her lip contemplatively.

'No. Now swear or shut up.'

'A mild dose only.'

'No.'

'Then petrification for six months.'

Ginny paused in surprise at the offer. Serious but not deadly, however it would put a severe dent in his life and he would probably avoid it at all costs.

'Agreed.'

Draco pulled out his wand and pointed it at himself. 'I swear not to reveal the information that Ginevra Weasley is about to tell me. If I do, I will immediately suffer six months of constant petrification.' A beam of white light shot at Draco.

Slightly shocked that Draco had legitimately done the spell, Ginny looked at him with wide eyes.

Well, curiosity did kill the cat - but I did always assumed it wasn't a Slytherin one…

He waved his hand, gesturing for her to tell him.

'Yes, I pranked Ron for revenge; he was being a horrid prat.'

'You seem to be rather keen on this revenge thing.'

'So?'

'It's sexy. Bit scary, but very sexy.'

Ginny rolled her eyes and Draco stepped closer, his hands hovering near her sides. 'Combine that with your obvious sneakiness, intelligence, and beauty, you are quite the most perfect lady in this school.'

What's he playing at? Is he being serious? No, surely this is some stupid prank. He must be joking.

'And I thought you had a boyfriend.'

'Yes, we covered that: congratulations, you thought wrong.'

'There is a Hogsmeade weekend next Saturday, I'd be delighted if you would join me and let me take you too lunch.'

'Stop being a prat,' she replied glancing around to spot any watching Slytherins.

'I'm not kidding around, Ginevra. Come to Hogsmeade with me as my date,' he answered, stepping closer once more, but not touching her.

'Are you serious?' she asked incredulously.

'Quite,' he replied, his eyes focused on her intently as he looked down at her petite frame.

Ginny bit her lip. No, he must be fooling around – no choice, laugh him off. Ginny released a laugh and stepped away. 'We need to study.'

Draco watched her for a moment, speculatively, and then lead the way to sit back at the table. He flicked her letter across the table to her seat and started to list books he would need for his potions projects.

Ginny slipped into a chair beside him, chewing her lip again.

He didn't laugh – does that mean he wasn't joking? Could he have seriously wanted to go out with me and I turned him down with a laugh? She gave an internal wince. Wait, why do I care? Do I like him? I mean, he is attractive, and smart, and funny, and… sod it, I do like him and just laughed at his offer.

While Ginny was musing, she didn't notice that Draco had gone to collect some books and was now settling back into his chair. He glanced at her and smirked confidently, although she didn't see; only looking up when he pushed a book towards her. Ginny spent the next hour pretending to work as her mind was in distress about how she had just treated Draco and having decide he was being earnest and she actually wanted to say yes.

After an hour, she gave up and quietly closed her book.

'Draco.'

He looked up at her with a raised eyebrow.

'Yes, Ginevra?' he drawled.

'I thought you were trying to play a trick on me,' she admitted.

'I am aware, however I wasn't,' he replied calmly.

'I would like very much to join you next weekend in Hogsmeade.'

'I'll be waiting for you in the Entrance Hall at ten,' he replied with a heart-fluttering grin and stood up, packing away his books and shouldering his bag.

Ginny smiled. 'I look forward to it. See you later, Draco.'

'Good evening, Ginevra,' he replied as he sauntered away.

A/N: 'Please help reminder' - I'm posting one of my fanfictions on an inkit competition and I need your help deciding which one! Please let me know which completed one over 2000 words you think is most enthralling and well-written! Thank you!