A/N: I'm terrible at betaing my own stuff, so this is not betaed. Sorry about any mistakes. If this story ends up being longer than I think it will I'll seek a beta.
Notice: This chapter has been changed a little from its original version that was posted here. There was one spot that kept constantly irritating me, and I didn't ever read my first chapter because I kept cringing.
Her lips were just a little too soft, Harry thought, and pulled away from Ginny. She panted up at him, eyes glazed from just the little touching they'd done so far. She looked so… like Ginny.
He sighed, and Ginny jerked slightly backwards. "What's wrong, Harry?" She asked, and Harry had to resist the urge to roll his eyes at how naïve she was. Was it really too hard to think that he might not enjoy being with her?
"I have a… potions essay I need to write," Harry fumbled for an explanation, and backed up against the sink. When Ginny still hesitated, he considered turning around and opening the chamber, but decided that would be counterproductive. She'd probably be so scared she'd cling to him. "It's due tomorrow. Snape will kill me if it's not done."
Ginny frowned and straightened her skirt. "Fine. How about we walk back to the common room together then? If you can wait just a little bit to work on your potions essay, that is…"
Harry fought back a scowl and forced himself to instead smile. "I'd like that," he replied, but nothing could've been further from the truth.
Draco Malfoy couldn't really remember a worse day he'd had the entire eighth year. Pansy had pointed out over breakfast every cute guy in the school, regardless of blood purity. The day had continued with Blaise pointing out all of the girls that were sure to be better than Potter. The day now gave him a small fourth year reporting every slight insignificant gossip in the school. It was, of course, exactly what he had requested, as Draco could hardly ask for daily gossip about Potter.
However, the odd inquiry could hardly go astray. "Yes, yes, Elizabeth. Anything on Potter?"
Elizabeth blinked. "Not really… he was seen entering the Gryffindor common room with Ginny Weasley; does that count?"
Draco sighed and shook his head, waving his hand. Again the Weasley girl. He'd asked her out exactly 18 days ago. No sign of a faltering relationship yet. "Not really, but I tire of this nonsense. Come back tomorrow with more."
Elizabeth nodded and ran up to her room to work on her Transfiguration homework. Draco was in such a great mood today, she thought as she picked her textbook out of her bag. He'd let her go way early. Usually he would just make her recite every slight bit of news happening that day, even if it didn't interest him. He must've known she had a ton of homework; he'd given her at least half an hour extra.
Upon arriving in the common room, Harry quickly dispatched himself to the dormitory, claiming it was too loud in the common room to get any serious work done. He fell down on his bed, staring at the ceiling.
Ginny was what everyone expected him to want. He'd thought that that was what was wrong, that that was the reason he'd felt nothing, well, nothing good, with Cho and the rest of the girls. He'd thought that Ginny was the One, that no other girl would satisfy him but Ginny. But if Ginny didn't, who would?
Harry heard the door open, and he quickly grabbed a piece of parchment and his potions textbook. Reading studiously, he attempted to look as though he was working. A weight sat beside him, and Hermione's voice reached out gently.
"Harry… you know that the potions essay is due in four days, right? I mean, not that I have any problem with you doing your homework early, but you could've spent a bit more time with Ginny." Harry felt his temper begin to warm. "She feels like you value your grades more than her, and since you don't care too much about grades, other than becoming an auror… She feels kind of abandoned much of the time. I heard her complaining to Ron about it. He's going to be angry."
"And what am I supposed to do about that?" Harry lashed out at her and stood, flinging his wand out of his pocket as he did so. "What do you want me to do if she's unhappy? Break up with her?"
Hermione bit her lip and nodded. Harry blinked. "What?"
Hermione looked down at her hands, which were twisting about on her lap. "If you don't like her, break up with her. She'll be a lot happier if you do."
Harry stared down at her. Truthfully, the thought had never occurred to him. The thought that he could just break up with Ginny, didn't have to stay with her just because everyone thought they were perfect for each other… It was wonderful.
"I'll break up with her," he whispered, and Hermione looked up at him, her eyes widening.
"You-you will?" She stuttered, and if anything looked scared… but that had to just be Harry's head, she was the one who had suggested it after all.
"Yes," he grinned, and nodded. "I'm going to break up with Ginny," he repeated, and stuck his wand back in his pocket. Harry turned towards the door, but paused to pivot back and hug Hermione. "Thanks, 'Mione. I haven't felt this great in… weeks! Since I asked Ginny out, really." The bounce in his step making him look as though he was riding a Merry-Go-Round, Harry strode toward the door, leaving one last grin with Hermione before swinging out the door.
Hermione watched as the door swung shut, cradling her head in her hands. Where on Earth had he gotten that from?
The first thing Draco Malfoy noticed that was different was the atmosphere. The hall was strewn with giggles and whispers, especially among the younger years and girls. Some were appearing to be upset, some even looking on the verge of tears. Others were radiating happiness and putting on extra makeup.
The second thing Draco noticed was that the Weasley girl was not present, nor was Granger. Weasley was there, but was shoveling food in his mouth while glaring across the table at Potter. Potter appeared to be waving his arms in a most foolish way, all the while opening and closing his mouth rapidly. Draco would've read his lips, but the idiotic founders had placed the Gryffindor and Slytherin tables far too far away for such activities. Draco mentally shrugged, promising himself that Elizabeth was sure to tell him something about it.
In potions, however, Draco's curiosity was piqued again. Weasley slipped shredded beetle wings into Potter's potion, and Potter got that adorable enraged look just before his potion exploded. Professor Snape merely sneered and vanished the potion. Harry got that adorable look again, but Professor Snape ignored that and gave them both detention. The mystery remained, of course, as to why Weasley was so angry at Harry.
By the time four o'clock came around and Draco was waiting in his chair for Elizabeth, he was nearly bouncing off the walls with his curiosity, not that it showed. When Elizabeth finally ran in ten minutes late, Draco had to resist the urge to hex her.
"Draco! I'm so sorry I'm late; I had to make sure I got all of the facts in to make a more complete report. Can I start?" Draco calmly nodded, not letting his anticipation show through. It would be a waste of effort in Elizabeth figured it out now. "Okay, so, Ginny Weasley and Harry Potter broke up! Apparently he dumped her shortly after they reached the Gryffindor common room yesterday. She'd previously thought that he wasn't paying enough attention to her, and was actually complaining to her brother when he came down and-"
"Wait," Draco cut her off, "You said she thought he wasn't paying her enough attention?" That was impossible. Potter had done nothing but dote upon the Weasley girl since he'd asked her out 19 days ago.
"Yes," Elizabeth tapped her foot impatiently. "Now, can I continue?" At Draco's nod, she began again. "So, as I was saying, Ginny Weasley was complaining to her brother, and Potter came downstairs and dumped her. Didn't even take her privately aside, just dumped her in front of the entire common room. That's also why Ron Weasley isn't currently speaking to him. Granger took a neutral aspect."
Draco paused a second to take all of this in. With the relationship over, more details would be divulged. "How far were they in their relationship?" he queried, and Elizabeth immediately launched into speech again.
"They'd only been together a couple of weeks, so nothing serious, just some basic snogging and stuff. Or at least, that's all that anyone's heard… I personally think-"
"I don't care what you personally think," Draco smoothly cut off again. "Is there anything else of importance?"
Elizabeth shrugged. "Nothing for certain, only rumors. Such as, there's one that Potter broke up with her because their relationship wasn't serious. She wasn't putting out."
"I'm sure. You can leave now, Elizabeth." Draco leaned his head against his hand, massaging his temples. Elizabeth promptly scattered.
So. The Weasley girl and Potter had finally broken up. That was interesting. As Potter hardly seemed the type to drop a girl because of sex, that left only one option. The one that Draco didn't know, but had every intention of finding out.