Breathe In, Breathe Out

I felt ridiculous standing there in a flashy dress overtopped with a hoodie watching Draco Malfoy throw a punch at Harry Potter. My bag full of necessities dropped from my grasp and before I knew it I was yanking off my heels and running through the cold grass and down the path to the disagreeing men. "Harry! What are you doing?!" I shrieked as I tried yanking on his arm.

Unknowingly Harry thrust his arm up and I was knocked to the ground. 'Well there goes my new dress.' I thought glumly. As I lifted my abdomen off the dirt I saw Draco give one final push before Harry fell immobile on the ground. Panicking, I got to my feet and ran to my childhood crush.

Just as I knelt down and brought my hand to his face, a paler hand grasped my outstretched one and pulled me in a different direction. I gave Draco a glare but he seemed even more steamed then I. Guiltily I got up and walked a little a ways from the fallen boy. "Draco…"

"I want an explanation Ginny Weasley." He said it softly but sternly none the less.

I gave a pleading look, "Are you out of your bloody mind!"

He raised his eyebrow as I analyzed Harry's awakening form.What is it with boys fighting for my honour? I wanted so bad to rush over to Harry but Draco had me wrapped up against him.

I solemnly walked toward the Burrow's doorway to grab my small bag as Draco got inside the car. I flashed a pitiful look at Harry as he glowered at me and mouthed, 'you can't have both.' My heart plummeted as my really awesome evening was spinning out of reach and I began feeling so out of the loop.

I reached my freezing hand to the car door but stopped. Something inside me was split into two and I had no doubt that it was my heart, for so long I've wanted Harry but no one has ever compelled me as much as Draco Malfoy these past months.

Draco prodded me to get inside the car but I didn't want to be with him tonight, Harry either. I just wanted to be with someone else. A best friend.

I cast Draco a pitiful look and ran off down the dirt road bare foot. The cold grass and soil felt so pliable underneath my feet, matching the feeling of my heart and my mind. My hair was a mess whipping against my back as I slowly disappeared from view in the clear of night, apparating to Mackenzie's flat.

I knocked on her door for what seemed like the billionth time; loosing all hope that she was even home. If I knew Kenzie then she was probably wasted and had already passed out at some boys flat. Disappointed, I sat outside her door pondering my next move.

Cars flew by the main street and I laughed at how horrible I must've looked. I glanced at my watch and noticed that it was 2 am and that maybe it would be best if I just headed home. Even though I was nowhere near tired I decided to walk home, a couple of miles… I needed the time by myself anyway.

As I turned off the popular street down a more peaceful road towards my country home I heard my name being called from behind me. Turning around I squinted at the car that had pulled over. Completely turning around and walking towards the car I hoped to Merlin that it wasn't Malfoy. Shocked at the identity of the man I stayed quiet as he looked me up and down. "Wow Ginny, what have you been doing since the party?!" he asked a bit confused.

I gave a weak smile and whispered, "Boys."

Alex took my hand and led me toward his car. But I hesitated, "You know, I think I'd rather just walk home and take a long hot bath and just maybe not think about these past few months."

He shifted his body and squinted at me through the dark. Gently I slipped my cold hand from his warm one, sending shivers throughout my body, and began turning around. "Ginny just come to my apartment tonight, I have something I think you should know. It's not bad but I just don't think Draco has told you yet."

I gave him and odd look. Just standing there trying to think was becoming more and more impossible as sleep began catching up with me. I grasped my arm this time so as to follow him into the car. I nodded my thanks to the driver as I clicked my seat belt and turned my gaze to the road. I could feel Alex' gaze upon me as I sat glumly in the expensive car (that just happened to be very cozy and warm compared to walking outside); a large frown portrayed across my face. Farms passed by slowly, each one further apart from the last, eventually leading me to close my eyes and drift off into sleep.

I woke up as Alex was getting out of the car and gently stroking my cheek. I smiled at the gesture and swatted his hand away, even though his touch still left a tingle in my heart. But so did Harry's touch, and Draco's, oh geez what ever will I do with myself?! As he helped me out of the car I tripped over my own feet from being a little to exhausted for all this adventure in a single night.

As the two of us trouped up to his penthouse sweet I noticed that he had kept quiet. Or rather, that he had barely spoken since I had gotten into the car. "So why are you being all quiet and stuff?"

He glanced at me with a dazed expression and mumbled something barely audible, "I think it's because I've been doing a lot of thinking since that day when Harry came back."

"Oh," and attempted a smile but it wasn't working.

The two of us sat down on the couch as a house elf came in bearing hot chocolate and coffee. He was about to open his mouth when I cut him off, the realization of his earlier comment flicking the on-switch in my head, "Wait, you say you have been quiet since Harry has returned but how do you even know Harry? DON'T tell me you have some complicated story with him too! If you do, well, I am going to have to change my name and move to the muggle world because as much as I love drama… this is getting to be WAY too much… Do you even know what it's like to suddenly be thrusted (?) into society with the top 3 wizards of Britain all in my 'Top 5'? It's just a LITTLE overwhelming is all I'm saying—"

Alex cut me off with somewhat of a tired sigh, mixed with a chuckle of adoration, "Oh Ginny. No, Harry and I rarely talk, the fact that he is back has gotten me twisted. I'm beginning to be the third wheel here in Britain; not only in your life but in society's eye of prime bachelors as well. Despite this escapade between myself and Malfoy's family I just feel… Oh I don't know how to explain this!" He buried his head in his hands and let out a groan of frustration.

I kind of just stayed sitting there dumbly, I had no idea where any of this was going, how any of it happened, and was always expecting to wake up to the deafening sound of an alarm clock.

"Now that Harry is back I feel like my time here in Britain is closing in. The wizarding world wants their hero and their blonde business mogul. The American Celebrity is fading. Not only that but so is my mothers health. Actually I was going to explain this too you at the end of the evening…" He glanced at his wristwatch and gave a sorrowful sigh. "On second thought I think it's best if you got some sleep. My story can be heard tomorrow."

Looking around the room in a kind of a roll-your-eyes fashion I nodded my head in agreement. Now that I had taken the time to sit and stay quiet sleep decided to pounce.

"Were you purposely out to find me or was it by chance that you passed me on the road?" I asked as he rose from the arm chair.

"I honestly don't know what I was doing. Look, I know we can never be, obviously your heart lies with Malfoy," I sent him a look of Are-You-Crazy-Why-Are-You-Assuming-That, "or Harry. But I just think you're a great person and because I had been, well I still am a tad, intoxicated I guess my mind wanted to lay this episode to rest."

I took this lazy moment to REALLY take a look at Alex. Our, very, short history was playing through my head backward until I got to the moment where I met him in the store. I replayed the scene of our eyes meeting for the very first time and analyzed it right then and there. I bore my gaze into his as I reviewed this. He didn't question it. Nothing, I noticed, has changed. We were still strangers to one-another. His eyes held nothing for me to fall into, really, and as I observed our eye contact on that very first day I realized, as a third person, that there definitely was no chemistry there. Maybe I was being pessimistic but Alex Berkin had this amazing life in America, he had this soap-opera life story and we were two completely wrong people who just happened to cross paths at the right time. We were acquaintances. He was gorgeous but my heart didn't agree, he was rich but I could not have cared less, and he was this amazing American whom I had the pleasure of meeting. I focused back to his living room and the smell of coffee (a cup of which had been placed on the table in front of me). "Can we please be all sentimental tomorrow? I need a pillow, assuming you'll let me crash right here… right now."

He gave a jolly little laugh at this, reminding me of the way Ron used too look at me in adoration of his cute little sister. "Sure thing Ginny, and tomorrow I'll tell you everything."

As soon as he tossed me a pillow and it was under my head, I was asleep. I fell into a somber slumber right there on his plush couch in my dress and my hoodie and my dirt covered feet; thinking about, surprise, nothing.

A/N: I'm terribly aware of the date I last posted; my regards. School is terrible and now that I'm working well pshh to that. On account of the fact that I had a massive writers block and I'm back to finish this only to have forgotten all previous plot. So here is a filler, basically, while I reread the fic and remind you that I did not die; I just found other ways to spend my time :S

Reviews always help in the end too :)

xo Lorina