Ginny was sitting under a tree a few hundred metres from Hagrid's hut. They had been back at school a week and yes, it had been a wonderful week but Ginny wasn't happy. Harry had been attentive and affectionate, everything Ginny had always wished he be with her but it was……was what? Ginny had come out here alone to think while the others went in to Hogsmeade. She sighed heavily. The worst part was the feeling that now that she had what she wanted, it wasn't what she thought it would be. Definitely a case of the grass being greener, she thought ruefully. The trouble was, she thought, it had happened too fast. One minute they had been the awkward friends they had been for years and suddenly Harry had taken her hand and kissed her. She had thought she was in heaven but then she had crashed back down to earth. All the rumours flying around the school didn't help either. That was the trouble with dating the most famous wizard in the world. Ginny jumped when she heard a twig snap behind her. She jumped up and whirled around, wand out and ready. She was stunned to see Draco Malfoy standing there.
"What are you doing? Why are you sneaking up on me?" Ginny demanded. Draco looked different, she thought suspiciously, why? Suddenly it dawned on her, he looked normal, not cruel like he normally did. When he looked like this, he almost looked cute. Almost! She couldn't believe where her thoughts were going.
Draco stared at Ginny. He couldn't think of a single thing to say. For once, his quick wit deserted him. He had taken her for granted and assumed she would always be there. He was so sure that once he had finished teasing and tormenting her then he could have her. Seeing her with Potter had shaken him and made him realise that nothing is forever.
"Cat got your tongue Malfoy? Ginny said when she couldn't stand the silence any longer. "If your not going to say anything, I'm leaving," Ginny turned and walked back up to the castle.
Draco started to call her back then realised it was futile. As long as he was a Malfoy she wouldn't give him the time of day. Draco sat down and realised he could still smell her perfume as it lingered in the air. What I need to do, he thought, is approach this like I would if I wanted to annoy Potter. What do I need to do to get Ginny Weasley? I don't know. Well, what doesn't she like about me? My family, me teasing people, me being mean to people. He smiled to himself. I really just need to turn over a new leaf. Shouldn't be too hard really…….
~*~
Over in Hogsmeade, George and Hermione had wandered away from the crowd and were enjoying each other's company. Hermione couldn't believe how right it felt to be with him. George took her hand in his and pulled her with him into Zonko's. Hermione would normally have protested if Ron or Harry had tried to make her go in there, but she knew how hard George and Fred were working to make products for their store. George had told Hermione about how Harry had given them his prize money for the Triwizard Tournament so they could open their own joke shop when the graduated from Hogwart's.
"Hermione, look at this!" George called out to her. Hermione turned at the sound of his voice. She was still standing near the door while George had wandered to the back of the shop. Hermione grinned as she walked down to see what he had found. He sounded so excited, like a kid in a candy store. She loved this child-like side to him. Hermione stood next to him and wrapped her arm around his waist. "What have you found, honey?" she asked indulgently. George held up a spider that wriggled in front of her, "wouldn't it be perfect for Ron!" he exclaimed. Hermione was relieved to realise it was a fake spider, charmed to move like a real one. She was horrified at the thought of Ron's reaction to it. "No, George. You are not going to put that spider anywhere near Ron." George playfully pouted at her, "Aw, come on, sweetie, it would be fun." Hermione tried not to smile, "don't be mean to your brother. He's not feeling to happy at the moment. He needs our support right now." Why did she feel like she was fighting a losing battle? Hermione wondered.
Meanwhile, Harry and Ron were in the Three Broomsticks enjoying a Butterbeer. Harry had gotten up to go have a word with Hagrid who had just sat down on the other side of the room. Ron was just about to join him when Lavender sat down in front of him. "Lavender!" Ron said in surprise, "what are you doing?" Lavender smiled at him, "I thought I'd keep you company." Ron smiled back at her, why had he never noticed her radiant smile before? Harry sat down with Hagrid and glanced over at Ron and Lavender. He grinned, his plan had worked. He knew how unhappy his friend had been to see couples all around him and be alone himself. Harry had also noticed Lavender looking at Ron when she thought no one else was looking. So when Harry saw her enter the Three Broomsticks alone he decided he couldn't let the opportunity go by. Ron's smile was proof that he had done the right thing.
~*~
Ginny sat next to Harry that night at dinner feeling slightly uncomfortable. She watched George and Hermione together and felt a spark of jealousy that she didn't feel as natural or as comfortable with Harry as Hermione did with George. Their relationship seemed so….easy. Ron's gaze suddenly darkened as he spotted Malfoy walking past their table. Draco stopped and bent over just behind Ginny and Harry. Ron indicated to the others that he was there and they all stiffened as they waited to see what he would do. Draco straightened up and appeared to be studying something he had picked up. "Virginia," he murmured. Ginny spun around, "what?" Draco smiled at her and handed her a silver necklace that had her name spelt out, "You dropped this. Is that your full name? Virginia? It's very pretty." With that, he walked away. Ginny, Harry, Ron, Lavender, Hermione and George stared after him with their mouths open.
But it didn't stop there. Draco was performing random acts of kindness right across the school. It was unsettling, as everyone had gotten used to the mean, unkind Draco. Harry and Ron were spending more and more time analysing his motives for the huge change in his behaviour, leaving Ginny a lot more time for thinking.
~*~
Ginny was sitting on the floor leaning against the wall in the owlery. She had just sent a letter to her parents and had sat down for some quiet thinking time (the common room was always full and noisy). She heard someone walking between the aisles of owls. Ginny ignored whoever it was and went back to contemplating her relationship with Harry. She really couldn't complain about it. Harry was great. But there was no spark, no fire to their relationship. Ginny was beginning to realise that she would have to break up with Harry. It just wasn't worth it. She wanted something more than he could give her.
Ginny jumped when she realised someone had sat down next to her. She was surprised to see Draco sitting next to her. She stared at him as he smiled down at her. "Are you okay, Virginia?" he asked her. "Why did you call me by my full name?" she asked him softly. "It suits you," he replied, "besides I bet your brothers nicknamed you Ginny when you were little. You've grown into a beautiful young woman now." Ginny smiled up at him, thrilled by the compliment. Suddenly Ginny could clearly see what she wanted – Draco. A bad boy. Draco was sitting with his legs out in front of him and Ginny moved over to straddle his lap. Draco stared at her in shock. Ginny grinned (this was the effect she was looking for) and kissed him. Draco quickly got over his shock and wrapped his arms around her, tugging her closer. Ginny brought her hands up to cup his face as they kissed more passionately.
~*~
"Harry, can I talk to you?" Ginny asked nervously as she stood watching Ron and Harry play wizard chess in the common room later that night. Harry glanced up at her, "sure, just a second." Minutes later Harry groaned as Ron defeated him. Harry looked up, "what do you want to talk about Ginny?" Ron discretely got up and walked across the room to talk to Lavender. Ginny sat down where Ron previously sat. She sighed, how was she going to say this? "Harry, I think we should see other people." There she'd done it. Ginny looked up to see what his reaction was. Harry looked stunned but quickly masked his reaction. "Uh, okay, why?" Harry managed to get out. "It's not you, it's me. I know that's clichéd, but it's true. I…we just want different things right now. I'm sorry." Harry looked down at the chess pieces, which were staring sympathetically at him. He couldn't take that, chess pieces feeling sorry for him. He had to get out of here. Harry jumped up and ran up to the 5th years room. He threw himself down on his bed. He couldn't believe she had broken up with him. He felt tears in his eyes and he fought to keep them from falling.
Ron stared at Harry as he ran across the room to the stairs to the boys' dormitory. He looked across at Ginny and saw a sad little look on her face. He apologized to Lavender for leaving in the middle of their conversation and went to talk to Ginny. "What's up with you and Harry?" he asked. "It's none of your business, Ron," she replied. "He's my best friend and he looked shattered," Ron replied angrily, slowly it dawned on him – it all added up. "You dumped him, didn't you?!" Ginny looked up at him furiously, "I didn't dump him, I just said I thought we should see other people." Ron couldn't believe what he was hearing, "it's the same thing! You've been after him for years and now you finally get him and you dump him after two weeks! I can't believe you!" Ron stormed off to the boys' dormitory to console Harry.
In their room, Harry was still laying on his bed. He quickly wiped his cheeks as he heard someone entering the room. Ron came over and sat on the edge of his own bed. "Ginny told me what happened." Harry grunted in reply. "Do you want to talk about it? Or do you want to be alone?" Harry sighed, "I need some time alone, thanks anyway though." Ron nodded, "sure. I'll be downstairs." Ron got up and walked back downstairs to the common room. He went to sit with Lavender, glaring at Ginny every once in a while. She might be his sister, but she had badly hurt his best friend. Her behaviour seemed so out of character to him, he didn't understand it.
Harry lay upstairs thinking quietly. He couldn't believe she had broken up with him. He thought they were happy together. He loved her smile, the sound of her laugh, her caring and compassionate nature. He had just assumed they would be together forever. What went wrong? He asked himself. He felt bad, lying up there moping. It wasn't like him, but this had hit him hard. Being with Ginny had made him feel like a part of the Weasley family. He had someone who cared about him and wanted to make him happy. He hadn't had that in his life and he desperately needed it. He thought she was the one. Finally after going over and over the short relationship in his mind he fell asleep only to dream of her.
To be continued…..
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