Cotton Candy n' Pixie Stix
Chapter 2
Sweet as Sugar

Ginny sighed and slowly walked down the stairs, her eyes scanning the now-empty commons. She ran her fingers through her lightly tangles hair as she walked towards the red velvet couch and sat down.
From beyond the painting she heard a few muffled words, but she couldn't tell what they were, or who they were coming from. the painting swung out, and in came Hermione. Her sight darted from object to object, until it landed on ginny, who gave a weak smile and wave as a greeting.
"Ginny? What're you doing here all by yourself?" Hermione asked in a just slightly-worried tone of voice.
"Is Ron still mad at me?" Ginny let out a sigh,slumping back into her seat and staring into the fire.
"So that's what this is about?"
"You didn't answer my question..."
"And that's two of mine *you* haven't answered."
"Sorry..."
"Don't apologize...it's just a way to let people take advantage of you."
"Huh..?"
Hermione giggles and sat down next to Ginny, hugging her gently. "Forget it," she smiled. "Guess you're not old enough to h--"
"--to understand, right?" Ginny interrupted. Hermione opened her mouth to correct her, but Ginny looked away.
"You've never been in love before, haven you Ginny?" Hermione made eye contact with her, tears in her eyes. "You've never longed for someone you couldn't have, wishing in vain that if you *could* be together, that people would accept it...that *he* would accept *you*.."
Ginny's eyes opened wide. it was like ginny's heart was an open book, and Hermione was reading it word-for-word!
"...then you're in the hallway, all alone, oportunity's knocking on your door...your eyes meet, and then he looks away, turns on his heels and walks off into the shadows, leaving you standing there, all the words you wish to say on the top of your tongue, and no one there to hear them..." Hermione trailed off, then slowly pulled her bag up to rumage through it. Ginny realized her mouth was open and shut it.
"Hermione..I...I'm so sorry...you must have felt aweful.." she said quietly, looking away
"Oh, I know..I hate it when they end the books right when it's getting good!" Hermione exclaimed, pulling out a book about 700 pages thick.
"That...happened...in a book..?" Ginny turned bright pink, blushing.
"Well of course! You don't think *I'm* in love with anyone, do you??"
"Heh..." Ginny blushed more.
"Not like it's ever happened to you either, though..right?"
"Right...but..Hermione? If you *did* like someone, you knew people wouldn't accept it, and you had no idea how he felt about you, what would you do?"
Hermione smiled and stood up. "I'd tell him," she said, and left the room.

Ginny took a deep breath and stood up. hearing a loud but low growl, she jumped, but soon recognized it as her stomach telling her she was hungry. She made her way to the hallway, turning down corridors and taking a few shortcuts before she found her way to the Great hall. Although breakfast had started quite some time ago, there was still food on the tables (which, of course, would keep replenishing until all the children had left) and plenty of kids still eating. Ginny slowly observed the room, looking carefully at each table until her eyes landed on the Slytherins. Or, to be more precise, *a* Slytherin, Draco Malfoy.
Draco was laughing at something someone else had said (probably a demeaning joke on the Gryffindors) and didn't notice for quite some time that Ginny was staring into his eyes. Everything seemed in slow motion. Draco looked up, his light blonde hair shining in the sunlight (shining through the upper windows). He looked adorable, like a little child, his greyish-blue eyes making him look all the more innocent. Suddenly, Ginny saw those same blue eyes staring back into hers, any and every trace of innocence gone.
Suddenly, Draco's eyes were filled with curiosity, anger, immaturity, and even sorrow. Ginny quickly turned away, looking back to the Gryffindor table for a place to sit, pretending like she'd never even glanced at him. However, Draco didn't look away. His eyes followed her, noting how she had quickly brushed her soft red hair, how she had hurriedly gotten dressed and put her red and gold colored tie on wrong, and how she overall seemed very depressed.
Feeling a nudge from Goyle, he sighed and closed his eyes, trying to clear his mind of thoughts of the little Weasley girl, her soft brown eyes, her cute little freckles, even her worn down robe that some how made her look even cut--wait, HOLD ON!! Draco shook his head, suddenly feeling like vomiting. Ginny Weasley, CUTE?!?! How obsurd! Draco knew that not only was the thought vile and discusting, but his father would go haywire and probably disown him if he heard him thinking like that. Sure, the Weasleys were pure-bloods, but they were poor, a word/life Draco prayed he would never have to live.
Timothy, an older Slytherine student Draco had been talking with, waveds his hand in front of Draco's dazed face. "Hogwarts to Malfoy, Hogwarts to Malfoy, come in, Malfoy, do you read me??" he mimiced someone talking over a CB. Draco's eyes refocused, and he snapped from his daydreaming. "'ey there, welcome back to Earth." Timothy grinned.
Draco narrowes his eyes, and glared at him, but soon relaxed. Turning behind him, Timothy scanned the Gryffindor table, directly behind them. "What'cha lookin' at?" he asked.
"Hm? Oh, nothing...I was thinking.." Draco replied.
"You sure have been acting weird this morning. You sure you're okay..?"
"Possitive. Just was thinking, like I said."
"Okay...ooh, look! More baegels!!" he scooted down a few seats(the Great Hall was now more then half empty) to sit infront of a large tray of baegels that had just materialized. Draco smiled and shook his head, glancing once more in Ginny's way, then standing up and leaving.
Meanwhile, bacl at the Gryffindor table, Ron was stuffing his face with food. He was obviously in a better mood. Standing up, Ginny walked over behind him. "Ron..?" she said jut loud enough to get his attention, but not bothering anyone else. Ron turned around to face her.
"Ginny? Hey, listen..." he swollowed the foor he had been eating, making a loud, audible 'gulping' sound. "...I want to apologize for how I overreacted before. I didn't mean to get angry at you like that." Ginny smiled softly.
"I'm glad you're not mad anymore..." Ginny grabbed his hand and pulled him up. "Come on, I have something to tell you."
Ron blinked in curiosity. He nodded and stoof up, following Ginny out into an empty hallway. "Why out here?"
"More private..Ron...I have a crush on someone.."
Ron relaxed. he had obviously been uptight and nervous. "I already knew that. heck, the whole school probably knows about it!" Ginny's mouth dropped. The *whole* schoo?! How could they know she liked Drac-- "I mean, you practically drool over Harry!" Ron interrupted her thoughts, luckily for her.
"Ron, I mean, I *really* like someone, and it *isn't* Harry." The second she finished, Ron pulled her into a bone-crushing embrace. "Ron...I can't...ugh!"
"My lil' sister's finaly growing up!" he rocked her back and forth, quickly letting go to wipe a tear out of his eye. Ginny started gasping for air. "So, who is the lucky lil' bugger?" he asked, sniffling.
"I...can't tell you yet.." she said quietly.
"What you talkin' 'bout, Ginny?" he raised one eyebrow, crossing his arms.
"I said I can't tell you yet, Ron. Even he doesn't know yet." She turned her back to him, sighing.
"Ginny..I'm your brother, you can trust me with anything.."
"No I can't, Ron!" she turned around. "I could never trust you with something like that! You know you'd tell him, then everyone in school, Mum and Dad...everyone! There's no way I could ever tell you *who* it is!"
Ron looked sad. "Ginny..I..I'm sorry you think that.." he looked away.
"Ron..I *will* tell you eventually..but..I can't right now. I just..wanted you to know there's someone I really like. I know I can atleast trust you with that." Ron nodded.
"Yeah..I..I guess.." Ginny smiled and hugged him, running back into the Great Hall, hoping to get some food in before she had to leave for her first class. Ron narrowed his eyes. "Whoever you are, Ginny's crush, I *will* find you..." Ron cackled evily, until some pretty Ravenclaw girls walked past, making him drop his jaw and stare as they giggled at him.

End Chapter 2~