Chapter Two—Unwanted Feelings

Ginny walked down the marble stairs, making her way to breakfast at the Great Hall. She got to the Gryffindor table and sat next to the usuals.

"Hey Gin!" Hermione said, as Ginny sat down next to her.

"Hey." She said, trying to be a little more upbeat.

"Is anything wrong?" Hermione asked quietly as the boys began to talk about Quidditch.

"No…" Ginny lied.

"Ginny…" Hermione said. "C'mon, tell me."

"I don't—I don't know…it's complicated…I'm confused I guess, I think I just need to sit down and think for a while."

"That's a good idea…well, you know, if you ever need to talk to somebody…I'll be here."

"I can't talk to nobody, I don't know who I am! There's this little voice instead my head that won't shut up! And I think I love Draco Malfoy!"

That's what Ginny would've said, if she could…instead, she was her own humble self and muttered. "Okay, thanks."

Breakfast went on that day, and so did Charms, as did Potions, as did Transfiguration. Ginny was a smart student, just sometimes she found herself focusing on other things. Things that asked questions that could never be answered. And that made her think in silence even more.

Pretty soon, it was time for dinner again. Her heart skipped a beat as she saw a platinum head bobbing in the distance.

"Hey Ginny!" she jumped at the voice behind her. "Whoa…calm down there." It continued, placing a hand on her back.

She turned to recognize Hermione.

Ginny laughed a little. "Yeah, sorry…I'm a little…stiff…yeah, maybe that's it."

"Mmm…" Hermione remarked. There was a pause. "What are you staring at?"

"Oh…what?" Ginny asked, tearing her eyes off him and fully regretting that she even saw him in the first place.

"You were—And I asked—Oh never mind…" Hermione said, waving it off.

Ginny let out a silent breath of relief as she noticed Draco getting closer.

She told herself to walk towards the right, against the wall, to avoid any possible collision with him. Especially in front of Hermione.

But she couldn't.

She kept walking straight. She began to tilt to the left.

Hermione began to talk about Arithmancy as Ginny's eyes widened, looking at what her feet were doing.

"No!" she screamed in her head. "What the bloody hell are you doing, Ginny?" She glanced up at him, he was close now, really close.

"Just ignore him, you won't run into him…yeah, what are the chances of it?" Ginny asked herself, tuning out the babble of Hermione.

She nodded at Hermione, not knowing what in the world she was saying, to give the illusion that she actually was listening.

She nervously tucked a lock of hair behind her hair. But it didn't do anything, anyway.

There was that same sharp pain in her shoulder and she shut her eyes tightly.

She did it.

She told herself not to do it…but her body wouldn't listen to her and she did it.

"Dammit, Weasley!" she heard the familiar voice shout. "What is your problem?"

Ginny opened her mouth to say sorry once again, but was cut off too soon.

"She's the one with the problem!? Excuse me, Malfoy. I think you've got your information a little backwards." Hermione said, placing her hands on her hips, even with all her heavy books at hand.

"I wouldn't be getting involved in this if I were you, mudblood." Draco said sternly.

Hermione's face turned from being annoyed to pure anger. "Ginny is my friend…and I'm not doing to let you do this to her." She said, with the same tone.

"Really, now?" Draco said, apparently being amused by this and walking right up to her face. "And what might you do about it?"

"Everything I can." She said shortly.

Draco raised his eyebrows and walked away, elbowing Hermione on the way. Hermione dropped her things as she scoffed, rolled her eyes, and bent down to join Ginny.

"I'm so sorry." Ginny said, picking up a loose piece of parchment.

"What are you sorry about?" Hermione said, half laughing.

"Well, I bumped into him in the first place." She said, making it more of a joke, to insure no one saw her crumble. She gathered a messy pile of parchment to her right. The top page said "Ginny Weasley" so she grabbed it and stuffed it into her bag.

"Don't worry Ginny, it's him…not us…not you." Hermione said, slinging her bag over her shoulder and standing up.

Ginny nodded.

"C'mon." Hermione said. "Let's go have some food."

She smiled as Ginny forced a smile along with her.

She could fool people, she knew she could.

But how long would you last?

.:: Yes, yes, I know…a rather un-eventful chapter, but don't fret my beloved readers! The next one will have things happening…in…it…haha. Remember to review!!! ::.