The next day she wrapped herself in the robe they had provided, slipped on the soft slippers that matched the robe and padded down to the elevator. There were a couple of young women waiting for the lift as well and Ginny couldn't help but over-hear their excited whispers.
"Did you hear that? Draco Malfoy! Draco Malfoy is HERE! In this hotel!"
"I know! I'm so going to die! I mean, he's just so gorgeous! I hope we get to see him!"
"Oh, I'm sure we will! I mean, he likes to swim right? We'll just hang out by the pool! We're bound to see him! Just think…we could be sleeping directly beneath the most eligible bachelor in the world!" They both looked up at the ceiling.
Ginny was grateful when the lift arrived. Great! Just what she needed! The biggest prat in the world was in the same complex! She sighed. Well, it wasn't likely that he would ever be in the same place as her, right? She could always avoid the pool and have meals in her room, that would eliminate the possibility of seeing him in the restaurant. She wasn't really in the mood for eating alone while surrounded by a bunch of strangers anyway. She had hoped to go swimming, and maybe she would! Why should she let him dictate what she did? She shouldn't!
She decided she wasn't much in the mood for a swim after all, maybe tomorrow, she thought.
She sighed as she lowered herself into the steaming water of her mineral soak. Twenty minutes of bliss and then she would get her first massage…she was in heaven. Why had she ever resisted Jason anyway?
She nearly jumped out of the tub when she heard squealing outside her room. She could hear muffled screams of 'THERE HE IS!' and 'HE'S SO HOT!' She tried to sink beneath the water but she could still hear them and she had to come up for breath anyway.
She climbed out of the tub. She would never be able to relax with that racket. Drying off and wrapping back up in the robe, she opened the door and found the attendant that was supposed to take her to the masseuse.
"Is something wrong? Was there something wrong with the bath?" A worried look crossed the young woman's face.
"No, it was fine, I just want the massage now, that's all," Ginny answered wearily.
The attendant look unconvinced but nodded and led the way to a large room divided by white partitions. Taking her to one in the corner, the guide explained that this way friends could remove the partitions and converse during the massages.
Ginny nodded absently and looked forward to just relaxing.
She was just about to loose herself in the gentle but deeply soothing pressure easing the tension out of her back when a conversation drifted through the nearest partition.
"I SWEAR I saw him wink at you!"
A nervous giggle was heard. "You're lying! Why would he wink at me? He must have been winking at that woman behind us, you know, the one with red hair."
"Don't be ridiculous! She wasn't even looking at him! Besides, everyone says he such a flirt!"
"Well, it would be a nice story to tell back home!"
More giggling was heard and Ginny sat up.
"We have private rooms, if you like…" the therapist offered sympathetically.
"No, thank you. I think I'll just go back to my room and read or something." Her tone was sullen. Why couldn't she escape him? She hadn't even seen him and he had interrupted everything so far!
The therapist made a note to put the lady in private rooms from thenceforth.
Ginny stayed in her room the rest of the day. She took a hot bath in her own whirlpool tub. It didn't have the minerals, but there was a nice selection of bath salts provided. She had a nice lunch on her balcony. She took a nap. She read a book she had been meaning to read for ages. She made a great deal of progress in her mission to relax.
That night she decided to go for a walk in the gardens. They were supposed to be beautiful all lit up by the lamps with the stars shining overhead.
She pulled on a comfortable pair of corduroy pants and a nice sweater and made her way out.
She had been walking for about fifteen minutes and sighed happily as she turned another corner. She really liked how isolated the walk was, that is, until she ran into someone. He caught her before she could fall.