Disclaimer: Not mine.

Once again, we're in Ginny's PoV. I really like to switch, and I dunno why…

"It's not like I'm dating him." Those words found their way out of my mouth for seemed like the millionth time that day. I looked over my book at Neville, who wore a very concerned expression on his face. We were sitting in the common room, and I had been trying to write in my journal when he'd come up to me. I was sitting sideways in my favourite chair, my legs thrown haphazardly over one of the armrests and my back propped up against the other. Here I was, getting a lecture about my befriending Draco from the third upperclassmen Gryffindor of the day. I tried to stay patient, but this was really getting on my nerves. Sure, Draco wasn't the bright little ray of sunshine that my mother would prefer that I befriend, but he was different. I was tired of having all my friends be different flavors of the same personality, and he was a welcome addition.

"I think it would be lovely if you were to date him." Luna said dreamily. She had been so quiet that I'd almost forgotten she was there. She sat beside Neville with her hand in his, but her eyes were focused on something off in space. "You two would make a wonderful couple. He might even be your soul mate!"

At this, Neville snorted, and Luna turned to look at him for an explanation. "Malfoy is not Ginny's soul mate. Harry is Ginny's soul mate, and when all of this is over, they'll be back together. Ginny and Harry are meant for each other." I gave Neville an incredulous look, but Luna looked unfazed.

"Harry's aura and Ginny's aura don't mesh." She argued, shaking her head vehemently. "His aura is gold, outward pretenses, and hers is orange, inner strength. They don't go together. On the other hand, Draco's aura is…"

"I don't care what color his aura is, he's not Ginny's soul mate." Neville stated resolutely. "Auras have nothing to do with how people get along or who belongs with whom." Luna looked horrified at Neville's sudden outburst, but she didn't say anything. I did notice that her hand unthreaded itself from Neville's, and she sort of scooted down the couch away from him. She turned to me and continued on what she was saying before Neville interrupted her.

"His aura is very hard to read, especially since he hides his emotions very well. You can only see glimpses of it at any given time, and it's slightly more visible when he's around you. From what I've seen it's orange, like yours, but it has a slightly silver sheen to it, vengefulness. I don't see that part of it when he's with you, only when I've observed him alone."

"You've observed him when he's alone?" Neville's voice was full of scorn, and something that sounded slightly like jealousy. Luna scooted back down the couch toward him and took his hand in her own again.

"Of course I've observed him when he's alone." She said kindly. "I've observed nearly everyone who's at this school when they're alone. They don't pay you any mind when they think you're a loon." She smiled slightly, looking around to the other people in the common room. Neville squeezed her hand, and I could recognize exactly what he was doing; he was going to go along with whatever she said in hopes that she wouldn't get mad and not suck face with him. It was pitiful, but kind of sweet.

"You know, if you two are soul mates, you'll never be able to be with anyone else. Not every couple together is soul mates, because not everyone has a soul mate. There are only a few people who do, but if soul mates are separated for a long period of time, they can lose their minds, or fall into a never-ending sleep, or die. And if one of the soul mates die, the living one can bring them back, and…"

"That's enough, Luna." Neville said gently. "I think we should probably go work on our Transfiguration homework and give Ginny some time to herself."

"Okay." Luna replied. They got up off the couch and Neville led Luna away. It was apparent from the scowl deepening on Neville's features that Luna was continuing the discussion she was having with me with him. I smiled slightly and returned to my journal.

3rd October

Well, Neville makes three. Three Gryffindors in one day to come up to me and question my relationship with Draco for more than it is. Honestly, if he wanted to date me he'd have asked by now. Don't they get that? He hasn't made a move to make our relationship anything more than what it is, a friendship. We've been on good terms for a little over a month, and everyone gets thrown into a tizzy over it. Crazy, huh? They act as if a Gryffindor and a Slytherin have never been friends before. Honestly, there has to have been at least one other instance where that's been the case. I don't know… maybe I could write a letter to Hermione to find out. No, scratch that. She'd want to know why I wanted to know, then she'd probably tell Harry and Ron and the three of them would have to come out of their way to save poor little defenseless Ginny from the big, bad Slytherin. They treat me like I can't take care of myself, when I've been more than capable of that for awhile. They act like I'd spent all my years tagging after them when in all actuality, the only year I even spent more time than required with them was last year. And anyone would spend time with them instead of Fleur. Blech.

I haven't gotten any letters from Mum yet, and that worries me a little. Last year she sent an owl at least once a week, and it's already a year into the new school year, and I've gotten nothing. It makes me worry that something is wrong. I think later I might just go up to the owlery and borrow one of the school owls to send home and make sure that everything is fine. I might write to Charlie too; he normally sends me an owl at least once a month when he's not busy. I wonder if he's okay… I've seriously got to stop writing now, or I'm going to worry myself to death. I might go take a walk or play some chess or something. I don't care, just as long as I can get my mind off this topic.

I shut my journal with a resolute snap, and looked up. I was very surprised to see Draco sitting in front of me, his elbows on his knees and his face in his hands, studying me intently. I smiled slightly at him before tucking my journal into my bag.

"Lost in your own little world there, Red?" He asked. There was a slight tease in his voice, and he had made no attempt to move. I swung my legs around to where I was sitting correctly in the chair and smiled.

"And what if I was?" I teased right back. "It seems that I'm not the only one who gets lost in their own little world when I'm writing, because you do it too. Just last week you didn't even notice that one of the Hufflepuff underclassmen let off firecrackers in here when you were writing."

He scowled slightly, and I laughed. I stood up and grabbed his hands, pulling him up as well. "Come on, let's take a walk, I'm bored out of my mind." I tugged him after me and he let me, and we exited the common room amid the stares and whispers of other students. I didn't know why, but I had the undeniable urge to go out to the lake. I was full of nervous energy, and I had no idea why. I talked nonstop on the way down to the lake.

"Whoa, Red, you're going to talk so much that your mouth falls off." Draco laughed. It was the first time I'd ever heard him laugh a real laugh. For whatever reason, I had a great idea, and I fell into walking to where he was between the lake and me. The landscape started to slope gently upward, where the boats carrying the first years always came under the earth right up to the castle, and it was right after a stretch of smooth, unbroken sand along the lakeshore. Just as the landscape turned upward, I turned and tackled Draco. He wasn't expecting it, so there was little he could do to stop us as the momentum propelled us sideways and right into the lake.

I surfaced before he did, because I was slightly more prepared for the impact of the water. The October air was cold, but not overly. He came to the surface coughing and sputtering, with his perfect hair a mess and in his face, I could feel goose bumps start to prickle my skin.

"Why the hell did you do that, Red?" He didn't sound mad, just surprised, and that made me happy.

"I just thought you might like a swim." I said innocently. I laughed slightly and pushed my own hair out of my face before starting to push his back.

"You little wench…" He began, but for some reason he stopped speaking just as my hands came around his face to push his hair back. He closed his eyes for a second and it looked like he shook himself before opening them again. He smiled wickedly and lunged at me. Before I could react, he'd grabbed my head and dunked me underwater. I came up coughing and sputtering, and he had a triumphant smirk on his face. I stuck my tongue out at him and turned to swim toward the shore, and I could feel him right behind me. The second I reached the shore he tackled me, so I was pinned between him and the sand. We stayed like that for a second, just breathing, but then he got up, almost pushing me away. He pulled his robes tight around himself before offering me a hand up. Both of us were still soaking wet as we made our way back up to the castle, but something had changed. I couldn't quite put my finger on it, but there was definitely something that was different about our friendship. When I went to take hold of his hand, he went to pull away, but stopped himself at the last second. Whatever had happened, I had no clue, but I was determined to find out what it was.

A.N.: Woot woot! You guys like? Then review! I'm about to write the next chapter in a few minutes, but I'm not going to put it up until I have at least 10 reviews. I don't think that's too much to ask for, do you? Ten reviews for 3 chapters… that's about 3 reviews a chapter… Happy reading all!