Ginny woke up the next morning in confusion. She rolled over and realized that the room she was in was not her dormitory. She sat up quickly, as the events from last night replayed in her head and she blushed.
Ginny looked over at the rumpled sheets on the other side of the bed and sighed, if Draco was already gone that meant he went to Care of Magical Creatures. Which meant, that although she didn't have a morning class, she would have potions soon, and since she obviously overslept her last class yesterday she needed to make an appearance in this one.
Just when Ginny was debating going back to her room to change before class Draco's door opened up and Blaise walked in.
Ginny panicked, pulling the covers up to her chin, when she watched him walk in.
"Well you and Draco got domestic pretty quickly," Blaise chuckled raising an eyebrow.
Ginny's face grew hot, when she realized what Blaise must have been thinking.
"It's-"
"I know it's complicated-" Blaise finished rolling his eyes.
Ginny didn't say anything, just held on tighter to the sheets.
"Well unless you plan on skipping and driving Draco completely insane again, I suggest you get dressed," Blaise said, breaking the silence.
He turned to leave, then stopped and threw some clean clothes at her.
"They're Granger's," he added, before he left to give her some privacy.
Ginny changed into Hermione's clean robes, kicked her dirty ones across the room, and ran a comb through her hair before she stepped into the common room.
To her surprise, Blaise was sitting there on the small couch waiting.
"Took you long enough," he greeted without looking up.
Although Blaise was Draco's best friend, she still felt uneasy around him.
"Figured you might want to grab something to eat before class, since you missed dinner," standing up from the couch, and brushing off his robes.
Ginny's stomach grumbled at the mention of food, and she finally realized just how hungry she was.
They exited the head dorm together, Blaise filling the walk with mindless chatter. When they reached the corridor leading to the great hall Ginny recognized the high-pitched voice of Pansy Parkinson.
"It's kind of sad actually, that the Weasley girl believes him," Pansy laughed.
"What do you mean?" a second voice asked, curious.
"Well Draco made up this excuse to get her to date him, we're all just waiting for him to sleep with her, it's all in good fun," Pansy laughed.
"And Weasley thinks he actually likes her?" a third voice asked.
"Yea, how pathetic is that?" Pansy mocked.
Ginny heard the footsteps trek down the hall, and Ginny stood frozen in place.
"Ginny-" Blaise said, reaching out for her, no doubt having overheard Pansy's gossip.
"What ever, it's complicated right?" Ginny asked, blinking hard to stop her eyes from watering. "I'm suddenly not so hungry anymore, I have to go get my bag, I'll see you in potions" Ginny responded, turning away from the great hall and towards the stairs.
Ginny had been pretending to date Draco for over a month now, and somehow she had forgotten that it was all just an act. Draco didn't really care about her; he was using her for Hermione. She knew this, yet the events of last night had blurred the lines. It was Draco she wanted when she awoke from a Tom Riddle infested nightmare, and mixed with the events of last night she had forgotten that she caught Hermione and Harry clearly having an adult sleepover and she hadn't even thought twice about it. But now,all she could think about was what she overheard Pansy saying, and the way it made her feel.
Ginny walked to potions, determined not to give away the thoughts that were swirling around in her head. When she entered the classroom she spotted Draco at the front talking in whispered tones with Professor Slughorn, and Ginny crossed the room and made a beeline for the empty seat beside Blaise.
"Oi, mate I thought we were partners?" Pike asked, regarding Ginny sitting beside his housemate.
"Sorry Pike, I'm having trouble and Ginny got an O in potions and Slughorn asked us to switch for today," Blaise said effortlessly, as he pointed to Draco and Professor Slughorn at the front of the class.
"Whatever," he shrugged as he moved to the front of the class and took the spot that Ginny normally claimed.
"Pike what're-" Draco began to ask, turning around to see him in Ginny's spot.
Draco looked up to where Ginny sat beside Blaise and opened his mouth confused.
"It's complicated," Blaise mouthed back, as Slughorn told Draco to take a seat so class could start.
Ginny looked over at Blaise, and gave him a smile, thankful for his sudden friendship.
"It's only complicated because the two of you are making it that way," Blaise said, shaking his head as he stood up and headed to the cupboard to collect the ingredients they needed for their potion.
After class, Ginny managed to duck out before Draco had finished cleaning up, and headed to the safety of ancient runes where she didn't have to face any Slytherin's.
When class let out Ginny and Hermione were walking to the great hall for lunch, Hermione filling the walk with overzealous chatter on the new runes they were learning when they were blocked by a crowd gathering in the entrance of the Great Hall.
"What's going on?" Ginny asked looking at the crowd.
"Apparently two Slytherin's are having a go at each other," one first year girl whispered to her friend.
"It's Draco Malfoy and that pug faced girl," the boy behind her replied smugly.
Ginny and Hermione exchanged looks and pushed their way towards the front of the crowd.
"Come on Draco, your game is getting old, all of us Slytherin's have had our laugh, just break up with the girl already," Pansy said, her arms crossed over her chest.
"Pansy, give it a rest," Draco said, rubbing his forehead.
"Honestly Draco, I don't know how you can even stomach all the pretending," Pansy added.
The group of Slytherin girls standing behind her giggled.
Ginny and Hermione were standing right behind Draco now, Pansy's eyes met hers for a brief moment and she smirked.
"I mean, we all thought it was funny when you told us how you were going to pretend to date her," she grinned, walking closer to Draco. "I let you have your fun, but we are betrothed," Pansy grinned, as the crowd gasped.
Ginny felt sick, maybe she was slow on realizing that her feelings for Draco were growing into a little more than friendship. But hearing Pansy's words now was another blow to her already bruised heart.
"Besides, daddy wouldn't approve," she added, with a knowing gleam.
Ginny felt disgusted, had Draco's words last night been a lie?
"Jealousy isn't a good look on you love," Blaise said, speaking up from where he stood beside Draco."Besides love, you can throw the betrothed card in his face as long as you want, but not even the money your Daddy throws at Mr. Malfoy will get Draco to marry you," Blaise said sympathetically with a straight face.
Pansy's nostrils flared at Blaise's words, and the smirk disappeared off her face.
"I just don't want you to have nightmares from your little rebellious game with the blood traitor," she cooed, placing her hand sympathetically on his shoulder.
"Get off me," Draco said, throwing her arm away and recoiling. "I could care less what our fathers have planned for us," Draco added taking a step back.
"Save what little respect you have left and walk away Parkinson," Blaise sighed, turning away from her to face his friend.
"You know nothing about me and Ginny," Draco said.
"Mate take it easy," Blaise said turning, and spotting both Hermione and Ginny behind them.
"Why Blaise, I'm sick of her lies, and it's already obvious," Draco said, turning to his friend.
"Not like this," Blaise said, as he met Hermione's gaze and then nodded his head towards Ginny.
"Ginny lets go," Hermione said, taking Ginny's hand, trying to pull her away.
"I love her," Draco said, the desperation in his voice ringing in the silent halls.
Soon the hall was filled with the voices of everyone in the crowd. And yet Ginny didn't hear any of it. A tidal wave of emotions washed over her, and she couldn't handle it, not here, not in front of so many people. Not when she didn't know what to believe, when Pansy's words bounced around in her head, and Blaise's cryptic messages whispered in her ears. So Ginny did the irrational thing that seemed to be a recurrence in her life as of late.
She turned and ran.