Chapter 4:

Ginny found herself, as usual, in a poorly lit corner of the library. It was Friday, the end of yet another miserable week at school. Her girl friends had stopped asking if she was alright. And the professors had laid on such a challenging course of study that she found little time for her mind to stop elsewhere.
Her earlier unease with the lack of people had melted into an avoidance of the people who were still around. It was more trouble than it was worth to have to pretend to be the cheery little redhead they all knew. In her solitude she could be as bitter and cynical as she wanted. In fact, she spent large portions of her day making silent jabs at the people around her. Her favorite target was Malfoy, because in her silent avoidance of humankind she always managed to find him. Probably hiding from the world too, because it hates him. Just like me. Hate him that is. Not… Oh never mind.

She found that the dark corner of the library was a particularly convenient spot to lounge and impose her cynicism on herself. No one ever made it back here, and she had a clear view between the shelves of the main tables where everyone else sat. They were always smiling and laughing. It made her sick. It would seem that the professors' Great Hall table solution was very effective in bringing everyone closer together to reduce the feeling of loneliness.

Ginny often sat in this corner mocking them aloud since she knew she wouldn't get the worried looks out of the corner of their eyes that she did when people heard her mumbling to herself down the corridors between classes. She noticed Neville Longbottem come in and take a seat near Susan Bones.

Ginny: Hi, Susan, umm , can I- that is- may I sit here?

Ginny stumbled in a deep and convincing mockery of Neville's voice as she saw him gesture toward a seat next to her.

Ginny: Oh yes, I would love for you to disrupt my precious alone time, you great prat.

Ginny simpered in a high-pitched imitation of Susan.

Suddenly, she heard a chuckle.

Ginny's eyes immediately snapped to a pair of silvery-grey eyes belonging to a lean blonde boy leaning comfortably against a bookshelf in the shadows of her nook. She hadn't seen Malfoy come in, and yet here he was chuckling at her little game and looking at her with a little smirk on his face.

Ginny's eyes narrowed, but before she could throw a scalding comment about his unfailing ego, he spoke.

Draco: You seem to spend a lot of time thinking about other people. Can I ask? Am I one of them?

He raised an eyebrow at her.

Ginny scoffed.

Ginny: Yeah, you wish.

At a loss for words, Ginny gathered her things and stormed out of her quiet, dark corner, which she felt had been rudely intruded upon. She made her way up to her room mumbling about how it was impolite to intrude upon other people's study.

More than anything, however, Ginny was disturbed. He was playing with her, not mean-spiritedly, but as if they had a little joke. She shook her head. It was all too bizarre. He stares at her and now jokes with her?

When she reached her room and sat down on her bed, she felt the usual discomfort that came along with the silence and empty beds. She drew the curtains around herself and sat surrounded by red fabric. She lay down and closed her eyes, but the strange interaction in the library kept swimming before her eyes. Malfoy had looked almost- attractive? Eww! What is wrong with me? This solitude has gone on long enough. There is no way that I will sink so low as to think that, whether or not I have anyone to talk to.

Before settling into yet another unrestful night's sleep, she kept thinking about those silvery-grey eyes.

Another thought that swam through her head was the conversation with Amber from fourth period.

Flashback

Ginny and Amber were sitting next to each other in Transfiguration, when Amber suddenly became serious.

Amber: Ginny, I'm being for real! Malfoy has been giving me these looks lately. I really feel like he's into me.

Ginny: Honestly, have you ever even had a full conversation with him?

Amber: N- No. But that's not the point. The point is that the absolute hottest hunk from the whole school likes me! Me! And now I'm meeting him at the astronomy tower, tonight! Can you believe that?

Ginny: Amber, I really don't think you should go. We both know Malfoy's reputation.

End flashback

Ginny was twisting and turning in her sleep. Does Malfoy really like Amber? She could not stop thinking about Draco and Amber, right now, on the astronomy tower, together… I'm just worried about Amber, ginny tried to convince herselfas she fell into a slumber.