DISCLAIMER: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. In addition, the song 'Going Through The Motions' from an episode of Buffy belongs to its respectful owner.
ATTENTION: I'm really looking for a beta reader. Casey is wonderful, but... she's not always there when I need her. If you're interested, e-mail me at saiyyan@hotmail.com. Thank you so much!
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Chpt. 2 - Strange Estrangement
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That night after dinner, Draco waltzed through the halls, exuding his Malfoy grace with each step. He turned a corner, pummeling through a first year girl. She dropped everything and looked towards him, blushing. He gave an annoyed sigh, picked up her things and shoved them into her arms.
"How can I repay--"
"Whatever," Draco snapped and continued on his way. He was losing his drive. He just wanted to be alive, but all he could feel was numb hands and the annoyance of routine. Every single night he did the same thing, and it got annoying.
Crossing an intersecting corridor, a voice rang through, unsettling even the most caked dust.
"Oooooh! Drakie-Poo!"
He stopped in his tracks, his eyes shutting and a whimper escaping his lips. How he hated her. She was such an embarrassment! Sniggers erupted from around a corner, causing Draco to lean forward; only to find the Golden Trio itself laughing at Pansy. Well, they were actually laughing at him. He let his shoulders drop and wanted to die.
Then Pansy decided to 'come to the rescue'.
"Hey! You leave Draco alone, you... filthy... not-purebloods!" Draco couldn't help but smirk at her pitiful attempts at wit. Pansy wasn't that quick with insults. She mostly hung around Draco and let him do the talking.
This only caused them to laugh harder. The louder they got, the paler Draco became.
Suddenly, a flash of red brisked pass Draco, bringing a quizzical spark to his eye. Weaslette had approached her brother with a certainness in her step. She fiercely interjected the Trio's laughter.
"Ron, knock it off. At least Malfoy doesn't even like her! Or do I have to remind you of the last time Lavender stood up for you?" She snarled.
Ron blushed furiously, Hermione looked dumbstruck, and Harry looked at Ginny in disgust. There was a long silence, which was interrupted furtively by Pansy.
"A...buh?"
After casting Pansy a scathing glance, Ginny turned on her heel and left, with a satisfied look upon her face. When she passed Draco though, she shot him a glare that could rival his own.
"Ron, I think you need to talk to Ginny," Harry suggested in a hoarse voice, but to find his friend was already stalking off. Harry and Hermione clambered after their friend quickly.
Draco was lost in thought. Had she really just stood up for him? His eyes glazed over as he replayed what happened over and over in his mind. Then he felt something cold and hard hit his cheek.
His eyes came to fall on Pansy's hand, raised. His teeth began to grit and grind as he felt his blood boil.
"YOU DON'T EVEN LIKE ME?! WE'RE OVER!" She then turned tail and ran the other way, crying.
"We were never even together, YOU TWIT!" He called after her, annoyed as hell. This drama was what Draco hated the most. It was stupid to get your heart all wrapped up over something small. It was glorification of the mediocre. Making something bigger than it really was. He whirled in the direction the Weaslette went and followed her path, briskly.
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Ginny slowed down to a walk, and with each slowing step her thoughts seemed to become more fathomless. The only real thought that presented itself to her was her anger towards Ron. Even this strong emotion seemed to fade as it was replaced by thoughts of 'Why does it matter?'.
Ginny found herself in the library, her body in control. Usually when she got mad at Ron she headed for the library. She blamed this on muscle memory. She feigned fascination in the form of a book, but her mind raced with thoughts pondering her endeavored life.
'Is this how I'm going to be? Forever? Sleeping-walking through my life?' She questioned herself.
She sighed, bored. Ginny wasn't someone to get bored easily, but nothing remotely exciting was happening. Sure, the continuing onslaught against Voldemort was something, but in reality it already happened every year at Hogwarts. She knew that if she did nothing to stop this tedium, her future could end up being extremely predictable. She would probably marry Harry, who would become an Auror. He would spend most of his time away while Ginny became the quintessential wife and baked bread. Then Harry would defeat Voldemort and everything would be okay. She almost threw up where she sat.
She didn't even know what she felt for Harry anymore. Now that she thought about who he really was, she became disgusted with herself. Harry was exactly the man she didn't want to be with. Ginny noticed that within recent weeks, Harry had been talking to her more, flirting with her even. She suspected that he had feelings for her, and she had to put her foot down.
She actually tried to read the book in her arms to rid herself from the thought, but resistance was futile.
Now not only did she want to defy the name of Weasley, but she also wanted to defy Harry and her feelings for him once and for all.
Then at that moment, everything could be put into place, for the one man she needed to see, but absolutely did not want to see set foot in the library.
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