NOTE: I wuf my betas, Casey and Abby! How schweet they are.
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Chpt. 3 - Falling Out
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Harry turned the corner sharply, looking in a rush. His face wore an expression of determination, but it was painted over with concern. His gaze focused on Ginny, and his expression warmed. She was deep in thought, but when she saw him, her face was basically saying 'Oh, please,'. Harry approached her, and after a moment of tension, sat next to her.
"Ron's a dunderhead, anyways," Harry said, trying to make her smile. He then put his hand on her shoulder.
She turned to look at him, causing his hand to fall off her shoulder.
"Smile, Ginny," he gave a timid smile, "you're so pretty when you do." Instead of smiling she gave him a glance, for his behavior was suspicious.
Then there was an enduring pause, and tension rose.
"I do feel bad about Dean and you, but I've felt this way about you for a long time." He was blushing madly and Ginny thought he was under the Imperius curse. Even though she suspected it, even moments before, she was still somewhat shocked that he was saying it. Harry Potter feared none... except everyone he had to socially interact with.
"Ginny? Will you be my girlfriend?"
Those words left his lips. Wasn't it just this morning that she thought he would never ask? Then why didn't he make her weak in the knees? Why didn't she feel the heat in her cheeks? Why did this question seem to drain her?
Because Ginevra Weasley did not like Harry Potter.
"Harry, I-" she stuttered, thought a moment and continued. "I think I've been friends with you for far too long for it too be anything more," she tried to sound assertive, but she was just sounding shaky. Plus she was lying. She just didn't like Harry like that.
'Is this really me? I used to be brave and righteous! Now I'm wavering, lying, and not liking, Harry!' she stated to herself.
"You're... lying... aren't you?" Harry asked, with strength in his voice. This wasn't the reply she was expecting. "You've always liked me up till now, and now you decide not to without notice? I'm trying to be understanding... but, what I just did, that just took a lot of guts. People would kill to fill your shoes!"
She was taken aback. "Harry... you're acting-"
"Not like me, I know, but neither are you, Ginny! Standing up for Malfoy, turning me down. You seem very less than willing to exist anymore. I see it in how you walk," Harry scolded her.
Ginny had forgotten entirely that she had stood up for Malfoy.
'It was only to spite Ron...' she explained her actions to herself.
"Why are you talking like this?" Ginny questioned; Harry never acted like this.
"Ron was ranting about you last night, and I'm fairly certain that he's right about you."
Her brow furrowed. "What do yo-"
"Whatever Ginny, I could care less." Ginny turned her head away, finding an interesting floor tile. Harry went to storm out of the library, out of sight and out of mind, but someone stepped in front of him. Malfoy made a salute to Harry and smirked.
"I'll take 'er from here, guv'nor!" Harry clenched his teeth, forming fists and stalked off. Malfoy slipped passed him and walked towards Ginny.
"You never wanted the nice boys anyways,"
She turned, almost falling out of her chair to meet Draco's lounging figure. She glared, eyes seething hatred.
"Sensitive bloke, isn't he?" He picked up a chair, turned it round and straddled it. His face was a bit higher than Ginny's. He liked it there. At this moment he felt superior to her. He caught Weaslette at a vulnerable time and he felt like it would be a perfect chance for him to get in touch with himself. He knew he was out of touch with how he was acting lately, but now he could regain his composure, wit, and more.
Her mouth was gaped open at him, until he smirked. Her jaw clamped shut, and she sneered at him.
"What do you want, Malfoy?"
"Why'd you stick up for me back there? It was embarassing, Weaslette. Having a weasel Gryffindor girl, who's younger than you no less, stick up for you? I think my ego is ruined." He feigned hurt, placing a hand on his chest.
"I think your ego's fine, Draco... and you have nothing against mustela, you ferret." She spat, turning her back to him. Pressing her gaze hard against the pages in the open book in front of her, she found she couldn't read the words.
"Draco? Mustela? Hell, I didn't know you were this weird," his face wore the essesnce of disgust.
"You have a first name, Malfoy, which from this point on I'm refusing to use and mustela is the genus of both ferrets and weasels." She groaned as if it were common knowledge. She turned the page, hoping to find an illustration to occupy her, but to no avail.
"Temper, Weaslette." he clicked his tounge to upbraid her. Then his expression softened as thought and time wore on. "Really... why did you stick up for me?" he asked, his tone lighter than before.
She let out a sigh of defeat, and stated matter-of-factly, "To spite Ron."
Draco let out a satisfied grunt, followed by an intake of breath. "Well that's good, Weaslette..." he began, then turned to leave. He ceased his fluid motion towards the door, but did not turn to look at her. "...because for a second there, I thought you liked me." He disappeared around a corner.
Her arm flew back, book in hand, but her wrist was caught. She turned to see her friend Leslie, expressionless.
"B-bu... He just...!" she stuttered, furiously red.
Leslie merely shook her head as if to say, 'no.'
Malfoy stopped in front of Harry in the hallway, who was leaning against a wall, looking bare.
"What do you want?" Harry said through gritted teeth, repugnance in his voice.
"Ya girl's fine, mate. Got nothing else to report." Malfoy saluted with a smirk, then proceeded to move undulatingly down the corridor.
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