Something there that wasn't there before

5- running and realizations

-Ginny-

I woke up well rested after my day with George yesterday. I smiled to myself, only two more days until I'm on the Hogwarts train headed to school. I frowned knowing that Draco had a hearing tomorrow. I wasn't sure what was going on but I did surprisingly enjoy his company the last few times I've been around him. I decided that I would go for a run. Since I haven't been going to training I think my body has been confused about the lack of abuse it's had to endure. I chuckled to myself and got dressed quickly, lacing up my shoes and walking out the door. When I got to the lobby Draco was standing there, talking to a pretty girl about his age. I frowned but quickly looked away and pretended I didn't see them when Draco looked over at me. Out of the corner of my eye I could see her touching his arm and batting her eyelashes at him. I rolled my eyes and headed down to the sidewalk. Typical I thought to myself. Slytherin man-whore at it again. I rolled my neck and started off at a quick jog letting my mind wander as my feet struck the pavement. A few blocks down I realized I was being ridiculous, it was none of my business if he had a girlfriend or not. I wasn't interested... Right? I wasn't over Harry.. I couldn't be.

-Draco-

Paisley Parkinson was a pretty girl, and abundantly more pleasant that Pansy, but I just wasn't interested and she couldn't seem to understand that. I suppose maybe she had never been refused before. I met her briefly at mothers before I came to live in the muggle world, Mum had the Parkinson's over for Sunday brunch and tea as she use to be good friends with Mrs. Parkinson and Paisley was staying with her cousin, Pansy for the time being.

Paisley has made it a point to "bump" into me numerous times since that brunch and I've been polite but clear I wasn't interested. This is the first time she's ever come into my apartment building. Paisley was the last person I had expected to run into when I came downstairs to go for a run. I was trying to free myself from Paisley when a certain red haired, brown eyed girl came into the lobby. I could feel her staring at me but when I looked over to get her attention she had fixed her eyes forward and headed out the door. I can imagine what my situation looked like but I still felt like I needed to find her and explain to her that Paisley was not my concern and didn't have my interest. I had no idea why I felt like I needed to explain myself but it was gnawing at me. Paisley was still rambling on about Diagon Ally and why anyone would want to go back to school when they didn't have to I had spaced out while I was thinking but when I snapped back in, Her voice was almost as annoying as Pansy's. I glanced at the clock on the wall and realized I had been here for nearly forty five minutes.  "Paisley" She looked at me surprised with her large doe eyes. "Thank you for checking on me, but I am Going back to Hogwarts so this would just never work." She frowned and looked down. 'your different than you were. Your not the same Draco Pansy talks about.' I nodded. "I don't ever plan on being that awful git again" Paisleys eyes widened like she was shocked by the news and she huffed and spun around, marching out of the door.

I finally made my way outside and went the opposite way that I saw Ginny go. I was running for a good thirty minutes when I saw unmistakable long silky red hair sitting on the bank of the pond in the park. I walked over to Ginny and sat down next to her. She looked over at me like I had lost my mind. "It's a pretty place to be. It's one of the reasons I chose my apartment building." Ginny was still looking at me like I had two heads. "You know, Paisley Parkinson might be prettier than Pansy, but that annoying voice must be a family trait." Ginny finally cracked a smile looking my general direction. "I'm not interested in her. She just had trouble taking 'no' for an answer." I saw Ginny look down at her hands in her lap and shrug. 'It's not really my business. You could date the queen of England if you wanted' I threw my head back and laughed.  I bumped my shoulder into Ginny's and she bumped back into mine.

We sat there and talked for a while before getting up and walking back to our apartment building together. Ginny looked down at her watch. "It's only 12:30, would you like to come to my apartment and watch a movie or two?"

I smiled to myself 'yeah, I'd like that. I'll run upstairs and take a quick shower first. Ginny agreed and said she would take a shower too. I left Ginny at her apartment door and headed on up to mine. When I walked in there was a stack of Daily Prophets on my counter with a note.

We thought you might like to catch up on the wizzarding world. Good luck at your trial tomorrow.
            Headmistress
                              McGonagall.

I smiled to myself and picked up the top paper and looked at the moving pictures. I sat it down and out of the corner of my eyes I saw Potter on the front page of that paper with his arm around Astoria Greengrass. My smile slipped from my face as I realized that was most likely what Ginny was so upset about. Things with Ginny were weird, I guess in the back of my mind I wondered about Potter but I didn't think to ask. I should have known that they would have been together now without  impending doom hanging over their head. Then I thought back even farther to Mr. Weasley telling me on multiple occasions that he was going straight home to have dinner with Ginny and Harry, sometimes Ron and Hermione too. I stared at their smiling faces and gritted my teeth. This must have been sudden and a surprise. I glanced up at the clock in the wall and realized I had been gawking for far too long and I rushed to the shower.