Diamonds And Rubies

Chapter 12: Busted

As I get closer to the stairways all I hear

then I hear my baby's voice in my ear screaming out...

You're contagious, touch me baby, give me what you got

And then a man said

Sexy lady drive me crazy, drive me wild

And I just can't believe this shit

-The Isley Brothers Contagious

For the next couple of weeks, Harry and Ginny didn't talk to each other much. They were cordial around each other if they were all hanging around Ron and Hermione, but it seemed that they really had lost their passion for one another. Harry continued to remain friends with Susan Bones and the others and slowly, rumors started to surface. They started out minor like "Harry invited Susan to go with him on a Hogsmeade weekend." to terrible ones like "Harry and such and such hooked up in the Room Of Requirement.”

The rumor mill went both ways as people started to see that Harry and Ginny were giving each other the cold shoulder. Girls were getting excited, thinking that the couple had broken up. Guys had started to get bold with their greetings and interactions with Ginny. But unbeknownst to her, Draco had made it a habit to nip their advances in the bud.

They had finally gotten over the kiss that shouldn't have happened and started hanging out more. Though Draco stayed his flirty self, they steered clear of any conversation that would lead them to talk about the Halloween Ball. They had started to get along so well that it seemed as Ginny came to visit him more than she did Hermione, which Hermione didn't mind as all, seeing as she and Ron had started dating after the ball, so she would spend the majority of her time with him.

Sometimes Ginny and Draco would go days without seeing them. However, they usually heard them. They were either arguing or giggling. Either way, Draco and Ginny got a lot of entertainment.

Today wasn't the case as apparently Ron had done something really bad to make Hermione infuriated, so the arguing was not only annoying, but it was hurting Ginny and Draco's ears. So they decided to take a walk to the kitchens to grab a snack.

"Is this the one that will end it?" said Draco biting into an apple and then passing it to Ginny, as they were coming back from being showered with fruit and cakes from the kitchen elves.

"Of course not." said Ginny taking a bite out of the apple and passing it back to Draco. "This has been seven years in the making. Hermione could catch Ron making out with a goat and she wouldn't break up with him."

Draco gave Ginny a look of horrifying disgust.

"Okay well maybe not that extreme. But they will be okay. They’re probably snogging right now. Same thing every other day. You of all people should know that."

"True. So...how are things?" asked Draco knowing that Ginny knew where this conversation was going.

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Well, we said hi to each other this morning if that means anything."

"Yeah. Because a word that it's only two letters long means oh so much." mocked Draco, playfully.

"Sod off Draco." said Ginny snatching the apple out of his hand.

"What? I'm serious. I don't know you and Potter's dynamics though, so if saying hi is progress then that's good, I guess."

Ginny have Draco a forced smile. She didn't feel like having this conversion but she knew that it needed to happen.

"What do you think I should do?” asked Ginny. “Honestly. And don't think like Harry's the enemy. Nor that you two are friends. Just be an outside party. What should I do?"