Ginny desperately tried to get over her feelings for Draco. She was still in love with Harry, and she didn't want to hurt him. She would hate it if she was the reason Harry was in pain, just as much as she would hate it if she was the reason Draco was in pain. Draco tried to make it easier for her, telling her he understood that she still loved Potter and he wasn't going to force her to break up with him, but this just made her love him even more. Harry was very suspicious, he was always questioning Ginny which irritated her, until she realised he was correct to be suspicious.
"Ginny, there's a hogsmeade trip coming up in a week. Do you want to come in with me and Luna?" Hermione asked her, one morning on the weekend before the visit.
"Sure. Why aren't you going with Ron or someone?" Ginny asked, arching an eyebrow.
"Because we have decided we want nothing to do with each other." Ginny looked around and saw Ron at the end of the table sitting with Lavender. She was giggling and talking to him, they were clearly back together.
"Wow, he must be pretty desperate to go back to her. He told me he never really liked her. Don't worry, he just wants to make you jealous." Ginny reassured her friend. Hermione smiled.
"Thanks Ginny." She paused, glancing at her, "you know you can tell me anything, right?"
"Of course I do," Ginny replied, puzzled.
"So you would tell me if you had feelings for Draco Malfoy again, wouldn't you?" She asked. Ginny's face hardened, she could feel the blush rising from her collar bones upwards. "Yes." She said.
"Ginny." Hermione said. Ginny glared and pulled Hermione up and out the Great Hall, brushing past Draco. Their arms touched slightly and Ginny tried to ignore the way it felt like bolts of electricity were shooting through her.
"Gin?" He called, looking puzzled as to why Ginny was hurrying out the hall dragging Hermione alone, and why she looked furious. She shook her head, even though her back was to him.
"I'll tell you later!" She called back. She pulled Hermione into a classroom. She glared at her for as long as she could before bursting into tears.
"How did you know?"
"I'm sorry Ginny, you know I'm smarter than the average teenager. I'm sure no one else noticed," Hermione said, hugging Ginny.
"Hermione, I don't know what to do. I really love him, but I love Harry so much as well. I've tried so hard to get rid of my feelings for him, but they've just grown stronger. I can't go out with Draco because I would just be in love with Harry!" Her voice cracked.
"Just don't date either of them then, and after a while your feelings for one of them will die down. And you'll be able to make your choice." She said.
"Won't that hurt both of them? Instead of one?" Ginny said, wiping her eyes.
"Maybe, but this isn't about them. It's about you, and the pain you have been in for a long time." Hermione said, sternly.
"You honestly think that is the best thing to do?"
"Yes." She said.
"Okay, I believe you. I'm going to break up with Harry." She felt her heart break slightly as she said this, but she knew it was the best thing to do. "Hermione? Who do you think I should date?" Hermione looked at Ginny.
"I would prefer you to be in love with Harry, but I think your feelings for Draco are stronger. And that's fine by me." Hermione said. Ginny nodded. They hugged and left the class room. Ginny found Harry in the Great Hall. She sighed as her heart broke a little more, it was time to get this over with. She sat down opposite him. Luckily the people around him were distracted, and he wasn't very near them anyway.
"Harry." She said.
"Hey," he smiled at her. Ginny gulped, how could she do this to him?
"This is so hard for me, Harry. But we have to break up. I'm so sorry." She waited for him to reply, but he just stared at her. "I can't believe this is happening, I still love you. A lot." She paused again, he said nothing. "It's just, although I love you so much, I love Draco as well. I need a break, find out who I love more. I hope when I have made my decision, that if it's you, you will be prepared to take me back. If not, I'll understand. I apologise, I just can't deny it anymore, I love Draco." Her heart hurt, it literally hurt, as pain flashed across Harry's face. She stood up, gave him one more regretful look, before walking out the Great Hall. She walked outside and saw Draco sitting by a tree, reading. She sat down next to him. He looked at her.
"Why have you been crying?" He asked.
"Hermione knew. About me having feelings for you." Ginny said. Having feelings for you. It didn't seem like a strong enough phrase. Draco's eyes widened.
"And?" He asked.
"I broke up with Harry." She said. His eyes looked like they would pop out of his head. Ginny took a breath, she didn't want to hurt another person. "But not because I don't love him anymore. Because I don't want to go out with anyone at the moment. I need to make a decision. I can't go around loving more than one person. I have to choose one person."
Draco dropped his eyes, flinching. "By the time I choose, I expect both of you will be over me though." Ginny said. Draco shook his head.
"Never." He said. They sat like that for a long time. Just looking at each other. After a while, Draco looked away. He lay down and shut his eyes. His breathing slowed and evened, and Ginny realised he was sleeping. She moved closer and watched him. She stared at his long, light brown eyelashes. She found them fascinating. You never really notice peoples features when they are awake. She looked at the way his eyelashes curled off at the ends, the way his eyebrows were thick but perfectly arched at the same and the way his lips were the perfect shape. Suddenly his eyes flickered open, making her jump. He chuckled and tucked a strand of Ginny's hair behind her ear. Ginny froze as the butterflies in her stomach started moving crazily around and around again. At the last moment she realised she was staring at Draco's lips, and that this wasn't the best thing to do. She looked up at his eyes and noticed him moving closer to her, and before she knew what was happening his lips were upon hers. She couldn't help herself, she kissed him back. And she enjoyed it. She loved the way it felt, he was so gentle and his lips were so soft. Suddenly she realised she had promised herself she was trying to remain single, so she could decide without being biased. She put her hands on his shoulders and pushed him away, firmly.
"I'm sorry, I can't." She said. Draco's perfect features hardened.
"Sorry." He said.
"You know it's not like that," Ginny said, "I just broke up with Harry. I can't do this to him."
He smiled, but it wasn't genuine. "I get it." He picked up his book and walked back toward the school.
Ginny didn't speak to him. He didn't speak to her. Ginny didn't speak to Harry. He didn't speak to her.
She was in pain. She missed them both, more than anything. Hermione and Luna comforted Ginny, but it didn't help. Even Ron was annoyed at her for breaking up with Harry. It took Ginny a lot of persuading to go to Hogsmeade, but eventually she agreed.
"Permission form?" Filch said, on the morning. Ginny handed it in, without comment.
"Forged?" He asked, glaring at her. Ginny just shrugged, it wasn't, but she was no longer in the mood to argue. Filch stared in shock, before letting her pass. As she exited the castle she caught Draco staring at her, looking very worried. She stared back and he continued to look like he was debating on whether to tell her something or not. She felt a hand on her arm, "Come on Gin." Hermione said pulling her along. Ginny turned her head and watched Draco, what was up with him?
