Trust Me

Chapter Two: Bad Day

As soon as Ginny woke up in the morning and saw the angry storm clouds gathered outside her window she knew that it was going to be a bad day. Groggily she got out of bed and padded sleepily down the stairs and into the Gryffindor Common Room.

She smiled fondly as she saw Harry asleep in one of the velvety red arm chairs, his head resting on his chest and a book - The Standard Book of Spells Grade 6 - open on his lap. Carefully she sat down beside him and kissed him gently on the cheek.

"Morning," she greeted softly as he opened his eyes.

"Morning," he replied in a sleep-laden voice. He sat up and brushed his fingers through his dark hair, which was falling messily over his eyes. He swept it away but after a few moments it fell back into place. Groaning sleepily he gave up. "What time is it?" he asked.

"Almost nine 'o clock," Ginny replied.

Harry sat up straight. "Nine o' clock!" he exclaimed. Abruptly he stood up tipping the heavy book onto Ginny's lap. "Sorry," he said quickly picking it up. "It's just that I promised Ron we'd practice Quiddich at ten and I still have to eat and get changed and everything." He turned to head up to the boys' dormitories.

"One moment!" Ginny cried. "I thought we'd organized weeks ago that we'd go to Hogsmeade today. You know, as it's the first Hogsmeade weekend this year."

Harry stopped in his tracks his hand brought to his mouth in remembrance. "Oh Merlin, I completely forgot!"

"I mean I didn't forget exactly," he said hurriedly as he saw Ginny's indignant expression. "I was so looking forward to it. It's just I forgot that it was this weekend when Ron and I made plans."

"Well I'm sure he won't mind too much if you cancel," Ginny responded.

Harry looked uncomfortable. "Well, It's just we've got the Quiddich House Cup this year -"

"The Quiddich House Cup isn't for months," Ginny interjected.

"I know. It's just Ron didn't have much time to fly over the holidays and he was wondering if I could help him practice. You know, chuck some balls through the hoops for him to save and all that. And with me being house captain this year, I want to make sure our original team is up to scratch before we start the try-outs for the new positions." Harry's eyes were pleading and he stuck out his lip in a way that make him look so pathetically gorgeous that Ginny couldn't help but melt before it.

"Fine," she agreed at last, "but you owe me big time."

"Thank you! Thank you! I promise I'll make it up to you," Harry lent forward and gave her a swift kiss before quickly hurrying up the stairs.

Ginny let her smile fade as he walked out of sight and trudged up the stairs after him to get changed. Despite appearances she really wasn't very happy about this arrangement.

Soon after Ginny entered the Great Hall and found a seat at the Gryffindor table beside Hermione. Hermione greeted her cheerfully as she slid onto the bench beside her.

"Glad someone's having a good morning," Ginny muttered grumpily as she began loading her plate with scrambled eggs and toast.

Hermione looked up in surprise. "What's the matter?" she asked turning her large brown eyes towards Ginny with a slightly hurt expression on her face.

Ginny sighed heavily and tucked her red hair behind her ears. She hadn't meant to snap at Hermione, it wasn't her fault anyway. "Don't worry about it," Ginny replied apologetically, "I'm just having a bad day that's all."

"News flash honey," Hermione said," the days only just started. And you can tell me if you want."

"It doesn't really matter," Ginny said dismissively, "I just had an argument with Harry, that's all."

"That's all? Ginny, you and Harry never argue."

"Yeah well he wasn't actually doing much arguing, it was just me."

"Don't worry," Hermione said sliding her arm around Ginny's shoulders comfortingly, "Every relationship has its ups and down, yours is just going through a rough patch at the moment. You guys have all day today at Hogsmeade to sort it out."

"Yeah well that's just the point," Ginny muttered bitterly, "We're not going to Hogsmeade."

"Why?" Hermione asked, taken back. Ginny wasn't surprised. She and Harry had been making plans for this trip for weeks. Hermione had to sit in the same carriage and smile sweetly while they talked endlessly of the things they were going to do when they got there.

"Ron asked him to do Quiddich practice with him, and that's obviously more important." Ginny explained angrily while she mushed her scrambled eggs into pulp with her fork and her face grew a brighter and brighter shade of red in her anger and indignation.

"Oh Gin," Hermione sympathized. "But there's always next weekend."

"What if Ron wants to play Quiddich then as well?" She demanded furiously. "That's the problem dating someone who's also your brother's best friend; I always seem to be competing with him for Harry's attention. And lately Ron seems to be winning." By now she had pounded her breakfast so much that the juices had run off her plate and the remainder of the egg resembled mouldy cheese.

"Look Ginny, I'm Harry's best friend as well. And I know that he's in love with you, he has been for a very long time." Hermione looked at her intently, trying to get her to realize that she really meant what she was saying.

"Whatever," Ginny shrugged Hermione's arm from her shoulder and got up, leaving her mutilated breakfast in a pile behind her.

She wandered moodily outside, hardly noticing the bright sunshine and cloudless sky. The storm clouds which had been so eager to let loose their torrent of rain seemed to have disappeared beyond the dazzling blue horizon. Everywhere first and second years were talking and laughing joyfully on the grass. She was the only 6^th year to be seen. All the rest were heading down to Hogsmeade ready for, purses bulging and begging to be emptied. She supposed she could just go by herself. But where was the fun in that? There wouldn't be any, plain and simple. Not without Harry.

She found a place beneath a leafy tree on the other side of the lake, as far away from the playful students as she could find. She wanted to be alone. If she couldn't be with Harry then she didn't want to be with anybody. Finally she gave a half-glance towards the vivid blue of the sky and scowled deeper. It was just like everyone and everything to contradict her mood. She would rather it had been hailing down, rather than this cheerful sunshine which begged her to be smiling along with it. She didn't feel like smiling.

As she lent against the firm bark of the tree she noticed that she was sitting only meters away from the place where she had first told Harry she loved him. She remembered how her heart had swelled with exhilaration when he said that he loved her too. That had only been a week ago and she couldn't remember a happier day in her life. How quickly everything had changed.

She knew she was probably making too big a deal of this. But she had inherited the fiery Weasley temper from her mother, and at the moment she was just plain annoyed. And hurt.

*~*~*~*

The sun shone down and glinted off Draco's silvery-white hair as he stared intently across the lake. Though it was a long way he still couldn't mistake the scorching red locks that were Ginny Weasley's. With his trademark smirk fixed firmly in place he headed around the outside of the lake towards her, making sure that his cloak did not drag in the dirt and soil the fine material.

As he drew closer he hesitated, sensing that she was deep in thought. He was taken back as he saw a single tear escape her brilliant green eyes and make its way down her soft cheek. Angrily she brushed it aside and shook her head as if to chide herself for feeling upset. She began yanking blades of grass viciously from the ground all the time muttering furiously to herself.

Moving quietly so he was now positioned behind her, Draco inched closer, straining his ears to catch what she was saying. He had a good feeling that it could be useful.

"-It's not as if it really matters. He can go play Quiddich until his bum falls off if that's what he really wants. It's not like I care or anything." She sighed heavily and stopped terrorizing the grass. Shifting her position slightly so her back was resting more comfortably against the tree she began speaking again. "But it would've been nice to visit Honeydukes again. It's been almost three months since I've been there. And Zonko's too. I can see if Fred and George were telling the truth when they said that Zonko's had offered to sell some of their products. And its been so long since I've had Butterbeer from Madame Rosmerta's -"

"You know talking to yourself is the first sign of madness," Draco commented dryly as he leant casually but dignifiedly against a tree nearby. "Or is your invisible friend here too? Would you like to introduce us?"

"Get lost, Malfoy," she retorted angrily, but he couldn't help but notice that her cheeks had taken on a red tinge.

"I would've thought you and Potter would have been scampering around Hogsmeade by now," he remarked nonchalantly.

"Did you?" she replied calmly, but her cheeks glowed redder. "Obviously we're not though, so why don't you just go away and mind your own business?"

"Because at the moment I'm interested in yours," he said simply. "So why aren't you at Hogsmeade? Potter give you the flick?"

Her eyes flashed dangerously. "No," she answered, but her voice wavered, "You're not even close." Looking closely Draco noticed that her eyes had begun to fill with tears once more. Furiously she blinked them away and turned so he couldn't see her face.

"Not even close?" he repeated unbelievingly. "Really, Weasley, because I think I've hit the nail right on the head."

She turned back to him, her teeth gritted and her hands clenched. He took an involuntary step back in surprise at the explosive image she made. He hadn't realized he'd tweaked her that badly. "Get lost, Malfoy. Now," he voice was low and dangerous and her breathing was heavy with rage.

"Tut tut, Weasley, I really don't think you have any grounds for ordering me around." He smirked superiorly.

"Why do you always do that?" she demanded irritably, but without her former rage. Draco was impressed at her ability to contain her emotions so quickly.

"Do what?" he asked with his eyebrows raised.

"Talk about yourself and your family with that arrogant tone of voice. It's not as if you are any better than the rest of us. My family's heritage goes just as far back as yours does."

"Ah, but there is a difference," he replied condescendingly. "You see, Weasley, my family's pure. We haven't tainted our blood with Muggle influence. We don't socialize with commoners and Mudbloods like you do. And that's what makes us better."

She snorted in such an unladylike manner that Draco was taken back. "I pity you sometimes," she old him, catching him completely off guard. Draco spluttered astoundedly for a moment before regaining his composure enough to ask her what she meant.

"Your father has so much influence over you, Draco. More than even you realize." She explained. "He's taught you to be cold and uncaring. To think that the only things that matter in life are money and power and the purity of your blood." She smiled sadly at him and continued. "There's so much more to the world than that. I've been brought up to believe that a life without love and compassion and feeling, is no life at all. Don't throw your life away on your fathers dreams, Draco. I don't know why, but I feel there's more to you than that."

She got up and moved further away, leaving him with his muddled thoughts. He stared after her in complete shock. Not only was he taken back by the fact that she had actually called him Draco - twice! - ,the force of what she said had had really hit place close to his heart, and he couldn't seem to shake it. He had meant to come here to plant the seeds of doubt in Ginny's mind. Make her question the meaning in her life, the importance of her friendship and, most importantly, the value of her relationship. Instead she had giving him something to think about. A lot to think about. For the first time he truly appreciated that there was more to Ginny Weasley than met the eye.

He walked over to her, regaining his poise and dignity with every step he took. "You know what?" he said. Ginny looked up in question. "I don't think Potter realizes just how good he's got it. I really don't think he appreciates you."

"Really," she replied dryly. "And I suppose you do?"

Draco shook his head. "No. I just don't think Potter deserves you."

"And you're willing to take his place?"

He snorted loudly, trying hard to keep himself from laughing. "A Malfoy and a Weasley? You have got to be joking. I haven't sunk that low, just yet."

He felt the anger gather around her like a cloak and knew he had pissed her off again. "Well," she said shortly, "If that's all you came to say, then I guess you should leave now." Now he knew he had pissed her off.

He held up his hands in surrender deciding it probably wasn't safe to push her any further. He did want to get back to castle in one piece. "Okay, okay, I'm going now," he reassured her. "I leave you with your invisible friend and thoughts of your Potter boy." He smirked mockingly and walked off, leaving a very annoyed Ginny Weasley behind him.