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Author: Tosca Story: The Year of Secrets Rating: Young Teens Setting: Pre-HBP Status: Completed Reviews: 4 Words: 71,798
"Legilimens." At once a flash of Ginny lying in the Hospital Wing entered Harry's mind, and he tried to block it, sending a Stinging Hex from his wand. He toppled backwards, hitting the back of his head on a desk, and moaned. "Excellent, Harry. That was a very good hex." He opened his eyes to see Dumbledore smiling genially down at him, a red welt shining on the back of his wand hand. Harry shrugged, rubbing the back of his head. "Thanks. I've had some practice," he said bitterly, getting to his feet. The headmaster chuckled lightly. "You mean with your lessons with Professor Snape? Oh yes, he told me," he added at Harry's wondering expression. "He wasn't very amused, to say the least." "Good," Harry muttered under his breath as he collapsed into a nearby chair, holding his head in his hand. He could feel a bump already swelling under his hair, joining the two other ones from only a few minutes ago. "How much did you see?" he asked, looking up at Dumbledore as the older man took a seat behind his desk. Dumbledore smiled. "Just Miss Weasley in her bed from a few weeks ago, after the Quidditch game. How is she, by the way?" Harry heaved a heavy sigh, closing his eyes. "She's fine, sir. We had a practice on Saturday, and she looked quite all right," he replied, feeling quite unhappy. He and Ginny had developed a tentative friendship once more, but she didn't seem to want to move past that. At the beginning, he was just glad to be talking with her again. Now, after almost a month of polite greetings and neutral discussions, he was getting aggravated. He wanted to be able to hold her again, to talk to her about what he was feeling. Dumbledore smiled distantly. "It was a very brave thing she did in that game, Harry. A true Gryffindor, if I may say so." He sighed in contentment. "My old House has proved itself well these last years." A grin crossed Harry's face, and the portraits that had been in Gryffindor House applauded happily. "Good girl, that Weasley is," he heard Dilys murmur to her neighbor. "Wasn't she the one that opened the Chamber, Dumbledore?" Phineas Nigellus commented wryly amidst the clapping. Harry rolled his eyes as Dumbledore raised a silver eyebrow at the portrait. "You know exactly what occurred Miss Weasley's first year, Phineas. I do not believe there is any reason to bring it up right now," he said calmly, Summoning two steaming cups of tea from across the room, and setting one in front of Harry. Phineas shrugged indifferently. "I always thought she and Potter would be connected in some way after that unfortunate incident." Harry blushed lightly, and Dumbledore took a sip of tea. "Well, you were correct, but that is another story. How are you getting along, Harry?" "Well enough, I suppose," Harry said dully, thinking without amusement at the hate he felt every time he saw Snape's greasy head anywhere in the castle; his struggle in keeping awake in History of Magic; Ginny's calm façade. Then, his mind perked up, and he met Dumbledore's eyes. "Can you tell me anything that's going on with the Order?" he queried hopefully. Dumbledore looked at Harry thoughtfully for a moment, and set his cup down. "Fudge is cooperating with us, but he isn't happy about it. Aurors are being used as guards in Azkaban. We're trying to track down the Dementors, but we're having a bit of trouble. It's very difficult on the whole." There was silence in the room but for the easy breathing of the portraits. Harry swallowed. "I wish I could help out in some way," he said softly. Dumbledore smiled kindly at him. "You help more than you know. Don't be too concerned, please." He paused for a moment. "I'm glad you've started to talk to Professor Lupin. He is very happy to be able to have the chance." Harry wished he could talk to Lupin right now, but he was unavailable, because of the full moon tomorrow night. He knew his father's friend would be able to help him with the Ginny situation. But, Professor Dumbledore was nice to talk with. He felt somewhat like a grandfather, and that comforted Harry. "Thank you, sir. I'm glad I've started to talk to him." The headmaster looked at Harry thoughtfully. "There is something in my vault at Gringott's I believe you might like," he started slowly, grabbing Harry's attention. "It's your mother's wedding band." Harry's stomach twisted, and he swallowed. Dumbledore went on, a knowing sparkle in his eye. "I recovered it from the house the night we took you to your aunt's home, and have kept it for you. I think this might be the right time to give it to you," he finished quietly, gazing at Harry serenely. Harry gulped. His mother's wedding ring? That would be the perfect Christmas gift for Ginny! Not that he wanted to get married yet, but she would appreciate the significance. If she still wanted a gift from him by Christmas. "Thank you, sir. I would appreciate it a lot," he said, feeling a mixture of happiness and illness. To have something of his mother's...He had had his father's Invisibility Cloak since his first year, but he had never had anything of his mother's. Dumbledore nodded, and looked at the intricate timepiece on his wall behind Harry. "It seems as though it is time for you to go, Harry. See you next Tuesday, and please don't hesitate to come to me during the week," he said, blue eyes twinkling merrily. Harry grinned, and stood. "Bye, Professor." He gave a little wave and walked out of Dumbledore's office to the farewells of the portraits. He chuckled as the gargoyle opened for him, and he saw Ron and Hermione waiting for him, hands intertwined at their sides. "Been here long?" Ron shook his head. "Not at all, mate. How'd it go?" Harry shrugged as they started down the hall, Hermione walking between him and Ron. "Fine. I'm starting to use my mind more and my wand less, and that's an improvement," he commented cheerfully, wishing that Ginny was with him right now. Hermione let out a sigh of relief. "I'm glad, Harry. This is extremely important," she said as they rounded a corner. Ron rolled his eyes at Harry over his girlfriend's head. "You think he didn't know that, ‘Mione?" he teased. Hermione blushed and smacked Ron on the arm. "Don't call me that, Ron! I hate nicknames," she hissed as Harry chuckled, raising an eyebrow at Ron. Ron smirked. "I know, Hermione," he egged her, grinning at Harry. "She hates when I use nicknames," he said in a mock-whisper. Harry snorted. "Imagine that." The talk turned to schoolwork, and Harry knew it was a night to keep for later times; this kind of peace and happiness couldn't last forever. ~*~ Ginny struggled to heave the strap of her bulging schoolbag over her shoulder, shoulder aching. She leaned against a wall near the History of Magic classroom she had just exited and sighed, pushing her hair from her eyes. The books in her bag were causing her great pain; the homework assigned wasn't making her day much better. Merlin, she was looking forward to the holidays. "Almost Christmas," she muttered to herself like a mantra. "Almost Christmas, almost Christmas..." "Ginny, come on! Library's awaiting; if we get there soon, we might get a good table," Colin called from the end of the corridor. She let out a soft groan. "Colin, I don't want to study tonight. It's Friday, for Merlin's sake!" she exclaimed unhappily, straightening up and starting to walk towards him. A crowd of students jostled her and she bit back a growl. Colin frowned. "Well, we won't get any work done tomorrow. Hogsmeade, remember?" She huffed. "Then we won't go!" He shifted uncomfortably as she neared him. "I've got to go, Ginny. I'm meeting Lila Pierce at the Three Broomsticks," he said with a blush. "Oh!" She stopped a few feet from him, looking into his eyes curiously. If Colin was meeting the girl from Hufflepuff, then she wouldn't have anyone to go with, except Harry, Ron and Hermione. And she really didn't want to go with them; the urge to kiss Harry senseless was growing more powerful every time she saw him. "Well, then I'll stay here, Colin. Don't worry! You go on to the library, and I'll see you in the common room." He looked unhappily at her as another group of giggling girls came down the corridor. "Well, Ginny..." She heaved a sigh. "Colin, go. I'll be quite fine. I need to do some work for Muggle Studies anyway, and you don't take that class. Go on then!" He smiled tentatively at her, a smile she returned. As he went around the corner, someone jostled her roughly and she fell to the floor, wincing as she came in contact with the cold stone. A gasp went up, and someone grasped her elbow. "Merlin, I'm sorry! Let me help you!" Ginny grunted thanks as she got to her feet, and looked into the dark eyes of Cho Chang. The two girls stared at each other in silence for a moment, and Ginny remembered their last meeting painfully. She had caught the Snitch from under Cho's nose, winning the Quidditch Cup for Gryffindor, and caused an unhappy reaction from the Ravenclaw girl that consisted of thrown brooms. Her boyfriend at the time, Michael Corner, had become unbearable after that game, so she had broken up with him and he went running straight to Cho. Another wave of embarrassment swooped over her as she realized that this was Harry's old flame. Cho smiled hesitantly at her. "I'm dreadfully sorry about that, Ginny. Are you all right?" Ginny found her voice after a few seconds. "Yes, thanks. I'm sure it looked worse then it actually felt," she said dryly. Cho giggled quietly. An uncomfortable silence fell over the two girls, and Cho bent down to pick up Ginny's fallen bag. "Good job at the Quidditch game," she said softly. "That was amazing what you did for Harry." Ginny felt like she had been punched in the stomach, and she gulped, taking her bag. "Thanks. I didn't really think about it," she muttered, a blush rising to her cheeks. "Well, look at that! Both of Potter's whores! I wonder if he ever has a threesome!" Draco Malfoy's jeering voice echoed from the other end of the corridor, and both girls swung around to glare angrily at the smirking teen. "Sod off, Malfoy! Not even one girl would bloody touch you with an eighty-foot pole, let alone two," Ginny retorted, leveling her wand at his face from a distance. Her heart was pounding erratically; how did Malfoy know about her and Harry? Or was he just making a lucky guess? "Don't make me turn your face into a wing-covered mess again!" "It might make him look better though, you reckon?" Cho commented quickly. A cheer and a laugh went up from all non-Slytherins in the corridor, and Malfoy sulked off with his posse, glaring hatefully at the girls as he left. Ginny smirked as she pocketed her wand, and turned back to Cho. "What a git," she said darkly. Cho nodded, looking curiously at Ginny. "Are you Harry's girlfriend?" she asked softly. Pain spread in Ginny's veins, and she held back a cry of grief. "No, I'm not." Not anymore. Cho looked a bit surprised, but it cleared from her face almost immediately. "Oh. All right, then. Well, I better go. See you around, Ginny," she said gently, walking past Ginny towards a waiting Michael Corner at the end of the corridor. Ginny watched her greet Michael with a kiss, and a twinge of sorrow went through her. She wanted to be able to do that with Harry, but she didn't want to be hurt again. It always hurt. Somehow, she dragged herself to the common room, and collapsed into her favorite chair across the room from the hearth. Harry was sitting over there with Ron and Hermione, and she couldn't help but hear Hermione's concerned words to Harry, seeing as how the room was practically empty. "Harry, are you sure you don't mind? We won't go without you if you don't want us to," the bushy-haired girl said uncertainly. Harry shook his head. "Are you kidding me? Go. It's ok. You two deserve it, after all the stuff I make you put up with," he said cheerfully, but Ginny could hear the forcedness to his voice. Ron noticed Ginny's curious gaze, and he waved her over. "Ginny! Why are you sitting over there by yourself? Come here!" She sighed, heaved her bag into her arms, and made her way over to the hearth, giving a friendly smile to the three of them as she sat down on the floor by Harry's chair. "Hi. What's going on?" she asked innocently. Harry chuckled. "They're leaving me to fend for myself while they go off on a date to Hogsmeade," he explained. Her heart leapt into her throat, and she noted Ron and Hermione's blushing faces with amusement. "Well, imagine that. Colin's done the same to me," she said lightly, trying not to think of the implications. Hermione's eyebrows rose. "Well, why don't you and Harry go together?" "No!" Harry and Ginny exclaimed at the same time, blushing furiously and not meeting the other's eyes. Hermione huffed as Ron chuckled. "Well, if it seems like such a bad idea to you both..." "No, it's not that," Ginny began hurriedly, but was cut off by Harry. "Don't deny it, Ginny. The thought of a whole day alone with me must be terrifying," he joked. There was an edge in his voice that she caught and she looked up at him in surprise. The truth in his eyes scared her; he honestly thought she didn't want him anymore! "No, actually it's not, Harry. I would go, but I have some work to do in the library tomorrow," she said softly, resisting the urge to look away from his vivid gaze. He raised an ebony brow. "Imagine that. So do I," he commented. She wanted to gape at him as Hermione clapped her hands in glee. "Lovely! Go to the library together; I'm sure you'll get a lot of work done." Ron smirked. "Gives Harry a reason to stop his whinging about being left alone all day." Harry threw a mock glare at his red-haired friend. "Shove it, Weasley, or I'll quit the team," he threatened overdramatically. Ron rolled his eyes. "I know where you sleep, mate. Just try to quit my team!" Hermione giggled helplessly, and Ginny grinned. "You two are ridiculous," she stated cheerfully. Harry met her gaze. "Dare to go to the library with me tomorrow?" "I dare say I could survive your company," she said lightly, heart pounding wildly in contrast. She had basically thrown herself into the wolves' den. What was she thinking? ~*~ Palms sweating, he walked into the silent library, bag over his shoulder. With a polite nod to Madam Pince, who looked quite agitated at the fact that there were students not at Hogsmeade and in the Library, he went off to the back tables, searching for a familiar head of hair. What was he thinking? Oh, it had been a bright idea last night, in front of Ron and Hermione; but Harry was now thinking that he had been quite stupid. How was he supposed to get through a few hours of studying with the one girl he'd rather be snogging more than anything? And she obviously didn't want to be alone with him anyway. Again, what was he thinking? "Harry!" There she was, red hair pulled back into a neat bun at the nape of her neck, sitting calmly at a hard to see table at the very back of the Library, a table hidden from Madam Pince's view by at least ten bookshelves. Harry had to give her credit; she knew where the best spots were. He had seen a lot more than reading going on at tables like this... Not that he and Ginny were going to do anything that resembled stuff like that. He heaved a sigh, smiled, and headed over, plunking his bag down in the seat opposite her. She grinned cheerfully at him, and he wanted to curse and destroy shelves. Where was her inner turmoil? Did she even understand what he was going through? "Morning, Harry! I suppose Ron and Hermione have gone off?" she asked, flipping a page in her book casually. Harry resisted the urge to shove the book off the table and make her look at him. "Yes, they've left. Colin's gone, too?" She nodded, scanning her book. "Yes. Off to meet a girl." "Ah." And all conversation came to a screeching, ill-executed halt. The silence was unbearable for him. As the minutes ticked by, and she got further into her book, he was swallowed up in his own torture. This didn't feel like a fun, relaxing afternoon of studying with Ginny. This felt like a tension-driven date with Cho. Was Ginny going to become like Cho? A girl who nodded politely in the corridor when he passed and only kept his company because her brother told her to? He did not want Ginny to become another Cho. "Talk to me, Ginny." She looked up at him for the first time since he sat down, and he saw the muted pain swimming in her dark eyes. A wave of regret fell over him; he should have talked to her about this sooner. He reached over and closed her book, pushing it towards the other end of the table. "I want to talk to you, Ginny. Can we talk instead of study?" he asked softly. She nodded slowly. Harry sighed. "What are we right now? Are we friends? Are we more?" "Of course we're friends, Harry. Don't be silly. I'll always be your friend," she replied immediately. "Well, I don't feel like I'm sitting with a friend. Why won't you look at me?" he asked tersely, trying to keep his voice low. "Why won't you stop looking at me?" she shot back, voice rising. He clamped a hand on her wrist nervously. "Because you look bloody gorgeous today and I can't help myself," he hissed unthinkingly, watching the shock grow in her eyes. He leaned over, putting them forehead to forehead. "Do you want me to stop, Gin?" he inquired softly. It looked for a moment like she was going to kiss him, but she let out a little moan and pulled away from him instead, walking over to a bookshelf with her back turned to him. Harry heard a rustling from up front, and he winced. Damn librarians! He got to his feet and followed Ginny, cornering her against a shelf full of Potion books. She was just grabbing a volume when she turned and let out a tiny squeal before he clapped a hand over her mouth, looking to the side nervously. "Pipe down! Do you want to get caught?" he whispered roughly, removing his hand. She looked up at him incredulously. "Caught doing what?" she retorted, crossing her arms over her chest. Harry looked down at her, hands itching to reach back and let her hair fly freely down her back. He stepped closer to her, the fronts of their robes touching, and leaned down. Sliding his hands up her arms, he heard her breath catch as he caught her mouth in his, and he smiled. She didn't even put up a fight. Her hands tangled in the perpetually messy hair at the nape of his neck, sending shivers down his spine every time her skin brushed his. He cupped her cheek in one hand as the other reached back to the neat bun and pulled on it. Her hair fell fast and free around her shoulders, and he ran his fingers through it as he kissed her hard, making up for every time in the past month he had wanted to kiss her but couldn't. It was freedom for him; he finally felt able to fully relax. Not even Ron and Hermione could make him feel so...whole. He skimmed his hand down her back, resting his fingers at the small of her back as his other hand wound itself in her hair. The library disappeared from his mind, and all he knew-all he wanted to know-was the girl in his arms who kissing him back with a fever he had missed for almost two months. "Miss Weasley!" Ginny gasped and jumped in his arms, her front teeth accidentally cutting the inside of his bottom lip. He hissed in pain and broke away from her, holding a hand up to his lip. She had both hands over her mouth, eyes wide with shock as Madam Pince called for her once again and only two bookshelves away. "Miss Weasley! Mr. Potter!" "Yes...Yes, Madam Pince?" Ginny choked out, gazing at Harry in amazement. He met her gaze steadily, wiping a droplet of blood from his lips. "I was just checking to make sure everything was all right back here. I thought I heard a strange noise," the librarian replied, and Harry could hear her footsteps fading from their area. Ginny bit her lip nervously as they stared at each other from opposite sides of an aisle. Harry took a step towards her. "Gin, I've missed you," he said, reaching out to take her hand. Her mouth trembled, and he saw the conflict within her dark stare. "I've missed you too, Harry. But I don't know if I can do this," she whispered, taking her hand from his grasp. "Give me another chance. I've been an absolute prat. I want to make it up to you, Ginny," he pleaded. She hesitated for a moment, and he thought he had won her over. Hope rose within him, and he reached out to her again. "Ginny, please-" She pulled away, tears threatening to spill from her brown eyes. "No, Harry. I can't do this again. I don't want to hurt anymore," she cried softly, turning away from him. He stood in silence as she grabbed her bag and raced from the library. His heart stopped beating, it seemed, and he was staring at the bookshelf blankly for many a minute. I don't want to hurt anymore... He had to show her. He wouldn't hurt her. He wouldn't. ~*~ "Four days until holiday, four days until holiday, four days..." "Ginny?" Ginny cringed, stopped her muttering, and looked up from her Potions notes to her brother, eyebrow raised at the almost despondent look on his face. He hadn't looked well since breakfast, when an unfamiliar owl had delivered a note addressed to him, and he'd looked quite ill in the common room right now. She rolled from her stomach to her back and got to her feet, careful not to meet Harry's eyes. "What?" Ron shifted nervously, looking pale in the firelight. "Well, Mum's sent a note, and—" "She doesn't want me to come home for the holiday, does she? I wrote and told her I needed to stay here..." she trailed off as Ron got green around the edges. "Ron, are you all right?" she asked curiously. Harry let out a snicker from his chair by the hearth, and Ron shot him a quelling glare. Hermione giggled, looking prettily red in the face, and nodded encouragingly at her stuttering boyfriend. Ron swallowed, and turned back to his baffled sister. "No, Gin. It seems that Hermione's parents would like her to come home for a bit of the holiday, and..." He sighed. "Well, Mum got it in her head to let me go home with her." Harry couldn't smother his laughter any longer, and soon he was holding his sides and gasping for breath. Hermione smacked his arm, blushing harder. "Well, there's no need to be immature about this! It was a nice invitation," she scolded him, barely concealing her pleased smile. Ginny gazed at her brother, smiling slightly. "That's lovely, Ron. I don't mind being here alone. I'll probably get more work done," she joked weakly, heart sinking as she spoke. It was wonderful for Ron, but with Colin, Neville and Luna all leaving for home, she would be quite alone on Christmas. The last time that had happened was Ron's first year of Hogwarts, when she was the only child at home. She had been quite lonely without anyone to talk to, and it seemed it was going to happen again. She sighed inaudibly, and plopped down on the common room floor once more. "When will you three be leaving?" she asked, looking at Ron expectantly. The loneliness should be something she was used to by now; it would pass in time, like it always did. Ron ducked his head, looking at the still mirthful Harry. "Well, see, the thing is..." "I'm not going with them, Ginny. I have my own work to do, and no one likes a third wheel, anyway," Harry wheezed out, mastering his laughter as quickly as he could. Hermione frowned slightly at him. "Harry, you wouldn't be a third wheel," she admonished. Ginny could scarcely breathe as she watched Harry and Hermione talk quietly, feeling Ron's gaze on her. Harry was going to be here. Alone. With her. She was absolutely petrified of the thought. What was he trying to do to her? Of course, he wanted Ron and Hermione to have a few private days, what with the war and such, but he could go to The Burrow and see Fred and George! Why was he staying here? It was too late for her to go home now; she didn't want to go anyway. She would just have to deal with his presence as best as possible, avoid him when needed, and it would be a fine holiday. "Ginny?" Ron's quiet voice brought her out of her shock-induced haze, and she looked up at him. He looked worried for her, like all her brothers did whenever they saw her. It annoyed her, and she forced a cheerful smile at him. "Well! I won't be completely alone, then. You and Hermione will be gone for how long?" "Oh, only for a few days; four or five at the most. Your mother's been most kind; she's invited my parents to Christmas Eve dinner at The Burrow!" Hermione exclaimed, smiling happily at Ron. He returned the grin, and with a final pat on Ginny's shoulder, he went back over to his two friends. She watched them laugh and talk together for a moment, the loneliness hitting her full-force. She would have no one; it was just Ginny now. "Excuse me?" She craned her neck slightly as a cheerful fourth-year girl came towards her, smiling shyly. "You're Ginny, right?" Ginny nodded, bemused. The trio by the hearth looked over in interest. The girl grinned a bit wider, and tossed her long blonde hair over her shoulder. "My friends and I have wanted to tell you that we heard what Draco Malfoy said to you and what you said back a couple weeks ago, and we think that what you said was really great! He was just a git, and you took care of him. We really admire you for that," she said in a rush, blushing furiously as she finished. Ginny stared at the younger girl in amazement for a moment, completely floored. She glanced towards the trio and saw Ron and Harry looking displeased for some reason, and Hermione smiling warmly at her. She grinned, and looked back at the shy girl in front of her. "Thank you," she said. "I really appreciate that right now." The girl smiled widely, and scurried off to her friends again. Ginny smiled lightly, feeling a bit happier than she had a moment ago. The feeling didn't leave her. Until both Harry and Ron stomped over, looking violent. "What did Malfoy say to you, Ginny?" Ron asked darkly. She pursed her lips, annoyance washing over her. She hated it when people thought that she needed to be protected. "Oh, something about how I was Harry's whore and how he was having threesomes with me and Cho," she said airily, standing up to face them. They were practically black in the face with anger, fists clenched at their sides. She felt quite small next to their six-foot frames, but straightened up as tall as she could, trying to be as formidable as possible. Ron growled and Harry shot a look at Ginny. "Why didn't you tell us?" he ground out, looking ready to murder. She crossed her arms over her chest, glaring at them both, more so at Harry. "Because you don't need to know what happens to me at all times," she shot back. "You two are certainly not my keepers!" The common room was growing quieter as their voices grew louder, and Hermione made her way over, putting a placating arm on both Ron and Harry's shoulders. "Don't be ridiculous, boys," she hissed. Ron ignored her, as did Harry. "We should know anything that bastard says to you," Ron snarled. "Especially when it's about you!" "You have no right to know anything that's going on in my life, Ronald Weasley! And, neither do you, for that matter, Harry!" she exclaimed, reaching down to gather her books and notes. "Both of you can just leave me alone until you've come to your senses!" She turned sharply and headed for the stairs to the girls' dormitory, but a hand on her elbow stopped her. Harry pulled her back around to face him and Ron, the hate still in his green eyes. "We just want to look out for you, Ginny," he said voice thick with anger. Drawing herself up, she pulled away from him and glared at them both. "I do not need a protector, thank you very much! Both of you can sod off! Now!" With that, she raced up the stairs in as dignified of a manner as possible, leaving Harry and Ron in her wake. Fine holiday, indeed. ~*~ She was lying in her bed with the covers over her head and the curtains drawn the next morning, basking in the Sunday ahead of her, when the door opened and shut quickly, and someone threw the curtains open. "Ginny, wake up," Hermione called, tugging on the covers. Ginny groaned, and sat up abruptly, blinking the sun from her eyes. "You yelled?" she quipped grumpily, shivering as the air in the room hit her with a chilly vengeance. It was much warmer under the blankets. Hermione sat down on the edge of her younger friend's bed, worry written in her face. "Don't hide in here anymore. Ron and Harry want to talk to you. They've been waiting for almost two hours for you to come down to the common room," she pleaded. Ginny huffed, reaching under her pillow for a ribbon to tie back her hair with. She was still burning from their treatment of her last night, and she wasn't ready to forgive Ron and Harry for it. "They can wait longer; they've obviously got no one better to patronize," she muttered venomously. "From what I coaxed out of Neville, Harry and Ron have been dreaming up schemes to murder Malfoy all night, and are very ready to act upon them," Hermione warned. "Good. One less Death Eater to kill later." "Ginny, don't be ridiculous! If they decide to hurt Malfoy, they'll be expelled, have their wands snapped, and then who will defeat Voldemort?" Hermione snapped, looking like she was at the end of her rope. Ginny supposed the brown-haired girl had been trying to convince Harry and Ron not to take any action against the blond Slytherin, and she had a moment of pity for her friend. Having Ron and Harry as best friends would drive even a saint to violence. Sighing, Ginny finished tying back her hair. "I don't want to talk to them, Hermione. They were bloody gits last night, and don't you deny it!" Hermione rolled her eyes, smiling slightly. "I can't deny it; you're quite right. But you can't be angry at them forever." "Watch me," Ginny muttered, crossing her arms over her chest. "They're worried about you, Ginny. They don't want you to get hurt by Malfoy, or anyone else who might try to get at them through you," Hermione said softly. "I don't need to be looked out for, Hermione! I'm perfectly capable of defending myself. I'm not little anymore. I don't want to be treated like I'm little," Ginny replied unhappily. The two girls sat in silence for a moment before Hermione coughed pointedly. "Harry seems especially upset," she commented quietly. Ginny's heart sped up unconsciously. "Is he? Imagine that," she said in as neutral a tone as possible. Hermione scrutinized her friend carefully. "I think he likes you, Ginny. I mean, likes you." "He's a bit late for that, right?" Ginny joked lightly, trying not to blush. "Is he?" Ginny gaped slightly at Hermione. "What do you mean?" Hermione heaved an impatient sigh. "You still like him that way, don't you? I know you said you didn't last year, but I'm not blind," she stated matter-of-factly, flicking a bit of lint from her robes. Ginny wanted to cry. Of course she still liked him that way! She was in love with the poor boy, for Merlin's sake! Ever since the incident in the library, she had been struggling not to run back into his arms. It had to be different this time; she didn't want to be hurt by him anymore, and he had to understand what she wanted. "It doesn't matter if I do, Hermione. I'd rather not talk about it," she replied softly, looking down at her maroon bedcover. Hermione sighed, and touched Ginny's shoulder lightly. "Just let them apologize, please. They really want to," she said gently, giving Ginny's shoulder a squeeze before going to the door and leaving her alone in the room. Ginny stretched her arms over her head, frowning at herself. They had better have a good apology in store for her, or this holiday would be very unpleasant for both of those bloody boys. She had been working on her Bat-Bogey Hex quite a bit lately, and was ready to try it out on a human subject. Grinning at the thought of Ron with wings flapping on his face, she climbed out of bed and started towards the loo. As she passed the door to the corridor, she saw a folded piece of parchment on the floor near the crack of the door. Curious, she picked it up and saw her name scrawled across the front in a familiar hand. Raising an eyebrow, she opened the note. Meet me in the Room of Requirement tomorrow night at seven. H. Well! He wanted to talk? Her heart fluttered, and she smiled slightly. Maybe her Bat-Bogey Hex could wait a day for Harry. There was always Ron to try today. ~~~~~~~~~~ A/N: Ha! Thought Harry was going to get his way in the library, didn't you? Ha! Please read and review! Yay for Joe! He rocks the world. Harry Potter is not mine, as usual. If it were, I wouldn't be here, would I?
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