Chapter One- Insomnia
A/N Hi Guys! This is my first fan fiction ever so please be nice. Constructive criticism is greatly appreciated. And please please review. Just to warn you all. This story takes place during Ginny's school days and it involves a teacher student relationship,so if you don't like that stuff, don't read it, don't waste your time flaming me! But yeah, if you don't have a problem with it please read and review! Alright well here it is:
PS I don't own Harry Potter
PPS I don't own the summary or the title, I took it from a poem, but the plot is mine, I didn't steal everything.
Chapter One
A crisp breeze stirred the burgundy curtains and a single leaf fluttered through the opened window, marking the beginning of autumn. The dormitory was now free of the excited chatter and lighthearted giggles that graced the room just hours before. Now, the only sound echoing through the room was the wind whistling through the opened window. All of the students, filled with food from the feast, had drifted off into a peaceful slumber; all but a certain red head girl lying in her four poster bed plagued by the howling wind and her own thoughts.
Ginny Weasley stared at the ceiling. Hogwarts seemed so different this year. Since Harry broke up with her, nothing had been the same. He didn't owl her, he didn't speak to her, he didn't even look at her. Ginny moaned and pulled the covers over her head. Why did he have to be such a noble prick!
"I can't be involved with you anymore."
"We've got to stop seeing each other."
"We can't be together."
Those phrases had been running through her mind since it happened. She didn't cry though, Ginevra Molly Weasley never cried, she pouted occasionally but she refused to cry over a boy (especially the stupid noble prick Harry Potter).
"The nerve," she muttered under her breath. Perhaps it wouldn't have bothered her so much if the break up hadn't affected the relationship with her best friend. Hermione had avoided her since Harry's "gallant" act. Now she was with out a boyfriend and without a best friend to complain to. Sure she had Luna, but she was only interested in Crumpled Horn Snorkacs and Quibbler articles; and there were the few friends she had in her year, like Janet and Sadie, but she didn't like to talk to them about her love life. Everyone knew Sadie was a gossip, and she didn't know Janet well enough to spill her innermost thoughts and feelings. Hermione was the only person who she could really talk to, and without her she felt lost and lonely.
Ginny shook her head to drive away those thoughts. She refused to start the school year in self-pity. So what if Hermione didn't want to be her friend anymore, she had Luna, and Sadie and Janet and Neville. She could make it through the year with out the Golden Trio. Snuggling into the blankets she closed her eyes and drifted off into a restless slumber.
"Ginny wake up!" Sadie Biddle jumped on the edge of Ginny's bed in an attempt to wake her sleeping friend. Ginny groaned and rolled over; 'great' she thought 'as soon as I fall asleep I have to wake up again.' She had had a very restless night; strange dreams had woken her up on several occasions. She rubbed her eyes in an attempt to erase the images from her mind.
"Ginny come on." Janet Walker shook her friends shoulder. "We have to get down to breakfast or we won't get our schedules. McGonagall will kill us if we miss it." Ginny groaned again obviously not excited about the day ahead.
"Alright, alright I'm coming." She rolled out of bed and grabbed her uniform. Today was going to be a long day
Ginny stirred her cereal with a spoon indifferently, counting the round lumps of starch in the bowl.
'Today is going to be so boring'
'Suck it up!' Ginny shook her head at these thoughts and turned her attention back to breakfast. She stared down the Gryffindor table and saw Harry, Ron and Hermione engrossed in deep conversation. She sighed and looked back at her cereal. 'They probably don't even notice I'm here,' she thought hopelessly.
Memories suddenly flooded into her head. Last year was so much fun. She used to sit next to Hermione at mealtimes and gossip, stopping occasionally to yell at Ron for talking with his mouth full. And then Harry would walk her to class…
"Miss. Weasley!" A stern voice interrupted her thoughts and Ginny looked up with a dazed expression on her face.
"Huh?" she said unintelligently.
Professor McGonagall pursed her lips and gazed at the young girls blank expression. "Your timetable Miss. Weasley." She gave Ginny the schedule and walked away briskly.
Janet looked at her with an expression of concern. "Gosh Gin," she said anxiously, "she was standing there for five minutes before you acknowledged her. Are you ok?"
Ginny sighed and shook her head. "Yeah I'm fine Jan," she said, "I'm just a little tired is all."
"Well your not going to be fine after you read the schedule," Sadie snorted, "look what we have first."
Ginny looked at her timetable and shook her head. This morning she had double potions with the Slytherins. 'Great' she thought to herself 'my first day back and I already have to deal with Snape.'
"Come on guys," said Janet unenthusiastically, "we don't want to give Snape an excuse to take off points." The three girls nodded in agreement and sauntered off towards the dungeons.
"MISS WEASLEY!! YOU EXEMPLIFY WHY IN PREVIOUS YEARS I HAVE REFUSED TO ALLOW E STUDENTS IN MY NEWT CLASS!!" The entire potions class had climbed on their desks and chairs to avoid the foul smelling potion that now drenched the dungeon floor. Severus Snape stood on his stool fuming trying to avoid this acid green potion that had already claimed half a desk, a cauldron and the bottom of Ginny's shoe. He waved his wand and the majority of the potion disappeared.
Ginny grimaced as the intimidating potions master stalked towards her desk with an expression of fury and annoyance on his face. He bent down to look her in the eyes. His cold black eyes locked on her green one and he spoke in a dangerously soft voice, "perhaps I should invite the Ministry of Magic here to prove why students who barely earn an E on their OWL exams should not have the privilege of taking a higher level potions class." He gestured at the deformed knot of pewter that used to be a cauldron and Ginny blushed. Shooting one last look of irritation at the sixteen-year-old witch, Snape briskly walked back to his desk.
When the bell finally rang, the sixth years hurried to leave the dungeons. "Weasley come here." Janet and Sadie shot her a comforting look before leaving and Ginny reluctantly walked towards Snape's desk.
"Yes professor?"
"Mrs. Weasley I have reviewed your grades from previous years and your OWL examination scores and if it were up to me you would be out of this class."
Ginny rolled her eyes defiantly. 'How many times does he have to make the same point, she thought to herself, 'I swear sometimes I just want to kick him in the face!' "Yes professor, you already said that" she said.
"I would appreciate it if you didn't give me cheek Weasley, I just might lose my temper with you." Snape starred at Ginny and she instantly fell silent. The corners of Snape's mouth twisted into a smirk and he continued. "Thank you. As I was saying, your grades are not up to par for this course, so I have decided to schedule remedial potions lessons for you on Tuesdays and Fridays from 7:30 to 9:30."
Ginny's jaw dropped. He knew those were her training days.
"But professor… Quidditch… I can't just quit the team!"
Snape closed his eyes and drew in a deep strained breath. "Miss. Weasley while I do not wish to end your Quidditch career at Hogwarts, your potions skills are abysmal and I cannot allow you to participate in an activity when you are failing my class."
"How can I be failing your class when it's the first day back!!" She emphasized the last three words angrily. Ginny was losing her patience. Her ears were turning the trademark Weasley red and it was taking every ounce of restraint she had not to scream at her professor.
"Miss. Weasley may I remind you on your first day back you managed to waste my ingredients, destroy my equipment and raise my blood pressure! I do not want to give up my evenings tutoring you, however I'm sure your mother would not appreciate it if you got a D in my class!" Ginny crossed her arms and looked away from her irate professor. Snape sighed and shook his head. "The potions will be getting more and more advanced so if you don't understand theory and proper brewing technique then you will be melting cauldrons every time you walk into class.
"Fine!" spat Ginny sourly. Snape nodded.
"I'm glad you understand. I will see you tomorrow at 7:30 do not be late! If you are I will give you a detention"
Ginny turned and left the classroom, slamming the door behind her. The loud noise echoed through the stone hallways as Ginny stomped her way to transfiguration.