25th January

Willow,

So here I am again, writing you yet another silly little girl's letter. I know your probably laughing now at the fact I'm being so childish, but it's not my fault! Honest! I think it's probably all this darn rain that's put a damper on my high spirits. Looking out the window now all I can see is the rain tumbling down constantly! Sometimes I'm surprised that a cloud can hold this much water. It's probably all magic and not, as the Muggle's assume, basic geography. Have you ever noticed how it has a tendency to penetrate the walls of every home like a ghost? It seems to me that every time it rains, it's raining directly on my metaphorically. Anyway, enough of my ramblings for now, though I can't promise there won't be anymore later.

Since your last letter quite a bit has happened. Of course there was Christmas, which as usual turned out to have some sort of disaster. By now I'm used to it happening though and can almost anticipate the event by about lunchtime knowing my family. As you know I stayed back with Ron, Harry and Hermione as it was their last Christmas together in Hogwarts. Mum, being mum, automatically assumed I would want to spend this "momentous" occasion with the other three so insisted I must stop being a martyr on her behalf and stay. Jesus. You'd think by now my mother would understand that unlike the boys when I say something I mean it! Anyway, I was forced to stay with the Harry and his sidekicks.

I know you're probably thinking at this point that I'm being unnecessarily cruel to my brother and his friends, but that's how it is! Ever since I joined Hogwarts it's always been those three against the world. Occasionally I will be allowed to enter their plans of adventure, but usually they leave me out. I'm pretty sure it's Ron's doing that I'm always being left out. He still sees me as the silly little school girl that easily gets into trouble and has a crush on his best friend. May I point out now that I DO NOT have a crush on Harry.   

Anyway back to Christmas and my special time with the three of them. For the first couple of days of the holidays I felt as if I was an invisible entity that just floated from room to room. No one seemed to see me and usually that's ok. But because there was no one around me to witness me being a social outcast it felt like I was more alone then ever. So I wandered around the castle taking in the scenes and avoiding Ferret Boy and his henchmen. Of course this didn't last long because when it reached Christmas Ron had to acknowledge my presence in order to please mum. So I was taken under the wing of my lovely (used in the loosest sense) brother. Now at this point I wasn't sure which one I preferred. Being alone or being smothered. Difficult choice your thinking!  Well it wasn't in all honesty. I would rather have boiled my head alive then spend an entire day with those three. But I had to, so I did and as you might be able to tell, I still have my head!

Your probably wondering what the big deal is, and this is where I tell you.

Breakfast went by pretty fast and unsurprisingly uneventful. I opened the presents (which were FAB but more on that later), joined the gruesome three and walked down to the great hall for croissants and brie. All very nice and cosy, if you ask me! Anyway, Harry was talking to Ron about something to do with Quidditch and Hermione was reading some book (as always) when suddenly Ferret Boy appeared. This was slightly unusual as Malfoy doesn't usually march up to a table of Gryffindors and purposefully ask for trouble. So, as you might be able to tell, I was a little surprised. It seemed he wanted to talk with Hermione about something and commanded in that irritating voice of his that she should go with him that instant. Obviously this peeved Ron off just a tad and poor 'Mione was going the colour of beetroots. I could have howled with laughter had it not been for the looks on Harry and Ron's faces. Ferret Boy was as ever the ice King and remained as calm as a pebble in a stream. (Lately I've been wondering if he has any other layers. He seems to be almost one dimensional, which I find extremely curious. This is something I don't want to be when it comes to a Malfoy though. They've already put me in enough danger as it is!) The boys were doing that macho thing where they ball their fists up and go bright red. Personally I think has as much an effect of intimidation as a duck, but hey, they're male.

 I could almost smell the fight brewing when she refused his offer!

Fists went flying and mostly they were Harry's and Ron's. I have to say I was again surprised by the fact that Malfoy just stood there and took it all. He didn't even throw a punch when Ron insulted him! He merely said something snidely about him and Harry having "relations" and dodged every fist he could. Eventually though the Weasley dumb luck came into play, and Ron landed Malfoy a really big shiner on his face. It was HUGE! It must have at least covered the entire of his eye socket, if not beyond. Ferret Boy, being a typical man, acted as if he'd just be hit by a nuclear missile and collapsed backwards in almost slow motion. You should have seen the look on Ron's face though! He looked almost as shocked as we were!

When Snape reared his ugly and sinister head, he found the four of us Gryffindors standing round one knocked out Slytherin'. That's when he jumped to the conclusion that we had conspired to attack a fellow student and put us all in detention for a week. Ferret Boy was taken away on a stretcher and I was left with that sinking feeling that I was about to get more detentions for strangling that brother of mine. I mean yes Malfoy had had no right to demand that from Hermione, but was that justification enough for Ron to punch his lights out? I'm still considering that question whilst I'm writing this now. In detention.

Oh Willow, I have so many questions that need answering about that little happening! Firstly, why on earth did Ferret Boy want to walk to Hermione? I thought he hated her with all the mudblood crap he spouts. Now though I'm not too sure. I know my over active imagination has taken control of me when I imagine the two of them having a passionate affair. At first the thought grossed me out beyond belief, but now I can see how it might play out…

Cold hearted boy having reputed to be soulless, gives into everyone else's perception of him. He is forced to live alone with his burden until he meets an unlikely partner, who like him is alone in the world! They have a whirl wind romance that eventually ends up with her becoming pregnant with his love child. The couple can no longer go on living this secret! They must flee to Switzerland where they can become yodelling sheep farmers and escape the tyranny of the evil Lord Voldemort who wants their child.

Ok, so maybe a little dramatic and totally out of character for Hermione. I can't even see her getting pregnant by accident! Oh well, I shall have to investigate this further. Don't worry though; I won't do anything stupid like stalk Ferret Boy until he gives into the truth. I'll just…observe from the safe distance of my loneliness. Maybe even interrogate Hermione. I'm sure she'd give in with a bit of Weasley persuasion.

I have to thank you SO much for the lovely top you sent for Christmas! It was beautiful in comparison to the lumpy jumper mum knitted. Remind me in later life that I must never persecute my own children in the same manner. Obviously that would involve learning to knit first, so I shall avoid that at all costs. I really couldn't imagine my children knowing that they would be getting a jumper every year. I love them really, I just wouldn't be seen dead with one on in public. Ron, being again the typical male, got me some socks. So now I'm only hoping that I will be able to afford some trousers and have a full outfit! Or maybe not…

So now I want to know what's happening in Sunnydale! Are you settling back in alright or do you still feel out of place? I feel like that all the time, and know how bad it can make you feel. Sometimes I blame myself for everything, but we all make bad mistakes. We both know that though. They will forgive you in time though. In fact they probably already have! What's the new evil brewing? Who's dating who? What are the fights? I want to know everything!

Love as always,

Ginny x