Ginny clutched her books to her as Pansy Parkinson walked by flanked as always by her friends from Slytherin. Ginny hunched over her books, trying in vain to disappear into her Gryffindor robes. She really needn't have bothered. As long as Pansy was with her friends, Ginny was practically invisible. Pansy was not the kind to stoop to notice her prey in public. With her friends around, Pansy was dignified and perfect.
Perfect by nature
Icons of self indulgence
It started when, on a dare, Ginny and Draco Malfoy started acting civil to each other. Ginny, an even bigger hater of the Malfoy clan after her experiences with Riddle, went out of her way to avoid him. Draco was intrigued by this and took to following her about. Finally Ginny grew tired of it and outright confronted him. She challenged him to have a civilized conversation with her with out using the term Muggle lover.
So the two trooped off to the library, the one place they would be assured secrecy and not be tempted to kill each other. After half an hour Ginny had learned that family can be deceiving and that Draco had been crushing on both her and Hermione for about five years. Ginny encouraged his feelings toward Hermione and Draco found the beginnings of a cruel streak in the shy Gryffindor.
She and Draco got along famously after that. Well at least it would have been famous if anyone knew they got along. For about three months they had kept their friendship a secret. But then Pansy had found out.
At first Pansy simply tried to warn Ginny off, thinking that she was romantically involved. Then she had grown devious. Ginny refused to run to Draco or Ron. Hermione and Harry both suspected but Harry seemed to be having his own trouble with Cho and Ginny had sworn them both to secrecy.
Just what we all need
More lies about a world that
Ginny's heart skipped a beat as Pansy excused herself from her friends. Ginny frantically looked around, realizing as she did that she was alone with Parkinson.
"Ginny," The sibilant voice slid over her, sending chills down her spine.
Ginny shuddered as Pansy stepped close.
"Why won't you tell me?" Pansy whined in a mock regretful tone. "Just tell me what you and Draco have going on and I'll end it all."
"How?" Ginny hissed. "It will never be ended. Don't make promises you can't keep."
Never was and Never will be
Have you no shame don't you see me
You know you've got every body fooled
Pansy gripped Ginny's chin in a deceptively gentle grip. "Tell me."
"There's nothing between us Parkinson." Ginny hissed though she knew Pansy would never believe her.
Pansy let go of her chin and fingered her braided hair.
"Pity. You really have such beautiful hair."
Hermione looked up as Ginny entered the common room. Her jaw fell to the floor at the sight of the youngest Weasley.
Ginny's beautiful auburn hair which she had been growing out for about three years, was shorn raggedly close to her ears, as though someone had just lopped off her braids. A single look at her face would tell that this new haircut wasn't her idea.
Hermione rushed to the younger girl, hugging her. Ginny began to cry gently as her best friend soothed her. "Oh, Ginny." She whispered.
Hermione took Ginny to the Prefects bathroom. If any one had seen Hermione's face they might have dropped dead from utter fright of what she might to them.
As Ginny sat soaking in the tub, Hermione mentally ran over a list of suspects. Five weeks ago Draco Malfoy would be at the top of that list. But Hermione was a very observant girl. She saw the looks Draco gave Ginny when he thought no one was looking. They were the same kind Ron gave Gin when she wasn't looking and wasn't within five feet of another male. Now the looks Blaise Zabini gave her were something else entirely. Hermione suspected Blaise had more than just a passing fascination with Ginny.
Ginny turned in the tub, leaning on the edge. "Hermione. I have a plan. But I need your help."
Hermione looked at the girl's determined face and that sparkle of hope in those dark eyes. Ginny had always had a dark streak in her since the Riddle thing. She knew Ginny would never do anything to hurt her. She nodded and listened to the plan.
Look here she comes now
Bow down and stare in wonder
Hermione took a deep breath and asked herself again if she was going to do this. She saw Ginny's red hair cut savagely short and resigned her self.
She stepped out into the tabled portion of the library. Draco Malfoy sat at a table, one hand buried in his loose blonde hair and absorbed in the potions book he was reading. There was a flash of dark hair and Pansy Parkinson stepped out into the room.
Hermione looked at her and smiled smugly. Parkinson looked aghast. Hermione, with a flick of her brown hair that she had straightened for this, she walked over and sat by Draco, reading over his shoulder.
Draco seemed to have a sixth sense for when beautiful women were reading over his shoulder. He looked at her. His expression said he wasn't expecting to see her. In fact his jaw dropped.
'Draco," she cooed.
After a moment or so he found his voice. "Hermione."
"Could you help me?"
"Um," for the first time in his life Draco floundered. "Sure. What can I do?"
Hermione leaned close and hissed furiously in his ear. "If you like Ginny even a little, please, please, just go off for a few minutes. Get a book or something. Just please for Gin...And me."
Draco was a gentleman deep down and when a lady, particularly one he liked, asked him a boon, he complied. He stood up and kissed her hand. "Of course darling. I'll be right back with that book."
As soon as he left, Pansy seated herself at the table.
Oh how we love you
No flaws when you're pretending
Hermione hoped Ginny knew what she was doing. She really didn't feel like getting beat up.
"Hello, Pansy." She said as cheerfully as she could.
"Stay away from Draco." Was Parkinson's greeting.
But now I know she
Never was and never will be
You don't know how you've betrayed me
Some how you've got everybody fooled
Hermione suddenly felt angry. Here this chit had been abusing her best friend for about four weeks. And now, she finally gets interested in a guy and this bitch tries to scare her.
"And what if I don't?" She asked, inspecting her nails.
Pansy tackled her. They rolled, Hermione punching and growling, Pansy clawing and screaming. Pansy finally got out her wand and aimed it at Hermione's throat.
Then the teachers entered.
"Miss Parkinson!" Came the quietly angry voice of Severus Snape.
Pansy looked up, in shock. About half of the sixth year students stood staring at her and Hermione. Professors Snape and McGonagall stared down at her in disgust. She looked around to see Draco Malfoy, gazing at her with open contempt and disgust. Ginny Weasley watched the proceedings from a window seat.
With out the mask where will you hide
Can't find yourself lost in your lies
Pansy saw the quiet smile slide across Ginny's features as the young girl got up.
"She did this!" she growled. She sprang to her feet and leapt at the Gryffindor. She was stopped abruptly by someone holding the back of her robes. The quiet voice of Severus Snape hissed in her ear.
"If you would rather not make it any worse for yourself, I would suggest you stay far away from Miss Granger and Mister Malfoy." His eyes flickered to Ginny and a rare smile touched the corner of his mouth. "I should probably include Miss Weasley but I dare say you should have learned your lesson."
I know the truth now
I know who you are
And I don't love you anymore
Ginny stepped close to Pansy as Snape glared at the other students and discussed Miss Parkinson's behavior. For rather obvious reasons Snape seemed eager to punish his own student.
Ginny looked into her eyes and whispered.
"It never was and never will be
You're not real and you can't save me
Somehow now you're everybody's fool."
Blaise Zabini watched from the shadows as Ginny Weasley ruined Parkinson's life. He had never really liked Parkinson and was all the more eager to make Ginny his in the only sense he knew.
In the Divination tower, a young girl shook her head and rubbed her eyes. Well that wasn't right. She thought. Unless she read the signs wrong, Ginny Weasley would have a boyfriend from Slytherin within the next week.