GINNY

She was walking down the staircase, heading to the Great Hall, late as usual. She had never been as eager to eat as her brothers, but it was known that skipping breakfast was bad for people's health, and she had Quidditch practice that afternoon.

I can't afford to faint, she thought as she passed by the fat man's portrait, Harry will kill me.

They really wanted to win the cup that year, the team wanted it, Harry wanted it, every Gryffindor wanted it.

I want it.

Skipping breakfast was not an option. Perhaps skipping the first class of the day, but not the breakfast.

"Goodmorning, Ginny" greeted Hermione, carrying something like nine or ten books in her arms.

"Do you need help with that?" she asked.

I'm already late, what do I have to lose?

"Don't worry, they're helping me already" she moved her head so as to point Harry and Ron a few steps behind her, carrying at least four books each.

"Have you lost your bag?" Ginny grinned.

"Broke it" shrugged Hermione.

"And you, have you lost your watch?" asked Ron, approaching them. "You're late"

"When isn't she?" mocked Harry, looking at her. "Hello, Ginny"

"Hello, captain" she joked, winking. "Well, I see you guys are going, so I'm going to eat now"

"Enjoy your breakfast, if Ron has left you any" said Hermione, walking out the room.

"Are you going back there? I didn't eat that much.."

"You sacked the kitchens, the elves won't know what to cook for our supper"

"You never mind your own business, do ya?" Ginny heard her brother reply, before she walked on to the middle of the room and sat down.

That was the place she used to sit at, but that morning the Great Hall was almost empty, and at the teachers' table only Dumbledore was lingering over a huge slice of chocolate cake. Smiling to herself, Ginny grabbed the juice carafe and filled her goblet. Then, she reached out to take the only two remaining slices of toasted bread from the silver tray in front of her.

No jam, no butter, no knife.

She shrugged and bit the slice.

And it's cold. Good, I deserve it. Next time I won't be late.

But Harry was right; she was always late. Not only for breakfast, but also for lunch, supper or dates. Of course, he couldn't know about that last one, because he had never gone on a date with her.

I've never asked him, she thought, consuming her frugal breakfast. Last year he might have rejected me, but now.. I might try. He's not with Cho anymore, and I'm sick of Dean.

Lost in her thoughts, she had not realised someone had sitten down in front of her.

"Hello there"

"Oliver!" she exclaimed, dropping her toast. "What are you doing here?"

Oliver Wood, ex-Gryffindor student and captain of the Quidditch team. He had finished his studies two years ago, during Ginny's second year at Hogwarts. She had always known him from afar, since she was only a child when he had left, but Fred and George had made sure she knew him well, especially his bossy attitude before an important match.

Before every match, remembered Ginny, Fred says he considered every match important.

"I'm off work right now" he said, "on holiday"

He smiled, and Ginny smiled back. She liked how that was their real first conversation and he talked to her as he would talk to anyone of her brothers.

He knows I'm in the team. Angelina must have told him.

"I heard you're playing for the Puddlemore United" she said, grabbing the juice carafe and filling a goblet for him, "must be exciting, isn't it?"

"It is, yeah. Thank you" he took the goblet and leaned his head on his left shoulder. "Unfortunately I've been replaced"

"What?"

Ginny widened her eyes. Fred and George had always said he was the greatest keeper of all times.

They made fun of him, yes, but they said that.

"How is that possible?"

Oliver was flattered by her tone of surprise, and Ginny was getting used to the dimples that came along with his smiles.

"I had a sport injury, I haven't played for three weeks" he explained, taking a sip of his juice. "Had a dislocated shoulder. I'm fine now, but I still can't play"

"I'm so sorry" she replied, feeling a bit depressed. "I bet it's killing you"

"It is"

They remained silent for awhile. Ginny was giving small bites to her cold toast, hunger had completely left her, and Oliver was staring at his goblet, with a sad smile on his face.

He does smile a lot, thought Ginny, thinking of something clever to say to lighten the mood.

"Have you heard from Angelina?" she asked randomly.

I don't know him that well, he won't expect anything more elaborated than this.

"We sometimes write to eachother, yeah" he nodded, "but I haven't received any letter for months. Perhaps you'd know what she's doing now, since she and Fred are.. well, they used to date, didn't they?"

His hesitation made Ginny grin.

He thinks I don't know what Fred and Angelina used to do? He thinks I'm still the little girl who'd wait outside the Quidditch pitch to see Harry return from his trainings?

Well, she still waited for him, but only because they were team mates, and someone had to make fun of Ron after a day of bad practice. And Harry loved her jokes and mimickings.

And I love to see him smile, she thought, hoping her cheeks weren't turning red.

"Yes, they did. Nothing serious, though"

"Really?" he asked.

His smile had faded.

He likes her, Ginny realised.

"Yes, don't worry" she assured him, "I haven't seen her for awhile, and Fred is after this Victoria, Verity, or whatever her name is.."

"I'm.. not worried.." he whispered, looking away.

"You sure?" she grinned.

He looked kind of clueless, his cheeks were turning red. She couldn't tell if it was because of Angelina or he was just uncomfortable with speaking about girls with an almost stranger, but one thing she knew for sure: she had failed at cheering him up.

"Did you know that Fred and George own a shop in Diagon Alley?" Ginny asked, willing to try again. "It's called Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes"

Oliver kept staring at her, quiet.

At least he's not blushing anymore.

"That's were they met Verity" she continued, grabbing the carafe, "she works with them. Actually, she works for them. More juice?"

"I'm good, thanks"

"They sells joke objects, such as Reusable Hangman and Extendable Ears, but also WonderWitch products, for example love potions. Oh, and last summer I bought a Pygmy Puff!"

Oliver finally smiled.

Finally, she thought, mission accomplished.

She emptied her goblet and wiped her mouth with a sleeve. While doing that, she noticed her watch tied around her wrist.

"Crap" she murmured, standing up, "I'm so late"

Oliver stood up as well and put his hands in his pockets.

"I'm sorry, it's my fault" he apologised, "let me come with you, I'll explain it to your teacher"

"Better if you don't" Ginny grabbed her bag, "I have Transfiguration now, McGonagall would turn the both of us in a pair of broomsticks and make us fly around the castle until tomorrow"

Oliver grinned and walked towards her.

"Trust me" he said, putting a hand on her shoulder, "I know how to play Professor McGonagall"

"No one knows how to play her" she replied, raising her eyebrows, "she's tougher than marble"

"I'll go with you" he insisted.

"Are you sure?"

"Absolutely. Come on, let's go. I've been late at her classes for years"

Ginny shrugged and followed him out the Great Hall, thinking that if he was speaking the truth and he really had been late at McGonagall's classes for years, it was a good achievement that he could still sit on a broomstick.