A/N: This is just a short fic written for GryffindorTower.net's Summer Torture Contest (There Are Some Things Worse Than Death).  It's simply an outtake of OotP, basically what should have happened, and what I would have liked to happen to a certain awful character..heh heh heh. And what should have happened relationship-wise ;-).

Anyway, you may notice some, er, things you wouldn't see in a normal story, because gt.net had some odd rules which would explain, "rayor" the dennis/giant squid reference, sassy, s'up figgy (without being addressed to Arabella Figg), and the cockroach cameo. *lol* Anyways, have fun reading!! Thanks immensely to Kristi who must be getting so tired of re-assuring me! *lol*

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the Harry Potter characters or world. I really don't own anything except the plot of this here story. Don't sue me, because if it's money you're looking for, you're looking in the wrong person's pockets!

A Taste of Her Own

By GinnyPotter387

The D.A. meeting had just ended, and Harry and Ginny were the last two members to straggle out of the Room of Requirement, deeply immersed in a rather amusing topic of conversation.

"You think it was the...the...Giant Squid?" Ginny laughed. "Dennis!?"

Harry grinned, "Oh, Gin, you should have been there..."

"What's going on?" Ron asked in the common room after breakfast that morning as he and Harry peered over the heads of a scattered group of second, third and fourth years.

Colin grinned and clapped his little brother on the shoulder. "Dennis has a girlfriend," he taunted.

Dennis glared. "Shove off," he squeaked.

"Gonna take a few pictures of the first date, Colin?" Harry asked. Colin paused to actually consider, having missed the sarcasm.

"A pretty girl?" Ron grinned.

Dennis's eyes became round and misty. "Yeah," he sighed. "Beautiful long tentacles…And just so, sassy."

Ron nudged Harry in the elbow.  The two of them exchanged glances.

"Er…tentacles?" Harry said, looking slightly disconcerted.

Dennis began turning redder than ever. "T-tenticles, did I say? I mean tendrils! Long wavy locks of er – silky – r-raven hair!"

A cockroach scuttled across the floor, and Dennis picked it up and shoved it in is pocket before dodging up the boys' dormitory stairs, muttering about how 'she eats them as dessert'.

Harry blinked. "Er…"

"Fishy," Ron said, as the crowd disappeared. "Very fishy."

Ginny snorted as Harry replayed the events to her. "He didn't really! Sassy!?"

"Yes, he did! And I think Ron may have summed it all up perfectly."

Ginny shook her head smiling. "That's...brilliant."

Harry swallowed, merely staring at her. He had been becoming steadily aware of his growing feelings for Ginny, and as she began to say something more, he couldn't help but step close to her and brush a piece of hair away from her forehead.

Ginny stopped mid-word, her eyes fluttering closed. "Harry..."

He leaned forward, their lips just inches apart, his heart pounding...

And then, like an alarm clock interrupting a pleasant dream, "Hem hem."

Ginny's and Harry's eyes flew open. Staring at each other, they silently cursed Umbridge to no avail.

Slowly, they moved apart and faced the professor, their expressions settling into polite innocence.

"Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley," Umbridge said placing a hand to her mouth showing off five stubby fingers with nails covered in startlingly bright pink polish. "A little romantic affair in the hall." She tutted.

In a moment that was extremely uncalled for, Ginny burst out laughing and both Harry and Professor Umbridge stared at her with wide eyes. 'Well, it wasn't that funny,' Harry thought, feeling his cheeks flush.  They were about to kiss after all.

"Oh Professor," Ginny put a hand to her chest to calm herself down. "You - You think..." she fell into bouts of laughter again. "You think Harry and I were... Were KISSING?" She clutched her stomach. "Oh that's -- that's rich!"

Harry and Umbridge's mouths fell open. "What?" Harry snapped.

Ginny had calmed down slightly. Harry, though very thankful, was still glaring at her. She didn't seem to notice. "Harry just had to tell me something," she said simply.

"And what was that?" Umbridge said unpleasantly though her voice still came out in the rather disturbing sweetness.

"Oh...I don't know if I should say," Ginny said airily. "I mean it was about you after all." Umbridge smiled poisonously at Harry, while Harry gaped open-mouthed at Ginny. Ginny was examining her nails, oblivious.

What was she playing at? Harry thought angrily. "Professor, I didn't--"

"Don't lie, Harry," Ginny said sharply turning to look at him. He couldn't figure out what her problem was.

"Yes, don't lie, Harry," Professor Umbridge echoed kindly, though her eyes indicating nothing short of murder. "You don't want to have to do lines again do you?"

Harry looked at Ginny angrily. What did she want him to do? "No, Professor," he said through gritted teeth.

"He just was telling me that he heard something..." Ginny said. She glanced sideways at Harry for a moment. "About you.  Actually it was kind of funny that you brought up romantic affairs." And that was when Harry saw the all too mischievous glint in Ginny's eyes.

He understood.  Professor Umbridge looked a little uneasy for a moment, then she placed a syrupy slightly puzzled smile on her face before speaking. "Ro-Romantic affairs?"

Ginny smiled politely as though to soothe Umbridge but it was really having the opposite effect. "You know..." she edged on. "You and Filch," she winked and Harry had to turn away desperately avoiding Ginny's eyes.

Umbridge looked more toad like than ever, her eyes bugging ferociously, her squat shoulders squared, and her face turning slightly green. "Heard it did he?" She narrowed her eyes at Harry who didn't feel like laughing anymore. "Well, boy, who have you been speaking to, then?"

He looked at Ginny for help. She simply glared, and seemed to be making really surly faces. She then stuck out her chest, reminding Harry of Percy when he had his head boy badge. Percy? He heard it from Percy? It didn't make sense.

Umbridge turned to see what Harry was staring at, and Ginny in an instant went back to her nails.

Frustrated, Umbridge turned to Harry. "Well?" she snapped.

Harry looked at Ginny again.  She was rubbing her four left hand fingers and thumb together. She was thinking of money. Surly, head boy, and money, he thought. But no, it wasn't head boy it was prefect.  A surly prefect with money.

"Malfoy," Harry said finally. He chanced a quick glance at Ginny who looked very proud indeed. She grinned at him and he felt his insides squirm, seized with the mad desire to whoop for he had made her proud.

"Draco?" Professor Umbridge said perturbed. "But how could he--" She broke off, looking sick. "He was lurking outside my office when..." she suddenly remembered that Harry and Ginny were standing there.

"Spreading rumors, then?" she said nastily.

Harry and Ginny's grins faded. "What? It was Malfoy!"

"Yes, Harry, but you were the one who told Ginny here."

"WELL, IT WASN'T A RUMOR IF IT WAS TRUE, WAS IT?" Harry yelled, his anger reaching boiling point.

Umbridge looked as though the moment she was waiting for had finally come. "Detention."

"What?"

"I said," Umbridge said smoothly. "Detention, Potter. Lines. You too, Weasley."

Harry was fuming. "She didn't even do anything."

"She likes you."

"YOU WILL NOT MAKE HER CARVE INTO HER HAND," Harry yelled.

Ginny looked fearful.  She had no idea what Umbridge had really meant by lines, but was now getting a pretty good idea.

Umbridge smiled poisonously. "But how else will it sink in?"

"Well, Dolores, I could think of other ways."

Harry and Ginny both whirled around, and there stood Professor McGonagall looking more livid than ever. In her hand was her wand, and a small circle of light was slowly being vacuumed into it.  Harry then realized, that the light was really words.  In fact, they were the last few words that Umbridge had just uttered. They then disappeared, and McGonagall pocketed her wand.

"What did you -- What were you --?" Umbridge began; she was shaking, her voice coming out higher than usual.

"Simple recording charm. I do believe that the Ministry of Magic actually has laws against abuse. Unless, have you changed those rules too?"

Harry and Ginny gazed at Professor McGonagall with a newfound respect. Umbridge said nothing.

"No? Well, then I'm sure they would like to hear about th--"

"W-Wait! I don't! These nasty liars! It was set up!" Umbridge was shaking so hard that her flowered hat now lay on the floor.

McGonagall's mouth was so thin that she barely had to open it to speak. "A plan that you chose to play along with, Dolores?"

"You-- I'm High Inquis--"

"That will mean nothing to the Ministry, once they hear this. Of course... I could teach you a lesson."

"Instead of going to the Ministry?"

McGonagall pretended to consider, but Harry was pretty sure that it was only to make Umbridge teeter with anxiety. "I suppose. How about I give you a detention." She smiled serenely. "Something that will...sink in."

Harry and Ginny could have kissed her.

***

"Ginny! Ginny!"

Ginny paused, breathed in and out very hard, and turned around to face Cho Chang. "Hi." Ginny had just been thinking about how, at this very moment, Umbridge was probably serving detention with McGonagall, feeling quite happy, and then she had to come along.

"Is something going on between you and Harry? You guys seemed pretty close at the D.A. meeting today," Cho began without preamble.

Ginny stared at her startled. "Ye—N—What business is it of yours!?"

"Well, I wanted to tell you that he and I are way over."

"I know that," Ginny said through gritted teeth.  Cho obviously didn't understand how rude she was being.

"Ginny, I'm not going to bite you," Cho laughed.

Ginny blinked at her. "I know, but this is a little awk—"

"Well I just thought I'd let you know don't be frightened of me."

Ginny stared at her.  "I'm n—"

"Rayor!" Cho squealed out unexpectedly, sounding very much like a wounded cow.

Ginny jumped reflexively.

"See, you are scared!" Cho chuckled.

 Ginny didn't bother to point out that it wasn't everyday her could-be boyfriend's ex-girlfriend went around growling at her.

"So, no hard feelings?" she asked.

Ginny nodded. Cho was nice and all, but hearing about the crying thing, and now the randomness was beginning to freak her out. She obviously had a few problems that needed to be sorted out. "Well--" Ginny began desperate for the end of the conversation.

"—I guess I'll see you l--"

"Yes." Ginny cut off in a business like tone. They both stared at one another for a short moment, before sharply turning away from each other and quickly walking down the hall in opposite directions.

***

Harry walked into the common room, feeling happier than ever.  He collapsed into the sofa next to Hermione.  

She looked up from her book.  "I'm guessing that smile has to do with what happened to Umbridge?"

Harry looked at her, surprised. "How did you find out about it?"

"Ginny," said Hermione simply.

Harry's smile grew. And this time it wasn't just because of Umbridge. Hermione caught on. "You really like her, don't you?"

"Hermione!" Harry said, louder than he had intended. He nodded over at Ron who was snoozing lightly on the sofa across from them.

"Oh, he's totally knocked out asleep," Hermione said waving her hand. "You don't have to deal with him until at least tomorrow."

"I can't wai—" He was cut off by the sound of Ron mumbling something.

"One more chocolate frog..." Ron muttered before turning over, drool trickling out of the corner of his mouth.

Harry looked amused. "Every night..." he laughed, shaking his head.

Hermione's was obviously perplexed. "He talks in his sleep every night?" She then glared over at Ron. "About food?"

"Sup...Figgy..." he mumbled. "Sup -- Supper...figgy...pudding. Mmm..." He slobbered some more.

"Oh, honestly!" Hermione cried, throwing Ron a look of disgust.

Harry laughed. "Oh, will you two grow up?!"

"Excuse me?" Hermione said, turning to look at Harry in mild indignation.

He shook his head. "He gave you perfume. And you're wearing it!"

"So?"

"You like him!"

"I do not, just because I happen to like the scent of the perfume, does not mean I like him." She said it with such certainty that she could have been telling someone that the world was flat and they would have believed her. "Besides," she said, chancing a sidelong glance at Ron. "How did you know I was wearing that perfume?"

"Well, Ron told me," Harry said simply. "He must have smelled it or something."

Hermione bit her lip. "Well, was he...you know...Happy?"

Harry snorted, and Hermione glared at him until he composed himself. "He couldn't stop talking about it, Hermione."

Hermione then broke into a full-fledged smile, and had she been paying closer attention, she would have noticed the absence of Ron's mutterings, and the slow grin spreading across his face.

***

After Hermione and Ron had long gone up to sleep, Harry still sat in the nearly empty common room.  He was musing over the events of the day, when Ginny burst through the portrait hole.

Without even a word to Harry, she pulled him up and dragged him out into the hallway, away from Gryffindor Tower. "Ginny what are you—"

She then kissed Harry full-on. "Thanks," she breathed.

Harry merely stared at her, feeling lightheaded. "Er--I—"

"For defending me against Umbridge."

Harry hoped he would be able to correctly string his words together. "That was in return for you helping me out with that Malfoy situation."

Ginny shook her head. "It backfired. And it was all true too! I walked by when he was telling all his Slytherin gang about Umbridge and Filch.  It's not fair.  The worst people never get what they deserve."

"No," Harry said. "Maybe not Malfoy...But I mean with Umbridge..."

Ginny broke into an impish smile. "Yeah," she admitted. "We got her good."

Harry grinned. She held her hand up for a high five, and he clutched it, pulling her up against him.

Ginny's eyes glittered as she put her hand on his neck and drew him in for a kiss.  They were so wrapped up in it that they didn't even notice Umbridge pass by, until she accidentally on-purpose bowled into Ginny, breaking her and Harry's contact.

Umbridge looked very disheveled and glared at the two of them sourly. She said nothing but simply brushed a straggly piece of hair out of her eyes and huffily walked away.

Ginny nudged Harry unable to speak.  Meeting her eyes, Harry realized she looked as though Christmas had come early.

"Did you see her—"

"Yeah," Harry said, beginning to feel his heart get lighter.  Because on the very same right hand that Umbridge had used to brush the hair out of her face, were five simple words etched into it:

                                                                       "I will not be insufferable."

***

A/N2: Well, there you have it! I hope you enjoyed! Please review telling me what you thought!