MOVING ON
Ginny unsurprisingly realized that the fact that she had broken with Michael didn't hurt her at all. Instead, she felt free. She didn't have to answer anyone about her whereabouts or didn't have to explain Michael that she was not cheating on him. Now that she was single, she could be open to the other guys around her and the feeling made her feel good.
Colin Creevey seemed to extremely happy about it. "I always knew he wasn't right for you. It's good that you finally drew some sense and broke up with him" he had exclaimed while Ginny merely laughed.
"Let's go to the breakfast together" Ginny offered to her friends who nodded happily. Lately, Michael had become so suspicious about Ginny's friendship with the guys that he had insisted that Ginny should come alone for breakfast.
Today however she was late, all the credits going to her friend Emily. As soon as Ginny woke up, Emily dragged her to touch up her looks. Ginny climbed down the staircases of the Girl Dormitories feeling extremely awkward. Her straight hairs were left loose so that they fell up to her shoulders. The ends were slightly curled. However, majority of efforts had been applied to Ginny's face. Her eyebrows had been stiffened up using mascara and the shape looked even more beautiful due to brown eyeliner carefully applied to her eyes. In spite of Ginny's protests, a dark shade of red lipstick suited her lips perfectly. "Trust me, the guys won't be able to take their eyes off you" Emily giggled.
"I'm not really interested in all that" Ginny told her rolling her eyes. "You never know. Harry may notice you or even ask you out" Emily teased. "You know I don't like him anymore, at least not romantically. And he'll notice someone once he's done with snogging Cho's" Ginny told Emily vexed. Ginny still liked Harry. She had idolized him ever since she had heard about him. She had never moved on. She just pretended she had moved on. She trusted Hermione who had told her to act confidently around Harry so that he would notice her. Unfortunately, she had seen Harry snog Cho, ever since she had been annoyed with him. She desperately wanted to move on but her plans always failed.
Emily smiled at her. "I know, but still, he is good looking. He has surely got the charms to impress a girl" she told her reassuringly. "Talk about yourself. He doesn't bother me no matter what" she snapped as she went to talk to her friends, Colin and Peter.
"How do I look" she asked them nervously. "You ready for the attention guys are going to give you" Peter told her confidently. She smacked his arm playfully as he laughed. She turned to look at Colin who seemed speechless. "Haven't I told you that he has a crush on you" Peter asked her referring to Colin. "He's just my friend" she clarified. "Um, Colin, we are going to the Great Hall for breakfast. Are you coming along?" she asked Colin. "Yeah" he nodded.
Ginny tried to ignore all the stares she was getting as she walked down the corridors. Colin seemed to have recovered from his initial state of speechlessness and was enthusiastically conversing with Ginny, Peter, Emily and her boyfriend Daniel. "I have to admit Ginny, you're quite a sight today" Daniel told her making her grin broadly. "I still think you have made a mistake by asking Emily out. It should have been me" she teased him making him blush. "How dare you steal my boyfriend from me, Ginny" Emily replied laughing trying to fake an angry accent. "I prefer Emily" Daniel told Ginny pulling Emily closer to him. "May god save me from these two lovesick monkeys" Ginny said dramatically closing her eyes. As a result she was playfully hit near the arms by both Emily and Daniel.
For the first time in Ginny's life, she missed Ron's presence and prayed to god that he would appear out of nowhere to save her from this situation. There were a few benefits of having an overprotective brother one of them being that he could effectively save you from the manner less people around you who would stare at you shamelessly. To say that breakfast was extremely awkward for Ginny would be an understatement.
"I hate you Emily for whatever you have done to me today" she told Emily who merely smiled at her. "Here comes the devil" she said pointing her finger to Michael Corner who was approaching her. Before Ginny could react, Michael was already standing in front of her.
"It's ok. I'm ready to forgive you" he told Ginny who tossed her hairs angrily. "Forgive me for what?" she asked him rolling her eyes. "You overreacted yesterday. Fighting is normal for couples and I forgive you for being stupid" he told her. "We are not a couple anymore" she reminded him crossing her arms. "And I am not at all sorry for what happened yesterday" she told him causing him to grab her wrists angrily. "It's not always going to work your way" he hissed angrily at her. "It never has. And I am done with all your nonsense. Your words are not going to change my actions "she told him. For a moment, it seemed that he would just leave Ginny alone but he did exactly opposite by grabbing Ginny's waist. "I know you dressed up for me so stop being that prat and be mine" he whispered arrogantly. "Just get away from me Michael. I am not interested" Ginny said struggling in his grip. Her friends were going to intervene but they knew Ginny could help herself. "Go away" she commanded him for the last time as she raised her wand. He should have left her right then but he didn't. He just laughed and the next moment he lay on the floor with ugly creatures coming out of his mouth and nose. "Serves you right" she told him mercilessly as she straightened her dress and motioned her friends to go on.