Disclaimer: None of these characters belong to me.

LOVE IS ONLY FOR THE STRONG

Chapter three: JAMing signals

Goyle was the first one awake the next morning. He didn't bother waking Malfoy before getting ready to leave. He didn't want to wait. After putting on his robes, Goyle jogged his way up to the Great Hall. Despite his dream, he had this burning hunger in the pit of his stomach. He had to eat something, anything. He would have eaten liver if he had it.

The Great Hall was rather empty, as Goyle had expected, but there was still food on the tables. Goyle ran over to Slytherin table and sat down. He proceeded to pile his plate with toast, sausage, hot cakes, bacon, ham, oatmeal, scrambled eggs, potatoes au gratin, and hot links. Then he poured maple syrup over the top of everything and started chowing down.

"Goyle," came a little whisper behind him.

He wiped his chin on his sleeve and turned to the voice. Ginny Weasley stood before him, looking smaller than ever. Goyle swallowed and just stared at her, unsure what she wanted or what to say.

"Goyle," she said again, "I'd like to apologize for yesterday. On the train, you saved my life. In return, I yelled at you and hit you. I'd just like to say that I am dreadfully sorry."

"No harm done," Goyle muttered nervously.

Ginny continued to stand there as if she had more to say. Goyle looked at the fierce sorrow in her small brown eyes and somehow understood why she had been so mean to him. The night before, Ginny sought for an end to her torment and he had stopped her. Now, she had to live on, this eternal sadness tearing at her soul. If only Goyle knew why she felt this way. Maybe he could help. Help? He was doing it again. He didn't help anyone except Malfoy and himself. What was this power Ginny had to make him not himself?

"Do you mind if I ask you a question?" Ginny queried.

"Sure," Goyle allowed.

"You're one of Malfoy's men," Ginny stated. "You guys hate us Weasleys. Why didn't you let me jump?"

"Don't know," Goyle said honestly.

"Whatever the reason, thank you for saving me," Ginny said quietly as she walked away.

Goyle looked back at his food. There was bits of everything, dripping in syrup. The sight reminded him of vomit. He decided that he was no longer all that hungry. Pushing the plate away, Goyle got up and slumped out of the Great Hall. As he headed toward the dungeon, Malfoy and Crabbe passed him.

"Goyle, where're you going?" Malfoy asked.

"To bed," Goyle said over his shoulder. "Don't feel too good."

*************

Goyle caught up with Crabbe and Malfoy in their first class of the day, Transfiguration with Gryffindor. The three sat together, as they always did. Professor McGonagal stood in the front of the room with a stern look on her face. Goyle suddenly got creative inspiration. Quickly, he pulled out a piece of parchment and began to scribble a comical picture of McGonagal. He laughed as he drew her nose extra pointy and made her have sharp teeth and a forked tongue.

Goyle looked up from his crude drawing and noticed something quite surprising. Ginny Weasley, who was sitting a few seats ahead, was looking back at him. She turned toward the teacher immediately. Thinking about it gave Goyle a headache. Why would she look at him? He wasn't the nicest-looking thing, with his long, thick arms and hair that came down his forehead.

Goyle went back to his drawing, but he couldn't concentrate on it. He kept thinking about Ginny. Looking up, he saw that she was not looking back at him. She didn't look at him again during the entire class. Goyle knew because he was watching her all hour.

Goyle thought about her the whole morning long. He couldn't figure out why she was looking at him. The most logical reason was that she was looking at the clock or something in his general direction. That would explain why she never again looked at him.

"Pass me the jam," Malfoy requested, uncharacteristically pleasant, at lunch.

Goyle took the boysenberry jam and handed it to Malfoy. Casually, Malfoy hid the jam under the table. Goyle wondered what he was doing. A few minutes later, Malfoy replaced the jam jar, but it was now empty. Goyle couldn't say for sure, but he thought that jar had jam in it when he gave it to Malfoy.

"I wanted peach jam," Malfoy said, holding back a snigger.

Another Slytherin passed the peach jam. Malfoy took it under the table and put it back empty. This proceeded until there was no more jam on the Slytherin table.

"Does like jam, don't he?" Crabbe whispered to Goyle.

Goyle shrugged.

When they left lunch, Malfoy looked a little heavier than usual. Goyle supposed that it was all that jam Malfoy had eaten.

To Goyle's surprise, as they left the Great Hall, Malfoy began to drag his newly-found fat up the main staircase. Crabbe and Goyle followed silently, wondering what need they would have for going upstairs.

Malfoy stopped at the top of a turn and looked over the banister. It was a great view of the Entrance Hall. Malfoy suddenly dropped a large sack from under his robes, which, subsequently, made Malfoy his usual physique again.

"What's that?" Crabbe asked.

Malfoy glared at him and Goyle.

"Do you two listen to a thing I say?" Malfoy demanded. "Weren't you listening when I told you of my plan?"

A light came on in Goyle's head.

"The jam balloons!" he blurted.

"Of course," Malfoy said, frustrated. "Now, we wait for Potter."

"Is that what you were doing under the table?" Crabbe asked stupidly.

"Goyle, please," Malfoy groaned.

Goyle grabbed the back of Crabbe's robes and kicked him in the rear. Crabbe yelped.

The three waited at the curve in the stairs for a while. It seemed like Potter was never going to come up the stairs. Suddenly, Crabbe started jumping up and down excitedly and pointing.

"Open your mouth, you git!" Malfoy shouted. "What is it?"

"P-Potter!" Crabbe sputtered.

"Get a balloon!" Malfoy ordered, reaching into the bag.

Crabbe and Goyle reached into the bag as well. They lined up at the banister and waited for Potter, Weasley, and Granger to be at the right place.

"Bombs away!" Malfoy laughed.

All three dropped their balloons. Potter was hit with grape. Weasley pushed Granger out of the way, so he was hit with strawberry and peach. Goyle grabbed for another balloon.

"Fire at will!" Malfoy commanded, reaching into the bag.

Goyle looked over the side and went to drop his balloon, and then someone else came into sights. It was Ginny Weasley. She looked up right into Goyle's eyes. He was stunned. He could not drop the balloon. Malfoy and Crabbe, on the other hand, kept throwing as many as they could. Ron Weasley grabbed Granger's hand and pulled her back into the Great Hall. Potter made up the stairs. Ginny just dodged Crabbe's balloons. Malfoy was now aiming at Potter. Goyle took Crabbe's next balloon from him.

"Hey, Greg!" Crabbe whined. "Get your own balloon!"

Potter bolted up the stairs and tackled Malfoy. Crabbe pulled Malfoy off and pushed him to the ground. Potter got back up. While the three kept wrestling, Goyle was somehow confused. Normally, he would have gotten in and helped Crabbe and Malfoy beat the crud out of Potter, but he couldn't. He wasn't sure why. It's like he wasn't thinking straight. Goyle looked over the banister. Ginny still stood there. She looked awfully worried.

"Harry!" she cried.

Ron Weasley came running up the stairs to join in the rumble. Granger pulled Ginny away from the stairs. Goyle returned his attention to the fight. Crabbe was holding Weasley against the wall, while Potter had Malfoy pinned to the ground.

"Goyle, get 'em!" Malfoy ordered.

Goyle lunged forward and pushed Potter off Malfoy, which caused him to fall down the stairs. Malfoy jumped up and watched, laughing, as Potter tumbled into the Entrance Hall. Weasley shoved Crabbe away from him and ran down after Potter to see if he was all right. Malfoy continued to laugh and Crabbe joined in. Goyle just stood there, confused.

A/N: I guess it's not logical to have Goyle and Ginny in the same class since they are different years, but it makes things so much easier.