Author's Note: I know, it's been a couple weeks since I've updated, but gymnastics has started (which is 2 ½ hours a day) and my teachers entertain themselves by torturing me with an excessive amount of homework. Anyways, here's chapter 4
CHAPTER 4. GETTING OVER IT (AND CHRISTMAS! YAY!)
Word spread fast. Harry Potter was cheating on Ginny. Stories twisted into exaggerative tragedies, one including a freak accident with an electric quill sharpener.
"And Ginny got so mad that she stuck Harry's index finger into the sharpener and started it," Benny Bickleston, a second year narrated. Several listeners gasped.
"No!"
"Yes, I saw it with my own eyes. Blood spurting everywhere, Ginny laughing menacingly, and-"
"Okay, that's enough," Ginny said hearing enough of the ridiculous theory. " I did not stick Harry's finger in a quill sharpener, Okay? I didn't lay hand on him, OR Luna, for that matter."
The second years trudged off and Ginny swore she heard Benny say, " She's in denial."
Ginny sighed a huffy breath. Hermione gave her a look of sympathy. "Don't worry, someone's robes will rip tomorrow revealing their whitey-tighties, and you'll be forgotten."
But, noone's robes ripped, and no whitey-tighteys were revealed. Even the Daily Prophet had something to say.
On the cover of the Daily Prophet was a large picture of Harry and a title, Harry Potter, The boy who Cheats?
Harry Potter, age 17 of Hogwarts School of witchcraft and wizardry was caught cheating on his current girlfriend, Ginny Weasley, 16
Ms. Weasley found Potter with another girl, Luna Lovegood, also 16, on Monday afternoon November 20th.
"I'm not surprised," says Colin Creevey. "She had it coming. Ginny Weasley breaks hearts. She probably wasn't treating him rightly. Abuse, I suspect. I bet she framed him to get attention. Her and her family always go looking for ways to be in the spotlight."
"That's not true!" Ginny sputtered as Hermione read her the article.
Hermione put a finger to her lips. "Listen!"
Bill Weasley, employee of Gringrotts Bank, and older brother of Ms. Weasley, denies these accusations. "Ginny's a good girl. She would never force her boyfriend to cheat on her! I personally don't know why Harry was unfaithful. She never hurt him. Harry's crazy in my mind. There are boys lining up to date my sister. He already has her, but yet he throws her away like she's a bit of old parchment.
Mr. Draco Malfoy says it's both of their faults. "Potter wants all the attention. When Luna came around he agreed because he likes being fancied. Weasley loves him too much to do anything. He's probably been dating multiple girls for the past few years. Weasley's just dubbed as his official 'girlfriend'"
Whether Ms. Weasley was mistreating Mr. Potter, or he is just a disgusting person, or it was a joint catastrophe, we aren't fully aware, but promise to keep you posted.
Hermione laid down the paper and looked up at Ginny, biting her lip.
"What?"
"Ginny, you've got to break up with Harry. Obviously he's going with Luna," she said jerking her head in the direction of Harry and Luna who were gazing at each other dreamily.
"No, really?" Ginny said sarcastically
"I mean, it's not official yet, and technically you're still dating," Hermione said matter of factly.
"No really?"
"Ginny, you're still in love with him, aren't you."
Ginny didn't say anything. She was still in love with him. "It's just that, if I talk to him I think I'll be tempted to pound him in the face or break into tears."
Hermione nodded. "I get it. Write him a letter instead."
Ginny made her way slowly up to her room as slowly as possible. She stopped a few times to rebuke the fact that Luna and Harry were running off to a convent in Russia to be married by a group of nuns.
Ginny sat down on her four-poster bed. She pulled out some parchment a quill and some ink and started to write.
Dear Harry,
Hey. You know why I'm writing this so I'll cut to the chase. I'm breaking up with you if you haven't figured it out yet. I know that it seems we've already done that, but this is official. I would've done it in person, but I'd probably just start crying. In fact, I'm crying right now.
Harry, what were you thinking? Snogging another girl in front of me! You could've at least done it in private. I had to watch you suck the bloody brains out of Luna, which is not a pretty sight.
Think of me Harry if it doesn't work out with you and Luna, okay? No. Don't come back. I don't want to get my hopes up and have my heart get trampled on again.
How could you do this to me! I loved you! And you said you loved me too! I guess I know what love really is now, stupid, disappointing and pointless.
Do me a favor. Treat Luna well okay? I definitely loathe Luna now, but at least you'll have treated one woman decently I your life. I hope you realize that once you receive this letter we will not be friends again. You may regain your friendship with Ron (though I doubt it), but you will not be friends with me. Seeing you with Luna hurt. Very much. I don't want to hurt like that anymore.
It's been great knowing you Harry.
Have a great life,
Ginny
Ginny wiped the tears off her face and sealed the letter. She went into the common room to find Crookshanks. She was sure Hermione wouldn't mind. Her heart had just been broken.
"Bring this to Harry," She whispered in his ear. The ginger cat pranced off, beginning his hunt for Harry.
30 minutes later he returned with a Harry's reply. It simply said, 'Okay.'
"Okay?" Ginny cried. "Just okay?" Hermione rushed over sensing a breakdown. But, Ginny calmed herself. "No. I don't care what he thinks. He is no longer a part of me."
"That's right, Ginny!" Hermione exclaimed, impressed with Ginny's progress.
Ginny looked back down at the parchment. Just one word, okay. Not a lengthy attempt to get back together and redeem himself. Didn't he have anything to say? Not even an explanation?
Okay, just okay. Then it hit her.
"He really must love her," Ginny choked before breaking down into heavy sobs.
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Ginny was terrible miserable fore the next few weeks. Getting over Harry was harder than she though, but she knew she could eventually. The electric quill sharpener breakup theory of Ginny and Harry somehow reached the Daily Prophet, and a disturbing article was written.
Hermione clicked her tongue as she finished the article. "Hasn't anyone ever had the time to read Hogwarts, A History!" Hermione said in a tone of annoyance. " An electronic quill sharpener isn't even possible in the wizarding world. Any muggle electronics that enter our vicinity go haywire or break, because there's too much magic in the air. And who ever heard of a quill sharpener?"
Ginny rolled her eyes. "I don't know where they come up with this." She had been reading a crazy tale in witch weekly, which included something about Ginny cheating on Harry with Snape. She shivered. The thought of her and Snape alone in the potions room kissing passionately was not a good image.
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Ginny's spirits started to lift as Christmas neared. But, then again, who isn't happy at Christmas?
"Ron," Ginny asked one day. "Is Harry still staying with us over winter Holiday?"
"That prat?"
Ginny laughed. "Yes, Ron. That prat." She was surprised with how calm she was acting. She was happy to think she might actually be over him.
"Nope. He's staying with Luna. I don't know if I'd trust them. They're so madly in love. Did you notice that just the other day- ow!" He glared at Hermione who had just kicked him.
"Oh," He said realizing it might not be the best idea to talk about Luna and Harry in front of Ginny. "Besides, Ginny, mum probably won't let Harry come near us after what he did."
Ginny nodded. "Yeah, but still, she always did fancy Harry. And he's practically like our brother."
Ron shrugged. "Not anymore…. Mum sent him a howler you know."
"Really!" Ginny cried. "When?"
"About a week ago. That one day you skipped breakfast to finish transfiguration homework." Ginny scolded herself. Why did she have to skip breakfast on such an important day? She would've enjoyed watching Harry get embarrassed in front of the entire school.
"It was really funny, but it served him right. Cheating on my sister! What was he thinking?"
Ginny beamed at Ron. It could really be a pain in the neck to have him be so overprotective, but it was sweet that he cared.
"So…" Hermione piped up, changing the subject. " Ginny, would you like to come visit me over holiday?"
A wide smile spread across Ginny's face. "Ooh! Yes, I'd love to!"
"What about me!" Ron demanded. "I was friends with you first!"
"But you're a boy," Hermione pointed out. "I can really connect with Ginny, whereas all I do with you is remind you that you cannot, under any circumstances apparate to or from Hogwarts grounds."
Ginny stifled a giggle.
Ron narrowed his eyes. He opened his mouth to retort but Hermione spoke first, sensing a fight.
"You can come too Ron, but I must warn you Ginny and I will be spending a lot of time together… you know, gossiping, painting our nails, and other girlish acts."
Ron rolled his eyes and muttered something like, "Better than nothing."
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"GINNY!" came and ecstatic voice.
"What?" She groaned grasping for her blankets, which had just been stripped from her bed.
"It's Christmas," Squealed Ron, Fred, and George excitedly.
"Can't I get a few hours more of sleep," She asked rubbing the sleep from her eyes.
The three of them looked at her like she was crazy. "We can't wait that long! C'mon. Up!"
Ginny found it quite amusing that her brothers still acted like 6 year olds, and insisted on waking the entire house at 5 in the morning to open presents. Today they had been kind enough to push it to 6:30.
"Thanks, mum," Ginny yawned, thanking her for her much-needed Herbology book.
"What've you got there?" Ginny asked Ron, who was looking extremely grumpy.
He heaved a heavy breath. "Hermione got me Hogwarts, a History. That's a waste of a Christmas gift."
Ginny laughed. "Well, she probably just thought it'd be best to give you one since she has to quote it for you nearly 10 times a day."
Ron laughed sarcastically. "So, what'd you get?" He asked with a bit of an edge in his voice.
Ginny showed him her various gifts.
"What's that?" he asked inspecting her new beauty products, complimentary of Fleur.
"Makeup."
"Rubbish that lot. Why do girls even bother with it? It's not like boys do."
"Are you kidding me?" Ginny exclaimed. "Tons of boys wear makeup." She started ticking off names.
Ron waved her off. "That's only a few Ginny. They're probably whacked. You know, crazy in the head. Don't know any better. Besides, I don't want to go prancing around like a girl."
"Well, some girls like it when men wear makeup."
Ron's eyebrow s rose. "Really? Who?"
"Well, Hermione for one," Ginny said trying to keep a straight face.
"For real?" He asked excitedly.
"For Sure." She walked away giggling silently. She knew for a fact that Hermione hated it when men used makeup. She hated makeup in general.
Ginny had a wonderful Christmas. She got excellent presents, and drank some delicious eggnog. The only let down was Harry. No, he didn't show up at the burrow. He didn't owl her or anything (with the exception sending Ron a Christmas present which he ignored). But he was one of her family's favorite topics next to the announcement of Fleur & Bill having a baby. Most of the talk of Harry was either snide remarks or else just confirming that it was true.
"Could we just stop it?" Ginny snapped reaching the boiling point. "Harry cheated on me, okay. And if you haven't figured it out yet, we broke up. Did everyone hear that? Or do I have to say it again?"
The whole Weasley clan was white in the face, with their eyes widened and their mouths agape.
"So, Fleur dear, thought of any names yet?" Said Mrs. Weasley quickly, and the room was soon filled with talk of the coming newborn.
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"Over here!" Hermione cried waving vigorously at Ron and Ginny. She pulled Ginny into a huge bear hug. There was an awkward silence in which Hermione shook Ron's hand and uttered an "Erm… Hello."
"So," Mrs. Granger said. "Shall we get going?"
They all nodded in agreement and loaded their trunks into their car. On the ride Hermione told Ginny and Ron all the fun things she had planned for them.
The Grangers and Weasleys pulled into the driveway of a cozy white house with blue shutters and a picket fence. Ginny was the first to reach the front door where she found a stranger sitting on the front porch.
He looked as though he was a little over 20. He had bright yellow hair, and a mustache that looked like it was a patch of straw glue to his upper lip. He was wearing a navy blue hat, similar to a straw hat.
"Ah!" He said jumping to his feet. "I was wondering when my dear Grangers would arrive. But, Goodness me! You're not my beloved Mione! Who is this beautiful maiden my eyes doth see?"
Ginny blushed as he kissed her hand.
"Erm… Ginny," She muttered.
"How do you do?" the man asked Ron, who had just came up the front walk behind Ginny.
Ron looked at him in disgust. "Who're you?" He demanded.
The man laughed merrily, which sounded quite like Santa's famous; Ho-ho-ho. Ron mocked him with a sarcastic hehe.
The man narrowed his eyes. "Knowles Goodwin. Pleasure to meet you." It was very polite, but he said it coolly and rather forcefully.
At that exact moment Ginny heard a small shriek from behind her. She turned to see Hermione wide-eyed in shock.
"Knowles," She said through gritted teeth. "What're you doing here? We weren't expecting you til next week."
Knowles repeated his Santa laugh. "Well, Mione…" Hermione winced. "Hermione" she corrected.
Knowles ignored her. "I thought I'd drop in a bit early. You know I live a random life. I'm spontaneous. Your place sounded appealing."
"But couldn't you have at least called, or notified us somehow?"
Knowles waved a hand at her. "Oh rubbish. I never call. So," He said, "I didn't know you were bringing company. I see you've finally gotten around to getting a boyfriend."
Hermione and Ron turned pink.
"Um, Ron isn't… He- I, Well-"
"Hm?"
"Er, Ron isn't my boyfriend. We're just friends. And this is my other friend, Ginny, his sister."
Knowles smiled. "Oh, yes, we've already met."
Ginny forced a smile.
"So… should we go inside? Because if not, I'm getting my Weasley Sweater."
They all laughed and followed her inside.
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End Note: Yay! Oh, I don't think I said this in the chapter, but Knowles is Hermione's cousin…. Well, I made him be her cousin anyway. The next chapter is a good one…. Sorta. It's a funny chapter. So REVIEW!
End note again: Sorry... I just revised it, because the computer was stupid and didn't show my page breaks... I guess stars don't work.. Anyways... Yeah