~*~*~ Chapter Four ~*~*~
Mano Et Mano Et Mano
I was sat in the common room playing chess a few days later with Ron. Needless to say I was loosing miserably and I wondered briefly why I even bother playing Ron. He seems to just get better and better and I just get worse and worse.
He had that smug look on his face that told me he had a very clever and sneaky plan I wouldn't spot until it was just too late. Hermione was reading book in the seat next to me with that look of absolute concentration on her face that told me she wouldn't notice if a nuclear bomb went off.
"Did you know that Ginny had to audition for that Christmas play thing for her Magical Arts class?" asked Ron, whose eyes were wandering aimlessly around the board.
"Er, yeah, I think I heard something about it," I replied after I got over the shock of the sudden change in the direction of conversation.
"I heard one her friends saying the list of parts was going up today," he said after a few minutes of concentration, still watching the board.
"Really?" I asked quickly, before cursing myself and trying to act nonchalantly, "Does she know?"
"No I don't think so, I'm sure one of her friends have told her, they're all in that class with her," he said.
I had to stop myself giving a derisive laugh and I merely let the silence hang for a while, Ron wouldn't notice if a nuclear bomb went off either when he was playing chess, he was always so focussed. He took my bishop and my pieces started heckling me before I hushed them all up. I wondered whether I should go and tell Ginny somehow, without raising the suspicions of Ron, so I decided to be bold and carry on.
"Maybe we should go and tell her…" I suggested casually.
"Nah, she'll find out soon enough, and plus we're having a game of chess," he pointed out simply.
"Maybe she'd like to know…before everyone else maybe?"
"Why do you care?" he asked suspiciously.
I kicked myself as my brain hastily tried to think of a good comeback.
"I just thought she'd like to know," I said lamely.
Ron gave me another sidelong look before moving his queen across the board with a look of a Slytherin.
"Well I'd tell her but I'm busy," said Ron with a shrug.
"Well…ask Hermione to go tell her, she's not doing anything," I said jerking my thumb across to Hermione who was still in her comatose state of concentration.
Ron gave another shrug and I tried to figure out what he was looking so smug about before I saw it, my king was walking right into a trap and felt quite chuffed for having noticed.
"Hermione?" said Ron, giving her legs a slight kick.
She snapped her book shut and looked across the Ron angrily, annoyed at having been disturbed.
"What?" she asked.
"Could you go and tell Ginny that the list is being posted up soon?" I asked as I could sense a storm brewing.
"Why should I? I'm working and you're just playing," she said in an annoyed tone, but I could see that secret smile of hers playing across her lips.
Sometimes I wished Hermione didn't know.
"You need a break, and Ginny'll probably be upset if she doesn't know, right Ron?" I said earnestly, while Ron merely rolled his eyes.
"Yeah…Girls, go figure," he muttered, though thankfully Hermione didn't hear.
I looked across Hermione who was still grinning at me and I shrugged with a pleading look. She rolled her eyes and stood up throwing down her book. I gave her a thankful smile.
"Where is she?" she asked pulling her shoes on.
"Library," I said immediately as Ron shot me another look and I hastily added, "Probably."
Hermione laughed quietly to herself and strode out of the tower and Ron and I went back to the game, I could see his queen chasing my king, who was squeaking nervously every time she moved, as she waved and blew him kisses.
I could see Sara and her crowd prowling around the room, hovering past the notice board every few minutes, and now I could see the sign that was pinned hastily to the top.
CAST PARTS AND CHOIR DETAILS POSTED TODAY: 5 PM
I felt sympathetic butterflies in my stomach again, it had been hard enough for her to do the audition but now the whole school would be watching her, doing a solo. I couldn't imagine what it would be like to have everyone watching me like that.
Or at least I did for a second before I realised it was probably like a Quidditch match in a way, everyone watching you waiting for you to slip up or fall off your broom, or do the perfect dive – or note in this case. I didn't have long with my thoughts as I suddenly saw a flash of red hair and saw Ginny being pushed through the portrait by Hermione who was giggling. I looked over at Ron who had lost all pretence of being nonchalant about the situation and was watching Ginny walk over excitedly.
"Gin! it's about to be posted!" said Ron as she walked over and I could help but smile at his enthusiasm.
"So I heard," she muttered dryly, as she was bodily dragged over to the notice board.
There was quite a crowd gathering around the notice board and I pushed forward to find Ginny in the crowd. I gave her a nervous half grin and she acknowledged it with a weak smile. Ron was peering keenly over the heads and I couldn't see the board from where I was standing so I waited for news to travel across the crowd.
"Are you excited Ginny?" asked Hermione, clapping her hands together happily.
"Oh, very excited, believe me," she said monotonously and I gave a small chuckle, she really didn't want to do this. But the way she had been singing in the bar…well, I wasn't quite sure if a small part of her wanted to get the part, just to see how it felt.
"Cheer up Gin, imagine the look on Sara's face when she sees you up there," I said under my breath, "You'll be fine, trust me."
She gave a small nod a cast a wary eye over to the girls in the corner, as usual they were all glaring at Ginny, some more violently than others. She turned her nose up at them and I looked across the room. Fred and George were making a scene near the front of the crowd and it wasn't long before their gaze wandered across to Ginny.
"And where's our darling sister? She should be up here to see this first!" came George's shout as Fred waded through the crush towards us.
I began to laugh as I saw a quite surprised Ginny behind hoisted up onto her brother's shoulder and she gave a short laugh as he began to push back through the crowd. Not for the first time I wondered what it was like to have a brother or sister like that, that you could argue with, kick and scream at, before being friends two minutes later. Someone you'd love to hate, and hate to love.
It can't have been a very lonely childhood growing up in the Burrow and probably not the last time I felt myself being slightly jealous of Ron. Ginny was still laughing, whilst kicking Fred in the stomach violently, that's one thing you could say about Ginny – she can be very rough and violent when she wants to be, and hides it very well behind her angelic persona.
During my contemplation I heard a sudden rush of whispering and it was obvious that the list had been posted. Ginny was quite near the front and I saw her lean forward and read the notice keenly. I knew what it would say, but I held my breath anyway.
Ron who was standing to the side of my and could see above the heads suddenly muttered, almost to himself, "She did it, she really did it!"
"She got it?" asked Hermione excitedly, heads below the crowd.
"That what it says, main lead solo: Virginia Weasley," he said more loudly this time and burst into a wide grin.
I couldn't help but share Ron's enthusiasm and Ginny was soon being rushed around the room, shrieking with laughter and desperately clinging onto Fred's ears as he vaulted the sofa. There were various crowds of jubilantly chattering people who had got the parts they wanted, and a few groups of the more morose looking people, who obviously hadn't been as lucky.
There was general sense of happiness in the common room and soon a party had been organised by general consensus. I couldn't really understand what they were celebrating, and if Ginny was anything to go by, the students were actually really nervous about these parts, but as usual its hard not to get caught up in the twins good mood.
Bottles of butterbeer were soon being stacked on the work tables and a sudden loud thumping noise issuing from one corner told me someone whose name began with G and ended with eorge was to blame for Ginny's music box materialising in the common room. I saw numerous Magical Arts students race to their rooms and return with sheets of music which were being piled next to it.
Hermione had finally let her hair down and was happily swigging a bottle of butterbeer as she and Ron chatted to the side of me. I watched Ginny who was shrieking for Fred to stop now as he trotted past and began to swing in wild circles. A few well-chosen curse words and some sharp jabs in the stomach were enough to make him slow down and she was soon placed on the ground. However she gave an unsteady wobble and completely lost her balance from her dizziness and went reeling towards the fire.
I rushed forwards and grabbed her just in time but was carried to the floor by her momentum and soon had to wind knocked out of me as we landed in a heap. There were a various number of catcalls and wolf whistles as she quickly jumped off me and got to her feet, as did I. I edged away from her a tried to look suitably embarrassed, which wasn't too hard as Fred and George were glaring at me rather menacingly and even Ron didn't look too impressed. Hermione however thought it was rather amusing.
"You are the colour of a sunset Harry!" she giggled through her hands as I glared at her.
"Yeah, thanks Hermione," I replied curtly as Ron gave a half-hearted laugh.
He looked at me strangely for a few seconds but seemed to decide against something.
"Yeah, should I be watching out for you?" he asked, playfully punching me on my arm a little too roughly for my taste.
I merely rolled my eyes and hope to look as nonchalant as possible as Hermione snickered again.
"Wish I had a camera," she laughed, obviously wanting to cause me as much humiliation and awkwardness as possible.
"No thank you," said Ron with a grimace, "Once was quite enough…even the very thought makes me shudder."
Ron gave a jovial smile and a fake shudder and I laughed half-heartedly along with him, feeling slightly angry with him at the same time – what was so wrong about it anyway?
"So," said Hermione hastily, noticing my expression, "What do you think she's going to have to do for this solo?"
Ron gave it some thought and began to answer but my attention was caught when I saw Ginny being surrounded by the girls from her dormitory. If I knew them it wasn't a congratulatory visit and I saw her cast a nervous look my way. Something in her eyes told me to stay away, and I did so, but kept an incredibly close watch on them, trying to lip read. Ginny was looking at them with her no nonsense expression and I saw a ripple of fear pass through the girls.
Ginny just looked angry now and I could see her getting more and more worked up, until I could hear her voice being carried across the common room.
"What I mean is, why do you always have to be so horrible to me? Does it make you feel big to alienate someone or make them cry. Do you feel strong Sara, knowing you made my life a misery? Or is it just that on the inside your nothing more than a nasty little Slytherin with nothing better to do than torment other people?" she asked loudly by now, earning curious looks from those closest in the common room.
Everyone seemed to notice the lack in volume and began to quieten down and as the music was being changed in the box Ginny began to speak again, her angry voice echoing off the walls loudly.
"And you lot," she said turning to Sara's friends that were standing behind her "Your nothing more than a bunch of pathetic sheep, following everything she does because your not strong enough, or clever enough to make a stand for yourself. So I'm sorry if I don't follow Sara round and worship the ground she walks on, and if that makes me a loner or whatever, than I don't care."
There was a ringing silence throughout the common room and I watched with open-mouthed fascination. Hermione had a hand to her mouth and Ron was looking thoroughly confused.
"I don't care," she repeated before turning away from them and walking towards us.
My face split into a huge grin as I watched her saunter over to us, she never ceases to amaze me – who'd have thought she could finally show those bimbo's up in the best possible way? Ron and Hermione however, were looking extremely confused as they had no clue Ginny was anything less than best friends with the girls from her dorm. I shot Ginny as wide a grin as I could get away with, which she returned happily.
"Ginny?" asked Ron uncertainly, casting a wary glance at Hermione, "What the hell was all that about?"
"Just a few home truths those girls should know," she said simply, shrugging her shoulders slightly.
"I thought those girls were your friends?" asked Hermione, with a confused look on her face.
"Yeah, in an alternate universe," she laughed, grimacing at the thought.
"I didn't know you weren't friends with them! Did you two?" asked Ron worriedly, looking Hermione to me closely as I struggled hard to maintain a passive expression.
I merely shrugged again and watched as Ginny smiled and turned around to regard the festivities. You certainly didn't need an excuse for a party when you were cooped up in one place for so long I thought to myself as I watched the happily dancing couples. The poor music box was being tortured with modern music as the secret of how to replicate and create music sheets had been discovered.
I could however, feel a voice in the back of my brain insistently cursing myself for lying to Ron all the time. It was about time I told Ron the truth, no matter how angry, upset and particularly murderous he would feel about it, he was sure to get over it one day – wouldn't he? He couldn't stay angry at me forever, and the other, more vociferous side of brain told me that he didn't really have anything particular to be angry about. I took care of her, so where was the problem?
I made a promise to myself there and then to tell Ron soon, before the end of this month, and Christmas at the latest. Maybe I could try it out on Fred and George first, test the water as it were…maybe not.
I wandered over to Ginny in what I hoped was a casual way, leaving a bickering Ron and Hermione to themselves.
"I'm so proud of you," I said quietly, when I was sure we didn't have to full attention of everyone.
"Thanks. I don't know whether I'm happy or not though, singing in front of all those people? It was bad enough in front of the judges!" she said worriedly.
"Not about that, about standing up to Sara and her friends," I said, laughing quietly to myself.
"Oh," she said, blushing to herself as she recalled what she'd just done.
And I could understand why, she wasn't particularly fond of having attention lavished on herself, unlike some members of her family, and public displays weren't really her style.
"You really taught them a lesson!" I said gleefully, hoping to swing her mood.
Ginny opened her mouth to reply before Fred and George suddenly jumped in front of us, causing me and I think Ginny as well to jump back in shock. They had something of a lingering evil grin that told me I ought to be careful for the next few minutes, or watch what I was eating.
"Hey Harry, come over here a sec," said George secretively and I grinned at them nervously.
"Er, why guys?" I asked with slight trepidation.
"It's a secret, for guys eyes only," said Fred, winking conspiratorially at me, before glaring menacingly at Ginny.
She merely rolled her eyes and wandered off towards Ron and Hermione without another word and the guys beckoned me over to the corner. I followed them cautiously, in case it was some sort of prank, and we were soon standing within the arch to the portrait, completely cut off from the blaring music and dancing crowds.
"So, what do you want?" I asked as they looked around the corner.
The turned back to me and this time their smiles were looking less like their usual friendly, if not slightly mischievous ones, and more like a shark who'd just spotted lunch paddling innocently by.
"Just a little chat Harry, you know mano et mano," said Fred in a very bad Italian accent.
"Or mano et mano et mano in our case," added George thoughtfully.
"Er sure, what about?" I asked them, well aware I was more or less trapped in the corner by the now very tall and menacing looking twins.
"Well Harry my old boy, it has come to our attention that you may not be being completely honest with us about certain aspects of your life," said Fred kindly as I felt warning bells go off in my head.
"Er, right…?"
"Yes, we were wondering if you had anything you wanted to tell us," asked George, now blocking all light from the common room.
I gathered my wits and searched for a possible exit whilst my brain started to run at normal speed.
"I don't think there's anything," I said.
"Harry, Harry, Harry," sighed Fred dramatically, patting me on my shoulder in a brotherly way.
"Fred, Fred, Fred?" I hazarded, cracking a grin although on the inside I was beginning to get slightly scared, "What are you talking about?"
"Ginny's been very happy lately," commented George out of the blue, which knocked me for six.
I felt my stomach drop unpleasantly, so they did know, nothing else could explain their behaviour and I desperately wondered what was the best policy now…Do I deny everything or admit to it? They did say that honesty was the best policy, but they only ever said that when you were in so much trouble that you could do with a few years taken off your sentence.
"Yeah, I suppose she has," I said cautiously.
"Any reason why, do you think?" he asked conversationally.
"Maybe," I replied meekly, really not liking the direction of this conversation at all.
"It wouldn't have anything to do with you, would it?" asked George now.
"Maybe," I repeated, flinching slightly.
After a few seconds of agonising waiting I realised they weren't about to beat the living daylights out of me, which could only be a good sign. They were both however, watching me with folded arms and stony glares, obviously waiting for further elaboration.
"We've become quite good friends since the summer…" I trailed off wondering what was best to tell them, knowing for definite they wouldn't like to hear about Hogsmeade.
"Just good friends?" asked Fred with a raised eyebrow.
I gave a guilty squirm and could feel myself going red, curse my cheeks. Fred and George seemed to be enjoying the show though and were looking on with a certain degree of self-satisfaction.
"Well…we sort of…you could say…" I stammered thinking of no better way to say that I was currently snogging their baby sister.
"Ok, enough," said Fred holding up a hand.
"We get the picture," added George, "Just please stop stuttering."
I firmly shut my mouth and watched the twins with increased awareness, this was one was to measure the reactions of an entire family of older brothers, but on the other hand the twins and Ron knew me better than the other brothers. I gave a weak grin, hoping to appeal to their better nature.
"So how long?" asked Fred leaning against the wall and staring at me.
"idunnnoaboutfourmonths," I mumbled avoiding their eyes.
They both gave weak curses and stared at me with shocked expressions.
"Four months!"
"Yeah, about that…" I told them awkwardly as they swore again.
"Does Ron know?" asked George incredulously.
"NO," I told them vehemently.
"Thought not…you've still got all your limbs attached," he said.
I wondered vaguely what the Weasley fascination was with that saying whilst waiting for the twins to continue. The seemed to be having a silent conversation I wasn't privy too and I waited expectantly.
"So…She's happy?" asked George eventually.
"I think so, apart from this solo of course," I replied.
Fred and George nodded thoughtfully.
"So you really like her?"
"Yeah" I said, blushing again, I really didn't want to be having this sort of conversation with the twins.
"I don't see why," laughed Fred giving a fake shudder of disgust, much like as Ron had done earlier, followed by chuckles from George.
"Hey!" I said angrily, "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Ooh, getting all protective of your girlfriend are you Harry?" mocked George holding up his hands in a conciliatory fashion.
I merely folded my arms and glared at them while they snickered to themselves. When their laughter had subsided, they suddenly put on serious faces, as if by unanimous silent decision.
"Being serious now Harry," George told me.
"Yeah, you won't do anything to hurt her will you?" Fred asked me.
"Of course not," I said honestly, wondering if hangovers counted.
"Good. Because we really do like you Harry, and it would be a shame if anything happened to you."
It was a simple enough sentence but carried the serious overtones of a threat, I gave a nervous gulp that might have been quite comical if I wasn't in this situation.
"Nothing's going to happen to her," I told them firmly.
They regarded me critically for a few moments before cracking identical grins.
"You've got a lot of spirit Harry," said Fred patting me on my back, "Lets just hope it stays inside your body."
And then they were gone, leaving me in the alcove to wonder about my future safety, which had become seriously less secure now I had the prospect of not one but two beatings if anything ever happened to Ginny.
AN/ Hey then all, thanks for waiting! This bit in an extra scene from Ginny's PoV, which she didn't get to see OR know about…what do you think of the twins reaction?
SleepieCareBear - Hey again! Are your pretty blue socks well and truly rocked? I'm glad you liked my drunken scene, it still makes me laugh (although it's bad taste to laugh at your own jokes etc, I can still snigger secretly)
Esperanza - Glad you like! We don't hear much about Dean in the books, so I thought I'd do a little charcater building! He's being a bit of an idiot in chappie 3 though, but I wouldn't be able to stop myself saying the same lol!
Chocolate Muse - A big hello to HARRISON! The fish that likes the laugh. Give him an extra flake of thanks from me! I'm glad I'm still; living up to expectations!
~Warning~ It's the scary chapter next, the one where Ron and Hermione FIND THE DIARY! Oh nooooooooooooo!