Chapter Twelve – Acquaintances

The weather still chilled the air as students returned to school for their second term. Snow still fell and the lake was still frozen but somehow they all managed to get through the first few weeks of the New Year.

Up in Gryffindor tower, Ginny sat in her usual armchair huddled close to the fire and doing the dreadful assignments that every teacher of hers seemed to give her as a welcome back present. In the couch opposite of her sat Hermione and Ron. They both also seemed to have been given a load of work.

"I hate Astronomy! Someone please remind me why I'm taking it again." Ron complained as he slammed down his quill on top of the homework lying in front of him.

"Because you want to become an Auror. You said it yourself at the beginning of this year." Hermione answered in a matter-of-fact way.

"Yeah, well I changed my mind. I think I'm gonna change what I said and say that I want to become a professional quiddich player. You don't need to know what balls of flaming gas that are thousands of miles away mean. Hell, you don't even have to know a damn thing; all you have to do is know how to play the game, look at Krum. He has peas for brains but he makes a living out of it." Ron slightly laughed at his comment.

"Yeah well do you really think I would be going out with an incompetent dumb ass that doesn't even have a brain?"

"Well you never know. You did fall for Krum in fourth year Hermione." Ginny retorted.

Hermione glared at the red haired girl then threw a pillow at her. Ginny ended up catching it and then tossing it back at her, smacking her clear across the face.

"You know Hermione, violence is not the answer." Ginny laughed as she could tell that Hermione wanted to say something very obscene but would never give into the use of foul language, well at least most of the time.

"So what are you two up too this weekend?" Ginny asked smoothly changing the subject.

"Well, we where thinking of going to Hogsmeade. There are only a few trips this year and we might as well take advantage of the chance to get out of here for a bit." Ron replied tossing his homework on the table in front of him.

"You should come Ginny. It'll be fun. We can do some shopping." Hermione said fixing her hair.

"Sure, why not. We can drag Ron into all he girly shops and dress him up in drag."

"WHAT!" Ron almost choked on his tongue.

"Well at least I know you listen" Ginny said between her laughs.

That Saturday Ginny got up and threw on a pair of jeans and her heavy snow jacket along with her trainers and made her way down to the Great Hall for breakfast where Ron and Hermione where already waiting for her. They ate pretty quickly then made their way into town.

"Hey we should stop into Fred and George's new shop weren't they supposed to be opening it up this month?" Ginny asked as they walked along the windy path.

"Oh I hope so. I need to stock up on some supplies."

"Now Ron, you can't go doing that. You're Head Boy; you need to set an example for all the rest of the students." Hermione said in a serious tone of voice.

"Oh come on Hermione, don't be such a stick in the mud. Besides, I wasn't going to get anything seriously damaging, just some little things."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Boys, I swear."

They finally reached the little town and immediately spotted the Joke shop. It wasn't hard to find being that it was the stuck out the most among all the other shops. It was painted in bright, vibrant colors with a sign that read "Weasley's Wizard Wheezes" atop of it then under it said "Grand Opening". The three of them walked to the entrance of the shop and opened the door to find the shop overflowing with students. It was so loud you could barely hear themselves talk.

As they pushed their way through the crowd Ginny looked around and saw a store filled with anything she could possibly imagine. The shelves where stocked full of the newest products and even classics. Anything she wanted right in front of her eyes.

"Oi, Fred! Would you look who it is?" George yelled from the top of the staircase that has wound up the back wall of the store.

"Well if it isn't our own flesh and blood coming to see their big brother's success." Fred said stepping out from the back room.

"This is amazing. It's so impressive, and to think it wasn't too long ago that you where working out of your bedroom back at home dodging Mum's yells and screams."

"Well believe it little sister because this is just part if our empire. We still have the shop in Diagon Alley and…"

"We're opening two more, one in Surry and one in Oxford." Fred and George stated in a matter-of-fact way, completing each other's sentences.

"Well excuse me."

There was a yell from the back calling for the twin brothers. "Yeah we're coming!"

"Well it's been nice chatting with you but we must be getting back. Time is money you know."

They bid goodbye and went back to work. Ron, Ginny, and Hermione took a look around the shop and browsed for a while. Eventually a rumble in Ron's stomach bid them out of the shop and on their way down to the Three Broomsticks for lunch.

As they walk past the shops, there was one that Ginny just couldn't resist. The window was full of little trinkets and small things that she couldn't resist but to go in.

"Hey guys, I'm just gonna pop into this shop for a moment. I'll catch up to you."

"No we can go in with you Ginny, its okay." Hermione said following the young red head. But a grown from her boyfriend stopped her.

"No Hermione it's okay. Besides, I have a feeling that if you don't get some food in Ron's system soon he's going to die of starvation." Ginny waved them on and told them she would meet up with them there.

Ginny opened the door to the shop and heard the bell chime above it. She walked in and shut the door firmly behind her. The tiny store was full of cluttered shelves full little things, from miniature ornaments to candles and incenses. The air smelled of lavender and vanilla as she stepped further in removing the beanie atop her head.

There didn't look like anyone was there except for her. She stepped lightly around the counter in the front and went over to a free-standing shelve that was sitting in the middle of the store.

"Hello, is anyone here?" She called out making her presence known. She glanced up and down the racks admiring all the small things. On one of the racks she found a shelf of hair clips. She ran her eyes up and down all of them and finally landed on one that caught her eye.

It was a hair comb with a dragonfly on the top. The golden spokes sparkled in the lights as Ginny picked it up bring it to her for a closer look. But what really made Ginny stop and look at that particular comb was that it reminded her of Harry, the jewels that covered the dragonfly where very bright and vibrant emeralds, just like Harry's eyes. With knowing that Ginny couldn't help but try it on. She pulled back her hair and stuck the comb in it holding the long locks of red firmly behind her head.

"It looks good on you."

A voice startled Ginny out of her thoughts as she jumped slightly. She turned her head towards the sound of the voice finding a middle aged woman standing in the doorway of what looked like the back room.

"I'm sorry; I didn't mean to startle you." Her voice calm and sweet came toward the now heavily breathing girl.

"No, it's okay. I just didn't expect anyone to …ah. I'm sorry I didn't mean to try it on, it just looked, well it just reminded me of something." Ginny said in a panicky voice, trying to calm her nerves.

"No, don't be sorry. You may try what ever you like. Besides, it looks nice in you. Here, take a look." The woman said grabbing a mirror that hung on the wall and walked towards Ginny.

The woman held the mirror out in front of her as Ginny looked at herself. The woman was right. The emerald stones went perfectly along with her glistening red hair.

"My name's Mona. I'm the owner." She said holding out her hand.

"Ginny, it's very nice to meet you." Ginny said accepting the woman's hand politely.

"I must say, I have been coming here for three years and I have never seen this place before. It's so…quaint."

"Well that's probably because I just opened it this summer, and thank you. That's what I was going for a quaint little store that would draw in young girls like you." Mona answered smiling friendly at Ginny.

"If you don't mind me asking you said that comb reminded you of something, what does it remind you of?"

"Oh, umm, actually it reminds me of someone."

"Really, a boyfriend perhaps?" Mona asked already knowing the answer.

"Yes actually. How did you know?"

"Oh honey you can't hide the look in your eyes. You must really love this boy. I can see it in you. I once held that some look you have. You try to hide all of your emotions inside but your eyes never lie."

Ginny blushed slightly not knowing what to do or say. But Ginny knew exactly what she meant. She had spent all this time holding in all her emotions, hiding all of her feelings for Harry inside. She hadn't told anyone about the love they shared or the true feelings they had for each other. So when she heard Mona say that she saw it in her eyes, Ginny wasn't the least bit surprised.

"You know what; I think I'll take this." Ginny said pulling the comb out of her hair and setting it on the counter. She paid Mona for it then stuffed it into her purse. "It was nice meeting you, but I really need to get back to my friends."

"It was nice meeting you too Ginny. Come back soon okay?"

Ginny nodded and said goodbye as she put her beanie back on and walked out the door. As she did, she couldn't help but feel that she had made a friend. Mona's kind words set into Ginny's head as she made her way towards the restaurant.

Before Ginny got to far down the street a strong force latched onto her coat and violently pulled her off the main street and into a small alleyway. She was dragged backwards with a hand firmly latched over her mouth muffling the screams that came out. She didn't even have a chance to see her attacker before she was violently pushed against a hard stone wall causing her to let out a loud grunt and her eyes to latch shut.

There was an unbearable pain that shot up her back and to her head. The hand still firmly clasped over her mouth she could do nothing but to wait for the pain to subside. The strong form of her attacker was pushed up against her pinning her against the cold wall. With her hands pinned to her side and the attacker's leg in between hers, Ginny had no way to fight.

After the dizziness in her head subsided Ginny opened her now watery eyes to a tall blurry form dressed in black. The firm hand now pulled away from her mouth allowing her to talk. Soon enough the fuzziness melted away and she could see her attacker face to face. But nothing had prepared her for who she was about to see.

"Malfoy?"