Author: Lee Velviet
Chapter Two - Turning Point
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Ginny hugged her Mum tightly before she got on the train. She heard Ron mutter and protest loudly behind her when she grabbed both he and Harry in a quick hug and kissed their cheeks.
Not wanting them to ask her to sit with them, she waved at Hermione who was grinning excitedly, and passed her by as she heard the girl greet her old friends enthusiastically. Ginny headed straight for the back compartment, wishing she could put a locking charm on the sliding door. She stuck her head inside, relieved when she saw it was still empty, and dragged her heavy book bag in on the floor behind her. She slid the doors shut firmly, and closed the window shades completely against the bright mid-morning sunlight. She rested listlessly on the cushions, sighing heavily.
Only a few students wandered in after that, but when she told them rather crossly that the seats were saved for someone else they gave her odd looks but left her alone.
She didn't really care if she was being rude - she just wanted some peace and quiet, to be left alone to gather her thoughts a bit before being swallowed up by the craziness that was Hogwarts.
It seemed it was not to be, however, for as the train whistled its departure warning, there were heavy footsteps on the carpet outside the door and then it was flung open, a familiar, but much taller pale blond boy walked in and flung himself into the seat across from her, breathing heavily as if he'd been running.
He looked up just then, and two pale faces looked disdainfully at each other across the small, dim room, and two equally cold, bored, and overall disgusted voices said at the same time, "You."
Ginny turned her nose up at Malfoy and looked at him pointedly, putting as much impatience and dislike into her voice as possible. "What do you want?"
He just narrowed his pale silver eyes and sneered, "Certainly nothing you've got, Weasley,"
Ginny felt her cheeks burn and she snapped, "I wasn't offering, you evil little ferret!"
Malfoy's eyes widened briefly before he sat forward on the seat, his arms crossing. "This is my compartment, Weasel, it always has been. I always sit here." His eyes glinted. "Besides, all the other compartments are full up."
"Not today," she muttered, tired of his interruption. Damn it all, she needed this time to herself in order to make herself act even passably normal around other people, namely Harry. The stupid, over-groomed prat across from her was making it near impossible.
"Shove off, Malfoy - maybe you can find a space in the baggage car next to Neville's toad or Ron's new rat - that is where they're making us keep the rodents now, isn't it?" She watched him calmly from beneath hooded eyes; busy trying to make her body remember to breathe. She was honestly forgetting to take breaths. Merlin, she was tired.
Malfoy looked surprised at her comeback - she wasn't surprised though. Usually she just turned tail and rushed off when he was around, for fear of getting insulted with that sharp, cruel tongue, or worse getting in some kind of confrontation. She almost laughed. She'd definitely changed. She could defend herself now, all thanks to Harry.
Ginny set her jaw as Malfoy stood, angry red slashes across the tops of his cheeks - which she noted with an odd, unidentifiable interest, were lean, all traces of baby fat having disappeared over the summer. He looked a lot different from last year, having shot up several inches and matured. She decided she didn't like this. It was kind of difficult insulting someone you barely recognized...
"Finally growing a backbone, eh, Weasel?"
...or maybe not. He might look leaner and taller, but he was still the same dirty little rotter with colorless, almost void eyes.
He smirked at her, an icy tone in his voice that implied a threat. "You better watch who you show it to."
Ginny closed her eyes and let her head fall back onto her seat. "Okay, whatever, Mal-Ferret. Stay if you must, just shut it, won't you?"
She heard him draw an angry breath and fall back into his seat with a huff. She squinted under her lashes at him and saw him glaring at he as the train began to move off.
An unwilling smirk tugged at her lips - just barely.
"You could leave, you know," he griped nastily.
Ginny kept her eyes closed, rolling her head on the back of her seat. "Nope," she said, and then lied lazily, "No more room anywhere, remember?"
He snorted derisively. "Yeah, right. Why aren't you in with the other Weasel, the Mudblood, and good Ol' Potty?"
She shrugged slightly, stifling a yawn, not bothering to rise to the bait. "They annoy me." She opened her eyes to slits and commented dryly, "But not near as much as you." She left it at that.
She closed her eyes again, peeking through her lashes at him, unable to help herself - his mouth at had fallen open and he was staring at her first oddly, and then suspiciously.
"Aww, don't tell me that the Gryffindor Dream Team has at last had a major falling out?" He mocked coolly.
She sighed in irritation, opening her sore eyes fully to look at him impatiently. "I was never part of the Dream Team as you call it, Malfoy. And before you accuse me of being bitter and jealous, and left out, I'll just say that no force in this world will make me talk to you about any of the details of my personal life, so just bloody be quiet or go ride on Crabbe's lap, wherever your toady henchman might be."
Ginny closed her mouth, realizing she'd just said more to him in one breath than she'd said to anyone since the school break began.
He glared at her murderously, and she simply closed her eyes again, trying hard to go to sleep. Was this day ever going to end? Could it get any worse than having to spend several hours with Draco Malfoy, biting each others heads off every ten seconds?
"Ginny?"
She groaned and fell over onto the long cushioned seat, burying her head face first. "What now?"
The door slid open and she heard several footsteps as Harry, Hermione and Ron shuffled in.
Ginny mentally swore, shooting Malfoy a scathing look as she sat upright. Although he'd done nothing, he smirked gloatingly in return. She watched him stand up, knowing he knew she had no desire to be left with her friends, and obviously deciding it was a fitting revenge for the Mal-Ferret jabs.
"Malfoy, what are you doing in here?" Ron asked at the same time as Harry.
The pale, blond boy smiled, moving around them to the door. "Having a delightful little chat with the littlest Weasel of course. She's just a prize, that one." he drawled, winking at Ginny evilly.
She clenched her wand in her hand just as he walked out, chuckling.
Ginny looked at the three people she loved most in life as the sat - of course, clueless Harry had to settle down on the seat next to her. She almost snapped at him.
"Why are you down here?" Hermione asked chattily, oblivious to the tension reeking in the air. "We saved you a seat with us."
Ginny once again forced a smile and shrugged. "Sorry, I was just feeling a bit tired. Thought I might try and grab a few winks, but I guess Malfoy nipped that, obviously."
Harry and Ron were still looking at her in concern.
Finally, she noticed Ron fidgeting - and he only did that when he was working up to something. "Gin, er…we all noticed you haven't been yourself lately…" he looked at her hesitantly, leaning forward to put his forearms on his thighs, and staring at his feet. "Well…Harry told us about -"
"No, you didn't." Ginny cut Ron off with a look at Harry that made him flinch and then look indescribably angry.
"I was worried about you," Harry said, voice clipped. He took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes tiredly, involuntarily making Ginny's heart ache.
'He's really looking very guilty,' Ginny thought in wonderment. He had been thinking about her. But she hadn't wanted him to feel sorry for her, and this was just what that was. Damn it!
"I don't want or need your pity, Harry," Ginny muttered peevishly.
"Ginny, Everyone can tell something's wrong! You've been off your food for months, you don't talk, you don't sleep…you're making too much of this - "
"Shove off, Ron!" Ginny shouted, standing up. The anger she felt surprised her - lately all she'd felt was numb and cold and tired.
Harry and Hermione looked shocked, never having seen her in a temper before.
Ginny was pleased. Harry could take his guilt and pity and shove it where the sun didn't shine. He needed to get off it, and so did she. Oh, she still loved him more than anything, still felt as if she were dying off inside because he didn't want her or love her, but she was tired of his pity. Bloody tired of it.
"Ginny, I think you need to -"
"No, you have no idea what I need," Ginny said scathingly, cutting Ron off again. "It's really none of your business what was said between me and Harry last term." She glared at Harry who had stood and was glaring straight back, green eyes narrowed and blazing.
Her heart thudded fiercely before she said, "In fact, if I decided to off my bloody self over this, you wouldn't have a say about it either! Because it's my life, and I'll spend it however the hell I want!" She ignored the sudden silence and stricken looks on all their faces before she looked at Harry coldly. "That's what this is all about, isn't it? You were scared I was going to kill myself over you?" She felt tears well in her scratchy eyes suddenly. "Poor little Ginny, all despondent and depressed and suicidal because Harry Potter didn't love her."
She made a disgusted noise and grabbed her book bag, striding across to the door. "I'm sorry, Harry. I'm so sorry I bothered you with this, I'm sorry you had to go home to those stupid, evil muggles who don't know what kind of treasure they have in you, or how they've thrown it away."
Her eyes watered and her voice became choked. "I'm sorry you lost your parents, and Voldemort's trying to murder you. I just wanted to love you, Harry, and take care of you, and I was an idiot, because I felt pity for you, when I was lucky enough to grow up with a family that loved me. Yes, it was a silly child's crush, but it became more than that…I don't even know why I'm trying to explain, I don't understand any of it myself."
She turned away. "Don't worry yourself Harry, my death won't be on your conscience because I'm not stupid enough to end my life over any boy. And besides, did you ever stop to think that maybe the reason I've been acting so weird and going through all these changes is because I'm growing up?" She whirled back on Harry, her tumbled red curls flying, not noticing the sudden spark of reluctant interest in his emerald eyes. "F.Y.I. Potter - everything is not just about you!"
Ginny flung open the door, looking apologetically at Hermione who was looking confused and upset. She slammed the door shut behind her and took off down the narrow corridor almost knocking over Draco Malfoy who was loitering outside one of the compartments in her effort to reach the girls restroom before the tears blinding her scalded their way down her cheeks, and she threw up the bite of breakfast she'd had right there in the corridor.
When Ginny was finally alone, she cried like there was no tomorrow, swearing she'd never give Harry or Ron the time of day ever again.
Today she had acted like a creature to rival the likes of Draco Malfoy - and she was glad. No one was ever going to tread on her again. Her love for Harry would remain well hidden, hidden so deep she wouldn't even remember what she felt for him, because she couldn't take the pain of unrequited love a moment longer.
After she had calmed herself, she pulled out her wand, looking at it determinedly before pointing it at herself and whispering the memory charm she'd looked up and memorized weeks ago, but had never really wanted to try. Harry had been with her always even though he thought differently-he was just blind to her because he still thought she was a kid.
She sighed unsteadily, thinking momentarily that she might be able to-but no. She held her wand firmly and took a deep breath. No more hurting, Ginny, no more. She closed her eyes and focused on her first memory of Harry, grinning nervously as he asked her Mum how to get onto Platform 93/4.
"Excuse me, but could you tell me - "
Ginny felt her head spin briefly as she repeated the charm, louder, and then everything went dark.
-
Ginny's head felt as if it was packed with squirming, squishy slugs. She opened her eyes unwillingly, as a wave of dread washed over her. Something awful had happened, she knew…but why couldn't she remember?
The first thing she saw was a white blob...no wait… "Malfoy?"
"Five points to the girl laying on the restroom floor," he drawled in a surprisingly well-done impression of Snape's dour, sarcastic tones.
Ginny's head felt heavy as she tried to rise, feeling a dull, knocking pound at either temple as if a Snitch were bouncing off them in turn, trying to get out. "W-what happened?" Her eyes were glazed, and she blinked, trying to focus more clearly.
She heard Malfoy snort. "Hell if I know. You almost ran me over in the corridor and then I heard a thud from in here - believe me, I wouldn't be running into the girls restroom without a good reason." He paused, stroking his chin thoughtfully as he leaned against the door. "Wait, what am I saying? Of course I would!"
Ginny made a sound of disgust and wavered, sitting down hard on her rear on the floor again. "You want me to believe you were actually concerned about me?"
He narrowed his pale eyes, raising an elegant white hand to brush his hair from his sight. "Concerned? I don't know…eager, is more like it. Never can tell when someone else's misfortune can become an opportunity for, well..."
"Blackmail?"
"Blackmail is such an ugly word." He studied his perfectly groomed fingernails boredly before looking down at her from beneath his lashes. "I prefer the term 'business transaction?"
"And to think I merely disliked you before," Ginny scowled, forcing herself to her knees, which were trembling.
"You wound me, Weasel. Your opinion of me matters so." He sighed impatiently and reached down, grabbing her under her arms and lifting her up onto her feet. "Ordinarily I wouldn't touch you to beat you, but even you can understand, any self-respecting male would have a certain, er, reaction to a girl on their knees before them."
"Thank you for that oh-so disturbing visual, Malfoy," she said, disgusted. She yanked away from him to gather her wand and bag and slid open the door. She caught sight of Millicent Bulstrode and Pansy Parkinson loitering outside, and an evil grin crossed her lips.
"Leave me alone, Mal-Ferret," she said in a loud voice, turning back to see his eyebrows shoot up. "I wouldn't go out with you to save my soul."
Malfoy's face turned dark red, making his white-blond hair stand out starkly, and a choking noise issued from his sputtering lips. "You -"
"Don't cry…" Ginny winked at him slyly before turning and walking away toward her compartment, hearing the two Slytherin girls gasping and leaving Malfoy standing in the door of the girls restroom making furious noises of disbelief.
Ron and Hermione looked startled when she walked in, and sat down; there was a new boy there too, one she didn't recognize. "Hi," she said, trying to sound friendly - she didn't feel much like herself, unfortunately, and it came out flat. She couldn't help it. The air was filled with tension, and it irritated her.
Ron narrowed his brown eyes at her as she flopped into the seat next to the tall, dark haired, bespectacled boy.
"What?" She sighed, twirling her wand in her fingers idly.
"You're just going to leave it at that? Throw all that into our laps and walk back in here, calm as a cucumber, and pretend nothing happened?"
The feeling of dread came on her again. "What are you talking about?"
Hermione looked at her oddly, disbelief in her eyes. "What are we talking about? Ginny, are you feeling all right?"
"I'm fine!" Ginny snapped, thrusting her wand into the pocket of her black school robes. "I should ask the same of you two - looking at me like I was escaped from St. Mungos'. What's going on?"
Ron and Hermione exchanged worried glances, and the cute green-eyed boy next to her cleared his throat. "Ginny, we're just worried about you, please don't be upset - "
"Who are you?" Ginny finally asked in exasperation. "Sorry to be rude, but..."
The boy's intense green eyes widened behind the thin round frames of his glasses, and he flushed, tugging at the collar of his shirt, before looking at Ron in desperation.
Her brother glared at her. "Ginny, stop treating Harry so badly - it's not his fault you fell in love with him! I'm tired of this, I wish you'd just get over it! He doesn't like you that way!" He narrowed his eyes at Hermione when she punched his arm hard.
"You've all gone completely nutters! I don't love him!" She stood and gestured at the boy next to her wildly. "I don't even know him!"
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TBC