Chapter Nine: The Curse.
Hermione and Neville chatted in the corridor. Ginny had been following them from a distance for the past few days and the pair seemed inseperable. Ginny felt miserable; Herry had turned her down and now it seemd that Neville was giving up on her to go off with Hermione! Sulking, she turned her back on the pair, when to her horror, she heard Hermione call over "Hey Ginny! Over here!"
Ginny sulkily walked up to Hermione who was absolutely thrilled about something. Neville looked awkwardly at Ginny and attempted a smile. Ginny did not bother to return one.
"What are you so happy about?" said Ginny as she reached them.
"You'll never guess who's asked me to the Ball?" beamed Hermione, clinging onto Neville's arm.
Ginny let her jaw drop and she stared at Neville evilly.
"You utter pig!" screamed Ginny, landing a resounding slap on Neville's face. "You turn your back on me, then go off with my best friend when my backs turned!"
Neville was dumbstruck. Hermione panicked and tried to calm Ginny down. Ginny responded by grabbibg Hermione's robe at her throat and forcing her bodily against the wall; being the youngest sister of ten million big nasty brothers sort of gives a girl that kind of strength.
"And as for you!" panted Ginny, tears almost at her eyes, "I expected you at least-"
"Krum." gasped Hermione.
"What did you call me?" yelled Ginny.
"Krum! Victor Krum!" cried Hermione.
Ginny suddenly stopped. Ginny felt incredibly stupid.
"Ooops." giggled Ginny, tears of relief running down her cheeks.
Hermione composed herself and once she got her breath back looked hurt and a bit angry. "I won't say that Neville did not offer-"
Neville piped up "Sorry Ginny, I thought you were not interested anymore. And, well, Hermione has been a lot of help lately-"
Hermione jumped straight back in "But Victor Krum had already asked. Last night! Oh my god Ginny! Victor Krum!" Hermione seemed to have forgotten about Ginny's outburst and the pair cuddled, screaming excitedly about Hermione's catch.
As they walked back to the common room together, Hermione cooed "So Ginny, why did you get all upset about me going out with Neville I wonder - oh look there's Lavender! See you guys later!" laughed Hermione as she ran off to tell some more of her friends about Victor.
"So..." said Neville.
"Why didn't you ask me first Nev?" said Ginny sternly.
"I really didn't think you would want to... Not after..." Neville seemed to shaken to continue, but Ginny took his shaking hand and hugged Neville.
Ginny was impressed that Neville asked her to the dance immediately. Most other boys probably would have apologised or made excuses and the like. Part of her was asking for him to beg a bit more, but then Ginny had been less than faithful herself.
As they neared the common room, two Slytherin first years leapt out and cried "Out! Out! Out!" at Neville before running off. Neville ignored them, but Ginny wanted to beat them up.
"Come on Neville! You can't let this happen to you!" she pleaded.
The next day,with only two days left to the Ball, lessons were fairly laid back and had that end-of-term feel where nothing of any worth was done.
At lunch, Neville and Ginny met up to resume their dancing lessons. Ginny's presence had calmed down Neville a lot and the pair cuddled lovingly after each dance. As they left, Neville was grabbed by both Goyle and Crabbe and thrown bodily to the feet of a waiting Draco.
Ginny leapt forward to stop them, but felt the large hands of a girl called Pansy lock around her and over her mouth.
Draco smiled. "Beg for forgiveness Longbottom." Ginny noticed that behind Draco stood Penny. Penny could not bring herself to look at Ginny directly and Ginny felt a hatred rise inside her.
Neville leapt up before Goyle or Crabbe could react and matched Draco's stare. "Make me, Malfoy." he sneered.
Goyle landed a fist in his kidney and Neville collapsed.
Draco laughed. "Beg Longbottom, or they both get a hit in on you."
Neville crouched, muttering something under his breath. Draco seemed impatient and nodded to Pansy. Ginny felt a pain in her elbow as her hand was raised higher behind her back. Penny stepped forward "Ginny! Stop hurting her Pansy!" Draco turned to look and Penny and with a cold slap knocked Penny to the floor.
"Don't interrupt me girl!"
"Sorry Draco..." sobbed Penny.
Draco turned back to see Neville towering in front of him, chanting under his breath. Goyle and Crabbe both punched hard into Neville, but Neville stood firm, staring unflinchingly into Draco's widening eyes.
"No..." Draco Whimpered.
Everyone could hear Neville now. He kept saying "Crucio" repeatedly. Ginny panicked and bit Pansy's hand. As Pansy recoiled Ginny screamed out "No Neville, don't do it! Malforys not-"
and was stopped by Pansy pushing her to the floor to join Penny.
Neville's eyes blazed as Goyle and Crabbe repeatedly beat Neville, but Neville kept on getting to his feet and was bearing down on Draco.
"Stop him!" called out Draco.
"What's going on here?" bellowed Professor Trelawny. Professor Flitwick had arrived too. "Goyle, Crabbe. Detention and 30 points each from Slytherin. We will not have fighting in the corridors!" she continued.
"But miss!" whimpered Draco as Professor Flitwick helped Penny and Ginny to their feet. Pansy had disappeared and Neville was still advancing on Draco, muttering the Cruciatus spell under his breath.
"Neville! No!" yelled Ginny.
"No Neville please!" yelled Penny.
Professor Trelawney grabbed Neville's shoulder. "Oh no you don't Neville."
But Neville pushed the professor backwards with such force, she tripped over Professor Flitwick.
Draco, with his back against the wall was pinned by the throat by Neville. Neville stopped. "You see Draco? No one, not even the teachers here will save you." Then he leant forward and whispered straight into Draco's ear "I know your father was responsible. First, I'm going to kill him. Then I'm going to kill you. Until then, we play the game your way, that's fine by me. Get me expelled, and who knows what might happen to you eh?"
Neville stood up and brushed a speck of dust off of the quivering Draco.
Then the professors frogmarched them all to see Dumbledore.
Of course, Penny never said how her lip had gotten to be split. Of course, Draco never admitted to starting a fight. Of course, Neville did not let on about threatening to kill Draco. All except Goyle and Crabbe, who had been seen throwing punches, got off with a caution and 5 points taken for each of them from their Houses.
Draco put his arm around Penny as they all left, but Ginny pushed him away and she and Neville guided her back to the coomon room. Ron and Harry bounded over and began to barrage them with questions when then arrived, but it was Neville who calmed them down whilst the girls got themselves cleaned up.
That night Penny broke down in Ginny's arms and the next morning, Penny was put into a carriage and sent home for Christmas early.
Hermione and Neville chatted in the corridor. Ginny had been following them from a distance for the past few days and the pair seemed inseperable. Ginny felt miserable; Herry had turned her down and now it seemd that Neville was giving up on her to go off with Hermione! Sulking, she turned her back on the pair, when to her horror, she heard Hermione call over "Hey Ginny! Over here!"
Ginny sulkily walked up to Hermione who was absolutely thrilled about something. Neville looked awkwardly at Ginny and attempted a smile. Ginny did not bother to return one.
"What are you so happy about?" said Ginny as she reached them.
"You'll never guess who's asked me to the Ball?" beamed Hermione, clinging onto Neville's arm.
Ginny let her jaw drop and she stared at Neville evilly.
"You utter pig!" screamed Ginny, landing a resounding slap on Neville's face. "You turn your back on me, then go off with my best friend when my backs turned!"
Neville was dumbstruck. Hermione panicked and tried to calm Ginny down. Ginny responded by grabbibg Hermione's robe at her throat and forcing her bodily against the wall; being the youngest sister of ten million big nasty brothers sort of gives a girl that kind of strength.
"And as for you!" panted Ginny, tears almost at her eyes, "I expected you at least-"
"Krum." gasped Hermione.
"What did you call me?" yelled Ginny.
"Krum! Victor Krum!" cried Hermione.
Ginny suddenly stopped. Ginny felt incredibly stupid.
"Ooops." giggled Ginny, tears of relief running down her cheeks.
Hermione composed herself and once she got her breath back looked hurt and a bit angry. "I won't say that Neville did not offer-"
Neville piped up "Sorry Ginny, I thought you were not interested anymore. And, well, Hermione has been a lot of help lately-"
Hermione jumped straight back in "But Victor Krum had already asked. Last night! Oh my god Ginny! Victor Krum!" Hermione seemed to have forgotten about Ginny's outburst and the pair cuddled, screaming excitedly about Hermione's catch.
As they walked back to the common room together, Hermione cooed "So Ginny, why did you get all upset about me going out with Neville I wonder - oh look there's Lavender! See you guys later!" laughed Hermione as she ran off to tell some more of her friends about Victor.
"So..." said Neville.
"Why didn't you ask me first Nev?" said Ginny sternly.
"I really didn't think you would want to... Not after..." Neville seemed to shaken to continue, but Ginny took his shaking hand and hugged Neville.
Ginny was impressed that Neville asked her to the dance immediately. Most other boys probably would have apologised or made excuses and the like. Part of her was asking for him to beg a bit more, but then Ginny had been less than faithful herself.
As they neared the common room, two Slytherin first years leapt out and cried "Out! Out! Out!" at Neville before running off. Neville ignored them, but Ginny wanted to beat them up.
"Come on Neville! You can't let this happen to you!" she pleaded.
The next day,with only two days left to the Ball, lessons were fairly laid back and had that end-of-term feel where nothing of any worth was done.
At lunch, Neville and Ginny met up to resume their dancing lessons. Ginny's presence had calmed down Neville a lot and the pair cuddled lovingly after each dance. As they left, Neville was grabbed by both Goyle and Crabbe and thrown bodily to the feet of a waiting Draco.
Ginny leapt forward to stop them, but felt the large hands of a girl called Pansy lock around her and over her mouth.
Draco smiled. "Beg for forgiveness Longbottom." Ginny noticed that behind Draco stood Penny. Penny could not bring herself to look at Ginny directly and Ginny felt a hatred rise inside her.
Neville leapt up before Goyle or Crabbe could react and matched Draco's stare. "Make me, Malfoy." he sneered.
Goyle landed a fist in his kidney and Neville collapsed.
Draco laughed. "Beg Longbottom, or they both get a hit in on you."
Neville crouched, muttering something under his breath. Draco seemed impatient and nodded to Pansy. Ginny felt a pain in her elbow as her hand was raised higher behind her back. Penny stepped forward "Ginny! Stop hurting her Pansy!" Draco turned to look and Penny and with a cold slap knocked Penny to the floor.
"Don't interrupt me girl!"
"Sorry Draco..." sobbed Penny.
Draco turned back to see Neville towering in front of him, chanting under his breath. Goyle and Crabbe both punched hard into Neville, but Neville stood firm, staring unflinchingly into Draco's widening eyes.
"No..." Draco Whimpered.
Everyone could hear Neville now. He kept saying "Crucio" repeatedly. Ginny panicked and bit Pansy's hand. As Pansy recoiled Ginny screamed out "No Neville, don't do it! Malforys not-"
and was stopped by Pansy pushing her to the floor to join Penny.
Neville's eyes blazed as Goyle and Crabbe repeatedly beat Neville, but Neville kept on getting to his feet and was bearing down on Draco.
"Stop him!" called out Draco.
"What's going on here?" bellowed Professor Trelawny. Professor Flitwick had arrived too. "Goyle, Crabbe. Detention and 30 points each from Slytherin. We will not have fighting in the corridors!" she continued.
"But miss!" whimpered Draco as Professor Flitwick helped Penny and Ginny to their feet. Pansy had disappeared and Neville was still advancing on Draco, muttering the Cruciatus spell under his breath.
"Neville! No!" yelled Ginny.
"No Neville please!" yelled Penny.
Professor Trelawney grabbed Neville's shoulder. "Oh no you don't Neville."
But Neville pushed the professor backwards with such force, she tripped over Professor Flitwick.
Draco, with his back against the wall was pinned by the throat by Neville. Neville stopped. "You see Draco? No one, not even the teachers here will save you." Then he leant forward and whispered straight into Draco's ear "I know your father was responsible. First, I'm going to kill him. Then I'm going to kill you. Until then, we play the game your way, that's fine by me. Get me expelled, and who knows what might happen to you eh?"
Neville stood up and brushed a speck of dust off of the quivering Draco.
Then the professors frogmarched them all to see Dumbledore.
Of course, Penny never said how her lip had gotten to be split. Of course, Draco never admitted to starting a fight. Of course, Neville did not let on about threatening to kill Draco. All except Goyle and Crabbe, who had been seen throwing punches, got off with a caution and 5 points taken for each of them from their Houses.
Draco put his arm around Penny as they all left, but Ginny pushed him away and she and Neville guided her back to the coomon room. Ron and Harry bounded over and began to barrage them with questions when then arrived, but it was Neville who calmed them down whilst the girls got themselves cleaned up.
That night Penny broke down in Ginny's arms and the next morning, Penny was put into a carriage and sent home for Christmas early.