Disclaimer: I
forgot to put this at the top of Chapter 9, so this will count for both: It's
Not Mine. That said, let's continue…
Mixed Messages
By Ariel Star
Chapter 10
They walked back into the castle a few minutes later, Harry's arm
around Ginny's shoulder and Ginny looking insanely happy. They agreed to go
back, find their original dates, and tell them about the newly-sprung up
situation (though both knew that the situation wasn't that new at all). Harry
left Ginny after giving her shoulder a squeeze and promising to dance with her
one last time before the ball ended (amazingly, it was only 11:30). He found
Cho dancing with Terry still, and when he tapped her, she looked torn. "Wait a
moment," she told Terry, and walked out of the way of the dancers with Harry
over to a table.
"Sit down," Harry offered politely, pulling out a chair. Cho burst
into tears.
* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *
Ginny completed her third lap of the Hall and felt like screaming from
frustration. Where could Justin be? She had looked everywhere – dance floor,
refreshments, tables, even outside. He had disappeared. She saw Ron dancing
with Hermione a few feet away and quickly ran up to them, imploring, "Have you
seen Justin anywhere?"
"Hmmm?" Ron asked vaguely, his eyes on Hermione, whose own were closed
and head resting on his shoulder.
Ginny resisted the urge to slap him and said again, "Justin! Do you
know where he is?"
Ron looked down at her, amused. "Best bet would be the hospital wing,"
he said.
Ginny froze. "WHAT?" she yelled. Raven, who was dancing with Seamus a
few feet away, turned to see who had screamed. Seeing Ginny, she whispered to
Seamus "Give me a minute, will you?" and grabbed Ginny's arm.
"There's a dear, there's a dear," she said, holding back a smile and
leading Ginny over to a side table, grinning innocently with wide eyes at
Professor McGonagall as they walked past. Raven sat Ginny down at a table and
flew into the other chair, leaning in close and hissing "Where…have…you…BEEN?"
Ginny stuttered for an explanation. "I – we – Harry and I - "
Raven let out a soft scream, and reached for Ginny's hand. "Harry and
you what?" she whispered gleefully. Ginny recounted the scene in the forest.
Raven was ecstatic.
"Ginny, that's so wonderful!" she finally squealed as Ginny summed up
her story with the kiss. "Congratulations!" Ginny smiled widely. "Thanks," she
said gratefully, "it's so nice to finally say it, you know! I like Harry
Potter, and the really amazing thing is, he likes me too!" Raven smiled
knowingly.
"Yes, well," she said, her smile faltering, "does Justin know about
this, by any chance?"
"No," Ginny said, Ron's earlier comment coming back to her. "And what
exactly did Ron mean by saying Justin was in the HOSPITAL wing? How ridiculous!
He's not sick! Why, I was just dancing with him…" Raven nodded grimly.
"No, he's not sick," she agreed. "He's mighty banged up, though."
Ginny gasped. "He – he got in a fight?" It didn't seem at all like
Justin. Raven nodded, then giggled. Ginny cried out angrily, "I don't see
what's so funny! Harry and I agreed to come back and find our dates and explain
to them that we only wanted to be friends, because - "
"That's why it's so funny," Raven explained, still in a fit of
giggles. "He got in the fight over you, Gin!"
* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *
Harry stood, dumbfounded, as Cho sank into the chair he had offered,
her head in her hands. She continued to sob as Harry sat down, shaking slighty,
into the chair next to her. She didn't seem to notice him at all. Well, this
is nice, Harry thought to himself. I haven't even told her yet and
already she's crying. Is a girl's intuition really that perceptive? Have to ask
Ginny - no, that would be forward, too personal – he paused, realizing that
Ginny was nearly his girlfriend and he didn't have to worry about things like
that anymore. He smiled slightly, thinking of her, and turned back to Cho,
whose head was still in her arms. She was positively bawling. Harry glanced
around nervously to see if there was a teacher or, better yet, a fifth year
girl (preferably a Ravenclaw) around to help him out. He had nearly zero
experience with wailing girls, having only been around the same one twice – it
had been Hermione both times, once near the Sorcerer's Stone, when she had
feared for his death, and again after the first task. Where was Hermione? She
could help – he looked around, but didn't see her. Cho's noisy sobs were slowly
reducing to sniffles and occasional howls, and Harry consoled her as best he
could by patting her back and saying "there, there" quietly. He offered her a
clean sleeve to wipe her eyes on, but she declined, using the tablecloth
instead – something Harry was fine with, considering he would have no idea how
to get her rapidly-running eye makeup out of his robes. Cho finally raised her
head and sniffled, saying, "Oh, Harry, I'm sorry, I'm a horrible date, I know
it…"
"No, no," Harry lied, crossing his fingers in the pocket of his robe.
"You're fine…"
Cho gave him a weak grin. "Thanks for trying," she sighed.
Harry leaned in, trying to be comforting by telling Cho he knew why
she was crying and forgave her. Unfortunately, he didn't have the slightest
inkling of what was really going on – people in love never do – and from then
on, everything went downhill.
"I'm sorry I made you feel guilty about taking me to the ball. It
wasn't intentional. I know you're crying because you miss Cedric, and I was a
total prat for making you come to this ball, because you still have all these
memories, like me…" he faded off, a little unnerved by the look on Cho's face.
She was staring at him with something like pity mixed with shock, and a dash of
annoyance.
"You…you…Cedric? Why…he doesn't…this has nothing to do with Cedric!"
she yelled. Harry had a flash of impending doom. Cho rose out of her chair, her
voice shaking.
"I really am sorry I brought you to this dance," she stormed. "I
didn't really like you anyway - "
"Hey!" Harry protested.
"Well I DIDN'T, and I only asked you because I felt guilty, that much
you got right…" she looked at him with narrowed eyes. Harry had a strong urge
to start moving his chair away from Cho inch by inch. Cho continued, "The
reason I was crying was because you are so sweet, clueless but sweet, and the
thing is – Harry, I'm going out with Terry."
Harry felt the floor shift under him. "This isn't about Cedric, then?"
he asked quietly.
"Don't bring him into this!" Cho cried, and Harry saw with dismay that
angry tears were hovering on the edges of her eyelids. "Terry has been so good
about Cedric, he knows, he knows, and he was angry that I asked you to the
ball. I felt bad leading you on…"
Harry began to laugh at the absurdity of it all. Cho looked utterly
miserable, with her gold makeup running down her face and her black mascara
smeared and tears in her eyes. "What is so funny?" she demanded. Harry
continued to laugh. Finally, he managed to choke out, "Cho, I came over here to
break up with you!"
Cho looked surprised (understatement: she looked bowled over). She
glanced at Terry, who was talking with friends, and back at Harry, who was wiping
tears of laughter out of his eyes. She felt an insane urge to giggle, despite
her earlier anger. "What?" she asked.
The whole story came out. Cho laughed, Harry laughed, and after a
quick talk, they both agreed that they would still be friends – it had all been
better that way, anyway. They parted after about fifteen minutes, Harry
apologizing for not being able to walk her back to her common room, but Cho
insisted it was fine. She gave Harry a hug (which left him with a nice glow)
and went back to Terry, dragging Harry by the hand behind her. Terry shook
Harry's hand very nicely, for supposedly being outraged at Cho's choice of a
date. They talked of Quidditch for a minute or two before Harry left to find
Ginny.
One ordeal over with, he thought fervently. I hope Gin found Justin
and explained things…
* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *
Ginny gripped the edge of the table with one hand. The other
unconsciously rose to cover her mouth, as she gasped, "He did what?"
Raven nodded serenely, taking a ladylike sip of her butterbeer. "Yes,
it seems that Justin is truly a gentleman," she said, lounging back. "It's a
long story, but he acted very…chivalrous."
"Chivalrous? Chivalrous? I come back here to find out he's been
mauled…"
"Not mauled," Raven protested.
"…and he's lying up there in the hospital wing and you tell me he's
been chivalrous? Raven!" Ginny stood up.
"Well, he was," Raven said, shrugging.
"Come on." Ginny took Raven's hand and dragged her off towards the
doors.
"Where are we – oh, no. I've got a date! You can't bring me with you!
I know where you're going, the hospital wing - "
"Yes, and you're going to explain to me why he's up there," Ginny said
through clenched teeth. "This whole thing was my fault and I'm going to fix
it."
"The ideal way to fix it would be to go out with Justin, considering
he must be head over heels for you," Raven panted as Ginny drug her up the
marble staircase.
"Well, I'll nearly fix it," Ginny said confidently. "Now explain to me
what happened."
Raven took a deep breath. "For goodness sake, Gin, stop your bullying.
I can walk on my own." Ginny turned her loose and faced her, hands on hips.
"Explain. Now."
"Fine, fine. All I know is that Draco Malfoy, who must think he's
Supreme Ruler of the Wizarding Fashions, or something, was kind of…" Raven
faltered. "Don't get mad…"
"I won't," Ginny promised nervously.
"He was making some…how shall I say…rude, condescending comments about
Hannah Abbot's new robes. And Neville was trying to stick up for her, and she
was sniveling and Draco was jeering and - "
"Inconsiderate, spoiled…" Ginny started with clenched teeth.
"Anyway, Justin came over – you know Hannah's a Hufflepuff, like him,
same year and everything – and he told Malfoy where to go, if you catch my
meaning." Raven grinned.
Ginny felt a rush of pride for Justin. "Good for him!" she said
warmly.
"Draco didn't like it," said Raven. Her eyes turned sympathetic.
"Ginny, please don't be offended at what he said to Justin, all right?" she
implored.
"I'll try," Ginny responded.
Raven nodded. "His face turned all red and he sneers, "Don't know what
you're talking for, Finch-Fletchley. I saw that darned, mended and patched
Muggle-loving freak you came with."
Ginny's eyes filled with tears. She knew she was poor, and of course
she knew how her father was slightly more appreciative of Muggles than most,
but she had rarely experienced anyone teasing her about it. Ginny looked
half-heartedly down at her dress robes. She had thought them so pretty at the start
of the ball. Now Draco's stinging words were making her feel self-conscious.
Raven looked alarmed. "Gin, don't you take one word that stinking
Malfoy speaks in his entire life to be true. He's a complete jerk! His only
friends have the IQ of tree bark, if tree bark is mean, and your family is
worth twenty of his, even though it doesn't have as much money." Raven's eyes
were smoldering. Ginny smiled at her friend.
"I know he's cruel," she said. "Sometimes it's just hard to think
about the good things, when people rub the bad ones in your face…" her eyes
threatened to brim up with tears, but she asked Raven, "What happened to
Justin?"
"Oh, well, Justin clenched his fists and I really thought he was going
to flat-out hit him, but Justin's pretty laid back. He just said 'Ginny's a
great girl and I don't give a damn what clothes she wears, as long as the
sweet, thoughtful, and kind person underneath stays the same. I'm lucky to know
her for her, which is more than you can say, Malfoy."
Ginny blushed. Someone – a boy! – had said that about her! "I'm so
grateful," she said quietly.
Raven nodded. "Well, Draco hauled off and punched him, and then Justin
abandoned all goodly upbringing and knocked him flat. It was kind of weird –
they've always been civil before now, if not great friends. Slytherins tend to
think Hufflepuffs are a waste of space and breathing air in this castle."
Ginny was appalled. "I still can't believe he fought him for me!" she
said.
Raven smiled. "You've got a good friend in Justin," she said. "And
also in Neville."
"Oh, no…" Ginny moaned, "don't tell me he fought Draco too!"
"Oh, yes, of course he did!" Raven laughed. "Hasn't he done it before?
When Hannah saw Justin and Draco scuffling she screeched 'Neville! Why won't
you fight for me? You don't love me!' and of course he sailed in with both
fists flying. But he said afterwards it was really his insulting you that made
him decide to fight. He remembered last time, before the Quidditch match."
Ginny smiled nervously. They were at the sick room now. She knocked
and Madame Pomfrey came to the door immediately, scowling at them.
"I'm afraid they can't have visitors," she sniffed.
"Oh, please!" Ginny cried. "I must see him! He took up for me, Madame!
I feel so bad."
Madame Pomfrey inspected them imperiously. "Well, I suppose for a
minute," she relented. Ginny rushed through the door and was confronted with
the most bizarre scene that had met her eyes yet that year.
In one bed was Draco, propped up by a large stack of fluffy feather
pillows and nursing a swollen-knuckled, black and blue hand. His left eye was
closing and his right foot was propped up on yet another pillow, the ankle
twisted at a very unusual angle. Ginny sucked in her breath. Justin had done
this to him? Or Neville? The thought was painfully comical.
In the next bed was Justin. His nose seemed to have only recently
stopped bleeding. He, also, had a black eye blooming spectacularly on the left
side of his face.
Neville was last. A purplish bruise was forming on his cheekbone and
another under his jaw. His hand and knuckles were bloody.
The whole sight was surreal to Ginny. These boys were hurt! She had
hurt them! Not in reality, but that was lost on Ginny's guilty soul. She walked
to Justin's bed and sat in the chair beside it, grinning bravely for him. He
grinned back and Ginny's heart was wrenched as she saw two crooked teeth in his
smile.
"Hi," he said pleasantly.
"Hi yourself," Ginny replied. "Exactly what have you done to
yourself?"
"Oh, not much," he lied. "Only a couple scrapes. I'll be back in class
tomorrow, what do you bet?" Ginny smiled ruefully.
"You didn't have to do this."
"I know."
"You're hurt."
"Not bad," he protested.
"Sure."
"So what did you come up here for?" he asked. Ginny was reminded of
her original intent in talking with Justin.
"I have to tell you something," she began.
"Okay, shoot." Justin smiled. One tooth wiggled at her. She felt like
crying. Justin was the first guy she'd really liked since Harry, and here she
was letting him down. She only liked Justin as a friend, but it's painful to
hurt friend's feelings, and even more painful when you know how much it will
hurt them.
"I'm…kind of 'going' with Harry Potter," she forced out quickly.
"Going?" Justin inquired.
"Dating," she said.
"Ah."
A silence fell.
"Always hoped you would."
Ginny nearly fell out of her seat in shock.
"Excuse me?" she asked shakily.
"Well," Justin said slowly, "I've liked you for a while, Gin (she
grinned at how naturally her nickname, usually only spoken by friends and
family, came to him), but before I did and even when I did I remember
thinking how you guys made sense. With some people, you can just tell, you
know? You and Harry just make sense." He smiled. "I was still hoping."
His smile tore at Ginny's heart. "I know," she said. "I really like
you, Justin, and I'm so grateful for what you did tonight."
He shook his head, then winced and touched his eye. "Don't think I
played the role of the hero," he said. "I had to do it. It was a personal
issue." He glared at Draco in the next bed. "Don't feel like you owe me
anything, either, hear me, Ginny?"
"Okay," she said sullenly. "I was going to make you something, or cook
something for you! I'm a good cook."
"Really?" Justin said. "My favorite food…would have to be pancakes."
Ginny grinned widely. "My specialty," she said.
FIN
Well, that was ending one. Now, if you didn't like that one, or if you
just want to read both, we can move on to ending two. It's a little bit different,
but nonetheless interesting. :-)
