Under the Mistletoe

Chapter Three


Standing in front of the mirror, I examined the purple and blue pouches that had begun to surround my eyes. Two black eyes. Oh, wasn't this just nifty!

"You look awful, dearie," the mirror said comfortingly. I grumbled. How I managed to get black eyes, I didn't know. It wasn't as if I hit the wall on an angle. My surprise alone at the bruises should tell you exactly how much I know about medicinal things: absolutely nothing.

"Thanks," I answered with a frown. "That's exactly what I wanted to hear."

Back to those dastardly eyes. The cream hadn't done its duty yet and it would take a bunch of make-up to cover it all up or some tricky complexion spell. Unfortunately, my skin was sensitive so I didn't usually wear make-up. None of my friends had skin as light as mine either so that hope was gone. Not to mention the fact that if my best friend, Colin Creevy, had make-up I'd be severely disturbed. The last time I had tried to use a spell on myself for vanity, I'd ended up with green freckles for a month (those specks on my nose were here to stay). There wasn't anything I could really do than to go downstairs and confess to everyone that I had run into a wall. This wasn't something I was looking forward to.

I gloomily turned to my dresser and began to dig around in my dresser for a sweater. The common room was undoubtedly nice and toasty but upstairs it was freezing. Not to mention, when I made the rounds later this evening to pick up the work I had missed it was going to be cold.

I pulled out a violet sweater that my mother had knit for me last holiday with a large 'G' in the middle. Next to it was my sorry excuse for a dress robe. I felt bad thinking it since my family didn't have the finances to get me a new, pretty robe. After all, it wasn't as if I was Ron. He had that girly robe, heh!

Mum had done her best, shopping around just about everywhere for the robe. It wasn't as bad as the other possibility that was for sure. The golden-brown matched the 'G' on the sweater I was wearing. The rent in the hem had been carefully mended and the sash was new but... I couldn't help but feel envious as all the other girls flipped through their magazines, popping bubble gum, and choosing whichever robe they desired- no matter how expensive it was. Magda Crimmons had gone on all last night about how she was having her dress specially made in France. I would look shabby indeed next to her! (I made a mental note not to go to the Gala with her).

After a glance at my watch, I thumped back down the stairs into the common room. It was empty since it was time for dinner. If I didn't show up at dinner after not being at lunch, Ron would have my head. He'd be demanding to know who I was snogging in between classes. Right. Like anyone was going to have a snog with Ron Weasley's little sister. They'd have to be mental. Either that, or have a death wish.

"Where have you been, young lady?" Ron demanded, true to form, as I sat down at the Gryffindor table. I was situated between him and Colin. I debated whether I should ignore him and talk to Colin or not. Considering the way both of them were glaring at my eyes and thinking evil thoughts, I decided 'not'.

"Ginny!" Hermione gasped. "What happened to you?" She and Ron had even stopped their game of footsie under the table. Now this was serious!

"Oh nothing much," I said as reassuringly as I could. I took a sip of pumpkin juice and mumbled, "I just...er... ran into a wall today."

"What?" Ron said leaning closer. "I didn't catch that one."

I muttered it again.

"Sorry, missed that one," Colin said. How many times was I going to have to repeat myself? I decided to go through the process one more time.

"Oh hang on, you weren't speaking loud enough," Harry said from where he was seated across from me.

"I SAID I RAN INTO A WALL!" I yelled. "OKAY?"

What with my luck, I just had to shout this when there had been a momentary lull in conversation. Everyone at the Gryffindor had turned to stare. Heck! Practically everyone in the Hall was looking at me. I took a peek at the Slytherin table and saw that Draco had left off flirting with Pansy to grin at me. Yes, a Malfoy was grinning- not smirking, not sneering, but grinning. I was shocked too but decided not to think about it as I ducked my ruddy face under the table. Only the tips of my pink ears and a bit of the Weasley hair showed now.

"Can we just drop it?" I hissed, as the blood ran to my head.

"Er, sure," Ron said and he patted my shoulders awkwardly.

"Do you want me to pass you food under the table, Miss Blue and Black and Pink-All-Over?" Colin asked cheerfully. He was enjoying my humiliation entirely too much, I decided, and gave him a whack on his bony knee.

"Ouch."

"Serves you right," I snapped thickly. It was inevitable; I was going to have to move above the table unless I wanted my head to explode. I returned above-table and shook out my hair. The majority of the Hall had returned to eating their food and their own conversations but Draco had traded his grin for a more traditional Malfoy smirk.

Author's Note: Yes, Ginny is a little clumsy in this story. Chalk it up to me spending too much time in the realm of Sailor Moon and the ever- clumsy Usagi/Serena. If it bothers any one, remember how Ginny would put her elbow in the butter around Harry etc. Just think of it being an integral part of her personality, not just because she had a vile crush on that Potter kid, whatever his name was ;-)