Charisse: Wowie! Thanks for the reviews!! They love me they really love me!
Draco: Who loves you?
Charisse: The people!!!
Draco: Nah, they're just trying to make you feel better.
Charisse (slaps Draco on the face *Ginny Style ^^*) : Shut up!
Ron: I actually agree with Malferret.
Charisse: Shut up you red headed idiotic freak! Herm likes Harry!
Hermione: I don't like anyone that way okay?
Charisse: Suuuure *wink,wink*
Ron: Not even me?
Hermione: I like you as a friend, Ron.
Charisse: Riiiight.
Draco: Let's get onto the fic before Charisse goes insane again.
Harry: Right, on to the fic.
*Charisse taunting Hermione and Ron.*
Draco: Anyway, Charisse doesn't own anything. She's a poor hobo who lives in the street with rats. The almighty J.K Rowling owns us..Thank goodness.
Charisse: I do not live with rats!!!
Harry: ^^;; On to the fic..
-------------------------
Draco and Ginny had been sitting down at the library surprisingly quiet and actually helping each other. They still exchanged occasional insults, but none too harsh to make them jump and kill each other. Madam Pince watched them from the front desk, in complete awe. She almost called the HeadMaster.
"Hm..Muggle artifacts in Hogwarts. What page is that on little Weasel?" Draco asked skimming through a page.
"Oh, don't bother looking. I took down notes, here." Ginny handed her notebook to Draco and turned to a page filled with information. "Just copy that."
"Appreciate it, Weasely." Draco took the notes and started to copy them in his notebook.
After practically a whole day of researching in the library, Draco decided to go back to the common room and get a much deserved rest from his day of hard work.
"Thanks for the help, Weasley." Draco started to pack up his things.
"Anything for the ferret boy." Ginny snickered and Draco gave a glared. "I guess I have to go too."
"Why?" Draco asked.
"Because I'm hungry and exhausted." Ginny took her things and placed them in her bag.
"Can I borrow the book now?" Draco asked putting a puppy-eyed kind of smile.
"No," Ginny closed the book and took it.
"Fine, fine." They both pushed in their chairs and walked to the exit of the library. Madam Pince's jaw hung open at the sight of Weasley and a Malfoy not beating each other up.
"Where are you going now?" Draco asked shouldering his bag.
"Our common room then the Great Hall." Ginny answered walking straight with a heavy bag on her back and a heavy book on her arms.
"Oooh..." Draco answered.
"Excuse me, but I have to go now." Ginny waved Draco a goodbye then climbed the stairs leaving a grin on Draco's face.
"Hmph..Little birdy is growing up and flying out of its nest. Time to hunt the birdies.." Draco muttered to himself and then went to the Slytherin common room.
********
Ron had been lying down on the floor just staring at the wall across him. He didn't care where he was or what's going to happen anymore. He should've seen it coming..Harry had been acting weird around Hermione lately. It was so obvious. Why didn't he see it? The tears from Ron's eyes were now gone and his lips were bleeding from biting it too hard awhile ago. He reached his fingers in his lips and touched his blood. He stared at it and then licked it. He clenched his fist in anger now. His best friends were kissing...He just couldn't get it out of his head anymore. He closed his eyes hoping that when he opens it everything would be gone and nothing had happened.
"What are you doing on the floor, Weasley? Looking for money now are you?" Draco spat at Ron. Ron didn't have much energy to answer back to Malfoy so he just ignored him.
"What are you doing down here? Hoping that Slythering dropped some money for the poor Gryffindors?" Draco continued to taunt. Ron, however, just sat there ignoring Malfoy. Draco was really the least of his problems right now.
"Are you even alive down there?" Draco bent down a little and snapped his finger infront of Ron..Nothing. Not even a blink.
Malfoy rolled his eyes and did what he thought was best. SMACK! He sent a loud smack across Ron's face. Ron immediately jumped up and Malfoy rised and snickered.
"What are you smiling at Malfoy?Where the bloody hell am I?" Ron looked around and found himself at a corridor somewhere in the dungeons.
"I was looking at that look of yours when you were lying down on the floor like an idiot. You're at the Dungeons by the way, searching the floor for money, obviously." Ron's ear started to turn pink in anger.
"Be careful, Malfoy, you never know when your transfomation into a ferret might kick in." Ron straightened out his robes and glared at Malfoy.
"Always, the ferret thing. Honestly, don't you have any better insults." Malfoy sighed and turned back to walk away.
Ron pouted and started to find his way back up to the Great Hall. The whole Malfoy encounter got his mind off the Harry/Hermione issue. But now that Malfoy was gone and Ron was alone walking in the hall the thought started to kick in again. He kind of wish that Malfoy stayed longer to keep him from thinking about Hermione...
********
Hermione was at Harry's shoulder crying. She was going to lose two friends because she let her hormones got in the way.
"I..I can't take this! Ron! He saw us! What's going to happen? I..I just can't take this. I don't want Ron to get hurt.." Hermione cried out in between her sobs.
Harry stroked her bushy brown hair and tried to comfort her. "I'm sorry, Hermione. This is all my fault..I'm so sorry.." Harry wasn't doing a good job comforting her obviously.
"No, it's my fault..I shouldn't have..I just.."Hermione started to cry again.
Harry ran out of words to say. Even he, The-Boy-Who-Lived, and defeated Voldemort numerous times didn't know what to do. Ron and Hermione are his only true friends and now by letting his silly emotions get in the way he's about to lose both of them. He would much rather go against Voldemort again than have to face such decision with his friends.
The portrait hole opened and Collin and Dennis Creevey came in. Hermione pulled away from Harry's embrace and ran to the girls' dormitories. Collin ran to Harry, but Harry immediately avoided their pestering questions by running to the boys' dormitories.
"What do you reckon happen?" Collin asked to Dennis.
"I dunno. I bet Harry's in trouble! We need to help him!" Dennis squeaked.
"Hmm..We should wait for him to come out." The two stayed at the Common Room waiting for Harry to come out, which he didn't, because he knew they were waiting downstairs and he really didn't need them right now.
***********
Ginny rushed to the Gryffindor Common Room with a bunch of books in her bag. She was beginning to be a lot like Hermione. Her odd little event with Draco awhile ago still quite surprised her. Their few hours in the library was actually the best time she had at the library. They taunted each other and actually helped each other. Ginny blushed a little thinking of Draco. Sure, Draco's cold and annoying a lot of times, but Ginny just found something in him that's so..so.. attracting.
"Felize Navidad!" The portrait of the fat lady swung open and Ginny ran inside and dropped his bag and books on the floor. She immediately collapsed at the nearest chair.
"Hi, Ginny." Dennis greeted as he played Exploding Snaps with his brother.
"Oh, hi, Dennis. Hi, Collin." Ginny greetd exhaustingly.
"Well, someone have been spending an awful lot of time at the library lately." Dennis teased.
"Shut up, Dennis." Ginny sat at the chair watching the two play for a few minutes when Fred and George entered the room.
"Hey, Fred and George." Ginny greeted smiling.
"Hey, have you seen Ron?" George asked sitting at an empty couch.
"Er-- No." Ginny replied. She hasn't seen Ron all morning, infact.
"Well, what about Harry and Hermione?" Fred asked.
"Oh, they're upstairs at their dormitories." Collin answered.
"Why?" Ginny asked looking at his brothers.
"Oh, nothing..Just nothing." They replied in unison.
"Where have you two been anyway?" Ginny asked.
"Oh..We've been..Umm.." George stuttered.
"Wandering around." Fred continued with a smirk on his face.
"Okay, whatever. I'm going to dinner. I'm starving!Are you coming?" Ginny asked.
"Nah, we're kind of full." George replied rubbing his tummy.
"We're waiting for Harry." Collin replied.
"Okay, then." Ginny walked out the door with a growling stomach.
*********************
Draco was walking down the corridor to the Great Hall, surprisingly alone. Most of his Slytherin entourage were out for the Holidays. There were only a few Slytherin who stayed and non he wanted to talk with. He insisted to come with his father to Albania, but Lucius didn't let him because it was Death Eater meeting. So, here he was, all alone for the Holidays.
Draco saw Ginny walking towards the Great Hall and a spark of a devious plan came into his devious head of his. He ran after Ginny and stopped her before entering the Great Hall.
"Weasley," Draco caught her by her robes. Ginny had that sort of perplexed look on her face watching Draco holding onto her robes.
"What do you want now? I'm not giving you the book." Ginny pulled her robes away.
"I don't need the book. We can share." Draco said in a sly kind of tone.
Ginny raised an eyebrow. "Um..Malfoy what exactly do you need now?"
"You got me wrong We..Er---What's your name again?" Draco asked with bright curiosity in his eyes.
Ginny, who was completely annoyed by this now, pushed Malfoy and entered the Great Hall. She wasn't going to buy Malfoy's tricks.
The tables were nowhere to be seen, instead a large circular table was in the middle and the 12 large Christmas trees were at the front where the High Table is usually is placed. Ginny looked around and saw Professor Dumbledore sitting at a corner talking to Hagrid.
"Ah, yes. Miss Weasley and Mister Malfoy, come join us." Dumbledore waved his hand.
Ginny hesitated at first, but the growling pain in her stomach pushed her into it. Blaise Zabini ,a Fifth Year Slytherin girl, sat at a corner talking to the Ravenclaw Prefect. Ginny sat at an empty chair next to Hagrid.
" 'Ello there Ginny." Hagrid greeted with a wide smile.
"Hi, Hagrid." Ginny's plate started to fill up with food.
Draco sat next to Professor Snape at the other end watching Ginny with a grin. Ginny tried to ignore it by engaging a conversation with a First Year Hufflepuff next to her. Professor Trelawney was arguing with Professor Mcgonogall while Professor Delacour (Yes, Fleur became their DADA teacher) was talking with the new Muggle Studies Professor.
"Do you know whether, Mister Potter and his friends are going to dinner? Quite a few of us are still missing." Dumbledore asked Ginny.
"Er--I'm not quite sure Professor." Ginny answered.
"Is he sick?" Hagrid asked a bit worried.
"No, no, I think he's just tired." Ginny replied.
The dinner actually went well, of course Draco's grins were starting to get into Ginny's nerves. Ginny wanted to throw a piece of bread across the table to Draco, but it was of course inappropriate and besides it might be just what Draco wants.
Dumbledore stood up when the plates emptied and their stomachs were full. "As we all know not a lot of students stay for the Holidays, so I decided to put up a Secret Santa." Everyone looked at Dumbledore with an odd look on their faces.
"What's a 'Secret Santa'?" The Hufflepuff girl asked.
"Well, Professor Nikolai, our Muggle Studies teacher had informed me of such a fun thing!" Dumbledore explained with glimmer in his eyes. "Please, Professor do explain this to them."
Dumbledore sat down while Professor Nikolai stood up a bit nervous. "Um..Muggles everywhere had this kind of tradition everywhere. It's when you pull out a name from a bag, and you have to give a present for whoever you get." The Professor had a Norwegian accent and a stutter in his voice. "Some do it for days with different themes. For example, tomorrow can be 'joke theme' you can give the person a sort of prank gift. Not too harmless of course." Some people still did look confused about it to Professor Nikolai had to explain it again.
When they finally got it they were all 'Ooooh' and 'Ahhhh'. Some did thought it was a good idea, like Dumbledore and Hagrid. Some disagreed with such foolishness, like Snape and Draco.
"Anyone in favor of doing a Secret Santa this year?" A majority raised their hand even Mcgonogall did. "Well, this settles it. This year we are to have a Secret Santa!" Dumbledore said with pure excitement in his tone.
"But what about the people who aren't here?" The Ravenclaw Prefect asked.
"Ah, yes. Them, we shall be picking it for them and it'll be up to you to inform them." Dumbledore took out his wand and summoned a old hat that resembled the Sorting Hat only more colorful. "All our names are in it and now to pick our destined person!"
The hat floated towards Dumbledore. He reaches in with sparkle in his eyes and took out a piece of parchment and opened it. Dumbledore gave out a somewhat odd giggle and placed the parchment in his pocket and sat down.
The hat floated towards Hagrid. Hagrid's hands were too big so it sort of widen and Hagrid dug in his hands at the batty hat. When his arms came out his hand was holding a piece of parchment. Hagrid immediately sat down and opened it. He had no reaction or whatsoever, he just placed the parchment in one of the pockets of his oversized coat.
Next was Ginny. She was a bit nervous at first. What if she got Snape?What would she give him? Harry's head maybe? She dug her hand in and felt a sort of ticklish sensation and then picked one parchment. She immediately took her hand out and sat back at her seat. She slowly opened it with both excitement and fear. Her hands trembled as the parchment opened. The name shone brightly in gold ink. Draco Malfoy. She let out a silent gasp with her hand in her mouth. She lifted her head a little bit and saw Draco talking to Snape in hushed voices. Draco glanced up and saw her staring at him. Draco had that devious grin which almsot made Ginny gag. She folded the parchment and placed it at the pocket of her robes.
The hat was now infront of Draco. Snape had just picked out his parchment and he looked a bit mad about it. Draco placed his hands in the hat and waved his hands for a parchment and picked the one that landed right at his palm. He quickly lifted his hand up and sat down silently. He opened the parchment and saw a name that shone in gold ink. Ronald Weasley. Draco's eyes widen and his jaw fell open. Of all people.. Ron. Ginny's brother. He crumpled the parchment and stuffed it in his robe's pocket. He pouted at the thought of giving a Weasely a gift..
The hat was now back at Dumbledore's side. He took his wand put and waved it in the air a few times.
"For Mister Harry Potter." A piece of parchment flew out of the hat and out the room. Everyone gasped and avoided it.
"For Miss Hermione Granger." Another piece of parchment flew out across the room.
This continued up to the last teacher who was absent from dinner. When there were no more parchments inside the hat, it folded itself and landed at Dumbledore's hand.
Dumbledore chuckled as he placed the hat in his pocket. "Well, for the first day of our Secret Santa it's Prank day. The gifts will be due the day after tomorrow. Everyone will be sending their gifts by owl. And, oh nothing too nasty. Just enough to tickle our hearts for Christmas." Dumbledore gave a sort of wink. "Well, good night and have a nice evening." Everyone stood up and started to walk out the door.
While walking out the first year Hufflepuff was talking to Ginny. "Oh! I do hope someone will get me something nice." The girl, whose name is Mirna, giggled. "I wish Collin got mine!"
Ginny almost died when she head what Mirna said. "Um..Yeah.." Ginny said fighting the laughter.
Draco was walking behind them listening to their conversations. "Yeah, I just want Potter's biggest fan to get my name. So he can get me more exclusive photos of him at the bathroom!" Draco giggled sarcastically.
Ginny almost jumped when Draco sneaked up behind them. "Do you really now, Draco? Because I'm sure Harry would love to be informed of his new fan, you." Ginny shot back.
"Oh, please. Like I would want anything touched even breathed on by Potty." Draco sneered.
"Shut up, Harry's cool!" Mirna whined.
"Wow, so you are a Harry fan. Do you know what that git did last year?" Draco glared at the little girl.
"He won the Triwizard Championship!" Mirna shot back with pride.
"Silly girl." Draco got closer to the girl. "He took away Hufflepuff's only chance for glory."
"So?" Mirna glared back.
Just when Ginny was about to cast the Jelly Legs Jinx curse, Mcgonogall came out the Great Hall.
"What is this?" Mcgonogall asked looking at Draco.
"Oh, nothing, Professor. Just chatting." Mcgonogall eyed Draco suspiciously, but he just gave an innocent smile.
"Very well, then. Go on to your common rooms now." Mirna walked away and waved a goodbye to Ginny.
When Mcgonogall disappeared at the hall Draco turned back to Ginny who has already gone to the staircase.
Draco immediately ran after Ginny when Snape appeared infront of him. Snape grinned at him while Draco tried to look for Ginny behind him.
"Going anywhere, Mister Malfoy?" Snape asked still grinning.
"Er---I was just going back to the common room." Draco lied.
"Well, common room's that way, incase you forgot." Snape pointed towards the opposite direction.
"Oh, yeah. Of course, I was just going to the Owlery to send something to my father, but I thought I could wait till tomorrow morning." Draco turned.
When Draco was about to go down to the dungeons with disappointment, he felt Snape's touch on his shoulder.
"Thought I would walk with you." Snape had that ominous voice.
"Okay, then." The two walked back to the dungeons and Snape walked back to his office as soon as Draco went in the Slytherin common room.
Draco threw himself at a couch infront of the fire and pouted. He was starting to hate Snape. He was so close into winning Ginny. It would have to wait for tomorrow...Unfortunately.
"What are you doing there?" Blaise asked sitting across Draco.
"I'm sitting down, isn't it obvious?" Draco shot back.
Blaise's silver blonde hair flowed down her Slytherin robes and watched Draco. "What's wrong?"
Draco was a bit taken back by this. Blaise never really talked to him before..Or anyone he knew for that matter. She was always alone or with some small group talking. She wasn't known really. She never joined in the whole 'Potter Stinks' at the Triwizard Championship.
"Since when did you care?" Draco glared at her.
"Since, there's only four Slytherins that stayed for the Holidays and two of them are too brainless to care for their fellow Slytherin." Draco gave a sort of skeptical look.
"Whatever," Draco replied and sulked back in the chair.
"Honestly, Draco, you could be really cute, but extremely stubborn sometimes." Draco sort of blushed on the word 'cute'. Sure, girls oogle over his beauty, but something about the way Blaise said it made it seemed priceless.
"Well, are you even gonna talk to me?" Blaise asked. Draco's blushing subsided and he went back to sulking.
"Like it's any of your business." Draco coldly replied.
"Fine, then. Stay here and sulk all by yourself." Blaise was about to stand up when Draco exasperated sigh and grabbed Blaise by the arm.
"Fine, I do have a problem..It's not like you can solve it so what's the point telling you?" Draco said letting go Blaise's arm as she sat back down.
"Well, I dunno, maybe it helps to let it out. I mean c'mon you're Draco Malfoy, it's not like your problems are matter of life and death. It doesn't really hurt to tell me." Blaise leaned closer to the sulking Draco.
"Hmph!" Draco crossed his arms and pouted.
Blaise giggled which caused Draco to pout more. "You're really cute when you pout."
"I never knew someone so quiet like you could be so annoying." Draco shot back with a glare.
"You are!" Blaise giggled more. Obviously, the giggling didn't comfort Draco very much.
"As much as I appreciate your admiration for my stunningly good looks," Blaise gasped on the Slytherin boy's ego. "I think that we should get on to the psychiatric help that you offered. Unless, you would much rather gaze at me."
Blaise gave out a smile across her pale face. She much resembled Draco. She had the silvery blonde hair, that was common among veelas even if she wasn't one. She also had the pale, cold skin that made her look dead and yet very much alive. And of course there were the gray, cold looking eyes. Another Malfoy trademark. But, unlike Draco, though she'll never admit it looked amazingly stunning. She might be a girl twin of Draco, but she never resembled the egotistical and cruel ways of a Malfoy. She always wondered why she was put in Slytherin, she wasn't as cruel or ambitious as any of her classmates. She was more like a Ravenclaw. Amazingly intelligent, not as intelligent as Hermione of course, she had the wit to be in Ravenclaw. For some odd reason she was put in Slytherin. Not that it was bad, but she often questioned herself.
"Well, is the session gonna start anytime soon, Zabini. I do have to sleep you know." Draco snapped and glanced at his watch. It was almost 12, time went by so fast when you're just sitting around and being gazed at.
"Oh, right, Mister Malfoy." Blaise replied in a doctor sarcastic kind of way. "This will cost you, not that it's any problem for you. Anyway, I'll get to the point. What is wrong with you? Anything you might wanna share?"
"Hmm..." Draco stood up and a smile crept up his pale face. "Infact I do," He pause as he kept Blaise in suspense. "But unfortunately you will never know you, wretched little girl." Draco had the smug look on his face and ran off to bed. "Good night, Zabini. Thanks for the session, it really helped me!" Draco called out laughing to himself.
'What a big prat. He really is a Malfoy.' Blaise ran off to the girls dormitories thinking of how horrible Draco could be. Well, it was worth it, some quality time with your unknown classmate. Is exchanging insult and getting completely dissed in the end quality time? Well, for a Slytherin it was.
Blaise pulled up her covers and went to a deep slumber and had a dream about a particular Slytherin boy, who she never thought she would even have a conversation with.
*********************
Ginnny explained to the twins and the Creevey brothers about the whole Secret Santa thing. The fantastic trio: Hermione, Harry and Ron, still didn't make any appearance at the common room at all. Ginny was starting to worry about Ron. Nobody has seen him ever since the snowball fight with the twins earlier. The three were usually together,fighting Voldemort or something, but they were all separated and nowhere to be found. Surely, Ron is just probably at the boys' dormitories. But something in Ginny wasn't too sure about that.
"Fred, can you check if Ron is in the boys' dormitories. He wasn't at dinner and I'm kind of worried now." Ginny asked getting all of her stuff.
"Er-- We'll check later. We've got loads of order forms to take care of right now." George replied stamping a paper with their 'official' WWW stamp.
"What about you Collin, Dennis?" Ginny had that hopeful look on her face.
"Okay, we're planning to check up on Harry anyway." Dennis and Collin stood up and went up to the boys' dormitories.
Ginny was sitting at the couch watching the fire spread its warmth all over the room and the twins stamping more paper. She waited more and then the Creevey brothers were back down.
"So, is Ron there?" Ginny immediately asked. Even the twin stopped working and turned to the Creevey brothers.
"Well, Harry is okay, he's sleeping. Ron..Well.." Dennis paused and Ginny had that awful feeling in her guts. "Well, he's not there." Ginny felt a hard blow in her stomach. Surely, Ron was just..Wandering off? 'But he's alone! It's really late!' Ginny's mind raced on possibilities where her stubborn brother could be.
"He could just be at the kitchens getting food from those helpful elves. He didn't show up for dinner right? He's probably hungry." George suggested.
"Hm..Probably." Ginny still didn't felt too sure about that. Ron wouldn't wander off without Hermione or Harry or without anyone. "I'm..I'm going to bed." Ginny gathered her stuff and his brothers and the Creeveys waved goodnight to her.
She decided to check up on Hermione first before going to bed. 'She would know where Ron is..Right?' Ginny opened the door and found Hermione's four poster bed with the curtains closed. There was no one else there except her.
"Hermione?" Ginny whispered in the darkness. Ginny took out her wand and held it out. "Lumos," Her wand gave out a bright shine of light. She approached Hermione's bed in silence. "Hermione?" She whispered again, but there was no reply.
A faint muffle of cry came from Hermione's bed. Out of curiousity Ginny slowly opened the four poster bed and the cries became more distinct. Ginny quickly sat up at Hermione's bed and brushed Hermione's bushy brown her off her face. Hermione's eyes looked red and weary, like she had been crying all night.
"Hermione?" Ginny started to stroke Hermione's hair. "What's wrong?"
Hermione didn't answer, she only cried even more. Hermione's eyes were closed, but tears were coming out. Ginny didn't know what to say, she didn't even know what was wrong. She just continued to stroke her friend's hair and tried to calm her down.
"Hermione, tell me. What's wrong?" Ginny, not to be insensitive or anything, was getting annoyed. Hermione wouldn't even give out a sound except her cries. Not even a 'no, nothig's wrong . Now go away.' She was just crying.
"Please, tell me." Ginny begged trying to keep her patience. "It'll be much better telling me."
Hermione's cries subside and she stood up with a flash in her eyes. Without any warning or whatsoever she explodes. "Better?" Hermione flashed with anger, obviously, underneath her cries. "No! It won't be better! Nothing will ever be 'better' . I'm an idiot, Ginny! I..I.." Hermione fell back on her pillows and started to cry again.
Although Ginny was still clueless on what happened to Hermione, at least she heard something out of Hermione besides her cries.
"Tell me, Hermione." Ginny carressed her friend's hair. "I'll try to help you.."Ginny didn't know what to say. It's not like she sees a friend of her crying infront of her for some reason everyday.
Hermione sniffed and lifts her head up to Ginny. Hermione looked bad..Really. Her eyes were so red and puffy and her bushy hair was a bigger mess now. Her eyes kept producing more tears every second. Hermione opened her mouth and struggled to speak beneath her cries. "I.." She whispered out. Hermione's cries weren't stopping at all so Ginny carressed her back to make her friend feel better. "Am so horrible..I just couldn't believe it. I'm so stupid..I shouldn't have..." Hermione fell into Ginny's shoulder crying.
Surprisingly, Hermione's cries subsided. Ginny, of course, being the good friend, patiently waited for the right time to comfort and listen to her friend.
"Hermione?" Ginny asked patting her friends back. "What's wrong?"
Hermione gave a sort of a loathsome shrill of laughter. It really looked odd since she still had tears on her eyes. Imagine seeing a friend of yours crying hysterically moments ago and then paused to give out a sadistic kind of laugh. Very creepy isn't it?
"What's wrong?" Hermione repeated Ginny's question, only a bit more mocking in her tone. "You want to know what's wrong?!" Hermione now sat straight up and looked at Ginny straight in the eye with anger and sadness in them. "I'll tell you what's wrong!" Hermione paused and then stood up from the four poster bed.
"Hermione?" Ginny had a sort of pleading on her tone. She wanted to comfort Hermione, not make her mad.
Hermione disregarded Ginny's pleading cry and contiued to talk. "Well, I'll tell you what's wrong!" The tears in Hermione's eyes were so clear even underneath the emotions she was showing. Hermione strode around the room to a desk. "This morning went perfectly fine! You know the usual studying for Hermione. Do you know what happened after that?"
It was obviously a rhetorical question, Ginny didn't catch that though. "I don't know.."
Hermione who again disregarded Ginny's incapabality to recognize a rhetorical question continued her outburst. "Ron and the twins went for a little snowball fight. Well, we all know that Hermione doesn't like wasting her time on silly things...So I stayed! That was amazingly predictable! Now, Harry stayed because he was tired..I understood that. Battling the Dark Lord isn't an easy job now is it?" The unfriendly sarcastic tone of Hermione sent a sudden shiver up Ginny's spine. She was about to say something that Ginny wish she'd never heard. Something that will completely kill both of them the moment the words came out. "So I stayed with Harry. We were both in the common room minding our own business! Then!" Hermiones raise of voice almost made Ginny jump from her position. "We talked..Harry wanted to tell me something. It was all fine at first. It happened..." Ginny wanted to close her ears so she didn't have to hear whatever horrible thing it was. She couldn't, she was the one who provoked her to pour our all this. "It was amazing...It was I never realized it at first. I felt safe and warm..We kissed, Ginny!We kissed!"
Ginny didn't know why, but she let out a sort of shocked and hurt gasped. She got over Harry months ago..Then why did this became such an issue to her? Why did she felt that heart clenching pain? Hermione opened her mouth to continue. Ginny wanted her to stop..She wanted to run and forget about what Hermione said. Ginny wanted to escape. Instead tears fell down from her eyes. She tried to stop them. 'Why am I crying?Why?I don't care...Stop please stop..' Ginny shut her eyes to prevent the tears, but it didn't work. The heart clenching pain was drowning her and forcing every bit of neuron in her brain to cry.
"And then.." Hermione's voice was now silent and she sat back down on the bed. There were more sadness in her tone now. "Just when I thought it was all okay..Something..Ron..He saw us." There it was..There was the cause of heart clenching pain. Harry didn't concern Ginny anymore. It was Ron. Ginny's dear, caring brother.. "The look on his face..He had tears, Ginny. Tears.." Tears were starting to pour out of Hermione's eyes. Hermione didn't even try to stop them from coming out. It was like she was meant to cry for this at this moment. Why wouldn't she? Her heart was torn in two now..It was the worst possible pain she could have.
Ginny on the other hand was too speechless to reply. She was supposed to help Hermione..Now she can't even help herself. She knew that her brother had some kind of love for Hermione. Sure, he pretended to be quarrelling with Hermione, but it was all a sign of affection. He just didn't know how to respond to his feelings and..He didn't want to ruin a good friendship. Ginny couldn't imagine the look on her brother's face. Just thinking about it felt like torture already. Then, picture of treachery flashed before Ginny. If Harry and Hermione did care about their friendship deeply, then they wouldn't hurt Ron that much..They wouldn't go on his back..Especially not Harry. A swept of anger took over Ginny's sadness. She stood up and flinged her flaming red hair and looked straight at Hermione who was crying.
"You.." Ginny spoke in a fierce kind of tone. "How could you?! If you treasure your friendship with him, you wouldn't do this!!" Hermione lifted her head up and stared at Ginny bewildered by her words. Ginny lifted her right arm in the air and then swept it and SMACK! She slapped Hermione on her left cheek and stormed out the door. She had slapped two people that day. One that somehow led to a new odd friendship and the other led to an end of a friendship and a start of a vengeful war.
-----------
Charisse: Wow!I'm pretty proud of this chapter! ^^ Especially the emotional stuff.
Hermione: I can't believe you made me look like a bitch!
Harry: Hermione!
Hermione: Oh, shut up, Harry! That evil child made you look stupid!
Draco: But he is..Good job Charisse.
Charisse: Thanks Drakkie-poo. ^^
Draco: For the love of God stop calling me that, woman.
*Harry tries to stop Hermione from strangling the author (who does not live with rats BTW), while the author swoons over the great Malfoy.*
Draco: Get off my leg!
And where is Ron in all these?He is sulking in a corner saying the credits and stuff.
Ron: The author will try to update ASAP. The reviews are greatly appreaciated and won't mind having more, even flames. And she told me to tell you that she does not live with rats..*smirks* Yeah, right. And she would like to thank her cousin for beta reading this because Charisse forced her too.
Charisse: Stop it you Weasel!! I don't live with rats!!!!!!!
Hermione: Yeah, uh huh. You keep telling yourself that!
Tune in once again for the madness..Does the author really live with rats? Why is Ron sulking on the corner reading the credits? Will Hermione and Charisse ever get along? And oh yeah, the fic. Tune in next time! dun dun dun....
Draco: Who loves you?
Charisse: The people!!!
Draco: Nah, they're just trying to make you feel better.
Charisse (slaps Draco on the face *Ginny Style ^^*) : Shut up!
Ron: I actually agree with Malferret.
Charisse: Shut up you red headed idiotic freak! Herm likes Harry!
Hermione: I don't like anyone that way okay?
Charisse: Suuuure *wink,wink*
Ron: Not even me?
Hermione: I like you as a friend, Ron.
Charisse: Riiiight.
Draco: Let's get onto the fic before Charisse goes insane again.
Harry: Right, on to the fic.
*Charisse taunting Hermione and Ron.*
Draco: Anyway, Charisse doesn't own anything. She's a poor hobo who lives in the street with rats. The almighty J.K Rowling owns us..Thank goodness.
Charisse: I do not live with rats!!!
Harry: ^^;; On to the fic..
-------------------------
Draco and Ginny had been sitting down at the library surprisingly quiet and actually helping each other. They still exchanged occasional insults, but none too harsh to make them jump and kill each other. Madam Pince watched them from the front desk, in complete awe. She almost called the HeadMaster.
"Hm..Muggle artifacts in Hogwarts. What page is that on little Weasel?" Draco asked skimming through a page.
"Oh, don't bother looking. I took down notes, here." Ginny handed her notebook to Draco and turned to a page filled with information. "Just copy that."
"Appreciate it, Weasely." Draco took the notes and started to copy them in his notebook.
After practically a whole day of researching in the library, Draco decided to go back to the common room and get a much deserved rest from his day of hard work.
"Thanks for the help, Weasley." Draco started to pack up his things.
"Anything for the ferret boy." Ginny snickered and Draco gave a glared. "I guess I have to go too."
"Why?" Draco asked.
"Because I'm hungry and exhausted." Ginny took her things and placed them in her bag.
"Can I borrow the book now?" Draco asked putting a puppy-eyed kind of smile.
"No," Ginny closed the book and took it.
"Fine, fine." They both pushed in their chairs and walked to the exit of the library. Madam Pince's jaw hung open at the sight of Weasley and a Malfoy not beating each other up.
"Where are you going now?" Draco asked shouldering his bag.
"Our common room then the Great Hall." Ginny answered walking straight with a heavy bag on her back and a heavy book on her arms.
"Oooh..." Draco answered.
"Excuse me, but I have to go now." Ginny waved Draco a goodbye then climbed the stairs leaving a grin on Draco's face.
"Hmph..Little birdy is growing up and flying out of its nest. Time to hunt the birdies.." Draco muttered to himself and then went to the Slytherin common room.
********
Ron had been lying down on the floor just staring at the wall across him. He didn't care where he was or what's going to happen anymore. He should've seen it coming..Harry had been acting weird around Hermione lately. It was so obvious. Why didn't he see it? The tears from Ron's eyes were now gone and his lips were bleeding from biting it too hard awhile ago. He reached his fingers in his lips and touched his blood. He stared at it and then licked it. He clenched his fist in anger now. His best friends were kissing...He just couldn't get it out of his head anymore. He closed his eyes hoping that when he opens it everything would be gone and nothing had happened.
"What are you doing on the floor, Weasley? Looking for money now are you?" Draco spat at Ron. Ron didn't have much energy to answer back to Malfoy so he just ignored him.
"What are you doing down here? Hoping that Slythering dropped some money for the poor Gryffindors?" Draco continued to taunt. Ron, however, just sat there ignoring Malfoy. Draco was really the least of his problems right now.
"Are you even alive down there?" Draco bent down a little and snapped his finger infront of Ron..Nothing. Not even a blink.
Malfoy rolled his eyes and did what he thought was best. SMACK! He sent a loud smack across Ron's face. Ron immediately jumped up and Malfoy rised and snickered.
"What are you smiling at Malfoy?Where the bloody hell am I?" Ron looked around and found himself at a corridor somewhere in the dungeons.
"I was looking at that look of yours when you were lying down on the floor like an idiot. You're at the Dungeons by the way, searching the floor for money, obviously." Ron's ear started to turn pink in anger.
"Be careful, Malfoy, you never know when your transfomation into a ferret might kick in." Ron straightened out his robes and glared at Malfoy.
"Always, the ferret thing. Honestly, don't you have any better insults." Malfoy sighed and turned back to walk away.
Ron pouted and started to find his way back up to the Great Hall. The whole Malfoy encounter got his mind off the Harry/Hermione issue. But now that Malfoy was gone and Ron was alone walking in the hall the thought started to kick in again. He kind of wish that Malfoy stayed longer to keep him from thinking about Hermione...
********
Hermione was at Harry's shoulder crying. She was going to lose two friends because she let her hormones got in the way.
"I..I can't take this! Ron! He saw us! What's going to happen? I..I just can't take this. I don't want Ron to get hurt.." Hermione cried out in between her sobs.
Harry stroked her bushy brown hair and tried to comfort her. "I'm sorry, Hermione. This is all my fault..I'm so sorry.." Harry wasn't doing a good job comforting her obviously.
"No, it's my fault..I shouldn't have..I just.."Hermione started to cry again.
Harry ran out of words to say. Even he, The-Boy-Who-Lived, and defeated Voldemort numerous times didn't know what to do. Ron and Hermione are his only true friends and now by letting his silly emotions get in the way he's about to lose both of them. He would much rather go against Voldemort again than have to face such decision with his friends.
The portrait hole opened and Collin and Dennis Creevey came in. Hermione pulled away from Harry's embrace and ran to the girls' dormitories. Collin ran to Harry, but Harry immediately avoided their pestering questions by running to the boys' dormitories.
"What do you reckon happen?" Collin asked to Dennis.
"I dunno. I bet Harry's in trouble! We need to help him!" Dennis squeaked.
"Hmm..We should wait for him to come out." The two stayed at the Common Room waiting for Harry to come out, which he didn't, because he knew they were waiting downstairs and he really didn't need them right now.
***********
Ginny rushed to the Gryffindor Common Room with a bunch of books in her bag. She was beginning to be a lot like Hermione. Her odd little event with Draco awhile ago still quite surprised her. Their few hours in the library was actually the best time she had at the library. They taunted each other and actually helped each other. Ginny blushed a little thinking of Draco. Sure, Draco's cold and annoying a lot of times, but Ginny just found something in him that's so..so.. attracting.
"Felize Navidad!" The portrait of the fat lady swung open and Ginny ran inside and dropped his bag and books on the floor. She immediately collapsed at the nearest chair.
"Hi, Ginny." Dennis greeted as he played Exploding Snaps with his brother.
"Oh, hi, Dennis. Hi, Collin." Ginny greetd exhaustingly.
"Well, someone have been spending an awful lot of time at the library lately." Dennis teased.
"Shut up, Dennis." Ginny sat at the chair watching the two play for a few minutes when Fred and George entered the room.
"Hey, Fred and George." Ginny greeted smiling.
"Hey, have you seen Ron?" George asked sitting at an empty couch.
"Er-- No." Ginny replied. She hasn't seen Ron all morning, infact.
"Well, what about Harry and Hermione?" Fred asked.
"Oh, they're upstairs at their dormitories." Collin answered.
"Why?" Ginny asked looking at his brothers.
"Oh, nothing..Just nothing." They replied in unison.
"Where have you two been anyway?" Ginny asked.
"Oh..We've been..Umm.." George stuttered.
"Wandering around." Fred continued with a smirk on his face.
"Okay, whatever. I'm going to dinner. I'm starving!Are you coming?" Ginny asked.
"Nah, we're kind of full." George replied rubbing his tummy.
"We're waiting for Harry." Collin replied.
"Okay, then." Ginny walked out the door with a growling stomach.
*********************
Draco was walking down the corridor to the Great Hall, surprisingly alone. Most of his Slytherin entourage were out for the Holidays. There were only a few Slytherin who stayed and non he wanted to talk with. He insisted to come with his father to Albania, but Lucius didn't let him because it was Death Eater meeting. So, here he was, all alone for the Holidays.
Draco saw Ginny walking towards the Great Hall and a spark of a devious plan came into his devious head of his. He ran after Ginny and stopped her before entering the Great Hall.
"Weasley," Draco caught her by her robes. Ginny had that sort of perplexed look on her face watching Draco holding onto her robes.
"What do you want now? I'm not giving you the book." Ginny pulled her robes away.
"I don't need the book. We can share." Draco said in a sly kind of tone.
Ginny raised an eyebrow. "Um..Malfoy what exactly do you need now?"
"You got me wrong We..Er---What's your name again?" Draco asked with bright curiosity in his eyes.
Ginny, who was completely annoyed by this now, pushed Malfoy and entered the Great Hall. She wasn't going to buy Malfoy's tricks.
The tables were nowhere to be seen, instead a large circular table was in the middle and the 12 large Christmas trees were at the front where the High Table is usually is placed. Ginny looked around and saw Professor Dumbledore sitting at a corner talking to Hagrid.
"Ah, yes. Miss Weasley and Mister Malfoy, come join us." Dumbledore waved his hand.
Ginny hesitated at first, but the growling pain in her stomach pushed her into it. Blaise Zabini ,a Fifth Year Slytherin girl, sat at a corner talking to the Ravenclaw Prefect. Ginny sat at an empty chair next to Hagrid.
" 'Ello there Ginny." Hagrid greeted with a wide smile.
"Hi, Hagrid." Ginny's plate started to fill up with food.
Draco sat next to Professor Snape at the other end watching Ginny with a grin. Ginny tried to ignore it by engaging a conversation with a First Year Hufflepuff next to her. Professor Trelawney was arguing with Professor Mcgonogall while Professor Delacour (Yes, Fleur became their DADA teacher) was talking with the new Muggle Studies Professor.
"Do you know whether, Mister Potter and his friends are going to dinner? Quite a few of us are still missing." Dumbledore asked Ginny.
"Er--I'm not quite sure Professor." Ginny answered.
"Is he sick?" Hagrid asked a bit worried.
"No, no, I think he's just tired." Ginny replied.
The dinner actually went well, of course Draco's grins were starting to get into Ginny's nerves. Ginny wanted to throw a piece of bread across the table to Draco, but it was of course inappropriate and besides it might be just what Draco wants.
Dumbledore stood up when the plates emptied and their stomachs were full. "As we all know not a lot of students stay for the Holidays, so I decided to put up a Secret Santa." Everyone looked at Dumbledore with an odd look on their faces.
"What's a 'Secret Santa'?" The Hufflepuff girl asked.
"Well, Professor Nikolai, our Muggle Studies teacher had informed me of such a fun thing!" Dumbledore explained with glimmer in his eyes. "Please, Professor do explain this to them."
Dumbledore sat down while Professor Nikolai stood up a bit nervous. "Um..Muggles everywhere had this kind of tradition everywhere. It's when you pull out a name from a bag, and you have to give a present for whoever you get." The Professor had a Norwegian accent and a stutter in his voice. "Some do it for days with different themes. For example, tomorrow can be 'joke theme' you can give the person a sort of prank gift. Not too harmless of course." Some people still did look confused about it to Professor Nikolai had to explain it again.
When they finally got it they were all 'Ooooh' and 'Ahhhh'. Some did thought it was a good idea, like Dumbledore and Hagrid. Some disagreed with such foolishness, like Snape and Draco.
"Anyone in favor of doing a Secret Santa this year?" A majority raised their hand even Mcgonogall did. "Well, this settles it. This year we are to have a Secret Santa!" Dumbledore said with pure excitement in his tone.
"But what about the people who aren't here?" The Ravenclaw Prefect asked.
"Ah, yes. Them, we shall be picking it for them and it'll be up to you to inform them." Dumbledore took out his wand and summoned a old hat that resembled the Sorting Hat only more colorful. "All our names are in it and now to pick our destined person!"
The hat floated towards Dumbledore. He reaches in with sparkle in his eyes and took out a piece of parchment and opened it. Dumbledore gave out a somewhat odd giggle and placed the parchment in his pocket and sat down.
The hat floated towards Hagrid. Hagrid's hands were too big so it sort of widen and Hagrid dug in his hands at the batty hat. When his arms came out his hand was holding a piece of parchment. Hagrid immediately sat down and opened it. He had no reaction or whatsoever, he just placed the parchment in one of the pockets of his oversized coat.
Next was Ginny. She was a bit nervous at first. What if she got Snape?What would she give him? Harry's head maybe? She dug her hand in and felt a sort of ticklish sensation and then picked one parchment. She immediately took her hand out and sat back at her seat. She slowly opened it with both excitement and fear. Her hands trembled as the parchment opened. The name shone brightly in gold ink. Draco Malfoy. She let out a silent gasp with her hand in her mouth. She lifted her head a little bit and saw Draco talking to Snape in hushed voices. Draco glanced up and saw her staring at him. Draco had that devious grin which almsot made Ginny gag. She folded the parchment and placed it at the pocket of her robes.
The hat was now infront of Draco. Snape had just picked out his parchment and he looked a bit mad about it. Draco placed his hands in the hat and waved his hands for a parchment and picked the one that landed right at his palm. He quickly lifted his hand up and sat down silently. He opened the parchment and saw a name that shone in gold ink. Ronald Weasley. Draco's eyes widen and his jaw fell open. Of all people.. Ron. Ginny's brother. He crumpled the parchment and stuffed it in his robe's pocket. He pouted at the thought of giving a Weasely a gift..
The hat was now back at Dumbledore's side. He took his wand put and waved it in the air a few times.
"For Mister Harry Potter." A piece of parchment flew out of the hat and out the room. Everyone gasped and avoided it.
"For Miss Hermione Granger." Another piece of parchment flew out across the room.
This continued up to the last teacher who was absent from dinner. When there were no more parchments inside the hat, it folded itself and landed at Dumbledore's hand.
Dumbledore chuckled as he placed the hat in his pocket. "Well, for the first day of our Secret Santa it's Prank day. The gifts will be due the day after tomorrow. Everyone will be sending their gifts by owl. And, oh nothing too nasty. Just enough to tickle our hearts for Christmas." Dumbledore gave a sort of wink. "Well, good night and have a nice evening." Everyone stood up and started to walk out the door.
While walking out the first year Hufflepuff was talking to Ginny. "Oh! I do hope someone will get me something nice." The girl, whose name is Mirna, giggled. "I wish Collin got mine!"
Ginny almost died when she head what Mirna said. "Um..Yeah.." Ginny said fighting the laughter.
Draco was walking behind them listening to their conversations. "Yeah, I just want Potter's biggest fan to get my name. So he can get me more exclusive photos of him at the bathroom!" Draco giggled sarcastically.
Ginny almost jumped when Draco sneaked up behind them. "Do you really now, Draco? Because I'm sure Harry would love to be informed of his new fan, you." Ginny shot back.
"Oh, please. Like I would want anything touched even breathed on by Potty." Draco sneered.
"Shut up, Harry's cool!" Mirna whined.
"Wow, so you are a Harry fan. Do you know what that git did last year?" Draco glared at the little girl.
"He won the Triwizard Championship!" Mirna shot back with pride.
"Silly girl." Draco got closer to the girl. "He took away Hufflepuff's only chance for glory."
"So?" Mirna glared back.
Just when Ginny was about to cast the Jelly Legs Jinx curse, Mcgonogall came out the Great Hall.
"What is this?" Mcgonogall asked looking at Draco.
"Oh, nothing, Professor. Just chatting." Mcgonogall eyed Draco suspiciously, but he just gave an innocent smile.
"Very well, then. Go on to your common rooms now." Mirna walked away and waved a goodbye to Ginny.
When Mcgonogall disappeared at the hall Draco turned back to Ginny who has already gone to the staircase.
Draco immediately ran after Ginny when Snape appeared infront of him. Snape grinned at him while Draco tried to look for Ginny behind him.
"Going anywhere, Mister Malfoy?" Snape asked still grinning.
"Er---I was just going back to the common room." Draco lied.
"Well, common room's that way, incase you forgot." Snape pointed towards the opposite direction.
"Oh, yeah. Of course, I was just going to the Owlery to send something to my father, but I thought I could wait till tomorrow morning." Draco turned.
When Draco was about to go down to the dungeons with disappointment, he felt Snape's touch on his shoulder.
"Thought I would walk with you." Snape had that ominous voice.
"Okay, then." The two walked back to the dungeons and Snape walked back to his office as soon as Draco went in the Slytherin common room.
Draco threw himself at a couch infront of the fire and pouted. He was starting to hate Snape. He was so close into winning Ginny. It would have to wait for tomorrow...Unfortunately.
"What are you doing there?" Blaise asked sitting across Draco.
"I'm sitting down, isn't it obvious?" Draco shot back.
Blaise's silver blonde hair flowed down her Slytherin robes and watched Draco. "What's wrong?"
Draco was a bit taken back by this. Blaise never really talked to him before..Or anyone he knew for that matter. She was always alone or with some small group talking. She wasn't known really. She never joined in the whole 'Potter Stinks' at the Triwizard Championship.
"Since when did you care?" Draco glared at her.
"Since, there's only four Slytherins that stayed for the Holidays and two of them are too brainless to care for their fellow Slytherin." Draco gave a sort of skeptical look.
"Whatever," Draco replied and sulked back in the chair.
"Honestly, Draco, you could be really cute, but extremely stubborn sometimes." Draco sort of blushed on the word 'cute'. Sure, girls oogle over his beauty, but something about the way Blaise said it made it seemed priceless.
"Well, are you even gonna talk to me?" Blaise asked. Draco's blushing subsided and he went back to sulking.
"Like it's any of your business." Draco coldly replied.
"Fine, then. Stay here and sulk all by yourself." Blaise was about to stand up when Draco exasperated sigh and grabbed Blaise by the arm.
"Fine, I do have a problem..It's not like you can solve it so what's the point telling you?" Draco said letting go Blaise's arm as she sat back down.
"Well, I dunno, maybe it helps to let it out. I mean c'mon you're Draco Malfoy, it's not like your problems are matter of life and death. It doesn't really hurt to tell me." Blaise leaned closer to the sulking Draco.
"Hmph!" Draco crossed his arms and pouted.
Blaise giggled which caused Draco to pout more. "You're really cute when you pout."
"I never knew someone so quiet like you could be so annoying." Draco shot back with a glare.
"You are!" Blaise giggled more. Obviously, the giggling didn't comfort Draco very much.
"As much as I appreciate your admiration for my stunningly good looks," Blaise gasped on the Slytherin boy's ego. "I think that we should get on to the psychiatric help that you offered. Unless, you would much rather gaze at me."
Blaise gave out a smile across her pale face. She much resembled Draco. She had the silvery blonde hair, that was common among veelas even if she wasn't one. She also had the pale, cold skin that made her look dead and yet very much alive. And of course there were the gray, cold looking eyes. Another Malfoy trademark. But, unlike Draco, though she'll never admit it looked amazingly stunning. She might be a girl twin of Draco, but she never resembled the egotistical and cruel ways of a Malfoy. She always wondered why she was put in Slytherin, she wasn't as cruel or ambitious as any of her classmates. She was more like a Ravenclaw. Amazingly intelligent, not as intelligent as Hermione of course, she had the wit to be in Ravenclaw. For some odd reason she was put in Slytherin. Not that it was bad, but she often questioned herself.
"Well, is the session gonna start anytime soon, Zabini. I do have to sleep you know." Draco snapped and glanced at his watch. It was almost 12, time went by so fast when you're just sitting around and being gazed at.
"Oh, right, Mister Malfoy." Blaise replied in a doctor sarcastic kind of way. "This will cost you, not that it's any problem for you. Anyway, I'll get to the point. What is wrong with you? Anything you might wanna share?"
"Hmm..." Draco stood up and a smile crept up his pale face. "Infact I do," He pause as he kept Blaise in suspense. "But unfortunately you will never know you, wretched little girl." Draco had the smug look on his face and ran off to bed. "Good night, Zabini. Thanks for the session, it really helped me!" Draco called out laughing to himself.
'What a big prat. He really is a Malfoy.' Blaise ran off to the girls dormitories thinking of how horrible Draco could be. Well, it was worth it, some quality time with your unknown classmate. Is exchanging insult and getting completely dissed in the end quality time? Well, for a Slytherin it was.
Blaise pulled up her covers and went to a deep slumber and had a dream about a particular Slytherin boy, who she never thought she would even have a conversation with.
*********************
Ginnny explained to the twins and the Creevey brothers about the whole Secret Santa thing. The fantastic trio: Hermione, Harry and Ron, still didn't make any appearance at the common room at all. Ginny was starting to worry about Ron. Nobody has seen him ever since the snowball fight with the twins earlier. The three were usually together,fighting Voldemort or something, but they were all separated and nowhere to be found. Surely, Ron is just probably at the boys' dormitories. But something in Ginny wasn't too sure about that.
"Fred, can you check if Ron is in the boys' dormitories. He wasn't at dinner and I'm kind of worried now." Ginny asked getting all of her stuff.
"Er-- We'll check later. We've got loads of order forms to take care of right now." George replied stamping a paper with their 'official' WWW stamp.
"What about you Collin, Dennis?" Ginny had that hopeful look on her face.
"Okay, we're planning to check up on Harry anyway." Dennis and Collin stood up and went up to the boys' dormitories.
Ginny was sitting at the couch watching the fire spread its warmth all over the room and the twins stamping more paper. She waited more and then the Creevey brothers were back down.
"So, is Ron there?" Ginny immediately asked. Even the twin stopped working and turned to the Creevey brothers.
"Well, Harry is okay, he's sleeping. Ron..Well.." Dennis paused and Ginny had that awful feeling in her guts. "Well, he's not there." Ginny felt a hard blow in her stomach. Surely, Ron was just..Wandering off? 'But he's alone! It's really late!' Ginny's mind raced on possibilities where her stubborn brother could be.
"He could just be at the kitchens getting food from those helpful elves. He didn't show up for dinner right? He's probably hungry." George suggested.
"Hm..Probably." Ginny still didn't felt too sure about that. Ron wouldn't wander off without Hermione or Harry or without anyone. "I'm..I'm going to bed." Ginny gathered her stuff and his brothers and the Creeveys waved goodnight to her.
She decided to check up on Hermione first before going to bed. 'She would know where Ron is..Right?' Ginny opened the door and found Hermione's four poster bed with the curtains closed. There was no one else there except her.
"Hermione?" Ginny whispered in the darkness. Ginny took out her wand and held it out. "Lumos," Her wand gave out a bright shine of light. She approached Hermione's bed in silence. "Hermione?" She whispered again, but there was no reply.
A faint muffle of cry came from Hermione's bed. Out of curiousity Ginny slowly opened the four poster bed and the cries became more distinct. Ginny quickly sat up at Hermione's bed and brushed Hermione's bushy brown her off her face. Hermione's eyes looked red and weary, like she had been crying all night.
"Hermione?" Ginny started to stroke Hermione's hair. "What's wrong?"
Hermione didn't answer, she only cried even more. Hermione's eyes were closed, but tears were coming out. Ginny didn't know what to say, she didn't even know what was wrong. She just continued to stroke her friend's hair and tried to calm her down.
"Hermione, tell me. What's wrong?" Ginny, not to be insensitive or anything, was getting annoyed. Hermione wouldn't even give out a sound except her cries. Not even a 'no, nothig's wrong . Now go away.' She was just crying.
"Please, tell me." Ginny begged trying to keep her patience. "It'll be much better telling me."
Hermione's cries subside and she stood up with a flash in her eyes. Without any warning or whatsoever she explodes. "Better?" Hermione flashed with anger, obviously, underneath her cries. "No! It won't be better! Nothing will ever be 'better' . I'm an idiot, Ginny! I..I.." Hermione fell back on her pillows and started to cry again.
Although Ginny was still clueless on what happened to Hermione, at least she heard something out of Hermione besides her cries.
"Tell me, Hermione." Ginny carressed her friend's hair. "I'll try to help you.."Ginny didn't know what to say. It's not like she sees a friend of her crying infront of her for some reason everyday.
Hermione sniffed and lifts her head up to Ginny. Hermione looked bad..Really. Her eyes were so red and puffy and her bushy hair was a bigger mess now. Her eyes kept producing more tears every second. Hermione opened her mouth and struggled to speak beneath her cries. "I.." She whispered out. Hermione's cries weren't stopping at all so Ginny carressed her back to make her friend feel better. "Am so horrible..I just couldn't believe it. I'm so stupid..I shouldn't have..." Hermione fell into Ginny's shoulder crying.
Surprisingly, Hermione's cries subsided. Ginny, of course, being the good friend, patiently waited for the right time to comfort and listen to her friend.
"Hermione?" Ginny asked patting her friends back. "What's wrong?"
Hermione gave a sort of a loathsome shrill of laughter. It really looked odd since she still had tears on her eyes. Imagine seeing a friend of yours crying hysterically moments ago and then paused to give out a sadistic kind of laugh. Very creepy isn't it?
"What's wrong?" Hermione repeated Ginny's question, only a bit more mocking in her tone. "You want to know what's wrong?!" Hermione now sat straight up and looked at Ginny straight in the eye with anger and sadness in them. "I'll tell you what's wrong!" Hermione paused and then stood up from the four poster bed.
"Hermione?" Ginny had a sort of pleading on her tone. She wanted to comfort Hermione, not make her mad.
Hermione disregarded Ginny's pleading cry and contiued to talk. "Well, I'll tell you what's wrong!" The tears in Hermione's eyes were so clear even underneath the emotions she was showing. Hermione strode around the room to a desk. "This morning went perfectly fine! You know the usual studying for Hermione. Do you know what happened after that?"
It was obviously a rhetorical question, Ginny didn't catch that though. "I don't know.."
Hermione who again disregarded Ginny's incapabality to recognize a rhetorical question continued her outburst. "Ron and the twins went for a little snowball fight. Well, we all know that Hermione doesn't like wasting her time on silly things...So I stayed! That was amazingly predictable! Now, Harry stayed because he was tired..I understood that. Battling the Dark Lord isn't an easy job now is it?" The unfriendly sarcastic tone of Hermione sent a sudden shiver up Ginny's spine. She was about to say something that Ginny wish she'd never heard. Something that will completely kill both of them the moment the words came out. "So I stayed with Harry. We were both in the common room minding our own business! Then!" Hermiones raise of voice almost made Ginny jump from her position. "We talked..Harry wanted to tell me something. It was all fine at first. It happened..." Ginny wanted to close her ears so she didn't have to hear whatever horrible thing it was. She couldn't, she was the one who provoked her to pour our all this. "It was amazing...It was I never realized it at first. I felt safe and warm..We kissed, Ginny!We kissed!"
Ginny didn't know why, but she let out a sort of shocked and hurt gasped. She got over Harry months ago..Then why did this became such an issue to her? Why did she felt that heart clenching pain? Hermione opened her mouth to continue. Ginny wanted her to stop..She wanted to run and forget about what Hermione said. Ginny wanted to escape. Instead tears fell down from her eyes. She tried to stop them. 'Why am I crying?Why?I don't care...Stop please stop..' Ginny shut her eyes to prevent the tears, but it didn't work. The heart clenching pain was drowning her and forcing every bit of neuron in her brain to cry.
"And then.." Hermione's voice was now silent and she sat back down on the bed. There were more sadness in her tone now. "Just when I thought it was all okay..Something..Ron..He saw us." There it was..There was the cause of heart clenching pain. Harry didn't concern Ginny anymore. It was Ron. Ginny's dear, caring brother.. "The look on his face..He had tears, Ginny. Tears.." Tears were starting to pour out of Hermione's eyes. Hermione didn't even try to stop them from coming out. It was like she was meant to cry for this at this moment. Why wouldn't she? Her heart was torn in two now..It was the worst possible pain she could have.
Ginny on the other hand was too speechless to reply. She was supposed to help Hermione..Now she can't even help herself. She knew that her brother had some kind of love for Hermione. Sure, he pretended to be quarrelling with Hermione, but it was all a sign of affection. He just didn't know how to respond to his feelings and..He didn't want to ruin a good friendship. Ginny couldn't imagine the look on her brother's face. Just thinking about it felt like torture already. Then, picture of treachery flashed before Ginny. If Harry and Hermione did care about their friendship deeply, then they wouldn't hurt Ron that much..They wouldn't go on his back..Especially not Harry. A swept of anger took over Ginny's sadness. She stood up and flinged her flaming red hair and looked straight at Hermione who was crying.
"You.." Ginny spoke in a fierce kind of tone. "How could you?! If you treasure your friendship with him, you wouldn't do this!!" Hermione lifted her head up and stared at Ginny bewildered by her words. Ginny lifted her right arm in the air and then swept it and SMACK! She slapped Hermione on her left cheek and stormed out the door. She had slapped two people that day. One that somehow led to a new odd friendship and the other led to an end of a friendship and a start of a vengeful war.
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Charisse: Wow!I'm pretty proud of this chapter! ^^ Especially the emotional stuff.
Hermione: I can't believe you made me look like a bitch!
Harry: Hermione!
Hermione: Oh, shut up, Harry! That evil child made you look stupid!
Draco: But he is..Good job Charisse.
Charisse: Thanks Drakkie-poo. ^^
Draco: For the love of God stop calling me that, woman.
*Harry tries to stop Hermione from strangling the author (who does not live with rats BTW), while the author swoons over the great Malfoy.*
Draco: Get off my leg!
And where is Ron in all these?He is sulking in a corner saying the credits and stuff.
Ron: The author will try to update ASAP. The reviews are greatly appreaciated and won't mind having more, even flames. And she told me to tell you that she does not live with rats..*smirks* Yeah, right. And she would like to thank her cousin for beta reading this because Charisse forced her too.
Charisse: Stop it you Weasel!! I don't live with rats!!!!!!!
Hermione: Yeah, uh huh. You keep telling yourself that!
Tune in once again for the madness..Does the author really live with rats? Why is Ron sulking on the corner reading the credits? Will Hermione and Charisse ever get along? And oh yeah, the fic. Tune in next time! dun dun dun....