Disclaimer: Harry Potter characters belong to J.K. Rowling.
Except for Elizabeth.
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Chapter 1: Ginny's Dream
She stared thoughtfully into the warm crackling fire in front of her as
she drifted away into a deep slumber. When she opened her eyes she wasn't
in the Gryffindor Common Room anymore. She was now in a cold, dark hall or
some sort of passageway. A chill ran down her back. "Ginny." she
heard someone whisper her name. She recognized the voice, but who was it?
She turned around quickly, expecting to see someone standing there. There
was nothing but a dim light off in the distance. She decided to follow it
curious as to where it would lead. Walking cautiously toward the light she
heard footsteps behind her. She quickly glanced over her shoulder. Scared,
she walked faster. The footsteps were getting closer. She broke out into a
run. The wind blew her bright red hair around. Franticly, she tried to
move it out of her way. Not being able to see where she was going she
tripped. The light was not too far away now. She tried to get up, but it
was too late. The person following her had caught up. She was scared but
forced herself to look wanting to know who it was. She turned and startled
as to whom she saw, woke up screaming. Breathing rapidly she glanced around
the room. She was back in Gryffindor Tower. Hermione's little sister,
Elizabeth, was sitting next to her with Hermione on her other side,
startled at her scream. Harry and Ron were sitting at a table near by
looking at her. Fred and George came running down the stairs from the
boys' dormitory.
"What happened? Who screamed?" Fred asked.
"Ginny did." Ron replied his eyes still fixed on her.
"What's wrong, Gin?" George asked with deep concern in his voice.
"Nothing George, I'm fine. I had a bad dream is all. If it's
alright I'm going down to the Great Hall before it gets crowded." She
got up quietly and stepped out of the portrait hole.
"You feeling a bit under the weather, dear?" The Fat Lady in
the painting asked Ginny as she was leaving.
"Just a little." Ginny answered.
"If you need to talk you'll find me here."
"Thanks."
"Poor dear," she heard the Fat Lady murmur as she rounded a corner.
There were a few people in the Great Hall already. Ginny took a seat at
the Gryffindor table across from the fireplace. She stared up at the
simulated late afternoon sky thinking about the dream she had earlier.
Hermione and Elizabeth entered and sat across from her. For several
minutes nobody said a word, then Ginny broke the silence. She looked down
from the sky to Hermione. "Has there ever been someone you fancied
but didn't think it would work out?"
"Yeah," Hermione responded glancing down at the table. "Why is
there someone you fancy that you're not telling me about?" she said
looking back at Ginny with a grin on her face.
"No," she lied glancing over at the other tables, "I was
just wondering."
Deciding to change the subject, Elizabeth jumped in, "Are either
of you going to go to the ball tomorrow evening?"
"Yes, I'm going. I had a lot of fun last year at the Yule Ball, with
a few exceptions. What about you two?" said Hermione.
"I'm not going," Ginny said sadly.
"Why not?" Elizabeth asked. "Didn't you have fun last
year?"
"Yeah," she hesitated. She glanced up and down the Gryffindor
table. "I had fun but I don't have anyone to go with this year. I
don't really want to go with Neville again. My feet were sore for three
days after the dance." Hermione and Elizabeth both looked at each
other and laughed.
"I'm guessing that Neville isn't that great of a dancer." Elizabeth said
still giggling.
"You could say that," Ginny replied smiling weakly.
"Oh come on Ginny cheer up. I don't have anyone to go with either.
You can come with Liz or me to the ball. It'll be loads of fun."
"Actually, Hermione," Elizabeth said blushing "I'm going with
Colin. He asked me right after breakfast this morning."
"Colin? Colin Creevey asked you to the dance?" Hermione asked
looking shocked. Ginny couldn't help but let out a little laugh. Neither
had seemed to notice.
"What's wrong with Colin?"
"Nothing,
he's just obsessed with Harry and won't leave us alone. He's quite
annoying."
"Well, I think he's nice and I like him," and with that
Elizabeth got up and left.
"She can be really temperamental at times," Hermione said watching
her sister exit the hall. Moments later they were joined by Harry and
Ron. "How about you two, are you going to the ball?"
"Yeah, but we're not bothering on asking anyone this year. It was
too much of a hassle last year," Ron responded obviously remembering
the embarrassment of being turned down by Fleur.
Hermione's face lit up. "How about all four of us go together, as
a group?" Harry and Ron agreed. "Ginny?" she said looking
at her.
Ginny glanced over at Harry then at the other tables again. Her
gaze seemed to stop at one particular table. The Slytherin table.
She looked unsure but finally replied, "Okay." With that the
discussion ended and everyone finished their dinner in peace.
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