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Chapter 21
Ginny woke-up in her dormitory quite late due to the overwhelming excitement her fellow Gryffindors had the night before since their was a Quidditch match between Ravenclaw and Gryffindor the next day. Her stomach was rumbling so she stood up and stretched, and realized it was almost time for lunch. As she freshened up and ascended down to the common room to find Harry, Ron, and Hermione, she tripped over her last step. The whole team and several other students saw what happened, and they rushed over to see if any damage was done.
"You're okay, right?" Angelina Johnson, Gryffindor team captain, demanded.
"I'm fine," Ginny replied, flustered.
"Are you sure?" Angelina asked, lending a hand to help Ginny up.
"Really, I'm all right."
"No, you should be better than all right!" Angelina said and let go as Ginny tried to find balance, and she bent closer to whisper, "you're our only hope."
Ginny was usually easygoing when it came to playing as Seeker in Quidditch, but she did get a hefty amount of pressure put on her shoulders that day since it was the final match. There were other things to worry about, like her low grade in Divination—the one class Hermione couldn't help her out in. Her stress couldn't come close to what Harry was going through—with his dreams and Occlumency. Ron even had more to worry than she did. He was the Keeper, and had more responsibility, not to mention, a horrible track record.
Ginny departed from the Gryffindor tower along with other students. She wished Fred and George were there, as they had already fleeted from Hogwarts and left a mark that students were going to talk about for years to come.
"Ginny," Hermione said as she caught up with her, "don't worry about what's going to happen today. You're a really good player."
"Yeah," said Ron, closely followed by Harry, as they caught up with Hermione. "I'm the one who's got some worrying to do."
"Okay, whatever," was all Ginny could mutter. She wanted to play it cool in front of Harry as he was the 'veteran'. She noticed that he wasn't saying much to her as he probably still had a grudge over her being his successor.
Angelina pushed all team members to fill up on food before they went out to the pitch. "Carbs and protein, everyone! Eat your CARBS and PROTEIN!"
Ginny was about to eat her cherry cobbler just before Angelina pulled the fork from her hand. "No! None of that sugar!" Angelina said, and expressed the word 'sugar' as if it were as evil as Voldemort. "It will slow you down!"
Ginny sighed as she didn't care so much since she filled up on ham sandwiches that Angelina forced down her throat. She decided to leave for the pitch early to change into her uniform. Hermione, Ron, and a few other Gryffindor D.A. members wished her luck. She walked out into the warmth of late May, and Cho Chang passed by to say, "Good luck!" and smiled. Ginny was about to respond right before she took another step and tripped over Draco Malfoy who was sleeping on the ground.
He woke up abruptly and yelled out several curse words along with "no good Weasley!" and "idiot girl!".
"I'm sorry, Malfoy, but I didn't see you," she said as she got up and rubbed her head. She found that one of the heels of her shoe broke and she muttered the spell "Reparo" under her breathe to fix it.
"You should watch where you're going, you stupid git!" Malfoy got up and patted down his robes with his hands.
"That wasn't necessary, Draco!" she said and turned to walk away.
"No, it wasn't, but I can say whatever I want, and I say that 20 points from Gryffindor will do because of disrespect from a Weasley!"
Ginny turned back, and grabbed her wand. "Oh, really?"
Draco rolled his eyes in return. "Do you really want a defeat right now? There's one already waiting for you out in the Quidditch pitch."
"Yeah, and you would know how it feels!"
Malfoy was angered at those words so he took his won wand out, and was about to use a curse until Harry showed up without him knowing. "Densaug--"
"Expelliarmus!" Harry yelled and cut him off.
Ginny suddenly woke-up from her dream by Lola and Crookshanks who were mewing loudly to be let out of the room. It was rather late, so she decided to get up too, and take a bath.
Hermione woke-up right after Ginny came back into her room. "What time is it?"
"Around noon," Ginny replied, wearing her lavender bath robe and matching bunny slippers. "I'll change later. I'm starving."
"I am too," Hermione agreed, but she decided to get dressed in her jeans and Cher concert t-shirt. Ginny gave it an odd glare. "Muggle singer," Hermione said and shrugged.
The two girls made their way downstairs towards the kitchen and found Mrs. Weasley preparing bacon, eggs, and muffins. Ginny was expecting lunch, but breakfast would have been wonderful as well.
Ginny yawned, and greeted Mrs. Weasley. "Hi, Mum."
"Good Morning, Mrs. Weasley," said Hermione and stretched.
"I woke-up a little late, as well," Mrs. Weasley said, swishing her wand over to the table and having two cups of coffee appear, and then pointing her wand to the bacon as they turned over on their own.
"Do you need any help along the Burrow today, Mrs. Weasley?" Hermione asked, taking a sip of her coffee.
"Yes, we haven't had a good de-gnoming in awhile--" Mrs. Weasley began just as Ginny interrupted by spewing out her coffee. "Well, if you don't want to de-gnome, Ginny, I can have you clean out the shed!"
"No, no, Mum. I don't mind to de-gnome! It's just the coffee! It needs more sugar!" she explained. Mrs. Weasley sighed and handed her a small sack of sugar cubes. "Thanks Mum." She then reminded herself of the dream she had right before she woke-up. Everything in that dream was what actually took place that day before the Quidditch match, except for the part of tripping over Malfoy and Harry coming out to defend her.
Mrs. Weasley handed Hermione a towel just as Ginny noticed Hermione's face was dripping wet from Ginny spitting on her. "Oh, sorry!"
"It's quite alright, I needed a shower anyway," Hermione replied, dabbing her face.
"You can take one after we eat," Ginny said as her food was served. Harry and Ron showed up not too long afterwards.
"Good sleep?" Harry asked. Ginny took it as just a general question, but then realized it was directed towards her.
"Yeah," she replied and blushed. She felt rather stupid in her bathrobe and messy ponytail.
"Chure? Chair?" Ron said as he was staring at Hermione's shirt.
"It's Cher," Hermione corrected him, and then taking a sip of dandelion juice.
"Muggle singer," said Ginny, her stomach fluttering as Harry took a seat next to her.
"My cousin Jamie gave it to me," said Hermione as Ron sat down next to her and took a piece of bacon from her plate. Hermione glared at him.
"You're cousin Jamie in London?" Ron asked, attempting to sneak another piece of bacon from her plate until Hermione snatched it away.
"That's right. Oh, Mrs. Weasley, I've been meaning to ask you if Ron and Ginny could visit before we have to go off to Hogwarts."
"That sounds like a wonderful plan!" Mrs. Weasley exclaimed, "as long as you have adult supervision."
"Uh, yeah, of course," said Hermione, "I'll see about that."
Mrs. Weasley gave her a questioning glance, and then looked away as she said, "But I trust you and Harry to watch out for my little girl."
"Mum, I'm 15!"
"Hey, what about me?" demanded Ron, chewing his food.
"Oh, yes, please watch out for my youngest son as well!" Mrs. Weasley exclaimed, and put her arms around his shoulders for a tight squeeze.
"Mum! I . . . can't . . . breathe!" Ron said, choking on a bite of his muffin. Mrs. Weasley then moved to Ginny and hugged her.
"You're all so young!" she said and practically strangled Ginny, and then they heard a high-pitched chime. "Oh, my biscuits are done!" she said and let go.
"Mmm, I think I'll go help Mum with those biscuits," said Ron as he got up from his seat.
"I'll go take my bath; is that alright, Ginny?" Hermione said with a suspicious look on her face that Ginny took not much thought in.
"That's fine. It's on lavender, by the way!" Ginny answered and Hermione smiled and left the room. Harry stood up to leave as well, probably to shine his Firebolt. Her heart dropped slightly, but she felt him grab her hand.