So I forgot the disclaimer.
This is my first fanfic. I've fallen passionately in love with Draco/Ginny, though I have to ask, is there even an inkling of justification for this in cannon? Just curious.
Oh yeah, The entire universe as it relates to Harry Potter, belongs solely to J.K. Rowling. She is awesome, I love her, pity that I'm going to have to kill her if a new book doesn't surface soon :) Just kidding, honestly! Harry Potter and all related characters belong to someone much richer than I affiliated with Rowling and Warner Brothers. Hopefully, I will add my own little twist to this world.
And finally, hopefully I won't lose too many people with the way this is being written. The complete story will be told through flashbacks and present time action. We started somewhere between the beginning and the end of the story (I can't tell you exactly where). For the most part, I will try to stay true to flashbacks being the italicized portion. Also, the flashbacks will be told chronologically, so keep up with what the last flash back was as we move into the present, because that is where the next flash back will pick up.
Lastly, to anyone reading this, thank you, as stated before, this is my first fanfic. Looking forward to the feedback!
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Chapter 1
"A Peck of Pickled Peppers," Ginny stated tersely to the Portrait of the Fat Lady that guarded the entrance into Gryffindor tower.
"Peter Piper picked…" the Fat Lady responded in a sing song fashion as Ginny stepped through the portrait hole.
Being well past midnight, Ginny was pleased not to have to greet her older brother Ron and his inquiries into her whereabouts for the past few hours. Ever since he had discovered Ginny and Draco on the Quidditch pitch a month ago, his little sister's comings and goings became his number one priority.
*****
"Malfoy, what are you and your snakes doing here? We have had the pitch reserved for over a month with Madame Hooch!" Harry challenged as the Slytherin made their way onto the Quidditch Pitch, moments after Harry had gone over the new strategies that he wanted the team to implement for the upcoming match against Ravenclaw.
"It seems that the schedule has been altered Mr. Potter," came the steely drawl of Professor Snape as he swept along behind Blaise Zambini, the new Slytherin Keeper.
"But Snape…"
"Professor Snape to you Miss Weasley, and twenty-five points for your disrespect."
"Professor Snape, I don't understand how our practice can be cancelled without us being given proper notice," Harry protested. "I'm sure that you can understand that we have an important upcoming match…"
"Potter, I understand far more than you could hope to. You might only be concerned with your upcoming match, but as my house will be competing TOMORROW night, they have been granted permission to practice on this evening. Now, while I would love to sit here and draw pretty little diagrams such that you could grasp the reasoning behind this decision, as a professor for this school, I have no need to further explain myself."
As Ron opened his mouth to protest further he was cut off, "If I hear one further word from anyone wearing anything resembling Gold or Scarlet, I will have all further practices this week suspended and 50 house points. Now clear the pitch so that the Slytherin team may practice."
With sighs and grumbles, and mumbled complaints about 'Snivellus and Ferret Boy' the Gryffindor Team landed and headed towards the locker rooms.
*****
For the past five years, she would have welcomed Ron and his overprotective desire to know her whereabouts at all time. But as a sixth year who had finally grown accustomed to the idea that Ron, Harry, and Hermione had their own lives, which had little room for her outside of the occasional banter, she greatly resented the fact that now that she had found a life of her own, Ron suddenly wanted to impose himself into that life.
"Ginny?" Hermione called out softly as she peeked her head into Ginny's dormitory.
"What is it Hermione?" Ginny snapped; closing her robes to cover up the fact that she was wearing nothing beneath.
"Nothing Ginny," Hermione stated as she came into the room to sit on Ginny's bed. "I was up finishing my essay for Arithmancy when I heard footsteps on the staircase. I had already checked the dorms for the night and knew you were the only one out of bed."
"So? You knew it was me. That still doesn't explain what you're doing here. You never bothered to concern yourself with my whereabouts before, why the sudden interest?"
"Would you two shut it, some of us are trying to sleep, and we have double potions first thing in the morning Gin, you know we can't be tardy without losing 100 points and serving a weeks detention for that slime bucket," Ginny's roommate Liane fussed from across the room.
"Please Ginny, let's talk," Hermione stated simply, sincerity showing in her eyes as she exited Ginny's room.
'I'm going to regret this in the morning,' Ginny thought as she followed Hermione to her private quarters.
"Ginny, I of all people know how thick your brother can be, It took him six years before he would get a clue and ask me out, SIX YEARS. I practically had to draw him a map with an 'X' over my name before he realized that I was just waiting for him."
"Hermione, I've had a long night, so if you don't mind, let's skip over the touching tales of you and my brother"
"I only said that to let you know that I understand that your brother can be positively thick skulled and maddening at times."
As Ginny snickered Hermione corrected herself, "alright, most of the time," she conceded. "And I'll admit that Harry and I would have chosen almost any other male in this school for you, save Crabbe and Goyle, because we simply do not wish to be in any way affiliated with the missing links'. Now I can't speak for Harry, because as a man, he is inclined to be equally thick skulled and stupid, but while I don't like that egotistical, aristocratic pompous…"
"Hermione," Ginny warned through gritted teeth.
"… git," Hermione finished simply, "I do respect your decision as a woman."
"So you just wanted to let me know that you hate Malfoy, but you don't have a problem with me dating him?"
"Let's say I hate Malfoy, and I won't convey my problems with you dating him to you or anyone else."
"That's fair, and I appreciate it. If that's all…" Ginny started turning for the door.
"Actually…" Hermione continued, "Ron finally told me why you all haven't been speaking for the past month. He said that you seem to feel as if we don't care about you. I thought you needed to hear that Ron especially loves you very much. I consider you to be a friend, and while we might not be close, you have to remember that Harry, Ron and I have been through a lot in our seven years. And while our age difference isn't such a big deal now, when you first came to Hogwarts it seemed like a huge difference to us as *mature* thirteen year olds who had thwarted the first attempt in twelve years of Voldemort."
Ginny nodded, trying to look understanding, wanting nothing more than to run in her room and strip off her robes for a long hot shower.
*****
"Hey wait up Ron," Gin called to her brother as he left the locker rooms in hushed whispers with Harry.
"Gin, Harry and I have to meet up with 'Mione, can we talk later?" Ron asked, looking a bit guilty, but with pleading in his eyes.
"Sure," Ginny yelled. "If later ever comes," she added under her breath such that he couldn't hear.
"Thanks sis, you're the best. Next Hogsmeade weekend, I owe you a butterbeer, and I'll even be the guinea pig for Fred and George's latest invention in your place," Ron said as he ran up to her and gave her a quick peck on the cheek before turning to run off with Harry.
Ginny wandered aimlessly, not sure where to go from the locker rooms, she knew she should be studying, but she had plenty of time as practice would not have ended for two hours, so she decided to take a walk around the Pitch. She had always loved Quidditch, maybe it was due to living in a house with six men who loved the sport. Not losing sight of the fact that the Slytherin's, her rival house, were practicing, Ginny took care to dart beneath the bleachers without being seen. She made her way towards the front of the bleachers, while still making sure that she was out of site, sat onto the ground, and watched the streaks of silver and green dart through the sky.
'They really have improved this year, especially Malfoy,' Ginny took note as she watched them practice. With Malfoy as Seeker and Captain, and Zambini joining the team as Keeper, Ginny noticed that their play was geared more to strategy, and relied less upon the brute force and dirty play of Crabbe and Goyle, the Slytherin beaters.
In the midst of Ginny's appraisal of the team, Malfoy stopped and spun swiftly in the air. 'He must have spotted the snitch,' Ginny thought as she watched Malfoy, race swiftly in her direction. Her eyes were riveted on Malfoy's pursuit of the Golden Snitch; Ginny could never resist watching these crucial moments of a Quidditch match. She even had the bruise as proof from their last match with Hufflepuff where she had been too engaged with watching Harry grab the snitch to see a bludger hurling through the air at her. Ginny's breath caught in her throat as she saw Malfoy's hand close around the snitch at the bottom of the pitch just beyond where she was hiding and wink at her before pulling up and landing.
Flushed, Ginny ran from the pitch, hoping that Malfoy wouldn't alert Snape and Hooch to her spying.