Summary: Ginny begins her sixth year at Hogwarts and she finds herself constantly bumping into a certain blonde Slytherin. GW/DM
A/N: Written together with FranziT and this is our first attempt to write a novel-length fic. Please R&R, but keep in mind that we're from Sweden, so there might be some errors.
Disclaimer: We own nothing but the plot.
It was a very satisfying feeling when the water poured down her body, and all her troubles washed away. Ginny placed her face against the stream of water and smiled. The summer was coming to its end, and she looked forward to the return to school with mixed feelings. On one hand she looked forward to seeing Luna again, who had spent most of the summer abroad. On the other hand there were things she felt less enthusiastic about. With a deep sigh she took the shampoo from the shelf, put some in her hand and started to massage it into her hair. She was singing quietly to herself, when the door suddenly burst open. Harry came running into the bathroom in search for a towel, when he abruptly stopped as he felt the warm air against his face. He looked around and his eyes stopped when he saw Ginny standing in the shower.
"Eh... Ginny... er...." he said with his eyes fixed on her naked body and his face turning a couple of shades redder.
Ginny tried to cover herself, but without any success, while she got more and more irritated and blushed.
"Harry, get out! Harry? Harry? HARRY! Get out!" she screamed.
Harry flinched. "Oh... eh... sorry." He hurried out of the room.
Ginny shrugged her shoulders and kept on showering.
When she got out of the shower she dried herself, put on her favourite grey sweater, which she always wore at home, and her washed out blue jeans, jumped into her slippers and went outside to the garden. She had brought one of her Muggle books, 'Goodnight Mister Tom' by Michelle Magorian, which she had read at least a dozen times already. It was the first Muggle book she had ever read, and she had got it from Hermione on her fourteenth birthday.
She sat down under one of the big Oak trees in the far end of the garden, and opened the book.
After a few hours she heard her mother's cry.
"Ginny! Dinner time!"
Ginny arose and went inside to join the rest. She was quiet during the whole dinner. Harry kept shooting glances at her, but she avoided his looks. After she had finished she went straight to bed, exhausted from doing nothing.
She lay in her bed, staring out trough the window, watching the sky turn darker and darker. Her eyelids became heavy and soon she had fallen asleep.
It was a dreamless night, and she woke up early from the twittering of the birds. The rays of sunlight shone into her room casting shadows on the walls. She got out of bed and went downstairs to the kitchen. No one was awake, so she ate her breakfast in her solitude. She was lost in her thoughts when she heard a picking noise coming from the window. It was an owl, apparently coming from Hogwarts, since it was carrying four letters with the Hogwarts seal. She opened the window to let the bird in. It dropped the letters in Ginny's hands and then flew right out the same way it had gotten in. Ginny opened her letter and read the lines.
Set books
You should have a copy of the following books:
The Standard Book of Spells (grade 6) by Miranda Goshawk
The Art of Transfiguration (NEWT) by Emeric Switch
More Complicated Potions (NEWT) by Arsenius Jigger
Herbology Studies for the More Advanced by Phyllida Spore
Defensive Spells (NEWT) by Griswald Utterby
On the other parchment stood the usual lines about when term started and at which time and place the Hogwarts Express left.
When she had finished reading she heard the others coming down the stairs, and soon the kitchen was full of people.
"Ah, this is great! This means a visit to Diagon Alley today, boys and girls. So, let's hurry up so we can get going as soon as possible." Molly said.
A chaos broke out, when everybody tried to run up the stairs at the same time. Half an hour later they were ready to leave so they gathered by the fireplace.
"Go ahead, Ginny! You first."
Ginny took some Floopowder and stepped into the fire, shouting 'Diagon Alley'. When she came out in Flourish & Blott's, she felt a bit dizzy and had to lean against the wall for a minute or so. One after another the rest arrived, and when everybody was there they started to gather the books.
"Give me the books, I'll pay for them." Molly said and the others left the store; Harry, Ron and Hermione by themselves leaving Ginny behind. But Ginny didn't mind, she actually found it relieving for she enjoyed being alone.
She decided to visit Fred and George at their joke shop, 'Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes', just down the Alley.
She was walking at a fast pace, not aware of what was happening around her. When she rounded a corner she bumped into something.
"Watch where you're going, Weasley!" she heard someone say with an irritated voice.
She looked up and met the grey, icy eyes of Draco Malfoy.
"Oh, it's you," she said coolly. "Well, I intended to apologize, but since it's you...."
"But since it's me, what?" he said.
"First of all, I don't use to apologize for things I don't cause all by myself, and second of all, I will never apologize to a Malfoy." she stated and met his steady gaze.
He smirked. "Well, well, well, the Weasley's got tongues. Not possessed by the Dark Lord again, are you?"
"Go to hell, Malfoy!" she mumbled, her eyes shooting murderous looks.
"Ginny? We were looking f.... What is he doing here?" It was Ron. He had just noticed Malfoy and was walking towards them accompanied by Harry and Hermione. "Get away from my sister, Malfoy!"
"Or what?" Malfoy hissed.
"Just leave!" Hermione said and took a threatening step towards Malfoy.
Ron took hold on one of Ginny's arms and pulled her away. She removed his hand from her arm.
"I can take care of myself, Ron!" she said furiously.
"Stay out of this, Ginny; you don't have anything to do with this."
"Oh, forgive me; I thought this was between me and the Malfoy-git. But I guess I was wrong." she sarcastically said.
Then she left, leaving the trio behind, stunned, and a pair of grey eyes looking rather amused.
She made her way over to Fred and George's shop. It was filled with people she noticed without surprise. Fred and George were standing behind the desk, busy with costumers.
"Oi, Ginny! Think you could give us a hand here?" Fred shouted to make himself heard over the chattering voices.
"Sure thing. Where do you want me?"
"Behind the desk, you can take the register."
Ginny moved over to the back of the desk and started to take orders. After a while the others entered the shop, but she ignored them.