Chapter 19
"Ginny? Ginny wake up! Gin. GINNY WEASLEY GET YOUR BLOODY ARSE OUT OF BED!"
"Wha? I'm up!" Ginny sat up and rubbed her eyes dazedly. She looked around to Zi standing over her holding a piece of parchment.
"Bloody bird won't leave till I wake you up and give you the sodding letter!" Zi shoved her thumb at the dark gray owl that was perched next to her own. Ginny smiled and shook her head at Destiny, Draco's owl. Zi sighed exasperatedly and shoved the letter at Ginny before leaving the Dormitory.
"How're you this morning, Destiny?" The owl hooted happily in response as Ginny stroked its neck affectionately. She ripped open the letter, it read:
Ginny,
Wanted to let you know that I'm out of the Hospital Wing now. I haven't seen you in a few days and I miss you. Meet me in the Astronomy Tower after dinner? I'll be returning to classes tomorrow, so I guess I won't see you until tonight. Hope you're doing okay.
Love,
Draco
Ginny smiled and, folding the letter back up, kissed the edge before tucking it away in her drawer. As she thought about Draco, her hand reflexively when to the silver necklace around her neck. Noticing what she was doing, she smiled and walked over to her bedside table. She leant down and opened the box; the Snitch opened its wings and fluttered lazily just above the box.
Destiny flew over and landed on Ginny's shoulder, nuzzling her cheek. 'Strange,' she thought, 'how good of friends I've become with Draco's owl.'
The Great Hall
"Hey Gin—" Ron's greeting was interrupted by an ear-splitting scream. It was coming from the Slytherin Table; everyone looked over to see a very frightened seventh year bolt out of the Great Hall. A few seconds later, his books followed him closely, floating in the air and opening and closing repeatedly as if trying to chomp on him. "What in the sodding hell was that?"
"That, my dear brother," Ginny smiled as she sat down next to Ron. "Is the Argorus charm." Her brothers, Harry, Hermione, Mattie, and Zi all stared at her in astonishment, mouths hanging wide open.
"You ... you did that?" Fred choked out, unable to believe that his sweet, innocent baby sister was capable of pranking someone.
"Is that so hard to believe, Fred? I mean pranking is like the family business, and besides he was insulting some friends of mine for no reason. I figured he'd needed some punishment." Ginny smiled at her friends and brothers, who were still staring at her, and started eating some of the ham that had appeared in front of her.
"Ginny, that was bloody brilliant!"
"Harry's right, Gin. That's not an easy charm, like at all!" Ginny smiled at Hermione proudly.
"I guess the infamous Weasley twins have some competition then." Ginny smirked as she continued to eat.
"Or ... we simply become the Weasley three and wreak more havoc than anyone ever thought possible." George smiled hopefully at his sister, who cocked an eyebrow.
"And what makes you think I would join the likes of you?"
"Because you are the most utterly brilliant witch in all of England and you wouldn't turn down a smashing opportunity like this?" Fred and George shook their heads, smiling as Ginny snorted into her pumpkin juice.
"As enticing as that offer sounds, I'd prefer to do free-lance at the moment. Although, don't hesitate to ask me if you're ever in need of some help!" Ginny laughed and smiled; she got up and started out of the Great Hall, leaving her brothers utterly bewildered.
"I'm glad to see that she's in a much better mood as of late." Hermione stared thoughtfully at her half-full plate.
"She's not angry ... or as she put it, frustrated with us three anymore. Thank god for Charlie." Fred shook his head smiling, as he popped a roll into his mouth whole, receiving several eye rolls from the girls. "Wha?"
"Don't talk with your mouth full, Frederick Weasley." Fred whirled around to see Ginny standing behind him. "Forgot my book," she said innocently, holding up a large Potions textbook. She smiled and clapped him on the back before trotting out of the Great Hall. Fred swallowed and shook his head.
"Scares me sometimes how much she reminds me of Mum." The three Weasleys at the table shuddered involuntarily.
The Astronomy Tower
"Draco?" Ginny looked around the Astronomy Tower, not seeing anyone. 'That doesn't mean no one's here,' she thought.
"Ahem." Ginny whirled around just as Draco pulled the Invisibility Cloak off of him, dropping it to the ground. He stared at her annoyed as she started to hug him.
"What's wrong?"
"Why did you curse Parkinson's books?"
"What?"
"Pansy's brother. Someone charmed his books to attack him. You were researching the Argorus Charm yesterday. Few people are powerful enough to perform the charm, and Granger wouldn't stoop that low. I just had Pansy yelling about it for the past hour. I want to know why you did it." Ginny inhaled sharply and glared at Draco.
"Besides the fact that he insults all of my friends, I overheard him talking about you and your family. He was saying that the rumors about Lucius hurting you were just lies that you concocted to get attention and favoritism from Dumbledore. I'm sorry that I defended you, I won't next time." Ginny sighed, grabbed Harry's Invisibility Cloak off the floor, and stormed out of the Astronomy Tower. Draco ran a hand through his hair and sighed as he watched Ginny's retreating back, regretfully.
Gryffindor Girls' Dormitory
"Hey Mols, where'd you disappear to at dinner?" Zi was sprawled out on Ginny's bed, reading one of Ginny's fantasy novels.
"Zi can I ask, what exactly is wrong with your bed?" Zi smiled and shrugged as Ginny flopped down next to her with a sigh.
"Yours is more squashy."
"Mine is more squashy because you hardly ever sleep in your bed." Ginny smacked Zi upside the head softly.
"Well its not my fault I have loneliness issues. Take that up with Cho!" Zi smiled and continued to read. Cho never let Zi sleep with her when she was little; even when it was storming outside or when Zi had nightmares. Zi loved the fact that Ginny didn't mind letting her sleep in her bed. Ginny had spent probably half her life sleeping in Charlie's bed; between having to share when relatives were in town, nightmares, and storms.
"I went to see Draco ... he's in a bad mood."
"What do you mean? What happened?"
"The reason I cursed Parkinson was because I heard him say Draco was lying about the entire Lucius trying to murder him thing. Draco got angry about that, supposedly, because Pansy went on about it for an hour." Ginny reached over to the bedside table and, sitting up, grabbed a tube of lip gloss and started to put it on.
"You don't believe him, do you?" Ginny shook her head 'no'. "What are you –" Zi was interrupted by a light but urgent tapping at the window. Ginny got up off the bed and walked to the window. She opened it and a familiar gray owl flew in. "You know, I think Destiny's as much your owl as she is Draco's. I mean you probably see her more than he does." Ginny rolled her eyes at Zi as she found a few treats for Destiny.
Destiny settled down on the perch next to Zi's owl, Garfield, as Ginny unfolded the letter Destiny had dropped on her desk. "What's it say?"
"He wants to talk ... he wants to meet at the Room of Requirement tonight."
"You going to?" Ginny shrugged and sighed as she sat back down at the foot of her bed.
"I suppose so ... I want to spend some time with you. Between school and the whole thing with Draco being hurt, we haven't done anything together since before Christmas." Zi smiled and shifted to lay her head in Ginny's lap. Ginny started to play with Zi's long, straight, black hair absentmindedly.
"Yeah, I was hoping you'd say that. I got some new music for Christmas from my Mum, I thought we could try it out."
"Fabulous! What's it from?"
"I don't remember what the book is from, but the single one is from an American musical called Sweeny Todd The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. Dad took me to see it this summer when we were in New York, bloody creepy stuff." Ginny burst out laughing.
"The Demon Barber of Fleet Street?" Zi giggled and nodded.
"Yeah, it's kind of bizarre. I want you to come with us this summer when we go to America for a week. Dad promised to take us to see some musicals." Ginny smiled as Zi sat up and grabbed her hand. Zi pulled Ginny to her feet and walked over to her trunk. She rifled through it for a moment before holding up some music books triumphantly. "Okay, let's go mon amie!" Ginny shook her head smiling as she followed Zi out of their Dormitory.
A/N: I wanted to apologize for not updating; I was out of town this weekend and didn't have Internet access to be able to post this chapter. I feel horrible not posting for all you fantabulous reviewers! Please don't be angry with me for having Draco and Ginny fight! You can flame me, but please don't give up on this story! I promise it will all work out! Anywho, what did you all think of Ginny pulling a prank? Hehe, I hope you liked it! More importantly, how did you like this chapter?! Please review! does happy dance in praise of all the wonderful reviews that put me at 119
DarkRose: LOL, you are so incompetent! You can't even wink! You apparently didn't notice that someone got Avada Kedavra'd in the last chapter, sweetie! But yes, wait for Easter Break ... lots of bad things! I figured since the list was so sweet, you deserved 2 mentions! Yay! Thanks so much! How was this one?
MasterHarperMenolly: Yes! He is awake! joins in the happy dancing! Sorry for the wait! How did you like this chapter?
Lil Bre: Yes! I'm begging! Time to Burn is my baby and only like 3 people read it (and one is my best friend so she doesn't count)! Hope you had fun at school, LOL. Yes, I'm sorry to say that nothing like that will happen to the bastard, but you know doesn't work with the plot and all that. Thanks so much, how was this?
Fieryred20: Thanks so much! How was this chapter?
Freakyangel: Awesome email dude! Thank you so much! I'm so flattered! How was this chapter?
Dracosbaby7: Yes mucho of the sadness. It will continue to be sad ... I'm sorry! But Lucius is a bastard and Charlie is the best! Thanks so much! Sorry for the wait, but how was this?
Krystal1989: Thank you so much! Sorry for the wait, but I hope the chapter was good enough to make up for that!
Paintedsecrets: Happy dancing!! Hehe, you will find out soon ... well more like eventually. Haha, yes, well as long as I get Oliver Wood in your wild and twisted dreams, its all good! You have no idea how much your reviews make me laugh! Yes yes, and we're getting closer to the end of this one so the sequel will make you lots and lots of happy! Sorry, no can't kill Lucius ... Voldemort will die eventually. Burger King ... meh, I love whoppers but that's about it! You have issues? Well you're in good company then! Yes, bio! Thanks so much! How was this one?
Inukaino: Haha, thanks. Yes, he lives! But is an asshole in this chapter! Gah! I'm angry with myself for writing that ... but that's the way it hasta be! How was this?
LunarianPrincess: That makes me feel better because I was starting to think I was dragging it out! Eep! Thank you so much! How was this chapter?
... Okay, well JK came out and said that Ginny's real name is actually "Ginerva" and not "Virginia" but thanks anywho.
MoonlightPrincess: Yes, damn him! But he does serve a purpose! Super sorry for the wait, but was it okay nonetheless? Thanks!
AnnaBeave: Oh my goodness! I'm so flattered! I never thought I'd inspire anyone ... blushes like a crazy lobster Sorry, but nothing bad is going to happen to Lucius for a while, if at all. Its just the way the plot works in that crazy place they call my mind! Sorry for the wait, but how was this?
Faith: Thank you so much! Sorry for the wait, but how did you like it anywho?
CoolMilena: Haha, I'm flattered! I have no idea how because my love life is ... let's just say its not exactly inspiring! That's what we're all wondering dearie! Thanks so much! That's awesome; I'd love to live somewhere like that. All I get is boring old Phoenix! P Sorry for the wait but please review nonetheless. I'm 15, I'm a sophomore!
Luna Gypsy: Thank you so much! Awww! Yes, he has it pretty bad. That is an awesome idea, but I'd have to stay far, far away from the room myself because pink scares me! (too much pink as a freshmen, since that's the freshmen color, so now I'm scarred for life!). Anywho, back to the subject, how did you like this?
HarryPotterFan670: Thanks! I'm sorry ... I try and read and review all my reviewers stories, but with my honors classes all over the place, I'm kind of pressed for time. How did you like this one?
Sandofia: For the record, I have no intention of stopping any of my stories! I haven't been home since early Friday morning, hence the wait! So sorry! Haha, yes the cuteness of the brothers! Well their over-protectiveness won't be so cute come Easter Break! I didn't tell you in this chapter, so sorry, but I might reveal in the next one! Don't get too excited, its not that big of a deal, LOL. Ron, Fred, and George are going to find out ... hmm, I'm not going to tell you exactly. However, I will say that Draco is not going to be conscious by the time they are done with him. Haha, I don't really like your conscience either ... violence spices things up! There will be plenty of violence in chapter 21, so if you can wait until then you will do the happy dance! Yay! Thanks so much! Thanks for reading Time to Burn, how was this chapter?
Disclaimer: As flattered as I am that you all think I own Harry Potter ... I think you need to get your brain's checked.