Back at Hogwarts again, Virginia thought grimly, Eris winding around her
ankles comfortingly. She lifted her chin higher and shouldered her bags to
head up to the Great Hall. Eris mewed complainingly and then scampered
along at her heels as Virginia climbed the front steps. She left her bags
with the other students' belongings before continuing on to the Great Hall.
Welcome back feast, my arse, Virginia thought sourly, any vestiges of the
good mood from Draco's visit melting away rapidly under the pressure of the
stares and whispers. Eris darted ahead of her to meow inquiringly at a
large ginger battle scarred tom. Virginia recognized Crookshanks and smiled
tiredly. Well, at least her familiar was making friends. Draco ghosted up
beside her and she offered her cheek to be kissed as the two of them
entered the room.
"Hello, my Cin."
"Welcome back, my dragon."
"Do we burn tonight?"
"Smoulder. Meet ya later." Draco nodded and the two split up to go to their tables. Virginia sat down at her table with a sigh and got ready to be ignored. Pleasant surprise then when Hermoine turned to her with a big smile.
"Hi, Ginny, how were your holidays?"
"Uh, fine." Eris jumped up onto the table and mewed imperatively. "I don't have any food yet, Eris."
"You named your familiar after the goddess of discord and chaos?" Hermoine sounded intrigued so Virginia looked up from petting her kitten.
"Yes. Surprise, surprise, those are the things that trail me and Drac like a black cloud. Draco gave me her for Christmas." Virginia scratched behind Eris's ears and the cat went cross-eyed with pleasure. "She's a sweet girl. Slytherin kitten that she is." Harry sat down across the table and Virginia's eyes narrowed. Eris hissed angrily at the black haired boy. "And she's smart. Knows who not to trust." Virginia got her bag out, retrieving a scrap of parchment and a quill. Quickly she scribbled across it, /D, meet me at the lake after dinner. V./, fastened it to Eris's collar. "Go to Draco." Eris flowed off the table and Virginia turned back to Harry sullenly.
"How was your hols, Ginny?" Harry asked, looking slightly forlorn.
"Well, Draco coming over was really the high point. We went into London, and wandered. It was fun." Virginia tilted her head and blinked at him. "Draco loved Starbucks, and liked football as well, though he said it was rather silly with only one ball and one direction of play. Sweetie kitty!" Virginia bent down and picked up Eris as she stropped against her leg. Virginia was thankful that the flow of conversation diverted Harry's attention from her. Talking to him was not on her list of favourite things to do. Hell, it didn't even make the good list. Reached the no way in hell unless I absolutely have to one though. She giggled into Eris's fur. "You are such a pretty kitty!" Eris purred and batted at her fringe with a gloved paw.
"So, ye got yerself a familiar then? What's its name?" Seamus this time, and Virginia looked up almost coyly.
"Her name is Eris."
"Oh, aye? Interestin' choice." Seamus's eyebrows rose slightly. "Why not Hecate, or Lilith, while ye were about it?"
"Because she's Eris." Virginia nodded firmly, and the food appeared on their plates, Dumbledore's speech having passed without her noticing. She fed her cat quietly from her own plate, replying to conversation when she had to, but not really paying attention to the people around her.
"Look, Ginny, are you all right?" Hermoine asked with concern as the Gryffindors rose to leave the table.
"I'm fine, Hermoine. Just a little tired, that's all. And exceedingly sick of how people think they have a right to dictate my life, and that they have any say in who I go out with," Virginia said wearily, but with a bitter anger underlying her words. "I get sick of the whispers, you know?"
"Yes, I do. You may not think it, but I do. There was some stuff said about me and Harry. . ." Hermoine trailed away for a moment. "But that's in the past. You'll find that this will go as well."
"Yeah, it's just damn annoying while it's happening." The two girls shared a hesitant smile. "I havta go, I'm meeting Draco down by the lake. Play interference for me?"
"Of course. You've done it for me and Ron, so I'll cover for you. Password is Nyxie hair."
"Nyxie hair, got it." Hermoine smiled at her again, and then headed off, probably to find Ron. Virginia flung her hair back out of her eyes and set off for the lakeside, a special piece of parchment rustling reassuringly from inside her robe pocket. Soon, she was nearly there, and enjoying the quiet.
"So we met again, bitch," Pansy hissed stepping out from behind a door.
"Oh please, Pansy, you so ready to bleed again? Haven't you hurt enough, or are you just too stupid to learn?" Pansy didn't reply to Virginia's scathing comments, small malicious smile on her lips. Virginia sighed and shook her head. "I don't have time for this. Come, Eris." Virginia started to walk again, only to have her path blocked by Pansy.
"You'll make the time. See, me and some of my friends are just the teensiest bit annoyed at you. So we're here to teach *you* a lesson this time."
"Eris, go find Draco," Virginia whispered as a group of the older Slytherin girls stepped out of the shadows. Eris mewed protestingly. "Go." Eris sneezed, and then darted between Pansy's legs and off down the corridor. Virginia raised her head and laughed mockingly. "You think you girls scare me? Go on home to yer mummies. I am the hell bitch on wheels, and you five, no, eight better not forget it. I have talked with Voldemort himself, and you think you can scare me? Please." Virginia chuckled again, hand going under her robes stealthily. She gripped her wand tight, ears straining for a sign of any rescue. Nothing, except this grinning pack of hyenas. Bloody hell.
"But I think we do scare you." Pansy smirked and all eight raised their wands.
"Expelliarmus!" Virginia yelled loudly and then dove to the side, a flurry of spells hitting the place where she had stood. A foot thudded into her side, and she cried out in pain. "Expelliarmus!" She waved her wand, and then it was kicked out of her hand as she fought tooth and nail against the bevy of shrilly laughing girls.
"CIN!" Draco came into the hall, Eris frantically running in front of him and he stopped, shocked, at the melee in front of him. Slytherin girls were around something, and then when he heard a voice scream his name, he knew what it was. His soul froze, and then he was on them like the wrath of God.
"DRACO!" Virginia bit down hard on the hand covering her mouth, and screamed. The person yelped in pain, and she got a very vicious slap for it. She got her mouth free again, and shrieked for anyone to hear, she cared not who as long as they got her away from the grasping hands and the sheer unknowingness of who struck her. A flash of silver fur and she nearly wept in relief, and then Pansy had Eris spitting and squalling in her hand. "No! Eris!" Virginia surged up from the hands holding her down and kicked Pansy right in the stomach. The girl gasped, but dropped the cat. Eris streaked away, and then Pansy was gone too.
"Get *off* her, you sorry bitches! I'm going to make you all scream! Dammit, get off!" Draco's hand reached hers and lifted her up, supporting her as he glared at the sullen Slytherin girls, all of who sported signs of Virginia's struggles, in bruises, scratches or bite marks. Millicent Bulstrode cradled her hand and stared spitefully at the red haired girl in Draco's arms.
"Can we kill them now?" Virginia hissed from between her teeth. "Please, let's just kill them. Where's my wand?" Eris pattered over with the wand held between her teeth. "Thank you, Eris." Virginia crouched and took the wand from her cat.
"You are all going to die slow, painful deaths," Draco stated calmly, and then his head jerked as they heard footsteps. "Cry hard, Cin. Acting time." Virginia started to sob loudly and noisily, cowering in Draco's arms. "Get away from her! Cin, you alright? Please, talk to me, pet." Draco fussed over her solicitously, and then straightened up as McGonagall strode into the corridor.
The teacher's footsteps faltered as she took in the scene. A grey cat hissing and spitting, back arched prowling between a group of eight Slytherin senior girls, with Draco Malfoy and Ginny Weasley on the other side. Both groups looked a bit worse for wear. "What happened here?" She snapped out.
"They attacked me! If, if Draco hadn't come along, I don't know what would have happened. Please, miss, I need to go to the Infirmary," Virginia sniffled, eyes flowing tears.
"Professor, I don't know what started it but Eris, that's the cat, came to fetch me and when I came in, Ginny was on the floor, and they were all kicking her." Draco glared icy daggers at the group of girls. "I need to go, before I kill them. And I am honestly not joking, I am that angry."
"Go. And I will wish to talk to you later, Miss Weasley, Mr. Malfoy."
"As you wish, professor McGonagall." Minerva couldn't quite shake the conviction that the boy was secretly laughing at her, and then the cat howled triumphantly and Pansy screamed, so that distracted her completely.
"Eris! Come here now!" Virginia said loudly, and Eris pattered over, leaving Pansy holding her hands over her scratched and bleeding face. "Miss, I would rather just go back up to the Common Room, if that's alright with you. Draco's a dab hand at healing charms." Draco lifted an eyebrow calmly at the teacher when she looked skeptical.
"Fine. Now, Miss Parkinson, Miss Bulstrode, and all you others can come with me to professor Dumbledore's office. Now, and I don't want to hear any backchat." McGonagall whirled off and the Slytherin girls followed her resentfully. Draco and Virginia waited until they were out of earshot, then he picked her up and ran.
"Put me down, Draco Malfoy!"
"Not until we're near some Gryffindors," he answered her grimly. "I didn't know that would happen, and I don't want it to happen again."
"Those pesky things called feelings are really getting you down, aren't they?"
"Like the bloody plague."
"Aw, poor Slytherin." They were passing very surprised looking people, and Draco slowed down to a slow walk, Eris bounding along ahead. "I'm corrupting you."
"Never. You're as strong as I am, with a backbone of bloody steel."
"Nice boy to say such things."
"Here we are. What's your password?"
"Nyxie hair!" The Fat Lady swung open, looking very shocked at the state of them as Draco bolted up the stairs and Eris scittered up behind him. "Never, never, never ever going any where without you or my brothers ever again," Virginia said very seriously as they stepped into the Common Room and Draco finally put her down before leaning against a wall and gasping for breath. Eris mewed up at her mistress. "Oh, I'll be fine kitten. Just let Draco catch his breath, and I'll be more then fine."
"Sodding sorry bitches."
"Well, yes but I've got you all snaffled. They resent that. Hello all. I got caught and ambushed by Pansy Parkinson and a group of her friends," Virginia explained to the stunned room of Gryffindors. Ron rushed over to her, and started fussing. "Ron, I'm fine. No Slytherin is gonna keep me down, oh no way."
"You could have been seriously hurt, Ginny."
"I could be seriously hurt by falling down the fricking stairs!"
"He's right, Cin." Draco stood up, having regained his breath, eyes smoky with worry for her. "We should end this, before you do get hurt."
"Draco Malfoy, if you think that those girls are gonna stop this, when Voldemort himself, snaky smarmy bastard that he is, couldn't change my mind, you have a whole nother think coming!" Virginia's eyes flared with anger, and his blazed to match hers.
"You need to stop and think, before you get seriously hurt! I am not a nice person, and the people I know aren't nice either."
"And I don't give a flying fuck!" Virginia snapped. "Draco, if you seriously think what happened today makes any difference in how I feel, you have been seriously underestimating me."
"Have I?" His voice became silky with menace. "Prove it."
"Fine, ass! You are such an inbred, smegging goit!" He growled at her, baring his teeth and she slapped him across the face, turning his head with the force of her blow. "Don't you growl at me!"
"I'll growl at you if I want, Weasel."
"Oh, shall you, you bouncing ferret? I did look up that spell, and poof!" She waved her wand at him menacingly. "You could relive those endless minutes."
"You wouldn't dare."
"Wouldn't I, serpent boy?"
"That would tarnish your image beyond repair, Saint Virginia."
"Like I care what the world thinks, you git. If there's one thing you should have learned, it's that I do what I like."
"Only now though."
"Yes, now, with you. Just, shut *up*, Draco!" She said a bit tearfully, and then she flung her arms around his neck and kissed him hard. His eyes went wide with surprise then he responded whole-heartedly.
"Well, that's a novel way of telling someone to shut up," Dean whispered to Seamus.
"Yeah, but what a way!" Seamus whispered back.
"Ginny, please stop. I do like to think you're innocent, you know," Ron pleaded, looking very embarrassed. With a half smothered giggle, Virginia let go of Draco.
"So, did we clear the air then?" He asked her.
"Uh huh. You've got that nasty little kick out of your system?"
"Fine, but we step up the training tomorrow."
"As you will, oh great master."
"And don't you forget it. Well, you'll be fine here, surrounded by all your fellow Gryffindors, so I'll be off and stop polluting their air."
"See ya, Draco!" Draco kissed her cheek in farewell and then was off down the staircase in a swirl of black robes. "Um, well, see, it went kinda like this. . ." Virginia started to explain to her confused House.
Aw, I have such nice reviewers! Luff you! It may be a while before my next update. I do have a life, you know! And a thing called the HSC, which is evil, and the Board of Studies deserve to burn in hell forever and ever. Cookies for my reviewers! *throws out cookies randomly* Luff you!
"Hello, my Cin."
"Welcome back, my dragon."
"Do we burn tonight?"
"Smoulder. Meet ya later." Draco nodded and the two split up to go to their tables. Virginia sat down at her table with a sigh and got ready to be ignored. Pleasant surprise then when Hermoine turned to her with a big smile.
"Hi, Ginny, how were your holidays?"
"Uh, fine." Eris jumped up onto the table and mewed imperatively. "I don't have any food yet, Eris."
"You named your familiar after the goddess of discord and chaos?" Hermoine sounded intrigued so Virginia looked up from petting her kitten.
"Yes. Surprise, surprise, those are the things that trail me and Drac like a black cloud. Draco gave me her for Christmas." Virginia scratched behind Eris's ears and the cat went cross-eyed with pleasure. "She's a sweet girl. Slytherin kitten that she is." Harry sat down across the table and Virginia's eyes narrowed. Eris hissed angrily at the black haired boy. "And she's smart. Knows who not to trust." Virginia got her bag out, retrieving a scrap of parchment and a quill. Quickly she scribbled across it, /D, meet me at the lake after dinner. V./, fastened it to Eris's collar. "Go to Draco." Eris flowed off the table and Virginia turned back to Harry sullenly.
"How was your hols, Ginny?" Harry asked, looking slightly forlorn.
"Well, Draco coming over was really the high point. We went into London, and wandered. It was fun." Virginia tilted her head and blinked at him. "Draco loved Starbucks, and liked football as well, though he said it was rather silly with only one ball and one direction of play. Sweetie kitty!" Virginia bent down and picked up Eris as she stropped against her leg. Virginia was thankful that the flow of conversation diverted Harry's attention from her. Talking to him was not on her list of favourite things to do. Hell, it didn't even make the good list. Reached the no way in hell unless I absolutely have to one though. She giggled into Eris's fur. "You are such a pretty kitty!" Eris purred and batted at her fringe with a gloved paw.
"So, ye got yerself a familiar then? What's its name?" Seamus this time, and Virginia looked up almost coyly.
"Her name is Eris."
"Oh, aye? Interestin' choice." Seamus's eyebrows rose slightly. "Why not Hecate, or Lilith, while ye were about it?"
"Because she's Eris." Virginia nodded firmly, and the food appeared on their plates, Dumbledore's speech having passed without her noticing. She fed her cat quietly from her own plate, replying to conversation when she had to, but not really paying attention to the people around her.
"Look, Ginny, are you all right?" Hermoine asked with concern as the Gryffindors rose to leave the table.
"I'm fine, Hermoine. Just a little tired, that's all. And exceedingly sick of how people think they have a right to dictate my life, and that they have any say in who I go out with," Virginia said wearily, but with a bitter anger underlying her words. "I get sick of the whispers, you know?"
"Yes, I do. You may not think it, but I do. There was some stuff said about me and Harry. . ." Hermoine trailed away for a moment. "But that's in the past. You'll find that this will go as well."
"Yeah, it's just damn annoying while it's happening." The two girls shared a hesitant smile. "I havta go, I'm meeting Draco down by the lake. Play interference for me?"
"Of course. You've done it for me and Ron, so I'll cover for you. Password is Nyxie hair."
"Nyxie hair, got it." Hermoine smiled at her again, and then headed off, probably to find Ron. Virginia flung her hair back out of her eyes and set off for the lakeside, a special piece of parchment rustling reassuringly from inside her robe pocket. Soon, she was nearly there, and enjoying the quiet.
"So we met again, bitch," Pansy hissed stepping out from behind a door.
"Oh please, Pansy, you so ready to bleed again? Haven't you hurt enough, or are you just too stupid to learn?" Pansy didn't reply to Virginia's scathing comments, small malicious smile on her lips. Virginia sighed and shook her head. "I don't have time for this. Come, Eris." Virginia started to walk again, only to have her path blocked by Pansy.
"You'll make the time. See, me and some of my friends are just the teensiest bit annoyed at you. So we're here to teach *you* a lesson this time."
"Eris, go find Draco," Virginia whispered as a group of the older Slytherin girls stepped out of the shadows. Eris mewed protestingly. "Go." Eris sneezed, and then darted between Pansy's legs and off down the corridor. Virginia raised her head and laughed mockingly. "You think you girls scare me? Go on home to yer mummies. I am the hell bitch on wheels, and you five, no, eight better not forget it. I have talked with Voldemort himself, and you think you can scare me? Please." Virginia chuckled again, hand going under her robes stealthily. She gripped her wand tight, ears straining for a sign of any rescue. Nothing, except this grinning pack of hyenas. Bloody hell.
"But I think we do scare you." Pansy smirked and all eight raised their wands.
"Expelliarmus!" Virginia yelled loudly and then dove to the side, a flurry of spells hitting the place where she had stood. A foot thudded into her side, and she cried out in pain. "Expelliarmus!" She waved her wand, and then it was kicked out of her hand as she fought tooth and nail against the bevy of shrilly laughing girls.
"CIN!" Draco came into the hall, Eris frantically running in front of him and he stopped, shocked, at the melee in front of him. Slytherin girls were around something, and then when he heard a voice scream his name, he knew what it was. His soul froze, and then he was on them like the wrath of God.
"DRACO!" Virginia bit down hard on the hand covering her mouth, and screamed. The person yelped in pain, and she got a very vicious slap for it. She got her mouth free again, and shrieked for anyone to hear, she cared not who as long as they got her away from the grasping hands and the sheer unknowingness of who struck her. A flash of silver fur and she nearly wept in relief, and then Pansy had Eris spitting and squalling in her hand. "No! Eris!" Virginia surged up from the hands holding her down and kicked Pansy right in the stomach. The girl gasped, but dropped the cat. Eris streaked away, and then Pansy was gone too.
"Get *off* her, you sorry bitches! I'm going to make you all scream! Dammit, get off!" Draco's hand reached hers and lifted her up, supporting her as he glared at the sullen Slytherin girls, all of who sported signs of Virginia's struggles, in bruises, scratches or bite marks. Millicent Bulstrode cradled her hand and stared spitefully at the red haired girl in Draco's arms.
"Can we kill them now?" Virginia hissed from between her teeth. "Please, let's just kill them. Where's my wand?" Eris pattered over with the wand held between her teeth. "Thank you, Eris." Virginia crouched and took the wand from her cat.
"You are all going to die slow, painful deaths," Draco stated calmly, and then his head jerked as they heard footsteps. "Cry hard, Cin. Acting time." Virginia started to sob loudly and noisily, cowering in Draco's arms. "Get away from her! Cin, you alright? Please, talk to me, pet." Draco fussed over her solicitously, and then straightened up as McGonagall strode into the corridor.
The teacher's footsteps faltered as she took in the scene. A grey cat hissing and spitting, back arched prowling between a group of eight Slytherin senior girls, with Draco Malfoy and Ginny Weasley on the other side. Both groups looked a bit worse for wear. "What happened here?" She snapped out.
"They attacked me! If, if Draco hadn't come along, I don't know what would have happened. Please, miss, I need to go to the Infirmary," Virginia sniffled, eyes flowing tears.
"Professor, I don't know what started it but Eris, that's the cat, came to fetch me and when I came in, Ginny was on the floor, and they were all kicking her." Draco glared icy daggers at the group of girls. "I need to go, before I kill them. And I am honestly not joking, I am that angry."
"Go. And I will wish to talk to you later, Miss Weasley, Mr. Malfoy."
"As you wish, professor McGonagall." Minerva couldn't quite shake the conviction that the boy was secretly laughing at her, and then the cat howled triumphantly and Pansy screamed, so that distracted her completely.
"Eris! Come here now!" Virginia said loudly, and Eris pattered over, leaving Pansy holding her hands over her scratched and bleeding face. "Miss, I would rather just go back up to the Common Room, if that's alright with you. Draco's a dab hand at healing charms." Draco lifted an eyebrow calmly at the teacher when she looked skeptical.
"Fine. Now, Miss Parkinson, Miss Bulstrode, and all you others can come with me to professor Dumbledore's office. Now, and I don't want to hear any backchat." McGonagall whirled off and the Slytherin girls followed her resentfully. Draco and Virginia waited until they were out of earshot, then he picked her up and ran.
"Put me down, Draco Malfoy!"
"Not until we're near some Gryffindors," he answered her grimly. "I didn't know that would happen, and I don't want it to happen again."
"Those pesky things called feelings are really getting you down, aren't they?"
"Like the bloody plague."
"Aw, poor Slytherin." They were passing very surprised looking people, and Draco slowed down to a slow walk, Eris bounding along ahead. "I'm corrupting you."
"Never. You're as strong as I am, with a backbone of bloody steel."
"Nice boy to say such things."
"Here we are. What's your password?"
"Nyxie hair!" The Fat Lady swung open, looking very shocked at the state of them as Draco bolted up the stairs and Eris scittered up behind him. "Never, never, never ever going any where without you or my brothers ever again," Virginia said very seriously as they stepped into the Common Room and Draco finally put her down before leaning against a wall and gasping for breath. Eris mewed up at her mistress. "Oh, I'll be fine kitten. Just let Draco catch his breath, and I'll be more then fine."
"Sodding sorry bitches."
"Well, yes but I've got you all snaffled. They resent that. Hello all. I got caught and ambushed by Pansy Parkinson and a group of her friends," Virginia explained to the stunned room of Gryffindors. Ron rushed over to her, and started fussing. "Ron, I'm fine. No Slytherin is gonna keep me down, oh no way."
"You could have been seriously hurt, Ginny."
"I could be seriously hurt by falling down the fricking stairs!"
"He's right, Cin." Draco stood up, having regained his breath, eyes smoky with worry for her. "We should end this, before you do get hurt."
"Draco Malfoy, if you think that those girls are gonna stop this, when Voldemort himself, snaky smarmy bastard that he is, couldn't change my mind, you have a whole nother think coming!" Virginia's eyes flared with anger, and his blazed to match hers.
"You need to stop and think, before you get seriously hurt! I am not a nice person, and the people I know aren't nice either."
"And I don't give a flying fuck!" Virginia snapped. "Draco, if you seriously think what happened today makes any difference in how I feel, you have been seriously underestimating me."
"Have I?" His voice became silky with menace. "Prove it."
"Fine, ass! You are such an inbred, smegging goit!" He growled at her, baring his teeth and she slapped him across the face, turning his head with the force of her blow. "Don't you growl at me!"
"I'll growl at you if I want, Weasel."
"Oh, shall you, you bouncing ferret? I did look up that spell, and poof!" She waved her wand at him menacingly. "You could relive those endless minutes."
"You wouldn't dare."
"Wouldn't I, serpent boy?"
"That would tarnish your image beyond repair, Saint Virginia."
"Like I care what the world thinks, you git. If there's one thing you should have learned, it's that I do what I like."
"Only now though."
"Yes, now, with you. Just, shut *up*, Draco!" She said a bit tearfully, and then she flung her arms around his neck and kissed him hard. His eyes went wide with surprise then he responded whole-heartedly.
"Well, that's a novel way of telling someone to shut up," Dean whispered to Seamus.
"Yeah, but what a way!" Seamus whispered back.
"Ginny, please stop. I do like to think you're innocent, you know," Ron pleaded, looking very embarrassed. With a half smothered giggle, Virginia let go of Draco.
"So, did we clear the air then?" He asked her.
"Uh huh. You've got that nasty little kick out of your system?"
"Fine, but we step up the training tomorrow."
"As you will, oh great master."
"And don't you forget it. Well, you'll be fine here, surrounded by all your fellow Gryffindors, so I'll be off and stop polluting their air."
"See ya, Draco!" Draco kissed her cheek in farewell and then was off down the staircase in a swirl of black robes. "Um, well, see, it went kinda like this. . ." Virginia started to explain to her confused House.
Aw, I have such nice reviewers! Luff you! It may be a while before my next update. I do have a life, you know! And a thing called the HSC, which is evil, and the Board of Studies deserve to burn in hell forever and ever. Cookies for my reviewers! *throws out cookies randomly* Luff you!