Author Note: Hello, hello! I firstly wanna thanks everyone who has reviewd and put me in their author alert list. ink-blot88, shadowmoony, Schnebz, and Starnat> Really! I didn't expect that much enthusiasm, so thank you THANK YOU! I hope you like this chapter because one of my 'editors' gave me a really really good comment on the last chapter. This chapter is written in the first person point of view only (no monologue-likereflection). Enjoy!
Disclaimer: Please and please refer to the note I wrote on the first chapter.
Although I was happy to say that Harry had finally dealt with Sirius' death last year, things didn't seem to be going better for him. Voldemort had grown much stronger and the Daily Phropet was filled with article of the death of great Aurors and cries of help from families, relatives and those who were endangered. It seemed that wizards were not the only target; muggle weren't spared from any terrors and destruction.
Harry, I noticed, had seemed to channel his anger and frustration to Quidditch. Just like what was anticipated, he had transformed into a Quidditch maniac like his successors. Early morning practices on weekends, late evening drills, and endless discussion of strategies were almost always expected. I secretly wondered if all Quidditch captains were drugged by McGonnagal.
In our recent practice, he had animated the drawing board to stage his strategies from this season. I had managed to block most of his talk by observing my environment. I could see that Ron was staring at Harry with an obvious blank expression in his face. The others bore similar expressions to their face, except Sloper and Kirke. They had somehow managed to charm the animation on the drawing board so that the little stickmen were making some sort of rude gesture. It appeared that Harry was too absorbed in his talk; he had progressed to miniatures of players in front of him and continued on.
I decided that it was my time to make a difference.
"Harry, dear," I tried to get his attention with a mischievous sweet tone.
He jerked up and blinked at me – seemed to be bewildered for a reason I didn't need to know. I was guessing that it was his way to indicate that he was all ears for me. The others were looking at me as if I was mad – Sloper even gaped in pure fear. I had to fight the urge to Bat-Bogey-Hexed him for looking so daft; I continued with the same tone I used previously and turned to Harry.
"Don't you think that after – I glanced at my watch – an hour and eight minutes of your err... kind explanation of your foolproof strategies, we, the best Quidditch team in Hogwarts, would have grabbed the concept?"
I paused, "Don't you think it is time to practise them?"
He smiled heartily at me.
"Now, now, Ginny! We need more than a mere 'grabbing the concept'."
He continued with a mock seriousness in his tone, "You wouldn't think that we would still be the best team if we don't fully put our heart and mind to this, would we?"
He was grimacing by then, "Beside, I personally think that these two – pointing his wand at Sloper and Kirke, they gulped – need some err... extra attention to just assist them in grasping the concept. Don't you think?"
He gestured towards the board behind him. At once, the animation stopped, suspending a vicious-looking beater who was hitting a bludger towards a keeper who was giving the finger. He had noticed.
I quickly put on my I-don't-know-what-you're-talking-about smile.
"Fifteen times around the circumference of the pitch – on foot! NOW!' He roared.
All of us quickly scurried towards the door. I let out a big sigh.
It was bound to be a really long year.
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Being a sixth-year was so hectic; I didn't realise that Halloween was on the following week. Professor Dumbledore had kindly allowed us, the students, to visit Hogsmeade as long as we acknowledged the boundaries where Aurors were stationed. I was planning my Hogsmeade route with Luna at the library when Ron and Harry came in with a handful of parchments in each hand. I waved at them and motioned for them to join us.
"Where's Hermione?" I asked.
Ron explained with an obvious annoyed tone that she was once again, busy with her new duties with Ernie Macmillan. I raised an eyebrow at him and resumed my talk with Luna. They were busy arguing over what was written on the parchment. It looked suspiciously like Quidditch match strategies.
Fifteen minutes later, I felt really tired from all the talking, so I got up and asked Luna if she wanted to leave. But she didnt. I ended up walking back up to the tower by myself.
It was a bizarrely quiet night in the castle; it was almost frightening. This somehow reminded me of the nightware that had been haunting me for quite some time.
I was walking down the corridors alone. I glanced out of the window and saw that the unadulterated blue sky had quickly been concealed by thick, grey clouds. I could sense that the breeze had somehow become intensified.
I heard a softnoise of swishing robes coming towards me. The air around me had chilled and terrifying images from my first year came bursting into my mind. Suddenly, I saw black-hooded figures approaching me; I hastily grabbed my wand out of my pocket.
I was facing a Death Eater, no, there were more coming towards me. I could feel thatthe core of courage had slowly abandoned me, leaving an empty shell of me who was shaken frantically with fear.
I drew a deep breath which I predicted would be my last one.
A sound of a hooting owljerked me back to reality. Somehow, I had ended up in the Owlery instead of my initial destination. Apparently I was too occupied with the thought of potential break-in by Death Eaters lauching an attack on Hogwarts. Feeling very stupid, I turned around and this time focused all of my six senses to find my way back, ignoring the hard thudding of my heart against my chest.
I heard footsteps appraoching from behind and I gasped.
"Ginny!" A familiar voice had called out.
I turned my head around and saw Harry was running to catch up with me.
"Hey, I just came from the Owlery," he hesitated for a second but then continued, "sending anowl to Lupin."
"Oh," I said - trying to hidemy embarassment for being scared earlier.
"So, what are you doing up here anyway? I thought you were going back to the dorm?" he queried.
Knowing that he would not laugh at my stupidity, I explained to him how I wasnt paying attention to where I was walking earlier, though I left out the bit on my dark thoughts - I didn't want him to think I was weak.
Funnily, onmy way back to the castle with Harry, I had almost taken wrong turns if Harry didn't quickly grab me and face my body to the right direction. I gave up leading the way after the third time I did that, letting him pulling me by hand.
When we finally arrived at the Fat Lady portrait, he turned around and faced me.
"Err... Ginny," he stared, "do you have plans next week at Hogsmeade?"
I had the feeling that he wasn't paying any attention tothe previous conversation I had withLuna earlier in the library.
"Why?" I asked after finishing an explanation that Luna and I already had plans.
"Ohh...it's just...," he drifted off, looking unusually nervous and showing a hint of red in his cheeks.
He tried tocontinue, only to find that his voice had become hoarse, "I was about to..."
He cleared his throat,"I just wanted to know if you wanna go with me, you know, to Hogsmeade."
My eyes widened in surprise, I certainly didn't see that one coming.
"Oh," I said, feeling that my face was slowly burning.
I looked down and took a deep breath before looking back at him, he was looking away.
"Sorry, Harry. I've made plans with Luna and as much as I want to go with you, I just can't simply cancel my promise with my friend." I sent him what I hoped as an apologetic smile.
At that moment, the Fat Lady chose to interrupt, "Do you two love birds even want to come inside? Or would you like to have a sleepover out here?
He muttered the password to the Fat Lady and the portrait swung open.
"Well, maybe next time, eh?" he shrugged casually and made his way to his dorm, almost hitting the sofa in front of him.
While I was walking to my dorm, I wondered if I did the right thing. I couldn't break a promise with a friend over a date. It was as simple as that - friends came first in my list.
Then why did I feel like smacking my head repeatedly on the wall?
Author Note: So...so...so!!! How was it? I think it was okay, though I don't know what you think about Ginny refusing a date with Harry. I can assure you that this is what meant to happen for Ginny to realise her feelings. So, once again, I would like to ask you guys to review. Pretty please...