Ginny lay awake in her bed almost the whole night. Her mind could not sway
from what had just happened. Or more importantly - what could have
happened. The thought of Draco made her shiver- his lips smothering her
body, his slimy hands groping at her skin. Ginny huddled down into her bed
covers, wrapping her arms around herself and pulling her legs up to her
chin in the foetal position. Her sobs wracked her small body as she cried
broken-heartedly. She needed comfort, she needed Harry. But the only answer
to her plea was the stillness of the cold night.
Over the next few days, Ginny found herself skipping important classes, meals and quidditch practises. She didn't tell Harry, instead, she isolated herself from the rest of the group and stayed away from crowds. She didn't see Draco at all during this time, and she was thankful for that. If she had, there was no knowing what she would have done to him.
Harry had noticed the change in Ginny immediately. His concern for her grew deeper every minute. He had no idea what was going on, but he knew that something terrible must have happened to Ginny for her to act like this. The morning it had started, he had tried to take her into his arms and she had pulled away from him. He couldn't forget the startled, almost frightened look in her eyes. Since then, he hadn't even been able to talk to her, and she avoided him like the plague.
Thinking that Ginny would talk to him in her own time, Harry waited almost a week before he found that he couldn't take it anymore. On the saturday morning, He, Ron and Hermione went down to the Great Hall early for breakfast. Ginny of course made no effort to come.
"So what do you thinks actually up with her? Hermione asked Harry seriously.
Ron almost coughed up his bacon. "You're the girl, Hermione, I thought you would have a better idea than Harry. Girls always chit-chat among themselves first, dunno why."
Hermione looked back at Ron in a very annoyed way. "Well, you're Ginny's brother Ron, I would have at least expected you to notice that there was something the matter!"
"What the hell has that got to do with it? She's Harrys girlfriend, not mine, thank God!"
"Ron, I'm glad she's not your girlfriend, ok!" Harry interrupted impatiently.
"Well, she's just an annoying little sister to me!"
"Yes well, that doesn't help me very much though, does it? I mean, something must be seriously wrong. I can't even get close to her." Harry paused, then spoke again. "Perhaps you could talk to her Hermione, and maybe I'll hide under-"
"Get real Harry, Ginny's your girlfriend so you talk to her. Hiding from her is just dishonest, anyway, how would you feel if-"
"Ok, Hermione, we get the point!" Ron screwed his face up at her. Harry looked at them both.
"You're right, though, Hermione. I need to speak to Ginny alone. Its gone on long enough."
Harry left Ron and Hermione to finish their breakfast, then he went straight back to the Gryffindor common room. He said the password to the fat lady and entered quietly. He noticed that everyone seemed to be at breakfast, but Ginny. She was sitting on the floor by the fire, her silver cat in her lap, and she was looking blankly into the crimson coals.
"Hey, Ginny, how are you feeling?" he asked tenderly. She didn't answer, or even acknowledge his presence.
"Theres something that I really think we should talk about." Harry stopped and looked at Ginny, who turned her head in the opposite direction, towards the window. He began again.
"At first I thought that it was something to do with us. But I think that its not that is it? Something is seriously bothering you, and I wish you would trust me enough to tell me, because I really hate seeing you like this, Ginny I -"
"Nothings wrong with me. I'm alright, I'm just a little tired thats all." Ginny avoided his eyes as she aid this.
"Nice try Gin," Harry moved closer to her on the worn hearth rug, "but I think that there's more to it than that. Please, tell me Gin"
"OH, GOD HARRY!" Ginny got up so suddenly and yelled so loudly that Harry could have sworn Hermione and Ron could have heard her from the Great Hall. "Its my business if I don't want to tell you ok? Stop hassling me, I don't bloody need it right now!"
"Calm down, Gin, I'm just worried about you because I love you. I'm not trying to hassle you or anything, I'm sorry if it came out like that." Ginny avoided Harry's eyes.
"I'm fine." She answered, "theres nothing to tell." Quickly, she turned her back to him, her eyes brimming with tears. Harry's words had gotten to her. She hadn't felt loved all week, but now all her emotions were flooding back. She knew she was on the verge of sobbing uncontrollably. Finally, she broke down her own defenses and turned back to Harry.
"Actually, I'm not fine." she choked out. Harry's expression grew even more concerned, and Ginny took a deep breath and began again. "Harry, I didn't want to tell you this ... because, I knew that you would get angry." Ginny's words caught in her throat and Harry reached out and touched her for the first time in over a week. His hands pulled her closer to him and he savoured the feeling of her, unresistant, in his arms at last.
"The night after we won quidditch," Ginny continued hesitantly, "Draco ... Draco, tried to ... tried to ... rape me."
Ginny watched Harry's expression change so suddenly, from one of worrying concern, to that of bewildered rage.
"Malfoy tried to...." He struggled with the words, he had thought that everything would be fine when he and Ginny were together, how could this have happened? "Why ... how, did ... why were you out of bed?"
"I had to find her, didn't I?" Ginny cried, glaring down at her cat as if it was her fault. Sheba yawned lazily and stretched herself out on the rug. "She wasn't in the dorm when I went to bed, so I went down to find her. I thought that Filch would shoot her or something, so I took your invisability cloak, so no one could see me. I felt safe, afterall we have trekked all around Hogwarts at 3:00 in the morning. But I bumped into Lucius Malfoy."
Harry groaned and his stomach crawled a little. He knew very well that Lucius Malfoy was an evil man. He wouldn't put it past him to try out Ginny himself, if he had been given the chance. And he had been given the chance.
"How did you get away from him?" Harry rubbed her back, trying to comfort her and control his rising anger at the same time.
"Draco came. It was the only time that I felt relieved to see him. And then, Lucius pushed me so hard into Draco and just left. Then Draco made moves on me and I said that I wanted to go to bed, and then ... then ... he."
"Don't think of it Ginny, just don't think of it, not now." Harry was boiling with rage, he honestly felt like killing Draco Malfoy, and that wouldn't be the first time. Lucius, on the other hand deserved death just as much as his son. Harry's mind raced back and forth, his heart pelted. He thought of Ginny, alone that night, frightened, without him being there for her. Draco would be sorry!
"Its not as thought he actually ...did anything though." Ginny said softly.
"That doesn't make any difference," Harry pulled away from her and shook his head, moving towards the common room, shaking with rage. His voice was low and deadly, and his rage was becomming unbearable. "I'm going to kill him for what he did to you."
Before Ginny could stop him, Harry turned on his heel and stormed out. "Harry, no!" She yelled after him. But she got no answer.
****
Harry charged down the corridor in a blind rage, he had no idea where Draco Malfoy was but he was going to find him and bash the shit out of him when he did. He slammed into Dennis Creevey as he came trotting past him, sending him flying backwards. Harry didn't even flinch, let alone apologise. He could think of nothing but killing Malfoy. Suddenly, he spotted him up near the Entrance Hall, surrounded by those poncy sidekicks of his.
"Oi! Dickhead!" Harry yelled, shoving him hard in the shoulders. "So you thought you'd try it on Ginny too, huh? Why did you bother, she's way to good for you and you know it!" He shoved him again, sending Draco stumbling backwards. He hit the wall.
"You son of a Bitch! You knew that she would never want you, so you tried anyway. You disgust me!"
"Fair go shithead, Weasel was begging for a good root!" Draco snarled, recovering from his fall. "That little skank asked for everything she got!" Draco shoved Harry into the opposite wall.
"You're a liar, Malfoy! You know thats not true!" Harry Bellowed at him.
By now a fair number of spectators had gathered, but the teachers had not shown themselves. Crabbe and Goyle looked as though they wanted to get stuck into Harry too, but Draco held them back.
"No way, you prongs, he's mine! I've waited a long time to bash the shit out of Potter, I'm going to cherish it myself!"
"I think I'll be the one cherishing it, Malfoy!" Harry spat. Harry hip-and- shouldered Draco, sending him into a coat of arms, which crashed to the floor.
Draco laughed, which provoked Harry's rage even further. "Is that all you've got? Pathetic," he smirked, heaving himself off the ground and standing level with Harry. "But about your skanky girlfriend, To be brutally honest with you, I think you're just jealous because Ginny wasn't satisfied with your sad-arsed roots, and went to find herself a REAL man!" Draco finished triumphantly.
Shrieks of laughter erupted through the crowd. The Slytherin girls, Pansy especially, thought it highly amusing. Harry was shaking with rage at what Draco had said, but suddenly caught sight of Hermione's face, which held a 'violence-won't-solve anything' look. Ron was standing next to her, but, unlike Hermione, seemed highy entertained.
Harry was positively trembling with rage. He turned slowly back to face his jeering foe, but instead of hurling another biting remark at him, he threw a punch directly at Dracos head. Draco reeled backwards, falling into Crabbe on the sidelines. Draco shoved himself off and touched his bleeding nose.
"You've made me bleed Potter." He narrowed his eyes in his own rage, forgetting to smirk for once. "You're gonna pay. No one touches a Malfoy," Then he made a charge at Harry, slamming him, once again into the wall. Harry felt the air leave his lungs. Draco then punched him hard in the stomach, he doubled over but recovered quickly and slammed his fist into Draco's jaw.
Draco recovered from the hit and wiped the blood off his chin. He feigned a punch to Harry's stomache and upper-cut his chin instead. Harry's eyes watered in pain as he bit down on his own tounge, but he ignored the blood seeping from his mouth and took another swing at Draco, hoping to give him a black eye to wipe the constant smirk off his ugly face. His puch was stopped, dead in its tracks when a large hand caught Harry's fist, and threw it violently away.
"What IS this about you TWO!??" Snape shouted. Harry's heart sank, he wouldn't get off lightly with Snape. He recovered and rubbed his jaw tenderly. He saw Draco wipe his mouth and nose, which were covered in blood. Harry didn't know what to say to Snape. The fight had gotten so out of control that he had almost forgotten what they were fighting about ... Ginny. Should he tell him?
Draco tried to cover his arse as much as he could. He knew that he would be in big trouble if the truth came out. Harry only had to mention it and that was it. "I just picked a fight with Potter here ... see ... um ...." Draco tried to think very quickly, however, no words came to him.
"Mr Malfoy, I think I get the picture. Both of your maturity levels need a major upgrade." Snape told them both snidely, but looking directly at Harry as he said this. Snape continued in a cool manner. "This little incident may have ended differently if it wasn't for the holidays in a week. But I'm in a generous mood. Potter, you can scrub another batch of cauldrons, since you have become so fond of them, and Draco," he spoke more softly now, "its the library for you, Mister."
"WHAT!! The library? Thats it? Harry scoffed. "The library only takes half an hour, another batch of bloody cauldrons will take forever!"
Snape looked at him with his cruel smirk. "So you've dusted the library before? Very good Potter! Want to do that too, do you? Do you want to know the reason for you getting the raw end of the deal? Its because YOU started the fight, Potter. I saw you. Think you're 'Mr. Special,' do you? Let me tell you something, starting deliberate fights with other students, no matter what they have done to you simply will not be tolerated!"
Harry had done it, he knew that he had lost the battle.
"And," Snape continued, "if the caudrons take forever, then so be it. I don't want to hear another word. Both of you will report to my office tomorrow morning at 6:00, is that clear?"
Draco smirked. He knew that he had gotten off lightly. Like always. Suck shit, Harry.
****
"Thats was bloody brilliant, Ginny, you should have seen Malfoys face! He's a weak little whining punk! I could have sworn that he was about to cry when Harry slammed him!" Ron was beaming. Ginny couldn't help but smile a little.
"Yeah, well, he deserved it, I was glad I did it." Harry answered.
"As funny as it was, I still don't know what made you do it though, what made you so angry." Ron asked.
Harry glanced at Ginny, the four of them were crowded around the common room fire, like they had done so many other times.
"Maybe Ginny had better explain."
Ginny hesitated for a moment, then spoke.
"Malfoy tried to ... Rape me, Ron."
Hermione put her hand to her mouth in shock, Ron stood up as though someone had challenged him to a fight. Harry squeezed his hands tightly around Ginny's small shoulder. A tear rolled down her cheek.
"Oh my God, I had no idea it was anything like that. Why didn't you kill him and be done with it, Harry? Well, if you won't, I will! I'll kill him, that DOG, I'll kill him ... oh Ginny. Oh my God." Ron was stunned.
"Ginny, why didn't you tell me?" Hermione asked softly.
"He didn't actually ... you know, did he?" Ron asked.
"No, I blasted him with his own wand before he could get any further."
"And I should think so, too! Hell, I would've given him the death curse if I were you," Ron spat in disgust.
"Ron, you don't even know how to do it properly." Harry told him. "You have to really mean curses like that. You have to really hate someone to do it." His eyes clouded briefly, thinking of his past experiences. "But I think I could pass there."
Ron spluttered for words. "Alright, you take Draco, I'll take his twisted Father!"
Harry smiled at his best friend and shook his head. "You know, it's a tempting suggestion, but we'd earn a life-sentence in Azkaban. And quite frankly, I don't particularly want to live there for the rest of my life."
Ron nodded glumly. "But it would almost be worth it, wouldn't it?"
Ginny smiled again, she felt a whole lot better now, and the people she loved most in the world were there for her again, and standing up for her, what's more.
"Excuse me, boys, but Harry's got detention just for bashing Malfoy. You'd probably get the death penalty for killing him." Hermione stated.
Harry chuckled. "Yeah that's right, I've got a detention for it, hey? Seeya six o'clock tomorrow morning, bright eyed and bushy tailed!"
"Harry, what about you're cloak? Lucius took that too." Ginny spoke softly.
Harry shrugged. "That doesn't matter Gin, I'll get that back before the holidays. Somehow."
"Hey, did you guys know that theres going to be a special Quidditch match on thursday?" Ron suddenly piped up, changing the subject. He nudged Ginny. "You're playing too, Gin!"
Hermione interrupted him. "RON, she doesn't want to know about silly little things like Quidditch! I'm sure Ginny doesn't care about that right now!"
"Oh, Hermione, you don't get it, do you? Quidditch is NOT SILLY!" Ron quickly defended himself, looking rather offended.
"Hermione, its ok, I feel much better thanks to you guys. I'm sure I'd love to play, it will take my mind off everything anyway."
Ron took this opportunity to start yapping about the 'very special' quidditch match which was supposedly taking place next week.
"So how do you know this Ron?" Hermione asked, almost suspiciously.
"Saw a list on McGonagalls desk, didn't I!" Ron answered without hesitation. "Harry's on there as well, of course. Oh and me too!" Ron beamed.
"Well, whats it about then?" Harry asked. Ron waited eagerly to see everyones reactions, taunting them, he quite enjoyed it.
"Wait and see, I won't spoil it for you!"
Over the next few days, Ginny found herself skipping important classes, meals and quidditch practises. She didn't tell Harry, instead, she isolated herself from the rest of the group and stayed away from crowds. She didn't see Draco at all during this time, and she was thankful for that. If she had, there was no knowing what she would have done to him.
Harry had noticed the change in Ginny immediately. His concern for her grew deeper every minute. He had no idea what was going on, but he knew that something terrible must have happened to Ginny for her to act like this. The morning it had started, he had tried to take her into his arms and she had pulled away from him. He couldn't forget the startled, almost frightened look in her eyes. Since then, he hadn't even been able to talk to her, and she avoided him like the plague.
Thinking that Ginny would talk to him in her own time, Harry waited almost a week before he found that he couldn't take it anymore. On the saturday morning, He, Ron and Hermione went down to the Great Hall early for breakfast. Ginny of course made no effort to come.
"So what do you thinks actually up with her? Hermione asked Harry seriously.
Ron almost coughed up his bacon. "You're the girl, Hermione, I thought you would have a better idea than Harry. Girls always chit-chat among themselves first, dunno why."
Hermione looked back at Ron in a very annoyed way. "Well, you're Ginny's brother Ron, I would have at least expected you to notice that there was something the matter!"
"What the hell has that got to do with it? She's Harrys girlfriend, not mine, thank God!"
"Ron, I'm glad she's not your girlfriend, ok!" Harry interrupted impatiently.
"Well, she's just an annoying little sister to me!"
"Yes well, that doesn't help me very much though, does it? I mean, something must be seriously wrong. I can't even get close to her." Harry paused, then spoke again. "Perhaps you could talk to her Hermione, and maybe I'll hide under-"
"Get real Harry, Ginny's your girlfriend so you talk to her. Hiding from her is just dishonest, anyway, how would you feel if-"
"Ok, Hermione, we get the point!" Ron screwed his face up at her. Harry looked at them both.
"You're right, though, Hermione. I need to speak to Ginny alone. Its gone on long enough."
Harry left Ron and Hermione to finish their breakfast, then he went straight back to the Gryffindor common room. He said the password to the fat lady and entered quietly. He noticed that everyone seemed to be at breakfast, but Ginny. She was sitting on the floor by the fire, her silver cat in her lap, and she was looking blankly into the crimson coals.
"Hey, Ginny, how are you feeling?" he asked tenderly. She didn't answer, or even acknowledge his presence.
"Theres something that I really think we should talk about." Harry stopped and looked at Ginny, who turned her head in the opposite direction, towards the window. He began again.
"At first I thought that it was something to do with us. But I think that its not that is it? Something is seriously bothering you, and I wish you would trust me enough to tell me, because I really hate seeing you like this, Ginny I -"
"Nothings wrong with me. I'm alright, I'm just a little tired thats all." Ginny avoided his eyes as she aid this.
"Nice try Gin," Harry moved closer to her on the worn hearth rug, "but I think that there's more to it than that. Please, tell me Gin"
"OH, GOD HARRY!" Ginny got up so suddenly and yelled so loudly that Harry could have sworn Hermione and Ron could have heard her from the Great Hall. "Its my business if I don't want to tell you ok? Stop hassling me, I don't bloody need it right now!"
"Calm down, Gin, I'm just worried about you because I love you. I'm not trying to hassle you or anything, I'm sorry if it came out like that." Ginny avoided Harry's eyes.
"I'm fine." She answered, "theres nothing to tell." Quickly, she turned her back to him, her eyes brimming with tears. Harry's words had gotten to her. She hadn't felt loved all week, but now all her emotions were flooding back. She knew she was on the verge of sobbing uncontrollably. Finally, she broke down her own defenses and turned back to Harry.
"Actually, I'm not fine." she choked out. Harry's expression grew even more concerned, and Ginny took a deep breath and began again. "Harry, I didn't want to tell you this ... because, I knew that you would get angry." Ginny's words caught in her throat and Harry reached out and touched her for the first time in over a week. His hands pulled her closer to him and he savoured the feeling of her, unresistant, in his arms at last.
"The night after we won quidditch," Ginny continued hesitantly, "Draco ... Draco, tried to ... tried to ... rape me."
Ginny watched Harry's expression change so suddenly, from one of worrying concern, to that of bewildered rage.
"Malfoy tried to...." He struggled with the words, he had thought that everything would be fine when he and Ginny were together, how could this have happened? "Why ... how, did ... why were you out of bed?"
"I had to find her, didn't I?" Ginny cried, glaring down at her cat as if it was her fault. Sheba yawned lazily and stretched herself out on the rug. "She wasn't in the dorm when I went to bed, so I went down to find her. I thought that Filch would shoot her or something, so I took your invisability cloak, so no one could see me. I felt safe, afterall we have trekked all around Hogwarts at 3:00 in the morning. But I bumped into Lucius Malfoy."
Harry groaned and his stomach crawled a little. He knew very well that Lucius Malfoy was an evil man. He wouldn't put it past him to try out Ginny himself, if he had been given the chance. And he had been given the chance.
"How did you get away from him?" Harry rubbed her back, trying to comfort her and control his rising anger at the same time.
"Draco came. It was the only time that I felt relieved to see him. And then, Lucius pushed me so hard into Draco and just left. Then Draco made moves on me and I said that I wanted to go to bed, and then ... then ... he."
"Don't think of it Ginny, just don't think of it, not now." Harry was boiling with rage, he honestly felt like killing Draco Malfoy, and that wouldn't be the first time. Lucius, on the other hand deserved death just as much as his son. Harry's mind raced back and forth, his heart pelted. He thought of Ginny, alone that night, frightened, without him being there for her. Draco would be sorry!
"Its not as thought he actually ...did anything though." Ginny said softly.
"That doesn't make any difference," Harry pulled away from her and shook his head, moving towards the common room, shaking with rage. His voice was low and deadly, and his rage was becomming unbearable. "I'm going to kill him for what he did to you."
Before Ginny could stop him, Harry turned on his heel and stormed out. "Harry, no!" She yelled after him. But she got no answer.
****
Harry charged down the corridor in a blind rage, he had no idea where Draco Malfoy was but he was going to find him and bash the shit out of him when he did. He slammed into Dennis Creevey as he came trotting past him, sending him flying backwards. Harry didn't even flinch, let alone apologise. He could think of nothing but killing Malfoy. Suddenly, he spotted him up near the Entrance Hall, surrounded by those poncy sidekicks of his.
"Oi! Dickhead!" Harry yelled, shoving him hard in the shoulders. "So you thought you'd try it on Ginny too, huh? Why did you bother, she's way to good for you and you know it!" He shoved him again, sending Draco stumbling backwards. He hit the wall.
"You son of a Bitch! You knew that she would never want you, so you tried anyway. You disgust me!"
"Fair go shithead, Weasel was begging for a good root!" Draco snarled, recovering from his fall. "That little skank asked for everything she got!" Draco shoved Harry into the opposite wall.
"You're a liar, Malfoy! You know thats not true!" Harry Bellowed at him.
By now a fair number of spectators had gathered, but the teachers had not shown themselves. Crabbe and Goyle looked as though they wanted to get stuck into Harry too, but Draco held them back.
"No way, you prongs, he's mine! I've waited a long time to bash the shit out of Potter, I'm going to cherish it myself!"
"I think I'll be the one cherishing it, Malfoy!" Harry spat. Harry hip-and- shouldered Draco, sending him into a coat of arms, which crashed to the floor.
Draco laughed, which provoked Harry's rage even further. "Is that all you've got? Pathetic," he smirked, heaving himself off the ground and standing level with Harry. "But about your skanky girlfriend, To be brutally honest with you, I think you're just jealous because Ginny wasn't satisfied with your sad-arsed roots, and went to find herself a REAL man!" Draco finished triumphantly.
Shrieks of laughter erupted through the crowd. The Slytherin girls, Pansy especially, thought it highly amusing. Harry was shaking with rage at what Draco had said, but suddenly caught sight of Hermione's face, which held a 'violence-won't-solve anything' look. Ron was standing next to her, but, unlike Hermione, seemed highy entertained.
Harry was positively trembling with rage. He turned slowly back to face his jeering foe, but instead of hurling another biting remark at him, he threw a punch directly at Dracos head. Draco reeled backwards, falling into Crabbe on the sidelines. Draco shoved himself off and touched his bleeding nose.
"You've made me bleed Potter." He narrowed his eyes in his own rage, forgetting to smirk for once. "You're gonna pay. No one touches a Malfoy," Then he made a charge at Harry, slamming him, once again into the wall. Harry felt the air leave his lungs. Draco then punched him hard in the stomach, he doubled over but recovered quickly and slammed his fist into Draco's jaw.
Draco recovered from the hit and wiped the blood off his chin. He feigned a punch to Harry's stomache and upper-cut his chin instead. Harry's eyes watered in pain as he bit down on his own tounge, but he ignored the blood seeping from his mouth and took another swing at Draco, hoping to give him a black eye to wipe the constant smirk off his ugly face. His puch was stopped, dead in its tracks when a large hand caught Harry's fist, and threw it violently away.
"What IS this about you TWO!??" Snape shouted. Harry's heart sank, he wouldn't get off lightly with Snape. He recovered and rubbed his jaw tenderly. He saw Draco wipe his mouth and nose, which were covered in blood. Harry didn't know what to say to Snape. The fight had gotten so out of control that he had almost forgotten what they were fighting about ... Ginny. Should he tell him?
Draco tried to cover his arse as much as he could. He knew that he would be in big trouble if the truth came out. Harry only had to mention it and that was it. "I just picked a fight with Potter here ... see ... um ...." Draco tried to think very quickly, however, no words came to him.
"Mr Malfoy, I think I get the picture. Both of your maturity levels need a major upgrade." Snape told them both snidely, but looking directly at Harry as he said this. Snape continued in a cool manner. "This little incident may have ended differently if it wasn't for the holidays in a week. But I'm in a generous mood. Potter, you can scrub another batch of cauldrons, since you have become so fond of them, and Draco," he spoke more softly now, "its the library for you, Mister."
"WHAT!! The library? Thats it? Harry scoffed. "The library only takes half an hour, another batch of bloody cauldrons will take forever!"
Snape looked at him with his cruel smirk. "So you've dusted the library before? Very good Potter! Want to do that too, do you? Do you want to know the reason for you getting the raw end of the deal? Its because YOU started the fight, Potter. I saw you. Think you're 'Mr. Special,' do you? Let me tell you something, starting deliberate fights with other students, no matter what they have done to you simply will not be tolerated!"
Harry had done it, he knew that he had lost the battle.
"And," Snape continued, "if the caudrons take forever, then so be it. I don't want to hear another word. Both of you will report to my office tomorrow morning at 6:00, is that clear?"
Draco smirked. He knew that he had gotten off lightly. Like always. Suck shit, Harry.
****
"Thats was bloody brilliant, Ginny, you should have seen Malfoys face! He's a weak little whining punk! I could have sworn that he was about to cry when Harry slammed him!" Ron was beaming. Ginny couldn't help but smile a little.
"Yeah, well, he deserved it, I was glad I did it." Harry answered.
"As funny as it was, I still don't know what made you do it though, what made you so angry." Ron asked.
Harry glanced at Ginny, the four of them were crowded around the common room fire, like they had done so many other times.
"Maybe Ginny had better explain."
Ginny hesitated for a moment, then spoke.
"Malfoy tried to ... Rape me, Ron."
Hermione put her hand to her mouth in shock, Ron stood up as though someone had challenged him to a fight. Harry squeezed his hands tightly around Ginny's small shoulder. A tear rolled down her cheek.
"Oh my God, I had no idea it was anything like that. Why didn't you kill him and be done with it, Harry? Well, if you won't, I will! I'll kill him, that DOG, I'll kill him ... oh Ginny. Oh my God." Ron was stunned.
"Ginny, why didn't you tell me?" Hermione asked softly.
"He didn't actually ... you know, did he?" Ron asked.
"No, I blasted him with his own wand before he could get any further."
"And I should think so, too! Hell, I would've given him the death curse if I were you," Ron spat in disgust.
"Ron, you don't even know how to do it properly." Harry told him. "You have to really mean curses like that. You have to really hate someone to do it." His eyes clouded briefly, thinking of his past experiences. "But I think I could pass there."
Ron spluttered for words. "Alright, you take Draco, I'll take his twisted Father!"
Harry smiled at his best friend and shook his head. "You know, it's a tempting suggestion, but we'd earn a life-sentence in Azkaban. And quite frankly, I don't particularly want to live there for the rest of my life."
Ron nodded glumly. "But it would almost be worth it, wouldn't it?"
Ginny smiled again, she felt a whole lot better now, and the people she loved most in the world were there for her again, and standing up for her, what's more.
"Excuse me, boys, but Harry's got detention just for bashing Malfoy. You'd probably get the death penalty for killing him." Hermione stated.
Harry chuckled. "Yeah that's right, I've got a detention for it, hey? Seeya six o'clock tomorrow morning, bright eyed and bushy tailed!"
"Harry, what about you're cloak? Lucius took that too." Ginny spoke softly.
Harry shrugged. "That doesn't matter Gin, I'll get that back before the holidays. Somehow."
"Hey, did you guys know that theres going to be a special Quidditch match on thursday?" Ron suddenly piped up, changing the subject. He nudged Ginny. "You're playing too, Gin!"
Hermione interrupted him. "RON, she doesn't want to know about silly little things like Quidditch! I'm sure Ginny doesn't care about that right now!"
"Oh, Hermione, you don't get it, do you? Quidditch is NOT SILLY!" Ron quickly defended himself, looking rather offended.
"Hermione, its ok, I feel much better thanks to you guys. I'm sure I'd love to play, it will take my mind off everything anyway."
Ron took this opportunity to start yapping about the 'very special' quidditch match which was supposedly taking place next week.
"So how do you know this Ron?" Hermione asked, almost suspiciously.
"Saw a list on McGonagalls desk, didn't I!" Ron answered without hesitation. "Harry's on there as well, of course. Oh and me too!" Ron beamed.
"Well, whats it about then?" Harry asked. Ron waited eagerly to see everyones reactions, taunting them, he quite enjoyed it.
"Wait and see, I won't spoil it for you!"