The Dark Side of Hogwarts
Ginny walked up the stairs to the Gryffindor girls' dormitory. She was exhausted after a long Saturday of playing Quidditch with her brother and his friends. She also had to pee very badly. She knocked on the closed bathroom door but heard no answer. She opened it up.
"Hermione?" she gasped. The bushy haired teenager was sitting in the bathtub, fully clothed, a razor blade in her hand. Crimson droplets were running down her wrist. Hermione gasped also when she saw Ginny. The two girls stood, speechless for a few minutes. Hermione then got up and rinsed her arm.
"Why?" was Ginny's only word. She thought they had been so close, even closer the past few years. A single tear rolled down Hermione's face. The girls hugged, then Hermione explained everything.
"Its just that there's so much pressure. Everyone expects me to be so perfect, you know, with my school work and everything."
"It's okay…" Ginny murmured. The two decided to go down to the Library together. No reason in particular.
When they get to the library, they see a small group, mostly girls, gathered in the back. Ginny looks at Hermione and shrugs, so they go over to see what all the fuss is about. None of the girls seem to notice Ginny or Hermione, and it seems like they all are making appointments or something. Then Ginny hears Ron's voice, coming from somewhere in the middle of the group.
"Okay so I have Cara lined up for the six o' clock trip to Hogsmeade and Amanda for the eight thirty…" he said. Ginny burst through the crowd.
"What's going on, Ron?" she asked innocently. He quickly hid the notebook he was holding behind his back. But Ginny had an idea of what was going on. "Are you running a dating service?" Ron did not answer her. He just turned away, blushing. Ginny yanked his arm and pulled him over to a nearby bookshelf.
"Why are you doing this, Ron?" she asked harshly. Ron paused for a while, and then spoke.
"Well you know, our family's not exactly rich or anything. I just need a little spending money. I just hate being poor!"
"Oh, Ron," said Ginny. "Prostitution is not the answer!" He sighed. Then Hermione joined them.
"Come on, Ron," she said, "Come with us to the dorms…" They all went to the Gryffindor common room to sit and relax. Then Ron decided to go up to bed early. He trudged up the steps.
"Harry?" he exclaimed. His messy haired friend was sitting on the floor between their two beds, magazine in lap. "Are those naked people?" Ron gasped as Harry showed him the centerfold. "What are you doing?"
"What can I say?" Harry said. "I'm addicted to the stuff." Ron grabbed the magazine away and threw it in the trashcan by the door.
"No!" Harry screamed. He grabbed it back. The two started into an all out dogfight. Meanwhile, in the common room, the girls could hear the noise.
"What are they doing up there?" Ginny wondered. Hermione shrugged. They walked cautiously up the steps to find Ron with a black eye and Harry with a bloody nose.
"We better get them to the hospital wing!" Ginny exclaimed. The took the boys by the hands and dragged them to Madame Pomfrey. On the way down the hall the four friends ran smack dab into a tall, slender woman.
"Hello." She said simply. "I am the new Hogwarts guidance counselor."