"I'm going to kill him," Ron whispered harshly in Potions the following Monday as he glared at Malfoy, "Bloody wanker thinks he can proposition my sister-"
"Ron! Shhh!" Hermione hissed.
Ron continued to mutter under his breath about murdering Malfoy and Harry couldn't help but think that that was the best plan of action. He still couldn't believe that Malfoy had gone that far, first insinuating that something was going on with him and Ginny and then suggesting...ugh. He didn't even want to think about it. Remembering Malfoy's gaze on Ginny still threatened to turn his stomach.
And why had Malfoy assumed that he and Ginny were together? She wasn't even speaking to him!
However, that fact hadn't stopped him from wishing that they were together in that brief moment, if only to know that he held the win against the challenging look in Malfoy's eyes.
At least he felt rather reassured that Ginny could hold her own against Malfoy, especially with the way she had hexed him last term and been about to punch him Saturday morning. And it's not like Malfoy's suggestion could ever happen, right?
"So what's this I hear about you and Draco Malfoy?" Kristy asked as she slid into the chair beside Ginny.
"What did you hear? That he's evil incarnate and I want him to die?" Ginny said as she opened up her Charms textbook to chapter 10 and got out a quill.
"Heavens no! I heard that the two of you are conducting an illicit affair right under the nose of your boyfriend."
Ginny had to run that sentence through her mind a few times before figuring out all the things that were wrong with it.
"First off, I wouldn't touch Malfoy with a ten foot pole. Secondly, what boyfriend?"
"Harry Potter of course!" Kristy replied with confidence.
Ginny gave a weak smile before resting her face in her hands. Why did everyone think that she and Harry were a couple. They weren't even friends!
"...I understand that you would want to keep your relationship with Harry secret as he is one of the most famous wizards of all time and is being hunted by You-know-who, but it's really quite obvious that you're in love with each other. I don't know why you would jeopardize that for Malfoy. Everyone knows that he's bound to become a Death-eater."
"Kristy," Ginny said, keeping her voice down because the lesson had started, "Harry and I are not in love, nor are we together. And I would never conduct any sort of affair with Malfoy. Who did you hear all of this from?"
"Why, everyone was talking about it at breakfast." Ginny decided right then that Rowena was correct in insisting that she start attending breakfast. "I heard it from Parvati Patil who heard it from Susan Bones who heard it from Luna Lovegood who heard it from Malfoy himself."
Ginny let out a growl of anger. So now Malfoy was spreading rumors about her, was he? She was going to deck him as soon as she saw him.
"Don't worry dear," Kristy said, patting Ginny's fisted hand, "I'll keep your secret safe. Personally though, I think you should chose Harry."
Ginny let her head fall to the table.
After Charms, Ginny went directly to the library. Rowena planned on meeting her there after she dropped off some of her books in their room. Settling down at one of the wooden tables by the windows, Ginny took out the most recent book that she was reading through, Seers through history: Cassandra to Adorno. She was just getting engrossed in the novel when she heard someone sit down at the table behind her. Turning around, Ginny noticed the familiar long dirty-blond locks and decided that she could get something of a personal matter out of the way while she was waiting for Rowena.
"Hi Luna," she said as she moved to the seat next to the Ravenclaw girl.
"Hello Ginny," Luna responded languorously as her blue eyes lifted from the magazine that she seemed to have been reading upside down.
"Now Luna, Kristy said that you had heard something from Malfoy about me. What exactly did he say?"
"I think that what matters more is what Harry said when he heard."
"Luna, I really need to - wait, Harry heard?"
"Ginny, have you ever heard of the sarfnizzlers?"
"No, but -"
"They're quite fascinating creatures. Father wrote a feature about them in last month's Quibbler. They're really distracted by bright, shiny objects."
"I really don't understand what this has to do with -"
"They end up thinking that things like paper clips are really important and they completely forget to interact with each other and even forget about doing magic. They just stare at the paperclips."
"Really fascinating Luna, but -"
"Harry was rather upset when Neville told him what I'd heard from Malfoy. He was acting like he wanted to avenge your honor. Harry would be quite a gallant knight, don't you think?"
"Er, yes," Ginny replied for lack of a better response.
"He also got quite red in the face when I told him that you'd have no desire to run off with anyone else if the two of you were actually a couple."
"What?!" Ginny was quite sure that she was rather red now too.
"Ginny!" Rowena's voice shouted from across the library, ignoring the glares of studious Hufflepuff fifth years and Madame Pince. "There you are," she continued as she walked over to the table where she and Luna were sitting, "I'm all ready to get back to work, I think I found another place where we could look." She glanced at the blonde-haired girl. "Oh, hello Luna."
"Hello Rowena," Luna replied with a smile, "I was just telling Ginny about sarfnizzlers. Have you heard of them?"
"No I haven't Luna, but maybe you can tell me another time. Ginny and I have loads of work to do." She pulled Ginny up from her chair and they both muttered a quick goodbye before grabbing Ginny's books and heading over to a table across the room.
"What was all that about?" Rowena said as they sat down. "I mean, sarfnizzlers? As if they existed."
"I was asking her about what Malfoy said, since apparently he's started spreading rumors about me."
"Oh yes! I couldn't believe that when I'd heard," Rowena said, "Not that anyone would actually believe what he said of course," she added reassuringly, "except for maybe some of the Slytherins."
"I just don't understand why he wants to make my life hell. Shouldn't he be focusing on Ron or something?"
Ginny glanced exasperatedly over to her friend, only to notice that Rowena looked as though something important had occurred to her.
"Maybe he is still trying to get at Ron, and Harry for that matter, by causing problems for you. You know how protective Ron is of you. It makes perfect sense. And Harry also looked rather angry about the whole thing."
"Yeah, Luna told me," Ginny said absently.
"All I'm saying is that maybe Malfoy finally found the perfect way to ruffle their feathers."
"Even so, I still wish he would leave me alone. It was bad enough what he said before the match, but now he's spreading rumors!"
"Well, I'm sure that Harry or Ron would beat him up for you if you wanted."
"Tempting, but I'd rather be the one to injure him myself."
"Injure who?" questioned a voice behind her. She turned around, realized it was Harry, and sighed.
"Malfoy," Rowena said. Harry's lips tightened.
"Did you want something Harry?" Ginny asked before he could say whatever angry comment about Malfoy was on his tongue.
"Er, could I talk to you?" he said, "That is, if you're not too busy trying to avoid me."
The barb hurt, but Ginny knew that he was right.
"Sure Harry."
"In private," he said, glancing over at Rowena who was pretending to be engrossed in her Arithmancy textbook.
"Okay," Ginny said. She had to get this over sooner or later. Might as well be now. She got up and followed Harry to a deserted corner of the library.
"So?" she said, crossing her arms.
"Ginny," he said as he ran a hand through his hair, "I'm really sorry. I shouldn't have lied to you about talking with Ron and Hermione, but when I said I wouldn't push you I had been telling the truth. I'd just forgotten about Ron's stupid plan. We were just all worried about you and I feel awful that you feel like you can't trust me." He paused a second and sighed, "I'm not handling this well at all."
There was a time when Ginny would've given anything to have Harry caring enough to nervously apologize to her. Now she would've given anything to be anywhere but here, with Harry shifting from foot to foot and looking abnormally attractive doing so.
"It's okay Harry. I forgive you."
Harry went still.
"What?"
"I forgive you. Apology accepted." Accepting his apology didn't mean that she'd have to start hanging around him. If only she'd thought of this sooner.
"But I haven't properly apologized!"
"I thought you did a fine job. Quite spiffing actually."
Harry looked at her oddly as if he couldn't figure out what had just occurred.
"You're still mad at me aren't you?"
Apparently Harry wouldn't accept a simple "You're forgiven." Ginny felt the sudden desire to leave as soon as possible.
"Of course not Harry! I really must get back to my Muggle Studies project though."
"What's it on?" Harry asked when Ginny started to turn around.
"Huh?"
"Your project. Maybe I could help," Harry said casually.
I must be in another dimension. Since when does Harry offer to help me with homework? Ginny shot Rowena a frantic glance and turned back to Harry.
"Er, it's all about Muggle radio and the difference between that and Wizarding radio. Quite fascinating actually." Ginny was surprised at how easy lying was becoming.
"Well, I used to listen to the radio sometimes back at the Dursley's," Harry tried not to cringe at their name, "so if you need any information -"
"Ginny!" Rowena had appeared beside the two of them, "You have to come with me." She turned to Harry. "Sorry Harry, but our roommate Kristy just owled me and it sounds like she's about to have a breakdown. You know, because of that fight with Daniel." Harry nodded, vaguely remembering hearing something about that. "Come on Ginny, we need to go." Rowena pulled on her friend's arm, as Ginny was currently just staring at Harry.
"Right," Ginny said suddenly, "Bye Harry. Thanks."
She pulled her gaze off of him when Rowena tugged on her arm again. Giving Harry a slight smile she went to gather her belongings and then went out the door with Rowena.
Harry tried to understand what had happened as he searched for the DADA book that he needed. It wasn't until he looked over at the closed window that he realized that an owl hadn't come into the library while he was here.
"Ginny I'm your friend and I understand that all of this is really difficult for you," Rowena said as they were walking out of the library, "but I don't like lying for you."
"Then don't. I never asked you to lie for me," Ginny said, "I thought you understood."
"You know what? I don't, not really. You told me why you don't want to tell Harry, but I think that's exactly the reason that you need to. If you really are a seer then nothing you do is going to make a difference. You should at least let Harry know why you're avoiding him. Otherwise he'll try even harder to find out," Rowena threw her hands up in frustration, "You know what? I think that you're just afraid to let him in, to let anyone know that you're vulnerable and don't have control of your life."
"I do have control," Ginny said intensely, "That's what this is all about. Do you know what happened last time I didn't have control of my life? I almost let Voldemort kill people! I have to be in control this time!"
"You're not! This isn't control Ginny. It's desperation."
"Well what am I supposed to do?" Ginny asked as the tears in her eyes threatened to fall, "I can't get close to him or I'll kill him! Like I almost killed him before."
"That wasn't you Ginny. It was You-Know-Who."
"Yeah and it'll be Voldemort's fault this time to," Ginny said sarcastically, "Fat lot of good that'll do me when I'm the one holding the wand that kills him."
"Ginny, you have to tell him. He has to know what's going on."
"I can't tell him. If I do it'll all start, and," Ginny choked back a sob, "I can't let him die! I lo-...I care about him."
"If you do, you should let him know what he's facing. He deserves it."
"I can't," Ginny said shakily, "I can't do this right now. Everybody wants way too much from me. I have to go."
Ginny turned around and headed away from Gryffindor Tower and towards the door to the grounds. She barely heard Rowena call her name behind her.
"I thought you said that you apologized to her," Ron said a few hours later as Ginny walked past their couch in the common room without giving them so much as a glance.
"I did," Harry said as his eyes followed Ginny to the other end of the common room, "Or at least I tried. I don't know. She said that she forgave me, but I think she's still mad."
"Well, that's bloody stupid. I told her to be nice to you when you came to apologize."
"You what?" Harry's head tore away from Ginny's figure and looked questioningly at Ron.
"I told her to be nice to you."
"Why would you tell her a thing like that?"
"Well, it didn't work, so it doesn't really matter."
"It does matter! I don't want you interfering. That's how we got into this mess in the first place," Harry said angrily.
"I'm going to let that go because I know that you're angry," Ron said slowly, "but just because you're mad at Ginny doesn't mean I did anything wrong this time."
Ron got up off the couch and gathered his books.
"I'm going to meet Hermione in the library. I'll talk to you later."
Ron left and Harry focused back on Ginny. She twirled a quill between her fingers and bit her lip as she focused on an essay, the books piled around her on the table. Ginny grabbed a new book from the pile and opened it up, brushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear that had fallen out of her ponytail. Harry remembered what it felt like to touch those smooth crimson strands and suddenly wished that he could touch them again. If only he could figure out what exactly was wrong, what was making Ginny stay away from him.
"I just don't understand why she won't talk to Harry," Ron said as he tapped his fingers on his untouched History of Magic textbook.
"I don't know Ron," Hermione responded absently as she slightly lifted her head from the thick Arithmancy text that she was reading.
"She forgave me," Ron said, "She talks to me."
"Well, things are different between her and Harry. They have history."
"What? And me and Ginny don't have history? She's my sister!"
"I know Ron," Hermione said as she closed her book and turned to more fully face Ron, "It's just that they have a complicated history. He saved her life and she used to fancy him. It could be anything related to that. It could be that she doesn't want him trying to play her knight in shining armor. It could be that she doesn't want to fall for him again. It could be anything."
"Well, she still shouldn't ignore him."
"I know Ron," Hermione said. She put a comforting hand on his shoulder, "But I think that this is between Ginny and Harry."
"Even if it is, I can't ignore that there's something more going on with her. She's been looking better recently, but I don't think that whatever was bothering her is done."
"Well, we'll just have to go about this a different way then. Maybe she'll just come around to telling us if we spend more time with her. We'll figure it out. We always do."
"Hermione! That's a brilliant idea!" Ron's eyes lit up. "We just have to be around her all the time. She's bound to slip up and mention what's going on!"
Hermione looked at Ron, wondering, and not for the first time, if he was slightly of his rocker. "I meant be her friend Ron," she said slowly, "not stalk her."
"It's all the same." Ron made a vague gesture in the air with his hand. "Now we just need to put that strategy into effect." He quickly grabbed his books and stood up. "You're wicked brilliant Hermione!" he said before ruffling her hair and sprinting out the door.
"Ron!" Hermione yelled as she tried to fix her hair. He was already out the door though. She tried to be irritated with him on principle, but it wasn't quite working as she was too preoccupied with hoping that he would touch her hair again sometime in the future. Ron had been a bit more physical with her lately. Touching her hand, tousling her hair, giving her a friendly push. Hermione liked it, and rather hoped that this meant he might be interested in her, though if he was he was taking his sweet time telling her.
About the other matter, Hermione thought that it might be a wise idea to warn Ginny that her brother planned on stalking her. Otherwise the frustrating boy might end up hexed when she finds out. Hmm...then again, maybe telling Ginny could wait.
A/N: Hey everyone! I can't wait to hear what you thought of this chapter. I hope you liked it!
Lavalampronsgirl – I'm so excited that I'll be seeing you this summer! I told my dad and he laughed and said he couldn't believe you remembered that. What's STAR testing? Is that like your standardized testing? Well, tests of any sort are annoying. It must be nice being finished though. Hope you liked this chapter and I'll talk to you again soon. :)
Kitten530 – Sorry that I have to keep you waiting for updates, but hopefully my updates will be more constant during the summer because I don't have to deal schoolwork. Thanks for the encouragement and compliments.
Carrothead – A million thanks for reading my story. I'm really glad that you like it and appreciate the way that I've written Ginny. She's my favorite character and I love her for her quirks and unique qualities. As for getting tired of writing, there are moments when that happens, but don't worry because regardless of how long it takes, I'm going to finish this story. The ending is going to be exciting.
Kelly – I'm glad you like my story. I update as often as possible, but it's variable depending on school, life, work and various other things. Also I'm starting to write a book so that will be taking up more of my time. I'll try not to go too long without updating though.
Comet Moon – You rock. :)