Ginny knew that Ron had been following her around for the past two days. It was rather easy to spot his red-orange hair behind a book in the library, not turning the pages, or to notice that he was always a few meters behind her in a crowd. She knew that he was following her, what she didn't know was why.

Dreams of prophecy, as with other forms of divination, are not always clear. They are very hard to distinguish from normal dreams or nightmares, as both typically have personal ties to the seer. When prophetic dreams are repeated, they often contain an important message or an awareness that the seer needs. It is very difficult to even slightly change the outcome of a prophecy, but one must remember that not even the stars are fixed in the sky -

Ginny jerked away from her divination book as she heard the crash of books behind her. Her brother was looking around dartingly as he tried to quickly mutter an apology to Madam Pince. Ginny sighed and shut her book. It appeared that she was going to have to ask her brother what was going on. She got up and walked over to the fallen pile of books as Ron dashed around the corner.

"Ron!" There was no answer as she traveled back into the depths of the library.

Finally she saw his bright hair peeking out from behind a bookshelf. Creeping up slowly, Ginny waited until she was close enough before she reached around the corner, grabbed Ron's arm, and pulled.

"Ow! Ginny, stop!"

"What are you doing following me around?!"

"I'm not following you around!" he retorted, "I just needed to get a book on-"

He pulled a book from the shelf closet to him and held it up.

"Mistress Elena's Beauty Charms, Ron? I think not," Ginny said as she glanced at her brother with an eyebrow raised.

Ron's expression faltered as he snuck a glance at the book in his hand. "Damn," he muttered.

"What did you say?"

"It's just, er, what makes you think that I don't want to be beautiful?"

Ginny looked closely at her brother and tried to remember if perhaps he'd fallen off his broom during their last Quidditch practice. "You're mad," she finally got out, "You know that right?"

"Erm…"

Before Ron could answer, Ginny heard a slight chime from her watch.

"Ron, I have to meet Rowena. We're working on Transfiguration," she walked back over to the table and Ron followed her. Ginny shoved her textbooks into her satchel and grabbed the few scattered quills and sugarquills that she's strewn across the table. She threw the bag over her shoulder and sighed when she realized that Ron was still standing beside her.

"Well," she said as she looked over, "Out with it. Hurry up with whatever you want to say because I happen to be taking my OWLs this year…and some of us want to get proper scores."

"Hey! Eight OWLs is proper!"

Ginny just looked at him.

"Fine," he said seriously, "I want to know why you can't be civil to Harry."

It always leads back to Harry, doesn't it?

"I am being civil to Harry! Has he been saying that I haven't?"

"No, he just said that you've been acting odd, but you weren't nice to him when he apologized like I told you to be."

Ginny growled in frustration before responding. "I was perfectly nice to him, and I don't know why it's any of your business anyway."

"It is my business, because you're my sister and he's my best mate," Ron looked carefully at Ginny, "Now if you've been avoiding him because you're worried you're going to fall in love with him again-"

"What?!" Ginny cried, "Why does the entire wizarding world think that I'm in love with Harry bloody Potter?!"

"I didn't say that you are in love with him," Ron said cautiously, "It's just that sometimes emotions are complicated things and-"

"You've been talking to Hermione about this?" Ginny said as she recognized her friend's way of speaking in her brother's words. "Bloody hell."

"Well, Ginny…"

"For your information, I'm not in love with Harry and I don't plan on being properly in love until I'm at least twenty-two, thank you very much," Ginny said pertly.

"Twenty-two? But Ginny, what about first year -"

"Shut it," she said harshly, "Or I'll tell Hermione."

"You wouldn't!" Ron gasped.

Ginny smirked.

"I won't as long as you don't keep pestering me about Harry. Honestly, he's ignored me for years and no one ever thought that was a problem," she finished bitterly.

Ginny started to get lost in her own thoughts when she heard the chime again, this time accompanied by a quiet British voice that said, "You're late dear."

"I'm going Ron," she said with a slight smile, "And next time you spy on me, try harder to be inconspicuous for Merlin's sake."

The weeks passed and soon it was the week of Halloween. Ginny had thrown herself into her studies and barely had time to sleep. When she did get to sleep, the nightmares continued on a weekly basis.

She and Rowena had continued to search the library, but hadn't found anything truly useful and Ginny now felt as if she knew more about Divination than she'd ever wanted to. At least she knew she'd get an O in at least one subject.

Ginny hadn't seen much of Ron and Hermione lately as they were probably busy with prefect duties. She had continued trying to avoid Harry, but had been perfectly cordial when she did have to interact with him. She did wish, however, that someone had warned her how difficult it would be to continually treat him distantly when she could still remember the feel of his hand in her hair and the comfort of his arms around her and the way he'd wiped away her tears. He'd also seemed quite moody lately and it had taken all the willpower Ginny had not to go over and ask what was wrong.

What with all that on her mind, Ginny thought as she entered the Great Hall early in the morning, it was quite reasonable that she felt frustrated. She sat down at the Gryffindor table and grabbed a bit of toast before pouring herself some pumpkin juice. Grateful for the near emptiness of the Hall, Ginny ate in peace as she thought of the match against Slytherin that would occur in a few hours.

Ginny hoped that Malfoy wouldn't cause any problems today, but knew it was too good to ask for. She'd already gotten a detention for nearly hexing him in the corridor two weeks ago after he'd suggested in that smarmy voice of his that they get to know each other better in the broom closet in the Charms corridor. Luckily Ron and Harry hadn't found out, but who knew what they would do if Malfoy tried something today.

"Are you ready for the match?" Ginny automatically looked up at the sound of Harry's voice and tried to scoot over as he slid into the bench directly next to her.

"I suppose," Ginny said noncommittally as she shrugged, "I just wish I weren't so tired."

"Why aren't you in bed then? It's hours until the match. Lord knows Ron's still zonked out."

Ginny tried to ignore the uncomfortable feeling of having Harry's concerned eyes trained on her. "Couldn't sleep."

"Nightmares?" Harry asked gently.

Ginny bit her lip and turned her head to the side before nodding slightly.

"Me too. It sucks doesn't it?"

Ginny tried to keep a slight smile from appearing on her lips as she replied, "You've got that right." Why did things with Harry have to be so goddamned easy sometimes?

They sat silently for a moment, each lost in memories, until Harry looked over at Ginny and cleared his throat.

"Don't to that again," Ginny joked as she faced him, "Reminds me of Umbridge."

"Yes, well…" Harry faltered as an embarrassed blush crept up his neck. "If I remember correctly, you do a pretty good impression of her yourself."

Ginny shrugged and shyly smiled, surprised that he had remembered. She hoped that she wasn't starting to blush.

"So why did you want my attention?" she said after a moment, "That is why you cleared your throat, right?"

"Yes, er…I just wanted to make sure that you really weren't angry with me anymore," Harry said softly as he played with the hem of his robe.

Ginny looked at him closely and suddenly wondered why all of this mattered so much to him. Wasn't this taking his nobility complex a bit too far?

"Harry, why does it even matter whether or not I'm mad at you? We're not even friends."

Harry's eyes widened and shot up to hers, looking more hurt than she would have expected. She'd only stated a fact.

"Well, if that's the way you feel about it, I guess I leave you alone, won't I?" he said with a twinge of bitterness. He got up to leave and Ginny couldn't help but feel frustrated.

"Ugh, Harry! It's not that big of a deal-" She said, stopping when he raised and tilted his head to look at her as if she didn't understand. Only the memory of her worst fear coming true stopped Ginny from continuing.

"I'll see you on the pitch," he said coldly before walking out of the Great Hall.

Ginny dropped her toast onto the plate and pushed the entire thing away from her. Suddenly she wasn't so hungry anymore.

In the Gryffindor locker rooms, everyone was a mess. Ron was only looking slightly better than before the last match. He was muttering something about Malfoy under his breath however, and Ginny thought that at least the things Malfoy had said to her would get Ron to play harder. Otherwise, she had finally gotten tired of Harry's sudden attitude change and had taken to glaring at him. He was glaring right back in between bouts of sulkiness. Jack Sloper and Andrew Kirke were talking with Alison Bryce, Gryffindor's newest Chaser, about the challenge that Slytherin presented this year and Katie Bell was trying to capture everyone's attention, but frustratingly was unable to do so.

"Listen up now!" Katie finally shouted, "I want you all prepared to beat Slytherin. They're all annoying gits that deserve to be taken down a notch and I expect you lot to do it! Okay?!"

"Yes!" they shouted half-heartedly. Katie sighed.

"I really hope you give a better showing then that when we're out on the pitch. Let's go." She headed out of the locker room and out towards the pitch.

"Ron," Ginny said from her position on the bench, "Can you hand me my broom?"

Ron looked over from his locker and gave his sister a confused look. "Harry's closer. Harry, can you hand Ginny her broom?"

Harry, who'd just been getting his own broom, looked at Ginny and angrily said, "Well I wouldn't want her to think we were friends or anything."

"What are you on about Harry?" Ron asked, trying to understand what was going on, "and what's that got to do with handing her a broom?"

"Fine," Harry ground out, "Do you want your sodding broom?"

"I can get it fine by myself," she said as she angrily got up and brushed past him to grab her Cleansweep.

Throwing one last glare at Ginny, Harry headed out towards the pitch. A moment later Ginny and Ron headed out of the locker room together. Before they reached the blinding sunlight Ron turned to Ginny.

"Whatever's going on between you and Harry better not lose us the match," he said with force, "or I'll lock you in a room together until you figure out what the hell your problems are."

Five minutes later they were all in the air. Ginny shot a glance over to Harry and hoped that Ron wasn't right. Last time their anger had helped their game, but last time they hadn't been angry with each other. The whistle blew.

"Bell gets the Quaffle!" Geoffrey Hooper screamed over the crowd, "she passes to Bryce – ow! That must've hurt! Hope her arm's okay after that Bludger…"

Ginny swooped around and started after Quentin Hayes, who'd retrieved the Quaffle when Alison had dropped it. She'd just about caught up with him when a Bludger flew past her head. She barely dodged it by going into a quick roll.

"Y'okay, Ginny?" Alison called.

"Fine," she answered. If only she'd been able to catch Hayes, who was now approaching the posts. Ron looked uneasy. Determined, but uneasy.

"Hayes scores! Ten points for Slytherin," Hooper shouted, not sounding remotely happy about it.

"So Red, what are you doing after the match?"

Ginny tried to keep from physically cringing when she heard Malfoy's voice and saw that he'd flown up beside her.

"Can't you save the tormenting me until after the match?" she said scathingly.

"Why?" he said with a smirk, "when it's so much fun now."

"Because we're in the middle of a match!" Ginny shouted, "and shouldn't you be looking for the snitch? Or have you decided that it's not even worth trying because Harry always gets it before you anyway?"

Malfoy's eyes narrowed and he looked decidedly angry that she'd pointed out that Harry's abilities as seeker surpassed his own.

"80-10 Slytherin! Come on Weasley," she distantly heard Hooper yell, "This isn't a social!"

"Well, I suppose that you would say that," Malfoy finally said smoothly, "So Red, how does Weasley feel about Potter shagging his sister?"

Ginny didn't care that she was on a broom eighty feet in the air. She crashed into Malfoy and punched him in the face.

"Foul! Can you believe that? That's got to be a foul, right Professor?"

Ginny faintly heard a whistle as Katie pulled her back.

"Ginny," she hissed, "What were you thinking?"

Madam Hooch called a time out and the rest of the Gryffindor team flew over to Katie and Ginny to find out what happened.

"Wow Ginny," Ron said in awe, "That was brilliant."

"It would've been more brilliant if she'd waited until after the match," Harry said gloomily, "We're behind by 70 points."

"He deserved it," Ginny said as she narrowed her eyes at Harry.

"You should've just told me and Ron, we could've dealt with Malfoy after the match." He angrily ran a hand through his hair and looked at Ron, who shrugged.

"I can deal with him on my own Potter! Remember when I hexed him last year?" she said dangerously, "Or is it another one of those things that you forgot?"

"Now listen!" Harry yelled as he drifted closer to Ginny while the rest of the team looked on in shock, "I already said I was sorry about that. What do you want from me?!"

Ginny stared at Harry for a moment, not knowing how to respond to the anger and frustration in his voice or the lightening in his darkened green eyes. What did she want from him after all? She wasn't even mad at him if she let herself be truthful. She was just angry. Angry and lonely and…frustrated.

"I-" Ginny didn't know what to say, but was saved from having to figure it out by the whistle blowing.

"I'm still expecting a victory, so get your minds back on the game," Katie Bell said forcefully. Ginny opened her mouth to say something, but Katie held up a hand, "Save it for after the match." Katie flew back to her position.

"Or for never, Ginny," Harry said sarcastically before flying off, "Whichever is more convenient for you."

Play started back up, but Ginny's mind wasn't on the game. It was on Harry and how incredibly messed up her life was. She passed Katie the Quaffle and then flew beside Alison.

"Ginny, are you okay?" Alison asked gently, "You're playing like a robot."

"Bell scores! 80-30, Slytherin still in the lead…Come on Gryffindor! Sorry Professor, I mean 'Come on everyone!'"

"Sorry Ali. I'll be fine," Ginny responded before focusing her mind back on the game. If only she could focus her heart back on the game too.

Ginny played better the next ten minutes, scoring three more goals for Gryffindor in addition to Alison's one. The match was finally shaping up to be a decent one…that is, until Malfoy returned.

"So Red, that whole thing about Potter getting the snitch before me, you really believe that huh?"

"Is a bloody nose not enough for you Malfoy?" Ginny asked angrily.

"Just wanted to let you know that I'm gonna get the snitch this time." Ginny laughed.

"How, by cheating?" she asked.

"Whatever works," he said as he looked over at Harry and then to Crabbe and Goyle. "Just thought you'd want to know that I'm going to win."

The possibilities of what Malfoy said didn't sink in until a few minutes after he flew away. Ginny had looked over at the other side of the pitch to see Crabbe and Goyle pointing at Harry, who'd been lazily circling the pitch searching for a hint of gold. Ginny was on her way over to warn Harry when he started to dive, having seen the snitch below. Ginny barely noticed the signal Malfoy gave the two Slytherin beaters, but there was no way she could miss the two Bludgers that were now heading toward Harry with deadly intent.

"Harry!" She yelled.

Unfortunately, the sound of her voice only caused him to hesitate, staying in the spot for a fraction of a second too long. Ginny heard the unhealthy crack of the bludgers hitting bone and watched in horror as Harry started to fall…

A/N: Sorry about the wait everyone! Hope you enjoyed this chapter and I'm looking forward to hearing what you thought about it. :) Reviews make writing this story a joy and I always look forward to getting them.

Oh, and I decided to make Katie Bell the captain since we don't know for sure if she is a year or two older than Harry and it just fit better into the chapter. Also, I know that the match against Slytherin is typically at the end of the year, but it fit here so, that's the best part about writing the story, I get to make decisions like that! On to review responses!

Kristen - Thank you so much for your compliments about my story! I was so happy to receive your review and I'm honored that it's on your favorites panel. I can't wait to hear your thoughts on the latest chapter.

kitten530 - I really appreciate your supportiveness and compliments. I love to get reviewers like you. You're also definitely perceptive. Malfoy is mostly doing it to get to Ron (and Harry for that matter), but there is always more to the situation than what it looks like ;). Oh, there I go being cryptic again! Anyway, it's always a pleasure to hear what you think. :)

lavalampronsgirl - Glad you loved the chapter! I hope you liked this one too. I hope you're having a fun summer (away from tests and such!).