Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of its characters.
-Chapter 4-
Ginny looked bored out of her mind just sitting there in the Great Hall, waiting for the new first years to flood in and be sorted. She rested her chin on her palm and looked around the table with tired eyes.
She rolled her eyes when she looked Harry and Ron from across the table. The swooping gestures they were making with their hands made it obvious that they were talking about Quidditch.
Hermione was sitting right beside her and was attempting conversation with Neville Longbottom.
He looked calm and relaxed, as oppose to his usual hesitant and jumpy self. His fifth year really did have a lasting effect on his mentality. He was much more mature and his posture gave off a more confident vibe.
He was congratulating her on getting Head Girl.
'As if she wasn't going to get it,' Ginny thought dully.
Ginny grinned, 'Maybe he'll actually be able to have potions with Snape without screwing anything up.'
Ginny's ears perked up at the sound of the Great Hall's doors opening up to reveal Professor McGonagall and a large group of first years. They moved in one big wave to the front of the Hall and up to where the sorting hat was perched.
Ginny began to zone out as the students were sorted one by one. She didn't feel like clapping whenever someone was sorted into Gryffindor. She instead remembered back to when she herself was sorted. Ginny had been disappointed when she didn't see Ron or Harry (she had a ridiculous crush on him back then) when she was being sorted.
Not that it mattered since all Weasley's for generations were sorted into Gryffindor.
This is why it unnerved her to no end when the sorting hat had paused when sorting her. He seemed a bit hesitant to sort her into Gryffindor and Ginny almost panicked.
She remembered exactly what it said.
Ah, yet another Weasley. Surely Gryffindor is the house for you? And yet.., yes…, there is something else.., something extra that you possess... You, Ginny Weasley, possess something the other Weasley's do and do not possess. Yes..you do..and how odd it is. It is buried deep within you. There is no need to panic, for the house for you is…. 'GRYFFINDOR!'
The sorting hat's words still rung clearly through her head, never ceasing to make her question her place in Gryffindor or in life. Ginny was certain, at least, that one day she would indeed find out what exactly she possessed.
She just hoped it wasn't something that could have any negative effects on her life or anyone else's for that matter.
Ginny turned to catch grey eyes gazing evenly at her. She greatly intended to hold his gaze with a look of indifference. Draco kept his features calm, allowing no emotions to creep up on him. She opted to do the same.
Ginny noted with mild interest that his normally slicked back silvery blonde hair was left mostly alone. It was surprising long as usually when it was slicked back, it was if it was literally plastered to his head making it seem like he had very short hair. If it Draco she was staring at, she probably would have thought it to be endearing.
'What the hell? Is she checking me out? She keeps looking at me like I'm some crossbreed between a blast-ended skrewt and a niffler,' thought Draco and narrowed his eyes at her.
Ginny realized with slight embarrassment that she obviously had been doing more than staring. She attempted to salvage some dignity and glared at him, only to receive a smirk in return.
Ginny silently fumed, or at least she thought she did. Draco's smirk turning into an amused grin made her believe otherwise. Giving up, she sighed in exasperation and shook her head.
Should Ginny have turned her head she would have seen Hermione peering at her curiously and wondering who she was staring at.
Hermione scanned the Slytherin table, 'Why would Ginny be staring at someone who's in Slytherin?' She wondered.
She instantly regretted it when she met the sneering look of Draco Malfoy. He was openly glowering at her with an increasing intensity and his lips twisting to mouth the word 'Mudblood'.
Hermione instantly frowned and managed to muster up enough nerve to glare at him before tilting her chin up.
Before she looked away, her eyes caught sight of the gleaming gold Head Boy badge pinned on Draco's robes. It was if she had almost forgotten that he had made Head Boy and was denying it when her frown deepened.
Draco couldn't suppress a grin at this.
'Funny little mudblood. Always in denial. She is probably still denying the fact that she is filthy and repulsive as well,' he thought with great delight.
His grin threatened to extend when he saw the looks of horror on Harry and Ron's faces when Hermione told them the good news.
They both simultaneously glanced at Draco and the badge on his chest. Ron reddened to the shade of ripe tomato which immediately made Hermione reach over and pat his arm comfortingly.
"It's not that big of a deal, honestly," said Hermione. "Just think of it this way Ron," interjected Harry, "If he tries anything, you can hex him to Romania and back. Or rather, not back at all. Leave him to get eaten by Norwegian Ridgeback."
At this, all three of them burst out laughing, an image of Draco Malfoy bouncing from Hogwarts to Romania, only to get eaten by a dragon.
Ginny jumped in her seat. She had been staring into the Abyss and wasn't paying attention to anything or anyone, until now. She looked at the three of them as if they were crazy.
"What's so funny?" she asked, raising her eyebrows. They instantly stopped and exchanged glances and Ginny knew she wasn't going to get the answer she wanted.
Ron shrugged, "Oh nothing Ginny. Nothing important." Ginny shook her head and looked down at the table, appearing to be immensely interested in the patterns of the wood.
'It figures they wouldn't tell me anything, I shouldn't have even bothered in the first place,' Ginny thought, sounding peeved.
She didn't know how long she was staring at the table, but it obviously must have been a long time for Hermione tapped her on the shoulder telling her that, "I'm going to go lead the first years up to the dorm, I'll see you later." With that being said, she left. Harry, Ron and the first years got up and followed her closely behind.
Ginny saw that everyone was making a move to leave so she decided to join them. She got up and moved to walked out.
"Hurry it up or get out of the way Weasley! You're going too slowly. I have first years to show their dorms so move it." Draco half-yelled at her.
Ginny stared daggers at Draco. He was such a jerk.
"You should consider being a tad bit more courteous towards other Malfoy, you wouldn't want to set such a bad example and thus lose your Head Boy Badge," Ginny said with a mischievous smile.
Draco ignored her and nudged her aside with his shoulder before continuing on, barking at the first years to keep up.
"Git," Ginny mumbled and walked out of the Great Hall. Someone called to her in the distance and she stopped. Dean Thomas was making his way over to her, looking a bit nervous.
"Hi Ginny," said Dean, sticking his hands in his robe pockets. Ginny gave him a small smile, "Hey Dean, how was your summer?" The corner of Dean's lip twitched and he suddenly looked out of place.
"Oh nothing much really. Same ol', same ol'," said Dean, and chuckled lightly to himself.
'Whatever that means,' thought Ginny. Dean was looking everywhere and at everyone. Except her. Ginny raised an eyebrow.
"Is something wrong Dean?" She asked curiously. He looked a bit startled and heh'd. He stuttered, "O-Oh, n-nothing."
Ginny narrowed her eyes suspiciously, but said nothing. Dean looked down at his feet for a moment before looking back up.
He tried to keep his voice even, "So look Ginny, about what I said in..in the letter," he paused, "I mean, I know it was vague and I didn't exactly provide much of an explanation and I'm sorry, but, do you think, that we could just forget about it and pretend it never happened? We are still friends right?"
Dean looked hopeful, but still edgy. She didn't have time for this. She nodded her head vigorously and put on a fake smile.
"Of course Dean, of course we're still friends. Don't worry about it," Ginny said sweetly, not completely taking the sarcasm out of her voice. Apparently he missed it though when he brightened up considerably.
"Oh really? That's great Ginny," he glanced over his shoulder, "listen I've got to run. Maybe we can talk later? If you want to that is."
Ginny looked quickly over Dean's shoulder and saw with annoyance that Seamus Finnigan was waiting for him.
"Yeah, yeah sure Dean. I have to go too. See you," Ginny let out quickly and waved.
Before Dean had a chance to say goodbye, Ginny had already turned and was walking away. He shrugged his shoulders and left with Seamus.
Ginny walked around the school grounds for a while before she went to the lake. There was a group of trees, three to be exact that lay at one of the edges of the lake. They were spread out into a sort of crescent shape and they were bent over, making the trees look as if they had created some sort of small sanctuary.
Ginny walked over to the tree on the far left and gazed at small initials that were engraved into the trunk of the tree. 'G.W.' were the initials inscribed in the trunk.
Her initials.
She took out her wand and flicked it at the trunk. The initials glowed red and burned. After an instant, the burning ceased, making the once worn initials clear once again.
Ginny then took her usual place next to the tree, sliding down against it till she was on the ground, still fully leaning against it. Her brows furrowed, making it obvious that she was in deep thought. She closed her eyes halfway and looked fixedly on the lake.
The moon was full and bright tonight, and it reflected beautifully off the lake. The water shimmered as if it were alive.
"I wish I could stay out here forever," Ginny breathed. "Stupid Harry. Stupid Ron. Stupid Hermione. Stupid Dean. Stupid everyone…," she said, barely in a whisper.
"Just when I finally thought I was going to be accepted into their little circle, I get shoved out even more. Physically I'm there in DA, but mentally..they just block me out and act like I wouldn't understand. Damn them! I'd understand! I've understood it all for so long that it just hurts. Why do they keep doing this to me? How can they be so dense?"
It was the same each time. Ginny would run it all through her head time and time again, wondering the same thing, but nothing ever changed. Her questions were still left unanswered. Her bottom lip trembled and she wrapped her robes tightly around her.
She stared hard at the lake as if expecting it to answer her questions. The lake rippled and the light from the moon swam through them. She took that as a sign. A determined look washed over her face.
"One day, I am going to show them, show them all that I am worth the effort. I can't fail, I just can't. I need them to know who I am, but can I do it alone?" Ginny said strongly and ended softly. She left her body weight to the complete mercy of the tree and closed her eyes. She didn't have her eyes closed long when…
"What the bloody hell are you doing here Weasley?" Draco asked loudly, demanding an answer.
Ginny's eyes flew open and she lifted herself off the tree with a start. Her eyes were wide when she turned to the speaker, only to narrow in recognition.
Just when she had finally reached solace, this bumbling idiot had to ruin it all.
"What do you want Malfoy?" Ginny asked, her tone of voice screaming bored. "I could also be asking you the same question." Draco glared at her and didn't answer. Ginny didn't intend to answer him either and glared back at him as well.
Unbeknownst to Ginny and Draco, the lake rippled once again, sending beams of light to wash over them and only them.
Author's Notes: PHEW! It took me a while, but I finally wrote it! It took me an hour to figure out how to start this one off, but I guess it all worked out alright. The next chapter is going to be a fun one. Load's of bickering as you can probably tell. All the more reason to read it. Hehehehe. Thanks for reviewing everyone!
Morena Evensong: Yah I was actually going for that whole Molly Weasley temper flare. It's just so much fun to work with and it does make sense. I guess you're right about Draco's attitude depending on who he's around. I guess we'll just see how he develops throughout the fic and what kind of influence Ginny has on him -wink-.