Disclaimer: If I owned the Harry Potter books, I would fix them so that
Hermione was brutally slaughtered by the Russian Mafia and Ron would fall
incorrigibly in love with a female iguana and elope to Kansas, where they
would own a prosperous subsistence farm. Harry would smuggle illegal
fireworks into Uzbekistan and Voldemort would abandon his destructive
tendencies to become a monk in a peaceful abbey in the Himalayas. But,
unfortunately, I do not own the Harry Potter books, J.K. Rowling does (hey,
you wanted a disclaimer so I gave you a disclaimer).
Ginny woke up with the bright sun in her eyes. She cursed it under her breath, why wouldn't it just go away and let her sleep? Ginny was feeling very morbid this morning, perhaps it was because Draco had put her in a bad mood, or maybe it was just her grumbling stomach. She was absolutely starving.
Thinking murderous thoughts, Ginny got dressed and trudged down to the Great Hall. There, she saw people lining up to go to Hogsmeade, so she quickly ate a bowl of oatmeal and joined the line. A girl that she had been talking to in the absence of Tina and Sarah, named Celine, who was in 5th year also but in Ravenclaw, spotted her and strode gracefully over. Celine took private ballet lessons from Professor Sinistra, who had been a professional dancer, but retired when she turned 40.
Celine had auburn, shiny ringlets of hair and icy grey-green eyes framed by long, dark lashes. She was thin, but not like a stick. She was a very good student and practically perfect; sometimes Ginny felt overshadowed by her. But Celine was quite modest about her qualities and whenever someone complimented her she would thank them and quickly change the subject; she didn't like to be the center of attention. Ginny respected her and they got along well with each other, Celine was the kind of person you just couldn't hate, even if you tried.
"Hey Ginny! Where do you wanna go first when we get there?" Celine said.
"How about the Three Broomsticks? I've been having a strange craving for a butterbeer for the longest time," Ginny replied. "Then we can go to Zonko's and pick up some stuff."
"Sounds good. All right, line's moving, let's go."
They told their names to Filch and after looking at them suspiciously, he let them pass. They climbed aboard the horseless carriage waiting at the Hogwart's gates and it rattled off.
~
Draco sighed. He was once again suck going to Hogsmeade with Dumb and Dumber (also known as Crabbe and Goyle). He had tried to lose them in the line, but they had found him again. Well, no matter, he'd try to lose them in Hogsmeade.
The carriage jolted to a stop and Draco climbed out, Crabbe and Goyle following. They silently entered the Three Broomsticks and Goyle went to order three butterbeers. As Draco and Crabbe sat down, Draco spotted Ginny and a very pretty girl sitting at a table with Potter and Weasley. Weasley was gazing at the pretty girl so pathetically that Draco snickered derisively. Weasley heard him and cast him a baleful glare, but then grinned slowly and turned back to staring at the girl. Draco raised an eyebrow.
"Uh, Draco, do you want whipped cream on your butterbeer?" Goyle asked.
"Of course not, you dolt, do I ever have whipped cream on my butterbeer?"
"Uh, well actually you did last time we came here."
"Did I ask you?!" Draco said indignantly.
"Well, uh, yeah you did," said Goyle.
"NEVER MIND! No whipped cream on my butterbeer! You understand?"
"Yes sir- I mean Draco." Goyle went back to the counter and grabbed the three butterbeers. He handed one to Draco, who took a long swig. He was taken aback by the sharp, spicy taste that flooded his mouth. This didn't taste much like butterbeer, but he liked it. Draco gulped the whole mug down and banged it on the table.
"Mmmm, tasty! Much better than the usual crap they serve here," Draco said loudly. Everyone turned in their seats and stared at him; Madame Rosmerta scowled. Crabbe and Goyle looked at each other, puzzled. Then there was a sudden commotion at a table in the back of the Three Broomsticks and the Hogwart's students ran to see what was going on.
"Someone's started up a Muggle card game!" said a passing Hufflepuff to his friend.
Draco staggered over to the table, and sure enough, there was Lee Jordan's little brother, Elliot, shuffling a deck of cards.
"Now, this game's called poker," Elliot said. He explained all the rules to the crowd that had gathered. "You have to bet with your own money, I don't have any poker chips. Sit down if you want to play."
Draco sat down, as did Ginny and Dennis Creevey. They each produced a handful of coins from their pocket as Elliot delt the cards.
"Ok, anyone wanna bet?" Elliot glanced around at everyone.
"I'll bet, if everyone else is too scared. Five Sickles," Draco slurred.
Everyone hesitated, but tossed five silver coins onto the middle of the table.
"How many cards do you want, Malfoy?" Elliot asked.
"I'll take one."
"Ginny?"
"Let's see...I'll have three," Ginny said.
"Ok. Dennis?"
"Two please."
"All right! Any bets now?" Elliot said.
"I'll bet three Galleons," Draco said and hiccupped.
Elliot whistled. "Well, that's too much for me, I'm folding." he said and laid his cards down.
Dennis tossed three gold coins in, but Ginny tossed five.
"I'll raise you two," she said.
"Better watch out, Weasley, don't go wasting money your family could sure use," Draco said snidely. He leaned back on his chair, but leaned back too much and fell over backwards. Everyone laughed heartily, and Draco's normally pale face reddened as he staggered back up and sat down. "I'm definitely folding," said Dennis.
Draco glared at Ginny and said, "I'll see you and raise you two more!" He hiccupped again.
"Ok, and I'll raise you three more," said Ginny calmly.
"Fine!" he tossed the coins in. "And I'm not raising any more!" He laid his cards down, grinning. Elliot gaped. Draco had a full house: three Aces and two eights.
Ginny smiled. "That's a great hand, but it's not good enough." She laid down her cards and everyone gasped collectively when they saw she had four Aces and a King. Draco blinked as Ginny raked in the coins.
~
Outside the Three Broomsticks, Draco was absolutely livid.
"I can't believe she won! That little wench! How could she get a better hand then me? I had a full house! A FULL HOUSE!" Draco suddenly felt very dizzy and swayed. "Less go to Zonko's now, I wanna buy some stuff." He headed unsteadily toward Zonko's, Crabbe and Goyle following.
Draco slapped various items on the counter in Zonko's.
"How much izall this?" He asked the cashier, hanging onto the counter for support. The cashier raised an eyebrow.
"That'll be one Galleon and sixteen Sickles."
Draco took out the money, mumbling incoherently about ridiculous prices these days. He banged some money on the counter and stalked out of the shop, Crabbe and Goyle at his heels.
Outside, Draco felt even dizzier. He tried to walk, but his head hurt so much and it was all he could do to keep his balance. Crabbe and Goyle looked at him uneasily. Suddenly Draco lurched forward and fell, face forward, spread eagle, into the snow.
There were a few concerned looks, but most people burst into laughter as Draco tried to sit up, with a bewildered look on his snow-covered face. Goyle quickly helped him to his feet and they scurried off.
~
"That was brilliant, Ginny! What a great hand!" said Celine as they walked into Zonko's.
"Thanks. My dad taught me how to play poker so I play a lot at home," Ginny said, checking the price of a Squirting Goblet (which, when you picked it up to drink out of it, squirted the contents at you).
Ginny spent most of her recently gained large sum of money at Zonko's. She bought some last minute gifts for Harry and Ron, and then she and Celine headed back to the horseless carriages to be transported back to Hogwarts for the Christmas Eve dinner.
~
A/N: Well, here's another banal chapter for you. If you have gotten this far, stop reading immediately and proceed with your daily activities (stuffing potato dumplings with human flesh, etc.). If you insist to keep on reading, well, I'll try to make better chapters. I'm currently plagued with an extreme case of writer's block *writer's block comes in and clubs Olivia* ow. And my muse refuses to speak to me. Well, farewell, till the next chapter!
Ginny woke up with the bright sun in her eyes. She cursed it under her breath, why wouldn't it just go away and let her sleep? Ginny was feeling very morbid this morning, perhaps it was because Draco had put her in a bad mood, or maybe it was just her grumbling stomach. She was absolutely starving.
Thinking murderous thoughts, Ginny got dressed and trudged down to the Great Hall. There, she saw people lining up to go to Hogsmeade, so she quickly ate a bowl of oatmeal and joined the line. A girl that she had been talking to in the absence of Tina and Sarah, named Celine, who was in 5th year also but in Ravenclaw, spotted her and strode gracefully over. Celine took private ballet lessons from Professor Sinistra, who had been a professional dancer, but retired when she turned 40.
Celine had auburn, shiny ringlets of hair and icy grey-green eyes framed by long, dark lashes. She was thin, but not like a stick. She was a very good student and practically perfect; sometimes Ginny felt overshadowed by her. But Celine was quite modest about her qualities and whenever someone complimented her she would thank them and quickly change the subject; she didn't like to be the center of attention. Ginny respected her and they got along well with each other, Celine was the kind of person you just couldn't hate, even if you tried.
"Hey Ginny! Where do you wanna go first when we get there?" Celine said.
"How about the Three Broomsticks? I've been having a strange craving for a butterbeer for the longest time," Ginny replied. "Then we can go to Zonko's and pick up some stuff."
"Sounds good. All right, line's moving, let's go."
They told their names to Filch and after looking at them suspiciously, he let them pass. They climbed aboard the horseless carriage waiting at the Hogwart's gates and it rattled off.
~
Draco sighed. He was once again suck going to Hogsmeade with Dumb and Dumber (also known as Crabbe and Goyle). He had tried to lose them in the line, but they had found him again. Well, no matter, he'd try to lose them in Hogsmeade.
The carriage jolted to a stop and Draco climbed out, Crabbe and Goyle following. They silently entered the Three Broomsticks and Goyle went to order three butterbeers. As Draco and Crabbe sat down, Draco spotted Ginny and a very pretty girl sitting at a table with Potter and Weasley. Weasley was gazing at the pretty girl so pathetically that Draco snickered derisively. Weasley heard him and cast him a baleful glare, but then grinned slowly and turned back to staring at the girl. Draco raised an eyebrow.
"Uh, Draco, do you want whipped cream on your butterbeer?" Goyle asked.
"Of course not, you dolt, do I ever have whipped cream on my butterbeer?"
"Uh, well actually you did last time we came here."
"Did I ask you?!" Draco said indignantly.
"Well, uh, yeah you did," said Goyle.
"NEVER MIND! No whipped cream on my butterbeer! You understand?"
"Yes sir- I mean Draco." Goyle went back to the counter and grabbed the three butterbeers. He handed one to Draco, who took a long swig. He was taken aback by the sharp, spicy taste that flooded his mouth. This didn't taste much like butterbeer, but he liked it. Draco gulped the whole mug down and banged it on the table.
"Mmmm, tasty! Much better than the usual crap they serve here," Draco said loudly. Everyone turned in their seats and stared at him; Madame Rosmerta scowled. Crabbe and Goyle looked at each other, puzzled. Then there was a sudden commotion at a table in the back of the Three Broomsticks and the Hogwart's students ran to see what was going on.
"Someone's started up a Muggle card game!" said a passing Hufflepuff to his friend.
Draco staggered over to the table, and sure enough, there was Lee Jordan's little brother, Elliot, shuffling a deck of cards.
"Now, this game's called poker," Elliot said. He explained all the rules to the crowd that had gathered. "You have to bet with your own money, I don't have any poker chips. Sit down if you want to play."
Draco sat down, as did Ginny and Dennis Creevey. They each produced a handful of coins from their pocket as Elliot delt the cards.
"Ok, anyone wanna bet?" Elliot glanced around at everyone.
"I'll bet, if everyone else is too scared. Five Sickles," Draco slurred.
Everyone hesitated, but tossed five silver coins onto the middle of the table.
"How many cards do you want, Malfoy?" Elliot asked.
"I'll take one."
"Ginny?"
"Let's see...I'll have three," Ginny said.
"Ok. Dennis?"
"Two please."
"All right! Any bets now?" Elliot said.
"I'll bet three Galleons," Draco said and hiccupped.
Elliot whistled. "Well, that's too much for me, I'm folding." he said and laid his cards down.
Dennis tossed three gold coins in, but Ginny tossed five.
"I'll raise you two," she said.
"Better watch out, Weasley, don't go wasting money your family could sure use," Draco said snidely. He leaned back on his chair, but leaned back too much and fell over backwards. Everyone laughed heartily, and Draco's normally pale face reddened as he staggered back up and sat down. "I'm definitely folding," said Dennis.
Draco glared at Ginny and said, "I'll see you and raise you two more!" He hiccupped again.
"Ok, and I'll raise you three more," said Ginny calmly.
"Fine!" he tossed the coins in. "And I'm not raising any more!" He laid his cards down, grinning. Elliot gaped. Draco had a full house: three Aces and two eights.
Ginny smiled. "That's a great hand, but it's not good enough." She laid down her cards and everyone gasped collectively when they saw she had four Aces and a King. Draco blinked as Ginny raked in the coins.
~
Outside the Three Broomsticks, Draco was absolutely livid.
"I can't believe she won! That little wench! How could she get a better hand then me? I had a full house! A FULL HOUSE!" Draco suddenly felt very dizzy and swayed. "Less go to Zonko's now, I wanna buy some stuff." He headed unsteadily toward Zonko's, Crabbe and Goyle following.
Draco slapped various items on the counter in Zonko's.
"How much izall this?" He asked the cashier, hanging onto the counter for support. The cashier raised an eyebrow.
"That'll be one Galleon and sixteen Sickles."
Draco took out the money, mumbling incoherently about ridiculous prices these days. He banged some money on the counter and stalked out of the shop, Crabbe and Goyle at his heels.
Outside, Draco felt even dizzier. He tried to walk, but his head hurt so much and it was all he could do to keep his balance. Crabbe and Goyle looked at him uneasily. Suddenly Draco lurched forward and fell, face forward, spread eagle, into the snow.
There were a few concerned looks, but most people burst into laughter as Draco tried to sit up, with a bewildered look on his snow-covered face. Goyle quickly helped him to his feet and they scurried off.
~
"That was brilliant, Ginny! What a great hand!" said Celine as they walked into Zonko's.
"Thanks. My dad taught me how to play poker so I play a lot at home," Ginny said, checking the price of a Squirting Goblet (which, when you picked it up to drink out of it, squirted the contents at you).
Ginny spent most of her recently gained large sum of money at Zonko's. She bought some last minute gifts for Harry and Ron, and then she and Celine headed back to the horseless carriages to be transported back to Hogwarts for the Christmas Eve dinner.
~
A/N: Well, here's another banal chapter for you. If you have gotten this far, stop reading immediately and proceed with your daily activities (stuffing potato dumplings with human flesh, etc.). If you insist to keep on reading, well, I'll try to make better chapters. I'm currently plagued with an extreme case of writer's block *writer's block comes in and clubs Olivia* ow. And my muse refuses to speak to me. Well, farewell, till the next chapter!