CHAPTER TWO

Ginny got into the nearest carriage. It already contained Harry, Ron and Hermione. As she sat down, Ron turned her way. He had been speaking to Harry.

"Gin, do you know who the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher is? I bet it's someone dumb." Ron turned back to Harry.

"No one could be worse than Lockhart. Not even Umbridge was worse than him." Harry smiled shyly at Ginny. "So, who do think it is?"

"I already know who it is. Dad told me. Even though he wasn't supposed to." Ginny smiled slyly at Ron, Harry and Hermione.

"Who is it?" Hermione prodded Ginny.

"Let's just say that it is not someone we like. Yes, we all know him." Ginny clammed up, obviously not ready to tell who it was. As the other three went back to talking about school, Ginny went back to thinking about the Charms book. Who is a friend that would buy me new expensive books? Even though Harry's my boyfriend, he doesn't buy me books. Who buys books for presents? Ginny pondered. Oh well, maybe I'll find out at school.

When the carriage stopped in front of the school, Ginny was the first one out. She was suddenly hugged from behind. It was Harry. His arms were slung around Ginny's shoulders, hands clasped over her heart.

"I told Ron about us. He's all right about it. We don't have to pretend anymore." Harry whispered in Ginny's ear. He swung her around and gave her a passionate kiss. Ginny took his hand in his and they started walking towards the castle.

At the feast, Harry, Ron, Ginny and Hermione sat facing the staff table. Ginny looked anxiously at her friend's faces, waiting for their look when they saw the DADA teacher. The first one to spot him was Hermione.

"You're kidding me! Come on." Moaned Hermione. She pointed at the spot where all the previous DADA teachers had sat. Harry started choking and Ron spilled his pumpkin juice.

"Malfoy? Seriously? I think he is more interested in the Dark Arts. Not defense against them. I'm never calling him 'Professor Malfoy'. Never." Ron looked disgusted at the thought of Lucius Malfoy teaching DADA.

"Oh, we'll never hear the end of this. Look." Hermione pointed. Draco Malfoy was walking towards them with a smug look on his face.

"Oy, Weasel, how come your dad didn't apply? I'm sure he could use the extra money." Malfoy smirked. "Well, well. Look who it is. Weasel's sister. Did you manage to get all your books? Even for Charms?" He gave Ginny a small wink and walked away from the Gryffindor Table.

"He is so gonna rub this in out faces." Harry started to get up but stopped when Ginny laid a hand on his arm.

"He already had Snape for protection. Now his father is here and he's not going away. Malfoy is going to be treated as a prince, now. His father will make sure of that." Ginny looked at Professor McGonagall. She was sitting in the chair next to Dumbledore, talking to him about something. When Ginny glanced at Professor Snape, she saw that he was looking at Lucius Malfoy with the same look of disgust as he usually directed at Harry. She directed her stare to the Slytherin table. Not meaning to, she kept sneaking glances at a certain blond haired, gray-eyed boy all throughout the Feast.

"Hey, does anybody notice something different about Ginny lately? She seems to be ignoring me lately." Harry questioned Ron and Hermione late one night. Ginny was mad that Harry was talking to them and not her about their relationship problems. She was hiding behind an armchair, just out of sight but still in earshot.

"Come to think of it, she was acting odd on the ride over here." Hermione said, curiously.

"She was also staring at people at the Feast. I won't say who because that'll just upset you, Harry, but she was definitely staring." Ron nervously said.

"Who was it?" Harry looked mad "I'll kill them."

"Well, it was Malfoy." Ron sighed.

"Wait, Draco Malfoy or 'Professor Malfoy'?" Harry asked.

"Draco Malfoy. We need to come up with a way so we can talk about them without getting confused. Why don't we call Malfoy the teacher, well, something different than the other Malfoy?" Ron looked sheepishly at Harry for this suggestion. "Like Junior and Senior?"

"I think that'll work. Now which one's Junior and which one's senior?" Harry laughed as Ron punched him in the arm. "Wait. Ginny was staring at Mal- I mean Junior? Why?"

"I don't know why." Hermione jumped as a sound came from the other side of the room. "Hold on." Hermione walked over to the armchair where Ginny was hiding. She reached around and pulled Ginny up.

Ginny smiled, embarrassed. "Hello. What's goin' on?" Ginny looked helplessly from Ron to Hermione, avoiding Harry's stare. Ron got up and helped Hermione restrain Ginny, who struggling fiercely to get away.

"Why?" Harry looked so torn apart. Ginny's heart melted.

"I'm sorry. I am allowed to look at people aren't I?" Ginny's eyes were pleading for forgiveness as she asked Harry. Harry got up and stomped off, towards the Boy's Dormitory.

"I hope he doesn't get mad. It's a mess in our dormitory. Fred and George filled my trunk with fireworks and other joke shop items. When I opened my trunk, they exploded. There's a little bit on the train, too." Ron forced a laugh, trying to get Ginny to laugh.

"I'm going to bed. Oh, by the way, Ron. I hope those fireworks explode in your face." Ginny turned and walked somberly to the girls' dormitory.

"What did I do?" Ron looked at Hermione, bewildered.

"You don't get it, do you? Now Harry thinks something is going on between Ginny and Malfoy when you know there isn't. Now Harry's gonna break up with Ginny and Ginny is going to think that you are to blame." Hermione stalked off.

"You forgot to say Junior or Senior!" Ron called after her, lamely. "Forget it." He sighed as he walked towards his dormitory to talk to Harry.