Disclaimer: I am not JKR and I am not making any money whatsoever from this.

Chapter 12: Gwion Starkey

Although she had spent most of that week looking for cauldrons and suspicious Ravenclaws, schoolwork and Hermione soon made Ginny forget all about it. Cheering up Hermione had turned into a full time job as she and the boys were still not speaking to each other.

She was currently sitting with Hermione at a table trying to focus on her History of Magic essay when Harry, Neville and Ron entered and Harry was carrying a Firebolt! People all over the room rushed forward to see the Firebolt and Ginny saw this as her chance at escape she grabbed her bag and stuffed in her things and rushed over with the rest of the crowds. She stood next to Sarah and held the Firebolt for a few minutes, knowing she would never have a chance to ride it, and therefore not feeling the euphoria that every one else was no doubt feeling. As the crowd dispersed she went and joined the second years at their table after asking quietly if it was alright with them. She sat as far away from them as possible as they laughed and joked while shouting answers at each other about the History of Magic homework they were also completing.

"What was the goblin's name? The one who kept throwing tomatoes at people." Iris asked her.

"I think," she began begging fate to help her out as History of Magic was her worst subject, and until that moment she hadn't even been aware there had been such a goblin, "he was called -" she stopped thanking fate after she heard a yell come from the boys' staircase, a strangely familiar yell.

Then suddenly Ron was at the doorway carrying a bed sheet. "LOOK!" he bellowed walking toward Hermione. "LOOK!"

Hermione said something that she couldn't hear and Ron roared "SCABBERS! LOOK! SCABBERS! BLOOD! HE'S GONE! AND YOU KNOW WHAT WAS ON THE FLOOR?"

Hermione seemed to say something and Ginny saw Ron throw something on Hermione's parchment; after that the fight just seemed to escalate until Hermione stomped up the staircase into the girl's dorms. It seems I'll be doing a lot more comforting, she thought as she hurried over to Ron who was looking miserable.


The common room was almost entirely empty when Ginny came down reminding her that it was a Hogsmeade weekend. She was about to leave the common room for lunch when she spotted Hermione near a pile of books.

"Hermione why aren't you in Hogsmeade?"

"I have a lot of school work to do; I don't have time for frivolities." She said unconvincingly. She tried to find something to say, but only came up with a weak, "good luck."

The past week had been horrible, after the Quidditch game Ron had almost gotten killed by Sirius Black. Ginny had spent most of that time in the Gryffindor common room spending time with Ron and trying to convince Hermione to apologize for Crookshanks but although she was distraught over Ron's near death she wouldn't budge.

As she passed the Ravenclaw table Luna ran up to her. "Do you want to go to Hogsmeade?"

"I wish that I could, Luna, but I promised Colin and the others that I would pay a game of Quidditch with them after lunch." She quickly added, "You can come."

"No, it would be uneven, besides I know they all think I'm crazy, I have to do some research for Transfiguration anyway, bye."

"Bye," Ginny said and turned back towards the Gryffindor table and sat next to Colin who was once again wearing Muggle clothing. The game was even more fun than last time and now that she was more comfortable with them, she felt free to joke with them. At one point in the game she noticed that Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle were running at full speed towards the castle, but as Sarah was passing her the Quaffle at the moment she shrugged it off and continued to throw the ball into the hoops, which wasn't particularly hard as Colin was focusing more on staying on the broom than guarding the hoops.

"We won!

We are the best!

We fly and stay on our brooms!" The four girls sang as they skipped towards the castle.

"Joy you lost, you were on our team," David said as he tried to keep up with the girls without leaving Colin behind. Colin was following slowly wiping imaginary dirt off his camera.

"Well, it's funner than sulking, plus we didn't really have a chance did we?" She said looking at Colin.

"Colin, it's fine! Hurry up!" David yelled, Colin looked up and cradling his camera in his hands ran after them.

"Funner?" Sarah asked.


"Well, Weasley, what are you comparing Potter's eyes to this year," She heard Malfoy's voice behind her, "how about-"

"How about you shut up?" She said as she walked up to the Great Hall.

"What fun would that be?" He asked opening the doors.

"I would it enjoy it quite a bit." She said as she walked into the Hall and directly towards the Ravenclaw table. "Hi Luna!" She said sitting down next to her.

"Good morning," she said looking up from her breakfast. "Happy Valentine's Day."

"Happy Valentine's Day, Luna." Ginny looked up from where she was loading up her plate and looked over to the Gryffindor table. Harry's back's to me, but that's for the best I don't want him to catch me staring. Just then a loud flutter of wings signalled that the mail was coming and she noticed that Hermione, who had finally made up with Ron on Saturday, was looking slightly nervous and exited. In fact she was dressed in one of her nicest robes and had pulled her hair back so it didn't seem as bushy; she kept throwing glances at Ron who continued to eat oblivious to anything. Curious, Ginny thought, thinking back to last term when Hermione had seemed so preoccupied with which robes to wear to Hogsmeade. Suddenly an owl dropped something in front of her and Ginny stood up to see over Harry's head and saw The Daily Prophet. Hermione stood up, hit Ron with her bag and stomped out of the Great Hall.

"What's her problem?" She heard Ron say loudly, Harry shrugged and continued eating.


It was dinner time and Ginny was glad that Luna hadn't asked why she had eaten all her meals with the Ravenclaws. She was embarrassed enough about it, she didn't want to be overheard and remind anyone who'd forgotten about last year's Valentine.

"Watch Gwion Starkey."

"Who?" Ginny asked brought out of her reverie by Luna.

"That fifth year there, the blond," she said pointing discreetly down across from them.

"He's not doing anything remarkable," she said annoyed, "he's eating. Do you fancy him or something?"

"No, look at the other fifth years."

"What about them?"

"They all have books near their plates or are revising while they eat, he's not."

"So he isn't worried," Ginny said while chewing her potatoes, "he still has four months."

"Exactly, there are only four moths left and he's eating! It's as if he knows he's going to pass regardless." Ginny noticed that Luna hadn't touched her plate at all; maybe she did fancy him and was in awe of his brains.

"So, he's exceptionally smart."

"He isn't," Ernie cut in, leaning back from his seat, right behind them "he's one of the worst students in Ravenclaw."

"Do you always interrupt private conversations?"

"Ginny, maybe you've been spending too much time with Draco." He said with mock concern.

"Ernie's right though, actually he's very near the end of his year only beating a few Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors." She said as if the very idea of a Hufflepuff or Gryffindor being smarter than a Ravenclaw was preposterous.

"Maybe we've all been spending too much time Draco." Ginny said turning back to her food and glancing at the Slytherin table where Draco was in deep conversation with Crabbe and Goyle.


A/N: I had to throw in that Ron/Hermione moment; it was just too perfect an opportunity to miss.