Discalimer I own nothing.
Chapter 5: Meeting Friends
"I'm glad that's over," Neville muttered. "Strange man, isn't he?"
They had just walked out of Slughorn's tea party about half an hour later.
"Yeah he is a bit," said Harry. "How did you end up in there, Ginny?"
"He saw me hex Zacharias Smith," said Ginny. When she finished telling her story, Harry said "Better reason for inviting someone than because their mother's famous," said Harry, scowling at the back of Zabini's head, "or because their uncle—"
As he broke off, Ginny stared at Harry stared at him curiously. Harry was staring at Zabini as he headed down the corridor in front of them.
"I'll see you two later," said Harry, as he pulled out his famous Invisibility Cloak.
"But what're you--?" said Neville, before he was cut off by Harry.
"Later!" whispered Harry. Ginny saw him disappear under Invisibility Cloak and she and Neville headed back toward their compartments.
"I wonder where he's going," said Neville.
"Yeah, me too," said Ginny, but she wasn't really paying attention, her mind was back to what she had left back in the compartment.
"Hey, Neville," said Ginny. "Dean's waiting for me, I'll see ya later, O.K.?"
"Oh, O.K.," said Neville slightly glumly. He started heading back don the corridor alone.
When Ginny reached her compartment, she found Dean waiting for her finally alone.
"There you are" said Dean smiling. "How was the lunch?"
"It was…interesting…," said Ginny, sitting down to help herself to Dean's pumpkin pasties that were lying on the seat beside him. When she had finished with her story, Dean changes the subject to Quidditch and they spent the rest of the journey talking of their favorite teams, new moves, and brooms they would like to buy if they had the money.
As Ginny felt the train slowing down, she stared out the window at the dark, rainy sky that was peppered with tons of bright little stars. She and Dean sat in a comfortable silence, while she watched the passing trees, and the twinkling lights that were Hogsmeade get slowly closer and closer, until the train gently chugged to a stop in Hogsmeade Station.
Ginny and Dean pulled on their robes, and stepped out into the mass of students who were making their way off the train. Ginny and Dean finally found an empty carriage, and joking and laughing, they climbed inside.
The horse-less carriage lurched forward and they were off. Ginny and Dean spent the ride abusing Malfoy and Snape. They were in the middle of trying to figure out the best way to get Snape fired, when the carriage came to a sudden halt. Ginny climbed out on the Hogwarts lawn. She gazed up at the magnificent castle, were all the windows in the castle glowed with light from the fires. She was finally home.
They walked together up to the entrance Hall, and Ginny and Dean were just about to turn the corner into the Great Hall, when Ginny was knocked to the ground a rush of blonde hair, dark blue eyes, and a bright smile.
"Ginny!" she squealed excitedly. As Dean pulled off the ground by the hand, Ginny grinned at her best friend. She was very pretty. Brittany had long, blonde hair, huge dark-blue eyes, and a smile that could light up a whole room. She was very energetic, and always knew how to make someone smile.
"Sorry," mumbled Brittany. Because she was always moving so fast, Brittany had a tendency to knock things over in her rush.
Ginny laughed and gave Brittany a bug hug. "How have you been?" asked Ginny. "I haven't seen you all summer."
"I've been O.K." said Brittany smiling. "Same old boring parents."
Brittany's parents were Muggles, so Ginny could understand how they could be boring to Brittany after the five years of always excitement at Hogwarts.
"I see you," said Ginny looking around the Entrance Hall, "but where's—"
She was cut off when a second girl came running at her. This time, it was a tall, Asian one named Melissa.
"Hi Ginny!" she said, giving her a hug.
Melissa was tall, with a perfectly fit, body. She had long, silky black hair that hung in her round, brown eyes. She had perfectly, smooth dark skin. Melissa was definitely the most attractive out of Ginny's already pretty group of friends. The guys were always after her, which suited her just fine.
"How was your summer?" asked Ginny.
"It was so cool," said Melissa. "My family went to the Bahamas. You know," she gave Ginny a sneaky smile. "Lots of hot guys all around you while you spend the day running around in a bikini on the beach."
Ginny smiled. "Hey, have you guys seen Taylor?"
Taylor was Ginny's third friend, who was also very pretty. She had short, brown hair that was always pulled back into a ponytail, or a messy bun. Even though she was very attractive, Taylor didn't really care all that much about clothes, or make-up, or looking pretty all the time. Taylor loved sports, especially basketball, she, too, and had grown up in a Muggle family. But since Hogwarts didn't have a basketball team, Taylor had been using the room of requirement to practice. Since she played basketball night and day, she had a skin that was tanned from all the hours she had been practicing.
"Hey Tay," said Ginny, giving her a hug.
"Come on, Gin," said Brittany, "lets eat I'm starving.
Ginny laughed, Brittany was always hungry.
Ginny then turned back to Dean. "Hey, I'll catch up with you later, O.K.?"
"O.K., see you," said Dean. He kissed Ginny on the cheek, then went ot go find Seamus Finnigan, his best friend.
"Aww…" cooed Taylor. "You guys are soooo sweet together!"
The other girls nodded their approval as Ginny blushed.
"Stop it, guys," said , but she was grinning. "Come on, lets get some food!"
They walked into the Great Hall, and sat down together at the Gryffindor House Table. Ginny collapsed into a chair next to Melissa, and stared hungrily at her empty plate. She couldn't wait until the feat began.
Finally, the Great Hall doors opened, and in walked the timid looking first years. The four friends waited impatiently for the sorting to be over. When it was finally over, all four girls' stomachs were growling.
Dumbledore stood up, said a few words, spread his arms, and the golden plates in front of them finally filled with magnificent food. Ginny piled her plate up with every kind of food imaginable. Roast potatoes, pot roast, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes and gravy, chicken, corn, warm rolls, and steak. It all looked so good, Ginny didn't know where to begin.
When she was done with her first plate, and was reaching for more chicken, the Great Hall doors opened once again to reveal—
"Harry," gasped Ginny. The whole hall went deadly quiet.
He looked a mess. He had two, swelled up, purple eyes, and dried blood all over his swollen face and nose.
He hurried to the Gryffindor table, and sat down next to Ron and Hermione. The whole hall erupted into whisperers.
"I wonder what happened to him," asked Taylor.
"I dunno," said Ginny concerned, he seemed fine a couple of hours ago.
The hall eventually went back to its loud, happy talk, but there were still people turning their heads to stare at Harry.
Ginny noticed a third-year Ravenclaw actually stood up to get a closer look at Harry.
"Cut it out," Ginny snapped at the girl. "What never seen blood before?"
The girl stuck her tongue out at Ginny, but sat back down anyway.
"Dang, Ginny," said Brittany. "What are you so riled about?"
"It's nothing," said Ginny, turning back to her chicken.
"It is not 'nothing',"said Melissa slyly.
"Do not," said Ginny, but her glowing cheeks gave her away.
"HA, " said Taylor triumphantly. "Knew it!"
"O.K., O.K.," said Ginny defeated, grinning up at her three friends. "But keep it down, don't you remember I'm going out with Dean."
"Oh yeah," said Brittany. "I forgot about him."
"Hmmmm…," said Melissa. "I think I can fix that."
"What do you mean?" asked Ginny suspiciously.
"Nothing," said Melissa mysteriously.
And she refused to tell them anything more on the subject.
After they had finished their deserts, the golden plates cleaned themselves, and Dumbledore rose once again. He bade them good-night and sent them off to bed.
Ginny followed the new Gryffindor first-years who were being led by Hermione, out of the Great Hall, and up to Gryffindor tower, talking and giggling to her friends.
Once inside the common room, she and her friends headed up to their dormitories feeling very sleepy. She finally climbed the last stair on the spiral staircase leading up to her dormitory. All she remember hearing were her friends excited voices about the coming year before she finally reached her bed, and collapsed on it, not even bothering to take off her clothes, and she fell right off to sleep.
Author's note: Another long one please R n R! It is all I live for (not really but yeah)!