Forbidden Fruit
Chapter 03 - Tears
An unsuspecting tear slid out of Ginny's eye. She could not so much as blink it away because she was stunned stock still. She heard Hermione drop her books with surprise. She heard her friend yell, 'Bastard!' after Malfoy.
Hermione quickly revived Ginny, taking Ginny's tears as recognition of pain and humiliation. 'Oh Ginny, are you alright?'
She nodded numbly. She didn't know why she cried. It hadn't really hurt. She was used to Malfoy's cruel antics. What had hit such a sore spot? She swallowed her tear and gulped. 'Yeah, Hermione, thanks, I'm fine.' Perhaps today had just been an off day. Ginny was certainly not some sentimental crybaby!
Ginny had been hanging out with Hermione a lot more lately. Harry wasn't at school anymore, so Hermione had lost a friend to hang out with, and Ginny, a love. Ginny also knew it was because Hermione was with her brother, Ron. Not that either of them would admit it. On a trip to Hogsmeade, though, Ginny saw Hermione wearing what was clearly Ron's school jumper, and had often smelled the Weasley scent in Hermione's dorm room.
Ginny tuned out as Hermione babbled on about what a prat Malfoy was, and how they should tell someone. Hermione'd probably tell McGonagall about it anyway, whether Ginny planned to or not.
'I'm OK, Hermione, I really am,' she reassured.
Hermione gave her a sceptical look, but hushed up.
Ginny tried to change the subject. 'What's in the bag? Bricks?' She was referring to Hermione's book bag. It was full of books as usual, obviously, but Ginny didn't want her to keep badgering her on the event.
'Oh! Just a few books. Encyclopaedia of Useful Charms, A-Zs of Herbology, Muggle and Magic Liaisons of Great Britain, Fenrir: A Biography, just some light reading.'
Ginny's eyebrows rose. Only Hermione could call that 'light reading'.
'Well, I have some homework to do, bye!' Ginny said awkwardly and suddenly. She rushed off, not to the direction of the common room, but downstairs, heading aimlessly for no place in particular. She found herself in the dungeons soon enough.
She took a seat in the corner, leaning against the dirty stone walls. She contemplated on her thoughts for a while, unaware of the stones nearby rearranging themselves so that a door hole appeared.
Malfoy walked out, but he froze at the sight of her. Ginny looked up, and gave him a sort of earnest look. Her heart wasn't into being irritable at the moment.
Malfoy looked like he was going to say something.
Author's Notes
Eww … crappiest chapter EVER. More at the end actually. Damn the stupid yet addictive world of fan fiction writing. Oh yeah, and CLIFFIE. (Sort of. Not a very enticing one, though /)