CHAPTER 3

"I hope you know what you're doing Ginny," Hermione said disapprovingly half an hour later. Ginny shifted un-comfortably in her red arm chair and watched the rain fall outside. She didn't want Hermione to lecture her. She thought Hermione would have been ecstatic, but instead she had regarded it as cheating. Ginny would never have thought that HERMIONE GRANGER of ALL people would have something against a giant magical library, but there you had it.

"I know what I'm doing." The rain fell harder against the window panes. The Quidditch match would surely not be cancelled tomorrow. She was glad that she wouldn't be playing. Hufflepuff versus Slytherin. She hoped Malfoy would get knocked off his broom. "I don't see why you're not happy about it though. I mean, yeah, you find what you're looking for really fast, but it's not like copying or anything."

"If you thing about it, it is actually." Hermione's voice was still stern. "And goddamit Ginny, could you at least LOOK at me when I'm talking to you? You're not mad at me are you?" Her voice softened down at the last part.

Ginny turned her head resolutely toward her anxious friend's face. "I'm not mad. YOU seem to be the one mad at me."

"I'm not mad. I'm just..." She struggled for words.

"Oh my god, you're kidding me."

"I'm NOT. I swear Ginny I'm not. Oh all right, fine, I am. There you have it. I'm jealous you found a giant magical library and I didn't. I slept in that room for 5 whole years and I didn't find it."

Ginny stuck her tong out at her best friend. "Ha! na na na na na na!" She sung in a baby-ish voice.

Hermione raised her eyebrows at this. "That's really baby-ish, you know?"

Ginny got up, choosing to ignore Hermione's last comment. "I'm in the mood for hot chocolate. Care to come down to the kitchens with me?"

Hermione shook her head. "Nah. I think I'll go help Harry and Ron with their essays. See you in a bit." Ginny shrugged.

"Whatever." She climbed out of the portrait hall and down a flight of stairs, turned right, then right again, took a short cut behind a statue of a witch with a wart on her nose, and back down a couple stairs. She was grateful for Fred and George. What wouldn't she have done without them? Probably get into less detentions, come to think of it.

She smiled, remembering the last time she'd seen them in the joke shop. They were doing great, racking in Galleons every day. Her mother was still disapproving, but even she couldn't help smiling at the new robes they'd bought her as a peace offering for causing so much trouble. Percy was still the same old git though. She wondered what made him come back.

Tickling the pear absently, she mused. Maybe he missed them? Nah. not possible. Percy didn't have feelings. The door swung open. She clambered through. Maybe he felt guilty that he'd abandoned them? Probably not. She smiled down at the house elves, and asked for Dobby. Maybe he was playing tricks on them. He'd want to re-break her mother and father's hearts?

But her thoughts stopped instantly as she spotted Dobby. Dobby and someone very familiar who she REALLY did NOT want to run into at the moment. Or at any moment.

"Mrs. Ginny Weasely!" Dobby squeaked, running up to her and bowing. "How are you Missis? Dobby is thinking of you very much. He is very thankful for the present you gave him!"

Ginny couldn't help smiling as he led her over to a table and asked her what she wanted to drink and if she were all right. Which happened to be the moment Malfoy spotted her.

His mysterious gray eyes - which were now looking surprised - made their way to her quickly. He looked nervous for a second, but then relaxed again. He slumped back into his chair and regarded her lazily. "Hello Weasely."