"Ron, are you sure?" Hermione worriedly, playing with Ron's hands.
"Positive," said Ron, massaging her palms. "He's just going through a phase."
Unconvinced, Hermione let her hand rest in her lap. Ron, noticing this, kissed her softly on the lips. "It's nothing out of the ordinary, Hermione. He was probably just venting because of his summer at the Dursleys – "
"He tried to strangle me, Ron!" said Hermione, her voice cracking with emotion, standing up so Ron could look at her tear-streaked face. "He tried – "
But she broke off, sobbing hysterically into her hands. "Shh, said Ron, gathering her in his arms. "It's going to be ok. Harry will be fine…" Hermione sniffed against his shoulder, and in a few minutes, steady, heavy breathing told Ron that she had fallen asleep. Ron sighed, his eyes looking around the room and resting on the picture of the Gryffendor Quidditch team when Harry won the Quidditch Cup.
"I hope," he muttered as he too drifted off to sleep on the big red couch in the common room.
0
Ginny entered the potions classroom nervously, clutching her new books and taking an empty seat, trying to sit as far away from the Slytherins as possible. They looked at her as if she was crazy, and then began snickering to each other and whispering insults loudly. Ginny, however, stared determinedly at the front of the classroom, trying her best to ignore them.
"Are you lost, Weasel?"
Ginny turned around to face a sneering Malfoy. She smirked right back at him and replied in an innocent schoolgirl voice, "Oh yes, and I was just waiting for you to come rescue me and point me to the Transfiguration classroom."
Malfoy raised his eyebrows.
"Get a grip, Malfoy," she said, rolling her eyes, and turned around in her seat to face the blank chalkboard again. She felt Malfoy sit down in the seat next to her but made no move to stop him, because she was sure that they would have assigned seats.
"Why are you here, Weasley?" He asked curiously.
"Settle down." said a cold voice from outside the classroom. Professor Snape strode into the cold dungeon, his black robes billowing out from behind him and his black eyes flashing.
A sudden silence fell, making the dungeons seem more eerie than ever. Snape surveyed his new class, and then said very calmly, "You are the most advanced potions class in this school. I expect that you will work hard and follow directions exactly how I will write them on the board. This year, we will be doing things a little differently."
A confused class looked back at the Potions Master. Snape smirked, and continued.
"We will start out the year by learning some new fairly easy potions, just to bring back the information that you learned last year. Then, starting next week, you will be sorted into groups."
Ginny gulped. She would be paired with a Slytherin, no doubt, because she was the only Gryffendor in the classroom.
"I will sort – "
"Excuse me Professor, but what the hell is she doing here?" said the pug-nosed Pansy Parkinson scornfully, saying the word she as if she were saying dung.
Snape looked at her, annoyed that his lecture had been interrupted. "Ms. Weasley is a very advanced potions student – better than some of the 7th years in here. That is why she had been moved up to this class."
Ginny felt over two dozen eyes on her, and forced herself to keep a straight face, because if she smiled, there was no doubt she would be punished for it.
"As I was saying," said Snape, sweeping his eyes across the classroom, "I will sort you into pairs according to where you are sitting."
There were many moans of disbelief, and both Draco and Ginny joined in, glaring at each other. However, there were many cries of "Yes!" This included Pansy, who was sitting next to Blaise. She eyed him suggestively, her arm snaking its was across the back of his chair, and Blaise quickly edged away from her.
"You will each be given a different assignment according to your past potions grades. Please have one member of your group come up to receive your paper, which states the name of your potion. You have to find the ingredients yourself."
More moans followed this statement, but Snape ignored them and called, "Daniel Harlan and Lena Smith,"
"Reed Hammer and Ian Fadell,"
"Tori Solgen and Frank Cerribello,"
"Pansy Parkinson and Blaise Zabini,"
The list went on and on. Ginny waited impatiently for her name to be called while Draco drummed his fingers on the table, utterly bored.
"Draco Malfoy and Ginny Weasley,"
Ginny stood up slowly and walked over to Prof. Snape's desk to retrieve the paper.
"Mr. Malfoy too, if you please." Snape said.
Eyebrows raised, Draco got up elegantly and strode over to where Ginny was standing.
"Now, you two are possibly the best potions students that I have ever seen at this school in quite some time," said Snape in a low voice. "That is why I am giving you this potion. It is quite difficult, but I believe that you can handle it. If," he paused, looking at both of them, "You can work together."
Draco rolled his eyes inwardly. This was so pointless. He needed to get back to his room, he had a ton of Herbology stuff to do…stupid Sprout…what he wouldn't do to wring her neck with that stupid yellow vine – what was it called again? – Turmiculis, Turlamstus…..
"Here is your potion, Ms. Weasley," Snape said, bringing Draco back to the future. "If you need a bit of extra time, I will give it to you. I am aware that this is a hard potion, and it takes time."
Ginny nodded nervously, and they went back to their seats.
"Let me see," whispered Draco, leaning over so he could see the paper.
"Hold on," Ginny hissed, snatching it away from his view. "I haven't even seen it yet…"
She drifted off, looking at the paper. Draco snatched it from her grasp and read the single word that was written there –
Veriserum
"Brilliant," he muttered. "Bloody brilliant. This will suck up all of my free time, it will…"
"Now that you all have your potions," said Snape, eyeing them each in turn, "We will begin with a simple Sleeping Draught. Books out…." He added, and each student fumbled with the clasps of their bag to get out their book. "Turn to page 173."
After about an hours worth of hard work, Snape called for them to clean up. The majority of the classroom dashed for the sinks, clearly attempting to rid their nails of the slime and muck required for that particular potion.
"Malfoy," said Ginny amidst the chatter of the departing students. "I think we should meet in the library at a certain time each day so we can work on the potion – "
"Fine," said Draco carelessly. He slammed his books on the table and stretched, his sleeves falling down loosely.
"Don't you even care about this project?" said Ginny, looking taken aback and slightly angry, her amber eyes flashing.
"No," said Draco.
"Fine! Your loss, Malfoy, she said, spitting out his surname as if it were poison, and stormed angrily, oblivious to the steel gray eyes boring a hole in the back of her head.
0
"Hey Ginny! Over here!"
Ginny turned to see Colin Creevey and Luna Lovegood waving her over. She grinned at them and headed over towards them to take the empty seat at the Gryffendor table between the two.
"What's up, guys?" Ginny asked, smiling at her two best friends. "I really missed you."
Luna and Colin returned her grin. "We missed you too, Gin-gin," said Luna, hugging her around the middle from her seat next her.
"Yeah," Colin agreed thickly through a mouth of meatloaf. Ginny laughed and shouted, "Gross!" as she and Luna were sprayed with bits of his food.
"Luna!" Ginny exclaimed, fingering Luna's dirty blond hair. "You cut your hair!"
"Do you like it?" said Luna anxiously.
"I love it!" said Ginny, smiling at her reassuringly.
Luna had cut her previously long blond hair to a short, cute cut just below her chin that was stick straight and fanned out behind her. Her bright blue eyes held a mischievous sparkle in them, and you never knew quite what she was thinking. She had gotten taller during the break, and stood at about 5" 6'. Other than that, however, she hadn't really changed that much since she had come to Hogwarts 6 years before. Colin, however, had. His golden blond hair fell into his dark blue eyes in a manner Ginny had heard two 5th year Hufflepuffs call "adorable". He had a bright, wide smile, and often stared into space in the middle of a conversation.
Just like he was doing now.
"Colin?" said
Ginny, waving a hand in front of his face. "Earth to Colin,
Luna joined in, laughing a bit. Colin made a gurgling noise and
pointed at the direction he was staring at.
A beautiful brunette was striding towards the Ravenclaw table, her head held high and her perfect nose in the air. Her green eyes matched perfectly with the green tank top she was wearing underneath her robes, and a white cargo bag was swinging at her side. She was surrounded by a group of girls that looked as if they were trying to be her. Some girls even had the same outfit on.
"Her?" said Ginny disbelievingly as Melanie sat down next to an eager looking boy who immediately leaned over to talk to her. "Sure, she's pretty, Colin, but she's really mean. Plus, she has the IQ of a lump of coal."
But Colin didn't seem to be listening. His eyes were fixed on Melanie's face, and, Ginny noted, he was drooling all over his eggs.
Colin, however, didn't appear to be the only boy watching Melanie's face. About half of the Ravenclaws were imitating Colin's reaction to her arrival.
"Never mind him," said Luna, a slight smirk on her face. "How was your summer?"
"Boring," Ginny groaned, rolling her eyes. "Even when Harry was here. The only thing we did that was remotely exciting was playing Quidditch, but then Fred and George blew up the Quaffle in one of their experiments, so then we didn't even have Quidditch to entertain us."
Luna sniggered, and Ginny tried to frown at her, but her giggles were overpowering, and she finally settled for a –
"Tickle fight!" Ginny yelled, and at once the two girls began trying as hard as they could to make each other give up.
"All right, all right!" wheezed Luna, trying to catch her breath. "I surrender! You win!"
Ginny smiled in triumph, and she helped Luna get up from where she had fallen in her seat. Turning back to her meal, a grin still on her face, her eyes fell across ones of another at the Slytherin table. Stormy gray eyes burned into her own, and Ginny felt a strange jolt of electricity race up her spine. Unconsciously, she touched her lips.
"Ginny?"
Luna was staring at her strangely. "Don't go all Colin on me," she laughed. Ginny laughed back, but she didn't feel like laughing somehow. "Maybe we should tie him up and lock him in a closet," she suggested impishly.
This seemed to pull Colin out of his reverie. "Hey, you guys," he said, laughing along with them. "That's not very nice!"
"Who cares?" said Ginny, feeling some of their good humor leak back into her. When they had finished breakfast, she could hardly remember what had happened.
0
A:N:Erin writing - Well – I finally finished it! Sorry about the wait, guys – I have just been so busy! I had 7 projects to finish, and I had to practice for County Orchestra (I play the cello). This chapter is mostly D/G, but Laur will be adding more angst soon. (hopefully) There is not much of her writing in this chapter, however, because she is sick. Feel better, Laur!
Thanks to all of my kind reviewers!
Akalei – Thanks for the reminder! I realized that, but I couldn't think of a way around it, to continue the plot I was hoping for. I have this whole story planned out (basically) you see. I am glad that you are open-minded about my story!
Angel718 – Thanks for the review – your story is really good as well! And yes, I realize that the chapter names are in French. I love that language, and thought it made this story sound more romantic.
Zuvalupa – Thanks, and sorry about the wait!
Leeta1 – Sorry for the confusion! This story is a Ginny/Draco, but also a bit of Harry going insane. He has visions…oh, I gave away too much!
Dracademented – Thanks – I love the twins as well! I'll be sure to mention them more in the future.
NeoAddictee – Hey Rachel! I love the beginning of your story! Keep it up! And about the chapter titles…email me if you really want to know. I think its sort of neat that you don't know what happens in each chapter, so everything is a surprise. And thanks for the nice comments! Sorry again about the wait!