O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O
Gryffindor Common room…
Hermione, Ron and Harry all sat with their heads close together in the common room later that evening. Ron and Harry were in the middle of a game of wizard's chess.
"Do you think he's got it in for her?" Ron asked, a worried frown marring his features as he looked over his next move.
"Why would you think that?" Hermione asked, arms wrapped around her knees and watching the boys' progress.
"Well, she did hex him back in 5th year. They had words, of course. It's the only time I can think of that they've ever crossed paths enough… Maybe he's got some outlandish sort of revenge planned…" Ron conjectured. Hermione gave him a look.
"Do you honestly think that Malfoy has been sitting on this supposed revenge for two years and is just being subtle about it?" she asked. Harry let out a quick laugh.
"There's not a subtle bone in Malfoy's body," he said as he moved a chess piece.
"The git did have a mass of bat bogeys attached to his face. It's also our last year here. He could be planning something for later and then he won't have to worry about being expelled," Ron said as he moved his queen to take Harry's knight. Hermione thought over the looks she'd seen on both Ginny's and Malfoy's face. It didn't seem as if there was an overabundance of animosity between the two. At least none that called for giving credence to the revenge theory.
"I doubt it, Ron. Besides, I don't think Ginny told us everything," Hermione said finally. Ron looked over at her.
"What do you think she didn't tell us?" he asked. The bushy-haired girl frowned.
"I don't exactly know, but it didn't look like the usual situation we come across when Malfoy's involved," she said as Harry tried to take advantage of his redheaded friend's inattention to the game and moved his king.
"He was talking to your sister… and we all know quite well how Weasley's rate in Malfoy's mind. And it didn't seem as if Ginny was cursing him into the ground…" Harry noted. Ron's attention went back to the board and quickly put Harry's king in check, causing the dark-haired wizard to sigh.
"…Yet… We didn't give her a chance to. The mincer's been quiet since last year, barely causing trouble, even with us. I think he's been too quiet," Ron said, frowning again.
"You're just looking for trouble. Everyone's got to grow up sometime, Ron," Hermione said, causing Ron to let out a disbelieving snort as it applied to Malfoy. "… but that doesn't mean we should watch out for him any less…" Ron seemed mollified by this answer and went back to concentrating on the chess board.
O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O
The next day…
Ginny walked along side of Harry as the two went in search of Ron and Hermione. The morning had been lovely for almost being winter and most students took advantage of the weather and spent their off time outdoors. The two of them chatted amiably over Hagrid's new creatures when raucous laughter was heard.
Ginny held up a hand, interrupting what Harry was going to say as her eyes spotted a group of Slytherins.
"What is going on over… Oh for Merlin's sake!" Ginny cried as she stomped over to where Draco was giving poor Neville the demonstration he'd avoided yesterday at the pitch.
"Not so talkative without Scarhead and his pack about, are you Longbottom?" Draco sneered as he held his wand on the boy, who was currently being held up with only his toes skimming the ground. Ginny inserted herself in the fray and lowered Draco's wand for him. Immediately, Neville was dumped onto the ground as the magic holding him was broken.
"Leave him alone, Malfoy… What's he done to you?" she asked with a frown, her eyes focusing on the blond.
"Well, it's more that he exists, really, if you want to get to the dirt of it," Malfoy said causing all of his Slytherin housemates to laugh. "A disgrace to wizard kind…"
"You think you're funny, Malfoy, but you're just an arrogant, bullying sod. Leave him alone…" she said. Harry stood slightly behind the group and helped Neville to his feet. He watched Ginny interact with the Slytherin and couldn't help being reminded of another situation that was now frighteningly familiar.
"Leave him alone. What's he done to you?" Lily Evans's voice scolded.
"Well, it's more the fact that he exists, if you know what I mean…" James Potter answered her with a devilish smile.
"You think you're funny, but you're just an arrogant, bullying toe rag, Potter. Leave him alone…"
Harry shook his head away from a memory that wasn't his own and focused back on the confrontation ahead of him.
"She's in for it now, isn't she, Harry?" Neville asked quietly, his worried gaze settling on the pair now standing all but nose to nose. Draco's Slytherin companions all took a step back as the two began to fling insults back and forth. The two really had it down to an art form, if Harry had to admit it. But it was the approach of a scowling Professor Snape that had Harry reaching forward to tug on Ginny's robes.
"We've got to go, Gin. We haven't found Ron or Hermione. Plus, you've got Ancient Runes and I've got Transfiguration. We'll both be late if we don't go now…" he said. The redhead gave one more glare to the blond and turned to walk away.
"It'd do you good to have another Bat-Bogey Hex, Malfoy," she threw over her shoulder. Draco just laughed.
"I know your game, Weasley. Try it, and we'll see what happens," he told her. Ginny didn't look back, but instead grumbled something about pus pimples and jelly legs that neither Harry nor Neville could make out as she stomped by both of them.
O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O
"You should have seen them…" Harry said. "They were pretty much in each other's faces…" Hermione and Ron looked at each other and then looked back at Harry.
"You think he's got it in for her now?" Ron asked. Harry shrugged.
"I don't know. It was just weird to see them throwing all those insults back and forth without pulling a wand on each other," he said. Ron shook his head sadly.
"If she said what you said she did, Mum would be washing her mouth out for a week," he said. Hermione nudged Ron to quiet him as Ginny approached. She smiled at them before she made her way outdoors with a couple of her friends.
"Should we follow her?" Ron asked. Harry shrugged again. Hermione scoffed.
"Honestly, you two. Ginny can take care of herself. She proved it when she hexed Malfoy before and she's proving it every time she stands up to the prat," she said. Ron sighed.
"That still doesn't mean he's not out to get her," he said.
"You just want an excuse to hex his bits off," Harry grinned. Ron grinned back.
"It'd be a comfort to know he couldn't reproduce," he said. Harry chuckled as Hermione rolled her eyes. The trio continued their talk as they made their way outside.
O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O
Draco watched her from where he stood. She was among her little Gryffindor mates laughing and talking animatedly as they roamed the school yard between classes. It had taken him a long while to fall asleep the night before as he'd thought over his conversation with the youngest Weasley after the quidditch match. It was unlike him to spout off his own personal campaign speech to a virtual stranger, much less a bloody do-gooder Gryffindor.
But there was something about her presence that made him want to. There was a look in her brown eyes that made her out to be more than just a Gryffindor. Looking at her, she was somewhat above the house classification. In his dealings with her, she embodied more than just the Gryffindor qualities. She had a bit of every house in her – Ravenclaw brains, Slytherin cunning, Hufflepuff empathy, and of course the notorious Gryffindor bravery, among other things – and if there'd been such a thing, she'd have her own house.
Ginny Weasley was unclassifiable… and to Draco Malfoy, it was as frustrating as it was admirable and infuriating. Just as he'd been amused and infuriated by their confrontation over Longbottom earlier. She'd stood up to him and told him in no uncertain terms where to go and what to do there. The littlest Weasley had been quite creative in her condemnations of him.
So, it would have been an utter understatement to say that it caught him off guard when her brown eyes met his as she blew off her housemates with a half-hearted wave. There was only a slight hesitation in her step as she began in his direction, the look on her face troubled, as if she weren't sure what she was setting off to do. It caused Draco to chuckle slightly.
Troubled was not an expression one usually held while approaching him. Usually it was anger, like her brother the Weasel King, or maybe the simpering adoration that Pansy Parkinson annoyingly bequeathed to him, or even the detached respect from the rest of his housemates or the fear being of general consensus. No, 'troubled' was never one of the usual suspects when dealing with him. So, he stood at the edge of the Forbidden Forest and watched her as she approached him with determination worthy of a Gryffindor and a frown worthy of a Slytherin. His curiosity was peaked as to why she would wish to approach him considering their unsavory past dealings. With her lengthy stride, he wouldn't have to wait long for his answer.
"To what do I owe the undoubted honor of your presence, Weasley?" he asked in his normal snotty way as she stopped in front of him. Her frown deepened for a moment before it slipped off her face entirely. Her brown eyes looked warily around the area as if to make sure her three nannies were no where around. Draco rolled his eyes as he crossed his arms, shifted on his feet, and looked around with an impatient air.
"I don't have all bloody day," he said, causing her to look back at him.
"I just wanted…" she said, her eyes darting around again, "… that… well…" Draco let out a beleaguered sigh and fell to an old favorite.
"Do all you Weasleys have trouble putting more than two words together?"
"I'm just trying to tell you…" she stuttered again, frustrated with herself at being unable to say what she wanted to say.
"Please spit it out. It's painful to have to listen to you," he butted in.
"I'm trying," she growled, about ready to just leave the insufferable prat to his own acerbic self.
"Do try a bit harder then," he prompted. Ginny's eyes narrowed.
"God Draco… do you have to make things so difficult?" she asked, hands on her hips.
"Do I Ginny?" he asked, his gray eyes holding amusement at the use of his first name. Ginny scowled at him, prompting him to make the amusement more noticeable.
"All I'm trying to do is thank you properly for what you did yesterday after the match… I never got a chance to since you were being such a prat," she said. She crossed her arms with a huff, imparting the fact that she thought he was still being a prat.
"I believe we covered the fact that I don't want your gratitude," he said nonchalantly.
"I know your reasons. But that's too bloody bad. You've got my gratitude. Now live with it, you shirty git," she said before lifting her chin and turning to walk away. The conversation had obviously not gone the way she would have wished, as evidenced by the rearing of her temper. His hand reached out quickly and gripped her upper arm, stopping her. It was the second time he'd kept her from walking away from him… rather than dwell on the reasons, he struck out instead.
"Is there another reason you keep searching me out, Weasley? You're making a bloke wonder, since I've seen more of you in the past few days than I have in seven years of being within the same stone walls," he commented, an insinuating smirk in place. Her head turned to look at him and when he was about to say something more he was cut off by the one voice he hated more than anything.
"Leave her alone, Malfoy…" Harry's voice warned. Draco turned to look at the dark-haired wizard, not dropping Ginny's arm.
"Here to save the day again, Potter?" he drawled. The two boys glared at each other with Ginny looking between them.
"Oh would you two grow up!" she suddenly exclaimed. Harry looked at her with wide eyes and Draco just lifted an elegant brow. "You two find excuses to glower at each other over the smallest bits and I refuse to be one of them," she told them firmly, tugging her arm free of Draco.
"Gin," Harry started, but the redhead held up her hand.
"No Harry… Malfoy and I were having a conversation that didn't include you. You had no reason to butt in. If I'd needed your assistance, you would have known it. You're getting as bad as Ron, honestly," she told him, causing the wizard to look a little abashed… and Draco to smirk. But she rounded on the blond as well.
"And you! Must you bait everyone in your presence into a sodding argument?" she asked. Draco frowned.
"Now see here, Weasley…" he started to prove her point until a horrible scream disturbed the air. It hadn't been loud, but it was easily heard by them. The three were still, eyes wide. It had come from deep within the forest and whether it was a human or an animal cry was very much indistinguishable. The trio was silent as they waited for another blood curdling cry. It never came.
"What the bloody hell was that?" Draco asked, looking with a deep frown into the sea of trees. Harry shook his head, not knowing. Ginny didn't answer, but steeled her jaw and marched towards the forest. Both boys watched in astonishment before they both scrambled after her.
"What are you on about, Weasley?" Draco called after her.
"I'm going to find out what that was!" she called back.
"Ginny, no! It could be dangerous!" Harry called, trying to catch up to her.
"You've enough practice with dangerous, Harry. Someone could be hurt!" she said back. Draco watched her back doubtfully. That scream had not been a scream of mere injury.
"Stupid Gryffindor," he muttered before lengthening his stride. Harry lagged behind slightly.
"If you don't want your little girlfriend to die, or worse yet, be alone in my company, you'd best come along, Potter!" the Slytherin called over his shoulder. Harry hesitated for only a second, his feeling of unease growing with each step closer to the Forbidden Forest.
O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O
"Where did Harry go?" Ron asked. Hermione turned from her conversation to look around the grounds.
"I've no idea. Maybe he went back inside," she said. Ron huffed.
"Without telling us?" he asked. Hermione smiled at her not-quite-boyfriend.
"Does Harry have to check in with his Mum before he goes off?" she teased. Ron's eyes widened at her question.
"Hermione…" he almost whined. She grinned at him as she took his arm.
"Honestly, Ronald… You and Harry can survive ten minutes without knowing exactly what the other is doing, can't you?" she asked. Ron relaxed at her continued teasing, removing her arm from around his and then wrapping it around her shoulders lightly.
"Well, 'Mione, you know how Harry tends to get into trouble without us around," he said with mock haughtiness causing Hermione to giggle.
"You just don't want to miss the adventure…" she commented, wrapping her arm around his waist. He looked down at her with a smile.
"Oh and you do?" he asked. She sighed as she hugged him slightly closer, wishing beyond wishing that the redheaded dunce could take a glaringly obvious hint.
"I could do without an adventure for a while. This is our last year here… I'd like to have a bit of normalcy, if it isn't asking too much," she said. And those, as always, were the ever famous last words…
O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O
To be continued...