For the first time in her life, Ginny was making the journey to Kings Cross alone.
Her father was busy working. Mrs Weasley had plans with Fleur, who seemed to be her new best friends. Ron was off somewhere on a quest to save the world or some nonsense like that. Her other brothers were working as well. No one in the Order cared enough to take her.
Now Ginny was lost in the midst of Muggle London with a huge trunk and a broomstick. She traveled by Floo Powder to Diagon Alley, and then walked the way she had been told by her father (who wasn't a very reliable source). Clueless of which way to go, she kept wandering aimlessly until she spun quickly on the spot and saw someone who she'd never been happier to see, even when they were dating.
"Dean!" she cried, throwing her arms around him and hugging him tight. "Thank Merlin!"
"Hullo, Ginny," he replied, grinning at this show of affection he missed so much. "What's all this, then? Lost your family?"
"No, I've come alone and I have no idea where to go!" Ginny laughed. "Could you point me in the direction of Kings Cross Station?"
"I can do better, Ginny. We both go to the same school, remember?"
"Oh, right." Ginny giggled. "You're coming back, then?"
"Of course he is!" A tall black woman emerged from a nearby shop. She was carrying a colourful handbag and a baby on her hip. A number of children aged between 5 and 16 followed.
"This must be Ginny," she said kindly, looking down at the small girl with delight. "Dean told us so much about you!"
"Oh," said Ginny, unsure. "Hello."
"It's so sad that you're not dating anymore. He adored you. Probably still does, if you want to give it another go."
"Mum!" exclaimed Dean, blushing as he glanced over at an equally red Ginny.
"He adored her, mum?" chimed in a girl around Ginny's age, but much taller, who took the baby off her mother and proceeded to bottle feed it. "So did most of the boys at the school, from what Deanie's told me."
Ginny stopped feeling uncomfortable and burst out with a snort of laughter. "Deanie?" she questioned an embarrassed looking Dean.
"We should go," he murmured. "It's half past ten." He turned to his mother. "Ginny and I can go alone, mum. You don't need to bring all the kids."
His mother smiled. "I don't see why not."
With that, he grabbed Ginny by the wrist, and waving goodbye to his mother, he took of down the crowded street. Ginny shouted a farewell to Dean's family, but she wasn't sure if they heard her.
After a few minutes, Dean slowed to a walk. "So, you've met my family."
"They seem nice," replied Ginny.
"They are," agreed Dean. "But they're a bit over the top sometimes, you know? Overbearing?"
"My family's just the same," Ginny said, remembering the time Fred and George had confronted her about the very boy she was walking with now.
"Was the baby your mum's or your sister's?" asked Ginny curiously.
"Oh, he's Debby's," said Dean. "Mum's got enough already without a baby to deal with. Deb was just joining us for some Sunday shopping."
"You never mentioned you were an uncle." Ginny poked him playfully.
"It never came up," replied Dean, shifting uncomfortably.
"Yes it did! You told me heaps about your family, your brother's and sister's, especially Debby. Mentioning she had a child just, oh, slipped your mind."
"I didn't… want you thinking my sister was a whore. She's not. Her boyfriend, she's been with him since they were about eleven. They are in love. He's the only one she's ever kissed, let alone…"
"I don't think she's a whore! That would make me a bit hypocritical, wouldn't it? Or have you forgotten?"
"Forgotten? No way! I'll never forget it."
"Didn't think so."
By now they'd reached Kings Cross, walked casually through the ticket box, and were just about to load their trunks onto the train when…
"Ginny Weasley got dumped by Potter and now she's back with Dean Thomas!"
Ginny froze, recognizing that screech. It was Romilda Vane, the school gossip who seemed to have it in for Ginny ever since she dated Harry. They had a bit of a catfight about it in June, Romilda accusing her of stealing her man and Ginny telling her Harry didn't even know she existed. Neither of which was true.
"Romilda, I am not going out with Dean!" Ginny yelled back, pulling Dean into the compartment in a way that suggested what she said was a complete lie. He didn't mind, though, and Ginny didn't notice, still fuming. Romilda Vane was the only person who could really get under her skin.
"Honestly," she huffed, sitting down hard on a seat by the window. Dean, knowing her well enough to not say a word until she cooled off, sat down opposite her.
Soon the two were joined by Seamus Finnegan, who sat next to Dean and started talking animatedly about Quidditch. Padma and Parvati Patil joined them, sitting by Seamus, and they were followed by Ginny's friend Stephanie Fawcett, who sat beside her, hugged her, and said hello but not much else. She was always shy around Ginny's older friends.
Well, most of them. She was fine with Anthony Goldstein, and he was more than fine with her. It was no secret within the group that they fancied each other. When he entered with Terry Boot and Michael Corner, and sat down next to her, Ginny saw a small smile form on her friend's usually expressionless face.
Stephanie was a beautiful girl, whose punk/goth look suited her nicely. But she'd be even prettier if she smiled more. Ginny saw her smile often, but she rarely did so around others. Stephanie was even smaller than Ginny, which was a feat, as Ginny was quite a dainty girl.
The prefects, Padma, Anthony, and Stephanie, had to leave straight away. Padma especially, as she was Head Girl. As soon as they left, the chat began about Stephanie and Anthony.
"When will he ask her?" pondered Parvati. "I mean, it's so obvious to all of us, why can't they see it?"
"I told Steph about a hundred times," said Ginny. "She won't believe me. She doesn't think anyone would ever fancy her."
"What's not to fancy?" asked Seamus.
"Other than the fact that she barely ever talks, I don't know," said Terry.
"She's pretty," offered Parvati.
"She's more than pretty, Par," Seamus told her. "She's gorgeous. Isn't she, Dean"
Dean, who had been staring discreetly at Ginny this whole time, replied, "She sure is, mate." Ginny raised her eyebrows, picking up on the fact that the comment was directed at her, not Stephanie. Which everyone else seemed to miss.
The conversation turned once again to Quidditch. Ginny was proud to announce that she had been named captain of the Gryffindor team. A cheer arose from her friends as she kept modest and humble about it, thanking them and blushing. She stood up on her chair after much pressure from her friends, but she quickly sat down when she realised that all the boys were looking up her skirt.
"Perverts," she snapped, glaring at them.
"So who's going to be on the team this year, Gin?" asked Dean.
"Oh, so subtle, Dean," teased Parvati.
"Yes, Dean, you'll probably be on the team," Ginny told him. "You too, Seamus," she added, seeing Seamus' face at full attention. "Unless I find better chasers than you too. You still have to try out. I don't need new Beaters, but as well as Chasers, I need a Keeper and a Seeker."
"Ginnyareyoustillgoingwithharry?" asked Dean in one breath.
"What?" asked Ginny, unable to decipher his speedy words.
"Are you still dating Harry Potter?" Dean asked, looking out the window.
"No… Why?" Ginny questioned suspiciously.
"Just wondering," he said, trying to hide his glee. "I need to go to the bathroom."
He ran out of the compartment and down to the front of the train. Their prefect friends (and the Head Girl, of course), bumped into him on the way back to their seats.
"I'm glad that's over," sighed Anthony. "And I don't have to patrol the train until after lunch!"
"Anthony!" exclaimed Padma, looking hurt. "t was me talking half the time, is that really so bad?"
"Er…" Anthony looked lost. "I… um… you have nice hair today, Padma."
This seemed to make up for the previous blunder, and they all proceeded to talk happily until Dean came back. Then Ginny and Stephanie took off to 'powder their noses'.
"He likes you, Steph," insisted Ginny. "You like him too. Ask him out."
"What?" cried Stephanie. "Me ask him? No way!"
"Fine, just keep waiting for him forever."
The two girls entered the bathroom. It was far too large to be allowed, not that anyone was complaining. The boys bathroom, or so she'd heard, was a more realistic size. But, of course, girls needed more room.
Ginny was dismayed to see Romilda Vane there, surrounded by her little puppet gang. They hadn't noticed Stephanie or Ginny, the latter who quickly dashed into a stall to eavesdrop. Stephanie stood off the side of the room, trying to be unnoticed.
"Oh, yes, Harry wanted me all right," bragged Romilda loudly. "He said those exact words: 'I want you, Mildy. I want you.' Yes, he called me Mildy, how sweet. He told me he was just using that Weasley girl. She barely even knew her name. 'Jenny,' he called her usually. I didn't bother correcting him."
Her cohorts laughed as if this was the funniest thing in the world. Ginny realised her fists were clenched so tight that her nails were digging into her skin. She opened her hands and saw blood. Silently cursing Romilda, she wiped her hands on her handkerchief and kept listening.
"Oh, Romilda, what did you do with him?" asked a fifth year girl whose name Ginny had forgotten, if she'd ever know it at all.
"Sandy, I had him screaming my name all night," Romilda replied. "I can almost still taste him."
"What part of him?" asked another girl. "His tongue?"
"Rebecca, you're so naïve," said Romilda. "Much lower than that!"
The girls let out an 'ooooohhh' in unison. Ginny'd had enough. She wouldn't let these lies get out. She pushed open the stall door, pulled out her wand, and performed her infamous bat-bogey hex on the bitch.
Romilda screamed, whacking at her face in hysteria. Her friends ran around, unsure of what to do, wondering whether the bogeys would start attacking them next.
"Don't tell lies about my friend!" shouted Ginny, already on her way out the door, grabbing an awed Stephanie's hand.
"I'll get you yet, Ginny Weasley!" screeched Romilda.