A/N- Okee, no one's actually reading this, but I figure in the off-chance that someone, someday stumbles upon it and reads it, I might as well keep posting. So here's the next chapter! Oh, and I don't remember if I've been doing disclaimers consistently or not, but the usual one applies here.
He had followed her out, having seen her walk past the Great Hall and outside, broom in hand. Draco had summoned his broom and gone out, planning to join her, hoping that meeting her in a different atmosphere, outside of Hogwarts castle, might dispose her to be friendlier. But when he reached the pitch she was already in the air, and upon seeing her flying gracefully, red in the red autumn sunset, he decided a logical course of action was to wait until she landed. So he watched. Only a few minutes had passed, however, before she ruined it, spotting him and flying towards him. He stood tall, plastering his trademark sneer across his face. By the time she reached him, hovering a meter away, he was relaxed and ready to take whatever she threw at him.
"What do you think you're doing, Malfoy? This isn't a private show."
"Of course not. If it were, Potter would be standing here watching, wouldn't he? Who else would you perform for?" Instead of blushing a deep red, as she should have, Ginny rolled her eyes.
"I'm not performing, period. Which is why you need to leave."
"I'm not going anywhere, Weasley. I came here to fly."
"You came here to bother me!"
"Don't flatter yourself," he snarled, not quite sure why, and went off a short distance to mount his broom. She wasn't going to spoil his fly…then he realized he really had come out just to bother her, and ignoring her would defeat his purpose. Gritting his teeth in frustration, he turned back to her, determined to be friendly. Surely a compliment would soften her up. "You're not as bad a flyer as your brother," he called loudly. Inexplicably, she just narrowed her eyes and shot back into the air. Didn't girls like to hear that they were good at guys' things? Maybe she just didn't want to hear compliments from him. Draco couldn't help scowling. Who did she think she was, anyway? Stupid Weasley.
Forget it, then, he told himself. He shouldn't have tried to talk to her in the first place. He was just supposed to watch. He flew around for a few minutes to avoid looking like he really had just come out to bother her, and then landed and went back inside.
Back in the common room he sat down alone to do some homework, but he was shortly interrupted. Blaise plopped down at the same table, leaned across it with a rather morbidly curious look on his face, and whispered, "what'd you see?"
"Like I would tell you."
"You were talking to the clearing! How? Did you see someone in there?"
"Must I repeat myself? It gets so tedious."
"What did you want it to tell you?"
"Look, Blaise," he hissed, finally fed up, "you haven't told me anything about what you saw, so what gives you the idea that I'll tell you what I saw?"
"I brought you there! You wouldn't have even known of it if I hadn't—"
"Shut up! This isn't the place to have this discussion." Draco knew how poor the Slytherin common room was for having private conversations. Blaise knew, too.
"Then let's go somewhere we can have one." Draco turned away again and went back to his homework.
"I'm working, if you haven't noticed. Some other time."
"You'll tell me some other time?"
"No. Now leave me in peace."
"This isn't over, Malfoy. I'll find out." Now Draco looked up, and eyed him sharply.
"Oh? And how do you intend on doing that?" Blaise made no response, but looked steadily back at Draco for a moment, then stood up and walked away. Hating the thought, Draco had to admit to himself that he was a bit worried. Why did Blaise care so much? Why, if he had only brought him to the clearing as a friend, was he so desperate to find out what Draco had seen? It didn't add up; but Draco knew now that he trusted Blaise less than ever. And he would not let him find out about his future.
It was getting a bit ridiculous. She had caught him watching her in the Great Hall, lurking in the hallways where she had classes, and of course there was that one confrontation on the Quidditch pitch a couple of days back. If Draco Malfoy thought he could intimidate her like this, well, he had better think again.
She hadn't said a word to anybody about what was going on, and so far no one had noticed. But it was time to seek outside assistance. Her best friend, Neville, was no good. He took things like this too seriously and didn't know well enough how to have fun. What she really needed was Fred and George, but of course that was impossible. What was her next best bet?
The thought came to her as she sat in the Great Hall, withstanding Malfoy's infuriating glances again and chatting half-heartedly with Neville. A slow smile spread across her face as the name of the perfect accomplice flitted across her mind.
"Gin? What's so funny?" Startled, she looked at Neville's self-conscious face.
"Oh, no, not about you, Neville. Sorry, I wasn't really listening. My mind was elsewhere. Look, I'm so sorry, but I've got to go." Ginny jumped up from the table and hurried to the library, where she knew Luna Lovegood would be, lounging at some table and reading her dad's Quibbler upside down.
She was mostly right. When she finally located Luna, it was in the back corner under a window, where she was lying with her back on the floor and her legs propped up on the windowsill, her dirty blonde hair splayed in a sea about her head. A Quibbler was indeed in her hands, but it was right-side up. Ginny walked over and sat herself down next to Luna's head. The Ravenclaw turned her great eyes slowly towards Ginny, and registered her without any surprise.
"Hello, Gryffindor." Ginny laughed.
"Well, hello Ravenclaw. Are we no longer on a first-name basis?"
"Aren't you proud of being in Gryffindor?"
"Of course I am. But I still prefer being called by my name."
"Alright then, Ginevra Weasley. Or do you have a middle name?" Ginny refrained from rolling her eyes. As much as the girl amused her, dealing with Luna was never simple.
"I do, but call me Ginny, for heaven's sake, Luna."
"What's your middle name?"
"Molly, but—"
"Ginevra Molly Weasley. A family name." Ginny snorted.
"It's a terrible name, is what it is. But—"
"But I will call you Ginny, as I always have. Do you know my full name?"
"No."
"It's Luna Morrigna Bhakti Lovegood."
"But I will call you Luna. Now listen, for pete's sake. I need your help."
"You do?" At this, Luna placed down her Quibbler and turned her head towards Ginny.
"Yeah, but why are you sitting like that?" she asked in annoyance.
"Does it bother you? I'm feeding my brain, letting the blood run up to my head instead of down, as it normally does."
"Right. Because that's normal." Ginny immediately regretted saying this. She knew she would be in for a lecture.
"What is normalcy? Why should I strive to uphold it? Who decided—"
"I know, Luna, I know. I shouldn't have said anything. But listen, I said I needed your help—"
"Oh yes, that's right. Go on, then."
"Are you up for a few gags? To play a few tricks on someone?"
"Always," she responded gravely. "What person?"
"Draco Malfoy."
"Oh." She paused. "I don't like mean tricks. I'd rather not." And she turned back to her Quibbler. Ginny thought of all the mean tricks that had been played on Luna by the Ravenclaws, and she winced inwardly.
"What if I didn't want to play mean tricks, either? I want to embarrass him, but—"
"I told you, no."
"Fine! Fine. How about silly little tricks that will amuse everyone and won't really embarrass the victim? What if we played only tricks that I would be willing to play on Ron, or Neville or someone I like?" The Quibbler was returned to Luna's chest.
"That sounds alright. What do you have in mind?" Ginny proceeded to explain to Luna how Malfoy was following her around, and how she wanted to get back at him for it somehow. She did not mention the initial encounter with him, or the subsequent "bribe" rendezvous, either. They hammered out a plan for what was in Ginny's mind Prank Number One.
They readied themselves that evening, after dinner when Ginny knew Malfoy would follow her, as he always did. As a safety precaution, she made sure to look extra-furtive and sneaky, to pique his curiosity. She whispered in Neville's ear, rose slowly, glanced around nervously, then walked purposefully out of the Great Hall. Just outside the doors, she turned towards Luna and jerked her head in the direction of the Entrance Hall. Through all of this she had felt Malfoy's eyes on her, and knew he would trail them shortly.
"Brilliant! C'mon, let's go. We need to get you out there, and fast." They raced outside the main doors and in the direction of a large, walled garden beyond Hagrid's hut. Right next to the entrance they had piled a huge stack of fallen leaves, and now they buried Luna in it. Ginny couldn't stop giggling. "Alright, Luna, you stay there and don't move until he—there he is, I see him," she quickly looked away, and entered the garden. "I'm going now, Luna. Keep watch."
"I'm ready." Ginny slowly made her way across the garden in the dark evening light, feeling a bit creeped out by the nearby forest. The grounds were completely quiet, save for the occasional hoot or howl that emanated from deep in the woods, and Ginny wished she could be with Luna. But for now she had to concentrate on slowly, but surely moving to the far end of the garden. Then, suddenly, from behind her, came an ear-piercing high-pitched scream.
Ginny whirled around fast enough to catch Draco Malfoy about two feet in the air, a pale hand sliding down his foot as he jumped. She burst into laughter and ran forward. Luna then let go of his ankles and burst out of her pile of leaves. Malfoy saw that he had been duped.
"You think you're funny, don't you?" he demanded, whipping out his wand. Ginny helped Luna stand up but could not stop laughing. "Shut up, Weasel!" He glanced around to make sure no one was near. Luna was now wandering dazedly back to the castle, her job completed. Ginny, still laughing, drew her own wand.
"Oh-h, your face!" she cried, gasping for breath. "What I'd give for a camera!"
"Had a look at your own face lately, you ugly bint? You might be more careful about what—stop laughing!" he demanded finally, clearly mad at his inability to humble her. Ginny rolled her eyes as her laughter subsided.
"Malfoy, get a life." And with that, she walked off, giggling every few steps at the memory of his scream.
She found Luna in the library in her usual spot and congratulated her on a job well done.
"Of course," was Luna's response, though Ginny wasn't really sure what she was agreeing with.
"It was brilliant. And it wasn't mean, was it?"
"I wouldn't have done it if it were."
"Good. Let's think up another one, then."
"You want to prank him again? Why?"
"Because it's so easy! And so much fun! C'mon, are you up for another one? Another good-spirited one. Let's…let's turn him blue or something. Hah! How about it?"
"Yes. But not now. I have to do homework now."
"Oh. Ok, then." Somehow the thought of Luna doing homework seemed incongruous, but Ginny supposed it was necessary. "I'm going to write a letter to my brothers, then." Snatching some parchment and a quill from Luna's bag, Ginny plopped down next to her and composed a letter to Fred and George, informing them of this latest escapade and its perfect success. They would particularly appreciate her vivid description of Malfoy's cry as similar to Mum's reaction when she found their childhood slug collection.
Off she zipped to the Owlery and borrowed Pigwidgeon to send the letter, then found Neville in the common room and did her own homework. The next day she looked forward to nothing but another prank on Malfoy. She was surprised in the morning.
The alarm by her roommates bed was going off, and Ginny groaned, burying her head under a pillow. She was always the last to get up in her room, taking the least time to get ready. Now she tried desperately to fall back asleep as they all arose and moved around between the dorm room and the showers. Ginny tossed over onto her other side, and sneezed.
There was a feather in her face.
"What?" she muttered sleepily, opening her eyes fully. A long, grey feather lay next to her head, beneath her pillow. Ginny shot up in bed, her heart pounding, and picked up the feather. Then she spotted another one farther down in the bed. "No," she whispered. "It can't be." She remembered perfectly the last time she had found herself covered in feathers; Tom Riddle was possessing her and she had no memory of killing the roosters whose feathers then covered her. "It can't be." Her roommates were still milling around, so grabbing her wand out from under her pillow, Ginny waved at the feathers and hissed "Evanesco." They disappeared instantly.
She immediately proceeded to convince herself that she had not seen them. By the time she joined Neville at breakfast, she actually believed it.
"Your birthday's coming up," Neville said by way of greeting.
"It is? No way! Why didn't anyone tell me?"
"Very funny. I—"
"No, really, Neville. I had no idea! What day is it?"
"Halloween," he said resignedly. Ginny laughed.
"Alright, alright, I'll stop. Now what were you going to say?"
"Do you want a party?"
"Do I want a party? Are you mad?"
"I take it that's a no."
"Then try taking it one more time, my friend. You'd better give me a party! What kind of friend are you, even having to ask? I'm a Weasley, Nev! We're party animals! Isn't that right, Ron?"
"What?" he asked, turning away from his conversation with Harry and Hermione. Ginny rolled her eyes.
"Are Weasleys party animals, or what?" He grinned.
"We are. Well, except for Percy." They both scowled. Nothing had been resolved, as of yet, with their older brother. "And except for you, too. You're too young to be a party animal."
"Oh, stuff it," Ginny said, and turned back to Neville. "See? It's in my genes." Neville glanced curiously at her pants, and Ginny laughed, clapping him on the back. "Worry not, Nev. It'll all make sense someday. Now, about my party."
By the time class began Ginny had forgotten all about her morning scare. And in Herbology class, which she shared with the Ravenclaws, she sidled over to Luna and planned out their next prank. They caught Malfoy in a crowded hallway and charmed his hair from behind, turning it bright pink and setting it on end. The students erupted into riotous laughter, startling him as he looked around to see where it was coming from. He soon realized he was being pointed at, examined himself, and found nothing wrong. When he spotted Ginny holding onto a proud-looking Luna and nearly crying with laughter, he strode right over.
"Care to tell me what the hell is going on, Weasel?"
"Y-your…your…oh, I can't, you tell him, Luna!" The sight of his typical evil glare topped by a head of pink hair was too silly for words.
"Your hair is pink, Slytherin," Luna said simply. Draco reached up and pulled a few strands in front of his face, and his eyes widened in fury. Ginny laughed harder.
"You'll pay for this, Weasel!" he said in a low, menacing voice, then stormed off. Ginny kept laughing, but Luna slid out from under her.
"I think he was embarrassed by that one, Ginny. Don't ask me to prank him again."
"What—oh, Luna, c'mon. It's all in good fun." Luna shrugged and walked off. "Fine," Ginny muttered. "I'll do it without you."
