A/N: okay I know I said I'd stay away but I'm a liar. This is part of my twelve-step program to be honest and ...something else. I couldn't resist doing this chapter because it had Ginny and Hermione humor in it! And as one reviewer put it...ESPONIGE! Thanks for all the reviews too! Six hundred for my first story makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside not squashy and cool. And I know J.K said Ginny's name isn't Virginia but I like it better than Ginerva.
Chapter Twenty-Five: Sherlock Hermione and Ginny Watson
If the leader singer of The Broomstick Boys, Keegauhn Cauldron had to ask Virginia Marie Weasley how her day was at the beginning of breakfast she would say "Positively spiffing!" before pouring chocolate syrup all over her blueberry pancakes and drinking her refreshing glass of pumpkin juice. After she was finished her lovely meal, Virginia Marie Weasley would decide to take a peek at her schedule.
If you had to ask Virginia Marie Weasley how her day was going after breakfast, you would be lucky to get away with the ability to still talk without gibbering like a baby. With flaming red hair and temper in tow, first years ran from the horror that was one Virginia Marie Weasley.
Some one, a bloody idiot with a death wish in Ginny's opinion, had made Potions, POTIONS her first class on the second day back to school. With the greasy-haired, sallow-skinned, foul-mouthed, temperamental and all around evil little bugger who was as obsessed with potions as Hermione was with a new book, the Head of Slytherin who seemed to have an allergy to all things Gryffindor, red-haired and however distantly linked to one Harry Potter, Ginny included. What mystical power did she piss off now?
Her day was officially ruined. Snape was going to belittle her, her family, her house and then give her a lousy grade in Potions all because HE wasn't getting laid. Nasty little bugger.
Nothing, absolutely nothing could make this day better. Well, maybe getting a date for the first Hogsmeade trip but other than that, nothing. She was doomed to suffer early morning Potions every Tuesday for the rest of her natural Fifth Year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Unless Snape conked it. But since when has a Weasley ever been so lucky?
Ginny was just outside the Great Hall when something that was alternately soft and feathery while sharp and hard collided with her flaming red head.
"DAMNIT!" Ginny swore and many First Years scattered. Merlin, for once Ron was right, they were midgets. And twitchy.
Whatever it was that had decided to play 'Peek-A-Boo Bludger' with Ginny's head had fallen to her feet and was actually breathing. It took her a minute to recognize Errol, the ancient family owl.
"Oh Merlin what did they do to you! This is cruelty to animals! I'm a part of OOF! Owls are Our Friends and my own family is killing you, you poor dear!"
Errol hooted feebly, grateful to be in the presence of someone who appreciated his loyalty to his job. Ginny was his favorite.
Many stragglers were staring at Ginny, who was standing in the middle of the entrance Hall talking to her owl about OOF and cooing the poor feather-duster.
With a quick look around, 'the Glare' came in. "Bugger off!" They scattered. Like mice. Twitchy little midgets.
With a satisfied smile, Ginny took the package off Errol and set him free.
"Go flirt with Hedwig." Errol hooted and dropped off of Ginny's shoulder onto the ground with a crack before flying off to the Owlery.
The package was from her dad.
Dear Gin-Bug,
I found that book you were looking for. I just want to say that I am proud that at least one of my children is showing an interest in something that I am intelligent about. Hagrid also has many great stories to tell you if you'd like to know more.
Love,
Dad
Ginny tore the brown paper off the book excitedly, squealing like a ditzy school girl. She got the book! The book! Ginny quickly grinned down at the cover and read the title with another giggle.
Care of Magical Creatures: Breeding Habits and Mating Rituals of Magical Beings
Hugging the book closely to her chest like a long lost teddy bear, Ginny couldn't keep the grin off her face, scaring some Second Years this time.
That was until the bell sounded somewhere above her.
"Shit, I'm going to be late!"
Hermione Jane Granger had woken up early, because to be honest, she liked getting up early. The early bird does catch the worm after all. Getting up early, gave Hermione time to get to the library and have her first pick of the books. No one was in the library as early as Hermione. Well nobody was in there as much either or very much at all, if Hermione was completely honest with herself. They just didn't see the beauty of rows and rows of books just waiting to be read! It was mind-boggling!
Hermione nodded to Madam Pince who scowled at her in return. That was the nicest expression that old wind-bag had, Hermione would bet her Hogwarts: A History on that fact.
Hermione took out her Healing textbooks and read until some Ravenclaws came in, signaling it time to go get Ron. He'd eat his breakfast and someone else's too before skiving off his first period class if she didn't keep him in line. Harry wasn't the much of a problem until it involved the War.
Speaking of Harry, that boy needed to find his mate before it was too late. Hermione wanted to help him so much but so far had no idea how. Only Harry, if the myths were true, could find her, the girl who was his mate, his other half.
Hermione sighed. Many didn't know it, but the bookworm was a hopeless romantic and the idea of having someone out there in the world who is your perfect match is what every girl dreams about while she is dressed up in her mother's clothes and thinking about her future wedding.
Except of lately, Hermione's wedding fantasies have been starring a certain red-head. A red-head who was probably still in bed, having thrown the alarm clock Hermione had given him for Christmas in their Second Year, against the wall injuring Neville in the process. Hermione sighed. Let the games begin.
Ginny sat in wonder at her Potion before looking back at the clock and then finally around the classroom. She was done. She was done first. She was done with thirty minutes left to class. All she had to do was keep two vials, one for marks from Snape the other to experiment with next class and she could have some free time. Amazingly Snape and Malfoy Sr. who still gave Ginny the creeps no matter how polite he was, had hardly said a word about her being late. She had only lost five points for Gryffindor as well. No snide remarks about her family, her House, heck, not even her hair! Ginny was beginning to wonder about the existence of alternate universes.
Quickly finishing her job, Ginny deposited her vials on Snape's desk and walked back to her seat stiffly. Snape descended on her like an overgrown bat.
"Finished, Miss Weasley?" his voice was as cold and menacing as before but it held none of its former hatred.
"Yes, sir." Ginny said, copying his polite tone of voice. The whole class seemed to be listening in on the conversation, the noisy gits.
Snape took no notice of them as he looked at the remains of Ginny's potion and nodded curtly.
"Very well. Clean out your cauldron and you may have the rest of the time for your own use as long as you are quiet. Understood?"
Ginny nodded again, fighting the urge to pull out her wand and scream 'Who are you and what the bloody hell have you done with Snape?' Honestly the year has barely started and already Ginny had the feeling she would never be the same when it was over.
Snape stalked off to go and torture Natalie, a shy girl and a good friend of Ginny's whose potion was a funky metallic purple that was billowing out clouds of shimmering orange fumes. Ginny sighed silently. If Natalie passed this year, she wouldn't have to take Potions in Sixth Year seeing as she could barley scrape by with an 'Acceptable' in Snape's class. Ginny on the other hand, never did have a real trouble with Potions, Snape just didn't like her.
Ginny sat still for a moment wondering what to do to pass the time when her father's book popped into her head. Fighting off the giggling and squealing, Ginny pulled out the Care of Magical Creatures book with a grin. This was Ginny's passion. Charlie loved dragons, Ginny loved magical beings. Vampires, Werewolves, fairies, sprites, merfolk, Veelas you name it Ginny loved it. She hoped to graduate and go to Wizarding College to become a Ministry Treaty Negotiator with the communities of Magical Beings all over the world. Then later, Ginny wanted to apply for the Care of Magical Creatures teaching position here at Hogwarts after she'd established a name for herself.
Her father was very supportive of her job choice and her mother, while worried sick over the danger, was proud as well. This meant that Ginny would need good grades in most of her classes especially Potions, History of Magic, Charms, Transfiguration, Defense and of course Care of Magical Creatures.
Ginny opened her book and began on the Table of Contents. The first two chapters we on Vampires and Werewolves. Ginny had already studied them in the library so she skimmed down the list until something caught her eye.
Chapter Ten: Veelas and Their Cousins
Cousins? Like Elemental Veela? Ginny bit her lip in excitement. Maybe this could help Harry find his mate. She wasn't upset that his mate obviously wasn't her because she had simply gotten over the Boy-Who-lived and came to see Harry as one of her brothers. Of course it was a slow process involving a Basilisk and nearly dying but Harry James Potter was like Ron to Ginny, nothing more.
Ginny quickly flipped to the chapter she wanted and began to read.
Veela mate for life. Each one has a specific partner they must find before they are complete. A full-blooded Veela can be driven mad in minutes if he or she is rejected by that mate, so the acceptance of them is priceless……..
Ginny sighed. Boring. It was common knowledge that Veelas mated for life. Even half-blooded or quarter-blooded Veelas felt the pull. Like Fleur. Ginny had liked Fleur, half-Veela or no. She and Bill fit together, her being the girly-girl and Bill being the down to earth type of guy who grounded the free-sprits like Fleur. If Bill had as much rebellion in him as he did when it came to his hair about marrying Fleur, they'd still be together and not forced to spilt up by Ginny's parents.
Molly Weasley had been outraged when she found out Fleur was half-Veela before giving Bill an option. Fleur or the family. Bill had no other choice but to break it of with the pretty French witch and as word got out about the spilt, Molly claimed it was because she would not have her boys marry women who can lie so easily about herself to her future family-on-law.
What a bunch of bullocks!
Quite honestly, Bill, Ginny, Charlie and the twins had not seen what the big fuss was about. All five were very open-minded when it came to different opinions. Look at Professor Lupin. A werewolf is a frightening animal to encounter in the forest on the night of a full moon but Remus the person was this kind, calm man who was honest and fair to everyone he met. When her parents joined the Order, they were afraid of him until they saw past the stereotype and saw the person. They still kept to the Burrow on nights with the full moon though, until Remus figured it was best if he left instead.
So Fleur was left heartbroken and back in France trying to forget the pull of her mate, Bill depressed and had thrown himself into his work with Gringotts and Ginny as left without a cool new sister-in-law to trade make-up tips with.
Pulling back from her depressing thoughts, Ginny began to skim the chapter for anything that would help Harry. Sirens, nope. Harry was one hot piece of Elemental Veela now but not a siren. Angels, no. Angels in the Wizarding sense were signs of peace and happiness. They are invisible to all of the magical community but Seers and muggles. They are the basis for many religions but Harry wasn't an angel. Cute idea though. Dryads. Not possible either. Harry was en Elemental Veela and a male for Merlin's sake!
Finally, at the very end was a tiny blurb on Elemental Veela.
While the most powerful of the Veela and their cousins, Elemental Veela have one weakness, their mate. The wheel of Fate turns long before an Elemental Veela is born, placing it and its soul mate together making them easy to find. An Elemental Veela must find its soul mate exactly one week to the date of his or her sixteenth birthday, the coming of age in Elemental veelan society, for if they do not they will perish. Once the mate has been found and acceptance has been given, they start a six-months bonding process that consists of three bonds. The last known Elemental Veela community was in the United States over a century ago.
Ginny closed the book with a slight thud her mind whirling as the class moved around her, almost complete. While Ginny wasn't a Hermione when it came to solving puzzles, it didn't take a genius to figure this one out.
Harry had told them that he had yet to find his mate that Dumbledore said she was somewhere at Hogwarts…. but the book said Harry would have found her within the first week of turning sixteen. So he knew already. He knew and he lied to us! When I get my hands on him, he's gonna wish he had died on his birthday, that slimy………liar! Ginny thought to herself as she packed up and went to her next class, Transfiguration.
Forgetting this was exactly the way her parents had reacted to Fleur's news, Ginny continued to curse the Boy-Who-Lived in her head, muttering darkly about friends who keep their friends in the dark about important things, like their love life.
By the time she had reached the ninth floor, Ginny had calmed down somewhat. It was simple really. Talk to Hermione, get her opinion and then confront Harry about it. Ron. Ron would just have to stay in the dark for a bit more. He had a quick temper, worse than Ginny in times like this. He'd punch first and ask questions later, if he thought to even ask questions after he'd beaten someone to a pulp.
As Professor McGonagall started her lesson, Ginny wondered what Hermione even saw in her brother. That thought was interrupted when the door to the classroom slammed shut and was locked. Bars slid down over he windows and the lights dimmed.
The Gryffindor and Slytherin Fifth Years looked at McGonagall fearfully. She had her wand out.
"Everyone will remain seated. There will be absolutely no talking. Am I clear?"
Ginny raised her hand and her Head of House nodded.
"What's going on?"
McGonagall looked worried under her mask of calm.
"We've gone into a lockdown."
In the last six years Hermione Granger had faced a mountain troll,ventured into the Forbidden Forest, faced a three-headed dog and a floor full of enchantments, been petrified, watched an execution while chasing her friends into the Shrieking Shack to catch a mass-murdered and an Azkaban escapee, watched one of those best friends go through a three task tournament while at the same time having been kidnapped by her professors and held captive underwater by merfolk and just last year ventured into the Forbidden Forest again to face a giant, centaurs and a power-hungry psycho-pathic teacher before traveling on the back of an invisible creature to fight Death Eaters in the Department of Mysteries of the Ministry of Magic. All in all, Hermione Granger was used to being afraid, but the fear she felt when the doors to the classroom had snapped shut and locked themselves without Harry safely inside was the worst yet.
Hermione knew what was happening, having read Hogwarts: A History cover to cover so many times she could quote the Introduction in her sleep and had done so many times, Hogwarts was locking itself down.
In all the chaos, Hermione vaguely saw Pansy Parkinson lean over and whisper to Draco "Where's Harry?" before the blond Slytherin turned pale and began looking frantically around the room.
Filing that bit of information away for later, Hermione grabbed Ron as hissed quietly "Harry's not back yet!"
Flickwit was trying hopelessly to get the class under control but kept toppling out of sight before he could finish his sentences.
With a flash a beautiful phoenix appeared and looked at their tiny Charms professor who quickly gave him the attendance. Ron sucked in a breath and Hermione gave him a questioning look.
"Fawkes. Dumbledore's phoenix." He whispered and Hermione wondered who he knew that.
"He got me, Harry and Ginny out of the chamber of Secrets in Second Year." Hermione looked startled.
"How did you know I was just thinking about how you could have known that?" she asked perplexed.
Ron grinned. "It's a gift." Hermione actually scowled.
"If you think for a minute that I'm going to believe in that hocus pocus that fraud calls magic you are just kidding yourself, Ronald Weasley!"
Ron was just about to retort when a knock at the door silenced the classroom. Flickwit tumbled down off his books and scurried over to the door quickly. Whispers could be heard and suddenly their tiny professor turned back and faced the class.
"Mr.Malfoy could you please get your stuff and go with Professor Snape."
Malfoy nodded and grabbed his book bag before hurrying out of the classroom. Ron glared at his back.
"Bet he had something to do with all this. Him and his father."
"Ron!" Hermione hissed at him, upset. "Harry and Dumbledore said they were on our side! Stop acting so immature!"
Ron shrugged. "They're on our side. Doesn't mean I have to like them."
Fawkes suddenly flashed back into the classroom, nodded at Flickwit and flashed away again, only leaving a small curl of grey smoke.
"Classes are cancelled for he rest of the day. Please return to your dormitories. Dinner will be served there."
Hermione looked around. The Slytherins were huddled in a group whispering quickly about something before putting on those irritating Slytherin masks. Having a civil friendship with Pansy or not, Hermione wasn't getting anything out of them.
"Come on. Let's go back to the Common Room and wait for Harry. He probably got caught in the Hospital Wing."
Ron looked around before leaning closer to Hermione's ear and whispered.
"You don't think this had something to do with Harry? Someone did try to kill him this summer."
Hermione felt her heart contract. How could she forget!
"Do you think he's okay? What if something happened to him! We just left him by himself to get his books! This is all my –"
"Hermione!" Ron shouted just as they reached the Fat Lady.
"I'm sorry that is incorrect." The portrait said cleaning her nails. Ron looked up at her confused.
"No. the password's 'Lion Heart', you bloody picture!"
The Fat Lady sniffed at him but opened anyways.
"I'll remember that." She said to him as they crowded into the Common Room.
Ginny had rushed back to the Gryffindor Common Rooms and was currently waiting for Hermione to return as well. The lockdown had ended quickly with word from Fawkes. After dinner, with Harry and Ron occupying each other Ginny would talk with Hermione about what she had found and things would be resolved by the end of the week.
Of course Ron and Hermione had to return without Harry, momentarilary scaring the information out of Ginny's mind and making her focus on what had happened to the Elemental Veela.
After another anxious thirty minutes, the portrait swung open to reveal Harry, looking pale but fine. Ginny watched him as he spoke to Ron and Hermione, saying that someone had tried to kill him again (by throwing him off the seventh floor!) and that Dumbledore was getting the Slytheirns to escort him to stay with Sirius and Remus.
Ron had complained loudly about them just trying to get Harry alone to knock him off themselves but Hermione and Harry silenced that with a glare. Interesting that. Harry finds his mate and now Slytherins aren't that bad.
Could Harry's mate be a Slytherin? Ginny wondered to herself as Harry left again and the Common Room buzzed with excitement.
Getting Ron to leave Hermione alone was turning out to be one of the hardest things Ginny had ever had to do. She couldn't ask her about homework because Ron would just try and put his two knuts in as well and the moment Ginny mentioned boys Ron would be all over her trying to figure out who he needed to 'have a friendly chat with now'. Nope, boys and homework were out of the question.
"It's like he's afraid someone will try and steal her away." Ginny muttered to herself, glaring at her brother darkly. "Which is stupid since she only has eyes for you."
Ginny had been trying for the last hour to get Hermione's attention but when she was in homework mode, that girl was as clueless to the world around her as Trelawney was to the future.
Sighing Ginny looked down at her skirt and cursed in annoyance. Crookshanks, Hermione's monster of a cat had been sleeping on Ginny's clothes again, leaving his ginger colored fur all over them. Bloody cat! In Hermione's eyes he can't do a thing wrong bit if he's upset Hermione will come running!
Ginny's eyes widened! That's it. Quickly she rushed up the steps to the girls' dorm and looked around. The Sixth Year Girls dorm was empty. Perfect.
"HERMIONE!" Ginny yelled and raced back down the steps over to the bushy-haired girl's table.
The prefect looked up, startled. Ginny put on her best worried face.
"Something's the matter with Crookshanks! It looks like he hurt his paw! He's making hurtful noises and everything!"
Hermione dropped her quill and stood quickly. "Oh no! I'd better get him to Hagrid right away! I'll bring him down right now!"
"No!" Ginny grabbed Hermione's arm and pulled her back. "You might- hurt; yeah hurt him, if you move him. You know some healing spells. I'm sure you could fix it!"
Hermione gave her a questioning look before nodding and following the red head up the stairs.
"Don't you dare copy my homework, Ronald Weasley." She told Ginny's brother, whose hand was inching towards the parchment as they moved away. Ron scowled.
Once upstairs, Ginny locked the door to the dorm and placed a silencing charm on it before turning back to Hermione.
"Okay Ginny, now that you've successfully dragged me away from my homework on the second day back to classes what is so bloody important?"
Ginny gave her best girl-friend a look. She really loved school more than was healthy. Ron had better get up the courage to snog her soon before she hurt herself and surrounding innocent by-standers.
"It's about Harry."
Ginny watched in amusement as Hermione's whole expression changed from annoyance to worry in the span of three seconds.
"Is he okay? Nothing else has happened? Oh I knew we should have walked Harry back to Sirius and Remus after he came to talk to us! We-"
"Hermione! Harry's fine. He's actually better than fine. I down-right amazed that he could do this!"
Hermione waited for Ginny to continue but the flame-haired girl just smiled sweetly. Hermione huffed, impatient. Her boys were the only thing you didn't mess with and Ginny was messing. Well, her boys and school. Education was important!
Ginny gave in and lent close to her brother's crush.
"What would you say if I told you Harry was a bloody big liar?"
Hermione's eyes widened as she looked into Ginny's blue eyes for confirmation that this wasn't some stupid Fred-and-George-like joke.
"I'd say who confunded you because Harry can lie about as well as Hedwig can tap dance."
Ginny gave the girl an exasperated look. Now Hermione decides to have a sense of humor!
"I'm serious! Harry has been lying to us for the last few months! Look, I've been reading this book for Care of Magical Creatures. You know my dad has had this thing for Muggle inventions? Well he's also a bit of a monster junkie as well."
Hermione put her head in her hands. "Ginny, I love your family; I really do but is it safe to trust a book like that? That's like saying Norbert was cute and cuddly."
Ginny grabbed the pillow off her bed and whacked the Gryffindor Sixth Year around the head.
"Yes, it's perfectly safe, thank you very much! It's also very old. And since Bill is marrying a part-Veela I decided to do some research. There was something in it about Elemental Veela."
Hermione's eyes lit up with the prospect of learning something new.
"Really? I've been through the whole of the Hogwarts library and couldn't find anything! Harry's been spending a lot of time with Remus and Sirius so I can't really question him. They're probably all trying to help him find his mate. I wish we could help but Sirius and Remus, well Remus at least, are responsible adults."
Ginny shook her head. "No I don't think they're looking for his mate, nor do I think he's spending all his time with his new guardians."
Hermione, for the first time in her life was utterly clueless.
"Then what has he been doing? He needs his mate! All Veelas of any kind do!"
Ginny's eyes were sparkling as he interrupted her friend.
"He isn't looking for them because he's already found them. He's known who his mate is since about a week after his sixteenth birthday. Now I want to know why he's keeping it from us."
Down in the Common Room, Ron had given up trying to do his homework until Hermione had come back. It was no use trying to without her to proof read it and answer his questions. She was a godsent!
Slowly Ron stretched his arms above his head and closed his eyes. Right at that moment, he felt something collide with his stomach, knocking the wind out of him.
Opening his eyes, Ron looked down and saw two yellow eyes glaring at him.
"Crookshanks?"
A/N: Okay, who do you want Ginny to be paired with? I have an idea but I want some input. Please don't say Ginny/Neville, it won't work out in here. I mean Ginny is just way too good for him and I like Neville as a character! Ginny and Neville just disturb me!
Thanks for the reviews! I finished my two essays I had to do and now I have more! Homework is never complete!
S.Tangerine