AN: Well, it just so happened that Ron's not the one being hit by the infamous Cupid. Neville Longbottom is…LOL… Read on if you've got no idea.
CHAPTER II- A So-called Detention
Those words began echoing in her mind; they seemed to have siphoned all the sanity in her. It caused searing pain on her head.
Harry stared at her like a basilisk, as if she had done something wrong…
'No, Harry, I won't—'
Draco let out an evil cackle.
----
'What's going on in here?'
Madame Pince's voice made an intrusion.
'Ginny, wake up!'
She had been dreaming.
'No!'
Hermione tapped her wand on Ginny's forehead.
Ginny opened her eyes, and saw Madam Pince staring at her disgustedly. Harry was already at her side; his emerald eyes grazing at her with concern.
'Are you alright?'
She began to sob. Harry embraced her to comfort her.
'Do you not know, Ms. Weasley, that sleeping in the library is –'
'Leave it to me, Madam Pince.', a guffawing voice said.
Lumpy Horace Slughorn had heard her screams when he was talking with Hermione.
The crook-nosed librarian left immediately, wearing a sour look on her face.
'Miss Granger and –', he smiled weakly at Harry, when one of the buttons of his velvet coat burst out, 'Harry, could you please bring her down to the hospital wing? Someone seems to have placed a Nightmare Spell on her. She needs to get rest.'
The two nodded, and led the pale-looking Ginny out of the library. Harry carried all of her things, as other onlookers stared at the three of them.
They reached the ward a couple of minutes later. Madam Pomfrey immediately took out a phial of green liquid, took a spoonful of it and placed it in Ginny's mouth.
Ginny choked and soon regained consciousness. The liquid burned her throat.
Hermione patted Ginny's back, as she sat on her hospital bed.
Harry just held her hand. He knew it best not to interrogate her in a time like this. Ginny looked sallow, beaten up by the nightmare she'd seen earlier.
'You better rest, Ginny.' Harry arranged her head pillow to make it plumper. Ginny obeyed. She stared at him affectionately for a moment, and looked away.
Hermione stifled a cough. 'Er – guess I have to leave for Arithmancy. See you two in the Common Room.' And she scurried towards the door as if she had Apparated.
'Ginny, I'm sorry –'
She suddenly wept, recollecting the dream she had earlier
'It was really frightening.' She sobbed once more.
'Stop crying. Madam Pomfrey might think that I've just broken up with you.' Harry said in a jocular tone.
Ginny stopped crying at once. Fear flooded her face.
'Don't say that. It's not a joke, is it?'
'Er, I'm sorry –'
Harry gazed at her fixedly.
'That won't happen, Ginny. I won't let that happen.' Harry replied calmly, comforting her even more.
'Muffliato.'
Harry glanced at Madam Pomfrey, who seemed busy in arranging the different potion bottles.
'Tell me what was in your dream, Ginny.'
Ginny did as she was told. She told the details nervously; stupidly thinking that Harry would suddenly confirm that all that she had dreamt had really happened. Harry was startled by this, but tried not to express fear in front of her, as it would increase her anxiety.
But they haven't noticed that there was another patient in the wing.
Two beds away, Draco was not listening, nor did he know they were talking with each other. However, he gawked at them awkwardly. Ginny was again crying. Their mouths are moving but no sounds seem to come from those.
'Cry, even more, Weasel. That'll soften your Potty hero's heart even more.' he sneered.
Draco chortled, looking amused by himself. He was covered with bat bites smeared with blue ointment. His face was ashen as ever. He was smirking at the both of them.
'Just ignore him, Harry. The idea that several bats had attacked him has got into him.' Ginny muttered. Harry looked at her incredulously. Ginny soon felt that this was the time to tell him what happened in the corridor. She related what happened at Snape's corridor.
He soon looked aggravated by Ginny's tale; the thought of Malfoy playing with her girlfriend's skirt will never be funny. He reached for his wand inside his school robes, ready to aim it on his mortal foe.
But his wand flew out of his reach.
Severus Snape had just hurtled out of nowhere and suddenly disarmed him.
'You better do that some other time, Potter.', he hissed.
He went to Draco's bed, muttering something. Draco nodded in agreement to whatever Snape says.
'You, two, are going to have detention Thursday night with me.' Snape said, referring to Ginny and Draco.
Ginny frowned at Harry. Harry shrugged at Snape.
Draco scowled at him. It seemed that what Snape had told him earlier was different from this one.
'But, Severus –'
Ginny gaped at Draco. She couldn't believe that they were already on first name terms.
'Thursday night, Malfoy and Weasley,' he continued, 'three hours before midnight.'
Before Draco could say something, Snape had exited the room.
Draco spat at Ginny, 'It's your fault, you unbearable Weasel, that I have to suffer—
'Langslock…'
'Langslock…'
'Langslock!' The spell finally registered in Harry's mind and a jet of green light issued from his wand.
'There's no Snape to help you this time, Malfoy. Don't call her like that again, or else—'
Draco's tongue was glued on the roof of his mouth.
'Lel me bown, yo pathel-batted horp!' Incomprehensible words started coming out of him. Harry ignored him. After all, his wand was not in his possession.
Ginny stifled a soft giggle. 'How'd you do that?' she remarked, amazed.
Harry was pleased seeing her smiling again. 'Non-verbal spells…' he grinned, as he rose from his seat.
'Harry, you better go before Madam Pomfrey scolds you', she said weakly, 'I'll just meet you in the Hall'
He bent down and arranged her covers.
'You sure you're going to be alright with that ferret next to you?'
She kissed him on the cheek.
Draco's face had turned scarlet. He couldn't stand seeing two of his enemies making up in front of him. And what was worst is that he's going to spend a lot of time with one of them tomorrow night.
'Yeah, I can manage it.'
Expectedly, Ginny felt the same way, too. Surely, that evening would be one of the worst evenings in her life.
She gingerly watched Harry head towards the door.
To Draco's indignation, Harry had left the room. He had just grabbed hold of his wand and was about to retaliate.
No sooner, Ginny sat by the dinner table, between Harry and Ron, who were at that time, contemplating on something while pushing chunks of lamb chops onto their mouths. They haven't even noticed that she was sitting between the two of them. Hermione sat in front of them.
'Hi Ginny! How're you feeling?' she greeted her uncomfortably, not looking up from her plate, avoiding Ron's gaze. For the first time, Hermione was eating slowly. Before, it only took her three minutes to finish her meal. But three minutes had passed, she haven't even eaten her food.
It was only then that the two of them realized.
'Oh, hi, Ginny.'
Ginny stared at her boyfriend and brother sideways. They're staring at her as if she had eaten Pig, her brother's squeaky owl.
'What's with you, two?' She twitched her eyebrows. 'You look as if you've seen a ghost.'
'There are plenty of them here, m'dear.' Nearly-Headless Nick croaked as he floated past their table.
'Er – Ginny, we were just talking about you and that prat,' Ron said, looking across the Slytherin table. Draco was sniggering; his pals laughing at the private joke he had just shared. 'We're having suspicions.'
Ginny raised a brow.
'What suspicions?'
'We'll just tell you what they are. We're not yet sure if he is –'. Ron winced. Harry had kicked him on the shins. 'Just try to stay away from him, ok?'
Ginny, who had just helped herself with a mouthful of potatoes, stared at Hermione confusedly. Of course, who would want to be close to him? Weasleys don't talk to filthy Malfoys. Weasleys don't talk about Malfoys. And most of all, Weasleys despise Malfoys, so why should she get close to him? It's a can full of rubbish. Well, except her detention with him…
Hermione shrugged.
'Ok then. But not this Thursday night. I'm doing detention with Malfoy.'
Ron choked. He had taken a sudden intake of pudding.
'Anapneo.' Hermione gasped. Ron's airways soon cleared. They stared at each other, with Ron deciding if he should thank her or not. They returned focusing on their plates, avoiding each other's gaze.
The other couple forced themselves not to laugh.
The next day passed slowly. History was as dull as ever. Professor Binns, Ginny's History teacher, whose death had not still occurred to him, gave her a special assignment that would surely exempt her on the next test. Transfiguration was great. She earned ten points for Gryffindor, after managing to transfigure a ferret into an hourglass. Colin Creevey's was the worst. He made a furry hourglass, with beaver-like teeth jutting in the middle. Potions was as exciting. Professor Slughorn, asked them to try brewing Polyjuice Potion without the use of their books. She earned twenty points from it, after having herself transformed into a prettier Romilda Vane, thanks to Hermione. (She had caught some of her hair when she attempted to snog her boyfriend off her face.) Defence Against the Dark Arts, was however, disappointing. She did well in blocking Snape's spells, but did not get credit for those. Maybe he was still displeased for what she had done to his pet.
Harry met her in the Gryffindor table. They both sat down for dinner, and he noticed that Ginny was getting paler than ever. He filled her plate with beef casserole, and he made sure that she ate all the food that he had placed on her plate. Still not satisfied, he took toffee éclairs from a parcel Fred and George, who had been busy with their Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, had sent him. Ginny happened to glance at the parcel, and looked at the éclairs cautiously.
'I won't eat those if I were you. The twins had put some –', Ron scoffed at the sweets.
Neville ate a mouthful of éclairs Harry had offered him.
'—love potion', continued Ron
The couple needed not to ask him. Neville's face has gone off a different colour. He ogled at Ginny intently. He grabbed hold of her hand, pushing Harry away from her side. Harry's eyes lay transfixed on Neville's hand on top of Ginny's, with a hint of jealousy in his eyes.
'Ginny, can I hold your hand?'
'You're now holding it Neville.'
'How soft your hands are! They're like a satin pillowcase, filled with fragrant flowers plucked from the valley.' Ginny was shocked that she cannot speak anymore. Neville looked up on her.
'Ginny?'
Ginny let go of his hand. Harry was getting furious. Ron feigned he hadn't noticed the scene, and helped himself with a treacle tart.
'Has somebody ever told you that you're beautiful?'
'Enough!' Harry blustered, tearing Ginny away from Neville's grasp. His nose was still flaring. Ginny gave a silent laugh. She enjoyed seeing Harry defending her like that, as if he wouldn't let another hand, except his, to touch her…
Harry wrestled with Neville.
'I was just trying to get – aaarrrrgghhh!'
'Shut up!' Harry scowled, as Ginny tried to stop him from punching the crazed sixth-year.
'Oh, c'mon Harry. Hasn't the Prince told you anything?' Hermione, who has just come back from the library, said airily, offering Ginny a goblet of pumpkin juice. 'Give this to him. It will make the potion ineffective.'
'Drop it, Hermione.' Harry have had enough of Hermione's sermons on his use of his copy of "Advanced Potion Making", which has been the property of a certain person with such nom de plume.
'Oh, are you giving me that? Surely you have made it yourself,' Neville grabbed the goblet and took a sip, 'ah, that's wonderful of you. Hope –', Neville was saying it in a very audible manner that several Slytherins, who had been jeering at them since the wrestling match started to draw attention, laughed their heads off.
Ron muttered something that seemed to form words like 'know-it-all' and 'girls'.
Surely, Hermione had heard him. She pretended to have not noticed, but threw a glare at him. 'How could you just sit back there knowing these two –' said she, referring to Ginny and Harry, who sighed, knowing there'll be another session of ranting and raving, while reviving Neville, who had a sour look on his face, 'having trouble –'
Yeah, it was always my fault', Ron murmured.
Ginny just watched her "insufferable git of a brother" exit the room in an instant. Hermione stormed after him.
No sooner, Ginny was inside Snape's office in the dungeons.
Twenty minutes had passed, and still, her so-called Malferret was nowhere of sight.
Snape was slightly abashed by his student's behaviour. He kept looking at his clock, with a broad grin on his lips.
Ginny was sure that it meant her imminent agony, the moment Draco arrives. Snape had given her something to work on: making ten copies of the last D.A.D.A. essay she wrote. She was still halfway through her first one. She was ungrateful to have made a twenty-one inched essay. Snape was really good in torturing students.
Suddenly, the door opened ajar.
And there he was, clad in damp school robes.
'Come in, Draco' Snape ordered stiffly, beckoning him to sit across Ginny.
'You're late.'
'You need not tell me, Severus.' Draco sneered, looking stern.
There was a moment of silence after that.
Ginny could hear the scratching noises made by Snape's quill. He seemed to be writing something on a piece of bark. She wondered what that would be.
Snape, being an Occlumens, hissed at her as if he had just read her thoughts, 'Get on with your work, Ms. Weasley.'
Draco's eyes suddenly caught hers. She immediately looked away, avoiding his gaze.
Ginny felt a sudden twinge when he felt his eyes fixed on hers. She tried to make a decisive attempt to stare at him back, but she didn't look up from her work, waiting for something to happen. She pulled another roll of parchment and started writing her second copy.
'Why is he staring at me like that?' she thought.
'Because he likes you, Weasley.' Snape had again intervened with her thoughts; he had just spoken to her through her mind. She stared at her ill-natured professor confusedly, who smirked at her.
Draco scowled at him defensively, yet, he still couldn't veil the red tinge that had coloured his sallow face.
Snape just gave him a devilish grin.
'It has occurred to me, Draco, that Miss Weasley has an outstanding potential in my subject. I—'
Ginny dropped her quill. She can't believe it! Snape had paid her a compliment for the first time. She knew she was doing well with her lessons with Snape because she had joined the D.A. with Harry, the previous year. She can do things her other batch mates can't. Every time she had managed to do what was told of her, Snape just took no notice. He was not known for giving points for her house.
'—have contemplated that it would be beneficial for her if she be given advanced lessons regarding this area.'
Draco rolled his eyes.
'And what does it have to do with me?', he taunted at her, already knowing what Snape would say next.
'You ought to teach her, Mr. Malfoy', Snape modulated his voice in an air enough to drown Draco's continuous ranting, 'and that serves as your punishment for making such indecent act.'
Ginny's smile faltered. It was enough of him to have paid her a compliment, but it was distressing to know that another inept moron was going to teach her. This will be the worst of all the detentions she'll ever have inside the walls of the enchanted castle.
She wondered why, of all students, the Prince of Slytherin would be teaching her.
Why not Hermione Granger? She just knew everything: from Hogwarts' history to how to make several concoctions… She suddenly remembered that she had only gained "Exceeds Expectations" in her O.W.L.S.
She couldn't make out Harry. Of course, if Snape was going to have a list, his would be on the last.
Ginny soon realized that Draco had thought the same question.
'Why me?'
Snape frowned at him.
'It seems that you doubt your extraordinary abilities. I suppose you're the only one capable of teaching her certain things I can't teach in the actual class.'
The pale boy grinned wickedly, and suddenly looked at her.
'Two unacceptable copies may do, Miss Weasley—'
Rolls of parchment flew out of Ginny's desk and landed on a neat stack of papers placed near Snape's ink bottle.
'You must tell no one about your advanced lessons, understand?' Snape threateningly posed.
'So, it wasn't a detention, after all.', she said for the first time.
Snape ignored her.
'—and you may begin your lessons tomorrow.'
