A/N: Excuses at this point would be pointless…lets just get on with the next chapter, shall we?
Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters, just the plot!
Forgotten
Chapter Nine:
Silence. Painful, agonizing, uncomfortable, and bitter silence.
Ginny could take it no more. For the whole day, neither Colin nor Kendra had spoken one word to her, and to be perfectly honest, it was starting to tick Ginny off.
The morning after her kiss with Draco, he'd walked briskly to the Gryffindor table to inform Kendra, Colin and Ginny that they were all to serve detention that night; Ginny for being out past curfew, Colin and Kendra for leaving school grounds without permission.
Had she really been so careless during her brief tirade in the Kitchens?
Apparently, yes. Her friends, who were still not speaking with her, were none to happy, all because of that tiny, microscopic slip. She'd been pushed to the edge of the cliff of patience, her foot dangling precariously off its verge. So close was she to giving up with the whole issue, ready to forgive and forget, when, in all his glory, the prat from Slytherin entered into the scene. All it took was one nudge from him and she was sent flying off the cliff and into a pointless rant.
History of Magic was even more boring than usual. As Colin was still refusing to talk with Ginny, she thought it would be inappropriate to casually lounge across his section of the desk, as she normally did. Instead, she sat straight up in her chair (a first, if you will believe), her back stiff with anxiety as the silence between she and her best friend continued.
Sneaking in a quick glance, she saw that Colin seemed completely at ease, with no problems what so ever. If a student from another house were to look upon the two Gryffindors, they wouldn't notice anything out of the ordinary, except for the one thing that gave it away.
They both appeared to be taking notes.
The only person in the whole castle who took notes in History of Magic was Hermione Granger, and even she had been caught doodling once or twice. Taking a closer look, however, you would find that Ginny and Colin's notes were totally opposite. While Colin's actually connected somewhat with the topic Professor Binns was lecturing, Ginny's were filled with scratched out and marked through rough drafts.
Some had been the beginnings of an apology, but became confused and even unreadable as they continued on.
Dear Col and Ken,
I don't know how I can even begin to apologize explain how angry sorry I am that you've taken this so personally seriously, why does it even matter?
By the end of the class period, Ginny had burned every single parchment that started with the lines, Dear Col ad Ken. You know what they say,
'If at first you don't succeed, give no evidence that you tried.'
Well, something close to that at least. The bell signaled the end of class, and Ginny practically leapt out from her seat, hastily shoving and pushing her way through the group of students attempting to exit, desperate to leave the sullen atmosphere of the classroom.
Today, she would walk alone to her next class.
xXxXx
"GINEVRA MOLLY WEASLEY!" A shrill voice sounded, echoing throughout the school grounds.
Ginny had received the familiar family barn-owl at dinner, which was most unusual, as the post normally came during breakfast. Following the owl's departure, Ginny had raced out the Great Hall doors, ignoring the glares of students walking by, and used her last bout of energy to make it outside just as her Howler began shouting.
Out of breath, Ginny dropped the red envelope and let it continue its message from her mother as she leant over to catch her breath. That could've been embarrassing.
"ANOTHER DETENTION? WHERE HAS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY GONE? And to think I had to hear from Professor Snape, OF ALL PEOPLE! Luckily, for you, I've talked to the Headmaster already and he's agreed to lift your suspension from the Quidditch team. ONE MORE MISTAKE, however, and you'll wish you never put one TOE out of line, do you hear me Ginevra? I BROUGHT YOU INTO THIS WORLD, AND I CAN JUST AS EASILY TAKE YOU OUT!" Molly seemed to have gone hoarse as there was a moment of silence.
"Oh, and Ginny? Would you be a dear and watch out for Ron? I do worry about him even more than you as he isn't always as…er…wise when it comes to making the right choices. Your father sends his love, dearie. DON'T FORGET WHAT I'VE TOLD YOU!" The letter promptly burned up in flames before settling on the grass in a pile of ashes. Ginny let out a breath of relief.
"Quite a family I've got. Batty, the whole lot." She muttered to herself before picking up her school bag and starting back to the castle. Her walk was halted, though, when a pestering voice startled her.
"You call them a family, I call them an infestation." Malfoy drawled from behind her. Ginny turned around to see him walking away from the shadows of the tree by the lake with the customary smirk etched into his face.
"Is eavesdropping your forte now?" Ginny asked exasperated as she tucked a loose hair behind her ear and continued walking to the castle, except now with a slightly slower pace waiting for him to catch up. 'Might as well get the expected confrontation over with,' she thought to herself.
He chuckled. "Surprisingly no, though that was quite a good show your mother put on. I should try listening in on other people's personal affairs more often." He smirked and Ginny roller her eyes. "What? You can snog me but you can't talk to me?" Her shoulders tensed at his sarcasm.
"First off, you gave Colin and Kendra detentions! Why would I even want to talk to you? And second, don't you dare bring up that kiss, it didn't even mean anything and you know it! I only did it to prove a point." She spat at him heatedly. They'd reached the doors and Ginny was just reaching for the handle when he placed a hand quickly on her wrist.
"Wait, you can't possibly be blaming your friends' detention on me." He started. "You're the one who blurted it out in the Kitchens that they'd left school grounds, after curfew, might I add." She threw her hands in the air and groaned. "I'm not finished, you know." He snapped.
"It sounds like English, but I can't understand a word you're saying." Ginny near shouted.
"Oh, shove off, will you?" Draco barked. Furious, Ginny brushed off his arm still holding her wrist and roughly pushed through the doors, stalking down to the dungeons where her detention was to be held.
xXxXx
Snape's eyes held an expression of contempt as he opened the door to his classroom for Ginny. All other staff members had been unavailable to watch over the three Gryffindors that night, so the punishment was left for Professor Snape to decide. 'Not like he had any other plans,' Ginny thought dryly.
"Miss Weasley," he said curtly. "You're to join your friends in scrubbing the cauldrons and desks with toothbrushes, and then you can all take turns between cleaning the floors and re-organizing my supply closet. Wand please," He ordered in a gleeful tone. Ginny scowled and reluctantly handed her only weapon of defense to him, before walking slowly over to where Colin and Kendra stood waiting in the corner.
"You waited for me?" Ginny asked hopefully. Neither Colin nor Kendra said anything, so Snape spoke for them instead.
"I told them that if I caught the two of them beginning their work before you arrived, than I would make sure their detentions would last until they graduated. Needless to say, they abided with those terms." He said, before adding with a smirk. "It's almost as if they didn't want to be in your presence, Weasley. I thought the day would never come."
A look of hurt came across Ginny's face as she sent a quick glare at the Potions Master, though he ignored her outright and began grading the papers that littered his cluttered desk. When she turned and looked at Colin and Kendra's faces, however, she could just barely discern a pitying glance from the two before they each went to retrieve their toothbrushes.
Five minutes later, the only sound filling the room was that of Snape's quill marking red over any mistake his picky eyes could possibly find, and the three toothbrushes scrubbing the cauldrons with a vengeance. Ginny couldn't take it anymore.
"Are you really mad at me?" She asked weakly, not taking her eyes off her task.
Snape sighed. "I thought we'd already established this, Miss Weasley."
"Excuse me, Professor, but I do believe she was talking to us." Colin said, his voice low in anger.
"You'll watch your tone when you talk to me, Mister Creevy." Snape said curtly, but nonetheless went back to grading and remained quiet. Colin turned and offered a small smile to Ginny, who gratefully returned it before beginning to scrub again.
"No, Gin, we're not mad at you, exactly," Kendra began quietly. "We just don't get why you would rat us out and then expect things to be normal." Ginny dropped her toothbrush and faced them, leaning her side against the table.
"What are you talking about, rat you out? You're missing a big part of the story. See what happened was-"
"Weasley," Snape interrupted. "When were you informed that this was a social gathering?" He smirked as she quieted. Ginny leant over and snatched the toothbrush indignantly from the ground where she'd dropped it. Scrubbing rapidly in larger circles, she made her way from the cauldrons to the desks and continued skimming over the small tables until she was directly in front of Snape's table. Kendra and Colin looked on curiously.
Looking fleetingly at her two friends in the corner, she gave a quick wink before turning and casually scrubbing the desk as loud as was possible. The professor looked up from his markings, narrowing his eyes at her. Ginny glanced up and flashed him a smile, but persisted in forcing her toothbrush to sound as raucous as it would allow.
Snape continued looking at her and gave an over exaggerated sigh. Met still with the plaguing grating of the toothbrush, Snape cleared his throat loudly.
"Yes, Professor?" Ginny asked innocently. He set down his quill and folded his hands on the desk.
"Is there a reason why you insist on being utterly obnoxious? Do I need to give you a set of rules for this detention to pass without further interruption?" He appeared to be losing his patience quite quickly.
"Oh, that would be lovely," Ginny said, taking a seat and abandoning her task. "It'll be just like class, except I'm actually listening and working right now." Kendra coughed over what sounded much like a snort. Snape glared, but surprisingly stood from his chair, picked up his wand, and began writing on the board behind him.
"Rule number one," He began in a growl, reading aloud as he wrote. "Don't talk to me, don't look at me, don't touch me, and don't even breathe near me." Ginny looked thoughtful as she studied his rules. She tapped her chin, her head tilted.
"Is there a catch?" She asked. Snape looked ready to pull his hair out.
"Of course there's a catch. There's always a catch, isn't there, Weasley?" He ground out forcefully. Ginny nodded enthusiastically. Stiffly turning, he once again began writing, only this time in big letters.
"You can talk to me only if I first initiate conversation." He turned with a smirk and sat down again, looking triumphant as he set to finish correcting the essays. "And people say I'm not fair." He muttered stoically.
Ginny stood and walked to the back of the room to grab a cauldron and carried it over to her previous desk.
Snape sighed. "Farther, Weasley, you're breathing too close to me." Ginny smiled and moved one row back. "Further," His tone was becoming icy. She moved another row back. "MISS WEASLEY," he roared. She looked at him with a passive expression, stopping mid-scrub.
"Yes Professor?" He sent her a scalding look. Looking over at Colin and Kendra, who, at his heated glare, hurriedly went back to work, he then turned back to Ginny.
"Fine," he spat. "I will allow you five minutes to speak to your friends if you promise to leave after doing so and do not come back until class tomorrow." The redhead nodded with a jubilant expression. "And in class tomorrow, I want you to kindly sit in the seat that is farthest from my desk and keep your trap shut, is that clear?" Ginny gave a final nod before jumping up and joining her friends. They pulled over chairs and sat down as she began recounting the previous night's events.
"You two snogged again?" Colin asked, shocked. She'd finished explaining why she'd slipped but as soon as she'd brought up Malfoy, they'd decided to forgive her and quickly threw her questions about their argument.
"No," Ginny corrected, "I kissed him first, to prove a point of course, and then we snogged." She gave a sheepish grin. Colin rolled his eyes and moved his chair back to the desk he retrieved it from, then walked to the supply closet beginning to organize.
After making sure he was out of earshot, Kendra leaned in and whispered excitedly, "What was it like?" Ginny laughed and was just about to describe it when suddenly, Snape stood from his chair and glared shrewdly at Ginny. He looked like he was about to vomit.
"As much as I'd love to hear the exquisite qualities of Mister Malfoy's…extracurricular activities," He said in a slightly strangled voice. "I do believe your five minutes are up. Please leave. Now," He added, and pointed desperately towards the door.
"Oh, and one more thing, Weasley," He added quickly. Ginny looked at him inquiringly. "When wizards do discover the center of the universe, don't be surprised, my dear, to find that it isn't you. You won't always get what you want," He finished with a stiff scowl.
The two girls laughed, but Ginny stood anyway and grabbed her bag, walking towards the door. Right as she was leaving, she turned once more to blow Professor Snape a kiss, and then ran out the door, fearing for her life from the look of anger on her teacher's face.
"Bloody horror, that one." Snape muttered to himself, running a distressed hand through his hair. Colin and Kendra had to retrain themselves from bursting in another round of laughter.
xXxXx
"Ginny, darling, did you miss me?" Colin asked, grandly sweeping into the Common Room, with an amused looking Kendra following immediately behind. They both walked over to the chair by the fireplace where Ginny was waiting with extra blankets. It was well past midnight, but she'd still felt guilty about her friends getting the detention so she'd waited for them.
Kendra jumped onto the oversized, maroon chair next to Ginny, as Colin stood in front of them and suavely studied his nails. Ginny laughed.
"You know, Col, sometimes you make it hard to hate you." She said fondly. He tossed his hair from his eyes and eyed Ginny haughtily.
"I know, its part of my charm," He said with a smirk.
"And sometimes you make it easy," Ginny said with a shake of her head as she and Kendra began pelting Colin with pillows. He eventually retaliated by not only squealing like a girl, but stealing their wands, conjuring about a dozen more pillows, and whacking them until they collapsed to the floor with laughter. Colin tossed the wands on a nearby table and joined them on the ground as their laughter subsided.
"Right, so Gin, when you kissed Malfoy, did you feel a 'spark' as you so dreamily put it like the last time?" Kendra asked with a yawn as she situated herself so that her head was resting on Colin's stomach.
Ginny waited before answering, and instead took Kendra's lead and lay her head upon Kendra's stomach, as Colin moved to put his on Ginny's, so that the three were all close enough to talk in a whisper and still hear each other.
"I think so," She answered uncertainly. "It all happened so fast, but there was just so much…passion maybe? I can't help but think that it might've meant even a little bit to him too." The light from the fire began diminishing as it died down to mere embers sparkling in the darkness of the expansive room.
Colin sighed. "Gin, just promise me one thing." He muttered a brief, 'Accio,' and the three blankets Ginny had left out came flying over to where they lay, landing effortlessly on each Gryffindor.
"Hmm?" Ginny murmured tiredly, beginning to drift off. She let her heavy eyelids close, scarcely registering what Colin said next.
"Don't fall in love with the prat," he mumbled. Hearing nothing but silence in response, he allowed himself to slip into a peaceful sleep.
This was how their fellow Gryffindors found them in the morning; surrounded by pillows, but cuddled together on the carpeted floors, with three tattered blankets tucked around each of them.
The second year girls sighed enviously as they watched Kendra snuggle closer to Colin, and him as he dug himself further into the softness of Ginny's robes. Ginny's eyes fluttered open slowly, but her expression became confused as she looked up to find the house of Gryffindor scurrying about the room getting ready for the day. She nudged Kendra in the side.
"Die," Kendra said in a muffled voice. Ginny smiled.
"It's time to get up, classes start soon." She said sitting up, forgetting that Colin's head was still on her stomach. He woke with a yelp as his head roughly hit the ground.
"Die twice." Kendra muttered in response. Colin chuckled as he ruefully rubbed his head before standing up and helping Ginny up. Then he moved and pulled Kendra to her feet as well when she lazily stuck her hands out at him, still not opening her eyes, but instead kept them determinedly shut.
"Do you really think Malfoy is all that attractive?" He asked her worriedly as she began rubbing the sleep out of her bleary eyes. Kendra laughed at how random the question seemed, but remembered that this had been bothering him for some time. He'd constantly been bringing it up, begging her to give him an honest answer. She'd always silenced him by kissing him.
"Let's just put it this way, shall we? If the dolt said breathing was ridiculous, more than half of the female population at Hogwarts alone would be dead." She said, hastily planting a kiss on his cheek and hurrying to her dorm with Ginny as Colin stood openmouthed.
xXxXx
Professor Snape surveyed his classroom and the students it held, pausing every now and then to criticize the few Gryffindors that chose to be in Advanced Potions for their seventh and final year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He rolled his eyes as a plump boy with the name of Neville Longbottom raised his hand tentatively.
"Yes Mister Longbottom?" Snape called with a sneer. Neville lowered his hand but couldn't seem to form the words he wanted so desperately to say. "Shock me, say something intelligent." The teacher said exasperatedly, receiving sniggers from the Slytherin side and glares from the Gryffindor area.
"I-I was j-just wonder-ring," the terrified boy gulped loudly and Snape refrained from out right screaming at the lad. "Do we have a-any homework? The b-bell's just near to ringing." His fellow Gryffindors groaned at him for reminding their Potion's teacher as Snape smiled evilly.
"Yes, I was just about to get to that." He began, speaking now to the entire class. "I had previously decided to assign you all two scrolls on the Draught of Living Death, but since Mister Longbottom here seems to think I've become ancient and absentminded, let's make it three to refresh you're memories, shall we?"
"Nice job, Neville," Seamus Finnegan complained loudly as he began gathering his books. Snape shook his head and walked over to the student's desk. Seamus looked up hesitantly.
"Mister Finnegan, please refrain from insulting your fellow classmates." The Professor stated calmly as several students stopped to watch with curiosity. "Everybody makes mistakes, take your parents for example…" He trailed off as Seamus' face turned red in anger. Ron Weasley and Harry Potter jumped from their seats to restrain their friend.
"Ah, yes, Mister Potter," Snape looked at him with a cruel smile. "I'm returning this otherwise good parchment to you because someone has written gibberish all over it and signed your name at the top." Harry clenched his jaw but nonetheless took the offered essay back and placed it sorely with his other papers Snape had, 'returned.'
"And Mister Weasley, I was mildly surprised when I read yours. Class, this should be taken as an example. If you would like to read this particular parchment, I'd like to first politely give you my own opinion." Ron waited apprehensively as Snape picked up his paper and held it up to show to the class.
"This is not an essay to be tossed aside lightly," Snape began, surprising Ron. "It should be thrown aside with great force, and promptly burnt into flames." The Slytherins were once again sent into fits of mocking laughter, as Ron's face flushed in embarrassment.
The bell rang, signaling the end of the class period, and Seamus, having finally cooled off, roughly threw his books into his bag and stormed out of the room, followed by several irate looking Gryffindors.
"Mister Malfoy," Snape summoned. The boy complied and walked placidly to where the teacher stood. "I was overseeing a detention last night and heard something most peculiar." Draco had the grace to look confused. "Miss Bentley, Mister Creevy and Miss Weasley's detention, to be more thorough." He provided and was satisfied to see a certain amount of guilt flicker in the young Slytherin's silver eyes.
"Yes, and what about them?" Draco snapped. Snape gave him a calculating look before taking a seat at his desk and conjuring another chair for the student. Resignedly, Draco sat, looking longingly at the door, but switched quickly back to an impassive expression.
Snape remained quiet and closed his eyes, focusing only on trying to enter Draco's mind. He was close, just a bit more concentration. Swimming through fields of emotions, he tried to pick apart what exactly he wanted to see. Suddenly, as if a barrier had closed directly in front of his face, he was thrown from the boy's mind and opened his eyes to find himself back in his dreary Potion's classroom.
"Don't do that again." Draco ground out, looking tired as he massaged his temples. Snape leaned back in his chair.
"Well then answer my questions." He answered just as curtly.
"You didn't ask a question though," Draco said after a momentary silence.
"I was being rhetorical, do what I mean, not what I say." Snape explained quickly.
"Is this any of your business?" Draco snapped, beginning to stand.
Snape held up a hand. "No, but since when has that ever stopped me?" Draco smirked, but said nothing. He rose from his chair, retrieved his bag, and conjured an excuse note for his next class. He'd reached the door when Snape once again interrupted him.
"Just one more thing, Malfoy," he began. "Take this as a bit of advice. Ignorance is a shield protecting you from reality. Sooner or later, you'll have to start taking responsibility for your actions. Don't let me, or worse, your father, hear of this happening again."
And with that somber statement, Draco Malfoy carried on to his next class with a permanent scowl etched into his face, a scowl that would stay there for the remainder of the day…that is until he met up with Ginny Weasley.
xXxXx
A/N: I'm not so sure I like this chapter…not much happened. Well, this one gets it moving for the next one I suppose. Your comments on it would be much appreciated :-D! Thanks to a lovely lady named Dolly Parker who wrote a very comical review for a book. You can blame Snape's sarcasm on her as she influenced me to think…sarcastic.
Jade Summers: Such big words in your last review! My, how quickly they do grow…eh, yes sorry, anyway. I think I like the corny Jade Summers, makes me quite cheerful when I read your reviews. I wonder, is Draco still in character? Or have I brought him too far out of the loop…just curious on your opinion.
Moony's Number 1: is Draco a spy…hmm…well I can't very well give it away now that I know that you don't know what I know…which you still don't know and won't know until future chapters. And if you think that's bribing you to keep reading and reviewing…well then you are right!
Make me happy, leave some love…or criticism, whatever floats your boat I guess.
