Chapter Nine: I'll Even Do The Laundry When You're Too Old To Leave Your Bed

The next day I felt as though I were floating. Even though Harry couldn't, no wouldn't, break up with Cho I knew that he still loved me. I was late waking up since I had stayed up so late and by the time I entered the Great Hall people were already leaving for class.

"Hey," I said racing over to the Gryffindor table where Colin was just finishing up.

"Hey there," Colin replied looking at me with interest. "You're up pretty late this morning."

"Yeah," I replied grabbing some toast and piling eggs onto a plate. "Well, I was up pretty late last night."

"At the library?"

"Uh…kind of."

He looked at me curiously, "What do you mean?"

I stared at him wondering whether I should tell him or not. Then I decided to since Colin was my best friend.

"Well," I whispered leaning closer to him, "when I got back to the common room last night Harry was waiting for me."

Colin's eyes grew wide, "What did he want?"

"Well he- we…you know."

Colin's eyes grew as wide as saucer plates when he finally comprehended what I was trying to tell him. "You didn't!" he said shocked. I blushed and nodded my head. "What the hell Ginny!"

I was taken aback by his outburst, "Colin, what's up?"

"What's up? What's up! That's all you have to say! God Ginny, you're so blind!"

I was stunned. "What do you mean blind? I am not blind Colin, I can see perfectly fine."

"But what's right in front of your eyes!"

I looked at Colin confused, "What are you getting at?"

"He's using you Ginny!"

"No he's not! We're going to be friends but we'll, you know, do stuff still."

"In other words he's using you to get something he can't always have," Colin retorted bitterly.

I stared at Colin, disgusted. "No, he wouldn't do that. Harry loves me Colin!" I looked at Colin hard and noticed something. "You know what, you're just jealous," I said a little surprised.

Colin scoffed, "Jealous?"

"Yes, jealous! You're jealous of what I have!"

"Damn right I'm jealous and do you know why!"

"No Colin! Please, enlighten me!"

"I love you Ginny!" he was panting now from shouting so much. I stared at him and he continued in a quieter, but still angry, voice. "I love you and have for the past four years."

I sat there with wide eyes. No words would come from my mouth and it felt like my throat had closed up. Finally I said in a whisper, "Colin I-" but he got up and left before I could say any more.

I was walking down the hall when I heard, "Oh look, it's the littlest weasel."

I turned and saw a Slytherin girl in my grade. I didn't know her well but I knew her name was Melissa and that her parents were chin deep in the dark arts. They were very close friends with the Malfoys', who were chin deep in the dark arts as well, not to mention a very old, powerful and respected family. My father loathed them and continuously tried to catch either one doing things they weren't suppose to be doing. He hated the dark arts more than anything and was very open to muggles and their ways, hence what my family was famous for. The Weasley's were muggle lovers and the entire wizarding world knew it. Trust me, it wasn't good. We were the most hated family to those who loved the dark arts.

I froze as Melissa strode towards me, her long black hair blowing slightly in the cold breeze, her ice blue eyes flashing menacingly, a smirk on her face. She stopped right in front of me and looked me up and down, seeing my fear. She reached out her hand and smacked my books to the floor. Her group of friends giggled as her smirk grew wider and she said, "Pick them up."

I didn't know what to do. I was trembling. I was a third year and still getting bullied.

"Pick them up," she said again more defiant this time. I then noticed a wand in her had. I was scared that if I didn't do what she said she would hex me. I also knew that if I did do what she said, when my guard was down she would hex me as well. Either way I would lose and I needed to get to class so I decided to do what she said and pick up my books. The Slytherin girls' laughed in delight of pushing me around. I didn't know what was going on, but the next thing I knew I was about three feet from where my books were. I had been blown back by a spell Melissa had sent at me.

"Had enough?" she asked mockingly and her friends laughed. 'Had enough' I didn't even ask for any to begin with. It was times like there I hated being a Weasley, I just hated this abuse.

Suddenly, as I tried to sit up, Colin came to my rescue.

"Don't touch her," he said to Melissa bravely.

"And what are you going to do about it pip-squeak," she said, rather than asked, turning towards him.

"I- I-" Colin stuttered.

"Nothing, that's what I thought," Melissa turned back to look at me again and said, "Now run along little one, I've got some business to finish up."

'Little one?' I thought. Sure Colin was smaller than the rest of the boys in our class but he was still the same age as her. I also knew that he hated when people made fun of him because of his size so I wasn't surprised when he continued strongly, "You will not touch Ginny again!"

Melissa turned back to him and said disgusted, "Excuse me?"

"You heard me; you will not touch her again."

Melissa set a glare at him. He had made a mistake and she was going to make sure he paid for it. I seemed to have had some sort of black out because the next thing I knew I was on top of Melissa, continuously punching her anywhere I could reach, while she screamed for help. Colin lay slumped on the floor unconscious near by and her friends were backing up very slowly.

"Miss Weasley! Miss Lucassen!" Professor McGonagall yelled as she came out of a room just down the hall to see what all the commotion was about.

I had landed myself in detention for that, along with Melissa. Her friends got out of it because they ran away just as they heard the door that Professor McGonagall came out of open. Thankfully we were in separate room doing separate things but it didn't quite matter in the long run. I found out later that I now struck fear in Melissa. She hadn't thought that I would one day snap and punch her in the face like that.

The next day I visited Colin in the hospital wing where he was doing a lot better. I asked him why he stood up for me the way he did. He blushed and replied, "Oh, you know, just…er-…helping a friend." I should've known from how he said that that he wished there was something more between us. I think he also believed I liked him as well since I stood up for him. He found out the truth though the day Harry and I started going out, that my feelings were no more than friendly and I guess it broke his heart.

Why hadn't I seen it?

A/N: I hope you guys enjoyed it. I'm guessing in all the stories I write there will always be what I call a pride and joy chapter. It's the chapter that I like the best and can read over and over again and still love it. In the Marauder story I wrote that was chapter twelve. For this story so far I'd have to say it was this chapter. I thought this chapter would be pretty bad but after I wrote it I fell in love with the whole jealous part and the memory portion. I hope you guys feel the same! Can you please try to read and review? I'd like to know what you think! Cheers!