Chapter 5

Ron opened his mouth to say something, undoubtedly a phrase with the words Ginny, Slytherin and a verb, in the same sentence. But Hermione cut in.

"Save it, Ron, until after the feast," bossed Hermione, "Don't ruin the first day back for Ginny, plus you need to set a good example for the first years."

Upon hearing his stomach emit a large growl, Ron grudgingly conceded. Ginny beamed at Hermione. "Thank you," Ginny mouthed. Hermione just nodded and smiled.

After the sorting song, and the initial din of conversation died down, Ginny glanced over to the Slytherin table. She saw Blaise lean in and whisper something to Draco. Draco sought out Ginny at the Gryffindor table; he had concern written all over his features. Ginny tried motioning toward the door, but at that moment Ron decided he couldn't contain himself any longer.

"We need to talk, Ginerva Molly Weasley."

"No, Ronald Billius Weasley, Weasley, you need to listen," spat Ginny who was beginning to turn red in the face.

Both of the Weasley's ears were glowing red- that was never a good sign. Wizened Gryffindors scooted out of they way, pulling clueless first years with them. They'd never seen the tempers of both Ron and Ginny Weasley combined.

"Ron, you hold no power over me. You can't tell me who my friends should be," Ginny said, trying to keep her voice even and temper in check, "they make me happy, Ron. Do you not want to see me happy?"

"Ha!" yelled Ron, pounding his fist on the table, making the population of the Gryffindor table jump. All heads in the Great Hall swiveled towards the two flaming red-heads, "So that's your excuse," Ron shouted, Ginny looked more than slightly confused, "Happiness- that's your excuse to go and snog the whole of Slytherin!" Ron bellowed rising from his seat. Harry looked up at the mention of snogging.

Ginny stood up too. She was not going to take her brother's accusations sitting down (A/N, no pun intended). "How dare you! I would never do that. I'm not Harry!"

"Oi! Don't bring me into this," shouted Harry.

"Shut it, Potter," both Ginny and Ron yelled.

"I saw you at it. Fraternizing with Zambini and that sixth year Quinn. And I heard on the train about Crabbe and Goyle, what were you, the first girl in line? You're no better than that ugly slag Parkinson!"

Upon hearing this comment, Ginny slapped Ron across the face. "Don' t you ever call her that again. Don't you ever talk about my friends like that. You have no right to insult people you know nothing about, Ronald!"

Across the hall, the Slytherins were watching Ron with narrowed eyes. Blaise looked ready to hex Ron for taking a jab at his girlfriend. Only Draco seemed slightly amused. Slightly. But that was only because his girlfriend appeared to have the upper hand.

Ginny glanced around and noticed that the entire hall was focused in on them with rapt attention. Even Dumbledore stood speechless. Ginny really didn't want the entire school thinking she was a slag, or listening in on what should have been a private conversation between siblings. Ginny reached over and grasped her brother's arm.

"Ron, please, stop. I'm sorry, let's talk about this elsewhere," Ginny pleaded in a lower voice. But Ron's anger at his baby sister was beyond reason.

He shoved off her hand, "Don't touch me, you Gryffindor whore. Weasley's don't consort with Slytherin's. Ever. I never believed those that called us blood traitors were right, but they were. They were right about you. You are a disgrace. You've probably not only betrayed our family, but the light side as well. Don't ever speak to me again, you common slag. You'll find no place here."

Tears were pouring down Ginny's face. Why was Ron saying such awful things to her?

"Do you really believe that, Ron? Do you? I love our family more than anything," Ginny choked out.

"I meant every word," said Ron, "Get out of my face," he spat while pointing toward the Slytherin table, "You're no better than Slytherin scum, slag. You are no Gryffindor. You are no Weasley. You aren't my sister. You might as well be a Death Eater!" yelled Ron.

The silence in the hall was deafening. First years were cowering, teacher's sat rigid in their chairs, Draco was gripping the table in anger and his eyes had turned slate gray, Pansy and Damien were barely restraining Blaise from beating the shit out of Ron, Hermione was silently crying, and even Harry stopped snogging a 5th year to watch Ginny's reaction.

"I hate you," Ginny whispered, "I HATE YOU!" she yelled, "Verrenté!" Draco grimaced involuntarily; he knew the effects of that spell a little too well. Ron's bogey's attacked him as Ginny ran from the hall sobbing. Pansy got up to run after her, but Draco stopped her, "I'll go."

The great hall swelled with chatter as everyone talked over the recent events. The only silent table was Slytherin. Most had come to respect Ginerva Weasley (She is a pureblood, after all), and she was cunning enough to earn a place with Damien, who was pretty influential for a sixth year, Pansy, Blaise and Draco- all revered pure bloods. They were all glaring at Ron, no doubt planning his doom.

Meanwhile, back at the Gryffindor table, "Finite Incantatum," whispered Hermione, pointing her wand at Ron's face. Ron was still breathing heavily from the fight and his face was a blooming scarlet. Hermione still had tears running down her face.

"Oh, Ron. What have you done? I know you don't really think those things. Why did you go overboard in such a manner?"

Ron at least had the decency to look guilty. "I know Hermione. Sometimes my temper gets the better of me."

"Ronald, that is no excuse. If Ginny deems her Slytherin friends worthy of her acceptance, then we should trust her. I've seen them interact, Ron, they are not using her. They truly care about her and you know Ginny loves her family more than anything, and is so proud of being a Weasley. Why did you yell at her?"

"Merlin Hermione, I don't know. It's just something inside me snapped and I couldn't stop. Why couldn't she befriend a bunch of Ravenclaws or even those moronic Hufflepuffs, why choose people from Slytherin? Well, at least she isn't fraternizing with Malfoy."

"As much a Bastard Malfoy is, he's second to me in all my classes, except potions. He beat me there. Not to mention he's wicked cute."

"Hermione!" Ron gasped in shock, "but he calls you Mudblood!"

"Oh, grow up Ron, go apologise to Ginny"

"You're right, I'll find her after dessert."

Hermione growled at Ron, but Ron chose to ignore it. He needed time to cool down and figured Ginny needed time too.

When Ginny ran from the hall, she ran until she was so blinded by tears that she stumbled and fell. She had never felt so worthless in all her life. How could Ron say such mean things to her? In her heart she knew Ron didn't really mean what he said, but a large part of her believed he really did hate her. Ginny just curled up into a ball and sobbed harder- she felt so lost.

Trying to avoid being seen, Draco had casually slipped out of the Great Hall after Ginny, but little did her know a pair of twinkling eyes followed him from the hall. As soon as the oak doors shut behind him, Draco sprinted frantically in search of Ginny. His gut told him to run toward the dungeons, so he did. He ran past the Slytherin entrance and turned down a dark hall. He heard muffled sobs coming from the end of the corridor. He ran faster.

The sight before him broke Draco's heart. The normally strong, proud and resilient Ginerva Weasley was lying on the ground in a crumpled heap.

A/N sorry about the dialogue in the arguments. I'm really horrible at writing those, because I'm horrible at them in real life. My one and only comeback is "Your face" which I feel is more effective than "your mother." Ooo, I am so far from where I want to be with the plot, no worries, I'll bring it back around at then end of the next chapter.