Later that evening in the common room, everyone was avoiding Harry. That was everyone except Hermione and herself. When Fred and George entered, they gave Harry a dirty look. They were obviously jealous. Eventually Harry got up from the table they were at and murmured, "I'm going to the library." Hermione whispered to Ginny, "You should follow him. Try and speak to him." Ginny nodded and caught up with him quickly, "Harry! Harry wait!" He turned around as if he was surprised to see her there.
She sighed and asked, "I don't believe you did it, Harry. I saw the look of surprise on your face when your name came out, and that was enough for me to know." Harry nodded and mumbled softly, "Thanks, Gin." He grimaced and wrapped her arms around him, pulling him into a tight hug. He took a second longer to wrap his arms around her waist. She could feel his shoulders were tense as she rubbed them soothingly.
At that precise moment, none other than Ron and Dean came out of the portrait hole. Ron hadn't spoken a word to Harry since his name was selected and she knew he was jealous. Ginny removed herself from the embrace as soon as she saw her brother. Dean sneered, "Oh yeah, support the champion!" Ginny froze as tension rippled through her. She barely spoke much to Dean on a daily basis, but she didn't deserve this so she retorted, "I don't think comforting someone who didn't expect to be in the tournament is a crime. I would do the same for either of you twits!" Ron looked affronted and shook his head, "Well don't let us stop you lovebirds," he hissed and he nudged Harry's shoulder rudely. Ginny yelled after him, "You're just a jealous idiot you know that?" She got no response and felt extremely satisfied.
Ginny watched them leave and Harry watched too. He turned to her and whispered, "You didn't need to stand up for me." She frowned and replied, "Of course I did! We're friends. Just because my jerk of a brother doesn't know the meaning of the word, doesn't mean I don't." This caused Harry to smile on one corner of his mouth but then he sighed, "You should probably keep your distance though. I don't want people giving you a hard time because you believe I'm innocent." Ginny groaned and replied, "Harry, I don't care what most of them think. They're going to talk but they can't change my mind." Harry smiled slightly, "Thanks Gin. You're the best. Just please don't get into any fights because of it, please. It's not worth it." Ginny bit her lip as they walked to the library, "I'm sorry Harry, I can't promise you that."
The following morning when she walked into the Gryffindor common room, Ginny felt everyone's eyes turn to her. People were still milling around, waiting for their friends so that they could go down to breakfast. It was almost as if she had been chosen to be in the tournament, just because she supported Harry. She felt tense as she walked out of the common room and downstairs on her own.
About halfway down the stairs, she heard Hermione yelling, "Ginny!" Ginny turned and saw her best friend huffing as she climbed onto the staircase with her. Hermione mumbled irritably, "I can't believe Ron is idiotic enough to believe that Harry would willingly put his own name into the Goblet! How thick can you get?" Ginny nodded in agreement as they made their way down the stairs, "Yeah and everyone else seems to think that because Ron is stupid enough to! Dean insulted me last night." Hermione's eyes widened in surprise, "Oh my word I'm sorry Ginny! What did he say?" Ginny shrugged and replied, "Well when Harry left, and I followed, I gave him a hug just to comfort him, and then Ron and Dean walked out and Dean accused me of supporting Harry because he was picked as a champion. I argued with Ron and then they left. Hermione shook her head in annoyance, "Ronald really needs to grow up soon!" She muttered. Ginny sighed in agreement, "Tell me about it!"
When Ginny entered the dining hall, her path was blocked by none other than Draco Malfoy. He was smirking at her as usual and he grinned, "Weaslette. I hear you're siding on team Potter!" Ginny ignored him but he caught her arm and pulled her backwards before saying snidely, "I'm sure Diggory won't be impressed, especially after his display of affections towards you last night." Ginny retorted irritably, "Watch it Malfoy. It's none of your business." Draco raised his eyebrow at her and put something in her hand. She held it up to look at it. It was a badge with Cedric's face on it reading, "The real Hogwarts Champion!" and then dissolved into Harry's face and read, "Potter Stinks." Ginny looked up to see him wearing one, as well as Crabbe and Goyle. Malfoy grinned and laughed, "When you've decided who you support, you can either wear it or not. The choice is up to you." With that he walked away laughing. When Ginny reached the table, she cast Incendio on the badge and it disintegrated into bits and pieces. When Ginny glanced up at Hermione, she noticed a few people in the house watching her intensely.
That's when Colin walked up to her and for a moment she thought he was going to ignore her too. However, when he sat down beside her and whispered, "I've got your back, Gin," she knew they were still going to be friends. Ginny nodded and smiled in relief, "Thank you, Colin. You're a good friend." He nodded and whispered, "I don't think Harry did it. I saw his expression and he was genuinely surprised. Someone must have put it in for him." Ginny nodded as did Hermione who whispered, "But who?" Ginny grimaced and whispered, "Possibly a Slytherin who wants to see Harry injured?" Hermione shook her head, "I don't think even Draco Malfoy could convince an older student to put Harry's name in when they could get found out." As they ate breakfast, Ginny waited for Harry to come down, but he didn't pitch. She supposed he was avoiding the unwanted attention and she didn't blame him.
As she left the Great Hall, Ginny ran into Cedric. He was surrounded by fellow Hufflepuff's, who were wearing the "Potter stinks," badges. Cedric looked suitably embarrassed by them as he said grimly, "Hey Gin. Can I have a word with you?" Ginny nodded as he pulled her aside into the foyer. Once his friends had walked off, Cedric whispered, "Ginny…did Harry tell you that he was putting his name in the Goblet?" Ginny laughed harshly and whispered, "No Cedric. He most definitely didn't put his name in. I know you had left by then, and your friends with their "Potter Stinks," badges probably wouldn't tell you this, but Harry is devastated. He really doesn't want to be in this tournament and I could tell from his facial expression that he was just as surprised as everyone else."
Cedric seemed surprised that Ginny was defending Harry so rigorously. He murmured, "I didn't realize you and Harry were such good friends." Ginny shrugged her shoulders, "We've been through a lot together in the past two years and I know him well enough to say that he definitely doesn't want this attention. He has enough of it as it is." Ginny noticed however, that Cedric wasn't wearing the Potter stinks badges. She was looking at his robes and it was as if he read her mind when he said, "I trust your judgment about Harry. He seems like a good guy. I'll ask them not to wear the badges. I didn't want them to anyway. It's so silly."
Ginny nodded and sighed, "Thanks. Sorry I'm just having a hard time about all this myself. Because I believe Harry, the rest of the house is determined to make sure I suffer for it too." Cedric shook his head in disagreement, "That's wrong. It's not you who got chosen." Ginny nodded and sighed, "Yeah well what can I do? Good luck with the first task, Ced." He hugged her and as she pulled away he kissed her cheek again. She laughed and asked as the blush spread across her cheeks, "Is this going to become a regular habit of yours?" He chuckled and winked at her as he walked away, "I hope so. See ya around Gin!" Ginny felt butterflies in her stomach.