The following morning, Ginny was walking down to breakfast by herself. On her way there, she bumped into Michael. He smiled at her and asked, "Hey Gin, How are you doing?" Ginny shrugged her shoulders and replied, "I'm okay, thanks! Can't complain and you?" He nodded, "I'm good thank you. Are you going to Hogwarts this weekend?" She grinned and nodded, "Yeah I am! I'm so sick of being cooped up indoors. Are you going?" He nodded happily and asked, "I was rather hoping you'd come with me."
This took her by surprise. She hadn't thought of going out with anyone since Cedric and the thought scared her a little. So instead Ginny said, "I'd really like to go with you, Michael, but could we go a just friends first please? I'd really like to get to know you more and I haven't really moved on from…" she didn't need to finished her sentence as Michael caught on, "Oh…yes I see. Sure no worries. Friends then?" She grinned in relief, "Thanks, Michael! So what time do we meet?"
As they reached the entrance hall, he told her, "How about ten? Since they leave at quarter past? Should we meet here?" Ginny nodded happily, "That's great! See you then, Michael." His blue eyes shone at her and she walked towards Hermione who was already up and having breakfast. She was sitting beside her brother and Ginny sat opposite them.
Hermione looked up and asked curiously, "So…how did you change Harry's attitude?" Ginny frowned as an empty plate with a bowl in the centre appeared in front of her, along with her knives and cutlery and she began dishing strawberry yoghurt into her bowl as she said, "Um…I spoke to him?" Ron rolled his eyes, "Oh come on! There must have been something else?" Ginny shrugged and she pretended to be thinking hard as she said, "I might have told him that I overheard a conversation in the girls bathroom which made him pretty happy." Hermione glanced at Ron and grinned, "Which is…?" Ginny shrugged her shoulders again and replied carelessly, "Cho likes him."
Ron almost spat out the pumpkin juice he'd just taken a sip of. She laughed how it took a lot of effort for him to swallow it. Hermione was beaming from ear to ear, "Oh that's fantastic! So she believes him after all, obviously. Well, I hope they do something about it." Ron chuckled, "Knowing Harry, he will let it stew until it gets too much for him to handle. Remember how long it took to even ask her to the ball?" Hermione coughed and retorted, "I don't recall you asking anyone except me when you finally realized I was a girl and still wouldn't believe I had a date! Well, that's not including the time you basically yelled at Fleur in front of the entire school." Ron looked like he was turning red from anger until he looked to Ginny's left.
It was Harry. He smiled at them grimly and asked, "May I join you?" Hermione issued him a shy look and smiled and nodded, as did Ron who's face lit up and replied, "Sure mate!" She knew things had been strained between the two of them and she was proud of her brother for being mature about the situation.
Suddenly a whole bunch of students began filing out of the Great Hall. They seemed to be heading towards the main courtyard.
The four of them got up and followed the crowd. Luna joined them and Ginny asked her, "Do you know what's going on?" Luna nodded and whispered, "McGonagall is confronting Umbridge." Ginny glanced at Harry. Ginny thanked her and they ran towards the entrance hall where the voices were coming from. She could hear Umbridge's voice echoing, "I'm sorry professor, but what exactly are you insinuating?" They had reached the entrance hall, where quite a crowd had gathered to watch the show down. McGonagall stood tall and explained, "I'm merely requesting that when it comes to my students, you merely prescribe to the proper disciplinary practices." Umbridge stopped walking and turned to face McGonagall before saying, "It's so silly of me, but it sounds as if you're questioning my authority in my own classroom." McGonagall fired back, "Not at all, Dolores, merely your medieval methods." Umbridge fired back with a comment about McGonagall questioning the ministry through questioning her own practices.
Then she turned to face the crowd and announced, "Things at Hogwarts are far words than I feared. Cornelius will want to take serious action!" This caused Ginny to glance at Harry with a distasteful expression and then Umbridge continued, "Back to breakfast with you lot!"
This caused them all to turn back to the dining room. Ginny whispered to Harry, "I wonder who complained." Harry shook his head, "It wasn't me." She nodded and sighed, "Nor me. I didn't want to give her the satisfaction! It must have been a younger student." Harry nodded and Ginny glanced at his hand-the cut in it infinitely worse than her own, "Blimey, Harry! What has she done to your hand?" Harry turned to face her and whispered, "Okay please don't tell Ron and Hermione, but she actually gave me detention for the whole of this week." Ginny frowned and asked, "But last night you were in the dormitory?" He nodded and sighed, "Yeah, I was in before you were, during dinner."
Ginny groaned and shook her head, "Why didn't you tell us?" Harry sighed and whispered, "Because McGonagall called me in for a meeting-about not back chatting Umbridge. You see, Hermione is right. It's not worth our time." As they approached the table and sat beside each other, Ginny whispered, "I wonder what Umbridge meant by 'serious action.'" Harry nodded and he refused to eat any breakfast.
She looked opposite them at Ron, who was shoving his face with Hot Cross Buns. She laughed at asked, "What's the rush?" Once he swallowed he replied, "I'm trying out for Keeper tomorrow." Ginny raised her eyebrows in surprise, "Oh! I'm surprised! Good luck. Not that that has anything to do with what I asked…" Ron rolled his eyes and continued scavenging away.
Hermione whispered, "I cannot believe Umbridge! She's taking over the school." Ginny shook her head in disgust, "I wonder what she will do now that someone has complained. Hopefully it can only get better from here." They all nodded in agreement and Ginny smiled as she saw Michael watching her from the Ravenclaw table. He grinned at her when they held eye contact and Harry grinned at her, "Corner is eyeing you," he commented teasingly.
Ginny shrugged her shoulders and whispered, "Yeah well…we kissed once." Ron literally spat out his pumpkin juice at this statement and he gasped, "You kissed Corner." Ginny rolled her eyes and she shrugged, "Actually, he kissed me. It's none of your business though." Hermione raised her eyebrow but otherwise didn't comment. Ron shook his head in dismay and Ginny sighed, "If it makes it easier for you Ronald, forget I ever said anything."
At this point, Fred and George appeared out of nowhere and sat down beside them, "Did I hear correctly that our little Gin-Gin has been kissing Corner?" Ginny rolled her eyes and retorted, "Yes, not that it's any of your business. And like I said it was last year." Hermione, in a very astute manner pointed out, "Actually, you never mentioned when."
Ginny grimaced and shrugged, "Didn't think it really mattered. Or that it was anyone else's business." George shook his head, "That's where you're wrong little sis! What's your business is our business. We need to know who you have your sights on. We need to stay informed." Fred and Ron nodded in agreement and Ginny countered, "I never check up on you and who you're with. Besides it was one kiss." Now she felt positively embarrassed about discussing this with her brothers and in front of Harry and Hermione.
George shrugged, "It's your choice not to check up on us. But we learnt after your first year it's good to get involved in each others' lives." In that moment Ginny felt entirely claustrophobic and so she got up hastily and murmured, "I'm late for Potions. See you later," she said to the table at large. She hurried out of the hall before anyone could say anything more.
Author's Note: Hey guys, I have a very busy week ahead and therefore I'm sorry that I won't be able to post every day. I will try and post every other day but unfortunately, no guarantees can be made! I also just want to say a big thank you to everyone who's following and enjoying this story. It's turning out to be a lot longer than I expected but that's cause I'm having fun writing it so much. So thank you again!