It was the Monday after the match and Ginny was exhausted. She had been working tirelessly all weekend and she was now heading towards the D.A meeting as times had been changed. At the beginning of the meeting, Angelina made an announcement. She stood up confidently and told everyone, "This is mostly news for the Gryffindor's, but the people replacing Harry, Fred and George will be Andrew Kirke, Jack Sloper and Ginny Weasley, since three members of the team previously were banned for life by Professor Umbridge." At this she gave George an angry and pointed glare and Ginny couldn't believe that she'd just heard her name. The other two boys mentioned weren't present but she guessed that Jack was Colin's friend.
There was a smattering of applause and the twins gave her a look that she was certain would positively kill her. She cringed and she was determined to speak to Angelina afterwards to change her mind. Harry was clapping enthusiastically even though he was no longer in the team, as was Hermione. Ron looked uncertain as to how he felt about it.
She sighed as Michael patted her on the back, "Great job, Gin!" She turned to see him grinning at her and she smiled blandly, "Thanks. I don't know how I feel about it though. It's weird if I'm taking a position and Harry isn't." Ginny thought about how ironic it all was. She had quit the team in her second year because Harry was in it, and she was back in now because he had been forbidden to fly.
The lesson dragged more than usual but for most of it she joked and laughed with Colin, Luna and Michael, whom she realized were all fast becoming good friends. They even swapped partners at one point. Finally when the lesson was over, Ginny headed towards Angelina and she asked her politely, "Angelina…are you sure you made the right choice in choosing me?" Angelina smiled and nodded happily, "Of course, Ginny. I've seen you play. You've got major talent and it needs to be used." Ginny felt herself blushing and she murmured, "Alright, thanks. Just don't be too harsh on Harry, okay. He only attacked Malfoy because the idiot insulted my family, his family and me." At that Angelina raised her eyebrow and asked curiously, "What did the brat say about you?" Ginny shrugged her shoulders and blushed, "I don't really want to talk about it. But you can give my brothers as hard a time as you wish." Angelina giggled and nodded, "Alright then."
Ginny glanced around her to see everyone leaving. But the strangest thing was that Harry was heading off towards Cho, and he always left with Ron and Hermione. Angelina was the last one leaving now and Ginny his behind the half open door. She knew she shouldn't be doing this but she couldn't help herself. She heard Cho crying and she couldn't help but roll her eyes. Ginny heard Harry asking her worriedly, "Are you okay? I heard Umbridge gave you a rough time the other day?" Ginny heard Cho choke down her tears, "Yeah, I'm okay. Just learning all this…it makes me wonder whether he'd known it."
Ginny clenched her fists irritably. This girl had some nerve! Here was Harry, who liked her more than anyone else and she was busy crying about Cedric in front of him. Ginny heard Harry sound awkward as he said reassuringly, "He did know this. But Voldemort was better."
There was a silence as Cho sniffled, "You're a really good teacher, Harry. I've never been able to stun anything before." He was quiet and Cho whispered something that Ginny couldn't hear and then there was silence again. She couldn't help but look and see what was going on. What she saw made her feel jealousy flood through her body. She couldn't help but watch as Harry wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled Cho in for a kiss. It looked like she was still crying even though he was kissing her and she was quite willingly kissing him back. Ginny couldn't watch any longer as she hurried through the castle and ran to the closest bathroom. She couldn't deny it any longer. Ginny liked Harry again in a very non-platonic way. She felt white hot tears streaming down her cheeks and she wondered what she was crying about. Then she realized it was because Harry was busy having his first kiss, and she had always hoped it would be her. Even when she'd thought she'd given up on him, she still wanted it to be her. She'd still always had that chance and she had never taken it. It was her own fault, so why was she crying these pathetic tears?
When she arrived back in the common room about twenty minutes later, Harry, Ron and Hermione were convened in their usual spot on the couch. Hermione spotted Ginny and beckoned her towards them, waving at her. She did so and tried to put on a brave face as she sat down on the couch beside Ron and asked casually, "What's up?" Harry was contemplating something and Ginny had to pretend she didn't know what it was. He was sitting on the floor, rocking back and forth with his arms around his knees and Ron smirked, "Well…Harry here just had his first kiss!"
Ginny raised her eyebrows and pretended to be curious, "Oh really? With…?" Harry rolled his eyes, "Come off it, Gin! You know who it was with." She couldn't help but laugh at his frustrated expression. Ron nodded and 'informed' her, "Yeah. Harry says it was wet though. And Hermione says I have an emotional range of a teaspoon."Ginny chuckled and replied, "It's true. Does Chang slobber Harry? Was she crying because she couldn't kiss properly?" Harry groaned as this caused Ron and Hermione to laugh before Hermione cleared her throat, "No, Gin. She was crying about feeling guilty for kissing Harry when…" Hermione seemed to realize what she was saying and who to when she realized how Ginny felt about Cedric was the same as how Cho had felt.
She swallowed mid sentence and squeaked, "You know what I'm saying." Ginny nodded and looked at the ground. Her mind was a swirling mess. Cho had been with Cedric first. Cho had been with Harry first. Ginny knew she wasn't being fair to Harry as she had promised him only friendship but for some reason this all still hurt. Ginny had to excuse herself as she whispered, "I'm going to sleep now. Night guys." She knew she wasn't going to find any resolve around Harry.
During the night Ginny was woken by someone shaking her body. It was Hermione. She groaned and murmured, "Hermione, leave me alone!" Hermione sounded frantic as she said firmly, "No…no Ginny. You've got to get up. Your father has been hurt!" Ginny was out of bed in a flash then and she hurtled towards the bathroom and pulled her bathrobe over her nightgown. Then she asked, "How? What? How do you know? Will he be okay?" Hermione shook her head in worry and replied as they ran down the stairs, "There's no time Gin! Professor Dumbledore will explain."
They hurried along the corridor in silence and finally arrived at the gargoyle which was the entrance to Dumbledore's office. They ran up the stairs to find the rest of her brothers gathered as well as Professor's McGonagall and Snape. For a split second Ginny wondered why Snape was there, then she turned her attention to her brothers, all looking pale, and Harry who seemed like he was about to pass out where he stood.
Dumbledore was interrogating Harry about a dream he had had. Ginny walked dazedly towards Ron and he squeezed her shoulder tightly as she murmured, "What happened?" Ron shrugged and replied, "Harry had some sort of a nightmare where he said dad being attacked. Dumbledore is trying to figure out how this was possible because he was right. Dad's been injured." Ginny turned to watch Dumbledore intently as her heart pounded in her chest as he asked Harry rather abruptly, "So in the dream, Arthur was currently being attacked by the snake?" Harry shook his head irritably and replied rather forcefully, "No! I was the snake." This seemed to frighten everyone except Hermione.
Ginny wanted to go and comfort him but she didn't think that would be appropriate in front of the headmaster. Dumbledore had his back to Harry as he asked angrily, "Please will you look at me? I want to know what is happening to me!" Ginny saw something unlike anything else glitter in Harry's eyes. It was rage. Rage at Dumbledore and Harry all but worshipped Dumbledore. Now he was shaking.
Ginny didn't care anymore. She got up and wrapped her arms around Harry's waist. He tensed for a minute and then he wrapped his arms around her, squeezing her tightly. Dumbledore had turned to face Harry now and he turned to Snape, "Severus. I think you know what's going on here."
At that moment, a portrait spoke to Dumbledore and said, "Excuse me, headmaster? Mr Weasley is on the way to St Mungo's. Nymphadora Tonks and Remus Lupin were the ones who found him." Dumbledore nodded in relief, "Thank you very much. Keep me updated will you?" The portrait nodded and Dumbledore turned back to Snape, "I think, Severus, it is best if you explain to Harry what is going on here. I want to get the Weasley's safe to their mother as soon as possible."
Snape nodded and pulled Harry out of Ginny's grasp. Ginny hurried after them and pleaded, "Wait! Professor may I have a second alone with Harry, please?" The professor looked at her with utter dislike but sighed and nodded in agreement, "One minute." He walked off further along the passage and left herself and Harry in the gargoyle staircase as Ginny whispered, "Harry, listen to me. You are not like Riddle, understand? That's what he wants you to think. I know you would never willingly attack dad, or any other member of my family. You love them too much." Harry whispered, "I do love them. You guys are the only family I have and Hermione."
Ginny nodded and whispered in his ear, "Just remember that, okay? Promise me you'll remember that?" He nodded and hugged her tightly before kissing her on the forehead, "Thanks Gin. Get back safely okay. You promise me that?" She nodded and hugged him tightly, her heart pounding, "I'll see you soon, Harry." He nodded as she ran back up the stairs.
Dumbledore was saying to McGonagall, "Minerva, can you connect the fireplace to number 12 Grimmauld Place please? I think that's the best bet for them. Sirius is there and Molly can get there easily." The portrait nodded and Ginny turned to Ron, who looked worried and murmured, "It's okay, Gin. Dad will be okay. I'm just surprised Harry never told us this was happening." Ginny sighed and shook her head, "I'm not. He's been so cagey about what he reveals to us this year. He's hardly divulged anything personal, at least, not to me and now I know why."
Ron sighed and squeezed her shoulders. He didn't often show her affection unless something was seriously wrong. He whispered quietly, "Harry's had worse than this happen to him. He will be alright, Gin." She sighed and nodded, "I hope so," as Dumbledore turn to face them, worried lines etched into his forehead as he said sadly, "My office fireplace has been connected to Grimmauld Place-if you could all take some Floo Powder?" He gestured with his arm to the pot beside the fireplace, quite like the one they had at the Burrow. Ginny worried. She had some major tests coming up. But that was far down on her list of problems right now. She stepped into the fire, threw the powder in and said loudly, "12 Grimmauld Place!" before Dumbledore's office disappeared in front of her.
Author's Note: Hello everyone! Firstly, happy Easter to all those celebrating! Hope you have a blessed day. Secondly, I couldn't remember if the Weasley's go home immediately to visit their dad? But in my version they do Also I quite like the sibling love between Ron and Ginny in this chapter. What do you guys think? Also I would love to know what you think about Harry and Ginny in this scene. Would love some reviews please?