The following day was a nightmare in every possible meaning of the word. Ginny had literally never in her whole life seen Ron so angry. To make matters worse, he was taking it out on everyone around him. She saw him snapping at first years to move out of his way when he sat down at the breakfast table, as far away as he could get from Harry, Hermione and herself. Dean, Seamus, and Neville joined him.
Ginny felt Harry hold her hand under the table and she relaxed as little as he said, "He will come around." She shook her head and whispered, "I'm not so sure of that. I've never seen him so agitated before in my life. This is so different, Harry, from the usual Weasley temper." She couldn't deny though, that it felt nice to have Harry's hand in hers and not feel the need to remove it instantly. It was comforting and warm. He often traced patterns on the inside of it with his thumb, and she couldn't help but notice that even though Ron was cold shouldering all three of them, Harry still had a huge, goofy smile written all across his face.
Hermione shook her head and sighed, "He's got to get over it though. Seriously it's ridiculous. I've never seen someone our age behave so badly in my life." Ginny nodded, "Well, at least he hasn't told Fred and George yet, as far as I know they're still in the blue. You think Ron's giving me hell now? They'd give me merciless teasing, torture and hell combined together in one, big torment. I'm not looking forward to that-so Ron's silent treatment is much easier to tolerate."
Hermione looked disbelieving, but she shrugged her shoulders, "Well let's cross that bridge when we come to it. For now, we just need to get through O.W.L's, and with Ron being a misery I don't know how it's going to be possible!" Ginny rolled her eyes, "Oh please! Hermione, you could write an exam and get an outstanding while the world was busy imploding around us!" Harry chuckled and nodded, "Good one!" before Hermione shook her head, "Don't be so dramatic, Ginny! Besides, that's such an unrealistic scenario anyway! I'm just glad our detentions with Umbridge are done! I need the time to study!"
Harry said suddenly and seriously, "Look! Hagrid's not at the head table!" Ginny looked in the direction he was pointing, as did Hermione. She frowned and whispered, "Neither is McGonagall! Do you think…Harry?" Her mouth fell to the floor (luckily she'd swallowed her food) and Harry gasped, "Oh no! They have!" Realization hit Ginny then and she groaned, "They've sacked Hagrid, haven't they?!" Hermione and Harry both nodded grimly, and Ginny sighed, "But McGonagall? McGonagall is so prim and proper! What could they possibly sack her about?" Harry frowned and whispered, "It's a good question! I have no idea." Ginny could tell Harry was worried, as him and Hermione shared a look full of silent communication.
Ginny asked irritably, "Why are you guys doing that? I want to know what you're saying to each other!" Harry grimaced and Hermione sighed, "Sorry Gin. It's just that…Hagrid asked us to look after something and we can't say what it is because it's top secret." Ginny raised her eyebrows and asked suddenly, "It's not…dangerous, is it?" She let go of his hand, and glanced at Hermione, "She ought to know. She can help us out-especially with Ron being how he is right now." Hermione sighed, "Oh, alright-but not here. Harry, tell Gin later."
Hermione got up and said, "See you later. I'm so nervous for muggle studies later, I can't even tell you!" They said goodbye as Malfoy strode up to them confidently and grinned, "Ah! I see Weasley has found out then! Doesn't seem to happy, does he?" Harry was about to retort when Ginny turned her back on Malfoy and whispered, "Just ignore him Harry!" They turned their backs and Malfoy continued to prod, "Been writing in a diary recently, Weasley?"
Ginny froze in the midst of eating her food. She felt her heart pounding and she knew she was going to be disruptive. She didn't care though. The fact that Malfoy even dared to mention the diary in her presence said as much. She stood up, and Harry did too, following her as she aimed her wand and whispered dangerously, "Take. That. Back. Malfoy." Harry had his wanted pointed at Malfoy too and the git smirked, "There's no reason to." Ginny murmured a spell under her breath as big, black bats were flying out of his nose, causing several Gryffindor's around them to laugh. She grinned satisfactorily as Malfoy swiped the bats off his face.
That's when Ginny heard a tell-tale cough, "Ughm." She turned stiffly to face Umbridge, who swiped her wand to rid Malfoy of the bats. Then she sighed and shook her head dismally, "You know, Miss Weasley, I don't really know what more to do with you. How many times have I been generous in only handing out detentions to you? You think you would have learnt by now. Thirty points from Gryffindor for hexing a students without reason. Detention this evening, usual time and…a warning letter to your parents describing how disappointed I am in you." She walked closer to Ginny, and came unnervingly close before whispering, "I think I'll mention the status of your relationship with Potter, hmm? By the way Potter, detention for you too, since I see your wand is withdrawn."
Umbridge trotted merely away from them and Ginny felt like she was going to lose it! She hurried out the hall as fast as her legs could carry her. She ran into the nearest bathroom, which happened to be moaning Myrtle's. She flung herself inside and sunk quickly onto the floor, feeling a break down coming on. Harry had followed her, as he sat down next to her and pulled her into his side. He stroked her hair soothingly and whispered, "Sssh, Gin, it's going to be ok." She shook her head and looked up at him with tear-stained eyes as she whispered, "It won't. Mum and dad will find out. She will be so happy that she will tell everyone and she will want them to watch my every move! Harry! I'm more worried about them than I am about Umbridge." He stroked her tears away with his thumb and kissed the top of her head, "I think that we should go to the owlery and you explain to your mum and dad what happened." Ginny grimaced, "What if the mail is intercepted?" Harry shook his head, "Use a different bird so that they don't recognize Errol." Ginny nodded and they headed up to the owlery together. It was still early so they wouldn't be late for lessons if she sent it now.
Ginny pulled out a piece of parchment and some ink from her bag and wrote:
Dear mum and dad
I have some bad news for you and I hope you understand. A certain professor has been giving me hell the entire year. It's become worse ever since Dumbledore has disappeared. Anyway, I guess I better get straight to it. I cast a Bat Bogey Hex on Malfoy during breakfast and now I'm being given a written warning and about the one thousandth detention I've had this year! I hope you can forgive me and realize that I'm not being rebellious without a purpose or reason for it.
Ginny glanced up then and asked Harry, "Should I tell them about us?" Harry nodded and whispered, "It's best if they hear it from you first before Umbridge makes it sound like we've…well you know." Ginny nodded and rolled her eyes, "Right. Done what Ron's implied we've done." This caused Harry to blush and she couldn't help but think it was terribly cute. She turned back to her parchment and continued:
Another thing you should know which will probably be in the letter and hugely exaggerated is that Harry and I are…uh…together. It's not really official, so I'm telling you both this in confidence, (particularly you mum!) because I'm sure the person sending the letter will not only exaggerate, but make you want to pull me out of Hogwarts before you can say 'Broomstick!' So, I'm begging you please not to tell anyone! Ron and Hermione are the only other people that know.
I hope you're both well and that Sirius is well too. Send mine and Harry's love to him.
Love to you both
Ginny
She scrolled the parchment up and they ascended the owlery's stairs in search for the right owl. She found a plain, barn owl who looked like a younger version of Errol and she wrote, "The Burrow" on the top of the letter before tying it to the owl's feet. It hooted lightly as she stroked it as it flew off.
Harry hugged her from behind and she smiled up at him as he kissed her cheek and said, "They will understand. Did you ask them to keep quiet about us?" Ginny nodded as she turned to face Harry and sighed, "I know mum will be so delighted that she will forget about what Umbridge said in the letter. I just hope she doesn't get overly excited and splurge to everyone!" Harry chuckled at this and nodded in agreement as he took her hand in his and they walked downstairs and he replied, "Yeah, but at least they can't kill you! I'll have a swarm of brothers on my back…probably all throwing rocks at me… "
Just as Harry said this, Cho appeared in the doorway of the owlery. Her friend, Marietta was with her and an awkward silence filled the air as Ginny let go of Harry's hand. There was a tension which was almost tangible and Cho whispered, "So it's true?" She glanced between the two of them pointedly. Harry said irritably, "What do you want Cho?" Ginny had never heard him so blunt with anyone before. He was obviously still hurt after her betrayal and Cho looked pleadingly at Harry, "Harry…please understand…Umbridge gave me Veritaserum and she brought me in for questioning! I couldn't resist her or else…" she swallowed at the stony glare Harry was giving her as he interrupted, "I don't care, Cho! She threatened Ginny with Veritaserum and Ginny didn't give in. She resisted and she always has resisted Umbridge. You didn't even try." Cho stared at the floor and whispered, "I'm so sorry, Harry. I didn't want this to happen." Harry ignored her as he took Ginny's hand and pushed passed Cho.
Once they were out of earshot, Ginny whispered to him, "That was a bit cruel Harry." He whipped around then and said angrily, "Really Ginny? You're taking her side? Of all people I thought you would have understood!" She sighed and said softly, "Harry, she's not my favourite person on earth, but I don't hate her for what she did. You must understand that Umbridge probably threatened her and actually did something about it. I was just lucky that she didn't actually give me the stuff." Harry shrugged his shoulders, "Still…she's never been much of a fighter. She's too emotional for that."
Ginny rolled her eyes and decided that arguing with him was useless. He was just in too sour at the moment and she sighed, "Fine, Harry. But staying angry won't help the situation." Ginny suddenly realized that she was running late for potions, so she leant up and kissed him on the cheek as she murmured, "I'm late! I better run! See you later!" He smiled at her and seemed to calm a bit as she hurried off at lightning speed.
That afternoon Ginny had Quidditch practice. They were playing a game against Ravenclaw which was the last game of the season. When she arrived, Angelina gave her a pep talk about how she'd be playing Seeker against Cho. Ginny's eyebrow's shot up and she groaned in frustration. Angelina asked irritably, "What's up with you, Ginny? She just grumbled under her breath, "I just always seem to be competing with Cho, that's all."
Angelina rolled her eyes and snapped, "Get over it!" Ginny was surprised at her ferocity and glanced at Fred (the twins had taken to come and watch practices since they couldn't be a part of them anymore and offer advice to the new Beaters), "What have you done?" Fred chuckled, "Is it that obvious?" Ginny nodded, "I can't think why else she'd be in this mood." Angelina turned back to them and barked again, "Ginny! I'm doing this for you or am I wasting my time?" Angelina was pointing to the board behind her at a complicated diagram depicting Cho's and the rest of Ravenclaw's most common moves. Ginny shook her head and smiled politely, "No, Ange. Please carry on. Sorry." She was grateful that Umbridge had made her detention the previous evening, because if it had been tonight she would not only suffer from Umbridge, but Angelina would have slayed her alive.
Author's Note: Hey guys!
YOU WON'T BELIEVE THIS!: I live in South Africa and Daniel Radcliffe is busy shooting a TV series here based on the game Grand Theft Auto! Soooo one of my best friends was sitting in a restaurant RIGHT NEXT TO HIM today! Oh my word I don't usually get hysterical about this kind of stuff but she messaged me straight away and I just went crazy haha! I think I would do that over anyone in Harry Potter! I can't believe he's here in my city! It's insane! I never, never, dreamt that could happen in a billion years!
The second coolest thing happened to me yesterday! I went to one of my favorite pubs/restaurants for lunch and I saw a legit GRYFFINDOR LION as a symbol outside the pub on the wall! How cool is that?! And the lion was RED! So so awesome!
It's been one lovely Harry Potter filled weekend for me !:D
Also I just want to say a big thank you to Anonymous for your wonderful reviews! They made me smile from ear to ear! I'm not in school anymore though-I'm studying to be a foundation phase teacher and I'm ¾'s of the way through my degree. Anyway, that's just a little bit more about me.
Hope you've all had an incredible long weekend!
P.S:-the capitals demonstrates my over-excitement from all of the Harry Potter-ness haha!