As Ginny peeled Harry's letter open, her heart began thumping wildly in her chest. She sighed for a moment and then she ripped it open and began reading:

Dear Ginny

It's been a month since we left home and we're nowhere closer to finding out what we're meant to be doing than we had when we left. Ron is getting a little grumpy about Hermione's cooking, but other than that, there's nothing much interesting that's happened.

I'm sending this letter from Grimmauld Place because I don't know when I'll be able to try and contact you. I found some parchment and a quill of Sirius's that I'll hopefully be able to take with on my travels in order to contact you maybe a little more often.

Otherwise, I hope Hogwarts is treating you well and that you're dominating Quidditch! I wouldn't expect anything less from you. I hope you're making friends and that you're moving on from me. I know this letter probably won't help things in that regard, but I have been keeping an eye on you through the Marauder's map…ok that sounds creepy…but I just want to check that you're doing ok. That you're still going about your daily activities and I'm pleased to see you are.

I see you've been with Neville and Colin a lot? They're good guys Ginny and please don't let me hold you back if you have feelings for either of them. I would never hold it against you. I just want you to be happy. That's what matters most. Please be happy, for me.

I miss you constantly

Love

Harry

Ginny's heart was soaring after reading the letter! He was still thinking about her! This made her grin from ear to ear and she sighed in satisfaction. She held the letter close to her heart and then read it again. it had made a month of no news seem so worthwhile.

XXX

The first Quidditch practice went smoothly. Ginny had made Katie chaser, along with Demelza and a newcomer, Christopher. Christopher was not only a good beater, but also a good chaser. And then the beaters were Andrew and Charlotte. Unfortunately, Jack's poor skills meant he wasn't back on the team. He had glowered at Ginny several times in the corridors but she couldn't help it. It would have been unfair to put him back on when Charlotte performed far better in tryouts. And finally, Ginny had no choice but to put McLaggen on the team.

She had requested to meet him prior to practice when she'd seen him earlier in the day. McLaggen had smirked and said, "Oh! Interested in a little make out session are we?" She had punched him outside the great hall in the shoulder and not in a playful manner. McGonagall, had unfortunately, walked past there and then and questioned her intentions, "Every thing alright, Miss Weasley?" Ginny smiled innocently, "Yes, professor. I'm just putting someone in their place." She nodded with a chuckle and walked off. McLaggen had retorted, "Its fine. I don't want Potter's seconds anyway."

Ginny had scowled at him, but otherwise said nothing. She didn't feel like arguing with him. Before practice, she had spoken to him outside the locker room. He had walked up to her cockily and remarked, "Why the private lecture?" Ginny stared at him forcefully and said, "I will not tolerate arrogance on this team, McLaggen! If you so much as show an ounce of it, you'll be off." He rolled his eyes, "I don't believe you." She whispered through gritted teeth, "Try me." She raised an eyebrow at him and he sighed, "Fine. No arrogance. I promise." Ginny nodded in satisfaction and then they waited for the others to arrive.

XXX

The team members seemed to be getting on relatively well, with McLaggen being the rare exception. Ginny pondered over what she was going to do about him. He trying not to be arrogant, she could tell, but it was no easy feat for him. He seemed sour around the team, and particularly didn't like Andrew and Christopher- the only other guys on her team. She found that strange, but she didn't want to pay too much attention to it.

So at the end of practice, Ginny approached him again and asked him to stay behind. He frowned at her and groaned, "What did I do? I didn't say anything that was…you know…wrong of me or arrogant." Ginny smiled a little and folded her arms, "No, you didn't. But you didn't exactly communicate with the other team members very well either. You just sort of did your own thing."

This made McLaggen sigh and he glanced away from her. Then he looked at her with piercing brown eyes and said, "Have you maybe considered the way I act the way I do is because I don't get along well with people?" Ginny frowned and muttered, "That doesn't make much sense, does it?" He sighed and watched her cautiously, "Get to know me, and you'll see what I mean."
Ginny bit her lip. Did she really want to get to know this guy? The guy who had tried to beat her brother out of the Keeper position? The guy who Harry had despised so much last year? Wouldn't that be in some ways betraying her loyalty to them…Ginny gritted her teeth and told herself firmly: no. That would in no way be disloyal. And it's not like she was joining the Death Eater's or anything. Maybe all McLaggen needed was for someone to believe in him, and for him to prove his worth. Harry had given her that opportunity, so now she needed to do the same. She smiled gently, "Alright then. I'll get to know you. I believe in second chances. But I'm warning you, if you do something to cross my path or make me loose faith in you, you won't get another." He nodded in agreement and even issued Ginny a small, grateful smiled. He held out his hand and she shook it, "Deal," he said, nodding in agreement. Ginny couldn't help but smile, "Deal."

XXX

Over the course of the next few weeks, Ginny spent some time getting to know McLaggen, as promised. He hadn't become an angel overnight, but she could tell he was trying to be sincere, at least. There was a game in one Saturday's time. It was a Saturday afternoon practice and Ginny had the team trying to score goals past McLaggen. Everybody kept failing to get one past him and he smirked every time.
Eventually Demeleza asked her, "Ginny, can we have a time out please? I'm beat." She sighed and nodded. It was only fourty five minutes into practice and she had booked the pitch until four o clock. It was now two fourty five. She nodded anyway and said, "Sure, Demelza. Take ten and be back here at three please?" Demelza smiled at her gratefully and everyone touched down.

When they had left, McLaggen sauntered off to the wooden benches that were resurrected when they needed breaks for practice. Ginny went to go and sit with him. She sighed as she sat beside him and asked, "Could you maybe give our Chaser's a slight hope that they can get the ball through? Just to give them a bit of confidence?" He raised a blonde eyebrow at her and asked skeptically, "What? Make them think they're doing better than they are?" Ginny sighed, "I know it sounds silly…but without that confidence we don't stand a chance in hell."
McLaggen laughed lightly and said, "You've got that right." Ginny rolled her eyes and muttered, "You're no help." He chuckled and took a swig of water. He then looked at her kindly and said, "Of course I will do it. Anything for you, captain." He winked at her and Ginny rolled her eyes, "Remember what I said about getting too cocky…" He rolled his eyes, "Come on! I was just teasing!"
Ginny couldn't help but smirk back at them and then he said, "By the way, I have a letter for you." At the mention of a letter, her heart rate sped up. But then she had to remind herself that there was not a chance on earth that McLaggen had somehow managed to get a letter from Harry. He handed it to her, and it had a sort of familiar handwriting on it.
She opened it and it read:

Dear Miss Weasley

I'm sorry to inform you that your behavior of misconduct has earned you detention.

Three wrongdoings will earn you several hours of detention with me.
I'll see you on Saturday evening after dinner. Please come and meet me in my classroom.

Mr Carrow

Ginny frowned at the letter in puzzlement. She mumbled, "He wants me for detention…this evening. Isn't that strange?" McLaggen frowned too, "Who, Amycus? It is rather strange. Doesn't detention happen on a Saturday morning usually?" Ginny nodded and bit her lip. She sighed, "I don't like the sound of this. Will you come with me after supper please, just to make sure everything is in order?"
McLaggen nodded seriously, "Of course, Ginny. I'll be there." She smiled at him gratefully and then saw the rest of the team walking back towards her. She sighed and muttered to him, "Remember go easy on them." He nodded with his infamous smirk and then she said them, "Alright guys, back in the air! We'll try this again!"

XXX

It was funny how things worked in social matters. When McLaggen joined Ginny after practice at the dinner table, she had been surprised. Sure, he didn't seem to have many other friends, but still…she had always thought he at least had some friends. When he sat down next to her, Seamus asked, "What's this imbecile doing here?"

Ginny shrugged her shoulders, "He's just joining us for dinner, Seamus. Nothing to worry about." Seamus frowned at her skeptically but otherwise passed no other comment. They spoke about their classes and Quidditch. Seamus asked her, "Gin, how's he as the Keeper? Is he as good as Ron?" Ginny chuckled and replied, "McLaggen is far too confident, that's his problem. He needs to tone it down notch." Ginny winked at him and he rolled his eyes, "Hey! I can't help being this brilliant!" He winked back at her. He had said it in a teasing tone, rather than an arrogant one so she laughed with him.

Seamus smirked, "So you think we stand a good chance against Ravenclaw?" Ginny nodded and murmured, "I beat Cho last year, I'm pretty sure I can do it again. And everyone else seems to get on pretty well. I reckon communication is vital to winning." Neville said in a happy tone, "Good stuff, Ginny! I firmly believe we can win this!" She beamed at him gratefully.

XXX

After dinner, Ginny ran into Pansy Parkinson. She was walking with McLaggen down to Carrow's office and Pansy smirked, "Weasley. Carrow is waiting for you." She had a couple of gal pals with her and Draco Malfoy. She rolled her eyes and said, "I know, Parkinson. I'm on my way there right now." As she tried walking past, Pansy shoved her non-too-gently and Ginny gasped, "HEY! Watch it!"

Pansy turned around and smirked, "Sorry, what was that, Weasley?" All the girls were laughing and Draco was avoiding eye contact. She wasn't expecting him to stand up for her, but he looked like he just didn't care. That's when McLaggen said, "Better apologize, Parkinson. She does a nasty Bat Bogey hex!" Ginny smiled at him in thanks and then she turned back to Parkinison. The elder girl rolled her eyes and retorted, "Please! Why would I apologize to a blood traitor like her?!"
Ginny's wand was out of her robes before she could help herself. She aimed it at Parkinson and she was about to use it when Malfoy stepped in front of the black haired, beady-eyed girl. He glared at her and said seriously, "Weasley, don't you have a detention to be getting to? Aren't you in enough trouble already?" Draco was daring her to do it. The glint in his dark eyes was telling her so. Ginny bit her lip. He was right. Was he actually saving her from being in more trouble? She debated hexing him too, but then remembered the drama that would cause. Instead, she grabbed McLaggen's arm and pulled him away from the group of Slytherin's and to her detention.

A/N: Hi All! I'm back from the most amazing holiday! I got to see giraffe, Wildebesst, a little Bambi buck- only one week or so old!- and lions, tigers, etc the whole lot! Was truly one of the best holidays I've had in a long time. Anyway, I managed to find some time to sit down and write in between too! So here's a nice long chapter for you guys. Enjoy!