Something screwy's going on with either my laptop or this site... words keep going funny and I'm getting all confused... Here - I hope.. Is my next chapter how it was meant to be... finger's crossed

OK, so I'm back with a second chapter of this before I have updated F&W. Naughty I know but at least this is fresh in my mind and Snape isn't poking his nose in and messing my brain up… Well, not too much anyway!

There won't be any D/G action yet (Sorry Lost Enchanter -waves hello crazily-)
They'll still have nothing but hatred for each other for a while – or hatred and indifference maybe?!
But I'm focusing on other stuff for a little while.

Also this chapter is only about half the length of the first one – I'm toying with the idea of making the duelling chapters longer than the in-betweenies… But my mind changes like the wind so who knows!

Thanks to the people that reviewed and to those who added an alert or favourite. I have to ask – Thraxas (if you happen to read this chapter) is your name taken from those fantasy detective books?? (a few of them are hanging around in my bookcase somewhere I'm sure – very funny books, just a shame that the author might never conclude the series, sigh!)
I can't think of anywhere else I may have seen it…

Anyway I digress, on with it…

By the time she was back at the common room, Ginny was so angry that she felt like she should be foaming at the mouth.
Both she and Hermione had gone to speak with Professor McGonagall about Malfoy's use of an unofficial school spell. But as their head of house had informed them, any legal curse, hex or jinx was acceptable (and to please stop moaning as half the spells Harry, Hermione and Neville knew weren't technically on the curriculum.)

When Ginny had pointed out that the spells weren't legal, Snape had made them up and probably taught them to Malfoy to give him an unfair advantage (so typically Slytherin), McGonagall had sighed and informed them that Professor Snape ("Please Miss Weasley, have some respect for your teachers") had registered the Langlock spell, along with several others, some weeks back.

Maria, who stood nearly a foot taller than Ginny, had been forced to wrap a well muscled arm around her friend's shoulders and practically drag her away. Now that they were safely in the common room and it was unlikely that Ginny would explode, Maria let her go.

"Leave it be Ginny." She said; her hazel eyes serious for once. "Don't kick up a huge fuss or the Slytherins will have a field day with it. I bet they're already making new verses for Weasley is our King. At least Hermione kicked Pansy's arse eh? We're left with three times as many people in the running."

Ginny didn't seem to have calmed much, her eyes flashed with anger, her fists and jaw were clenched and Maria wouldn't have been surprised if sparks had shot out of her hair.
Ginny stopped grinding her teeth for a second to say something back to Maria, but at that very moment the portrait swung inwards and Ron walked in, followed by a sheepish looking Hermione and a downcast Harry.

The whole room around them burst into cheers and Harry and Hermione were literally dragged to the table which was almost sagging with the weight of all the food and drink crammed on it.
Hermione turned back briefly and called gently to Ron, but she was stuffed unceremoniously next to Harry on two "Chairs of honour" which would probably be carried round the room if Hermione didn't rein the rowdy group in. She looked extremely unhappy and tried once again to get back to Ron, but he just shook his head at her and nodded his head towards the crowd telling her to enjoy herself.

Maria watched as Ginny slowly walked over to her brother and, after a brief look between them, wrapped her arms around his waist (she could no longer reach his shoulders) and rested her head on his chest. After a moment Ron hesitantly hugged her back.
Maria could see embarrassment in Ron's bright blue eyes; after all, how many teenage boys revelled in being publicly hugged by their little sister? But she could also see that he seemed slightly relieved and a weight seemed to have lifted somewhat from his shoulders.

Ginny had told Maria once that growing up, she and Ron had been very close (not close enough for Ginny to tell him about her broom stealing activities, but there are some things that just weren't meant to be told to brothers, no matter how nice they were to you). Being the youngest two, and with only a year between them, they had looked out for each other against such dangers as the garden gnomes, the possibility of being asked to help clean anything and Fred and George's tricks.
Often, people would ask their mother if they were twins too (She always seemed rather grateful to be able to say no).
Although the relationship had relaxed a little as they grew older, and changed much more dramatically when Ron came to Hogwarts, there were still occasionally times when the bond between them became obvious again.

Ron very quickly let go of Ginny when he saw Dean and Seamus walking over to him. Ginny looked confused for a second, but when she saw the two boys coming over she gave them a brief smile and took a few steps away from them.

"Great Kick Ron." Dean said.

Seamus nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah – it was fantastic. When we start up the wizarding footie matches here, you're so gonna be the first choice for centre forward."

Ron looked ecstatic and the three boys wandered over to the butterbeers crate chatting loudly and waving their hands around.

Ginny returned to Maria looking slightly less like a feral cat which has just been let out of a very small and uncomfortable box. "He'll be fine now. We'll just have to make sure he doesn't hear anything those stinking Slytherins might be saying. He did really well – if it hadn't have been for Malfoy cheating Ron would have beaten him. Someone should teach him a lesson."

Maria frowned; Ginny didn't normally let stuff like this bother her so much. She wisely decided not to mention right now that Malfoy hadn't actually cheated. "Let's go get some grub and a butterbeer yeah?"

"Yeah ok… Hey where's Chloe? I didn't notice her when I was talking to McGonagall." Ginny looked around guiltily.

"She had to go to see the Headmaster. Apparently Chloe's parents are hoping that rather than just transferring for a year, she can stay for next year too and finish her education here. So Dumbledore said she'd have to be sorted like everyone else. I hope she's with us... But talking about missing people, where's Neville? He should be here celebrating with the others."

Ginny looked even more stricken about forgetting her good friend. She blushed slightly and scanned the room. After asking a few people, it turned out that Neville had slunk off as soon as he could after the duel and no-one had seen him since. "Oh dear, I wonder what's wrong? I'd better go find him… Are you going to wait for Chloe?"

Maria shrugged. "I'll take some food and go wait for her outside Dumbledore's office. If she's in another house then at least we can have some food together before she goes. Why don't you take some for Neville too?"

Ginny thought it was a good idea, so the two girls wrapped up some goodies in napkins and packed them in their bags along with a few butterbeers each. "I bet he'll be in the one of the greenhouses." Ginny said. "I'll look there first."

"Won't you be cold?" Asked Maria, eyeing her friends clothing. Ginny had on a short, dark blue sleeveless shift dress with white swirls here and there. At least she was wearing thick tights and thick striped socks with her Doc Marten boots (with multi coloured laces of course…)

"Nah, Herm bought me the dress so it's got one of her famous warming charms in it. As soon as the cold air hits me I'll be toasty as a… erm, as a really warm thing…"
Having Hermione as a friend could be really useful sometimes. Her 'famous warming charm' was a billion times better than anyone else's in the school and meant that they could all wear nice summer clothes whenever they wanted to, regardless of the temperature. (Sometimes a nice fluffy jumper has its appeal though).
However, Hermione had stopped short of charming Ginny's one and only mid-drift top as she was scared it would encourage Ginny to get her belly button pierced, which apparently was all the rage. ("What would your mother say?")

Walking to the little collection of huts and hothouses was always a fun journey. As Ginny meandered down the tiny pathway she trailed one hand idly through the bushes and pondered over what could have been bothering her green fingered friend. Surely he couldn't feel that bad for beating Anthony? Someone had to lose...

She skirted a patch of greenery which harboured a large web (she wasn't too keen on spiders either) and mooched through the gap which led to the first and largest greenhouse. This was Neville's favourite spot to hide out and Ginny often found him here tending to the plants. He had permission from Sprout to do pretty much whatever he wanted as she trusted him implicitly with the well-being of the plants and flowers (and anyway, since a debacle a few years back, it was rumoured that there was a very small and well hidden greenhouse where Sprout grew spares of the most important stuff.)

"Neville, are you here?" Ginny called from the doorway. Halfway down the right side of the greenhouse, a shock of brown hair appeared, followed by Longbottom's nervous looking eyes.

"Oh Ginny it's you! I should have known you'd come to find me." Neville stood up from where he'd been potting some unrecognisable plant and brushed earth from the knees of his olive green cords (he always left some gardening clothes in the tiny office behind the glasshouse.)

Taking off the heavy dragon-hide gloves he was required to wear, Neville came and gave Ginny a quick hug. "What's going on?" he asked her in his usual quiet tone.

"I should be asking you that you big loon. Why are you hiding away down here when there's a celebration party being held in your honour? Well… partly in your honour."

Neville gave a one shouldered shrug. "The Bat Thorne's needed re-planting." He said as if his half-hearted excuse was a valid reason to miss the party of the month.

Ginny crossed her arms and tapped one foot, little did she realise how much she looked like a younger version of her mother when she did this. After a very short while (pathetically short really) Neville cracked.

"I don't want a fuss made, poor Anthony… But if you must know… I'm worried Gin."

"About what? Goldstein won't hate you; it's just a game Nev. Please don't take stuff to heart so much."
Her heart went out to Neville with his complete lack of confidence. She didn't understand how someone could be so worried about what people thought of them by the time they got to the 6th year. He'd done so much and he wasn't the plump, clumsy little boy he used to be - why couldn't he see that.

He scuffed his Wellington boot a little before saying. "No, it's nothing like that. I mean I hope Anthony doesn't hate me, that would be awful – but it's just. Oh poo."

Neville mussed his hair slightly and shifted feet uncomfortably for a second before he carried on. Look – I'm worried about the next round. I know I'm not that good – No don't argue – I have to face one of those three… Harry, Hermione or – or M.Malfoy."

"Oh. I see…" Ginny said quietly, understanding flooding through her brain. Not wanting to offend her friend by suggesting why she thought he wasn't quite as good as the others, she said. "I don't think you have anything to worry about. You know loads of really cool spells and like I said, it's just a game… I'm sure Harry and Hermione will be happy to practice with you."

Neville hung his head, blushing a little at her compliment. "Thanks Ginny, but we're not allowed to practise with anyone else in the competition anymore. They stopped us before the round which decided who went into the quarter finals."

Ginny was a little taken aback. Harry, Ron and Hermione had been disappearing lots recently and she'd assumed they were practicing as they had been over the summer. "Well I'm sure they won't tell anyone if you join them."

Neville shook his head, "Dumbledore cast some kind of spell on us all so we can't practice any sort of spells which could be used in the tournament until we actually get on stage. It's a no-go; I can't even duel with any of the people who were beaten." He sighed again.

Ginny felt sorry for her friend – she felt sure that if he had a bit more conviction then he could be as good as the other competitors, well maybe not Harry, but then everyone was certain that Harry was going to win so she didn't think anyone in school could reach his skills.
And NO, that wasn't her one time crush on him rising from its cobwebby grave. Anyone who had private duelling lessons with Dumbledore had to be leaps and bounds above the other students.

Nevertheless, she didn't have to say that out loud. "Neville Longbottom. You have, with no help from anyone, reached the quarter finals of the school wizarding duels. Stop being so worried and pull yourself together. I believe in you, now show me what spells you're going to beat your next opponent with…"

Neville opened and shut his mouth a few times, looking very much like a fish. Then slowly pulled his wand from his trouser pocket and wondered what on earth he should cast first.

Walking back from the Herbology buildings took at lot longer than getting there; partly because they were pleasantly full with party food, but mainly due to Neville insisting on pointing out interesting facts about all the vegetation they passed. Ginny knew that she'd never remember half of the stuff he was saying, but hey, it made him happy.

They were both in a very good mood; Ginny's encouragement had given Neville the boost that he needed to perform spell after impressive spell (most of them involving plant-life somehow – but as Ginny commented, "hey if you've got a skill, use it to your best advantage".) and their exhilaration only increased when they reached the common room again and Neville was swirled up by the group of Gryffindors, who – if possible – were even louder than when Ginny had left.

Spotting Maria and Chloe across the room, Ginny bounded up to them. "Yay – you're a Gryff too!" She said excitedly to Chloe who, Ginny realised now that she saw her standing, was almost as tall as Maria and had the same curvy figure as her cousin (although Chloe's curves were soft, whereas Maria loved sports and was extremely well muscled.)

"Yeah." Somehow the enthusiasm seemed to be missing from Chloe's voice. Ginny laughingly asked if she was unhappy to be bundled in with such a noisy bunch.

"NO-no, of course not. No I'm really pleased I'm here." But still something seemed a little off. Ginny raised her eyebrows at the two questioningly.

Luckily enough Maria didn't let her friend down, leaning close to Ginny she said, "The hat initially wanted to put Chloe in Hufflepuff because it said she had unwavering loyalty and a dependable, loving heart."

Chloe looked completely down-hearted. "I begged to be with Maria and you; I said that my best friends were in Gryffindor and that I would be as brave as I needed to be. After asking me about a million times if I was sure, the hat finally put me here."

"So what's the problem?" Ginny asked kindly, glad that Chloe already considered her a friend; there was something about the girl which made you want to be held in high regard by her.

Maria, as ever, interrupted Chloe. "She's worried that she forced the hat to make the wrong decision and she will bring shame and ruin upon our house by being totally useless." She spoke in an over-exaggerated way, letting both Ginny and Chloe know that she thought that kind of thinking was utter rot.

"Well I didn't put it quite like that but, yeah, I'm a bit worried that I'll let you guys down. I don't want to lose you any house points or anything just because I was too stubborn to go where I belong."

Ginny grinned at the girl. "Chloe, seriously don't sweat it. Loads of people get considered for other houses" She pointed at a few people round the room. "Hermione's so smart that the hat wanted her in Ravenclaw; Neville was nearly in Hufflepuff too, as was Lucy over there and they're both great, Neville earned Gryffindor the house cup in his first year. I know a couple of people from other houses that have said they were nearly sorted differently, some were offered Gryffindor – why they said no baffles me, but each to their own. Finally... well, can you keep a secret?"

Chloe nodded, Ginny knew that Maria was useless with keeping stuff quiet from her friends (she get too excited, luckily she managed to keep a hold of herself around unsavoury characters) and she already knew this piece of info so she'd undoubtedly tell Chloe anyway.
"Harry and my brothers Fred and George were all nearly sorted into Slytherin… the sorting hat briefly considered it for me too – but in my case it kind of decided on its own that I was too emotional to be there and I'd do something wonderful in Gryffindor... We're all still waiting for that to happen by the way.
So don't worry. Dumbledore says that a person's choice should matter in things like this. He said that the hat always takes into consideration three things: who you are now, who you could be and who you want to be."

Throughout her little speech, Ginny could see Chloe growing less agitated and becoming happier.

"See!" Said Maria with a flourish. "I told you Ginny would make you feel better. Solving people's problems is obviously your wonderful thing Ginny. Speaking of which, I see Neville's joined us again."

Maria flounced over to Neville and began flirting outrageously with the shy Herbology expert, cooing over his victory as if he'd defeated Voldemort himself.
Chloe raised her eyebrows and Ginny giggled. "Maria has a thing for Neville. He told me that he's petrified of her attention – which naturally made Maria flirtier - but I think he likes it really, he just thinks she's kidding around with him."

When the girls got upstairs late in the evening, their dorm had been enlarged and an extra bed had been added for Chloe. Chloe worried that the other girls that had already settled in would think her a nuisance but Maria and Ginny had assured her that this sort of thing happened all the time. Transfer students were a regular occurrence at Hogwarts.

When Hermione passed their dorm on her way to be, she stuck her head in to say good night and after spotting the extra bed, commented that before Voldemort first rose to power, there used to be far, far more students in the giant school and almost triple the amount of teachers. But even though he had 'been defeated' (disappeared really) after the attack on the Potters, people were wary of him returning. So, lots of witches and wizards were now home schooled.

"It's a shame," Hermione said sadly. "Because they would get a much better education if they came to a proper school like this. I mean, imagine if my parents hadn't let me come here. They would have no idea how to help me learn... surely there must be lots of poor children who never get past the basics – or worse, don't get taught at all. I bet Voldemort's ruined more than any of us can even imagine" She gave a big sigh before wishing them a pleasant night's sleep.

Chloe looked so sad at Hermione's words, that Maria started an impromptu pillow fight to cheer her up. After a moment's hesitation, Ginny joined in; she didn't really want to think about all the awful things Voldemort and his Death Eaters had done, especially not when she had been having such a nice evening. Soon all the other sixth year girls had come upstairs and joined in the fight – their laughter and squeals of joy helped Ginny forget the memories that had been brought back.

When she finally fell asleep (after all the feathers had been sent flying back into their repaired cases) Ginny still had a smile on her face. She had forgotten all about Voldemort and the part of his soul she had known as Tom Riddle. She had also forgotten that until just a few hours ago, she had been very, very mad with one Draco Malfoy.

Yeah, so I tried desperately to remember the sort of rubbish my friends and I were wearing in the mid to late 90s… (I was born in 1980 so should hopefully be fairly accurate… Then again I've never been overly bothered by being fashionable so who knows!)

As far as I can remember it was a mish-mash of stuff chucked together but I do look back fondly on my blue and white swirled dress which I did indeed wear with opaque tights and D.M.s!
Oh – D.M, Doc Marten or Draco Malfoy... How cool!

Finally, sorry for the amount of brackets in this story – I just like them (if you hadn't noticed) and felt that as this was a less serious subject than F&W I could mess about a bit!

Next chapter may well be more from Draco's point of view.