You guys better love me…I have work in an hour and a half.

Change is Everything

By: Sporkchild

Chapter Ten: So Everyone Can Know

"Hey Ginny, I know we're already late for breakfast, but can we talk?"

Said girl whipped around and found herself facing Harry. She hadn't talked to him since he stayed at the Burrow. She was quite curious about what he wanted. So she stopped and put on a fake smile.

"Thanks for waiting." Harry smiled back at her, although his was genuine.

Ginny had to admit that Harry was very good looking. His shaggy dark hair and deep green eyes were enough to drive any girl wild, but they just weren't for Ginny. Harry was tall and built and he made Ginny feel inferior just standing next to him. "Well, I need to ask you something. I though I'd get to you before Ron did. You know how overdramatic he can get about you. I hear you've been getting with Draco."

Ginny smiled and nodded. "We're thinking about getting together."

"How's that work? I've wanted you for so long, and he just decides he likes you a little bit, and you throw yourself at his feet! What about what we've shared? What about this summer?" An evil glint flashed through Harry's eyes.

"Don't Harry! You promised you wouldn't tell anyone what happened." She was scared now. Harry would tell Ron and then Draco would probably find out and Ron would expect Harry and her to get together. Harry could be her downfall.

"I will all work out that way, won't it? Besides, mummy and daddy wouldn't be too happy if they found out what we did," Harry taunted in a sing-song voice.

"You wouldn't…you've never be allowed at the Burrow again…You'd just be screwing yourself over." Harry shook his head again, the malevolent glint still in his eyes.

"I'd just tell your parents we're engaged. They would be so happy, you know that's what they want, for me and you to be together."

Ginny's eyes welled with tears. 'Damnit, don't cry in front of him, he'll think you're weak!' Ginny commanded herself. She held her tears back as she clenched her trembling fists at her sides. "You're wrong, Harry, you're damn wrong…" She turned to walk away.

"I'll tell Ron, Ginny! You know I will!"

She closed her eyes and clenched her fists so tight she felt her nails cut into the palms of her hands.

"Ginny, what's wrong?"

She finally opened her eyes and saw she'd run straight into Hermione and Connor. When she saw them like that, so…happy, something inside of her snapped. Her dam of resistance broke, and the tears flowed everywhere.

"What happened?" Hermione released Connor's hand and hurried over to where Ginny stood, sobbing into her hands without anymore control.

"Harry…and…Draco…tell….Ron…" That's all Ginny got out before she buried her face in Hermione's sweater.

Hermione 'shh'd' against Ginny's hair and waved her hand at Connor, gesturing at him to go get the three of them seats in the Great Hall. Connor nodded and walked off.

"Now, Ginny. Calm down and tell me what happened." Hermione pried the sobbing girl away from her and look down at her now drenched lavender sweater with new make-up smears.

"Sorry," Ginny mumbled, twisting a lock of her straight hair.

"Don't worry about it, hun. Just tell me what's wrong, you look like a wreck." Hermione took off her sweater and wiped the make-up off of Ginny's eyes.

"Thanks, Herms…Don't worry about it. Breakfast is waiting, let's get some food." Ginny put on a smile and hugged her friend.

"Are you sure? You were spouting like a water fountain a few minutes ago!" Hermione picked up her bag and folded her robes and soiled sweater over her free arm.

Ginny nodded and trailed behind Hermione into the Great Hall. As much as she hated to agree with Harry, she knew she was screwed. Harry would tell Ron and some agreement would have to be made.

"Ginny, are you going to sit down?"

Ginny was jerked out of her thoughts by Hermione's voice. Her friend was looking up at her in concern, along with Demi, Jayden, Neville, and Connor.

"Sorry, I've been a bit spaced out lately, I just need some food." She hurriedly sat down next to Demi and took a small swig of pumpkin juice, and almost threw up. When she saw that everyone was staring at her, she smiled and lifted the glass to her lips again, faking the drink.

Hermione was about to open her mouth when Audrey walked in, on Colin Creevy's arm. Now here was something that caught Hermione's eye. She hadn't seen the two at Hogsmeade together, and obviously not since then. 'It'd been three weeks, Audrey's due for a break up soon. And Hermione just must be blind,' Ginny thought.

Audrey quietly took a seat right across from Hermione. Obviously the older girl was surprised, and was even more so when Audrey began to speak to her.

"Can you pass the bacon?"

Even though Ginny was horribly upset, she had to fight back a laugh. Hermione's cheeks grew a crimson red. She picked up a platter and thrust it at Audrey. As it skidded toward the younger girl, Colin put out his hand, stopping it. A few pieces skittered off, landing in Audrey's lap.

"You don't have to be such a bitch, Granger."

Colin had just made a huge mistake. Connor tried to stop Hermione, but his reaction time was a second too slow. Hermione had already lunged over the table at Colin, taking Audrey down as well. Ginny could hear the young girl yelping at Hermione pummeled Colin.

Ginny slid around the side of the table, pushing through the crowd that had already formed. When she finally pushed her way through the throng of people, Ginny gasped in horror. Hermione was straddling the boy about mid-waist and had his own shoe in her right hand. She was whacking him repeatedly across the face, screaming "How dare you! Don't you ever…"

Ginny sighed in exasperation and jogged over to her friend. Hooking her arms around Hermione's waist, Ginny drug her off of the close to unconscious Colin. In a last ditch effort to hurt him, Hermione tossed the shoe at his head, hitting him yet again.

Audrey had pulled herself away when Hermione had knocked her over with Colin. She sat nearby, whimpering as she'd watched Colin be beaten by Hermione.

As Ginny kept her hold on Hermione, Professor McGonagall rushed over and immediately dropped to her knees by Colin. "Mr. Creevy! Are you alright?" Colin slightly lifted his head and Ginny cringed at the sight of his gradually forming black eye and the scrapes and bruises on his cheeks and forehead.

"Creevy, Granger, Weasley, Wells! Come with me!" McGonagall commanded sternly. Hermione had finally calmed down and was blushing and avoiding Connor's incredulous stare.

As Ginny marched past Luna, she heard the strange girl whisper, "Trouble is only what you make of it, remember?"

Yes, another slightly short chapter. Sorry, but I had all of these already planned out when I wrote this. Hope you liked the chapter…I rather like beating people in the head with their own shoes!