My world was passing by in a blur. Before I knew it, it was time for supper down at the Great Hall. My feet dragged me past the many staircases, past moving statues and pictures and past giggling students. I reached up to tie my red hair away from my face and I sighed. Hermione Granger has not disappeared from my mind since the incident in Transfiguration Class.
I entered the Great Hall with reluctance. I wasn't in the mood to socialise. In fact, I'm never in the mood to socialise. I think I hate people.
I looked up at the Great Hall's ceiling and saw it had been enchanted to make it seem like it was snowing. I frowned, is it nearly Christmas already? I shook my head, disoriented. It was so easy for me to get distracted.
I slowly walked to the Slytherin table where I saw Draco Malfoy sitting with his cronies: Crabbe and Goyle. I hated the lot of them. When Draco spotted me, he glared and I could tell in his eyes that he wanted revenge. I gave him a smug look. I was confident in my skills and I knew Draco would get a lot worse than Expelliarmus next time. He said something to his idiot friends and they laughed. I rolled my eyes and sat down next to a girl whose name escaped my brain. The table suddenly went quiet and I felt everyone's glares on my face.
"What are you all looking?" I hissed. "Mind your own business!"
"You cost Slytherin 50 points!"
"You punched Millicent in the face for a Gryffindor! And not only for a Gryffindor, but for a mudblood as well!" someone else declared angrily. I shot up without thinking, my hands balled into fists. I spotted Draco who smirked at me.
"Mudblood. Granger." he spat emphasising his words. The other Slytherins were laughing but I was seeing red. The only thought in my mind was seeing Draco dead.
Avada Kedavra- you know the spell. Just use it.
I shook my head, trying to get it to clear through my rage. I knew that killing was wrong.
Don't prove the Sorting Hat right.
"Everte Statum!" I had no time to react as I was suddenly flying backwards. I landed on the floor on my back. A searing pain crept up my spine but the need to get revenge got me back up. The Great Hall was silent now, everyone watching. Before any of the teachers could get involved I did my own spell on Malfoy.
"Slugulus Eructo!" Draco flew backwards and almost immediately he started vomiting up slugs. I got the idea from Ron when he accidently cursed himself in Second Year. I smiled, amused at his horrified face.
"Enough!" The booming voice of Albus Dumbledore made me wince and I turned around to see him coming through the doors. He looked angry. "What is wrong with you two?" he looked at us both, Draco throwing up slugs and me feeling suddenly ashamed. "Someone take Draco to the hospital wing! Ms Weasley, come with me." I gulped nervously and followed the Headmaster out of the Great Hall. I ignored all the stares and whispers and looked defiantly ahead.
It was silent while I realised we were walking towards Professor Dumbledore's office. My heart was hammering. What if I'm expelled? I'll have nowhere to go. Hogwarts is my home. We suddenly stopped outside the ugly gargoyle that protected the office.
"Chocolate Frogs." Professor Dumbledore said, breaking the silence. The gargoyle started to move aside which inturn revealed a spiralling staircase. I followed Professor Dumbledore onto the staircase which started moving upwards. It stopped outside the giant door and I walked in for the first time in my life. I looked around the amazing room in awe. Bookcases were everywhere, there was a beautiful red bird perched next to Professor Dumbledore's desk, and there were pictures of previous Hogwarts's headmasters all over the walls.
"Take a seat Ginny." I looked around and couldn't see anywhere to sit.
"Sir-" Professor Dumbledore waved his wand and a chair suddenly appeared in front of his desk. I swallowed nervously and rubbed my sweaty palms together before sitting down. Professor Dumbledore sat behind the desk and smiled pleasantly at me, looking through his half- moon glasses.
"Now Ginny, would you care to tell me what's been going on?" I was stunned for a moment, surprised that he was being so nice to me.
"I don't know what to tell you." I said glancing around the room. I spotted the old tattered Sorting Hat and rage boiled inside me.
This all started with that hat.
Professor Dumbledore's gaze followed mine and he got up, bringing the hat over.
"You feel angry."
"That's an understatement." I scoffed, and then I realised who I was talking to and I immediately apologised.
"No, no. It's fine," Professor Dumbledore chuckled. "You feel resentment towards the hat," he looked at me thoughtfully. "Let me guess… because it put you in Slytherin, am I correct?" I just nodded.
"Let's get one thing straight Ginny," he leaned forward in his chair, his long white beard brushing the top of the desk. "Not all Slytherins are bad. In fact, I know many great Slytherin wizards, Professor Snape for example," I raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything. I was seriously concerned about his character judgement. "Great things should be expected from you. You have a lot of power; more than you would care to admit."
"But the Sorting Hat told me that it could see something dark inside of me," I said almost desperately. "I don't want to become like Voldemort!" He looked at me in surprise.
"Oh how you remind me of…" he trailed off and cocked his head to the side, as if examining me for the first time. "Not many people are brave enough to say his name."
"I've always thought that that was overrated." Professor Dumbledore chuckled.
"You're right. It is overrated," I smiled at him and it was silent for a moment. Dumbledore suddenly sighed. "Ginny, you must know that you do have a dangerous amount of power inside of you. But you must learn to harness it, control it. You also must learn to control your anger and resentment," I nodded slowly and he smiled. "I know you Ginny Weasley. You have too much good inside your heart to become like Voldemort." I smiled gratefully at him and I took that as my queue to leave. As I reached the door, Professor Dumbledore stopped me.
"And Ginny? Be careful." I nodded at him and left, his words ringing in my ears. Maybe I wasn't becoming evil after all. Maybe there's hope for me.
I walked down the long corridor, realising that it must be late. I started heading back to my Common Room reluctantly. Everyone in Slytherin must hate me more than they already do. I got to the staircase that led down to the dungeons and was surprised to see Hermione standing there. She looked angry.
"What the bloody hell do you think you're playing at?" she exploded. I was shocked at the outburst but couldn't help but feel hurt. Why was everyone out to get me today?
"I was being attacked Hermione. You honestly didn't expect me to do nothing, did you?" I exclaimed incredulously. I looked closer at her and realised that her eyes were red and her hair looked like fingers had been run through it vigorously. She'd been crying.
"You could have been the bigger person!" I stepped closer to her and she flinched.
"Hermione, I'm not going to hurt you," I frowned. "Have you been crying?" She glared at me.
"It's none of your business." I sighed.
"If you must know, they were talking rubbish about you again. I was just sticking up for you." I defended myself.
"Why would you do that?" I just shook my head.
"I- I don't know," I ran a hand through my hair and sighed exasperatedly. "Besides, you've been acting pretty strangely as well. I mean, sitting next to me in Transfiguration Class, talking to me? Things you never usually do. I want some answers." I narrowed my eyes at her and she suddenly looked embarrassed.
"I feel guilty." she finally answered, not looking at me. I gritted my teeth.
"Why?"
"Because I've been a bad friend." I almost laughed at the understatement.
"It doesn't matter, Hermione. You're a Gryffindor and I'm a Slytherin. We're not supposed to be friends." I might have said that a little harshly as she flinched.
"I want to be friends though. You're still Ginny Weasley. The girl who used to follow us around at the Burrow, the girl who used to have a crush on Harry, the girl who used to be my best friend." I shook my head.
"That's not me Hermione," I started walking away before I turned back around. "And by the way, I never had a crush on Harry." I heard her sigh and I felt slightly guilty but I kept on walking. I eventually arrived to the Common Room, which was mostly empty thank goodness. I decided to just head on to bed which I greeted gratefully. I looked up at the green ceiling and I realised I was puzzled at Hermione's strange behaviour. Why was she trying to make amends now? Why would she want to be friends now?
A loud snore broke me out of my reverie and I looked at Pansy Parkinson who was sleeping with her mouth wide open. I stifled a giggle and looked back up to the ceiling.
You know, I really hate the colour green.