"Weasley, Ginevra!" Professor Mcgonagall called out to the pool of first years standing in front of her. Ginny paused for a moment, took a deep breath and walked towards the sorting hat. She sat on the stool with her back straight and head held high. She looked as though she was very calm from the outside, when in fact her mind was wandering elsewhere.
What if I'm not in Gryffindor? What if I end up in Hufflepuff? Or worse - Slytherin? She thought, No mom told me I should remain as calm as-
"GRYFFINDOR!" the sorting hat shouted when Professor Mcgonagall placed it on Ginny's head.
The crowd at the Gryffindor table went wild. Some of them cheered and some even gave her a welcoming whistle. For a moment, Ginny felt as though her feet were rooted to the wooden floor. But then she stood, gave Professor Mcgonagall a surprise by hugging her and ran straight towards Hermione who was waving wildly at her.
Ginny first met Hermione when she followed Ron to Flourish and Botts to buy her books. Ever since she saw Hermione slap Draco in the face, Ginny knew they were going to be very good friends.
He wasn't actually concentrating on the Sorting Ceremony too much, but when Ginny's name was called out by Professor Mcgonagall, Draco could not help but to look towards the platform where the ceremony was held. He watched as the girl with red hair took her seat on the stool and continued to watch as Professor Mcgonagall place the head over her head. Let her be in Slytherin, he thought, Slytherin, Slytherin Slytherin…
"GRYFFINDOR!"
What was he thinking anyway? Her whole family were practically born a Gryffindor. Just like his were born to be a Slytherin. At least that was what his father told him every time he came back home from work. But then, Draco thought, why did he even cared at all?
Draco shook his thoughts away and finally tore his eyes away from Ginevra Weasley.
When the Sorting Ceremony ended with "Zethro, Gate" sorted in Ravenclaw, everyone clapped as Albus Dumbledore stood. He gave the students a few minutes to settle down before starting his speech, "I would like to give a big 'Welcome' to all the first years and also a 'Welcome Back' to those who have returned back safely to Hogwarts. I am sure you are all famished after the long journey. Now allow me to cut this short and say, LEMON-POPSICLES! Please, do enjoy."
Ginny's eyeballs nearly popped out of her sockets when she saw the food in front of her. All the empty plates and goblets were filled with delicious food. Roasted chicken, mashed potatoes, baked potatoes, salads, meat pies, Chicken Cornish, various types of sandwiches, and even food that she had never heard of before. She felt her tummy give a tiny growl as she stared at the beautiful cuisine. Ginny helped herself to a drumstick, some soft boiled carrots and sweet corn. It took her a few minutes to realize that Harry and Ron were still missing.
"Hermione?" she said.
"M'hmm?" Hermione replied without looking up. She had her nose buried behind a book and was holding a fork on her right hand.
"Not sure if you have noticed this," Ginny started, "But don't you think it's odd that Ron and Harry aren't here? You said they might be in a different compartment on the train and that we would find them here."
"I've noticed their absence ever since I first stepped foot in the hall, Ginny," Hermione replied casually. She lowered her voice and added, "And I saw them right after Professor Dumbledore declared dinner. To think they weren't even in their school robes! Oh, the points they'll lose for Gryffindor. And dessert hasn't arrived yet!"
When she saw the confused look on Ginny's face, she quickly explained, "See those bright windows over there? The ones behind the teacher's high table – yes, over there – I saw them peeking in at the corner over there from the outside. Shocked me for a moment, they did. But anyways, we'll probably meet them in the common room later."
"I suppose so," Ginny said, "But I still can't believe they missed my being sorted."
After dinner was over, the students of Hogwarts started to fill their half-filled tummy with various desserts that appear after. There were lemon pies, chocolate puddings, and fruit tarts, strawberries with cream, ice creams, trifles and cakes. Ginny chose one of the tall glasses of beautiful looking Eton Mess that was placed on a silver tray.
Draco watched as Crabbe and Goyle stuffed their face with chocolate cakes and sweet whipped cream. He even saw chocolate sauce drooling down Crabbe's neck. Draco shivered in disgust. He wasn't really sure on how he had become friends with both of them in the first place. "Nothing sweet for you, Drakey?" Pansy Parkinson suddenly asked. She was sitting on the bench opposite of Draco and did not realize that he was constantly looking towards the Gryffindor table.
Even though he hated being given nicknames, he merely smiled at her, grabbed a piece of the same dessert that he noticed Ginny was eating and put it onto his empty silver plate.
Ginny took a sauce boat containing caramel and poured it on top of the strawberries in her glass of Eton Mess. She was about to have a taste of it when she had a feeling that she was being watched. She looked up and was suddenly aware that Draco Malfoy was looking at her from the Slytherin's table. He got momentarily surprised at Ginny's sudden gesture before giving her a mischievous smirk. Pansy, who unfortunately witnessed his sudden change of expression, quickly turned her head towards the Gryffindor's table and looked around for the person he was interacting with.
"Don't look now Hermione, but I have a feeling someone is looking for us from the Slytherin's table," Ginny said, before eating another spoon of her dessert.
Hermione looked up and found herself looking at Pansy Parkinson, a deceitful person who makes it her life's ambition to torment Hermione's life in school. "You don't mean Pansy Parkinson, do you?" she replied, but then something came up in Hermione's mind, "Come to think of it, will you do me a favour, Ginny?"
"Sure, anything. What is it, Hermione?"
"Just put your wand on the table and just make sure it's not visible,"
"Hermione, you're not really asking me to hex a person, are you?" Ginny said. She tried to keep a straight and serious face, but she couldn't help but feeling a bit excited, "Ron always told me you were practically a walking rule book."
"First of all, there's a reason why I'm asking you to do it, Ginny. And second, Ronald Weasley tells you things about me?" Hermione asked as she felt her blood rushing up her cheeks.
"Yup, and Harry as well, of course. But only if I threaten to flush old Scabbers down the toilet."
"Oh right, of course. Well anyways, just point the wand towards Pansy and say Densaugeo. Densaugeo, Ginny, Densaugeo. Got it?"
"But what does it –,"
"Come on, Ginny!" Hermione insisted.
"All right, all right," Ginny said as she did what her bushy haired friend wanted her to do. She pointed her wand towards Pansy in a manner so that it wouldn't be seen and pretended as though she was eating her Eton Mess. Right after that, she murmured "Densaugeo," under her breath and closed her eyes. All of a sudden Hermione was snickering behind the book she was reading, and Ginny opened her eyes. Curious to know what had happened, Ginny looked towards Pansy Parkinson.
Sitting at the Slytherin's table, panic-stricken and both hand clamped to her mouth was Pansy. Ginny was still confused, up until Pansy removed her hands to reveal the enlarged sets of teeth behind it. Ginny quickly looked away and hid her wand inside her sleeves before anyone realized she was the culprit. She looked at Hermione in amazement and said, "I cannot believe you told me to that! What if we get caught? Do you think she realized it was me?"
"Don't worry, Ginny," said Hermione, who was still trying to hide her laughter. "I made sure no one was looking, and fortunately, everyone was really into their desserts. As for Pansy, I doubt she noticed you. Besides, trust me when I say she deserves it."
"Pansy?" Draco asked when he saw Pansy behind her back and suddenly bending forward. He even surprised himself for sounding more concerned than he intended to be. But when Pansy turned to face Draco, he immediately understood what had happened. Instead of offering to send Pansy to the Hospital Wing, Draco merely smiled and continued to finish his Eton Mess. Impressed, he very much was.