CHAPTER THREE

"Do you two ever stop laughing?" asked Ron exasperatedly at lunch. Trixie glanced up at him in surprise, blushing slightly. She happened to think he was quite cute.

"Maybe we just have alot to laugh about!" Ginny said defensively. Ron rolled his eyes.

"Like whose hotter? Dean or Harry?" he asked sarcastically.

"No. Like whose a bigger prickhead? You or Percy!"

"Come on Gin," Trixie interrupted, before her friend decided to hex her brother, "let's go eat in the kitchens. Better company down there"

Ron exchanged glances with Harry.

"You think they really know where the kitchens are?" asked Harry. Ron snorted.

"Yeah, and Ginny's best friend's with You-Know-Who" he laughed. Hermione just shook her head.

"They're obviously just trying to impress everyone. You did embarrass them Ronald"

Ron just shrugged.

"So?"

And so the next few weeks continued. Not one of the students would take either of them seriously. When Ginny and Trixie found a room on the seventh floor that turned into absolutely anything you needed , nobody would listen to them when they tried to tell them about it.

It's like nobody cares about us Tom, Ginny wrote one night, they think we're even worse than Parvati and Lavender. Like today, we were trying to tell Hermione, and she acted like she was listening. Trix said she probably thought she was, but she didn't hear a word I said. Ginny snorted in laughter. But hey, at least we have Snape and McGonagall. They believe us. And I don't think they like us very much for it.

Trixie stole the diary from her friend's hands, and took the quill.

We probably shouldn't have stolen those dungbombs from Filch's office. And then let them off in Snape's dungeon.

Ginny giggled loudly at the memory.

"Would you two cut it out?" groaned Felicity Richards. Only making them giggle harder.

"Case and point!" whispered Trixie. Ginny looked at her questionably. Trixie shrugged. "Saw it on a movie once"

"Do you even know what it means?"

"No"

"Alrighty then"

October came and went, filled with pranks, disasters and detentions, and soon it was time for Halloween. Ginny lay sprawled out on her bed, waiting for Tom's reply.

Do not worry Ginerva, his soothing words reminded her, I will never forget you. You will never be alone again.

"Ginny?" asked Trixie, sticking her head through the door to peer into the kitchens. "Blinky have you seen Ginny?" She searched the dormitory, and even went to the Room of Requirement (Blinky had told them what it was called), but still no sign of her friend.

"Where the heck is she?" murmured Trixie, shaking her head as she strolled into the Great Hall, taking a seat next to Colin Creevey, the only Gryffindor student who seemed to have any interest in the two of them.

"Where's Ginny?" asked Colin. Trixie shrugged, as she started eating the mince pie that appeared on her plate. Blinky was always giving them their food before the feasts started.

"No idea"

It was dessert before Ginny arrived. She rushed into the hall, looking flustered, and nervous. Trixie watched her in concern, waving her hand out to her. Ginny rushed to her, taking her seat. Neither of them noticed Professor Snape watching closely, something akin to worry in his eyes.

"Where were you?" asked Trixie. "Are you ok?"

Ginny shook her head, glancing around to make sure no one was listening.

"I don't know" she whispered. "I don't know where I was"

"Did you get lost?"

Ginny shook her head.

"I... I don't know..."

Trixie watched her for a moment, but from the look on her friend's face, decided not to press it. For now. So instead, she smirked.

"You missed out on Blinky's Pork Chops"

Ginny groaned.

"Are you serious? But those are the best!"

"Hey it's your fault you weren't here on time!"

Ginny poked her tongue out. Trixie grinned.

"I believe a midnight trip to the kitchens is in order!"

Ginny smirked back.

"Sounds good to me!"

The rest of the feast continued without a hitch, despite Trixie's finger crossing and fervent whispering "troll, troll, please let there be a troll". Trixie, Ginny and Colin were among the first to reach the doors, along with the Slytherins.

"Oh... my... gosh!" exclaimed Ginny, her eyes wide in shock and fear.

Hanging on the wall opposite them was what appeared to be a frozen Mrs Norris, and above her, written in what appeared to be blood were the words Enemies of the heir beware. Harry, Ron and Hermione stood in front of a distraught Mr Filch, expressions of confusion on their faces. There was a moment's silence, before Draco Malfoy found his voice.

"Enemies of the heir beware? You'll be next Mudbloods!"

Ginny glared at the blonde haired Slytherin, her fist clenching around her wand. Striding forward just a little, she raised her hand, and brought it hard across his face.

"You're a dickhead!" she snapped, spinning around and storming away.

"Well..." Trixie snorted, "Sure beats a troll"

The dark haired boy standing next to Draco, Blaise Zabini, Trixie discovered later, raised an eyebrow at her. Trixie smirked back, before whistling cheerfully to herself, she followed after her friend. Draco and Blaise stared after them in shock, just glad that everyone else had been so absorbed in their own conversations that they had apparently, noticed nothing. They would be keeping an eye on those first years.

Friday night came and went, and it was quite typical for the two girls. They were once again in Snape's dungeon, scrubbing out cauldrons for detention. They of course, were talking as though they had forgotten the Potions Master was there.

"Who would you rather date?" asked Trixie suddenly, a grin forming on her face. "Lee Jordan, or... Oliver Wood"

Ginny grinned.

"Wood hands down," she replied.

"Fred or George?" she asked, though her nose grimaced slightly at the thought. Severus Snape shook his head, from somewhere beneath the potions essay he was marking, a smile threatening to show itself.

"Fred" Trixie responded immediately. "He's far cuter"

"Ewww!"

"You asked!"

There was a moment's pause.

"I know! Crabbe or Goyle?"

"Death!"

"NOT AN OPTION GINERVA!" Trixie sung happily. Ginny scowled, before a serious expression crossed her face as she weighed the options. Severus was trying not to grin now.

"Crabbe" an evil smirk crossed her lips. "Dumbledore or Flitwick?"

Snape coughed loudly in the corner of the room.

"But they're... OLD!"

"You still have to choose!"

"Fine!" Trixie snapped. "Um... Dumbledore. He's taller"

Snape couldn't help himself, he let out a small chuckle. Trixie and Ginny exchanged triumphant grins. The Professor, noticing their grins, forced his scowl onto his face once more and picked up his quill again. Trixie smirked.

"Hey Gin, do you even know what this detention is for? I'm starting to lose track"

"You know what I am too; it's not the musical one is it?"

Trixie shook her head.

"I don't think so. It could have been because we blew up Moaning Myrtle's toilet..."

Ginny laughed.

"I wish I could've seen mum's face when we sent her that toilet seat!"

"She'll probably think it's from your brothers," Ginny laughed.

"That might explain the howler they got last week"

Trixie giggled, before shrugging in defeat.

"I guess we'll never know!"

They both laughed at that, before falling into a comfortable silence. Suddenly Trixie let out an excited "ooooh!"

"What?"

"I just had the awesomest idea ever!"

"What?"

Trixie smirked.

"An Annual Hug-A-Slytherin Day!"

Ginny gasped as the possibilities raced through her mind.

"Oh this could be fun!"

There was a moment's pause.

"EWWW!"

"What?"

"Your thinking about my brother aren't you?"

Trixie blushed.

"Ewww... why can't you like someone like... I dunno...."

"Harry?"

Now it was Ginny's turn to blush.

"He's a whole of alot better than Ron!"

"You only think that because your related to the git"

"If you think he's a git, why do you like him so much?"

Trixie shrugged.

"You think Harry's got a... what does your mum call it... a hero complex, and you still like him!" Trixie defended.

"Well Ron doesn't have a brain and you like him!"

Trixie rolled her eyes.

"Hence the reason I called him a git!"

Severus Snape couldn't help himself, he snorted.

"Yes!" cried Trixie.

"It has a sense of humour!" shouted Ginny.

Snape glared at them, only making Trixie sigh.

"Why are you so angry all the time?" she asked solemnly, staring him straight in the eyes. Ginny stood beside her, arms folded as they examined the Professor. Severus felt the overwhelming desire to squirm, as though he was being... evaluated.

Ginny nodded seriously.

"You try too hard Professor"

The Professor stared at them, his mouth slightly hanging open in shock as the two 11 year olds analysed him, quite accurately.

"Just let it go..." Trixie began "whatever it is... just let it go"

There was another silence, before Ginny and Trixie broke out into matching grins. Trixie winked at her friend, and together they launched themselves around the desk and threw their arms around him in a hug, before racing out of the classroom.

"It's HUG-A-SLYTHERIN-DAY!" Trixie yelled out behind her.

Severus Snape did nothing, feeling slightly undone as he sat at his desk. Slowly, he reached forward, and resumed marking the first year's essays.

"Let it go" he repeated, sounding out the words. "Let it go"