Chapter 4:Hard
How Dumbledore's Army was reborn.
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The weekend after the Halloween Feast I had been asked by Professor Sprout to hand deliver a cutting of Hellebore to Dogweed and Deathcap's Apothecary in Hogsmeade. Snape had approved it, grumbling that that's what the castle kept house-elves for.
Out of the window of the Apothecary I catch sight of something apple-red. I think of her before I step onto the street and realize that it's the sign outside Dervish & Banges.
And how are you getting back to Hogwarts?
On my magic carpet, I answer.
It's Ginny.
She has her broom over her shoulder and she looks different. At first I think it must be because we're outside the castle, but it's not. Her brown eyes are thickly outlined in black and tied over her broom are what looks to be a new pair of thick dragon-hide boots.
I can give you a ride. Ginny nods to her broom. I snuck out the common room window after I saw the new announcement.
I tell her I must have left before it was posted, and she hands me a sheet of parchment.
…
REGULATIONS AND ADDENDUMS CONCERNING THE SAFTEY AND EDUCATION OF HOGWARTS STUDENTS
HEADMASTER SNAPE, current as of NOV. 6, 1997
(I) All mail will be approved by the Headmaster directly
(II) All hours that students are not in class or a designated and approved Club activity will be spent in the Common Rooms.
(III)Trips to Hogsmeade will be approved on a Student-by-Student basis.
(IV) All punishments will not be governed by the Heads of Houses but will be governed by Professor Amycus Carrow and approved by the Headmaster
(V) All Prefects and Head boys and girls must reapply for their duties to be renewed. Interviews will be conducted by Professor Alecto Carrow. These new Prefects and Heads will have dominion over all houses.
(VI) All Quidditch matches are to be refereed by Professor Amycus Carrow.
These are old news; I skip down to the last three items
(XXII) Professors will note all absent students and student behaviors and consult weekly with Professor Amycus Carrow.
(XXIII) Professors will note student achievement and consult weekly with Professor Amycus Carrow.
(XXIV) Penalties for not wearing the approved uniform for a student's blood status are automatic Level 3 detentions.
…
What's a Level 3 detention?
I don't know. But I'm probably going to find out. I'm not putting up with this blood status uniform shit. Carrow says my features are noble; I'll cover it with make-up. That my hair is telling of purity? I'll cut it off.
Well it looks like you'll have company in detention. I mean if I fail my courses like I told Carrow I would.
You did what?
Yeah, it wasn't very smart.
Ginny cocks an eyebrow. I don't know about that. Why did you say it?
Everyone gets so down when Carrow lectures. It was the only think I could think of to cheer people up. It was stupid, it didn't help anyone.
I'm ace at that. Take the Halloween Feast. The Carrows had taken the Feast as an opportunity to announce that Pureblood students could no longer sit next to Muggle-borns and Mudbloods. Each house table had been cut into two. Now there was a wide gap running through the tables in the opposite direction, a much wider gap than there ever was separating the house tables.
I don't know what Harry would have done. But he wouldn't have sat down to eat at the Pureblood Gryffindor table, ignoring the other lifeless students because there was nothing in his power to do. Harry wouldn't stand for it.
Ginny shakes her head at me. Let's get out of here.
If you want.
She hands me her broom and I climb on, waiting for her to sit in front of me. Without knowing why, she starts to laugh.
When was the last time you flew? If you're going to steer you need to put your feet in the stirrups. Here-, Ginny bends over to place my feet correctly. She's far too close and her short skirt lifts just enough. Did this girl ever remember her knickers?
We take off, my feet on the stirrup part, my arms wrapped around her in order to hold the broom correctly. Her face rests against my chest and she leans into me as we gain air beneath us.
Nev, when I sat down, I made sure my quim was right on the broomstick. Ginny smiles up to me, still expecting me to be able to steer.
With every bump of turbulence, imagine. It's like the sky is touching me. Men don't understand the movements of nature. It's different for women. We follow the moon, our periods and everything. We're like little planets.
Do you see how she was? How I never asked for any of this? After all I don't know her. It's only the second time we've really been alone together.
Ginny, there's something I need to ask you.
Hmmm?
Harry and you. Are you still together?
Ginny scowls at me. Yes.
I could feel my stomach grow cold.
But Neville, that's different. I'll tell you but you have to swear not to tell anyone, okay?
Okay.
After I pieced it together that Harry is gay, that's what attracted me to him. I was dating Dean then. And yes, everyone knew I was a little in love with him, when I was ten and when he saved me from the Basilisk. But that was always silly.
It was the way he would look at Malfoy. I know they suspected him of being a Death Eater, but the way he knew, and hounded Malfoy around the castle—it was obvious to anyone who'd watched him for years that he wanted him.
So why did you want to date him?
We are similar, Harry and I. We both have tempers. And I owe him so much, my life, Ron's, my father's. I wanted to make him happy. And have you seen his muscles?
I think I'm lost, Ginny. You said you knew he was gay.
And that he wanted Malfoy. And you know Draco, he's straight as an arrow. I wanted to lure them into a threesome. I know Draco would have, he drools talking to anyone with tits. Are you okay Neville?
Errr, yeah, I suppose-,
But it never happened. Harry is incredibly prudish; he doesn't like talking about anything close to that. We only made out a few times when I was so horny I threw myself at him. I don't think he's admitted to himself that he's gay. But he does have other things on this plate right now.
Ginny waves her hair in the wind over my shoulder, trying to distract me as much as she possibly can.
Do you have a hard-on?
Yes, I answer honestly.
It must be suffering in there. Do you want me to take it out?
You can't do that here, you can see the castle!
Want to bet? No one will notice, I promise. Let me try.
She reaches back, and curled into me she does what she said she was going to. With her gentle hands Ginny unzips my trousers and pulls out my cock.
You don't mind if I use broomstick polish to, she giggles, polish your broomstick, do you? It works a treat.
You seem to know what you're doing, I tell her. She kisses me behind the ear in response.
Her hand wraps my cock, greased with a slick paste of polish. Her other arm hugs my waist, holding herself steady.
Her fingers work my flesh; up and down, up and down. Having no experience I had no expectations. Ginny knew this, or I tried to not worry that Ginny knew this. It made no difference. Her index finger and thumb forming a tight ring, she slid them slow along my shaft.
Breathing deep, Ginny, Ginny, Ginny…
All four of her fingers grasp my cock, moving faster than before. The attention didn't improve my ability to fly a broom. We veered to the left over the Forbidden forest then the right to over the lake before coming back near the castle. I I knew I didn't have the excuse of intimacy but I wanted to grab her and kiss her mouth. Even if the broom would fall out from under us.
Ginny…
I have been erect in her hand I don't know how long. And as lovely as she is I can no longer focus on her. The pressure around my groin is swelling. If she doesn't stop I'll implode. There will be no cock left to fondle.
Nev, you're huffing like a champion brute at the height of Quidditch season.
I take breaths jealously.
Get ready, I tell her.
I turn the broom sharply. Mid-turn I come into air that passes us behind.
Ginny's brown eyes are so wide. She hadn't looked anywhere but to me the entire time she touched me. Hovering above the castle I shut my eyes and bend down to kiss her lips. Ginny grabs the broom instinctively when we begin to dive, leaning into me as we kiss.
We guide her broom quietly down to the grounds. She's still wrapped up into me, her head resting against me. Landing, she drops something into my pocket.
Borrow them for awhile. I pull her magically enhanced receivers out of my pocket and tell her I can't take them away from her.
I'm sure you'll love them. See you. Ginny grabs her broom and runs off toward the entrance to the Great Hall.
…
That evening I'm late to dinner. Colin and Seamus leave for the Great Hall while I'm trying and failing to finish Charms coursework. By the time I get there, I know being late was a mistake.
Ginny is there. Her new combat boots and the darks rings around her eyes stand out against the dullness of the students around her.
Ginny, don't act like you don't know who I am! This school is small as fuck as it is! Alright then. I'm Colin Creevey, this is my mate, Seamus. We're both in Gryffindor, and I'm a Sixth year, like you. I'm just trying to ask you about your new look! Fuck me!
She walks past him to her seat, averting her eyes.
Colin punches my shoulder in greeting. Neville, hey, did you just see what I just saw? Ginny and I, a happy couple.
Didn't she just trash you?
Shut up! When a bird takes off like that it means she's hooked. Let's go, Seamus. We've finished here anyhow and having to sit over at the Mudblood table makes me sick.
They leave, though the Great Hall is still full of students.
Meals in the Hall had become quieter since the Carrows. That was why the attention of half the student body turned to me, when Ginny shouted down the long Gryffindor table,
LONGBOTTOM, THAT DUMBLEDORE'S ARMY REVIVAL MEETING YOU WERE TELLING ME ABOUT? WHEN IS IT AGAIN?
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A/N - Ok, lotta action this chapter. Kind of satisfied with it right now, which is strange. Luna comes into the next chapter too :) so watch out for that.