They were at King's Cross station and moving at lightning speed through the platform to get to number nine. Hermione had not spoken to Ginny all morning, even when she had apologized profusely for her mean comments. Luckily, her father had had to hire two cars because they all wouldn't fit in one together. Ginny mused that it was probably just the first day of school stress that was getting else to Hermione. She was never surly.
She was pushing her trolley fiercely even though Harry had offered to take over. She'd politely declined his invitation as they hustled to platform nine. Her mother shouted once they arrived, "Alright Ginny dear, you and Harry head through. Ron and Hermione will follow up."
Ginny nodded and glanced at Harry. She whispered, "Are you ready?" He had hardly been in the public eye since all the events of the battle (apart from returning to rebuild Hogwarts). She knew he was a little nervous about it all.
Harry nodded and swallowed hard, "Ready as I'll ever be." She smiled at him and then they ran through the wall. Ron and Hermione followed minutes later and then so did her parents. Up until now, no-one had noticed who they were. Harry was beginning to look a little less reluctant about being there and he was even blending in.
Then a tall, blonde haired figure approached them and Ginny's jaw practically dropped when she saw who it was. Draco stood there, in a nice black suit and he walked towards them, a little less confident than he would normally. Ron murmured, "What the bloody hell does he want?"
Ginny blinked and Draco finally caught her gaze. He smiled a little and he stood in front of the group, looking remorseful. She panicked! Surely he wouldn't be coming here to tell Harry what had happened between them?! He had told her not to. He looked Harry in the eyes and said, "Hello everyone. Potter, may I have a word?" Harry glanced at Ginny and she nodded in a dumbfounded kind of manner. She wondered what on earth they could possibly be discussing!
Ron commented dryly, "I could go up there right now and punch the git in the face. What do you say, Hermione?" Hermione laughed nervously, "I'd say you should." Her father nodded, "I'd like to also. I wonder where his wonderful father has disappeared to."
Ginny couldn't contain her curiosity. What was Draco telling him? Didn't he know he could get locked up just from being out in public? Maybe he was telling Harry that they kissed? Surely not?! Draco had specifically told her not to say anything. Her brain was buzzing with frantic thoughts. She bustled up to the two men and took hold of Harry's hand, alerting him to her presence.
He cut off and Malfoy was busy saying, "So as you see, Potter, I am deeply sorry about my actions and I hope that…" here Draco paused and swallowed hard, as if this was the hardest thing he'd ever face. Finally, after a long silence, he continued, "I hope that you can forgive me. And that we can put the past in the past."
Harry stared at Draco with a strange, unreadable expression on his face. He was analyzing Draco probably…trying to figure out how sincere he was. Ginny waited impatiently for Harry to reply, "You tried to kill Dumbledore…" he finally said. Draco had the decency to glance up and he nodded mutely, "Yes." Harry continued, "And you bought Death Eaters into the school. In fact, you were a Death Eater when neither Ron nor Hermione would believe me." Draco nodded solemnly, "Yes," he murmured. Harry appraised him for a solid minute before saying, "And yet somehow you still didn't give us away in the manor. Quite frankly, Malfoy, it's the only reason I haven't reported you yet to Kingsley. And the fact that your mum actually saved me."
Malfoy nodded, taking each hit as it came. Only once did he glance at Ginny to see how she was reacting. She watched him impassively and Harry said seriously, "I'll give you a trial run, Malfoy. If you have not caused any trouble at Hogwarts within the next year, I may not report you to Kingsley."
Draco nodded and said tonelessly, "Thank you, Potter. I hear congratulations are in order." He glanced at Ginny, his eyes black and emotionless. They were cold and you would not think that he was being sincere because of how frosty he looked.
Harry finally issued a small smile, "Er… thanks. We got engaged in the holidays." Ginny suddenly felt incredibly awkward. So Draco was coming back to Hogwarts? And Harry was willing to forgive him? She felt guilt ripping through her and she clenched Harry's hand tightly for support, "Yup. I've never been happier," she forced a smile. It was true, so then why did she feel all of this guilt?
Harry nodded and then the trains whistle blew loudly, signaling the time for departure. Malfoy turned around and they returned to the group. Ginny hugged her parents and said loudly, "I'll see you soon!" They hugged her back, and then she hugged Ron too. He smiled, "I'll see you in Hogsmeade little sis! Stay out of trouble." She nodded assuredly, "Don't worry, I will."
Ginny turned to Harry. This was weird, him staying and she leaving. The last time one of them hadn't gone to Hogwarts she'd been ten! He was smiling sadly, "I'll miss you. So much," he whispered. Ginny replied, "I'll see you on the weekends though, right?" Harry chuckled, "As often as I can be there, yes." She nodded and he whispered, "And it's your birthday tomorrow…" she groaned, "Let's not mentioned it!"
Harry chuckled and leaned in to kiss her gently. They stayed that way for a minute or two, before Ron finally cleared his throat loudly and grumbled, "I think that's enough!" Ginny turned to him and rolled her eyes, "Whatever, Ron!" she replied carelessly. She hugged her brother goodbye and he muttered, "Look after yourself. We'll see you soon.":
Ginny nodded and then hopped on the train., Hermione closely following her. Ginny turned to her friend, "Hermione, I'm really sorry again." She said as they pulled their luggage on. Hermione grumbled, "Don't mention it." They met Neville and Luna down the hallway and they seemed to be holding hands. Hermione nudged Ginny and gave her a meaningful nod in their direction.
She greeted her friends with a hug each and they found a carriage further down. When they had placed their bags on the roof, Ginny asked them, "So, are you guys…together?" Neville blushed and mumbled, "Why would you think…?" And then he realized that they were holding hands. Luna smiled and said serenely, "Neville is a bit embarrassed about making our relationship public." Neville blushed, "I'm not!" he said indignantly. Then he glanced at Hermione and Ginny, "It's just new. And I don't want the world knowing about it straight away."
Ginny nodded, "I suppose that is fair. Time is important in a relationship too." Luna shrugged, "Besides which I wouldn't say we are in an actual relationship. Just dating right now." Ginny nodded and smiled as she replied, "Well whatever the status is, I'm happy for the both of you!" Hermione grinned, "And me too."
Luna thanked them and then changed the subject, "So Hermione, how's the search for your parents going?" Hermione explained how the difficult it had been. Kingsley was still on the hunt to find any leads. They had thought there'd been a sighting, but there wasn't. Neville grimaced, "I'm really sorry, Hermione. It sounds horrible." Hermione shrugged, "Thanks Neville. Nothing I can do except wait for now I suppose."
Luna suddenly turned to Ginny, "Ginny! I saw in the prophet that they've been printing about your engagement with Harry!" Ginny gasped when she read the title as Luna handed her todays prophet, which had written on the front of it:
Harry Potter, the most eligible bachelor already engaged?!
Harry Potter, one of the most eligible men of the moment, may no longer be eligible. It is rumored that he has proposed to his best friends' sister, Ginny Weasley. This news comes from a fellow classmate of Miss Weasley's, Romilda Vane, a ravenhaired beauty whom, she has informed us, once had a fling with Potter herself! For more, turn to page 2.
Ginny read it all out loud and then turned the page. There was a picture of her and Harry kissing on the platform this morning. The article continued:
When asked about the affair, Miss Vane said candidly, "Well, I knew Harry had to go and leave. I wasn't prepared to sit around and wait for him, you know. That's a little desperate. However, I shared a dormitory with Ginny Weasley-his fiancé- for several years and I knew she always had a crush on Potter. Everyone who knows her knows that. She had one since she was about 11. Anyway, she obviously decided she better step in and take a shot at him while he was still single. I'm surprised it worked. But like I said, she's desperate…"
By now, Ginny had had enough of reading this nonsense! She scowled and crunched the paper in her hand into a tiny ball. She then realized it was Luna's paper and quickly released the ball, "I'm so sorry, Luna! That was not my intention…just Romilda…" Luna smiled sympathetically, "I know. She gets to you like no-one else does. I'm sorry, Ginny. I just thought you should know."
Ginny smiled gratefully, "Thanks Luna. I know you meant well." She sighed and groaned, "She just wants publicity. That's all she's after." Hermione nodded, "It's true. Try not to pay her too much attention, Ginny." Ginny grumbled, "Do you know how hard that is? She's one person I can't ignore." Neville sighed, "You're letting her get to you, Gin. Don't let it happen."
Ginny sat silently for the rest of the journey while they plundered through the green valleys towards Hogwarts. She was practically seething with loathing for Romilda. She had never disliked someone so intensely. While she was busy fuming, some girls walked past a window. When she looked at them properly, she saw that it was Rebecca and Romilda. They were laughing at her.
She had had just about enough! She got up and stormed out of the carriage, yelling, "How dare you lie about me to the press?! Who do you think you are?!" Romilda looked calm under Ginny's threatening glare that made all of her brother's quiver when she was in a rage. The fact that Romilda looked so collected unnerved Ginny even more.
Romilida responded, "Someone had to tell them. Now if you'll excuse me…" Ginny blocked her entrance. She was going to dish out everything that Romilda had dished to her over the last few years right now in the middle of the crowded corridor. Ginny said stiffly, "You know what you did and you still don't feel a hint of remorse for it. You tried to sneak Harry a love potion, which my brother ended up taking by mistake. Thereafter he was taken to Professor Slughorn to get a cure, where he happened upon a drink that nearly killed him. If it hadn't been for you, he wouldn't have been in that situation in the first place! Giving someone a love potion is what I'd call, in your own words, desperate."
Ginny had her arms folded the entire time and was staring Romilda down. She glanced at Julia who was avoiding eye contact with her and glancing around the corridor nervously. That's when Ginny realized that she had gathered quite an audience. A lot of students had gathered around the group and suddenly someone started clapping. Then the clapping spread and a few people were clapping. Then more and more people.
Romilda now was glaring with Ginny with a steely look in her eyes, "This isn't over!" she said hollowly. Ginny couldn't help but smirk, "Oh, it's over alright. If you so much as mention my name or Harry's or any of my friends in a negative light, I'll go to the press myself and tell them the love potion story." Romilda gave her one last sneer and then pulled Rebecca down the crowded corridor.
Ginny heaved a sigh of relief and then retreated into her compartment where Neville, Luna and Hermione were all staring at her agog through the door. Ginny frowned, "What?" She came in and sat down, the rest of them following. Neville chuckled, "Wow, Gin! I've never seen you so fired up! Well done! That was impressive."
Ginny chuckled, "Then you don't know me." Luna grinned with an amused expression on her face, "Do you feel better now after standing up for yourself?" Ginny jolted in shock. She just stood up for herself, to Romilda. She only realized now she had done that throughout the years but it had never ended. Clearly Romilda had never taken her seriously. Now, maybe that she had her own leverage, she would finally leave Ginny alone.
Ginny replied to Luna, "A lot better actually. Hopefully she gets the message now." Hermione smiled and said, "And Harry would have loved to have seen that. We must remember to tell him about it when we have unpacked." Ginny nodded and sighed in relief, "Well, I'm happy it's done." She leant her head against the carriage window and hoped for a much more peaceful year at Hogwarts. No Romilda to bother her. No Carrows. No Snape. And most importantly, no Voldemort.
A/N: Hi All! I'm so sorry for not updating lately. I've been really busy with guests and I have been in another part of the country and so have not had access to my laptop. Anyway, I hope you've all been good and thanks to all of those who have followed and faved my story since I've been absent! Here's a longer chapter to make up for it.