Questions

As Ginny woke up on Sunday morning and looked around her dorm she noticed that she was the only one awake. She took a quick glance at the alarm clock (that said eight sharp) before she got up to have a quick shower. After having grabbed a piece of toast in the Great Hall she left the castle to go for a walk around the lake. It was really cold outside and she had to bury her face in her scarf and at some points it was hard to move forward due to all snow. Once in a while she stopped to enjoy the view of the frozen lake, trying to clear her thoughts. And as usual, they wandered off to Harry.

She'd come to realize that even though they were no longer a couple and even though she practically hated him for making her feel like the fourth wheel, who was too young and un-experienced to come to all his adventures, he was still one of her closest friends. She guessed he'd always be. And therefore, she worried. And even though she wanted to strangle Ron at least once a day he was still her brother and now she hadn't heard from him in months. She assumed he was afraid the owls might get caught on the way... And Hermione. During the last couple of years Hermione had become what Ginny would probably refer to as her best friend. It was Hermione who had given her advice on how to make Harry get interested in her; by being herself. And as far as Ginny knew, it had worked. At least for a while.

She missed Hermione. Neville and Luna were great friends but it was not the same. She missed having someone to talk to, about everything. She missed being able to tell Hermione things.

Like how bad everything was at Hogwarts with Snape as a headmaster. Like how Ginny and the other gryffindors every day asked themselves questions like: what will be his next move and why isn't Mc Gonagall doing anything? But what could she do, really? They knew that as well. With the Carrows at Hogwarts arguing with Snape about the way he ran the school didn't seem like the smartest idea. Apparently, Seamus Finnigan had heard some rumours that they'd practise the Cruciatus curse on first years during next term. First years. Ginny would rather die than do that. At least the slytherins would enjoy themselves...

And then, her thoughts wandered off to Blaise Zabini. Had it really been yesterday, that she'd spent over an hour in Hogsmeade, talking to him? The thought itself was laughable. She hadn't told anyone about their encounter, not even Neville or Luna. But then again, how would that sound?

Oh, hello Neville! Sorry I'm a bit late for dinner, as a matter of fact I spent the afternoon in Hogsmeade! Oh no, I wasn't alone! I had firewhiskey with Blaise Zabini at the Hog's Head and guess what? We actually talked! Yes, I mean the Blaise Zabini who's best friends with Draco Malfoy who's bullied you since first year!

That wouldn't go well. Of course, Luna probably wouldn't judge her. But she wouldn't understand; the slytherins had been nothing but mean to her, either. But no matter how mean he appeared to be, Blaise had given Ginny quite a lot to think about. He was at the Hog's Head to forget and for some reason he didn't seem happy with the way things were turning out. With Voldemort. And why, if he didn't even consider them a couple, did he let Pansy steal his food during breakfast and follow him around like a lost puppy? It didn't make sense.

Potter never deserved you.

Why did he say that, anyway?

Ginny sighed. There was no point spending any more time thinking about this; it was not like she'd reach a conclusion. In fact, she shouldn't even care. That strange encounter with Blaise Zabini would soon be nothing but a distant memory.

In fact, it already was.

She started walking again, thinking she might as well try to get back to the school as quick as possible. She'd promised Neville she'd help him out with some homework in the library before lunch.

How do you make a time line haha

"So... have you heard anything from...?"

Neville didn't say the names out loud, probably thinking that someone might be eavesdropping, but Ginny knew exactly what he was talking about.

"No..." she mumbled. "No, I haven't"

It hurt to even say it.

Neville shook his head gloomily, looking up from his half-finished essay.

"I can't believe he's not writing to you! I mean, you two were dating..."

"Yes, exactly Neville" Ginny interrupted him, her voice more annoyed than she'd intended it to be. "We were dating. It's over. He broke up with me, remember?"

It was enough that she kept reminding herself of what she and Harry had once shared. She didn't need others to do it as well... Neville's face turned slightly red as he realized he'd made her upset but then he mumbled, his voice low:

"But it was to protect you, right? He didn't want anything to happen to you"

Ginny snorted, dipping her quill in her ink. Well, not having anything happening to her wasn't very good, either...

"Whatever" she said shortly and wished that Neville would drop the subject, but he didn't.

"Maybe your mum has heard from them" he said. "From Ron, I mean"

Ginny shook her head.

"No, she would have told me. Besides, she seems determined that there's a bigger chance they'll contact me. She reminds me in every single letter I receive from her that I have to tell her immediately if I hear something"

"I really wonder where they are..." Neville said slowly, looking out the window.

It was snowing even more now.

"But I bet that Harry will make it up to you when he comes back..."

"How do we even know he's coming back?"

Ginny's voice was hard and as she saw the look on Neville's face her face expression and voice softened.

"I'm sorry" she said quietly. "I didn't mean that, I just... Can we just talk about something else, please?"

Neville simply nodded.

"Of course" he said and they both fell silent.

After a short while Ginny cleared her throat, trying to sound really nice on her voice as she asked:

"So... did you need any help with that essay or not?"

"Yeah..." Neville said gloomily, slowly dipping his quill in the ink.

He didn't seem to know what to write, though.

"I can't believe I'm not finished with this yet, Mc Gonagall will kill me!" he exclaimed and before Ginny had time to say anything he muttered:

"And yet I spent all day yesterday trying to finish it, I even skipped going to Hogsmeade..."

"Yeah..." Ginny said, trying to sound casual on her voice.

Apparently, it didn't go too well since Neville suddenly looked up at her, his eyebrows raised.

"What were you doing yesterday, by the way?"

Ginny cleared her throat again, silently wondering whether she should lie to make things easier. But then again, Nevlle could find out anytime...

"I was in Hogsmeade" she said and didn't miss the surprised look in his face.

"Oh" he just said. "Who did you go with? Luna didn't go either, right?"

Ginny shook her head, suddenly very interested in her essay so she wouldn't have to meet Neville's gaze. He probably wouldn't like what she'd say next...

"I... I actually went alone"

He stared at her.

"Why would you do that? All shops are closed"

She couldn't look at him while lying, he'd see right through it. And she couldn't tell him the truth because he wouldn't understand. She didn't even understand...

"I know, I guess I just wanted to be alone for a while" she said. "So I had a drink"

That Blaise Zabini paid for...

Neville slowly put his quill down and all of sudden Ginny felt like she was being interrogated. By Ron.

"You had a drink all by yourself in Hogsmeade?" he asked slowly, looking as if he couldn't quite understand what he was saying.

Ginny nodded, forcing herself to smile.

"Yeah. It's no big deal, it was just a drink Neville! Now, what did you need help with?"

How do you make a time line haha

The next morning turned out to be everything but pleasant for Ginny. She woke up too late and didn't have any time to have breakfast before hurrying off to Transfiguration. Mc Gonagall didn't exactly looked pleased as Ginny's stommach made a loud sound that filled the classroom and made her want to disappear... However, Ginny's dorm mate Madison found it very funny indeed.

"You should have seen the look on Mc Gonagall's face!" she giggled as they exited the classroom an hour later. "It was pricless"

"Maybe for you..." Ginny muttered right as two of Madison's friends, Emily and Caroline, caught up with them. "For me it was just embarrassing"

"Oh, I really hate Mondays" Emily groaned and Madison asked her:

"For any other than the obvious reasons?"

"Well, mostly because of this" Emily replied, handing Madison her schedule.

Madison eyed it and then she frowned.

"Yeah, Care of Magical Creatures with Hagrid? What's the big deal, I thought you liked him?"

"I do, except that we have that lesson with the slytherins" Emily explained gloomily.

"And they're always so mean to Hagrid!" Caroline exclaimed and Ginny knew she was right.

It was not only in Ron's, Hermione's and Harry's year that the slytherin students behaved like pricks during Hagrid's lessons; most of them in her year did too.

"Well, at least this is the last monday before the holidays" Madison said, apparently trying to cheer her friends up. "I can't believe we're going home for christmas on saturday, it's going to be so nice!"

Yeah, and it would have been even better if my brother, my best friend and my ex-boyfriend weren't trying to save the world Ginny thought gloomily. But she didn't say that.

How do you make a time line haha

It turned out that Emily was completely right; the slytherins seemed to be even worse this lesson than they used to be, maybe it had something to do with christmas spirit... As soon as Hagrid tried to get the class to focus one of them had to start talking really loud, make mean remarks or "accidentally" drop or throw something that made most students look away from Hagrid to see what was happening. Ginny and her dorm mates were all furious and apparently Colin Creevey felt the same way.

"Someone should have them thrown out" he whispered to Ginny who nodded.

"Yeah, but that's not going to happen as long as Snape is headmaster" she mumbled back right as Emily turned around and snapped at a fat slytherin girl who smirked evilly:

"Hey! If you don't want to pay attention you and your friends might as well leave!"

Eventually, things calmed down and Hagrid cleared his throat uncomfortably.

"Right... thank you. Today I thought we'd go have a look at some friends of mine in the forest..."

How do you make a time line haha

One and half an hour later every single muscle in Ginny's body ached. Her hands were dirty and she could feel the sweat on her face and in her hair; never before had she longed for a shower so much. However, she didn't have time to leave with the rest of her classmates before Hagrid called:

"Hey Ginny! I invited Neville and Luna down for some tea, they'll be here in ten minutes! Why don't yeh join us?"

As Ginny saw the excited and happy look on Hagrid's face she knew she didn't have the heart to say no, so she simply nodded and smiled, despite the aching in her body.

"Yeah... that'd be lovely Hagrid" she said and followed him inside his hut.

He nodded for her to sit down in one of the huge, comfortable armchairs while he made a pot of tea.

"So... what did yeh think of today's lesson?" he asked right as Fang spotted Ginny and hurried over to her and put his big head on her lap. "I've been really excited to show yeh those fellas I have! I think they really liked yeh"

Ginny cleared her throat uncomfortably. She didn't know exactly what kind of creature it was that Hagrid had showed them; she didn't catch the name. But she knew that her classmates (and above all the slytherins) were likely to consider skipping Hagrid's classes in the future. If he wanted to remain as a teacher, she had to help him plan his lessons, now that Hermione wasn't here to do that...

Luckily, she was saved from saying anything else about the lesson by a knock on the front door. Fang lifted his head from her lap and started barking happily and Hagrid smiled widely as he opened the door and greeted Neville and Luna.

"Hello! I've just made some tea, have a seat!"

Neville looked at Ginny's hands, furrowing before he whispered:

"Bad lesson?"

"You don't want to know..." Ginny muttered back and Luna asked her, her voice dreamy as usual:

"That's funny, your hands are all dirty Ginny. Did you pay a visit to the nargles?"

Neville coughed uncomfortably and Hagrid sat down, looking at Luna strangely. There was no doubt that the latter liked her, but Ginny knew that her strange comments still made him confused.

"Uhm... I didn't know you could pay a visit to the nargles" he said and Ginny hid her face in her enormous tea cup so Luna wouldn't see her laughing.

"Oh, you can" Luna said calmly. "They might just be a bit difficult to find, I'm happy for you Ginny"

Ginny looked up, trying her best to look somewhat serious.

"Sure"

After a short silence Hagrid sighed, looking a bit troubled.

"I just wish there was something I could do to keep the slyterhins more focused during me lessons" he said gloomily and Neville snorted.

"I think it's something in their blood Hagrid, they'll never change"

"Not all slytherins are bad" Luna said and Hagrid, Neville and Ginny all looked at her, surprised. "I met a first year who was in Slytherin a couple of days ago, she helped me find my lost shoe"

"That's because the first years haven't been manipulated by Draco Malfoy and company yet" Neville said darkly. "Just you wait, Luna. Try to make that girl help you find your shoe again in two years..."

"Well maybe she'd do it" Ginny said, shrugging. "I don't believe all slytherins are bad, either"

"Nah, me neither" Hagrid said. "Of course most of them seem to lack common sense..."

He chuckled.

"But not everyone"

Ginny thought of Blaise Zabini again. Did he make remarks and did he try to sabotage Hagrid's lessons? She didn't know. Whenever Harry, Ron or Hermione told her about the slytherins in their year it was always Malfoy, Malfoy and Malfoy. But what about the rest of them?

What was Blaise Zabini's role in the Slytherin gang? And was he pleased with it?

How do you make a time line haha

As Ginny, Neville and Luna were heading back to the castle a few hours later Luna walked a couple of metres in front of her friends, humming to herself. In fact, what she did was more like dancing than walking... However, Neville took advantage of the fact that he was alone with Ginny and said:

"Hey, there's something I want to tell you Gin"

But at that moment, Ginny looked at her magical watch (that also showed today's date) and almost screamed out loud.

"Oh my god! Today's my mother's birthday and I almost forgot! I have to go send her an owl RIGHT AWAY!"

As she hurried up to the castle she turned around and called:

"I'm so sorry Neville, you'll have to tell me later!"

How do you make a time line haha

Dear mum!
Happy birthday! I really wish I would have been at the Burrow today, celebrating you! But I'll be home in less than a week and this year it seems like most people could really need christmas... I miss you and dad, Fred, George, Bill and Charlie so much! Tell them I said hi if you see them!

See you soon!
Love
Ginny

Ginny read through the letter twice before she tied it to Pigwidgeon's leg and watched him take off from the owlery. It wasn't the best letter she'd ever written, but it'd have to do. Besides, everything she'd said in it was true; she really did miss her family and she couldn't wait for the christmas break to start. As soon as her (or more likely, Ron's) tiny owl was out of sight she hurried back out again, heading for her dorm to change before going to dinner.

How do you make a time line haha

"Where have you been?" Madison asked curiously as Ginny sat down at the Gryffindor table.

"I had to send my mother a birthday card, I completely forgot today's her birthday" Ginny explained before helping herself to some food. "So, what did I miss?"

But just as Neville was about to open his mouth to reply a voice behind her made Ginny jump.

"Miss Weasley! I'm so glad you're here! I was here only minutes ago asking your friends if they'd seen you!"

Ginny turned around and found herself looking right up at professor Slughorn who looked happier than she'd seen him all year. Maybe it was christmas spirit getting at him, too.

"Oh" she just said and before she had time to ask him what he'd wanted he started:

"You see, I was really hoping you'd be able to attend my christmas party this year!"

"Oh" Ginny repeated, smiling slightly. "I'd love to professor, but I'm going home for christmas this year and..."

"It's on Friday and we won't go home until Saturday" Emily interrupted her and as Ginny looked at her, confused, she told her:

"I'm invited too"

"And so is Mr Longbottom, will I see you all there?" Slughorn asked excitedly and Ginny, thinking she had no other excuse that would made sense to her professor, nodded slowly.

"Yeah sure... Thank you so much professor"

Slughorn waved his hand impatiently.

"Oh, it's nothing, absolutely nothing! See you then!"

And he disappeared. Ginny groaned as she turned back to her friends.

"Great! A party on Friday night and I have absolutely nothing to wear!"

Madison shrugged.

"That's no problem, I have thousands of dresses, you can borrow one from me"

"The more important question is..." Caroline started, leaning forward expectantly. "Who are you taking?"

Ginny looked down, biting her lip.

"I don't know" she said quietly. "There's not really anyone I'm interested in"

Not anyone that's here or available anyway.

"Well, I'm sure you'll find someone" Emily said brightly. "I'm going with Colin, I'm so excited! And Neville is taking Luna..."

"Wait, what?"

Ginny turned around sharply in her seat to look at Neville who smiled widely.

"I told you there was something I wanted to talk to you about"

"But Neville that's great!" Ginny exclaimed and gave her friend a hug. "I'm sure you two will have a great time together!"

She'd noticed how Neville had started behaving... differently around Luna lately. It was obvious that he liked her; he could barely take his eyes off of her at times. And she really thought they'd make a great couple. But who would she go with?

"Maybe I should just skip it though" she mumbled and before Emily had time to protest she added:

"I mean, I can't go alone! It'd be really embarrassing!"

"Just ask anyone!" Madison exclaimed. "At least 90 % of the boys in this school would NEVER say no to a date with Ginny Weasley"

Ginny snorted.

"That's not true"

"Yes it is!" Madison exclaimed. "And you know it!"

But Ginny had stopped listening, and for a moment all thoughts of Slughorn's christmas party had escaped her mind. She'd accidentally let her gaze wander off to the Slytherin table and she immediately got eye contact with someone sitting there.

Blaise Zabini was staring right back at her. And once again, by looking straight into his dark brown eyes, it was impossible to tell what he was thinking.