Preparations
The next couple of days seemed to pass by in a blur. Ginny attended all of her lessons, despite the fact that most of them felt pointless now that christmas was approaching. Also, it was as if even the teachers could feel the despair and fear that constantly surrounded the castle and all its inhabitants. Mc Gonagall was even stricter than usual and sometimes she even gave detentions for small things like whispering something to the person sitting next to you. Slughorn, who'd in some inexplicable ways had seemed nervous last year, was even worse now and professor Sprout who'd always seemed so confident and sure of her things sometimes forgot what she was telling her students about in the middle of a sentence.
Of course, the Carrows were a huge exception; they seemed to enjoy themselves more than ever. So far, Ginny and Neville had both been pretty good at ignoring Amycus and his mean remarks during their Defence Against the Dark Arts lessons but this Tuesday Ginny lost it completely.
Amycus called a Hufflepuff girl Ginny didn't know the name of ''mudblood'' so many times during the lesson that she eventually covered her face in her hands and hurried out of the classroom, crying.
"Nice to get rid of that dirt once and for all" Amycus said, smirking happily in a way that made Ginny feel sick. "Doubt she'll be back any time soon"
None of her classmates said anything but Ginny stood up, unable to just ignore it all. She could feel the way the rest of the class looked at her, horrified, as she said:
"You have no right to call her that!"
She was glad to hear that her voice sounded stronger, angrier and braver than she actually felt. She didn't take her eyes of Amycus as he slowly made his way towards her seat.
"Ginny Weasley, is it?" he said, spitting on the floor.
"Yes" Ginny said, crossing her arms and ignoring the fact that he pronounced her last name as if it was poisonous.
Amycus glared at her.
"Anything else you'd like to share with us?"
"Ginny..." Madison mumbled but Ginny pretended not to hear it.
"That's discrimination" she said cooly, meeting her professor's hard gaze. "You could lose your job for that, I could go to Mc Gonagall..."
Who would have to go to Snape who'd never listen...
She knew that was the truth, and she hated it. Amycus snickered.
"Yeah, you're damn right you're going to see your beloved head of house... with a note from me saying you're getting detention with her and that you're banned from this class for the rest of term"
Ginny couldn't even bring herself to feel miserable about the fact that she'd received detention; she was still too angry. And it could have been worse, she'd heard that a detention with Amycus HIMSELF was a living nightmare.
"Fine" she said simply and a minute later she grabbed the small piece of parchment that he handed over to her.
Amycus spat on the floor again.
"You're lucky it's almost christmas Weasley" he said. "If I hadn't been in such a good mood I would have dealt with filthy bloodtraitors like you in a completely different way"
Ginny could hear how Emily gasped but most of the others just looked down; they were used to this by now and there was nothing they could do unless they wanted to get in trouble themselves. Ginny had known that, too, when she stood up for the Hufflepuff girl. But she'd been brought up to speak her mind out loud when something was wrong.
And this was all wrong. Deadly wrong.
How do you make a time line haha
Ginny walked slowly through the corridors, feeling quite miserable. She knew it was possible that Mc Gonagall had a lesson at the moment but her office still seemed like the best place to start. As she reached the door she knocked three times and soon heard a short "Enter" coming from inside. Ginny took a deep breath and did as she was told.
Mc Gonagall raised her eyebrows in surprise as Ginny closed the door behind her and turned around to face her professor.
"What are you doing here ms Weasley?" she asked sharply. "If I'm not entirely mistaken you're supposed to be in class right now"
"I was sent here" Ginny mumbled.
"Sent here?"
Ginny nodded and then slowly made her way towards Mc Gonagall's desk. She handed her the note from Amycus and backed a couple of steps while her professor read it, feeling that it was best to keep a safe distance...
As Mc Gonagall had finished reading she looked up and then took of her glasses before looking at Ginny angrily.
"Please explain yourself" she said, glancing down at the letter again. "Disruption in class..."
"Amycus called a girl a mudblood so many times that she started crying and left the classroom!" Ginny exclaimed. "And it's not like he's banned me from many lessons, there's only one left before the holidays and..."
"I know very well that Amycus' behaviour is everything but acceptable but that's no reason for you to interfere ms Weasley!"
"But it was really bad!"
Ginny held out her hands in exasperation before continuing:
"I had to do SOMETHING..."
"No, you did not!"
Mc Gonagall had raised her voice slightly now and Ginny fell silent at once. No matter what, she'd always have respect for her Transfiguration teacher and her views. Now, Mc Gonagall sighed and put on her glasses again before locking her gaze with her student's.
"Trying to steal that sword from professor Snape's office was bad enough and now THIS? You have to stop drawing attention to yourself ms Weasley, or you will only end up in trouble!"
"Well I wouldn't have to if anyone else did something" Ginny muttered but regretted her words a second later as she saw the look on Mc Gonagall's face.
"I'm sorry" she added quickly. "I shouldn't have said that"
"No, you're right"
Ginny looked up, surprised. It wasn't like Mc Gonagall to admit that she was wrong about something. But then again, this war obviously changed everybody... She could see the tiredness in her professor's eyes, it seemed to live there these days.
"I wish there was more the Order could do" she said softly. "All these disappearences, killings... And I know that it must be hard for you with your brother, Potter and Granger away..."
She drifted off but Ginny didn't need her to continue. She understood just fine. Mc Gonagall looked up at her again.
"Please try to remember to keep a low profile ms Weasley" she said seriously. "From all we know, that could be the difference between life and death these days"
Ginny nodded.
"I know" she said.
Her words came out only as a whisper but Mc Gonagall seemed to have heard her since she nodded shortly and then said:
"Well... You're dismissed"
Ginny raised her eyebrows in surprise.
"What about my detention?"
"Do you honestly believe I would give you detention for doing the right thing?" Mc Gonagall asked, as if the answer to her question was obvious.
"Uhm... Honestly, yeah" Ginny said.
Mc Gonagall shook her head.
"Absolutely not. The rules at this school may have changed but my values certainly haven't"
Ginny couldn't help smiling. It was good to know that not EVERYTHING had changed...
"Thank you professor. Bye"
"Bye Ginny"
Ginny felt like stopping, turning around and asking her professor why she'd suddenly called her by her first name. But she didn't. Instead she just kept walking, exited the office and closed the door softly behind her.
How do you make a time line haha
Apart from worrying about how things were at Hogwarts, her family at home and the Golden Trio out on their adventures (which had become an awful habit), this week, Ginny had to put up with Neville's constant talk and questions about Slughorn's christmas party and the fact that he was taking Luna as well.
"Do you think she actually likes me?" he asked Ginny for the tenth time that day as they were studying in the common room on Tuesday night. "Or do you think she just wants to go as friends?"
Ginny sighed, shrugging.
"I don't know Neville, I guess if you want to be sure you have to ask her!"
Neville looked down and Ginny could see his cheeks turning slightly red. She didn't blame him; from what she knew Neville had never been in a relationship before, in fact she was pretty sure he hadn't even been in love.
"I can't do that..." he mumbled. "It would make things really awkward..."
"Well, how else are you going to find out?" Ginny asked.
Neville didn't seem to have a good answer for that question. A moment later he looked up at Ginny again.
"What do you think I should wear?"
Ginny couldn't help laughing this time.
"I don't know! Black robes I guess? What else?"
Neville shrugged.
"I don't know, I'm sure Luna will wear something funny... And it's good if we match, right?"
Ginny snorted.
"If you want to match Luna I'm pretty sure you'll have to get to Hogsmeade; I don't think you have that kind of clothes in your closet"
"Except all shops in Hogsmeade are closed..." Neville muttered and they both fell silent.
Then he asked, probably to enlighten the mood:
"Well, have you found yourself a date yet?"
The problem was just, that Ginny hadn't. And on Thursday morning she woke up panicking over the fact.
"What am I going to do?!" she groaned and buried her face in her pillow. "If I don't find a date before tonight I can't go to that bloody party!"
Madison laughed.
"Like I've already said like... a dozen times; you're Ginny Weasley! Ask anyone!"
"Except I don't want anyone" Ginny complained. "I want someone I can actually talk to. Someone funny"
Madison sighed.
"You really have no idea who to ask, have you?"
Ginny shook her head miserably.
"No"
However, she missed how Madison, Emily and Caroline all looked at each other, smirking.
"Fine!" Emily said. "By tonight, we'll have you a date, that's a promise"
Ginny stared at her roommates in disbelief.
"And how would you do that...?" she asked slowly and Madison replied, sounding a bit mischevious:
"Well, you just have to trust us Ginny. Wait and see..."
How do you make a time line haha
Ginny shivered as she walked through the empty and quite dark corridors as she made her way back to the Gryffindor tower. This quidditch practise had been the worst she'd ever had so far and their team captain, Dean Thomas who was a seventh year that Ginny had dated before Harry, seemed determined that losing the upcoming game against Hufflepuff (that'd take place in January) was worse than Voldemort winning the war.
Ginny loved quidditch and she loved the way flying made her feel. But in this weather it was nothing but horrible. And she didn't want to get sick now that christmas was almost here...
"Hey, Ginny!"
Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of Madisons' voice and she was surprised to see her, standing next to Emily and a handsome looking boy that she recognized but had never really talked to. She was pretty sure he was a seventh year, however, and as she got closer she noticed that he had the Ravenclaw emblem on his shirt.
"Hi" she said slowly, looking at Madison in particular. "What are you all doing here?"
Emily smirked happily.
"We said we'd find you a date for tomorrow night, remember? Well, here he is!"
She patted the Ravenclaw boy on the shoulder and Ginny noticed that he didn't look embarrassed at all (she felt her own face getting redder by the second), but actually stepped forward and smiled at her.
"Hello Ginny" he said with a lot of confidence in his voice. "I'm Lucas McLaggen"
And then it clicked. Ginny suddenly remembered last year, when Hermione had used Cormac McLaggen to make Ron jealous; and she had actually mentioned that he had a twin brother! However, Ginny also remembered how both Ron and Hermione had complained about Cormac being the most self absorbed person they'd ever met and judging from what she'd seen and heard so far Lucas seemed to be... well, the same.
"Hi" she replied weakly, silently cursing Madison for making them meet when she was all sweaty and dressed in her ugly quidditch uniform.
Because self absorbed or not, one couldn't deny that Lucas was extremely handsome.
Emily giggled loudly and Ginny felt like disappearing. Why was this happening to her? Why couldn't she just have asked someone out herself? Anyone was better than standing here looking like a girl who needed her friends to get a date to Slughorn's stupid christmas party for her!
"Well, Lucas is a seventh year" Madison explained. "He's in Ravenclaw"
Ginny nodded slightly.
"My twin brother is in Gryffindor though" Lucas said, his voice dripping with something that Ginny didn't like, at all. "Maybe you know him, Cormac?"
"Yeah I... I've heard of him" Ginny said, turning towards Madison to glare at her.
Hadn't she ever talked to Cormac and noticed how vial he was? Apparently not, for she still smiled like this was the best thing that had happened to her in years...
"Well... I'm sure the two of you have a lot to talk about so we'll just..."
She drifted off and gave Emily a look. Ginny desperately wanted to ask them to take Lucas with them, but before she had time to even open her mouth they'd disappeared. She cleared her throat slightly, feeling her face getting even redder and she hated herself for it. Since when did Ginny Weasley blush when she talked to boys?
"I'm sure we'll have a great time at Slughorn's party" Lucas said.
And he'd said quite loud. He'd also said it right as the last person Ginny wanted to see right now passed them by, together with Draco Malfoy, Pansy Parkinson and Theodore Nott. And somehow, Ginny just knew that Blaise Zabini had heard what Lucas said. And he'd probably seen the look she knew she had on her face, too, for she could have sworn that she saw him smirking as he continued down the corridor with his friends.
Lucas, however, didn't seem to have even noticed the slytherins. And why should he? He was too busy talking about himself, which Ginny knew even though she wasn't really listening. At least not until he said:
"Well, to be honest I'm not very fond of old Slughorn. This whole thing with his 'favorite' students, I mean he only invited Potter to this kind of stuff because he's famous..."
"He invited Harry because he was great at Potions" Ginny interrupted Lucas cooly, meeting his gaze properly for the first time. "He was best in his year, actually"
Lucas never had to know about the Half-blood Prince... It was a bit funny that she'd spent months being angry with Harry but now it was so easy for her to defend him. Why, really? To her great annoyance, Lucas merely snorted.
"Yeah, you keep telling yourself that..."
Maybe it was the look on his face. Or the way he eyed her as if she was nothing. Nothing but someone he'd use to get into a party. Or maybe it was his voice. But Ginny was suddenly furious.
"You know what, this was a mistake" she said hotly. "I don't need you as my date, my friends must have misunderstood me"
And before he had time to say something mean or annoying back (which she was sure he was about to) she left the scene.
How do you make a time line haha
"How did it go?"
Madison spoke up as soon as Ginny opened the door leading into their dorm. She'd just taken a shower which had actually made her forget at least some of tonight's drama but now it all came back.
"It was a disaster" she said simply and walked over to her bed.
Emily furrowed.
"Why? He's a seventh year, he's really handsome, all girls like him!"
"Well, none of that really matters if he's the most self absorbed prat I've ever met does it?" Ginny snapped and they all fell silent.
"Why don't you just give him a chance?" Madison suggested after a while. "Not everybody is what they first seem..."
"No! There's no way I'm doing that!" Ginny exclaimed. "I've already made a fool of myself and even if I actually wanted to go with him I'm sure he wouldn't take me now. In fact, I'm not taking myself either, I'm not going to that stupid party"
"But you must go!" Emily exclaimed. "And it wouldn't be very good for your grade not to..."
"Well, I'm sure hexing Lucas McLaggen for annoying me too much in front of all Slughorn's guests wouldn't be very good for my grade either" Ginny muttered. "I don't understand what you were thinking, Lucas McLaggen, honestly?"
She could see from the corner of her eye how Madison, Emily and Caroline all looked at each other and then Madison said:
"You know, we really did try our best and we managed to give you one of the most handsome boys at Hogwarts. But it's quite obvious that since Potter isn't here to take you it wouldn't have mattered who we came up with..."
"Harry?" Ginny interrupted her, her voice trembling out of fury. "You think this has something to do with Harry?"
Why did everybody assume it all came down to that? Madison opened her mouth to reply but Ginny reached her to it:
"You know what, don't even answer that. I have to go to the library and borrow some books for the holidays. I'll see you later"
How do you make a time line haha
Ginny pressed her forehead against the cool window, hoping that it'd somehow make her relax. Make her come up with a good idea. Because now, she just didn't know what to do. She sighed heavily. It was in times like these, that she needed Hermione for she would have known what to do. She, with her reasonable mind, would have given Ginny some advice and the latter would have taken it.
Well, at least she could use the place where Hermione probably came up with the majority of her brilliant thoughts and ideas: the library. Ginny didn't know why, but lately it had sort of become her safe haven. Her favorite place in the school where she liked spending time when she needed to THINK. Like now. Also, the library was almost never crowded. In fact, it was usually empty these days since most people had more important things than school and books to worry about...
"I take it it didn't go very well with your date"
Apparently not today...
Ginny didn't jump this time; in fact, she didn't even look up but simply closed her eyes out of frustration.
"What do you want, Zabini?"
She wasn't at all surprised that he knew that Lucas McLaggen was supposed to come with her to Slughorn's christmas party; his smirk as he passed them by in the corridor earlier was still plastered on her mind.
But Blaise didn't answer her question, instead he sat down opposite her, leaning his back against the wall casually. She could see from the corner of her eye that he still smirked. How she hated that smirk already...
"Lucas McLaggen? That's not like a good gryffindor like yourself, even us slytherins know that he's bad..."
"Not that it's any of your business..." Ginny said, sitting up straight and glaring at him. "But I'm not taking McLaggen"
Blaise's face expression changed; the smirk was replaced with something else. He suddenly looked serious and opened his mouth to say something. But Ginny reached him to it, feeling almost certain that he'd also received an invitation from Slughorn:
"And you are one to complain, like Parkinson was the only girl willing to go with you"
It wasn't until she'd stopped speaking that she realized what she'd actually said, and what Blaise might think of it. But it WAS common knowledge at Hogwarts that he was considered one of the most handsome boys in his year and even the whole school. Ginny had on several occasions heard her Gryffindor friends discuss it and she thought it impossible that Blaise wasn't aware of it, too.
However, if he realized that she'd actually, without thinking about it, given him a compliment he didn't show it. Instead his eyes narrowed slightly, probably out of annoyance.
"Not that it's any of your business..." he started, using her exact words. "But she's not my date"
Ginny was caught off guard for a moment. Of course, it hadn't been very smart of her to take for granted that Blaise was going with Pansy (or that he was going at all) but she wouldn't admit it now...
She snorted.
"Let me guess, Tracey Davis? Or why not Millicent Bulstrode? She's practically a female version or Crabbe or Goyle, that'd suit you perfectly..."
"What makes you think I'd take any of them?" Blaise interrupted her sharply, leaning slightly forward as if he really cared to hear her answer.
Ginny just looked at him, debating whether she was about to cross a line again. But her bad mood from earlier took the best of her and she said defiantly:
"They're both pureblooded, right? I'm sure it'd please your parents and for most of you slytherins that seems to be the most important thing..."
But she stopped speaking abruptly, and actually jumped this time, as Blaise stood up and almost turned his chair over in the process. Then, ignoring the angry look he received from Madame Pince who turned up behind a bookshelf, he leaned forward again.
"You don't know a thing about what's most important to me" he hissed, his voice dangerously low. "And you have no idea what it's like... For you it's just so easy Weasley..."
"Is that what you think?!"
Ginny stood up as well, noticing how both her voice and hands seemed to tremble badly. She was really angry, now.
"You think my life is easy? That I'm having the time of my life this year? Well, think again Zabini!"
"THIS IS A LIBRARY!"
Madame Pince had turned up again and she didn't look happy.
"THERE ARE CERTAIN RULES IN HERE AND IF YOU TWO WON'T CARE TO FOLLOW THEM..."
"Whatever" Ginny interrupted her, not taking her eyes off Blaise. "I shouldn't waste my time explaining anything to you, I'm leaving"
And she stormed off, feeling more upset than in a long time. This night was too much. It was all too much.
How do you make a time line haha
By the time Ginny had reached the seventh floor she was fuming and she still didn't know why. Why did Blaise Bloody Zabini make it sound as if he knew everything, as if it was obvious that Ginny was wrong? Why did he make her feel like an idiot? She felt like kicking something. Hard. He had no right to do that!
He. Didn't. Even. Know. Her!
And that's when she made up her mind; she'd never talk to him again. In fact, that wouldn't be a problem. Sure if she caught him staring at her in the Great Hall again she'd march straight up to him and ask him what his problem was (even if she had to do so in front of Pansy and the others) but apart from that she'd completely ignore him. And he'd ignore her back. They'd forget that they'd ever been speaking to each other in the first place and she'd go back to consider him nothing but Draco Malfoy's stupid and self absorbed Slytherin friend.
Because that's all he was, no matter if he'd said that he, too, wanted to forget.
Without realizing it she'd quickened her steps remarkably and as she'd almost reached the portrait of the Fat Lady she bumped right into someone. Someone tall. For a moment she thought it was him, what would he be doing up here? But then, as she eyed the person's hands who grabbed her arms gently to steady her, she noticed that this person's skin colour was darker.
As she looked up she found herself staring right into the eyes belonging to Dean Thomas. Great.
"Woah, are you okay?" he asked, sounding worried.
Of course he did. That had always been the problem with Dean. If Harry treated her like a child, Dean treated her like a baby. Back when they were dating he wouldn't even let her walk through the portrait hole herself... The thought made her sick and she quickly backed a few steps.
"Yeah, yeah I'm fine. Sorry about that" she said, hoping that she looked and sounded as unbothered as she wanted to.
Dean eyed her curiously.
"You seem... a bit upset" he said slowly. "Is something wrong?"
"No"
But her reply came too fast, there was no chance in the world that Dean would believe her.
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah, absolutely"
It's not like I'd like to practise the Cruciatus curse on Blaise Zabini or anything. Absolutely not.
Ginny gave him a brief smile and was just about to continue her walk towards the portrait hole when Dean cleared his throat, obviously wanting to say something. So Ginny waited.
"So... I heard about Slughorn's christmas party"
"You did?"
Of course he did. It was the great subject of the week, something normal that at least some students could look forward to in the middle of all this... chaos.
"Yeah... Who are you taking?"
There was curiosity in Dean's voice and something else that Ginny wasn't sure what she'd call, maybe jealousy. Obviously he was sure of that she already had a date... For some reason, telling him the truth felt embarrassing.
But maybe...
"Uhm..."
She cleared her throat uncomfortably.
"Actually, I... I'm not taking anyone. Yet"
"Oh"
Dean's face expression changed immediately, and now Ginny knew exactly what she'd call the look in his eyes: hope. And what choice did she have really? Who would be a better candidate? She surely couldn't think of anyone and she was running out of time... Besides, wouldn't it be wonderful to tell Madison and the others that she'd found a date on her own last minute?
And she wouldn't give Blaise Zabini the satisfaction of seeing her go alone.
"Would you... would you like to go with me?" Ginny asked, smiling widely.
Dean smiled back and she knew she had him.
"Yeah, sure!"
"As friends" Ginny added hastily and Dean nodded.
She didn't want him to jump to any conclusions. She definitely wasn't interested in him in that way...
"Of course" he said. "As friends"
Ginny nodded and they both fell silent. She cleared her throat again. Merlin, this was uncomfortable.
"So I'll... I'll see you tomorrow night" she said and Dean nodded enthusiastically.
"Absolutely. Good night Ginny"
"Good night Dean"
And she continued her walk towards the portrait hole and her dorm; it had been a long day and she couldn't wait for a good night's sleep.