Here we go again... I've managed to get myself a buffer of about three chapters done now so updates should be more frequent. I kind of like this chapter, but I'm sorry to say that if you were worried about Ginny before, this certainly isn't going to help...

Shoutouts: Wow, lots of reviews this time. You Know Who, 5redroses, glowyrm, Delia-of-the-Oysters, untitled1494, MissLisaBennett, hoeoverbros, lillyflower08, ForbiddenLove7. Thanks guys!

Someone said they found the last chapter confusing - sorry about that. I think that's part of the reason Hermione is so worried, though; she doesn't know exactly what is wrong with Ginny.

Also, if you're interested and you haven't seen it yet, I've (shock horror) published another story. It's another challenge but it's a one-shot called "A Magical Number" - go check it out and review! :)

19. Black Eyes
Wednesday

"My God, Ginny, what happened to your face?" says Harry, at the same time Ginny says "Bloody hell, what happened to your eye?"

"You go first," says Ginny. Harry moves to let her inside.

"It was stupid," he says, grimacing. "I got hit with a Clouting Hex."

"You were duelling?"

Harry nods. "Not in the field, mind you. It was just training."

Ginny looks somewhat relieved. "So who hit you?"

"Ron. Don't look so impressed, he was aiming for Watkins."

She snorts. "That is so like Ron."

"Yeah, he gets a little overexcited." It is Harry's turn to peer at her face. "So what happened to you?"

"Oh, I just got into a—disagreement—with Bradley," Ginny says, her voice a little too casual. "It was nothing."

"It doesn't look like nothing," says Harry. "Did she actually punch you?"

"Yeah… but I broke her nose."

"You could get kicked off the team!" says Harry, appalled, and with a nasty sense of déjà vu.

"Harry, no one's going to kick me off the team for giving her what she deserves. Besides, no one even saw it."

"I'm not saying she doesn't deserve it," says Harry, "but Gin, you've got to be careful. Whatever she said isn't worth losing your career for. Trust me, I know."

"Oh come on, you didn't lose your career, you missed two matches at Hogwarts. It's hardly the same thing."

Harry is lost for words. Ginny is many things, but she's not usually reckless. Not like this.

Yeah, so if it isn't obvious, they both have black eyes. Sometimes, because of my self-imposed word limit, I don't get a chance to properly explain what is going on... but hey, that's what the Author's Note is for, right?

Anyway, please review!