Chapter 7:

Hogsmeade

The morning sun rose over Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Soft green grass soaked up the rays, the lake reflected it back on its still surface. The forest once quiet began to wake up. Hagrid's hut lit up, his footsteps booming on his floor as he made himself ready for the day.

Pulling the blankets over her head, Ginny tired to block out the rising sun. Moaning she didn't want to get up, she rolled to her stomach. Movement in the room was heard as the other girls rose to welcome the morning.

"Come on, Ginny. Don't you want to see Hart at breakfast," Jade poked her side through the blanket.

Mumbling was heard as Ginny tired to say something to the girl disturbing her sleep.

"What was that Ginny?"

"Her name is Kalya," Ginny huffed as she pulled back her blankets, kicking her feet over the side of her bed.

"We know her name. But, I hardly think we are on first name basis," Blair reminded her.

Shrugging Ginny stepped into the bathroom and proceeded to shower. Her roommates were always early risers. They normally left her to sleep all she wanted but for some reason this morning they weren't about to let her sleep in. Mumbling about unfair roommates, Ginny washed herself in the shower. She brushed her short hair before using a spiking spell. She brushed her teeth and frowned at herself in the mirror.

The freckles that dusted her face seemed even more predominate against the paleness of her white skin. Her eyes seemed dull with the look of sleepiness. Her lips were dry and cracked from sleeping. Sighing she put on some chap-stick to help her lips.

Glaring at the clock Ginny realized it was Saturday. They had the whole day off and her roommates had to get her up at seven o'clock! She didn't even get up till seven thirty or eight on a class day. Moaning about her absolute hate for her roommates, she moved to look threw her clothes finding an outfit set out on her bed.

Narrowing her eyes, she realized her roommates had gone through her clothes while she was showering. Sighing she pulled the said outfit onto her body and stared at herself in the mirror. Obviously the pants were hers, they fit her waist and were baggy just like the pants she had worn yesterday, but they were black. The shirt though was transfigured as she didn't have one like it. It was a nice long sleeve deep green button down shirt. Slipping on her black sneakers she moved down to the common room.

Her roommates greeted her with glee as they praised her for wearing the clothes they had set out. They kept telling her how the green brought out her eyes and hair, and that the black pants complimented the shirt. Ginny rolled her eyes; girls would be girls she supposed.

They all sat down at their table, Harry, Ron and Hermione saying good morning to them. They all talked happily about yesterday's events and how the Ball was for them. The girls gushed over all the guys they had danced with and Ginny found amusement when the girls realized who they were talking to.

Kalya sat down next to Ginny with a huge smile on her face. Ginny took notice there was still some curl to Kalya's hair. Her face had a slight dusting of a light pink blush to cover her paleness; her normal light blue eye shadow had been changed to a deep blood red, with black eyeliner. Her lips had pink lip-gloss. She was wearing a deep v white long sleeve shirt, and she had on form fitting gray jeans, complete with flat dress shoes in silver.

"Good morning, Gin," Her voice was soft almost breathy before brightening and becoming louder, "good morning Jade, Blair, Lillian, Martha, Roslyn."

"Good morning," the six girls echoed.

"Kal, don't you want to go sit with Zabini," Ginny looked confused.

"Oh sure, but he is so busy with his girlfriend," she winked, "I'd get in the way."

Ginny blushed when she noticed Zabini sitting next to Sanders.

"Look on the bright side Ginny, at least she will sit with us," Roslyn smiled.

"What makes you think I wouldn't sit here," Kalya looked between the girls.

"Well, it's just... you never sit at the Gryffindor table," Lillian supplied.

"Honestly, I never felt welcome. I thought I would embarrass you guys too much to be here. But, after last night, I thought it would be okay and you would enjoy my company."

"Of course we will enjoy your company," Ginny said nervously.

"That's perfect. It's either that, or you can sit at my table," Kalya's leg brushed up against Ginny's.

Blushing fiercely and trying to respond, Ron's voice spoke up, "Not bloody likely. You can sit here all you want but my sister isn't sitting with all those snakes."

Everyone was waiting for Kalya to get upset, or yell at Ron for his words. He had pretty much just told her that her house was filled with horrible people. Instead, she started to laugh. Her hand over her mouth, she tried to muffle her laughter, gaining attention from the full hall.

"What's so funny," Ron mumbled miffed at her reaction.

"It's just… You have hated me so much and now it's alright for me to sit at your table. A snake amongst the loins, and yet you won't let her sit at my table. For what? Because you're afraid of what my housemates would do to her? It's good to know you trust me."

Ron blushed, the redness creeping down his neck, "I never said I trusted you."

"She is right," Martha boasted, "Ron actually trusts her."

"Don't worry. I won't break that trust Ron. I'm not a bad person and I never will be. What proof do you need to believe me," Kalya asked.

"Bear your left arm," Harry stated.

Ginny thought back to it. Every time she had worn a dress or a short sleeve shirt, she had always worn something to cover her arms, like long gloves or interesting sleeve pieces. All eyes were on her, most students, even in Slytherin, had thought she was a Death Eater and they were all interested in getting to know if it was true.

"Keep in mind, what I told you over summer about my parents," Kalya said softly, before pushing up both sleeves of her shirt. Her left arm had a very thin light pink scar going from the joint of her elbow to the middle of her palm. It was hard to see, and most wouldn't even notice it. Her right arm had the same scar type, going from the edge of the inside of her wrist wrapping around to the top of her hand, creating an l like shape.

"You can barely even see them, why do you hide them," Ginny asked, reaching out and touching Kalya's left arm.

"Because I don't like people asking me how I got them," Kalya smiled sadly.

Ron and Harry looked upset. They felt like total arses for having her show her arms and embarrassing her in front of the hall, as well as not believing her or Sirius when they said she wasn't a Death Eater.

"Honestly, if I was me, I would think I was a Death Eater too," Kalya laughed.

Everything quieted down and they had continued to eat, the hall talking and moving forward as if the outburst never happened. IT was always this way here. Everyone knew when to drop it and just continue on with their day. The hum of the hall covered the movement till Kalya noticed someone had sat down next to her.

The seventh year Gryffindor smiled at her, "Hey, Hart. I was wondering, since today is Hogsmeade weekend if you were going with someone."

"Umm, no," Kalya's confusion stood out in her fumbled words.

"Well, how about going to the Three Broomsticks with me," he flashed another smile.

"You know I'm not interested in men right," Kalya asked cautiously.

"Yeah, you made that quiet clear last night."

"Sure, I'll go for a drink then," Kalya dismissed him softly and turned back to her friends.

"See you at noon."

She nodded, not noticing Ginny tense and glare at the boy walking away.

"Want to meet up at twelve thirty and go window shopping," Kalya asked, looking at Ginny.

Shaking out of her revive she glanced at Kalya who was looking at her expectantly, "I'm sorry, what did you say?"

"I wanted to know if you wanted to meet up at twelve thirty to go do something, like window shop or maybe you can take me by your brother's shop."

"Of course."

Ginny didn't notice the disappointed look at the younger girls face. She glared at her food as she ate. Something about that older boy didn't seem right. He was up to something and Kalya being the good girl she is wouldn't notice that.

Kalya sat down with an airy expression on her face. She had ordered a butterbeer and was just staring at the table. She kept thinking about everything and wondering if she could convince this boy to let her go early so she could meet up with Ginny at WWW.

Honestly, she couldn't see why this boy wanted to hang out with her. They didn't even know each other and she was lesbian. Mulling over everything in her head, she heard the boy slide into the booth across from her.

"Hey," His voice was rich in seduction.

"Hey."

"I realized I didn't properly introduce myself this morning. My name is Bradley Rowland, but my friends just call me Brad."

"Nice to meet you, Rowland."

"No, call me Brad. Didn't I hear that Weasley girl call you Kal?"

"Sorry, only she can call me that. Everyone else calls me Kalya or Hart."

"Alright Kalya, let's get to know each other. Tell me what your favorites are?"

"Well, my favorite color is blue. Favorite animals are a wolf and fox. My favorite class is Muggle Studies. Teacher would have to be Professor Snape."

"Mine are Red, Dog, Transfiguration and Professor McGonagall."

"What else do you want to know?"

"Do you have any hobbies?"

"Are you writing this down? I like to read and write. I love spending time with my friends."

"No, I'm not. Who are they?"

"Draco and Blaise. Ginny, Blair, Lillian, Roslyn, Martha and Jade."

"Do you fly?"

"I love to."

"How come you're not on the team then?"

"Because I don't like my name in the lime-light," Kalya glared at the paper where a quick quill was scribbling down.

"How come you don't like boys romantically?"

"What kind of a question is that? That is none of your business. I've always liked girls."

"So you're saying you have never given a guy a chance?"

"I've never wanted to. I don't like them that way."

"Why not try at least once?"

"Excuse me?"

He slid over into her seat, her eyes going wide, he moved forward and placed his lips on hers. Grossed by the touch of his lips on hers, she slid under the table and ran for the door. Scared and upset, blinded by the tears, she was barely able to make it to WWW. Sliding into the building and sitting down by the door, her face buried in her hands.

Ginny was shocked when she found her friend crying in her brother's shop. Taking her upstairs to the twins' room, she sat her down on a couch. She noticed how hurt her friend was and wrapped her arms around her, whispering that it would be okay in her ear.

"What's wrong, Kal," Ginny asked when her friend finally calmed down.

"He kissed me," new tears started and began to drip down her face.

"I feared he didn't want to just be your friend," Ginny sighed pulling her friend closer to her.

It took a while to calm her friend. Finally she stopped crying and cleaned herself up, her make-up still perfect due to magic. Ginny reached down nervously and grabbed Kalya's left hand. Kalya smiled and happily followed along as Ginny showed her the shop. As they left the shop their hands dropped from each others.

Ginny watched at Kalya got excited and bounced from shop to shop. She was always smiling and laughing. Pointing at things she wanted or liked. Running into shops and buying things she needed for school or for herself. Ginny wasn't surprised when she was drug into a make-up and jewelry store.

She watched Kalya pick all kinds of beautiful colored eye shadows, blushes, and eyeliner.

"You were getting low on make-up that's why the last few weeks you have only wore baby blue eye shadow with pink eye liner," Ginny stated her observation.

"You noticed? I normally switch my colors every day, but I haven't gotten the time to come here and buy more."

Ginny smiled and followed around happily behind her friend. She noticed something in a counter that caught her attention. A beautiful locket with a snake and griffin engraved on it, a mystic sapphire heart at the bottom under the feet of the griffin. The locket was a circle. A witch had helped her and pulled it out for her to hold. Turning it over on the back was blank and able to have something written on it.

Ginny paid for it, telling the witch what she wanted on the back, and wrote down her name asking her to mail it to her. A smile on her face, realizing she had just found her perfect Christmas present for Kalya. She moved forward and followed Kalya as she left the shop.

"It's such a beautiful day. Should we meet up with the other girls?"

"Yeah, they said they would be at the Three Broomsticks," Ginny smiled.

They walked into the pub, and Kalya sighed in relief that Rowland had left. They slid into the table with the other five girls. They enjoyed hours of talking and laughing before they agreed it was time for them to go back to school.