A/N: All of you readers are the most beautiful people ever! Thank you for favoriting, following, reviewing, and reading my other fan fictions. You are amazing! To the one anonymous reviewer: your corrections have been noted and applied. When I first read CoS, I always read 'Angelica'- old habits die hard. So according to my outline, we are more than halfway through this story! I'm hoping to have it finished by Easter, but no promises.

Once again, this story's nouns belong to J.K. Rowling as well as some of the events. Everything in bold is a direct quote from Chamber of Secrets.

The fanged monster of the previous night haunted Ginny's thoughts the rest of that Sunday. If she had been at the Burrow, she may have told her Mum about the nightmare or asked her brothers to take her flying to take her mind off it, but neither were available to her at Hogwarts. She considered writing a letter to her Mum, but it just seemed silly. She was old enough to not be scared of nightmares. When she had nightmares growing up, she often made it a habit to sneak into one of her brother's rooms and ask to sleep in their bed. Once Bill and Charlie left the house, Ron had been the one for her to turn to. Percy was too proper and the twins would have taken the mickey out of her. Ron might grumble a 'well come on then', but he always turned the blankets down to make room for her. Those days were long gone now.

Ginny decided the only option available to her was to try and distract herself with homework. She did have a potions essay due tomorrow and she had another six inches of parchment left to write. So that is how Ginny became sat at a table in the Gryffindor common room. Unfortunately, no real progress was made on her comparison and contrast of clockwise versus counterclockwise stirring. This was partly due to the nightmare occupying her thoughts. The other reason was that Harry Potter was sitting across the room. He sat opposite Ron; face screwed up in concentration, chin perched on his fist. Her youngest brother was looking rather smug from his side of the chessboard.

"Give up yet?" Ron smirked.

"Hold on a minute! It's still my turn." Harry replied.

"Yeah, and it's been your turn for the last quarter hour. Hermione, you'll play winner, yeah?" Ron turned to the brunette witch sitting on a nearby sofa. Hermione Granger briefly looked over the top of her book and sighed.

"Ron, you really ought to start your History of Magic essay. It is Sunday evening."

Ron scoffed, "But it's due Wednesday! Don't tell me you're already done with it!"

"Well, why not? Now I have more time to revise it, finish other homework, and pleasure read."

"PLEASURE READ? What in Merlin's name is that? Sounds like an oxymoron to me."

Harry's attention was no longer on the game and his green eyes shone with mirth. Ginny liked this Harry best. He was carefree and relaxed; his hand covered his stifled laugh.

"You two are impossible! You are already on thin ice with the stunt you pulled with the car. Don't blame me when you fail your classes as well." Hermione crossed her arms and glared at her friends.

"Awww, come on, Hermione. He's only joking. Just play a round with Ron. You know it'll be over quick." Harry gave her a smile.

Hermione grumbled under her breath and took her place across from Ron. "Don't encourage him."

"Hermione has no idea how lucky she is. She's friends with my brother and Harry Potter. She even has friends!"

Ron really hadn't spoken to Ginny since they arrived at Hogwarts. Her hopes of returning to the friendship they had before were dashed away. She wondered again about Hermione and Harry. The way Harry smiled at her just then. Had it been as more than a friend?

"Well, why wouldn't he want to be with the brilliant Hermione Granger?"

Even her brother couldn't stop talking about her. She had thought that she might have had an in with the group because of the time she spent with Hermione on the train, but nothing came of it. At least she had Tom to confide in and…

"Hiya, Ginny!"

"Colin! Sweet Merlin, you scared me half to death!"

"Sorry." Colin had the good grace to look apologetic. "So where have you been all day? I barely saw you at meals."

"Oh…uh…you know…studying." Ginny had taken a brief respite from her studies to find Harry on the grounds, but with no luck. She did feel slightly guilty for excluding Colin. But after what happened last time they attempted to spy together, she felt that she should go solo.

"Studying? On a Sunday? Be careful, Ginny, or you'll become like Hermione Granger," Colin teased.

Ginny scowled, "Why does everything have to be about Hermione Granger? We all get it! She's brilliant!"

"Whoa! Calm down. I meant no offense. Are you okay? You seem on edge."

She sighed, "I just didn't sleep well last night. No big deal. I'm sorry for taking it out on you."

"Hey, what are friends for?" Colin grinned broadly and patted her on the back. Ginny smiled back and returned to her essay.

"Um…Ginny?"

She answered without letting her eyes leave the parchment. "Yeah, Colin?"

"What's a mudblood?"

The quill in Ginny's hand paused over her essay. "What did you say?" She turned to Colin with wide eyes. He shifted from foot to foot and then continued in a rush.

"Um…what's a mudblood? I know you are touchy about Hermione for some reason, but yesterday I decided to take pictures of Harry for the first Quidditch practice and the Slytherin team came up to them and started getting shirty and Hermione told them off, but the new Slytherin seeker called her a mudblood and your brother tried to hex him, but started vomiting slugs which is actually really more disgusting than I ever could imagine it being and everyone from Gryffindor was furious and Harry and Hermione took Ron to the infirmary I think, but I just never found out…um…what's a mudblood?"

"Will you stop saying that word!?" Ginny was shocked. Her Dad had mentioned that word at the dinner table once in her whole life and it was to forbid them from ever speaking it. Arthur Weasley had just returned home from a particularly difficult raid that instigated his rant. She remembered his exact words to this day. 'You may be pureblood, but you will never be a Weasley if you call anyone that word. I raised you all better than that.'

Ginny took a calming breath and ran a hand through her long ginger hair. "Look, Colin, I'm sorry for yelling at you. It's just that word is one of the foulest things to call someone else. It's what some witches and wizards call muggleborns. It means dirty blood. It's complete and utter rubbish. They think muggleborns aren't actually magical, but how then can they do spells? If they were just muggles who stole wands then nothing would happen when they tried to cast anything. Colin, you're muggleborn, but your spell casting is just as good if not better than mine. And I'm considered pureblood— witches and wizards marrying and having more magical kids. But my Dad says that the wizarding world would have died out by now if there hadn't been muggleborns and magical folk marrying muggles. Whoever calls you, or even the brilliant Hermione Granger, that word is absolute scum and an idiot for that matter."

Colin was looking at his shoes as if they were fascinating and slowly nodded his head. When she placed a hand on his shoulder, he finally met her eyes.

"You are not that word, Colin."

He swallowed thickly and gave her a sad smile. "Thanks, Ginny."

%G%

Ginny wasn't feeling the usual excitement that came with the approach of Halloween. Time was passing much too quickly for her liking and she often felt she could barely keep up in her classes. She wanted to go to bed early (something she had never desired before) and she picked at her food (something she most definitely had never done before). She was just tired, she reasoned. A rash of colds seemed to be going through the student body and so it was possible, Ginny thought, that she too had come down with something. One day, Percy had had enough.

"Ginevra, I insist that you see Madam Pomfrey. You have been looking terribly pale and hardly eating anything at meals. I admire your work ethic, but at least let her give you a pepper up potion."

"Don't call me Ginevra! Honestly, Percy, I'm fine." She tried to leave the common room, but his hand on her shoulder turned her back to him. His horn rim framed eyes reflected his obvious concern for her.

"Good. Finally one of them notices me. Too bad it's only because he doesn't want to get in trouble with Mum. Percy, the perfect prefect, could never tarnish his mother's boy image. Tom was right. My brothers don't really care."

Percy sighed, "Ginny, I just want you to feel better. I know the first year can be difficult for some students. A potion could be just the thing to help you focus back on your studies. If you refuse, I will be forced to write Mum about your condition."

"Ugh! Don't be such a nark, Percy! Fine, I'll go," she said as she stormed off.

Later that day, Ginny had taken the prescribed pepper up potion and was smoking from her ears. Madam Pomfrey had assured her that it was a normal side effect that would stop in a few hours, but Ginny was concerned about the embarrassment of it now. She walked as fast as she could from class to class, praying to Merlin that she wouldn't run into Harry Potter. But knowing Ginny's luck, it was never to be.

"Ginny, what in Merlin's name? Why does it look like your head's on fire?"

Ginny inwardly groaned, "The tact of my brother, Ron, ladies and gentlemen. And who should be by his side, but Harry Potter and Hermione Granger. Perfect."

"Percy told me to take a pepper up potion. I just came from the infirmary."

Hermione's face creased with concern, "Oh Ginny, are you alright?"

"Yeah, just keep pretending that you care. You just want to get in Harry's good books. Look how Hermione cares for those less fortunate than her."

Ginny felt slightly guilty for these harsh thoughts, but really wasn't it the truth? Instead she replied with an "I'm fine" and hurried away to her next class; leaving a dumbfounded trio of friends behind her.

%G%

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was garishly festooned for its Halloween celebration. As promised, Hagrid's prized pumpkins had tripled in size since Ginny and Colin had last seen them and were now carved and lit in the Great Hall. Bats had been conjured to fly about the enchanted ceiling which featured an orange full moon. She and Colin sat at the Gryffindor table side by side. Although the atmosphere was festive, Ginny was feeling slightly homesick. Her Mum always prepared the best Halloween celebrations. She was a fantastic cook and loved to spoil her children rotten with food. Ginny wasn't really hungry tonight. Colin, on the other hand, had thoroughly stuffed himself with every Halloween treat imaginable— pumpkin pasties, cauldron cakes, black licorice wands— and was currently in the throws of a sugar rush.

"Those dancing skeletons— madness, but so fantastic! My favorite part was when the one took off the other's skull and it started playing keep away with the others. Very good value!" Colin turned and noticed Ginny looking glum; pressing her spoon into a cauldron cake until it was completely flat.

"Hey, what's the matter? It's a party! We're supposed to be having fun."

Ginny lifted her head from her folded arm, "What? Oh, sorry, Colin. I guess I just miss home. Actually, I think I'm going to turn in early. Maybe write a letter to my Mum."

Colin shrugged his shoulders, "Suit yourself, but at least take some licorice wands with you. I know you like them."

"Thanks. See you at breakfast tomorrow."

As Ginny made her way back to Gryffindor, she wondered why she didn't see Ron, Harry, or Hermione at the feast. She had developed a habit of searching for them in a crowd because where one was, the other two weren't far off. However, there was no sign of any of them at the party.

"Probably off on another adventure. I never get to do anything exciting. Maybe I can do something to make them notice me and then I can become a useful member to their team. I'll have to ask Tom if he did anything interesting here at Hogwarts."

She had just begun to climb the last flight of stairs when her head began to pound. She could hear her heartbeat in her ears. Ginny clutched her head and tried to run up the staircase.

"I just need to make it to the common room and lay down and then I…"

Before Ginny could finish her thought, her vision went black.

%G%

Ginny awoke surrounded by warm blankets; her ginger hair plastered to her face in a sweaty mess. She took in her surroundings and recognized the familiar four poster that was her own. She glanced to the alarm clock on her bedside table— "Midnight…I must have been sicker than I thought."

Ginny groaned as she dragged herself from the bed and shuffled to the first year girls' bathroom. "When did this bathroom get so bloody bright?" She squinted in the lamplight and splashed water on her face then raked her fingers through her hair. It was at that moment she saw her reflection. Droplets of pink stained water were dripping down her face. Was she bleeding? Ginny didn't need to search long. Both of her palms were bright red. It didn't look like she was injured, so she began to furiously wipe at her hands. "Why won't it come off? I keep wiping at it, but it won't come off!"

Frustrated, Ginny threw the towel she had been using against the wall and stomped back to bed. She glanced around the room briefly and saw that Viola's bed curtains were drawn tight as usual. However, Maggie and Matilda were still wide awake, huddled close in conversation. They looked up as she began to change.

"Hi Ginny. Are you okay? Colin asked us to check on you," Maggie asked.

Ginny made her way to her dresser and pulled a fresh night dress over her head. "Oh…um…I had a headache earlier and I guess I must have fallen asleep. I feel fine now."

Both of her dorm mates looked relieved, "That's good, but you missed all the excitement. Filch's cat was attacked! We all thought it was killed, but Professor Dumbledore said it wasn't. And you should have seen the writing on the wall. It's all very ghastly, isn't it?" Matilda said.

"Writing on the wall? What did it say? Who would attack an innocent cat?"

"Something about the Chamber of Secrets being opened. You could go see it for yourself tomorrow. It's on the second floor. I just hope this was just some Halloween prank. Maybe your brothers?" Maggie said.

Ginny was shocked. Yes, the twins had a penchant for jokes, but never would they purposely injure any living thing for the sake of a prank.

"My brothers would never do something like this," Ginny snapped, "and I would appreciate it if you wouldn't accuse them of doing something so cruel."

Matilda defended her friend, "Oh, she meant no offense. Your brothers just seem like they enjoy a good laugh…"

"And you think injuring a cat is 'a good laugh' because I'm not laughing right now!" Ginny snapped back.

Before Maggie could open her mouth to retort, Matilda placed a hand on her upper arm. "Maybe we should just go to bed. It's late and I for one am hopped up on sugar and the shock of what's happened."

Ginny and Maggie were in a stare down, but they slowly broke their gaze. "That sounds fine. I'm tired," Ginny said through clenched teeth.

"Fine." Maggie replied evenly and pushed off Matilda's bed to briskly walk to the bathroom.

Ginny looked at the pile of clothes next to her bed. "I must have been really out of it to go to bed in my school robes. Wait…what's that?"

What appeared to be red paint was all down the front of the robes. She flopped onto her bed and conjured her bed drapes to close tight. "What is going on? I don't understand. How did I make it to my dorm? Where did the paint come from?"

With Colin fast asleep, stupid dorm mates, her brothers who wouldn't care, and her Mum and Dad hundreds of miles away, Ginny turned to the only person she could count on.

"Dear Tom, I can't remember what I did on the night of Halloween, but a cat was attacked and I've got paint all down my front."

"Oh Ginny, that's awful! Tell me everything."

%G%

The crimson words on the stone wall shone brightly in the torchlight:

THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS HAS BEEN OPENED.

ENEMIES OF THE HEIR, BEWARE.

She couldn't help but look at her hands. She had been able to get most of the red off in the shower that morning, but her palms were slightly more pink than normal. Could she be responsible for the writing? But that would be impossible.

"What are you doing there? This is a crime scene! No loitering in the halls allowed!"

Ginny turned and found Mr. Filch behind her; mop and bucket in hand and his face contorted in anger. She attempted to reply, but all that came out were splutters.

"Never mind!" Filch shouted. His eyeballs seemed to be protruding further and further out of their sockets. "Get to class!"

Before she could explain that it was Sunday, water came flooding out of the nearby girls' bathroom. It appeared that a pipe had burst.

"MYRTLE!" Filch was now so furious that every word was accompanied by spittle. "I've had ENOUGH! First the students are after my poor Mrs. Norris and then the ghosts are amuck! Dumbledore will hear about this!"

Thinking it best to leave him to it, Ginny scurried away.

%G%

"I know by this time many of you have heard the distressing news that Mr. Filch's cat has been petrified. Professor Sprout is raising a crop of Mandrakes to revive her. Be that as it may, I can assure you that this incident is being fully investigated by the entire staff and the culprit will be caught," Professor McGonagall's announced at breakfast the next day. "Those with any information should come forward. You will remain anonymous."

Ginny absentmindedly clasped her hands together; attempting to hide the color of her palms. Even if she wanted to come forward, she reasoned, she didn't really have any information to give. Halloween night was less than a blur for her. Tom had reassured her that the red on her hands and the front of her robes could have come from anywhere. If she told Professor McGonagall anything about it, the blame would point directly to her and she knew she hadn't done anything. Professor McGonagall didn't appear to be a woman to trifle with or someone who would hear her out. Ginny could imagine it now. "Please, Professor, try to understand! I don't remember how the red got there!" She would be expelled before you could say Mrs. Norris.

Professor Binns was droning on about the ancient Magi— some of the first known wizards in the world. They were probably fascinating, but Professor Binns had a knack for making the most interesting of history into the dullest. The students in his class usually used that time for catching up on sleep, the latest gossip, or (more rarely) other classwork.

"And Filch accused him? What did he say?" a slender, brunette Ravenclaw whispered behind Colin and Ginny.

"Well," her desk mate replied surreptitiously, "I was there and Filch screamed that he had murdered his cat. He was the first at the scene of the crime. Him and his friends, the ginger boy and that bushy haired girl."

"But Harry Potter the Heir of Slytherin? It just doesn't seem possible that the Boy Who Lived would be capable of it." the brunette scoffed.

"I hear he doesn't have much of a home life— orphan and all. He could be insane for all we know. He could enjoy torturing small animals when he gets bored. He might have pulled the prank because not enough people were fawning after him. It's ridiculous! Girls trip over themselves when Harry Potter is around!

"Ha! That's funny because I seem to remember a certain girl saying just last week how his dark hair looked so irresistibly soft, Jacqueline!"

Jacqueline seemed to be pouting, "Oh shut it, Eleanor."

With every word, Ginny seethed. How dare they? Harry would never be capable of such a thing! And for them to suggest that not only was Harry guilty, but that he enjoyed it all— it was infuriating! Ginny was about to tell them off when Colin placed a hand on her arm to stop her.

"Don't," he whispered firmly. She closed her eyes and took a calming breath. He was right. No good would come of it. That was when he rotated her forearm so her hand lay palm up on the desk.

"Why are your palms bright pink?" his eyes widened. Her heart was racing. Would he understand and believe her?

She thought quickly and replied, "Oh— I accidentally knocked over a bottle of red nail polish on our dressing table and it got all over. It has been awful trying to clean off."

Colin's brow furrowed, "I didn't know you wore nail polish."

"It wasn't mine. It was Viola's."

He appeared satisfied with her excuse and returned to his doodling, but Ginny felt like a solid weight had settled in her gut. She had lied so easily to her only friend and because he trusted her, she was able to get away with it.

"He would have never believed the truth," she thought. Visions of Colin running to Harry with his suspicions flooded her mind. No, it was definitely wise to keep Colin in the dark about her blackout.

%G%

"Dear Tom, I'm worried that Colin thinks I'm the one who wrote the message on the wall. But I would never hurt a cat! Ron says the cat deserved it, but that is just awful! I'm scared because I don't remember where I was and what if…"

"Shhhh…calm down, Ginny. You were so sick on Halloween that you could barely drag yourself to bed, remember? I promise you, Colin won't say anything. He's your friend, right?"

"Yes, but sometimes I think he would just let things slip out of no fault of his own. He's just rather talkative and one of the people he talks to is Harry. There has been a couple moments where I swear Colin was going to tell Harry that I fancy him."

"Doesn't Colin value your friendship enough to not say anything?"

"Yes…Yes, you're right, Tom. Everyone is saying that Harry might be the Heir of Slytherin, but Colin defended him. He said there was no way Harry would do such a thing."

"I agree. Neither Harry, nor you for that matter, are the Heir of Slytherin."

"Tom… do you know who the Heir is?"

"Alas, Ginny, I wouldn't be able to say."

"Oh, I thought maybe since you've been around for ages, you may know. I just want this to end."

"Don't fret, Ginny. I'm sure it'll be over with soon."

"At least I know I can depend on you. It's like having a friend I can carry around in my pocket."

%G%

The Hogwarts rumor mill was running at full steam and its fuel consisted of Harry Potter being the Heir of Slytherin. To make matters worse, some of the rumors included Ron being involved somehow. Hermione had been right—as much as Ginny was loathe to admit— the boys were on thin ice for the Ford Anglia episode. Even if the rumors weren't true, Ginny knew that most people wanted a scapegoat and would reach for the simplest of conclusions. She was so selfish. Here she was worried about herself being expelled when there was a greater possibility that Harry and Ron would be. If the school didn't expel them, her Mum would certainly pull Ron from Hogwarts. Their Mum had said that she wouldn't hesitate if he stepped one toe out of line. The weight in her gut had returned and tears began to stream down her face. She sniffled and wiped furiously at her cheeks as she made her way up a staircase.

"Ginny?" Her vision was blurred, but she could just make out Percy making his way down the stairs. "What's going on?"

"H-he's going to b-be expelled!" She hiccuped through her tears.

"Who is?" Percy placed both hands on her shoulders. "Calm down, Ginny. Who is going to be expelled?" he pressed.

"R-Ron! Mum said she would pull h-him from H-Hogwarts if he got in t-trouble again and everyone in school thinks he and H-Harry p-petrified Mrs. Norris!"

"Ginny! Breathe! Mum is not going to pull Ron— not if I can help it. Do you think Ron would harm the cat?"

"N-no… b-but people don't care!"

"Ginny, you are being irrational. Do you have anymore classes today?"

She managed to shake her head.

Percy hunched down in an attempt to meet her eyes. "I want you to go to your dorm and take a nap. You still look awful and I think you need rest. You are tired and it is causing you not to think clearly. Please go and rest."

She nodded numbly and slipped around Percy to make her way to Gryffindor House.

%G%

"I can't believe it! My first quidditch match! This is going to be the best!" Colin was literally bouncing as they sat in the stands. As per usual, he held his camera, snapping pictures when anything caught his attention. Ginny had painted her cheeks red and gold for the occasion; secretly hoping that Harry might notice and be impressed with her House spirit. The rumble of the crowd steadily grew to a low roar the closer it came to tip off.

The Gryffindor team and Slytherin team paraded out from their corresponding locker rooms. Her gaze found Harry amongst the team almost immediately. "Just when you think he can't get anymore handsome, he puts on a Quidditch uniform."

The teams took their places and Oliver Wood and Marcus Flint gave each other a firm handshake. Madam Hooch counted off before giving a loud blast on her whistle. The players swarmed around the pitch, balls flying every which way. Quidditch was one of Ginny's favorite things in the whole world. It was difficult at times to choose where to watch— between the Beaters smacking the Bludgers either toward or away from the Chasers who flew in complex formations, the Quaffle clutched in their grasp, zooming towards the Keepers and their goals. Ginny usually preferred watching the Chasers because she found their movements graceful and thrilling all at the same time. However, this time her eye was trained on the Seekers— the one in Gryffindor robes in particular. Harry floated higher than any of the other players, eyes roving the entire pitch for a glint of gold. He radiated a stoic calm in the midst of a raging storm. The Malfoy git attempted to throw him off his game with an immature catcall when it happened.

A Bludger came at Harry, nearly missing him by a few inches. George went after it and knocked it back towards the Slytherins, but the Bludger changed course last minute and boomeranged to Harry. Harry dodged and George intercepted it, but it again came after him.

"Something's wrong," Ginny turned to Colin. "I've never seen or heard of a Bludger attacking one player before. I think someone's tampered with it."

"What? That's crazy! How could someone do that?" Colin replied.

Fred joined George in his Bludger wrangling, but to no avail— the ball seemed to have a vendetta against green-eyed wizards with lightning bolt scars. Then the rain began.

The match raged on and the twins were beginning to look fatigued. With no Gryffindor Beaters tending to the other Bludger, the team's Chasers were unprotected. Angelina, Alicia, and Katie were holding their own, but there was no telling how long that would last. As a result, Slytherin was leading sixty to zero.

Harry was being flanked at both sides by Fred and George when Oliver called time out. The Gryffindor team looked exhausted and the Slytherin team continued to jeer at them. Something Oliver said seemed to make the rest of his team angry. George was waving a finger in his face and gesticulating furiously. Harry just stood with his arms crossed. Madam Hooch blew her whistle and play began again. Harry streaked straight up higher and higher, the rogue Bludger not far behind.

"He's mad!" Ginny gasped under her breath. Fred and George were no where near Harry.

Colin looked bewildered, "Who is?"

"Harry told the twins to stay behind and let him deal with the Bludger on his own. I mean, he needs to find the Snitch, but he could get seriously hurt!"

There was a sickening smack as the Bludger made contact. Harry's right arm hung at an odd angle, obviously broken. He increased his speed toward Malfoy, but the Bludger only became more aggressive in its pursuit. Malfoy was startled as Harry careened toward him; he was just able to duck out of his way. It was then Ginny saw what Harry had been really aiming for.

"He's done it! He's done it! He caught the Snitch!" Ginny and Colin stood and hugged each other; the Gryffindor stands were shaking with the force of the crowd's celebration. It quickly turned to horror as Harry began plummeting toward the ground. He hit the muddy pitch with a horrific thud.

Professor McGonagall rose from the teacher's box; her wand pointed to her throat. "Please remain calm and stay in your seats!"

Ignoring her command, the Gryffindor students surged toward the aisles, making their way onto the pitch. Ginny and Colin were some of the first to make it to Harry. He had fainted, but he was starting to come to. Lockhart was leaning over him.

"Oh, no, not you," Harry moaned.

"Doesn't know what he's saying," Lockhart announced loudly to the growing crowd. "Not to worry, Harry. I'm about to fix your arm."

"No!" said Harry. "I'll keep it like this, thanks…"

Colin began to rapidly snap photos of Harry and his broken arm.

"I don't want a photo of this, Colin," Harry said loudly.

"Lie back, Harry," said Lockhart soothingly. "It's a simple charm I've used countless times—"

"Why can't I just go to the hospital wing?" said Harry through clenched teeth.

Oliver tried to reason with the Professor, but his argument was slightly weakened due to the giant grin on his face. "Great capture, Harry, really spectacular, your best yet, I'd say—"

Fred and George, who had already been pretty muddy, were becoming thoroughly caked with it as they wrestled the rogue Bludger into a box. Lockhart twirled his wand and cast a spell on Harry's arm. Ginny covered her mouth in a gasp. Harry's right arm sagged and stretched like rubber. All his bones were missing.

"Ah," said Lockhart. "Yes. Well, that can sometimes happen. But the point is, the bones are no longer broken. That's the thing to bear in mind. So, Harry, just toddle up to the hospital wing— ah, Mr. Weasley, Miss Granger, would you escort him?— and Madam Pomfrey will be able to— er— tidy you up a bit."

Hermione and Ron rushed to his side when he tried to get to his feet. Ron was getting tangled in Harry's arm.

"Pick it up, Ron! We got to get him to the hospital wing," Hermione bossed.

"I'm trying! I can't get a good grip on it. No offense, Harry, but this is disgusting."

Ron began to wind Harry's right arm like a snake and hold it in his arms while Hermione supported him on his left side. Ginny watched as they hobbled along towards the castle like some strange three headed animal.

Lockhart continued to defend his shoddy spell work to the crowd. "You can never truly predict how these types of spells are going to work out. A less gifted wizard than I could have done some real damage. He still has his right arm and that is the important thing."

Ginny rolled her eyes and stormed off towards the castle. "What an absolute idiot," she snarled as Colin ran to catch up with her.

%G%

The general hum of activity in the Gryffindor common room was broken by raised voices locked in confrontation.

"I can't believe you are still defending him! Just admit it! You fancy him!"

"You are being absolutely ridiculous, Ronald! People are allowed to make mistakes! Even talented wizards such as Professor Lockhart. If it had been Dumbledore, you would have defended him until your last breath!"

"Now who is being ridiculous? Lockhart is certainly no Dumbledore! Harry was deboned, Hermione! Like a fish!"

Like the rest of the House, Ginny tried and failed to block out the shrill voices.

"I do hope Harry is alright. He didn't look too good. I hope he doesn't have to be in the hospital wing long," she said casually.

"Ginny, do you fancy Harry?" Colin asked apprehensively.

She froze— "How did he find out?"

"No. I mean, why would you think that? Absolutely not!" Ginny rambled out.

Colin smirked knowingly, "You fancy him. I knew it! Do you think he knows?"

"Stop! I am definitely NOT going to talk about this. Mind your own business!" she growled.

He only grinned wider. "Awww… don't be so coy. You really like him. You want to kiss him. You want to marry him," he singsonged.

"Shut up," she said through clenched teeth.

"Come on, Ginny. I think it would be very interesting to tell him how you feel," he was sniggering now.

"I said, shut up."

He affected her voice, "Oh, Harry! How I love you! Let me count the ways!"

"SHUT UP, YOU MUDBLOOD!"

Colin did as she commanded, his eyes widened then glassed over with unshed tears. Ginny felt bile rise in her throat. "Where did that come from? How could I say that?"

He rose from his seat abruptly and silently stared down at her.

"Colin, I'm s…"

"Don't." He said firmly. He looked so disillusioned at that moment; disappointed and sad. Now she was going to vomit. "Just don't." He raised a hand as if pushing her away, the space between them seemed infinite. He turned and ran up the stairs to the boys' dormitories.

Ginny sat in shock. "How could this happen? What have I done? I've lost the only friend I had."

She bolted to her dorm, tears began to stream down her face. Her mind chanted the same words; a fruitless effort to sooth her aching heart— "What have I done? What have I done?"

She threw herself onto her bed, weeping bitterly. Wasn't this what she always did? She annoyed her brothers to the point they couldn't stand to be around her. She was a disappointment to her mother. She followed Harry around like a lost crup. She drove any friends away with her hot headed temper. She always ruined everything!

She sobbed and sobbed until her pillow was soaked through. As her tears slowed to sniffles, she closed her eyes and allowed sleep to claim her.

%G%

Ginny woke the next morning with a pounding headache, but she decided that she deserved it. But she was nothing if not stubborn. Her plan was simple— even if Colin refused to listen, she would apologize to him until she was blue in the face. She would do whatever it took to make it up to him.

The one snag in the plan was that Colin was no where to be found at breakfast. Maybe he snuck up to the hospital wing to visit Harry. Not really hungry anymore, she resolved to find him. She searched the entire castle, but found neither hide nor hair of him. "Maybe he's still purposely avoiding me. Well, if he did what I did, I wouldn't exactly blame him."

Discouraged from her day of searching, Ginny gave the password to the Fat Lady before entering the common room. Ron was languishing in an overstuffed arm chair while Hermione seemed thoroughly engrossed in Gadding With Ghouls.

"Ron, have you seen Colin? I've been needing to talk to him all day, but I can't seem to find him anywhere," Ginny asked.

Ron sat up, appearing stricken. Hermione put her book down, a look of pity on her face.

"Oh, Gin… I thought you might have heard."

The solid weight returned to her gut, but she attempted to laugh away her apprehension. She knew… she knew something was wrong, but she refused to admit it.

"Why are you looking at me like that, Ron? Where's Colin?"

Hermione stood from her chair, gently placing a hand on Ginny's upper arm.

"Ginny, Colin was attacked last night. He's been petrified."

A/N 2: I am grateful for those that made it through my appalling Quidditch commentary- I am no Jordan Lee, nor Luna Lovegood. Also, I must admit that I'm getting rather attached to Ginny and Colin. Why did I have to separate them?!

Reviews are always appreciated, but just a visit is great too. We really should catch up some time. I missed you.