Chapter One
On a somewhat cloudy Tuesday, September the first, the Hogwarts Express blew its final whistle and began pulling out of the station towards Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The Weasleys had arrived just in time, as usual, and had been the last to board. This left the two youngest Weasleys out of breath and gulping for air as they searched for compartments with room in them.
Ron had quickly squeezed into a compartment with Neville, Harry, and Hermione, but with all their animals in there as well, Ginny knew she’d never fit too. So, she walked unsteadily down the corridor of the lurching train, hoping that some of the compartments in the back might have room.
At the second to last compartment she knocked and peeped in, she saw Luna Lovegood and Michael Corner sitting inside, talking casually. Upon hearing the door slide open both turned to see the identity of the person responsible. Luna’s face lit up as soon as she realized it was Ginny.
“Ah, Ginny, such a long time has it been. So many wonderful things to tell you I do about the adventures of summer.”
Ginny quirked an eyebrow at Luna’s new speech pattern but she quickly regained her composure and smiled a hello to her and sat down. Michael, on the other hand, stared daggers at her and met her with an icy “Good day”.
Ginny heaved a great sigh in his direction and began to talk to Luna about her summer.
Michael has no reason to be angry with me. It wasn’t as if I didn’t apologize to him she thought distractedly.
She had sent him an owl months ago saying that she didn’t really like him in that way anymore, and for Merlin’s sake, he should have moved on by now, didn’t he like Cho or someone? But he continued to stare at her as if she was Proserpine herself, Ice Queen of the Underworld.
After sitting there for an hour, Ginny couldn’t stand his glaring any longer and excused herself from the compartment, saying she was going in search of the food trolley and some peace she added silently as she slid the door closed. She thought for a second about going to visit Ron and everyone but quickly dismissed the idea. The trio had spent the last two weeks of holidays at the Burrow and she’d had her fill of whispers and looks from them to fill her quota for the year.
“It’s not as if I’m still eleven!” she said as she confronted them in the orchard one day. Ginny remembered Harry’s kind but misguided words.
“We know you’re not Ginny, but we still feel the need to protect you, keep a watch out for you. I can’t forget about how you looked so powerless in the Chamber of Secrets all those years ago... er.. it still gives me nightmares!”
“Well, that makes two of us, Harry!” Ginny retorted “But I’m a big girl now, I can bloody well look after myself!” With that said, she stomped off, leaving the Trio standing there with their mouths agape. Strangely enough, they had gotten the picture, and tried to downplay their concern for the rest of the holidays.
Ginny shook her head of the recollection and headed to the last compartment, hoping that the lack of noise coming from it meant that it was empty. She didn’t bother knocking when she came to the door, and instead, kept her fingers crossed and slid the door wide.
Draco Malfoy was sitting in his school robes with his feet propped up on the seat across from him, reading a book with extreme concentration. He hadn’t noticed Ginny open the door and step into the compartment.
Ginny assessed the situation.
Well, she figured as long as he stays quiet and doesn’t bother me, it’ll be ten times more bearable then Evil Eyes Corner in the other compartment. Ginny quietly closed the door behind her and sat down as far away from Malfoy as possible. She then gratefully closed her eyes and listened as the dull rhythm of the train rocked her to sleep.
Malfoy had been deep in thought about magical theory when Ginny had entered the compartment. In fact, an entire half hour had passed since and he still hadn’t noticed. Although, that soon changed as he completed his chapter. He looked up in shock at the person dozing across from him.
“You lost Weasel?” Malfoy sneered “Saint Potter and Big Brother sick of you following them around already?”
Ginny cracked her eyes open. “Oh, sod off Malfoy” she said offhandedly to him. Malfoy quirked an eyebrow questioning this strange show of bravery, or perhaps, foolishness from this little pixie of a girl.
“Excuse me, I think I misheard you, this is my compartment Weasley; nice, quiet and the best feature, before you came in: distraction free.” Her expression flickered at him, taking in the smirk plastered on his face. There was a slight look of annoyance there as well, along with tired shadows underneath his eyes. She judged that this solitary boy with his lap covered in a large text was in no mood for a fight with her, her experience with six older brothers had taught her how to assess her opponent correctly and this time, she decided to chance it. Staring directly at him she spoke.
“Look Malfoy, I’ll make you a deal, I won’t bother you, you don’t bother me, all right? This is the only quiet compartment left and I intend on staying here. Frankly, I don’t care where in all of Hades realm you plan to go. But I. Am. Staying. Here.”
Malfoy was about to retort when the door slid open to reveal the lunch trolley, it distracted both of the arguing students momentarily. After they had both bought some snacks, with Malfoy casually making sarcastic comments about how long it must have taken her family to save up for that one chocolate frog, the door was closed and they sat back in silence, munching on their treats.
Malfoy used the time to appraise the young woman sitting across from him. He casually looked her up and down and then turned his gaze towards the window, where the Scottish countryside was rolling by.
Well, he thought to himself and sighed mentally, he could have to put up with a lot worse, at least it’s not that whore Pansy, or those morons Crabbe and Goyle. Ugh, he shivered she’s certainly better looking than them any day. As long as she’s quiet.. he shrugged mentally. I’m not in the mood to argue anyway, the meeting at Gringotts this morning was far too taxing, greedy little buggers.
“Fine” he decided, “stay if you want, but keep quiet” he said, his face entirely void of expression.
“Good, I will then.” Ginny remarked.
“Oh, just shut your gob,” Malfoy muttered as he once again took up his book and immersed himself in it.
“Oh, sod off,” Ginny mumbled back, closing her eyes, content on napping all the way to Hogwarts.
Another school year had begun.
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Author's etc.: This story is completed, so I'll try to upload chapters as quickly as possible, oh, and don't forget to review!
Note to Cabal: Hope the new formatting works, in my preview it looks fine. Copied it over from plain text on notepad. thanks again, -sweetp
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