On Monday morning, she walked into the Great Hall alone. A small smile was playing across her lips when she spotted Harry and Ron. Ginny decided to join them. Ever since last night when Draco Malfoy had abducted her in the library, Ginny had been avoiding Harry. If she was going to act the part of girlfriend, she thought, spending some time with him would probably be appropriate. One quick glance to the other side of the Great Hall told her that the blond wizard had obeyed her orders. The dark-haired leech-girl was sulking at the other end of the table and throwing Draco dark, desperate looks. He returned them smugly.
“Hey.” The Boy Who Had Scrambled Eggs All Over His Chin flashed her an eggy grin and patted the seat next to him. Ginny took it gracefully, trying not to look at the Slytherin table to avoid a possible outburst of laughter. She nibbled on some toast as the owl post arrived. Presently a dark owl sat in front of her. He held up his leg. There was a letter attached to it along with a small jewellery box. Ginny relieved the owl of his load and offered him her half-eaten toast. The owl only gave her an incredulous, snobby look as if to say, ‘Do you seriously expect me to eat that?’ It reminded Ginny too much of his master.
She hid the note and the box in her robes, hoping that The Boy Who Still Had Scrambled Eggs All Over His Chin would not notice, but it was too late.
“Who was that from?” he asked her. Ginny immediately searched for any sign of suspicion in his face, but only saw bits of crumbs.
“Charlie,” she answered. Everyone knew that she and her second-eldest brother corresponded almost everyday. “He send me some, uh, things from Romania,” Ginny added, as if to explain the existence of the small box that was now securely hidden away.
“What things?” the Boy Wonder continued casually.
“Let me put it this way,” Ginny lied, “Fred and George’s inventions and this are like Wingardium Leviosa compared to Accio.”
“Ah, I see.” He grinned at her again. “So let’s not talk about it. I sure don’t want you to get expelled.” Ginny inwardly rolled her eyes at his sudden amiability. How could he expect to ignore her for five years and then get away with talking to her as if he had known her for forever?
“Yeah,” she answered. That was the end of their conversation. The Boy That Now Had Jam On His Chin As Well turned to Ginny’s brother and tried to comfort a sulking Ron, who was obviously not taking Hermione’s absence too well. That gave Ginny enough time to open the box under the table and see that it contained a pair of white-gold earrings. They were tear-shaped and delicate, embellished with small rubies on the side. Ginny immediately got the message from the simple present: Slytherin silver and Gryffindor red united. Boxes full of jewellery were Draco’s way of apologizing after a stupid fight, and the bottom of Ginny’s trunk was covered with bracelets, rings, necklaces and earrings that were decreasing in value due to the sheer number of them.
Ginny’s thoughts were disturbed by Hermione, who rushed in and took a seat next to her. Ginny who noticed that her cheeks were flushed again and she looked happier than when she had gotten the famous 113 on a Charm tests. It seemed that Ron had noticed too.
“Where were you?” he snapped. Hermione’s eyebrows came together as she frowned at him, obviously not liking the tone of his voice.
“None of your business, Ronald,” she said icily. But her cheeks reddened more, and Ginny thought that she saw a glint of guilt flash in her brown eyes. “Don’t worry, I wasn’t doing anything… bad. I simply overslept.” Ginny watched as the older witch dug into the plate of pancakes that appeared in front of her. Ron, on the other hand, looked as if he had lost his appetite, an impossibility in itself. He left early with Harry, who threw Ginny apologetic looks.
“And when did you ‘oversleep’?” Ginny asked in whisper. Hermione’s fork froze halfway to her mouth.
“Ginny…” she growled warningly.
“Just wondering…” Ginny muttered back.
“There are other things to wonder about,” Hermione said, shooting a pointed look towards the Slytherin table.
“Yup,” Ginny agreed. She could feel certain silver eyes on her during the whole breakfast, but she was facing the other way and couldn’t return the gaze without obviously turning around.
“You’ll never tell me the details, will you?” Hermione asked, scooping the last of her pancakes and placing them in her mouth.
“It depends,” Ginny answered without really answering Hermione’s rhetorical question.
“Oh?” Hermione was looking at Ginny, who deliberately kept staring at her folded hands.
“Things…” Ginny did not desire to share her secret, but she simply could not help but bring up Hermione’s at any possible occasion. “Come on, we’re going to be late.” Ginny threw her bag over her shoulder, and finally turned around to catch Draco’s eye. He was getting up at the same time she was. She smiled at him longingly before turning away. It was a wonder people hadn’t noticed that there was something going on between the Slytherin seeker and the Gryffindor chaser. How could they be together? They were as incompatible as heaven and hell…
Ginny hurried out of the Great Hall before Hermione had the opportunity to ask another question. Her first class was Herbology, and she felt like anything but facing the cold, spring morning outside in the greenhouses. She stopped in the girls’ bathroom, knowing that she was late already, and slipped the jewellery box out of her robes. She admired the delicate earrings for a little bit, marvelling at how her blond Slytherin had perfectly symbolized them as a couple in a way that no one would be able to figure out. The only thing she had to do to accept his apology was to put them on.
And so she did.
“Hey.” The Boy Who Had Scrambled Eggs All Over His Chin flashed her an eggy grin and patted the seat next to him. Ginny took it gracefully, trying not to look at the Slytherin table to avoid a possible outburst of laughter. She nibbled on some toast as the owl post arrived. Presently a dark owl sat in front of her. He held up his leg. There was a letter attached to it along with a small jewellery box. Ginny relieved the owl of his load and offered him her half-eaten toast. The owl only gave her an incredulous, snobby look as if to say, ‘Do you seriously expect me to eat that?’ It reminded Ginny too much of his master.
She hid the note and the box in her robes, hoping that The Boy Who Still Had Scrambled Eggs All Over His Chin would not notice, but it was too late.
“Who was that from?” he asked her. Ginny immediately searched for any sign of suspicion in his face, but only saw bits of crumbs.
“Charlie,” she answered. Everyone knew that she and her second-eldest brother corresponded almost everyday. “He send me some, uh, things from Romania,” Ginny added, as if to explain the existence of the small box that was now securely hidden away.
“What things?” the Boy Wonder continued casually.
“Let me put it this way,” Ginny lied, “Fred and George’s inventions and this are like Wingardium Leviosa compared to Accio.”
“Ah, I see.” He grinned at her again. “So let’s not talk about it. I sure don’t want you to get expelled.” Ginny inwardly rolled her eyes at his sudden amiability. How could he expect to ignore her for five years and then get away with talking to her as if he had known her for forever?
“Yeah,” she answered. That was the end of their conversation. The Boy That Now Had Jam On His Chin As Well turned to Ginny’s brother and tried to comfort a sulking Ron, who was obviously not taking Hermione’s absence too well. That gave Ginny enough time to open the box under the table and see that it contained a pair of white-gold earrings. They were tear-shaped and delicate, embellished with small rubies on the side. Ginny immediately got the message from the simple present: Slytherin silver and Gryffindor red united. Boxes full of jewellery were Draco’s way of apologizing after a stupid fight, and the bottom of Ginny’s trunk was covered with bracelets, rings, necklaces and earrings that were decreasing in value due to the sheer number of them.
Ginny’s thoughts were disturbed by Hermione, who rushed in and took a seat next to her. Ginny who noticed that her cheeks were flushed again and she looked happier than when she had gotten the famous 113 on a Charm tests. It seemed that Ron had noticed too.
“Where were you?” he snapped. Hermione’s eyebrows came together as she frowned at him, obviously not liking the tone of his voice.
“None of your business, Ronald,” she said icily. But her cheeks reddened more, and Ginny thought that she saw a glint of guilt flash in her brown eyes. “Don’t worry, I wasn’t doing anything… bad. I simply overslept.” Ginny watched as the older witch dug into the plate of pancakes that appeared in front of her. Ron, on the other hand, looked as if he had lost his appetite, an impossibility in itself. He left early with Harry, who threw Ginny apologetic looks.
“And when did you ‘oversleep’?” Ginny asked in whisper. Hermione’s fork froze halfway to her mouth.
“Ginny…” she growled warningly.
“Just wondering…” Ginny muttered back.
“There are other things to wonder about,” Hermione said, shooting a pointed look towards the Slytherin table.
“Yup,” Ginny agreed. She could feel certain silver eyes on her during the whole breakfast, but she was facing the other way and couldn’t return the gaze without obviously turning around.
“You’ll never tell me the details, will you?” Hermione asked, scooping the last of her pancakes and placing them in her mouth.
“It depends,” Ginny answered without really answering Hermione’s rhetorical question.
“Oh?” Hermione was looking at Ginny, who deliberately kept staring at her folded hands.
“Things…” Ginny did not desire to share her secret, but she simply could not help but bring up Hermione’s at any possible occasion. “Come on, we’re going to be late.” Ginny threw her bag over her shoulder, and finally turned around to catch Draco’s eye. He was getting up at the same time she was. She smiled at him longingly before turning away. It was a wonder people hadn’t noticed that there was something going on between the Slytherin seeker and the Gryffindor chaser. How could they be together? They were as incompatible as heaven and hell…
Ginny hurried out of the Great Hall before Hermione had the opportunity to ask another question. Her first class was Herbology, and she felt like anything but facing the cold, spring morning outside in the greenhouses. She stopped in the girls’ bathroom, knowing that she was late already, and slipped the jewellery box out of her robes. She admired the delicate earrings for a little bit, marvelling at how her blond Slytherin had perfectly symbolized them as a couple in a way that no one would be able to figure out. The only thing she had to do to accept his apology was to put them on.
And so she did.
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