Ginny made her way down to the Great Hall and sat carefully next to Luna Lovegood. Her hip still hurt from her fall off the couch the night before. The tumble she’d taken this morning hadn’t helped any, either. She felt it would be better to take things slow today.
“You look awful,” Luna stated in her usual dreamy way. “What happened?” Luna herself looked as if she’d just been blown in on some random wind. Her wavy blond hair was tied back in a loose tail and her radish earrings were prominently in place. Her eyes held a dreamy quality that, on anyone else, would look ridiculous. For her, it just added an air of mystery.
“A nightmare,” Ginny groaned to her friend. “In the form of Malfoy. I fell asleep in the Room of Requirement and he woke me up after curfew by knocking over a bunch of fire tools. Neither of us could leave. Another detention would have been the end of me.”
Luna smiled softly. “Sounds like you’ve been having fun.”
Ginny sighed. These last couple of months had been miserable. If only she and Harry hadn’t split up. No, they didn’t share a particularly romantic relationship, there were no true love sparks and all that, but she liked him well enough, and it was something.
No one wanted to date her now. Harry had caused a lot of trouble at Hogwarts, and anyone who had been associated with him carried a sort of taint. Even Luna received a bit of ill favour. Not that she didn’t anyway, with everyone thinking her to be nutters, but it was definitely worse now.
Ginny was pulled back to the present by Luna’s voice. She’d been talking for quite a while, but Ginny hadn’t been paying attention. “I’m sorry?” she asked.
Luna smiled knowingly. “I was just saying how much you must miss Harry.”
Ginny laughed. “How do you do that? You always seem to know what I’m thinking!” It was kind of unnerving, actually.
Luna shrugged. “You’re easy to read.” She turned back to her breakfast and took a bite.
Ginny stared at her for a minute, thinking, then asked, “Am I?” She didn’t think she was. But then, her mother always knew, and Ron even sometimes got it right, though she’d never admit it to him. And of course Luna.
“Oh, yes. Anyone could know exactly what’s on your mind. It’s written all over your face. You really should watch out for Meeraps. They’ll use it against you.”
“Oh dear.” Ginny glanced over at the Slytherin table, not even hearing Luna’s reference to Merlin only knew what creature. Malfoy was slumped down in his seat, his chin supported on his fist. If I’m so easy to read…
He did look kind of washed up, though. Even worse than before. Maybe it was just that she had become aware of it that made it so obvious, but he definitely didn’t appear to be well at all.
I don’t think I have to worry about him knowing my thoughts.
As she thought this, Malfoy glanced up and caught her eye. He gave her a sneer that looked more like a grimace. Once again, Ginny found herself feeling that strange sense of compassion. The urge to give him an encouraging smile suddenly gripped her.
I’m losing my mind! She shook her head. Just because he looks tired and helpless… Helpless?! Ginny passed her hand over her eyes. I really AM crazy!
Luna was watching her thoughtfully. “Ginny,” she cautioned. “You’re doing it again.”
“Doing what?” Ginny asked, confused.
“Showing your thoughts on your face. You look sad. For Draco Malfoy.”
Ginny forced a laugh. She knew it wasn’t very convincing, especially for someone as perceptive as Luna. “I don’t think so,” she said, not looking up from her muffin. “No. He’s just… Malfoy. I could never… never feel sorry for Malfoy.” She shook her head firmly to emphasize her point.
“I didn’t say ‘sorry’. I said ‘sad’,” Luna reminded her.
Ginny couldn’t think of anything to say. She just stared down at her hands. Luna was right, of course. She usually was. But Ginny didn’t want to confront the issue just now. Or ever, to be completely honest.
“I’ve got Herbology in ten minutes,” Luna was saying. “I’ll see you later?”
Ginny nodded, thankful for a change in subject. “I’ve got to get going as well. I have Double Potions.”
Luna wrinkled her nose daintily. “Good luck.”
Ginny smiled without humour. She glanced at Malfoy one more time to see him absently stabbing his toast with his fork repeatedly. Shaking herself mentally, she picked up her bag and slowly followed Luna out of the Hall. The two girls paused outside the door to say good-bye, then hurried off to their different classes.
##########################################################
Draco watched Ginny out of the corner of his eye. The look of pity never really left her face. She kept watching him, trying to be discreet, but failing miserably, and it was making him feel uncomfortable.
Why does the little weasel have to do that? he thought angrily. He stabbed his toast viciously, tearing a chunk out of the middle.
He watched her limp out of the Great Hall, her bag hanging loosely by her side. Her hands were swollen and red with ugly purple welts.
It’s not like she looks any better than I do. Any other day and she practically runs from room to room!
Draco pushed his plate away, having finished destroying it and finding he had no appetite. Crabbe stared at it longingly. “Have at it,” Draco told him.
The large boy dived on the food as if starving. Crumbs from the piece of toast scattered all over the table.
Pansy looked around Draco at the mess with disgust written on her face. Then she looked up at him and her expression closed up.
If only I could tell what she was thinking, I wouldn’t make her mad so often. Draco froze. What am I thinking? I don’t want her to be like Weasley. She’s bad enough the way she is. Don’t need to add anything else.
Goyle was fighting with Crabbe over the last few crumbs on the table. Blaise now had three girls around him, laughing gleefully at something he was saying. Pansy was whispering to Daphne about the latest gossip. It seemed that Draco was the only one just sitting there.
He groaned inwardly. No wonder Weasley keeps looking at me funny, he thought. I’ve got to stop acting so morose. I must look like an idiot, staring off into space while the people around me carry on.
Draco plastered a smile on his face. “C’mon,” he called to Crabbe and Goyle, “let’s get to class.”
They looked up at him blankly. They’d obviously forgotten about everything around them. “Huh?” Goyle said, his brow furrowing.
“Class,” Draco repeated, trying not to roll his eyes. His two lackeys were really incredibly dense. “We’ve got Transfiguration first thing.”
Crabbe blinked and wiped some crumbs off his chin. “Transfiguration?”
Draco felt his fake smile slipping. “Yes,” he said slowly. “Transfiguration. We don’t want to make McGonagall mad.”
The head of Gryffindor house was stern and sour-faced, and didn’t seem to like Draco much. Her temper was short-lived, and he’d been on the receiving end of her anger a few too many times.
Blaise looked up from his group of girls. “You worried about that old hag?” he asked haughtily, earning him several girlish giggles.
Professor McGonagall seemed to materialize behind the boys. “What old hag, Mr. Zabini?” she asked sternly. “And shouldn’t you boys be headed for my classroom?”
Blaise looked embarrassed as they were herded from the Great Hall.
“You look awful,” Luna stated in her usual dreamy way. “What happened?” Luna herself looked as if she’d just been blown in on some random wind. Her wavy blond hair was tied back in a loose tail and her radish earrings were prominently in place. Her eyes held a dreamy quality that, on anyone else, would look ridiculous. For her, it just added an air of mystery.
“A nightmare,” Ginny groaned to her friend. “In the form of Malfoy. I fell asleep in the Room of Requirement and he woke me up after curfew by knocking over a bunch of fire tools. Neither of us could leave. Another detention would have been the end of me.”
Luna smiled softly. “Sounds like you’ve been having fun.”
Ginny sighed. These last couple of months had been miserable. If only she and Harry hadn’t split up. No, they didn’t share a particularly romantic relationship, there were no true love sparks and all that, but she liked him well enough, and it was something.
No one wanted to date her now. Harry had caused a lot of trouble at Hogwarts, and anyone who had been associated with him carried a sort of taint. Even Luna received a bit of ill favour. Not that she didn’t anyway, with everyone thinking her to be nutters, but it was definitely worse now.
Ginny was pulled back to the present by Luna’s voice. She’d been talking for quite a while, but Ginny hadn’t been paying attention. “I’m sorry?” she asked.
Luna smiled knowingly. “I was just saying how much you must miss Harry.”
Ginny laughed. “How do you do that? You always seem to know what I’m thinking!” It was kind of unnerving, actually.
Luna shrugged. “You’re easy to read.” She turned back to her breakfast and took a bite.
Ginny stared at her for a minute, thinking, then asked, “Am I?” She didn’t think she was. But then, her mother always knew, and Ron even sometimes got it right, though she’d never admit it to him. And of course Luna.
“Oh, yes. Anyone could know exactly what’s on your mind. It’s written all over your face. You really should watch out for Meeraps. They’ll use it against you.”
“Oh dear.” Ginny glanced over at the Slytherin table, not even hearing Luna’s reference to Merlin only knew what creature. Malfoy was slumped down in his seat, his chin supported on his fist. If I’m so easy to read…
He did look kind of washed up, though. Even worse than before. Maybe it was just that she had become aware of it that made it so obvious, but he definitely didn’t appear to be well at all.
I don’t think I have to worry about him knowing my thoughts.
As she thought this, Malfoy glanced up and caught her eye. He gave her a sneer that looked more like a grimace. Once again, Ginny found herself feeling that strange sense of compassion. The urge to give him an encouraging smile suddenly gripped her.
I’m losing my mind! She shook her head. Just because he looks tired and helpless… Helpless?! Ginny passed her hand over her eyes. I really AM crazy!
Luna was watching her thoughtfully. “Ginny,” she cautioned. “You’re doing it again.”
“Doing what?” Ginny asked, confused.
“Showing your thoughts on your face. You look sad. For Draco Malfoy.”
Ginny forced a laugh. She knew it wasn’t very convincing, especially for someone as perceptive as Luna. “I don’t think so,” she said, not looking up from her muffin. “No. He’s just… Malfoy. I could never… never feel sorry for Malfoy.” She shook her head firmly to emphasize her point.
“I didn’t say ‘sorry’. I said ‘sad’,” Luna reminded her.
Ginny couldn’t think of anything to say. She just stared down at her hands. Luna was right, of course. She usually was. But Ginny didn’t want to confront the issue just now. Or ever, to be completely honest.
“I’ve got Herbology in ten minutes,” Luna was saying. “I’ll see you later?”
Ginny nodded, thankful for a change in subject. “I’ve got to get going as well. I have Double Potions.”
Luna wrinkled her nose daintily. “Good luck.”
Ginny smiled without humour. She glanced at Malfoy one more time to see him absently stabbing his toast with his fork repeatedly. Shaking herself mentally, she picked up her bag and slowly followed Luna out of the Hall. The two girls paused outside the door to say good-bye, then hurried off to their different classes.
##########################################################
Draco watched Ginny out of the corner of his eye. The look of pity never really left her face. She kept watching him, trying to be discreet, but failing miserably, and it was making him feel uncomfortable.
Why does the little weasel have to do that? he thought angrily. He stabbed his toast viciously, tearing a chunk out of the middle.
He watched her limp out of the Great Hall, her bag hanging loosely by her side. Her hands were swollen and red with ugly purple welts.
It’s not like she looks any better than I do. Any other day and she practically runs from room to room!
Draco pushed his plate away, having finished destroying it and finding he had no appetite. Crabbe stared at it longingly. “Have at it,” Draco told him.
The large boy dived on the food as if starving. Crumbs from the piece of toast scattered all over the table.
Pansy looked around Draco at the mess with disgust written on her face. Then she looked up at him and her expression closed up.
If only I could tell what she was thinking, I wouldn’t make her mad so often. Draco froze. What am I thinking? I don’t want her to be like Weasley. She’s bad enough the way she is. Don’t need to add anything else.
Goyle was fighting with Crabbe over the last few crumbs on the table. Blaise now had three girls around him, laughing gleefully at something he was saying. Pansy was whispering to Daphne about the latest gossip. It seemed that Draco was the only one just sitting there.
He groaned inwardly. No wonder Weasley keeps looking at me funny, he thought. I’ve got to stop acting so morose. I must look like an idiot, staring off into space while the people around me carry on.
Draco plastered a smile on his face. “C’mon,” he called to Crabbe and Goyle, “let’s get to class.”
They looked up at him blankly. They’d obviously forgotten about everything around them. “Huh?” Goyle said, his brow furrowing.
“Class,” Draco repeated, trying not to roll his eyes. His two lackeys were really incredibly dense. “We’ve got Transfiguration first thing.”
Crabbe blinked and wiped some crumbs off his chin. “Transfiguration?”
Draco felt his fake smile slipping. “Yes,” he said slowly. “Transfiguration. We don’t want to make McGonagall mad.”
The head of Gryffindor house was stern and sour-faced, and didn’t seem to like Draco much. Her temper was short-lived, and he’d been on the receiving end of her anger a few too many times.
Blaise looked up from his group of girls. “You worried about that old hag?” he asked haughtily, earning him several girlish giggles.
Professor McGonagall seemed to materialize behind the boys. “What old hag, Mr. Zabini?” she asked sternly. “And shouldn’t you boys be headed for my classroom?”
Blaise looked embarrassed as they were herded from the Great Hall.
Author notes: I really liked this chapter. It wasn't anything special, it was just fun to write. Now, if you don't mind... That review box down there... it keeps yelling for reviews, and it's starting to get annoying. So if you could just type something inside it to get it to shut up... I'd be really happy! ;) Btw... thanks to choravenclaw, INDYCICURN, and serender for their reviews! Love ya!
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