Okay, before we go any further I just want to say something about the feedback I’ve been getting about my treatment of Neville. Firstly, I would point out that I did warn everyone in my Authors notes in Chapter 1 that there would be mild-Neville bashing, so I’m slightly miffed that anyone should complain about it.
The complaints have varied from ‘Neville isn’t like that!’ and ‘he would never say that about Luna’ to my favourite ‘bashing Neville is like kicking a puppy!’ Snigger. Now, ignoring the fact that I work for a bank and puppy kicking was part of my initial training (see also kicking a blind man’s walking stick away and stealing candy from a baby) I see things a bit differently.
Neville is nearly unique within HP canon in being the only character that is completely different at the start of the books to how they are at the end. While other characters do develop, no one changes nearly as much as Mr Longbottom. But remember, this was a gradual process. Apart from his attempt to stop the trio leaving the common room at the end of ‘Philosophers Stone’, he was generally a shy, dim-witted, awkward little fellow until he started to develop some backbone. This really didn’t start until he joined Dumbledore’s Army (and don’t let the film version of GoF confuse you otherwise). At this point, Neville is a long way from the snake-killing, Voldemort defying hero of ‘Deathly Hallows’.
Neville never seems to have any really close friends in the early books; he’s always a bit of a hanger-on. Here, rather than make him step into the breach and become Harry’s new bestest (male) friend as in so many ‘Ron desert’s Harry’ fics, I’ve done it the other way round and made him Ron’s new friend. This does have the unfortunately effect of letting him share in Ron’s pratishness. Regarding Neville’s ‘loony Lovegood’ comment, would like to quote my friend Sharon who pointed out he'd never told anyone about his parents and could easily mock others to 'cover' himself, like a closet homosexual making gay jokes. He, like so many teenage boys, doesn't want to seem different so he wouldn't want a 'different' date.
Anyway, enough about Mr Longbottom. I promise I won’t be too nasty to him (I’m saving that for Ron). Huge thanks to Arnel for her wonderful beta work and for suggesting a few new sentences when my grip of English failed me. Again.
|
The Thorny Rose | ||||||
|
Category: Pre-OotP Characters:Harry/Ginny Genres: Action/Adventure, Romance Warnings: Mild Language Story is Complete Rating: PG-13 Reviews: 185 Summary: Harry has been entered into the Triwizard Tournament against his will, and his friends don’t believe him when he insists he didn’t enter his name. Will Ginny Weasley sit by and watch him suffer alone, or will she risk exposing the dark secret she has been hiding. GoF re-write from Ginny’s POV. Smart & slightly manipulative Ginny! Extreme Ron-bashing! Hitcount: Story Total: 69190; Chapter Total: 8152 Awards: View Trophy Room Author's Notes: |
Previous Next |
|
||||
|
Before Ginny could make any further comments, the doors of the Great Hall swung open. The champions and their dates started to move forward and she had her first look at the decorations. The walls of the Hall had been covered in sparkling silver frost, and there were garlands of mistletoe and ivy everywhere. A gigantic Christmas tree dominated an entire corner of the room and was beautifully decorated. They made their way across the Hall accompanied by the applause of everyone present. Ginny found herself blushing at all the attention and a quick glance revealed that Harry was looking extremely uncomfortable. It was a relief when they finally reached the large, rectangular table situated at the end of the Hall where the champions were to be seated. As they approached the table, Ginny noticed her brother, Percy, standing at one end and immediately grabbed Harry’s arm to drag him to the opposite end of the table… as far from Percy as she could get. Why he was there, she had no idea, but she had no desire to spend the evening listening to him prattle on. After selecting a suitably remote seat from her brother, Ginny was touched when Harry drew out the chair and held it for her. It seemed he was intent on being the perfect gentleman that night and she certainly didn’t want to discourage him. Just so long as he reserved such behaviour for nights such as this. Dinner proved a very pleasant affair, mainly because everyone on the main table largely left Harry and Ginny alone. The two of them were able to enjoy their candle lit dinner without much distraction. The food was delicious; sea bass for Ginny and for Harry, who was still under orders to pile on the calories, a juicy fillet steak. Dessert was a wonderful creation involving a lot of ice cream and strawberries which Ginny ate entirely too much of. By the time the meal was over she was looking forward to the dancing to work some of it off. They watched with mounting trepidation, at least on Harry’s part, as the band took to the stage and prepared their instruments. The tables had been moved back against the walls creating a large space in the middle of the Hall. The dance was about to begin. As Harry led her onto the dance floor, Ginny could practically feel his nervousness. They found a space and turned to face one another. Harry slid his arm around her waist and they adopted the correct position whilst waiting for the music to start. “I’ve forgotten everything you taught me!” Harry whispered in a panic. Ginny only grinned at him. “Just relax and you’ll be fine,” she assured him. The music started and they lurched into a formal waltz, Harry unfortunately starting slightly off the beat. Ginny desperately tried to stop herself giggling as she heard Harry counting out time under his breath. He was moving with all the grace and skill of a fallen tree. “Hermione looks very nice tonight,” Ginny said, deciding to try distracting him from watching his own feet. “Yeah, she looks very good. I’ve never seen her looking like that, actually,” Harry admitted, still looking downwards. “Sorry you didn’t ask her yourself?” she asked. “No, why should I be?” Harry demanded, looking her in the eyes. “She does look very pretty. I thought you might have been sorry about missing the chance to ask her to be your date,” Ginny shrugged. “Ginny, you’re right: Hermione does look very pretty tonight. But she’s not as pretty as you and I’m honoured that you agreed to accompany me to the ball,” he replied primly. “Good answer, Potter,” Ginny giggled, before narrowing her eyes. “In fact, too good an answer! Harry, I know you, and I know full well that you haven’t normally got a clue about how to act around a girl. You’ve been the perfect gentleman so far tonight; you’ve been coached, haven’t you?” “Yeah, I have,” Harry admitted sheepishly. “After I invited you to the ball, I wrote to Sirius and asked for some ideas on how I should act. He actually sent me several pages of hints and tips.” “Well, his advice seems to have been pretty good to me,” Ginny assured him, “and I’m touched that you went to so much effort to make sure I enjoyed myself. Between learning to dance and seeking tips on etiquette from your godfather, you’ve really gone to a lot of trouble.” “As I said, I wanted tonight to show my appreciation for all your help,” he said with a shy smile. “I figured if I was acting like a moron or stomping on your toes it wouldn’t really make for a good evening for you.” “Thank you, Harry. That was very thoughtful of you,” she told him and enjoyed watching him blush. “And you know something else? Since you stopped staring at your feet your dancing has really improved.” “What?” Harry exclaimed, before realising that the pair of them were gracefully waltzing around the floor. He broke into a wide smile. “Wow, I never thought I could dance this well!” “You just needed to relax, Harry,” she told him. “I knew you could do it.” “Only because you’re such a great teacher,” he said happily, before he pulled her into a succession of spins which left her dizzy and giggling. “Careful, Harry!” she laughed. “Don’t get overconfident. I don’t want to end up falling on my bum in front of everyone.” “Don’t worry,” Harry assured her, “I know what I’m doing. You taught me well, after all.” The music came to an abrupt end, catching them both off guard. They lurched to a stop and stood grinning at each other. As the next song began, other couples began to join the champions on the dance floor. Harry slipped his arm around Ginny’s waist and they started dancing once again. Unlike the previous song, Harry led off confidently and he maintained eye contact with her throughout. Although the floor was now rather crowded, they still managed to dance without any mishaps or accidents. As the night progressed, Ginny felt herself become almost giddy. Harry had continued to dance with her without the slightest protest or hint that he was becoming bored. Indeed, he actually looked like he was enjoying himself. They had occasionally chatted, but generally they were content to dance in silence. She soon lost all interest in what was going on around her and all she was aware of was the twinkling lights, the elegant music and Harry’s smiling face. “Are you ready to take a break?” Harry asked after the next song ended. “I’m getting really thirsty.” Ginny suddenly realised that they had danced solidly for over an hour and she was parched as well. “Me, too,” she agreed. “Shall we go and get some punch?” Harry nodded and led her by the hand from the dance floor. A massive punch bowl had been set up at the far end of the hall where the teachers table would normally be situated. As they approached, they spotted several familiar faces standing with drinks in their hands. Fred and George stood talking with their dates: Angelina Johnson and Alicia Spinnet. Fred glanced around and, seeing them approach, broke into a wide grin. “Well, if it isn’t the belle of the ball herself, accompanied by her dashing companion. Thank you for gracing us insignificant peasants with your magnificent presence,” he cried, bowing before them. “Prat,” Ginny growled. “Leave them alone,” Angelina scolded Fred, cuffing him lightly about the head before addressing Harry and Ginny. “You two looked wonderful out there. You were so graceful and stylish you showed up the other champions during that first dance.” “Really?” Harry said doubtfully. “I started really badly.” “Oh, only right at the start,” Alicia said, joining in. “But once you got going you were great. Honestly, you were fantastic. I had no idea you could dance like that, Harry; you’ll have to save me a dance for later.” “And me,” Angelina agreed. “Typical, I can’t take you anywhere without other women throwing themselves at you,” Ginny whispered teasingly in Harry’s ear. Harry just blushed and hurried over to the punch bowel. “I need a drink,” he declared, before grabbing two glasses and filling them from the bowel. He handed one glass to Ginny, before taking a drink from his own. “Quite pleasant, I suppose,” George declared after taking a sip from his own glass, “but rather bland, wouldn’t you say?” “I would indeed, oh brother mine,” Fred agreed. “This punch needs a little more kick to it.” “Then it was fortunate that we planned ahead, was it not?” George responded, before reaching into his robes and withdrawing a silver hipflask. Using his thumb, he flipped the flask open and poured a measure of the contents into his glass, before repeating the action with Fred’s glass. “What’s that stuff?” Angelina demanded, before grabbing George’s wrist and pulling his hand towards her. She carefully sniffed the open flask. “Firewhisky! Where did you get that from?” “Never you mind,” George told her. “The question is, my lady, do you want a little snifter?” Angelina stared at him for a moment before she thrust her glass at him. With a laugh, George poured a measure of the Firewhisky into her punch. “How about you, Alicia?” he asked. “Why not?” the blond girl giggled before holding out her own glass to be topped up. After George had refreshed Alicia’s glass, he turned and looked speculatively at Harry. “How about you, oh Triwizard champion?” he asked, waving the flask at Harry temptingly. For a second, Harry looked a little wild-eyed, before he too held out his glass. With a smirk, George poured some Firewhisky into Harry’s glass, although not as much as he had with the others. With a determined look on her face, Ginny stuck her glass out as well. “I’m not so sure that’s a good idea, Gin-Gin,” George said doubtfully. “I mean, you’re only thirteen. If Mum ever found out you’d been drinking, she’d skin us alive.” “Harry’s only a year older than me,” Ginny pointed out forcefully, “and Mum will never find out.” George still looked doubtful, but Fred came and slapped him on the shoulder. “I know that expression on her face,” he told his brother. “She won’t give up until she gets her way. You might as well give in now.” With a resigned shrug, George reached out and poured a small amount of the golden liquid into Ginny’s glass. It was an even less than he had given Harry, but Ginny decided not to push her luck. With a smug smile on her lips, she raised her glass and took a healthy swig from it. “Sweet Merlin!” she exclaimed as the alcohol hit her. Her throat burned and her eyes watered. She could actually feel the fiery liquid burning inside her and she was convinced it was dissolving her stomach lining. Harry was in little better shape and appeared to be choking, as the other four looked on in amusement. “What’s the matter, youngsters?” Fred demanded. “Too much for you?” Harry, who had managed to get himself back under control, glared at Fred. With a determined expression, he raised his glass again and this time drained the contents in one large gulp. Unfortunately, this set him off coughing again, but he managed to stop himself rather faster than before. Despite the fact his eyes were quite obviously watering, he had a look of triumph on his face. Seeing the look of approval on her brothers’ faces, Ginny realised she too needed to finish her drink to prove her worth. Wincing slightly, she followed Harry’s example and downed her drink in one. She spluttered a little, but managed to force the liquid down her throat. She gasped for air, and for a second she imagined she had steam shooting out of her ears. The bitter taste in her mouth started to fade after a moment, and a warm glow enveloped her body. “Bloody hell,” Harry muttered. “Do people drink this for fun?” “Oh, so you’ll not be wanting anymore, then?” George asked in amusement. “I didn’t say that,” Harry said quickly. “I’m just starting to get used to the taste.” “Me, too,” Ginny added, wondering why her voice was suddenly so husky. “Just take it steady, you two,” Alicia advised, having just finished her own drink. She looked at the twins. “I do hope you brought more of that stuff than just that one little flask.” George reached into his robes and retrieved a further flask, while Fred produced a pair of flasks of his own. “Woo-hoo!” Angelina exclaimed. “Party time!” Despite her brothers’ initial reluctance, Ginny managed to coerce several more Firewhisky laced drinks from them. She had just finished her third, when the band began an up-tempo number and she was suddenly filled with the overwhelming desire to dance again. “Come on, you,” she slurred at Harry, grabbing his arm. “You said I could dance as much as I wanted, and I want to dance, now!” Harry, who had probably consumed slightly more Firewhisky than she had, grinned rather foolishly at her, and allowed himself to be dragged onto the dance floor. They began to dance rather exuberantly, causing several other couples to scamper rapidly out of their way. They danced to several more songs, fortunately in a slightly more sedate fashion, before Ginny felt a tap on her shoulder. “Mind if I cut in?” asked Fred with a wide grin on his face. Ginny looked at Harry who just nodded and stepped back a few steps. Ginny turned to her brother and held out her hand, when he suddenly darted past her and swept Harry into his arms. With a look of horror on his face, Harry suddenly found himself being pulled round the dance floor in a grotesque parody of a waltz by Fred Weasley. It took a few seconds before Ginny’s brain to catch up with what her eyes were seeing. She then burst out laughing at the sight of Harry dancing with her brother. “Typical,” moaned Angelina who had suddenly appeared at Ginny’s side. “I say I want to have a dance with Harry and Fred just has to get in there first!” “Looks like we’ve both been ditched,” Ginny giggled. “How can we stand in the way of a beautiful couple like that?” “True,” Angelina agreed tragically. “Well, if the boys have deserted us, we’ll just have to dance together.” “I’d be delighted,” Ginny replied with a florid bow. The two girls joined hands and began to gracefully twirl around the dance floor, as opposed to the manic jig that Fred and Harry seemed to be performing. Harry, perhaps influenced by the alcohol he had consumed, had given up trying to escape from Fred and had started trying to match the older boy’s weird dance steps. Unfortunately, both boys seemed to be trying to lead with the result that they frequently got their legs tangled up, eventually crashing to the floor in a mass of tangled limbs. Angelina and Ginny took the opportunity to waltz around the fallen pair in an elegant manner, occasionally passing comment about the sort of riff-raff they had let into the ball. The music ended and the two girls curtsied to each other extravagantly. By now, Harry and Fred had managed to get to their feet and also curtsied to each other, much to the amusement of most of the other couples on the dance floor who had stopped to watch. When the audience broke into an enthusiastic round of applause, Fred took Harry’s hand and they both curtsied to the crowd, before they both reclaimed their respective dance partners. “That was hilarious,” Ginny said as she pulled Harry into a hug. “Huh, I’m not dancing with Fred again. He kept standing on my toes,” he joked. “You’re much better; I‘ll have to dance with you instead.” “Nice to know I’m good for something,” she giggled as the music started again. The rest of the evening was spent in a more sedate manner. Harry decided that he did owe Hermione a dance, so Ginny took a spin with Viktor Krum while he did. The stocky Bulgarian’s eyes never strayed from his date as they danced, and the only conversation he made was to repeatedly quiz Ginny about Harry and Hermione’s relationship. He seemed rather relieved to hear Ginny’s assertion that they viewed each other as siblings. She also danced with Fred and George while Angelina and Alicia both claimed their promised turns on the dance floor with her date, but returned to Harry’s arms in time for the final slow dance of the evening. As they slowly shuffled around the dance floor, Ginny rested her head on Harry’s shoulder while he in turn pressed his cheek against her hair. Their bodies were pressed together as they moved in perfect harmony. She closed her eyes and let herself enjoy the moment. The ball had been just about the best night of her life, and she really didn’t want it to end. Unfortunately, despite her best wishes the last song came to an end and the ball was over. They lingered to chat to several people before they slowly made their way out of the Great Hall. By this point Ginny was tired and a bit tipsy, and was leaning into Harry as they walked. He sniggered at her apparently sluggishness. “What’s the matter Weasley? Has it all been too much for you?” he joked. “Nah, I can handle it better than you,” she said, before playfully shoving him aside. She then sprinted forward before yelling over her shoulder, “bet I make it back to the common room before you, slowcoach!” “Cheat!” Harry exclaimed before chasing after her. Giggling, Ginny ran as fast as she could with Harry trailing after her. She lost ground as they raced up the stairs due to Harry’s longer legs, and by the time they neared the common room, Harry was right on her heels. Just as she was about to turn a corner, Ginny felt an arm grab her around the waist and she found herself spun around. Before Harry had a chance to run off, Ginny grabbed him and they both ended up collapsing against a wall, laughing their heads off. Suddenly, Ginny found the laughter dying in her throat. Somehow, Harry had managed to back her up against the wall and he had his arms wrapped around her. Their faces were only inches apart and she could feel his breath on her skin. Slowly, she leaned forward, their lips nearly touching… With a gasp, Harry suddenly pulled away. Ginny blinked and looked at his panicky expression. With a sinking heart, she realised that she wasn’t going to get the fairy tale ending to the night that she had hoped for. Indeed, the look on Harry’s face suggested that she might have just ruined the whole evening. “Um, Ginny, can we talk for a second?” Harry asked, his voice quiet and intense. Tears began to form in Ginny’s eyes. She had not just ruined the evening; she might well have wrecked her relationship with Harry. She’d pushed too hard and she could almost see him backpedalling from her. Not trusting herself to speak, she just nodded and let Harry drag her away to a quiet alcove nearby. “I’m going to ask you a question, and I’d really like you to give me an honest answer, no matter how embarrassing it might be, okay?” he asked in a nervous voice. She just nodded again, not able to meet his eyes. “Ginny, do you want us to be more than just friends?” he asked. “Please tell me the truth.” For a second she was prepared to deny everything, but she made the mistake of looking up and found herself gazing into his brilliant emerald eyes. She knew there was absolutely no way she could ever lie to him when he held her in his gaze like that. “Yes,” she said simply. “I thought so,” Harry acknowledged. “I mean, I wasn’t totally sure, but I thought that was what you wanted. Quite why a pretty girl like you is interested in a skinny git like me, I’ll never understand.” Ginny opened her mouth to speak but he cut her off. “Just let me get through this, Gin,” he begged. “I’ve given this a lot of thought, especially ever since I realised what sort of person Cho Chang was. I was bloody drooling over her and if by some miracle I had actually managed to get her to go out with me, it would have been a disaster. That made me realised that I really know absolutely nothing about girls, or relationships, or anything really. Basically, I’m clueless.” “You did pretty bloody well tonight,” Ginny protested. “I had a wonderful time.” “Yeah, but I had to ask Sirius for advise,” Harry pointed out. “He sent me that huge letter giving all sorts of hints and tips. Things I should and shouldn’t do during a date, how to act, what to say. Trust me, if I hadn’t had that letter, Ginny, I would have been the worst date ever. I doubt I would have even thought to tell you how pretty you looked tonight if I hadn’t been told.” Ginny stared at him in puzzlement. What was Harry trying to tell her? “Look, Harry, you shouldn’t be so hard on yourself,” she began. “You’re a teenage boy; you’re meant to be clueless.” “I know you’re trying to be kind, in a weird sort of way, but I really believe that I’m more clueless than most,” Harry insisted. His expression became grim. “I grew up in an environment where I was despised. I was never shown an ounce of affection or warmth. The only role model for a relationship I had was my aunt and uncle, and that really wasn’t what you would call healthy. I never once saw them hug or kiss, or heard them say ‘I love you’ to each other.” “That’s horrible,” Ginny told him sympathetically. “Yeah, but it does kind of explain why I’m the way I am,” he pointed out. “I have absolutely no idea how to show affection or anything. I still tense up if someone hugs me, for Merlin’s sake.” “What are you saying, Harry?” Ginny demanded. “Are you going to go through life alone just because you had a crappy upbringing? You just have to learn to show affection.” “That’s it exactly,” he exclaimed. “I have to learn! I have to learn from scratch how I should act and feel around someone I care about. And that’s going to take time and effort.” Ginny grabbed his hand. “Then I’ll teach you! I’ll show you what you need to know, Harry.” He smiled at her, but his eyes gave away his sadness. “That would be wonderful, Ginny, but I don’t think it would work. At least, I don’t think it would work at the moment. This bloody Tournament is taking up all my time and energy. You deserve a boyfriend who would be attentive and caring, and I don’t think I could do that with everything going on at present.” Tears came to Ginny’s eyes. It was typical of Harry to be more concerned about her feelings then his own, even if the stupid git was unintentionally hurting her by pushing her away. “So what about when this Tournament is over, Harry? What about then?” she demanded. “Well, I hardly dare to ask this, but would you be prepared to wait that long, Ginny? Can we put this whole boyfriend/girlfriend thing on hold until the end of term? Perhaps we can talk about it then and if we both feel the same, we can do something about it?” he asked hopefully. “Of course, if you don’t want to wait that long then I understand…” “Shut up, Harry” Ginny interrupted. “I’ve waited for you this long, so I’m sure I can wait a few more months. Besides, I think you’re right. There’s too much going on for you to be able to be distracted by us getting together right now. However, as soon as you’re finished with the last task of this stupid bloody Tournament, you and me are sitting down and talking, got that, buster?” “Yeah, definitely!” he agreed, looking relieved. Ginny could only shake her head. It was clear that he had been scared she wouldn’t be prepared to wait for him, but had been determined to put her happiness before his own. Noble git. “I still want a good-night kiss,” Ginny insisted, tapping her cheek. Harry grinned and leaned in. She could feel the heat of his body next to her, before his soft, warm lips touched her skin for the first time. She just about managed to suppress the shiver that ran through her at his touch. It took more of her willpower, however, not to throw her arms around his neck and drag his lips to hers. Damn this stupid bloody Tournament! “Thank you, Ginny,” he said huskily. “I had a great time tonight.” “Me, too,” she agreed. “We’d better get back before my brothers start organising a search party for us.” “Yeah, I already have Ron hating my guts; I don’t need the twins after my blood as well,” Harry said with a shudder. “Don’t worry, Mr Triwizard champion, I’ll protect you,” she told him, grinning. Laughing, he linked arms with her and they made their way to the entrance to the common room. They had expected the room to be empty, with most people having gone to bed, so were surprised by sounds of people shouting as they passed through the portrait hole. As they entered the common room, they quickly identified the source of the shouting: Ron and Hermione. The two of them were squared up in the centre of the room, screaming at each other. Ginny struggled to understand what the pair of them were saying. Ron was shaking with anger and was bellowing at the top of his lungs, while Hermione’s voice was entering the range only dogs and Merpeople could understand. “What’s up with those two?” Ginny asked Lavender Brown, who stood to one side watching the spectacle with her date for the evening, Dean Thomas. “I’m not totally sure,” Lavender admitted. “I think your brother was waiting here for Hermione to come in. As soon as she arrived, he started laying into her. I get the impression he wasn’t very happy Viktor Krum took her to the ball.” “I heard Ron yelling something about Krum being evil, and that Hermione was stupid to go near him,” Dean added helpfully. “Ron spent all summer raving about how wonderful Krum is,” Harry objected. “He nearly wet himself with excitement the second Krum stepped off the Durmstrang boat!” “I’d say he’s changed his mind,” Dean sniggered. “Hmm, do you think it has anything to do with Krum dating Hermione?” Lavender teased. “Ron seems a bit upset about it, doesn’t he?” “Ron’s a prat and I have no desire to see him making an even bigger fool of himself than usual,” Ginny declared before turning and hugging Harry. “I had a wonderful time tonight, thank you. I’ll see you in the morning, Harry. Good night.” “Night, Gin,” Harry replied and watched her disappear up the staircase to the girls dormitories. Only when she was completely out of sight did he notice Dean and Lavender both ginning at him. “What?” he protested. “Nothing,” Lavender said, her smile even wider. “Good luck handling her brothers,” Dean added. “I don’t need to handle her brothers,” Harry said, starting to head towards the boys dormitories. “Ginny’s quite capable of doing that for me.” Giving the still rowing Ron and Hermione a wide berth, he made his way upstairs. He pointedly ignored Neville who was sitting sulkily on his side of the room. Harry undressed and climbed between the crisp white sheets of his bed. He drifted off to sleep with a contented smile on his lips. HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP It was mid-morning before Ginny finally made it down to the common room. She’d slept late and when she did eventually awaken she’d been thoroughly interrogated by her room-mates about the events of the evening. When she’d confessed that she and Harry had talked about getting together after the Tournament finished, both girls had squealed and hugged her excitedly. She’d then sworn them to total secrecy about the matter. When Ginny finally made it downstairs she found Harry and Hermione sitting on a sofa talking quietly. Hermione looked upset and her bloodshot eyes suggested she hadn’t slept much the previous night. Ginny made her way over and sat down next to Harry. “Morning, Gin,” Harry said brightly. In contrast to Hermione he looked relaxed and happy. “Morning, Harry,” she replied, giving him a warm smile before turning her attention to the miserable looking girl perched at the end of the sofa. “You okay, Hermione?” “Not really,” Hermione snapped, before looking up contritely. “Sorry, Ginny. That was extremely rude of me. I’m just really tired.” “You certainly don’t look too bright-eyed and bushy-tailed,” Ginny admitted. “What’s wrong?” “Can’t you guess? Ron!” Hermione practically spat the boy’s name. “I can’t believe how horrible he was to me last night. I’ve stood by him all term while he’s been an idiot and this is the thanks I get.” “What did the moron do now?” Ginny asked with a sinking feeling. “He practically called me a whore because I went to the ball with Viktor!” Hermione said viciously. “He said I had a thing for famous wizards, and that because I couldn’t have Harry I’d thrown myself at Viktor!” Ginny gasped in horror while Harry just looked angry. “How badly did you hex him?” Ginny asked. “I was so angry I couldn’t hold my wand straight,” Hermione replied in frustration. “But I tell you, if Professor McGonagall hadn’t arrived and sent everyone to bed he wouldn’t have got off so lightly.” “Hermione, you need to ignore Ron,” Ginny said sympathetically. “I know you like him, but he really doesn’t have two brain cells to rub together. He’s just a jealous prat who wants respect without ever having done anything to deserve it. You’re too smart and sensitive for the likes of him. He’s my brother and I love him; but my advice to you is to forget about him. He’ll just drag you down.” “I don’t have so many friends that I can just discard them willy-nilly,” Hermione objected. “Besides, Ron’s normally a good friend; he just needs to learn to grow up a bit.” “And do you think he really ever will?” Ginny challenged. “And while he doesn’t have a problem with Muggles, he’s been brought up in a traditional pure-blood family and retains a lot of old-fashioned ideas and prejudices. Ron will always see you and me as ‘just’ girls who should find themselves good husbands and pump out babies. Mum’s done a wonderful job of imprinting her world-view on him.” “But he can change, surely?” Hermione persisted. “After all, none of your brothers are really like that.” “Why do you think Bill, Charlie and even Percy left home as soon as they were able?” Ginny pointed out. “Mum basically forced them out of the house with her ultra-conservative views. Look at Bill: he’s a clever bloke who, through hard work and natural talent, got himself a fantastic job. And every time Mum sees him, what does she say? ‘Get your hair cut, Bill’, ‘take out that earring, Bill’ or ‘why don’t you get a nice safe job, Bill?’ If it’s not that, she’s nagging him to find a nice girl and settle down! Just because he’s doing a job Mum doesn’t approve of and his life-style is a bit unorthodox for her taste, she constantly nags him. She’s just the same with poor Charlie!” Both Hermione and Harry were looking at her with shocked expressions by this point, but Ginny ploughed on. “I think the reason Mum was so upset Percy left was that he’s the closest to matching her image of the perfect son. But even he couldn’t stand her vision of how the world should be. He was attracted to Penny because she was bright and ambitious, not because she was a potential baby-making machine! And Merlin forbid anyone actually dares to question the word of the great Albus Dumbledore. If Mum gets her tongue any further up his arse she’ll be able to clean out his ear-wax, too.” “Ginny!” exclaimed Hermione, shocked to the core. “But it’s all part of Mum’s world view,” Ginny insisted. “Respect your betters, and don’t ever question them. Because of Dumbledore’s standing and reputation in society she would always automatically accept anything he says without giving a moment’s thought whether it’s actually right or not. That’s part of Mum’s problem; she’s more worried about what other people think than what’s right.” Both of her friends were staring at her in disbelief now. Harry in particular was looking very uncomfortable. “I know you don’t want to think badly of my mother, Harry, but the truth is some of her ideas would have been out of date a hundred years ago. She’s a kind and loving person, but she’s very wrong about certain things,” she explained gently. “Your mum has always been great to me,” he objected. “She has when she’s been permitted to,” Ginny pointed out. “If it had been left to her, you would never have escaped the Dursleys the summer before your second term. Never once has she challenged Dumbledore regarding your treatment and I doubt she ever will.” For a second Harry looked like he wanted to argue but he seem to struggle to find something to say. Eventually, his shoulders sagged in defeat and a miserable expression crept onto his face. “I’m not trying to make you sad,” Ginny told him while sympathetically rubbing his arm. “My parents do care for you and I’m sure they’ll try to treat you as well as they can. But one thing they will never do is defy Dumbledore.” “And Dumbledore will always insist that I go back to the Dursleys,” Harry said despondently. Hermione sat silently at the far end of the couch, but it was clear she was very unhappy with the whole conversation. Perhaps, Ginny mused, she’d planted some seeds of doubt in Hermione’s mind for the girl not to immediately start defending Dumbledore. Or just maybe Hermione was starting to realise what a relationship with Ron would be like. Merlin knows, the few times Hermione had stayed at the Burrow, Molly had insisted she’d help in the ‘womanly’ tasks such as cooking and cleaning. For a smart girl like Granger, being trapped as a housewife and mother would be like being sent to hell. “I’m going to visit the library,” Hermione declared after a few moments. “I have a few things to think about and that’s where I do my best thinking.” “What about breakfast?” Harry asked. “I’m not really hungry,” Hermione replied. “I’ll see you two later.” “Well, I’m starving,” Ginny declared as they watched the bushy-haired girl disappear. “Yeah, me too,” Harry agreed, sounding a little sad for his friend. “What do you want to do afterwards?” “We still have to work out what we’re going to do about the second task,” Ginny reminded him. “Oh, yeah. What a fun way to spend Boxing Day,” he grumbled. “Quit moaning,” Ginny said, slapping him on the arm playfully. “You had yesterday off; what more do you want? But as you’ve been such a good boy, I’ll let you get away with doing only fifty sit-ups today.” Harry stared at her in an unfriendly manner. “You can go off people, you know,” he said flatly. “I’m sure you can,” she said, taking his arm and leading him towards the portrait hole. “But you know, I’m far too cute for you to be mad at me for very long.” “Damn, I hate it when you’re right,” he moaned, as they headed downstairs for breakfast. |
| Reviews 185 |
Previous Next
|
