Unexpected Relationship

CHAPTER 8

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Since I last updated you on what was happening at Hogwarts, Snape, Ron, Charlie and Hermione have done their duties. At one point during this week, I was laughing so hard that I was crying. The school really needed this. They always say that laughter is the best medicine.

Neville finally got Snape back for the abuse that he had received over the years. It's been known since Neville's third year that Snape was his greatest fear. This was discovered when a boggart he faced turned into Snape. What banished the boggart was imagining him in his grandmothers green dress and hat, the one with a stuffed vulture on the top.

Guess who borrowed his grandmothers' favourite dress and hat. Snape's face when Neville handed him the outfit was indescribable. Of course Snape tried to refuse to wear it, but Dumbledore got on his case and told him he had to. The look of pure venom that he shot at Draco then, would have made a lesser man run for dear life. Draco just cringed. And I just laughed. Then Snape glared at me, Draco must have told him that I was the one that distracted him, because it isn't the first time that he's glared at me over the last two weeks.

Seeing Snape walk around in that dress all day was something that the student body will always be thankful to Neville for. Watching Snape teach potions in that dress will be imprinted on my memory for the rest of my life and something I will always be grateful to Neville for. And if I do forget, I have pictures. But on with the rest of his duties. Next was making him wear a Gryffindor scarf and cheer Harry and the rest of the team on in their Quidditch match. Even the teachers couldn't stop laughing when they saw and heard this. I think that was the first and only time Harry will ever hear compliments about him come out of Snape's mouth.

The rest of his duties were quiet activities that I know about only because I'm a friend of Neville's. You see Neville was very close to failing Potions, due partly to Snape's abuse and partly due to his inability to understand a lot of the course. So he came up with a plan. Snape had to tutor him in Potions for the day. Catch was, that Snape had to test all the potions that he, Neville made, so therefore it was in Snape's best interests that he make sure Neville actually understood what he was doing and therefore wouldn't poison him. It worked too. Neville told me that by the end of the day he actually understood the fundamentals of potion making and he may now even pass the subject.

On the Charlie front, nobody really knows what he had to do, because he isn't telling and neither is Padma. Even Parvati doesn't know much. Or if she does she has actually managed to keep her mouth shut about it, which if you knew her, would be really surprising.

Now for the Ron and Hermione situation. For their slave duties both got off really easily if you ask me. All Brenda made Ron do was to tell the whole school that she was the most beautiful girl, blah blah blah. Sickening really, but the hanging all over him part did not make Hermione happy. As for Hermione's duties, I mean was Justin really going to make Hermione do anything really bad. I don't think so. All he made her do was to carry his books, do his homework, so on and so forth, boring stuff. Then again Justin's a boring guy, so it suited. But his actions led to one good thing. Hermione finally realised that Justin likes her. She came to me when she found out.

"Ginny," she said

"Hermione," I answered, I was trying to study at the time and wasn't happy at the disruption.

" I think I have a problem. I think Justin likes me."

"Yeah, he does."

"You knew," she exclaimed to me.

"The whole tower knows Hermione, possibly the whole school."

"Why didn't you tell me, any of you?"

I thought I thought I would make one more last attempt to get her and Ron to face their feelings.

"We assumed you knew," this was a blatant lie but anyway, "and were using it to make Ron jealous, which by the way, it did. I mean why else would Ron try to beat out Justin to buy you." There, hints dropped. She better pick them up.

"Was he really jealous?" There we go, success.

"Just think of his reactions over the past few months and make up your own mind."

After that she just sat there for about an hour staring off into space, then suddenly ran off somewhere. Later I found out that that somewhere was to find Ron and finally have it out with him. What I would have given to be a fly on the wall for that argument. They must have reached an understanding because when they got back because they were friends again, just friends. I give up. I do.

Speaking of Ron, I had an argument with him the day before my slave day. He doesn't trust Draco and wanted someone to accompany me to all my duties, like Seamus did with Parvati. I really didn't like this idea. So we fought and I told him the truth.

" I'm not letting you go alone," Ron stated, like because he said so, that's it, no more to be said on the subject. Yeah right.

"I'm a big girl Ron, I can look after myself."

"I don't trust Malfoy, so you're not going alone."

"He wont hurt me, Ron."

"He's Malfoy, of course he will," Ron states like that explains everything. I started to get angry.

"Ron if he wanted to hurt me, he wouldn't have saved my life."

There was silence then.

"What are you talking about Ginny," this was from Harry who was also in the room.

So I told them.

"In the battle last year, I lost my focus for a moment, when I turned back around, there was a Death Eater with his wand pointed at my head. He started saying the killing curse when Draco knocked me out of the way, and the curse missed me. Then he killed the Death Eater."

"Why?" asked Hermione.

"I don't know. He refuses to talk about it. I've tried a couple of times. He just changes the subject."

"Why didn't you tell us before now." This was from Ron who was much more subdued.

"Because nobody wants to remember Ron, the same reason none of you talk about Hagrid. It brings back bad memories."

"If he hurts you in any way during your duties, promise me you'll tell me." Ron finally says.

"He won't hurt me."

"Promise me." Overprotective brothers. What can you do?

"I promise."

So there it was, I was off to do my duties alone tomorrow, alone with Draco. I wonder whether it was a good idea or not to have talked Ron out of a 'bodyguard'. I still remembered what happened last time Draco and I were alone together. I can't forget. It just keeps playing over and over in my head. That kiss, and I wonder why he did it. And I wonder why, I so very much, want him to do it again tomorrow.

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