Family Ties

January slipped past at the speed of light; thanks to the massive amounts of homework the fifth years were trying to cope with, and DA sessions once a week; about which Seamus refused to comment. He was very close to his mother and he didn't want to do anything that might upset her, even though Dean could tell he did believe Harry.

Dean had taken to watching Neville in the DA sessions, sometimes even partnering him but mostly he got stuck with Anthony Goldstein - a friend of Ginny's boyfriend. Neville was improving at a truly spectacular rate, apparently spurred on in his quest to make Bellatrix pay for what she did to his parents.

As good as Neville was getting, Dean hoped and prayed he never got near Bellatrix. She could most likely kill him without even looking at him. Meanwhile, Dean was enduring an hour and a half a week of being right beside Ginny while she talked and joked with her boyfriend. He was thankful that, at least, she wasn't kissing him.

The only other notable thing about January was yet another Ministry decree banning their teachers from talking to them about anything outside their subject. They're going a bit far just to stop them talking to us about a newspaper article.

February dawned bringing with it rain... lots and lots of rain, but at least it was getting a bit warmer. Now every time Dean saw Ginny, his heart did a little back flip in his chest, and it glowed red hot if she so much as smiled at him. As it approached Valentine's day Dean started to get depressed, knowing she would be spending that day in Hogsmeade; probably in that little tea shop Anna liked.

On the Saturday of Valentine's day, Seamus told him they were meeting Anna and Jenny in the Three Broomsticks. "Sorry mate, she wouldn't come without Jenny."

Dean scowled. "It's a stupid Hallmark holiday."

Seamus looked blank. "It means it's made up to get money out of men just after Christmas." Dean told him.

Seamus raised his eyebrows at him. "You so fancy someone you can't have."

Dean's heart leapt in fear. He doesn't know! Calm down! "Shut up. It's cool, as long as you're not expecting me to kiss her."

* ~ *

The Three Broomsticks hadn't done much to celebrate Valentine's day, for which Dean was grateful; but he was still mighty uncomfortable squashed in beside Jenny, who didn't take her eyes off him much and kept brushing his hand when she reached for her Butterbeer. Dean tried to ignore it, and was watching the door when Anthony Goldstein, Terry Boot and Michael Corner came in. Terry Boot came over to talk to Jenny ten minutes later and she was quick to go and join them.

Dean seized the opportunity to get away and told Seamus he was going back to the castle to do some work. He waved at Hermione; who was sitting in the corner with a blonde woman who looked vaguely familiar, and the strange Ravenclaw girl Luna Lovegood as he went.

He headed up the street back towards the school, ducking his head against the increasingly heavy rain. He saw Harry hurrying towards the Three Broomsticks, probably to meet Hermione. Up ahead outside Dervish and Bangs, he saw Neville. He was staring at the window, heedless of the rain falling on him in large drops. As Dean got closer, he could see what he was staring at: the wanted poster for the escaped Death Eaters, he was staring at Bellatrix Lestrange's image, her hooded eyes glaring out mockingly.

Neville's face had a mixture of grief and hatred on it. Dean reached out for his shoulder, and Neville jumped a mile when he touched him. "Come on Neville, let's go back to the Castle, you can help me with that Herbology homework."

Neville nodded, grateful for the distraction. As they trudged back up to the castle in silence, Dean wondered where Ginny was, why she wasn't with Michael. The hope that maybe they had split up blossomed briefly in his chest - before he spotted the scarlet robed Quidditch players soaring around the pitch. She had Quidditch practice, that's all.

* ~ *

Dean and Neville worked on their Herbology homework for two hours when they got back, Dean's progress was much speeded up by Neville's aptitude for the subject. They started working on other projects then, Dean on his latest Defence Against the Dark Arts essay, Neville on his Potions homework. Seamus joined them about an hour after they had finished Herbology, having finally detached himself from Anna. Seamus and Neville finished up whatever they were working on and went down to get dinner, but Dean wanted to finish his Defence Against the Dark Arts essay as he only had the conclusion to finish.

When he headed down, he ran into Ginny at the portrait hole. She was still wearing her scarlet Quidditch robes, which matched her wet red hair. Her cheeks were red from the cold, her wet hair clung to her face and neck, and the robes were splattered with mud. Yet she had never looked so good to Dean. "Hey Ginny." He looked pointedly at the muddy robes. "Good practice?"

Ginny grimaced. "Bloody awful actually, you might want to give the match against Hufflepuff a miss."

Dean grinned at her, "Wouldn't miss it for the world."

She tilted her head and regarded him quizzically, frowning slightly. "Why not?"

Dean hesitated, going very red and feeling very grateful that his dark skin didn't show embarrassment easily. He was spared having to think of an answer when the Fat Lady's portrait swung forward and hit him. He stepped away, muttering an apology to Colin who had come out. Ginny smiled at him mischievously and climbed through the hole. Oh God, she knows! Dean hid his panic and went down to the Great Hall, surprised to find that he was somewhat relieved.