The Simple Life

The Simple Life

Chapter two- Cruz

Slowly drifting into a peaceful breeze

Tongue tied and twisted are all my memories

Celebrating a fantasy come true

Packing all my bags, finally on the move

~Cruz, Christina Aguilera

The situation was so strange that Ginny could have laughed, that is, if it wasn't for Ron half exploding on the verge of apoplexy and Malfoy sneering at the both of them in an unbearable manner. Ginny felt she should say something, something clever.

"That was," she paused and thought. Ron looked at her curiously as Harry arrived behind him. He looked from Ron to Ginny to Malfoy and frowned. "That was horrible! And inconsiderate, completely and utterly unfair and get out right bloody now!" She pointed fiercely towards the door and Malfoy smiled slightly.

"Oh, sweetie does this mean we're breaking up?" he mocked, putting his hand over his heart.

"What!" screamed Ron so loudly Ginny heard someone in the next compartment yelp. Ron pushed past Malfoy and grabbed the front of Ginny's robes. "Tell me you don't go out with this snobbish, insufferable git?!" he was almost begging and Ginny suddenly felt angry.

"Of course I don't. Why would I? And shame on you for even thinking such a thing! Malfoy-" she stopped as she looked around for the man himself but he was gone and so were the other Slytherin boys, they must have left when Ron came.

"He disappeared into thin air," Janet said tonelessly.

"He's a Death Eater."

It was Harry who said it and as he did so, he stepped into the compartment. He was looking at the spot where Malfoy was moments before. Madison nodded her head in agreement.

"He sure is. He has been since his sixteenth birthday, he used to brag all the time and flash around his mark." Her voice was sad as she folded her arms. "He never complained that it hurt, he's apparently the youngest Death Eater ever."

There was a silence as this knowledge sunk in. Then after a few minutes, Ron spoke.

"Well I'm glad he's a Death Eater. It's a good reason for us to chuck him into Azkaban where he belongs, hey Harry?"

Harry grinned and then they both laughed, but Ginny, Janet and Madison didn't, and the boys blushed with shame as they realised they were the only ones laughing.

"Must be off," Ron said with a cough. He turned and strode from the compartment and Harry followed, then seconds later they started laughing again.

"Well....." Madison sighed when the three girls were sitting down again. "That was typical."

"Typical of who?" asked Ginny. Madison raised a brow but it was Janet who supplied the answer.

"Of Malfoy. Of course. He thinks he's so amazing and brilliant, just because he's become good looking over the summer and all," she complained. Madison rolled her eyes and grabbed Ginny's hand.

"So? How was it?" Ginny could tell this was an attempt to avoid more conversation about Malfoy being a Death Eater or she really wanted to know about the kiss with Malfoy.

"It sucked." Was all Ginny said before grabbing Janet's Girlwitch, pretending to be deeply engrossed in a story about witches who worked on dairy farms.

~*~*~*~*~*~

"Welcome back students, and of course welcome, first years," said Dumbledore.

It was the night of the Welcoming Feast and everyone, including the newly sorted first years were seated in the hall listening attentively with overly stuffed stomachs. The curious first years. Each had been sorted and sat looking at Dumbledore excitedly.

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled and Ginny saw him give Harry a little smile before looking around the hall again. "Firstly, due to the unfortunate events involving last year's Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, we are blessed to have Professor Tonks joining us this year." Ginny smiled and she clapped loudly as she looked up at a very bright-pink haired Tonks.

Tonks stood quickly and in doing so knocked over Professor Flitwick's chair. Flitwick fell to the ground and Tonks ducked down to help him, her face red with embarrassment. When they were both seated again, Dumbledore continued.

"Secondly, first years please note that the Forbidden forest is very much forbidden and that you are not eligible for Quidditch team try-outs." There was a Disappointed murmur from the first years. "And lastly, the seventh years will be going to Australia for a great learning experience." The seventh years exchanged excited looks. "So as the occasion calls for it, we are going to have a party tonight. A muggle-themed party. Everyone comes dressed as muggles."

The last comment took everyone by surprise and they all looked around in confusion. Dumbledore smiled and told them that everyone didn't have to attend, only all of the first years. Everyone else could either come and have some fun or stay in their Common Rooms." And with a mischievous twinkle in his eye, he dismissed everyone.

Ginny saw Ron, Harry and Hermione go to the front of the hall to congratulate Tonks, she wished she could go also, but instead she had to show the first years to the Gryffindor common room.

Ginny stood up and called the first years over to her. They gathered around looking very small indeed, Ginny was positive she hadn't been that tiny in her first year. She was soon joined by the male Gryffindor prefect, Simon Hasselhoff, who was a fifth year.

"So how was your summer?" he asked. Being the ever so polite gentleman that he was. Ginny shrugged, trying to keep things casual. Simon was one of those guys who could be whatever he wanted. He was smart, rich, nice and polite. Ginny knew she felt some sort of attraction to him for the nice person he was, but he wasn't the greatest looking guy. His lifeless, flat, black hair was cut in a sort of bob that wouldn't suit anyone. He also had very, very large ears. This caused him a lot of teasing and Ginny once heard Ron say "he could probably take off and fly." Ginnt had thought this to be a little harsh.

"It was fine. I didn't do much....."

"You would think that staying in the OTP headquarters would never be boring[.]," said Simon. Ginny laughed agreeably.

Simon Hasselhoff's father was also a member of the Order of the Phoenix.

"Gryffindor first years this way!" Ginny called as they passed a bunch of Ravenclaws. She didn't want the first years to get lost or mixed up like she did on her first night. They reached the Portrait of the Fat Lady and Ginny looked at Simon, Simon returned her look with a blank stare.

"What's the password?" Ginny whispered, and Simon shrugged.

"I thought you knew."

They sighed at the same time.

"What's going on!" asked a first year.

"Just thinking!" Ginny called back.

"My feet hurt," whined someone else.

"We've only been standing here for like two seconds," said Simon. "Okay, what's something Hermione would use as a password?"

Ginny thought for a moment. What wouldn't Herm use?!

"Something like, Glumbumble."

"What's Glumblebumble?" Simon asked. Ginny frowned. She didn't exactly know what it was or meant.

"It's some creature that eats nettles-oh good, Hermione's coming!"

Hermione was walking up the corridor arm-in-arm with Ron. They were smiling happily and laughing to each other about something. The jealously hit Ginny hard like it always did whenever she saw Hermione. Ginny was always jealous of Hermione and she knew it was bad and unhealthy but things just seemed easier for Hermione. Life, school work....love.

"Hermione! The password?" Simon asked as they arrived.

"Oh, sorry, I forgot to tell Ginny. It's Bowtruckle." With her words the portrait swung forward to reveal the rounded entrance to the Gryffindor common room.

"Alright first years this way!" called Simon and they piled though the entrance.

Ginny smiled as she entered the familiar tower-like room. The only difference from last year was the large pile of clothes that was in the center of the room. To Ginny, this was as close to being home as The Borrow. After a talk with the first years she headed up stairs to the sixth year girls' dormitory.

Janet was the only one there, she was wearing a short black skirt and a pink shirt that was done up by two shoe-string straps. Ginny groaned in annoyance as she realised what this meant.

"So I guess we go to the party?" Ginny asked, walking over to her trunk.

"Of course. It's almost like it's our last night at Hogwarts for the year. We only get to come back way later in the year to study before exams. But anyway, you like?" she stood up from her bed and spun around slowly with her arms out.

"Yeah, what shoes are you wearing?"

Janet held up a pair of black, mid-calf boots. Ginny smiled, they were her boots.

"You went though my trunk?" alleged Ginny hysterically. "You took out my boots!" Ginny ran over to Janet and pushed her onto the bed. She pretended to punch Janet and grabbed her shoes as they both broke into giggles.

"You-are-crazy," gasped Janet as she fell onto the floor and tried to grab back the shoes.

"I believe that I will be wearing these," Ginny said in triumph. "And what else?" She went over to her trunk and looked inside. She was looking for a skirt but Ginny really didn't pack many dressy clothes. Janet walked over holding a pink skirt that had a large silver belt. Ginny instantly loved it. She had a kind of weak spot for pink, that's what set her apart from her brothers and she liked being different from them.

"If you," Janet said slowly, "let me wear your boots, you can borrow some of my clothes and shoes."

She really wants to wear my boots Ginny thought. Janet would never, never lend her clothes to anyone. There was the occasion when she let a few people but they were rare.

"Why do you want to wear them so bad?" Ginny asked.

"Well it's because Madison has been wanting a pair of these all summer!"

"Fine," Ginny sighed. She handed over the boots and took the skirt.

There was always a little fashion war between Janet and Madison. Janet may have been poor, but she did have a muggle job selling fruit at a fruit stall. Janet spent most of her money on clothes. And Madison spent her father's money on clothes. Ginny wasn't as "into" clothes as the two of them, but she liked looking good and Charlie had sent her those boots for her sixteenth. Her mother had said they were inappropriate and told Ginny to send them back but she never did.

"What do you think Australia will be like?" Janet asked as she put on the boots.

"Don't know."

Ginny wondered about it for a moment, then a thought popped into her mind. Charlie had been to Australia once, she could write a letter to him.

"Charlie's been to Australia, he says it hot and dry."

"Well that's going to be lovely!" Janet cried sarcastically. "We'll shrivel up like prunes and our pores will-"

"Bloody shut up Janet."

Janet continued talking about her pores and sunscreen, but Ginny's thoughts wandered. She couldn't stop thinking about Hermione.

Hermione and Harry.

It was strange the way they were acting. Harry kept looking at Hermione, not just looking, but really staring at her as if she was Venus herself. And she would stare right back, while Ron wouldn't see anything, he'd just kept on being his oblivious self. But what really bothered Ginny was the way she had noticed that when they were swimming in Neville's pool, Hermione had kept her eyes on Harry. She would watch him swim and say: "oh look at Ron" but be looking at Harry all the while.

"Janet, can I meet you at the hall? I've got to write a letter."

"Sure, but you're not wearing that." It was a demand and Ginny looked down at what she was wearing. It was the pink skirt, one grey knee-high sock and her school shirt and tie.

"I think it looks pretty.....pretty," said Ginny. Janet shook her head and threw a black sleeveless shirt at her and a pair of black high-heeled shoes with silver straps.

Ginny put them on and Janet left briskly, leaving Ginny to write her letter. It was actually a letter to Hermione.

Dear Herm,

What is going on lately? I mean between you and Harry of course. You're my best friend and I want you to be happy but not at the expense of my brother and YOU'RE YOUR boyfriend, Ron. I didn't feel I could tell you this in person because it seems so unbelievable. Please let me know if you want to talk about it, you don't have to do this alone. I don't want anyone getting hurt.

Ginny

Ginny folded the letter and walked quickly to the Owlery. On her way, she saw many eager first years heading for the hall, some were lost and asked Ginny where to go, they were also dressed so strangely Ginny had to bite her lip as she directed them. When she arrived at the Owlery she found someone in there.

"Hey Harry," Ginny said happily as she looked around for a school owl.

"Hi Ginny."

Was it just Ginny, or did he sound disappointed? They stood in silence and didn't speak until Ginny had tied her letter to a large, dark brown owl. As it flew out the window, she looked at Harry. He was standing very tensely and kept looking at the door, it was as if her were waiting for someone, and it turned out he was. He was wearing muggle clothes, just casual wear: an over-large grey shirt and a pair of black baggy pants.

At that moment, in walked a very flustered Hermione. She was panting a little and looked anxiously at Harry when she saw him. She was also dressed in muggle clothes. She had a red and black skirt on with black knee-high socks and had on a black top with buttons down the front.

"Harry," she said breathlessly. "Harry, this isn't working, I have to say something to Ron. Ginny knows! I just know she does-" Harry cut her words short by nodding his head at Ginny. Hermione looked to her and seemed instantly sorry. Her eyes widened and as her mouth opened to speak but she seemed lost for words.

At that moment, Harry gave a revolted moan and stepped over to the wall. Ginny and Hermione glanced at each other then turned to him. He had a disgusted look on his face and Ginny instantly knew why. A white patch of something runny, stood out noticeably against his black messy hair.

"Oh Harry is that what I think it is?" asked Hermione sympathetically. Ginny knew what it was and started giggling uncontrollably. Harry looked at her angrily and Ginny stopped.

Hermione walked over to Harry and pulled out her wand.

"Calm down darling."

That's when it hit Ginny. It was so obvious. She didn't need time for Hermione to write back. She knew why Hermione looked at Harry all the time....why Harry would always go and study with Hermione....why Ginny had found them in the tree house.... why Ron always complained that Hermione talked to Harry more than him....

"I can't believe the both of you!" Ginny cried. "Harry Potter you deserve to be shitted on if this is what you'd do to Ron!" Hermione and Harry turned to her, Hermione's expression was innocent and Harry's was of confusion. Ginny glared in return before storming from the room. Hermione yelled something after her but Ginny didn't care about what she had to say, Ginny didn't care about Hermione at all.

How could I ever be jealous of that two timing cow!

~*~*~*~*~*~

Ginny stormed into the hall and looked for Madison and Janet. They were standing by a bunch of second years that were all dressed very strangely.

One of them was wearing a bright green poncho and black biker shorts, they even had on a bike helmet.

Ginny walked over to Janet with a very serious look on her face despite the girl a few feet away wearing a cowboy hat and a pink tutu.

"Do you think maybe the wizarding kids are a little confused?" Janet assumed.

"Well Dumbledore just put a heap of muggle clothes in each common room and everyone grabbed what they liked best," Madison said as she eyed a seventh year who Ginny believed was named Wayne Hopkins.

"Well you don't look bad," Janet commented. Madison was wearing denim shorts, very short, shorts and a red tank top. "But I wouldn't recommend wearing that out in the muggle world," Janet finished, and Madison looked down at what she was wearing. She shrugged and gave Ginny a concerned look.

"What's wrong? You've got your "Harry did something to me, again" look," she asked.

"What did Harry do to you now?" Janet asked in a would-be concerned voice. Ginny managed a little laugh.

This was how it had been, Ginny would ask out Harry, he would say she was just 'Ron's little sister to him', she would run into the dorm angry, fall onto her bed and break into tears. But Ginny was stronger now, Ginny didn't want Harry like that now, and this was a completely different matter.

"It's not like that," sighed Ginny.

"I figured that when you didn't start crying," Janet laughed.

"So?" Madison asked. Ginny figured she should just tell them. These were her friends, she could trust them.

"Hermione's cheating on Ron," Ginny said tonelessly. Janet's hand went to her mouth as she gasped.

"Oh god! With who?" Janet asked desperately.

"Harry[,]."

"Oh." Janet shifted uncomfortably. Ginny gave her the: it-doesn't-bother-me look.But Janet knew it did. Ginny turned to Madison who was staring at the door with a disgusted look on her face. Harry and Hermione had just entered, Ron was chatting excitedly to Hermione, unaware to the fact that Hermione didn't like him like that, yet she put her arm around his waist and Harry left them in peace.

Janet's reaction to Ginny's news was pretty much predictable. She was concerned and bewildered by the fact that one Gryffindor was treating another Gryffindor in such a way. Madison however, seemed disgusted yet slightly impressed.

"Hermione! Gross."

"Madison!" Ginny said in a warning voice. Madison rolled her eyes and leaned back against the table that was stacked with glasses of yellow punch.

"I know she's your friend and such but come on, if you were a guy there would be no way Hermione would seem attractive to you. She's so....so-" Madison squeezed shut her eyes as she thought for something insulting.

"Ungroomed?" Janet added weakly. Ginny shot her a look. Janet just shrugged and poured some punch into a goblet.

"Yes! Exactly, she's ungroomed, she's too smart, has fizzy hair, her nails have never been cleaned and she's never got a style in her life, and she walks like this." Madison stepped forward, bent her knees, hunched her back, and waddled. Ginny frowned and felt a strange need to protect Hermione.

"She does not."

Madison turned to her and put her hands on her hips. "She is weird and just because she's "Harry Potter's female sidekick, the brain of the bunch", doesn't mean bloody cadoodles. Brains are not everything."

Madison had a point. Smart people like Hermione might get far in life, but unless she began looking after herself, Hermione's future would be limited.

"Cadoodles huh?" Janet said with a laugh. Madison mock hit her on the arm.

"Oh look who's not too cool to dress in muggle clothes," Janet said, nodding towards the great hall doors. Ginny turned; surprisingly it was Malfoy.

He was wearing a loose black shit that clearly showed his broad shoulders and lean Quidditch seeker body. The shirt seemed to be made of silk and slid on his lean body. He was wearing plain black pants and stood casually in the doorway with his hands halfway in his pockets.

"He looks like he owns the place," Janet said quietly. In a voice that suggested it was a crime for anyone to compliment a Slytherin.

"Hell, he always looks like he owns the place," Madison added. She pulled out a small clear bottle of what looked like water and poured it into her punch glass.

"What was that?" Janet asked frowning. Madison glared at her and took a sip from her glass.

"Just vodka," she supposed and began to take large gulps. Janet shrugged and sighed deeply. Then a fellow Gryffindor sixth year, Bethany Clearwater, came over with a group of fifth years.

"Hey guys," she said brightly then frowned at Madison. "Madison," she nodded slightly and Madison turned her back.

"Later Ginny, Janet." She poked her pieced tongue out at Beth look before walking over to a group of Slytherins.

"Hey Beth and company," Janet greeted politely. Bethany introduced the fifth years but Ginny wasn't paying attention. She had never liked Bethany Clearwater. She was so much like her sister, blonde curly hair that bounced all the time, she was stuck up and seemed to think politics and bravery were the most important things in the world. And she was a control freak.

"I was just admiring the great Draco Malfoy. He's gotten bloody cute hey?" Janet and Ginny exchanged looks of "duh." "And you want to know what I heard?"

"Oh what?" Ginny cried a little too enthusiastically. Janet laughed but Beth didn't notice anything.

"That you, Miss Virginia Weasley, got yourself a little snog from the devilish playboy. Now what was it like?" Beth pointed a long spidery finger at Ginny, and suddenly Janet stopped laughing. She looked at Ginny inquiringly then said to Beth.

"Who told you that?!"

"Well I heard it from Lisa Turpin who heard it from Charlie Bootleg who heard it from Claire Zabini who heard it from Treakle Sackspuff who heard it from Thomas Nott who was there." She concluded with a nod and put her hands on her hips and looked down at Ginny and Janet as if she were superior.

Ginny couldn't help but laugh and by doing so she got questioning looks from everyone, even Janet.

"What is so funny?" hissed Bethany. Ginny wiped the tears from her eyes and tried to put on a straight face.

"That name. What was it? Treakle Sackspuff!" Then she doubled over in a fit of more giggles, suddenly she felt a sharp jolt in her right foot. Janet had stomped on her foot.

"What the bloody hell was that for?" she almost cried, but kept her voice down so she wouldn't draw attention. Janet leaned close to her and barely whispered.

"That really large girl with the black hair, see her?" Ginny nodded, she was standing behind Bethany and looking strangely angry. "That's Treakle Sackspuff."

"Oh...."

"So Ginny Weasley, you think my name's laughable?" grunted Treakle, well it was an understandable grunt. Treakle wasn't exactly a tiny sweet looking girl.

Ginny's eyes widened and she thought for a moment. I am definitely going to get hurt. She looks like a sumo wrestler! What to say? What to say?!

"Actually, your name's hilarious."

Time seemed to stop as a male voice entered the conversation. Treakle's eyes nearly flew from her head as she saw Draco Malfoy leaning casually against the wall behind the table.

"Glad you like it Malfoy," snapped Beth.

"Well I don't, you see, that's why it's hilarious because it's so bloody pathetic." Malfoy reached forward and took an apple from a bowl and bit into it, not taking his eyes from Beth. Ginny felt scared, it was scary seeing him bite something.

Beth looked to Ginny and Janet for support but they thought Malfoy had a point and stayed back against the table.

"But I am flattered by you thinking I've gotten bloody cute, but girls a lot more worth my time than you, have told me so to my face. sSo you see, I'm quite used to it now."

"Yeah I bet," hissed Beth.

"How much?" Malfoy was serious.

"Not much." Beth seemed to think that would be very offensive to Draco but it wasn't, of course.

"Now, Miss Virginia I'm dying to know how 'that kiss' with that 'devilish playboy' was?" He looked at Ginny with a blank expression and she suddenly felt like jumping over the table and ripping his shirt off his bare chest, but she had far too much morality for that. Instead, she turned to Beth who was looking at her, expecting her to take a fellow Gryffindor's side. Beth wanted her to lie and say she hated kissing Malfoy. But Ginny wasn't a liar, so instead she said.

"I can't remember." "And we have to go." She grabbed Janet and dragged her as far from Malfoy and Beth as she could, which really turned out to be as far as the people dancing. Ginny glanced back just as Malfoy said something to Treakle, who didn't like it much and to everyone's shock, she dived across the table.

Yes she dived. She bent her knees, straightened out her arms and dived right at Malfoy. Taking punch, food and plates with her as she went. She heaved her extra large, Asian body across the table, right at Malfoy.

Malfoy casually stepped out of harms way just as Treakle ran into the wall head first and the table snapped beneath her. Beth ran forward but the table flung itself upwards, blocking Malfoy and Treakle from view. At this point, people were beginning to grow worried. A crowd had gathered around.

Beth pulled out her wand, and the table landed on the ground at her feet. Ginny and Janet ran over to her side to see the damage.

There was a hole in the wall. Treakle Sackspuff had made it. Treakle Sackspuff's head was stuck in it. Malfoy was standing beside her. His wand was out, but he wasn't doing anything helpful. He was doubled over with laughter and leaning against the wall for support. Treakle was kicking and pushing and screaming, but nobody knew what to do. They were either laughing or standing in a daze.

Hermione was the one to save the day, her being Head Girl and all.

"Wingardium Leviosa," she said in her supercilious voice. Slowly Treakle's head came out of the wall. She looked around the room then started crying. She punched the wall before running from the hall, cursing Malfoy as she went. Ginny looked to Hermione. Hermione glared at Malfoy.

"Malfoy!" she yelled so loudly Ginny jumped. "What is wrong with you?! You are a disgrace to all Head Boys before you! You are a snobbish, selfish, arrogant brat! You don't deserve to be bloody anything besides dead and far, far away! I'm seeing Dumbledore about you losing your badge! You don't deserve it and never will! You never help any of the students and are always being so selfish! Nobody likes you!" Hermione breathed deeply then realized she had her wand raised to a very depressed looking Malfoy.

Everyone looked at him, waiting, expecting him to say something back. He looked at Ginny and suddenly Ginny's head was filled with voices, actually it was only one voice.

Lucius Malfoy's voice

"Well what do you expect? Nobody likes you!"

"Selfish!"

"Arrogant!"

"Pathetic! Worthless!"

"Death is all you deserve!"

"You are not my son!"

The last comment seemed to hit like a brick to her chest. There was an image with it. An image of Draco lying in the center of a snow covered field. He was shirtless and marked clearly in his left forearm was a scar, not just any scar. The dark mark, burned black against Draco's pale skin. Lucius Malfoy stood over his son's' body and stepped forcefully onto his chest, not letting him move, not letting him breathe.

"You are not my son! Not unless you do this, if you don't, I will kill you. I will kill you, Draco."

Draco? Ginny realized she'd been calling him Draco.

"Hermione, you're wrong," Ginny said, and her voice echoed through the hall. All eyes turned to her and she felt her face go red. Hermione looked at Ginny with a half-angry, half-questioning look. Ginny opened her mouth slowly, she was about to say it. About to say she liked Draco when-

"I like Draco!" called a high-pitched voice. Called Madison Greengrass.

Madison stepped forward and stood facing Hermione. "I like him. He's a good friend and you're a stupid bushy haired bitch!"

"Madison!" cried Ginny. Madison just laughed. She was drunk. "How much have you had?"

Madison ignored Ginny and stepped forward to Hermione and whispered something in her ear. Something that made Hermione jump back and put her hands to her mouth. Ginny guessed, even though she didn't need to, that Madison had called her a mudblood.

"How dare you! What is wrong with you?!"

"Are you saying there's something wrong with my sister?" It was, of course, Daphne Greengrass. Not only was she Madison's sister she was also Hermione's sworn enemy. Ron, Harry and all the Gryffindor boys had Draco, Hermione and the Gryffindor girls had Daphne. Once upon a time it was Pansy Parkinson, but it all changed because it turned out Daphne was meaner.

"I wasn't implying anything!" snapped Hermione, and then she turned to the crowd of other students. "This party is over!" she yelled, then with a quick glare at Daphne she stormed from the hall.

It was at this point that Dumbledore chose to arrive. Not only did he arrive, he made an entrance. There was a loud, echoing BANG near the hall entrance and streams of purple and red smoke whisked up off the ground and swirled around a darkened figure.

"Students!" called Dumbledore. "The party is about to begin!"

Then Dumbledore stepped out from the smoke. The first thing Ginny noticed about Dumbledore was that his hair was straightened; making it as long as the floor and it was musky brown with a rainbow coloured band tied around his forward. His normal spectacles were replaced with darkened lenses but he still wore robes that seemed to be changing colours and in his long, delicate fingers he held a pipe that was emitting green smoke.

"But professor," piped up Colin Creevey. "Hermione Granger said the party was finished."

Dumbledore looked confused. "But then who will the amazing Weird sisters sing to?!" As he said their name, the three sisters appeared in the doorway. Everyone clapped and cheered and the incident with Treackle was forgotten.

Minutes later everyone was dancing and laughing again. Even Ginny forgot about Hermione as she danced with Colin and Neville.

"Ginny, shall I get us some drinks?" asked Neville as he led Ginny off the dance floor.

"Sure Neville."

Neville bustled off and Ginny stood on the edge of the dancing floor. Her feet were sore and to be truthful, she was quite sick of dancing with Neville.

"Ginny!" cried a voice in shock. Ginny looked up quickly and her eyes widened. It was Ron and he didn't look happy. "What are you wearing?!"

"Ron, everyone's dressed like this."

"I don't care! I don't want you wearing this and isn't Janet wearing those boots Charlie sent you?"

"Yes but-"

"Mum told you to send them back!"

"Yes but-"

"I can't believe you Gin! You've changed, ever since you went to Uncle Horace's muggle house you've been all different and that was a year ago-"

"Ron!" Ginny cried, and a few people looked at her but quickly turned away. "Everything's fine. Those are Janet's boots and I'm not doing any harm. They're just muggle clothes, this is what they apparently wear." She held up her hand and walked away from Ron. She felt she couldn't talk to Ron because she didn't want to say anything about Hermione.

"Gin, don't become a scarlet woman." Was all Ron said and Ginny just walked into the crowd of dancing couples, completely forgetting about Neville. She walked slowly over to a door out near the back of the hall that she knew led to a small balcony that overlooked the lake.

Ginny stepped out into the cool midnight air and leaned against the railing. She always found it so peaceful. But something was different, it smelled. It smelled like cigarette smoke.

"All alone Weasley?"

Ginny sighed. Draco seemed to have a strange way of sneaking up on her. She turned and saw he was indeed smoking, a lit cigarette was placed between his lips.

"Smoking kills," commented Ginny, then she walked towards the door but Draco grabbed her arm. Ginny looked up to him, trying not to look fearful. Draco was strong and his grip was tight. He took the cigarette from his lips and tossed it into the lake below them.

"What did you see?" he asked and Ginny wondered what he meant. "Back in the hall," he continued. "You saw something, you heard something. What was it?" He was demanding now and Ginny pulled her arm from his grip.

"How do you know I saw something?"

Draco's eyes narrowed, he seemed to be thinking of a way to explain, but after a minute he said, "I just know." Ginny sighed, she figured she would have to tell him something so why not the truth.

"I saw you. In the snow-"

"And my father."

Ginny didn't know what to say. It was real, it had happened. Draco was beaten by his father in the snow. Draco was Death Eater.

"Tell me Ginny, did you like what you saw?" This was a question that caught Ginny so off-guard she nearly fell back against the wall.

"Excuse me?"

Draco sighed impatiently and moved away from the door, letting Ginny leave. Ginny wasn't sure if she should've left. But why would anyone ask if they enjoyed seeing pain to another? Ginny sure didn't like seeing Draco lying in the freezing snow, the dark mark on his arm, his father's foot pressed against his chest but it was so much worse now that she knew it was real.

But this brought up a range of whole new questions. Why was Ginny seeing strange images in her dreams, in the day? And some were real, some had happened.

"Ginny, there you are!"

Ginny realized she was standing in the center of the dance floor but it was empty except the first years and Dumbledore who was doing the robot.

"Farewell students!" he called over to Ginny and then gave her a small wave.

It was Janet who had called out to Ginny and she and Madison ran towards her, Madison swaying slightly.

"Hey, where's everyone gone?" asked Ginny.

"Outside, we're leaving now!" Janet said urgently, and she grabbed Ginny's hand and dragged her towards the door.

"Leaving to where?" Ginny asked.

"To go to Australia, we're going now cause it's a surprise or something."

"But what about-" she was going to say 'What about Draco' but then she thought. Why would he want to go there? There were some students that were staying behind, that was the reason why Ginny and her friends got to go, because of the extra spaces.

They reached the entrance hall and down the stairs to a solemn faced Filch, who had a list of names on a piece of parchment and was marking off the seventh years as they filed outside.

"Ginny Weasley, Janet Clover and Madison Greengrass," Ginny said quickly. Filch looked at them suspiciously then ticked the names from the list. As soon as their names were ticked, they ran down the stairs and saw what they were traveling in.

It was the Knight bus.

But in a way it wasn't. It was still purple and three stories tall but Ginny could tell from where she was standing that inside the bus were armchairs instead of beds and the bottom story seemed to be only for luggage but there was a stairway that led to the second level and a space for the bus driver and one passenger beside him.

"What bus is this?" Janet asked as they headed up the stairs and onto the second story. Ginny shrugged but Madison knew the answer, of course.

"It's the Floo bus. It takes everyone seated in it from one place to the next just so long as there's a port set up in both places."

Ginny noticed that the Bus was standing on what looked liked a small platform with writing on it. They squashed their way up the small stairway and into a crowded second story. Most of the seventh years were here.

"Gin!" called Ron from the spiral stairs that led to the third story. "The spare seats are up here."

They followed Ron up the stairs and sat happily in the spacious red armchairs. Ginny sat across from Janet and Madison and they talked excitedly as they waited for the bus to leave. At this point, a group of Slytherins made their way up the front of the bus. Each looking extremely stuck up and raised their noses as they passed. Daphne smiled at them politely as she walked by with Pansy and Draco.

"Oh look, Malfoy's coming," Janet whispered and Ginny turned to see Ron and Harry both glaring at Draco.

When everyone was seated and talking happily, a voice filled the bus, echoing from the small speakers.

"Welcome students, to the Floo bus. The bus for the traveling school or large groups! We will be arriving in Western Australia in approximately four minutes and twenty seconds."

Then the high-pitched voice cut out and there was a sudden jolting motion as the bus was thrust forward. Four minutes later, Ginny opened her eyes and all she saw was red. Red and a lot of blue. She soon realized that the blue was the sky and the Red was the ground.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Ginny's first reaction was that it was dry. The bus had landed by a tar road and all around them was dirt and dust. There was nothing in sight, only the road, the bus, and the thirty-three students all dressed for a party. In the far distance there was what appeared to be a building. It looked a lot like a wooden shack with a tin, rusty roof.

The students walked off the bus and each drew in the same expression of shock. They were in a desert, or was this just Australia[.]? It was the wizarding people that seemed the most shocked, and some even looked disgusted.

Suddenly, all the luggage flew off the bus and landed at everyone's feet. Then the driver handed an envelope to Draco and walked back into the bus and it disappeared.

It was gone, and they were left behind, and it was hot, it was real hot.

"Oh shit," Draco exclaimed. Everyone turned to look at him, he was holding the envelope and not looking very happy.

"What is it Malfoy?" snapped Ron. Draco smiled mischievously, and turned and pointed to the shack that was just beyond a group of hills.

"See that pathetic excuse for a piece of bloody crap? That's where we all get to stay."

Dean Thomas laughed half-heartedly, Padma Patil screamed and Pansy Parkinson fainted.