Forbidden Fruit

Chapter 7

"I still don't like it," Ron said.

"Well, what can we do about it? We can't tell her who to date," Hermione said.

Ginny and Draco had just walked into the Great Hall for lunch. After their relationship had become public knowledge, they had taken to sitting in the middle of the Great Hall with the Hufflepuffs and inviting their friends to join them.

"Why can't we tell her who to date?" Ron asked.

"Ron! She may be your little sister but she's fifteen, you are going to have to let her grow up sooner or later," Hermione said.

"Yeah, yeah, I know," Ron said, pouting.

"What do you suggest we do then?" Hermione asked.

"Lock her in her room until she's thirty, either that or until she agrees to leave the slimy git alone," Ron said.

Hermione stifled a laugh. "You can't be serious."

"Well it would be nice but I know we can't." Ron laughed.

"Quit being the over-protective big brother, Ron, she has enough of those already," Hermione said.

"Fred, George, Charlie and Bill all told me they sent her owls," Ron said.

"Oh, Ron, you didn't! You told them?" Hermione said.

"Yes." Ron blushed. "They all promised not to tell Mum."

"I can't believe you did that!" Harry said, joining the conversation.

"I figured you of all people would understand," Ron said.

"I may not like Malfoy but what Ginny does is her business. Besides I trust her judgment," Harry said.

"She's only fifteen, it's not her business yet," Ron said.

"The hell it's not!" Ginny said.

She had been standing behind her three friends for a couple of minutes just listening when she realized they were talking about her.

"What did you just say?" Ron said, shocked at the venom in Ginny's voice.

"I said the hell it's not. I'll tell you the same thing I told our brothers. It's my life and my decision to make so I'll do what I want," Ginny said. "I was going to see if you three wanted to eat lunch with me but I'll just go."

With that, she walked away.

***

Ron woke to the sound of an owl scratching on his window. He climbed out of bed and stumbled over to the window to open it.

"Hello, Pig, what do you have for me today," Ron said, taking the small stack of letters from the bird and sitting on the bed so Pig could get some food and water.

Ron set aside the first letter, which was from his Mum and saw a familiar red envelope underneath that one. A wave of nausea swept over him as he sat there wondering what he had done to receive a Howler. Ron cautiously opened the envelope and jumped at the sound of his brother Charlie's voice.

"RONALD WEASLEY, HOW DARE YOU TAKE THOSE MAGAZINES! I WASN'T BLOODY DONE READING THEM! IF YOU GOT THE PAGES STICKY I'LL HAVE GINNY PUT A BAT BOGEY HEX ON YOU, YA BLOODY WANKER! I THOUGHT YOU HAD HERMIONE TO SOLVE THOSE PROBLEMS FOR YOU WHAT DO YOU NEED MY MAGAZINES FOR? By the way, I sent an owl to Mum and told her."

Ron sat there for a moment, wondering what the hell Charlie was talking about and then he remembered the stack of PlayWizard magazines currently residing under his bed and knew exactly what he was talking about and who had told him. Ron looked at the letter from his mother lying next to him on the bed, it wasn't another Howler but he knew one would be coming soon.

"Did I hear my name?" Hermione asked from the doorway.

Ron whirled around, almost falling over in the process, "How long have you been there?"

"Long enough, what magazines was he talking about?" Hermione smiled.

"I...Er... What magazines?" Ron asked, blushing a deep fire engine red.

"The PlayWizard magazines under your bed, I know all about them. I found them last week." Hermione laughed.

"What...I... Nevermind."

Ron's stammering was making Hermione laugh even harder. Finally, Ron calmed down.

"GINNY!" he yelled.

"Yes, Ron?" Ginny said, walking up behind Hermione.

"Why in the bloody hell did you do that?" Ron said, still yelling.

"Payback's a bitch, huh, Ron?" Ginny laughed.

"Payback? For what?" Ron asked.

"Oh don't be so thick, Ron," Harry said as he walked into the room behind Hermione and Ginny.

"You did it because I told them about Malfoy?" Ron asked.

"Of course, you git!" Ginny said.

"You know this means war right?" Ron laughed.

"I give good war." Ginny smiled evilly as she left the room.

***

It was now the weekend of Halloween, a Hogsmeade weekend and Ginny was really looking forward to it since she and Draco had decided to spend the day together. Ginny put the finishing touches on her hair and quickly walked down to the entrance hall to meet Draco.

Draco smiled when he saw her.

"You look great," he said, admiring the low-cut dark green shirt and tight blue jeans she was wearing.

"So do you." Ginny smiled back.

Draco was wearing one of her favorite outfits. He had on a black t-shirt, black jeans and black boots (noticing a theme here?).

"You know I love that outfit but you are going to freeze, you know that right?" Ginny said.

Draco ignored her and grabbed her hand, leading her to the carriages waiting outside. A half hour later, they were walking around Hogsmeade holding hands. Draco dragged her into Honeydukes and, despite her protests, he bought her some very expensive chocolates.

"I'm thirsty," Ginny said as they left the store.

"Let's go to the Three Broomsticks then and get a butterbeer," Draco said.

They walked to the Three Broomsticks and were just about to sit down when she noticed, Harry, Ron and Hermione sitting in their usual booth. Hermione looked up then and beckoned them over to the booth.

Ginny shot a look at Draco.

"I'm not going over there," he said.

"Don't worry, I wasn't planning on it. I'll be right back." Ginny walked over to the booth.

"Hey, are you guys going to come over here and sit with us?" Hermione asked.

"No, we aren't staying long; I promised Draco we could go over to Gladrags. I am helping him pick out some new robes. See you later." Ginny was halfway to the door before they could say goodbye. She caught up with Draco outside the small pub and he handed her a bottle of butterbeer.

***

Harry was lying in bed that night after they got back from Hogsmeade. He hadn't given much thought to the DA since school had started but with Umbridge gone there was no reason they couldn't start meeting again. I'll talk to Dumbledore in the morning, Harry thought to himself. A few minutes later he was sound asleep. Harry woke early the next morning and went down to the common room. Hermione and Ron were sitting on one of the comfortable couches. Harry plopped down into a chair across from them.

"Morning, Harry." Hermione looked up from the book on her lap and noticed her still half asleep friend.

"Hey mate," Ron said.

"Good morning," Harry replied.

"What's up, Harry?" Ron asked.

"Well, what would you guys think of starting the DA back up?" Harry said.

"I think it's a great idea, first thing you should do though is talk to Dumbledore," Hermione pointed out.

"Yeah I already thought of that, I think we should re-organize too, get some more people involved," Harry said.

"Sounds good, Harry, but you aren't thinking of getting the Slytherins involved are you?" Ron asked.

"No, should we still use the Room of Requirement?" Harry said.

"Well I don't see why not," Hermione said.

"What about the gold galleons? Can we get more of them if we need them?" Harry asked.

"Of course," Hermione replied.

"Well, in that case I guess all that's left is to go talk to Dumbledore." Harry stood up. "I am going to go talk to him now."

Harry walked to the portrait hole and out into the long corridors of the school. He had only walked a few feet when he ran into the silver-haired headmaster.

"Looking for me, Mr. Potter?"

"Actually, yes I was," Harry said, marveling at how often the older wizard seemed to know exactly what he was thinking.

"I was just heading down to breakfast, care to join me?" Dumbledore asked.

Harry nodded and followed the headmaster to the Great Hall.