Ginevra, What Were You Thinking?

Chapter 5: Offensive and Defensive

Hermione was more than happy to draw up a study chart for Ginny. In fact, she was thrilled. Ginny was taking Charms, Potions, Transfiguration, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Care of Magical Creatures, Astronomy, Arithmancy, Ancient Runes, and History of Magic, and all of the classes were doubles. Hermione was delighted that Ginny had undertaken more classes than her brother and Harry, even if it was only one more, and she offered Ginny help in anything that Ginny needed.

What with Quidditch practice and DA meetings, Ginny's schedule was becoming rather full, and Hermione's organization helped quite a bit. Wednesday afternoons and Thursday mornings were now Ginny's prime study times because Astronomy classes were held late on Wednesday nights.

***~~~***

Because she had become accustomed to it over the last few mornings, Ginny awoke at the same ungodly hour. After grabbing her Defense Against the Dark Arts books, Ginny moseyed into the common room to glance over her half-foot essay that the new Professor had assigned.

To her surprise, when Ginny sat down at a corner table, she heard cautious steps coming from the boys' stairwell.

It's Harry. He's the only one who knows about this cruel and unusual punishment to which you're subjecting me.

Why would Harry come down this early, though?

I don't know. You can ask him--there he is.

I will, thank you.

"Good morning, Harry," Ginny said before Harry could make his way over to the fireplace. "You're up early this morning."

"Yeah, well, I figured I'd go ahead and finish my Potions essay. Since I only got an E on my OWL, Snape told Professor McGonagall that he'd let me in if I would do extra work. I hate Snape, but I can't very well be an Auror without potions, now can I?"

"No, I guess not."

"Well--er--do you mind if I share this table with you? It's kind of lonely down here this early."

"Yeah, that's fine."

Harry and Ginny sat in comfortable silence for about an hour, only making comments on each other's essays and the new DADA teacher. When people started streaming into the room, Harry and Ginny silently agreed to go down to breakfast, where yesterday's Quidditch conversation continued.

~~~***~~~

On her way up to the Defense classroom, Ginny mentally congratulated herself.

I'm so proud of you, Gin-Gin.

Why?

You managed to be around Harry all morning, and you didn't freak out once.

Oh, eat slugs.

I don't think I will thank you very much. I've heard they don't taste very good, and the texture would make me gag.

As she waited for the staircase to the Defense corridor to change, Draco Malfoy came up behind her, his gang of Slytherins in tow.

"Weasley, I don't see your slug-eating brother and his faithful sidekick around," Malfoy taunted.

He's trying to bait you, Ginny. Don't rise to it. Stay calm.

"You know, Malfoy, I was just thinking of whom I could force to eat slugs. I'm glad you showed up, because Fred and George taught me a new hex that'll turn the slugs colors before we came back to school, and I've been waiting for someone to try it out on." Ginny raised her wand.

"You wouldn't do anything, Weasley," Malfoy retorted, a subtle trace of fear evident in his voice.

"Wouldn't I? I guess you didn't learn your lesson from my Bat-Bogey Hex last year."

At this, Malfoy blanched, then proceeded to turn slightly pink, and Ginny noticed Crabbe and Goyle take a few steps back.

"You're not such a big shot now that you can't threaten to run home and tell daddy about the latest person to stand up to your bullying, are you, Malfoy?"

Oh, I enjoy this. One day, I hope Malfoy'll get what's coming to him. . . . Now that I think of it--

"Or perhaps I should demonstrate some of my Transfiguration talents. You wouldn't mind being my guinea p--I mean--my ferret, would you, Malfoy?"

Malfoy paled again, and with a quick huff, he said, "You'll get yours, Weasley, and so will your boyfriend, Potter. You just wait." Satisfied that she took her turn and flushed, Malfoy turned on a heel and left before she could actually use one of her hexes. It hurt his nose something awful to have bats flying out of it last year.

***~~~***

Ginny had to wait for the staircase to change again, as she'd missed it during her exchange with Malfoy, and she had barely taken her seat when the Defense Professor entered the room and closed the door.

"Books away, and wands and essays out," said the rather young witch who had taken over Umbridge's abandoned post. Like Umbridge, the new Professor was from the Ministry of Magic. This time, however, Dumbledore had selected the person who would fill the position, hoping she would add a little flare to the classroom. (He was also quite amused with her application essay, and he had developed a fondness for things that amused him.) The teacher's booming voice and very pink, very spiky hair were quite a contrast to the sickly sweet croak of the toad with curls and ribbons. Now, if only she could keep from knocking over the inkwells and from tripping over the students' bags, everything would be fine. "Please pass your essays forward to Gin--Miss Weasley, class."

After all the parchments had been collected, a hand rose near the back of the classroom. "Professor, are you one of those--I mean, are you a metamorphmagi?"

Hoping that someone would ask the question, Tonks grinned and answered, "Yes, I am. Now, class, how did I become a metamorphmagi--and Gin--I mean, Miss Weasley, you're not allowed to answer."

Another hand rose slowly. "You have to be born one."

"You're right, but after those essays you all just wrote--despite their lengths--I should have seen more hands. Five points to Gryffindor because you actually read your essay."

Tonks, about to launch into an explanation of the importance of disguise, noticed a third hand in the air. "Professor, could you show us a little of what you can do?" asked the student. Ginny felt rather comfortable with the new teacher and requested the pig snout.

Delighted, Tonks screwed up her face in concentration and changed the size and color of her nose. After a few minutes of changing shapes, sizes, and colors, Tonks decided that she should continue with the lesson. After all, Professor Dumbledore had hired her for that purpose.

~~~***~~~

When class was over, Ginny headed down to the great hall for lunch. Ginny bumped into Harry just outside the large double doors.

"Hey, Gin," Harry grinned. "How'd Defense go?"

"Well, if I didn't love Charms and Transfiguration more, I'd say it was my favorite class. Tonks certainly is a plus."

Harry agreed, and Ginny's heart did its customary flip-flop at his smile.

Get a hold of yourself, Ginny.