Backfire

CHAPTER 9

Merry Fucking Christmas

Ginny heard raised voices as she approached the kitchen of Grimmauld Place, cringing as she recognized Harry and Professor Snape as the sources of the shouting.

She opened the door and slid inside, unheard and unnoticed by those already in the room. Snape and Harry were faced off with each other, their faces wrought with expressions of pure loathing. Remus, Dedalus, and Bill looked on with shock and distress.

After her shouting match--though, to be frank, only Ginny had actually shouted--with Professor Wrightman two days before, Ginny wondered whether this wasn't some form of déjà vu. Except that the distaste hanging in the air between her and her teacher was nothing compared to the utter hatred of the two in front of her.

"--just a worthless, talentless excuse for a wizard, who ought to be expelled before he gets someone else killed!"

As the words left Snape's mouth, Ginny felt her emotions start to simmer. All the respect she had for Snape as an instructor and as an essential member of the Order of the Phoenix was quickly receding as he kept having a go at Harry. She could feel her anger (at Snape) and empathy (for Harry) churning up her magical power and allowed it to rise within her.

She could have easily controlled it by now, having mastered it in the months since she had discovered it, but after having seen and heard only moments of Snape's relentless assault on Harry just now, she decided that somebody had to intervene. So she just let herself go. She was shocked that Dumbledore had ever allowed their enmity and distrust rise to such a level. As Snape kept laying it on--to which Harry was giving as good as he got--Ginny felt swirls of power churning, flooding through her torso and out to her limbs.

Then Snape insulted Sirius, and Ginny snapped.

CRASH!

The yelling stopped on a dime, as all the glass doors of all the cabinets exploded at once. All five men froze and looked at each other in shock, before Harry looked up and noticed Ginny. As he made the connection between her wandless magic and the shattering of the glass, his gaze lingered on her long enough for the others to notice and follow his eyes to where she stood.

Harry's face was blank, Snape's was uncharacteristically displaying a bit of uncertainty, and Remus just looked worried. But Ginny noticed only the face of her Potions instructor as she approached their circle. Eyes blazing, shoulders back in tense control, Ginny walked right up to her Professor. The others could feel the power radiating off of her in waves, including Snape, who actually took a step back. Her upright posture, tangible power, and intent gaze made her seem much more formidable than her 5'5" frame.

"What in the name of Merlin is the matter with you?" Ginny wasn't yelling, but no one in the room seemed to prefer her quiet, barely-controlled anger to the standard Weasley ranting. Wisely sensing that this was a rhetorical question, Snape did not answer.

"How can you say those things to another human being? Why would you ever do such a thing? It's inexcusable. I used to respect you. I even actually liked your class. I understand that you have led a very dark and difficult life, and I understand that you have to keep up certain appearances at school for the sake of your role as a spy. I even understand when you torment my brother and Hermione, because they both tend to ask for it. But with Harry you go far beyond torment into torture. With him you really cross the line.

"I know you hated Harry's father, and I know you hated Sirius. But regardless of that, however much you dislike or resent Harry, there is no excuse for your behavior toward him. You are the adult. You are his teacher, for crying out loud! We're always being told that we can't join the Order and we can't be given information because we're too young, we're not adults. Well, that excuse won't fly with me anymore. If you are what qualifies as an adult, someone who lacks maturity and has no respect for any of his fellow human beings, then I don't want to be a part of the Order. How are we supposed to trust, as I did until just now, that you are truly on the side of the light, when you fall so easily into heartless cruelty? From what I have seen you are no better than Bellatrix Lestrange."

Snape was bristling at her nerve, but Ginny just stared him down and pressed on.

"Sneer at me all you want, Professor. I am not afraid of you, and you know it. I've seen and felt things you can only imagine. I've had Voldemort inside my mind, I've felt his evil, infernal grip squeezing my heart, tearing at my very soul. He's violated me in a way that you could never comprehend. I lost any misconceptions I had about goodness and innocence a long time ago. So did Harry. We know that adults aren't infallible, even Dumbledore. Especially Dumbledore. We know that you can't protect us against Voldemort. You might be able to strike fear into all your other students, but don't think for one second that you can just brush us off.

"You know Voldemort better than anyone, save Dumbledore, Harry, and me. You know the only way to defeat him is to attack him with a power he does not understand, a power he therefore underestimates: Love. If you know all this, why, for all your cold logic, for all your intellectual brilliance, would you purposely diminish and exploit what little of this power Harry has left? Why would you replace his love and loyalty with anger and rage? If you were truly fighting against Voldemort, you would welcome the cultivation of what small amount of love he has left, not quash it for your own selfish, misdirected vendetta.

"I don't want to hear about how terrible your life has been, how unfair the world has been to you. That is no justification, no excuse for what you do. There is a greater concern here: destroying Voldemort. The difference between him and us is the high ground. When you relinquish the high ground in favor of hatred and rationalization, you are no better than he is.

"You revel in your delusion of Harry as an arrogant, attention-seeking prat; you insist that he gets favors and evades punishment because he's the bloody Boy-Who-Lived. But it's just that: a delusion. You like to hold things over him, believing that you know his true self, but feeling secure that he knows nothing about you. Who's arrogant now? As intelligent and observant as you are, you don't know him at all. You've been in constant contact with him for five years, and yet you haven't a clue. He is not arrogant. He is not his father. If anything, he has too little faith in himself, and you only make it worse. Any rash actions he takes are only because he does not want to lose what few good things he has left in his life. He does not take wild risks merely for sport.

"Yes, he's been a bloody self-centered git for the past couple years. No one can deny that. I've yelled at him for it myself. But he was neglected, abused, and kept in a cupboard until he was eleven years old." She felt Harry freeze. "He never knew love and affection until he found Sirius.

"As a child he was taught that he could never rely on adults for support when he needed it. So you'll excuse him if he doesn't trust them to do so now. Fat lot of good it did him trusting Dumbledore. Whether consciously or not, Harry thinks he has to deal with all these horrible things on his own, and no one but Sirius and Remus has done anything to make him believe otherwise. And because of the Order's mistakes, because you all say he's not a sodding adult deserving of knowledge and respect, he's now lost the one person he would have gone to for help.

"You know it's got to be him that defeats Voldemort. As if it wasn't hard enough to defeat that stupid tosser in the first place, we've got you doing your best to make it harder. Bravo, Professor. Bloody brilliant job. Way to act like an adult.

"The last thing he needs to deal with is more of your condescension and cruelty. I'm not saying you have to like him. Just be reasonable! You need to treat him the same as all the other non-Slytherin students, or you will regret it."

"Is that a threat?"

"No, sir, that's a promise."

And with that, Ginny held her teacher's gaze to drive home her point, turned, and walked away. As she lefy the room, she mumbled Reparo! and gestured with a twirl of her fingers at the glass on the floor, which quickly reformed into the doors on all the cabinets.

As she left the kitchen, Ginny did not turn around. If she had, she would have seen a look of embarrassed shock on Harry's face, surprise and almost a hint of amusement in Remus' features, controlled hardness in Snape's, and utter incredulity on the faces of the other two.

* * *

Ginny bit back a sob as she made her way to the hidden sitting room where she used to talk with Sirius. No one else knew about it, and she could be assured of her privacy there. For extra precaution she threw a half-hearted Colloportus! at the door, and collapsed in a sobbing heap on the worn couch.

As she played the scene back in her mind, she cried even harder. Why had she made such a spectacle of herself? She had just meant to derail their shouting match, but once she had started in on Snape, she had been unable to stop until she'd said her piece. Apparently unloading on Professor Wrightman hadn't been enough.

Suddenly she sat bolt upright and froze, as she remembered the incredible rush she had felt when all the glass in the room had exploded. But Harry's voice in her head calmed her, as she remembered what he had said about righteous anger not being a weapon or enticement of dark magic. Her feelings for Harry and her fury on his behalf had fueled the explosion, not any desire to cause pain for its own sake. She sighed as she let herself lay back down on the couch.

As her mind dwelled on Harry, she cringed. She had said quite a bit about him in that little tirade of hers, and while any outside observer would see it as her standing up to the abuser of her friend, she was almost sure that Harry wouldn't. He was probably mortified. He likely didn't think she knew about the circumstances of his upbringing, the cupboard in particular.

Oh, bugger.

Bugger, bugger, bugger.

He would be understandingly (albeit infuriatingly) humiliated by it, and would respond to that by avoiding her at all costs. Bloody brilliant job, Ginny. After all the bloody headway they'd made toward being friends, she'd gone and mucked it all up. And royally. Ginny scoffed out loud to the empty room. It wasn't like he hadn't ever done completely absurd things on account of being noble. Gabrielle Delaceour, anyone? Or thinking about running away last year over Christmas when he thought he was the weapon?

She knew she had a point, but that didn't mean Harry would act rationally.

Ginny's musings were interrupted by a popping sound, which caused her to look up in an effort to find the source. Floating in front of her was a sealed parchment envelope addressed to her. The seal on the back belonged to the Ministry of Magic. O.W.L. results. Ginny slid her finger under the flap of the envelope, dislodging the seal and tugging the folded parchment out. As she opened it, a small card (different in color and texture from the Ministry standard parchment) fell out. She picked it up to see what it said.

Miss Weasley,

Professors Tofty and Marchbanks asked if I would do them the favor of delivering to you the results of your Ordinary Wizarding Levels. On account of your secret location, and in light of your desire to keep your O.W.L. status a secret, I thought it best not to simply owl them to you. I hope I was right to act this way on your behalf. Have a happy Christmas.

Albus Dumbledore

Ginny rolled her eyes at the headmaster's formality. Saying that he hoped he was correct in acting on her behalf was more than a little patronizing coming from the guy who had kept her and Harry in the dark about certain things for a long time. She read the first page, and yawned in a gratified manner, seeing the E and two O's she had been expecting marked down for her grades.

The second parchment looked very much like the booklists McGonagall put in with their Hogwarts letters every summer, except it was addressed to her specifically. It looked like she would have to ask Harry for his dad's old Transfiguration book back. She smiled at the thought of informing the twins of the books they were going to be buying her.

While she had not taken the tests early to boast or show off, it would be nice to get a little recognition from someone who would be proud of her. Not gushing or thinking ahead to future accolades, but just proud of her for pulling this off. The twins would smile in the goofy manner they saved for her and Ron alone, when they were either touched or impressed with something one of their two younger siblings had done.

Charlie would no doubt be proud as well, but aside from those three brothers, Remus, and perhaps Harry, Ginny dreaded revealing her new academic situation. If all went as planned, however, no one would find out until she walked into her first N.E.W.T. class in January.

The smile that flitted across her features at the thought of Hermione and Ron's reactions to her presence in their N.E.W.T. Defense was bowled over by a grimace at the possibility of her mother finding out before she went back to school. Ugh. It would be abominable. It absolutely could not be permitted to happen.

N.E.W.T. Defense class made her thoughts turn to the N.E.W.T. Defense teacher, with whom Ginny had rowed quite spectacularly the day before. What should she tell Harry? Should she tell him anything? She thought that he deserved to know what she had discovered about his parents and his godfather, but wasn't the least bit comfortable with the notion that it was her story to tell. Perhaps she ought to owl Professor Wrightman and ask?

Her thoughts were interrupted by a noise from the other side of the door to the sitting room. It sounded like someone was trying to get in. Ginny's annoyance was pushed aside by her curiosity to find out who else could possibly know about this room. A wave of her hand and a whispered Finite Incantatem! ended the charm she had cast earlier, and on his next attempt to open it, Remus barged through the door, looking surprised at the ease with which it opened at last.

His surprise heightened once his gaze found Ginny in a heap on the couch, with tear-stained cheeks, red eyes, and a letter in her hand.

"Ginny?" he asked in bewilderment, a view of Remus she had never seen before.

"Hi," she answered. She should have guessed that if anyone knew about the secret room stashed away in the back of the house, that it would be Remus, Sirius' last surviving best friend. Uncharacteristically flustered, Remus turned to leave the room.

"Sorry for disturbing you, I didn't realize--"

"--that anyone else knew about this room?" she finished for him. He stopped and faced her again.

"Yeah," he said, frankly. Then he eyed her closely. He still hadn't gotten over his surprise at finding her there, apparently. They stared somewhat dumbly at each other for a few moments, until Remus pulled himself together. "Would you like me to leave you alone?" he asked her kindly, nodding toward the parchment in her hands.

"Oh, no, you don't have to leave. It's just my O.W.L. results," she explained, handing him the pages. He looked them over and then back up at her.

"Why are you so upset about such fine marks?" he asked, obviously confused. Ginny smiled grimly.

"I wasn't upset about the marks," she replied, with insinuation in her voice. She bit her lip as he worked it out.

"Would you like to talk about it?" he offered. She appeared to be weighing the offer.

"Does Harry hate me?" she asked, somewhat miserably. Remus furrowed his brow in consternation. She sure was on a roll with perplexing him this afternoon.

"Why on Earth would he hate you?" Remus asked. Ginny sighed. She had thought Remus was better at reading the nuances of Harry's personality.

"I'm pretty sure I just humiliated him in front of Professor Snape."

"Wha--?" The light bulb went on, realization dawning on Remus' face. "Oh. The cupboard." Ginny nodded.

"And it probably didn't help that it was a girl standing up for him," Ginny added, remembering the day in Flourish & Blotts, when she had told Malfoy to leave Harry alone. Remus chuckled.

"No, I suppose not." Remus considered her more closely. "Have you spoken to him since you left the room?"

"No," she said grumpily. Remus smiled broadly, though she did not see it.

"Well, perhaps you should give that a try before you begin mourning the death of your friendship."

"Easy for you to say," she pouted. Remus came very close to chuckling, but held it back in favor of a smirk.

"Ginny," he began, but she glared at him and he stopped of his own accord.

"Remus, you've got to remember that to you he's this sweet boy who is clumsy and looks like your best friend. To me he's this infuriating and frightening person who didn't even realize that I was alive until about a year ago. It would be extremely difficult for you to alienate him from your relationship, but for me, it's like I might breathe wrong and he'll avoid me for the rest of eternity. So I don't think its monumentally out of line for me to be a little nervous about this."

Remus looked very surprised at her little outburst. Ginny knew how he felt. She hadn't realized that she was still this insecure about Harry. Remus' countenance softened and sat down next to her on the sofa.

"Ginny," Remus tried again, and she allowed him to respond this time. "I think he's not quite the same boy you knew a year ago."

"I know he's not." And wasn't that the truth. Her mind floated back to the night two weeks before when they had been discussing the D.A. picture and the prophecy. And Baron Ramsey. That last topic alone proved that the sixth-year version of Harry was not the same boy he'd been when he left Hogwarts in June.

"I figured as much," Remus observed. "I think it would be beneficial to you both if you had a conversation about what went on in there," he added, nodding in the relative direction of the kitchen. Ginny sighed.

"All right. I'll talk to him." She remembered that she wanted Professor Wrightman's permission to explain what she'd seen in the Pensieve. "But not until we get back to Spinners End. I need to send an owl first." She turned to her former teacher. "Could you send it for me?"

"Sure, but let's take care of that before we return to Spinners End," he agreed. Ginny nodded and got up to leave the room, O.W.L. results in hand, in search of parchment and a quill.

* * *

Having sent off the owl to Professor Wrightman, Ginny set off to return her quill to her trunk. She was passing through the main hallway en route to where her things were stashed in the main parlor, when she heard a familiar voice call out her name.

"Ginny?" it questioned. She turned toward the kitchen door to find her brother Percy standing there, looking neither nervous nor as pompous as usual. Ginny's stomach dropped. Writing to him had been one thing, but seeing him here, blank-faced and not particularly apologetic, was another matter entirely.

"Percy," she said in recognition.

"How are you, Ginny?" he asked crossing his arms authoritatively and strolling over to where she stood. Ginny's fingers itched to find her wand, but she mentally forced her arms to stay hanging at her sides.

"I'm fine," she lied unabashedly. It's not like he'd be able to tell, and frankly she wasn't sure if he cared. His eyes glanced at the folded parchment in her hand. "I didn't realize you'd be coming around for Christmas," she said, hoping to distract his attention from the correspondence that contained her O.W.L. marks. His eyes returned to her face.

"I'm not coming for Christmas, actually," he replied. "But mum knew you lot would be coming through here on your way to Spinners End, and so I came by to see you." He paused in a way that Ginny supposed was meant to be meaningful. "Harry has refused to divulge the location of the house to me." Ginny bit back a smirk. Did Percy really expect her to be indignant on his behalf? Merlin.

"Well, I can't say that I blame him, after the stunts you pulled last year," she answered frankly, but not unkindly. Her brother furrowed his brow briefly in consternation, before his face cleared again.

"So you still haven't forgiven me."

"Well, seeing as you haven't ever apologized for anything, I didn't think the ball was really in my court, you know?" she answered him, with not a little exasperation.

"Well, I'm still not really clear on what you think I did wrong," he replied. His tone was patronizing and it was not the wisest attitude he could have taken if he intended to make it through this conversation without being permanently disfigured. Ginny gave up all pretense and took her wand out of her pocket, though Percy didn't seem to notice.

"You insulted dad, you hurt mum, and you tried to make Ron choose between you and Harry. You abandoned the family in favor of some stubborn blowhard who set back the war effort an entire year," she listed for him. "Would you like me to continue?"

"So this is what you meant when you encouraged me to come home? This is your idea of reconciliation? Criticizing me and expecting me to want to come back?" he snapped bitterly.

"You asked me a question, and I gave you an honest answer. Did you really think that I would be all smiles and giggles when you came back?" she fired back, growing more agitated. Her right hand fidgeted with her wand.

"I didn't do anything to you," he said, sounding like he thought he was being completely reasonable. As if her narrow self-interest was her only concern. Did he forget that she'd been sorted into Gryffindor and not Slytherin? Stupid ponce.

"Maybe not directly, but you sure made it hard for any of us to trust you again."

"Mum trusts me," he reasoned, as if that settled the matter. Spoken like a true favorite child.

"Yeah, and she thinks I'm a helpless little girl who's still six years old. Not exactly the model of having a firm grasp on reality." Percy's eyebrows raised in surprise at her blunt criticism of their mother. Wow, he really didn't know her at all, did he?

"I've never heard you speak like this," he said, still taken aback.

"Well, that's not surprising seeing as you ditched the family right about the time that I started growing a backbone," Ginny replied. "I warned you that this wasn't going to be a picnic, and I told you not to underestimate me," she reminded him.

"Or Harry either, as I recall," he said skeptically. Ginny hated how condescending he was.

"You should really take my advice, Percy," she warned him again. Her mind faintly recognized that someone was coming down the stairs behind her. "Unless you want flying bogies attacking your face." As Percy smirked at what he must have believed to be a childish hex, Ginny discovered who had been coming down the stairs.

"Ginny! Don't you dare speak to your brother like that!" her mum scolded, clearly understanding the gravity of the threat, even if her third eldest son did not. Ginny sighed and rolled her eyes while Percy smirked at his mother's defense of him.

"Stay out of it, Mum," Ginny warned, not bothering to turn and address her.

"I don't like that tone, young lady," she scolded. Ginny turned quickly, putting her hands on her hips in indignation.

"Mum, stay out of it. This is none of your business, and I can hex my stupid brother for being a lousy, ungrateful git if I want to!" Percy was again surprised by Ginny's unabashed manner of speaking her mind. Molly Weasley's face was battling between looking hurt and very angry. A small feeling of guilt began to rise in Ginny's thoughts, but was soon squashed by the ever-increasing resentment she felt toward her mother.

"Go to your room, right now!" her mother ordered. Ginny just stood up taller and set her shoulders. Her wandless powers were starting to simmer and rise as she became more agitated.

"No." Her mum's face blanched at her defiance.

"As long as you're in my h--"

"It isn't your house!" Ginny cut in. "It's Harry's house! And I'm not in nursery school anymore! So quit acting like we're at The Burrow and you're still more powerful than me!" Ginny took deep breaths to calm herself down, and luckily her magic began to recede. Her mother was shocked into silence, and the sound of movement from behind her made Ginny turned around to see who it was.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione were standing--the latter two wide-eyed--on the staircase, having just witnessed the exchange with her mother. Harry looked concerned, no doubt wondering for the hundredth time why Ginny's emotions had been so volatile over the past few days. Or perhaps he was worried that she'd accidentally blow something up again.

Ginny was about to leave when Ron finally noticed the presence of his long-estranged brother.

"Percy."

"Hello, Ron."

"What are you doing here?" he asked in his usual tactless manner. Ginny smiled. Hermione elbowed him. Harry's jaw hardened.

"Mum told me you would be stopping through here today, so I came to see you."

"Okay," Ron said with little enthusiasm. Percy's eyes met Hermione's and then glanced at Harry. The tense stillness was broken by the arrival of a gorgeous grey owl. It was smaller than Hedwig, but larger than Pig, and as graceful as the person whom Ginny suspected to be its owner.

It landed on Ginny's shoulder and she stroked the bird's neck affectionately. Taking the letter from it, she sent the owl back to the kitchen (where it had come from) for a reward. Glancing at the seal on the back, she confirmed that it must be the response from her teacher. Everyone's attention had turned to her with curiosity.

"Who's it from?" Ron asked as unabashedly as usual.

"One of my teachers," she replied vaguely. She avoided looking in Harry's direction. "Excuse me," she said moving back down the hall in the direction of the secret sitting room, "I'm going to go read my letter." Before she turned the corner, she glanced back and saw Harry watching her. She paused, making eye contact with him briefly, and then continued on her way.

* * *

Ginny smiled without opening her eyes. Herpo was tickling her bare shoulder with his whiskers and occasionally sneaking in a lick or two. It was Christmas morning, and Ginny thought that perhaps she had finally returned to the elusive emotional equilibrium that had evaded her since the early summer.

When the ticklish feeling of Herpo's ministrations threatened to make her giggle, Ginny reached over with her opposite arm and plucked the kitten up and into her embrace, eyes still shut, feigning sleep. Herpo meowed and snuggled against her, burrowing himself into her pajamas and the down duvet that covered her bed linens. He began to purr as she started to scratch behind his ears.

"Merry Christmas, Herpo," she said, giving him an affectionate squeeze. He meowed again, apparently returning the sentiment.

Spinners End had a way of making her forget what was going on in Britain. Maybe it was the secluded location, or their distance from the heart of Order operations, or the lack of access to correspondence, but so far, it had been much easier to forget about Voldemort and Death Eaters and mysterious disappearances when they were cozy in Harry's wonderful house.

Suddenly Herpo tensed, as if he'd felt something was wrong, or was anticipating a bomb dropping. Seconds later, a loud commotion sounded downstairs, adults shouting and loud pops. Ginny had opened her eyes at the startling noise, and she only spared a second to share a look of concern with Herpo before jumping out of bed and hustling down the stairs, kitten in hand and presents forgotten, to the main room of the house.

Her parents and two oldest brothers were shouting and rushing all around. Remus was bent low with his head in the fire, and the twins were in deep conference with each other, which wasn't odd in itself, except that their demeanors were far more grave than usual.

Harry must have heard her rushing out of her room, because he joined her in the doorway soon after. They shared a worried look and turned their attention to the frantic adults in the room.

Remus called off the fire and turned around, beginning to speak to the room at large, when he noticed Ginny, Harry, and Herpo in the doorway. His face looked tired, and he looked as if he hated himself for what he was about to tell them.

"What happened?" Ginny asked quietly as he approached them. Herpo was watching Remus as closely as the two teenagers. Remus' face looked sad and he shook his head.

"The War has really started now," he sad tiredly. Ginny bit her lip and Harry's jaw hardened.

"How many," was Harry's simple question, though he breathed it out more than asked it. His arm snaked instinctively around Ginny's waist, as if to fortify the two of them against Remus' answer. She unconsciously leaned into him.

"Twenty-seven families," he choked out. Harry's eyes shut tight and he lowered his head. His arm was squeezing Ginny's waist as if she was the only thing keeping him upright. Ginny felt her eyes pool, but no tears fell. The image of the Dark Mark emerged in her mind's eye and she wanted to throw up.

She cleared her throat, put her arm around Harry, and took a deep breath. She knew Harry had opened his eyes when the fingers at her waist began to lightly scratch the small sliver of skin that peeked out from between her pajama pants and the old Harpies t-shirt that Bill had given her for her birthday in his first year as a curse-breaker. She gave his waist a quick squeeze and looked back at Remus, who looked exhausted and sad.

"Ten of your schoolmates won't be back this term," he added.

"Were they all Muggle-born or outspoken against the Dark Lord?" Ginny asked, to keep the conversation from stopping. She thought that if the discussion dipped into a lull, she might start sobbing. She didn't know whether it was from anger or sadness.

"Mostly, but not all. Two very prominent Purebloods were murdered. The only reason their children are still alive is because they stayed at Hogwarts for Christmas." Ginny's brow furrowed as she searched her memory for who it could possibly be.

"Who were they?" she asked quietly, hoping against hope that she didn't know the students.

"Baron and Genevieve Ramsey." Ginny sucked in a breath and the tears in her eyes finally went streaming down her face. At her startled reaction, she must have torn Harry from his internal misery, because he saw her distress and immediately pulled her into a full embrace as she choked back sobs. Harry held her seemingly as tight as he could, and she was grateful. She felt like maybe he could squeeze the sadness and anger out of her. And she thought that perhaps he needed to be squeezed, too. She wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face in his chest.

She felt Remus' hand on her back, rubbing it soothingly.

"I'm sorry. I didn't realize that you knew them." Ginny really didn't feel like talking. She was thankful when Harry answered for her.

"Ginny is good friends with the Ramseys' son. He's Head Boy. I know him a bit from Quidditch; he's a good Keeper and the Slytherin captain." Remus nodded. "His twin sister is best friends with Katie Bell."

Ginny wondered if any Death Eater children had complained about Gretchen's outspokenness to their criminal parents. She felt white-hot anger lick her insides at the thought. Baron and Gretchen were what Slytherins could be, what they should be: the best of their House. The Gertrude Wrightmans of their generation.

Ginny had come to realize that, whatever her own thoughts on the subject of loyalty and marriage, she couldn't begrudge Professor Wrightman for doing what she believed was right. It had been twenty years ago, and Ginny hadn't been there. Gertrude Wrightman hadn't been the first person to tell her that she didn't understand what it was like in the first war. Remus and Sirius had done the same--though perhaps in a less accusatory tone.

Different people held different priorities, and knowing people like Baron and Devon as well as she did, she understood that their upbringings had taught them that the family name and legacy were the most important things; and that if sacrifices had to be made, then it was an honor to be the one to make them.

Could she honestly say she would be so angry at Devon for not challenging her parents in Professor Wrightman's situation? She wasn't sure. The fact that she respected her friend's intense need to be proper and out of the limelight made her think she would probably stop herself from lashing out like she had with her teacher.

And anyway, hadn't Professor Wrightman drawn a line at marrying a suspected Death Eater? She had scoffed at both Lucius Malfoy and Professor Snape, and Ginny remembered quite vividly how uncharacteristically upset she had become when Sirius had demanded she abandon her family. Not that Ginny had been too impressed with the part of the Wrightman family that she had seen--Mrs. Wrightman had been far too cozy with Bellatrix Lestrange to ever recover in Ginny's estimation--but, not unlike Sirius himself, Gertrude Wrightman was different.

Perhaps what Gertrude had understood that Sirius hadn't, was the fact that being an heir and eventually the head of your family meant not only great responsibility, but tremendous opportunity as well. As the matriarch and patriarch of the their respective families, Gertrude and Sirius could have changed their families' attitudes and behavior. Both powerful and highly respected wizards in their own right, the actions they required of their practically royal bloodlines could have influenced change throughout Britain.

At any rate, once she had read Professor Wrightman's concise note politely asking her not to share what she had seen in the Pensieve, Ginny had gotten to thinking, and come out with the conclusion that, while she may not always agree with her, she respected Gertrude Wrightman very much indeed.

* * *

Ginny had sighed with relief when she'd watched her mother's face disappear from view. Getting back to school without revealing her O.W.L. news served to very much put her mind at ease.

At the moment, she was sitting at breakfast with her friends, quietly smiling as she observed their conversations. Nadine and Andy were carrying on about something-or-other that had occurred at the annual Christmas celebration that their two families shared. Artemis and Colin were laughing and Kerney was rolling her eyes at the bickering pair. Ginny's thoughts settled on her first class of the day: N.E.W.T. Defense.

Just as she was considering what Defense and Transfiguration would be like without her three closest friends--and how she would bear N.E.W.T. Potions without her steadfast partner to keep her grounded--she felt someone's eyes on her from down the right end of the table.

Given the direction the gaze was coming from and its long duration--to say nothing of the familiar shiver than ran down her body--she knew almost immediately who it was.

A smirk formed as she forced herself not to look at him. Despite the pleasure she would undoubtedly gain from sharing a knowing look with Harry, she didn't want to give away her little surprise. Hermione was, after all, a bright and observant witch, and would surely catch on if Ginny and Harry were exchanging smirks down the table. Ginny's smirk became a full smile and she ducked slightly in hopes to avoid drawing attention to herself. She could have sworn she heard a chuckle come from a little ways to the right of her. This only made her chuckle a bit as well.

"And what do you find so bloody amusing, Gin?" Kerney asked with a poorly restrained grin. She, Andy, and Nadine already knew that Ginny would no longer be joining them for three of their lessons this term.

"Oh, nothing," Ginny replied innocently. This caused Andy to smile and Nadine bit her lip to avoid doing the same. They agree that it was a brilliant joke not telling Ron or Hermione about her expeditious progress past O.W.L. levels in three subjects. Artemis and Colin looked at them strangely, what with not being in on the ruse. The Kernel looked at her watch and spoke up, clearing her throat a little louder than was perhaps normal.

"Oh, look at the time," she began, with a significant look to the redhead across the table. Ginny, Andy, and Nadine's smiles grew with amusement at Kerney's antics. Ginny played along beautifully.

"Mates," she began, but gasped as if she had just realized something terrible. It was so fake that the four burst out laughing again. Artemis and Colin were looking at them like they had lost their minds. "Oh, no!" She pretended to look stricken. "I think I left my book in the Tower!" she declared, loud enough so Harry would get the signal. She only hoped he wouldn't be too obvious in getting away from Ron and Hermione.

"Okay, Gin," Andy joined. He gave her a ridiculously obvious wink that made Kerney spit out her pumpkin juice with laughter. "We'll see you in class!" Still chuckling, Ginny rose casually from the table and headed to the predetermined rendezvous point to wait for Harry.

As she passed his end of the table--though she forced herself not to look--she could hear Harry excusing himself to go to the loo before class. It was everything she could do not to laugh when Ron said he'd join him. Ginny walked a little faster so that she might be far enough from the table that they wouldn't hear her when she burst out laughing again. She knew if she did, Harry wouldn't be able to keep a straight face either.

She had been waiting in a secret passage for several minutes when the tapestry covering the entrance finally swung open to admit a grinning Harry Potter.

"This is going to be brilliant!" he said as soon as the door shut behind him.

"Yes, I think it will be," Ginny agreed, matching his smile. Harry extracted an old, ratty-looking piece of parchment from his school bag, and Ginny recognized it as the Marauder's Map.

"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good," he recited, tapping the parchment with his wand. Instantly the interior structures of Hogwarts began to appear. They both leaned in to scan the different hallways for Ron and Hermione.

"Nice, they're heading down from the loo right now," Ginny observed. They watched as Ron's dot exited the boy's loo and joined Hermione's dot, which had been stationed right outside. The two dots made their way down the various corridors leading to the Defense classroom, and Ginny's excitement increased as the punchline of their great private joke approached.

"Ready?" Harry asked, still in an uncommonly good mood. Ginny flashed him a devastating smirk.

"You bet." They watched as the two dots representing their friends walked right past the two dots labeled "Harry James Potter" and "Ginevra Molly Weasley." Harry checked his watch and after a few moments, tapped the map and said "Mischief managed!" The map disappeared. He looked up at her.

"We should be right on time. Let's go!" Ginny nodded as Harry held the tapestry open for her to step through. They didn't speak at all on the way, each too amused to say anything, though Ginny had begun to school her expression to remain casual. If she were able to keep a straight and innocent face during class, the effect of the joke would intensify.

When they arrived at the door they grinned at each other briefly, and then Ginny's expression went dead casual. She was a superb actress, and this was going to be one of her finest performances. Harry gestured at the door.

"Ladies first," he said, pleased with himself (though whether from the impending joke or his chivalry, Ginny couldn't tell).

"Let's go in together," suggested, slinging her bag more comfortably over her shoulder. Harry nodded and nudged her inside with a hand at the small of her back. They began chatting immediately, as planned, to increase the impression of non-chalance.

"So what do you reckon we'll be studying today?" she asked, as they entered the room. Everyone's attention was on them. There was an open double in the back of the class, and they made their way toward it.

"Oh, I suppose we'll be starting advanced incapacitation jinxes, seeing as we finished advanced reflective shields before the holiday." Ginny nodded.

"Excellent. I've always wanted to try a--"

"Ginny?" Hermione's voice rang through the classroom.

"--paralyzation hex. They must be very diff--"

"Ginny!" Hermione shouted. Ginny turned around, looking concerned for the older girl.

"Yes, Hermione?" she asked innocently. Harry cleared his throat and coughed unnecessarily to cover a laugh. Ginny stomped on his foot discreetly. His wince of pain took his mind off of laughing.

"Well, er . . ." The bell rang to signify the start of class. No one but Ginny and Harry noticed Professor Wrightman entering the classroom; everyone else was watching the two of them. "Ginny, this is sixth-year N.E.W.T. Defense."

"I know," Ginny replied innocently. She was shocked that Harry had been able to keep from laughing. But perhaps not for much longer, as Ron was the next to speak.

"But Ginny, duh, you're a fifth-year! Why are you in the wrong class?" It was almost comforting how blunt and loud Ron consistently was.

"She is in exactly the right class, Mr. Weasley," Professor Wrightman injected. All the students turned their attention back to the front of the room at the sound of their teacher's voice. Harry finally smiled. Ginny's face remained neutral as the two of them finally sat down.

"What?!" Hermione burst out, in genuine surprise. Harry snorted and tried to cover it with a cough. People were now looking back and forth between Ginny and the professor wondering what the blazes was going on.

"Miss Weasley will be enrolled in this class from now on," Professor Wrightman explained.

"But Professor," Hermione returned with urgency--and this is where Ginny couldn't help but smirk because she recognized the competitive and rule-hawking side of Hermione taking over. "You can't enroll in this class unless you've earned an O.W.L. in the subject." Ginny rolled her eyes. As if Professor Wrightman didn't know that. Ginny's annoyance turned to barely-contained glee when Professor Wrightman sent a brilliant don't-patronize-me-you-tiresome-little-know-it-all glare straight at Hermione. It was wonderfully effective at shutting her up and Ron was gaping.

"Thank you for restating the obvious, Miss Granger, but perhaps you are ill-informed," Professor Wrightman replied, and Hermione looked green. Ron looked as if he didn't know whether to laugh out loud or be shocked. Being ill-informed was one of the lowest digs as far as Hermione was concerned, and Ginny had a hunch that their teacher understood that.

"Miss Weasley has, in fact, earned an Outstanding O.W.L. in Defense Against the Dark Arts."

Ron and Hermione spun and gaped at Ginny, who smiled sweetly, and it was all Harry could do not to burst out laughing. He was shaking with mirth, and Ginny kicked him to settle down. Hermione looked livid. Ron still looked shocked.

Professor Wrightman cleared her throat and the class turned its attention back to the front to begin the lesson, though Ginny and Harry caught Hermione turning around every so often to glare at them. After one such glare, Ginny looked up at her teacher. Professor Wrightman nearly smiled. Ginny contained a chuckle and went back to practicing spells with Harry.

Harry and Ginny began packing up their school things earlier than the other students, and were thus able to escape out of the classroom and into a secret passage before Hermione and Ron could catch up with them. Once in the safety of a hiding place, they burst out laughing and enjoyed themselves thoroughly.

They ate lunch in the kitchens, and then Harry skived off his next class to keep out of Hermione's way. The last class of the day was Potions, and Ginny reckoned she'd be able to avoid the older girl until they got back to the Tower for the afternoon.

With all their excitement and amusement at surprising Ron and Hermione, Ginny had completely forgotten to be concerned or self-conscious about seeing Professor Snape for the first time since she'd torn him a new one in the kitchen at Grimmauld Place. Her stomach plummeted with momentary anxiety, but she steadied herself and walked into the Potions dungeon right before the bell rang. Snape spotted her immediately.

"Weasley, you will be partnered with Mr. Nott for rest of the term. Do find your seat." Hermione looked appalled, as if Ginny had really gone too far by skipping ahead into not one, but two N.E.W.T. classes. Just wait until Transfiguration, Ginny snarked internally. Ginny's eyebrows had briefly raised at Snape's lack of open hatred, but she soon forgot her teacher when she recalled that Devon had named Theodore Nott among the group of eligible options for matrimonial . . . erm, bliss.

She thought for a moment, as she unpacked her Potions materials, that she wouldn't be the least bit surprised if Devon had engineered the pairing of them. Ginny shook her head and smiled as she took out a quill to take notes. Theodore Nott was watching her suspiciously. Snape had disappeared into his storage cupboard to retrieve something, and Ginny took the opportunity to speak to Devon's replacement. She extended her hand.

"I'm Ginny Weasley," she offered. He looked skeptical, but returned the handshake in the end.

"Theodore Nott. But don't call me that. Theo or Nott is fine." He wasn't nearly as obnoxious as Malfoy, which was definitely an attractive quality. Speaking of which, the stupid git was staring at her from two tables over.

"All right, Theo. How do you like Potions, then?" she asked. Theo smirked, and Ginny had to admit, it was becoming on him.

"You mean, am I any good at Potions," he returned. Ginny chuckled.

"I suppose, yes."

"I'm top in the year, if that's what you're wondering."

"Impressive," Ginny observed, but further conversation was cut off as Snape began the lesson. It wasn't until half-way through the period that they were able to converse about anything but dividing up tasks for the assignment and conferring on the steps of the process. When there was a lull in the procedure, Theo abruptly spoke.

"I know you're all chummy with Devon Pearce." I knew it! If Devon hadn't orchestrated this, Ginny knew she had influenced it at some level.

"I won't deny it," Ginny returned. Then she impulsively tried to throw the boy off his game. "She thinks we should get married."

In her experience with Slytherins it was important to keep them on their toes--that way they had as little opportunity as possible to keep you on yours.

But alas, it had not the desired effect. Instead of looking gobsmacked, he looked at her curiously and sat back in his seat, eyes twinkling and a smirk rising on his face.

"Indeed, she does. I hadn't realized that she mentioned it to you, though I can't say that I'm surprised."

Ginny smiled at this, but it was half out of open amusement and half from incredulity that Devon would be so transparent. Then again, she wasn't really surprised. Perhaps it was the combination of Devon mentioning it to Theo and Theo confirming it so casually.

Her inner monologue broke off when she looked back at Theo, who was smiling. Not gorgeously like Baron had that one time, but not in the off-putting way Draco Malfoy did either. It was different. It didn't light up his face, but it complemented it very well, the way that Devon's might if she ever really smiled. There was a humor in it--whether he was sharing it with her or enjoying it at her expense--that was very appealing to a girl who had learned many of her life lessons from Fred and George Weasley.

At last she decided that he was smiling as though she had made him reevaluate his view of her and he was uncommonly pleased with the result.

"Well, shall we, then?" she answered at last, trying to speak calmly.

"Shall we what?" he returned.

"Get hitched," she said, using the crass slang on purpose to upset his proper Slytherin sensibilities. She knew too much of Baron, Devon, and Gertrude Wrightman not to recognize traces of the same fundamental etiquette in her new Potions partner. His eyebrows raised slightly. She looked at him innocently.

"Take your time answering, I suppose. Only, I want to owl Mum as soon as the engagement is final, so don't take too long." She was fluttering her eyelashes gratuitously. Theo snorted and turned back to their cauldron to add and mix the next ingredients. Without breaking stride he kept the conversation going.

"You are not what I was expecting," he admitted. Ginny smirked.

"Your first mistake was not believing what Devon told you," she ventured. Theo finished attending to their potion before answering.

"That is true," he agreed.

"Don't you know? Devon never says anything she doesn't mean," Ginny said, echoing her friends words from a few months before. Her eyes twinkled at the memory. "That's why she talks less than any other girl in the whole school."

And at this, Theodore Nott, the son of a Death Eater and Samantha Caldwell, erupted in laughter. Ginny was surprised and delighted that laughter clearly came easier to him than any Slytherin she had ever known. It wasn't music to her ears like when Harry laughed genuinely, and it wasn't jolly like Ron's or triumphant like the twins', but it made her grin nonetheless. Much like his smile, it wasn't bright or beautiful, but it fit him brilliantly.

Ginny was still smiling and watching her partner curiously as his chuckling died down and he added pureed shrivelfigs to their simmering concoction. She began grounding up Dover chalk for the next step, glancing at him periodically, never noticing that the rest of the class--and their teacher--had been alternately shocked, appalled, and bewildered at their rather pleasant interaction.

* * *

Ginny had completely expected that Hermione would pounce on her as soon as she returned to the common room. After a surprisingly fun section of double Potions--due primarily to her new partner--Ginny was enjoying the revelation of her secret studies to the utmost.

She greeted the Fat Lady cheerfully, and offered up the password. Sure enough, the moment her red hair came into sight around the painting, Hermione was upon her. Ron and Harry walked up behind her, the former with eyebrows raised and his arms crossed over his chest, the latter smiling pleasantly and scratching his head. Hermione looked quite cross. This improved Ginny's mood.

"What is going on?!" the older girl insisted with a shout.

"Hermione," Ginny said calmly--and to be frank, not a little patronizingly--which only pushed Hermione to be even more out of sorts. "I don't know why you're so angry. I took three O.W.L. exams early, and passed all three. It would be silly for me to stay in a class I already tested out of, don't you think?" Ginny loved this game--using Hermione's own inclinations and obsessions as arguments against her. Harry coughed again, presumably to stymie his amusement.

"But--but--" she stammered. Ron looked at her with shock. When in the past had Hermione Granger ever been unable to articulate what she wanted to say? Or scold someone, at the very least. She huffed a big, somewhat dramatic sigh. "You didn't tell anyone!"

"I did so, I told all my closest friends!" The dig was indirect, and after all these years of being neglected, Ginny wondered if Ron and Hermione would even take offense at it. Harry's expression had gone from extreme amusement to intense and thoughtful consideration. "All of the relevant professors knew, and my favorite brothers knew." Ron scowled. Hermione's cheeks were red with agitation. Who knew Hermione was as easy to wind up as Ron?

"But you told Harry!" her brother accused, as if her crime was self-explanatory. Ginny's eyebrows raised slightly in an unapologetically patronizing manner.

"Yeah, and?" Ron looked honestly confused and Hermione was looking increasingly put out.

"Well, why did you tell him and not us?!" he insisted. "You and Harry aren't even that good of friends." Ginny's face converted quickly from casual amusement to restrained hardness. Harry broke out of his pondering to glare at his best friend. Sparing a glance at Ginny, it was clear that he knew Ron was treading on very thin ice. "Plus, I'm your brother! You should have told me!"

Ginny finally laughed bitterly. Harry started to look as if he were thinking about moving out of harm's way.

"Wow, Ron. And I thought Percy was stupid." That was a low blow, considering she knew how Ron felt about their older brother. But it shut him up. "You haven't spared me a second thought since the day you left for Hogwarts. Don't tell me who my friends are." It was that quiet anger again, the kind that worried people who were used to explosive Weasley tempers. Ron looked nervous. Harry's eyes were glued to her. Hermione had temporarily forgotten to be angry with her shock at hearing Ginny speak to Ron this way.

"And if you don't know your own bloody best friend well enough anymore to know who his friends are, then you've got a lot of nerve blowing up at me like this. Don't act all neglected, Ronald. I think, among the four of us, you have the least to complain about here."

And just because she was feeling malicious, she got in one last shot at Hermione. "At least Hermione has a reason to be mad"--she glanced at the older girl--"she won't have an excuse to be so condescending anymore, now that I've done something she hasn't done."

With one last meaningful look at Harry--who was still watching her closely--she turned and started on her way to the Great Hall. She figured she was probably leaving Harry to be assaulted with questions from his friends, but he could handle it. He had been quite as angry as she had been at hearing what Ron and Hermione had said, and was not likely to play nicely even with her gone down to dinner.

She hoped briefly that he would follow her down there before dinner ended, but soon forgot about him as she calmed and felt better at the prospect of regaling the day's events to her friends during the meal.

* * *

A few weeks later, Ginny walked into the Great Hall for breakfast. For once in her life, she wasn't running late in the morning, and for once she was able to take in her surroundings and fellow students as she made her way to her seat. She was about half-way to her usual spot toward the middle of the Gryffindor table when her gaze was caught by something that made her start slightly.

It appeared as though someone at the Ravenclaw table had been pointing at her, but by the time she did a double take, the boy's outstretched arm had been replaced by a whispering huddle of boys, darting their eyes between her and each other. What the hell? She shook it off and kept on her way. Not being able to help glancing back at her alleged observers, she saw them staring more openly now. She checked over her shoulder, but there was no one else in the entranceway. They were definitely looking at her.

Ginny frowned. Being pointed at and whispered about was not something she was used to, and she immediately understood Harry's disdain for his fame. It certainly was unnerving.

As she approached the near end of the Gryffindor table, she was aware of people from both Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw turning around to whisper and gawk at her as she passed them by. Feeling more discomfort by the second at all this unwelcome attention, Ginny quickly ran through her morning routine in her mind, in hopes of discovering some stupid, mindless thing she'd accidentally done to draw such attention to herself. She drew a blank.

By now, a few students at the Slytherin table were standing up unabashedly in order to get a better look at her. Whispers and turned heads ran up and down the other tables, including (much to her dismay) the table of her fellow Gryffindors.

She was now extremely self-conscious, and wanting nothing more than to Apparate from the room, she practically dove into her usual seat between Andy and Nadine. Across from her, Artemis and Colin had unmistakably apprehensive looks on their faces, and as Ginny quickly gazed around her house table, she noticed two things.

First, the older Gryffindor girls she knew were looking at her apologetically.

Second, the sixth and seventh year boys she counted as friends were all trying extremely hard not to make eye contact with her, while the ones she didn't know personally were staring thoughtfully at her, some openly smirking.

As she served herself some eggs and toast, she could hear the growing roar of gossip mounting at the three tables behind her.

But suddenly it stopped.

At this strange new silence, Ginny looked up at the entrance to the Great Hall and saw Cho Chang entering by herself, just as Ginny had done. And as the Ravenclaw Seeker made her way to her own seat for breakfast, Ginny was startled to hear the crescendo of whispering and see the wave of stares begin all over again. By the time Cho reached her seat, Ginny could tell the seventh year girl was feeling exactly what she had felt upon her own arrival.

Ginny could sense Andy and Nadine fidgeting on either side of her and she could feel a penetrating gaze from Kerney's direction. She got the impression that they were unwilling to break the ice before they could be certain that she wouldn't curse the entire table in retribution for whatever in the name of Merlin was going on.

Feeling all the eyes of Gryffindor on her, she looked to the right and across the table, in search of her brother Ron, or at the very least, Hermione, who would be forthcoming with an explanation.

But, as seemed to be the trend lately, she was to find no comfort there. The two Prefects were curiously absent from their usual seats, and instead Ginny locked eyes with Harry for a moment, before he quickly turned his attention to his plate, blushing. On either side of him, Dean averted his gaze to talk to Seamus, while Neville shot her a look of sympathy. She turned suddenly to Andy.

"What the hell is going on?" she demanded in low tones.

"Well--" Andy tentatively began, as though he feared she would punish the messenger for the bad news.

"Spit it out, McGrath." Her long-time friend sighed and looked at her almost guiltily. Nadine, Artemis, and Colin seemed to brace themselves for what was coming, and on instinct, Ginny couldn't help but follow suit. Bugger. This is not going to be good. Kerney unflinchingly maintained her knowing look.

"Well, it's like this. The seventh year boys--"

"--and most of the sixth years--" interjected Artemis.

"--Well, they all got together in an uncharacteristically united effort to rate the girls at Hogwarts according to certain . . . erm . . . categories."

"Categories," Ginny deadpanned.

"Yes."

"What kind of categories?" This was not going to be happy information.

"Perhaps it would be best if you found out right from the source," Andy said, and nodded at Nadine. Ginny turned to her right as Nadine took out a folded piece of parchment and handed it to her. With one last anxious glance at each of her friends, Ginny put her eyes down and scanned the contents.

Nicest Katie Bell

Smartest Tie: Emily Zabini, Hermione Granger

Best Sense of Humor Ginny Weasley

Hottest Cho Chang

Best Quidditch Player Tie: Ginny Weasley, Jamie Bowen

Most Likely to be Head Girl Hermione Granger

Most Dangerous with a Hex Ginny Weasley

Best to Take Home to Parents Katie Bell

Best Kisser Juliet Rafferty

Best Legs Naomi Ryan

Best Rack Tie: Daphne Greengrass, Marcia McLean

Best Arse Parvati Patil

Best Shag Tie: Danielle Wade, Olivia Flint

Easiest Shag Marietta Edgecombe

Most Want to Date Ginny Weasley

Most Want to Shag Ginny Weasley

Reading her name over and over as it came up on the list, Ginny's face burned and flushed. Her first thought when she finished was a snarky jab at Marietta--the sneak--followed quickly by embarrassment at the realization that most of the older boys in the school thought about her in that context. Ew.

On its heels came a flash of annoyance at what Ron's reaction would be to seeing her name voted first in most of the categories, but she found perverse amusement in the thought that he likely had been a participant in the poll, never imagining that his baby sister would be such a popular subject with the sixth and seventh year boys, despite the fact that she had been by far the most sought out date for Hogsmeade so far this year. She chuckled at the thought, and her friends looked confused at her amused reaction. She turned to Andy.

"So, the seventh year boys and most of the sixth year boys--"

"Yes."

"--all got together, from every house--"

"It would appear so, yes."

"--and in their collective wisdom, decided that they all want to shag me like a minx." At her blunt characterization of the situation, Andy turned bright red. Ginny barely suppressed a smirk and her other friends chuckled.

"Erm, yes." Ginny looked up thoughtfully at her friends sitting opposite her. Kerney had an expression that reeked of I told you so. Ginny decided to ignore her.

"You know, when Dumbledore told us at the sorting feast that the four houses need to unite together, I don't think this is quite what he had in mind." Everyone laughed. Kerney smirked and shook her head.

The rest of the Gryffindors turned and looked at them with confused expressions. Once again, Ginny had deflected her discomfort with sarcasm and managed to misdirect her peers with her acute sense of humor. While her friends--except, notably, for Kerney--were put at ease and her housemates carried on believing that she was a right good sport about the whole thing, Ginny sat there, feeling isolated and extremely uncomfortable.

It didn't help that she could feel someone's eyes on her from somewhere down the right side of the table, and she was pretty sure she could guess whose they were.

Glancing back at the list of girls, her suspicions were confirmed when the feeling stopped and was quickly followed by the loud exclamations of Ron and Hermione's arrival at the table. Noting with relief that it would soon be time for class--and thinking that she definitely did not have the patience to deal with Ron's inevitable reaction--she folded the list, stashed it and turned to Andy.

"We should probably get going." She looked across the table as she, Andy, and Nadine began to stand and gather their things for class.

"Want an escort, do you?" Kerney jabbed good-naturedly, speaking for the first time since Ginny had arrived at breakfast.

"Hardly," Ginny retorted. "Besides, consensus says that I'm best with a hex," she explained sarcastically. "I'm not concerned about being assaulted." She smirked. Their group of six expanded to eight as Holden and Othello rose from their places down the table and completed the fifth year Gryffindor crew as they departed for class.

Of course, Ginny was too caught up in verbally sparring with Kerney and Andy to notice that the whole of Gryffindor table and half of the Ravenclaws were watching as she left, once again the focus of the group.

***

"Oy, McGrath," Ginny blurted as she consulted The List on their way back to the common room after dinner. "Olivia Flint or Danielle Wade." While Andy cringed, Nadine turned sharply to watch his reaction to the question. Ginny took note of this.

"Ahh, well--" He took too long.

"EH. Wrong. You know the rules, you have to reply spontaneously for the most honest answer. Now it's time for punishment."

"Except that, instead of thinking of my answer, I was a bit preoccupied with the thought that if I said 'Olivia' you would hex me into next week," he responded rationally. Ginny paused to consider this. "Even if I would have said Danielle, you using Olivia automatically exempted me from the time rule."

"I bet if you checked his survey it'd give you your answer," a new voice interjected. Eight fifth-year heads and bodies swiveled in unison to identify the new speaker. "Wouldn't it, McGrath?"

It was Harry. He was walking toward them, flanked by Ron and Hermione. But there was something different about his gait--Harry James Potter, Boy-Who-Lived, never swaggered when he walked. Never in his life. Well, maybe it wasn't a swagger, exactly, just a confidence and strength that she had never seen in him before. She wondered briefly if this was what Lily Evans had first seen in James Potter. For, while it was a bit strange to see it on Harry, it was also.... bloody hot.

Luckily for Ginny, Harry had addressed Andy and not her, so she had time to get her bearings.

"What are you playing at, mate?" Andy asked, slightly incredulous that Harry would blow his cover. "Trying to get a bloke killed?" Harry smirked.

"Well, maybe you shouldn't put things in writing you don't want other people to see," he replied, a knowing look in his eyes. Ginny joined Andy in wondering what Harry was playing at. Why was he having a go at Andy? What had Andy McGrath ever done to him? But before she could question the strangeness of the situation any further, yet another voice interrupted.

"I don't know if you should be pointing fingers, Potter," Michael Corner said as he strolled into view. Ginny's mind fleetingly wondered what he was doing this close to Gryffindor Tower, but forgot about it as he finished talking. "Don't think we don't know that you turned in a survey yourself."

At this, Ginny's eyebrows went up in surprise and Hermione wheeled around to scold Harry, then Ron.

"And I suppose that means you were in on it, too?" she accused Ron as the surrounding crowd snickered. Ron blushed and Harry was obviously trying not to smirk.

Ginny exchanged curious glances with Kerney and then Andy, who looked quite relieved to have the attention focused somewhere else. Ginny noticed Nadine staring intently at Andy from his other side.

"Hermione, leave them alone," Ginny urged, causing the older girl to turn around and look put out at being denied the opportunity to be self-righteous. Ginny barely restrained herself from rolling her eyes. "Look, it's not a big deal. You didn't get voted to anything unseemly, as I recall."

"But other girls did! They shouldn't be able to get away with it!" Hermione huffed.

"Speaking as one of those 'other girls,' why don't you let us stand up for ourselves?" Ginny suggested. After stealing a glance at Harry and Ron, she continued, "besides, if Harry and Andy want to shag me rotten, who am I to complain?" Harry was flushing violently, and though she could not see Andy from the front, she didn't think his light complexion would be able to hide his embarrassment either. Then she turned on her brother. "And it's not like it's a secret who Ron voted for." Her satisfaction at putting them in their places almost made up for her embarrassment at breakfast, but she wasn't done.

"And Michael, what would a sixth year Ravenclaw be doing so close to Gryffindor Tower? You couldn't be lost. Come to stir up trouble, have you? Times being what they are, I don't know if you ought to be making enemies with the Boy-Who-Lived, mate," she said in a patronizingly sweet voice. "You might want to reconsider your anger, or better yet, jealousy. Though after all the crap Harry's had to put up with, I can't imagine why you'd be jealous of him." The vindictive expression of superiority Michael had worn upon his arrival quickly vanished. "Maybe we should have a look at your survey."

"You know, Ginny," Kerney added, stepping up next to her friend, "I reckon we might find some interesting information if we did that."

"Bet you weren't so down on Gryffindor Quidditch when you wrote in Ginny's name for best Quidditch player, eh, Corner?" Harry added, much to Ginny's (and Ron's) surprise. Something was different about him today. He never would have recovered that quickly from embarrassment before. Hell, he never would have recovered at all. As Harry eyed Michael Corner, Ginny eyed him. His straightened posture and intense gaze reminded her of the subtle change she had seen in Neville back on the train at the beginning of the year.

"Hmm," Ron added, with fake thoughtfulness. "I hope I don't find out that you wrote in my sister's name for any other category." He turned to his fellow male Gryffindors. "What do you think, mates? What should happen to a bloke who gets mad at his girlfriend just for winning the Quidditch Cup?" The boys all moved in around Michael, but to Ginny it seemed like they were acting more protectively than offensively. She doubted Michael had made the distinction.

"Oy, what's this?" asked Duncan Moran as he approached with his usual crew plus Katie Bell. "This Ravenclaw bloke still not get that Ginny's way out of his league?"

"I think Corner was just leaving, weren't you, mate?" Andy asked, patronizingly. He had straightened out, too. His and Harry's shoulders were back, their arms folded in consternation, and their backs straighter than she had ever seen them. For once they both looked like their full heights. Blokes like Duncan Moran and Baron Ramsey always looked formidable like this; but for these two boys it was quite a little transformation.

"Or do you need to be reminded of the way?" Colin added. Merlin, what is going on? Ginny thought. Andy was one thing, but Colin? Threatening someone? Ginny was bewildered at the wave of confidence and testosterone that was overtaking these Gryffindor boys. Michael sort of nodded in obvious anxiety and took off down the hall. Duncan, Gabe, Katie, and Matt all turned to Ginny.

"He still bothering you, Ginny?" Duncan asked her, much more kindly than he had spoken to Michael. Ginny rolled her eyes.

"Yes, Duncan, but it's not a big deal." She smiled, teasingly. "I mean, just think, in a few months we'll win the Quidditch Cup again, and he'll forget he ever liked me in the first place." The remaining tension dissolved as people laughed at her joke, and Ginny grabbed Kerney's arm and continued casually on her way toward the Fat Lady. She wanted to start back before Andy tried to talk to her. She knew that Nadine would probably not be pleased at what had transpired. And just because Ginny knew that Andy was absolutely mad for Nadine, didn't mean the raven-haired girl knew it, too.

"Ginny!" Artemis called from behind them as they arrived at the portrait.

"Tintinnabulation ," Kerney said, as Ginny turned back to the rest of the Gryffindors.

"Artemis!" she yelled back by way of answering.

"Michael Corner or Roman Keselica?" she asked, quickly drawing the attention of the rest of their housemates. Ginny rolled her eyes, but answered quickly.

"Roman, duh. Not even a question."

"C'mon, Howard, you can do better than that," Andy inserted, walking next to Nadine. "Of course she'd pick Roman over that git." The fifth year girls and Katie Bell laughed as Artemis nodded to concede his point. Suddenly, Ginny was inspired. She glanced at Kerney with a wicked smile as all the Gryffindors piled into the common room. Once they were all inside, she turned to the group.

"Alright McGrath, do-over from earlier." Andy smirked, which was his first mistake. After almost five years of friendship, he should have been suspicious at the look in Ginny's eyes. But alas, he must have been distracted by the girl at his side. "Nadine Ryan or Ginny Weasley." Andy's face blanched and he looked down as he mumbled his answer. Not noticing the utterly panicked look on Nadine's face, Ginny stepped forward with exaggerated thoughtfulness, hand to her ear.

"What was that, Andy? I couldn't quite hear you," she said a little more loudly than she needed to. He looked up quickly, surprising Ginny, and with such intensity, that Ginny's good humor was momentarily arrested.

"Nadine Ryan," he replied, slowly and evenly, never breaking his eye contact with Ginny. He sent an absolutely smoldering glance to an equally surprised Nadine, and made his way up to the boys dormitory. Ginny was suddenly faint with jealousy--she wished a boy would look at her like that. Kerney looked intrigued, Artemis looked shocked (though Ginny couldn't tell if it was at the intensity of the way Andy had said Nadine's name, or at the idea that anyone had chosen someone over her), and Nadine looked like a deer in headlights.

But Andy had stopped on the stairs and turned around. "Right then. Ginny!" he yelled from the landing. All the Gryffindors swiveled in unison.

"Yeah?" she answered, stepping toward the stairs.

"Andy McGrath or Harry Potter?" he yelled, satisfied smirk on his features, arms crossed across his chest. Ginny froze. Remembering the time rule she quickly mumbled an answer. "Not so fun when it's you put on the spot, is it Weasley?"

Ginny looked up at Andy apologetically. She hadn't thought about the embarrassment it could cause him when she'd propositioned him with Nadine's name, she'd just been thinking about how to make Nadine feel better. Frick. Ginny knew that Andy wasn't vindictive enough to make her repeat her answer.

She watched as her friend--would he still be her friend after this?--turned and continued on his way up to his room. Impulsively, Ginny grabbed Nadine and shoved her up the stairs after him.

* * *