Backfire

CHAPTER 10

The Aftermath

Ginny had staked out a spot on the floor at the end of the hallway that led from the stairs to the fifth year boys dormitory. She was just out of sight of the common room, but at the opposite end of the corridor from the door of the room in which Nadine and Andy had barricaded themselves. She didn't want them to think she was trying to listen in.

It had been about two hours since she'd acted so ridiculously about the question game, and she was starting to rethink her decision to sit in vigil outside of Andy's room. But she wanted to be the next person he saw. She needed to apologize.

Her attention was distracted as she heard footsteps coming up the boys' stairs. Every once in a while she'd hear someone coming up, but usually they just kept on going up to whatever floor they lived on. Some didn't even notice she was sitting there.

But this one did.

"Ginny?" Harry asked, as he stopped his progress up the stairs and came around the corner to see her.

"Oh, hey Harry," she replied sleepily. It was swiftly approaching bedtime, and she hadn't even started her homework yet. She rubbed her eyes, not unlike a small child. Harry smiled, but she didn't see.

"What are you doing?" he asked, with genuine curiosity. Ginny sighed and laid herself down on the floor.

"Waiting for the McGrath and Ryan worlds to finished colliding so I can apologize to my best friend for completely humiliating him in front of the entire House and the girl he's madly in love with." Her eyes were closed as she said this. Harry smiled again, and again she didn't see it.

"What was that game you were playing, anyway?" he asked.

"The question game," she answered simply, eyes still shut.

"And how does one play the question game?" he returned.

"Well, say you and I were playing," she began, finally opening her eyes to look at him. He was standing directly above her head, looking down at her from six feet up, but moved to sit down next to her. Her face shifted with him as he moved.

"I would randomly blurt out two girls' names, and you have to pick the one that you find most attractive, or the one you'd prefer to snog, or the one you find less revolting. It's a wonderful game. And you have to answer immediately, so the other people playing know you're not lying. If you don't answer right away, you get punishment, which means you have to do whatever dare the questioner gives you." Ginny's eyes closed again when her explanation was complete. Harry nodded to himself as he went through the rules in his head.

"So, what happened earlier," he began--she resisted the urge to sneak a glance at him, "was that you asked Andrew which girl, between you and Nadine Ryan, he found to be . . ." He trailed off. Dork.

"Yes, I forced him to reveal whether he thought Nadine or I was more desirable."

"I wouldn't have answered you," Harry admitted.

"I wouldn't have asked you," she countered, opening her eyes again, looking directly into his for a beat, and sitting up. She took out her ponytail and made it up again neater. "But Andy knows the rules, and he knows that I play for keeps. He knows that if he hadn't answered I would have dared him to kiss her."

"Really?"

"Yeah. He's been arse over elbows in love with her since we came to Hogwarts, and I know she fancies him, too. You were too busy having a pissing contest with Michael Corner to notice--not that I didn't enjoy it, mind--but Nadine was practically having a breakdown when you kept implying that Andy fancied me. She's always thought he did, but he doesn't. He's all hers," she finished, smiling to herself.

"So you felt put upon to relieve Nadine's insecurity."

"I suppose, yes. I didn't think it out way ahead of time, if that's what you're asking." Ginny was thoughtful for a moment. "I was thoroughly enjoying the little scene unfolding between you and Andy and Michael, and then I turn around and see Nadine looking like she was about to burst into tears. And there was absolutely no reason for her to, because Andy doesn't like me, he likes her. A lot. So it seemed like the logical thing to do."

"That's actually rather nice of you," Harry observed, sounding somewhat perplexed at his own conclusion. "Except for the whole part where you had to humiliate your other friend to do it." Ginny cringed and Harry laughed at her. Hearing him laugh lessened her distress a little.

"Yeah, well, we'll see if he ever speaks to me again. Then we'll know how nice it was." They sat in silence for a while. Ginny was considering all the horrible reactions Andy could possibly have to her actions.

"And then he asked you to choose between him and me." Harry's voice was low, but clear. Ginny was grateful that the lighting in the dormitory hallways wasn't very good at night. Her face was so hot that she knew she was blushing furiously. By this point, they were both sitting shoulder-to-shoulder against the wall, Harry Indian-style, Ginny with her knees up near her chest. Ginny was leaning her head back against the wall.

"Yes. The retribution I so sorely deserved." He was quiet for a few minutes before he spoke again.

"So?"

"So what?" she returned.

"So, who did you say? Me or Andy?" Ginny swiveled her head to face him, startled that he had actually asked the awkward question that normal people would have ignored to save each other the mutual mortification that was sure to follow if they actually talked about it.

But they weren't exactly normal people, were they?

Only, Ginny hadn't thought on the fact that turning to face the boy next to her would mean that he might be looking at her, too. She quickly faced forward again. Regardless of whether he could see it, she could feel another roaring blush climbing up her neck.

"I said you, of course." Her stomach was in chaos, her chest felt full, and her heart was hammering against her sternum like it was going to explode.

"Me?" he replied, with genuine surprise. "You picked me over him?" His voice was barely above a whisper.

"Of course I did," she replied with a small sigh, leaning her head back against the wall and closing her eyes again.

"Why?" Ginny couldn't help but smile in the midst of her own embarrassment. He really did not have the faintest idea how overwhelmingly attractive he was to her. And she loved that about him. She leaned her head over rest on his shoulder, waited with baited breath until she'd counted to seven in her head, and relaxed when she felt his arm slide around her shoulders.

"Andy's like my brother. Ew. It would be like choosing Ron or Fred. Ew." Ginny shivered at such appalling thoughts.

"You told me you didn't need any more brothers," he recalled.

"Well, with six Weasleys and probably two McGraths, I think I'm pretty well stocked with them, don't you?"

"So, I'm not one."

"No. You, I can safely say, will never be my brother."

"Is that a good thing?" he asked. Ginny sighed heavily. What was one more in a long string of confirmations that he didn't fancy her? Apparently still depressing as hell.

"I'd like to think so," she said with little joy in her tone. "But I suppose it's up to you."

"What do you mean?" he asked. Well, at least he was still holding up his end of the conversation. Like with so many other things recently, he would have been a wreck if this had occurred the year before.

"Andy's one of my best friends, and he's like my brother in the sense that I have never and will never (and could never) think of him romantically. He's not annoyingly overprotective like Ron, Percy, or Bill. He looks out for me, but he knows I can handle myself and make my own mistakes, like George, and Charlie, and Fred."

"But me?"

"You're my friend. You know things about me that no one else does. I can tell you things that I would never tell my brothers because they would freak out if I did. You are so matter-of-fact about so many things that they could never be calm about. You know about Voldemort, and you don't hover around me when I play Quidditch, and you don't tell me that I shouldn't do things because I'm a girl, or because I'm the baby."

"And that's how you want me to be?"

"Very much, yes." She realized something, just then, something of potentially magnificent proportions. "You don't treat me like Ron's little sister anymore."

"Well, I suppose you're not." He paused. "I mean, of course you are, but . . ." He trailed off again.

"But what?" she prompted quietly.

"I don't really know," he replied honestly.

"Okay," she said, basking in his small admission too much to care that he couldn't explain himself. She thought she had a pretty good idea of what he meant anyway.

"Really?" he asked, incredulously. No doubt Hermione would never have let him get away with such an insufficient answer. But, as she thankfully reminded herself, she was not Hermione.

"Really."

"Wow." Ginny giggled. "What?"

"It's just," she began, turning to get a look at him. "You really need to know that Hermione is not the best example of what a girl is like." Harry chuckled.

"I think I know it in an abstract sense, but my instincts are so used to dealing with her, that I guess I forget sometimes. I'm not so bad, am I?" he asked with a tiny bit of anxiety.

"No, you're not. Usually you're a rather good sport when you hang around me. I just find that I have to remind you sometimes that I'm not going to bite your head off, or interrogate you, or tell you to study; that I'm not her." She returned to leaning on his shoulder.

"Trust me. I could never confuse you with Hermione."

"Good."

He went quiet again, and Ginny could feel him shifting a bit as if he was going to speak again, when a new voice broke through their quiet conversation.

"What's this?" Andy asked, with not a little sarcasm. At hearing his voice, Ginny turned to face him and scrambled to her feet. He put his hands up as if to calm and slow her down.

Nadine shot her a thankful smile from behind Andy, before venturing to speak herself.

"Andrew, I'll see you tomorrow. I'm going to bed." Andy smiled and nodded in pleasant acquiescence.

"Okay. 'Night Nadine." A small smile threatened to creep up onto his face.

"Night Harry. Goodnight, Ginny," she offered. Harry and Ginny responded in kind.

"How are you, Harry?" Andy asked. Harry had a much different demeanor from the one he had worn earlier when he was in the middle of the corridor putting Andy on the spot about the survey. Then he actually put out his hand for Andy to take. Andy looked pleasantly surprised.

"Pretty good, actually," he answered as they shook hands. "I better get to bed"--he shot Ginny an encouraging glance--"give you two a chance to talk." Ginny's eyes were wide. It really did look like the new bolder, more frank Harry was taking over. Ginny's expression of surprise transformed into one of barely concealed triumph. She had adored the Harry of old, but that boy didn't quite set her on fire like this one had lately.

"Night then, mate," Andy offered. Harry smiled and nodded.

"Night Andrew. Goodnight, Ginny." He looked at her for an extended moment, and then turned to walk up the stairs to the room he shared with the rest of the sixth year boys. Ginny watched him leave and was still watching long after he was out of sight. Andy turned to look at her.

"We're quite a pair, you and I," he said, turning his whole body to face her. He crossed his arms over his chest and looked at her thoughtfully.

"Hmm?" she asked, turning back around at the sound of his voice. He smirked.

"Look at us. Both ruined forever. If we don't end up with the bloke and the girl we fell in love with in first year, I don't know what'll happen to us." Ginny smiled at the olive branch. She really did adore this seventh brother of hers.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I could always marry one of those rich Slytherins I'm friends with." He shook his head and chuckled.

"Yes, you probably could," he replied with the familiar, quiet smile that she found so much comfort in. It made Ginny suddenly remember why she had been out there waiting for him for so long.

"Oh, Andy, I'm so sorry! I can't believe I did that to you," she gushed out. "Nadine just looked so miserable and I did the first thing I could think of to make her feel better. I didn't stop to think that in making her less upset, I would be upsetting you instead. It was impulsive, and mean, and I'm so sorry." Andy did the most brilliant thing he could have done at that moment, and hugged his close friend of nearly five years.

"I forgive you, Ginny," he replied. "I understand why you did it, and, considering that I don't like to see Nadine upset either, I can't say that I really blame you." Ginny nodded into his shoulder as she returned his affectionate embrace.

"So," she began as they pulled apart. "Where do you stand with her, after all that?" Ginny asked tentatively.

"We're going to see if we can handle being nice to each other. If being friends works out, then maybe we'll see if we can handle something more."

"Andrew O'Connell McGrath, if you don't ask that girl to Hogsmeade, I will string you up and lock you in a room with Filch and all the Hufflepuff third years!" He laughed at her demand and nodded.

"Rest assured, I have every intention of doing so." Damn straight, he did. The third-year Hufflepuffs were notoriously obsessed with Andy-the-heartthrob. She smiled.

"Okay."

"So."

"So."

"You and Harry."

"What about me and Harry," she returned suspiciously, restating his words more than asking them.

"He looked like you two had come to an understanding about something," Andy observed, with not a little insinuation.

"The only thing we established was that he is not my brother, and that I am not Hermione. And actually, we kind of already had that conversation a few months ago. So no progress, really." Andy examined her with a somewhat knowing look on his face. It reminded her eerily of the Kernel.

"Well, then, perhaps he realized something on his own," Andy added, giving her a significant look. With one last squeeze of her arm, he turned and went to bed, leaving Ginny to think about what he had said.

* * *

Fresh from making up with her best friend, Ginny decided to stage a coup.

If the blokes in the school could engage in this ridiculous activity as some unconscious effort to distract themselves from the horrors that were going on outside the safety of the school, then why couldn't the girls indulge themselves, too? Not to mention it had the additional enticement of being sweet, sweet revenge.

She wrote down her plan on a self-replicating note and passed it on to every girl in all of her classes. They, in turn, passed it on to every girl they saw. Soon the word was out: fifth, sixth, and seventh year girls were meeting in the Room of Requirement at seven that night. Even if the blokes realized what was going on, they still wouldn't be able to do anything about it until it was over.

Walking up onto the stage that the room had so perfectly created, Ginny cast a Sonorus and said, "Hello" to get everyone's attention. The girls quieted and looked at her. Ginny raised her eyebrows and smirked when she saw that Hermione had deigned to join in the fray, sitting in the front row (of course). She wondered what sort of excuse she had given Harry and Ron to sneak off and come here.

"What's this all about, then?" called a girl from the back.

"Glad you asked," Ginny replied, pulling "the List" out of her pocket and holding it up for all of them to see. "I'm sure you're all by now aware that the blokes in our years decided to show a bit of school spirit and unification in the form of a mass survey."

A murmur of acknowledgement went through the crowd.

"I thought that perhaps the ladies ought to make the same sort of effort to unify," Ginny said, smirking.

"You mean like our own version of a survey?" Nadine Ryan asked, just loud enough for Ginny to hear.

"I mean that exactly," Ginny said, waving to the multiple desks that lined that fantastic room. "I propose that we fill out our own version of their survey, and see how the blokes rank up." That murmur of acknowledgment changed into a murmur of excitement. "After you fill out your anonymous survey, drop it in the slot in the desk. The room will add up the totals and after all the surveys are in, we'll each receive our very own List."

There was a shifting in the room as each girl tried to reach a desk. The room accommodated them accordingly, creating new desks where there was a lack, including one right in front of Ginny.

"Feel free to suggest any category that you feel ought to be added," Ginny finished, ending her spell and sitting on her new desk to look with satisfaction over the heads of the girls in front of her.

"Ginny, I don't know about this," Hermione said, stepping onto the stage with a survey in one hand and a quill in the other.

"Don't know about what?" Ginny asked, picking up her own survey and placing it on her lap.

"This could turn out really poorly. People could get hurt," Hermione said.

"Then they should have thought about it before they made their List," Ginny replied.

"You're splitting the school just as the house distinctions used to," Hermione scolded. "Only now it's between male and female."

"I really don't think one little survey will be that damaging to male/female relationships at Hogwarts," Ginny said. "I mean, look at Marietta Edgecombe. She's been asked out by more blokes since the survey came out than ever before."

Hermione harrumphed in response and Ginny looked down at her survey, only to have her attention pulled up when one of the youngest girls in the room called out.

"What about something like 'Most Likely to Defeat You-Know-Who'?"

Ginny stared at her. Hermione did too.

"What do you mean?" Ginny asked, trying not to betray how wary she was of the suggestion.

"Well, don't you think we ought to acknowledge him a bit more than just saying he's the best Quidditch player?" the girl asked. Several of her friends around her nodded.

"Who? Harry?" Hermione asked, sounding as shocked and strangely proud as Ginny felt.

"It's true," said a different girl. "He vanquished You-Know-Who when he was a baby. Probably saved all our lives."

"And in his first year there was that business with the Sorcerer's Stone. He bested You-Know-You to save the school," a seventh year added, giving a slightly skewed account of what happened.

"He killed the basilisk and saved Ginny," Lavender Brown said. Well, that was true.

"He went to the Ministry to protect a weapon and ended up living again." And if only they knew what that had cost him. Ginny felt her chest tighten at the thought of Sirius.

"And there was that business with the Tri-Wizard tournament," one girl said, looking at her friends for support. They nodded, remembering the interview that they weren't allowed to read the year before. "He never changed his story. Not once."

"He brought Cedric's body back," Cho Chang added last. And silence fell over the assembled girls as they all looked at the 'hottest' girl in school to see her staring at the stage, obviously determined not to cry. Ginny saw a movement behind Cho and saw that it was Daphne Greengrass walking forward to stand beside Cho, offering her support with a single physical gesture.

"We owe him something more than Best Quidditch Player," Padma Patil finished. Ginny swallowed hard, trying to keep down the lump in her throat. How she wished Harry could hear these words, hear and believe them. How she wished he knew what he meant to the Wizarding World and even his fellow students. Hermione, Ginny could see, was blinking rather rapidly.

"What do you suggest?" Ginny finally asked.

"A dedication to Harry?" a Hufflepuff proposed.

"A thank-you to him?"

"What about a category?" asked Gretchen Ramsey. "Something like Bloke We Trust Most With Our Lives?"

"Or," suggested Kerney, "Boy-We-Can't-Live-Without? Literally."

Her idea took hold immediately, causing the whole group to think it over. Then girls began nodding and soon it was an official category. Ginny definitely saw Pansy Parkinson scowling during this discussion, but Ginny had no doubt that her fear of Gretchen Ramsey and a room full of girls beside her was greater than her desire to voice her disapproval of thanking Harry for anything he had done.

Soon thereafter, all the surveys were submitted. Ginny explained that everyone would receive their Lists in twenty-two minutes and that they might as well head back to their common rooms. The girls began filing out, Hermione taking charge and running the bottleneck at the doorway in such an efficient manner that Ginny was almost glad for her need to control every situation. Almost.

Ginny remained on the stage, sitting on the edge, elbows on her knees and chin in her hands.

Walking out, Katie Bell came up to Ginny to tell her what an excellent idea this girl's List was. Ginny smiled at her, though the entire mood of the meeting had sobered toward the end. Ginny liked Katie. She'd been good friends with her brothers and had often visited the Burrow for some pick-up Quidditch.

"You know, Katie, if you put you and me together, we'd apparently be the perfect girl," Ginny joked. Katie smiled.

"It's you they all want to date," Katie said.

"Well, sure, but that's only because they want in my pants. You're the one they want to bring home to Mum and Dad," Ginny said, giving an exaggerated sigh and frown. "I'm just not parent material, I guess."

Katie smiled again, turning to look at the almost-empty room.

"It meant a lot to me," Katie said, looking at the places where the girls had stood, "to hear the way those girls talked about Harry."

Ginny nodded, wishing Katie could be the type of person to laugh at everything and take nothing seriously. Then they could have avoided talking about this emotional subject.

"I've known him for six years, Ginny, and he's never once commented on the burden he bears. He simply accepts it," Katie said. Ginny, of course, had heard him comment on it. But she couldn't disagree that the boy simply accepted it. "He's never even considered a career in Quidditch. He's so good at it and he loves it. He could become a professional, but I asked him once if he was talking to scouts. He looked at me, surprised, and said the only career he ever really considered was being an Auror."

"Well, that's Harry," Ginny said, shrugging. She was now feeling vaguely uncomfortable about adding the special category for Harry. Of all the things Harry Potter might appreciate, being singled out for the millionth time because of the scar on his forehead was not one of them.

"It is, isn't it?" Katie said. "Taking the difficult job over the one that could make him so happy."

Avoiding the spotlight and coming in at the end to save them all. He's the lynchpin, Ginny thought, remembering Sirius's words from so long ago. Now she was worried about his reaction to yet another public reference to the life he couldn't fix or control.

Katie shook her head, and Ginny remembered something her mother once told her when Ginny asked her about her brothers. Molly Weasley had talked about destiny and pain, and how some people are willing to take up more responsibility than they need to in order that others can live carefree lives.

"I'm glad he has his own category," Katie said, lifting the almost-depressing mood in the room as she smiled. Ginny wished she could smile like that, wished she could agree with her. "And if you promise not to mention it to anyone, I'll tell you that I think he's in the running for a couple other titles as well."

"I'm the very best secret keeper you'll ever find," Ginny said, trying to return to joking. "For instance, I knew you and George saw each other for two months last year before the Great Weasley Escape."

Katie blushed, but still managed to smile. "You knew about that?"

"I'm a little sister with big ears," Ginny said, shrugging and smiling kindly. She certainly would not have minded if George had kept on seeing Katie for the rest of his life.

"Well, all right, then," Katie said, heading to the door and waving to Ginny. "Night, Ginny."

"Night, Katie," Ginny said, sitting on the edge of the stage and waving back.

And soon it was just Hermione, Ginny, Kerney, and Luna sitting in the Room of Requirement, which had shrunk to accommodate them, including couches, one of which Ginny sat on as she waited for the List to appear. Luna sat beside her.

"No one who knows Harry said anything," Luna noted, in her list-checking style of conversation that Ginny liked so much.

"No," Ginny agreed, strangely glad about that, about the fierce devotion that Harry unwittingly commanded in his friends. Perhaps she wasn't the only one who was anxious about Harry's reaction.

"You didn't fill out your survey," Luna said.

"No," Ginny said. "I turned it in blank."

"You what?" Hermione asked.

Ginny looked at her. "I try not to make a practice of writing down my most personal thoughts."

"I didn't mean to imply that--" Hermione cut herself off, looking at the three fifth years in front of her. "I suppose I ought to be getting back to the Common Room."

"You can stay if you like, Hermione," Kerney offered. Ginny looked at her, barely remembering that they were both prefects and had probably gotten to know each other a bit this year. But Hermione was looking at Ginny, not Kerney Scott. Ginny looked back at her, quirking an eyebrow. Hermione came closer, sitting next to Ginny and looking around as though to make sure Luna and Kerney weren't listening. They took the hint and began to talk together. That irritated Ginny. What right did Hermione have to make Ginny's friends turn away?

"I know sometimes we don't always think alike," Hermione began, "but I wanted to let you know that I think this survey idea was actually quite good."

"I'm glad to have your approval," Ginny said sarcastically. Hermione narrowed her eyes, looked ready to say something, but stopped herself and said something different.

"Despite what you may think, Harry is my best friend," Hermione said. "I'd die for him."

Ginny looked at Hermione. Why was she bringing that up?

"I consider him my brother and what everyone said about him--that made me really very proud, and very glad for him," she went on. Okay. "I know he's talking to you more now, and just--I'll try to back off. It's only that he sometimes needs prodding in order to get moving, you know? I know that Ron and I can't be there for him always," her voice seemed to get a little nervous there, "pushing him, and I know that sometimes we're rather exclusive, but--"

She cut herself off, staring at Ginny as if begging her to understand. Ginny suddenly wondered when Ron and Hermione had started snogging behind Harry's back.

Ginny wanted to take Hermione by the shoulders, take her by the shoulders and shake her until she got it through her brilliant, but appallingly thick head that Harry had never needed prodding--he'd never needed people nagging him with questions as if his emotional health was the subject of their next Care of Magical Creatures test. He'd needed a person he could trust, someone who he wouldn't have to explain every bloody thing to, because they already understood. But she didn't do any of that. She could throttle Hermione and yell at her for half an hour, but the girl would probably never understand.

"Hermione," Ginny said, feeling somehow the strange need to comfort Hermione. The girl was obviously worried--though whether it was just for Harry's mental state, or the fact that she was entrusting Ginny with what she must have seen as his caretaking, Ginny couldn't tell.

"There's something about the three of you--Harry, Ron, and you--that's special. When the three of you work together good things happen: the Sorcerer's Stone is saved, the D.A. is created, the Tri-wizard Tournament's won, the basilisk is identified and the Chamber of Secrets found."

And it was true. As close as Ginny had finally become with Harry, she knew his friendship with her would always be different--separate--from the one he shared with Ron and Hermione. Hermione looked at Ginny and countered.

"But there's also something about you and Harry that's special. When you're together, he changes and becomes . . . I don't know, stronger somehow. Bolder. You can make him do things and see things that I can't. I don't know how you do it." Ginny was slightly shocked at the sad tone that laced Hermione's words. The other girl shrugged somewhat dejectedly. "I don't really know how to explain it except to say that you're good for him."

Ginny was embarrassed and confused. Why would Hermione say something like that?

Well, technically Ginny knew why. Hermione always intervened in people's lives, regardless of the feelings of those people, no matter if those people just wanted to be bloody left alone. If Hermione Granger believed she knew what was best for you, she wouldn't hesitate to consider your perspective. She just did what she thought should be done, like telling a girl she was "good" for a certain boy.

Girls who were desperately in love with brooding, complicated, 16-year old saviors-of-the-world got to a point where they were somewhat comfortable with the fact that the boy savior would never feel the same way. Got to a point where they actually pondered what it would be like to date their Potions partner or the Head Boy.

And here was Hermione-the-sodding-administrator-of-the-world spoiling her piece of mind by saying she was "good for him."

The only times Ginny had ever seen Harry act more "bold" than usual was when he took the twins up on their offer of a chance to talk to Sirius, when he gave the Quidditch team their pep talk before the first match of the year, and just days ago when he had come sauntering down the corridor to have a go at Andy and Michael. The first one may have been her doing, seeing as she had orchestrated the twins' offer in the first place, but she certainly couldn't be credited with causing the other two.

Ginny absent-mindedly shook her head. She didn't want to have this conversation, and wanted to have it with Hermione even less.

But she was saved from further conversation as the girl's List appeared in the air in front of her. She grabbed it, seeing Hermione do the same, and read the list with not a little bit of shock. The sixth years had cleaned up and the Slytherins had grabbed quite a few titles (including--Ew--Draco Malfoy for 'Best Arse'--Ew), but the best thing about the list was that Andy and Harry looked to be the real winners. Ha!

Nicest Neville Longbottom

Smartest Theodore Nott

Best Sense of Humor Seamus Finnegan

Best Quidditch Player Harry Potter

Most Handsome Baron Ramsey

Most Likely to be Head Boy Quentin Crowe

Most Dangerous with a Hex Harry Potter

Most Likely to Seriously Commit tie: Ron Weasley & Andrew McGrath

Best to Take Home to Parents Andrew McGrath

Best Date tie: Michael Corner & Baron Ramsey

Best Dancer Baron Ramsey

Best Kisser Duncan Moran

Best Body Adam Skillman

Best Arse Draco Malfoy

Most Want to Date Harry Potter

Most Want to Shag Andrew McGrath

Boy-We-Couldn't-Live-Without (literally) Harry Potter

"Malfoy?!" Kerney shrieked. Ginny and Luna laughed at the uncharacteristically stunned reaction of their friend. Hermione actually looked to shocked to speak.

"RON?!" came a few seconds later, in a strained yell. The other three girls doubled over with laughter.

"How 'bout them Slytherins, eh?" Ginny asked once they had all calmed down a bit. They had all returned to perusing their copies of the new List.

"Can't really argue with the choices, though, can we?" the Kernel observed. Ginny and Luna nodded, while Hermione only looked up to see the reactions of the other girls. "I mean, except for Draco getting--"

"Don't say it again," Ginny cut her off. All four girls shared a look and shuddered collectively at the thought. Ginny tried to revive the conversation. "Otherwise, though, Kerney's right."

"Duncan Moran is the best kisser?" Hermione asked no one in particular. She shot Ginny a significant look.

"What?" Ginny challenged back. Hermione attempted to shrug innocently, but Ginny wasn't buying it.

"Well, you went on a date with him, didn't you?" the older girl clarified.

"I did, but I didn't kiss him."

"Really?" Hermione asked, genuinely curious.

"Yes, Hermione, really. He's not a bad bloke to chat with in the hall, but I was never trying to be his girlfriend." Ginny glanced at Kerney. "I only said yes in the first place because he caught me off guard in the corridor." Kerney snorted in amusement and Luna smiled. Ginny loved that Hermione was so out of the loop when it came to her life. Hermione's eyebrows were slightly raised. "And then he went and acted like a complete git while we were in Hogsmeade." She wondered if Harry had related the story to Hermione.

But by Hermione's display of increased curiosity, Ginny came to the conclusion that she didn't know a thing about how Harry had unwittingly sat in on their date. This was a most interesting development--Harry had been concealing more than their extra Potions sessions from his two best mates.

"I don't know about Adam Skillman for best body," the Kernel inserted to break up the strange staring contest that had arisen between Ginny and Hermione as they silently sorted through their thoughts.

"True," Luna agreed. "I should think they all meant to put Baron Ramsey, but figured he would already be winning in other categories. It's not as if Adam would have won for best Quidditch player either."

"Amen to that," Ginny blurted out in low tones before she could stop herself. "Baron's a freaking Adonis." Her hand flew to her mouth immediately, her eyes wide. Kerney and Luna laughed riotously. Hermione was back to her previous look of astonishment.

"Are you really friends with the Head Boy?" Hermione asked her, skepticism permeating her tone. Ginny rolled her eyes, sure that Hermione's interest in the matter extended only as long as Baron Ramsey held that particular title.

Oh, Baron, Ginny thought sadly. He and Gretchen still hadn't returned to school after their parents had been killed. Devon had informed her that the two of them were getting their family's affairs in order, which was no small task for such a wealthy and prominent line.

"Yes, I am friends with him," Ginny replied, voiced laced with some of the sadness of her thoughts. "I can't imagine what he and Gretchen are going through." Luna walked over and sat next to Ginny, leaning her head on the redhead's shoulder. Ginny relaxed slightly at her friend's gesture. Hermione didn't seem to have heard past her confirmation of being Baron's friend.

"And you're pretty friendly with your new Potions partner, aren't you?" Hermione asked, with not a little accusation in her voice. Luna's head came up, and Kerney and Ginny shared a wary glance.

"What are you getting at, Hermione? Yes, I'm friends with Baron and Theo, and I get along well with Gretchen, and Quentin, and Holly, and the Skillmans. What's it to you?" Hermione was quiet, but clearly taking careful note of all that Ginny had just revealed.

Ginny felt that Devon would appreciate not being included. It was advantageous to both she and Ginny that no one but Harry (and apparently Theo) knew of their friendship outside the strictly academic partnership they had shared in Potions class.

"Theodore Nott's father is a Death Eater," she returned severely, as if that explained everything.

"Sirius Black's entire family was evil, including his brother and his cousin, who were Death Eaters." Ginny was getting angry at the shallow insinuation the other girl was making. "What's your point?" While not yelling, her voice was steel.

Hermione's countenance was battling between realization that Ginny was quite right about Sirius' relations and suspicious anger that Ginny would defend a Slytherin whose father was a Death Eater. Kerney and Luna were glancing back and forth between the two girls.

"Hermione," Ginny finally began when it looked as though Hermione was too mixed up to speak any time soon. "You are the one who's always after Harry and my brother about making friends with the Slytherins and you stood there in your compartment on the Hogwarts Express scolding us for being mean to Draco Malfoy, of all people, the sodding prince of the Death Eaters, because of where we saw him that morning. Are you really going to stand there and tell me off for doing exactly what you were telling the boys to do?"

Hermione opened and closed her mouth several times, as if she were going to say something and then thought better of it.

"I just think you should be careful." Ginny wished she could throw Harry's working friendship with Devon in Hermione's face, but couldn't. It would be revealing far too much just for a little immediate gratification.

"I am careful, Hermione. I'm not stupid, you know." Indeed. Ginny had to bite back a smirk as she recalled the fact that she was now in three of Hermione's N.E.W.T. classes. The expression on Hermione's face told Ginny that she was remembering the very same thing. Heh. "And I have a little experience with trust issues, if you remember."

"And you have this thing with Professor Wrightman," Hermione added, as if she had not heard Ginny's last words. "I don't trust that woman." It took everything in Ginny's self-control to keep from snorting in derision.

Of course, Hermione didn't like Professor Wrightman. Hermione couldn't suck up to her--or rather, she could, but their professor wasn't buying it. Of all people, Gertrude Wrightman knew very well the importance of experience and practicality relative to theory, a lesson that Hermione had yet to learn. Again, Ginny bristled at knowing a lot more about a particular subject than Hermione and not being able to rub her face in it. Well, on this perhaps she could say something vague.

"Look, Hermione, if you don't trust her, that's fine. It makes you a hypocrite, but that's fine. And you can distrust me, if you want, even though it's completely ridiculous. I really don't care what you think of me. But I know that Harry trusts me, and I trust Gertrude Wrightman. Harry and I both know things about her that you would never imagine. So why don't you do us all a favor, and wait to be judgmental until you know the whole story."

Hermione's expression had become one of perpetual shock. After they had vocally disagreed so many times in the past year, Ginny wondered at how Hermione could still not see it coming.

Their bitter discussion was interrupted as the door to the Room of Requirement opened, causing all four girls to swivel in the direction of the entrance, each one quickly stashing her copy of the new List in the nearest pocket.

"What are you lot doing up here?" Harry asked, climbing in with Ron right behind him. Herpo was peeking out of Harry's right pants pocket.

"Nothing," Ginny and Hermione answered at the same time. They shot each other startled looks at having blurted out their answers simultaneously. The only real difference between their responses was that while Ginny looked completely composed in the throes of a blatant lie, Hermione had guilt and concealment written all over her face. Harry smirked at the scene before him. Ron, unsurprisingly, looked puzzled.

"It must have been a pretty significant 'nothing' for Hermione to lie about it," Harry observed, helping Herpo out of his pocket. Ginny rolled her eyes at Hermione's shameful inexperience at fibbing. Ron looked genuinely impressed at Harry's ability to detect falsehoods. Herpo scampered over to Ginny, who picked him up.

"Fine," Ginny conceded, determined to speak before Hermione did. She had a feeling that Hermione would try to hide the fact that she had been talking about Harry behind his back. She often did that when she was attempting to run someone else's life.

"Hermione thinks I can't be trusted because I'm friends with too many Slytherins, including but not limited to my various Potions partners, the Head Boy, and our Defense professor." Ron looked appalled at this admission. Well, that was Ron when it came to Slytherins. Harry nodded in confirmation.

Ginny had a hunch that nodding was the only thing keeping him from smiling--or worse, laughing. His eyes had brightened somewhat, and experience told Ginny that he must be enjoying this immensely. No, laughing would not have gone over well with Hermione just now.

"It's okay, Hermione. Ginny has assured me, in no uncertain terms, that she is not going to marry Baron Ramsey," Harry began, with a completely straight face. Ginny couldn't help but burst out laughing. Luna laughed as well, since Ginny had related the story to her when they returned from the Christmas holiday. The boy was bloody brilliant. Hermione looked very confused at his answer, and then very put out.

"It's not funny, Harry!" she answered urgently. Harry's face softened. Not the route Ginny would have taken, as it only encouraged the girl, but then, Hermione was his best friend.

"Believe me, Hermione. I know very well how funny it's not. But I promise you that I am not concerned about Ginny's various relationships with people from Slytherin. The Ramseys' parents were just murdered by Death Eaters on Christmas Day," he reminded her, causing her face to pale as if to demonstrate that she had forgotten that fact. It made Ginny angry. "I doubt we'll have to worry about Baron and Gretchen becoming Death Eaters. Professor Wrightman knew my mother," he continued, with a glance at Ginny.

They were meeting with Professor Wrightman on Saturday afternoon after their Quidditch match against Slytherin to discuss what Ginny had seen in the Pensieve, though Ginny had still not told Harry anything other than that there were some things he needed to know.

"And I don't know much about Theo Nott, other than that he is very good at Potions and doesn't like to be called 'Theodore.'" Another glance at Ginny. She had shared with him her utter surprise in getting acquainted with her new Potions partner in the course of grilling Devon about the situation during one of their recent Potions sessions.

"His dad is a Death Eater, isn't he?" Ron offered, speaking for the first time.

"Yes, but we have it on good authority that he hates both of his parents, so I doubt that's going to be a particularly attractive life path for him." Ginny smiled, but straightened it out when Hermione started to turn toward her.

"Who is this 'good authority'?" Hermione asked, insistent on wanting to find out what Ginny and Harry weren't telling her and Ron.

"That is not our secret to tell," Harry said, sternly defending Devon's confidence. "The point is, that I know most of the people you're worried about, and as for the ones I don't, it's good enough for me that Ginny either trusts them or doesn't. She knows better than anyone about putting your faith in someone and having it shattered. She knows how manipulative Voldemort can be, and she knows it better than anyone in this room. So could you lay off of her a bit? If you're worried about me, come to me. But please don't get mad at Ginny on my behalf, because I don't appreciate it. And I know she doesn't appreciate it.

"You and Ron are my best friends, but because of that, my friendship with Ginny is completely separate from my friendship with you two. Can you see why she might find it a little patronizing for you to tell her what to do, when she's basically been excluded from the three of us since she came to school here? Rest assured, if I don't like something she's doing, I am perfectly capable of telling her so."

He said it all in a way that made it sound like he was telling her she had something in her teeth rather than telling her to butt the hell out of their friendship. He really was getting better at this whole savior-of-the-world thing. He was learning how to command people without those people thinking they were taking orders, all before her very eyes.

Ginny shared a look of approval with Luna. Kerney looked pleasantly surprised at how smoothly Harry had taken control of the conversation.

"So what are you two doing up here?" Ginny asked, drawing the gazes of both boys. Harry and Ron were pinned with the inquisitive eyes of all four girls. Harry smirked.

"We thought that it was a little suspicious that both Ginny and Hermione have been gone all evening. I asked Andrew if he knew where Ginny was, and that's when Nadine Ryan walked back through the portrait hole, followed by practically every other fifth, sixth, and seventh year girl in our House. Except for the three of you," he added indicating the Kernel as well.

"We thought it was a mite strange for every single older girl in the House to be gone at once," Ron explained.

"And I figured that, whatever was going on, Ginny was probably behind it," Harry admitted.

"And I figured that Hermione had probably followed her out to try and stop her from getting expelled for whatever it is she's doing," Ron perceptively noted. Ginny's smirk was now matching Harry's. Luna was smiling, though it didn't appear that she was paying attention to the conversation. The Kernel looked torn between wanting to smile and roll her eyes.

"Well, you're not too far off the mark," Ginny replied. "I wouldn't have been expelled though." She paused, sneaking a glance at her brother, and then Hermione. Man. Those two had to be playing some hard core tonsil hockey. She wondered if Harry had any idea. "But, Hermione did state her predictable and completely absurd objections to my activities this evening." Hermione's gaze broke from where it had been set on Ron, and she scowled at Ginny. Ron smiled.

"I am not predictable!" Hermione insisted, but hushed quickly as the patronizing glares of everyone else fervently contradicted her claim. Luna piped up before the older girl had a chance to get wound up.

"I'm going to bed. Good night." And she abruptly left the room. Ginny smiled at her friend's retreating figure.

"Loony!" the Kernel shouted, causing Luna to stop and turn when she was halfway out the magical door. "Wait for me," she added. "Night Ginny!" she called with a wave, as she followed their Ravenclaw friend out the door. Now alone with the trio, Ginny wished she had hustled out with Kerney.

"I'll go, too," she said, turning to leave. "See you." She tried not to be disappointed when Harry didn't call her back or follow her into the hall. Impulsively, she took corridors and secret passages that were out of the way, in the faint hope of seeing Theo or Devon, or a newly arrived Baron. But it was to no avail.

Somehow the rare and welcome prospect of a good night's sleep didn't make up for walking back to the common room alone.

* * *

As the boys descended upon the Great Hall, Ginny watched for Harry's arrival. She hadn't stared at him this openly since third year, and it was almost liberating, in a way. She watched him approach the table with Neville and Ron, watched as copies of the new List made appearances, watched as he and his two mates found their names next to various categories.

And then she watched as his eyes went from the slip of parchment directly to her own. Ginny nodded her head ever so slightly toward the doors of the Great Hall, and Harry nodded once. As he turned to make his excuses to Ron, Ginny nudged Nadine and told her not to wait for her when they went to class. She joked to Andy that apparently the girls could unite just as well as the boys, to which he smiled sheepishly.

And it's not such a bad thing to be leaving Andy and Nadine to sit next to each other, is it? Ginny thought to herself.

As she rose to leave, she caught Kerney's eye, and her friend glanced immediately down the table to where Harry was getting up to leave as well. Looking back to Ginny she nodded in understanding and smiled--not her usual knowing, infuriating smirk, but a small, warm, friendly smile, the one Ginny had come to believe was saved for a very few people, and even fewer occasions. Smiling back, she winked at her friend and turned to follow Harry (at a distance, mind) out of the Great Hall.

She had hoped to find him waiting for her outside the doors, but he was still walking about twenty paces ahead of her when she finally made it out into the entranceway. But as he ducked into a secret passage just before the hall turned a corner, she knew immediately where he was headed.

The kitchens. Thank Merlin. She was hungry. She smiled at the thought of seeing Dobby, and briefly thought that she could afford to miss her first class of the day, since she had double Charms and a break before lunch.

When she finally ducked into the doorway to the kitchens, she looked around for several seconds before finding Harry all the way on the other side. She had never thought that there might be a third entrance to the kitchens, but so it was. Harry looked up at her with kind eyes and an almost-smile as her form emerged from a sea of merry elves and breakfast dishes. Once Ginny was seated and her order taken, she turned her full attention on him.

"So you've been a little busy, I see," Harry observed, unfolding the new List on the table. Ginny bit her lip. For as long as she had known him, and watched him, and catalogued him, there were still times when he was unpredictable, when she couldn't read him at all. After the way he'd been acting recently, she hoped she hadn't ruined it with her little act of revenge--she liked this new, slightly bolder, slightly taller Harry.

"A little," she said non-committally, willing him to give some indication that he either hated her guts or didn't mind the thing.

"It looks like the girls don't want to shag me nearly as much as the blokes want to shag you," he commented and Ginny laughed with delight. He smiled at her reaction. Dobby and a few of his friends brought them an intimidating spread of breakfast choices while she calmed down. Ginny grabbed the List as she made to reply.

"Wait, so you mean, in addition to being," she glanced down at the parchment, "amazing at Quidditch, completely dangerous, and essential to the lives of witches everywhere, you tell jokes, too?" She smirked and looked back up at him. "No wonder you're the most datable boy in the school!" He chuckled as he unfolded his napkin and laid it across his lap.

"Well, I aim to please," he jokingly reminded her. Ginny smirked as she dove into a Belgian waffle with fresh strawberries and whipped cream. Dobby was the coolest friend ever.

"This is what we were doing last night," she explained once she had made some headway into her breakfast. "Hermione only started accusing me of being chummy with Slytherins after we did it. She came to the meeting and tried to tell me I shouldn't do the List, and then afterwards she tried to tell me that it was a good idea. Then, when we saw the results, she freaked out about all the Slytherins I know." Harry nodded.

"She has trouble with that, Ginny," Harry replied, with a look asking her to cut the girl some slack. "She doesn't always know how to say what she means to say."

"She certainly seems to know when she's ordering me around like a little girl," Ginny groused back. Harry smiled. Ginny saw this and pouted. Harry chuckled.

"I think the majority of people are well aware that you are not a little girl," he said in response, strangely concentrating on his plate of eggs when he said it.

"Harry, I'm sorry about that extra category," he looked up at her. "I didn't put it on there. Some of the girls suggested doing something like that, and the idea caught on. I know you hate it when you have everyone's attention because of this, and I didn't mean for that to happen. Hermione and Katie were so touched and happy about it, that I couldn't take it off without someone making a fuss about it."

"I understand," he said.

"I think the only other person who was uncomfortable with it was Luna."

"Well, she's pretty on-the-nose about things like that." Ginny suddenly recalled the trip on the Hogwarts Express in September, when Luna had called her out for being in love with the boy in front of her.

"Yes, she is." Maybe a little too on-the-nose. Again, Ginny was struck with a sudden recollection: her new suspicion that Ron and Hermione were sucking face in secret. No doubt making productive use of their Prefect rounds. "Harry, can I ask you something?"

"Sure," he replied, eyebrows furrowing slightly at her somewhat anxious tone.

"Um . . . well . . . are Ron and Hermione . . ."

"Snogging behind my back? Yes."

"I had a hunch."

"Yeah. It's kind of an absurd spectacle." He smiled grimly. "I mean, they are terrible about keeping secrets that involve themselves. About me, they can keep a secret very well, but when it comes to their own, they're absolutely rubbish. But they think they're being extremely clever."

"You don't seem very upset that they're keeping something this important from you."

"Oh, I was at first. Do you know when I started suspecting them?" Ginny shook her head, curiosity all over her face. "The night you came into our room looking for Ron after your dream. There was no reason for him to be gone then, and when I got back to bed, I saw that the Map was gone." Ginny's eyebrows raised in surprise.

"So that's why you started giving him the cold shoulder." Harry nodded, looking out into space, as if deep in thought. Then he seemed to realize something and looked back at her.

"Actually, I was more angry with him for being gone when you needed him." Ginny tried to contain her shock. Harry was glaring at his food and shaking his head. "I'm glad you have five other brothers, because you'd be in a sorry state if he was the only one to rely on. He's brilliant at being a best mate, but I reckon he's turned into a pretty rotten brother. That's probably my fault."

"It probably is, but I don't blame you for it," Ginny explained. Harry looked skeptical. "Harry, I don't. I'll admit that I was pretty angry first and second year, and having Ron go from my best friend when I was ten, to ignoring me when I was eleven, is a big reason why I found the diary so appealing. But it's not Ron's fault, and it's certainly not yours." Harry looked very upset at her admission.

"Just think, even if he hadn't given me up for you, I still might have been stuck down in the Chamber of Secrets, only you wouldn't have known to come save me. I'm quite glad you and my brother are best mates, Harry. I would never want to change that." He looked somewhat placated. They fell into silence as they finished their breakfast. After draining his glass of pumpkin juice, Harry spoke.

"When did you start thinking they'd finally gotten together?" he asked.

"Last night, when we were waiting for the Room of Requirement to tally the votes for the List. Hermione felt it was the appropriate time to give me her permission to be your friend," Ginny explained with not a little sarcasm. Harry chuckled and shook his head.

"I'm sorry about that," he said.

"It's not your fault she feels the need to stick her nose where it doesn't belong," Ginny countered. "But, she said something that made the pieces in my head click. She said that she knew you and I are talking more now, and that she knows you three can be kind of exclusive sometimes--Kind of? Honestly--but that she realized, and this was the kicker: she said that she and Ron wouldn't always be there to push you to open up about your feelings and things. I was like 'whoa, when did they start snogging.' It wasn't hard to see that she was shoring up emotional support for you in their absence." Harry nodded, looking thoughtful.

"Isn't it incredible how a girl who is so academically sharp can be so dumb when it comes to dealing with people?" he asked.

"Yes, it is. It surprises me almost as much as it surprises her when I disagree with her and get angry with her. She's honestly appalled that I would have the gall to challenge her authority."

"Like how she's appalled when you dare to skip ahead in three classes?" he added with a smirk.

"Just like that, actually." Ginny matched his pleasant smirk with one of her own.

It was strange, but after she answered him, they sat there, fork and spoon poised in their hands, watching each other. Ginny was wondering when they had become good enough friends that conversation would flow so easily like it had. The funny thing about it was, she didn't feel uncomfortable under his gaze, and he didn't appear to either.

She liked looking at him. It brought her comfort to watch him when he was at ease, when he was comfortable. His emotions ran through his expression and body language much more smoothly and cleanly when he was comfortable. Needless to say, he was rarely at ease or comfortable these days. Ever since Cedric had died, but particularly since Sirius had been killed, Harry rarely dropped the tension in his back and shoulders, the tension that sometimes made Ginny think that if he didn't resort to it, his whole body might give way with the grief he felt.

But not at the moment. At the moment, the tension was gone, melted away, leaving the taller, stronger, older, almost lithe Harry in front of her.

As they continued to watch each other quietly, Harry adjusted his seating, leaning back in his chair, considering her more thoughtfully with every passing moment. Tired of unknowingly holding her fork up above the remnants of her waffle, Ginny set it down on her plate and cracked a smile at Harry's new posture. It struck her as very James Potter-like.

She could definitely imagine Harry's father sitting back casually in his chair like Harry was doing now, and almost on cue, Harry reached a hand up unconsciously to scratch his head. Ginny's barely-there smile grew into a grin, and she couldn't fight the urge to shut her eyes and savor the image of him.

When she opened them again, Harry was still watching her, and he was now faintly smiling as well.

"What's so funny?" she asked him, with a quirk of her eyebrows. He shrugged.

"Nothing." His answer echoed hers and Hermione's from the night before. She smirked playfully.

"It must be a pretty big 'nothing' for you to lie about it," she countered, and he laughed. She chuckled at him.

"I suppose it is," he conceded. The knowing look in his eyes piqued her curiosity.

"Really?" she asked, still amazed that he would be so uncharacteristically frank with her.

"Yes, I believe that is how I would characterize it," he replied. She couldn't tell if the slightly pink tinge to his face was the heat from the ovens or--could it be a blush?

"But you're not going to tell what it is," she guessed. He smiled, all traces of pink vanishing.

"No, I'm not, Miss I-Have-a-Secret-Patronus," he countered, with not a little triumph in his expression. Ginny cringed. There went the nice morning she was having. If Harry only knew what it was, he wouldn't think it was quite such a riot to tease her about it.

"If my Patronus is the price of your big 'nothing', I think I can live in suspense for a little while," she responded. Harry nodded in recognition.

"I thought that might dampen your curiosity a bit," he said. He glanced at the clock on the wall nearest them. "Oh, shite. I have Charms." Ginny giggled. Yes, giggled. She wasn't proud of it, but the boy was bloody hot and he was acting so unguarded, and just . . . oh. He was shooting her the same winning smile she'd seen in pictures of James Potter.

She could safely say she now had a very healthy appreciation for Lily Evans' choice in a husband. No wonder they had looked so nauseatingly hot for each other in Professor Wrightman's memory.

"Ginny?" Harry's chuckling voice cut through her inner monologue. She shook her head a little to clear her mind.

"Yeah?"

"I'll see you at Quidditch practice, yeah?"

"Oh, of course. Sure. Definitely." His smile was bloody distracting. He was trying not to laugh at her. She did not appreciate this, and shoved him. He was clearly not expecting it.

"Um, Ginny?" he asked, doing slightly less of a terrible job of keeping the laughter out of his voice. But his face completely betrayed his amusement.

"What, you big wanker?" she said grumpily, causing him to laugh outright.

"I was just going checking to make sure you're not actually ten years old," he managed to get out. She looked scandalized and he ran for the door. But she wasn't to be outrun so easily. Her wand was out before she even thought to wield it, and she shouted the first joke hex that came to mind.

"Extra Zagela!" she shouted as her wand sliced through the air. Surviving a childhood with the twins certainly had its advantages.

The blow of the hex sent Harry flying through the door out of the Kitchens, and Ginny tore after him. He was picking up the remainder of his school things when she caught up to him in the corridor. When he turned to reach for his ink bottle, Ginny burst into laughter.

"By all means," he snarked pleasantly as he straightened up, his things finally collected. "Enjoy yourself." She leaned around him and ran her fingers over the smooth black tail that was now running out the back of his trousers. It was like she imagined a jaguar's might be. As far as tails went, it suited him. Matched his brilliantly unruly hair.

"It's very handsome as far as tails go," she offered. He scowled, but his eyes sparkled. Indeed, they sparkled so enchantingly, that she didn't have time to react when he whipped out his wand and cast the same spell on her.

"Eep!" she yelped as she felt the tail suddenly burst out under her pleated skirt. It was cat-like, like Harry's, but smaller and slimmer. And Red. Oh, yes. It matched her hair perfectly.

"You'll notice I didn't toss you down the corridor when I cast the spell," he insinuated. She looked back at him unabashedly.

"Well, you bloody deserved it, you self-satisfied git!" she hollered, fighting a smile. It was hard not to smile when you were having such a ridiculous argument with such an incredibly attractive boy. Not to mention figuring out how to move your new tail.

"Okay, I'm seriously late to Charms, and seeing as I've already missed History of Magic today, I really need to go," he insisted, still chuckling. Ginny grinned and shoved him again.

"Go then, you big dork."

"I will!" he replied, smiling back somewhat triumphantly. He turned and started off in the direction of the Charms corridor, tail swishing slightly. Ginny's laughter rang out through the halls cheerfully as he disappeared around the corner.

* * *

Ginny watched Harry disappear, and stood where she was, pondering the boy who now on his way--ten minutes late--to N.E.W.T. Charms. She smirked at the thought of Hermione's probably reaction. She wondered whether Ron had noticed how much more time Harry was spending with his baby sister lately. Hermione had noticed, she knew, but was Ron too distracted by Hermione's oral gymnastics to have caught on?

Ew. Ginny shuddered at the thought of them making out. Though, she had to admit, the notion of the uptight and rule-mongering Hermione locked in a passionate embrace--particularly with a boy as unrefined and sprawling as Ron--made her snort in amusement.

These were the thoughts running through Ginny's mind when she felt something strange coming from . . . er . . . behind her. Something--or someone?--was faintly smoothing down the length of her recently acquire tail. She was so un-used to having the thing, that it took her much longer than it should have for her to realize that there was a person behind her, petting her bloody tail. WHAT?! If she hadn't screamed in surprise, she would have thought it felt oddly . . . stirring.

But she did scream, and in doing so, whipped around to face a smirking and handsomely smug . . .

. . . Theo Nott.

"YOU STUPID PONCE!" she yelled, catching her breath. Her hand was clutched to her chest as she willed her heart to cease from slamming against her sternum. Theo laughed pleasantly. Well, it would have been pleasant if Ginny didn't want to slam him against a wall for scaring the living shite out of her. Merlin.

"Nice tail, Ginny," he said, not even putting up the pretense of sympathy. Smug bastard. Although, she couldn't help but notice he was a terribly handsome smug bastard. What was with all these achingly attractive boys tormenting and mocking her today? Then she remembered the tail she had given to the last boy who teased her.

"You should have seen his," she replied smoothly, with not a little triumph in her expression. Theo's eyebrows raised, though she couldn't tell if it was in curiosity or consideration.

"Oh, yes? May I ask who dared to incite the most dangerous girl in the school?" Ginny's eyes narrowed briefly at his allusion to her less than fond memory of the first List. He had been one of the very few to catch on about how self-conscious it had made her. But, she considered for a moment, hadn't he won something, too?

"Yes, well at least I know people aren't just my friends to get the answers to N.E.W.T. homework assignments," she countered with a glint in her eyes that revealed her to be infinitely more Fred and George's sister than Bill's or Percy's. Theo seemed quite satisfied at her response. Disconcertingly so.

"Is that the only reason you talk to me? For the answers to the Potions assignments?" he asked, knowing full well that it wasn't, and letting it show easily through his tone and expression. Smug bastard. Bloody attractive, smug bastard. She was close to even with him in the class and wouldn't have needed him at all to support her grade. They both knew this. Ginny wondered if he didn't know exactly how attractive she found him.

"Of course not," she replied, beginning to walk down the hall. He followed, and looked briefly surprised that she would admit it. His first mistake. "It makes Malfoy and Hermione squirm to see us getting along." If she wasn't so well-schooled in reading Slytherin facial expressions by now, she would not have noticed the light dimming in his eyes. In fact, she wasn't sure she had even seen it.

"And what's more, they're jealous." They brightened again. "Hermione will never be a pureblooded witch, and that makes her insufferably insecure. Malfoy has been staring at me--creepy git--since the end of last year. It burns him that you can make me laugh, and I would never look at him twice. Poor as we are, he knows his money would never win me over." He seemed somewhat pacified by her blunt observations about their two classmates, though his eyes were still not as bright or engaging as they had been a few minutes before.

"I wondered whether you had noticed his rather attentive behavior. The ultimate cosmic joke, is it not? The little prince of the Blacks and the Malfoys, not remarkable in any way other than his lineage and his family fortune. Loses to Harry Potter in every match, outscored by the Muggle-born on every exam. And infatuated with the only daughter of the family he was taught to scorn more than any other? I don't think I could have done it up better myself. Draco Malfoy knows that he can't compete with the kind of blokes who would stand a chance with you. And that's before we get to the fact that you'd rip him and his father to pieces given the chance." She looked torn between being highly amused and somewhat grumpy.

"You don't look very entertained by it," he observed.

"Well, perhaps if he didn't totally make my skin crawl, I'd be able to appreciate the joke better." Theo stopped walking--causing Ginny to halt as well--and studied her thoughtfully for a moment. Then his brow furrowed in uncharacteristic gravity. He moved in and lowered his voice.

"He's never . . . tried anything with you, has he?" His gaze was penetrating, and Ginny decided instantly that she would stay friends with this boy for life. She recognized the shadow that absorbed the usual light in his eyes--it was the same one that hooded Harry's, Baron's, and her brothers' gazes when people they cared for were threatened. Ginny's heart beat picked up speed.

"No," she answered immediately, wanting at once to reassure him and figure out if he really cared about her as much as his behavior was implying. When she finally processed the content of the question, she recalled that strange night in the fall term when she had wandered down near the dungeons in an insomnia-induced stupor.

"Well, once . . . I'm not sure, really, but I didn't get a chance to find out, because Baron happened upon us, but that was after I had already punched him in the face, so . . ." she trailed off. Theo's delicious smirk had returned with a vengeance. His eyes practically glistened with amusement and Ginny had to seriously restrain herself from leaning forward and up and closing the distance between them.

Instead, she took a deep breath and kept walking. Theo followed.

"Anyway, he's a slimy git. I almost regret setting that Bat-Bogey Hex on him last year." Theo's eyes widened a little in recognition. "It was only after that that he started watching me and following me and things."

"That was you?!" he asked, as close to being in awe as it was possible for a confident Slytherin like Theo Nott to be.

"Yes, why?" Theo shook his head and smiled.

"He tried to tell us that Umbridge had done it. As if she would have been powerful enough to cast it. I knew he was lying, but I didn't realize the truth was this good." He paused with another thoughtful look at her. "You really can take care of yourself, can't you." It sounded more like he was making observations to himself, but she answered anyway.

"I reckon so," she replied, smiling at his estimation of her. It was a lot more than her mother and several of her brothers were willing to give her credit for. She felt an urge to compliment him in return.

"You know, if more Slytherins were like you, your House would be the most popular one in the school," she said, watching for his reaction. His mouth appeared to quirk as if indicating that a smile was imminent, but he refrained. He swallowed, and considered her a little longer in silence.

"You know, if more Gryffindors were like you, the two Houses would unite as friends." His face curved into the playful smirk that she loved on him. "Or, shagging partners, at the very least."

"Uh!" Ginny groaned in playful exasperation, punching his arm. Theo was very pleased with himself. But their animation and good humor was immediately arrested as they turned the corner into the foyer between the entrance to the school and the Great Hall.

Standing in the doorway, speaking with Dumbledore and periodically nodding or shaking his head, arm linked delicately with his sister's, a grave but thoughtful expression on his finely chiseled face, was Baron Ramsey.