On Fire

these are the days that are split down the middle

no words to calm me down

be sure that what you dream of

won't come to hunt you out

- Bush

Complications

That night, Ginny returned to the Gryffindor Tower with a serious expression. As she stepped into the common room, she realized that she was not alone; Ron and Hermione were snogging on one of the sofas by the fireplace. Ginny sneaked past them to reach the dormitory stairs, however the minute her foot rested on the first step, she heard, "Ginny?"

Sighing in defeated, Ginny turned around. Ron was standing behind her frowning and had his arms crossed over his chest. Hermione stood behind him, her hand on his arm.

"Ginny, why the hell are you up so late?" Ron began.

"Well, why the hell are you up so late?" Ginny retorted.

Ron's face turned an angry shade of red. "Gin, I demand to know what the hell you were doing out past curfew!"

Ginny shrugged and turned back to climb the stairs, throwing over her shoulder, "I was just hanging out with friends."

Ron ran to her and grabbed her by the wrist, preventing her from moving. "I've got a better question for you," he snarled. "Why did you turn down Harry for Hogsmeade weekend?"

Ginny whirled around, her eyes blazing. "Because I'm going with someone else!"

"Oh? And who would this lucky bastard be?" Ron asked sarcastically. Before Ginny could answer him, he said, "It's either Zabini or Malfoy, isn't it?"

Ginny just glared at him in silence. Ron released his grip on her slightly, lowering his voice. "Honestly Gin, what happened to you? I know you still like Harry - isn't this the perfect opportunity?"

"Well, you obviously don't know anything," Ginny said viciously, wrenching her arm free. "I haven't liked Harry since my third year. And I'm going with Blaise as friends. So, if you'll excuse me..."

Hermione piped up, "Ginny, did they put you under the Imperius Curse or something?"

Ginny looked at her with such hatred that Hermione shrank back in fear. "I am NOT under the Imperius! I am doing this out of my own will, and it's none of your bloody business what I do with MY life!" She yelled as she stomped up the stairs in anger.

"Ginny!" Ron yelled up the stairs at her. "I think I will tell Mum and Dad about your new friends..."

Ginny stopped, looking down at him and smirked. "No, you won't Ron."

"And what's going to stop me?" he asked, crossing his arms over his chest childishly.

"Oh, just the fact that Mum still doesn't know about you and Hermione. Even if she is happy about it, you know how she gets when we hide things from her," Ginny answered assuredly.

Ron paled. "Err, there's nothing going on between me and... Hermione," he said uncertainly. Hermione whacked him in the back of the head and squealed, "How could you?" She cried as she ran away from him, but Ron turned around and chased her.

Ginny laughed to herself. Ron must be growing stupider and stupider as the years passed. With a shake of her head, she continued up the stairs.

When she slipped into her bed that night, Ginny realized that she still hadn't figured out what information to pass along about Harry. She racked her brain, trying to think of something that would not seriously hinder the Order of the Phoenix but would also be believable. As she slowly drifted to sleep, she remembered Hermione's question, "Are you under the Imperius?"

The next day was rainy, with dark gray clouds hanging overhead. The weather seemed to match her mood perfectly. Ginny still did not know if she could trust either Blaise or Draco, she had to find gossip about Harry, and her brother and his girlfriend were acting like dumbasses. Ginny had the sinking feeling that she was alone in this situation; instead of crying about this, she decided to let her Weasley temper take control.

"Typical October weather," Ginny mumbled as she walked to the Great Hall for breakfast. The silence that greeted her entrance only made her angrier than before. Blaise and Draco were still playing around at the Slytherin table, but she didn't have the energy to watch them. Instead, she focused on shoveling food into her mouth and leaving the Hall as quickly as possible.

When she was finished with her breakfast, Ginny immediately rose and left the Hall. She couldn't spend one more minute hearing those obnoxious whispers. Why couldn't people just leave her alone? She had never caused anyone any trouble before - well, except for her first year. But that was ages ago, and now all people seemed to talk about was whether she was sleeping with Blaise or Draco! As though that was her only purpose in life: to get laid by a Slytherin!

"Ginevra?" Blaise interrupted. Ginny sighed and slowed her pace, as Blaise caught up with her. "What's wrong, Ginevra?" he asked earnestly.

"Nothing's wrong," Ginny replied bitingly.

Blaise stopped and looked at her sternly, both of his hands on his hips. "I highly doubt that, Ginevra Weasley. Now tell me what happened."

"Nothing happened, all right?" Ginny sighed. Blaise was still skeptical, so she continued; "I'm just all out of sorts today. I... I just need some time alone, is all."

Blaise still looked unconvinced, but nodded and allowed her to pass. As Ginny turned a corner in the hallway, she heard him call out, "Don't forget that I'm always here for you, Ginevra!"

"Oh bollocks, will he ever shut up?" Ginny mumbled as she made her way down to Potions.

After her classes that day, Ginny bumped into Draco in the hall. "Gin, there's something that you have to see," he said, dragging her to one of the exits. Ginny started mumbling while Draco admonished, "Oh shut it."

By the time Ginny collected her wits, she realized that Draco was running to the lake. He was moving so fast that it took all of Ginny's energy just to keep up with him. He stopped at the edge of the lake and pointed to the horizon, urging her to look.

Ginny stood there, her amazement making her speechless. The sun was low in the sky, but a low-lying layer of fog mitigated its light. The lake was completely placid and looked like a giant mirror that stretched into eternity. The hills that surrounded it on either side were mirrored perfectly in the water. This effect reminded Ginny of stalactites and stalagmites; the hills were so perfectly reflected that it gave the illusion of masses of trees and dirt floating in the sky.

Ginny shivered involuntarily when a cool wind rustled her robes and blew back her hair. Draco draped his arm around her shoulder and rubbed her upper arm with his hand while pulling her closer to him. She sighed with contentment as she wrapped one of her arms around his waist. All of her loneliness and worries melted away from her as they stood peacefully in that position for almost half an hour.

When the sun finally disappeared and the fog grew thicker, Draco looked down at her and teased, "Now aren't you glad that I brought you out here?"

She looked up at him and grinned. "Yes," she declared, while tightening her hold on his waist.

"I was hoping that was enough to calm that Weasley temper of yours..." he continued, causing them both to laugh. Ginny buried her face into his side in embarrassment; she could feel the low rumbles in his ribs as he laughed. They gradually stopped and stood there silently. Then Draco released his hold on her and said, "Let's go; I'm starving." Ginny obligingly picked up her things, as they both turned and walked back to the castle.

She apologized to Blaise after dinner, but he just hugged her and twirled her around in a circle. That night, their conversation was as animated as ever. Blaise did an uncanny impression of Lucius Malfoy that had both Draco and Ginny rolling in their seats with laughter.

Draco also shared what his summer was like; he had practiced with the Dark Arts just as Blaise had. Both boys teased Ginny about her summer, saying that she would not have such a "Weasley" temper if she lived with their parents.

Exhausted from laughter, Ginny found that she could not sleep when she reached her dormitory. So, she decided to escape to the library. When she went downstairs to the Gryffindor common room, she found Harry, Ron, and Hermione discussing something in low voices before the fire. She walked past them making as much noise as she could. Ron was still upset with her, so both he and Harry ignored her. Hermione, however, was itching to talk with Ginny, so she ran towards Ginny as she was leaving the room.

"Hey, Ginny? Where are you off to?" Hermione asked, trying to sound casual.

Ginny glared at her and replied, "The library," before she slammed the door closed.

Ginny entered the library and sighed with relief when she found it practically empty. She found a secluded corner, and plopped down in a chair beginning an essay for Transfiguration. Ginny just couldn't believe the amount of work she had this year; after all, she did have to take her OWLs.

She was so engrossed in her writing that she was caught by surprise when something large and bulky smashed against her head. Ginny sprawled out of her chair and onto the floor, stabbing herself in the arm with her quill at the same time. She tried to prop herself up on her elbows, but her head reeled back with dizziness. Through all of the swirling images around her, she saw a pale-faced blonde girl with a sneer hovering over her. She whispered, "He's mine, you bitch," before everything became black.