Opportunities

Have you ever thought about the chances you should have taken, and what would have come of them? I do. Hell, I think about them all the time. One in particular...

It all started one day in the halls of Hogwarts.

I was not having the best day ever. My potion's potion exploded all over me, I forgot to pass in the Charm's paper that took me all night to complete (forcing me to take a zero), and my mum had sent me a pretty nasty howler concerning a rather naughty birthday gift that was sent to McGonagall. How was I supposed to know that she was not going to appreciate a half dozen male strippers delivered especially to her room? No one really knows who it was, but a few have their suspicions.

Walking down the halls, I relieved my stress on my best friend. "And then, that howler? That was just the last thing I could handle. Not only was it an especially loud howler, but it was delivered exclusively during lunch for me."

"Oh, I'm sorry love," said Colin, giving my shoulders a slight squeeze, "It can only get better, right?"

"I wouldn't be so sure about that, look..." I said, nodding in front of us.

But, no matter how low I hung my head in attempts of avoiding a confrontation, he spotted me.

"Well, well, well, look who it is. It appears to be the little weasel, and her gay little friend, Colin," sneered Draco as he stepped up to us.

Sensing my growing anger, Colin tried to console me, "Ginny, just calm down. You know I don't care that everyone knows about me, I can handle it."

"Colin, that's not what I'm worried about," I hissed. "I could care less if you were gay or not, you know that. What makes me angry is that Malfoy is constantly trying to make every one feel like shit, someone needs to put him in his place."

Hoping that he had walked away, I looked to see if Malfoy was still there. But, my luck had never been that good anyway.

"Having a lover's spat now are we?" he said. I glared. "Or, oh, I forgot, you are the reason he doesn't like girls any more, aren't you?"

"You obviously don't know who you are dealing with Malfoy," I said.

Stepping closer and whispering in my ear, he said with a smirk, "Was that a threat, Ginevra?"

Rising on my toes, I retorted, "Only if you took it as one, Draco."

"Oh, trying to match my wit now, are you?" he said, still next to my ear. "Why don't you come to my room tonight to really see if you can keep up with me?"

I quickly stepped away from him. "How dare you! I will have you know that I am one of those little whores you so often have in your bed!"

"Well, I am sure that you could go to your mother for some tips. She must know what she is doing. Lord knows she's had enough practice: look at all the kids she has!"

This earned a few sniggers from his friends, but I was less than impressed. I was livid.

Somewhere next to me I heard Colin say, "Just go for it Gin, because if you don't, I most certainly will."

Driven by my anger and the little words of encouragement that Colin gave me, I muttered, Reducio, to a key part of Malfoy's anatomy.

But, unfortunately, he noticed my little move and blocked it. "Tsk, tsk, tsk little Weasely, don't want to be damaging that now do we. Locomotor Mortis."

Damn.

"There, that will teach you to keep your legs together."

"You bastard! How dare you speak to me in such a manner! What the fu..."

"Miss Weasley! That is quite enough!" said the very angry McGonagall. "Finite Incantatem, Miss Weasley, Mr. Malfoy, what do you think you are doing?"

But, giving us no time to answer, she said sharply. "Now, both of you give me your wands and follow me to the Headmaster's office."

Rather reluctantly, both Draco and I gave her our wands.

"Hey, Gin!" yelled Colin.

"Yeah?" I said, remembering that I was leaving my best friend in the hallway.

"I will see you later in the Common Room, okay?"

"Okay."

"Nice job Weaselette," whispered Draco.

"Sod off, Ferret," I did not have the energy to give a creative comeback and that was the best I could think of.

Soon, after what felt like an eternity, but it was probably just a few minutes, we found ourselves in front of the Headmaster's office.

"Pixie sticks," said Professor McGonagall, and soon the large, stone gargoyle gave way. Seriously, what kind of person only chooses candy names for his password? To think, the age of Dumbledore and how many pounds of candy he has consumed in those years, the man must have a lot of cavities.

But I quickly forgot my thoughts as Professor McGonagall ushered us up the winding stairs. I had not been in this office since my first year, and I was not looking forward to being in it again.

"Hello Minerva," said Professor Dumbledore politely as he addressed the professor.

"Albus."

"Ah, now, why are these wonderful students in my office, Professor?" he asked with that famous twinkle in his eye.

"Well, these wonderful students were caught in the hall, ready to

hex each other into oblivion," she said.

I believed she needed a vacation; she was always around us juvenile delinquents and, was probably about to snap. Heck, she's probably been here for over fifty years. That poor, poor woman, she probably needed a good shag too.

"And how did you two find yourselves in this predicament?" asked Dumbledore. You would think that he would be just a little angrier at us students that have been disrupting his hall ways, but no, he was as happy as a clam, or as happy as a clam could be.

"She ran into me."

"He pissed me off." Yeah, I really felt like elaborating.

"Well then," said the Headmaster, slightly amused, "I think that a detention will fix things up nicely."

"I couldn't agree more," said McGonagall, looking relieved.

"How about tonight, after supper, in the dungeons?" said Dumbledore. It was more of a statement than a question.

"Sure," Draco and I mumbled in agreement.

"Fantastic!" said Dumbledore. "You two will meet Professor Snape in the dungeons right after dinner. You may leave now."

We both made a hasty retreat to the door.

"I will get you back for this," said Draco after we left Dumbledore's office.

"And what are you going to do? See you tonight in the dungeons," I said with fake cheer. With that, I went back to the Gryffindor common room. Seeing as I missed my last period of the day due to the untimely circumstances, all I had to do was wait until after dinner.