Pride and Honor

The Hogwarts Express was already pulling away from the platform headed north towards the school by the time Ginny and Draco found empty seats in the compartments full of Prefects. Thankfully, Hermione had saved Ginny a seat, and she sank down into it, her eyes closing in pleasure as her tired muscles relaxed against the soft seats.

"About time you showed up," Hermione snapped.

Ginny's eyes flew open and stared at her friend in surprise. Only when she noticed that Hermione was not looking at her and when she heard a male voice reply with bitterness dripping from his voice did she realize that it was not she who was being addressed. Ginny followed the older girl's gaze.

Draco stretched out his legs, crossing one ankle over the other as he replied, "Sod off Granger, I had things to do."

"Things to do? Things to do?" As Hermione's voice raised, a couple of Prefects looked over with interested gazes as a few others got up to leave the compartment knowing that a full blown war was about to erupt. "What exactly did you have to do? Polish your boots one more time?"

Draco turned his attention to his perfectly manicured hands. "Of course not, that is what house elves are for."

"Then what was so important that made you miss the events this morning?"

He looked up, his eyes burning with a rage which he held in check. Ginny knew that most of that anger was not directed towards Hermione and her questions, but at his father and what he'd said on the platform.

"That is none of your bloody damn business Granger."

His voice was so cold that Ginny felt a shiver go up and down her spine. She watched as Hermione's mouth opened and closed as she debated on a response. Draco watched her with hooded eyes, almost daring her to continue to pry.

Finally Hermione decided on a reply. "I'll have to tell the Headmaster what happened this morning."

His eyes still burned with anger and his voice was cool as ice as he smirked and responded. "Go right ahead. Dumbledore already knows so you won't be getting me into any trouble. I owled him this morning."

Hermione's face set into a matching angry line, only hers was without hatred in it. She rose without saying anything and walked calmly, if not a bit hurriedly out of the compartment. Draco turned his eyes to Ginny, one sleek eyebrow rising towards his forehead.

"Nothing to say? Not going to jump to the Mudbloods defense as Weasleys are so keen on doing?"

Ginny's body jerked in surprise. Her mind was still back on the platform watching father and son talk, each equally disliking the other, and Draco's words had caught her off guard. The boy she had pitied back on the platform must have been just her imagination because the boy in front of her was an evil git, constantly putting down others to make himself seem more superior.

"For a minute there Malfoy, I felt sorry for you and felt that maybe there was someone halfway decent under that façade, but you just proved me wrong. You did deserve everything that your father said to you back at the platform. It's too bad he couldn't have stuck around, I would've loved to hear more of what he had to say."

Ginny was already out of her seat and storming off to follow Hermione when a flash of hurt shone in Draco's eyes. If she had just sat around a bit longer she would've seen how deep her barb had hit.

Draco straightened in his chair and turned his head to look out the window at the passing scenery. "I was definitely wrong about you, Weasley," he murmured. "You have enough backbone to take on just about anyone who gets in your way."

*

Ginny caught up to Hermione as they reached the last compartment on the train. As Hermione reached out to yank open the door, she placed a hand on her arm and pulled her back. The older girl sent a glare her way before her eyes softened. Ginny tightened her grip on her friend's arm.

"Hermione, you can't go in there right now."

"Why not?" she huffed.

"If Harry or Ron sees you like this it's going to give them more reason to hate on Malfoy. While he deserves it, Gryffindor does not need to lose any points for mouthing off to the Head Boy."

Hermione slowly nodded. Draco Malfoy would love more than anything to knock Gryffindor down, especially through Harry Potter and Ron Weasley, the two boys that always seemed to get out of trouble and earn house points while doing it. As Head Girl, she could somewhat interfere, but overall there wasn't much she really could do. By going into the last compartment feeling the way she was, she was just signing the death warrant of this year's House Cup for the Gryffindors.

"All right." She took a step back from the door and tried to control her breathing.

"How about we go and get something to drink off the trolley?" Ginny suggested.

Hermione shook her head. "No, I'm fine now."

"Are you sure?" At her nod, Ginny lifted her hand from her arm.

Hermione slid open the compartment door and stepped inside. Harry and Ron were still playing Exploding Snap, laughing excitedly as the tower they built with the cards got higher. The two of them sitting the way they were reminded her of them in their first year when they had all become friends. She missed the purity of their friendship after being around Malfoy, and instantly felt comforted as both boys turned and greeted her, smiles lighting up both their faces.

"Come play, Hermione!" Ron called out to his friend.

Harry nodded and motioned her over. "Sit!"

Hermione took a step closer just as the tower exploded in a pile of burning flames. She jumped back quickly to keep the soot from touching her robes, but then proceeded cautiously closer to her friends. Soon, the three of them had another game of Exploding Snaps going.

Ginny looked on from the doorway almost sadly. How quickly she seemed to have been forgotten. There was nothing new in playing a third wheel (or rather a mismatched fourth) in their relationship. The three friends were as close as can be and no one seemed to be able to penetrate inside that circle of close friendship. Not even Ginny who had spent every day with them since her fourth year, their fifth.

It was almost not worth stepping inside of that compartment to join in on the laughs that they shared. She knew deep down that they were not sharing that laughter with her, she just happened to be around them when they did. A half sigh of defeat left her lips as she closed the compartment door, careful not to make any sound, and she made her way back up to the Prefects' compartments. It didn't surprise her that the only available seats were the ones that she and Hermione had recently evacuated. Still, sitting across from Draco Malfoy and all his nastiness was better than sitting inside of a compartment full of laughter that she could not truly be a part of.

Draco looked up in surprise as Ginny sat back down across from him, but she avoided his gaze and kept her eyes focused on her hands. She didn't want to engage in any sort of conversation with him lest it lead to another piercing outburst from either, or both of them. He had this ability ever since she had known him to pull apart someone to find their weaknesses and use them to his advantage. That was something that she definitely did not want to deal with right now. Unfortunately, she had no choice in the matter.

"Didn't want you around, did they?"

She tried hard to ignore him, but found that she couldn't when the tone of his voice was not cruel but rather soft, almost melancholic. Ginny's eyes flickered up and met his, and just for a moment understanding flashed in them before his gaze went blank.

Not knowing whether he was setting her up or actually being serious, she said the only thing she could think of. "Sod off, Malfoy."

*

It was relatively quiet in the compartment for the rest of the train ride to Hogsmeade Station, save a conversation between two Prefects closest to the door. Not one word was spoken between Ginny and Draco, both content in staring out the window at the passing scenery, each lost in their own thoughts. When the train began to slow down, signaling its entry into the station, both rose, diverting their eyes from the other, and walked out of the compartment.

From the minute Draco stepped foot onto the platform, he was swallowed up in a group of his Slytherin friends all congratulating him on becoming Head Boy and making fun of Hermione and company as well. Ginny quietly slipped past and began directing the first years over to Hagrid, a half-giant and the Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts as well as the teacher of Care of Magical Creatures class. The first years were a little afraid of him because of his size, but once she assured them that he was quite harmless they bounded over to him in excited nervousness.

Ginny looked around one last time for any first year stragglers before she turned and headed over to the horseless carriages that would take her and her classmates to school. A couple other Prefects who had finished their tasks walked to join her. Seventh year Justin Finch-Fletchley, sixth year Eloise Midgen- both of Hufflepuff- and fifth year Ravenclaw Derek Cassidy followed her inside of a carriage chatting together about their jobs as Prefects. Ginny didn't join in on their chatter and forced a smile onto her face whenever they looked over at her.

Normally Ginny didn't mind the carriage ride to the castle. Every time she passed through the gates and saw the castle before her, her breath seemed to catch in her throat. She loved being at Hogwarts just as much as she loved being home at the Burrow, only life for her inside of these castle walls always seemed to be the same as if she was at home, always overshadowed by her older brother's achievements.

When the carriage pulled up to the front steps of the school, Ginny followed the other three Prefects out of it and waved goodbye, threading herself through the crowd of students in the Entry Way to the Great Hall. She spotted Harry, Hermione and Ron already seated at the Gryffindor table and headed over towards them. The three of them didn't even look up as she took her normal seat across from them.

A little sigh escaped her lips as she turned her eyes away from the friends and up at the teacher's table in front. All of the teachers were seated and awaiting the ceremony that was about to take place. The only teacher missing from the High Table was Professor McGonagall, and Ginny knew that she was outside the doors to the Great Hall briefly instructing the first years about the upcoming Sorting ceremony.

As the doors to the Great Hall opened and Professor McGonagall walked through them with the first years behind her, a silence fell over the Hall. The Sorting ceremony was extremely important for it determined what House- Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw or Slytherin- you were sorted into. Ginny remembered her first year when she'd had to go through the ceremony and the anxiousness she'd felt about being sorted. As Professor McGonagall said, "your house will be something like your family," and considering that all her brothers before her were in Gryffindor, being placed in another house wouldn't feel like a family at all. Of course, if she was able to go back and choose which house she was sorted into, she might've chosen Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw so that at least she would be able to stand apart from her family and be known as "Ginny" rather than "Weasley", or "Weasley's little sister." She might've even considered Slytherin if it helped others see her as a person, and not just a name.

Ginny visibly jerked when her eyes focused back on the front and she noticed that the Sorting ceremony was already over and Professor McGonagall was rolling up the parchment of first year names. She looked down at the table and noticed the new Gryffindors, all positively fidgeting in their seats from excitement. She smiled at a few of them before turning her attention to the Headmaster, Professor Dumbledore, as he began his start-of-the-term banquet speech.

Instead of speaking, he cleared his throat and began singing. "Blue Moon, you saw me standing alone, without a dream in my heart, without a love of my own." A few students began snickering, but Dumbledore continued unfazed. "Blue Moon, you know just what I was there for, you heard me saying a prayer for, someone I really could care for..." He winked, seemingly right at Ginny, before smiling at the students in the Great Hall. "Elvis Presley, as some of you who are taking Muggle Studies recognize. And without further ado," he clapped his hands and hummed the next bar of the song and food appeared on the tables, "enjoy!"

The Great Hall was soon filled with silverware clattering against plates and conversations between the students, each one louder than the one before it. The Gryffindors surrounding Ginny were busy talking with the first years or comparing notes on the essays they had to write over the summer. Ginny sighed and picked up her fork to begin eating. As her fork easily slid into a potato she realized that she wasn't that hungry.

"Ginny?"

At the sound of her name, she jerked her head up. Harry was looking at her as if he was waiting for an answer to a question. A flush rose up on her cheeks and she stammered out an answer. "I-I-I'm sor-sorry Harry. What-what did you say?"

Harry's brow furrowed. "You okay Gin? You don't look so good."

Just for a second, Ginny could have sworn that her heart stopped beating. Someone actually seemed to care enough about her to notice that she wasn't looking too good. Of course, that wasn't something to be proud about, especially when a boy (never mind that it was Harry) noticed it.

"I'm fine. Why shouldn't I be?"

A moment passed with him staring at her intently. Satisfied with her answer he gave her a quick nod. "Anyway Ginny, I was wondering if you were done with your custard."

The little hope that sparked to life was quickly dashed out. "Yeah Harry, I'm done with it." She pushed the little bowl filled with custard across the table and forced a smile to her face when Harry said his thanks. The second he turned away though, her face fell back into a pout, her eyes concentrating on the food on her plate. Conversations surrounded her, some pushing past the barrier she put up to block out everyone; her brother's laugh, Hermione's light giggle, Harry's snicker, some conversation from the Hufflepuff table in front of her about their upcoming Herbology classes, and for some odd reason, Draco Malfoy's prim laughter.

Ginny raised her head, her eyes seeking out Malfoy from across the room. Blaise Zabini, a seventh year Slytherin and a Prefect leaned in close to Draco Malfoy, her lips curved up into a smile as she talked. Whatever she said must have been amusing because Draco leaned back in his chair and laughed again.

It was amazing, she thought, how one person can change so drastically in one day from being an evil bully one minute, a prim and proper pureblood the next, finally to a boy who could be carefree and just laugh. It must be extremely exhausting having that many sides to a personality and acting on each and every one of them each day.

As he laughed again, she watched as his eyes trailed across the room only to stop when they met with hers, widening in surprise. Quickly she averted her gaze to her brother and his friends in front of her, concentrating on keeping her eyes locked on them. It didn't stop her from keeping her ears attuned for his laughter. What came out of his mouth next angered her, making her forget that she was to keep her eyes away from him.

"Much to my misfortune, I had to share a compartment with a Weasley. I thought I had finally rid of her when she ran off with her tail between her legs after that insufferable prat Granger, but she came back moments later. Turns out Potter and the others didn't want to share a compartment with her either!"

While the others around him laughed, he smirked at Ginny. His smile only grew as her eyes blazed angrily at him, her hands curling into tight fists on the table. It was most unfortunate that she was not one to go yelling about or raising her voice because if she were she would be damn sure that Draco Malfoy wouldn't be smirking right at this moment.

Once again a voice tore her out of her thoughts, only this time it belonged to the Headmaster. The tables had been cleared of all the food and the students looked up at him expectantly as he rose and began to speak.

"I hope you all enjoyed your meal and are ready for the start of the term tomorrow morning. I am especially happy to see some new faces, and yet sad that so many that I have come to know will be leaving us at the end of the year. Until then, it is up to me to make sure that the seventh years enjoy their last year here at Hogwarts as well as offering the opportunity to the fifth and sixth years to join in on that fun." He smiled at the confused faces. "As some of you already know, this year Hogwarts will be hosting the Bicentennial Pageant of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

"This Pageant is very important within the Wizarding world. The winners not only represent Hogwarts itself, but Britain on a whole. This title holds much honor and pride in it, and whichever student awarded with this esteemed title not only becomes respected in the eyes of the school, but the Ministry as well. The winners will also receive five thousand galleons in prize money.

"Do not take this Pageant lightly for you will not be judged on looks alone as those in the Muggle world are. Presentation, knowledge of potions, charms, transfigurations and Herbology will be most important in this event which is why only fifth years and above will be allowed to enter." He apologized as the fourth year students and below began to voice their displeasure. "Just because you will not be able to participate in this event does not mean that you are not able to observe it."

He smiled broadly at his students. "To those who feel qualified to enter, and to those who the prizes compel them to enter, there will be a sign up sheet outside the Great Hall in the entryway at the beginning of next week. For now, will the Prefects kindly lead the first years back to the dorm, and I bid you all a goodnight."

At his dismissal chairs scraped the floor as students pushed them back to leave. Hermione helped Ginny collect the first year Gryffindors outside of the doorway to the Great Hall while Ron and Harry waited nearby. Other students brushed past them on their way back to their dormitories.

Hermione smiled down at the Gryffindor Prefect who was calling out for first year Gryffindors. "Are you going to enter?"

Ginny shrugged one shoulder, turning her head away from the doorway to count the first years she had standing behind her. "Oh, I don't know Hermione. I don't think so."

A loud snort caught her attention and she swung her head back around. Draco Malfoy lounged against the frame of the door, his arms crossed at his chest and a smirk that seemed to be permanently attached to his face. "A Weasley turn down five thousand galleons?" He turned to the Slytherins surrounding him. "Imagine that. That would be most money she and her family had ever touched and she's not going for it."

"Sod off, Malfoy," Ginny retorted, her hands angrily pulling at the edges of her frayed robe.

"Ooh, 'sod off.' I'm hurt, Weasley, truly."

The Slytherins laughed. Harry and Ron started closer both knowing what was about to happen as they had previous experience with the sharp Malfoy tongue.

"You know Weasley, even if the money didn't compel you, I would think that the pride and honor would. You know, since you associate yourself with Mudbloods and the like. Pretty soon you'll be nothing more than a squib for all the time you spend with them. Then think of your family. What little pride and honor they had left would be diminished."

Without even thinking, Ginny reached into her pocket of her robe and pulled out her wand, aiming it straight at Draco. Before another second could pass she felt arms surround her and pull her away from Malfoy, her wand being torn from her fingers by someone else. She strained against the arms around her to be released but when they didn't relax she gave up and looked to see who held her. Harry, with Ron at his side holding her wand.

"Scar boy Potter always to the help of Weasleys, aren't you?" Draco practically purred. "Good thing, too, because I'm pretty sure little Weasley here forgot who was Head Boy and that there is no magic in the corridors, especially dueling, such an ever so messy thing, right Granger?" He turned to Hermione and grinned, showing off his straight white teeth, reminding her of the time in their fourth year when he and Harry dueled in the halls. Their curses had bounced off each other, Harry's landing on Goyle and his landing on her, causing her teeth to enlarge.

Hermione took a step forward. "Just because you're Head Boy doesn't mean that you alone can rule the school. As Head Girl I have equal rights, and us being in the hall together sharing this discussion is only canceling each other's powers out. Any other Prefect around can get us into trouble, and by the looks of it the only Prefect here is Ginny. So, slither away as you usually do, Malfoy."

Draco appeared to take her words into consideration. "All right Granger, I'll move along. It's such a shame, though, that one can't have a civil conversation with a Weasley these days. I swear, little Weasley is getting just as bad as big brother, if not worse."

Ginny struggled against Harry's arms once more. "Stupid git," she muttered. "No good prat. He deserved to be hexed."

When Draco was out of harm's way, Harry released Ginny and Ron handed her back her wand. As she gripped it tight in her hand, little red sparks shot out of the tip of it causing the people around her to jump back.

"Just one more chance. If all I had was one more chance I would get him back. The evil, evil, worthless...Malfoy," she said his name with such disgust even Ron felt extremely proud. Before anything more could be said, Ginny nodded towards the first years. "Come on, let's get you up to the dormitories. Classes start early tomorrow."

The first years slowly followed her up the stairs to Gryffindor tower. They walked a few steps behind her as if they were almost afraid of her anger being released on them. Finally, a brave boy spoke up.

"Was that Draco Malfoy? My father told me all about his family. Spineless gits he called them."

Ginny turned and smiled at the boy, all the anger she had felt in the previous moment hidden behind a well fabricated mask. "Indeed that was Malfoy, and your father was completely right. Malfoy is Head Boy so don't let him hear you repeat that or else we'll lose House Points, and your father may even get an owl from his father."

Another first year spoke up, this time a little girl. "Why is he so mean?"

The older girl shrugged. "Malfoy blood. I don't see why anyone would want that."

They reached the portrait of the Fat Lady and Ginny repeated the password to her. The portrait swung open admitting Ginny and her followers. They quickly climbed through and she led them to their separate dormitories and said goodnight. As she reached the common room, the portrait swung open and Hermione, Ron and Harry trudged through. Ginny opened her mouth to pretend to yawn when Hermione began speaking.

"Professor McGonagall stopped me on the way up. Don't worry; we didn't lose any House Points over what happened with Malfoy. She wanted to talk to me about the Pageant that Hogwarts is hosting. I meet with her tomorrow during my break, and then tomorrow night we have a Prefects meeting to discuss it. Now I'm going to bed, it has been a long day. Good night Harry. Good night Ron. Ginny."

Harry and Ron said their good nights to Hermione and watched her walk up the stairs to her dormitory. After a moment they turned around and headed for the stairwell to their rooms. On the way past, Ron clapped her on the back of Ginny's shoulder.

"Good job sis. I knew you had the Weasley temper somewhere inside of you. Too bad we couldn't let you hex Malfoy. Next time, though."

A small smile appeared on her lips. "Yeah, next time."

"'Night Ginny. See you at breakfast."

"Good night."

When she heard the door to their room close, she flopped down onto a chair in front of the fire and pulled her legs up under her. Her thoughts ran rampant inside of her head as her eyes stared into the fireplace. The dying flames still licked the burning wood hoping to get as much fuel out of it as possible to stay alive.

The Bicentennial Pageant of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Five thousand galleons prize money as well as pride and honor. Entering this and winning it would be just what she needed to stand out from her family. She would have the pride and honor to her name, people would have to respect her as an individual after this. And the money, Malfoy was right about that, it would be more money than she had ever touched.

"I'm going to do it," she whispered to the dying flames. "I'm going to enter into the Bicentennial Pageant of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and I'm going to win!"