The Seventh Year Soap Opera

The Seventh Year Soap Opera

RECAP OF CHAPTER FIFTEEN- The Ball: The ball, pretty much. Ron's jealous of Hermione and Krum, and Harry's jealous of Ginny and Justin. Malfoy and Pansy taunt Ginny during the ball, so Ginny knees Malfoy in the groin. Eloise poses a question to Ron that he can't forget. Ron and Eloise get drunk, Harry has one hell of a time prying a liquor bottle from Eloise's hands, and Hermione announces that she's engaged to Viktor.

WHERE WE LEFT OFF-

She took a deep breath as though she had been wanting to tell someone this information for a while and then smiled something brilliant. "Viktor and I are engaged!"

Chapter Sixteen- The Rest of the Night

Harry dropped the bottle in his hand and looked at her in horror. Eloise shouted with glee and began to sing the theme song from the Brady Bunch. Ron managed to pick himself from off of the floor and sit in a chair. He was red in the face and his eyes were beginning to glaze over. "Hermione, are you drunk too?" said Harry, hoping this wasn't some sick joke.

Hermione stared at Viktor lovingly. "No, I'm not drunk," she said happily. "Well, maybe I'm drunk on love." She kissed Viktor and chuckled.

"You're too young," said Harry, his whole mind going blank.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "No, I'm not. Besides, we're getting married in a year, not right away."

"Oh, yes, a year is galaxies away," Harry muttered to himself. "Seriously, Hermione, are you joking? Because this really isn't funny."

Viktor looked offended. "Ve are getting married!" he said. "Ve love each other!"

Ron stood up from his chair, only vaguely aware of what was going on. His head was pounding and his sight wasn't too good. "I find that hard to believe," he said thickly, feeling dizzy.

"Why? Why is that hard to believe?" Hermione said heatedly.

Ron staggered toward her, breathing in her face. She stood back, repulsed with his breath, which smelled like alcohol. "Because, little lady," he said, pointing a finger in her face. "One, you haven't known him long enough. Two, you thought you loved Harry, but you didn't. Three, you are pregnant with my child. Seems to me that you are one confused person, Hermione Granger, because this is life you're dealing with, and textbooks don't say anything about life. For once, you aren't the smartest. Who are you to be the judge of love?"

Eloise started to laugh, Viktor glared daggers at Ron, and Harry thought that it was a fine speech from someone who was drunk. Hermione stared at Ron for a moment, shocked, and feeling like he had stabbed her.

One single tear rolled down her cheek. She should have known they wouldn't understand. No one ever did. "Who are you to tell me who I love and who I don't? Are you this so called "judge of love", because if you are, you're a bad judge. You have some pretty little fantasy in your head about me and you because you think I love you. You think that just because we had sex I love you, but I don't Ron, I don't. I. Don't. Love. You. I love Viktor and only Viktor. I will never love anyone else, nor do I plan to. So, who are you to be the judge of love?"

The tension in the room was unbelievable. Eloise had stopped laughing and her mouth was open in an 'o.' It appeared she had snapped out of her drunken slumber. Viktor looked shocked, but tried to looked calm and dignified. Harry was stunned that such words had come out of Hermione's mouth and was torn between comforting her or comforting Ron. Ron looked as though someone had dumped a bucket of ice cold water over his head.

"Viktor, let's go for a walk. I should have known they wouldn't understand." She threw Harry a look that said 'I'll talk to you later' and then grabbed a thunderstruck Viktor by the hand and led him out of the room.

Harry turned to Ron, who's face turned to anger. "I am a good judge of love!" he shouted after her. "I know you love me! I can feel it Hermione!" He turned to Harry and grinned. "I-I know she loves me," he said. "It's just going to take her a little longer it out. But, you mark my words Harry, someday Hermione and I will be together. I know it."

He looked longingly at the door and Harry felt his heart sink. What if Hermione really didn't love Ron? What if she really loved Viktor? How would Ron handle that? Ron didn't seem to be thinking about this however. He was still rambling. "She does love me, Eloise said so, didn't you El?"

Eloise scratched her head. "I did?" she said to Ron, raising her eyebrows and trying to remember.

"Yes, you did El, and you know what?"

"What?"

"I believe you. I'm a damn good judge of love, that Hermione has no idea what she's talking about. If I wasn't a good judge of love, how would I know that Harry loves Ginny?"

Harry's ears prickled. "What?" he said to Ron, hoping he was making it up. He couldn't know, could he?

Eloise stood up and started putting the room back in order with her wand. She yawned and said, "Harry, don't listen to him. He's drunk."

"I know," Harry said, his eyes not leaving Ron. He was still staring at the portrait hole with hope in his eyes and a goofy smile on his face. Harry sighed. He needed a walk.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Ginny stared into her mirror admiring her reflection. She loved what she saw, what the dress made her look like. The dress made her feel special, beautiful, and sophisticated. She didn't want to take it off, afraid that if she did, she wouldn't feel that way anymore. She knew she was being silly, but she couldn't help it. She had seen the way Harry had looked at her tonight, like she was the only person in the room.

Yes, she was still furious with him, but that didn't stop her from loving him, and when she had seen the look on his face, a little light bulb of hope had turned on inside of her. A light that maybe he loved her, that that look wasn't just a part of her imagination.

She frowned and grumbled to herself. "Night's over princess," she said glumly, bringing herself back to reality. She slowly began to undress (no one else was in the room), and put on her flannel pajamas. She ran her hands through her flaming hair and stared into the mirror. She couldn't help but cry a little. Plain, poor, Ginny Weasley was back. She wiped her tears away and walked into the bathroom. When her face had been washed and her teeth had been washed, she headed back into the sleeping area.

She heard someone whining pitifully and loudly in the common room, and she stepped outside and headed down the stairs. Ron was sitting stiffly in a chair, sniffing, his face red, and muttering things like, "Engaged...loves me...bloody bastard...judge of love..."

"Ron?" Ginny said cautiously, not knowing if he was still drunk or not.

"Aarrghh!" he screamed in surprise, clapping his over his chest and exhaling deeply, his heart pounding wildly.

"Ron," she said hoarsely, "what are you doing?"

"Thinking," he said simply, loosening his tie and staring into the fire. "Thinking is something Hermione does a lot, you know...how she does it is beyond me...making my head hurt..."

"That's because you're drunk."

"Drunk on love!" Ron mocked, scrunching up his face, and speaking in what was unmistakably Hermione's voice. "Why are you in here?" he snapped. "Harry's not here, he went for a walk...I think. I can't quite remember."

Ginny stiffened. "Why would I want to be around him?"

Just then, Hermione walked into the common room, Viktor trailing behind her. "Goodnight," Viktor said to her, and then he went up the steps to the sixth year dormitories.

Hermione, however, was looking at Ron as though he were a bug. "Hey!" he said jovially, standing up and swaggering toward her, waving his hand wildly. "You're getting married! Can I be the groom?" He began to chuckle, then bent over, wheezing. Hermione looked revolted, standing in front of him with her arms crossed, while Ginny was confused.

"Go to bed Ron," Hermione said softly.

"NO!" Ron bellowed, and Ginny, even though she was several feet away, jumped. Hermione didn't even flinch. "YOU CAN DO WHATEVER THE HELL YOU WANT WITH YOUR LIFE, EVEN MARRYING THAT DUCK-FOOTED BLOKE, BUT YOU ARE NOT MY MOTHER SO YOU CAN'T TELL ME WHAT TO DO GOD DAMN IT!"

Ginny was very very confused, but she wasn't going to put up with this. Hermione looked on the verge of tears, even though she tried to look unabashed. "Ron!" Ginny said sternly, and Ron turned to face her, an almost pleading look in his eyes.

"Yes, Ginny?"

"You let her alone!"

"OH STAY OUT OF IT HALF-PINT!" he roared.

"What did you call me?" said Ginny, her voice dangerous, as she took steps toward her brother. Tears were now pouring down Hermione's cheeks now.

"YOU HEARD ME!" said Ron, his cheeks a flaming red.

"Damn Ron, do you plan on keeping the whole of Hogwarts up?" said a voice, and they turned to see Eloise Midgen standing in the doorway.

He shifted, eyes darting around the room, until they fell on Eloise, who looked especially tired and was rubbing her eyes. He looked extremely ashamed. "Er...no."

"I didn't think so," said Eloise. "Now apologize to Hermione and Ginny."

"But El..." Ron whined.

"Do it," she said calmly, and Ginny could hear him mumble, "Sorry."

"Now go to bed."

Ron turned, tripping slightly over his feet every few steps, and came to the staircase, then stopped abruptly, and looked back at Ginny, with a horrified look on his face. His eyes widened. "Where's bed?" he said.

Eloise chuckled, said, "My work here is done. Goodnight," and then walked out as abruptly as she had come in.

"I'll take you," Ginny said briskly, and with a nod at Hermione, who was still crying, she walked Ron up the stairs, making sure he didn't trip. To do this, she had to practically carry him up the steps. When they arrived, she let go of him. "Here you are," she said, gesturing to the door.

Ron looked frightened. "Ginny," he said seriously, "there might be monsters under my bed!" Apparently he had already forgotten the little argument downstairs.

Ginny sighed. "There are no monsters under your bed Ron," she said, rubbing her head and sounding quite strained.

"Can you please check?" said Ron, reminiscent of a two-year-old.

Ginny sighed again and walked straight into the boy's dormitories. "Ginny!" Seamus and Neville shrieked. (Very manly shrieks, of course.)

Ginny instantly closed her eyes. "Sorry," she muttered, hearing scuffling across the floor as Neville and Seamus dressed in a heartbeat. "Can I open them?"

"Yeah."

"Sorry," she said again, leading Ron over to his bed, easily identified by the Chudley Cannon posters. She lifted the comforter so that underneath the bed was visible. "Ron?"

Ron staggered and wandered to Harry's bed. "Ron, over here," Ginny said, waving her arms. He walked to her. "See?" she said, pointing underneath the bed. "No monsters."

"Okay," said Ron uncertainly.

"He's drunk," Ginny explained to Seamus and Neville, who were looking confused. Realization spread over their faces. "Let's get you undressed," she said to her brother, taking off his suit jacket.

"Er, Ginny, are you sure you should be doing that?" said Seamus in a worried voice.

"Why not?" said Ginny. "He used to do it for me all the time."

"What?!" Neville cried, exchanging a look with Seamus.

"The word incest comes to mind," Seamus said.

Ginny wrinkled her nose and looked annoyed. "When I was little," she said pointedly. "My, who has the sick mind? But, if you two are so sure, you're welcome to undress him instead because I know my mum will not want to see a wrinkled suit."

Seamus looked ready to faint. "No, Ginny, really it's okay," he said.

Ginny turned back to her brother and removed his shirt, socks, and shoes. She left his pants on, because there was no way in hell she was removing those. "Bed," she said simply, and he obeyed. "Drunken bastard," she said to herself, pulling the covers over his body.

"Ginny?" came a confused voice.

"Oh don't worry Harry, she's just putting Ron to bed," Neville explained.

"Er, yes," Ginny stammered, vaguely aware she was in her pajamas. "I'm leaving now, though. Good night." She walked past him and out of the room.

Harry stared after her for a moment and a sudden impulse came over him. "Wait!" he said, closing the door and stepping into the hall with her. He loved her so much, and couldn't hold it inside himself any longer. "I need to talk with you," he said, rotating his shoulders trying to relax himself before he lost his nerve.

Ginny turned to face him, not at all in the mood to talk with him. He had humiliated her and she was still angry. She still would be, even if he apologized or not. She raised her hand to stop him from coming any closer to her and sighed. "What do you want? Going to dump me into another cold shower, are you?" she said, colder than she really meant.

He shook his head. "No, Ginny I--"

"No," said Ginny shaking her head.

"No?"

"I-I don't want to talk with you right now. I really don't. My head hurts something awful, I'm depressed and angry, and I'm tired. All I want to do is go to bed, nothing else. Maybe we can talk tomorrow, I don't know--probably not, but right now the sound of your voice is making me want to scream. So please...just go. Leave me alone."

"Oh, I see," said Harry stonily. "The sound of my voice makes you want to scream, does it? Fine, Ginny, if that's how you want it to be..." He'd be damned if he was going to tell her how he felt. She was acting so immature and that was something he didn't have the time or patience for. No, immature wasn't the word he was searching for. Bitch was more like it. He turned on his heel and opened the dormitory door.

Ginny sighed. "I didn't mean it like that, Harry. I'm sorry. Now, what is it that you wanted to tell me?"

Harry turned around. "Nothing important, obviously. Never mind."

"Harry--"

"Forget it," he snapped, slamming the door in her face.

Ginny jumped, and wrenched the door open, not caring that she was about to tell Harry off in front of the other boys, including Ron, who was now fast asleep. "Why are you always like this?" she said shrilly.

"Like what?" he said calmly, removing his glasses and beginning to unbutton his shirt. The sight made Ginny's breath catch in her throat, and she stuttered a reply.

"Like a bastard!"

"Ginny," he said, pulling off his shirt to reveal his chest, which made her throat suddenly go dry, "what goes around comes around."

"Fine, don't tell me!" she shrieked. "Keep whatever you were going to tell me to yourself!"

"I will, thanks."

Ginny was appalled and in a rage. She clenched her fists together, and grew bright red. "You prick! Voldemort should have finished you off when he had the chance!"

The instant she said it, she wanted the floor to swallow her. Seamus and Neville froze, and dropped whatever they'd been holding. Harry stood there, barechested, glasses off, looking hurt beyond words. His eyes were filled with such pain that Ginny wanted to cry. His features tensed. His jaw clenched, but he was beyond angry. He was ready to break down completely. His heart was shredded to pieces, and Ginny knew it. She stood there, hair a mess, tears now rolling down her face, opening and closing her mouth.

"H-Harry, I d-d-didn't...really I didn't m-m-mean that..." She felt herself shrinking, falling, breaking, shattering...how could she have said something so cruel. Voldemort had killed his parents and Harry had gone to hell and back trying to rid the world of that monster. He had been through more than anyone or anything and she had...she had...

"Harry, I-I..." Ginny began to cry right there in the boy's dormitories.

Harry wanted to comfort her, but he couldn't. He couldn't look at her, even when she shrank to the floor, sobbing her heart out. He just stood there, frozen, staring at the door. "Ginny," he rasped, "leave. Just leave. Get out."

"Harry..." she sobbed, sniffing but not daring to look in his eyes.

"GET OUT!" he yelled, surprising even himself.

Ginny stood up, knowing she deserved his wrath, and she was cutting herself up inside. Sobbing like she had never sobbed before, she stood up from the floor, shaking madly, and walked to her dormitory, closing the door softly behind her. Harry could hear her mumbling, "I'm sorry," all the way up the stairs.

Harry turned to Neville and Seamus, muttered goodnight, and sunk into his bed without another word. He didn't sleep all night.

Ginny didn't either. She went straight to Hermione's dorm, pulled out a sleeping bag, and stayed there with Hermione the whole night. When Lavender and Parvati fell asleep, the two of them talked into the wee hours, sobbing and sniffing, and, in Hermione's case, hurling insults at Ron.

Both were at such low points, death would have been kind.