Whispers in the Night

The sound of the door slamming woke Ginny. Cursing, she rolled over to see her alarm clock flashing at her...

9:15 AM

"Shit! Ginny promptly tripped over the blanket that had been wrapped around her legs in her struggle to remove herself from the bed. It wouldn't do to be late on the first day of school.

Finally after a cold shower (her roommates had used all the hot water) and finding her skirt in the bathroom cupboard (How did it get in there?), she was ready. She rushed down through the common room to find she wasn't the only one who had slept in.

Harry was asleep on one of the couches, with Hermione draped on top of him. Ginny stood there goggling at the sight and was startled when Harry let out a massive snore. Soon she was giggling -- Ginny couldn't help it. She just stood there laughing until the noise of it woke Harry and Hermione. Hermione sat up frantically, while Harry just lay there with a bewildered look on his face and sleep still clouding his eyes.

"Ginny! Um...this isn't what it looks like..." Hermione pleaded, still sitting on Harry's lap, a pleading look on her red face. "Please don't tell Ron."

Hermione had grown in the last few years. A lot. Her once bushy brown hair was now dead straight, and over the summer Ginny had convinced her to get blonde highlights, as well as her ears and bellybutton pierced. She had also grown curves and was now a tall 5'10".

Ginny sighed and said, "Don't worry, your secret's safe with me." She brought mind back to the task at hand. "Now do you really want to be late? Because there's 2 minutes until class." Ginny smiled when she heard the gasp that came from Hermione as she scrambled up to her room in the Head Girl's Wing.

Ginny turned to walk out of the portrait hole when she felt a hand on her arm, stopping her. She turned back to see Harry holding her arm, looking worried.

"Are you okay? You seem a bit preoccupied," he asked, pushing his glasses up his nose.

Ginny sighed again, and forced a smile to her face. "Of course I'm okay. Now you better go get ready. Pushing him towards the boys dormitories, she said, "Go on."

She watched him walk up the stairs, then turned and ran out the portrait hole. She ran all the way to her first class, (potions), and got there just as Snape was about to close the door. Ginny rushed past, panting and spluttering apologies.

He just looked down his nose at her and said, "Miss Weasley, you are one very lucky girl." He swept past her, cloak swishing, up to the front of the classroom. Ginny hurried towards her seat and plopped down next to her best mate, Delia LaFay, and gave her an evil look.

"You evil, conniving, mean old lady. Why didn't you wake me up?" Ginny whispered fiercely.

Delia gave her a look that shouted excuse-me! She said, "Ginevra Alexandria Weasley, do not speak like that to your elders. I did not wake you merely because you looked so gorgeous when you were sleeping. Not like the fierce warrior you are when awake." She turned and continued to write notes.

Delia was a very 'old' 16 year old. She acted with wisdom beyond her years, which might have been due to her parents having being killed in front of her at a young age. She was beautiful, elegant, and came from a wealthy pureblood family.

Ginny sat there, stunned, until Snape's shadow was cast over her closed books. "Miss Weasley, do you plan to pass sixth year? Because if you do, I suggest you get to work." He spoke each word very slowly as if she were a half-wit.

"Yes, Professor Snape," Ginny mumbled as she started setting up for that day's potion. Two hours later, she was ladling her final product into the glass beakers provided.

Ginny walked out of the classroom, chatting to Delia, she felt a presence behind her. She spun around to see who was there, but saw nothing. As she was turning back. Ginny glimpsed a hand swing out of the darkness...

To be continued...