Big Beard is watching me

"And the next person to leave the Big Brother house will be..."

Rita Skeeter's weekly dramatic pause was no longer suspense building but annoying and aggravating. Draco started to mutter unmentionables under his breath.

"...Blaise."

There was barely time for Blaise to sigh before,

"I baggsies Blaise's room!"

"No chance, it's mine!"

"That's not fair! There are only two of you in that girl's room; we five boys are stuck in that room. Do you know how crowded it is?"

"I can't take another night of Draco's talking!"

"You know what? It's all about him. Even when he's asleep he's vain."

"But I deserve it! I was right by the door last time before Blaise knocked me out of the way! It should be mine now, I was second."

"But that was when Cho and Padma were there. I would have beaten you if Cho hadn't taken me out."

"I wouldn't say that with so much pride if I were you, Weasley."

Blaise sat frozen to the seat while the others squabbled on their feet.

"Oh no," Blaise said, "I insist. Take my bedroom. No, no, I won't hear any argument. I say you take it now. Fight over it, please. Nothing you say will make me move out and leave first. I am determined that you should battle it out right now, right in front of me. No respect for me. Please. Git all or whatever that was. I will not be satisfied until you act as if I've already left. So get on with it."

The others were ignoring this blatant, and extensive, use of sarcasm. They were too busy taking each other on, battling it out, with fists as well as words, and recounting old rivalries. Harry already had his hands round Draco's neck. Hermione had taken to reasoning her right to the room with George and it was a moment before the three Weasleys remaining, Ron, Fred and Ginny, realised that no one was actually making a move for the spare bedroom.

It was Fred's quick Quidditch skills and reflexes that allowed him to make the first break for it but Ron had been beaten up by his brothers enough times to expect, and know what to do about, this. He pounced on Fred and landed on his brother's back with his legs around Fred's neck. He pulled on Fred's hair until the older boy started to stagger backwards. Their sister seized her opportunity. She ducked round the wobbling mass that was her older brothers and made a grab for the door. Fred neatly tripped her up. As she fell to the ground with her red hair falling in front of her eyes she randomly grabbed something and yanked. Lucky for the Weasley concerned it was his leg. Fred came rocketing down and Ron was thrown forward. The youngest Weasley boy took use of this and started to crawl towards his treasure - army style. His siblings, however, were having none of this. They piled on the unsuspecting boy and pined him to the ground. There was much tugging, scratching and even biting as the three red heads tried to break away from the ball of legs and make for their target only to be cruelly dragged away by their brother or sister.

By this time even Draco and Harry were watching the charade, still strangling each other of course. Harry had gone a very distinct unnatural shade, which, just by chance, happened to be Gilderoy Lockhart's favourite colour. The four other housemates, and one now ex-housemate, watched the entertainment with mild amusement. Such scrambles were starting to become old news. But all were secretly betting on which Weasley would win. This was when Hermione saw her chance. There was a lot of commotion but the people-mountain was still a good two feet away from the door. She started to run. George made a grab for her but missed. As she reached the small hillock she took a flying leap. Looking like an Olympic jumper going for the gold she soared over the Weasley family. Blaise's mouth stumbled open as Hermione cleared Ron, Fred and Ginny. Hermione grabbed the doorframe and swung herself into the prize triumphantly. Or would have done if Ginny's arm hadn't lashed out while she was mid air.

Ginny slid forward like a rugby player going for the ball. She reached it. Just inside the doorframe she jumped to her feet and moonwalked. With much pointing and laughing she boogied in their faces. Draco walked over to the youngest Weasley.

"Ginny," he said leaning forward.

Ginny gave a tiny gasp and leaned forward looking like she'd won the competition already. Draco put his arms around her and, with much ease, lifted her out of the room and stalked in. He flung himself on Blaise's bed and looked about casually.

"I like it," he pronounced.

***

It was Saturday and Blaise had gone with the least amount of ceremony so far. Ginny was sitting on Draco's bed while he unpacked his things again.

"You know," she said, "That was a cruel trick you played last night."

"I wasn't willing to spend yet another night with your brothers," said Draco placing a waving picture of himself in a green frame on the bedside table. "And I would have done anything to get away from Potter. You know what? He sleep-strangles."

Ginny glanced out the door where she could see Harry and Hermione talking while making tea in the kitchen.

"Really?"

"Yeah. It's only come on recently though, he was fine a couple of weeks ago. Personally I think he's going mad."

"Well you know what happens to people under stress," Ginny pointed out, "They crack." She sidled over to Draco. "But I'm glad one of us got this room," she told him. "No," she smiled, "Prying eyes."

Draco sighed and sat next to Ginny.

"Ginny-"

"Yes?"

Draco sighed again and bit his lip.

"Ginny, dear. We need to talk."

Ginny's face fell. "What is it?"

"I don't think we should be together anymore Ginny. It's just not working out."

"But we were having so much fun together. What went wrong?"

"Well it was this last eviction. You see... that was really close for me. Do you realise how I almost went out? Luckily people wanted the tension between me and Potter to stay around."

"Hang on," said Ginny, stopping him with her hand. "How do you know all this? We're in here and," she pointed upwards, "They're voting out there."

"I have my sources," replied Draco airily.

"But we're not supposed to be talking to anyone on the outside."

Draco laughed. "Oh, Ginny, Ginny, Ginny. You weren't really keeping with the rules were you? Surely not?"

"Well actually-"

"Tch, tch, tch," he tutted, "Poor foolish Naïve Ginny."

"What does this have to do with us?" Ginny prompted, slightly aggravated.

"Well for one thing I can't really be with someone who complies so easily to the rules. Have you never even broken a school rule? Been down a corridor you weren't supposed to go down? Anything?"

"No!"

"Ah well. Anyway. The people don't want us to be together; they don't want to see me paired up with you. They're going to break us up somehow and if I do it then I decrease my chances of being voted out just to be kept away from you. The Harry-You shippers are not the happiest of bunnies right now."

"So you're breaking up with me to make the viewers happy."

"You got it, Babe! I'm so glad you understand. I knew you were smarter than you looked. Show biz is a delicate business you see. You have to give the people what they want. And trust me, they don't want you and the Drakester together."

And with that he got up and left. Ginny sat on the bed in shock.

"Did he just call me 'Babe'?"

"Fame must be getting to his head," said a muffled voice.

Ginny paused. "What are you doing in the cupboard, Ron?" she inquired. "Blaise isn't even here anymore."

"I know," Ron replied, "Harry locked me in."

"What did you say to him?"

"Nothing, he did it in his sleep."

"Why didn't you stop him?"

"I was asleep too. I woke up in time to see my best friend, with his eyes closed, closing a cupboard door in my face. Er... You're not going to let me out, are you?"

Ginny got to her feet. "Nah, I'll let you out."

She padded over to the cupboard and let out her imprisoned brother. Ron stepped out rubbing his arm.

"Wow," he said, "You must be really upset"

Ginny nodded and rubbed at her eye where tears were swelling. Ron took his sister in to his arms.

"What's up with Gin?"

Fred and George had appeared looking concerned.

"Draco dumped her," Ron told them.

George sighed sympathetically and hugged Ginny. Fred laughed.

"Finally," he said, "You both came to your senses."

His siblings looked up and glared at him.

"I'm sorry," said Fred, "But if you ask me, you couldn't be more wrong for each other. I mean look at yourself Ginny, and look at Draco. Did you honestly think you two were destined for each other?"

"Fred," snapped George, "Do you really think this is really the right time to be insulting her?"

"I'm just saying that Malfoy and her are in completely different leagues. They shouldn't have been allowed near each other."

"Well I thought they made a sweet couple," said George.

Fred snorted. "No you didn't. You're just saying that 'cos she's upset."

"Well at least I'm doing the brotherly thing."

"You saying I'm not a good brother?"

"No, but I am beginning to regret being your twin brother."

"Why I oughta-"

"Bring it on."

"Hold off, hold off," said Ron, wedging himself between his brothers. "Let's think about this logically. You two can't fight."

"Why not?"

"Because when would you know if you were hitting each other or yourself?"

The identical twins considered this.

"Good point."

"You've gotta remember that."

"Want some pie?"

"Sure."

***

Ginny sat in bed that night hugging her knees. Hermione threw a pillow at her.

"Go to sleep!"

"I can't."

"Stop being such a Drama Queen. These things happen. Face it."

"I can't, Hermione! I liked him so much."

"He was a twat," Hermione pointed out. "You're better off without him."

"Why do people keep saying that?"

"Because it's true. Look at last night. He got that room through trickery. I mean sure you beat me to it. Sure you stopped me from getting it when I was an inch away. Sure you grabbed my ankle. Sure I can't walk on it anymore. But at least you got it fair and square. He just cheated. Forget him, Ginny."

"No! Why do you keep saying that? I can't forget him. I won't forget him." She suddenly looked at Hermione as if everything was becoming clear at last. "I know why you keep telling me to forget him. You want him!"

"What?!"

"You want him! You're not satisfied with my brother, you have to take my boyfriend as well!"

"Ginny, I would never-"

"Oh yeah? Really? You can't fool me you hussy!"

"Hussy!"

"You heard me, whore."

"Whore?! Look who's talking! You and Draco, disappearing off to the Jacuzzi together..."

"Nothing happened. But that would be a situation you wouldn't understand."

"How dare you say that? You little slut."

"Now you are just asking for it."

"I'll take you on, missy."

"Good night, Hermione."

"I'll see you in the morning."

"Looking forward to it."

***

Harry sat down with his housemates holding the weekly challenge card in front of him.

"Right," he said, "We've now got an hour to follow this treasure hunt. We've got to solve all the individual clues, there are twelve of them, and each one should lead us to another. Once we've found them all they make up some sort of huge picture. As soon as we've put all the pieces together, we've won. Well that sounds easy."

He looked up and saw the two camps the Big Brother house had divided in to. Three on each side, all glaring at each other. Ginny, George and Ron were on one side; Draco, Fred and Hermione were sitting together on the other side. Harry looked between them bewildered.

"Have I missed something?"

No one replied.

"Well if we could just get down to this..."

Silence.

"I'll do it on my own then, shall I?"

There was a distinct lack of anybody talking.

"Right then..."

***

"Big Brother house, I'm afraid you have failed this week's challenge."

***

It was eviction night and things had failed to get better. Fred and George still weren't speaking, Ron and Hermione were throwing each other dirty looks, Draco was eating pie in a sort of smug silence, Harry was as bewildered as ever and Ginny hadn't been seen all afternoon.

"Oh this is stupid!" Hermione cried, "Two kids have a tiny break-up and the whole house is thrown in to disarray. Do you know how this is affecting the washing up rota? Do you even care that we've run out of clean plates? Because I do!"

"I refuse to wash up with that," Ron spat indicating to Draco.

Draco smirked at Ron. "Well I'm not particularly fond of having to wash up with you either. Hey Hermione, wanna," he wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. "Dip your hands in with me?"

"Urgh!"

"Let me guess," said Ron, "Market research shows that you should be with her rather than my sister."

"As you mention it, yes. Yes it does."

"You sicken me!"

"Well," said Draco, picking up his pie dish. "I know when I'm not wanted. I guess I'll just eat this outside."

He walked out through the door and into the garden where he saw Ginny. She was sitting on a bench at the end of the garden staring at the fence. Around her were scattered flower petals; apparently she'd been up to some sort of floral massacre. She was holding a flower in her hand and, very gently, shedding the petals. Draco was going to disappear back into the house when he heard her singing.

"Unbelievable sights,

Indescribable feelings,

Soaring, tumbling, free wheeling,

Through a perfect diamond sky!"

Draco stood and watched her, unable to pull his eyes away from the youngest, forlorn Weasley. Listening to hear more. But he never got the chance.

"Big Brother house, this is Rita."