“Dean!” Ginny called out over the throng of students gathered in the passageways of the Hogwarts Express. She had finally found him! Dean turned around and saw her, his face splitting into a grin. They worked their way towards each other.
“There you are! I was wondering when you would show up,” he said, shouting over the noise.
Ginny laughed. It was good to see him again. “How was your holiday?” Ginny asked.
“Quite rough really, a bit sad.”
“Why?” she asked, looking up at him.
“Because you weren’t there.” He leaned down and kissed her.
“Ah… I missed you too,” Ginny said. Well, sort of. It was going to be really difficult to break up with this one. Dean was a nice boy and a good friend, but Ginny wasn’t really into the whole long term relationship thing. She couldn’t help it. Boys liked Ginny, and well, Ginny liked the boys back. Falling out of love with Harry Potter had had a very strange effect on Ginny’s romantic appetite.
“Not dead yet, then, Weasley?” A drawling voice came from behind her.
Oh yeah, there was at least once boy who didn’t like her. Ginny turned to face Draco Malfoy. He had just entered the train, flanked by his two loyal henchmen, Dumb and Dumber. “Disappointed to see me are you, Malfoy? But then, being so cozy with You-Know-Who, I thought you would know exactly who he had still failed to kill.” Ginny gave him an angelic smile.
Malfoy’s face tightened as he walked towards her. “You watch your mouth you dirty little - -“
Dean moved up to block his path. “Back off, Malfoy. We don’t want a fight.”
“Now, I’m not exactly sure about that,” Ginny said, coming up beside him, “I kind of think I do.”
There was a glint in Malfoy’s eyes as he leaned in close. “Count your days, weasel. You and your Muggle-loving family won’t last much longer. I know - I know all about it, and I’ll laugh when it happens.”
Ginny drew her wand, angry even though she had expected what he would say. Beside her, she heard Dean do the same. “In order to laugh, you need a mouth.” Before Malfoy could react, she yelled, “Argumentia!” The spell hit Malfoy full in the face before he had time to block it. He stumbled back, nearly falling. Everyone in the passage turned to watch as Malfoy’s lips slowly melted away, leaving nothing but smooth skin over the hole where his mouth used to be. He touched his face in surprise.
Ginny grinned. That’ll show him. She was so busy congratulating herself she was taken by surprise as Malfoy turned towards her, his wand emitting green and silver sparks. She just dodged in time. “Bit hard to curse someone when you can’t speak, isn’t it?” Ginny goaded. He was just beginning to charge towards her when the passage door opened and an elderly wizard walked in.
“Now, now, what’s all this commotion? Has someone been hexed?! Ah… You there!” He came towards Malfoy and examined him closely. “Ah, a complex hex this one, quite complex indeed.” He thought for a moment and then pointed his wand towards Malfoy’s face, muttering something. His mouth reappeared at once. “Now, boy, who did this to you?” Malfoy turned towards Ginny his face furious, his eyes ice and fire all at once.
“I can’t remember,” he said. The words seemed to choke him.
The wizard looked at him in concern. “Have you lost your memory, too? Oh no, that’s not good at all. Come now, I must know who it was.” No one in the passage dared to speak.
Malfoy had kept his mouth shut, as Ginny knew he would. He would be ashamed to admit he was bested by a girl a year younger than him. It was almost too predictable. What wasn’t predictable were the apes standing behind Malfoy, a.k.a. Crabbe and Goyle.
The Professor turned on them. “You must have seen who did it, quickly now, out with it. Professor Slughorn does not like to be kept waiting.”
Crabbe and Goyle looked at each other, clearly confused. They looked at Malfoy, they grunted, they groaned. It was almost painful to watch them try to use their brains. Ginny couldn’t help being amused by them as they scratched their heads and tried to figure out what to say under the Professor’s gaze. They won’t rat me out. If Malfoy didn’t, they won’t. Crabbe suddenly pointed at her. Oh… SHIT.
“You, girl. Was it you who hexed this student?” Professor Slughorn asked, coming towards her.
Ginny gulped. “Aye, sir,” she said, with as much gusto as she could manage.
Suddenly, the Professor smiled at her. “Extraordinary! I must say, what year are you? Fifth? That was a pretty piece of magic for a fifth year, one of the finest hexes I have ever seen! What is your name, girl, speak up!”
Well, this was unexpected. Ginny tried to keep a straight face as she answered, “Ginny Weasley” though the stunned look on Malfoy’s face made it difficult.
“Well done, Ms. Weasley! Well done!” Slughorn beamed at her. Ginny couldn’t help it, she beamed right back.
“But, sir,” Malfoy protested, “it’s is against rules to use magic on the school train. When Professor Snape hears of this…”
Slughorn jolted as if he just realized that he was a Professor meant to enforce discipline. “Ah yes, well of course, I mean, it is not the correct way to handle… but I really think it isn’t necessary to get anyone else involved. Harmless really, quite harmless...” He trailed off, ignoring Malfoy and turning back to Ginny. “Ginny, dear. I’m having a small group of students to lunch in my compartment, a party of sorts to get to know everyone better. I would be very delighted if you would attend.” He smiled down at her.
“Er, why thank you, Professor.” Ginny stammered. I didn’t see this coming. I guess that means no snogging Dean all afternoon.
“Excellent, my dear girl! Come along.” Slughorn turned, walking past the furious Draco Malfoy and held the door open for her. Ginny tried to follow, but as she passed, Draco caught her arm.
“This isn’t over, bitch,” he whispered.
Ginny looked up at him. She had never seen anybody angrier in her whole life. For some reason it sent a thrill of excitement down her spine, as if the more he tried to scare her, the braver she became. “Malfoy, Malfoy… You shouldn’t be so angry all the time,” she said with a look of grave concern. “Anger causes constipation.” And with that she raised her hand to his face, gave him two smart taps on the cheek and walked out after Slughorn, laughing hysterically.
I had forgotten how much fun Hogwarts was.
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Draco stormed off to his regular Slytherin compartment. By now, news of his hexing had gone up and down the train and he could feel the eyes of the other students on his back, whispering behind their hands as he passed.
“Get out of my way,” he yelled as he tossed a first year against the wall, making his way down to his own compartment. By the time he reached the door, burst in, and threw himself into a seat, Draco had calmed down and regained some of his composure. The other Slytherins in the cabin looked at him in unease, but he ignored them.
Now that Malfoy thought about it, every time he lost his composure it was usually because of Ginny Weasley. Right after he lost to her. Though he didn’t always lose, sometimes he won, too. He remembered how he had turned her hair into wriggling, red worms at the beginning of last year. That had been a good one. She had run screaming down the halls, knocking into Professor Sprout who was carrying her new flesh-eating Gobober plant to show Dumbledore. Oh yes, thought Draco, that had been bloody brilliant. What a mess! He laughed out loud at the memory and the other Slytherins in the cabin looked at him, bewildered.
“Um, Draco? Are you ok?" Pansy asked timidly.
He turned and smiled at her, pulling her into his lap and leaning down to kiss her neck. “I’m just fine.” He was already planning how to get Weasley back.
“There you are! I was wondering when you would show up,” he said, shouting over the noise.
Ginny laughed. It was good to see him again. “How was your holiday?” Ginny asked.
“Quite rough really, a bit sad.”
“Why?” she asked, looking up at him.
“Because you weren’t there.” He leaned down and kissed her.
“Ah… I missed you too,” Ginny said. Well, sort of. It was going to be really difficult to break up with this one. Dean was a nice boy and a good friend, but Ginny wasn’t really into the whole long term relationship thing. She couldn’t help it. Boys liked Ginny, and well, Ginny liked the boys back. Falling out of love with Harry Potter had had a very strange effect on Ginny’s romantic appetite.
“Not dead yet, then, Weasley?” A drawling voice came from behind her.
Oh yeah, there was at least once boy who didn’t like her. Ginny turned to face Draco Malfoy. He had just entered the train, flanked by his two loyal henchmen, Dumb and Dumber. “Disappointed to see me are you, Malfoy? But then, being so cozy with You-Know-Who, I thought you would know exactly who he had still failed to kill.” Ginny gave him an angelic smile.
Malfoy’s face tightened as he walked towards her. “You watch your mouth you dirty little - -“
Dean moved up to block his path. “Back off, Malfoy. We don’t want a fight.”
“Now, I’m not exactly sure about that,” Ginny said, coming up beside him, “I kind of think I do.”
There was a glint in Malfoy’s eyes as he leaned in close. “Count your days, weasel. You and your Muggle-loving family won’t last much longer. I know - I know all about it, and I’ll laugh when it happens.”
Ginny drew her wand, angry even though she had expected what he would say. Beside her, she heard Dean do the same. “In order to laugh, you need a mouth.” Before Malfoy could react, she yelled, “Argumentia!” The spell hit Malfoy full in the face before he had time to block it. He stumbled back, nearly falling. Everyone in the passage turned to watch as Malfoy’s lips slowly melted away, leaving nothing but smooth skin over the hole where his mouth used to be. He touched his face in surprise.
Ginny grinned. That’ll show him. She was so busy congratulating herself she was taken by surprise as Malfoy turned towards her, his wand emitting green and silver sparks. She just dodged in time. “Bit hard to curse someone when you can’t speak, isn’t it?” Ginny goaded. He was just beginning to charge towards her when the passage door opened and an elderly wizard walked in.
“Now, now, what’s all this commotion? Has someone been hexed?! Ah… You there!” He came towards Malfoy and examined him closely. “Ah, a complex hex this one, quite complex indeed.” He thought for a moment and then pointed his wand towards Malfoy’s face, muttering something. His mouth reappeared at once. “Now, boy, who did this to you?” Malfoy turned towards Ginny his face furious, his eyes ice and fire all at once.
“I can’t remember,” he said. The words seemed to choke him.
The wizard looked at him in concern. “Have you lost your memory, too? Oh no, that’s not good at all. Come now, I must know who it was.” No one in the passage dared to speak.
Malfoy had kept his mouth shut, as Ginny knew he would. He would be ashamed to admit he was bested by a girl a year younger than him. It was almost too predictable. What wasn’t predictable were the apes standing behind Malfoy, a.k.a. Crabbe and Goyle.
The Professor turned on them. “You must have seen who did it, quickly now, out with it. Professor Slughorn does not like to be kept waiting.”
Crabbe and Goyle looked at each other, clearly confused. They looked at Malfoy, they grunted, they groaned. It was almost painful to watch them try to use their brains. Ginny couldn’t help being amused by them as they scratched their heads and tried to figure out what to say under the Professor’s gaze. They won’t rat me out. If Malfoy didn’t, they won’t. Crabbe suddenly pointed at her. Oh… SHIT.
“You, girl. Was it you who hexed this student?” Professor Slughorn asked, coming towards her.
Ginny gulped. “Aye, sir,” she said, with as much gusto as she could manage.
Suddenly, the Professor smiled at her. “Extraordinary! I must say, what year are you? Fifth? That was a pretty piece of magic for a fifth year, one of the finest hexes I have ever seen! What is your name, girl, speak up!”
Well, this was unexpected. Ginny tried to keep a straight face as she answered, “Ginny Weasley” though the stunned look on Malfoy’s face made it difficult.
“Well done, Ms. Weasley! Well done!” Slughorn beamed at her. Ginny couldn’t help it, she beamed right back.
“But, sir,” Malfoy protested, “it’s is against rules to use magic on the school train. When Professor Snape hears of this…”
Slughorn jolted as if he just realized that he was a Professor meant to enforce discipline. “Ah yes, well of course, I mean, it is not the correct way to handle… but I really think it isn’t necessary to get anyone else involved. Harmless really, quite harmless...” He trailed off, ignoring Malfoy and turning back to Ginny. “Ginny, dear. I’m having a small group of students to lunch in my compartment, a party of sorts to get to know everyone better. I would be very delighted if you would attend.” He smiled down at her.
“Er, why thank you, Professor.” Ginny stammered. I didn’t see this coming. I guess that means no snogging Dean all afternoon.
“Excellent, my dear girl! Come along.” Slughorn turned, walking past the furious Draco Malfoy and held the door open for her. Ginny tried to follow, but as she passed, Draco caught her arm.
“This isn’t over, bitch,” he whispered.
Ginny looked up at him. She had never seen anybody angrier in her whole life. For some reason it sent a thrill of excitement down her spine, as if the more he tried to scare her, the braver she became. “Malfoy, Malfoy… You shouldn’t be so angry all the time,” she said with a look of grave concern. “Anger causes constipation.” And with that she raised her hand to his face, gave him two smart taps on the cheek and walked out after Slughorn, laughing hysterically.
I had forgotten how much fun Hogwarts was.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Draco stormed off to his regular Slytherin compartment. By now, news of his hexing had gone up and down the train and he could feel the eyes of the other students on his back, whispering behind their hands as he passed.
“Get out of my way,” he yelled as he tossed a first year against the wall, making his way down to his own compartment. By the time he reached the door, burst in, and threw himself into a seat, Draco had calmed down and regained some of his composure. The other Slytherins in the cabin looked at him in unease, but he ignored them.
Now that Malfoy thought about it, every time he lost his composure it was usually because of Ginny Weasley. Right after he lost to her. Though he didn’t always lose, sometimes he won, too. He remembered how he had turned her hair into wriggling, red worms at the beginning of last year. That had been a good one. She had run screaming down the halls, knocking into Professor Sprout who was carrying her new flesh-eating Gobober plant to show Dumbledore. Oh yes, thought Draco, that had been bloody brilliant. What a mess! He laughed out loud at the memory and the other Slytherins in the cabin looked at him, bewildered.
“Um, Draco? Are you ok?" Pansy asked timidly.
He turned and smiled at her, pulling her into his lap and leaning down to kiss her neck. “I’m just fine.” He was already planning how to get Weasley back.
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