The moment they tumbled out on the other side of the Floo, Hermione already had a fistful of Floo Powder, throwing it back into the grate. “Medics! War Room, Code Red!”

A dozen Healers Apparated in. Ginny ignored them. Detaching Blaise’s arm from around her, she hobbled toward Draco. Theo had laid their Captain on the floor. Now, a stern, gray-haired Healer stood over him casting spells, her face inscrutable.

“Is he ok?” Ginny gasped, collapsing on the ground by his side. Desperately, she clutched his wrist, feeling for a pulse. His skin seemed too pale under her fingers. Was that a pulse? She couldn’t tell. “IS HE ALIVE?” she demanded.

The Healer turned an annoyed look on the bloodied redhead. “He is far from well.” To cut off Ginny’s protests, she added, “BUT alive so far. More so, if you’d let me work.”

With a determined nod, Ginny kept her silence. She simply sat on the floor next to him, clutching his hand. She could feel the pulse now, and it was all that kept her sane. Draco’s face remained too still, his chest barely moving with his breathing.

Another Healer kept prodding Ginny, trying to tend to her side. She threatened to hex him and he left her alone after that. Ginny just watched Draco, willing him to be ok. Last time, it was a harmless Stupefy. This time, knowing the spell that hit him was far from harmless was so much worse. Around her, the rest of the team was being treated as well, but Ginny couldn’t spare them a second glance.

His Healer put a hand on Ginny’s shoulder. “I’m Apparating him to St. Mungo’s now,” she said kindly, now that Ginny wasn’t interfering. “He’s stable enough to travel, so I wouldn’t worry.” Looking down, she spotted Ginny’s side, covered in blood. The Healer’s kindliness vanished into a spot-on McGonagall impersonation, reprimanding scowl and all. “You’ve been sitting here bleeding this whole time?!”

Ginny blinked. “It’s not serious.”

The Healer let out a long-suffering groan of frustration. “You play Quidditch, don’t you? I’ve seen the type. Now get yourself to a Healer.”

“But I--”

“No,” the older woman cut her off firmly. “I will not let you in to see him--” she gestured fiercely down at Draco, “--while you are still gushing blood!”

Ginny scowled, but did as she was told. Well, tried to. When she pushed herself to her feet, her left side gave out, and she crumpled back down.

The Healer she’d threatened earlier raised an eyebrow at her.

“I’ll take healing now, please,” she managed through the pain.

With only a slight chuckle, he waved his wand at her side. The cool relief of healing flooded through her, and she slipped into unconsciousness.

 

The white walls of St. Mungo’s shocked Ginny awake. She threw back the covers of her hospital bed, surprised at her gown, and searched for shoes.

A soft laugh from the foot of her bed drew her attention. “You two are hilarious, you know.” Daphne perched in a chair at the end, an amused smile on her face. With her chestnut hair falling elegantly to her shoulders and not a fold out of place on her deep blue dress robes, Daphne stuck out instantly amid the glaring white of the hospital. “I mean,” the witch drawled, “our dear Captain nearly fell over himself half an hour ago asking where you were.”

“You cleaned up quickly,” Ginny growled, still hunting for shoes. If Draco was awake, nothing in the world could stop her from going to him.

Daphne’s smile drooped. “I didn’t, actually. We, that is, Blaise and I, just dropped in to make sure you were ok. They said you’d be waking up today.”

Today. The word rang through Ginny’s head. “How long have I been out?” she asked, careful to keep her voice casual.

Daphne saw right through her. “Just two days. You didn’t need it, really, the Healer just worried for his safety if you were awake.” Her eyes narrowed playfully. “And why would that be? Setting a good example, Lieutenant?”

“A flawless one,” Ginny growled. Who needed shoes anyway? She swung out of bed, landing on the cold floor in her bare feet. Her side only ached at the treatment, and Ginny relaxed. Putting a hand to it, she could feel bindings under her hospital robes.

Her wand lay on the bedside table and she grabbed it -- just in case.

Daphne raised an eyebrow. “Do you even know where he is?”

“I’ll find him,” she replied determinedly. Walking to the foot of her bed past the curtains, she could see beds all around the ward, but couldn’t tell--

“He’s two beds down that way.” Daphne pointed the direction opposite where Ginny had looked. Not foolish enough to get in her way, Daphne followed as Ginny hobbled the two beds over.

Draco's Healer walked away from his bed. She took one look at Ginny and scowled fiercely. Pointedly, her scowl took in Ginny's bare feet and hospital gown.

Ginny scowled right back at her. She jabbed a finger to point at her bandaged side. "Not bleeding!"

With a wry twist of her lips, the Healer let Ginny pass.

Draco was sitting up in bed, leaning back among pillows as he chatted with Blaise, in a chair next to the bed. Already, Draco looked healthier, the color back in his face, a smile coming easily to his lips. Finally noticing Ginny at the foot of his bed, he cut off mid-sentence to drink in the sight of her.

"Hey," Ginny grinned, not breaking eye contact. "You look better. How do you feel?"

Draco returned the grin. "I don't remember feeling worse, just woke up here."

"He thought he was well enough to hunt you down," Blaise tried to sound reprimanding, but fell short. "Looks like you weren't much wiser." Blaise still had hollows under his eyes, but his grin was undimmed. He looked positively thrilled just to be sitting in a chair chatting with friends.

"How's the side?" Draco asked, worry creasing his forehead slightly.

Ginny chuckled, coming around to sit on Draco's bed facing him. "I'm assuming it's fine, or I wouldn't be awake." He put his hand on hers and she laced their fingers. “How’re you and Goyle holding up, Blaise?”

Daphne pulled up a chair next to Blaise, who threw an arm around her. “The Healers forced us to eat pounds of chocolate until we were sick,” Blaise informed them dryly, looking very sorry for himself. “If I never eat chocolate again, it’ll still be too soon.”

"The Death Eaters didn't..." Ginny paused, searching for the right words. "do anything to you?"

Surprisingly, a wry grin stole over his face. "Torture us, you mean? Not at all."

"Don't let him fool you," Daphne growled. "He had bruises aplenty, a broken nose, and a cracked rib."

"That's still light," Draco softly replied.

Blaise nodded solemnly, agreeing with his friend's assessment. "The only thing I could think was that they still expected us to join them. What they gave Goyle and me were loving caresses compared to what they put the non-Slytherin Aurors through." He chuckled. "I doubt they still expect us to join now."

Daphne's face fell. “Those other Aurors are critical, though. Hermione’s been in and out of here, trying to find out what they gave away and what they learned before they…”

“Die.” Ginny’s word rang hollowly in the silence that followed. Daphne gave a slow nod.

Worry creased Draco’s forehead. “Has Theo…?”

Daphne shook her head. “His court-martial is set for Thursday.”

“Lovely,” Draco grimaced.

The serious atmosphere was too much for Blaise. He’d been gone too long to suppress his mischief any longer. "A griffin Patronus, Draco? How Slytherin of you."

Draco groaned. “Even while I’m bloody rescuing you, you still manage to find something to hold over me.”

Blaise snorted. “It was hard to miss, mate. All large and glowing and Gryffindor-y.”

Draco turned to the resident Gryffindor. “I blame you for this. If I hadn’t been trying to help you I would have gotten a proper snake.”

Laughter burst from Ginny. “Griffin, not Gryffindor. I think it fits you, what with griffins being proud, ferocious and only occasionally befriending wizards.” She raised an eyebrow, infected by Blaise’s mischief. “Sounds like a certain Slytherin I know.”

Draco’s scowl deepened. “Change it back, Weasley.”

“I can’t! It’s a manifestation of who you truly are, Draco. Why in the world would I want to alter that?” Ginny’s eyes glittered happily. “Besides, I think it’s quite fitting that the Captain of Slytherin Squad has my house emblem for a Patronus. Fair’s fair.”

Pointedly, Daphne cleared her throat. "Speaking of a certain Gryffindor, if I recall my Care of Magical Creatures classes, Ginny’s poor horse Patronus isn’t safe around this monster. Griffins eat horses.”

“Aha!” Draco looked triumphant. “Now you have to change it back.”

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Patronuses don’t have to get along. We’ll be fine.”

Blaise frowned, distracted by a stray thought. “I thought sometimes they did get along…”

At his comment, Daphne also remembered, and appeared to be dying. She clutched her stomach as waves of laughter rolled over her. "Yes! Sometimes they do!" she managed through a fresh bout of giggles, "Griffins and horses can fall in love and make--"

The realization hit. Draco blanched. "Hippogriffs."

Stifling her shock, Ginny clapped a hand over her mouth. "No, they can't possibly..."

Blaise nodded sagely, managing a straighter face than all of them combined. "The rare, majestic hippogriff symbolizes love that defies all boundaries. It’s a good thing Daphne and I paid attention in Care of Magical Creatures, Draco. I do remember hippogriffs being your favorite."

Draco growled, chucking a pillow at Blaise's head. Blaise caught it deftly, tucking it behind himself.

Love that defies all boundaries. Ginny flushed red to the roots of her hair. Thankfully, none of the Slytherins knew Patronuses weren’t the least bit random.

Out of the corner of her eye, Daphne shot Ginny a sly look. “So what’s it mean that I have a sparrow?”

That question was far too perceptive for Ginny’s taste. She turned an even brighter shade of red. “It means that you have a sparrow.”

Blaise raised an eyebrow, not about to let Ginny’s discomfort slip by unexploited. “And say I got--”

“A flobberworm,” Draco cut in bitterly.

“--a sparrow.” Blaise smirked. “That wouldn’t mean anything in particular?”

Ginny cleared her throat to buy herself time. “Well, it uh, might not mean anything, no.”

All three Slytherins watched her carefully, catching the implication Ginny had tried to step around. Draco focused intently, waiting for the next words.

Finally, it was Daphne who grew tired of waiting, and asked, “Might?”

Ginny was positive that her toes turned red with the force of her blush. There just wasn’t a good way to say it, so she blurted it as fast as she dared. “Patronuses reflect who you are. They can indicate compatibility, or...uh...change to match when you love someone. So maybe Blaise's would have been a sparrow all along, maybe it would have changed to match Daphne.”

With pale skin, in a white hospital gown, among white pillows and white sheets, the red of Draco’s blush exploded across his face. Even from halfway across the hospital, the sight was unmistakable.

Blaise smirked broadly. “So Draco--”

“Don’t.” Draco’s blush spread further, undermining his attempt at a threatening tone. “Don’t even think about it.”

The stronger Draco blushed, the wider Blaise smirked. “I was just going to ask if I should try casting the Patronus again,” he replied innocently. “For… educational purposes, you understand.”

Draco glared, cheeks still reddening. “Educational, my arse.”

“All my life, I thought Patronuses were just for carrying messages nearly instantaneously, without a chance of interception, to anyone, anywhere. Now that I know it’s a better compatibility test than Amortentia...” Blaise shrugged helplessly. “That I can get behind.”

“It’s quite a difficult spell,” Daphne added, oozing pride. “I still can’t believe little old me beat both my Captain and our so-called Charms Expert to a corporeal Patronus.”

The ‘so-called’ Charms Expert raised an eyebrow skeptically. “Yes, pardon me for letting my skills wither while I was gone,” he replied dryly. “How thoughtless.”

Instantly, Daphne’s gaze dropped, ashamed of her cavalier comment.

Blaise groaned. “Oh, come on! If I can’t joke about being captured, then what’s the bloody point?!

The other three shared a laugh, enjoying having their friend back. It had been too long.

The laughter tapered off as Draco’s bedside curtain pulled back with a rattle. The stern Healer stepped around it, taking in Draco’s three visitors with a weary sigh. Her scowl lingered on Ginny, the constant thorn in her side, sitting too comfortably on her patient’s bed.

“They can hear whatever it is you have to tell me,” Draco said, misunderstanding.

His Healer nodded briskly. “You had all the signs of a Dark curse hitting you, but without knowing what kind, I couldn’t release you in case you dropped dead without warning.” She straightened her papers importantly. “It was a slowing curse, designed to target the internals. Your body would have kept slowing down until it stopped.”

Involuntarily, Ginny’s hand tightened around Draco’s. He sent her a reassuring squeeze back. “I’m glad you stopped it first, then.”

The Healer gave a nod in acknowledgement. “I managed to halt the effects, so you’ll be fully healthy in a few days. Stay calm, relaxed, and you’re free to go.”

At ‘calm’ and ‘relaxed’, the Healer glared at Ginny. She shuffled papers around, putting a new set on top. “As for you,” she glared again at the redhead for good measure, “your Healer was more than happy to release you from his care. Provided you do nothing to aggravate your side for at least two days.” She arched an eyebrow. “Think you can manage that?”

Ginny grinned mischievously. “So no Quidditch?”

The Healer scowled, not taking the risk Ginny wasn’t kidding. “No. Quidditch,” she bit out. “No riding dragons, no battling Dark Wizards, nothing your mother would gasp at you doing.” She leaned closer. “And I know your mother.”

Ginny sobered at that, nodding solemnly. She understood the threat.

The Healer straightened. “Your personal possessions are on your own bed, when you’re ready to leave.” With a curt nod, she strode away.

Draco raised an eyebrow at the witch’s retreating back. “What got in her tea?”

“Ginny did,” Daphne snorted. “She refused to leave your unconscious side, even while gushing blood all over you. Her Healer had to knock her out to pry her away.”

Draco turned to Ginny, his face unreadable. She quickly looked away, unable to meet his eyes. “More like dripping, really,” she replied weakly. “And not actually on you…”

He gave her hand a gentle squeeze. Ginny pointedly stared down at their intertwined fingers instead of his face.

Blaise stood, clearing his throat. "Hey Daphne, let's go get the Weaselette's stuff for her."

Daphne smirked, understanding perfectly, and followed Blaise away from the bed.

After they were out of sight, Draco softly said, "You scared me too, back there."

Ginny looked up at that, watching him in confusion.

"You went down while they took killing shots." With a sigh, he leaned back against the pillows, eyes closed. "I got sick of them getting away with that."

"Was that your first...?" she asked.

Eyes still closed, Draco nodded.

"I'm sorry," Ginny said softly.

His eyes opened at that. "I'm not. I'd do it again in a heartbeat. They got my message, and stopped singling you out."

"They just singled you out instead," Ginny drawled. "I think they got a different message than you intended."

Draco studied her intently. "Have you ever killed anyone?"

Ginny nodded. "A few, though only one singlehandedly. I haven't ever used the Killing Curse, but I've considered it."

"I wouldn't recommend it," he replied with forced casualness. "It feels...satisfying."

"I've heard as much. Although I'm fairly sure killing someone who was threatening you would be satisfying no matter which curse I used to do it." Ginny smirked.

Draco returned her smirk, his serious mood lightening. "Fair point."

Blaise walked back around the curtain, a bundle of clothes in his arms, and directed a puzzled look at the bundle’s owner. "Riddle me this, Weaselette. How does an Auror, who came here injured straight from a raid, manage to get fined for improper disposal of debris?”

Daphne followed him, holding out the offending sheet of parchment. “It claims that you dumped one metric ton of… dirt onto the waiting room floor. Normally, I’d suspect a prank, but after my experience with this squad…” She trailed off knowingly.

Reading the paper, Ginny giggled. "Looks like they managed to free Mokely from his mound of dirt."

Blaise raised an eyebrow, not understanding in the slightest.

"A mission Ginny and I went on while you were gone," Draco filled him in. "We rescued an Auror glued to the ground in Albania. Well, more like we just dug out the ground around him and brought the whole mess here for St. Mungo's to sort through."

"So that's where you got the second Hermione!" Daphne realized.

Blaise's eyebrows nearly popped off his face. "I can't have heard that right."

Ginny chuckled. "You definitely did."

"You've been gone too long," Draco added with a smirk. "Everything's gone completely mental."

"So I hear." Blaise turned to Ginny. "Including a second Weasley, as if one wasn't punishment enough."

Playfully, Ginny rolled her eyes. "Hate on him all you want, but Slytherin Squad would have disbanded if he hadn't joined. And even with you and Goyle back, we're on the small side, as squads go. Senior squads, especially."

Blaise whistled appreciatively. "How do you keep getting promotions without me?"

Draco chuckled. "How we manage it despite you is the real question. Both Hermione and our Lieutenant here seemed to think you were worthy of a senior squad ages ago. It's amazing how well you have them fooled."

With a grin, Blaise reached down and ruffled Ginny's hair. "Knew I liked you for a reason." Ginny protested, but didn't really mind.

"Not that this isn't fun watching you harass my girlfriend," Draco drawled with a hint of a smile, "But we'd better get moving while the sun's still up if we want anything to be open."

"Open?" Ginny frowned.

Daphne smirked down at her. "You see, there's these two homeless people living in my house right now. And I'm getting quite tired of lending them my own things."

"I was heading to Diagon Alley to restock," Draco informed Ginny, letting go of her hand to swing his legs down over the edge of the bed. "Blaise didn't think I should go alone, though, so now it's a full bloody expedition."

Daphne snorted. "Yes, how foolish of Blaise. After our squad's just been kidnapped, raided, and, the last time you went to Diagon Alley, attacked, how paranoid to think you shouldn't go alone."

Draco glowered at her, cautiously getting to his feet. He swayed. Ginny reached for him, but he steadied after that, seemingly stable.

"I just meant cause he's not fully well," Blaise raised an eyebrow. "Didn't want to take the risk that his Healer hadn't stopped his curse all the way."

Draco glowered harder, but knew better than to protest.

 

Daphne, Blaise, Draco, and Ginny walked down the cobbled streets of Diagon Alley. Stares followed them from the passing witches and wizards. Ginny and Draco, still in Auror robes, walked as quickly as they could manage without hobbling. Ginny’s side felt better than it had in a long time, but she still didn’t want to push it. Next to Ginny, Daphne leaned as close to Blaise as she could manage without knocking him over. Daphne and Blaise surveyed the passing crowds, their hands only a twitch away from their wands at all times. With Draco and Ginny still healing, Blaise and Daphne considered themselves on-duty. They took their job seriously.

"I don't get it though," Ginny whispered to Draco. "Why's everyone staring? We can't be the only Aurors to come here in our robes."

Draco chuckled. "You haven't gone out in public with us very often. They stared last time as well, when it was just the two of us. You didn't notice, apparently."

"I did," Ginny frowned. "I just assumed it was because we were here together, and not trying to murder each other."

Blaise gave a wry grin. "Not exactly."

A older witch sniffed as she walked past them. With a sneer at Ginny, she hissed under her breath, "I expected better of a Weasley."

As the witch strode proudly off, the pieces clicked. Ginny sped up, her fingers wrapping around her wand. She grabbed the witch's shoulder, turning her around to face herself. "Excuse me?" Burning anger rose inside Ginny. "What was that you said?"

The witch slapped Ginny's hand off her shoulder. "I'll say it again, if you like. I thought better of a Weasley than to associate with pureblooded scum." The witch shrugged disdainfully. "I guess all purebloods do stick with their own in the end."

"You mean with Aurors," Ginny's blood pulsed heatedly through her veins. "Those people you call scum nearly died protecting you!" She gestured wildly to the three Slytherins, wisely hanging back and pretending not to hear a word.

The witch dared to laugh at that. Ginny's knuckles tightened on her wand. "I'll believe it when I see it. There's bets on how long before they join their families' cells in Azkaban."

Ginny's wand shook. Barely, she kept from hexing the witch outright. "How dare you! You don't even have the slightest idea--"

Daphne laughed loudly and disdainfully, coming around from behind. "There's a joke, thinking a stupid bint like that would be worth a conversation!" She tossed an arm around Ginny's shoulders, pulling her away. "Come on, Weasley. We have Muggles to torture, Dark Lords to resurrect, all the usual."

The witch drew herself up to her full height. "You think it funny? To mock that which your kind still does?"

Daphne threw a hand over her mouth, feigning innocent surprise. "Oh my goodness! Have I offended you? Whatever shall I do? I shan't sleep at night now!"

The witch's mouth twitched in indignation. Daphne wiggled her fingers in a dismissive goodbye. Her arm still around Ginny's shoulders, she led her back to the guys.

Ginny shoved her wand back into her pocket, spitting rage. "I should have hexed her! She shouldn't just get away with that!"

Draco raised an eyebrow. "So this was your first time."

"This?!" Ginny spat, fury glowing in her eyes. "This is what you get all the time?!"

Draco shrugged, imitating nonchalance as he observed Ginny. "Some days are worse than others. It's gotten better since joining the Aurors, but I doubt it'll go away entirely."

"I don't care what Daphne does," Ginny steamed. "I'm hexing the next one."

"We'd rather you not," Blaise replied lightly.

That caught Ginny short. Confused, she waited for him to continue.

"It'll make news," he said softly. "And no matter what they do to aggravate us, that part gets conveniently left out every time."

"We were boycotted the last time the Daily Prophet even tried to tell our side of the story," Draco said. "Now we just don't carry those articles, but all the other papers will, and revel in sensationalizing it."

"That's..." Ginny trailed off.

"Ridiculously unfair?" Daphne shrugged. "Thought you'd be used to it by now, after what the papers did to Potter. It’s all about what sells at the moment.”

Wasn’t she used to it? New resolve stole over Ginny, making her nod fiercely. “You’re right, I am. Which is why I’ll hex the next one and offer a full-page interview to anyone who wants it.” Satisfied, she strode purposefully off. The Slytherins followed after.

“Ginny,” Draco chuckled fondly, “you’ll just bring yourself down with us.”

“Good.” Fire still burned in her eyes. “I’m a Weasley, I can’t handle being admired for too long without feeling nauseous.”

“Don’t worry, dating me will fix that for you.” Draco’s hands shoved down deep in his pockets. “Being admired, that is. She won’t be the only one to assume we’ve corrupted you.”

“I…” Ginny trailed off as a thought hit her. “Are you purposely not touching me in public?”

Draco nodded, a smirk flitting around his mouth.

Draco Malfoy,” Ginny hissed, leaning closer to furiously whisper, “You put your arm around me this instant or I will hex it there for you!”

Daphne and Blaise chuckled as Draco complied, smirking broadly. “Your wish is my command, Weasley.”

As Draco had predicted, his arm openly around her made the glares intensify. Ginny welcomed it, sneering right back at them. Thankfully for them, no one else was foolish enough to actually comment.

“So what are we even here to get?” Blaise asked. “So far we’ve passed the bookstore, robe shop, animal emporium…”

At once, they all spotted the same shop. Its unmistakable red wood and wide display window called to them: Quality Quidditch Supplies. Draco and Ginny turned to each other with a grin of childlike mischief.

Daphne read both of them like books. She leveled her fiercest glare at them. “Not. On. My. Life. I may not be your mum, but you are staying in my house. And if either of you so much as touches a broom while you’re recovering, I will kick you out on your sorry, homeless arses. Do I make myself clear?”

Draco scowled right back at her. “We weren’t going to ride them. Just stare longingly.”

“Uh huh.” Daphne raised an eyebrow, knowing better than to believe him.

Ginny kicked uselessly at the cobblestones. “Nothing makes me want to do something more than being told I can’t do it.”

Blaise snorted. “And to think I’d been wondering if the Sorting Hat should have put you in Slytherin.” He started off down the road. “Come on, you lot. It’s been far too long since I’ve had ice cream.”

 

Daphne stepped up to the counter with a smile. “I’ll have strawberry, please.”

Ginny was next. “One Triple Chocolate Delight for me, thanks.”

Draco, third in line, mumbled his order.

The ice cream server frowned, leaning forward. “I’m sorry, I didn’t catch that.”

Draco cleared his throat. He tried again, no louder than before.

The server’s frown deepened. “I’m sorry?”

Sounding like he was ordering an amputation instead of an ice cream, Draco gritted out, “Triple. Chocolate. Delight.” Belatedly, he tacked on, “Please.”

Bewildered, the server took his order.

Ginny giggled unashamedly. “No vanilla this time?”

A pained sigh escaped Draco. “Gracious in victory as always.”

Raising an eyebrow at the strange couple in front of him, Blaise simply told the ice cream server, “Do your worst.”

The crack of Apparition split the air behind them.

Adrenaline slammed through Draco. He spun, his wand flying into his hand. Beside him, Ginny, Blaise, and Daphne also trained their wands on--

Two Aurors?

The Aurors ignored the Slytherin Squad members, scanning every corner of the room, their wands and eyes not stopping for a moment. Around the ice cream parlor, patrons jumped up from their tables or cowered back into corners.

"What's going on?" Ginny demanded.

One Auror cast an Imperturbable Charm while the other stepped forward. "There's been an emergency at the Ministry. Captain Malfoy, Lieutenant Weasley, and Charms Expert Zabini are all required there immediately."

Draco exchanged a worried look with Ginny.

Blaise sighed. “Great, there goes my ice cream.”

Crossing her arms over her chest, Daphne looked highly put out. “Everyone but me, huh?”

The Aurors remained unfazed. “Only the ranking officers were summoned.”

Draco put a hand on Daphne’s arm, forestalling her retort. “Gather the squad in the Training Room. We’ll need everyone ready and waiting.”

She still looked like she’d bitten into something sour, but nodded nonetheless.

With a crack, the rest of them Apparated away.

Author notes: Angry Blogger Author’s Note:
It always bothered me that Rowling made a big deal out of James and Lily’s compatible Patronuses (along with Snape’s obsessive duplicate), and then gave Ginny a horse to imply compatibility with Harry’s stag. News flash: stags and horses do NOT intermingle, they just look compatible. I think this sums up the Harry/Ginny ship unintentionally perfectly.

Ron and Hermione didn’t need compatible Patronuses because their relationship was never supposed to be all idyllic and perfect and fate-ordained -- just two friends who like each other and take it further. Rowling could have given Ginny an unrelated animal as well, implying that she and Harry could be like Tonks and Remus, changing at some later point to match. Instead, the horse clearly implies that they ALREADY have compatible Patronuses, which is flatly false.

I think it makes total and complete sense for Ginny and Harry to date. I think it makes even more sense for them to amicably break up a few years later. Eventually they would realize that they make as much sense as a stag and a horse -- that is, none at all.

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