X~~~~~~~~~X
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry, Scotland Dining Hall, then Corridor (Hidden Nook), then Gryffindor's Girls Dorms (Hermione & Lavender's Room) Friday, June 12, 1998 (evening)
Ginny pecked at her chicken, spinach and mushroom pie while trying to quell the excitement in her belly. Harry had informed them all that at seven o'clock tonight, Malfoy would approach them to pass out their blank cards for tomorrow night's big game, and Hermione had given them all a run-down back in their common room just before dinner, of what she knew of the game through her research on it. There hadn't been much, her friend had admitted, but at least being armed with some knowledge was better than going in ignorant.
Fidgeting in nervous excitement now for the appropriate hour to arrive, unable to contain her anxious energy levels, Ginny accidentally spilled the entirety of her apple juice on the plate to her immediate right. "Sorry, Neville," she apologized, watching the flaky crust of her friend's meal soak up the too-sweet beverage. "I've gone and ruined it now."
Always so gentle and kind, Neville shook his head. "No, it's fine. I thought it needed a bit of flavour added anyway."
She gave her friend an understanding smile and a small kiss on the cheek. "You really are too good a fellow, you know."
Nev's cheeks exploded with colour and he looked down at his plate, clearly embarrassed, stammering a muttered, unintelligible reply. Ginny couldn't help but be amused. Neville Longbottom was just so cute! And innocent… something she hadn't been in a while. She sighed for her lost virtue. Reaching her glass into the middle of the table to request a refill, she happened to look up and across the room at that moment… and locked eyes with one clearly-incensed Blaise Zabini, whose dark gaze travelled between her and Neville and back again with obvious disdain.
Astonished, she nearly knocked her drinking cup over again. Harry saved her this time as he reached across and grabbed it before it could tip. "Gin, you okay?" he asked, concerned by her uncharacteristic clumsiness.
Pulling her attention away from the glittering black depths of her bitterest Quidditch rival's stare, she focused on her ex-boyfriend instead. "I'm sorry, what did you say?" she asked, shaken to her very core.
Over the last two years, there had been a lot of animosity between her and Zabini, as was only natural given their positions as Chasers pitted against each other on the Quidditch field, and the fact that they were in two opposing Houses. However, this was the first time she could ever recall him looking at her with naked, untamed anger. Usually, he preferred sneering down his nose at her, or viciously smirking in her direction. What had she done to provoke such a strong emotion in him this time?
"I asked if you're all right?" he inquired again, focusing on her with narrowed-eyed concern. "Are you ill?"
That was the third time in the last two days he'd asked about her health. Secretly, Ginny was suspicious that her ex was seeking any excuse to call her unfit for the game tomorrow night. Harry, she knew, was a little too possessive and overly-protective of the people he'd 'claimed' for his own, and the thought of possibly sharing her or allowing her under the thumb of some unscrupulous Slytherin didn't sit well with him, she knew. She understood, however, where those tendencies originated - in his lonely childhood – and simply couldn't hold his possessiveness against him as a result.
Forcing a placating smile, she attempted to appear calm and in control of her nerves. "I'm perfectly fine, Harry," she reassured him. "Just a bit of gas."
Next to her, Neville began choking on his food, and had to cover his mouth with his napkin to prevent food particles from spraying the table. Ginny tried hard to cover her smile, but failed miserably when Seamus banged the table with an open palm and belted a hearty guffaw. He raised his glass of Mulled Mead–Madam Rosmerta's non-alcoholic blend, which was allowed at Hogwarts; it was Sea's favourite drink, as he always called it up with his meals–and saluted her.
"Honestly, Gin," Hermione giggled to her left. "Sometimes you say the most shocking things!"
"Got you to laugh, though, didn't it?" Ron asked around a mouthful of food from across the table from them, sitting at Harry's right. He swallowed. "Haven't heard you do that in over a month."
Hermione cleared her throat. "Yes, well, unlike some, I take final exams seriously."
Ron snorted, picking up his glass of pumpkin juice for a sip. "A little too serious, if you ask me."
Lavender scooted down to Ron's right, now that Parvati had excused herself to sit with her sister at Ravenclaw's table. "That's because studying has always been Hermione's sport of choice, Ron. You've got Quidditch, and she's got her revise charts. You've just never understood that."
"What's there to understand?" Gin's brother bantered back, shovelling another pile onto his fork and preparing it for open-mouth entry. "She's a little tooobsessed with books, I tell you."
"Says the man who owns every Chudley Cannons branded item on the market," Harry countered with a mocking grin.
They all enjoyed a good one at that as Ron's cheeks turned an interesting shade of magenta.
It was in that moment that Hermione nudged Ginny in the ribs, and indicated with a nod of her chin that she was to look over at the Slytherin table. Peeking around Harry, Ginny dared another glance in the direction of her rival. This time, he indicated with his eyes and a tilt of his head for her to meet him outside in the hallway. She traded a silent message with Hermione, who nodded.
Was this it, then? Was this when Malfoy and the others would meet them with their cards? It was a quarter to seven now.
Her stomach fluttering with pixies, Ginny politely patted her mouth with her napkin, having eaten her fill, and made her excuses about wanting to enjoy a long, relaxing soak in the Prefects' bath before turning-in for the night. Hermione and Lavender offered to join her–as did Seamus, who was flatly turned down.
The three ladies tucked their utensils in proper, and headed out together. When they reached the hallway, an unmistakable, "Psssst," from a small, curtained alcove to one side of the Grand Staircase called their attention. It was Pansy Parkinson. "Draco said to wait for him and the others here," she whispered, replacing the Silencing Charm over the fabric entrance after checking to make sure no one had seen them duck behind the purple cloth. She, Tracey, and Daphne stood against one wall, so Ginny leaned against the opposite side, checking out the competition. 'Mione and Lav huddled at her side doing the same.
For a full minute, there was a strained silence that simply begged to be filled.
"So," Ginny began, wanting to suss out the manoeuvering of genders for this game. "I'm going to ask the really important question." Five pairs of eyes focussed on her as she dramatically paused for effect. "What's everyone wearing tomorrow night?"
Tracey tittered, and then tried to hide her amusement behind her hand in embarrassment. "Well, it is sort of important, don't you think?" Ginny asked, feigning interest in her nails just then.
———————————————————
Don't want to wait?
Get the full chapters and extra content in my PDF store.
——————————————————
https://ko-fi.com/cmrowling