The next morning Ginny was rudely awakened by Hermione rustling around the room and doing some last minute packing.
“Oh, good, you’re up,” said Hermione smiling. Ginny searched for her alarm clock and saw that it was 5:30.
“Why are you up so early?” she grumbled and pulled her blanket over her head just to have Hermione pull it off again.
“Ginny,” she said and pulled Ginny out of her bed, “we have to go to the train station early because we have to go by car.” Ginny fell back onto her bed and refused to move. “Ginny, get up!” Ginny got up about a half an hour later and ran around trying to finish packing frantically.
“I can’t find anything,” Ginny screamed as she threw stuff into her trunk and kept scrambling around her room.
“This wouldn’t have happened if you had gotten up when I told you to,” Hermione said annoyingly. Ginny turned and threw a pillow at her.
“So not helping,” Ginny said. She got all of her stuff downstairs just in time. Everyone was loading the cars as she shoved her trunk out the door and into the trunk of the car.
“Alright, you four,” said Mrs. Weasley pointing to Ron, Harry, Hermione and Ginny, “sit in the back and your father and I will sit in the front.” They nodded and Ginny got in first and slid across the seat against the window. She was expecting Hermione to get in next seeing as they were friends, but she was surprised to see Harry get in next and slid across the seat and right next to her. Then Ron and Hermione slid in to the car. The seat was made for three people and after Ron got in, Ginny was completely smashed into the window and Harry was pressed up against her. Ginny smiled to herself as she breathed in Harry’s scent.
The car ride was very long. The Weasley’s lived miles away from London and with Mr. Weasley driving a muggle car, they were in for a long ride. Within an hour all four of them had fallen asleep again. Ginny leaned her head on Harry’s shoulder and Harry laid his head on hers. About another hour later Harry was shaken awake by Ron.
“We’re here, Harry,” he said, “wake up Ginny, will ya? ” Harry rubbed his eyes and shook Ginny awake gently. All four of them trudged out of the car and onto the station platforms. They started running toward platform 9 ¾ because it was almost 11.
“All right Ginny, Hermione you two go first,” said Mrs. Weasley. Ron and Harry followed them onto the platform. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley bid them good-bye and the foursome ran onto the train.
“We should get a cabin quickly,” said Harry, “before all of them are full.” Ron and Hermione exchanged nervous glances and looked back at Harry.
“Um, well,” said Ron, “we have to sit in the prefect cabin, again. But we’ll come and talk to you once we’re allowed to leave.” He added this quickly after seeing the crushed expression on Harry’s face.
“It’s fine guys,” he said waving his hand, “just go, I’ll sit with other people. It’s fine.” Ron and Hermione walked away leaving Harry and Ginny alone. Harry turned to Ginny and said, “Shall we find a cabin then?” Ginny also looked nervous after he asked her.
“I’m sorry Harry,” she said, “I’m meeting Dean.” She sounded truly sorry and Harry felt crushed, but he acted like it was nothing.
“Oh, ok,” he said, “I’ll see you later then.” Ginny turned and walked off. She wandered the corridors looking for Dean. She wandered through many cars full of people staring and pointing at her, saying stupid things that weren’t true about what had happened at the Department of Mysteries the year before. She was lost in a sea of whispering and pointing students. She strained her neck above all of them trying to see Dean. She saw him in one of the cars with Seamus so, she pushed her way toward the car and opened the door and slipped inside.
“Ginny,” said Dean excitedly and got up and greeted her with a kiss. When they broke apart Ginny didn’t smile. “Is something wrong?” Dean asked. Ginny shook her head and sat down across from Seamus and Parvati. Dean shrugged and sat down next to her. They sat and talked for a while but then Zachariah Smith entered their car.
He turned toward Ginny and said, “Everyone is talking about what you all did at the Department of Mysteries last June. But, I’ve heard a lot of rumors but I think that you could tell me what really happened. Will you?” Ginny just sat in her seat shocked at what he had asked.
“No,” said Ginny simply and turned back to Dean. Zachariah persisted though. He sat down next to her and begged her to tell him.
“Please tell me,” he begged.
“No,” she said again and again. He stayed by her side begging for about a half an hour until she snapped. She whipped out her wand and the next thing she knew she was casting a curse on him. He stumbled backward and fell on the floor. Dean and Seamus were laughing their heads off but they stopped abruptly when they saw a tall figure outside the door. The man stepped forward and toward Ginny.
“My name is Professor Slughorn,” he started. Ginny cursed in her head. Why did I have to curse him?
“I’m sorry professor,” said Ginny completely baffled, “I didn’t mean to…he was annoying me….”
Professor Slughorn was laughing now and Ginny stared at him with utmost confusion on her face. “I’m not going to punish you my dear,” he said, “that was a mighty good curse you performed there. What’s your name?” He stretched out his hand toward her. Ginny took his hand and shook it.
“Ginny Weasley,’ she said quietly.
“Ah,” he said, “a Weasley eh? I taught your parents I did.” He smiled at her. Ginny forced a smile back. She could hear Dean and Seamus forcing down giggles. “Well, Miss Weasley I would love if you’d join me and a few friends for lunch. I’m inviting a few other students to my car. Come, please.” He gestured out the door and Ginny looked back at Dean.
“Go on Ginny,” he said, “go have fun.” After this he and Seamus broke out laughing. Ginny left them and followed Professor Slughorn down the hallway. Many other people that she did not know had already arrived at his car. Slughorn sat her down right next to him at the head of his table. She sat down and looked around at the other students sitting around the table. Most were people she hadn’t even seen before and a few others she had seen but never actually met. Professor Slughorn was talking to a boy who looked about two years older than her. Professor Slughorn started asking Ginny questions about school and her friends. When Ginny mentioned she was friends with Harry and Neville Slughorn butted in.
“They’re coming to lunch as well,” he said happily, “So you’ll get to see them.” Ginny smiled awkwardly at him while her stomach fluttered at the thought of being with Harry again. “We’re just waiting for a few more students to get here,” said Slughorn just as the door to the cabin opened and Harry and Neville came in and sat down. “Ah Harry,’ said Slughorn, “glad you could make it, and you must be Mr. Longbottom.” Neville quickly nodded and looked anywhere in the room but at Slughorn. Harry looked around the car to see who else was there. There was a Slytherin boy who he had seen hanging around with Malfoy a few times, a tall black haired boy, two seventh year boys and Ginny.
Ginny was squished against the wall as the car became more and more crowded. She looked around at all of these people and she wondered why she had agreed to coming to this thing. Slughorn was introducing everyone
“This is Blaise Zabini, Cormac McLaggen and Marcus Belby and this charming lady tells me she knows you two,” Slughorn said to Harry and Neville. Ginny grimaced as he gestured toward her and Harry suppressed a laugh.
Slughorn droned on and on about pheasant and his uncle with Marcus Belby for a while and Ginny eventually zoned out. She stared at the ceiling wishing she were anywhere else but here. After a while of questioning Marcus he moved onto Cormac and questioned him about his uncle; she was now realizing that everyone in this room had some sort of parental or family connection to Slughorn and were now being singled out as his new “favorites.” Ginny’s eyes drifted from the ceiling and across the table to Harry. Harry was looking at her, and their eyes met. Ginny’s heart skipped a beat as Harry smiled at her and she smiled back.
Then Slughorn had moved on to Harry forcing him to look away from Ginny and answer Slughorn’s drilling questions. Everyone looked at Harry as he started talking about the Department of Mysteries. Slughorn started talking about Harry’s parents and he began to get teary eyed. Zabini coughed sarcastically but Ginny kicked him under the table.
They all remained in that small cabin for what seemed like hours. The sun soon dipped behind the horizon as Slughorn babbled on and on. He eventually noticed how late it was and let them go. Ginny, Harry and Neville jumped out of that cabin as fast as they could.
“How did you end up in there Ginny?” Harry asked her.
“He saw me hex Zacarariah Smith,” said Ginny, “He wouldn’t stop asking me about what happened at the Department of Mysteries and I couldn’t take it anymore so I hexed him.”
“Better reason than we have for getting invited. Because of our parents,” said Neville and Harry agreed.
“Well, I’m going to go back to my cabin to find Dean,” said Ginny, “bye Neville.” She kissed Harry on the cheek, “bye Harry.” She waved and ran off down the cabin. Ginny didn’t know exactly what had come over her to kiss Harry on the cheek but she didn’t regret it.
Harry stood there in shock and stared off as Ginny ran off toward her and Dean’s cabin. Neville had no idea what was going on so he turned and walked back toward their cabin. Ginny opened her cabin and slipped in.
“About time you got back,” said Dean pulling her over to the seat, “you’ve been gone forever.”
“It was just a bunch of kids with famous family members so that Slughorn could question them about them,” said Ginny. Dean and Seamus broke into hysterical laughter.
“Sounds like fun,” said Seamus sarcastically. Ginny smirked at him. “We’re getting close to Hogwarts, we should probably change into our robes.” Ginny, Dean, Parvati and Seamus opened their trunks and pulled out their robes. After they changed into them, they had arrived at Hogwarts. The three of them jumped off the express and made their way toward the carriages.
“Ginny, Ginny!” someone shouted from behind them. She turned to see Hermione and Ron coming toward them. “Have you seen Harry?”
“Not since Slughorn’s party,” said Ginny, “why?”
“We can’t find him anywhere,” Hermione said. She had a worried tone to her voice.
“I’m sure he’s fine,” said Dean. Ginny wasn’t so sure as they all climbed into and carriage and rode in almost complete silence, all wondering where Harry could be.
The Hogwarts students filed into the Great Hall and sat down at their house tables. Hermione and Ron were straining their necks trying to see if Harry was there. They looked everywhere but he was nowhere to be seen. They listened to Dumbledore begin his speech before the sorting. They waited a long time still anxious to find out where Harry was. It was well into the feast when the giant brass doors opened revealing Snape and Harry. Snape shooed Harry off and he stomped across the hall. The entire room was quiet. People gasped as he walked past them. Ginny turned and noticed that he had blood all over his face. She gasped along with most of the Gryffindor table as he sat down with Ron and Hermione.
Ginny heard laughter from across the hall where the Slytherins were sitting. It was no surprise to her to see that it was Malfoy and his crew. They were motioning something about Harry’s nose. Ginny figured that he must’ve ambushed Harry and broken his nose somehow. Soon the quiet died into the soft chatter of students once again. Ginny would ask Harry about it later, and if Malfoy had hurt him, she would just have to hex Malfoy. She still couldn’t believe she was thinking about this. She had a boyfriend, and she knew that she would have to get over Harry. She turned toward him and their eyes met but this time Harry turned away quickly without a smile.