A/N: I've laughed as several people have expressed surprise that Crabbe could talk, knows that many words, etc. Let's just say I've given him some extra I.Q. points as a gift…;)
Chapter 6 Fragile
Ginny awoke to a clock striking four times in the distance. `Where am I?' she thought but then gave a small gasp as she saw Draco's face next to hers. Ginny smiled as she remembered what had happened earlier. Knowing she had better get back before she was found, she reluctantly slid from Draco's arms and heard him make a small noise of protest in his sleep. She sat up gingerly then groped on the floor for the invisibility cloak and gathered it up. Wrapping it partially around herself, Ginny took a quick look at Draco who was still sleeping. She pressed a kiss to his cheek and he stirred but didn't wake. Covering herself fully with the cloak, Ginny slipped out the door and made her way back down to the portrait hole. The Fat Lady was snoring loudly. "Courage!" Ginny said as loudly as she dared.
"What? Who's that?" But the portrait hole swung open and Ginny stepped through quickly into the common room as the entrance closed behind her.
Taking the cloak off, she folded it and carried it to her room. Quietly so as not to wake her roommates, she put it carefully back in her book bag and climbed into her bed.
Sunday morning, Ginny awoke to Hermione gently shaking her shoulder.
"Its almost noon. Are you feeling alright?" Hermione's eyes were full of concern.
"I'm feeling very well, thank you," smiled Ginny sleepily and she scooted over and patted the side of the bed. Hermione plopped down eyeing the clothes that Ginny had slept in.
"Harry told me that you borrowed his cloak last night and were mysterious about why you needed it. Want to `fess up about what you were doing?" Hermione teased.
"Hmm…maybe later," hedged Ginny, not willing to share her night with anyone else yet.
Hermione quirked an eyebrow. "Well…whenever you're ready then. Get up and come with us to lunch."
"Okay, but you guys go on ahead. Would you mind taking the cloak back to Harry?" Ginny handed Hermione her bag with the cloak in it. "I'll be there in a few ticks and I'll get my bag back later, if that's okay."
Ginny got out of bed, quickly changed her clothes and put her hair up. She sailed down the stairs and to the Great Hall. Spotting her friends, Ginny waved as she headed toward a seat beside Ron.
"Weasley!" Ginny froze then turned to look in the direction of the voice. Her eyes met Crabbe's. "Don't forget!" He pointed at her and smiled maliciously.
The Slytherin table erupted in laughter. To Ginny's surprise, her gaze met Draco's smirking eyes. Pansy's hand was joined with his and her other hand rubbed possessively up and down his arm. Ginny's eyes flashed dangerously.
"What's going on here?" demanded Ron loudly as he and Harry came to stand on either side of Ginny.
Ginny put a hand on each of their arms and, looking directly at Draco, and said in a steady voice, "Nothing. Nothing at all." Then, tugging on Ron and Harry' sleeves, she said quietly, "Come on let's go sit down."
Ginny had to tug Ron's arm a second time before he would follow her and he cast a nasty look over his shoulder at the Slytherin table as the three walked to their places at the Gryffindor table. Hermione caught Ginny's eye and sent a distressed look. Ginny gave a small shake of her head and spooned a little food on her plate. Ron leaned over.
"Are you alright?" He asked in a low voice.
Ginny nodded. "Thanks."
"What was that about?"
"Could we just…leave it for now?" Ginny's eyes pleaded with his.
"Sure…" Ron replied perplexedly. "Let me know if you need help with…whatever."
Ginny nodded and smiled at him then changed the subject. "I really need to go to the library this afternoon and catch up on some of my homework."
"Me, too," echoed Hermione and Harry.
"Oh, all right," grumbled Ron rolling his eyes.
It had been a long afternoon and the four were sitting at a corner table in the library with books stacked all around them. Hermione was almost hidden by her stack as she concentrated on translating runes. Harry was studying Blocking Curses the Old-Fashioned Way and Ron was twirling his quill in his fingers, looking longingly out the window at the nice day he was missing. Ginny had some potions books open to various places around her as she wrote explaining the steps of the physical changes that take place when Polyjuice Potion is used and what can go wrong when taken improperly. Ron looked over at her paper and snickered.
"You ought to ask Hermione about that last part," he teased and then was shushed by Madam Pince.
Hermione scowled at him.
Ginny tilted her head and raised her eyebrows at Hermione then shrugged when she got no response, trying not to be bothered by the fact that her brother and his friends had secrets that she'd never know. Secrets that sometimes made her feel excluded.
The group heard a tapping noise and looked up to see an owl staring at them expectantly. Ron ducked to the window and opened it. The owl held out his leg and Ron untied the attached note. "Thanks," he told the owl and it flew off.
Ron crept back to the table and handed the note to Ginny.
"This has your name on it," he looked at her curiously.
Ginny took the note and unfolded it. Astronomy Tower. Eight tonight.
The others looked at her expectantly.
"Just a joke Luna and I are playing," she said feebly.
"What does it say?" persisted Ron.
"Just silly girl stuff," Ginny glanced at Hermione who met her eyes with awareness.
Hermione stretched. "I think we need a break and it's getting close to dinner time."
Ron heaved a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness, I was about to die-I mean, three and a half hours!" Ginny silently thanked Hermione for diverting her brother's attention from the note.
"I've just got another few lines and I'll be finished-can you hang on just a few moments?" Harry said writing quickly.
They waited for Harry then went to Gryffindor Tower to drop off their homework and met back in the Common Room for dinner.
When they walked into the Great Hall, they spotted Neville, Seamus and Dean already seated and went over to join them.
"Hey, where have you guys been all day?" Dean greeted them.
"In the library-what a waste of a day," moaned Ron.
"You'll live and be a better man for it," teased Ginny, passing him the mash.
A certain gang of Slytherins walked in just then making their presence known. Ginny refused to look. Let him wonder whether he'll see me tonight after that little scene this morning. She went on eating and laughing with her friends.
-->