Defend

Chapter Thirty-Five Sectumsempra

I'm walking down the hall when someone bumps into me, causing me to fall and actually skid two metres across the floor. I check my burning elbow and turn around to see Ron.

"I'm so sorry!" he says, holding his hand out for me. I grab it and begin collecting my stuff. It feels like I've been doing this a lot lately. At least the mistletoe is all gone.

"Running from Lavender?" I joke.

A resolved smile breaks out on his face. "Actually I finally broke up with her. Well, she broke up with me, but I'm super relieved."

I think of Hermione and wonder if she knows. "That's great."

I finally have all my books and start walking down the hall with him. "It really is. All she ever did was want to snog."

I have to stop myself from laughing. I know from Ginny's stories it was a pretty toxic relationship.

~~~~

"I've been thinking about what you said," Ginny begins as we wrap up a study session. O.W.L.S are only getting closer. I talked with Ginny about it a lot, and with how much time the D.A and O.W.L.S are taking, I've been thinking I might want to be an Auror. Harry said the same thing, but it'll take a lot of studying.

"What? I've said a lot of things in my life. Some of which deserve to be famous quotes, including: 'Fred Weasley, if you don't stop apparating in front of me every two feet, I will create a list of every embarrassing thing you have ever done and personally hand it over to Angelina Johnson.'"

Ginny laughs at the memory before turning back to the topic on hand. "About how you think Harry fancies me."

"And..." I excitedly prompt her forward.

"I think you might be right. Since my breakup with Dean he's been hanging around a lot more."

"Mmm, interesting. Has he made an obvious move?"

"No, I think he's nervous."

"Or, based on your brother's reaction to you kissing Dean, he's scared of Ron killing him."

"True... Never thought of that."

"Well, how do you feel?"

"I'm not entirely sure. I mean, you know better than anyone that I had fancied him a great deal when I was little. I was literally terrified to even talk to him. I know I'm not like that now, but I think my childhood love is coming back."

"Oh..." I smirk.

"Speaking of fancying people, how's you and Draco?"

I turn around so she won't see my face. MERLIN, I completely forgot to tell her everything. I just assumed she knew.

"Well, uh, it's a really long story."

She motions to the library table with our books spread in front of us, sitting down. "I've got all day."

"Don't you have quidditch practice?"

She folds her arms. "That's tomorrow. Now, c'mon, spill!"

"First, let's put our stuff away and then we'll go on a walk and I'll tell you everything."

She jumps up. "If that's what it takes."

We meet back up ten minutes later and I tell her everything, not leaving out a single detail or frozen nose.

I just don't tell her anything about the Room of Requirement.

It takes a lot of altering to the story to leave out of the Room of Requirement, and I wish I could tell her everything but...