Chocolate ♕ Ginny Weasley

seven

Chapter Seven;

"I still can't believe you," Daisy sneered the a week later, wrinkling her nose. "Why are you friends with the blood traitor Weasley girl?"

Patricia rolled her eyes. "Is that any of your business?"

When the news had travelled that Slytherin's Patricia Bolton and Gryffindor's Ginny Weasley were friends, best friends, it was as though the whole school had been turned on its head.

Down the corridors, in classes, in the library... Patricia suddenly found she was the object of people's stares, their eyes slipping from the emerald and silver tie around her neck, to the scarlet and gold one around Ginny's. People didn't even bother to be discreet; especially to Slytherins and Gryffindors, the whole thing was a complex riddle they couldn't figure out.

By unspoken convention, Slytherins and Gryffindors were supposed to hate each other. It was the code, the expectation. It just simply couldn't be. The rivalry between the two houses just existed, and everyone was supposed to uphold it just because all other generations had from the time Hogwarts had been founded.

And now Ginny and Patricia were rebelling, simply by walking together, sharing a joke, and just being civil around each other and daring to see beyond the House crests emblazoned on their robes and see the person beneath. 

And Patricia was just realising just how stupid the entire rivalry thing between the Houses was.

To tell the truth, Patricia was happier now than she ever had been in her first year - and Ginny was already shaping up to be a better friend than Daisy ever had been. Ginny was bright, witty, and quick to initiate laughter (undoubtedly a part of growing up with Fred and George for brothers, Patricia was sure). The redhead was also great at imitations, which was a non-stop source of amusement. 

And to top it all off, Patricia knew Ginny would be as fiercely ready to defend her as Patricia would be for Ginny - and that was something she knew Daisy never would have done. Daisy was an acquaintance, someone she tolerated, someone she put up with for the sake of having a conversation in the common room at night, where all other Slytherins avoided her (even Daisy had become slightly distant). Traitor, many had called her, though some had approached her to talk about friendships within other Houses. Patricia's heart went out to them. She knew not everyone in her House was evil or even just a playground bully, having been amongst them for a year. It was just that it was hard for anyone to feel accepted when they had to deal with so much prejudice, just for being Sorted into the House.

Patricia was so glad she'd finally broken that barrier with Ginny, and was hitting herself for having pushed such an amazing person away for a year. They had fun together, and they didn't care about the looks they attracted or the whispers that followed them. They liked each other, and that was all that mattered. There was no such thing as a dull moment with Ginny Weasley; even hours in the library spent pouring over Transfiguration homework was bearable when Ginny was around.

Thanks to Ginny, Patricia's friendship circle had expanded: there was Luna Lovegood, odd and dreamy but so nice that you just couldn't not like her; and Colin Creevy, who was an endless source of energy and chatter. Patricia liked them all, but Ginny still remained her closest friend.

Things really couldn't be better.

+++

"You going home for Christmas?"

Ginny and Patricia sat together under the shade of a tree by the Great Lake, their books in their hands. They had meant to finish their homework in the outdoors and take advantage of the remaining sun before it snowed and made such activities impossible. Despite that it was still a crisp evening; both had bundled up in scarves and thick jumpers, but Patricia wasn't complaining. The cool weather was keeping everyone predominantly indoors, so they were mostly alone to enjoy the beautiful views of Hogwarts and each other's company.

Patricia glanced up from her book and snorted. "Definitely not."

Ginny frowned. "Why not? Is there something wrong?"

"Not really. My parents and I just don't see eye to eye all the time."

Ginny inched closer and wrapped an arm around the brunette's shoulders.

"You don't have to elaborate if you don't want to," she said softly.

Patricia paused. Her eyes drifted back to her book, but she wasn't taking a single word in. She instead focused on Ginny's hand, which somehow still had some warmth in it despite the cold.

"No," Patricia said. She shrugged Ginny's hand off. "I'll tell you. It's not even that big, if I'm being honest."

Patricia slumped back against the tree, eyes cast up on the sky. Ginny sat patiently nearby, ready whenever Patricia was.

"Remember the first day we met on the train? When I was rude to you just because you entered the compartment?" Patricia asked.

Ginny grinned. "Vividly."

Patricia felt herself smiling back, though it slipped off her face as she continued, "Well, there was a bit of reason that. My parents are, in a way, control freaks. They were both in Ravenclaw in their day... And really, they're both paranoid of failure. That extended to me... They didn't want me to fail at anything. I was constantly told I had to be the smartest, a perfectionist, and they felt the need to control every aspect of my life so I didn't go 'astray.' I haven't had a moment of privacy at home - my bedroom doesn't even have a door." Patricia laughed bitterly. "Their paranoia gets to me. It's almost suffocating. If I continue growing up in that environment, I think I'll go crazy, or at least as paranoid as then. I might have done, if Hogwarts wasn't a boarding school. And that's why I was so rude to you, Ginny. I was on the train, alone for the first time in my life... And then you and Hermione came barging in and ruined everything." She grinned as she spoke, and Ginny snorted.

"We hardly barged. We entered, talking civilly, and then you just started being really unpleasant," she corrected, though there was a mischievous twinkle in her eye. Patricia laughed, and soon Ginny joined in.

"But really, Patricia, I'm so sorry," Ginny said gently, once they'd calmed down.  

Patricia waved her apology aside. "Please, don't apologise, Ginny. It's nowhere near your fault."

They fell silent for a moment, both of them looking over the Black Lake. Patricia loved it here. Even though she'd just told Ginny about her homelife, she hadn't felt more at peace. Maybe it was because she'd spoken and she now realised she was alone with the person who was the most important to her, in one of the most beautiful places ever. 

"What if I asked my family if you could stay with us for Christmas?" Ginny asked suddenly. She turned to Patricia and smiled softly. "You wouldn't be alone then."

For a moment, Patricia was speechless, overcome by the offer. She blinked a few times before she had the composure to stammer, "Would they mind? I mean, I'd probably be the first Slytherin to step foot inside your home since it was built."

Ginny rolled her eyes. "They won't. You're my friend, and that's all that matters - I'll have a go at anyone who says a word against you."

Patricia only had to think things over for a second.

"That sounds nice," she said, a pink tinge to her cheeks that had nothing to do with the cold. "Thank you, Ginny."