My Heart Remembers Differently

The Floorshow

"You promised that you would do whatever needed to make this year special!"  Ginny's first outburst had caused the conversations in the Great Hall to quiet to a whisper.  This second outburst had caused complete silence and every eye turned towards the irate Weasley sister.  No one, except maybe those right around him could hear what Harry said in response.  Whatever it was, it did nothing but infuriate Ginny Weasley even more.

"I will NOT keep it down, Harry!  This is important to me.  This is important to a lot of people and you are just declining the position!!!"  She screeched.  Even I, who was sitting as far away from the arguing couple as I could, winced at the piercing sound.  Of course, Ron would get involved.  Ginny's sparking eyes turned to him and I saw him hold his hands up in a defensive way.  I forced myself to look away from the obvious embarrassing moment for Harry and take another bite of the roast beef on my plate. 

I felt someone else's gaze on me and looked up and across to the other side of the room where silver eyes caught mine and I could see that Malfoy was indeed enjoying Harry's public filleting.  I rolled my eyes and looked away.

"I knew this was coming."  A voice said just before I felt the cold air beside of me letting me know that I had an, er, unearthly visitor.  I rolled my eyes again and pulled one of my library books out of my bag to pretend to read.  Fred thought it was hilarious when others thought I had started talking to myself when he appeared to me in a public place in the castle and struck up a conversation.

"I have always had a bad feeling about the two of them getting together."  He said and I frowned.  "Why, you may be wondering?  Ginny is the only girl in a household of boys.  She is used to getting the majority of our parents' attention.  How does that play out when her boyfriend is famous and cannot give her the attention she thinks she deserves."  He motions towards his screeching sister.

"I never thought about it.  I know that she has always been interested in Harry."  I mutter looking down at the page in my book.

"Harry Potter, the regular Joe, or Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived?"  Fred asked.  I glanced back over at the arguing couple.  Harry's face was red, but with anger more than embarrassment.  Ginny's eyes held a craziness in them I am not sure I have ever seen.  What had happened to her?

"Fred, have  you watched Ginny, lately?  Does she seem off to you?"  I asked looking down at the book, and then cutting my eyes to the ghost beside of me.  He frowned at his screeching sister.

"Well, she is a bit more high strung than normal."  Fred said.  "I have never seen her act like this since she was a wee babe.  Ginny was always one for tantrums.  Got her anything she wanted, especially if one of her brothers had it."  Fred sounded like a normal older brother who had seen the ugly side of an only sister. 

"I don't know, she seems different to me.  I really can't put my finger on it."  I say.  Fred disappeared suddenly, but I still heard his voice in my ear and the coldness of the air where he was.

"Oops, gotta go.  You probably should get out of here, too, Granger.  Poltergeists love the energy they get from teenage girls going ballistic.  There is no telling what Peeves may do with Ginny's anger."  He said.  I look down at my plate of food before grabbing a dinner roll and stuffing my remaining roast beef into it and stuffing a huge bite of potatoes into my mouth and leaving the Great Hall.  I had just swallowed my bite of potatoes when I hear a collective gasp and then a few screams as Peeves creates something disgusting.

"Harry, mate, she didn't mean it."  Ron said and I realized I wasn't the only one who had escaped right in time for the invasion of the nasty poltergeist.  I didn't turn around, but continued on to the stairs.