Fire and Ice

Headaches and Herbology

Nursing her headache (courtesy of listening to Soshry moan and brag for an hour) with a cooling charm to her head, Ginny sighed as she longlingly gazed at the staircase which eventually lead to the Heasmaster's office.

Please just be about prefect meetings, or detentions, or a Quidditch talk. Please don't be anything serious.

Breaking from her despairing thoughts, Ginny turned and headed towards Herbology, her last lesson of the day.

"Hi, Ginny!" Neville Longbottom yelled happily, as he deftly silenced a Mandrake in a wooden pot.

"Hi, Nev," Ginny said warmly, as she felt herself become enveloped in happiness. Being in Neville's naive, joyous bubble always seemed to have a calm, content effect on her.

"I haven't spoken to you in forever! How've you been, Gin?"

"Good, good. You? I see you're where you work best."

"Yeah," he replied, grinning. "Dumbledore had a word with all of my professors, and they all agreed to let me spent most of my efforts in Herbology! Isn't he the coolest!?"

"Yeah, Neville, he is," Ginny said softly, her mind drawing back to a certain blonde again.

"Uh-oh," broke her thoughts.

"Huh?" She said, turning to Neville. His eyes glittered.

"Who're you thinkin' about?"

Flustered, Ginny's fingers brushed her hair as she started. "Nobody!"

Before he could see her suddenly watery eyes, Ginny turned and waved a goodbye, heading towards her class on the other side of the hut. She didn't know why she was so quickly close to tears, all she knew was that until she saw Draco, she wouldn't be able to think straight.

"Ah! Finally! Miss Weasley, grab some gloves and sit with Creevey," the Herbology Professor said calmly, as she turned back to the rest of the class. "Now, who can tell me why Fragsbay is such a vital plant?"

A hand shot up. "They reveal our emotions, Professor, so are used in trials to see if people are lying."

"Excellent! Twenty points to Gryffindoor!"

Bustling over to a large red bucket, the large woman ordered the class to pair up and grab a Fragsbay, and ask eachother simple questions to witness the Fragsbay's work. If all goes well, to ask more complex questions. Also, the class is to write a foot length  parchment homework of the advantages and disadvantages of Fragsbay. Clue: there aren't many disadvantages.

Groaning inwardly, Ginny smiled wanly at Colin, who returned the smile with a little too much enthusiasm. Colin had always has a crush on Ginny; no prizes guessing what his questions will be on. Besides, Ginny was already feeling wretched thinking about Draco, and what he may be talking about with Dumbledore right now. Her breath hitched and panic rose just thinking about it.

"Right, Ginny, let's start! You make yourself comfortable, I'll get the Fragsbane!" With an aura of golden happiness radiating off him, he bounded towards the red box.

Sighing quietly, Ginny plastered the carefree joyous expression she usually had when talking to Colin. Before Draco, she'd admittedly loved Colin's company and his attention towards her. Now, however, his keen interest in her life was a mere annoyance.

Rushing towards her, he led her to the secluded corner of the the hut and winked at her. She laughed loudly and winked cheerily back at him, her disguise perfectly in place. Inside, she was crying.

"Hold it in your hands... yeah, like that... okay, I'll ask you questions, ready?"

"Can't I ask you questions?" Ginny said cheekily. Only she could hear the air of desperation in her voice.

"No, it's my turn!" He said mischieviously.

"Shoot," Ginny smiled (shakily).

"Do you have a boyfriend?"

SHIT! But wait, tecnically me and Draco aren't boyfriend and girlfriend. He's never asked me, I guess.

"No."

The Fragsbane didn't move.

"Do you have a crush on anyone?"

Well, you have crushes on people you are't with, so I don't tecnically have any crushes.

"No."

"Are you in love with me?"

Ginny laughed. "No."

After several relationship  questions to no avail, Colin growled jokily in annoynce.

"Come on!... What's your favourite lesson!?"

"Potions."

"Urrrgh! Right, now for the absolutely pointless questions. I will catch you out, Ginny!"

"If you say so."

"How are you feeling?"

Caught off guard, Ginny's face whitened as suddenly a thousand pictures of Draco flashed through her mind.

"I'm feeling fine," she replied in a strangled voice. At once, the fragsbane, which is supposed to glow brightly when people lie, exploded in flames. Shrieking, Ginny threw the fragsbane off her lap and doused herself in water from a nearby watering can.

"My my, that does not happen often! That must have been a big fat whopper!" Their professor said cheerfully, to an large bout of laughter from the class. Quickly, they carried on with their questions, the fire forgotten.

"Ginny," Colin gasped. Ginny turned slowly, soaking wet and shaking, to a gobsmacked Creevey. His eyes were wide and mouth open.

"What happened to you?!"