Ginny's Sixth Year

Chapter 18

"You alright, Ginny?" Luna asked as we walked to the Great Hall.

"I'll be fine," I mumbled. 

"I'm sorry. That was my fault. I should have kept quiet."

"No, it's okay. You should stand up to things like that."

"I'm sure Colin would say differently. Do you want me to stop the bleeding?"

"Sure. Go ahead." Luna pressed her hand against my cheek. I winced. 

"Yeah, it's going to hurt a little bit, but this is how Muggles stop bleeding. Apply pressure. It's an awkward way to walk, though."

"Luna?"

"Yes?"

"You never cease to amaze me."

"Thank you." We turned into the Great Hall, and, thankfully, no one stared at us. Luna walked over to the Ravenclaw table, while I walked toward Gryffindor. 

"See you tonight!" 

I sat down across from Neville. His eyes focused on my cheek, but as soon as I saw, he looked away. "You don't have to hide it, you know. I expected you to stare," I told him. I glanced down the table. Several other kids looked down. We sat in awkward silence until Lavender and Parvati entered the hall. 

"Ginny! What happened to you?" Lavender exclaimed.

"Dark Arts. What else?" I responded, noticing how the more I moved my mouth, the more my wound burned.

"What did that git do this time?" Parvati asked.

"Luna was standing up for so-called "blood traitors" and Muggle-borns and then..." my voice trailed off, my cheek becoming stiff. "I'm nothing compared to Colin."

"That's awful! What happened to Luna?" Lavender asked.

"A month's detentions."

"Oh no! Will she be okay?" Parvati exclaimed, the question directed to no one in particular.

"She's tough. She'll be fine," Neville decided. "How is Colin even here, though? Shouldn't he have been taken off the train with Seamus and all the other Muggle-borns?"

"Yeah, he should've. I'm glad he wasn't, though," I realized.

"Your attention, please!" Snape called. "It seems we had some breaches of security on the Hogwarts Express this year. We will be coming around to classes and asking each person their surnames to make sure that we have no Mudbloods poisoning our education. Understood?"

"May I add something, Headmaster?" Carrow asked, his eyes gleaming with evil excitement.

"Yes, Professor."

"Gryffindor! You have not improved your behaviour at all! I'm disappointed! Ravenclaw is also slowly declining! We might need to lower the food rations! Let's cut Gryffindor's in half, shall we? Ravenclaw, next offense and this happens to you!"

"No!" Neville shouted. "That's not fair! We'll all starve to death before the term ends!" I have to admit, he had guts.

"Then you'd better shape up, Longbottom!"

"Neville, stop. Are you trying to get us killed?" Colin asked as he sat down next to me, his gashes still bleeding.

"Colin, they know that you're here and they're going to—" Lavender started

"I know. I'm going to find an excuse to be out of class tomorrow."

"I can help you with that," I offered. "I have a Skiving Snackbox in my trunk, courtesy of my brothers. Snuck it in. Wasn't too hard. What do you want?"