Hogsmeade
The school was bubbling with excitement, the first Hogsmeade weekend had just been announced to take place the day after the first tournament task. Ginny sat with her Quidditch team to try and cram some breakfast after their morning practise.
“They are picking the Champions this Friday, at the Halloween feast,” Miles Bletchley commentated with a meaningful eye towards Warrington who just shrugged and kept eating his porridge. “Well?” He continued when he did not get any answer. Ginny looked between the boys, interested but kept herself out of it. All talk of the tournament made her 13 years feel quite inadequate compared to Cassius new status as 17 and of age.
“Your first Hogsmeade weekend is coming up!” Mathilda Grimblehawk sat down across from Ginny, next to Warrington, and grinned at her. “Excited?!” Ginny nodded, a bit uncomfortable to have her age called to attention in front of her older team-mates, but the older girl had always been nice to her so she let out a smile to accompany the nod. “Have you any big plans?” Grimblehawk seemed unmoved by the one-sided conversation, but having dated Warrington on-and-off since their fourth year she must have been used to few-worded-conversations.
“Not really, guess we will just head down and see everything, visit Honeydukes, and have a butterbeer at The Three Broomsticks of course,” Ginny got excited as she thought of the just announced Hogsmeade-weekend that was to take place the day after the first task of the tournament.
“Ey, Grimblehawk,” Bletchley called over, and as the girl in question look at him, he continued, “did Warrington ever put his name into that goblet?”
Grimblehawk laughed, “not my business to tell, but I would not be surprised if I was going to Hogsmeade with a Tri-Wizard-Champion next trip.” With that she gave Warrington a kiss on the cheek as he pulled her closer with an arm around her, still not commenting any of the discussions around him.
“Weasley,” Ginny looked at the other side of Grimblehawk where Blaise Zabini had shuffled closer. They had never really talked, but those year-groups, the war-children, was small enough that you knew most of your surrounding years by name at least. Since Zabini shared a dorm with Aiden, Ginny had run into him enough that they said their hellos in the corridors.
“Zabini,” Ginny tried not to sound suspicious.
“Want me to show you around Hogsmeade?”
“I’m pretty sure she will find her way there without a guide,” Aiden butted in gruffly. Ginny had to agree with him that she would, but even if Zabini’s offer had been a bit superfluous there was no reason for Aiden to be so grumpy about it.
“Thanks, Zabini, but I think I will manage,” Ginny tried to smooth it over.
“Ginny, I’m pretty sure the boy is trying to ask you out,” Grimblehawk said, having overheard the exchange.
“What? Like a date?” Ginny was a bit confused and felt her hateful tendance to blush take over.
“Like a date,” Zabini confirmed with a cute smile as he tilted his head.
“Oh,” to Ginny’s defence it was the first time anyone had ever asked her out. She had not even thought about dates as something she could start going on.
“So, what do you say? I promise to buy you some Exploding Bonbons!” Zabini fired a winning grin towards her.
“Smooth Zabini, trying to bribe someone to go on a date with you,” Aiden muttered. Ginny ignored him.
“I have never been one to say no to candy, especially exploding ones,” Ginny smiled, “and I’m not going to start now!”
“Great! Let’s meet by the Entrance Hall at 11?” Zabini smiled charmingly as she nodded. “Lestrange, ready to go to charms?” Zabini added in Aiden’s direction.
Shaking his head, still grumpy, Aiden waved towards his half-eaten bacon. With a shrug Zabini left them once again. Before Ginny had had the time to poke fun of the shift in Aiden’s mood a familiar red head threw himself down beside her.
“We’ve heard rumours of a flying-school hosted by ‘Captain Weasley’,” Ginny looked over at her brother just to get greeted by Fred’s familiar face.
An almost identical voice behind her injected “it sounded as pompously that we first thought it was Perce.”
“Then we realized by the eagerness from the firsties that it couldn’t be” Fred continued before she could turn to look at George.
“That left you.”
“Why not Ron?” Ginny tried to buy time.
“Ron spending his time tutoring little kids? Real likely baby sister.” Fred jested.
“What about it?” Ginny allowed herself to admit.
“Who made you captain? I thought the cup was cancelled?” Fred prodded.
“Who needs a cup to-“ Aiden started, but Ginny cut him off before he accidently let her brothers know that they was practicing for next year. She knew it was only a matter of time before the rumours had trickled out but she wanted to keep it under cover as long as possible.
“No-one made me Captain, it’s just a joke from one of the firsties we’ve been tutoring in flying.” Ginny rolled her eyes.
“So, the tutoring-part is true?” George asked curiously.
Ginny nodded. “Well, the dosh is needed. And honestly, who would pay for me tutoring them in Transfiguration?” She grinned meaningly in her brothers who sniggered, remembering just as she did some of her more rememberable transfiguration-failures.
“With that mystery all cleared up, we have an age-circle to cross!” Fred stood up, ruffling her hair as he did. “See you later baby sis.”
“See ya,” she brushed off his hand annoyed at her hair looking even worse than the wind had managed to ruffle it during practise.
“So, the rumours of Captain Weasley’s flying-school have moved over the house-limits. Guess we should expect even more eager little firsties come Sunday. Maybe even some peppy little huffies!” Aiden gave her a resigned half-grimace, half-smile.
“I can do it myself; you don’t have to-” she tried to sound confident, not wanting him to feel forced to help her.
“Don’t even Weasley, martyrdom is not a good look on you. I’ve said I will be there, then I will, no matter how many annoying little brats you drag down there,” with that he rose as well, ruffled her hair just as Fred had done with a snigger before hurrying out of the hall before she could jinx him for it.
----
The upcoming weeks gave Aiden right, their improvised flying-school had indeed started to collect a few peppy little Hufflepuff first-years. As they had gotten to know their flying-students it had turned out that the kids that had come the first time was not only Slytherins as she had assumed, there had been a couple of Ravenclaws that was not going to sit out the opportunity they had heard rumours of in the Ravenclaw-Slytherin Astronomy-class a couple of days before the first practise. Ginny realized it had been pure luck she did not accidently invited a Ravenclaw-firstie to her open-practise for the Slytherin house. That had without doubt exposed her secret team-building. Now, several weeks later, they had a steady group of around 25 first years, and a couple of over-eager second-years, coming from all four houses. Aiden had been shocked when he realized that a handful of Gryffindors had showed up at a tutoring-session held by two older Slytherins. But John Garcias, true to the Garcias-ability of collecting all information, had reported to Ginny as the session had ended that her last name apparently had won out against the green and silver.
Zabini met her in the Entrance Hall as agreed at 11 o’clock when the Hogsmeade Saturday finally arrived. Together they made their way down the same path as most of the school was already on. Ginny felt the excitement as she saw the first houses of Hogsmeade, her first Hogsmeade trip and she was not only on a date – she even had money in her pocket! Their flying-school was paying off, and since Aiden just snorted as she tried to offer him half of the sickles, she made over a galleon a week on their tutoring. Most of it did of course go straight into her broom-savings – but some she definitely intended to spend on her first Hogsmeade adventure!
“Where do you want to go first?” Zabini inquired.
“If the answer can be candy-related, the answer always is candy-related!” Ginny quipped. The walk from the school had been fun, Zabini was easy to talk to and had seemed as if he wanted to hear her opinions as well.
“Honeydukes it is then!” Zabini pointed towards one of the stores further down on the street and they made their way there.
The upcoming hour was spend browsing all stores Hogsmeade had to offer, while chatting casually about objects they saw. The store that really caught Ginny’s attention though was not surprisingly Spintwitches – the Quidditch shop, just because she did not have the money saved up yet did not stop her from lovingly looking through all the different brooms. They had a second-hand part as well, that told her that she, from her calculations, might be able to get a decent broom after a year or two more of savings.
“I’m sorry I’m taking so long,” Ginny looked up towards Blaise who was casually leaning against the wall, watching her.
“No worries, I kind of expected that bringing Ginny Prewett-Weasley to a sport’s store wouldn’t be a quick affair…” Zabini smirked. “Even if I had not seen your Quidditch-obsession first-hand the last years, the Prewett’s history is famously filled with Quidditch players.” Ginny smiled back tentatively.
“Shall we find somewhere to eat lunch?” Blaise changed the subject.
Ginny glanced out the window and saw Madam Puddifoot’s just across the street. She grimaced involuntary at the sight, having heard horror stories from her older team-mates about the place.
Blaise laughed at her face, “I was thinking the Three Broomsticks unless you had other ideas.”
Relieved Ginny smiled back, “let’s go!”
“So, what did you think of Warrington’s performance yesterday? You know him pretty well, right?” Blaise asked as they started the track back through the village towards the Three Broomsticks.
“Honestly, I was just relieved he survived!” Ginny admitted, “who the heck thought dragons was a reasonable thing to let teenagers face? I’m impressed that all of them could come up with a way with just a few minutes pre-warning.” Ginny shrugged as an afterthought, “though, I’m pretty sure he regretted that he kept to blinding and louring it away when he saw Harry flying.”
“That was way more nimble-witted then I would have expected from Potter, I was surprised he did not just panic and look towards Granger for instructions.” Blaise laughed; a bit more unkindly than his earlier laugh, Ginny thought. Before she could answer a voice injected from behind them.
“Hanging out with slimy snakes like Zabini and trash-talking Harry, you never stop surprising me,” Ron glared at her from where he stood a few feet away. Zabini opened his mouth, probably to insult Ron or defend her but seemed to hesitate with a look in Ginny’s direction. It was not hard to understand that he wasn’t sure what he could say without trigger her irritations; other people’s siblings were a snake pit to navigate.
“Come off it, Ron, as if you haven’t spent the last month trash talking your so-called best friend just because you got jealous,” Ginny had decided she was done trying to please her family, it wasn’t as if it had done her any good the last years. “I’m surprised you didn’t just get even more jealous after him once again showing the whole school he is a much better flyer than you will ever be.” Just to annoy her brother, Ginny grabbed Zabini’s hand.
“Ron!” Ginny looked back towards Honeydukes where Hermione was waiving Ron to come over to her and Harry. Ron ignored them to keep glaring at his little sister.
“What are you doing holding that dodgy git’s hand?!” Ron sputtered. “Let go off it!”
“You know, if I ever would want your opinion on my love-life, I would ask for it,” with that Ginny started to walk away, pulling the perplexed Zabini’s hand so he did not have any choice but follow.
“Love-life?! Come back here!” Ron called after her.
“I’m sorry,” Ginny said as soon as they were out of earshot. “I didn’t mean to use you, it’s just-”
“Don’t be! If anything, the weasel getting annoyed is just another benefit of hanging out with you. How pissed off would he became if you came to the Yule Ball with me?”
“Don’t call him that!” Ginny glared instinctively at the other Slytherin.
“Sorry, sorry,” Zabini put his hands up, “though, if I stop calling him ‘the weasel’, will you come with me to the ball?”
Ginny could not help but smile, “yeah, sure, I’ll come with you.”
After lunch and a couple of butterbeers the pair made their journey back to the castle. When they saw the pitch, Ginny stopped. “I’m meeting my brother Charlie in like an hour before he has to get the dragons back to Rumania, want to go flying with me while I wait for him?”
Zabini looked at her with a boyish smile, “a date with Captain Weasley wouldn’t be complete without flying, would it?” Ginny swatted at him for mocking her before taking his hand again and dragging him towards the pitch.
An hour later Ginny noticed a familiar red head on the stands and, after catching the quaffle Blaise threw her, waved him over. “Come on, Charlie is here!” And landed on the stands next to her brother before engulfing him in a hug.
“Mr Weasley,” Zabini said with a serious face, “I’m Blaise Zabini, Ginerva’s house-mate.” He extended his hand for Charlie to shake.
“Eh, hi,” Charlie glanced at Ginny, confounded over the 14-year-olds formal behaviour. She nodded inconspicuously towards the extended hand and Charlie dutifully shook it. “Please, just call me Charlie. Are all Slytherins that polite nowadays?” He asked with a grin.
Ginny thought from Blaise’s expression that she would a have seen a blush if he had had the complexion for it. Then he laughed a little awkwardly, “I already pissed one of Ginny’s brothers of today, tried to make a better impression this time.”
“Which one?” Charlie smiled easily back before guessing, “Ron? That should not have required more than just him seeing you hanging out with Ginny.”
“Something like that,” Zabini looked like he was trying to hold in a smirk. “We’re classmates, and maybe not the best of friends.” Ginny rolled her eyes at the understatement. “Well, I have to get going, thanks for today, Ginny.” They hugged awkwardly before Zabini mounted the broom to fly back down to the broom-shed.
“So, Ron’s in a mood again? I thought he should be happy after having made up with Harry yesterday.” Charlie asked her once they were alone again.
“Yeah, he did not take kindly to seeing me with Blaise. I might also have implied he’s a rubbish flyer,” Ginny tried to look a bit ashamed.
“I thought he had improved a lot when I saw him fly this summer,” Charlie didn’t comment his younger siblings’ quarrel. With six siblings whereof five were younger, he had since long learned which squabbles it was better just to ignore.
“Yeah, I think that if he just had a better broom, he would be a shoo-in as Wood’s reserve.” Ginny thought out loud. “Don’t think he would ever ask mum and dad for it unless he already had made the team though.” Charlie nodded thoughtfully before changing the subject.
“Did the date go as you hoped?” She wasn’t surprised that Charlie didn’t show any objections when it came to her dating. He was usually quite laid back, and on top of that old enough to no longer caring about houses as well as young enough to remember how innocent 13-year-olds dating-life really was.
“Yeah, it was fun!” Ginny mused, before remembering, “I happened to tell him I was going to go to the Yule Ball with him though, I hope he doesn’t get mad when I cancel” she grimaced.
“Cancel? Did you change your mind already? I thought you said he was fun!” Charlie inquired.
“Yeah, but can you really see mum getting me a dress for that? For me to go to a ball with Blaise Zabini? Ron has probably already owled her about today’s date and told her stories about how he’s a slimy tosser. Last year I got a howler when I asked for quidditch shoes after he had tattled on me hanging out with some Slytherin quidditch-players.” Ginny sighed, she knew she could have used her savings but that would set her back from the broom with months – and that a school-ball wasn’t worth. If she mentioned it to her dorm-mates they would no doubt get her the dress, but Weasleys didn’t do charity – that had been drilled into her since birth.
Charlie looked at her with a pensive expression, he was rarely home and therefore disconnected from the tenseness that had been the Weasley-family since her sorting. Even if he had noticed some of it during his summer-visit.
“I’ll tell you what baby sis, promise never to let our parents know I encouraged you to go on a date with that Slytherin-boy, and I’ll ask Leah to pick you out a dress I can send over here for that ball.”
“Really? You’re the best” Ginny threw herself into her brother’s arms. She had met Charlie’s colleague Leah when visiting for Yule a few years earlier, she had amazed the then ten-year-old Ginny with both being a cool dragon tamer and stylish at the same time.