Dracos eyes flew open.
And he looked.
Stepping out of Rowenas tent, the icy brilliance of the cold blue sky stung Ginnys eyes. She glanced around uneasily for Ron, and saw him almost immediately — as always, his flame-red hair marked him out like a beacon. He was sitting on a long wooden bench, talking animatedly to a large group of -
'Veelas?' said Ginny, widening her eyes in surprise. 'Here?'
'They?ve been hanging around since the Snake Lord was defeated,' said Benjamin, who had come up behind them silently. There were flakes of white snow caught in his black hair. 'No one can seem to get them to go away.'
Hermione stepped out of the tent behind Ginny, snapping the flap shut. She must have caught Benjamins last remark, because she snorted. 'Doesn?t look like Rons trying too hard,' she snapped.
'Does it?'
Ginny was inclined to agree. Ron looked as if he were having the time of his life, surrounded by beautiful girls who were all looking at him admiringly. His cheeks were bright red with cold and he was gesturing animatedly as he talked, describing elaborate parabolas in the air with his freckled hands. 'Hes probably telling them that he invented punctuation,' Hermione added irritably. 'Or the wheel. Or
— '
Benjamin widened his dark eyes. 'You mean he isn?t really the youngest Minister of Magic ever in your time?'
Ginny chortled while Hermione sputtered indignantly. 'What! Ron?
Honestly!'
'Oh come on, Hermione, its harmless,' Ginny grinned.
'It is not,' Hermione exclaimed, and poked Benjamin in the shoulder. 'Go…retrieve him, would you?'
Giving her a very 'Why me?' look, Benjamin trudged off towards Ron.
Ginny giggled, but stopped when she realized that Hermione was still bristling all over like an angry cat. 'Hermione, really,' she said, as diplomatically as she could. 'You can?t fly off the handle every time any girl so much as looks at one of your guys, you know. Well, unless its Harry.'
'I do not,' Hermione began indignantly, then stopped, and smiled ruefully. 'Oh, all right. I know what you mean. Its just that…well, its Ron. And hes my best friend, and he deserves better than some empty-headed veela trollop.' She grinned. 'Not that they?re necessarily all trollops, but you know….I just want him to have somebody as wonderful as he is. I want him to have the best.'
'Oh.' Ginny felt a burst of affection for Hermione. With all their bickering, it was sometimes hard to remember how much Ron and Hermione really cared for each other. But they did. 'Does that extend to Draco, too?'
'What do you mean?' Hermione asked, and Ginny turned to look at her. Her dark eyelashes were fringed with whiteness: ash, and snow, and her luminous pale skin glowed in the brilliant sunlight. The Lycanthe glinted silver against her throat. She looked very pretty, and very in control. Ginny bit her lip and plowed on. 'Well, its just that I mean, me and Draco…if there was a me and Draco…and I?m not saying there is… but if there was…'
'Ginny,' said Hermione firmly, leaned forward, and kissed her on the forehead. 'You are the best.'
'Did I miss something?' said Ron, skidding up with Benjamin at his heels. 'Is everybody getting kissed? Do I get kissed too?'
'Only if Benjamin wants to kiss you,' said Hermione severely.
Benjamin looked horrified. Apparently he had not realized that, as the Heir of Gryffindor, he would be called upon to make such extreme sacrifices.
'I?m surprised you didn?t get one of them to kiss you,' grinned Ginny, jerking her chin towards the veela.
Ron looked miffed. 'I was just explaining Quidditch…'
'You told them you invented Quidditch,' put in Benjamin dolefully.
'Yes, well…' Ron was now red with rather more that cold. 'I didn?t want to say anything before, but what are you two wearing, anyway?'
Ginny glanced down at herself. Hermione did the same. They were both wearing the winter robes Rowena had created for them. Ginny, for one, had been very glad to have something to wear besides her ash-covered, flimsy summer pajamas. The robes were made of a silky thin wool, and she was sure that they were enchanted not to be scratchy or prickly, but rather soft and clinging. She loved the deep green color of hers, too.
'I think they?re very pretty,' said Hermione, tossing her hair.
'You look great,' said Ron to her, and turned a severe glance on Ginny. 'Yours are too tight. Couldn?t she have given you anything…looser?'
'This is the way they?re cut,' sniffed Ginny. 'You?re just jealous that you didn?t get anything to wear.'
Ron snorted derisively. 'Like what? Tights, or whatever they wear here?'
Benjamin glared at him.
'Not that theres anything wrong with tights,' Ron added hastily.
'Thats enough.' Hermione rolled her eyes. 'Everyone hold on to me,' she announced, 'now,' and Ginny reached out hastily to clutch at Hermiones arm, seeing Ron and Benjamin doing the same.
Hermione touched the Lycanthe at her neck. 'Mobiliarus,' she said, and the world around them spun away into darkness.
Fleur glanced up as the door to the bedroom slammed open, and Draco came in.
