𝔠𝖺𝗋𝗆𝖾𝗇 - 𝐠𝗶𝗻𝗻𝘆 𝐰𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗹𝗲𝘆

fourteen.

THE GREAT HALL
Saturday morning

Pansy and I sat side by side at the Slytherin table in the Great Hall, she was blabbering to me about some Herbology work she didn't want to do. I had my chin resting in my palm and I looked across the Hall to the Gryffindor table, watching Ginny talk animatedly to Dean Thomas. It feels like everyone's into her.
     "Are you guys like... Seriously dating?" Pansy laughed, I guess she'd realized I didn't care much for her complaints about schoolwork.
     "Does it matter?" I muttered, not even bothering to glance at Pansy, I wasn't going to let Ginny from my sight, I don't trust Dean. Suddenly, Ginny and Dean stood up and walked out of the Hall together.
     "C'mon, Pansy, we're going for a walk." I told her as I stood up out of my seat, not even waiting for a response and left.
     "You really fancy her, don't you, Carmen?" Pansy teased as we walked close to the corridors walls, around twenty five feet behind Ginny and Dean who walked in the middle of the corridor.
     "You don't like when other girls try to get Draco alone." I reasoned, comparing that so she wouldn't make any more rude and unnecessary remarks. She shrugged and we walked in silence for a while until we saw Ginny and Dean going up the stairs to the Astronomy Tower. "What could they be doing up there?" I mutter to myself, Pansy simply shrugged.
     "Only one way to find out." She says, following up the staircase. I hated going up to the Astronomy Tower, there was what felt like a million stairs to go up. "Maybe we should just forget this, Carmen, my legs are killing me." Pansy complained with a whiny voice, I said nothing. We were nearing the top of the stairwell anyways. We were so close we could hear them as they spoke.
     Pansy and I were at the top of the stairs on our hands and knees, to be as close as possible without being noticed. For a while, Pansy and I didn't dare peek over the top of the stairs, but I decided to after a couple minutes. Who am I to hide from someone, on my hands and knees, on the stairs? Pathetic.
     Dean and Ginny had been standing near the rails the entire time, talking while they looked out upon the neatly kept grounds of Hogwarts.
     "Ginny, I'd like to ask something." Dean said, the two turned to eachother, I was anxious for what he has to say. Before even hearing what he had to say, I didn't want to hear it. "What's with you and Carmen? I know you don't like girls and neither does Malfoy." He said very matter-of-factly, he thinks he knows everything. Ginny looked a little taken aback.
     "You don't know that." She mumbled, I could hardly hear her but luckily managed to catch what she said.
     "I'll take you back, Ginny." He tells her, taking his hand in hers. I think she looked uneasy, thought I couldn't really tell. "Just break up with Carmen. For me?" Dean basically begged, he could've gotten down on his knees. At that point, I had had enough. I stood up and pushed my hair over my shoulder.
     "What the hell are you doing, Carmen?" Pansy whispered as loud as she could, I simply ignored her. I was doing what I needed to do. My shoes made a clicking sound on the sleek floor as I made my way on over to them, they both looked to me.
     "Talking about me, are you?" I ask 'kindly' to Dean, standing next to Ginny and putting a protective arm around her. Nobody spoke a word. In the awkward silence I couldn't help but think about how weeks ago Ginny told me she wasn't a virgin, did she lose it to him? Not that I care, losing your virginity is more like a right of passage. But, I'd still like to know. "Maybe, Thomas, you should mind your business. You know nothing about Ginny or me." My voice words ooze like acid from my tongue, I could tell I intimidated him by how he'd look to Ginny then back to me over and over again.
     "I dated Ginny before you-" Dean began, but I was quick to cut him off.
     "You seem to be forgetting that she broke up with you for me, didn't she? You remember that, Thomas?" I'd say, tormenting him. I hope my words hurt him, it looks as if they did which was the initial goal. I wondered why Ginny's stayed silent this whole time, she's usually pretty vocal about her opinion, maybe she knows I'll handle it and that I'll keep her safe.
     "Whatever, sorry for trying." He blurts out, victimizing himself.
     "Man moment." I state blankly, he looks at me with a malicious look, not like he'll hurt me. He begins stalking off, I let go of Ginny and grab my wand, he can't find Pansy.
     "Stupefy." I said under my breath, low enough as to Ginny being unable to hear. I point my wand to him as I incantate the spell. His body drops to the ground and I stifle a laugh.
     "Carmen! You need to stop doing that." Ginny says, elbowing me. I was about to get mad with her until I saw Pansy come up the stairs.
     "Carmen, I've been looking for you!" She lied, stepping over Deans unconscious body. I'll have to admit, it was a pretty decent lie on Pansys part.
     "Sorry, Pansy. Got busy. I'll meet you in the common room." I say, Pansy catching on that that was her queue to leave and she bids me goodbye before leaving down the stairwell, her steps echoed as she went.
     "Why are you so jealous all the time?" Ginny mutters, avoiding eye contact with me. I pulled her into my embrace. I hated touch, but with Ginny things were different. Letting my guard down with her felt embarrassing, but necessary.
     "You're mine." I state simply and Ginny scoffs, sometimes she gets on my nerves and it's difficult to not get mad at her like I would with everyone else, I'm scared to hurt her.