Why Would You Hide. A Severus Snape Fanfiction (Stopped)

Chapter 4: The Midnight Walk

"So...?" I started. "How's things? We haven't really spoken much in the past few days. Sorry." I glanced up at her, worried that she might be annoyed at me for not talking to her.

"Oh honestly Amelia. Will you chill out! We spoke last night in the dorm! But anyway. I'm good, what about you? Ron told me you're gonna be doing Extra Potions?"

"Oh... Er, yeah. It'll be cool to learn some of the harder Potions I guess." I shrugged nonchalantly.

"Oh... K then. Cool! Anyway you know the Hogsmead trip at the weekend?"

"Yeah?"

"Are you going?" She asked, sounding slightly nervous.

"Er. I don't think so. Why?"

She quickly looked away and smiled. "It's... Don't worry. It's nothing" She said, blushing.

"Ginevra Weasley!" I said, pushing my plate away and putting my elbows on the table. "I know that look! Spill!"

"Well..." She started, before looking down at her hands in her lap and turning quite an obvious shade of beetroot.

"Oh my god. Ginny! Have you got a boyfriend?!" I said loudly.

"Keep your voice down Amy!" She said gesturing towards Ron, still in heated discussion with Hermione, who was occasionally pointing at the paper in between them. "He don't know anything yet. And I want to keep it that way. He'll go all over-protective brother on me!"

"Okay okay." I said. Holding my hands up and starting again in a whisper. "So... Who is it?"

"Look. I'm serious okay. Don't tell anyone. But I don't have a boyfriend as such. It's... Do you know Dean Thomas?" I nodded my reply. "Well he asked me to go on a date with him. To Madame Puddifoot's."

"Gin! That's awesome! Wait, you said yes right?"

"Of course I said yes! It's just a date. But I do like him." She said, glancing up at me. A slight twinkle in her eye. I grinned at her widely, about to ask her what she was planning to wear, when I was interrupted by Hermione.

"Right then!" She said, slamming the open newspaper down in front of me. "Amelia Baxter. Help. Read the article on how the Ministry will now treat theft."

Rolling my eyes at her, I picked up the paper.

Ministry changes the punishment for light-fingered thieves.

Yesterday it was revealed by George Hartwell, head of law enforcement, that the Ministry will no longer treat Theft as a major crime. The act of stealing, formerly punishable by at least a month in Azkaban, will now only involve a charge and at most around 10 hours of non-magic community service.

I looked up at Hermione and Ron with raised eyebrows.

"Seriously? This is what you were arguing about?"

"Yes." Said Hermione quickly. "Now tell him that this is wrong. Theft is a bad crime and should be treated as such. Not put at the same level as spray painting a building! Ron seems to think that it's great they brought the punishment down!"

I glanced at Ginny, who looked as amused as I felt, and rolled my eyes. Shutting the paper, I folded it in half and laid it down in front of me.

"Hermione. Dow you want my honest opinion? Or the one you want to hear?" She looked at me quickly as annoyance flashed across her face. 

"Your opinion. I know you will agree with me. You hate people who commit crimes. Even small ones."

"That is very true." I said. "But right now sweetie I couldn't give a shit what the Ministry are doing involving theft. I don't ever plan to steal, so it doesn't affect me!"