Emerald Slippers- [Ginny Weasley]

Two

Ginny had spent most of her train journey in solace, her other friend had joined them around 15 minutes into the journey. Hannah Abbott, a slightly older girl with the biggest heart, most patient mindset and the calming aura required to calm the more excitable younger girls down was the Hufflepuff to their friendship group of cross house collaboration. Hannah was on the shorter side, reaching barely 5'2" with mousey brown hair cut to her shoulders and shining blue eyes. Freckles dotted the older girl's nose and cheekbones. She had a sense of wit and humour which helped her settle into the group with ease helping others to easily understand why she was friends with the two younger girls. 

The group of three, after Luna had begrudgingly put down the book she was heavily invested in, had talked amongst themselves for the better part of the journey. Spending their time to catch each other up on things which had happened over the summer which they had deemed too much of a secret to send via owl. Ginny had tried to explain to the other girls how she was now convinced her brother's best friend, none other than the tanned saviour of the wizarding world Harry Potter, seemed to have almost a puppy like crush on her. Not dissimilar to the one she had on the famous boy back when she was 11. They had at first laughed off the possibility for a better part, until Hannah had tried to analyse the behaviour of the boy-who-lived over the summer and give an educated guess. 

They had made the decision that it was best that they went to change into the school uniforms ready for the welcoming ceremony. Considering it was the first day in the castle, the students were required to wear their robes on top of their uniform, despite the weather being unusually pleasant for September. Luna had gone first changing in probably a record time for the girl considering when she re entered the train compartment her arms were loaded with sweets. Sweets of which she had managed to acquire from some poor first year who was lost and Luna had 'helped' return to the rest of the first years. Hannah had gone second following Ginny complaining about having to move and returned 15 minutes later in the same state she had left in. 

This left Ginny to go last who gathered up the rather messy pile of clothing she had gotten out in preparation, including the forever prominent red and gold tie she was required to wear signalling her to be in the house of lions. She trundled her way to the girls bathroom only to find that there was no queue and she could just freely walk into the room. Only one of the three stalls were empty at this present moment and therefore Ginny chose to use the one in the middle considering the one at the very end was preoccupied and she didn't want to be changing too close to the main door, despite being able to lock the stall door. 

She found herself changing quicker than normal, pulling on the itchy cotton clothing items. The tough material of the trousers she had not worn since purchasing them a few weeks ago and the pressed blouse of which she stumbled around with the slightly stiff brand new buttons. Doing up her tie was something that came naturally to her, as the youngest of the family with 6 elder brothers it had been something she had perfected years before coming to Hogwarts. Finally she pulled on her jumper and robes before tying her school shoes she grabbed the now discarded clothing and headed out the stall and in the direction of the mirrors. 

Ginny studied her own reflection, trying to see what everyone else had that morning when she passed them at the station or on the way to her carriage. Yet all she could see what the same reflection that had been staring back at her for the entire duration of the school holiday. The greyish coloured eyes covered by short eyelashes slathered in mascara to make them appear longer and the few freckles that dotted her cheeks.She attempted to smooth out some of the frizz her ponytail had obtained whilst she was getting dressed from the static electricity her new jumper carried. . Ginny wasn't one of those girls who thought they were ugly. She knew she was fairly attractive, her amount of previous relationships also ascertained to that. She wondered what just had drawn everyone in that morning. Yet all she could see staring back at her was another child who was being pushed into battle on the behalf of a looney old man with greying beard and a love for the stupid moon shaped glassed. 

A sharp tap to her left shoulder took her attention away from the hate train she had started on regarding the headmaster of Hogwarts and to the fact that she was still stood in the bathroom of the train. She spun sharply around to face the person who had the audacity to touch her. She was ready to give them a peace of her mind using that fiery personality that had always been linked to her. Yet the fight she felt was suddenly demolished by the face she had suddenly come across. That Gryffindor attitude that everyone had associated her with was no longer present. For the girl she had come face to face with was no other than the one she had been dreaming about just hours prior. Naomi Nott was stood proudly across from her, the two girls mear inches apart. If she took just a singular step forward Ginny could connect their lips. 

"Oh you're not who I thought you were, sorry." Ginny was unsure who Naomi could have confused her with. Most of the redheads in the entire student body were from Ginny's own family, sparing one or two muggleborns. The hair colour was one which had basically died out in the pureblood spectrum. However, instead of voicing this all Ginny could do was stand there her mouth now slightly agape with a look of confusion flashing across her face as she stared at the other girl. 

"I was looking for Astoria, however it would appear the cow has once again left me alone." Naomi tutted as she spoke taking a second to have a longer glance at the Gryffindor stood opposite her. Naomi stood in the more feminine take upon the Hogwarts uniform, a short A line skirt accompanying her blouse and jumper combination. Her robes were nowhere in sight and her tie was left undone and draped across her neck. It would appear as if the other girl had made no effort to tie it at all. Ginny's hands itched to just reach out and do it on Naomi's behalf. Anything to initiate some form of contact between the two. To close that minuet gap between the two that felt as long as the Sahara dessert. 

"Do you need a hand?" Ginny questioned a silent remark to the tie as she spoke, feeling proud of herself for being able to speak those words whilst in the presence of the other girl. 

"I um suppose I do." Naomi's voice was not far from silent as she agreed to the other girls offer, the Slytherin's pride taking a slight hit to have to ask for help. 

Ginny very quickly took a step forwards bringing the distance between the pair to an almost non-existent amount. She could feel the palpitations of her heart within her chest, the sound of them being so loud she was convinced that Naomi could hear them. A blush worked it way from her neck to her ears Ginny being able to feel them burn as she took the green and silver coloured tie into her hands going through the familiar steps she had completed thousands of times before. She finished leaving the tie in the slightly chunkier and albeit smaller tie style the other girl was known for sporting. The lack of shaking her hands performed during this time was the biggest accomplishment that Ginny had felt at that time. 

Dropping her hands so they once again hung by her side Ginny felt like she had made a step forwards in their unusual relationship. She had provided a minimal service yet hoped it would be enough to paint her as a fond memory in the other girls head. She watched on as Naomi looked down at let out a smile at the tie, how it mirrored the one she usually worn and how Ginny had performed it with next to no effort. Something offed at Ginny, it screamed at her to say something else to continue the conversation and the moment they were having. Anything to keep the other girl around. Yet it felt as though she had turned into stone and was compelled to do nothing else. For she just watched the other girl glide her way to the door of the bathroom.

"Thank you Ginevra." And with that Naomi Nott had successfully walked away from Ginny and off to wherever she stayed in the train. If it was possible the blush Ginny sported only grew more intense as she walked her way back to her carriage and to the waiting faces of her two best friends. Their teasing didn't let up until the moment all three girls separated to sit at their respective tables for the opening feast and sorting ceremony.