It was as if all the happiness had simply faded from her being in the past week or so. Ginny was so overcome with sadness that she could barely even keep from crying in the middle of History of Magic that morning, and had to excuse herself rather abruptly to run to the loo. It was there that she finally broke down, sitting on a toilet seat with her face buried in her hands and the tears flowing freely down her face. She’d not even bothered to lock or ward the door in her haste to get to the sanctity of the bathroom.

All of the stress of this year coupled with quidditch and friendships was weighing on her heart so heavily that she could barely function, and the dam had finally broken. Try outs had been horrible, what with the way Harry had lied to her and the look on her brother’s face when she’d snapped at him. It was as if there was something both boys wanted to tell her, yet she’d blown them both off afterward and had yet to speak with either about anything. It was wearing her down something terrible.

On top of that, she was falling behind in classes from trying to have any sort of social life while working on her OWLs. Ginny was terrified that she’d either completely fail or have to give up her boyfriend, not that she officially used the term or anything, even though she was utterly smitten with him. Then there was the fact that she hadn’t really spoken with Luna outside of lessons since she mentioned the mysterious girl who seemed so interested in her, and that had her a bit worried. The girl seemed different somehow, but Ginny wasn’t sure just how different she was, and it concerned her.

The strain between her and Harry was really a heavy weight, especially since she wasn’t exactly speaking to Hermione either. She desperately needed to talk to her friends, and yet she found they were nowhere near her. Perhaps she needed to seek them out, but the same could be said about them as well. It was just starting to hurt quite a bit, especially since people were still insisting that she was some royal slag of the century.

She heard the door swing open and hastily realized she hadn’t closed her stall. By now the other inhabitant had seen her quivering heap of a self, and they would surely know exactly who she was given the telltale hair and Gryffindor uniform. With a shaky sigh that belied the fact that she was still sobbing lightly, Ginny glared up at the person, tears blurring her vision so badly that she couldn’t even tell who the hell it was. ”Leave me alone!” she screamed blindly at the blob who she assumed was at least some peer of hers. The redhead fiercely wiped at her eyes, desperate to clear the tears from her vision so that she would at least be able to defend herself should she have unkind company. The last thing she needed to add to her list of problems was some horrid hex…

It had been halfway through the girl's charms lesson when it became painfully apparent she could no longer hold her bladder. The bubbly blonde had tried her hardest to make it through the entire lesson but her bladder was not going to cooperate which had her making her excuses to little professor Flitwick and racing to the bathroom on the floor above, which was the closest.

Getting there in record time and barging in through the door like a raging hippogriff, Holly made straight to an unused stall, but stopped when the sound of loud sniffling caught her attention. With her hand on the door of the stall she was about to push open and enter, the blonde looked over to the other row of stalls to see the mass of red hair and the tell take signs of a miserably crying girl.

Holly had been through this enough both herself and with her friends to know what it looked like when life at Hogwarts seemed to have become nearly impossible overnight. Or maybe it was life in general. She had never quite figured that part out. Her need to pee was all but forgotten now as she approached the stall the other girl had chosen to fall apart in and ignored the screamed out warning, though she winced as it grated her nerves much like nails on a chalkboard would.

"Planning on giving Myrtle some competition this year?" She asked, trying to lighten the mood and not get hexed. It was common knowledge many a crying girl had thrown out spells to those who attempted to help them just out of spite, so Holly had her wand in hand now and was ready to throw up a shield at any time. "Weasley isn't it? I'm Holly." She would recognize that red hair anywhere, and she knew the girl from quidditch, though not personally.

She had heard the girl was dating Caldwell though, and the royal womanizer could be the reason for the blubbering mass she had been reduced to. "Hey, you're not crying over cassanova are you? Or is it the OWLs that have you cracking?"

Ginny couldn’t help but admire the girl’s resolve as she insisted on talking to the redhead rather than running out with her tail between her legs. It wasn’t like a scream from the younger girl wouldn’t make anyone’s hair stand on end. The Hufflepuff was recognizable from Quidditch, but Ginny had never talked to her outside of the pitch. Until now, it would seem.

She growled at the remark about Myrtle. There was no way she’d ever come close to that cry baby ghost! It wasn’t like Ginny made a habit of crying her eyes out, especially in public. It was just… well, life was getting to be a bit much lately and she couldn’t help it. She blamed hormones. Completely out of her control.

Unable to hold back a laugh at the reference to Riley, Ginny snorted through the sniffles. ”No, the birdbrain didn’t do anything that upsetting. Some of it might be the OWLs though.” The redhead sighed, looking up at the Hufflepuff with wide, damp eyes. ”Have you ever felt like there’s just too much to deal with? I mean… you play quidditch. Hell, you captain a team. Then there’s classes, marks to worry about. Social endeavors. Of course when anything else personal gets tossed in the mix all hell breaks loose. It just seems completely ridiculous to even try to keep up with it all.”

It seemed strange to be pouring her heart out to someone who was basically a stranger, but at the same time it felt good. Ginny felt a bit lighter just for getting her worries out in the open. Maybe this girl would even have a bit of advice for her. Even if she didn’t, the young Weasley at least felt capable of returning to classes without the fear of crying or cursing someone.

The blonde Hufflepuff snorted herself at the Gryffindor's reference to Riley Caldwell, current ladies man of Ravenclaw. Or used to be, because as rumor had it he was a taken and quite smitten man. "Ah. I should've known better to think it was because of him you were crying anyways. I've seen you in action. You'd probably hex him into oblivion if he did anything..." Holly paused, looking for the right word. "Untoward?" She ended in a questioning tone and an equally questioning look, not sure if that was the word she had needed.

The sixth year shrugged it off, not going to concern herself too much with which word to use as the Gryffindor poured her problems out for her ears. Holly easily made herself comfortable by leaning her back against the stall and flipping her curly locks over her shoulder and out of her face. "Well I doubt any of my social endeavors have anything on yours." She said with a knowing grin. "But yes, I reckon we've all pretty much sat where you are now and had a meltdown. It's quite normal really. Gotta release the stress somehow eh?"

Holly smiled a friendly smile, trying to let the younger witch know that it wasn't so terrible to buckle under the pressure every now and again. She herself had cried herself hysterical during her fifth year. Only she had been in potions class when she had finally cracked. Needless to say, Professor Snape wasn't what one could say thrilled. She told the fiery red head as much too, in the hopes that it would make her feel a little less insecure about it. "I cracked last year too. Right in Potions. I was a blubbering mass of hysterics. Professor Snape wasn't happy about it either." Holly nodded to reinforce the truth she spoke, shuddering slightly as she remembered her two weeks of detention afterwards for it.

"So in short, what I'm trying to say I guess is that yea, I know what that feels like." Holly concluded. Glancing at her watch to check the time. Still plenty of time to hopefully help a fellow witch in need. "My advice? Just stop worrying so much about everything. You'll only stress yourself out. And you don't want grey hairs prematurely." The blonde joked lightly with the younger girl.

Ginny couldn’t help but laugh and nod at the girl. ”Damn right. He wouldn’t be able to walk straight for a week if he upset me enough to cry,” she laughed, wiping the tears from her face in a most unladylike fashion. She was glad to hear that meltdowns like this were apparently expected, and she couldn’t hold back the laugh at the thought of the older Hufflepuff breaking down in Snape’s class.

”Merlin, I bet his face was priceless,” she commented, thinking of the dungeon bat dealing with a blubbering female. Yes, that must have been amazing. Definitely worth a few detentions as far as Ginny was concerned. She shook her head at the blonde, grinning now that she’d stopped her tears. She was definitely feeling better now, and she beamed at the Hufflepuff.

Her laughter rang out when she thought of herself with grey hair. ”I’m pretty sure it just gets a lighter shade of ginger. I’m pretty sure I’d look terrible as a carrot top though, so I think it’s safe to say I’ll avoid too much stress.” Ginny still felt a little foolish for her breakdown, but she did feel more normal now that another person had told her she wasn’t going nuts. Life was stressful. It was okay to feel a bit overwhelmed sometimes.

”Hey, how is your team filling out anyway? I mean, I know you don’t really have to tell me, but I am dying to know how your open positions are filling in.” The redhead grinned at Holly, wondering if there was a chance of her being in the girl’s position next year. ”I know it’s just not going to be the same without the twins this year. I just hope the new chasers are good at following my lead.” The natural leader of a Weasley winked at the other girl, lifting herself from the toilet seat and straightening her skirt. Oh, this year was just ridiculous.

The blonde laughed at the red head's words, nodding to them. She honestly didn't see Riley standing a chance against the youngest Weasley if he had ever reduced her to tears or had angered her. Not to mention he would most likely get a visit from her only older brother still here. And who knew what the twins would send him by mail once it got to them. Holly had known the twins a little when they were still at Hogwarts, having attended many a party with them. Those two didn't get angry, they merely got even.

Maybe that was why she had felt the need to talk to the Gryffindor in front of her. It had been a similar situation that the older twins had found Holly in two years prior. It warmed her Hufflepuff heart to think she may be able to provide the same kind of help those two had provided her in her time of need. "Oh you have no idea. Snape looked half scared and half pissed. It was the single both greatest and worst moment of my life." Holly told the younger witch happily. "Of course, the next two weeks of detention were not so great, but it was well worth it."

The blonde crossed her arms over her chest and grinned knowingly at the Gryffindor. "I'm sure you do." She remarked, backing up out of the stalk so the girl could get out if she so wanted now that she were standing. "The team is filling out, us Puff's have our own set of twins, though they're no where near Fred and George as beaters. Only one plays beater. The other is a chaser. I'd ask you about your team but I had a run in with Potter the other day and he pretty much gave me the low down. I'm much more interested in the Slytherin team. Happen to know anything about those rumors?" She wasn't ashamed of asking for information she herself couldn't seem to find out. There was generally a no holds bar rule when it came to Quidditch. And the conversation seemed to have brought the other girl back to a sense of normal self, so that was a plus.

Ginny was feeling more like herself as the topic became solely focused on quidditch and the blonde told her about her house’s set of twins. ”Nobody could ever live up to the Fred and George standard,” she said wistfully, missing her brothers more than she wanted to admit. Maybe she could get them to meet her in Hogsmeade next trip… Yeah, she was sure they would. She grinned at the Hufflepuff and shook her head.

”I really shouldn’t tell you about other teams, you know,” she said with mischief lighting her eyes. ”Buuuuuut, a little snake told me that a certain blonde was taking up a beater’s bat to keep his precious seeker safe this year. And apparently the rest of the snake pit isn’t so pleased with that seeker possessing boobs instead of balls, if you get what I mean.” Ginny winked, then burst into laughter at her own words. Sky would kill her for saying she didn’t have balls.

The redhead bounced on her feet at the thought of getting in the air against the other teams. ”I’m sure Sky’s wonderful at her position though. I mean, I doubt Malfoy would have given up his precious seeking for someone less than perfect at it. Plus he would have to be confident enough to stand up to his house getting all angry about the sexist rules they had in place or whatever.”

She made her way over to a sink and splashed her face with cold water, calming the blotchy skin. ”All I can say is I’m going to be watching out for those bludgers a bit more carefully. I can’t bloody wait to get to the games though.”

If the blonde had ever been shocked before it was nothing to the shock she felt now. Draco Malfoy, Ice Prince of Slytherin and all around bastard, was giving up his seekers position? To a girl? The look on Holly's face was a cross between shock with her wide eyes and doubt.

Malfoy would never. Everyone knew the blonde lorded his position on the team over everyone else and that it was his goal in life to get the snitch before Potter at least once. It just didn't make sense that he would give up his position like that even if the witch was better. Until Ginny states who the witch in question was and then it all clicked into place leaving Holly no longer doubtful but even more shocked than before.

"Draco Malfoy have up his position to his girlfriend. Merlin that girl must've done a number on him." Was all the hufflepuff could say on the matter, shaking her her. It was worrying though because now there was the sure chance of being up against a seeker she had no idea how they flied or if they were any good or not but thought Ginny made a point. Malfoy was one of the most competitive arses around and he wouldn't sacrifice his team losing to keep his witch happy or at least she hoped for his team's sake he didn't.

"Riddle sure is causing a stir in the castle and she's taking no prisoners. Here's to hoping she sucks on a broom because if she's better than Malfoy I don't think I quite stand a chance." Holly remarked good-naturedly. She wasn't so competitive that she couldn't appreciate the talent others had that she lacked. The blonde was good at seeking yes, but she wasn't great at it like others could be.

Ginny had to agree that it was rather shocking what Malfoy had done. Either he really was head over heels about Sky, she was seriously talented, or the most likely option: both. She just shook her head at the Hufflepuff’s concern, knowing the girl told the truth. ”We’ll all just play our best game and see what happens I suppose. You never know what crazy things might go on. This is Hogwarts after all, and quidditch here often involves Harry. He’s like a time bomb in this place. Something crazy is bound to happen involving him. It’s not a question of if. It’s a question of when.”

Feeling a lot better, the redhead flashed the older girl a grin. She thought she might consider Jacobs a friend if they had a couple more run ins like this one, and that made her rather happy. ”Thanks, Jacobs. Really. You know, you didn’t have to share the Snape story, but I’m really glad you did. It just… It helps. It’s nice knowing another strong girl has had her own little breakdown, too.” At that, Ginny headed for the door, holding it open for the other girl as well.

”Maybe you’d wanna fly some time? You know, without the stress of actual quidditch practice and teammates and such? Just some easy laps around the pitch between two… erm… friends?” she asked, already taking a few steps back toward class. ”Send me an owl. I’ve gotta get back to class before Binns actually notices I left!” She peeled off with a laugh that echoed through the hall feeling truly lighter and rather happy. She’d gotten another opinion and maybe even made a new friend. And it all started with an angry demand to be left alone. Odd how things like that worked out.