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Memoirs of a Red Headed Witch | ||||||
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Category: Pre-OotP, Post-OotP, Post-HBP, Post-Hogwarts, Post-DH/AB Characters:All Genres: Action/Adventure, Comedy, Humor, Romance, Songfic Warnings: Mild Language, Mild Sexual Situations, Violence Rating: PG-13 Reviews: 136 Summary: Ginny Weasley was always overlooked. Always the youngest, always the smallest, and was never really given the chance to let her voice be heard. But sometimes the best insight comes from those who were always in the background. Her story of redemption, loyalty and love, proves that she was never just the Weasley brothers' little sister. Hitcount: Story Total: 178108; Chapter Total: 8926 Awards: View Trophy Room Author's Notes: This story is comleted! I am just going back and editing chapters! |
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Entry 21 Someone Else’s Life Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince “Before I fall, too fast Kiss me quick, but make it last, So I can see how badly this will hurt me, when you say goodbye. Keep it sweet, Keep it slow, Let the future pass and don’t let go, Cause tonight I could fall too soon under this beautiful, Moonlight, Cause you’re so hypnotizing you’ve got me laughing while I sing You’be got me smiling in my sleep…” -Catch Me, Demi Lovato The very first time Harry and I visited the hidden, shaded bank by the Black Lake together was right after our first kiss. We spent most of our alone time there, where no one could find us and we had all the time in the world to discover what was happening between us. My relationship with Harry has always been about helping each other up and through the hard times that fate threw at us, from the Chamber of Secrets to the Department of Mysteries. But those few weeks in my fifth year we had together before all hell broke loose, would be weeks I would cherish forever. It was the calm before the storm. It was spring of 1996. Yes, now you see what I mean by right before everything came crashing down, that is, if you know anything about Wizarding History. The moment we both stepped out of the portrait hole the nerves kicked in. I could tell he felt embarrassed for his actions and I was very curious to hear what he had to say for himself. And so, I daringly threaded my fingers through his and headed down the staircases. He followed enthusiastically with a smile playing across his face, making me sure he didn’t regret what he had done. “Where are we going?” I asked him we he suddenly took the lead and began to pull me along. “The lake,” he replied. The suddenly, he stopped abruptly. I crashed into his back. “That is…if you want.” “Are you serious?” He turned around and gave me a sheepish smile, “No, I’m Harry.” “Will anyone every tire of that joke? The lake sounds perfect.” I led now, excited, still feeling the soft tingle on my lips where his had been. It was as though I was on this high that no one could ever bring me down from. We wound our way down the stairs together, hearing the whispers as we went. WE tried to ignore them until two Ravenclaw girls made the task harder than I thought. The first girl stopped dead in her tracks, riotously shaken at the sight of our hands, while the other- who was so completely consumed in her text book- crashed right into her back. Harry laughed. “Well,” I said, “That’s what they get for staring so rudely.” He tugged on my hand, “Let them, it’s not like we can prevent the inevitable anyway.” I slowed and thought for a moment, “You’re right, every person in the school gossips like old women. I give it two hours before every creature on the grounds knows.” He furrowed his eye brows but smirked, “Have some faith; let’s give it until dinner.” “You’re on.” With that he pulled me forward outside so that I was running to keep up. “Well, now I know why you are so fond of Quidditch, where else can you release all of this energy?” I called, “Obviously Snape didn’t have you cleaning cauldrons with a spoon.” “Actually I had to act as though the punishment was terrible. He had me rewrite old detention slips. Most from my father, and the Marauders. I got to imagine their schemes.” I laughed, “That’s interesting; I had a feeling you would have been more distracted with the game going on.” And yet again I found myself bumping into him. “Trust me, I was distracted,” he was blushing. Harry James Potter was blushing. Around me. For me. Because of me. I wagged my eye brows, “Oh really? Why?” “I really wanted to see the game. I should have been playing,” “But that doesn’t explain the blush.” “What blush?” he asked innocently trying to maneuver the conversation elsewhere. I gave him a pointed look but then soften it. “You know what? I’ll return the favor, I saw no blush.” With all the times Harry had pretended not to notice my own embarrassment without fooling the mickey out of me, the least I could do was drop the subject, no matter how much I wanted to know what he was thinking. He picked up the pace again, now seeing the lake in our path- obviously bent on making it over there in record speed. I came to realize that with two people as stubborn and take charge as Harry and I the debacle over who would lead who to the lake wasn’t going to be resolved at any time soon. And so I pulled him back slowing him so that we walked side by side, together. He laughed a bit at this but complied none the less. “Where to now Mr. Potter?” I asked once we reached the lake’s shore. “Why don’t we take a walk around it?” “Sounds good to me.” We started hand in hand, silently once again. One thing I loved most about my relationship with Harry was that there wasn’t ever an uncomfortable moment between us, with Dean and Michael, moments like that had been awkward and strange, no matter how long we had been dating. With Harry, it was just calm and peaceful. There was never a need for constant conversation. It was because of all we had to go through when we weren’t together, our time together was an escape into the lives we wanted. The ones where we had some kind of control. Just a small touch or look fed us more than any conversation. I remember that grin he was wearing broadly on his face; he was watching the lake and seemed so content. “A knut for your thoughts?” He turned to me, his eyes giving me that swooping sensation that knocked my porridge bowl under the table and plunged my elbow into the butter. “You’d get bored pretty fast,” he shrugged then slyly added, “Had it been any other day.” I concealed my smile. “You’ve peaked my interest.” Taking a deep breath, he replied, “I’m trying to figure out why in Merlin’s name I did what I did. Why I’m doing what I’m doing.” That’s what I had expected him to say, but it still stung enough for me to drop his hand as though it were an untested project of Fred and George. He didn’t want this. “Oh,” I blushed looking away. Harry stopped, “Ginny! You asked me what I was thinking,” he said taking my hand once again. “The least you can do is wait until I finish, and not interrupt.” I bit my lip, not sure if I wanted to hear the rest. “What was I thinking!? I wanted to get you alone, tell you how I felt and wait until I knew how you felt too before I did anything rash.” I looked up at him curiously. “I didn’t mean to ambush you in front of everyone…and your brother.” He let the last bit weigh heavily in the air. “And then I just run off with you! Still not knowing if you felt the same. I feel like a git for doing that, and your bothers are going to kill me, but I can’t find it in me to regret it, or stop,” he sighed running a hand through the mess on his head. “Then don’t,” I said simply with a shrug. He smiled but continued to walk in silence. “For the record, my brothers won’t kill you, you know.” “How can you be so sure?” “You’d be surprised, Fred and George have always made it quite obvious they wanted me to end up with you, and the others… well Harry you’re practically part of the family already so I guess in their minds, if I were to end up with anyone they’d rather it be you.” “That makes sense I guess. But there we go again! I am with the most amazing girl I know, knowing what I want, what her six older brothers may want, but I have no clue as to what she wants. Doesn’t that make me some kind of horrible person?” he asked me raising our entwined hands. I touched his face, “It makes you thick.” “What?” “I said it makes you thick. Harry you should know that the only reason I’m here right now is because I want to be. You of all people should know that I don’t let anyone make me do things I don’t want to do. And considering the fact that you’re not in the hospital wing right now, you should figure that I didn’t object to you kissing me.” “True.” “I’ve liked you for so long Harry, how could you doubt that?” He gaped at me, slumping down until he reached the ground with a thud. “But you had Michael! And Dean!” I followed his lead by planting myself before him so that our knees were touching. “Michael and I were falling apart before we even got together; honestly, I just tried to like him to get over you...and Dean…” “I understand if you don’t want to talk about it,” he said stroking my palm, sending goose bumps all the way up to my elbows. I smiled, with his experience with Cho I’m sure he thought some water works were coming. “No, it’s just that, we ended because we both admitted to ourselves that I was still not over you.” I blushed again concentrating on the grass blade my free hand was pulling at. Harry boldly lifted his hand to my burning face, “I missed that blush.” “Oh be quiet, I know you didn’t.” “Well I guess there’s one thing left to do.” “What’s that?” He took in a deep breath and turned to me seriously. “Gin? Will you be my girlfriend?” I took a moment to answer, only because I was committing the moment to memory. Maybe if you wanted something more than anything thing else, if you will it to happen, you can get it but only with patience and understanding. I guess anything was possible, if you had enough nerve. “I don’t know…” I said. “But- I- well-” “Sorry, Harry. I just think it’s going to take more convincing on your part.” He bit his lip, obviously strung high on his rope not sure of what to do, or what I was getting at. And so I decided to even the score, leaning in on my knees I stopped mere inches from his face. And when he finally seemed to comprehend the only thing he had time to say was a whispered, “Oh.” Unlike the first kiss, this one was more passionate, faster. My hands were lost in his hair; his hand were grasping my sides. As though he read my mind Harry situated me easily on his lap. “Ginny?” he breathed when he caught a chance. “Are we…I mean…we haven’t even…” he managed to get out between kisses. “Moving too fast?” his words were mumbles but sincere. My only response was to kiss him deeper, letting my tongue poke at his bottom lip. Sighing happily, he pulled me closer, only to speak again moments later. “Really Ginny…Don’t you think-” I pulled away. “Harry?” “Yeah?” his voice cracked. “Are you uncomfortable with this?” “No.” “Are you trying to say we don’t know each other well enough yet?” “No.” “Are you saying to want to stop?” “Bloody hell, no.” “Then shut up.” As if he had a choice; my lips had their own agenda. A while later we were still lying by the lake calmly conversing about the match, when I remembered something fatally important. “By the way Harry, I would very much like to be your girlfriend.” I couldn’t see it but I could sense his grin; he stroked my hair. “Thanks.” ***** We heard the chatter the moment we walking into the Entrance Hall. “And no one has seen them since!” We heard a voice say animatedly somewhere behind us. Harry pulled me around a corner. “What are you doing?” I asked watching him press against the wall. “Shh!” he told me pointing to his ear, “I want to hear what they’re saying.” “No doubt they’re locked up in come broom closet finishing up what was going on in the Gryffindor Common Room.” Instantly, I backed up on the wall beside Harry. The voices were getting louder as the footsteps got closer. “Of course it would have to be Potter, the Chosen One,” added a male voice. “the Boy-Who-Lived gets one of the prettiest girls in school.” I blushed, as Harry smiled smugly. I nudged him in the ribs. “What was that for?” He asked although I could tell her knew exactly what it was. “Do you want me to disagree with him? Sorry, can’t do that.” “And naturally, it had to be Weasley! Can you believe it? Out of nowhere she just up and snatches Harry Potter! Hardly fair.” A girl’s voice sounded disappointed. “They’ll be the talk of the rest of the year, those two, bet you anything they won’t even show up for dinner.” “If Harry Potter kissed me in front a good fourth of the school, not only would we not show up for dinner, but my teachers would be lucky if I made it to class once in the whole week.” It was then that they showed up, two girls and one boy all from Hufflepuff making their way down to dinner, luckily they hadn’t spotted us. We stayed silent until their footsteps disappeared. “So,” I started, “seems like you were right, seems like everyone found out by dinner.” Taking my hand again we made our way to the entrance of the Great Hall, “Here we go,” he muttered sarcastically. The moment we stepped foot inside the dining room, every bloody student in the room fell silent. Of course. Because Harry Potter dating Ginny Weasley was the farthest thing anyone could have imagined. Except for Hermione of course but she knew everything anyway. I could tell we had been the object of every conversation roaming around the room by the way all eyes snapped over to us. We didn’t stop until we reached the empty spot by Hermione, I was trying not to blush and Harry was trying hard to act like he noticed nothing. I caught Dumbledore’s expression at some point. I can still remember the gleam in his eye and the prominent smirk he flashed my way too quickly for anyone other than myself to see. McGonagall was obviously trying to be indifferent, as though it was just another couple in her house, but there was something in the way she watched Harry that made me suspect she cared much more than she let on. “Pass the turkey, would you?” Harry asked Ron, his voice being the only other one in the room. I followed suit. Ron just gaped at him, wide eyed and shocked. Harry sighed, “Katie?” Without a word, Katie grabbed the larger platter and passed it to him, sneaking in a wink in my direction. “So Minerva have you at all spoken to Professor Gubbly-Plank, about how she is enjoying her retirement?” The completely random comment had come from the head table, each student turned to find Professor Dumbledore waiting for McGonagall to respond. “Why yes Albus I have, she is out traveling all the places Bathilda Bagshot spoke of in her newest book…” I got bored. The fact was that the tension was severed, and the attention was off of us or about 30 seconds. That was enough time for Hermione to help as well. “Has anyone finished the 16 inches Flitwick assigned us on the advantages and disadvantages of a proper vanishing spell?” Neville dropped his fork, “Finished?” he croaked, “I thought that was due next week!” “One slice or two Gin?” Harry asked me, knowing it wasn’t a question on whether I wanted turkey or not, but how much I wanted. “Two.” Ron rolled his eyes. “Of course it’s due next week! Hermione would be the only one done.” “I never said I was finished Ronald, what’s got your mood all twisted? You’ve been in a particularly good mood since winning the cup.” I busied myself by stuffing my face; I hadn’t realized just how much skipping lunch did not suit me. Harry on the other hand, was bouncing his leg beneath the table. I slipped one hand under and placed it encouragingly on his knee. His leg came to an abrupt stop. “I’m not in a mood Hermione, it must be your imagination.” His face was pretty interesting, he seemed amused, yet uncomfortable. I knew Ron would rather have me with Harry than any other guy but I’m sure he never saw that coming. “So the paper is due next week right?” Neville had yet to pick up his fork. “Yes Neville,” Hermione assured him. The hall was now at its regular volume; the eerie silence long gone. I stole a glance at Harry, I could tell he was worrying about damage control. “I don’t think I’m Dean’s favorite person right now,” he whispered to me. I looked over to him, and unsurprisingly, he did not look pleased. Dean was slumped over his plate pushing around the food halfheartedly. “Well, I mean he knew it was going to happen.” “But he didn’t look all too happy when we left the common room earlier.” “I think he was just shocked; it was all so sudden. Everyone was stunned.” “Again, maybe I should have reconsidered that spur of the moment decision.” I smiled and batted my eyelashes, “Anything that would have had me waiting any longer would not have been the best idea.” Ron looked over at me when he heard us laughing. He stared at me blankly for a moment, then smiled, and went back to bantering with Hermione. Dinner went without incident after that. Ron didn’t pay much more attention to us while we ate, as Harry and I tried not to be entirely engrossed with each other, like we had been all day, for the sake of everyone around us. Hermione, in her very un-clandestine manner, shot me glances assuring me that there would be a full interrogation in the common room later. Students shuffled out ready to lounge in their respective houses for a Saturday evening. Harry and I left when the crowed thinned as to not become a spectacle again. “Hey Harry, hey Ginny,” Luna Lovegood smiled hazily from behind us. “Hi Luna,” I beamed back; suddenly aware of the very little time we had spent together lately. “How have things been, Luna?” Harry asked. “Just fine Harry, thanks. I wanted to congratulate you on the Fligils.” Nargles and Wackspurts I had heard of, from the amount of talking she does of them I’m almost an expert. The creatures my friend so deeply believes in are to say the least original and unlikely but I have come to believe in them too. If an animal can have the head and wings of an eagle, but the body, legs and tail of a horse, why can’t Wrackspurts float around in your ears? But now Fligils? “The what?” “Have you never heard of them? That’s odd.” Her peculiar expression proved that I was the crazy one. I mean I guess everyone knew what Fligils were; it must have just been me. “They feed off of people who are so obviously in love. They’re what make you clumsy and goofy; they make you feel light and happy all the time. I guess they are also known now as love bugs, but I think that’s a ridiculous name, father and I prefer to call them by their real name, Fligils.” Ahh, so maybe I had heard of them. Still, I flushed at the comment about love. I knew I had fallen for Harry but I was positive he didn’t feel that strongly. “Thank you Luna,” Harry laughed brightly, “It’s always nice to er…be congratulated for this…accomplishment.” Playfully pushing him, I said, “Yes, Luna, thank you.” I felt Harry beside me trying to conceal his laughter. I knew he liked Luna a lot, but times like these were -to say the least- down right hysterical. “Although, I must say they took their time with you,” she continued her love bug examination, “Fligils usually act quickly in bringing people together. What I mean to say is: I thought this would have happened years ago, especially with Ginny telling me for so long how much she lov-” “Ok Luna! I don’t think Harry needs to know all the details.” To my utter dismay this did not go unnoticed by my boyfriend. “Wait Luna, I think I do.” “Details aren’t all that important I guess, all that matter is the bigger picture, right? You’re here now what does it matter how long it took or what you went through?” Leave it to Luna to wrap everything up soundly in her own logic. “But I must say the amount of Fligils in your system is impressive, the more Fligils the stronger the bond is, you know. Considering how much you have, I hope you don’t pick orange as the color for my bridesmaid dress Ginny. I don’t particularly look good in orange. Well, I best be off. Father has me on a lead for a new Quibbler story that I still need to research in the library. I’ll see you soon!” And with that her silvery hair flounced away leaving us very winded… and very red faced. “Er…” he coughed, “bridesmaid…dress?” I turned an even deeper red if it was possible. “Well you see… Luna and I have been friends since we were little, and what little girls don’t plan their weddings together promising each other they’d be bride maids?” “Well I wouldn’t know…that’s sweet though.” “Yes it is.” “So if you plan your whole wedding, don’t you have to plan the most important part as well?” “You mean the flowers?” I knew what he was getting at but decided to pull his leg. “No I don’t mean the flowers! Ginny-” “I was joking Harry.” He sighed “I meant: what did you plan for the groom?” “We left him out- he’s the part that comes in at the last minute,” I lied through my teeth. “That’s a joke too right?” “No it’s not, think about it- you plan everything. Then the man of your dreams kneels down asks you to marry him and BAM! That’s the last piece, everything is ready to go.” “That’s not how it works you know, usually the kneeling comes before the planning.” “But everything is different in the world of little girls Harry.” “You want to know what I think?” I didn’t. “I think- you are avoiding the answer.” “To what?” “To who you planned on as the groom.” “I already told you-” “Never mind, Ginny, I already know the answer to that anyway.” He started up the stairs, smirking as he went. “You do, do you?” “Of course I do. I know a lot about Ron. He’s my best mate; He tells me everything. Why would he leave out the fact that his baby sister used to go around pretending she was going to marry the Boy-Who-Lived?” “I’ll kill him.” “Don’t. It’s very sweet, and flattering I might add.” “Don’t get a big head over it, I hadn’t even met you.” “But now you have.” “What do you mean by that?” He stopped just in front of the common room door and kissed me softly. It was as good as any answer I could have received. “Oh, it’s like history repeating itself!” we heard a woman cry. I groaned as I pulled away from him. We turned to the Fat Lady who was on the edge of tears. “How you two remind me of Mr. Potter’s parents! God rest their souls.” I wasn’t sure how Harry was going to take that, surprisingly he smiled. “Hmm… I never thought of that. You’re right.” Lily and James Potter. Lily and James Potter. We resembled Lily and James Potter! What was it that Sirius had told me that summer? The comment about Potter’s and their red heads! “Sirius told me the same thing too.” Harry turned to me stunned, “What?” “The summer before last. He found out about my crush on you, and he figured you felt the same way about me. He told me we reminded him of your parents. I set him straight though.” Harry was lost in thought for a heartbeat and then he came to a realization. “That night…” “What night?” “The night I came down to dinner after locking myself up in a room in Grimmuald Place, the night you knocked some sense into me, I found you crying on Sirius’ shoulder.” It all came back to me in a rush. Sirius had been so understanding and supportive. He treated me like an adult with valid feelings. I missed him terribly. “What about that night?” “He told me you were fine, but I knew there was something wrong. He told me, ‘you are a smart boy, you’ll come to your senses sooner or later.’ I had no idea what he meant.” “And?” I asked missing the point in all this. Harry stepped closer again caressing my cheek. “And now I have come to my senses.” “I never took you as a sap Harry Potter.” “A sap?” “Yes but a very cute sap. My sap,” I laughed kissing him for what felt like the hundredth time that day. “Let’s go, it’s time to face the music.” The Common Room was busy as always; the banners were still hung, now sagging and the confetti littered the carpet. Ron and Hermione were seated in their usual spots. Their heads close together in serious conversation. “Harry! Ginny!” Seamus boomed squandering over to us, he was just a little punch drunk from what I could see. Obviously, he consumed most of the left over drinks from the celebrations. “Just wanted to give my condolences to the new couple! Not everyday something good happens around here!” I giggled, “Thanks for the err… condolences, Seamus.” Harry wasn’t as amused, “Uh…Seamus maybe you should sit down-” “No!!! I’m alright! You two are just… beautiful together!” he cried leaning onto Harry’s shoulder. “Mate! Really you should-” but Harry’s words were no use- Seamus had already collapsed into the couch, which was unfortunately already occupied. Not surprising, however, all Gryffindors were accustomed to his antics. And so without missing a beat, the fourth year girls who were seated there shoved him off onto the floor and continued their conversation. During the commotion, Ron and Hermione tore away from each other and became aware of us. Ron stood silently nodded and swiftly fled up the stairs. Harry watched after him. I turned to Harry, “Go.” “Yeah…I have a feeling this isn’t going to be easy.” “It’ll be fine; Ron can be a git sometimes but he wants us to be happy. He’ll understand, besides, what I told you about my brothers applies to him too.” Harry looked down at me sheepishly. “I knew there was a reason I liked you.” “You mean other than my wand work and clever wit?” “More reasons than you will ever know.” I blushed. “Go talk to my brother, Potter.” He kissed my cheek, “See you later, yeah?” “Of course.” Without another word he took a breath to steady himself and followed the path my brother had just taken. I stood there until the door to the sixth year boy’s dormitory closed shut. “Ahem.” “Yes, I know you’re waiting, Hermione,” I said without turning around. I knew that this could go two ways, embarrassing or pride damaging. I made my way to the chair Ron had vacated making sure not to meet her eyes. We sat there in a terribly awkward silence for what seemed like forever. I wondered if something like this was going on upstairs. Perhaps Harry was right. Hermione cleared her throat again, and I reluctantly looked at her. She was perched at the edge of her seat words hanging on the edge of her lips. She wanted to say it. I bit my lip and looked at my hands, as I felt her stare bore into my head. She was dying to say it. However, she wanted me to say something first, and really, what was there to say that she already didn’t know? I noticed her foot tapping. The words were on the tip of her tongue. Another moment of silence passed before, “I told you so!!” “Ugh, Hermione can we not get into this?” “Ginny, I told you and you didn’t believe me. If you would have listened this would have happened a while ago.” I lifted my chin stubbornly, “I’m fine with when and how it happened thank you very much.” She raised an eyebrow. “Please. I know you too well Ginny.” “Maybe you do, but that doesn’t change the fact that I was with Dean.” “And you broke up with him two days later, but you wouldn’t admit it.” “Is that all you want to talk about? Cause if it is I think I’d rather just go to bed.” I began to stand when she grabbed my wrist and threw me back into the chair with a force that rivaled a stunning charm. “Alright! I’ll drop the subject. Tell me about what happened when you left the common room.” “We took a walk around the lake.” “Is that all you’re going to tell me?” “Do you honestly want to know all the details about me and Harry? Wouldn’t that sort of be like you telling me all the details of you and Ron?” “Ginny!” “Ok. Ok! I get it, you aren’t together. But still the same concept applies.” She raised another eyebrow. “You really don’t want to talk about it?” Sighing I gave up. “Fine you were right, he’s liked me since the beginning of the school year, but I had Dean. We took a walk around the lake, and he asked me to be his girlfriend.” “And what did you say?!” Hermione Granger stared at me with her wide eyes practically bulging out of their sockets. She was so excited to hear my next words she didn’t realize how stupid she sounded. I just gazed at her blankly. After a minute of waiting she still hadn’t said anything. “I told him he was a terrible kisser and to never come near me again.” “WHAT?!” “Hermione what the bloody hell did you think I told him? Obviously I said yes!” She crossed her arms and sat back. “Hmp. I thought it would be a little more interesting than that.” “Well it was. Harry Potter finally asked me out. I think that counts as a little bit interesting.” “If you hadn’t already seen it coming.” “Buzz kill.” “Sarcastic witch.” We stared at each other with narrowed eyes. “And for your information, he’s an incredible kisser.” “That’s all I wanted to hear.” And with that my best friend stood and made her way up to her room. Completely alone, I let my happiness of the day engulf me. Now when Harry walked me to class, he held my hand. He stole some kisses, and now that Quidditch was over the time we usually had for practice we spent by the lake. We sat next to each other during every meal, telling each other everything and anything that crossed our minds. The only thing that put a damper on everything was the fact that my O.W.L.s were coming closer and I had to study with every ounce of free time I had. “How did you do it?!” I cried out in frustration slamming my book closed. I was lying out in the grass under our tree as Harry played with my hair. “How did I do what?” “In all the mess of last year how did you actually manage to learn all this stuff and pass practically everything?” “Gin, you’re doing just fine, you are way better than me at all the book work, almost as good as Hermione, why are you having trouble now?” “I never said I was having trouble. I asked how you did it. Last year I could hardly concentrate on anything other than how bad I wanted to hex Umbridge into a million pieces, but you actually had to handle all this too. I’m feeling my brain being fried from all this!” I waved my arm around the explosion of books and parchment I had everywhere. “No idea,” he sighed and closed his eyes again, enjoying the sun. Deciding I needed a break I pushed everything away from me and stared at him. Gosh he was handsome. And just lying there in the sun, care free…where was Colin’s camera when you needed it? I moved over and straddled his waist, he didn’t open his eyes but a smile grew on his face. “You should be studying…” “Not when you look like that. You’re way too distracting.” He opened one eye, “Then I should leave, your grades are much more important.” “You move, you’re hexed.” “You got me there.” I leaned down and kissed him softly, both my hands in the grass on either side of his head. “Your hair smells so good, did I tell you that?” My hair was currently hanging around my face creating s a curtain and a way to block the sun. “No.” “Well it does.” I laughed. “You never told me what Ron said when you talked to him.” I eyed him, “You did talk to him right?” “’Course I did.” He didn’t say anything else, just continued to play with his new favorite toy: my hair. “And what did he say?” “That should stay between a bloke and his best friend.” “Harry,” I warned. He groaned, “Gin, he asked me how long I had liked you, how much I liked you and why I didn’t tell him. That’s it.” “Well I know the answer to all of that.” “Exactly.” “So…he doesn’t have a problem with us then?” “No. He doesn’t.” I smiled, “See you worried for nothing.” He looked a little disgruntled after that comment and turned his face to the side. “What?” “I wasted so much time thinking he was going to punch me in the face.” I shook my head pitifully, and since his face was turned away I couldn’t get his lips so I settled for kissing his jaw, “Silly.” “It’s not funny, I followed him up those steps bracing myself for a black eye.” I continued kissing him where I could get him. “I would still like you even if your eye was swollen.” “Yeah?” “Yeah.” Ha rry no longer worried about Ron. He kissed me again, his hands finding my waist, my own taking comfort in his mangy hair. I probably could have stayed like that for hours and might have if my necklace wouldn’t have fallen from my shirt. “What’s this?” “Hmm?” I asked not really listening. “This, I’ve never noticed it on you before.” This time I pulled back, realizing the silver trinket dangling from the chain that hung around my neck into Harry’s face. He caught it with his fingers eyeing it carefully. “It looks like…” “It’s Sirius’,” I told him softly. The expression in his eyes was not just confusion, but sadness and hurt, I suddenly felt guilty for not showing it to him before. “He…gave it to you?” “Well, after he died…he left everything he had to you, but Dumbledore found this, and he thought Sirius would have liked for me to have it.” The words aloud sounded worse, it made it seem like I had stolen it…is that what I did? Maybe Sirius didn’t want me to have it. The doubt flooded my mind and I sat up quickly searching for the clasp behind my neck. “Maybe, you should keep it-” “No.” I hadn’t really wanted to give it back, that was the one thing I had left of my friend, but Harry had his rights. “You’re not mad?” “Why would I be mad?” “I guess… I don’t know…it’s just-” I was stopped when Harry grabbed the back of my neck and pulled me down to him. “He would have wanted you to have it Gin; I know you two were close. It’s yours.” “Are you sure?” “I’m positive,” he took the charm once more, examining it. “Do you wear it often?” “Every day.” “Every day, really?” “Yes, it’s him, it represents everything about him who he was, what he did for his friends. I wear it every day to make sure he’s close to my heart.” Harry tucked the necklace back into my shirt. “You really are something you know that?” Just then we heard students pouring out of the Great Hall, lunch was over, which meant we had to reconnect with the real world. “We’re going to be late!” I cried jumping off of him. “Oof!” Harry gasped in surprise at my sudden weight shift. I rummaged around grabbing sheets of paper that I had tossed about carelessly. “You won’t be late!” Harry tried to assure me, I only stopped to stared at him; he was hastily tucking in his shirt and flattening his hair. “You look like a guilty school boy,” I giggled. Harry stopped and took two strides forward, wrapping his arms around my body, with a smirk he replied, “Cause I am.” He leaned in for another kiss, and as much as it pained me not to give in- I couldn’t be late. I dodged him, grabbed my bag and made a run for it. “HEY GINNY!” I heard him call from behind me, “YOU MAY WANT TO FIX YOUR SHIRT, UNLESS YOU WANT EVERYONE TO KNOW WHAT YOU WERE UP TO!” By the state my shirt was in…I would have never been able to live it down. The days went by too fast. I remembered every second of it, every kiss, and every laugh. It all meant so much those first few weeks. A few days later I found myself in the company of my 5th year friends in the library. We created a rather large study group, and gained several warnings from Madam Pince, but it really all fell on deaf ears, that day was no different. “Well if it isn’t little Miss. Ginny Weasley.” I didn’t even try to hide my groan. “What do you want Romilda?” “Why would I want something? Can’t I just talk to you? We are friends after all.” I looked up from my potions text book. “Just barely,” I said pleasantly. Colin snorted but kept his eyes on his parchment. Pursing her lips, she sat in the empty chair across from me. “Always the comedian. I’m surprised to see you here in the library, I’ve heard you’ve been preoccupied with… other things.” “Yeah, I’ve been busy, but that doesn’t mean I don’t take school seriously.” “Hmm.” I let it go and continued to ignore her, but felt the back of my mind demanding to know what that hmm meant. No. I wouldn’t give her the satisfaction. I was Ginny Weasley I didn’t break easily- “What Romilda?!” “Well, I just meant that I’d expected you to be locked up in some deserted classroom with your boyfriend,” she replied indifferently. “And that’s your business, how?” “Never said it was; I was just merely thinking to myself.” I scanned the large room, Madam Pince was nowhere to be seen; we were all fairly hidden by the biography section far off in the back. Colin sat beside me, Luna a few seats down, and others scattered around the corner we occupied in the vast library. Everyone was rather intrigued in their own work so I doubted anyone would hear my next words. Dropping my quill, I leaned over the table close enough so that she could hear me whispering, “Might as well stop thinking and day dreaming about Harry. If I even suspect you’ve gone anywhere near him with another potion I won’t hesitate to put you at the business end of my wand.” She looked bored. Romilda Vane stared back at me uninterested and jaded. “You can’t tell me what to think and what not to think, Weasley. Even the great Ginny Weasley can’t stop me from day dreaming about her momentary boyfriend.” My hand instinctively clasped around the wand sticking out of my back pocket. “Momentary?” I grounded through my teeth. She smirked, “With the way you’ve been running through boys, I give it another month before you get bored. But don’t worry about feeling guilty, I’ll be there to pick up the pieces of his broken heart.” I couldn’t believe she said that. I was so shocked I didn’t even think about pulling out my wand. She had just bluntly called me come kind of man-eating hag and without breaking face. “Nothing to say then? Well, that must mean we’ve come to an agreement, you can have him for the time being. I’ll just sit back and wait, dreaming about the hippogriff tattooed to his chest.” My mouth dropped open, with a sound that could only be described as a growl. People were watching now. But Romilda loved drawing attention, “You have seen it, haven’t you?” Harry. Did. Not. Have. A. Hippogriff. On. His. Chest. She was just riling me up, trying to get me to succumb to her level of immaturity. I would not let her win. I could not let her win; it was beneath me. So all I did was sit back and pack my things. Everyone’s eyes were on me as I did so, but I could not care less. Snapping my bag closed, I walked around the table to meet her eye to eye. “It’s actually a Hungarian Horntail, and to prevent future misunderstandings, my brother’s is a Pygmy Puff,” I threw in for good measure, “Next time you may want to get your facts straight before thrusting them out like that; it makes you sound petty.” The laughs I heard behind me as I retreated were enough to have Madam Pince emerge from the back room, and threatening everyone that they’d be kick out. Where the bloody hell did she get off making up such ridiculous stories? Two could play at that game. No one messed with Ginny Weasley. That night I had finally given up my studies for the day and opened the Daily Prophet. The four of us were lounging around the common room in our usual spots; I leaned against Harry’s legs as I sat on the floor. The war was not going well. There was already so much destruction that I was grimacing the whole way through each article. How could I feel the best I’d ever felt, when right outside the school boundaries one nasty war was ragging? I took comfort in the fact that I was better than Romilda, I had actually taken part in this I knew what was going on while she remained oblivious. “Three dementors attacks in one week!” I said aloud to no one in particular, flipping the page of my paper rather forcefully. “And all Romilda Vane has to say is that you’ve got a Hippogriff tattooed to your chest!” The moment the words left my mouth I realized just how sidesplitting the whole situation was. Ron and Hermione fell to hysterics out of their respective armchairs. “What did you tell her?” “That it was a Hungarian Horntail of course. It’s much more macho.” No Harry Potter was going to have a bloody hippogriff on his chest; he might as well have a blanket named Buckbeak. This comment seemed to only throw Ron and Hermione into another fitful of laughter. Harry, oh Harry, he didn’t seem too keen on his friend’s antics, so he said, “Thanks, what did you tell her Ron has?” My boyfriend knew me too well. I don’t think he actually knew I had told her anything of my brother, but whether I had an honest answer or not he wanted me to play along. Coincidentally, I had mentioned Ron. “A Pygmy Puff.” Although I realized I may have left out a vital part of the information I gave to Romilda. “But I didn’t say where.” Hermione clutched her sides, I had a feeling they were about to burst, Harry was laughing just as hard. Ron did not seem too amused with our little comedic routine. “Watch it,” said my brother, scowling, “Just because I’ve given you my permission doesn’t mean I can’t withdraw it-” “Your permission? Since when have you given me permission to do anything? Anyway, you said yourself: you’d rather it be Harry, than Michael or Dean.” “Yeah I would, and just as long as you don’t start snogging each other in public-” Ron must have really liked the taste of his foot, for he was always sticking it in his mouth. “You filthy hypocrite! What about you and Lavender, thrashing around like a pair of eels all over the place?” “That is none of your business.” “Then we agree that what happens between Harry and I is none of your business.” Hermione hiccupped, finally regaining control of herself. “Whosever business it is,” Harry intervened, sensing the argument coming about, “I thought we were talking about the Hungarian Horntail in my chest.” I looked up at him through narrowed eyes, “You don’t have a Hungarian Horntail on your chest.” “How would you know?” “Many ways. It’s not like I’ve never seen you shirtless before Harry, there was the second task in your fourth year,” I grinned wickedly, “And not to mention the incident in the bathroom the summer before that.” “What incident?” Ron grilled. Harry’s blush burned down his neck. “Nothing Ron, she’s just joking.” He would have sounded convincing, had his voice not broke. “Nice one, Harry,” I laughed. “What incident?!?” I was referring to an accident at the Borrow right before we had gone to the Quidditch World Cup. With the entire family and Harry and Hermione home, one bathroom was well…you can imagine. I remember Romilda asking me if I had ever seen Harry undressed, I never answered her, but I hadn’t said no either. Sometimes the door didn’t lock. Sometimes your need over-powered the thought of knocking. “Ron don’t get your knickers in a twist, I just saw a little bit more of Harry than usual.” Hermione started laughing again. “Ginny!” Harry whined, hiding his face in his hands, “I thought we agreed to never talk about it again!” “And I thought you would never ask me out- things change.” Ron still hadn’t pulled himself out of his horrified state. It really wasn’t that much to be so worried about, honestly I didn’t see everything. But I guess what I saw was enough. “Right, so how do you know I didn’t get that tattoo over this summer?” Harry challenged. “I guess I don’t. But there are ways to find out.” “Really now?” “I’m feeling rather dizzy,” Hermione happily sighed closing her eyes and falling silent once more. “Yeah,” I replied turning back to my paper, “Just let me finish this article, and then we’ll go find some place more private.” Ron snapped out of it pretty quick, “You-he-but-I- DON’T YOU DARE!” “Gin, I think we better take it easy, we are going to give your brother a heart attack.” “That’s just great, so this is what it comes down to? I’m just her brother now? I thought you were my best mate; I thought I could trust you!” Ron was serious, only not too serious; there was no real fire beneath his words. Harry chuckled, “Of course you can, Ron; you’re my best mate too. I’m just looking out for your well-being here. She’s the one who started all this.” I smiled looking up at my brother who worried about his sister’s innocence, my best friend as she tried to rid herself of a laugh induced headache, and my boyfriend gazing back at me fondly. |
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