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The Best Laid Plans... | ||||||
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Category: Post-OotP Characters:Harry/Ginny, Ron Weasley Genres: Fluff Warnings: Extreme Language Story is Complete Rating: PG Reviews: 38 Summary: Sometimes the best laid plans "gang aft aglee". Hitcount: Story Total: 20439; Chapter Total: 4835 |
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The Best Laid Plans... By deemarie On The Road Sis, Act 1 is finished. Curtain down. I talked to Ron. Don't be surprised if he talks to you this morning. I mean act surprised, but well... Listen, Ron's not entirely to blame for all this. George really is the culprit. Maybe sometime later we can plan something truly evil to get him. Anyway the path is clear. Ron won't bother us. I think we can spend some time together. If we're going to do this right, we really need to spend some time alone, don't you think? You know, Gin, I think I will really enjoy getting to know you. I liked talking to you out by the brook. I'm sorry I never took the time to talk to you before. It's not that I'm trying to make excuses but with everything that happened over the last few years, I was too wrapped up in myself to see that you are just too interesting not to know. I really want to be your friend. Harry She found the note under her door, after coming back from the bathroom. Ginny read the last paragraph of Harry's note three times. She reached under her mattress and pulled out her journal. She always wrote her deepest thoughts down. It helped her sort through things. She could tell these were thoughts she needed to write out, to examine later. He really wants to get to know me? Now he wants to be my friend? Oh Merlin, wasn't their timing terrible. Too bad, Harry. Why couldn't you have said this to me 3 years ago? It would have spared me so much heartache. I really am over you. Oh well, at least I get a friend out of all of this. Once this is over, maybe we can find someone who will really appreciate you, Harry. You really do deserve it. I'm not what you need. Not really. You need someone spectacular. Someone who can make you laugh, someone who can make you forget all the bad things. I would remind you of the past. You need to move on, so do I. Now why did I just think that? I'm not living in the past. I've tried to move forward. That's what Michael was all about. Getting over you. He may have been a jerk, but I proved to myself that I didn't have feelings for you anymore. Okay, at first when he kissed me, I used to wonder if that was how your lips would feel, but I got past that. Michael was a really good kisser. Sometimes in the DA meetings when you paid all that attention to Cho, I did feel a little jealous, but I really didn't have the right to be. After a while it didn't hurt to see you with her. You looked so beautiful together. I wish you had found somebody after her. Someone who could have helped you through your grief over Sirius. At least you had Ron and Hermione. But I sensed that incredible loneliness you were feeling. I felt it too. I couldn't intrude. You've always been a private person to the rest of us, Harry. You only ever let Ron and Hermione close. And for a while you didn't even let them in. Did you know I cried for you? But at least they got you through your grief. You really are a better person now, Harry. I will be happy to be your friend. Ginny glanced through the pages. She had begun keeping this journal when she was 13. At first she was really scared to do this. After all, it was writing in a journal that had gotten her into trouble when she was 11. Her next year at Hogwarts was really a trial for her. She was even scared of writing essays for homework. Then when Remus had used a Bogart in her class and her fear had been putting pen to paper... Remus had talked to her about that. He had given her her first journal. The only way to get over her fear had been to face it head on. She tried. She showed him her first tentative entries. He was honest with her. They were terrible. Then he suggested that she start writing out her thoughts first, stories could come later. So she did, and the more she wrote, the better she felt. She had quite a little collection of journals now. There were four completely filled books sitting on top of her dresser. This one had only a few pages left. She needed to get another. She got up and checked her moneybox. Good there was enough for a new one. She would go into the village today and buy another. She would ask Harry to come with her. That would go along with her plan. Now what to wear? "So what did Ron say to you," Harry asked as they walked down the road into Ottery St. Catchpole. The corner of Ginny's mouth drew up into a small smile. "Well he apologized for being such a prat. He said that he should have realized that you are like a brother to me. He was sorry that he's been so awful to me lately. He just didn't want me to grow up yet. He was afraid I couldn't look out for myself." "So that's why he was rubbing his other shin." "Yeah, I asked if that felt like I couldn't take care of myself. I'd tell you what he said, but I'm too much of a lady to repeat his exact language, but you get the idea." They laughed and walked on. Ginny gave a little squeal and ran ahead. There was a dog bounding down the road toward her. She stopped and crouched down and began to pet it. The dog obviously knew her; he was slathering her with his tongue, his tail wagging rapidly. The sunlight set the gold strands in her hair glittering. Harry took all of her in. Today she was wearing a light green halter sundress. It wasn't as short as her outfit from yesterday, but it still afforded a rather good glimpse of leg. You could tell she was athletic but the muscles in her legs and arms (would her arms feel wonderful around his neck?) had the appearance of being soft and inviting. The dress clung to her curves, accentuating the flair of her hips. The skirt swung flirtatiously when she swayed her hips as she walked. She was tan and tawny and she smelled delicious. She smelled like peaches and cream. All he wanted to do was see if she tasted as sweet. It took all of his control not to sweep her up into his arms and kiss her. The owner of the dog appeared. A boy of about 10 vaulted over the stonewall that ran the length of the road. "So that's why Rex took off like that. I should have known. Hey Ginny!" The blond boy crouched down next to Ginny and began to rub the dog's side. "Hiya, Marcus. Having a good holiday?" She smiled her greeting. Harry wished he could get that smile from her. "S'okay, I guess. You? "Fine. It's just fine." "I guess Ron's stopped riding you?" "Well for a while at least." Harry had finally caught up to them. "Marcus, this is my friend, Harry." The boy's eyes widened a little when he looked up at Harry. He smiled, but it wasn't a big one and said hello. Harry greeted him. "Is this 'the Harry'?" Ginny blushed and nodded. "Ginny! You said you were over him! He used to make you cry! Why are you here with him?" Ginny's jaw dropped. I used to make her cry, Harry thought. "Marcus, that was a long time ago, and you shouldn't say things that people tell you to keep secret!" Marcus looked as if he were going to cry. "Sorry, Ginny. I didn't mean to do that. But you used to be so sad when anybody mentioned him. I didn't think." She put her arm around the boy. "It's okay, Marcus. I'm not really angry. Just remember to think before you speak, okay?" He nodded. "You better get back to your Da now. He's doing better, isn't he?" "Yeah, he stopped crying about Mum, but he still misses her. So do I. I did actually talk in school before the break though. I think I'm getting better, too. Thanks for being there for me, Ginny." "Any time, Marcus. Write to me soon. Your letters always cheer me up." She gave him a peck on the cheek and the boy stood. He patted his leg and Rex was instantly at his side. With a running leap, the boy vaulted the low wall again, Rex at this heels and together they took off across the pasture. Ginny watched them go. Harry tried to put a hand on Ginny's shoulder. She shrugged him off, she wouldn't look at him. She started down the road. "Ginny, wait!" He trotted after her. "Ginny, come on. Talk to me." She wouldn't answer. "Are we going to be friends or not?" That stopped her. "I never knew I made you cry." "I was just a child, Harry. A kid with a crush. You hardly ever talked to me. You let Ron chase me away. You liked Hermione better than me. You loved Cho. It broke my heart." She looked up at him. Her eyes glistened. There were tears there, but being the brave Gryffindor she was, she held them off. "I'm over it. I'm past it, and I'm over you. But it still isn't a happy memory." "I'm sorry I made you cry. If I had known I wouldn't have let you hurt so much." "Would you? Would you have done anything differently, Harry? I don't think so. There were other things on your mind. I wasn't that important. I'll never be that important. "Maybe we should just stop this charade. Tell Ron everything and be done with it. I shouldn't have asked you to do this. Maybe you should go and find some girl who you deserve. It's not me, and it never will be. Thanks for trying to help me though. It was fun while it lasted." She ran. She had to get away. There was a break in the wall ahead, an entrance to the pasture. She took it and kept on running. Harry watched her run from him. He was too stunned. Ginny didn't think she was important? Had he done that to her? Hurt her so badly that she didn't think she was worthy of even his friendship? He took off after her. How many times had he felt the same way when he was growing up? He had done to Ginny, what the Dursley's had done to him. Well this was going to change, and right now! Ginny was fast. She was far ahead of him. But Harry was faster. He always had been quick. He was catching up to her. She glanced back over her shoulder; he was getting closer. Ginny put on a burst of speed. So did Harry. They were skirting the edge of a copse of trees. Ginny looked over her shoulder again. Her foot caught a root and she went tumbling down. Her athletic reflexes took over. She tucked and rolled and came to her feet. The moment she put her weight on her right ankle, she saw stars and fell down writhing in pain. Harry was at her side moments later. "Ginny! Are you okay?" She shook her head no. She was sitting up holding her ankle, there were tears running down her face. "My ankle, I've sprained my ankle," she sobbed. Harry reached out to check it. She tried to back away. "Let me check it, Ginny. It could be broken." He looked up at her. "Please?" She let go and Harry gently placed his hands on her. She gasped as he moved it, but it didn't seem broken. It was starting to swell. She would never be able to walk home. He went to pick her up. "Just conjure something, Harry." "Can't, there are muggles about. I'll just have to carry you." She knew he was right. She put her arms around his neck and he lifted her. She laid her head on his shoulder. She felt so good in his arms. They had been walking for a while in silence. "I'm really sorry, Ginny. About everything. You know you were wrong about me. I would have done things differently. Everyone is important. You are important, Ginny. You have things to say. You want to write. When we get back, I'd like to read what you have to say. I want to know what you think about things, how you feel about them." She hadn't said a word. Was she listening? He stopped. She raised her eyes to his. He walked over to the wall and set her down upon it. Then he took both of her hands in his. "I have a confession to make. Ever since we met in The Three Broomsticks in March, you haven't been far from my thoughts. I meant every word I said in my letters. I think you are very pretty. I do want to get to know you. I want to end the charade too. But not for the reason you think. "You keep saying that you're over me. I don't want you to be over me. I don't think you ever were over me. I want to give us a chance. Can we give us a chance? Please, Ginny? I don't want you to be my sister. I want you to be more." Ginny was too stunned to speak. She just kept staring into those vivid green eyes. Drowning in their sincere depths. Could she do this? Had she really ever gotten over him? Was that why no other boy had caught her fancy? "What if this doesn't work, Harry? I don't ever want to hurt again." "We'll have to take that chance, Ginny. I want to take that chance. Do you?" He let go of her hands. He brought them up to her face. He cupped her cheeks and gently brought his lips to hers. 10 June Dear Ginny, It has been too long since I've seen your smiling face. Well, actually that's not entirely true. I see it every night in my dreams. But I can't wait until I see you standing right in front of me. Just two more weeks and you'll be done at Hogwarts. Quidditch season is almost over. I'll have a nice long break before we go back for training. The thing is, I don't know if I want to go back. Now close your mouth, dear heart. I know what you're thinking. I love playing Quidditch; I'm so bloody good at it. Well the fact is; it's not the game I love so much as it is the flying. That's the real thrill of it for me. Since we've been together, I've been doing a lot of thinking. (Imagine that, me thinking - not too unusual, is it? I can just hear you mother, "There he goes again, closing up.") Quidditch is a great sport, and I do like to play, but all the traveling and being away from you is not good. When I had to cancel our visit last Hogsmeade weekend, well I know it broke your heart. (Did you have to send that Howler, though?) One of the good things that happened because of Quidditch was all the kids we got to meet. We did visit a lot of hospitals and centers for children with problems. I felt so good after those visits. Like I had done something worthwhile. I really don't need to work, actually. Between my parents' inheritance and Sirius', I've quite an impressive income. Bill's been a great help with investments, so I'm rather well off. So, I've been thinking about starting a charitable foundation, quitting Quidditch and using whatever resources I can to help kids. You think that's my 'saving people thing' as Hermione would say? So what do you think, Gin. Think I can make a go of it? Think you might want to have a go at it with me? All my love, Harry 13 June Dearest Harry, Are you kidding? Of course you could make a go of it. Of course I'll be right by your side! Whatever you decide to do, I'll be there. Ever since that afternoon when I sprained my ankle and you asked me to risk my heart, I've never looked back. Okay, I know this hasn't been easy. We are too long apart, but our letters have been wonderful. They make me feel that you're right here with me. I'm sorry about the Howler. Blame my wicked Weasley temperament. And you did make it up to me. All those owls, all those roses, I've made some lovely sachets for my dorm mates and myself. But seriously, Harry, I've been thinking too. You were right; I never really was over you. What started as a crush all those years ago, has changed. I've grown, Harry, so have my feelings. As I said earlier whatever you decide to do, I'll be there. All my love, too, Ginny. The End, or is it just the beginning? |
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