Drabble the fifth
More fluff- of the N/G variety this time.
For hpnic06- N/G, pre-Hogwarts.
The Compliment
It was a long-forgotten memory. She should have remembered it, she thought guiltily. It had meant a lot at the time, so much more than the commonplace words warranted. But she’d forgotten soon after.
She remembered it now.
It had been Ron’s 11th birthday, the spring before he left for Hogwarts, the spring before he met Harry Potter and the spring before she grew blind.
Neville had come over for the day; her mother had invited him to come with them as they were going to go to Diagon Alley and Florean Fortescue’s for a special birthday treat for Ron.
They had been walking through Diagon Alley and had heard the latest singing sensation, Stella Jocelina’s voice. Ron had enthused over how pretty she was, to say nothing of her voice. She looked like a veela with her pale, pale, shining blond hair and brilliant blue eyes and her perfect, fair skin.
Ginny had sighed, feeling jealousy set in as usually happened whenever someone beautiful was mentioned. She had always known she wasn’t pretty with her red hair and plain brown eyes, freckles and small size. But it didn’t stop her from wanting to be pretty. She’d wanted it so much then…
Neville had heard her sigh and had stepped back to smile shyly at her. “What is it, Ginny?”
And something about her shy smile had made her tell him the truth she wouldn’t have admitted to any other boy. “I wish I were pretty like Stella Jocelina.”
And Neville had smiled at her again and even given her hand a quick, almost brotherly squeeze. “I think you’re just as pretty, in a different way.”
She’d smiled tentatively. “Really?”
“Really.”
And she’d been comforted by his words and the obvious sincerity and warmth in his eyes.
It had been the first time that someone who wasn’t related to her had told her she was pretty and she had treasured those words in memory for weeks, months even.
Until that September when she’d first seen Harry and forgotten about Neville or any other boy for that matter.
She’d been so happy when she had begun to grow up and her hair had darkened, making her skin seem fairer and her eyes brighter and she’d realized that she had grown up to be pretty.
And now, with Neville smiling his usual shy smile at her, she remembered that moment as she smiled back at him before they walked into the Great Hall for the Victory Ball the Ministry was holding to celebrate You-know-who’s defeat.
“You look-really beautiful,” Neville said earnestly and a little awkwardly.
And his simple compliment made her glow and her cheeks flush.
He thought she looked beautiful, and somehow that thought meant everything…
~*~
A/N: An attempt at an explanation for how Ginny suddenly went from being the invisible girl to being the Hogwarts beauty queen. I wish I really liked Ginny this much... It'd make me slightly less annoyed at HBP.
More drabbles coming up- D/G and, of course, more H/Hr (lots more H/Hr). ;-)
For hpnic06- N/G, pre-Hogwarts.
The Compliment
It was a long-forgotten memory. She should have remembered it, she thought guiltily. It had meant a lot at the time, so much more than the commonplace words warranted. But she’d forgotten soon after.
She remembered it now.
It had been Ron’s 11th birthday, the spring before he left for Hogwarts, the spring before he met Harry Potter and the spring before she grew blind.
Neville had come over for the day; her mother had invited him to come with them as they were going to go to Diagon Alley and Florean Fortescue’s for a special birthday treat for Ron.
They had been walking through Diagon Alley and had heard the latest singing sensation, Stella Jocelina’s voice. Ron had enthused over how pretty she was, to say nothing of her voice. She looked like a veela with her pale, pale, shining blond hair and brilliant blue eyes and her perfect, fair skin.
Ginny had sighed, feeling jealousy set in as usually happened whenever someone beautiful was mentioned. She had always known she wasn’t pretty with her red hair and plain brown eyes, freckles and small size. But it didn’t stop her from wanting to be pretty. She’d wanted it so much then…
Neville had heard her sigh and had stepped back to smile shyly at her. “What is it, Ginny?”
And something about her shy smile had made her tell him the truth she wouldn’t have admitted to any other boy. “I wish I were pretty like Stella Jocelina.”
And Neville had smiled at her again and even given her hand a quick, almost brotherly squeeze. “I think you’re just as pretty, in a different way.”
She’d smiled tentatively. “Really?”
“Really.”
And she’d been comforted by his words and the obvious sincerity and warmth in his eyes.
It had been the first time that someone who wasn’t related to her had told her she was pretty and she had treasured those words in memory for weeks, months even.
Until that September when she’d first seen Harry and forgotten about Neville or any other boy for that matter.
She’d been so happy when she had begun to grow up and her hair had darkened, making her skin seem fairer and her eyes brighter and she’d realized that she had grown up to be pretty.
And now, with Neville smiling his usual shy smile at her, she remembered that moment as she smiled back at him before they walked into the Great Hall for the Victory Ball the Ministry was holding to celebrate You-know-who’s defeat.
“You look-really beautiful,” Neville said earnestly and a little awkwardly.
And his simple compliment made her glow and her cheeks flush.
He thought she looked beautiful, and somehow that thought meant everything…
~*~
A/N: An attempt at an explanation for how Ginny suddenly went from being the invisible girl to being the Hogwarts beauty queen. I wish I really liked Ginny this much... It'd make me slightly less annoyed at HBP.
More drabbles coming up- D/G and, of course, more H/Hr (lots more H/Hr). ;-)