(no subject)
Previous Chapters: Prologue, Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5, Chapter 6,
After taking the portkey from the lobby of St. Mungo’s, the reunited gang found themselves with the rest of the day to spend in Diagon Alley. The extra money bags provided the Potters ensured that it would be a day well spent. Healer Spinnet had been gracious enough to allow Hermione and Ginny to take a break from their summer apprenticeship to help Harry in his recovery. James and Lilly were feeling a bit anxious for their son, and they hoped that a few more familiar faces would help things along.
Either way, it would be a wonderful day for Harry. Even if they did have to drag Hermione into Quality Quidditch Supplies against her will. Some compromises had to be made when there were three Gryffindor House Players in need of some new Dragon Hide Pads for the upcoming season. Harry and Ron were particularly anxious since it was to be their 7th and final year. Gryffindor’s incredible run of 4 straight Hogwarts House Championships had raised several eyebrows in the British and Irish Quidditch League. The past few years had seen several scouts attend Hogwarts matches to recruit house players. Seekers and Keepers always seemed to be at a premium, and Harry and Ron stood a good chance of being recruited.
Hermione was placated later when the group went in to Flourish and Bott’s. Hermione, of course, wanted to dig in straight away to the fall reading list, and find a few supplements for her summer internship. Ginny also opted to find a few medical texts. Harry had been pleasantly surprised to see this turn of events. Yet it all fit. Hermione and Ginny would make wonderful healers, so long as they weren’t forced to put their considerable skills to other uses.
Harry thought back to that other life. He remembered a bushy haired little girl who was so eager to succeed, she had memorized all her books before school started. He remembered a brave girl who was willing to lie for him and Ron. He remembered someone telling him that books and cleverness weren’t everything, that friendship and bravery counted for a lot more. There was the girl who stood by him when the rest of the school believed he was a monster, and the one who never stopped working to save Buckbeak, even when her two best friends turned their backs on her.
Harry was considering all this while watching Hermione eagerly devour the book in front of her. He was a little shocked to see Ron step behind her and put his arms around her, offering her a peck on the cheek. Was it so hard to believe things might turn out this way? He remembered the events of the past year in the other place. Hermione had gone out on a limb inviting Ron to the Slug Club party. He may have broken her heart, but it only stood to reason that he might be able to put it back together again. After all, at the end of the year they had...
Harry suddenly doubled over and clutched his forehead. It felt as though his skull might break in half. Suddenly, he felt a pair of soft hands on him and smelled a faint flowery scent.
“Harry, are you all right?”
Just as quickly, the pain went away. Harry opened his eyes and once again found himself staring into the face he had been thinking about for weeks now.
“Yeah, I just... got lightheaded there for a second.”
“Nice to know I still have an effect on you.”
Harry grinned. “Was there ever any doubt?”
“You’re sure you’re all right? It’s no trouble to go back to see Healer Spinnet.”
“Nah, no need for that. I think I just need a bit of fresh air. Whadya say? Care to join me?” said Harry with a bit of a roguish grin.
Ginny adopted a very coy demeanor. “Mr. Potter, what sort of witch do you think I am?”
“One who wants to take a walk with me. Now, will you consent to beautifying my arm by being on it?”
“Only because I’m a sucker for hard luck cases. Oi! You lot! The Leaky’s down the road, so why don’t you get a room! I’m going to take a walk with this one. Meet us in 2 hours at the joke shop. Shall we?”
Harry laughed. He missed Ginny. A lot. She was so much like her brothers, and yet completely her own person. She had Bill’s charisma, the twin’s humor, Charlie’s sense of adventure, and Ron’s passion. All those qualities, and yet she was undecidedly feminine. It was a very potent combination. No wonder he had fallen so hard. It would be a wonderful afternoon.
Harry and Ginny stepped out the door of Flourish and Bott’s into the hustle and bustle of Diagon Alley. Everyone else seemed to be in such a rush to be somewhere. But Harry had no such concerns. He had everything and everyone he wanted right at hand. It felt rather nice strolling the streets with Ginny on his arm.
“So Harry, tell me about her.”
“What? Who?”
“The other me. From that other world. What’s she like.”
“Oh, umm... is this a trick question?”
“You wound me!” exclaimed Ginny, once again feigning outrage. “Why would I ever take advantage of sweet, simple you?”
“Remind me again, those older brothers of yours, the ones that own the, you know, JOKE SHOP.”
“Very well, point taken. No, this is not a trick question. It’s just... Ron told me about that other life of yours. It sounded awful. But, you still knew all of us there. So, I want to know what she’s like. The other me.”
Harry looked into Ginny’s eyes. There was none of the familiar mischief in them. Rather, they were shining with honesty and vulnerability, as if this question was very important to her. Harry decided that it was best to be honest. “She’s brilliant. Feisty. Has a wicked sense of humor. Loves to make everyone laugh. And she’s strong. Stronger than most people give her credit for.”
Ginny looked down and shyly ran a hand through her hair over her ear. “Were you two ever... involved?”
“We were.”
“What happened?”
“We broke up. I don’t remember why. I didn’t want to, but... we had to for some reason. It wasn’t meant to be.”
“Do you believe that?”
“I don’t want to.”
“Then don’t”
Harry decided that he wouldn’t believe it. Or, rather, he would make that decision much later, once Ginny’s lips had left his and the very feel and smell of her had allowed his senses to return to normal. For the moment, he was occupied with kissing Ginny Weasley, and that suited him just fine.
After taking the portkey from the lobby of St. Mungo’s, the reunited gang found themselves with the rest of the day to spend in Diagon Alley. The extra money bags provided the Potters ensured that it would be a day well spent. Healer Spinnet had been gracious enough to allow Hermione and Ginny to take a break from their summer apprenticeship to help Harry in his recovery. James and Lilly were feeling a bit anxious for their son, and they hoped that a few more familiar faces would help things along.
Either way, it would be a wonderful day for Harry. Even if they did have to drag Hermione into Quality Quidditch Supplies against her will. Some compromises had to be made when there were three Gryffindor House Players in need of some new Dragon Hide Pads for the upcoming season. Harry and Ron were particularly anxious since it was to be their 7th and final year. Gryffindor’s incredible run of 4 straight Hogwarts House Championships had raised several eyebrows in the British and Irish Quidditch League. The past few years had seen several scouts attend Hogwarts matches to recruit house players. Seekers and Keepers always seemed to be at a premium, and Harry and Ron stood a good chance of being recruited.
Hermione was placated later when the group went in to Flourish and Bott’s. Hermione, of course, wanted to dig in straight away to the fall reading list, and find a few supplements for her summer internship. Ginny also opted to find a few medical texts. Harry had been pleasantly surprised to see this turn of events. Yet it all fit. Hermione and Ginny would make wonderful healers, so long as they weren’t forced to put their considerable skills to other uses.
Harry thought back to that other life. He remembered a bushy haired little girl who was so eager to succeed, she had memorized all her books before school started. He remembered a brave girl who was willing to lie for him and Ron. He remembered someone telling him that books and cleverness weren’t everything, that friendship and bravery counted for a lot more. There was the girl who stood by him when the rest of the school believed he was a monster, and the one who never stopped working to save Buckbeak, even when her two best friends turned their backs on her.
Harry was considering all this while watching Hermione eagerly devour the book in front of her. He was a little shocked to see Ron step behind her and put his arms around her, offering her a peck on the cheek. Was it so hard to believe things might turn out this way? He remembered the events of the past year in the other place. Hermione had gone out on a limb inviting Ron to the Slug Club party. He may have broken her heart, but it only stood to reason that he might be able to put it back together again. After all, at the end of the year they had...
Harry suddenly doubled over and clutched his forehead. It felt as though his skull might break in half. Suddenly, he felt a pair of soft hands on him and smelled a faint flowery scent.
“Harry, are you all right?”
Just as quickly, the pain went away. Harry opened his eyes and once again found himself staring into the face he had been thinking about for weeks now.
“Yeah, I just... got lightheaded there for a second.”
“Nice to know I still have an effect on you.”
Harry grinned. “Was there ever any doubt?”
“You’re sure you’re all right? It’s no trouble to go back to see Healer Spinnet.”
“Nah, no need for that. I think I just need a bit of fresh air. Whadya say? Care to join me?” said Harry with a bit of a roguish grin.
Ginny adopted a very coy demeanor. “Mr. Potter, what sort of witch do you think I am?”
“One who wants to take a walk with me. Now, will you consent to beautifying my arm by being on it?”
“Only because I’m a sucker for hard luck cases. Oi! You lot! The Leaky’s down the road, so why don’t you get a room! I’m going to take a walk with this one. Meet us in 2 hours at the joke shop. Shall we?”
Harry laughed. He missed Ginny. A lot. She was so much like her brothers, and yet completely her own person. She had Bill’s charisma, the twin’s humor, Charlie’s sense of adventure, and Ron’s passion. All those qualities, and yet she was undecidedly feminine. It was a very potent combination. No wonder he had fallen so hard. It would be a wonderful afternoon.
Harry and Ginny stepped out the door of Flourish and Bott’s into the hustle and bustle of Diagon Alley. Everyone else seemed to be in such a rush to be somewhere. But Harry had no such concerns. He had everything and everyone he wanted right at hand. It felt rather nice strolling the streets with Ginny on his arm.
“So Harry, tell me about her.”
“What? Who?”
“The other me. From that other world. What’s she like.”
“Oh, umm... is this a trick question?”
“You wound me!” exclaimed Ginny, once again feigning outrage. “Why would I ever take advantage of sweet, simple you?”
“Remind me again, those older brothers of yours, the ones that own the, you know, JOKE SHOP.”
“Very well, point taken. No, this is not a trick question. It’s just... Ron told me about that other life of yours. It sounded awful. But, you still knew all of us there. So, I want to know what she’s like. The other me.”
Harry looked into Ginny’s eyes. There was none of the familiar mischief in them. Rather, they were shining with honesty and vulnerability, as if this question was very important to her. Harry decided that it was best to be honest. “She’s brilliant. Feisty. Has a wicked sense of humor. Loves to make everyone laugh. And she’s strong. Stronger than most people give her credit for.”
Ginny looked down and shyly ran a hand through her hair over her ear. “Were you two ever... involved?”
“We were.”
“What happened?”
“We broke up. I don’t remember why. I didn’t want to, but... we had to for some reason. It wasn’t meant to be.”
“Do you believe that?”
“I don’t want to.”
“Then don’t”
Harry decided that he wouldn’t believe it. Or, rather, he would make that decision much later, once Ginny’s lips had left his and the very feel and smell of her had allowed his senses to return to normal. For the moment, he was occupied with kissing Ginny Weasley, and that suited him just fine.