fanfic.
Okay, I was browsing through my computer files and I came upon a little galleon. It's a story I wrote a while ago.. A looong while ago. Last year I think..
Anyway, I re-read it and I kinda liked it. Which is surprising 'cause I criticize everything I write/draw/sing.. whatever.
The beginning is a bit shaky. It was my first attempt at fanfiction, after all. It's HP by-the-by. Shocking right?
Anyway, I've decided to share it with you guys! 'Cause I love my f'list. All y'all are so awesome and you've been so great.
The story's not on any site so I'll just put it in here, under a cut. It's Harry/Ginny, the second best HP ship. It HAD a title, but when I re-read it tonight I decided that it didn't fit the story. So this is my title-less story. Enjoy chick-a-dees!
“Oh, come on Daddy! Just once more!”
“Ginevra, you’ve already heard this story plenty of times! Now go to bed or you’ll mother will be after my blood.”
“I promise to go to bed after you tell the story.”
Arthur Weasley let out a sigh before relenting. “All right. But you better get to sleep as soon as I finish all right child?”
Little Ginny Weasley nodded her head vigorously, her twin pigtails on the top of her head swaying violently. “I promise! Now tell me the story!”
“All right, all right. Now, a few years ago -“
“No Daddy! You have to start with ‘Once upon a time’!”
“Oh, sorry, Ginny. Once upon a time there was a small family named the Potters. And -“
“And they owned the biggest house in all of Godric’s Hollow, right Daddy?”
Arthur chuckled to himself before nodding slowly. “Yes, dear. The biggest.”
“And they had a big backyard where they could run around and play, right?”
“That’s right.”
“And the house had twenty stories didn’t it Daddy?”
“Would you like to tell me the story?”
“Okay, Daddy! And the Potters had a baby boy named Harry. And someday he’d -“
“He’d become the most famous wizard of all time. Well, it seems as if you know this one by heart now Ginny. Should I tell a different story?”
“But I like this one!” Ginny whined.
“All right. But let’s finish it for another night. It’s already 11 o’clock.”
Ginny crossed her arms over her chest grumpily and pouted. “I’m not tired.”
“Well, that’s probably because Fred and George got into Charlie’s box of Filibuster’s No-Heat, Wet-Start Fireworks earlier today and you can still hear the explosions.”
“And also, the sound of Mommy’s screaming when she found out.”
Arthur smiled. “Yes. I’m afraid they’re backsides will be tender until they start Hogwarts.”
Ginny beamed. “You think so?”
He smiled once again. “Goodnight Ginevra.”
“Goodnight Daddy.”
Arthur tucked Ginny in and placed a kiss on both cheeks before shutting the light off and leaving her room.
“Daddy?”
Arthur stopped short of closing the door and peered back through the crack. “Yes Ginny?”
“Is it true? The story of Harry Potter?”
At first Arthur just stared at his only daughter before breaking out into a grin. “Of course it’s true, love. And it only happened a couple months after you were born.”
Ginny smiled, showing her father the giant gap in her teeth. “So it’s not a legend?”
“Oh, it’s a legend. I have a feeling that the story of Harry Potter will be told for many years to come.”
----------
“Now, what’s the platform number?” Molly Weasley said, careening through King’s Cross with her four youngest sons and Ginny in tow.
“Nine and Three-Quarters!” Ginny squeaked, grasping her mother’s hand tightly, excited for what’s to come. “Mom, can’t I go…”
“You’re not old enough, Ginny, now be quiet.” Ginny loosened her grip on her mother’s hand and pouted. “All right, Percy, you go first.”
Ginny watched as her older brother, Percy, lined up with the barrier between platforms nine and ten and broke out into a run. She tried not to blink, for watching her older brothers run through the platform always amazed her, even though she herself did it every year with them.
Just one more year and I’ll be able to go on that magnificent train to Hogwarts, Ginny thought with a grin on her face.
Her mother’s voice shook her out of her reverie.
“Fred, you next.”
“I’m not Fred, I’m George. “At this Ginny rolled her eyes. Do those two always try and bother Mum? “Honestly, woman, you call yourself our mother? Can’t you tell I’m George?” Fred finished, feigning shock and hurt.
“Sorry, George, dear.” Mrs. Weasley rushed, using her right arm as a sort of windmill, ushering Fred through the barrier.
“Only joking, I am Fred.” And with a cheeky grin he was off, and through the magical barrier. Mrs. Weasley sighed and shook her head slightly.
George caught his mother’s eye and she slightly glared at him before motioning him to go through the barrier next, leaving her, Ginny, and the youngest brother, Ron, alone.
“Excuse me.”
The three of them turned around and saw a small boy that, Ginny guessed, was around Ron’s age. With black hair and bright green eyes, he was pushing a trolley carrying a big trunk and a few wrapped packages, and a large, stainless steel cage that held a beautiful snowy owl. His eyes had a small amount of fear in them but that was soon covered by curiosity.
“Hello, dear.” Mrs. Weasley said. Ginny smiled slightly, loving how her mother is always so nice and caring to people she doesn’t even know. “First time at Hogwarts? Ron’s new, too.”
She gestured to Ron and he smiled slightly, both boys studying each other before the black-haired boy tore his eyes away from Ron’s bright red hair and back to Mrs. Weasley.
“Yes,” the boy said. “The thing is - the thing is, I don’t know how to -“
“How to get onto the platform?” Mrs. Weasley interjected sweetly. The boy nodded.
“Not to worry. All you have to do is walk at the barrier between platforms nine and ten. Don’t stop and don’t be scared you’ll crash into it, that’s very important. Best do it at a bit of a run if you’re nervous. Go on, go now before Ron.” Mrs. Weasley said all this very fast and the black-haired boy stared blankly back at her. She smiled kindly.
“Er - okay,” the boy said.
Ginny watched the boy line his trolley up with the barrier and started to walk towards it, picking up speed more and more. She watched him lean forward to gain more speed and close his eyes tightly before he disappeared beyond the barrier.
Mrs. Weasley smiled and looked over at Ron. “Go on, Ron. You go before me and Ginny, now.”
He nodded and, like the others before him, lined his cart up before charging towards the wall. Ginny, once again, watched her brother disappear through the barrier and thought again about next year, going through that barrier as a true Hogwarts student.
“Let’s go Ginny. We have five minutes before the train heads off. We must say goodbye.”
“All right Mum,” Ginny grabbed hold of her mother’s hand again and let her lead them through the barrier. Every time she did this, Ginny would always try and keep her eyes open. But reflex told her to close her eyes the second before she went past the wall and as soon as she opened them again, she saw the scarlet steam engine that lead the children to Hogwarts. She smiled.
“All right. Now let’s find your brothers,” Mrs. Weasley said, getting a tighter grip on Ginny’s hand and pulling her along the platform.
Mrs. Weasley sighed when she couldn’t see any of her ginger-crowned children. “Oh, where are they?” she mumbled to herself. With Ginny in tow, she marched up to an open carriage and called inside. “Fred? George? Are you there?”
“Coming, Mom,” was the reply she got from the both of them. A few moments later, they jumped off the train, just as Ron came up to them sulking slightly. Mrs. Weasley tutted and took out her handkerchief, eyeing her youngest son’s nose.
“Ron, you’ve got something on your nose,” she said, trying to grab his face to wipe it off, but Ron would have none of that. He dodged his mother’s hand but she managed to trap him and started rubbing his nose until it shown pink. “Mom, geroff!” Ginny giggled slightly, earning her a glare from Ron. She stifled the last of them and just smiled sweetly.
When Mrs. Weasley was done, she stuffed her handkerchief back on her breast pocket and looked around the platform. “Where’s Percy?” she asked.
The twins stopped their taunting on Ron and said, “He’s coming now.”
Ginny looked around and saw her older brother, Percy, come walking towards them. Actually, Ginny thought, he looked more like he was marching towards them, with his chest puffed out importantly, his Prefect Badge gleaming in the sunlight. The twins snorted.
“Can’t stay long, Mother,” Percy said, an octave lower than normal, making the twins snort again and Percy glare at them. “I’m up front, the prefects have got two compartments to themselves -“
“Oh, are you a prefect Percy?” Fred said, and Ginny tuned them out. All summer long all she heard about was Percy and he being named Prefect. And all summer long all she heard was the twins teasing him for it. It was getting old…
“All right, dear, well, have a good term,” Mrs. Weasley kissed Percy on the cheek before licking her thumb to wipe off the lipstick mark she left there. “Send me an owl when you get there.” When she was satisfied with his cheek, she hugged him tightly and he walked off to the Prefect’s compartments.
“Now you two…” she eyed the twins with a stern, hard look, and Ginny couldn’t help but giggle. The twins always got in trouble for something at Hogwarts. And, never fail, Mrs. Weasley would always get a letter from there explaining what they happened to blow up this time. It wasn’t until she heard the frantic excitement in Fred’s voice that she made her eyes stop wandering around the platform and focus on him.
“Hey, Mom, guess what? Guess who we just met on the train?”
“Who?” Ginny asked with urgency, but Fred ignored her.
“You know that black-haired boy who was near us at the station? Know who he is?”
“Who?” Mrs. Weasley said.
“Harry Potter!”
Ginny gasped. Harry Potter? The Harry Potter? Here? On Platform Nine and Three-Quarters? And she didn’t even notice? A huge smile graced her lips and she tugged rather hard on her mother’s shirtsleeve.
“Oh, Mom, can I go on the train and see him, Mom, oh please…”
Mrs. Weasley fixed her with a stern look. “You’ve already seen him, Ginny, and the poor boy isn’t something you goggle at in a zoo. Is he really, Fred? How do you know?”
“Asked him. Saw his scar. It’s really there - like lightning.”
Ginny tore her gaze away from Fred and looked frantically along the platform. It was nearly empty of students now, as it was getting close to eleven o’clock. She tried to find the lonesome black-haired boy on the platform, but to no avail. She squinted her eyes and tried to look inside the windows for a glimpse of him but all she could see were the other children poking their heads out of them and waving at their families. She saw a quick flash of movement in one of the only empty windows but as soon as she looked, it was gone. She stared there for a few moments until the train’s whistle blasted through the crisp, morning air.
“Hurry up!” Mrs. Weasley said, and Ginny watched her brothers climb onto the train and poke their heads out of the nearest open window. She couldn’t help it; tears were starting to leak out of her eyes.
“Don’t, Ginny, we’ll send you loads of owls.” Fred exclaimed.
“We’ll send you a Hogwarts toilet seat.” George beamed.
“George!”
“Only joking, Mom.”
Ginny let out a breathless laugh as the train started to move. Still laughing and crying, Ginny started running to keep up with her brothers until it gathered too much speed and she had to fall back, both arms waving in goodbye. She kept watching until the train was out of sight.
She smiled once more and started to wipe the remaining tears out of her eyes. She jumped slightly when she felt her mother’s reassuring hand on her shoulder. She turned.
“I’m going to miss them, Mom,” she managed to get out, using her sleeve to wipe more tears that broke through.
“I know, dear, I’ll miss them too. Let’s go back home.”
Ginny smiled and let her mother take her hand and lead her back to the magical barrier that took them to King’s Cross.
“I just can’t believe it, Mom. Harry Potter! That’s so exciting! And I’ll see him next year too, won’t I?”
“If you plan on going to Hogwarts next year, I suspect you will, dear,” Mrs. Weasley said, waiting for the guard’s okay to let them pass through.
“I just can’t wait to see him again, Mom. Do you think he’ll remember me?”
“A beautiful girl like you? Of course he well, dear, of course he will.”
----------
“Hey, Harry?”
“Yeah?”
“Do you ever think about the future?”
“Of course I do.” He screwed up his face in concentration. “I’m thinking about having roast beef for dinner tomorrow, how about you?”
Ginny threw a pillow at his face, her laughter echoing off the walls of the empty common room. “No, you silly git, the future beyond Hogwarts.”
His laughter mingled with hers until he calmed down and fixed her with a serious stare. “Actually, I do think about the future.”
Ginny stopped laughing and looked over at him. “What kinds of stuff do you think about?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know, really. It’s usually bits and pieces. I’m just trying to get past O.W.Ls for now.
Ginny groaned. “I’m not looking forward to those next year.”
Harry smirked. “What are you talking about? O.W.Ls are so much fun! Just ask Hermione.”
She rolled her eyes. “Ha, ha.”
They fell into a comfortable silence, both gazing into the fire. It was several minutes until Harry broke the silence.
“I think about Voldemort a lot.”
She turned her head sharply towards Harry that she got a slight crick in the neck. She winced and slowly soothed it with her fingers. “Just in general or…”
Another shrug. “Just in general, I guess. It’s just these dreams that I keep having. Well, one dream.”
“The Department of Mysteries?”
“Yeah.”
“What do you think it means?”
“That’s just it, I don’t know. Ever since I found out that Voldemort could get inside my head and read my thoughts, I have a feeling that maybe - maybe -“
“Maybe what?”
Harry looked up at her and her breath caught. His eyes were bright, boring straight into Ginny’s bright brown eyes and making her shift uncomfortably under his gaze. He must have noticed this ‘cause he broke eye contact and stared back into the fire.
“Nothing. Never mind.”
Ginny sighed inwardly. Her and Harry barely have one-on-one moments like this, and when they do, when she’s so close to breaking his stone-hard exterior, something happens and he shies away again.
So bloody close!
“I think I’m going to turn in. Goodnight, Ginny.”
He stood up rather quickly and was walking toward the boy’s staircase until Ginny found her voice again.
“Harry?”
He stooped, one foot on the bottom stair and his right hand on the railing. “Yeah, Ginny?”
“It’s nice. Talking like this. You and me, I mean.”
She turned her head and looked at Harry, and was surprised to see him smiling.
“Yeah, it is.”
----------
Her brow was covered in sweat. She impatiently wiped it away.
The most important match of the year and it happens to fall upon the hottest day of the year! Ginny thought angrily.
She shook the strands of hair that fell from of her plait out of her face and gazed around the pitch. The score was one hundred forty to two hundred ninety, Gryffindor’s favor. She saw Ron circling the hoops on the Gryffindor side, no doubt wearing a look of pure concentration that resembled their mother’s stern look. The Gryffindor Chasers running a complicated-looking play that managed to confuse the Ravenclaw team and give them ten more points. Ginny’s heart jumped into her throat.
Catch the snitch. Now.
She zoomed down, closer to the action of the match and just as quickly as her heart went in her throat, it crashed back down into her stomach.
There was Cho Chang, down by the Ravenclaw goal posts, diving. And Ginny saw it.
The snitch.
Without thinking she put on a burst of speed, trying to catch up with Cho.
What is she thinking? She catches the snitch they still lose by 10 points!
Ah, remember… You don’t catch this; you win the match, but lose the Cup.
Ginny blanched.
Oh, bugger.
“Come on! Come on!” She urged her broom faster, leaned farther forward to gain even more speed. She caught up with Cho, but her broom’s far better than Ginny’s.
But you’re the better flyer.
Ginny grinned at this thought. They were both neck and neck and Ginny stole a glance at Cho. Her face was set, and she looked… jubilant?
No.
No!
“NO!”
Ginny threw her whole body off the broom and, with both hands stretched out, grabbed the snitch from right under Cho’s nose. She tumbled to the ground, her broom, and Cho, in tow.
Ginny managed to hear the voice of Luna Lovegood echoing around the pitch.
“Who caught the snitch?”
The crowd was deathly silent. No one made a sound. Hundreds of pairs of eyes were fixed on the small heap on the pitch that was the Seekers.
Ginny untangled her legs from Cho’s and slowly pushed her off of her. She heard a small groan come out of the Ravenclaw before she completely passed out. Not being able to do anything for her now, Ginny stood up rather feebly and held up her right arm; the snitch’s wings beating helplessly against her steel-tight grip. She was beaming.
It sounded like someone set off thousands of fireworks. The crowd exploded. Ginny could see the sea of red and gold waving their flags and banners and screaming the hardest. Luna’s voice lilted around the pitch, no trace of emotion whatsoever. “Well, I guess Gryffindor wins. But you know, all of the players did a fantastic job -“
But no one was paying her any attention. The six other Gryffindor players raced over to where Ginny and the unconscious Cho resided and surrounded Ginny in a breath-stealing hug. All of them screaming the same thing: “We won the Cup! We won the Cup!”
When the team started hugging each other Ron barreled through, grabbed Ginny and spun her around. “That was a bloody fantastic catch, Gin! You made us all proud! If Harry were here to see that -“ He stopped.
Harry.
It wasn’t right to celebrate without their captain. Ron realized that too and dropped Ginny back to the Earth with a small “oof!”
“OY! GRYFFINDORS! PARTY IN THE COMMON ROOM! NOW!” Ron looked around until he saw Ginny. “What are you doing on the ground? Come on! Common room!” He helped her up and, not noticing her glare, took her arm and led her to the castle.
When they managed to get out of the crowd on the middle of the pitch, Ginny saw Hermione run up to them, face flushed, hair everywhere, scarf askew. But she had the biggest smile on her face.
“Well done you two! And Ron -“ Hermione launched herself onto Ron and left a big kiss on both cheeks. “You did so well today! I’m so proud of you!”
She let go and turned to Ginny. “And Ginny! Amazing catch! I was on the edge of my seat for that. When you didn’t get up right away I -“ She stopped and looked over at Ron. “Uh, Ron? Are you all right?”
Ron didn’t even register that Hermione was talking to him. He had this startled look on his face and it happened to be the same color as Hermione’s scarf. Ginny cleared her throat with a knowing smile that shook Ron out of his reverie. “Huh? What?”
“Are you all right?” Hermione asked again. “You don’t look well. Your face is really red and -“ She stopped abruptly and blushed crimson also.
Ron looked over at her and tried to smile but it came out as a grimace. “Uh, yeah. Yeah, I’m fine. It’s really hot out though.”
“Oh. Well, we can go to the common room and get some pumpkin juice. I bet there’s some there already.”
“Okay.”
“Okay.”
They both seemed to be interested in their shoes. Ginny beamed and cleared her throat yet again. Both their heads snapped up, most likely forgetting that she was there.
“So, party anyone?” She grabbed Ron and Hermione’s arms and marched them up to the castle, where a huge party was being held for them.
----------
Only five minutes have passed by and already she was into the story of how she caught the snitch.
“… And I look over, and there’s Cho, already diving for the snitch! And I thought that it was all over from there. But something in me told me not to give up! And so I put on that burst of speed and charged for that snitch. And -“
Just then the portrait hole opened and she saw Harry clamber his way through. Well, try to clamber his way through. About a half dozen people grabbed him by the robes and pulled him inside. Ron saw him at that moment and ran over to Harry, the Cup in his hand.
“We won!” Ginny heard Ron yell, his voice slightly cracking in excitement. “We won! Four hundred fifty points to one hundred forty! We won!”
Ginny quickly disentangled herself from the group of third years that were hanging on her every word and ran up to Harry. Not really thinking of what she was doing, she threw her arms around him and hugged him. But before she could pull away, Harry grabbed her arms to hold her in place and kissed her.
Whoa!
This is new…
Standing stock-still, Ginny was afraid that if she moved it’d all be over. But when she didn’t respond, he started to shy away.
Oh, no you don’t! You start this you better stay here and finish it!
Ginny wrapped her arms around his neck again, pulling him closer. It was a chaste kiss, but she could feel Harry pouring everything into it. And she her.
Her mind was muddled. She had no idea how long she was kissing him. She had no idea where she was anymore. The common room? Was there a party? What were we celebrating?
And just as abruptly as it started, it stopped, and she found herself looking into those bright green eyes again. Oh, how she loved those eyes. She could drown in those emerald pools and never have to -
He broke eye contact and looked over her head. Bugger.
She, too, looked over her shoulder to where Harry was looking and saw Ron staring at the two of them. She could also see Hermione out of the corner of her eye beaming. Ginny smirked.
Ron gaped for a few moments until he shook out of his stupor and jerked his head slightly. Ginny frowned.
Like I need his permission to date Harry.
Harry grabbed her hand slowly and squeezed it to get her attention. She looked up at him and he motioned towards the portrait hole. She grinned and nodded her head, squeezing his hand in return. They both turned toward the portrait hole and, hand-in-hand, silently decided that a good, long walk along the grounds was a great idea.
----------
Ginny looked over the heads of the many witches and wizards on the grounds and sought out Harry. He was talking to Ron and Hermione, of course, no doubt discussing their plans for the next year. Looking at Harry’s set face from afar made her throat close up.
No, I won’t cry. Not now.
She kept a steady façade during the funeral but on the inside she was curled up in a little ball, crying. The greatest wizard ever known was dead. And that’s not what Ginny even wants to cry about.
Harry. It’s always about Harry.
Dumbledore was his mentor. His savior. His only family. Until Sirius came into the picture during her second year. She found it rather ironic that the one person that the wizarding world was trying to keep from Harry was the only family he had, and the only man he wanted right now.
She sighed and watched the leaves dance along with wind. Yes, Dumbledore was always there for Harry, even as a baby. And everyone knew him as The Only Man Voldemort Ever Feared. Now everyone will turn to Harry for safety. And having to be the sole savior of the wizarding world does feel a bit heavy on your shoulders.
She wished she could help him somehow. But she didn’t know how. Harry, Ron and Hermione are leaving. Going to go out and kill Voldemort once and for all.
Ginny just hopes that they have a plan.
‘Cause without one, it’s suicide.
Ginny jumped out of her stupor when she heard the small sound of leaves crunching underneath shoes. She knew who it was without having to look up. He was right in front of her now.
“Us.”
She looked up, startled. “What?”
“You asked me, a while back, if I think about the future. And I do. I think about us.”
She stared into his eyes before breaking the contact and looking down again. Harry tipped her face up with his finger under her chin.
“You need to understand that, Ginny. If you come with me you’ll get killed.”
She jerked her face out of his grasp. “Oh, so you don’t care if Ron or Hermione gets killed? Is that it?”
“No, that’s not -“
“You don’t think that I can take care of myself?”
“Of course you can, but you need to -“
“I’ve been up against Him too, you know! Remember? Or have you forgotten that?”
Harry startled Ginny by grabbing her arms and slamming her against the tree, not too hard, but hard enough to get her attention.
“Listen to me,” he whispered dangerously, making Ginny shiver, but not with fright. “Voldemort likes to go after my weaknesses. Or do you not remember Sirius? He knew I cared about him and he used him as bait to get to me. If you came with me, if something happened to you -“
He broke of with a hitch and looked away. But Ginny could see the tears forming in his eyes. Her heart broke. She broke from his grip and cupped his face in her hands, making him look at her.
“If something happened to you I don’t know what I’d do,” he whispered hoarsely. “Please, Ginny, I need to know that you’re safe. I won’t be able to handle it -“
“Shhh…” Ginny gathered him closer to her and he burrowed his face in her neck. She could feel the wetness of his tears and it made her start to choke up again.
“You don’t have to worry about me, Harry,” she whispered in his ear, trying to sound soothing for him even with the large lump in her throat. “Don’t worry about me, okay? ‘Cause I’ll be right here. At Hogwarts. Surrounded by family and friends, all right? I’ll be safe.”
She felt him shake his head slowly. She frowned. “No? No, I won’t be safe?”
He lifted his head off of her shoulder and she could see the pain overflowing from his eyes. “You saw what happened - the Death Eaters, they got into Hog -“
“No.” Ginny shook her head. “Malfoy let them in remember? They didn’t get in themselves. They had help. Inside help. They don’t have that anymore.”
“How do you know?”
She opened her mouth to reply but stopped. How do I know?
“I don’t.”
Harry stared.
“We’re in the middle of a war, Harry, no where’s safe.”
He nodded shortly, looking at their joined hands. Ginny looked too. She can’t remember when that happened. But it felt nice. Right.
Safe.
“I have to go.” Harry said. “Ron and Hermione, they’re waiting for me. We have to talk about -“
“You’re coming to the wedding, right?” Ginny interrupted.
He smiled slightly and nodded. “There’s always room for happiness in the world.”
“Yes there is.”
He let go of her hand and brushed away some of the tears on Ginny’s face. “So I’ll see you later, then.”
“All right.”
Then he did the most amazing thing Ginny could’ve ever asked for.
He kissed her.
----------
Disclaimer: Recognize any dialogue? Why, yes! It is from the book Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. Belonging to JK Rowling and that brilliant mind of hers.
PS: Forgive me, I can't write a good quidditch scene to save my life.
Anyway, I re-read it and I kinda liked it. Which is surprising 'cause I criticize everything I write/draw/sing.. whatever.
The beginning is a bit shaky. It was my first attempt at fanfiction, after all. It's HP by-the-by. Shocking right?
Anyway, I've decided to share it with you guys! 'Cause I love my f'list. All y'all are so awesome and you've been so great.
The story's not on any site so I'll just put it in here, under a cut. It's Harry/Ginny, the second best HP ship. It HAD a title, but when I re-read it tonight I decided that it didn't fit the story. So this is my title-less story. Enjoy chick-a-dees!
“Oh, come on Daddy! Just once more!”
“Ginevra, you’ve already heard this story plenty of times! Now go to bed or you’ll mother will be after my blood.”
“I promise to go to bed after you tell the story.”
Arthur Weasley let out a sigh before relenting. “All right. But you better get to sleep as soon as I finish all right child?”
Little Ginny Weasley nodded her head vigorously, her twin pigtails on the top of her head swaying violently. “I promise! Now tell me the story!”
“All right, all right. Now, a few years ago -“
“No Daddy! You have to start with ‘Once upon a time’!”
“Oh, sorry, Ginny. Once upon a time there was a small family named the Potters. And -“
“And they owned the biggest house in all of Godric’s Hollow, right Daddy?”
Arthur chuckled to himself before nodding slowly. “Yes, dear. The biggest.”
“And they had a big backyard where they could run around and play, right?”
“That’s right.”
“And the house had twenty stories didn’t it Daddy?”
“Would you like to tell me the story?”
“Okay, Daddy! And the Potters had a baby boy named Harry. And someday he’d -“
“He’d become the most famous wizard of all time. Well, it seems as if you know this one by heart now Ginny. Should I tell a different story?”
“But I like this one!” Ginny whined.
“All right. But let’s finish it for another night. It’s already 11 o’clock.”
Ginny crossed her arms over her chest grumpily and pouted. “I’m not tired.”
“Well, that’s probably because Fred and George got into Charlie’s box of Filibuster’s No-Heat, Wet-Start Fireworks earlier today and you can still hear the explosions.”
“And also, the sound of Mommy’s screaming when she found out.”
Arthur smiled. “Yes. I’m afraid they’re backsides will be tender until they start Hogwarts.”
Ginny beamed. “You think so?”
He smiled once again. “Goodnight Ginevra.”
“Goodnight Daddy.”
Arthur tucked Ginny in and placed a kiss on both cheeks before shutting the light off and leaving her room.
“Daddy?”
Arthur stopped short of closing the door and peered back through the crack. “Yes Ginny?”
“Is it true? The story of Harry Potter?”
At first Arthur just stared at his only daughter before breaking out into a grin. “Of course it’s true, love. And it only happened a couple months after you were born.”
Ginny smiled, showing her father the giant gap in her teeth. “So it’s not a legend?”
“Oh, it’s a legend. I have a feeling that the story of Harry Potter will be told for many years to come.”
----------
“Now, what’s the platform number?” Molly Weasley said, careening through King’s Cross with her four youngest sons and Ginny in tow.
“Nine and Three-Quarters!” Ginny squeaked, grasping her mother’s hand tightly, excited for what’s to come. “Mom, can’t I go…”
“You’re not old enough, Ginny, now be quiet.” Ginny loosened her grip on her mother’s hand and pouted. “All right, Percy, you go first.”
Ginny watched as her older brother, Percy, lined up with the barrier between platforms nine and ten and broke out into a run. She tried not to blink, for watching her older brothers run through the platform always amazed her, even though she herself did it every year with them.
Just one more year and I’ll be able to go on that magnificent train to Hogwarts, Ginny thought with a grin on her face.
Her mother’s voice shook her out of her reverie.
“Fred, you next.”
“I’m not Fred, I’m George. “At this Ginny rolled her eyes. Do those two always try and bother Mum? “Honestly, woman, you call yourself our mother? Can’t you tell I’m George?” Fred finished, feigning shock and hurt.
“Sorry, George, dear.” Mrs. Weasley rushed, using her right arm as a sort of windmill, ushering Fred through the barrier.
“Only joking, I am Fred.” And with a cheeky grin he was off, and through the magical barrier. Mrs. Weasley sighed and shook her head slightly.
George caught his mother’s eye and she slightly glared at him before motioning him to go through the barrier next, leaving her, Ginny, and the youngest brother, Ron, alone.
“Excuse me.”
The three of them turned around and saw a small boy that, Ginny guessed, was around Ron’s age. With black hair and bright green eyes, he was pushing a trolley carrying a big trunk and a few wrapped packages, and a large, stainless steel cage that held a beautiful snowy owl. His eyes had a small amount of fear in them but that was soon covered by curiosity.
“Hello, dear.” Mrs. Weasley said. Ginny smiled slightly, loving how her mother is always so nice and caring to people she doesn’t even know. “First time at Hogwarts? Ron’s new, too.”
She gestured to Ron and he smiled slightly, both boys studying each other before the black-haired boy tore his eyes away from Ron’s bright red hair and back to Mrs. Weasley.
“Yes,” the boy said. “The thing is - the thing is, I don’t know how to -“
“How to get onto the platform?” Mrs. Weasley interjected sweetly. The boy nodded.
“Not to worry. All you have to do is walk at the barrier between platforms nine and ten. Don’t stop and don’t be scared you’ll crash into it, that’s very important. Best do it at a bit of a run if you’re nervous. Go on, go now before Ron.” Mrs. Weasley said all this very fast and the black-haired boy stared blankly back at her. She smiled kindly.
“Er - okay,” the boy said.
Ginny watched the boy line his trolley up with the barrier and started to walk towards it, picking up speed more and more. She watched him lean forward to gain more speed and close his eyes tightly before he disappeared beyond the barrier.
Mrs. Weasley smiled and looked over at Ron. “Go on, Ron. You go before me and Ginny, now.”
He nodded and, like the others before him, lined his cart up before charging towards the wall. Ginny, once again, watched her brother disappear through the barrier and thought again about next year, going through that barrier as a true Hogwarts student.
“Let’s go Ginny. We have five minutes before the train heads off. We must say goodbye.”
“All right Mum,” Ginny grabbed hold of her mother’s hand again and let her lead them through the barrier. Every time she did this, Ginny would always try and keep her eyes open. But reflex told her to close her eyes the second before she went past the wall and as soon as she opened them again, she saw the scarlet steam engine that lead the children to Hogwarts. She smiled.
“All right. Now let’s find your brothers,” Mrs. Weasley said, getting a tighter grip on Ginny’s hand and pulling her along the platform.
Mrs. Weasley sighed when she couldn’t see any of her ginger-crowned children. “Oh, where are they?” she mumbled to herself. With Ginny in tow, she marched up to an open carriage and called inside. “Fred? George? Are you there?”
“Coming, Mom,” was the reply she got from the both of them. A few moments later, they jumped off the train, just as Ron came up to them sulking slightly. Mrs. Weasley tutted and took out her handkerchief, eyeing her youngest son’s nose.
“Ron, you’ve got something on your nose,” she said, trying to grab his face to wipe it off, but Ron would have none of that. He dodged his mother’s hand but she managed to trap him and started rubbing his nose until it shown pink. “Mom, geroff!” Ginny giggled slightly, earning her a glare from Ron. She stifled the last of them and just smiled sweetly.
When Mrs. Weasley was done, she stuffed her handkerchief back on her breast pocket and looked around the platform. “Where’s Percy?” she asked.
The twins stopped their taunting on Ron and said, “He’s coming now.”
Ginny looked around and saw her older brother, Percy, come walking towards them. Actually, Ginny thought, he looked more like he was marching towards them, with his chest puffed out importantly, his Prefect Badge gleaming in the sunlight. The twins snorted.
“Can’t stay long, Mother,” Percy said, an octave lower than normal, making the twins snort again and Percy glare at them. “I’m up front, the prefects have got two compartments to themselves -“
“Oh, are you a prefect Percy?” Fred said, and Ginny tuned them out. All summer long all she heard about was Percy and he being named Prefect. And all summer long all she heard was the twins teasing him for it. It was getting old…
“All right, dear, well, have a good term,” Mrs. Weasley kissed Percy on the cheek before licking her thumb to wipe off the lipstick mark she left there. “Send me an owl when you get there.” When she was satisfied with his cheek, she hugged him tightly and he walked off to the Prefect’s compartments.
“Now you two…” she eyed the twins with a stern, hard look, and Ginny couldn’t help but giggle. The twins always got in trouble for something at Hogwarts. And, never fail, Mrs. Weasley would always get a letter from there explaining what they happened to blow up this time. It wasn’t until she heard the frantic excitement in Fred’s voice that she made her eyes stop wandering around the platform and focus on him.
“Hey, Mom, guess what? Guess who we just met on the train?”
“Who?” Ginny asked with urgency, but Fred ignored her.
“You know that black-haired boy who was near us at the station? Know who he is?”
“Who?” Mrs. Weasley said.
“Harry Potter!”
Ginny gasped. Harry Potter? The Harry Potter? Here? On Platform Nine and Three-Quarters? And she didn’t even notice? A huge smile graced her lips and she tugged rather hard on her mother’s shirtsleeve.
“Oh, Mom, can I go on the train and see him, Mom, oh please…”
Mrs. Weasley fixed her with a stern look. “You’ve already seen him, Ginny, and the poor boy isn’t something you goggle at in a zoo. Is he really, Fred? How do you know?”
“Asked him. Saw his scar. It’s really there - like lightning.”
Ginny tore her gaze away from Fred and looked frantically along the platform. It was nearly empty of students now, as it was getting close to eleven o’clock. She tried to find the lonesome black-haired boy on the platform, but to no avail. She squinted her eyes and tried to look inside the windows for a glimpse of him but all she could see were the other children poking their heads out of them and waving at their families. She saw a quick flash of movement in one of the only empty windows but as soon as she looked, it was gone. She stared there for a few moments until the train’s whistle blasted through the crisp, morning air.
“Hurry up!” Mrs. Weasley said, and Ginny watched her brothers climb onto the train and poke their heads out of the nearest open window. She couldn’t help it; tears were starting to leak out of her eyes.
“Don’t, Ginny, we’ll send you loads of owls.” Fred exclaimed.
“We’ll send you a Hogwarts toilet seat.” George beamed.
“George!”
“Only joking, Mom.”
Ginny let out a breathless laugh as the train started to move. Still laughing and crying, Ginny started running to keep up with her brothers until it gathered too much speed and she had to fall back, both arms waving in goodbye. She kept watching until the train was out of sight.
She smiled once more and started to wipe the remaining tears out of her eyes. She jumped slightly when she felt her mother’s reassuring hand on her shoulder. She turned.
“I’m going to miss them, Mom,” she managed to get out, using her sleeve to wipe more tears that broke through.
“I know, dear, I’ll miss them too. Let’s go back home.”
Ginny smiled and let her mother take her hand and lead her back to the magical barrier that took them to King’s Cross.
“I just can’t believe it, Mom. Harry Potter! That’s so exciting! And I’ll see him next year too, won’t I?”
“If you plan on going to Hogwarts next year, I suspect you will, dear,” Mrs. Weasley said, waiting for the guard’s okay to let them pass through.
“I just can’t wait to see him again, Mom. Do you think he’ll remember me?”
“A beautiful girl like you? Of course he well, dear, of course he will.”
----------
“Hey, Harry?”
“Yeah?”
“Do you ever think about the future?”
“Of course I do.” He screwed up his face in concentration. “I’m thinking about having roast beef for dinner tomorrow, how about you?”
Ginny threw a pillow at his face, her laughter echoing off the walls of the empty common room. “No, you silly git, the future beyond Hogwarts.”
His laughter mingled with hers until he calmed down and fixed her with a serious stare. “Actually, I do think about the future.”
Ginny stopped laughing and looked over at him. “What kinds of stuff do you think about?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know, really. It’s usually bits and pieces. I’m just trying to get past O.W.Ls for now.
Ginny groaned. “I’m not looking forward to those next year.”
Harry smirked. “What are you talking about? O.W.Ls are so much fun! Just ask Hermione.”
She rolled her eyes. “Ha, ha.”
They fell into a comfortable silence, both gazing into the fire. It was several minutes until Harry broke the silence.
“I think about Voldemort a lot.”
She turned her head sharply towards Harry that she got a slight crick in the neck. She winced and slowly soothed it with her fingers. “Just in general or…”
Another shrug. “Just in general, I guess. It’s just these dreams that I keep having. Well, one dream.”
“The Department of Mysteries?”
“Yeah.”
“What do you think it means?”
“That’s just it, I don’t know. Ever since I found out that Voldemort could get inside my head and read my thoughts, I have a feeling that maybe - maybe -“
“Maybe what?”
Harry looked up at her and her breath caught. His eyes were bright, boring straight into Ginny’s bright brown eyes and making her shift uncomfortably under his gaze. He must have noticed this ‘cause he broke eye contact and stared back into the fire.
“Nothing. Never mind.”
Ginny sighed inwardly. Her and Harry barely have one-on-one moments like this, and when they do, when she’s so close to breaking his stone-hard exterior, something happens and he shies away again.
So bloody close!
“I think I’m going to turn in. Goodnight, Ginny.”
He stood up rather quickly and was walking toward the boy’s staircase until Ginny found her voice again.
“Harry?”
He stooped, one foot on the bottom stair and his right hand on the railing. “Yeah, Ginny?”
“It’s nice. Talking like this. You and me, I mean.”
She turned her head and looked at Harry, and was surprised to see him smiling.
“Yeah, it is.”
----------
Her brow was covered in sweat. She impatiently wiped it away.
The most important match of the year and it happens to fall upon the hottest day of the year! Ginny thought angrily.
She shook the strands of hair that fell from of her plait out of her face and gazed around the pitch. The score was one hundred forty to two hundred ninety, Gryffindor’s favor. She saw Ron circling the hoops on the Gryffindor side, no doubt wearing a look of pure concentration that resembled their mother’s stern look. The Gryffindor Chasers running a complicated-looking play that managed to confuse the Ravenclaw team and give them ten more points. Ginny’s heart jumped into her throat.
Catch the snitch. Now.
She zoomed down, closer to the action of the match and just as quickly as her heart went in her throat, it crashed back down into her stomach.
There was Cho Chang, down by the Ravenclaw goal posts, diving. And Ginny saw it.
The snitch.
Without thinking she put on a burst of speed, trying to catch up with Cho.
What is she thinking? She catches the snitch they still lose by 10 points!
Ah, remember… You don’t catch this; you win the match, but lose the Cup.
Ginny blanched.
Oh, bugger.
“Come on! Come on!” She urged her broom faster, leaned farther forward to gain even more speed. She caught up with Cho, but her broom’s far better than Ginny’s.
But you’re the better flyer.
Ginny grinned at this thought. They were both neck and neck and Ginny stole a glance at Cho. Her face was set, and she looked… jubilant?
No.
No!
“NO!”
Ginny threw her whole body off the broom and, with both hands stretched out, grabbed the snitch from right under Cho’s nose. She tumbled to the ground, her broom, and Cho, in tow.
Ginny managed to hear the voice of Luna Lovegood echoing around the pitch.
“Who caught the snitch?”
The crowd was deathly silent. No one made a sound. Hundreds of pairs of eyes were fixed on the small heap on the pitch that was the Seekers.
Ginny untangled her legs from Cho’s and slowly pushed her off of her. She heard a small groan come out of the Ravenclaw before she completely passed out. Not being able to do anything for her now, Ginny stood up rather feebly and held up her right arm; the snitch’s wings beating helplessly against her steel-tight grip. She was beaming.
It sounded like someone set off thousands of fireworks. The crowd exploded. Ginny could see the sea of red and gold waving their flags and banners and screaming the hardest. Luna’s voice lilted around the pitch, no trace of emotion whatsoever. “Well, I guess Gryffindor wins. But you know, all of the players did a fantastic job -“
But no one was paying her any attention. The six other Gryffindor players raced over to where Ginny and the unconscious Cho resided and surrounded Ginny in a breath-stealing hug. All of them screaming the same thing: “We won the Cup! We won the Cup!”
When the team started hugging each other Ron barreled through, grabbed Ginny and spun her around. “That was a bloody fantastic catch, Gin! You made us all proud! If Harry were here to see that -“ He stopped.
Harry.
It wasn’t right to celebrate without their captain. Ron realized that too and dropped Ginny back to the Earth with a small “oof!”
“OY! GRYFFINDORS! PARTY IN THE COMMON ROOM! NOW!” Ron looked around until he saw Ginny. “What are you doing on the ground? Come on! Common room!” He helped her up and, not noticing her glare, took her arm and led her to the castle.
When they managed to get out of the crowd on the middle of the pitch, Ginny saw Hermione run up to them, face flushed, hair everywhere, scarf askew. But she had the biggest smile on her face.
“Well done you two! And Ron -“ Hermione launched herself onto Ron and left a big kiss on both cheeks. “You did so well today! I’m so proud of you!”
She let go and turned to Ginny. “And Ginny! Amazing catch! I was on the edge of my seat for that. When you didn’t get up right away I -“ She stopped and looked over at Ron. “Uh, Ron? Are you all right?”
Ron didn’t even register that Hermione was talking to him. He had this startled look on his face and it happened to be the same color as Hermione’s scarf. Ginny cleared her throat with a knowing smile that shook Ron out of his reverie. “Huh? What?”
“Are you all right?” Hermione asked again. “You don’t look well. Your face is really red and -“ She stopped abruptly and blushed crimson also.
Ron looked over at her and tried to smile but it came out as a grimace. “Uh, yeah. Yeah, I’m fine. It’s really hot out though.”
“Oh. Well, we can go to the common room and get some pumpkin juice. I bet there’s some there already.”
“Okay.”
“Okay.”
They both seemed to be interested in their shoes. Ginny beamed and cleared her throat yet again. Both their heads snapped up, most likely forgetting that she was there.
“So, party anyone?” She grabbed Ron and Hermione’s arms and marched them up to the castle, where a huge party was being held for them.
----------
Only five minutes have passed by and already she was into the story of how she caught the snitch.
“… And I look over, and there’s Cho, already diving for the snitch! And I thought that it was all over from there. But something in me told me not to give up! And so I put on that burst of speed and charged for that snitch. And -“
Just then the portrait hole opened and she saw Harry clamber his way through. Well, try to clamber his way through. About a half dozen people grabbed him by the robes and pulled him inside. Ron saw him at that moment and ran over to Harry, the Cup in his hand.
“We won!” Ginny heard Ron yell, his voice slightly cracking in excitement. “We won! Four hundred fifty points to one hundred forty! We won!”
Ginny quickly disentangled herself from the group of third years that were hanging on her every word and ran up to Harry. Not really thinking of what she was doing, she threw her arms around him and hugged him. But before she could pull away, Harry grabbed her arms to hold her in place and kissed her.
Whoa!
This is new…
Standing stock-still, Ginny was afraid that if she moved it’d all be over. But when she didn’t respond, he started to shy away.
Oh, no you don’t! You start this you better stay here and finish it!
Ginny wrapped her arms around his neck again, pulling him closer. It was a chaste kiss, but she could feel Harry pouring everything into it. And she her.
Her mind was muddled. She had no idea how long she was kissing him. She had no idea where she was anymore. The common room? Was there a party? What were we celebrating?
And just as abruptly as it started, it stopped, and she found herself looking into those bright green eyes again. Oh, how she loved those eyes. She could drown in those emerald pools and never have to -
He broke eye contact and looked over her head. Bugger.
She, too, looked over her shoulder to where Harry was looking and saw Ron staring at the two of them. She could also see Hermione out of the corner of her eye beaming. Ginny smirked.
Ron gaped for a few moments until he shook out of his stupor and jerked his head slightly. Ginny frowned.
Like I need his permission to date Harry.
Harry grabbed her hand slowly and squeezed it to get her attention. She looked up at him and he motioned towards the portrait hole. She grinned and nodded her head, squeezing his hand in return. They both turned toward the portrait hole and, hand-in-hand, silently decided that a good, long walk along the grounds was a great idea.
----------
Ginny looked over the heads of the many witches and wizards on the grounds and sought out Harry. He was talking to Ron and Hermione, of course, no doubt discussing their plans for the next year. Looking at Harry’s set face from afar made her throat close up.
No, I won’t cry. Not now.
She kept a steady façade during the funeral but on the inside she was curled up in a little ball, crying. The greatest wizard ever known was dead. And that’s not what Ginny even wants to cry about.
Harry. It’s always about Harry.
Dumbledore was his mentor. His savior. His only family. Until Sirius came into the picture during her second year. She found it rather ironic that the one person that the wizarding world was trying to keep from Harry was the only family he had, and the only man he wanted right now.
She sighed and watched the leaves dance along with wind. Yes, Dumbledore was always there for Harry, even as a baby. And everyone knew him as The Only Man Voldemort Ever Feared. Now everyone will turn to Harry for safety. And having to be the sole savior of the wizarding world does feel a bit heavy on your shoulders.
She wished she could help him somehow. But she didn’t know how. Harry, Ron and Hermione are leaving. Going to go out and kill Voldemort once and for all.
Ginny just hopes that they have a plan.
‘Cause without one, it’s suicide.
Ginny jumped out of her stupor when she heard the small sound of leaves crunching underneath shoes. She knew who it was without having to look up. He was right in front of her now.
“Us.”
She looked up, startled. “What?”
“You asked me, a while back, if I think about the future. And I do. I think about us.”
She stared into his eyes before breaking the contact and looking down again. Harry tipped her face up with his finger under her chin.
“You need to understand that, Ginny. If you come with me you’ll get killed.”
She jerked her face out of his grasp. “Oh, so you don’t care if Ron or Hermione gets killed? Is that it?”
“No, that’s not -“
“You don’t think that I can take care of myself?”
“Of course you can, but you need to -“
“I’ve been up against Him too, you know! Remember? Or have you forgotten that?”
Harry startled Ginny by grabbing her arms and slamming her against the tree, not too hard, but hard enough to get her attention.
“Listen to me,” he whispered dangerously, making Ginny shiver, but not with fright. “Voldemort likes to go after my weaknesses. Or do you not remember Sirius? He knew I cared about him and he used him as bait to get to me. If you came with me, if something happened to you -“
He broke of with a hitch and looked away. But Ginny could see the tears forming in his eyes. Her heart broke. She broke from his grip and cupped his face in her hands, making him look at her.
“If something happened to you I don’t know what I’d do,” he whispered hoarsely. “Please, Ginny, I need to know that you’re safe. I won’t be able to handle it -“
“Shhh…” Ginny gathered him closer to her and he burrowed his face in her neck. She could feel the wetness of his tears and it made her start to choke up again.
“You don’t have to worry about me, Harry,” she whispered in his ear, trying to sound soothing for him even with the large lump in her throat. “Don’t worry about me, okay? ‘Cause I’ll be right here. At Hogwarts. Surrounded by family and friends, all right? I’ll be safe.”
She felt him shake his head slowly. She frowned. “No? No, I won’t be safe?”
He lifted his head off of her shoulder and she could see the pain overflowing from his eyes. “You saw what happened - the Death Eaters, they got into Hog -“
“No.” Ginny shook her head. “Malfoy let them in remember? They didn’t get in themselves. They had help. Inside help. They don’t have that anymore.”
“How do you know?”
She opened her mouth to reply but stopped. How do I know?
“I don’t.”
Harry stared.
“We’re in the middle of a war, Harry, no where’s safe.”
He nodded shortly, looking at their joined hands. Ginny looked too. She can’t remember when that happened. But it felt nice. Right.
Safe.
“I have to go.” Harry said. “Ron and Hermione, they’re waiting for me. We have to talk about -“
“You’re coming to the wedding, right?” Ginny interrupted.
He smiled slightly and nodded. “There’s always room for happiness in the world.”
“Yes there is.”
He let go of her hand and brushed away some of the tears on Ginny’s face. “So I’ll see you later, then.”
“All right.”
Then he did the most amazing thing Ginny could’ve ever asked for.
He kissed her.
----------
Disclaimer: Recognize any dialogue? Why, yes! It is from the book Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. Belonging to JK Rowling and that brilliant mind of hers.
PS: Forgive me, I can't write a good quidditch scene to save my life.