Bird of the Summer
Harry Potter was notorious at hide and seek. He'd managed to evade Voldermort indefinitely until he wanted to be found. Now he would hide from the world all winter. He'd been gone almost a year, as soon as the war ended and summer started to warm the air he left. With only a rushed explanation that started with, 'I'm going south'. Of course, reporters followed as soon as they could but they rarely found him, every now and again he'd withdraw money at this wizarding bank or that and they'd all rush to the scene but he was gone. They said he moved with the wind; with the wind and the birds, as silent and unnoticed.
You came with the season, as the first swallow sang
A brown headed stranger, with a five-letter name
~
Ginny watched the man walking up the drive towards the burrow, his hands were stuffed deep into worn black jeans and his hoodie hung loose and open on his shoulders showing a nicely fitted blue t-shirt. He had tidy brown hair, brushed back off his face and a round face with undefined features, extremely ordinary. Ginny put down the book she'd been browsing and walked towards him with a smile. "The swallows beat you home." She said calmly, and then he looked up at her and her heart stopped for a beat. He hadn't disguised his eyes; they were still that stomach twisting green that made goose bumps on her arms despite the warm air.
~
We planted our kisses where the wild berries grow my feet sprouted wings and I flew all the way home
~
She picked a black berry from the hedgerow beside the drive and watched him as she popped it into her mouth, slowly and deliberately. He laughed and walked towards her. "Nu-uh, not until you look like you again." She teased, wagging her finger at him. Grinning he took out his wand and wordlessly removed the glamour charms. His hair seemed to spring up back to its messy, dark mop and he shook it out of his eyes with his once again pale, finely muscled arms. He grew another half foot and raised a thick black eyebrow at her in question. Smiling, she ran towards him, wrapping her arms around his waist and kissing his lips eagerly.
~
My cheeks red like fire engines racing straight to the heat of your skin and I know our days are numbered, early bird of the summer you'll fly south just as the fall begins
~
"Harry dear!" Molly called as she crossed the garden to him, hugging him and pinching his cheeks. "Ginny's been waiting for you for two weeks! Last we heard you were in France."
"Mum!" Ginny shouted, feeling her face going red. Harry only laughed and Molly rolled her eyes.
"Welcome home, my boy!" Arthur called as he came out of the house followed a millisecond later by Ron who ran full pelt straight into his best friend and they had a short fight/hug before grinning and going inside. Ginny sighs as she looks up at the swallows bowing the muggle telephone wires, fields away. Of course she knows she'll soon have to say goodbye again. He won't stay the year, not even half, she could feel it.
~
The leaves changed their colours and the schoolyards were filled
My coat with the patches barely keeps out the chill
~
She'd been walking for what felt like ages now, he'd flown away on his old and trusty Firebolt, with the falcon, she'd given him to keep in touch. She didn't want to go home and face the pitying looks of her parents, the teasing of her brothers or Hermione's attempts at comfort. She knew she only had to wait and he'd come back. She needed to focus on her job and keep her head down. But it just wasn't happiness without him, and she missed him. It was all well and good to say she'd get on with it but another entirely to manage.
~
You sent me a postcard from a town out of state, I wish it were warmer and I hope you're the same
~
She blamed the weather, if it weren't so sodding cold he wouldn't have gone at all. Of course she knew that wasn't why but it was easier to blame the world than the past that she treasured so closely, good and bad. She received his post card from France a week or two later. She marvelled at his ability to get so far so fast considering he couldn't use public services for risk of being discovered. He told her of his adventures, and the weird and wonderful things he'd seen and people he'd met. When she was about to pen her reply she paused, what did she have to say? She lived with people who they'd both known for years, she worked with the same people that they were in school with, nothing ever changed for her. She knew she would always be her, never changing, but what if he wasn't? 'I wish it were warmer and I hope you're the same. All my love, Ginny. X'
~
The fields where we wandered were golden
Now only muddy my boots and I know I should recover, you're a bird of the summer, I was wrong to try and capture you
She walked through the same fields they'd gone to mess about in all summer. The wheat, hay and corn had all been harvested leaving sparse and muddy fields. Her last note had been met with a confused reply, and after an explanation an indignant and irked response. She knew he had a right to be miffed, considering she was trying to ground him. For once in his entire life he was as happy and free as he'd felt when he flew. She'd always known that what he wanted more than anything was escapism yet she'd tried to catch him and keep him. She'd thought she'd succeeded for a while too.
I met someone walking in a park by the lake
He don't fly like we did but he don't fly away
She'd been working as Madame Pomfrey's assistant nurse in Hogwarts for a month when the young DADA teacher approached her by the lake one evening. He wasn't much for a defence teacher. He was shy, nervous and uncertain of himself, he didn't joke as easily as Harry had. He was kind though, easy going and he trusted her, idolised her even. He was from Devon, he had brown hair, brown eyes and pale skin, and he was quite thin but not unattractive. He didn't want much in life, a good wife, children, and a home preferably on the coast.
~
Gone is the pale hand of winter
Here is the first flush of May
~
Ginny and Ryan got along easily, there wasn't any romantic explosion of feeling when he looked at her or touched her, they never had explosive arguments or sex but he didn't want to go anywhere. Everything about their relationship was easy and never extreme. He didn't argue with her when she ordered him and he didn't complain even when she thought she was being high handed. By the time May came along she knew that Ryan had bought an engagement ring and was waiting to propose. She lay in a hot bath, soaking after a long day and she thought for the first time seriously about her response.
~
And soon I will discover whether birds of the summer fly in circles or just fly away
It would all depend on thing though, and she knew that all too well. If Harry came back now, she'd have to find out where he stood with her. Because as much as she cherished and loved Ryan, she knew in her heart, if Harry told her to wait for him, Ryan wouldn't even be a consideration to her. It was an awful feeling to someone like her, knowing that there was someone out there who had complete control over the outcome of her life. Especially since that person was so highly unpredictable. She watched him walking towards her, this time with sandy blonde hair and blue eyes, he looked up at her and grinned. She was powerless as a feeling of weightlessness swept through her and her stomach clenched suddenly.