Planning Ahead
By Jill Weber/Jelsemium
A Mini Ginny fic, set during the summer between Harry's first year and Harry's second, courtesy of too much carbon monoxide during rush hour.
Virginia Weasley grew up in love with Harry Potter. How could she not? She learned Harry Potter's name before she learned her brothers'. Her bedtime stories were of Harry's victory over You-Know-Who rather than Cinderella and Snow White. Her favorite book growing up was a children's treasury of great warriors, which had Harry's victory as it's last chapter. She'd always dreamed of growing up to be his wife.
And then her brother Ron had become Harry Potter's best friend. Ginny could have died from happiness. All through that school year, Ginny appended questions about Harry to every owl they sent to her brothers, with extra questions for Ron, no matter who the owl was for. All during the long summer days she pestered and quizzed and cross-examined her four brothers, especially Ron, about every detail they could recall.
She was silenced only when Ron informed her loftily that he was trying to write to Harry and he needed to concentrate. She watched with wide eyes as Ron sent Errol off with letter after letter for THE Harry Potter. She suffered with him when Errol returned all dozen of Ron's letters unopened. It grieved her to think that Harry Potter wasn't interested in her family… in her.
She lurked in corners to hear what the older brothers thought.
"Do you think he's snubbing Ron?" Percy asked the twins.
"No," George said thoughtfully. " You know him as well as we do, Perce. He's not the type. He's a nice kid."
"Besides, I got the impression he's rather lonely living with those Muggle relatives of his," Fred chimed in. "He doesn't have anybody at home to talk magic to."
"That's what I thought," Percy said.
Ginny felt better immediately. The twins and Percy didn't agree on many things. So, if all three of them thought that Harry Potter was too nice to snub Ron, then Harry Potter was too nice to snub Ron. And if he was lonely… her breath caught in her throat. He must not have a witch girlfriend if he didn't have anyone to talk magic to! Her way was clear!
Later that evening, she 'accidentally' overheard her parents discussing Harry's lack of response.
"Molly, I don't like this," her father said. "Ron's worried sick and even the twins are concerned. I think it's time we investigated."
"Now, Arthur," her mother said. Ginny could picture her Mum putting a hand on her Dad's elbow as she always did to restrain him. "Let's not be too hasty. Perhaps he and his family have been on holiday? Give it a few more days, if we haven't heard from him on Friday, then we can investigate over the weekend."
Ginny didn't wait to hear more. She danced all the way to her bedroom. Harry Potter was coming this weekend! She began to plan her wardrobe. There was that old green robe that her Aunt Fran had sent her. Mum could fix the hems and add a bit of lace. Maybe she'd even lend Ginny a necklace to go with it.
When Harry arrived, she'd be sitting in the front room, arranging flowers in a vase. He'd probably smile and say something nice about how she looked. She'd smile at him and tell him that this was her favorite robe because green had always been her favorite color. Then she'd gaze significantly into his green eyes.
After a pleasant nights' dream of roaming the grounds of Hogwarts with Harry, Ginny began to plan ahead. She'd wear her Mum's old wedding gown, of course. Maybe with something of Harry's Mum, too. She'd have to pick her bridesmaids later, of course, she didn't have any close girlfriends yet.
She couldn't find her brush, so she smoothed her hair back with her hands. She was deciding on names for their two children (she didn't want as big a family as her parent's had!) as she skipped downstairs for breakfast. She sighed dreamily over the day when she would walk into the kitchen and see Harry Potter sitting at the table and smiling at her.
Then she walked into the kitchen and saw Harry Potter sitting at the table.
For one shocked second, Ginny Weasley stared at the apparition. Then she realized that she was awake and that she wasn't dressed and hadn't even brushed her hair. She squealed and bolted for her room.
She slammed the door and leaned on it, like she expected pursuit. 'What had happened to Friday?' She wondered frantically. Her parents wouldn't have gone without telling her that they were going! It had to have been her brothers. The twins and Ron had gone after Harry without warning her!
She sank to the floor, face flaming, and couldn't decide if she should poison her brothers before she drowned herself, or if she should just haunt them for the rest of eternity.