Here is my entry for the Dr Seuss Quote Competition. I decided to do Ginny in her fifth year. She's had a really lousy day and is feeling over emotional. Poor girl!
Disclaimer: No this isn't J K Rowling. You'll find her over in England being awesome and owning Harry Potter. But I can take a message. Or perhaps write a little Potter-based story?
"You know, sometimes I hate school!" Ginny huffed, flopping down beside her two best friends at under their favourite tree in the Hogwarts Grounds. They had a great veiw of the lake from there.
Luna and Neville looked up in shock to see Ginny streach out in the sun, a huge smile on her face.
"Oh, you were kidding." Luna said, noting her happy expression. She paused for a second. "That's quite funny actually."
Ginny and Neville chuckled at her matter-of-fact statement. They hadn't been best friends long, but both of them loved Luna to bits.
"Only half-kidding anyway Luna, but I'm glad you find me amusing." Ginny grinned, flipping onto her front and resting her head in her hands to peer up at Luna and Neville. He was leaning against the tree and watching the other students mill around across the grass. Luna was curled up against her patch-covered bag and looking at the clouds racing past. It was a beautiful day. Uncommonly so for this time of year, when Summer had ended and Autumn begun. The students of Hogwarts were making the most of it.
"You're lucky Neville, you've already done OWLs, and you don't have NEWTs until next year. All the teachers ever talk about now are the 'big exams'"Ginny sighed deeply. "The year's barely sarted!"
Neville shook his head "I still hate school sometimes, even if I don't have big exams. I think it's almost as stressful sixth year. Sorry to break it to you. At least I have Herbology."
"Well everyone has something to keep them happy. You're so good at Herbology, Neville! And Ginny, you'll have Quidditch tryouts this week. That might cheer you up. Harry's sure to pick you for the team." Luna said dreamily, watching a particulary odd cloud amble slowly across the sky.
"Yeah," Ginny said softly, "Hopefully,"
Luna and Neville exchanged a glance. Ginny seemed a little more serious then usual if the idea of Quidditch wouldn't cheer her up. Neville wondered if it was the mention of Harry Potter. They'd already talked to her and she seemed pretty confident about the Quidditch tryouts. Unlike her brother.
"H-How're you and Dean going?" He asked tentativly. A look of utter annoyance crossed Ginny's face. Neville was momentarily very worried. But her annoyance wasn't directed at him. It was at herself.
"I really like him. He's so sweet and kind. And her really cares about me and he's such a gentlman... but I still can't seen to properly fall for him! It's so frustrating!" Ginny exploded with annoyance. "It's like there's something wrong with me. Dean's a lovely guy and so sweet and artistic and amazing and really cute, and yet I can't seem to like him much more then a crush! I should be falling head over heels for a guy like Dean. But I can't."
Ginny leaned her cheek in her folded arms and stared out at where she could see Harry, Ron and Hermione walking by the lake.
"You don't have to make yourself like him Ginny." Luna said. "If you don't like him then that's that. It isn't fair to lead him on."
"I know Luna. But I want to like him more. I want to get over-" She broke off and dragged her eyes away as the Chosen One shoved Ron into the lake, sending Hermione into peals of laughter. "You know how when I was younger I had that stupid crush on Harry,"
They nodded, knowing already what was coming.
"Well it never went away! Ever!" Ginny looked back down to see her older brother dragging Harry inch by inch into the lake with him. She couldn't help but smile as Harry dug in his heels and tried to escape. "I asked Hermione about it and she said it was better that I just be myself around him, get over him and go out with some other guys. And then Harry'd either notice me for my true self or I'd find a better guy who loved me for me."
Ginny turned back to face her two best friends, pulling up into a sitting position and crossing her legs. Her usually firey and confident figure seemed to be drooping.
"Neither happened, because I have found a guy who loves me for me, but I can't love him back. And then I am myself around Harry but I feel so fake. Because he has no idea how much I like him. It's like I'm lying to him or something. And then I get these urges to lie and impress him, which sucks because I don't want to lie to him."
Luna reached out and squeezed her hand. "Ginny, Harry loves you. He might not love you in that way yet, but he thinks you're great. And Dean likes you lots too. And you do like Dean, don't you?"
"Yeah, just not enough." Ginny said sadly.
"Give it some time Ginny, you never know." Neville was obviously trying hard to be cheerful.
"And keep being yourself, I'm sure you aren't fake at all Ginny. You're a very unfake person. That's one of the things I like about you." Luna added.
"It makes me cringe to think what careless things Ron must say about in front of him. He's so tactless!" Ginny huffed.
"I haven't heard him say anything bad. And if it helps I do nothing but compliment you if I'm mentioning you to Harry." Neville said sincerely.
"Thanks Nev," Ginny's bottom lip quivered. "I just don't want to be a bad person here. I don't break people's hearts! When I broke up with Micheal I had a proper reason. But Dean's so sweet, I don't want to hurt him. I can't become one of those girls! It's - it's- Oh Merlin, don't cry Ginny!"
She wiped furiously at her eyes and tried to compose herself. Luna opened her mouth to say something.
"Hey Ginny! Luna! Neville!" It was Hermione. She began to walk away from the lakeside, towards the three under the tree. Ron and Harry came pelting after her. The boys were dripping wet, and as they reached Hermione they leapt on her and hugged her, pulling away and roaring with laughter as she glared at them, now soaking as well.
Ginny would normally have found this very funny, but now she looked in shock to her two friends and seemed slightly panicked at the thought of Harry joining them.
"I- I can't talk to him now. I'm too..." She left the sentence open, knowing her face displayed her confusion and frustration. Luna reached across and grabbed her arms, holding her attention.
"Today, You are You, that is truer then true. There's no one alive who is Youer then You!" She said firmly. "And you have never had a problem with Harry. Don't let that change today, Ginny. Just be you, Harry's friend."
Ginny smiled gratefully at the thorough Luna-ness of this advice. But in an odd way it made her feel a lot better. Because she was the herself, and the only one of herself. And Luna had made it so much easier. Because she could be Ginny quite easily. She just had to keep being Ginny and not let her messed up emotions confuse her. And Ginny didn't cry, so Ginny managed not to cry.
Harry arrived first and plonked down right beside Her.
"Want a hug?" He asked jokingly, holding out his arms. Ginny laughed easily, feeling comfortable around him again. It was great to have that feeling back, when for the last few days it had been becoming a constant nervousness.
She pulled out her wand and waved it threateningly in his face saying "Sure, come and try it!"
And when Ron snuck up and hugged her from behind she laughed again and chased him round. And Ginny was not completely paranoid about what Harry would think of her. For the first time in those long days she was Ginny again.
Please review everyone! Sorry it's short!
