I'm here
Disclaimer: I don't own anything except the story.
Chapter 1
Ginny sat at the back of the car, looking out of the window, bored out of her mind. Ron had been rambling on and on and on about his girlfriend, Lavender Brown. He kept telling them that she was great and that he couldn't believe in a million years that she'd ever go out with him. She could tell that she wasn't the only one who's bored to death. Fred and George kept on rolling their eyes at Ron.
"Ron! Shut it, will you?" George demanded, unable to control himself anymore.
"What?" Ron said obliviously. "Don't you want to hear about Lavender?"
"I think we've heard enough of her," Fred said, fighting back a snigger. Ron obviously doesn't get it.
"But--," Ron began again.
"Ron," Mrs. Weasley said carefully, "I think it's better if we just keep quiet for the rest of the trip to Platform 9 ¾." Ron crossed his arms on his chest and sighed irritably. Ginny put an arm on his shoulder.
"Don't worry, Ron. I'm sure Lavender is very, very, very happy that you're her boyfriend." Ron lighted up at this.
"You think so, Ginny? Well, I never really thought she'd ever go out with me. Not in a million years did I expect that. Oh, no. I always thought that she'd go out with Seamus or Dean or." Ron began rambling on again.
"Good job, Ginny," George said sarcastically.
Ginny leaned her head back on the seat and looked out the window at the Muggles walking on the sidewalk. For some reason, her parents decided to use muggle transport in going to the train station. They thought that it would be good for them, their children, to see the muggle world once in a while.
Shortly after, Ginny felt very joyful to get out of the car. Ron was starting to get on her nerves and tempers were already rising high because of him and his talk about Lavender. They went through the barrier, two by twos. As soon as they crossed it, they came face to face with a scarlet train, the Hogwarts transport. They walked across the platform to the train. Ginny clambered onto the train and went to find a compartment.
"Ron!" they heard someone call. They all turned around and saw Harry approaching them with a very wide grin.
"Hey Harry!" Ron said.
"Hi! Hi Mr. and Mrs. Weasley," Harry added. "Ron, I heard about the news. Congratulations!"
"Don't get him started, Harry," Fred said warningly.
"Yeah. He might go on and on and on about Lavender again," George said. "I'm not kidding."
"Hey! You guys are just jealous!" Ron said.
"Excuse me? Why would we be jealous of you?" George said.
"Now, now, now. That's enough," Mrs. Weasley said with a tone of finality. "The train is about to leave."
"Good luck in a whole new school year," Mr. Weasley said. "Don't go looking for trouble."
"Don't worry, mum, dad," Fred said. "We promise we'll be very, very good."
"I don't like that tone, Fred," Mrs. Weasley said. "Now get on the train. We'll see you in the summer. Where's Ginny?"
"She's probably inside already," George said.
"Very well," Mrs. Weasley said. "Take care of her, okay?" She kissed Fred, George and Ron on the cheeks. Harry got a hug from her, from which Harry was very grateful.
They got on the train and went to look for an empty compartment. "Where's Hermione?" Harry asked Ron.
"I dunno. Probably up at the front," Ron said. "She's a school prefect, isn't she?"
"Yeah." They got to the very end and still they had no compartment. They opened the last one and saw Ginny seated at the seat by the window; her legs curled up on her chest, writing something in a leather bound notebook. She was so absorbed in writing that she didn't hear them open the compartment door.
"Hey Ginny!" Ron said, sitting in front of her. Ginny looked up and was startled to see them there. "What are you guys doing here? Don't you guys have somewhere else to be?" She didn't mean to be so rude but didn't mind because that was usually the case. Ron would ask her to leave so that they could talk privately about things she didn't know anything about. She waved her hands, gesturing outside and in the process; her diary flew out of her hands and onto the floor, by Harry's feet.
"You're so clumsy, Ginny," Ron said, ignoring her remark and heaved his trunk on the shelf above their heads. Harry leaned down, picked up Ginny's diary and handed it to her. Ginny, who was so upset about someone disturbing her, forgot that Harry was there. She turned red as she got her diary from him and mumbled, "Thanks." There was an uncomfortable silence as Harry looked at Ginny. Ginny looked away and stood up.
"I'm going to find Megan," she said and sauntered off.
"What did I do?" Harry asked Ron, referring to Ginny.
"You never do anything to her, Harry. You're forgetting that it's Ginny we're talking about here and she's most of the time like that," Ron answered.
"But I think there's something wrong with her. Have you tried talking to her?" Harry asked again. "Well, no. But that's because I was in my room owling Lavender," Ron replied sheepishly.
Ginny decided to leave the compartment because she couldn't stand being only two feet away from Harry. It's not really hard to explain. You see, Ginny Weasley is in love with Harry Potter. She has been in love with him for two years. She thought of the time she realized that she was in fact in love with him.
*Flashback*
It was her third year and the Yule Ball was almost coming up. It was the time when Ron and Harry were getting desperate for dates. Hermione had just stormed out of the common room because Ron had only just realized that she was a girl and was asking her to go with him. But Hermione had a date. Ron didn't believe her but she verified. "She's really going with someone," Ginny said meekly. "Fine," Ron said. "Ginny, go with Harry and I'll find someone." Ginny turned red and felt her heart break as she turned down the invitation. "Well, I'm.I'm going with Neville. He asked me when Hermione said no." Ginny left and went in her dorm. She suddenly realized that she felt very bad that she turned Harry down, or rather Ron's invitation that she be Harry's date. She sat up on her bed, feeling confused. She's always had a crush on Harry. She smiled. She had always liked the way he'd grin at any joke, even if it were so corny; the way he'd run his hand through his hair; the way he'd look at you through those beautiful, emerald eyes of his. She especially loved his eyes. It always had some emotion there. Emotion that no eyes could ever express. Then she returned to reality. What's going on? She asked herself. And then it dawned on her.she was in love with him. She was in love.with Harry Potter.
*End of Flashback*
Ginny sighed as she pushed those memories out of her mind. Of course it was impossible that Harry would ever love her back. She was only his best friend's little sister, after all. But that didn't stop Ginny from loving him and hoping. Hoping that someday, he would look her way and realize that he loved her. Ginny shook her head and opened a compartment door by the middle of the train.
"Hi Megan!" Ginny said. A pretty brown haired girl looked up and smiled.
"Hi Ginny! I was hoping someone would come and sit with me."
"Who wouldn't want to sit with you? Are you forgetting that you're the new heartthrob?"
Megan rolled her eyes. Megan O'Leary was a new student at Hogwarts in Ginny's fifth year. She was supposed to start in their first year but her father wanted her to try going to Beauxbatons first. When that didn't work out, she was transferred in Hogwarts. Almost every guy in school eyed her. Even Harry. One reason she felt jealous of her sometimes. She was very pretty. She had short brown hair (up to her shoulders) and nice blue eyes. Ginny Weasley had blue eyes, too. But she could never be compared to Megan. Oh, never. She thought that compared to Megan, she looked really ordinary and pathetic.
"Whatever, Gin. You're the only one who keeps telling me that," Megan said with a laugh.
"Well, it's true! Anyway, why are you here alone?" Ginny asked.
"Well, Sara and Diana were here, but they left with Joe and Charles," Megan explained. "What about you? Why aren't you with your brother?"
"Being with him is impossible. He just thinks I'm going to annoy him," Ginny said.
"He's friends with Harry, isn't he?"
"Yeah. Why?" Ginny said. "Do you like him?"
"Oh, no. I'd never like him," Megan said hurriedly. Too hurriedly in Ginny's opinion.
"Why not?" Ginny wanted to know because she was the first girl, next to Hermione, that doesn't like him or even has a small crush on him. "Well.because.because you like him," Megan said finally.
Ginny gasped. She didn't remember telling Megan that she fancied Harry ever. She looked away. "I.I.I don't like Harry," Ginny said, hoping that she sounded more convincing than she felt. Megan smiled warmly at her.
"It's okay, Ginny. I won't tell anyone."
"I don't like him! I swear!" Ginny insisted. Megan only smiled at her again.
Ginny gave up. "Okay. I do."
"I think you two would make a good couple," Megan said.
"Yeah. If he notices me, I'll let you know," Ginny said flatly.
"What do you mean? Don't you talk with him?" Megan asked, confused.
"No. I mean, he's friends with my brother, not me."
"You mean--." But the opening of the compartment door interrupted Megan. Hermione peered in and smiled at both of them.
"Hi Ginny!"
"Hey Hermione!"
"Hi Megan! Ginny, I was wondering if you'd like to join us in our compartment. Ron and Harry wouldn't talk of anything else but Quidditch," Hermione said.
"Really?" Ginny said, standing up. "He's not with Lavender?"
"Oh. Lavender is with Parvati and Padma. They're going to share a carriage though later. Do you mind, Megan?"
"Not at all. I'm going to look for Sara and Diana. I'll see you later, Ginny," Megan said, getting out.
"Bye!" Ginny said and turned to Hermione as they went to the end of the train. "I thought prefects had compartments to themselves?"
"Well, yeah. But I don't feel like talking with the other prefects." Hermione slid open the compartment door, went in and sat beside Ron. Ginny took a deep breath and went in. She looked around and the only place to sit down was beside Harry. She decided she had no choice, so she sat down.
"Ginny, you're back," Ron said.
"Yeah. Hermione said she was getting bored," Ginny replied pointedly.
"Sorry, Herm," Ron said.
"Are you guys done talking about Quidditch, then?" Hermione asked.
"Uh, yeah. Sorry," Harry said. "What are you doing here?"
"What do you mean what am I doing here? Don't you want me to be here?" Hermione snapped.
"I didn't mean it that way. I meant.I thought prefects have their own compartment," Harry explained himself.
"She didn't feel like talking to her fellow prefects," Ginny said. "She found out that you guys were far more interesting to talk to."
Harry shifted in his seat and looked at Ginny, grinning. Ginny managed to smile back at him. Seeing his cute smile directed at her made her feel weak in the knees.
"That's right," Hermione said. "Besides, Draco Malfoy is there."
"Draco Malfoy?!" Ron said. "Yeah. He's a prefect. Sadly," Hermione said.
"That (he called Malfoy a really foul name) is prefect?" Ron said carelessly.
"Ron!" Hermione and Ginny said together.
"That is not proper! I could deduct points from you," Hermione said. "Deduct points from me. I don't care," Ron said stubbornly.
"Malfoy is (a foul name again). He deserves that."
"No matter who that person is or what he has done, he doesn't deserve to be talked about behind his back," Ginny said quietly. The compartment became eerily quiet as soon as what she said sunk in. They all looked at her.
"That's right," someone suddenly said. They all turned to look at the open door. Draco Malfoy was leaning at the side with his thugs behind him. "Weasley, I didn't know your sister was so smart," Malfoy said scathingly. Ginny turned red.
"Leave, Malfoy," Harry said threateningly.
"Or you'll what?" Malfoy said. It was clear that he was enjoying this.
"I'll deduct points from you," Hermione said.
Malfoy smirked. "Deduct points from me? I'm also a prefect, Granger. Besides, I don't remember speaking to you."
"Why don't you act like a prefect then, Malfoy?" Ron said angrily. "Or is that too hard for you, seeing that you're such a stupid git?" Ron had already stood up and approached Malfoy, clenching his fists. Ginny stood up, too and pulled Ron back by his arm. "Ron, don't. He's not worth it," Ginny said.
"Yeah. Listen to your sissy," Malfoy smirked.
Ginny couldn't control herself anymore. She raised her hand and smacked Malfoy on the face. Malfoy staggered backwards, his hands on his nose, which was trickling with blood. He gave one last look at them and then left. They all sat back down and closed the door, making sure that no one could just barge in. It was quiet. Ginny looked up at them. They were all staring at her, still feeling surprised at what she did.
"That was really great, Ginny," Ron said finally. "I never knew you could hit that hard."
"Neither did I," Ginny said and laughed. "Did you see his face? It was so funny."
"I bet he didn't think you'd hit him," Harry said.
"Well, I wasn't supposed to but something just came over me and I couldn't help it," Ginny said, shrugging. "I'll have to control myself from now on."
"You did well, Ginny," Harry said, patting her shoulder. Ginny smiled. Harry was patting her on the shoulder. He said that she did well. She smiled wider. That meant a lot to her. After all, it wasn't everyday that she got to talk to Harry like this.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything except the story.
Chapter 1
Ginny sat at the back of the car, looking out of the window, bored out of her mind. Ron had been rambling on and on and on about his girlfriend, Lavender Brown. He kept telling them that she was great and that he couldn't believe in a million years that she'd ever go out with him. She could tell that she wasn't the only one who's bored to death. Fred and George kept on rolling their eyes at Ron.
"Ron! Shut it, will you?" George demanded, unable to control himself anymore.
"What?" Ron said obliviously. "Don't you want to hear about Lavender?"
"I think we've heard enough of her," Fred said, fighting back a snigger. Ron obviously doesn't get it.
"But--," Ron began again.
"Ron," Mrs. Weasley said carefully, "I think it's better if we just keep quiet for the rest of the trip to Platform 9 ¾." Ron crossed his arms on his chest and sighed irritably. Ginny put an arm on his shoulder.
"Don't worry, Ron. I'm sure Lavender is very, very, very happy that you're her boyfriend." Ron lighted up at this.
"You think so, Ginny? Well, I never really thought she'd ever go out with me. Not in a million years did I expect that. Oh, no. I always thought that she'd go out with Seamus or Dean or." Ron began rambling on again.
"Good job, Ginny," George said sarcastically.
Ginny leaned her head back on the seat and looked out the window at the Muggles walking on the sidewalk. For some reason, her parents decided to use muggle transport in going to the train station. They thought that it would be good for them, their children, to see the muggle world once in a while.
Shortly after, Ginny felt very joyful to get out of the car. Ron was starting to get on her nerves and tempers were already rising high because of him and his talk about Lavender. They went through the barrier, two by twos. As soon as they crossed it, they came face to face with a scarlet train, the Hogwarts transport. They walked across the platform to the train. Ginny clambered onto the train and went to find a compartment.
"Ron!" they heard someone call. They all turned around and saw Harry approaching them with a very wide grin.
"Hey Harry!" Ron said.
"Hi! Hi Mr. and Mrs. Weasley," Harry added. "Ron, I heard about the news. Congratulations!"
"Don't get him started, Harry," Fred said warningly.
"Yeah. He might go on and on and on about Lavender again," George said. "I'm not kidding."
"Hey! You guys are just jealous!" Ron said.
"Excuse me? Why would we be jealous of you?" George said.
"Now, now, now. That's enough," Mrs. Weasley said with a tone of finality. "The train is about to leave."
"Good luck in a whole new school year," Mr. Weasley said. "Don't go looking for trouble."
"Don't worry, mum, dad," Fred said. "We promise we'll be very, very good."
"I don't like that tone, Fred," Mrs. Weasley said. "Now get on the train. We'll see you in the summer. Where's Ginny?"
"She's probably inside already," George said.
"Very well," Mrs. Weasley said. "Take care of her, okay?" She kissed Fred, George and Ron on the cheeks. Harry got a hug from her, from which Harry was very grateful.
They got on the train and went to look for an empty compartment. "Where's Hermione?" Harry asked Ron.
"I dunno. Probably up at the front," Ron said. "She's a school prefect, isn't she?"
"Yeah." They got to the very end and still they had no compartment. They opened the last one and saw Ginny seated at the seat by the window; her legs curled up on her chest, writing something in a leather bound notebook. She was so absorbed in writing that she didn't hear them open the compartment door.
"Hey Ginny!" Ron said, sitting in front of her. Ginny looked up and was startled to see them there. "What are you guys doing here? Don't you guys have somewhere else to be?" She didn't mean to be so rude but didn't mind because that was usually the case. Ron would ask her to leave so that they could talk privately about things she didn't know anything about. She waved her hands, gesturing outside and in the process; her diary flew out of her hands and onto the floor, by Harry's feet.
"You're so clumsy, Ginny," Ron said, ignoring her remark and heaved his trunk on the shelf above their heads. Harry leaned down, picked up Ginny's diary and handed it to her. Ginny, who was so upset about someone disturbing her, forgot that Harry was there. She turned red as she got her diary from him and mumbled, "Thanks." There was an uncomfortable silence as Harry looked at Ginny. Ginny looked away and stood up.
"I'm going to find Megan," she said and sauntered off.
"What did I do?" Harry asked Ron, referring to Ginny.
"You never do anything to her, Harry. You're forgetting that it's Ginny we're talking about here and she's most of the time like that," Ron answered.
"But I think there's something wrong with her. Have you tried talking to her?" Harry asked again. "Well, no. But that's because I was in my room owling Lavender," Ron replied sheepishly.
Ginny decided to leave the compartment because she couldn't stand being only two feet away from Harry. It's not really hard to explain. You see, Ginny Weasley is in love with Harry Potter. She has been in love with him for two years. She thought of the time she realized that she was in fact in love with him.
*Flashback*
It was her third year and the Yule Ball was almost coming up. It was the time when Ron and Harry were getting desperate for dates. Hermione had just stormed out of the common room because Ron had only just realized that she was a girl and was asking her to go with him. But Hermione had a date. Ron didn't believe her but she verified. "She's really going with someone," Ginny said meekly. "Fine," Ron said. "Ginny, go with Harry and I'll find someone." Ginny turned red and felt her heart break as she turned down the invitation. "Well, I'm.I'm going with Neville. He asked me when Hermione said no." Ginny left and went in her dorm. She suddenly realized that she felt very bad that she turned Harry down, or rather Ron's invitation that she be Harry's date. She sat up on her bed, feeling confused. She's always had a crush on Harry. She smiled. She had always liked the way he'd grin at any joke, even if it were so corny; the way he'd run his hand through his hair; the way he'd look at you through those beautiful, emerald eyes of his. She especially loved his eyes. It always had some emotion there. Emotion that no eyes could ever express. Then she returned to reality. What's going on? She asked herself. And then it dawned on her.she was in love with him. She was in love.with Harry Potter.
*End of Flashback*
Ginny sighed as she pushed those memories out of her mind. Of course it was impossible that Harry would ever love her back. She was only his best friend's little sister, after all. But that didn't stop Ginny from loving him and hoping. Hoping that someday, he would look her way and realize that he loved her. Ginny shook her head and opened a compartment door by the middle of the train.
"Hi Megan!" Ginny said. A pretty brown haired girl looked up and smiled.
"Hi Ginny! I was hoping someone would come and sit with me."
"Who wouldn't want to sit with you? Are you forgetting that you're the new heartthrob?"
Megan rolled her eyes. Megan O'Leary was a new student at Hogwarts in Ginny's fifth year. She was supposed to start in their first year but her father wanted her to try going to Beauxbatons first. When that didn't work out, she was transferred in Hogwarts. Almost every guy in school eyed her. Even Harry. One reason she felt jealous of her sometimes. She was very pretty. She had short brown hair (up to her shoulders) and nice blue eyes. Ginny Weasley had blue eyes, too. But she could never be compared to Megan. Oh, never. She thought that compared to Megan, she looked really ordinary and pathetic.
"Whatever, Gin. You're the only one who keeps telling me that," Megan said with a laugh.
"Well, it's true! Anyway, why are you here alone?" Ginny asked.
"Well, Sara and Diana were here, but they left with Joe and Charles," Megan explained. "What about you? Why aren't you with your brother?"
"Being with him is impossible. He just thinks I'm going to annoy him," Ginny said.
"He's friends with Harry, isn't he?"
"Yeah. Why?" Ginny said. "Do you like him?"
"Oh, no. I'd never like him," Megan said hurriedly. Too hurriedly in Ginny's opinion.
"Why not?" Ginny wanted to know because she was the first girl, next to Hermione, that doesn't like him or even has a small crush on him. "Well.because.because you like him," Megan said finally.
Ginny gasped. She didn't remember telling Megan that she fancied Harry ever. She looked away. "I.I.I don't like Harry," Ginny said, hoping that she sounded more convincing than she felt. Megan smiled warmly at her.
"It's okay, Ginny. I won't tell anyone."
"I don't like him! I swear!" Ginny insisted. Megan only smiled at her again.
Ginny gave up. "Okay. I do."
"I think you two would make a good couple," Megan said.
"Yeah. If he notices me, I'll let you know," Ginny said flatly.
"What do you mean? Don't you talk with him?" Megan asked, confused.
"No. I mean, he's friends with my brother, not me."
"You mean--." But the opening of the compartment door interrupted Megan. Hermione peered in and smiled at both of them.
"Hi Ginny!"
"Hey Hermione!"
"Hi Megan! Ginny, I was wondering if you'd like to join us in our compartment. Ron and Harry wouldn't talk of anything else but Quidditch," Hermione said.
"Really?" Ginny said, standing up. "He's not with Lavender?"
"Oh. Lavender is with Parvati and Padma. They're going to share a carriage though later. Do you mind, Megan?"
"Not at all. I'm going to look for Sara and Diana. I'll see you later, Ginny," Megan said, getting out.
"Bye!" Ginny said and turned to Hermione as they went to the end of the train. "I thought prefects had compartments to themselves?"
"Well, yeah. But I don't feel like talking with the other prefects." Hermione slid open the compartment door, went in and sat beside Ron. Ginny took a deep breath and went in. She looked around and the only place to sit down was beside Harry. She decided she had no choice, so she sat down.
"Ginny, you're back," Ron said.
"Yeah. Hermione said she was getting bored," Ginny replied pointedly.
"Sorry, Herm," Ron said.
"Are you guys done talking about Quidditch, then?" Hermione asked.
"Uh, yeah. Sorry," Harry said. "What are you doing here?"
"What do you mean what am I doing here? Don't you want me to be here?" Hermione snapped.
"I didn't mean it that way. I meant.I thought prefects have their own compartment," Harry explained himself.
"She didn't feel like talking to her fellow prefects," Ginny said. "She found out that you guys were far more interesting to talk to."
Harry shifted in his seat and looked at Ginny, grinning. Ginny managed to smile back at him. Seeing his cute smile directed at her made her feel weak in the knees.
"That's right," Hermione said. "Besides, Draco Malfoy is there."
"Draco Malfoy?!" Ron said. "Yeah. He's a prefect. Sadly," Hermione said.
"That (he called Malfoy a really foul name) is prefect?" Ron said carelessly.
"Ron!" Hermione and Ginny said together.
"That is not proper! I could deduct points from you," Hermione said. "Deduct points from me. I don't care," Ron said stubbornly.
"Malfoy is (a foul name again). He deserves that."
"No matter who that person is or what he has done, he doesn't deserve to be talked about behind his back," Ginny said quietly. The compartment became eerily quiet as soon as what she said sunk in. They all looked at her.
"That's right," someone suddenly said. They all turned to look at the open door. Draco Malfoy was leaning at the side with his thugs behind him. "Weasley, I didn't know your sister was so smart," Malfoy said scathingly. Ginny turned red.
"Leave, Malfoy," Harry said threateningly.
"Or you'll what?" Malfoy said. It was clear that he was enjoying this.
"I'll deduct points from you," Hermione said.
Malfoy smirked. "Deduct points from me? I'm also a prefect, Granger. Besides, I don't remember speaking to you."
"Why don't you act like a prefect then, Malfoy?" Ron said angrily. "Or is that too hard for you, seeing that you're such a stupid git?" Ron had already stood up and approached Malfoy, clenching his fists. Ginny stood up, too and pulled Ron back by his arm. "Ron, don't. He's not worth it," Ginny said.
"Yeah. Listen to your sissy," Malfoy smirked.
Ginny couldn't control herself anymore. She raised her hand and smacked Malfoy on the face. Malfoy staggered backwards, his hands on his nose, which was trickling with blood. He gave one last look at them and then left. They all sat back down and closed the door, making sure that no one could just barge in. It was quiet. Ginny looked up at them. They were all staring at her, still feeling surprised at what she did.
"That was really great, Ginny," Ron said finally. "I never knew you could hit that hard."
"Neither did I," Ginny said and laughed. "Did you see his face? It was so funny."
"I bet he didn't think you'd hit him," Harry said.
"Well, I wasn't supposed to but something just came over me and I couldn't help it," Ginny said, shrugging. "I'll have to control myself from now on."
"You did well, Ginny," Harry said, patting her shoulder. Ginny smiled. Harry was patting her on the shoulder. He said that she did well. She smiled wider. That meant a lot to her. After all, it wasn't everyday that she got to talk to Harry like this.