Challenge # 1

House: Ravenclaw

Prompt: Use the word 'vanish' at least two different ways."


Evanesco!" Harry hurriedly vanished the parchment in front of him as Hermione entered the common room. He had been attempting to write a love letter to Ginny all day and, so far, had only managed to write two words: Dear Ginny. He felt like a failure.

"Hello Harry, were you actually attempting homework?" Hermione asked cheerfully.

"Err… yes, I suppose so."

"What do you mean you suppose? Either you were or you weren't."

Harry looked around dejectedly for a minute before his eyes lit upon his copy of Quidditch Through the Ages. "I was reading up on some new moves for the Slytherin game next week," he lied, hoping she wouldn't call him on it.

"Uh-huh and my aunt is a hippopotamus."

"Am I really that see through, Hermione?" Harry asked, looking down in shame.

"Who is she?"

"Who's who?

"You know, the girl who you've been mooning over night and day for three weeks now," Hermione's eyes twinkled as she leaned closer to Harry. "I promise I won't tell anybody."

Harry knew that Hermione was on to him. He sighed before saying, "Ginny. I just don't know what to do. She's my best friend's sister. Ron is going to kill me!" He placed his head in his hands and moaned.

Hermione placed a hand on his shoulder, "Don't worry Harry I have an idea. Bring your invisibility cloak and meet me here tonight after curfew." With that she disappeared upstairs, leaving a very confused Harry behind.


Harry peeked out from behind the curtains on his bed to see if any of his roommates were awake. Seeing no one and hearing only snoring, he quietly opened his trunk. Lying on top were both the map and his father's Invisibility cloak. He fingered the fabric, smiling wistfully, before pulling it out of the trunk and heading downstairs. He looked around the common room hoping to find Hermione. Instead he saw a note with his name on it pinned to the notice board. Curious, he opened the note and quickly scanned it. A gasp escaped from between his lips and the parchment slipped to the floor. He could not believe what he had just read. Before he could bend to pick the note up, Harry heard someone opening the portrait hole. Hurriedly pulling the cloak over his head, he just managed to fade from site before Hermione and Ginny entered the room.

"So Ginny have you told him yet?" Hermione raised an eyebrow as she asked the question.

"Are you kidding me? I've been in love with him since the very first time I saw him. Sure, I can actually talk to him now instead of just making a fool of myself but," she paused and took a deep breath, "there's no way he feels the same way I do. I just don't think I could stand it if he laughed at me or even just told me no." Ginny's face fell as she thought about being rejected.

"Come on now Gin, you don't really think he could really turn down a sweetheart like you do you?" Hermione placed a comforting hand on Ginny's arm. "Besides, I know Harry, and I have a feeling you might be pleasantly surprised by his answer." As she said this, her eyes darted towards the notice board. Harry knew this was his cue, thanks to the note Hermione had left for him. Taking a breath to calm his nerves, Harry pulled the cloak off of his shoulders and took a tentative step towards Ginny.

Ginny sniffed, unaware that the boy she was talking about was approaching her from behind, "I wish I could believe you Hermione I really do, but everything inside of me is saying you're wrong." She began to sob gently.

"And what if I told you that Hermione's right?" Harry had finally reached Ginny's side and was slowly pulling her to her feet. He brushed the tears from her face and gently tilted her head up. "I've been trying for weeks to figure out a way to tell you how I felt. In fact if it hadn't been for Hermione over here," he nodded in her direction, "I would still be upstairs attempting to write you a letter." He smiled and pulled the note from his pocket. "Harry, I know for a fact that Ginny loves you too. I'll bring her into the common room shortly. Tell her already! Hermione" he read.

"You had this planned from the beginning?" Ginny asked a smiling Hermione.

"Yup! And on that note I think I'm heading towards bed. You two don't get into any trouble down here," she warned, attempting to be serious but failing miserably. "Night!"

However, Harry and Ginny didn't hear her. They had both disappeared into each other's eyes and their own little world.


Disclaimer:

Harry Potter, Quidditch Through The Ages, and everything else you recognize are copyrighted to J.K. Rowling, Warner Brothers, Scholastic Books, etc. They are in no way, shape, or form mine.