Chapter I
Ginny Wealsy wasn't exactly a pretty girl, not that any one noticed. Her large, ocean - like blue eyes and sweet pink lips kept anyone from noticing as she flashed them a dimpled smile. This fact about Ginny was obvious as Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnigan sat with her in between them on a cherry wood bench near the Great Lake of their school. Her petite and curvy figure was admired by many, and her charms seemed to hold more than their fair share. This too was obvious as the three's conversation continued.
"The war's coming sure enough. Dad said as much in his last letter, and I know he wouldn't tell me for no good reason." Dean said brightly.
"Yeah, Mum told me that the last attack was on a town called Liverpool, muggle of course, and that it was right terrible."
"All this talk of war is so boring I could scream!" she said, smiling her softly dimpled smile to lessen the harshness of her words. "Besides, there isn't going to be any war." she finished simply.
"There isn't going to be any war!? Ginny, of course there's going to be a war honey." Seamus said in a patronizing tone that she took no notice of.
"There sure is going to be a war, as sure your hair is red." Dean added. Ginny looked at both of them, her temper rising slowly.
"If either of you say the word 'war' one more time, I'll go straight back to the castle." she said, her eyes telling them she meant business.
"But honey, there is going to be a war, even if your pretty head can't see it." Seamus said.
Ginny gave them a look of contempt and stood quickly, brushing her robes as she began to walk back to the castle, knowing very well that she wouldn't be going very far. And sure enough, only a second later the boys were after her, apologizing and trying to stop her.
"Ginny, we're sorry, we know how the talk of war upsets you." Seamus said.
"We'll stop honey." said Dean sweetly.
"Ginny, don't keep walking." Seamus said.
"Yeah, we'll never forgive ourselves if you leave." Dean added.
Ginny stopped walking and looked at them. She broke into a sweet smile and sat back down on the bench between the six foot boys.
"Alright, I'll forgive you, on one condition." she said sweetly. "You must tell me the news from your parents, mother never says anything interesting in her letters."
The boys looked at each other and grinned.
"We'll tell you, but you have to promise all the slow dances to me and Dean at the Halloween dance." said Seamus. Ginny perked up. It must be pretty good gossip if Seamus was wagering all her dances.
"Oh tell me! I love hearing all the news!" she said, missing the Wizarding societies gossip even more.
"Well, you know how Harry and Hermione have been sweet on each other for nearly two years?" Dean asked in a rush. Ginny gulped, trying to keep a smile on her face.
"Of course." she said smiling weakly.
"Well, just last week Mum heard from Dumbledore that their to be engaged!" said Seamus.
"No!" said Ginny shocked.
"Yeah, they're announcing it at tomorrow's ball." said Dean.
"Oh." said Ginny faintly.
"Ok, now can we have all of the slow dances tomorrow?" asked Seamus.
Ginny was in such a state of shock that she nodded mutely, and hardly noticed when the boys whooped with happiness. She stood, as if in a dream, and began to walk towards the castle hurriedly. It couldn't be true! Harry and her were meant to be together, and she just knew it. Hermione was hardly good enough for him, and Ginny didn't mind thinking it. She got along with Hermione just fine, who didn't? Hermione, the angel that Ginny could never be, was admired greatly for her brains and kindness. Ginny knew she was beautiful and charming, but she was no Hermione, nor did she wish to be.
She made it to the great oak doors and went through them hurriedly, trying her best to look nonchalant and calm. She had to find Ron, and when she did, she intended to grill him fully on his reasons for not telling her of Harry's intended engagement.
Ginny sat in front of Ron in the quiet common room with her sweet, dimpled smile in place. Ron was smiling as well, enjoying the treatment his favorite sibling was giving him.
"You know Ron," Ginny began, veering away from the topic of quidditch yet again. "I heard the most interesting rumor today." she said sweetly.
"About what?" he asked cocking an eyebrow.
"Well, Seamus told me that Harry and Hermione are engaged, and that they are to announce it tomorrow!" she laughed sweetly as if the idea was silly and preposterous. Ron bit his lip, making her want to scream with fear.
"I told them it couldn't possible be true! They're so young, and Hermions just isn't - well - and my own brother is their best friend, and if you had known, I just know you would've told me too." she went on for a few moments, hoping against hope that Ron was going to stop her and laugh with her about it, assuring her that it was silly and that of course it wasn't true. After a while, Ginny stopped, knowing that it was indeed true, and that her heart was breaking into a million pieces as she sat there trying not to cry.
"Ginny - love - I'm sorry. They made me promise not to tell anyone, and I know how you adore Harry. I wish I could've but - "
"No, Ron, dear, don't apologize. I know that you would've." she said mutely, wanting secretly to hit him across the face for not telling her.
Her blood seemed to run cold as Ron went on to further explain.
"You know that Harry's going to fight the Death Eaters pretty soon with the war breaking out, and they want to marry before his troop leaves."
"Of course." she said softly rising from the comfortable chair. Ron rose as well.
"Are you - are you going to be alright?" he asked slowly. Ginny nodded.
"I'm just so tired. I think that sleep will do me good." she said vaguely. Ron nodded and watched her take the steps up to her dorm.
Ginny pulled the curtains around her furiously. Harry was too dear, too good for Hermione. Her Harry, the Harry she had loved since she was a child, was to marry the plain, sweet faced Hermione. Ginny could see no way around this obsticle. Sure, she had many young men who all at the same time claimed they were in love with her, and she charmed them, wanting to earn their adoration, but Harry was her heart. She was desperately unhappy with the thought that he was to marry.
She wanted to talk with him, to ask him what was going on, to make him see that they were meant. He loved her, and she knew it. All the small glances and the ways he had so many times touched her as if he wanted more told her as much. Hermione was sweet, yes, but Ginny held his love, and she knew it.
The sixteen year old went to sleep with a vague sense of hope. If only she could speak with him, if just for a moment, she could make him see the truth. Yes, she decided, she would make him see the truth if it killed her. Tommorow was perfect. She could catch him right before he was to announce the engagement.
Ginny Wealsy wasn't exactly a pretty girl, not that any one noticed. Her large, ocean - like blue eyes and sweet pink lips kept anyone from noticing as she flashed them a dimpled smile. This fact about Ginny was obvious as Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnigan sat with her in between them on a cherry wood bench near the Great Lake of their school. Her petite and curvy figure was admired by many, and her charms seemed to hold more than their fair share. This too was obvious as the three's conversation continued.
"The war's coming sure enough. Dad said as much in his last letter, and I know he wouldn't tell me for no good reason." Dean said brightly.
"Yeah, Mum told me that the last attack was on a town called Liverpool, muggle of course, and that it was right terrible."
"All this talk of war is so boring I could scream!" she said, smiling her softly dimpled smile to lessen the harshness of her words. "Besides, there isn't going to be any war." she finished simply.
"There isn't going to be any war!? Ginny, of course there's going to be a war honey." Seamus said in a patronizing tone that she took no notice of.
"There sure is going to be a war, as sure your hair is red." Dean added. Ginny looked at both of them, her temper rising slowly.
"If either of you say the word 'war' one more time, I'll go straight back to the castle." she said, her eyes telling them she meant business.
"But honey, there is going to be a war, even if your pretty head can't see it." Seamus said.
Ginny gave them a look of contempt and stood quickly, brushing her robes as she began to walk back to the castle, knowing very well that she wouldn't be going very far. And sure enough, only a second later the boys were after her, apologizing and trying to stop her.
"Ginny, we're sorry, we know how the talk of war upsets you." Seamus said.
"We'll stop honey." said Dean sweetly.
"Ginny, don't keep walking." Seamus said.
"Yeah, we'll never forgive ourselves if you leave." Dean added.
Ginny stopped walking and looked at them. She broke into a sweet smile and sat back down on the bench between the six foot boys.
"Alright, I'll forgive you, on one condition." she said sweetly. "You must tell me the news from your parents, mother never says anything interesting in her letters."
The boys looked at each other and grinned.
"We'll tell you, but you have to promise all the slow dances to me and Dean at the Halloween dance." said Seamus. Ginny perked up. It must be pretty good gossip if Seamus was wagering all her dances.
"Oh tell me! I love hearing all the news!" she said, missing the Wizarding societies gossip even more.
"Well, you know how Harry and Hermione have been sweet on each other for nearly two years?" Dean asked in a rush. Ginny gulped, trying to keep a smile on her face.
"Of course." she said smiling weakly.
"Well, just last week Mum heard from Dumbledore that their to be engaged!" said Seamus.
"No!" said Ginny shocked.
"Yeah, they're announcing it at tomorrow's ball." said Dean.
"Oh." said Ginny faintly.
"Ok, now can we have all of the slow dances tomorrow?" asked Seamus.
Ginny was in such a state of shock that she nodded mutely, and hardly noticed when the boys whooped with happiness. She stood, as if in a dream, and began to walk towards the castle hurriedly. It couldn't be true! Harry and her were meant to be together, and she just knew it. Hermione was hardly good enough for him, and Ginny didn't mind thinking it. She got along with Hermione just fine, who didn't? Hermione, the angel that Ginny could never be, was admired greatly for her brains and kindness. Ginny knew she was beautiful and charming, but she was no Hermione, nor did she wish to be.
She made it to the great oak doors and went through them hurriedly, trying her best to look nonchalant and calm. She had to find Ron, and when she did, she intended to grill him fully on his reasons for not telling her of Harry's intended engagement.
Ginny sat in front of Ron in the quiet common room with her sweet, dimpled smile in place. Ron was smiling as well, enjoying the treatment his favorite sibling was giving him.
"You know Ron," Ginny began, veering away from the topic of quidditch yet again. "I heard the most interesting rumor today." she said sweetly.
"About what?" he asked cocking an eyebrow.
"Well, Seamus told me that Harry and Hermione are engaged, and that they are to announce it tomorrow!" she laughed sweetly as if the idea was silly and preposterous. Ron bit his lip, making her want to scream with fear.
"I told them it couldn't possible be true! They're so young, and Hermions just isn't - well - and my own brother is their best friend, and if you had known, I just know you would've told me too." she went on for a few moments, hoping against hope that Ron was going to stop her and laugh with her about it, assuring her that it was silly and that of course it wasn't true. After a while, Ginny stopped, knowing that it was indeed true, and that her heart was breaking into a million pieces as she sat there trying not to cry.
"Ginny - love - I'm sorry. They made me promise not to tell anyone, and I know how you adore Harry. I wish I could've but - "
"No, Ron, dear, don't apologize. I know that you would've." she said mutely, wanting secretly to hit him across the face for not telling her.
Her blood seemed to run cold as Ron went on to further explain.
"You know that Harry's going to fight the Death Eaters pretty soon with the war breaking out, and they want to marry before his troop leaves."
"Of course." she said softly rising from the comfortable chair. Ron rose as well.
"Are you - are you going to be alright?" he asked slowly. Ginny nodded.
"I'm just so tired. I think that sleep will do me good." she said vaguely. Ron nodded and watched her take the steps up to her dorm.
Ginny pulled the curtains around her furiously. Harry was too dear, too good for Hermione. Her Harry, the Harry she had loved since she was a child, was to marry the plain, sweet faced Hermione. Ginny could see no way around this obsticle. Sure, she had many young men who all at the same time claimed they were in love with her, and she charmed them, wanting to earn their adoration, but Harry was her heart. She was desperately unhappy with the thought that he was to marry.
She wanted to talk with him, to ask him what was going on, to make him see that they were meant. He loved her, and she knew it. All the small glances and the ways he had so many times touched her as if he wanted more told her as much. Hermione was sweet, yes, but Ginny held his love, and she knew it.
The sixteen year old went to sleep with a vague sense of hope. If only she could speak with him, if just for a moment, she could make him see the truth. Yes, she decided, she would make him see the truth if it killed her. Tommorow was perfect. She could catch him right before he was to announce the engagement.