Disclaimer: I do not own very much…anything you previously recognize is either a reference to my own work or J.K.'s, so don't go lawsuit happy on me…
To Whom It May Concern at The Q's and A's Magazine:
This is a response to a letter printed to the editor in last week's issue concerning the articles run about the Holyhead Harpies' star Chaser Ginny Weasley, by an anonymous Puddlemere United fan. In the letter, it is said that the Harpies, although are currently fourth in the league, are 'merely riding on the overabundant and extremely exasperating commercial success of their 'star' Chaser Ginny Weasley, whose talent is, to say the least, limited to her pretty face and a few girlish swings and tosses'. The fan continued on to say that she/he was ashamed that The Q's and A's would continue to print such articles and propaganda.
The Holyhead Harpies have some of the best players in the league, and, as a whole, are a great team. Sadly for them, the three teams above them in the ranks are better. Regardless, no team can 'ride' on the 'overabundant…commercial success' of any player, regardless of beauty or, as we would hope, overriding talent of a particular player. The Chudley Cannons, for example, have had many great players in their time individually, but their merchandise did not fly off of shelves as the Harpies' has in this past year.
Ginny Weasley is a prime example of a talented and intelligent Quidditch player. In this day and age, it is difficult to capture the attention of all of Britain, to unify all wizards and witches, and to gain fans. The several ad campaigns that Ginny Weasley stars in, it should be noted, began to circulate in her seventh year, before she was even mentioned in the British and Irish League drafting papers. The ambitious youngest of the Weasleys has managed precisely what each of her brothers has, meaning she pursued a dream of her own and achieved it on her own terms, with her own talent and power.
Ginny Weasley knows how to make her money last. Her beauty is so extraordinarily ordinary and simple that it is natural that she should take a few ad campaigns on, to make sure her risky and possibly paralyzing career pays off. And as for the other 'crimes' mentioned by your Puddlemere fan, such as 'grabbing cheap headlines with a bump and a grind', referring to one of your articles, 'Young, Fun and Twenty-One', the girl is twenty-two years old. She is allowed to have fun.
Don't brush off this determined, gifted and clever young woman simply because you can't walk into a young witch or wizard's bedroom without finding something with her face on it. That is her choice and it is a wise one indeed.
And just to reassure you, I'm a Puddlemere fan myself.
Sincerely,
Oliver Wood
ONE
It was December of 2003. Twenty-two-year old Ginny Weasley listened to ex-boyfriend and close friend Kirley Duke ramble on about some new band and the royalties to some song. The two were browsing through a distinctly rock-and-roll record collection owned by Kirley's godfather and mentor, Denton Camden.
"It's been rather difficult and quite amusing to get the rights to use it. We're paying them quite legally, of course, but being Muggles, they can't figure out where the song is so damned popular." Kirley said with a laugh, referring to his band's latest cover, Dream A Little Dream of Me, which was originally sung by the Mamas and the Papas, an American band that were popular when Kirley's mum was.
"You know what just occurred to me, Kirley?" Ginny asked as she picked up an old copy of a Gemini's Eye album, "You are one big kid."
The nearly thirty rocker beamed.
"And you were entirely too old for me."
His smile fell and Ginny smirked. She put the album down and reached up to stroke his cotton-covered arm gently. "I was just kidding, Kirley, I knew exactly what I was getting into. Don't let me fool you otherwise; I'd sound like my brothers."
Kirley grunted, and continued to browse through the collection of Gobstones records. Ginny shrugged and knew that her next-to-best friend would get over it soon. He always did.
Ginny liked Denton's London apartment, in the quiet Notting Hill, where the aging rock veteran never spent his time anymore anyhow. It was a private getaway for her and Kirley, whose fame, both were saddened by, became less about their careers and more about their wealth and the products they pushed. Neither was ashamed of anything they endorsed, but the amount of coverage they got for being human beings was starting to annoy them.
"We should really grab something to eat." Ginny suggested all of a sudden. With that, Kirley's eyes lit up and Ginny knew she had hit the spot. Very few things made Kirley unhappy, and food was definitely not one of them.
So the pair slipped on their sunglasses and Kirley stripped himself of his ripped leather robe and stuffed it into his backpack, and Ginny did the same, and they made their way down the narrow stairs out of Denton's home and into Muggle London.
"WEASLEY!" Tom Worthington bellowed, sticking his head out of his office door to catch the tall redhead snoozing in his chair.
"Oh!" Ronald Weasley exclaimed, sitting up abruptly.
Tom Worthington, he noticed, had a box. A box filled with his office things.
"Getting promoted, old chap?" Ron asked, trying to sound as friendly as possible towards the monstrous Tom.
"Very funny, Weasley. I thought you might like moving your…" Tom's eyes took in the shabby state of Ron's desk, which, besides the amazing amount of messy paperwork, was fairly bare. "Things into your new office."
The corners of Tom's mouth curled upwards. "I cannot believe you have my job."
Alicia Spinnet then decided to come hurtling onto their floor. "Hi. Bye. Yes. No. No. Yes. Talk to me about it later. Maybe. No. No. NO! Oh, and Weasley, you've been promoted since Worthington's been fired."
Both men gaped at the young fireball who was clearly in charge of the League Draft Division, where they all (except, currently, Worthington) worked.
"Oh. All right." Ron said weakly, and Tom rolled his eyes.
"Christ, Weasley, you'd think you'd be a little complimented that you are now Vice President of Public Relations of the British and Irish League Draft." Tom said snootily, before walking off in a huff. "The nerve of that Spinnet."
Ron dug his wand out of his front pocket and opened all of his drawers, grabbing a nearby box and directing his things into a haphazard pile in the box.
"This is strange."
What seemed to be less strange was that Colin Creevey was actively taking photographs. Of former classmate Ginny Weasley, no less. The striking redhead, dressed in clothes in her team's colors that looked halfway between handmade and painstakingly scoured for, was jaywalking across a quiet street in Muggle London with former flame and close friend Kirley Duke. The two were jogging hand in hand, almost affectionately. Could the tumultuous headline grabbers be back at it again?
That was precisely how he would describe the photograph. The fashion editor of Personality Photographs Incorporated would later rephrase the ensemble as 'soft, gold suede pants', 'a cute dark green jumper', and a 'black corduroy classic pea coat'. Not that Colin cared. It was getting him paid.
He didn't expect to bump into Harry Potter while practically stalking the man's best friend's little sister.
Harry Potter had finally returned to England. For three years, the Boy Who Lived had been battling He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named's American supporters, who, although had read, in great detail, of the brunette's defeat of the Dark Lord, were stirring up more trouble than the Americans can handle, and finally, Harry Potter was home. It would've been a headline story, should Colin live to be able to sell it.
"Oh, hi, Harry! Long time no see!" Colin exclaimed, putting his camera away as casually as possible. "Just…snapping a rare moment. A quiet London, indeed!"
Harry's hands, both shoved into pockets of his coat, tightened into fists. "Yes, a little too quiet, I'd say."
Harry's brilliant green eyes scanned the street until they rested upon a red-haired woman, whose cream-colored-gloved hands, brushing back hair from her face as the London December raged on, a snug cap encasing the top of her head and sunglasses shielding her eyes, made him raise an eyebrow. The girl reached back to clutch her male companion's hand.
"Next time you want a photo of her, mate, just ask." Harry muttered before turning to corner the young woman.
Kirley stopped and Ginny bumped into him, sending her sunglasses slightly askew.
"Kirley!" Ginny exclaimed, before turning on her booted heel to see why her friend had stopped.
Harry could see her bright brown eyes and they looked fairly innocent, and, with her face, completed a put-together elegance Harry all too well recognized.
"Harry!" Ginny greeted cordially, and almost breathlessly. She almost laughed at the giddy sound of her voice. "When'd you come home?"
Harry was pleased to see that she seemed unabashed about whatever was the reason for her to have clutched Kirley's hand whilst crossing the street.
"Only two days ago. I've been living at the Leaky Cauldron until I can find an apartment." Harry was startled as the girl stepped forward to give him a hug. The pair's friendship had strengthened when it had been the three of them: Harry, Ginny and Ron, on the Quidditch team. Harry had become captain his sixth year, and Ginny lead the Chasers whilst Ron was the Keeper, and, of course, Harry had returned to his star position as the Seeker. Hermione had even felt inclined to say that the three of them left her out during Hogsmeade afternoons while they talked non-stop about Quidditch.
The pair embraced longer than their hugs had been back at Hogwarts. Harry could feel every tight, toned muscle in Ginny's body, even through her clothes.
He shook his head miserably at the thought of Ginny's tight and toned every muscle without her clothes.
Ginny could feel every listless hope of coming home in Harry's body, which was noticeably as trim as her own tiny figure, and equally sculpted.
"I'll have to tell Mum about this." Ginny said with a smirk as Harry drew back.
"I'd say the same thing." Harry replied almost coldly, and the instantly apologetic look in his eyes told Ginny he hadn't meant to come off as aloof as he did.
"You're forgiven, and what on earth are you talking about?" Ginny asked and the corners of Harry's mouth twitched with amusement.
His eyes snaked down her sleeve to the pair of gloved hands clutching one another.
Instantly, the cream-colored hand pulled away.
"Oh, please, Harry." Ginny snorted, looking slightly embarrassed—not as if they were dating or even considering it, but because she had allowed herself to hold Kirley's hand in public as if they were a couple.
"Oh, please, nothing. You don't tell your mum I'm home, and I'll say nothing of it. But, just a warning, Colin Creevey's going to sell that photo to Witch Weekly and I believe I sent her a subscription last Christmas." Harry said with a finalizing smirk. Ginny rolled her eyes with disgust.
"As if the little bugger isn't taking pictures of you right now. I see right through you, Harry Potter, you want to surprise my mum and ruin my Christmas." Ginny smiled. "Well, if your mere presence hasn't been enough to get that camera snapping, maybe this will."
Ginny reached up to the distinctly taller Harry and gripped his face. Her hands were warm, he noted. She pulled him into a gentle kiss and broke away barely a moment later, for she and Kirley continued on their search for a soup joint.
Harry Potter was home at last.