It was late evening when I finally reached home. I had stopped by Diagon Alley to do some shopping and decided to catch an elliptotion on my way back. Mother was of course freaking as usual, telling me I should have been back ages ago. How old did she think I was...I mean I had taken my advanced wizarding exams and graduated with honors...even Percy was looking proud at that.(I heard him say so to Mr Septimus, the minister for Magic and his new boss. )
Putting my broom in the hallway cupboard, I was making my way to my room, when mum caught me.
'Ginny, dear..'
'Yes Mum?'
'You wouldn't mind shifting to your old room for a while would you..?'
'What...Why?'. I was distressed as my old room was small and dingy. I had taken over Ron's room when he had left for his Auror training program at the ministry. Thankfully, he was going to be there for another year at the very least. Not that I wasn't fond of my youngest brother, but I did like having his room all to myself.
'Ron' coming dear and Harry with him.'
'er..?'
'Ron, dear Ron.he has the weekend off for Easter and Harry and he decided to spend Easter at home.
'Harry..'
Mum looked impatient.'Honestly Ginny, I would think you were slow witted if you hadn't gotten all those grades...Harry obviously doesn't want to go back to the Dursleys and wants to spend Easter with us. So they'll have to have Ron's old room back. Surely you don't mind dear...its only for the weekend and its been ages since Harry was here. I think he hasn't come ever since they graduated from Hogwarts..'
I felt a slight flaming at the corners of my cheeks. It had been over an year since I had seen Harry. I found myself wondering if he had changed at all...I had had a crush on Harry for as long as I could remember. From the time I first saw him, the year before starting Hogwarts.
The last I saw him, he was looking rumpled and adorable...with his dark hair flopping all over his face and his green eyes sparkling, as he waved his byes. He had grown rather tall, taller than Ron anyhow. And he was wearing Muggle clothes, rather nice Muggle clothes I thought...and then felt another blush spread as more, rather unplatonic thoughts came to my mind....
II
Celestina Warbeck was belting out her latest number. Personally, I strongly felt that it was time she took the millions they kept offering her and retired to a desert island, where her music might be better appreciated. Ron and Harry were supposed to arrive in another half hour. I presumed they'd be using a port key and walking down the hill. Which gave me an hour to get ready and do my hair. My heart kept hammering against my rib cage, until I thought it'd burst out. Last night I had taken a decision, that I'd tell Harry how I felt about him. I mean it couldn't do any harm could it, besides I was tired of drawing cold sighs each time I saw him. I would have to find some time alone to do this, I even had my words all ready. I had been practising them all night! Feeling a funny feeling in the pit of my stomach I went to bathroom, where my tub was ready and waiting. Climbing in, I lay back wondering of all possible ways and means of getting him away from my idiot brother, who seemed rather dumb in these matters. If I had been in his place, I'd have told Hermione ages ago, knowing that she felt the same. But no, who has the guts.!! Not Ron!
I was reaching for my sponge, which had fallen out when I felt something warm touch my hand. Startled, I opened my mouth to scream, when I felt a heavy body crash through the shower curtains and fall into the tub.
It was Harry.
I stared at him while he hurriedly got himself up and looked at me. Which was about when we both realised that I was in the middle of a bath. I ducked under the soapy water, as Harry rapidly moved away. He was looking a little breathless and flushed. My heart felt like it was straining to get free of my ribcage and do a little jig of its own.
'Hi Ginny..er..er..II'm sorry...er..You see I just took my apparating test and er...I'm not too good with it.'
I felt a great giggle begin at the pit of my stomach and make its way up.
He scratched his head and shuffled from one foot to another and said 'you look er..different..er...er...do you think I could go out through the door??'
I burst out laughing. Almost immediately I heard my Mum's voice at the door. 'Ginny are you still in there??
I sobered and realised the delicacy of the situation. 'I put my finger on my lips and said' sshshsh.. to Harry.'
'What is it Mum??'
'Ron's here dear, hurry up and come out. Harry must be coming soon and I expect they'll want to use it. I do wonder whats keeping Harry..Ron apparated in ten minutes ago. He reckons Harry got lost somewhere, still not so good with it, poor dear. She concluded sounding worried.
I stared at Harry who was looking in the other direction. In the meanwhile, MUM left.
'So what are you going to do? I whispered to him.
'Why ar you whispering??'
Mum's voice came again. Do hurry up Ginny, are you talking to yourself??'
I glowered at him and said 'That's why.!'
'oh.'.
'Why don't you apparate again?'
'Yeah, I think that's what I'll do, he replied still staring in the other direction. I shut the shower curtains as I heard him take out his wand. I dressed as fast as I could, and tried to calm my heart which was beating like a piston. It felt pretty unreal...Harry bumping in on me while I was taking a shower.
Everyone was gathered t the tea table. I went and gave Ron a big hug. Evidently, Harry's second attempt at apparating had got him at the right place, for he was sitting looking very wet, sipping some coffee. I noticed he was avoiding my eye.
I gave Ron a hug and took a chair, far away from Harry. Mum came in and said' Ginny, honey have you said Hi to Harry? Poor dear, he apparated himself into a puddle by mistake. And got terribly wet. I spluttered on my coffee while Harry's ears turned bright red.
I was walking back to my room when Harry caught me again. 'Thanks for not saying anything. ' I smiled at him and said 'you're welcome.' He gave me a grateful grin and sped off. I went back to my room and stared at m self in the mirror. The redhead staring back looked rather plain to me. With very green eyes and unruly hair, a rather thin body she didn't look anything very great. Harry on the other hand was looking very good. He seemed to have been frequenting what the muggles termed a gym, because he suddenly seemed to have sprouted muscles that were pretty prominent through his thin t-shirt. I was still in my room, staring into the mirror when I heard Ron and Harry pass by my door. They seemed to be earnestly discussing something..
'Harry, did you ask 'Her' about the Easter ball ? I did't meet with Fleur before we left, and now methinks, I'll have to stick with Padma patil as usual...What with Hermione still stuck with that toad face..! This last bit was spoken in low tones with a lot f vehemence, but that wasn't what hit me...Harry was planning to ask someone for the Easter Ball...This was a grand affair held the ministry's headquarters each year. I felt a pleasant tingle and wondered who 'she was....?? But any hopes I might have had got dashed to the ground when Harry replied.
'No, I didn't see her before we came. 'xpect she was busy with her meeting with Septimus.'
I felt a sudden sinking in my belly and gripped the dressing table very hard, till it squealed and tried to wiggle out of my hands.
'Of course he would never like me, I thought bitterly.. Good old Ginny, always available...!' I was remembering all the times when I had patiently waited in the corners, hoping he would notice me. I had seen him fall in and out of love with Cho Chang, Parvati Patil..even lavender Brown..but he never seemed to stick with one person, or they with him. Me on the other hand had not changed my feelings for him from the time I was 11. that 8 years ago..!
'Enough, I thought to myself angrily,. Enough of poor dear doormat Ginny, nice sweet perpetually in love ginny, Mr Harry Potter, now you are going to see a new me.' I made up my mind that things were going to change and I was going to make sure he knew of that as well.!
End of part 1
Putting my broom in the hallway cupboard, I was making my way to my room, when mum caught me.
'Ginny, dear..'
'Yes Mum?'
'You wouldn't mind shifting to your old room for a while would you..?'
'What...Why?'. I was distressed as my old room was small and dingy. I had taken over Ron's room when he had left for his Auror training program at the ministry. Thankfully, he was going to be there for another year at the very least. Not that I wasn't fond of my youngest brother, but I did like having his room all to myself.
'Ron' coming dear and Harry with him.'
'er..?'
'Ron, dear Ron.he has the weekend off for Easter and Harry and he decided to spend Easter at home.
'Harry..'
Mum looked impatient.'Honestly Ginny, I would think you were slow witted if you hadn't gotten all those grades...Harry obviously doesn't want to go back to the Dursleys and wants to spend Easter with us. So they'll have to have Ron's old room back. Surely you don't mind dear...its only for the weekend and its been ages since Harry was here. I think he hasn't come ever since they graduated from Hogwarts..'
I felt a slight flaming at the corners of my cheeks. It had been over an year since I had seen Harry. I found myself wondering if he had changed at all...I had had a crush on Harry for as long as I could remember. From the time I first saw him, the year before starting Hogwarts.
The last I saw him, he was looking rumpled and adorable...with his dark hair flopping all over his face and his green eyes sparkling, as he waved his byes. He had grown rather tall, taller than Ron anyhow. And he was wearing Muggle clothes, rather nice Muggle clothes I thought...and then felt another blush spread as more, rather unplatonic thoughts came to my mind....
II
Celestina Warbeck was belting out her latest number. Personally, I strongly felt that it was time she took the millions they kept offering her and retired to a desert island, where her music might be better appreciated. Ron and Harry were supposed to arrive in another half hour. I presumed they'd be using a port key and walking down the hill. Which gave me an hour to get ready and do my hair. My heart kept hammering against my rib cage, until I thought it'd burst out. Last night I had taken a decision, that I'd tell Harry how I felt about him. I mean it couldn't do any harm could it, besides I was tired of drawing cold sighs each time I saw him. I would have to find some time alone to do this, I even had my words all ready. I had been practising them all night! Feeling a funny feeling in the pit of my stomach I went to bathroom, where my tub was ready and waiting. Climbing in, I lay back wondering of all possible ways and means of getting him away from my idiot brother, who seemed rather dumb in these matters. If I had been in his place, I'd have told Hermione ages ago, knowing that she felt the same. But no, who has the guts.!! Not Ron!
I was reaching for my sponge, which had fallen out when I felt something warm touch my hand. Startled, I opened my mouth to scream, when I felt a heavy body crash through the shower curtains and fall into the tub.
It was Harry.
I stared at him while he hurriedly got himself up and looked at me. Which was about when we both realised that I was in the middle of a bath. I ducked under the soapy water, as Harry rapidly moved away. He was looking a little breathless and flushed. My heart felt like it was straining to get free of my ribcage and do a little jig of its own.
'Hi Ginny..er..er..II'm sorry...er..You see I just took my apparating test and er...I'm not too good with it.'
I felt a great giggle begin at the pit of my stomach and make its way up.
He scratched his head and shuffled from one foot to another and said 'you look er..different..er...er...do you think I could go out through the door??'
I burst out laughing. Almost immediately I heard my Mum's voice at the door. 'Ginny are you still in there??
I sobered and realised the delicacy of the situation. 'I put my finger on my lips and said' sshshsh.. to Harry.'
'What is it Mum??'
'Ron's here dear, hurry up and come out. Harry must be coming soon and I expect they'll want to use it. I do wonder whats keeping Harry..Ron apparated in ten minutes ago. He reckons Harry got lost somewhere, still not so good with it, poor dear. She concluded sounding worried.
I stared at Harry who was looking in the other direction. In the meanwhile, MUM left.
'So what are you going to do? I whispered to him.
'Why ar you whispering??'
Mum's voice came again. Do hurry up Ginny, are you talking to yourself??'
I glowered at him and said 'That's why.!'
'oh.'.
'Why don't you apparate again?'
'Yeah, I think that's what I'll do, he replied still staring in the other direction. I shut the shower curtains as I heard him take out his wand. I dressed as fast as I could, and tried to calm my heart which was beating like a piston. It felt pretty unreal...Harry bumping in on me while I was taking a shower.
Everyone was gathered t the tea table. I went and gave Ron a big hug. Evidently, Harry's second attempt at apparating had got him at the right place, for he was sitting looking very wet, sipping some coffee. I noticed he was avoiding my eye.
I gave Ron a hug and took a chair, far away from Harry. Mum came in and said' Ginny, honey have you said Hi to Harry? Poor dear, he apparated himself into a puddle by mistake. And got terribly wet. I spluttered on my coffee while Harry's ears turned bright red.
I was walking back to my room when Harry caught me again. 'Thanks for not saying anything. ' I smiled at him and said 'you're welcome.' He gave me a grateful grin and sped off. I went back to my room and stared at m self in the mirror. The redhead staring back looked rather plain to me. With very green eyes and unruly hair, a rather thin body she didn't look anything very great. Harry on the other hand was looking very good. He seemed to have been frequenting what the muggles termed a gym, because he suddenly seemed to have sprouted muscles that were pretty prominent through his thin t-shirt. I was still in my room, staring into the mirror when I heard Ron and Harry pass by my door. They seemed to be earnestly discussing something..
'Harry, did you ask 'Her' about the Easter ball ? I did't meet with Fleur before we left, and now methinks, I'll have to stick with Padma patil as usual...What with Hermione still stuck with that toad face..! This last bit was spoken in low tones with a lot f vehemence, but that wasn't what hit me...Harry was planning to ask someone for the Easter Ball...This was a grand affair held the ministry's headquarters each year. I felt a pleasant tingle and wondered who 'she was....?? But any hopes I might have had got dashed to the ground when Harry replied.
'No, I didn't see her before we came. 'xpect she was busy with her meeting with Septimus.'
I felt a sudden sinking in my belly and gripped the dressing table very hard, till it squealed and tried to wiggle out of my hands.
'Of course he would never like me, I thought bitterly.. Good old Ginny, always available...!' I was remembering all the times when I had patiently waited in the corners, hoping he would notice me. I had seen him fall in and out of love with Cho Chang, Parvati Patil..even lavender Brown..but he never seemed to stick with one person, or they with him. Me on the other hand had not changed my feelings for him from the time I was 11. that 8 years ago..!
'Enough, I thought to myself angrily,. Enough of poor dear doormat Ginny, nice sweet perpetually in love ginny, Mr Harry Potter, now you are going to see a new me.' I made up my mind that things were going to change and I was going to make sure he knew of that as well.!
End of part 1