A/N: I don't normally write long author's notes, but I have several things to say. For those of you concerned that chapter one was more Ron/Hermione than Harry/Ginny, you're right. It never occurred to me that Chapter 1 might feel like false advertising, and I certainly didn't mean to mislead anyone! Although we will see Ron and Hermione again, I promise, this fic really is about Harry and Ginny's relationship.
If you've given me the benefit of the doubt and returned for Chapter 2, I appreciate it :) It's a short chapter (this a/n comes dangerously close to exceeding it!), but it's also one of my favorites, and the rest of the chapters will be longer. I've said it before, but knowing what works (and what doesn't) helps me improve as a writer, so please review and share your thoughts.
On with the chapter notes!
I wanted something symbolic for Lucius's and Draco's middle names. Lucius is Roman, so I searched Roman emperors. Uranius reminded me of Ron's comment in Divination, plus he was described as a usurper with a brief reign. Sold! Draco is, of course, Latin for dragon and a constellation, but I couldn't find any good celestial or mythical associations, so I went back to the Latin. His change in HBP and DH has always intrigued me, so when I found Varian, "the changeable one," I thought it both strong and appropriate. I did all this before remembering the practice of using the father's first name as the oldest son's middle name and decided to keep mine anyway.
Finally, I need your help. The formatting will not allow me to strikethrough, so picture anything that's underlined as if the line were running through the middle of the words. Use your imagination; I know you can do it, you're Harry Potter fans!
keeptheotherone
Monday night
Harry rolled up the parchment, sealed it, and Banished it to Robards's inbox. His boss had left hours ago and Harry had sent Ron home to Hermione not long after, offering to finish the report on their botched raid on Malfoy Manor. He and Ron had intercepted the intelligence stating that Death Eaters had been spotted at the Ministry-confiscated property as recently as the night before and had immediately Disapparated without sending the intelligence through the proper channels. Their haste and carelessness had resulted in minor injuries for both of them, a near miss for Ron, the escape of multiple Death Eaters, a traumatized Hermione, an irate supervisor, and the retraction of their approval to work independently. Harry rubbed his hands over his face. He wanted to go home and forget this afternoon ever happened, but he needed to write to Ginny. He picked up his quill again.
Dear Ginny,
First of all, I'm fine. Honest! You can ask Hermione. Something happened There were I had a bad afternoon, and Ron said something that made me think (oh, sorry—I hope you're sitting down already). I want to tell you about it, but I want to do it in person, and I really need to see you now immediately as soon as you can. I know you're busy, but do you think you could get liberty on Friday, or maybe this weekend? Even if it's only for a couple of hours—I'll come to you.
I miss you, and I'm really sorry I've been so distracted. I'll explain everything Friday night when I see you.
Love, Harry
Harry read the letter over. Ginny wouldn't like waiting for details, but telling her in person was best, right? And he apologized. The words blurred as a wave of fatigue washed over him. It would have to do. Harry corked the inkbottle and Summoned his traveling cloak.
Five minutes later he was searching the Ministry owl office for a sturdy specimen. Selecting a screech owl that had just spit out the bones of its dinner, Harry tied the letter to its leg. "Make sure you get this to her by breakfast, okay? But if you're early, don't wake her up, just wait outside until you see her moving around. All right?"
The owl hooted, stretched its wings, and took off out the open window. Harry sighed. He really should get his own owl.
()()()()
Tuesday noon
"Come on, Harry. It's lunchtime."
Ron's large hand planted itself on the document Harry was trying to read: the court summary from the hearing that authorized the Ministry to seize Malfoy Manor "and all contents, possessions, and property therein with the express purpose of collecting, assessing, and evaluating evidence against Lucius Uranius Malfoy, Narcissa Black Malfoy, and Draco Varian Malfoy on the charges of Death Eater activity; aiding and abetting Death Eaters, including Lord Voldemort; attempted murder; kidnapping; and treason against the Ministry of Magic."
"Bring me a sandwich and crisps."
"Can't. You promised Hermione dessert, remember? Besides, you've read that thing a dozen times even before today. Once more isn't going to change anything."
"There's got to be a loophole," Harry stood as Ron pulled on the papers he refused to release, "some way we can stall Malfoy, keep the house in Ministry possession just a little longer . . . ."
"They're gone, mate." Ron dropped the document into the self-shredding bin and turned his friend towards the door. "We screwed up."
"We have to do something, Ron, we have to find a way to catch them, to find out where they went—"
The lift doors rattled open, the female voice announced their floor, and Ron and Harry squeezed in.
"You know I'm with you, but the answer's not in that report."
Harry glared; he couldn't talk about this in a crowded lift, and Ron knew it.
()()()()
Harry was weaving through tables in the Ministry cafeteria, aiming for Hermione, when the screech owl landed on his plate. His tray tipped to one side, causing his butterbeer to fall onto his bag of crisps. He scowled.
"What did she tell you, to ruin my lunch?"
The owl hooted in reply, and Harry felt the first hint of foreboding.
"Ron still in line?" Hermione asked as he unloaded his lunch and her dessert.
"Yeah. Steak and kidney pie today."
"Ah."
Harry untied his letter and felt another twinge of warning. Ginny had used the same envelope, which read:
Ginny Weasley
Second Floor Dormitory
Holyhead Harpies Training Grounds
Holyhead, Wales
Harry Potter
Wherever the Hell He Is
London, England (I think)
Dear Harry,
First of all, I'm fine, not that you asked. I've had a bad week and wanted to tell you about it in person, but when I need to see you, you can't. I'm busy Friday, but I can get leave in a few months. You most certainly will have to come to me, and it better be for a lot more than a couple of hours.
You should miss me, you are sorry, and this explains nothing.
Ginny
"She's pissed at me." Harry stared at the letter.
"What?"
"She's pissed at me. Here." He thrust the letter into Hermione's hand.
"Harry, this doesn't even make sense. What—"
"Turn it over." Ginny had used the same parchment, too. He opened the bag and stared morosely at his pulverized crisps.
Hermione flipped her wrist, read Harry's letter, flipped it back, re-read Ginny's, and pursed her lips in an "oh" of comprehension. "Really, Harry," she said in that scolding voice he hated, "no wonder she's upset. This letter is all about you."
"It's all about how much I want to see her!"
"Exactly." Hermione drizzled more dressing over her salad. He never understood why she didn't just pour the whole thing on in the first place.
"How much you want to talk, and you need her, and you want to see her, and you miss her, so she should rearrange her schedule to accommodate you."
"I offered to go to Wales. And I apologized!"
Hermione folded the letter and slid it back in the envelope. Harry could have sworn her lips twitched before returning to that all-too-familiar disapproving line.
"You only offered to go to Wales because she was home a fortnight ago, and that's hardly an apology. 'I'm sorry I was distracted'? What does that even mean?"
He'd been expecting a little more loyalty from his best friend, even if she was a girl. "It means I'm sorry I was distracted!"
Hermione, busy crunching broccoli, waved her fork and made a scoffing noise in her throat. Harry sniffed his tuna sandwich, then gave up lunch as a bad job and twisted open his butterbeer. Actual words were coming, he was sure.
Hermione swallowed and wiped her mouth. "How much time did you spend with Ginny when she was home, Harry? Because I hung out with her an awful lot, much more than I expected for her pre-season leave."
Harry gaped at her. That wasn't Ginny's pre-season leave, her pre-season leave ran into September, and this was—crap. September 17th.
Crap. Hermione's birthday was in two days!
