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2. Ginny
I've always been the only girl in the family. I mean, obviously there's Mum, but I'm used to being the little sister. Whenever I have friends over, they always ask to meet my brothers. They aren't exactly studs, of course, but you know girls—even the young ones are hormonal.
Meeting Payton, though, it was different. She wasn't like the friends I had, and she wasn't like my brothers, either. And, like Fred, I took an instant liking to her.
When they got back from Diagon Alley, of course, I had no idea why there was an extra girl. I just glanced from Fred to Mum to the girl and back. Fred, I could tell already, was completely into her. I knew it would happen one day, I just couldn't believe it was happening so fast, and with someone so young.
"Ginny," Mum said, "this is Payton. She's having some family problems, so I told her we'd look after her this week. She'll be going into her first year at Hogwarts, like Ron."
"What kind of family problems?" I asked curiously, turning to look at Payton. I wasn't trying to ask a rude question; I was honestly curious.
"My mum didn't want me to go, so I ran away," Payton said rather cheerfully.
"Really?" I asked. "Wow. What about your dad?"
Mum gave me a look, but Payton just chuckled and replied, "He's in Azkaban, so I don't think he'll be much help." Then she snatched the bagel that was inches away from Fred's lips and took a bite of it. He whimpered a bit before speaking.
"Why'd you tell Ginny that after five seconds of knowing her, but you wouldn't tell me all day?"
"You didn't ask," she explained after she swallowed. "You just hinted." She grinned at me. "You're much smarter than your brother."
Mum chuckled a bit before saying, "Well, Payton, you can sleep with Ginny in her room, and I'll have a nice, warm breakfast ready for you in the morning. You're much too skinny, you know. What was Serena feeding you?"
Payton laughed. "Thanks, Mrs. Weasley," she said without answering the question. I grinned at her and led her out of the room and into mine, shooting a smirk at Fred as we left.
"Wow," she said when she reached my room. "This is pretty cool, Ginny."
I smiled. "Thanks. I love it—it's all I have to myself in this stupid house."
"I wouldn't complain," she said, sitting down on my bed and resting her back against the wall. "You've got a pretty cool family."
"And a pretty cool brother who has a thing for you," I added with a grin.
Payton laughed. "He'll get over it—everyone does. When my age sinks in."
"You're not that young," I insisted. "You're older than me." I meant it. When people hear the age 'ten' or 'eleven,' they think of a little kid who doesn't know anything about anything. But that's not the case. No one gives us enough credit.
"I'm young," she said. "Too young for boy drama, but that's what I get."
"You're lucky," I said. "Boys don't even look at me."
She laughed. "Consider yourself lucky. I wish it was that way for me. Let me give you some advice: don't grow up too fast, Ginny."
I didn't understand it then. I do now, but I was young then. "But I want to grow up," I insisted. "I want to go to Hogwarts, and become a witch…"
"I do, too," she said. "But there's a lot that comes with it."
I never realized how much I wanted a big sister until I had one that week. She really was like the kind of sister girls would wish for: she gave me advice, told me stories, and talked to me, but we didn't fight, either. I loved being the only one she openly liked.
Fred noticed it, too. A few days later, I was sitting in the kitchen munching on some Bertie Botts when he stumbled in, half asleep.
"It's ten thirty," I reminded him. "You should start getting up earlier so you're ready for Hogwarts."
He rolled his eyes and snatched some beans. "Don't lecture me, Gin. How's it going?"
"Good," I replied. "I was talking to Payton, and she said she's never tried Quidditch or even flying. I thought we should play some."
He nodded eagerly, eyes looking bright, then pouted a little. "Why does she talk to you about this stuff, but not me?"
I laughed. "Because she likes me better than you. Probably because she doesn't like it when guys like her."
"What? That doesn't even make sense. She should be flattered."
"She's not," I said, and I meant it. He needed to see that flirting and freaking her out wasn't the way to get her to talk to him. "She's looking for friends, Fred, not… boyfriends."
"It's not like I'm pressuring her," he said defensively. "I haven't really talked to her at all."
"Well," I said cheerfully, "why don't you teach her how to fly? I'm sure she'll appreciate it, and if you can prove you're not just after what everyone else is, maybe she'll talk to you, too."
He laughed. "Maybe I will. Thanks, Ginny."
I shrugged and nodded, and he started to leave. To my amusement, Payton walked in at almost the exact same time, causing a very funny collision.
"Payton," he said, rubbing his eyes. "You… did you hear any of that?"
She raised her eyebrows. "No. Should I have?"
He glanced over to me, gave me a weak smile, and said, "We were just saying I should give you some flying tips, if you want to learn from the best."
What a charmer. She smiled eagerly. "That'd be great, Fred," she said almost eagerly. "Later today all right with you?"
"Yeah, great," he replied with a smile, and left the room.
"Huh," I said with a grin as she came up to me and, like Fred, stole some beans.
"Huh, what?" she asked as she chewed.
"Huh, looks like a date, smells like a date…"
"What, my broomstick lesson with Fred?" she asked, and snorted. "Anything but. It's nice that he offered, though—your idea?"
"No, his," I lied. I couldn't help it—I loved Fred, and even though I didn't know her that well, I was starting to love Payton. Was it so wrong that I wanted to set them up?
"Ginny, if you're trying to set us up—"
"I'm not!" I said quickly. "But would it be so bad if I was?"
She sighed. "Yeah, it would. You have to understand what I'm saying—I am sick of guys that are interested. I don't want anything to do with them."
"Even if they're completely and utterly amazed by you and probably will never stop?"
She laughed. "Even then. Got any more food?"
She was lonely. It was obvious. No one but a lonely young girl would spend that much time with my parents, let alone me. She didn't talk much about her past to me, but I got the basics: she loved her dad, also known as Sirius Black, whose evils even I had heard about, but he was imprisoned even though she insisted that he was innocent.
I wondered what things would be like for her at Hogwarts. Would they be hard, because people, like Ron and George, wouldn't like her? Or would everyone love her, like Fred? I knew one thing: her skills on a broomstick were incredible. She could definitely be one of those lucky first-years to be on the team.
"You're so quiet lately," she said to me one night. I had turned the lights off, but that never stopped us from talking.
"I've been thinking, that's all," I said. "What things will be like when everyone's gone. This is the first year it'll be just me, you know. At least last year it was me and Ron."
"Do you like Ron much?" she asked curiously. "He seems all right to me, but he doesn't like me at all."
"He's my brother," I said, "meaning I have to love him. But he's not the most likable guy. I don't think he knows how to be, really. He can't do the eccentric, funny thing Fred and George do, but he doesn't have the brains to be a Percy or the looks to be a Bill."
"Bill?" she asked.
"Yeah, he's the oldest," I explained, "and probably my favorite. Probably the only Weasley that has good looks."
"I wouldn't say so," she said with a bit of a grin. "You have to admit the twins are cute."
She raised her eyebrows. "Really? I figured you didn't like them much."
"No," she said quickly, "that's not it. I just don't like to open up to certain people—I feel like if I let them know how I feel too fast, they won't be themselves around me."
"So why'd you open up to me?" I asked.
She smiled. "I could tell from the beginning—you're simple, in the greatest way. What you see is what you get. And I can trust you."
"Yeah," I said, "I can trust you, too."
"Everyone, it's that day again," shouted Mum from downstairs. "Rise and shine!"
I rolled my eyes and flipped over, not bothering to get up, but Payton was up in a second. I heard her fumbling in my—our, as of late—closet, putting on clothes, and then she knelt by my bed and gently shook me.
"Go 'way," I whined. "You don't need me."
"Of course I need you," she said. "You think I can do this without you?"
I turned around and opened my eyes a bit, confused. Did she actually need me? "I'm not going to Hogwarts," I mumbled. "Why should I come to King's Cross?"
"Because there are four—if I can flatter myself, maybe even five—people who you love who are going, and you want to be there to say goodbye to them."
"No, I don't," I said, not giving up my bratty streak. "You guys are ditching me. I don't want to say goodbye, I'm mad."
"Hmm," she said, looking thoughtful. "And that's not something you'll regret?"
I pouted. "I hate you."
She grinned. "I love you. C'mon, breakfast's getting cold." And with a spin of dark hair and a clack of flip-flops, she left the room.
I dressed in a bit of a daze, mostly because I knew how right she was, and headed downstairs. Mum smiled when I entered, as if she'd known all along I'd show. Fred was talking animatedly to Payton, and George was looking left out, so I sat with him.
"Excited?" I asked.
"Yeah," he admitted, "but I don't feel great about leaving you, sis."
I shrugged. "I'll be there next year. Until then, what's another year of Mum's teaching, anyway? I've always got the neighbors."
"Yeah, but Cedric Diggory's going to Hogwarts too, so you won't be able to gawk at him," he teased; staring at Cedric whenever he came over with his father to visit our parents had always been one of my strong suits.
"Uch," said Fred, joining in on our conversation, "Cedric's so hard to look at."
"Really? I enjoy it," I teased.
"Who's Cedric?" asked Payton, mouth full of pancakes.
"The most attractive boy ever to walk the earth," I replied easily. "Hey, if you see him around, tell him I say hi." I blushed. "Not really."
She laughed. "Nice. I thought you were all about Harry Potter?"
"Yeah, Mum," said Ron, "didn't you say Harry Potter's going to be in our year this year?"
"Yes," she said distractedly, "he is. Which reminds me, Payton—I don't know what Harry knows about his past, exactly, but I wouldn't mention your father around him—to be safe."
I knew the story here. Payton had told me the basics: that she shouldn't know anything, but that she had found all the reports, all the jury notes, and all her mother's sad little diary entries a few years back. I knew that her father had betrayed his best friend, Harry's father—at least, that was what everyone said. Payton insisted that it wasn't true. She said she remembered how it had happened.
I didn't know what to think, but I knew it was hopeless. It was healthier for her not to think about it at all.
"Sure," Payton said, "you're right, I won't."
"Also," said Mum in a bit of a softer voice, "I know you're probably going to see or hear some things at Hogwarts that will tempt you to fight for your father, but I must tell you, the wisest thing you can do is to let it rest."
Poor Payton. I could see her losing trust in Mum right there.
"Yes, ma'am," she mumbled halfheartedly.
"All right, then, let's head on out," Mum said, trying to put back on a rosy little smile. I glanced at Payton a little sadly, but she was avoiding me. Fred, too, looked worried.
"Coming, Ginny?" asked my dad. I hesitated but nodded. "Yeah," I said. "I guess I will."
We traveled by floo powder to the wizard entrance of King's Cross, then walked on foot to the platform. Just as we were arriving, we spotted another boy who was staring at the platform in confusion.
"Newbie," George whispered to me with a grin.
"All right, Percy, you first," said Mum, but she was interrupted by the boy.
"Excuse me," he said. He was very cute; I had an instant liking for him, despite the dorky glasses and messy hair. Okay, maybe even because of that. "Could you tell me how to—?"
"—to get onto the platform, dear?" Mum asked, smiling. "Yes, of course. Just walk straight at the wall, and you'll get in. It's Ron and Payton's first times, too."
"Yeah, if you're nervous, you're not the only one," Payton told him. I was surprised; it was rather sweet of her.
Which, oddly enough, made me defensive of the boy. Who was he? Why was I so attracted to him, anyway?
"Thanks," he said to Payton as Percy ran at the wall.
"You next, dear," Mum said to him. He glanced at me and Payton, expression worried, before turning to the platform.
"Good luck," I managed. It was about all I had the guts to say to him.
And so he ran. And after him, Payton did, and after her, the twins, then Ron. And finally they were gone.
But it was nice to know there was at least one boy to keep my attention next year.
FIN.
Just thought it'd be cute to give a little Ginny/Harry fluff, nothing serious. There will be some Ron/Hermione of that too. I hope you liked this chapter! Next chapter is on the train and at Hogwarts, from Harry'spoint of view, so stay tuned! Here are my responses (if I start getting lots of reviews, I'll reply via email; if not I'll do it in the chapter):
ISolemnlySwearThatIAmUpToNoGood: Thanks so much! Keep R&Ring (and nice pen name)
Rnl1993: Thanks!! I was trying to do something original since the OC thing is done a lot. Keep R&Ring!
Meangenius: yay I love long reviews. I know, she's a little too mature, it's part of her character's appeal. And of course Fred likes her, it's love at first sight! Hehe. Thanks a lot for the praise, R&R!
Look out for the next chapter soon, everyone, and please review!