To the Future
A HariPo fanfic
by mew-tsubaki
Note: Nothing much to say except for the usual "these characters belong to JK Rowling." Sigh… I saw the fifth movie. If you've read the book, don't see it. Otherwise, go see it. Sigh…
P.S. REVIEW! & don't kill me for the pairing. :)
P.P.S. If you've read any of my other stories, you know I like to create my own characters. Sorry if you hate that, because I'm doing it again. I can't help it! I need someone to bounce lines off of and the already existing characters from Ginny's year that could repeat with her were very few. Here's to OC's!!!
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The Tenth Telling
"Just what are you reading, you silly girl?"
Ginny hid her book from Madam Pince and dove outside the library before she could see what exactly it was she had. If Madam Pince saw her reading a muggle dating book, she'd probably have a heart-attack, accusing Ginny of disgracing everything witch-like.
Grimacing herself, Ginny stuffed the book into the bottom of her bag, crimsoning on her way to Defense Against the Dark Arts. Merlin… She couldn't stop trying to think of the right time to tell Sirius how she felt, and she knew she wouldn't be able to concentrate during class if she kept on like this. How she wished the circumstances weren't so.
The witch entered the classroom as things were settling down. She sat next to a cheery Grant, who had a date planned with Miraphina later on. Ginny sighed.
"I guess you guys have gotten good," Sirius said sarcastically with a smile. "So we'll do something harder today." A groan swept throughout the classroom. "Yes, yes, I knew you were up to it. Split up into pairs and we'll start with blocks and dodges. Kinda important if you want to stay alive."
The kids paired up and Ginny looked around; even Grant had taken someone else as his partner, a Ravenclaw boy. Someone poked her back and she turned. "Uh, you're Ginny, right?"
"Yes. Miraphina, correct?" Ginny had finally met the girl Grant was raving about. "Do you want to be partners?"
Miraphina smiled. "Sure!"
Class carried on and both witches had perfectly executed different moves over and over again. Neither said anything, though, and Ginny quickly felt uncomfortable. She didn't know it was so hard being around her best friend's love interest.
"Hey, Ginny…?"
The girl's small voice caught Ginny off-guard, but there were no spells going between them, so Ginny gratefully took the break. "Is something wrong?"
Miraphina stepped close to Ginny and whispered in her ear. "Do you like Grant?"
Ginny blinked. "No, of course not," she quietly answered. "I mean, he's been my best mate since we started the year together, but I'm not interested in him romantically."
The brunette suddenly took on an air of great confidence. "Good. I was hoping I wouldn't have any competition for him, but I couldn't be too sure since you're his mate and a girl. No hard feelings?"
"Barely any," Ginny said. This girl was weird. Of course, so was Grant. Huh, Ginny thought. A perfect match. "Um…Miraphina?"
"Please, call me Mira."
"Can I ask you something?"
"Shoot."
Now Ginny felt as awkward as Miraphina had been a second ago. "Look –don't ask me why I'm asking –but…how did you tell Grant?"
Miraphina blinked now. "Easy. I plucked up the courage, waited for him after lunch today, and told him how I felt. Then I asked him if we could hang out tonight." She smiled. "He turned red, dropped his jaw, and I kissed his cheek, telling him to meet me outside the Great Hall after supper. We're going to hang outside together under the stars." Miraphina turned serious for a moment. "Although I'm glad you don't like him, I was kinda hoping you could tell me if he's a good snogger. Hmmm…"
Ginny looked at Miraphina incredulously; she was so two-faced. Or maybe just facing a split personality…? The redhead closed her eyes and cleared those thoughts from her mind. Then it came to her. She smiled. Sirius, here I come.
Class ended not too soon afterward and Ginny lolled behind, slowly returning all her books to her rucksack, rearranging them, and even placing her wand in "just the right spot". She looked up, as it was quiet, and saw that everyone else had cleared out of the room. Keeping her actions going at the same rate, she sluggishly closed and picked up her bag, and then made her way to Sirius's desk –and then saw that he wasn't there either. Sighing, she walked back to the door and was about to open it when an arm reached out and kept her from doing so.
"Do you need something, Ginny?"
She gulped, faced Sirius, opened her mouth, and –nothing. Shit! Nothing would come out of her mouth.
Sirius –forlornly, maybe? –frowned. "Stop playing games and get to class," he muttered, disappointed.
Ginny watched him face his desk and move forward, but her hand reached out on an impulse and yanked on his hair.
He yelped. "What'd you do that-?!"
"Tonight," she finally stated. "Tonight. In the Room of Requirement. Meet me there. Okay?"
Sirius's face was blank. "Okay…"
Ginny felt her heart lift; things were working out now. "All right then! I'll see you later." She opened the carved door and left, silently closing it behind her.
Even Sirius felt slightly light-hearted. He sighed, but with a small smile on his face. "Ginny, Ginny, Ginny… Just like the weather, you are. I can never trust a forecast because you're always changing on me…"
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She shifted on her feet; silence filled the room, all eyes on him. "Fine. I'll excuse you today since you gave me all the directions for brewing Sirenian Parfum, but you will sit down and make sure this is the last time you are ever late to my class, Weasley." Snape turned his back on her as Ginny joined Grant and Miraphina. "Homework out now. I will collect it before anyone feels like copying another's essay."
The parchments before each student drifted to his desk, but Snape stopped writing on the blackboard. He turned and lifted the stack of papers into his hands, counting them…
Meanwhile, Ginny tore through her entire Potions text, scanning for her essay. Shitohshitohshitohshitohshitohshitohshit!!!!!!!!! She fumbled around in her bag and glanced at the other papers in it, but none of them were for Potions. Crap! I must have left it in Sirius's class while gathering all my things. It probably fell on the floor and I didn't even notice. Let's hope Snape won't notice…
"Weasley, it seems I am missing this assignment from you."
…or not. "Y-Yes, sir, I think there seems to be a minor setback. I may have dropped it in one of my previous classes. If I could just go and check…?"
Snape didn't even look at her. "No, you may not. You not having it right now is as good as you never writing it. I will not grant you time to scribble something out, Weasley. Detention. My office. Right after supper."
Ginny was careful not to show her horror. After supper! But that's when she had promised- "Sir, maybe another night…?"
"And why should another night be better than this one?"
She knew she wasn't going to win this one. Sullen, Ginny lowered her head. "I don't know, professor."
"Good. Then after supper, it is."
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It felt like a breath of fresh air once Ginny, Grant, and Miraphina had exited Snape's awful Potions chambers. "I can't believe this!!" Ginny exclaimed as they made their way to the Great Hall. "How could he-?! Tonight of all nights and-!! Now I can't-!! UGH!!!"
Grant looked at Ginny skeptically. "What can't you do tonight? Is your brother right? Do you have a boyfriend?"
"Oh, don't go there! The last thing I need right now is another brother intent on me being a nun!!!" Ginny flared her nostrils and stomped ahead of the two lovebirds.
Miraphina frowned. "I can't say I disagree with her… She looked rather troubled. I wonder why she's so angry." She and Grant stopped at the entrance to the Great Hall and she squeezed his hand. "I'll see you later, Grant."
"Yeah…" And then the two split, heading to their respective house's tables.
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At the staff's table, Sirius finished his pumpkin juice when he overheard Charlie speaking –okay, whining –to Neville.
"…I think she has a boyfriend. There's no way I'm allowing that. Not with all the other insolent cads she's previously dated. Including Harry. For him to just ignore her and then date Hermione… I'd tear all her exes limb-from-limb if it was legal."
Neville shakily smiled in agreement. "But she is an adult now, Charlie, so maybe you should let her-"
Charlie glared at the Herbology professor. "Maybe I should what? Let her handle things on her own?"
That remark irked Sirius. "She's not a kid anymore, you know." When Charlie gave him the same evil eye he had given Neville, Sirius returned it. "Well, she isn't. She survived all of that more than a year ago. You should give the girl some credit for picking her chin up and actually coming back instead of running away from everything."
"And how would you know?" Charlie shot back. "You weren't even there for the bloody battle. You were caught in the veil for nearly three years. Don't think you can just waltz right out of it as if nothing has changed."
Sirius stood and slammed his hand on the table. "I know that things have changed," he said, the heat in his voice leaking a bit. Embarrassed, with Charlie's and Neville's eyes on him, Sirius shoved his chair out of the way and made his way out of the Great Hall, passing Snape on the way by. Again, his ears perked up.
"No, Miss Weasley is a very good student in my class," Flitwick answered Snape. "On par with Miss Granger from a few years back. You remember her, don't you, Severus?"
"Yes," Snape replied. Sirius heard the clank of Snape's fork on a clean plate. "If you'll excuse me, I have someone serving detention now for not handing in her homework, that person being the Weasley you have just been exclaiming about, Filius. Good night."
The goblin squeaked 'good night' to Snape and then Sirius moved on, knowing Snape was behind him. Sirius finally reached his classroom and looked around. He half-smiled; the place looked like a pigsty…
He moved the desks and chairs back into their places and felt it was time to retire. There was no way Ginny would meet him later if she had detention with Snape… Sirius picked up bits of trash on the floor when he saw a piece of parchment. He held it up to the light and saw Ginny's name in the top-right corner. He winced. Her homework had been here the whole time… Damn, that sucks. Being the do-gooder (or selfish) person he was, Sirius decided to hand it in to Snape to see if that might help her a bit. He left his room and sauntered down the corridor. "Snivellus, dear…"
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The look on his face was terrifying.
"My homework turned up?"
Snape glowered at Ginny. "Unfortunately, yes, but you did still show up late for class."
"But you said you'd excused me for that by telling you the ingredients for the parfum," Ginny pointed out.
Stumped and stymied, Snape backed down. "So I did… Fine. You're safe for tonight, but the next slip-up you have will be the last time you see daylight, Weasley." Snape slammed his office door in her face and she rolled her eyes. When she reached then end of the hallway, she also flipped him the bird.
Racing along the few shortcuts she still remembered, Ginny hoped and worried with all her heart that Sirius had kept their engagement. She was twenty minutes late as it was, and could be severely punished if she was caught out of bed. Of course, Sirius could always say she had detention with him…
Finally, she reached the Room of Requirement. But where was Sirius? Of course, he could always be inside already, but then how would she now what to think in order for the door to materialize? Ginny exhaled and wished that Hogwarts could be more like the Burrow, or Twelve Grimmauld Place, where the stairs stayed where they were and doors led to the rooms they were supposed to lead to…
Unexpectedly, the door to the Room of Requirement appeared and Ginny took a step back. With all that she had just been thinking about, Sirius could be anywhere, from somewhere else in Hogwarts to the Burrow.
She entered the room and immediately stopped to let her eyes adjust to the darkness. The area was relatively small and stank of dead animals. A few boxes were piled up in one corner and a single chair sat before the window, occupied by everyone's favorite Animagus. The soft moonlight was filtered by the thin layer of gook on the window's glass, but it still illuminated the room enough for one to make their way to it and back.
"Sirius?" she called out. Ginny heard a low, rumbling, muffled sound come from his direction. She stood behind the chair. "Sirius?" she repeated, softer than before.
With a jolt, the wizard looked up. "OH! H-Hi! I as just waiting for you and I…kind of dozed off, I guess." Sirius smiled. "So what's all the fuss about?"
Ginny fell to her knees, tears pricking the back of her eyes. Finally, finally something had gone right. She felt like cackling like a mad woman, considering all of the crazy things that had happened to her since the beginning of the term. She did chuckle a bit and sighed. "Honestly…"
Sirius knelt down beside her. "I have a feeling this isn't about class," he stated with a forced smile.
"Really, it has to do with class. And school. You. Me." Ginny calmed herself down by slowly exhaling, and then felt ready. "Do you know just how much you've screwed up?"
He took to his defenses. "None of that was my fault. I-"
She cut across him. "You come back, start teaching here, become someone I can rely on…to hit on me." She gave him a mischievous look at the sight of his cheeks flushing. "But you've also made me wonder about you. Enough to almost go barking mad."
"And just what are you wondering about me?" he queried, raising an eyebrow.
"Probably exactly what you're wondering about me." He gave her a quizzical look. "Oh, you know, just wondering if you're a good shag." Sirius's eye bulged out of his head. Ginny rolled her eyes. "Come on. Give me some credit. I was joking." She paused. "Okay, joking, but not entirely lying about that part. That's not the point, though."
Sirius felt the room was suddenly getting very warm. "If that's not the point, then what is?"
Ginny breathed deeply again. "The point is, your actions and words have had a great influence on me." She stopped and remembered what had happened in her dream about him weeks ago; maybe she could try that approach… She looked him in the eye. "You love me," she stated matter-of-fact-ly.
There was a sharp whistle as his drew his breath in. "Well, I guess it's one thing if I've been obvious to you. No one else has noticed, have they?" She laughed at him in response. "Yeah, yeah… The thing is, when all of that stuff happened with the War and the veil, I knew that you hated me, so I wanted to try and step lightly around you. I decided that I would be a shoulder if you needed it, but I left you alone because that's what you wanted. Then Dumbledore asked Remus and me about classes, and I accepted it, figuring that you'd probably be happier with me further away from you. Just so you know, I didn't know Molly was forcing you back here to try and wrap your schooling up."
"Yeah, Mum kinda told me about it last minute," Ginny interjected.
"Well, even here I had decided to play the neutral card. I mean, I was here to teach and nothing more. Not to spy on you for your parents or whatever. But you…you were losing it." Sirius grimaced at his frankness, but she let him continue. "The others didn't seem to care or really notice that you were becoming someone else. I didn't want that to happen to you." He tentatively lifted his fingers up to brush the stray hairs in here eyes away and was surprised to see that she allowed him. "I remember being two different people when I was still at Hogwarts. I was a loudmouth and troublemaker here, but I tried my best to act like I was in Slytherin at home, in hopes that it would rectify my relationship with my parents. Of course," he said with another tiny grin, "look where that got me."
Ginny chuckled. "If you hadn't given me that shred of courage that time in the stairwell, I probably would've cracked and then I'd have a real problem on my hands. You know, you're a good kisser."
"Thanks," Sirius said, trying not to laugh. He mellowed. "Not only did I feel you shouldn't have to change yourself, but…part of me wanted to protect you from all of the horrible things happening to you, and I knew the best I could do was just listen and talk. I began realizing more of my old, playful self when I was near you, though. It was fun teasing you. You're just really fun to tease, you know that?"
She playfully glared at him. "I'll just ignore that…"
Sirius smiled. "But you were appealing and I didn't even realize it. Of course, when you burst into my classroom, claiming to have had a lewd dream about me, I was wondering if we had accidentally wandered into the same dream."
Ginny was nearly the same shade of red as her hair. "I was hoping you hadn't actually caught my words."
"Oh, I did…" Sirius turned from cheery to smoldering. "Then you were avoiding me and daydreaming, ignoring me consciously and unconsciously. I can't begin to tell you how much that bothered me, all the way to the core."
"You want to talk about bothered-"
He gripped her arms below her shoulders and made sure she was looking at him. "I've fallen in love with you, and you've made it very hard to keep my cool, especially by hanging out with that Slytherin."
"Grant's just my friend, Sirius. And keeping your cool? I- Wait. You've really fallen for me?" His gray eyes bore into her blue ones. "Well, I suppose this makes things a bit easier…" She cleared her throat, but her voice was a tad hoarse. "When I said 'lewd' dreams, um, that was barely scratching the surface. You see, I kept on having romantic thoughts –and some perverse ones –about us. I remembered the calming effect you had on me, but the sight of you would also send blood pulsing through my veins and –and I knew it." She looked away, somewhat embarrassed. "I knew that this was different from how I'd ever felt before. I knew that I didn't just like you, but…loved you." Ginny turned back to him. "I love you, Sirius. You pull me in with your aura, whether it's comforting, cheery, or just plain X-rated."
Sirius's jaw dropped, closed, dropped again, and then closed once more. "Well, this is kind of unexpected. Unexpected, though, not unwanted, because it's very wanted. Very wanted, indeed." He took all of her in with his eyes and felt a shock go through him. Sirius leaned forward and kissed her plush lips.
The reaction was phenomenal. Ginny had never experienced so many emotions swimming through her veins: love, lust, happiness, relief… She put her arms around his neck and he hugged her to him. This was it. This was what it meant to feel utter, true bliss.
The wizard pulled away after a minute. "I won't be leaving your side ever again, Ginny. Never."
Ginny smiled –but then the apprehension seized her. What had she done? She knew Sirius was all her heart could think about, but…her parents…her brothers… How would her family take this, especially considering all that Sirius had been through? Ginny could hear her mother now.
Sirius felt her waver and his brow furrowed. "Is something the matter?"
She looked into his eyes and felt a halcyon feeling sweep through her. Everyone else had a better-half; Ginny had found hers. The others could just go to hell…for now, at least. The redhead shook her head. "Nothing. Everything's perfect." They kissed again and again, but they soon stood and headed to the exit.
"I guess we'll still have to play it safe since we're at school," Sirius commented before opening the door. "I'll walk you back to the dorms."
They strode through the dimly lit halls in silence, but it was easier to be around the other now. Yes, they couldn't go around hand-in-hand, but both of them were plenty content. Soon, the portrait of the Fat Lady appeared before them and Ginny turned to Sirius. "Good night," she said.
Fighting down the impulse to kiss her again, Sirius did the same. "Good night."
The witch turned to the portrait, said "Hippogriff", and vanished into the hole behind the painting. The portrait then swung shut and the Fat Lady glared at Sirius. "That light's a bit strong, you know."
Sirius was back in his right mind again. "Oh, sorry. 'Night." He left for his own room and found himself plagued by dreams similar to what Ginny had, but was quite fine with them. Ah, someday soon for real…
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:) Who else loved this chapter? Ginny and Sirius are finally together!!! But, secretly, you'll enjoy the next chapter more. Also, the next few chapters are entering the 'Blossoming' stage. You see that chapters 1-10 were 'Tellings'? That's because Ginny and Sirius weren't together yet. I know it's a little confusing, but I'll still say that it's chapter 11 and 12 if you don't like this stuff. But it's just how things go for this story. And now, a word from our fav couple:
Sirius: "Hey, after Gin left Snape's and was going to meet me, you typed that she hoped I had kept our 'engagement'. We aren't engaged. Why aren't we engaged? I wanna be engaged to Ginny!!"
Ginny rolls her eyes: "Get a grip. Knowing mew-tsubaki, she'll make us all cutesy."
Me: "Cutesy, like your wet dream of him in chapter 7? Or cutesy, like Charlie and Laurel in the previous chapter?"
Ginny: "Well, if you're going to make things erotic, I guess that's okay… Wait. What did Charlie and Laurel do? Oh, Merlin, did they-? Eew. I won't be able to get that out of my head for a long time to come."
Sirius: "You know, 'come' is such a funny word."
Okay, that's enough from those two. Please look out for the next chapter. AND REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thankx!
-mew-tsubaki
P.S. To the Future has finally broken 10,000 hits! YAY! Thanks goes to Maxie1514, Valinor's Twilight, handoveryourcookies, and LittleLovely, for reviews. Thanks to prettykitty3000 for C2s. And thanks to those who favorited me: AmethystPheonix, LittleLovely, Mews10, Sirius-Sexy-Lady, Valinor's Twilight, lilsis11, sheko.