Ginny let Mr. Potter brush his fingers against hers as she stood, moving with her mother and Mrs. Potter from the dining room after breakfast. The ladies had been invited to spend the morning with the Grangers, and Mrs. Potter wanted to show them around town, which meant they wouldn't be returning until it was time to prepare for dinner. She smiled at him and felt her heart flutter at the intensity of his gaze.
"I hope you enjoy your day, Miss Weasley." He pulled his cup to his lips and smiled at her over the brim.
"You as well, Mr. Potter." Ginny managed not to give in to her impulse to laugh.
"Come along, Ginny dear," her mother called and Ginny realized she was being left behind. She gave Mr. Potter one more glance and then quickly curtsied before following after her mother.
"I'm glad to see you getting along so well with my son, Miss Weasley." Mrs. Potter smiled warmly at her as the carriage bounced towards the Grangers home.
"He's an accommodating sort of gentleman," Ginny smiled, "and very charming."
"Yes, he takes after his father that way." Mrs. Potter nodded. "And your son is so earnest, Mrs. Weasley. He must have been a joy to have at home in his younger years."
Ginny chuckled as her mother laughed. "Well, Mrs. Potter, I have six sons, and they were quite the handful when they were smaller. By the time Mr. Weasley managed to get Ronald off to boarding school, I was quite worn down with them all. It's been nice to have Ginevra only at home. Attending to her education is a much quieter affair than attempting to keep six boys out of mischief."
Mrs. Potter laughed. "I can only imagine. My husband's friends were quite the adventurers when they were younger, and all the way up to before the war. Now they encourage my son and inspire his adventures."
Ginny sighed, while it had been freeing to give in to the desire to be closer to Mr. Potter, Ginny still felt the sting of giving up on her dreams of seeing the world. But perhaps this was for the best. She rather liked Mrs. Potter and Miss Granger. She at least wouldn't be completely abandoned if Mr. Potter chose to propose marriage, and then resumed his travels shortly after their wedding. Many women weren't even that lucky in their marriages.
"Why so great a sigh, Miss Weasley?"
"Oh," she smiled at Mrs. Potter, "I suppose I'm not used to the bounce of a carriage is all. Tell me, where do you suppose your son will travel next?"
Mrs. Potter's smile shifted to a level of smugness Ginny had not seen upon the majestic woman's face before.
"I do not believe he will have cause to travel for the foreseeable future."
Ginny forced a smile and looked over at the buildings they were passing. At least she knew now that Mrs. Potter was in favor of the match. But Ginny still worried that his desire to travel would catch up to him, and then she'd be in love with a man who was never around to be loved.
Her melancholy musings were interrupted as the carriage came to a stop in front of the Granger's home.
Miss Granger and her mother met them in the parlor and Miss Granger immediately took Ginny's hand. "I'm so pleased you've agreed to stay with us for a season after the wedding. I'm sure you'll come to love Godric's Hollow!"
"You're going to stay in the city?" Mrs. Potter looked pleased.
"Yes," her mother answered for her, "Ottery is a small place, and there are no eligible gentlemen for my daughter. We had sent her to stay with my aunt in Privet this past summer for that very purpose, but she came home unattached."
"Our gain then," Mrs. Potter sat next to Mrs. Granger and handed her hat to her lady's maid. "I hope you'll forgive me for saying so, but Privet is a stuffy sort of place."
"I found the same to be true," Ginny sat with Miss Granger after Adair had helped her out of her pelisse.
"I hope you didn't have the misfortune of getting to know my dear sister."
"Who is your sister, Mrs. Potter?" Ginny knew the answer, but she also didn't need Mrs. Potter to know she'd been speculating.
"A Mrs. Dursley, she has a son just a few months older than my Harry. She's become a most ungracious lady, I'm afraid."
Ginny smiled. "I did have many opportunities to associate with her I'm afraid, and I agree with your observation, she was not one given to smiling or happiness."
Mrs. Potter laughed, "My dear Miss Weasley, my sister is not given to anything resulting from joy or happiness. She has cut off all ties with myself and my family. But as far as I'm concerned, I have found the better company." She took Mrs. Granger's hand and the lovely woman laughed.
"How anyone could hate you is beyond my comprehension. Now, why don't we move on to happier discussions; perhaps my darling Hermione's new dress her father commissioned for the wedding, which was delivered this morning."
"Was it truly, Miss Granger?" Ginny squeezed her hand. "May we see you in it?"
Miss Granger laughed. "Only if you agree to call me by my Christian name. I shall be your sister, and you shall be living in my home, I think the time for formality has passed."
"Very well then, Hermione," Ginny laughed, "Will you please show us your new dress?"
"But of course, Ginevra," Hermione kissed her cheek. "You only needed ask."
Ginny smiled as Hermione left the room, her lady's maid in tow. Perhaps she wouldn't be so alone when Mr. Potter's desires to travel returned to him and he left her on her own. Perhaps she could spend her days with Hermione, and Hermione and Mrs. Potter would help her find ladies of a similar caliber, ones she could trust were not out to raise their social standing by feigning friendship with the wealthy. Perhaps she could find a way to be happy, loving a man who would never be home.