The Girl Next Door

By Flittery H.

"Hey, I think someone's moving into the house next door…" said Ginny, squinting at the moving van in the distance. Ron and Harry craned their necks to try and see their new neighbors. They were all sitting out on the Weasley's front lawn on the first day of the summer holidays after Ron and Harry's fifth year at Hogwarts. Just then, a black car pulled up behind the truck and they all watch as a tall man in wizarding robes stepped out of the driver's side and a young girl stepped out of the passenger side. Ron gulped. The girl was not conventionally beautiful, but there was a pert, cute look to her bouncy brown hair and her figure was certainly nothing to be scoffed at. Ron watched as she smiled sweetly at the movers who were bringing boxes into the house. He froze. That smile…

The man in wizarding robes smiled as he saw the three sitting on the next door lawn. He tapped his daughter's shoulder. "Maybe you should say hello," he suggested, pointing.

Ron's trance broke when he realized the girl was looking straight at him. He swallowed hard.

She glanced back at her father, shrugging. "They look friendly," he cajoled. "You might as well try to make a few friends…" She glanced at them again, then back at her father. "C'mon, don't tell me you're shy…" He patted her back and gave her an encouraging smile. She sighed and smiled just a little, starting to walk towards them.

"Hey Ron, wake up! She's coming over here!" said Harry. Ginny giggled. "Shut up!" said Ron, blushing.

The girl smiled at them as she got closer. Ginny smiled back. Harry waved. Ron tried to keep breathing. "Hi," she said, "I'm Liza Fairly."

"I'm Ginny Weasley, and this is Harry Potter and my brother Ron. Are you moving in next door?"

Liza nodded. "You all live here?"

Ginny started to nod, then looked at Harry uncertainly. "Well, Ron and I live here, and Harry… Well I guess you do sortof live here, too, don't you?" Harry nodded, shrugging.

Liza seemed a little puzzled, but didn't push the subject. "Um, that man, your father I guess," began Harry, (Liza nodded), "well, he was wearing robes…"

Liza's eyes narrowed a little, wondering how to answer this… "Well, he um. Well, we're… um. Do you know anything about magic?" she asked finally. Harry grinned. "You're not a muggle, either, then?" She shook her head, smiling, "nope."

"Are you American?" Ginny asked, "you don't sound British."

"Yeah, I'm American," said Liza, with a bit of pride, "but my mom was British. She went to Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry, so I'm starting there in September." Her smile had faded slightly, but she still seemed relatively cheerful.

"Oh!" exclaimed Ginny, "we all go to Hogwarts too!"

"Cool! What year are you in?"

"I'm going into fifth year, and they're going into sixth," said Ginny. Liza nodded, "I'll be in sixth too." She looked toward Ron curiously, as he had been silent the whole time. Ginny giggled and rolled her eyes. "You don't know how weird it is for him to be this shy. He never shuts up normally." She looked towards Ron mischievously. He gaped at her, going red again. Liza held in a laugh, and smiled at Ron. He smiled shyly back.

"Well, I should go start unpacking. I'll see you guys later."

"Yeah! Why don't you and your dad come for dinner tonight? I'm sure mum wouldn't mind," said Ginny with a warm smile, "and you wont want to cook on your first night here…"

Liza smiled back. "That would be really nice. Thanks."

Ginny nodded. "Around six, then?"

Liza nodded as well, "See you then!"

Harry and Ron waved as she turned and walked back down the block to her new house.

"Well, Ron, you seem quite taken with her," said Ginny matter-of-factly when the girl had left. "Shut up Ginny."

Ginny giggled. Harry slung his arm around her, and looked towards Ron, grinning. "You're worse than I was with Ginny!" he said. Oh well, that was certainly the last thing Ron wanted to hear. He scowled at them. "Ginny you'd better go tell mum you invited them to dinner," he said. She only grinned at him and glided off towards the house.

"Dad!" Liza called as she entered the new house. She found him in the front room still directing movers with boxes and furniture. "Dad, the neighbors invited us for dinner tonight," she said breathlessly. "That's great honey, what time?"

"Six."

"K." He smiled and kissed the top of her head. "See, I told you it was a good idea to go say hi." She smiled and rolled her eyes, parents. "Are they nice?"

"Yeah, really nice. The two red heads are brother and sister, and I think the other one lives with them."

He nodded, sorting through some boxes. "The red headed boy seemed pretty engrossed in something…"

"What are you talking about?" she asked, knowing perfectly well what he was talking about. "Well, he just kept starring…" Micheal looked over at his daughter, grinning. "Shut up!" she said, blushing a bit. "Did they take my stuff up to my room yet?"

He laughed. "Yeah, you can go start unpacking if you want."

She huffed up the stairs.

At six o'clock that evening Micheal and Liza Fairly made their way over to the Weasley's house.

To be continued! Review if you want more! Review anyway! Tell me what you think! I know how much everyone loves Mary Sue, but Liza a cool character anyway… so review!