Coming of Age (placer title)

Chapter One: Internal Conversations

Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling is a genius and Harry Potter and the Gang belong to her and only her because she is a genius. The few made up characters that will be made later on will be mine because I'm partly a genius too. j/k! ;-P

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Couldn't believe it. Today is the beginning! The beginning of something so beautiful! The day Harry Potter looks at me, love in his eyes, a smile that bespoke sensuality and knowledge! The day he finally realizes that this, this taller, older, no more mature Virginia Weasley is no longer just "Ron's little sister", Ginny, but Virginia. Virginia. The oh-so-lovable, sweet, old enough to date Virginia Weasley.

The above thinker smiled dreamily at the train window, watching the trees and greens pass by. Thoughts of her beloved Harry Potter running around in her romantic mind, all too aware of her subject sitting right across from her. A sigh from her could have been that of fatigue or boredom but in reality it was that of adoration of a childhood infatuation.

Everyone knew that she was in love with Harry. Even Harry knew that she had special feelings for him. Heck, every time he smiled at her she blushed! She just couldn't believe that he still spoke to her. No matter what he said she just smiled, looked into his eyes and... sat or stood there. There was a quiz in the Witch's Teen Magazine that her friends let her borrow, about what kind of a crush you have with your Crushee. She took it with her not-so-secret love in her mind and it said that she was JUST STAR STRUCK! "a love built on looks, money, popularity and/or the attainable-unattainable appeal, that will fade as maturity and experience is acquired"!!! Ginny had a lot to say about that. First of all who is going to write that whole drone on sentence in a teen magazine. Second, attainable-unattainable? isn't that an oxymoron? and lastly, they didn't what they were talking about! Harry is totally for her! He's a family friend, and...cute with his forest green eyes and ebony black hair and then when he casts his spells, he just rolls the Latin accents off as if he was an expert, that would surely defeat the Dark One....

As if to shake herself from her reverie, she sat up straight. She squinted at the window, as if it somehow offended her. No. That Flaky Mag had it all wrong. She loved Harry. How else could she still have feelings for him since even before her first year! Yes. See? Ginny said to...herself that magazine has NO idea what her situation is. With that she nodded briefly and sharply at her glass reflection and sagged back heavily on to the cushions.

Noticing movement, Hermione looked at her seat partner. Already shut off from the conversation of Quidditch between Ron and Harry, Hermione decided to strike up a conversation with Ginny but instead looked and studied her. Hermione smiled at the new and pretty improved Virginia. Last year, Ginny's third year at Hogwart's, she resembled a shy newly born fillie. All arms and legs looking too long for her body and a red hair that always needed to be brushed. Hermione took it to herself to be Ginny's big sister, tutoring and mentoring and stuff. Not that she didn't do that for everybody but she took special care with Virginia because she was so small and so sweet, like a bunny.

This year, however, all those long legs and arms were no more. Over the summer, Bill's girlfriend, Fleur, came to visit. Fleur, took one look at Ginny and threw up her arms and French synonyms to 'potential' and 'possibilities' popped up everywhere. Within 2 weeks, Ginny was no longer Ginny but Virginia. Hermione shook her head mentally. Even she herself couldn't believe it. In those two weeks, Ginny learned the muggle terms 'mousse', 'hairspray', 'moisturizer' and the infamous 'curling iron'. Lip-gloss and eyeliner were also reviewed into the Glamour Girl crash course that Hermione wasn't able to escape herself. Virginia wasn't the only person that got a makeover, Hermione did too! A few tips about hair and make-up and Hermione didn't mind lingering over the mirror. A quick swish with the wand and Hermione found herself with bronze-like streaks in her hair that made her look like a 'surfer chic' as Ginny describe from her Estrogen packed Witch's Teen Magazine. The highlights made everything about her lighter and not so bookish. Hermione herself didn't mind. But her parents did. Oh the lecture. Hermione grinned with delight at her little attempt at rebellion.

Unbeknownst to her, Harry Potter had also looked into space, hearing Ron's voice off far in the distance about the new Firebolt. The rebellious like tilt of Hermione's lips caught his attention. The mischievous glint of her eyes startled Harry. The look of 'naughty' on her face made his eyes widen. Harry was NOT used to seeing Hermione with an expression that wasn't "I told you so", "I Know Everything" or the "Oh please I'm studying" Look and things related to thus. Seeing something so un-Hermione like made him notice everything else about her. Yes, he had noticed her hair but it didn't change anything or so he thought. Now that he looked at her, like really looked at her, he saw that her eyes were pleasantly lighter and her hair just fell about her the right way, falling on her shoulders just so. Her ears held little diamond studs that made them... nibble-able. The nape of her neck, long and graceful, tasty.

Hermione and Ginny were looking out the window and Ron was just speaking about his favorite subject not really see anything, didn't see Harry flush and gulp. His eyes didn't blink, just stared at Hermione. His fingers were itchy, wanting to burry his hand in Hermione's hair and tilt her head back... Harry blinked. Another gulp. Oh no. I'm having romantic thoughts about Hermione! what happened to Cho???

Harry got up from his seat and abruptly disrupted Ron. He mumbled an excuse to walk around the train and left the cabin.

Hermione watched Harry's departing back questioningly, and Ginny turned around as soon as Ron's voice was no longer a background noise but a sharp annoyed:

"Hey! Harry! where you going?" Ron tripped right after him, the worshipped Firebolt still being his worshipped.

"Boys will be Boys." Hermione and Virginia said in unison, quoting Fleur. Both girls laughed not at all wondering what internal thoughts and realizations everyone in that room with a brain had.

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a/n: Yes. I'm mean to Ron. The only thing that didn't have him tripping out the window was the fact that he can play chess... hmm... maybe a transfer student will fix his single life...hmm (shakes herself) well anyways, back to topic. Sorry about Draco not being here at the present... just laying down a base to work up from.... This page WILL be re-edited and stuff because 1) I haven't been writing for awhile and has lost her beta-reader's email addy...I think she graduated so I doubt that she'll be going on for a long while which means I have to rest a day then reread so I can have a clear mind when I reread it ... and yeah 2) I need to find and reread Goblet of Fire... for a refresher course and 3) I think I need to add more stuff to start my plot... and also... this WILL become a NC-17 later... but it will be awhile before that EVEN happens. Well I WANT (lol) reviews and I also deeply encourage constructive criticism. So derr... have fun... :)