A/N: Hi y'all! Did I just say y'all? Oh God! I've turned into a hick!
Just kidding...I don't have anything against hicks. What exactly is a hick
anyway? Wow, I've turned philosophical! That's a first! Sorry, I'm not
sugar high, but I'm terrified out of my wits. I'm singing a solo at a
church mass tonight and it's my own fault for not being able to say no to
people. Yes, that's right, for the most part I'm a complete push over.
But only when people I like ask me to do something. I can be pretty bitchy
and sarcastic if the mood strikes me. There is a reason why my parents
call me Nasty Nancy.
I started this about three months ago. It's about time I finished it. So so sorry
Disclaimer: None of this is mine, beyond the story line. Deal with it.
Summary: Harry realizes he has fallen in love with Ginny, but he doesn't know what to do about it. Instead of asking anyone directly, he asks Sirius how his parents fell in love. When Sirius gives him a scrapbook that contains the correspondence of his mother and father, it effects how he perceives the world around him.
Setting: Summer before fifth year and Harry has been staying at the Weasley's house for two weeks, after spending four with the Dursleys.
Letters From Lily
Chapter Three: Letters from Viktor
Recap:
When Harry had finished reading, he hastily blinked back tears. Carefully closing the book, he hugged it to his chest, staring out at the sunset without really seeing it.
"Harry? Who are you talking to?"
***
Harry started in surprise. "Oh, hello Ginny, he said, hiding alarm, "I didn't hear you come up." He surreptitiously wiped his eyes with his sleeve. "I just came up here to, you know, be alone."
Misunderstanding him, she said hastily, "Oh, well then, I'll just go-"
"No! I mean, no, you can stay, if you like. What did you come up here for anyway?"
"This is where I come to get away from everyone." Ginny sat down next to him, pulling her knees up to her chest.
"Oh, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to invade your privacy. I can leave, if you want." He scrambled to his feet.
"No, that's okay, it's nice to have company that isn't related to you... or in love with your brother."
"So you've noticed too?"
"*Everyone's* noticed but Ron and Hermione."
"You know Gin, I think this is the longest conversation we've ever had."
Ginny blushed, then realized, "You called me Gin."
Harry turned slightly red and teased, "Would you rather have me call you Pippi Longstocking?" He tugged one of her braids gently.
"Who?"
Harry blushed harder. 'Oh, never mind. S'not important."
"Oh come on, it can't be *that* embarrassing! Look, I'll tell you an embarrassing story about me."
"Fine. She's a character in a Muggle book that was considered a 'girl book' that someone had given Dudley, so I read it. She had red hair in braids that stuck straight out from her head. I'm not sure where I pulled her name from...Guess it was just because of these." He tweaked a braid. "Alright, now you have to tell me your story."
"Once, when I was little, I insisted that I dress myself and I just wore one of Bill's old jumpers with nothing underneath."
Both of them chuckled. They sat in a comfortable silence for a while and then Ginny asked "Who were you talking to earlier?"
"What?"
"Those two people. The man sounded a lot like you, only older."
"You heard them?"
"Yes, but I couldn't understand what they were saying."
"I thought I was going insane..."
"Who were they, Harry?"
"My parents. They made this for me before they died... My mum must have charmed it to act like a tape recorder..."
"Oh Harry!" It astounded him, how feeling could be conveyed through those two simple words. It made him want to have her hold him and never let go while he cried onto her shoulder, but he thought better of it.
Ginny was itching to give Harry a big hug, but she knew that he would feel uncomfortable, so she didn't. Noticing the look on his face, sadness, mixed with the fear that he would cry in front of somebody, she changed the subject. "So when so you suppose Ron and Hermione will see what's in front of their faces?"
"Oh, knowing them, the Tuesday after never."
They both laughed.
"What's your favorite thing to do, Gin?" Harry asked suddenly.
"Fly. It's... well I don't know quite how to explain it.:
"I know what you mean. Flying's my favorite thing to do, as well."
"Really? I mean, I knew you liked it, but I didn't know it was your favorite thing today. Despite what everybody thinks, I don't know that much about your likes and dislikes."
"Well let's see... I like Quidditch, I don't like Snape. I like most animals except for pigeons because they're evil-"
"You're afraid of pigeons?"
"I'm not *afraid* of them, I just don't *like* them!"
Ginny giggled wildly. "I can see the headlines now: "Harry Potter: Afraid of Ickle Birdies!"
"Well, that's nice! Here I am, pouring my heart out to you, and what do you do? You *mock* me! Alas, fair maiden, I must now throw myself off yon rooftop to purify myself. Goodbye, cruel world!" Dramatically, he flung his arm across his face.
"Oh, come on Harry! Don't be so drastic!"
"fine, but I'm not going to talk to you anymore." He replied, childishly sticking out his tongue and turning away, with a little "Hmph!". However, what Ginny couldn't see, was the grin that had graced his face once he'd turned. He was having fun teasing her, more fun than he'd had in a long time.
"Oh, come on Harry!" She repeated, "I swear I won't make fun of you anymore."
"You promise?"
"I promise."
"Cross your heart?"
"Cross my heart."
"Hope to die? Stick a needle in your eye?"
"What?!" Ginny asked, bewildered.
"It's a muggle saying that children use, that's what they would if they told a secret. I always wanted to say that to someone, but I didn't have any friends until I came to Hogwarts."
The way Harry stated that made Ginny's heart split in two for the boy Harry once was, that deserved so much more than he'd had in the past. She resolved to herself that she would do anything in her power to make it up to him. Just because that's the way it had been before, didn't mean that's the way it had to be now, right?
"Cross my heart, hope to die, stick a needle in my eye." Ginny vowed, then mused, "I wonder what would happen if someone made Snape say that..."
"Oh, the possibilities..." the two of them burst out laughing.
"Can't you just imagine his face?"
When their hilarity subsided, Harry remarked, "You know what Gin? You're a lot of fun to be around/"
She blushed to the roots of her hair. "Thanks."
They smiled at each other for a minute, then Ginny asked, "So what was it that I had to swear for exactly?"
"To not make fun of me anymore."
"Oh."
Harry hesitated a second, then leaned forward and asked conspiratorily, "You swear not to laugh or tell anyone about this?"
"About what?"
"About what I'm going to show you."
"Cross my heart, hope to die, stick a needle in my eye." Ginny recited, her curiousity piqued.
"Accio Box!"
A small wooden box zoomed into Harry's hand. He looked around furtively and beckoned Ginny closer. He carefully opened the box and drew out...
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
... a small stuffed Griffin.
"When I was left on the Dursleys' doorstep, there was a letter from Dumbledore...and Bob."
"Bob? Ginny asked, lips twitching, "It's name is Bob?"
"Yes, *his* name is Bob." Harry replied, defensively. "What's wrong with that?!"
"Nothing! I just thought his name would be more...elaborate." Ginny hastened to explain.
Glaring at her in mock suspicion, Harry clutched Bob more tightly to him.
"May I hold him?" Ginny queried.
Doubtfully, Harry turned to Bob and asked "What d'you reckon, Bob? Think she's telling the truth?" he paused. "All right then, if Bob thinks you're okay..." He carefully handed the griffin to Ginny.
Ginny stroked the soft fur of the tiny stuffed animal and said seriously, "It's nice to meet you, Bob." Before kissing the top of Bob's head and handing him back to Harry."
"It's nice to meet you too, Ginny." Harry said in a squeaky high pitched voice. In his normal voice, Harry said, "Bob likes to tell jokes, don't you Bob?"
"Yes, I do." 'Bob' replied.
"Why don't tell one then, Bob?" Ginny asked.
"I'd rather do an interpretive dance." Bob squeaked.
"Alright then, let's see it."
Harry sung random notes in his squeaky voice and moved Bob around in a funky little dance number that ended with Bob kissing Ginny on the nose. By the time he got to the end, however, Ginny had nearly fallen off the roof, she was laughing so hard.
"You are the strangest person I have ever met, Harry Potter."
"Aw, you know you love me." Harry protested, without thinking.
Both teens blushed at the implications and then Harry asked "Hey! How come *I'm* the weirdest person you've ever met, when *Bob* was the one being strange? All I did was sit there while bob did an interpretive dance, and yet, *I'm* the strange one? How is *that* fair?"
***Meanwhile***
Ron watched as an unfamiliar looking owl swooped into his bedroom through the window. It dropped a letter onto Hermione's lap.
Ron and Hermione had been working on a particularly nasty Potions essay. Well, actually, Hermione had been revising her essay for the thirteenth time, while Ron was pretending to write, while in reality he was watching Hermione.
Contrary to what everyone thought, he knew perfectly well how he felt about Hermione. However, he had realized it too late and had lost her for good. (Or so he thought.)
Hermione's cheeks went a bit pink as she read her letter, Ron noticed, becoming slightly jealous. *It's your own fault, Weasley.* a nasty voice in his mind let him know *You left it too late and now she's already got boyfriend.*
Of course, whenever someone called Viktor Krum her boyfriend, Hermione denied it vehemently. "We're just *friends*!" she would say. *But friend's letters don't make someone blush* Ron thought bitterly to himself.
"Have you got another letter from Viktor, then?" Hermione started, not realizing Ron had noticed.
"Yes, actually." She replied, bracing herself for the tirade soon to follow. When none came she asked waspishly, "What, no rude remarks about my choice of friends?"
"You're allowed to be friends with whomever you like, Hermione. It's *your* choice and no one else can make it for you." Ron said.
Her mouth dropped open. *She looks adorable like that...* Ron thought miserably.
She snapped her mouth shut and snapped, "Of course it is, Ron Weasley, and don't you forget it!" She stormed from the room, slamming the door behind her.
Ron gaped after her. *What was all that about? I didn't say anything offensive!*
***
Hermione paced the floor in Ginny's room, where she was staying. "What has gotten into him? It isn't like him to avoid picking a fight, especially about Viktor! Why am I dwelling on this?!" Trying to put the incident out of her mind, she sat down to reread her letter.
* Dear Herm-own-ninny...
***
A/N: So how do you like it? I'm personally, very pleased with how this chapter turned out. I'd appreciate some reviews though. *makes puppy dog face* Pwease? *pouts* I've only got eight reviews!
I have a few questions: One: Does anyone know how you put things in italics and stuff like that? Two: I was wondering, I like time travel fics, fifth year fics, H/G fics, R/H fics, L/J fics (especially love/hate), MWPP fics.If you know of any good ones, or if you've written any, please tell me!
I promise that the next chapter will be out sometime next week, barring emergencies. Probably not before Tuesday, though, because that's Science Fair. *shudder* It's twice as bad when your project sucks...
Anyway, thanks to those of you who did review! (Hey, that rhymed...)
Ghostcat~ I'm glad you like my story and I'm glad you think MA is not too shabby!
Rachelfan5000~ Here's some more! Sorry it took so long!
Terri~ I'm ecstatic because you think my story is "AWWWW" worthy! I hope you like this next bit!
DragonMaiden~ I'm glad you like the l/j dialogue. I hope you get to go to London because it's soooo great! I've decided that I'm going to spend at least a year of college abroad. (Keep in mind I'm a sophomore in high school...) You're right. It isn't a good idea to eat fudge and drink coffee and coke on an eight hour plane trip. I love Sirius Black too! But my friends don't know that.
Jennuhuh~ I'm glad you like it so much
JennaMae~ I'm happy you're enjoying this story and that you find it funny.
I started this about three months ago. It's about time I finished it. So so sorry
Disclaimer: None of this is mine, beyond the story line. Deal with it.
Summary: Harry realizes he has fallen in love with Ginny, but he doesn't know what to do about it. Instead of asking anyone directly, he asks Sirius how his parents fell in love. When Sirius gives him a scrapbook that contains the correspondence of his mother and father, it effects how he perceives the world around him.
Setting: Summer before fifth year and Harry has been staying at the Weasley's house for two weeks, after spending four with the Dursleys.
Letters From Lily
Chapter Three: Letters from Viktor
Recap:
When Harry had finished reading, he hastily blinked back tears. Carefully closing the book, he hugged it to his chest, staring out at the sunset without really seeing it.
"Harry? Who are you talking to?"
***
Harry started in surprise. "Oh, hello Ginny, he said, hiding alarm, "I didn't hear you come up." He surreptitiously wiped his eyes with his sleeve. "I just came up here to, you know, be alone."
Misunderstanding him, she said hastily, "Oh, well then, I'll just go-"
"No! I mean, no, you can stay, if you like. What did you come up here for anyway?"
"This is where I come to get away from everyone." Ginny sat down next to him, pulling her knees up to her chest.
"Oh, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to invade your privacy. I can leave, if you want." He scrambled to his feet.
"No, that's okay, it's nice to have company that isn't related to you... or in love with your brother."
"So you've noticed too?"
"*Everyone's* noticed but Ron and Hermione."
"You know Gin, I think this is the longest conversation we've ever had."
Ginny blushed, then realized, "You called me Gin."
Harry turned slightly red and teased, "Would you rather have me call you Pippi Longstocking?" He tugged one of her braids gently.
"Who?"
Harry blushed harder. 'Oh, never mind. S'not important."
"Oh come on, it can't be *that* embarrassing! Look, I'll tell you an embarrassing story about me."
"Fine. She's a character in a Muggle book that was considered a 'girl book' that someone had given Dudley, so I read it. She had red hair in braids that stuck straight out from her head. I'm not sure where I pulled her name from...Guess it was just because of these." He tweaked a braid. "Alright, now you have to tell me your story."
"Once, when I was little, I insisted that I dress myself and I just wore one of Bill's old jumpers with nothing underneath."
Both of them chuckled. They sat in a comfortable silence for a while and then Ginny asked "Who were you talking to earlier?"
"What?"
"Those two people. The man sounded a lot like you, only older."
"You heard them?"
"Yes, but I couldn't understand what they were saying."
"I thought I was going insane..."
"Who were they, Harry?"
"My parents. They made this for me before they died... My mum must have charmed it to act like a tape recorder..."
"Oh Harry!" It astounded him, how feeling could be conveyed through those two simple words. It made him want to have her hold him and never let go while he cried onto her shoulder, but he thought better of it.
Ginny was itching to give Harry a big hug, but she knew that he would feel uncomfortable, so she didn't. Noticing the look on his face, sadness, mixed with the fear that he would cry in front of somebody, she changed the subject. "So when so you suppose Ron and Hermione will see what's in front of their faces?"
"Oh, knowing them, the Tuesday after never."
They both laughed.
"What's your favorite thing to do, Gin?" Harry asked suddenly.
"Fly. It's... well I don't know quite how to explain it.:
"I know what you mean. Flying's my favorite thing to do, as well."
"Really? I mean, I knew you liked it, but I didn't know it was your favorite thing today. Despite what everybody thinks, I don't know that much about your likes and dislikes."
"Well let's see... I like Quidditch, I don't like Snape. I like most animals except for pigeons because they're evil-"
"You're afraid of pigeons?"
"I'm not *afraid* of them, I just don't *like* them!"
Ginny giggled wildly. "I can see the headlines now: "Harry Potter: Afraid of Ickle Birdies!"
"Well, that's nice! Here I am, pouring my heart out to you, and what do you do? You *mock* me! Alas, fair maiden, I must now throw myself off yon rooftop to purify myself. Goodbye, cruel world!" Dramatically, he flung his arm across his face.
"Oh, come on Harry! Don't be so drastic!"
"fine, but I'm not going to talk to you anymore." He replied, childishly sticking out his tongue and turning away, with a little "Hmph!". However, what Ginny couldn't see, was the grin that had graced his face once he'd turned. He was having fun teasing her, more fun than he'd had in a long time.
"Oh, come on Harry!" She repeated, "I swear I won't make fun of you anymore."
"You promise?"
"I promise."
"Cross your heart?"
"Cross my heart."
"Hope to die? Stick a needle in your eye?"
"What?!" Ginny asked, bewildered.
"It's a muggle saying that children use, that's what they would if they told a secret. I always wanted to say that to someone, but I didn't have any friends until I came to Hogwarts."
The way Harry stated that made Ginny's heart split in two for the boy Harry once was, that deserved so much more than he'd had in the past. She resolved to herself that she would do anything in her power to make it up to him. Just because that's the way it had been before, didn't mean that's the way it had to be now, right?
"Cross my heart, hope to die, stick a needle in my eye." Ginny vowed, then mused, "I wonder what would happen if someone made Snape say that..."
"Oh, the possibilities..." the two of them burst out laughing.
"Can't you just imagine his face?"
When their hilarity subsided, Harry remarked, "You know what Gin? You're a lot of fun to be around/"
She blushed to the roots of her hair. "Thanks."
They smiled at each other for a minute, then Ginny asked, "So what was it that I had to swear for exactly?"
"To not make fun of me anymore."
"Oh."
Harry hesitated a second, then leaned forward and asked conspiratorily, "You swear not to laugh or tell anyone about this?"
"About what?"
"About what I'm going to show you."
"Cross my heart, hope to die, stick a needle in my eye." Ginny recited, her curiousity piqued.
"Accio Box!"
A small wooden box zoomed into Harry's hand. He looked around furtively and beckoned Ginny closer. He carefully opened the box and drew out...
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
... a small stuffed Griffin.
"When I was left on the Dursleys' doorstep, there was a letter from Dumbledore...and Bob."
"Bob? Ginny asked, lips twitching, "It's name is Bob?"
"Yes, *his* name is Bob." Harry replied, defensively. "What's wrong with that?!"
"Nothing! I just thought his name would be more...elaborate." Ginny hastened to explain.
Glaring at her in mock suspicion, Harry clutched Bob more tightly to him.
"May I hold him?" Ginny queried.
Doubtfully, Harry turned to Bob and asked "What d'you reckon, Bob? Think she's telling the truth?" he paused. "All right then, if Bob thinks you're okay..." He carefully handed the griffin to Ginny.
Ginny stroked the soft fur of the tiny stuffed animal and said seriously, "It's nice to meet you, Bob." Before kissing the top of Bob's head and handing him back to Harry."
"It's nice to meet you too, Ginny." Harry said in a squeaky high pitched voice. In his normal voice, Harry said, "Bob likes to tell jokes, don't you Bob?"
"Yes, I do." 'Bob' replied.
"Why don't tell one then, Bob?" Ginny asked.
"I'd rather do an interpretive dance." Bob squeaked.
"Alright then, let's see it."
Harry sung random notes in his squeaky voice and moved Bob around in a funky little dance number that ended with Bob kissing Ginny on the nose. By the time he got to the end, however, Ginny had nearly fallen off the roof, she was laughing so hard.
"You are the strangest person I have ever met, Harry Potter."
"Aw, you know you love me." Harry protested, without thinking.
Both teens blushed at the implications and then Harry asked "Hey! How come *I'm* the weirdest person you've ever met, when *Bob* was the one being strange? All I did was sit there while bob did an interpretive dance, and yet, *I'm* the strange one? How is *that* fair?"
***Meanwhile***
Ron watched as an unfamiliar looking owl swooped into his bedroom through the window. It dropped a letter onto Hermione's lap.
Ron and Hermione had been working on a particularly nasty Potions essay. Well, actually, Hermione had been revising her essay for the thirteenth time, while Ron was pretending to write, while in reality he was watching Hermione.
Contrary to what everyone thought, he knew perfectly well how he felt about Hermione. However, he had realized it too late and had lost her for good. (Or so he thought.)
Hermione's cheeks went a bit pink as she read her letter, Ron noticed, becoming slightly jealous. *It's your own fault, Weasley.* a nasty voice in his mind let him know *You left it too late and now she's already got boyfriend.*
Of course, whenever someone called Viktor Krum her boyfriend, Hermione denied it vehemently. "We're just *friends*!" she would say. *But friend's letters don't make someone blush* Ron thought bitterly to himself.
"Have you got another letter from Viktor, then?" Hermione started, not realizing Ron had noticed.
"Yes, actually." She replied, bracing herself for the tirade soon to follow. When none came she asked waspishly, "What, no rude remarks about my choice of friends?"
"You're allowed to be friends with whomever you like, Hermione. It's *your* choice and no one else can make it for you." Ron said.
Her mouth dropped open. *She looks adorable like that...* Ron thought miserably.
She snapped her mouth shut and snapped, "Of course it is, Ron Weasley, and don't you forget it!" She stormed from the room, slamming the door behind her.
Ron gaped after her. *What was all that about? I didn't say anything offensive!*
***
Hermione paced the floor in Ginny's room, where she was staying. "What has gotten into him? It isn't like him to avoid picking a fight, especially about Viktor! Why am I dwelling on this?!" Trying to put the incident out of her mind, she sat down to reread her letter.
* Dear Herm-own-ninny...
***
A/N: So how do you like it? I'm personally, very pleased with how this chapter turned out. I'd appreciate some reviews though. *makes puppy dog face* Pwease? *pouts* I've only got eight reviews!
I have a few questions: One: Does anyone know how you put things in italics and stuff like that? Two: I was wondering, I like time travel fics, fifth year fics, H/G fics, R/H fics, L/J fics (especially love/hate), MWPP fics.If you know of any good ones, or if you've written any, please tell me!
I promise that the next chapter will be out sometime next week, barring emergencies. Probably not before Tuesday, though, because that's Science Fair. *shudder* It's twice as bad when your project sucks...
Anyway, thanks to those of you who did review! (Hey, that rhymed...)
Ghostcat~ I'm glad you like my story and I'm glad you think MA is not too shabby!
Rachelfan5000~ Here's some more! Sorry it took so long!
Terri~ I'm ecstatic because you think my story is "AWWWW" worthy! I hope you like this next bit!
DragonMaiden~ I'm glad you like the l/j dialogue. I hope you get to go to London because it's soooo great! I've decided that I'm going to spend at least a year of college abroad. (Keep in mind I'm a sophomore in high school...) You're right. It isn't a good idea to eat fudge and drink coffee and coke on an eight hour plane trip. I love Sirius Black too! But my friends don't know that.
Jennuhuh~ I'm glad you like it so much
JennaMae~ I'm happy you're enjoying this story and that you find it funny.