Scarlet Flames
Disclaimer: I do not own anything here besides the plot. Characters and names belong to J.K. Rowling and publishers.
Summary: It's been five long years since Ginny's first met Harry, yet he still doesn't seem to get it. Then, when Draco Malfoy comes into the picture, things change. Can Harry realize faith in time? How one girl falls so hard, she can't bear to fall any longer.
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Chapter One
There's a girl in my mirror
I wonder who she is
Sometimes I think I know her
Sometimes I really wish I did
There's a story in her eyes
Lullabies and goodbyes
When she's looking back at me
I can tell her heart is broken easily
If I could I would tell her, not to be afraid
The thing that she's feeling, a sense of loneliness, will fade
So dry your tears and rest assure, love will find you right before
When she's looking back at me, I know nothing really works that easily
Cause the girl in my mirror, is crying here tonight
And there's nothing I could tell her, to make her feel alright
Oh the girl in my mirror, is crying cause of you
And I wish there was something, something I could do
I can't believe it, it's what I see
That the girl in my mirror is me
-------------------------------
It was late in the afternoon when Ginny Weasley woke up. She rolled over in bed, and blinked at the radiant sunshine beaming through her window. She got up and trudged down the rickety whirling stairs of The Burrow, still in her pajamas.
Of course, she wouldn't have bounded down the stairs at the state of her curly red hair in tangles and her fuzzy pink pajamas if she had known that Harry Potter would be sitting at her kitchen table with her brother, who was his best friend, Ron, looking all smartened up and fresh faced
"Good afternoon..." Ron grinned.
Harry laughed. "Hullo Ginny."
Ginny turned bright red, and tried to calm her bouncing curls down by patting her head a few times.
"Erm.. I.. I'll go, I'll go straighten up.." she muttered, Without waiting for their answer, she dashed back up the stairs, and returned to the safety of her room.
The summer holidays were almost over, only a week or so left, and Ginny hadn't accomplished anything.
She went into the bathroom and looked into the mirror. What stared back at her was a thin, freckly girl of age fifteen. Her light brown eyes were bright and alight. She wasn't bad looking, she was naturally pretty, one would say. Not stunningly beautiful, but good enough.
But as Ginny stared into the mirror, that was not the girl she saw. Instead, she saw a skinny, underweight girl with dull, muddy brown eyes. She hated every single one of her freckles, which she thought didn't look that different from pimples. She didn't think of herself as pretty at all, in fact, she hated the way she looked.
Ginny Weasley hadn't always had such low self-confidence. This has been the result of loving someone for years and years, while the feelings were not returned. This, of course, is the result of Harry Potter.
Famous, glamorous, stupendous Harry Potter. Sure, every girl thought he was brave, charming, and smart, but not everyone loved him like the way Ginny loved him, at least that's what she thinks. She has known the feeling since age eleven, and it has been five-and-a-half, cruel years since then.
Not that Harry Potter was a complete bastard or anything. No, in fact, he was perfectly nice to Ginny. He treated her like a sister... which was not what she was looking for.
From the beginning, Ginny had known that she probably would've had a lot of competition, going for Harry Potter. But she didn't mind, not that much anyway.
During Harry's fourth year though, Ginny saw that he started to develop new feelings for someone. Someone that wasn't her. And just recently, he got up his nerves and asked that someone out. Now, he has a new girlfriend. Who was it? Why, that popular, beautiful, smart Ravenclaw of course. Cho Chang.
---------------------------------------------------------------
After Ginny had fleeted back up the stairs, Harry turned to Ron.
"Do you think I made her feel uncomfortable?" he asked.
Ron laughed. "No, really?"
Harry sighed. "I know.. But I don't mean too. I dunno.."
"Harry, it's not a bloody big deal. Everyone knows she fancies you... since the beginning of time... this isn't anything unusual." Ron replied.
"Well, don't you think that it's time for her to move on? Maybe find someone else...? I mean, sorry to say, but five years..." Harry trailed off.
Ron shook his head. "I thought you'd be pleased."
"Don't you see what it's doing to her?"
Ron stared. "What are you talking about?"
"Nevermind."
------------------------------------------------------
Ginny grabbed a comb from her dresser and started combing out her curls. Her hair was the only thing she liked about herself. It was deep scarlet, and it was a color that actually looked nice against pale skin like hers.
She heard footsteps approaching her door. Could it be Harry...?
"Ginny dear, we have to go to Diagon Alley to get your new dress robes. Get dress and come along now." Mrs. Weasley said outside her bedroom door.
Of course it wouldn't be Harry. Why would he care enough to come after her? He never seemed to notice before.
Their Hogwarts letters had arrived yesterday morning, and she had outgrown her school robes. She pulled on a pair of black trousers and a matching black jumper.
When she met Mrs. Weasley at their fireplace in the kitchen, she noticed that Harry and Ron had already gone.
The disappointment on her face must've not shown, because Mrs. Weasley said happily, "Your brother and Harry have gone to meet that wonderful girlfriend of Harry's at Flourish and Blotts."
"Oh..." Ginny said.
"Isn't it nice that Harry's now got someone to love? That Cho Chang is such a nice young lady. Head Girl too!" Mrs. Weasley beamed.
Ginny chose not to reply.
-------------------------------------------------------------
"Harry! Over here!"
Harry and Ron turned around and saw Cho Chang walking towards them. She was very pretty, with sleek shiny black hair, and large, chocolate brown eyes. Her gold coloured cloak hung perfectly over her shoulders, matching her golden tanned arms.
Harry grinned and Ron noticed that he was standing a bit straighter, and was fidgeting with the collar of his shirt. As Cho approached them, Harry awkwardly gave her a kiss on her cheek. She blushed and looked down.
Ron hid his smile. He wanted to say something, but knew that Harry would have his head later when Cho had gone. So he merely stood there while Harry and Cho tried to make conversation. Harry was stuttering a lot.
"So, er... how was your summer?" He said in a jumble.
"Fine, how was yours?" Cho smiled.
"O-Okay." he replied blushing furiously.
Ron thought Harry really needed to get a hold of himself. If he was this nervous when they were merely -talking-, then how would he handle a snogging situation? Ron would have to point this out to him later.
Before Harry could stutter any more, they caught site of Mrs. Weasley and Ginny in the crowd.
"Why, hello there Cho!" Mrs. Weasley said warmly.
Cho said, "Hi Mrs. Weasley, it's good to see you again." She turned to Ginny. "Hey Ginny."
Ginny gave her a forced smile, but no one noticed.
------------------------------------------------------------------
"Hurry up Goyle... I want to get out of here before the next millennium." Draco Malfoy said irritably.
Goyle grunted.
Draco and Goyle were at Hag's Hamburgers in Knockturn Alley. They don't call it Hag's Hamburgers for nothing. Draco's seen those ingredients. Let's just say, he didn't enjoy his last burger as much as he would've before.
Goyle had been eating nonstop for the last hour. He had consumed fifty-three and a half of Hag's Hamburgers. Crabbe, who at the moment was being sick in the loo, has had nearly eighty.
Draco sighed. Why he hung out with these brainless gits, he did not know.
Goyle flexed his muscles as he reached for another burger.
Oh wait. That's why. Their muscles made up for their brains. Draco himself was not as big and thuggy as them two, and he was always getting himself into fights at school, so he needed them.
"I still need to get new robes, and if I don't get back to the Manor before the Death Eaters arrive for Father's annual Dark Arts party, well...I don't want to think about what he will do to me..." Draco shuddered.
"Hmmmph mmhhup looupom" Goyle said between mouthfuls of meat.
Draco nodded. "Alright then... I'll go myself. See you at the party tonight. Oh yeah, and tell your dad to bring that book, 'How To Be Unbelievably Evil And Cunning', that he's borrowed from Father two years ago."
Goyle grunted once again.
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"Go on Ginny, you get yourself measured first, and I'll go get your books." Mrs. Weasley pushed her daughter into Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions.
Ginny stepped into the dark shop. She had never been there before. In all her past years, she had to get her robes from the second-hand shop. But this year, this year was different. Fred and George Weasley had graduated from Hogwarts only a year ago, but already, their planned joke shop was such a success. No one would've guessed.
"May I help you dear?"
Ginny turned around, and saw a witch in her late middle ages. This must be Madam Malkin.
"Yes, I'm here to measure for my school robes." Ginny replied.
Madam Malkin squinted at her. "Hogwarts, eh? I've never seen you around this ol' place before."
Ginny blushed. "I-I'm a transfer... Just moved." she lied, too embarrassed to say that their family could not afford her to come here before.
Luckily, before Madam Malkin could ask her where she moved from, the door to the shop opened as someone else walked in. She quickly went over to assist the boy who had just came in, as the magical measuring tape began to measure Ginny.
"Hogwarts dear?" Ginny heard her say.
"Yes. And make it quick. I need to be somewhere." a cold voice replied.
Madam Malkin tutted under her breath and walked into the backroom to get the fabric ready.
That was when Ginny took a good look at the boy. It was, of course, Draco Malfoy.
She would've ignored him, but he chose to say, "Well, well, well. If it isn't Weasel's sister."
"If it isn't the most pathetic prat I've seen..." Ginny shot back.
Draco smirked. "I would've never imagine seeing a -Weasley- at a proper shop."
Ginny felt her face grow hot with despise. "I'm surprise they even let -you- in here Malfoy. I didn't think disgusting, filthy animals were allowed."
"I'd watch out if I were you Weasley. Grow anymore redder, you just might explode. Of course, that'd do me some good."
Before Ginny could reply, Madam Malkin had already appeared back at her side, and was fitting her robes. After a few moments, Mrs. Weasley came in.
Draco and Ginny glared at each other from across the room as Mrs. Weasley paid Madam Malkin.
As Mrs. Weasley and Ginny passed by Draco to leave, he said lowly, so that Mrs. Weasley wouldn't hear, but loud enough so that Ginny could make out every word.
"I'm sure I'll be seeing you around more often... Ginny."
-----------------------------------------------------------------
A/N: Yes, I am aware that at this time, you might STILL not have been able to figure out the plot. But I assure you that you'll find out soon enough. Actually, I'm not sure if this fic will be a Ginny/Draco or Ginny/Harry. Suggestions are welcomed. Comments, questions, flames... go on, you know you want to.
Disclaimer: I do not own anything here besides the plot. Characters and names belong to J.K. Rowling and publishers.
Summary: It's been five long years since Ginny's first met Harry, yet he still doesn't seem to get it. Then, when Draco Malfoy comes into the picture, things change. Can Harry realize faith in time? How one girl falls so hard, she can't bear to fall any longer.
---------------------------------------------------
Chapter One
There's a girl in my mirror
I wonder who she is
Sometimes I think I know her
Sometimes I really wish I did
There's a story in her eyes
Lullabies and goodbyes
When she's looking back at me
I can tell her heart is broken easily
If I could I would tell her, not to be afraid
The thing that she's feeling, a sense of loneliness, will fade
So dry your tears and rest assure, love will find you right before
When she's looking back at me, I know nothing really works that easily
Cause the girl in my mirror, is crying here tonight
And there's nothing I could tell her, to make her feel alright
Oh the girl in my mirror, is crying cause of you
And I wish there was something, something I could do
I can't believe it, it's what I see
That the girl in my mirror is me
-------------------------------
It was late in the afternoon when Ginny Weasley woke up. She rolled over in bed, and blinked at the radiant sunshine beaming through her window. She got up and trudged down the rickety whirling stairs of The Burrow, still in her pajamas.
Of course, she wouldn't have bounded down the stairs at the state of her curly red hair in tangles and her fuzzy pink pajamas if she had known that Harry Potter would be sitting at her kitchen table with her brother, who was his best friend, Ron, looking all smartened up and fresh faced
"Good afternoon..." Ron grinned.
Harry laughed. "Hullo Ginny."
Ginny turned bright red, and tried to calm her bouncing curls down by patting her head a few times.
"Erm.. I.. I'll go, I'll go straighten up.." she muttered, Without waiting for their answer, she dashed back up the stairs, and returned to the safety of her room.
The summer holidays were almost over, only a week or so left, and Ginny hadn't accomplished anything.
She went into the bathroom and looked into the mirror. What stared back at her was a thin, freckly girl of age fifteen. Her light brown eyes were bright and alight. She wasn't bad looking, she was naturally pretty, one would say. Not stunningly beautiful, but good enough.
But as Ginny stared into the mirror, that was not the girl she saw. Instead, she saw a skinny, underweight girl with dull, muddy brown eyes. She hated every single one of her freckles, which she thought didn't look that different from pimples. She didn't think of herself as pretty at all, in fact, she hated the way she looked.
Ginny Weasley hadn't always had such low self-confidence. This has been the result of loving someone for years and years, while the feelings were not returned. This, of course, is the result of Harry Potter.
Famous, glamorous, stupendous Harry Potter. Sure, every girl thought he was brave, charming, and smart, but not everyone loved him like the way Ginny loved him, at least that's what she thinks. She has known the feeling since age eleven, and it has been five-and-a-half, cruel years since then.
Not that Harry Potter was a complete bastard or anything. No, in fact, he was perfectly nice to Ginny. He treated her like a sister... which was not what she was looking for.
From the beginning, Ginny had known that she probably would've had a lot of competition, going for Harry Potter. But she didn't mind, not that much anyway.
During Harry's fourth year though, Ginny saw that he started to develop new feelings for someone. Someone that wasn't her. And just recently, he got up his nerves and asked that someone out. Now, he has a new girlfriend. Who was it? Why, that popular, beautiful, smart Ravenclaw of course. Cho Chang.
---------------------------------------------------------------
After Ginny had fleeted back up the stairs, Harry turned to Ron.
"Do you think I made her feel uncomfortable?" he asked.
Ron laughed. "No, really?"
Harry sighed. "I know.. But I don't mean too. I dunno.."
"Harry, it's not a bloody big deal. Everyone knows she fancies you... since the beginning of time... this isn't anything unusual." Ron replied.
"Well, don't you think that it's time for her to move on? Maybe find someone else...? I mean, sorry to say, but five years..." Harry trailed off.
Ron shook his head. "I thought you'd be pleased."
"Don't you see what it's doing to her?"
Ron stared. "What are you talking about?"
"Nevermind."
------------------------------------------------------
Ginny grabbed a comb from her dresser and started combing out her curls. Her hair was the only thing she liked about herself. It was deep scarlet, and it was a color that actually looked nice against pale skin like hers.
She heard footsteps approaching her door. Could it be Harry...?
"Ginny dear, we have to go to Diagon Alley to get your new dress robes. Get dress and come along now." Mrs. Weasley said outside her bedroom door.
Of course it wouldn't be Harry. Why would he care enough to come after her? He never seemed to notice before.
Their Hogwarts letters had arrived yesterday morning, and she had outgrown her school robes. She pulled on a pair of black trousers and a matching black jumper.
When she met Mrs. Weasley at their fireplace in the kitchen, she noticed that Harry and Ron had already gone.
The disappointment on her face must've not shown, because Mrs. Weasley said happily, "Your brother and Harry have gone to meet that wonderful girlfriend of Harry's at Flourish and Blotts."
"Oh..." Ginny said.
"Isn't it nice that Harry's now got someone to love? That Cho Chang is such a nice young lady. Head Girl too!" Mrs. Weasley beamed.
Ginny chose not to reply.
-------------------------------------------------------------
"Harry! Over here!"
Harry and Ron turned around and saw Cho Chang walking towards them. She was very pretty, with sleek shiny black hair, and large, chocolate brown eyes. Her gold coloured cloak hung perfectly over her shoulders, matching her golden tanned arms.
Harry grinned and Ron noticed that he was standing a bit straighter, and was fidgeting with the collar of his shirt. As Cho approached them, Harry awkwardly gave her a kiss on her cheek. She blushed and looked down.
Ron hid his smile. He wanted to say something, but knew that Harry would have his head later when Cho had gone. So he merely stood there while Harry and Cho tried to make conversation. Harry was stuttering a lot.
"So, er... how was your summer?" He said in a jumble.
"Fine, how was yours?" Cho smiled.
"O-Okay." he replied blushing furiously.
Ron thought Harry really needed to get a hold of himself. If he was this nervous when they were merely -talking-, then how would he handle a snogging situation? Ron would have to point this out to him later.
Before Harry could stutter any more, they caught site of Mrs. Weasley and Ginny in the crowd.
"Why, hello there Cho!" Mrs. Weasley said warmly.
Cho said, "Hi Mrs. Weasley, it's good to see you again." She turned to Ginny. "Hey Ginny."
Ginny gave her a forced smile, but no one noticed.
------------------------------------------------------------------
"Hurry up Goyle... I want to get out of here before the next millennium." Draco Malfoy said irritably.
Goyle grunted.
Draco and Goyle were at Hag's Hamburgers in Knockturn Alley. They don't call it Hag's Hamburgers for nothing. Draco's seen those ingredients. Let's just say, he didn't enjoy his last burger as much as he would've before.
Goyle had been eating nonstop for the last hour. He had consumed fifty-three and a half of Hag's Hamburgers. Crabbe, who at the moment was being sick in the loo, has had nearly eighty.
Draco sighed. Why he hung out with these brainless gits, he did not know.
Goyle flexed his muscles as he reached for another burger.
Oh wait. That's why. Their muscles made up for their brains. Draco himself was not as big and thuggy as them two, and he was always getting himself into fights at school, so he needed them.
"I still need to get new robes, and if I don't get back to the Manor before the Death Eaters arrive for Father's annual Dark Arts party, well...I don't want to think about what he will do to me..." Draco shuddered.
"Hmmmph mmhhup looupom" Goyle said between mouthfuls of meat.
Draco nodded. "Alright then... I'll go myself. See you at the party tonight. Oh yeah, and tell your dad to bring that book, 'How To Be Unbelievably Evil And Cunning', that he's borrowed from Father two years ago."
Goyle grunted once again.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
"Go on Ginny, you get yourself measured first, and I'll go get your books." Mrs. Weasley pushed her daughter into Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions.
Ginny stepped into the dark shop. She had never been there before. In all her past years, she had to get her robes from the second-hand shop. But this year, this year was different. Fred and George Weasley had graduated from Hogwarts only a year ago, but already, their planned joke shop was such a success. No one would've guessed.
"May I help you dear?"
Ginny turned around, and saw a witch in her late middle ages. This must be Madam Malkin.
"Yes, I'm here to measure for my school robes." Ginny replied.
Madam Malkin squinted at her. "Hogwarts, eh? I've never seen you around this ol' place before."
Ginny blushed. "I-I'm a transfer... Just moved." she lied, too embarrassed to say that their family could not afford her to come here before.
Luckily, before Madam Malkin could ask her where she moved from, the door to the shop opened as someone else walked in. She quickly went over to assist the boy who had just came in, as the magical measuring tape began to measure Ginny.
"Hogwarts dear?" Ginny heard her say.
"Yes. And make it quick. I need to be somewhere." a cold voice replied.
Madam Malkin tutted under her breath and walked into the backroom to get the fabric ready.
That was when Ginny took a good look at the boy. It was, of course, Draco Malfoy.
She would've ignored him, but he chose to say, "Well, well, well. If it isn't Weasel's sister."
"If it isn't the most pathetic prat I've seen..." Ginny shot back.
Draco smirked. "I would've never imagine seeing a -Weasley- at a proper shop."
Ginny felt her face grow hot with despise. "I'm surprise they even let -you- in here Malfoy. I didn't think disgusting, filthy animals were allowed."
"I'd watch out if I were you Weasley. Grow anymore redder, you just might explode. Of course, that'd do me some good."
Before Ginny could reply, Madam Malkin had already appeared back at her side, and was fitting her robes. After a few moments, Mrs. Weasley came in.
Draco and Ginny glared at each other from across the room as Mrs. Weasley paid Madam Malkin.
As Mrs. Weasley and Ginny passed by Draco to leave, he said lowly, so that Mrs. Weasley wouldn't hear, but loud enough so that Ginny could make out every word.
"I'm sure I'll be seeing you around more often... Ginny."
-----------------------------------------------------------------
A/N: Yes, I am aware that at this time, you might STILL not have been able to figure out the plot. But I assure you that you'll find out soon enough. Actually, I'm not sure if this fic will be a Ginny/Draco or Ginny/Harry. Suggestions are welcomed. Comments, questions, flames... go on, you know you want to.
