ENGAGING CONVERSATIONS AT THE BURROW
Ginny Weasley sighed. Today was her big day. She would be graduating from Hogwarts in just a few hours. Ginny looked around at her fellow schoolmates in the Great Hall. This would be the one of the last times she sat in this building as a student. She hoped these last few hours would be more enjoyable than the sleep she didn't get last night.
She was nervous. In a little less that one
week, she would be out on her own, working as a freelance photographer
and columnist for the "Daily Prophet". Ginny remembered after a moment
that she wouldn't be all alone. As odd as she would have thought it a few
years ago, she would be moving in with her boyfriend, Draco Malfoy, once
she left her family's house.
Only one of her family members knew of the relationship and she
thanked her starts that Bill, along with his wife Madison, was keeping
her secret safe. Ginny also figured, looking up at the ceiling, Charlie
knew, wherever he was. Of all her brothers, Charlie had been the only one
to die. He had been tortured under Voldemort, Draco had told the Ministry,
and then was killed with Avada Kedavra. Ginny and the rest of her family
had had trouble believing him for quite a while after he came over to their
side, perhaps it was when he had killed his own father, they began believing
him.
Ginny was probably the first one to actually put all her trust into Draco. He had helped her out when her old boyfriend, Colin Creevey, started spending rumors. Then, on the train ride home last year, something just clicked. Ginny knew he was the one for her. Her family had been so busy the previous summer, preparing for Ron's marriage, that Ginny had managed to escape and go with Draco to Korea and luckily Bill and Madison told them all that Ginny was with the, helping with their triplet daughters. After the holidays, Draco accompanied Ginny back to Hogwarts, he and Dumbledore had worked an arrangement for him to live on the campus and learn what else he needed to know to be considered a qualified wizard. Christmas holidays had presented a slight problem, Ginny had wanted to spend the few weeks with Draco, at school, but she wanted to spend her last Christmas holidays as a "child" with her family, who knew what the world would hold for her once she got out into the world.
Luckily, the decision was almost made for her; her parents and the majority of the rest of the Weasley clan came to visit Bill and Madison in the Scotland home, not far from Hogwarts. As she was a seventh year and head girl, she was allowed to go visit during the day at Bill and Madison's and come back to Draco and Hogwarts at night. After all the trouble at Christmas, Ginny decided to tell her family about her and Draco after graduation. Of all of her family, Ron worried her the most. Bill, she already knew he approved of the relationship. Percy wouldn't mind, probably five minutes after she told him, he would be back checking the thickness of a cauldron. The twins would pick with Draco, maybe say that they would beat him up, but they, along with the rest of her family would end up accepting her new love, possibly because they had not had to go through the teasing that Draco had subjected she and Ron to. But there was no going back on her decision; Draco had proposed last night. On her third finger, there was a golden band with a diamond shining in the center of emeralds.
Ginny had been surprised at first and a bit shocked. But she and Draco talked and decided that they would not be married as soon as they left school. Jobs were important to both of them, not as important as each other were, but very important. And as Draco pointed out, they would be living together, what could be different from being married? But they both believed that it would be best to wait, and as Draco had put it, they had to live through telling her family.
"Excuse me." The voice of Headmistress McGonagall could be heard over the den of the students and Ginny's thoughts. Ginny looked to see her transfiguration professor trying to quiet the group as Professor Dumbledore, who had retired last year, had done. Succeeding, she addressed the students.
"As many of you know, guests will be arriving within a few hours for the graduation of the seventh years. I expect all of you to be on your best behavior. For those of you not staying, the train will arrive in approximately two hours. Please be ready to board at that time. That is all."
It wasn't long before students began
leaving their seats to do some last minute packing. Ginny stayed where
she was for just a bit longer; save for what clothes she needed for graduation
and her wand, she had finished packing two days ago. Parts of it had already
been shipped to the flat where she and Draco would be living, again something
that her family didn't know.
"All right Gin?" Ginny looked up into the sea gray
eyes of her soon to be roommate. He sat down in front of her and pulled
her hands toward him to hold. "I'm fine, Draco. Just a bit nervous." She
smiled and squeezed his hands, confirming her statement. "Let's go "tour"
the grounds one last time before our families get here. I'd hate for Ron
to see us together and not have a welcoming speech for you prepared." They
both laughed then stood to walk outside.
Outside it was a perfect summer day. The sky
was blue, the sun was shining, and the grass was bright green. A few students
were out, also enjoying the beautiful day. As they walked hand in hand
they saw Professor Potter coming toward them.
It had been hard for Ginny to call Harry "Professor Potter";
Ginny had called him Harry up to the beginning of the previous year, he
was only one year older than she was. Harry smiled at them, He and his
wife, Hermione, had been some of the first to know of their relationship.
It was ironic in a way, in a way, she had had a crush on Harry for years,
but when Draco escaped from service under the Dark Lord, Ginny had not
gave Harry another glance.
The three finally met on the path and
talked for a moment before Harry noticed the ring on his best friend's
younger sister's hand. In fact it took the ring glinting in the sunlight
and shining rays right into his eyes for him to notice. He congratulated
the pair, then continued in the direction that he had been traveling- the
direction of Hogsmeade. Later Ginny and Draco figured out tat Harry had
probably been preoccupied with going and greeting his wife at the train
station, he hadn't saw her since Christmas.
When they noticed parents and families start
coming in the gates, Draco and Ginny split, kissing quickly before heading
off to their dorms. When she reached the girl's dormitories no one was
there and realized the reason for it was that everyone was already headed
down to the Great Hall. Quickly Ginny changed into her school robes and
grabbed her Head Girl badge. Then, before leaving the room, she glanced
around. She would miss this place.
After exiting Gryffindor tower Ginny climbed
Dow the stairs to the Great Hall where the graduation ceremony would take
place. She was almost to the third floor landing when she was pulled backward
in to a classroom.
