By Serendipity
Author's Note: Just one thing: Let's pretend that Ginny knows Sirius is innocent ok?
Disclaimer: Don't own them.
When Harry Met Ginny?
Ginny Weasley was upset. Ginny Weasley was depressed. Ginny Weasley was a butterfly. Her twin brothers laughed aloud as their little sister fluttered about them as a green butterfly.
"Fred! George! This has got to stop!" yelled Mrs. Weasley as Ginny finally turned back into her normal self, landing in a heap of red hair on the kitchen floor.
"Sorry, Mum," the twins stated though they didn't sound sorry in the least bit.
"Ginny, dear, are you all right?" asked Mrs. Weasley, helping her daughter up.
"I'm...great, Mum!" Ginny's face suddenly broke into a smile and she dashed across the kitchen to the open window where Hedwig was waiting. Ginny took the snowy owl to the table and let her eat the leftover bacon. She snatched the letter and began reading it before anyone could actually process whom the owl belonged to.
Ron,
I'm sorry that your brothers have been turning you into butterflies, though I would love to see that! Anyway, I just talked to Dumbledore and he still refuses to let me stay over at your place this summer; however, he did say that it would be all right if you wanted to stay with me. The Dursley's are gone for the rest of summer vacation and I have the whole house to myself, excluding Sirius who will be arriving here tomorrow to "keep an eye on me so I don't get into any trouble". I have no idea what he's talking about. I'm thinking about inviting Hermione over too, and you could bring Ginny if she wants to come.
Ginny nearly had a heart attack.
"You could bring Ginny if she wants to come..." she read aloud, oblivious to her family members around her.
"Ginny, are you reading your brother's mail?" Mrs. Weasley scolded.
"Mum!" Ginny exclaimed suddenly, making Fred and George jump from shock across the table. "Harry invited Ron over for the summer and he said that I could come too!"
"That's nice, dear," replied Mrs. Weasley. "But since Ron's at Hermione's I don't know if you should..."
"I'll ask him about it," Ginny said, waving her mother off. "Do we have an owl to use?"
Mrs. Weasley shook her head.
"Errol's due back in two weeks though," Mrs. Weasley replied.
"That's too long!" Ginny sighed. Then she got an idea. "I could call him! I could use the courtesy phone at the grocery store in the village! Ron showed me how two years ago!"
"Yeah, just make sure you don't shout like he did," reminded Fred, smirking.
Ginny was gone before her mother even gave her permission. It was a long run down to the village, but Ginny didn't mind. In fact, she rather enjoyed it. She went right to the courtesy phone when she reached the grocery store and quickly dialed the Dursley's number. She memorized it two years ago.
She heard the strange ringing that Ron was fascinated with two years ago and then:
"Hello?"
"Hey, Harry?" she breathed, unable to believe that she was actually talking to him.
"Yeah." Harry sounded confused. "Ginny, is that you?"
Ginny was so happy that she could have danced right there in the store, even with the strange old lady at the check out giving her a weird look.
"Yeah, Harry, I uh..." Ginny forgot what she was going to say.
"It's good to hear from you, Ginny. How's your summer?"
Ginny nearly fainted. He actually wanted to know about her! Wanted to have a conversation with her that didn't include Ron or Hermione! Ginny was beside herself with glee.
"Terrible," she replied. "I've been lonely and Fred and George have been turning me into butterflies."
Harry chuckled.
"So I've heard."
Ginny smiled.
"Listen, Ginny, I don't know if Ron told you or not, but you could come over to my place with him if you want. I haven't received an answer from him, but I'm sure he's coming..."
"Actually, Harry, that's why I've called," Ginny continued. "Ron's not coming."
"What?" Harry asked. "Is something wrong with him? Is he hurt?"
"No, it's nothing like that!" comforted Ginny and she could hear Harry sigh with relief on the other side of the line. "He's...staying with Hermione."
There was silence. Ginny was sure that she did something to cut off their connection. Then Harry started laughing.
"About damn time! Oh, sorry..." he added, apologizing for his language though Ginny was used to it with all of her brothers. "If they're not a couple by the time school starts, I'll eat my Firebolt."
Ginny smiled, and yet she was beginning to worry. What if Harry didn't want her over if Ron wasn't coming?
"If you want we could call Hermione and tell them to go to your place?" she suggested.
"Naw, if we're around them, they'll never admit their feelings for one another and I'll have to put up with yet another year of them driving themselves crazy over each other. It's best if you just come out and we leave them alone."
Ginny nearly fainted. Did Harry Potter, the Harry Potter, invite her and her alone to spend the summer with him? While she stood in a complete stupor, Harry continued:
"So can your dad hook my house up to the Floo Network again or are you gonna come the muggle way, or what?"
"I'll ask my dad about the Floo Network, but he just hooked Hermione's up so I don't know if he could do it again. In which case I'll have to travel the muggle way."
"Oh, all right, well that's easy enough. Is there a train station in your town?"
Ginny looked at the elderly woman behind the counter.
"Excuse me," she asked her, "is there a train station in this town?"
The woman nodded grumpily, she was getting the impression that Ginny wasn't going to buy anything.
"Yeah, there is," she told Harry.
"Alright, all you do is pack your things and go there. Tell them that you want a one way ticket to Surrey and they'll give it to you and tell you what platform and everything. The train station is just a few blocks away from my house. You do know my address right?"
"Of course," Ginny breathed. His address, his phone number, his birthday, his favorite color...
"Well that's it. Look for Sirius and me at the station. Sirius might know how to drive, and if he does, we'll be able to pick you up there."
"Ok," Ginny replied. She was sure that this was all a dream.
"Oh, wait, do you have muggle money?" Harry asked.
"Yeah, Hermione gave me some of hers and I gave her some foreign wizard coins."
"Great! Well I'll see you...tomorrow?"
"Yeah, tomorrow."
"All right then. Good bye, Ginny."
"Bye, Harry."
Ginny was ecstatic.
It was six thirty in the evening and Ron found himself sitting in the backseat of the Granger's car with Hermione next to him. Mrs. Granger was sitting in the front seat smiling and Mr. Granger was driving and talking at the same time. He was telling them...something about ham? Ron didn't know, he was paying more attention to Hermione than to her father and his ham.
She was wearing a white skirt with a pattern of small flowers upon it and a white off the shoulder shirt. Her hair was up with a few soft waves falling across her bare shoulders and her honey eyes were filled with laughter as her father told them the latest "someone walked into a bar" joke.
Ron laughed along with the others though he didn't pay attention to the joke, and when Hermione smiled at him, he blushed and looked down at his hands. He was also dressed up for going to a movie, whatever that was. He was wearing his best shoes, black pants, and a white sweater. He had spiked his hair a lot at home, but decided to let his red locks fall into his eyes this night because Mrs. Granger told him that he looked good like that.
Finally the car stopped outside of what Ron thought was an odd looking building. It had numerous flashing lights.
"Here we are kids," Mr. Granger announced. "You two go and have fun, we'll pick you up here at eleven.
Hermione looked almost as shocked as Ron did. They were both under the impression that Mr. and Mrs. Granger would be accompanying them.
"Where are you two going?" Hermione asked confused.
"Out dancing!" her father exclaimed, throwing his arms in the air and bouncing about in his seat.
Hermione sat in her seat, obviously in great thought about something as Ron got out of the car. When she remain in the car, Ron remembered the manners that his mother forced onto him years ago and went around and opened Hermione's door for her, extending his hand to help her get out.
In the front seat Mr. Granger winked at Ron and gave him a thumbs up. Hermione took Ron's hand and smiled at him as she got out of the car. Ron reached into his pocket and pull out a wad of muggle money. Hermione stared at it dumbstruck.
"Where did you get that?" she asked.
Ron shrugged.
"Fred and George have been paying me good money for turning into butterflies."
Hermione smiled.
"Not that," she said. "Where did you get muggle money?"
"I just changed my money into muggle money at Gringott's. Mum said that if we go anywhere I should be a gentleman and pay for you. She's obviously living in the nineteenth century but it's ok because I want to pay for you. Of course," he added, lowering his voice, "you'll have to help me with it because I'm not used to muggle money."
Hermione smiled and noticed a group of girls that she went to grammar school with. They were eyeing Ron with interest and one even smiled and gave Hermione an approving nod. Hermione was confused at first; it was just Ron, but then she took a good look at him. He had grown into his height, his shoulders were broad and he had a strong jaw. His hair looked adorable falling into his turquoise eyes, and his smile was warm and playful at the same time.
Hermione suddenly felt as she had when she was around Lockhart, only this time the guy she felt this way toward actually had a personality. She smiled again and instructed Ron on which notes to hand to the ticket seller, then, making sure that the girls were watching, she slid her hand into Ron's, intertwining her fingers with his. He was indifferent to the gesture.
Ginny was on the top of the world. Not only was she going to see Harry, but she was also traveling as a muggle by herself, and judging by the indifferent looks she was receiving from others, she was doing a damn good job at it too. She all of the sudden felt very grown up. Her train finally came to the station in Surrey. Glancing out of her window, Ginny grabbed her bags and made her way to the exit.
The station was packed with people and Ginny had to stand on her tiptoes to see over their heads.
"Ginny!" Ginny turned towards the all too familiar voice and a huge smile swept across her face. Harry was rushing over to her with Sirius (who was wearing shades, a baseball hat, and trenchcoat as a disguise) following close behind.
It took every ounce of will power that Ginny possessed not to hug Harry right then and there. Instead she smiled broadly at him and Sirius.
"Hey Harry!" she greeted.
Harry was standing still with a sort of dumb expression on his face and said nothing, noticing Harry's predicament, Sirius stepped forward and took a hold of Ginny's hand. Sirius seemed really pleased about something and seemed to be entranced with Ginny's red hair.
"Harry you said that you were having a friend stay over, not a beautiful angel," Sirius scolded, bending down to place a kiss upon Ginny's hand. Ginny's face turned as red as her hair.
Harry laughed nervously and mumbled some sort of hello. Sirius was examining Harry closely with great amusement.
"Well now shall we go?" he asked brightly clasping his hands together. "Not to rush you two or anything, it's just I don't think I should be out in public this long."
Harry and Ginny both nodded and Sirius reached into his pocket and pulled out a set of keys, tossing them to Harry.
"I've been teaching Harry how to drive," he explained to Ginny.
"Isn't Harry a bit young?" Ginny asked.
"Nonsense!" Sirius replied with a wave of his hand. "All teenagers should be able to manipulate heavy machinery!"
Ginny smiled though she was secretly nervous. Her brothers have been driving for awhile; Merlin knows her mother still hasn't forgot the time when Ron and Harry drove to Hogwarts in second year, but that was in the air. There's much less things to hit in the air. However, Ginny soon found that she had nothing to worry about. Harry was an excellent driver, even with his left arm dangling lazily out the window.
Neither Harry or Ginny talked much on their way home, but Sirius kept them well entertained with a hilarious tale of how he and James learned to drive. All too soon, Harry pulled into number four's driveway.
Sirius acted like a gentleman and took Ginny's bags into the house and up the stairs, while Harry (acting rather weird in Ginny's opinion) offered her something to eat. Ginny was debating over a half-eaten pizza or a left over hamburger when they heard Sirius calling from upstairs.
"Um, Harry?"
"Yeah?" Harry called upstairs as he grabbed a soda for himself.
"Your cousin's room is locked."
A look of panic crossed Harry's face and he ran upstairs with Ginny right on his heals. Sure enough, Dudley's room was locked. Harry ran a hand through his hair nervously. Sirius smiled at the gesture.
"I'm just guessing that the lovely young lady could sleep in your room?" Sirius asked while smiling slyly.
"Sirius!" Harry exclaimed in shock.
"You'll be sleeping on the couch, of course," eyeing Harry with that smirk of his.
Harry scowled and took Ginny's things into his room.
"I, uh, haven't cleaned in awhile," he explained hastily as he picked up some scattered clothes.
"It's great," she breathed. She was so caught up in the fact that she'll be sleeping in Harry's bed (nevermind that Harry wouldn't be in it with her) that she didn't know what else to say.
Another Author's Note: Be sure to review. Sorry for lack of AN in this chapter, I'm in a hurry.
