Disclaimer--Much as I wish it did, nothing here belongs to me. Conversation is from PoA and belongs to JKR. No copyright infringement is intended, and no money is being made.
Author's Notes--
Adrienne--I'm glad you enjoyed Bill's discomfiture...I did too. After all, he's so poised most of the time! Like you, I think all girls secretly want another girl who understands them, as happy as they might be with their close guy pals...hopefully Hermione and Ginny can do that for one another, if even Harry doesn't notice. I love the feline descriptors used for Ginny, and I think it's a very good idea of JK's to have behave in a catlike manner as well as like cats, so I'm glad you think I develop it well. :-) I hope you enjoy Harry and Ginny's reunion. :-)
EEDOE--I'm glad I got the reviews, too! Otherwise, I'd start to think nobody loved me and everyone had lost interest in Ginny and me! I can't imagine what's happening with FF.net and the sudden oblivion-monster (that made me laugh out loud, it was so funny!), but I hope it isn't permnant.I'm glad that line about the last year never happening stuck out to you...hopefully that means Ginny's world dove-tails nicely into Harry's. :-) I wondered if having Ginny notice the Grim was too much, so I'm glad you thought it wasn't. Looking forward to your next review, and your own sequel--which I recommend! *hugs*
Bill--I'm a bit irritated the reviews aren't showing up as well...I was hoping it was just a time delay. On the other hand, at least I did get them so I didn't feel shunned. *sighs* You're exactly right about Ginny's developing tendency to retreat into herself...hopefully Fred and George will help counter that...what are brothers for? And Hermion herself might be able to help as her friendship with Ginny develops. I'm as interested in that as you are...it did seem rather Athena-esque in origin, didn't it? *grins crookedly* I agree Harry in OTP is very withdrawn...maybe Ginny understands him better than he thinks. As for "Completely Useless Hexes", wouldn't you buy it? I would, just to see what it said! *laughs* *hugs*
*******
"And a new wand for Ron," Mum said briskly, as they stepped back out into the sunshine.
Ron looked at her in ecstatic disbelief. "Really?"
Mum smiled. "Your father and I agree you've learned your lesson...and you'll never be able to apply them with that wand you have now." This was only too true, as Ron's wand had been snapped almost in half the year before. It had backfired so badly when Gilderoy Lockhart attempted to use it, he'd ended up in St. Mungo's. Ginny had admired Ron for grimly bearing the consequences of his recklessness, but she was glad Mum and Dad were going to rescue him even though he hadn't complained. Especially since Ron hardly ever got anything of his own new.
Ron didn't take as long to find his wand as she had. For him, the third time really was the charm. Still...Ginny wouldn't have given up her mistletoe and mooncalf wand for anything...it almost seemed alive to her, like a friend...
"Now, you can go and look for Harry if you like," Mum said as Mr. Ollivander wrapped Ron's new willow and unicorn hair wand. "Just meet us back at the Inn for dinner."
Ginny hesitated as Ron and Hermione started off enthusiastically, half-tempted to go with them. But, even though she'd spent the entire holiday thinking about Harry and how much she wanted to see him, she wasn't ready. She still felt naked, vulnerable, too close...and if that weren't enough, there was always the question of what she'd overheard Dad telling Mum, and whether or not she should tell Harry what she knew that concerned him...In the end, she accompanied Mum, Percy, and the protesting twins, to buy supplies to replenish their potions kits, pens, paper and ink.
"-Azkaban guards that will get him back in the end," Dad was saying to Ron, Hermione, and Harry as they walked into the bar. "You mark my words." Ginny had a bad feeling she knew what that was about-even as she had the thought, Harry looked up at her, as if sensing it.
Harry's eyes sent a tingle through Ginny that made her feel as though they were still in the Chamber of Secrets, acting in concert...She looked hurriedly away, not wanting to be drawn into memories she didn't feel capable of controlling, and felt her face burn. /You're not connected to him/, she reminded herself savagely. /You're just a silly little girl he saved from her own stupidity./ "Hello," she mumbled hastily, trying to fade into the background behind Mum.
For once, Percy actually did her a good turn, stepping stiffly forward to offer Harry his hand.
"Harry, how nice to see you."
"Hello, Percy," Harry said, his gaze shifting away from Ginny's face.
"I hope you're well?"
"Very well, thanks," Harry said, struggling not to laugh. Face still on fire, Ginny coughed behind Mum.
"Harry!" Fred elbowed Percy, knocking him into the bar, which only made Ginny cough harder as he bowed. "Simply splendid to see you, old boy--"
"Marvelous," seconded George, getting in on the act. "Absolutely spiffing."
Ron was roaring with laughter. Dad's lips were twitching. Even Hermione was giggling a bit, hiding her face behind the big ginger-colored cat she held. Ginny wondered where it had come from.
"That's enough, now," Mum intervened.
"Mum!" Fred said, grabbing her hand as well. "How really corking to see you--"
Ginny snickered, caught herself, and tried to compose her face as the others continued to laugh and Percy's scowl deepened.
"I said, that's enough," Mum said sharply. "Hello, Harry, dear. I suppose you've heard our exciting news?" She pointed at Percy's badge. "Second Head Boy in the family!"
"And the last," Fred vowed softly.
"I don't doubt that," Mum rounded on him. "I notice they haven't made you two prefects."
George nearly gagged. Having seen how Percy behaved as a Prefect, Ginny didn't blame him a bit. "What do we want to be prefects for? It'd take all the fun out of life."
At that, Ginny couldn't help laughing-it was too true not to.
"You want to set a better example for your sister!" Mum scolded.
"Ginny's got other brothers to set her an example, Mother," Percy assured her. "I'm going up to change for dinner."
George watched his retreat with a sigh. "We tried to shut him up in a pyramid, but Mum spotted us." Ginny laughed harder at the memory.
She was still fighting laughter when Tom, the innkeeper, escorted them to three tables he'd put together for them in the parlor. They had lovely crisp green salad dotted with bright carrots and tomatoes, creamy mashed potatoes with gravy and plenty of butter, soft, fresh baked bread, tender roast, salty ham, and rich chocolate pudding for dessert.
"How are we getting to King's Cross tomorrow, Dad?" Fred asked off-handedly.
"The Ministry's providing a couple of cars." To Ginny, it made perfect sense the Ministry would want to keep an eye on Harry. The others, who hadn't heard what she had, looked up in surprise.
"Why?" Percy asked, a bit presumptuously, in Ginny's opinion.
"Because of you, Perce," George said, deadpan. "And there will be little flags on the hoods with HB on them--"
"--For Humongous Bighead," Fred finished smoothly. So they thought it was presumptuous, too. Ginny registered the fact even as she laughed with the others. From the look in her eye, so did Hermione...
"Why are the Ministry providing cars, Father?" Percy persisted.
"Well...as I haven't got one anymore," Dad said casually. Ginny saw Ron exchange a glance with Harry and wince-they'd crashed the car into a Whomping Willow on school grounds, snapping Ron's wand in the process. And becoming folk heroes...Ginny grinned ruefully. "And as I work there, they're doing me a favor." Ginny wondered if anyone else thought the words sounded a bit a weak, and hoped they didn't.
"Good thing, too," Mum said briskly, as if to draw attention away from the subject. "Do you realize how much luggage you've all got between you? A nice sight you'd be on the Muggle Underground...you are all packed, aren't you?"
Ginny was, as she had never bothered unpacking from Egypt, and had very few new things to add.
She and Hermione passed a quiet evening in their room, sprawled across the twin beds, Ginny reading "Hogwarts: A History", Hermione perusing her new Muggle Studies book, and Crookshanks--Hermione's new cat--leaping back and forth between them. Every once in a while, Ginny looked sideways at Hermione over the edge of the book, wondering whether or not she ought to tell her Sirius Black was after Harry...but Dumbledore would keep him safe, and she knew what it was like to live in constant fear...She could never wish that on Harry, the person she felt closest to in all the earth.
Percy and Ron were shouting at one another in the room beside them. The sound was reassuringly normal. Eventually Ginny's eyelids began to droop...and sleep put an end to her discussion with herself...
Author's Notes--
Adrienne--I'm glad you enjoyed Bill's discomfiture...I did too. After all, he's so poised most of the time! Like you, I think all girls secretly want another girl who understands them, as happy as they might be with their close guy pals...hopefully Hermione and Ginny can do that for one another, if even Harry doesn't notice. I love the feline descriptors used for Ginny, and I think it's a very good idea of JK's to have behave in a catlike manner as well as like cats, so I'm glad you think I develop it well. :-) I hope you enjoy Harry and Ginny's reunion. :-)
EEDOE--I'm glad I got the reviews, too! Otherwise, I'd start to think nobody loved me and everyone had lost interest in Ginny and me! I can't imagine what's happening with FF.net and the sudden oblivion-monster (that made me laugh out loud, it was so funny!), but I hope it isn't permnant.I'm glad that line about the last year never happening stuck out to you...hopefully that means Ginny's world dove-tails nicely into Harry's. :-) I wondered if having Ginny notice the Grim was too much, so I'm glad you thought it wasn't. Looking forward to your next review, and your own sequel--which I recommend! *hugs*
Bill--I'm a bit irritated the reviews aren't showing up as well...I was hoping it was just a time delay. On the other hand, at least I did get them so I didn't feel shunned. *sighs* You're exactly right about Ginny's developing tendency to retreat into herself...hopefully Fred and George will help counter that...what are brothers for? And Hermion herself might be able to help as her friendship with Ginny develops. I'm as interested in that as you are...it did seem rather Athena-esque in origin, didn't it? *grins crookedly* I agree Harry in OTP is very withdrawn...maybe Ginny understands him better than he thinks. As for "Completely Useless Hexes", wouldn't you buy it? I would, just to see what it said! *laughs* *hugs*
*******
"And a new wand for Ron," Mum said briskly, as they stepped back out into the sunshine.
Ron looked at her in ecstatic disbelief. "Really?"
Mum smiled. "Your father and I agree you've learned your lesson...and you'll never be able to apply them with that wand you have now." This was only too true, as Ron's wand had been snapped almost in half the year before. It had backfired so badly when Gilderoy Lockhart attempted to use it, he'd ended up in St. Mungo's. Ginny had admired Ron for grimly bearing the consequences of his recklessness, but she was glad Mum and Dad were going to rescue him even though he hadn't complained. Especially since Ron hardly ever got anything of his own new.
Ron didn't take as long to find his wand as she had. For him, the third time really was the charm. Still...Ginny wouldn't have given up her mistletoe and mooncalf wand for anything...it almost seemed alive to her, like a friend...
"Now, you can go and look for Harry if you like," Mum said as Mr. Ollivander wrapped Ron's new willow and unicorn hair wand. "Just meet us back at the Inn for dinner."
Ginny hesitated as Ron and Hermione started off enthusiastically, half-tempted to go with them. But, even though she'd spent the entire holiday thinking about Harry and how much she wanted to see him, she wasn't ready. She still felt naked, vulnerable, too close...and if that weren't enough, there was always the question of what she'd overheard Dad telling Mum, and whether or not she should tell Harry what she knew that concerned him...In the end, she accompanied Mum, Percy, and the protesting twins, to buy supplies to replenish their potions kits, pens, paper and ink.
"-Azkaban guards that will get him back in the end," Dad was saying to Ron, Hermione, and Harry as they walked into the bar. "You mark my words." Ginny had a bad feeling she knew what that was about-even as she had the thought, Harry looked up at her, as if sensing it.
Harry's eyes sent a tingle through Ginny that made her feel as though they were still in the Chamber of Secrets, acting in concert...She looked hurriedly away, not wanting to be drawn into memories she didn't feel capable of controlling, and felt her face burn. /You're not connected to him/, she reminded herself savagely. /You're just a silly little girl he saved from her own stupidity./ "Hello," she mumbled hastily, trying to fade into the background behind Mum.
For once, Percy actually did her a good turn, stepping stiffly forward to offer Harry his hand.
"Harry, how nice to see you."
"Hello, Percy," Harry said, his gaze shifting away from Ginny's face.
"I hope you're well?"
"Very well, thanks," Harry said, struggling not to laugh. Face still on fire, Ginny coughed behind Mum.
"Harry!" Fred elbowed Percy, knocking him into the bar, which only made Ginny cough harder as he bowed. "Simply splendid to see you, old boy--"
"Marvelous," seconded George, getting in on the act. "Absolutely spiffing."
Ron was roaring with laughter. Dad's lips were twitching. Even Hermione was giggling a bit, hiding her face behind the big ginger-colored cat she held. Ginny wondered where it had come from.
"That's enough, now," Mum intervened.
"Mum!" Fred said, grabbing her hand as well. "How really corking to see you--"
Ginny snickered, caught herself, and tried to compose her face as the others continued to laugh and Percy's scowl deepened.
"I said, that's enough," Mum said sharply. "Hello, Harry, dear. I suppose you've heard our exciting news?" She pointed at Percy's badge. "Second Head Boy in the family!"
"And the last," Fred vowed softly.
"I don't doubt that," Mum rounded on him. "I notice they haven't made you two prefects."
George nearly gagged. Having seen how Percy behaved as a Prefect, Ginny didn't blame him a bit. "What do we want to be prefects for? It'd take all the fun out of life."
At that, Ginny couldn't help laughing-it was too true not to.
"You want to set a better example for your sister!" Mum scolded.
"Ginny's got other brothers to set her an example, Mother," Percy assured her. "I'm going up to change for dinner."
George watched his retreat with a sigh. "We tried to shut him up in a pyramid, but Mum spotted us." Ginny laughed harder at the memory.
She was still fighting laughter when Tom, the innkeeper, escorted them to three tables he'd put together for them in the parlor. They had lovely crisp green salad dotted with bright carrots and tomatoes, creamy mashed potatoes with gravy and plenty of butter, soft, fresh baked bread, tender roast, salty ham, and rich chocolate pudding for dessert.
"How are we getting to King's Cross tomorrow, Dad?" Fred asked off-handedly.
"The Ministry's providing a couple of cars." To Ginny, it made perfect sense the Ministry would want to keep an eye on Harry. The others, who hadn't heard what she had, looked up in surprise.
"Why?" Percy asked, a bit presumptuously, in Ginny's opinion.
"Because of you, Perce," George said, deadpan. "And there will be little flags on the hoods with HB on them--"
"--For Humongous Bighead," Fred finished smoothly. So they thought it was presumptuous, too. Ginny registered the fact even as she laughed with the others. From the look in her eye, so did Hermione...
"Why are the Ministry providing cars, Father?" Percy persisted.
"Well...as I haven't got one anymore," Dad said casually. Ginny saw Ron exchange a glance with Harry and wince-they'd crashed the car into a Whomping Willow on school grounds, snapping Ron's wand in the process. And becoming folk heroes...Ginny grinned ruefully. "And as I work there, they're doing me a favor." Ginny wondered if anyone else thought the words sounded a bit a weak, and hoped they didn't.
"Good thing, too," Mum said briskly, as if to draw attention away from the subject. "Do you realize how much luggage you've all got between you? A nice sight you'd be on the Muggle Underground...you are all packed, aren't you?"
Ginny was, as she had never bothered unpacking from Egypt, and had very few new things to add.
She and Hermione passed a quiet evening in their room, sprawled across the twin beds, Ginny reading "Hogwarts: A History", Hermione perusing her new Muggle Studies book, and Crookshanks--Hermione's new cat--leaping back and forth between them. Every once in a while, Ginny looked sideways at Hermione over the edge of the book, wondering whether or not she ought to tell her Sirius Black was after Harry...but Dumbledore would keep him safe, and she knew what it was like to live in constant fear...She could never wish that on Harry, the person she felt closest to in all the earth.
Percy and Ron were shouting at one another in the room beside them. The sound was reassuringly normal. Eventually Ginny's eyelids began to droop...and sleep put an end to her discussion with herself...