Disclaimer--Nothing here belongs to me. Most of this scene is from PoA and belongs to JKR, who is a MUCH more accomplished writer than me. No copyright infringement is intended--as EEDOE (you should read "Vanilla Dreams") has said, these stories are simply something like old campfire tales. They're for the love of the craft and intended only as flattery.
Author's Notes--
Strawberries and Blueberries--I loved your review. It made ME laugh! ;-) I hope you enjoy this as much.
EEDOE--You're welcome, but I wouldn't have mentioned looking forward to your sequel if I wasn't. :-) I like the images you associate with Ginny's wand. I did pick the combination partly because I thought it was ethereal and romantic. *winks* After all, I am a dreamer...I agree that the canon never allows for another interpretation of Ginny's embarrassment, but at twelve, boys can be a bit slow at catching emotional nuances, so it makes sense Harrry wouldn't realize things like that seldom only have one cause, even if Ginny knows better...and, perhaps, Harry sees Ginny's crush because it's more important to him than he thinks...*smirks* *hugs*
Bill--I'm delighted you and EEDOE both noticed the composition of Ginny's wand! Inspired by Zimmeron's account of Hermione's wand, I actually put a great deal of thought into it. *looks sheepish* I picked mistletoe largely because it's part of the Druidic Horoscope, assigned to a single day known as *drum roll*--the Unnamed Day. (An idea I've always liked)--but also because Mistletoe is something I associate closely with holly (I could be wrong, but I believe they both bloom in the winter months). As for the mooncalf, I borrowed that from "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" by the Harry Potter expert herself. A mooncalf is a pale white creature--intensely shy, it stays far away from most populated areas, but on moonlit nights, they like to come out and frolick in the moonshine. They seemed fragile, but playful and I thought that suited my concept of Ginny very well...most of all, it was something unique from her family, especially for her. She deserved it. :-)
I agree, Ginny's perception, sensitivity and comprehension would make her an ideal prefect, but...maybe being suited for the job is what best suits her to know she doesn't want it. (I suspect the twins may have known Ginny needed a laugh, which makes them pretty perceptive as well) *grins and shrugs* I'm sorry I made you hungry, but kind of proud of myself too! *snickers*
As for the train...well...that is an ironic twist, isn't it? *grins and winks* *hugs*
**********
Mum and Dad had just walked into the parlor when she and Hermione came downstairs the next morning. To Ginny's gratified amazement, Hermione remembered to offer her the pot of coffee.
"Good morning, girls," Mum said cheerfully. "You're certainly up earlier than I expected. Why when I was your age, the only time I got up this early was to mix that love potion--"
"Love potion?" Ginny asked immediately, smelling a story.
Mum blushed.
"Which one was it?" Hermione demanded eagerly. "Did it work?"
"Did you use it on Dad?"
"I don't know that it had a proper name," Mum answered with a half-smile. "But it did work-after a fashion. You see..."
"-And he fell at your feet right there in the Great Hall?" Ginny said, eyes wide.
"Singing?" Hermione's mouth was an "o" of disbelief.
"He did indeed," Mum said, chuckling as Harry and Ron walked into the Room.
"How embarrassing!" Hermione shuddered, but sounded almost amused.
"And that wasn't the worst part," Mum added, almost nostalgically. "We both got detention with Apollyon Pringle, the caretaker, for disturbing the exam...and letters sent home to our parents. But," she said, beaming with the memory, "I got my first kiss...and I learned a very important lesson."
"What's that?" Hermione, ever the student, wanted to know.
"Love potions may seem attractive, but love that isn't given of its own free will isn't love...it's a farce." Mum said, sagely.
They all fell silent, reflecting on this, and Ginny wasn't really sorry to end up in the car with Fred and George while Hermione went with Ron and Harry... a bit of loud and raucous mischief was exactly what she needed to counteract the weight of her thoughts. The dark green cars moved quickly, darting from place to place like manic flies.
"Right, then," Dad said as they approached the platform. "Let's do this in pairs, as there are so many of us. I'll go through first with Harry." Ginny watched as he pushed Harry's trolley up to the barrier with a feeling of bereft relief. He was going to tell Harry.
"Coming, Ginny?" Percy invited.
Ginny shrugged and started forward beside him. An instant later, they were standing behind Dad and Harry. From the look on Dad's face, they'd interrupted.
"Ah, there's Penelope!" Percy exclaimed happily, smoothing his hair like a primping parrot smoothing its feathers. Amber eyes met green ones in the merest touch, and glanced hurriedly away even as laughter leapt between them.
Harry and Ron led them to an empty carriage at the end of the train and stowed their trunks-Ron lifted Hermione's, and with the most tenuous of glances, Harry lifted Ginny's. They left Harry's owl Hedwig, and Crookshanks waiting in the luggage rack, and went out to say goodbye to Mum and Dad.
Dad gave everyone great, squeezy hugs, and Mum grabbed whoever was closest and kissed them soundly. "Do take care, won't you, Harry?" Ginny heard her whisper as she hugged Harry extra tight.
Ginny wondered why Mum was so worried if Harry was going to be safe with Dumbledore, but Mum was already trying to pretend nothing had happened, opening up her enormous bag and saying, "I've made you all sandwiches..."
Ron made a horrible face as she started to hand him his.
"They're not corned beef," Mum said, between amusement and exasperation. For a moment, even Ginny thought things were perfectly normal.
Ginny, who liked corned beef, would have preferred it to the thick, sticky peanut butter. She glanced up from her somewhat disheartened examination of her sandwich to see Dad standing with Harry off to the side, talking very earnestly, and knew he'd found time to explain what was going on...And then she was being rushed aboard the train by a boisterous Fred and George as Mum shouted for Dad to get Harry aboard.
Ginny wasn't sure he was going to make it, but he did, scrabbling on after it had already started. They leaned out the window together, their shoulders touching, and waved at Mum and Dad until they couldn't see them anymore.
"I need to talk to you in private," Harry muttered as they pulled their heads back into the train, and Ginny nearly thought he was speaking to her. If she hadn't realized on her own how unlikely that was, she would have caught on when Ron and Hermione immediately turned to look at her.
She held her ground. She and Harry had nearly died together...surely she could hear what he had to say...especially since she already knew...She was one of them now. Wasn't she?
"Go away, Ginny," Ron said.
It shouldn't have hurt...but it did...
"Oh, that's nice," Ginny huffed. She nearly told them she already knew...but as the words were on the tip of her tongue, she bit it...without really knowing why. Let them think they knew something she didn't...she knew the truth, and they deserved to look foolish. She stalked off, not really sure who or what she was looking for.
"Hey, Ginny!" a familiar voice said as she passed a compartment. "In here."
Grinning, Ginny turned and ducked inside. "Hey, partner, long time, no crime. What you been up to?" She said, then stopped, feeling her face heat as she realized Bion wasn't alone.
"Not much," Bion said with a shrug. "Let me introduce you to our companions-Ginny Weasley, this is Luna Lovegood, Marietta Edgecombe, Roger Davies, and Cho Chang. Guys, this is Ginny Weasley."
"You were the one who saw Harry Potter close the Chamber of Secrets," Maria Edgecombe said as if making an accusation.
"Uh," Ginny said, intensely uncomfortable, shifting the balls of her feet. "Yeah."
"What was it like?" Cho asked, leaning in eagerly, her almond-shaped eyes alight.
"Uh...what do you mean?" Ginny asked quickly.
"Being rescued by Harry Potter," Cho said, impatiently. "The Boy-Who-Lived. Or, for that matter, the Chamber of Secrets."
"Harry's not the Boy-Who-Lived," Ginny said quietly. "He's Harry."
Marietta, Roger, and Cho were staring at her a bit blankly. Luna, staring dreamily out the window, may have nodded her head. Bion looked as if he wanted to do something, but didn't really know quite what.
Ginny looked Davies in the eye. "You play Quidditch, don't you?"
"I see Gryffindor has been paying attention," Davies said with a grin. "Cho plays, too."
"Oh?" Ginny said politely. "What position?"
"Seeker," Cho said with quiet pride.
"She can keep up with the best of us," Davies added affectionately.
"I look forward to seeing you play, then," Ginny said.
"Thanks."
There was an uncomfortable silence.
Author's Notes--
Strawberries and Blueberries--I loved your review. It made ME laugh! ;-) I hope you enjoy this as much.
EEDOE--You're welcome, but I wouldn't have mentioned looking forward to your sequel if I wasn't. :-) I like the images you associate with Ginny's wand. I did pick the combination partly because I thought it was ethereal and romantic. *winks* After all, I am a dreamer...I agree that the canon never allows for another interpretation of Ginny's embarrassment, but at twelve, boys can be a bit slow at catching emotional nuances, so it makes sense Harrry wouldn't realize things like that seldom only have one cause, even if Ginny knows better...and, perhaps, Harry sees Ginny's crush because it's more important to him than he thinks...*smirks* *hugs*
Bill--I'm delighted you and EEDOE both noticed the composition of Ginny's wand! Inspired by Zimmeron's account of Hermione's wand, I actually put a great deal of thought into it. *looks sheepish* I picked mistletoe largely because it's part of the Druidic Horoscope, assigned to a single day known as *drum roll*--the Unnamed Day. (An idea I've always liked)--but also because Mistletoe is something I associate closely with holly (I could be wrong, but I believe they both bloom in the winter months). As for the mooncalf, I borrowed that from "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" by the Harry Potter expert herself. A mooncalf is a pale white creature--intensely shy, it stays far away from most populated areas, but on moonlit nights, they like to come out and frolick in the moonshine. They seemed fragile, but playful and I thought that suited my concept of Ginny very well...most of all, it was something unique from her family, especially for her. She deserved it. :-)
I agree, Ginny's perception, sensitivity and comprehension would make her an ideal prefect, but...maybe being suited for the job is what best suits her to know she doesn't want it. (I suspect the twins may have known Ginny needed a laugh, which makes them pretty perceptive as well) *grins and shrugs* I'm sorry I made you hungry, but kind of proud of myself too! *snickers*
As for the train...well...that is an ironic twist, isn't it? *grins and winks* *hugs*
**********
Mum and Dad had just walked into the parlor when she and Hermione came downstairs the next morning. To Ginny's gratified amazement, Hermione remembered to offer her the pot of coffee.
"Good morning, girls," Mum said cheerfully. "You're certainly up earlier than I expected. Why when I was your age, the only time I got up this early was to mix that love potion--"
"Love potion?" Ginny asked immediately, smelling a story.
Mum blushed.
"Which one was it?" Hermione demanded eagerly. "Did it work?"
"Did you use it on Dad?"
"I don't know that it had a proper name," Mum answered with a half-smile. "But it did work-after a fashion. You see..."
"-And he fell at your feet right there in the Great Hall?" Ginny said, eyes wide.
"Singing?" Hermione's mouth was an "o" of disbelief.
"He did indeed," Mum said, chuckling as Harry and Ron walked into the Room.
"How embarrassing!" Hermione shuddered, but sounded almost amused.
"And that wasn't the worst part," Mum added, almost nostalgically. "We both got detention with Apollyon Pringle, the caretaker, for disturbing the exam...and letters sent home to our parents. But," she said, beaming with the memory, "I got my first kiss...and I learned a very important lesson."
"What's that?" Hermione, ever the student, wanted to know.
"Love potions may seem attractive, but love that isn't given of its own free will isn't love...it's a farce." Mum said, sagely.
They all fell silent, reflecting on this, and Ginny wasn't really sorry to end up in the car with Fred and George while Hermione went with Ron and Harry... a bit of loud and raucous mischief was exactly what she needed to counteract the weight of her thoughts. The dark green cars moved quickly, darting from place to place like manic flies.
"Right, then," Dad said as they approached the platform. "Let's do this in pairs, as there are so many of us. I'll go through first with Harry." Ginny watched as he pushed Harry's trolley up to the barrier with a feeling of bereft relief. He was going to tell Harry.
"Coming, Ginny?" Percy invited.
Ginny shrugged and started forward beside him. An instant later, they were standing behind Dad and Harry. From the look on Dad's face, they'd interrupted.
"Ah, there's Penelope!" Percy exclaimed happily, smoothing his hair like a primping parrot smoothing its feathers. Amber eyes met green ones in the merest touch, and glanced hurriedly away even as laughter leapt between them.
Harry and Ron led them to an empty carriage at the end of the train and stowed their trunks-Ron lifted Hermione's, and with the most tenuous of glances, Harry lifted Ginny's. They left Harry's owl Hedwig, and Crookshanks waiting in the luggage rack, and went out to say goodbye to Mum and Dad.
Dad gave everyone great, squeezy hugs, and Mum grabbed whoever was closest and kissed them soundly. "Do take care, won't you, Harry?" Ginny heard her whisper as she hugged Harry extra tight.
Ginny wondered why Mum was so worried if Harry was going to be safe with Dumbledore, but Mum was already trying to pretend nothing had happened, opening up her enormous bag and saying, "I've made you all sandwiches..."
Ron made a horrible face as she started to hand him his.
"They're not corned beef," Mum said, between amusement and exasperation. For a moment, even Ginny thought things were perfectly normal.
Ginny, who liked corned beef, would have preferred it to the thick, sticky peanut butter. She glanced up from her somewhat disheartened examination of her sandwich to see Dad standing with Harry off to the side, talking very earnestly, and knew he'd found time to explain what was going on...And then she was being rushed aboard the train by a boisterous Fred and George as Mum shouted for Dad to get Harry aboard.
Ginny wasn't sure he was going to make it, but he did, scrabbling on after it had already started. They leaned out the window together, their shoulders touching, and waved at Mum and Dad until they couldn't see them anymore.
"I need to talk to you in private," Harry muttered as they pulled their heads back into the train, and Ginny nearly thought he was speaking to her. If she hadn't realized on her own how unlikely that was, she would have caught on when Ron and Hermione immediately turned to look at her.
She held her ground. She and Harry had nearly died together...surely she could hear what he had to say...especially since she already knew...She was one of them now. Wasn't she?
"Go away, Ginny," Ron said.
It shouldn't have hurt...but it did...
"Oh, that's nice," Ginny huffed. She nearly told them she already knew...but as the words were on the tip of her tongue, she bit it...without really knowing why. Let them think they knew something she didn't...she knew the truth, and they deserved to look foolish. She stalked off, not really sure who or what she was looking for.
"Hey, Ginny!" a familiar voice said as she passed a compartment. "In here."
Grinning, Ginny turned and ducked inside. "Hey, partner, long time, no crime. What you been up to?" She said, then stopped, feeling her face heat as she realized Bion wasn't alone.
"Not much," Bion said with a shrug. "Let me introduce you to our companions-Ginny Weasley, this is Luna Lovegood, Marietta Edgecombe, Roger Davies, and Cho Chang. Guys, this is Ginny Weasley."
"You were the one who saw Harry Potter close the Chamber of Secrets," Maria Edgecombe said as if making an accusation.
"Uh," Ginny said, intensely uncomfortable, shifting the balls of her feet. "Yeah."
"What was it like?" Cho asked, leaning in eagerly, her almond-shaped eyes alight.
"Uh...what do you mean?" Ginny asked quickly.
"Being rescued by Harry Potter," Cho said, impatiently. "The Boy-Who-Lived. Or, for that matter, the Chamber of Secrets."
"Harry's not the Boy-Who-Lived," Ginny said quietly. "He's Harry."
Marietta, Roger, and Cho were staring at her a bit blankly. Luna, staring dreamily out the window, may have nodded her head. Bion looked as if he wanted to do something, but didn't really know quite what.
Ginny looked Davies in the eye. "You play Quidditch, don't you?"
"I see Gryffindor has been paying attention," Davies said with a grin. "Cho plays, too."
"Oh?" Ginny said politely. "What position?"
"Seeker," Cho said with quiet pride.
"She can keep up with the best of us," Davies added affectionately.
"I look forward to seeing you play, then," Ginny said.
"Thanks."
There was an uncomfortable silence.