Disclaimer--Nothing here belongs to me--It's for the love of the craft and intended only as flattery. Most of this scene is from PoA and belongs to JKR, who is a MUCH more accomplished writer than me.
Author's Notes--I was originally going to post 19 by itself, but the chapters dealing with the holiday are a bit shorter than usual, and I decided my readers deserved a reward for their enthusiasm and support...so here's a free-be. *winks*
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Before the lingering excitement of the game faded away entirely, it was replaced by an air of suppressed anticipation and happy secrets with the approach of Christmas. The sky became a clear and shimmering white that made Hogwarts seem like the center of a faery world, an image re-inforced by the etching of silver frost and snow encrusting the landscape. Professor Flitwick must have been of Ginny's mind, because he used live faeries to decorate his classroom. Ginny loved Charms, and usually found it quite easy to pay attention, but even she was a little distracted by the sight.
Everywhere you went, the castle was abuzz with people discussing plans for the Holiday. Lee was going to Jamaica with his family and promised to bring back plenty of pictures, and maybe even a little something extra. Colin talked non-stop about his plans to help his father, the milkman, with his deliveries. On the few occasions he wasn't talking about them, he was telling someone all the things he'd stored up to tell his family about the wizarding world. Ginny liked Colin, but took to avoiding him as he was beginning to drive her nuts.
Mum and Dad couldn't afford to travel this year, but everyone in the family dismissed the knowledge as not making any difference...even if they had money, they would have had Christmas at home just the same. It was their turn. Ron had been looking forward to going home as much as Ginny or the twins-Percy seemed a bit put out as he wouldn't be able to look as important at home as he would as a Prefect at school, but he still didn't complain-but when they found out Dumbledore thought Harry should remain at school, he wrote back to Mum to ask if he could stay at school instead. Ginny was a little disappointed not to be spending the holiday with Ron, and a little disappointed not to be staying with Harry herself-she knew she could have asked, but there didn't seem much point as he would never notice she was there anyway-but the thought of snuggling up in the Burrow without a thing to do eased the disappointment, and the idea of seeing Charlie and Bill again was almost enough to banish it entirely.
The last Saturday before the holiday, third year and up had a trip to Hogsmeade. Unable to sit still and uncertain what she wanted to do, Ginny finally decided to take the opportunity for one last trip to the Astronomy Tower. On impulse, she caught up the journal Ron had given her the year before, and left before she could change her mind.
She curled up near the tower wall, journal dropped on the floor beside her, folded her arms along the top of the casement, and rested her chin on them to stare out across the grounds toward the smokey and mysterious outline of the Forbidden Forest. She had been sitting there long enough to get stiff when she heard a noise behind her. She knew she should turn and look to see if she'd been caught, but she didn't really care enough to abandon the castles she'd been building in the sky.
"Ginny," Professor Lupin said, firmly but gently bumping her back to earth.
Ginny sighed.
"Sorry, Professor Lupin," she said resignedly, "I know I'm not supposed to be up here except for class." She hadn't intended to say anything more, but some impulse she couldn't quite name made her continue, "But it was worth detention...I just had to get away from...from the world, you know?"
Professor Lupin didn't say anything for so long she tore her eyes away from the world at her feet to see if he were still there. He was standing just over her left shoulder, looking down at her with a serious, thoughtful expression, and something else...something tender and a little sad...buried deep in his eyes.
"Uh," Ginny said after another handful of seconds. "Professor?"
Professor Lupin sighed very much as she had, and eased his way down to sit beside her. "You know I really shouldn't let you get away with this."
Ginny tipped her head to the side and looked at him from beneath a quirked eyebrow. "Are you going to?"
Professor Lupin stared for a split second, and suddenly began to laugh. "I haven't decided yet."
"As my teacher you're supposed to set an example," Ginny reminded him dryly.
"True," Professor Lupin agreed gravely, though he seemed more amused than before.
They lapsed back into silence, but something about it seemed more communicative than conversation. Ginny found herself wondering absently why she never seemed to feel so comfortable with people her our age and wondered if thoughts like that had something to do with it. Not that she would have changed it if she could...for once, she was perfectly content being where and who she was. Somehow, she felt Professor Lupin understood. Somewhere deep in the back of her mind was an idea he might feel much the same. She was aware of the thought, but didn't feel the need to explore it. Sometimes thinking spoiled being, and she thought this was one of those times.
Author's Notes--I was originally going to post 19 by itself, but the chapters dealing with the holiday are a bit shorter than usual, and I decided my readers deserved a reward for their enthusiasm and support...so here's a free-be. *winks*
*******************
Before the lingering excitement of the game faded away entirely, it was replaced by an air of suppressed anticipation and happy secrets with the approach of Christmas. The sky became a clear and shimmering white that made Hogwarts seem like the center of a faery world, an image re-inforced by the etching of silver frost and snow encrusting the landscape. Professor Flitwick must have been of Ginny's mind, because he used live faeries to decorate his classroom. Ginny loved Charms, and usually found it quite easy to pay attention, but even she was a little distracted by the sight.
Everywhere you went, the castle was abuzz with people discussing plans for the Holiday. Lee was going to Jamaica with his family and promised to bring back plenty of pictures, and maybe even a little something extra. Colin talked non-stop about his plans to help his father, the milkman, with his deliveries. On the few occasions he wasn't talking about them, he was telling someone all the things he'd stored up to tell his family about the wizarding world. Ginny liked Colin, but took to avoiding him as he was beginning to drive her nuts.
Mum and Dad couldn't afford to travel this year, but everyone in the family dismissed the knowledge as not making any difference...even if they had money, they would have had Christmas at home just the same. It was their turn. Ron had been looking forward to going home as much as Ginny or the twins-Percy seemed a bit put out as he wouldn't be able to look as important at home as he would as a Prefect at school, but he still didn't complain-but when they found out Dumbledore thought Harry should remain at school, he wrote back to Mum to ask if he could stay at school instead. Ginny was a little disappointed not to be spending the holiday with Ron, and a little disappointed not to be staying with Harry herself-she knew she could have asked, but there didn't seem much point as he would never notice she was there anyway-but the thought of snuggling up in the Burrow without a thing to do eased the disappointment, and the idea of seeing Charlie and Bill again was almost enough to banish it entirely.
The last Saturday before the holiday, third year and up had a trip to Hogsmeade. Unable to sit still and uncertain what she wanted to do, Ginny finally decided to take the opportunity for one last trip to the Astronomy Tower. On impulse, she caught up the journal Ron had given her the year before, and left before she could change her mind.
She curled up near the tower wall, journal dropped on the floor beside her, folded her arms along the top of the casement, and rested her chin on them to stare out across the grounds toward the smokey and mysterious outline of the Forbidden Forest. She had been sitting there long enough to get stiff when she heard a noise behind her. She knew she should turn and look to see if she'd been caught, but she didn't really care enough to abandon the castles she'd been building in the sky.
"Ginny," Professor Lupin said, firmly but gently bumping her back to earth.
Ginny sighed.
"Sorry, Professor Lupin," she said resignedly, "I know I'm not supposed to be up here except for class." She hadn't intended to say anything more, but some impulse she couldn't quite name made her continue, "But it was worth detention...I just had to get away from...from the world, you know?"
Professor Lupin didn't say anything for so long she tore her eyes away from the world at her feet to see if he were still there. He was standing just over her left shoulder, looking down at her with a serious, thoughtful expression, and something else...something tender and a little sad...buried deep in his eyes.
"Uh," Ginny said after another handful of seconds. "Professor?"
Professor Lupin sighed very much as she had, and eased his way down to sit beside her. "You know I really shouldn't let you get away with this."
Ginny tipped her head to the side and looked at him from beneath a quirked eyebrow. "Are you going to?"
Professor Lupin stared for a split second, and suddenly began to laugh. "I haven't decided yet."
"As my teacher you're supposed to set an example," Ginny reminded him dryly.
"True," Professor Lupin agreed gravely, though he seemed more amused than before.
They lapsed back into silence, but something about it seemed more communicative than conversation. Ginny found herself wondering absently why she never seemed to feel so comfortable with people her our age and wondered if thoughts like that had something to do with it. Not that she would have changed it if she could...for once, she was perfectly content being where and who she was. Somehow, she felt Professor Lupin understood. Somewhere deep in the back of her mind was an idea he might feel much the same. She was aware of the thought, but didn't feel the need to explore it. Sometimes thinking spoiled being, and she thought this was one of those times.