Disclaimer--Nothing here belongs to me--It's for the love of the craft and intended only as flattery.
Author's Notes--I shouldn't but...these chapters are a bit short, and I'm just so happy with your great reviews...so...I'll give you another two-for-one as a reward. Enjoy!
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She lay in bed, reveling in snuggling lazily under the covers for ages after she woke before finally wandering downstairs in search of coffee. She drank several cups reclining lazily in a chair at the kitchen table, feet propped up on the chair across from her. When she had finished, she rinsed out her cup and left it sitting in the sink while she went upstairs for a long, relaxing soak in the tub-after she had checked several times to be sure there would be hot water.
After her bath, she pulled on an ancient pair of jeans and one of her Weasley sweaters, stole a pair of socks from Percy's room upon finding it unexpectedly empty, and donned a very battered pair of old boots. Still pulling on the moth-ravaged all-purpose overcoat that hung just inside the door, Ginny tramped out into the blinding whiteness of the yard, and had a rousing snowball fight with a very amused bunch of garden gnomes.
Cheeks glowing with cold and excerise, she went inside for cocoa and a good laugh at the bangs and pops issuing from the twins' bedroom. Bill found her there, and they had a nice long heart-to-heart about school. Ginny even mentioned Professor Lupin, though she was careful not to mention his secret, and Bill was delighted with her planned lessons in Occulumency. "Just don't get too discouraged if you can't do it," he advised. "I've had some basic training, and R-your professor isn't kidding when he says it isn't easy. Just asking for lessons is a huge step forward for you." Ginny had thought so herself, but it was nice to hear someone else say so without prompting. Since Ginny had told him what Professor Lupin had said about Harry, Bill asked how things were going with him, and Ginny found herself sheepishly telling him all about the fiasco of her ill-advised get-well card.
Bill roared with laughter, but she had known he would, and when was finally breathing easy again, he told her he wouldn't worry too much about Harry's reaction. "Doesn't sound like he was too bothered to me," he said, nodding sagely. Ginny wasn't as sanguine, but it did make her feel better, since it seemed likely Bill would understand how boys thought better than she did.
Bill then told her all about how things were going at Gringott's in Egypt, and even told her about all the pretty witches he had his eye on and how none of them really seemed to notice him, which made Ginny laugh, though not nearly as hard as he had over her card.
Eventually the rest of the family congregated around them, and they had dinner together, during which Percy's casserole exploded in his face because Fred and George had booby-trapped it with a wet-start Filibuster firework. Ginny was sure Ron would be livid to have missed the scene that followed, and wondered if he was having half as much fun at Hogwarts, though of course she was glad he was there to keep Harry company...but somehow, she could help feeling as if Harry should have been there as well...and, considering how often Ron talked about her, Hermione as well. It was strange to think of two people who hardly knew she was alive as family, but she did, without even understanding it.
Several more days passed in much the same vein, until it was New Year's Eve almost before she knew it. Unfortunately, Mum flat refused to allow her to stay up until Midnight. Fred and George were taking bets by the time the argument ended, but when all was said and done, Ginny went to bed, followed by sympathetic looks from Bill and Dad, and stared at the ceiling in the dark, brooding that no matter how much she learned or how much she had experienced, she would never be old or wise enough to do anything interesting. Her sleep that night was full of dark, roiling dreams that left her in a dark and roiling mood the next morning.
Coffee always provided a bit of cheer, however, and the smell of the corn beef and cabbage Mum always prepared for lunch on New Year's Day-as eating it was supposed to be good luck-helped considerably. When Luna and Bion arrived in quick succession, the transformation was complete. Ginny had nearly forgotten the visit. The spent the last two or three days playing jokes on Percy, Bill, and Charlie for which the twins were inevitably blamed, throwing snowballs at one another-with help from the gnomes-in the backyard, learning to make enchanted rosettes, playing exploding Snap, and eating every scrap of food they fancied.
Bion's early exposure to the Weasleys must have left more of an impression than he realized, because if he'd had red hair, Ginny would have thought he was Ron, an unexpected development that made her snicker every time she thought of it. Luna stood out a good deal more-the twins quickly dubbed her "Loony", but she seemed to like it. Ginny even heard her refer to herself that way once or twice-but everyone seemed to enjoy the perpetual bemusement she left in her wake...there was just something about Luna that left you feeling as though the whole world was a calm and pleasant dream.
The holiday was over in a rush, but it left Ginny so relaxed, she could scarcely muster up the energy to be disappointed, and their subsequent re-arrival at Hogwarts was the first time Ginny could remember arriving anything other than uncomfortable and stressed.
Author's Notes--I shouldn't but...these chapters are a bit short, and I'm just so happy with your great reviews...so...I'll give you another two-for-one as a reward. Enjoy!
***********
She lay in bed, reveling in snuggling lazily under the covers for ages after she woke before finally wandering downstairs in search of coffee. She drank several cups reclining lazily in a chair at the kitchen table, feet propped up on the chair across from her. When she had finished, she rinsed out her cup and left it sitting in the sink while she went upstairs for a long, relaxing soak in the tub-after she had checked several times to be sure there would be hot water.
After her bath, she pulled on an ancient pair of jeans and one of her Weasley sweaters, stole a pair of socks from Percy's room upon finding it unexpectedly empty, and donned a very battered pair of old boots. Still pulling on the moth-ravaged all-purpose overcoat that hung just inside the door, Ginny tramped out into the blinding whiteness of the yard, and had a rousing snowball fight with a very amused bunch of garden gnomes.
Cheeks glowing with cold and excerise, she went inside for cocoa and a good laugh at the bangs and pops issuing from the twins' bedroom. Bill found her there, and they had a nice long heart-to-heart about school. Ginny even mentioned Professor Lupin, though she was careful not to mention his secret, and Bill was delighted with her planned lessons in Occulumency. "Just don't get too discouraged if you can't do it," he advised. "I've had some basic training, and R-your professor isn't kidding when he says it isn't easy. Just asking for lessons is a huge step forward for you." Ginny had thought so herself, but it was nice to hear someone else say so without prompting. Since Ginny had told him what Professor Lupin had said about Harry, Bill asked how things were going with him, and Ginny found herself sheepishly telling him all about the fiasco of her ill-advised get-well card.
Bill roared with laughter, but she had known he would, and when was finally breathing easy again, he told her he wouldn't worry too much about Harry's reaction. "Doesn't sound like he was too bothered to me," he said, nodding sagely. Ginny wasn't as sanguine, but it did make her feel better, since it seemed likely Bill would understand how boys thought better than she did.
Bill then told her all about how things were going at Gringott's in Egypt, and even told her about all the pretty witches he had his eye on and how none of them really seemed to notice him, which made Ginny laugh, though not nearly as hard as he had over her card.
Eventually the rest of the family congregated around them, and they had dinner together, during which Percy's casserole exploded in his face because Fred and George had booby-trapped it with a wet-start Filibuster firework. Ginny was sure Ron would be livid to have missed the scene that followed, and wondered if he was having half as much fun at Hogwarts, though of course she was glad he was there to keep Harry company...but somehow, she could help feeling as if Harry should have been there as well...and, considering how often Ron talked about her, Hermione as well. It was strange to think of two people who hardly knew she was alive as family, but she did, without even understanding it.
Several more days passed in much the same vein, until it was New Year's Eve almost before she knew it. Unfortunately, Mum flat refused to allow her to stay up until Midnight. Fred and George were taking bets by the time the argument ended, but when all was said and done, Ginny went to bed, followed by sympathetic looks from Bill and Dad, and stared at the ceiling in the dark, brooding that no matter how much she learned or how much she had experienced, she would never be old or wise enough to do anything interesting. Her sleep that night was full of dark, roiling dreams that left her in a dark and roiling mood the next morning.
Coffee always provided a bit of cheer, however, and the smell of the corn beef and cabbage Mum always prepared for lunch on New Year's Day-as eating it was supposed to be good luck-helped considerably. When Luna and Bion arrived in quick succession, the transformation was complete. Ginny had nearly forgotten the visit. The spent the last two or three days playing jokes on Percy, Bill, and Charlie for which the twins were inevitably blamed, throwing snowballs at one another-with help from the gnomes-in the backyard, learning to make enchanted rosettes, playing exploding Snap, and eating every scrap of food they fancied.
Bion's early exposure to the Weasleys must have left more of an impression than he realized, because if he'd had red hair, Ginny would have thought he was Ron, an unexpected development that made her snicker every time she thought of it. Luna stood out a good deal more-the twins quickly dubbed her "Loony", but she seemed to like it. Ginny even heard her refer to herself that way once or twice-but everyone seemed to enjoy the perpetual bemusement she left in her wake...there was just something about Luna that left you feeling as though the whole world was a calm and pleasant dream.
The holiday was over in a rush, but it left Ginny so relaxed, she could scarcely muster up the energy to be disappointed, and their subsequent re-arrival at Hogwarts was the first time Ginny could remember arriving anything other than uncomfortable and stressed.