Title: Sunflower Summer

Author: Rhapsody

Summary: Your room is painted yellow and green with sunflowers. You told me once that you painted it yourself. It amazes me that you could do such intricate work. Hermione/Ginny

Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

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~pitter patter~

The rain drops hit your window gently, leaving little water trails in their path. I usually don't like it when it rains. It depresses me to look outside and to not see the sunshine. It gives me a cold feeling.

But today, I look outside. I cannot tear my eyes away from your window. I am waiting to see a blur of turquoise, as you and your father return to the house with Harry. I'm supposed to be here to be with Ron and Harry; they're my best friends. But here I sit in your room, the room I will be inhabiting until September 1st.

I should be excited for September 1st, school will be starting. It's not that my love for school has diminished. It's that my love for summer has intensified. I love the summer because it is the one time of the year that we are together. That you and I are considered equals.

During the school year you see me as an upperclassman. You never come to me with your problems or share what you feel with me. You almost look at me with fear. But during the summer we talk. We sit under trees and talk about life.

I love those hours we spend together. I love getting close to you. I love...

~crack!~

Thunder, it makes me shutter. Every time I see lightning or hear thunder, I shutter. It reminds me of Harry. It reminds me of death. Thunder has always scared me. I really don't want to be looking out your window, but I can't look away.

It's funny. I want so badly to tell you what I really feel. I just can't bring myself to say it. I never really know what you would say. I haven't talked with you for so long. I'm afraid I would lose you. I'd rather just be your friend and get to spend time with you than risk it all and even have the slightest chance that I'd lose you.

~pitter patter~

It's only raining lightly now. It's easier to see. I was almost happier when I could only see a little. Then I never knew when you would be home, you could show up at any second. Now I know that you are far away from me.

I tear my eyes away from your window and look around your room. The window curtains are a light blue. Your room is painted yellow and green with sunflowers. You told me once that you painted it yourself. It amazes me that you could do such intricate work.

Each flower has the seeds individually painted on and the petals look light and papery. They are the kind of flowers you want to reach out and touch, even though you know they aren't real.

Your carpet is a dark green. It matches the grass and the stems of the flowers. Everything in your room matches. It all fits together, nothing looks weird or out of place. It's all so perfectly composed, just like you.

You have a four-poster bed. It's brass and it has sheer blue hangings that match the curtains. Unlike the beds at school your bed has no side hangings. You can't close the curtains. Everything is so open. I wish I could be that open...

~bang~

I hear the car door shut and people entering the house. I look outside and I see a purple shape running through the field towards the house. I open the door to hear the people talking downstairs.

"Where is Ginny?" I hear your mother ask.

I hear Harry's familiar laugh, "She wanted to run in the rain, Mrs. Weasley."

"Arthur?"

"So we let her out of the car so she could run home," your father explains.

"You did what?" I can imagine your mothers look becoming more severe as she starts approaching your father.

"Hello, mum!" I hear your sing song voice as the door shuts behind you.

"Are you alright, Ginny? You could've frozen to death, I can't believe your father let you--"

"I'm fine mum!"

~tap tap tap~

I hear your footsteps as you climb the stairs. The sight of you amazes me as you step in the door way. You stand before me in the deep purple cloak I gave you for your birthday, and a pretty green dress.

Your hair, that you spend so much time straightening every morning, now hangs in wet ringlets over your shoulders. Your cheeks are tinged with pink from the cold outside. I wait for you to take off your shoes, but I notice that you're barefoot. You smile at me and let the purple cloak fall the floor in a wet heap.

I look at you and laugh. You just smile in response and pick up the cloak, hanging it on the hook on your door. You walk up next to me, your dress dripping water onto the floor. You pull back the window hangings and smile.

"Look, Hermione, a rainbow!"