Title: Ginny From the Block
Chapter 3
Disclaimer: I still don't own them.
Continuity Note: Earlier in the story I said that Dawn was sixteen when she and Ginny met but that was wrong. She was fifteen and was supposed to be in Fifth Year, but was in Fourth Year instead. She is now sixteen and starting Fifth Year. I'm sorry about that.
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Chapter Three: Back to the Block
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Location: Summers' House
Sunnydale, CA
Date: August 23rd, 2003 (Saturday)
Time: 12:00 p.m.
Ginny sighed for what felt like the millionth time and tugged at the bottom of her shirt. She was looking at her reflection in a mirror in Dawn's room at the Summers' home. She met Dawn's eyes in the mirror over her shoulder. "You're perfectly sure I look okay?"
Dawn rolled her eyes dramatically. "You look great, Gin! Would you stop sweating it? They'll be thrilled to see you. They won't have time to bug you about cutting and coloring your hair!"
Ginny wasn't so sure about that. She was seriously started to get butterflies in her stomach...or bats actually. When she'd let Dawn convince her to get her auburn hair streaked with blonde and cut into layers last year it hadn't dawned on her that her family might not approve. Now she was really getting nervous. What if they hated it? What if they disowned her? Ginny didn't think there had ever been a Weasely that didn't have straight red hair before.
"YOU LOOK GREAT!" Dawn told her again before she spun to look at the clock. "So...we're leaving soon, right? I can't wait! I've heard so much about everyone that I really want to meet them all."
"Jumping to get away from us, are you Bit?"
Both girls spun around at the sound of Spike's voice in the doorway. Dawn dove across the room to hug him. "Of course I don't want to get away from you, Spike, but I'm just excited! I get to go to a whole new school and meet all Ginny's family and friends!" She pulled back from the hug and smiled at him. "I'll still miss you like hell, though. You know that."
Spike smiled back at her, but his eyes were sad. "I'll miss you too, Bit. You just make sure and stay safe. Don't make me come after you."
Dawn rolled her eyes. "I won't."
Spike looked over to see Ginny still tugging at herself and looking in the mirror. He rolled his eyes. "You look bloody fabulous, Gin. Would you lay off the mirror? I think you're giving it a headache." He stepped over to ruffle Ginny's hair and she swatted at his hand. He just continued to mess with her and smiled. "Ginny's going back to the block. How do you feel about that?"
"Bloody terrified!" Ginny huffed. "What if...UH! I can't do this 'what if' crap anymore! I just want to go and get it over with!"
"That's a good girl." Spike nodded with pride. "Show that spine we grew ya."
"SPIKE!" Both girls growled and hit him playfully at that comment.
Suddenly Spike got serious. "So, you leave in a few minutes and you're going to Ginny's family's home, right? Then Buffy will pop on back here after a bit and leave you there. When do you get to the school?"
"Well," Ginny explained. "Most of the exchange students are going over together with Prof. Snow tomorrow. They're getting their school supplies here in Starlight Alley and then they'll floo over. They should be there by the time we reach Hogwarts." She paused. "Prof. Snow allowed Dawn and I to be the exception. We're going to stay at the Burrow tonight with Mum and the family, then go to Diagon Alley tomorrow with them to get our supplies, then we'll catch the Hogwarts Express with everyone else."
"Sounds okay, I suppose." Spike frowned. "I just don't like the idea of you two not being somewhere safe and protected. I'll like it better when you get to that protected school of yours."
"Spike," Dawn sighed. "The Burrow is not on top of the Hellmouth. We'll be fine."
"And you'll be half way around the bloody world where Buffy and I won't be there to protect you." Spike growled softly. "I'll like it better when you're at the bloody protected school and I don't have to worry about you so much!"
"Like you won't worry about her anyway." Ginny smirked at the blonde vampire. He really was the perfect irony. A bloodsucking fiend worried sick over the sixteen year old little sister of his girlfriend.
Spike got an evil twinkle in his eyes. "You know...now that I look at it. Your hair does look a bit funny. I could understand if your family got a little upset."
"You think?" Ginny frowned. She quickly turned back to study her reflection in the mirror before her and totally missed Spike's smirk at her back. Ginny looked herself over one more time.
She was wearing a blue tank top with silver trim and a matching pair of silver jeans with blue trim. They were part of her casual clothes for school and blue and silver were the Whitehorn colors. She actually loved the outfit, but it didn't look very English and she wondered what her family would think of it. Thankfully Dawn was wearing almost the exact same outfit in the opposite colors (silver tank with blue trim, blue jeans with silver trim) so she didn't feel completely awkward. The outfit also brought out the auburn and blonde streaks of her hair, and molded to the new curves Ginny's body had developed over the last year. She didn't see that though, of course. She only saw an awkward little girl with hair her parents would probably loathe.
"SPIKE!" Dawn growled at the bleached blonde that was like her older brother. "Look what you've done now! We'll never drag her away from the thing. We'll have to bring the stupid mirror with us!"
"I'm evil Bit," Spike just grinned at her. "What do you expect?"
About ten minutes later the whole group was downstairs in the Summers' living room and ready to go. Dawn had somehow managed to pry Ginny away from the mirror and both girls had collected all their things and drug them downstairs. Buffy was now going over her rules with them one more time before they all flooed to the Burrow to meet Ginny's family.
"And what do you do if you run across any trouble?" Buffy asked them both seriously.
"Go to Dumbledore and have him contact you to floo over." They answered together.
"And what do you do if something suspicious pops up?" Buffy continued.
"Go to Dumbledore and have him contact you to floo over." They answered again.
"And what do you do if anything goes wrong?"
"Go to Dumbledore and have him contact you to floo over."
"And what do you do if they give you an egg for a parenting project?" Buffy pressed on.
Dawn frowned. "Boil it? Xander did and that seemed to work."
Buffy rolled her eyes. "Yes, but what about all the other eggs? Besides...what do you do?"
"Go to Dumbledore and have him contact you to floo over." They answered while mentally rolling their eyes. Dawn then smirked and continued. "Unless the eggs have already got him too."
"DAWN!" Buffy screeched, but then they all burst into giggles.
Finally they all turned to face everyone in the living room and start saying their goodbyes. There were more than a few misty and downright flooded eyes as Dawn and Ginny individually went around to Xander, Anya, Giles, Willow, and finally Spike. Ginny also knew that this was nothing compared to when Buffy had to leave Dawn at the Burrow and head back home. It was bound to get gut wrenching. Thankfully they'd had a really fabulous going away party the night before and things were being left on a happy note.
"Okay, folks..." Buffy sighed and smiled sadly at her friends. "This is it."
Ginny and Dawn turned and waved back one last time and told everyone goodbye before each individually threw in some floo powder and stepped into the fireplace. Buffy was right behind them. Ginny just hoped Buffy actually got the right fireplace. This was only the older woman's third time to floo and her first time she'd over shot her destination by half a state.
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Location: The Burrow
Somewhere in England
Date: August 23rd, 2003 (Saturday)
Time: 6 p.m.
THUMP! Ginny landed in the fireplace and quickly looked around her. As her wits caught up with her body again, she walked out of the way right before Dawn dropped in behind her. Dawn groaned and grabbed her head before stepping out to stand beside Ginny. Dawn looked to her best friend. "I REALLY hate that."
Now they both turned hopefully, almost silently praying, towards the fireplace again. Ginny knew they both had the same though running through their head. 'Please, oh please, don't drop her in Timbuktu.'
As if in answer to those prayers, another form plopped into the fireplace with a curse before slipping and falling on her butt. "Damn it!" Buffy growled. "I HATE THAT!" She pulled herself to her feet and moved out towards Dawn and Ginny. "Can't you people come up with a better way to travel?"
"Well...it still beats sitting on a plane for hours." Dawn told her calmly.
Buffy reluctantly nodded. Then she looked to Ginny and Dawn. "Did all your things come through okay?"
Both girls looked down at the bags they had in both hands and then back up to Buffy with a nod. Ginny spoke first. "I believe we've got everything we left with. We'll still have to buy our supplies tomorrow in Diagon Alley, but other than that we're good."
"Thank god." Buffy sighed. "All we needed was for you to drop your crap over the ocean or something."
"Hmm mmm..."
All three women turned as the sound of someone clearing their throat filled the air. They were then faced with a group of smiling but slightly hesitant people standing across the room from them. Most of the strangers had red hair so it was easy to guess at least their family, but...
"GINNY!" A sweet faced lady who appeared to be in her mid-forties with red hair and a huge smile dove across the room at Ginny with tears streaming her cheeks. She grabbed the younger girl and pulled her to her in a tight hug. "Oh, we've missed you SO MUCH! We thought you'd never get here. You're all we've been able to talk about all day and now...here you are! Oh, I love you so much! My little Ginny! My little Ginny is home!"
Ginny was laughing and hugging her back, but tears filled her eyes as well. "Mum...I love you too. I've missed you too...but...breathing is becoming an issue..."
Dawn and Buffy laughed together at that. They turned to the other strangers. Buffy waved. "Hey there. I'm Buffy..." She pointed to Dawn. "This is my sister Dawn...and...I'm guessing your Ginny's family."
An attractive young man with the Weasely red hair who looked about Dawn's age stepped forward and smiled back at them. "Hallo. I'm Ron..."
"Ginny's Dashing Older Brother?" Dawn jumped in with an amused voice.
"Wha..." Ron's face suddenly flushed bright red as he glared at his sister who was still buried in their mother's embrace. "Ginny wasn't supposed to show you that."
Grinning, Dawn shrugged. "She didn't...I kinda stole some of her letters when she was asleep. I'm nosy."
"Don't I know it." Buffy and Ginny spoke together this time and all three of them laughed. Ginny had finally pulled away from her mother and was walking back over to support her friends who she knew must be feeling uncomfortable and nervous.
Ginny now turned to face the group and finish the introductions. "As Ron was saying...he's Ron..."
"No joke, really?" Dawn teased.
Ginny glared at her mockingly before continuing. She pointed to her mother and the red headed man who'd come to stand beside her. "That's Mum and Dad." She pointed to another redhead, this one with long hair pulled back in a ponytail and a funny looking earring. "That's..."
"Bill!" Dawn jumped in with a smile. "I recognize him from your description." She turned to survey the group again. "And let me see...next comes Charlie, right? He's the dragon trainer...is he here?"
"Fraid not." Ron smiled at her as he explained. "Couldn't get away from work. They found a lame dragon last week and Charlie's working with him personally."
Dawn nodded. "That fits his description." She smiled at Ginny. "So...next is Percy? The ner...uh...smart one?" Ginny nodded. Dawn looked through the redheads and closed in on the one that looked like his nose was always stuck up in the air. She pointed to him. "Percy!"
Percy nodded. "Hallo. I'm very pleased to make your acquaintance."
"Same here." Buffy and Dawn answered together and Ginny laughed at them. They were becoming so alike sometimes.
Dawn went back to her frowning inspection now. "Uh...next are the twins, right? That one's easy..." She smiled, but then it slipped because she didn't see two copies of anyone. She was about to ask Ginny about it when a loud bang sounded from behind them.
Ginny, Dawn and Buffy reacted completely on instinct. Ginny and Dawn dropped their bags and jerked out their wands as they spun to face the attack, Buffy just snapped into Slayer mode as she spun with them. The look in all three's eyes was not pleasant. They looked ready for war. They were faced with a rueful grin from a young man who looked exactly like one of the other redheads across the room. He threw his hands up in surrender at their expressions. "Oops?"
"GEORGE!" Mrs. Weasely screeched from across the room. "What do you think you're doing? I better not find out that's one of those silly jokes or I'll..."
"Mum..." George just groaned as he stepped forward towards Ginny, Buffy, and Dawn. His eyes went immediately to Buffy. "I'm George. Wonderful to meet you!"
"I think he has a crush on your sister." Ginny whispered to Dawn.
"Who doesn't?" Dawn rolled her eyes in disgust at the male sexes susceptibility to Buffy Summers. She was certainly used to it by now.
"And I'm Fred." Fred announced as he stepped up from the group and around to stand beside his brother. "We're the twins."
"So I can see." Buffy nodded and her lips curved into an amused grin.
"And that's all my brothers." Ginny told them. "Ron's the youngest and you've already met him...sort of." She turned to look back at said youngest brother. Her eyes twinkled. "Hey, Ronnikins. Long time no see."
Ron dove quickly forward and pulled Ginny into a hug of his own. Then he pulled back and looked her over. "Gin, you look smashing! You've changed your hair and are those your house colors?"
Ginny nodded happily. "Yep. I must say I'm rather more fond of silver and blue than I was of red and gold."
"Well..." Ron shook his head slowly. "You just look so very different! You're just gorgeous and all grown up!" He still smiled happily for a moment, but then it started to slip. "Maybe too grown up. I'm going to have to beat the boys off you with a stick!" He frowned harder as he took in her form fitting clothes. "Maybe you should borrow some of my baggy shirts..." He looked at her new haircut and frost job. "And maybe wear a hat."
Dawn died giggling beside them and Ginny shot her a rueful grin. Dawn looked back consolingly to Ron. "Don't worry about it. If any of those Hogwarts' studs start sniffing after Ginny, Hunter will set them straight." Her eyes twinkled. "You do know about Hunter, don't you?"
Ron rolled his eyes. "Of course, I know about Hunter. He's Ginny's little boyfriend from Sunstone. She wrote me all about him."
"Little boyfriend?" Dawn looked from Ginny to Ron and died laughing. When she finally got control of herself she looked back to Ginny. "Did you neglect to mention that Hunter is now a Seventh Year, six foot two, and built like a quarterback?"
"Ron wouldn't have a clue what a quarterback is...better to stick with built like a Seeker." Ginny smirked. "Though Seekers aren't really known for being that built..."
"HEY!" Another attractive young man with brown hair that had little bits sticking up at odd angles pushed through the crowd and towards them. "I heard that!" He glared mockingly at Ginny for a moment before an endearing grin curved his lips instead and he pulled her to him for a hug.
Ginny laughed lightly as she hugged him back. "Hello, Harry. No offense meant. I was, of course, talking about every other Seeker." She looked to Dawn and smiled. "This is one of Ron's best friends Harry Potter."
Everyone seemed to pause at that and Ginny knew they were waiting for Dawn and Buffy to fall down in awe at the name. They were bound to be disappointed. Dawn just smiled lightly and held out her hand towards Harry. "Hey, Harry. Ginny's told me loads about you...well you and Ron and Hermione and what all you've gotten yourselves into over the years."
Buffy frowned at Ginny and Dawn suspiciously. "What do you mean what they've gotten themselves into? What have they gotten themselves into?"
"Uh..." Ginny rushed to cover. "Well, Ron and Harry and Hermione...they don't get along with this one teacher of ours and they're constantly getting detention because of it. No big deal...really." She smiled reassuringly at Buffy.
Buffy didn't look like she was buying it, but she ended up just shrugging and looking to Dawn. "You better remember my rules."
Dawn nodded. "Not a problem. They're so easy to remember that they almost seem like just one rule...over and over again." Ginny snickered and Buffy glared at them both, but Dawn just put on her most innocent expression before turning back to the others. "So...anyone else? Where's Hermione?"
"I'm here." A pretty young woman with slightly bushy hair stepped forward from her position by the wall. She also moved to quickly hug Ginny. "Wonderful to see you, Gin. We've missed you loads!" As she pulled back she faced Dawn. "And Ginny speaks very highly of you, Dawn. We must get to know each other now that you'll be at Hogwarts. Last year definitely taught me that I need more female friends."
"Hermione!" "Mione!" Harry and Ron groaned together, but Ginny, Dawn, and most of the Weaselys just laughed.
"Do you know they got me detention from another Prefect last year?" Hermione continued as if they hadn't spoken. "And I'M a Prefect! I just can't go around getting detention all the time, now can I? I'm meant to set an example for the other students."
"Why? So they'll all go to live in the library?" Ron smirked. "Besides, it wasn't another Prefect...it was the Ferrot. He was out to give us detention."
"But he wouldn't have succeeded if..." Hermione seemed to rethink that statement as she noticed the intense attention she was getting from both Buffy and the older Weaselys. "If...uh...I hadn't been hanging out with you both so much...cause we all know how Malfoy hates you both...so much...and all."
Buffy frowned. "Did that last sentence seem off to anyone else? I'm having flashbacks of Willow in high school." She looked to Dawn. "That was definitely 'Willow Babble'."
"Pretty much." Dawn grinned. She looked back around the room curiously. "Is that everyone?"
"Yep." Ginny told her with a grin of her own. "That's everyone." She looked back to her Mum. "What now?"
Mrs. Weasely still seemed taken aback for a moment as she looked over her daughter and how much she'd changed over the last year, but she finally smiled widely and snapped back into her normal friendly self. "Well...with all that flooing over here you girls must be hungry. I've just finished up dinner. Let's all go eat!"
A round of male cheers greeted that announcement and Ginny smiled fondly at her family. She really had missed them terribly and it was awful good to be home...at least for a little while.
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Location: The Burrow
Somewhere in England
Date: August 23rd, 2003 (Saturday)
Time: 11:00 p.m.
Looking out the window right now, Ginny could almost believe she'd never left. It looked just the same...as if nothing were different...but everything was. Ginny loved being home and spending time with her family, but she knew they didn't exactly know what to do with her now. She was just...different! It wasn't a bad thing, and none of them had acted as though it were, but it was just a fact.
Ginny felt as though each and everyone one of them had to start all over in getting to know her...well, except maybe Ron. Thanks to their letters she and Ron were closer than ever. It was really quite strange because they seemed closer now than they really had been since he started Hogwarts five years ago. It was strange and yet a comfort as well.
"Gin?"
Dawn's voice sounded beside her and Ginny jumped. She spun to face her friend. Ginny didn't miss the shadows in Dawn's eyes and commented on them. "Missing Buffy and Spike?"
Dawn shrugged. "And everyone. I know it hasn't even been a day yet, but they seem SO FAR AWAY!" She paused. "That isn't why I came over here though, and you aren't going to put me off the subject." She looked closely at Ginny. "So? What's wrong?"
"Just nervous, I guess." Ginny told her with a shrug of her own. "I'll be facing everyone tomorrow and..."
"And you're afraid that they'll still see you as Little Ginny Weasely." Dawn finished for her. "Well, you shouldn't worry so much. I never really met Little Ginny Weasely, but I bet she was pretty great too. You have changed, I'm sure, but it doesn't matter either way because you are just a cool person anyway." She reached in to hug Ginny lightly. "We're going to have a blast! Dawn Summers and Ginny Weasely are going to rock Hogwarts!" Her eyes twinkled as she and Ginny burst into giggles. "They won't even know what hit em!"
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End of Chapter Three
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Okay folks, if you like the story and want me to continue then PLEASE let me know you are reading it and enjoying it. FEEDBACK is one sure fire way to keep me writing.PLEASE?
Hope to hear from some of you soon.
Jade Elise
Chapter 3
Disclaimer: I still don't own them.
Continuity Note: Earlier in the story I said that Dawn was sixteen when she and Ginny met but that was wrong. She was fifteen and was supposed to be in Fifth Year, but was in Fourth Year instead. She is now sixteen and starting Fifth Year. I'm sorry about that.
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Chapter Three: Back to the Block
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Location: Summers' House
Sunnydale, CA
Date: August 23rd, 2003 (Saturday)
Time: 12:00 p.m.
Ginny sighed for what felt like the millionth time and tugged at the bottom of her shirt. She was looking at her reflection in a mirror in Dawn's room at the Summers' home. She met Dawn's eyes in the mirror over her shoulder. "You're perfectly sure I look okay?"
Dawn rolled her eyes dramatically. "You look great, Gin! Would you stop sweating it? They'll be thrilled to see you. They won't have time to bug you about cutting and coloring your hair!"
Ginny wasn't so sure about that. She was seriously started to get butterflies in her stomach...or bats actually. When she'd let Dawn convince her to get her auburn hair streaked with blonde and cut into layers last year it hadn't dawned on her that her family might not approve. Now she was really getting nervous. What if they hated it? What if they disowned her? Ginny didn't think there had ever been a Weasely that didn't have straight red hair before.
"YOU LOOK GREAT!" Dawn told her again before she spun to look at the clock. "So...we're leaving soon, right? I can't wait! I've heard so much about everyone that I really want to meet them all."
"Jumping to get away from us, are you Bit?"
Both girls spun around at the sound of Spike's voice in the doorway. Dawn dove across the room to hug him. "Of course I don't want to get away from you, Spike, but I'm just excited! I get to go to a whole new school and meet all Ginny's family and friends!" She pulled back from the hug and smiled at him. "I'll still miss you like hell, though. You know that."
Spike smiled back at her, but his eyes were sad. "I'll miss you too, Bit. You just make sure and stay safe. Don't make me come after you."
Dawn rolled her eyes. "I won't."
Spike looked over to see Ginny still tugging at herself and looking in the mirror. He rolled his eyes. "You look bloody fabulous, Gin. Would you lay off the mirror? I think you're giving it a headache." He stepped over to ruffle Ginny's hair and she swatted at his hand. He just continued to mess with her and smiled. "Ginny's going back to the block. How do you feel about that?"
"Bloody terrified!" Ginny huffed. "What if...UH! I can't do this 'what if' crap anymore! I just want to go and get it over with!"
"That's a good girl." Spike nodded with pride. "Show that spine we grew ya."
"SPIKE!" Both girls growled and hit him playfully at that comment.
Suddenly Spike got serious. "So, you leave in a few minutes and you're going to Ginny's family's home, right? Then Buffy will pop on back here after a bit and leave you there. When do you get to the school?"
"Well," Ginny explained. "Most of the exchange students are going over together with Prof. Snow tomorrow. They're getting their school supplies here in Starlight Alley and then they'll floo over. They should be there by the time we reach Hogwarts." She paused. "Prof. Snow allowed Dawn and I to be the exception. We're going to stay at the Burrow tonight with Mum and the family, then go to Diagon Alley tomorrow with them to get our supplies, then we'll catch the Hogwarts Express with everyone else."
"Sounds okay, I suppose." Spike frowned. "I just don't like the idea of you two not being somewhere safe and protected. I'll like it better when you get to that protected school of yours."
"Spike," Dawn sighed. "The Burrow is not on top of the Hellmouth. We'll be fine."
"And you'll be half way around the bloody world where Buffy and I won't be there to protect you." Spike growled softly. "I'll like it better when you're at the bloody protected school and I don't have to worry about you so much!"
"Like you won't worry about her anyway." Ginny smirked at the blonde vampire. He really was the perfect irony. A bloodsucking fiend worried sick over the sixteen year old little sister of his girlfriend.
Spike got an evil twinkle in his eyes. "You know...now that I look at it. Your hair does look a bit funny. I could understand if your family got a little upset."
"You think?" Ginny frowned. She quickly turned back to study her reflection in the mirror before her and totally missed Spike's smirk at her back. Ginny looked herself over one more time.
She was wearing a blue tank top with silver trim and a matching pair of silver jeans with blue trim. They were part of her casual clothes for school and blue and silver were the Whitehorn colors. She actually loved the outfit, but it didn't look very English and she wondered what her family would think of it. Thankfully Dawn was wearing almost the exact same outfit in the opposite colors (silver tank with blue trim, blue jeans with silver trim) so she didn't feel completely awkward. The outfit also brought out the auburn and blonde streaks of her hair, and molded to the new curves Ginny's body had developed over the last year. She didn't see that though, of course. She only saw an awkward little girl with hair her parents would probably loathe.
"SPIKE!" Dawn growled at the bleached blonde that was like her older brother. "Look what you've done now! We'll never drag her away from the thing. We'll have to bring the stupid mirror with us!"
"I'm evil Bit," Spike just grinned at her. "What do you expect?"
About ten minutes later the whole group was downstairs in the Summers' living room and ready to go. Dawn had somehow managed to pry Ginny away from the mirror and both girls had collected all their things and drug them downstairs. Buffy was now going over her rules with them one more time before they all flooed to the Burrow to meet Ginny's family.
"And what do you do if you run across any trouble?" Buffy asked them both seriously.
"Go to Dumbledore and have him contact you to floo over." They answered together.
"And what do you do if something suspicious pops up?" Buffy continued.
"Go to Dumbledore and have him contact you to floo over." They answered again.
"And what do you do if anything goes wrong?"
"Go to Dumbledore and have him contact you to floo over."
"And what do you do if they give you an egg for a parenting project?" Buffy pressed on.
Dawn frowned. "Boil it? Xander did and that seemed to work."
Buffy rolled her eyes. "Yes, but what about all the other eggs? Besides...what do you do?"
"Go to Dumbledore and have him contact you to floo over." They answered while mentally rolling their eyes. Dawn then smirked and continued. "Unless the eggs have already got him too."
"DAWN!" Buffy screeched, but then they all burst into giggles.
Finally they all turned to face everyone in the living room and start saying their goodbyes. There were more than a few misty and downright flooded eyes as Dawn and Ginny individually went around to Xander, Anya, Giles, Willow, and finally Spike. Ginny also knew that this was nothing compared to when Buffy had to leave Dawn at the Burrow and head back home. It was bound to get gut wrenching. Thankfully they'd had a really fabulous going away party the night before and things were being left on a happy note.
"Okay, folks..." Buffy sighed and smiled sadly at her friends. "This is it."
Ginny and Dawn turned and waved back one last time and told everyone goodbye before each individually threw in some floo powder and stepped into the fireplace. Buffy was right behind them. Ginny just hoped Buffy actually got the right fireplace. This was only the older woman's third time to floo and her first time she'd over shot her destination by half a state.
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Location: The Burrow
Somewhere in England
Date: August 23rd, 2003 (Saturday)
Time: 6 p.m.
THUMP! Ginny landed in the fireplace and quickly looked around her. As her wits caught up with her body again, she walked out of the way right before Dawn dropped in behind her. Dawn groaned and grabbed her head before stepping out to stand beside Ginny. Dawn looked to her best friend. "I REALLY hate that."
Now they both turned hopefully, almost silently praying, towards the fireplace again. Ginny knew they both had the same though running through their head. 'Please, oh please, don't drop her in Timbuktu.'
As if in answer to those prayers, another form plopped into the fireplace with a curse before slipping and falling on her butt. "Damn it!" Buffy growled. "I HATE THAT!" She pulled herself to her feet and moved out towards Dawn and Ginny. "Can't you people come up with a better way to travel?"
"Well...it still beats sitting on a plane for hours." Dawn told her calmly.
Buffy reluctantly nodded. Then she looked to Ginny and Dawn. "Did all your things come through okay?"
Both girls looked down at the bags they had in both hands and then back up to Buffy with a nod. Ginny spoke first. "I believe we've got everything we left with. We'll still have to buy our supplies tomorrow in Diagon Alley, but other than that we're good."
"Thank god." Buffy sighed. "All we needed was for you to drop your crap over the ocean or something."
"Hmm mmm..."
All three women turned as the sound of someone clearing their throat filled the air. They were then faced with a group of smiling but slightly hesitant people standing across the room from them. Most of the strangers had red hair so it was easy to guess at least their family, but...
"GINNY!" A sweet faced lady who appeared to be in her mid-forties with red hair and a huge smile dove across the room at Ginny with tears streaming her cheeks. She grabbed the younger girl and pulled her to her in a tight hug. "Oh, we've missed you SO MUCH! We thought you'd never get here. You're all we've been able to talk about all day and now...here you are! Oh, I love you so much! My little Ginny! My little Ginny is home!"
Ginny was laughing and hugging her back, but tears filled her eyes as well. "Mum...I love you too. I've missed you too...but...breathing is becoming an issue..."
Dawn and Buffy laughed together at that. They turned to the other strangers. Buffy waved. "Hey there. I'm Buffy..." She pointed to Dawn. "This is my sister Dawn...and...I'm guessing your Ginny's family."
An attractive young man with the Weasely red hair who looked about Dawn's age stepped forward and smiled back at them. "Hallo. I'm Ron..."
"Ginny's Dashing Older Brother?" Dawn jumped in with an amused voice.
"Wha..." Ron's face suddenly flushed bright red as he glared at his sister who was still buried in their mother's embrace. "Ginny wasn't supposed to show you that."
Grinning, Dawn shrugged. "She didn't...I kinda stole some of her letters when she was asleep. I'm nosy."
"Don't I know it." Buffy and Ginny spoke together this time and all three of them laughed. Ginny had finally pulled away from her mother and was walking back over to support her friends who she knew must be feeling uncomfortable and nervous.
Ginny now turned to face the group and finish the introductions. "As Ron was saying...he's Ron..."
"No joke, really?" Dawn teased.
Ginny glared at her mockingly before continuing. She pointed to her mother and the red headed man who'd come to stand beside her. "That's Mum and Dad." She pointed to another redhead, this one with long hair pulled back in a ponytail and a funny looking earring. "That's..."
"Bill!" Dawn jumped in with a smile. "I recognize him from your description." She turned to survey the group again. "And let me see...next comes Charlie, right? He's the dragon trainer...is he here?"
"Fraid not." Ron smiled at her as he explained. "Couldn't get away from work. They found a lame dragon last week and Charlie's working with him personally."
Dawn nodded. "That fits his description." She smiled at Ginny. "So...next is Percy? The ner...uh...smart one?" Ginny nodded. Dawn looked through the redheads and closed in on the one that looked like his nose was always stuck up in the air. She pointed to him. "Percy!"
Percy nodded. "Hallo. I'm very pleased to make your acquaintance."
"Same here." Buffy and Dawn answered together and Ginny laughed at them. They were becoming so alike sometimes.
Dawn went back to her frowning inspection now. "Uh...next are the twins, right? That one's easy..." She smiled, but then it slipped because she didn't see two copies of anyone. She was about to ask Ginny about it when a loud bang sounded from behind them.
Ginny, Dawn and Buffy reacted completely on instinct. Ginny and Dawn dropped their bags and jerked out their wands as they spun to face the attack, Buffy just snapped into Slayer mode as she spun with them. The look in all three's eyes was not pleasant. They looked ready for war. They were faced with a rueful grin from a young man who looked exactly like one of the other redheads across the room. He threw his hands up in surrender at their expressions. "Oops?"
"GEORGE!" Mrs. Weasely screeched from across the room. "What do you think you're doing? I better not find out that's one of those silly jokes or I'll..."
"Mum..." George just groaned as he stepped forward towards Ginny, Buffy, and Dawn. His eyes went immediately to Buffy. "I'm George. Wonderful to meet you!"
"I think he has a crush on your sister." Ginny whispered to Dawn.
"Who doesn't?" Dawn rolled her eyes in disgust at the male sexes susceptibility to Buffy Summers. She was certainly used to it by now.
"And I'm Fred." Fred announced as he stepped up from the group and around to stand beside his brother. "We're the twins."
"So I can see." Buffy nodded and her lips curved into an amused grin.
"And that's all my brothers." Ginny told them. "Ron's the youngest and you've already met him...sort of." She turned to look back at said youngest brother. Her eyes twinkled. "Hey, Ronnikins. Long time no see."
Ron dove quickly forward and pulled Ginny into a hug of his own. Then he pulled back and looked her over. "Gin, you look smashing! You've changed your hair and are those your house colors?"
Ginny nodded happily. "Yep. I must say I'm rather more fond of silver and blue than I was of red and gold."
"Well..." Ron shook his head slowly. "You just look so very different! You're just gorgeous and all grown up!" He still smiled happily for a moment, but then it started to slip. "Maybe too grown up. I'm going to have to beat the boys off you with a stick!" He frowned harder as he took in her form fitting clothes. "Maybe you should borrow some of my baggy shirts..." He looked at her new haircut and frost job. "And maybe wear a hat."
Dawn died giggling beside them and Ginny shot her a rueful grin. Dawn looked back consolingly to Ron. "Don't worry about it. If any of those Hogwarts' studs start sniffing after Ginny, Hunter will set them straight." Her eyes twinkled. "You do know about Hunter, don't you?"
Ron rolled his eyes. "Of course, I know about Hunter. He's Ginny's little boyfriend from Sunstone. She wrote me all about him."
"Little boyfriend?" Dawn looked from Ginny to Ron and died laughing. When she finally got control of herself she looked back to Ginny. "Did you neglect to mention that Hunter is now a Seventh Year, six foot two, and built like a quarterback?"
"Ron wouldn't have a clue what a quarterback is...better to stick with built like a Seeker." Ginny smirked. "Though Seekers aren't really known for being that built..."
"HEY!" Another attractive young man with brown hair that had little bits sticking up at odd angles pushed through the crowd and towards them. "I heard that!" He glared mockingly at Ginny for a moment before an endearing grin curved his lips instead and he pulled her to him for a hug.
Ginny laughed lightly as she hugged him back. "Hello, Harry. No offense meant. I was, of course, talking about every other Seeker." She looked to Dawn and smiled. "This is one of Ron's best friends Harry Potter."
Everyone seemed to pause at that and Ginny knew they were waiting for Dawn and Buffy to fall down in awe at the name. They were bound to be disappointed. Dawn just smiled lightly and held out her hand towards Harry. "Hey, Harry. Ginny's told me loads about you...well you and Ron and Hermione and what all you've gotten yourselves into over the years."
Buffy frowned at Ginny and Dawn suspiciously. "What do you mean what they've gotten themselves into? What have they gotten themselves into?"
"Uh..." Ginny rushed to cover. "Well, Ron and Harry and Hermione...they don't get along with this one teacher of ours and they're constantly getting detention because of it. No big deal...really." She smiled reassuringly at Buffy.
Buffy didn't look like she was buying it, but she ended up just shrugging and looking to Dawn. "You better remember my rules."
Dawn nodded. "Not a problem. They're so easy to remember that they almost seem like just one rule...over and over again." Ginny snickered and Buffy glared at them both, but Dawn just put on her most innocent expression before turning back to the others. "So...anyone else? Where's Hermione?"
"I'm here." A pretty young woman with slightly bushy hair stepped forward from her position by the wall. She also moved to quickly hug Ginny. "Wonderful to see you, Gin. We've missed you loads!" As she pulled back she faced Dawn. "And Ginny speaks very highly of you, Dawn. We must get to know each other now that you'll be at Hogwarts. Last year definitely taught me that I need more female friends."
"Hermione!" "Mione!" Harry and Ron groaned together, but Ginny, Dawn, and most of the Weaselys just laughed.
"Do you know they got me detention from another Prefect last year?" Hermione continued as if they hadn't spoken. "And I'M a Prefect! I just can't go around getting detention all the time, now can I? I'm meant to set an example for the other students."
"Why? So they'll all go to live in the library?" Ron smirked. "Besides, it wasn't another Prefect...it was the Ferrot. He was out to give us detention."
"But he wouldn't have succeeded if..." Hermione seemed to rethink that statement as she noticed the intense attention she was getting from both Buffy and the older Weaselys. "If...uh...I hadn't been hanging out with you both so much...cause we all know how Malfoy hates you both...so much...and all."
Buffy frowned. "Did that last sentence seem off to anyone else? I'm having flashbacks of Willow in high school." She looked to Dawn. "That was definitely 'Willow Babble'."
"Pretty much." Dawn grinned. She looked back around the room curiously. "Is that everyone?"
"Yep." Ginny told her with a grin of her own. "That's everyone." She looked back to her Mum. "What now?"
Mrs. Weasely still seemed taken aback for a moment as she looked over her daughter and how much she'd changed over the last year, but she finally smiled widely and snapped back into her normal friendly self. "Well...with all that flooing over here you girls must be hungry. I've just finished up dinner. Let's all go eat!"
A round of male cheers greeted that announcement and Ginny smiled fondly at her family. She really had missed them terribly and it was awful good to be home...at least for a little while.
----
Location: The Burrow
Somewhere in England
Date: August 23rd, 2003 (Saturday)
Time: 11:00 p.m.
Looking out the window right now, Ginny could almost believe she'd never left. It looked just the same...as if nothing were different...but everything was. Ginny loved being home and spending time with her family, but she knew they didn't exactly know what to do with her now. She was just...different! It wasn't a bad thing, and none of them had acted as though it were, but it was just a fact.
Ginny felt as though each and everyone one of them had to start all over in getting to know her...well, except maybe Ron. Thanks to their letters she and Ron were closer than ever. It was really quite strange because they seemed closer now than they really had been since he started Hogwarts five years ago. It was strange and yet a comfort as well.
"Gin?"
Dawn's voice sounded beside her and Ginny jumped. She spun to face her friend. Ginny didn't miss the shadows in Dawn's eyes and commented on them. "Missing Buffy and Spike?"
Dawn shrugged. "And everyone. I know it hasn't even been a day yet, but they seem SO FAR AWAY!" She paused. "That isn't why I came over here though, and you aren't going to put me off the subject." She looked closely at Ginny. "So? What's wrong?"
"Just nervous, I guess." Ginny told her with a shrug of her own. "I'll be facing everyone tomorrow and..."
"And you're afraid that they'll still see you as Little Ginny Weasely." Dawn finished for her. "Well, you shouldn't worry so much. I never really met Little Ginny Weasely, but I bet she was pretty great too. You have changed, I'm sure, but it doesn't matter either way because you are just a cool person anyway." She reached in to hug Ginny lightly. "We're going to have a blast! Dawn Summers and Ginny Weasely are going to rock Hogwarts!" Her eyes twinkled as she and Ginny burst into giggles. "They won't even know what hit em!"
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End of Chapter Three
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Okay folks, if you like the story and want me to continue then PLEASE let me know you are reading it and enjoying it. FEEDBACK is one sure fire way to keep me writing.PLEASE?
Hope to hear from some of you soon.
Jade Elise
