Disclaimer: I don't own anything. It all belongs to J. K. Rowling. Well,
except the part that me and Stacy thought up. She's an amazing beta reader,
and her e-mail's silenceofthemind@hotmail.com if anyone needs one.
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Chapter 17: Doing It the Muggle Way
"You did *what*?!" Hermione yelled, yet again forgetting to use her indoor voice.
"Will you shut up?!" I whispered harshly. "Harry's in the other room."
"Please, Ginny. *Please* tell me you didn't sleep with Malfoy." Hermione pleaded.
"Well..." I said, letting the single word linger in the air.
"Ginny!" Hermione screeched.
"I'm just kidding." I said. "I haven't slept with him yet."
"Yet?" She asked, looking at me with wide eyes.
"I'm... considering it." I said, cringing when she screamed. I covered her mouth with my hand, praying that Harry didn't hear, and only lifted it when she promised to be quiet.
"Have you forgotten who Draco Malfoy is?" Hermione asked stupidly.
"Of course not." I said with a hint of anger. "But he just makes me feel so happy." I gushed, but quickly added in a quiet voice. "Not as much as I was with Harry, of course. But I just feel so wanted when I'm around him."
"But this isn't serious, right?" Hermione asked.
"No, I'd still drop Draco in a second for Harry." I whispered. "But, while I'm waiting for The-Boy-Who-Lived to get a clue, it's nice to be wanted by someone."
"Oh my God, Ginny," Hermione sighed, getting up from her chair and pacing.
"What?" I asked, watching her cautiously.
"You know what you're doing, don't you?" She asked. "You're using Malfoy."
"I am not." I said, standing up and feeling very offended.
"Really." Hermione asked. "Then how would you describe it?"
"I'm just..." I said, searching for words that wouldn't incriminate me. "Keeping busy while I wait for someone else."
I know, it didn't sound like a very nice thing. But I was so convinced that what I was doing wasn't horrible that I actually believed myself.
"Does Malfoy know that you're dating him to make Harry jealous?" Hermione asked, lowering her voice.
"...no." I said, bowing my head a little.
"Ha!" Hermione said, pointing an accusing finger at me. "You see? You're using him."
"But—but it's not like I drop him as soon as Harry isn't there." I whispered defensively. "We go on dates and do... things." I said, blushing.
"Yea, sex." Hermione muttered.
I blushed even more and mumbled, "No, not yet."
"So, why do you do these *things* with Malfoy?" Hermione asked, making me feel like I was being tried for murder.
"Because... because he makes me feel really special... like Harry use to." I muttered, my words almost incoherent.
"You see? They're all selfish things." Hermione concluded, sitting down on the couch across from me and sighing. "I almost feel bad for Malfoy."
We sat in silence for a while, Hermione looking disgusted at the words that had left her mouth and me drowning in guilt.
I finally decided that, on my date the next day with Draco, I'd come clean with him about everything.
"Hey Gin?" Harry's voice came from my kitchen. He entered the room, causing me to snap back into reality. "Are you aware that you have no food in the fridge?"
"Yea," I said vaguely. "I'm gonna have to order Chinese tonight. Egg rolls can last for weeks without going bad."
And, just in case you were wondering why Harry was even considering to be civil toward me, he hadn't mentioned the double date since Draco and I left the restaurant together. I was silently begging for him to suddenly scream that I was too good for Malfoy and that the only person who I should be dating should be him. Very dramatic and very romantic; it would've been perfect. But, no, little Mr. Potter decided it would just be so much more fun to torture me and act as if he had amnesia.
"That's it." Harry said, grabbing my hand and pulling me up from my chair. He dragged me to the kitchen saying, "I'm going to teach you how to cook."
Actually, I can't confirm that those were his exact words because once his skin touched mine, I got light headed and felt warm all over.
I still don't understand why that always happens to me when Harry comes in contact with me. I'd seen him naked, he's seen me naked, we'd had sex and both knew every inch of each other's bodies. But it felt like every time he touched me, it was the first time.
"Harry, unless you want this place to burn down, I suggest you keep me as far away from the kitchen as possible." I said, surprising myself by being able to string words together into an understandable sentence when I felt drunken by his touch.
"You need to learn how to cook the muggle way. Christina can't eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches her whole life." Harry teased.
"Since when did you learn how to cook?" I asked, remembering the pancake scene back at the Burrow all those years ago. It happened right before we... I shook that thought quickly out of my head. It brought back too much pain to think that I had it so good and threw it away for nothing. Even worse, I didn't know if I could ever get it back.
"A lot changes in five years." Harry said, making me smile sadly at him. He gave my hand a quick squeeze before letting it drop back down to my side.
"What did you say Chrissy keeps asking you to make?" Harry asked, searching through a few random cabinets.
"Spaghetti." I said, not being able to help myself as I checked out Harry's ass when he bent over to get the strainer from the bottom cupboard.
Harry got out a few pots and told me to start boiling water. Now, before I go any further with this story, let me tell you what my experience with cooking is.
Before the whole pancake fiasco, I was forbidden to go anywhere near the stove in my family's kitchen. This is because, years back, I had decided that I was suddenly the best chef in the world. So, hunger consuming me, I took Tupperware filled with macaroni and cheese out of the refrigerator. I grabbed a skillet out of a cupboard and put the stove on high. Deeming plastic indestructible, I placed the entire Tupperware container on the skillet.
When my mother returned home, the whole house smelled of rotten eggs due to the melted plastic, which was now burnt onto her new skillet. You can imagine the look on her face—and if you can't, then picture the face of a constipated person who's hair is on fire. Now multiply that by one hundred, and add a cloths pin on the end of her nose.
So, on with the story.
I was successful in filling the pot with water and transferring it to the stove. But, after that, everything went wrong. He didn't tell me how hot to put the stove, so I just put it on high, thinking that it'd be impossible to burn water, so nothing bad would happen.
A few minutes later, when Harry was busy searching for tomatoes for the sauce, I heard this strange bubbling noise. I immediately had a flashback to Potions class, and couldn't help but shudder. I turned around, and saw the pot I'd been assigned to bubbling over.
"Harry!" I said, pointing helplessly toward the erupting volcano. He turned around, and didn't even take the time to say, "Oh shit." Harry turned down the temperature and put the pot on another burner.
"I'm soooooooo sorry." I said, using my best 'please forgive me' face.
"It's fine." Harry said, seeming to really mean it. "Just, next time, remember to not put it on so high."
"I told you I was horrible at these things." I said, plopping down on a chair with a woe-is-me face on.
"Oh, come on, you can't give up that easily." Harry said, kneeling down next to me. "I know you might not be good at this now, but if you just keep trying, you're bound to get it. You should never give up. Come on Ginny, don't be a quitter."
"Okay, I'll make you a deal." I reasoned. "I won't give up if you promise to stop trying to be a one man pep squad."
"Thank God," Harry said with a smile, pulling me up. "I didn't know how much longer I could be overly positive."
So Harry taught me how to make spaghetti... okay, so he made the spaghetti. But I set the table! Hermione left somewhere between when I failed to boil water and when I got my pants caught on something and Harry had to catch me before I hit the ground. *dreamy sigh*
While Harry and I were enjoying the spaghetti that *I* helped make, Christina, who was suppose to be asleep (it was nearly ten o'clock), walked into the kitchen.
"Chrissy, what are you doing out of bed?" I asked, putting down my fork and turning around in my chair to see her better. She was in her white nightdress and was dragging a rag doll she'd had since she was a baby behind her.
"I can't sleep." She said, climbing up onto my lap.
"I know how to fix that." I smiled, standing up and resting Chrissy's weight on my hip as I held her. I turned to Harry and said, "I'll be right back."
I carried Christina into her room and laid her down in her bed.
"Do you want to hear a story?" I asked. "The one about wizards and witches?"
Chrissy shook her head as she pulled the covers up to her neck.
"Sing to me, mummy." She pleaded, looking up at me with her big, innocent green eyes.
"Okay," I said hesitantly, lowering my voice so Harry wouldn't hear. I leaned close to Chrissy, resting my elbows on her bed and using a hand to brush her ginger fringe away from her face. "It's not the pale moon that excites me. That thrills and delights me. Oh no, it's just the nearness of you. It isn't your sweet conversation that brings this sensation. Oh no, it's just the nearness of you."
Singing this song had become a sort of ritual between Christina and me. Ever since she was a baby, whenever she couldn't sleep I'd sing her this song. It had stuck with me, and, whenever I sang it, I felt closer to Harry.
Once Chrissy was asleep, I kissed her on the forehead and made sure she was tucked in tight. I was at the doorway, about to turn off the light, when something caught my eye. On the floor of Christina's room was a small, hexagon shaped card. The thing that struck me as odd was the picture on the card. It was moving.
My heart leaped up into my throat. I grabbed the card up off of the floor to examine it closer. Yep, it was definitely a Chocolate Frog card.
How did she get it? Did she know about my world, and, if so, how long had she known?
I quietly pocketed the card, turned off Chrissy's light, and ran to the kitchen. I found Harry sitting at the table, looking at me strangely.
"Do you know anything about this?" I asked, holding up the card and trying to control my growing anger.
"It's a—er—Chocolate Frog card." Harry said, suspiciously running his hand through his hair. "What about it?"
"It was in Christina's room." I said through gritted teeth. "How did she get it?"
Harry looked as if he was thinking up a lie, but finally just let out a great sigh and said, "I kinda had something to do with that."
"You gave her a Chocolate Frog?" I asked angrily.
"... you could say that." Harry said.
"When did this happen?" I asked.
"In Diagon Alley." He said, cringing.
"Harry!" I yelled, throwing the card down forcefully on the table. "Why would you go behind my back and do that?!"
"She needs to know about our world, Gin." Harry reasoned.
"But you don't have the right to be the one to tell her." I said, wanting to do nothing but strangle him. "That's my job. It comes with being her mother."
"But you weren't doing your job." Harry said.
"Excuse me?" I asked, offended. "How dare you judge me—"
"She has a right to know about our world," Harry said calmly. "she'll be a part of it soon."
"I *told* you, Harry. She might be a squib." I sighed angrily.
"But if she is then she needs to know that!" Harry said, finally loosing his patience.
"She's not you're child, Harry! You don't have any right to go against my wishes for her well being!"
"I'm the only father she's got!" Harry said, surprising me with his words. "You're sheltering her from everything she has to experience in order to grow up!"
"She's only five years old, Harry." I said.
"So that makes it right for you to tell her your past like it's a fairytale?" Harry asked. I had been pacing, but stopped dead at his words.
"What?" I asked, my voice so quiet compared to how it had been.
"You tell Chrissy about me like I'm a character in a book." Harry said. I was completely speechless. How did he know? "Everything that has happened between you and I is a story to Christina. It's all fictional to her. You're just confusing her with all of these lies, Ginny."
I didn't know what to say. Everything that I had learned in the past few second was too much to handle all at once. I was embarrassed, offended, confused, and angry all at the same time.
Finally, in a shaky voice, I said, "*Don't* tell me how to raise my own child."
Without even looking at Harry's face, or waiting for his response, I ran to my room, slammed the door and locked it. I sat on my bed, my head in my hands as I tried to sort everything out. But I couldn't concentrate, the anger toward Harry and embarrassment that came with him knowing how I was hiding things from Christina consumed me.
For about half an hour, Harry sat outside of my door, knocking on it lightly and saying things that only made me more angry and embarrassed. Like, "Come on Ginny, you're being unreasonable."
I just laid on my bed, still fully clothed, wishing he'd go away. Finally, he stopped trying to make me come out and, minutes later, I heard the front door close quietly.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Okay, another apology (aren't you sick of them?). I have winter formal tomorrow and an a TOTAL spaz and perfectionist when it comes to these things. So, yea, I'm going to spend the next few hours making sure that everything is *perfect*. So, since I want to post this on time, I can only answer a few reviews. But just know that I'M SO GRATEFUL FOR ALL OF THE REVIEWS! YOU GUYS ARE AWESOME!!!
Does it really matter: I love you too (also not in the weird sense)! Good luck on your boards!
Harry's4me+notu: I totally agree that Ginny and Draco are perfect for one another, but not in this story (sorry!). But if it were up to me, the couples would be Ron/Hermione, Draco/Ginny, and Harry with you (since you clearly like him, and I'm a bit afraid of you (j/k)).
Brown*Pryde: Nope, sorry, no Draco/Ginny in this story. I promise to end in Ginny/Harry.
Courtney: heehee, umm, Kate didn't die because I couldn't think of a creative way to kill her. Safe on the head? Chainsaw through the heart? Or candlestick in the library? I was so torn!
crazyGurl-aka-heavenly182angel: Wow, that's a long name. Anyways, this chapter had a bit more Christina, but I do promise more in the future.
supergirl036996: lol, slow down woman! I promise to end with Harry/Ginny. Cross my heart, hope to die, and all that stuff. Oh, and Kate's not a bad person, she's just perfect and no one can tolerate someone like that.
pheonixgurl: No! I want Draco!... well, actually I want Tom Felton. So, let's make a compromise: you can have Draco, and I'll have Tom. Sound good?
Malena2: Actually, I think I could have handled the thing with D. Torres much worse. Anyways, all I have to say is that I tend to have a lot of OOC and stuff like that, but it's just because the only things I'm going for here is a good humor story with romance mixed in. And this story is Americanized because, to put it simply, I'm American. The Harry Potter books I read are changed to be Americanized, so that's the only kind of Harry Potter I know. Anyways, you can say whatever you want, honestly, but just don't expect any changes in my writing. The things you mentioned don't really bother me, and I don't see them as a problem. I guess you're just one of those people who don't get my humor and is really picky about everything being *exactly* like it is in the books.
Herbie: Shopping! Ooo, fun! I'm so glad you liked the chapter, cause I got some mixed reviews. *hugs you* It just makes me so happy when someone understands my humor!
Foags: *hugs you as well*.... sorry, I'm feeling very huggie today. Anyways, yea, Draco's a total babe. That's why I put him in the story, silly. Plus the mere thought of my beloved Tom is enough to make me squeal.... *squeals*
i-hate-cliffies: Whoa, okay, someone put a little bit too much crazy powder in their protein shake today.... sorry, that's a quote from Will&Grace. But, anyways, there's no way I'm killing Malfoy. Cause Malfoy is Tom Felton and Tom Felton is my future lover. So, yea, there ya go.
Lightprincess: Yea, Hermione would be a pretty cool friend. The scary thing is, one of my friends is like the Hermione I write. She's the smartest girl I know, but just says the stupidest thing. Last night we were in her room, lying on the floor and listening to music, and all of a sudden she screams, "Hey, I can see myself in the doorknob!"
Dude: lol, don't worry. Ginny won't get knocked up again, cause then I'd have to change the title to The Perks of Getting Knocked Up... Twice.
Imalil2sarcastic: Honestly, I read ch. 9 over a couple of times, and I was even questioning it. So, I figured since I had gotten some other comments about it, and I couldn't truthfully say that it wasn't offensive, then I'd change it. I only got rid if a few things, so don't worry! Don't feel bad, I'm happy you pointed it out and that you were so nice about it. So thank you.
Chelsea of the Moor: True, Ginny is being an idiot, but everyone makes horrible mistakes (myself being a perfect example). Hopefully Harry will help her see the light soon.
carebear-janiney: I'm really sorry, but I don't know what you mean when you say the chapter was too harsh. Do you mean Ginny was being too harsh in her attempt to make Harry jealous? I feel so stupid, but please explain!
Strayc@t: I'm glad you like my constant out of character-ness. I know I do it way too much, but I can't help it! It's a disease, I swear!
DarkFlower2113: I hope you're in a better mood now. As for Ginny/Draco: never gonna happen. I swear this story will end with a Ginny/Harry ship.
lovebug123: Aw, thank you! I'm just happy that you're reading this story and enjoying it!
Draco-FutureBF: ...erm... I don't really have anything witty to say, but I just wanted to give you a thank you cause you're one of my best reviewers. So, er, happy Christmas!
BuckNC: lol, yea, you can always count on Ginny to make poor decisions. I mean, she wrote to a possessed diary for an entire year, for goodness sakes.
Faith456: heehee, I can always count on your review to make me laugh. And I love the disease idea for Kate. Now all we have to do is think up a fatal disease that can't be cured by magic.... this is going to be hard.
Jill: I'm actually very happy that you feel bad for Ginny. Since some people are telling me that I've succeeded in making them hate Ginny, this is wonderful news!
Chelles: Baby Malfoy! Cool!
lovey360: aw, that's so cool that you and your friend read my story! I don't know why it is, but it just is! I wish I had friends that were interested in this stuff.
Ok, now I really gotta go paint my nails. Thanks so much for all of the reviews everyone, and I'm sorry if I didn't get to you! I'll post again on Friday!!!!!
~bunches of love~
Nicole
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If you want me to e-mail you when I update, just give me you e-mail address in the review and I'd be happy to do it :)
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Chapter 17: Doing It the Muggle Way
"You did *what*?!" Hermione yelled, yet again forgetting to use her indoor voice.
"Will you shut up?!" I whispered harshly. "Harry's in the other room."
"Please, Ginny. *Please* tell me you didn't sleep with Malfoy." Hermione pleaded.
"Well..." I said, letting the single word linger in the air.
"Ginny!" Hermione screeched.
"I'm just kidding." I said. "I haven't slept with him yet."
"Yet?" She asked, looking at me with wide eyes.
"I'm... considering it." I said, cringing when she screamed. I covered her mouth with my hand, praying that Harry didn't hear, and only lifted it when she promised to be quiet.
"Have you forgotten who Draco Malfoy is?" Hermione asked stupidly.
"Of course not." I said with a hint of anger. "But he just makes me feel so happy." I gushed, but quickly added in a quiet voice. "Not as much as I was with Harry, of course. But I just feel so wanted when I'm around him."
"But this isn't serious, right?" Hermione asked.
"No, I'd still drop Draco in a second for Harry." I whispered. "But, while I'm waiting for The-Boy-Who-Lived to get a clue, it's nice to be wanted by someone."
"Oh my God, Ginny," Hermione sighed, getting up from her chair and pacing.
"What?" I asked, watching her cautiously.
"You know what you're doing, don't you?" She asked. "You're using Malfoy."
"I am not." I said, standing up and feeling very offended.
"Really." Hermione asked. "Then how would you describe it?"
"I'm just..." I said, searching for words that wouldn't incriminate me. "Keeping busy while I wait for someone else."
I know, it didn't sound like a very nice thing. But I was so convinced that what I was doing wasn't horrible that I actually believed myself.
"Does Malfoy know that you're dating him to make Harry jealous?" Hermione asked, lowering her voice.
"...no." I said, bowing my head a little.
"Ha!" Hermione said, pointing an accusing finger at me. "You see? You're using him."
"But—but it's not like I drop him as soon as Harry isn't there." I whispered defensively. "We go on dates and do... things." I said, blushing.
"Yea, sex." Hermione muttered.
I blushed even more and mumbled, "No, not yet."
"So, why do you do these *things* with Malfoy?" Hermione asked, making me feel like I was being tried for murder.
"Because... because he makes me feel really special... like Harry use to." I muttered, my words almost incoherent.
"You see? They're all selfish things." Hermione concluded, sitting down on the couch across from me and sighing. "I almost feel bad for Malfoy."
We sat in silence for a while, Hermione looking disgusted at the words that had left her mouth and me drowning in guilt.
I finally decided that, on my date the next day with Draco, I'd come clean with him about everything.
"Hey Gin?" Harry's voice came from my kitchen. He entered the room, causing me to snap back into reality. "Are you aware that you have no food in the fridge?"
"Yea," I said vaguely. "I'm gonna have to order Chinese tonight. Egg rolls can last for weeks without going bad."
And, just in case you were wondering why Harry was even considering to be civil toward me, he hadn't mentioned the double date since Draco and I left the restaurant together. I was silently begging for him to suddenly scream that I was too good for Malfoy and that the only person who I should be dating should be him. Very dramatic and very romantic; it would've been perfect. But, no, little Mr. Potter decided it would just be so much more fun to torture me and act as if he had amnesia.
"That's it." Harry said, grabbing my hand and pulling me up from my chair. He dragged me to the kitchen saying, "I'm going to teach you how to cook."
Actually, I can't confirm that those were his exact words because once his skin touched mine, I got light headed and felt warm all over.
I still don't understand why that always happens to me when Harry comes in contact with me. I'd seen him naked, he's seen me naked, we'd had sex and both knew every inch of each other's bodies. But it felt like every time he touched me, it was the first time.
"Harry, unless you want this place to burn down, I suggest you keep me as far away from the kitchen as possible." I said, surprising myself by being able to string words together into an understandable sentence when I felt drunken by his touch.
"You need to learn how to cook the muggle way. Christina can't eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches her whole life." Harry teased.
"Since when did you learn how to cook?" I asked, remembering the pancake scene back at the Burrow all those years ago. It happened right before we... I shook that thought quickly out of my head. It brought back too much pain to think that I had it so good and threw it away for nothing. Even worse, I didn't know if I could ever get it back.
"A lot changes in five years." Harry said, making me smile sadly at him. He gave my hand a quick squeeze before letting it drop back down to my side.
"What did you say Chrissy keeps asking you to make?" Harry asked, searching through a few random cabinets.
"Spaghetti." I said, not being able to help myself as I checked out Harry's ass when he bent over to get the strainer from the bottom cupboard.
Harry got out a few pots and told me to start boiling water. Now, before I go any further with this story, let me tell you what my experience with cooking is.
Before the whole pancake fiasco, I was forbidden to go anywhere near the stove in my family's kitchen. This is because, years back, I had decided that I was suddenly the best chef in the world. So, hunger consuming me, I took Tupperware filled with macaroni and cheese out of the refrigerator. I grabbed a skillet out of a cupboard and put the stove on high. Deeming plastic indestructible, I placed the entire Tupperware container on the skillet.
When my mother returned home, the whole house smelled of rotten eggs due to the melted plastic, which was now burnt onto her new skillet. You can imagine the look on her face—and if you can't, then picture the face of a constipated person who's hair is on fire. Now multiply that by one hundred, and add a cloths pin on the end of her nose.
So, on with the story.
I was successful in filling the pot with water and transferring it to the stove. But, after that, everything went wrong. He didn't tell me how hot to put the stove, so I just put it on high, thinking that it'd be impossible to burn water, so nothing bad would happen.
A few minutes later, when Harry was busy searching for tomatoes for the sauce, I heard this strange bubbling noise. I immediately had a flashback to Potions class, and couldn't help but shudder. I turned around, and saw the pot I'd been assigned to bubbling over.
"Harry!" I said, pointing helplessly toward the erupting volcano. He turned around, and didn't even take the time to say, "Oh shit." Harry turned down the temperature and put the pot on another burner.
"I'm soooooooo sorry." I said, using my best 'please forgive me' face.
"It's fine." Harry said, seeming to really mean it. "Just, next time, remember to not put it on so high."
"I told you I was horrible at these things." I said, plopping down on a chair with a woe-is-me face on.
"Oh, come on, you can't give up that easily." Harry said, kneeling down next to me. "I know you might not be good at this now, but if you just keep trying, you're bound to get it. You should never give up. Come on Ginny, don't be a quitter."
"Okay, I'll make you a deal." I reasoned. "I won't give up if you promise to stop trying to be a one man pep squad."
"Thank God," Harry said with a smile, pulling me up. "I didn't know how much longer I could be overly positive."
So Harry taught me how to make spaghetti... okay, so he made the spaghetti. But I set the table! Hermione left somewhere between when I failed to boil water and when I got my pants caught on something and Harry had to catch me before I hit the ground. *dreamy sigh*
While Harry and I were enjoying the spaghetti that *I* helped make, Christina, who was suppose to be asleep (it was nearly ten o'clock), walked into the kitchen.
"Chrissy, what are you doing out of bed?" I asked, putting down my fork and turning around in my chair to see her better. She was in her white nightdress and was dragging a rag doll she'd had since she was a baby behind her.
"I can't sleep." She said, climbing up onto my lap.
"I know how to fix that." I smiled, standing up and resting Chrissy's weight on my hip as I held her. I turned to Harry and said, "I'll be right back."
I carried Christina into her room and laid her down in her bed.
"Do you want to hear a story?" I asked. "The one about wizards and witches?"
Chrissy shook her head as she pulled the covers up to her neck.
"Sing to me, mummy." She pleaded, looking up at me with her big, innocent green eyes.
"Okay," I said hesitantly, lowering my voice so Harry wouldn't hear. I leaned close to Chrissy, resting my elbows on her bed and using a hand to brush her ginger fringe away from her face. "It's not the pale moon that excites me. That thrills and delights me. Oh no, it's just the nearness of you. It isn't your sweet conversation that brings this sensation. Oh no, it's just the nearness of you."
Singing this song had become a sort of ritual between Christina and me. Ever since she was a baby, whenever she couldn't sleep I'd sing her this song. It had stuck with me, and, whenever I sang it, I felt closer to Harry.
Once Chrissy was asleep, I kissed her on the forehead and made sure she was tucked in tight. I was at the doorway, about to turn off the light, when something caught my eye. On the floor of Christina's room was a small, hexagon shaped card. The thing that struck me as odd was the picture on the card. It was moving.
My heart leaped up into my throat. I grabbed the card up off of the floor to examine it closer. Yep, it was definitely a Chocolate Frog card.
How did she get it? Did she know about my world, and, if so, how long had she known?
I quietly pocketed the card, turned off Chrissy's light, and ran to the kitchen. I found Harry sitting at the table, looking at me strangely.
"Do you know anything about this?" I asked, holding up the card and trying to control my growing anger.
"It's a—er—Chocolate Frog card." Harry said, suspiciously running his hand through his hair. "What about it?"
"It was in Christina's room." I said through gritted teeth. "How did she get it?"
Harry looked as if he was thinking up a lie, but finally just let out a great sigh and said, "I kinda had something to do with that."
"You gave her a Chocolate Frog?" I asked angrily.
"... you could say that." Harry said.
"When did this happen?" I asked.
"In Diagon Alley." He said, cringing.
"Harry!" I yelled, throwing the card down forcefully on the table. "Why would you go behind my back and do that?!"
"She needs to know about our world, Gin." Harry reasoned.
"But you don't have the right to be the one to tell her." I said, wanting to do nothing but strangle him. "That's my job. It comes with being her mother."
"But you weren't doing your job." Harry said.
"Excuse me?" I asked, offended. "How dare you judge me—"
"She has a right to know about our world," Harry said calmly. "she'll be a part of it soon."
"I *told* you, Harry. She might be a squib." I sighed angrily.
"But if she is then she needs to know that!" Harry said, finally loosing his patience.
"She's not you're child, Harry! You don't have any right to go against my wishes for her well being!"
"I'm the only father she's got!" Harry said, surprising me with his words. "You're sheltering her from everything she has to experience in order to grow up!"
"She's only five years old, Harry." I said.
"So that makes it right for you to tell her your past like it's a fairytale?" Harry asked. I had been pacing, but stopped dead at his words.
"What?" I asked, my voice so quiet compared to how it had been.
"You tell Chrissy about me like I'm a character in a book." Harry said. I was completely speechless. How did he know? "Everything that has happened between you and I is a story to Christina. It's all fictional to her. You're just confusing her with all of these lies, Ginny."
I didn't know what to say. Everything that I had learned in the past few second was too much to handle all at once. I was embarrassed, offended, confused, and angry all at the same time.
Finally, in a shaky voice, I said, "*Don't* tell me how to raise my own child."
Without even looking at Harry's face, or waiting for his response, I ran to my room, slammed the door and locked it. I sat on my bed, my head in my hands as I tried to sort everything out. But I couldn't concentrate, the anger toward Harry and embarrassment that came with him knowing how I was hiding things from Christina consumed me.
For about half an hour, Harry sat outside of my door, knocking on it lightly and saying things that only made me more angry and embarrassed. Like, "Come on Ginny, you're being unreasonable."
I just laid on my bed, still fully clothed, wishing he'd go away. Finally, he stopped trying to make me come out and, minutes later, I heard the front door close quietly.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Okay, another apology (aren't you sick of them?). I have winter formal tomorrow and an a TOTAL spaz and perfectionist when it comes to these things. So, yea, I'm going to spend the next few hours making sure that everything is *perfect*. So, since I want to post this on time, I can only answer a few reviews. But just know that I'M SO GRATEFUL FOR ALL OF THE REVIEWS! YOU GUYS ARE AWESOME!!!
Does it really matter: I love you too (also not in the weird sense)! Good luck on your boards!
Harry's4me+notu: I totally agree that Ginny and Draco are perfect for one another, but not in this story (sorry!). But if it were up to me, the couples would be Ron/Hermione, Draco/Ginny, and Harry with you (since you clearly like him, and I'm a bit afraid of you (j/k)).
Brown*Pryde: Nope, sorry, no Draco/Ginny in this story. I promise to end in Ginny/Harry.
Courtney: heehee, umm, Kate didn't die because I couldn't think of a creative way to kill her. Safe on the head? Chainsaw through the heart? Or candlestick in the library? I was so torn!
crazyGurl-aka-heavenly182angel: Wow, that's a long name. Anyways, this chapter had a bit more Christina, but I do promise more in the future.
supergirl036996: lol, slow down woman! I promise to end with Harry/Ginny. Cross my heart, hope to die, and all that stuff. Oh, and Kate's not a bad person, she's just perfect and no one can tolerate someone like that.
pheonixgurl: No! I want Draco!... well, actually I want Tom Felton. So, let's make a compromise: you can have Draco, and I'll have Tom. Sound good?
Malena2: Actually, I think I could have handled the thing with D. Torres much worse. Anyways, all I have to say is that I tend to have a lot of OOC and stuff like that, but it's just because the only things I'm going for here is a good humor story with romance mixed in. And this story is Americanized because, to put it simply, I'm American. The Harry Potter books I read are changed to be Americanized, so that's the only kind of Harry Potter I know. Anyways, you can say whatever you want, honestly, but just don't expect any changes in my writing. The things you mentioned don't really bother me, and I don't see them as a problem. I guess you're just one of those people who don't get my humor and is really picky about everything being *exactly* like it is in the books.
Herbie: Shopping! Ooo, fun! I'm so glad you liked the chapter, cause I got some mixed reviews. *hugs you* It just makes me so happy when someone understands my humor!
Foags: *hugs you as well*.... sorry, I'm feeling very huggie today. Anyways, yea, Draco's a total babe. That's why I put him in the story, silly. Plus the mere thought of my beloved Tom is enough to make me squeal.... *squeals*
i-hate-cliffies: Whoa, okay, someone put a little bit too much crazy powder in their protein shake today.... sorry, that's a quote from Will&Grace. But, anyways, there's no way I'm killing Malfoy. Cause Malfoy is Tom Felton and Tom Felton is my future lover. So, yea, there ya go.
Lightprincess: Yea, Hermione would be a pretty cool friend. The scary thing is, one of my friends is like the Hermione I write. She's the smartest girl I know, but just says the stupidest thing. Last night we were in her room, lying on the floor and listening to music, and all of a sudden she screams, "Hey, I can see myself in the doorknob!"
Dude: lol, don't worry. Ginny won't get knocked up again, cause then I'd have to change the title to The Perks of Getting Knocked Up... Twice.
Imalil2sarcastic: Honestly, I read ch. 9 over a couple of times, and I was even questioning it. So, I figured since I had gotten some other comments about it, and I couldn't truthfully say that it wasn't offensive, then I'd change it. I only got rid if a few things, so don't worry! Don't feel bad, I'm happy you pointed it out and that you were so nice about it. So thank you.
Chelsea of the Moor: True, Ginny is being an idiot, but everyone makes horrible mistakes (myself being a perfect example). Hopefully Harry will help her see the light soon.
carebear-janiney: I'm really sorry, but I don't know what you mean when you say the chapter was too harsh. Do you mean Ginny was being too harsh in her attempt to make Harry jealous? I feel so stupid, but please explain!
Strayc@t: I'm glad you like my constant out of character-ness. I know I do it way too much, but I can't help it! It's a disease, I swear!
DarkFlower2113: I hope you're in a better mood now. As for Ginny/Draco: never gonna happen. I swear this story will end with a Ginny/Harry ship.
lovebug123: Aw, thank you! I'm just happy that you're reading this story and enjoying it!
Draco-FutureBF: ...erm... I don't really have anything witty to say, but I just wanted to give you a thank you cause you're one of my best reviewers. So, er, happy Christmas!
BuckNC: lol, yea, you can always count on Ginny to make poor decisions. I mean, she wrote to a possessed diary for an entire year, for goodness sakes.
Faith456: heehee, I can always count on your review to make me laugh. And I love the disease idea for Kate. Now all we have to do is think up a fatal disease that can't be cured by magic.... this is going to be hard.
Jill: I'm actually very happy that you feel bad for Ginny. Since some people are telling me that I've succeeded in making them hate Ginny, this is wonderful news!
Chelles: Baby Malfoy! Cool!
lovey360: aw, that's so cool that you and your friend read my story! I don't know why it is, but it just is! I wish I had friends that were interested in this stuff.
Ok, now I really gotta go paint my nails. Thanks so much for all of the reviews everyone, and I'm sorry if I didn't get to you! I'll post again on Friday!!!!!
~bunches of love~
Nicole
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If you want me to e-mail you when I update, just give me you e-mail address in the review and I'd be happy to do it :)
