Ginny Weasley and the Year of Exploring: /Ends, or About the Fic/

I can't believe it...  Almost a year ago, I got an idea for a fic, randomly wrote it up and sent it to   Its HTML sucked and I had no idea how to make things bold or italic.  That was how the first chapter of "Ginny Weasley and the Year of Exploring" started out: as not much.

I figured out how to code it.  As you might see in the summary, I reposted it.  I added another chapter, and another.  I was really only doing it for fun, and the rare review was much appreciated.  So now when I look back on my 30-something reviews, all I can say is, "Wow."  The only other fics I've written have gotten a pathetic amount of reviews.

So I want to thank you for reading my fic.  I want to thank you even more if you review, and if you have read this fic and kept coming back to read whenever I sporadically update…  Wow.  Thanks.

I don't remember how I ever decided to write a multichaptered GW/HG fic.  I have been a fan of femmeslash (especially Ginny/Hermione) for so long that I decided I'd try out writing more than just a one shot (as I had written before for my meager Fleur/Ginny).  I wanted to write chapters.  I wanted to have a beginning, middle, and an end.  I wanted a PLOT.

I forget how I ever came up with this plot.  Originally, it wasn't very long (certainly not 13 chapters), and a lot less complicated.  I had first planned to have Ginny/Draco in it, with Draco using Ginny for sex (which would explain why, in the summary, I include "trust" in the list of things going on in the fic.  It would have been "bonds with enemies" or something along those lines, but I had to keep it short).  I at least knew I had to have him in it.  Also, Chantal was pretty spur-of-the-moment, so I just used the amazing "Maggiefic Mary Sue Generator" (check it out!) because I wanted her to be perfect...and a parody of MS. ;)  That's how she got her purple eyes and all...

Hmm.  Chantal.  I should have just named her "Plot Device".  I don't like canon characters falling in love with OCs, especially when they are supposed to be snogging Hermione.  Chantal was no exception, simply there to move along the plot and get Ginny into lesbianism.  Also, I kept the GW/HG kisses till the very very last chapter (for extra suspense tension), so I decided to throw you guys a few bones in the first few chapters.  I kept you occupied with them kissing but the real chemistry is between Ginny and Hermione.  ::dreamy sigh::  True love guys, they've found their soulmates!  (Oh, and before I close the book on Chantal, I just want to say that the original kiss between Chantal and Ginny was really hott and smutty and went on for a really long time.  Thank god I took it out before submitting.  It would have been so stupid.  Someone in the compartment would have slapped them if they had snogged as long as I first had them snogging for.)

Draco.  I didn't like my idea of him sleeping around with Ginny so that he wouldn't tell everyone about her being gay.  It seemed out of character for Draco – not the bribery or anything, that's SO Draco – but the wanting to sleep with Ginny part.  I was much more comfortable with him using Chantal for sex and Ginny just as a twisted form of entertainment.  I sound really cruel, and I shouldn't have done that to poor Ginny, but Draco really is mean.  He is a Slytherin, after all!  So one day I was struck with this idea, Ginny would have to perform these Herculean-esque tasks.  When I started thinking about it, it made sense, and I had a large amount of things for her to have to do with Draco.  Sadly enough, as I sat down on the computer chair and opened up a new document, my mind became blank.

            I had nothing to write.

            So Draco just made her do homework.

            That was wimpy.  I finally recalled one of the stunts:  Karaoke.  I was getting more reviews, and thought that karaoke was the perfect way to get a bunch of flames.  I don't know, either I'm a masochist and like being called an idiot or I just couldn't believe that anyone would think my story was good.  So I wrote Ginny singing karaoke.  If you couldn't tell, that whole bit was a parody of Harry Potter musicals and songfics.  I made it as outrageous as possible.  I'm glad if you've finished my fic that you were able to look past the karaoke.  Maybe you actually took me seriously.

            My favorite chapters:  Chapter Five (when Ginny is happy and bouncing around from cloud to cloud, spreading Chantal's love) and Chapter Thirteen (the conclusion, when Ginny and Hermione FINALLY get together!!). 

            My favorite line:  "Me, horny?! Hardly, Ginger; although I do admit even those unimportant rocks can sometimes provoke me…" – Draco, Chapter Six

            Something I love about this fic is that it's such a great learning experience.  I look back on the first chapter and shudder.  I look at the thirteenth and smile.  I think I've developed my writing style.  Now I know that when I'm obscure and intense and dark and angsty, it's not fun to read!  Fluff is fun!  Who wants to try to decode vague similes and break down long run on sentences?  I'm a lot more comfortable with myself as a writer now.

Thanks, guys, for coming along for the ride.