Ch 3 – Everyone Has Bad Days
[Riteo, I am posting this without the corrections of ONE of my BETA's (hope she doesn't get angry at me) because I want to get it out as people drop stories that don't update often sometimes. Besides, I promised every week and a half so I am going to update every week and half. Anyway, I will re-post it once she sends her changes to me. I am currently writing ch 11 at the moment and when I updated this I couldn't believe how happy it all is in comparison to where I am up to now. Eep! Now, in this chapter, we finally see Harry. . . Everyone thank my cunning, clever and courageous BETA's: Nesserz and luvhp224. ]
Chapter Dedication: Lizzie Weasley (for reading this fic even if there was going to be "Frisky Business".
Enjoy and don't forget to review!
She
don't know how
How
to feel
This
is a bad day
This is a bad day
Bad Day – Blur
Ginny hugged the brilliantly glowing Hermione, whispering in her friend's ear how happy she was for her. She waved goodbye to her parents and siblings, grinning as George teased a very put-out looking Nathanial and Percy looked on in disapproval.
"Bye Gin!" Angelina waved from the couch. She had retired to the couch half an hour ago, complaining the baby was weighing her down. Ginny smiled and waved back. Sabine ran up to her and hugged her tightly, lacing her fingers around Ginny's skirt.
"When can I go to school with you?" she asked fervently.
"Soon sweetie." Ginny said as she tried to pry herself loose. She saw Nate looking slightly jealous in the corner by his mother and beckoned him over. Nate needed no more encouragement as he walked eagerly over to Ginny. Ginny locked him in a hug and bit her lip to hide a grin as he furrowed his head in her sweater.
"I have to go." Ginny laughed as she put her hands on her hips, looking down at the children still hugging her. Everyone in the room was looking at them fondly. It just made the perfect picture, the sweet young teacher with her loose red hair and long skirt being hugged by adoring children. Ginny gently unlatched their hands from her skirt and walked towards the fireplace.
She turned around and waved once more at everyone, blowing a kiss to her mother. She threw powder on the fire stepped inside as the fire glowed green and shouted "The Cottage!" as she disappeared into the licking flames.
Everyone visibly relaxed as soon as she was gone from sight, sighing in relief.
"We owe you Ron." Fred said dryly.
Ron ducked his head, sneaking a look at Hermione who was blushing slightly and nodded.
Mrs Weasley fanned herself worriedly. "She almost found out." She said with exhaustion.
"Why aren't we telling her in zee first place?" Fleur asked curiously, taking Sabine in her lap. Hermione flashed her eyes and looked at Sabine then back to Fleur. Fleur clasped a delicate hand to her mouth and shot a look at her daughter, who had not noticed a thing and was playing with the fake wand George had given her earlier.
Penelope perceptively asked the children to come into the kitchen because "they had a special treat". Fleur shot her a look of thanks.
"So why?" Fleur asked again.
"Just imagine how she would react! Remember how down she was after they split up? Remember she blew up whenever someone mentioned his name? Remember how she-"
"We get the picture Mione." Angelina said as she patted her on the shoulder consolingly. Hermione opened and closed her mouth several times before crossing her arms.
They sat in silence for a couple of minutes, all contemplating on the subject at hand. Mrs Weasley suddenly took in a sharp breath and waved her hands about in the air. Everyone looked expectantly at her but she seemed too busy with her arms.
"Ginny… tomorrow night… party… Harry." She gasped. Everyone began moving at once, not going anywhere but striding around the room. Mr Weasley remained on his worn arm-chair, surveying his family over interlocked fingers.
"Arthur, what are you doing just sitting there?" Molly Weasley admonished, coming to a stop in front of her husband.
"Exactly that my dear." Arthur replied, eyes twinkling.
"Your daughter is going to have a break-down tomorrow night and all you can do is sit there?" Molly almost shrieked.
"Molly calm down. Ginny is of age and unless I'm mistaken, has been for over six years. I think it's time for you to give her space and stop babying her."
Molly didn't reply, just looked remotely abashed.
"I know. . . but she's my baby."
Arthur got up and gave her shoulder a squeeze. "Well then she is a baby who can take care of herself."
- - - - - - - -
Sometimes, the minute you open your eyes to a brand new day you know that it will not be a good one. This was as such for Ginny Weasley on this particular morning.
Some people say a bird chirping in the morning is like music and here I am contemplating throwing my shoe out the window, Ginny thought with her eyes still closed.
She groaned and rolled over, pulling a pillow over her head. She had stayed up late last night reading a book. Lately she had found that Muggles had endless supplies of books that had nothing to do with spells or anything of the sort. Hermione had introduced her to them. She had fallen asleep with Pride and Prejudice over her nose and was now suffering from a sore face.
She opened her eyes slowly, blinking in the morning light. Muttering to herself about the birds she stumbled out of her bedroom and into the kitchen. Rubbing sleep from her eyes she blindly flipped on the kettle and collapsed on her chair - thinking about when Ron had asked Hermione to marry him something had not been quite right, like he had not really been expecting it and nor had she.
She walked back over to the kettle and poured the coffee into a mug. Just as her eyes ceased to be blurry she caught sight of the clock. She dropped her mug in shock, splattering the boiling water all over herself. She shrieked and clasped her burning arm, cutting her foot on the broken shards of china from the mug.
How on earth did it come to be ten o'clock? She thought, holding some tissues to her freely bleeding foot. School started an hour ago! Quickly muttering a healing spell while hopping to the bedroom she tripped on the lamp her father insisted on her having because it used a 'plug'. Almost crying in frustration now, she hopped to her closet and pulled out the only thing she could find.
Of course the only thing she could find would be a dumpy red cardigan and an ancient looking knee length mud-brown skirt. Ginny hesitated only a second before thrusting it on with a distasteful face, grimacing at her reflection in the mirror. She threw her shoes on and practically ran to the living room, grabbing her bag on the way.
She reached her hand into the Floo powder bowl beside the fireplace and grabbed a handful of . . . air.
"This cannot be happening." Ginny wailed, kicking the bowl and widening her eyes when it fell over and smashed.
There was only one way to get to work now.
Ginny shut her eyes and clenched her fists, trying not to imagine herself splinched in four different parts of the world. Too late, she thought grimly. She took a deep breath and held it as she vanished with a crack. . .
. . . only to land on a park bench two miles away from where she was supposed to be.
"That would be the fourth time now I've Apparated; at least I didn't splinch myself." She muttered to herself, casting a quick glance around to make sure no Muggles had seen her appear suddenly.
A noise interrupted her train of thought and she look down to see the ugliest thing she had ever seen peeing on her bag.
"Ah! Get it off! Get it off!" she shrieked, causing more than several heads to turn. "There is a rat urinating on my bag!"
"That would be my dog." A cool, curt voice said.
Ginny smiled nervously at the frowning old man in front of her. "And such a . . . unique dog it is!" she said brightly, standing up stiffly. The man sniffed rather like an old lady would and called his dog.
"Come Ratus, you know you're not supposed to go near strange people." He said dotingly to his dog, choosing to ignore Ginny's peed-upon bag.
Ginny stomped her foot at the old man's back, letting out a 'hurumph' of frustration in the process. "Ratus, what a perfect name for the thing." She said to herself.
"I heard that!" said the old man, his back still turned as he walked away. Ginny bit back a snort of laughter and picked up her ruined bag, holding it out at arm's length. She looked around, wondering what to do with it until her gaze caught sight of the pond.
"Good enough." She sighed. It would be impossible to clean it up with magic in such a public place. She looked around nervously before heading towards the pond.
Walking over to the edge of the water she kneeled down and emptied the contents of her bag onto the ground, throwing her head back in relief at the fact they weren't damaged by the dog's free bladder. She dunked her bag into the pond, not noticing the odd looks she was getting from passer-bys.
"Hey Miss, someone's making off with your purse!" a voice shouted. Sure enough, as Ginny turned around in shock, she saw a man running off with her new green purse, filled with all her coins.
Stupid man, he'll get the surprise of his life when he opens it and doesn't know what the coins mean, Ginny laughed inwardly. Then she cursed because that money had been meant to last her the rest of the week.
Turning back around to get her bag out of the water she gasped as she realised it had floated just out of her reach.
"No, no, no." she moaned, reaching towards it. She grabbed hold of some reeds and reached out further, straining her muscles.
"Just a little closer. . ." She groaned. Without warning the reeds snapped and Ginny had time to yelp out a quick,
". . . too close!" -before tumbling head first into the lukewarm murky water of the pond. Gasping for breath as she came up, she grabbed hold of her bag protectively. A few people were laughing and some looked a little worried, but no one offered to help her. Wiping mud from her face and leaving dirty streaks across her face she counted to ten in her head.
She took a step towards the edge of the pond, only to discover that the mud covering the bottom was very deep as she lost her shoe.
"Please no!" Ginny begged no one in particular. She reached down into the mud, unsuccessfully trying to retrieve her lost shoe. Her hand however, caught hold of something slippery, something slippery and moving. Ginny screamed and swam as fast she could towards the edge, her long skirt weighing and slowing her down. She heaved herself up on the edge and collapsed on the dry ground, breathing heavily.
She slowly lifted herself up, almost crying in vexation. This had to be much worse than "one of those days". She began throwing her stuff into her dripping wet bag, at least a quarter of it was filled with mucky water.
At least it can't get worse, Ginny thought dryly.
A raindrop hit her nose.
Just got worse.
Ginny stood tall, pushed her muddy hair back from over her eyes, picked up her wet and slightly heavier bag, looked regretfully down at her bare left foot, hitched up her ugly brown skirt and took slow deliberate steps towards her school through the unforgiving rain.
- - - - - - - - -
"Ginny! Thank Merlin you're here, where have yo- oh my goodness what happened?" Anna Harding, one of Ginny's helper teachers asked when Ginny walked in the door to Enfantes.
Ginny tried to smile, but, failing miserably she just muttered a quick, "Long story."
"Well we were so worried! Jane even Flooed your house in search of you! We've been going out of our minds with concern! The children have been most confused!" Anna exclaimed, taking Ginny's bag for her and tilting her head at the water inside it. Ginny rolled her eyes discreetly. Anna had the tendency to overreact and get too excited about things. To sum it all up, she was an avid reader of the Which Witch.
"We've been fine." Jane said with a pointed look at Anna. Turning back to Ginny she said, "I did Floo you but you weren't home so I assumed you were caught up somewhere." Jane was the exact opposite to Anna and had little respect for Anna too. Then again, Jane respected no one except for Ginny.
"I think I am right in saying that you're having a bad day?" Jane asked, taking in Ginny bedraggled state with a slight touch of sympathy.
Ginny just nodded her head and fell into one of the armchairs.
"Shouldn't someone be watching the children?" Ginny asked as Anna rushed towards her with a cup of coffee, some of it slopping over the edges. Anna almost dropped the mug and looked mortified.
"Right away!" Anna blubbered, almost running towards the children.
"The children are fine," Jane assured her, eyeing Anna distastefully. "You're lucky today was the day you hired a wizard to come in and do tricks for them."
"Oh yes!" Ginny gasped. "Oh Merlin, all my money has been taken." She almost cried, throwing herself back again in her seat. She was still dripping wet, her skirt smelled oddly like mud and ducks and she could feel dirt underneath her no longer red cardigan.
"Taken?" Jane asked quizzically.
Ginny flapped her hand dismissively, wearily getting up to join the children. She smiled as the children's happy faces turned towards her with joy, running to greet her.
- - - - - - - -
"Tommy please!" Ginny begged.
"No."
"Please?"
"No."
"Tommy, just put the wand down." Ginny almost cried, wringing her hands. It was late in the afternoon and there were only a few kids left, so Ginny was the only teacher present. She had gone to the door for a second to say good-bye to one of the parents when Tommy had seized the moment to grab the wand from Ginny's draw, without her knowledge at the time. Then, walking back to the tables, she had been horrified to see Tommy on top of one of the chairs and pointing her wand at the other terrified children.
Now he was in front of Ginny and pointing at her, after destroying half the room with her wand.
"No."
"I'll give you a treat." Ginny tried, making it sound like she was awarding him a medal.
"No."
"For me?"
"No." Ginny groaned inwardly; trust that he was the only one unsusceptible to her charm.
"Come on Tommy, otherwise your Mommy and Daddy won't let you come back." Ginny said with raised eyebrows and a wagging finger.
"Mommy and Daddy let me do anything." Tommy said with the air of one who has just won an important battle.
Can't argue that, Ginny thought wryly.
"Tommy put the wand down now!" Ginny yelled, finally losing most of her composure.
Big mistake.
Tommy looked triumphant. "You shouldn't yell at me." He said cheekily and pointed the wand at Ginny's desk, causing it to topple over and papers to fly everywhere. The remaining children screamed, cowering in the corner.
I cannot believe this kid is only six, Ginny thought despairingly.
"Tommy please put it down!" Ginny yelled again, making a leap towards him. Tommy jumped off the chair and pointed his wand at a vase of flowers and laughed as it exploded and water and glass flew through the air.
Ginny shielded her face with a yelp, wishing with all her might that someone would rescue her and the rest of the children. Tommy pointed the wand again, this time at all his mate's bags and lunchboxes, cackling as food flew everywhere.
Tommy turned his head, looking for something else to destroy. Ginny's eyes widened, and, as if in slow motion as he raised his wand towards the paintboxes and she let out a scream.
"No, Tommy no!"
- - - - - - - -
It's good to be back, he thought with a smile, looking upon the familiar scenery with pleasure. He strode down the street of Muggle London, on his way to visit some old friends.
Crossing the street, he happened to glance at a bunch of girls walking in his direction and immediately regretted this when one of their faces dawned with recognition and began nudging her friends. What are wizards doing in Muggle London? he asked himself as he tried to avoid them unsuccessfully.
"Oh my gosh, it's him!" one of them shrieked.
"Who?"
"Harry Potter!"
"Oh my Merlin! Harry Potter! It's Harry Potter, Becky!"
"I know! Quick, distract him while I get my camera!"
Harry began running, looking back to see them following, the camera apparently forgotten.
"Quick! Oh my gosh, just wait until Mum hears I was within five feet of Harry Potter!"
He cursed and looked around, looking for somewhere to hide. He turned down a smaller street yet still busy street and looked around frantically. Sure he loved fans, but the scary ones well. . . scared him. Seeing a large brick red building in front of him and realising it was the only place to go as the girls would turn the corner any minute now, he ran up the stairs and inside it without any hesitation.
Harry opened the large wooden doors quietly, stepping inside and watching as the group of girls ran by still in hysterics. He heard shrieking and screaming coming from the door in front of him and leant his ear against the door. The yelling continued so he opened the doorhandle and stepped inside.
His eyes were met with quite a scene in front of him. There were overturned chairs and desks, glass and papers everywhere and for some odd reason paint splattered all over the wall and floor as well. Harry raised an eyebrow as he supposed it was a school of some sort. There were about four children huddled together by the far wall while a young, red-haired woman in grandma clothing pleaded against a wickedly grinning blonde child who was holding a wand on her.
Their faces all turned towards him as he closed the door behind him, the woman's showing some relief.
There was silence for a second before Harry asked politely,
"Do you need any help?"
The blonde boy holding the wand on the woman looked at him curiously, lowering the wand slightly.
"That may be useful." The woman said weakly, keeping one eye on the wand.
"At your service." Harry said with a smile. This woman was quite pretty, even if she did wear grandma clothes.
"Th-" The woman started but stopped when she saw the blonde boy move. The other children were looking at the scene with more interest rather than fear.
The boy seemed to have taken this as a challenge from Harry and he narrowed his still curious eyes and pointed the wand at the strange man. Harry raised an eyebrow and pulled out his wand.
The boy waved the wand and the rug tried to move from beneath Harry. Harry, expecting something of the sort, muttered an incantation as he stepped off the rug and it went over to the boy and swept under him, holding him in the air.
"I believe you owe your teacher an apology." Harry said, moving the rug up and down with his wand.
"Oh don't hurt him!" the woman cried, distress showing on her youthful face.
"Of course not, only teaching." Harry winked.
He moved his wand again and sent the rug zooming around the room, much to the terror and awe of the boy.
"Careful!" the woman warned, wringing her fair hands together.
Harry didn't answer her as he slowly bounced the boy up and down again, the boy looked like he regretted his actions now as he turned a sickly shade of green.
"Oh do put him down!"
Harry nodded as he slowly watched the rug hover down slowly to the ground. The boy looked up at him, looking mortified and scared at the same time. He dropped the wand and it rolled over to Ginny's feet. She picked it up and looked over at the strange man and Tommy.
The boy's features suddenly changed from shock to admiration. "I know you!" he exclaimed.
Harry smiled, helping the shaking boy up slightly. "Most people do."
I don't, Ginny thought but didn't say. But there was something familiar about the rakish tenderness of the black unruly hair.
"I want your autograph!" the child suddenly demanded.
"Firstly, take a look around. Secondly, there is something you have to say to your teacher." The man said. Ginny bit back a grin. Tommy hated being told what to do; this guy was in for it. To her surprise though, Tommy didn't put up any argument as he swept a quick embarrassed look around the ruined room and then to his teacher. Ginny started in shock as he said.
"I'm sorry Miss." He mumbled, staring at something on the floor that seemed to have caught his eye.
"It's quite alright Tommy." Ginny replied, fingering her wand and staring at the man.
"Now can I have the autograph?" Tommy swallowed then added, "Please?"
"Course." The man said, winking at Ginny.
"Hope you don't mind Miss. . .?" he asked her.
"I'm Virginia, and no I don't mind in the least." She smiled.
"Virginia, beautiful name. I knew a Virginia once, but she wasn't as pretty as you." he grinned. Ginny nodded, not flirting back. He took a piece of paper off the floor and scribbled something down on it, the boy watched with eagerness as his hero wrote. Ginny walked over and read behind the man, wondering who on earth he was.
To Tommy,
Next time you hold your teacher at wand point, remember her desk is her most precious object.
Harry Potter
Ginny turned pale and gasped. The man turned around and smiled her.
"Anything the matter?" he asked, worried. Ginny eye's widened as she took in his scar, which hadn't been visible from where she had been standing.
"H-Harry?" she stammered, taking deep breaths and slowly backing away.
"One and only."
"Oh." She whispered as she collapsed on the floor in a faint.
"Miss Weasley has never fainted before." One of the students commented, looking as if this was a very scandalous thing.
"Weasley?" Harry whispered, in shock.
[Hehe, amusing no? Please review, I was kind of confused because I am on the author alerts of more than one hundred people yet am only getting thirty reviews. It's just a bit mystifying . . . people I don't mind if you just leave one word! Just review – you wouldn't believe the difference it makes.]
Thanks to: Hippie-Banana, Hippie-Banana, JamieBell, Smiley Mcfay, glitter8262, Fancyeyes, Dk Lili, littlegoober, magic sparkle 1, VoicezWithin, Goldilocks31890, GinnyPotter08, dracoisahottie13, solar1, DanielLover4Lyfe,
Swishy Willow Wand – lovely to see you again, I did notice you weren't around. Lol, don't die!
Naz1 – her family just wants to protect her. When Ginny and Harry broke up, Ginny was very upset. No, I don't mind your "babbling", it was a good question and I'm not entirely sure it was a good answer. However, it is the answer. Well, Neville and Luna will be in the next chapter, and then a bit in the chapter after that.
Hecate Aiwe – Very glad to see another review, trust me. No, there was no subtlety in the mysterious person being Harry, it was meant to be completely obvious, though hopefully not completely stupid. Yes, somehow, if I tried to make Ron romantically propose, I think he would become terribly OOC. (Though I think some of my characters get ooc occasionally. I do think the chapters will "hopefully" get longer too. I remember when I began What About Me (the prequel) I had about 900-1000 words p/ch and by the end of it I was doing about 7000 words.
Sarah Noisette – Oh, that will be extremely amusing to see Colin Firth's brother! You've gotten me even more excited to see it now. I did German for a while – absolutely hated it. Hope you did ok in it thought. I haven't read the book you mentioned but I will look into it, from our conversation all that time ago we seemed to have the same taste in books.
Deer boy – purple and green??! That's a tad scary. Lmao about Harry sitting on Ginny's bed, it kinda seems like random thing I would do/write actually. Unfortunately we don't see that much of Harry in this chapter, nor do we see any of him in the next chapter. However, the party in ch. 5 is where they truly meet. You have a trampoline? is deeply jealous I have always wanted one, when we stayed at these people's house they had a huge round one and I was on it 24/7 eating, sleeping and of course. . . jumping.
miss ray317 – we'll get to meet Jason in ch. 5, and yes he is very sweet. I like him a lot, but I like Harry much better.
CrazedChipmunk – EEP! No, neither Fred nor George will die, never ever, ever. The person to die isn't someone terribly important yet. . . they kind of are important. It will hurt some people more than other but don't worry, it doesn't happen till about Ch. 20 or something.
Hpgoldensnitch – good guess about the party, how G&H meet there is very amusing. There is no way I could have made Ron romantic, I would have stuffed it up completely. But there will be romance, so don't you worry.
HannahLuLu – I noticed there was someone else with the same name, the only way I told you apart was because you are the one who likes Louise. Uh, no I think Percy was part of the family in WAM, you can check if you like though – I may be wrong. He's needed in this story however so if he wasn't in the family in WAM then in this fic they're solved all problems. Sorry there wasn't too much Harry in this chapter.
IndiaInk – it must be sad because it must be sad, however that does not necessarily mean it will be a sad ending, because it won't be. I love happy endings. I think everyone knows H&G will get back together, that was the whole point of writing this lol.
Laura Kay – Yes yes, I did misspell it. I only remember now (after you told me) that it had 2 e's. I am too lazy to go back and change it however, I'll remember that though.
JuNiSGiRl – thankyou so so so much for understanding how hard it is to get out chapters quickly! I hope this chapter passes expectations, I put it out even without one of my BETA's because of your review.
LiZzIe-WeAsLeY - gives hug Hello hello! I will Never make it a sad ending, it would depress me way too much. No matter how sad this fic gets, the ending will be happy. I'm afraid it is quite sad though, and starts getting so in about chapters 9 & 10. Yeah, the first chapter was boring, I agree, but it was mostly a "setting of the story" chapter. I'm sorry to say that Bree will be throughout the book, she is a part of the plot. I'd pick Harry over Jason too, yet Jason is sweet in his own way. Glad my writing has improved and I'm glad to see you again. I was quite scared you wouldn't be reading this fic.
Miss Sammieh – yes, you are supposed to know it was Harry. That was the point in my none-too-subtle way. Hehe, yeah. . . I am so relieved this fic is not called What About You. It is "Corny" as you said truthfully. Question: Are you a telepathic mind-reader or something like that? How on earth did you know I sung? Because I do. . . often too. Hmm interesting.
Kaitee – the longest review of all. I am very pleased you liked the prequel, and respect I was able to finish it. I think in a way I didn't, because by the end I was almost writing 2 different stories. I came back from holiday with all these new ideas and the fic changed completely. Hehe, I really loved Louise as an angel, she makes an appearance in this fic too (not until the end though). I don't really like Hilary Duff herself but I do like her music, even if it's a bit fake. . . sometimes. The movie you're thinking about with the mud angels is Snow Day, that scene has stuck in my mind for a long time. There is a similar scene in this fic too, except with snow this time. Well, maybe. Yes, I have huge annoying author notes. I can't help it though, I love getting to know all reviewers.