Disclaimer: If I were J. K. Rowling, I wouldn't be writing right now. I would be basking in the fame of book six.
A/N: Here's another chapter! I'm not even going to make excuses. I'm just a lazy person. Heh. Read on! …Important note at the bottom.
Back Into My Heart
Chapter Four: Distraction
"…In this world there's real and make believe…"
- Three Doors Down
"Cath," Ginny whispered loudly, shaking her friend awake.
"Whaddya want?" She still had her face buried in her pillow.
"We need to leave for the train station in three hours."
"So what? I'm already packed," Cathy mumbled.
"Let's get some hot chocolate before everyone else wakes up," said Ginny excitedly.
"Why?" whined Cathy. She propped herself up on her elbows, still laying down.
"Because, after today, we won't see each other for another week and a half!" Ginny complained. "Plus, it's really cold and neither of us are about to go back to sleep, so hot chocolate is perfect!"
Cathy snorted. "Well, I think I could go back to sleep. For another two hours."
"I can't though. Come on, get up already!"
"Don't get your knickers in a twist," Cathy said irritably.
Ginny smiled sheepishly. "Sorry about all that."
"Eh, let's just get some hot chocolate." Cathy stood up from her mattress and followed Ginny, tiptoeing, into the kitchen.
Ginny carefully summoned two glasses from the counter, while Cathy looked in the cupboard for milk and chocolate.
"This is actually pretty fun," Cathy admitted.
"Yeah. When's the last time you were out of bed before dawn?" Ginny asked and took another sip of her drink.
"Oh, I don't know. Maybe when I was eight? Oh, no! The first day of Hogwarts. I was up at four in the morning," Cathy laughed.
"I stayed up until two in the morning thinking about it, overslept, and almost made everyone late," Ginny said, grinning.
"We're never having a first day of Hogwarts again…" said Cathy sadly.
"I will." Ginny smiled. "I'm going to fail N.E.W.T.s!"
"No you're not, Gin! You're the one of the best witches in our year. We'll both pass," Cathy said confidently.
"Yeah, I know we will. Even though I refuse to study on Christmas break."
"Most people are using it as a free time to study. I'll probably work on Potions without having to be in the stuffy old library or the dungeons." Cathy groaned at the thought of Potions and gulped down the rest of her hot chocolate.
"Good idea. Not that I'm going to study though…" Ginny shrugged and got the both of them more hot chocolate.
"You really should. N.E.W.T.s do count quite a bit," said Cathy.
"Yeah, but we have six months 'til then. Plus, I have really good notes. And Easter vacation," Ginny said carelessly.
"I guess. Six months is a good bit of time. And we haven't even reached half of the school year." Cathy smiled her thanks to Ginny, who had refilled both mugs.
"Uh huh. I love hot chocolate."
"We should do this at Hogwarts. Even though we aren't supposed to go down to the kitchens, I don't think it'll be a problem to anyone," Cathy convinced herself.
"Of course not. Do you know how many times Fred and George went there? Not to mention Harry and Ron." Ginny stumbled over Harry's name, which Cathy noticed but ignored.
"That's good, because I bet Hogwarts has even better hot chocolate than you could make," Cathy teased.
"Pretty likely," Ginny confessed. "But my chocolate's not bad."
"I'd probably burn down your house trying to make it."
Ginny nodded. "Even though there's no oven needed, you might actually."
Cathy and Ginny giggled for a moment, knowing what Ginny said was true. Cathy wasn't a very good chef…
Ginny got up from her seat at the kitchen table and looked out the window. The sun was barely starting to shine through from behind the trees that separated the Burrow from the village.
"It's brilliant, isn't it?" said Ginny, aware that Cathy standing behind her now.
"Beautiful," she agreed, also gazing out the window.
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"Got all your things ready, dear?" Mrs. Weasley called upstairs to Cathy.
She waited a moment for an answer, but heard nothing from Ginny's room.
"Dear?" she asked louder. Mrs. Weasley frowned, and began walking upstairs.
In the room she found both sprawled out, halfway on the mattress. She glanced over and saw that Cathy was all packed. The girls were dressed, and Mrs. Weasley assumed they had fallen asleep in their clothing. She decided to give them a few more minutes of repose and walked out the door, closing it softly.
Ginny stirred upon hearing the door close, and looked up quickly, noticing the light coming through her window.
She shook Cathy's shoulders hurriedly. "We fell asleep! Time to go!"
"Whaaa?" Cathy rolled over, ignoring Ginny.
"We slept late," Ginny said clearly, right into her ear. "We need to leave now!"
Cathy sat up, almost hitting Ginny with her head.
"Sorry," she said, springing up. "We fell asleep again!"
"Yeah. Wonder why Mum hasn't come in yet." Ginny opened their door.
"We didn't leave that open, did we?" Cathy frowned.
"I don't think so. We're dressed already and you're packed. Breakfast time. You like hot chocolate?"
Cathy flashed a grin. "Not after six cups. We can just get pancakes. What time is it, anyway?"
"Not sure. We can go check though." Ginny grabbed her friend's hand and they ran downstairs.
"Mum!" Ginny said, finding her in the kitchen, already making pancakes.
"Oh, you're awake. I was just about to come get you two. You're packed?" she asked Cathy, who nodded. "Good. And both of you are dressed. You fell asleep in your clothes?"
"Er, no. We had woken up, but fell back asleep after we got dressed. Pancakes almost ready?"
Cathy and Ginny took a seat at the table, which was already set and ready to eat from except for the pancakes.
"One moment. Everyone is asleep still; though I suspect Hermione is awake and reading or something in her room." Mrs. Weasley turned around and continued cooking. "Go ahead and get all the way ready to go until the meal is done."
Cathy and Ginny came back down the stairs ten minutes later, their hair brushed and shoes on, just as the pancakes were set out on the table.
They quickly consumed a stack of pancakes, along with some bacon and pumpkin juice.
"Wow, that was great, Mrs. Weasley," Cathy complimented, finishing the last bite of her meal.
"Oh, thank you, dear." Mrs. Weasley waved it off, but her cheeks turned pink. "Are you two sure you can go to the village station by yourselves?" she asked carefully.
"Of course, Mum. We'll take our wands." Ginny discreetly rolled her eyes where only Cathy could see.
"Go ahead and get Cathy's things, then."
Cathy started up the stairs, but Ginny summoned the bag down. "Accio luggage!"
"Thanks," Cathy said, grabbing her bag.
They walked outside. It was now eleven o'clock in the morning, and Cathy's train left at noon.
"Okay, it's going to take us thirty minutes to get there, and the rest we can get you on the train and say good-bye and good riddance and that stuff," Ginny said jokingly with a grin on her face.
"I am so incredibly not looking forward to going home," Cathy groaned. "The rest of break will be filled with studying, because I am not a Straight O Student."
"How about five minutes on every subject a day, and no more?"
"Mum and Dad will make me. You know that!" Cathy raised her eyebrows at Ginny.
"So read something else. Pretend you're studying. You're bright enough to think of something entertaining!" said Ginny.
"And if all else fails, I could always write you a letter." Cathy laughed.
"I'd hope so. I'll just bombard you with owls until you write back. Or I'll get Pigwidgeon to annoy you to hell and back until you write," Ginny threatened, shaking her fist, but trying to hold back a smile.
"You'd better not! I'll write Fred and George on you!"
"They wouldn't listen to you," Ginny said, not so confidently.
"Then I'll write Harry a letter…" Cathy only smiled sweetly.
Ginny quickly interuppted. "So you'll write the twins and Harry a letter, but not me?"
"All I'd need to write is a short little note… Fred, kill your sister or Harry, Ginny loves you!" Ginny turned a brilliant shade of red and Cathy covered her mouth. "I- I meant likes! Seriously, Ginny, don't even think about love. We're just seventeen, for Merlin's sake!"
"It's fine, Cath," Ginny reassured her in a faint voice.
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Ginny didn't know why the word love bothered her so bad. She just didn't want to think that all of a sudden she realized she fancied Harry, and the next day she was in love with him.
She and Cathy walked together to the village, mostly in silence.
"I'll write you as soon as I get home," Cathy said, as they walked into the village.
"You'd best!"
"So what are you going to do the rest of today?" she asked, shifting her bag to her other arm.
"Nothing at all!" Ginny laughed. "Probably eat lunch at the village and hang around here for a while, then go home and go to sleep. What about you?"
"Unpack and write you, of course," Cathy said obviously.
"Good." Ginny nodded her approval.
"Yeah. You're eating lunch by yourself?" Cathy scrunched up her eyebrows.
"Oh, no. I'll get one of the old men at the pharmacy to be my hot date."
"Only you would do that, Gin," Cathy teased.
"Better than going alone," she shot back.
"I suppose so. Where will you eat?"
"At a little café near the train station, most likely. Their pumpkin pie is the best." Ginny closed her eyes, imagining it, but almost tripped over a root.
Cathy tried to hide her giggle, but Ginny noticed and pushed her playfully.
"You're clumsier than me! Don't you laugh!" Ginny defended herself, grinning.
"That's why it's good to laugh at you."
Ginny just rolled her eyes and said, "Yeah, whatever."
"Hey,what time is it?" Ginny asked suddenly.
"Er, about ten minutes until twelve. Ten minutes to get on the train," Cathy said, glancing at her watch.
"'Kay. Got your ticket?" Ginny asked, looking around at the station, which they had just reached.
"Yeah. I'd better get on the train now… I'll see you at the platform in a while." Cathy hugged Ginny tightly.
"Great. Oh, yeah! I'm sending your Christmas present to you by owl," Ginny caught her friend by the arm and said.
"Yeah! Me too. Happy Early Christmas!" said Cathy cheerfully.
"You too!" Ginny grinned and hugged Cathy one more time. "Have fun the rest of the holidays!"
Cathy smiled, turned around, and began walking to the train. Ginny waited where she was until the train started going. She laughed when she saw Cathy from behind a train window. They both waved furiously at each other until the train left.
Ginny stood with the rest of the crowd for a moment, watching the spot where she had last seen the train.
"Seeing off your friend?" a voice asked near her.
Ginny turned around, startled, to see a young man standing next to her. She smiled at him, having seen him before in the village. It was the guy she and Cathy were talking about before.
"Oh, yeah. She'd been visiting me," Ginny explained, studying him closer.
"I'm Paul Zeighler." He reached out his hand and Ginny shook it, grinning.
"Hey, I'm Ginny Weasley."
"So are you going back home now?" Paul asked, looking interested and smiling sincerely.
"Er, actually I was just about to eat lunch. Going home after that, though," Ginny said, smiling back. "I live a half-hour's walk from here."
"I live just outside the village. Over that way." He pointed to the opposite side of the village from them.
"Oh, okay," said Ginny, beginning to wonder if he was interested in her. Harry wasn't interested in dating right now anyway…
As the two talked for another few minutes, Ginny was certain Paul liked her at least a little bit. She was perfectly happy with that; Paul was a nice guy that she could talk to easily.
"I'm getting hungry," Ginny said, noticing for the first time.
"Well, it's twelve-thirty. Do you want to get something to eat with me?" asked Paul, smiling hopefully.
Ginny bit her lip. "Er, sure," she agreed, after a second. "There's a nice little café right over there."
"One of my favorites. I love their pumpkin pie." Paul grinned, and the two began walking to the restaurant.
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By the time Ginny's lunch was over and the pumpkin pie was being brought out, she was sure that Paul was a wonderful guy. Ginny didn't think of Harry once during the time she was with him.
"So you've got how many brothers?" Paul asked amazedly.
"About six, I think," said Ginny, with a serious expression on her face that soon went away when they both began laughing.
"I'm an only child," he told when they stopped and he caught his breath.
"That would be so different for me… I can't imagine being an only child," Ginny said thoughtfully.
"I can't imagine having six brothers!" Paul look stunned for a moment and continued eating his pumpkin pie.
"It's crazy sometimes," admitted Ginny. "But I don't live with most of them anymore."
"They've all moved out?" he questioned.
"Yeah. But three of them –Ron, George, and Fred- are spending Christmas at home. Along with Ron's girlfriend and his friend Harry." Ginny tried desperately to sound nonchalant as she mentioned Harry, and she didn't think Paul noticed anything.
"I'm only spending the holidays with my Dad. He's got a break from… work," Paul said.
"Where does he work?"
"He's an au- author. Dad writes books," Paul explained, with an odd look on his face.
It had sounded like he was going to say auror, but Ginny dismissed it. She didn't want to ask if he was a wizard, because there was a good chance he was a muggle. She would find out later.
"What do your parents do?" Paul changed the subject.
"Mum doesn't work, but Dad works in some government office," Ginny said carefully.
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"This is a nice place to live," Paul commented.
He had insisted on walking Ginny to the Burrow, and she only hoped nothing magical would be visible.
"Yeah, it's pretty good." Again Ginny thought of being at Hogwarts. "My school is much better though."
"You're graduating in June, right?"
"Yes, the last one in my family. I'll miss the school…" Ginny said, the corners of her lips slightly turned down.
Paul only smiled, looking around at the Burrow. Ginny could see again that his eyes went away from the house, and instead looked over the pleasant-looking yard. She felt a pang of embarassment from being poor again, although the Weasleys did have a bit more money than they used to.
"Ginny! Oh, you brought a friend?" Mrs. Weasley came bustling out the house, surprised, though Ginny knew she had been watching them since they came in view from the kitchen window.
"This is Paul, Mum," Ginny introduced him when Mrs. Weasley had come over to them.
"Hello, Paul, dear." Mrs. Weasley looked at Paul, then at Ginny questioningly.
"He's from the village," Ginny hinted, trying to explain that he might be a muggle. Mrs. Weasley understood and nodded.
"Well. You really should come for dinner sometime!"
"I'd love to, Mrs. Weasley," Paul said, glancing at Ginny.
"Yes, well, I'll see you another time, then." Mrs. Weasley turned and went back inside, where Ginny was sure she still watched them from the window.
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Harry and Ron had spent the morning with Hermione out in the yard, not doing much. They had gone to the lake that was nearby the Burrow, and decided to go for a swim in the afternoon when Ginny came back.
At one-thirty, when Ginny wasn't back yet, Harry left Ron and Hermione sitting by the lake to see if she came back. He walked a few minutes to the Burrow, and went in the back door.
"Mrs. Weasley, is Ginny back yet?" Harry asked, finding her in the kitchen.
"Yes, she just got back. She's outside dear," Mrs. Weasley looked up from her cleaning and said. She pointed out the front door, and Harry went to the front yard.
He saw Ginny standing in the yard, talking and laughing with some guy he didn't know. Harry tried to get a better look at them, but he didn't want them to see him, so he stayed where he was.
Harry couldn't hear what they were saying, but he didn't need to hear. Ginny's face looked happy, and he could tell the guy liked her a lot. Harry found it strange that Ginny took Cathy to the train station and came back flirting with some unfamiliar guy.
He knew it was no big deal; Ginny had boyfriends before and it had never mattered. Maybe it was because it was someone he didn't know… but Harry didn't like seeing them together. Of course, he could never fancy her. He didn't fancy anyone!
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"I'll owl you later. I'd like to see you again," Paul said softly.
"Okay. I'll see you soon then." Ginny bit her lip, not sure what to say. She liked Paul a lot, and she was glad she would be seeing him again.
"Bye, then." Paul didn't move. Both just stood there, looking at each other.
Ginny was going to smile and walk back inside, but Paul leaned towards her and quickly kissed her on the cheek. Ginny grinned, her whole face turning pink, and watched as Paul smiled and turned around. She waited while he walked away, and faced her house.
Harry was walking out the back of the house towards the lake, where she guessed Ron and Hermione were. She knew he had seen her, but he didn't know she had seen him. What was he thinking? Ginny knew he didn't like her, but why was he looking confused? She had had boyfriends before…
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A little seven-year-old girl ran home from the village square sobbing. Her bare feet became filthy running along a dirt road to a small cottage on the edge of the village.
"Momma! Momma!" she shrieked, running into the empty cottage.
The small girl found no one was home, and threw herself down on one of the torn sofas. She cried fearful tears for a while, and sat up startled when the door slammed shut.
"What did you do?" roared the man who had just walked in.
"I didn't mean to," she whimpered.
"Lorelai! What did you do?" he asked again, coming closer to where she was.
"I messed up Johnny's face," the girl, Lorelai, said softly, hanging her head. She looked up, stains of tears all over her wet face. "I didn't mean to, Daddy. I'm sorry."
"There are boils all over my son's face! Don't call me 'daddy,' you ungrateful little brat." Hate was written all over the man's face, who was unsympathic.
"I didn't mean to!" she said again, burying her face in the couch cushion. "He was teasing me and Grace and Missy again!" said her muffled voice.
"I told you to stop your unnatural pranks! I don't want to see any more of this nonsense!"
"I won't, Daddy, I won't," Lorelai assured him hopefully.
"No… you will. You'll keep doing it. So, until you can stop, get out of my house!" her father said, his face colored with rage.
He started walking towards her, and she jumped up in terror and ran out the door.
A/N: There you go! Yes, I know it was five days late… I'll try to get the next chapter up Monday, before I go to the beach. If I don't, you can know I tried. And I know this chapter was short, but it's all I had planned.
Responses to Reviews:
forgetyourwatch: Thank you so much! Heh, nice name.
ginny-wannabee: lol. Wonderful song! Yes, she does like Harry. But she likes Paul, too… Don't worry, it'll be Harry in the end! And more Harry in the next chapter…
Arianna of Bellezza: Thank you for two reviews! Sorry about the other guy, but I needed more drama in it. Don't worry though, Harry will end up with Ginny in the end of the story! Please keep reading…
GiGiFanFic: Thanks for a great review! You're really getting the whole storyline! Ginny will be realizing more and more… and Harry will get the guts later in the story. Hehe.
EternalEcho: Yeah, I love the Weasleys! Ginny has Paul… she'll be happy, but not as happy as she should be with Harry. Eventually she'll be with Harry…
Luna Lovegood2: Yeah, I know! Haha. Thanks for reviewing!
Madoleine Tolkein: I've emailed you…
Lizzy: Thanks a bunch!
A/N: I got nine reviews for this chapter! This story is getting a ton of hits, but only a few people are reviewing. Please review; I swear to Merlin it makes me write ten times faster. Also, I'm going to change my pen name to FirstDaysOfSummer soon, so make a note of that please.