Disclaimer: Nothing is mine, I merely play.
Authors note: Ok guys, I was flip flopping on wether to post this chapter, but what the heck. Later on Ginny is actually a character, and so I thought I'd try to flesh it out. She's stuck between her childhood crush and idyllically raised in the wizarding world that harry potter is a big deal, but also she's got that Weasley pig headedness thats gotta show itself sooner or later?
Ginny knew she was primarily a bystander. She tried to get Harry to notice her, being as bright and funny as she could, but all of this war of the worlds was not helping her cause to get her hero to notice her. She knew it was cliché, but since Harry had saved her from the chamber of secrets, she felt like every boy she dated was put under the spotlight (ok only 2 boys, but still) and scrutinized by her subconscious, and they never measured up to Harry.
He was tan, in a light golden way that was odd for British boys. His floppy black hair was never combed, but it made him look boyish, and sweet, even when his eyes were flashing angrily. And all that quidditch made for a toned body, not that Ginny had ever looked, because according to her mother she was way to young for that kind of thing.
But still. She did try to move on, Hermione said that mooning over him would never get his attention, and so she focused on the boys in her grade, on making friends, and trying to be popular, like Cho.
She buttered her toast, trying to flip her hair just so, so it would catch the light, and while that did indeed work, she also ended up getting butter in her hair. Harry was reading that paper over Ron's shoulder, so of course he didn't noticed her hair catching the light or anything, but at least he didn't see her get butter in her hair.
Romilda snickered, and handed Ginny a napkin, but to Ginny's satisfaction, Jack Sloper's eyes had followed her hair, and he politely averted his eyes while she smeared the butter out of her hair.
"Where d'you think Dumbledore is?" Demelza was spacing out, at the head table. She had a habit of spacing out and staring when she was thinking, and so Dem ended up noticing a lot of things.
Ginny frowned and looked up at the head table. Snape was also gone, but no one would miss that, now would they? Not now that the Slytherin table was sparsely populated, anyways. Good riddance too, Ginny's mum had told her that there wasn't an evil wizard alive that wasn't in Slytherin.
"Probably meeting with school governors or something?" It was a long shot, but Ginny couldn't really think of anywhere the Head of School might be. Old men need breakfast too, after all.
"He's been gone for almost a week now, though."
"Really?" Ginny frowned, trying to remember if she'd seen him in a week. Demelza was right, his seat had been empty. She glanced at Harry, wondering if he knew what was happening. He probably did, the staff trusted him with everything, they could see how good he was too.
Victoria rolled her eyes, used to Ginny mooning and Dem staring all through breakfast. "Come on, let's make sure we don't have to sit in the back of transfiguration."
And with that, Victoria herded her friends out of the dining hall, leaving Romilda to moon at Harry all on her own.
That evening at dinner, Ginny was delighted when Ron plopped down on the bench next to her. It meant that Harry and Hermione sat across from them. Ginny told her best centaur joke, and it made Ron nearly snort pumpkin juice out of his nose, and Harry gave her a bright, happy smile that made her heart melt.
Across the table, using Hermione to stay out of Harry's sight line, Victoria pretended to swoon, while Dem and Jack laughed, and Ginny shot them her best dirty look.
It was right at this moment that a very grim looking Professor McGonagall stood up. "My children, it is my utmost regret to inform you, that our head of school has gone missing. For almost a week his absence has been something the staff has been trying to investigate, but we cannot locate him, and all attempts at communication have been unsuccessful."
Ginny turned, her shocked eyes meeting with Demelza's and then to Harry. Harry's bright eyes looked suddenly stormy, his expression set, his handsome jawline strong, as it always did in the face of trouble. Hermione looked pale and drawn, her lips pursed nervously. Ginny turned to her older brother, hoping to find comfort in his usually easy going happy face, but he looked pale under his freckles, and his brow was furrowed, his eyes meeting Harry's squarely.
She knew that look. They would go be up to something, and Mum would be beside herself with worry, and Da would get protective of her, and Ginny would be left behind again, as usual. And it happened all the time, and she hated it. Why did she always have to be left behind?