Ginny woke to golden rays of sun piercing through pin sized gaps in her drawn red velvet bed curtains. She inhaled the frigid morning air and huddled deeper into the warmth of soft blankets and pillows. Her roommates' slow and steady breath moved in uneven patterns creating a sympathy of inhalations and nasal snorts.
Ginny left her warm bed placing her bare feet on the cold wooden floor, grateful her roommates were asleep. After living together for several days the girls partnered off into little groups which didn't include Ginny. Mira and Beryl were inseparable and talked ad nauseam about boys. Their shared obsession with which boy fancied which girl baffled Ginny. Growing up with six brothers, she could not comprehend their fascination with every boy in their year.
Xenia and Adelaide both came from wealthy families. They spent their childhoods traveling the world and wearing the most fashionable clothing. Ginny felt self-conscious in conversations around one set of robes costing more than her entire hand-me-down wardrobe combined. Everyone was cordial and nice to one another, but the ease of the friendships developing around her felt foreign. It was easier to dress in darkness and keep herself as hidden as her thread barren undershirts and socks.
Today she didn't need to worry about boys, roommates, or clothes. Today she was going to fly. Being a few hours away from dancing in the air electricity pulsed through her veins. These early weeks at Hogwarts was her longest streak off a broom since learning how to pick the shed's lock.
Years of covert practice sessions shroud in darkness and paranoia tuned her senses to an extraordinary level. When flying in the moonlit sky she sailed through the treetops using her senses instead of eyesight. Always cognizant that recognition would result in severe punishment, she had to assess any disturbances on ground. Making split second decisive decisions to ignore a gnome when hearing one skirting through the underbrush but knowing to dive into the apple tree when her father would creek the back door as he snuck into his workshop away from Mum. She smiled remembering all the frantic maneuvers she flawlessly executed to avoid detection over the last five years.
Fully dressed she worked on twisting her hair into tight braids. She practiced telling Oliver she was ready to be the next chaser on the house team. The three older girls performed well enough but like Harry, her flying skills were well beyond her age. She was certain it was enough to secure her a starting spot on the Gryffindor team. All she needed was a chance for someone to notice her.
Grabbing her diary she slipped into the vacant common room. Hermione sat curled next to the fire with her face hidden behind a large rune covered tome. Needing to waste a few minutes, Ginny smiled and lazily reclined into an empty chair.
"Good Morning. How are classes going?" asked Hermione face remaining hidden behind the over-sized cover with her unbridled hair cascading to the sides.
"Alright, I guess. I am learning a lot," said Ginny.
Harry and Ron thundered down the stairs from their dorm. Harry punched Ron in the arm while Ron retaliated by shoving Harry in the back. Their laughter echoed through the empty room. Ginny watched the boys with her gaze fixed on Harry.
"Still struggling to talk to him?" Hermione put down her book with her full attention on Ginny.
Ginny blushed and her relaxed posture turned rigid. She traced the slick gold lines embossed on the black cover with her finger trying to avoid Hermione's piercing stare.
"It's okay you know. He isn't as intimidating as people think. He is down to earth. To be honest, a bit of a headstrong git."
"You would think so. You didn't grow up hearing hundreds of stories about how he saved the world," Ginny stated straightened out of her chair to avoid Hermione's meddling. Hermione shrugged in response and picked up her book.
"Ginny wait don't leave! Come join us for breakfast," Ron said walking behind Hermione's chair.
Harry was in one of his rare jovial moods where he looked young and at ease. His face bore no signs of worry or concern and his smile was goofy and genuine. Maybe Hermione was right, he was a normal boy like her brothers. She could probably even talk to him about Quidditch and flying. How he could catch any snitch. How he saved the entire wizarding world. How he alone ended the first Great Wizarding War...
Her face turned crimson. No, no, no, she told herself. Get a hold of yourself. Today is too important. Don't lose your nerve. She opened her mouth to try and respond but nothing came out. Standing slack-jawed she looked between three sets of expectant eyes.
"Appointment," she croaked running out of the common room. Her heart was pounding against her chest harder than Charlie tenderizing a piece of raw goat meat for his dragons. She walked the rest of the way to the Great Hall willing herself to pull it together. She didn't have time for stupidly adorable boys. Boys with their forest green eyes and warm kind smiles. She pushed away her thoughts knowing she had to get in the sky and show Oliver how talented she was.
The Great Hall was still empty with only a few early breakfast risers. She spent the last few weeks obsessively observing Oliver's dining habits. Guided by militaristic precision, he always started at 6:15 surrounded by his captain notes and left by 6:55 when the tables would start to crowd. Scanning the hall she found Oliver chatting with Fred and George reviewing several rolls of parchment while Percy sat apart reading a textbook.
"Good morning!" Ginny strutted with a surprising level of cheer and confidence for a first year asking for a spot on a full roster. "Percy, Fred, George, Oliver, mind if I join you?"
"Not a problem. Here sit down." George looked up from his parchment to move his bag from a neighboring seat before going back to examining the Quidditch roster for the upcoming year.
"Excellent this is exactly what I wanted to talk to you about," she pointed to his sheet. George looked over while Fred and Oliver stayed focused on several sheets of player formations. Ginny cleared her throat to gather their attention. "As I was saying, you need me on the team."
"As what Gin-Gin our cheerleader? I guess we could use a little spit-fire to boost morale," Fred leaned over to ruffle her head. Ginny darted away with cat-like smoothness so he wouldn't distract her from her mission.
"No, as Chaser. I am brilliant on a broom. Give me five minutes in the sky and you will see what I am saying. I promise it will be worth your time," Ginny stopped talking and waited. Her legs bounced with excitement in her seat.
The three boys stopped and looked at her expectant face. George wore a befuddled expression trying to decide if she was serious or joking. Fred failed to contain a bubbling laugh as his face scrunched and twisted. Oliver barely registered her presence before looking back at his player diagram.
"We can go out right now! I know you have keys to the broom shed Oliver. What do you say?" Ginny struggled to maintain her confident demeanor as nerves flooded through her stomach. Why weren't they packing up to follow her? It was 6:53, right around the time they should be leaving anyway. She didn't count on them not giving her a chance. She could hear her blood roaring in her ears for what felt like an hour waiting for his reply. "Please."
"Well. You see Ginny. I appreciate the enthusiasm...but...well..." Oliver stammered with his discomfort growing. His eyes darted towards her brothers looking for an escape.
"Ginny no. Just because you come from a long family history of greatness you can't bully your way onto the team. Leave Oliver alone. You haven't had your first flying lesson yet to know the stick from straw," Fred explained dismissing her outright. He turned back to the document with Oliver. George looked at her and shrugged half-heartedly.
"Please. Honestly, just five minutes and I will never bring it up again," Ginny said no longer trying to hold onto her confidence and resorting to begging. "Let me try."
"Ginny c'mon, we can't. If we let every ickle-firsty who can't hold a broom audition we would be up to our ears in requests," George said bringing the conversation away from the group. Anger and embarrassment flooded through her. "Why don't you start eating so you won't be late for class. There is always next year or so. Fred and I will help you over Christmas once you learn the basics to get you going."
"Give me a chance! What's the difference between me trying out this year and Harry last?" Ginny yelled losing her cool. Her face flushed with anger and the urge to hex something welled her fist around her wand. Red sparks shot out of the tip. She felt dangerously close to losing control.
"Maturity," said Percy as he lowered his book and cleaned his horned rimmed glasses with a pressed handkerchief. "Ginny, stop before you embarrass yourself and the family."
She forgot Percy was sitting there witnessing her downward spiral from a confident budding Quidditch star to a petulant child throwing a tantrum. Realizing she lost her case, Ginny sat and gathered food on her plate. She tried to ignore the three boys talking about the upcoming season. They gathered their parchment and textbooks leaving her alone in the crowding hall.
Indignation flooded her realizing three of her brothers would not advocate on her behalf. Feeling irate and self-conscious she stabbed her sausage with more ferocity than intended chipping the edge of her plate.
Couldn't they see how much she needed Quidditch? Needed to be a part of the team? Colin was nice but, all he cared about was his camera. He never showed any interest in sports. She loved Luna but, she could only listen for so long about flying snorkblasters, eating kumquats, and other made up things. She had yet to bond with any of her first year classmates.
No, she was alone. Ginny looked at her diary. Maybe this is why her parents gave her Tom. At least she had one person who she understood. She had her Tom.
"Good morning Tom," Ginny wrote frowning with all her plans crashing.
"Good morning Ginny," Tom replaced. "I need a favor, will you help me?"
Ginny smiled, "Yes."