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It was a few days before everything went downhill. Dumbledore was still very alive, Snape was still snootily discriminating, and Harry was still drooling over Ginny.
Ginny wasn’t exactly relishing in the attention, but didn’t know how to tell Harry to let go. She sat staring at her porridge while his hand stroked her arm. She pulled away from him, and smiled her apology. “I just don’t feel well.”
“Should I walk you to the hospital wing?” Harry asked her, pushing his plate in front of him.
“No, I think I’ll take advantage of this Saturday and crawl back into bed for a few more hours.”
“I’ll walk you there.”
No, she wanted to shout. You’re smothering me! Can’t you just let me be? I’m going insane!
“I’m alright; I’ll just see you later.”
She kissed his cheek, and left the table quickly.
Alright, so she lied. She felt just fine, besides the little twinge of guilt now located in her stomach somewhere.
She was so bored with how her life was going she felt like she was just twiddling her thumbs watching her social life float away.
There we no more secret rendezvous to Hogsmeade with different boys every weekend. No more notes passed between classes.
Instead, everyone held her in a different regard now that Harry and she were an item. She was the Girlfriend-Of-The-Boy-Who-Lived.
And if one more person called her “Harry’s Girlfriend,” rather than Ginny, she was going to go absolutely bonkers.
She reached the portrait of the Fat Lady and spoke the password, waiting patiently for the painting to swing open for her. It obliged, after a few minutes of coddling and Ginny stepped inside, walking towards the girls’ dormitory.
She lay on her bed, and threw an arm across her face, wanting to scream. If she could just leave, and go somewhere far away, everything would be wonderful.
Hey! She sat straight up, with a grin on her face. Maybe, she could talk to her mum and maybe with the help of Phlegm, she could be an exchange student for a year at Beauxbatons.
She slumped backwards, imagining how that scene would take place.
“But Mum,” she’d start.
“No.”
“Dad?”
“Talk to you mother.”
“Muuuuum,” would be her whining voice.
“Ginny, please don’t hassle me, you know things are hard right now, and we just can’t afford it.”
Her daydream died away, and she rolled her eyes. The fact that it was a legitimate excuse just made matters worse and she curled up on her side to face the window, frowning. She hated that they were poor.
She felt like drowning in her own self pity.
She rolled out of bed, and walked towards the window, opening it.
“Why do I feel so restless?” she shouted, burying her face in her hands. She leaned out the window, and looked over the edge. The grounds were beautiful. It was getting so warm out, with the scent of flowers in the air. She took in the aroma with her eyes closed, and smiled. Why couldn’t life be this simple all the time?
She opened her eyes just in time to see Pig flying crazily at her, and she moved out of the way as he made a beeline for where she had been just standing.
He dropped the note he was carrying on her bed, and continued flying circles around the dormitory.
She picked it up with a look of curiosity. Her name was scrawled across the front, and she didn’t recognize the handwriting.
“It might not be the right time,
I might not be the right one,
But there’s something about us I want to say,
Because there’s something between us anyway,
Some kind of secret I will share with you.”
Ginny started blankly at the paper.
“What?” she yelled. She looked at the back of the paper, and searched for a signature.
She angrily threw the letter down, mad about the anonymity of it.
Yet again, she was frustrated with how irritated she was with everything, and she threw herself on top of the letter on the bed, yelling into the pillow she landed on.
After the stress-relieving yell, Ginny closed her eyes, yawning.
She snuggled into the warm comforter, and smiled as she smelt the fragrance of her shampoo in the pillow. Soon she was asleep with the thoughts of Harry in the back of her mind.
As the sun moved across the sky, Ginny slept.
She slept until a knocking on the door awoke her, and Hermione popped her head in.
“Are you sure you are okay?”
“Whassamatter?” she asked, groggily lifting her head.
“You’ve been sleeping all afternoon!” Hermione told her, coming in and sitting on the edge of her bed.
“Don’t remind me. I was hoping that I could sleep for the rest of my life. It’s so comforting when you sleep. Nothing exists anymore.”
“I know that the O.W.L.S. are stressing you out, Gin. But you can’t just turn your back on everything. Why don’t you go see Harry? I’m sure he can help you study for a couple of subjects.”
“Yeah, if by study you mean grope me and try sticking his tongue down my throat,” Ginny mumbled, looking at her hands clasped in her lap.
“What was that?” Hermione inquired, leaning forward.
“Nothing,” Ginny replied quickly, flashing her with a smile. “Nothing at all. What time is it?”
“I’d say it’s nearing three. The boys were getting antsy about where you were. Hey, what’s that?”
Ginny looked down to where Hermione’s finger was pointing. The edge of the letter was underneath Ginny’s leg.
Ginny picked it up, and handed it to Hermione. “I don’t know. I got it in the mail after I came up here.”
“Ginny,” Hermione started, as she read through the letter. “This is weird. It’s not from Harry, this isn’t his handwriting.”
“I know. And there’s no signature.”
“A secret.” Hermione started grinning. “I bet you have an admirer! Just don’t tell Harry, he might get a bit jealous,” Hermione jibed, nudging Ginny in the ribs as she sat down next to her.
“That’s not surprising.” Ginny rolled her eyes. “I don’t know, it’s probably just Colin playing a prank on me.”
“That’s really mean. I doubt he’s that cruel.”
“It’s not like it matters. Nobody in the school even thinks about me anymore, unless they’re talking about Harry.”
“That’s not true.”
“Name someone.”
“I bet Malfoy’s been watching his back ever since you gave that Bat-Bogey Hex.”
“As if I want Ferret-boy thinking about me. Talk about disgusting!”
Hermione laughed. “You’re not sick, you little faker.”
Ginny shrugged. “I just need some time to myself, you know? Sometimes I feel like he’s dogging my every footstep.”
“Oh don’t think of it like that. He just really likes you. I thought you’d be happy together.”
“Don’t get me wrong, Hermione. I really do enjoy it; I just feel a little…I don’t know, smothered. I like a little space. I like my privacy. And I don’t have a lot of that with him, and it’s a little nerve-wracking.”
Ginny fell back on her bed, making the note crinkle under her weight.
“I really am stressed out on top of that. O.W.L.S. are coming up quicker than imaginable and I am no where near ready for my Charms exam, no matter how many times Flitwick tells me I’m ready.”
“What are you getting on the performance exams?”
“I’m getting at least getting A’s, but I would love to get an O in Charms. That would be spectacular.”
“Do you want to go study some incantations in the library?”
“Can it be a girls only trip?”
“Of course it can.”
“Wonderful. I’ll be down in just a few minutes. Let me get rid of this bed head.”
Hermione left Ginny alone in the room, and before she took the hairbrush out from her trunk, she picked up the note. A secret?
To say the least, she felt very intrigued.
She walked out the door, and noticed that the stairs were there no longer, but the slide was in their place.
“And whose fault was that?” she asked, after she slid to the ground.
Harry looked sheepish as he wrapped his arms around her, kissing her cheek. “I told you,” Hermione said. “Antsy.”
“We’ll see you boys later,” Ginny said, untangling herself from Harry’s arm.
“Where are you going?” he asked her, holding on just a smidgen tighter.
“To the library. I wanted to get a little studying done.” She pulled just a smidgen harder.
He felt her resistance, and let her go.
“Bye Ron. See you Harry.” She kissed his cheek, hoping to make up for her rudeness.
By the grin on his face as she left, she knew that it more than made up for it and she rolled her eyes. Boys.
Soon they reached the library, and had themselves immersed in the concept of silent charms.
Ginny practiced the levitation charm as Hermione plowed through another book looking for a few strategies.
Wingardium Leviosa! Her inner mind shouted, but still nothing happened.
She was about to bang her head frustratedley on the table when she heard a small cough.
She turned and smiled at him as Hermione looked up as well. “Yes?”
“I was told to give this to you,” the first year told her, a tad nervous. His hand shook as he handed her the note.
“Thank you.” He was gone before she could ask who it was that gave it to him.
She opened it, and read the contents.
“I need you more than anything in my life.”
“Hermione!” Ginny hissed, ducking down and looked around to try and spot anyone who could be watching her. “I got another note!”
Ginny handed it to her, and Hermione furrowed her brow as she read it. “Still no signature.”
“I’m not sure if I should be flattered or really scared.”
“Bugger if I know,” Hermione told her, handing her back the mysterious scrawl of handwriting.
Ginny found that after that she could not concentrate, and soon Hermione and herself made their way toward the Great Hall for dinner.
Ginny sat next to Harry, and smiled. She tried her best to enjoy his company, and conveniently forgot to mention the notes she had been receiving.
She sat back and watched Ron and Hermione bicker, but soon became bored of that. So instead, her eyes scanned the Great Hall, hoping to catch someone watching her, hoping to get a clue as to who was sending her these messages.
There was nothing. Soon, she became frustrated, and decided to go back to the common room.
She sat beneath Harry’s legs, doodling on some parchment as he played Ron in Wizards chess, and soon Colin sat down near her.
“Hey, Creevey,” Ginny called. “Come for a walk with me.”
Harry looked at her, and she kissed his cheek. “I’ll be back in a few minutes. I just need a quick chat with him.”
Harry smiled, and let her go. She grabbed Colin’s arm and tugged him over to one of the quieter corners of the Common Room.
“You haven’t been sending me weird creepy notes, have you?” she demanded.
“What? Ginny, that’s entirely preposterous. I’ve been so busy studying for my O.W.L.S. that I think I might start hooting soon.”
She sighed in frustration. “What kind of notes?” he asked her.
“These kind,” she told him, handing him the two pieces of paper.
He scanned them, his eyes growing big. “Are you sure they’re not from Harry?”
“Positive,” she nodded. “I just don’t know if I should be scared, or flattered.”
“I don’t know either,” he told her. “Just be careful.”
“I plan on it.”
She left Colin standing alone, and went back to sit next to Harry and Hermione. As she stared into the fire, she decided that going to bed might be a good thing.
Upon entering the dormitories, thankfully finding them almost empty, she collapsed on her bed.
But, just like previously that day, when she finally laid down, she heard another crinkle of paper.
“You’re kidding me,” she exclaimed, rolling over and seeing the note smashed into her pillow.
“I want you more than anything in my life.”
At this point, Ginny started to freak out. She looked underneath the bed, and yelled at the other fifth year girl in the room, Teresa. “You didn’t lay this here, did you?” she asked, her voice frighteningly high.
“No. What is it?”
“Nothing, it’s nothing,” Ginny stammered, hiding the note behind her back.
She lay back down, and looked at all three of them.
As creepy as they were, she found herself becoming strangely attached to the idea that maybe she did have a secret admirer.
The next morning when she woke up, she searched all around her bed for another note. She felt a little frustrated when she didn’t find one.
She made her way down the stairs to find Harry waiting for her. “Where are Hermione and Ron?” she asked him.
“They already left. I thought we needed some alone time. I think I’m going somewhere tonight, Gin, and I might not be back for a couple of days.”
“So, Dumbledore is finally taking you with him?”
“I think so,” he told her, and he blew the hair out of his eyes while keeping his hands in his pockets. “I’m not really sure what’s going on, but I hope it’s something good.”
“Don’t do anything stupid,” she warned him, and started toward the portrait opening.
He followed her, with a smile on his face. "I never do anything stupid."
"If you never do anything stupid, like you're claiming, than I am the Queen of England."
"Alright, Your Majesty. What would you like for breakfast this morning?"
Ginny took a deep breath as his fingers moved towards hers. "I'm not that hungry, actually. I think I'm going to go take a walk by the lake."
"But I wanted to spend time with you."
"I need some space sometimes, Harry," she told him. "I just like to be alone. I like my privacy. It's nothing against you," she told him, giving his hand a squeeze. "I just need some time to think. The O.W.L.S. are really stressing me out right now, and I'm not doing a very good job of coping with it. I feel like I'm going bonkers." She kissed his cheek.
"Are you sure you don't want me to come with you?"
"Positive. Go spend some time with your friends. I'll be perfectly fine by myself," she said, grinning.
The corners of his mouth twitched into a grin, and he hugged her. "I love you," he whispered into her hair.
"Get out of here," she told him, shoving him in the direction of the Great Hall.
She walked back into the Common Room to grab her school bag. Not only did she need some alone time, but she really needed to get some studying done as well.
She made her way outside, and pulled her cloak tight around her as the wind whipped at her hair. She looked back at the castle and decided to go back inside. Just when she thought it was getting nice and warm outside the weather changed on her. Wonderful.
She turned on her heel, and moved quickly toward the doors. The rain was starting to drizzle down, and she didn't want to get caught into it. Opening the doors, she shivered to stave off the cold. She crossed her arms over her chest, and shivered again, looking down at her feet as she walked. She looked up just in time to narrowly miss running into a very preoccupied Draco Malfoy.
He looked up in time to watch her move from his path, and she braced herself, waiting for his verbal attack. His head turned, watching her walk past, and Ginny stood tall as she walked away from him, feeling his eyes burn her back.
She shivered again, but this time it wasn't from cold. She turned and looked over her shoulder, and saw the doors swing shut. This time she didn't look back in time, and ran knee-first into the poor head of Dobby.
She leaned down, helping him pick up the several S.P.E.W. hats that had been knocked off his head. "I've been looking for you, Miss Wheezy," he stuttered.
"And why is that, Dobby?" she asked, smiling at him. She had always been fond of this creature. His love knew no bounds when it came to Harry Potter and it was always amusing the way he intervened.
"I have something for you." He handed her a piece of paper. She frowned.
She looked up from the paper, and tried to find him, but he was gone.
Not sure she even wanted to read the words, she opened the note. Her eyes grew wide, and she felt a small smile find its way to her lips.
"I'll miss you more than anyone in my life."
"Why will you miss me?" she asked out loud, staring at the paper. "Who are you?"
She sighed, and tucked the newest note into her pocket along with the others.
The mystery of it was starting to take its toll, and as the day progressed on, all she could think about were the sweet words.
She sat with Colin, quizzing him on potions ingredients, and soon he noticed her distraction. "Did you get another one?"
"Yeah," she said. "'I'll miss you more than anyone in my life'," she quoted.
"So it sounds to me like your admirer is leaving," he concluded. "Any clue on who it is?"
"I can only hope that it's not Zacharias Smith sending these to me as a joke," she said, rolling her eyes. "I kind of like the idea of having an admirer, but it's a little scary when you think about the stalker aspects of it. But it's still better than me being the butt of some joke."
"Ginny, you are way too pretty to be the butt of a joke like this."
"That could have been said before I started dating Harry," she told him, leaning forward onto her arms. "Ever since that fateful Quidditch game, boys haven't looked at me the same. Either they think I'm a regal goddess for ensnaring the ever-wonderful Potter, or they think that my fate is sealed and I won't ever see another boy again."
"You really have some commitment issues," to told her, frowning a little.
"It's not that."
"Then you don't like Harry?"
"It's not that either. I just," she paused, trying to think of the right words. "I don't like it. Everyone, including my parents, are hoping I'll settle down with him. I'm just a teenager, and I can't deal with that kind of pressure. I want to experience life first. I don't want to be like my mother, pregnant and married right after graduation. I couldn't stand that. I want to see the world."
"Have you told him?"
"No. It's not like he's asked me to marry him or anything," she told Colin. "But when he looks at me, it seems as though he's finally happy. I think he wants me to be the family he never had. And while that is the sweetest thing in the world, I don't want to be bogged down with that kind of responsibility."
"That's kind of sad, Gin," he told her, reaching for her hand, giving her a reassuring squeeze. "And I bet that its really hard on you. Harry needs all the support he can get right now, with the war right around the corner. Everyone is looking at him as if he's a messiah, and I'm sure he's looking to you for just the simple comforts in life that no one else thinks he needs."
Wave over wave of guilt washed over Ginny as Colin's words rang their truth in her ears. "What if I'm the deciding factor?" she whispered. "What if I'm the one who keeps him sane enough to overcome You-Know-Who." She dropped her head into her arms, wanting to scream. "Here I am, being incredibly selfish while my boyfriend has to save the world."
She laughed at the irony. "It's really not funny," Colin told her, the frown on his face increasing.
"I know," she said. "I just don't know how else to deal with it. Why can't I just be a normal teenager?"
"Being normal is overrated."
She smiled at him, and he smiled back. Further conversation was halted as Hermione and Ron rushed toward them.
"He's gone. He's with Dumbledore. They're supposed to find a Horcrux tonight."
"What's that?" Colin asked.
"Nothing," Ron told him. "Drink this. But only a sip," he told Ginny, handing her Harry's precious potion.
"What is it?"
"Felix Felicis," Hermione told him. "He thinks that Malfoy's going to attack the school tonight. He wants us to be on guard, in case the Death Eaters really come while Dumbledore's away."
"Nobody is that stupid," Ginny said, taking the small drink. She closed her eyes as the feeling washed over her.
Ron took a drink after her. "Malfoy always has been pretty stupid, Gin."
"What's going on?" Colin asked, his voice taking a frightened sound.
"Death Eaters. Follow me," Ginny told him, feeling as though she should take charge.
Hermione exchanged a bewildered look with Ron. "We'll patrol up by the Room of Requirement. Why don't you guys go down by the Great Hall, and watch the doors."
Ginny nodded, and ran down there, with a still frightened Colin in tow. "What are we doing?" he asked, running to catch up with her.
"Harry thinks Malfoy is going to attack the school."
"And some kids are going to save him?"
"We all helped Harry out last year," Ginny told him, turning. "There was a big battle with Death Eaters and somehow we all survived, amazingly enough. I think I can handle anything the Ferret decides to throw in my direction."
They arrived outside the Great Hall and spotted Lupin and Tonks arguing.
Their yelling voices ceased as Tonks noticed them. "What are you guys doing out so late?" Remus asked them. "It's way past curfew."
"Harry thinks that Malfoy's going to attack the school tonight."
"He asked us to patrol, to make sure it stays safe," Ginny added on to what Colin had just said.
"I think the Order should be in charge of that," Remus told them, frowning.
Tonks wasn't paying attention, but instead leaned over onto the ground. "How strange," she murmured.
"What?" Colin asked.
"This note is addressed to Ginny."
Ginny grabbed it quickly out of Tonks' hand before she opened it.
"What does it say?" Colin asked.
"I love you more than anyone in my life.
- Draco Malfoy"
Ginny wasn’t exactly relishing in the attention, but didn’t know how to tell Harry to let go. She sat staring at her porridge while his hand stroked her arm. She pulled away from him, and smiled her apology. “I just don’t feel well.”
“Should I walk you to the hospital wing?” Harry asked her, pushing his plate in front of him.
“No, I think I’ll take advantage of this Saturday and crawl back into bed for a few more hours.”
“I’ll walk you there.”
No, she wanted to shout. You’re smothering me! Can’t you just let me be? I’m going insane!
“I’m alright; I’ll just see you later.”
She kissed his cheek, and left the table quickly.
Alright, so she lied. She felt just fine, besides the little twinge of guilt now located in her stomach somewhere.
She was so bored with how her life was going she felt like she was just twiddling her thumbs watching her social life float away.
There we no more secret rendezvous to Hogsmeade with different boys every weekend. No more notes passed between classes.
Instead, everyone held her in a different regard now that Harry and she were an item. She was the Girlfriend-Of-The-Boy-Who-Lived.
And if one more person called her “Harry’s Girlfriend,” rather than Ginny, she was going to go absolutely bonkers.
She reached the portrait of the Fat Lady and spoke the password, waiting patiently for the painting to swing open for her. It obliged, after a few minutes of coddling and Ginny stepped inside, walking towards the girls’ dormitory.
She lay on her bed, and threw an arm across her face, wanting to scream. If she could just leave, and go somewhere far away, everything would be wonderful.
Hey! She sat straight up, with a grin on her face. Maybe, she could talk to her mum and maybe with the help of Phlegm, she could be an exchange student for a year at Beauxbatons.
She slumped backwards, imagining how that scene would take place.
“But Mum,” she’d start.
“No.”
“Dad?”
“Talk to you mother.”
“Muuuuum,” would be her whining voice.
“Ginny, please don’t hassle me, you know things are hard right now, and we just can’t afford it.”
Her daydream died away, and she rolled her eyes. The fact that it was a legitimate excuse just made matters worse and she curled up on her side to face the window, frowning. She hated that they were poor.
She felt like drowning in her own self pity.
She rolled out of bed, and walked towards the window, opening it.
“Why do I feel so restless?” she shouted, burying her face in her hands. She leaned out the window, and looked over the edge. The grounds were beautiful. It was getting so warm out, with the scent of flowers in the air. She took in the aroma with her eyes closed, and smiled. Why couldn’t life be this simple all the time?
She opened her eyes just in time to see Pig flying crazily at her, and she moved out of the way as he made a beeline for where she had been just standing.
He dropped the note he was carrying on her bed, and continued flying circles around the dormitory.
She picked it up with a look of curiosity. Her name was scrawled across the front, and she didn’t recognize the handwriting.
“It might not be the right time,
I might not be the right one,
But there’s something about us I want to say,
Because there’s something between us anyway,
Some kind of secret I will share with you.”
Ginny started blankly at the paper.
“What?” she yelled. She looked at the back of the paper, and searched for a signature.
She angrily threw the letter down, mad about the anonymity of it.
Yet again, she was frustrated with how irritated she was with everything, and she threw herself on top of the letter on the bed, yelling into the pillow she landed on.
After the stress-relieving yell, Ginny closed her eyes, yawning.
She snuggled into the warm comforter, and smiled as she smelt the fragrance of her shampoo in the pillow. Soon she was asleep with the thoughts of Harry in the back of her mind.
As the sun moved across the sky, Ginny slept.
She slept until a knocking on the door awoke her, and Hermione popped her head in.
“Are you sure you are okay?”
“Whassamatter?” she asked, groggily lifting her head.
“You’ve been sleeping all afternoon!” Hermione told her, coming in and sitting on the edge of her bed.
“Don’t remind me. I was hoping that I could sleep for the rest of my life. It’s so comforting when you sleep. Nothing exists anymore.”
“I know that the O.W.L.S. are stressing you out, Gin. But you can’t just turn your back on everything. Why don’t you go see Harry? I’m sure he can help you study for a couple of subjects.”
“Yeah, if by study you mean grope me and try sticking his tongue down my throat,” Ginny mumbled, looking at her hands clasped in her lap.
“What was that?” Hermione inquired, leaning forward.
“Nothing,” Ginny replied quickly, flashing her with a smile. “Nothing at all. What time is it?”
“I’d say it’s nearing three. The boys were getting antsy about where you were. Hey, what’s that?”
Ginny looked down to where Hermione’s finger was pointing. The edge of the letter was underneath Ginny’s leg.
Ginny picked it up, and handed it to Hermione. “I don’t know. I got it in the mail after I came up here.”
“Ginny,” Hermione started, as she read through the letter. “This is weird. It’s not from Harry, this isn’t his handwriting.”
“I know. And there’s no signature.”
“A secret.” Hermione started grinning. “I bet you have an admirer! Just don’t tell Harry, he might get a bit jealous,” Hermione jibed, nudging Ginny in the ribs as she sat down next to her.
“That’s not surprising.” Ginny rolled her eyes. “I don’t know, it’s probably just Colin playing a prank on me.”
“That’s really mean. I doubt he’s that cruel.”
“It’s not like it matters. Nobody in the school even thinks about me anymore, unless they’re talking about Harry.”
“That’s not true.”
“Name someone.”
“I bet Malfoy’s been watching his back ever since you gave that Bat-Bogey Hex.”
“As if I want Ferret-boy thinking about me. Talk about disgusting!”
Hermione laughed. “You’re not sick, you little faker.”
Ginny shrugged. “I just need some time to myself, you know? Sometimes I feel like he’s dogging my every footstep.”
“Oh don’t think of it like that. He just really likes you. I thought you’d be happy together.”
“Don’t get me wrong, Hermione. I really do enjoy it; I just feel a little…I don’t know, smothered. I like a little space. I like my privacy. And I don’t have a lot of that with him, and it’s a little nerve-wracking.”
Ginny fell back on her bed, making the note crinkle under her weight.
“I really am stressed out on top of that. O.W.L.S. are coming up quicker than imaginable and I am no where near ready for my Charms exam, no matter how many times Flitwick tells me I’m ready.”
“What are you getting on the performance exams?”
“I’m getting at least getting A’s, but I would love to get an O in Charms. That would be spectacular.”
“Do you want to go study some incantations in the library?”
“Can it be a girls only trip?”
“Of course it can.”
“Wonderful. I’ll be down in just a few minutes. Let me get rid of this bed head.”
Hermione left Ginny alone in the room, and before she took the hairbrush out from her trunk, she picked up the note. A secret?
To say the least, she felt very intrigued.
She walked out the door, and noticed that the stairs were there no longer, but the slide was in their place.
“And whose fault was that?” she asked, after she slid to the ground.
Harry looked sheepish as he wrapped his arms around her, kissing her cheek. “I told you,” Hermione said. “Antsy.”
“We’ll see you boys later,” Ginny said, untangling herself from Harry’s arm.
“Where are you going?” he asked her, holding on just a smidgen tighter.
“To the library. I wanted to get a little studying done.” She pulled just a smidgen harder.
He felt her resistance, and let her go.
“Bye Ron. See you Harry.” She kissed his cheek, hoping to make up for her rudeness.
By the grin on his face as she left, she knew that it more than made up for it and she rolled her eyes. Boys.
Soon they reached the library, and had themselves immersed in the concept of silent charms.
Ginny practiced the levitation charm as Hermione plowed through another book looking for a few strategies.
Wingardium Leviosa! Her inner mind shouted, but still nothing happened.
She was about to bang her head frustratedley on the table when she heard a small cough.
She turned and smiled at him as Hermione looked up as well. “Yes?”
“I was told to give this to you,” the first year told her, a tad nervous. His hand shook as he handed her the note.
“Thank you.” He was gone before she could ask who it was that gave it to him.
She opened it, and read the contents.
“I need you more than anything in my life.”
“Hermione!” Ginny hissed, ducking down and looked around to try and spot anyone who could be watching her. “I got another note!”
Ginny handed it to her, and Hermione furrowed her brow as she read it. “Still no signature.”
“I’m not sure if I should be flattered or really scared.”
“Bugger if I know,” Hermione told her, handing her back the mysterious scrawl of handwriting.
Ginny found that after that she could not concentrate, and soon Hermione and herself made their way toward the Great Hall for dinner.
Ginny sat next to Harry, and smiled. She tried her best to enjoy his company, and conveniently forgot to mention the notes she had been receiving.
She sat back and watched Ron and Hermione bicker, but soon became bored of that. So instead, her eyes scanned the Great Hall, hoping to catch someone watching her, hoping to get a clue as to who was sending her these messages.
There was nothing. Soon, she became frustrated, and decided to go back to the common room.
She sat beneath Harry’s legs, doodling on some parchment as he played Ron in Wizards chess, and soon Colin sat down near her.
“Hey, Creevey,” Ginny called. “Come for a walk with me.”
Harry looked at her, and she kissed his cheek. “I’ll be back in a few minutes. I just need a quick chat with him.”
Harry smiled, and let her go. She grabbed Colin’s arm and tugged him over to one of the quieter corners of the Common Room.
“You haven’t been sending me weird creepy notes, have you?” she demanded.
“What? Ginny, that’s entirely preposterous. I’ve been so busy studying for my O.W.L.S. that I think I might start hooting soon.”
She sighed in frustration. “What kind of notes?” he asked her.
“These kind,” she told him, handing him the two pieces of paper.
He scanned them, his eyes growing big. “Are you sure they’re not from Harry?”
“Positive,” she nodded. “I just don’t know if I should be scared, or flattered.”
“I don’t know either,” he told her. “Just be careful.”
“I plan on it.”
She left Colin standing alone, and went back to sit next to Harry and Hermione. As she stared into the fire, she decided that going to bed might be a good thing.
Upon entering the dormitories, thankfully finding them almost empty, she collapsed on her bed.
But, just like previously that day, when she finally laid down, she heard another crinkle of paper.
“You’re kidding me,” she exclaimed, rolling over and seeing the note smashed into her pillow.
“I want you more than anything in my life.”
At this point, Ginny started to freak out. She looked underneath the bed, and yelled at the other fifth year girl in the room, Teresa. “You didn’t lay this here, did you?” she asked, her voice frighteningly high.
“No. What is it?”
“Nothing, it’s nothing,” Ginny stammered, hiding the note behind her back.
She lay back down, and looked at all three of them.
As creepy as they were, she found herself becoming strangely attached to the idea that maybe she did have a secret admirer.
The next morning when she woke up, she searched all around her bed for another note. She felt a little frustrated when she didn’t find one.
She made her way down the stairs to find Harry waiting for her. “Where are Hermione and Ron?” she asked him.
“They already left. I thought we needed some alone time. I think I’m going somewhere tonight, Gin, and I might not be back for a couple of days.”
“So, Dumbledore is finally taking you with him?”
“I think so,” he told her, and he blew the hair out of his eyes while keeping his hands in his pockets. “I’m not really sure what’s going on, but I hope it’s something good.”
“Don’t do anything stupid,” she warned him, and started toward the portrait opening.
He followed her, with a smile on his face. "I never do anything stupid."
"If you never do anything stupid, like you're claiming, than I am the Queen of England."
"Alright, Your Majesty. What would you like for breakfast this morning?"
Ginny took a deep breath as his fingers moved towards hers. "I'm not that hungry, actually. I think I'm going to go take a walk by the lake."
"But I wanted to spend time with you."
"I need some space sometimes, Harry," she told him. "I just like to be alone. I like my privacy. It's nothing against you," she told him, giving his hand a squeeze. "I just need some time to think. The O.W.L.S. are really stressing me out right now, and I'm not doing a very good job of coping with it. I feel like I'm going bonkers." She kissed his cheek.
"Are you sure you don't want me to come with you?"
"Positive. Go spend some time with your friends. I'll be perfectly fine by myself," she said, grinning.
The corners of his mouth twitched into a grin, and he hugged her. "I love you," he whispered into her hair.
"Get out of here," she told him, shoving him in the direction of the Great Hall.
She walked back into the Common Room to grab her school bag. Not only did she need some alone time, but she really needed to get some studying done as well.
She made her way outside, and pulled her cloak tight around her as the wind whipped at her hair. She looked back at the castle and decided to go back inside. Just when she thought it was getting nice and warm outside the weather changed on her. Wonderful.
She turned on her heel, and moved quickly toward the doors. The rain was starting to drizzle down, and she didn't want to get caught into it. Opening the doors, she shivered to stave off the cold. She crossed her arms over her chest, and shivered again, looking down at her feet as she walked. She looked up just in time to narrowly miss running into a very preoccupied Draco Malfoy.
He looked up in time to watch her move from his path, and she braced herself, waiting for his verbal attack. His head turned, watching her walk past, and Ginny stood tall as she walked away from him, feeling his eyes burn her back.
She shivered again, but this time it wasn't from cold. She turned and looked over her shoulder, and saw the doors swing shut. This time she didn't look back in time, and ran knee-first into the poor head of Dobby.
She leaned down, helping him pick up the several S.P.E.W. hats that had been knocked off his head. "I've been looking for you, Miss Wheezy," he stuttered.
"And why is that, Dobby?" she asked, smiling at him. She had always been fond of this creature. His love knew no bounds when it came to Harry Potter and it was always amusing the way he intervened.
"I have something for you." He handed her a piece of paper. She frowned.
She looked up from the paper, and tried to find him, but he was gone.
Not sure she even wanted to read the words, she opened the note. Her eyes grew wide, and she felt a small smile find its way to her lips.
"I'll miss you more than anyone in my life."
"Why will you miss me?" she asked out loud, staring at the paper. "Who are you?"
She sighed, and tucked the newest note into her pocket along with the others.
The mystery of it was starting to take its toll, and as the day progressed on, all she could think about were the sweet words.
She sat with Colin, quizzing him on potions ingredients, and soon he noticed her distraction. "Did you get another one?"
"Yeah," she said. "'I'll miss you more than anyone in my life'," she quoted.
"So it sounds to me like your admirer is leaving," he concluded. "Any clue on who it is?"
"I can only hope that it's not Zacharias Smith sending these to me as a joke," she said, rolling her eyes. "I kind of like the idea of having an admirer, but it's a little scary when you think about the stalker aspects of it. But it's still better than me being the butt of some joke."
"Ginny, you are way too pretty to be the butt of a joke like this."
"That could have been said before I started dating Harry," she told him, leaning forward onto her arms. "Ever since that fateful Quidditch game, boys haven't looked at me the same. Either they think I'm a regal goddess for ensnaring the ever-wonderful Potter, or they think that my fate is sealed and I won't ever see another boy again."
"You really have some commitment issues," to told her, frowning a little.
"It's not that."
"Then you don't like Harry?"
"It's not that either. I just," she paused, trying to think of the right words. "I don't like it. Everyone, including my parents, are hoping I'll settle down with him. I'm just a teenager, and I can't deal with that kind of pressure. I want to experience life first. I don't want to be like my mother, pregnant and married right after graduation. I couldn't stand that. I want to see the world."
"Have you told him?"
"No. It's not like he's asked me to marry him or anything," she told Colin. "But when he looks at me, it seems as though he's finally happy. I think he wants me to be the family he never had. And while that is the sweetest thing in the world, I don't want to be bogged down with that kind of responsibility."
"That's kind of sad, Gin," he told her, reaching for her hand, giving her a reassuring squeeze. "And I bet that its really hard on you. Harry needs all the support he can get right now, with the war right around the corner. Everyone is looking at him as if he's a messiah, and I'm sure he's looking to you for just the simple comforts in life that no one else thinks he needs."
Wave over wave of guilt washed over Ginny as Colin's words rang their truth in her ears. "What if I'm the deciding factor?" she whispered. "What if I'm the one who keeps him sane enough to overcome You-Know-Who." She dropped her head into her arms, wanting to scream. "Here I am, being incredibly selfish while my boyfriend has to save the world."
She laughed at the irony. "It's really not funny," Colin told her, the frown on his face increasing.
"I know," she said. "I just don't know how else to deal with it. Why can't I just be a normal teenager?"
"Being normal is overrated."
She smiled at him, and he smiled back. Further conversation was halted as Hermione and Ron rushed toward them.
"He's gone. He's with Dumbledore. They're supposed to find a Horcrux tonight."
"What's that?" Colin asked.
"Nothing," Ron told him. "Drink this. But only a sip," he told Ginny, handing her Harry's precious potion.
"What is it?"
"Felix Felicis," Hermione told him. "He thinks that Malfoy's going to attack the school tonight. He wants us to be on guard, in case the Death Eaters really come while Dumbledore's away."
"Nobody is that stupid," Ginny said, taking the small drink. She closed her eyes as the feeling washed over her.
Ron took a drink after her. "Malfoy always has been pretty stupid, Gin."
"What's going on?" Colin asked, his voice taking a frightened sound.
"Death Eaters. Follow me," Ginny told him, feeling as though she should take charge.
Hermione exchanged a bewildered look with Ron. "We'll patrol up by the Room of Requirement. Why don't you guys go down by the Great Hall, and watch the doors."
Ginny nodded, and ran down there, with a still frightened Colin in tow. "What are we doing?" he asked, running to catch up with her.
"Harry thinks Malfoy is going to attack the school."
"And some kids are going to save him?"
"We all helped Harry out last year," Ginny told him, turning. "There was a big battle with Death Eaters and somehow we all survived, amazingly enough. I think I can handle anything the Ferret decides to throw in my direction."
They arrived outside the Great Hall and spotted Lupin and Tonks arguing.
Their yelling voices ceased as Tonks noticed them. "What are you guys doing out so late?" Remus asked them. "It's way past curfew."
"Harry thinks that Malfoy's going to attack the school tonight."
"He asked us to patrol, to make sure it stays safe," Ginny added on to what Colin had just said.
"I think the Order should be in charge of that," Remus told them, frowning.
Tonks wasn't paying attention, but instead leaned over onto the ground. "How strange," she murmured.
"What?" Colin asked.
"This note is addressed to Ginny."
Ginny grabbed it quickly out of Tonks' hand before she opened it.
"What does it say?" Colin asked.
"I love you more than anyone in my life.
- Draco Malfoy"
The End.
alexandriaisariel is the author of 6 other stories.
This story is a favorite of 16 members. Members who liked Something About Us also liked 1404 other stories.
This story is a favorite of 16 members. Members who liked Something About Us also liked 1404 other stories.
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