Summary: I wrote this for a challenge: One night Ginny and Harry recall a special train-ride so many years before, and the heartache and joy that memory carries with it.
Categories: Harry/Ginny Characters: None
Warnings: None
Challenges: Series: None
Chapters: 1
Completed: Yes
Word count: 3320
Read: 2384
Published: 05/23/05
Updated: 05/23/05
1. one-shot by The Marauder
“Mummy, I’m gonna be a dragon tamer when I grow up, just like Uncle Charlie!” squealed the tiny girl, her cheeks still pink from the day’s excitement. She was only a tiny bump in the mass of blankets and pillows on the bed and would be easily missed, if it were not for the bright hair contrasting with the clean white sheets. It was red. Weasley hair red. She was unmistakably her mother’s daughter; from head to toe she was a tiny replica… except for the eyes. Those vivid emeralds were entirely her father’s.
“My darling, you can be anything you want,” said Ginny smiling fondly and stroking her daughter’s soft hair, “But for now it’s time to sleep.”
“No please! Not yet mummy, I’m not even tired!” she exclaimed pleadingly, though the last statement was not as convincing as she intended, as her tiny mouth opened widely for a long yawn.
“Well I can see that,” said Ginny laughing, “Come on now, the sooner you go to sleep, the sooner morning comes and we’re all going to Hogsmeade!”
“Mummy, are there dragons in Hogsmeade?” she asked sleepily, her eyes unwillingly pressing shut and her tiny hand clenching around her teddy bear.
Ginny smiled, “No baby, but you can tame all the dragons you want in your dreams.”
“I’m gonna be… the best… the best dragon tamer…” she never finished as sleep finally claimed her tiny form.
“Sweet dreams darling,” whispered Ginny, bending down to kiss her daughter’s forehead. She stood up quietly and tip-toed to the door, carefully avoiding the tiny table and tea set and the miniature Quidditch broom sprawled carelessly on the floor. Closing the door softly, Ginny smiled at her daughter’s aspirations, but the smile faded as old memories forced their way to the front of her mind.
She was still lost in her thoughts as she stepped out of her slippers and climbed into bed.
Harry closed his books and shoved all the parchments to the nightstand. He took off his glasses, holding the bridge of his nose with his fingers tiredly.
“I just can’t think anymore, I’m beat. I think I’d better call it a night.”
He leaned over and kissed Ginny softly on the cheek; she turned her head slightly kissing the air absentmindedly, never taking her eyes from the bedpost, which they were oddly fixated on.
Harry glanced at her, then at the bedpost, and then back at her, smiling slightly. “Gin, you okay?”
“What?” she asked confused, finally taking her eyes from the bedpost, and looking at him strangely, as though only just realizing he was there, “Oh sorry, yeah, I must be tired too.” She gave him a quick, unconvincing smile, before lying down on her pillow, her back to her husband.
Harry’s face had quickly changed from amusement to concern. There was something strange happening.
“Is Lily okay?”
As a single tear rolled down Ginny’s cheek, she swallowed before answering, struggling to keep her voice from betraying her, “She’s fine, she’s sleeping, the day just wore me out. Goodnight honey.” Ginny closed her eyes tightly, trying to press the memory away, but it wouldn’t be forgotten.
Harry’s brows furrowed in concern, “Charlie made it home safely, right?”
Ginny couldn’t manage words this time without giving herself away, so settled for a quick nod.
Harry watched her until he saw her back shake slightly from the force of holding the tears in. He rolled her over gently and tenderly wiped the tear from her face with his thumb, “Not buying it Gin. What’s wrong?”
She opened her big brown eyes and found comfort in his green ones, which were full of concern and empathy. She took a deep calming breath, laughing dryly and wiping her eyes. “I don’t know -- it’s stupid.” Harry took her hand in his, their fingers intertwining. She sighed and licked her lips, “Lily says she wants to be a dragon tamer like her Uncle Charlie.”
“Well, that’s great, right? It means she had a good time today. What am I missing here?”
Ginny laughed, “Oh, I don’t know, maybe it’s just the time of year. It’s always tough, but what with the reunion at Hogsmeade tomorrow -- and what she said -- it just reminded me so much of Neville, and that gets me to thinking about everyone we… lost.” She closed her eyes and the tears fell freely. Before she knew it she was wrapped tightly in Harry’s arms, sobbing into his shoulder.
When her tears were dry, she lay in his strong arms, finally feeling relief from the pressure that had been building all week.
“Gin, why does dragon taming remind you of Neville?” ventured Harry cautiously, when he thought she was calm enough.
She smiled, playing with his hand, “Do you remember the train ride home after my fifth year?” she asked, sitting up to see his face more clearly.
“Well, I remember one part…” he said teasingly, a flirtatious smile playing across his lips.
She laughed, “Yes, but that’s not what I was talking about!” She smiled and bit her lip, looking up at the ceiling as she recalled the day so many years before…
* * *
“But Mione, Luna is in there! Can’t we go somewhere else?” whined Ron as Hermione impatiently ushered Harry, Ron, and Ginny into the compartment.
Hermione tisked, “Oh please Ronald, she’s not that bad,” she said pushing past him to lead the way.
“Yeah, like you’re a fan,” retorted Ron. Hermione ignored him as she opened the door. “She’s only saying that to bother me,” muttered Ron to Ginny as he reluctantly followed Hermione’s suit.
Ginny turned around and rolled her eyes to Harry, smiling before entering the compartment herself. The group was uncomfortably quiet; Harry and Ginny sat next to a scowling Ron, and Hermione, pretending not to notice, sat herself next to Neville and Luna. Before anyone could say anything, the door opened again and Lavender poked her head in. “Mind if we join you? The Slytherins have taken most of the compartments.”
“Of course,” said Hermione, making room. Lavender smiled gratefully and entered, followed by Seamus, who was trying, inconspicuously, to hide some pink lipstick on his collar.
The group stared out the window or at their hands, smiling awkwardly at one another if they accidentally made eye contact. Luna was dreamily humming the tune of “God Rest Ye Merry Hippogriffs” under her breath, and Neville was nervously watching her out of the corner of his eye.
Ron was still huffing about the tiff he’d had with Hermione earlier, and she was in turn, making a show of ignoring it, while Lavender and Seamus exchanged what they thought were secret flirtatious smiles.
Harry looked at Ginny, shaking his head slowly at the long ride they had in store for them. Ginny’s eyebrows creased together and she smiled knowingly. Looking around the group she swallowed, “So, erm…” they all looked at her curiously, “What all are you guys going to do this summer?”
Ron and Seamus shrugged carelessly. Luna smiled dreamily, “Dad is busy at the Quibbler, and what with us discovering the Snorkacks we haven’t even talked about any more expeditions.”
Hermione forced a smile at this; being proven wrong, and by Luna Lovegood no less, was not something she had much practice at, “I don’t really know what I’m doing this summer.”
Ron looked up sharply, “Aren’t you staying with us?”
“I didn’t know I was invited,” said Hermione carefully, playing with her hands in her lap.
“Well of course you’re invited,” said Ron impatiently, as if that was the dumbest thing he had ever heard.
Ginny ignored them and looked hopefully at Neville.
“Gran wants me to get a part time job in Diagon Alley,” he said sadly, “Thinks it’ll build character,” he added miserably.
The compartment was again filled with a heavy silence.
“Okay,” said Ginny, trying again, “So nobody has anything really thrilling, but what would you like to do if you could?”
“What do you mean?” asked Lavender.
“I mean, if you didn’t have to worry about money, or knowledge, or skill, or anything, what would you do?” she asked mischievously.
The compartment was quiet again, but this time the air wasn’t uncomfortable or heavy, but rather everyone was pondering Ginny’s unusual question. She grinned gleefully at Harry, who was simply watching her, a small smile of admiration on his lips.
* * *
“Wait a minute, I wasn’t watching you!” said Harry indignantly.
“Um… yeah, you definitely were,” retorted Ginny smugly.
Harry grinned conceding, “Okay fine, maybe a little bit, but I didn’t know you noticed.”
Ginny rolled her eyes smiling, “Harry, I noticed everything you did.”
He grinned and gave her a quick peck, “Okay, so then what?”
* * *
“I think I’d like to go to Africa and help with WIN,” murmured Hermione pensively.
“What’s WIN?” asked Lavender curiously.
“Wizards in Need,” said Hermione knowledgably. “I read about it in the paper the other day and then did some quick research in the library. It provides wizards in poverty with food, shelter, medicine, and whatever else they need.”
“I’ve never heard of WIN,” said Harry, his face showing interest.
“Yes, it’s not very well known. I’d probably meet up at the Headquarters in South Africa, and then a group of us would be assigned to a certain village. It’s appalling the living conditions some are forced to raise their children in. We would help build houses for them, teach them spells that can help them “ many don’t even know rudimentary charms or transfiguration. They’re masters in potions though, it’s amazing their extensive knowledge of herbs and strange cures unexamined by western civilization. It would be fascinating to learn some of their different medical cures, as well…”
“I didn’t know you were interested in medicine,” interrupted Ginny surprised.
“Oh yes, I have great respect for Madame Pomfrey,” she replied, “I’ve actually put a great deal of thought into being a Healer. But anyway it would be wonderful to go and help, I just don’t have the training for it,” she finished sadly.
The group pondered this for a few minutes before Neville disturbed the silence.
“I’d like to go to Romania and work with the dragons,” he announced confidently.
Everyone stared.
“No really, I mean, if I didn’t have to go through all the training and if Gran would let me, I think it would be intriguing.”
Silence.
“Really, I’m serious. I read in Magical Herbs and their Untested Properties that there is a good chance some herbs could create a concoction to effectively calm them so that wizards could be around them without the danger of being burned or thrashed, without having to stun them.”
Understanding swept through the compartment as they realized it was the Herbology that Neville was interested in rather than the dragons themselves.
“I’d love to see if any of the theories are true. I could test them out, you know, see if any of them actually work! Wouldn’t it be amazing if I found one that calmed them enough for us to train them? If they were domesticated -- Hagrid would love that…” he trailed off happily imagining his success.
* * *
Ginny closed her eyes tightly at seeing his bright, round face so clearly in her mind. The image of him happy was interrupted by a flash of him at the Final Battle; his face white, his once joyful eyes unseeing. She shuddered involuntarily and Harry squeezed her comfortingly.
“I know. I remember that now. He could have done it too I bet, if his gran had let him or if he had made it…”
Ginny breathed heavily, “It’s just so hard, you know? He didn’t deserve it, none of them did.”
She buried her face in his chest.
“I know, but we have to remember that Neville died a hero. He was so determined there at the end, taking on Bellatrix face to face. I think “ no -- I know if he’d had the choice between dying to help the Order or living, that’s the path he would have chosen.”
Ginny tightened the grip on Harry’s hand. “I know. You’re right. I’m sorry. That whole day was just so awful, and we lost so many.”
“Yeah,” said Harry gravely remembering. He shook his head, pulling himself out of his reverie. He had made a promise once never to let Voldemort penetrate any more of his life. As he cleared the sad thought from his mind, another pushed its way to the front and a small smile crept onto his face.
“What are you thinking about?” she asked curiously.
He smiled mischievously and leaned in to whisper, his hot breath tickling her ear, “The part that comes next…”
* * *
The group continued to share their aspirations for the summer. Ron wanted to fly to the moon on his broom; Luna wanted to teach the giant squid to sign language, Seamus wanted to invent a spell so that Firewhiskey would come out of his wand, and Lavender wanted to travel with the Chiming Chimaeras, a new musical group, more popular due to their handsome faces and smiles then their actual music.
“Hey, how come the snack cart hasn’t come by yet?” asked Ron, rubbing his stomach hungrily.
Hermione looked at her watch disapprovingly, “Well, she does seem to be running a little late.”
Ron stood up quickly, “I’m going to go see if I can find her, anyone coming?” He glanced a little too quickly at Hermione.
Hermione, however, was looking back and forth between Harry and Ginny curiously, a small smile curling the edges of her mouth, but only for a minute before she straightened it out. “Alright, I’ll come, but only because I need to stretch out my legs for a while.
“I’ll come, I’m hungry too,” said Neville quickly standing up.
“I suppose I’ll come too. I want to buy some chocolate frogs, Snorkacks love chocolate you know,” she said in a singsong voice.
“Err, great,” muttered Ron.
Neville face went rigid; that apparently wasn’t the effect he had desired.
“You know, I think I’m going to go see Dean for a while,” said Seamus slowly, looking meaningfully at Lavender.
Her eyes brightened and she smiled broadly, “Oh, yes, me too, I mean no, I mean,” she mumbled confused as Seamus shook his head at her, “Oh! Parvati! I think I’ll go visit Parvati!” she finished excitedly.
Hermione stared at her with her eyebrows raised, “Okay then, you two have fun,” she said disapprovingly, rolling her eyes as she followed Ron out of the compartment.
Harry and Ginny met eyes and smiled nervously.
“So, how long have Seamus and Lavender, you know?” asked Ginny, breaking the silence again.
“Beats me,” said Harry distractedly, as though thinking of something else.
“Oh,” said Ginny quietly, sighing and looking out the window. Same old Harry, always keeping his thoughts to himself. She glanced back at him, but he was concentrating on something on his foot. With resolve she decided to give it one last chance. “What would you do?” she asked, fully aware of how her voice pierced through the silence.
“What?” he asked confused as she drew him out of his musings.
“You never answered before. What would you do if you could do anything?”
“Oh,” he said quietly, his face contorted in thought. He smiled, and then looked down shyly, “It’s nothing really.”
“Oh, come on now,” prodded Ginny, scooting closer to him, “That’s no fun. Let’s see if I can guess. Erm, you want to practice Quidditch with the Chudley Cannons!”
Harry laughed, “Well, that would certainly be fun, but it’s not what I had in mind.”
“Hmm, you want to be able to breath underwater! I know you certainly enjoyed that second task in the Triwizard Tournament!”
“Are you kidding? I was soaked to the bone!”
Ginny shrugged innocently, and Harry laughed, “Sorry, nope.”
“Well what then?”
Harry smiled shyly and looked at his hands, “Okay, honestly all I want to do this summer is come and stay with you guys.”
Ginny blinked at him, “And…”
“And nothing, that’s all.” He shrugged, his face turning slightly pink.
“Why?” asked Ginny bluntly, mentally kicking herself for being so direct.
“Well, I never had much of a family life, you know, and I just love being around it all, and…”
His face was definitely pink now.
“…and what?” coaxed Ginny gently, feeling butterflies in her stomach.
Harry braced himself for whatever he was about to say, and then looked into her eyes, “I want to stay with your family, because I want to be with you…”
Ginny stared.
“…and Ron. You and Ron,” he added quickly, his face burning.
“Oh,” she said quietly, unsure what to make of the moment. Had he really said that or was it just a mistake? It didn’t feel like a mistake…
Harry cleared his throat, “So what would you do?”
“If I could do anything with no limitations…” she muttered as her mind raced. She looked into his eyes, and then glanced at his pink ears. She didn’t know what gave her the confidence, or what spurred the conclusion, but she decided in a split second.
In one quick movement, she leaned up and kissed him on the mouth. Her face was now as red as his, but she stared defiantly back at him.
“If I could do anything I wanted, that’s what I’d do,” she stated daringly.
Harry stared at her in shock for a second, before leaning in and kissing her again.
* * *
Harry beamed at his beautiful wife.
“Show me how that went again?”
Ginny laughed and pulled him towards her, kissing him firmly. Her hands resting on his strong chest and his warm hands pressed firmly against her back.
She pulled back smiling, before slowly opening her eyes.
“Mummy?” piped a small voice.
They both jumped, knocking noses in surprise.
“Lily! What are you doing up sweetheart? It’s late you should be asleep!” said Ginny in surprise, one hand holding her sore nose as she hopped out of bed to the small girl standing in the doorway.
“I had a bad dream,” she said, her lower lip trembling as she clutched her teddy bear to her tightly, “Can I sleep with you and Daddy?”
Ginny opened her mouth to say no, but Harry spoke first, “Of course you can, there’s always room for my little flower.”
Ginny looked at him in surprise as Lily scrambled over to his side of the bed, but he simply winked at her as he lifted the tiny girl onto the bed with him.
“Alright,” she agreed, climbing back in bed, “but just this once.”
Lily snuggled up tightly against Harry, her beautiful eyes closed, and her tiny thumb in her mouth.
Harry stroked her head and then smiled up at Ginny.
“I love you,” he mouthed.
She smiled, “I love you too.”
There ya go! Hope you guys enjoyed, please leave me a quick review -- you can say what you thought, or, since it's for a challenge, any suggestions you might have for me! Thanks!
Also, special thanks to stickm for betaing for me.
And Challenge lines I used:
• There was something strange happening!
• Are you kidding? I was soaked to the bone.
• It was red. Weasley hair red.
• I have great respect for Madam Pomfrey.
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters and settings are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended.