Yours Truly

Setting: November of the trio's 6^th year and Ginny's 5^th

Ginny sighed looking out of the window of her dormitory. She looked down at the letter she had had to write for a stupid dare with Ron. The bet was that if Ron told Professor Snape to shut up, she would write an anonymous letter and put a charm on it so it was sent to a random person, depending on the wind and the stars. Never expecting the 3 detentions with Snape he would get, Ron had retorted to Professor Snape's usual sneer at his Silencing Stew with "Stuff your face." Now Ginny reluctantly wrote the following:

Dear Anonymous,

The first thing I would like you to know is that the only reason I'm doing this was because of a bet. Also, I have no idea who the heck you are, and I'd rather not have you tell me. I don't want to know who knows all the secrets I'm going to tell you about my life. I hope you are not offended, but I'd rather you not be a Slytherin. If you are, write back telling me and I'll stop, for my sake, not yours. I would rather not you know who I am. If it is necessary, I'll tell you if I have to. Right now I'm going to stop boring out of your mind and sign off. Oh, use the owl this letter is followed by. He should know who I am.

Yours truly,

Anonymous

P.S. This might be kind of weird but I think it's kinda cool.

P.P.S. Are you a male of female? Don't take this personally.

Ginny sighed as she read over the letter. It sounded so weird. Oh well. She stood up and pointed her wand at the piece of parchment. "Tactiticum". The wind began to stir, then blow. Ginny pushed the coppery locks of hair whipping around her face away from her eyes just in time to see the parchment blow off the desk and out of the open window. She gazed after it for a long time before turning away.

***

Harry sighed as he looked out the window. He was getting bored but refused to go back down to the common room and watch Ron and Hermione either bicker or give each other loving looks. Harry was happy for them, that they had finally admitted they adored each other. You are NOT jealous, Harry Potter. You are NOT JEALOUS! It's not that I love Hermione. It's just that, well, I want someone to- well; I am 16, after all. Oh well. OW! The last exclamation was aimed toward a piece of parchment that had blown through the window. No need to be so hard, he thought as he unfolded it and read:

Dear Anonymous,

The first thing I would like you to know is that the only reason I'm doing this was because of a bet. Also, I have no idea who the heck you are, and I'd rather not have you tell me. I don't want to know who knows all the secrets I'm going to tell you about my life. I hope you are not offended, but I'd rather you not be a Slytherin. If you are, write back telling me and I'll stop, for my sake, not yours. I would rather not you know who I am. If it is necessary, I'll tell you if I have to. Right now I'm going to stop boring out of your mind and sign off. Oh, use the owl this letter is followed by. He should know who I am.

Yours truly,

Anonymous

P.S. This might be kind of weird but I think it's kinda cool.

P.P.S. Are you a male of female? Don't take this personally.

Okay, that's weird, Harry thought as an owl landed on his desk. "1 second," he told the owl and scribbled:

Dear Anonymous,

This is cool. I'm a male and I am not in Slytherin, thank God. I would love to do this, thanks. I'll write you later, but now I have to go study for Herbology. Are you a girl or a boy? I'm just curious.

Yours truly,

Anonymous

Harry tied the letter to the owl's leg and raced downstairs. He opened his mouth to tell them but stopped. Just keep this ONE thing to yourself, big guy. Oh well. I guess your right. Okay. Think of corny cover-up conversation topic. Hurry! Ummmm, how about... Ah Ha! Ginny! Good boy! I always have to end up with the weirdest little voices in my head, don't I?

"So, um, how's your little sister?" Harry aimed the question at Ron, but Hermione answered before he could.

"Ginny got top marks in Arithmancy and Charms last term!" Hermione said enthusiastically.

"Only because you helped her," Ron told her.

"Ron! She would have done fine without my help!" Hermione said defensively.

"Um, anyway," Harry said, quickly changing the subject,"why did you tell Snape to shut up the other day. Apart from that he should."

"Oh just some stupid bet with Ginny. She had to-" Ron told him, but was cut off by Erol falling through the window with a Howler from Mrs. Weasley for Ron. Everyone ran for cover as Mrs. Weasley's voice yelled loudly, "SHUT UP? HOW DARE YOU TELL A PROFFESER TO SHUT UP?"

Ginny paced her room. Come on! I TOLD you we should not have used that owl! Screech owls have always been suspicious! There! There it is!

An owl flew to the windowsill and stuck its leg out. Ginny almost amputated the leg trying to get the letter off so fast. She read it and grinned. This was going to be fun.

***

3 days later...

Dear Anonymous,

I think we need names for each other. It's just so weird starting with 'Dear Anonymous'. If it's okay, you can call me Lora. Tell me what I should call you. Anyway, I'm interested in Quidditch. How about you? I love it, but I'm not on the team. Besides, all I've got is an old Comet 360. Oh well. I like to play in the summer with my siblings. I have to tell you a secret my friend told me yesterday, because you will probably love it, since you're not Slytherin and are probably not Hufflepuff (if you are, no offense). My friend caught Snape and Sprout in the greenhouse the other day. She says they looked quite "cozy", if you know what I mean. Heh heh.

Your friend,

Lora

Ginny re-read the letter and almost burst out laughing. The guy was going to love this.

Harry eagerly looked out his window for the screech owl that had come to be so familiar so soon. Leaning precariously out of the window, he just managed to see a misty shape coming toward him. Holding his arm out, he watched the owl swoop into his dorm. He quickly fed it a bacon rind he had kept for the purpose, and then sat down on his bed and ripped open the note. After he was done both reading and laughing hysterically, he replied like this:

Dear Lora,

I like the idea of names, even if they're not our real ones. You can call me James. Anyway, I love Quidditch. It's the best. I play on my house's team. I would tell you what position I play, but it would give me away. What about you? Are you mostly a chaser? But about Snape and Sprout. I would never have thought. It's so funny! I have to tell it to everyone. That's okay right? Oh, I have to go tell my friends!

Your friend,

James

***

1 and ½ weeks later...

Dear James,

I have more news on the Ravenclaw topic. Many of them are supporting Gryffindor in this terms Quidditch cup. Not knowing what house you are in, I'm, not sure if that is good... But anyway, you might have noticed in the last week that I am not a Hufflepuff. I guess you can start narrowing it down now. OH! I have a sudden urge to tell you who I am! I will be strong! Okay, better go before I give it away.

Your friend,

Lora

P.S. You have no idea how hard to say this, but I think I already have feelings for you. Other than friend feelings... Please don't be insulted.

Ginny finished the letter and sent the owl off. Then she went downstairs to ponder a problem. She had decided to try out for the chaser position on Gryffindor's team, now that the others were gone. But in the beginning, she had wanted to try out to impress Harry Potter. But now she felt like she wanted to impress her anonymous friend. She had found herself longing to be with him. Oh well. I guess I'll never know him. Well you had better get to the playing field before you miss it! Okay, I'm going!

Oh God! Why did you EVER have this idea? It was yours. Oh yeah. Right, thanks. Ginny drew a deep breath and grabbed her broom. Walking out on the field, Ginny looked for Ron. She had gotten him to approve her trying out, but she wasn't sure if he would keep his promise. "Hey Ginny! Are you trying out?" a voice said from behind her.

Oh God. Harry Potter is talking to me like he's a regular human being again. That had been happening a lot lately. "Hi! Umm well, yeah, I was thinking about it," she managed to spit out, blushing.

"Oh good. I've seen you fly at the Burrow. You're - er, never mind." Harry blushed. "I didn't mean to bother you."

"No, you weren't bothering me. What were you saying?" Ginny asked eagerly.

"Oh, just I think you're pretty good," Harry mumbled. "We better get out there."

Harry Potter just complemented me. Me too! Sorry. No, not sorry! God, you and I are the same PERSON! In fact, all you are is a stupid voice in my head! Humph! Ginny followed Harry outside and onto the field.

"Okay, Gin, let's see how you, Sandra, and Tessa can do working as a team," Ron called to them. Sandra and Tessa, the new chasers, welcomed Ginny warmly. "Come on, guys! Say 'Hello' and get moving!"

Ginny, sweating with nervousness mounted her second-hand Comet 360 and pushed off. The moment she got in the air, all anxiousness left her. This was where she belonged. She caught a pass from Tessa and, getting passed Ron so fast she looked like nothing more than a red blur, made a spectacular goal. Ginny grinned as Tessa and Sandra cheered and the rest of the team grinned.

The moment they got on the ground, Ron bore down on her. "I never knew you could fly like that! If I did, I'd have had you on the team AGES ago," he roared.

"Whoa! I thought you knew. So, am I on?" Ginny grinned.

"Of course, you little-"

"Ron, calm down! It's okay!" Harry grinned at Ginny. "I knew you could do it!" Ginny blushed.

***

"And here come the Gryffindors! One of the best-"

"DEAN THOMAS! You're almost as bad as Jordan was!"

"Sorry Professor. Anyway, and here are the Slytherins. I'm not making any comments, Professor! I'm really not!"

Ginny watched nervously as the Slytherins, looking like things you got from breeding moss and rock, trouped out onto the field. It was her first game and they looked as if they already had a plan to have her out of the game for at least 3 years. She watched Ron and Malfoy try to break each other's fingers, and then the whistle- and they were up. It actually wasn't all that bad. In fact, 5 minutes into the game, she had already made 3 goals, no problem. Wow, this is awesome! Well, don't get too perky! When 15 more minutes had gone by and the Slytherins still hadn't hurt anyone, Ginny began to become suspicious. But still, just keep on scoring, and you'll be fine, she reminded herself.

Harry was having the same misgivings as Ginny. However, he was having a hard time concentrating. He kept on finding himself scanning the crowds for a clue to who Lora really was. He had also started to feel for the mysterious girl. He saw Malfoy trailing him and dived. Malfoy followed him and just missed hitting the ground, though Harry did get a bloody braze on his right hand from a nastily aimed bludger. Harry looked around again. There was only time to yell. "Ginny! BEHIND YOU! WATCH THAT BEATER!" He saw Ginny dive and get out of harms way-no wait, he had hit her! She had lost control of the broom and it was smashed in front, making it go haywire. Ron cried out as Ginny hit the ground, her arm twisted under her. and Harry had already called a foul to Madam Hooch who was now yelling furiously at the beater who had hit Ginny. Harry landed and ran over to her, Ron right behind him. "Ginny! Are you alright?"

All Harry could remember after that was a blur of faces, someone carrying Ginny away, Ron almost crying, yelling that he should never have let her on the team. The game was canceled and everyone was told to go to there houses. Hermione helped Harry support Ron to the common room. They had stayed there through the night, talking to each other and consoling Ron. Now Harry opened his eyes and saw he was still in the common room with Ron and Hermione. He glanced at his watch and saw it was 2:20 AM. "Guys, get up. We have to get upstairs. We can see Ginny at 9. Let's get a little more sleep before then." He and Ron bid Hermione good night and went up to their dorm. Harry fell into his bed, not even bothering to take off his glasses.

***

"You guys didn't have to come so early," Ginny told them, grinning weakly.

"Yes, we did," Harry said, looking meaningfully from Ginny to Ron.

"Ah. Thanks."

"You sure you feel alright?" Hermione asked.

Ginny started to laugh, but stopped quickly, wincing. "Ouch. Believe me, Hermione. With 6 brothers, I've suffered worse than this."

"We NEVER broke your arm, Ginny! Or your ribs, either, come to think of it."

Ginny opened her mouth to reply, but Madam Pomfrey interrupted. "Out, out. She needs her rest."

Looking over his shoulder, Harry asked, "Are you sure there is nothing we can't get you anything?"

"Um, actually, in my dorm, there's a book of Muggle literature. Could you get it? I think it's interesting," Ginny asked.

"Sure," they all said and left the Hospital Wing.

"Come on up," Hermione motioned to Harry and Ron.

"Um, Hermione, that happens to be the GIRL'S staircase. I find it rather insulting you have forgotten your own best friends' gender," Ron pointed out, and Harry nodded.

"Oh come on, everyone's gone! It's a Hogsmeade weekend," Hermione persisted.

"We have been a HORRIBLE influence on her, you know, mate," Harry remarked as they climbed.

"Huh, you're telling me."

They followed Hermione and looked around. "Come on, guys. Harry, check the desk. Ron, look on the dresser," Hermione said, hurrying them.

"But Hermione! There might be um, private pieces of clothing on the dresser!" Ron protested.

"What?"

"Never mind," Ron mumbled, blushing.

Harry glanced at the desk and gaped. On the desk was a letter. It started, "Dear James,". A sentence near the end of the letter caught his eye. It said, "I just have to tell you who I am. I really like you. Maybe even a little love." Under it was the signature. "Ginny".

***

"I'll take the book. I forgot to tell her some homework her friend wanted me to tell her yesterday. You guys go on to Hogsmeade, I'll catch up," Harry told them. They shrugged and let him go. He rushed to the Hospital wing, glancing around. Madam Pomfrey was no where in sight. Good, Harry thought. "Ginny. Here's your book."

"Oh, thanks Harry." There was an awkward silence.

"Ginny," Harry said, taking a deep breath, "it was me. I'm James. And I-I like you. A lot. Maybe even some love."

"Harry? Oh, I was hoping it was you! Oh..." Ginny buried her face in his robes.

"Shhh, it's okay. I love you Ginny. I love you Lora," Harry said, drying her face.

"Ginny. Ginny is better," Ginny said. And then she looked up at him with her deep brown eyes. Harry felt himself leaning forward. Just as the kissed, Harry's hand with the still bleeding graze met Ginny's, also bleeding from her collision earlier. A flash of light broke Harry and Ginny apart. Harry stared at his hand. A small scar, shaped like a star, had appeared on his palm, the scratch healed. Looking over at Ginny's palm, he saw an identical scar on her skin. They looked at each other. How- What just happened? Ginny stared at him.

"Did you just say something? Aloud?" she asked.

"No, but I thought- I think it was-"

"How- What just happened?" they said in unison. Now Harry stared.

"How did you know?"

"Harry, don't you see? We can-"

"Hear each other think," he finished for her.

Can you hear me?, Harry thought to her.

Yes. I think we should tell Dumbledore, came the reply.

Yeah, when I heal. It won't be too long.

I love you.

I love you too.