Correspondence

A small plot bunny who had rather sharp, pointed teeth. This does take place in the "TIF" universe, so if you haven't read that, you'll only be mildly lost.

This is for my mum.

Chapter One: Autumn

Dear Ginny,

Ron has pointed out to me that I'm a bloody idiot for writing to you when you've just got on the Hogwarts Express, but it seems so odd for me not to be there that I had to write to you right away.

I can guarantee I'm missing you terribly, right now, and we've probably been apart for less than an hour. Just goes to show I've completely and totally lost my mind. That's all right, I'm rather liking my brainless state.

I don't want to think that you won't be able to function without me, but do you think you'll miss me?

Love from your,

Harry

Dear Harry,

Of course I miss you, you wonderful git. It just doesn't seem right to be here at Hogwarts without you.

I had a vision, just a few minutes ago, so I thought I would write to you immediately and tell you what was what while it was all fresh in my mind. It was different from all the others I have been having, you know? This one was sort of... happy.

I was walking in this garden of a small, cheerful house; rather like the one we saw when we went strolling that one Saturday. There were some differences, though, this house wasn't white, more of a sage green, and instead of red shutters and a red door it had white shutters and a dark green door. Oh, I'm rambling again, aren't I? Well, anyway, I was in the garden and around the corner came two black haired boys chasing a garden gnome. I shouted at them, half-heartedly, to leave the poor dear alone, but they only laughed and said, "But it it's so much fun, Mum." They looked disturbingly like you. It was so... homey.

Well, now that I've embarrassed myself fully, I'll sign off.

Love from your,

Ginny

Dear Ginny,

Are you sure that was a vision and not a daydream? I'm only kidding. It sounds wonderful, for the both of us. Unless, of course, you got married to someone that resembled me, and the fact that the children looked like me was a coincidence, then it wouldn't be so wonderful. I'd like to think that the reason the children in your vision looked like me was because I had some part in their formation. Speaking of which... Well, Ron says I can't possibly write that in a letter, and especially not a letter to his sister. He's here for a bit of a rest before he starts his job as a clerk in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.

Well, my try-outs for the Quidditch League are underway. I'll let you know how that works out, though the Cannons have already made some offers for me. They think that I might be the one to turn their program around. I told them that they were over-rating my ability. They didn't seem to think so.

I was wondering, when is your first Hogsmeade visit? I'd like to come down and see you. Maybe we could get a bit of snog and a conversation in before you have to go back to school.

Love from your,
Harry

Dear Harry,

I'm not entirely certain about the parentage of the children in my vision. Perhaps you'd better step up your efforts if you'd like the job. "A bit of a snog and a conversation..." Honestly, I've read more romantic things on the labels of the socks that Percy buys. That's not to say I wouldn't enjoy it. Our next Hogsmeade visit is in October. If you're not there, I can assure that you have felt less pain from rogue Bludgers bent on killing you. The difference is I understand that there are things much worse than death.

Speaking of Quidditch, good luck with your try-outs, though you know that I know that you will do well. There's no doubt in my mind that you'll know by the end of the week who your next employer will be.

What is Ron doing reading your letters to me, anyway? I've seen some of his letters to Hermione, and believe me, he has no room to talk.

I'm missing you terribly. Give all my love to Ron and Hermione. I can't wait to see you again.

Love from your,

Ginny

Dear Ginny,

Your confidence in me has reassured me to no end. I've signed with the Cannons. Ron's over the roof in excitement, but that wasn't why I've chosen them. They're close to home, and they're traveling schedule is lighter, because, well, they just don't do very well. They've managed to hook Oliver Wood as the new Keeper, though, so we'll see what happens to the team's lack of motivation. I'm certainly shaking in my new dragonhide boots.

As to Hogsmeade in October, you can rest assured that I will be there. If there is one thing I wish to evade in this world, Ms. Weasley, it is your wrath. Besides which, I haven't kissed you or touched you in sixteen days, six hours, and two minutes. That's a long time for a bloke to go. As to romantic side of me, I'm afraid it's buried deep. I'm breaking out the shovels to get to it for you. I can't promise you poetry, but next time I want to snog you, I think I'll be a bit more... eloquent.

How's your term going? You're not speaking much of it. I want to know everything.

Love from your,

Harry

Dear Harry,

You'll have to forgive me if this letter doesn't make much sense. I'm afraid my brain has been stuffed to the bursting with knowledge and homework. Do you want to know why they call them the Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests? Because all of the work you have to go through to take the test fries your brain so that you can't concentrate to take them! But, I guess you already knew that. In case you'd forgotten, though, I thought I'd refresh your memory.

I think my hand is permanently cramped. Professor Black made us write three rolls of parchment on the benefits of constant vigilance for the ordinary wizard. The female Professor Lupin has been working me much harder than ever before, and I'm afraid Harry, dear, that I'm finding refuge in visions, or daydreams, if you will, of you. I'll hope you'll forgive me in putting you into the sort of... awkward situations that dream Harry has been in, but it's been entertaining for me.

For instance, I was walking down the hallway towards the Charms classroom when I spotted a broom closet. I thought to myself, "What if Harry were here?" Then I proceeded to imagine all sorts of delightful things, only we had a time limit, you see. I had five minutes to get to my next class. You were rather... agile.

Anyway, in Care of Magical Creatures we're studying unicorns. I was still able to touch them, which made some of the girls in my class raise their eyebrows and mutter. Apparently, with a bloke like you, I should have utilized the benefits. I will, too, but not for some time yet. Or a short amount of time, it depends on you... and when you hand me a ring.

It sounds kind of odd to have those last two paragraphs back to back. I guess you'll understand though. I've got to go, I've a Potions essay to finish and I've only got about four hours before I conk out.

Love from your,

Ginny

Dear Ginny,

Sounds like you're working hard studying. Have Hermione owl you all her notes. She has them filed. I've seen the folders. That should make your work a bit easier.

The cramping in your hand does go away, you know. It just takes a while. Sometimes I feel a twinge in my writing hand, but I've been told that passes too.

Broom closets, heh? Well, I can assure you that are many romantic places in Hogwarts, and none of them quite rank up there with the broom closet. Now, as I've been told there are only really two ways to attack the broom closet situation. There's the "fast and furious" and the "cramped and uncomfortable" way. Seeing as how I obtained this information from your brothers, I think we can disregard that piece of information. Although, the idea of spending time with you in a broom closet inspired me to take a cold shower. A very long, very cold shower. You've accomplished your mission for the week, Ginny.

Practice was insane. Oliver's pretty much taken over the time, and though I didn't think it was possible, Ginny, my love, he's got worse. We were up at four thirty in the bloody morning. Oliver called us personally to make sure. We required to be at the pitch by four forty-five, and we didn't get a chance to leave until three that afternoon. He's crazy. He's a genius, but he's crazy. I can already tell it's going to be good working with him again.

Living in Sirius's house is odd when he's not here on the weekdays. On the weekends we go out, and work on these motorcycles we're going to rig to fly. Sirius said he's got a pretty good idea what not to do this time, so it should be slightly less dangerous. I'm prepared for just about anything. If I break my neck, though, you can have my socks. I'm sure you'll find something romantic on their labels.

Ron and Hermione send their love. They've decided to move in with each other, although Ron tells me that it's "not that way".

I've got to go. I'm having supper with the Lupins. Anna is making me her spaghetti. I can't wait.

Love from your,

Harry

Dear Harry,

Let me guess. They had you over for dinner so that Anna could tell you the good news in person.

Isn't it wonderful? I'm afraid we're going to have to cut down some of our talking and snogging time to buy something for the baby. Anna doesn't know, but it's a boy. Her Divination sense has been heightened with her pregnancy, but it seems that she's blocked with her own future. I think that she knows that I know, but she hasn't asked me to tell her anything. There's something about surprise for Seers.

Yes, that was a hint. I'm thinking of something that's red and smells pretty that you can buy at a florist shop.

Class work keeps getting rougher and rougher. I think that the day at Hogsmeade with you will be just what I need. See you in two days.

I'm missing you, Harry Potter. So much so that it's ridiculous. I won't let it affect my school work, or anything of that nature, but sometimes when I close my eyes, I can almost smell you behind me and I turn around quickly, and you're not there. Two days is not fast enough.

Love from your,

Ginny

Dear Ginny,

Of course they invited me so that they could tell me! You should have seen Remus. The old bloke is so proud and happy he can hardly see straight. He didn't think that he and Anna could have a child, or so he tells me. Thought they were both too old, or something, and Anna's on cloud nine. They've got all these plans. The poor kid. I had to tell them to slow down because he wasn't even born yet.

So, it's a boy? Why am I not surprised that you know that? What do you think they'll name him?

Remus told me some things about my parents, about the plans they'd made for me when Mum found out that she was pregnant. I'm learning more about them every day. Sirius has photo albums, and things that I didn't even know existed, like notes they all wrote in class. Either Sirius was a paper saver, or my mum had more access to their stuff than they thought.

I'm missing you, too. The blokes on the Cannons keep pictures of their girls in their lockers. Says it keeps them focused. It occurs to me that I don't really have a picture of you... just you. Will you send one or have one ready for me tomorrow? I think that might help.

It's only twenty-six hours, fifteen minutes and nineteen... no, eighteen seconds until I get to see you again. I find myself wondering if your hair still smells the same, if your laugh is as wonderful as I remember it, and if you taste as good as I seem to think you do. The time keeps ticking, but not fast enough for me. Now I've got to wait twenty-six hours, thirteen minutes and forty-five seconds.

Love from your,

Harry

Dear Harry,

Thank you for the lovely time in Hogsmeade. The flowers were lovely, the envy of every girl in Gryffindor. I just didn't know you would send so many. They fill my dormitory with a lovely scent. The fact that they were roses didn't escape me either. I don't know how you found out that they were my favorite, but whichever brother it was is getting an especially nice Christmas gift this year.

I can't decide what was my favorite part of the day. Holding your hand and walking into the Three Broomsticks was good. Kissing you in front of the bookstore was amazing. Not kissing you in Zonko's was fun, particularly because of that look you got on your face.

Oh Harry, I miss you so much.

It's only been three days since we last talked, but I have so much to say, to tell you. The necklace you bought me hasn't come off since you clasped it for me. I can still feel the tingle of your fingers on the back of my neck, and your breath there as well. That might have been my favorite part of the day.

You wanted to know about school, so I will tell you. Class work, oh class work. Harry, I'm seriously beginning to fear for my mental health. I've learned so many spells and wand movements and charms and counter curses that I found myself trying to levitate something with "Wingardium Flipendo" the other day. The result was not pretty, but I didn't have to spend too much time in the hospital wing.

I've decided to start every other sentence with Harry, as it's beginning to be my favorite word. As in, "guess what Harry sent me?" or, "Harry wrote to me yesterday and said the loveliest thing", or just simply on a sigh, "Harry." It's nice to have time to sigh over you, Harry. See?

Harry, I've enclosed that picture for you. It warmed my heart that you would ask for one. I've been walking on air so much lately that friends keep having to pull me back to the ground, and it's all your fault.

Thank you.

Love from your,

Ginny

Dear Ginny,

The N.E.W.T.s continue to destroy your brain cells, I see. I wish I could have been a fly on the wall when you set that feather on fire.

You gave me a bad moment there when you said you hadn't taken the necklace off. It took a vast amount of concentration to pull my mind from all the places you would have had to have worn it if you hadn't, like the shower.

Nobody told me about the roses, I just knew. Well, that's my story and I'm sticking to it. If you ask your mum, though, I'm sure her version would be slightly different.

I'm feeling wonderful now. So much better since I've seen you and we've talked. It wasn't too painful to visit Hogsmeade, to see where Neville had died, though it still hurts me. I wish that we could have done something differently to change all that, but we couldn't have, and I'm beginning to realize that.

It's now my job to float in the air, but your letters make that so much easier, I probably wouldn't have to use my Firebolt if Wood didn't make me after I receive one of your letters.

You said you couldn't decide what your favorite memory of our day in Hogsmeade was, but I know what mine is. You get this wonderful look in your eyes when I'm about to kiss you. It's surprise, and wonder, and mischief, all at once. I love that look, and you, so my favorite memory is standing outside of the bookstore and kissing you senseless, because that look stayed in your eyes for a bit longer.

Ron and Hermione have had a bit of a falling out, again. I'm sure it will all blow over soon enough, but I'm just giving you a warning.

Love from your,

Harry

Dear Harry,

Mum says that the idea was, of course, all yours, but that she poked you a bit in the right direction. You're off the hook.

I'm glad to hear that you aren't feeling so... mopey, though I would recommend using your Firebolt, even if you think you don't need it. I love your neck too much for you to break it.

Ron and Hermione again, hmm? Let's stay out of this one, Harry.

I miss you, and I'll love you forever. I've got to go now, my eyes won't stay open. Tell Hedwig to rest a bit. She's looking peaky.

Love from your,

Ginny