Ginny's Love

"Hogwarts letters have arrived!" called Fred as he took the four letters from the owl who was perched on their table. "Look, one for Harry and one for Hermione, too! That Dumbledore, always on top of things!"

"Oooh!" put in George. "Another owl for Ginny. Big surprise. Who's that one from?"

"The same as always," said Ginny, frowning slightly. "My secret admirer."

"You've got a secret admirer, Gin?" asked Hermione, taking her letter from Fred and opening it.

"Yeah," she said, looking the letter over. "He's been sending me gifts and love letters all summer, but I have yet to figure out who it is."

"Probably Neville," said Ron. "He thought the world of you two years ago at the Yule Ball."

"Perhaps," said Ginny, setting the letter aside. She would read it later. She liked getting his love letters, no matter who they were from, but she couldn't let her brothers know that. She was already subject to their teasing for even GETTING love letters and she didn't need more teasing for LIKING them.

She didn't want them to be from Neville. She didn't really like him like that. No, she was in love with someone else. Ever since her first year at Hogwarts she'd loved him. Oh, she'd pretended to still be in love with Harry, but really, she didn't love him anymore than she loved her pet rock.

"What sort of things has he sent you, Ginny?" asked Harry.

"Hm?" said Ginny, snapping out of her reverie. "Oh, anything and everything. He sent me a new set of school robes, plus some really nice dress robes. He also sent a new set of schoolbooks and some new quills. He sent me a very nice necklace, too. See?" She pulled the necklace out from under her shirt and showed it to him. It was a silver locket on a silver chain.

"Sounds like somebody rich," he said. "It could be Neville."

"It could be," she agreed. "I'll just have to ask him when we get to school."

But, she had no intention of asking Neville because she knew it wasn't him.

As soon as she could, she escaped to her room with the latest love letter. Once there, she locked the door and collapsed on her bed to read it to herself.

*My dearest Virginia*, it said. *I have been thinking about you all week. I find it difficult to limit myself to one letter every week. I'd write to you every day if I could, but that is impossible. Besides, I doubt your parents would approve of so many letters addressed to you. I want to see you in person and I am counting the days until I can behold your lovely countenance one more time. I long to touch you, to hold you, to kiss you! I wish I could be with you now, holding you in my arms and telling you how much I love you.... That's it, I've made a decision. If you would like to meet me in person (and I hope you do) come to the second room past Snape's class in the dungeons at 8:00 AM on September 2nd. Then, if you do not like who stands before you, I promise this will stop and you shall never hear another word of this from me again. Please, Virginia, I need you to know who I am.

                    Love,

                    Your Secret Admirer*

Ginny put the letter down and thought it over. Could she handle it if it wasn't the one her heart desired? Could she bear to know that it wasn't the man she loved? It didn't matter, though. She would finally see her secret admirer!

* * * * * * * *

"Standard Book of Spells, Grade 6," said Ginny, reading the cover of her newest present from her secret admirer. She picked up the second book in the package. "More Things That Scare Even Me," she read. "Look at this! He bought me two new books from my school list. I suppose I don't need anything this year."

"I don't like this, Virginia," said her mother as she took the pot of floo powder off the mantelpiece. "You should really send it all back!"

"How, Molly?" asked her father. "After all, the owl always leaves once we get the packages and we don't know who they're from."

Her mother sighed. "Well, you could still come Virginia," she said, offering her some floo powder. "You always have fun on your trips to Diagon Alley."

So, Ginny took a pinch of floo powder and as soon as Hermione had gone, she followed.

Most of the day was spent helping Hermione get all of her new things. She needed some new robes, so their first stop was Madame Malkin's place. "So, are you ready for your fifth year?" asked Hermione as she stood on the stool while Madame Rosmerta took her measurements.

"I sure am," said Ginny, admiring the new dress robes Hermione had picked out.

Hermione grinned as the robes were thrown over her head. "I'll bet you’re even MORE ready to find out who that secret admirer is," she said.

"Actually, I am," replied Ginny, feeling her cheeks go a little hot. "I'm going to kiss him no matter who it is. Right now, he could be Malfoy and I'd love him forever. Well, perhaps I'm exaggerating," she added, hoping Hermione didn't see that her face had gone even redder.

Luckily, Hermione only giggled. "I could understand that," she said. "I suppose if Malfoy was capable of such things, I might even give him a second chance."

Ginny only grinned and didn't say anything.

"You hope it's Harry, don't you?" asked Hermione finally.

"I'm wishing," Ginny lied. "But I know it's not."

Hermione smiled. "I know," she said. "Ron thought it was and nearly beat him up for it, but Harry insisted that it wasn't him. But, how did you know?"

"None of the owls baring the gifts were Hedwig," answered Ginny. "I suppose Harry would have thought that I'd recognize Hedwig, but where would he be able to hire an owl where HE lives? Those muggles he lives with are pretty horrible. I can't imagine they'd help at all."

"No, I suppose not," said Hermione, stepping down from the school. Once she'd paid for her new robes, she and Ginny left the shop together to meet up with the boys in Flourish and Blotts.

* * * * * * * *

The rest of the summer went by quickly and before Ginny knew it, she was on the train, headed towards Hogwarts. She usually rode with George and Fred, but they had graduated last year and as a result, Ginny was alone. Hermione tried to invite her into the compartment with her, Ron and Harry, but Ginny preferred to roam the train. She would find Alexis- her only friend in fifth year- and her sister, who was going into third year.

At one point, she nearly bumped into Draco Malfoy and her heart leapt into her chest. "Sorry," she mumbled, hoping he would just leave it alone.

It must have been her lucky day, because he only looked her over carefully and said, "don't mention it. My fault, really," before heading off with his two thugs.

She wondered at that for a moment, then just shrugged and continued her search for Alexis and Amanda.

It seemed like forever until they were seated in the Great Hall and the sorting had taken place, and even longer until they were headed up to bed. Ginny was such a wreck that night that she didn't sleep much, and when she finally awoke, she had only ten minutes to get ready to meet her admirer. So, quickly, she dressed and grabbed her brush from her bedside table. As she ran through the halls with her backpack slung over her shoulder, she ran the brush through her hair and at exactly 8:00 AM, she stepped into the second room past Snape's classroom in the dungeons.

It was empty.

She sat down in a deserted chair to wait. Perhaps he was detained. She would stick around for a few moments and if he didn't show, she would head to the Great Hall for breakfast.

"I hoped you would come," said a voice behind her.

Ginny leapt to her feet and whirled around. Her heart jumped into her throat as she saw before her the one her heart desired.

"Draco Malfoy," she said softly.

He grinned, gazing at her. "I'll bet you're surprised," he said. "Oh, Ginny, you have no idea. I loved you when first I saw you. You can't possibly imagine how much I want to hold you in my arms right now. How much I want to kiss you and hug you and tell you I love you. How much I-"

"Then why don't you?" interrupted Ginny.

Draco only blinked. "Excuse me?" he asked, taking a step towards her.

"Why don't you?" she asked again, moving closer to him as well. "Why don't you hold me in your arms? Why don't you kiss me and hug me and tell me you love me?"

And all of a sudden, his lips were over hers and his arms around her, clinging to her as if to life itself. She kissed him back eagerly, loving every second. When he tried to pull away, she pulled him back, but he resisted. "I shouldn't, Ginny," he said. "After all I've done to you..."

"You didn't really do anything to me, did you?" she said. "Except that little quip in my first year, but that was nothing. Besides," she added, grinning. "I've been in love with you, too."

"Have you?" he asked. "I thought you loved Potter."

"I did, before I saw you," she explained. "After that, I only pretended to still love Harry. I didn't want anyone to suspect I was in love with a Malfoy! I'd have been killed."

"Really?" he said, pulling her into his arms again.

"Yes," she answered, settling her head on his chest.

"You don't know how happy that makes me," he said.

"Probably as happy as it makes me that YOU love ME," she said, slipping her arms around his waist.

He chuckled and kissed the top of her head. "For the record, I'm not as bad as I seem," he said.

"I know," she said.

"How?" he asked.

"I don't know," she said. "I can just tell about people. I had a feeling about Lockhardt in my first year. I didn't think he was quite as smart as he said, even though all the girls were taken with him. I even knew that Lupin was a Werewolf, but don't ask me how. I just did. And I knew that Snape wasn't as cruel as he seemed, which is probably why I like him so much, and I know that there's something very.... Interesting about Dumbledore. But, I can't put my finger on that one, yet."

"Are you a Soul Searcher?" he asked, pulling away to look at her.

"Perhaps," she said, thinking it over for a minute. "I never really thought about it."

"You should train that," he said.

Before Ginny could reply, though, there was a noise just outside the door. Quickly, Ginny jumped away from Malfoy just before Snape threw open the door and barged in. "What are you two doing in here?" he demanded.

"I came down here to study," said Ginny, thinking quickly. "Because nobody ever comes down here. And Mr. Malfoy came in wouldn't leave me alone!"

"GET OUT!" growled Snape. "You aren't supposed to be roaming around the dungeons anyway!"

Quickly, Ginny grabbed her backpack from the floor and hurried from the room, glancing only to see if Draco would follow. He did.

"Meet me in the owlry tonight after dinner," he whispered before saying loudly, "who bought you those robes Weasley? I wouldn't suppose your parents could get THAT much for your brother!"

Ginny grinned to herself. He was right, they should keep up the charade of hating one another for as long as possible. "Shut up, Malfoy!" she shouted back at him, hurrying off towards the Great Hall. They continued that way- Malfoy hurling insults at her and Ginny insisting that he leave her alone- until they happened upon Ron, Harry and Hermione.

"What's going on?" asked Ron, looking livid.

"We were snogging, Ron, what does it look like?" said Ginny sarcastically.

Draco looked as if he'd suddenly had a brilliant idea. "Yeah, Weasley!" he sneered. "How do you like that one? I was snogging YOUR SISTER!" And he laughed maliciously.

"Shut up, Malfoy!" shouted Ron, looking murderous.

"Stop it, you two," said Hermione, stepping forward. "Malfoy, go!"

"Or what, Granger?" he sneered at her.

"I said GO!" she said, giving him a look that clearly said, 'just do it and I won't hurt you.'

"All right," said Draco, giving them all a smug grin. "But you'd better watch that sister of yours Weasley, she's a REALLY good kisser!" And as he walked off laughing, Hermione, Harry and Ginny all had to hold Ron back.

"Relax, Ron!" said Ginny. "I didn't snog him, okay?"

"He shouldn't even JOKE about something like that!" exclaimed Ron, looking horribly angry. "It's not only disgusting, it's- it's... WRONG!"

"I know, Ron, calm down," said Hermione, grabbing his arm and dragging him off towards the Great Hall. "And if we don't hurry, we'll be LATE! And on our first day of classes!"

As Hermione had a point, Ginny hurried with them to the Great Hall for breakfast.

Only, she couldn't wait until after dinner when she could see Draco again.