Thou Wouldst Be Loved

Thou wouldst be loved? - then let thy heart

From its present pathway part not!

Being everything which now thou art,

Be nothing which thou art not.

So with the world thy winning ways,

Thy truth, thy youth, thy beauty,

Shall be a daily theme of praise,

And love, no more than duty.

- Edgar Allan Poe

~~~~~~~~

You're talking with the other girls, laughing at their silly jokes, pretending that their conversation means everything to you, like it's actually important. But I know the truth. You're trying to be polite, trying to ignore the irritation that arises from their mindless drivel.

I know you.

Part of you likes being a part of their 'girl world', but the other part wants to run away and hide.

So you smile and nod, all the while wishing you were elsewhere. I can tell. I can see it in your eyes.

Why do you do it? Why do you try to be someone you're not?

You're not one of them. You're not a silly little girl who laughs at the expense of others. You're not only interested in boys and clothes, no matter what you try to make them believe.

You're intelligent. You're beautiful. You're kind. You're strong.

There are so many things that I want to tell you. So many things that you need to hear. Maybe you won't want to hear them. Maybe you'll just laugh in my face. But you need to hear, you need to know.

I underestimated you in the beginning. I thought you were just like the rest of them - silly, giggly, childish. I'm ashamed to admit how long it was before I looked deeper, before I looked beyond your carefully constructed façade.

Not that you didn't give me glimpses of your true self every so often, but, to be honest, I wasn't paying attention.

I regret it more than I thought was possible.

But then, suddenly, it was like a light was turned on inside my head, and now I look at you and I see who you really are. Not the girl who flits from boyfriend to boyfriend. Not the girl who giggles with her friends over silly rumors. No, not her.

I see the girl inside. The girl who loves cats and champions the underdog. The girl who cries when she thinks no one's looking. The girl who knows how to make me laugh when I think I'll never laugh again.

That's the girl I see. The girl who isn't afraid to be herself.

And why should you be afraid? Why should they make you fear your own heart? Who are they to tell you what you should say and do? Who are they to dictate who you are?

They say that you're not unique, that you're just a carbon copy of the rest of your family. You've got Bill's wild side. You're brave like Charlie and ambitious like Percy. Your sense of humor definitely comes from Fred and George. And just like Ron, you're loyal to the end.

But even with all those familial qualities, you're still one hundred percent Ginevra Weasley. One hundred percent original.

So why are you afraid? Be yourself. Do what you want to do. Say what's on your mind. Don't let them pull you into their little world. Don't let yourself become one of them.

Please. I'm begging you.

I'm begging you to be yourself. I'm begging you to be free. Be free from their words, from their gossip, from their lies.

You don't have to have perfect hair and makeup to be beautiful. You're the most beautiful girl I've ever seen.

You don't have to have a boyfriend to be popular. Your smile alone lights up a room and draws people to you.

You don't have to pretend to be someone else to get people to love you.

I already do.

How can I help it? You shine brighter than the brightest star in the heavens. When you let down your guard, when you let me see who you really are, I can't help but love you with every fiber of my being.

If you'd just let everyone else see what I see, they'll love you too. I know they will.

But you're still talking to them, laughing at their silly jokes, pretending like it all matters. When will you see the truth? When will I be able to tell you?

I love you, Ginny Weasley, and if you would just let the world see you, I know they'll love you too.

FIN