Maybe This Time

CHAPTER TEN: THE FORGED LETTER

JUNE

HOGWARTS, SCOTLAND

Ginny was flipping through her "Harry and Ginny" picture album and she couldn´t help but smile at all those memories that the pictures brought back. She couldn´t believe her luck. The great Harry Potter loves her too... but... he... is... in... Bulgaria... She sighed and then dropped on her pillow, before closing her eyes.

`What are you doing?´ asked Hermione, startling Ginny.

`Nothing,´ she said, sitting up and smashing her album shot.

`What´s that? I have seen you flipping through that book a lot lately---´ she asked, referring to the picture album. She sat on her bed. `May I see?´

`It´s just,´ said Ginny shyly while watching Hermione reach for the album, `an album... It´s nothing...´

`A "Harry and Ginny" album,´ said Hermione, upon seeing the rainbow coloured inscription. `This doesn´t look like nothing to me---´

Ginny buried her face on her bed and then groaned as Hermione began flipping through the pages.

`You have nice pictures.´

`I´ve collected it since I don´t know when,´ she said, looking up. `I---´

`Miss him?´

`Yes,´ she sighed. `I---´

`I have a brilliant idea,´ said Hermione, her eyes lighting up. She grabbed Ginny´s shoulders and then made her sit down.

`What?´ she asked, looking confused. But Hermione already went out of her dorm room. `Hermione?! What are you doing and where are you going?´

`I´ll be back,´ she called back excitedly. `Just stay here, OK?´

Ginny just dropped on her bed, sighing. A few minutes later, she came back with a roll of parchment, inkbottle and a quill.

`What´s that for?´ asked Ginny, frowning.

`We will write to Harry,´ replied Hermione, jumping on her bed before sitting down.

Ginny just gave her a skeptical look. `What?! I will not make the first move!´

`What? You don´t trust my instincts?´ said Hermione, opening the inkbottle.

`This time,´ said Ginny, `No! Because you are just as depressed as me.´

`What? I´m the smartest girl in my year remember?´

`And so?´

`My suggestion is,´ she said, smirking, `we write a letter to Harry---´

`No.´

`But we will just write a letter to him. It doesn´t have to come from us... you...´

`You mean? But what about---´

`Gosh, Ginny,´ said Hermione. `There is a Forging spell, you know, and it is not at all hard.´

`Just to let you know,´ said Ginny, `I love Ron very much and if he gets angry, I´ll use you as a shield---´

`Fine. I don´t think it will work, though. We just had a fight remember?´

`Fine.´

`That´s the spirit, Ginny. And, oh, can I have one picture?´

`Why?´

`I need it---´======================

QUIDDITCH CAMP, BULGARIA

It was a Friday night and Harry is scheduled to stay in his cottage at the Quidditch Camp. This has been his schedule. He sleeps at Durmstrang from Sunday until Thursday, then goes to Camp every Friday nights, and then goes back to Durmstrang on Sunday nights.

It has been four months since he left Hogwarts in February and up to now, he still hasn´t talked to her and that bothers him too much. Draco and Ron never mention her in their letters as well, probably because he asked them not too. He´s dying to hear from her. Sometimes he wonders if it was a good idea to perform the Fidelius Charm. But every time the fight incident came flashing back in his mind, every time he sees Ginny´s angry face, he immediately stops doubting himself.

Here he was, lying on his four-poster bed while thinking of her, when he heard a tapping on his glass window. He looked and saw an owl. He smiled and then reached out to open the window. The owl rested on his bedside table.

`Lumos. I suppose you have a letter for me, eh?´

The owl made acknowledging bird noises.

`I wonder whose it from,´ he said, taking the cream coloured envelope, which says, OPEN THIS FIRST.

Dear Harry,

How are you? It´s been really boring since you left. [He smiled.] Graduation will be three weeks from now, which means that the dreadful exams are coming soon as well... It´s next week! [He chuckled.]

Anyway, I have a good luck/surprise gift for you. [He frowned.] Go on and check the other envelope. [He raised his eyebrow but reached out to get the other envelope and then continued reading.] It´s a picture of Ginny. [A picture?] Yes, a picture and you better thank me until the day that you die for acquiring such an important possession of Ginny´s.

The girl went completely insane when she thought that she lost it. She started to go mental and Ron and I got so scared.

I really hope that you liked it. Tell us if you want more.

Enjoy the picture!

Your friends (who are willing to steal for you...),

Ron and Draco

Harry opened the envelope and then saw a picture of him and Ginny, running in the hallways of Hogwarts. He was running after her because she took his chocolate frog and they were laughing like mad. He chuckled at this memory, before dropping on his pillow and closing his eyes.

They were both starving. He was opening the box of Chocolate frog when it jumped off. He can still remember perfectly how Ginny caught it before throwing it in the air and catching it with her mouth.

Harry´s jaw dropped. `You are going to pay for that!´ he said but Ginny was already running. `It will cost you one hour of non stop tickles!´

`NO,´ she shrieked, running for her life. `Harry, NO! I´m sorry!´

`It´s too late for apologies, my Ginny,´ he said, laughing triumphantly when he caught her waist. He began tickling her, which caused her to laugh uncontrollably, and collapse on the floor with him. Suddenly...

`No public display of affection in the hallways,´ sneered Professor Snape, which made them both stop and look up. ´15 points from Gryffindor.´

He couldn´t help but smile at that memory. He began to think of others ones, like how beautiful she looked while blowing her birthday cake last summer. How beautiful she looked while riding the bike and while the wind blew on her face. How beautiful she looked while the lazy crackling fire´s shadow danced in her face. How beautiful she looked under the falling snow while they were having that annual crazy snowball fight. How beautiful; she looked when she´s angry, shy, confused, and everything. She looks perfect in any facial expression, even though she´s trying to make a fool of herself. She´s just beautiful. Period.

And most importantly, he began to think of the incident last Christmas in Seamus´ Kissing Box. He began to think of her dainty features. Her pretty blush coloured cheeks, her fragile-looking freckled perfectly shaped nose, her stunning blue eyes, her long and straight red hair, and her delicate and very soft pink lips.

That lips that sent shivers up and down his spine after their lips made contact.

The magic that he felt in the frosty air was still fresh to him. That feeling was everywhere that night. She looked so beautiful under the pretty Christmas lights that glistened that night. She looked like a Goddess of Beauty with the stars shining above her.

He still can´t believe that one kiss under the mistletoe could lead to all of these feeling... confusion... and...

Great Merlin! What is happening to him? How did she do it? How did...

`Wait a minute,´ he said, standing up. He grabbed the letter again and then read it carefully. `The girl went completely insane when she thought that she lost it. She started to go mental and Ron and I got so scared.´

A small smile formed on his face. He grabbed a roll of parchment, inkbottle, and quill.

Dear Ron and Draco,

How are you, mates? So graduation is in three weeks, eh? Good luck! I´m sure that you two will do well.

RON: I can´t believe that you actually wrote a letter without complaining about Hermione nagging about the exam and about you going to Hogsmead with Draco.

DRACO: Are you still with Suzanne?

Anyway, thank you so much for the picture. I really really appreciate it. She looked so beautiful in this picture. Thank you again! So, what exactly do you mean by: "The girl went completely insane when she thought that she lost it. She started to go mental and Ron and I got so scared." Can you please elaborate?

How come you didn´t use Draco´s owl, Damien? Is something wrong with him? You always use him every time you send a letter to me... Write back soon!

Your thankful friend,

Harry

PS:

The picture will stay under my pillow for goodnight dreams. J

He immediately tied it on the owl´s leg and then said, `Take this to THEM, OK?´ Before laying down on his bed and placing Ginny´s picture under his pillow. ========================

HOGWARTS, SCOTLAND

Ginny and Hermione had already fallen asleep on Ginny´s bed when they heard a tapping on the window. Ginny immediately opened her eyes and then opened the window to let the bird in.

`Hermione,´ said Ginny excitedly. `He replied! He replied!´

Hermione began to sit down and then yawned. `Go on, open it,´ she said. `It´s from your lover boy.´ She moved closer to Ginny so that she can see.

Ginny blushed.

`Uh,´ said Hermione, `I didn´t know that Ron complains to Harry about me?! And I don´t nag at him---´

`Yes Hermione,´ said Ginny, sighing. `You just want him to do very well---´

`Anyway,´ said Hermione, `that is so sweet of him... keeping you picture under his pillow.´

Ginny smiled while blushing. `I know,´ she said dreamily and then looked at her.

Hermione stood up. `I have to see, Draco,´ said Hermione.

`Why?´

`I have to borrow Draco´s owl,´ she said. `He questioned already why we didn´t use Damien---´

`OK,´ said Ginny. `Hurry up!´

`Yeah and wait for me, OK? Don´t write anything yet. We have to write like Ron and Draco.´ She grinned. `Just enjoy the letter for now---´ =======================

QUIDDITCH CAMP, BULGARIA

Harry was about to fall asleep when he heard a tapping noise on the window. He immediately jumped off the bed and then grinned from ear to ear when he saw Damien.

`Hello, Damien,´ he said, taking the letter envelope from its leg. `Thanks for the letter.´

Dear Harry,

How are you again? We are so glad to hear from you! By the way, thank you also for the good luck. We really appreciate it.

So you want us to elaborate, eh? What if we don´t want too? [Harry groaned but smile.]

Anyway, here goes your elaboration... Ginny was in the library when we went in with Seamus and Vincent. Hermione pulled her away from us and accidentally left a notebook. We opened it because we thought that it has her notes or perhaps even her diary. But when we touched it, the inscription "Harry and Ginny" appeared. [Harry and Ginny?] Inside were a lot of pictures of, yes, you and her or you with her, etc. Get the picture?

We decided to take one, so we can give it to you. We honestly thought that she wouldn´t notice, but whoah! She bloody knows every single picture in that album by heart! She began to bloody go mental and started looking everywhere for it. I almost wanted to return the picture to her because she looked miserable. But Ron told me that she´d get over it. So I didn´t.

Anyway, I really think that you should talk to her again.

She misses you. We just thought that you should know. We are not kidding. Can you come home before your birthday?

Your friends,

Ron and Draco

PS:

I didn´t complain anymore because I finally came into my senses that Hermione is just doing everything that she´s doing to me because she wants me to do well, she loves me and she cares about me. -RON- [Harry raised his eyebrows and then laughed. `What´s wrong with Ron?´]

Anyway, yes, I am still with Suzanne. How about you? Any girls throwing themselves at you, Potter? -DRACO-=======================

THE NEXT DAY...

HOGWARTS, SCOTLAND

Ron and Draco were beside the lake, fooling around with Seamus, Vincent, Gregory, and Dean when Damien landed on Draco´s shoulder.

`Hello there, pal,´ said Draco, rubbing his owl. `What do you have for me?´ He grabbed the letter and then opened it. `Ron, come here.´

`It´s from Harry?´

`Yes.´

Dear Ron and Draco,

Hello mates! I´m so sorry for not writing back immediately. I was so tired and it was three in the morning when I got your letter. [`What letter?´ asked Ron while Draco just shrugged.] Great Merlin! For once, I thought that it wasn´t Ron writing that! But I could never ever get the illegible handwriting mistaken. I´ve known that too long to mix it up! [`What did I write?´ asked Ron frowning at the letter.]

In case you forgot what you wrote, you wrote this: "I didn´t complain anymore because I finally came into my senses that Hermione is just doing everything that she´s doing to me because she wants me to do well, she loves me and she cares about me. -RON-"

`Oh,´ said Ron, fighting back a laugh. `I think I know who would write such a thing---´

`Yeah,´ said Draco, `she borrowed Damien last night, you know---´

`They used us.´

`Let´s go.´ =========================

`He didn´t write back, Hermione,´ said Ginny desperately while studying with Hermione at one of the benches at the Quidditch Pitch. `He didn´t write back---´

`Ginny,´ said Hermione, sighing. `I know that he didn´t reply, OK? Trust me. He will later, OK? The boy have Quidditch practice for Merlin´s sake and he needs to rest.´

Ginny just looked at her and then groaned.

`You could have just told us, you know,´ said Ron, looking at Hermione.

`I thought you didn´t want to talk to me?´ she asked awkwardly. Ron just sighed. `And tell you what?´

`You know pretty well what he´s talking about, Hermione,´ interrupted Draco. `What´s wrong with her?´

`She´s not feeling very well---´ said Hermione.

`Because?´ asked Ron, sitting on the book that Hermione was reading to get her attention. `My poor sister, you must be really sick.´

`Do you mind?´ she said irritably, pulling out her book.

`Sorry,´ said Ron, hiding his smile.

`Although,´ said Draco, taking out the letter. `This might make you feel better---´

Ginny looked up and then bit her lip before looking at Hermione. `How did you get that?´

`Well, Harry probably told Damien to give it to me and Ron,´ he replied, smirking.

`So,´ Hermione asked. `You´ve read it?´

`Oh yes,´ said Ron. `There is quite a lot of interesting information in there---´

`Like what?´ asked Ginny.

`Like,´ said Ron, moving closer to Hermione and fixing his eyes on her blushing face. `It says there that I finally came into my senses that Hermione is just doing everything that she´s doing to me because she wants me to do well, she LOVES me, and she cares about me. Isn´t that right, Hermione?´

`I can´t believe that you complain about me,´ snapped Hermione, blushing.

`We had a fight remember?´ said Ron, placing a hand over hers. `And Harry being my best friend, of course I tell him everything.´

`That hurt, you know,´ she said. `Plus you even said that you didn´t ever want to talk to me.´

`I´m sorry but I always tell you that I don´t want to talk to you ever again and I always break my word. Besides, you said it first,´ said Ron, kissing her. `But I´m glad to know that you still love me and I miss you.´

Hermione smiled. `I miss you too.´

Draco smirked. `And for you, Ginny,´ he added. `You wanted to know about his girls, right?´

Ginny nodded shyly.

`Apparently, there has been quite a number of girls flirting with him,´ said Ron, fighting back a laugh when he saw Ginny´s face tightened. `I can´t really blame them. My bestfriend is not only The Boy Who Lived. He´s quite good-looking as well---´

`But he said that he´s into feminine-boyish red haired girls,´ added Draco, smirking. `So, don´t worry. He mentioned it clearly in this letter that it´s still you.´

Ginny couldn´t help but smile.

`And,´ added Ron, placing an arm around Hermione. `He is coming home, July 1^st.´

`To see me?´ asked Ginny hopefully.

`Unfortunately,´ said Draco, `No. You know him. He is still in doubt even though YOU wrote that YOU missed him.´

Ginny blushed. `Sorry I used you both.´

`No problem,´ said Draco. `The problem is he doesn´t believe that you miss him and that you want to see him.´

`Really?´ he cried desperately.

`I guess Ron and I have to write back,´ said Draco.

`You´d do that?´ said Ginny softly.

`Yes, because you´ll see him on the 1^st of July,´ said Ron, smirking.

`And you two will talk,´ added Draco, smirking. `Whether he likes it---or not.´

`Just leave Harry to us,´ said Ron. =========================