Dear Readers,
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!
It's done. It's really, truly done.
A few words to reviewers:
Natacha: Hope this answers your lingering doubts about Ryan and Ginny getting together- hope you enjoy this last bit of ending, and thanks for your loyalty and patience throughout this very long journey!
Babyblue: Thanks for your feedback- I gave up the idea of passing off as an Aussie long ago! No, I'm definitely not Australian, and yes- smacks forehead- my main source for slang is online dictionaries...I humbly beg your pardon for having butchered it!
CelestethePirate: Thanks for the feedback- it's nice to get critical feedback on my experimental usage of the English language! Yes, I realized it was a bit strange; just didn't realize how strange until you brought it up...thanks mate, will tweak it :o)
S'lata everyone!
Thanking you for your dedicated readership,
Gnomes :o)
Well, he wasn't dreadfully sick. But he did manage to catch a terrible cold the night before a crucial Gryffindor/Slytherin match, the final match before Christmas break, which presented Ryan with his first opportunity (and probably last) to assume his place in a real game.
And it was gloriously played! Most of the players had witnessed Ryan's talent during practices, and though they all felt sorry for Ron, were elated to have a professional amongst them. Ginny brought her brother a hot cup of tea that kept refilling itself, but she too was thrilled that Ryan would be playing with them. There was something about his presence that was like wand sparks; it made magic. Of course, it may have been because everyone knew he was giving his best, and were compelled to do the same; or maybe they were anxious to prove themselves to a foreigner.
In either case, that game had the largest female-turnout Hogwarts had ever been privy to. Many had busied themselves all morning dusting off their 'RYAN THE CHAMPION" posters they had made at the beginning of term. The only girls going for the Slytherins were the Slytherins. And even among those...
The match was truly- pardon the redundancy- magic. Directly the Quaffle was in the air, Katie grabbed it, soared past the Slytherin thugs, threw it to Ginny at the last possible second, who slipped past the keeper and scored. The rest of the game followed a similar pattern; Ginny scored the next two Quaffles and assisted the third. She became Slytherin prey after that, but her training had prepared her well for it. She cast herself this way and that, ducked, dodged, and was right near hit by a stream of bludgers pelted at her from their determinedly savage beaters. But she never lost focus. She was never hit.
And here came the odd part: as much as Harry had coached her in the past few months- his words of wisdom were not the ones her instinct sought for comfort or renewed strength: it was Ryan's.
And when the Gryffindors won the match at a whopping 210-40 (whoohoo!), the first thing Ginny did the moment she touched the ground was pick out Ryan's face from the crowd. His was the first name she called, he was the first one she hugged...he, and not Harry.
---
Afterwards, as she was washing up, she wondered why it had been so. She hadn't done it on purpose but on instinct, really. It felt quite natural that he should come first, she thought, as she paused in front of the mirror. Because...because...she picked up her necklace from her bedside table and pulled her arms back around her neck to fasten it. The reflection of the emerald and gold snitch sparkled pleasantly at her.
"Because Harry's...Harry. And Ryan's my best friend," she said aloud.
The words hung in the air like a timid ghost, gaining momentum with each passing moment. That was it- as much as she cared for Harry, Ryan was close to her in a different way. He was her chum, her pal, her mate.
Satisfied, she yanked her hair out of a ponytail so that it tumbled unto her shoulders, and left the dormitory to join the celebration in the common room.
She did not get further down that the fifth step. Something she heard made her stop, sit down in the middle of the girls' staircase, and listen.
"What do you mean, I'm obsessing over Ginny Weasley? I am not obsessing," Harry was saying, not far from the entrance.
"You're not obsessing?" a girl's voice answered incredulously. "Harry, I've just listened to a twenty-minute breakdown of her every move in today's match!"
"But-"
"Interjected by, "We are so lucky she's on the team" and, "Did you see how she simultaneously ducked Derrick's bludger and scored a Quaffle?!"
"I'm proud of her, so what?" Harry replied, sounding puzzled.
"Proud? You're not her father, Harry. Call me a slight paranoid, but your 'pride' sounds like it's covering up something else."
"Something else? What is it that you think I'm trying to say?"
"Let's see: it starts with an L and rhymes with dove."
There was a pause.
"Cho!"
Ginny's heart felt like it was hopping back up the stairs. Harry and Cho- talking about her? Talking about Harry liking her? Was it possible she was listening to this conversation take place? Or was she imagining it? She pinched herself hard. No...no, she wasn't.
"Well," Cho pressed. "Do you?"
"Yeah I do," Harry responded at once. "I love Ginny. Like I never loved any other girl. I mean, I've never had a sister, but I feel like what I have with Ginny, it's like that. I think. That's why Ron and I haven't taken to Buchanan like the rest of the school has; he's completely been trying to...you know... start something with her."
"And what's the trouble with that?"
"You mean, what's the trouble if he gets his way and then goes back to Australia and breaks her heart? Gee, I don't know, I could think of one very-"
"Alright, alright. Sorry, I hadn't seen it that way. "
"OY- HARRY!" someone shouted suddenly from across the room. "QUIT LOOKING SO SERIOUS! WE WON THE GAME!!"
Everyone in the common room roared their approval, and the couple abandoned their conversation to join the party.
---
Her hands clutching the edges of the icy steps, Ginny sat very still, her body leaning forward. Her heart was behaving very oddly, for it was not doing anything at all (Well, aside from what hearts aught to be doing). It wasn't making her feel crushed, or despondent, or bad. It wasn't making her want to cry. It wasn't making her want to fetch chocolate and a giant tub of ice cream. And so Ginny's mind put the question forward: Why ever not?
A precipitance of not-so-distant memories began to prance before her; seeing Ryan at the head table the first day of school, both of them hiding from Filch in a broom closet, laughing together when they should have been studying, hugging after today's Quidditch victory...her heart gave a little jump. Ginny smiled slowly, realizing why. A trifle dazed, she made her way down the steps.
And at last, halfway down the stairs, she thought, I love him. I love Ryan. This happy thought spurred her down faster, and as she ran through the entrance of the stairwell she ...well, she slammed into the man himself. Moreover, the man himself had been holding two pints of butterbeer; both he and Ginny were thence soaked in it from head to toe.
Ryan wiped his face with his hand and looked down at her.
"What's the rush?" he asked mildly. "The butterbeer's gonna hold out for another two hours."
Ginny was about to answer, but instead burst out laughing.
Oh, yes. I definitely love him.
Ryan soon joined in, both of them pointing out how hilarious each other looked in their present situation. And right on cue, Harry surfaced through the crowd (Cho trailing after him) and asked,
"Is everything all right here?"
"Couldn't be better," Ginny said before Ryan had the chance, wearing a smile as big as the room. "Just asking Ry here if he'd like to spend Christmas at The Burrow."
Harry's jaw dropped. So did Ryan's. Harry reacted first.
"What? You're inviting-"
"Me?"
Ginny happily nodded to Ryan, then faced Harry with a mutinous air.
"Yes, I'm inviting him. I think Mum and Dad would really like it if he came. And-" she boldly added, not looking at Ryan, "I think he's just the type of bloke they'd like me to bring home."
"I-well, I," Harry spluttered. He gulped. "Well, that's not the point, is it?"
"Then what is it, Potter?" Ryan spoke up, unable to suppress a grin.
Harry stared at an elated (and drenched) Ryan, speechless. Cho elbowed Harry in the ribs. He glanced wildly about the room, no doubt searching for Ron to rescue him. At last, seeing there was no one to turn to but the impatient few before him, Harry grabbed Ginny by the arm, mumbled something to Ryan about needing a moment, then hauled her off t o a corner of the room.
"What are you- hey! Don't touch — I'll have you know I'm covered in butterbeer," Ginny griped until he freed her arm. She watched him expectantly. He said nothing.
"What, Harry?"
"You trust this guy?"
"More than most."
"But he's been trying to...get you."
"Get me?"
"...You know."
"Not really."
"He likes you."
"I'm not a bat, Harry, thanks. I like him too."
"You do?"
"Yup."
"But you don't---he isn't---he's going back to Australia, Ginny," Harry blurted.
"And he has informed me of that fun little fact," Ginny replied with a laugh. "Honestly, Harry, Ryan's not as conniving and wretched as you think. In fact, he's quite the opposite. He should never have accepted that backup keeper position for plenty of reasons, but he took it without complaint. He could have caused your body serious damage for all the rubbish you've put him through, but he didn't. He's only shown you truly admirable behaviour, so I suggest you put away your preconceptions, and start behaving admirably towards him," Ginny said with mock severity. "After all," she added, her face turning pink, "I spoken so highly of you to him, he must think I'm a liar."
Harry's face coloured as well. He stuffed his hands in his pockets and without another glance at Ginny, walked over to Ryan and said,
"Alright then. You can come."
Ryan looked offended by Harry's stiff concession. But when he peered over at Ginny and saw how pleased she was with Harry's reply, it became almost complimentary. Ryan stuck out his hand, and Harry shook it.
"Glad you've agreed to let me over," said Ryan with a touch of sarcasm.
Harry shrugged modestly.
"Don't mention it."
Cho rolled her eyes at Ginny. Ginny just grinned.
"Oy! Harry!" a voice croaked somewhere above them. The four of them watched Ron shuffling towards them in no less than his pajamas. His nose was a fiery red that matched his hair divinely. His hair was a mess, and he was squinting at the party as though it were the afternoon sun: intense and insufferable. "Sorry I'm late," he said thickly. "Badab Bomfrey gae-be a sleebing draught to get be to rest- twelve hours ago. Bloody hell, I never felt so groggy in by life." He groaned as he slipped into a nearby chair.
"Well, think of it this way, Ron," Ginny said encouragingly. "In a few days you'll get to sleep in your own bed..oh no, wait, unless Mum makes you give it up to Ryan."
Ron started at the news, but Harry put his hand on his shoulder.
"I said it was okay," he told him sagely.
Ron eyed Ryan warily.
"Whatever," he said. "But he's not gedding by bed."
As Ron and Harry began to discuss sleeping arrangements, Ryan pulled Ginny aside and led her outside the common room.
"'Like to hear myself think," he explained as he swung the portrait shut. Everything seemed wonderfully still; no yelling, no singing...just the Fat Lady snoring very, very loudly. Ryan watched her for a moment, then turned to Ginny and gave a roguish grin. "Wanna take an evening stroll through the castle?"
"That sounds pleasant enough," replied Ginny. "Aside from the grim prospect of getting caught."
"Look on the wild side, mate," Ryan said, extending out his arm to her. "What's the fun of a stroll if you aren't terrified some dodgy bloke's gonna come out of nowhere and give you detention?"
Ginny took his hand and smiled.
"Too right," she said. And they began to promenade down the hall, hand in hand. Ginny had been dreading the thought of Christmas, for it had signified Ryan's departure from Hogwarts. Now it didn't matter, as they were leaving together.
"So...what changed your mind?" Ryan asked after lapse of silence.
Ginny thought for a moment.
"Harry. Well, Harry and Cho."
"What'd he do? That bludger hurt you?"
"No, actually. That's just it. I overheard him telling Cho how he saw me as his sister."
"Idiot."
"Wait a minute," she laughed. "Up until that moment I thought if I'd heard anything like that I'd be devastated. But I wasn't- not even close. And I realized that, without realizing it, I'd...come to care for someone else."
Ryan said nothing. But then-
"Poor Fat Lady. I think the news'll devastate her."
Ginny shoved him.
"Oh, shut up."