Mirror, Mirror

by Erin Griffin

The moon surounding the longer haired, older Ginney Weasley was very pretty and mysterious to her. She felt its presents and was very calmed by it. She suddenly knew she wasn't alone, but whomever was with her hadn't revealed themselves. She didn't turn to look for them either, but she knew that they were there. Finally a hand touches her left shoulder, and she turned to look at the prettiest emerald green eyes she's ever seen. "I love you." She said to those eyes without thinking. The wind blew softly and black hair shifted, revealing the world famous scar. Harry Potter wrapped his arms around Ginny in a protective embrace, and she closed her eyes to feel them warm her inside and out. She smiled. After a minute or two Harry looks her in the eyes again and leans slowly to kiss her. It felt different from the others though. This one was soft... not like skin, but like... feathers?

A high pitched screeching hoot made Ginny wake up with a start, screaming hersef. Her twin older brothers were laughing as they held Pig, the newest owl to their chests and calmed it down. Ginny looked around her and found that she wasn't outside, but in the Gryffindore Common room, sprawled out on the small couch. "I'm going to kill you two!" She hissed angrily. She threw the cloak off of her. How did that get there? Whoses is it? Ginny thought to herself as she sat up.

"You fell asleep in the Common room again." Fred said, his voice filled with fake innocence. Ginny folded up the cloak and draped it over the arn of the couch, then she stretched.

"That's the 4th time in the last two months." George added. She waved them away and walked up to the 4th year girls' dorm room. Careful not to make a sound, she lay on her bed. She tried desprately to block out her dream. She was surprised that she fell asleep downstairs again. Ginny had been studying to be in an advanced level of Muggle History class. She wanted to work and live in the Muggle world ever since her scary incedent with You Know Who in her first year. At least in the Muggle world you don't have to worry about Death Eaters and Azkaban. It was hard to study because whenever she thought about the Muggle world, she would think about Harry and the feelings for him she's buried since she was rescued by him. Ginny tried to go back to sleep, but she couldn't. I thought I was over this. She thought, getting frusterated. This worried her because the testing was to begin later that day, and needed her sleep. Instead, she silently wept in her pillow for her mother. She was homesick and never really liked going to Hogwarts, even though she always begged and begged to go when she was younger and watching her brothers depart each year.

Ginny didn't want to look at the peice of parchment that was given to her by the headmaster Dumbledore. She did, though, slowly. She was pleased to see that she was now the youngest in a 6th year class of Muggle History. She was with the other Gryffindores and the Ravenclaws as well. This was the only thing that put a whole in her heart. Cho Chang is a Ravenclaw. She is also the one Harry likes a lot. Ginny knew that she could never compete with her, even if she wanted to. Cho Chang was pretty, kind, and popular with the guys because of her traits. Ginny was just a silly 4th year with a 4 year old crush on the boy who lived. What is wrong with me? She looked around her.

Normally this was a happy time, for Christmas was near. But there was no celebrating, only mourning. Cedric Diggory, a 7th year last year, was not there to celebrate with them, or with his family. Cedric, one loved by all but the one who had murdered him, was gone. There will be no celebrating this year. Cho Chang was his girlfriend for a time.

Ginny, whom tried the best she could to hide the wince she gave when she looked over at Harry, hunched over his plate waiting for her brother and Hermione, put her peice of parchment away. She'd tell her family later when she sent them the monthly report. "You alright Harry?" she asked. He looked up at her as if to finally realize she was there. This was nothing new. He had alot to think about, and Ginny Weasly, 4th year at Hogwarts, wasn't one of those things. He forced a smile for her sake and looked back down at his plate. She didn't know what else to say, so there was silence at the table.

Ginny was hiding something and Harry knew it. Sure, she was always a shy girl with not a lot to say, but this time not even her brothers knew what she was hiding. Harry had found her asleep for the forth time in the Common room early that very morning, and let her borrow his cloak before going with the twins to get some butter beer from the kitchens. Harry watched as Dumbledore gave Ginny a peice of parchment. She hesitantly opened it and smiled. He then looked at his plate. If Ginny saw him staring at her, she'd get angry for being nosy.

Looking at his plate, he thought about his last year at Hogwarts and the pain stricken events that happened. He had always heard Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon talk about how hard it must be to lose a child and how glad they were that Dudley was still with them and going strong. Harry felt for the Diggory family, and as the silence of the Great Hall grew, so did his guilt. Though he knew it wasn't truley his fault, Harry still felt it was. If he hadn't insisted on grabbing the cup at the same time, Cedric would still be alive, or would he? He would have grabbed the cup and Voldmort would have still killed him. Had Harry instead insisted he grab the cup, Cedric would still be alive. He felt Ginny's gaze on him and heard her ask if he was alright. Slowly he looked up at her and smiled a smile that said he was fine... but he wasn't.

Ginny was nervous, for this was her first day of the class. Unlike the usual Slytherin/Griffindor split classes, the Ravenclaw and the Gryffindors all sat in a jumble of people. The only seat she could find available was right next to, you guessed it, Cho. Ginny smiled shyly at the 6th year, and Cho smiled back warmly. Ginny understood why she was liked by Harry, she really was a nice person to everybody. Cho was writtng a letter, but there wasn't a heading, so she didn't know who she was writting to.

Ginny found this class alot harder than she thought it was but it was also easier than the rest of her classes. Later that day, Harry found about Ginny's class from Hermione, who had helped Ginny prepare. Harry had seemed to take a little more intrest in the situation. When everyone was working on their assignments, Harry asked Ginny if she could take Cho a letter that he had written to her. Ginny was shocked. Why? She knew why. Because Harry had no way of talking to her otherwise. She didn't seem to go to Quidditch games anymore, so that was out. She only nodded her head and looked down.

Though she hated it, Ginny handed Cho a letter the next time she had her Muggle History class. "Who is this from?" She had asked, a little bit taken aback.

"Erm... H-Harry Potter." Ginny answered before taking her seat. Cho's eyebrows raised, but Ginny was buried into her book to hide her tears before Cho could ask why. In the corner of her eye, Ginny watched as Cho read the letter. Whatever Harry had written, Cho liked or had some sort of answer for, because she wrote on the back of the parchment furiously. There was no emotion to her face, but there was once or twice a flash of wanting to cry that came and went on her face.

"Here, that is my reply." She rolled up the parchment for Ginny and handed it to her with some care. Ginny only stuffed it in her robe pocket and waited for lunch to come.

Harry waited nurvously for the answer to his letter if he was going to get one. Harry knew he shouldn't have had Ginny do it since she had once had a crush on him. She didn't seem to anymore, but the possibility was still there. Maybe by having her deliver it Harry was hurting her feelings. He didn't want that especially because he was his best friend's sister, but he had to know. The question had been burning in his gut since Cedric's death.

"Did you get it you her? Did she like it? What did she do with it?" Harry asked the first minute Ginny got to the Gryffindore table. Hermione was mad at him for whatever reason, but Harry was ignoring it.

"Calm down..." Ginny couldn't help but blush, and Harry saw it before looking at her hands. "She wrote back." She slowly fished it out of her robe pocket and sat down next to Hermione. Harry stood where he was, not wanting to read it if it was bad.

"You didn't have to do that you know." Hermione muttered to Ginny.

"I know." she muttered back. Harry and Ron didn't notice, for they were nose deep in the parchment nearing it's end.

"She said it wasn't my fault, and that there was nothing to forgive. She said that if Cedric hadn't asked first, she would have said yes to me. She said I still have a chance if I really wanted one." Harry said to the rest of the 'dream team' and sat down. At least he's happy, even if it is not me who makes him so. Ginny thought as she ate her macaroni and cheese. So this is love. You'd do anything it takes to make them happy, even if they don't love you. She sighed and fought back tears. She decided she wasn't hungry after all. She took in a deep breath.

"I'm going to the Common Room, if... that... matters to any... one." She let the rest of her sentance trail off as she went unheard. She grabbed her bag and walked quickly out of the Great Hall. She was the only one going up the stairs and saw no one around.

There was a sudden movement on the steps that made her scream in surprise. The stairsways were moving again!! She had no choice but to hold on tight and wait for the movement to end. I'm too little, everyone says. I don't know what love is. I DON'T love Harry Potter! Ginny silently chanted this as the stairs finished moving. She was now lost. She only knew she was on the 5th floor. Slowly she walked in the corridor ahead. It wasn't hidden or forbidden, but no classes were held there. In fact, as Ginny looked around, there wasn't a corridor like this one last year. There were three large doors to the right, and three large doors to the left. There was also a smaller door that was locked. In fact, all the doors were locked. Ginny looked around and sighed.

"Oh fiddlesticks!" She muttered. "Why do you have to act like stubborn pigmonkies?" The smallest door at the end of the left side of the hall opened. "Pigmonkies is your pass word?" That is hilarious. Ginny thought to herself, trying to lighten the sadness inside her.

Harry sighed and looked at the parchment. He couldn't beleive the answer he got, but he still felt guilty about asking Ginny to do it. He turned towards where she was sitting to find she wasn't there.

"Where's Ginny?" he asked Hermione who was buried in Hogwarts: More History. She looked up startled and shrugged.

"She probably went to her next class and will be back at dinner." She said, shrugging again. Harry's shoulders slumped a little bit and looked back at Ginny's empty chair. He had wanted to thank her for delivering the messege for him. He sort of shrugged himself and got out a quill and his ink.

Ginny walked into the room with the smaller door and saw nothing but a mirror and a harp. The mermaid on its side was moving, taking a close look at Ginnny, as Ginny took a close look at it.

"Would you like me to play for you, sweet child?" It asked. Ginny nodded politely to it.

"Yes please." She whispered. She wasn't sure how long she would be there, but she didn't turn to leave right away. The music coming from the harp was heavenly, and Ginny felt relaxed and was no longer saddened.

She walked over to the mirror and gasped when she saw her reflection. Well, her relfection was the same. (She was wearing her last year's yellow knitted sweater with the letter G printed in Orange, her Hogwarts robes open over the shirt, and her jeans. She was the only one of the remaining Weaslys whom ever enjoyed the knitted gifts. To her they meant that their mother thought of them often, and this was the only way to show them that.) Her reflection wasn't what had shocked her. It was who was next to her. She turned to look to her right, but there was no one ther but herself and the harp. When she looked at the mirror again she saw Harry there smiling at her. Then slowly his hand reached out for hers. Her hand reached for his and only met air. She looked over to her side again. Again, no one there. When she looked at the mirror with her hand extended a little at her side, she saw that their fingers embraced each other and that Harry's smile widened.

"I love you." Harry mouthed, or was it "Olive juice"? Ginny knew that if those two phrases were said in the mirror, they would look the same. She knew this because she heard George telling his twin that he used to do that to some of the female players on the opposite Quidditch team, just to throw them off course alittle. She said it back, what ever it was Harry had said. NO!! I DON'T love Harry. He does't love me. She chanted more words similar to those until she saw Harry fade to a shadow, then there was nothing at all beside her. She sat down in front of the mirror to see if he would come back, but he didn't, so she let her mind wander, unaware of the time that was passing around her.

"Where have you been?" Hermione asked when Ginny rejoined everyone for dinner that night. Ginny shrugged. "We looked for you everywhere. When you didn't show up for your class, the teacher sent some girls to get you from the dorms, but you weren't there. You weren't in the Great Hall, the Common Room, the bathrooms, or the Hospital Wing, so where did you go?" Hermione asked, crossing her arms.

"I was teaching myself to Disaperate and got my self to the Forbidden Forest where I was lost. Happy?" Ginny asked snappishly. Hermione only stared at her as if to read her mind.

"Where have you been?" she repeated, unamused.

"I walked around the old Quidditch feild and didn't hear the bells I guess." Ginny lied. Harry looked at her with a worried glance and so did Ron. Ginny sighed, and the group was silent until the owls came bearing gifts.

Harry was also worried later when Ginny was late for dinner. He had heard rumors that she wasn't in her next class and that no one could find her. What was wrong? Harry remembered telling Ginny that she could always talk to him if she needed to, but she's never come to him, which saddened him. The last time she kept to herself for so long, she was writting in Voldmort's old diary and was sucked in so deep that she was almost a slave to him. Hermione talked to the 4th years and asked when they had seen her last and they all said that it was at lunch.

Ron had gone on a search and came back with out a trace of knowing where his sister could be. If she didn't show up in the Common Room by the time it was lights out, Harry was going to report this to Dumbledore. Voldmort could be behind it.

To every one's releif, Ginny was only late for dinner and was immediately interogated by Hermione. Ginny at first got all sarcastic and mean, then she told what everyone knew was a lie. So where had she been? Harry was going to have watch her.

Ginny didn't like the 5 days to follow. She had become her own mail carrier service between Cho and Harry. She never had the courage to look at what was being written furiously back and forth between the pair, and the wonder was agony. It was better not to think of it. When she was finished delivering the messeges she'd go back to that strange and wonderous mirror. Harry's image was always there, and she didn't want it to disapear again. She would just watch as he said "I love you, Ginny," and "I care for you", and wave. Sometimes it would seem as if he was holding her and the ache would become stronger than ever.

This was early in the morning on Christmas. The wonderful mirror called to her this morning, and Ginny answered it.

The harp played like usual, and Ginny sat on the freezing floor and watched as Harry's image seemed to hold her, but she felt nothing. She started to shiver, but still she watched the mirror. She didn't want to leave this small peice of heaven and hell blended together. She heard a hooting sound outside the window and saw that it was light outside and that Ginny had to go back. She forced each muscle to get up and walk out of the room.

Later, Everyone was out side playing in the snow. Everyone that is except Ginny. She was watching Cho and Harry's flirtatious snowballfight. Suddenly one went flying her way. Before she could duck, it splattered against her cheek, and she felt a tear fall from her eye in pain. She wiped it away when she saw Cho and Harry hurry up to her. Harry looked her in the eye and asked if she was alright. She looked away and Harry held her chin, making her look at him.

"Where does it hurt?"

"I'm fine, Harry. It just stings, but I'll be alright." Ginny said trying not to blush. Harry used some of his robes to wipe off the snow and then backed away from her.

"I'm sorry about that. We got a little too rowdy, eh?" Cho nodded in agreement and Ginny shrugged. Cho and Harry giggled a little bit and Cho grabbed for Harry's hand, which he took.

"My sweater is soaked at the neck, so I'll go inside." Ginny stammered, and left the two as Harry kissed Cho.

After Ginny left, Cho had kissed Harry again and he wasn't in heaven like he always thought he would be. He backed away and looked at Cho. "Uh... Cho..."

"Go ahead, I understand." Cho said. She didn't look like she was hurt either. She seemed a little releived in a way. Harry wanted nothing more than to go see how Ginny was doing. When he looked at her cheek, slightly swollen from the blow, Harry saw into her eyes as well. He saw... he couldn't describe what he saw, but he had never seen it before, and the feeling he got from it was very... well, it was wonderful. Ginny wasn't going to the Gryffindor tower. Instead Harry saw her walk up to the fifth floor and wait at the stairs. What is she waiting for? Then Harry knew. The stairs moved by her and she jumped onto them. He watched as it took her to the other side and to another almost hidden corridore that he hadn't noticed before.

He took the long way around to get to where she was. She walked slowly to the end of the hall and Harry followed her. There was a smaller door in which she walked through after saying "Pigmonkies". He quickly trotted inside behind her. So this is where she's been hiding. Everytime she delivered a letter, she'd leave again before Harry could thank her. Sometimes she'd give the letter to Hermione and Hermione would give it to Harry with a glare on her face. On Friday afternoon, she was gone all of her free time and didn't come back until dinner. Again, she didn't give a straight answer. Ginny didn't seem to hear him enter. All of those times he snuck around under the invisibility cloak had searved him well this time.

Ginny heard the door delay, and felt she wasn't alone. This was so similar to her dream. Whomever it was that she felt didn't reveal themselves and was probably Peeves, the very annoying poltergeist. She looked at the image of Harry and watched as he was almost holding her. Then he walked to her side and stood there smiling at her, his emerald eyes shimmered as they always did. Then it reached for her hand as he always did. She slowly and hesitantly reached for his and felt... flesh?

Real live fingers enclosed gently around hers and Ginny's heart pounded. She looked to see Harry looking back at her. She blushed and pulled her hand away, but Harry's grip tightened a little. He pulled her close and looked into her eyes. What she saw was a reflection of her own, filled with admiration and love. Harry held her longer and the minutes raced with her mind. When Harry looked at Ginny again, Ginny was a deep red.

"Ginny- You okay? Truly?" Ginny wanted to say that she was now, but she couldn't get herself to speak. "Every time you ran off this week, I wondered where you went. I was worried that you were in trouble. I don't want anything to happen to you. The more I wrote to Cho Chang, the more I realized I didn't want to be with her after all. And you started to spend time away from Ron and Hermione... I followed you up here and watched as you stared into the Mirror of Erised. I saw every movement I made, and what movements you made. I saw what you saw. Normally, I would see my parents, but not this time. It is you I desire the most, Ginny. Becase I love you."

At first Ginny was speechless and didn't know what to say to those words. He was worried about her? He LOVED her? How could that be? Her mind was racing until she forced it to slow down. She looked closer into his eyes and needed no more coaxing. "I-I love you too, Harry." To that, Harry hugged her close and then leaned down to kiss her lightly.

"Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas Harry."

(Covered by his own invisibility cloak, Dumbledore is sitting one corner facing the new couple as they looked at themselves in the Mirror of Erised. He shakes his head and smiles.)

Dumbledore: Well, I forgot about this corridore. Let's see...

It is very rare for two beings to see the same image in the Mirror of Erised at the same time. If two men desired gold, one would see a mound of gold, and the other would see golden items around him. Mr. Potter and Miss Weasly are a rarity in themselves, both having qualities in them that will change the world... And what better of a way is there for them to change the world than to change it together?

The end.