I do not own Harry Potter and co. I am just a fan that does not want the magic to end!

Just One of the Guys

Chapter One

Will the Real Ginny Please Stand Up!

Ginny Weasley, almost 15 years of age, youngest of seven Weasley children and the only sister to her six older brothers, was many things to many people. The question that begged to be asked, however, was what, if any of those things was the real Ginny Weasley. These thoughts plagued her daily, like a nagging feeling in the pit of her stomach or a constant voice echoing in the back of her head.

To Arthur Weasley, she was his little princess, the apple of his eye. There was no one more beautiful than his baby girl. There was no one more kind, more lovely, more generous and talented. She was his hope and aspiration for all that was good in this world. She was his baby girl. Unfortunately for the wizarding worlds male population, she was far too good for most, if not all, of the hopeful young men, and it would surely take someone very special to capture her heart (not to mention his approval).

To Molly Weasley, Ginny was her last hope. Molly had always wanted a little girl to call her own, and from the early days of her marriage it looked like that was one dream her husband would not be able to offer her. She loved her family; the boys were rambunctious but loving. Really, deep down, she knew this was true, though the twins had been known to take rambunctious to new heights. When Ginny was born, it was as if the heavens had blessed her with her final dream come true, and surely life could not get any better than that. When Ginny was a little girl Molly would dress her like those Muggle china dolls Arthur had once brought home, all frill and lace. So as not to clash with her darling baby girl's hair colouring, pink couldn't be used, but lilac was just as feminine and girlish. As Ginny grew older, it became apparent that dresses would not remain pristine. At the end of the day, Ginny would appear after playing in the yard covered in mud, dress torn and ruined. Ginny was Molly Weasley's constant reminder that nothing stays the same and you don't always get exactly what you wished for, but sometimes what you end up with is much better.

To Bill Weasley, Ginny was an intelligent young girl who thirsted for knowledge. He was thrilled at her ability for magic and self defence, and let's face it, with brothers like Fred and George around, a girl would need first class self defence. As Ginny grew up, she became more and more self reliant and took absolulty no guff from anyone. This Ginny was one of the strongest and most powerful witches he had ever met. She was a force of nature and he couldn't be more proud.

To Charlie Weasley, Ginny was a mascot, his very own cheering section. He remembered fondly her loud squeals of delight when he was playing Quidditch. No one would cheer louder than his Ginny. Later, when his love of dragons became apparent, Ginny would sit for hours enthralled by the stories of the amazing creatures. This Ginny was his one and only support system, and he always felt better when she was around. No one could take her place in his heart; she was his baby Ginny, one-girl cheering machine extraodinaire!

To Percy Weasley, Ginny was an untapped and undamaged vessel. He dreamed of shaping her into the ideal Hogwarts student that would undoubtedly be destined for prefect and eventually the greatest honor of Head Girl. This Ginny was an unspoiled landscape of greatness, just waiting for his fine tutelage, of course. He could already picture the tears of pride that would glitter in his eyes at her graduation speech, naming him as her mentor and reason for her greatness. He knew without a doubt that with the combined effort of he and Ginny, the Weasley Hogwarts legacy would be great, and any damage the twins may cause would only be a footnote and not taken seriously by those who count.

To Fred and George Weasley, Ginny was a brother, or in this case a sister, in arms. She was their co-conspirator, their third hand, and most trusted look out. Her natural ability to think quickly on her feet and unwavering ability to redirect suspicion were considered her most valued personality traits. The quality of her yarns and bold faced lies were second to none. To them, Ginny was a trusted comrade with an unshakable alibi, and a brilliant prankster. To put it simply, Ginny was worthy of their adventures.

To Ronald Weasley, Ginny was a friend. Well, she used to be a friend before Hogwarts, and therefore before Harry and Hermione. Ginny and Ron spent many hours playing, dreaming and laughing. You couldn't find a closer pair anywhere. Then, her role in his life changed without him ever being aware of the consquenses. She became someone that lived in the background, someone to take for granted. Before he was able to reconise what effect this change had made, the Chamber happened. The idea of never seeing his baby sister again shook at his very core and her role changed once again. She became someone to protect. This Ginny would always be a vulnerable little girl who needed her big brother for her own protection and well being.

To Hermione Granger, Ginny was a friend. In fact, she was her only female friend. Hermione grew up lonely, the only child of a fabulous couple with one flaw: they loved their daughter too much. Because of her unusual abilities, they thought it best to keep her as close to home as possible to avoid uncomfortable questions. Ginny was her very first true, close female friend. She was someone she could talk to about things that were far to embarrassing to speak of with Ron and Harry. This Ginny was the best girlfriend and confidant that anyone could ask for.

To Harry Potter, Ginny was the little sister of his best mate, Ron, and the youngest Weasley of seven Weasley children. She was a sweet kid that had an uncomfortable crush on him for reasons he could not quite fathom, or at least she use to have a crush on him. That in itself was another confusing aspect that he felt better locked away so as not to have to examine it too closely. This new Ginny that no longer crushed on him was excellent at Quidditch and quick with the jokes; her wit was fantastic, especially when directed at someone else. Now that her shyness had evaporated, they were becoming close friends, and she was almost like his sister…… almost. He could joke with her just like her brothers did: she was just like one of the guys!

What did Ginny think of herself when she had a quiet moment to reflect? Well, Ginny saw herself as average, both in looks and in talent. She saw nothing extraordinary about herself, unless you counted her unhealthy obsession with Muggle romantic novels (but that was a little known fact hat she tried to keep close to her heart, though sadly with six brothers secrets were not well kept). She still held a torch for one Harry James Potter, but she had decided to get on with her life and leave that crush in the dust. This Ginny was average, normal, and not much to look at. She was in NO WAY in love with Harry… It was not possible, no way, not ever again…(and she was living in denial).

To the average observer looking at the young witch, her beauty would be captivating. She was not the typical blonde haired beauty or ravishing brunette. No, hers was a beauty filled of passion and fire. Her spunky personality could not help but shine through. If you were one of the lucky people who were able to get to know her, you would be pleasantly surprised at the brains and power hidden beneath the crimson head of hair. Not that she tried to hide it, or even like some girls her age, played stupid. No, Ginny was always herself: you got what you saw. And what you saw was a lovely, beautiful, strong, reliable, intelligent witch willing to do what was right and stand up for those who were unable to do so for themselves. This was the real Ginny Weasley.

Well there you go, the first chapter! Hope you liked it, I would love to hear from you so please drop me a note (can you hear the wimpering and begging...) At this time I want to send out my cyber huggs to justloony my fantastic beta. You are fantastic!

Thanks for reading, now press that little button so I don't feel so lonely in cyberspace :D