Feisty - Linny

Chapter 1 - Young Love

When Ron returned from Hogwarts Ginny hung on his every word, excitedly anticipating her own debut at Hogwarts. With five older brothers, Ginny was used to a full house, but when Ron left for Hogwarts, Ginny was practically an only child. As Ginny spent the year alone, she dreamed of her own debut at Hogwarts. She wondered if having roommates in her dorm would be the same as being surrounded by brothers at home, or if the house-elves would be as good at cooking as her mum.

Even with just one year, Ron seemed transformed, he went on and on about his friends. Pictures of them were scattered on the dining room table, and one caught Ginny's eye. A dark-haired boy zoomed across the quidditch field intensely searching for the snitch, the wind blew through his hair and the tenacity of competition glinted in his green eyes. All Ginny knew was she wanted to be just like this boy, not because of his lightning scar or his fame, but his raw quidditch skill.

If Ginny knew one thing about her ideal Hogwarts experience, she knew that one day there'd be a photo of her just like this, with her wild red hair waving behind her and a gleam of sweat on her brow. When Ginny picked up the photo to focus on the details and imagine the scene, her mother swept into the room. Ginny jolted at the sound of her mother's voice "Ron! Clean up your photos and set the table."

Her mother settled beside her, warmly resting her hands on her shoulders. "What have you got there, baby?" her mother knowingly raised her brows.

"I'm just looking at Ron's photographs, Mum."

"Oh of course honey, you like that one do you?" she gazed pointedly at the portrait of the scarred boy. Ginny didn't understand the glint in her mother's eyes, so she simply shrugged "I guess."

"He's quite impressive, don't you agree? What a wonder he befriends our Ronnie out of everyone," Molly sighed proudly. Ron pretended to not hear the subtle dig as he tried to compile the photos into piles.

"Yeah he's a great flier," Ginny agreed. The flicker in her mother's gaze gave her the notion she had misread her mother's message.

"And a looker too, I'm sure he and Ronnie will be quite the heartbreakers pretty soon" Molly went on.

"Oh yeah, sure." Ginny agreed, suddenly confused. Luckily Ron ripped the photo from her hands before her mother could interrogate her further.

Percy drudged in the dining room last, complaining of a headache "I just haven't been sleeping, too busy."

"You better take care of yourself Perce, grades aren't everything" Arthur clapped his shoulder.

"No of course not everything, they just determine what job I'll get, how much money I'll make, and my entire future. Why should I be worried?" Percy snarked as he grabbed a roll for his plate.

"Totally right Percy," Arthur agreed, shoveling pasta into his mouth.

"Oh to think you'll be graduating this year, you know my seventh year was the best time of my life," Molly said.

"Not when we were born?" Fred exclaimed feigning betrayal.

"Or when we took our first steps?" George added.

"Wow mum, you are heartless" they shuddered together.

"Of course then too, I'm just saying you're all growing up so fast and well, I'm proud. I mean with Charlie and Bill already out of the nest, Percy soon to graduate, Ron just finished his first year, and Ginny about to start Hogwarts, it just makes me so sad, all my little birds growing up." Molly smiled.

"And us?" Fred demanded.

"I'm sure you'll make me very proud when you end up in Azkaban," Molly replied curtly.

"I guess I hoped you would all stay tiny forever, but my babies aren't babies anymore" Molly smiled sadly. "For Merlin's sakes, Ginny's already started mooning over boys," Molly chuckled.

"What?" Ginny's attention was caught by her name.

"Oh sorry, I won't tell them, it's just between us girls," Molly winked at Arthur. Ginny's face flushed as each of her brothers gazed at her with mild disgust. Ginny wanted to hide her head in her hands but instead, she remained focused on her mother, in case she decided to explain her bizarre theory.

"Let's just say our Ginnypie's eye has been caught by a certain famous wizard with a lightning scar" Molly put her hand over her heart dramatically. Ginny's jaw dropped at the accusation.

"Come on Molly, they're just kids" Arthur rolled his eyes as he lovingly scolded his wife for her meddlesome manners. Molly lifted her hands in defense, chuckling lightly to herself. Ginny had yet to shut her mouth. Ron turned from his seat to look at her eyes blazing with indignation.

"Ginny my best mate is off limits, Harry won't want to be my friend if my little sister is stalking him. Why do you have to like him? Just find some other bloke to fancy," Ron glared.

"I-I don't, I don't fancy anyone," Ginny defended herself feeling the color in her cheeks grow an even deeper shade of red. Curse her ginger complexion! Ginny considered wearing a paper bag over her face to protect further embarrassment.

"Oh look at her blushing, young love can be so dramatic," Molly gushed. Her mother began to go on a tangent conversation about her first crush, Ginny zoned out almost instantly.

For the rest of the meal, Ginny pushed around her string beans rather than joining the conversation. Instead, she tried to understand where her mother had gotten the idea that she fancied Harry Potter. She had barely even met Harry at the train station and found him no more impressive than any of Ron's other friends. Not that Ron had too many friends, but still.

Ginny analyzed everything she knew about Harry Potter. Harry Potter was an orphan, do people find orphans more attractive? Probably not. Harry Potter had survived the whole Avada Kedavra thingy, which Ginny had to admit was pretty impressive. Harry Potter had dark hair and green eyes. Ginny was pretty sure she read something about how dark hair and light eyes were very attractive in one of her mother's magazines, but Ginny wasn't sure if she agreed. Harry Potter was famous, but so was Albus Dumbledore and Ginny never wanted to kiss him. Ginny thought she was far too young to think about dating or crushes or kissing and promptly decided to forget her so-called "crush" on Harry Potter. Hopefully, her family would forget it too.