It was a cool autumn afternoon in London, the kind of day where the sky was overcast, threatening rain, but the air carried a crisp freshness that invigorated the city. Harry Potter, now a seasoned Auror in his late twenties, had spent the last several years immersed in his work. The post-war years had been full of challenges—dark wizards still needed to be hunted down, and Harry had thrown himself into the task. His life had become defined by duty, and though he was well respected in the magical world, a sense of loneliness had been growing in him that he couldn't quite shake.
On this particular day, Harry found himself walking through a bustling Muggle neighborhood in London. His latest mission involved tracking down the remnants of a dangerous dark wizard gang, some of whom had taken to hiding out among Muggles, using various magical concealments. Disguised in ordinary Muggle clothing, Harry blended in, looking no different from any other passerby. His dark hair was unruly as ever, his green eyes hidden behind his signature round glasses, and his demeanor was as unassuming as he could manage.
His mind was focused, scanning the area for any signs of magical disturbance. However, fate had other plans for Harry Potter that day.
As he walked past a cozy little bookshop on the corner of the street, a young woman stepped out, her arms full of books, nearly colliding with Harry. For a moment, time seemed to freeze as he reached out instinctively to steady her.
"Whoa, sorry about that!" she exclaimed, her voice light and full of warmth. She looked up, and Harry found himself staring into a pair of bright brown eyes that sparkled with a curious mix of mischief and kindness. She had fiery red hair, falling in soft waves over her shoulders, and a smile that seemed to light up her entire face.
For a moment, Harry forgot where he was. The weight of his Auror duties, the darkness of his past, and the constant vigilance he had learned to maintain all fell away in an instant. His heart skipped a beat.
"No, no, it's my fault," Harry stammered, slightly flustered as he helped her balance the pile of books in her arms. "I wasn't paying attention."
The woman smiled again, brushing a strand of red hair behind her ear. "Well, if you're going to knock someone over, might as well be near a bookshop, right? They soften the fall." She chuckled, and Harry couldn't help but smile.
There was something different about this woman. She wasn't intimidated by him, nor did she seem overly interested in him for who he was. She was just... herself. Confident, genuine, and utterly disarming.
"I'm Harry, by the way," he said, offering his hand awkwardly, realizing too late that Muggles didn't introduce themselves as often with a handshake. But she didn't seem to mind.
"Ginny. Ginny Evans," she replied, shaking his hand with a firm grip.
Harry's heart seemed to leap at the sound of her name. Ginny. The name felt strangely familiar, though he was certain he had never met her before. He had met many people over the years, but there was something about this encounter that was different.
"What brings you here?" Ginny asked, her eyes filled with curiosity. "You don't look like someone who frequents this part of town."
Harry fumbled for an answer. He wasn't supposed to talk about his real job, and he couldn't exactly say he was hunting dark wizards. "Just... taking a walk," he said, his voice unconvincing even to himself.
Ginny raised an eyebrow, clearly not buying his excuse, but she didn't press. "Well, enjoy the walk," she said, adjusting the books in her arms. "I should get going before I end up buying more books than I can carry. Maybe I'll see you around."
With that, she flashed him one last smile and disappeared into the flow of pedestrians. Harry stood there for a moment, feeling as if something profound had just happened. He shook his head, trying to shake the feeling off and return to the task at hand. But as he continued walking, he found his thoughts drifting back to Ginny Evans—the way her eyes sparkled, the way she smiled, and the strange sense of familiarity he felt around her.
