Ginny's Prize by takefourmoments
Summary: When the idea of a Muggle Picnic comes around, things go a little into hectic mode. Once everything calms down and is in order for the day to begin, Hermione comes up with plan...One thatinvolves Ginny winning a game and Harry...being her prize.
Rating: PG
Categories: Muggle Picnic Challenge (2005-2)
Characters: None
Genres: None
Warnings: None
Challenges: None
Series: None
Published: 2005.04.09
Updated: 2005.04.10
Ginny's Prize by takefourmoments
Chapter 1: Ideas Spring can Bring
Author's Notes: “Wow.” Ginny gushed as she walked out of the entrance hall doors, with Harry, Ron and Hermione following. “It's so pretty out lately. I love it.”
“Yea, it is pretty nice out.” Harry agreed.
“Look. There's Luna and Colin.” She pointed across the grounds to her friends. Harry and Ron groaned in unison. Luna's...fondness of Ron had grown over the past two years. She was always declaring her undying love to him and following him around. It wasn't that Ron minded her really, (he enjoyed being admired) but Hermione, being Ron's girlfriend, didn't appreciate it much. And Ron always got a lecture afterwards.
Sometimes she would yell at him for leading Luna on and sometimes it was that Ron didn't like Hermione enough to care who he flirted with. Hermione, as brilliant as she was, always came up with something new. Ginny wasn't even sure that the two minded arguing. They always ended up snogging afterward...only they called it 'making up'.
Ginny knew that Harry's groan had nothing to do with Luna and everything to do with Colin and the shorter mousy haired version of him, Dennis. They were both still following Harry around when they got the chance and snapping pictures to send back home to their father.
But whether or not Harry and Ron liked Luna and Colin, they were two of her best friends (along with Hermione, Harry and Ron). The four of them reached Colin, Dennis and Luna. As expected Luna walked to Ron's side, grabbing his arm as she stood next to him. Hermione's eyes quickly became slits.
“Hiya Harry!” The Creevey brothers said in unison. Harry, as always, managed a friendly smile.
“Hey, guys. How's it going?” They both broke out into explanations on how their day had been and Harry drowned them out. It was perfectly obvious because he turned fully around (he was now facing her) with a 'that's nice'. The boys kept talking.
“So Gin. Tell me again why you wanted to come over here? Was it to get Hermione or me annoyed?” He asked with a sarcastic smile. Ginny stuck her tongue out at him.
“No, we came over because they are my friends. I didn't say you had to follow...” She pouted with her arms crossed. Harry rolled his eyes.
“Had no place better to go...” He shrugged and smiled. This time Ginny rolled her eyes. Seeing that Hermione looked ready to murder both Luna and Ron and that the Creevey brother's were still rambling about their day (which is pretty bad considering it's only 10 a.m...) Ginny cleared her throat and loudly said.
“So, don't you all just love this weather?” Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked at her like she was crazy for interrupting their previous conversations. She smiled sweetly and gave a little spin for effect.
“Yea, Gin, you're right.” Dennis said brightly. “It's great. Dad, Colin and I used to go to the park and stuff around this time of the year.”
“My family too.” Hermione added, the glare gone from her face. “We would take a blanket and food , and have a picnic.” The Creevey brothers smiled. Ron and Ginny looked puzzled.
“What's a picnic?” Ginny asked.
“Just something that you and your family do when it's nice out.” Spoke a voice from behind her. Justin Finch-Fletchley joined their group. “You took a basket of food and a blanket and at out in public. Why are you guys talking about them?”
“We were just talking about things we did as kids when it was nice out.”
“Ah...my mum would invite all her friends over and me and their kids would have races and stuff. Good times.” Justin looked thoughtful. Justin had become pretty good friends with them last year. Harry, Hermione and Ginny enjoyed his company. Ron had always thought he was a little sweet on Hermione and didn't like it to much when he was around.
“Me and Dennis were simply amused with chasing butterflies. But we did stuff like that from time to time...only Dad didn't have very many friends and all...” Colin once again started rambling. Ginny threw him a happy smile before, like the others, drowning him out.
“What kind of games did you play? The only game I played as a kid was Quidditch and you all obviously didn't know about that.” Ron said like he was over privileged.
“Like I said, we had races. Sometimes Mum and the ladies would hide small sized objects around. Then they would set us off the find them, while they sipped tea. I think they did it so they could watch their kids run around like fools.” Justin finished with a shrug. Hermione laughed.
“That sort of sounds like something Dudley and his buddies used to do. Only it was with plastic Easter eggs and the eggs had like 5 pound notes in it.” Harry said with a frown.
“Pound notes?” Ron asked puzzled.
“Muggle money.”
“We played that once!” Ginny said happily, finally knowing something about the subject. “Only our eggs had like small pieces of candy in it."
“Yea then Fred and George made the eggs hop away whenever we reached for them.” Ron laughed and everyone smiled.
“Mum refused to ever let us play again because you got in a fight with Fred and George over it. Came inside all muddy.” Ginny smiled. Harry laughed not finding it hard to imagine Ron and the twins rolling in the mud.
“Hey! I was 8 and getting them eggs meant a lot.” Ron said in defense. The topic soon went from Easter egg hunts, back to Justin's races, to playing Marco Polo in the pool. All of which Ron, Ginny and Luna had questions about.
“I never did any of that stuff.” Luna said. “I simply sat at home with dad, reading.”
“Bet you did.” Said Hermione sarcastically. Luna looked at her puzzled.
“It really is amazing how the pureblooded wizards and witches don't know anything about things like this.” Hermione said.
“Yea, I never got to do any of it , but I still know it all.” Harry added.
“Wouldn't it be neat if we could have like a school picnic? The whole school could come and we could play muggle outdoor games.” Justin suggested.
“That would be great!” Colin said in agreement.
“Yea, I'm sure if we ran it by Dumbledore, he would agree to it.” Hermione said excitement in her voice.
“Yea!” Ginny was also becoming very enthused with the idea.
“Now all we have to do is ask...” Ron said, slightly angered that Justin had come up with the idea and Hermione seemed to like it so much.
“Right! I will...” Hermione was off across the grounds before anyone could protest. Ron, on her heels. Being Head Boy and Girl, the two of them knew the password to Dumbledore's office. Harry did too, but only because Dumbledore was like a father...er...grandfather, to him.
While Hermione and Ron where gone, Ginny , Harry , Luna , and Justin talked about things they could do there. Justin suggested having three legged races and swimming contests. Things from who was the fastest swimmer to who could jump in the furthest. Luna mentioned playing chicken. Which neither Ginny nor Harry had any idea what it was.
But before Luna could explain exactly what it was, Ron and Hermione came running back, both out of breath and grinning happily. Colin and Dennis joined the six of them from the spot on the ground where they had been discussing how many rolls of film to bring.
“He said we could!” Hermione said waving a piece of paper in front of her. “These are rules he has set for us. It took him about 5 minutes to scribble them down, that's why it took us so long. Ron and I decided to wait until we got back here to read them.” Hermione then unrolled the parchment and began reading.
Students wishing to have a muggle picnic,
You may do as you wish but there will be a few rules.
One, since this is your idea, I want you all to prepare it (Yes, you to Mr. Weasley).
Ron muttered a curse and Hermione continued reading.
Secondly, since this is a muggle event, no magic shall be used in the preparation.”
Hermione glanced up and saw Ron and Ginny's shocked looks
“It's not so bad guys.” Harry said, having lived with muggles for 10 years. Plus all his summers.
“Right...” muttered Ron and Ginny in disbelief.
“Anyways...” Hermione looked back to the parchment.
Third, I want the whole school to be invited. Yes, Mr. Weasley even Mr. Malfoy. (Ron groaned.) “Fourth, you may go the the kitchen's for drinks and food items but no having them cook for you. Finally, if you work in group's of more than one things will progress faster.
I will announce this tomorrow morning at breakfast. Since Easter is Saturday how about we have it Saturday as a Easter celebration?
You have three days. Good luck,
Dumbledore.”
Hermione folded the parchment back up and smiled. Ron, however, was glaring at the paper.
“I always knew Dumbledore was loony.” He threw his hands up in frustration. “He says he wants me to help, then say we can't use magic. I'm useless without magic. And then there is Malfoy.”
“Ron, we can just put you up to something that doesn't take magic. Like cooking. And about Malfoy, he won't come anyways. So stop worrying.”
“Hermione! How do you think my mum has cooked since I was a kid? With magic!”
“Oh Ron, hush. It's time you learned something new anyways.” Hermione said rolling her eyes. Ron mumbled incoherently.
“So, Ron has cooking, what does everyone else want?” Ginny asked.
“I will write down the list of games and stuff, like the rules and supplies we will need.” Justin said. Colin and Dennis offered to help him with that since they were also muggle born. Justin accepted, and Ginny wasn't sure if he was only doing it to be polite. No one, besides Ginny and Luna, could stand the Creevey boys after a long period of time.
“I'll could go to the kitchen's and get food and stuff.” Harry volunteered.
“I will go with you Harry. You're gonna need a extra set of hands. We have to get multiple tables and blankets. I'm sure the house elves know where some are.” Ginny told him with a smile. Harry sort of just half-smiled and gave her a small nod.
Ginny felt stupid. He must not want her tagging along. But there was nothing more that Ginny wanted to do, then spend a few hours in Harry's company. No matter what she had told to Hermione two years ago (knowing it would get passed on) she wasn't over Harry.
Now, she was in even deeper. Last year (his sixth, her fifth) they had sort of drifted together once Hermione and Ron had let their feelings take over and gotten together. They spent a lot of time with each other and became close friends.
But, lately he had started drifting away. No, it wasn't really drifting, he more pulled himself there. But only around her. She was beginning to wonder if she was annoying.
“I...I don't have to. I'm sure you could manage alright by yourself.” She said in a slightly mad voice.
“No, that's okay Gin. You can come with me. I'm going to need the help anyways.”
“Alright then.” She faked a smile.
“I will help Ron cook, since he says he can't do it.” Hermione said with a smile. Ron wrapped his arm around her shoulder. It was amazing how fast they were back to lovebirds. Considering the look Hermione had been shooting him earlier.
“I will check the temperature in the lake to make sure it's warm enough to swim.” Everyone looked at Luna oddly. She came up with the weirdest things. Things that no one thought about, but were important. “And, I will check the weather forecast.” Luna smiled in satisfaction when Ron told her that was a good idea. Once again, Hermione glared at the two of them.
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