the one | h. potter

29. pranks/poetry

harry pov

Liz went upstairs with Ginny almost 15 minutes ago and hasn't come down since. Should I be worried? I feel like Ginny's gonna tell Liz something stupid or embarrassing and she'll break up with me.

No. She wouldn't do that, right?

My thoughts are cut off when I hear a crash, and Liz and Ginny make their way back down the stairs again.

"Hello prince charming," Ginny greets me, and I roll my eyes.

"Welcome back," I drawl. "Something you wanna share with the class, or are you two secretive besties now?"

Liz opens her mouth to speak, but Ginny beats her to it. "Just making sure you picked a good one, Harry. And I'll have you know, she's perfectly adequate."

Liz's eyes narrow in astonishment. "That's not very nice."

Ignoring Liz, Ginny continues. "However, we've been having some fun upstairs."

I roll my eyes. "Oh yeah?"

"Ginny taught me something, you wanna see?" Liz asks. Her tone is playful, like she's about to laugh.

"Depends. What'd she teach you?" I retort.

"Mmm, that's a good question, isn't it, Liz?"

"I think so, Gin."

Liz laughs, so bright and happy and contagious. God, she's gorgeous. Perfect.

"So, what do you have planned?" Ron asks with a wink.

"I think... I think..." Ginny starts. "We'll show you after dinner."

"Ohhhh, fuck you," I murmur. This will be fun.

Liz raises her eyebrows and Ginny giggles.

"DINNER!" Molly yells from the kitchen.

• • •

We're back in the living room after dinner, which I made sure to point out, was delicious. Percy and Hermione start to resume their political argument (now fighting over the Dragon Laws, which Charlie is participating wholeheartedly in) when Ginny interrupts them.

"No, no." She waves Percy and Hermione off. "You guys have talked enough for the night. Now... it's time for something special." Ginny wiggles her eyebrows, and I sit up, intrigued.

"Ginny..." Liz warns from beside me.

"Liz. You promised. Get up here."

Liz groans and reluctantly stands. She starts walking over to Ginny but she shakes her head.

"No. We discussed this!"

"Ginny... I think I'll do it from down here."

"No, you won't!"

"Uh, yeah! I had time to think, you know, while we were eating," Liz says.

"Don't be silly, you didn't think while you ate, you stared at Harry half the time," Ginny says, and Liz blushes red. Ron snorts a laugh and Hermione sends her a soft smile.

"Awwww," I say. "You were staring at me?" I send her a mock pout and Liz rolls her eyes at me.

Ginny gives Liz a little push. "Go."

Liz glares at Ginny and climbs up onto the living room table. She sends me a wicked smirk before giving the room a show-stopping smile.

And then she starts singing.

"EYES AS GREEN AS A FRESH PICKLED TOAD," she sings, and my mouth drops in disbelief.

"Ginny, you didn't," I murmur.

"Hell yeah I did," she giggles, and I bury my head in my hands.

"HAIR AS DARK AS A BLACKBOARD," Liz sings, and I feel my face heat up.

To my left, Ron and Hermione are losing it, George and Angelina look as though they might explode from laughter, and Bill and Fleur are barely holding it together. Molly and Arthur have come in from the kitchen and I think they might lose it too. Ginny's laughing so hard she's crying and Liz looks like she's about to break character and laugh too.

"OH, I WISH HE WERE MINE!"

George hoots and Ron looks like he will actually explode.

"ISN'T HE SO DIVINE?"

At this point, Liz is on the verge of laughter, but she holds it together for the final line.

"THE HERO WHO CONQUERED THE DARK LORD." Liz finishes with a laugh and bows low. She steps off of the table and collapses into Ginny's arms, laughing.

At this point, I'm red as a tomato. Not because I'm embarrassed (even though I definitely am), but because Ginny has managed to do the customary Weasley prank on Liz... and I forgot to warn her. The customary Weasley prank started out when Bill brought Fleur home for the first time and Fred and George purposefully gave them a new blend of Nosebleed Nougat for dessert, which caused them to bleed all over the floor. We decided to keep it up when Ron and Hermione announced they were dating by taking them to a bar, taking shots of water, and watching them get wasted while the rest of us were perfectly sober. When George brought Angelina to the burrow the first time, we'd rigged their chairs with fart machines (Ron's immature idea, not mine) and giggled all night when they asked what that smell was.

Life always comes to bite you in the ass, doesn't it?

Liz comes over and falls on top of me, still laughing, but I push her off.

"Really?" I ask.

Liz keeps chortling and barely manages a reply. "It was Ginny's idea."

I turn towards Ginny and flip her off, and she bursts into laughter once again.

"You should've seen your face!" Ron chuckles.

My face flushes again in embarrassment.

"Don't worry, sweetie. I thought it was cute," Liz says. I scoff. "But honestly, your face was so red, I could've fried an egg on it." I push Liz off of my shoulder again, only for her to settle back and wrap her arm around me.

"I hate you," I mumble.

"No you don't," Ginny smiles. "You lo-o-ove us." She sticks her tongue out at me and I stick mine out back. Liz hits my arm and rolls her eyes.

"Ginny has terrible prank ideas," I grumble.

"You better watch yourself, Harry Potter. I've got many more where that came from," Ginny scoffs.

I flip Ginny off again and Liz swats my hand. She lays her head down on my shoulder and I pull her in. At least one good thing came out from tonight. The Weasley's approve, and Liz already seems at home.