In This World And The Next (Completed)

Chapter 7

Ginny couldn't help but stare at the letter that temptingly offered her a faint hope of sanctuary, deep down inside she knew it would never come to pass. Auntie Muriel wouldn't allow it and her mother was going to explode the instant she discovered who had bought the Burrow.

She had her eyes well and truly opened by her mother's outrageous reaction to Harry Potter, though surprisingly it was Hermione Potter who drastically changed Ginny's outlook on the world.

Her mother had been teaching Ginny to cook, clean and sew as if that was all there was to a witch's life, the woman had the future all mapped out for her only daughter. Find the right man, preferably the aforementioned famous Harry Potter, settle down and play house while raising her grandbabies. For more than one reason, their visit to Hogwarts had blown that pipedream into tiny little pieces.

Ginny had watched in wonder as Hermione Potter had defeated not only her mother, but Percy and then physically floored Ron. As if that wasn't enough the young witch then faced down McGonagall and Dumbledore, all in defence of her husband. The fact that the girl was almost the same age as Ginny blew her mind.

She now understood that the mother she'd considered to be a powerful witch was nothing more than domineering women who bullied weaker people. Ginny may only be ten but the Hogwarts incident had already set her mind about how she wanted to grow up, she didn't want a husband that needed his shed as a refuge for some peace and quiet.

Hermione Potter was now the new role model of what Ginny Weasley aspired to be. Hermione was no stay at home wife, rather a full partner in a marriage who was going to be at her husband's side, facing everything that came their way together.

Her crush on the boy-who-lived would probably always linger, not helped by Luna writing that he was really nice to talk to, though her mother's wish to have Harry Potter as a son-in-law was certainly not going to come true now.

Ginny was currently holding an invitation to stay with her friend and meet the girl who made such a big impression on her. Hermione Potter was awesome, though as the wife of the boy who lived, Ginny supposed she should have expected no less.

With a voice that could do as much nerve damage as a Cruciatus curse, her Auntie Muriel was on her case, again!

"Ginevra, it's rude enough of you to receive post at the dinner table, but to then read it while everyone is still eating is the height of bad manners. If the letter is so important that it couldn't wait, then you should share it with the entire company."

Ginny decided to give it her best shot, "My friend Luna has invited me to spend the weekend with her…"

She never got to say any more as the voice actually increased in its power to inflict pain, "Absolutely not! It's going to take me all my time to instruct you on how to behave like a proper young lady without you undoing all my good work by cavorting around the countryside with that Lovegood girl. For her own sake, that child should be placed in an orphanage. Xeno Lovegood couldn't raise dandelions in his garden, far less a daughter. You will not be spending time with that girl ever again."

Ginny had tears slowly running down her cheeks, "May I be excused?"

Muriel was merciless, "No you may not! We don't waste food in this house. You will finish your dinner and then assist with the washing-up. It's time for you to grow up, we should already be looking to get you betrothed."