Disclaimer: I own nothing put the things you do not recognize. Credits for things you may recognize go to JKR and various books I may have read.
Summary: An exciting summer, in a different place, the chance of a lifetime. Love, romance, and happiness…what more could a girl ask for? Besides the fact that I keep running into none other than, Draco Malfoy. This is supposed to be my summer of romance and he isn't helping any…or is he?
Summer Abroad: Carpe Diem
Prologue
Any moment, everything can change
Feel the wind on your shoulders
For a minute, all the world wait
Let go of your yesterday
Can you hear it calling?
Can you feel it in your soul?
Can you trust this longing?
And take control
"But mum, it'll be a great learning experience!"
"A great learning experience, Gin? I don't see how you being sent away with some family we don't know on a Summer Abroad Program will be a learning experience."
I pouted at my mum, if things weren't going my way this was all I'd have to do, "Please mum? I'll write to you everyday! Or use the Telly-phone, thing. Pretty please with your favorite daughter on top?"
"You're my only daughter."
"Which is exactly why I'm your favorite, but mum, please can I go?"
"Ginny we don't have the money to pay for this sort of thing, or any expenses you will need out there."
"It's funded by, Hogwarts, all of it. I even have some of my own money saved up."
"I'm not going to hear the end of this until I say yes, am I?" I shook my head, "Alright, but you have to ask your father."
"Dad? Pfuit," I said, rolling my eyes slightly, I could get anything I wanted from dad, most of them time anyways.
Oh, in case you were wondering my name is Ginevra Molly Weasley, more commonly known as Ginny or Gin. Sound familiar? You probably know my older brother, Ronald Weasley and his heroic friends Hermione Granger and Harry Potter. Yeah, well I'm always somewhere around them, look closer next time and you'll probably find me. Shoulder length red hair, dull brown eyes, a bit of freckles on my face…about 5'7, yeah, that's me. Nothing special, right? It's no wonder I've never achieved a truly sexy boyfriend. I'm ugly. It's not that I don't have self confidence, I just think…I could look a little better. Anyways, that's beside the point…
I'm only sixteen and in my sixth year at Hogwarts, I'm home for Christmas break, and at school we found out about this program. Students will be sent somewhere, we choose, to live with a family for the summer. Though the family we live with will be Wizards to provide some form of comfort.
I haven't decided where I want to go yet, but I'll get some help with that back at school. I've been dying for something like this to come up. One of the reasons I want to get away is for the romance. It's hard to find someone at Hogwarts to date. If you break up with someone, rumors will spread faster than speeding curse. Seemingly, Paris would be the perfect place to go, but I hardly speak a word of French, so I doubt that would work. Maybe I'll go to…Ireland, Greece, or even America. No, I hear that everyone in America is stuck up, but I've never been one to find out. I'm leaning towards Ireland at the moment.
Now all I had to do was ask my father, that'd be a piece of cake.
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Before I knew it, I was back home at the Burrow, only this time for summer vacation! Just two days after I arrived home, I was packed and ready to start my summer of romance! I couldn't believe this was all happening, and I wouldn't let anything get me down. I had my bags packed, taking practically everything out of my room.
I didn't know much about the family besides they had a daughter, my age, named Tymora, and a son who was eighteen, named Devon. I could hardly wait to meet them, and only hoped that we would have things in common. My host parents' names are Nicolette and Benjamin Leahy. I can hardly stop the butterflies fluttering through my stomach, and I haven't even left the house yet!
I had already decided that the time I spent in Ireland would be the time of my teenage life. Carpe Diem, Seize the Day. My current motto and I was determined to live by it. I won't care what people thing of me, because they don't know me. I shouldn't know anyone there, unless they attend Hogwarts, which would be by a long shot, but you never know.
The whole issue of being a Weasley and poor should be completely irrelevant. I mean, I won't go around telling everyone that I am some rich girl, and I live in a big Manor with servants and maids of all kind. But I don't find it necessary to introduce myself as so: "Hi, My name is Ginevra Molly Weasley and I am practically dirt poor." We have actually moved up somewhat in that department. Only having to buy school supplies for Ron and I, saved some money.
"Ginny! Come downstairs, it's time to go."
I looked around my room, looking at everything one last time before running down the stairs where my family waited for me. Mum, Fred, George, and Ron would be taking me to the airport. Yes, you read right, the airport. I can't exactly floo all the way to Ireland. Plus, I'm not old enough to apparate yet, bullocks.
"Do you have everything packed?" My mum asked, looking as though she were about to start crying at any second.
"Yes, everything," I said, smiling at her, as if to reassure her. I didn't like to see my mum cry. If she was crying now over me leaving for the summer, think about when I graduate from Hogwarts, good Godric. "Let's get going, I don't won't to miss my flight."
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I have never gone through so much security procedures in my life! All the metal detectors and bag checks. It seemed that it took forever for us all to make it to the Gate I was to go through to board my plane. I turned around, facing my family, preparing to start the dreaded Good-Byes.
"Keep a good head on your shoulders Gin, don't create too much havoc," Fred said, wrapping his arms around me.
"Never too much," I said, smiling slightly, my eyes already starting to tear. I hated goodbyes. Everything is always okay at home, but when it gets time to leave, I let it go.
"And don't create too little," George said, taking his turn in hugging me.
"Never to little," I replied, sniffling a bit.
"If anyone lays a finger on you, you just let me know, Gin, and I'll be there in the blink of an eye," Ron told me, pulling me into a really tight hug.
"I know, Ron, don't worry, I can take care of myself." I assured him.
"Gosh, Ginny…Ginevra, Gin…" My mum started off, "We're all going to miss you, the summer won't be the same without you."
"I'll only be gone for two months and a week or so. Don't worry, mum." I smiled at her, before wrapping my arms around her and hugging her tightly. "I love you," I said into her ear.
"Love you too, Gin-bug." She pulled back from the hug, and wiped away my tears, "Now hurry or you'll miss your flight." She said, lightly patting my bum.
"Bye, Fred, George, Ron, love you all," I took one last look at my family before walking through the Gate, ready to start the adventure of a life time.
Fly,
Open up the part of you that wants to hide away
You can shine; forget about the reasons why you can't in life
And start to try, coz it's your time
Time to fly
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Sorry, I know it's short, but it's only a prologue. I've got the next few chapters of this outlined and so they shouldn't be too hard to write. Also, I got bored thinking of ideas for this and went to Location Works to find pictures of pretty houses and things, so I'll have links to those in later chapters =P. This the first fic that I will be writing in First Person, so bare with me. Though I'm trying to make it as though she is talking to you, the reader. Hope you enjoy it. Don't forget to review.
Much Love,
That's So Raven