[Author's Note: So, uh, I wasn't really planning on continuing this story, which would seem to make this next chapter-thing a little out of place. But here it is, nonetheless, in all its strange glory, so hopefully you'll enjoy, though I can't say if it's as good as the first chapter (not that the first chapter was any good in the first place ^_^). Usual warnings apply: I have a weird sense of humor, I'm not bashing characters, and I'm not bashing the wonderful Mrs. Rowling. Really, I'm only having a bit of fun…and it would seem to me that the world needs a little more humor, when it comes down to it.]
A Word with Paul Jones - The Second Chapter in Which Things Happen
by: Azure
He wasn't sure why he was doing this.
There was a voice, certainly, in the back of his mind, that said this was the easiest thing to do. Step in, say a few words, adjust cape, step out - simple as that. Nothing more, nothing less - which was precisely why Cap'n Harry Potter was staring at the plain wooden door and twirling the small flower clasped in his hands. He'd been staring at the woodwork for what seemed to be ages; Ron had passed, once, and looked at him strangely, though mumbling only something about landlubbers before strolling off.
Right. He could do this. No more stalling.
"Harry?"
He blinked, coming to his senses, immensely surprised to see Ginny holding the door open, wearing an expression of pleasant confusion. "Oh. Hello." He tugged at his cape for good measure. "Right. Well, yes, this is for you," he said, as plainly as he could manage, thrusting the flower into her hands, before crossing his arms in the most jaunty pirate way he thought possible.
It was a delicate thing, the flower, a lily he had picked up in some port so very long ago. And red, too, much like her hair, which Ron had pointed out as to always scoring huge points. Harry was frankly disturbed with putting the words 'scoring' and 'Ron' in the same sentence, but, eh, he figured that was simply another part of life, like how the people he held close always died or suffered violent character changes.
"It's beautiful," Ginny said, right on cue, with an appropriate look of wonder. "You picked this for me?"
Harry chose not to mention that he'd won it in a brutal game of hopscotch. "Of course. I saw it, you know, uh, growing, and it screamed your name. Well, not literally. That would have been pretty creepy." He thought he was getting pretty good at this lying thing, which brought a twinge when he realized Hermione wouldn't have approved.
Ginny simply smiled and tucked the flower above her ear, where it proceeded to clash magnificently with her hair. "Does it remind you of your mother?" she asked, softly, her eyes...fiery, I suppose, since Ginny has never really been described as anything else. Ahem.
"Yes," Harry said, truthfully, but pushed the thought away. Bad things happened when he pondered on it for much too long - things like the recognition that dating Ginny was eerily similar to dating someone who supposedly looked just like his mother. And, yes, he wanted his mother's love, but not in that manner, no sir.
"I guess I should apologize for being a little temperamental as of lates." Ginny seemed hardly aware of the fact that she had managed to set the ship on fire three times in middle of a rainstorm. "I was just a little...surprised, you know? You and I - we're meant to be together. It was just hard to admit that we don't do or act like it, almost as if some cosmic author was making your highly important romantic interests just a subplot in the grand scheme of things."
Harry blinked. Interesting. I wasn't aware that she thought about..things. "Ginny," he began, leaning on the doorframe, wearing a look of great seriousness. "There's something you need to know."
"Did your patronus change into an otter?"
"What? I - no, I wanted to say - " Harry took a deep breath, adjusted his cape, and started anew. "I wanted you to know that I have a monster in my chest."
"Oh."
Silence.
Ginny looked faintly concerned. "That must be very painful."
Harry gave a jaunty and masculine smile. "I've been through worse," he said, pausing only a moment to consider how very ridiculous this entire conversation was.
"What do you think it means? It isn't - Voldemort, is it?"
Harry's lip curled at the mention of his arch-rival. "I sincerely hope not. I knew he was envious of my cape, yes, but not to an extreme." He shook his head to clear his thoughts. "Regardless, in light of this recent development, I don't think I can see you anymore." There. It was out in the open - something he had needed to say for what seemed ages. He watched Ginny carefully, tensing his body for any signs of potential danger.
"I'm sorry," he added, most helpfully. "Maybe - I don't know, maybe when this is all over, we can try again." He paused. "We could have ages...months....years, maybe...." Harry paused again. Merlin, he thought, with great disgust. That sounded stupid.
Ginny, however, took no notice of his discomfort, only turning another violent shade of red and slamming the door quite loudly in his face. "You'll regret this, Harry Potter!" her voice came fiercely from behind the door, and Harry thought he heard the sound of tears intermingled with thoroughly impressive pirate curses.
"Right," Harry said, to the door, and, with a flourish of his cape, strolled off down the corridor, fully expecting Ron to make a magical appearance as he rounded the corner.
"How'd it go, mate?" Ron asked, rubbing the lipstick from his forehead. "Did you two make up?" He had a crafty (and thus very strange) look to his eyes.
"Sod off, Ron. I know you heard every word." Harry, surprisingly, was in a good mood about the entire thing, having done what he had intended to do. That, and he had a cape!
Ron shrugged. "Yes, you're right. Yarr! You realize she'll probably destroy the ship now, right?"
"Yes," Harry said, still somewhat cheerfully. "But she'll live. She's a strong girl, after all. Particularly in the sixth Harry Potter book."
"What?"
Harry blinked. "I don't know why I said that."
"Right," Ron said, waving it off. "Anyways, I need your advice. I'm getting a little tired of Lavender, you see, and although I'm obviously a stud who does inexplicably well with the ladies, I've decided I want to try and settle for Hermione." Harry noted that his friend was no longer wearing that horrid necklace.
"You're no longer wearing that horrid necklace," he said, thoughtfully, giving his friend a long look. "You're quite serious about this, aren't you?"
"Sirius?" Ron had a look of panic. "Ah, mate, I know you spent only a few pages worrying about him, but if you want to talk, I'm - " he blinked, much like Harry did, and, with a look of confusion, shook his head. "Yeah, uh, I'm serious. I've had enough of the Won-Won lifestyle." There was a flicker of pure terror across his eyes as his nickname fell from his lips. "Ahoy, matey," he added, as an afterthought, seemingly recovered.
"Hmm." Harry gave his friend a consoling pat on the shoulder. "Best advice I can give you is to keep fighting with her, mate. I've had many sleepless nights wondering why, but, eh, it seems to that your relationship is going to be built off of jealousy and petty yet painful arguments, so you've already got a good start."
Ron looked immensely cheery at the news. "Wicked. I always knew causing her emotional discomfort would pay off one day." He gave Harry a short bow before darting off. "Thanks Cap'n! I'm off to find Hermione!"
"Wait!" Harry called after him. "Where is Hermione?" He gave a huff of annoyance as the sound of a door bursting open came to his ears. "Hermione, Ginny, not you!" Said door was slammed shut.
Silence filled the corridor.
"Curses," Harry said, with suitable pirate inflection. With a sigh, he adjusted his cape, forcing his thoughts from somewhere other than his bushy-haired best friend.
Truth be told, he still missed her.
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