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So, thank you very much for writing and sharing your works( free of cost) with us. Y'all deserve the world.

Here we go:-

Some of my favorite Harry and Ginny Ootp and Hbp fics:-

Ootp

Arrival at grimmauld palace by fionabhair

Ginny and the rest of the Weasleys arrive in Grimmauld Place,chaos ineviteably ensues.(Ginny and Sirius' first meeting)

Uncertaintyin grimmauld palace by fionabhair

Rusty nail and an encounter with Harry conspire to give Ginny new insight into Sirius Black.

Cleaning grimmauld palace by fionabhair

Sirius recues Ginny from cleaning with Ron and Hermione, and she tells him and Lupin what happened with Percy.

Hide and seek by seriouslysam

It was all fun and games until Ginny found herself alone with Harry in a cupboard.

Raillery by seriouslysam (sequel to hide and seek)

Grimmauld game night by seriouslysam

Fred and George decided that the family was in need of a break from cleaning, so they introduced Grimmauld Game Night!

I wrote a poem (you say what a mind) by CorneliaAvenue (hinnyfest)

For Luck by melindalio

Whilst staying at Grimmauld Place during his fifth year, Harry makes several new discoveries - most startling among them involving Ron's younger sister. A harrowing adventure involving danger, intrigue, unexpected discoveries... and also a bit of bonding.

I did something bad (hinnyfest) by enigmaticemperor

Chocolate in the Library by floreatcastellum

HBP

°summer 1996

Summer 1996 ( multichap) by CaptainYellow

Snippets about how Ginny Weasley became Harry Potter's Amortentia. HBP missing moments.

Orchards by whinlatter

All right now by starlingflight Harry deals with Sirius' death with a little help from Ginny.

Nightmares ( hinnyfest) by curse-04

Parseids by startanewdream

You bask in a sun like a house cat by startanewdream

Prefect by startanewdream

He wasn't sure why by thegirlwhowrites642

Harry is not very good at brooding when Ginny is around.

Harry, ginny and remus laugh about snape by floreatcastellum

I am sorry too by thegirlwhowrites642

Siblings fight, siblings make peace. Ginny and Ron solve their dramatic argument about snogging.

°Christmas 1996

Helpless by somesunlitdays

“I’m too sober for this.” “You don’t even drink.” by startanewdream

Pre-dating FLIRTING

How did you not realize we've been dating for over a year now? by startanewdream

Indecent Infatuation by Abvj

The monster that had been living in his chest since before Christmas roared to life at the thought of Ginny. Harry's got himself a little obsession.

To make it better by startanewdream

Are we about to kiss right now by clarensjoy

The Big Brother Talk by melodylaner

If you were wondering why Harry was so afraid of Ron, while he was lusting after Ginny for all these weeks before he finally kissed her, here's the answer.

Harry Potter and the Attack of the Bludgers by Alcarcalime

Exactly why did Harry receive a number of Bludger injuries during Quidditch practice? There was only one person to blame: Ginny Weasley.

Private practice by startanewdream

Hpb missing moment hinnyfest( slug club) by startanewdream

The life and soul of team by OgdensOldFirewhiskey

First time harry is pulled into broom cupboard by ginny by floreatcastellum

Fix it fic for movie pie scene by startanewdream

like passing notes in secrecy by NuAtTheBeach

twist my head and leave me breathless by balmiki

Harry pining after Ginny as she continues to be downright adorable.

Wish I’d left it there by startanewdream ( harry & ginny talk about half blood prince book.)

Post kiss

Ron and harry after hinny kiss by startanewdream

Spotlight by startanewdream

Ginny fell asleep in a Library by clarensjoy

Happily impervious by remedialpotions

In the face of a truly happy Harry Potter, what’s a bit of gossip, really?

One day by thegirlwhowrites642 Harry and Ginny, a day at the lake and an unexpected revelation.

Rumour ( hogsmade date prompt of hinnyfest slight Au) by ginnyw-potter

Particularl happy hour by Sciens Mulier

Come fly with me by startanewdream

In which Ginny can't help but follow her stupidest ideas and Harry is just happy to spend some time with her.

Getting caught in the act (hinnyfest) by startanewdream

ThingsYoucantDoInLibrary by Thistlerose

Harry needs a distraction from Horcruxes. Ginny, he decides, needs a distraction from studying.

Chocolate Again by fantasyrose91

Pareidolia by startanewdream

Levity by Argentus

Harry, Ginny, an empty classroom, and some...spell practice. Nothing too pervy!

Little cute kiss on forehead by startanewdream

His best source of comfort by melendalio

Harry's thoughts on the night Dumbledore dies while he's lying in his bed and realizes that he can no longer hear Fawkes singing. Harry is truly alone...or is he?

Nightmares ( hinnyfest) by startanewdream

It can't rain ( slight Au) by Elizabeth90

Too enthusiastic? Never!

Prompt 15: Stargazing together. A is actually smart and points out constellations, B just points up at the sky every so often and says, "That one looks like a penis" or something along those lines

-

"What's the name of the ziggy one?"

"Cassiopeia," Ginny said immediately, tracking it on her star chart.

"Well done," Harry said, impressed. He grinned, leaning over to watch her write. His presence beside her made her warm and soft inside despite the occasional brisk evening wind up in the Astronomy tower. "How do you remember all of these?"

"Not all of us just putz around with our studies," she teased, knowing it would just make him smile. "That one's easy. It reminds me of you, actually."

"Oh?" He looked at her, curiosity shining in his eyes.

"If you tilt your head, it looks a bit like a lightening." She used to wistfully looking at the sky, seeing things that reminded her of him when her crush was all-consuming.

"Think about me, do you?" he teased.

Always.

"Careful," she warned. "You'll give me another reason for Cassiopeia to remind me of you."

"What's that?"

"Your hubris."

Harry let out a puff of laughter. She grinned.

"Fitting, Potter. I bet you think all the stars are about you," Ginny mimicked Snape's waspish drawl. He laughed hard.

Harry leaned back, smiling up at the night sky. She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, an old habit even though now she could look at him without pretending that she wasn't. He always seemed to be smiling these days, his posture relaxed and at ease. Her heart skipped at the thought that maybe she had a little bit to do with that.

He pointed up at the sky. "That one looks like a penis."

She burst out laughing. "You're supposed to be helping revise!"

"Who came up with that bright idea?"

Ginny snorted. He grinned back cheekily.

"Hermione'll have your hide if you make me fail my exams," she reminded him.

"Nah," he said, his shoulder brushing against hers. "You're too smart for that." He tapped on her parchment. "What is the name of the penis constellation?"

"Gemini."

They fell into rhythm, taking turns guessing first or trying to make each other laugh. ("Blegh, Draco." "Looks like a sperm." "Or micropenis.")

"And that one...er," Ginny paused. They hand landed on a big cluster of stars that was incredibly familiar, but the name seemed to elude her.

"Orion," Harry said.

"Yes," she said, glancing at him in surprise, but his gaze remained focused at the night sky. The humor in his face had faded to something more somber, even a little lost.

She bit her lip and scooted closer, which seemed to draw him out of his brief reverie. He gave her small smile before averting his gaze, suddenly seeming interested in her star chart.

"What about Orion?" she asked, her voice light as she wrote down the name.

Harry hummed. For a moment, she didn't think he would say go on. "Orion. That was Sirius's dad's name."

Ginny scrunched up her nose. "Purebloods and their need to immortalize themselves with such names."

He laughed, humorless. "Yes."

She squinted up at the sky. When she found what she was looking for, she pointed with her quill. "There."

He followed where she indicated. He turned to her, his smile soft. The blue light from the stars above glinted against his wire-rim glasses. "Yeah."

His green eyes flickered down to her lips, his hand covering hers.

"Do you...think you've done enough revising?" he breathed.

‘And Harry thought of when he used to be on watch, sat in front of the tent holding Hermione’s wand with everything going wrong, and how only then he’d let himself think about Ginny. Her voice, long laugh, longer legs, telling him to move over, pass the milk, look left, met her later, skip that flashcard, relax, put Luna in as chaser if it all goes arse up– she’s Ravenclaw but I’ll vouch for her. Dumb hours spent on the Quidditch pitch, sun going down, watching her get shot after shot past him like she even needed the practise. C’mon Potter, at least try to save these, you’re making Ron look like Wood. Her hair everywhere, laughing, head back, both of them impossibly far from the ground 

thanks for clarifying my dear :))) and alas… i went between domestic hinny or early relationship hinny and… 

12. things you said when you thought I was asleep (x)

“Mum wasn’t kidding when she said you’d be up at all hours of the night,” Ginny mumbled, her voice breaking through the haze that was Harry’s sleepy mind. He sighed internally, kicking himself at the fact that Ginny had woken before him. She was already in parent mode, her sleep light and ready to be alert at anytime. 

He, on the other hand, was usually in the deepest points of sleep when the baby woke. 

The bed next to him dipped, and he could feel the warmth radiating off his wife. She kicked her legs around and the blanket moved around his torso as she moved it up over herself. He could hear his son making small noises, and then it was replaced by the telltale sound of nursing. 

“All hours of the night,” Ginny mumbled, the headboard creaking as she leaned against it. 

“And your father hasn’t woken up, again. How lucky,” Ginny must have turned to look at him, because her words were louder than before, and slightly bitter. Harry thought about moving, but then her hand landed on his head softly, her fingers massaging his scalp. 

“Nothing he could do though, you’re insistent on nursing at three am,” she directed this at James, and Harry could hear the smile in her voice. 

“He’d just have to wake me up, and he’d feel so guilty,” she chuckled, “and apologize profusely, but that’s your dad.”

It’s quiet for a moment, and Harry can feel himself slipping back into sleep at the feeling of Ginny’s fingers on his scalp. She stopped for a moment, and he heard James whimper as Ginny shifted. 

“You don’t even know yet who your father is,” her voice is smaller now, and Harry bit his lip to keep from talking. 

“I suppose you don’t know who your mother is either, but in due time. You’ll eventually realize that that strange uncle at dinner is actually the same guy who created that joke product you heard about, and then we’ll have a really fun conversation, but that’s for like… ten years from now, hopefully,” she rambled on, until she let out a deep sigh as she finished. 

“I can’t believe you’ll ever be bigger than this. I can’t believe Harry was ever this small, wow,” she laughed, and Harry felt his lips ticking up at her statement. 

“I was never,” he mumbled, and she jumped. Her hand came back down on his head, a light slap, as James cried out. 

“Harry!” she hissed, and he laughed as she worked on getting James back to where he was before. He looked up at her, and she glared at him, a smile on her lips. 

“I’m sorry, I couldn’t help it,” he said, turning over and sitting up next to her. She sighed heavily, looking back down at James again. 

“You so were this small, once,” she said, and he shrugged.

“Not that I remember,” he replied, and she looked up at him, amusement in her eyes. 

“You’re so full of it tonight,” she whispered, and he pressed a kiss to her lips. 

“I’ve got to get better at waking up when he cries,” he breathed, and she shrugged.

“Maybe by the next one,” she mumbled, her eyelids drooping. As he reached to take a very sleepy looking James from her arms, he quirked an eyebrow at her.

“Next one?” he asked, his voice cracking slightly. 

But she was out, her head lolling to the side as sleep overtook her where she sat. Harry smiled as he stood up, James cradled in his arms. 

“Did you hear your mother? Next one… I’ve barely got you handled,” he mumbled at James as he walked over to the crib. 

What are your top 5 fictional girls who inspire you and you genuinely love them and why?

I love questions like these because they always force me to reflect on why I prioritize certain traits over others in fictional characters in the first place. And this question in particular is fascinating because I’ve come to realize that a certain pattern that correlates with my liking of fictional characters is usually to do with how supremely underrated they are and how much hate they receive from fandom (and it's for really dumb, hypocritical, double-standard reasons in most cases).

I actually for the life of me cannot come up with a top 5 because my brain absolutely refuses to work, and I love so many female characters to the bottom of my heart, so asking me to just choose five is actually really freakin' hard. I’m sure I’ll hate myself when I do remember, like, five minutes after I post this, but until then, I’ll give you my top three.

These are ones I feel so supremely attached to that my fingers itch to write, talk, and obsess about them to the point that I’m sure I’ve scared off all my family members by now lol. Particularly because these characters are not usually a fan favorite (with the exception of one).

My Top Three:

3. Piper McLean - yep, that’s right, I said it. God, I wish I could go back to my fanfic writing days with the wisdom I have now to fully express just how underrated this character really is. A lot of people dislike her because in many ways, she appears to act like she’s “not like other girls.” They point to instances of her cutting her hair haphazardly to not draw attention, having dark skin, hating on her cabin for having Aphrodite as her mother, being “super obsessed” with Jason, and - the part that really gets to me - preferring Jason’s looks over Percy’s. I repeat, people hated Piper for saying her boyfriend was better looking than a dude she just met. And she still is (in fact, it’s literally a TikTok trend).

Reasons why I like her: all of these claims are bullshit. I think she’s just a teenage girl who is very passionate about her culture, wants to protect her father, loves her boyfriend and her friends, and desires to do the right thing. When we first meet her, you realize that all of her memories from her time at that school I highkey forgot the name of were all a lie. She had to relearn everything and get to know a boy she had always thought she knew. Can you imagine how heartbreaking it must be to lose (for lack of a better word) someone she loved in a manner she had no control over? As for all of the “wanting to be not like other girl stuff,” well, I think a lot of people forget that there is this huge stereotype of Native Americans being oversexualized in the media as well as in history itself, and while I can’t make assumptions that is what Riordan was going for, I’m not surprised that fandom has a way of focusing on dispositional factors as opposed to situational and cultural ones because frankly...what's new.

Also, at the time, people used to hate Jason as well, but now I’m seeing more love for him and even less for Piper. Again, this is one of those things I’m not surprised about. Nothing like that good-old fandom misogyny.

How does she inspire me? Y’all, hear my girl out. People are always telling her that she’s weak and the more useless one of the seven. You think she hasn’t internalized that shit? Because she’s the first to have done so. After fighting that ice goddess-villain-bitch on the ship in one of the books, she started becoming really hard on herself to improve her skills and become better. You all are forgetting that Percy, Jason, and Annabeth had years of experience over her. And she learned how to fight with a sword within that same book! Talk about badass development!

Phew, sorry for the rant. For those who agree (or still need convincing), I had written a lot of Piper x Jason fanfic back in the day if you want to check it out on fanfic.net. I stopped writing about them for…well, obvious reasons that people who are caught up on the series would know about 😭

2. Jude Duarte - this is actually one of those rare instances where I am absolutely in love with the main girl character who’s not underrated even the tiniest bit by fandom. And they don't love her because she's perfect they love her because she's morally gray. A glow-up for all of us, let's give each other a pat on the back. She makes mistakes (anvil-sized ones) both on the society- and emotional-level, but she sincerely, whole-heartedly learns from them. I think all BookTok authors have something to gain from reading and writing about her (I'm looking at you SJM die-hards) because seeing a female character who is so unmistakably and unapologetically human is just so refreshing to read. You can trust that when I say I have never read a female protagonist like her, you can believe it, and I'm almost 100% sure you haven't either (at least in American contemporary literature). I won't prattle on more about her because, again, she's fairly well-liked so I don't need to "defend her actions" (rolls eyes) as they say, and this post is getting severely long as it is.

1. c'mon. You know why you follow me. Hermione Granger.

Jk.

Ginny Weasley.

(still love you though, book!Hermione)

I'm just going to copy and paste the reasons why I love this girl from a previous post because it still sums up my feelings pretty well. Stay tuned for some additions at the end.

This girl. If she were real, I’d give her my babies. She is almost the most developed female character in the book series, considering the little number of relevant scenes she was given. I say almost because I actually do think JKR missed the concluding bulls-eye with her arc, particularly in HBP and DH. I, like everyone else, expected her to do a lot more than she did (c’mon she’s one of the only kids connected to fucking Voldemort, that had to have counted for something?!?!). With that being said, she’s the only female character who has a consistent rise in characterization throughout the books: starting off as a bubbly 10 year old waving and crying to see her brothers leave, a shy 11 year old who can’t speak around Harry but can to her diary and trauma ensues, a quiet 12 year old who still doesn’t talk to Harry but is overcoming her reputation as the girl who opened the Chamber and was victimized by literal Voldemort himself, and so on and so forth to the flawed, stubborn, angry, petty, defensive but also caring, compassionate, funny, clever, sassy girl we have by HBP and DH. As the books go on, you really see her shine and become a woman in her own right. And interestingly enough, her arc doesn’t repeat, like Hermione’s and Neville’s does; it has a clear direction that journeys from Book 1 to the end. For all of these reasons, I notice a lot of people claim she isn’t very developed - and while I agree she could definitely be more - I’d also argue she’s one of the most obviously developed too. Plus, I’ve always been fascinated by her connection to Voldemort and wish JKR explored it more herself: from her wand being made of the same wood as his (while Harry’s is made of the same core…hmmm interesting) to the interactions being much more gendered and personal than I’d even argue Harry’s. If I had to read about someone’s relationship with Voldemort other than Harry, Ginny definitely takes the cake, sorry Draco. I could go on and on about her, but if you want more Ginny meta, just check out my other posts dedicated just for her.

I'd also add that I like the fact that she doesn't always fit the mold of a stereotypical book!female hero: she isn't the absolute smartest in the room, she isn't a nitty-gritty perfectionist, she doesn't pine after and date only one boy, she likes nuances and creativity, she isn’t at the beck-and-call of the male protagonist who helps him all the time to complete His Task™, she likes sports and flowery perfumes, she is conventionally attractive and popular and knows it, she does quit her quidditch career to be a mother from an early age, and she does take Harry's last name as her own. None of the aforementioned are bad characteristics/intonations, of course, but the point is that girls' personalities (like all personalities lmfao) can and do vary. You don't have to be a certain type of woman to be a woman. Ginny Weasley is proof that if anyone tells you otherwise, they're delusional and need to get their internalized misogyny in check.

Because that is what being an independent, feminist is... having the power to choose what being a woman in this world means to you.

To start off, just want to make it clear that while I like some characters more than others, I actually appreciate each and every one of these characters for the roles they exercise in the books. Appreciating vs liking do not always equate, and certainly nor do respecting vs liking. This Top 10 is purely based on my opinion, and the reasons that are subsequently provided are simply that - reasons - and not evidence. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion.

Also, after writing all of this, I realized this ended up being a very long character analysis instead of being purely based on liking, so please enjoy this very chaotic list because I felt chaotic writing it for sure.

With that being said…

10. Lily - I know. Crazy. You must be thinking what the hell is wrong with me to put her last in the first place. I can already feel the backlash from fandom, but I’m kind of beyond caring by this point because this fandom is crazy as hell. My issue with Lily is that from my standpoint, she’s truly not developed enough for me to gravitate to her. The main characteristics that we get from her is that she’s smart, funny, selfless, and cool. However, not only do we not see real canon evidence of these traits (besides being selfless), but that’s pretty much all the details we get of her personality. I guess you could argue that she learned to see the nuance in people and overcame her stubbornness by falling in love with James - in this case, I agree, she had some development there, though how much of it was her “overcoming” her stubbornness and not just James becoming more “worthy” of her, it’s hard to tell. For the most part though, I think she was mainly written - by JKR, not fandom - as a plot device: a prize to be won by either James or Snape to determine who is more “worthy” of her love and a sacrificial lamb that must represent the ideal Harry must hold to successfully kill Voldemort - love. All in all, it’s a pass for me, sorry. Still makes the ranking though, so there’s that!

9. Snape - I know, I know. How in the world am I putting Snape above Lily in my ranking? I need it to be known I really dislike Snape from the bottom of my core. He is cruel, petty, and arguably never really cared about Harry beyond his “love” for Lily. I think Alan Rickman definitely made his character a lot more palatable because when I first read the books, not a single tear shed for him when he died (in contrast, it did while watching the movies, but that doesn’t come as a surprise since the two mediums are so different). However, saying this dude didn’t absolutely nail his double agent role and completely throw people off in his complexity is just simply dismissive. He’s just…really complicated, and reading that in books, not real life, is incredibly fascinating from a literary point of view. Don’t like him, but I don’t exactly hate him either.

8. Draco - speaking of annoying assholes. Honestly I kind of want to rank him lower but alas I went through a Drinny/Dramione phase ten years ago and unfortunately fanon Draco (who as we all know - regardless whether you like him or not - is very different from both book and honestly movie Draco too) seems to loom occasionally. In the books, he’s classist, racist, snobbish, spoiled, an actual bully, and a bunch of other adjectives I’d need a dictionary to pull out to describe him with. With that being said, his sixth year was quite troublesome for him and I don’t put a lot of blame for his actions and conflict there because he was a kid who like Ginny was manipulated by Voldemort in his own way, even if he played a more conscious role in it. I give him a 3/10 for personal preference, 5/10 for development.

7. Luna - I gotta say, when I was a kid, I liked her a lot for all the reasons you normally would gravitate toward a whimsical, strange, funny-without-trying character, and though I still appreciate all of these characteristics - and her value as friends to Harry and Ginny in particular - I see some flaws in her arc now. I am a firm believer that often times, whenever authors want their characters to appear more complex, they just tack on a tragic backstory (one we never really saw on scene) and call it development while keeping their characterization relatively static. Case in point, Luna. There’s no argument that she’s one of the most loved characters in Harry Potter, and I think the reason for that is because there’s simply nothing to not like about her. She almost doesn’t seem real. Though I can appreciate the beauty in that too because she - just like the things she believes in - are open to interpretation as well.

6. James - surprisingly, I don’t have a lot of strong feelings for James either way. This just seemed like a neutral area to put him in so here we are. He’s pretty decent. He reminds me of the perfect mix between Harry and Ginny: brash, arrogant, impulsive, but also caring and willing to do the right thing when it counts. It actually really surprises me when people bash James - a lot of the times, I think it’s because they only really watch the movies, which never show the positives of his character. He’s even shoved to the side further in DH2 movie with dead Lily saying “Always” to Harry in the Forest of Dean, which I’ve always considered a big fuck you to the supposed great love story that is meant to symbolize the main theme of love and everything it means to fight for it. He even has GREAT development mentioned in the books as well, considered he, I don’t know, changed by helping out Snape in the end, proving he’s not the senseless bully others make him out to be? And yet, people feel more sympathy for Snape even though he continues his petty rivalry by enacting it on literal kids who did nothing to him? Anywho.

5. Hermione - I’ve always had mixed feelings about Hermione, unfortunately because of the ever present shit show that is the movies. Seriously. Fuck the movies. With that being said, I actually think her characterization is not bad…it’s similar to Lily’s arc (but a lot more actualized in my opinion) in that she went from being stubborn and single-minded in some ways to understanding there is a lot more to life than books but rather friendship and bravery (her words, not mine). She’s smart, intense, scary, and compassionate, and honestly just writing about her gives me the chills. However, my problem with her character arc is that it just keeps repeating in every single book (SS, OOTP, HBP especially). She learns this lesson over and over and it makes me feel like JKR kind of didn’t know where to go with her after a while.

4. Neville - speaking of character arcs that keep repeating. I like his arc because it’s the typical shy/awkward boy finds grounding and confidence, which with me having gone through that myself (and lowkey still going through it lol), many can relate to this a lot. Because this arc is repeated so much though - particularly in the movies - he’s a bit overinfantilized and babied when he’s proven himself time and again that he’s actually quite capable. He doesn’t really have much flaws like in the case with Luna (unless you count being shy and awkward, which it seems he’s more endeared for it than anything), but overall a great lad.

3. Ron - probably one of the most developed characters in the books because both of his strengths and flaws are clearly shown page after page, time after time again. Also probably the most hated. And probably the most relatable. I’m, uh…starting to see a correlation. Honestly I could talk about him for hours, but to quote Ms. Marvel: Good is not something that you are, it’s something that you do. And Ron’s actions speak for themselves. He leaves the Trio in DH? He comes back and atones for it. He treats Hermione badly in HBP? He makes efforts to improve his “lack of an emotional range” (which is BS btw) by reading the book about How to Charm Witches. He has an argument with Hermione about Crookshanks and Scabbers? He offers to make up for it by helping Hermione in her research on Buckbeak. And c’mon. Don’t tell me that when you read the scene in DH of him crying (NOT being angry, jealous, petty) after killing the Horcrux that your heart did not absolutely shatter for this tender, precious moment of vulnerability that hardly any other character besides maybe Harry displayed in the books at that age. A King 👑.

2. Ginny - honestly, this one alternates with my number one sometimes but because I’m going with the answer I know in my heart is right, I’m sticking her here for now. This girl. If she were real, I’d give her my babies. She is almost the most developed female character in the book series, considering the little number of relevant scenes she was given. I say almost because I actually do think JKR missed the concluding bulls-eye with her arc, particularly in HBP and DH. I, like everyone else, expected her to do a lot more than she did (c’mon she’s one of the only kids connected to fucking Voldemort, that had to have counted for something?!?!). With that being said, she’s the only female character who has a consistent rise in characterization throughout the books: starting off as a bubbly 10 year old waving and crying to see her brothers leave, a shy 11 year old who can’t speak around Harry but can to her diary and trauma ensues, a quiet 12 year old who still doesn’t talk to Harry but is overcoming her reputation as the girl who opened the Chamber and was victimized by literal Voldemort himself, and so on and so forth to the flawed, stubborn, angry, petty, defensive but also caring, compassionate, funny, clever, sassy girl we have by HBP and DH. As the books go on, you really see her shine and become a woman in her own right. And interestingly enough, her arc doesn’t repeat, like Hermione’s and Neville’s does; it has a clear direction that journeys from Book 1 to the end. For all of these reasons, I notice a lot of people claim she isn’t very developed - and while I agree she could definitely be more - I’d also argue she’s one of the most obviously developed too. Plus, I’ve always been fascinated by her connection to Voldemort and wish JKR explored it more herself: from her wand being made of the same wood as his (while Harry’s is made of the same core…hmmm interesting) to the interactions being much more gendered and personal than I’d even argue Harry’s. If I had to read about someone’s relationship with Voldemort other than Harry, Ginny definitely takes the cake, sorry Draco. I could go on and on about her, but if you want more Ginny meta, just check out my other posts dedicated just for her.

1. Harry - …MAN does this boy deserve more recognition in his own damn franchise. I don’t think the book series would have been more interesting if it was told in literally anybody else’s point of view. He is so witty, caring, headstrong, brave, stubborn, and beautifully flawed that I can’t help but adore him. I will forever hate the Steve Kloves and company for making him appear one-note, static, and absolutely positively bland in the movies because the truth is that he has so much freakin’ depth. Order of the Phoenix was the book that sold me on him. He had every right to be feeling angry at not just the adults in his life but the system and those who keep it under cover and even with a lot of that hurt and anger he STILL let Bellatrix go after she killed the closest loving parent figure he bloody had. Like, dayum. And what’s even more heartbreaking than that is only after all of the death and hurt and suffering in Deathly Hallows did he even further surprise all of us by throwing the Cruciatus curse at a Carrow for just simply talking bad about McGonagall. Talk about a Reputation album Taylor Swift era. You just can’t help but root for him while also being just the tiniest bit (okay, a large bit) intimidated by him. Regardless, he deserves better and if you want more examples of my defense for him (or anyone I’ve mentioned thus far), you need not but ask.

Honorable mentions include Fred, George, and Sirius, who I do adore but my feelings still tend to stay in the neutral area such that they couldn’t make it on this list.

If you couldn’t already tell, my love for characters stem from the amount of development they go through - it’s not always based on their “likability” or “toxicity.” I think an environment like fictional books provides a safe medium to explore morally gray, complex, dynamic, complicated, nuanced characters, and to completely dismiss or even “cancel” fictional characters is a bit…well, naive. That’s why for others it seems a little contradictory to put Snape and James in the same list together, but to me, it feels appropriate considering the complex traits the two have.

This was fun. I might consider doing a Top 5 or Top 10 ship ranking if this gets enough attention or if anyone wants one.

Walked Off You by whatthefawkes

Despite all of that, Egypt was made for her. It made no sense whatsoever because it was nothing like she ever saw. And nothing like whatever she has loved before.( post cos recovery journey of Ginny. Very beautiful and poignant)

Back to Eclipse by girlwhowrites642 -

Harry and Ginny now had time to talk, and so they did.

(my current fav fic. This is post war reunion fic. According to me this is the best fic in this category. Hinny fights are in so character( only few fics have shown their fights in character This fic is a gem))

Gone the trace of you by Annerb

An accident at work left Harry with a mysterious case of amnesia and a wife he couldn’t remember.

1)Giving Her the PowerL The Characterization of Harry/Ginny by Red Monster

This 2005 article was written before hbp. One of best articles ever written on this ship. If you really think this ship came out of nowhere please read this.

2)Breaking All The Rules: the Literary Significance of Ginny's Love Life by Red Monster

3) Why is Hermione Not the Right Girl for Harry? By Angua

This thing was obvious to any person with decent reading comprehension skills.

4) Harry and Ginny through HP books by Gilly Ann( before HPB article)

BOOK1 AND BOOK 2

BOOK - 3 And BOOK- 4

BOOK- 5

NOW LET'S TALK ABOUT SOME SYMBOLISM ( before hpb)

1) Dream Analysis by Gilly Ann

2) Easter Egg Symbolism & Fertility by Gilly Ann

3) Love, Time and Rebirth: Ginny and The Hummingbird by Nancy2000

4) Chocolate by Anu Antony

5) Harry’s protective attitude towards Ginny by basilisk destroyer

6)To Enjoy or Not To Enjoy -

Alternative universe hinny fic recs:-

1)Servant of death by lilyevansjan30 -

The Final Battle is over, but Voldemort is only mostly gone. Harry's still a Horcrux and he's going to find a way to get it out of him or die trying. But letting Harry die is something Ginny refuses to do. ( unique concept great read)

2)DoomDays by celtics534 - The doom days were upon them. Harry was watching the world around him burn, yet all he could think about was her. Muggle Au(i love hinny against the world fics)

3)Peverell's dillemma by deadwoodpecker- Harry begins to realize he doesn't know his best mate's little sister very well at all.

( my absolute fav alternate universe fic, don't judge this from summary this fic is so cleverly written)

4)Bound by YelloWitchGrl - The battle is over, there is life to be lived, peace to be enjoyed and trouble following close at their heels.

Ginny hasn't seen Harry since the dust settled from the battles with Voldemort, but when an unexpected piece of news draws them together will they be driven apart or become bound?

warnings - R - Alternate Universe, Angst, Drama, Fluff, Romance, Tragedy - Warnings: Dark Fiction, Death, Disturbing Imagery, Extreme Language, Intimate Sexual Situations, Mental Abuse, Mild Language, Mild Sexual Situations, Negative Alcohol Use, Rape, Sexual Situations, Spouse/Adult/Child Abuse, Violence, Violence/Physical Abuse - Words: 92463

( if you wants to cry please read this. It's really well written, I cried alot reading this fic. )

5) Miss the Most by lilyevansjan30- Three years after the Tri-Wizard Tournament, Harry and Ginny finally understand the fallout from Ginny being the one Harry rescued during the Second Task. Can they figure out how to escape their fate - or embrace it?(Sirius is alive here)

7) Cheating death by seriouslysam-

Head Auror Harry Potter hated the Department of Mysteries, so he is less than thrilled when a case lands on his lap involving the department.( married hinny)

8) TheUnknownSpectre by Mistress_Lrigtar -

Happily married for three years, Harry and Ginny decide to buy a house in the country with the hope of gaining some privacy from the Wizarding world. However, when a series of unexplained sightings and events occur, their dream life soon turns into a nightmare.

(Too much draco malfoy, It is bit slow at start, Ginny is bit weak in this. If you can ignore above points then it's very good. Gothic premise- basically horror story)

9) TurbaMalum by deadwoodpecker

Wrong boy who lived story. Hinny is there but it is not centered around hinny

10) Heading straight to the castle by OnceABlueMoon

Walked Off You by whatthefawkes

Despite all of that, Egypt was made for her. It made no sense whatsoever because it was nothing like she ever saw. And nothing like whatever she has loved before.( post cos recovery journey of Ginny. Very beautiful and poignant)

Back to Eclipse by girlwhowrites642 -

Harry and Ginny now had time to talk, and so they did.

(my current fav fic. This is post war reunion fic. According to me this is the best fic in this category. Hinny fights are in so character( only few fics have shown their fights in character This fic is a gem))

Gone the trace of you by Annerb

An accident at work left Harry with a mysterious case of amnesia and a wife he couldn’t remember.

1) Ginevra by clarensjoy

"You ask, what's in a name? I answer, just about everything you do."

2) BraveEnough by startanewdream -

Four times Ginny hesitates before talking to Harry and one time she doesn’t.

3) GentleTouch by hp_fangal

It had always been one thing to understand physical affection. It was something else entirely to desire it the way he did now, to want that from one person above all others.

4) TheFireflyInn by Alohaemora

A story about Hogsmeade's least popular pub.

5) ATroubledMan by Ray_Writes

"Excuse me, but I care what happens to Sirius as much as you do!” (Ginny Weasley, “Fight and Flight”, Order of the Phoenix pg 761)

A look at the brief but meaningful relationship between the last Black and the youngest Weasley.

6) HinnyAndJilly parallels by startanewdream

7) Happy by floreatcastellum

Barbecues haven't always been happy for Harry.

8) Fight them soft by elizablue

The light and the dark and the mingling of both: “What do you think of the name Severus?” [There was more to Ginny’s sixth year at Hogwarts than anybody knew. A blood traitor witch of the Sacred Twenty-Eight, suspected love of Harry Potter; the Carrow siblings, hell bent on punishment and the Dark Lord’s approval; and a begrudging headmaster, who lives in the tangled limbo between light and dark—but finds a rare flash of clarity hidden within a familiar sight.]( insight into the name Albus severus)

9) Coal by floreatcastellum

Two Christmases, a lifetime apart.

10) Patronus by femellerklem

He thought only of her in his darkest moments, and he would for the rest of his life.

Harry's best memories from after the war.

11) LittleGirl by littlerose13

When Lily Luna Potter was born, she had almost no hair at all.

Harry accepted the tiny bundle of blankets from his beaming wife as she settled herself more comfortably against her pillows and breathed a sigh of exhaustion. He looked down admiringly at their little girl, feeling that familiar newborn rush swell inside his heart coupled with another sensation of fierce protectiveness, impossibly stronger even than Harry had felt when he had first held James or Albus.

A series of scenes in Lily Luna's life, as told by Harry.

12) The names of Ginny potter's kids by girlwhowrites642

Ginny chose the names just as much as Harry did.( Ginny's pov on potter kids' names)

13) TheSevenPotters by writetress

Harry had seen six Potters when his friends had taken Polyjuice Potion and he had thought it bizarre. But nothing compared to meeting seven Potters that were actually himself.

14) Twenty-One by seriouslysam

1)Torch by fightfortherightsofhouseelves, gryffindormischief -

Over the course of his life, Harry's faced death quite a few times, and none of it has been quite as terrifying as falling for Ginny Weasley.

2) Fallin'AllInYou by starlingflight-

There's a week to go until the Gryffindor Vs. Ravenclaw Quidditch final and tensions are rising and not just between the houses.

3) EverythingIWanted by starlingflight-

Harry and Ginny share a very public kiss after the Quidditch final; three weeks later they break up. This is everything in between.

4 ) HogwartsRebellion by sheffers -

Ginny's war was very different to Harry's war but just as important. The rebellion by the students of Hogwarts put the members of Dumbledore's Army into daily dangerous situations with Death Eaters.

( I will never understand why some people think ginny would keep her head down during war. She is a gryffindor for a reason and she is quite reckless too. This fic shows brave but very reckless Ginny. Also silver trio friendship)

5)Heartlines by starlingflight-

The war for control of Magical Britain intensifies day-by-day and seemingly everyone has decided that Ginny will be kept firmly out of it. Everyone except Ginny.

DH from Ginny's POV.(WIP)

6)lostAndFound by thedistantdusk-

Ginny Weasley used to think that virginity was cut and dried. It had always seemed a static concept, a checkmark in a box, something beyond the limitations of human error. But now she's not sure of anything...not anymore."

7)PensievesPast by lilyevansjan30 -

Harry has never quite understood how his parents went from hating each other to falling in love. Luckily, Sirius and Remus left him some memories to help him see the truth.

(bit more analysis of snape's worst memory. Basically jilly through hinny's eyes).

8) LostInJapan by lostonplatform934 -

Two weeks, six days, three hours and 42 minutes. That was how long it had been since Harry Potter had seen Ginny Weasley. And the lack of Ginny was thoroughly driving Harry mad. But he's a couple hundred miles from Japan, and he's thinking he could fly to her hotel tonight, 'cause he can't get Ginny off his mind.( fluffy and smutty)

9)MidseasonMurders: Down the Pub by JohnMcHacker by

Auror Harry Potter and his girlfriend, professional Quidditch player Ginny Weasley have been invited to a charity dinner by the Holyhead Harpies Fan Club held at an old Welsh pub. However, the event is interrupted when a body is discovered, and it seems the murderer is still on the premises. To solve the mystery, Harry must unravel the web of lies and secrets linking the owners of the pub... before the killer’s work is complete.

10)TheHarryGames by lilyevansjan30-

Against his better judgment, Harry agrees to woo his girlfriend for charity. Unfortunately, his better judgment was right.

( loved this very unique and refreshing)

11) Coquettish by gryffindormischeif-

Harry and Ginny make their marriage work with two things: love and endless teasing.

12) Diversion by gryffindormischeif - Harry and Ginny get an opportunity for what promises to be a relaxing getaway to the Orkney Islands, but intrigue and adventure seem to follow Harry Potter - even when he's on holiday.

13) Zephyr by gryffindormischeif -

When an old friend tips Ginny off to some suspicious happenings in a small Irish village, she and Harry get pulled into a town full of wary villagers and a centuries old mystery.

14) Noir by fightfortherightsofhouseelves,gryffindormischief -

It's just a little wintery getaway in the Scottish hills. What could possibly go wrong?

15) ThreeTimes by thedistantdusk- It took a few moments to change their lives forever. This is a story, in three parts. (Baby making fic)

16) ThePottersAreDelighted to Announce-

Witch Weekly breaks the news of three new arrivals to the Potter family to the wizarding world.

17) 120Hours by femellerklem-

As the children of the Head Auror, James, Albus, and Lily were used to their father’s long missions. But one particular mission in June of 2015 changed everything.

( this fic is just so good)

18) On The First Day Of Christmas by clarensjoy

Effloresce by seriouslysam

@hinnymicrofic

The Burrow - Summer of 1996

They hid behind the bush next to the large oak tree. It was the perfect hiding spot and vantage point.

All they had to do was wait.

“Are you sure he’s going to go for it?” she asked, not entirely convinced Ron would fall for it. I mean the string was right there. He was an idiot though, especially when good was involved.

Harry just shot her a lopsided smirk that made her stomach swoop. Or maybe it was the earthy scent that she couldn’t shake around him.

“Course, I am. He’s my best mate, but he’s never seen a pudding he didn’t like.”

She nodded - it was a fair assessment.

“Besides, I pulled this loads of times on my cousin and his gang, when they…”, but he stopped mid sentence, a crease forming between his eyes.

“When they what”, she whispered.

He just shook his head. “Nothing, forget about it. It’ll work.”

She furrowed her brow, wondering what he was going to say. But then, he shifted his weight to the other foot and his shoulder bumped up against her accidentally. He reached out a hand to grab her shoulder to steady himself - sending her an apologetic smirk. It made her heart hammer a little faster.

She liked this, being friends. Actually having a summer together. Pulling pranks. She would do anything to get his mind off of…well, Sirius and everything.

Just then the back door sprung open and Ron and Hermione came out - flirting bickering about something or what.

“Shhh,” she whispered loudly to him, smacking his arm repeatedly although neither one of them had said anything. He shot her a look that said he’s got it and her heart started racing again.

It was going to be perfect.

Ron and Hermione made straight for the pond and she couldn’t believe their luck.

Walking up, Ron caught sight of the treacle tart slice lying in wait - clearly missing the light string hooked on the plate.

“Ah, perfect,” Ron said and bent down mid argument to reach for it.

“Honestly, Ron - it could be infested with bugs. You have no idea how long it’s been there,” Hermione said. And that would have been a great idea.

She shot Harry a look and could tell by his eyes lifting that he was thinking the same. What a missed opportunity.

He shot her an appraising look and she nodded for him to go ahead. Just as Ron reached down, Harry pulled the string and the plate moved a few paces toward the pond.

Ron paused mid-grab, appraising it. “What the- did you see that?!”

Hermione rolled her eyes, already back on whatever they were flirting arguing about.

In the split second Ron looked at her, she grabbed Harry’s arm and pulled the string back more. It was closer to the pond now, right near the curve of the bank, but Ron wouldn’t notice. What with Hermione and the prospect of free pudding there for the taking.

He turned around, seemed to appraise it for a minute, before shaking his head like he was seeing things.

She and Harry were both shaking with barely contained laughter at this point.

Just a bit further…

Ron reached for the plate again and just as Ron was taking hold, Harry pulled the string again hard - the resulting surprise causing Ron to curse, lose his footing on the bank, and tumble right into the pond.

Jackpot.

He let out a howl of frustration as Hermione shrieked, finally figuring out what was happening.

Ron stood soaked in water and looked around for the culprit. “WHAT THE- WHO-“

Neither of them could help it. She and Harry were both doubled over, laughing hard.

“That’s for taking the last slice of treacle tart your Mum made me!” Harry bellowed.

Ron whirled around and caught sight of them both. “Are you serious!? You two!?” Even Hermione was laughing at this point.

Breathing heavy between laughs, a stitch starting to form in her side, she couldn’t help but double over again.

That was until she saw Ron racing out of the pond - threatening to pull them both in.

She didn’t have time to react. Harry grabbed her hand and pulled her with him. “Run!”, he bellowed.

She knocked on the door lightly before pushing it open. Harry rolled over at the sound, and she saw his hand move from his forehead up into his hair. 'All right?' she asked him quietly. He just hummed in response.

She took his coffee over to him and he shifted up onto his elbow so he could take it. He had taken his glasses off, and she was sure he had been asleep as he was blinking slowly and wearily, a little paler than he had been just a few hours before. 'Do they want to play Quidditch?' he asked croakily. 

'Only if you want to,' she said carefully. he had her eyes fixed on him as he drank his coffee, but in her peripheral vision she could see the box at the bottom of her side of the bed. 

[[MORE]]

Harry swore under his breath. 'I've upset them all, haven't I? I should have held it together-'

'They're all right,' she said reassuringly. 'I think it's just occurred to them that it's all real and not just a bland fact about you.' 

He just hummed again, into his coffee mug as he drank. When he swallowed and lowered the mug, there was a bitterness in his expression. 'I can't believe she had all that hidden in the back of her wardrobe. And,' he added fiercely, 'I realised she must have taken it with her when they left during the war. Or the Death Eaters would have found it wouldn't they? When they trashed the house. She took it into hiding, and brought it back. So even from the grave she's managed to be cruel one last time.' 

'Perhaps she wanted you to have it eventually,' said Ginny quietly. 

'But she never did give it to me,' he said. 'Then would have been the perfect time. She knew she would probably never see me again.' Ginny looked over at the box, and there was a long pause as they both wondered what, exactly, had been going through Petunia's mind, why she had clung onto it all but never, even as she died of her long, slow illness, mentioned it to anyone else. And then Harry said, 'there's a splatter of blood on those pyjamas. I suppose it's mine.' 

She squeezed his leg. 'From your scar?'

'I suppose so.'

'Was that what upset you?' she asked. 

'No,' he said, his voice sounding distant. 'No, I didn't notice that until I got up here. I just remembered them, that's all.' 

'Life could have been very different,' she said. 

He gulped down the rest of his coffee, and sat up. 'Life's pretty good,' he said firmly. 

He took the box out onto the landing, pulled down the ladder to the attic, and tucked the box away among the Christmas decorations and forgotten things. 'Are you going to be playing Quidditch with us?' he asked her. 

So, thank you very much for writing and sharing your works( free of cost) with us. Y'all deserve the world.

Here we go:-

Some of my favorite Harry and Ginny Ootp and Hbp fics:-

Ootp

Arrival at grimmauld palace by fionabhair

Ginny and the rest of the Weasleys arrive in Grimmauld Place,chaos ineviteably ensues.(Ginny and Sirius' first meeting)

Uncertaintyin grimmauld palace by fionabhair

Rusty nail and an encounter with Harry conspire to give Ginny new insight into Sirius Black.

Cleaning grimmauld palace by fionabhair

Sirius recues Ginny from cleaning with Ron and Hermione, and she tells him and Lupin what happened with Percy.

Hide and seek by seriouslysam

It was all fun and games until Ginny found herself alone with Harry in a cupboard.

Raillery by seriouslysam (sequel to hide and seek)

Grimmauld game night by seriouslysam

Fred and George decided that the family was in need of a break from cleaning, so they introduced Grimmauld Game Night!

I wrote a poem (you say what a mind) by CorneliaAvenue (hinnyfest)

For Luck by melindalio

Whilst staying at Grimmauld Place during his fifth year, Harry makes several new discoveries - most startling among them involving Ron's younger sister. A harrowing adventure involving danger, intrigue, unexpected discoveries... and also a bit of bonding.

I did something bad (hinnyfest) by enigmaticemperor

Chocolate in the Library by floreatcastellum

HBP

°summer 1996

Summer 1996 ( multichap) by CaptainYellow

Snippets about how Ginny Weasley became Harry Potter's Amortentia. HBP missing moments.

Orchards by whinlatter

All right now by starlingflight Harry deals with Sirius' death with a little help from Ginny.

Nightmares ( hinnyfest) by curse-04

Parseids by startanewdream

You bask in a sun like a house cat by startanewdream

Prefect by startanewdream

He wasn't sure why by thegirlwhowrites642

Harry is not very good at brooding when Ginny is around.

Harry, ginny and remus laugh about snape by floreatcastellum

I am sorry too by thegirlwhowrites642

Siblings fight, siblings make peace. Ginny and Ron solve their dramatic argument about snogging.

°Christmas 1996

Helpless by somesunlitdays

“I’m too sober for this.” “You don’t even drink.” by startanewdream

Pre-dating FLIRTING

How did you not realize we've been dating for over a year now? by startanewdream

Indecent Infatuation by Abvj

The monster that had been living in his chest since before Christmas roared to life at the thought of Ginny. Harry's got himself a little obsession.

To make it better by startanewdream

Are we about to kiss right now by clarensjoy

The Big Brother Talk by melodylaner

If you were wondering why Harry was so afraid of Ron, while he was lusting after Ginny for all these weeks before he finally kissed her, here's the answer.

Harry Potter and the Attack of the Bludgers by Alcarcalime

Exactly why did Harry receive a number of Bludger injuries during Quidditch practice? There was only one person to blame: Ginny Weasley.

Private practice by startanewdream

Hpb missing moment hinnyfest( slug club) by startanewdream

The life and soul of team by OgdensOldFirewhiskey

First time harry is pulled into broom cupboard by ginny by floreatcastellum

Fix it fic for movie pie scene by startanewdream

like passing notes in secrecy by NuAtTheBeach

twist my head and leave me breathless by balmiki

Harry pining after Ginny as she continues to be downright adorable.

Wish I’d left it there by startanewdream ( harry & ginny talk about half blood prince book.)

Post kiss

Ron and harry after hinny kiss by startanewdream

Spotlight by startanewdream

Ginny fell asleep in a Library by clarensjoy

Happily impervious by remedialpotions

In the face of a truly happy Harry Potter, what’s a bit of gossip, really?

One day by thegirlwhowrites642 Harry and Ginny, a day at the lake and an unexpected revelation.

Rumour ( hogsmade date prompt of hinnyfest slight Au) by ginnyw-potter

Particularl happy hour by Sciens Mulier

Come fly with me by startanewdream

In which Ginny can't help but follow her stupidest ideas and Harry is just happy to spend some time with her.

Getting caught in the act (hinnyfest) by startanewdream

ThingsYoucantDoInLibrary by Thistlerose

Harry needs a distraction from Horcruxes. Ginny, he decides, needs a distraction from studying.

Chocolate Again by fantasyrose91

Pareidolia by startanewdream

Levity by Argentus

Harry, Ginny, an empty classroom, and some...spell practice. Nothing too pervy!

Little cute kiss on forehead by startanewdream

His best source of comfort by melendalio

Harry's thoughts on the night Dumbledore dies while he's lying in his bed and realizes that he can no longer hear Fawkes singing. Harry is truly alone...or is he?

Nightmares ( hinnyfest) by startanewdream

It can't rain ( slight Au) by Elizabeth90

Written for @hinnymicrofic

Happy Easter to those celebrating! Also, this is angst— trust me, no one is more shocked than me! (Who are you and what have you done with SK)?

“Shhhh, shhhh, shhhh,” whispers Harry, silently pleading with his newborn son.

But the sharp cry continues, loud and unyielding, piercing the stillness of the night.

Harry sways back and forth, cradling James across his forearm, his tiny back pressed against his body, just like Molly did while they ate dinner.

Yet James persists, his cries growing louder.

Harry shuffles down the corridor slowly, still swaying from side to side as he moves further away from their bedroom door, trying to give Ginny a few moments of rest.

The moonlight streams through the window at the far end of the hall. Harry squints at his watch, faint and blurry in the dim light. It’s nearly three, and James ate at two. He’ll need to nurse again in an hour.

James continues to wail, inconsolable.

Harry closes his eyes, trying to think of a lullaby to hum, still swaying, his feet rocking back and forth. But he is helpless, leagues out of his depth.

Harry has never felt his parents absence more acutely than he has in the past week.

He wonders if his dad ever paced the corridor at night with a crying Harry, trying to give his mum a moment of reprieve. He must’ve done. Or maybe Harry wasn’t a fussy baby. He might’ve been sleepy and quiet, like Teddy was.

He will never know.

Did his parents feel the same mixture of love and awe and pride and terror as a squalling, red baby Harry was placed on his mum’s chest?

How did they figure out what to do when he cried, or how often to feed him, or how he liked to be swaddled?

He will never know.

It’s a bitter pill, one he thought he made peace with years ago. He’s not sure how he misses people he can’t remember, but he does. Terribly. Painfully.

He draws a shuddering breath. He shifts James onto his shoulder, his hand moving up to cradle James’ head, his fingers brushing over the feather-soft hair.

The change in position does nothing to stop James’ cries— now they’re just closer to Harry’s ear.

Still swaying, exhaustion nearly overtaking him, Harry stumbles over his own feet. He starts, and bounces forward to right them before they fall, clutching James tightly.

James stops crying.

Harry does it again— sway, sway, bounce.

James remains quiet.

Harry exhales in relief. “You like to bounce,” he murmurs, as James body relaxes into the rhythm- sway, sway, bounce.

The floorboard creaks. Harry winces, but James remains quiet.

Sway, sway, bounce.

“You’re going to love to fly, aren’t you?” he murmurs, as he moves back towards the bedroom door.

Sway, sway, bounce.

James has gone limp and heavy in his arms, his breaths long and steady.

Harry shifts the hand on James’ head to turn the door knob to their bedroom.

Sway, sway, bounce.

The room is silent save for Ginny’s soft exhales. Her hair spills across the pillow behind her, body curled towards the empty bassinet to her right.

Harry places their son into the bassinet, lowering him slowly, praying he will stay asleep.

James is quiet.

Harry sinks onto the bed, his body curling behind Ginny’s as sleep overtakes him.

I particularly liked this bit:

"It’s a bitter pill, one he thought he made peace with years ago. He’s not sure how he misses people he can’t remember, but he does. Terribly. Painfully."

Dreamverse

- A figment of your imagination | AO3 - After fighting with Lupin in Grimmauld Place, Harry wondered if his father would have approved what he had said to Lupin. Fortunately, James comes to give Remus his piece of mind. Set during Deathly Hallows.

- Chasing Dreams | AO3 -  When Ginny Potter is having doubts about her pregnancy, her father-in-law shows up to give her some help, to fly together and, of course, to present his suggestion of baby names.

- The fawn and the stag | AO3 -  When six-years-old James Sirius has a crisis about never showing magic before, a familiar friend comes to help him.

-  ‘Til it was a battle cry - After fighting with Al (“There are times I wish you weren’t my son”), Harry seeks some fatherly advice.

Hinny

- All fics here

Hinny and Jily

- Parallels

Jily

- Where are your clothes | AO3 - Or how James got himself naked in front of Lily Evans before their first date.

- A proper kiss | AO3 - “Oh, for heaven’s sake, girl, it wasn’t that good of a kiss, anyway.” Except Lily Evans can’t stop thinking about it.

- All the time with you | AO3 - James realizes that more than one person on his life has a monthly cycle.

- James and Lily’s first day after moving in together

- Glimpses of the future | AO3 - Lily traces the third line of his hand. The loveline. ‘What’s going on with your heart, Potter?’ He wishes he knew.

- The other side of the imaginary door - Lily and James are close to something.

- Seven minutes in heaven | AO3 -  “You kissed me and I thought we hated each other, but you’re pulling me closer and suddenly the world is spinning, and I don’t want you to stop”.

- James and Lily’s moment gets interrupted (or they need a room for themselves) - Rated M

-  “Is it really that hard for you to admit that I’m clever?” “Yes.” - Lily knows there is something between her and James.

- “You are so cute when you’re half asleep like that” - Lily watches James.

- Five Stages of Starflower | AO3 - James is oblivious, Lily is mostly okay with her unrequited love and Sirius has a few plans about this situation.

- Not a bad day | AO3 - A series of (not bad) days between James and Lily (WIP).

- (Not) A Summer Date | AO3 - It’s not a date. They just happen to be together, on purpose, at a place and time they previously agreed on. But it’s not a date.

- Infatuation - “Kisses exchanged while one person sits on the other’s lap.”

- Mirror, mirror (on the wall) | AO3 - Who’s the stupidest of them all? For Jily Challenge

- Fool me | AO3 - Lily lies and James makes bad decisions.

- Moving in together.

- Spur of the moment - Or second kisses are so complicated.

- hold my hand | AO3 -  a tale of James and Lily’s hands through the years.

- “If you asked me to marry you tomorrow, I’d say yes“.

- The big damn kiss

- James invites Sirius to a quest - Or James is buying an engagement ring after one week of dating and Sirius isn’t happy.

- Things you said at the kitchen table (and at the bedroom)

- Things you said when I was crying

- Aftermath - After meeting Voldemort for the first time

Gen fics

- A (last) bit of hope | AO3 -  In which Remus laments over his requited love and Sirius comes to give him some sense, one last time, as the best friend he is. Set during Order of the Phoenix.

- First word(s) | AO3 - Harry’s first word(s) as heard by James, Lily and Sirius.

- Sneak in - Minerva only hopes that Harry’s friendships end up better than that of his father. Set during Chamber of Secrets.

- Afternoon tea | AO3 -  Before his first class as a professor, Minerva McGonagall invites Remus Lupin for tea - and a talk of old friends.

- Padfoot and Minnie -  Minerva meets Sirius for the first time after finding out he was innocent all along.

- The Gingerbread Man - Minerva gets a special birthday gift from the Marauders.

- Minerva gets the news about James Sirius

- Traitor - James and Sirius discuss the traitor among them.

- Dream house - Sirius has plans for the future.

- Sorting ceremony - Weasley Family moment

- Ron, Ginny and Quidditch 

Sirius Lives AU

- “Me and my boy” - Sirius Lives AU. Sirius gets a new place.

- Something else - Sirius supports Hinny and he is not quiet about it (also a sort of unfinished prequel) + (Sirius and Harry talking)

- Sirius’ birthday

- Sirius reacts to the kiss.

- Sirius and Kingsley

Other AU

- Mistletoe | AO3 - Genderbend Jily! When Liam Evans and Jamie Potter are trapped under the mistletoe, there is only one way of getting out.

- Mini champagne bottle | AO3 -  Jily Muggle AU! Lily and James are neighbours who have a knowledge of each other based on their shared windows… and shared trash can.

- Single Rider | AO3 - Jily Muggle AU!  James needs a partner ride for a roller coaster.

- True love’s kiss | AO3 - Fem!Jily. Lily decides to bite a poisoned apple and Jamie thinks muggle fairy tales are cruel.

- the fall | AO3 -  Jily Lives AU! A take on how James would have dealt with Sirius beyond the veil.

- A Cup of Tea | AO3 - Jily Lives AU, no Voldemort. The worst thing Lily could do to her sister was let Harry and Dudley be cousins.

- Something there | AO3 - Jily Lives AU, no Voldemort. Harry tries to understand what’s going on between Ron and Hermione with his parents’ help.

- Piña Colada - Muggle Jily AU + silly banter + weird foreplay

- Captain Potter | AO3 (complete) - Mulan Inspired AU. Lily’s plan of joining the army didn’t consider feelings for her captain. 

- House Rules - Muggle Fem!Jily - Lily should be on a date with Sirius, but his roommate is much more interesting.

-  “Am I your lock screen?” “You weren’t supposed to see that.”

- Harry’ 17 birthday - Only James Lives AU - Harry receives a watch on his birthday.

- Moving on - Only Lily Lives AU - Harry tells Lily he wouldn’t mind if she dated someone.

- Heir of Slytherin Lily AU 

- The Christmas Gift Dispute - Muggle Jily AU + Christmas spirit