Some Kind of Beautiful
By Zillah

Jamie Lynn loves the month that she gets to spend at Britney's during the summer. Her mother doesn't come along, letting Jamie Lynn and Britney pretend to be adults together. Britney pretends pretty well sometimes, but a lot of the time she lounges around in sweatpants and throws popcorn at Jamie Lynn.

This is the first summer they've spent in Britney's posh New York apartment. Their older brother Brian usually lives there, but Brian is away for the month. The year before Jamie Lynn didn't stay with Britney because Britney was busy with a tour. The year before that, they stayed in LA because Britney and Justin were still In Love with each other.

Jamie Lynn got over Justin a lot faster than Britney did. Britney still has coasters with Justin's face on them and a giant blow up poster from the Cry Me a River video where Justin is smelling fake Britney's hair. Britney uses that for dart practice.

Jamie Lynn, on the other hand, told her mother that Justin was a smelly head. Lynn had laughed sadly and patted Jamie Lynn on the head. Jamie Lynn told Britney that Justin was a motherfucking bastard and deserved to be hurt for what he did. Britney gave her a cigarette as a reward.

Britney has a new "trainer" that lives in the apartment as well. Jamie Lynn is smart enough to know that Britney's trainers and choreographers and dancers are not any of those things. They're Britney's lovers - especially when they live with her.

The new "trainer" (read as girlfriend) is named Ginny Weasley. The name sounds familiar to Jamie Lynn, but she can't figure out why. Ginny is tall and skinny with red hair, brown eyes, and a wide smile. She's from London and speaks with an accent and says things like bugger and bloody and calls Jamie Lynn 'love' all the time.

Jamie Lynn thinks that Ginny is so cool. Ginny teaches her how to bench press properly and swims laps with her in Britney's pool. Britney isn't really fond of swimming laps so she floats on a raft and watches them.

Sometimes Ginny pushes Britney off the raft and Britney comes back up, spitting water and laughing. Jamie Lynn watches them to see if they'll kiss or anything, but they never do. She's actually disappointed about that for some reason.

It's nice though, just the three of them in the apartment acting like stupid kids and having fun. Jamie Lynn thinks this vacation with Britney is going to be one of the best.

Then Jamie Lynn finds out who Ginny Weasley really is.

Britney takes Jamie Lynn out to buy the fifth Harry Potter book the night it comes out. They go to a party and Jamie Lynn wears a Hogwarts school uniform that Ginny made for her and a cape. Ginny doesn't come with them. She says that she has plans with an old friend who is in town that night.

Jamie Lynn hugs her goodbye and hurries to the car to join Britney who is not in costume but carries a wand. Jamie Lynn stares at the wand and thinks that it looks exactly like the way wands are described in the book. Of course Britney is famous so she would be able to get the best wand made for her.

Jamie Lynn reads the book the whole rest of the night and the next day. She finishes it and falls asleep for a few hours.

When she wakes up, Ginny is in her room, flipping through the book furtively. It's silly, the idea that pops into Jamie Lynn's head, but at the same time makes way too much sense.

Ginny Weasley would be 22 if she was real. She was always described as having red hair, freckles, and brown eyes. Ginny Weasley carries a wand just like Britney had last night.

Ginny Weasley is standing in her room holding Order of the Phoenix.

Ginny Weasley, Britney's girlfriend and trainer, is Ginny Weasley. That Ginny Weasley. The one that had a crush on Harry Potter for so long, but got over it. The one that became the seeker for Gryffindor and was the youngest of seven kids. The one who wasn't supposed to be real.

"Is Voldemort dead?" Jamie Lynn asks in a quiet rush of words.

Ginny stiffens and looks over at the bed, "You were asleep. I didn't mean to wake you, love."

"You're her. You're Ginny Weasley."

"Jamie Lynn, you don't know what you're talking about. You're tired," Ginny puts the book down and comes over to the bed. "Go back to sleep."

"It's real? Hogwarts and all of that? They're real?"

"We'll talk in the morning," Ginny says, her hand disappearing into her pocket. "Go to sleep, love."

"I'm not tired." That's when Ginny does something that makes Jamie Lynn know she's right. She pulls out the wand Britney had with her the night before and touches Jamie Lynn's forehead, muttering words.

When Jamie Lynn wakes up the next day, she knows it was a spell.

Ginny is a witch.

Britney is sitting next to Ginny at the kitchen table, a hand on her arm. Ginny's wand is sitting on the table and Jamie Lynn stares at it openly.

"I think we all need to have a little chat," Britney says brightly. Jamie Lynn looks at her like she's got a third head. "Don't be like that, Jamie. We couldn't tell you."

"Then why did you buy me the book while I was here?"

"Because you would have driven me crazy asking for it," Britney replies.

"Your girlfriend is a witch!" Jamie Lynn looks over at Ginny again and gapes at the wand, "That's so cool!"

"I thought she didn't know about the girlfriend part?"

"I'm not a stupid little girl," Jamie Lynn says hotly. "I notice things."

"That's really not the important part of the conversation, honey," Britney pats Ginny's arm and turns back to Jamie Lynn. "You can't tell anyone about Ginny. It's a secret."

"Can you turn the mat into something?" asks Jamie Lynn. "You are good at Transfigurations, right?"

"I'm actually best at Charms," Ginny picks up her wand and points it at the mat. "But I am pretty good at Transfigurations as well."

Jamie Lynn's eyes widen as the mat turns into a butterfly, "Holy shit."

"Language!" Britney says sharply even as she's distracted by the beautiful butterfly. "Wow, Gin."

Ginny waves her wand again and says something that Jamie Lynn doesn't quite catch and the butterfly is a mat again. Jamie Lynn touches it tentatively, but it feels just like the other mats.

"How did you do that?" Jamie Lynn asks, knowing that the books don't say how something is changed, just that it is. Maybe Ginny knows for real how it's done.

"Do you really want to hear the complicated magical theory behind Transfigurations, love?"

"I don't," Britney says. She gets up and glides over to the refrigerator. Jamie Lynn stops watching her and looks back at Ginny instead. Ginny is much more interesting anyway.

"Will I understand it?"

"Probably not," Ginny admits. "Magical theory is hard for a lot of wizards and witches to grasp much less a Muggle."

Jamie Lynn bounces in the chair, "We're Muggles, Britney!"

Ginny doesn't want to answer questions about the books, but she does tell Jamie Lynn enough to keep Jamie Lynn from asking questions constantly.

Harry is alive.

Voldemort is dead.

JK Rowling is a Muggle who plays the part of the author, but Ginny won't say who really writes the books.

Hermione and Ron got married a year ago. Ginny shows her pictures from the wedding. Jamie Lynn is very excited when she sees the pictures move.

There is a man dressed in all black in the background. He looks so mean and out of place that Jamie Lynn knows immediately that it's Professor Snape. Ginny hedges when she asks why Professor Snape was at the wedding.

Britney watches the two of them from the couch, a bemused expression on her face. Britney never read the Harry Potter books, but she knows enough to ask a few questions. She did see the movies, as she reminds the two of them.

Ginny refuses to say anything else about what happens. She says that there are two more books to go and it's really much more fun to find out that way.

"Besides," Ginny says quietly. "I wasn't really around for a lot of the major stuff involving the war. I got … hurt."

"But you're okay now?"

Ginny smiles sadly and touches Jamie Lynn's chin, "I'm fine now, love."

Britney curls around Ginny then and Jamie Lynn sees the lie without having to ask. Ginny's fingers wrap around Britney's tightly. Britney changes the topic and Jamie Lynn is forced to just imagine what happens next.

Ginny doesn't understand the fuss around Independence Day, but she puts on a big smile and produces a box of Weasleys' Wild-Fire Whiz-Bangs. Britney takes them on the roof and Ginny sets up a number of spells to keeps the fireworks on the roof and to keep other people from seeing them.

It turns out that Ginny is not that skilled at containment spells. One of the fireworks escapes and causes a ruckus down on the street before - to Jamie Lynn's extreme excitement - an Accidental Magic Reversal squad appears and takes care of it. Ginny gets out of the charge by dropping her father's name. Apparently, he is someone important in the Ministry now, but Ginny won't say what he does.

Jamie Lynn hugs Ginny and tells her that it was the best fireworks displays ever. A hot pink Catherine wheel rolls by them and sparks happily.

Jamie Lynn likes to sneak out of bed late at night and get a snack from the kitchen. Britney eats like crap a lot of the time, but always gives Jamie Lynn grief when she picks Pop-tarts instead of a real breakfast.

Tonight Jamie Lynn finds cookies hidden in the depths of Britney's kitchen cabinets and grabs five of them and a glass of milk. She goes out on the balcony to eat and look at the stars. When she comes back in, she shuts the door quietly and tiptoes through the living room.

There is a low moan from the couch and a peal of laughter. Jamie Lynn presses against the wall and peaks around the bookcase. Ginny is leaning over Britney and kissing her. With tongue. And neither of them has their shirts on.

Britney's breasts are small and firm with rosy nipples. Ginny's breasts are larger and very pale in the moonlight. Jamie Lynn can't stop staring at their breasts and lips and the way Britney's hips undulate against Ginny's hand.

Britney tears her mouth away from Ginny's and gasps for air, her whole body shuddering. She leaves red streaks on Ginny's pale back from her manicured nails. Ginny's hand stops moving and she kisses Britney lightly before pulling her hand away and licking away the shininess there.

Britney laughs breathlessly and pushes Ginny's hair behind her ears, knotting her fingers in the short hair. Ginny grins and moves down Britney's body. Jamie Lynn holds back a gasp when she realizes that Ginny's head is between Britney's legs and she's touching her there.

Jamie Lynn's stomach is fluttery and she knows that she needs to leave her hiding spot before Britney and Ginny realize she's there, but she can't move. Her legs are weak and her mouth is dry and Britney's arching so beautifully.

Jamie Lynn squeezes her eyes shut and slides to the floor. The next time she opens her eyes, Britney and Ginny are gone and she tries to pretend that it was just a dream.

Jamie Lynn is quiet for a few days until Ginny pulls out a broomstick with a wicked grin on her face. Britney laughs at how excited Jamie Lynn gets as Ginny expounds on the virtues of the Nimbus 3000.

Ginny's got a crumpled up piece of paper in her hand and she makes Britney and Jamie Lynn touch it at the same time. Jamie Lynn feels a tug around her navel and the next thing she knows, they're standing on the side of a mountain, overlooking a waterfall.

"A port key! How'd you get one?" Jamie Lynn gapes at the piece of paper happily, taking it from Ginny and turning it over in her hands.

"It helps to be the Minister of Magic's daughter," Ginny pauses and turns red. "Forget that I told you that."

Britney laughs and kisses Ginny. Jamie Lynn blushes and turns away, looking at the landscape before them, "Are we going flying?"

"You bet we are, love," Ginny's got a wide grin on her face and the broom in her hand. "Who wants to take a spin first?"

"Me!" Jamie Lynn jumps up and down and the next thing she knows, she's on the back of Ginny's broom with her arms wrapped around Ginny's waist and flying with the wind whipping around her hair and stealing her laughs.

Jamie Lynn decides that it's the best day of her life.

Britney shoos Jamie Lynn out of the living room when Jamie Lynn comes back from walking to the little shop in the lobby of the apartment building to buy more nail polish remover. There is a young man with black hair, green eyes, and glasses sitting on the couch holding a wand between clenched fingers. Ginny looks upset.

Jamie Lynn drags her feet, but eventually Britney gets her out of the room. She pretends to go upstairs, but instead hides in the kitchen.

When she turns to get a bottle of water from the refrigerator, there is a tall, skinny, very pale man pointing his wand at the tea kettle on the stove. He looks at her with a raised eyebrow and a sneer. It's slightly off-putting since he is wearing a pink and red floral shirt and cargo shorts.

"What is your problem, child?"

Jamie Lynn's jaw drops and she stares at him for a long time. He gets frustrated quickly and turns back to the tea kettle.

"You're Professor Snape!"

"Bloody stupid books. I told him not to write them." Professor Snape mutters under his breath before turning back to her, "I suppose you want me to say something about potions or dunderhead children now. You Muggle children always want me to say things like that."

"Don't you say things like that?" Jamie Lynn inches towards the cabinet where Britney keeps her tea as she speaks.

"I most certainly do not. Anymore. How do I get this bloody contraption working?"

Jamie Lynn turns on the burner under the stove and proceeds to make Professor Snape a cup of tea. She gets herself a bottle of water and they sit at the kitchen table across from each other.

"Can I see the Dark Mark?"

Professor Snape stares at her like she's just asked him to take off his clothes and do the shake it dance, "You may not. Are you daft, child?"

"My name is Jamie Lynn. And I'm just curious," Jamie Lynn pouts. "Ginny shows me things when I ask about them."

"Well, Jamie Lynn, I am not Virginia Weasley. I am familiar with the rules regarding informing Muggles about our world, especially to the extent she has."

"Is Ginny going to get in trouble for telling me and Britney things?" Jamie Lynn is suddenly worried. She doesn't want Ginny to get in trouble for showing her magic.

"The Ministry of Magic is hardly concerned with Miss Weasley's famous little girlfriend. Both worlds have enough to lose if either of them says anything." Professor Snape sets his cup down on the table and looks at her with a cold gaze, "However, if she does not fix the mistakes she made with you there will be repercussions."

"Oh."

They don't say anything after that. Jamie Lynn can hear Harry and Ginny arguing in the living room. Britney's not saying anything but Jamie Lynn is getting the gist of it. Ginny made a big mistake when she told Jamie Lynn anything and even being the daughter of the Minister of Magic wouldn't help her in the end.

"Can I ask you a question?"

Professor Snape lets out a long-suffering sigh, "It is not enough that I spend my entire life catering to the whims of children, Harry Potter, and Albus Dumbledore. Now I am forced to act as a baby-sitter of a Muggle child who asks too many questions."

"You're cranky."

"I've been called worse."

Jamie Lynn snickers and pushes a plate of cookies towards Professor Snape, "Would you like a cookie? We made them last night."

Professor Snape took a cookie, peering at it for a few moments before taking a bite, "Tolerable."

"You shouldn't speak with your mouth full."

Professor Snape raises an eyebrow, "What was your question, Jamie Lynn?"

"Ginny showed me a picture from Ron and Hermione's wedding and you were in it," Jamie Lynn sips her water, letting her statement hang in the air. When Professor Snape doesn't say anything she finishes the question, "Why?"

"It is customary for one to bring their partner as a date to a wedding. And on bloody foolish trips to the States to help out his barmy friend."

Jamie Lynn's eyes widen and she stares at him, "Oh. Is that one of those things that I'm not supposed to know?"

Professor Snape just nods and finishes his tea. A few minutes later, Britney comes to fetch Jamie Lynn without so much as a glance in Professor Snape's direction. Jamie Lynn smiles at him with a backwards wave. She thinks she sees him wave back, but she's probably imagining it. Professor Snape would never wave.

Harry Potter is sitting on the couch with a smile on his face. Ginny looks guilty and worried at the same time. Jamie Lynn watches them both for a moment before going over to stand in front of Harry.

"Ginny didn't mean to tell me all those things. I kept asking and pushing her to tell me," Jamie Lynn bites her lower lip. "I don't want her to get in trouble. I like Ginny."

"I like Ginny too," Harry says gently. He looks over at Ginny. "She's going to fix everything and she won't get in trouble. I can assure you of that, Jamie Lynn."

"Okay," Jamie Lynn holds out her hand. "Shake on it?"

Harry takes her hand and shakes it firmly, "It was a pleasure to meet you, Jamie Lynn."

"Are you and Professor Snape leaving already?" asks Britney politely. "You both are more than welcome to stay for dinner if you'd like."

"Thank you, but we must be going," Harry kisses Britney and then Ginny before putting his hands on his hips, "Severus! We're going back to the hotel!"

Professor Snape emerges from kitchen a moment later with a cookie in his hand and a stormy expression on his face, "Must you shout like that? I was only in the next room."

"You never listen unless I shout…"

Jamie Lynn jumps as they disappear with a loud crack mid-argument. She turns back to see Britney with her hand on Ginny's back. Jamie Lynn takes Ginny's hand and squeezes it tightly.

"I don't want you to get in trouble. I like you."

"I like you too, Jamie Lynn," Ginny's voice is sad as she takes out her wand. "I'm sorry that I have to do this."

"Do what?"

Ginny points her wand at Jamie Lynn's forehead and whispers the word obliviate. Jamie Lynn blinks as the world fades to blackness for a moment. When she opens her eyes again (when did she close them anyway?), Britney and Ginny are sitting on the couch talking to each other. Jamie Lynn joins them, snuggling up to her sister's side.

Britney's new girlfriend is pretty cool.

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