'Good practice, ladies! Go get fed and watered; we'll see you back here same time tomorrow!'
Ginny Weasley tucked a lock of her ginger hair behind her ear, and drank long gulps of water from her bottle. Basketball practice had just finished, and (being the ace of the team) she had spent most of the session working harder than everyone else. She was sweating profusely, and her feet ached. Not that her exhaustion would get her out of wedding prep.
After showering quickly in the teams changing rooms, Ginny dried herself off before throwing on her jeans and t-shirt. Normally, she'd have worn a jersey over the top, but the summer had finally arrived, bringing with it yet-more freckles to add to Ginny's visage.
'Alright, Weasley?' Her coach called, as Ginny exited the changing room. 'Good session today; keep it up!'
'Will do!' Ginny grinned. To most people, Ginny's small stature would have been a warning sign not to put her on the team. But Coach Angelina knew differently.
'Try not to have too much fun this evening, by the way.' Angelina chuckled, giving Ginny a knowing wink. 'I want you quick and nimble for practice tomorrow.'
'I'll make sure not to end up in some strangers' bed, then.'
'Awww, Ginny; did our nights together mean nothing to you?' Alicia Spinnet playfully wailed, throwing an arm around the redheads' shoulders.
'In your dreams, Spinnet,' Ginny chuckled, rolling her eyes as she shrugs her teammates' arm off.
Ginny had been out as bisexual to the team for the past couple of years. Alicia, being something of a shameless flirt, loved making jokes about their supposedly-intense affair. In actuality, it had been a platonic peck on the cheek after a-few-too-many pints at a post-game victory party.
Ginny wasn't exactly…overzealous with her affection for other women. Or other men. It had taken her years to figure out her sexuality. Most of the time she had been growing up, she'd assumed that everyone was like her. However, after a few crushes on female sports stars, she'd eventually figured it out.
However, unlike what bigots would argue, this didn't mean that she joined a women's basketball team just so she could stare at the other women in the showers. To be honest, after a childhood being the only girl in a house full of older brothers, she actually found it weird sharing showers with other women. And her sexuality certainly didn't mean that she ogled her team-mates.
Especially not overtly-flirty teammates.
'Oh, rejection!' Alicia cried melodramatically, pretending to cry into Katie Bell's shoulder. 'Heartbreak, thy name is Weasley!'
'You've been spending too much time around Fred and George,' Katie sighed, rolling her eyes. 'We'll catch you later, Ginny.'
'Bye!'
Ginny waved at her two teammates walked towards the exit, Alicia still play-acting heartbreak as she rested her head on Katie's shoulder.
'Just a quiet day at home for you, then?' Angelina asked.
Ginny sighed.
'No such luck. Hermione's roped me into wedding preparation. I probably won't get to put my feet up until dinner.'
Angelina tutted in sympathy.
'Send the family my regards, 'kay?'
'Always do, Angie. George wouldn't have it any other way.'
'Y-yes, well…' Angelina spluttered, going a little red. 'See you at practice tomorrow, then.'
Ginny smiled to herself as she walked out the exit. Angelina and George had always nursed soft spots for each other, ever since they were at university together. Despite this, the two had never managed to quite get things together.
Making a mental note to mention Angelina's blushes to George, Ginny walked out to the car park, pulling her leather jacket out of her bag as she did so.
Ginny swung her leg over her motorbike, and pulled the helmet over her head, shutting down the visor.
As she sped off towards Hermione's flat, Ginny tried to keep her attention on the road in front of her. It wasn't easy; especially when thoughts like 'your brother is getting married, why aren't you?' keep flashing across her mind.
The answer was simple, anyway; she could hardly get married if she didn't have anyone to get married to.
A while later, Ginny stopped outside the block of flats where Hermione lived. Parking nearby the entrance, Ginny spotted a familiar jeep close by. Neville Longbottom had been drafted in to help too.
Ginny walked up the stairs, and knocked on Hermione's door.
A wall of cacophonous noise hit her ears as soon as the door opened. A freckled, redheaded face poked through.
'Ginny!' Ron grinned, smiling cheerfully. 'Come in, come in; 'Mione's busy with the organising…'
'You'd think she'd relax a bit considering it's her own wedding,' Ginny grumbled, pulling her leather jacket off, and dumping her bag as Ron closed the door behind her.
'You know 'Mione, she'd have planned her own birth if she could…'
Ginny smiled. Even after so many years, Ron was still very much smitten with the bushy-haired girl. It put a smile on Ginny's face to see her brother so happy. Even when Ron and Hermione had just been close friends, it had been clear from the start that they were in love.
'As much as I enjoy hearing you gush over your crush that you're getting to…' Ginny said jokingly. If Ron ever knew that Ginny thought his feelings for Hermione were adorably cute, he'd never let her live it down. 'What do you and Hermione want me doing today? I'm not much good at wedding stuff.'
'You'll be fine. 'Mione's got her working with Neville and Harry.' Ron said, chuckling. Then he cast a sideways look at Ginny and added. 'You remember Harry Potter, don't you?'
Ginny scowled.
'Ron, I haven't fancied Harry since I was a student. That was years ago…'
'Joking, Gin, joking.'
Ginny had developed a crush on Harry during the time he had been Ron's flatmate in their university years. Harry was kind, funny, and a little bit awkward around people. Ginny had been a fresh-faced young first-year in the Sports Department; a country girl not used to big cities. As a result, she had spent a lot of time hanging around Ron and his flatmates, and had spent months falling off her chair whenever Harry walked into the room.
Ginny's feelings had eventually disappeared, which she was glad of. Harry was a nice bloke, but she was glad that they were just friends now. It was difficult enough that she acted like a fool in front of him, without the added embarrassment of her brothers' jokes about the whole matter.
Ron led Ginny into Hermione's kitchen. Normally, it was a fairly quiet place. Not today, though. Every Weasley sibling, plus several of Hermione's close relatives, were all packed into the small room. All of them were talking hurriedly over each other, and all were talking about different things.
Harry was sat nearby, trying to book hotel rooms for the wedding.
The raven-haired young man paused from speaking into the phone, and mouthed 'you alright?' at Ginny, who nodded, grinning.
Ron grabbed Ginny a chair, and pushed a glass of water into her hand.
'Hello, Ginny.'
Neville Longbottom was sat next to her. His hands, as usual, were slightly dirty from potting plants all day. Neville worked as a gardener and odd-job man in the local area. He had also been Ron's flatmate at university, and the two had kept in touch after graduating.
'Hi, Neville. You okay?'
'Yeah, not too bad. Just getting on with-'
'Neville, I need you to sort out the floral arrangements!' Hermione shouted over the general noise of the room. 'You mentioned that friend of yours that owns a florists….?'
'Yeah, sure!' Neville replied.
'Ginny, go with him,' Ron suggested, sharing a quick look of agreement with Hermione. 'You might need an extra pair of hands.'
Ginny and Neville got up from their seats, and made their way towards the door, where they hurriedly pulled their shoes back on.
'So, who's this florist friend of yours, anyway?' Ginny asked, as they rode in Neville's jeep through the city streets. 'Anyone I know?'
'No; she usually keeps to herself,' Neville replied, taking one hand off the wheel to rub his eyes. 'I met her on my university course. Hermione kept suggesting I ask her out.'
'Any luck?'
'Nah, she's just a mate. Besides, she's not my type.'
'Hannah Abbott still on your mind, eh?'
'Oh, very funny,' Neville muttered, blushing slightly.
A few minutes later, Neville stopped the jeep outside a small florists shop. A slightly-wonky sign read "Lovegood Plants and Botany".
'Very promising,' Ginny muttered, wishing she could be at home, resting her feet.
'Trust me, she's brilliant,' Neville said, marching past Ginny, and walking through the front door.
Ginny ducked inside the door as it swung shut, and was instantly struck by the smell of earth, compost and plants that hit her nose.
Every table was covered with a multitude of plants, of various colours, sizes and types. Several vines were climbing up the walls, and large glass domes on the roof let in sunlight. It reminded Ginny of the greenhouses of her secondary school, back home in the Devon countryside. The youngest Weasley sighed in contentment, feeling surprisingly at home in a place she had just walked into.
'Good afternoon,' called a dreamy voice from nearby.
Ginny turned her head, and her mouth promptly fell open at the sight that greeted her.
A woman had just appeared out from behind a large bushy plant. She was wearing a pair of dirty gardening dungarees over a stained white t-shirt, and she was carrying a small pair of pruning shears. Her hair was dirty blonde, and tied up into a loose knot on the top of her head.
'Er…h-hello,' Ginny stammered. Her eyes widened; Ginny never stammered. What was wrong with her?
'Oh, hi Luna,' Neville called, having wandered over from the counter. 'I thought you'd gone out for lunch. Couldn't see you anyway.'
'Well, I have been told that I tend to disappear.' The woman called Luna said. 'It's nice to see you, Neville. Who is your friend?'
The woman turned her gaze back to Ginny. Her eyes were enormous, and an ethereal grey that seemed to strangely reflect the light emanating through the glass domes of the ceiling.
'This is Ginny Weasley,' Neville introduced, nodding towards his redheaded companion. 'Ginny; meet Luna Lovegood.'
'P-pleasure,' Ginny stammered, extending her hand. Luna Lovegood reached out and took it; her hand was surprisingly soft.
'The pleasure is all mine,' Luna smiled, her eyes never leaving Ginny's.
Ginny felt her stomach squirm with butterflies.
'Er…s-s-same here,' she mumbled, as electricity seemed to course through the parts of her skin that Luna was touching.
Apparently not noticing Ginny's flustered behaviour, Neville pulled out a list from his pocket.
'We've actually come to make arrangements for a wedding. Could you go over this list for us?'
Luna slowly let go of Ginny's hand, as if she would much prefer carrying on holding it for the rest of the day. Ginny felt her stomach squirm again.
'Okay,' Luna said, reaching out and taking the list from Neville. As she perused it, Ginny couldn't help but notice the way Luna tucked her hair behind her hair, and the way she didn't seem to blink as much as most people.
Realising she was staring, Ginny moved her attention to the plants around them. Neville was carefully walking around the tables, taking serious care not to knock anything over. Despite being a gardener, Neville was notoriously clumsy.
'So… Ginny,' Luna Lovegood addressed the redhead, flicking her eyes up from the plant list. 'This wedding… are you and Neville-?'
'No!' Ginny exclaimed. 'It's my brother-Ron-who's getting married, not me! I'm single, anyway!'
'Actually, I was going to ask whether you and Neville were in charge of the flowers for the wedding,' said Luna, not missing a beat and looking surprisingly calm after Ginny's outburst. 'But thank you for clarifying.'
Ginny felt her face burn. What was wrong with her today? Why was she so worried about Luna assuming her and Neville were an item? She'd only met Luna today; this shouldn't be bothering her so much.
'Your face is all red.' Luna said, smiling slightly as Ginny covered her cheeks with her hands.
'S-sorry,' Ginny mumbled, feeling very awkward.
'It's alright; I think you look quite cute-'
Thunk!
'Sorry!' Neville apologised, having knocked over an empty plant pot.
Ginny felt her heart fly into her mouth. Did Luna just say she looked cute? Yes, she did. Did she….? No, that would be silly. She'd only met Ginny a few minutes ago, Luna wouldn't be- couldn't be- flirting with her.
'Don't worry, Neville,' Luna called, briefly turning away from Ginny. 'Just pop it back the way it was…'
Ginny stared at Luna, as the blonde chuckled good-naturedly at Neville. Several strands of her long hair slipped over her ear, falling in delicate spirals around her face. Good grief, this girl was cute.
Did she really think Ginny was cute? Ginny wasn't cute; she was a basketball-player with too many freckles and no curves. But Luna had seemed so earnest about it.
Wait; did Ginny want Luna to flirt with her? Was that why she suddenly felt so happy?
'Ginny?'
'Er, sorry; what?'
'You were… staring at me.'
Ginny felt her cheeks flush with heat again.
'S-sorry,' she stammered. 'I-I…I just think you look really cute.'
The words escaped from Ginny's mouth before she could stop herself.
Luna's enormous grey eyes widened even further in shock.
'I…I shouldn't have said that,' Ginny mumbled, looking down at her feet in mortification. Oh, god; she sounded so creepy! Luna probably thought she was a complete pick-up artist!
'Why not?' Luna asked, sounded confused. Ginny felt her eyes drawn up to the blondes' face. 'Did you not mean it?'
Luna didn't look repulsed, but… flattered.
'Of- of course I meant it!' Ginny gasped, urgently. 'I just thought… it probably sounded really creepy me saying that…'
'I don't think you're creepy, Ginny.'
Luna was smiling shyly at Ginny through her long hair. Was she blushing?
Ginny's mouth formed a smile.
'I'm glad.'
The two young women locked eyes. Ginny felt her stomach lurch, as if she'd missed a step coming down stairs.
'So…' Ginny asked, trying to recover her confidence. 'You run your own business, then?'
Luna nodded shyly.
'Yes,' she said quietly. 'Although it gets lonely at times. Not very many people come in; I think I unnerve customers.'
'Well, they're clearly idiots, then.' Ginny said. 'This is a lovely shop. I should pop round more often on the way back from practice.'
'Practice?' Luna asked, puzzled, before a sudden thought seemed to strike her. Her eyes widened, and her mouth stretched into a broad smile. 'Oh, you're the star player for the local basketball team, aren't you? I thought the name sounded familiar.'
'Er… yeah, I am.' Ginny mumbled, feeling embarrassed as she always did when someone mentioned this. 'Do you follow sport, then?'
'No, but I had a customer come in who wouldn't stop raving about your team. Keep calling you "a gorgeous redhead". I'm… inclined to agree with her.'
Ginny felt her face burn again.
'Oh… er… thank you,' she mumbled. 'I wouldn't really say I was gorgeous, though-'
'I would,' said Luna, giving Ginny a little smile. Ginny was now positive that Luna was blushing; her cheeks were flushed with pink, making her look even cuter than before. And she was calling Ginny gorgeous…
Ginny was saved from trying to untangle her tongue, though, because at that moment, Neville wandered over.
'Luna; sorry about that,' Neville said, as he made his way out from the other side of the shop, having knocked over several things whilst picking up the fallen plant pot. 'Ginny, are you all finished flirting with Luna? Cause we've got other stuff to plan.'
'I… I wasn't…'
'Yes, she is,' Luna answered. Then she tilted her head to peek at Ginny through her hair again. 'At least, for today, anyway?'
She phrased the last part as a question. Ginny could see a slight blush forming on Luna's cheeks again. Did she mean….? Yes. She did.
'Yeah.' Ginny said, smiling at the blonde woman in front of her. 'Until next time, then, Luna?'
The blonde florist nodded happily at the redheaded basketball star, a shy smile forming on her lips.
