Ginny was left confused. Everyone would look at her sympathetically and pat her on the back saying how hard it must've been. But it really wasn't. Even though it nearly killed her, Ginny masochistically enjoyed it. It helped her get away from the ever growing threat of responsibility of decision making. And Ginny loved it, being told what to do. Tom was like God. But after her return home she was forced to acknowledge all the power her own two hands held and couldn't control and how much she endangered everyone she ever loved. How irresponsible of her she thought biting her lip till blood trickled out of a small gash. She can't trust herself, she can't trust herself to anyone else either. This needed more thought, and brightness comes hand in hand with food,namely dark chocolate. And so 12 year old Ginny pulled on a strippy green coat and stepped out into the cool evening air of the hills.
She was heading out to the muggle village,Ottery St. Catchpole, it was a lengthy walk but a rather pleasant one over the meadows. The setting sun warmed the back of her head and neck. In the village only a handful of people knew her, because the Weasleys tried very hard to never attract attention and went on strictly grocery shopping matters. Ginny rummaged her small leather bag for muggle money and found only 50 pence. After purchasing a small chocolate bar she went on a search for some quiet place in the hills.
Ginny finally settled in a small orchard surrounded by raspberry bushes. It was well concealed but well lit from the west with the scarlet ray of the setting sun. She sank onto the lush grass and unwrapped her chocolate bar. Ginny chewed on the creamy chocolate slowly, at times tugging on the grass but then her hands came along something icy and mirrorlike. She picked it up and held it up to the west to see better. It was a coin, approximately the size of a galleon, it was coruscate and silvery. On one side was an engraving of an ornate archery type of arrow pointing right, and on the other an identical one pointing left, both pictures were moving.
Ginny had heard of the powers of providence, and she realised that this was the eternal nemesis of mankind, and maybe what she needed in her life was for fate itself to take the wheel.
"What's the use of wondering? Providence is never wrong, two choices is all I need. Lesser of two evils will always come out..." she mused "Am I right or crazy?" she flipped the coin which fell onto the right side. Ginny smiled softly and clutched the coin.
When she returned to Hogwarts her days rung with the noises of a dropping coin. The coin was her Tom now, carefully picking out her actions by determining which of the two ideas must come to life. Even Ginnys private life didn't escape the verdict, cold-bloodedly Ginny started and ended relationships with the drop of a coin.
As Ginny grew up, the brilliant Harry Potter started hitting on her and the coin favored the pair. And so Ginny ended up in Harrys house, clad in white, she was happy or she thought she was, her conviction in the coins powers was so strong that any decision it favored left her high-spirited.
As in any families life,one day Ginny stormed out, one of the first times without the coins help,just spontaneously. She slipped into a worn-out pub and ordered a fire-whiskey. She felt a strong longing for companionship, the most bitter that shes ever felt. She looked around, there were only three other people in the bar, a girl of about seventeen years with silvery blonde hair, a tall man with dark brown hair and a small stubble on his cheeks he too looked very young and a dark skinned man sat by him undressing the blonde girl with his eyes.
"The girl or the black haired man?" Ginny whispered to herself and flipped the coin. She was distracted and it fell to the floor and rolled towards the girl. She lifted her head and looked for the owner, she spotted Ginny and smiled. It seemed familiar. Oh fuck, that 'dazzling' smile. Gabrielle Delacour. The two were merely acquainted since the Weasleys weren't fond of the Delacours that much. Gabrielle was six years younger than Ginny, that must mean she was freshly out of school, well doesn't hurt to say hello.
"Oh my, it is beautiful!" Gabrielle praised holding the coin up.
"Thank you,Gabrielle." Ginny smiled.
"Jeeny?" Gabrielle asked wide eyed, she still had that sexy French accent.
"Yes,how are you,Gabrielle?" Ginny responded still smiling. Gabrielle has really matured and became very busty, her silvery blonde hair was in a plait that hung over her shoulder falling onto that marvelous cleavage.
"I've just graduated Beauxbatons, Fleur calls me a polyglot since I'm applying to be a translator of German,French and Russian for the Holyhead Harpies." Gabrielle chirped.
"Thats nice, I play Chaser for the Harpies. " Ginny stealthily looked at the coin on the table, it chose fate then.
"That's wonderful! Could you put in a good word for me?" Gabrielle gasped,she looked exceptionally excited.
"I try not to take favourites,love, but whats in it for me,Gabrielle?" Ginny smirked,she felt encouraged by the coin.
"Anything, Jeeny,anything." Gabrielle grabbed Ginnys hands and squeezed them tight.
"Gabrielle, are you any good at cooking?" Ginny smiled, peering into Gabrielles large blue eyes.
"Jeeny, I'm French! Of course I'm good!" Gabrielle flashed the dazzling smile of hers.
"Silly me, well you see, I've got nowhere to go tonight, and I hate to invite myself but could I have dinner with you?" Ginny asked shyly,biting her fingernail a bit.
"Of course,of course! Come on, I'll take you to my flat." Gabrielle took Ginnys hand and they disapparated.
Gabrielle lived in a petite apartment building in the middle of London. Outside most of the wall was covered in fresh dark-green ivy.
"Only magical people live in this house, Marcus Flint lives on the second floor and Cho Chang on the first, to name a few." Gabrielle informed unlocking the thick wooden door.
"Cho Chang? That's interesting." Ginny smirked, she remembered her husbands infatuation with Cho.
Gabrielle was confused so she just smiled politely. She bent down to unlock the second lock and Ginnys face started to match her ginger hair, Gabrielles skirt was rather short. Smugly,Ginny flipped her coin and snickered at the result.
"Finally." Gabrielle huffed and the door clicked open. She took Ginnys hand again and led her up the first pair of stairs. On the second floor they saw an unlikely pair. Marcus Flint and Oliver Wood were smoking by the window.
"Oh hi,Oliver. I didn't know you hung out with..Flint." Ginny stammered.
"Then continue to think so." Marcus snapped,threw his cigarette out of the window ,turned on his heels and went back into his own apartment.
"Hi Ginny,sorry." Oliver squirmed and rushed into the apartment after the former Slytherin.
Well,the craziest thing do kept leading her on finally on the third floor they came to a dark blue door with a white flat was small but stylishly furnished with mainly blues and whites.
"You can stay in the guest room,Jeeny, theres the bathroom if you want to freshen up, you look tired." Gabrielle beamed, taking off Ginnys coat and hanging it onto a neat rack.
"Yes,thank you. Today has been challenging." Ginny thanked and went to take a shower.
Gabrielle hummed to herself and waltzed off to prepare the dinner.
Gabrielle despite her natural good-looks was very lonely. Fleur sent owls rarer than usual, and none of the boys from Beuxbatons who used to fawn over her ever came by. She was still invited to parties but in the end everyone left with her uglier friends. This left Gabrielle enraged and at a recent Beuxbatons meet-up she ended up storming off. And that left her completely on her own. And now that she was with Ginny for at least the evening the heart-ache ceased. She had to make something good. Brandied roast goose would be a great use of the goose in her fridge and the liquor she had but lacked a person to share with. Still humming she started to fuss around the kitchen with various seasonings.
Ginny came out after a hot shower, her ginger shoulder length hair was curling due to being wet. The first thing she noticed was the smell, it was delightful. Having dinner with a French girl was indeed a grand idea.
"Hello Gabrielle, what are you cooking?" Ginny asked and came up to Gabrielle.
"Brandied roast goose, you hope you don't have problems with that?" Gabrielle smiled, cutting away at the vegetables.
"No, that sounds brilliant. Do you need any help?" Ginny put her hands on Gabrielles bare shoulders (thank Merlin for strapless dresses.) It sent a shiver over Gabrielles body.
"Could you set the table, s'il vous plait?" she asked turning her head towards Ginny slightly.
"Sure thing." Ginny looked at the silvery cutlery. Goddamn, everything in this house was a work of art. She then noticed that Gabrielle had candles too. Maybe she did have a chance with the hostess then, she smiled.
"All done! Ta-da!" Gabrielle placed a large roasted goose in the middle of the clapped her hands.
"Can I cut it? Except I don't know how to." Ginny asked eyeing it.
" I'll help you." Gabrielle gave Ginny the knife then proceeded to guide her hand, slicing pieces of goose smoothly.
"See, its easy. Give me your plate." Gabrielle said tenderly.
They silently appreciated the food for a while then Gabrielle escorted Ginny to the guest room.
"Well you can crash here, and I understand now you'll help me win over the job?" Gabrielle pointed out,smiling.
"Just one more thing, could you sing me a French love song?" Ginny laughed and Gabrielle blushed.
So they sat on the bed and Gabrielle being quarter Veela had an amazing voice and she started,
Oh! je voudrais tant que tu te souviennes
Des jours heureux où nous étions amis.
En ce temps-là la vie était plus belle,
Et le soleil plus brûlant qu'aujourd'hui.
Les feuilles mortes se ramassent à la pelle.
Tu vois, je n'ai pas oublié…
Les feuilles mortes se ramassent à la pelle,
Les souvenirs et les regrets aussi
Et le vent du nord les emporte
Dans la nuit froide de l'oubli.
Tu vois, je n'ai pas oublié
La chanson que tu me chantais.
She took a breath and smiled then took Ginnys hand. The chorus she sang quietly,yearningly then she continued the verse:
En ce temps-là, la vie était plus belle
Et le soleil plus brûlant qu'aujourd'hui.
Tu étais ma plus douce amie
Mais je n'ai que faire des regrets
Et la chanson que tu chantais,
Toujours, toujours je l'entendrai!
As she ended she leaned in towards Ginny and kissed her lightly.
"That was brilliant! Whats the song about?" Ginny smiled pressing Gabrielles hands to her chest.
"Two lovers separated, passively separated, but they share a song." Gabrielle replied.
"That's sad, I guess." Ginny started gently pulling Gabrielle onto the bed.
"Very, but just as life is for the living, love is for those with mutual attraction." Gabrielle followed Ginny and they were both seated in the middle of the bed.
"Gabrielle, I want your opinion on this, when I was a little girl I found the coin that pretty much led me to you, and through out my life I've been tossing it for every decision. Is that the right way to live or is it just crazy?" Ginny asked stroking Gabrielles now loose hair.
"Whether its right or wrong is unknown but its the only way to live,mon amour." And out of her bra Gabrielle pulled out a small coin of pearl-like material, engraved arrow pointing right and left were also present.
"Oh Gabrielle!" Ginny exclaimed wide eyed.
"Power of providence,mon ange." Gabrielle whispered wrapping Ginny in her arms.
"You are a blessing." Ginny breathed and kissed Gabrielles coral lips.
They fell back into the pillows,Ginny on top, devoured by the pleasure of the moment. Ginny never felt as happy as she was in the arms of this woman. Willingly giving your life to the cold-blooded deity of chance can turn out to be empyrean of a life but once again, it is merely a matter of luck and what fate has in store for you.
The french song is Yves Montand "Les feuilles mortes" so credits to that guy :D
so this was a challenge from Myrddin Le Fay and it was kinda fun to write :)
So enjoy!
Love,
Acid.