Round: one
Set: 06 (Generic mix C)
Space: "Copper" (5-5)
Word count: 709
Title: Blind Love
A/N: Copper is a vital nutrient for the human body, but is also one of the more easily toxic of the macronutrients. So it's "good for you but intolerable in large doses".
A/N 2: Good news and sad news. THC is over until January! I am slightly sad, but there is the Winter Competition that I can (and will) participate in, as well as this: Writing Bingo!
Warning(s): this fic could be considered as Ginny-bashing. You have been warned.
Please review if you liked it! And if you didn't. . . well, review anyways!
~Blue Rose
Harry sighed softly as he watched the Hogwarts Express disappear around the corner, taking his children with it. He'd miss them. He turned to his ex-wife, half-expecting her to be tearing up. After all, her only daughter did just leave for Hogwarts.
But Ginny was tapping her foot impatiently, the black sandal clicking loudly despite the chatter from the other parents. Her arms were crossed, a displeased expression on her face as she waited for his attention. Her hair was pinned in a tight bun, not a strand out of place.
She looked perfect, as always.
Ginny, with her copper-colored hair, copper-colored nails, copper-colored eyeshadow. Ginny looked pure, though Harry knew how wrong that thought was. Harry couldn't tell if her pale features stood out more because of the metallic colors, or if the copper stood out more because of her paleness. It doesn't really matter, Harry reminded himself. She looked sharp and bold and that's all that she really cared about. His own interests shouldn't have expanded past her own.
How did I ever love this woman? Why do I still, really, Harry wondered, probably more bitter than necessary. But that's what Ginny always did to him. He was never the Harry Potter she wanted; never good enough.
Ginny eyed him disdainfully, then sneered at his slightly lost expression. His baby girl just went to Hogwarts. He'd miss her, of course.
"You're not going to cry, are you? God, they'll be back in four months," Ginny spat. Her foot finally stilled. Harry kept his expression blank and she curled her lip at the lack of response.
"Are you leaving now?" Harry asked politely, refusing to rise to the bait. He used to do it, when Lily was around five, which led to the worst fights. Harry felt terrible after each fight because Lily always cried at hearing her parents scream at each other.
Ginny's scoff drew his thoughts back to the present. He focused on her to see her digging through her purse. She pulled out a mirror and checked her makeup in the tiny glass, making the oddest faces.
He used to think she was cute when she did that. Now it was just annoying. They were having a conversation, for Merlin's sake.
"Of course. I don't have time to waste, unlike you." Harry nearly rolled his eyes. Ginny was so childish, he saw now. She never grew up, just pretended to. Harry was only working part-time, at Weasley's Wizard Wheezes with George, because he had to take some time off from the Aurors. His divorce was a relief, of course, but it was still hard. Ginny, however, was still a workaholic.
"Well, surely you have time to set our schedules, do you not?" Harry asked, one eyebrow raised. Ginny scowled and snapped the mirror shut. She shoved it back in her purse with more force than needed.
"Yes," she practically growled. "I'll take the kids for Christmas, you get Easter," Ginny said.
"No. I had them last Easter. We agreed that we would switch the holidays evenly, Ginevra," Harry argued. She fixed him with an irritated stare.
"I can't take them Easter. I'll be out of the country then," Ginny said. Harry gave her an incredulous stare.
"Fine," Harry relented. If he took Easter too, which Ginny probably wouldn't let happen anyways, he'd have to give her the summer weekdays. He'd rather spend the majority of summer break with his children than Christmas, only a few weeks long.
His ex had a smug smirk on her face.
"Good," she said, and chuckled darkly as if she won something.
"Until later, Ginevra," Harry said, turning on his heel to walk away from her. He didn't want to be around her any longer. Her presence did things to Harry's heart, tugging him every which way until he wanted to scream at his ex-wife and kiss her all at the same time. He still loved her, but he hated her too. It was better when he didn't have to actually talk to her.
"Hopefully not," he heard her mutter. As much as he hated to, Harry agreed. Ginny was too much to handle. He wondered how he could've been so blind to think that she could ever love him.