Title: Happy Dancing Shoes
Author: dem bones
Genres: Romance
Pairing: H/G
Summary: Over 10 years ago, Hermione told Ginny that Draco was her ideal match. Now she's divorced with a daughter who is in dire need of dancing shoes and visits the shoemaker who is none other than Harry Potter.
Warnings: (Edit 10/8: Plot What Plot! At least for the time being. Also unbetaed and written by one imperfect individual who doesn't need extreme perfectionists aka people who have given up every ounce of their human soul to tell me how dumb my story is. Remember the golden rule and why we writers have to develop thick skins in the first place. This piece of work isn't completely betaed and will have the errors of an imperfect human author who has pulled an all nighter combined with time limits. It isn't betaed and even if it is betaed (which it will be eventually) it probably will have mistakes. Don't like it than don't moan about it...honestly 3 reviewers have seen it fit to send the same garbage...not even elaborating on any details as if I'm some perfectionist who's able to spot these errors like every author hasn't been there or done that...)
A/N: Written for QLFC Round 12: Fairy Tales with prompts: A quote by A.A Bell and Mahatma Ghandi and finally ending with the word generic.
"Once bitten twice shy? Sure, but... why not get a bigger dog and bite them back?" A.A. Bell, Hindsight
There were many things Ginny Weasley regretted in her life and one of those things had always been giving into peer pressure. When Hermione Granger had said that she and Draco had been soulmates, Ginny had been inclined to believe it.
There had been a time when Draco was a fun, playful man. He had alot of common interests with her, primarily his skill in quidditch.
Of course, Ginny had been persuaded to look over his less than desirable flaws. She practically had to ignore the fact his father had tried to kill her, that he was a spineless coward and that he had insulted her friends and family but Ginny had never been one to question fate.
Hermione Granger was a logical person so it was surely smart for her to hang on this woman's every word. In the process she had abandoned Harry and she had been fine with the decision.
The last time she had seen Harry, it had been right before her marriage to Draco Malfoy.
"Please don't leave me." He pleaded to her.
"I'm sorry, Harry. We're just not meant to be." Ginny said. "I need someone who can give me the attention I deserve and you're stuck in the past."
Yes, he was the last person she needed in her life right now even if she was desperate for a man. Ginny had caught Draco in an affair with Daphne Greengrass and had filed for a divorce within weeks.
Unfortunately the two had a kid together their small daughter, Winona. Draco of course had left the child to be raised by her not wanting to dirty his blood by accepting her into the family.
'I could do better than him anyway.' She sniffed proudly.
Years had passed when Hermione had introduced her daughter to ballet. Recently her daughter had grew interested in it and Ginny had signed her up for classes.
Winona had started borrowing Hermione's old ballet shoes. One day however Winona came with Hermione in tears.
"What's the matter, Winnie?" Ginny asked as she knelt in front of her daughter.
"I wore the shoes Hermione gave to me but the-the kids laughed at me," She said through her sobs.
"Why did they laugh at you?"
"They said I was poor, they said my shoes were trash."
Ginny embraced her daughter.
"Winnie, it's alright," She said soothingly. "I'll buy you a new pair. They'll be the best shoes you've ever seen."
"Thank you, mum."
HP
Early the next morning after Ginny had taken her child over to her parent's house when she set off to find a magical shoe store, a place that could make any kind of shoe.
She had been walking for some time before she seen it. Across from her there was an old run down building that looked very old and dingy. Ginny found herself reluctant to go inside but had long discovered that most of the old shoes stores that she and Draco had visited were closed down.
With a sigh, she walked to the building and knocked on the door.
"It's open."
Ginny stepped inside and nearly took a step back at the sight of the man behind the counter. The man otherwise known to the magical world as Harry Potter.
She was amazed to find him still looking very young.
'Stop that. Bad mind.' She thought.
"Can I help you with something?" Harry asked.
"Um, I need a favour. Do you make custom orders?"
Harry nodded.
"What is it that you need?"
Ginny took out a pair of shoes from the bag.
"I need a pair of shoes that look like these. Ballet shoes."
Harry smiled.
"I think I could do that."
"Could you send me a letter when you get those done?"
"Of course."
With that Ginny turned flustered not even pausing to say goodbye.
'It's his smile. You don't love him.' She thought as she remembered the way his lips upturned at the edges and the way the skin by his eyes crinkled when he was genuinely happy.
It wasn't until the next day that Ginny came in when she heard the sound of music from walking into the store.
Harry was at his desk absorbed in the recent article of the Daily Prophet. She had read it earlier that week a bit better at the revelation of her ex-husband's wedding. It only served to worsen her bad day.
She had quite a headache after being fired from her high position at the Ministry. Draco had got her a position as a Minister operative for the Minister for Magic as one of her birthday presents.
Her brother George had dropped by to taunt her about it giving her a splitting headache.
'Where is that infernal racket coming from?' She thought as she whirled around surprised at the presence of dancers on the tellie.
She glanced at a pink pair of ballet shoes sitting next to him.
"Are those the shoes?"
Harry nodded.
"These? Ugh."
"Is there something wrong with the shoes?"
"The material's faded and there's a stain on it. They might as well be trash," Ginny muttered, looking very horrified at the sight.
"Trash?" Harry asked, his lips contorting into a frown. He seemed to be brooding silently. "I see then, should I remedy it for you?"
Ginny sighed.
"No these'll have to do."
"I insist. If the customer is dissatisfied I'm willing to remedy the situation and make you another pair of shoes more to your liking," Harry said, swiping the shoes from her hand without saying another word.
Ginny looked on in horror as Harry ripped the shoes apart.
"It's probably better to waste such generic, frugal materials."
He said it with such a demented smirk on his face that Ginny almost thought he was angry with her.
With a sigh she left the shop.
HP
As Ginny left Harry sighed and Hermione came in from the back room.
"Is something wrong, Harry?"
"Just an infuriating customer."
Hermione glanced into his eyes.
"Who?"
"Ginny Weasley."
Hermione's eyes narrowed.
"She was a little dissatisfied with the shoes I made for her."
"You worked on those shoes all week and you didn't even rest at all," Hermione huffed angrily.
"Perhaps a lesson should be in order then?"
"No, I-I didn't say that." Hermione stammered.
"You wouldn't. You are after all her friend. If you did then you wouldn't be a very loyal friend would you?" He said. "Do you still have those shoes?"
"Which shoes?" Hermione asked.
"The ones you used to wear to work. Those shoes you promised to never wear again."
"Those shoes?" Hermione squeaked. "I don't know. I just have a bad feeling about all of this."
"Nonsense, Hermione. It will be fine."
"She's going to get angry with you, you are aware of this. I wish you would actually think about these things before you act. You never even worry about the reprecussions."
Hermione's hands reached out to massage his shoulder.
"I could say the same thing about you too, Hermione." Harry growled smacking her hand away. "You are aware she only follows your advice."
HP
It wasn't until the next day that Ginny once again dropped by the shoe shop. When she stepped inside she noticed a pair of sparkling red dancing shoes on top of Harry's desk.
"Wow, these look amazing." Ginny glanced over them in awe.
Harry grinned.
"Well, they are your daughter's so take good care of them."
Ginny eagerly took the shoes and glanced at them.
"They're a bit big though."
"Don't worry they adjust to size."
Ginny grinned and turned to thank him but he was already gone. She quickly headed back to her parent's home.
Winona greeted her at the door.
"Winona, I got your shoes."
"Thank you, mum."
She quickly handed over the shoes to her daughter.
"Don't you think they look a little too big?" Winona asked after glancing them over.
"It's be fine. They adjust to size."
"What if they don't fit?" Winona sobbed.
"They are supposed to magically adjust to the size of your foot. Look I'll show you."
Ginny slipped on the two red shoes. Winona's eyes widened as the shoes shrunk to her mother's foot size.
"See they fit just fine."
Suddenly the shoes began to have a life of their own and Ginny found herself on her two feet grabbing Winona by the hands stumbling as her feet moved in a weird dance swinging her daughter to some imaginary music.
"Mum, are you alright?"
"I'm fine. I just lost my footing."
With her right foot she reached down in an attempt to take off the shoes but they wouldn't come off.
"Oh dear."
"Mum, what's the matter?"
"The shoes won't come off."
"Are they making you move like that?"
"I-I don't know but I know I can't go on like this forever."
"Of course not."
Ginny heard a very familiar voice call out to her.
Winona's eyes widened in horror.
"G-Ghost," She cried out.
Ginny whirled around spotting an old man with a balding head dressed in shabby robes.
"Who are you?"
"I cannot say anything more than the fact I am the ghost haunting those shoes on your feet."
"If you're haunting them, the moment you go away then these shoes will be normal shoes."
"Perhaps, but I'm not going to leave these shoes any time soon."
"Why not?" Ginny asked.
"Because I don't want to."
Ginny sighed.
"How am I supposed to sleep or work with these shoes on? If you think I'm going to go so far as to severe off my feet to get these blasted things off just so some person could get some kick of hearing me talk about this blasted tragedy you have another thing coming," Ginny explained. "I'm not going to die and go to heaven just to escape this punishment either, I'm sorry. If it winds up that way I might just go to hell to ensure that the same thing happens to you in another life time."
"I'll leave you time to your sleep, you needn't worry about that. I know how important it is to you to get your beauty sleep."
"If you know how important it is why do you insist me doing all this unnecessary movement?"
"Because it's so amusing." The ghost said. "If you have any complaints you could always complain to the owner because it does come in handy if you want someone to promote their own moral agenda."
"What are you talking about?"
"Nothing."
Eventually night drew near and the shoes remained idle long enough for her to lay down in bed and sleep. She was very hot from the workout and had to ask Winona to give her food and refreshments to hydrate her body.
With a workout like this the next couple of weeks couldn't possibly fare any better so it was with newfound determination that she dropped by the shoe store.
"Yes."
"I'd like to return these shoes."
Harry looked down above his desk to look down at her feet. Her feet were moving about in agitation.
"You'll have to remove them if you want to return them."
"They won't come off, they're cursed. A ghost is haunting these shoes."
"I was wondering why your feet seemed to be moving around on their own."
"Are you going to help me?" Ginny asked.
"Yes, please help her."
Harry's eyes widened at the sight of the ghost.
"What does she have to do in order to appease you? It is a rule that ghosts can only enter the next life once their spirit has been appeased, right?"
"Something like that."
"Well, what would appease you?"
"I think a certain Malfoy may be able to answer that question."
"How will I get inside I can't even set foot on the premises anymore."
"If you have any trouble you could just write me should you need any help though I'm sure you can manage by yourself and you don't need someone of my mental strength or physical caliber," Harry said. His face was contorted in a malicious grin.
Ginny couldn't help but feel that those words were addressed to her.
"In any case, Hermione dropped by earlier today and said that you're looking for a job. I just so happen to have a job opening for you if you want to apply. It's in the note." Harry said, handing a folded sheet of paper to Ginny.
Without a word, Ginny left the shop.
HP
It was the next day, Ginny went to the place as addressed by the note leaving Winona with her mother and father.
The building was very large and well-kept Ginny noted as she stepped inside. She instantly spotted Harry among the men and women there.
Ginny had never known Harry was interested in dancing.
'I should have guessed though when I saw him watching those people dancing on the telly.'
Harry approached her.
"I'm surprised you came."
Ginny chuckled.
"It looked a little interesting. I couldn't resist."
Her feet continued to move.
"Perhaps I could help remedy your little problem," He said grabbing her by the hand and spinning her until she was pressed against his chest.
Ginny found herself having to hold on for dear life as he taught the class a tango.
The funny thing was she had never had a dance class in her life yet the shoes seemed to match Harry's moves to the letter.
Ocassionally her legs would stretch into a split and when he pulled her close her leg reached up to caress his thigh.
She also noted that her hips twisted to several off beats engulfing her into the dance and she found that she enjoyed it as well as the warmth when Harry would pull her close.
Was Draco always this passionate? She found herself comparing Harry and Draco. Draco had never had anything he was truly passionate about. He always started a project and never completed it.
In a way, she had always been Draco's project perhaps that's why it was so easy for him to let her go.
Harry clung to her so tightly that Ginny couldn't help but feel that her impressions of him were wrong and that he had always cared about her even after discovering she was used goods.
When had that ceased to be enough...when had she wanted more and why did it feel like some moral lesson was coming into play as if she needed to learn that little treasure that most people call humility.
No one had ever told her she demanded too much, nobody told her she expected too much and no one had taught her to feel a sense of respect every time someone offered advice over her personally.
Of all the people in her life time they were countless times when even her parents had got offended over a muggle telling them how to raise their own kids and she was supposed to be humbled with expectations like this?
'Fuck this. No one knows what they're even talking about. They talk about fate and what's good for themselves and I'm supposed to learn humility from all of this. This sounds like the thoughts of a spoiled brat.' Ginny thought. 'It's a wonder Harry even put with me at all. He could probably have someone twice as better.'
After dancing, Ginny headed out.
"Where are you going?" Harry asked.
"Home."
"I could walk you home if you'd like."
"It's fine." Ginny said softly. The last thing she needed was his pity.
"Good luck and be safe." He said.
Ginny headed out. She had to take care of these shoes.
Bringing up her knowledge of old ancient magic, she cut through the wards guarding Malfoy Manor and stepped inside.
She winced as she stumbled through several traps. Several needles were embedded in her legs. Ginny was certain some of them contained poison.
Urgently she knocked on the door. In minutes the door was open and Draco was at the door half-nude.
"Is there something I can help you with, Ginevra?"
"Don't call me that," She spat.
"What is it? I'm a little busy at the moment."
"Ghost-"
"Ghost?" Draco asked horrified.
Suddenly the ghost appeared.
"Oh it's Weasley? Long time no see."
"Weasley?"
"Don't you recognise your own brother?" Draco asked.
Ginny turned and that's when she saw the tiny freckles across her older brother's face.
"Ron? What happened to you? Why are we here?" Ginny asked. "Last I heard you moved to Bulgaria after the divorce."
"We came here because this is the place I was murdered."
"What?" Ginny asked in alarm.
"Yes, I seen everything," Draco said gravely.
"How long have you known about this?" Ginny snarled.
"I've known it before we went on our first date."
"Did you kill him?"
Draco blushed.
"Of course not. I loved him. Why would I?"
"That's quite a sentiment coming from you." Ron said.
"Shut up, Weasley."
Ron chuckled.
"Malfoy and Hermione were married but she had a little affair with me on the side. Malfoy found out about it and wanted a divorce. I think you know what happens to witches and wizards who are unfaithful to their spouses."
"The marriage is dissolved and the unfaithful party loses their magic." Ginny said. "If that's so why didn't he dissolve the marriage from the beginning."
"She owed me a debt. My mother happened to save Potter's life and she died. My father wanted you to be my spouse and the only way to do that was to recall his debt that Potter owed him however your friend Granger took on the role herself. It's why we were married for a time." Draco said. "The only way to get rid of it was for one of us to have an affair but I couldn't afford to lose my magic not with my father around."
"Well that explains a lot."
"I bet you were wondering all this time why I didn't pay for my little games but you must know by this point that I am also a squib."
"And Daphne accepts this?"
"I haven't told her."
"At the time however there was only one way out and I was a coward. She would have had to kill me or Weasley. So I think you could put the pieces together."
"There's no way Hermione would do something that."
"It is. Hermione had planned for Malfoy to dissolve their marriage after this fact and then she killed me afterwards."
"Why didn't she kill Malfoy?"
"It's because she loved him."
Draco widened.
"That's impossible. We both know the only reason she didn't kill me was so she could set me up with your little sister."
"I'm not denying that was some of the reason but Harry wouldn't have given her a second glance. If she was smart she would have known that. She wanted you to move on with Ginny."
"She should put more effort in orchestrating her own life than trying to dictate mine. It's your fault she acts like the chessmaster for as long as she has." Draco snarled.
"You mean to tell me the only reason why Hermione set me up with you was so she would have a chance with Harry."
"Yes." Draco and Ron said.
"It still doesn't explain why you are haunting these shoes."
"I'll explain that when it's prudent."
"Why are my feet still dancing?"
"It's partially for personal enjoyment and partially because Harry told me too." Ron said. "He thought the only way to get to you is to make your feet dance."
Suddenly warm arms wrapped around her waist.
"Is it working?"
"You're in on this too?" Ginny asked in ire.
Soft warm kisses brushed her neck and Ginny shivered in his arms.
"I'm a little offended that you think this was out of some fun. I've never quite forgiven you for leaving my life like you did."
"I'm sorry." She whispered. His focus however wasn't on her but rather her legs.
He gasped.
"Are you alright?"
He lifted her in his arms and set her on the steps.
"What exactly happened to you?"
"It must have been the traps, I forgot about them," Ginny said. "Harry, how did you get here anyway?"
"Malfoy, do you have the antidotes?"
Draco nodded and headed inside to fetch them. When he came back Harry tended her wounds pouring some hydrogen peroxide on the wounds before wrapping her leg in gauze.
Harry handed her a couple of potions.
"You got to drink these." He said handing her the bottles.
"They taste nasty," Ginny grimaced as she took a swig.
"I know."
"Harry, Harry. Oh there you are." Hermione called out from the gateway. She ran towards the manor.
She spotted Draco.
"Malfoy? Ginny? What are you two doing here?" She asked.
"Hey Hermione how are you doing?"
"Harry why're you-?"
"Why am I with Ginny?"
"Well yeah."
"I heard she was going to visit the Malfoys and I followed her. I think that much should be obvious."
"Why is Ron haunting these shoes, Hermione?"
Hermione turned pale.
"That's none of your business."
"He's my brother, it is my business."
"How dare you? You act like none of this was your fault. If you would have remained with Draco everything would have been fine. You two are made to be together just like Harry and me are meant to be together."
Hermione screamed and lunged for Ginny with a knife.
Harry stepped in front of Ginny as Hermione stabbed him in the side.
Suddenly Hermione crumpled to her knees and a very eerie chill radiated in the air.
"You're delusional. I'm not meant for anyone and don't talk to me about fate. While you'd like to rely on logic to find your ideal match I'd prefer to come to my own conclusions." Harry sneered.
Ginny peered on with horror as she seen Ron hovering over Hermione.
"You shouldn't play with people's hearts...Hermione."
Hermione whirled around startled and screamed at the sight of Ron's ghostly form.
"Y-You're dead."
"I think that much is obvious. Do you think I could return the favour?"
Hermione could only watch in horror as Ron drew closer to her.
"No...don't." She whispered.
Ginny peered at Harry's hands coated with red stains.
"Harry, are you alright? You should go to the hospital. Those look very serious."
"I'll be fine...now that you're here."
Hate the sin love the sinner-Mahatma Ghandi