About The South
By: once a whore
Chapter One: On My Own
Author's Note: To add in current stuff like Facebook (my lifeline), I'm changing the years. The year is the 2006-2007 school year. Sorry for any of you who are finicky about that.
Disclaimer: Any references to music, musicals, Harry Potter, books, movie, etc belong to those have claimed it theirs (i.e. JK Rowling owns Harry Potter). Okay, thanks.
Synopsis: After Hogwarts and recovering from the war, Ginny decides to attend university in the States. She wants to get her nursing degree and become the Muggle equivalent of a Healer's assistant. This is a story of her struggle to find out who she is without her family towering over her, the insanity of living with an apartment full of girls, and hiding her magical ability.
(Wednesday, early afternoon)
Ginny Weasley, standing at five feet five inches with fiery red hair, brown eyes, and freckles sprinkled everywhere, looked at her stripped bed and empty desk and walls. She took a deep breath and thought, 'This is it. By tomorrow night or something, I'll be living alone in the States with strangers.' She really had no idea what her travel itinerary was like. Harry and Hermione had helped her with finding flights and miscellaneous Muggle items such as this thing called a legtop…no, a laptop? Yes, a laptop. Apparently it's an essential for university students.
"GINEVRA WEASLEY!" screamed a voice from two floors below her. Ginny rolled her eyes. Rather than screaming back, she took one last look at her room – a place she wouldn't see until the Christmas holiday – and closed the door. On her way down the stairs she ran into George.
"Are you coming to see me off at the airport?" she asked.
George laughed, "Of course." He ruffled her messy hair and shooed her downstairs. Ever since Fred was killed in the Battle at Hogwarts, George has still been outgoing and continued to keep inventing things for the shop, but a little more somber.
Ginny made it down to the kitchen where her mother was making a quick lunch for the household before they all piled into the car her father received from the Ministry and drove to London Heathrow Airport to see her off.
"So Gin, you know who this girl you're living with?" said George, bouncing down the stairs.
The kitchen full of her family, Harry, and Hermione looked at her. Ginny shrugged, "Actually, I'm living with three other girls in an apartment off-campus. I don't know much about them, though. The school wasn't specific and they never responded to my e-mail."
"Gin, do you even know how to use e-mail properly?" Harry laughed.
"Oh, bugger off!" Ginny said, smacking Harry's shoulder. After being scolded for language, Ginny continued, "The girls who I'm apparently living with are Kimber Brennan from New Orleans, Louisiana, Remy Jackson from Rochester, New York, and Miley George from Toronto, Canada."
"Well, have you Facebooked any of them?" Harry asked. Hermione laughed and everyone else gave him a blank stare.
"Uh, no. I don't even know that means. Look, can we just go, please?" Ginny asked, giving her mother begging eyes.
"Alright everyone! Get in the car, we have quite a ride ahead of us," Mrs. Weasley said, shooing everyone to get their belongings.
The car ride was eventful, to say the least. George and Ron were arguing about who the hottest member of the Harpies was, Harry was explaining Facebook to Mr. Weasley, Hermione was calmly reading a Muggle romance novel, and Mrs. Weasley was lecturing Ginny on being on her best behavior and not to get into any trouble with magical use.
"George, you are so blind if you can't see how gorgeous Melanie Bergdorf is compared to that toad Chanel Weiss…"
"…It's for Muggle networking purposes…"
"Sigh."
"You will be getting a letter from the Minister himself if there is any hint of magical use around Muggles…"
&&&&
(Thursday, afternoon)
Ginny Weasley was finally alone in this big, bad world – reality, some people called it. She looked around for a man with a sign as soon as she stepped out past security in Tallahassee, Florida. She shifted the weight of her duffle bag from her right shoulder to her left shoulder. For the first couple of days, she only brought her essentials, as Ron, George, and Harry were bringing her other belongings when the weekend began.
Ginny took in the sight before her: hustle and bustle of men, women, and children trying to catch taxicabs, drivers, and flights. Ginny walked past a bunch of people in professional-looking suits holding cards with names. She didn't see hers though.
"Miss Weasley?" asked a low Southern drawl.
Ginny turned around to face an older man with graying blond hair, surprised, "Yeah, are you the guy who's taking me to my apartment?"
"Yes, miss. Would you like me to take your bag?" he asked, pocketing what looked like a picture. She assumed Harry, who set up her arrival plans, sent an image to the company incase she got lost in times like these.
"Uh, no thanks, I've got it. But seriously, thanks."
The man, who introduced himself as Thomas, led her to a black SUV and opened the door for her. She murmured a quick 'Thank you' before entering the car.
Most of the ride was silent, other than polite talk about her flight. Ginny searched her duffle for the secret present Harry had given her before she left.
"Hey Gin," Harry said, pulling her away from the group.
"Yeah, Harry?"
"I wanted to give you something for immediate contact, since using owls to send letters might be suspicious, you know?" Harry said with a chuckle. He took out a wrapped box and handed it to her. "I've already helped with personalized settings, but I'm sure your roommates will teach you how to use it to personalize yourself."
"What is it?" Ginny asked, not wanting to open it with her family five yards from her.
"A surprise," he said, giving her a kiss on the cheek.
"Ah! 2039 North Meridian Road!" said Thomas from the front of the car. Ginny looked up from the wrapped gift at what she knew as LondonTown, an apartment complex just about a mile from campus. It looked just like the picture from the browser-thing Hermione helped her use to find a place to live. She honestly just chose the place because of the name. "Now, what is your apartment number?" she was asked.
"Err, 27A, I believe," she replied.
They pulled up to the apartments labeled 'A' and Ginny proceeded to get out of the car with her duffle and present in tow. She thanked Thomas once again and watched him drive away. Turning around, she figured that since the apartment number began with a '2,' that she was on the second floor. She walked up a slightly hidden stairwell to see 23A right at the top of the stairs. Going with her gut, she turned left off of the stairs and sure enough, a few doors down there it was, 27A. Ginny took a deep breath and knocked on the door, kicking herself for forgetting to pick up her room key.
"Jesus Christ, Mom, I got it!" screamed a voice from inside. The door swung open to reveal a slim, averaged-height girl with tan skin, long brown hair and blue eyes.
"Hi, I'm Ginny, one of your roommates, I guess."
"Kimber. Come in before the sun blinds me," the girl replied. Ginny turned around and saw that the sun was starting to set facing their side of the apartment complex.
Kimber closed the door behind Ginny. "Is that all you brought?" Kimber asked, looking at Ginny's duffle and laptop case.
"Yeah, a couple of my brothers are coming this weekend with the rest of my stuff."
"Oh, fun. So you're the international student?" Kimber asked.
"Yeah, I guess so – who's that?" Ginny asked, pointing to a dark blond haired, blue eyed child, peeking out into the living room from what appeared to be the hallway.
"Oh, that's my son. Don't worry; he's just helping me move in, then his father is picking him up. Christopher, aren't you supposed to be helping Charlotte?" she snapped at her son.
"He can't be younger than six years old though –" Ginny started.
"Long story. Maybe I'll tell you one day. Now, before you choose your room, are you a neat freak?" Kimber asked.
"Pretty much, yeah. I have six brothers, so someone has to be clean," Ginny replied.
"Sweet. Would you like to be my roommate?" Kimber asked.
Ginny blinked, surprised at her bluntness, "Sure." Ginny followed Kimber further into the apartment. The first room Ginny noticed when she walked in was the carpeted living room and tiled dining room. Extending out of the dining room appeared to be a patio. To her right was a small hallway that held one of the bedrooms and bathrooms. To her left was a less-opened copycat of what she viewed on her right. The kitchen seemed to come off of the dining area. Past the kitchen was a laundry room, Kimber had said. But the utilities weren't there.
After the brief tour, Kimber shooed Ginny to the bedroom that was attached to the shorter hallway.
"The room seemed bigger," Kimber said with a chuckle. Ginny had to agree.
The beds were parallel to each other, with a large window between them. Kimber's bed was already made with a brightly colored comforter and pillowcases. She jumped on the bed and attacked her son with tickles.
"Bloody hell," Ginny murmured, looking at the undressed bed.
"Hmm…?" Kimber asked, looking up.
"I forgot a pillow and comforter. Like, I have a blanket, but nothing else for now," Ginny replied, mentally smacking herself.
"Well, I have an extra pillow if you want…" Kimber said, trailing off as a woman who looked like an older version of Kimber walked in.
"Mom, this is Ginny, my roommate. Ginny, this is my mother, Charlotte," Kimber said, aimlessly throwing the introduction around with a loose palm.
"Pleased to meet you, darlin'," said Charlotte with a sweet sounding southern drawl.
"Same here," Ginny replied before turning to her duffle bag to unpack her toiletries and clothes. Packed safely between her clothes were pictures of her family and friends. They were charmed so that Muggles couldn't see the pictures move, but Ginny could.
She placed the frames gently on her bed before refolding her clothes and turning to look for drawers to put them in. She noticed Kimber's was in the corner near the closet.
"Yours is in the closet," Kimber said, without looking up from what she was doing.
Ginny turned around and walked to the closet. Sure enough, there was a chest of drawers on one side of the closet. Too lazy to move the furniture around, Ginny proceeded to empty the clothes from her duffle bag into the drawers.
&&&&&
Around eight o'clock that evening, Ginny and Kimber were chatting with their newest roommate arrival, Remy Jackson. Miley George had yet to show up. The three girls were sitting on the living room couch, getting to know one another over Coca Cola's with lime. Kimber's mother was long gone, but her son was still waiting to be picked up. He had already fallen asleep from the day's activities.
Ginny, exhausted from the time difference and helping Kimber and Remy unpack, remembered Harry's gift. She ran up from her spot on the couch to her room. She searched her desk drawers for the present until she found it. Ginny walked back into the living room with the present in hand.
"What's that?" Remy asked.
"A present from a friend. I forgot about it until now," Ginny replied, fingering with the crease in the wrapping paper.
"Well open it before I do!" Remy said.
Ginny tore the paper open until it revealed a box with one of those Muggle mobile phones on it. She gasped, along with her roommates.
"You have a pretty sweet friend," Remy said.
"Oh look, a note!" Kimber said, grabbing it to read out loud before Ginny could react, "Dearest Ginny, - that's sweet – I figured you'd want this to keep in touch with your family (and me and Hermione) – that's a silly name, I love it – I haven't activated yet, so you'll have to go to a T-Mobile store in the States to do that. I'm sure your roommates will be able to help you with that and programming numbers and information into your phone.
"Also, I programmed mine, Ron's, Hermione's and George's mobile numbers. I'm not sure if any of your other brothers have mobiles or not. I know your mum is technology illiterate, like yourself. Heh, I'll pay for that later won't I? Don't worry about the bill for now, I promise – can he pay for my bill as well? – You're taken care of. Yes, you have an international calling plan.
"I wish you the best of luck at University, and I'll see you this weekend with Ron, Hermione, and George. I can't wait.
"All my love, Harry." Kimber finished and looked up at Ginny's surprised face.
"That is the sweetest thing ever! Is he your boyfriend?" Remy asked.
"Err, I'm not sure. We dated and broke up. But we're still incredibly friendly with each other, you know?" Ginny said.
"It's really cute," Kimber said, as there was a loud knock on the door, "Ugh, finally!" she got up to answer the door.
"Took you long enough," Kimber said to the man at the door. Ginny strained her neck to see who it was, as if she knew him.
"Sorry, my, err, plane got in late," he replied. Ginny blinked and wondered why this man had a familiar English accent.
"Sure. Well, come in. You're letting all of the mosquitoes in," Kimber said, stepping aside to let him in.
Ginny gasped when he stepped in from out of Kimber's shadow.
"Weasley?!" he asked in a surprised voice.
Ginny found herself having a staring and gaping contest with Draco Malfoy.
End Note: All right, first chapter of my first story. I'm sure I went comma crazy, as I usually do in my writing. I anticipate the second chapter to be posted shortly. I'm sure you saw that coming, but if not. Cool! I hope this gets better. And maybe longer! ) Spring Break is coming up so I'll get to have LOADS of writing time.
I realized during editing I haven't said where Ginny is going to school. Clearly it's in the States, but you'll find out soon enough (as in, Chapter 2). I know I basically made her trip 24 hours, but let's just imagine there were long lay overs or something. If you couldn't tell already, this is A-fucking-U. Get over it, please'kaythanks. Oh, LondonTown apartments and their address is a real place. I did a little research, you should be proud of me. I made up the apartment number. And the description of the apartment is called 'The Wimbledon.' I'd like to live there if I get accepted to future-mentioned school when apply for grad school. Anyways, ...
Reviews & suggestions are welcome!
Flames, not so much.
I'd much rather receive constructive criticism.