Chapter One- Torture Chambers and Wedding Bells
Weddings were a nightmare. Ginny had decided weeks ago that she never would have one, and eloping was looking better and better as the line stretched into the eternities. Ginny leaned to her right as there was a break due to quite a few French guests passing them up entirely. "If I ever have a wedding--which I won't because—"
"Because you're going to elope, but if you were you wouldn't have a maid of honor who was forced into a tacky gold dress and made to hold a heavy bouquet. Am I right?" Her mother looked exasperated.
"No receiving line, but that too," Ginny replied thoughtfully.
"Stop complaining. For Bill," Molly entreated, looking back only to add, "and your dress isn't tacky, it looks beautiful on you."
Ginny looked skeptical. It wouldn't have been so bad if Fleur hadn't insisted on so many frills, and if they had let her lower the neckline an inch or two. Ginny felt like a prisoner, forced to look 8 years old, but she was doing this, as her mum had said, for Bill. If it hadn't been "for Bill" she would have run away to Uncle Richard's at the beginning of summer. She thought on this as she forced a smile for Aunt Muriel, who was currently talking about how big Ginny had grown (making awkward mention of her bosom area). It was only made better as she looked around to see Ron, slouching behind Charlie a bit with the oncoming greeter. Ginny made kissing lips at him and laughed silently. These little moments of games and teasing kept life happy.
Just forget that he's not here. Ginny had expected that on the evening of July 31st Harry would have come. Others had anticipated his arrival as well, hanging birthday banners and making a cake. The 'Happy Birthday Harry' was smeared off a few days later and the Weasleys ate it in disappointment without him. She was thinking about this as Hermione approached, looking nearly as elegant as she had for the Yule Ball a few years earlier.
Ginny gave her first genuine smile in the line and hugged her friend. As Hermione pulled back she looked at Ginny and Molly and told them, "Harry arrived just now. He wanted to apologize for missing the ceremony." She gave Ginny's hand one last squeeze and moved on.
Ginny looked over at her mum, who had an expression of relief. "Mum, I'm going to—"
"Not now," she said out of the corner of her mouth.
Ginny huffed and looked down to where Ron and Hermione were. Without asking anyone he just left. "But Mum, Ron—"
"Isn't the best man, as you are the maid of honor," Molly said firmly looking at her. "He'll be coming I'm sure." There was a tone that made Ginny think she wanted to see him too, and Ginny was about to press the point farther, maybe even convince her mum to come along with, but before she could even start Ginny felt a hand on her arm.
"Ginny," Fleur said in her stronger than usual accent, having been around her language a lot, "zis is my couzin, ze one I've bin telling you about."
"Oh right," Ginny said. The one that she kept saying Ginny would like, which Ginny highly doubted. She put her hand out to shake his hand, but instead, he took hers and said something in French that she didn't understand before kissing it. Her doubts grew deeper.
"'e doezn't know mush eenglish," Fleur explained and moved the two of them aside, excusing Ginny from the line to have them talk.
One prison to the next, thought Ginny as the boy broke spoken English to her. "Come again," she said almost every other phrase. It was ten minutes later that she figured out that his name was Laramie, he was going to school in south France, and he thought she looked "ravissant".
It was in the fervor in trying to get out that Ginny noticed that the line had dispersed, leaving her here to talk to this annoying charming young man that she didn't understand. "What?" she asked to one of his questions. The second time he said it was even more confusing so Ginny just smiled and answered what she thought he had asked. "Yes, quite nice."
Before she knew it he was taking her hand. Wondering how she had gotten into this mess she followed, passing table after table. It became apparent that the dancing was about to begin as Fleur and Bill were announced onto the floor. She heard Laramie as he whispered in the best English he could manage, 'we'll wait'. Now I understand you, thought Ginny regretfully. She looked and saw her brother, Hermione and Harry. Her heart clenched with utter frustration, but took a breath, wishing that she had taken Fleur up on learning French. At least then she could have dumped guys from France.
Everyone clapped as the first song ended. Ginny joined in the festivity as well, jealous that the three were leaning into one another talking. She should have been there too. There was no reason to leave her out of things, and now that the lot she had spent her time with all last year were of age, she would be the only one left out. Her mother had been choking her since she come back and Ginny was half surprised that her mum would even let her go back to Hogwarts, let alone encourage it to happen. She had a feeling her dad had a lot to do with that one.
Once dancing, Ginny didn't bother to try figuring out what Laramie was trying to say anymore. She figured she would just stare blankly with a grin, and if he took that for some sort of permission to kiss her, she could hex him… if her brothers didn't get to him first.
Ginny looked over Laramie's shoulder and noticed that Ron and Hermione were left alone. She took a deep breath. He was probably gone again and she didn't even get a chance to say hello! It was downright unjust, and she blamed Fleur. Not that it mattered, but she would blame Fleur none the less. As the song came to a close, there was another round of applause. "Would you excuse me?" Ginny asked.
Laramie looked confused, like he didn't understand what she was saying. "Now you know how I feel," she added as she walked away. They announced the throwing of the bouquet, but Ginny just wanted to get away. She walked past the tables, out of the garden and into a thicket of trees. Seclusion was what she required. Too many people and not enough of them ones she wanted to see.
She sat down at the base of a large oak and laid her head back closing her eyes. "Done with the party already?" a tentative voice asked.
Ginny's eyes shot open. "Harry!" she exclaimed. "I thought you might have left."
"I just got here, but if that's what you're—"
"No," Ginny interrupted. "I mean… we've all been worried about you."
"I know," Harry said. "Your mum practically squeezed me to death."
"Good, it saves me the trouble," Ginny said. There were several moments of awkward silence, neither knew what to say. Ginny stood up to break it. "I better get over there before mum knows I've gone missing. She'd have a fit."
"Wait, Ginny," Harry said, touching her arm. She paused and looked at him. "One dance?"
Ginny could hear the music in the distance, light but distinct. "Why not back at the reception?"
"You know why."
Ginny nodded. "I don't do pretense."
"I just thought… well... er—Ron didn't know if you had come with—"
"You all decided that I had found a date for tonight."
"Charlie told us it was a set up from Fleur."
"If you'd call that a set up," Ginny said. She walked slowly. "He doesn't even speak English. But I don't know why it matters to you so much."
Harry walked beside her. "Dance with me and I'll show you."
Ginny turned and looked him straight in the eyes. "Someone might use it against you," she said. There was another awkward silence.
"Er—right… okay. Sorry I bothered you then," Harry said, but stayed by her side.
Ginny hated this. She wished it could have been like last summer. "You sticking around for a Quidditch tournament this weekend?" she asked, trying to force another smile.
"Yeah," Harry said, hands in pocket and head hanging down.
Ginny took a deep breath. "One dance then," she said, stopping. Harry looked up and smiled. They were just at the edge of the trees. One dance turned into three as they talked about Ginny's plans and Harry avoided the topic of his. Once back in the wedding party they were back to the 'friends only' façade that comforted Harry so much, but at least for a moment she had him.
A/N: Just the first chapter to the beginning of Ginny's sixth year. I had to start with a little romance, but don't be mistaken, most of the time Harry won't be around, so there's gonna be a lack of this stuff. So I hope you enjoyed it. This is my first real jumpstart back into fanfiction and I plan to have it done before July 21st, after which there will be no altering what does or doesn't happen (hence the deadline). If you enjoyed this, please review. It's depressing to look at the hits and realize how many people go to the stories you write compared to the reviews you get. So please… be kind… it really only takes a few seconds. J
