Hello my friends, its me would you believe it! For anyone who is waiting for me to update any of my other stories I am sorry I haven't been on here in so long. I will eventually get round to them but this was in my head.
Okay so basically the line in Deathly Hallows when Harry notices Ginny dancing with Lee always caught my attention and I wanted to expand on it a bit more. I figured Ginny would have known Lee pretty well with him being Fred and George's friend and from around Gryffindor house. If Ginny comes across as out of character at some points I'm sorry but I sort of think around this time she would be feeling pretty vulnerable and open to advice from a friend.
As always, disclaimer: JK Rowling owns all Harry Potter related material.
If We Die, We Die, But First We Live
Ginny looked over at Harry – sorry, Cousin Barny – for the umpteenth time that night and sighed. She wanted to talk to him, she had since yesterday when her git of a brother had interrupted what might have been her last kiss with Harry. She knew he would be leaving after the wedding or in the morning and she couldn't know whether or not they would both make it through the war alive. Of course she hoped and prayed they would but she wasn't stupid enough to promise herself anything.
Ginny observed as Viktor Krum sat down and began talking to Harry, smirking to herself at the idea that Viktor in fact knew Cousin Barny better than he might expect. Her eyes spun across the rest of the wedding and she felt a smile break across her lips when she spotted Ron and Hermione dancing together; at least her brother got to dance with who he wanted to. If Harry and she didn't make it to see the other side of the war that she knew was to come, she could only hope those two would come through together.
She was pulled from her thoughts by a cheerful voice from behind her shoulder, "And what would a pretty witch such as yourself be doing sitting all alone when there are plenty of eligible bachelors standing around looking for someone to dance with?"
Ginny laughed, glad to be pulled from her depressing thoughts and reminded that weddings were cheerful events, "couldn't catch yourself a Veela cousin, eh, Lee?"
"No such luck," Lee Jordan shook his head with a self-depreciating smile and sat down with a bottle of Firewhiskey. "Fred and George did though; they've learnt French and everything."
"Just as long as they don't get too friendly, one Veela in the family is more than enough for me," Ginny warned, taking a sip of her Butterbeer.
"Nah I think you're safe, those two won't settle down for a good number of years, I'd say," Lee chuckled. Ginny couldn't disagree with him; she tried imagining being at either of their weddings and came up blank.
Lee pointed is bottle at her with a questioning look on his face, "So why are you all on your own?"
"Because the person who I want to dance with is ignoring me," replied Ginny, surprising herself with her honesty. Lee was a great guy who'd always made her laugh but never someone se imagined confiding in.
"And who might that lucky bloke be?" inquired Lee.
Ginny raised a teasing eyebrow, "Bloke? Who says it's not one of those infamous cousins of Fleur's?"
Lee coughed slightly on his Firewhiskey as he burst out laughing, "Oh Ginny, don't ever let it be said Fred and George are the only jokers in this family of yours. I'm not being trying to assume anything, Ginny, I just happen to recall your brothers mentioning boyfriends of yours, to me."
"Okay, well it still remains, why should I tell you who I want to dance with?" Ginny raised an eyebrow.
"Come on Ginny, I can keep a secret," Lee pouted.
Ginny sighed, "alright but you can't tell anyone. Not even Fred and George."
Lee nodded seriously "Deal."
"If you insist then," Ginny muttered, "its Harry."
"Harry? Harry Potter?" Lee asked looking around the tent, "I don't see him. Odd actually, I thought Ron would have had him here."
"He's in disguise," Ginny explained quickly, "We couldn't take any chances."
"Of course, sorry, should've known," nodded Lee, then a huge grin spread across is face, "So I take it that you still aren't over his eyes which are as green as fresh pickled toads."
Ginny groaned "Trust you to bring that up. I was eleven!"
"And a very talented poet for your age," Lee grinned, "seriously, you should consider taking it up as a profession."
Ginny elbowed him lightly.
"So you really aren't over him, even after all these years?" pushed Lee.
"Lee, put it this way," Ginny replied deciding she needed to tell someone how she was feeling. "How would you feel if you loved someone so much that you would do anything to protect them, anything, but at the same time you knew there was nothing you could do? So you realise all you can do is put on the brave face and say goodbye. And so, you decide one last kiss couldn't hurt, even though they broke up with you. Because, I don't know if we'll both be alive in a week, let alone a year and I don't want his last memory of me to be him breaking up with me. But then my absolute prat of a brother bursts into my room. And ever since then, the one person who I want to talk to so much before they disappear off to defeat bloody You-Know-Who, has been avoiding me."
Ginny took a deep breath at the end of her tirade. She felt a huge sense of relief as she got this off her chest. She had wanted to tell someone but she hadn't imagined it would be her older brothers' best mate. Now she couldn't meet his eye, instead focusing on the Butterbeer in her hand.
Lee looked at her for a minute before speaking, "That's a lot to deal with, Ginny. Merlin, let me get my head around this. … Well I'll bet any money you're angry with Ron for one thing but don't be too harsh on him, he's just looking out for you. I'd bet anything he told Harry to leave you alone or something. And you're probably angry and sad about Harry at the same time."
"I bet Ron did say something actually," Ginny sighed "I can't be angry with him really though. I know he's about to leave as well. I'm going to miss him just as much."
Ginny's eyes flew to her brother on the other side of the tent, she acted as if he was the biggest prat most of the time but he was her brother and she really did love him. Then she turned her gaze back to Lee, "How'd you know it was Ron I was talking about. In case you haven't realised I have five brothers you could choose from?"
"I've heard a few stories about his tactlessness from Fred and George," Lee shrugged. "But in terms of advice for what you said, you're right, we can't be sure if we'll live through this. But we've got to do our very best. And if we die in the process … well at least we tried, at least we fought. So I'd suggest that you need to live your life, Ginny because we don't know what'll happen but we might as live life to its fullest while we can."
"Easier said than done, Lee. It's hard when my whole family is in constant danger and Harry, Ron and Hermione are going to disappear any day now on some mission for Dumbledore," Ginny explained; she hated feeling so weak and unable to do anything, it was against her nature.
Lee nodded then asked "Where are we Ginny?"
"At my brother's wedding," Ginny replied with a frown not knowing where this was going.
"Exactly, Bill and Fleur are a prime example of what I'm talking about," Lee explained pointing to the couple spinning across the dancefloor. "They aren't letting the war get in the way of their happiness because it could be short lived."
Ginny raised an eyebrow uncertainly, "Honestly Lee, I don't know whether to feel happy or depressed about what you're saying."
Lee sighed "Basically I'm saying don't waste time sitting around being depressed. You're energy could be better spent. The Ginny Weasley I know wouldn't sit around moping; she'd be planning how she could help defeat that mad man who's out to kill her boyfriend. Because really what idiot wants to cross you,"
Ginny laughed, "I think I get what you're talking about, I like it."
"Finally," Lee chuckled. "I was starting to wonder if you're as thick as Fred and George."
"Oi, those are my brothers," Ginny prodded him light-heartedly.
Lee just laughed then set his Firewhiskey down and putting his hand out, "so do you want to dance?"
Ginny looked at him suspiciously, "Lee Jordan, this conversation had better not have had ulterior motives."
Lee shook his head earnestly, "Trust me, it didn't. I just don't like seeing people look so depressed at a wedding. Besides, unlike Harry, I have listed my best friend's little sister as off-limits."
"Ron doesn't mind as much as he likes people to think," Ginny said with a laugh and led the way to the dance floor where she saw Ron and Hermione dancing again and grinned wider.
Lee looked at them too as they joined the other dancers, "are they together yet?"
Ginny rolled her eyes, "trust me, they won't get together until the most awkward time such as the middle of a battle or something."
"Now there's something I'd like to see," Lee chuckled.
Ginny looked over Lee's shoulder to see Krum stalking away from Harry's table looking irritable. She wondered what Harry had said to annoy him because as far as she was aware the two of them got on relatively well. But then again this was Cousin Barny, who Viktor didn't actually know.
"Looks like one of your cousins has managed to piss off an international Quidditch star," commented Lee following her gaze.
"Well that particular cousin of mine isn't too bad at Quidditch himself, not to mention he's probably more famous than Krum anyway," replied Ginny pointedly.
Lee looked confused for a moment before realisation spread across his face, "Ah, I get it, Harry posing as a Weasley cousin. Maybe you shouldn't go snog him again or anything. People might think you approve of incest."
"I wasn't planning to," Ginny promised though as she spoke her mind drifted back to corners of the Hogwarts' grounds and castle only a few weeks ago. How could a few weeks feel like a lifetime now?
"Looks like someone's jealous," Lee noticed, spinning Ginny round so she could see Cousin Barny glaring at him.
"Good, maybe he'll ask me to dance after all," Ginny responded. "There's nothing wrong with a dance between cousins."
"I'm still trying to get my head around this. You and Harry?" Lee suddenly grinned, "Fred owes George and I ten galleons."
"You bet on us," Ginny gaped at him.
Lee shrugged without shame, "It was after the poem incident in your first year."
Ginny glared at him, "Well then you and George took a risk because I'm pretty sure Harry hated me sending him that bloody poem."
"Ah, we knew he'd come round in the end," Lee shrugged.
"I'll get you back for this, whether it was your idea or not. I just don't know how yet," Ginny smirked. "When you least expect it as well."
"Oh, I'm so scared," Lee rolled his eyes as they came to a halt at the edge of the dancefloor.
"You should be," said the airy voice of Luna Lovegood as she walked past causing Lee to look at Ginny with worry in his face. "Hello Ginny, I was hoping to talk to you."
"Luna knows me too well, you'd best watch your back, Lee," Ginny tapped his chest with a cunning grin.
"Can't we call it even after all the fantastic advice I've given you?" questioned Lee hopefully.
Ginny smiled, "Alright, I suppose this one time. I'm not letting Fred and George off though."
"And I wouldn't expect you too," Lee grinned. "Well I'll leave you ladies alone then. I think I'll introduce myself to a Weasley cousin for a dance, they're far better than Veelas any day."
Ginny rolled her eyes, "alright, well thank you Lee, I had a great time with you."
"Anytime little Weasley, anytime," he winked before heading in the direction of Anne and Mary, two of her cousins.
Turning back to sit down with Luna, Ginny looked around the tent. There were her parents, dancing and laughing. Her mother looked younger then Ginny could remember and her dad's tiredness from work was gone. Nearby Fleur had just pulled Bill down for a long kiss earning a wolf-whistle from Charlie and Bill's work mates. Ron was telling Hermione a dramatic story – if his arm movements were anything to go by over – at the refreshment table and Hermione was beaming. Fred and George were both off enjoying their time with Fleur's French cousins. All around the tent happiness radiated and Ginny knew Lee was right.
Whatever was going to happen could not be stopped so the only logical thing was to enjoy the time that they definitely had. Voldemort had dictated her life when she was eleven but she was not going to let him do that anymore. She was going to live. And later she was definitely asking Cousin Barny to dance with her.
A/N: Hopefully not to cheesy at the end, I'm pretty bad with endings sorry! Would love to hear what you think and eventually I promise I will update my other works! Thank you for your patience!
Published: 17/04/2015