Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, or the wizarding world. We have
established and moved on, all right?
Author's Note: I was supposed to be answering questions on Julius Caesar, but instead I wrote this. Ah, the joys of putting off work so you only have to do it later that night. Hope you like and think to review.
She stepped out into the unusually chilly air, pulling her dress robes closer to her. Behind her, the noise from her graduation party was abruptly cut off as the heavy door swung shut. She shivered; it was cold for June.
His hair was blue in the moonlight and he was leaning over the railing of the porch, looking into the night. If he heard her, he gave no sign or indication. She took a deep breath and stepped next to him, trying to not nervously bite her lip or touch her hair.
"Lovely out here," she said quietly, hoping her voice sounded as soft and romantic as she wanted it to. He seemed to sigh without moving at all, but still said nothing. She looked down at her hands, feeling suddenly ashamed and wishing she had never come out. After a moment, she gathered her courage and tried again anyway.
"Weird isn't it?" She turned to face the house, half to look through the windows, half to not look through him. "Graduation, I mean. They tell me I'm all grown up, now." At that very moment, she couldn't bring herself to believe that- not with the way her voice was getting slightly louder against her will or the way her heart was beating so quickly- but maybe, if she said it with enough flippancy, Harry might believe it.
She glanced at him sideways and saw that he had turned his gaze down, to the flowerbed.
"Everyone's been giving me advice, too." Trying to joke, "Percy's been following me around with investing tips and dropping names of people I should see for a job." She cocked her head to the boy next to her, and with the most charming smile she had- and she was sure it was charming because she had practiced it so many times in her room and the mirror helped her perfect it- said, "You've been in the Great Big World for a year now and you're the only one who hasn't given me your words of wisdom. Come on, what's the secret you have to share with me?"
As soon as the last word left her mouth, she was sure she had made a mistake, because he didn't say anything, or laugh, or move. Biting her lip without meaning to, she tried to get a glimpse of his face, hidden in the shadows. Suddenly though, he straightened up and took a step back from the railing. She didn't rise from her reclining position, but turned her face to follow his movements, and when he stepped into the light coming out from the window, she didn't think she had ever seen sadder eyes.
"It's-" His voice was coarse and he paused, clearing his throat awkwardly. There was a moment when Ginny didn't breathe, but waited, sure that the second he spoke something in her would fall.
"You get used to it."
His lips quirked a bit, and he looked her up and down. Where twenty minutes ago she had been dying for him to see her done-up with her new dress robes and new make-up, she now felt like a silly little girl again, and fought the urge to tear down her hair from its bun in a violent motion. He made a small noise, somewhere between a chuckle and a scoff, and pressed his lips together tightly. She couldn't stand to look at him anymore and quickly lowered her eyes to avoid his and listened as he turned, and unceremoniously went back inside.
She only lifted her eyes when she knew he was gone.
To a shut door and a cold night she gave a sad smile and an understanding nod. "Umm-hmm," she murmured. "Yeah."
Author's Note: I was supposed to be answering questions on Julius Caesar, but instead I wrote this. Ah, the joys of putting off work so you only have to do it later that night. Hope you like and think to review.
She stepped out into the unusually chilly air, pulling her dress robes closer to her. Behind her, the noise from her graduation party was abruptly cut off as the heavy door swung shut. She shivered; it was cold for June.
His hair was blue in the moonlight and he was leaning over the railing of the porch, looking into the night. If he heard her, he gave no sign or indication. She took a deep breath and stepped next to him, trying to not nervously bite her lip or touch her hair.
"Lovely out here," she said quietly, hoping her voice sounded as soft and romantic as she wanted it to. He seemed to sigh without moving at all, but still said nothing. She looked down at her hands, feeling suddenly ashamed and wishing she had never come out. After a moment, she gathered her courage and tried again anyway.
"Weird isn't it?" She turned to face the house, half to look through the windows, half to not look through him. "Graduation, I mean. They tell me I'm all grown up, now." At that very moment, she couldn't bring herself to believe that- not with the way her voice was getting slightly louder against her will or the way her heart was beating so quickly- but maybe, if she said it with enough flippancy, Harry might believe it.
She glanced at him sideways and saw that he had turned his gaze down, to the flowerbed.
"Everyone's been giving me advice, too." Trying to joke, "Percy's been following me around with investing tips and dropping names of people I should see for a job." She cocked her head to the boy next to her, and with the most charming smile she had- and she was sure it was charming because she had practiced it so many times in her room and the mirror helped her perfect it- said, "You've been in the Great Big World for a year now and you're the only one who hasn't given me your words of wisdom. Come on, what's the secret you have to share with me?"
As soon as the last word left her mouth, she was sure she had made a mistake, because he didn't say anything, or laugh, or move. Biting her lip without meaning to, she tried to get a glimpse of his face, hidden in the shadows. Suddenly though, he straightened up and took a step back from the railing. She didn't rise from her reclining position, but turned her face to follow his movements, and when he stepped into the light coming out from the window, she didn't think she had ever seen sadder eyes.
"It's-" His voice was coarse and he paused, clearing his throat awkwardly. There was a moment when Ginny didn't breathe, but waited, sure that the second he spoke something in her would fall.
"You get used to it."
His lips quirked a bit, and he looked her up and down. Where twenty minutes ago she had been dying for him to see her done-up with her new dress robes and new make-up, she now felt like a silly little girl again, and fought the urge to tear down her hair from its bun in a violent motion. He made a small noise, somewhere between a chuckle and a scoff, and pressed his lips together tightly. She couldn't stand to look at him anymore and quickly lowered her eyes to avoid his and listened as he turned, and unceremoniously went back inside.
She only lifted her eyes when she knew he was gone.
To a shut door and a cold night she gave a sad smile and an understanding nod. "Umm-hmm," she murmured. "Yeah."