Ginny was enjoying Alex's touch, but reminded herself that he was Lara's (or used to be) and that it was WRONG on so many levels.
"Uh, well, uh......" was her response to his question.
His grin grew wider.
"Have you ever done any dirty dancing?" He asked
Her eyes widened
She gulped and responded:
"No"
"Well, no time better than the present, I suppose"
"Uh- well, what I mean to say it tha- well, uh, I don't think it's very appropriate............."
He laughed
"Of course it's not appropriate, that's the fun of it"
She gulped again.
"Well-" she started to say, trying to get out of it, yet again. But he cut her off
"Ok, now turn this way-" He began and showed her the basics of that type of dancing.
Lara walked over after observing the two, she was a bit jealous, but more than a little concerned for Ginny's well being. Ginny finally looked at her. Lara could read the look in Ginny's eyes, and she nearly laughed. They clearly read 'help me'. Lara decided Alex wouldn't make any serious moves tonight and decided to let Ginny dig herself out of her own ditch- and enjoy watching it immensely.
After a while, Ginny had begun to enjoy the dancing. Alex was a great teacher and a spectacular dancer! She learned quickly. She and Alex spent practically the whole night dancing together, once in a while switching partners. Ginny was really getting the hang of this 'dirty dancing'.
Okay, she felt a little guilty being with Alex, but Lara wouldn't mind.................right?
the next morning
Ginny woke up to the smell of pancakes. Then she remembered it was her birthday today.
"HOLY SHIT, I'M SIXTEEN!" She yelled and did a happy dance on the bed.
Then she noticed SEVERAL owls tapping on her window.
She went over to the window and all the owls flew in, all of them dropping the mail on her bed and flying out the window, except for one. That one was Pig.
"Ello Pig!" She greeted the owl and ruffled its feathers. It hooted in response.
She started with the letter that Pig had been carrying. It was from Ron.
the letter
Dear Ginny,
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!! I've missed you so much. I'm sorry that I haven't owled you before, I was so caught up in Mom's and Dad's deaths that I completely forgot about you. I'm really sorry, Gin, I truly am. I just realized, this morning, that you were missing, and that I had no idea where you were. I was so caught up in my own grief. I owled Bill this morning and he told me where you were. He told me you were with a woman named Lara and that she had owled all of us to see if we wanted to stay there with her. He also told me that she had mailed him a second time, saying that the only one staying with her would be you because you were the only one that accepted (apparently she felt the need to tell Bill cause he's the oldest brother and should know where you are) The owl didn't get to Bill until a day or two ago (I think it got lost) and we all realized we had forgotten about you and neglected you. I am very sorry. I hope you have a happy birthday (your present came with this note, I hope Pig didn't drop it)
Love, Ron
She smiled after reading the note. So, they did want her around! - Except they forgot about her. Well, that wasn't much better, but at least they realized their errors.
She looked up at Pig, he was holding a package.
"So, you didn't drop it"
She opened it, and lying inside was a beautiful picture frame holding a photograph of her and Ron in front of the burrow, waving. She couldn't help it, she cried.
She hugged the photograph close.
Then, she read the rest of the letters, all coming with or containing various gifts. They were from all her brothers, Harry, and Hermione.
She felt good- and all mushy- but then remembered that they all had forgotten her. She was a little bitter about that. She felt some anger rise through her. They couldn't be forgiven that easily.
The whole fiasco also brought up feelings about her parents- the sadness, the denial. She tried to block it all out. That, combined with her anger was not a healthy combination.
later on that day- in the main room
Ginny walked down in her pajamas, which consisted of a silk green tank top and green bottoms to match.
Lara was waiting for her.
"I had pancakes made, since it's your birthday, and I know it's your favorite breakfast food.............." Lara said with a smile.
Ginny tried to force a smile. It worked, but Lara saw right through it.
"What's wrong Ginny?" Lara asked
"Nothing"
Lara backed off, but could still tell something was wrong.
They ate breakfast in silence, until Ginny spoke.
"Can we train today?"
Lara looked at her oddly, something was definitely wrong.
"Alright"
They went straight into training afterwards; Ginny didn't even change out of her pajamas.
They went into weapons first- from guns all the way to whips and swords. Then they did hand to hand combat. Then, they did acrobatics. They spent more than half the day training. Ginny was like a machine, she didn't stop. Finally, they finished.
"Would you like to have some fun now?" Lara asked, hoping Ginny would agree.
"Alright" Ginny answered
Lara was relieved to be able to get Ginny out of this mood.
"Okay, first will do some yoga and other calming exercises, then you can go take a shower, get ready, and we'll go out for a night on the town."
Ginny smiled and nodded her consent.
Ginny had decided she was going to be more confident and relaxed. She was going to start wearing all those new, revealing clothes she had bought since getting there. She also decided to not fully forgive her brothers (and Harry and Hermione) since they didn't deserve it. They forgot about her for fuck's sake! No, she would make them wait and earn her acceptance. That didn't mean she wouldn't be cordial to them, but she wasn't going to let them fully get away with what they did it. AND she certainly was not going to be groveling and bowing down to them like she did previously.
Ginny didn't know this, but she was changing. A little at first, but now she was changing rapidly. Her personality was being morphed into something new and exciting. In some ways, it couldn't exactly be considered a good thing...
Ginny and Lara did there yoga and calming exercises, then they went and got ready. By the time they were both finished, it was already dark out. They took a red jaguar and headed out on the town.
"Ok" Lara began "We can do whatever you want, buy whatever you want, that is my present to you"
Ginny grinned "Ok, I want a tattoo"
Lara looked at her a bit skeptically, and then asked "What are you going to get?"
Ginny's grin broadened "Haven't decided"
"Alright then" Lara said and drove to the nearest tattoo parlor, knowing Gin would regret this someday but who was she to argue? It was the girls birthday for fucks sake!
Ginny got there and knew what she wanted to get: an armband that looked like a snake had rapped around her arm and a black panther that looked like it was prowling down her skin. She decided to get both. She got the panther on her lower back and the snake armband around her right, upper arm. Lara shook her head with a smile when she saw Ginny's choices. Lara had decided to get a panther tattoo to match Ginny's. She knew she would probably regret it someday as well- but what the heck? You only live life once.
The only difference between hers and Ginny's was that her panther looked like it was about to pounce, instead of being on the prowl.
Ginny held pride in the fact that she didn't scream.
That night Ginny decided two new piercings in the cartilage of her right ear and her bellybutton were in order. Lara just let her do it, for it was best to just give a teenager what they wanted rather than risk their wrath.
Finally, the last event for the night was Ginny's hair. She was going for dramatic change, as if the piercings and tattoos weren't enough.
When Ginny was done, her hair was done in several different shades of red- ranging from her natural carrot-colored hair to auburn, strawberry blonde, and everything else in between.
"Okay, we can go home now" Ginny told her exhausted cousin
"Thank God, you little chameleon- I thought it would never end."
-------------------------------------------------
About 4 weeks later, Ginny had learned just about everything she could about tomb raiding. She really had took it seriously and learned even quicker. In her free-time she hung out with Lara or practiced riding her motorcycle. She and Lara had taken to practicing fighting in the yard. The open air and the plants seemed to calm them. Ginny was still bitter about being forgotten, and her parents' death was haunting her, still but she had other things to keep her busy.
Lara had noticed the changes in Ginny, she was the same, yet so different. They still had an open relationship and seemed to be getting closer, but it was as if Ginny had developed a wicked streak. Lara thought it was good in some ways and bad in others. It made Ginny more open and confident, but the bad part was Alex. He seemed to come over more and more the past couple weeks. He wasn't there to see her; Lara knew that, he was there to see Ginny. He was flirting with Ginny constantly. The wicked streak Ginny had developed seemed to override her conscience and make her flirt back. He and Ginny were getting way to close. That was the worst part, but everything else seemed to get better with Ginny.
Lara was jealous, she knew that, but also worried for Ginny. She knew about Alex's charms. She was extremely nervous about the tomb raiding trip coming up, it would be Ginny's first- and Alex would be there. Somehow, she didn't think she'd like the outcome.
