Title: The Lucky One
Author: Sneezy Mouse
Rating: PG-13 due to implied naughtiness
Disclaimer: All recognized characters; places and references to events and the aforementioned belong to the wonderful mind of J.K. Rowling.
Author's Note: So RCP is in serious disarray. I know where I want to go. I know the plot points and the incoming chapter events… but I cannot seem to wrap my mind around them enough to form it into full chapters. Same goes for Unbroken. I have a GREAT plot point but I don't know how to get there.
So this – The Lucky One – is my solution and my apology. All of my stories will be finished eventually but this one is finished. Completely. Like, as of Chapter One's posting. It's quite nice, actually. This story has the main plot of Ginny Weasley and Oliver Wood in a romantic relationship with plot lines revolving around them and Hermione and Percy's wedding. Other ships in this story? A chapter of Draco/Ginny and constant Harry/Luna, Fred/Katie, George/Alicia and Ron/Mystery Canon Girl (thanks, Singstoangels1!) that makes me happy. So please, enjoy.
THE LUCKY ONE
by Sneezy Mouse
Chapter One
It Must Have Been the Whiskey
They all gathered in the remodeled Burrow. After the big war against Voldemort in which the original Burrow was reduced to ashes, they had rebuilt it. It didn't look much different on the inside – still all second hand furniture and had a rustic quality to it – but the outside wasn't so obviously tampered by magic. The house wasn't brand-new in appearance, but it was an improvement.
Ginny Weasley was seated between her older brothers Ron and Charlie. On Ron's other side was her other brother George and his twin Fred with their respective girlfriends Alicia Spinnet and Katie Bell (Katie whom was four and half months pregnant. Caused quite a family scandal seeing as how she and Fred weren't married). On Charlie's other side (besides his wife Cassandra and kids Dominic and Cali) was the eldest of the Weasley children, Bill and his wife Fleur and their children Danielle, August, Olivia and Henry.
Ginny's mum and dad, Molly and Arthur, were standing behind the couch and chairs in which their children were occupying. Since this was a Weasley family occasion, Ron's best friends Harry Potter and Hermione Granger were here as they were almost like family. Harry's girlfriend Luna Lovegood was here as well, since the pair of them were attached at the hip. Hermione herself was standing in front of the large group of people, grasping her boyfriend Percy's (and Ginny's older brother after Ron, Fred and George) hand with a vice grip. Her other hand was hidden behind her back in a very suspicious manner.
"We have a very happy announcement to make," Hermione said happily.
They're getting married, Ginny thought. It was so obvious. They'd been seeing each other since Ginny's seventh year… that makes their relationship nearly six years old. If they aren't getting married, Ginny continued, I'll eat my hat.
"We're engaged!" Hermione squealed, brandishing her left hand where a platinum band with a very large diamond was placed.
"Bloody hell, Perce!" Fred said, gawking at the ring.
He, however, was the only one who had something to say that involved words and not high pitched squealing or "congratulations" and "about bloody time." The couple was now being suffocated by all the habitants of the Burrow's living room, including Ginny. After the severe hugging fest which left both the bride-to-be and groom-to-be looking very frazzled, Bill was the first to voice what they were all thinking.
"Think it took you two long enough?" he asked. "Six years, honestly."
"Bill!" Molly admonished. "You can't hurry things like this."
"You're one to talk, Mum," Ron added in. "You're the one who, every time Hermione or Percy was brought up, always would ask about when the wedding was."
Molly was quiet for a moment before saying, "Well, it doesn't matter now, does it?"
"No, Mum," Ron said, humoring her.
Molly couldn't help it and she gave her son and daughter-in-law-to-be another one of her bone-crushing hugs. After, the room was abuzz with questions.
"When did you two decide to get engaged?" Arthur asked.
"Well," Hermione said, looking into Percy's eyes, "Percy proposed almost a week ago and – "
"A week?" Molly said. "And you are just telling us now?"
"Mum, honestly," Ginny said, shooting her mother a look of frustration. "How'd Perce propose, eh?" she asked, now looking at Hermione.
"Nothing fancy." Hermione took a glance at her ring. "We were having dinner at a restaurant and as we were waiting for the check to arrive, he just asked. Of course I said yes."
The women cooed. The men rolled their eyes.
"Have you done any wedding plans yet?" was the next question, asked by Cassandra.
"Nothing set in stone," Hermione said. "We've discussed and decided on a Fall wedding. It's what decidedly worked best for both of us. And I've chosen my maid-of-honor and Percy with his best man."
There was a silence.
"Who is?" George asked.
"Ginny," Hermione said at the exact moment Percy said, "Oliver."
"What?" was the response of all the Weasley children, sans Percy.
"Hermione," Ginny said happily. "That is – I mean, wow. Thanks. I won't let you down!"
"How could you pick Oliver-sodding-Wood?" Fred asked.
"Watch your mouth, Fred Weasley," Molly admonished.
"You've got five brothers right here," Charlie said.
"Exactly why I didn't choose any of you," Percy responded looking highly bothered. "I didn't want to be the cause of some stupid strife among our family… again."
No one seemed to notice the allusion Percy gave to when he denounced his family for his work in the Ministry. That's what amazed and frustrated Ginny about her family: they can be mad as hell about something, but after it's said and done, they don't look into the past and dwell on it.
Suddenly, Ginny felt a tugging on her arm and realized that she was being pulled into the kitchen by Hermione.
"So," Hermione said to Ginny, "when do you want to get together with Percy and Oliver and discuss wedding plans?"
"Discuss wedding plans?" Ginny asked, eyebrows raised. "With Percy and Oliver? How about the day after never? Oh come on," she added seeing the both confused and hurt look upon her friend's face, "you can't honestly believe that two full-grown men are going to want to sit around for hours on end discussing some bloody flower arrangements, do you?"
"Well… I guess not." Hermione frowned.
Ginny tried to make things better by saying, "but look on the bright side! At least you'll get what you want!"
Hermione looked very happy about that new development and finally agreed that it would mainly be herself, Ginny with a little assistance from both girls' mothers.
"You and Oliver will have to talk to one another soon, though," Hermione added a little later in the evening.
"Okay," Ginny said. "Seeing as how I've never had a conversation with the man before…"
"He's a great guy!" Hermione said. "And quite… what's the word? Dishy?"
"You're marrying my brother in a matter of months," Ginny warned. "I don't want to hear you raving on about other blokes."
"I wasn't thinking that for me," Hermione said, feigning shock. "I was thinking that for you."
Ginny raised her eyebrows in a patronizing way and said, "For me? Interesting…"
Hermione harrumphed and wandered back to the living room, leaving Ginny alone in the kitchen wearing a sour expression on her face.
They, meaning both her family and close friends, always were on a mission to set her up with someone because apparently, Ginny was miserable being alone all the time… at least, that's what they believed. Her friends and family seemed to think she had a mental defect when it came to the subject of romance. She'd gone through as many relationships as her brothers had combined… and that's saying something. The thing they all didn't realize (or at least comprehend) was that Ginny didn't want to have a relationship. She didn't want to deal with all the emotional, physical and mental tie-downs that a serious relationship entailed. It wasn't that she was afraid of any or all of it; she just thought it pathetic to rely on someone so heavily when they could go out and have fun every night and just rely on themselves.
She had tried the "real relationship" game plenty of times. First with Dean Thomas in her fifth year, Blaise Zabini (a Slytherin!) in her sixth, and Seamus Finnegan in her seventh. (She discovered that year that the long-distance relationship thing didn't suit her either.) Ginny just enjoyed having fun and for her, that didn't entail serious relationships.
Ginny sighed and eventually turned to follow Hermione into the living room where the celebration of the engagement was still going on. Seems that there were more people there, too. Some of Hermione's friends appeared as well as Percy's, so there were now about forty people in the Burrow.
She walked over, gave her congratulations once again to Percy and Hermione, grabbed a flute of champagne, (there was an entire platter that had, quite literally, magically appeared in the living room.) and headed out into the Burrow's outdoor grounds.
It was an early March dusk, so it was a bit chillier than Ginny had expected. However, it was a welcome change from the stifling Burrow; Molly had a fire going that actually heated the room and plus the forty-odd people, the house was quite warm. She figured that everyone was in a happy state of insanity, so none of them would think to turn the fire off. Of course, Ginny could but she was already outside and getting comfortable on one of the Weasley's many outdoor chairs.
"Ginny?"
She groaned audibly when she heard an unrecognizable male voice call out from the doorway.
"Sorry to disrupt you," said the voice growing ever closer, "but Hermione told me to come out here and talk to you. It occurs to me now that I probably shouldn't have said that."
Ginny finally acknowledged the man and said, "Probably not. No offense."
"None taken," he replied.
As he moved into her line of site, Ginny was struck with a sense of familiarity. Brown hair, brown eyes, muscular build, Scottish accent, and a Puddlemere t-shirt on…
"Oliver Wood?" she said on a whim.
"Ginny Weasley," he said with a twinge of amusement lacing his voice.
"You look," Ginny paused, "different."
"Do I?"
"Older, maybe. Or maybe it's because the only thing I've ever seen you in was Hogwart's robes and Quidditch uniforms – both Gryffindor and Puddlemere."
"Well," Oliver said, nodding, "you look older too."
"Thank you," Ginny replied. "You can sit down, if you'd like," she added seeing as how Oliver was still towering over her. He pulled up another chair and a small table where he placed a small platter with snacks and some more champagne.
"I stole this from inside," Oliver said proudly.
Ginny scoffed. "And I'm sure Hermione had nothing to do with it."
Oliver was about to respond, but thought better of it and instead nodded in agreement. "Yeah. That's about it."
"Well thanks for the thought," Ginny said, not wanting to be rude.
After a few moments of weirdly comfortable silence, Oliver asked, "what are you doing out here? Molly and Arthur just went up to bed, Charlie and Bill put the kids to bed; it's got the prospect of turning into a real wild party."
Ginny shrugged.
"Honestly, I haven't a clue," Ginny replied. "It just felt like a more comfortable atmosphere out here. Besides," she added, grabbing a flute of champagne, "I prefer drinking in private company."
Oliver cocked his eyebrow.
"I rarely do it," Ginny explained. "Drinking, I mean. And seeing as how I am the baby of the group in there, they always hover about me making sure I'm not drinking too much."
Oliver laughed.
"Well, you're around me. Seeing as how I barely know you, you can knock back as many of these glasses you won't and I probably would just try to beat you."
This time, Ginny laughed. She was feeling a bit giggly from her two glasses of champagne. Another reason she didn't drink a lot: It affected her very quickly.
"But fear not," Oliver continued, "I will stop you if you start getting belligerent. Or sad. I don't like sad drunks."
"Well, Oliver, I don't get mad or sad," Ginny explained, putting her third empty drink down. "I get very happy and very giggly. Sometimes I get a little slutty." She paused for a second, then clasped her hand tightly over her mouth and started giggling insanely.
"I can't believe I just said that!" she exclaimed, her hand muffling her voice.
Oliver just laughed again.
"How old are you now?" he asked. He couldn't really remember where she was age-wise in relation to the rest of the Weasley clan.
"Trying to see if I'm legal now since I said I can be a bit of a slut when I get tipsy?" Ginny asked, giving Oliver a playful look.
"If I were doing that," Oliver explained, "I would have given you another drink as I asked… which reminds me. Here."
He handed Ginny another flute of champagne. Ginny took it, laughed and set it down.
"I'm twenty-two," Ginny finally answered. "You?"
"Twenty-seven."
Ginny smacked herself on the head. "I should know that. You are the same age as Percy."
"Except I am no where near marriage," Oliver added.
"Really?" Ginny asked, surprised. "There's no Mrs. Oliver Wood-to-be?"
"There have been prospects, but they never panned out. It's hard to get serious girlfriends when you're an international Quidditch player."
"And heartthrob," Ginny added.
"Forgot about that bit."
Ginny laughed. "I'm sure you did. Do you think it weird that so many girls – and guys – have a poster of you in their bedrooms?"
"Well," Oliver said, getting a perplexed look on his face, "I've thought about the girls with posters in their bedroom. Can't say I'm upset about that. Haven't given much thought to the guys, though."
A yell from inside the house sidetracked both Ginny and Oliver from their conversation.
"God, I hope Mum and Dad put Silencing Charm on their bedroom," Ginny said.
"Well, living with Fred and George…" Oliver began. Ginny in turn nodded.
"I see you're point."
She then picked up a glass of champagne and laughed a bit.
"I've drank five of these already tonight. How the hell did I do that?"
"You were so enraptured with the conversation you were having with me?"
"Because it was so intellectually stimulating," Ginny sarcastically replied.
"Stimulating something else, too," Oliver responded, then put his glass of champagne back down. "I think I've had too many of these as well."
Ginny laughed once again and shivered.
"Cold?" Oliver asked. Ginny nodded which prompted Oliver to give Ginny his coat.
"Thanks," Ginny said, taking the jacket and throwing it over her shoulders. "Very gentlemanly of you."
"Don't want you freezing to death," Oliver commented lightly.
"How very kind of you," Ginny replied wryly.
Ginny and Oliver shared a flirty little glance before Hermione came running out.
"Ginny!" she said. "I've been looking for you. Have you been out here for all this time?"
"Considering you sent Oliver out looking for me earlier, I'd say you knew perfectly well where I was this whole time," Ginny said lightly.
Hermione got a bit pink in the face before dismissing Ginny's comment and continued. "We've got a great party going on inside. Fred and George popped over to The Leaky Cauldron and got some drinks and snacks. We've got music going. It's great! You can't waste this time sitting outside with Oliver."
"Thanks, Hermione," Oliver commented sardonically.
"Oh, shut up, Oliver," Hermione snapped. "You coming on in, Ginny?"
Ginny turned to Oliver and asked, "You coming too?"
Oliver shrugged. "I guess. Don't want to sit out here alone. Plus, you have my coat so I'd freeze if I were out here."
Hermione smirked a bit as her eyes lingered on Oliver's fleece wrapped around Ginny. Ginny, noticing this, whapped Hermione sharply on the head.
"Ouch!"
"You deserved it."
Hermione looked highly affronted, then huffed back inside muttering about how difficult Ginny was.
Oliver sidled up next to Ginny.
"And what the hell was that about?" he asked.
Ginny sighed.
"It's this whole thing with my family. I think my mum started it actually. Basically," Ginny explained, "everyone in my family, sans Fred and George who don't care, are hell-bent on trying to get me a boyfriend."
"And this is bad because…"
"Because I don't want one," Ginny answered calmly. "I am tired of the whole 'relationship' thing is so dumb. Every single person I know, who is in a relationship, wanted to be in one to feel happy. Happy with themselves, that is. And you know what? It may sound self-righteous but I am perfectly happy with who I am right now. The only reason I would need a guy in my life is a convenient shag." Ginny paused and got a frustrated look upon her face. "Dammit. I sound like a little tart, don't I?"
Oliver nodded, an amused smirk playing on his lips.
"I never usually talk like this. I've had too many drinks, is what I think it is."
"Or," Oliver said, "it could be that my raw, sexual appeal is just too infectious for you to ignore."
"Yeah," Ginny joked. "I'm sure it is. Why, I'm using all my strength just to prevent myself from throwing you on the ground and shagging you senseless right here on my parents back porch."
"Please," Oliver said, "be my guest. Why, if it helps, I can lie down on the ground so you don't have to worry about me getting an injury when you throw me down."
Ginny laughed, shook her head and walked inside with Oliver laughing and following her in. As soon as they hit in, Percy came stumbling up to Ginny and put his arm around her.
"Ginny," he said. "I think I'm going to throw up."
Ginny made a disgusted face and passed Percy onto Oliver.
"Have fun, Best Man." Catching a small glimpse of Oliver's disgusted and slightly amused face, Ginny went off to scout for Fred and George; she was sure they were the one's behind Percy's drunkenness as Percy rarely drank and if he did, it was a glass of wine at dinner and an occasional whiskey or brandy. Sure enough, she found her older brothers standing by a plate of drinks, laughing and having a jolly good time.
"Fred, George, what did you give Percy?" Ginny asked.
"He said he was thirsty!" Fred responded.
"Oh, come on," George said seeing Ginny's not-so-entertained face, "it's his engagement party! He needs to loosen up a bit."
"What did you give him?" Ginny repeated.
Fred and George shared an evil look before brandishing a bottle with a label reading, Weasley Wrecking Whiskey – instant fun for the uptight friend or family member!
"It's a demo-bottle," Fred said. "One glass and you're an instant party-animal!"
"The only side effect is that sooner or later it comes back up on you," George said.
"Literally," Fred added, causing George to laugh.
"You know, I'm all for your pranks and all but when you start hurting people with out their permission… When Mum finds out about this – "
But Ginny was cut off by George pouncing at her and wrestling her into a subdued position.
"George, what the hell? Get off me, you stupid git!"
"I think our baby sister here could do with a bit of loosening up herself!"
"I'm loose enough already!" Ginny yelled causing Fred and George (and a few bystanders witnessing this scene) to laugh hysterically.
"We didn't ask about your sexual escapades, Ginny," Fred commented, pouring some Weasley Wrecking Whiskey into a small glass.
"Don't you dare, Fred! George!" Ginny cried, but was soon bubbling as George pried open her mouth and Fred poured the glasses contents in.
"Success!" George cried, releasing Ginny.
"I wonder if she's as amusing as Percy," Fred mused.
"Probably not."
"Yeah. It was really great when he got on the table – "
"And started dancing like he was in some cheesy disco – "
"And when he tried to 'stage dive' – "
"And no one caught him – "
"So he hit the floor!" Fred finished off.
"And then he stood up and started grinding up against the grandfather clock before Hermione slapped some sense into him."
"Literally," Fred said once again, watching as Ginny began dancing wildly through the room, hooting and hollering about.
"Oliver!" Ginny said. Well, she thought she said it. People standing next to her would say she yelled it.
"Ginny," Oliver said, "I got Percy into a bathroom and found Hermione. She's in there with him right now, alternately cleaning him off and yelling at him saying what a complete imbecile he is. Kind of funny, actually. Hey there, now. What are you doing?" Oliver asked as Ginny wrapped her arms around his torso and began to shimmy her hips against his.
"I'm having fun!" Ginny said happily.
"I think our little suggestive banter is getting a bit too realistic to me," Oliver said, sliding Ginny's hands off from around him. "Especially when every single one of your brothers is here and your father is just a trip up the stairs."
"You need to loosen up, Oliver!" Ginny said, frustrated.
Fred and George suddenly appeared next to Oliver and George asked, "did someone say you were in need of loosening up?"
"Yes, Ginny. But you guys, she's – "
"Drink this," Fred cut Oliver off and handed him a suspicious looking glass.
"I know you two well enough to know not to drink something you two give me," Oliver said wisely.
"It's just a little something. Ron, come here!" George yelled. Oliver watched as Ron casually sauntered over to the foursome. Ginny was hopping up and down like a manic rabbit.
"Yeah?" Ron asked, looking weirdly at them.
"You've drunken this stuff before, right?" George questioned. Oliver didn't seem to notice the facial gestures that Fred was sending to Ron. Ron, however did.
"Whiskey?" Ron asked. Fred and George nodded. "Yeah, why?"
"Because our friend Wood here is afraid to drink it." Fred shot Oliver a faux-hurt look.
"Oh," Ron said knowingly. "Listen, if there were something shady in that glass, I'd tell you. I hate when they pull their stupid pranks on me. I've been drinking the stuff they've given me all night and I'm fine."
Oliver cast a glance to Fred and George who looked impartial to this knowledge, to Ginny who was twirling about now and singing a song to herself then back to Ron again.
"All right," Oliver said, taking the glass from Fred's hands. "Bottoms up!" he said before drinking it down.
Fred, George and Ron shared identical evil looks.
--------------------------------------------
Ginny woke up in her childhood bedroom the next morning with a horrible feeling in her stomach. She didn't need her subconscious to tell her twice that she was about to throw up. She immediately threw off her blankets and hurried quickly to the loo across the hall where she proceeded to vomit three times; each time heightening the anger she had towards Fred and George. If they were still here, she was going to kill them for giving her that stupid whiskey.
After the fourth and (hopefully) final time of being sick, Ginny shakily stood up, scoured her teeth and tongue and mouth with a toothbrush and heaps of toothpaste. She then washed her face thoroughly and lightly brushed her hair. The sick feeling was almost gone now, so she walked with a bit of a happy bounce in her step back to her room to get her clothing back on (she was only in a large t-shirt) and then kill Fred and George.
But her bounce left her step immediately when she saw a large heap in her bead with some moppy brown hair poking out of the top. Ginny picked up a toy broomstick from against the wall and lightly prodded the mass. It groaned slightly. She poked it a little bit harder. It groaned a little louder. She lifted the broom above her head and whacked it hard against the mass. It stood up to reveal a very agitated, very nude, Oliver Wood.
That sick feeling was coming back in her gut at an alarming pace.
Author's Note: Okay, so that's a nice overused ending. Gasp! Who didn't see that one coming? Anyhow, I just wanted to say here, right now, that besides Katie, there is no pregnancy in this story. Ginny will not get pregnant AT ALL throughout this entire story. Even in the epilogue. Never. The plot of this story is just two people who fancy one another but a too chicken to face it and dance around each other for an annoying amount of time. It's all very amusing.
So now, please review and let me know if you like it, hate it or find any sort of canon-esque (but not, 'so-and-so is OoC' or 'Hermione would never be with Percy!') or spelling/grammatical errors I missed in proofing (such as 'juts' instead of 'just' and the like). Thanks! I hope you enjoyed it!