Word Count: 4477
For the Hogwarts Spring Funfair Events
There are certain French phrases and sentences for which I am grateful to Google Translate. But it can be unreliable sometimes, so there still might be some errors. Also this is a pairing I've never tried before so good luck, me!
October 29, 1994
"So, are you really going to take the potion, then?" a thirteen-year-old Ginny Weasley asks her older brothers as they walk together down the corridor to the Great Hall for breakfast.
"Oh, yes," replies Fred, winking cheekily at her.
"Are you -?" Ginny goes to ask, but George interrupts her.
"And imagine the look on old Dumbledore's face when our names come out of the Goblet," he says excitedly, bumping his shoulder against Ginny's.
"It's a clever idea, indeed, but very risky," she warns, to which the twins only smile devilishly. "You of all people know we love risky, don't you, Gin? Oooh, look, there's Lee."
The boy with dreadlocks waves cheerfully from the other end of the corridor.
"We'll see you later, little sister. Time for business!" grins Fred, tipping an imaginary hat and the two make their way towards Lee Jordan.
Ginny rolls her eyes, when suddenly, something small and soft runs right into her chest.
"Ow!" she cries and looks down to see the girl who had just bumped into her, sitting awkwardly on the floor. "I'm sorry!" Ginny says quickly and puts out a hand to help the girl up. She takes it and stands up on unstable feet. "Je suis désolé!," she says, shooting a bashful look at the older girl. She brushes the non-existent dust from her cornflower blue Beauxbatons skirt and her silvery blonde hair and Ginny cannot help but think that she is exceptionally pretty. "Quelle est la voie vers la grande salle, s'il vous plaît?" she asks in impeccable French, and Ginny can make neither head nor tail of it.
"Eh. What?" she says, wishing she could just run from here.
The girl shakes her head exasperatedly and says again, "Ze Great 'all?"
Comprehension dawns on Ginny and she blushes slightly. "Sorry," she says, "yes, I'm going that way."
The girl continues to stare at her with a horribly confused expression on her face, which further confuses Ginny. "Can you, er, can you understand me?" she asks lamely. "Come with me," she then says, waving her hand to make her intention clear and feeling highly relieved when the girl nods.
"Je m'appelle Gabrielle Delacour," she says after a while, which Ginny somewhat understands.
"Oh, nice to meet you. I'm Ginny Weasley," she says, "Look, we're here!"
The younger girl mumbles a quiet, "Merci!" and rushes off towards the Ravenclaw table. Ginny watches as Gabrielle takes her seat beside an older version of her and they begin talking fast in what she supposes in French.
She spots Fred, George and Lee discussing something top-secret, so she decides to sit beside Hermione, Harry and Ron.
"What kept you?" Ron asks through a mouthful of food.
"Oh, I bumped into a girl who turned out to be French. And she was trying to ask me the way to the Great Hall in French, and it took us a bit of time to understand each other," she replies, pulling Ron's plate towards her and stabbing a piece of bacon with a fork.
"Oi!" cries Ron while Harry and Hermione only laugh.
June 24, 1994
All around them there are hushed whispers and muffled conversations. Ginny looks sideways, where Ron is holding on to the railing so tightly his knuckles are white and Hermione has almost stuffed her entire fist in her mouth. On her other side, there is the same girl she'd run into in the corridor a few months ago, and who she now knows is Fleur Delacour's little sister. The nine-year-old has covered half of her face with her delicate silk scarf and Ginny feels rather sorry for her because she looks even smaller when she is so frightened.
Gabrielle looks sideways at her and her dove grey eyes catch Ginny's brown ones. Ginny has this sudden urge to reach out and hold her hand because Gabrielle looks so worried about her sister and Ginny has never felt more eager to comfort someone.
However, they are both forced to look away from each other because of the sudden appearance of bright red sparks against the dark sky. From her perch on the stands, Ginny sees Professor McGonagall and Hagrid, with their wands at the ready, rush towards the maze and vanish inside it.
Gabrielle watches the scene with her eyes wide and her scarf wrapped tighter around herself.
"It's Miss Delacour!" comes a cry from someone below, probably Ludo Bagman, and soon enough, McGonagall and Hagrid appear, their faces concerned, an unconscious Fleur Delacour on a floating stretcher in front of them.
"Sœur!" Gabrielle cries out, and Ginny instinctively puts an arm around her shoulders. Her younger girl holds tightly onto her and whimpers into Ginny's shoulder, her body shaking with muffled sobs.
"It's going to be alright, Gabrielle," Ginny whispers, rubbing the upper arm of the younger girl. "They've got her. She's going to be OK." She only hopes Gabrielle can understand what she is saying.
She does, because her sobs calm down and soon enough she lifts up her head to see Fleur being tended to by Madam Pomfrey. "Eez she 'urt?" she asks in a low voice.
"A little, maybe, but she's going to be fine. Trust me," Ginny assures and Gabrielle nods, sitting up straight and righting her clothes with dainty fingers. Ginny rolls her eyes - these French girls are always so hell-bent on being prim and proper.
July 30, 2000
"Bonjour, Madame," smiles Mr Delacour pleasantly, taking Mrs Weasley's hand in his and kissing it delicately. "My wife, Apolline," he says further, gesturing to the very pretty woman standing just behind him.
"Bonjour," echoes the woman.
"It's a pleasure to have you, Mr and Mrs Delacour," says Arthur, smiling at the French couple and their younger daughter. "And of course," he adds, "young Miss Delacour."
The fourteen-year-old smiles and blushes prettily. Before they enter the house, however, she shoots a quick look at Harry and flutters her eyelashes at him. Under different circumstances, Ginny would have laughed at the affronted look on Hermione's face but she feels a sudden burst of irrational jealousy inside her and it is too intense for her to think of anything else.
August 1, 2000
There is a knock on Ginny's door. She opens it and finds Gabrielle standing there, and for a moment, she cannot do or say anything because she looks so beautiful in that golden dress of hers. She is convinced she has never seen anything more gorgeous than Gabrielle Delacour at that moment.
"Um, can you 'elp me, s'il vous plaît?" the girl asks, putting out her palms and displaying the two tiny pearl earrings sitting there. "There eez no one 'ere to 'elp me put these on," she says and Ginny cannot have enough of that lovely accent of hers.
"Of course, come in," she says, letting Gabrielle inside and taking the earrings from her. The French girl turns around and collects her long silvery mane to put it all on one side of her neck.
Her skin is softer than anything Ginny has ever touched and she shakes her head to clear it of these forbidden thoughts. Instead, with the tip of her tongue sticking out she gently slides the pin of the earring through Gabrielle's pierced ear, making the girl let out a small squeak of surprise, more than pain.
"Sorry," Ginny utters and picks up the other earring. When that too is finished with, Gabrielle looks at herself in the floor-length enchanted mirror in the room.
"You look fantastic, darling," it says in a motherly tone and makes the girl smile.
"Merci, Ginny," she says, looking at the redhead. "Are you ready?"
Ginny nods and looks at herself one last time in the mirror.
"Let's go."
Her mum and Mrs Delacour cry the whole time as Ginny and Gabrielle stand by Bill and Fleur, who are speaking their vows in shaky voices themselves. Gabrielle, too, wipes a tear off her face and Ginny sees Hermione do the same and turn around to beam at Harry, who is already looking at her.
"...now I declare you bonded for life."
Everyone is looking at the happy and sobbing entwined couple that is Bill and Fleur but all Ginny can see is Fleur's little sister, who cannot keep the smile off her radiant face. Gabrielle looks at Ginny once and grins brilliantly at her. She cannot help but grin back.
"Why are you so grumpy?" Harry asks Hermione, who crosses her arms in front of her.
"Nothing," she snaps. "You still don't believe Ginny likes you, do you? You should have seen that look on her face when you were dancing with Gabrielle."
Harry chuckles and takes Hermione's hand in his. "Unfortunately, as much as I like Ginny, I have eyes only for you, Hermione Granger," he utters, making the brunette crack a smile.
She gives his lips a quick peck. "Good to hear that."
"Maybe she's jealous because she likes Gabrielle, not me?" he jokes.
"That can't be. She'd've told me if that was true," Hermione says, resting her head on Harry's shoulder.
March 9th, 2004
A tall girl with long copper hair with a white beanie on top on her head and a white furry jacket wrapped around her walks down the footpath, looking incredibly happy. Indeed, Ginny Weasley had never thought France would look so beautiful, even as the nip in the air bit into the exposed parts of her skin.
She spots a shop by the end of the road, a colourful little place with clear glass doors and a bright neon sign board hanging above it.
The bell tinkles cheerfully as she enters the shop. There is a round, friendly-looking man at the counter and he grins at her.
"Bonjour, comment allez-vous!" he says.
"Ca va bien, merci," she replies. Her French has improved drastically owing to her frequent trips to France for her Quidditch matches.
"What can I get for you, young lady?" the man asks in French. Ginny looks around the shop, her eyes scanning the thousands of French mementos.
She comes out about twenty minutes later feeling distinctly happier and her pockets lighter. Clutched in her hand is a bag filled with French chocolates, wall art pieces and a book on French Wizarding History all reduced in size.
She starts to hum a tune as she walks back down the road, when suddenly -
"Ooof!"
"Merlin!"
Thankfully, she does not fall down.
"Ginny Weasley!"
She finally looks at the girl she just bumped into and her eyes widen. Why, it's Gabrielle Delacour!
She has not seen her since the birth of Victoire, which was a few months ago, but her feelings for her have only continued to grow. She looked at Fleur, and she would be reminded of Gabrielle and the intense backflips her tummy used to do every time she saw the younger girl. But since then she has not had any opportunity to see her, and that compounded by the fact that such feelings are strictly forbidden, has led her to date Dean Thomas. But now…
Gabrielle has grown into a true beauty; she has tied her hair back in a high ponytail and there is a scarlet muffler around her slender neck. Her cheeks are flushed and there is a surprised look on her face as they stare at each other. Ginny resists the urge to hug her, but then it is Gabrielle who throws her arms around the former's neck.
Ginny lets out a soft gasp of surprise, but smiles nevertheless when she feels the other smile against her shoulder. She closes her eyes and revels in the citrusy fragrance she suspects is issuing from Gabrielle's hair.
"How are you?" she asks in French, pulling back.
"I'm absolutely wonderful, Gabrielle. And how are you?" Ginny asks, grinning widely.
"Oh, perfect! But I didn't realise how much I missed you until I saw you!"
Ginny smiles wistfully. "Yeah."
"I didn't know you were coming. You could've stayed with us," Gabrielle says, to which Ginny laughs.
"Won't you introduce me to your friend, Gabrielle?"
Ginny realises she had not noticed the handsome young boy of about seventeen standing right behind Gabrielle, and her heart thumps loudly when she finally does.
Gabrielle blushes and says, "This, is my boyfriend, Alan. I've been dating him for a few months now. Alan, this is my sister-in-law, Ginny Weasley."
"Oh," Ginny utters, feeling her cheerful mood dissipate quite suddenly.
"Ravi de vous rencontrer, Mademoiselle," Alan says suavely, taking Ginny's hand in his and pressing a kiss to it in greeting.
"Yeah, nice to meet you, too," she replies in French, but the chirpy tone in her voice is now gone.
Ginny is pleasantly surprised at the lack of Gabrielle's usual shyness, she supposes it has gone away with age, and there is confidence in her manner. She is no longer the bashful girl Ginny first met, but a smart eighteen-year-old.
They go their own ways after a few minutes of conversation, but Ginny finds it incredibly difficult not to think of the way Gabrielle had smiled at Alan. She heaves a soft sigh, perhaps it was better this way. Even after the defeat of Voldemort, the wizarding community in most parts of the world refused to accept certain modern concepts. This way, she could get over Gabrielle and find someone else to love, and no one need ever know Ginny Weasley loved Gabrielle Delacour.
Yes, that would be best.
March 11th, 2004
"Team, we have a guest with us today," says Coach Nicholas Wilson, smiling at the seven players. He goes over to the door of the changing room and opens it, before letting a young girl of about eighteen inside.
Ginny lets out a small squeak and covers her mouth with her hand. Yvette Jones, the Seeker and her best friend, frowns at her.
Coach Wilson brings his hands together excitedly. "This is Gabrielle Delacour, an amateur sports journalist. She is going to interview us all for the Quidditch Today, which you know, is the most popular Quidditch magazine in all of Europe!"
Ginny's eyes meet Gabrielle's and she quickly looks away. Honestly, what is going on with her? And how had Gabrielle not told her she was going to interview them today?
The Chasers are interviewed together at the end, and Ginny finds herself unable to look away from Gabrielle. She is carrying herself expertly, and she looks far more mature than Ginny was at eighteen. Her long curtain of hair keeps falling over her face, and Ginny wants to strangle her fellow Chaser, Isaac, because he keeps making eyes at her.
Ginny rummages through her shelf in a last attempt to not forget anything. They are going back to England today, and although they have won the match today, Ginny does not feel as delighted as she ought to.
The door to the changing room creaks open and Ginny looks at it. In comes Gabrielle and she stops when she looks at Ginny.
"Um, 'ello," Gabrielle stutters, blushing slightly.
"Hi," Ginny says, suddenly realising she has not put on her shirt yet. She looks around frantically in an attempt to locate it.
"I, er, left my jacket 'ere," Gabrielle says awkwardly.
"Yeah, I saw it here somewhere," Ginny says. The expensive silver-coloured garment is hanging off a hook on the wall, and Ginny grabs it.
"Here," she says, putting her arm out for Gabrielle to take her jacket.
"Merci," Gabrielle smiles pleasantly and comes over to Ginny to take it.
Their eyes meet when they are too close together, and Ginny gulps. She wonders whether Gabrielle can hear the thumping of her heart because it sounds deafening to Ginny.
"You played very well today, I saw you," Gabrielle says softly, her silver eyes boring into Ginny's.
"Erm, thanks," Ginny croaks. It is a wonder she can speak anything at all because Gabrielle is wearing a vanilla-scented perfume today and it engulfs her senses.
"When- when are you going to come to France again?" Gabrielle asks in a low voice, her fingers gently touching Ginny's.
"I don't know. But I'll remember to inform you when I do, I promise."
Gabrielle chuckles and comes closer. Ginny's eyes widen further.
Ginny tries to say something, anything. "How's Alan?"
"I thought you didn't like 'im?"
"What?" Ginny is sure her eyes have popped out of their sockets.
"I saw your face when I introduced 'im to you last week," Gabrielle replies, fidgeting with a few strands of her hair.
"Oh, no, I - I do, I mean -," Ginny stutters and blushes.
"It's OK, you know," Gabrielle smiles. "I'm going to miss you, by the way."
Ginny wraps her arms around the younger girl. "I'm going to miss you too," she mumbles.
When they draw back, Ginny's skin is tingling all over and she cannot look away from Gabrielle's face. Their faces are closer than she thinks they are.
"Gabrielle…"
But she can't speak anymore. She doubts she can speak at all after this, because Gabrielle is kissing her and it is the best feeling in the world. Ginny's arms are around her waist and Gabrielle's are on her shoulders.
Then it's all gone in a flash when Gabrielle pulls back suddenly, her eyes full of horror. She takes a giant step back from Ginny.
"Mon Dieu! I'm sorry!" she utters in a frenzied voice.
"Why did you kiss me?" Ginny asks.
"I don't know what came over me. It was a mistake!"
"Gabrielle," Ginny comes closer to the younger girl and grabs her by the shoulders. "That was the best kiss I've had in my entire bloody life, you can't just say it was a mistake."
"But I'm dating Alan - "
"Then why did you kiss me?" Ginny half-shouts, making the other girl wince slightly.
"Forget it, Ginny," Gabrielle shouts back, her eyes going glassy. "It was just old feelings rekindled, OK? It doesn't matter anymore!"
"But...wait - old feelings?" Ginny raises an eyebrow.
Gabrielle wipes her cheek with the back of her palm. "I guess I should go."
And with that, Gabrielle Delacour leaves the changing room, leaving a defeated Ginny Weasley inside. Ginny heaves a sigh she does not know she was holding in and drops her head against the wall.
March 15th, 2004
"You sure you're alright?"
Ginny looks at the door where Bill is standing, leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed across his chest.
"Huh, what?"
Bill chuckles and approaches his sister.
"You've got something on your mind, haven't you?" he asks. Ginny looks up at him from under her eyelashes, her lips pursed.
"C'mon, sis, you can tell your favourite brother," he nudges her. She smacks him lightly on the chest. "Shut up."
"Seems you don't want to tell me, do you? Well, I'll be there if you need to talk, OK?"
Ginny nods, refusing to look at him. Bill stands up and walks towards the door.
"Bill."
He turns around and quirks an eyebrow questioningly at her.
"Promise me you won't tell anyone," Ginny says.
"I promise," Bill comes over and sits down on the bed beside his sister.
"I - I think I like Gabrielle. Like - not the friendship kind of like. I like her like you like Fleur." He looks at her, his eyes slightly widened. "Does this make sense to you?" Ginny asks further.
Bill nods and puts a comforting arm around Ginny.
"I'm scared, Bill," Ginny whispers. "I like her a lot. I've liked her for so long. I don't know - "
" - how Mum's going to take it?" Bill completes her sentence.
"Yeah. Not just her, everyone around us. And I feel so sorry for Dean. It's unfair to him," Ginny buries her head in Bill's shoulder. Bill wraps his other arm around her and kisses the top of her head.
"I know it's scary, but you are going to be fine, Gin. What everyone else thinks doesn't matter. They'll come round soon, but you should tell Gabrielle, at least. Have you told her yet?"
"I think she has an inkling," Ginny mumbles into Bill's shoulder.
"You don't mind me… you know, liking girls?" she asks, looking up at him.
"Me? Nah," Bill winks, making her crack a small smile.
Christmas, 2004
"Who invited her?"
Fred raises an eyebrow at Ginny's question.
"Mum did, obviously," he says, sipping his gillywater. "Why do you ask?"
Ginny shakes her head and resorts to staring resolutely at where Gabrielle is sitting, fidgeting with her dress.
Suddenly, Dean, who is sitting on Ginny's other side, stands up and walks over to the middle of the living room.
"Come here," he says to her, smiling. Ginny's eyes widen but she does not move. "Go, Gin," George hisses and Fred gives her a push. "Go."
She stands up and walks warily towards Dean. He takes her hand.
"Ginny," he begins, "I have something to tell you."
Ginny hears her mother gasp and everyone else listening with bated breath.
"Ginevra Weasley, you are the most important person in my life. I've loved you since I was sixteen. You are the bravest, smartest and the most beautiful person I have ever met."
Ginny looks horrified and covers her mouth with her hand as Dean drops down on one knee. Molly begins to cry into her paisley-patterned handkerchief. Dean produces a small red, velvet box from his pocket and opens it before Ginny.
"Ginny, will you marry me?"
Behind her, Fred and George whistle loudly. Ginny lets out a strangled sob, and like the Gryffindor she is, turns around and bounds up the stairs and shuts herself behind the door of the room.
There is a small knock on the door before it opens just a crack.
"Don't come in," Ginny whimpers into her pillow.
Dean disregards her words and enters the room nevertheless.
"Ginny," he says softly, his hands in his pockets.
"Go away."
"Please, talk to me."
The earnest tone of his voice makes her sit up and look at him.
"Everyone hates me now, don't they?"
"Ginny, no one hates you," Dean murmurs comfortingly.
"But you," Ginny adds, looking intently at her fingernails.
"It's quite the opposite, Gin. I love you."
She looks at him with tearful eyes. "Please don't say that."
"Why not?"
"Because no matter how much I want to, I can never love you back the way you love me, Dean."
Dean smiles a little. "I know, Ginny."
"Then why did you propose?"
Dean shuffles his foot nervously on the floor. "I thought maybe you were being so distant from me because you thought I wasn't paying our relationship enough attention. I thought - if I proposed, we'd be able to strengthen our bond…"
Ginny sniffs and closes her eyes.
"I'm so sorry," she whispers, burying her face in her hands.
"Is there someone else?" Dean asks and she inwardly flinches at the calm tone of his voice. She'd feel better if he'd shout at her and throw things around the room.
Her lack of response is answer enough for him.
"I've seen the way you look at her," he murmurs, making her eyes shoot up to meet his.
"What?" she asks, disquiet evident on her freckled, tear-streaked face.
Dean smiles. "Gabrielle. You love Gabrielle, don't you? I've seen how you've looked at her all evening. It's the same look you used to give me back at Hogwarts."
Ginny is floored. "I can only apologise," she sighs.
"Don't. You can't help who you fall in love with, can you?"
Ginny twirls a strand of red hair around her finger. "I guess not."
"So," Dean begins, kneeling before her and looking her in the eye, "do you plan on telling her?"
"I'm scared, Dean. What would Mum say, and everyone else?"
"It doesn't matter what anyone says. Your love for Gabrielle does."
The corner of Ginny's mouth quirks upward, but only slightly.
"C'mon Ginny, let's go."
Ginny's eyes brighten determinedly and she nods.
She blushes when everyone turns to her and the murmuring in the room ceases.
"Ginny, are you OK?" Molly stands up from her seat, concern etched across her face.
Ginny smiles and nods.
"Everyone," she says loudly and confidently, "I am sorry for running away so suddenly, but I have something to confess."
She takes a deep breath.
"I'm grateful that Dean loves me so much, he's been nothing but sweet to me and it was wrong of me to run away. I do love him, only not in the way he wants me to. It wouldn't be fair to him if I'd said yes to him tonight because I could never love him that way."
She can practically hear everyone's breathing. She catches Bill's eyes, he's smiling reassuringly at her. Gabrielle's eyes are wide and she is holding the glass of wine hard enough to almost break it.
"There is something I've kept secret from everyone all these years because I was scared. I can only hope it does not offend anyone, but you can't help who you fall in love with, can you?"
Dean smiles.
"Here it goes," she takes another deep breath. "Gabrielle Delacour, I am completely, utterly, madly in love with you. I've loved you for so long and I don't mind if you don't love me back. Just thought you should know. That's all."
She bites her lip nervously and looks around at everyone's dumbfounded faces. "Won't any of you say anything?" she asks awkwardly.
Fleur, who is sitting beside her sister, gives Gabrielle a tiny nudge and wordlessly takes the glass from her. When Gabrielle looks at her, she gives her a small nod.
Gabrielle stands up and Ginny gets rooted to the spot. She approaches the older girl and stands before her for a fraction of a moment before letting out a strangled sob and throwing her arms around her.
Ginny looks at Bill over Gabrielle's shoulder. He's grinning widely and starts clapping loudly when Ginny wraps her arms tightly around the other girl.
Everyone else joins in the applause and Ginny's smile threatens to split her face in two when Gabrielle tightens her grip around her.
When the girls pull back, Gabrielle's eyes are filled with tears but she is beaming and her face is pink. Ginny thinks she has never looked more beautiful, but before she can say so, Gabrielle has taken her face in her hands and pressed her lips to Ginny's.
The cheering grows louder but Ginny and Gabrielle are oblivious to it all. Molly resumes crying into her handkerchief but she is grinning. Fred and George whistle appreciatively.
Their foreheads rest against each other when they break their kiss.
"You didn't say anything," Ginny whispers with a small smile. It is a whisper only Gabrielle can hear.
"I love you, Ginny Weasley."
Ginny is sure her face has never hurt from smiling so much ever before.
Um, so, yeah... that's it. Thanks for reading, guys, and stay safe!
- Miranda