Disclaimer: I do not own these characters. No money is being made on this story.
AN: This story was first inspired by a Red Hot Chili Peppers song. Please ignore that they use American dollars instead of pounds or Euros. I'm American and I'm using American dollars in my stories. I still need a Beta for this story so if your interested please tell me.
Chapter One: The World is Our Coffin
Ginny looked into the mirror. She didn't recognize herself. Swollen eye and broken jaw aside, she didn't recognize the look in her own eyes, how dark they were how empty they made her feel. She used to be a happy fun-loving girl, but now she was hollow. And after everything that happened she couldn't even begin to think of going back to the way she had been, in safer times. Everyone had thought that by Harry's final year, Voldemort would be vanquished. But they were wrong, Harry survived yes, but so had Voldemort. Ron didn't make it. And Hermione disappeared into the muggle world just like Ginny. It was rumored that Harry was still out there hunting out Voldemort, but Ginny could care less, none of her family survived the second rising of Voldemort, she had nothing left in the magical world. But she wasn't the only one, a deep depression had hit the magical community and most witches and wizards that were left went venturing out into the muggle world for employment. But it was hard to get a job when you didn't even have a identity let alone a high school diploma. You had to take what you could find and that's what led Ginny to what she was doing now.
"At least I won the fight" Ginny thought as she washed the blood from her face. It was a vicious and profitable career, fighting in the underground female fight clubs. Ginny could make a thousand dollars in one night just for beating the shit out of some muggle girl who thought she could take on The Fire. No one actually called her by her fight name but it still had a nice ring to it.
"Hey Gin, want to come to a bar with me and the guys? It could be fun." Arnie, her trainer walked in. Arnie was an aging man who won a lot fights in his day, and had he been smart with his money would still have quite a bit. But everyone had their vices and Arnie's was gambling, he lost a lot money betting on these underground fights but now that he was training her he was getting some money back. If you met Arnie on the street the last thing you would think was that he was running an underground fight ring. He was a stooped old man with many physical complaints and old fight injuries acting up. But what had put his career to an end was the limp he developed when he broke his femur for the fifth time. Now Arnie limped around, whacking youngsters with his cane if he thought he was being sassed, he mostly reminded Ginny of Dumbledore; eccentric but wise.
"I don't really want to go out, I think my jaw is broken." Gin murmured. Arnie shuffled over and titled her chin up a bit.
"Looks like a minor break, but can't be sure. Either way there's not much you can do 'bout it. Why not come with us, maybe you'll meet someone." Arnie was right, it wasn't like she could afford to go to a doctor or mediwizard, if she had insurance maybe, but underground fighting isn't quite legal, so having insurance was out of the question. Meet someone? Hell no, but maybe she could drink away the pain in her jaw.
"I guess I'll come, but don't try and set me up with anyone, I'll just have a couple beers and then go home." Her words were whispered but Arnie nodded excitedly.
"Okay then, I'm gonna go out and collect our winnings and I'll see you outside." Arnie left the room as quickly as his gimp leg would carry him.
I wonder where she is. Ginny thought as she put an ice pack on her eye. She constantly regretted the way things had ended between them.
I hate magic, and I hate Voldemort. Why does everyone I love die? She had screamed at Hermione. I can't love you anymore. I'm leaving. And she did. She walked right out, when she came back a day later, Hermione's flat had been completely empty except for one, hastily written tear stained note.
I understand why Gin, I just don't understand how. I'm leaving the magical world too, you were the only thing keeping me here. We both lost our families to this war, but I thought maybe we could make through together. I guess I was wrong. I love you. And I know we'll see each other again. Someday.
-Hermione.
That note had remained with Ginny's grasp for the past 11 months. But they hadn't seen each other, or communicated in anyway. And Ginny constantly wondered about her, weather she was safe. If was even alive. Ginny could sulk like this for weeks, she would run for miles and miles and then go train with Arnie but it was an ever present thought nagging in her mind. But then there would be a fight and all Ginny could think was to, punch, duck, kick; all this flurry of activity and adrenaline made her forget if only for a moment, some of her sorrow. So she became addicted to the numbness of the fighting, the injuries were worth it, she could later count her bruises and scars with complete detachment. No one cared about the scar tissue, why should she? It also helped that fighting payed so well. She lived in an decent flat even though it was in a slum neighborhood. But at it was a roof over her head. She had food and shelter, and at least she's alive.
Then why are you sulking? Ginny thought as she removed the ice and looked at her eye. The swelling was going down, but tomorrow she would deep purple bruising all around her eye. She looked at the rest of her reflection, he red hair was about chin length and looked like it need a good wash, her white shirt was stained with sweat and blood, though not all the blood was hers, but she felt some pride when she looked at how strong her legs had become, all of her running was really paying off. Ginny dug around in her bag and pulled on a pristine white shirt, and then donned her leather jacket. It looked pretty good with the black skinny jeans and steel toed boots. But she wasn't that concerned with what she looked like, she was just going out for a beer with the guys and then she was going back home for a nice long sleep.
She looked around the "locker room". It was really the basement of the abandoned building where fights were taking place. It was the same as all the other buildings, cracked ceilings, moldy walls, broken windows and countless amounts of graffiti. But pretty soon the police would get wind of where the fight club was and they'd moved to another building no different than the one she was in now.
She left the room and went out into the hall, there were all assortments of girls waiting to fight or that had already fought. Tall, short, black, white the fights took all kinds as long as you had the strength if you drop out of a fight you never come back. Ginny could always tell if a girl won her fight if they'd look in the eyes as you pass, they could be bloody, and bruised, they could even have bone poking out of their skin but if they could look her in the eyes they had won, and they would want to fight again. There were always girls trying to fight her when they weren't ready, and they'd use any means possible. Knives, chairs, steel bars, but her reaction time was quicker most of the time, maybe it was because of all those years of dodging spells, but whatever the reason she never lost against those girls, but she did receive some serious damage. Ginny never brought a knife or anything like that; it was her Gryfindor nature that she felt that it wasn't a real fight unless it was one-on-one, using all the strength and willpower she has and nothing else. Anyone could go up there and knife someone but it took real courage and perseverance to train and bleed and sweat to win a fight. The fights didn't have any rules about what you could use in a fight, the rule they did have was you can't kill your opponent, if you kill them your out of the fights for good. Ginny saw the girl she beat tonight, still passed out cold on a stretcher. She was alive Ginny was certain but she'd need a lot of work if she wanted to fight Ginny again. Ginny escaped from the hall into the fresh cold night.
Ginny missed the burrow. She missed how warm it was, everywhere else was cold. And she missed the stars, the lights of the city blocked the stars, but at the burrow she could sit and count them. She missed that summer at the burrow. It had been ungodly hot that summer and Harry, Ron and Hermione were about to start their seventh year. Ginny was sneaking out of the house for a midnight walk when she head them talking. Ron it's not anything you did, I'm just not interested in being anything more than friends. Ron had stormed away like a petulant child. Hermione looked to be on the verge of tears. Gin went over to her, Hermione, are you okay? She looked at Ginny guiltily. Yes, I mean I will be. Would like to go outside? It was, of course, not a wise idea to go outside with Deatheaters and Voldemort on the loose but they hadn't yet realized how dangerous it really was. They were sitting on the top of the hill in the meadow counting stars when everything else but that moment had faded away. Why don't want to be with Ron? Ginny had asked innocently. Hermione looked at her with warm chocolate brown eyes, then leaned over and kissed her. I was a chaste kiss, but it made Ginny's skin tingle and heart beat so hard it was trying to break her rib cage, her breath caught in her throat and time seem to slow. They parted but Ginny leaned back and kissed her again just to make sure it was real. And it was. It had been surreal, the stars around her seemed brighter and Hermione smiled and blushed had made Ginny giddy with excitement. But that was five years ago. In happier times. Ginny couldn't suppress the sigh that escaped her as she looked toward the dark empty sky of the city. But her revere was broken by the arrival of Arnie and his gang.
Along with them came the sound of laughter and smell of cigarettes. They scuffled out of the building all extremely happy about their winnings. Arnie had of course made them all bet against Ginny's opponent, and clearly they were happy they did.
Arnie's "gang" consisted mostly of retired fighters come trainers and of want-to-be-trainers like Joe. Joe was 21 and liked to steal. Anything and everything. The crazier it was the more he wanted to take it. He was caught trying to steal a live goat from the zoo once but fake a seizure and got out of it. He irritated Ginny to no end, always acting like the world owed him something and that anything he wanted he could have. Unfortunately for Gin he was going with them tonight.
"Hey Gin, what no kiss for your biggest fan? You did great tonight, really kicked some ass. Wish I could receive some of that fiery passion only not in the form of a punch, if you know what I mean." Joe blabbered to her as they walked down the street.
"How many times do I have have to tell you. I am not interested in you at all. The only "passion" you are going to receive from me is if I finally snap and beat your puny ass into the ground. But luckily for you Arnie has forbidden me to do so, but if you so much as touch me I will break every-" Ginny's jaw aching painfully with every word but Joe cut her off.
"Right, right the whole "I'm not interested in guys thing" well you about that, I was thinking that maybe I could change your mind-"
"Joe this isn't something I'm going to change my mind about, I may however change my mind about following Arnie's rules-" Ginny was cracking her knuckles, If he says one more thing I might just snap. But Arnie interrupted this train of thought.
"Now, Gin the boy is only trying to be friendly, just be nice. Oh and by the way here's tonight's pay. I counted it we made total 2,500, so here is 1,250 in cash. So your next fight is in 'bout three weeks which will give your jaw enough time to heal. So you'll be in top form for your next match."
Gin suppressed the urge to gape at all the money he handed her, she earned extra tonight, she was beginning to become a semi-famous in this underground world of fighting. She hadn't lost a fight in months and was quickly moving up through the ranks. At least she was doing something right. She nodded so she wouldn't have to speak an quickly stowed the money in the inside pocket of her jacket, she wasn't going to take any chances with Mr.Happy Hands Joe around. Just because Arnie trusted him, didn't mean she was going to. She had a hard time even trusting Arnie but he was her trainer so she didn't have much of a choice. It wasn't however going to prevent her from counting her money when she got home. Ginny was hoping she could enjoy a quite night out with the fellas.
Joe however had no notions of being quiet. "Where we going anyway, we passed that Irish Pub place a couple blocks back-"
"Well, in honor of Gin's victory we're going to a nicer kinda club-" Arnie began.
"Is it a strip club?"Joe was clearly excited about the prospect of going to a strip club.
"It isn't a strip club, but the waitress aren't exactly naked but...it's a good establishment I know the owner, she's a high class lady, and there could possibly be some dancers but no one is going to be naked. She runs a very nice establishment." Arnie was blushing slightly.
Great. Just where I want to go to get drunk, some club with a bunch of half naked girls. Leave it to Arnie. Thought Ginny, but she didn't say anything.
"That's alright with you Gin, isn't it? If you'd rather go somewhere else I'd take you-" Joe began.
"No, this is fine, I just want a couple beers." Ginny said quietly.She would much rather be around half naked girls, than have to spend anymore time than necessary with Joe. She then realized that at this moment she had successfully become "one of the guys" to everyone but Joe of course. She was mildly pleased with herself. When she had first joined the fight club all Arnie's buds said that she couldn't make it, she wasn't in very good shape and had never been in a fist fight in her life. But she stepped up, Arnie told her that when she could run a 10K in under an hour she'd be ready for him to train. He seemed to doubt that she was going to come back. But less than a month later Ginny was back looking lean and ready to fight, she had a job working the bar at the fights so she learned all about the dynamics of the fights before she even began. But working the bar was barely paying her rent and she was living on only rice and bean that she bought in bulk, she knew how to pinch a penny but she also knew it would be hard to live like this much longer one bad tip night and she would be running to the soup kitchen. But she was a natural fighter and being hardened when it came to pain Ginny had quickly become Arnie's best fighter, and now even one of the guys.
When they arrived at the club there were no signs of half naked women outside the door, just a blue fluorescent sign above a dark building that read Amber Shadows. They walked in and Ginny immediately liked the atmosphere, she had been to a lot of bars, most were smelly and crowed, filled with screaming guys and football games, but this was almost like a fine restaurant. It warm lighting and was very clean. The girl who asked them for their coats was scantily clad but it was sexy, not slutty as Ginny had thought it would be. Ginny however did not give up her coat considering there was over a thousand dollars in it. The whole place had sort of a 1920's feel about it. There was even a girl walking around selling cigarettes just like in a old speak easy. Ginny bought a pack of cherry cigarettes but knew she probably wouldn't smoke them, if she did it would take her a whole year to get through the one pack, she hadn't smoked since she had been with Hermione, they would sometimes share one together when times were bad after funeral in the kitchen a Grimmauld Place. But before Ginny could think to much about the past they were ushered to the bar where they could see a stage. Ginny ordered a beer and then turned to look at the stage where a beautiful brunette was dancing.
She was ballet dancing to a sensual sorrowful classical piece. She was wearing black points and small black skirt and a skin tight shirt with a push up bra. Ginny was mesmerized. The girl was an amazing dancer she had grace and poise. It was as though she had completely blocked crowd from her mind, she was pouring her soul into her dance so much that she was actually weeping. She finished in a graceful bow, and it was only then that Ginny had gotten a good look at her face, that Ginny realized who the dancer was. Ginny's dark blue eyes met her chocolate brown and she knew that the beautiful dancer was in fact Hermione Granger.