Shell Cottage
Ginny thanked Bill for helping her carrying her trunk upstairs and as soon as he'd disappeared out of sight she opened it and started unpacking her belongings. She grimaced to herself, watching the mess inside her trunk. With everything that had been going on lately, packing hadn't exactly been her first priority and she'd had to just throw everything down half an hour before the Hogwarts Express would take off.
"Why did I even bring this?" she muttered to herself, grabbing one of her heavy cauldrons that she used in Potions.
It appeared that, since she'd been in such a hurry, she'd managed to pack down things she didn't need and left the ones that she actually did need behind. How typical. She seriously doubted that Bill and Fleur would need her to brew any potions during her stay...
It took Ginny a while to dig out some of her clothes and after she'd put them on the small writing desk standing in the room she walked over to the window. The view was one of the reasons why she'd always loved this place; from here she could see the ocean and the beautiful landscape surrounding the cottage. She sighed happily. This was exactly what she needed.
Despite the fact that they were about to enter April, it was like winter hadn't really left yet. Today was no exception. Ginny watched as the waves grew bigger and bigger, hitting the sand and creating different patterns in it. For a split second she felt like swimming, but then she remembered how ice cold the water must be...
Just like Blaise's mother.
Ginny furrowed to herself. To her, it was unthinkable that someone did not enjoy their own mother's company and yet that was exactly what she'd witnessed back at King's Cross. It was one thing to not like her husband, but would that really stop him from loving her? Ginny didn't get it. But then again, what things about Blaise did she get?
He really was a big mystery.
Her thoughts were interrupted by a soft knock on the door.
"Enter" Ginny said and as Fleur did she smiled, adding:
"Fleur, this is your and Bill's house! You don't have to knock!"
"I was thinking that you might want some privazy while unpacking your things"
Before Ginny had time to reply Fleur cast a quick glance towards the writing desk.
"But it appears that you are already done. Would you like to join uz for a cup of tea?"
Ginny nodded. There were things she needed to know. Now.
"Absolutely. Let's go downstairs"
How do you make a time line haha
"So... tell me everything" Ginny said as soon as she, Bill and Fleur had all sat down by the kitchen table.
Bill sighed slightly and as he poured some tea into her cup Ginny realized that he looked slightly... older. The scar Fenrir Greyback had caused on his cheek stood out against his pale skin and just like Draco Malfoy, he had dark circles under his eyes that indicated on lack of sleep.
"Remember when I wrote you that letter, saying that Ron was here with me and Fleur and that he was all right?"
Ginny nodded.
"Of course. When did he leave here anyway?"
"Weeks ago, there waz still znow on the grounds back then..." Fleur told her. "He didn't stay with uz for too long, I guezz he missed his friendz..."
"Well, that makes sense..." Ginny muttered. "I just don't understand why he left them in the first place!"
"Great question, he never gave us any details" Bill informed her.
Fleur took a sip from her tea.
"I just hope 'e found them again..."
They all fell silent, pondering over her words. Ron had obviously not kept in touch with any of them since he left Shell Cottage and for all they knew he could be anywhere, doing anything.
"Anyway..." Bill started, perhaps because he wanted to change the subject. "As you know I also told mum and dad, even though Ron didn't want me to. When thinking about how worried they were after having seen that article about Harry and Hermione in Godric's Hollow, I felt like I had no choice"
"Of course" Ginny said softly. "You did the right thing"
But she could see how her brother and Fleur exchanged a dark glance before Bill's gaze came to rest on his tea, which he stirred around in with a small spoon.
"I'm not so sure anymore" he mumbled bitterly. "Mum and dad came here around two weeks after Ron had left... and then I found out that they'd never received my letter"
Ginny was silent for a moment, staring from him to Fleur before realization hit her unpleasantly. She gasped slightly.
"Was the owl picked up?"
"We think zo" Fleur said seriously.
"Or more likely, that must have been the case" Bill added. "Because only days later a friend of dad's at work warned him, saying that he'd overheard some Ministry people talking about sending someone to the Burrow..."
Ginny swallowed, mentally preparing herself for bad news.
"Why would they come to the Burrow?"
Her words came out as nothing but a mere whisper.
There was a short, uncomfortable silence.
"Ron is supposed to be home sick with Spattergroit" Bill then reminded her. "My letter said differently. I guess they wanted to confront mum and dad about it and ask them if they knew anything about his real whereabouts. Because if they can find Ron..."
"...they can find Harry" Ginny finished weakly.
She was shocked, but not surprised. Reading other people's letters without permission, heading home to people to threaten or, even worse, hurt them seemed to be the exact sort of things that Voldemort's supporters working at the Ministry would do.
It was all a mess.
"Mum and dad decided that it was best to go into hiding before those Ministry workers came, one never knows what they might be capable of. Someone could have gotten seriously injured... or worse" Bill continued and Ginny sighed deeply, burying her face in her hands for a moment before meeting his gaze again.
Stay strong.
"Where did they go?" she asked.
"Aunt Muriel's" Bill said. "Of course, mum and dad wanted you to join them but you know how small her house is. Besides, we all guessed that you wouldn't exactly complain about not getting to spend Easter there anyway..."
"Well, you guessed right..." Ginny muttered under her breath, grimacing slightly.
Of course she missed and wanted to see her parents, but the bare thought of staying with Muriel for a whole week seemed like something that could turn into the worst holidays of all time...
"Fred and George are living in the flat above their shop, so it's only mum, dad and Charlie" Bill told her. "Charlie was thinking about going back to Romania but mum lost it completely, wouldn't hear of it"
Ginny helped herself to some more tea, for she felt cold inside, and Fleur pointed out:
"Well... One cannot blame Molly for wanting to keep 'er family close theze days"
Ginny took a sip from her tea. She wanted to ask about Fred and George's birthday, but she got the feeling that Bill and Fleur didn't know any more about that than she did. She'd simply have to wait to find out.
"This has been going on for too long"
Bill's voice was dark, interrupting her thoughts.
"All of it"
Ginny slowly moved her hand over the kitchen table, absentmindedly drawing invisible circles with her pointing finger. Somewhere, far off in the distance, she could hear a bird squeaking. It sounded almost as if it cried out of pain and longing.
Longing for things to end and new things to start.
For some reason, the bird's heartbreaking sound made her think of Dumbledore. Would things be different if he'd still be here? Would Ginny herself, and everybody else, feel safer? What would he have done to stop all this?
But she also knew that there was no point asking herself all those questions, because Dumbledore was gone. Just like Harry's parents, Sirius, Mad Eye Moody and so many others that had once fought for justice and for what was right.
And sometimes, she couldn't help wondering who might be next.
Blaise's point of view
Blaise had always been one of those persons who enjoyed the quiet. He'd always hated it when Pansy yelled or laughed too loud in a desperate try to get other students' attention, and when people wouldn't bother to shut up while a teacher was speaking. He'd always despised people like Ginny's friend Granger, who would go on blabbing forever if someone asked her to answer a question.
Simply put: if people wouldn't bother opening their mouths unless it was absolutely necessary, they'd cause less trouble. But now, for the first time in years, the silence made him feel nothing but uncomfortable.
The only sound that could be heard was the one coming from his mother's knife and fork, when she cut up small pieces of her dinner. Blaise himself wasn't feeling hungry at all, and had barely touched his food.
"What's on your mind, Blaise?"
He looked up and met her cold gaze. She'd put the knife and fork down and raised her eyebrows at him, in an almost threatening sort of way. If he hadn't seen it so many times before he might have flinched.
"Nothing"
But many things were on his mind. Like why she insisted on marrying a man who was the definition of a proper psycho. Why he felt all tense, confused and furious while dining with his mother in the dining hall, in the manor that he'd always called "home". The truth was, it hadn't felt like home ever since his father passed away. What Ginny Weasley was doing at the moment...
"Should I give the house-elves complaints about the food?" She nodded towards his barely touched plate. "You've barely eaten any of it"
"I'm not hungry"
Blaise's voice was low and he couldn't know for sure whether she'd actually heard him. In fact, he felt almost sick...
"It surprised me to see so many mudbloods being picked up by their parents at King's Cross today" his mother added, sounding almost bored. "You'd think that they'd know by now that nobody wants... filth like them in our world. They're all an embarrassment..."
She seemed so unbothered by her own words, that Blaise thought it sounded as if she was merely discussing the weather. She didn't look at him whilst she spoke and therefore he couldn't tell whether she expected him to say something or not.
But he couldn't help himself.
"They have to finish their education, don't they? And I don't see how they bother you"
It took him a short moment to realize what he'd actually said. His heart was pounding rapidly in his chest and yet he refused to drop her cold and hard gaze.
He'd never stood up to her like this before. Not to anyone in his world. His mother raised her eyebrows, but Blaise couldn't tell whether it was out of surprise or scornfulness. Maybe both.
"You shock me, Blaise... Is it Mc Gonagall that put these thoughts into your head? I'd hoped that Snape would get rid of her as soon as possible..."
"Where is he?"
She stopped speaking abruptly at his words. The silence between the two of them was everything but comfortable. After having opened and closed her mouth several times she finally asked:
"Who are you talking about?"
"You know perfectly well who I'm talking about"
His mother turned back to her food and took a small sip from her glass of red wine. For some reason, it reminded Blaise of blood and he felt even less keen on finishing his dinner than he had minutes ago. It was obvious that she tried to look unbothered by his words, but her tensed shoulders told him differently.
"You mean your new stepfather? He will be here by Mond..."
"He's not my stepfather" Blaise interrupted her cooly, his voice stronger than he'd expected it to be. "And he never will be"
She looked up again, her face expression unreadable.
"Why can't you just be happy for me?"
She didn't sound sad, but accusing, and maybe that's what caused him to feel nothing. No remorse. Nothing at all.
"There's nothing to be happy about"
"What's that supposed to mean?"
Blaise snorted and started cutting up some meat, only so he wouldn't have to look at her whilst he spoke.
"We both know that it won't last. In fact, the entire wizarding community does"
She glared at him. He glared back.
"Well... Maybe this time will be different" his mother finally said, sounding almost defiant. "Maybe I've decided to settle down"
Blaise snorted in disbelief, shaking his head slowly before he stood up to leave the dining hall. He'd had enough of this for one night.
"Yeah... I'll believe that when I see it"
How do you make a time line haha
The next couple of days seemed almost like a dream, compared to what Ginny's life had looked like for the past two months. Being in Bill and Fleur's house, with the peace and calmness constantly surrounding it, she had plenty of time to clear her thoughts. She took long strolls on the beach, enjoying the smell of the ocean and salt and the cool wind on her face.
She wondered where Luna was, if she was all right and when she'd get to see her again. Ginny couldn't bring herself to think that maybe she never would. She came up with thousands of plans in her head, each as unlikely as the next, trying to figure out a way to save her friend. And even though it pained her to realize that there was nothing she could do for Luna, other than hope that she was okay, it was nice to know that she'd at least thought it through properly.
It was also during these strolls that she allowed herself to worry about Ron, Hermione and Harry. Where were they now and did they have a plan? Was Ron even with them? And the more she thought about all this, the more she realized that her feelings for Harry really had changed. Now, she didn't worry about him any more than she did about his two best friends and from what Ginny herself could tell, all of that came down to one thing:
She didn't love him anymore. At least not in that way.
The frustrating, confusing and yet very fascinating subject named "Blaise Zabini" usually entered her mind when she was standing still, facing the ocean and the horizon. Maybe it was because then, when she wasn't moving, she could really feel the chilliness entering her body through her skin and giving her goose bumps.
It all reminded Ginny of him. The cold. The indifference. And the fact that he still seemed to care, in his own way.
But I trust you.
He trusted her. What had she done to deserve that? At what exact point had he drawn the conclusion that there was more to her than a "filthy bloodtraitor"? She wanted to ask him that so badly, but she also knew that she was proabably too much of a coward to ever do so.
It wasn't like her, to admit to herself that there were things she couldn't do. Things she didn't dare to do. At what exact point had it come to that? Maybe she was just afraid of what his answer might be...
Ginny sighed to herself, picking up some small rocks from the bank before throwing them as hard as she could into the water. She had in some ways hoped that all her questions would go with them, but unfortunately that did not seem to be the case...
There were still so many things she wanted to know. What was he doing right now, at this very moment?
Bill's point of view
"She zeems troubled, doezn't she?"
Bill turned to look at his wife who was standing in front of one of the kitchen windows, eyeing Ginny as she stood down by the water's edge. She seemed to have finished her stroll; perhaps she was getting sick of them. After all, she'd taken at least a dozen walks down on the beach ever since she'd arrived three days earlier...
"Aren't we all?" he asked, sighing heavily.
Fleur furrowed slightly, still not taking her eyes off Ginny as she told him:
"Well... Something tellz me that she iz not just worrying about the war"
Bill stared at her, feeling slightly confused.
"What else could possibly be bothering her at the moment? There doesn't seem to be time for anything else..."
His wife snorted, mumbling something incoherent in French.
"What was that?" Bill asked immediately.
He'd never bothered to learn his wife's first language, something that he deeply regretted now, for he hated it when Fleur said something and he had no idea what to make of it.
"I zaid, that you men are unbelieveable at timez! You don't zee things that are right in front of your eyes..."
"Well, tell me then!" Bill interrupted her, finding it hard to keep the impatience out of his voice. "If something's wrong with my sister then I'd like to know what it is!"
But Fleur simply shook her head slightly, and to Bill's great surprise she was smiling. What could there possible be to smile about at the moment? She turned to look at him.
"And 'ere I thought I'd married a romantic man... Surely you must know that love does not care about war, pain or zuffering? It iz still there, no matter what!"
"Are you saying that Ginny's in love?"
For some reason, Bill found that hard to believe. Of course, he'd heard both Fred and George mention countless of times that she was quite popular amongst the boys at Hogwarts but he also thought that his sister was quite vulnerable after everything that had happened between her and Harry... Hadn't she gotten over him yet?
"With Harry?" he continued when Fleur didn't say anything.
She'd turn to look at Ginny again. By now, she had grabbed something that looked like small rocks lying in the sand. She threw them, one by one, into the ocean and didn't seem at all bothered by the ice cold winds and weather.
"Could be" Fleur suddenly said, interrupting her husband's thoughts. "Of course, I cannot be completely sure that she iz in love!"
When her husband didn't say anything she looked away from the window once again, this time starting on the dishes from their last meal. She had a determined look on her face, just like the one he recognized from when she was in the Daily Prophet almost every day, during the Triwizard Tournament.
"But I am going to find out" she said.
How do you make a time line haha
Ironically enough, of all things Ginny had to deal with at the moment, Blaise Zabini seemed to be the hardest one to let go of. This wouldn't really have been a problem, if it weren't for the fact that the thoughts concerning him wouldn't leave her alone even when she wasn't, well, alone.
On her fourth day at Shell Cottage she was helping Fleur preparing lunch, while Bill was at Aunt Muriel's to visit his and Ginny's parents and Charlie. Ginny had asked to come with him but he'd said no, claiming that he didn't want Fleur to be alone. Ginny couldn't blame Bill for that and she didn't mind spending some hours alone with her sister-in-law, at least not until Fleur brought up a really unexpected and somewhat uncomfortable matter...
"What iz on your mind Ginny?" she asked, while taking out some glasses and plates from one of the cupboards. "You are zo quiet"
"I'm sorry" Ginny said quickly.
Too quickly, she realized a second later. Fleur looked at her, eyebrows slightly raised, and Ginny cleared her throat before adding:
"I just... I've had a lot on my mind recently, that's all"
"Zomething you'd wish to share?"
As their gazes locked, Ginny couldn't help feeling as if Fleur had a somewhat... triumphant look on her face. As if she knew something that Ginny didn't. Or as if she thought that she knew something...
"Oh, you know..." Ginny started, shrugging to look unbothered. "Just... the war, Luna missing, tons of schoolwork..."
Fleur sighed slightly, sitting down by the kitchen table. Ginny did the same.
"I zee... And that iz all?"
Ginny furrowed, trying her best to ignore the fact that she was now blushing. She felt guilty. But why? It wasn't like she'd actually lied about worrying about those things. She'd just left something out.
A tiny detail, that was all...
"What do you mean?" she asked.
Fleur bent her head forward slightly, but Ginny could still see her smiling.
"It iz just that I 'ave got a feeling that... there iz more to it than that"
Before the younger of the two witches had time to say anything she added:
"Of course, you do not 'ave to tell me unlezz you want to. But I am a good listener"
Ginny looked into Fleur's clear blue eyes and found herself believing in her words, and even finding them reassuring. She tried her best to not snort out loud at her own thought. If someone would have told her a year ago that she'd even consider talking about her feelings with Phlegm, she would have laughed.
But now... What other options did she have, really? She could really need someone's opinion on all this.
Ginny pressed her lips together and stared down at the empty plate in front of her. She didn't know how much time that passed by, before she actually grabbed the courage to speak up.
"Have you... Have you ever met a person whose feelings and thoughts are completely impossible to guess?"
Now, it was Fleur's turn to furrow.
"I thought we could never read another person's mind. That iz where we keep our secretz..."
"Yeah, but some people are still easier than others to understand, right?" Ginny interrupted her, barely noticing how her voice suddenly sounded slightly eager. "I mean, you can look into their eyes and you can actually see something! And then there are people like..."
She drifted off and closed her mouth abruptly. She'd been on the verge of saying "people like Blaise Zabini" but stopped herself last second. Feeling Fleur's curious gaze resting on her, she mumbled:
"People whose souls are like... really thick fog. You can't see a thing. At least not something that makes sense"
She looked up at Fleur again, hoping she'd have something to say. That she wouldn't consider Ginny completely crazy and tell Bill the instant he got home that his sister compared living witches and wizards to fog...
"I think we all 'ave thingz to 'ide" Fleur said slowly. "Zome people are just better at it. Maybe they've been 'urt... or betrayed"
His father's death. His mother and her countless numbers of husbands... Anyone would feel left out, growing up like that.
They were both silent for a short while before Ginny muttered:
"Well... those people leave nothing but confusion behind. I mean, one day they say that they actually trust you and even let you in and then..."
"Ah!" Realization fell upon Fleur's face. "I think I know what this iz about!"
You do? But Ginny was too busy telling her story, to finally get it all out, to ask Fleur what she was referring to.
"And then they act as if you don't even exist, apologizing for entering your world in the first place! It just doesn't make sense!"
When she'd finished speaking she had to catch her breath, for only now did she realize that she'd actually raised her voice and clenched her fists. Apparently, this whole thing had a bigger impact on her than she'd first thought... Fleur smiled again.
"Well... Zome people just need zome more time..."
"Yeah, and it seems like bloody slytherins need an eternity..." Ginny muttered under her breath.
She hadn't exactly meant to say the slytherin-part out loud, but before she had time to really reflect upon it, Fleur froze in her seat.
"Slytherin?" she asked. "Who are you talking about?"
She sounded almost afraid.
Great, Ginny. Now you've done it.
Ginny stared at her sister-in-law, feeling confused. Not to mention worried that she'd said way too much already...
"Who are you talking about?" she asked and Fleur exclaimed:
"Why, 'Arry of course!"
"Harry?!"
But before Ginny had time to say anything else, the front door to the cottage burst open and Bill stepped inside. For a moment, Ginny stopped breathing. This was it. At this very moment, Fleur could walk straight up to him and tell him everything.
That she, Ginny Weasley, had befriended a slytherin. And in times like these...
"'Ello darling!" Fleur said, standing up to kiss her husband's cheek. "'Ow waz your parents?"
"Oh, they're all fine! But they'd like us to come over by Friday to celebrate Fred and George's birthday. Think you could stand staying with Muriel for two days Ginny? Are you all right, by the way?"
Bill stared at her, his eyebrows raised and with a somewhat worried look on his face. Ginny opened her mouth, but no words came out. She was still too shocked about the conversation that she and Fleur had just had. Luckily, the latter came to her rescue:
"I think Ginny iz just tired, izn't that right Ginny?"
"Tired... Yeah... Exactly" Ginny finished lamely, standing up to leave the kitchen.
She needed some fresh air before lunch, that was for sure.
"I... I'll head outside for a short while" she informed them. "I'll be back in time for lunch"
As she was about to exit through the front door she met Fleur's gaze. The older of the two witches looked suspicious. And yet, there was something in her eyes that made Ginny feel perfectly calm. Because there was something there, leaving a reassuring message:
I'm not telling anyone.
And as Ginny headed outside, she swore to herself that she'd never call her sister-in-law Phlegm again.
Author's note: I apologize for my completely hopeless try at giving Fleur a French accent haha. Just ignore all of it, please.