Chapter 19

Picture Perfect

When they got back to the Burrow, Ginny had a letter from Nimbus. Nerves started to get the better of her. She reflexively went down to Harry's room and hopped on to the bed next to him sitting against the wall. "You okay babe?" he asked.

"I have that mix of excitement and nerves that you quite tell which is which, and I want to share this with you."

"I'm honored, please."

She opened the letter and read it. They want me to flame over Monday, for a photo shoot. She looked up and took a breath, "Wow."

""Gin, you already signed the contract. You knew this was coming."

"Contract is paper and text. A photo shoot is well… photos. Feels different. Harry, would…"

"Wild horses could not keep me away. And I am rather certain your parents will demand at least 1 escort."

"Thank you. I'm just afraid there's going to be a lot of boring sitting around time. Where I'll be working and stuff."

"Then I'll admire the view. Gin, we talked about this. I don't really need a job. That makes me flexible. I'm there, no problem. If you are worried, I can throw a class book or two in my bag and study up. None of this is a problem. Let yourself have this one."

"You're right. Just nerves. I guess."

"Slide over in front of me."

"Why?" she asked but complied.

"So I… can do … this…" Harry answered both with his words but also with his hands as he started rubbing her shoulders, neck, and back.

"Ah… oh… okay ya… " she muttered as the nerves and tension melted away. "Where have you been hiding this skill?"

Harry chuckled, "Truthfully, this may be recently developed, or improved upon from the workout routine."

"Don't know. Don't care. Don't stop." she moaned. Harry grinned. The smart ass in him had a joke, several, in mind. But why ruin a good thing. Slowly but firmly he worked out every nerve, every tense muscle, every inch of her back from above her bum to her neck and forearms. Finally she fell back into his chest content and damn near purring. "If I didn't love you before I sure would now.

"Happy to help."

"How do I pay you back? I refuse to owe you." she still purred in Harry's arms.

"You know Gin, it's okay to just owe your your boyfriend one. Or hell, we could be a radical couple not keep score. Not everything is a competition."

"But competition makes it more fun." Ginny countered. "I know, I pay with kisses." Harry happily accepted her currency. After a bit, Ginny paused and just looked at Harry, in pure affection.

"What?" he asked.

"I don't know if I have ever seen you like this before."

"How so?"

"If I didn't know better, I'd say you were content and peaceful."

"Well it's been a good week. I had a REALLY good night's sleep. You and I are together. That's fantastic to me. We came a long way against Riddle. Even starting to get a plan together. 'Mione and Ron, hell even you and Ron, all decent. I guess I am feeling . . . I think you wizards call it 'hope'. " he smiled as she chuckled. "I don't know, I'm not here that often. But I am now. And you are no small part of that. So thank you."

After dinner when Ron went to his room on his pillow he found a surprise. A pair of books, Hogwarts : Astronomy : Basic and Advanced. Included with a note.

Ron,

I will never forget my first astronomy lesson. Thank you. I truly believe in you and would like to see you be brave again and take these classes. You deserve success.

Separate classes don't end relationships. If anything it's more to talk about.

Love

'Mione

And Ron new then, he was taking Astronomy this fall.

Monday came around and Harry and Ginny flamed back into Nimbus. Knowing she had wardrobe to deal with she just wore a tshirt and jeans, but carrying her Reign of Fire. Harry, not really knowing how this was going to be, opted for a middle of the road approach with jeans, dress shirt, and jacket.

A mid thirty's man with tan skin and brown hair, wearing a navy dress shirt and dark pants immediately approached as soon as they appeared, with a hand out to greet them. "Miss Weasley, a pleasure to meet the legend. And we are happy to have you with us as well Master Potter. I am Steven Ian, I am lead photographer here at Nimbus. Come right this way and we will get you started."

Harry rolled his eyes at 'Master' but let it go.

Ginny was smiling. "Harry's the legendary one, but thank you."

"Actually, Ma'am I meant what I said. No offense to Master Potter, most of us are big fans of you too. But with you Miss Weasley, inventing the idea of battle brooms and breaking 160. Well, ma'am you have opened a whole field of ideas and opportunities for use here at Nimbus. I for one would like to thank you."

Ginny smiled widely and even stood up a little straighter. "You are very welcome."

Silently, she looked over to Harry, who grinned and kept on walking.

Ian continued. "Right so first up, we have Makeup, then wardrobe."

"May I ask about the wardrobe?"

Ian smiled, "I would like to keep it a surprise, but I will say I am well aware of our contract. Well, done by the way. But to keep you relaxed during makeup, I'll tell you I would let my daughter wear it." he said with a smile.

"Sounds lovely," Ginny replied.

Ian led the pair down a different marble hall and swung left into a bright lit room of mirrors, scents, and color. About a dozen color professionals were working on other models, and the quidditch theme was strong on all of them. Ginny shrugged, She figured it would go that way. Ian paused long enough to find the particular artist he wanted. "Trisha!" he called.

A woman a few years younger than Ian came over, ebony skins and raven haired wearing a loose fitting white blouse, walked over with a huge smile. "Is this the Witch?"

"Crimson Witch, body and soul, you're the one I trust with the makeup.

"Absolutely, boss. "

"Trisha Williams, Ginny Weasley, and Master Potter."

Harry eyerolled again, but he was dedicated to not cause any hiccups for Ginny at work.

Ginny on the other hand, was smirking hard at it.

"Now remember,"Ian said, "Whitehorn himself is watching this one close. I need your best."

"Don't you always get it? Get out of my hair, I got work to do."

"Miss Weasley, I look forward to you on set, and I would be happy to deliver your broom there." Ian said as he departed.

"Just don't scratch it." she said with a smile.

"Welcome to Nimbus," Trish repeated with a hand out, which both took turns shaking.

"Please, call me Ginny."

"And for the love of mercy, I'm just Harry."

"Great, I'm Trish. Follow me, let's get you going. "She said as she led Ginny to a waiting chair. "Harry, you're welcome. I am assuming you are the…

"Emotional support today, with a touch of security," he replied.

"Boyfriend." Gin confirmed. "But he's been a damn good one so far."

"Girl, you found a keeper… good for you." Trish smiled as she set to work, "So what is your normal color or glamor routine." Harry grabbed a collapsible chair and set up out of the way of the other two.

"Nothing," Ginny simply replied.

"Even if you don't call it a routine. What charm spells or style and tone do you prefer?"

"I don't do anything," Ginny started to giggle.

Finally starting to accept this. "Seriously, you don't do anything?

"Nothing,"

Turning to Harry, "She wakes up like this?"

"Can confirm." Harry said with a smile.

"Girl, you don't know how lucky you are." Trisha paused and thought for a moment. "Alright. I know how we're going to do this. Harry, turn around."

"Me?"

"Yes you, I don't want her getting any hints about how she looks from your expressions" she said with a smile.

"Yes ma'am," Harry complied.

"And you Miss Weasley, we're turning you away from the mirror."

"Okay?"

Trisha bent over and looked Ginny in the eyes. "Trust the professional honey." Trisha rolled three tables around Ginny. On each table was a box a foot square and a few inches deep. She opened each, revealing they were filled with jars of powder of every shade of the rainbow.

"So Harry, be honest, what do you like best about your girl's appearance? "

Without skipping a beat. "Her eyes." Ginny smiled at the reaction speed. Trisha put her finger to her lips for quiet.

"Describe them to me."

"Initially, they are the warmest brown there is. Like hot chocolate, still steaming. Deep too. Real easy to get lost in them but not in a bad way. If you're lucky enough to be able to it's the safest you'll ever feel. But if you put any amount of time in with her, you find she is essentially a force of nature. Biggest heart of anyone I've ever known. Most passionate. Intense. Absolutely doesn't know the meaning of quit. Lucky for me too. But all of that can be seen in her eyes. Merlin help the poor soul who gets on the wrong side of her rage."

Trisha smiled and whispered to Ginny. "He's got it bad for you."

"The feeling's mutual." Ginny smiled and whispered back.

"Thanks Harry. Now Ginny, I read your article and heard a bit from when you came to visit. Close your eyes." Ginny did. "I want you to tell me about the Battle of the Burrow, but I want to know what you were feeling."

"Okay, we were sitting at the table. My family is old fashioned and traditional. It's just what we all do. The glass windows exploded. I was surprised, shocked more like it, Harry threw me down to the floor and covered me. We were all confused till they asked us to hand over Harry for our safety. I remember being quite annoyed and mad because the git would have done it. Sorry, not sorry babe."

"Clearly, we've gotten past that, Gin."

"I rolled us over and pinned him just to stop him. Then we all looked around and there was no question, we agreed we were going to fight."

"Afraid?"

"I won't say it wasn't there. But it was dwarfed by rage. Those bastards came to my house for my love, No, not happening. Hell hath no fury, you know? Hell I remember looking around to my brothers feeling a surge of pride with all of us actually agreeing to do something so wild. We volunteered to fight Death Eaters, who does that? Harry came up with a plan. I started getting excited. He said be creative. Well I'm wicked on a broom. Figured the faster I was the harder I was to hit. The rest of the fight I was surging from the rage and the excitement of it all. I was maxing the broom and had a lot of spell fire around so I was as focused as I've ever been. For a lot of it I was instinctual dodges and reactions. Years of quidditch paying off. Does that give you something to work with?"

"Yes, Ma'am." Trisha had been a fury of work during both of the conversations, but with how she worked was also an art. Once attuned to the dusts she simply waved her hands over the shades she wanted and the sands themselves seemed to dance out of the jars. Trisha looked far more like she was conducting an orchestra than applying makeup. And when the colors were placed upon Ginny's face, there was a warm comforting sensation that brought a smile to her face. Trisha was enjoying this opportunity. She'd lost count of how many quidditch players she's worked on. This was her first hero so this would be her best work.

"Alright, that will do nicely. And I think Ginny, you should get Harry's reaction first. Take a look Harry."

Ginny had transformed. A shade of red across her lip brought them to attention. Her normally fiery red hair now styled and literally glowed with a crackling electric energy. But what was most striking was the eyes that Harry had described. With touches of soot black and blood red her eyes look like they could possess a man with just a wink. Harry was speechless.

"Well, what do you think?"

"I think Crimson Witch is absolutely lethal."

Trisha explained as she turned Gin around to the mirror. "My father died when I was 5 from a Death Eater attack. You are my vengeance."

Ginny looked in at her own reflection. So often even she would see Little Ginny staring back at her. She looked and even felt more mature. She was no quidditch player. And certainly not just a pretty face. Little Ginny was nowhere to be found. Harry was right. She was lethal. This was what Crimson Witch looked like. "Merlin… Trisha, Thank you."

Trisha stood behind her latest masterpiece and looked at the reflection in the mirror. "His name is Riddle, and I am not afraid. " Both Ginny and Harry shared sly smiles. "Let's get you to wardrobe."

Trisha led them out to a waiting room where Harry got to stay and the other two went further back. Harry could hear a 'Merlin'. He gave it a few minutes, and then Crimson Witch arrived. Once upon a time it may have started out as a quidditch outfit, but not anymore. A flame red vest with gold trim accents. Underneath a sleeveless black leather cloak with red flame accents at the ends. Black denim jeans with knee high boots with no heal also with red and gold flame accents. On her hand were fingerless gloves and on her face was a positively wicked grin. "Babe, I think I like this."

"Crimson Witch looks dressed to kill." Harry had to admit.

"Damn well better believe it."

Trisha led them back to a large open room with a team of people prepping on lighting and other charm effects. Ian smiled when he saw Ginny enter. "Attention, attention, everyone, may I present the Crimson Witch." To which everyone greeted with applause. "I wanted this to be a surprise because the extra energy will shine through on the photos. You are too good for quidditch, and we were never going to demean you. The plan was always to make you look like a hero. Inspiration incarnate. Because…" and looked over to Harry. "His name is Riddle, and we are not afraid."

Harry smiled warmly, and offered his hand. "If there were more people like you, then I don't think I don't think any of us would worry about him."

Shaking Harry's hand, Ian replied. "And that is the point of this isn't it? Encourage and unite the brave?"

"Absolutely." Gin agreed

Ian smiled. "Excellent, Well Crimson, you are front and center, star of the show. Your broom waits for you. Master Potter, I would ask you to just stay behind the cameras out of the shots, but beyond that you are welcome anywhere."

"Crimson if you could hover, we'll get our mages to make the wind for speed shot. Alice, can I get the night battlefield illusion please?"

Harry found another collapsible chair, kept himself where both Ginny and he had clear line of sight of each other. But otherwise, stayed out of the Nimbus team's way. To their credit, they were sticking to what they always said. Inspirational. Scenes of victory in combat. Day night, county, urban, with her flying, standing, casting, fighting. The broom was there plain as day so it would definitely give them promotional material but safe to say Crimson Witch was the star.

The air grew thick from camera smoke and Harry was impressed with the team of people, especially the virtually non-stop group of people passing in more negatives for photos. Finally though, by about mid afternoon, Ian said 'Cut. I think that is about every shot and angle I can think of. Crimson, thank you very much."

"Thank you. This has actually been a fantastic experience."

"Unfortunately, Crimson, we do need the uniform back. But I'll talk with wardrobe and look into a second you can keep. It would provide flexibility when signings and promotions come up."

Ginny smiled. "Harry, have any opinions?"

Harry looked to Ian. "I would be eternally grateful, sir" he said with the stupidest widest smile. Ginny broke down and laughed. The day's worth of intensity in the Witch had run out.

Harry waited outside wardrobe with Reign of Fire, where Ginny emerged dressed as she arrived, but still with Crimson's makeup. Ian came around the corner just as she did, with a developed photo.

"To show our appreciation, I know you've got the Weasley Warriors back home, whom I imagine will be curious what the Witch looks like. Here," he said, handing over a developed photo of Crimson Witch standing with her left leg on a rock and the broom held in her right. Her fiery and electrically charged hair was blown by the wind and her eyes alight in defiance.

Ian escorted them back to the floo and they flamed back to the Burrow, just in time for the evening meal so everyone could see her. Stun and awe was the overall reaction, to which she walked over and sat down completely normal. "It was my photo shoot today, you all knew that."

"Bloody hell." Ron gasped.

"Language." Molly corrected, but with nowhere near any true heart in it.

Hermione had been building up an excitement screech, a true rarity for her. Finally, "You look GORGEOUS!" Then the rest of the table began to sound agreements.

Gin put the picture out to pass around. Bill looked from the picture then back up, "Ginevra, I don't think I can call you little sister. You've clearly grown beyond that."

"You outshine a veela." Fleur said. Short, but specific.

"Thank you, both of you. You have no idea how much that means."

Arthur was slow, but he was smiling so he was worth the wait. "I admit, a photo shoot is not the first thing a father wants for his daughter, but I will agree you do look magnificent. I am truly glad they embraced who you are more than just your surface features. How did they act? How was it today?"

Harry slipped in, "I think Whitehorn has been singing our praises. Everyone there was in awe and very respectful to Gin. Her breaking 160 and apparently the idea of battle brooms has set the place buzzing. Several people were greeting us with "His name is Riddle." Everyone was Miss Weasley to her in the morning, then after she changed. She was Crimson all day long."

"Harry's right, they were all respectful, kind, helpful. I really get the feeling they see this as their contribution in the war against Riddle."

Finally Ginny's attention turned to Molly. "You've been pretty quiet mum." Gin noted.

"Yes, well, I admit you do look quite stunning, but … did they have to go quite so heavy on the makeup?" The table broke out in laughter. "Mum!" Ginny laughed.

Later Harry was studying in his room when Ginny came right in. He did like her directness. "Hey you, she beckoned with a finger."

"What's up?"

"With makeup and photos, I haven't done this all day." as she wrapped Harry up for a good long kiss. "Much better." she said after.

"Glad I could help," he laughed.

Ginny looked around and found the quill on Harry's grabbed in and started writing on the photo. "I want you to have this."

"Gin, that's your first photo, of your first photo shoot."

"And when I want to look at it I'll just come down here and visit." she finished signing it, then pressed a lipstick kiss to the page. "Now it's also my first autograph. And you're the only one who gets the kiss too."

Harry read it,

To my Man Becoming

All my love.

-Crimson Witch

"I think you may have just beat my father's ring in important items in my life."

"OH!" Being there when he received it, she knew what kind of feeling that meant. "Thank you." she said with a hug. "Well if you will excuse me, I do feel like I need a shower. So say goodbye to Crimson Witch."

"Hey, I fell in love with Ginny Weasley. I'm always happy to see her too."

With a peck on his cheek she replied. "Good answer." she replied heading upstairs

Harry smiles as took his wand and stuck the photo to the wall. He'd get a proper frame for it shortly. Definitely his favorite picture.

Picture.

Drawings!

An idea came to him in a flash and he grabbed his writing material and began working furiously at his desk.