Let It Snow! by quinn



Summary: Ginny is forced to adapt her plans for the evening when a blizzard prevents her from trying out for the Harpies. But where some would see inconvenience, Ginny sees an opportunity. Harry tries to stay strong, but Ginny is committed to make this the night that they "try out" something new. Entered for the "Baby, It's Cold Outside" Challenge.
Rating: PG-13 starstarstarstarhalf-star
Categories: "Baby, It's Cold Outside" Challenge (2008-1)
Characters: None
Genres: None
Warnings: None
Challenges: None
Series: None
Published: 2008.02.27
Updated: 2008.02.29


Let It Snow! by quinn
Chapter 2: Part 2: Opportunity & Part3: A Good Impression
Author's Notes:

Part Two: Opportunity




“Most plain girls are virtuous because of the scarcity of opportunity to be otherwise.”
-Maya Angelou






Ginny Weasley was so surprised by the gale-force winds assailing her that she would have cried out, but the blast had taken her breath away. She squinted through the whiteout and recognized the rusty metal sign that marked the stadium’s Apparition point. Across the large lawn was an old looking warehouse. Local Muggles believed that it was an abandoned toothpaste stocking facility, which, coupled with a light Muggle-repelling charm, insured that no one would attempt to break in and accidentally discover the true nature of the area.

She began trudging through the thick snow, wind and ice blasting against her the whole way. She could just make out the unremarkable door on the side of the building. She pushed on through the knee-deep snow, finally arriving at the door. She tugged on it; it was locked. Ginny felt like her bones were shivering as she tugged her mitten off with her teeth and drew her wand from inside her coat.

Alohomora,” she muttered through her chattering teeth, and the door clicked. She pulled it open and stumbled into a dark corridor.

She was a little surprised by the lack of security, but then again, this wasn’t a game day. She wandered through the door marked ‘LOBBY’ and plopped down in a seat near another door marked ‘MANAGER’. A grin spread across her face. The fact that no one was here meant that she was early, and being on time is one of the keys to making a good first impression.




Harry arrived just in time to see her fluffy brown parka slip through the door. He tried to jog after her, but his footing gave and the wind hurled him into the deep snow. Harry rose carefully to his feet, cursing himself for not bringing a coat. He slowly slogged toward the door. The air was freezing. His skin felt like it was somehow crystallizing, and his ears already ached from the howling wind. Harry pulled out his wand and tried to conjure a hat on his head, but it came out more like a facemask, except tighter and without the convenience of eyeholes.

“Bloody Hell,” Harry would have said if it hadn’t been muffled by a mouthful of wool.

He began running, slipping and stumbling blindly for what felt like hours. Somehow his hands found the sharp cold of a metal handle. He yanked open the door and stumbled in, letting the wind blow the door shut behind him.




Ginny jumped as a loud booming noise echoed through the building. She stood quickly, running over the list Hermione had given her in her head one last time. She had spent the last few nights studying “The Seven Keys of Making a Good Impression”. She’d dressed modestly and been early, so that was set.

Now I just need to stand up straight, shake hands firmly, speak clearly, avoid controversial topics and… Ginny went cold. She swallowed, trying desperately to remember as the door of the lobby opened.

Any fear she had vanished immediately as the man walked in. He was tugging at his hat, which looked like it was somehow trying to consume his head. She waited a moment before clearing her throat and saying, “Do you need help?”

He froze, his green eyes and glasses flashing toward her through the tear he’d managed to make in the wool.

“Harry?”




“Bugger.”

Ginny handed him back the letter. Harry could tell she was disappointed. He tugged again at the green wool encasing his head. He heard her sigh.

“Let me help.” Ginny took hold of the edges, and she and Harry pulled. A moment later, Harry found himself on his rather sore rear looking up at Ginny, who was holding what was left of the hat.

”Well, so nice that you dropped in! I’ll take your hat.” Then she began laughing.

Harry raised an eyebrow. ”What?”

”Your hair looks… nice.” He stuck his tongue out at her, and almost bit it with his still-chattering teeth. He pulled out his wand again, waving it over the floor. A small lump of fabric appeared, and he picked up a thing that resembled a coat, but could never be used as one.

”Why am I rubbish at Conjuring tonight?”

Ginny sighed. “Harry, you can’t Conjure on stadium grounds. They have wards against it.”

“Why?”

“Think, Harry. They can watch the doors for what people are bringing in, but what’s stopping someone from creating a bunch of franchise products in here and selling them?” Ginny handed Harry her coat; he scowled at her. He waved his wand again. This time something appeared that looked like a tattered sheet.

“Well, I wish I knew how to break this spell.”

“Give it up, Harry”

He pulled the sheet around him, finally starting to feel a little warmer. He looked up to see Ginny staring through the glass of the Manager’s door and out the window beyond. The air was wild with snow.

”Look on the bright side, Gin. There’s no way you’d want to fly in that mess.” She continued to stare, an unfamiliar glint in her eyes. “It’s a billion below, after all. We should get you home. This blizzard isn’t going to let up anytime soon.”




“It’s not, is it?” Her eyes flashed briefly, and she rose from her seat. She wandered to the Manager’s office and pushed the door open.

She could practically feel Harry squirming behind her. “Gin, I don’t think you’re supposed to just…”

She whirled on him. “You are NOT about to lecture me on rule breaking, are you?”

Harry’s eyes widened. “No, of course not.”

She grinned. “Good.” She ran to the window, looking down at where the pitch should have been. It was lost in the careening snow. “Harry, come here. Look out the window at that storm.”




“Gin,” Harry said from behind her. “This evening has been so…” he took her hands. “Well, very nice, and I don’t want to ruin it by worrying your…”

“Merlin, your hands are just like ice! I’ll hold them.” She started rubbing them slowly, then she looked up into his eyes. “What were you saying?”

Harry found himself thoroughly distracted. The way she was looking at him somehow made it impossible to talk about her mother. “She’ll be worried, what with the weather and all.”

“What’s your hurry, love? I’m at a tryout, remember?”

Right, until you mysteriously have to schedule another. “This is all wrong, your father…”

“…will rest easy, knowing that I’m in good hands.” She wrapped his arms around her waist. “He trusts you. He trusts me. He’s hardly the type to be pacing the floor, Harry.”

Harry broke free, walking over to the office’s fireplace. He lit it and grabbed some floo powder from the pot on the mantle. He tossed some in. Nothing happened.

Ginny put a hand on his shoulder. “Office floos have hours. They don’t want anyone bursting in late at night, Harry.”

“Like us?”

She turned him around. “Exactly.” He found himself staring at her lips as they turned up toward him, then was lost in her kiss. “Romantic of you to light a fire, though.”

Harry swallowed as Ginny moved to kiss his neck. Harry felt energy building within him, struggling to take control. She trailed around to his ear, humming softly. The fire roared loudly.

Ginny noticed, pulling away for a moment. “Oh really?”

Harry shivered. “Why are you doing that?”

“Why was I humming, as if I knew you can’t resist it?” She did it again, gaining another roar from the fireplace. “I know how you work, Harry. There’s no sense in wounding my pride here.”

She attacked him again. “At least I’m gonna say that I tried.” She snorted. He let his eyes close, and was about to give in when tomorrow’s potential headline flashed through his mind. “Gin, we can’t stay here this long, if someone walks in…”

“We’ll tell them we’re waiting out the storm.”

“Sure, then it’s in the papers, and…”

“The papers?”

“Sure! If we’re in here all night, well, at least there will be plenty implied!” She laughed. “Gin, it happened all summer, and twice this fall! We were seen together, pictures were taken…”

“Somebody was spreading rumors and we made headlines. What are you afraid of, Harry? The next headline? I can see it now: ‘Saviour of the Wizarding World or Pervert Exhibitionist? Potter Shacks Up with Surrogate Sister in Quidditch Stadium!’”

“I do NOT think of you as a surrogate sister.”

“What do you think of me as?” She pulled him into a chair with her. They were silent for a few moments as Harry gave in to her warmth.

He began kissing her again. “Surrogate sister indeed,” Harry mumbled against her mouth. But thinking about sisters landed him on another reason they had to leave.

”Hermione! She’ll be suspicious! And Ron… Ron’s probably standing at the door…”

“So you’re turning me down because you’re afraid of Ron?”

“And Bill, and Charlie, and George… and definitely George.”

“Percy?”

“Not so much.”

“You’re the Chosen One, remember?”

“I think I’ve used up my miraculous survivals, I don’t want to risk it with your brothers.”

“You just have to remember, Harry, they’re as afraid of you as you are of them.” Harry laughed. “It’s true! There's nothing more dangerous than a boy with charm.”




”Charm… That’s it Gin! We could make a Portkey!” Ginny bit her lip. Unfortunately, that was a viable option. “That way we can get to the Burrow without going back outside! I can just floo home from there.”

Ginny watched Harry as he started looking for something that he could use. She wracked her brain, looking for any excuse.

”This pen will work. Come on, the bus is leaving!” Harry set the pen on the floor. He froze when he heard Ginny’s sniffle.

“I guess I just have to be strong, if you… if you want to leave…” she mumbled, turning away from him.

“What?”

“If you ever change your mind, about leaving... leaving me behind”

“Ginny, that’s not what I…” He came up behind her, touching her shoulder, “I thought we’d been over all that.”

”I know. It’s just…” She whirled, grabbing his wand from him. “Hah!”

“You… you little MINX!”

“Harry, that would have been an illegal Portkey, and I will not have my beloved be a criminal. Again.”

“Give it back!” Harry grabbed for the wand; she easily sidestepped him.

“Although I do admit that the ‘Undesirable Number One’ poster couldn’t have been more mislabeled. You should have seen how many girls tacked it above their…” Harry dove for the wand again, she dodged and sent him sprawling with a Trip Jinx.

“Like it would work for you now anyway! I defeated you, Harry. I’m the mistress of the Potter Wand!”

Harry looked up at her from the floor. “You defeated me two years ago, Gin.” She raised an eyebrow, pulling him back to his feet. She sat on the desk and pulled him close. Their kissing grew more and more heated, until Harry slid a hand under her shirt and she jumped.

“You’re still like ice, Harry.” She pulled him back out to the lobby, rifled through her handbag and pulled out a small corked phial.

“It’s a Warming Potion.”

He looked at her blankly. “You’ve had that this whole time?”

She grinned. “Did you ask?” He swallowed it. Ginny watched as color rushed to his cheeks.

“Say, what’s in this?”

”Nothing that can keep you warm out there, if that’s what you’re thinking.

”Well, minx or not, thanks. That is much better.”

Ginny slid closer to him. “Well, now I’m the cold one. You need to share, Mr. Potter.”

He took her hand. “How’s that?”

She pretended to swoon. “Oh, Harry, I thrill when you touch my hand…”

A click behind them made them both whirl around. The Manager’s door was closed again.

”Gin, look how jumpy we are. We have to get out of here. Let’s just make a break for it.”

Ginny swallowed. “No Harry. I mean… You could get sick! It seems like our lives have just started. Think of my lifelong sorrow if you caught pneumonia.” Harry looked unconvinced. “And died.”




“Conjure me a coat then, oh mistress.”

Ginny froze. “The wands… They were in my pocket. They must have fallen out on the desk while we were–“

”No problem, we’ll just…” Harry pulled on the door. It was locked. Harry expected to feel terror. Instead he found himself becoming excited.

“Harry, the wands are…”

”I know. Maybe we can, I don’t know…”

Ginny smiled at him wickedly. “Make the most of things?”

”That’s not a bad idea.” Harry spread out his ratty sheet. “Gin, we’ve never spent the night together before.”

”I know.”

”You know how much I want this, but–”

”We’ll go slow, Harry. Only what we’re ready for.”

He kissed her. If it comes to it, we can always say we never got that letter, Harry thought to himself, then he closed his eyes and was lost in the moment.







Part Three: A Good Impression




Do you really think it is weakness that yields to temptation? I tell you that there are terrible temptations which it requires strength, strength and courage to yield to.

-Oscar Wilde






Ginny Weasley felt like she was floating, soaring through clouds with a smoothness that even Harry’s Firebolt didn’t provide. As she slowly woke up, she could feel his warmth along her whole body. She sighed.

”Morning, beautiful.”

Harry’s low morning voice made her smile. “What are you doing awake? I thought you’d be tired, she said, turning onto her side to face him.

”Sleeping would mean missing out on quite the view.” Ginny felt her cheeks color.

”Well remember, love, you’re the one holding me back from showing you any more,” she purred.

Harry chuckled. “I know. Believe me, that creature in my chest is on your side.”

”That’s not exactly the part that I’m interested in, Harry.” He laughed as she kissed him.

”What a way to wake up.” They rolled over each other, hands exploring places that had been discovered the night before.

They startled at the sound of a clearing throat. She scrambled off of Harry and stumbled to her feet, desperately trying to straighten her clothes.

“Gwenog Jones!”

“Weasley? Didn’t you get my note?”

The muscular woman was looking her up and down, and somehow Hermione’s list came to her mind. If the seventh isn’t ‘Don’t get caught sleeping with your boyfriend in public,’ it should be.

Ginny found herself speechless as she watched a tall man scoop her letter from the floor, glance over it, and hand it to the Quidditch legend. “Yes, it seems you did. And yet you’re here…”

Harry cleared his throat. “I got your note after she left, Ms. Jones, and I, well–“

“Harry came after me, and, well…”

“We got snowed in.”

The man grinned, turning slightly away. “I see,” she said, “I see indeed.” The muscular woman walked over and stood face to face with Ginny. She felt tiny. “Well, it’s Ginny, right?” She found the boldness to nod. “You’re going to fit right in here.” She and her tall friend burst out laughing.

Harry stepped forward, confusion all over his face. “But we–“ He was cut off by Ginny’s elbow.

”I’m not sure I understand, Ms. Jones. What about my try-out?”

”Gwen, please. Your try-out was a lot more about learning what kind of person you are than seeing you fly. I’ve seen you fly seven times this season between games and practices. What I needed to know is if you’d fit in with the girls.”

Harry looked dumbfounded. Ginny could empathize. “And somehow breaking the law with my boyfriend qualifies me?”

The man laughed. “I like you. Name’s Chris Bashir.” She shook his hand.

”I know you,” Harry said, “You’re Oliver’s captain. You beat for Puddlemere.” He shook his hand.

”Honor’s all mine, Potter. Pleasure to meet you, whatever the circumstances.” He laughed again.

Gwenog plopped into a chair. “Ginny, our last recruit was a prude. I thought she might balance us out, add a little dedication to the mix.” Gwenog leaned back. “It was awful. She analyzed everything, she killed every conversation she came in contact with. I had to bag her or risk losing any team bond that we had.”

”What I see this morning is not a problem. A girl who would seduce her boyfriend in the lobby is exactly the fire that we need on the team.”

Ginny’s excitement finally burst through. “So you’re saying I’m…”

Gwenog laughed. “You’re a Harpie, if you’ll take the position. You’ll be an alternate until spring, and then it’s game on.”

”I don’t know what to say!”

Gwenog grinned. “Let’s all go grab some breakfast; we can all get to know each other.”
“Ginny, our wands, we need to–”

Harry was cut off, again, by Ginny’s elbow. “Oh, right. I forgot to mention one little thing.” She handed him his wand as he rubbed his stomach.

“You had them?”

“Of course! You don’t think I’d really leave us without protection, do you Harry?”

”But where–“
“I tucked them into my coat while you took your potion. Maybe if you’d gotten a little more… adventurous last night, I would have had to pull it out.” Ginny winked; Harry’s eyes widened.

”Wow, there’s a lot of information I didn’t need.” Chris laughed, shaking his head at Harry.

“And what were you doing here all night?” Harry asked, sounding more than a little defensive.
“That’s private.”
Gwenog laughed. “We’ve nothing to hide. He came to keep me company. It was an innocent date, Harry Potter. We were having a drink, there was dancing, and singing, and… “

“…moving to the grooving?” Harry interrupted.

Gwenog raised an eyebrow. “Hit him, Ginny, one more time”

Harry stepped away, grinning. Ginny smiled. “Here’s a better idea. The storm’s cleared up; Why don’t you join us at the Burrow for breakfast? We can tell my family that we were all snowed in.”

Gwenog shook her head, smiling. “So now I’m an alibi too... You’ll fit right in, indeed.”


END

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