This was written for the hpgw_ficafest on Live Journal. My challenge was: DH missing moment: After Harry's birthday kiss, Ginny watches the trio from her window, and for a moment stops fighting the hurt and frustration, then decides to do what she can at Hogwarts. Thanks to my dear friend kjpzak for the beta. I originally signed up just to do art for this challenge and then I thought, why not write a fic too? The story was a lot harder than I thought it would be, but I think it turned out okay :). If you want to see the art, it's located here.
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Hope is the Thing With Feathers | ||||
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Category: Post-DH/AB Characters:All Genres: Angst Warnings: None Story is Complete Rating: PG Reviews: 11 Summary: Written for the hpgw_ficafest. Missing moment from Chapter Seven of Deathly Hallows from Ginny's point of view, Hitcount: Story Total: 5597 Disclaimer: Harry Potter Publishing Rights © J.K.R. Note the opinions in this story are my own and in no way represent the owners of this site. This story subject to copyright law under transformative use. No compensation is made for this work. Author's Notes: |
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Hope is the thing with feathers That perches in the soul, And sings the tune without the words, And never stops at all -Emily Dickenson, “Hope” Ginny sat at her desk, free leg swinging to the tick of the clock. She glanced at the hands and watched minutes slip away. The bedroom door softly clicked shut and Hermione’s steps grew quieter as she descended the stairs. Ginny’s heart fluttered like a hummingbird’s wings. She didn’t have much time, and she had nothing to give him. Nothing tangible, that is. She and Hermione had talked this over. “I think it’s a good idea — for both of you,” Hermione said. She blinked rapidly when she said it. Ginny had never fully appreciated how much Hermione regarded the happiness of her friends until then. Ginny thought of her friend, the promise of keeping Ron distracted in her wake, and her pulse quickened. So much so that she almost trembled, but she didn’t. For that, Ginny was grateful. Outside her door drifted the voice of Hermione accompanied with heavy footfalls. Ginny nervously clenched her fists — her hands felt damp and her fingernails pricked her palms. Even so, she turned the knob and pushed on the door to her room, ignoring the conversation she interrupted. “Harry, will you come in here a moment?” Ron stopped speaking suddenly and stared at her, but Hermione, true to her promise, tugged him away. Ginny didn’t pay them much mind though, because Harry followed her inside. She stopped in front of her window and turned to Harry. A breeze fluttered through her barely open window. He stood an arms distance from her, but she still sensed the tension from earlier, when they were in the kitchen forced to bump arms. She knew he was holding back as much as she was. Right now, Ginny determined, was the time to forget all that. She breathed in and looked at Harry. “Happy seventeenth.” “Yeah…thanks,” Harry replied awkwardly. He looked out the window. Ginny continued to watch him, but he did not glance back. “Nice view,” he said as his eyes scanned the backyard. Ginny decided to plunge on. “I couldn’t think what to get you,” she said, hoping he would look back at her. He didn’t. “You didn’t have to get me anything.” Ginny stepped closer, again with the hope he would stop finding her window so interesting. He swallowed and his expression, though casual, faltered. She wanted to touch his cheek just then, but she didn’t. She rubbed thumb against her fingertips and continued to study him. “I didn’t know what would be useful. Nothing too big, because you wouldn’t be able to take it with you.” Her throat contracted, but she pushed on. Harry looked at her then with that same tender expression she recognized from only months earlier. She felt a swoop of longing. They had only just begun to discover each other as a couple. It wasn’t fair. She knew all his reasons and she had to let him know she would wait for him. She inched closer. “So then I thought, I’d like you to have something to remember me by, you know, if you meet some veela when you’re off doing whatever you’re doing.” Again, a torrent of emotions rushed through her. She recalled what he had said a few days earlier. “And then what does she think’s going to happen? Someone else might kill off Voldemort while she’s holding us here making vol-au-vents?” He meant it as a joke, but the fact he said it as an off-handed comment made it even worse because she knew it was true. Then she remembered how she felt in the kitchen, the same way she felt now — so attracted to him, but restrained, as if her arms were bound to her sides as she tried to reach for him. It wasn’t the same as when they were at Hogwarts, freely running off to corridors to be alone. At this moment, though, the pull was stronger because he was still looking at her, his eyes sincere and steady. She recalled the brush of his lips and her own lips tingled. He smiled a little bit. “I think dating opportunities are going to be pretty thin on the ground, to be honest,” he joked. She watched his lips form the words and smiled back. The distance was closing between them from an arm to a hands length. “There’s the silver lining I’ve been looking for,” Ginny whispered, her face drawing nearer to his. She felt a warm blush bloom on her cheeks. She closed her eyes and kissed him. She was afraid for a moment he would push her away, but he didn’t. He pulled her closer. She opened her mouth slightly and found his tongue. His hand drifted down her back and stroked her hair. Ginny shifted her face; her lips wet and face burning. His feather light touch tickled the small of her back. This is what she longed for — all these days, years even. Ever since she had her first crush on him. To feel his response was a burst of happiness. She drew her arms around his neck and played with the hair at the nape. The door slammed open. Startled, they both jumped backwards. In a second, her happiness wilted. “Oh,” Ron said, “Sorry.” He glared at Harry. “Ron!” Hermione called out from behind him, panting. She mouthed a ‘sorry’ to Ginny and hung back nervously. Ginny looked back to Harry after a moment. “Well, happy birthday anyway, Harry,” she said, unable to hide the disappointment from her voice. He looked back at her, but didn’t say a word. His expression told her he was sorry for kissing her. But, his kiss told her differently. A flash of longing crossed his features and Ginny couldn’t take it anymore. She turned away. She wouldn’t let him see her cry over this. After another pained silence, Harry spoke. “I’ll see you later,” he said quietly. Ginny didn’t turn around to watch him go. She wrapped her arms across her stomach and hugged herself. She was angry with Ron for ruining the moment. She was angry with Harry for leaving her behind. But mostly, she was angry with the entire situation. It just wasn’t fair. She sniffled and wiped the wetness from her cheeks. Her mouth felt heavy in the corners. Outside, she could hear Ron yelling at Harry. She pressed her face into her hands and shook her head. She knew exactly why he had ended it, and it had nothing to do with not wanting her. No, it was precisely the opposite reason. He didn’t want to loose her. Out of all the thoughts running through her head, Ginny clung to that one. It was perhaps the most hopeful thing she had to think of right now. Ginny pulled out her chair and sat down to lean on her desk. She looked out the window to the garden below. Ron was no longer yelling at Harry and Harry stared at the ground grimly. To anyone else in her family, Ginny felt a bud of resentment when they tried to keep her safe. She didn’t feel this way toward Harry. True, she was ready to pick up and follow him as he tried to find some way to kill Voldemort — how ever he may do that, but she wouldn’t. Ginny propped her chin on her arm and watched Harry, upset, turn around and head back toward the house. He didn’t want to leave her, but he had to. She understood that. She wouldn’t stop it or make it harder. But, she would let him know on occasions that she was still his, if he needed to know that. For now, though, it was her job to stay safe until the awful deed was done. And if there was any way for her to help at Hogwarts, she would, as long as she could meet him at the end of this terrible journey. It was the least she could do, Ginny knew. Because, even though they may be young and their relationship had hardly begun, she loved him. She glanced back at her ticking clock and for that moment put her hope in time. |
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