Out of the Nest

The air outside rattled the window as the woman wailed.

"You don't have to do this!" She cried, her hands clutching the warn fabric of a handkerchief. Her cheeks were wet and her eyes were raw. Ginny smile sadly as she looked back at her mother.

"I know I don't have to, mum. I want to." Molly Weasley tried to hold back another wave of tears as she helped her only daughter unpack the final box of her belongings.

Ginny had decided that, after finishing Hogwarts, she wanted something more. She was not about to wait around for Harry to realise that he wanted to be with her, or wait for someone to offer her a job just because she fought in the war. Ginny felt the urge to go and explore, even if that found her enrolled in a college in London, and working as a waitress to make ends meet (she was not about to send her family broke because she wanted something else). Molly did not understand why she couldn't just go and get a job with her father, Arthur, who had made his way up the ladder at the Ministry – now working alongside the Minister himself. Ginny had tried to explain that she had no interest in Politics, or even public service – but had failed, leaving a very confused Mrs Weasley with no daughter at home.

She had, at first, considered staying at home while she studied. But, somehow, that became a little harder than necessary. What with Ron and Harry living there, as well as a jobless Percy, a concerned Charlie, and … George. Ginny just felt it was easier to leave.

Hermione had offered her a room in the Granger house-hold, but Ginny had declined as she knew her friends' plans to find her estranged parents and bring them home. The youngest Weasley felt that that was a family issue she had rather not be part of.

So, here she was, her dorm. It was small, but she had survived in a small house with a large family all her life – so it was not a new thing for Ginny. But it smelt strange, different. The Burrow had a unique smell, it was homey – this place smelt clean, too clean.

She was finally unpacked and ready to go, but as she looked back at her mother, she realised how hard this must be for her. It was not like she was going to Hogwarts, where there was magic and banquets and family. She was now all alone.

"Ginny, m-make sure you v-visit!" Molly tried to keep the sobs from flowing out, but Ginny could see her pain.
"Mum, I'm not moving countries! Of course I'll visit," Ginny tried to reassure her, but she knew there was nothing she could say to quell her mothers' fear.

After Molly had cried her last tears and returned home, Ginny sat down on the small bed of her new home and let out a deep breath. What the hell was she thinking?

Her thoughts were cut off by a knock at the door. Ginny was about to open it when a voice carried through:
"Hey! 2E, you wanna come to a party?" Confused, Ginny swung open the door to face a tall man with broad shoulders and a face which would make any woman catch her breath. He had a name tag which read: 'My name is: Batman', on it and a smile which could even stop any straight mans' heart.
"T-two E?" Is all Ginny could make out, still unashamedly staring at his face. With a small chuckle, Batman tapped lightly on the little plaque on her door with displayed a silver number two and the letter 'E'.
"Your room number, 2E, since I have not had the pleasure of your acquaintance yet," He was looking straight into her eyes as he held out his hand and said:
"Lincoln, student supervisor of floor two." She clumsily took his hand and shook.
"Ginny, 2E… obviously."
"Jenny?"
"No, Ginny. With a 'G' and an 'inny'," as she spoke, she mentally face palmed. Great going, stupid. You'll scare him off.
"Ginny, that's an interesting name?"
"Well, yeah. I have an interesting family," Ginny chuckled, finally relaxing around him.
"So, Ginny. Party?" He asked again, wiggling his eyebrows playfully. "L, M, N, O, and P are hosting."
"Well," she said softly, looking at the empty boxes littering her room, "I don't think I have anything else I have to do today," she smiled.
"Great!" Lincoln smiled, rapping his knuckles against her door frame – a seemingly repetitive action of habit. "See you there," he turned to walk away but seemed to remember something. "Oh, it starts at four," he flashed a smile at Ginny, before heading down the corridor.

It was 3:45 and Ginny still had no clue what to wear. Her entire closet was spilled onto her bed, and her brain was about to explode. Half the clothes were too casual, too formal, too colourful, or too dull. Nothing seemed to work. Finally she decided on a dark grey singlet and dark purple jeans; clothes she had picked out with the help of Hermione on their 'before-muggle-college' shopping trip.

Ginny had given her best friend a call, to try and get some tips, but she had been sent to a thing called 'voice-mail' and had been too confused – so she hung up. There were a couple things the young witch had hoped to discuss with her friend, one of them was the problem she seemed to be having with Lincoln – she liked him. Ginny found herself confused when it came to the super attractive second floor student supervisor – namely because she thought she was still in love with Harry, although nothing had happened in that area for a while.

Finally dressed, with makeup and hair complete, Ginny made her way across floor two – following the music and laughter until she found doors L, M, N, O, and P open and occupied by a lot of dancing students. She recognised a few of them from when she moved in, but the others were completely new to her. There was a cough behind her and she turned to see Lincoln standing against the door frame of room 2M, a drink in his hand. He eyed his watch and, with a smirk, said:
"You're late." Ginny looked to her own watch, and laughed.
"It's four minutes passed!" She shook her head as he pushed himself off the wall and slaughtered over to her.
"I said four."
"My apologises," Ginny said as she eyed him. She could tell, by the way his lip was quirked at the side, that he had been joking.
"Apology accepted," he laughed and indicated to the table set up in the centre of the dead end hallway, "now for a drink?"
"Yes, please."

Lincoln laughed with her for a while, until a couple of his friends came, claiming they had to steal him for a 'secret mission' and dragged him off. Ginny suddenly felt very out of place, with no one she knew around her. She was approached by a few guys, most of whom were close to blind drunk by this point, while the youngest Weasley had had little more than a beer. When Lincoln had first handed it to her, her tongue slipped and she blurted, "It's not nearly as strong as firewhiskey!" Lincoln had looked at her confused for a few seconds. But he seemed to get over whatever had stumped him, because he just chuckled and said:
"Wow, 2E, you drink whiskey? I would not have pegged you for that kind of girl."

The night slowly died down and Ginny made her way back to her room. She eyed the door which read 'student supervisor' but saw no light beneath it, indicating Lincoln may still be out. Ginny closed her door behind her and slumped onto her bed, so tired from the move and the party that all she wanted to do was sleep. But instead, she grabbed her toiletries and made her way to the shared girls' bathroom that was a few doors down from her.

Ginny was used to sharing a bathroom, what with living with six brothers and the girls at Hogwarts. But she was still self-conscious when she checked and double checked that no one was able to spy in her while she was showering.

Cleaning all done, and her red hair dripping down her back. Ginny made her way back to her room, clad in just sleeping shorts and the tank from the party. She made a dash for her door and was horrified to realise – she had left her key inside. And to make matters worse, she had also forgotten her wand. What was she going to do?

She hopped from one foot to the other and looked around the hall, thinking furiously. Throwing caution to the wind, she turned back to the door and focused all her attention on it as she whispered:
"Alohamora!" Nothing. Damn. Knowing there was nothing else she could do, she turned to the only person she knew. Lincoln.

As she knocked on his door thoughts rushed through her head. She hadn't seen him for hours, and he had got home late. What if he was with someone?! What if he wasn't home? What if this was not what was done in a muggle school?! Ginny found herself almost hyperventilating as she started to walk from the door and find somewhere to hide. But then it opened.
"2E?" He asked, rubbing his eyes. Ginny looked at him and her eyes widened. He was standing before her in little but his boxers and his chest was… woah. Ginny realised she was staring and looked away.
"Hey, sorry! Lincoln. I uh –" She coughed and shifted on her feet. "I seemed to have found myself… locked out of my room?" She posed this statement as a question, for what reason, she did not know. Lincoln just laughed, shaking his head.
"You came to the right place, 2E," he said, turning back into his room, which – Ginny noticed – was empty of other people. After he quickly pulled on some old looking tracksuit pants, he starting looking around him.

He seemed to be searching for something until he stopped suddenly. "Damn," he cursed softly. He turned back to her with a grimace.
"I leant it to 2L just before," he sighed, checking his watch. "I forgot I did that," he seemed to be talking to himself as he said it. Looking back at Ginny, he scrunched his face.
"You can stay here to wait for him to get back?" Lincoln offered, holding a hand out to his room – which was not much bigger than hers.
"Thanks," she said softly, clutching her towel to her chest, feeling a little exposed. Lincoln seemed to notice this and offered her a sweatshirt from one of his drawers.
"Here," he said, his eyes not leaving hers as she took it.
"Thanks." She slipped it on over her pyjamas and laughed when it fell down to her thighs.
"Looks good on you," he joked, sitting down on his bed. Ginny awkwardly sat on the other end, smiling at him every couple seconds, not sure where to look as her eyes were constantly drawn to his still-exposed chest.

"Did you enjoy the party?" He asked softly, looking up at her from his fingers, with which he had been fiddling.
"Yeah, I did," Ginny smiled, nodding her head slowly and looking out the window which faced the opposite side from the door.
"Meet anyone… new?" He asked, even softer than before. Was he asking if she met a guy? No, of course not.
"I met a few new people," she said, answering him. This is really awkward. Ginny stood, clutching her possessions.
"What's wrong?" Lincoln asked, standing as well and taking a few steps forward. Closing some of the space between them.
"I can wait by my room, I don't want to intrude," she shook her head, suddenly feeling bad for waking him at this hour.
"I don't mind!" He answered, grabbing her hand as she turned to leave. Ginny was not sure what she was thinking – to be honest she was not sure she was thinking. But a second after he grabbed her hand, her other one was on his neck as she leaned up and kissed him. Maybe it was the late time, the small amount of alcohol she had, or even the loneliness she felt from being away from home. The kiss was short, but Ginny was still breathless as she pulled away.
"I'm sorry!" she breathed. Then there was a knock at the door and the two seemed to jump apart.

Lincoln moved to the door and swung it open, revealing who Ginny understood to be 2L with the key. They had a small murmured conversation, finishing with:
"Thanks, Nate," Lincoln farewelled, closing the door. He turned back to her, a smile on his face. If Ginny was a betting girl, she might have said that he was hiding something, some emotion.
"Here you go," he held out a small key, which Ginny accepted quietly.
"Thanks," she smiled too, moving past him. As Ginny turned back she saw that he was staring at her. "I'll give you your sweatshirt back tomorrow," she whispered, realising how close he was.
"Keep it." And with that she left.

She finally made it back to her room, closing the door behind her and taking a few deep breaths. After finding her own key she went back to Lincoln's room. Without the courage to see him again, she slid the key under his door. The next morning Lincoln awoke to find his sweatshirt, freshly washed and dried, folded outside his door with a note reading:

'Thanks,
2Exx'

A/N: AU Competition - 186. Locked out of my dorm room AU

Chocolate Frog - (Bronze) Miranda Goshawk

Word Count - 2,310