A/N – Ok ok, so I'm finally back with a brand-new fic that has nothing to do with any of my others. I have a good feeling about this fic – which I hope will last, too. Anyway, it's very different. (Haha, I say that about all of them don't I?) Don't expect the next chapter for another 2-3 weeks because school this year has gotten so time-consuming. A big thanks to people who have helped me with this, Naz, Aniket and Emma. (although that latter probably thinks she hasn't helped much – which she has).
Anyway, enjoy the fic – it a fairly short one with only 11-12 chapters but hopefully a good one…
Write That Down
Disclaimer: I own nothing except for the plot. All the rest belongs to JK Rowling and the quote from anonymous.
To dare to live alone is the rarest courage; since there are many
who had rather meet their bittersweet enemy in the field
than their own hearts in their closet
- Anonymous
- - - - - - - -
What were the odds? His hands trembled as he read the paper for the third time in ten minutes, his eyes drinking in the picture. Somehow, somewhere, somebody had tampered with fate and she was coming. Here. Against all odds and of all the places, this was the place and time. He looked out to sea, watching the sunset in foreboding. Another long, sleepless and terrifying night lay ahead. But there was going to be one difference this time, this night: she was going to be close by.
- - - - - - - -
1 year earlier…
Rudolphus Lestrange paced the small box of a room, hair messy and eyes wild. He was sweating badly and the smell of nasty potions lingered unpleasantly in the stuffy air. He kept pacing, muttering to himself and fingering his wand angrily.
"Revenge…" he kept repeating, ignoring his rumbling stomach. He had not eaten in days, and his ribs were sticking out. The thought of revenge was all that fed him, all that was keeping him alive. He glanced quickly at the man slumped in the corner, breathing but not at all conscious. Some Muggle. Rudolphus thought that he may come in handy some time or another. He wanted to make sure he remained Stunned though.
Rudolphus sat down on the grimy floor of his square house in the woods. The moon glowed outside the window, just out of sight, but its beams spilled onto the dirt on the windowsill, making eerie patches of light splay across the room. He pulled the newspaper towards him, spitting at the front picture of Arthur Weasley; the man who had killed his wife in front of his very eyes and had smiled when he did it. What he wouldn't give to torture that man until he screamed and cried for mercy. Because of that filth, that blood traitor, he was reduced to this – some – some madman in the woods.
"No, no, not mad," he assured himself in a quick whisper. "Revenge. For revenge."
He read over the article, baring his teeth as the rest of the filth's family was mentioned. All of them were blood traitors. They were the dirt beneath his shoe and deserved nothing but this cabin in the woods.
But then something caught his eye.
He grabbed the paper and held it closer, his breath quickening in excitement. He read and reread the article again, biting his lip so hard it bled. He licked the blood, almost savouring it.
Arthur Weasley's youngest and only daughter, an established writer, has recently revealed plans to write a book on living in a Muggle town in the following year. Her proud father says that she hopes to end the resentment towards Muggles by a small number of wizards and witches since the end of the war because of all the lives lost for their safety.
Could he do it? Could he do something so difficult? More blood trickled down his chin and he wiped it away, eyes rolling in the back of his head as he thought deeply. Yes. Yes, it could work if he worked hard. He'd need to change though, find a different house maybe. A cover story.
A groan from the corner startled Rudolphus and he looked up. The Muggle man was staring back at him with the utmost terror, taking in the ragged and mad appearance and the blood trickling down his chin. Rudolphus grinned at him, eyes wide with excitement. He stood up and grabbed his wand, standing in front of the man, who cowered.
"Who are you?" he said foggily, he was still woozy from being Stunned for the past week. The wooziness didn't stop his fear, though. Rudolphus could smell it and it excited him further.
He smiled down at the man, swaying from lack of food. Then he Stunned him again.
"Shh," he crooned to the unconscious man before him. "I'll be needing you. You're going to help me re-start the war."
- - - - - - - -
Present…
"I am never going to get all of this stuff packed in time," groaned Ginny, dropping a huge brown moving box on the couch. She groaned again and stretched her back.
"Yes you will," said Hermione impatiently. "But-"
"- not if you don't use your wand…"Ginny interrupted, imitating what she knew Hermione was going to say. She rolled hey eyes and grinned at her brown-haired friend.
Hermione shrugged. "Well, it is true."
"Hermione, if I'm going to be living, eating and breathing like a Muggle for a year, I might as well start practicing," Ginny said mildly while picking up a vase and putting it in the box. Hermione had been making comments like this for the past week and Ginny was trying to stay calm about it.
She turned around and searched the room, pursing her lips.
"Hmm, what else needs to be packed?"
Hermione watched the youngest Weasley, wondering how on earth Ginny had picked up her father's love of non-magic people and customs. Ginny had stunned everyone after telling them that she was going to live in a Muggle town for a year to write a book on her experiences. And now she was leaving with her husband, Eric, tomorrow. Hermione knew she was going to find it hard not having Ginny around, as she was one of the few female friends that she had.
"I still cannot believe you are doing this, Gin." Hermione sat down and stared at Ginny.
Ginny merely hummed to herself as she packed, she'd heard this many a time before.
"I mean, a year is a long time and are you sure that you and Eric are ready for this? You only got married three months ago."
"I've known that I was going to be doing this book for a long time now, I think it will be an adventure and something to talk about for the rest of my life. And if not Eric, Hermione, who else?" Ginny put her hand on her hips and faced Hermione.
Hermione smiled. "I'm just going to miss you, that's all."
Ginny's face softened and she leant over the couch to give her friend a quick hug. "I'll miss you too but we'll be back before you know it, so no need to worry."
"Oh I'm not worrying," Hermione said quickly. "Eric is perfectly capable of protecting you. Actually, I never did ask you how you talked him into it. I know he's never been fond of Muggles."
Ginny grinned. "Because he loves me." Ginny let her grin fade into a nostalgic smile. Her time with Eric had passed in a whirlwind of events; they met by accident at the Ministry, they flirted at a bar, they dined together at a restaurant, he met her family, she heard how his had died in the war… and then they were married. One thing had just led smoothly to the next, like the perfect dream where you got somewhere impossible and it didn't even seem weird. She¸ Ginny Weasley was married.
Hermione smiled back, she definitely knew what loving somebody could do. Herself when it came to Ron was example of that. "Well, I better get a sneak peak of your book, then."
"Obviously you're proofing it, Hermione!" Ginny laughed. "So clearly much more than just a sneak peak." Hermione laughed with her.
BANG!
Both women jumped and Hermione raised an eyebrow.
"Fred and George?" she asked, already knowing the answer.
Ginny bit her lip guiltily. "They're really excited about having a place to do experiments – where the neighbours don't complain to the Ministry about the smells and noises and stuff."
"They've moved in already? You're very brave," said Hermione, shaking her head. "Eric's not the only one blinded by love. The things you do for those two…"
"Any of my brothers!" protested Ginny.
"Bill?"
"Yes."
"Ron?"
"Yup."
"Percy?"
Silence.
Hermione coloured. "Sorry, I wasn't thinking."
"Honestly, don't worry Hermione. Everybody knows things aren't and never will be great or even okay between Percy and me." Ginny shrugged. "He doesn't really get on with most of the family except for Mum and Charlie."
"Ron doesn't mind him," said Hermione.
"Because you tell him not to," said Ginny with a smirk.
BANG! This was followed by an ominous hissing sound from within the depths of the room with the closed door.
Hermione grinned and then turned serious.
"Ginny," she began hesitantly. "I've been meaning to ask you… what the… you know… at night… how do you find… it?"
Ginny sat down on the couch, moving the box aside. She was all timidness now, biting her lip and playing with her hands. "Well, it's just – just okay I guess. It's supposed to be painful, right?" She looked deploringly at Hermione, furrowing her brows. "I mean not painful… but – you know – like not… enjoyable." She played with her fingers and kicked the carpet. "I – I don't… Honestly Hermione? I hate it. I really do. It's not magic, it's not wonderful and it's so… awful to go through but Eric he – I… don't want to disappoint him, you know?"
Hermione looked troubled. "Well quite truthfully, no, I don't." She frowned and pulled on her robes. "You should like it by now, Gin, I don't really understand."
Ginny leant back over the cushions in defeat. "Neither do I; so I just keep hoping it'll get better."
Hermione patted her arm sympathetically. "It will, I promise. Eric loves you, he's never want to hurt you. I know it'll work out, Gin."
Ginny pulled a face and gave a small smile. "Yeah, I hope so. But I'm not too worried at the moment. How about you and Ron?"
Hermione gave her sister-in-law a huge smile. "The same as it always was. We fight, we kiss, we fight, we kiss… a never ending cycle. And Merlin I love it."
"In other words… still married?"
"Yeah. I mean, I never saw myself marrying almost right after school finished but… it's Ron. We were always going to get married so why not just get it over with, right?"
"Right."
"Remember when you and Harry bet we wouldn't last a year after school finished. And now we're married!" Hermione laughed and then kicked herself when she saw Ginny's face. "Yes, well you were um, wrong. I…" Hermione crumpled. "Sorry, sometimes he just slips into the conversation like he's always been here."
"I know." Ginny stared out the window.
"I sometimes wish that he could have been best man at our wedding. I don't think Ron will ever be able to recover from that blow…" Hermione trailed off and then shook her head and put a self-deprecating smile back on her face. "Even I sometimes look down at the ring we all shared and try to will it to change colour. Some part of me keeps hoping and won't take it off."
Ginny looked at the small ring on Hermione's slender finger. In seventh year, Ron, Hermione and Harry had needed something to ensure the others were alive and used a spell that needed an object to determine this. That way, if they were in trouble then the others would immediately know. The stone on the ring changed colour to show this, and ever since Harry had died the ring had gone green. The problem was, dead was black, but it was green. Hermione had said that didn't mean anything though, the three of them weren't very experienced in making the spell on the ring and that was bound to happen. But that green stone kept them all hoping.
"Look Ginny, just keep trying, okay?" Hermione had gotten back on track. "You love Eric and that's all a marriage needs. Love between both people."
Ginny nodded. "Oh! Have I shown you the photo of the town?" she asked, changing the subject quickly.
Hermione shook her head and Ginny went to go get the photo. Hermione was still worried but she smiled eagerly when Ginny handed her the stack of pictures with the one of the village on top.
A small, old looking town slept peacefully in the hollow of a gentle hill. The hill lead to a cliff with three houses on it and then there was a steep plunge into the water below. Ginny pointed to the middle house on the cliff, indicating it was the one she and Eric were going to be living in.
"It's very pretty and peaceful looking – perfect for writing a book," said Hermione.
BANG! BANG!
Ginny dropped the photo in surprise and turned to one of the bedroom doors of her flat where thick purple smoke was suddenly billowing out of. Seconds later the door swung open and two redheaded men appeared from inside the room, one carrying a clipboard. The smoke was billowing out even thicker now and Ginny started coughing.
"What-" She broke off coughing.
"I think we've almost got it!" George exclaimed, scribbling furiously on the clipboard.
"Now we just need to get rid of the purple smoke," said Fred thoughtfully as he surveyed the smoke.
"-and the bangs."
"-and the hissing sound."
"The future looks very bright," George said happily, drawing a definite tick on the piece of paper.
"I take it you've had no success then?" Hermione said sarcastically, sniffing the purple smoke (which had grown louder and filled the living room) and making a face.
George stopped and looked over the clipboard at Hermione like she was a rival inventor.
"No," he said delicately. "Only…" he looked back down at the clipboard and then back up again. "…seventy-three ways that don't work. I personally would call that close to a breakthrough, however."
"Oh, sorry, right." Hermione snorted elegantly and turned to look at Ginny, who was studying the purple smoke curiously.
"This flat better be just the same as it is now when I get back, Fred," she warned.
"Filled with pungent purple smoke? Deal."
Ginny rolled her eyes but couldn't help but laugh. "Just no holes in the wall or hidden booby traps."
Hermione went back to the photographs and gasped when she flipped to the next photo. Harry, Ron and herself stood waving in their graduation robes, behind a half ruined Hogwarts from the war. Ginny frowned and came to see what was wrong. She stopped when she saw the photo.
"I – I though I had put that away. Sorry," she said in a funny, high voice.
"No, no, I like looking at him," said Hermione, holding the photo tightly. "It helps me remember him."
Fred and George, despite not seeing the photograph, knew who was in it and they became serious.
"He was just… he was my best friend – Ron's best friend and I – we – loved him so much," said Hermione in the same funny voice as Ginny.
"We all did," echoed Ginny.
"We don't know for sure…" said Fred cautiously.
"If he was alive, Fred, he would come to us," said Hermione briskly, wiping her eyes suspiciously. "But it does seem like he's still just around the corner sometimes, doesn't it?" she asked Ginny.
"Just getting a third helping from mum at the Burrow," said Ginny, smiling softly. "But he saved the Wizarding world, just like everybody knew that he would. He gave us that, by killing You-Know-Who even if – even if he had to sacrifice himself to do it."
There was a silence for a couple of minutes.
"Well, I'm almost done packing," said Ginny with forced cheeriness, breaking the silence. She hated talking about Harry; it came with such bittersweet memories.
"Just about," said Hermione as she wiped her eyes again and busied herself with the last few boxes. The twins flooed back to the Burrow for lunch, where Hermione was about to go, too. "I really still can't believe you're leaving, I feel like I'm never going to see you again."
"Don't be silly, I'll be back before you know it and maybe you'll be expecting by the time that I'm back?" Ginny waggled her eyebrows suggestively.
Hermione hit Ginny on the arm half-heartedly. "Oh, very funny."
"So what about when you come back? Are you going to try to train for being an Auror again?"
Ginny gave Hermione a weary look like this was a long source of arguments – which it was. "Hermione, I failed the trials, I'm not going to bother trying again. Besides, I've decided I like writing – hence why I'm going away to write a book."
She had wanted to be an Auror for years, but she hadn't been accepted and had met Eric at the same time, and the wish to be an Auror wasn't so strong after that. Besides, Eric had a good job at the Ministry and could support them both just fine, he had convinced her of this. So she had trashed that dream for a life with Eric, which wasn't really such a bad thing.
"I keep hoping you're going to realise how bored you're going to get with no magic people around you except Eric. Merlin, you two aren't even taking your wands you're so dedicated!" Hermione sounded awed.
"How could I get bored, Hermione! I'm going to be surrounded by Muggles, meeting new people and making new friends and growing closer to Eric and writing about being happy. How much more perfect can life get?"
"It can't," said Hermione. She smiled as Ginny danced about the room and she felt sad and happy for her at the same time. "Life is going to be so wonderful for you," she added, not knowing just how wrong she was going to be.
Later in the afternoon, Ginny was searching around her bedroom frantically, it was almost time for her to go the Burrow for the goodbye dinner to her and Eric and she had lost her book plan in the midst of all the scramble of packing. Ginny searched through all of her drawers, throwing the possessions she was leaving behind everywhere. She accidentally ripped – in her frenzy – today's paper with her picture and a short article about her book and going to the coast. Eric had saved a copy anyway.
"Dammit, where is it?" she muttered to herself as she felt the very back of one of the bottom drawers in the cupboard. She groped around for the parchment but instead she pulled out a small leather bag.
"What's this?" she mused aloud, pulling on the drawstring. She pulled out something small and circular. A ring. Ginny gasped and sunk slowly to her knees and pressed her fingers to her mouth, closing her eyes. She felt uninvited tears well up and she squeezed her fists together. Leaning against the desk, Ginny let the tears fall. She could still feel him, because his love had touched someplace that nobody else could.
Sometimes it felt like only yesterday that she had been engaged to Harry and so deeply in love that every now and then she still cried over the loss of that love.
- - - - - - -
"I'll be back before you know it," Ginny promised a sobbing Mrs Weasley. "You won't even have time to miss me," she said. All of her family stood around her, a mixture of smiling and crying.
"I'm going to miss my baby girl!" cried Mrs Weasley, hugging her daughter.
"I'll miss you too, Mum." Ginny caught her brother Bill's eye and tried not to smile. She had been dealing with her mother being like this all through dinner. Even her father wasn't this bad.
Eric smiled at Mrs Weasley. "You know I'll make sure she doesn't get into any trouble, Molly," he said kindly, squeezing Ginny around the waist.
"Of course you will, I wouldn't trust anybody else," joked Mr Weasley, gently prying his wife away from Ginny. Everybody laughed and hugged Ginny for the last time.
"Well, we'll be waiting with a 'Welcome Back' dinner for when you get back in exactly a year, no later," said Mrs Weasley, wiping her eyes on her apron. "But you can come back earlier."
Ginny felt somebody tap her on the shoulder and she turned.
Percy.
"Yes?" she said tensely.
"May I speak with you alone? Please?"
Ginny stared at her brother for a second and then slipped out of Eric's arms. "I'll be out the back in a sec, just wait for me."
She followed Percy into the living room, pursing her lips.
"What is it, Percy?"
"Ginny, I do not want you to go through with this. At least not right now, I don't think it's a good idea."
"Merlin, Percy! What is your problem?" Ginny snapped, as he turned to face her.
"I just don't trust him," Percy said stiffly.
"You couldn't even be happy for me on my wedding day and now I'm not going to be seeing you for a year and you still can't even pretend to smile!"
"All I am asking of you Ginny is that you think about this less rashly," Percy said as calmly as he could but his ears were flaming red and he was breathing loudly.
"Less rashly?" Ginny said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "I was planning this book before I even met Eric, Percy!"
"Yes," continued Percy smoothly, trying to keep his temper. "And now you've met him and he's going with you. The war ended only recently and people are still recovering, now is not the time to go running off on a mere whim." He wanted to add with that man but he through better of it, Ginny was angry enough.
"Of course he's coming with me – he's my husband! And recently, Percy – the war ended a year and a half ago!"
"And people are, like I said, still recov-"
Ginny interrupted. "And don't you dare call it a whim or running off! It's my book for Merlin's sake! My job – my life!
"That's fine! You know I approve of your writing… but Eric… he's… I just want you to wait. I do not trust that man."
Ginny was laughing bitterly now. "Funny, you're the only one. You approve of my writing? Approve? Oh, that's good to hear. Cheers to your approval!" Ginny said acidly.
"Well – well it's not so long ago that you were in love with Harry Potter!" Percy burst out. He instantly regretted saying it.
"I'm sorry, I-" he began guiltily.
"No. You know what? Save it." Ginny grabbed her bag; hurt and angry. "I'll see you in a year, Percy."
She stormed out the door after saying a quick last goodbye to her family and Disapparated away with Eric.
They arrived at Ginny's front door a few seconds later. Ginny reached for her wand and unlocked the door. Neither said a word, this was it. Eric waved his wand and all the packed boxes disappeared, Ginny knew that every single box was now present in their new home of the house on the cliff. She silently went into her bedroom and Eric followed her half a minute later, fumbling with his robes. She opened the secret hole in her wall with her wand. She nodded to Eric and they both put their wands down in the hole and Ginny sealed it up without magic.
They walked outside and looked at each other for a second. Eric leant down and quickly kissed her. He was so tall that Ginny had to stand on tiptoes to meet his lips. Ginny pulled back and studied him in the pale moonlight for a second; she hoped they would become closer in the year alone together. She sensed that he held back from her ever so slightly. Something was tucked away that she hadn't yet been able to reach and it bothered her, because something told her it was important. She knew that he loved her, but he forced himself to distance a part of him. She guessed it was because of the deaths of his family during the war; that maybe he'd never had the time to process and fully recover from the sadness. He was already in general a quiet man, with an ironic sense of humour that showed itself only sometimes and a smile that didn't always reach his eyes. But he touched her softly and loved her deeply, which was what was most important to her.
"Ready?" he asked.
"Ready," she replied, shaking her head slightly to get rid of her thoughts.
They both leant down and touched the old tire on the ground beside them, a portky. Seconds later, she fell into an unknown dirt path and was taking deep gasps of fresh, salty air and surrounded by unfamiliar and inky darkness.
They were here.
TBC…