faintheart
pairing; vague JustinGinny
for; Nanaho-hime's Bizarre Pairings challenge
line; "he might even be braver than her, but that's not saying much"
a/n; I've never written either of these characters before, so I decided I wanted to write them somewhat unconventionally while keeping them cannon-compliant. I think this is more the case for Ginny, though. Also, I'm not really specific as to when, where, and how this encounter takes place, so use your imagination. ;)

They see each other once, just as the wizarding world begins picking up speed on its descent into madness, just as they start shipping muggleborns off to Azkaban and worse.

He's got his wand in his hand and his bags neatly packed--really, he'll only need the essentials and she thinks of telling him this but stops, asks him instead, "What are you going to do?" even if the answer is obvious.

"Run," he says, "what else is there?" but there's something in the set of his jaw and the curve of his wrist that contradicts, that suggests he's a killer (not the sort with masks and curses but rather the sort with a family and friends and fingers willing to fight for them), that suggests if it weren't unquestionably suicide he would be right in the thick of it.

He's brave, a lot braver than he lets on especially when he doesn't say a word except what he must. He might even be braver than her, but that's not saying much. With her stiff shoulders and visions of corpses and 'I wish this would just be over already' she's every bit a coward; just a little girl going through the motions because she's a Gryffindor and her family is in the Order and her brother is Ron Weasley and her boyfriend is Harry Potter.

Because right now she thinks she might be going out of her mind with fear, and she would trade away everything for a chance at safety. And he, he could have had Eton and social status and a thoroughly normal life, but instead he gets magic and prejudice and looking over his shoulder, but he still wouldn't trade it away, even if it means he has to run to keep it, even if it means he has to fight, even if it means he has to die.

She kind of hates him for it. She kind of loves him for it.