Ginny stared at the scene and tried to make sense of it as bile rose in her throat. Her husband and her best friend were wrapped around each other so tightly, she couldn’t tell where one ended and one began. He was running his hands through her hair whispering terms of endearment, which Ginny thought were reserved for her alone. Backing out of the doorway, she stumbled blindly down the richly appointed hallways of their new home, until she came to a room with a large marble fireplace.
Staring at the flames, she realized she had nowhere to turn. Her family had become his. They doted on him, and chastised her for not being more considerate of him. He was a war hero after all. Ginny’s vision blurred as she thought of the unfairness of it all. She had wanted to fight, but they never let her prove her worth. Grabbing a hand full of Floo Powder, she escaped to a place where everything used to be black and white.
School was out for the summer, so Ginny walked the halls of Hogwarts by herself. There was a skeleton staff left on site to maintain the building, but she didn’t see Hagrid or anyone else she knew. She wandered around the castle like one of its ghosts. She found the spot where he had first kissed her. It looked the same. Somehow she expected it to be different now that his kisses didn’t mean anything.
Forcing herself to go on, she walked to the Room of Requirement where he had first made her his. The room took on the appearance it had that day many years ago. She felt a fresh stab of pain when she saw the flowers on the bedside table, and the crystal glasses filled with expensive wine. She never understood why he thought these expensive things impressed her. She had loved him for what she saw inside of him, not for the material possessions he gave her.
Ginny realized she was twirling her ostentatiously large diamond ring around her finger. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and pulled it off. When she opened her eyes, the room had changed. She was standing by a lake.
In the middle of the lake, there was a man, sitting in a boat, fishing. Ginny looked back down at the ring which now meant nothing to her. Pulling back her arm, she threw it out as far as she could into the murky water.
A strange buzzing sensation seemed to fill her head, and she felt herself slowly drifting to the ground. She enjoyed the sensation of her eyes fluttering shut. Oblivion was good.
When she awoke, she was wrapped in a scratchy wool blanket in front of a roaring fire. Sitting up, she looked around and saw that she was in a small, sparsely furnished, log cabin.
“Would you like something to drink?” A masculine voice asked her.
Looking around, she located the source of the voice and nodded. When she saw who it was, she didn’t trust herself to speak. She took the water he held out to her and nodded her thanks. The water had a metallic tang due to the aluminum cup it was in.
“Sorry about the accommodations, but the war didn’t pay off for me like it did for some of the others.”
Not knowing what to say, Ginny kept quiet.
“Did you lose the ability to talk as well as your wedding ring?” he asked in a curious tone.
Ginny’s eyes flashed to see him holding the large diamond she thought she’d rid herself of.
“I did a retrieval spell, because I wasn’t sure if you’d want whatever you’d thrown back. Most of the time, people want to reclaim what they pushed away in haste.”
Ginny chuckled and said, “I don’t want it. Keep it as reparations for the war if you wish.”
The man smiled at her. “I would probably be accused of stealing if I did. After all, your husband can do no wrong.”
Ginny snorted and said, “Apparently, that is no longer true. When I came home today, I found him entwined with the woman I thought was my best friend.”
The man walked over and joined her on the couch. She saw a warmth in his eyes she hadn’t seen directed at her in ages. “Didn’t you ever question Pansy’s friendship? She isn’t exactly known for being honest.”
Ginny shrugged and said, “I trusted her because she listened to me when I talked about my marriage. She was supportive when I confided in her.”
“She will always be a Slytherin, Ginny. She was probably setting a trap. Her goal was always to be the wife of the wealthiest man. Your husband fits the bill.”
Suddenly, Ginny remembered where she was. She looked at the man smiling sympathetically at her and said, “None of this is real. I’m in the Room or Requirement. You’re just a bit of magic.”
“Really?” he asked in amusement. “Here, I thought I was on vacation.”
Standing up, Ginny said, “Thank you for helping me. Maybe, after I am done hexing the hell out of my husband, we could meet for lunch one day.”
“I’d like that,” he informed her as she walked out of the door.
Ginny closed her eyes, and she found herself back in the Room of Requirement. In her hand was a slip of parchment with a name and address on it. She didn’t know if it was real, but she tucked it into her pocket and went in search of the nearest Floo.
When she appeared in her bedroom, she saw her husband curled up around his lover. She didn’t bother to wake them, she just started shooting hexes and screaming obscenities. When Pansy ran for the door, she allowed her to escape. Harry was another matter. She stunned him and bound him to a chair. Resisting the urge to do him further bodily harm, she revitalized him.
His eyes flew open, and he said, “Gin, I can explain.”
Stalking forward Ginny pressed her wand against his throat and said, “Harry Potter, you don’t get to explain anything to me ever again. We are through.”
Harry gave her the look that used to melt her heart. “Come on Gin, you don’t mean that. Your family loves me. Think of how upset your mum will be.”
Ginny growled at his attempted manipulation. “I’m done doing what other people want me to do. In fact, I think I’m going to go look up a certain gray eyed schoolmate of ours and see if he wants to go out for dinner.”
Staring at the flames, she realized she had nowhere to turn. Her family had become his. They doted on him, and chastised her for not being more considerate of him. He was a war hero after all. Ginny’s vision blurred as she thought of the unfairness of it all. She had wanted to fight, but they never let her prove her worth. Grabbing a hand full of Floo Powder, she escaped to a place where everything used to be black and white.
School was out for the summer, so Ginny walked the halls of Hogwarts by herself. There was a skeleton staff left on site to maintain the building, but she didn’t see Hagrid or anyone else she knew. She wandered around the castle like one of its ghosts. She found the spot where he had first kissed her. It looked the same. Somehow she expected it to be different now that his kisses didn’t mean anything.
Forcing herself to go on, she walked to the Room of Requirement where he had first made her his. The room took on the appearance it had that day many years ago. She felt a fresh stab of pain when she saw the flowers on the bedside table, and the crystal glasses filled with expensive wine. She never understood why he thought these expensive things impressed her. She had loved him for what she saw inside of him, not for the material possessions he gave her.
Ginny realized she was twirling her ostentatiously large diamond ring around her finger. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and pulled it off. When she opened her eyes, the room had changed. She was standing by a lake.
In the middle of the lake, there was a man, sitting in a boat, fishing. Ginny looked back down at the ring which now meant nothing to her. Pulling back her arm, she threw it out as far as she could into the murky water.
A strange buzzing sensation seemed to fill her head, and she felt herself slowly drifting to the ground. She enjoyed the sensation of her eyes fluttering shut. Oblivion was good.
When she awoke, she was wrapped in a scratchy wool blanket in front of a roaring fire. Sitting up, she looked around and saw that she was in a small, sparsely furnished, log cabin.
“Would you like something to drink?” A masculine voice asked her.
Looking around, she located the source of the voice and nodded. When she saw who it was, she didn’t trust herself to speak. She took the water he held out to her and nodded her thanks. The water had a metallic tang due to the aluminum cup it was in.
“Sorry about the accommodations, but the war didn’t pay off for me like it did for some of the others.”
Not knowing what to say, Ginny kept quiet.
“Did you lose the ability to talk as well as your wedding ring?” he asked in a curious tone.
Ginny’s eyes flashed to see him holding the large diamond she thought she’d rid herself of.
“I did a retrieval spell, because I wasn’t sure if you’d want whatever you’d thrown back. Most of the time, people want to reclaim what they pushed away in haste.”
Ginny chuckled and said, “I don’t want it. Keep it as reparations for the war if you wish.”
The man smiled at her. “I would probably be accused of stealing if I did. After all, your husband can do no wrong.”
Ginny snorted and said, “Apparently, that is no longer true. When I came home today, I found him entwined with the woman I thought was my best friend.”
The man walked over and joined her on the couch. She saw a warmth in his eyes she hadn’t seen directed at her in ages. “Didn’t you ever question Pansy’s friendship? She isn’t exactly known for being honest.”
Ginny shrugged and said, “I trusted her because she listened to me when I talked about my marriage. She was supportive when I confided in her.”
“She will always be a Slytherin, Ginny. She was probably setting a trap. Her goal was always to be the wife of the wealthiest man. Your husband fits the bill.”
Suddenly, Ginny remembered where she was. She looked at the man smiling sympathetically at her and said, “None of this is real. I’m in the Room or Requirement. You’re just a bit of magic.”
“Really?” he asked in amusement. “Here, I thought I was on vacation.”
Standing up, Ginny said, “Thank you for helping me. Maybe, after I am done hexing the hell out of my husband, we could meet for lunch one day.”
“I’d like that,” he informed her as she walked out of the door.
Ginny closed her eyes, and she found herself back in the Room of Requirement. In her hand was a slip of parchment with a name and address on it. She didn’t know if it was real, but she tucked it into her pocket and went in search of the nearest Floo.
When she appeared in her bedroom, she saw her husband curled up around his lover. She didn’t bother to wake them, she just started shooting hexes and screaming obscenities. When Pansy ran for the door, she allowed her to escape. Harry was another matter. She stunned him and bound him to a chair. Resisting the urge to do him further bodily harm, she revitalized him.
His eyes flew open, and he said, “Gin, I can explain.”
Stalking forward Ginny pressed her wand against his throat and said, “Harry Potter, you don’t get to explain anything to me ever again. We are through.”
Harry gave her the look that used to melt her heart. “Come on Gin, you don’t mean that. Your family loves me. Think of how upset your mum will be.”
Ginny growled at his attempted manipulation. “I’m done doing what other people want me to do. In fact, I think I’m going to go look up a certain gray eyed schoolmate of ours and see if he wants to go out for dinner.”
Author notes: The story is supposed to end with a twist. I hope you like it.
Fifty-five reads and no reviews? Someone let me know if this works or not please. I can always edit.
The End.
CCC is the author of 47 other stories.
This story is a favorite of 10 members. Members who liked Discovery also liked 1268 other stories.
This story is a favorite of 10 members. Members who liked Discovery also liked 1268 other stories.
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