Entry tags:

ginny weasley, harry potter, harry/ginny, het

Ficlet: Of Course (Harry/Ginny, PG)
Title: Of Course
Author: coffee_n_cocoa
Rating: PG
Pairing(s): Harry/Ginny
Summary: Harry goes looking for Ginny after Fred's funeral.
Disclaimer: This is a work of fanfiction set in the Harry Potter universe – all recognisable characters and settings are the property of J. K. Rowling and her associates. No copyright infringement is intended. No profit is made from this work. Please observe your local laws with regards to the age-limit and content of this work
Warning(s): None
Word Count: 548
Author's Notes: Written for snegurochka_lee's Least Favorite Character/Pairing Drabble/Drawble & Ficlet Challenge. Hold me, I need to write some Neville-fic now to ease my pain. Canon compliant, ignores post-canon interviews.

Of Course

The funeral was over, as was the wake. Nearly everyone was gone, and Ginny took the opportunity to slip outside the Burrow, walking through the back garden and past the vegetable patch, taking the stile over the garden wall to the open field beyond.

The day was sunny and warm, a beautiful travesty in light of the fact that she had just watched while Fred was laid to rest in the ground. It should have been cloudy, and raining, and cold and grey.

Such was life and death.

She walked to the weeping willow next to the pond and sat down, not caring if her dress got dirty. She wouldn’t wear it again if she had her say. Toeing off her shoes, she leaned back against the trunk, watching the water at the pond’s surface glint and sparkle in the sunlight through the drooping branches of the willow. It was quiet, peaceful, and mindless, exactly what she sought.

Ginny didn’t know how long she sat there in silence, watching the water and occasionally shredding blades of grass with her fingers, thinking very hard about not thinking of anything. It could have been a few minutes, or a few hours before she heard the sound of approaching footsteps, followed soon after by the appearance of Harry. He saw her and started over, sitting beside her and leaning back on his elbows.

“Ron said I might find you here,” he said, after several moments had passed and she hadn’t spoken.

Of course. Ron would blab something like this. Ginny plucked another blade of grass and began shredding it.

Harry sighed, shoving his glasses up the bridge of his nose. “Look, I know I haven’t been around much the past couple of days. You were busy with everyone else with funeral plans, and I was busy with other things.”

“Of course,” Ginny murmured.

“Right.” Harry nodded, apparently emboldened at finally eliciting a response. “I had to help figure out what to do with Professor Snape’s body and Voldemort’s. I want them to have decent burials. Voldemort used to have another name, and Sn—Professor Snape wasn’t all he seemed. Might be best if Voldemort had an unmarked grave, so it won’t be, you know, desecrated.”

“Of course,” Ginny said, tossing away bits of grass and reaching for more.

“Rita Skeeter and Xeno Lovegood nearly came to blows over who got to interview me and Neville first for their respective publications. Nev managed to work out a compromise,” Harry continued, scratching his neck before settling back against the grass. “It’s probably the first time both The Quibbler and The Daily Prophet collaborated on a story. Neville’s pretty diplomatic.”

“Of course,” Ginny replied, wiggling her toes in the grass.

Harry sighed, stretching. “Then Kingsley Shacklebolt wanted to talk to me. He says once things settle down a bit there’s a place for me with the Aurors, whenever I feel ready.”

“Of course,” Ginny agreed, pushing her hair behind her ear.

Harry looked at her. “Is that all you can say?” he asked. “ ‘Of course?’”

Ginny shrugged. “Of course not.”

“Good.” Harry sat up, turning her to face him, and kissed her.

For the first time since the battle ended, Ginny felt as if Harry had finally come back to her.

Of course.