"I sent a selfie of myself in the tub to the wrong number and you responded back with another selfie. Holy shit you are really attractive" I just imagined Ginny showing Ron a photo if a naked Harry and I'm living
A/N: It’s not exactly like you asked, but hopefully you still enjoy it!!
Also available on FF and Ao3!
fluke
Hermione’s been on Ginny’s case about relaxing – really richcoming from Miss Workaholic herself – which is a little bit of a wake-up calldespite the bit of hypocrisy. Because ifHermione Granger actually tells youto relax, it must be pretty bad.
So Ginny resolves at the beginning of the week that herfirst night she’s awake enough when she gets home to not pass out immediatelyafter dinner, she will take a relaxing bath with the bubbles and various otheraccouterments that Fleur gave her last Christmas.
So on Saturday, after a long but slightly less gruelingpractice, Ginny eats some of the leftovers Molly had loaded her down with atdinner on Wednesday and then goes about preparing a relaxing evening forherself. It really was a happy accidentthat today happened to be the day she was most awake and tomorrow was her firstfree morning in weeks. Gwenog had takenpity on them – or maybe she just had a hot brunch date – and cancelled practicefor the morning, only scheduling some team meetings and other ‘housekeeping’for the late afternoon.
Which means Ginny can relax as long as she likes and sleepuntil the sun’s actually risen. As she twists the taps on in the bath andsteam rises in the air, Ginny pours perhaps a bit too much bubble bath into thewater and watches as the suds rise, filling the bathroom with the calmingscents of lavender and vanilla.
While she waits for the water to rise, Ginny putters abouther flat, tracking down scented candles that won’t clash and finding hercoziest socks and dressing gown for her eventual exit from the bath.
After tying her hair up loosely, Ginny strips down tonothing, tossing the pile of dirty sweats into her hamper messily and slipsinto the water.
Before she gets too relaxed, Ginny reaches for her mobile –carefully enclosed in a Ziploc bag so as to avoid a panicked trip to the phonestore – and takes a slightly blurry selfie in SnapChat to send Hermione withthe caption finally relaxing shut up.
Then, Ginny adjusts the hand towel rolled behind her neck andgrabs the paperback she’d saved for just such an occasion and cracks the spine,letting the words take her away while the heat leeches the tension from hermuscles.
A few chapters in, Ginny pauses to sip her wine and checkfor a response from Hermione, swiping to open the notification with a bit ofdifficulty through the plastic, only to realize she most definitely did not send her naked selfie to herbrother’s girlfriend.
Right at the top of her notifications is an unopened snapfrom Harry Potter, her last snap to Hermione sent days ago. Her heart thuds in her chest and Ginny wantsto sink beneath the water and never come out, living her life as a bog monsterbeneath the lukewarm water.
It’s not as bad asit could be – the selfie hadn’t been trulynaked. All her most private bitswere strategically covered and whatnot, but she was very obviously naked andshe certainly wasn’t on sultry candlelit selfie terms with Harry, hadn’t even seen him in a month. Not since he’d picked up a new homicide caseat the same time her season got rolling. He was around, and so was she, but they never seemed to converge on theBurrow at coinciding times. Shipspassing in the night and all that shite. Except, only if those ships almostalmost dated in the middle of A-Levels and then lived in awkward disregardof whatever tension was leftover since.
And now she’d broken that mutual silence on the subject bysending a nude – and Harry’d answered. There’s not really a guidebook for it, so she’s not sure how quicklythis type of exchange (when intentional) will escalate to actually showing bits. Harrydoesn’t seem one for unsolicited dickpics – but this could have seemed like a solicitation and now she might have apicture of Harry’s…
Growling, Ginny adjusts with some splashing and sits upfully, blowing out a deep breath and steeling herself to open the…video in one, two, three –
I write about this a lot, so this isn’t an exhaustive list, but here are some stories where physical disabilities of various kinds are represented.
As someone with a visual disability that basically never shows up in media—wheeee!—I put some of my own experiences into “letters from a region of the moon” in particular.
To stare at heaven and not be destroyed
Spell it on my mouth
Sometimes you can’t stay on your own mainland
After great catastrophe
Batter my heart
I live in a cage and I can take you there
Beloved of the sun
A conspiracy of barely functional people
Letters from a region of the moon
Some of these involve disability acquired after trauma, so be mindful of the tags <3
Recs:
Honestly the reason I started writing so much about this is because I didn’t find much of it, at least not stories that resonated with me.
People tend to use the “disability” tag when writing about Zuko even when they don’t explore aspects of his disability or how they inform his life, which makes it hard to search.
I haven’t read this yet, but it looks good! On Zuko and blindness
Please feel free to reblog with stories about Zuko and disability that are meaningful to you, so we can read them together!
Remus is just sitting, trying to do his transfiguration homework in the common room when she pipes up.
"Hey, Remus, isn't your anniversary soon?" That's enough to draw his attention, head snapping up with a confused frown. "Any plans?"
"...anniversary?" He asks. Marlene looks at him like he's just spoken another language, or that he's magically turned into a brick wall.
"Yeah. Are you doing anything for it?"
"I have no clue what you're on about," he says simply, expecting that to be the end of that. However, a knowing smile finds its way onto Marlene's face, and she nods.
"Ah, right. I get it," she says with a wink, only befuddling Remus more.
Still, he doesn't think anyone else is going to bring it up.
As it turns out, everyone seems to think he has some big anniversary coming up. Lily congratulates him, Mary says she "always knew it was going to last forever", even Edgar Bones nudges him and whispers a quick "well done".
Somehow, and Remus has no clue how, he did something noteworthy a year ago. He's also completely unaware as to what. Nobody answers him when he asks, so he simply starts offering a polite smile and moving on with his day. There's some strange misunderstanding happening, and it'll probably blow over soon.
Probably.
It takes reaching the 'anniversary' date to figure out what the fuck is going on.
He's finally gotten some time with Sirius after he's been stuck in back-to-back detentions, walking down to the Black Lake together and just... chatting. It's really nice being able to spend time with Sirius outside of his classes again, even if it sends his stomach spinning and diving. As they talk, they pass Dorcas, who turns and calls to the two of them.
"Happy anniversary, guys!"
She's gone before they can ask any questions, leaving Remus with the same confused feeling as before. He opens his mouth to explain the situation to Sirius, only for Sirius to beat him to it.
"That's been happening all week," he says, puzzled, which stops Remus in his tracks.
"It has?"
He isn't walking anymore, and Sirius stops with him, elaborating with a frown.
"Yeah. Everyone's been going on and on about some anniversary. I don't know what-"
"They've been doing it to me too," Remus interjects quickly, almost under his breath. Sirius catches it though, eyes widening as he reaches the same conclusion as Remus has at the same bloody time.
It's them.
It's all about them.
All of the knowing glances, the congratulations, even the weird fucking winks. They all think Remus and Sirius are dating. Not only that, but they've thought that for a year? The thought sends too many emotions running through him. Shock, confusion and, oddly enough, bitterness. He's fallen asleep every night for months with Sirius on his mind. The thought of kissing him, being with him, belonging to him. He's spent too long biting back his confessions, the very obvious and frustrating fact that he's in love with Sirius Black, because he doesn't want to destroy their friendship, and his friends have just swooped in and made things so much more difficult!
"It's our fucking anniversary, isn't it?" Sirius says quietly, before glancing behind him. "Hold on," he says to Remus, turning right back around and going in the same direction Dorcas has just gone. He seems to involuntarily grab Remus' hand, Remus having no choice but to follow him helplessly.
They get to the Great Hall in time for lunch. Remus is a little pissed that everyone's weird obsession with their imaginary anniversary is interrupting the picnic they had planned.
"Guys." The two of them stop on front of the group, Sirius doing the talking, thank fuck. To be perfectly honest, Remus feels pretty speechless. "D'you lot think Remus and I are dating?"
"Yeah?" James says simply, wrinkling his nose like it's just a fact of life. "Everyone knows you're together."
"...we're not," Sirius says slowly, carefully, sending the group lapsing into silence, exchanging confused glances.
"Okay, that's doesn't make any sense," Lily says, everybody else nodding in agreement. "You're literally together all the time."
"Because we're friends," Sirius explains, and Remus really isn't sure what to say. Good thing he doesn't have to, because the back and forth doesn't stop.
"If Remus is in the hospital wing, you're there until Madame Pomfrey kicks you out," James offers.
"I care about him!" Sirius argues, but something about what James has said has hit him in a strange way, Remus hears the shift in his tone, feels the slight tightening of his grip on Remus' hand.
"You're holding hands right now," Mary says pointedly, and Sirius looks down at their connected hands like he had forgotten it had happened. Still, he has a reason for that one too.
"I hold everyone's hand."
He really doesn't want people to think he's dating Remus, does he?
"Not that much," Peter mumbles under his breath, and Remus almost wants to laugh.
"Sorry, does nobody find it strange that we've never kissed, then?" James shrugs.
"Not really. Figured you didn't like PDA."
"Okay, then... we've never called each other boyfriends, never been on a date-"
"Right, that one's just not true," Marlene says with a snort. Remus frowns, confused. Have they been on a date? Surely he'd know, right? "You go to Hogsmeade together all the time, you run off to 'study' every chance you get, and you're picnicking today."
"We're friends? Friends spend time together," Sirius says quickly, and Remus is really starting to struggle. He doesn't want to stand there while Sirius explains how ridiculous the concept of them dating is.
Instead of putting a stop to the conversation, Remus takes the coward's way out. He pulls his hand free from Sirius', turns, and walks away.
"Moony, wait-"
Remus pointedly ignores Sirius' call to him, aiming to get to the dorm and just wallow in self-pity for fifteen minutes. That way, he can act like he's fine and just go to the bloody picnic.
His hip, however, has other plans.
It twinges right as he reaches the stairs, forcing him to a halt with a sharp inhale. His hand involuntarily goes to the bannister at the bottom of the stairs, trying to get some of the weight off it. Unfortunately for him, it means Sirius catches up too quickly. To be honest, he hadn't even realised that Sirius was following him, but he arrives at his side in a matter of seconds.
"Moony, are you alright?" Remus lets his eyes sink shut for half a second, frustrated. "I'm sorry, I didn't realise they were upsetting you that much."
"It's not- it's just- it's nothing, I'm fine," Remus settles on, offering Sirius a tired smile.
"Moons, s'fine. I know how stupid you think it is." Sirius takes another step forward, acting as though he hasn't just confused the fuck out of Remus.
"What d'you mean? That's not why..." he trails off, not sure how to verbalise any of his thoughts without telling Sirius everything. Sirius fills it in for him, though.
"It's okay, really. You don't have to spare my feelings, or anything. I know you don't feel the same way," Sirius says with a shrug, sending Remus' mind reeling in a matter of seconds.
The same way.
The same fucking way?
Just like that, Remus is malfunctioning. Firstly, when the Hell did Sirius start liking him back? He's spent months having to reel in his own emotions, spending time with Sirius and accepting the sad reality that he's never going to be with him in a romantic way. Finally, just finally, he's started to come to terms with his own unrequited emotions, accept and embrace his friendship with Sirius, and they're not even bloody unrequited?
Also, when did they talk about it? How has Sirius come to the conclusion that Remus doesn't like him? Christ, Remus is fucking in love with him!
That's enough to spur Remus to talk.
"What?"
Okay, maybe he can't form full sentences right now, but he'll get there. Hopefully. Sirius just scrunches his nose up, confused.
"Moony, I get it, it's honestly okay. You don't like me, and didn't want to hear them all jumping to conclusions," He explains, and it only throws Remus more.
"No, that's not it," Remus says quickly, stunned that any words are coming out, even if they're pretty unhelpful words.
All he can do is look at Sirius. Beautiful, amazing, kind Sirius, who crushed his own feelings because he thought they were upsetting Remus. Merlin, he can't take it anymore. Clearly words aren't working for him right now, he has to try something else. Something that will express every single emotion that he has bottled up since he first went tripping and falling head over heels for his best friend.
His solution? Kiss the prat before he has a chance to second guess himself.
With that, he reaches out, grabs Sirius' jacket with one hand, pulls him in, and kisses him. At first, Sirius freezes, stunned, and Remus has an awful panic that he's gotten everything all wrong. Luckily for him, Sirius finally registers that Remus is kissing him and kisses him back.
It's...
Christ, it's everything Remus has ever imagined and more. It's like time stops as Remus' stomach swirls. Sirius' lips are soft against his, and his kiss is explorative, fucking mind blowing. He wraps his arms around Sirius' waist, feeling Sirius lean into the touch as he reaches out and cups Remus' cheek.
After what could be an hour, a few minutes, even a few seconds, just definitely not enough time, they both break away. Unfortunately, breathing exists, and Remus kind of needs to remember how to do that. Almost in unison, their foreheads press together, and Remus can feel a smile making its way onto his face.
"Well," Sirius starts, amused, "I guess this is our anniversary, then."
Thanks for the ask🤩 I decided to treat you with a snippet of the WIP I’m working on at the moment 😊
Victoire shifted impatiently on his lap, her gaze fixated on his ripped forearms, the golden afternoon sunlight casting a warm glow through the kitchen window.
“What is that?”
Ron could feel her small fingers delicately tracing the patterns on his skin, her touch curious and innocent.
“Pictures,” he replied, his tone gentle.
“Why do you have pictures on your arms?”
“They’re called tattoos,” Ron explained.
“Tattoos?”
“They’re like magical drawings that stay on your skin forever - similar to when you paint on the wall with the magical felt pens that George gave to you. It’s not coming off,” he explained patiently, hoping to capture her imagination. The clinking of dishes being washed magically in the sink behind him created a comforting rhythm in the background.
“Why do you have them?” she pressed on, her curiosity unyielding.
He was torn between being honest and shielding her from the harsh realities he had faced, so he looked at Bill, seeking permission to share the truth with her. Bill nodded ever so slightly, a subtle but affirming gesture that allowed him to go on.
“Because there was a time when I got hurt very badly.” He carefully weighed his words, mindful of the impact they might have on her young mind. Ron understood her curiosity, yet he didn’t want to burden her with more than she could bear being only 4 years old, “And I don’t want to be reminded of it. That’s why I let somebody draw pictures on the scars so I won’t have to see them anymore.”
Victoire’s innocent sapphire blue eyes widened, absorbing his words like a tale from a storybook.
“Why were you hurt?”
Her question hung in the air, the room falling silent as every ear turned to Ron’s conversation with his little niece. The atmosphere in the room shifted, becoming charged with unspoken tension, all the adults acutely aware of the depth behind the innocent questions.
Ron took a deep breath and briefly looked at the remnants of Sunday lunch still scattered across the table, the aroma of home-cooked food still lingering in the air.
He searched for his brother’s eyes again, and Bill nodded once more, his expression supportive, leaning back in his chair with his arms crossed in front of his chest.
Hullo I am in dire need of some zukka fix recs so this is me reaching out to a professional for help. 💗
hello! i have a fic recs tag here, there's like 600 posts in there so hopefully you can find something, i have a hard time thinking of fic recs without any direction lol so if you have any tropes or whatever you would like to see lmk and i will give you more specific recs!! mwah <3
as you are my last trick or treater, I will be very generous and give you the equivalent of all the candy left in my bucket. here is the prologue - about 1000 words - of my upcoming Tedromeda/Remadora fic.
November, 1959
Rain poured heavily upon London, drowning the night-dwellers of the city with frigid droplets. Andromeda Black, a formerly proper, pureblood witch, was luckily not among the many souls freezing in the downpour, though she would be drenched soon.
Neither was Ted Tonks, the Muggleborn wizard who had given Andromeda a taste of freedom, but it was time to return to her cage. He could stay in his cozy, shabby world and give another woman a wonderful life, the kind of life Andromeda didn’t know she wanted until she tried it out for herself.
She was nestled in Ted’s bed, after having spent the last few hours doing some truly sinful things with him. When they were together like this, it was as if she was being worshiped; his lips would reverently skim across her sensitive flesh, her name became a prayer on his tongue, and his eyes were always in awe, beholding the feminine vision she was proud to reflect. No one had ever made her feel so beautiful, wanted, or adored.
This night would be the last time she’d feel him against her body; how she was going to explain it to him was eating away at her soul.
“’Dromeda,” Ted murmured, his breath tickling the back of her neck, “will you swing by tomorrow?”
It was as good an opening as Andromeda was going to get.
“No.”
“No?” Ted asked, the playful edge to his voice already breaking Andromeda’s heart. “Should I show you why, if you come see me, you won’t regret a minute of your time?”
Andromeda’s breath hitched. She couldn’t do this with his warm, naked body flush against hers, stroking her skin lovingly, pressing the softest kisses to her shoulder blade.
“Could we discuss this over tea, Ted?”
The temperature in the flat plummeted.
“Of—of course,” Ted stammered. He got out of bed and summoned his bathrobe, haphazardly wrapping it around his body. He shuffled out of the bedroom and began puttering about with his dented kettle.
Andromeda sat up and began redressing herself. She took her time, pausing every few seconds to let her gaze linger on a part of Ted’s room: his stack of unread medical journals, a pile of broken quills he insisted on fixing himself, his Muggle suit jacket, which made his broad shoulders look even more enticing, and several Freddo wrappers that hadn’t made their way into his rusty wastebasket.
It was a far cry from everything she’d grown up with, and everything that her future inevitably held. If Ted were like her, a house elf would’ve taken care of the rubbish at once. But he wasn’t like her—and he was all the better for it. She would have gladly mastered any household charm necessary to have a life with him.
The kettle whistled just as Andromeda finished tucking in the last strands of her hair in a neat chignon. She lifted the quilt on Ted’s bed to her nose and inhaled deeply, hoping she his scent would be branded into her memory. Determined to make it a clean break, she stepped into the tiny kitchen, where Ted was waiting with two steaming cups of tea.
“A pinch of sugar and a splash of milk,” he said, offering her a cup, with a smile on his face that didn’t meet his eyes.
“Thank you.”
Andromeda took a seat in one of his mismatched chairs and took a sip. It was divine, just as good as the posh loose leaf blends she grew up with, but at a fraction of the price, and given to her by a man who made her feel alive. The thick, pounding rain and howling gusts made the windows rattle.
“Darling, what is it?”
Ted’s gentle concern made Andromeda want to give in, to take the greatest risk of her life, but she couldn’t risk his life as well. Her father made it perfectly clear that if she continued her illicit affair, Ted would be nothing but a pile of bone fragments, to be stuck together and sold as a trinket at Borgin and Burke’s.
Pollux Black had the Minister of Magic in his pocket, the Department of Magical Law Enforcement at his disposal, and Ted wouldn’t stand a chance.
“After tonight,” said Andromeda, feeling her chin quiver, “it’s over between us. I can’t see you anymore.”
“Pardon me?”
“Ted, please. You knew this couldn’t last.”
“But—”
“I’m getting married tomorrow.” Andromeda felt a tear fall down her cheek. “I can’t—I can’t run away from this.”
“Married?” Ted’s voice cracked. “To whom?”
“It doesn’t m-m-matter.” More tears streamed down her face. Her throat felt like it was swelling; she had to remain in control. Standing abruptly, she half-sobbed, “I’ve got to go.”
She didn’t wait for Ted to acknowledge her exit. She was out of her seat, thundering down the stairs, and walking out to the street below by the time she realized Ted was calling her name.
“ANDROMEDA BLACK! STOP!”
The icy rain soaked into every inch of Andromeda’s body. Her hair fell away, sticking to the sides of her face and neck, and she crossed her arms, aching for warmth.
“Don’t do this,” begged Ted, taking her face in his hands. “Please, ‘Dromeda, we can find a way.”
“We can’t!” Andromeda cried, letting him go. “I c-can’t see you anymore! Don’t you see? We could never be together! Never!”
“You—you said you loved me—”
“I didn’t—I don’t! ”
Ted’s face contorted into an expression Andromeda had seen only once before, the day he learned his father died.
“You don’t mean that,” he said, straining. “You don’t—”
“Goodbye, Tonks,” Andromeda said coldly. “I never want to see you again.”
The last image of Ted Tonks, the one that would haunt her for the next eleven years at least, was of him, with his shoulders hunched, his beautiful face twisted in agony, and her own reflection staring back at her, with nothing but hate in her heart.
Read now on Ao3 at
https://ift.tt/mFoGt9A
by Anonymous
Sokka and Zuko met again after being captured by Zhao. Together they decided to take a chance to escape their dire circumstances, but in the end Zhao won the chase.
Screaming, threats and swears filled the air while Zhao coated his hands in ash and smoke, while he extinguishes a flame and drowns the other boy. Unaware of the moon witnessing his cruelty and the ocean still thirsting for his blood.
Words: 4161, Chapters: 1/4, Language: English
Fandoms: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Categories: M/M
Characters: Sokka (Avatar), Zuko (Avatar), Yue (Avatar), Zhao (Avatar), La (Avatar), Koh (Avatar)
Relationships: Sokka/Zuko (Avatar), Sokka & Yue (Avatar), Yue & Zuko (Avatar), Sokka & Yue & Zuko (Avatar), Zhao/Zuko (Avatar)
Additional Tags: Character Death, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Burning, sort of decapitation, dismembered corpse, Handling Of A Corpse, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, i swear its not as bad as it looks, Spirit Shenanigans, Yues got a great sense of humor, She has the boys in STITCHES, Poly Zuko/Sokka/Yue if you squint, honestly i would have loved to but the timeframe was to short, Dark Water Spirit, Blue Spirit - Freeform, zuko is suprisingly quiet but gets the longest chapter, Sokka is a bad BITCH, Yue is the single braincell here and she shares it with zuko not with sokka, yue and zuko friendship is better then zukka, Characters slightly OOC, Trauma, they went through some stuff
Read it on Ao3 at https://ift.tt/mFoGt9A
For #WeasleyWeek by @thethreebroomsticksfic I thought that I would do a little study/microfic of each of the Weasley siblings on the home they can't help but return to over and over again.
Bill (Ao3)
Charlie
Percy (Ao3)
Fred
George
Ron (Ao3)
Ginny
Will be updating everyday with a new chapter over the week!
This story was sitting on my drive for many years. Finally, I gathered the courage to publish it. I’d like to give a huge thank you to the wonderful @nena-96 who has tirelessly supported me in the past few weeks. It meant the world to me. You‘re amazing ❤️
In the silent depths of the night, guided by his sister’s steadfast support, Ron finally finds the courage to open up to Hermione, sparking a conversation they should have had years ago.
It was a quiet moonlit night and Ron found himself drawn to the cozy warmth of the Burrow’s kitchen, unable to sleep because of all the thoughts swarming through his mind. The house was silent, except for the soft ticking of an old grandfather clock in the corner of the living room. Clad in pajama bottoms and an old grey shirt, his too long fiery hair a dishevelled mess, he entered the kitchen and noticed his sister seated at the table, absentmindedly twirling a stray of her hair in between her fingers. Her appearance mirrored his own, her fiery hair reflecting the soft moonlight streaming through the window. The dim, silvery glow of the room accentuated the shadows under her tired eyes.
“Couldn’t sleep either?” Ron asked, his voice barely louder than a whisper. Ginny jumped at the sound of his voice, gripping her wand, until she realized she wasn’t in any danger. She answered with a small nod, her eyes heavy with exhaustion and some remnants of tears still glistening in the dim light.
“No, too much on my mind. It’s just...”
Ron nodded in understanding, “Everything…I know. It’s like my brain won’t shut off.”
“Tea?” Ron nodded again and Ginny pushed a chair out with her foot, inviting him to sit. He joined her, and they sat there in silence for a moment, the weight of the last days hanging heavily in the air. Amidst the shared silence, Ron’s thoughts wandered to Hermione, asleep in his sister’s room upstairs, unaware of the turmoil in his heart.
“I miss him so much,” Ginny finally whispered, her voice breaking. “It doesn’t feel real.”
Ron jumped at the sudden sound of her quiet voice, it was unnerving hearing her sound so broken. His gaze turned to his little sister, willing to comfort her, yet painfully aware that he lacked any effective means to do so. Instead, he reached out and clasped her cold hand, a silent gesture of understanding and support. Words, they both knew, were insufficient to mend this wound, but maybe a simple touch could provide some solace.
“He’d kill us if he saw how fucked up we are,” Ron admitted after a few moments of silent hand-holding, his voice quivering.
Ginny nodded in agreement, her tears glimmering in the dim light as she clung tightly to her brother’s hand.
After what felt like hours of silence, when in reality it was only a few minutes, Ginny spoke, “You’re not considering joining the Aurors, are you?” She sniffled.
“Gin, this isn’t the right time...”
“I won’t let you.”
Ron stayed silent, fully comprehending her fear, but making clear that now wasn’t the moment to discuss his future. Instead, he brushed away a tear from her cheek and drew her into an one-armed hug, holding her close as if to silently promise her that he would do whatever it took to stay alive. Ginny, obviously feeling overwhelmed by her emotions, started crying into his shoulder, her heartbreaking sobs muffled by his shirt.
“It’s just not fair!” She hiccuped, gasping for air. “I want this nightmare to stop!”
He felt his heart shatter into even more pieces when he heard the raw despair in her voice. Lost for words he simply held her tighter, as her sobs wracked her shoulders and reverberated through his own body. Battling the hot burning in his eyes he struggled desperately to remain strong for her. He ached to absorb her grief but the overwhelming helplessness only added to his own pain. After a few almost unbearable minutes her heart-wrenching sobs gradually subsided into sniffles. Eventually she lifted her head and mumbled an apology, her eyes still glistening with tears.
“It’s okay. No need to apologize.” Ron gave her a reassuring smile.
He couldn’t deny the deep concern he had for his sister. Seeing her break down like this was a stark departure from the strong, resilient girl she had always been. Ginny, having grown up surrounded by brothers, was known for her toughness, and her desperate tears were a proof of the immense grief they were all feeling.
Ron’s thoughts once again turned to Fred. He imagined him sitting somewhere up there, perched on a cloud, likely growing quite annoyed by the thick blanket of grief that had settled over the Burrow. But in addition to the grief over his brother and the constant worry for his family, there was something else that had been weighing heavily on his mind, something he needed to share very desperately before it became too much. As they sat there in silence he wrestled with the idea of opening up to his sister. Just as he was about to dismiss the thought, reluctant to add even more to her burden after her heart-wrenching breakdown, Ginny beat him to it as she turned to him, her voice still hushed. “You know, Ron,” she began, her brown eyes fixed on him with intensity, “I can tell that something else is bothering you besides Fred.”
Ron’s heart started racing at her words, wondering if she had suddenly become a professional in Legilimency. His cheeks turned a shade of red that was even visible in the dim light.
“What do you mean?” He asked, while swirling his lukewarm tea, before placing it back down on the table in front of him, hoping his sister couldn’t see right through him.
“I’ve noticed something’s different between you and Hermione.” Ginny gently placed a hand on his arm. “Come on, Ron. I’ve seen the way you two look at each other, something has changed. As soon as you’re in the same room, there’s so much tension you could cut the air with a knife. I can sense that you’re both uncomfortable. All these furtive side glances. Something’s obviously different.”
Ron knew that he couldn’t evade the truth any longer and let out a weary sigh, slumping back in his chair. “Well, yeah, we’ve been through a lot together. It’s hard not to…feel...something.”
Ginny rolled her eyes. “Come off it, don’t take me for a fool. It’s painfully obvious that you’re head over heels in love with her. You’ve been for ages. It’s about bloody time you two sort it out.”
He stared at his hands, noticing how his scars wove their way through hundreds of tiny freckles, before closing his eyes and admitting the painful truth, “I’m afraid of screwing things up.”
His sister let out a weary sigh and reached for his chin, gently lifting it up to meet her gaze. “Ron, I say this from the bottom of my heart, don’t be such an idiot! Life’s too short! You’ve seen that firsthand in recent years. You love her, so stop wasting time.”
Her words hung in the air, a silent plea for him to recognize the truth that had been staring him in the face. After a brief pause, Ron found the courage to share what really bothered him so much.
“She kissed me. During the battle. She kissed me…in the midst of everything...she just threw herself at me and kissed me.” Ron whispered as he briefly closed his eyes, remembering the moment he shared with Hermione in the Room of Requirement.
Ginny’s eyes widened in genuine surprise, as she tried to process Ron’s words. “She kissed you? Like…on the cheek?”
Now it was Ron’s turn to roll his eyes, as he heard the shocked disbelief in Ginny’s voice.
“With her mouth on your mouth and her tongue against your tongue kind of kiss?”
“Stop it!” Ron’s cheeks flushed a deeper shade of red, and he shifted uncomfortably under her intense scrutiny.
Ginny couldn’t help but chuckle, her teasing nature surfacing. “Wow, I wouldn’t have expected that from her.”
He sighed, running a hand through his unruly hair. “That’s what confuses me the most.”
“So, what was it that made her bold enough to jump on you? What did you do?”
Ron chuckled softly, recalling the moment. “I think it was me trying to save the house elves trapped in the kitchen.”
“I see,” Ginny grinned, suppressing a laugh. “And what happened next? Did you kiss her back?”
“Yeah, of course I did!” The memory of that moment replayed in Ron’s mind, his cheeks reddening even more as he recalled the intensity of the moment.
“About bloody time!”
Ron rolled his eyes again. “Come on, now. Give it a rest!”
Sensing the seriousness of the situation she stopped grinning. “Sorry, it’s just so unexpected. I thought you two would never figure it out.”
“We haven’t figured out anything. That’s what’s bothering me. We were kind of in the heat of the moment, and, well, nothing’s happened since. We haven’t had a chance to talk about it yet, and it’s eating me up.”
Ginny laughed softly, shaking her head. “You two are so bloody hopeless. Honestly, Ron, it’s crystal clear that you love her, and she feels the same way about you. Everyone knows. Even Charlie, who has no friggin’ clue about love mentioned it! Just tell her.”
Ron shifted uncomfortably in his seat, his fingers idly tracing the rim of his teacup. “This all sounds so much easier than it actually is.”
“I’m surprised you haven’t already told her how you felt when you were at Bill’s place. Bill told me you stayed at her bedside for three days and refused to leave her side.”
His shoulders tensed slightly at the memory. “Well, we had other things to worry about. I was more concerned about getting her back on her feet. It didn’t really matter what I felt. She and Harry were more important.”
Ginny leaned back in her chair, and Ron sensed her eyes on him, the weight of her gaze heavy on his exhausted body. He was aware that she was observing the exhaustion etched on his face, recognizing the sleepless nights he endured due to his tormenting thoughts.
“But this is exactly what I mean,” she insisted, her eyes locking onto his eyes with determination. “You’ve been through hell together, unless you’re waiting for another battle to happen so you can make a move?”
His eyes met hers with a serious, almost desperate expression, silently pleading for guidance. He knew that her words held a truth he couldn’t deny, yet his uncertainty still held him back.
“What’s the problem, Ron?” Ginny asked with sincerity, all traces of humour gone from her voice, as she waited tentatively.
“I don’t know.” Ron mumbled, his shoulders slumping under the weight of his own indecision. His gaze dropped to the table briefly before returning to meet Ginny’s determined eyes.
“Why?” Ginny demanded, her frustration evident in the way she exaggeratedly slapped her hand against her face, a theatrical expression of disbelief. “You love her, she loves you. End of story. What’s holding you back?”
He sighed, the tension in his posture softening as he allowed himself to open up a bit more. “I don’t wanna lose her,” he confessed.
Ginny fixed her gaze on him, her expression growing more serious. “Really, Ron, you have to stop being an idiot about this. The way you’re handling this makes the risk of losing her a thousand times higher.”
“I don’t -” Ron began to protest, but Ginny cut him off harshly.
“Pull yourself together, Ron!” Her words were sharp, almost like a wake-up call. “It’s not like Hermione’s going to wait forever! She made her move, she put the bloody quaffle squarely in your court. It’s your turn now. Tell me, can you bear the thought of her marrying some cool Quidditch bloke, like Krum for example - someone she doesn’t truly love? Because if that happens you’ll wish you had gotten your pathetic arse up and come out into the open!”
“No, of course not! I can’t stand the idea of her being with someone else,” Ron huffed out in frustration as he ran his hands over his face.
Ginny, observing his turmoil, crossed her arms and leaned back in her chair, a knowing look in her eyes. With a subtle raise of her eyebrows, she gave him a small nod. “See?”
“But I still hope that maybe she’ll bring it up herself.”
“What if she doesn’t? Do you plan to keep waiting until you’re one foot into the grave?”
Ron’s anxiety was palpable, and he could feel the weight of his emotions pressing down on him, similar to the suffocating grasp of the locket. “I’m just so afraid of messing it up,” he admitted again, rubbing his tired face again, his voice filled with self-doubt. “I’m not good with words.”
Ginny’s expression softened a bit, her brown eyes seemed to bore into him. “Hermione loves you, Ron. She kissed you, for Merlin’s sake. Are you really that daft? This is Hermione Granger we’re talking about!”
He swallowed and nervously fidgeted with the fringes of the tablecloth. “I’m so terrified of messing up our friendship and making things awkward.”
Ginny shook her head, her voice firm. “Ron, things are already awkward between the two of you! Life’s too short. You both deserve to be happy. If you don’t talk to her, if you keep avoiding your feelings - and her feelings - you’re not only hurting yourself but her as well.”
He nodded slowly, the weight of his sister’s words sinking in.
“Go talk to her!” She urged. “Now!” Ginny gestured for him to leave his stone-cold tea and go to the bushy-haired witch, who was sleeping upstairs.
Taking a deep breath, Ron tried to steady his nerves.
“What are you waiting for? Talk to her. Now! And don’t be an idiot this time.”
“It’s the middle of the night, Gin. She’s asleep,” Ron pointed out, seeking a rational excuse.
“Then wake her,” Ginny told him firmly, pulling him to his feet. “Now go.”
He hesitated, considering waiting until the morning. Ginny’s determined gaze, however, told him otherwise. She raised an eyebrow and threatened, “Don’t make me wake her myself.”
Now Ron was convinced that his sister had practiced Legilimency, during the time he had been on the run with Harry and Hermione.
“She’s asleep. It can wait till the morning. I’ll talk to her after breakfast.” he protested again as he tried desperately to make his excuse sound genuine.
Ron felt a strong urge to wait until the morning. He knew that barging into her room in the middle of the night might not be the most considerate approach. He didn’t want to start their conversation half-asleep and disoriented, potentially making it harder for them to communicate effectively. On the other hand, he knew that his hesitation had deeper reasons. He was afraid that if he confronted her with his feelings now, he might not be able to find the right words or handle her potential reactions. He needed time to gather his thoughts, to ensure he could express himself clearly and be prepared for a potential rejection.
Yet, Ginny’s resolve was unshaken, “No, Ron, that’s completely out of the question. You will talk to her now cause otherwise you will lose your nerve and back out. I know you.”
Ron couldn’t help but roll his eyes at her persistence, muttering under his breath, “You’re an insufferable pain in the arse.” Despite his grumbling, he couldn’t help but feel grateful for her interference, because deep down he knew she was right.
Ginny smirked at his remark. “You’ll thank me later,” she said, giving him a reassuring smile, while placing her hand on his shoulder in support.
He ruffled her hair affectionately, and in response, she tried to playfully hit him on the head, but couldn’t reach up, causing them both to laugh.
“You better not mess this up, or I’ll give you a piece of my mind,” Ginny warned, her playful tone hiding the genuine concern she had for her brother.
“Trust me, I don’t want to mess this up either,” Ron said with certainty in his blue eyes as he looked back at Ginny before glancing at the table. Noticing the teacups that were left, practically untouched on the wooden table, he looked back at his sister, “Erm, will you need help cleaning-”
“Don’t worry, I got it from here,” Ginny cut him off as she turned to clear the table the muggle way. “Go talk to Hermione, and please for Merlin’s sake, tell her how you feel!” Ginny added, and he nodded his head.
Before he left the kitchen, he turned to her again, “Erm, Gin?”
“No, you will talk-”
“I just…you know, thanks, I guess, for listening. Really, I appreciate the arse-kicking.” He said, shrugging. Ron gave her a soft smile, then winked at her. “Don’t tell the others, but that’s why you’re my favorite sister.”
Ginny swiftly grabbed a tea towel from the counter and flung it towards Ron’s retreating figure. However, he had already hurried out of the kitchen, leaving the green piece of fabric to land on the tile floor.
The Ladies of HP fest/server is happy to announce weekly fic recs from now until next year's fest. Every Friday, we will highlight 5-10 female-centric fics! This week, the recs come from your mods, @celestemagnoliathewriter, @artemisia-black, and @merlins-sequined-hotpants.
Going forward, we would love to receive recs in the ask box or in the rec channel on our Discord server. Almost any fic that is female-centric is welcome (exception: fics that feature explicit underage sexual content). We look forward to sharing more recs with you!
Fic Recs for Friday the 13th of October, including part of the summary from the author:
We've Grown Up (but still haven't changed) by @thecasualauthor18. Leading ladies: Black sisters, Andromeda POV. T, 2.2k words. Summary: Andromeda Black Tonks receives a letter from Narcissa, and against her better judgement goes to meet her.
Parvati by @sleepstxtic. Leading lady: Parvati Patil. G, 634 words. Summary: “Like you and appa?” you ask, propping yourself up on the kitchen counter and crossing your legs in anticipation. Your mother’s stories are always the best.
In the Service of Others by @bellmel. Leading lady: Molly Weasley. G, 4.7k words. Molly is not one to sit idle. It isn’t in her nature. She likes being busy, and as the last of her children leave for Hogwarts, Molly never even entertains the idea of staying at home with no company but her own. She needs a job.
Ariadne by @ashesandhackles. Leading lady: Cho Chang. G, 1.1k words. Summary: Exploring Cho's feelings for Harry in wake of her grief for Cedric's death, with symbolism from myth of Ariadne, Theseus and the Minotaur. A surrealistic character study.
Kiss Each Other Clean by @ronsgirlfriday-blog. Leading lady: Hermione Granger. T, 4.3k words. Summary: The war is over and all Hermione wants is to wash it all off of her.
Standing Up by @isidar-mithrim. Leading lady: Minerva McGonagall. G, 4.9k words. Summary: Minerva is powerless in front of Carrows’ tortures, painfully aware there’s only one way to protect her students: don’t protect them. It will be her own students to prove her that hope isn’t lost yet.
stolen glances, stolen cauldrons by @lanaturnergetup. Leading lady: Madam Rosmerta. M, 3k words. Summary: As with most bad experiences in her life, Madam Rosmerta would find that her affair with Mundungus ‘Dung’ Fletcher started out with too much to drink.
Power by @alohaemora. Leading lady: Angelina Johnson. G, 1.9k words. Summary: "Our hair is power, Angie, it's our history. It tells the world who we are."
If you've got recs for us, drop by the ask box or the rec channel on our Discord server!
Summer is for endless hot days, skins tanning as they fly high under the sun; birds at day, crickets at night, laughter anytime; jokes and shared tease, teaming up even when they are supposed to be playing against each other; resting under the shadow of a tree, with the breeze cooling their faces, talking about all and nothing; her cheeks are pink, blushing because of him but not for him; it's the fragrance of flowers in the air, intoxicating but never exhausting; it's the short nights spent camped in his room, telling each other ghost stories that never frighten him; he never remembers his dreams later, but there is a flash of red, a sparkling laugh; he sleeps better.
Autumn is realisation. It's noticing a distance that hadn't been there in the summer, but it comes with the age difference, classes that should help him survive. It's remembering she has other friends, a boyfriend with whom she must be enjoying that winding day in a cozy place; he scowls. It's seeing her with someone else and understanding why he hates it; it's remembering his every dream because she is there and how could he have not noticed it before; she is always there, only this time he yearns to share her laugh and her kisses; his dreams always grant his wishes, only for him to wake up.
Winter starts as a pale replay of summer. They are together, but there is a wall now, born of his conflicted and unrequited feelings; he shouldn't, but it's hard to resist her pull, though. As the frosty days go by, he cannot help but share an amused grin when the Christmas love songs play on the radio; they tease the silliness of other couples around them; her eyes flash dangerously when he says he is sorry for all the mess with her brother. They spend New Year's Eve making angels in the snow, and he laughs, all concerns gone; their hands meet for a moment, a touch too warm on that cold night, and he craves for more; her smile flickers for a moment, and when she takes her hand back, there is a whole conflict on her face. When they get back, he cannot help but notice she doesn't seem thrilled to meet her boyfriend.
Spring is for hope. Whispers of fallings out between her and her boyfriend; at night, when he lays in bed, a glint of gold teases him — how lucky it would be if she happened to break up with her boyfriend, how lucky if she realised her feelings for him, how lucky if her brother wouldn't mind. Lucky helps him for once. He watches her; she is bright, lively, unbothered by end of her relationship, and he sighs more than once — he also gets hit by bludgers more than once, but he isn't noticing those. The days are getting longer and they return to the castle, after practice, in the twilight; the sky is painted with gorgeous colours but his eyes are on her, and her happy smile and the blaze of challenge and longing in her eyes; their hands brush, fingers almost intertwining, but then someone interrupts them, something happens, and they look away disappointedly. Every night she departs wishing him good dreams, and he wonders if she knows she will appear in his dreams later; he hopes he will be on hers.
When they kiss, on a spring day, Harry feels like summer began early that year.
queue of things to read @queue-of-things - Tumblr Blog | Tumgag
