#but i when me and my friend started talking jkr we both agreed she hadn’t said anything wrong

[gendiebrainrotreceipts]

Any advice on how to cope with being a crypto in your daily life? Most of my friends, who I love, are normie libfem adjacent types (at least they're not terminally online tumblr furry hentai people thank God) but whenever the conversation turns to trans stuff they politely and nervously repeat the same platitudes and absolutely freeze up in terror whenever they come close to committing a thoughtcrime. Everyone hates JK Rowling as a matter of faith. I'd love to gently push back on some of their attitudes/assumptions, especially as I think they'd be amenable to some radical feminist ideas, but I'm also terrified of them seeing me as irredeemably bad and evil. They all think I think the same as they do because i'm a leftist, feminist, not their idea of a mean hateful bogeyman TERF.

Ngl I have the same issue too to some extent. I think the best we can to is when difficult conversations like jkr come up, just keep asking why. Not in a confrontational way, but kinda like you genuinely don’t understand. It might help them think about the ‘whys’ a bit more themselves if they have to explain it to someone else. Because this entire thing is based on assumptions and no one ever bothers to ask themselves seriously why

[fluxweeed]

10 first lines

share the first lines of ten of your most recent fanfics / wips

hi @teeteringpileofunusednotebooks and @nv-md! tysm for the tag + i’m sorry i’m so late!! mari – i’m ridic excited for your stupid number of WIPs – also i feel like you’ve started writing at least? two more? since you posted your version? i’m laughing, but with love. ali – your lines are all so perfect and make me miss ur writing so much! nv-md binge incoming!!! 

the last time i did this was exactly 10 published fics ago, so this is actually perfect timing! last time i also completely ignored the rules and talked in-depth about each line, and u kno what? tumblr is about the only place i feel comfortable being stupidly self-indulgent, so here we are again lmao 🙈

in reverse chronological order:

1. For Lack of Wanting (8.4k, E, unrequited drarry)

I was obsessed with him, you know.

(this line and also the entire first section is so tell-y but tbh i purposefully didn’t care. i just wanted to write some fucked-up unrequited roleplay sex, you know? sometimes you have to forget about writing good and just treat urself)

2. Still the pine-woods scent the moon (15.5k, E, remus/harry)

It seems like a reasonable idea, at first.

(so this fic actually started off as a sirius/harry after i went on a huge @lqtraintracks bender one weekend [and if u haven’t already, stop what ur doing and go inhale all 19 lqt sirius/harry fics immediately]. then i realised there was nothing i could really add to a sirius/harry fic that hadn’t been done already - but i came across this art and it lodged itself into my brain forever. it’s just the vibes, u know?? how soft remus looks but also the way he’s looking right at the camera?? that man is in CONTROL. so anyway then obv i needed to find a way to get him into grimmauld place so he could walk in on draco fucking harry in the arse. thus: first line.)

3. Ferrety Little Mouths and How to Snog with Them (5k, T/M, soft drarry kissing)

“And she lost her shit, can you believe it?”

(can’t rly take credit for this one; this whole section with draco talking about his ex is almost word-for-word a convo i had with a friend about their ex and their friend who was weird about it. not quite sure the phrase “she lost her shit” was used, but that was def the vibe.)

4. Two to Lie and One to Listen (85k, E, drarry fake relationship [sort of])

She’d got another letter from the Ministry that morning. It was from the Muggle Liaison Office this time. 

(god, this fic. in the very first draft, hermione was the legit villain: the sort of friend who is well-meaning and loudly supportive, but is lowkey bigoted and doesn’t think that queer relationships are as meaningful as straight ones. then before the first big rewrite i started thinking more about her motivations and had the idea of making her trans – both to give her a non-bigot reason for agreeing to help draco hide his sexuality and not tell harry about it [it’s all about the trauma, folks!!], but also as a nice little fuck-you to jkr. so then she needed more of her own storyline, bc it felt like a bit of a cop-out to be like “hey this character is trans i swear! anyway let’s mostly ignore her and have her get in the way of the main pairing” [which, honestly, is still sort of the vibe of the fic], so she got her big Let’s Change The World Campaign.

the first version of this prologue was from draco POV; the second version was hermione POV but she was sooo mean and angry; this one is the third attempt. i wanted to show her desperate attempts at making any kind of change, anywhere at all, so it’s a bit more plausible that when she runs into draco malfoy, she’s like “ok yeah sure let’s pretend to be boyfriendgirlfriend!” lol. also does it bother anyone else that there are three different tenses in this one line? everything about this fic makes me sick lmfao)

5. Per my last letter (I hope you choke on it) (10k, T, epistolary author!harry/publishing-grunt!draco)

CURRICULUM VITAE: Draco L. Malfoy

(can’t remember whose idea it was to start with a cv? it seems like the sort of lazy backstory shortcut i would do, lmao, unless it was actually @lastontheboat​’s idea, in which case it was a genius move to introduce draco’s work struggle and set the tone for his journey thru the rest of the fic)

6. An Auror Error (1k, T, stupid drarry auror fic written in tongue-twisters)

Harry shivered under Malfoy’s stern glare.

(1. wanted it to be left a bit ambiguous what harry’s actually feeling here [reality: he’s shivering bc he thinks draco is sexy when he glares, but also he could be scared bc he’s being interrogated?] 2. playing around a little bit with the s/sh sounds. easing into the nonsense to come.)

7. Eight o’clock, tomorrow evening (11.5k, E, drarry legilimency sex)

It was seven fifty-five, and Draco’s stomach churned.

(listen, i thought i was doing something with the title being a line from the end of The Four Doors, which this fic is a lil sequel to. this first line was (a) tying that together even more and also (b) establishing the POV switch from harry POV in 4D)

8. The Taste of Țuică (15k, E, ron/harry/draco)

Mum always says my problem is that I care too much. I think that’s nonsense, honestly—one of those meaningless things mums say to make you feel better about overreacting to stupid shit. But I can’t deny that I care about my friends. I mean, really care about them. You know?

(i’m including the whole first line here instead of just the sentence bc i was trying to do sooo much here, lmao. first, i wanted to really ground this fic in ron POV, and the weasleys are so very Family [u know??], so i wanted to get that in asap. i also wanted to get in ron’s maybe-demisexuality in there – i love love LOVE getting characters to explicitly state something about themselves while also simultaneously not realising it at all [seriously i do this all the time, promptly forget about this if ever u plan to read one of my fics bc it will be all u can see now haha] and this absolutely an example of that. poor old ron is going “hey i love my friends soooo much, i love hermione, and also i love harry, i just love them both SO MUCH. wait why tf did i kiss harry that one time???” what a chump.)

9. Belatedly Consummated (4k, E, drarry post-arranged marriage fuck)

The problem is: Harry can’t stop touching Draco.

(idk man i just really liked the thought of these two idiots having to cohabit and try to remain platonic while they get a magical boner every time they touch each other ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ this one also gave me a chance to do another thing i rly like to do, which is take the first line and make it the last line, except the last line is somehow Resolved. last lines are fuckin HARD, i use this trick all the time, pls also forget this one before reading any of my fics, ty)

10. Show them the night that they dreamed about before (6.5k, E, percy/harry/draco)

Draco’s first thought is, Huh, Potter’s here again.

His second thought is, What is he doing, bent over the desk like that?

His third thought is, Oh. Weasley is fucking him.

(i think this was the first thing i wrote for this fic and i lowkey still love it. i think it’s maybe a bit confusing? clunky? i feel like one of my beta’s didn’t like it? but it makes me laugh and also i enjoy the mental image of percy going to town on harry and draco standing there experiencing a whole-ass face journey while otherwise completely motionless, so.)

BONUS WIPS:

1. 10k/15kish written, E, silly drarry vagina fic

As soon as Harry wakes up, he knows that Something is Not Right.

(i feel like this might stay the same in the final version? this wip is about 5 years old lmao but i’ve been playing with this beginning section a bit recently. have made it 100% sillier and imo it’s improved it so much. still not sure i’ll ever finish it.)

2. 27k/50kish written, M, drarry polyjuice clubfic

In general, Harry is grateful for Hermione’s efforts to keep him alive.

(i strongly suspect i’m going to rewrite this entire first scene once i actually finish the fic and realise there are secret themes that currently elude me. atm it works as a way of getting them to where they need to be [on a brisk morning walk!] and also as a joke later on in the fic, but there’s nothing else really going on with it.)

-

god i’m so sorry for hijacking a simple tag game to talk about myself at such obnoxious length ;_; hope it encourages more writers to talk about their processes tho, i need more fic writing meta content now galla’s bonus podfic episodes are offline. tag me if u do this / come across this pls!!! love u ❤️

[yourlocalmaraudersbabe]

Hi!! Could you please write something for Sirius where he and the reader had a big fight and weren't on speaking terms anymore, but the marauders pulled a prank and she covered for them, wanting to save Sirius from yet another detention? And she gets caught and is assigned to do something horrible in detention, so when she gets back to the common room the marauders see her and Sirius feels bad because she looked like she'd been crying and talks to her and they make up? Thank you!!

“Oh I see, you can’t resist me, can you?”

Summary: While you and Sirius are in the middle of an argument, you take the blame on a prank he and his friends pulled which leaves you with a detention

Paring: Sirius Black x Gryffindor!reader (little mentions of the common room)

Warnings: Talk of burns, fire, and a little angst I suppose

A/N: Hey hey hey, I wrote this as like 3 am when I couldn’t sleep, so please enjoy <3 And thank you for the request! Also there’s a nice ending (I apologize for the angsty ending on that last fic lolll) Ooo and if you’re interested, you can send me an ask to be added onto my taglist :))

Word Count: 1325

Masterlist + Characters and ships I write for

Requests are always open <3

Reminder that I do not support jkr. Do not interact if you do.

“How many times are you going to apologize for missing our date?!”

Sirius began to defend himself. “You know I—”

“Yes Sirius! I know that Slughorn caught you again! But you could’ve at least told me you were going to have another detention.”

“I asked James to let you know but—”

“Sere, it’s not James’s job! You need to be the one in the first place to stay out of trouble.”

You hadn’t expected to be arguing with Sirius right now. You were the last two left in the common room and it was far too late for anyone to be thinking properly. His eyes were filled with exhaustion and misery as he met yours.

He lowered his voice. “Please just listen to me, y/n.”

Your voice broke as you walked up to your dorm. “I can’t do that right now. I’m sorry.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“You can’t ignore him forever.”

Lily’s whispers were a stab to the chest as it was going on almost a day without talking to him. “C’mon, you two practically never leave each other’s sides.”

She had agreed to a last minute library trip before curfew, just to help you avoid the common room.

“I don’t plan on ignoring him forever, I just— I don’t know,” you closed your book and quietly stood up from the table.

Lily did the same, though she was slower in gathering her stuff, allowing you to get a head start back to the common room. “Lily, I’m just going to go to bed, tell them all I said hi.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Now would anyone like to claim this wrongdoing as their own?”

Slughorn’s voice echoed through the room as he paced through the aisle down the middle of his class. “If nobody is willing to confess, I could go off of my suspicions,” his voice got higher, giddy with the excitement of giving your friends another detention as he looked their way. “Keep in mind, students, five detetnions means—”

“It was me.”

You hadn’t even realized what you blurted out until Sirius sat up straight in his chair, muttering your name under his breath. You didn’t mean to listen for such a quiet whisper of words, but it was nice to hear his voice again.

You met his eyes for only a brief moment before Slughorn stood directly in your point of view.

His voice was suspicious. “Really?”

“Yep, yes, yeah I um— I did it.”

You didn’t know what five detentions meant, and you didn’t want to hear any longer of what it could be seeing as Sirius would have reached that number. Knowing your professor, it was probably something cruel.

“Well, please see me in my office after dinner for details on your detention.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Good evening,” Slughorn started as you walked into his classroom. Did you have a good dinner?”

“Mhm,” you hummed, taking your eyes off the floor to find an eager looking room of children.

“I, um, have a group of first years that need a great deal of help in class. Which brings me to your detention,” he spoke to you discreetly off to the side. “You’ll be assisting first years in the basics of potions and brewing. They never seemed to quite grasp my subject, so I thought a review would be best for them.”

You glanced around the room of now very talkative students. One had already filled their cauldron with water. You let out a sigh, agreeing to everything he was assigning you as if you had a choice anyways

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Mr. HigGINS!” Slughorn's voice grew louder as fire shot up around the cauldron in front of you, dispersing itself in the air around you. The flame had died out within seconds, though effectively left burns on your hands and soot across your front. “No, no, it was an accident, Melvin!”

The poor boy that caused the little mishap had at this point disappeared, tears in his eyes.

Your professor looked at you, opening his mouth to say something. You turned around, excusing yourself from the room.

“Oh my, y/n, I’m sorry. You’re excused. Please see Madam Pomfrey if needed,” he called out with fake serenity.

You were on your way back to the common room, not even willing to bother with the nurse, afraid she’d keep you overnight to ‘monitor’ you.

“Hey y/n!” What happened?”

As you turned around to see who had called, you were barely able to catch your reflection in the armor stand.

James arrived at your side. “Are you alright? Tell me what happened.”

You shook your head, wiping the black substance off your lips and eyes with the back of your sleeve.

“No, no, it’s nothing really. Small accident is all it was.”

You walked away silently with James struggling to stay at your side, questioning you more about it.

“James! Please. I’m sorry for how I’m coming across but I need to be alone. Just a quiet night in the common room is all I ask. I’m fine, really.”

He nodded, offering you an understanding smile as he spoke the password to the portrait and climbed through.

James hurried upstairs and your shoulders relaxed upon seeing the room completely empty.

You muttered an incantation, igniting the fireplace while you reached your hand under the couch, pulling your book that you keep there out.

Opening the book had left little black specks falling onto the pages. You groaned, taking time to shake your clothes off entirely, next moving onto your face, avoiding the lump in your throat telling you to cry.

“Y/n?”

You didn’t have to look to know who was talking.

“Hm?”

“I-”

Sirius appeared on the couch beside you, crossing his legs. “I just wanna talk.”

“Me too, Sere.”

The feeling of tears gathering in your eyes dissolved as you scooted closer to him, leaning your head on his shoulder.

“I really am sorry about not being there for our date.”

You slipped your arm under his, hugging it. “It’s alright, really. I just—I needed some time to think about things.”

“But it’s not alright and I’m going to make it up to you.”

You laughed at him, not out of disbelief, but out of the fact that you’d probably wake up to a mountain of flowers around your bed and him sneaking food from the Great Hall to give you breakfast in the comfort of your dorm.

“How do you feel about dogs?” he teased, the cheeky smile present in his voice.

“Oh godric, whatever you’re planning, find something that doesn’t involve getting us expelled.”

The both of you laughed out at that, having a moment of normality, joking with each other until he brought up what brought him down here.

“Hey, what happened to you? James said you came out of Slughorn's— Oh, which reminds me, thank you—”

“Sirius, don’t apologize. I'd rather have my first detention with that idiot, then you getting your fifth one.”

He grabbed your hand, holding it a little too tight in his lap, causing you to hiss, pulling away.

Sirius sat up straighter with a look in his eyes that gave off the impression he was going to go assault someone far too dangerous. “That Melvin kid— the really clumsy first year, he um, caused a little accident.”

You finally got a chance to examine your hands, as did Sirius.

“Do you want to go to the hospital wing? I think you should go see Madam Pompfrey, we can go together.”

Sirius mumbled off his words, starting to get up from his spot.

“I’d rather stay here.” You situated yourself closer next to him.

“C’mon the burns don’t look good.”

“Sere, it’s fine we can just stay here. I haven’t had— I just miss talking with you and that’s honestly all I want to do right now.”

“Oh I see, you can’t resist me, can you?”

“Shut up,” you slapped his leg, the both of you disturbing the once peaceful common room.

[free-pool-trash]

come off it - george weasley

i wrote this because i was bored and in my george feels :) if you know me irl no you dont

word count: 5k

warnings: swearing, y/n absolutely bullying draco 💓😌, angst at the start for 0.2 seconds, mentions of blood, umbridge being a bitch, kissing 😽 slytherin!reader

summary: george wants to break up just until you graduate to keep umbridge off your case but it comes out wrong. eventually you both agree to keep your relationship on the low until you can see each other at graduation <3 (im terrible at summaries)

this is my first time ever writing for hp so please let me know what you think, id love feedback <3 reblogs are so appreciated

let me know if you’d like more hp stuff

masterlist

(also i dont support jkr if i saw her on the street she’d need new kneecaps <3)

The silence was screaming, the room completely devoid of volume, and yet, you’d never heard anything quite so loud.

He never moved from his spot, perched on the arm of an old grandfather chair, his head hung and his hair blocking his eyes from view, hiding any chance you had of reading his expression.

Feeling suffocated by his lack of dialogue, you spoke up again, your voice nothing more than a whisper to be swallowed up by the silence, “So, that’s that then.”

The quiet in the room didn’t bother you so much after you heard the words that had slipped from your lips, you could find solace in the hollow silence. Relating it to your thundering heart, that was beating rapidly, but the thought that you no longer knew what it was beating for left you like the aforementioned silence; hollow.

“I’m sorry, love.” His voice, as smooth as ever, brought your thoughts back to the situation at hand. All you managed was the weak shake of your head, willing your wet eyes to dry out before you lost hold of what little dignity you had left.

How could you possibly cry? You wondered miserably.

If you had only listened to the whispers in the back of your mind, you’d have seen this coming, foolish girl. You scolded yourself mentally.

“Don’t be.” You told him simply. Regaining your composure long enough to make it to the exit of the room, you spared the boy one last glance, he was looking at you then, brown eyes cloudier than you’d ever seen them.

What would he have to be sad about? This had been his choice, after all.

With a steadying breath you left the room, uttering an almost pathetic, “Look after yourself, Georgie.”

Only when he was sure you were truly gone did he allow his tears to fall, he hadn’t wanted to end things with you, not really.

It was for the best though. Tensions were high in Hogwarts at the minute, with Umbridge’s take over of the school putting everyone on edge. George knew well enough that the pink sporting she devil wouldn’t take too kindly to the prestigious, pure-blooded, princess of Slytherin embroiled with the likes of him. A supposedly lowly Weasley. A blood traitor.

Of course, status never mattered to you, or to your family for that matter. But it mattered to the new headmistress and George couldn’t bear the idea of putting you on the wretched witches radar knowing that he and Fred would be leaving you before the end of term.

He hadn’t expected it to be so bloody hard though. He thought he’d breeze through it with the thought process of “it’s only temporary”, as he’d initially intended. His plans for a temporary reprieve were hushed the second he saw your heart shattering right before his eyes.

You should’ve known really, you can’t just break up with the girl you’ve been completely in love with since third year out of nowhere. Merlin, you’ve really done it this time, haven’t you? She must think you’re a right tosser.

He reprimanded, the words trapped in the confines of his muddled mind.

His sadness turned to anger as it dawned on him, he’d just let you go and for what? Merlin, his mother was going to kill him.

Molly Weasley absolutely adored you, George recalled the first time he’d introduced you to his family. You’d been so nervous, it wasn’t every day a Slytherin found themselves in the midst of mostly Gryffindors.

Of course, yourself and George were just friends at the time. Fred had been the one who had begged you to visit the burrow as a matter of fact.

George cringed at the thought of the letter he’d surely be getting from his mother when she got wind of what he’d just done.

Overcome with frustration, George lifted himself from the arm of the chair and began storming through the stone halls in search of you. The conversation, if you could even call it that, hadn’t gone the way he planned.

He’d planned to sit down with you, talk you through his thought process and then hopefully you’d promise each other to rekindle your love in six months after you graduated.

Obviously that’s not how it ended up going. He’d screwed it up completely, he’d frozen on the spot and suddenly he’d forgotten everything he had planned to say.

He spotted you then, sluggishly moving down the corridor, small sniffles emitted from your retreating form and George jogged to reach you.

His large hand grasped your wrist, stopping you in your tracks, “Wait. Please.” His voice was strained, pleading.

Inhaling shakily you turned to face him again, the redhead tried his best to ignore your red rimmed eyes as he could already feel his guilt eating him alive as he held your wrist.

You didn’t speak. Just looked at him expectantly.

Carefully, his hand slipped from your wrist to your own hand, intertwining his fingers with yours.

“Can we talk?” You nodded wordlessly, allowing him to lead you wherever he intended to go.

The pair of you didn’t speak until you reached your destination. You found yourself standing in the privacy of the astronomy tower, hugging yourself to lessen the chill you felt when George released your hand, you stared at him expectantly, praying that you wouldn’t cry anymore.

“I didn’t mean for it to come out the way it did.” He confessed while taking a calculated step closer to you, acutely aware of your habit of simply walking away if you felt as though you were being ridiculed. It was a characteristic that he loved about you, you didn’t take anyone’s shit, including his. Which is why he wanted to keep a close proximity, knowing that there was a very real possibility that he’d say the wrong thing and you’d tell him to shove it.

“First of all, I love you. I don’t want you thinking for a second that I don’t.” He couldn’t quite hold back his grimace as you shuddered and turned your face away, staring out at the view as opposed to at him.

With an aggressive sniff you blinked away the water forming in your eyes before meeting his gaze again, “Then what is this about then?” Your tone was demanding, the cold air making itself comfortable in your bones while you waited for an answer.

George took another step forward, the sound of your shaky voice sending a pang directly to his heart. Throwing caution to the wind, he grabbed hold of your arms, just above your elbows.

“I want to be with you more than anything, honest. But I can’t have you in Umbridge’s bad books because of me, especially when Fred and I will be gone in two weeks.” He tried his best to explain, his grip on you softening when he felt your body become less rigid, although you still shook slightly from the cold.

“Why didn’t you just tell me that in the first place?” You chastised him weakly, your lips turning downward as you realised he was right. Umbridge had been on your case since she had arrived, with being the top student in her house, she didn’t take kindly to your “fraternisation with the likes of them”.

He let out a sigh, tugging you gently to his chest, his long arms wrapped around you tightly. “Because I’m a knobhead.”

His words had obviously been intended to get a laugh out of you and he was pleased to confirm that it had worked when he heard the soft giggle leaving your lips.

You gave his shoulder a halfhearted whack, “Yeah, you are.”

“Are you still breaking up with me?” You asked, voice a whisper, arms tightly around his waist, afraid if you loosened your grip he’d disappear.

George chuckled at that, “I was never breaking up with you, love.” His lips met the top of your head before he continued, “I just think we should keep a low profile for a bit.”

“I hate it when you’re right.” Your grumbled, pulling away from his hold slightly to look into his eyes.

“I know this isn’t ideal… but we’ll get through it. I need you in one piece for our wedding, after all.” He teased, wiggling his eyebrows and causing you to bark out a laugh.

“One minute you’re breaking up with me and the next your banging on about marrying me? I’ll never understand you Weasley.” You reciprocated his teasing, eyes finally dry and shining a little brighter than they had been just a few minutes prior.

George lowered his face close to yours, your noses nudging together ever so slightly as his mouth, formed in a grin, hovered in front of your own. “I’ve got to keep you interested somehow, love.”

With that his lips met yours, his hands sliding up to cup your cheeks when you began to move your lips in unison with his and your own hands tangled in his ginger hair.

All too soon, he removed his lips from yours and rested his forehead on yours. “Maybe we should make up some code words.”

“Like what?” You entertained him, playing with the hair on the nape of his neck as he thought about possible code words.

“Right, how about this? When I say “ Merlin, you’re hard work”” he spoke, his hands leaving your cheeks to make air quotes and you watched him fondly as his hands moved to your hips, “That will mean. You’re bloody incredible and I wish I could snog you right here on the spot.”

Throwing your head back, you laughed, “Perfect.”

Then you paused, thinking for a response and then you bit back a smile, hands sliding to his chest pushing him away ever so slightly, “And when I say “Oh, come off it, Weasley” that will mean You’re a prat but I love you regardless.” A dopey smile crossed his lips.

“I’m choosing to ignore the part where you called me a prat.”

Innocently, you shrugged your shoulders, “You are a prat.” George scoffed at that, pulling you into his chest again, rocking your bodies together and lulling you into a sense of tranquility as your cheek rested against his chest.

He let out a long sigh, tightening his grip around you, muttering cheekily in your ear, “Merlin, you’re hard work.”

A small laugh left your mouth and you looked up at him with a half hearted glare, “Oh, come off it, Weasley.”

*

This ‘keep it on the down low’ plan was to put it plainly: dreadful. Acting as though you and George had broken up didn't do too much to keep Umbridge off your back. What it did do however was have, what seemed like every girl in the entire castle, crowding around your boyfriend in hopes of being the next one to catch his attention.

He entertained them all with charming smiles and false niceties, more often than not passing them over to Fred, who basked in the new found attention.

Not that George was the only one being bombarded with love offers, you had your fair share of Slytherin boys sniffing around you over the last couple of days.

One boy had been particularly persistent though, and it was easy to see it was driving the youngest Weasley twin absolutely mental.

The boy in question was currently sat beside you at the Slytherin table in the great hall, doing his very best to keep you interested in what he was saying.

“I don’t know if I mentioned it earlier, but I’m sorry to hear about you and Weasley.” He told you, his voice uncharacteristically shy.

You supposed you shouldn’t be so curt with him, as far as Slytherin boys went Adrian Pucey was probably the kindest of the lot. With a small sigh you turned to the Slytherin chaser and gave him your best fake sad smile, “Thanks, Adrian.”

The boy cleared his throat and you couldn’t help but notice the flush beginning to form on his cheeks, Merlin he is going to be upset when he realises you're not really available.

“If you ever want to talk about it I’d be more than happy to listen.” He offered up kindly, his kindness wasn’t necessarily out of the ordinary, the pair of you had always been friendly with each other, but your perception told you that Adrian was definitely hoping for something a little more than friendly to come of this situation.

Giving him another small smile you nodded your head, deciding to cut the poor boy some slack, “I appreciate that. It’s been pretty strange honestly, feels like every girl in school is lining up to take my place…” You trailed off, eyes landing on George who was sat at the Gryffindor table, a fifth year Hufflepuff girl sitting way too close to him for your liking, twirling her hair and you let your eyes roll at the sight.

Adrian followed your gaze before giving you a sympathetic look, “He doesn’t know what he’s missing.”

You couldn’t help the laugh that left you at that, you returned your gaze to him, giving him an expectant look, “You seem more upset than I am.” You pointed out, trying not to smile at the furrow in his brow.

Adrian looked away from you towards George who was now laughing with Lee, the Hufflepuff girl now long gone, shrugging his shoulders lightly he began to speak his eyes never leaving the red headed Gryffindor, “The pair of you were great together. I just don’t see what he could possibly want that you couldn’t offer… if you ask me he’s a right idiot for letting you go.”

George was looking in your direction now, his jaw set in a tight clench as he watched Pucey playfully bump his shoulder against yours. Why on earth were you smiling at something Adrian Pucey said?

You caught his gaze from across the room, sending him a sad smile then turning back to the Slytherin beside you, keeping in character as you were very aware of Umbridge’s eyes on you and what she would consider an eligible bachelor.

“Yes well, you know how Gryffindors are. Don’t often think before they act.” You told him, pushing yourself away from the table and collecting your things.

Adrian nodded in agreement, quickly standing up too, “Um, I was wondering if you were after a new potions partner?” He asked quickly, voice shaking ever so slightly with nerves.

Biting the inside of your cheek, you glanced towards George- your usual potions partner desperately, turning back to Adrian you reluctantly nodded your head, you’d need a new partner in a week or so anyway. “Sure.”

Seeming pleased with your answer the brown haired boy sat back down and smiled happily as he watched you leave the hall.

The evening was drawing to an end as you found yourself on the balcony of the astronomy tower, eyes set on the sunset, your body leant comfortably on the railing in front of you.

“Well, well, well, if it isn’t the future Mrs. Pucey.” Came the voice you’d recognise anywhere, his tone teasing.

Without looking away from the view you chided him playfully, “Don’t be jealous, Georgie. Or should I say Hogwarts’ most eligible bachelor?”

You let out a content sigh as George wrapped his arms around you from behind, leaning his chin on your shoulder and placing a delicate kiss to the curve of your jaw, “I quite like that title. But I’d prefer to be known as your future husband.” He shot back cheekily, placing a flurry of kisses against your neck making you giggle joyfully.

As you threw your head back, your laughter was silenced by his lips catching your own in a passionate kiss, his hands moving to your hips to flip you around to face him, your back pressed against the railing now as you looked up into his eyes.

“That’s all I’ve been thinking about all day.” He admitted, his hands sliding up and down your sides gently as you slid your own around his shoulders.

You hummed approvingly, pulling him towards you and placing your lips against his again, tongue moving against his as his hands gripped your hips. When you pulled away, he chased your lips, pressing short kisses to them while simultaneously pressing his body closer to yours.

“Bet Pucey wouldn’t be able to kiss you like that, eh?” George smirked cockily and you let out a breathy laugh.

Matching his energy, your hands slipped up his neck and you let them get tangled in his hair, you raised an eyebrow, “I could always go and find out… how much are you willing to bet, Weasley?” At your challenge, his lips returned your neck, dragging along the sensitive skin and making your stomach flip.

George’s lips paused right at your ear, his voice gruff and low as he whispered, “No amount of galleons would tempt me if it meant you’d be kissing that git, darling.”

“Stop, you’ll make me swoon.” You joked dryly, tugging softly on his long hair causing him to detach from your neck.

His forehead met yours as the sun finally retreated, leaving just you, George and the stars in the darkness of the tower.

“You know, you could always run away with me. Then we could go back to snogging whenever we want and that old cow wouldn’t be able to punish either one of us for too long.” You could tell he wasn’t truly joking despite the tone of his voice, you released a sad sigh, running your hands through his hair, your nails scratching his scalp the way you knew he liked.

“Mm, but imagine how incredible it’ll feel when we reunite at graduation.” He let out a small puff of air against your face, tightening his arms around you.

It was then that a worry crossed your mind, would he and Fred even bother showing up? Ron wasn’t graduating until next year, Ginny in two, so there would be no family members there for them to see. But surely they’d show up to see Lee?

“You’ll come won’t you? To graduation?” You wondered out loud, his hands rubbing soothing circles into your hips as he sensed your nerves.

He pressed his lips to your forehead and hugged you close, “Freddie and I wouldn’t miss it for the world, love.”

“If I don’t see you there I’ll hex you both.” You promised, snuggling into his embrace.

George let out a small chuckle, hand running down your hair with a content smile, “I don’t doubt it.”

*

All too soon, Fred and George disappeared from Hogwarts in a blaze of lights and explosions and you couldn’t have been prouder of them. With the ambition those boys had you sometimes questioned how they weren’t placed in Slytherin.

You’d managed to stay on Umbridge’s good side for the most part, you’d become quite close with Adrian too, but to avoid leading him on you’d fed him a story about how you were still mad about George and that you were sure he’d only broken up with you so it wouldn’t hurt you so much when he left, he accepted it far more gracefully than you’d expected and continued to be a great friend to you despite knowing you weren’t interested in anything romantic.

There was only a week left until you graduated from the school you’d called home for the past seven years and you’d managed to make it this far with no detentions with Umbridge and her favourite quill.

You were so close.

It’d been a long day of classes and you were on your way back to the Slytherin common room, Adrian by your side when you’d come across the scene.

Some of the fifth years were crowding a scared looking fourth year, you let out a low growl as you recognised Ginny to be the girl cornered by Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle. Throwing all your previous caution to the wind you stamped towards the scene, wrapping an arm around the youngest Weasley’s shoulder and pulled her into your side protectively.

“What do you three little demons think you’re doing?” You seethed, checking Ginny over for any injuries only to find she had tears pooling in her eyes.

It was no secret that you adored the Weasleys. You’d visited the burrow six Christmases in a row and Molly has never failed to send you an owl with a present attached on your birthday. It was also no secret to the family, even George, that you’d both kill and die for little Ginny. When she’d been taken to the chamber of secrets in her very first year you’d nearly popped a blood vessel worrying about her and very nearly ended up petrified while looking for her. Your fake break up with George hadn’t changed how you felt about the family.

Malfoy scoffed, turning his nose up to you, “What’s it to you, you’re just as bad as them. Filthy blood traitor you are.” It was then Adrian stepped in, clamping a hand down on the blonde’s shoulder.

“I’d watch your mouth if you’re looking to play in the final game on Saturday.” The chaser spoke lowly, his threat scaring the younger boy only slightly.

“Oh you’re such a big hard man, Draco.” You laughed mockingly, you’d known him since he was in nappies due to the fact that your mother and his were quite close up until recent years.

Pushing Ginny gently into the grasp of Adrian who had again moved to be standing by your side, he gave her a kind smile and you nodded reassuringly and that was all she needed to go willingly to Adrian.

Now that Ginny was out of the line of fire you squared up to the spoiled brat in front of you, you were anything but intimidated by him, it was high time you gave him a little reminder of exactly why you’d been named the Princess of Slytherin for so many years.

You were never mean for no reason. In fact, everyone believed you’d been misplaced at first. That was until half the student body had watched you absolutely verbally obliterate a Ravenclaw two years above you after he’d called you a slut. You had been absolutely ruthless. Nobody dared to speak badly of you or your friends as you proved on several occasions that you’d not hold back in retaliation. It seemed that little Draco needed a reminder of this.

“You’re so cool. Bullying girls…” You told him dryly, smirking wickedly as he swallowed harshly when Crabbe and Goyle had the good sense to take a few steps back, you raised an eyebrow lowering your voice and forming your lips in a pout, “Tell me, Draco, is your daddy proud of you? Or have you yet to catch his attention?”

Draco fumed then, huffing and gritting his teeth, by now there was a small crowd forming and Ginny had retreated into the arms of Ron, another one of George’s siblings that you simply adored.

“You don’t know what you’re talking about.” He spat out, venom lacing his words, only egging you on further.

The grin on your lips only widened and your eyebrow rose higher, “Oh? Because the last time I checked” You lowered your voice so only he could hear before going on, “He’s missed your birthday for the last three years.”

His face turned red and he lunged. Shouts came from the crowd and you considered your options, were you really, as a seventeen year old, about to fist fight a fifteen year old prat with daddy issues? You got your answer in the form of Draco connecting his first to your jaw and busting you lip. The fifth year being restrained by Adrian and Ron, both of whom looked like they were going to fight him themselves.

The crowd watched with bated breath as you dabbed a finger under your cut lower lip. Noticing the blood that now painted your finger you let out a humourless laugh and tilted your head to the side.

You were absolutely about to fist fight the fifteen year old with daddy issues.

Just as you realed your fist back, a voice that met your ears like nails on a chalkboard sliced through the jeers of the crowd, “What is going on here?”

Umbridge screamed when she took in the scene. And you’d be the first to admit it looked bad. Draco with his hands being restrained by a seventh year and your fist in the air, there was absolutely no question about what was going on.

“Why Ms.(L/n)! My office this instant!” She seethed but you could tell she was biting back that horrid grin of hers. She’d been waiting for a reason to lock you in detention with her before you left.

You didn’t bother arguing with the women as she glared at Adrian, Ron and Draco.

“Pucey, Weasley let the boy go. I will deal with the three of you later.”

She motioned for you to follow her and you obliged, sighing softly when the voice echoed from behind you, “My father will be hearing about this.” He couldn’t quit could he? Seeing as you were already in trouble, you continued walking but turned your head over your shoulder and gave him a look of agreement, “Yes Draco he’ll be hearing, but will he really be listening?”

*

“You have been soiling the good name of Slytherin for far too long, positively whoring yourself out to that Weasley boy.” Umbridge had been criticising you for what felt that hours, watching intently as your hand bled as you wrote.

Not too bothered you let her go on her little rant as you write out your line: house embarrassment, her words stung far less than the growing wound on your hand.

The women took a deep breath as she continued, “A bright girl like you should be putting her talents to good use not entertaining the likes of blood traitors.”

It took everything in you to bite your tongue and refrain from stabbing her with her own enchanted quill. It was funny how you’d ended up in that position really, not because of George but because of his little sister.

“I had half a mind to hold you back. But you’d only get in my way. Consider yourself lucky.” She shut up after that, obviously growing bored of your lack of response she relieved you after another half an hour.

When you got back to the dungeon Adrian was sat waiting for you, a tired smile on his face, “You’re ridiculous.”

“Oh how your words injure me.” You jested, flopping onto the sofa, dropping your feet into his lap.

He patted your shin with a chuckle, “How’s the hand?”

You wiggled your bloody hand at him and he winced, “Merlin, (Y/n)...” It looked at lot worse than it felt.

You only shrugged, a dazed smile on your face, “My only regret is not getting a punch in.”

“That Ginny girl is quite worried about you. Kept saying how George was going to prank her so badly for getting you in trouble.” Pucey told you, laughing lightly when you sighed dreamily at the mention of the twin you loved.

“I’ll protect her.” You murmured, thoughts trailing off, “Did I tell you he’s coming to graduation next week?” Adrian nodded, soft smile on his face.

“D’you reckon a reconciliation is on the cards?” He asked teasingly, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

Mimicking his eyebrow movements you nodded with determination, “No doubt about it, mate.”

He barked out a laugh, pushing your feet off his lap and standing up, “Save me the details, a man’s heart can only take so much.”

With a wicked smile you watched as he walked towards the dorm stairs, “So are you going to tell that Ravenclaw girl you fancy her before the end of the week?” He went rigid then, blushing furiously as you laughed.

“How’d you find out about that?” He whined miserably.

Just like earlier, you wiggled your eyebrows at him, “Saw you snogging at the back of the library.”

Adrian groaned, grabbing a cushion from the armchair by the stairs and chucked it at you, “Why’d you ask if you already knew?”

You placed your uninjured hand over your chest and faked hurt before it morphed into a triumphant grin, “Thought it’d be fun to rile you up considering you didn’t think to tell me.”

Adrian shook his head before finally heading up the stairs, “Don’t stay up too late.”

*

The days until graduation flew by and before you knew it you and the rest of your year were shouting in delight, a few even crying.

“(Y/n)!” Lee’s voice caught your attention and you met him with a bright smile and squeezed him tightly when he pulled you into a hug, “Come on, the twins are here!”

Being Fred and George’s best friend, Lee knew all about your fake split, never shy to tell you how utterly stupid he thought the whole thing was. But it didn’t matter anymore because the jig was about to be up. Finally.

Eagerly, you followed Lee through the crowd, rushing ahead of him when you locked eyes with George.

When the pair of you collided it was as if you’d never been apart. Your hands immediately tangled in his hair as he lifted you from around the waist, spinning you around excitedly before placing you down but keeping his arms around you

“Merlin, I’ve missed you.” He whispered lowly into your ear, you pulled your lip between your teeth, and leaned away to look at him fondly.

“Hi.” You whispered, a huge grin on your face.

“Hello.” He whispered back, the look on his face nothing short of enchanted when he studied you for the first time since he left.

Without another word you used your grip on his hair to bring his lips to yours, kissing him softly through your smile as you heard Ginny giggling from her place beside Molly.

George grumbled at the short length of the kiss, settling for holding you hard and leaning down to whisper, “You’re hard work, my love”

With a laugh you pecked his cheek adoringly, staring deeply into his eyes as you murmured with a shit eating grin, “Come off it, Weasley.”

[shiro-naru]

Since all the Transphobic JKR shit is happening I thought I'd share this small drabble I wrote

Blaise touched their leather wristband anxiously. As they looked around all they could see was colour. There were so many people, some wearing little to no clothing, others wearing body suits made of a kaleidoscope of colour. They saw blue hair, green hair, pink hair, but what amazed them most was the faces of the people around them. Everyone was talking animatedly with each other, with so much love and happiness in their eyes, it made Blaise's breath catch in their throat.

Blaise looked down at their own clothing, a nice long dark grey skirt that had a side opening which showed that they were wearing boots with heels. It wasn't the most comfortable outfit to wear at Pride, but they had one chance to wear their clothing unashamedly and they were gonna take it, for Merlin's sake.

As they were contemplating whether to first get a drink or go look at the merchandise (they weren't leaving without at least a pin), Blaise heard an unmistakable ethereal voice beside them.

"Oh, Blaise, I didn't know you were attending this year's pride," she then seemed to take in Blaise's outfit and her smile became larger and softer. "I really like your skirt, it really suits you".

Luna was wearing a flower crown made from daisies, a thin dress that reached just under her knees with a flower pattern, and what seemed to once have been white converse but that now were a mix of different colours and drawings, as if a five year-old had been playing with them.

Still caught off guard, Blaise smiled at her with a small, tight smile. They could still remember the war when they saw people from Hogwarts. "This is actually the first time I come to one of these events. I can't really wear this around wizards."

Luna looked at them with a furrowed brow, and Blaise couldn't really say if they had seen that look on Luna before. "That is so stupid. It's not like wearing something or other changes anything. After everything that's happened, you'd think they wouldn't care". After a few seconds of silence she smiled softly again. "I'm actually with some other friends from Hogwarts. Why don't you join us?" Before Blaise could answer, she was already heading between the people, supposedly in the direction where her friends were.

Blaise couldn't actually remember the last time they had heard from Draco or Pansy. A year? A year and a half? It'd been three years since the war ended. Draco had moved to Muggle London, unable to take the judgment and insults everytime he left his home. Blaise had gone to Paris with their mother. Pansy, had supposedly stayed in Wizarding London. At first they'd exchanged letters, but as time passed they became scarce. Blaise had finally arrived to London three months ago. Before the pain in their chest got too much, Blaise decided to follow Luna. It was better than fumbling around Pride lost and alone. 

As soon as Blaise had caught up with Luna, she turned and smiled, as if she never had any doubt that they would be following. "What are your pronouns by the way? Mine are they-them."

That made Blaise stop suddenly. They had never told anyone about their pronouns, never said the words out loud. Luna was looking at them spectantly, as if she-they knew what was happening in their brain. "It's they-them too actually". There. They had said the words. A weight they didn't know they'd been holding suddenly disappeared, and they felt like they could breathe properly. Blaise's normally poised self couldn't control the joyful smile that appeared, against their will. "Are you non-binary too?" They tried to keep the excitement from their voice, but from the amused smile in Luna's face, they weren't very successful.

"I'm agender, actually. Gender feels like a big facade sometimes, and I can't say I understand it, so I just wear what I like and what feels good." 

Blaise looked at Luna, with their beautiful hair and dress.

"Can I ask why you wear a dress? I thought being agender you'd wear more androgynous clothing". At the look of confusion on Luna's face, Blaise felt themself blush. 

"Well, as I said, I wear what I like. I don't see how what I decide to wear is related to me feeling like any kind of gender. Also," their smile got bigger and more playful, "I'm not scared of nargles stealing my flower crown here." Blaise couldn't tell if Luna meant it as a joke or not. Their eyes were playful, but their tone was completely serious. Before Blaise could start asking the question, they heard a voice calling Luna. 

"Hey, where were you? We'd thought you'd gotten lost, and we were about to send someone to rescue you." Potter said with a smile on his face. He then seemed to take in that there was someone beside Luna, and that said person was Blaise Zabini. "Oh, Zabini. Didn't know you were... coming."

Blaise felt Potter's eyes go down his body, and when he took in Blaise's skirt his eyebrows lifted and his eyes got slightly bigger. If Blaise didn't know better, they would've thought a small smile curved the Saviour's mouth. Blaise felt extremely uncomfortable under his gaze. They rationally knew they wouldn't get any insults because of their clothing, being where they were, but it still made Blaise fidget under his gaze. "Yes, well..." They didn't know what to say to that, so Blaise decided to just look somewhere else. 

As Potter started talking to Luna about one thing or another, Blaise's gaze fell onto Potter's body. He was shirtless, showing beautiful tattoos over his chest and arms made up of colourful flowers. He was also wearing tight jeans ripped at the knees and old running shoes. As Blaise's eyes went back to Potter's chest, to the beautiful patterns and details, they noticed something they had never before. Under his nipples where to thin scars, unmistakable by their location. Blaise felt themself take in a breath, and Potter must have heard them for he looked at Blaise with a comprehending and slightly pained smile. "I got these somewhere around fifth year. Never been happier" 

Blaise didn't know what to say. How had they never noticed? "I... I don't really understand how... Did everyone know?" There were so many questions going around their mind, and Blaise didn't know what to ask, how to ask it. Before the war they probably wouldn't have had a problem with prying, but now... The war had left them quiet and introspective, moreso than before. 

"Mione and Ron knew. And most of the staff, and my roommates and quidditch team. I didn't really want the kids at Hogwarts to know. I already got shit in the Muggle world, and with all that pureblood bullcrap already going on at school..." Potter grimaced a bit, as if trying and failing to make a memory stay back. 

"I understand" was all that Blaise said. And they really meant it. And by the way Potter looked at them, and the small smile in his face, they thought he believed it. After a few seconds where Blaise felt emotion swelling in their chest, they coughed a bit, willing the fullness to disappear and tentatively asked "What are your preferred pronouns, by the way? Mine are they/them." Blaise could feel themself blushing, trying to remember how Luna had said that, and they tentatively looked at them for reassurance. Blaise wasn't expecting the pride in Luna's eyes, which made Blaise's cheeks heat further. When they looked at Potter once again, his face was nearly radient. 

"He/him. Thanks for asking." Potter replied. After that they looked at each other for a few seconds. Potter opened his mouth, as if to say something to Blaise, but before he could even utter a sound, a pair of pale arms hooked around Potter's neck. "Darling, I thought I'd lost you forever." 

That was the voice of his best friend, Draco Malfoy, always the dramatic. Blaise smiled at that, unable to hide their amusement. If the way Potter laughed and sent Blaise a look meant anything, he was probably thinking the same thing. Draco's hair was slightly shorter than Blaise remembered, his eyes were still the beautiful grey, made even more striking by the winged eyeliner adorning his eyes. All his face was accentuated by glitter: his cheekbones, eyebrows, chin; there was even some on his neck and chest. He was wearing a shirt that was cut at its centre, showing off most of his chest, the most tight fitted black jeans they had ever seen, and striking black stilletos. Blaise wasn't even sure of how he was walking in those. 

Just as Blaise was finishing taking their best friend in, Draco's eyes finally reached Blaise. "By the Merlin, what are you doing here Blaise?" Blaise would have been offended by the way Draco said that if it wasn't for the face-splitting grin on his face. They felt an immense relief at that, just realizing how scared they actually were of where the two of them were standing with each other. "And in a skirt. I always knew you'd look amazing. If only you'd agreed to try with me in third year," Draco tsked at that, acting as if he really had been offended. 

Blaise started laughing at that, both at the memory and the comment, making them realize how much they had missed him. As they laughed, Blaise realized they hadn't laughed like that in a very long time. Maybe since before the war started. Seeing the answering smiles in Draco's, Potter's and Luna's faces, they couldn't help but wonder if they all knew, and whether they would have been happier staying here, with the rest of people from Hogwarts. 

The four of them started talking, about everything and anything. Blaise mostly listened, and offered witty remarks when asked personally. They had missed this. It felt like getting part of the old them back. A better, kinder version of themself, but the lifeliness they had lost at the war was slowly creeping out. Draco seemed to notice this too, for he was looking at Blaise with such emotion that they themself thought they soon might start spilling a tear or two. 

"Hey, dickhead," a familiar voice stole them away from their reverie, and as they turned they saw no other than Pansy Parkinson. The day really couldn't get better. "You  can't ask us to help you find a drink and then suddenly leave us, claiming that your dork boyfriend needs you. That's just rude," she finally stated, adding a vulgar gesture to add to the effect. Draco just pulled out his tongue as a response. Everything was so familiar and at the same time so much better and brighter than ever, that Blaise couldn't help the laughter that sprung out of them. Pansy's eyes then took Blaise in, finally noticing an extra presence. "Blaise..." 

Pansy only said that, looking at them as if seeing a ghost. "Hey, Pansy. How have you been doing?" Blaise added with a nod of their head. They weren't sure what else to say. What else was allowed. Had something broken over the months -years- they hadn't spoken? But before they could go down that rabbit hole any further, Pansy's arms circled their neck. She was wearing a black see through dress, that reached up to her knees, underneath a black bralette, and what seemed to be high waisted black panties. She was also wearing her signature black military boots. 

"I missed you, you doofus. I'm sorry I didn't answer your last letter. Everything was so fragile, I just..." She whispered that right into their ear, so no one else heard her. Blaise squeezed her back in response, assuring her that everything was alright. They all had gone to dark places after the war. Blaise had always been closer to Pansy than even Draco during their time at Hogwarts, and they had missed her more than anyone else. 

They separated from their embrace, though Pansy still stayed close to Blaise, making sure to brush her hand against theirs, as if making sure Blaise was really there. It was then that Blaise realized that there was a shorter person behind Pansy, and for a few seconds they didn't recognize her. "Granger? I nearly didn't recognize you." Instead of wearing her head completely free and unruly, she had combed her incredibly dark, curly hair into two buns on either side of her head. She had painted a gay flag on her right cheek, and a lesbian one on her left one. Granger was wearing high-waisted shorts and a maroon sleeveless shirt. Over her shoulders was a lesbian flag flowing behind her, making her look like a superhero. Blaise smiled at that, it really suited her. Blaise then took at Pansy's hand holding Granger's, and the bisexual flag painted over Pansy's right cheek. "How did that happen? And when?" Blaise pointed accusingly at their joined hands. 

Pansy just gave them a leering grin in response. "A lot of things happen in three years. I met her in the ministry, and couldn't make her stay away". 

At that Granger smacked Pansy's arm (pretty hard) and ignored Pansy's yelp of pain. "If I remember correctly," Granger cleared up, "it was you who spent nearly three weeks asking me for drinks and sending me flowers to my office. I just accepted to take you out of your misery." At Pansy's offended expression, Granger got on tiptoes of her high boots and pecked her. Pansy grumbled something in response, but seemed to accept the peace offering. 

"I'm offended I didn't get any kind of surprise from you, Blaise, when you saw me and Harry," Draco piped in while pointing at Blaise with one slender finger and pouting his mouth. Blaise lifted one eyebrow, making Draco blush. 

"Draco, you've been in love with Potter since first year. If you wanted me surprised you should be hugging Weasley." Blaise answered, making Potter blush and Luna, Granger, and Pansy start laughing. 

"Harry was no better," Granger confided with a knowing grin -God, Pansy and Granger were alike- "you should have seen him during Sixth year, always following Draco around." This made Potter blush, and Draco give his boyfriend a loud kiss on the cheek. "Also," Granger added looking at Blaise, "Weasley would never have accepted, sorry to disappoint." Her stare was so intense, that Blaise felt suddenly very queasy. 

"Where is Weasley by the way?" Blaise asked, trying to make Granger stop looking at them so intently. 

"Oh, he's with my partners." Luna said with a big smile, as if the mere mention of their partners made them incredibly happy. "That is, Ginny and Neville." 

This made Blaise stop suddenly. The three together? They had heard of polyamory (they lived in Paris) but had never thought any of their school friends would be in one. Though it shouldn't be that surprising, Blaise thought as they scanned the rest of the group, as they all seemed to be queer. The thought made Blaise smile, thinking about how much fun it would have been to know all of this during Hogwarts, or how dangerous, an unhelpful voice supplied. 

It was then that said three arrived to the group, Ginny eating what seemed to be a strawberry ice cream. She was wearing Levi overalls, with a yellow shirt underneath, and red converse. Neville, which seemed to have recovered some weight and looked much healthier (he had lost quite some weight during those last years at school and during the war, making him look sick and pale),was wearing a short sleeved purple shirt and black trousers. Then Blaise's eyes finally found Ron, who was wearing a similar flower crown to Luna's but made of violets. He was wearing a white sleeveless shirt with a print of flowers of different colors, fitted jeans, and brown boots. He would have seemed pretty common if he wasn't wearing the flower crown, and glitter on his cheeks. He was laughing at something Ginny was telling him, which made his blue eyes squint with glee. And then the blue eyes caught Blaise's, widening, which made the other two notice them as well. Ginny was the only one who addressed them, "Blaise Zabini. Who would have thought?" She said while laughing, and gesticulating with her arms, making Neville swiftly take the ice cream before anything bad happened. Obviously she was already ahead of the rest in the drinking department. Though Blaise was relieved, this was a much better reaction than they had expected. 

Blaise waved at the three of them as they finally got to the group, the rest adjusting the circle they had made to accommodate the group. Ginny gave Luna a bone-crushing hug, which made Luna laugh giddily. Neville kissed the edge of Luna's forehead. It was that moment that Granger decided to address the group: "Okay. So now that we're all finally here," she said that giving the last to come a pointed look, "we could re-introduce ourselves. Name, pronouns, and any other info we'd like to add." She paused at that, waiting for someone to start. 

She didn't wait long as Pancy started: "Pansy Parkinson, she/her. Bisexual a-f, and dating the most amazing woman ever." She gave Granger a kiss on the cheek, and Granger just answered with a loving look. 

"Hermione Granger, and everyone here can call me Hermione, or Mione," she said that looking at Blaise with a soft smile. Blaise really appreciated that from Gran- Hermione, given their pasts. "My pronouns are she/her and if you couldn't tell from my flag, I'm a flaming homosexual, as Draco would put it. And I'm the amazing women Pansy is dating," she said with a snicker, making Blaise and everyone except Pansy snort. Though Pansy was giving her a wounded, which was obviously secretly amused, pout. 

"Well, since my dear Hermione took my phrase, I'll have to stick with being fabulously gay. And my name is Draco, pronouns are he/him." 

"Just Harry here" to which everyone, including Blaise themself, answered with an obvious "Hello Just-Harry". Harry gave everyone a withering look before continuing. "He/him, and also bi." 

"I'm Ron, he/him. And err," he paused, looking at Blaise as if not sure he could trust them wholly, which Blaise didn't judge him for. "I'm genderqueer, and I'm demisexual." 

"I'm Ginny, she/her, polyamorous, and pansexual." She said this while moving between Neville and Luna, putting an arm over both their shoulders, which proved to be hard as she was quite shorter than both of them. 

"Neville, he/him. Also polyamorous, in a queer platonic relationship with these two incredible people. I'm asexual, and bi-romantic."

"Im Luna Lovegood, they/them, and im agender, aromantic and asexual." At that Harry shouted between his hands 'Triple A!' making Luna laugh softly. 

It was finally Blaise's turn and everyone was looking at them. Blaise decided to be 100% honest; this is what they had been looking for, people with who they could be themself with. "Well, I'm Blaise Zabini, would also prefer Blaise. My pronouns are they/them, I'm non binary, and demiromantic and pansexual." There, it was all out in the open. The words before today they had said allowd only once in front of the mirror, about 6 months ago. 

"Well," Pansy cut the silence. "Now that all the mushiness is over -Ouch, I meant to say necessary and appreciated mushiness," she added at Hermione's elbow. "It's time to drink, dance and have fun!" They all agreed with her loudly, raising their glasses. Blaise hadn't noticed, everyone having one, and they suddenly felt slightly naked. "Hey. I'll go with you to get something to drink," Pansy offered Blaise. They smiled at her and thanked her. 

They walked together, the few first seconds in silence, and then the conversation started slowly. It was tentative at first, each asking what had they had done during the last years. Pansy had studied journalism and had done an internship in the Ministry for about a year, which was where she saw Hermione again. Pansy said that after all that happened with Rita Skeeter, all the misinformation and the lies, she had swore to make sure to dig into cases and give people the real information. Blaise remembered how angry she had been reading Rita Skeeter's articles during Hogwarts. Blaise told her they had started doing Magical Law, but it had soon bored them, and they decided to drop out. After that they did a course on fashion and design, and had worked with amazing people in Paris. They were now finishing that course in London, having asked for a transfer after their mother's death. After that, Pansy and Blaise started talking about all kinds of issues, they couldn't even remember what they talked about, and before they knew it, they were back at the circle, Blaise with a glass of rum-coke in their hand. 

They were all talking, and they wasted no time in including them in the conversation. After a while they were all dancing. Blaise danced with Pansy, and Draco the most, but had also danced with Hermione, Luna, and even Harry. Now Blaise was dancing with Ron, both of them jumping around, holding each other by the hands, while the music blasted though the speakers, two Drag Queens singing and dancing along on the stage.

Blaise couldn't remember the last time they had been so carefree and happy. If someone had told them during their Hogwarts years that they would be dancing with the golden trio, Blaise would have laughed at them. But now, they felt so much joy growing inside of them, and as they looked at what could soon become friends to them, and the people dancing, laughing, and kissing around them, they felt truly, and unapologetically PROUD. 

[raywritesthings]

A Little More Love

My Writing Fandom: Harry Potter Characters: Harry Potter, Ginny Weasley, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger Pairing: Harry Potter/Ginny Weasley, R/Hr (implied) Summary: When Harry, Ron and Hermione happen upon someone unexpected during their camping out, their fortunes in the Horcrux hunt turn out for the better. Notes: This is yet another canon AU for HP, this time set in Deathly Hallows. It diverges with the chapter "The Goblin's Revenge" when Harry, Ron and Hermione overhear a conversation between Griphook, Gornuk, Ted Tonks, Dirk Cresswell, and Dean Thomas. In my version, I've added another character as well as changed some key events. Simply put, I always felt JKR cheated us of a truly awesome Ginny moment in DH, so I decided to try my hand at writing my own take. I hope you enjoy it! Title is borrowed from a line McGonagall has in Half-Blood Prince, and several lines from "The Goblin's Revenge" in Deathly Hallows have been either used or paraphrased. None of that is my own. Additionally, for anyone who might have a discord, I made a Hinny server for sharing fic/art recs, talking about the characters and pairing, and just chatting in general. Feel free to join! Here's the link: https://discord.gg/SSpsYcP *Can also be read on AO3*

Harry sat with Ron and Hermione in the tent, listening with the Extendable Ears Hermione had packed as the unknown men and goblins settled into their impromptu dinner twenty feet away or so. They each exchanged some of their stories of why and how they’d ended up on the run. Harry recognized Ted Tonks, the goblin Griphook, and all three of them were pleased to hear their old classmate Dean Thomas’ voice.

Judging by the shadows being cast over the tent from the travelers’ fire, there was perhaps one other witch or wizard present who’d yet to be named.

“And what about you, little lady?” The man named Dirk asked. “Arthur’s aren’t you?”

“Guilty,” said a voice that went straight to Harry’s heart, seizing it in a vice grip. Ginny. He and Ron both started up at once, and Hermione had to reach out and pull them both down.

She was right there, not a stone’s throw away. Sitting out in the cold with strangers. With Dean, Harry couldn’t help noticing with a twinge of pain.

“I’d wondered what had happened after — well, is it true what you did?”

“It is, yeah.”

“Sorry, what’s this?” Ted asked. “You never did get round to explaining why you’re out here, you being pureblood and all.”

“Yeah, you just told me Snape chased you off the grounds,” Dean added.

“That he did.”

There was a snort, which turned out to be Dirk’s. “After she tried stealing the sword of Gryffindor from his office.”

There were a few exclamations of astonishment that Harry couldn’t bother to parse out, too surprised himself. He could see Ron and Hermione exchanging wide-eyed looks, and it was taking everything for all of them to remain quiet in order to hear. He stood and went to the mouth of the tent, not stepping out but hovering just on the edge.

“Wasn’t successful, was it? I never heard anything in the Prophet, ” said Ted.

“Well you wouldn’t even if we had been, would you?” Ginny countered in her easy way. She sounded just like she always had, and yet it was music to Harry’s ears. Like her voice carried the power of phoenix song.

“True,” Ted remarked.

“Well go on, Ginny, what happened?” Asked Dean.

“I heard you got the case smashed open but Snape caught the other two on the stairs,” said Dirk.

“He was coming up just as we got it out, yeah. So I figured that about did me in what with my family being blood traitors and all. I smashed a window and took off on my broom.”

“Your broom?” Ted asked with a laugh. “What did you have it on you for?”

“Everyone on the Gryffindor Quidditch team’s taken to carrying theirs around. There were rumors the Slytherins were planning to jinx them.”

“And you were able to get off the grounds that way?” Asked Dirk.

“I was flying high enough that most of the Death Eater’s spells went wide,” Ginny answered. “That was after they even realized someone was making a break for it. Had a time of it getting past some Dementors down by the gates. They flew up to meet me. If Harry hadn’t taught us Patronuses in the D.A., I don’t think I’d be here.”

“I’ll say,” Dean agreed. “You haven’t...heard from him, have you?”

“Not a thing,” said Ginny on an unhappy sigh. Harry felt it like a physical weight on him. He longed to just step out of the tent and run to her, but even he knew how foolish it would be to show up in front of that many people, most of whom he didn’t know very well.

“You should not have troubled yourself,” Griphook spoke up. Then he laughed. “The sword was a fake.”

“Was it?” Ginny asked sharply.

“The sword of Gryffindor!” Ted shouted.

“Oh yes. It is a copy — an excellent copy, it is true — but it was Wizard-made. The original was forged centuries ago by goblins and had certain properties only goblin-made armor possesses.”

“Snape put the copy in Gringotts a few days after your attempt,” Dirk continued. “Suppose he’d gotten the say-so from You-Know-Who by then.”

“And you didn’t tell them it was a fake?” Ted asked.

“I saw no reason to trouble them with the information,” Griphook stated with a smug undertone. All the other men laughed. Harry couldn’t hear Ginny’s among it.

“What about my friends? Neville and Luna, did you hear anything about them? They say they’re alright, but…” she trailed off.

“They suffered no serious injury, so far as I am aware,” the goblin answered.

Harry looked back to Ron and Hermione and could tell they were both glad to hear that. Hermione still had a hand on Ron’s arm, ostensibly to keep him from rising and doing anything rash while wearing the locket; Harry didn’t miss how her thumb was rubbing circles over his wrist.

Ginny and the others were talking about Snape now, about whether or not he really had killed Dumbledore. Dirk seemed to be doubtful.

“You know, a lot of people haven’t believed Harry over the years,” Ginny remarked coolly. “And they’ve all pretty much been proven idiots. Were you interested in joining them?”

“Alright. I only mean to ask, if he is this Chosen One, or whatever you call it, where is he? Gone off to hiding. You’d think he’d be gathering a resistance or something.”

“There wouldn’t be many people resisting if he got killed while trying to organize it.”

They talked some more, and Dirk even floated the idea that Harry was in fact already dead and the Prophet was simply withholding that information, too. Eventually they all left the spontaneous campsite to sleep under the cover of the trees, and they footsteps and voices started to fade away.

The three of them pulled the Extendable Ears, Harry’s mind racing. “Ginny— the sword—”

“She’s there. She’s right there,” Ron practically moaned.

Harry reached into the mokeskin pouch Hagrid had given him for his birthday and dug around.

“Harry, what are you doing?” Hermione asked, her voice pitched high in worry.

His fingers finally closed around the slippery fabric of the Invisibility Cloak, and Harry hurriedly threw it around his shoulders. “I’m going to get her.”

“I’m coming with you,” Ron said immediately.

“We’d barely fit the two of us, and not at all with Ginny,” Harry argued. “Besides, you’re still wearing the locket.”

Ron looked down at the thing with a scowl.

“Look, you can help bring us back to the tent,” Harry said. “Once I leave the protections, I won’t be able to find the specific spot again. Just the general location. We’ll need you to bring us back in.”

“Oh, alright,” Ron agreed with a grumble.

“Harry, are you sure?” Hermione asked, and the two of them turned towards her in surprise. “I’d be happy to see Ginny, too, but how much can we really tell her? You did break up with her because we were going on this mission.”

“To keep her safe, and she’s not any safer out there,” Harry replied tersely. He did not want to think what would happen to Ginny if she was caught out there with rogue goblins and Muggleborn Dean Thomas and Dirk who’d been on his way to Azkaban before he’d escaped. Determined, he pushed back the flap of the tent and strode out into the dark, following the noises he could hear up ahead through the trees.

It didn’t look as though any of the wizards or goblins had a tent like the one they’d borrowed from Perkins. Harry slowed his pace as he came upon the first bedroll, and made his way around the perimeter of the spot they’d scoped out.

Ginny stood silhouetted by the tiny amount of moon visible through the foliage above. Her slight figure was only an arms’ length from him now. Whether she was not tired or merely waiting for the men to finish preparing their own sleeping arrangements before seeing to her own, he couldn’t tell.

“Mufflilatio,"  Harry whispered as he let the tip of his wand poke out of the cloak towards the others in the forest. Then, only slightly louder, he said, “Ginny.”

She whirled around, her hair fanning out as she did so, and her wand pointed just inches to the left of him. Harry carefully took the hood down part of the way, and he could tell the moment Ginny recognized him by the widening of her eyes.

He beckoned her to come with him through some more trees to better hide themselves. Even if the others couldn’t overhear them, they could still catch sight of him if he remained here.

“What’s your tattoo?” She asked him scarcely before he’d turned back around to face her again. Her wand was still raised.

“Er, I haven’t got one,” he answered. Then it hit him. “Oh, but Romilda Vane thinks I’ve got a Hungarian Horntail on my chest.” Harry held up a hand to stop her approach. “What did you give me when I fell off my broom in my third year?”

“A singing card.”

He hadn’t really been in doubt that it was her, but it was relieving to hear all the same. Ginny smiled, and it was radiant. Her hair was a barely combed mess and he doubted she’d had a wash in the last few days, but she was the most beautiful thing in the world. When she threw her arms around him in a hug, Harry was quick to return it. There was no flowery scent to her hair now, but it did not diminish in the least how fiercely Harry had missed her.

She was still wearing her broom strapped to her back with a bit of cord tied to each end, so it made it a bit awkward.

“I’m so glad you’re alive.”

“You thought I wasn’t?”

“No. But I couldn’t be sure. None of us could.” She pushed out of his hold. “Why didn’t you take your Galleon?”

“My what?”

“The D.A. Galleon, you prat. That’s how I was able to meet up with Dean once I got to the outside. Seamus wanted me to see if he was alright.”

A second wave of relief hit him upon hearing that Ginny was with Dean on behalf of someone else and not as her first choice. He thought she could tell what he was thinking judging by the shrewd look she was giving him.

Harry opened up the Invisibility Cloak for her to get under. “C’mon. Ron and Hermione are waiting.”

It was the most natural thing in the world to take her hand and lead her back the way he’d come. Harry told himself it wasn’t inappropriate; it was dark and the ground was uneven. They might trip or lose the other otherwise.

“We’re nearly there. Hermione’s got enchantments up, but Ron’s waiting,” Harry muttered under his breath.

“How’s he going to find us if we’re invisible?” Ginny muttered back.

Harry froze. “Er, right.”

A soft giggle left her as he took the cloak off both of them. Harry hoped he had stayed true in their course. He didn’t like standing out here without any sort of protection or disguise.

But an arm reached out and pulled both him and Ginny through an invisible barrier of sorts. Harry saw the tent and Ron embracing his sister hard enough to lift her off her feet.

“Careful!” Ginny yelped.

“Merlin, you wouldn’t believe how much I’ve missed you!” It was amazing to see the transformation that Ron had undergone. Even with the locket around his neck still, he was beaming from ear to ear, and some color had risen back into his cheeks if only for the moment. “Come on, we’ve got Perkins’ old tent. There’s not much in the way of food, mind.”

Harry followed the two Weasley’s in through the tent entrance.

“Oh, Ginny!” Hermione was standing just inside and quickly embraced the other girl as well. “I’m so glad you’re alright. What were you thinking?”

“Yeah, wouldn’t be Hermione if you didn’t start right in on the lecture,” Ginny remarked with a grin over her shoulder at Harry. “What are you three even doing here? How’d you know to be?”

“We didn’t,” Harry answered truthfully. “We’ve been moving locations every few days. Thought we’d been found when we heard you lot approaching.” He couldn’t seem to tear his eyes off her, real and standing in the tent with the three of them. They’d been so long without anyone else’s company that she seemed to brighten up the place just by being there. He wanted to hug her again, kiss her the way they had on his birthday. There was an ache in his jaw just standing there and holding himself back.

“Well, that’s luck for you.”

“You certainly did get lucky after trying to steal from Snape,” Hermione pointed out once again. “And all for a fake!”

“That’s the funny thing. I don’t know why Snape would’ve sent a fake sword to a vault in Gringotts,” said Ginny. “Because he’s got to know it’s a copy.”

“What d’you mean?” Asked Ron.

A sly grin played around the corners of Ginny’s lips as she reached around her back and under her robe. It turned out a broom wasn’t the only thing she was carrying on her back.

Hermione gasped. “You got it?”

For the first time in nearly five years, Harry was once again in awe as he stared at the ruby-encrusted sword of Gryffindor. It seemed to shimmer extra bright in the light cast by their lamps as Ginny held it out for their inspection. The sword, the real sword of Gryffindor, in their possession just as Dumbledore had wanted. Finally, something had gone right.

“Took it with me when I jumped. I wasn’t letting Snape have it. That was the whole point of the stunt. It’s Harry’s.” Her smile faded a little. “I heard from Fred and George that they’ve all gone on the run now. Mum and Dad are hiding out at Great Auntie Muriel’s.”

“But they’re okay?” Ron asked.

“Yeah, better than you. How come you’re so pale?”

“Ron got splinched a few weeks back,” Hermione explained to her own shoes. “It was my fault.”

“Alright, well have you been eating? Resting?” She sounded a little like her mother fussing that way, Harry privately noted.

“Not much eating around here,” Ron grumbled, closer to the moods he’d been exhibiting of late.

“Oh, really,” Hermione huffed, turning to busy herself with clearing away the tins of fish she had tried to cook.

Harry checked his watch. It wasn’t quite time to switch off yet, but he didn’t want to hear another row just as soon as Ginny had joined them. He didn’t want her thinking he was lost with no idea of what to do and little control over their group. “Alright, Ron, give me the locket.”

Ron pulled the chain from around his neck and rolled his shoulders, relaxing as he held it out to Harry.

Ginny raised an eyebrow. “Wasn’t that one of the things we threw out in Grimmauld Place that summer?”

Harry laughed humorlessly as he put it on. “Yeah.” He glanced at Ron and Hermione. There wasn’t much room for privacy in the tent to discuss, but how much were they going to tell Ginny? Dumbledore had only ever given him permission to speak to his two friends about it.

And that had gone well, hadn’t it? Asked a voice in Harry’s head. Ron and Hermione were close to their breaking points, they were no further to defeating Voldemort than they had been after their breakin at the Ministry, and even now that they had the sword, Harry still had no idea what he was supposed to do with it. Because Dumbledore had never told him.

“Look, it’s sort of complicated. But basically, this used to belong to Vol—”

“DON’T!” Ginny dropped the sword with a clang and lunged forward, pressing her palm flat over Harry’s mouth to stop the rest.

He ripped away from her. “What?” Sure, Ginny had never quite said the name herself, but she’d never objected to Harry saying it.

“There’s a taboo on his name,” she explained, still breathing harshly from the sudden movement. “Anyone who says it trips an alarm that sends Snatchers to their location. Kingsley almost got caught that way.”

“Snatchers?” Ron echoed.

“Death Eater wannabes. They get money from the Ministry for rounding up Muggleborns and blood traitors. Anyone against You-Know-Who.”

“Oh, of course,” said Hermione. “Because only the really brave witches and wizards use his name, and they’re the ones they want to catch. Did Kingsley get away?”

“Just barely, was what I heard. I don’t know what protections you’ve got, but best not to chance it out here.”

Harry swallowed down his irritation and nodded. He was suddenly quite glad that Ron often insisted he not say Voldemort’s name, as that had probably unknowingly kept them safe the last several weeks.

Ginny pushed some of her hair that had fallen in her face back from her forehead. “Anyway, go on. You were saying about the locket?”

“Right. Well it was- er, his, and if we destroy it we’re closer to stopping him.”

“How so? It’s not enchanted is it?”

“It is. Sort of like — well, the diary,” Harry realized. All at once he felt rather stupid for not wanting to tell Ginny; she had just as much experience with Horcruxes as any of them, even if she didn’t know it. “See, this thing and the diary, they’ve got bits of- of his soul in them—”

“What?” Ginny took a step back, clearly horrified.

Hermione gave him a reproachful look, and Ron didn’t seem very happy either.

“She had a right to know! Look, the point is until these are all taken care of he can’t be killed. Not fully. He’ll just be a shade, like last time.”

“So how many of these has he got? How many of them have you gotten?” She asked.

“Just this one,” he admitted. “There’s only three more, we think.”

“You think or you know?”

“Well it’s not as if he told us himself!” Harry snapped. It figured that as soon as someone else got here they would start interrogating his leadership and find it lacking. Ginny would probably take off on her broom with Ron and Hermione to have brilliant adventures where they pranked Snape and everything was fun, while he was left behind in the tent. “The whole point of this thing is he has secret safeguards in place to keep himself from dying!”

“Oi, lay off her,” Ron growled.

Ginny held out an arm as her brother stepped up next to her, keeping him from moving forward. “It’s fine, Ron. Harry, take that locket off.”

“I’m fine,” he said stiffly. He’d only been wearing it a few minutes.

“You’ve been wearing a bit of his soul, and you really think that wouldn’t affect you?” She asked with one eyebrow arched. “Why would any of you wear it?”

“We don’t have a way to destroy it,” Hermione tried to explain. “We had to keep it safe.”

“And you couldn’t keep it in your bag? Wearing it’s probably what this thing wants you to do, just like writing in it’s what the diary wanted me to do.”

“It hasn’t talked or anything,” Harry protested.

She gave him a pitying look that made him feel rather thick. “Because you haven’t opened it, probably. It’s a locket.”

“But it doesn’t open,” said Ron. “We all tried that summer, remember?”

But Harry picked the locket up and stared at the snake on the lid. “Maybe because it only opens for some people,” he murmured. He stared at the snake, entranced by it.

“Harry.” Ginny’s hands were on either side of his face, wrenching his gaze up to meet her eyes. “Take it off. Please.”

Shakily, he did, holding it out to Ginny. She dropped it onto an empty chair, and suddenly it felt easier to breathe. He thought even Ron and Hermione both looked less tense

“Okay, so, destroying it. How do these things get destroyed?”

“There’s a few ways,” Hermione said, taking over and reverting to lecture mode. “Using the Killing Curse or Fiendfyre can work, but we’re not sure any of us could cast the first and the second is far too dangerous.”

“Tell that to Crabbe,” Ginny remarked with a shake of her head. “He’s been practicing it down in the dungeons supposedly.”

“So we’re dropping the locket off in the dungeons? Brilliant,” said Ron. Only when Harry looked and saw the twinkle in his friend’s eyes did he realize he was joking. It was a good thing he’d checked, because Harry had been about to snap again.

“Right, well the third way is with Basilisk venom,” Hermione continued. “But obviously, that’s very hard to get.”

Ginny blinked and straightened up slightly as she picked up the sword again. “Well then, here you go, then.”

Harry stared at it. “Er, not following.”

“Yeah, Ginny, that’s a sword, not a Basilisk fang,” Ron pointed out.

She rolled her eyes. “Well, you never had to listen to Great Auntie Muriel go on about her goblin-made tiara.” She cleared her throat and said, in rather good imitation of her great-aunt’s nasal voice, “Goblin silver never needs cleaned, dear. It repels all dust and dirt, only imbibing that which strengthens it. Not once in fifty years have I had need to polish it.”

“So?” Asked Ron.

But Harry got it. As did Hermione, with a shout of, “Harry!”

“I know!”

“Know what?” Ron asked with annoyance.

“Harry stabbed the Basilisk with the sword, which means it’s impregnated with Basilisk venom since that would make it stronger,” Hermione explained in a rush. “It can destroy Horcruxes!”

“That must have been how Dumbledore took care of the ring,” Harry realized. Finally the pieces were coming together, and his frustration with Dumbledore banked just as his gratitude and love for Ginny swelled. He took the sword by the hilt from her, then turned to face the locket.

“What are you waiting for, mate?” Ron was now just as invigorated as the rest of them, and Harry wondered if perhaps the worst of this quest was about to be behind them all.

Still, looking at the locket and thinking of Ginny’s words, he realized Voldemort probably had one last protection in place. “I have to open it.”

He looked up at Ginny, who was staring at the snake as well. She met his eyes after a moment, and Harry wondered if she had felt his gaze. “Parseltongue?”

He nodded.

Ginny blew out a breath. “Right.”

“I think the rest of us should all keep back,” Hermione suggested, moving over to both Weasleys and guiding them to the edge of the tent. “The less distractions the better.”

Harry turned back to the locket and placed it on the ground as he watched the snake on the front, willing it to seem real and alive. He thought of how cold and hungry and miserable he’d been the last several weeks, of his friends’ fraying tempers and all their anger at not knowing what Dumbledore had wanted them to do, at this first glimpse of hope they’d had since having to abandon Grimmauld Place.

The hope that Ginny had provided.

What was it that Dumbledore had once said? Only a true Gryffindor could have pulled that out of the hat.

“Hang on,” he said, facing them all again. “I think it has to be Ginny.”

“Sorry?”

She looked perhaps even more stunned than Ron or Hermione. Harry walked over and held the sword out. “You’re the one who risked going into Snape’s office to get it. Fleeing Hogwarts, making your way here. It will work best for you. At least this first go.” If Dumbledore were here right now, Harry was confident he would say the same, if in more eloquent terms than Harry had.

“Harry, I- I’m not good with these things.”

“No, but you learned from them. Better than any of us did. Ginny, you held Vol- Riddle off for a whole year, and you’re stronger now. I know you can do this. You’ve already beaten him.”

Ginny held his gaze for a long moment before stepping up to meet him, her hand closing around the hilt of the sword again. He let go and walked with her back over to the locket.

“I’m going to tell it to open, and then you stab it. Okay?”

Ginny nodded, expression grim as she raised the sword. “Do it.”

He looked back at the snake and tried to visualize it moving again. Then he hissed, “Open.”

The golden doors of the locket opened wide, revealing an eye — Tom Riddle’s eye, before it had turned red and slitted like a snake’s — behind the glass windows inside.

That was all Harry saw, for the sword crashed down into it a moment later. The hiss of Riddle’s voice that had only just started to emanate turned into a scream only matched by the clang of metal. The locket shattered and a bit of smoke rose from the inside. The Horcrux was no more.

He looked up at Ginny, who was breathing harshly, her eyes fixed on the shattered pieces. Then, slowly, her blazing eyes rose to his.

The sword fell with a thump, and Harry met her halfway, their lips melding together. Ginny’s hands were everywhere at once, while Harry found his buried in her hair. How could he have ever believed he could give this up? Wanted man or no, what was the point of living without this to live for?

“Oi,” Ron protested, far more weakly than he had on Harry’s birthday. They broke apart anyway. “You can’t keep doing that if you’re not dating her. It’s not right.”

Harry looked down at Ginny, still in the circle of his arms. Her gaze was softer now, but still held some of that fire from before. How could she be this utterly brilliant and still want to be here?

“I’m sorry,” he told her without a second thought. It was easy, effortless. “You were right, it was stupid.”

Her lips quirked upwards in a small smile. “Well, it is noble of you to say so.”

He felt his own smile return. “I guess we do still have some time.”

She nodded and lifted up onto her tip-toes to kiss him sweetly once more.

“And that’s it, then?” Hermione had her hands on her hips, and Harry thought she couldn’t decide between being cross or amused at the pair of them. “You’re just back together now? That’s all it takes?”

Harry and Ginny shared a look before saying at once, “Yeah.”

Hermione shook her head while Ron shrugged. “Who cares? We’ve gotten rid of one Horcrux, and now that Ginny’s here she can help with the food. Mum’s taught her loads.”

“Except I can’t use magic, prat. Still sixteen. The other reason traveling with someone else made sense.” She gave a start and reached into her pocket. “Speaking of, I’ll have to send Dean a message to let him know I haven’t been carted off in the night. I’ll leave your names out of it, shall I?”

“Yes, that would be best,” Hermione agreed. “And honestly, Ron, Ginny doesn’t automatically have to help with the cooking just because she’s the only other girl.”

“I only meant she knows more than all of us.”

As Ron and Hermione started up, Harry couldn’t find it in himself to get annoyed; their bickering was now far more reminiscent of their school days than the fraught arguments they’d been having only half an hour ago. The pall of Voldemort’s presence had momentarily been lifted from their tent.

Harry knew that could really only last so long. They still had three Horcruxes to go and no idea where two of them were, not to mention Voldemort himself. Dumbledore’s hints still only made a vague amount of sense. But as Ginny ducked under his arm to fit into his side while she worked on the message on her D.A. Galleon, he thought he could maybe start to see his own way through this.