If She Fell

If She Fell

Chapter 4: Like a ship blown from its mooring



disclaimer: I own nothing but bits and pieces of the plot. JK Rowling owns all the good bits. I'm not sure why I never posted the rest of this here. But here it is. It ended up not being smutty at all, though.



Breakfast came too fast for Ginny. She sat at the staff table in the Great Hall and thought back to her evening with Harry. He had seemed interested in what she had to say, but somehow, she wasn’t certain. They had a very pleasant evening, one she would like to repeat, and it had ended with a gentle kiss at the castle entrance. Ginny considered inviting him in, but something held her back. She shook her head and smiled as Hermione joined her.



“Where’s Severus?” asked Ginny.



“He’ll be down when he finds the hangover potion I hid.”



“Ah, one of those nights?”



“Yes, he went out with Remus. That never bodes well. I swear, even though they seem to have buried the past, I still think they’re trying to damage each other. Last month they got drunk and Remus ended up tied up in the Shrieking Shack wearing Madame Rosemerta’s bra on his head…”



“Her BRA?”



“Don’t ask. I didn’t. And I think I’m better off for that,” said Hermione, rolling her eyes, “and last night, they narrowly escaped the Whomping Willow coming back through the shortcut singing ‘Show Me The Way to Go Home’. Thank Merlin it’s only once a month or so that they feel the male bonding urge.”



Ginny giggled, “I never thought Remus and Severus would be friends, or at the very least, drinking buddies.”



“Time changes people, Gin. Speaking of which, how was your date with Harry?”



“It was fine. Nice. Sweet.”



Hermione looked at Ginny, “Those words describe the honey from Pomona’s bees, not a date.”



Ginny absently buttered a scone, “Maybe I expected too much. Maybe I expected fireworks and got fireflies instead?”



“Well,” said Hermione, drinking her morning coffee, “maybe you DID just expect too much.”



“More than likely. It was lovely, though. We had a nice dinner at a charming bistro in London, then talked a bit, then he brought me home and kissed me goodnight.”



“Sounds like a standard issue date, Gin, no harm there.”



Hermione and Ginny’s conversation was interrupted by the arrival of Kyla, who sat next to Hermione and quickly grabbed a cup of tea.



“Morning Kyla, how was the overnight shift?” asked Hermione.



“It was quiet,” replied the pretty blonde, “I got the charts all caught up for the first through fourth years.”



“I’ll try to finish them up tonight,” said Ginny, her voice slightly icy.



“That would be wonderful,” said Kyla, either not noticing Ginny’s tone or choosing to ignore it, “You know, I wish there was a handsome wizard out there somewhere who would whisk me away from all this.”



“I thought you were seeing Remus,” commented Ginny.



“It didn’t work out,” replied Kyla, “I think his affections were elsewhere. Oh well, story of my life, you know?”



“You’re not with Remus anymore?” questioned Ginny.



“Nope,” yawned Kyla, “I’m sorry, the overnight is catching up with me. Like I said, a nice wizard, a small cottage, a couple of children, a dog…no more overnights. I would take it in a heartbeat.”



“You don’t aspire to a career after marriage?” asked Hermione.



“I’m a mediwitch assistant, Hermione,” replied Kyla, “I get the worst shifts, the lowest pay, and I really don’t wish to attend any more training. I’ve never had aspirations. To be honest, I took the position at St Mungo’s to meet a mediwizard, and came here because the pay was better. Well, I need to get some rest. Have a wonderful day, ladies,” said Kyla, grabbing a triangle of toast and heading to her quarters.



“She’s not seeing Remus anymore?” asked Ginny.



“That’s what she said and what I told you last night,” shrugged Hermione, looking over at the door to the Great Hall and smiling at the arrival of her husband and his partner in crime, both looking a little worse for the wear.



“Good morning,” grunted Severus, “Tea, earl grey, hot.”



“Aye, Captain Picard,” quipped Hermione, pouring him a cup of tea,



“Captain Who?”



“Muggle joke, feel free to ignore.”



“That I shall,” responded Severus, “I see the twinkling Headmaster is missing this morning?”



“Here and gone,” remarked Hermione, “along with the majority of the students and the rest of the staff. Good thing it’s Saturday and a Hogsmeade weekend.”



Severus nodded, looking warily at the eggs his wife put on his plate. Hermione looked at Remus, who barely had his eyes open and looked worse for the wear.



“No hangover potion, Remus?”



“No,” he replied, glaring at Severus, “your bloody bastard of a husband won’t pony up any for me. Claims it’s my fault he woke up feeling like he spent the night sucking a kneazle’s tail.”



Hermione smiled and produced a vial of the potion, handing it to Remus.



“You are an angel of mercy,” stated Remus, drinking the potion.



“You’re welcome.”



“What I wouldn’t give for a wife like you, Hermione,” said Remus, “someone to calm my pounding head and aching muscles with a well brewed potion.”



“Be careful what you wish for,” grumbled Severus, “she hid all the hangover potion in our quarters and blackmailed me into taking her to the theatre next weekend. She’s a she-devil, this one.”



Hermione grinned and excused herself from the table, “I hate to leave this stimulating conversation, but I have to meet with Albus regarding my internship and then I have duty. You,” she said, discreetly kissing Severus on the cheek, “I shall see later.”



“Quite,” stated Severus, “I can’t eat this. I’ll be in the lab if anyone needs me.”



Severus and Hermione both exited the Great Hall, leaving Remus and Ginny alone. Ginny nervously jogged her left leg under the table while Remus busied himself with a plate of sausage and eggs.



“So,” ventured Ginny, “I understand you had an interesting night.”



Remus nodded, “Whatever happened, I’m sure it was Severus’ doing.”



“I’m sure,” agreed Ginny, smiling.



“What are your plans for today?” asked Remus.



“Not much,” replied Ginny, “I was going to go into Hogsmeade and do a little shopping.”



“Fancy some…” Remus’ statement was interrupted by the arrival of a large snowy owl.



“Hedwig!” said Ginny, smiling, as the giant bird dropped a gold foil box and a large bunch of roses in front of Ginny. Ginny fed the owl a bit of toast and watched as she flew away.



Remus looked down at the table, “Nice flowers.”



“Yes, they’re nice. And chocolate from Honeyduke’s. How lovely,” said Ginny, looking shyly at Remus, “you were saying?”



“It doesn’t matter,” he replied, “I’d best be checking on the thestrals.”



Remus pushed his plate away and got up from the table, nodding a goodbye to Ginny. He had gotten to the entrance hall when he remembered Severus’ words… If Potter sends her a dozen roses, you hand her a single perfect stem. If he takes her to a fancy dinner in the best restaurant in Paris, you invite her on a picnic. Remus quickly changed direction, heading to the rose garden. He knew there were some ice roses that only bloomed in winter. They were stunning, a rich red with an icy blue white on the edges. He found a perfect bud and broke off the stem, apologizing to the rosebush for not using a cutting tool. The rose reminded him of Ginny; beautiful, strong, surviving despite the elements. He shivered in the chill of the February air and re-entered the castle. Going to the Great Hall, he was dismayed to find it empty.



“Damn,” he said out loud.



“Everything all right, Remus?” asked a cool voice from the doorway.



Remus turned around to see Ginny standing there.



“I forgot the note that came with the gifts,” she explained at his quizzical look. Ginny noticed the rose the former werewolf was holding, “what a stunning rose,” she said.



Throwing caution to the wind, Remus handed it to Ginny, “It’s for you. It reminded me of you and I knew you had to have it.”



Ginny put down the bouquet of flowers from Harry and took the rose, marveling at the sweet scent and the brilliant color, “Thank you so much,” she said, burying her nose in its fragrance, “it’s perfectly lovely.”



“They grow outside, you know,” stated Remus, mentally kicking himself for sounding so lame and obvious.



“I’ve not been to the rose garden in winter,” admitted Ginny, “I didn’t know anything there bloomed in this weather.”



“There are a few flowers and plants that thrive in this chill,” said Remus, “there’s an entire field of winter blooming wildflowers in the field behind the Shrieking Shack.”



“Are there?”



“Would you like to see them?”



Ginny smiled shyly, “I would love to.”



“May I accompany you to Hogsmeade?” asked Remus, looking at Ginny with hope and trepidation.



“I would love that,” she smiled in return, “shall we meet here in, say, an hour?”



“I’ll be here,” said Remus, a smile breaking out over his rugged face. Ginny thought he was quite handsome normally, but breathtaking when he smiled, “I’ll just get changed and wear me woolies,” he joked.



“Same here,” giggled Ginny, watching Remus as he bounded up the stairs to his quarters two at a time, “Remus?” she called after him.



Remus stopped and turned, “Yes?”



“What about the thestrals?”



“We can check on them on the way back.”



Ginny smiled and nodded, heading for her quarters, not noticing that she left behind the gifts from Harry.