this little life (ginny)

[HARRY JAMES POTTER]

Late December 2028

Harry wasn't the sort to make public appearances anymore. It was why he had taken up with the pub - a quiet life suited him just fine after years of trials in his youth. But the Quidditch Gala was not something to be missed, and being on the arm of Ginny was yet another reason to step out of his retirement and back into the spotlight.

Clad in bottle green robes reminiscent of his Triwizard champion days, Harry agreed to meet Ginny at the venue as he had some bits to finish at the pub. He was strangely nervous - he couldn't quite place why he was feeling off. Since their hiccup two years ago with his disappearance, their relationship had blossomed into something stronger than ever. And yet...

Harry adjusted his robes and pushed his glasses up his nose. His eyes were bright as ever, his dark hair a shock against his pale skin. Harry searched his eyes for hesitancy and found none. Clearing his throat, he apparated, appearing at the agreed upon meeting spot to meet his wife.

Ginevra Molly Potter

[Ginevra Molly Potter]

Ginny had been to a tonne of these things in the past year, mostly alone. Yes her and Harry were back together after his disappearance and assumed death a few years ago. But things had changed between them since then. They were together but there was still some rifts here and there. Somethings had stayed strictly business, for want of a better phrase, and that included her work. The social events he had once always accompanied her to, sometimes just as a way to get a night out away from their kids, weren't so much viewed as a social event anymore; but rather just an extension of her work day. She understood his want to be out of the spotlight sure, but attending them alone had taken away a little of enjoyment for her, dulling the sparkle just so.

In her player days and the early days after her retirement from the league, Ginny had always been a bit of a party animal. The Gryffindor in her always pushing her just a bit too far; late nights, drinking too much, being the social butterfly to the extreme. But now she had grown tired of it all. If she was honest with herself she was tired of life and everything that went with it, but work was as good an excuse as any to pin her exhaustion on. Too old now to be of any interest to anyone outside of her household. Even with that, the kids were old enough to not need her. They had moved on and had their own lives. Harry always seemed to be busy with the pub or one thing or another. Work needed her of course, perhaps a little too much. Giving herself the extra work and inserting herself into things she didn't really need to be involved in. Longer hours at the office than she needed to put it as the boss. In her mind, keeping busy was better than sitting at home utterly alone with glass after glass of wine, which definitely was a habit she'd slip into far too easily. Being a workaholic seemed the lesser of two evils.

Still, tonight was one of the bigger nights of the season; The Quidditch League Christmas Gala. Tickets were like Gubraithian Fire, they were highly lusted after by pretty much anyone who was anyone in the wizarding world. As top Quidditch league liaison for the Prophet she of course was fairly top of the list, along with a guest. The invite coordinator had learned not to automatically address it to Harry after Ginny snapped at them once when she was full of prosecco for assuming she wanted to bring him. She was the one who did the hard work after all, not him. She was the one who had actually played professionally in the league and put the time into promoting it afterwards. Plus he never came to any other ones, it did irk her that it was assumed she'd bring the Golden Boy of the wizarding world. Even all these years had passed and he'd made it quite clear he wanted out of the public eye.

It had surprised her when he had picked up the invite for her and her guest and scoffed that of course he'd come. It had been less surprising to her when he had said he'd meet her there from his work. She'd attempted to hide her annoyance at it of course, but it had failed. He couldn't have taken one evening off just for them to have a drink together and relax before Christmas? Regardless, she had put careful work into her look for the evening and as she cast a look around the entrance hall of the hotel the Gala was being held in. The place was buzzing with people, tightly packed in before the doors to the actual event hall opened. She hadn't been able to spot him and with a sigh she grabbed a glass of champagne from the wait staff trying to make their way through the crowd and then paused to try and fix the skirt of her red sequined dress. An odd choice for a person with her hair colouring, but it was just the right shade that set off wall with her complexion and hair colour. With a sip from the glass, she cast a look around for anyone she was bothered to strike up a conversation with at all, and tried to remember to smile.


HARRY JAMES POTTER

[HARRY JAMES POTTER]

At the time he’d agreed on with Ginny, Harry apparated to the spot that they were meant to meet. He, being Harry Potter, had been completely oblivious to his wife’s irritation that they meet at the Gala rather than taking time to prepare together. He’d had some bits to finish up at the pub, and didn’t want to split Ginny’s attention. However, as Harry waited and nearly thirty minutes passed without sight of his wife, Harry sighed. She was headstrong, that one. Surmising (correctly, for once) that she had arrived and was already mingling, Harry turned and entered the ballroom.

The ballroom, if one could call it such, was an immense space packed tightly with witches and wizards, celebrities and staff alike, enchanted platters of canapes and champagne drifting throughout the room. There was a stage and a dance floor at the front, with dozens of round tables dressed beautifully in the colours of the British and Irish nationals. It was tastefully done, even with the history between their two countries - a history that Quidditch glossed over and united all at the same time.

Harry spotted Ginny at once, looking sinful in a red dress. Harry swallowed, and took a glass of champagne from a nearby tray, taking a deep drink. Her lips were painted in a way that Harry knew would be the true death of him. He made his way over to her, like a moth to a flame. She was bright and effervescent and the centre of his universe. ”Ginny,” said Harry, eyes only for her even as whispers and titters from surrounding guests encircled them. ”You look… devastating…” said Harry, his eyes raking over her familiar form as though it were the first time.

Ginevra Molly Potter

[Ginevra Molly Potter]

An Argentine diplomat had been trying to catch Ginny's eye for some time; whilst she had been pointedly ignoring him. Dark hair and average build, he wasn't unlike Harry, just wrapped up in a little more charm. Though, she didn't particularly like the swagger and pomposity he displayed. He saw Ginny as a gorgeous woman in a sexy dress, gliding around the room drinking champagne. He had no idea who she was, the power she wielded in this room, or just how hard she worked for the sport this whole over exaggerated night was for. She'd been polite and entertained him for a moment, but shut him down when she realised his charm was turned on for a different reason than trying to schmooze a powerful woman; she was annoyed at her husband, but not annoyed enough to be pushed in the arms of another man. Continuing to move around the room she checked in with certain people stopping to talk to them knowing that they would offer a certain level of...protection. Her pursuer wouldn't approach her if she was with them.

But then she ventured to the bar alone for a stronger drink and she could feel his stalking approach and it made her feel nauseated.

Cursing Harry again for his lateness, his insistence that it was just 'easier' to meet her there and not actually spend time with her that evening. She gripped tightly on the edge of the marble top bar, wondering what the hell was keeping him. She placed her order and ruminated on what a shitty thing it was that a woman in her mid 40s, of her standing in the Quidditch league, couldn't come to these things without being leered at. What hope did the younger girls have? She chewed the inside of her cheek, not wanting to ruin her lipstick, but knowing as soon as she stepped away her predator would launch himself at her. Calculating, she tried to think on how to handle it, while waiting for her double vodka splash. She couldn't make a scene, this was her professional world, but she'd have to shut him down. Readying herself, she took her highball glass in one hand and stepped away, concentrating on her breathing & running over what she may say in her mind. When she felt someone take her by her free hand she recoiled and spun in his direction, face angered and ready to berate him.

Except it wasn't who she was expecting; her husband stood in front of her.

Deflating just slightly, but not relaxing, she tried, and failed to rearrange her face into some sort of a more relaxed visage. Her hand hung limply in his. She found herself unable to really even enjoy his rare compliment. "About time you got here..." her tone was low as she leaned into him, close enough to speak directly into his ear. She snaked her other arm around his neck, pulling herself in closer to him, seeking reassurance. She wasn't as irritated as she had been. She was happier to see him now, someone to act as a protector, a barrier. But there was still a hint of exasperation in her words. "You're not the only one that thinks that tonight Mr Potter."

[HARRY JAMES POTTER]

Harry hadn't expected Ginny's response - but then again, he'd never really been that good at reading social cues. He certainly hadn't picked up on the predatory nature of one of the Argentine diplomats, and simply thought that Ginny was politely entertaining them as she was so accustomed to. She was a firecracker, this wife of his, and highly sought after for both her well thought out Quidditch opinions and titillating banter. When Harry reached out and twined her fingers through his, Harry did not think Ginny would recoil as such.

There was a moment in which she looked at him with an animalistic fear in her eyes. Harry's brow furrowed, his gaze searching hers, drawing her protectively closer. He wound his free arm around her narrow waist, and she murmured into his ear. He held her steadily, silently, assessing the situation. Trying his hardest to think before acting, which was a rare feat for him. "Oh?" said Harry, pressing his lips together in a tight line to keep himself from cursing the group of wizards who were still peering rather salaciously at his wife.

Harry dipped his head so that his lips rested just below the hollow of Ginny's ear, making a performance of kissing the soft skin there slowly. "Are you okay? I know you can handle yourself but... I'm sorry for being late, Gin," he murmured, barely louder than a whisper as his mouth skated over the pale expanse of her neck. "Shall we just sack it off and go home?" he added in a hopeful tone.

Ginevra Molly Potter

[Ginevra Molly Potter]

Letting herself be pulled in, she should have been more relaxed, and yet there was still a tension in her chest. It was a low lying thing that had been sitting there all evening if she had bothered to pay any attention to. It was likely to do with the stress of the gala itself, the pressure of work, the pressure of her home life, or rather the pressure she created in her mind. The Quid Gala was a lot more than just a glitzy night out for her, a huge part of her career rode every year on how this went down, what deals were struck over drinks and dancing tonight; how the rest of the season would all play out rested on this.

Of course, it wasn't Ginny's job to make sure everything went well tonight in reality this party was just as much for her to let her hair down; but it certainly would make her life a lot easier if everyone played nice.

Her eyes closed in a second of lascivious contentment as his lips touched that sliver of skin. It was enough to make her melt and she cursed silently at the fact he knew that it would. Taking a breath and pausing against her husband, she attempted to centre herself. Slowly she pulled back just enough to look at him and fake another smile. "Sorry, I just thought you were....someone else" she finished rather lamely. She didn't ruminate on it though, she let him move the conversation on.

The quiet sigh that escaped her was only semi irritated, it was almost a laugh as her brown eyes rolled. "You say that every year, and every year I have the same answer." Remembering where she was and the fact it was probably best to stay at least a low level of professionalism so early in the night, she stepped back from him. Probably not the best look to be still draped over your husband like teenagers in your mid forties. At least later she could blame the wine, for now she had to at least pretend to be an adult. "You know it's important for work. For my work." she tried not to let irritation seep into her tone, but it was hard to keep it totally free. Society had moved on for the most part, but she was still a woman in a high level job in a mans world. Even if she had earned her job, working her way up from her early years as a Keeper in the league and retiring to write then. She'd earned her spot amongst the best of them; but still she felt the need to prove herself "You know that.." she murmured now, feeling semi bad for snapping. She knew it was only because he knew she didn't really enjoy, could never really relax her. "I know it's not your thing, let's at least pretend to enjoy ourselves for a bit. If nothing else it's a night out with nice drink.." As she looked back to him, her smile was less false now, but there was willingness in it. Her hand reached for his, hoping together some sort of ceasefire for the night. "Better drink than the Hound anyway, and you don't have to serve it." her teasing smile was wicked as she squeezed his hand and looked in the direction of the bar at one end of the room.

HARRY JAMES POTTER