ofscarletwoman: (Default)
ofscarletwoman ([personal profile] ofscarletwoman) wrote2005-07-11 10:41 pm
Entry tags:

FIC: At Moonlight, Harry/Ginny, PG-13

Author: Tarie
Title: At Moonlight
Pairing: Harry/Ginny
Summary:"I'll be back for you before morning...but if for some reason I'm not...look for me at moonlight. No matter what, I'll be back for you, come hell or..."
Rating:PG-13
Word Count: 1726
Warnings: character death
Disclaimer: Harry Potter characters and universe are property of JKR, Scholastic & other assorted publishers.
Notes: I was listening to Loreena McKennitt's "The Highwayman" and I remembered that [livejournal.com profile] ceilidh told me a long time ago that she really wanted someone to write Harry/Ginny based on the song. I thought 'why the hell not', so here it is. HBP-compatible fic!

The wind whipped through his hair and chilled him right to the bone, but he didn't slow down a whit. Sliding his hands to the middle of the broom handle, he applied a slight pressure with the heels of his palms. The Firebolt sped up instantly, and Harry leant forward, squinting against the brightness of the moonlight, eyes searching.

There it was.

Just off a beaten path, surrounded by patches of heath and peat bogs, was a run-down old inn. It looked vacant, like no one had set foot in it for generations, but Harry knew better. She was waiting for him there.

Touching down, Harry dismounted, his trainers making wet sucking noises as he cut around the trees and through the poorly-drained land.

Clenching the Firebolt in one hand, the fingers on Harry's other hand clutched tightly around the hilt of his wand. He hadn't been followed, as far as he could tell, but one couldn't be too careful. This was risky enough as it was, coming out here to see her. He should be on his way already; he shouldn't have stopped. He shouldn't be with her, actually, but he was selfish. They'd tried to be apart; it'd been his idea. She was in danger, he'd told her, by being with him. She was a target. That's why he'd broken things off with her, for her safety. Breaking things off with Ginny, Harry had realised only a few days after he'd gone and done it, had been bad. Plenty of people tried to help him and support him when it came to Voldemort, but only Ginny truly understood. She knew all too well what it was like to be under his power, and it was so helpful to be with someone who got that. Harry had lasted four days, if that, before he'd taken the floo to the Burrow and apologised to Ginny, asking her to take him back. He'd been on the receiving end of her infamous Bat Bogey hex two or three times before she relented, and they've been together ever since then.

Creeping up to the back crumbling stone building, Harry spied shuttered windows and made a beeline for them. Heart hammering in his chest - he needed to go - he tapped the shutters with his wand and waited, but they didn't budge. She had to be there. Ginny'd promised him, and Harry knew, from years of being around Ron, that a Weasley always kept their word. Jaw set, he stole round the corner and went to the next window, tapping on it and softly calling her name.

His heart nearly leapt in his throat when the shutters opened, squealing and groaning on their hinges in protest, and his eyes laid on her for the first time in weeks.

Ginny.

One delicate hand lay on the window sill, while the other smoothed at the back of her hair. Dropping his broom to the ground, he reached in the window, curling his fingers around the nape of her neck, under her fiery red plait - wove in lover's knots - pulling her to him. Pressing his forehead against hers, Harry searched her eyes desperately. "You know where I'm going."

Ginny nodded, brushing her nose against Harry's, causing his heart to swell. It had been far too long, and this stolen moment was already too brief for his liking.

"I'll be back for you before morning...but if for some reason I'm not...look for me at moonlight. No matter what, I'll be back for you, come hell or..." There was a lump in his throat and he swallowed against it, resolution and nerves setting in. This was going to be it. After all this time....

"If I didn't think you'd hex me, I'd follow you," Ginny swore, her lips moving against Harry's as she spoke.

"I know," he said thickly, his eyes falling shut as their mouths met in an urgent, frantic kiss. Her kiss was warm and familiar and home, and Harry swore on his parents' graves that he was going to return to her.

Inhaling deeply, he pulled away from her and stooped down to retrieve his broom. She tugged the black ribbon off the bottom of her plait and shook her head, her hair falling softly around her shoulders like a curtain of flames. He couldn't resist leaning in the window one last time, inhaling the clean, sweet scent of her hair. He could still smell her as he mounted his broom and kicked off the ground hard, heading off to confront the bastard once and for all.

*****


Harry didn't come back for her before morning. Harry didn't come back for her at noon. Harry didn't come back for her at tea.

It would soon be dark, Ginny knew. Hoping against hope that she'd see him, even though Ginny knew she shouldn't do it, she opened the shutters on one of the front windows and stuck her head out, looking this way and that, hoping to catch sight of him in the tawny sky.

She saw something in the sky, approaching the inn quickly, but it wasn't Harry. It wasn't Harry and it definitely wasn't friendly.

Cursing under her breath, Ginny slammed the shutters closed and crossed to the dilapidated floo, stooping down and reaching inside the cracked flowerpot.

A loud boom sounded and the door blew inward, splintering into a dozen pieces. A large slat of wood slammed against Ginny's shoulder, sending her wand flying as she reeled and fell on her arse.

Death Eaters.

"Incarcerous," one of them sneered, advancing on her as she scrambled after her wand. Thick ropes shot out of the masked man's wand and wound themselves around Ginny's body. She fell prone to the floor, trying like anything to loosen the ropes, but the only thing she succeeded in doing was rubbing the skin on her wrists raw.

"Look for me at moonlight...."

She heard Harry's words in her mind, clinging to them as the Death Eaters laughed at her and prodded her. The night grew old, but she didn't lose hope. Harry's voice was so clear and loud in her mind that it gave her the strength to keep trying; she twisted her hands behind her, working against the bindings. The knots held good but she didn't give up hope, writhing her hands until they were slippery and wet. Whether they were wet with sweat or blood, she did not know.

Outside she could hear the howl of the wind whistle through trees and the tiny hairs on the back of her neck stood up. She could feel him. He was coming for her.

They must have sensed it, too, because two of them jumped up out of old, uneven chairs and ran to the space where the door had been. Ginny felt herself being levitated upright and outside, moonlight illuminating her stiff, bound form. Turning her face up to the night sky, she saw him. Harry was speeding toward her and, even though he was too far away to see properly, Ginny knew he wore a worried, frenzied look on his face. She wished she'd her wand so she could warn him somehow, send up red sparks or something, anything. It was a trap, and Harry was headed right for it and oh--

Green.

Green and then

black.

*****


"NO!"

There was a flash of green light and then she fell.

Harry watched Ginny fall.

He should have known. He shouldn't have gone. It'd been a trap, all of it. Voldemort hadn't been there. There hadn't been any sign of him; Harry thought he'd gotten the coordinates buggered up but that hadn't been it. He'd been right; he'd gone to the right place. There just hadnt' been anyone there because it'd been a fucking trap.

As soon as Harry figured it out, he'd headed back to get Ginny, to take her somewhere else, because obviously the inn wasn't safe anymore.

But he'd been too late. Too bloody late.

His voice was so loud that it hurt his ears and he clutched his head, not caring a whit that the ground was fast approaching. What did it matter now that Ginny was gone? He wouldn't ever forgive himself, and he knew that the Weasleys - what was left of them - wouldn't either and--

The Death Eaters were coming out of the inn, wands at the ready.

Harry saw them, saw their cowardly masks and their ridiculous robes and then he saw red.

Harry saw red and hatred pulsed madly through his veins. His feet had scarcely touched the ground before he lit off his broom, wand held high as he charged at them. Blinded by rage and hate and the need for revenge, he flicked and swished and bellowed at the assembled Death Eaters. Chest heaving with effort as he hexed and dodged them, Harry didn't stop until the last bloody coward was felled and the air stank of Dark Magic and burning flesh.

It was only then when the night was finally still that Harry allowed himself to crawl to Ginny's still, bound form. Choking on his sobs, he sat behind her and hauled her up against his chest, wrapping his arms around her and resting his chin on her shoulder. She was still warm and sweet-smelling, and Harry couldn't hold back his tears any longer.

It was only when he heard two distinct pops behind him that he stopped, keeping one hand on Ginny while he twisted toward the sound brandishing his wand. Standing beside a small pile of bodies were Ron and Hermione. They didn't say anything, just took in the scene around them. Their eyes shifted from the dead Death Eaters to Ginny's body in Harry's arms. Ron swayed on his feet and Hermione took hold of his elbow, dragging him toward Harry and pulling him down as she sank to the ground beside Harry. Ron smoothed his sister's hair, a look of disbelief on his face. Harry could feel Hermione studying him and Ron and he leaned back against her. Hermione opened her arms and wrapped the both of them in her embrace, pulling them close.

The wind whipped through his hair and chilled him right to the bone while the moonlight shone on.
ceilidh: (words)

[personal profile] ceilidh 2005-07-12 02:46 am (UTC)(link)
WOE. =(( but it fits the song so, so so well! I knew it would work.


WOE.

[identity profile] ofscarletwoman.livejournal.com 2005-07-12 02:50 am (UTC)(link)
Her songs totally tell good stories. :D
ceilidh: (circle)

[personal profile] ceilidh 2005-07-12 02:51 am (UTC)(link)
They dooooooooo....

[identity profile] nebanebet.livejournal.com 2005-08-04 09:32 pm (UTC)(link)
Helps that the song's based on a poem to begin with, no? (By Alfred, Lord Tennyson, I believe.)

[identity profile] ofscarletwoman.livejournal.com 2005-08-04 09:36 pm (UTC)(link)
Yes, it does. However, nearly all of her songs - based on a poem or not - do tell good stories.

[identity profile] prunesnprisms.livejournal.com 2005-07-12 02:47 am (UTC)(link)
You just wanted to kill Ginny off, I know you. :P

[identity profile] prunesnprisms.livejournal.com 2005-07-12 02:52 am (UTC)(link)
Admit that you enjoyed it.
ceilidh: (Default)

[personal profile] ceilidh 2005-07-12 02:54 am (UTC)(link)
I enjoyed wrathful!vengeful!Harry quite a bit... *is really not swooning, of course not*

[identity profile] prunesnprisms.livejournal.com 2005-07-12 03:11 am (UTC)(link)
I suspect you also enjoyed watching her eat it, too. ;)
ceilidh: (Default)

[personal profile] ceilidh 2005-07-12 03:14 am (UTC)(link)
Nah, I don't usually like character death unless it's Dumbledore or Voldemort, and I don't hate Ginny... H/G just isn't on my top ships list. ;) But it just fits this song, you know?

[identity profile] angel423.livejournal.com 2005-07-12 03:02 am (UTC)(link)
WAH and WOE and I LOVE YOU.


*sniffle*

[identity profile] ofscarletwoman.livejournal.com 2005-07-18 04:50 pm (UTC)(link)
Awww, thank you!! ♥

[identity profile] libel.livejournal.com 2005-07-12 03:31 am (UTC)(link)
woe. Damn woman that is two fics in one day that have me me just GAH.

This was so beautiful. The lack of dialouge really makes this awesome in that it makes all of the emotions really standout.

I've seen mention of Loreena McKennitt on your journal before. So of couse I acquired a couple of her tracks and her lyrics are so potent.
*wanders off to look about the intranets for The Highwayman*

[identity profile] ofscarletwoman.livejournal.com 2005-07-18 04:51 pm (UTC)(link)
Aw,, thank you! :D

McKennitt really is a lovely singer; I adore her songs because they always tell a straightforward story. :D
cleverthylacine: a cute little thylacine (Default)

[personal profile] cleverthylacine 2005-07-12 03:43 am (UTC)(link)
Jesus H. I so was not expecting that, because I don't know the song. Ouchie ouchie ouchie...
cleverthylacine: a cute little thylacine (Default)

[personal profile] cleverthylacine 2005-07-12 03:44 am (UTC)(link)
Er, just looked at that comment and it reads bad... I DO like it :)

[identity profile] ofscarletwoman.livejournal.com 2005-07-18 04:52 pm (UTC)(link)
Thank you! :D

The song is actually an Alfred Noyes poem from the 1800s, and I think she did a really good job setting it to music. Plus, her voice is really haunting and just adds to the whole thing. :D

It's definitely an 'ouch' for sure!

[identity profile] nebanebet.livejournal.com 2005-08-04 09:35 pm (UTC)(link)
Oops. Wrong Alfred in my comment above. Ya learn something new every day.

[identity profile] pocketfullof.livejournal.com 2005-07-12 04:28 pm (UTC)(link)
Having never heard the song, I didn't know what to expect, but I truly thought it would be about Harry's death. The twist was really unexpected and lovely (well, not 'lovely' like yay! Ginny died, but written in a lovely way). I liked the almost-rushed feeling about this, and the sense of foreboding just under the surface that you conveyed really well.

Very sad, but very good.

[identity profile] ofscarletwoman.livejournal.com 2005-07-18 04:54 pm (UTC)(link)
Thank you very much! The song itself just really tells the story, and it was incredibly easy to translate it in HP (although I did tweak the ending a bit, as in the song the man dies as well, and I just really usually cannot cope with Dead!Harry :( ). I'm glad the literary elements that I was trying to evoke came through; with a piece like this, it's so hard to tell when you're the one writing it. :))

[identity profile] werewolfsoul.livejournal.com 2005-07-13 12:09 am (UTC)(link)
*IS AMAZED* Whoooooa.....I mean- whoooooa. *is star stricken how she has been beaten once again at writting* *bows down to you* Beautiful!

[identity profile] ofscarletwoman.livejournal.com 2005-07-18 04:54 pm (UTC)(link)
Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed my fic! :D

[identity profile] weselan.livejournal.com 2005-07-13 05:09 am (UTC)(link)
I love Loreena McKennitt. She is recording a new album right now (it has been too long since her last one). The Highwayman by Alfred Noyes is one of my favourite poems, and having Loreena put it to music is just magic. I also love Cymbeline and Prospero's Speech written by Shakespeare. I could talk forever about Loreena :)

Anyway, your story really evokes the mood that The Highwayman lays down. I really enjoyed it (and for me, who usually steers clear of character death, that's quite a change)

[identity profile] ofscarletwoman.livejournal.com 2005-07-18 04:55 pm (UTC)(link)
Oooh, I didn't know she was working on a new album right now! I can't wait! :D

Thank you! This was really easy to translate/transfer into HP; I was surprised how much!

[identity profile] weselan.livejournal.com 2005-07-19 01:14 am (UTC)(link)
Have you checked out her website? http://www.quinlanroad.com Lots of good info there :)
infinitegraces: (Night at the Lake)

[personal profile] infinitegraces 2005-07-17 08:57 pm (UTC)(link)
Interesting.

The weirdest thing to me though, is that this isn't adult-fic, and I willingly clicked although I had a (correct) hunch about the ship.

That's a first for me with this ship. ^^

[identity profile] ofscarletwoman.livejournal.com 2005-07-18 04:56 pm (UTC)(link)
:))

Honestly, I really dislike this pairing, but Callie was totally right in that the song lended itself easily to Harry/Ginny - especially after HBP!

Thanks for reading! :D

[identity profile] biggrstaffbunch.livejournal.com 2005-07-18 05:00 am (UTC)(link)
I've read you on checkmated.com, I believe...and Diagon Alley, too, if I'm not mistekn. Do you happen to write...er, ahem...higher-than-R-rated fare? Hehe, if so, I've read it, and it's gooood.

I found this on rec at the harry_ginny community...I liked it a lot...you have an honest, suspenseful sort of voice in it.Is it ok that I Friend you?

[identity profile] ofscarletwoman.livejournal.com 2005-07-18 05:00 pm (UTC)(link)
Yeah, I do have stuff on Checkmated and DA, but everything is on this LJ first and foremost, as it's my main archive :D Most of what I write is R or NC-17, so you've probably definitely read my work on those two sites. :D

Thank you very much! I've not really written this pairing before (as I don't prefer it), but it went very well with the song my friend wanted a fic from!

It's definitely okay if you friend me; I don't mind! :D

[identity profile] exit-chrysalis.livejournal.com 2005-09-21 02:45 am (UTC)(link)
Hi! Just wanted to let you know I recced this on crack_broom because I think it's a beautiful fic, though it broke my heart. *sniff*