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Light in Shadows - Harry Potter fanfiction
Title: Light in Shadows
Rating: G
Fandom: Harry Potter
Length: 346 words
Notes: written for octopus_fool, for Fandom Stocking 2015
Summary: In hidden corners of darkened Hogwarts halls, Ginny and Luna are each other's light.
Ginny blazed brighter than ever in that year of darkness, a firestarter against the Carrows’ oppressive gloom. Ginny had always known she would be a target - a Weasley, a Gryffindor, a veteran of the Department of Mysteries. She would be a target - she was brave and bold and brash, she was a fighter, she was a leader of the DA. Ginny took that knowledge, and used it. If the Carrows were watching her, someone else was going unseen. If they were hexing her, someone else was being spared. So she spoke out, she wore her red hair as a war banner, she blazed - and when they lifted their wands away, when she was no longer screaming in pain, she grinned up through bloodied teeth from hard stone floors.
The first time Luna kissed her, she tasted Ginny’s blood on her lips. (The first time, and many others).
Luna had always attracted bullies; the Carrows and their Inquisitorial Squad were no exception. They punished her for her father’s editorials, sometimes; but more often for her quiet questioning of the lies they were supposed to swallow whole, for the way she simply ignored their rules when she chose… for her refusal to bend her head, avert her eyes, stop looking for wonder even in these darkened halls. They punished her - and felt their punishments hollow when she would look not at but through them, as if they were a minor inconvenience she’d already forgotten.
Only Ginny, running her fingers along the curse scars on Luna’s moon-pale skin, knew how much effort it cost Luna some days to keep faith.
They made each other no promises in their stolen moments together, whispered none between their kisses. What could they say that wouldn’t be a lie?
‘Who knows if we’ll even make it through the year alive?’ Ginny would ask, thinking of their Muggleborn classmates in hiding; of Ron, Harry, and Hermione on the run; of the killings that could not be hushed up.
‘Flitterflames only live for a day,’ Luna would whisper back. ‘That doesn’t make them less beautiful.’
Rating: G
Fandom: Harry Potter
Length: 346 words
Notes: written for octopus_fool, for Fandom Stocking 2015
Summary: In hidden corners of darkened Hogwarts halls, Ginny and Luna are each other's light.
Ginny blazed brighter than ever in that year of darkness, a firestarter against the Carrows’ oppressive gloom. Ginny had always known she would be a target - a Weasley, a Gryffindor, a veteran of the Department of Mysteries. She would be a target - she was brave and bold and brash, she was a fighter, she was a leader of the DA. Ginny took that knowledge, and used it. If the Carrows were watching her, someone else was going unseen. If they were hexing her, someone else was being spared. So she spoke out, she wore her red hair as a war banner, she blazed - and when they lifted their wands away, when she was no longer screaming in pain, she grinned up through bloodied teeth from hard stone floors.
The first time Luna kissed her, she tasted Ginny’s blood on her lips. (The first time, and many others).
Luna had always attracted bullies; the Carrows and their Inquisitorial Squad were no exception. They punished her for her father’s editorials, sometimes; but more often for her quiet questioning of the lies they were supposed to swallow whole, for the way she simply ignored their rules when she chose… for her refusal to bend her head, avert her eyes, stop looking for wonder even in these darkened halls. They punished her - and felt their punishments hollow when she would look not at but through them, as if they were a minor inconvenience she’d already forgotten.
Only Ginny, running her fingers along the curse scars on Luna’s moon-pale skin, knew how much effort it cost Luna some days to keep faith.
They made each other no promises in their stolen moments together, whispered none between their kisses. What could they say that wouldn’t be a lie?
‘Who knows if we’ll even make it through the year alive?’ Ginny would ask, thinking of their Muggleborn classmates in hiding; of Ron, Harry, and Hermione on the run; of the killings that could not be hushed up.
‘Flitterflames only live for a day,’ Luna would whisper back. ‘That doesn’t make them less beautiful.’
no subject
And Luna....always on her own path. It's so hard to punish her when punishment doesn't mean anything to her. I love Luna so very much.
I can see how Ginny and Luna were attracted to each other, even though they're very different personalities. I line "What could they say that wouldn’t be a lie?" is so perfect.
I really like the way you structured the paragraphs, too. It really highlights their similarities and why they seek comfort in each other. Great work, as always. :)
no subject
I was going to say Ginny just doesn't do quiet and invisible, but then I remembered her first year... Riddle managed to cow her once, she'd never let him do it again.
With Luna, I don't know if it's so much that punishment doesn't mean anything, as that she refuses to let it mean anything. A mind-over-matter redefining of reality and importance (which is very Luna and very Ravenclaw).
I hadn't really thought much about them together, but I saw the request and it just clicked! I'm happy it worked well.
Playing with the paragraph structure was fun! It's something that works best in short fics like this, I think, but very fun.