Rating:
PG-13
House:
Astronomy Tower
Characters:
Cho Chang Ginny Weasley
Genres:
Romance Slash
Era:
Multiple Eras
Spoilers:
Philosopher's Stone Chamber of Secrets Prizoner of Azkaban Goblet of Fire Order of the Phoenix
Stats:
Published: 07/09/2003
Updated: 07/09/2003
Words: 992
Chapters: 1
Hits: 1,522

The Finer Things

Abaddon

Story Summary:
Men will be men, and women will be women, and never the twain shall meet. [Post-OotP, Ginny/Cho.]

Posted:
07/09/2003
Hits:
1,522
Author's Note:
OotP has some really strange things to say about gender politics. Hence, this fic. Beta'd by Moonlight69


The finer things.

Cho Chang intended to spend her seventh year enjoying herself far more than she did her sixth. It was, after all, her last year at school, and she was unencumbered by any real responsibility. She had quit the Quidditch team in order to make more room for her studies, and besides, now that Quidditch had been reinstated, she had no fancy to play against The Boy Who Lived any time soon. She had also made certain cuts in her personal life, after that bastard Michael Corner had been found giving Susan Bones some rather noticeable hickeys. Men were idiots, Cho had decided, and the trouble of going through the dross to find the good ones wasn't worth the bother. She had study, and the company of a few select female friends who could appreciate the finer things in life. That was enough.

She didn't blubber or cry or get overly emotional. She thought of Cedric still, at times, but when she did, she made herself think of Harry and then she got so irritated that all prospect of tears flew from her mind. In that way, Harry had finally become useful to her in a personal sense; it was all the more ironic seeing as this had only been achieved once their rather silly attempt at a relationship had died a death neither of them was particularly interested in mourning. Well, she wasn't, anyway, and quite frankly she had no interest in what Harry felt. He was probably too busy saving the world or mooning over Hermione Granger or someone else that was not her to pay much attention at any rate.

One day early in the term, Cho was walking the grounds of Hogwarts, head absorbed in planning out her History of Magic paper as part of her NEWTs, when a shadow stopped right in front of her. At first, Cho shrugged and tried to go around it, but the shadow moved, and got in her way again. She tried breaking off to the other side, but the shadow moved and remained a resolute obstacle in her path. Finally, Cho raised her eyes from the ground, blinking at the slight rise in illumination as she looked ahead of her, and cleared her mind of more obtuse academic points.

There was a girl standing in front of her, clothed in school robes and Gryffindor tie and patch, red hair, slightly freckled skin and hazel eyes, flecked with green. She was one of the Weasleys, Cho remembered. Ginny, that was it. She'd replaced Harry briefly as Gryffindor Seeker last year: Cho had made her business to find out what she could about the Gryffindor because she was a new opposing Seeker, and well, because she'd replaced Harry. A few people had made vague references to the troubles three years ago, but they'd quickly shut up and slinked out of sight when Cho had asked them to be more specific.

"Do you have some time, Cho?" Ginny asked pleasantly. "I know we've barely talked, but well, even though I'm reserve Seeker now, I wanted to talk to someone just to get whatever help I could, and Harry isn't exactly the person I want to be running to, you know?" She smiled, and Cho couldn't help but notice her dimples, or smile in response, laughing slightly herself.

"Yes, I understand. It's quite a pleasure, really, and an honour, I suppose. You're making me feel old, though." Cho teased and started walking again, Ginny slipping into place besides her.

They trooped all over the grounds, laughing and talking and sharing stories: Ginny of the twins, typically, a case of mischief that was definitely mismanaged and Cho retold anecdotes about Quidditch matches before Ginny's time, and even managed to get through a few of the things Cedric had taught her about Quidditch and playing Seeker without tearing up or getting misty-eyed in the slightest.

The next thing Cho knew, it was becoming dusk and they had to get ready for dinner. Marching quickly to the Gryffindor dorms, there was a brief moment of awkwardness while they said their goodbyes. Ginny thanked her for the chat; Cho said it was a pleasure and they agreed to do it again. Cho expected Ginny to head inside the portrait hole, but she didn't immediately. Instead, Ginny leaned over and kissed her. On the lips, just gently, but it couldn't be mistaken for any form of friendship or sisterly solidarity.

Cho responded, just a bit, before she made herself pull away, probably looking about as puzzled as she felt. "I heard you were with Dean Thomas."

"Oh, I was," Ginny said offhandedly. "Was being the operative word. We broke up over Summer, and well. You're funny and attractive and interesting..."

"But," Cho halted her, searching for a response that wouldn't seem indelicate. "What about boys?"

"What about them?" Ginny laughed. "They can never quite get it, can they? They never really understand you or know what you want. It takes another girl to get all that." She shrugged. "Don't you agree?"

Cho thought of Michael. And then she thought of Harry. "Yes," she murmured, lips pressed to a thin line.

"Hermione's been telling me all this for ages," Ginny went on with barely a pause, "and I thought well, I might as well try...would you like to go out, sometime?"

"Oh." She was somewhat stunned. "Yes, I suppose I would," she added with an easy smile.

"Good then. I'll catch up with you during the week, or owl you or something." Ginny nodded, and went inside the Gryffindor dorms, muttering something Cho couldn't hear to open up the portrait hole.

Cho turned, and went back to her own dorm, not quite realising the sheer vivacity of the smile on her face as she walked. She had study, the company of a few select female friends who could appreciate the finer things in life, and that was enough, indeed.