Ice and Blood

Cold winds come down from the north, causing a pair of figures to tremble. They moved together across the lake, their skates sounding in time. One's hair was blood red, the other's, ice blonde. Their hair tangled together behind them.

Fleur had pulled Ginny out onto the lake, teasing her for being too grown up for having any fun any more. Their long skirts billowed about them as they fell to the ice. Bruises formed on Ginny's back as she softened Fleur's fall. They stayed like that for a moment before Ginny pushed Fleur off from on top of her.

"You are such a spoil sport," pouted Fleur.

"I'm sure."

"You always spoil all my fun!"

"Well, love, you might enjoy sitting on top of me while I lie on my back, getting my backside frozen by the ice. But I, on the other hand, would rather not get my behind all wet and frozen while I have the weight of a whole other person pressing down on me."

"You sure seemed to like it when I'm pressing down on you inside," Fleur smirked.

"As you stated, that was inside, where my arse won't get frozen off."

Fleur pushed her partner on to the ice again, and they started skating across it, arms entwined. They swished across, swish, swish, silent but for the sound of skates cutting the ice.

They pulled off the ice a few hours later, both flushed from the cold, and breathless. They trudged indoors with frozen limbs.

In the kitchenette, Ginny put the kettle on to make hot cocoa. It was rather warm in the house.

"For the love of God!" exclaimed Fleur as she removed her sweater, "Is there no end of extremes?"

"Love, it's not that warm... It's just too warm for sweaters. Here..." Ginny commented as she removed her sweater, revealing a thin silk shirt, "That's better."

After puttering around the kitchen, they settled themselves down in the living room. Sipping her cocoa, Fleur brought up a question.

"Honey, have you ever cut yourself?"

"What do you mean?"

"Purposely."

"Err... yes?"

"I used to. I kind of miss it. You?"

Ginny shifted her weight. "Yeah. It's like an addiction, isn't it? You cut once, and... well, you want to cut some more. Relieve the tension, or the pain, or just to forget. Soon it becomes something you do out of habit, not for any real reason. Just to see the blood show on your skin, to feel the pain, to know you are alive."

"And you let go, and you feel nothing but this euphoria from it. All that negativity leaks out and it's gone. And some times you pass out... breathless, feeling that you may die, and if you do, it would be a good thing..." Fleur trailed off.

Bending over, she fumbled around under the couch. When her hand reappeared, there was a small silver knife in her hand. Lifting up her sleeve, she passed the knife to Ginny.

"Cut me."

"What?"

"Don't be daft. You heard me. Cut me."

Her hand trembling, Ginny made a small cut in Fleur's arm. The blood flowed slowly from the cut, glistening dark in the light. It slowly trickled down the arm, staining the pale skin. It was fascinating. Would it work again for her?

Silently passing the knife back, Ginny motioned for Fleur to do the same to her. A small cut was made, and the old high ran through her. Some things aren't right, but they are pure heaven.

~~~~~~~~~~

There were two figures skating across the ice. One with blood red hair, the other ice blonde. The only sound on the ice was the swish of their skates, and they seemed at perfect peace.

As they danced across the ice, arms entwined, sharing a powerful addiction. And the wind bit into them, and they shivered.

~Fin.~