Work Text:
“Thank you, London, and enjoy the rest of the festival!” the singer shouted to the crowd. They answered with deafening applause as the band left the stage, each member drenched in well-earned sweat. When the clapping finally died down, people began to leave the outdoor venue to catch the next performance.
In the middle of the chaos, a head of flaming red hair parted the crowd with a head of wild brown hair in tow.
“That was insane!” the redhead exclaimed in awe. “I can’t believe we just saw Patti Smith live.” Ginny’s eyes were wide with exuberance as she rambled on and on about her favorite moments of the show. You’d think she was batting away a thousand flies by the way she was waving her hands animatedly around her face. Looking over at the brunette as she rambled, she was shocked to see that she wasn’t as excited as Ginny. She gripped Hermione’s shoulders and shook her like a maraca, ignoring the passersby who stared at her like she was crazy. Eyes wide as saucers, Ginny repeated herself with gusto. “Patti fucking Smith!”
Hermione released herself from Ginny’s grip with a laugh. “Yes, she was great,” Hermione said, fanning herself in the unusually hot air. “Now, where can we get cold drinks? My hair is like a rat’s nest in this humidity,”
Ginny rolled her eyes, but amusement flashed in her hazel irises. “At least admit that last song was amazing.”
Not daring to contradict Ginny’s fiery gaze, Hermione agreed with a grin, “Okay, okay. It was spectacular, especially that rant about feminism. She’s quite the badass. That, I could appreciate.”
Satisfied with her response, Ginny beamed as she continued to pull her friend towards the food trucks to buy beverages. The lines were long with avid indie fans, punk lovers, and rock enthusiasts alike.
Hermione gave Ginny her drink order as she sat in the shade to relieve herself from the relentless sun. Both girls had sunburned cheeks and sweaty necks, welcoming the occasional breeze. Hermione certainly wasn’t prepared for the hot weather with a cotton jumper and cigarette pants. Ginny herself almost regretted her choice of outfit… almost. A forest green crop top clung to her curves, giving a small tease of her cleavage. Ripped Mom jeans were slung high on her waist, the black material absorbing more sunlight than she’d like. Her feet got no reprieve in the heeled combat boots she wore. Her hair was pulled into a messy French braid, which showed off her many ear piercings, not to mention the golden hoop in her nose. Pulling the look together, her eyes were lined with kohl and her pouty lips were painted a pale pink.
Ginny had bought two tickets to Keystone Festival about six months ago. She intended to surprise her boyfriend with the tickets, but that two-year relationship ended disastrously before she could even ask. As she dealt with the aftermath of the breakup, the festival was the farthest thing from mind. In typical Ginny fashion, she procrastinated until it was just a week away. Ginny first asked Harry, but he had a business meeting in Liverpool, much to his dismay. After her failed attempt to get Harry to go with her, Hermione valiantly volunteered, despite not knowing a single artist that would be playing. She was a wonderful friend like that.
It was a summer afternoon in early July. The venue itself was an isolated location, far away from the bustle of the city. Ginny had attended several concerts there in the past, but it was the first time Keystone held the festival there. Dozens and dozens of stages were scattered along the rolling valley. The flat land was surrounded by mountains, providing a feeling of privacy from the public. At the far side of the valley were fields and fields of flowers. It had become a tradition for concert goers to pick a flower and throw it on the stage of their favorite performer, so long as they left something to thank the earth for its beauty. People had become very dedicated to this tradition through the years. Ginny had seen all kinds of gifts: bird baths, bird houses, pre-plotted plants, and even a homemade tire swing. Though she only came a couple times each year, this was Ginny’s favorite venue. More than that, it was her favorite place, period. She’d hiked there several times when there were no events scheduled. Her, Harry, Hermione, and Ron had camped there just a few months ago to celebrate Hermione’s completion of graduate school. She was now a librarian at a prestigious university, which was a short train ride away. Although Hermione was one of Ginny’s close friends, they were very different people. Even their outward appearances screamed “opposites.” When Hermione was studying for finals, Ginny was shredding the guitar in the garage. Where Hermione was mature, Ginny would make fart jokes. They had similar values, but they weren’t quite on the same wavelength. And that was fine by them.
Their entire friend group had gone to high school together, with Ginny a year below everyone else. She would spend time with them instead of the kids in her own class, which severely damaged her social life after the rest of them graduated. She was left behind to survive yet another year in that hellhole. So, she did what any Weasley would do (save Percy, bless his soul): caused as much chaos as possible. Thanks to Fred and George’s impeccable teaching over the years she grew up, she had become an expert herself at pranks. Her bad behavior nearly got her expelled on several occasions. After Molly reprimanded her for an hour, she would immediately get a text from the twins congratulating her successful stunt. Later in the day, she would overhear her mother shouting at the twins over the phone, accusing them of egging Ginny on. In hindsight, it was a hilarious occurrence that happened often in the Weasley house.
Harry had been their next-door neighbor since childhood. They all grew up together, the Weasleys and Harry. He was the only one who didn’t treat Ginny like a baby, nor like an overbearing brother. Her real brothers were enough as is, not to mention her mother. Harry was her best friend. They were attached at the hip as kids, and now they could practically have an entire conversation without speaking. They talked about things no one else would understand, particularly their sexuality. Harry realized he was bisexual in middle school when Draco Malfoy began the habit of calling him “Potter.” Whenever he would spit out those two syllables, Harry would almost faint. It was Ginny’s job to safely get him to his next class without letting him embarrass himself.
Ginny discovered she was bi just a few years later. She was running the track during gym class when the cheerleaders took the field to practice their routine. Standing front and center was a new student: Pansy Parkinson. Ginny just about drooled over her silky hair and tan legs. Oh, and did she mention they were wearing new uniforms? Yeah, their skirts were significantly shorter, and their shirts were tighter than ever before. Ginny got lost in Pansy’s trance and ended up tripping over her own feet. After class, she ran to the cafeteria and found Harry, quickly pulling him aside to tell him her revelation. She didn’t even give Harry time to question her bloody nose. The moment the words left her mouth, Harry grabbed her hands and began jumping up and down in glee. Ginny couldn’t help but join in, and they squealed like schoolgirls.
Yep, they were those friends.
Harry’s high school graduation didn’t pull them apart in the slightest. Ginny would get calls every week about his newest conquest. Every time she visited him at college, Harry would attempt to hook her up with a cute girl at a party. When those two were together, they were a force to be reckoned with. With Ginny’s quick wits and Harry’s charm, they could swindle anyone into getting what they wanted. They certainly used that to their advantage… more than once.
The Keystone Festival attracted people from all walks of life with their diverse setlist. Ginny had already met dozens of fascinating souls as she and Hermione wandered the venue. An older woman had agreed to take their picture earlier in the day. Her arms were covered in faded tattoos, but her smile was bright as ever. After making conversation, Ginny learned that the woman had been coming to this festival since she was a rebellious teenager. She came to piss of her parents but stayed for the music. Needless to say, she was quite the badass.
A couple hours later, Hermione bumped into a man while she and Ginny were dancing to Neck Deep’s “In Bloom.” His drink spilled to the ground and Hermione apologized profusely. Both the girls prepared for an angry outburst but instead, he laughed it off, introduced himself as Seamus, and invited them to dance with him and his boyfriend. The four of them danced wildly in a circle, laughing like they had known each other for years. The boyfriend, Dean, lost his mind when Ginny started to twerk. He joined in and the two hyped each other up as they danced provocatively. Dean was so impressed; he went as far as asking Ginny if she was a stripper. After laughing so hard she fell to the ground, Ginny ruined his day and told him she was a measly journalist.
And of course, Ginny couldn’t forget the little girl who had walked up to her whilst waiting for food, a small buttercup in her even smaller hand. She shyly offered Ginny the flower and when Ginny accepted, the girl giggled in happiness. She ran back to her parents with a toothy grin plastered on her adorable face.
Ginny smiled at the memory as she returned to Hermione with their drinks.
“Are you having fun? I know you aren’t really interested in music that much…”
Hermione scoffed. “Of course, I am. If I were with Ron, that would be a different story. The music that man listens to… I’ll never understand.”
Ginny snorted as she thought of her brother dancing to his Pirate rock. He was so strange, and Ginny loved it. Though as quirky as Ron may be, he was nothing compared to Ginny’s so-called “crackhead energy.” That’s a direct quote from just about everyone in her life. She can thank Harry for that.
“He has his moments, though.” Hermione cleared her throat and tried to subtly add, “Speaking of relationships…”
Ginny raised her perfectly sculpted eyebrow and shook her head. “That was pitiful, Hermione.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Please. You think I haven’t noticed you and Ron trying to get information about my dating life to pass on to my mother? I’m not blind,” she snorted and took a sip of her drink. Harry was already up to date on the latest and greatest, so he was the only one who wasn’t constantly pestering her. God bless him. “You all know I don’t want to date anyone. And you all know why.”
Hermione looked down guiltily. “I’m sorry, Gin. I shouldn’t have brought it up. It’s just… we want you to be happy. Molly’s been wanting you to come home with someone to introduce to your family. You’re her only daughter and she just wants to see you happy.” Ginny opened her mouth to say something, but Hermione went on. “I know Michael hurt you, and I understand how difficult it is to heal from that. But you’ve been doing so much better since you’ve started seeing your therapist. Your eyes are bright, and you look happy. You look like Ginny again, my badass friend who takes no shit.”
Ginny let out a shaky breath, refusing to ruin her makeup. “I was a foolish girl that fell in love with a bad guy. I was insecure and desperate for love. I’m different now, happier. But that doesn’t make it any less scary to be that intimate with someone.”
Ginny fell silent as she remembered the night that still plagued her. She had been with this guy, Michael, for a little less than two years. They met when Ginny wasn’t in a great place mentally, and she leaned on him for support. She became dependent on him. So dependent that she brushed off the time he shoved her. So dependent that she made excuses for him. Then, that fateful night happened. She was crying, he was drunk. He started kissing her and didn’t stop, not even when she said no. Not when she screamed. He thought he had the right to touch her whenever he pleased.
He was so goddamn wrong.
After that night, Ginny was never the same: she built up her emotional walls so they were stronger than ever, she inked herself on the body that didn’t feel like hers anymore, and she used her short-temper as a vicious weapon.
Harry eventually convinced her stubborn ass to go to therapy, and she couldn’t be more thankful for that. She finally let out all the rage, hurt, betrayal, sadness, and shame. By doing so, she was able to wholly embrace herself with love. The wound still hurt from time to time, but it was certainly healing.
“I understand. Just take it day by day for now. You never know what beautiful specimen will appear right in front of you.”
Ginny cast a small smile at her friend. “We’ll see about that.”
Hermione checked her watch. “Should we venture to Rex Orange County’s performance? It doesn’t start for a little while, but we can try to get a good view.”
Ginny nodded enthusiastically. They weaved through the vast amount of people and to the next stage where the band was going to play. The area was mostly empty with only a few people lounging around for the upcoming performance.
Ginny scanned the lawn in front of the stage when a blonde-haired girl caught her eye. Her long hair swayed in the breeze as she moved side to side. Her body seemed to flow like a silk ribbon, hips rocking softly and arms swaying in a magical rhythm. She was wearing a flower crown with pink and yellow blossoms. Paint-splattered overalls covered the bright purple shirt beneath. Laughter bubbled from the girl’s chest infectiously. The sun hit her light hair in a way that gave the illusion of a glowing halo around her head. It appeared she was dancing. Not to music, but to every other ordinary sound: the low buzz of chatter, the distant echo of music, birds chirping, the feeling of bliss. She was creating a symphony inside her head. Ginny was enraptured. She wanted to run up to the girl and dance with her.
She turned to Hermione, but before she could say a word, Hermione said, “Go ahead. I think I saw Dean and Seamus.”
Ginny throwed her arms around her friend. She pulled back and thanked a grinning Hermione.
“Go get ‘em tiger.”
Ginny sashayed her way up to the girl with confidence she thought she no longer had.
“Hi there.”
The girl swung around and looked at the redhead a few feet in front of her.
Bloody hell.
The girl was even more gorgeous up close. Thick lashes framed her blue eyes as she looked at Ginny. They were wide, full of curiosity, and… genuine. There was no other way to describe it. Ginny could swim in those crystal-clear irises forever. There were a few freckles scattered over her nose like constellations, but not nearly as many as Ginny had. Ginny noticed there were paint smudges on the tip of her nose. The girl’s pink lips were curled up into an easy smile, like it never occurred to her that frowning was even an option.
“Hello,” her dreamy voice replied. Just when Ginny thought she landed back to reality, that voice intoxicated her, the soft inflection caressing every word. Everything about her was soft, from her rainbow painted nails to her adorable laugh. “Would you like to dance?” She looked hopefully at Ginny.
Ginny was taken aback. She didn’t even know this girl’s name, and yet something pulled at her heart that made her blurt out, “Yes, I would really like that.”
The blonde tugged on Ginny’s hands with a giggle and they began to dance slowly to the curious sounds of nature.
Ginny’s heart was pounding as they stood facing each other. A couple feet separated them as they felt out each other’s rhythm. The girl gave an encouraging nod as Ginny held out her hands for her to grab.
“I’m Luna, by the way.”
“It’s nice to meet you. I’m Ginny.”
Luna giggled as Ginny twirled her around and spun her back in. A quiet breeze danced around Luna’s long hair. Ginny couldn’t help but stare in awe at this beautiful girl – this goddess – in her arms. If you told her that she would be dancing with an attractive woman at Keystone, Ginny would have laughed in your face.
“So, Ginny,” Luna started. Ginny loved the way her name sounded when she said it. “Which performance are you most excited about today?”
“The Strokes,” Ginny said with no hesitation. “What about you?”
“Oh, I like their music very much! I can’t wait to watch Bon Iver sing. His voice is so wonderful…” She closed her eyes and started humming “For Emma” and Ginny listened, mesmerized.
When Luna opened her eyes, Ginny’s hazel ones were looking at her. Luna stared directly at her as she said with conviction, “Whoever Emma is, she’s a lucky girl. To have someone sing for you with such adoration and love… I can only imagine.”
“Actually, Justin Vernon said Emma wasn’t a person, but rather a place you get stuck in. A pain you can’t erase.” Ginny wanted to kick herself. She should have just agreed with Luna. Now she sounds like a know-it-all.
Luna tilted her head. “And here I was thinking you were punk rock.”
“Oh, let me assure you, I am so fucking punk rock.”
“Yet you know a lot about Bon Iver.”
“What can I say? I’m a very multifaceted person.” Ginny grinned from ear to ear as she tried to impress her.
“Hmm… talk to me more about music.”
And she did.
They talked about their favorite artists, from Elliott Smith to girl in red to Violent Femmes. Then they asked each other more questions, desperate to know everything. Ginny learned that her mother died when Luna was a young girl. She learned that Luna is adamant on painting every wall in her house, Bob Ross style. Ginny told her that she grew up in the shadows of her brothers. She revealed that she wrote her own music, but never shared it with anyone. Luna told her about her best friend, Neville, and Ginny told her about Harry.
Then…
“You’re a very beautiful person,” Luna murmured shyly. Looking up at Ginny, she continued. “I’m usually anxious in social situations but talking with you puts me at ease. I’m not overthinking every little thing. I’m here. In the present with you.”
Luna was honest about everything. She didn’t seem scared to say what was on her mind. Ginny adored that. Before her relationship with Michael, Ginny refused to let anyone step all over her. She called out people’s bullshit, plain and simple. But after that two-year period, she lost sight of that stubborn, strong willed woman. Perhaps she was beginning to find her again.
“Would it, er… would it be okay if I kissed you right now?” Luna tentatively asked. She twisted her hands together nervously.
She’s fucking adorable was the last thought that crossed Ginny’s head as she lightly grasped Luna’s waist and tugged her closer. Resting her hand on her impossibly soft cheek, Ginny tucked a loose strand of hair behind Luna’s ear. They were breathing in time with each other, lips turned into smiles.
“I appreciate your politeness, but next time,” Ginny whispered, “you don’t have to ask.”
Ginny’s lips grazed Luna’s slowly, pausing for a split second before capturing Luna’s lips in her own. Luna let out a small gasp, which was silenced when Ginny deepened the kiss. They were wrapped in each other’s arms. It was impossible see where their limbs began and ended. They melted into each other, into one person. Ginny held onto the girl to keep from falling as her knees trembled with the immense weight of the kiss. They continued to sway to the sounds of nature without a care in the world. Luna tasted of lemongrass and sweet peaches on a summer day. She was intoxicating in the best way. The more they explored each other’s mouths, the more she craved Luna.
While they kissed, Rex Orange County took the stage and began to sing “Loving Is Easy.” The girls were so lost in each other that they didn’t even notice when the symphony from their heads manifested into reality. His beautiful voice serenaded the dancing girls. It was a celebration of healing, of happiness, of love.
Hours later, day turned to night as the sun set over the mountains. People left with sunburned faces and huge smiles. The once bustling valley was now empty, save for two girls who laid on the grass beside the fields of flowers.
They were laying next to each other on their backs, staring up at the clear sky. Ginny looked up at the stars, but all she saw were the freckles on Luna’s face. Their outstretched arms closed the space between them as they held hands. Ginny was wearing the flower crown, and Luna was huddled in Ginny's jacket.
“Today was my favorite day,” Luna murmured as she blissfully closed her eyes. Ginny squeezed her hand and stared at her peaceful face. Her body was exhausted from dancing and singing all day, but her head was wide awake and swimming with thoughts.
Thoughts like, my mom is going to love this girl.
Thoughts like, I’m going to call her the minute I wake up tomorrow morning.
Thoughts like, she only lives a couple miles away.
Thoughts like, I want to see her again, every day if I can.
Luna slid closer to Ginny and settled in the crook of her shoulder. Ginny played with her hair mindlessly. Luna hugged her and sighed in pleasure.
“I want to see you again,” Ginny blurted out. She heard Luna laugh quietly.
“I do, too. I kind of assumed I would see you this week.”
“That’s a bold assumption.”
“Am I wrong?”
“Not in the slightest.”