Title: At Water's Edge Authors:lee_west and ceria Characters: Luna Lovegood / Ginny Weasley Rating: R Kinks chosen: Lesbians Word Count: 2,000 Summary: Luna helps Ginny refocus after Harry leaves Authors' notes: Thank you minnow_53 for the beta.
Fighting back tears, Ginny walks slowly around the lake. She only has a few hours until the Hogwarts train returns them to London. The funeral is over and the school is closing. Absently-mindedly, she wonders if she'll get a chance to finish her education at Hogwarts, or under the tutelage of her mum.
As she walks, Ginny hears Harry's voice repeatedly in her head, telling her that he wants to protect her. That he loves her and only left her behind because he cares for her too much.
She wants to believe it. It is a noble reason and she should be happy she found such a brave, altruistic young man to fall in love with.
And then she thinks about another altruistic man: Remus Lupin, and how she and Hermione have talked about the fact that Tonks is a fool to believe all that bullshit from him. It’s obvious that Remus isn't interested in Tonks at all, and only caved in, temporarily, to shut her and the other women up.
I'll be just like Tonks: old beyond my years, pining for a bloke who only wants to pursue his ideals. And foolishly believing any platitudes he sends my way. It is a sobering thought, which makes her control crumble. She bursts out crying and sits down at the margin of the lake.
Covering her face with her hands, she doesn't see Luna sitting a little to the side, bare feet in the water, watching her curiously.
***
The top four clasps of her robe are undone to keep her cool. From time to time, she dips her hand into the clear water and splashes it against her neck, enjoying the feeling as droplets slide down her chest, resting on her breasts before the sticky material of her uniform dries them. The heat of the day unsettles her, making her unusually restless. The breeze blowing across the lake doesn't help either. It only blows more warmth against her balmy skin.
She has been discussing the future with the merpeople who live in the lake. The young mermaid hiding just inside the edge of the reeds often tells her secrets about the future. Unlike the centaurs, the merpeople don't believe they might change destiny by sharing their secrets with wizards. Besides, all Luna has to do is catch three Lobalugs for payment. That is simple enough.
She can hear Ginny crying as well as see her, long ginger hair hiding her face as she sobs. Leaning back on the rock, Luna decides she can no longer ignore her. Her shoes dangling loosely in one hand, she walks over to where her friend is sitting. "Are you all right?"
Ginny lets out a loud shriek and tries to rise fast, loses her balance and falls back on her buttocks. When she sees who it is, she sighs with relief and, massaging her behind, asks petulantly, "Do I look all right?"
Sighing, Luna drops to the ground next to her, legs tucked beneath her. "I don't know why I bother to ask. Every time I try to be polite, it makes people snappish. I should just say, 'I'm glad to see you're crying over him now and not bottling up your feelings.' I think keeping them inside is rubbish."
Gesturing vaguely at the lake, Luna adds, "Of course, water has wonderful healing powers."
Ginny isn’t in the mood for one of Loony Luna’s weird digressions. "Huh?"
"Don’t worry about it. Just get those tears out for now," Luna says.
Relieved to be back on familiar ground, Ginny says, "I thought he loved me, you know?"
Nodding in understanding, Luna tugs at her earrings. "Isn't that the way with most relationships? So many people do silly things in the name of love, only to find out much later it's not love at all.
"I'd rather do something because I'm curious about it." She looks at Ginny shrewdly, "I know a lot of people think that’s crazy, but I don’t care. I'm just not afraid to express what I want. Like kissing Megan. Last week I kissed her just to feel her soft lips, and find out what it was like to kiss a girl."
Ginny has been imagining what people would say if she hung two radishes from her ears and realizes she’s started giggling – for the first time since she heard Harry's awful words. A bit maliciously, she thinks that if she had those earrings, she could pelt him with them and this makes her giggle louder.
Because of that, she almost misses Luna's words. "Megan?" she asks, surprised. "You kissed a girl?"
"See what I mean?" Luna asks, staring at Ginny. "You're already considering the consequences. I bet you're thinking about labels and titles and all sorts of other things. But if I told you I’d kissed Terry, you wouldn't question it."
Picking a blade of grass, she ties it around her finger as if to remind herself of something. "I see I have to explain myself.
"We have softer lips, and gentler hands. Just because I act loony doesn't mean I don't understand what a boy tries to do to me. Five weeks ago, Crabbe caught me as I was passing by an empty classroom. I let him drag me in there since I was curious how a Slytherin boy would kiss, but he was boorish. I'm sure I was the first girl he ever kissed! I let him practise for forty-five seconds, but as soon as his hands tried to pull up my robes, I conked him on the head and left him in there."
Between giggles, Luna says, "Goyle didn't find him for three hours."
Untying the blade of grass, she tucks it behind her ear. "Besides, I'd rather learn from a girl than a boy. Boys always think you want to go too far when you let them kiss you."
Remembering the eager fumbling of all her boyfriends so far, Ginny nods solemnly. "They do. It's sad to think that there's no difference between Harry and Crabbe…" She mimics Luna's action and plucks a blade of grass, which she puts between her teeth and proceeds to chew on while she thinks about Luna's words. "Is it really true, though? Do girls kiss differently?"
"Want to try and see for yourself?"
Not really, but Ginny doesn't want her to leave either. She thinks that Luna is calming in many ways. Instead of answering, she asks, "What did you mean about water having healing powers?"
"Lie back and I'll show you," Luna tells her.
Well, if her choices are sobbing over Harry, or trying Luna's healing methods, Ginny chooses the latter. Revealing a faded Weird Sisters shirt and her brother's too-small denim cut-offs, she shimmies out of her robe and spreads it across the green grass. Kicking off her shoes, she rests on her back with her knees in the air, bare toes just touching the water's edge.
"Just be still," Luna whispers to her, and Ginny thinks she feels a finger thread through the loose strands of her hair. Except that it could have been the wind.
Relaxing, Ginny folds her hands beneath her head, watching the cotton-wool clouds hover in the bright blue sky. As she raises her hands, her worn tee-shirt rides up, exposing a thin line of her stomach to the air. With the sun warming her, she digs her toes into the cool mud, and waits, curious.
Eyes closed, she hears Luna's whispered spell, but doesn't try to catch every word. Sometimes surprise is the best part – and, after growing up with so many brothers, people rarely surprise Ginny. A moment of silence, then she feels the icy drip of water across her freckled stomach. Gasping at the sudden chill on her bare skin, Ginny keeps her eyes closed, reveling in the feeling. Luna must have cast a spell to make it so cold.
A frigid splash shocks her warm body, then another, and slowly the water runs off her stomach, dripping over the sides like trailing fingers across skin, rolling underneath her sticky shirt until it is absorbed into the cotton. Another drip to make her stomach muscles contract, then the feeling of chilled water spreading, moving upward, like a boy seeking permission to touch her breasts. Except no boy ever moved so slowly.
Ginny nods her permission and Luna finally touches her. She can feel warm fingers glide across her tee-shirt, one long fingernail grazing her skin before pulling the shirt up, the warmth of Luna's hot skin followed by a drop of freezing water, the tendrils of ice following the movements like the trail of a tongue.
A cold droplet just below her breasts, another in the hollow between them, then Luna's sharp, warm breath blows the frosty water, scattering it in all directions. The sensation resonates through Ginny’s whole body and she trembles, back arching into the feeling, as someone - something - she never expected touches her.
She holds her position, back off the ground, waiting for the next sprinkling of water, wondering if Luna will touch her again or dribble more cold water across her skin - possibly her nipple.
Instead, there is nothing.
Luna hasn't left her side, she can hear her whispering spells still, but there is no more touch. Not understanding why Luna has withdrawn, Ginny raises her hand to cover her exposed chest
Then, she feels another drop, this time on her knee, and Luna’s hand on hers, gently moving it away. "Wait," Luna whispers. "I'm not done. Let me just see you. Please."
The cold water on her knee suddenly heats up, feeling like a caress as it slides down her inner thigh, leaving a warm trail behind it. Just before the water reaches the top of her legs, Luna says one sharp word and it stops, leaving Ginny wanting more. She can feel it soaking into her denim cut-offs, gone forever.
She involuntarily wiggles her hip, causing Luna to laugh delightfully and reward her with another splash of water on her other knee.
Ginny’s thighs tremble as the moisture glides against her skin. She clenches her fists, trying to hold still and not show Luna how strongly she is reacting to the sensations. This time she shifts her body to make room between her clothing and her leg, and the water moves faster, following the cadence of Luna's voice.
The heat splashes against the thin cotton of her knickers and Ginny moans. It spreads against her skin the way a wave breaks on the shore. It's sudden and wild. How can a simple drop of water undo her?
Another follows and Luna chants faster. She varies one cold drop with one hot and Ginny writhes beneath them, wanting something more substantial to touch her. As Ginny begins to lose control, Luna's voice breaks and she opens her eyes.
Ginny watches as soft lips cover her nipple, making her groan. She can see nothing but blond hair falling around her chest, caught in her tee-shirt, and she gasps as Luna touches her between her legs. Her small hand rubs against the denim covering Ginny's crotch and Ginny presses up against it, needing the pressure to climax.
With another cry of pleasure, Ginny falls back flat on the ground, feeling exhausted and giddy and satisfied at the same time. Luna sits up and tugs on a strand of her hair.
"You surprised me," Ginny says.
"Of course I did. You didn't know what to expect."
Luna stands up, straightening her robes and holds her hand out to Ginny. Ginny lets Luna pull her off the ground, her tee-shirt falling down to cover her chest, and she grins.
"What about…"
"Next time," Luna says.
Ginny wonders if this means they are lesbians, but doesn't ask. Instead, she takes Luna's hand and begins to think of a way to repay her kindness.