tampered | → come on skinny love just last the year

When; 31 July, late afternoon.
Rating; PG-13 for... idk swearing and thoughts of ~war.
Characters; Ginny Weasley [

hexuality] and whoever wanders in!
Summary; It's Harry Potter's birthday and his ex-girlfriend feels like visiting the Hall of the Missing to say hello.

Log;

[She's got too much time to think and that's what Ginny Weasley dislikes about being on holiday for a month. Not that she minds taking the time off, Merlin knows she needs it despite all her refusal to admit it, but she's felt rattled for weeks and she doesn't know how to settle, especially since her talk with Bucky. Flying has always been her solace but today, it isn't the sky she needs to feel closer to; today is for being a little more earthbound, a little more nostalgic.

Today is Harry's birthday. She can't think of how old he'd be because the City's mucked up her sense of time—had he stayed, he'd be... nineteen? Were they at home, he'd be eighteen and she'd be seventeen a few weeks later. The war would be over, they'd be at The Burrow, they'd be trying to fall back into some sense of normalcy with an empty seat at the table. Would they be together? Would she want to try so soon after?

The Hall of the Missing is right by her building so she walks there, not stopping until her footsteps echo and she's blinking the summer sun from her eyes in the sudden cool darkness. She finds the section of wall that holds the portraits from her world without difficulty; she's been there to look up at them so often that it's muscle memory by now, and her eyes seek out Harry's green ones. Next to him are everyone else she's said goodbye to over the years... Neville, there he is, his birthday was yesterday.

Ginny settles on the floor, knees drawn to her chest and arms looped around them. Next to her is little box of cupcakes she thought to bring along. Because why not? She hides a smile as she bites into one, licking the frosting from her lips.

Happy Birthday to her two favourite boys.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Not really.

[She brushes her hair back over her shoulders, taking a breath.]

I don't know how much you know about... Well, earth's history, I suppose. Or even if your world has the same history as mine. But there were witch trials throughout... What, the 15th to 18th centuries? In Europe and some of America, too. [History of Magic, man. That class. She remembers only a handful of important things.] People are scared of what they don't understand or they'll want to take advantage of something they don't have.

[Her brows knit.]

And it's not safe for them. Magic can be dangerous. The International Statute of Secrecy was put into effect in the 17th century because so many of us were being hunted down along with innocent, non-magical people mistaken for being one of us. We've had secret communities ever since.

[A few seconds in to her explanation he holds up a finger, and goes to locate a chair so that he can sit down. It's not so much that he intends to stay and chat for a longer period of time as much as it is that he wants to give her his full attention for something that's obviously incredibly important to her, and as she speaks, he nods, appearing as though he's taking mental notes. Before she continues he briefly interjects:]

I am familiar with Earth's history.

[And then stays quiet for the rest of it.]

It is common, throughout the galaxy, for people to fear and hate what is different. [A little icy:] An illogical point of view. We can accomplish far more when we accept our diversity.

[She's a little surprised that he's taking a genuine interest in this, enough to seem to settle for her explanation, though now she feels like she's about to give a lecture. Instead, she smiles a little and continues through until the end and when he replies, he surprises her again; but maybe it shouldn't because adversity is in every world. And that saddens her a little.]

I agree. [And she thinks to the war that tore her society apart and now they're trying to put it back together; diversity is what has kept magic alive, in her opinion—where would they be if they didn't accept, love, marry Muggles? Died out by now.] Maybe things'll be better in the future.

[She says, knowing nothing of his ties to Starfleet, to the future she's only heard hints of.]

Better than they were in the past.

[Some part of his optimism died with Marcus. Betrayal by the head of Starfleet, an organisation he left his planet for, shook him. And then it resulted in Jim's death.]

When are you from?

[Promptly:] Mid-twenty third century, by your calendar.

[She raises her brows.]

How do you know what my calendar is?

You use the Gregorian calendar, do you not?

Yeah, but— [Hm.] Never mind. My year, I meant.

Most people here appear to be from some version of the twenty first century. It is highly probable that is also the case for you.

Yeah, that's right.

Loads of people think I'm... I don't know— [A huff of laughter.] "Out-of-date," maybe. 1998 isn't too far away.

[People are weird?? Look at this confused expression.]

Why would you be out of date if 1998 is the latest for you?

Compared to this present. If I'd lived to 2013 back home, I'd be... Merlin, thirty-two years old.

[Ginny wrinkles her nose, immediately put off by the idea.]

But that's what makes time so odd here, I suppose. There's people from the future, well in the past, some of us in the middle. It's interesting, though, everyone's got something to learn.

[Spock raises an eyebrow.]

Ageing is a natural biological process. I find it illogical to be upset about it.

[She shoots him a Look, bewildered and exasperated.]

Is it illogical to be confused about how old you're meant to be and how you feel you are, then? I was sixteen when I arrived here then I went home when I was nineteen. I came back, I was sixteen again and now I'm twenty-one. It can muck with your head.

In a place such as this? No.

[She exhales.]

Maybe I've just been here too long, then.

[Spock tilts his head, as though listening to something only he can hear.]

Would you like something to eat? I have been reliably informed there is a suitable outlet nearby.

[She blinks, a little taken aback by the offer.]

What?

You seem upset, and you have been seated here for a long time. Fresh air and a brisk walk are often recommended in these cases.

[Yeah feelings are an ailment. Well. He doesn't know how else to describe them.]

[She smiles, ducking her head as she pushes a hand through her hair.]

I'm alright. Thank you. [Then she glances up at him, quietly amused.] Food to solve all problems. How very Weasley of you.