( Ten years later from harry's 7th year)
Ginny had been shopping all morning and her legs hurt as she sat on a bench, setting her bags beside her. She laid her head back and frowned. She had to get to work soon.
"You know, 'Old Gin', you might really, really, need to find time to be catching up on your sleep. I heard, you're more likely to choke on a fly."
A grinning dark figure emerged from the shadows behind the bench. He was dressed in black, which made the darker tints of his grey eyes stand out more, in the light. He laughed.
"Been a while! I was so, so sad, no one ever came to see me!"
Zack formed a mocking sad face, over his grinning self.
She picked up a tomato and threw it at him, hitting him in the arm. "Aw, shut up Zack." *despite his teasing she was happy to see her friend again. "I havn't come because work." She smiled at him.
"Oy." He laughed, and brushed the reminants of the tomato off his arm. "Work, eh? I thought someone like you would've got out from under Fudge's hands. That is, if Fudge is the Minister, still?"
*she saw her from so far off, but she was positive it was her*"Hey Gin!"*she said.*
She dosn't hear Candy as she puts a foot underneath her and leans forward. "At this point, yes, but Lav is working like a dog to get him out of office." She sat back slightly. "And I don't work because of Fudge. It's because whitout me, there would be no trials."
*she didnt seem to hear her. so she walked right next to her*"Hi."*she said.*
"He's still a-... well, you get me."
He grinned.
"And I bet she is. Havn't seen her in a while, either."
He turned his head toward the girl as she approached them, apprehensive, a bit, to greet her. But as she seemed to be Ginny's friend, he relaxed. He even managed a smile.
"Hello, there. Who are you, then?"
*she laughed*"Sorry, I forget my manners sometimes, I'm Candace, but you can me Candy. Whats your name?"
She looked up and smiled. "Hi Candy."
*she smiled*"Hey, its been a while since I last saw you."
She smiled again. "Yeah, I'd guess so."
"Don't worry, for I should apologize, just the same. Forgive me, M'lady, I am Zack. Simple enough." He said, bowing with an exaggerated grace. He stood straight, grinning kindly toward Candace.
"A friend of Ginny's, I shall make a friend of my own."
He chuckled.
*she giggled and hoped she wasnt blushing cause she found him charming*"Nice to meet you Zack."*she said and she couldnt stop smiling.*
She laughed knowing what Candy was thinking. "Zack was in a year above me."
*she nodded and said*"Oh, ok."
She grins at Candy and stands. She picks up her bags and counts the rest of her tomatoes.
"And what a tragedy it was. I think I bested the lot in the un-education department."
He winked.
"But that's all on the, as I have heard in Knockturn Ally so many times, on the 'shush-shush' side."
He laughed a bit evilly. Ah, school was certainly an odd thing.
"So what brings you fine ladies to this 'Neck of the Road'?"
He eyed the tomatoes, feigned fright upon him.
*She smiled, she couldnt take her eyes off of him, who wouldnt be able to*"I just had to get out of my house and I wound up here."
...get out of the house...
Yes, everybody definitely needed to do that a bit more. A bit reason he hadn't taken up permanent residence anywhere. He couldn't stay still long enough. Another of his habits.
"You live around here, then, eh?"
"Yeah, do you?"
"No. I live nowhere. I stay in places occasionally, but at this time... No."
*she smiled and nodded*"Oh, ok."
"So how come I never saw you around at school?"
"He was busy for a long time, away from the school. "She glanced at Zack.
"Yes'm."
He's caught Ginny's glance, but it was unneeded. Times hadn't changed too much. But if asked what had changed, for better or for worse? He knew the answer: worse. Things were going to get worse. A lot worse. It had to be worsened; it, the world, was going to hit rock bottom before it ever recuperated. However, why bring up such things?
"I wasn't around school as much as I should have been."
*candace just nodded and looked confused*"Oh."
She smiled and set the nags down again. She closed her eyes and they shrunk to a small size. She conjered up another bag and set the shrunken ones inside. "Much easier."
*pig walked around for a few minutes it was hard she got tired qickly being 7 months pregnent, it was her first child she walked past a group of people she turned back it was ginny and candy and some man she diddnt know who so she walked up to them* ginny ,candy i havent see you two for a while how are you
He left the subject hanging, as yet another new face neared them. He smiled kindly, as she obviously knew Ginny and Candace, as well. He stuffed his hands in his pockets and kept quiet, smiling, but having no need to say anything.
*Hello, Ginny long time no see, it's me Hermione*
She smiled. "Pig! Wow, you've become...err...pregnent.."she laughed.
* luaghed* " yep 7 months," * she looks at Zack* " hey im pig"
"He's Zack."
"And this is Ginny." He said, jabbing his finger in Ginny's direction.
He laughed, and still as he settled, he was smiling, toward Pig, in a kind way; unthreatening.
"I am very grateful to be meeting you, M'lady."
He bowed, then straightened, just as he had with Candace.
* pig luaghed* " nice to meet you , so how long you known ginny for"
"Since he came here." she grinned.
"And no more detailed than that. Fear, I didn't come riding up gallantly. More like my tail between my legs, as I sauntered under someone else's whims."
He chuckled blankly.
"The pleasure of meeting new people, is always mine, ladies." He answered, grinning down at them, as he was a bit taller then all of them.
She smiled, looking up at him.
* pig smiled*