Chapter 8

A/N: Thanks to sshg316 – the best beta a fangirl could ask for. This chapter would not have been as wonderful without the help of ariadne1 and duniazade for lending their expertise for Ginny's travels. Additional notes are at the end of the chapter.

As always, I don't own the characters, I just visit with them.

Like it, hate it – all reviews are welcome.

~oOo~

A few months later, Ginny was standing in her flat with her two best friends, Hermione Weasley and Luna White. They had been friends since her fourth year at Hogwarts when they had fought the Death Eaters together in the Department of Mysteries. Her friends had just arrived at her flat, and the girls were surrounded by overnight bags.

"Ginny, are you going to tell us where we are going? Why all the mystery?" Hermione asked, clearly frustrated to not know what Ginny was planning or why.

"Hermione, Ginny will tell us all about her new boyfriend in all good time. Just relax and have fun. It will be like an expedition. You never know what you will find."

"Luna," Ginny said, trying to sound shocked and innocent, "I never said this involved a man."

"No, but it does. I know very few things that put that particular look on a woman's face," Luna said confidently. "Unless you've run into a satyr."

"Well," Ginny said with a secret smile, "I'll have to tell you about it over lunch because if we don't shrink our luggage soon, our Portkey will activate without us."

The three women quickly shrank their belongings and put their fingers on the Portkey just before it activated. Each of them felt the familiar pull, and as they landed in a remote corner of a garden, Hermione found herself sitting on her bum in the Parc du Champs de Mars as her two friends dissolved into giggles. Trying to wipe the smile from her face, Ginny reached down to help her friend.

"I hate Portkeys. I've never figured out how to land on my feet."

"Now that all of us are on our feet," Ginny said, trying not to laugh as she held a piece of paper so everyone could see it, "I need you to read this." Written on the paper was La Maison d'Augustine is located on L'Ile aux Cygnes.

After reading the address, the friends watched as the luxury hotel appeared before them.

"Ginny, isn't it a bit expensive?" Hermione asked, concerned that her friend might be overextending herself.

"Yes, but the twins owed me, and I decided a fun weekend with friends was how I wanted them to reimburse me," Ginny replied, winking at her friend.

They walked into the hotel. As Ginny walked to the desk to check them in, Hermione and Luna investigated the lobby. The spacious room was decorated in shades of off-white with pink undertones and beige. Scattered around the lobby were conversation areas consisting of comfortable couches and side chairs covered in silk damask. Along the edges of the lobby, there were several plaster statues. Hermione approached one of a man and woman reclined on a chaise. She was quite taken by surprise as the man reached up and tenderly caressed the woman's breast while he smiled at Hermione.

Hermione squeaked as she stepped away, backing into Luna.

"I think we should go find Ginny," Hermione said as she took Luna by the arm and headed in Ginny's direction. As she glanced behind her one last time, the man winked at her as he tweaked the woman's nipple.

Once they rejoined Ginny, she indicated that they should follow the bagagiste to the lift. Once they were all on board, he pressed the button for the 39th floor. Only one floor was above them, and it housed the two penthouse suites.

When the lift finally stopped, they exited and followed the attendant as he turned left and walked three doors down the hallway. Putting his wand to the door, he opened it and motioned for the three women to enter the room.

The room was breathtaking. It was decorated in shades of light blue and gold; in the center were a couch and two side chairs surrounding a coffee table. An ornate chandelier hung from the high ceiling. On one side of the room was a chaise lounge with a reading light next to the chaise, while on the other side was a dining room table with six chairs. Beyond the table, French doors led to a little balcony with a small wrought iron table and two chairs.

Around the room, there were three doors. Two were open, and through them the girls could see two opulent bedrooms.

"Is everything to your liking, Mademoiselles?" asked the attendant.

"Oui. Merci," Ginny answered as Hermione and Luna looked around.

"If you need anything else, just call for me, s'il vous plaît."

"I will, Tomas," Ginny said as Hermione and Luna suddenly looked at her with matching shocked expressions. "Merci."

Hermione and Luna continued to watch Ginny as Tomas let himself out of the suite.

"Ginny, you know him?" Hermione asked, just a little confused. "Have you stayed here before?"

"Oh, didn't I mention that? I didn't stay in a suite last time...more a cozy room for two...but the tub is similar to the ones in the prefects' bathrooms at Hogwarts. We should check them out," Ginny added as she started to walk towards the closed door that led to the en suite.

"Or," Luna countered as she grabbed Ginny by the arm and redirected her to room's main door, "we should go for lunch so you can begin telling us about this young man that you have been keeping from us," she finished as she opened the door to the hallway and dragged Ginny through it.

"You do have a lot of explaining to do," Hermione continued as she walked through the door. "And if the explanation isn't quite up to our expectations, we will hex you," she said, shutting the door just a little more aggressively than necessary to emphasize the point.

Ginny led them to a café along the Boulevard Garibaldi. When they arrived, the group selected an outside table in the corner. Ginny and Hermione ordered salade nicoise and Luna chose the omelette au jambon et fromage. They decided to share a p'tit pichet de vin blanc.

After their food arrived, Hermione quickly and discreetly cast a Muffliato as well as an Animagus-revealing spell of her own creation.

Ginny then began waving her wand in a pattern that resembled a W and a three. The other two girls just looked at her with questioning looks on their faces.

"It's a spell to reveal any of the shop's products being used nearby," Ginny answered to the unasked question she could see in her friends' faces.

"Oooooo, can you teach us that one? It'd come in pretty handy," Hermione asked Ginny.

"Sorry, it's restricted to employees only." Ginny told her friends with a shrug of her shoulders. "Ron is pretty pissed off about that," she added with a smirk, "but we can't be too careful with our secrets."

"So," Hermione started as she and Luna looked expectantly at Ginny.

"Yes, how is work going, Hermione?" Ginny asked, looking at Hermione with a straight face. "How are Charlie and the kids?"

"No, silly, we need to hear about why you have brought us to Paris," Luna said as Hermione glared at Ginny.

"Ok, start eating and I'll tell you."

As they ate, Ginny told her friends about her relationship with Oliver. She started with the party at Fred and George's...skipping the detail of what the orb revealed...through to their first kiss at the shop. Her friends were amused at all the problems the twins inadvertently caused.

"Lately," Ginny continued, "we've been just going out, mostly to Muggle places. Both of us tend to attract a bit of media attention, although it hasn't been so bad since Harry and I broke up. But, with Oliver retiring from Quidditch this year, the media has been paying more attention to him."

"I can't believe the twins are still alive," Hermione said, shaking her head incredulously.

"Have you told your mother about your first kiss?" Luna asked.

"No, there are just some times your mother should never be proven correct," Ginny responded. "Besides, she'd remind me about it every time she heard Celestina Warbeck sing a song on the wireless. I'd rather she just wonder why I'm snogging Oliver senseless next to the wireless," she added, waggling her eyebrows.

"Your mother has probably already wished you a daughter just like you," Luna responded with all seriousness as she took a sip of une tasse du café.

"I hope not," Ginny responded with a laugh. "But we should get going if we are going to make my appointment."

"What appointment?" Hermione asked, her eyes narrowing in suspicion. "Is this more of the secret of why we are here?"

"Yes," Ginny said as she stood from the table, "I'll tell you about it while we walk."

Hermione and Luna stood from the table and followed Ginny out of the café. As they walked, Ginny told her friends the real reason for their visit to Paris.

"Oliver's Quidditch team is holding a ball to celebrate the end of the season. Since Oliver won't be playing anymore, well, there doesn't seem to be much reason to keep our relationship a secret. We know that there will be some attention at first, but we don't think it will last long."

"So, are we dress shopping?" Hermione asked warily.

"I know it's not your favorite thing, but I promise it will be fun and painless, and I really need you to help me look smashing."

"I'm not sure I'm the right person," Hermione stated as she remembered all the times she only looked presentable because Ginny had dressed her, "but we'll do our best."

"I just want us to have fun," Ginny said with a smile as she stopped and opened a nondescript door with the name Amélie written on it.

"Bonjour, Mademoiselles," the women greeted the friends as they entered the shop.

"Bonjour," Ginny returned the greeting. "We are here to see Mademoiselle Amélie."

"Ah oui, you must be Mademoiselle Weasley," the shop assistant responded in perfect English through a heavy French accent.

"Oui."

"Please, follow me, s'il vous plaît."

The girls were led to a private room with a small seating area with a settee and two chairs that surrounded a coffee table. On the table sat champagne bottle, glasses, and a tray of petits fours. The room was elegantly decorated in neutral tones with just a hint of pink accents so as not to compete with the dresses as they were showcased.

Ginny looked at Luna and Hermione to see how they were reacting to the shop. Luna had walked in and made herself comfortable. It was one of the things that Ginny admired about her friend...her ability to always experience everything with no regard for following convention.

Hermione, on the other hand, looked as if she had just found herself standing on the planet Mars. She wasn't sure where to look or what to do.

"Mademoiselle Weasley, Bonjour," Mademoiselle Amélie said as she walked in the room. "Mesdames," she added, acknowledging Hermione and Luna.

"Bonjour, Mademoiselle Amélie. These are my two friends Hermione Weasley and Luna White."

"Please, sit," Mademoiselle Amélie said as one of her attendants poured the champagne. "Mademoiselle Weasley, what type of robes you would like to see today?"

"I will need evening robes. I have an end-of-year banquet. There will be press there, and the fact that I'm attending this event, and whom I'm attending with, will be noticed."

Mlle then turned to one of her assistant "S'il vous plaît, Chantal, show our Silver Lining series to Mademoiselle Weasley."

"Mademoiselle Amélie, would you please sit with us?" Ginny asked, knowing it was expected of her, as the assistant walked out of the room.

"Oui," Mademoiselle answered as she sat down. "Merci."

Ginny was a little surprised, but honored, that she had joined them rather than having her assistant show them the dresses.

Within a few minutes, the first model walked into the room wearing teal dress robes. The sweetheart neckline showed just enough cleavage to be interesting, but not enough to cause a stir. The sleeves were long and the skirt loose. It was a lovely outfit, but not quite right.

As each new model appeared, Ginny looked over the robes, trying to imagine how it would appear in the papers, and more importantly, how Oliver would view it. Just as she wondered if she would find anything that had everything she wanted, a model entered the room wearing the perfect gown.

Ginny looked at her friends and could see they were having the same reaction.

Made of a silvery grey fabric that was unlike any she had ever seen before, the dress moved as a river at midnight in the moonlight. It was sleeveless with a slightly scooped neckline. The bodice was fitted, with a slightly fuller skirt. Along the neckline was delicate embroidery with the occasional dark crystal that picked up light from the room as the model moved. Then, the model turned to show the back of the robes...

~oOo~

... Ginny heard a gasp as Oliver's eyes followed the line of the embroidery over her shoulder as it followed the low backline towards her arse. She started to walk away from him when she was stopped short as he grabbed her hand and pulled her to him. Before her brain could register what was happening, Oliver was kissing her with an unexpected passion. Eventually, her mind realized that he was drawing small circles on the skin at the small of her back with his thumb.

Before things could be carried too far, she put her hands on his shoulders and gently pushed him away, ending their kiss.

"Oliver," she said breathlessly, "maybe we shouldn't have drinks here. If we do, I don't think we'll make it to your banquet."

"Banquet, right. I suppose that is why you are dressed in this amazing dress," Oliver replied. "I'm not sure I can behave myself," he added with a lustful look in his eye.

"Yes, well," Ginny struggled with her words as she backed into the room to pick up her wrap.

"I suppose we should go," Ginny continued as she walked toward the door. "This way we can return home quicker," she finished, just before kissing him one last time.

Oliver opened the door for her and watched as she walked out the door. He straightened his robes and then followed her to the hall, closing the door with a soft click.

~oOo~

A/N (cont'd): For lunch, Luna had a ham and cheese omelet (omelette au jambon et fromage). The girls shared a pitcher of wine (p'tit pichet de vin blanc) and ended their meal with a cup of coffee (une tasse du café).