Ginny awoke, earlier than she had preferred, when a hand brushed her cheek, rather more violently than she would have liked. She opened her eyes to find Harry, thrashing around in his sleep, muttering. Turning to face him, she shook his shoulder gently.
"Harry."
"Hm."
"Harry! Wake up."
"What?" He opened his eyes with a start, staring at her with huge, frightened eyes. Ginny caressed his cheek. When he realized where he was, that he was safe in Ginny's bed, he seemed to shake something off of him.
"Bad dream?" He nodded and pulled her close, burying his nose in her neck. She ran her fingers through his unruly hair, trying to sooth him. "Do you want to talk about it?"
Harry shrugged, but Ginny waited quietly for him to speak, knowing he would after a while. "She tortured Hermione."
"Bellatrix?" He nodded. "I know. I'm sorry."
He pulled away slightly, squinting through his eye-lids at her. "What about?"
"I don't know. That it happened. That you had to experience it. That I wasn't there. That you still dream about it."
"It's not your fault."
"I know, Harry. Still, I'm sorry it happened to you."
"Yeah. It's been three years, I can't believe I still have these dreams." Ginny nodded thoughtfully.
Harry lay his head down on the pillow again, looking at her through the pale early-morning light. He reached out to play with a strand of her hair. "I love you."
She smiled. "And I love you." She leaned over to peck him on the lips. They lay like that, looking at each other for a long while. "I'm so glad you feel you can tell me these things. You never did, before," she whispered.
He smiled a small smile. "Yeah, that was a bit stupid of me, wasn't it."
"Can't say I don't agree."
Harry looked lovingly at her. "I wanted to tell you, though."
"I know. Hermione told me."
He raised his eyebrows. "Hermione?"
"Yes. She said the reason you didn't tell me wasn't because you didn't trust me, but that it was a defense mechanism. That you didn't want to give yourself to me completely, in case you had to lose me too. You've lost so many people."
Harry smiled, lacing his fingers through hers. "I have now though."
"What?"
"Given myself to you. Completely."
Ginny smiled a dazzling smiled, hugging him close. "Thank you for that."
"Thank you for exactly the same."