Unbeta'd Hinny story that has been in my head for days and has been written in an attempt to break writer's block. First time I ever wrote about this couple. Please R&R, as I'd love constructive critisism, whether it'd be about characterisation or writing style.
The castle had been almost eerily silent for most of the day and night. The few people who had partied and had drank themselves silly, had finally collapsed somewhere during the afternoon, after having tried and failed to add a couple of lines to the song Peeves had been singing all day. The ones who didn't party, had finally managed to get up and went to get some sleep either in the dormitories which hadn't been damaged by the battle the night before, or at their own homes if they didn't feel comfortable in staying in the place where so many had been lost. People had woken up sobbing, clinging to their loved ones or their pillow, having been awoken by a nightmare which most likely involved seeing people they loved die, finally falling back asleep again after having been given a Dreamless Sleep Potion. The ones who didn't take one, where either to exhausted to dream in the first place, or had been fighting sleep because of the inevitable nightmares.
It was when sunlight fought its way through the drawn curtains that the first people seemed to awaken. Harry Potter, having failed to completely draw the curtains around the bed in his old dormitory, woke up because of the sunlight hitting his face. A grimace fought its way across his face as he struggled to get upright, his body being stiff and painful from all the battling and dying he had done in the past days. For a moment he was quite disoriented, not being used to be back in a comfortable bed or being woken up by the sunlight in the first place, but when he realised where he was, all memories came flooding back at once.
He glanced over to the bed Ron used to occupy when they were still at Hogwarts, and was pleased to see him sleeping peacefully, with Hermione beside him. A soft snore could be heard and this managed to get a small smile on his face. Harry sighed, wondering if he should take a shower. He would most definitely need one, but as he didn't feel like waking the pair up to ask where Hermione's bag was, he slipped out of the dormitories instead and down to the common room.
'So you're finally awake.' Harry stood still at the end of the staircase, not expecting anyone to be up and certainly not Ginny. Nerves wracked his body suddenly, not quite knowing what he was supposed to answer to her comment. He knew that they needed to have a talk. He wanted them to have a talk. But that certainly did not mean that he knew what to say, not after he heard her scream his name like that, not after she lost her brother and she certainly would not be okay. Hell, he wouldn't even be surprised if she would throw a Bat-Bogey Hex at him. It was after all his fault that they all got dragged into this. That more lives were lost than he ever wanted to happen. That George would forever be without his twin. That Teddy Lupin would grow up an orphan…
'I suppose I am,' he finally answered, descending the last step of the staircase.
'I've been waiting for you to come and find me, you know,' Ginny said, moving into his view, but keeping a great distance nonetheless. Harry stared at her, mouth opening and closing as he struggled to find the words he wanted to say. She too hadn't showered yet, but even with all the grime, hairs falling out of her ponyfail and dark circles underneath her tired-looking eyes, he still found her to be utterly beautiful.
'I was going to find you and talk to you.' Harry didn't know whether to smile or not when he saw a slight smile appear on her lips.
'I know,' she said. 'I figured you would want to eat and sleep and escape the masses first.' Harry simply nodded. 'So I waited for you to get down.'
'You didn't sleep?' Harry asked, astounded. She must have been as tired as he had been, she must still be completely tired. Ginny shook her head.
'No. I wanted… needed to make sure you were alright.' Harry's heart swelled for the girl in front of him, wanting to hold her tight and never letting her go, but he still wasn't sure whether she wanted him to or not.
'I'm as good as I can be, I suppose,' Harry shrugged. 'How about you?'
'I'm fine, I suppose. I'm happy that this is all over, sad, obviously, because of Fred and Tonks and Remus and Colin, grateful for the fact that you seem to be alright, though I'm also angry at you for what you did and I really want to hex you for that...' Harry swallowed a bit, not daring to hope her words implied that she still wanted to be with him.
'I'd deserve that, you know,' he said, as she trailed off. Ginny let out a laugh, though it did come out a bit forced.
'No you don't. I suppose you did what you had to do, that you had your reasons for it all, and I really want to hear it someday - though not now. It's just me being selfish. I was so scared I was going to lose you. It drove me crazy that we didn't hear from any of you, though that did not stop us from trying our hardest to support you from out here, no matter what punishments we were going to get, and if something like that happens right after I saw you again for the first time in months, after I've missed you for so long… it would only be a reason to let out all my frustration, and that wouldn't be fair, as I know you wouldn't have done that if you had another choice.' She shrugged and Harry just stood there, staring at his ex-girlfriend, realising just now how much he had missed her. How much he loved her and how much he needed her.
'Gin… I- You have no idea what that support did for us and… thank you for doing that. I'm so proud of you. You were amazing and I missed you so much and...' Words failed him, but the look on Ginny's face told him she understood. She knew exactly what he meant. And before they knew it, they were running towards each other and held each other tight, her head buried in his shoulder and his face pressing into her hair, both being comforted by the fact that the other was really there.
They did not know how long they stood there, but Harry was sure it must have been at least hours, before they slowly pulled back and stared into eachothers eyes for a moment. It was only then that they could not longer hold themselves back from what they truly wanted, and for the first time in almost a year, their lips met again. It was glorious. Harry did not recall having had a better kiss - and that included the one she gave him inside her bedroom. They clung to each other, but their lips weren't frantically moving against the other. It was slow, tender, full of loving, full of promises. They knew this would be it for them. That there would be no other, and that they finally would have minutes, days, weeks, years to spend time with each other. Maybe get married, maybe starting a family.
'I love you,' Harry said the moment they broke the kiss. He leaned his forehead against hers, opening his eyes a bit to see her reaction. A smile appeared on her swollen lips, and she looked up at him.
'I love you too,' she said. Harry smiled, his heart swelling, and he softly kissed her again. 'You should go to bed now,' he said. Ginny shook her head.
'Don't want to,' she murmured. Harry smiled a bit, tucking a loose strand of ginger hair behind her ear.
'Come on. I'll stay with you.' Ginny nodded and followed him, her arms still around him and his around hers, as he took her up to the dormitory he had left earlier.
'When did that happen?' Ginny whispered, nodding to a still sleeping Ron and Hermione, as soon as they entered the dorm.
'Err… Right before the final battle,' he answered, hoping his mates would not wake up. 'I'll tell you when you wake up, okay?' Ginny nodded, still looking at the pair. Harry smiled again, sitting down on his bed and pulling Ginny with him, before he settled himself in bed. Ginny curled up against him and he pulled the covers over the both of them, and before they knew it, they were both fast asleep.