EDIT(Dec, 2017): This one shot is now NOT a part of the Pumki universe. This is what happens when I have a story in the making for five years. Things change. Characters develop differently than what I'd once expected. Sorry, Hinny fans!
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Published 15th, Sept, 2012:
I've been thinking about this for a while. I'm just glad that I got this out. This is in a universe following my 'Pumki' story which by the way is coming on Sunday! - If you like this, give 'Pumki' a shot.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to the Harry Potter or Percy Jackson and the Olympians universes.
They didn't mean it! Sure, they always fought with raised voices; each having a point to beat down the other, but this time, Harry wasn't sure why he had tried to interfere. Ron and Hermione were prefects; they were fifteen. And for the past four years, Harry had let them cool down on their own.
But Harry did feel his head about to explode, when they started shouting again. Why did he even try to say something? Everyone in the corridor had laughed when both Hermione and Ron, their faces absolutely red and breathless, turned to glare at Harry and yell, "SHUT UP!"
But they didn't mean it. He was sure that's what they'd say when they found him later that day. But right now, he felt like punching someone.
It was times like these when he'd look back on the moments when Ron and Hermione would be be talking naturally and happily. People wouldn't believe it, but those two didn't always bring the roof down.
Rubbing at his scar angrily, he climbed up the stairs of the Boys' Dorms, not to the fifth years rooms, but to the seventh floor. He walked straight, past the door of the seventh years dorms, towards the window. Standing on the ledge he swung his bag up on the roof, grabbed the sturdy frame and hoisted himself up without looking down at the ground which seemed to be too far away.
The roofs of the Hogwarts' Towers weren't angled that deeply. If you could get the right grip and climb on the higher area, it turned a bit flat to sit comfortably. That was one of the things Harry loved about this spot. Not many people knew this. It was quiet and peaceful, giving the observer a magnificent view of the Hogwarts Grounds and the lake.
"What did they do now?" A voice asked behind Harry and he turned around to see Ginny. She had her arms around her legs and had been gazing at the setting sun. Harry couldn't say anything at the moment. The fading light of the sun illuminated her red hair making a red hallow around her head. Now, it would have looked lovely on any girl, but Harry was pretty sure that no one else would have made him speechless by just smiling softly at him.
"Uh…yeah…they…what did you say?" Harry garbled. Ginny blinked confused. "You okay, Harry?"
Harry squeezed his eyes shut and opened them, cursing himself, "Yeah, I'm alright."
Ginny snorted. "Your usual stupid answer. Actually, I can't believe that I asked a stupid question like that! To you, no less!"
"What?" Harry asked surprised. Ginny only rolled her eyes and looked up at the clouds.
"You know?" She started conversationally. "Luna says that if you concentrate on your core magic strong enough, the Camelopards will stretch their necks and change the shapes of the clouds to reflect your moods and feelings." Ginny said closing her eyes to feel the light breeze. Harry tried not to gawk at her.
"That sounds…like Luna." He managed. Ginny smiled and looked at him. Harry nodded, his throat feeling quite dry. He adjusted himself and sat in a lotus position and leaned back to look at the sky. The clouds were tinted in red and violet shades due to the sunset. None of them resembled anything to what he was feeling.
No, all of them reflected to what he felt when he looked at the person in front of him.
"Harry, could you help me?" Ginny asked suddenly. Harry tried not to sit up straight. He nodded.
"There's this guy, I kinda like. He's just about the most oblivious bloke you've ever met." She sighed. Harry started to feel sweaty.
"He's really sweet and kind. You don't meet many people like that these days. I've liked him ever since I saw him." She said wistfully. Harry heard a funny ringing in his ears.
"But he doesn't notice me at all! I mean, we hang out a bit. He's got his own band of friends. But we talk everyday and I keep dropping hints subtly. Nowadays, it's not even subtle!" She exclaimed.
"Sure I may not be that pretty like some of his friends, but he could look my way at least once!"
The ringing in Harry's ears turned into a roar within his own body. He tried to keep himself from going and strangling whoever this idiot was.
"We're the same age and I'd have thought that he would've noticed me after my birthday a few weeks ago!"
Alright. The bloke's in her year. That narrows down the search.
Shut up, she likes the guy!
You don't.
Your point being?
Atleast she'll know.
But she likes him! What should I do?
Snog her before she goes off!
What kind of solution is that?!
It makes sense to me!
Not to me!
Your point being?
"What do you think, Harry? Should I make the first move? Would it seem desperate or something?" Ginny asked turning to look at Harry who seemed to be having an internal battle. He was some help!
"You aren't even listening to me!" Ginny yelled bringing him out of her thoughts.
"Huh?" Harry jolted upright, Ginny just moved to the edge and said, "Here I thought, you'd be genuinely interested in what I had to say!"
"Wait! I didn't mean to…uh. What?"
This only fueled Ginny's anger which had been steadily rising the past week.
"You're in no mood to talk. Bye." She said shortly and turned towards the edge. Without thinking, Harry reached forward to grab her hand. She whipped her head to look at him in shock. Harry realized that he had nearly jumped up to stop her from leaving. They were very close to each other.
Ginny cleared her throat and forced herself to look in those ridiculously soulful eyes.
"I'm sorry I wasn't listening. I was thinking-" Harry began.
"You think too much." She snorted. Harry blinked and ducked his head to stop a small snicker. When he could control himself he looked up at her. She sighed.
"Why do you do that? You want to smile. You want to laugh and enjoy but you stop yourself from doing so." She asked looking at him.
Harry gulped. He couldn't look at her without breaking. Why was she making him feel like this? How was she making him feel like this?
Ginny leaned in and now they could feel their breaths on each other's cheeks. Harry couldn't lean back to escape her.
"Why don't you want to be happy?" Ginny whispered.
"I want to." Harry whispered back, not being able to stop himself. "I don't know how."
Even in his head it sounded stupid. Now Ginny'll probably think he was mad.
"I'll show you if you let me." She said. "Will you?"
Harry tried to focus himself, "Will I what?"
"Let me help." She said. Harry swallowed and nodded. Ginny let out a breath and whispered, "Close your eyes."
Harry didn't object. Normally, he wouldn't have but this was different and he could feel it.
Harry waited for two seconds before he felt a warm hand on his cold cheek. It caressed his skin as it went down to his neck. Her hand pressed against his chest and the both of them could feel his heart beating so very fast.
"You are alive. I can feel it." Her words were whispered into his ear and he shuddered.
Her other hand ran down his right arm. She rolled back the long sleeves of his sweater and shirt to grip his palm, wrist and fore-arm. He felt her fingers trace the scars from years of Quidditch and his own dangerous life. It brought goose pimples to his skin. Then unexpectedly, he felt her lips on the inside of the elbow. A faint white line made when Fawkes had healed his wound from the basilisk fang.
Harry gulped. Was she going to see every evidence of his battles on his skin? They'd be here for a long time…
"You've fought before. You're fighting right now. You're a warrior. A leader."
Harry found himself repeating the words she had just said.
Ginny rolled up the sleeves from his left hand and touched his bracelet. The bronze chain branded just above his elbow. He'd never told them what it was about. But she knew that Percy Jackson, his brother, had one too. It felt like no other ordinary charm.
Ginny looked at his closed eyes. He looked almost calm, waiting for her to say or do something else. Ginny slowly wrapped her arms around his neck and squeezed a bit. She could smell him. Sweat and oranges for some reason. A hint of treacle tart. She smiled.
"You like something and dislike the rest. You love some people and hate others. You have done this on your own accord. No one else has chosen for you. This is your life. You are alive. Don't just exist for the sake of it. Live your life. However hard or hopeless it seems at time, you will understand that there are people who will stand beside you no matter what you've done to get there. But what will truly help you is whether you'll le them save you. Let them in. You will feel us. Just let us in."
She said this and pulled back to brush her lips against his. She stared at him as he let out a breath leaning in, his eyes still closed. She closed her own eyes and felt his lips on hers moving softly. His hands held her waist pulling her closer. They tilted their heads to deepen their kiss. To make it perfect. To let her know that he would let her in. To let him know that she would stand by him.
Harry's hope grew stronger when he realized a few things.
. He loved her.
. She'd always stand by him.
. Her touch and look would make him a hero.
. She was fifteen years old too.
I sighed, so content when I finished this. I wished JKR had put in more romance between Harry and Ginny. Sigh!
Cabba.