The Nicest Thing
Ginny looked up. There he was, again. He didn't seem to leave her alone these days. It must have been his hobby to make sure he was always where she was.
She didn't mind it too much though. It's not like he was awful to look at, quite the opposite. His eyes were her favourite part about him. The way they sparkled…there was something very special about them. She only wished that she could stare into them for hours, as if that was the way to figuring him out.
He was such a confusing person. And they had such a complicated history. But there was no denying that she still had feelings for him, and she was sure that he felt the same. But as mentioned earlier, he was very confusing, and Ginny had no way of knowing what was really going on inside his head. Yet he had no idea of what was going on with her, either.
"We'll go our separate ways eh? It's not right, what we're doing. So we should stop it, okay? I don't want either of us to get hurt when we can't give the other what they need," He had said. Cryptic was the word that came to mind after that little speech. Ridiculous was the next word.
It's not right. Well, it certainly felt right when they were doing it. Did he not understand how much she had enjoyed their time? How much she had looked forward to it, and how she desperately wanted to continue?
As she sat there, staring at him from behind her book (this was no easy task, she had to do it perfectly to avoid being caught), she wondered whether she should talk to him, try and make him see that things should go back to the way they were. But how would she do it? There was no way she could do it in front of her brother, or Hermione. No, she had to get him alone.
Well there was no way of that while he still lived at the Burrow, she thought, looking around at what had been her home for so many years. Both her and Ron lived away from home, but returned often to visit their mother. Ginny stood up from the tree she had been sitting under, and walked towards the trio that sat not far away.
"Oh Harry, don't be ridiculous. Of course we'll come. When is it exactly?" Ginny realised that they were talking about his 'house-heating party' or something. He had just moved from the Burrow (it was about time, he'd been there since the end of the war, she was getting incredibly sick of having to see him daily), and into a flat on his own. She wondered whether she would be invited.
"Thanks. Ginny, you're welcome to come too. If you-er, want to that is." He said as he noticed her standing there and it was as if he had read her mind, and left the question hanging. Both Ron and Hermione paused to look at them, and she put on a bright face.
"Of course I'll come. That would be great!" She replied happily, and Harry grinned at her, that lovely, heart-melting grin. If only he knew what that did to her.
"Well its tomorrow night, but you're all welcome at any time. Everyone else is arriving around seven, although I think Neville said he might be a bit late," Harry told them, and Ginny smiled at him. "I better be off anyway. See you all tomorrow!"
And he was gone. She watched him leave, and sighed quietly to herself, thinking of all the times they had been together, and wishing things were still the same today. Ron went inside to see mum, and Hermione immediately turned to Ginny.
"What is going on?" She asked abruptly and Ginny was shocked.
"I-what do you mean?" She tried to reply innocently, but got the feeling Hermione saw right through her. She was quite right.
"Half an hour ago, before those two arrived, you couldn't stop talking about how much Harry annoyed you, and there was no way that you would ever go to his party. But, Ginny, I believe you just accepted his invitation?" Hermione pointed out with a 'know-it-all' look on her face that she had perfected over the years and Ginny smiled at her.
"Hermione, I think were allowed to be friends aren't we? Yes, I did say all of that, and more, but how rude would I have been if I had turned him down? And in front of his best friend. I'll show my face for five minutes and then, most likely, he'll annoy me so much that I'll have to leave," Ginny said in return and Hermione looked at her carefully.
"I don't think that is the case at all. Something is going on with you." Sometimes, only sometimes, Ginny hated how clever her friend was.
"Hermione! Come on, let's get going!" Ron called from inside and Hermione shouted back a reply before turning back to Ginny.
"I have to go, but please Ginny; don't do anything stupid, ok? Harry cares a lot about you, you know he does. You don't have much right to go and ruin his party, if that's what you're planning." She said sternly and Ginny laughed at her ridiculous idea. Perhaps not so clever after all.
"Hermione, I'm going to tell him that I still love him," She confessed and Hermione looked surprised.
"You still love him? Still? Oh for goodness sakes you two. Why you ever split up was beyond me anyway, you two are preposterous. See you tomorrow Ginny," Hermione grinned at Ginny and waved as she went off with Ron.
So, thought Ginny, now that Hermione knew, she might be able to help. Keeping Ron away from Harry long enough for Ginny to talk to him would help a lot. She needed to have a longer talk with her friend, and a good think about how she was going to go about this.
The following day, just as sunny as the one before it, Ginny had woken early, excited yet nervous about the day to come. She dressed quickly, and made her way round to Ron and Hermione's house to meet up with her friend.
"Morning!" She called as she walked through the front door, and she heard a reply come from the back of the house. She made her way through and stepped out into the back yard which was covered in sun. Hermione sat at their outdoor table reading and smiled up at Ginny when she sat down across her.
"Hi Ginny, I'm just reading this amazing book, it's all about—"
"Hermione, I'm not interested, you should know that. Where's the idiot?" She asked, referring to her brother and Hermione shot her a look.
"With Harry, helping him set up or something." She put her book aside and looked over at Ginny carefully. "How long have you still loved him for Ginny?"
Ginny laughed lightly and smiled at her friend. "I wasn't aware that I ever stopped. I want your help though, Ron will probably be sticking to Harry's side tonight so you have to keep him distracted ok?"
"Yeah, I'll help you," Ginny grinned at Hermione and sighed happily.
"I'm really looking forward to tonight you know,"
As seven drew closer, Ginny grew nervous as to how tonight would go, and whether Harry would even return her feelings. Hermione had said that he cared about her, but they were friends (no matter how much he annoyed her), and friends cared each other. But if he only knew how much she cared. She had rehearsed what she might say, over and over until it was so stuck in her head she almost blurted it out to Hermione when they met down the road from Harry's place.
"What?" Hermione asked with a smirk on her face and Ginny fell into step along side her brother, who gave her a funny look.
"Nothing," Ginny snapped in return and gave her brother a little push. "How much further along is it?"
"Just here," Ron responded and pointed to a door with the number 21 on it. Hermione stepped forward and knocked three times, before stepping back to hold hands with Ron. They heard thumps and a minute later the door opened and there he stood, grinning at them all.
"Hi!" He said breathlessly and gave Hermione a hug as she entered. Ron followed, and received a friendly pat on the back. Then came Ginny's turn. He looked at her funny, as if he wasn't sure what to do. He'd only seen her just yesterday, it wasn't as if they were good enough friends for a hug, they just saw each other every now and then. She smiled at him and he looked relieved.
"Hey Ginny," He moved towards her and gave her the tightest hug she had ever had, and that was with Molly Weasley as her mother. She smiled to herself and as he pulled away, he gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. She could feel herself blushing, and began to make her way past him and up to where everyone else was. As she made her way up the stairs, she turned to look at him, still standing there with a strange look on his face.
"Glad you came," He said quietly, and began to follow her up the stairs and into the living room where everyone had gathered. There were a few people she didn't know, but most were old friends and members of the DA. She recognized Luna, and went to sit with her.
"Oh, hi Ginny. I didn't know Harry had invited you," She said with that sparkling smile Luna seems to save for anyone and everyone.
"Well, he did," She said in reply. "How've you been Luna?"
"Oh, just great thanks. My dad hasn't been all that well though, he hardly ever leaves the house anymore. I keep telling him some fresh air would be good for him, but he doesn't listen. He just lies in his bed all day," Luna said sadly, and Ginny gave her a sympathetic smile.
"I'm sure he'll be fine. He couldn't ask for a better daughter though could he? He's lucky to have you Luna," Luna looked up and gave Ginny a huge smile. She still looked like the same old Luna that Ginny had known at school.
The evening was going really well, except that Harry was never on his own long enough for Ginny to corner him. Hermione kept shooting looks at her, and she was doing a very good job at keeping Ron occupied, but Ginny couldn't get to Harry before someone else started talking to him and she had to walk off in the other direction.
As the evening seemed to be drawing to a close, all that remained were Luna, Ron, Neville, Hermione and Ginny. They all sat around Harry's table with coffee mugs in their hands, talking about when they used to go to Hogwarts. Harry sat opposite Ginny, and she avoided his eye as much as possible. They all sat talking in to the early hours, when Luna announced that she was leaving, and Neville said he'd walk her home. The four remaining smiled knowingly as they left.
"Do you think maybe…?" Ron asked to no one in particular, and Ginny laughed.
"I think, yes. That would be just adorable, don't you think?" Hermione said and it was Harry's turn to laugh.
"Adorable? They're young adults Hermione!" He replied and Hermione shot him a look.
"I do apologize; I was unaware that once you turn a certain age, it's not exciting or sweet anymore. Not everyone is single like you Harry!" She said and Ron snorted. "Just because you're the only one out of us that hasn't found anyone,"
Harry looked over at Ginny, and then back to Hermione.
"Ginny doesn't count. How do you know she hasn't found someone?" Hermione said in reply to Harry's look and Ginny felt herself blush.
"Hermione—" Ginny tried to stop her, but Hermione shushed her.
"No Ginny. I'm sorry but Harry here seems to be the only one who is unable to love or something," Ron stopped smiling and looked at Harry, waiting for him to reply. He seemed to be able to sense something brewing in his girlfriend and Ginny herself was slightly worried for Harry.
"How do you know I don't love someone?" He replied quietly and Ginny almost felt bad for him. But Hermione was right, he was always complaining when Ron and Hermione were close in front of everyone (which was hardly ever, but that isn't the point really), and once even used his wand to keep them apart. Ginny thought it was about time he found someone. Of course, the only person she wanted him to find was sitting right there across from him, but he didn't know that.
"Well show it then! That's the point of love, you idiot! Honestly! Ron, were leaving. Ginny, I'll talk to you tomorrow ok?" She stood up, and Ron sat there for a second before standing too. Hermione gave Harry a look and left.
"Er—see you then mate," Ron said awkwardly and followed Hermione... Harry watched them leave, and then turned to Ginny.
"What was that all about?" He asked with a surprised look on his face. Ginny stood up and began clearing the table. As she took the dirty dishes into the kitchen, she felt Harry follow her. When she turned around from the sink, he was standing right in front of her.
"I don't know what she was on about. She's right though you know, you should go out some more and find someone," Ginny said, well aware of how close they were and what it was doing to her. He looked at her closely, and smiled slightly. Then it hit her, Hermione had set them up, and by the look on his face, Harry realised it too.
"I don't need to find someone. I already have, she just doesn't know it yet," He said quietly and slowly moved towards her. Ginny looked at him, she tried desperately to remember what she had planned to say but nothing was coming to her.
"R-really? Well, perhaps you should tell her then. That isn't very nice, to leave her in the dark like that," She said, and he moved even closer. Soon, there was barely an inch (that's certainly what it seemed like) between them. He put his hands on her arms and she looked at him.
"I guess I should, shouldn't I? How do I go about telling this special girl then? Trust me, she is very special. I can't just blurt it out," He said as he moved the hair off her face and looked into her eyes.
"Oh, well, it's simple really. Just get her alone, and tell her."
Suddenly, he closed the gap between them with the sweetest kiss Ginny had ever had. She put her arms around him (where they belonged) and pulled him as close as possible without falling over. When they finally pulled apart, Ginny smiled up at him.
"This girl isn't going to like it very much that you're here kissing me, perhaps you should forget about her eh? Go your separate ways?" She said and Harry frowned for a second.
"Ginny, you're unforgettable. I love you more than anything, you know I always have," He whispered and she smiled even more.
It was just the nicest thing, to be here with him. She felt as if she finally understood him, after all this time.
And, she thought, after he closed the gap between them once more, she would definitely enjoy looking at him every day from now on.