A/N: Ok, I know that I've been really weird about this story, but I have made a lot of changes…hopefully it will be better now! Thank you to my wonderful beta Trancos for all of her encouragement and nagging to get me to write more J. Please read/review!

Disclaimer: see my page

Spoilers: Very minor (and quite insignificant) OotP spoiler. Nothing that should keep anyone from reading the story (Don't worry, I don't say anything about the character that dies).

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Chapter 1: Exasperated

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"Harry?" she asked, "Can I talk to you outside for a minute please?"

Harry looked at her, wondering what she could possibly want to talk to him about. He got up off the couch in the comfortable living room of the Burrow and followed her nervously out the back door. He had liked her for quite some time, but knew better than to say anything. Ginny was going out with Dean Thomas, one of his roommates at Hogwarts, and seemed to be very happy with him.

"What did you need Gin-" he began. But he was cut off when she planted her lips firmly on his. Her lips were wonderfully soft, just as he had imagined them for months. She tasted deliciously like freshly picked cherries, and he could smell vanilla in her hair as it brushed against his face. Ginny lingered there a few seconds before pulling back to look at him.

"But…you…I…" he sputtered when she had backed away. Harry took a deep breath and started again. "What about you and Dean?"

"Actually Harry, I broke up with Dean a few weeks after summer holiday started. He was nice and everything, but it could have never worked between us."

"Why not?"

"Well, because Harry, I still really like you."

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She remembered it like it had happened moments ago. He had taken her in his arms and told her that he felt exactly the same way and he had for a while, but didn't want to ruin things for her and Michael, and then her and Dean. He had really kissed her for the first time. They had been together ever since.

Now in her sixth year, Ginny was sitting outside on a beautiful autumn day. The air was cool and crisp, but a soft breeze warmed the secluded area under the canopy of the graceful weeping willow in which she sat. No one would have noticed she was there unless they were looking. Ginny looked absolutely gorgeous. The last few years had been very kind to her. She had a creamy, clear complexion and deep, chocolate brown eyes. She was average in height and weight, having curves in all of the right places, and an adorable dusting of freckles across her nose. She had really grown up.

Ginny was lost in thought, trying to decide when her feelings for Harry had begun to change. Harry was everything Ginny had ever wanted: caring, sweet, thoughtful, attentive….but he had become her world, her comfort zone. That and nothing more. Every moment she spent with Harry felt like a chore. She needed a change, and fast. Ginny didn't like the thought and always tried to ignore it, but the little voice that lurked in the back of her mind was never fully silenced.

It's not that she didn't love Harry- of course she did. But she no longer saw him with the eyes of a lovesick little girl. Somewhere along the line, she'd stopped thinking of him as a god, and started thinking of him as another member of her (already very large) family. And kissing him was beginning to gross her out.

Unfortunately for her, the rest of the Weasleys considered him a member of the family as well. All of them were so close to him, if Ginny were to end the relationship they would never forgive her. It was bad enough with him being her brother Ron's best friend, but even her mother treated him like one of her own. If Ginny dumped him, all of the Weasleys would jump to Harry's defense. No one cared about Ginny's feelings. Everything was always about Harry. The Boy-Who-Lived. Star of the quiddich team. She was just little Ginny Weasley. A nobody.

So, for lack of a better plan, she had stayed with Harry. But enough was enough. She was almost to breaking point. She had to find a way to end her relationship with Harry with as little carnage and as few hurt feelings as possible.

But how? She thought miserably. I want to just tell him, but if he doesn't feel the same way, I'm screwed. Oh screw it. I can't stand it anymore. If my family doesn't accept it, that's not my problem. I just hope Harry will understand…

She brushed herself off and started back towards the castle. Ok Gin, you can do this. You have to do this. No more running. She walked up the stone steps to the entrance of the castle and let herself inside. She was just in time to see Harry walking towards the Great Hall for lunch. He hadn't changed much at all except for his height. He was easily 6 feet tall, but was still rather on the skinny side. Most girls still flocked to him and greatly envied Ginny. His best features were his striking green eyes. They seemed to get brighter every day. He wasn't gorgeous, but he was cute.

"Hey Harry…" she called to him.

"Oh hey Gin! Where have you been? I was starting to get worried," Harry said looking concerned.

"I just needed to be by myself for awhile. Actually Harry, I need to talk to you. It's kind of important…" she said quietly. God, why does this have to be so hard?

"Um…sure…" he replied, a confused expression coming over his face.

She took his hand and led him to a more private area in the entrance hall. "Look, Harry, I know we've been together for a long time, and I really do care about you, it's just that… well… I really don't see you in a romantic way anymore," she began. "You've become so much like a brother to me that I feel weird to be around you. It doesn't feel right. I do love you, but in a brotherly way. Do you understand?" she finished in a rush.

"But…"

"Harry, I'm really sorry. I never wanted to hurt you but I just can't take it anymore."

"Wow…"

"It's just not right and I don't want to lead you on because I care about you a lot," she was getting irritated now. Can't he at least finish a sentence? He's really not making this any easier!

"You feel that way too?"