Chapter One: Feelings Arise
"HARRY!" Harry awoke with a start to see Ron looking down at him with a panic stricken face. Harry fumbled around on his bedside table for his glasses. "Harry, we overslept! Fleur and Bill's wedding starts in an hour!"
Harry bolted from his bed, grabbed his towel and dress robes, and ran down a flight of stairs to the bathroom. When he got there, the door was shut and locked so he frantically knocked on it.
"What?" asked Ginny from inside and Harry froze. He had hardly spoken to Ginny since he broke up with her at the end of the previous year.
"Are you almost done?" Harry asked shakily and awkwardly, "Ron and I overslept and I need to shower and change before the wedding." A long silence followed so Harry pounded on the door again, "GINNY," he shouted. The door opened shortly after to reveal Ginny and Harry's jaw dropped at the sight of her. Her long red hair hung in lose curls around her shoulders. Her strapless lavender bridesmaid dress flowed and moved gracefully around her and the shiny beads on the dress shone against her pale skin.
"Relax, Harry," she said calmly, "I'm done." She turned and walked up the stairs and out of sight. Harry snapped back into reality and walked into the bathroom and into the shower, all the while wishing he had never broken up with Ginny. He threw on his clothes and stumbled up the stairs, frantically pulling his arms through his dress robe sleeves. When he got back into Ron's room, Ron was running around putting his dress robes on and combing his hair at the same time. Harry sat down on his bed. He never combed his hair because it never did any good, his hair was meant to be messy.
Ron sat next to him on the bed and they sat there together for seemed like ages in silence while Ron continued to try and comb his hair. Ron finally said, "Did you see Hermione while you were downstairs?" Harry shook his head. "I'm dying to see what her, Ginny, and Gabrielle's dresses look like. I bet Hermione looks great-." He stopped at this and his ears turned pink but Harry grinned.
"So you finally admit that you fancy her, huh?" he asked still grinning. Ron's ears turned bright red.
"No, no, no…no. I didn't say that, Harry," he stuttered while his ears turned the same color as his hair.
"Oh come off it, Ron," Harry said, "You know you like her and always have." Ron fumbled his fingers around and stared at the wall while his ears turned a brighter red still. Harry raised an eyebrow at him.
"Fine, I fancy her alright!" Ron shouted, "Are you happy now?" Ron sat down on the bed and stared at the floor.
Harry smiled and sat next to him. "This is great, Ron," he said happily.
"I'm not seeing how this is great," Ron muttered unhappily, "She doesn't like me like that."
"You can ask her to dance at the wedding reception tonight. It's the perfect moment to tell her how you feel," Harry said. Ron shook his head but then smiled.
"I'll tell Hermione how I feel when you tell Ginny that you're still in love with her," Ron said and Harry's smile faded quickly.
"I am NOT in love with her," Harry protested, "I can't get back with her anyway, Ron," he said sadly, "I can't put her in danger like that."
"Do you really think that she cares?" Ron asked, "You both still like each other. It's obvious so don't deny it. Hermione and I are in danger but we don't care and Ginny won't either. She can take care of herself Harry. She's the best witch of our age…besides Hermione of course. You should start taking care of yourself." Ron got up and walked out of the bedroom and Harry sat in silence thinking about what Ron had said and about Ginny. He missed her so much and he missed holding her and talking to her and kissing her. But, he was scared that something might go wrong and she would end up hurt or dead. He couldn't even think about that without tears in his eyes.
"Harry," said someone from the door and Harry turned to see Hermione standing there. She was wearing the same dress as Ginny and her curly hair hung loose around her face with a single sparkling clip on one side. "What's wrong?" Hermione came in and sat next to him on the bed. Harry did not answer and continued to stare at the floor. He could feel her eyes drilling into the back of his head but he was determined not to show his feelings. "Harry, seriously," she said leaning forward and forcing him to look at her, "what's wrong? You've been awfully quiet lately and you seem to be sad a lot. What's wrong? You know you can tell me anything."
"I miss Ginny." He tried not to look at Hermione, embarrassed that she was seeing him upset, but she pulled him into a hug.
Suddenly there was a knock at the door. Harry pushed away from Hermione, and stood up to open the door to see Ginny.
"Is Hermione in- Harry what's wrong," she said startled at Harry's look of distress. She moved closer to him, but he backed away.
"Nothing…nothing…looking for Ron," he stuttered and shuffled out the door and down the stairs. Ginny turned to Hermione with a confused look on her face but Hermione just shook her head sadly and looked at the floor. Ginny turned on her heels and ran down the stairs to catch up to Harry. When she caught up with him, she grabbed his arm and turned him to face her.
"Harry, what's wrong with you," she asked, "I know something's bothering you so don't even try to tell me there isn't anything wrong." Harry said nothing and looked at Ginny with the saddest look on his face. Ginny's anger dissolved into sympathy and worry, so she moved closer and hugged him.
Harry loved the warmth of her body and he hugged her tight and breathed in her flowery scent. She stepped back and looked into his eyes. Without thinking, he leaned down and kissed her. Ginny put her arms around his neck and kissed him back. She ran her fingers through his hair and down his neck and Harry felt happier than he had in months.
But, a part of him still felt awful about putting her in danger. He broke away from her and backed away and looked down at his feet, "Ginny…. I can't do this," he said with tears in his eyes, "I'm sorry." He turned and ran down the stairs and out to the backyard for the wedding.
Ginny stood still where Harry had left her. Tears were trickling down her face as she thought about what had happened. "How could I have been so stupid," she asked herself. She wiped the tears from her face. She had thought for a moment that she had gotten Harry back, but she was wrong. He was still so stubborn and he didn't see that she wouldn't be in any more danger.
"Ginny," said Hermione softly and touched Ginny's arm lightly, "What's wrong? What happened?" Ginny looked away and waved her hand as if to say "nothing."
"It's going to be okay Ginny," Hermione said, "He'll come to his senses, don't worry." They stayed there until Mrs. Weasley called them down. Ginny whipped her eyes and followed Hermione down to the yard.