AN: I kind of wrote this at 2 in the morning, so it's pretty rough. I did read it over once, but it hasn't been officially beta'd. And also, I do not own a copy of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, so some of this was guessing on my part (you'll know what part when you get there). And one last note - the first part of the story may seem very unconnected from the second part, but it does eventually tie together. In my mind it does, anyways...

Secrets

Sometimes, she didn't keep secrets for the sake of keeping things to herself. Secrets were useful. They could be tested and manipulated; they could find things out and help people.

Of course, there were the obvious secrets that had to be kept to herself. The secret that she didn't really like Michael at all, but used him. The secret that she hated Cho Chang. The secret that she cheated on a test once. These were all secrets that nobody should know, save for her.

Then there were secrets that could be manipulated. The secrets that were supposed to be secrets but ended up as rumors were the easiest secrets to manipulate. And then there was always blackmail. She manipulated her secrets to be used as tools.

Some secrets were best kept a secret. Like the secret of Harry being a Horcrux: that was best kept a secret for the sake of the world and its trust in Harry. And the secret that she had been in love with Harry for seven years; that was best kept a secret for now, or she would be ridiculed.

But mostly, the reason that Ginny Weasley kept secrets was so that she could find out things. She mostly kept secrets to find out how much a person cared. Because most of the time, she wanted you to know, but only wanted you to know if she knew that you cared. She could only give her secrets away to those who pried and tried to get closer. If you asked her to tell you something, chances are you have to prove that you really want to know before she will tell you. That's all she wants, is to know that you care.

So really, secrets were quite useful.

The Common Room was quiet and peaceful for once. Most students were either cramming for exams in the library (because it was near N.E.W.T. and O.W.L. time) or sleeping in their dormitories. Ginny was occupying a couch with her arms folded behind her head. She was staring up at the ceiling, pondering life in general.

She was so deep in her thoughts that she didn't even notice that Harry had come downstairs. It was only when she felt her head being lifted up and put back down in someone's lap did she realize he was siting with her. She really did like lying down on him, and his hands playing with her hair made her even more relaxed.

For a few minutes they were silent, until Harry asked, "What's on your mind?"

Ginny just looked up at him with her big brown eyes and answered seriously, "You are."

Harry chuckled quietly and then asked, "Want to play Any Three Questions?"

Ginny nodded. This game was so familiar to her and always made her feel better when she found out something about Harry. The rules of the game were that each person could ask the other person any three questions they wanted to and the other person had to answer truthfully, no matter what.

"I'll ask first. What really made you snog me that day in the Common Room?" she inquired curiously. She had always wanted to know.

Harry blushed and looked away from Ginny. "Err...well you know. You were there...and we had just won...and stuff," he finished lamely. At a pointed look from Ginny, he continued on, gathering himself together. "I had always liked you before that, but you standing there looking so brilliant is when I really realized it. How could I stop myself from kissing the most beautiful, smart, and talented witch in the world?"

Ginny laughed but a tale-tell rosy blush rose to her cheeks. "Okay. And for the record, you're brilliant, handsome, smart, and talented too, 'Oh Chosen One'," she mocked him playfully. Taking on a more serious expression, Ginny looked away from Harry and carefully asked, "Do you think...do you think that we have a - a future together?"

Harry's hand stopped midway through her hair and he looked down at her, startled. "I - I don't know," he said truthfully. Seeing the disappointed look on Ginny's face when he said that made him feel horrible though, so he added, "But it's possible, yeah. And I want us to have one."

At this Ginny smiled. "Really?" she asked, her voice full of hope.

"Really."

"One more question for you. Hermione told me that the Sixth-years all had to brew Amortentia in Potions. What did it smell like to you?"

"I don't know exactly what it is, but it was something that smelled sort of flowery. Something that I had smelled at the Burrow before. And something else that smelled like Quidditch."

A fluttery feeling emerged in Ginny's stomach; her perfume was flowery! Satisfied with her questions, Ginny told Harry that it was his turn to ask.

He looked at her thoughtfully before asking, "Have you really liked me since you were nine years old?"

The infamous Weasley blush rose to Ginny's cheeks; turning to her side, she hid her face in Harry's stomach before giving a muffled, "Yes."

Harry laughed and resumed playing with her hair. "I can't believe you waited for me for that long," he mused.

Ginny looked up at him seriously. "I would wait for forever for you."

Harry's eyes shone with love as he repeated the words to her. "I would wait for forever for you too. Second question: did you really like that creep Michael Corner?" He questioned, his eyebrows furrowing and his eyes showing a glint of jealousy.

Ginny laughed and informed him, "No, Harry, I didn't. I never did and I'm glad I broke up with him."

"Third question: why did you go out with him, then?"

Ginny was silent. This was a secret. What would he think of her if he knew the answer? She sat up and faced away from him, never saying a word.

Harry out a finger under her chin and turned her face towards his. "Tell me, Gin."

Wordlessly, Ginny shook her head. He couldn't know. Ever. The rational part of her mind said that he was Harry and that he wouldn't think any less of her, but the irrational part of her said that he would think she was a horrible person.

Battling words and thoughts, Ginny tried to tell him but the words wouldn't come out. A part of her asked why does he care? Another part of her said, if he really cares, he'll keep asking.

How much does he want to know? Ginny asked herself. At first, she didn't want him to know, but now she just wanted to know how much he cared.

"Please?" Harry pleaded. Ginny shook her head again.

"I won't make fun of you." But still no answer.

"Are you not telling me because you think I'll get mad?" A shake of red hair answered his question.

"It'll make you feel better." A corner of Ginny's mouth twitched upwards, but she stood by her answer.

"Is it bothering you, this reason?" No answer.

"You have to tell me. It's the rules of the game." Finally, Harry pulled out the rules-of-the-game card. But it was to no avail.

"Ginny, all I want is to help you."

There it was. Now she knew that he really did care. She turned to face him. "It's not that big of a deal," she whispered. "But I don't want you to think I'm a bad person."

Harry laughed quietly. "Ginny, I would never think that."

"I did it to make you jealous."

Harry just gathered her in a hug and whispered into her hair, "Well it worked."

As she sat in the warm embrace of Harry's arms, Ginny thought to herself about how lucky she was that she didn't have to keep any secrets to herself. She knew that he cared and knew that he loved her for who she was, no matter her faults.

She thought about all her secrets, things she would never have told anyone. She didn't want to go and spill them all to Harry right now, of course. Because then she wouldn't have any material to use later on. She thought about all the uses of secrets and how glad she was that sometimes, she didn't have to carry the burden of all of them.

AN: Yes, the game Any Three Questionswas taken from Rick Riordan's Heroes of Olympus series. Thanks for reading!

~Aphrodite