A Thousand Stars

Rating: PG-13 for some swearing and mild sexual situations

Spoilers: OOTP

A/N (Added 7/1/04): Okay, here's the deal with the story…Harry and his friends are 16/17 and in their 6th year, Ginny is 15/16 and in her 5th year…its Christmas break and everyone is at the Burrow, this includes Percy because in my little world he apologized for being an ass and everyone forgave him (mostly because I wrote this story a while after I read the book and I forgot whether they ever really forgave him). Also in my little world Voldermort is still back but nothing is really happening on that front.

Chapter 1 An Innocent Mistake

When Ginny Weasley was younger, she remembered what it was like to wake up in the middle of the night terrified to go back to sleep. But one of the advantages of growing up with six older brothers meant there was always someone there to comfort her. Whenever she had had a bad dream she usually found her way up to her brother Charlie's room. She had always felt especially close to him and when she would show up he automatically knew what to say to make her feel better. She would lie next to him in bed while he whispered comforting words in her ear until he was sure that she was peacefully asleep.

It had been years since Ginny had a nightmare that warranted the soothing words of her older brother, but ever since the end of her first year at Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry her nightmares had returned. She had been getting along just fine until one night; she awoke covered in sweat and found herself walking up the stairs to Charlie's old room. In her half-conscious state Ginny had forgotten that it was Harry Potter, not her brother Charlie, who was lying in the bed under the covers. By force of habit Ginny quietly closed to the door behind her and gently padded over to the bed. She had begun to pull back the covers when Harry's head shot up, starling her and finally waking her up.

"Oh…Merlin, I'm so sorry Harry. Oh, this is so embarrassing…I can't believe I did this..." she stammering on as the color quickly rose in her cheeks.

Harry, quite surprised at his midnight visitor himself was also turning rather red.

Good thing I decided not to sleep naked tonight. Harry thought to himself before turning to Ginny to try and quiet her.

 "Ginny, its fine. Really, its okay," He patted the bed beside him and motioned for her to sit down, "What's wrong? What are you doing up in the middle of the night?"

The color had finally begun to fade from her face when she turned to Harry and noticed that the blanket had slipped down to his waist, revealing a tanned muscular chest, causing her to go completely red again.

Wow…he's certainly…uh…grown up. Boy, I really hope he has something on underneath that blanket. She thought as her eyes slowly drifted down to where the blanket now sat in his lap.

"Gin…Gin…Ginny, are you going to tell me what's wrong?" Harry's voice startled her and made her jump.

"Oh, well it's stupid really, but…well…"she was quite embarrassed by the whole situation and was finding it increasingly difficult to keep her eyes from drifting downward again.

"Nightmare?" Harry said. Seeing Ginny's eyes well up, he took it as a yes and placed his arm around her shoulder. "It's okay, tonight is the first time in a while that I haven't woken with my scar hurting and everything."

Ginny looked up through her tears before burying her head into Harry's chest. "Oh Harry it was horrible. I was walking back from the library at school when all of a sudden I was back in the Chamber with that horrible snake. And Tom was there…and it was just…." She broke down sobbing, knowing that that wasn't even the worst part. She was almost happy to see Tom again. During her first year he was really her only friend, but she couldn't tell Harry that.

Damn you Tom…damn you for making me feel this way. You almost killed me yet I still can't get you out of my mind. She said, cursing him silently.

Taking a deep breath she pulled away from Harry as she spoke softly,

"When I was little and I used to have nightmares I always came up here with Charlie. I guess I was so scared and so tired that I forgot you were staying up here instead of him. I'm sorry for waking you up. I mean you just sad you hardly ever get a good night sleep…" Harry put a finger up to her lips silencing her.

"Its fine Gin, I told you. Now I know I'm no Charlie," he said with a small grin, "But you can stay here as long as you'd like, if that'd make you feel better." He ended giving Ginny's shoulder a small squeeze.

I can't believe I just said that. Thought Harry. What if one of her brothers walked in…what if Ron walked in… I'd be dead. Realizing that if he had a little sister and he walked in to find her in bed with his very shirtless best friend he would probably flip out too.

"Your right, you're no Charlie but I think you'll do for the time being." Ginny said with a soft smile, her hazel eyes looking up to meet his green ones.

They sat there like that for a few minutes, Ginny leaning back against Harry's chest and Harry's hand eventually moving from Ginny's shoulder down to her waist. Yawning Harry decided that although he didn't want to seem too forward, he would be much more comfortable lying down than sitting awkwardly on the edge of the bed. Ginny seemed to have the same idea, for she had begun to lean backward towards the pillows, pulling Harry down behind her. As she lay down, eyes closed and hair falling around her head like a small halo, Harry was struck be how truly beautiful she looked.

No, no, no, no. You cannot be thinking this about your best mate's little sister. Especially not when she lying next to you in you bed…oh for Merlin's sake…his train of thought was interrupted when he felt Ginny shift in front of him and press her back into his front.

Aware that this action could very well illicit a very unwanted response from his body, he risked it by casually draping his arm over her waist, letting his hand rest on her stomach and pulling her even closer. He thought he heard a low moan but didn't know if it had come from him or Ginny.

"Thank you for this Harry. Thank you so much" she breathed heavily, as she inched her foot backwards and underneath his leg, hooking it with her ankle, before they both drifted off to sleep.