A tawny owl barreled through the otherwise placid winter night. It deftly maneuvered through a passing swarm of bat chattering in annoyance, and finally alighted on a snow-covered brick windowsill. Only with incessant tapping upon the pane did one of the inside occupants open the creaky latch and accept the rolled parchment that the owl was sent to deliver.
"Who's it from?" asked Ginny, stretching out her pale limbs. She settled back into the warm nest of covers, and lazily gazed at her dark-haired companion.
As he unrolled the scroll Harry sat beside her on the bed. "It's got a ministry seal on it."
"So I suppose you can't just ignore it and come back to bed?"
He didn't answer as a frown settled upon his face. His hand rested on her leg, vaguely feeling the smoothness that last night he'd enjoyed so well. Realizing that he wasn't going to lie down anytime soon, she sat up and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, kissing his neck and trying to read the message.
"It says I have to go," he said, swiftly rolling it up "To Bulgaria."
"Why?" She cried out. "This is the first alone time we've had in over a month and now you're leaving? Why?"
"Um...it's one of those secret kinda things" he muttered, obviously uncomfortable to have to keep things from her, "I shouldn't have even told you where I was going..."
She groaned and threw herself back among the blankets, rubbing her eyes and trying not to cry. "It's not fair...I mean, we've just...I've liked you for so long and."
He gathered her up in his arms and let her mutterings teeter off until finally she was just sobbing quietly against his naked chest.
"Ginny...c'mon, I won't be gone that long. It'll be fine."
More indistinct whimpering followed.
"What?"
She looked up at him with her eyes glistening and declared clearly despite the tears "I love you, all right?"
At a loss he gazed at her, then pulled her closer to him again. The emotions evoked from the events of the night, and now this sudden notice of departure made him want to hold her all the tighter, as if he could keep her from being torn from him. Choking, he pressed his face against her hair and told her "I love you, too, Ginny. I love you too."
Five weeks later as Ginny was leaving the twin's house, a sudden rush of nausea overtook her. She quickly opened the door and rushed to the bathroom, barely making it before she puked her guts out. She hadn't been feeling good for the past two weeks, and as she thought about it her monthlies were late...
"Ginny, are you all right?" one of the twins asked.
"I, I'm fine, I must have eaten something bad yesterday" she said just before her stomach protested and forced her to through up again.
"I think we should call mom," the other twin said "she would know what to do to make you better."
Half and hour later Mrs. Weasley arrived carrying what looked to be a very ancient potions kit. She quickly sent the boys to get a small cauldron and some face clothes, and started to examine Ginny, and asking her questions as she went.
"Well Ginny, this isn't any food poison I know of," her mother told her "there's only one think I know of that has those symptoms."