For QLFC S6F2
CHASER 3: We all have different reasons for forgetting to breathe. (Andrea Gibson)
Optional prompts: (location) tower, (word) cajole, (word) despondent
It was a cool summer evening and the Potter family had just sat down to a delicious meal that Ginny had prepared for the family. Harry sat at the head of the table, across from his wife Ginny. To Harry's left sat James and on his right Albus and Lily. It was hard to believe in a few short weeks James would be heading off to Hogwarts for the first time.
"Dad, can you tell us a story about when you were at Hogwarts?" asked Lily.
"Which one did you have in mind?"
"How about one where mum scared you badly?" Lily replied. Lily was still at the age where she loved to hear stories about anything and everything.
"I know just the one. Your mum came to Hogwarts during my second year and she gave me such a fright, " Harry reminisced. "That was the year that the Chamber of Secrets was opened. No one knew how it was happening, but so far no one had been killed, only petrified. Your Aunt Hermione had figured out that a basilisk was travelling the school through the pipes. Unfortunately, before she could tell Uncle Ron and me, it came for her. Although she was ready for it with a mirror in hand. You see if you look directly into the eye of a basilisk you will die. Using the clues left by Hermione and a little dumb luck, your Uncle Ron and I managed to open the Chamber, after the frightening message left in blood about your mum."
"What did it say?" Albus couldn't help but ask.
"Her skeleton will lie in the chamber forever," Harry recited.
Harry continued the story, "Uncle Ron got separated from me by a cave in when Professor Lockhart tried to wipe Ron's memory with a broken wand. I was forced to continue without him. As I entered the final chamber and saw your mum lying on the ground, my breath caught. For a minute I forgot to breath thinking I was too late." Just thinking about that day remind Harry of how despondent he initially felt at seeing Ginny like that. He was getting lost in his thoughts.
"You saved her though, didn't you dad," exclaimed James.
"Yes, with the help of Fawkes, the Sorting Hat and the Sword of Gryffindor, I was able to defeat the basilisk," continued Harry. Lucky for Ginny that initial feeling of discouragement was quickly squashed by a need to save his best friend's sister.
"Did you think you might die too?" queried Albus.
"When I killed the basilisk, one of his fangs lodged in my arm. I could feel my life fading when Fawkes once again saved the day by using his tears to heal me," recounted Harry. "Your mum, however, was still as cold as ice. As Tom gloated, I realized I needed to destroy the dairy. It was through the diary that Tom Riddle was sucking the life out of your mother."
"With the diary destroyed, I woke up to my favourite person looking over me with a worried expression," Ginny said as she looked lovingly at Harry.
"I had a lot of help to save you that day. I don't know what Ron nor I would have done if we had lost you."
Later that night.
"The kids have finally settled in for the night," said Ginny.
"I thought they would never go to sleep," Harry exclaimed. "I was hoping we could spend some time together tonight." He was still feeling a little despondent after recounting the story of almost losing Ginny to the kids earlier.
"What did you have in mind?" smirked Ginny.
"Just enjoying your company with a hot cup of choco," Harry indicated the hot choco already waiting on the coffee table and patted the space beside him on the couch. Ginny slide in beside her husband and was surrounded by his warm welcoming scent.
"Do you remember our first kiss?" asked Ginny.
He liked the train of her thoughts. She had always been able to pick up on his moods and pull him out of his own head when needed. "Of course I do. How could I forget?" Harry's mind slipped back to that night so many years ago.
Ginny had cajoled him to no end to go out with her. She was Ron's little sister, that just should never happen, must never happen. It was a strict code, you never even looked twice at your friend's sister, but especially not their younger sister. Ginny, however, did intrigue him and she was persistent. She constantly cajoled until one night Harry finally agreed to meet her up in the Owlery Tower.
"I was so nervous that I almost ran you over in my haste to get up to the Owlery," remembered Harry.
"I remember, although that was technically our second kiss," as Ginny slid her hand into his.
Harry's mind continued to reply that evening. He had run into Ginny and she had simply taken his hand in hers. They had continued up to the top of the tower hand in hand. He absently stroked the smooth skin on the back of her hand with his thumb. Once they had gotten up to the tower, they had sat snuggled together in one of the tower windows, not unlike how they were currently sitting, although the couch was much more comfortable then the stone windowsill had been.
Ginny gently squeezed Harry's hand to pull him out of his thoughts.
"Well it was the first one you actually let me kiss you back," teased Harry. "You looked up at me with those gorgeous bright brown eyes of yours. Time seemed to stop as we inched closer together," subconsciously their heads seem to move closer together. "I am sure I forgot to breathe as the anticipation grew. I was so nervous and excited I thought I might pass out. Of course, that was when I realized I wasn't breathing," taking in a haggard breath Harry closed the remaining distance and kissed his lovely wife passionately, just as he had that night.
Thinking back to both those nights so long ago, Harry realized there are very different reasons for forgetting to breathe.