Title: Sneaking Up
Author: elenorecanard
Word count: 1,359
Summary: Ginny finds Harry, Ron and Hermione on their quest.
Author's Notes: My father's a police officer so one of the first lessons I learned as a child was never sneak up on an armed cop. A man trained to have quick reflexes and good aim is never a good person to scare. A man with quicker reflexes has time to look before he fires. Thank Goodness. So, this is for my dad, who always told me to wait until he'd locked his gun away before playing games, before I learned it the hard way.
As per usual, I don't own the characters, nor is this a good predictor of anything that may happen next, as I'm not JK Rowling, and have no idea what the next book will hold. I'm just playing here.
…:::..:::..:::..:::…
Harry sat by the fire outside the cave where they'd set up camp for the night. They had disappeared into Muggle London two months ago and usually stayed at inns, but every once in a while, they'd head off to camp in the woods to make themselves more difficult to track, especially when they were very close to finding one of the deadly artifacts they were hunting down and destroying. Tonight, they found a dry cave near where they thought Ravenclaw's contribution might be.
The night was quiet, save for the occasional hoot from Pigwidgeon in the cave, and most wizards would be happy to sit by the fire and wait for dawn. Unfortunately, Harry had had a front row seat for many a lecture about 'constant vigilance' and its importance had been proven one too many times. The result was three barely legal teenagers who were quick with a wand and always had a hex on the tip of their tongues. Harry had no qualms about hexing first and asking questions later when it came to protecting his friends.
That was why the slight rustle in the brush was so disconcerting. It started off to the right. It was barely there, almost didn't qualify as movement at all. Then it moved. Very slowly, he ripple in the bushes became a rustle and migrated toward the clearing. Harry enhanced the low-light spell on the fire and pulled his invisibility cloak over his head. The rustle kept advancing and Harry threw a shield charm over his shoulder toward the cave entrance.
Harry crouched under the cloak, wand ready, waiting for a clear shot at who ever or whatever was in the woods. All at once, the movement stopped. There was no sound and the air started to feel heavy. Harry had the feeling he was being watched. He peered hard out into the pre-dawn darkness. There was a form in the shadows that was clearly human. He took aim and drew breath to fire the powerful stunner Tonks had taught him. Quietly, he fired the hex from under the cloak. The form ducked and the flash of light whizzed over its head, missing the intruder, but catching the hood of his cloak and knocking it back. The flash of copper hair killed the second curse on Harry's lips. He dropped his wand and threw off the cloak when he realized he'd been trying to hex Ginny Weasley.
When it was clear that Harry was done firing on her, Ginny ran forward to meet him.
"What the hell are you doing?" he demanded, even while pulling her into a tight hug.
"Nice to see you too," Ginny said, returning the embrace.
"Merlin, Gin, are you okay?" He held her at arms length to look at her. "What are you doing sneaking around out here? I almost hexed you. I could have killed you!"
"But you missed. Your aim's not going to serve you well at all," she smiled.
"Ginny, I'm serious."
She raised her hand and rested it on Harry's cheek. "I'm fine, Harry. The tree behind me might not be in such good shape though."
Harry pulled her to him again and held her close, resting his chin on her head. "Not that I don't love seeing you, but what are you doing here?"
"I came to find you. You disappeared and no one knew where you were or when you'd be back. Mum's going spare with worry. Professor Lupin has the order searching high and low for you three. I came to find you and find out what you're up to," Ginny pulled Harry down to sit by the fire. "So what are you doing out here, Harry? Why are you sleeping in caves?"
Harry sighed. "Usually we're in Muggle inns," he told her. "It's easier to hide in the Muggle world. We only camp when we're close to a Horcrux."
Ginny stared at him. He sighed again and began explaining the situation from the very beginning. When he finished his explanations, Harry waited for Ginny to say something. She just kept staring at him.
"Gin?"
"You're hunting Horcruxses by yourself?"
"No," Harry said slowly. "I'm hunting Horcruxes with Ron and Hermione."
"But you didn't tell Mum, or Professor Lupin or me? Harry, why didn't you tell me?"
"I thought you'd be safer if you didn't know. And I knew you'd want to come with us. Of course if I'd known you'd be sneaking around the woods two months later, I would have asked Charlie to seal your bedroom door," Harry smiled at her.
"This is dangerous magic, Harry. You should talk to the Order. They can help you with this."
"No, Ginny. We're going to be okay. The more people who know about this, the more dangerous it'll be for everyone."
Ginny slid her small hand over his and laced her fingers through his. "You know I came to find you intending to stay, right?"
"Yeah, I was afraid of that," Harry answered.
"You're not going to try to send me home?"
Harry looked at her for a moment. The sun was rising behind her and she glowed. The creature in his chest that had been whimpering since Dumbledore's funeral purred. He knew he needed her with him. He knew, in that moment, that he loved here and couldn't push her away again.
"Well," he said, "I figure you've heard what I have to say, and I've heard your arguments and if we're being perfectly honest about this, I've missed you, Ginny. I've been miserable, between missing you and worrying about you. I don't really want you to go back and I might need you here and you're probably safer with Rod and me anyway," Harry took a deep breath. "I'm glad you found me Gin. I love you."
Ginny smiled wide and squeezed Harry's hand. "I'm glad I found you too. I love you."
The creature in Harry's chest roared at that. She loved him and he knew that as long as she did, some how, everything would be okay. He pulled her closer to him and gently pressed his mouth to hers. She responded immediately, opening her lips to him and pushing him back onto the ground. Harry wrapped his arms around her and relived several sunlit days.
"Oi! Potter! Lips off my sister!"
Ginny looked up at the cave entrance but didn't sit up. "My thick brother and Hermione are holding hands," she whispered. Harry nodded.
"You know, for a bloke who got caught snogging in a pub over breakfast a month ago, you're awfully bossy, Ron," Harry said, winking at Ginny as they both sat up.
"'Mione is not your sister."
"Might as well be," Harry retorted. "Morning, Hermione," he nodded, standing and helping Ginny off the ground, keeping hold of her hand.
"What are you doing here, Ginny?" Ron asked.
"I'm coming with you."
"Like hell you are," Ron burst.
"Ron, wait," Hermione said quietly.
"Ron, I'm staying. I can help and I'm going to," Ginny smiled at Harry.
"Mum'll go spare!"
"Mum knows I'm here," she answered her brother simply. "I promised to let her know that we were safe. I told her I was going. That's more than you lot can say."
Ron turned red, starting with his ears. He opened his mouth to reply, but Hermione laid a hand on his arm.
"She's safer with us, Ron," Harry said.
Ron nodded. "I know."
"How did you find us, Ginny?" Hermione asked.
"When Harry's letter came last week, I flooed Fred. He cast a homing charm on Pig."
Hermione smiled, Harry looked sheepish, and Ron gawked. "You sent an owl?"
"I had to let your mum know you were okay," Harry said. "I sent Pig to Ginny when I got up and he was back before you woke up. Quick little bugger."
"Thanks, mate," Ron said quietly. Harry nodded.
"Good thinking, Gin," Hermione said. "Who fancies breakfast?"
Ron snorted.
"Give me a hand, Gin? We've got plenty to fill you in on. "Hermione set about stirring up the fire. Ginny nodded and the trio, now four, prepared for the day's adventures.
fin.