The sun shone through the windows of Gryffindor Tower as Harry and Ron sat trying to finish Slughorns essay on antidotes. Out of the corner of his eye, Harry was watching the staircase leading from the girl's dormitory, waiting for her.

"Ginny?" said Harry as she appeared from the dormitory carrying Arnold the Pygmy Puff. "Can we take a walk?"

"Er Harry?" said Ron, annoyance edging his words, "I thought we had to finish Slughorns essay?"

"Sorry, I won't be long" Harry muttered as he hastily packed his things away.

"Sure" she said, giving him a curious look as she put Arnold carefully on her shoulder and followed him out of the portrait hole.

They walked down the stairs and out through the oak front doors into the grounds, there were lots of students outside enjoying the weather and Pansy Parkinson and her gang of Slytherin girls catcalled as they passed: "Oooo Potter and Weasley, how does Ron feel about his best friend running off with his sister eh?"

Harry's cheeks burned as he walked on and pretended to be very interested in a dragonfly flying just ahead of them.

"Ignore her" said Ginny soothingly "she only jealous because Malfoy's the best she can get!" This cheered Harry up a bit as they crossed by the lake to behind a huge oak on the outskirts of the forest which provided them with some shade and privacy. Harry sat down and gestured that Ginny should do the same. She did and Harry took her hand as if it was as natural as breathing in the honeysuckle scented air.

"I've been thinking," he said looking across the lake at the giant squid, whose tentacles were just visible, creating ripples on the glassy surface as it caught bits of food being thrown in by a group of first years sitting on the bank. "That well, yesterday after the Qudditch match I know I kissed you and I'm sorry if I put you under pressure but I just got carried away with everything and I didn't want us to get into this without me explaining first."

"What do you mean?" said Ginny, sounding worried, her eyes searching Harry's face.

"I really don't want to hurt you," said Harry still watching the giant squid, "I really care about you, and I don't want you to think that I'm only going for this because you're pretty and popular. I mean you're those things too by I really like your personality. You're kind and caring and one of the nicest people I know. When I saw you with dean... I mean... I dunno it just really hurt and that's when I realised that I didn't want you to be with anyone else... I didn't want to see you break up with Dean because I didn't want to see you get hurt, but at the same time I wanted nothing else... Yesterday was perfect and I'm so glad it happened but I didn't want us to be together with you thinking that I only liked you for your looks or your popularity... so there... I said it... go and have a good laugh at me...

He could not look at her. Ginny didn't move. She let go of Harry's hand and Harry closed his eyes. He'd done it now; he knew he should never have said all that stuff... But Ginny's hand had moved to his face... She pulled him around to face her and he looked at her, as if he was seeing her for the first time: her wonderful deep brown eyes, her flawless skin and her beautifully shaped lips. Ginny's other hand moved to the back of Harry's neck and she kissed him. It was unlike the kiss they had shared the night before. It was soft and meaningful and emotional and it communicated quite clearly that Ginny was definitely not going to laugh at him. When they broke apart Ginny did not say anything. She just smiled at Harry, her face glowing. Harry grinned back and put his arm around her. They watched the first years and the giant squid together and talked effortlessly for what felt like hours and hours. Harry could tell right there that his feelings for Ginny Weasley were unlike any other feelings he had ever had for anyone else.