A/N: This is my second story ever published. It's starting out as a One-Shot, but if I get encouragement or enough positive feedback I may continue it. Please, if you read this, review! Even if you don't like it and have a negative comment, I will gladly accept that because I'd really love to get better.
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The night slowly crept back around the world as the sun peeked up over the high mountains surrounding the valley. The windows of Hogwarts felt the first rays of sunshine on a free, Voldemort-less day for the first time since that joyous first of November, nearly seventeen years ago. The lake seemed to shine brighter than most days under the morning sunlight and even the Giant Squid came up to enjoy the new day. Sadness and mourning for friends that could no longer greet the new day was put on hold as the citizens occupying the school grounds rejoiced. Peace was finally upon them.
Ginny Weasley was among the first to bask in the warm sunlight, strolling out by the lake to catch a glimpse of the Giant Squid before it retreated back to the depths of the water. She waved and smiled pleasantly at old friends and new faces alike, feeling a new, warm self-confidence bubbling up inside of her. She spent most of the morning greeting people. Introducing herself to people she not had the pleasure of meeting and chatting it up with old friends.
Ginny spotted a very familiar-looking bush of brown hair attached to a roughly seventeen year-old girl's body and skipped over and tapped her on the shoulder. Hermione turned her head and smiled at the little redhead.
"Hey, Gin!"
The girls hugged and held on a little longer than usually, relishing in the idea they were finally safe from He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Or at least, that's what people referred to him as... yesterday. Today, not one mouth was afraid to say the name Voldemort.
"How are you holding up?" The redhead questioned.
"I'm feeling well at the moment. Sad about Remus and Nymphadora, mind you, but otherwise well. Yourself?"
"Same, really. I'm going to miss Tonks' cheery attitude. She always made me laugh. Not to mention Professor Lupin's pleasantries and wise demeanor."
The girls remained silent for a minute remembering one of the bravest couples they ever had the fortune of knowing. They exchanged a few more words and headed off toward the Great Hall to have lunch. On the way, Ginny and Hermione passed many friends such as Dean Thomas, Seamus Finnegan, Susan Bones, and Neville Longbottom. They stopped to greet Neville a little longer than the others and dragged him along to have lunch with them. After meandering their way into Hogwarts, the three friends chatted up some teachers and entered the Hall.
Ginny looked over at the Gryffindor table, finding her brother sitting across from Harry. The little Weasley's heart fluttered at the sight of her former boyfriend. His unruly, sexy, raven-colored hair, Quidditch-toned body, and dashingly mesmerizing green eyes. How greatly Ginny wished his mother was still alive, so that she could see where those gorgeous green orbs came from.
Ron spotted them and beckoned the girls and Neville over, his face stuffed full of food. Neville went around to sit next to Harry and the girls sat on either side of Ron. Ginny tried her best to ignore the growing heat of the blush in her face as she got nearer and nearer to the boy of her affections and the way her butterflies would seem to increase tenfold whenever he spoke, but failed miserably. As they sat down, the redhead turned her gaze furtively and noticed Ron's and Hermione's hands come together like magnets, lacing their fingers.
"Some show you put on last night, Harry," Ron said with a smirk. "Ya know, pretending to be dead and all. Had me fooled that's for sure. I was about ready to give up once I saw you lying in Hagrid's arms. Thankfully, Hermione wasn't ready to quit on you just yet."
"Oh Harry, you should have seen the look on his face when we all saw you alive again!" Hermione squealed. "He looked half in shock and half like he wanted to kiss you!"
"My, my... dear brother I didn't know you swung both ways," Ginny giggled heavily at her own innuendo. Ron only reddened deeper and glared at Hermione, then his little sister.
"Hey, let's not forget who made Voldemort vulnerable again," Harry interjected, smiling at Neville. "Without you cutting off Nagini's head, he wouldn't have died when the spell reflected back at him and would have come back somehow, eventually." Neville blushed and scratched the back of his neck, very much in an 'aww shucks' manner.
"Thanks, Harry. I wouldn't have been able to do it unless I was so inspired by your courage, but enough about last night. What do you guys think you're going to do now that the war is over?"
"Well," Hermione began. "I, personally, can't wait to get out into the real world. I think I've decided, since I will qualify for just about anything once my final NEWTs are finished, that I work here at Hogwarts. Professor McGonnagal offered me her old job as the Transfiguration teacher first thing this morning and I accepted."
"Wow that's great, 'Mione!" Harry congratulated. "What about you, Ron?"
"I don't know, mate. That's a tough one. I've been going back and forth between a dragon tamer, like Charlie, and possibly being an Auror. First, I want to try out for the Cannons." Hermione rolled her eyes. "I think I'll give it a shot, maybe I could make reserve Keeper and eventually work my way up, who knows?"
"Always follow your dreams," Harry encouraged, knowing that his best friend could really make it big if he tried his best. "As for me, I'm still considering being an Auror, though I've gotten offers from a few Quidditch teams. I guess I haven't fully decided."
For the remainder of the meal, Ginny couldn't keep her eyes off of Harry for more than a few seconds at a time, this fact not going unnoticed by anyone present other than Harry himself.
To end the day, Hermione and Ron told everyone they were going to go outside and find some friends to visit with. In reality, Ginny knew there were things unsaid between them that needed to be said and she was hoping they would get them out soon. The fiery redhead had a knack for seeing a perfect match and Ron and Hermione were the oddest of the sort. Neville had some 'unfinished business' to sort out and, with his newfound confidence, set off to find apple of his eye. This left Harry and Ginny staring awkwardly at each other. Both knew something had to be done, some words had to be spoken, about their time they had lost, but neither could find the right way to begin. Harry finally broke the ice.
"Would you like to take a walk?" Ginny nodded and they left the Great Hall. The former lovers began meandering their way down random halls and up strange flights of stairs as Ginny noted a familiar broom closet or two they had 'shared' the previous year. After the reached the second floor, Ginny got tired of the silence and decided to take the entire matter into her own hands.
"Look Harry," She paused and drew in a deep breath. "I know you were gone for a long time and I missed so much, most of which I'll never understand, and even though it was a huge part of your life I still don't want to be shut out because I wasn't there because I wanted to be there you know I did, but you three wouldn't let me and all I'm asking is for another chance. I know that what we had was nothing but a little fling between two teenagers, but I want it to be something more and I know you feel that too I can see it in the way you look at me." Ginny finally took another deep breath, her face now very flushed and the butterflies back in full force.
Halfway through her little rant, Harry had stopped and now gaped at the little redhead. Moments later, a door in the hall crashed open as two very, very aroused teenagers forced their way into a small broom closet. Harry kicked the door behind him closed and cast a silent locking charm on it, never removing his lips from those of the enticing beauty before him. Ginny ran her hands through his thick, raven hair as his explored the bare skin under the backside of her shirt and their tongues battled as hard as the two had the night before. Harry pushed her up against the wall, setting himself between her legs. She instinctively hopped up and wrapped them around his waist, nearly crushed between a wall and her lover, but not minding it in the slightest.
Harry's hands came around the front and climbed their way to Ginny's small, yet supple breasts. Caressing the soft fabric over them passionately caused her to moan into his open mouth. Every kiss was met with a soft thrust of her hips against Harry's growing arousal down south. Before this could go to far, Ginny pulled her mouth away, but did not release her hold on his waist. Their eyes met as the two rested their foreheads against each other and they both let out a soft chuckle.
"Ginny," Harry panted. "So much time has been lost... I don't know a way to voice exactly how I feel about you, but I do know that I will do whatever it takes to make up for leaving you. It will really mean something this time, I promise. No more Voldemort to worry about, or Horcruxes, or Death Eaters, or being in danger. Now all my attention is on my friends... and you."
"Harry James Potter, I love you," Ginny breathed with the brightest smile Harry had ever seen. Before he could open his mouth, she silenced him. "I know you don't know how you feel, I heard that part. Just promise me you won't leave me and everything will be alright."
"I promise I won't leave you, Gin!" Harry exclaimed with the most sincerity in his eyes. Ginny's smile only grew, if that were possible.
"That's good enough for me."
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A/N: There you go, my second attempt at a little story. Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed. Like I said, I will consider continuing it if enough people like it, though that may not be likely, but we'll see. Don't skip out on my first fic, Original Sin. I like the idea of that one and it leaves a lot to the imagination. Please review! Even if it's negative.