I sat at the edge of the lake admiring the way the sun glistened across the water.

I was staying at the Burrow at the time being trying to fix up my parents old home at Godrics hollow.

It had been 3 months since the Battle of Hogwarts and yet nothing had changed that much.

The burrow was still crooked, and homely along with all the loving Weasley's inside of it. However the wonderful family inside of it had forever changed.

The loss of Fred had hit the family pretty hard. Most days everyone put on a smile but I saw the sadness in their eyes. Mostly the family carried on every day like usual. George constantly was at his shop trying to repair the damages and set the place up for business again. Ron is in Auror training with me and Neville 12 hours every day. Mr. Weasley always stays in back shed outside fidgeting with Muggle devices. The Burrow has never been so clean due to Mrs. Weasley keeping the place spotless trying to dull her emotions. Bill and Fleur visit more often with Fleur asking if she could make supper for the family some nights.

Mrs. Weasley gives her glares and insists that she just do dessert instead. Hermione helps me repair Godrics hollow most days when I'm working and too tired to try to do it myself.

Faintly in the background, I could hear footsteps coming in my direction down the grassy hill.

I forced myself to come back to reality and turn to see who was coming.

Hermione of course

"Harry there you are, it's almost time for Supper. Fleur cooked tonight so I don't know if the food is even edible." she said while placing herself next to me extending her legs out so her shoes almost touched the water.

I snorted "and Mrs. Weasley let her cook" I asked while turning my head crookedly at her.

She mashed her lips together while smirking a little "well more like Bill dragged her out of the kitchen and sweet talked her into letting his wife cook"

I gave a small laugh "of course"

I could feel Hermione looking at me the way I sometimes see Ginny looking at me from across a room. The feeling of them piercing your soul trying to figure you out.

I sighed and stared back at the water "What are you staring at me for Hermione" I fidgeted with the grass pedals next to my hands

Hermione's gaze left and fell to the lake water also "You have that sad look on your face again. Harry please, I thought we talked about this. Nobody's death was your fault."

"Hermione" I groaned. She started to use hand motions

"All of the Weasley's love you and don't blame you one bit"

"HERMIONE" I raised my voice and she immediately froze

I continued "I am over that now, I'm just thinking about things"

I pulled my legs up to my chest and burrowed my head against my knees.

Hermione placed her hand softly on my back "Mind if I ask what you're thinking about" she asked in a quiet sympathetic voice.

I sighed deciding the best thing was to just spit it out or see Hermione's probing gaze.

"Wondering about a particular person" I breathed out

Hermione chuckled "Ginny"

Ginny had been working at Georges all summer helping him out with the shop.

"Yes" I responded lifting my head up and looking at her soft eyes."She won't even talk to me half these days but I occasionally see her looking at me. I think she doesn't even like me that way anymore after all I've done to her. "

Hermione shook her head "that's not true. She is your friend"

I straightened my legs out "I don't know Hermione. I just don't know"

Both of us sat in silence for a little while before we heard Fleur calling us to supper. Or in her words "suvver"

"ARRY, ERMIONE, SUVVER IS VEDY" she yelled with a flour coated blue apron across her front. Apparently the louder she yelled the more of her French accent came out.

I stood and helped Hermione to her feet

"Sit next to her at the table tonight and just talk to her" Hermione said while we were getting closer to the burrows kitchen door.

Just the thought of sitting next to her made my stomach drop a little. I didn't realize how nervous I was until I opened the back door and looked at everyone inside.

Mrs. Weasley was sitting at the table with a smug look across her face while fidgeting with her fork. Mr. Weasley was sitting on the end of the table holding his wife's arm keeping a smile on his face. Ron was sitting on the other side of his mother motioning for Hermione to sit next to him.

"ARRY you vill LOVE my cooking. Svecial family recepies" Fleur glided over while holding a skillet stirring around whatever was inside.

I turned my head and saw Ginny sitting across from Hermione, her back towards me.

Hermione gave the nod, with Ron raising an eyebrow while looking back and forth from her to me

Ginny's head turned and our eyes met

"Oh hello Harry" she greeted in a light voice.

All I could think to do was smile

Ginny's eyes softened as she saw my goofy grin.

"Oi you gonna sit down or just gawk at my sister" Ron blurted out which got an elbow from Hermione and a hard glare from Ginny

I stared at the open seat next to her as if it were on fire.

"Harry you can sit here" Ginny said while pulling out the chair.

Suddenly it was as if the fire vanished into air

"Sure thanks" I gruffed out...

Ron was looking at me as if he knew what was going on and wanted to make a game out of it. Hermione was staring with big eyes at me and Ginny...talk about obvious

Ginny's body was slightly facing mine but her gaze never left her mug while she drew invisible lines on its surface

Deciding to break the silence...

"So Ginny how have you been lately" I managed to huff out feeling butterflies in my stomach for some odd reason.

She gave me a smile but continued to fidget with her mug "Fine you"

Hermione and Ron's heads were both switching back and forth at each of our greetings and "stories" as you can call it

Fleur eventually served the 'food, which actually looked good.

Most of the beginning of the meal Mrs. Weasley and fleur both discussed cooking while Bill and Mr. Weasley talked about work. Ron and Hermione talked about the day's events while that left...me and Ginny.

She could sense the way I kept looking at her so I decided to talk

"So are you going to return to Hogwarts?" I questioned her staring at her face trying to read into what she was thinking.

She looked up and swallowed "yes, ill finish schooling. What are you going to do this next year?"

I swallowed hard not wanting to miss a single beat

"I'm going to enroll in Auror training with Neville" I said while taking a swallow of Pumpkin juice

The look she gave me almost made me choke on my drink

"I thought you would be done with fighting dark wizards after all these years" she grumbled but loud enough to where Hermione and Ron stopped their conversation

I cleared my throat "Well it seems like since that's the only thing I know how to do I might as well go and do it"

She turned her whole body over and gave that woman 'glare'

"Are you not tired of risking your life and trying to be a noble prat all the time" she asserted looking angrier by the second

I sat there silently not knowing how to respond not wanting to anger her further.

She just shook her head and gave a sarcastic laugh.

I glanced at Ron and Hermione who were both staring at Ginny as if she had burst

Hermione tried to give me a reassuring smile but I honestly had no hope for wishing Ginny still wanted me back as much as I wanted her.

I stood up from the table and excused myself from the table. Receiving confused looks from the whole lot

Slamming the back door open I strode across the garden with all my insides aching

I was so sick of confused feelings that I ran right up to a big oak tree and slammed my fists against the hard bark...what a stupid idea

Apparently someone hear my screams because I felt a hand across my shoulders as I was laid up against the hard tree.

"I don't need any sympathy" I groaned out not bothering to see who had come

"I'm sorry" I heard the soft voice of her sad tone.

I immediately knew it was her...I could now smell her all too familiar scent

She turned me around to face her.

Now all she was doing was giving that hard blazing look deep into my eyes

"I should not have gone on at you about that. What you do with your life is your decision." she assured me while letting her arms fall to her sides

"You must really not like me anymore" I sighed while trying not to lose it again

She shifted a bit "No" she said almost too bluntly. I looked in her eyes trying to find if she was that serious or not

Then a smile started to play across her face "I love you"

My insides went from crumbled shams to their full shapes again as I stood to my feet.

"Really?" I croaked

Her face fell slightly "I am just tired of waiting for you to finish off your 'battling dark wizards' work so we can be together." she shifted her gaze to the tree and stood back a step.

"But I guess that means you met some veela on your journey or something"

I scoffed at her sentence and thus lunged at her to grab her waist and bring her to my chest. "You're absolutely mad if you think I fell for anyone but you"

Our faces were inches apart. I could see the light in her eyes sparkle at my words.

I could feel her ragged breath on my face as our lips almost touched before...

"HARRY, GINNY...oh..." we sprung apart and looked toward the intruding voice coming from the back steps of the kitchen.

George was standing at the door holding his cloak in his arm with a half smile playing across his face. "I ONLY WANTED TO SAY HELLO" he remarked

Ginny shot me an apologetic smile and whispered sweetly in my ear "we will talk later" and made a quick work for the door as she gave George a welcoming hug

"Hi George. How was work?"

George returned his sisters warm hug and responded "Great. I made alot of progress today...and by the looks of it so did you. Apparently your enjoying your afternoon off" while eyeing me in the progress as I

Walked over to them.

Ginny punched him on the arm "Don't you start."

George held the door open as he laughed at his little sister. "What I would do just to mess with my little sister" he played at her while winking at me.

Ginny gave a gruff sigh as she walked through the door and into the kitchen

I stood at the door beside George waiting to see his next reaction now that Ginny was gone.

All he did was motion for me to enter the house and winked as I passed by.

Among entering the dining room again everyone once again shot me worried glances

Mrs. Weasley was among the first to comment "Dear are you alright"

I glanced around the room at everyone's faces.

Everyone but Ginny was looking at me. Minus George who was preparing his plate.

"Yes Mrs. Weasley I'm fine" I gave her my most reassuring smile I could possible manage without blushing knowing what I was about to do with her daughter out in the garden.

I continued to sit in my seat and eat the food that I hardly got to touch.

As I picked up my fork and started to eat, I felt Hermione's keen gaze once again piercing my head.

Looking up I noticed her "I want to know what happened" face while Ginny was in the same position as I was. She had her head down and eating her food more rapidly than usual.

"So is everything alright between you two now. Do I have to come in-between you two beating each other or snogging these days?" Ron asked in a joking manner.

Hermione rolled her eyes and sat back crossing her arms staring at her empty plate. Ginny's jaw locked "You should not be in-between us anyhow RON!"

However his statement didn't get just Hermione or Ginny's attention but the whole tables.

"Snogging?" Bill exclaimed.

Fleur mumbled something in French.

"Quiet a lovely conversation starter eh?" George mocked trying to ease the tension

Mrs. Weasley choked on her drink while Mr. Weasley gave her a pat on the hand staring down at the wooden table.

Ginny was now infuriated

"Can't keep your bloody nose in your own business can you Ron. Might I remind you how..." I stopped her by lightly grabbing her arm.

I didn't want her to further embarrass anyone by saying things she later didn't want to say.

Her head spun over to meet my face.

Her eyes held fire and her cheeks were as red as her hair.

"Now Now, Ron that was inappropriate to say, and Ginny watch your language young lady" Mrs. Weasley pierced the quiet room.

I never left her gaze as her "fire" seemed to dim down the longer I looked into her deep brown eyes.

She blinked several times as she acted as if she returned to reality then returned to eating her food.

The rest of the meal continued a bit normally just with a hint of awkwardness, and left over frustration between Ron and Ginny.

3 hrs later

"Pawn to J4" Ron demanded to the chess board.

For the past three hours I had been trying to get somewhere close to beating Ron at Wizards chess. We were sitting in his shallow room sitting lazily on wooden chairs.

I sat there for a minute to think about what piece I should move. Ron broke my train of thought by speaking.

"Look I'm sorry mate for making things strange at supper. I guess I just want to see you two doing something other than "give the look from across the room but never truly speak to the person" thing."

I chuckled to myself, running my hand through my hand through my hair in the process "Knight to B8. It's alright, I'm just glad Ginny didn't explode at you or anyone."

"So are things on good terms with you two now? Are you back together?"

I sighed as I sat back in the tiny wooden chair "Well I was getting on that part till George interrupted. Then Ginny told me 'we'll talk later'"

Ron gave a puzzled look then stared at the board "King to A6. Checkmate"

I threw my hands up in defeat "of course" I grumbled sarcastically

Ron's piece slide across the table and took out my Queen.

"Well go talk to her then. I can't stand to see you moping around and not giving me opportunities to mess with my little sister later. After so many years you can't throw the same jokes on her anymore."

I sat up obnoxiously almost knocking the table over "Well where is she at"

Ron scooted his chair back, a little taken back about my hurry

"Most likely in her room with Hermione doing...girly things. It is nine and getting late."

I stood up remembering if I needed anything

"Pants...check...wand ...check...do I need anything else"

Ron gave a smirk "let's hope she goes for your personality mate"

I laughed on my way out of his room yelling "Sod off" as I hopped down the narrow creaky stairs.

I made my way to the first floor landing and from there tried to be as quiet as possible. I didn't want to wake up Mr. and Mrs. Weasley.

Almost by instinct I sneaked to Ginny's small, but closed doorway. I saw in the crack below the wooden door was a small light so I knew she must have been awake.

I softly placed my head against the door in attempt to make out any sound.

Immediately I heard the muffled, but audible voices of Ginny and Hermione talking amongst each other.

"Well then I kissed him, just like that, and the most wonderful thing was that he kissed me right back" I heard Hermione's voice ring out.

"Leave it to you to make the 'move', surprise surprise that my brother didn't"

"Well it was in the middle of the final battle" Hermione laughed. By the way she laughed I could tell she was blushing immensely

I also her Ginny's half sarcastic laugh "Of course"

For what seemed like a good 3 minutes there was nothing but silence.

Then finally Hermione decided to be Hermione and get to the point

"So how was your talk with Harry in the Garden?"

I heard Ginny's lips smack "well...Good for a minute...I told him I was sorry for barking at him then...I...toldhimthatilovehim..."

"YOU WHAT. Dear god Ginny do tell me what happened next"

"Well he was pretty much shocked and then I thought that maybe he didn't like me anymore"

Hermione scoffed "tsh, you're mad if you think he doesn't like you. It's been obvious to everyone but you two that you want each other"

I then heard the muffle of Ginny's pillow smacking Hermione in the face "AH GINNY!"

"Oh come off of it. We almost kissed after he told me I was mad for thinking he had fallen for someone else."

Hermione gasped "then your back together?"

Ginny sighed as I heard her plop on her creaky bed "no we ALMOST kissed Hermione. George came in on the moment and I told harry I would talk to him later"

Then I heard Hermione jump to her feet exclaiming "Well did you?"

I heard Ginny react by jumping off her bed "no...when should I...I don't want to rush things"

Deciding that the crick in my neck could no longer be tolerated I attempted to switch to the other ear.

Hermione's light steps could be heard traveling across the room "well how about tomorrow"

I moved my hand in the "moving" process and I cringed inside as my hand swiped the tiny brass doorknob.

"Well I..."

My heart was accelerating at a much faster pace now.

I leaned on the door more trying to make out the whispers I heard them saying to each other.

All of the sudden...

The door swung open making my leaning post non-existent...thus throwing me to the floor

In the process of my fall Hermione cast the "perfectulus totalus" spell ...so my whole body was now paralyzed.

My face was the first thing to hit the ground. The pain throbbed through my nose as I quickly realized was bleeding and staining the wooden floors.

"HARRY!" I heard both cry out in shock

"Good Lord...I thought you were Ron." I heard Ginny say, though her voice was muffled by my throbbing head.

Now I was really feeling dizzy and extremely uncomfortable now that my probably "broken nose" was still being mashed into the floor. My glasses must have flown off in the fall because everything was extremely

Blurry.

Hermione mumbled the counter spell and my limbs then became loose and I turned over and sat up.

"Eeeerrrrmrmmm" I growled at the pain rushing through my head.

"Oh my god he's bleeding." Ginny said while cupping my face. The feeling of her warm hands felt like ice against my heated, bleeding face

I tried to keep my eyes open to see her features but even if I could, my vision was too terrible.

Making out the two women's bodies, I saw Hermione turn my head over and pronounce "Scourgify".

Immediately I saw a bright light erupt form the tip of her wand. Suddenly my face felt very tingly.

Ginny placed my glasses back on my face. Her distressed features became more prominent.

The redheads thumb stroked the corner of my lips, once where my blood sat; now clean due to Hermione's cleaning spell

"You didn't break your nose, it's just maybe severely bruised" Hermione reproached while stuffing her wand back into her jacket in the corner of her bed.

Ginny's hand left my cheek leaving the spot cold.

"Harry what the hell were you doing at my door" she asked in an annoyed tone.

I sat there trying to think of what to say that wouldn't cause anymore strife between us. After all...I was just caught eavesdropping at her doorway on a serious conversation.

So many things I could say to her...I'm sorry you lost a brother...I'm sorry I had to leave you...I love you...

"Ginny...I..." was all that managed to come out

Her eyes looked curious but her expression held embarrassment and 'I want to kick your arse'.

I thought, 'why can I not just show her how I feel instead of telling her'...then I realized that I could...

I cupped both sides of her face...admiring every second of pure amazement on her face...then...

I pressed my lips against hers...

At first I could feel her tense, and then I felt her melt into the kiss.

She cupped her hands on the sides of my neck and deepened the passion of the kiss.

"Please" I heard Hermione mumble "Don't let me disturb you"

Ginny broke the kiss but didn't move her head back "then don't let the door hit you on the way out" she told her smiling her biggest smile in Hermione's direction.

I glanced over at Hermione walking out the door smiling warmly "I guess things are back to where they used to be"