A/n This was just a cute little story idea that popped into my head one day. I am still working on new chapters to both of my series. I'll hopefully get them out soonJ
Cracker-pickle sandwiches
It was late July. Harry had just finished his sixth year. After a trying two weeks at the Dursley's, Dumbledore gave Harry permission to stay at the Weasley's for the remainder of the summer holidays. Harry never understood why he couldn't just spend his whole summer with the Weasleys, but for some reason Dumbledore was pretty persistent that he always starts his summer with the Dursley's.
Harry couldn't sleep again. Ever since fourth year, when Cedric Diggory was killed by Lord Voldemort, his nights have become restless. That was two years ago. So much has happened in those two years, including many meaningless deaths.
Harry glanced over at Ron. He was so glad he still had his best friends. Harry worried about their safety much more than he worried about his own. Ron and Hermione were the only ones that kept Harry going, and made life worth living. They still had good times together, only Harry didn't laugh as much as he used to.
One thing Harry did find amusing was Ron and Hermione's relationship. He could tell for two years that they liked each other, but they still haven't admitted it. Harry sometimes wished he could have what they have, but he knew it would be of no use. He would be too afraid to endanger the relationship. Harry couldn't bear to be the cause of a loved one's death.
Sighing, Harry gave up trying to get any sleep and headed down stairs to get a glass of water. He saw the kitchen light on. Started, he grabbed on to his wand and jumped into the kitchen.
"DON'T MOVE," he shouted. A startled Ginny Weasley let out a shriek, and made a run strait at Harry. Before he knew it, Harry was pinned to the ground.
"Harry, what are you doing up. You scared me to death," she said once she found out who her intruder was.
"I couldn't sleep. I could ask the same to you."
"Well, I'm prone to staying up late. My motto is why sleep at night when you can sleep during the day," she smiled. "I was just fixing myself a snack. You could join me if you like."
Ginny had changed a lot in the last two years; she was no longer a little girl. Harry knew all the guys around school vowed for her attention, although she didn't seem to notice. She was very shy, and most of the guys mistook her shyness for snobby ness. It wasn't long before rumors about her went flying around the school, there was even talk of her and Malfoy. Harry knew the rumors weren't true; she had been put through some tough times herself. She began dating Seamus Finnagin in her fourth year. He became a victim of Voldemort three months later. Despite all that she has been through, deep down, Ginny was still that little girl Harry met at the train station almost six years ago.
Harry sat next to Ginny, and grabbed a snack from her plate. It was a dill pickle slice stuck between two soda crackers.
"What is this," he asked.
"Cracker pickle sandwiches. Try one, they're good," she said.
Harry hesitated, but gave in and bit into one. It was surprisingly good. They sat in silence for a while gnawing on the sandwiches. Harry thought about how strange it was to be sitting up with Ginny at this time at night. He never really got to know Ginny that well; she was always just Ron's little sister. But now, sitting up with her, she seemed more like a friend.
At three o'clock Ginny finally declared she was going to bed. "You should try to get some sleep too Harry." Harry agreed, and climbed back up the stairs to Ron's room.
The next night, Harry couldn't sleep again. He trudged down the stairs, hoping Ginny would be there again. She was, and she offered to make him some more cracker pickle sandwiches. They sat in the kitchen in silence, eating cracker pickle sandwiches. Harry liked how comfortable it was to be able to sit with someone, and enjoy her company without actually having to have a conversation. Comfortable silence, not deadly like it was with most people. That night Harry and Ginny made a silent pact to come downstairs every night, when the rest of the house is asleep, to keep each other company.
Some nights were like the previous one, where Ginny and Harry would sit and enjoy the silence of the night without being completely alone. Other nights, they would engage in a deep conversation. It was a secrete between the two, everyone else was asleep.
Harry learned that Ginny had many good qualities; qualities he never took the time to notice before. She could make him smile by telling him stories of pranks her brothers pulled on her. She told Harry that she was going to get Fred and George back some night for the time they made her eyelids stick shut. Ginny really knew how to tell a story…
"We had to go to a Muggle doctor because I couldn't see to use Floo Powder. We had to tell him I super-glued them shut. Can't you just imagine the look on the doctor's face when we told him that? Well, I couldn't because, you know, my eyelids where glued shut…but I could just imagine his eyes bulging out of his sockets and his jaw hitting the floor…of course, that would have been right before he started laughing like a hyena. So, there I was, my eyelids glued shut, and a doctor that must have just escaped from a mental institution."
One night, Ginny got that chance. Fred and George were visiting the Burrow, and they decided to stay in their old room 'for old times sake.' They were trying their new Wizard Wheezes left and right that morning, Ginny was the first to fall victim to an exploding pancake at the breakfast table. "Well, if you would have gotten up a little earlier you would've known that we made breakfast this morning," was Fred's innocent excuse. Harry himself had a few zingers put on him that afternoon, so he didn't protest that night when Ginny grabbed him by the arm, and told him they were going upstairs to teach them a lesson. Instead, he followed her up willingly, making a mental note of never getting on Ginny's bad side.
She opened the door to their little room, careful not to make a creek. Harry could hear the snores protruding out of the twins. Ginny took a hold of her wand and started twirling it around. Curious, Harry walked into the room to see what she was doing. The room looked the same as it always did, except now, little pink bows kept appearing all over the place. Harry had to stifle a laugh as one of the bows landed right on top of George's head, followed by one on Fred's. Then, they suddenly appeared in pink dresses with lace around the collar. As a finishing touch, Ginny turned the sign on the wall displaying 'Fred and George's room,' to 'Frederica and Georgia's room.' They left in a hurry, taking two steps at a time down the stairs. Once they got in the kitchen, they let it all loose. Harry was sure that he hadn't laughed that hard since fourth year; it felt good.
The next morning, Harry awoke to shouts coming from Fred and George's room, followed by whooping laughter. "Ginny sure got you this time," he heard Ron remark.
"Yep, that's our little sister," Fred said.
"We're so proud," George added, pretending to wipe tears off his face.
After that, Harry was afraid to cross Ginny. She could be quite determined when she wanted to be. She laughed at him the next night as Harry carefully inspected the cracker pickle sandwiches she gave him. "I didn't do anything to your crackers Harry…you might want to check the pumpkin juice though," she said as he took a swig. She giggled as he quickly pulled the glass away from his mouth, "You are so gullible."
He ended up telling Ginny a lot in their nightly meetings; strangely, not only did she accept everything he told her, she didn't seem too surprised when he told her. Harry wondered if maybe she always knew what was going on, she was very observant. As soon as he told her about Sirius she said, "it doesn't surprise me. You and Ron and Hermione were always talking about some Godfather of yours; Snuffles I believe. And, I knew he would not have been able to get away right under Dumbledore's nose. So, I figured Professor Dumbledore must have had a reason to let him go."
Harry began to not only enjoy Ginny's company during their little 'cracker pickle sandwich sessions', but also during the day. He tried to include her when he and Ron played quidditch, or played exploding snap. Ron didn't seem to notice much difference; he was too caught up in when Hermione was coming to visit. As soon as he mentioned Hermione, Harry and Ginny would exchange knowing smiles. Ginny was always so observant to how others were feeling.
As the nights got shorter, and Hogwart's days were drawing near, Harry continued to meet Ginny during the late hours. Ron and Hermione began to suspect something, but they never questioned him, and Harry was glad of it. Harry loved his friends, but some things, he thought, are better off left as a secrete. As Harry left for Kings Cross to complete his seventh and final year at Hogwarts, he promised himself he would never forget the cracker pickle sandwiches he shared every night with a girl he should have gotten to know much sooner.
A/n: If you guys want a sequel, let me know in your review. I will make a sequel if there is a big enough request, but I can't promise that it'll be soon. I am currently working on A Glimmer Within a Trial, and Before the Glimmer, along with A LOT of schoolwork, so please be patient.
Disclaimer: I don't own them.