The three friends walked down the crumbling steps from the study and stopped.

'I'm exhausted.' said Harry.

'Me too,' agreed Ron, 'but I should go and see how everyone else is before I head upstairs.'

'Where is everyone sleeping?' asked Hermione.

'Wherever they can, I think. I'll see you upstairs later Harry,' and Ron headed down the corridor towards the murmur of voices that came from the great hall.

Harry explained to Hermione that he had an urgent matter of elf business to attend to before turning in for the night so with a tired but wide grin on her face she bade him goodnight and left.

'Kreacher?'

CRACK!

'Master Harry.' Kreacher gazed at Harry in awe as he bowed low.

'Well done Kreacher. Master Regulus would have been proud of you. What you did was very brave, you must be the most loyal house elf in the world!'

Kreacher's eyes were brimming with tears and he beamed at his master, absent-mindedly fingering the heavy locket on his chest.

'If you want anything from me I can try my best to get it for you…' Harry trailed off. He knew that house elves could be very touchy in matters of their own personal freedoms.

'Nothing in the world sir!'

'Er…OK…well I am going to bed and I would love a peanut butter sand-'

CRACK! Kreacher was already gone.

Smiling sadly, Harry trudged up to the Gryffindor Tower where he found his usual bed in his old dormitory. Everything looked the same, the only difference being that the portrait was wide open so that anyone could enter and his room was empty of possesions.

Ron was downstairs, Dean had disapparated home from Hogsmeade to finally see his family, Seamus was staying in the Ravenclaw tower where his younger cousin was and Neville was sleeping in the hospital wing under the watchful eye of Madam Pomfrey who had insisted on treating all of his cuts.

When Kreacher arrived with an enormous platter of sandwiches five minuits later Harry had already fallen asleep in his bed fully robed.

…………………………………………………………………………………………..

That was how Ginny found him when she cautiously climbed into the dormitory a couple of hours later. Ron was sprawled under his duvet on his own bunk, with a pile of sandwich crusts lying beside the bed.

Turning to Harry, her expression shifted from loving exasperation to tenderness. She saw that he was troubled even in his sleep. Hermione had told her that Harry had always suffered from nightmares. She sat down on the edge of the bunk, never taking her eyes off his face. They hadn't seen each other for months and she so wanted to be a part of his life.

Unable to bear the thought of walking downstairs alone and lying in a cold bed, she took of her shoes and slid into Harry's bed. She faced away from him and when he breathed, his breath danced on her face. How well they fitted she thought as they cuddled together like spoons.

As she drifted into her own sleep she had no idea that Harry was reliving that moment in the forest when he had stood before Tom Riddle and thought of Ginny. His thoughts of her seemed so real. He could even smell her perfume.

………………………………………………………………………………….

When he woke next morning, he noticed in surprise that someone was lying next to him. Red hair was fanned out on his pillow and his heart which had stopped for a moment was suddenly pounding at a tremendous rate.

He stroked Ginny's cheek and her eyelids fluttered open.

'I am not a morning person,' Harry began, 'but waking up is very enjoyable if this is how it happens. Although, I swear you gave me heart attack when I first saw you there!'

'I'm sorry!'

'I'm not.'

Harry leant in to kiss her but Ginny's smile faded fast when the door opened and Hermione stood there. No one had a chance to speak before Ron reminded them of his presence with a loud grunt as he rolled over displaying a rather fetching pair of polka dotted boxers.

Harry smirked and gave Ginny a glance that seemed to say; 'well he's your brother'. Ginny's eyebrow was raised as she gave his underwear a very disparaging look. Hermione on the other hand had turned rather pink and was glancing everywhere except at Ginny and Harry who were now sitting up perch themselves on the edge of the bed. Her mouth opened and closed while she struggled to find something to say.

Ginny told her with relish, 'you look like a goldfish.'

On hearing her voice Ron woke with a start. Realising what he was wearing he shrieked, 'BLOODY HELL, HERMIONE, WHAT IN THE NAME OF MERLIN ARE YOU DOING HERE!' Pulling herself together, she snapped, 'Maybe you should be asking what your sister as doing in Harry's bed!'

'OK, OK, maybe not a goldfish, what kind of fish would you prefer to be?' Ron was completely bemused.

'Nothing ha-' Harry began as Ron started to realise what Hermione had said.

'Ewww!' Ron began to rant, 'I'm just lying here…decency…you two think I don't exist…sister…I know you need comforting mate, but seriously…I could have woken up…'

'I need to have a bath.' Harry said, looking down at his rumpled robes and he stood up.

'Me too.' said Ginny giggling as she left with Harry, Ron gaping after them.

Sticking her head back around the door she added 'Given what you're wearing you can't lecture us about decency, Ronald!'

Ron was still unable to shut his mouth.

…………………………………………………………………………………………..

Ginny and Harry walked down the steps. In the Gryffindor common room they found Mr. and Mrs. Weasley sitting on the sofa by the dying fire. Both had tear-stained cheeks. They held hands as they slept, Mrs. Weasley's head resting on her husbands shoulder.

Smiling, Harry and Ginny crept out of the portrait hole, muttered 'See you at breakfast and went to their respective bathrooms.

…………………………………………………………………………………………..

When Harry had made his way back up to his dormitory he was about to push open the door when he heard his two friends' voices. Ron had evidently not got dressed yet. Harry leant closer into the door to hear what they were saying.

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