Author's Note: Okay, this one took longer than it should have. Plus, it's really short. But, back to school takes its toll on my creativity –sigh-. The next chapter is where the REAL fun starts, though. So please enjoy, and don't forget to review!

As June started in, however, Harry started to see a change in Ginny. Her face no longer became practically transparent whenever Fred was mentioned in passing conversation, in fact she joined in the laughter at a retelling of an encounter between Fred and Umbridge in his final days at Hogwarts. Harry waited for the day Ginny's eyes fell on the monument outside the Burrow without change in facial expression before even deciding to make a move. Even then, Harry waited a few days before saying anything to her. Halfway through the second week of June, however, Harry decided it was time to say something to her.

That Wednesday gave Harry the perfect opportunity. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were attending a dinner in memory of Mrs. Weasley's brothers, Gideon and Fabian Prewett. George had returned to the shop, and was back to living in the flat above floors with Lee. Percy too had returned to his own flat and his work, although he stopped in at least every other day, attempting to catch up with his family. Ron and Hermione were outside, Ron attempting to teach Hermione how to properly shoot a Quaffle. This left Harry and Ginny alone inside the house.

Ginny was in her room, having told the three after dinner that she would be in her room reading if anyone needed her. Harry had declined Ron's offer to go out and help Hermione with Quidditch, he thought the pair needed some alone time for themselves as well. Plopping down on a sofa in the sitting room, Harry summoned some paper and a quill from the desk. Quickly, he scribbled down a note to Ginny.

Ginny,

Will you please come down to the sitting room? I need to talk to you.

If you don't want to, that's okay. I'd just appreciate it.

Harry.

Harry reread his writing and declared it decent, so he folded it up into a clumsy paper airplane and put a spell on it that Hermione had taught him. As he watched, the airplane zoomed up the stairs and out of sight. He sat there for a few seconds in silence, and then heard a movement upstairs. Springing up, he stood as Ginny descended the stairs, turned into the sitting room, and grinned at him. All signs of laughter shone on her face, and she held a battered book in her hands.

"So, Quidditch hero Potter couldn't bother himself to walk up a flight of stairs? I didn't think he was so lazy…" She said, walking towards him, a glint in her eye and laughter on her mouth. Harry mocked being wounded by her words, buckling at the knees and placing a hand over his heart.

"Your words, they stab!" He said, fake stumbling. This was well received with a few giggles, and Harry kept it up. He stumbled his way over to the sofa before dramatically plunging to the pillowy depths. Ginny was giggling madly, and Harry felt another urge to continue in his silliness. He twitched violently, flipping over in his antics. Ginny shrieked with laughter, and in a violent jerk he pulled her down with him, eliciting even more shrieks of laughter as he tickled her and hugged her close to him. She thrashed about in his arms, managing to eject "Harry, stop!" between laughs.

"Take it back!" He said close to her ear, her whole face was contorted into laughter.

"Take-what-back?" She managed, thrashing still harder.

"Say I'm not lazy." He muttered quietly. He knew this had to end soon, her moving around atop him was having a bad effect on his brain, while a nice effect somewhere else…

"You-are-n't-lazy! Okay?" She cried, and when Harry let go of her she toppled off the sofa and onto the floor. Her hair, which had been tied up loosely with an elastic, was now disheveled and everywhere. He sat and took deep breaths, attempting to put himself under control as she stood up and sat next to him on the sofa. Pulling out the elastic, she shook her head around and ran her fingers through the red hair spilling about before tying it loosely at the nape of her neck.

"What did you want to talk about, Harry?" She said, lifting her legs up onto the sofa next to her. Now convinced that he was thoroughly under control, Harry faced her. It was much harder with her sitting there next to him, exhilarated from their romp about the sofa. He could defeat Voldemort, but admit to Ginny how he felt? Finally, he took a deep breath and let the little two letter word escape his lips, barely aware that he just had.

"Us." He said, taking a deep breath before looking up and meeting the gaze from her deep brown eyes. He saw something in them move, almost soften. Was that a good sign or bad? Was she going to pity him?

"I thought this would come up soon. I should have expected that to be what this is about." She said, brushing a stray lock of crimson behind her ear. Harry had to start in before Ginny said anything more, but he didn't know what to say. Saying how he truly felt might come on too strong, so maybe tone it down a bit for now? Or honesty all the way?

"Ginny… even though we didn't see each other for almost a year…" He started, but was cut short when Ginny locked eyes with him and spoke in the softest of voices possible.

"I love you, Harry." She said in barely more than a whisper, her eyes still locked with his, but a new emotion in them. Harry realized with a pang that Ginny seemed a bit afraid. Thinking back, Ginny rarely made herself vulnerable this way. Saying things first, speaking without guaranteed return of emotion. Looking at her, Harry noticed that this self aware Ginny seemed much smaller, much easier to hurt. A noise came out of Harry's throat which he quickly turned to words, expressing the words he had been attempting to muster for some time.

"I love you too, Ginny! You don't even know for how long…" He said, taking her hands in his and looking into her eyes. "I said the word "care" at Dumbledore's funeral because I thought that…that 'love' would make it too hard to do what I needed to, would make it easier for Voldemort to find out…" He said, finally blinking. He caught a change of expression, Ginny was looking the most relieved he had ever seen her.

A groan caught in Harry's throat, and he opened his arms. Instantly, Ginny was there, her face buried in his shoulder and her arms holding him tightly. He thought of telling her how she was the last thing he thought of before he surrendered himself to Voldemort, but decided against it. That was pushing things way too far, he was already lucky that she felt the same way he did. Maybe he would tell her someday, but today was not that day.

"Hey…" He said, slipping a finger under her chin and bringing her face up from his shoulder. "This is a happy thing!" He said with a small smile.

Ginny grinned a small grin, her coffee eyes blazing at him. She turned so that her face was inches from his, and leaned in until he could feel the breath from her nose feathering at his lips, sending tickling sensations through his body. "I know." She said in less than a whisper, but Harry was hanging on every syllable. Hesitating no longer, she brushed her lips to his in the softest of kisses, pulling at his lip before drawing away. He whimpered slightly, his arms around her pulling slightly at her to make her return. Grinning slightly, Ginny obliged. This time, however, she didn't back off. Instead, she moved her lips around his, kissing the bottom of his lip, the corner, and the slightest indention of his top lip. When Ginny returned to kissing the center, Harry opened his mouth ever so slightly, and Ginny followed suit. Gently, lovingly, their tongues danced before they both drew away, Harry kissing her softly on the lips to close the deal.

Harry opened his eyes to see that Ginny was clutching his torso again, her head against his chest. Smiling, Harry stroked her long ginger tresses, flipping them around at the ends. Just as he was searching his mind for something to say, however, he was thoroughly distracted by a loud bang and cheerful voices. Ginny stood up quickly, as did Harry. They walked together from the sitting room to the kitchen, where Ron and Hermione were sitting at the kitchen table laughing profoundly. Harry smirked at Ginny before pulling back two chairs, sitting in one of them and leaving the other for Ginny. Ginny smiled, but gave him a mock-angry look.

"You do that again Potter and I'll hex you, I'm not helpless." She said, taking the seat.

"What can I say, I like to treat you like a queen. And at least I didn't stand and push the chair up after you…" He said, leaning back in his chair smoothly.

"Oh yes, the Harry Potter modern chivalry method, I had forgotten." She said, resting her elbow on the table and her hand against her elbow, looking at him mischievously. Deciding it was best to change the topic before this conversation delved into further flirting, Harry turned to Hermione.

"How'd the flying go?" He asked, smiling.

"Horribly!" She said, beaming at him in a peculiar way. Ron was sent into further laughs. Glancing sideways at Ginny, she shrugged and mouthed "Cheering charms?" To him. Harry held in a chuckle and turned to Ron.

"What's so funny?" He asked, wondering if Ginny's idea could have been true.

"Well mate, Hermione kind of, played worse than my first official practice." He laughed, sticking his wand in the air and summoning four butterbeers. "And this kid from the village, Suzy Spearman, she's a witch, walked by and asked Hermione if she was trying out for the house team." Ron said, now shaking with laughter. Now fully appreciating what was going on, Harry cracked a smile. From his side, Ginny was laughing hard.

"Merlin, 'Mione, you'd think after nearly seven full years in the Wizarding World you would be able to ride a broomstick!" She said between laughs. Hermione looked indignant, but didn't say anything. Ron, however, continued in on the mocking.

"Hermione still couldn't pass flying lessons, thank Merlin ours were canceled after the Malfoy incident or she'd have failed a class and committed suicide…" He said, shaking back and forth with laughter. Harry, who had just taken a swig of butterbeer, choked slightly. Hermione failing a class only because of her lack of flying skills would warrant suicide on her part.

"You three think you're high and mighty because you can ride your little wooden sticks, huh? I bet you wouldn't be able to hold your own for a minute in a sport with your feet firmly on the ground." Hermione said, dangerously quiet. Harry stopped laughing quickly, sensing menace from her voice. Ginny also came to a still, looking hesitantly at Hermione. Ron, however, acted just as Harry feared he would.

"I'm surprised brooms don't just chuck you off the second you sit on them!" He said, banging his butterbeer down on the table. Harry groaned and exchanged looks with Ginny; this wasn't going to be pretty.

"Well then, Ron, how about you play a muggle sport with me? It's called tennis." She said. Harry, who had played tennis in elementary school, shuddered at the idea of Ron playing tennis. "I played it all the time with my parents when I was a girl, I'm sure you wouldn't mind a match with me?" Hermione's voice was innocent, but her face was full of spite.

"Sure you won't fall off?" Ron said, obviously still not getting where Hermione was going.

"There's nothing to fall off, of. So are you coming, Ronald?" She asked, standing up.

"Sure, Mione, if you really want that…" Ron said, now looking slightly confused at Hermione's standing action.

"Oh I want to. Harry, Ginny, why don't you come too? This'll be fun to watch." Harry and Ginny didn't protest: it would probably be dangerous at this point. Instead, they stood up and walked over to Hermione and Ron's side of the table.

"I'll apparate us to my parent's house. I'm still tracking them down in Australia, they took the secluded home idea very seriously apparently. Because I haven't found them, the house is empty of course. There's a tennis lawn near our house, it won't be a long walk. All my old equipment is at the house, and I'll just duplicate the racket." She said matter-of-factly, standing up as well. Finally, Ron seemed to be sensing the danger in Hermione's words. He rose looking paler than usual, joining hands with Hermione and Harry. Harry grabbed Ginny's left hand, her other was firmly in Hermione's. Hermione spun, dragging them all with her into the darkness.

They came out in a long-deserted suburban looking muggle home. There were pictures of Hermione and her parents on the walls, and Harry noticed that Ron was taking special interest in them, a soft look on his face. He cleared his throat with a cough, and Ron spun around, his ears and face slightly red. Hermione had seemingly run off, and when she came back she was holding two tennis rackets. Again, these didn't surprise Harry, and Ginny muttered something about Muggle Studies class. Ron, however, looked bewildered.

"What is this thing? What does this have to do with this temmis deal?" Ron said, turning it over in his hand. Harry and Ginny smirked, while Hermione gave a satisfied smirk. Harry had an idea that Hermione had been planning this for some time, with exactly this reaction.

"It's the racket. You hit the ball with it. And it's tennis, Ron. So, come on, the tennis lawn is down the street on the right." Hermione then opened the door and marched out, her own racket in one hand and a canister of canary yellow balls under her other arm. Harry shrugged to Ron, and after Ginny walked out he and Ron followed.

"You were asking for this, mate. She's going to hand your arse to you, you do realise?" Harry said in a lowered voice, and Ron nodded. Ginny dropped back and slid her arm through Harry's, smiling up at him. Ron started when he saw this, and gave Harry a questioning look. Harry just smiled and nodded, entwining his fingers with Ginny's.

Once at the tennis lawn, Hermione and Ron stood out on the grass while Ginny and Harry went to go sit on the bleachers. Harry had been wearing a track jacket over his tee shirt, and when Ginny stood up quickly because the heat from the metal bleachers was burning her legs that were exposed by her nicely short shorts he set it down for her to sit on. She smiled and kissed him on the cheek, sending Harry into a blissful state. He leaned back so that his back and arm were on the bleacher behind them (the heat didn't bother him so much as Ginny) and pulled her back so that she was resting on her arm.

"You're lucky, Ron. Our town has the only true lawn in the county. Everyone else has courts. Now, the rules of the game are…" He could hear Hermione starting, but tuned her out and looked over at Ginny. She seemed to be enjoying herself, watching as Hermione attempted to teach Ron how to serve the tennis ball. Hermione, Harry noticed, was rather accurate and quick with the ball. Ron, however, either sent it soaring past the out-of-bounds line or came no where near the net.

"So, Miss Weasley, I feel awful. I seem to have forgotten your birthday this past year…" He said, looking back at the small girl sitting next to him. "Or really, I didn't think of it, seeing as I was newly on the run after the attack at the wedding." He said, looking down at her. "How was your sixteenth?"

"Honestly? It was dreadful. We were being hard-core watched, so no one could really come for my birthday tea. I got a lot of great gifts, but nothing really outstanding." She said, flicking back a lock of her blazing hair. It shone slightly gold in the sunlight, and Harry found himself transfixed.

"I wish I could have sent you something. And seen you, for that matter." He muttered, feeling great distress. After everything he was given for his birthday, it felt almost cruel that she had gone with so little. He especially remembered her specific gift…

"Ha, and risk compromising your position? No thank you. No, you can make it up to me this year…" She said, smiling mischievously. Harry hazarded a quick glance to see that Ron was still engrossed trying to learn the rules of tennis before raising his eyebrows at her.

"How so?" He asked, his blood boiling with thoughts of just how he would like to make things up to her… they had come so close before…

"You'll figure something out." She said, leaning up at him, her eyes blazing. Her lips were an inch from his, and Harry leaned into them, quickly pressing his to hers teasingly before pulling up and sitting straight foreword so that he was staring at Ron and Hermione. They seemed to have started, Ron was looking nervous as he launched the ball over the net. Hermione scratched her foot back like a cat before going after the ball, sending it back at Ron quickly. He was distracted from watching this quick few seconds of play by Ginny sitting straight up and looking down at him, pouting.

"Is that all I get, Potter?" She asked, tilting her head so that her hair cascaded down around her face like a curtain.

"Out in public with your brother right there, yeah." He said, rumpling his hair and smiling at her. Ginny seemed to think for a second, tilting her head up so that her brown eyes caught the sunlight.

"Well, you're paying me back my time with interest." She said smoothly, leaning back down on his arm. Harry turned and placed a quick kiss to her temple.

"You know it."