A/N: Hey guys! Here's chapter four. Hope you like this one as much as you've liked the past three. I'm really grateful for the reviews and they are really what inspired me to get this chapter finished (despite my exams!). Thank you for your criticism, too. I'm taking it under consideration. My exams finish on Wednesday so I'm going to have a lot more time for writing after that as I won't have anything except a few shifts at work to do over the next few months. Anyway, enough of that. Hope you love it!
Work progressed smoothly over the next few days. Wednesday was spent sorting the last of the start of year paperwork and the HP weekly meeting in the morning and then trained with the team in the afternoon. He spent Wednesday evening at Sirius and Amelia's and got back late. He checked in the common room to see if Ginny was there, but there was no sign. Clearly, she'd made the same decision as he had - to stay away from each other where possible.
Thursday morning, he had a meeting at the Ministry with Gawain, Kingsley et al. He discussed the case with them and was praised for their efforts so far, which pleased Harry. Afterwards, he and Ken went for their weekly lunch meeting at their favourite Italian restaurant and discussed the case and other news within the department. That afternoon was spent in a meeting about healing, along with Chloe and Robin who were the other people he'd chosen from his team to get trained up. Robin would be two-year trained, but Chloe only six-month like Harry. He'd met with the team in its entirety before they finished for the day and they'd talked about what to do going forward. They were almost sure that these potions were due to this new group that they hadn't heard of before. Afterwards, Harry had gone for tea and Remus and Tonks' and then come home.
Friday was, again, completely normal. He had a meeting with every Assistant Commissioner (i.e. the heads of departments) and then he met with Reggie Tate specifically to discuss the case and the particulars of PDN cases. Reggie was far more experienced, as the Potions, Drugs and Narcotics co-ordinator. By lunchtime, Harry was wondering where the day had gone and had returned to his office to complete some paperwork.
There was a knock on his door into the HPHPHP area. Harry looked up from the patrol schedules, observing the clock above his door which read seven o' clock. When had that happened? "Come in!" Harry shouted. It was Stacey at the door. Harry gave her a smile. "You okay, Stace?"
She nodded with a returned smile. "We're gonna go to the Chimera, if you fancy it, boss?"
Harry grinned. If it was a Friday night, and they weren't working the weekend (which was about once a month), they would generally go out for a few drinks. And, usually, the younger of the lot would end up at some clubs on Crystal Trail, a magical clubbing street in Manchester. It was very popular with people from all over the world, especially at the weekend. "Yeah, give me ten mins and I'll join you."
"Perfect, see you in a few," she replied with a wink, closing the door behind her.
XXX
"Hey, it's Harry!" Alex Santos shouted. Ginny looked up from her vodka and pumpkin juice to see Harry approaching. She'd not spent very much time with him over the past few days, because of their lapse on Tuesday night. She was determined not to make the same mistake tonight.
"Hey guys," Harry greeted, taking a seat next to Maggie around the table. "No Vicky?" he asked, naming the only member of HPHPHP who hadn't joined them. They all shook their heads with a shrug. Vicky had said that she had to get home.
"Ten minutes my arse, Harry!" Stacey called. "It's been at least half an hour."
Harry grimaced and Ginny wondered how much he knew of Stacey's feelings for him. "Sorry, Stace, got caught up a bit with patrol schedules." The entire team groaned and Harry seemed to agree. Ginny herself hadn't experienced a patrol yet. From what she understood, teams worked a week of patrols every month, either on Diagon Alley, at Hogwarts or Hogsmeade. They also patrolled quidditch games or other big events, including Hogsmeade weekends. "Anyway, I'm gonna get a drink. Won't be two ticks," Harry told them with a grin.
"So, how have you found your first week, Ginny?" Simon asked her. He was a lovely man, who'd been working at the auror office for 38 years. He was now 58 and finally retiring. He'd worked through both of Voldemort's reigns and had finally experienced the auror office in a state of organisation and clarity. He said that that was all he'd ever wanted.
"It's been great," Ginny confessed. She'd loved every moment. Yes, it was hard work but she'd expected that. She got along with every team member and felt that she'd been put into an amazing group. "I didn't think I'd be enjoying it so much."
Simon grinned. "It is amazing. Hard work, mind, but amazing."
Harry returned a few minutes later and sat back down. The conversation transferred to him and it was clear how every member of the team revered him. Ginny took the opportunity to review her surroundings. She'd never even heard of the Chimera. It was a magical pub in Liverpool that the aurors favoured. They were definitely not the only team of aurors there. When they'd arrived, Cameron Woods had informed Ginny that, if you weren't working at the weekend, you came to the Chimera on a Friday night and, if you weren't working Sunday, you came on a Saturday after work. Essentially, if they weren't working the next day, they would come to the Chimera. Ginny did not have a problem with that at all.
They chatted for ages. Time flew by. Ginny found out all about the people she worked with, who was married, who had kids, who was a lightweight. After two drinks, Robin was talking about what her boyfriend was like in bed. After three drinks, Alex was gushing about how much his loved his wife. After four, Ruby was telling them how much she hated Shelly Cruz from HPBNIW, much to the team's agreement. Having never met her, Ginny didn't want to make any judgement, but she had a feeling she wouldn't like her either.
Five drinks in and Ginny was smashed. Completely and utterly smashed. More drunk than she'd been the other night when she'd shagged Harry. "So, Ginny," Ruby giggled, "you've not told us! What's your deal? You got a boyfriend? Girlfriend?"
Ginny giggled herself. "No!" she practically yelled. "I was seeing Dean when I started at the Academy. He was my brother's best friend, but he couldn't stand the thought of me working for the aurors," Ginny told the team with a roll of her eyes. "He wasn't that interesting anyway. I had a thing with a guy who worked at the bar near the Academy for a while, but it wasn't about anything but the sex," she whispered, unsure of how well that worked. "He was in-cred-i-ble though," Ginny confessed loudly, before downing the rest of her drink.
"The best you've ever had?" Robin questioned with a waggle of her eyebrows. Ginny bit her lip and threw her head back, staring at the ceiling. "What are you doing?" she giggled.
"I'm thinking!"
Harry was sat opposite her on the table and she couldn't deal with him trying to hide his smirk. "Come on, Ginny," she heard him begin, "surely it's not that difficult."
Ginny narrowed her eyes at the light on the ceiling. "Well," she said, swinging herself upwards, "the thing is, I've been with some guys who thought a bit too much of themselves, if you know what I mean."
Robin laughed raucously. "I know exactly what you mean, Ginny. Guys who think they're all that and actually don't have that much going for them," she said with a purposeful look at her crotch. Ginny giggled uncontrollably.
"Exactly, Robin! The last guy I was with was just like that," Ginny said with a sad shake of her head.
"Shall we go to Aparecium?" Harry interrupted, before Ginny could continue slagging him off.
"Yes!" Chloe agreed, shotting the rest of her vodka coke.
XXX
The team apparated to Manchester. They'd been slimmed slightly, leaving just Ginny, Robin, Chloe, Stacey, Ruby, Alex and Harry for the clubs. It was the usual group who actually hit the clubs. They never intended on going to clubs when they set out for the night, but after drinks at the Chimera, they were always up for Aparecium, their favourite club.
The queue for the club was rather large. "Come on, Harry, you know they'll let us in if they see you," Ruby pleaded. "You've done it before!"
Harry laughed. He had done it before, just the once, but then everyone knew he was inside and he'd had a shit night if he was honest. He couldn't be arsed with that tonight, not on his first night out with Ginny. Not that that mattered. Not that she particularly mattered. He shook himself. He'd only had four drinks but he was just as drunk as he'd been on Tuesday night with Ginny.
"Nah, Rubes," he said, slinging an arm around her shoulders. "Let's queue up like the rest of the rabble." Ruby giggled and wrapped an arm around his waist. They walked along, talking about everything and nothing. Ruby was one of his favourites among the team. Harry could hear Ginny talking to Alex behind them.
Stop.
Harry could hear Stacey talking to Chloe and Robin behind them. And Ginny talking to Alex. Maybe drinking with her wasn't the best idea, but it was too late now.
Standing in queues for clubs wasn't the most interesting part of the night, but Harry didn't necessarily mind it, especially when it wasn't absolutely freezing. It meant that he got a chance to chat with his friends for that bit longer. He was listening to Alex describe a particularly interesting position his girlfriend had got into last night when Ginny moved rather suddenly. The whole team looked at her confused.
"What the fuck are you doing, Weasley?" Harry slurred, observing her hiding behind Alex.
"My brothers have just walked past," she said, swearing directly afterwards. "They're so embarrassing. Do not let them see me!" she ordered. Harry smirked at her and lifted his hands to his mouth, about to shout somebody's name. Ginny punched him in the stomach, much to his amusement.
"I'm joking, Weasley," he chortled. "Although, attacking your superiors, not a joke," he told her, wagging a finger in her face.
"Get your finger out of my face, Potter, and help me stay hidden if you want a decent night. Those twats will completely ruin this if they see me," she said with a roll of her eyes.
"It's okay, Weasley, we'll protect you," Alex joked, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.
Jealousy flared through Harry's body. He wanted to punch Alex in the face, despite knowing that Alex had a wife and it was just a friendly gesture. He glared daggers at Alex's arm and, then, promptly, turned to Stacey and began having a conversation with her. Anything to not look at Ginny giggling at Alex.
Stacey was the wrong choice, Harry realised immediately. She loved to touch people on a night out, he remembered as she stroked his arm. Harry turned to the team again and found Ginny's eyes narrowed on Stacey's hand. Harry grinned. If he was a more horrible person, he'd use Stacey to his advantage and tease the living daylights out of Ginny. But there were several problems with that plan:
Stacey was a member of his team and that would screw with her feelings
Stacey was a member of his team and that was unethical
THERE WAS NOTHING GOING ON BETWEEN HIM AND GINNY
Finally, they reached the front of the queue. They showed their apparition licences and then paid a galleon each. Stamps firmly on their hands, they entered their favourite club. It played muggle and magical music, with classics such as Mr Brightside and Come On Eileen played regularly. As they entered, I Don't Feel Like Dancing was playing.
"Come on," Robin enticed, "Let's dance!"
XXX
Ginny loved going out and dancing. It was one of her favourite parts of the Academy, her prolific nightlife. She particularly loved Aparecium's music. The song playing at the moment was Sk8er Boi, one of her favourites. Holding her hands out to the right lyrics, she shook her arse like no one was watching, loving the feel of the alcohol coursing through her body. She danced with everyone. Robin grinded against her as though they were together, making Ginny giggle and squeal. Stacey kept reaching over and grabbing her tit to Ginny's surprise and delight. Alex span her around and around until she was too dizzy to stand.
Harry, however, stood away from her at all times. Every so often, she'd look up and see him dancing with Robin or Alex or Ruby. Sometimes, she'd see him with Stacey and anger would course through her veins and the sight of Stacey's face, so infatuated. It disgusted Ginny.
"What the hell? Ginny?"
Well fuck. She knew that voice. Behind her stood Bill, her eldest brother. "Bill!" she cried drunkenly, wrapping her arms around his neck. Her other brothers swiftly followed.
"What the fuck are you doing here, Ginny?" Bill asked angrily and Ginny scoffed. Robin came and slung her arm over Ginny's shoulders.
"Excuse me, I don't know who the fuck you are," Robin slurred, "but this is an Aurors night out only and we do not appreciate your presence." Ginny giggled madly at the look on her brothers' faces.
"You heard the lady," Ginny informed them, shoving Bill in the chest. "You are not welcome."
Charlie looked at her disapprovingly. "You're drunk."
"And you, Charles, are boring me! Come on, Robin, let's go back to some fun people," Ginny announced, wrapping her arm around Robin's waist and striding off towards where Harry and the rest of the team had moved to. Her brothers didn't follow, thankfully. Annoying gits.
When they found their friends again, Ginny saw that Stacey had her arms around Harry's neck and was dancing far too close to him. Fury swelled in her stomach. Why wasn't Harry pushing her off him? Why was he letting her dance so close to him? She was practically grinding against him. Did he like her? Maybe they were going out secretly. Maybe he'd cheated on her with Ginny.
"I'm going to the toilet!" Ginny shouted and stormed off, pushing past people on her way to the toilets. She couldn't stand looking at that- that whore for one more second. She reached the toilets and sat on the ledge that ran along the wall between the mens and womens loos. Thankfully, no one had followed her, so she didn't have to explain that she'd run off because she was jealous of one of her co-workers grinding against her boss, who she happened to have shagged quite a few times, despite only having started work on Monday.
She considered going home. The night was awesome and she was having so much fun, but she'd catch Harry's eye in the corner of hers and her heart would ache. She was aware that her attraction to him wasn't just about the sex. It was everything. He was awesome. He made her smile. He was so powerful and confident and fun and he cared about everyone. Harry was everything she had ever wanted and Fate had cursed her with him as a boss.
However, Ginny Weasley was not a coward. Men did not control her life. She was going to continue having an amazing night, no matter how much she wanted to be spending it with Harry. Despite her resolve, Ginny continued to sit on the bench for a few more minutes, until she had fully steeled herself.
"Gin?"
Oh bloody hell. Harry coming over had not been part of the plan. Ginny forced a smile onto her face and turned to him. "Harry?" she said, "what are you doing here?"
Harry reached out a hand to her and pulled her up from the bench, putting his mouth by her ear so that she could actually hear him. "I came to find you," he told her, "I was worried." His lips were too close to her ear. Those stupid lips that could do such magical things. They sent shocks through her body. She would happily have those lips anywhere on her body, following the shivers he was sending through her. "Are you okay?" he asked, looking deep into her eyes.
With him looking at her like that, Ginny just wanted to kiss him. His eyes were incredible, the brightest colour of green she'd ever seen. "Gin?" he prompted.
"Sorry, I was busy falling into your eyes," she giggled into his ear. Harry's grin warmed her insides. He wrapped his arms around her waist.
"Caught you," he whispered and Ginny laughed, leaning her head against his shoulder. When she felt the press of his lips against her neck, her breath caught.
"Harry," she warned.
"Let me have you again," he said into her ear and her heart broke. There was nothing she wanted more. "Let me have you, Ginny," he implored and Ginny shook her head, wrapping her arms around his neck.
"We can't," she said against his chest.
"What?" he said, clearly unable to hear her. Ginny shook her head. She heard him sigh. She felt it.
His fingers tickled the underneath of her chin and she giggled, looking up at him. He was the perfect height in her opinion, taller than her by quite a bit but not by as much as Ron or Bill. Fuck it, she was drunk.
Their lips were crashing together before they knew what was happening. He was an excellent kisser, the best she'd ever had. Hips ground together, mirroring the actions of their lips. He backed her into the wall and pinned her against it. "Harry." She pulled away desperately. They would regret this in the morning. "No, Harry, we can't."
"I know," he said emphatically. "But I want to more than anything in the world, Ginny," he hissed into her ear. She knew. By the word, she knew. She could feel him against her leg, hard and pulsing. The same feeling was shooting around her body. She pulled out of his arms and gave him a sad smile, pressing a kiss against his stubbled cheek and leaving it there for a few seconds. He sighed.
She left.
XXX
"I dunno, mate," Harry protested as he exited the gym with Dave Jennings, Sam Allen and Owen James, his best friends within the unit.
"Come on, Harry. Vera would love to see you," Dave implored.
"Okay, so it'll be you and Vera, Sam and Jackie, Owen and Rachel, Naomi and Frankie, Anna and Mike, and then just me. On my own," Harry told them with a roll of his eyes.
"Then bring a date!" Owen suggested. Rolling his eyes was far too common a habit when he was around his mates. A date. Harry snorted.
They reached the gym door. "Come on, you're Harry Potter. Any girl in the world would want to go with you," Sam said with a roll of his eyes.
"Nah but I don't want a fangirl," Harry stated for what felt like the millionth time.
"Oh but they'd be oh so lovely in the sack," Owen said with a waggle of his eyebrows. Harry rolled his eyes.
"Non fangirls are rather decent as well," Harry said, grinning slightly at the thought of Ginny.
The three men shared a look. "Oh are they indeed? Is this something to do with Sunday night, Potter?" Dave asked curiously. Harry smirked at them.
"Maybe."
"Well, invite this non fangirl!" Dave encouraged. Harry's smirk slipped off his face. He'd never be able to invite Ginny to that sort of thing because he'd never be able to be with Ginny. Not in the way Naomi and Frankie, both heads of departments, could be. "Ey up, did she bin you off after you shagged her? Are you really that shit in bed?"
Harry punched Dave in the arm. "Fuck off," he laughed. "Nah, it just would never work between us you know?"
"Too different?" Sam queried.
Harry thought about it. He and Ginny really weren't too different at all. Of course, there were differences between them, but they both loved the same things. They were actually rather well suited to each other, but other things got in the way.
"Something like that," Harry muttered, ignoring the look that the other guys were giving him.
"Well, I don't care if you bring no one. You're coming on Tuesday night," Dave declared. Harry sighed.
XXX
Returning to the flat, Harry jumped into the shower. The gym had done a lot to get rid of his hangover, but nothing to make him stop remembering his conversation with Ginny outside the loos in Aparecium last night. She'd been the sensible one in the situation and Harry berated himself for that. He was her boss; he needed to be the sensible one.
But, Merlin, she stopped him being sensible. Generally, he was a sensible man. It was what got him so far with the Aurors. It was why he hadn't had sex in months - because he thought about it before he did it. And there would be nothing more embarrassing than an interview in the Daily Prophet from a girl he'd shagged. You just never knew what she'd say. So, he didn't shag anyone he didn't trust. No one magical anyway.
Except Ginny.
He'd not thought twice before shagging her on Sunday night. It hadn't even crossed his mind to do the sensible thing and say no. If he had, his life would be about a million times easier now. But it wasn't. And he didn't rightly care.
That shag had been the best of his life. And with someone that he got along with so well. She was so perfect. Perfect in general, but also perfect for him.
Harry shook his head, turning the shower off. He had no idea what he was going to do. What he wanted to do was more clear. He wanted to say fuck it to all the rules and get together with Ginny. But he couldn't. Of course he couldn't.
"Harry!" he heard a voice scream as he entered his living room, dressed only in a pair of jeans.
"Oof," burst out of him as a small child jumped up onto him. "Hey, Cady," Harry said, looking over his goddaughter's shoulder at his godfather and his wife, each carrying a child.
Another child had latched onto his leg and Harry joked around trying to move while Magnus giggled wildly. Acadia laughed with her hands running her hands through Harry's messy hair. "You alright, pup?" Sirius asked with a smirk. Harry chuckled and sat down on his sofa, Acadia settling on his lap and Magnus crawling up to sit next to him.
"To what do I owe this pleasure?" Harry asked, nodding along to whatever Acadia was saying. Amelia came over to sit down next to Harry, their newborn baby Persephone in her arms.
Sirius sat down on his other side and Harry smiled oddly, looking between the two. "We just wanted to check on you, make sure you weren't spending your weekend all alone," Sirius told him. Harry rolled his eyes.
"I only got up at midday, ate and then went to the gym with some guys from work. Then, I got home, had a shower and here I am," Harry told them dryly.
"Topless," Amelia added with a smirk.
"Yes, well, if I'd had some sort of warning, I would've put a top on," Harry said, trying to pull his face away as Acadia poked it. Amelia rolled her eyes at him.
"Not bring anyone home last night then?" she asked curiously. Sirius looked at him with his eyebrows raised and Harry leaned back against the sofa.
"No," he said definitively. Maybe he should confide in them about Ginny. If anyone could help, they could. Meh. It had only been a week. Crushes didn't go away in a week. And that was all this was. A crush.
"Cady, get off Harry and let him hold your sister," Amelia instructed and Acadia complied immediately with a pout. She still sat as closely to him as possible, but allowed him to hold her black-haired sister. Persephone was six weeks old and she was beautiful. She was the spitting image of Sirius, with lovely black hair and piercing grey eyes.
"Where's Romy?" Harry asked, querying their missing child.
"She's at Lucy's."
Amelia stood and moved to the kitchen, opening and closing all of the cupboards.
"Amelia," Harry protested.
"I'm gonna make some food," she told him. "What did you have for lunch?"
"I was just about to make it before you busy bodies arrived."
"Harry, it's four in the afternoon!" Harry's mouth dropped. Was it really that late? The charity football game started in half an hour. He wondered if Ginny would join him like she'd hinted she would. "What? What time did you think it was?" Amelia asked with a laugh and a smirk.
"No, I just- there's a football match on this afternoon," he told them with a crooked smile. His godfather and his wife laughed at him. Harry rolled his eyes at the baby in his arms. "Always get mocked I do, Seffie."
"Good idea, Potter. Get the baby on your side," Sirius teased. "What football game is it?"
"Some charity thing," Harry said distractedly. "I was gonna watch it downstairs."
"Are you saying we're not invited?" Amelia said, faux-hurt. Harry rolled his eyes and tickled Persephone's stomach.
"Come if you want, but I know for a fact you hate football, Amelia," Harry said with raised eyebrows, only to be ignored. Amelia finally located the bread and ham and began to make Harry a sandwich. Sometimes she forgot that Harry wasn't a child.
XXX
Ginny had spent her day sat in the common room, as she often did, not having any sort of chair or bed in her flat. When she wasn't in the common room, she was leaning against a piece of wall in her flat, going over the auror handbook or reading some other sort of book. It wasn't like she had anything else to do.
"What you watching?" she heard from behind her. Unwarranted, her heart skipped a beat. Containing a sigh of discontent at her heart's reaction, Ginny turned and gave Harry a small smile.
"News," she replied simply, her stomach doing a funny sort of flip as he took a seat next to her. "Not very interesting. I didn't know what channel the football game was on," she said, trying with everything she had to diminish the awkwardness in the room. He gave her a smile and took the remote control, turning it to channel 1.
"It starts in a few minutes," Harry told her. Ginny didn't look at him, only at the three men on the screen who were discussing the non-professionals who would be playing in the football match.
It took two minutes for both aurors to decide that they couldn't deal with the awkwardness. "Look, Harry," Ginny started and the moment that Harry began, "Ginny, I just-"
"You go," Ginny encouraged, eager to know what it was that Harry thought of the situation.
"I just wanted to apologise," he sighed. "It should have been me stopping us last night. I should never have started it and I don't want to blame my drunken state. That's not fair to you because you were drunk as well. I'm your boss and I shouldn't have kissed you in a bar where anyone could see. I shouldn't have kissed you at all," Harry considered. Ginny swallowed the lump of disappointment. "I want to be friends," he told her desperately and Ginny nodded eagerly.
"Let's be friends," she agreed. "Friends who work together, but do not sleep together," she joked and was gratified when Harry laughed.
"Agreed," he said and they shared a smile. "Now, the game's starting. Don't hesitate to ask me anything you don't understand," he teased her.
"Shove off, Potter, I'm sure it won't take me long to get a grip of things," she shot back.
XXX