A/N: Happy Kissing Friday, everyone! Hope your day was eventful and full of kisses! Thanks to Jonelle for being the fabulous beta she is. Enjoy!

Chapter 4- Thoughts

February 21

Ginny Weasley wondered why she was sitting on a couch in front of the fireplace in the very empty Gryffindor common room while every other Gryffindor in her year was outside enjoying the unusually warm day. Staring at the fire, which really wasn't needed, she relived the covert glances, the small gestures, the little touches that she and Harry had shared over the last few days.

Harry. He was the reason she wasn't outside. She still couldn't quite believe that he was hers. Well, at least she thought of him as hers. She sighed. Were they ever going to go public with their relationship? And what kind of relationship did they have exactly? It was all her fault for suggesting that they sneak around. Harry would never be the type of guy to only be out to get that "one thing" from a girl, but still was she his girlfriend, albeit a secret one? Is that what she wanted?

Ginny had to admit to herself that she had never really pictured herself with anyone other than Harry. She really didn't know how much longer she could simply play being only his friend, not now that she knew what those lips felt like and how they could move against her skin. Moreover, she wanted more than anything to shut Romilda Vane up. Just today at lunch, Romilda had been overheard bragging about how she was this close, holding her index finger and thumb about two centimetres apart, to getting Harry into her bed. Ginny longed to be able to turn to Romilda and say how incredibly difficult that would be since Harry was her boyfriend and she didn't share. However, she was bound by an agreement of her own suggestion, which prevented her saying anything.

Her thoughts returned to more pleasant ones, reliving some of the steamy encounters she and Harry had shared under his Invisibility Cloak. Her body temperature started to rise, causing her to fan herself in an effort to cool down.

An arm appeared over the back of the couch with a finger trailing up her right arm. Ginny nearly jumped through the roof of the tower. She had thought herself to be completely alone in the common room. Turning around on the couch, brandishing her wand, she startled at the sight in front of her.

His green eyes sparkling with mischief, Harry simply held out his hand to lead her around to the back of the couch and into his arms.

"Wait. Aren't you supposed to be in class?" Ginny asked, surprise in her voice.

Harry seemed to think about it for a minute before answering, "Yes, but I decided that I would skive off since you had a free period."

"But Harry, it's a N.E.W.T. level class. You can't just skive off," Ginny scolded him.

"You can if you use a Nosebleed Nougat and get yourself sent to the Hospital Wing." He grinned at her as his hands ran up and down her back. "In fact, I was told by Madam Pomfrey that I needed to rest." He waggled his eyebrows at her. "What do you say? Play nurse for me?"

Despite her confusion over their relationship, Ginny couldn't help noticing how happy Harry seemed. She had never seen him act this light-hearted and teasing before. Tilting her head, her smile grew as his hands ran up her back and over her shoulders to cup her face. He pulled her body close to his. His lips teased by nipping first at one side of her mouth and then the other before coming to rest directly on top of her lips. All rational thought vanished once his mouth had assaulted hers.

"What do you say we take advantage of the fact that all the rest of my roommates are in class?" Harry whispered in between kisses. Ginny's brain couldn't seem to form words, so she just nodded. Grabbing her hand to pull her behind him, Harry darted toward the stairs.

Once they crossed the threshold of the boys' dormitory, Harry's lips attacked hers in a fierce battle for dominance. Ginny didn't really notice anything about the décor of the room as Harry walked her backwards up to the bed while nibbling at her lips and running his hands through her hair. Ginny stumbled when her foot hit the small step that led to the bed. Her eyes popped open and a giggle escaped.

Neither one of them saw the previous occupant of the room sneak toward the door. After he closed it behind him, Neville mouthed, "Harry and Ginny?" He secured his textbook in his hand more firmly and swept down the steps to head to class.

Scrambling up onto the bed, trying out different poses while his back was turned, Ginny watched Harry pull the curtains closed and cast a Locking and Silencing Charm on them. Harry turned and dived onto the bed, causing her to bounce up off the bed for a few seconds before landing back beside Harry. She grinned widely at the sight of Harry's dancing green eyes. Ginny thought again about how light-hearted Harry seemed.

"Who are you? And just what have you done with Harry Potter?" Ginny asked, giggling.

"It's not what have I done with Harry Potter, but rather what you have done with Harry Potter," Harry replied.

"Oh," Ginny said, slightly confused. She reached up to scratch at her eyebrow when Harry grabbed her hand to pull her toward him. The dancing in his eyes had slowed and a fire leapt into them. Ginny was shocked to see the instant change from his carefree attitude to one of passion. Did she really have that kind of effect on him? Cradling her cheek in one hand, Harry traced her lips with his thumb before swooping down to capture her lips with his. After a few minutes, she pulled away to take a moment to catch her breath, which was only stolen away again at the sight in front of her.

"Do you really need the glasses?" she asked, licking her lips at the picture he made lying on the bed with his hair all crumpled and messy.

"Well, if I want to see you, which of course I do, then yes. Why?" Harry asked, his eyes bright with curiosity.

Ginny sighed. "I like running my fingers through your hair, but I always seem to knock your glasses askew. I wanted to avoid that if possible."

"Well, I'm so sorry that you happened to fall in with a blind male like me. Maybe you should go back to Dean. He has perfect eyesight after all," Harry retorted. Ginny's eyes went wide.

"I know you did not just suggest that I go back to that prat of a roommate of yours. Perfect eyesight is all fine and handy," she wiggled her eyebrows at this, deliberately changing the saying, "but his lips are not nearly as creative and… adventurous as yours are." At this, she looked at him through lowered eyelashes before fluttering them at him. As she wanted and anticipated, he then pounced on her. Kisses were shared and savoured. Pulses raced before the two of them pulled away from one another, knowing that they weren't quite ready to take that next leap yet.

Ginny's head rested against Harry's chest, listening to the sound of his slowing heartbeat. Propping herself up on one hand, she looked down at Harry and swept away a lock of hair from his brow with her free hand. A wave of emotion swept over her and she realized that the crush she had had on Harry was completely gone. In its place was pure unadulterated love. While she had known that she was winding her way toward love with Harry, this afternoon delight had shown her a more carefree Harry than she had ever seen. This had been a Harry without the burden of Voldemort. This was the Harry she wanted as her own for all time. Now she just had to convince him that she could help him become that Harry and that she was the one for him.

HGRHHGRHHGRHHGRHHGRHHGRHHGRH HGRHHGRHHGRHHGRHHGRHHGRHHGRH

February 28

Hermione slowly picked at her plate of food, absent-mindedly twisting a lock of hair around her left index finger. Her friends' voices resounded in her ears, but she wasn't following their conversation. Instead she merely soaked in the feelings evoked by one particular voice. The deep timbre sent little vibrations up and down her limbs. Hermione knew it was strange to have a crush on someone that had all started with sound of his voice, but when Ron's voice had changed, so had Hermione's feelings for him. She had been deprived of hearing it for so long now, ever since he had started seeing Lavender. Ron, however, had recently broken it off with Lavender and as a result had started sitting with Harry at the Gryffindor table once more. Still, Hermione didn't know how to talk to him since their kiss on Kissing Friday, which resulted in her just sitting at the table, listening to the sound of his voice wash over her.

She was stuck in her thoughts until a large hand touched her shoulder. Startling, she turned around to see Ron standing behind her holding two rucksacks on one of his shoulders.

"Ron, hurry up. We have Quidditch practice. You know that Harry will make you fly extra laps if you're late," Ginny called to him as she hurried out of the Great Hall.

"I have to go get my gear from the Tower. I'll be there in a few minutes," he called back to her.

Hermione glanced down to the floor beside her to verify her supposition. "Ronald Weasley," she said, standing up and placing her hands on her hips, "what are you doing with my bag?"

"Geez, 'Mione, I was just going to carry it up to the Tower for you. Angry much?" Ron replied.

"Ronald, are you implying that I'm incapable of carrying my own books up the stairs, even though I've been doing it for the past five years without a problem?" Hermione crossed her arms mid-rant and glared at Ron, who placidly just held out her bag for her to take.

"Well, they are kind of heavy, but you know what? It's not worth fighting over. I'll see you later at the library, Hermione," Ron responded calmly before heading out of the Great Hall. Hermione just stared at his retreating back, stunned. It wasn't worth fighting over? Since when did Ron Weasley back down from a fight? She cursed under her breath, wondering if he had figured out her strategy of starting a fight with him, just to hear his voice. He'll see me later at the library? Hermione couldn't believe the changes in Ron. It was like she had no idea who he was anymore. Realizing that she was still standing in the middle of the Great Hall, she looked around for anything she might have forgotten before heading to the library.

Hermione threw her rucksack onto the library table, earning her a scowl from Madam Pince. Her short burst of temper evaporated at the sound of the impact. Slumping down into the chair, Hermione rested her head on her hands. Just what was Ron playing at? He was so different from before. Now he was showing up in the library all the time, trying to carry her bag, their kiss…

Ron surely didn't realize that the kiss he gave her on Kissing Friday was her first kiss. Oh, she knew the rumours that Lavender and Parvati had started about her snogging Viktor, but they weren't true. She hadn't said anything to contradict the rumour because after all, what girl wants to admit to never being kissed? Plus, in her deepest of hearts, she had hoped it would make Ron somewhat jealous and realize that she was a girl. She had thought it had the desired effect when Ron had agreed to attend Professor Slughorn's party with her. Instead, it seemed to have the opposite--driving him right into Lavender's arms since Harry had later told her that Ron had not heard the rumours until right before he got together with Lavender. Then again, if he was attracted to Lavender, then there was little to no chance that he could be even slightly interested in her. She and Lavender couldn't be more different as the only thing they had in common was sharing a house dorm room.

Before Lavender entered the picture as Ron's girlfriend, at least Hermione had Ron's friendship, something for which she was willing to settle. Now it seemed that their friendship was damaged beyond repair. She really didn't know how to talk to him other than fighting and he wasn't cooperating with her in that area anymore. So not only had she lost her chance at being with Ron, but it also cost her his friendship. She wanted to put her head down and cry, but knew she could NOT break down in the library.

She had quite a lot of work to catch up on. It was amazing how Ron's behaviour could confuse her so much that it would affect her concentration on her studies. But Ron was at Quidditch practice so he wouldn't be here distracting her. Now if she could just stop thinking about him for longer than five minutes, she might actually get some work done. Forcing all of her thoughts about one Ronald Weasley to the side, she set to work.

Harry pulled up on his broom to watch Ginny dodge a Bludger before she launched the Quaffle through the left hoop. Ginny smirked at Ron in triumph before zooming off to practice flying the Chaser weave with Dean and Demelza. Rather than looking for the Snitch, which would signal the end of practice, Harry watched Ginny's hair whip around her face set ablaze by the setting sun's rays like red-gold flames in a fire. Her face was lit with a glow similar to the one she had after one of their encounters. Just thinking of some of their exploits made Harry's limbs shiver in anticipation, along with making a certain part of his anatomy react.

The past two weeks had been heavenly. Harry honestly wondered if he had switched lives with somebody, considering how happy Ginny made him. The only fly in the ointment was the agreement to sneak around that Ginny had suggested and he had agreed to. Why had he ever agreed? Wait, he knew the answer to that one, Dean and Ron. Ginny hadn't wanted it to seem like she was dumping Dean for him. Harry hadn't wanted to face the scrutiny and lecture he would get from Ron for even thinking about Ron's baby sister like that. Yet, he couldn't have anticipated how often he would long to climb to the top of the Astronomy Tower and shout that Ginny Weasley was his girl. These longings grew more insistent every time he saw other blokes flirting with said girl, which, as she was very beautiful, was quite often. He knew that the only way to keep himself from looking like a overgrown Neanderthal was to talk to her about going public with their relationship. Harry knew he would do just that the first opportunity he got.

Spotting a glint of gold, he flew off, chasing after the Snitch like he planned on chasing the happiness he had with Ginny.

HGRHHGRHHGRHHGRHHGRHHGRHHGRH HGRHHGRHHGRHHGRHHGRHHGRHHGRH

"Hermione, I know I messed up on Kissing Friday, but you have to understand how incredibly tempting your lips were. I just couldn't help myself. I know I had a girlfriend who wasn't you, but don't you see you were the one I wanted for my girlfriend?" Ron looked into the mirror, trying to determine if these would be the phrases that would gain him access to the heart of the one he so wanted. He sighed before slumping onto his bed.

"Thinking heavy thoughts, Ron?" Neville asked. Ron jumped so high that his head brushed the top of the curtain on the bed. Admittedly his head wasn't too far from it to begin with though.

"Merlin, Nev, give a bloke some warning next time," Ron said, hand over his heart that was thumping in his chest. But after thinking about his previous activities, Ron stared at Neville trying to see if he could read on Neville's face whether or not he had heard what Ron had been rehearsing in the mirror.

"So, Ron, how long has this affair with the mirror been going on? I'm a little shocked at the fact that you would prefer a two-dimensional object to Lavender, but then Lavender can get annoying…" Neville said, trailing off as he apparently thought about previous encounters with Ron's ex-girlfriend.

"I don't want the mirror, you prat. I was practising a talk that I want to have with someone," Ron admitted, looking everywhere but at Neville.

"Oh, you mean you've finally woken up to the fact that you're in love with Hermione?" Neville asked with a hint of sarcasm in his voice. He sat on the edge of Harry's bed. Ron figured he did this since Harry's was the one closest to where Ron was sitting. Then the words that Neville said hit Ron fully.

"How? What? How did you know?" Ron stuttered in response.

"Let's see, I've lived with you and had classes with the both of you for," Neville placed a finger on his chin as if in thought, "five and a half years now. Ron, everyone in the castle can pretty much tell you that you're in love with Hermione and she's in love with you. Well, maybe not Crabbe and Goyle, but no one ever accused them of being intelligent."

Ron, being Ron, latched onto the part of Neville's sentence about him in love with Hermione and completely missed everything that came after. He stood up to pace back and forth between the beds.

"What do you mean everyone knows I'm in love with Hermione? I just broke up with Lavender. I'm not sure if what I'm feeling is even love," Ron ranted. Then he paused and collapsed on his bed, arms going up over his head. "Neville, what am I going to do?"

"Tell her. It's not that hard," Neville replied.

Since when does Neville give advice like this? Ron thought. "Um, did you catch what I was trying to do when I was talking to the mirror? I was trying to figure out how to approach her with it."

"Ron, she's your best friend, well, one of them. How difficult is it to just tell her?" Neville asked, exasperated.

"You don't understand. I kissed her."

"You what?" Neville's mouth dropped.

"On Kissing Friday. I kissed her and I was still seeing Lavender. Hermione hates me now, Nev." Ron grabbed his pillow and buried his face in it.

"No, she doesn't. But you're right in practicing what you're going to say. Knowing you, you'll just put your foot in your mouth. No, make that both feet," Neville mused.

After a few moments of silence, Neville broke it. "Ron, you could practise on me. Pretend like I'm Hermione."

Ron threw his pillow towards the head of the bed in his efforts to sit up to look at his friend. Trying to figure out if there was an angle as to why Neville would offer this, he studied his friend's face. What is up with Neville? This really wasn't like him.

Seeing Ron's examination, Neville shrugged. "It's totally up to you. I don't care one way or the other if you decide to try this out, but I do want to see you finally make Hermione happy. She's been through enough with you."

"What are you saying?" Ron asked.

"Just that it's about time she got the opportunity to be happy. Ron, every time she's attempted to be happy in a relationship with a guy of any sorts, other than Harry, you've ruined it."

"No. What? That can't be true, can it?" Ron ran his hand through his hair, scratching his head. He thought back over the years and when Hermione was with other guys. "The only guy I can think of her trying anything with is Krum and I most decidedly didn't do anything to ruin that."

"Oh, really? Interesting how your memory is different than mine. Even though I was otherwise occupied, even I know about the fight you two got into the night of the Yule Ball. Oh, and he wasn't the only one she tried anything with or did you forget that she had invited you to the Slug Club Christmas party at one point? But no, then again you had to be an idiot and start up with Lavender. You didn't want Krum to have her, but you made her feel like she wasn't worth a Knut. And you kissed her? Well, you need to start planning out what you want to say to her." Neville just shook his head at his friend. "Now come on and try out something on me."

Ron thought about it for a few minutes. "So what do you think? Should I be on my knees? I mean, isn't that the tried-and-true grovelling position?" Ron asked Neville.

"I think it might be a good idea after all you've done," Neville replied.

Ron complied by getting on his knees by his bed. "Should I be at her feet, too?"

Neville nodded. Ron crossed over to Neville while remaining on his knees. Clearing his throat, he started. "Hermione, Lavender pales in comparison to you."

Neville shook his head. "Ron, don't bring up Lavender! It's just a reminder of the girl you chose over Hermione."

Ron rocked his body to rest back on his heels for a moment. Biting his cheek, he thought about what he could say to explain to Hermione what he felt. He had a glimmer of inspiration hit, driving him back onto his knees. He grabbed Neville's hand.

"Nice touch," Neville said, lifting their joint hands. "Hermione would enjoy it."

Ron took a deep breath. "Did you know that your smile brightens my whole day? Each morning I look forward to the brilliance of it lighting up the room. The days when your laugh fills the room with--"

Two snickers were heard from the doorway. With eyes wide, Ron, with Neville's hand still in his, looked over to see Harry and Seamus clutching opposite sides of the door to prevent themselves from falling onto the floor with laughter. Ron dropped Neville's hand like a hot Quaffle. Slowly backing away, he almost didn't hear Seamus ask, "With?"

He missed Neville's response as his face flushed scarlet in embarrassment. He crawled to his bed before slowly pulling himself up onto it. Right before he buried his face in his pillow, he heard Seamus say, "I've always wondered if you two kids would get together."

Ron grabbed the other pillow to cover his head in shame. He knew he would never live this one down.