Chapter Twenty Nine
February
"So, what you're saying is that you and Babblesworth are going to destroy my wedding ring, right?" James asked Harry.
"That's pretty much it, yeah," Harry said nodding. They sat in Serena's office for a private place to talk. Harry had just told his father about his plans with Babblesworth.
"Your mother's going to love that," James said smiling.
"I don't see any other way, really. I mean he may be Pagan, but without all of the Horcruxes destroyed there still isn't any way to kill him." James nodded and the two sat in silence for a moment.
"Harry, while I appreciate you telling me when you intend to go on a potentially fatal adventure I must ask what the real reason you asked me here is?" James asked. Harry laughed nervously.
"Ginny found that book you gave me, and she just happened to read part of the chapter on sex. She told me that she had to 'think' about what she was going to do about what she read. Later that night she told me that and I quote, 'you can have me when ever you want me.' And now I don't know what to do," Harry said.
"Well, what did you say to her when she said that?" James asked.
"I told her to go to sleep," Harry said and James raised his eyebrows, "we were in her bed, and don't get any ideas, nothing happened."
"And that's the problem, isn't it?" James asked.
"No, the problem is that I don't want her to think that I don't want to have sex with her by not having sex with her, but I also don't want her to be agreeing to have sex with me just because she thinks I need it. I don't want her rushing into something that she's not ready for." James listened to Harry carefully and thought before he said anything.
"From all that I know about Ginny, she doesn't seem like the type that would say that you could do something when she didn't want you to do it or wasn't ready for you to do it. But the only way for you to know for sure is to ask her why she said that," James said.
"I love her, Dad," Harry said.
"I know you do."
"I want to, I really do."
"I know, Harry."
"But I'm worried."
"Don't be."
"What if she sticks with what she said?"
"Then do her."
"Dad!"
"What! If she told you that she wants it, then she does."
"She's human. Human's don't mean what they say," Harry said.
"You don't need to tell me about humans. But Ginny isn't like most humans. She isn't indecisive like most women her age. You've known her much longer then I have, how do you not know that?" James asked. Harry sat back in his chair and sigh.
"I'm just…"
"Just what?"
"Worried."
"About what?"
"When you and mum were dating and she said that she loved you, did you ever wonder if she really did?" Harry asked.
"What do you mean, Harry?"
"Well, how can a human really know if their love is real? They don't know that their in love at first sight."
"You're worried that Ginny doesn't really love you because she's human and can't really know," James said.
"Yeah."
"Harry, I think you've forgotten that that body doesn't just have her in it."
"She only loves me because the Key needs me."
"The Key can not force her to do anything more the abandon her control over her body. It can't force her to love. She loves you because it is destine to be so, as all true love is. You're worrying over nothing."
"I guess you're right," Harry said picking at his nail.
"Of course I'm right," James said making Harry laugh, "now go talk to her about it, I'm sure she'll appreciate it."
-----
"Harry?" Someone asked at the door to Harry's bedroom.
"What!" Harry said turning and looking frantically at the door. "Oh, it's just you, Hermione."
"Who were you worried it was?" Hermione asked walking into Harry's room and sitting on his bed.
"Who do you think?" Harry asked harshly. He hated it when Hermione asked questions that she already knew the answer to.
"Why don't you want to see Ginny?" Hermione asked.
"It's nothing, really. Just something that she and I need to talk about before I talk to anyone else about it. So, before you start asking me questions stop."
"Fine," Hermione said harshly.
"Fine, why are you here?"
"I just wanted to talk to you, Harry. It seems like we've drifted apart. What with you and Ginny, you being a Pagan, and then Ron and I, I just don't feel as close to you as I used to."
"I'm just a little preoccupied right now."
"With Ginny?"
"With everything," Harry said knowing that she was trying to pry.
"Harry," Hermione said in an exasperated tone. "I can't remember a time when I felt like you were keeping so much from Ron and I. Remus said that there were signs that you were a Pagan, signs that neither Ron nor I noticed. I want to know how much you've been keeping from us."
"I have been keeping my business mine," Harry said shortly.
"Harry," Hermione said upset.
"No, Hermione. My business is mine. I've told you what you what you need to know and that's all."
"What about Ginny?"
"What I tell Ginny when we're alone is between her and I, not you and Ron."
"Fine, Harry. If you don't want to share," Hermione said. She stood up and looked disapprovingly at Harry. "I just hope that our friendship doesn't suffer because of you not opening up." Hermione left.
"And I hope that our friendship doesn't suffer because of you prying!" Harry yelled at her retreating form.
-----
Ginny held Harry's hand as they walked down hall towards the Room of Requirements. Harry told Ginny that they needed to talk and Ginny insisted that they do 'it', whatever 'it' might be, in the Room of Requirements.
Harry and Ginny received a few shocked stares and more then a few glares from their fellow students as they walked down the hall.
Harry stood back as Ginny walked back and forth in front of the blank wall three times. When the door appeared he followed her inside. Once inside Harry regretted letting her choose the setting. There was a large four post bed at the far end of the dimly lit room. To the left there was a roaring fire, which was the only source of light. There was a great soft looking blanket in front of the fire, with two glasses of wine next to it. The right wall was covered in books, with names too naughty to repeat.
Harry watched Ginny take in the room with a look of excitement and nervousness on her face. Ginny read a couple of the titles of the books and blushed softly at a few of them, then went over to the bed and blushed an even deeper red. Harry walked up to her and looked down at the tiny piece of lingerie laying on it.
"Oh," Harry said with his hand clasped tightly behind his back. Ginny picked up the tiny piece of fabric and turned around to find a curtain in one corner of the room. She made a move towards it but Harry stopped her. "What are you doing?"
"I was going to put this on for you, but you don't want me to…" Ginny said looking up flirtatiously at Harry, knowing that he could not resist her when she looked at him like that.
"You know you I want you to…" Harry said without thinking. Ginny smiled and went behind the curtain. Once she was gone Harry realized what he had said. "Wait," he said feebly. Harry was confused. He wanted her, badly. But he did not want her to jump into something she was not ready for, and he did not get the chance to say that to her before she put on something that would drive him crazy. Harry walked over to the curtain. "Ginny." He tried.
"Just a minute, Harry," Ginny said smiling. The thing that Harry did not know was that Ginny did want him almost as much as he wanted her. The strange thing was that Ginny and Harry were not the only one's that wanted this to happen. The Key knew that Ginny would be safer as a Pagan and played a key role in helping her figure out what to do. Ginny could not exactly talk to the Key, but she just knew what it wanted and why.
Ginny put her school robes on over her lingerie and came out from behind the curtain cautiously. "Why are you doing this?" Harry blurted out before she could do anything. He was standing in front of the fire with his eyes on the floor so that he would not see her when she came out. "Is it because of what you read? Because that doesn't matter, Ginny. I can wait for you, if you're not ready. I just don't want you to jump into something that you're not ready for and then be sad about it later on because wished that you would have waited-…" Ginny silenced Harry with a kiss. When they broke apart Ginny said:
"I'm doing this because want you, and I love you, and I am most certainly ready for this. Any way don't you think that I'll be safer as a Pagan?" Harry still did not look convinced, so she dropped her robes from her body. Harry swallowed as his eyes traveled the length of her body back up to her face that held a confidence that reassured Harry that it would be all right in the end. He cupped her face and kissed her passionately. Ginny led them onto the soft blanket with Harry comfortably on top of her.
Harry sucked on her ear lope as Ginny ran her hands through his hair and scrapped her nails against the back of his neck. Ginny began unbuttoning Harry's shirt as Harry began exploring Ginny's body.
Now, the two had been intimate, very intimate, but as Harry began to shed his clothes they came to a new kind of intimate.
Harry picked Ginny up with her legs wrapped firmly around his waist and carried her over to the bed. He looked down at her and pealed off the tiny bit of fabric that she was wearing. Harry found, as she stripped, a new love: every inch of Ginny's skin that he had not yet seen.
"Now, Ginny-…" Harry began but Ginny cut him off with a long, slow kiss.
"Shut up and do it, Harry," Ginny said wrapping herself tighter around him. To say the least, Harry did not need to be told twice.
----
For the first time in a long time Harry felt completely at ease. The problem was that Harry was not in a situation where he should be relaxed. He was standing next to Babblesworth in front of Godric Hollow.
"So, ah," Harry began. Babblesworth looked at him expectantly. "What should I expect going in there?"
"Nothing much really. Riddle didn't get the chance to hide it all that well. He used your father's death to make the Horcrux, you see. He hid it under that stairs just in case and there it remains," Babblesworth said.
"What are we going to do with the ring once we've got it?" Harry asked.
"That sword at your waist, do you think that it could penetrate solid rock?" Babblesworth asked.
"It has in the past," Harry said simply.
"Because you were the one using it."
"I assume so."
"So, it's settled then."
"I'm going to destroy the Horcrux?"
"Indeed."
"Okay, then," Harry said. Harry and Babblesworth walked into Godric Hollow and Harry took in the area that his parents died in. Babblesworth walked over to the stairs and dug around under the stairs, while Harry walked around the living room. He touched a chair covered by a sheet. Harry blinked as a memory flooded his mind. Harry could see his father eating a piece of cake and arguing with his mother. He picked up his hand and blinked a couple of times.
"I found it!" Babblesworth said holding up the ring.
"Brilliant," Harry said unenthusiastically. Babblesworth put the ring on the stone floor and looked at Harry. "You want me to do it now?"
"Of course, Harry!" Harry unsheathed his sword and placed the tip of the blade in the center of the circle. "My mum is not going to be happy about this," Harry said pushing his sword downwards through the floor. The strength of his sword and the magick captured within blade broke the ring in two. The two halves shriveled and turned to ashes.