A/N: I would like to say I'm very sorry! I didn't mean to go on hiatus, but it dragged on. I won't bore you with excuses. So just truly sorry! I'm so thankful for your support! I will finish this story because I value you as readers. I hope you continue to enjoy the story.

DC: I don't own Harry Potter...but J.K. Rowling does.

A Long Overdue Confession

SEVEN

He Fancied Her

Harry had just ran away from her, like a galloping hippogriff. Before that he had pushed her away during a hug. Harry sure did know how to lower a girl's self-esteem.

Ginny looked down the corridor shaking her head. What just happened? Harry had just pushed her away and had looked to be experiencing something like a panic attack. That's what happened, but it still didn't answer her question. She repeated. What just happened?

She turned walking down the corridor to her dad's ward. She didn't understand it. Weren't Harry and her on that level of friendship where it wasn't completely embarrassing to confide in each other? Maybe she was mistaken. Perhaps Harry didn't feel they were that close and she had freaked him out by being more girlish than normal. Anyway she looked at it didn't lessen the ache of rejection that was served by his withdraw.

The subject of Harry was forgotten for a moment though as Ginny came across her brothers crouched on the floor outside the door leading to the ward. Raising her eyebrows, she cocked her head. "What's going on?"

They all slightly jumped at the sound of her voice, and then turned pressing their fingers against their lips. She watched as Fred pulled at a string until an Extendable Ear came through the crack under the door. Her brothers then just stared at one another, their faces doused with shock and their lips agape at something they had just overheard.

Ginny stared at them waiting for an answer, and then sighed impatiently. "What's with those looks on your faces?"

It was then her brothers took her aside and told her what they had just heard through the Extendable Ears. "And you actually believe that? That he's possessed. I'm ashamed to be related to every one of you."

"Ginny, I'm not saying Harry meant to do anything, if he did—" Ron tried to say.

"Oh, I see this is the whole 'he put his name in the Goblet of Fire' thing all over again," Ginny said. Ron had the decency to look down at the floor. "Have a little more faith in your best mate, Ron.

"So Harry's possessed," she continued in a clipped tone. "Wouldn't be the first time Tom has possessed someone to order around a snake to attack people." Her brothers coughed, choking on the salvia at the back of their throats. They all knew what she was referring to: The Chamber of Secrets. "If you're blaming Harry, what must you think of me—"

"No, no! We don't blame Harry! Not at all, Ginny! We…we're just shocked that's all. If he is being possessed it's not his fault. It's that filthy You-Know-Who," George said, clenching his fists. Fred agreed heartily with his brother, while Ron feebly nodded looking fearful of receiving another one of his sister's glares.

"He's not possessed," Ginny stated firmly. "He's not possessed," she said once again to herself later once her brothers had left the corridor, leaving her alone to wait for Harry's return. He was a sorry sight when she spotted him with his feet dragging against the floor while his mind seemed to be on auto-pilot, his eyes glazed over with great astonishment.

She took a couple of steps until she was standing in front of him. "Harry?"

Harry slowly raised his gaze until his eyes focused on her, and then he stared and then stared some more. Ginny wasn't even completely sure he realized what he was doing as his gaze seemed to be taking everything in about her. She looked back at him, studying his eyes. She still wasn't convicted that he was possessed. His eyes, they weren't void and emotionless as if under someone else's control. If anything they were filled with an array of emotions, too jumbled together to be deciphered. Though, she would admit Harry was acting a bit strange. She figured it was the combination of being sleep-deprived and hyped up on tea.

"Harry? Are you okay?"

Harry blinked, giving his head a shake. "Oh…um," he stuttered, his cheeks turning slightly pink, "yeah, I'm alright, Ginny."

Harry walked beside Ginny, their feet making little progress down the corridor and their mouths hushed by the unknown mutual affection held in their hearts. Ginny tentatively looked at Harry. "Harry?" She said slowly. "When I hugged you a moment ago. Why did you push me away?"

Harry turned his head, glancing at her. "Oh, it's just…I didn't deserve it. You hugging me. Because I didn't do anything, so I didn't want you hugging me." His eyes widened. "Not that it was bad!" He quickly pointed out. "It's not that I don't enjoy hugging you…because I do! I mean you're my friend," he added in a rush, "who doesn't enjoy hugging a friend? Because I sure do….enjoy hugging you," he finished lamely.

"Let me see if I got this right. You felt like you didn't deserve my gratitude…," Ginny eyed him in disbelief. "So you pushed me away?"

Harry raised his hand sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah, not one of my best decisions." He turned his head left and right looking down the almost deserted corridor. "Where are your brothers, Ginny?" He said, finally taking notice of their absence.

"Oh, those gits? You won't believe what they heard. Mad Eye-Moody said you were being possessed." Harry sharply inhaled next to her. "Harry? You don't actually believe that do you?" One look into his eyes and she knew. "You do."

"Ginny, maybe you shouldn't be around me."

"Harry, you can't seriously believe that! And I bloody will stay by you if I want Harry!" she said, her temper flaring up. "You can't tell me what to do!"

"Ginny, this is serious! I could—"

"So am I!"

"If I hurt you…"

"Harry! You're not possessed! I know because—" But he never gave her the chance to finish. For the second time that day he ran away from her.

"Harry!" She cried out in vain as she watched him disappear down the corridor. "Harry! Harry...," her voice pleaded, "come back."

But he didn't come back. Harry went into hiding that day, even though Ginny could see him right there on the train. He hid with every word he didn't say, and every avoided glance. Then he completely hid himself away once they reached Grimmauld Place into his and Ron's room.

Ginny was torn.

Torn between being worried about Harry and wanting to throttle him for being a bloody git that wouldn't talk to her; much less take care of himself and actually eat some dinner.

You would think considering that he knew someone personally that had been possessed by Tom Riddle—namely her—that he would come to her and ask her how it had felt. But no, he was a typical bloke. Didn't want to talk about it, didn't want to admit that he needed someone. Blokes, didn't even ask for bloody directions, even when they were completely lost. And he was lost, she could tell.

Could it be possible that he didn't wish to bring up the Chamber of Secrets because he didn't wish to make her relive that experience? There were many different scenarios as to why Harry wasn't confiding in her, and every last one sunk her heart. And what a time to be disheartened with Christmas drawing near. But not everyone was brooding like a moody teenager, there was one fellow filled with Christmas cheer, someone she didn't expect—Sirius Black.

It was an inspiring sight to see an innocent man once locked behind the hells of Azkaban to have the light of Christmas in his eyes, singing and decorating like a house-elf hyped on butterbeer.

Ginny hadn't known Sirius for long, but she knew from the moment Harry had embraced Sirius with a smile that could repel a Dementor, that this man was no murderer. She found she liked him right away; he reminded her of Fred and George. "You know Muggle Christmas carols?" she asked, approaching Sirius as he hung some tinsel on the railing of the staircase.

Sirius gave her a smile. "Oh, yeah, learned them from James. He was really into Muggle Christmas carols because of Lily," he sighed wistfully. "He even tried to serenade her once with a Christmas carol. It didn't go so well," his eyes went downcast for a moment. "It drove my mother crazy when I would hum carols during december." The portrait of Mrs. Black gave a high shriek. "Still does," he said with a mischievous twinkle in his eye. "You know Muggle Christmas carols as well?"

"Dad," she said, which explained everything.

"Well, the more the merrier I say…to drive my mother insane."

Once they were done decorating the staircase and singing another encore of carols, Sirius and Ginny walked towards the kitchen only pausing for a moment at the sight of a sprig mistletoe hanging in the doorway. Sirius turned to Ginny. "I'd give you a kiss, Ginny. But then I fear my godson might kill me."

Ginny raised her eyebrows and wrinkled her nose. What did Sirius mean by that? Why would Harry care at all who she kissed under the mistletoe? "I don't think Harry would mind, he's already had his share of mistletoe."

Sirius staggered back with a bark of laughter. "You know about that?"

"Girls kiss and tell."

"Oh, well boys tell also, and a certain boy told me that it was…wet."

"Wet?" she replied. Was that a good or bad thing?

"Wet like Snape's oily hair." Definitely a bad thing. "But you didn't hear it from me," Sirius said with a wink, and then walked off into the kitchen.

Ginny watched him leave, her brow knotted. Why did Sirius just tell her something that Harry had obviously told him in private? It was indeed an interesting tidbit that left a guilty pleasurable feeling that Harry didn't enjoy his kiss with Cho. But why did he share it with her? Could he be on her side? Sirius Black: Gryffindor, Animagus, godfather, ex-Azkaban inmate, wingman to Ginny Weasley. Now that made her laugh.

"Hermione!"

It was an unexpected, but very pleasant surprise when Hermione walked thought the entrance of Grimmauld Place. Ginny stole Hermione away to her room once she could get her away from Ron. They talked about Hermione's parents and their trip, but then the conversation quickly moved to what was really in the front of Ginny's mind—Harry.

"Why don't you go and talk to him?" suggested Hermione. "I mean you've experienced something like that with the Chamber of—"

"I tried," Ginny deadpanned. "He ran away from me."

Hermione gaped at her for a second. "He ran?"

"Like a dementor was at his heels. Yes, I tried, but I only got three words out and then he sprinted."

"Well, then chase him," said Hermione, a smug smile on her lips. "You did say you wanted to be a Chaser."

"Hermione," Ginny gasped, starting to laugh. "Did you just make a Quidditch joke?"

"Yes, I believe I did. Listen, Ginny you need to continue showing Harry the real you. Give him a piece of your mind. That will definitely make him notice you," Hermione's smile grew, "not that he hasn't already."

"I don't think he's really noticed—"

"He has," said Hermione, like a professor no one dared to correct.

So by Hermione's advice, Ginny found herself climbing the stairs to Buckbeak's room where she knew Harry was currently hiding. She was a bit surprised to find the door wasn't locked; though Harry seemed surprised as he stared at her, his hand frozen in mid-air dangling a dead rat. Neither of them said anything, until the rat hit the floor and Buckbeak gobbled it down.

Harry clutched his stomach, looking away from her, staring intensely at the floorboards. "What are you doing here?"

"I came here to talk to you," Ginny said, to the point.

"Well, you can go, because I don't want to talk."

Ginny bit her tongue, fighting back the urge to just scream. "You are being so…stupid! You're not possessed!"

"How would you know!" he snapped.

"What kind of question is that? Of course I know! You know very well about what happened to me in the Chamber of Secrets…," Ginny trailed off as Harry gasped turning his head to stare at her. Both their eyes widened as the realization set in, and they reached the same conclusion. "You forgot."

"Ginny—"

"You bloody forgot," she said, her eyes pricking. "And here I thought you just didn't want to bring it up because—," she turned for the door about to leave. Harry acted quickly, getting up from the floor and grabbing her wrist.

"I'm sorry," Harry said, desperately holding onto her. After getting no reply, he continued cautiously. "So…I'm not possessed?"

After a moment, Ginny answered. "Can you remember everything? Do you any big blank periods where you can't remember what you did?"

"No."

"Then you're not being possessed."

It took a couple of minutes for all of it to sink in, and then Harry exhaled, his whole body relaxing with a sense of relief. Ginny felt his thumb moving slowly up and down her wrist, almost like a caress. The unintentional gesture both soothed and tortured her heart. "Thank you, Gin," he said softly.

"Um…Harry?"

"Yeah?"

"Can you let go of my wrist now?"

Her hand was released instantly as Harry let go within a millisecond, as if her wrist was red hot. It didn't take long for his entire face to turn as red as her hair.

Buckbeak scratched at the floor, his eagle eyes looking back and forth between them. Ginny was willing to bet if she could read Buckbeak's mind, he would be thinking, 'What's with the awkward silence? Are one of you going to feed me more rats?'

Ginny didn't know what to say next, but then Harry said something out of nowhere. "Was that you singing carols with Sirius?"

"You heard that?" Ginny almost squeaked out. "I mean…yeah." It hadn't been her intention for Harry to hear her sing. Sirius was okay, she wasn't self-conscious around him. He was like an honorary uncle, but Harry? She had finally accomplished talking around him. Singing around him was going to take a couple of years.

"It was really nice," Harry stated sheepishly. "You should sing more often. Why didn't you join the choir?"

"I'm not one for public singing. The only people that have to suffer through my singing are my family and maybe one day my husband," she added jokingly.

"Lucky him," Harry mumbled.

Christmas Eve. One hour away from Christmas day, Harry was lying wide awake in his bed. Ron was across for him, blissfully snoring away. Harry couldn't sleep, but it wasn't because he believed he was possessed, he was over that. It wasn't the excitement of Christmas day and opening presents. No, it was one single thought:

He fancied Ginny.

No matter how many times he said it to himself, it never lost its shocking, terrifying, and thrilling punch. It had to be the second most life-changing revelation of his life. The first being the time Hagrid told him he was a wizard.

He was a wizard.

It had been wholly unexpected and yet he had, had a feeling that there was something different about him. But he had never thought that something was beyond the realms of reality...him a wizard. Now several people would probably think that finding out he was the-boy-who-lived would be the second most important revelation of his life, but no that whole title was just overrated to him. Ginny was definitely a more significant event.

Harry fancying Ginny had been beyond the realms of reality in his mind. It's not that there was anything unappealing about her, it was just he hadn't known her. With her always running away from him and never speaking a word, it was hard to imagine her as someone he could fancy.

Then there was the big fact that she was Ron's little sister.

Nervously, Harry glanced over at Ron, irrationally worrying that he could hear his thoughts. Harry sighed, turning in his bed. He was once guilty of only seeing her as his best mate's sister, but now found himself wishing that Ron and Ginny weren't related or at least second cousins once removed.

Evidently, his feelings for Ginny had taken a leap into the realms of reality when the creature had growled within his stomach, and soared up into his chest making his heart beat feverishly. For a foolish five hours, he had thought maybe his feelings for Ginny were just a passing fancy. But that had been proven false once he heard her soft voice singing carols through the floor. Once again, Ginny had been just the flavor to cheer him up, even though at the time he had believed himself possessed, and sitting in a bleak room surrounded by straw and dead rats. And if that wasn't proof enough, the moment he saw her standing in the doorway of Buckbeak's room, the creature in his stomach had definitely made itself known.

Harry buried his face into his pillow. He fancied Ginny; would the world ever give him a break?

Christmas day was spent in a pleasant mood, as Harry woke up to the Christmas decorations and the opening of presents. It wasn't until he had finished opening his last present that Harry was hit with a horrifying predicament.

"Harry?" said Ron, his mouth half full with mince pie. "What is it? You look a bit pale. Did you get something worse than Dobby's ruddy painting?"

Harry clutched his hand-knitted jumper to his chest, and then realized that Ron had asked him a question. "Um…no," he said uneasily. "It's not that…," he shook his head, "just never mind."

Ron shrugged it off, going back to eating his Christmas treats.

Harry sulked, staring at the box of every flavor beans Ron had given him. They reminded him of Ginny, which reminded him that he hadn't gotten Ginny a Christmas present. Bugger! He was just doing a brilliant job at looking good in Ginny's eyes. First, he had forgotten about the Chamber of Secrets and now he had forgotten to get her a present. Maybe he could just give Ginny one of his presents? No, that would look a bit odd in front of her family. Humbug.

Descending the stairs down to the living room, Harry ate nervously from his box of every flavor beans. He wasn't looking forward to seeing Ginny without a present to give. He was further discouraged by the fact that he had never given Ginny one single gift. It had never crossed his mind before, but now it was all he could focus on.

Hermione soon joined them on the stairs. "Merry Christmas! Thanks for the book, Harry!" At least she was happy with her gift.

Harry mumbled back "Merry Christmas" as he eyed Ron, Fred, and George a couple of steps ahead of them, and then subtly grabbed Hermione by the elbow, keeping her back. "Hermione, what do girls like?" he blurted out.

Hermione gave him a questioning stare. "Could you be more specific, Harry?"

"What do girls like as presents?"

"Depends on the girl. A little late to be shopping for a present," Hermione bit her lip, looking amused, "don't you think, Harry?"

"Never mind," said Harry, glaring. He could see that Hermione wasn't going to be any help. He would just have to avoid Ginny, or just avoid talking to her directly so the subject of him not having a Christmas present for her wouldn't come up. It was a brilliant plan…that lasted about twelve minutes.

"Merry Christmas, Harry."

With the cheerful greeting, Harry nearly choked on the every flavor he had been chewing when he turned to see Ginny. "M-merry Christmas, Ginny," he stuttered back.

"Did you get everything you wanted for Christmas?" she asked, smiling.

No, I didn't get you. Harry started to sputter at the abrupt thought. Ginny, thankfully just thought he was choking on another bean as she patted him on the back. "Yeah…yeah, pretty much. You?"

"Pretty much," she replied.

Harry stood fidgeting in place, looking anywhere but at Ginny. Ron and Hermione were in a corner bickering about something to do with house-elves, Fred and George looked up to no good near the Christmas tree, and Sirius and Mrs. Weasley seemed busy with Christmas lunch. Harry glanced at Ginny, and finally spoke unable to take the tension. "I…I didn't get you a present, not that I didn't want to…it's just…um…," he trailed off, not wanting to say he had forgotten again. He held out his box of every flavor beans in a feeble attempt at an apology, "want some?"

Ginny glanced down at the box and then started laughing. "I wasn't expecting a present, Harry. I mean, I didn't get you anything. I'm just happy that you could be here with us for Christmas." She leaned forward, reaching out her hand. "But I will take a bean," she said, picking out a bean and popping it into her mouth.

Harry felt something settle in his heart at her reply. It was still something new to him that someone genuinely was happy just to have him around, when the Dursleys usually couldn't wait to lock him up somewhere. He found with everything that Ginny did, that these feelings were beginning to solidify within him. It was with this that he concluded that being a wizard and fancying Ginny had two things in common: they were both wholly unexpected and absolutely brilliant.

After all the Christmas festivities were done at Grimmauld Place, Harry and the Weasley were escorted to St. Mungo's by Lupin and Mad-Eye where they paid Mr. Weasley a cheerful Christmas visit. The cheerful part being short lived as Mr. Weasley reluctantly revealed to Mrs. Weasley that he had requested to be treated with a Muggle method of healing—stitches. Thankfully, Harry, Ginny, Ron, Hermione and the twins had caught on, making a quick escape to go get some tea, before Mrs. Weasley started yelling at Mr. Weasley. Harry was now walking down a corridor with Ron and Hermione as Ginny commented on the absurdity of her father's actions.

"I don't know what Dad was thinking," said Ginny. "Stitches? Well, he must be feeling better if he feels like being sewn up like a doll."

Harry gave a nonchalant nod, his mind more occupied with her physical features. She was quite petite, with a nice athletic tone to her legs, and soft womanly curves developing nicely. In other words, as most blokes would say, she was fit. At that moment Harry couldn't help but recall a previous conversation with Hermione where he had said that Ginny was 'nice looking'. The words 'nice looking' now festered in his mouth like a vomit every flavor bean, he wished he had never tasted. It was now as if his glasses had been mucked up and he had finally cleaned them and could see clearly for the first time. It was clear he would never take her beauty for granted again. Harry gladly would have gone on for another ten minutes staring at the soft curve of her neck, if it wasn't for the fact that he suddenly realized that Ron was still there when he made a strangled noise in shock.

Looking around, Harry realized that Ron wasn't the only one in shock. Ginny and Hermione had also stopped walking and were staring intently ahead. The first thing Harry noticed was the sign, and then he groaned inwardly as the man standing in front of them with the dazzling smile, confirmed his location. He was back on the "Spell Damage" floor, and his favorite patient was there to greet him. Of all the places in St. Mungo's, how did he end up back here?

Ron, Hermione, and Ginny each had their own equally shocked expressions at seeing their ex-Denfense Agaisnt the Dark Arts teacher. But in true Lockhart fashion, Lockhart only seemed to take notice to his fellow celebrity. "Ah, my young friend!" he exclaimed staring right at Harry. "I see you couldn't stay away!"

"Unfortunately," Harry mumbled.

Hermione looked to Lockhart then at Harry. "You knew Lockhart was here?"

"Yeah, I accidently ran into him on my last visit."

"Why didn't you say anything?" Ron asked.

I was more occupied with the fact that I fancy your sister. Harry shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know, I just forgot." He winced at his unintentional pun.

Lockhart quickly became irritated that he wasn't the center of attention. "So how are your woman troubles going? Did you take my advice and kiss her?" he said rather loudly.

Harry felt like smacking himself in the face in exasperation. It was just his luck that out of all the things Lockhart was actually able to remember that his woman troubles would be one of them.

Ron glanced at Harry, his lips twisting in disgusted disbelief. "You talked to Lockhart about Cho?"

"Cho? I thought the young lady's name was Bonnie? No, that's not it…Jennifer? Ginger?"

Harry shot a look of sheer horror in Ginny's direction, which thankfully went unnoticed by the occupants in the room. He then blurted out the first thing he could think of to divert the conversation. "You know, I would love an autograph!"

"Really? Splendid! Who shall I make it out to?" Lockhart didn't wait for a reply, but instead looked at his other 'fans'. "I suppose your little friends would like an autograph as well?" Hermione, Ron, and Ginny opened their mouth to protest, but never got the chance. "Of course, they would! Come, come! Right this way!"

After looking at one other, they sighed and just decided to follow him. It was Christmas after all, Hermione had said. Ron just grumbled, sending a glare at Harry for asking Lockhart for an autograph. Harry didn't mind. It was much better than getting punched for liking his sister. And Ginny didn't seem particularly irked as she followed, simply amused that this was the bloke her mum used to fancy. It took a couple of tries to find the right ward, since Lockhart couldn't remember which one it was. But they were soon lead into the right one, once Lockhart's Healer found them; she looked thrilled that her little Gilderoy had Christmas visitors.

Inside the closed ward, they looked around while Lockhart scribbled away at his autographs. It didn't take Harry long to realize that Lockhart wasn't the only familiar face in this place for permanent spell damaged residents. How he wished he had been the only one to recognize his fellow Gryffindor, Neville Longbottom. But there was nothing he could do, once it was made clear to everyone that Neville's parents Alice and Frank were patients here. As Harry watched the whole thing unfold, he could only grit his teeth at the tragic fate of the Longbottoms. He didn't know how Neville took it, to have parents and yet not have them. Before his eyes he saw another reality, Mrs. Longbottom's dead, white hair quickly morphed in a mane of rumpled, limp red hair, and a pair of glasses appeared on the bridge of Mr. Longbottom's nose. And there they were, Mr. and Mrs. Potter with him in Neville's place holding a crumpled up gum wrapper.

In that moment Harry's respect for Neville Longbottom grew; for he thought him braver than he had ever been.