Why Him?
Chapter 9: A Secret Place
Harry looked up from the twig he'd stepped on, to see Ginny looking up at him from the ground. If it was anyone but her, he'd be someone at a loss what to do, but with Ginny, he was REALLY at a loss what to do, especially considering what had happened between them in the last few weeks. As Ron and Harry had often discussed in their dormitory, girls were really confusing.
After about 20 seconds of just staring at her, Harry realised he had to do something, not just stand there like a statue. Running his hand through his hair, he half grinned at Ginny, and said,
"Hi." She just looked at him, no longer sobbing but every so often a tear falling from her eyelashes, with a look on her face that clearly said; is that it? Is that all you can say when you see me like this?
"What are you doing out here Gin?" Harry continued. Still no response. "Talk to me Gin, you're scaring me." Harry said his voice not completely steady.
"Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived, not afraid of the darkest wizard of all time, but a little girl, and he's terrified" Ginny said derisively. Harry's face fell. Ginny saw this and instantly sobered up; even she knew that this was too far. "Sorry," she whispered, barely audibly.
Ginny made to stand up, but Harry beat her to the punch, sitting down next to her on the bank of the stream. He looked her in the eye, and as Ginny opened her mouth to speak, he placed a finger over her lips. Harry pulled her closer to him, until she was leaning against his chest, and with 1 arm around her. She tried to pull away but Harry tightened his grip, and she soon gave up. Looking into her face, Harry slowly wiped the remaining tears away with his thumb, causing Ginny to relax into his Harry's arms.
"I'm so sorry Harry; sorry for how I've been since you came back. You left me, and I didn't think you cared. No word from you for all that time, and the first time I see you, you're on the verge of death in hospital," Ginny said, trying to stop herself bursting into tears again.
"Shush, it's OK Ginny, I don't care about before, only that I have you now," Harry said reassuringly.
"Harry, I don't think I could cope with anything more than friendship at the moment. I need to know you're not going to abandon me again, and I'm not ready to trust you with my heart, it's already broken, I don't think I can take another heartbreak. I'm sorry." Ginny said quietly.
"Yeah, great, friends," Harry said, failing to make it sound happy. He kissed her cheek, got up, and started back towards The Burrow.
"Happy Birthday," Ginny said, as Harry left. She wasn't sure if he heard her, as he didn't turn back, or even break his stride.
"Why does this have to be so difficult? If only he'd never left in the first place, we wouldn't be in this mess. Is it too much to ask to be happy?" Ginny said to herself bitterly
Harry arrived back at The Burrow looking thoroughly put out so much so that Ron instantly noticed something was wrong with his best mate, and as Harry tried to slip upstairs unnoticed by anyone, Ron followed. Harry entered 1 of the bedrooms, he didn't know exactly whose, but suspected it was Bill's. Just as the door was about to click shut, it creaked open again, and Ron came into the room.
"What happened mate?" Ron asked, with a look of concern on his face.
"Doesn't matter Ron," Harry grumbled. Ron's look of concern became one of exasperation and he said,
"Don't shut me out mate; it doesn't help to bottle it all up inside. We both know that." Harry looked up from the floor, and turned to face Ron. He sighed, then said,
"It's just your sister; she said that friendship is the most she can cope with right now." Ron said reassuringly, "I'm sure she just needs time. You know she loves you, so there's nothing to worry about really. She'll come round soon no doubt." Harry just shrugged, sat on the bed, and looked at the floor glumly. Ron knew that when Harry was in this sort of mood, only Ginny would be able to cheer him up, and seeing as she wasn't going to, he'd have to take matters into his own hands.
"Harry mate, come downstairs again, no point sulking up here, it's your birthday after all, and it's far more fun down there." Ron said. There was plenty of Firewhiskey around and he figured Harry would be far better off jolly, than with a clear head left in a room on his own, where he could wallow in his own guilt.
Ron and Harry made their way downstairs, Harry chose not to argue, and just follow, he was still running the conversation he had with Ginny over and over again in his head. When they reached the bottom of the staircase, Ron motioned the twins to come over. They apparated either side of Harry and Ron, even though they were only about 5 metres away. They both had perplexed looks on their faces, but followed Ron when he led the quartet away from the main party area to a quiet corner of the ground floor. There was an old wooden counter, with some stools at it. Ron sat down, and pulled out a bottle of Firewhiskey that he'd summoned non-verbally when Harry wasn't paying attention. Fred cottoned on to what Ron was thinking, pulled out his wand and conjured 4 glasses. George flicked his wand which was also out, and the Firewhiskey bottle began pouring shots into each of the glasses. Harry looked between the 3 brothers, with a look of trepidation on his face, but accepted the glass which was offering itself to him. Ron raised his glass and said,
"To Harry, a bloody good friend, and not a bad brother either." Fred and George chorused
"Hear hear," and the four young wizards drank.
Several shots later, and the toasts were getting truly ridiculous. Fred and George even renewed their antics in Harry's 2nd year, when they used to follow Harry around Hogwarts proclaiming him to the heir of Slytherin. This being Harry's first experience of Firewhiskey, he was already quite drunk by this point, and his mood had improved significantly. Ron was also failing to hold his drink well.
"Mate, I errm, I forgive you for, errm, leaving when you did." Ron said drunkenly. Fred and George's eyes lit up, clearly ready to take advantage of the fact Ron was drunk, no doubt to prank him, but just then Ginny passed the corner they were in, on the way to the back garden. The twins caught sight of her first, but didn't do anything. Ron on the other hand, did say something.
"Oi, Ginny. Don't cha think it's time you just…" He couldn't finish what he was going to say, as he threw up, spectacularly. Multi coloured vomit splattered on the floor, causing the twins, and Harry in particular, to start giggling like idiots. Ginny took one look at the twins, she knew they'd done something to Ron to cause him to be sick like that, and blanked Harry. Instead of going out to the rear of the house, she diverted to the stairs, and disappeared up into her room. Clearly she was still affected by their conversation earlier in the evening.
After maybe half an hour, it felt longer to Harry, Hermione came across them. Ron was looking green, harry was slumped over the counter, and the twins were only conspicuous by their absence. They'd had their fun, and cheered Harry up somewhat in the process. Hermione conjured a bucket for Ron for the time being, as he'd be fine. Harry needed to be taken upstairs and put into bed. First she cast a sobering charm on him, so he could help her get himself up the stairs. After a few seconds of the charm being cast on him, Harry seemed to perk up. He looked around, saw Hermione, and said,
"Oh hey Hermione. Have you seen Ginny? I think she went upstairs about 5 minutes ago, and I wondered if she came back downstairs." Hermione looked at him pitifully and said,
"Harry that was about 2 hours ago. Ron and the twins got you drunk, and you've been sitting there for a while. Let's get you upstairs and into bed." Harry just stared at her. It took her a few seconds to realise what she'd said. She blushed.
"I didn't mean it like that," she began, but Harry interrupted with a low chuckle.
"Oh shut up," she said. Hermione helped Harry up the stairs, and stopped outside his bedroom door. Harry looked at her with a mischievous grin and said,
"Are you sure you don't want to help me into bed?" Hermione just gave him a wry smile and said,
"I think we both have our eyes on something of a more…ginger variety." She blushed at her own comment, and left at that moment.
Harry pushed the door open, and was about to flop onto the bed when he noticed there was a package wrapped in brown paper. He sat on the end of the bed, and picked up the package. He tore one corner of the wrappings, and saw an envelope. He pulled this out, and opened it. There was a short note, which read:
Dear Harry,
Happy Birthday! I don't know if I'll be brave enough to have given this to you in person. If I didn't, then you either deserve it or I'm still upset at you for leaving me behind. Either way it helped me to do this, when you weren't here; it made me almost feel as if I had you back. If you want to know where I got some of the things, ask me some day.
Love
Ginny x
Harry was confused. The letter really didn't match up to how Ginny was acting towards him in person, but Harry himself knew, that it was far easier to be honest in writing, than actually saying to someone. Saying something to someone is finally admitting it. The note gave Harry hope, maybe there was still a future for them. He turned his attention to the as yet unknown item still lying in the wrappings. He peeled back the wrappings, and saw a leather cover. He pulled it out, and noticed it was a leather bound book of some sort. He opened it, and realised it was a photo album. The first photo inside was a picture of Harry and Ginny sitting under their favourite tree at Hogwarts. Photo Ginny gave photo Harry a kiss, then smiled and waved at the real Harry. Above the photo were their initials in an elaborate banner. He flicked through the album and saw pictures spanning their entire Hogwarts career, some of which he'd never remembered being taken, presumably this is what she'd been talking about when she said about the things he'd not know where they came from. On every page, the banner with their initials was present at the top. Harry felt a tear slide down his cheek, and he had a massive grin on his face.
Harry spent several hours looking at the pictures, only putting the album down when he realised he was close to collapse. He placed it on his bedside table, and fell asleep before he could get changed. His dreams that night were filled with images of a certain redhead
