Chapter 1: The morning after
Harry sighed and strolled forward through hogsmeade. It was pretty late in the evening. Sky has turned dark blue with stars shining in it. It was good to see Hogesmeade resort to its former glory. Most of the shops shut down during the war were reopened along with some new one. He could see a muggle clothes shop beside Zonkos. He was also surprised to see a Weasley Wizard Wheezes shop when he walked down from Hogesmeade station. Seemed twin's business was booming.
He was rather bored sitting in a house the whole day, altering between visiting Lupin's and renovating Grimmuland place. He wanted some fresh so he had put on an old hoodie and jeans and set outside without apparent destination in mind. He found himself on the streets of Hogesmeade.
A week ago he had returned to England from his long vacation. He was just traveling through Europe, past 10 months. 10 months ago he had defeated Voldemort and fulfilled the damned prophecy. Somehow with the help of members of order if phoenix he had ended the three year long war with minimum casualties in the final battle at Malfoy Manor . For the first time in life he was free to do whatever he wanted to do. It had overwhelmed him initially. He had already decided he would take a break from wizarding Britain on an off chance of him winning and surviving the war. He had travelled various countries, visited different magical communities, met new people, made some friends, tried new things, it was, overall a good learning experience in his opinion.
It was nice to be away for a while, from all the pressure and media hogging down his neck. But at the end England was his home. He had friends here. He missed Remus, Dora, all the Weasley, and even his best friends. Try as he might he wasn't able to forget them. He missed them. But what they did really hurt him. He just wished that both of them would be happy. He had no idea what he was going to say if he encountered them, which was bound to happen now that he was back. He had avoided contact from everyone bar Lupin's. He kept him updated about his location and in return he was informed about his godson's latest development.
He was turning around a corner when a familiar dreamy voice tore him from his thoughts.
"Welcome back Harry. You look radiant now that you are free of wrackspurts."
Harry turned his head and saw Luna approaching him. He smiled at her. He had always liked her.
"Thanks Luna. How are you?"
"I'm happy, I don't have any reason to be sad."
"That's good." He can only shake his head at her.
"Say did you come across heliopaths while you were away?" She asked him casually, as if you encounter heliopaths-whatever they were, like you encounter dogs. But who will tell that to her. Certainly not him.
"Ah..no."
"Oh so sad. Maybe you will see it some other time."
"Sure. What are you doing alone in Hogesmeade this late ?"
"Oh I am just going to Abe's pub. Others are celebrating the end of exam." She cocked her head and answered him.
"Ok don't let me keep you then."
"You are welcome to join us Harry. You can tell us about all the places you have been to past months."
"Thanks Luna but I don't want to intrude."
"I don't think anyone would mind. Plus Ginevra will be happy to see you." She said with her usual dreamy look.
Well he thought it's been long since he had seen youngest Weasley. Luna was one of few who knew that he and Ginny were good friends. Him being a Gryffindor and her being a ravenclaw, most people didn't realise they were friends. They would mostly found each other on their late night wandering around castel or in kitchen at burrow during holidays, each plagued with nightmares. They were somewhat close. After her experience with Chambers, they had become friends. They did many things together which even Ron and Hermione didn't know. They had assisted twins in pranks, had loyally cursed their significant others after break-ups. She supported him after his fallout with Ron and Hermione. They had been there for each other then people realised. She was a good friend. It would be nice to see her again. Last time he had seen her was when he visited burrow to say goodbye to other Weasleys. She had also encouraged him to take a break after the war.
"If you say, alright then."
He offered his arm to Luna who took it as grace as one can accept from her as they started towards hog's head.
He entered the bar and looked around. The whole ambience of the hog's head had changed. Once dark and dusty, the bar was now clean and shimmering in mild lighting. His gaze wandered and locked with familiar brown eyes at the furthest corner.His lips curved into a smile as he led Luna towards Ginny's table. That's when he really took a look at her. Ginny Weasley has turned into a really stunning witch. The skin fit trousers and tank top were doing justice to her brilliant figure. Dragon hide jacket suited her rather petite figure. Her once long beautiful hair was now cut short, was tied into a ponytail. She looked damn hot.
Ginny Weasley sat drinking alone in a corner of hog's head. She needed to be away from all the noise her classmates were making. Today they had finished their NEWTS which apparently warranted a celebration. After the war many regulations were loosened in Hogwarts. Thus students of age were allowed in Hogesmeade occasionally even if wasn't Hogesmeade weekend. McGonagall had warned them to not stay long. So everyone had decided to raid hog's head. It has become less dingy and more welcoming after its renovation.
A week after she will be leaving Hogwarts for the last time. This simultaneously excited her and frightened her. She was excited to start a new phase of her life. She knew she will have to wait for her NEWTS result to arrive to decide on a career. She really wished she had enough grade to be accepted in auror training. She hasn't told anyone about her ambition to be a auror. Till her fifth year her aim was to play professional quidditch. But after watching horrors of war first hand she had changed her mind. That was the reason she vigorously studied her last year. It shouldn't have been surprising considering she was a ravenclaw. But she had never studied proactively before. She was smart enough to get more than average grades without living in a library like most of her housemates. She had spent her energy in quidditch in her previous years. Because of that she made house team during her second year and captain in her fifth year much to her amusement and chargin of Cho bloody Chang. She never really liked her.
She was brought out of her thoughts when she saw the door of the pub opening. She saw Luna entering with someone on her arm. Now that was surprising. The only people who have offered Luna their arms were Neville and….
Harry Potter. Who was now smiling at her. He had changed. And changed a lot. He was no longer a skinny boy she was used to seeing. He was looking damn sexy in his black jeans which hugged his hips. Even in his slightly oversized hoodie one can see his muscled chest. He was not wearing his glasses which made his eyes even more beautiful. His grown hair was left untied on his shoulder looking as unruly as ever. She has never seen Harry in this light. They were good friends but never more than that. What ridiculous crush she had was left after the chamber incident.
She waved at Luna and beckoned them to her table. Fortunately the crowd was receding and those who were present were thoroughly drunk. Otherwise Harry Potter's appearance wouldn't have gone unnoticed.
She got up and hugged him. Once again marvelling his muscles. To her surprise he didn't stiffened slightly, which used to be a common occurrence earlier. So his look was not the only thing changed about him. He even hugged her back.
"Oh my god. Harry Potter. I am your biggest fan. I can't believe I am meeting you." She squealed in mock excitement. She couldn't resist teasing him even if she had seen her after a long time.
"Oh I am sure you are. Not my every fan writes me a poem you see." He said solemnly with amusement lurking in his eyes.
She gasped and cursed him, raising her arm to hit him. "You bastard"
"Now, now Gin is this any way to greet your friend who I might add haven't seen for a long time." He said while catching her arm in before it hit him. He had a shitty grin plastered on his face.
"Well you brought up that horroundrous poem." She said pouting.
"You could have greeted me like a normal person."
"Bold of you to assume yourself as normal."
" We all can't be extraordinary like you Ginevra."
" He is right Ginny. You are quiet an extraordinary. Wrackspurts never affected you."
"Thanks Luna."
"You're welcome. I will go can talk with Abe. It's been a while since I last saw him." Luna told them as she left their table.
"Well, spill Potter."
"I don't have a drink to do that and even if I had I wouldn't have wasted it. It has far better uses."
"Don't sass me. Tell me about all your travelling adventures."
She didn't know how much time had passed since they had started talking. Luna left for what felt like an hour or two before. It was getting late and most of the remaining student body were dozing off. Abe was hauling them outside. Between both of them, they had finished half of the bottle of firewhiskey and many snacks that she didn't bother to count. Currently she was telling him about her git ex-boyfriend.
"So that's why git had bogeys flapping out of his nose in the great hall next day during breakfast.." She finished her tale proudly.
" I would say I am sorry for him but then I'd be lying."
"Thanks. So since then I have been fending off boys right and left." She said flapping her hand and adopting a nonchalant expression.
"Oh how modest of you."
"Boys don't get a clue when you say no. They take it as 'playing hard to get'.
"So now you're single." He asked her,assessing her by a little tilt of his head.
"Yup. There are no decent guys left at Hogwarts." She answered wrinkling her face.
"Hmm. What about guys outside of Hogwarts?" He said with a odd look on his face which caused her stomach to do somersaults
"Hmm. I can try that. Let's see if anyone I know is available." She scanned the bar as if looking for someone and looked back at him. "Why go far. Are you willing to volunteer for the job?" Her heart was beating loudly in her chest. She had no idea what made her say that. She would like to blame it on all the firewhiskey she had consumed but she knew how to keep her drinks down.
"I don't have anything better to do at the moment." He said appearing bored.
"Let's test your skills." Wow. Since when has she turned into Gryffindor. Her brothers would be happy to know. She couldn't help it his lips were looking inviting.
"Wha…"
Before he could finish his sentence. She leaned forward and kissed him on lips. At last. Whole night she had a hard time holding an urge to kiss him. For a movement he was unresponsive, then he caught up with her and moved his lips against hers. By the time they broke apart they were slightly breathless and their arms were wrapped around each other.
" Was I up to your standard?"
"More demonstration in order Mr."
He was happy to oblige. At some point Harry had pulled her onto his lap. She wounded her one hand in his hair feeling it's silky texture while the other was moving up and down his arm and chest. He was holding her to him by grabbing her butt and waist. Ginny couldn't resist running her hands through his silky hair. They were so soft. Harry seemed to like her running her hands through his hairs if his moans were any indication. She was always fascinated by his hair. They never seemed to tame, always standing in all directions.
Their kiss which has started off as simple and sweet has turned more passionate. Just as he moved his hand under her top she stopped him.
He looked at her questioningly.
"Not here." She said in a breathless voice as she grabbed his wandering hands.
" Where then?" He asked, still glassy eyed and panting.
"Let's go upstairs. There are rooms there. Abe won't mind." She told him when she managed to stand up.
Harry woke up to the wonderful feeling of someone running their hand through his hair. It almost lulled him back to sleep. Still he opened his eyes to see a grinning face of Ginny Weasley.
" Good morning." She said, still not removing her hand.
"Morning to you too." He said as he slowly recalled last night.
She moved on her side balancing herself on her elbow. She brushed some of his hair which were fallen on his eyes away and kissed him.He put his own hand on the back of her head and kissed her back.
They broke apart smiling at each other.
"So l wasn't the only sober last night." He asked gauging her reaction.
"No, I can handle my liquor. I don't let anything let control me." A flash crossed across her eyes for a second.
"Good then." He mimicked her position so they were facing each other.
" What now?" She asked him while she slipped his hoodie from yesterday.
"We can see where it goes. Get to know each other better. I think we should keep it quiet for a while. You know what would happen if the press gets wind of this.. Same goes for your family. If it doesn't work we can go back to being friends." He said, shrugging his one shoulder. He didn't want to ruin whatever they had. Even though it was one night, he can tell this was going to be something special. He was not going to let anyone come between them before they even had a chance to see if they had anything between them.
"I agree, though I think I will keep you. You have got some good moves under the sheets." She said, wiggling her eyebrows.
He instantly went red. Truth to be told he didn't have any idea what he was doing last night. Thanks to the firewhiskey he has consumed, he had purely gone with his instinct. It never failed him. The same instinct was telling him that the girl beside him was something special and he can trust her completely.
" Well I try."
"Oh don't be modest. How many girls have you shagged anyway? Judging by last night you seemed experienced." She asked him curiously.
"You are first, in a way." He answered. Well that was true. Partly.
"What does that mean? Her puzzled expression turned into worry. You were not forced were you?"
"No no not like that. It's that you are the first girl whom I had sex with." He sat up hastily to assure her .wide eyed. Though her worry warmed him from inside.
"Whoa...you mean you are…" she said as comprehension dawned on her.
"I am bisexual." He simply told her as he leaned into the headboard of bed. He had never confessed this to anyone except Sirius. But he knew that he was doing right by thing telling her.
She seemed mildly surprised till she gathered herself. She shrugged and continued with her questioning "So who was the boy? Definitely no one from Hogwarts." She asked, pursuing their conversation.
" Obviously. Imagine the headlines in the prophet". He said snorting at the thought.
"Oh yeah, the boy-who-lived becomes bi-who-lived. Though they will paint you as gay. They don't have brain cells to differentiate between bi and gay."
" That's the thing. It is who I am. I am not hiding per say but at the same time I won't go advertising it. I just have conflicting feelings about making it public knowledge." He said running his hand through his hair.
"Right people can suck. Your Life is your life. You are not accountable to anyone."
He took her hand in his, running his thumb over her knuckles.
"Thanks. So to answer your question, he was a muggle guy whom I met last year in Spain."
"That's where you were?"
"Not exactly, I was traveling across Europe."
"It might have been wonderful. To travel new places, meet new people, eat new cuisines." She said with a wistful look on her face.
"Weasleys and their food." He said to her teasingly.
"Hey" she exclaimed, pulling her hand from his and hitting him on his arm.
"What it's true. I am just Stating a fact. You lot love your food." He said rubbing his now injured arm. She hit really hard.
"There's nothing wrong in loving food." She crossed her arms over her chest.
"Who said it was."
"Now I am hungry."
"It's 5 in the morning."
"Your point being? Besides I am worn out. Work up appetite from last night you know." She said. Her eyes were gleaming with amusement.
"Oh you did. Didn't you? I don't seem to remember last night properly. It's bit hazey."
" So bad. It was wonderful." She said running her left foot along his right ankle.
" Well if you are bragging so much, care to demonstrate." He grabbed her and pulled her on him so that she was straddling him.
"Only because you insist." She said as she removed his hoodie and bent to kiss him.