Chapter Nine:

There are three aspects to the goddess, as the old Muggle beliefs dictate: Mind, Body, and Spirit. Aine was believed to represent all three at all times. She formed an important triad with her other sisters, one of which was Moirighan, the goddess of death.

As wizard scholars now know, Aine was simply a witch with a bad temper when scorned. She was famous for casting out lovers for merely looking at another woman. Unfortunately, the expanse of her sexual appetite was held against her, and she eventually became known as 'evil' by the Muggle church for indulging in the more 'earthly delights'. (Remember: this was a time of great repression among Muggles, not only in the persecution of our kind but in other aspects of their lives as well - sex being the 'most ready and able hand of the devil'.) She is even said to be the mother of all magic-kind; her mating with 'mortal' men started a race of 'fairy-folk'. Considering wizards existed long before Aine's time, most wizards dismiss this as Muggle wishful thinking, but it does illustrate their belief in Aine's power.

Despite Aine's connection with death and those 'ungodly, carnal desires', she remains, to this day, a Muggle deity of some renown and is a lesson to all wizards of what happens when we are allowed to indulge ourselves in their world

Ginny stopped reading and made a few notes on her parchment. She yawned and looked at the clock that hung on the opposite wall. Harry had been gone for about thirty minutes, and she didn't expect him back any time soon. She wondered if Dumbledore would want to know whyVoldemorthad been able to get inside Harry's head again. She felt herself blush at the thought. No, Harry wouldn't tell him, would he?She hoped not; she'd never be able to look Dumbledore in the eye again.

She frowned at the book she'd opted to read first and rolled her eyes. Apparently, Aine had been a bit of a scarlet woman. Apparently, she liked men; all sorts of men, to be exact. Ginny wondered what it would feel like back then, to be a powerful witch that had to hide her power and sexuality; to want to act and feel alive, when social norm dictated that she be dead from the neck down, not to mention feeling maltreated for her ability to do magic. She shivered as an odd feeling passed through her and jumped when Brogan interrupted her daydreaming.

"Galleon for your thoughts?" His blue eyes shined at her as he sat down across from her chair. He stretched his legs out, clad in blue jeans and another tee shirt that seemed to fit him like a glove. Ginny felt her eyes drawn to his body, blushing when she realized she had just ogled him. Thank Merlin Harry isn't here, he'd never let me hear the end ofthat.

"Er...a whole Galleon? I'm not certain my thoughts are worth that much," she said as she glanced away from him. She moved her chair back from the table, as though wanting to make certain he couldn't reach her.

Brogan smiled and then laughed. "It's just money, and besides, we Irish like to start at the top and then work our way down."

He said it innocently enough, and Ginny knew it was probably just her over-loaded, sex-crazed mind that thought he had meant that suggestively. She shook her head and closed the book she'd been reading.

"The book not to your liking?"

"No, I'm afraid not. It's very...well, quite frankly it reads like...a trashy Muggle novel."

"And you've just read loads of those, eh?" Brogan raised his eyebrow at her, and it took every ounce of her cool not to blush as bright as her hair.

"Well, no...but...Aine...she was a bit of a...well, a scarlet woman, wasn't she?"

Brogan laughed again, this time a loud bark of one, the sound echoing off of the library walls. A moment later, a yellow piece of paper fell out of the air onto the desk. Brogan shook his head and nodded at it. Ginny picked it up and unfolded it.

Miss Weasley, we suggest that if you are going to be loud while in the library, that you remove yourself until you are able to show a modicum of decorum. This isn't a place of laughter.

T.S. Silfstone, Head Librarian, Abbey of Ross

Order of Merlin, Third Class

Founding Member of the Irish Brigade for Silence

Ginny made a face at Brogan as he continued to laugh at her. He took the note from her hands and used his wand to make it disappear. He stood up and looked down at her.

"Come on, Miss Weasley, let's go for a walk. You need to find some decorum before they chuck you out."

"But I need to research -"

"Aye. And I'm certain Garrett let slip that I am the Aine expert in these parts, right?"

Ginny paused, noticing the serious look in his eye. "Yes, he did mention something -"

"Well, come on, then. Just a short walk around the Abbey. I'll tell you why you shouldn't regard her as a...what did you call her? A scarlet woman?"

Ginny nodded, suddenly embarrassed.

"She was definitely more than that. Right then, up we go." Brogan took her hand before she could stop him and pulled her to her feet. She fell forward slightly and was suddenly standing much closer to him. He glanced down at her, and Ginny was suddenly struck by how blue his eyes truly were. A faint blush tainted his cheeks and then released her as he turned. Biting her lip, Ginny looked around and then started to follow him, her curiosity piqued.

o-o-o-o-o-o

"Right. What you have to understand is that Aine was a special case. She was a very powerful witch; more so than others would have liked. She didn't understand why we should hide from Muggles. She wanted to help them, even when they were trying to burn us at the stake. She understood that it was just religious zealotry gone awry. She thought that Muggles and Wizards could benefit each other. She wanted there to be understanding, not fear and distrust."

Brogan paused as they came around the front part of the Abbey. It was a clear summer day, and the sky was an icy sort of blue, with little to no clouds. Ginny marveled at the emptiness of the grounds. Evidently, today was not a day for Muggle visitors.

"I reckon her beliefs didn't make her too popular with some of our kind, did it?"

Brogan shook his head. "No, which is why half the stuff you read about her is complete and utter rubbish. It's jealousy, plain and simple. Not many of our kind are remembered as bleedin' goddesses, for Merlin's sake. And that's another thing you don't hear about - she was Merlin's niece."

"Really? But...wouldn't Merlin have been way before Aine's time?" Ginny tried to the math in her head, uncertain of the dates.

Brogan smiled at her wistfully. "No. Merlin lived for a very long time and so did his twin sister. No one ever talks about Gwendydd."

Ginny raised her eyebrow skeptically. "Gwendydd?"

"Aye. She was an odd duck, but not much is known about her. What is known is that she had a rather large family, and the seventh child was a daughter, and that daughter grew up to be Aine."

Ginny digested the information for a moment. They had stopped at the front of the Abbey's main entrance, resting from the sun in the shadow of the building. Brogan relaxed against the door, studying her.

"So Aine didn't run about with a lot of men, is that what you're telling me? She didn't scorn them for looking at the milk-maid in a funny way?"

Brogan shook his head at her. "I'm not saying there aren't true accounts of her...being vindictive towards men. She was known in some parts of Ireland as the Maiden's Keeper. If you were wronged by a lover or had your honor ruined by a drunk, all you would have to do is call Aine to you, and she would spite whoever it was that had taken your ah...maidenhood if you catch my drift. And there are accounts of her being very involved with a man, someone who died at a young age, leaving her to mourn him for the rest of her life. Despite what some of the books will tell you, she never married, although she did have a son."

"From the man that died young?"

"Well, that's where it gets a bit peculiar. There are accounts of Aine being with a few men, but most of what you read in the books about her 'sexual' practices is just hearsay and codswallop. But apparently, ten years to the day of when her lover died she conceived a child. Some wizards who have researched her say she figured out a way to make a ghost corporeal for a night and did, conceive the child of her lost love, but I think that's just wishful thinking. Others say that it was Aillil Olom, a king of Ireland at one time and not a wizard,I might add,and that he raped her, and she bore his child. Considering what a powerful witch she was, I think the chances of a mere Muggle male, never mind if he was a king or not, being able to overpower her enough to rape her would be slim, wouldn't you say?"

"So what do you think happened then?" Ginny asked him.

"I think she was probably lonely, and she took comfort in a friend or the arms of a lover. There were rumors that she was in love with the Earl of Desmond, and it's true - that family did raise her son as their own. But the bottom line is, she got pregnant and the name of the father was never truly known."

Brogan shrugged and looked away, an unreadable expression in his eyes. He glanced back at her and then smiled.

"Come on, we should get back in; Harry probably thinks I've kidnapped you. But now do you see why you should keep searching those books and separating the fact from the fiction?"

Ginny nodded, and they stood in silence for a while. Another thing was troubling her though, and she had to ask him about it.

"Brogan, what isthe Prophecy of Aine we're supposed to be researching? No one seems to want to tell us outright."

Brogan didn't say anything for so long that she thought he hadn't heard her. She was about to ask him again when he shook his head and turned to look at her.

"They say the Prophecy of Aine speaks of the return of her anam, her soul or spirit. She wasa very powerful witch. She has been regulated to fairy-tales for Muggles, but the truth is, in our world, she had dominion over life and death. She had both light and dark powers; people feared her, Ginny, and she lived most of her life in solitude. Her descendants are rumored to share that touch of her power within them. It is believed that when the heir mates with their counterpart, their...true love, I reckon is what we would call it, then she will return, in the form of the goddess that the Muggles believed in. Most wizards don't believe it at all, but some do, and some think that Aine's just been waiting to return, because Voldemort has erroneously evoked her ancient power in trying to withstand death. He's abused the aspect of spirit, making it so he cannot be killed by normal means, and he's disregarded the threefold law in his quest to control everything and avoid death."

Ginny frowned, deep in thought. If Dumbledore believed in the Prophecy, then that meant he thought that Aine would return. It seemed rather dodgy to her, and she didn't understand what this had to do with Harry, exactly. He was the one prophesied to destroy the Dark Lord, not some ancient witch's power.

"I don't understand what this has to do with Harry, though. Do you?" she asked Brogan, who was looking out across the open field in front of them. He took a long time to answer and when he did, he didn't quite meet her eyes.

"Harry has his part to play, I don't know much more than that. The Prophecy itself has never been written down anywhere; only the last of Aine's bloodline is allowed to hear it. And I know for a fact that they have yet to hear the entire story."

He pushed away from the building, a strange expression on his face. He opened the door and nodded at her to enter. Ginny frowned. She had more questions to ask, but something about his stance made her not want to pry. Since her mind was full of more questions rather than answers, she reckoned that she and Harry had a lot of work ahead of them.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Harry made his way back to the desk he'd left Ginny at to find it empty. He looked around for her, wondering if perhaps Garrett was helping her find some more books when he turned and almost jumped out of his skin as he came face to face with the man in question. Well, technically, it was face to chest, as Garrett was quite a bit taller than Harry was. He looked up at the other man and apologized.

"Sorry. I was just looking for Ginny, do you know where - ?"

"She left with Brogan a little while ago; I think they er...went for a walk. Around the Abbey," Garrett added, as though there were other places they could have gone.

Harry frowned and nodded. Garrett moved silently off as though he'd known exactly what Harry had wanted and had come to deliver the message. Sitting down at the desk, he glanced at the notes Ginny had attempted to make and still didn't feel like being in the library at all. Talking to Dumbledore had proven both embarrassing and tiring. Sighing, he started to stack the books together. Perhaps he'd take these back to the room as Cosgrove had suggested. He scribbled a note to Ginny on a piece of the parchment and left it for her. He didn't like the idea of Ginny wandering about with Brogan, but he couldn't exactly do anything about it, could he?

Harry realized he really must be tired if he didn't even feel jealous. Either that or I'm finally growing up a bit, he mused to himself as he used his wand to levitate the books in front of him.

Somehow Harry doubted he'd made that miraculous a growth change in twenty-four hours. He reckoned he was just too tired to get worked up.

He made it back to the rooms and set the books down on the floor of his bedroom. He pulled one off of the top and sat down on the bed, settling back against the pillows. Trying to force his mind to focus, Harry began to read about the thrilling life of Aine. He didn't make it past the first paragraph before his head was falling forward and his eyes were closing...

Harry was in a large house with many doors. Everything and every door were white, except for one. It was a dark red, and it was this door that Harry was drawn to. He opened it and stepped through it; the light brightening so quickly he momentarily lost sight of everything. When his eyes returned to normal, he realized he was now standing on a street somewhere. Cars and people passed him by as though he wasn't even there. He looked around and felt his heart stop; standing in front of him was Ginny. Except it was an older Ginny, and Harry felt mesmerized. If he thought Ginny was beautiful now, it was nothing compared to the grace and self-possession that womanhood had given her. She looked at her watch and glanced up at the building she was standing in front of, apparently waiting for someone. Harry watched as she tucked her hair behind her ears; she was wearing it in a style he'd never seen before, but yet it complimented her so well he couldn't quite remember what her hair looked like now. He crossed the street to get a better look at her. He couldn't guess how old she was...twenty-five? Thirty? There were lines around her eyes he didn't recognize, a more determined tilt to her head, and her body stance as she waited held a note of confidence he'd only glimpsed in her before. The doors to the building opened and children started pouring out of it, their voices loud in the afternoon air. Ginny waited patiently, nodding and smiling at some of them. After it seemed all of the children had left, Harry noticed she moved forward, her hand clenched at her side. He watched as her brow furrowed and then cleared, breaking into a wide smile. A small bundle of something went whizzing past him and into her; Harry stared in wonder as she lifted the small child into her arms. He heard them talking to each other, and when the child pulled back to look at her, Harry gasped. The boy could be the spitting image of himself, complete with untidy hair and glasses. His eyes were brown though, he noted, and he wondered if underneath it all, the boy took after his mother in other ways.

Ginny smiled at the boy, her happiness and caring evident. She set the boy on the ground, and they joined hands. Harry followed them, listening to the boy chatter on about what he had done at school. They walked a short while and were soon turning up a lane to a small white and yellow house, a large flowerbed with purple violets and pink daisies filling in the front of it. He entered the house behind them, unable to take his eyes off of the pair. The house, he noted, was nice; it was small, but comfortable and homey. Much like the Burrow always was. He watched as Ginny sat the boy at the table and made him a sandwich, listening to his stories with an amused expression on her face. Harry didn't know how much time had passed when he saw them both look up, past where he was standing. He heard the door open behind him, and for a moment, felt scared at what he would see when he turned. Taking a deep breath, he moved and then looked around, seeing his older self standing in the doorway.Wow, he thought to himself,I look like I age pretty well. I'm taller and those are new glasses and...Harry had to admit, he liked the way he looked for once.

He watched as his older self entered the sitting room and the small bundle that was his son came flying from the kitchen, wrapping himself around his father's leg. Harry felt a strange emotion daring to break out of him as he watched himself. It was as though his heart was about to break through his chest. He watched as his older self picked up the boy and twirled him around, laughing. A moment later, he watched as Ginny joined them, her eyes sparkling at the other Harry. He watched as they set the boy down and kissed their greeting to each other. He felt an odd stirring in his heart as he watched his future self take Ginny's hand, leading her into the kitchen.

The dream faded before his eyes, and he immediately felt the loss. He was back in the hallway of the first house, all the doors were now white, and there was no trace of the red door. Harry frowned. He wanted to get back through that door; he wanted to watch himself and Ginny and their son...he reached out and tried the first door, but it wouldn't turn. Harry looked at the long hall in front of him and sighed, knowing that he would now have to try them all...

o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Ginny made her way back to the library, leaving Brogan in the front part of the Abbey. He claimed he wanted to make certain the church was empty and secure, but Ginny reckoned he just wanted to be alone. The subject of Aine seemed very personal to him, for some reason. She nodded at Garrett as she entered and was surprised when she came across the desk she'd been sitting at; the books were gone. She noticed Harry's loopy scrawl on a bit of the parchment he'd left and realized she must have been outside with Brogan longer than she'd thought. She hoped Harry wasn't cross with her.

She headed back to the rooms, letting herself in, noticing that the door to Harry's bedroom was closed. She went to her bedroom and wanted to climb into bed and rest. The lack of sleep from the night before was finally getting to her, it seemed. Still, she wanted to make certain that Harry was okay; she also wanted to know how his talk with Dumbledore had gone.

Grabbing her nightdress from the bags she had yet to unpack, she walked across the wide living room and knocked gently on Harry's door. When no answer came, she opened it tentatively, to find him stretched out on the bed.

"Harry?"

He didn't stir, and she realized he was asleep. He had half-turned, the book he'd been reading still in his hands, his glasses pushed off his face at a harsh angle. She smiled and tiptoed toward the bed. She removed his glasses for him and closed the book, setting them both on the night side table. He stirred briefly, and then turned in his sleep, clutching the pillow. She stroked his forehead, noticing that his scar seemed bright against the paleness of his skin.

Well, at least he's sleeping peacefully enough, she thought to herself. She had been worried that this new intrusion of Voldemort meant his nightmares would return, but he seemed to be doing all right. Sighing, her heart feeling full of protectiveness for him, she pulled the pillow from his grasp. She laid her nightdress at the end of the bed, too tired to change. She settled in where the pillow had been, and Harry immediately wrapped his arms around her, muttering something in his sleep. Ginny waited until his breathing evened out and then she too closed her eyes, welcoming the dark pull of her dreams.

o-o-o-o-o-o

Ginny awoke a little while later, feeling Harry...all of Harry, moving against her as he twisted in his sleep. She smiled and turned, figuring that his dreams must have been special indeed to have caused that. She couldn't get used to waking up with a boy who was aroused but still asleep, lying next to her. She stroked his face with her hand, and his expression cleared as he became still once again. She untangled herself from his arms and sat up. She grabbed her nightdress from the bed and noticed the books he had placed on the floor. Perhaps she would read one and take a bath. She hadn't been able to indulge in that particular habit since leaving the Burrow.

Except that none of the books appealed to her, and quite frankly, she didn't feel like learning anything new about Aine today. She shrugged to herself and turned to head into the bathroom when she saw the book Hermione had given her lying on the floor. She felt her face heat as she remembered they must have dropped it in the excitement of the previous night's experiment. She scooped it up off the floor, glancing at Harry as he slept. She grabbed her wand off of the table, performing a quick Impervious Spell, in case she got the book too close to the water.

Once inside the loo, she turned on the taps to the tub and picked up one of the gold containers along the rim. She poured almost the entire contents of it into the tub. The musky scent of wood and lilac filled the room, and the bubbles turned a bright pink color. She stripped quickly out of her clothes and laid the book on top of the tub. Now pulling this off might be a bit tricky, she thought to herself. She turned off the taps.

She lowered herself down to the second step inside the tub, the water covering half of her. She stretched out, horizontally, and realized that she could just touch the other side of the tub with her toes. Switching to a standing position she quickly moved forward into the tub, washing herself off. Once she was clean, she settled down on the second step again, resting her back against the side. Sighing, she picked up the book and started flipping through it. When she found a diagram that caught her eye, she stopped and began to read, feeling slightly debauched, but intrigued nonetheless.

"Now that's what I call dedication; researching in the bath." Harry's voice from the door startled her, and she almost dropped the book into the water.

"Harry! Don't you know it's rude to interrupt a lady when she's in the bath?"

Harry smiled at her sleepily and then came toward her, yawning. "And don't you know it's bad form not to invite your boyfriend to join you?" He ducked his head and kissed her briefly. He pulled away and smiled tenderly at her, an odd look in his eyes. "Hmm...wet," he added.

"I'm in the tub, you dolt, of course, I'm wet."

"Well, if that all it takes then," Harry said suggestively, and Ginny realized he must have awoken in a very good mood indeed. Harry glanced at what she was reading, and his eyes brightened.

"You're not researching at all! You're reading Hermione's book, and here I thought you were dedicated to helping me -"

Ginny splashed water at him, and he ducked, smiling. "Get me a towel, Harry."

Harry frowned, his lips protruding in a slight pout. "You don't want me to join you?"

"No. I want to join you out there. I don't think I'm quite up for another water excursion just yet."

Harry continued to pout, but he grabbed one of the large towels and held it out for her. Ginny was proud of the fact that she only felt slightly embarrassed as his eyes washed over her before covering her up with the towel. He dried her off, and Ginny closed her eyes as he worked the towel around her, making certain he didn't miss a spot. When he was done, he turned her around, cinching the towel around her. She opened her eyes, and he pulled her to him, kissing her. His tongue hungrily entered her mouth, and she relaxed against him, wrapping her arms around his neck, the book still in her hands.

She pulled away from him, breathless. "Well, someone certainly had an agreeable nap. It's good to see you in such um...high spirits."

As if to prove her point, she leaned into him, feeling his arousal through his jeans. He blushed and nodded at her.

"I had a very good dream," he said simply, using his hands to tighten the towel around her waist.

"And Dumbledore?"

Harry blinked at her, pulling his eyes away from her lips. "I didn't dream about Dumbledore."

Ginny shook her head. "No, did you speak with him? Is everything...all right?"

Harry nodded. "He's going to have Professor Lupin contact me tomorrow. We're going to work on a few things. Listen, wouldn't you much rather talk about all of this after?"

Ginny laughed at the evident desire in his eyes. "Why, Harry Potter, I do believe you have a one-track mind. What have I done to you? I've turned a mild-mannered boy into a sex maniac, it seems."

Harry kissed her again, rubbing himself against her, and Ginny felt herself swoon with delight.

"I can't help it, Gin, I see you, and I just...want you," Harry said breathlessly, his eyes boring into hers. "Maybe it's being young, I don't know. I don't care at this point. Come on." He tugged on her middle, and she moved forward. They kissed as they moved through the doorway, stumbling backward toward the bed. She felt the towel loosen and then fall as Harry sat back on the bed. His eyes swept over her again, and she felt her skin heat, not from embarrassment, but desire. He made her feel so incredibly sexy when he did that; she loved the possessive look that came into his eyes, and she wondered if she did the same when she looked at him.

"Don't you want to know what I was reading?" she asked him, raising an eyebrow.

Harry chuckled as he started removing his clothes. "Tell me then, what is tonight's experiment?"

"Get out of those jeans, and I'll read it to you."

"Hmm...story time, good."

They switched places, and Ginny curled up on the bed, watching him get undressed, still marveling at his apparent good mood. When he had nothing left but his boxers on, he climbed in next to her. They both glanced down at his erection and smiled.

"Are you positive you can wait that long?" she asked him, feeling coy.

"To a certain degree, yeah," Harry said, his voice gruff suddenly.

Moving so that she wasn't touching him directly, she opened up the book and started to read about the position she'd been studying before he'd interrupted her. Harry's hand began to caress her skin.

"Sitting positions can be very intimate for the loving couple. They allow easy contact between lovers and can be used when time is short, perfect for the concept of the 'quickie'."

Harry chuckled softly as she read, his hands getting more daring as they continued to explore the parts of her that he could reach. Ginny took a deep breath and continued.

"If the woman sits facing the man, it is possible for there to be intense...stimulation. Here she may close her legs, which causes the vagina to produce...great pressure on the penis, causing a deeper sensation for both um...parties..."

Ginny stopped reading for a moment as Harry's roving hands found a particularly sensitive spot along the side of her body, teasing her with the barest of touches. She glanced at him and saw that he was watching her, his eyes dark. She wondered briefly if it were possible to drown in another person's eyes.

"Go on," he said quietly, his voice causing a shiver to break out across her skin.

Ginny took a deep breath and nodded, as Harry's hands once again continued moving over her. She heard her voice shake as he rolled closer to her, his skin touching hers.

"The ah...man can open his thighs, allowing her to move closer to his...oh...his body..."

Harry maneuvered himself until he was eye-level with her waist, and he parted her legs with his hand, gently caressing the inside of her thighs. Ginny closed her eyes but opened them again when he stopped. She looked down at him, and he smiled.

"Keep reading, Gin."

Ginny shook her head and stared at the book in front of her, suddenly unable to concentrate enough to read. She took a deep breath, and Harry recommenced his movements. She saw him remove his glasses and move closer to her, feeling his breath hot against her skin.

"Um...this um...oh...allows the ah...woman to move closer to his body, thus allowing him to extended his...oh!"

Ginny let the book fall away from her hands as Harry's tongue made contact with her body. She felt herself sink into the sensation of his mouth on her. Harry gripped her legs in his hands, still caressing them, causing what felt like a million goosebumps to break out across her skin. She felt deliriously light, as though she were floating. The only thing she knew was the sensation of Harry's mouth loving her, and she reached her climax quickly, her body reacting as though it had merely been waiting for Harry to swirl his tongue over her.

Merlin, he does that to me too well, she thought to herself as he pulled away from her, lowering her legs. He moved off of her slightly and put his glasses back on, a faint smile on his face. She shook her head and pulled him to her, kissing his lips, tasting herself there.

Harry broke the kiss and then stood up, pulling her from the bed. "Come on," he said lightly, turning to lead them out of the bedroom.

"Where are we going?" she asked, confused.

"I think there's a chair out here we can use."

Ginny was in awe at this new and direct Harry. She giggled when he tested the chair, making certain it could hold their weight. It was dark brown and looked plenty sturdy, with a deep, soft cushion over the wood of the seat. Harry rocked back and forth in it and then glanced at her, a wicked look on his face. Ginny laughed as he stood up and removed his boxers. Ginny gazed at him, feeling something tighten inside her.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Come here and let's see if that book knows what it's talking about." Harry pointed to his lap, a slight pink tint to his skin, as though he couldn't quite believe what he was doing.

"Just a minute, Harry," Ginny said, suddenly remembering something important. She dashed back into the bedroom, grabbing his wand from the table. She handed it to him with a smug look on her face. At least this time, she'd been the one to remember.

Harry performed the spell, and then she moved onto his lap, loving the way they fit together. They kissed as they settled into the chair, Harry wrapping his arms around her, pulling her in close. She felt him brush against her stomach and smiled, breaking the kiss to look down at him.

"Let's see then...this leg goes here..." Ginny moved and adjusted her body so that she could move her legs through the arms of the chair. "And this leg goes...here...and this...this monstrosity goes...here."

Harry's eyes widened as she lowered herself onto him, his breathing suddenly ragged. He looked at her as their bodies joined.

"I don't think you should call my...well, I don't think it's a monstrosity."

Ginny, who was having her own breathing problems, could only nod in agreement. "My...ah...oh...apologies, Harry. Hmm...no...definitely not a bad thing, this. Ah."

Harry opened his legs wider, and she scooted forward, remembering what the book had suggested. They moved slowly, kissing as they tested the chair and the position. Harry moved his hand from around her back and cupped her breast, teasing her nipple, before doing the same to the other one. Ginny rested her hands around his neck and shoulders, moving her mouth around his neck. She pulled her head away as Harry rocked forward, their eyes meeting.

"Gin?"

"Hmm?"

"This is..."

"Bleeding fantastic?"

Harry nodded, a bead of sweat dripping down his head. Ginny used her hand to wipe it away as their bodies continued to move. They rocked forward slowly, and Ginny found that she enjoyed being able to touch and caress him as he did the same to her. It felt so intimate and private; they didn't speak much, but simply enjoyed looking at each other as their bodies kept moving them closer and closer to that edge of release.

Harry kissed her gently, his teeth pulling on her bottom lip. He rested his forehead against hers as she shifted forward, causing a sweet sensation to flare across their bodies. She felt herself tighten as he thrust into her.

"Oh, Harry, I love you," she whispered, closing her eyes. Her heart felt as though it would break with everything that she was feeling, and she almost couldn't stand it; it was too precious - too much - this feeling she had for him. Never in all the time she had loved him did she think it would be like this; never in all the time she'd wanted him had she ever imagined that loving Harry would teach her so much.

"Ginny," he whispered in her ear, and she opened her eyes, looking at him. He moved forward and wrapped his arms around her, holding her to him. With a fumbled movement, he managed to stand up, gripping her weight in his arms. They stumbled together, breaking the connection as he slipped out of her. Before she could bemoan the loss too much, he was placing her on the ground, propping himself above her. He entered her again, quickly, as though he too missed the feeling. He lowered his head to hers and kissed her, their bodies finding another rhythm. Harry used the new position to pour more of himself into her, and she felt filled completely. She arched her back and wrapped her legs around his waist, dragging him down closer. He thrust deeply and then cried out as he came. Ginny felt her release a moment later as he continued to move deep within her, his name falling from her lips as she tightened around him.

Harry collapsed on top of her, his breathing loud in her ear. She smiled and smoothed her hands through his hair.

"I think we're getting good at this," she whispered, and a moment later, he laughed, propping his head up to look at her. He rolled off of her and lay back on the floor, staring up at the ceiling. Ginny watched him and then curled herself into his body, wrapping her arm around his chest.

"Do you think there will ever come a time when we won't want to make love?" she asked after a long moment had passed.

"Merlin, I hope not," Harry said quietly, and he reached down to lift her face, caressing her cheek. "Why are you so beautiful? You're more beautiful now than before. I don't understand how that's possible."

Ginny smiled and moved upwards so that she was looking down at him. "I'm only beautiful because you're in love. If you weren't in love I'm certain I'd still be just plain, boring Ginny Weasley."

"Hmm," Harry said absentmindedly as his hands strayed to her hair. "I don't think so, Ginny. You could never be plain and boring. It's impossible. Why do..." Harry paused, a dark look crossing his face.

"Harry?" she touched his cheek, concerned.

"Nothing," he said, pulling her down to him. He kissed her gently, making something inside of her break open at the tenderness of it. She smoothed her hand on his face, wanting to know what had caused his expression to darken.

"What is it? Tell me."

Harry sighed and looked away from her. A moment later, his eyes found hers, something unreadable in them.

"Why do you love me?" he asked, his voice soft, but hard. "I mean, why did you keep loving me, even after...even after all the things I did to hurt you. I don't deserve this...I don't deserve you."

"Yes, you do," she said, lowering her face down to his. "Harry, you didn't hurt me on purpose...you just didn't know any better. Like I said this morning, you had other things to deal with, and I was just a silly little girl with a crush. You were always very courteous with me, you know. But I was so silly; I could never be myself around you. But then, I don't know, it changed, and you were just Harry. You let me become your friend. It pains me to think that you don't know your worth."

He sighed, letting his hands get lost in her hair, lifting it off of her face. "That's because I don't have any worth. I'm just...I'm just a kid, forced to make stupid mistakes and painful decisions. If Voldemort hadn't picked me and my family to target, you'd probably be lying here with Neville Longbottom."

Ginny felt a swirl of anger go through her. She pulled back from his embrace and narrowed her eyes at him. "How can you say that, Harry? You know I love you for you, not your fame."

He studied her for a long while and then sighed, sitting up. He looked so young and lost then that Ginny immediately felt herself soften. She reached out to touch him, but he moved away.

"I know you do, Gin, I just don't understand the why of it. I'm not that...handsome, and I'm not that bright, not really, and I've got this horrible Prophecy to fulfill, and I'll probably be dead by the end of the year. I'm stubborn and thick-headed, and I probably have severe emotional problems due to everything I keep bottled inside, not to mention I have Voldemort running around up here, and I just... don't know what you see in me that makes you stay."

His shoulders slumped, and he stared at the floor in front of him, pulling his legs closer to his body, as though protecting himself from her look. Ginny closed her eyes and shook her head. She had to make him understand.

She moved so that she was facing him, and pulled his eyes up to meet hers. She traced the line of his jaw with her hands, trying to smooth away the hurt she saw on his face.

"You, Harry, are very desirable. You have these amazing eyes, you know? They're so bright and green, and they show everything that you think you hide. I bet you didn't know that, did you? And this hair of yours, Harry, so dark and messy. I can't tell you how many times I just wanted to run my hands through it, to see if it felt as good as it looked. And these arms, Harry, inside them I feel as though nothing could ever hurt me, and I know that you would die trying to protect those you love."

She moved her hands down his arms and then centered them on his chest, over his heart.

"But those are just some of the small reasons why I love you. This heart of yours, Harry, it's amazing. It beats, it pumps blood through you, and it feels so much. Do you think I don't see how you try to guard it? Do you think I don't know how easily hurt it can be? The fact that you can even feel anything after all you've been through is a testament to how strong this heart of yours is. It's a good heart, Harry. It tries and tries until there's nothing left, and even then it doesn't give up. You're loyal and true and brave, yes, you're all these things, but most of all you're you, Harry. Stubborn and angry and slow sometimes, but Merlin, if you could see what I see when I look at you, then you wouldn't be doubting anything. You'd know that compared to you, everyone else is in black and white, and you're in the brightest colors. I love you, Harry. I don't care if I have to tell you that every hour of every day for the rest of our lives. I am not going to let your self-doubt push me away."

Ginny felt the tears hot behind her eyes and pulled him into her arms, sobbing into his shoulder. His hands stayed at his side, and then slowly, he wrapped his arms around her, holding on to her tightly.

"I'm sorry, Ginny," he said softly after a long moment. She pulled back and looked at him, seeing the wetness of his eyes.

"I don't mean to doubt you. I'm...I'm glad you feel all those things for me...I'm amazed and I'm...I'm so lucky, Ginny. I don't want you to think I don't know that."

Ginny laughed softly and rubbed his cheek. Their lips met, and it was a gentle, sweet kiss.

"Should we go back to the bed, Harry?"

"Hmm...yeah, I reckon so. Think they'll send us dinner if they don't see us?"

"They'd better. I'm starving," Ginny said as she felt her stomach rumble.

"I think I might have something for that," Harry said lightly as they stood up.

Ginny glanced down and shook her head. "Seventeen-year-old boys, miracles of miracles!" she said wistfully, taking his hand.

"I don't think it's that. It's just you...what you do to me," Harry said shyly, his face turning pink.

Ginny smiled smugly and then led him back to the bedroom. She reckoned it was his turn to read from the book for a while...

o-o-o-o-o-o

They eventually made love again and then slept. They awoke later, this time both of them hungry, and Harry was happy to discover that dinner had indeed been left for them. They got into their pajamas and talked as they ate. Harry wanted to tell Ginny about the dream he'd had, but something inside him wanted to keep it for himself; besides, he honestly didn't know if the dream meant anything. It could have just been his heart making a wish, letting him see into some idyllic world where everything was perfect. Letting him believe he was going to defeat Voldemort, and he'd be around to have a future.

"I have to tell you something," Ginny said as she finished off the last of her pudding.

Harry glanced up at her, surprised by the serious tone in her voice.

"It's about Brogan and our research."

"Oh yeah, I forgot to be cross at you for that, didn't I? Going for walks with other men...I don't know, Gin, if I wasn't so certain you're mad for me, I might think I have a reason to be jealous." Harry said raising his eyebrow at her as her skin turned pink.

"Harry, stop it. I'm being serious."

Harry sighed and then moved the tray out of the way for them. He looked at her and rested his head on his hand, waiting for her to continue.

She pursed her lips at him and then took a deep breath. "Well, Brogan is an expert on Aine, actually. He's been revising her for years."

Harry frowned. "Then why are we doing it? Why didn't Dumbledore just contact him, if he's such an expert?"

"I don't know; I think Dumbledore wants us to discover things on our own. Brogan was...well, he was very guarded when I talked to him earlier. It was like he wanted to tell me, but couldn't. He got emotional about it too, I think, but he shrugged it off."

"Git," Harry said under his breath, causing Ginny to give him a harsh glance.

"Yes, well, he reminded me of someone else who likes to do that too," Ginny said pointedly, and Harry felt his skin heat.

"Sorry," he mumbled. "Continue, please."

Ginny shook her head and then sighed. "Some of the things we're going to learn about aren't going to be true, so Brogan wanted to make certain I understood that. That because of Aine's power, she was feared and treated with disrespect by the wizarding community because they were jealous. They didn't like the fact that Muggles worshipped her, and the fact that her name is still known to them; she didn't fade into obscurity like she "should" have."

"So...we're reading books we don't need to read? Did he happen to let you know which books we should read?"

Ginny frowned. "No. I don't think that was the point. There's something we're supposed to find out, but I don't know what. Did you get much reading done before you er...fell asleep earlier?"

Harry felt himself blush. "Um...no...not quite."

Ginny gave him a stern look and then smiled broadly. "Me, either. What a pair of researchers we are, eh? Goodness, but I do miss Hermione. Can't understand why."

Ginny giggled, and he laughed. Having Hermione on the case would be nice. He suddenly had an idea. "Maybe we should owl them...er I mean, owl the whole family, of course, but owl Hermione separately and sort of...I don't know, let it slip what we're trying to research..."

Ginny looked excited for a moment and then frowned. "No, we shouldn't. I mean, we've been given this great opportunity to be together, we should try to do what Dumbledore is asking of us, right? Wouldn't that be...selfish of us to let Hermione do all the work?"

Harry knew she was right, and for a moment was disappointed that she had a moral compass that worked far better than Ron's. He decided to appeal to the part of her that was pure George and Fred.

"Yes, but I mean, we'd just sort of be letting Hermione know. We wouldn't have to ask her to work on it. Anything she did would be purely based on her own need to know. And if she passed that information along to us, well, then...it'd just be her telling us everything in her usual way."

Ginny looked as though she were considering it, and Harry thought he'd struck success when she shook her head at him.

"You've been hanging around with Fred and George far too long, Harry."

"I just don't want to spend all my time with my nose stuck in a book," he said grumpily.

Ginny giggled and then really started laughing, doubling over on the bed. He watched her, unaware of anything funny he'd said. She wiped at her eyes after a moment, taking deep breaths.

"What's so funny?" he asked, feeling left out of the joke.

"I'm sorry, Harry. It's just when you said...that bit about your nose being stuck in a book...I just...got this memory of where your nose was earlier, and what would happen if you got it stuck in there and it was such a funny image."

Harry frowned at her and then realized what she meant. He smiled at her. "Oh, I don't know, it's not that funny an image. You weren't laughing earlier, at any rate," he reached over and pulled her to him, kissing her lightly. "I think you were moaning 'don't stop' or some such thing?"

Ginny blushed and rolled her eyes. "Yes, well, that is neither here nor there. I still don't think I'd like you to actually get stuck down there."

Harry chuckled as he nuzzled her neck.

"Harry," Ginny said after a moment, her voice breathy.

"Hmm...?"

"We should be reading those books."

"I thought we decided to owl Hermione," he whispered as he stroked her cheek with his hand, making small kisses along her jaw.

"No, we did not," Ginny said determinedly. She pushed him off of her and slipped out from under him before he could grab a hold of her again. She picked up two of the books and tossed the larger one at him.

"We have to get some work done. Honestly, Harry. What are you going to tell Mr Cosgrove when he asks us tomorrow? 'Sorry, but I shagged my girlfriend again all night'?"

"Well, considering what I went through with Dumbledore, it should be a breeze," Harry said, resigned that she was going to make them read. He pulled the book to him and opened it, sighing. He glanced at her to see that she was staring at him.

"What?"

"You told Dumbledore about us?" Ginny's voice sounded odd and high.

"Er, well, I had to. He wanted to know what we'd been doing before Voldemort made his appearance. I couldn't very well tell him were just sitting about with our clothes off, reading."

"You told Dumbledore that -"

"Ginny?" He watched her as she suddenly turned very pale and then ran into the loo. Frowning, he got up from the bed and followed her. He watched from the door as she steadied herself at the sink, her breathing coming in sharp gasps.

"What is wrong?" he asked, going to her. She shook her head and turned on the taps, washing her face off with the cool water.

"It's nothing, it's...just...Dumbledore knowing about us, sort of...I don't know, threw me a bit. I mean, it's Dumbledore, Harry. How can you be so calm about this?" Her eyes met his in the mirror.

"Believe me, Ginny. I was not calm about it earlier. I wanted nothing more than the floor to open up and swallow me whole. It was the worst conversation of my life, I think. Well, one of the top five, anyway. I told him we were relaxing."

Ginny stared at him and turned around to face him. "Relaxing?"

"Er. Yeah. We were um...relaxing. Well, it's true! We do sort of relax afterward and -"

Ginny laughed suddenly, and she put her hand to her head. "You told Dumbledore we were relaxing. That's your euphemism for sex? Relaxing? Oh, Harry, I do so love you."

Harry stared at her, not understanding the joke. "Well, I couldn't very well come out and say we were shagging, now could I? Merlin knows what he would have thought about the Binding Spell I managed to throw off -"

"You didn't tell him about that?" Ginny asked him sharply, suddenly becoming serious.

"Er, no, I didn't want to explain to him exactly what we were doing using a Binding Spell during sex, actually..."

"You should have found a way to tell him."

Harry stared at her. "Are you mental? I couldn't even say sex to the man; I had to say 'relaxing'. I'm amazed I didn't come away from the conversation even more scarred then I am. I wasn't about to tell him I'd broken a spell designed to keep my hands in place while you shagged me senseless. No way, no how, Ginny."

"But, Harry! It's important. Do you know how...rare it is for a wizard to be able to do that?" Ginny leaned against the sink, her former embarrassment forgotten. She stared at him with a determined look.

"I can't do it. I did it once. And it was...well, it wasn't during a normal time, you may remember? I don't even know what I did! It's not like I planned it, Ginny."

"Yes, well, that's why we should talk to someone about it. This could have implications, Harry, think about it."

Harry felt angry and moved away from her. "Right. I'll just go up to Voldemort and say, 'Oh excuse me, Tom, let me shag Ginny first, and then I'll use my wandless magic to defeat you'. Please. How is being able to do that, while doing...that, any help?"

Ginny sighed, folding her arms. "Harry, honestly. If you did it once during an emotional time, you may be able to do it again under different conditions. Think about it - you could practice it, and perhaps be able to fight off stronger spells. You wouldn't need a wand, Harry. This could be 'the power that the dark lord knows not'; did you ever think of that?"

Ginny continued to glare at him, her anger surfacing. He didn't understand what she was getting so worked up over and said so.

"Why are you focusing on this? So I can do wandless magic when I'm excited, so what? I hardly think this is a great power of mine designed to defeat Voldemort. I don't have any great power, Ginny. I'm just...me."

"Fine, I'll tell Dumbledore myself. I'll Floo him tomorrow."

"No, he's not to know about it," Harry said, his voice coming out harder than he meant it.

Ginny shook her head and then walked away from him. He waited a moment and then followed her. She ignored him, settling down onto the bed, pretending to read the book she'd left there earlier.

"Ginny?"

"I'm reading, Harry." Her voice sounded cold and strained.

"No you're not, you're pretending to so you don't have to face the fact that this...whatever it is...isn't important."

Ginny snapped the book closed, casting him such a cold look that Harry gulped, despite himself.

"No, Harry, it's you who isn't facing facts. You don't even want to defeat Voldemort, do you?"

"What? How can you say that? Look at all the people he's hurt, Sirius, you -"

"You want to die, don't you, Harry? I mean, you study your Occlumency, and you practice your defensive skills, but it's just going through the motions, isn't it? I never saw it before, Harry, but I think you want him to kill you when it's all over and done with. Well, I'm not going to help you with that, Harry. I want a future together, and I'll be damned if I let that bastard take you with him. So if that means living through a little embarrassment with Dumbledore about our sexual practices, then so be it. You're worth more to me than that, and I thought I was worth more to you as well."

Ginny finished yelling at him and then turned, her shoulders hunching as she tried to hide her tears.

Harry stared at her and then went to her, pulling her into his arms. She stiffened when he touched her, but then relaxed. He turned her around and put his hand on her chin, raising her face to his. Her eyes were red, and her skin was pale, her freckles standing out against it.

"I don't want to die, Ginny. I mean maybe a part of me did before. But now...not now. I want a future together, too...I..." Harry stopped, remembering the dream he'd had earlier. "You make me want to stick around. Even if it is just to see if you ever get that quick temper of yours in check."

Ginny stared at him in disbelief and then shook her head. "Are you making fun of me?"

Harry smiled slightly. "Yeah. What are you going to do? Bat-Bogey Hex me or something? You're the one who has to sleep with me, remember that."

Ginny smiled, rolling her eyes. She grew serious again as she looked at him. She brought her hand to his forehead, her fingers tracing his scar. It took all his willpower not to jerk away. He didn't think anyone had ever touched him there before.

"Then we'll tell Dumbledore?" she asked him, her eyes serious.

Harry sighed. "Yes, I'll tell him. I don't know if I'll ever be able to look him in the eye again, but yes, I will tell him what happened."

Ginny held his face in her hand. "Good." She leaned forward and kissed him. Harry closed his eyes and lost himself in her embrace. He felt that familiar surge of emotion in his heart and pulled back to catch his breath. She smiled at him.

"You have a pretty quick temper yourself, Harry."

"Yeah, I know. But you love me anyway, right?"

Ginny nodded. "I love you because of it, actually. As strange as that sounds. Now, come on. We have to read. At least a few chapters before we turn in."

"You have a one-track mind, Ginny." But he followed her to the bed and took the book she offered him.

She patted the space beside her and smiled wickedly. "No, not really. I like other things as well, and if you're a good boy, I might show you what some of those things are."

Harry grinned and settled in beside her. "Oh, do tell, Miss Weasley."

"No. Read, Harry. I don't want you distracted."

Harry stared at her in disbelief and then laughed as she primly pulled her nightdress tighter around her, beginning to read.