A/n: If you don't like
fluff, turn away now. -N
Harry ran into the Gryffindor
common room, his face flushed from sprinting through the halls. Ron and
Hermione looked up as he came crashing through the door. Their faces were both
very red. Harry noted with some amusement that they were the only ones in the
common room. He cleared his throat.
"Um,
hey guys! Having fun, heh heh? So Ron, where's your sister?" This
was all said very quickly, and not quite as casually as Harry had wished.
"I
think she went for a walk in the garden," Ron said, sounding quite
bemused. Harry raised his eyebrows.
"The
garden! Oh, right… well, I'll see you guys!" And with that,
he rushed out of the room. Hermione looked at Ron in amusement.
"Could
that boy BE any more obvious?" Ron laughed.
"All
I can say is, it's about time he made up his mind!"
*****
Ginny
sat on a bench in the garden, alone. During the past few years, she'd
come out to this very same spot many a time. It was the only place where she
could stop and think. Think about school, about life, about love. Mostly about
love. She breathed in the sweet scent of the roses which grew all around the
small bench. Why doesn't he love me?
Ginny nearly jumped out of her skin as she felt a hand on
her shoulder. She turned her head to see Harry standing behind her. He smiled
down at her.
"Mind
if I sit?" Too shocked for words, Ginny just nodded. Harry sat down
beside her and looked up through the rose bushes at the stars. "You come
out here a lot?" Ginny nodded again. "It's nice… the
roses are really pretty."
Ginny
looked at her feet. "I come out here to think… it's nice and
peaceful."
Harry
cleared his throat. "Yeah. I've been doing a lot of thinking lately,
and, well… Do you want a flower?" He said, holding out a white rose
and feeling extremely foolish. Ginny looked at him quizzically and took the
flower, turning slightly pink.
"Thank
you," she said quietly, "It's beautiful." She went to
look back down at her feet, but Harry reached out and caught her face in his
hand, making her look towards him.
"Ginny…"
he whispered, looking into her eyes, "I don't know how to say what
I want to say, exactly, so…" He leaned forward and kissed her,
closing his eyes. He could feel her shock beginning to melt away as her hands
slipped around the back of his neck. She pulled away suddenly, and Harry saw
that she had tears in her eyes.
"What's
wrong?"
"I
don't want to wake up," she whispered, a tear sliding down her
cheek. "This is the part where I always wake up."
Harry
cradled her face in his hands. "I think I NEEDED to wake up, Ginny. I was
asleep all these years… but I'm awake now, and so are you."
He wiped the tears off of her cheeks, and looked into her eyes again. "Please
don't cry."
Ginny
laughed happily. "I won't, I promise. I won't cry
anymore." And then she kissed him.
When
they broke apart, Harry grinned at Ginny, who was finally able to look him in
the eye and smile back.
"So,
what'd you say?" asked Harry.
"Hmm?
What do I say about what?"
"Be
my girlfriend?"
Ginny
paused, looking down. "Well, Harry, I don't know if that's
such a good idea…" His face fell.
"Oh,
well okay, if you…" Ginny burst out laughing.
"Kidding,
just kidding!" Harry laughed, relieved.
"Damn
Fred and George for giving you a sense of humor."
"It's
a Weasley family trait." She leaned against his shoulder, sighing.
"I can't believe this is happening to ME."
"It
that a bad or good thing?"
Ginny
gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "Good thing. Definitely a good
thing."
*****
Laelyn
strode purposefully into the Gryffindor common room. Several Gryffindors began
to talk in a whispered hush as she walked through the students and over to
Hermione and Ron, who were still in the same spot on the couch. They both
greeted her enthusiastically.
"Hey
Laelyn. What's up?"
"Not
much, Ron," she replied, sitting down beside them. "I was just
wondering if you two have seen Ginny or Harry anywhere."
Hermione
shook her head. "Not since Harry left here about half an hour ago."
She paused to push a strand of hair out of her face. "Did you have
something to do with that?"
"With
what?"
"Harry,"
said Ron. "He was acting REALLY strange, even for him. Did he finally
come to his senses?"
Laelyn
nodded. "Mm hm, I think so." As she said this, the door to the
common room swung open, and Harry and Ginny tumbled in. Ginny was laughing at
something Harry had said, and Harry's arm was around her waist. Hermione
raised her eyebrows.
"Interesting."
Ron
laughed. "I'll say. They're about as mismatched
as…"
"You
and I?" Hermione said sardonically, her mouth twitching upwards at the
corners.
"Mm
Hm…"
Ginny
and Harry strolled over to the couch.
"Hey
everyone!" Ginny said, leaning over her brother's shoulder. Ron
began to applaud.
"Finally!
I was beginning to think you two'd never come to your senses!
Bravo!"
Harry
flashed them a lopsided smile. "Just thought we'd come say
hi…"
"In
other words, show off," Laelyn said, elbowing Ginny, who began to laugh
again.
"Yeah,
pretty much."
Laelyn
sighed. "I'm so glad everyone's happy. My mission in life has
been fulfilled."
"I
can't wait 'til dark arts tomorrow. You're going to be the
best teacher we've had yet, Laelyn!" Ginny remarked.
"Yeah,
plus I'm pretty sure this one's not going to try and kill
me," Harry said, giving Ginny's arm a little squeeze.
"Oh,
you always beat them anyways."
Ron
made a face. "Herm, are we this disgustingly sappy?"
"No,
not even close."
A/n: EEWww… how gross was
that? I think I should stop trying to write properly and pursue a career
writing Harlequin romances!
Disclaimer: I don't own the
characters or the setting. Or Harlequin. Please don't sue.