Chapter Two
The next morning Ginny woke up with a content smile on her face. She had yet again had another dream about Harry.
The smile vanished from her face as she thought back to last night. "Ginny you have to get over the guy, he just wants to be friends." She thought her herself as she started to get up. Hermione was already up and out of the room, so Ginny took her time to get dressed thinking back to her conversation with Harry.
"I have never ever thought of you in that way Gin, but I do regret not getting to know you better through out these past few years, but I would like to change that.
Ginny paused in the middle of brushing her hair as she thought about what he said. Ginny wondered if Harry would attempt to form a friendship with her or if he had just been saying that because he didn't want to hurt her feelings.
"Oh well regardless of whether he meant it or not, I have to get over him, I have no chance with him and am only setting myself up for heartbreak." Ginny told herself as she finished her hair and left the room.
**********
"She's over you, accept it." Harry told himself the next morning, as he got ready for breakfast. Thinking back to last night and Ginny caused a wave of disappointment to rush over him as he realized that she no longer liked him. Harry remembered how she used to follow him around during her first year and how annoying he had found it, but now he found himself wishing they could somehow go back to those days.
Harry finished getting ready and headed down the stairs for breakfast. When he reached the kitchen he was surprised to see Ginny was the only one there.
"Morning Gin."
"Morning." Ginny replied with a smile. "Your breakfast is on the work surface."
Harry slowly made his way over to the counter and picked up the plate filled with bacon and eggs. A smile came to his face as he thought of Mrs. Weasley and how well she treated him.
Harry sat down across from her and begin to eat. "Where is everyone?" He asked through mouthfuls of food.
"Mum went in to Diagon Alley, Fred, George, Percy, Bill and Dad are all at work and Ron and Hermione left early this morning."
A twinge of hurt came over Harry as he realized yet again they had left him.
"Oh." He replied trying to cover up his feelings.
Ginny noticed the hurt on his face and smiled warmly at him. "Do you like swimming?"
Harry laughed, thinking back to the Triwizard competition. "I can somewhat swim but I am not very good."
"Then it's settled. After breakfast we are going swimming in the nearby lake." Seeing the look of panic on Harry face she quickly added, "Don't worry, I won't let you drown."
Harry agreed and quickly finished his breakfast.
************
As they walked to the lake both Harry and Ginny remained quiet each having their own thoughts.
`Way to go Ginny, vow to yourself you where going to get over him and then ask him to go swimming. Real smart. Almost instantly Ginny regretted thinking this as she remembered the look of hurt that had come over Harry when he realized Ron and Hermione had taken off alone.
"Well here we are." Harry announced stopping at the small clearing.
Ginny smiled, this has always been one of her favorite places to go when she wanted to be alone. In front of them was a sparkling blue lake surrounded by trees and flowers.
Ginny walked over to a small grassy area and laid out a woolen blanket. She set her sketchbook and lunch down and proceeded to pull her yellow sundress over her head.
Harry eyes widened as she turned around to face him. Ginny was wearing a black two-piece bathing suit that left little to the imagination `I never realized just how beautiful she was. Harry thought as continued staring at her.
Ginny's face flushed a bright red as she saw Harry staring intently at her. "So you ready to swim?"
The sound of Ginny's voice broke Harry out of his thoughts and he nodded. As he pulled off his shirt he thought more about Ginny. She had grown up a lot in the past year. Her hair had grown much longer and was now a deep auburn color plus she had grown a few feet taller. Harry's cheeks flushed as he realized what other parts of her had changed as well.
`Stop it. It's Ginny,' he commanded himself as he walked toward the lake.
Harry and Ginny spent the next hour swimming in the lake both forgetting their conflicting thoughts of the other. Harry had been hesitant about swimming at first but Ginny had helped him overcome his fears and he had really enjoyed himself.
"Let's go eat lunch, then come back." Ginny suggested wading over to the shore.
Harry agreed and they got out of the water and ran back over to the blanket quickly throwing their towels over their wet bodies. Ginny leaned over and picked up the picnic lunch she had packed. She pulled out two sandwiches and two bottles of butter beer then handed them to Harry.
"Okay I have an idea." Harry suddenly spoke, "Since you pointed out that I don't really know you why don't you tell me more about yourself."
Ginny smiled. "Well there's not much to tell. My favorite color is green, I enjoy reading, writing, sketching and torturing my older brothers."
"What do you write?"
"Everything," replied Ginny, "romance, mystery, I have always just enjoyed writing short stories. I also write poetry." Ginny glanced over at Harry, "And for the record, my poetry has improved A LOT since first year."
Harry chuckled thinking back to first year. "His eyes are as green as a fresh pickled toad," he mimicked which earned him a punch to the shoulder.
"I am warning you Harry James Potter, you bring up that poem again and there will be dire consequences." Ginny warned him in a teasing voice.
"So you ready to go back in the water?" he asked after he had finished his lunch.
"I am going to sit out here for a bit, I'll come back in later." She promised picking up her sketchbook and a pencil.
Harry nodded and ran back toward the water. As he swam Ginny drew, at first she started with a picture of the lake and trees but then realized it looked empty. Glancing over toward Harry, she started to draw. He was standing, water reaching to his stomach and was staring intently at a robin in its nest. After a few seconds he turned attention away and started to swim again, but the image of him was still in her mind.
When Harry came out of the water a half hour later Ginny had just finished her drawing. Looking over her shoulder he saw what she had drawn.
"Gin, that's amazing."
Ginny flushed a bright red and turned to face him. "No its not... just mindless doodles."
Harry sat down on the grass beside her and took the sketchbook from her hands.
"This is not mindless doodles," he told her looking at the picture. "You have a real talent. Would you mind if I looked through it?"
Ginny nodded and Harry flipped to the front. It had many drawings of family members, a few of Fred and George leaning together, their eyes dancing with mischief. One of Ron and Hermione gazing lovingly at each other in front of the fire, a few of Percy at his desk writing and even a few of Harry from his previous visits to the Burrow.
"Gin, I had no idea you drew like this."
A faint smile played at the corners of Ginny's lips. "No one does and no one notices... It's as if I am invisible."
Harry continued flipping through the pages, but stopped at one. He looked at it in shock and then looked over to Ginny.
"About a year after the chamber I started to have flashback. They were so terrifying that I couldn't think of anything else, so I started to draw them."
Harry nodded with understanding, he knew all too well about how nightmares could be.
"Harry I only remember bits and pieces of what happened down there, but I really want to know everything. Could you please tell me what it was like? Because each time I get a new flashback about it scares me and re-plays over and over in my mind. If I could just know everything that happened maybe these horrible memories would stop."
Harry looked up at Ginny, her happy smiling face now looked nervous and frightened. He understood how she felt.
"Sure Ginny, just not now it's been a great day so far and I don't want to ruin it."
Ginny smiled. "Thank you Harry."
The two of them spent a few more hours at the lake before they realized it was getting dark. Quickly they packed up their things and started off towards the Burrow, with smiles on their faces.
The next morning Ginny woke up with a content smile on her face. She had yet again had another dream about Harry.
The smile vanished from her face as she thought back to last night. "Ginny you have to get over the guy, he just wants to be friends." She thought her herself as she started to get up. Hermione was already up and out of the room, so Ginny took her time to get dressed thinking back to her conversation with Harry.
"I have never ever thought of you in that way Gin, but I do regret not getting to know you better through out these past few years, but I would like to change that.
Ginny paused in the middle of brushing her hair as she thought about what he said. Ginny wondered if Harry would attempt to form a friendship with her or if he had just been saying that because he didn't want to hurt her feelings.
"Oh well regardless of whether he meant it or not, I have to get over him, I have no chance with him and am only setting myself up for heartbreak." Ginny told herself as she finished her hair and left the room.
**********
"She's over you, accept it." Harry told himself the next morning, as he got ready for breakfast. Thinking back to last night and Ginny caused a wave of disappointment to rush over him as he realized that she no longer liked him. Harry remembered how she used to follow him around during her first year and how annoying he had found it, but now he found himself wishing they could somehow go back to those days.
Harry finished getting ready and headed down the stairs for breakfast. When he reached the kitchen he was surprised to see Ginny was the only one there.
"Morning Gin."
"Morning." Ginny replied with a smile. "Your breakfast is on the work surface."
Harry slowly made his way over to the counter and picked up the plate filled with bacon and eggs. A smile came to his face as he thought of Mrs. Weasley and how well she treated him.
Harry sat down across from her and begin to eat. "Where is everyone?" He asked through mouthfuls of food.
"Mum went in to Diagon Alley, Fred, George, Percy, Bill and Dad are all at work and Ron and Hermione left early this morning."
A twinge of hurt came over Harry as he realized yet again they had left him.
"Oh." He replied trying to cover up his feelings.
Ginny noticed the hurt on his face and smiled warmly at him. "Do you like swimming?"
Harry laughed, thinking back to the Triwizard competition. "I can somewhat swim but I am not very good."
"Then it's settled. After breakfast we are going swimming in the nearby lake." Seeing the look of panic on Harry face she quickly added, "Don't worry, I won't let you drown."
Harry agreed and quickly finished his breakfast.
************
As they walked to the lake both Harry and Ginny remained quiet each having their own thoughts.
`Way to go Ginny, vow to yourself you where going to get over him and then ask him to go swimming. Real smart. Almost instantly Ginny regretted thinking this as she remembered the look of hurt that had come over Harry when he realized Ron and Hermione had taken off alone.
"Well here we are." Harry announced stopping at the small clearing.
Ginny smiled, this has always been one of her favorite places to go when she wanted to be alone. In front of them was a sparkling blue lake surrounded by trees and flowers.
Ginny walked over to a small grassy area and laid out a woolen blanket. She set her sketchbook and lunch down and proceeded to pull her yellow sundress over her head.
Harry eyes widened as she turned around to face him. Ginny was wearing a black two-piece bathing suit that left little to the imagination `I never realized just how beautiful she was. Harry thought as continued staring at her.
Ginny's face flushed a bright red as she saw Harry staring intently at her. "So you ready to swim?"
The sound of Ginny's voice broke Harry out of his thoughts and he nodded. As he pulled off his shirt he thought more about Ginny. She had grown up a lot in the past year. Her hair had grown much longer and was now a deep auburn color plus she had grown a few feet taller. Harry's cheeks flushed as he realized what other parts of her had changed as well.
`Stop it. It's Ginny,' he commanded himself as he walked toward the lake.
Harry and Ginny spent the next hour swimming in the lake both forgetting their conflicting thoughts of the other. Harry had been hesitant about swimming at first but Ginny had helped him overcome his fears and he had really enjoyed himself.
"Let's go eat lunch, then come back." Ginny suggested wading over to the shore.
Harry agreed and they got out of the water and ran back over to the blanket quickly throwing their towels over their wet bodies. Ginny leaned over and picked up the picnic lunch she had packed. She pulled out two sandwiches and two bottles of butter beer then handed them to Harry.
"Okay I have an idea." Harry suddenly spoke, "Since you pointed out that I don't really know you why don't you tell me more about yourself."
Ginny smiled. "Well there's not much to tell. My favorite color is green, I enjoy reading, writing, sketching and torturing my older brothers."
"What do you write?"
"Everything," replied Ginny, "romance, mystery, I have always just enjoyed writing short stories. I also write poetry." Ginny glanced over at Harry, "And for the record, my poetry has improved A LOT since first year."
Harry chuckled thinking back to first year. "His eyes are as green as a fresh pickled toad," he mimicked which earned him a punch to the shoulder.
"I am warning you Harry James Potter, you bring up that poem again and there will be dire consequences." Ginny warned him in a teasing voice.
"So you ready to go back in the water?" he asked after he had finished his lunch.
"I am going to sit out here for a bit, I'll come back in later." She promised picking up her sketchbook and a pencil.
Harry nodded and ran back toward the water. As he swam Ginny drew, at first she started with a picture of the lake and trees but then realized it looked empty. Glancing over toward Harry, she started to draw. He was standing, water reaching to his stomach and was staring intently at a robin in its nest. After a few seconds he turned attention away and started to swim again, but the image of him was still in her mind.
When Harry came out of the water a half hour later Ginny had just finished her drawing. Looking over her shoulder he saw what she had drawn.
"Gin, that's amazing."
Ginny flushed a bright red and turned to face him. "No its not... just mindless doodles."
Harry sat down on the grass beside her and took the sketchbook from her hands.
"This is not mindless doodles," he told her looking at the picture. "You have a real talent. Would you mind if I looked through it?"
Ginny nodded and Harry flipped to the front. It had many drawings of family members, a few of Fred and George leaning together, their eyes dancing with mischief. One of Ron and Hermione gazing lovingly at each other in front of the fire, a few of Percy at his desk writing and even a few of Harry from his previous visits to the Burrow.
"Gin, I had no idea you drew like this."
A faint smile played at the corners of Ginny's lips. "No one does and no one notices... It's as if I am invisible."
Harry continued flipping through the pages, but stopped at one. He looked at it in shock and then looked over to Ginny.
"About a year after the chamber I started to have flashback. They were so terrifying that I couldn't think of anything else, so I started to draw them."
Harry nodded with understanding, he knew all too well about how nightmares could be.
"Harry I only remember bits and pieces of what happened down there, but I really want to know everything. Could you please tell me what it was like? Because each time I get a new flashback about it scares me and re-plays over and over in my mind. If I could just know everything that happened maybe these horrible memories would stop."
Harry looked up at Ginny, her happy smiling face now looked nervous and frightened. He understood how she felt.
"Sure Ginny, just not now it's been a great day so far and I don't want to ruin it."
Ginny smiled. "Thank you Harry."
The two of them spent a few more hours at the lake before they realized it was getting dark. Quickly they packed up their things and started off towards the Burrow, with smiles on their faces.