[A/N]: Here it is…chapter 3…I hated that chapter 2 was so short but it seemed like a good place to finish off…never fear! Chappie 3 is here!
DISCLAIMER: It's so repetitive to have to write this but oh well….Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling and anyone else that has a claim of him…I would love Remus though!
CHAPTER 3: The "Talk" and Diagon Alley
Even a few days later, Harry wasn't sure how he felt about being able to talk to his mother, it was definitely odd, but satisfying knowing he could communicate with her, even his father; but that took far too much energy and only for a short while.
'Don't worry Harry,' his mother had said to him one day, 'I won't tease you about Ginny, although she does seem like a sweet girl!'
Harry was mortified beyond belief. He maybe one of the most powerful, maybe the most powerful wizard in the world, but he was still a teenage boy whose mother was about to give him The "Talk".
'Now Harry, I know you know but please be careful! You have a lot of responsibility and accidents happen'
'MUM! I know you mean well but please spare me!' Lily merely laughed as he felt her warm presence leave his head.
It was true, at least partly. He and Ginny had been writing each other very often. Ginny kept Harry informed of anything he didn't catch in the wizarding world, including that Peter Pettigrew had been caught on the Death Eater raid of Diagon Alley. Harry had, of course, already known as it had been his Warrior Form that had saved it. Sirius had also been released and given his possessions, including his wand, back. Minister Fudge had at first refused and tried to get Sirius' Kissed, but overwhelming evidence including Wormtail's confession under Veritaserum, forced him to change his mind. Ginny had, from her father and the Daily Prophet, also told Harry that Fudge was loosing support since the raid, and blatantly refused Voldermort's return. Unfortunately, Sirius was on a mission for Dumbledore, and much to his unhappiness, couldn't take Harry for the summer, but would every day after. For now, Harry could care less about being at the Dursley's. He knew that the Ministry couldn't detect his magical signature, thanks to a nifty charm that hadn't been used for a couple hundred years; so he spent some time putting up more wards around the house. After all, he did greatly dislike them, but he couldn't let Voldermort get them.
Harry pulled on some flannel pajama bottoms and a t-shirt and got ready for bed, he had gotten uncle Vernon to take him to Diagon Alley the next day.
*~*~*~*~*~*
It was around a week till September 1st, the first day back to Hogwarts, and Harry was outside Gringotts waiting to meet Ron, Hermione, and Ginny. This Dumbledore-approved shopping visit would be the first time Harry had seen any of them since the train last term. They were running late. Late enough, in fact, that Harry had time to go to Madame Malkins to buy himself new robes considering all his old ones were small enough for a midget with his growth spurt. He had even bought Ginny a present, new glittery snow-white dress robes with a golden trim for the Yule Ball he wasn't supposed to know about.
Harry searched the crowd, 'Bingo' he thought. There, coming just off his left side, were two red and one bushy brown head bobbing amongst the other shoppers.
*~*~*
"Ginny!" Ginny turned her head in the direction of a deep male voice calling her name. "Ginny! Ron! Hermione! Over here!" Ginny and the others looked to see a very handsome young man smiling and waving at them. Ginny's breath got caught in her throat, and it didn't look like it would be coming out for a while. There before her, was Harry Potter, her long-time crush and short-time friend, and now man-veela.
"Harry?" she said, only slightly breathless. The man was defiantly Harry; he had the lightning scar to prove it. There were several obvious changes that made very girl in the vicinity drool, and their exceedingly evident attempts to get him to notice them were not working. Harry's eyes were focused solely on Ginny, her brother and Hermione.
"Harry? Whoa you've changed!" Ron exclaimed and smiled at his friend, albeit it seemed strained. Harry seemed to sense this and replied
"I know, I've been training during the summer, running, lifting weights and so on, I want to be in good shape for when Voldermort attacks"
Ron flinched, not only because Harry had used Voldermort's name, but because he felt slightly guilty for being jealous of his friend who just wanted to defend himself against the Dark Lord.
"Yes, Harry, you have changed; but I must say it looks good" Hermione had finally found her mouth and said something that lightened the mood. Harry, modest as always, rolled his eyes. "Come on; let's get our things, and then maybe some ice cream?" He looked hopefully at Ginny who nodded in agreement. "Well then, off we go!"
*~*~*~*
Two hours later, the four of them had visited the Apothecary, quill and parchment shop, and Flourish and Blotts, in which it was abysmally difficult to get not only Hermione, but Harry to leave. They were walking down the cobblestone street gazing upon shops that still had damage from the attack visible.
"What's next?" Harry asked while gazing down at his list. This was, of course, a planned remark to get him and Ginny alone, "Ron, didn't your last letter say that Fred and George actually gave you money for new dress robes?" Ron grinned broadly, and took out a moneybag heavy with coins.
"Yeah, why don't we go to Madame Malkin's? I want to get some dress robes with absolutely no lace and any colour BUT maroon"
"Sounds good" Hermione nodded in agreement.
"Well, I've already gone while you guys were running late, so I'll meet you at Florean Fortesques" Harry snuck a glance at Ginny and hoped she got the hint. She did.
"Oh, I'll go with you, I don't need any; Hermione, why don't you go with Ron? Help him choose something nice" Hermione and Ron both turned pink at the prospect of being alone with each other.
"Alright then, meet you at Florean's in a half hour or so?" Harry and Ginny nodded.
"See you" and the too couples set off in opposite directions.
*~*~*~*~*
Harry and Ginny sat licking their cones at a table outside the Florean Fortesques. Silence reigned and Harry was getting more and more nervous.
'Just go for it sweetie' His mothers voice reassured him, and he figured it was now or never, he didn't want to ask in front of Ron. Best friend, bigger, stronger, or not; Ginny was still Ron's little sister, and might try to beat Harry into a bloody pulp.
"Uh, Ginny?" He looked onto Ginny's honey brown eyes. 'She's really beautiful' "I was wondering, Dumbledore let it slip in one of his letters," he lied, he had found out by 'listening in' on Dumbledore's Order of the Phoenix. "You see, there's going to be another Yule Ball this year and I was wondering if you would consider going with me?" Harry looked into Ginny's eyes which, while still brown, were wide in shock.
"O-o-of course Harry, I would love too!" Harry's face broke out into a relieved smile.
"Great, I thought you were going to say no"
"Of course not!," Ginny blushed and looked down, "I was hoping you would ask me to Hogsmeade or something, but this is much better" in fact, Ginny had a feeling he was going to ask her out, not a wistful fantasy but a feeling, an un-ignorable presence in the depths of her stomach that told her that's what he was going to do.
Harry and Ginny continued to smile and sneak looks at each other when Ron and Hermione came back. Harry was as bold as to give Ginny a quick hug and a kiss on the cheek when they separated. Harry couldn't wait a week to get back to Hogwarts, and to see Ginny. Maybe, he could tell her about his plans earlier than her expected; maybe, she already knew.
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[A/N]: AAWWWWW…..sweet and fluffy…exactly how I like my hp/gw………….anywho…….thanks to all the reviewers….you've been great…..
The next chapter will be out tomorrow evening I hope…..we're renovating and I may have to move my computer but it shouldn't be long!
REVIEW!!!!!............No Flames!!!!..........remember the English teacher…..who seems to hate my work…..