A/N: Here I am!  Sorry about my long break.  I just got a little...frustrated with this fic, and how I can't seem to get it going anywhere...but I finally came up with something. A small something, and I know it won't be long before I get frustrated again, but it is something.  By the way, I know everyone's been getting annoyed at me for the fact that I don't have any H/G snog scenes but...they're comin'!  Just sit tight!

Disclaimer: Check ch. 1

***

"Ginny, you're finally up!" Mum said sweetly, as I glided into the kitchen. "How was your Christmas?"

I took a seat next to Harry at the breakfast table, and outstretched my hand for the pot of oatmeal.  "Lovely, wonderful, enchanting, perfect," I breathed.

Nine heads, each raising one eyebrow, swiveled around to face me.  Harry was the only one who hadn't turned to look at me, and his face had gone rather red.

I smiled shoveling spoonfuls of breakfast down my throat, my eyes unfocused, and my thoughts elsewhere.  I must have looked high.

"Ginny, dear, are you all right?"

"Mhmm," I answered Dad through a mouthful of oatmeal.

He nodded, though he looked a little frightened. 

"Great dinner – oops!  I mean breakfast, Mum!" I chuckled in spite of myself, and kissed her on the cheek.  I looked outside the nearest window at the softly falling snow.  "Beautiful day, isn't it?" I grinned cheekily.  "I think I'll be going for a little walk-"

"But Ginny it's freezing!" Ron interrupted.

"Heh?" I said absently, throwing my coat around me. "I'll be back in time for lunch!"

The last thing I heard before I walked out the front door was George's comment: "There are doctors for people like her, you know."

***

"Ginny, hey Ginny wait up!" I whirled around, almost slipping on a piece of ice on the sidewalk, as I waited for Hermione to catch up to me, her cloak flying behind her.

"'Lo Hermione!" I said, walking in step with her.

She looked over at me, "Why are you so happy all of a sudden?"

I had still been smiling.  I sighed, "Two charming words: Harry Potter."

Hermione bit her lip, as her eyes got round and bright.  She was such a sap. "Oooh!  Now, forgive me if I sound a little too Parvati-ish here but...give me the gossip!" She squealed.

I laughed.  Definitely not the Hermione I had been used too.  I filled her in on everything having to do with Harry and me - the movie, the kiss, the skating...the hug.

I breathed in the crisp winter air, as Hermione gazed at me with amazement. "So that's why," She mused.

I nodded.

"Then, why Ginny," She asked, "are you out here – rather than with him?"

Damn that Hermione.  She always has to over-think these things.  My smile faded, and I stopped walking, turning to face her, but not leveling with her eyes.  My feet seemed like the much better option to look at.  "I don't know," I mumbled.

"You do," She said lightly.

I shrugged. "I'm..." How stupid was this going to sound? "Scared."  Pretty stupid, apparently.

"Of what?"

I didn't want to tell her it.  It was so much like...so much like the shy, quiet, nervous Ginny. "Me, him, us..." I looked up at her. "Pretty lame, huh?"

"Nope," Said Hermione.  She started walking again, only this time it was back in the direction of the Burrow, and if I wanted to keep talking to her, then it left me no choice but to follow.

"It's not?" I asked unconvinced.

"I was scared with Ron too."

"How could you be!?  You knew Ron liked you.  I mean...the whole Gryffindor tower knew!  All of Hogwarts knew!  What was there to be nervous about?!  I worry that he doesn't like me...or – or love me, I mean...what if – what if -"

Hermione rolled her eyes, and I would've kicked her, but she started speaking. "First of all, if I knew that Ron liked me then I would've walked right up to him in 4th year and said 'I want to kiss you' but, I didn't, because I didn't know.  And second of all, tell me something.  Would Harry have gone through all of the trouble to find out that you liked Gone With The Wind, would he have woken you up in the middle of the night to take you ice skating...something you've never done before? Would he have hugged you, Ginny, if he didn't like you? Would he have-"

I felt a smile tug at my lips again.  "You think?"

Hermione shook her head. "Not think. Know."

***

"Harry!" I slammed the front door and skidded up to him, as he was walking by, to get up the stairs.

"Ginny!" He mocked, with a grin.

I bit my lip, trying to suppress a smile, because I knew how over-eager I looked.  How did he maintain his cool? I coughed, "What's up?"

He gave me his trademark 'Ookay' look.  "Not too much, Gin," He said slowly. "You?" He asked sarcastically.

I shot him a look. "What?" I asked.  How could I love him and hate him at the same time?!

"What...what?"

"Why are you giving me looks like that?"

He shook his head. "You were so excited before and then... 'What's up?' Funny.  I was about to ask you the same thing."

My features hardened, and suddenly I saw regret in his eyes.

"Wait, Ginny, I didn't mean to snap like that...but it's just – why are you so afraid of being...yourself?" He asked quickly not giving my time to jump in.

"I am being myself."

"You are not!" He argued. "You're not the same Ginny...I told you, you changed.  Like, right now.  You were so happy, and then it was like you were scared of showing emotions.  I mean...you're like 'a new Ginny'."

The sound of it was so...out-there, that I could hardly believe my ears.  I hadn't changed. Well, maybe a little but..."What's wrong with the 'new Ginny' ?" I inquired, deciding to say what was on my mind.

"I don't know," He sighed heavily. "Sometimes I just…I think I liked the old Ginny better."

I blinked. The old Ginny? I stared at him for a second. "What are you doing?" I asked finally, referring to how he always seemed to bring up this 'Old Ginny' 'New Ginny' stuff.

Harry looked slightly taken aback, but quickly recovered. "Saving you," He said simply.

Now it was my turn to look startled. "Saving me?"

Harry shrugged. "Yeah."

Suddenly I smirked. "Harry, I know you're hero happy, but, I really don't think I'm in mortal peril here!" I said casting an obvious glance towards the grandfather clock in which my hand was safely pointed at 'home'.

Harry laughed lightly. "'Hero happy'," He repeated, shaking his head. His face became solemn again. "What would you say if I told you I was saving you from yourself?"

My eyes widened. I swallowed a heavy lump that was arising in my throat. "I'd say I don't need rescuing."

Harry shrugged before turning away and walking off. "Not yet."

***

I ignored Harry all through lunch, and even an hour after that I was still sour at him.  How could that boy control my emotions so much?  I sighed.  He's got my heart in his hands, and no idea that he's holding it.  I wanted to kick something.  I shook my head, and God, at the same time I wanted to find him, and kiss him senseless.

I walked up to the window by the door, and looked outside.  The snow was still coming down, and everything outside looked so peaceful.  I wondered where everyone else in the family was.  It was so quiet in the house.  As if on cue, I heard footsteps descending on the stairs. 

"Hey, Ginny," Harry said, as he walked past me into the kitchen.  I huffed, still staring outside, but not seeing anything, because I was too busy concentration on the sound of his footsteps, to find out where he was.  Suddenly he was right behind me, and I twirled around. 

"I'm sorry, Ginny," He said.  I couldn't stare into his eyes any longer, they were making me melt.

Wordlessly, I turned back around – the sun had begun setting.  I heard Harry sigh in frustration.

I stared out the window, as the sky was tinting pink. "Look outside, Harry," I said suddenly, tugging on his arm. I forgot that I was supposed to be mad at him, and supposed to be ignoring him.  Harry had that effect on me. He turned, and gazed out the window, with me. "Isn't it the most beautiful sight you've ever seen?"

I felt his eyes on me. "Not as beautiful as some things," He said softly.

I closed my eyes, feeling my cheeks burn.  The moment couldn't have been real - it was too perfect.

He put his hand on my shoulder, and lightly turned me to face him, I opened my eyes and met his bright green ones.  They seemed to sparkle more than ever before.  I had lost all function in my brain, and could only hear a faint ringing in my ears.  I couldn't remember breathing, or blinking...but I must have.  He brought his head down, and his lips met mine, lightly at first, then it grew stronger.

It was...bliss. Our first real kiss. I could feel his hand in my hair, his arms holding me, and it was then that I realized...I felt safe. I mean, I'd never felt like the world was going to come crashing to an end any second, and that I would be a goner and if no one was there to protect me I might as well jump off a cliff, and have it be done with sooner. I'm just saying that...as long as his arms were around me no one could hurt me, nothing could bother me...I was invincible. Well, maybe not, but he was there, like my hero...my savior. I felt a small smile tug at my lips, even in the middle of the kiss, and I couldn't help feeling so at peace. Everything was just so right. Like I was in Heaven.

I thought I heard a door slam somewhere far away in a misty distance. "Could you two, like, stop swapping spit for two seconds, and help me with my bags?"

Why does Heaven sound so much like Hell?

***

A/N: Sorry for leaving it like that!  I hope some of you were happy with Harry and Ginny's 'first real kiss' hehe.  I hope it wasn't too sappy for ya!  Even though I love sap *giggles*.  Once more, I am sincerely sorry for taking so long with this chapter – and ch. 8 shouldn't take as long to get out.

Thank you for the lovely reviews on ch. 6...

Flittery H, Tigerz_Angel, harypotrfan, Herbie, Mikoto The Gnome Girl, hp4eva, linz, Margaret Anne, Ginny house 3, StephanieCook, MauiGoddess3, AgiVega (twice!), Walking Contradiction, AmethystClown, lutra, Y-lime the Geek, C Jazz, Bucky, Kristen Michelle, HarryPotHead, OliverPhelpsLover, Luna Rose and Phoenix Child, Ronnie's Sunshine, Snow White

...You guys rock!!!

Also, an EXTRA thanks to: Ronnie's Sunshine, and Margaret Anne for answering my question about when they go back to Hogwarts – it helped me so much!

Also...Comments to:

StephanieCook: Eek!  You found my error! *lol* Whoa...I didn't even notice I did that, but thanks for pointing it out to me!  I'll have to go back and change that, hehe! Shh...don't tell anyone! *lol*

Margaret Anne:  I'm glad my story makes you feel like you're a part of it!  I hope that thing with the guy you like works out! 

Okay...now one final note...or plug: Check out my joint story with Kristen Michelle!  It's called What You Don't Know, here's the link:

http://www.fanfiction.net/read.php?storyid=935306

Please check it out, and review – I will be updating that one, soon, too!