Chapter Seventeen
Christmas Time
A/N: Thanks again to Hillary! I really how y'all enjoy this!
The next month passed relatively normally with Ravenclaw beating Hufflepuff in their Quidditch match, in early December. When Professor McGonagall went around to take names for everyone staying at Hogwarts over the holidays Harry, Hermione and the Weasley's were the only people in the entire school to sign up. Everyone else was keen to get home, the dark actions having heated up even more. More and more muggles were being tortured and the ministry was struggling to cover them up. Hermione heard from her parent's three days after an attack on her house, which was a great relief to the whole group. Remus and Sirius had been sent on another mission a few days after the attack causing Harry to say goodbye yet again to his Godfather. This time he knew they would see each other again, and soon, because Remus and Sirius would return for Hagrid's wedding and the meeting.
The one thing that Harry hadn't done was to ask Ginny on a date. He had decided that since he had had such success with a picnic that that was what they would do. So when the end of term came and they were discussing what to do while they weren't doing homework and studying for the O.W.L.'s Harry knew he would have to ask her if he wanted to ever get the kiss he had wanted for such a long time. It was on the way back from the last Quidditch practice of the year when Harry finally found an opportunity. They were walking back up to the castle carrying their Firebolts. It had snowed two days before so the ground was glistening with white snow.
"I'm meeting Hermione in the Library," said Ron, running ahead of the group eager to meet Hermione. This was the first time Harry could remember when Ron wanted to go to the library.
"Er… Ginny can I talk to you for a minute?"
"Sure," she replied, allowing Harry to lead her to the side of the doors leading into the entrance hall. The two had avoided being alone since the attack on both the Grangers and the Weasley's, Harry feeling oddly responsible. It had been hard not to cuddle up and kiss Ginny, especially with Ron and Hermione cuddling when left alone, or when they didn't think anyone was watching. "What do you want to talk about?" she asked once everyone was out of earshot.
"Er… I was wondering if you wanted to go on a date, maybe a picnic, over the holidays?" Harry asked. It was actually easier to ask Ginny than it had been Cho. But Harry mused that must be because of his close friendship with Ginny.
"Er… Sure, I'd love to," she said blushing slightly.
"How about tomorrow?" He suggested not able to control his excitement. The words had left his mouth before he could stop them. Once they had left he thought that he would die, feeling completely humiliated. But Ginny managed to glaze over Harry's excitement, making light of the situation, "A little eager aren't you?" she teased. "Tomorrow would be wonderful, maybe not soon enough," she added with a wicked grin. Harry felt himself turn slightly pink but he managed to ignore it as they made their way back up to the school. Harry took Ginny's free hand, causing her to hesitate on her way back up to the school.
The common room was packed as people finished packing their trunks ready to leave the following day on the Hogwarts express. Harry wasn't upset about staying. The Order had a meeting the day before Hagrid's wedding and then Hagrid would be getting married. His family would surround Harry and they would have the run of the castle. Neville was running around looking for his chess pieces. "Harry, do you know where I put them? I had them this morning during break, but now I can't find them," Neville asked, seeing Ginny and Harry enter the common room.
"Er… did you check over there?" Harry asked pointing to a table in the corner. Sure enough Neville found his chess pieces under about three books on the corner table.
"Ooh, thank you Harry," he said before dashing upstairs.
"Do you want to play chess?" Harry asked Ginny pointing to their usual table.
"Sure," Ginny said grinning broadly.
She hadn't stopped grinning since Harry asked her on a date, for that matter neither had he. The had played several games, and the common room had cleared out before Hermione and Ron finally made their way into the common room, both looking quite flushed. They soon joined Ginny and Harry in talking at their table. Hermione abandoning her books for the evening. After a few more games and talks with Ron and Hermione, Ginny announced she was going to bed, quickly joined by Hermione.
"Why do they do that?" Harry asked, watching Hermione and Ginny hurry up the stairs not looking at all sleepy; quite the opposite, they seemed more awake now than they had at dinner that evening.
"Likely going to talk about what me and Hermione were doing in the library."
"What?" Harry demanded not wanting to have misheard his best friend.
"Er… I finally gave her that kiss I've been trying to give her for a while now."
"Really?" Harry exclaimed, clearly impressed with Ron.
"Yeah, we were walking back from the library and I was finally able to pull her into an empty room and give her a kiss."
Harry started laughing, "I'm glad it is about you, not me."
"Why would it be about you?"
"Er… I asked Ginny on a picnic for tomorrow."
"Oh, did you now? I know what you do on those picnics of yours. I don't know if I want my baby sister going on a picnic with you. I don't want you testing out that potion of yours on Ginny," Ron said laughing.
Harry felt himself blush, but watching his friend laugh he had to join in. "I think it's going to be you trying that birth control potion before me."
"What?! With 'Mione? Yeah right, she would never let me!"
Harry had to laugh thinking of what Hermione might say to the proposition. It wasn't like Ron wouldn't try. Harry knew his best friend well enough to know that it would be attempted.
The two soon went up to sleep, Harry eager for the next day to come so he and Ginny would be able to have their picnic and maybe he would be able to finally have that kiss he had been dreaming about.
The next morning was Saturday and Harry woke early to the sound of everyone moving their trunks, preparing for their trip back to London and back home to their families. Harry hopped out of bed reaching for his glasses and his watch. It was nearly time for everyone to leave and Harry saw that Neville was nowhere near ready. He was currently on the floor grabbing at something under his dresser.
"Trevor! Come here Trevor! You're going to make me miss the train! Ugh… Got ya," he grunted as he flailed his arms angrily. He soon emerged with a grin, holding the old toad Trevor.
"Sorry Harry, I didn't want to wake you."
"No, Neville. You didn't wake him, he was likely up and ready for his date with Ginny," Ron said having woken at the same time.
"You - You have a date with Ginny," Neville stammered.
"Yeah," Harry answered sheepishly.
"I really don't get what you see in her I mean she's GINNY," Ron exclaimed.
"Ron, if you saw what I see in her that would just be sick! You're not supposed to see her like I do, you're her big brother," Harry said with a laugh. He dug around in his own dresser extracting a nice set of school robes and was quickly changed.
Neville had finally managed to squeeze everything he owned into his trunk, with some help from Ron who suggested shrinking some of his books to allow for more space in the trunk.
"That's a brilliant idea," Neville said clearly in awe of Ron's idea.
"Ron, I think Hermione is rubbing off on you," Harry said with a laugh. He was headed down to the common room hoping to meet up with Ginny and accompany her to breakfast. Ron quickly changed and joined Harry in the common room looking around shyly for Hermione.
"Doesn't look like either of you are in luck," Neville said after descending the stairs. "I saw them down in the great hall at breakfast about thirty minutes ago. They will likely be back up here soon."
"Thanks," Harry said. Following Ron's lead out of the portrait hole.
Ginny and Hermione were leaving the Great Hall when they entered. Saying good morning in passing the girls seemed keen to hurry up to the common room.
"So, what are you and Hermione going to do while Ginny and I are having lunch?" Harry asked while they ate.
"Oh, you know us, we will manage to find SOMETHING to do," Ron replied with a grin twisting on his face.
"So the two of you have big plans for the afternoon?" George asked taking the free seat across from them. Fred soon sat next to him.
"Er…" was all Harry managed to say.
Ron was eager to change the subject. "What are the two of you doing in here? I would have thought you would be saying goodbye to your girlfriends."
"Oy, Fred, I knew there was something we were forgetting to do," George said sarcastically helping himself to some eggs and bacon.
"No Ron, we are letting them finish packing in peace. They should be back down here in a few minutes," Fred added looking at his watch.
The group's conversation quickly turned to other things, including what to expect from Hagrid's wedding. It was the first wedding Harry would ever attend, not to mention the first wizarding wedding he would attend, so he was keen to find out what was to be expected. Fred and George explained everything they remembered from their cousin, Ann's, wedding a few summers ago. Ron interjecting things as they went along. After the explanation the group was eager to return to Gryffindor tower where Harry found Ginny, saying goodbye to Colin. The friends parted ways and the common room was left considerably emptier.
"Does anyone want to go flying?" Fred asked after he and George returned to the common room from saying a last goodbye to Angelina and Alicia.
"Sure," Harry smiled running up stairs to grab his broom. When he returned he found that Ron had declined opting to stay in the common room and study for the O.W.L.'s.
"Shall we go?" Ginny asked having retrieved her broom and returned.
The group of four passed the late morning hours flying in the sky down at the Quidditch pitch. They didn't have enough players to even play a scrimmage. Everyone raced around the pitch five or six times their main objective seemed to be to beat Harry, with his speed up grade kit. Around 12:15 Harry stopped, "Er… Ginny should we go put our broom's up and go to lunch?" he asked trying not to let the twins hear, but it didn't work. They immediately flew over and began looking misty-eyed.
"Sure," She answered as the two dove to the ground, hoping of avoiding the twins at all costs.
"Just don't have her out too late," Fred called after the two as they made their way back to the common room. Harry and Ginny were laughing as they entered the common room to find Ron and Hermione in a questionable position on the couch. Both flushing crimson, Harry and Ginny ran up to their rooms returning and leaving the common room with as little dialog as possible. Once they were safely on their way down to the kitchen to get food from the house elves they began to laugh.
"Now we know why they wanted to stay behind," Ginny said between giggles.
Harry had to agree, "I have a feeling we will be seeing more of that this holiday."
"Oh, I hope not! It's RON! I honestly don't see what Hermione could possible see in him!"
Harry laughed, "He said the same thing about you."
"What?"
"When I told him about our date he told me he didn't see what I saw in you. Like I told him, if either of you understood it would be sick. You're not supposed to understand. Oh, this way," Harry explained leading the way into the kitchen.
"I've never known where the kitchen is," Ginny exclaimed as Harry tickled the pair revealing the door that lead into the kitchen.
"Harry Potter, Harry Potter, Harry Potter came to visit us again," Squeaked the now familiar voice that belonged to Dobby, as the house elves bowed and curtsied to Harry and Ginny as they entered the enormous kitchen.
"Hi Dobby, I want you to meet Ginny Weasley."
"It is so nice to meet you miss. Anyone who is friends with Harry Potter is a friend of Dobby's."
"Hi Winky, how are you doing?" Harry asked seeing the other house elf he was familiar with.
"Oh Sir, Winky is doing much better, Sir. She is not drinking Butterbear by the case, and she is enjoying her work, Sir," Winky squeaked back.
"I'm glad to hear that. Listen, can you fix us a picnic? We were hoping to eat out on the grounds for lunch," Harry asked. Before the request could leave his lips completely the house elves began scurrying around the kitchen packing another large lunch.
"Sir is so brave to stay at Hogwarts when such DARK things are happening," Dobby squeaked.
"Dobby, don't tell me you know something else is going to happen that you aren't allowed to tell me about."
"Oh, no sir, nothing like that. Dobby just hears things; he knows what is happening in the world away from Hogwarts. It is Dark times, Harry Potter, Dark times."
"Yeah Dobby, we know. Thank you," Harry said, taking the basket ushered into his hands from one of the surrounding house elves. Ginny hadn't said anything since he had introduced her to Dobby and Harry looked over at her, she was taking in all of the scene, much like he had done the first time Hermione had dragged him and Ron into the kitchen.
"Well, I think we had better go," Harry said, taking Ginny's hand in his. They quickly intertwined their fingers and left the bowing house elves thanking them for the food.
"I really see what Hermione was always talking about," Ginny said as they picked a place to spread out their blanket. Harry muttered a drying spell to keep the blanket from soaking up any of the moisture from the fresh snow. The grounds were covered except the deep trenches made by students hurrying in and out of the castle during classes.
"Uh, oh, are you going to bring up the S.P.E.W. thing again! You should be made the Vice President so you and Hermione can plan how to liberate them," Harry said taking out the food. It was a complete four course meal, larger than anything Harry had ever seen in such a comparatively small basket.
"This looks wonderful," Ginny breathed looking at the spread that lay before her. They sat down and began eating the luscious food.
The passed the time talking and laughing about everything that had happened the past month. Even about Snape's face when he realized they were sitting in Dumbledore's office the night of the attack on Hermione's house.
"You know her parent's are coming in for Christmas, right?"
"No, they are?" Harry asked, this was the first time he ever heard of a muggle coming to Hogwarts.
"Yeah, Dumbledore invited them to come and Hagrid insisted that they attend the wedding. They will be here in two days," She explained.
"Wow…" Harry said finishing the desert. Ginny had finished before him, reminding Harry of Ron in the way she practically vacuumed up her food. Harry moved closer to Ginny placing his hand around her waist. She didn't move, instead they sat for a moment before returning to conversations about Snape. "He's a nightmare," Ginny groaned. "He's given us two three foot essays due when we get back from break!"
"He gave us three," Harry said grimacing.
Harry thought about how much fun he was having. This was the kind of activities he should be doing, not attending top-secret meeting of the Order of the Phoenix. Harry and Ginny's heads were extremely close as they laughed at Snape and the slaughtering his team received from Gryffindor. Harry knew what he wanted to do and before he could talk himself out of it he went for it.
Harry leaned in closing the already small gap between their mouths and gently kissed Ginny. Her lips were soft, tasted slightly of strawberries, which, Harry soon realized, was from her lip-gloss. It was electrifying, kissing Ginny. Harry knew he didn't want to stop, once they started it was hard for Harry to pull away even for air. He realized that if it was that wonderful to just kiss her that shallowly what would it be like to make the kiss, deeper. So he did, gently prodding her lips to open with his tongue. It didn't take much prodding, she responded in the ideal way opening her mouth ever so slightly, gently letting Harry's tongue brush hers. The kiss felt like it lasted an eternity, but in reality it lasted a matter of minutes. When they pulled away Harry felt his face redden as he looked deeply into Ginny's eyes.
"So, er… what do we tell Ron and Hermione about us?" Ginny whispered, keeping her mouth centimeters away from Harry's. Harry laughed which seamed to allow Ginny to do the same as they both thought of Ron's reaction.
"I really don't think we will have to worry about him after what we walked in on," Harry said leaning in to continue their kiss.
It was a long time, filled with many more kisses and long conversations, before Harry and Ginny made their way back down to the kitchen to return the basket and blanket to the house elves who wanted to know how it went.
Harry and Ginny shyly answered their questions, thanking them again for the wonderful food. When they finally entered the Common Room they found it empty. There was no sign of Ron, Hermione, Fred or George. Harry and Ginny went to their usual table and found an explanation from Ron.
Harry, Ginny,
We have gone to the library to study and get some work done. Come find us when you get back.
Ron and Hermione
"I don't think they wanted us walking in on them again," Harry observed after reading the note. Ginny began to giggle nodding her head in agreement. "So, er… do you want to go find them?"
"Well, we could stay in here and play chess or something," she suggested, eyes flickering to the couch that was positioned in front of the fire, which was blazing beautifully.
"Why don't we sit down and, er… talk," Harry suggested reading Ginny's mind.
"And you say you're no good at Divinations!" Ginny said in mock horror, sitting on the couch, motioning for Harry to join her. He didn't need her to tell him twice and the two were soon enjoying the quiet of the common room in each other's company. They also found time to do other things, which included their mouths, but very little talking. They stopped seconds before the portrait door opened revealing Ron, Hermione, Fred and George all grinning from ear to ear.
"So, Er… did the two of you have a good lunch?" Ron asked as they filed into the common room.
"Yeah, it was nice," Harry said, not moving his arm from around Ginny as his friends took empty seats in the surrounding couches.
"Harry, you two better not be planing to try that potion of yours out any time soon, or ever for that matter," Fred said in an unbelievably serious moment. Everyone laughed as Harry and Ginny tried to reassure Fred and George that they had no intentions in using the potion or doing anything where they would need the potion, any time soon.
The next few days passed quickly with the new couple finding time to sit and talk as much as possible. They were inseparable. Even Ron and Hermione found it amusing.
The day before Christmas Eve came and Harry had a great idea. It was a clear day and the two couples were out side sitting and studying for the O.W.L.'s. "Do you want to go star gazing tonight?" Harry asked in a whisper.
Ginny looked up at him; "I would love to," she said with a devilish grin. "When?"
"Tonight. We can sneak out of the common room and up to South tower. It has the best view," Harry said returning her grin.
So that night Harry and Ginny found themselves alone in the common room at one o'clock in the morning, preparing to sneak out of the room. The two looked at each other, Harry extending his hand to her and leading the way out of the portrait hole. They had chosen not to use the invisibility cloak, because Harry had become too tall for both of them to fit under it comfortably and since no one was staying they had a good chance of not being caught. That's what they thought. It wasn't until they were on their way back to the common room at three o'clock, when Snape found them. He was walking briskly in the hall and the two of them couldn't dodge out of the way fast enough. It was too late.
"Potter, Weasley! Come with me," He snapped leading them back to his office on the other side of the castle. "You two are going to have detention for being out of bounds after hours. Don't try to get out of it. The Headmaster is too lenient on the two of you. It is time that you learn not to be out roaming around late at night," he snarled summoning a quill and ink as he removed the form from his desk. Snape sat down and began filling out the form.
"Reason, Inappropriate behavior, out of bounds and out after lights out. I think that should suffice."
He looked up at the couple smiling cruelly. That smile could make my skin crawl, he thought watching the potions master fill out the form. Ginny tightened her grip on Harry's hand as Snape's smile grew.
"I will accompany you back to your common room to ensure your return," with that Snape rose out of his chair and began walking toward the Gryffindor common room, robes billowing behind him. Harry and Ginny followed, not wanting to get into any more trouble. Once they had entered the common room they shared one last kiss and went to their beds to get some sleep before tomorrow's important meeting.
