After staring blankly for a few moments Harry suddenly sprang to life and
started forward towards his two best friends. Before he could take a step
forward he felt soft fingers close around his wrist. Startled he turned to
see Ron's sister Ginny holding his arm. Before he could speak she pressed
her index finger to lips indicating he should remain silent. Then she led
him away from Ron and Hermione.
Once they were a safe distance away Harry spoke. "What's going on? Why are they acting like that? Why did you pull me away" Then before Harry could continue his tirade he noticed Ginny's thumb gently stroking the sensitive inside of his wrist. Harry was first surprised that they were still touching and even more surprised at comforting her touch was to him. Ginny began to speak "Harry sometimes we are blind to the things that are closest to us. Those two have been holding back their feelings for each other for years."
"But what happened now to make those feelings come out?"
"Well, Harry, sometimes it is the simplest thing, the smallest touch that puts you over the edge, that makes it simply impossible to hide your feelings any longer."
Then to Harry's surprise Ginny's hand slipped from his wrist down to his hand. Their fingers were entwined and as if it had a mind of his own his thumb began stroking her hand. "Come on Harry let's go for a walk while Ron and Hermione sort things out."
Harry nodded back. He seemed unable to speak. How could this all be happening at once? Only an hour ago life was as it had always been. Now Ron and Hermione were kissing in the street and he was walking through Diagon Alley holding Ginny's hand.
Ginny's hand!!! How could this be? And why did it feel so right? When did she grow up and has she always been this beautiful? What was he thinking this was Ginny, his best friend's kid sister? Ron was going to kill him. Even with that though Harry continued his study of Ginny, staring as if he had never seen her before. She never had that longed for growth spurt and was quite petite. Her head barely came to the middle of Harry's chest. Suddenly her small size made Harry feel protective of her in a way he never had before. And her hair, it was amazing. It was still the Weasley red but had deepened to an auburn color. Her skin was incredibly fair the color of porcelain. She had a faint dusting of freckles on the bridge of her nose. Harry found him resisting the urge to try to kiss every one of those freckles. Shocked at this line of thought and reminding himself that this was Ron's kid sister, Harry forced himself to stare straight ahead.
If Ginny noticed Harry's study of her she didn't show it. She instead was enjoying their stroll through the bustling shopping area. Occasionally they would wave to their classmates but neither spoke. They both seemed unsure of what to say and fearful that speaking would ruin the moment they were wrapped up in.
Like all good things though, Harry and Ginny's quite afternoon had to end. And of course it ended in typically Harry Potter fashion. Just as the pair approached Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor, Draco Malfoy jumped out of a dark corner and positioned himself directly in front of Harry and Ginny. Harry sighed and thought here we go again.
"So Potter got yourself a new girlfriend do you. I suppose she is interested in your money because what other reason is there to like you."
"Bug off Malfoy, Ginny is my friend." And then suddenly as if I light came on his head Harry grew up a little bit. "Malfoy I am tired of this and tired of you. If there is anything I have learned in the past few years that is how important it is to spend time with those most important to you. And frankly you are keeping me from doing just that." At Malfoy's shocked look Harry continued. "That's right Draco, I care about Ginny she is my friend." Harry wrapped an arm around Ginny's waist. "And we are catching up from summer break and then we are meeting Ron and Hermione. So that is what we are going to continue to do. Not that I would expect you to understand due to your lack of true friends."
With those closing words and Harry and Ginny walked off arms still around each other. Harry knew that his encounter with Malfoy was too good to be true though and had already pulled his wand out of his robes and had it pointed behind him before Malfoy could speak. Harry muttered "Protego" just as Draco shouted his curse. Harry never knew what the curse was but imagined from Draco's screams when it bounced off Harry's shield and back on to him that it must have been awful. Now that was over with Harry looked down at Ginny and said "Let's get some ice cream."
Harry had pulled Ginny into the shop and had thoroughly examined the menu before he realized how pale and shaken she looked. "What is the matter Ginny? Draco isn't going to hurt you I won't let him." "Nothing is the matter Harry I am just tired. Get your ice cream."
"Get my ice cream? Aren't you having any? Come on Ginny it is my treat."
"Harry I can't have ice cream. Think of the calories! I will never fit into my robes."
"You girls are so silly. You look fine just the way you are. I am getting a sundae and we are splitting and that is all there is to it."
After ordering their sundae with two spoons the pair set down in a booth. Harry immediately began to question Ginny again about her state of mind. Finally she caved and said "Did you mean it Harry?"
In typical male fashion on ignorance Harry responded with "Did I mean what Ginny? That you can share my ice cream? Of course I meant it I am not Ron the human garbage disposal after all."
Ginny sighed and looked down at the floor and whispered, "No what you said to Draco about caring about me."
Now looking even more puzzled Harry answered, "Of course I meant it Ginny, I mean you are more than Ron's little sister to me. You are my friend just like Hermione, Ron or Neville." After he was finished speaking Harry decided he was going to have to take action to get Ginny out of her mood. Looking down at their ice cream the perfect idea came to him.
Harry stuck his finger into the whipped cream and before Ginny knew what was happening he had wiped it on her nose and chin. She looked started for a moment, but having 6 brothers she knew what to do next. She stuck two fingers into the ice cream itself and wiped them on Harry. That was all it took, a full blown food fight between the two of them had begun. Soon they were both laughing and covered in ice cream. Their table and the surrounding area was also covered in ice cream much to the dismay of Florean Fortescue the owner of the shop. Harry quickly cleaned the up the mess with a simple scouring spell. But cleaning up himself and Ginny was going to be a different matter.
Ginny had ice cream dripping from her hair, her nose, her robes, her chin every imaginable place and Harry was sure he looked the same. Quickly drawing on course work from the previous year Harry conjured a bowl of warm water and two wash clothes. The pair began the process of cleaning themselves up. They were doing well but there were places a person just couldn't see on their own body. Harry finally reached over and began to wash Ginny's face for her. The moment he touched Ginny's face things changed. He slipped his hand over the table to hold hers while the other hand began exploring her soft skin.
It was in this position that Ron and Hermione found the pair. "What the devil do you think you are doing with my sister Harry?!?!" Ron shouted causing Harry and Ginny to jump startled and to quickly pull away from each other. Sensing the tension between the two friends Hermione quickly asked Ginny to go for a walk with her so Ron and Harry could talk.
Harry began "So I see you and Hermione's hormones have calmed down."
Blushing Ron replied "Yeah about that I hope you aren't too angry at us and that is really why I was looking for you. I wanted to tell you that.well..umm..HermioneandIhavedecidedtodate. There I said it."
"Well Ron thanks for the news flash but I did get the impression early that you two liked each other so I am not shocked by this. As long as you two are happy I am happy for you. But remember as Hermione's best friend I feel obliged to tell you., if you hurt her I will hurt you."
Grinning Ron gave Harry a quick hug, but as he pulled back his grinned faded as if he had just remembered something disturbing. And that was in fact what he had just done. "Hey nice change of subject Harry but you still haven't answered my question. What in the blood hell are you doing with my little sister?"
Once they were a safe distance away Harry spoke. "What's going on? Why are they acting like that? Why did you pull me away" Then before Harry could continue his tirade he noticed Ginny's thumb gently stroking the sensitive inside of his wrist. Harry was first surprised that they were still touching and even more surprised at comforting her touch was to him. Ginny began to speak "Harry sometimes we are blind to the things that are closest to us. Those two have been holding back their feelings for each other for years."
"But what happened now to make those feelings come out?"
"Well, Harry, sometimes it is the simplest thing, the smallest touch that puts you over the edge, that makes it simply impossible to hide your feelings any longer."
Then to Harry's surprise Ginny's hand slipped from his wrist down to his hand. Their fingers were entwined and as if it had a mind of his own his thumb began stroking her hand. "Come on Harry let's go for a walk while Ron and Hermione sort things out."
Harry nodded back. He seemed unable to speak. How could this all be happening at once? Only an hour ago life was as it had always been. Now Ron and Hermione were kissing in the street and he was walking through Diagon Alley holding Ginny's hand.
Ginny's hand!!! How could this be? And why did it feel so right? When did she grow up and has she always been this beautiful? What was he thinking this was Ginny, his best friend's kid sister? Ron was going to kill him. Even with that though Harry continued his study of Ginny, staring as if he had never seen her before. She never had that longed for growth spurt and was quite petite. Her head barely came to the middle of Harry's chest. Suddenly her small size made Harry feel protective of her in a way he never had before. And her hair, it was amazing. It was still the Weasley red but had deepened to an auburn color. Her skin was incredibly fair the color of porcelain. She had a faint dusting of freckles on the bridge of her nose. Harry found him resisting the urge to try to kiss every one of those freckles. Shocked at this line of thought and reminding himself that this was Ron's kid sister, Harry forced himself to stare straight ahead.
If Ginny noticed Harry's study of her she didn't show it. She instead was enjoying their stroll through the bustling shopping area. Occasionally they would wave to their classmates but neither spoke. They both seemed unsure of what to say and fearful that speaking would ruin the moment they were wrapped up in.
Like all good things though, Harry and Ginny's quite afternoon had to end. And of course it ended in typically Harry Potter fashion. Just as the pair approached Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor, Draco Malfoy jumped out of a dark corner and positioned himself directly in front of Harry and Ginny. Harry sighed and thought here we go again.
"So Potter got yourself a new girlfriend do you. I suppose she is interested in your money because what other reason is there to like you."
"Bug off Malfoy, Ginny is my friend." And then suddenly as if I light came on his head Harry grew up a little bit. "Malfoy I am tired of this and tired of you. If there is anything I have learned in the past few years that is how important it is to spend time with those most important to you. And frankly you are keeping me from doing just that." At Malfoy's shocked look Harry continued. "That's right Draco, I care about Ginny she is my friend." Harry wrapped an arm around Ginny's waist. "And we are catching up from summer break and then we are meeting Ron and Hermione. So that is what we are going to continue to do. Not that I would expect you to understand due to your lack of true friends."
With those closing words and Harry and Ginny walked off arms still around each other. Harry knew that his encounter with Malfoy was too good to be true though and had already pulled his wand out of his robes and had it pointed behind him before Malfoy could speak. Harry muttered "Protego" just as Draco shouted his curse. Harry never knew what the curse was but imagined from Draco's screams when it bounced off Harry's shield and back on to him that it must have been awful. Now that was over with Harry looked down at Ginny and said "Let's get some ice cream."
Harry had pulled Ginny into the shop and had thoroughly examined the menu before he realized how pale and shaken she looked. "What is the matter Ginny? Draco isn't going to hurt you I won't let him." "Nothing is the matter Harry I am just tired. Get your ice cream."
"Get my ice cream? Aren't you having any? Come on Ginny it is my treat."
"Harry I can't have ice cream. Think of the calories! I will never fit into my robes."
"You girls are so silly. You look fine just the way you are. I am getting a sundae and we are splitting and that is all there is to it."
After ordering their sundae with two spoons the pair set down in a booth. Harry immediately began to question Ginny again about her state of mind. Finally she caved and said "Did you mean it Harry?"
In typical male fashion on ignorance Harry responded with "Did I mean what Ginny? That you can share my ice cream? Of course I meant it I am not Ron the human garbage disposal after all."
Ginny sighed and looked down at the floor and whispered, "No what you said to Draco about caring about me."
Now looking even more puzzled Harry answered, "Of course I meant it Ginny, I mean you are more than Ron's little sister to me. You are my friend just like Hermione, Ron or Neville." After he was finished speaking Harry decided he was going to have to take action to get Ginny out of her mood. Looking down at their ice cream the perfect idea came to him.
Harry stuck his finger into the whipped cream and before Ginny knew what was happening he had wiped it on her nose and chin. She looked started for a moment, but having 6 brothers she knew what to do next. She stuck two fingers into the ice cream itself and wiped them on Harry. That was all it took, a full blown food fight between the two of them had begun. Soon they were both laughing and covered in ice cream. Their table and the surrounding area was also covered in ice cream much to the dismay of Florean Fortescue the owner of the shop. Harry quickly cleaned the up the mess with a simple scouring spell. But cleaning up himself and Ginny was going to be a different matter.
Ginny had ice cream dripping from her hair, her nose, her robes, her chin every imaginable place and Harry was sure he looked the same. Quickly drawing on course work from the previous year Harry conjured a bowl of warm water and two wash clothes. The pair began the process of cleaning themselves up. They were doing well but there were places a person just couldn't see on their own body. Harry finally reached over and began to wash Ginny's face for her. The moment he touched Ginny's face things changed. He slipped his hand over the table to hold hers while the other hand began exploring her soft skin.
It was in this position that Ron and Hermione found the pair. "What the devil do you think you are doing with my sister Harry?!?!" Ron shouted causing Harry and Ginny to jump startled and to quickly pull away from each other. Sensing the tension between the two friends Hermione quickly asked Ginny to go for a walk with her so Ron and Harry could talk.
Harry began "So I see you and Hermione's hormones have calmed down."
Blushing Ron replied "Yeah about that I hope you aren't too angry at us and that is really why I was looking for you. I wanted to tell you that.well..umm..HermioneandIhavedecidedtodate. There I said it."
"Well Ron thanks for the news flash but I did get the impression early that you two liked each other so I am not shocked by this. As long as you two are happy I am happy for you. But remember as Hermione's best friend I feel obliged to tell you., if you hurt her I will hurt you."
Grinning Ron gave Harry a quick hug, but as he pulled back his grinned faded as if he had just remembered something disturbing. And that was in fact what he had just done. "Hey nice change of subject Harry but you still haven't answered my question. What in the blood hell are you doing with my little sister?"