Disclaimer: I don't own any part of Harry Potter. I'm just being evil and
diabolical with the characters. All power to JKR!
~*~ When Harry awoke the following morning, it was to a timid calling of his name. The sun was bright and high in the sky as he opened his eyes groggily, scrunching up his face. Being in his bed this late surprised him, and he almost leapt up from under his blankets as he realized how late he must be to practice. But memories of the previous day assailed him and he stayed put, remembering exactly why he wasn't at practice or even awake yet.
Wormtail.
Ron.
Ginny.
"Harry?"
He reached out a pajama-clad arm and pulled back the curtains surrounding his bed, not believing his ears. She wouldn't dare come in here...
Would she?
"Hermione?" he said incredulously as her pale face met his gaze. Her eyes were bloodshot, and in her hand was a plate of eggs and toast. He sat up, swiping a hand across his eyes to clear them of sleep, and stared at his friend in shock. "How did you get in here?"
A small grin spread across her taut face. "You're not the only one with a good Confusion Charm," she said with forced cheer as she made her way to his bed. When she came closer, he could see a glass of pumpkin juice floating behind her. "You missed breakfast; I decided to bring you some," she added as she sat down beside him, holding out the food to him.
His stomach growled as he looked on the steaming plate. He hadn't eaten since yesterday's lunch, and he was starved now. Reaching for the plate, he grinned at Hermione. "Thanks. I appreciate it," he said, shoveling some egg onto his fork.
Hermione smiled slightly. "I thought you might be hungry. We missed you at supper last night. The whole school is talking about Wormtail's appearance," she said tiredly.
Harry swallowed his food and frowned. "I needed some time to think, that's all," he muttered defensively.
"I wasn't going to ask where you were. I reckoned you might not come," she said tartly, eyebrow raised. "Ron didn't eat a thing, if it makes you feel better."
His stomach dropped like a stone. "It doesn't."
She sighed. "I'm glad. Fred and George gave him quite a talking to after we left Ginny, and I believe they sent an owl to Mrs. Weasley. It's only a matter of days until a Howler is sent Ron's way," she said as he cleaned his plate, nose wrinkling minutely. "How do you eat so much?"
"I'm a growing boy," he quipped, draining his goblet and setting the used dining ware on his bedside table. Reaching under his pillow, he pulled out his glasses and put them on, throwing the world from blurry to clear. "Are you all right?"
"I'm more worried about you, Harry," she replied softly, scooting closer to his side.
Abruptly, he turned away from her searching eyes. "You shouldn't be; I'm fine," he said stiffly.
"Stop telling me that! If you're fine then you're insane. A good friend of yours was attacked yesterday and your best friend isn't speaking to you. I don't see how you could be fine at all," Hermione said scathingly, grasping his elbow.
"What do you expect me to say, Hermione? I don't know how I feel right now," Harry retorted, meeting her gaze squarely. "I know this is my fault, but-"
She gaped at him, compassion flooding her face. "Oh, Harry. Ginny's injuries aren't your fault. I thought you knew that."
He turned his stony glare to the window. "I should have let Sirius kill him," he said, voice filled with wrath and hatred. "Maybe things would be different if I had."
The pair sat in thought for a moment before Hermione broke the silence. "You can't think like that, Harry. Maybe things would be different, but you can never tell," she said softly, reaching over to squeeze his hand in comfort. "The past is the past; you can't change it. You can only learn from it."
Harry glanced at her and gave her a small smile. "Thanks, Hermione. I appreciate that," he said, squeezing her hand in return. Ever the voice of reason, Hermione was. Maybe Ginny's words could finally begin to sink into his head, with Hermione's unknowing help.
The bushy-haired girl smiled softly. "Glad I can help in some way. I don't think I'll be able to help you with Ron, though. He's such a thick-headed idiot sometimes."
"He seems to act up every year; there's always something wrong with something I do," Harry said bitterly. "This time, he'll have to grovel. He went too far. I would never put Ginny in danger intentionally."
Watching her face as he spoke, Harry could almost see the wheels in her mind start to turn, the pieces click together. She nudged him, eyes bright. "You like her, don't you?" she asked.
Harry started, gaping slightly at Hermione. "What?"
She rolled her eyes and giggled lightly. "You like Ginny, right?"
"Of course I do. We're friends, aren't we?" he replied, looking quite like a deer caught in headlights.
Nudging him again, she raised an eyebrow. "You know what I mean, Harry." There was a moment of silence as Harry squirmed internally at her words. Then Hermione touched his arm. "She's become very pretty, hasn't she?" she mused, sending a sidelong glance at him.
Licking his lips nervously, he looked away from her steady eyes, fidgeting. This was getting too close for his comfort. "I suppose so," he mumbled. He couldn't tell Hermione that he thought Ginny was one of the most beautiful girls he had ever seen; that would be a dead giveaway.
Hermione smiled smugly and kept at him, voice light. "It's funny how she doesn't have a boyfriend yet; I hear boys around school are trying their hardest to get her attention."
His blood boiled with the heat of jealousy as he struggled to keep his face clear. "No kidding?" he croaked out.
"It seems like she's got her eye on one specific boy. I can't imagine who it could be," Hermione continued blithely, smoothing out her robes.
Dying to blurt everything out, Harry had to master his words. "I can't think of anyone."
She turned to him. "Oh, can't you? You really are quite thick, Harry. I know you like her. Don't you think she might like you back?"
He swallowed with some trouble. "But you said she had given up on me last year," he said thickly.
A knowing smile flitted across her face. "Oh yes. But that doesn't mean she's over you," she said, standing and collecting his dishes. "She's been given the all-clear by Madam Pomfrey. Why don't you bring her back to the tower? Ron and I have some homework to do in the library; I'm sure Ginny would appreciate your thoughtfulness," she added slyly before giving a little wave and walking out the door.
Harry flopped onto his back, bringing his arms over his eyes to shield them from the world. Hermione was too clever for her own good.
~*~
"You're all clear, Miss Weasley. You may go back to Gryffindor Tower," Madam Pomfrey said with a note of disapproval as Ginny slid from her bed and reached for her clothes. "All I ask is that you don't strain yourself for the next week or so. You were very lucky yesterday."
Ginny beamed at the fussing mediwitch. "I promise, Madam Pomfrey. Don't mind me saying, but I hope I'm not back up here for a long time," she said cheerfully as she headed to the loo to change.
Taking a moment to look at herself in the mirror, Ginny pursed her lips at the sight of her pale, drawn face. "Be happy! You're getting out of the Hospital Wing," she muttered to herself, pulling her night dress over her head and tossing it to the side as she reached for her jumper. The heavy turtleneck hid the small bruises on her neck, an accidental happening from last night. With Harry in the same bed as her, she couldn't expect him not to need a bit of comfort. It's not like she had trouble with it; over the last few months, her proficiency with Concealing Charms had grown amazingly.
Stepping out of the loo, she handed her night dress to Madam Pomfrey and slipped her school robes over her regular clothes. The nurse nodded briskly. "Well, off with you then. You have an escort back to the tower waiting for you out there. Take care, Miss Weasley," she said.
"Thanks, Madam Pomfrey," Ginny replied before walking out into the waiting area of the Hospital Wing, hoping against hope that Ron wasn't out there. She was definitely not in the mood to speak to him, especially after what he had said to Harry yesterday. The sight that met her wary eyes was a relief and a surprise.
Slouched in one of the chairs by the door to the corridor was an exhausted- looking Harry, black hair mussed even more than usual. Ginny stopped in the doorway for a moment, shocked. He came up here, even with the threat of an appearance from Ron? Pleasure swelled up from the pit of her stomach, and a small smile spread on her face. "Don't you spend enough time here as it is, Harry?" she teased.
Straightening immediately, Harry looked her way and she could see a lightening of his dark countenance as he stood to go to her. "You look well," he commented softly, coming face to face with her.
The urge to throw herself into his arms and kiss him almost overwhelmed her, and she had to stop herself from reaching out to touch his hand. "I feel good as new. Here to take me home?" she asked cheerfully.
He nodded, and held out his arm to her. She looked up at him questioningly, hoping this wasn't a sign of him thinking she was too weak to walk on her own. Smiling, he shrugged. "Thought I'd be proper about it."
Ginny grinned at him and slipped her elbow through his, still keeping an acceptable distance from his frame. "Hermione's been to speak with you, hasn't she? Nice to see you're listening to her advice at last."
He laughed softly, surprising her with the sound as he held the door to the corridor open for her. She couldn't believe he was actually laughing with her. Maybe he wasn't going to be as sullen as she thought he would be, considering what had happened with Ron and her. "Has Ron spoken to you yet?"
"I haven't seen him since yesterday, actually. I'm sure he thinks I'm off planning your demise, since that's all I seem to do," Harry replied flatly as they slowly went down the hall.
Casting a quick look around their immediate area, Ginny made sure they were completely alone before moving closer to his side, breathing in his warmth and scent. "You hide your devious thoughts very well," she murmured, wrapping her arms around his waist and stopping their movement.
"Ginny..." His voice was wary, but she felt his hands settle at the small of her back.
"Harry, just for a minute. With the way my brother's going to be on me for the rest of my life, I don't know when I'll be able to see you alone again," she said unhappily, cutting off his protests as she looked up at his face. Gaping slightly, she peered closer at the dark circles under his eyes, the pale, strained look to his skin. "You're not all right, Harry," she whispered.
He shrugged, obviously trying to steer away from the subject of himself. "I haven't been for a long time, but that's beside the point. Everyone can be worried about you for a change," he joked weakly, cracking a small smile for her.
Reaching up, she kissed his cheek, moving her arms to wrap around his neck. "That's hardly a change," she said, shutting her eyes tightly and resting her forehead on his chin. Madam Pomfrey was right when she said to take it slowly; already Ginny felt weaker from being on her feet for so long.
"You're tired, Ginny. Why don't I take you back to the tower so you can rest a little more?" he asked softly.
Abruptly, she looked up and their mouths brushed for a split second. His arms around her tightened and he let out a slow breath, eyes fastened on her mouth. A smile curved her lips and she leaned towards him, hesitating slightly as he bent his head to meet her. Hot breath passed from his mouth, hitting her skin lightly, and she sighed. With that final sound, he closed the distance between their mouths with a swift movement. She almost went completely limp in his arms as the feeling of his lips sliding against hers left her drowning in his wake.
A low sound escaped the back of her throat and she twisted her fingers in his hair, pulling herself closer to him. The air shook around her, feeding off the charged environment. She and Harry had melded into one space, one time; they were the only ones in the world.
Suddenly, there was a slight change in the air; someone edging along the border of their world, coming closer and closer. She felt it even as she felt Harry under her hands. Startled by her heightened senses, she pulled away from Harry, feeling him pull back at the same time. His dark eyes showed surprise mixed with the ever-prevalent desire, and a shiver ran through her, leaving goosebumps on her skin. With a deep breath, she felt steadier. Kissing Harry always left her feeling lighter than a feather, ready to fly away at the smallest breeze. It was wonderful.
He exhaled slowly before speaking. "I think someone's coming."
Jumping a little in his arms, she stared at him. "That's odd. I think so too."
With great reluctance, they pulled away from each other. Her knees wobbled as the support of his arm left her, so he hooked his elbow under hers once more. Footsteps sounded down the corridor and she and Harry glanced at each other, eyebrows raised in curiosity. How the hell had they both known someone was around?
"Ginny!"
Neville raced towards them, a handkerchief held to his nose. Ginny smiled, hearing the thick edge of a cold in her friend's voice. "Hi, Neville."
Neville stopped in front of her and Harry, grinning. "Hullo, Harry. I heard about your accident yesterday, Ginny. Are you all right?" he asked.
Nodding, Ginny reached out and touched Neville's elbow. "I'm fine. Harry's just taking me back to the tower."
Harry chose to interject at this point, also having noticed Neville's condition. "What are you doing up here, Neville? You sound a bit ill."
Neville grinned sheepishly and blew his nose. "Yes. I just came up for a quick fix from Madam Pomfrey. I should be fine by the morning." He paused and leaned closer to the pair. "Did you know Minister Fudge is here to see Dumbledore? I think he came to take Pettigrew away," he said, shaking his head in disbelief. "I can't believe he's alive. I thought Sirius Black had killed him."
Out of the corner of her eye, Ginny saw Harry's face tighten, and she swallowed. "I think we were all under that misconception, Neville. But, Sirius Black wasn't a murderer in any way," she replied softly, wishing she could be alone with Harry once more.
Neville nodded. "I suppose so. Well, you should get back, Ginny. See you later." He gave a little wave, nodded at Harry, and passed them, soon entering the Hospital Wing and leaving Harry and Ginny alone.
Harry's arm muscles were tense under her hand, and she squeezed gently. "Fudge is in the castle?" she echoed, looking up into his face.
Face completely expressionless, Harry started walking, pulling Ginny along with him. "I want to know what's going on," he said darkly, rounding a corner.
Apprehension washed over her as she hurried to catch up with him, feeling weary. "Harry, now might not be the best time for this," she muttered. Sometimes he was just so irrational! Did he have any idea where he was going in the first place? What did he expect to accomplish?
Finally, he came to a halt in front of the gargoyle that led to Dumbledore's office. Ginny caught her breath as he muttered the password and the stone figure moved aside. Her stomach clenched as Harry pulled her up the stairs, and she heard the gargoyle move back into place. The last time she had been in Dumbledore's office with Harry was when he had rescued her from the Chamber. Memories of that year began to threaten her mind and she shut her eyes, stumbling against Harry's arm as he crouched down, ear turned towards the slightly open door of Dumbledore's office. She could hear the frustrated voice of Fudge competing with Dumbledore's calm, steady tones. Her heart tightened. Harry's muscles tensed.
"You seem to think that Peter Pettigrew was trying to attack Potter? Pettigrew is an admirable man! It's a miracle he escaped from Black with his life!" Fudge exclaimed loudly. Ginny could just imagine his rotund face becoming redder than a tomato as he faced off with Dumbledore.
"I already told you the events of that day in town, Cornelius. I told you the circumstances surrounding Sirius Black this past June. Have you forgotten so quickly?" Dumbledore asked coolly.
There was a loud huff of indignation from Fudge. "Harry Potter is a troubled boy. Just because he alerted us to You-Know-Who's return does not mean he is stable. Consorting with a mass murderer? Kidnapping his schoolmates and bringing them to the Department of Mysteries?"
There was a long, tense pause. Ginny shuddered with anger as she replayed Fudge's words in her mind. This was exactly why Hermione had stopped her subscription to the Daily Prophet. Harry was silent next to her. It was too dark for her to see his face; she had no idea what he was feeling.
Fudge took a deep breath. "I want Potter expelled, Albus."
Shock coursed through Ginny as she gaped at the door. Harry jerked, breathing speeding up. She felt the anger and hate in his veins as clearly as she felt her own, and she squeezed his hand to keep him from flying through the door and strangling Fudge with his bare hands.
Silence overcame the room but for the scratching of a quill. Ginny and Harry waited for what seemed an eternity for Dumbledore's answer. Fudge cleared his throat. "He's a menace to the student body. I will not support you if he continues to be in this school."
Dumbledore sighed. "You are disillusioned, Cornelius. Who tells you about Harry? Where do you get your information?"
"I don't see how that has anything to do with this," Fudge replied icily.
"Harry Potter is an exceptional boy. I would not let him leave this school for anything. You are still listening to the wrong people. Do not let your greed for money and importance blind you from this simple truth: Harry is the only hope to defeating Voldemort," Dumbledore said, his tone steely and edged with anger.
"Oh, that's exactly what you want, isn't it? You make me look like the villain, hoping that you can put one of your puppets in my place," Fudge shot back angrily. "I will not fall because of you, Dumbledore! I order you to expel that boy!"
"You have no part in the running of this school, and I take orders from no man. I will not expel Harry."
Ginny shifted closer to Harry's side as her breathing grew easier. Dumbledore would stand by Harry no matter what. She felt calmer than she had in days, knowing Harry was safe at Dumbledore's side.
"If you have no more business, and if your Aurors have taken Pettigrew into custody, I think it is time for you to go back to London," Dumbledore continued calmly.
"Fine. This is not over in the slightest, Dumbledore," Fudge said stiffly. "Come along, Weasley."
Ginny gasped as Harry pulled her up to the corner of the stairs, hidden from Fudge's view as he opened the door and stomped out. Her brother? Sure enough, following at Fudge's heels was Percy, quill in one hand and parchment in the other. His head was high, and he looked unchanged from the last time Ginny had seen him, over a year and a half ago. Her shock turned into horror. Percy was still working for Fudge? Ron would kill him.
"You may come in, Harry."
Dumbledore's quiet voice came as a surprise to Ginny, but Harry seemed unperturbed as he lifted her up and led her into the brightly-lit office, nodding as some of the portraits called greetings to him. Ginny kept her eyes on the weary-looking headmaster, heart going out to him.
Dumbledore sighed and looked at Harry's strained face. "I admire your self- control, Harry. It must have been hard to hear the slanders and not be able to defend yourself."
"I've grown used to it," Harry said, sounding much older than sixteen in those few words.
The headmaster smiled slightly and nodded. "Yes, I suppose you have," he said thoughtfully, and turned to Ginny. "You see your brother is still with the Minister?"
She nodded, not sure if she was supposed to reply in any other way. Dumbledore sighed again and went behind his desk to sit down. "I was hoping he would see my way of thinking when I spoke to him this summer, but he didn't. I'm sorry to lose his support. He was a very clever boy when he was here."
"Is Pettigrew in custody?" Harry asked, surprising Ginny with his frankness with the headmaster. Maybe he wasn't telling her everything he was doing.
"Yes. I will make sure his trial is taken care of by the right people." Dumbledore massaged his temples with his long fingers, looking quite tired. "Something must be done about Fudge. He's been too corrupted to work with anymore."
Harry muttered something out of the side of his mouth, looking especially murderous. Ginny thought it sounded a lot like "Malfoy," but she couldn't be sure.
"I am going to the Wizengamot, Harry. Fudge cannot be the Minister anymore. I'm going to call for a vote of no confidence. It might work; it might not. I must try to salvage this before it grows any worse," Dumbledore said, looking straight at Harry.
Then, an amiable smile graced his wrinkled face. "But, I think I shall first try to lighten the mood of the school. Perhaps a Valentine's Day celebration is in order? A party would be just the thing for everyone, I believe." His clear eyes twinkled at the prospect.
Harry and Ginny glanced at each other. Dumbledore clapped his hands together. "Miss Weasley, you look a little tired. Harry, help her back to Gryffindor Tower, and then come back. I think a meeting is necessary."
Nodding, Harry helped Ginny out of her chair. With a few farewells, the couple left Dumbledore's office and headed back down the stairs to the corridor. Ginny kept her hold on Harry's arm, suppressing a yawn. This was too much excitement for one day.
She heard a chuckle leave Harry's mouth. "You're knackered, aren't you?"
Putting her tongue out at him, she looked up at him. "Well, with you dragging me around the castle like a madman, what do you expect?" she teased, giving his elbow a gentle squeeze.
Slowly, they walked in companionable silence the rest of the way. When they reached the portrait hole, he leaned down and kissed her cheek quickly. "Get some rest. You've got to be ready for our game against Ravenclaw on Saturday," he said softly.
She brushed her mouth against his, smiling up at him. "I will be."
He let go of her arm and backed away, grinning slightly. With a little wave, she gave the password to a dozing Fat Lady and slipped inside the common room, happy to find it deserted. Plopping down in Harry's favorite chair by the hearth, she began to doze off. Her last thoughts were of the proposed party. How would she and Harry survive a party without being able to go together? February was looking quite stressful already.
And it had hardly begun.
~*~
Dumbledore made good on his promise to have a Valentine's Day party for the students. He made the announcement the next day, sending the castle into a cheerful frenzy. The students had less than two weeks to get ready, and all were thankful for the Hogsmeade weekend planned the week before the party; it gave those who had no dress robes a chance to rush down to Gladrags.
Ron continued his silent treatment towards Harry, much to both Ginny and Hermione's displeasure. Hermione was faced with running between her best friend and her boyfriend, pulling her in two directions and sending her to the verge of a nervous breakdown. Ginny had to suffer the stalking tendencies of her brother at all times, leaving her no chance to even talk to Harry in the common room. If Colin hadn't been as kind as to run messages between the two of them, there would have been no communication at all. Colin had no idea what was in the letters; he only thought Ginny and Harry were writing to each other as friends. Ginny decided to leave him in the dark as to their true nature.
The Quidditch team's practices did not suffer because of the rift between their captain and their star Seeker; if anything, they were more productive. Harry seemed possessed by the very devil, going fiercely about his training and attempting more Wronski Feints than usual. Ron was running a perfect record against his Chasers the days leading up to the game against Ravenclaw, saving every single shot that Dean, Katie and Ginny threw at him.
Ginny herself was not up to total performance because of the attack on her the week before, but she gave her brother hell in practice, using every method known to Quidditch to get the Quaffle past him and also performing risky moves on her broom, just to spite him. The rest of the team was highly amused during practices, but held their laughter in check as to not upset the three feuding players.
Ginny awoke the day of the game to see Hermione standing over her, pale and tearful.
"I can't take it anymore! Please, just kill me!" The fretful girl sat on the edge of Ginny's bed, wringing her hands. "Ron will not let me mention Harry's name at all when I'm with him. Harry wants this stupid fight to end, but he refuses to make the first move. I'm stuck going back and forth between those two stubborn idiots, and I can't bloody deal with it anymore!" she finished with a shriek.
Trying not to smile at the distressed girl, Ginny shook her head to clear it of sleep's fog. "I know how you feel. I haven't spoken to Harry in almost a week. Ron hasn't let me out of his sight except for when we have class. This is absolutely ridiculous," she said grumpily, tying up her hair messily with the ribbon under her pillow.
Hermione sniffed, looking very much like she was about to jump out of Ginny's window. "I want to kill both of them."
"Join the club," Ginny said, patting Hermione's arm in comfort. "Maybe if Harry jumps in front of a Bludger for me today, Ron will forgive him," she added with a half-smile.
The older girl let out a tiny laugh, wiping her eyes quickly. "We can only hope for another rogue Bludger, right?" She sobered quickly, sighing. "Why do they always have to do this to each other?"
Ginny shrugged. "Maybe they're testing each other. I don't understand it anymore than you. Boys are a mystery."
Groaning morosely, Hermione buried her head in her hands. "And I get the most complicated ones as my friends. Why me?" she asked with a most un- Hermione-like wail.
"Because you're the only one clever enough to figure them out," Ginny teased.
Hermione scoffed at her words, looking slyly at the younger girl. "You seem to understand Harry much better than I do," she said.
Pursing her lips, Ginny slid out of bed and headed for her wardrobe. "We're friends, that's all. We've shared something that no one else could understand," she said, pulling out some comfortable clothes to wear underneath her Quidditch robes from a drawer.
"He likes you a lot, you know. I think that's part of why Ron's frustrated with him. Ron can't handle you being older than ten," Hermione said thoughtfully.
Ginny closed the drawer with a loud bang, breathing fast. "Well, it's bloody well time for him to start handling it," she said angrily, turning back to Hermione with flashing eyes. "If I want to like Harry and if Harry wants to like me, then Ron will just have to get over it!"
A wide smile spread over Hermione's face as Ginny scrunched her eyes shut, realizing what she had just said. "Oh no..." she moaned.
"You do like him! I knew it! Why don't you tell him? Go to Hogsmeade with him after the game today; I'll distract Ron long enough for you to get away..." Hermione trailed off, looking curiously at Ginny's pale face. "What's wrong?"
Ginny sighed heavily and sat back down on her bed, fingers twisting together nervously. "It isn't that easy, Hermione," she said softly. "Harry doesn't want to have a public relationship, because of everything that has happened and what he thinks will happen. We've...We've talked about it before..." her voice disappeared into silence as tears stung the backs of her eyelids. After all these months, was she going to break down? Was all this secrecy too much for her to handle?
Arms went around her shoulders in a comforting hug. "I'm sorry, Ginny. I should have realized. I just haven't been able to understand why he hasn't done anything with you, and I think I do now," Hermione said gently.
Ginny sniffed quietly and met Hermione's eyes. "You won't tell anyone that I like him, will you?"
Hermione smiled softly. "Of course not. It'll be a secret between friends, all right?" She gave Ginny one last squeeze and stood, glancing at the watch adorning her wrist. "You've got an hour before the game is supposed to start; hurry up and get dressed so we can go eat. Harry's waiting for me in the common room; I need to talk to him before Ron the Prat comes downstairs," she said wryly.
Ginny grinned. "Thanks for listening, Hermione."
Hermione grinned back. "Thanks for stopping me from killing myself," she quipped as she left.
Ginny was quite alone in her dormitory, but somehow it didn't bother her. For the first time, she felt a weight leave her heart. Someone understood. And, for once, it wasn't Harry.
The Gryffindor team won over Ravenclaw by about a hundred points in a hard- won game. Even though her team had been beaten, Cho hadn't seemed angry or unhappy as she shook hands with Harry, smiling cheerfully at him. She had even smiled at Ginny as she and Michael had headed towards Hogsmeade, sending a knowing look between her and Harry. Ginny had smiled back and shaken her head, feeling quite at peace with the Ravenclaw girl.
After the win, Ginny had gone down to Hogsmeade with Colin, Neville, Luna, and Harry, who had joined their group at Colin's clever invitation. It had been an enjoyable afternoon; with Hermione helping out by distracting Ron for almost an hour, Ginny and Harry had the opportunity to talk for the first time in a week. Granted, they could do no more than talk, what with Ginny's friends around the both of them, but as Ginny lay in her bed that night, she felt quite content with herself.
Harry was feeling less than happy with the situation on all fronts, but he refused to talk to Ron first. As he put it to Hermione, "I'm not the one who accused his best friend of trying to kill his sister. He should talk to me first."
The likelihood of that was growing smaller with each passing day, and as the Valentine's Day party approached, Harry had to not only cope with his personal and academic hurdles, but he had to fend off anxious girls trying to get him as a date to the party. Dumbledore was sparing no expense, and since it was widely known around the school that Harry was "single", girls were practically fighting for a chance to go with him. Constantly refusing these girls was easy; giving them a reason why was much harder.
It made him feel better to know that Ginny was being just as bombarded with offers from the boys from all years, or so Hermione told him in the library the day before the dance. It was Friday so many students were off unwinding from the week and preparing for the party. He and Hermione decided to have a quick meeting in the library just for privacy's sake. It was the first time they had been able to talk for almost three days, which was all Ron's fault, and Harry was dying for news about Ginny.
"Oh yes, she is having a time of it this week. All the girls in Gryffindor Tower almost killed her after she turned down Justin Finch-Fletchly yesterday after supper. She won't give any of the boys any reason why; just a polite 'No, thank you,'" Hermione whispered, keeping an eye out for Madam Pince as she leaned across the table to him. To Harry's surprise, Hermione seemed to understand his need for information about Ginny. He wondered if Ginny had said anything to her, or if she was just very clever.
Harry put his head in his hands. "I'm doomed."
Hermione rolled her eyes and tugged on his elbow. "Come on back to the common room. I need to make sure Ron isn't performing any spells on Ginny," she said, pulling him out of the library.
His brow furrowed. "Spells like what?" he asked warily.
She heaved a sigh. "Oh, something like 'Man Repellant. Repels all testosterone-charged humans from your irate younger sister.' He's been thinking about it."
When Harry entered the common room, he went straight to his chair by the hearth, not looking at a red-faced Ginny, who was being lectured to by Ron over on her seat on the windowsill. Hermione said a quick prayer of patience behind Harry as she passed him to go over to her boyfriend, and he smiled. Poor Hermione. She was a saint in the making.
Ron was talking loud enough for the whole room to hear him. "It's good you don't have a date for this party, you know? I always thought you were a bit young for a boyfriend."
Hermione smacked his shoulder. "Well, you've certainly changed your tune since last year, haven't you Ron? Don't be a prat," she hissed. Harry rolled his eyes. Too late, Hermione.
"What are you going on about?" he asked, looking at his girlfriend incredulously.
Harry watched as Ginny shut her eyes, clenching her fists in frustration, and opened her eyes abruptly. Their gazes locked for a moment, and her mouth thinned. Nodding to herself, she stood as Ron and Hermione began to spar, gathered her books, and started over to Harry's place by the fire. Ron noticed this immediately, reached out, and grabbed her elbow, jerking her to a stop. "Where are you going?" he asked.
"I have to ask Harry something," she replied, voice full of strength.
Ron's gaze narrowed. "What? You can just ask me."
She looked her brother over for a moment. The room was silent. Her eyes went to Harry and she drew herself up, facing Ron. Every bit of her radiated rebellion. "No, I can't. I don't want to ask you, Ron. I want to ask Harry. I want to talk to Harry," she said coolly.
"Why? He practically killed you."
Harry stiffened. Ginny's eyes flashed angrily at her aloof brother. "No, he didn't. Harry is my friend; he wouldn't do something like that. I thought you knew that."
The common room began to sound again in whispers of curiosity. Hermione and Harry watched from different perspectives as Ron tensed, readying himself for battle with his sister. "Ginny, you don't understand. You're too---"
"Don't finish that sentence if you want to continue breathing, Ron," Ginny cut in angrily. "I understand a lot more than you think. I am only a year younger than you, and I have had a more painful life than you in a lot of ways! If I want to be Harry's friend, you can't stop me."
Ron glared at her. "What if he doesn't want to be your friend? You're younger than you think, Ginny."
Harry could see Ginny snap inside, and he unintentionally prayed for mercy on Ron's soul. Hermione winced and turned away from the scene.
Ginny reared back, disbelief filtering through her face. "If Harry didn't want to be my friend, he would still be talking to you, you bloody bastard! He wouldn't be offended that you thought he wanted to kill me because he wouldn't care about me! One of the reasons you don't have his friendship is because he wants to keep mine. He does care about me as a friend, Ron! Why can't you deal with that?" she spat out.
"If he cared about you, he wouldn't have let you take that curse for him!" Ron shouted, getting as red as a tomato.
"He didn't let me take it, Ron! I jumped in front of him to protect him!" Ginny exclaimed in reply, sending the buzzing room into dead silence. Her breathing was hard, her eyes were wild; Harry had never seen her look more alive and passionate. "Yes, I jumped in front of him so he wouldn't be hit! He didn't want me to, but I did anyway!"
Ron gaped at her, jaw completely slack. Ginny glared furiously at him, turned sharply on her heel, and went straight over to Harry. Without putting up a fight, he let her grab his elbow and drag him out of the common room, a small smile on his face. She didn't let go of him until they were outside in the lightly falling snow, right by the doors to the entrance hall. Harry grinned down at her. "Where are we going?" he asked quietly.
"To the lake," was her reply.
"Why?"
"To make a hole in it," she snapped, taking a few deep breaths in her struggle to calm down.
Shaking his head in amusement, he took her hand in his and led her to a little alcove near the doors. "It's nice to see you, too," he said lightly, pulling her shivering form to his frame.
Finally, she seemed to realize that she was alone with Harry for the first time in almost two weeks, and she curled up to his warmth, wrapping her arms around his waist. "I'm sorry. I can't believe I did that," she said with a small laugh, voice muffled by his chest.
Dropping a kiss on the top of her head, he smiled and inhaled the scent of her hair. Merlin, he had missed having her in his arms. "I can. You're incredible," he murmured.
She looked up, a tiny smile on her face. "I missed you," she whispered. "I just couldn't take it anymore."
Leaning down, he kissed her for the first time in two weeks. Her arms came up around his neck, and he tangled his fingers in her hair, angling her head to deepen the kiss. It was bliss; it was joy; it was his other half.
It was the definition of Valentine's Day.
~*~
A/N: Sorry this has taken so long, folks. This took a whole lot of head- banging and reading to get done, so I hope you enjoy. Please read and review and, as always, a huge thank you to my beta Anne, who is a living goddess. ^^
~*~ When Harry awoke the following morning, it was to a timid calling of his name. The sun was bright and high in the sky as he opened his eyes groggily, scrunching up his face. Being in his bed this late surprised him, and he almost leapt up from under his blankets as he realized how late he must be to practice. But memories of the previous day assailed him and he stayed put, remembering exactly why he wasn't at practice or even awake yet.
Wormtail.
Ron.
Ginny.
"Harry?"
He reached out a pajama-clad arm and pulled back the curtains surrounding his bed, not believing his ears. She wouldn't dare come in here...
Would she?
"Hermione?" he said incredulously as her pale face met his gaze. Her eyes were bloodshot, and in her hand was a plate of eggs and toast. He sat up, swiping a hand across his eyes to clear them of sleep, and stared at his friend in shock. "How did you get in here?"
A small grin spread across her taut face. "You're not the only one with a good Confusion Charm," she said with forced cheer as she made her way to his bed. When she came closer, he could see a glass of pumpkin juice floating behind her. "You missed breakfast; I decided to bring you some," she added as she sat down beside him, holding out the food to him.
His stomach growled as he looked on the steaming plate. He hadn't eaten since yesterday's lunch, and he was starved now. Reaching for the plate, he grinned at Hermione. "Thanks. I appreciate it," he said, shoveling some egg onto his fork.
Hermione smiled slightly. "I thought you might be hungry. We missed you at supper last night. The whole school is talking about Wormtail's appearance," she said tiredly.
Harry swallowed his food and frowned. "I needed some time to think, that's all," he muttered defensively.
"I wasn't going to ask where you were. I reckoned you might not come," she said tartly, eyebrow raised. "Ron didn't eat a thing, if it makes you feel better."
His stomach dropped like a stone. "It doesn't."
She sighed. "I'm glad. Fred and George gave him quite a talking to after we left Ginny, and I believe they sent an owl to Mrs. Weasley. It's only a matter of days until a Howler is sent Ron's way," she said as he cleaned his plate, nose wrinkling minutely. "How do you eat so much?"
"I'm a growing boy," he quipped, draining his goblet and setting the used dining ware on his bedside table. Reaching under his pillow, he pulled out his glasses and put them on, throwing the world from blurry to clear. "Are you all right?"
"I'm more worried about you, Harry," she replied softly, scooting closer to his side.
Abruptly, he turned away from her searching eyes. "You shouldn't be; I'm fine," he said stiffly.
"Stop telling me that! If you're fine then you're insane. A good friend of yours was attacked yesterday and your best friend isn't speaking to you. I don't see how you could be fine at all," Hermione said scathingly, grasping his elbow.
"What do you expect me to say, Hermione? I don't know how I feel right now," Harry retorted, meeting her gaze squarely. "I know this is my fault, but-"
She gaped at him, compassion flooding her face. "Oh, Harry. Ginny's injuries aren't your fault. I thought you knew that."
He turned his stony glare to the window. "I should have let Sirius kill him," he said, voice filled with wrath and hatred. "Maybe things would be different if I had."
The pair sat in thought for a moment before Hermione broke the silence. "You can't think like that, Harry. Maybe things would be different, but you can never tell," she said softly, reaching over to squeeze his hand in comfort. "The past is the past; you can't change it. You can only learn from it."
Harry glanced at her and gave her a small smile. "Thanks, Hermione. I appreciate that," he said, squeezing her hand in return. Ever the voice of reason, Hermione was. Maybe Ginny's words could finally begin to sink into his head, with Hermione's unknowing help.
The bushy-haired girl smiled softly. "Glad I can help in some way. I don't think I'll be able to help you with Ron, though. He's such a thick-headed idiot sometimes."
"He seems to act up every year; there's always something wrong with something I do," Harry said bitterly. "This time, he'll have to grovel. He went too far. I would never put Ginny in danger intentionally."
Watching her face as he spoke, Harry could almost see the wheels in her mind start to turn, the pieces click together. She nudged him, eyes bright. "You like her, don't you?" she asked.
Harry started, gaping slightly at Hermione. "What?"
She rolled her eyes and giggled lightly. "You like Ginny, right?"
"Of course I do. We're friends, aren't we?" he replied, looking quite like a deer caught in headlights.
Nudging him again, she raised an eyebrow. "You know what I mean, Harry." There was a moment of silence as Harry squirmed internally at her words. Then Hermione touched his arm. "She's become very pretty, hasn't she?" she mused, sending a sidelong glance at him.
Licking his lips nervously, he looked away from her steady eyes, fidgeting. This was getting too close for his comfort. "I suppose so," he mumbled. He couldn't tell Hermione that he thought Ginny was one of the most beautiful girls he had ever seen; that would be a dead giveaway.
Hermione smiled smugly and kept at him, voice light. "It's funny how she doesn't have a boyfriend yet; I hear boys around school are trying their hardest to get her attention."
His blood boiled with the heat of jealousy as he struggled to keep his face clear. "No kidding?" he croaked out.
"It seems like she's got her eye on one specific boy. I can't imagine who it could be," Hermione continued blithely, smoothing out her robes.
Dying to blurt everything out, Harry had to master his words. "I can't think of anyone."
She turned to him. "Oh, can't you? You really are quite thick, Harry. I know you like her. Don't you think she might like you back?"
He swallowed with some trouble. "But you said she had given up on me last year," he said thickly.
A knowing smile flitted across her face. "Oh yes. But that doesn't mean she's over you," she said, standing and collecting his dishes. "She's been given the all-clear by Madam Pomfrey. Why don't you bring her back to the tower? Ron and I have some homework to do in the library; I'm sure Ginny would appreciate your thoughtfulness," she added slyly before giving a little wave and walking out the door.
Harry flopped onto his back, bringing his arms over his eyes to shield them from the world. Hermione was too clever for her own good.
~*~
"You're all clear, Miss Weasley. You may go back to Gryffindor Tower," Madam Pomfrey said with a note of disapproval as Ginny slid from her bed and reached for her clothes. "All I ask is that you don't strain yourself for the next week or so. You were very lucky yesterday."
Ginny beamed at the fussing mediwitch. "I promise, Madam Pomfrey. Don't mind me saying, but I hope I'm not back up here for a long time," she said cheerfully as she headed to the loo to change.
Taking a moment to look at herself in the mirror, Ginny pursed her lips at the sight of her pale, drawn face. "Be happy! You're getting out of the Hospital Wing," she muttered to herself, pulling her night dress over her head and tossing it to the side as she reached for her jumper. The heavy turtleneck hid the small bruises on her neck, an accidental happening from last night. With Harry in the same bed as her, she couldn't expect him not to need a bit of comfort. It's not like she had trouble with it; over the last few months, her proficiency with Concealing Charms had grown amazingly.
Stepping out of the loo, she handed her night dress to Madam Pomfrey and slipped her school robes over her regular clothes. The nurse nodded briskly. "Well, off with you then. You have an escort back to the tower waiting for you out there. Take care, Miss Weasley," she said.
"Thanks, Madam Pomfrey," Ginny replied before walking out into the waiting area of the Hospital Wing, hoping against hope that Ron wasn't out there. She was definitely not in the mood to speak to him, especially after what he had said to Harry yesterday. The sight that met her wary eyes was a relief and a surprise.
Slouched in one of the chairs by the door to the corridor was an exhausted- looking Harry, black hair mussed even more than usual. Ginny stopped in the doorway for a moment, shocked. He came up here, even with the threat of an appearance from Ron? Pleasure swelled up from the pit of her stomach, and a small smile spread on her face. "Don't you spend enough time here as it is, Harry?" she teased.
Straightening immediately, Harry looked her way and she could see a lightening of his dark countenance as he stood to go to her. "You look well," he commented softly, coming face to face with her.
The urge to throw herself into his arms and kiss him almost overwhelmed her, and she had to stop herself from reaching out to touch his hand. "I feel good as new. Here to take me home?" she asked cheerfully.
He nodded, and held out his arm to her. She looked up at him questioningly, hoping this wasn't a sign of him thinking she was too weak to walk on her own. Smiling, he shrugged. "Thought I'd be proper about it."
Ginny grinned at him and slipped her elbow through his, still keeping an acceptable distance from his frame. "Hermione's been to speak with you, hasn't she? Nice to see you're listening to her advice at last."
He laughed softly, surprising her with the sound as he held the door to the corridor open for her. She couldn't believe he was actually laughing with her. Maybe he wasn't going to be as sullen as she thought he would be, considering what had happened with Ron and her. "Has Ron spoken to you yet?"
"I haven't seen him since yesterday, actually. I'm sure he thinks I'm off planning your demise, since that's all I seem to do," Harry replied flatly as they slowly went down the hall.
Casting a quick look around their immediate area, Ginny made sure they were completely alone before moving closer to his side, breathing in his warmth and scent. "You hide your devious thoughts very well," she murmured, wrapping her arms around his waist and stopping their movement.
"Ginny..." His voice was wary, but she felt his hands settle at the small of her back.
"Harry, just for a minute. With the way my brother's going to be on me for the rest of my life, I don't know when I'll be able to see you alone again," she said unhappily, cutting off his protests as she looked up at his face. Gaping slightly, she peered closer at the dark circles under his eyes, the pale, strained look to his skin. "You're not all right, Harry," she whispered.
He shrugged, obviously trying to steer away from the subject of himself. "I haven't been for a long time, but that's beside the point. Everyone can be worried about you for a change," he joked weakly, cracking a small smile for her.
Reaching up, she kissed his cheek, moving her arms to wrap around his neck. "That's hardly a change," she said, shutting her eyes tightly and resting her forehead on his chin. Madam Pomfrey was right when she said to take it slowly; already Ginny felt weaker from being on her feet for so long.
"You're tired, Ginny. Why don't I take you back to the tower so you can rest a little more?" he asked softly.
Abruptly, she looked up and their mouths brushed for a split second. His arms around her tightened and he let out a slow breath, eyes fastened on her mouth. A smile curved her lips and she leaned towards him, hesitating slightly as he bent his head to meet her. Hot breath passed from his mouth, hitting her skin lightly, and she sighed. With that final sound, he closed the distance between their mouths with a swift movement. She almost went completely limp in his arms as the feeling of his lips sliding against hers left her drowning in his wake.
A low sound escaped the back of her throat and she twisted her fingers in his hair, pulling herself closer to him. The air shook around her, feeding off the charged environment. She and Harry had melded into one space, one time; they were the only ones in the world.
Suddenly, there was a slight change in the air; someone edging along the border of their world, coming closer and closer. She felt it even as she felt Harry under her hands. Startled by her heightened senses, she pulled away from Harry, feeling him pull back at the same time. His dark eyes showed surprise mixed with the ever-prevalent desire, and a shiver ran through her, leaving goosebumps on her skin. With a deep breath, she felt steadier. Kissing Harry always left her feeling lighter than a feather, ready to fly away at the smallest breeze. It was wonderful.
He exhaled slowly before speaking. "I think someone's coming."
Jumping a little in his arms, she stared at him. "That's odd. I think so too."
With great reluctance, they pulled away from each other. Her knees wobbled as the support of his arm left her, so he hooked his elbow under hers once more. Footsteps sounded down the corridor and she and Harry glanced at each other, eyebrows raised in curiosity. How the hell had they both known someone was around?
"Ginny!"
Neville raced towards them, a handkerchief held to his nose. Ginny smiled, hearing the thick edge of a cold in her friend's voice. "Hi, Neville."
Neville stopped in front of her and Harry, grinning. "Hullo, Harry. I heard about your accident yesterday, Ginny. Are you all right?" he asked.
Nodding, Ginny reached out and touched Neville's elbow. "I'm fine. Harry's just taking me back to the tower."
Harry chose to interject at this point, also having noticed Neville's condition. "What are you doing up here, Neville? You sound a bit ill."
Neville grinned sheepishly and blew his nose. "Yes. I just came up for a quick fix from Madam Pomfrey. I should be fine by the morning." He paused and leaned closer to the pair. "Did you know Minister Fudge is here to see Dumbledore? I think he came to take Pettigrew away," he said, shaking his head in disbelief. "I can't believe he's alive. I thought Sirius Black had killed him."
Out of the corner of her eye, Ginny saw Harry's face tighten, and she swallowed. "I think we were all under that misconception, Neville. But, Sirius Black wasn't a murderer in any way," she replied softly, wishing she could be alone with Harry once more.
Neville nodded. "I suppose so. Well, you should get back, Ginny. See you later." He gave a little wave, nodded at Harry, and passed them, soon entering the Hospital Wing and leaving Harry and Ginny alone.
Harry's arm muscles were tense under her hand, and she squeezed gently. "Fudge is in the castle?" she echoed, looking up into his face.
Face completely expressionless, Harry started walking, pulling Ginny along with him. "I want to know what's going on," he said darkly, rounding a corner.
Apprehension washed over her as she hurried to catch up with him, feeling weary. "Harry, now might not be the best time for this," she muttered. Sometimes he was just so irrational! Did he have any idea where he was going in the first place? What did he expect to accomplish?
Finally, he came to a halt in front of the gargoyle that led to Dumbledore's office. Ginny caught her breath as he muttered the password and the stone figure moved aside. Her stomach clenched as Harry pulled her up the stairs, and she heard the gargoyle move back into place. The last time she had been in Dumbledore's office with Harry was when he had rescued her from the Chamber. Memories of that year began to threaten her mind and she shut her eyes, stumbling against Harry's arm as he crouched down, ear turned towards the slightly open door of Dumbledore's office. She could hear the frustrated voice of Fudge competing with Dumbledore's calm, steady tones. Her heart tightened. Harry's muscles tensed.
"You seem to think that Peter Pettigrew was trying to attack Potter? Pettigrew is an admirable man! It's a miracle he escaped from Black with his life!" Fudge exclaimed loudly. Ginny could just imagine his rotund face becoming redder than a tomato as he faced off with Dumbledore.
"I already told you the events of that day in town, Cornelius. I told you the circumstances surrounding Sirius Black this past June. Have you forgotten so quickly?" Dumbledore asked coolly.
There was a loud huff of indignation from Fudge. "Harry Potter is a troubled boy. Just because he alerted us to You-Know-Who's return does not mean he is stable. Consorting with a mass murderer? Kidnapping his schoolmates and bringing them to the Department of Mysteries?"
There was a long, tense pause. Ginny shuddered with anger as she replayed Fudge's words in her mind. This was exactly why Hermione had stopped her subscription to the Daily Prophet. Harry was silent next to her. It was too dark for her to see his face; she had no idea what he was feeling.
Fudge took a deep breath. "I want Potter expelled, Albus."
Shock coursed through Ginny as she gaped at the door. Harry jerked, breathing speeding up. She felt the anger and hate in his veins as clearly as she felt her own, and she squeezed his hand to keep him from flying through the door and strangling Fudge with his bare hands.
Silence overcame the room but for the scratching of a quill. Ginny and Harry waited for what seemed an eternity for Dumbledore's answer. Fudge cleared his throat. "He's a menace to the student body. I will not support you if he continues to be in this school."
Dumbledore sighed. "You are disillusioned, Cornelius. Who tells you about Harry? Where do you get your information?"
"I don't see how that has anything to do with this," Fudge replied icily.
"Harry Potter is an exceptional boy. I would not let him leave this school for anything. You are still listening to the wrong people. Do not let your greed for money and importance blind you from this simple truth: Harry is the only hope to defeating Voldemort," Dumbledore said, his tone steely and edged with anger.
"Oh, that's exactly what you want, isn't it? You make me look like the villain, hoping that you can put one of your puppets in my place," Fudge shot back angrily. "I will not fall because of you, Dumbledore! I order you to expel that boy!"
"You have no part in the running of this school, and I take orders from no man. I will not expel Harry."
Ginny shifted closer to Harry's side as her breathing grew easier. Dumbledore would stand by Harry no matter what. She felt calmer than she had in days, knowing Harry was safe at Dumbledore's side.
"If you have no more business, and if your Aurors have taken Pettigrew into custody, I think it is time for you to go back to London," Dumbledore continued calmly.
"Fine. This is not over in the slightest, Dumbledore," Fudge said stiffly. "Come along, Weasley."
Ginny gasped as Harry pulled her up to the corner of the stairs, hidden from Fudge's view as he opened the door and stomped out. Her brother? Sure enough, following at Fudge's heels was Percy, quill in one hand and parchment in the other. His head was high, and he looked unchanged from the last time Ginny had seen him, over a year and a half ago. Her shock turned into horror. Percy was still working for Fudge? Ron would kill him.
"You may come in, Harry."
Dumbledore's quiet voice came as a surprise to Ginny, but Harry seemed unperturbed as he lifted her up and led her into the brightly-lit office, nodding as some of the portraits called greetings to him. Ginny kept her eyes on the weary-looking headmaster, heart going out to him.
Dumbledore sighed and looked at Harry's strained face. "I admire your self- control, Harry. It must have been hard to hear the slanders and not be able to defend yourself."
"I've grown used to it," Harry said, sounding much older than sixteen in those few words.
The headmaster smiled slightly and nodded. "Yes, I suppose you have," he said thoughtfully, and turned to Ginny. "You see your brother is still with the Minister?"
She nodded, not sure if she was supposed to reply in any other way. Dumbledore sighed again and went behind his desk to sit down. "I was hoping he would see my way of thinking when I spoke to him this summer, but he didn't. I'm sorry to lose his support. He was a very clever boy when he was here."
"Is Pettigrew in custody?" Harry asked, surprising Ginny with his frankness with the headmaster. Maybe he wasn't telling her everything he was doing.
"Yes. I will make sure his trial is taken care of by the right people." Dumbledore massaged his temples with his long fingers, looking quite tired. "Something must be done about Fudge. He's been too corrupted to work with anymore."
Harry muttered something out of the side of his mouth, looking especially murderous. Ginny thought it sounded a lot like "Malfoy," but she couldn't be sure.
"I am going to the Wizengamot, Harry. Fudge cannot be the Minister anymore. I'm going to call for a vote of no confidence. It might work; it might not. I must try to salvage this before it grows any worse," Dumbledore said, looking straight at Harry.
Then, an amiable smile graced his wrinkled face. "But, I think I shall first try to lighten the mood of the school. Perhaps a Valentine's Day celebration is in order? A party would be just the thing for everyone, I believe." His clear eyes twinkled at the prospect.
Harry and Ginny glanced at each other. Dumbledore clapped his hands together. "Miss Weasley, you look a little tired. Harry, help her back to Gryffindor Tower, and then come back. I think a meeting is necessary."
Nodding, Harry helped Ginny out of her chair. With a few farewells, the couple left Dumbledore's office and headed back down the stairs to the corridor. Ginny kept her hold on Harry's arm, suppressing a yawn. This was too much excitement for one day.
She heard a chuckle leave Harry's mouth. "You're knackered, aren't you?"
Putting her tongue out at him, she looked up at him. "Well, with you dragging me around the castle like a madman, what do you expect?" she teased, giving his elbow a gentle squeeze.
Slowly, they walked in companionable silence the rest of the way. When they reached the portrait hole, he leaned down and kissed her cheek quickly. "Get some rest. You've got to be ready for our game against Ravenclaw on Saturday," he said softly.
She brushed her mouth against his, smiling up at him. "I will be."
He let go of her arm and backed away, grinning slightly. With a little wave, she gave the password to a dozing Fat Lady and slipped inside the common room, happy to find it deserted. Plopping down in Harry's favorite chair by the hearth, she began to doze off. Her last thoughts were of the proposed party. How would she and Harry survive a party without being able to go together? February was looking quite stressful already.
And it had hardly begun.
~*~
Dumbledore made good on his promise to have a Valentine's Day party for the students. He made the announcement the next day, sending the castle into a cheerful frenzy. The students had less than two weeks to get ready, and all were thankful for the Hogsmeade weekend planned the week before the party; it gave those who had no dress robes a chance to rush down to Gladrags.
Ron continued his silent treatment towards Harry, much to both Ginny and Hermione's displeasure. Hermione was faced with running between her best friend and her boyfriend, pulling her in two directions and sending her to the verge of a nervous breakdown. Ginny had to suffer the stalking tendencies of her brother at all times, leaving her no chance to even talk to Harry in the common room. If Colin hadn't been as kind as to run messages between the two of them, there would have been no communication at all. Colin had no idea what was in the letters; he only thought Ginny and Harry were writing to each other as friends. Ginny decided to leave him in the dark as to their true nature.
The Quidditch team's practices did not suffer because of the rift between their captain and their star Seeker; if anything, they were more productive. Harry seemed possessed by the very devil, going fiercely about his training and attempting more Wronski Feints than usual. Ron was running a perfect record against his Chasers the days leading up to the game against Ravenclaw, saving every single shot that Dean, Katie and Ginny threw at him.
Ginny herself was not up to total performance because of the attack on her the week before, but she gave her brother hell in practice, using every method known to Quidditch to get the Quaffle past him and also performing risky moves on her broom, just to spite him. The rest of the team was highly amused during practices, but held their laughter in check as to not upset the three feuding players.
Ginny awoke the day of the game to see Hermione standing over her, pale and tearful.
"I can't take it anymore! Please, just kill me!" The fretful girl sat on the edge of Ginny's bed, wringing her hands. "Ron will not let me mention Harry's name at all when I'm with him. Harry wants this stupid fight to end, but he refuses to make the first move. I'm stuck going back and forth between those two stubborn idiots, and I can't bloody deal with it anymore!" she finished with a shriek.
Trying not to smile at the distressed girl, Ginny shook her head to clear it of sleep's fog. "I know how you feel. I haven't spoken to Harry in almost a week. Ron hasn't let me out of his sight except for when we have class. This is absolutely ridiculous," she said grumpily, tying up her hair messily with the ribbon under her pillow.
Hermione sniffed, looking very much like she was about to jump out of Ginny's window. "I want to kill both of them."
"Join the club," Ginny said, patting Hermione's arm in comfort. "Maybe if Harry jumps in front of a Bludger for me today, Ron will forgive him," she added with a half-smile.
The older girl let out a tiny laugh, wiping her eyes quickly. "We can only hope for another rogue Bludger, right?" She sobered quickly, sighing. "Why do they always have to do this to each other?"
Ginny shrugged. "Maybe they're testing each other. I don't understand it anymore than you. Boys are a mystery."
Groaning morosely, Hermione buried her head in her hands. "And I get the most complicated ones as my friends. Why me?" she asked with a most un- Hermione-like wail.
"Because you're the only one clever enough to figure them out," Ginny teased.
Hermione scoffed at her words, looking slyly at the younger girl. "You seem to understand Harry much better than I do," she said.
Pursing her lips, Ginny slid out of bed and headed for her wardrobe. "We're friends, that's all. We've shared something that no one else could understand," she said, pulling out some comfortable clothes to wear underneath her Quidditch robes from a drawer.
"He likes you a lot, you know. I think that's part of why Ron's frustrated with him. Ron can't handle you being older than ten," Hermione said thoughtfully.
Ginny closed the drawer with a loud bang, breathing fast. "Well, it's bloody well time for him to start handling it," she said angrily, turning back to Hermione with flashing eyes. "If I want to like Harry and if Harry wants to like me, then Ron will just have to get over it!"
A wide smile spread over Hermione's face as Ginny scrunched her eyes shut, realizing what she had just said. "Oh no..." she moaned.
"You do like him! I knew it! Why don't you tell him? Go to Hogsmeade with him after the game today; I'll distract Ron long enough for you to get away..." Hermione trailed off, looking curiously at Ginny's pale face. "What's wrong?"
Ginny sighed heavily and sat back down on her bed, fingers twisting together nervously. "It isn't that easy, Hermione," she said softly. "Harry doesn't want to have a public relationship, because of everything that has happened and what he thinks will happen. We've...We've talked about it before..." her voice disappeared into silence as tears stung the backs of her eyelids. After all these months, was she going to break down? Was all this secrecy too much for her to handle?
Arms went around her shoulders in a comforting hug. "I'm sorry, Ginny. I should have realized. I just haven't been able to understand why he hasn't done anything with you, and I think I do now," Hermione said gently.
Ginny sniffed quietly and met Hermione's eyes. "You won't tell anyone that I like him, will you?"
Hermione smiled softly. "Of course not. It'll be a secret between friends, all right?" She gave Ginny one last squeeze and stood, glancing at the watch adorning her wrist. "You've got an hour before the game is supposed to start; hurry up and get dressed so we can go eat. Harry's waiting for me in the common room; I need to talk to him before Ron the Prat comes downstairs," she said wryly.
Ginny grinned. "Thanks for listening, Hermione."
Hermione grinned back. "Thanks for stopping me from killing myself," she quipped as she left.
Ginny was quite alone in her dormitory, but somehow it didn't bother her. For the first time, she felt a weight leave her heart. Someone understood. And, for once, it wasn't Harry.
The Gryffindor team won over Ravenclaw by about a hundred points in a hard- won game. Even though her team had been beaten, Cho hadn't seemed angry or unhappy as she shook hands with Harry, smiling cheerfully at him. She had even smiled at Ginny as she and Michael had headed towards Hogsmeade, sending a knowing look between her and Harry. Ginny had smiled back and shaken her head, feeling quite at peace with the Ravenclaw girl.
After the win, Ginny had gone down to Hogsmeade with Colin, Neville, Luna, and Harry, who had joined their group at Colin's clever invitation. It had been an enjoyable afternoon; with Hermione helping out by distracting Ron for almost an hour, Ginny and Harry had the opportunity to talk for the first time in a week. Granted, they could do no more than talk, what with Ginny's friends around the both of them, but as Ginny lay in her bed that night, she felt quite content with herself.
Harry was feeling less than happy with the situation on all fronts, but he refused to talk to Ron first. As he put it to Hermione, "I'm not the one who accused his best friend of trying to kill his sister. He should talk to me first."
The likelihood of that was growing smaller with each passing day, and as the Valentine's Day party approached, Harry had to not only cope with his personal and academic hurdles, but he had to fend off anxious girls trying to get him as a date to the party. Dumbledore was sparing no expense, and since it was widely known around the school that Harry was "single", girls were practically fighting for a chance to go with him. Constantly refusing these girls was easy; giving them a reason why was much harder.
It made him feel better to know that Ginny was being just as bombarded with offers from the boys from all years, or so Hermione told him in the library the day before the dance. It was Friday so many students were off unwinding from the week and preparing for the party. He and Hermione decided to have a quick meeting in the library just for privacy's sake. It was the first time they had been able to talk for almost three days, which was all Ron's fault, and Harry was dying for news about Ginny.
"Oh yes, she is having a time of it this week. All the girls in Gryffindor Tower almost killed her after she turned down Justin Finch-Fletchly yesterday after supper. She won't give any of the boys any reason why; just a polite 'No, thank you,'" Hermione whispered, keeping an eye out for Madam Pince as she leaned across the table to him. To Harry's surprise, Hermione seemed to understand his need for information about Ginny. He wondered if Ginny had said anything to her, or if she was just very clever.
Harry put his head in his hands. "I'm doomed."
Hermione rolled her eyes and tugged on his elbow. "Come on back to the common room. I need to make sure Ron isn't performing any spells on Ginny," she said, pulling him out of the library.
His brow furrowed. "Spells like what?" he asked warily.
She heaved a sigh. "Oh, something like 'Man Repellant. Repels all testosterone-charged humans from your irate younger sister.' He's been thinking about it."
When Harry entered the common room, he went straight to his chair by the hearth, not looking at a red-faced Ginny, who was being lectured to by Ron over on her seat on the windowsill. Hermione said a quick prayer of patience behind Harry as she passed him to go over to her boyfriend, and he smiled. Poor Hermione. She was a saint in the making.
Ron was talking loud enough for the whole room to hear him. "It's good you don't have a date for this party, you know? I always thought you were a bit young for a boyfriend."
Hermione smacked his shoulder. "Well, you've certainly changed your tune since last year, haven't you Ron? Don't be a prat," she hissed. Harry rolled his eyes. Too late, Hermione.
"What are you going on about?" he asked, looking at his girlfriend incredulously.
Harry watched as Ginny shut her eyes, clenching her fists in frustration, and opened her eyes abruptly. Their gazes locked for a moment, and her mouth thinned. Nodding to herself, she stood as Ron and Hermione began to spar, gathered her books, and started over to Harry's place by the fire. Ron noticed this immediately, reached out, and grabbed her elbow, jerking her to a stop. "Where are you going?" he asked.
"I have to ask Harry something," she replied, voice full of strength.
Ron's gaze narrowed. "What? You can just ask me."
She looked her brother over for a moment. The room was silent. Her eyes went to Harry and she drew herself up, facing Ron. Every bit of her radiated rebellion. "No, I can't. I don't want to ask you, Ron. I want to ask Harry. I want to talk to Harry," she said coolly.
"Why? He practically killed you."
Harry stiffened. Ginny's eyes flashed angrily at her aloof brother. "No, he didn't. Harry is my friend; he wouldn't do something like that. I thought you knew that."
The common room began to sound again in whispers of curiosity. Hermione and Harry watched from different perspectives as Ron tensed, readying himself for battle with his sister. "Ginny, you don't understand. You're too---"
"Don't finish that sentence if you want to continue breathing, Ron," Ginny cut in angrily. "I understand a lot more than you think. I am only a year younger than you, and I have had a more painful life than you in a lot of ways! If I want to be Harry's friend, you can't stop me."
Ron glared at her. "What if he doesn't want to be your friend? You're younger than you think, Ginny."
Harry could see Ginny snap inside, and he unintentionally prayed for mercy on Ron's soul. Hermione winced and turned away from the scene.
Ginny reared back, disbelief filtering through her face. "If Harry didn't want to be my friend, he would still be talking to you, you bloody bastard! He wouldn't be offended that you thought he wanted to kill me because he wouldn't care about me! One of the reasons you don't have his friendship is because he wants to keep mine. He does care about me as a friend, Ron! Why can't you deal with that?" she spat out.
"If he cared about you, he wouldn't have let you take that curse for him!" Ron shouted, getting as red as a tomato.
"He didn't let me take it, Ron! I jumped in front of him to protect him!" Ginny exclaimed in reply, sending the buzzing room into dead silence. Her breathing was hard, her eyes were wild; Harry had never seen her look more alive and passionate. "Yes, I jumped in front of him so he wouldn't be hit! He didn't want me to, but I did anyway!"
Ron gaped at her, jaw completely slack. Ginny glared furiously at him, turned sharply on her heel, and went straight over to Harry. Without putting up a fight, he let her grab his elbow and drag him out of the common room, a small smile on his face. She didn't let go of him until they were outside in the lightly falling snow, right by the doors to the entrance hall. Harry grinned down at her. "Where are we going?" he asked quietly.
"To the lake," was her reply.
"Why?"
"To make a hole in it," she snapped, taking a few deep breaths in her struggle to calm down.
Shaking his head in amusement, he took her hand in his and led her to a little alcove near the doors. "It's nice to see you, too," he said lightly, pulling her shivering form to his frame.
Finally, she seemed to realize that she was alone with Harry for the first time in almost two weeks, and she curled up to his warmth, wrapping her arms around his waist. "I'm sorry. I can't believe I did that," she said with a small laugh, voice muffled by his chest.
Dropping a kiss on the top of her head, he smiled and inhaled the scent of her hair. Merlin, he had missed having her in his arms. "I can. You're incredible," he murmured.
She looked up, a tiny smile on her face. "I missed you," she whispered. "I just couldn't take it anymore."
Leaning down, he kissed her for the first time in two weeks. Her arms came up around his neck, and he tangled his fingers in her hair, angling her head to deepen the kiss. It was bliss; it was joy; it was his other half.
It was the definition of Valentine's Day.
~*~
A/N: Sorry this has taken so long, folks. This took a whole lot of head- banging and reading to get done, so I hope you enjoy. Please read and review and, as always, a huge thank you to my beta Anne, who is a living goddess. ^^
