Thank you to everyone who sent in ideas. They really helped. Keeping
sending them. It was thanks to several of these that I could put this
chapter up. Sorry, it's a little shorter than the others, I think.
Chapter 4 - Another Midnight Chat and an Angry Brother
Over the next few days, Ginny tried to avoid Harry as much as possible. She had tried to act naturally around him, the next day at breakfast, but she accidentally stuck her elbow in the butter-dish when Harry had said good morning. So, she had spent the rest of her day in her room, or in the nearby park. She had told herself that she was going to act normally around the day after. However, that plan had failed when she ran into a hot, sweaty and shirtless Harry, just back from his morning run. Even two days later, the memory of the incident still sent the blood rushing to her cheeks. The thing that annoyed her most was that Harry was always so calm in these situations. He never blushed when she smiled at him. When they had met while he had no shirt on, he had simply said, "Hey Gin" as though they had met in the library. Harry was a little concerned about Ginny. It had been three days since their midnight meeting, and he had, more or less, only seen her a meal times. When he asked Ron about it, he shrugged and said it was probably her 'time of the month', before getting a slap from Hermione. The two of them were almost back to normal now, fighting every time they were in the same room. Ron's feelings for her were obvious for all to see, and over the last few days, Hermione's feelings for him were coming out.
Every night at midnight, Harry had been going out to the garden as he did on his first night. It was partly because he wanted time to think in the peaceful surroundings, and also because he was hoping to meet Ginny again. He was out again tonight. Sitting, thinking, hoping. From behind him he heard the door opening, footsteps, and then a gasp of surprise. He knew instantly, that it was Ginny.
"Back again?" he asked. She didn't answer.
"Come sit down?" he offered, and, unable to think of a good excuse, she sat down next to him.
"You haven't been around the last few days. I was getting worried," he told her. She looked at him in surprise.
"Really?"
"Of course, don't want anyone I care about to get sick." She looked at him again. He cared about her! It wasn't quite the declaration of undying love she was hoping for, but it was a start.
"Oh, I was just, um, not feeling too well. But I'm better now," she reassured him. It was a much colder night than their last meeting. Ginny was only wearing her nightdress and Harry only had some boxers and a tee shirt on. Ginny started shivering. Harry reached, out and arm around her shoulder and pulled her close to him.
"What are you doing," she asked him, through her shivers.
"Trying to warm you up. You don't want me to?" He flashed her a smile, and she knew she wasn't going to say no.
"No, no. Carry on," she managed to blurt out. They sat there, talking occasionally, enjoying each other's company. Ginny allowed her head to rest on Harry's shoulder and Harry's dropped on top of hers. She was almost drifting off to sleep, when a loud, angry voice broke the peaceful night- time air.
"What's going on here then?" demanded the voice, they both recognised as Ron's. They both turned round, but Harry didn't take his arm from around Ginny's shoulder.
"Hey Ron," said Harry calmly, "can't sleep either, huh?"
"What are you doing?" he asked sharply.
"What do you mean?" Harry replied innocently. Ron visibly boiled with anger.
"What are you two doing out here, alone, at this time?" he nearly yelled.
"We couldn't sleep. We're sitting here, thinking, talking, enjoying the atmosphere. Problem?"
"Why are you holding each other like that?" Ron spat.
"We're cold," said Ginny, but her voice was much colder than the air. Ron sensed the anger in her voice, and backed off a little.
"Well, I think that you'd both better get inside before it gets to cold," he said to them.
"Yes, Percy," smirked Harry. Ginny giggled, while Ron scowled.
"I don't know about you," Harry muttered to Ginny as they walked inside, " but I was quite warm." He winked at Ginny. However, unfortunately for Harry, Ron saw this, as well as the glorious red blush that arose in Ginny's cheeks and his scowl deepened.
Ginny went into her room and Ron marched Harry up to theirs. Shutting the door behind them, Ron came up to Harry, and stood nose-to-nose with him, glaring.
"I'm warning you now Harry. Stay away from my little sister. If I catch you trying anything with her, I'm going to have to hurt you." Harry didn't even blink. He was not going to let Ron intimidate him in to giving up Ginny, before anything even happened between. He glared at Ron before responding:
"Listen Ron. If Ginny and me do "try anything" that will be a matter for me and her, alone. You don't have any input at all. I really don't care what you think about it." The two best friends stood in silence, still furiously looking straight into each other's eyes.
"Goodnight Ron." And with that, Harry climbed into bed and was soon fast asleep.
Chapter 4 - Another Midnight Chat and an Angry Brother
Over the next few days, Ginny tried to avoid Harry as much as possible. She had tried to act naturally around him, the next day at breakfast, but she accidentally stuck her elbow in the butter-dish when Harry had said good morning. So, she had spent the rest of her day in her room, or in the nearby park. She had told herself that she was going to act normally around the day after. However, that plan had failed when she ran into a hot, sweaty and shirtless Harry, just back from his morning run. Even two days later, the memory of the incident still sent the blood rushing to her cheeks. The thing that annoyed her most was that Harry was always so calm in these situations. He never blushed when she smiled at him. When they had met while he had no shirt on, he had simply said, "Hey Gin" as though they had met in the library. Harry was a little concerned about Ginny. It had been three days since their midnight meeting, and he had, more or less, only seen her a meal times. When he asked Ron about it, he shrugged and said it was probably her 'time of the month', before getting a slap from Hermione. The two of them were almost back to normal now, fighting every time they were in the same room. Ron's feelings for her were obvious for all to see, and over the last few days, Hermione's feelings for him were coming out.
Every night at midnight, Harry had been going out to the garden as he did on his first night. It was partly because he wanted time to think in the peaceful surroundings, and also because he was hoping to meet Ginny again. He was out again tonight. Sitting, thinking, hoping. From behind him he heard the door opening, footsteps, and then a gasp of surprise. He knew instantly, that it was Ginny.
"Back again?" he asked. She didn't answer.
"Come sit down?" he offered, and, unable to think of a good excuse, she sat down next to him.
"You haven't been around the last few days. I was getting worried," he told her. She looked at him in surprise.
"Really?"
"Of course, don't want anyone I care about to get sick." She looked at him again. He cared about her! It wasn't quite the declaration of undying love she was hoping for, but it was a start.
"Oh, I was just, um, not feeling too well. But I'm better now," she reassured him. It was a much colder night than their last meeting. Ginny was only wearing her nightdress and Harry only had some boxers and a tee shirt on. Ginny started shivering. Harry reached, out and arm around her shoulder and pulled her close to him.
"What are you doing," she asked him, through her shivers.
"Trying to warm you up. You don't want me to?" He flashed her a smile, and she knew she wasn't going to say no.
"No, no. Carry on," she managed to blurt out. They sat there, talking occasionally, enjoying each other's company. Ginny allowed her head to rest on Harry's shoulder and Harry's dropped on top of hers. She was almost drifting off to sleep, when a loud, angry voice broke the peaceful night- time air.
"What's going on here then?" demanded the voice, they both recognised as Ron's. They both turned round, but Harry didn't take his arm from around Ginny's shoulder.
"Hey Ron," said Harry calmly, "can't sleep either, huh?"
"What are you doing?" he asked sharply.
"What do you mean?" Harry replied innocently. Ron visibly boiled with anger.
"What are you two doing out here, alone, at this time?" he nearly yelled.
"We couldn't sleep. We're sitting here, thinking, talking, enjoying the atmosphere. Problem?"
"Why are you holding each other like that?" Ron spat.
"We're cold," said Ginny, but her voice was much colder than the air. Ron sensed the anger in her voice, and backed off a little.
"Well, I think that you'd both better get inside before it gets to cold," he said to them.
"Yes, Percy," smirked Harry. Ginny giggled, while Ron scowled.
"I don't know about you," Harry muttered to Ginny as they walked inside, " but I was quite warm." He winked at Ginny. However, unfortunately for Harry, Ron saw this, as well as the glorious red blush that arose in Ginny's cheeks and his scowl deepened.
Ginny went into her room and Ron marched Harry up to theirs. Shutting the door behind them, Ron came up to Harry, and stood nose-to-nose with him, glaring.
"I'm warning you now Harry. Stay away from my little sister. If I catch you trying anything with her, I'm going to have to hurt you." Harry didn't even blink. He was not going to let Ron intimidate him in to giving up Ginny, before anything even happened between. He glared at Ron before responding:
"Listen Ron. If Ginny and me do "try anything" that will be a matter for me and her, alone. You don't have any input at all. I really don't care what you think about it." The two best friends stood in silence, still furiously looking straight into each other's eyes.
"Goodnight Ron." And with that, Harry climbed into bed and was soon fast asleep.