Disclaimer: WOOHOO!!! Exams are over!!!! YAY!!! Sue me if you wish but you will never get the 95 I pulled on my psych final!!! That is mine and you can't have it!!!! Neener, neener, neener…
A/N: As some of my reviewers pointed out there were a few continuity problems with the betting and the money issue, but never fear! I have gone back and edited those chapters so hopefully everything is all right now. Please, if anyone notices anything else that's a little off…let me know!
On another note: Happy holidays, happy New Year, don't drink and drive, blah, blah, blah. Okay, so this is pretty much the last chapter in Harry's POV, so some of the dialogue and everything will be the same. Not quite sure how this worked out…I'm pretty brain dead from finals but I wanted to get this chapter out. Now that I'm on break hopefully I'll be able to work on the story some more. So Merry Chrismukkah to all!!
WARNING!!!!! There's some more language in this chapter!!! So beware!!!!
*Another Brotherly Chat*
Harry heard a door shut, followed by the footsteps of Ginny and Hermione as they made their way down the stairs.
"Harry, I have a favor to ask you," Charlie stopped Harry, who was on his way down to breakfast, "Now I know that first morning when I got here was kind of awkward."
"Kind of awkward? You ever get caught in bed with one of your best friends and have their older, much more muscular brother walk in on you?" Harry said in a joking manner.
"Well, most of my best friends back at school were guys so I think that would have been little more traumatic. Any way, about this favor? You see, Bill and I have this bet going. Ginny helped me out with the first part, but I don't know if she'll be able to go through with the rest." Harry paused for a moment thinking back to the previous day's conversation he had with Ginny after the mistletoe fiasco ~Well Harry, perhaps I might have had a little something to do with this~
"Okay, so I'm guessing she was supposed to get Ron and Hermione together and we all know how wonderfully that played out. What else does she have to do?" Harry asked. Charlie took a deep breath, nervous about what he was going to ask this boy; a boy who was very obviously attracted his younger sister, whether he knew it or not.
"For me to get the rest of the galleons, it all depends on Ginny and yourself hooking up by Christmas Eve. Now that gives you till tomorrow night…" Harry studied Charlie for a moment before he cut him off.
"Exactly how pissed was Ginny when she found out you guys placed bets on her love life? God, multiple that by a hundred and that's how pissed she'd be at me if she found out I helped you guys behind her back." Harry leaned against the wall and ran his fingers through his hair.
"Surprisingly enough she didn't get angry at all, after we talked she just went upstairs to sleep." Charlie just shrugged.
That doesn't sound like Gin. She was probably up half the night figuring out a way out of this…damn, this situation certainly sucks.
Not really, after all you've been wanting her since you got here…you've been wanting her for longer than that, you just haven't realized it.
She is my friend. I don't want her that way.
So you didn't stay up and watched her sleep that night by the fire?
Well…um…shut up. What the fuck do you know?
"Suppose I do help you. What's to stop Ginny from kicking my arse once she finds out?"
"Well, she'll get the rest of her money that I promised her. And you can be cut in too. Plus," Charlie smiled, "You'll get Ginny."
"What? What makes you think that's what I want? I don't want that? I don't want to ruin what we have. How could you even think that?" Harry continued stammering until Charlie put a hand on his shoulder.
"Harry, my boy, it's quite obvious. I know I overreacted before about you two, but watching you these past few days, it's like being hit over the head with an anvil. Now you said you'd never hurt my sister, and I believe you. I can tell the way you act around each other. She may say she's over you, and she is in one sense, it's not that hero worship bullshit anymore. And you…" Harry remained quiet but shifted his eyes towards the ground, "I saw you come back out of the woods together. I see you stealing looks at her during meals. Don't forget that little interaction after we all woke up in the living room. Pretty ballsy thing to do in a crowded room."
Sorry Charlie but at that moment the fact that there was anyone else in the room was the last thing on my mind.
"So are you going to help me out?" Harry sighed and paused for a moment before nodding, "Yea? Alright, just make sure either Bill or I is around, gotta have proof." Charlie gave Harry one more slap on the shoulder and headed downstairs.
At breakfast all the seats were already taken except the seat next to Ginny. Reluctantly Harry took the seat, giving Ginny a small smile as he sat down.
That's convenient…oh bloody hell, I'm NOT going to be witness to Ron and Hermione playing footsie during my meal…if I wanted to subject myself to completely inappropriate public displays of affection I would have stayed at Hogwarts for Christmas.
Although after thinking about the task that he was given to complete by Charlie, Harry decided not to judge his two friends too harshly.
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Harry spent the rest of the day working out the numerous situations that Charlie's plan could fail miserably; with the best case scenario ending in Ginny inflicting some minor physical abuse and the worst case scenario ending with four older brothers kicking his ass and him losing his connection with Ginny, which scared him more than the impending ass kicking. Unfortunately for him Ginny seemed to have some very important chores to finish up and he hardly saw her the rest of the day until after dinner.
Mr. Weasley proposed a little chess tournament for the family and as Harry played his first few games he noticed Ginny concentrating very intently on her own games; that was until she lost to Ron. Harry, who had just beat Hermione, was watching as the two girls starting talking across the room when he felt someone punch his arm.
"Oi mate, it looks like you're about to get your arse handed to you on a platter. Guess who's playing against you in the last game?" Ron brought his thumb up and pointed at himself as he sat down on the sofa.
"Joy," Harry noticed that Ron's eyes had locked onto Hermione's, "So, you and 'Mione? Took you guys long enough. Just promise me I'm not going to have to see you guys sucking face right in front of me, okay? Don't need you two happy lovebirds waving that fact that I'm alone in my face." He laughed at his own expense, knowing that his friends and their relationships were all changing for the better.
"You know we'd never do that, besides you'll never be alone. Ginny's still hung up on you so she's alone too…although you might have to worry about her jumping you or something. Eww, bad mental image." Ron shook his head and started resetting his chess pieces.
"Gin won't be alone forever, and she is over me. You don't give her enough credit Ron. She's an amazing girl," Harry stopped suddenly, afraid Ron would notice the starry look in his eyes, "So, let's get this game started shall we?"
"Prepare to lose Potter." Which was exactly what happened at Ron called checkmate and then proceeded to have some sort of epileptic seizure he thought qualified at a victory dance. As Hermione 'congratulated' her boyfriend, Harry saw Charlie nod at him from the doorway and look in Ginny's direction. She yawned and his mind kicked into gear.
There she is. Charlie's here, Bill's here, everyone else is preoccupied, perfect chance. She's in our chair…wait…our chair? Hmmm, yeah, I like the sound of that. Okay, now get your arse over there…
"Ginny, there's…uh…there's something I need to talk to you about." He almost lost his nerve when he saw the sweet smile she gave him.
Okay, alright, I can do this. Just pull her up and into your arms and you've got it. Merlin knows you've wanted it. Albeit these aren't the ideal conditions, I should take her out under the stars or wait until Christmas Eve…not that I've put a lot of thought into this…
"Okay, go on," Finally gathering his wits, Harry took hold of her wrist and pulled her out of her seat till he was standing face to face with her, "What's going…" He barely heard her as he bent forward and captured her lips with his own. Caught up in the moment, Harry forgot the fact that he shouldn't do anything to draw anyone's attention and placed his arm on the small of her back, pulling her a little bit closer. She lifted her head slightly and Harry hoped no one else noticed her sigh, unfortunately when he heard Ron jump out of his seat Harry knew someone had heard.
"I knew it! Didja hear that sigh?? I knew you were still in love with him!" Still in his arms, Harry could see Ginny's face flame, "When are you going to get over your stupid little crush, Ginny? He doesn't love you!" Harry watched as Hermione slapped Ron upside the head for his stupidity.
"How can you be so insensitive Ron? That's your little sister! Wait, Ginny come back here…" Hermione tried called out to her friend as she sprinted from the room. Harry ignored a laughing Ron on the sofa and jumped to stop Hermione from leaving the room.
"Let me go talk to her Hermione. Just…I don't know…hit Ron again. Anything to get him to shut the hell up," Harry shot his friend the evil eye once more and went up the stairs, catching up to Ginny on the platform in front of her door. He watched as she struggled to open her door, then stepped in front of her.
"Get. Out. Of. My. Way. Ron, you've had your fun! Let's all laugh at little Ginny, still in love with the famous Boy-Who-Lived! Gods, why don't you just go fuck yourself!" She cried, and started for the stairwell again.
"Oh trust me; after Hermione saw how he acted down there I'm sure that's the only kind of action he'll be getting for a while," Harry noticed how quickly Ginny's head rose at the sound of his voice.
"God, he can be so…so…auhh…I hate him so much sometimes. Do you hear that Ronald Weasley! I hate you! I HATE YOU, YOU FUCKING SON OF A BITCH!" She shouted down the steps and punched the wall, "DAMNIT!" Harry attempted to help her but she pulled away when she heard the talking downstairs.
"Hermione, wouldja stop hitting me! Do you know what this means? I won the bet! You know…that stupid pool some of the Gryffindors had going…"
Oh shit…
"What is he talking about Harry? I knew there were bets on Ron and Hermione…but was there…with us? Oh merlin…" She let out a sort of half laugh-half cry and leaned back against her door, closing her eyes.
Oh shit, okay um...maybe she forgot Charlie's deal…play dumb.
"I thought I heard some of the girls talking about it in the common room last week, right before we all came home, but I wasn't sure. Wait…so that mistletoe thing yesterday? That was about the bet, with Ron and Hermione?" Harry tried to sound confused and hoped Ginny wouldn't catch on.
"Not originally, no, Charlie and Bill, they had this thing going. Charlie asked me to help him out so I did. But that wasn't the only…" Harry coughed loudly.
Okay, playing dumb won't work…well, they say honesty is the best policy.
"Gin…I know about the Charlie/Bill thing." Harry took a deep breath, wondering what type of unholy hell Ginny would unleash on him, and was surprised when she merely tried to get back to her door.
"I'm over you...I'm not the same little ten year old girl I used to be…Look, I'm sorry okay…I just, I know it was wrong. Now would you please just get out of my way…"
Merlin I've managed to fuck things up. What does she have to be sorry for? I should be the one apologizing, after all it was wrong…I need to fix this.
Not wanting to let her get away, he raised his arms and trapped her in between himself and the door.
"Gin, look at me, hey," He placed his hand under her chin and brought it up until their eyes were level with each other "You're right, it was wrong…"He could barely hear his own voice.
He slowly lowered his lips to hers, hesitating just a moment, before softly kissing her. At first Harry was worried because Ginny was so still, maybe she really was over him and he had waited too long to make his move, but when he realized that she was kissing him back all rational thought left his mind.
He released her head and slowly worked his way down her arms, resting on her hips. Meanwhile he felt her fingers dance their way from his chest, across his shoulders and eventually entwining themselves in his hair. Ginny moved her head to the side, and Harry took the opportunity to bring her closer by wrapping one arm around her waist. Feeling both of their hearts racing wildly.
"Mmm…god…Harry," Harry heard a moan and couldn't decided who had produced it, until Ginny abruptly dropped her hands, grabbing Harry's shirt until he could feel the entire length of her body against his. "Harry…we…mmm…we should…stop." Harry merely nodded his head and felt her mouth open a little wider. He took the risk and slid his tongue past her lips, only briefly, before finally letting her go. Harry paused and took in the sight of her swollen lips, and disheveled hair, then realized he had to get back to his own room…immediately.
"That is how it should have been," Desperately wanting to follow her into her room, he simply leaned in and kissed her once more. "Goodnight Gin. Sweet dreams."
A/N 2: So? Good? Bad? Did you like the different outlook? Please leave a review and I promise that Santa won't leave you any coal!!!!