Disclaimer: The only things I own are the plot bunnies running around in my head.
A/N: So I'm back…well somewhat. Classes are over and summer is here and I've had these chapters completed but my internet died and I just recently got a new service. So I'm posting these chapters not, but I'm still having some serious issues with the story in general, as in I don't really know how to keep going. I'm lost and since this is the first multi-chapter story I've done it's hard to tell where my stopping point should be. I kind of feel like this is nearing the end. But I hate the fact that I made anyone who's been waiting for the next installment wait for this. So I'm asking you, the readers, what I should do. What do you all think? Should it end here? Should I keep going? Should I write a sequel and if so what would you like to see happen?
Anyway, to make up for this entirely too long wait I have two chapters for you and I hope you enjoy them!
Chapter 14 – Goofy Grins and Girl Talks
Although Ginny had stayed up most of the night, first worrying that Harry wouldn't like her gift and then giddy over the fact that she had been able to make him so happy, she felt quite refreshed the next morning. All through breakfast she did the best she could to not burst out in song every time Harry's hand brushed hers reaching for the orange juice or the butter. It was much of the same throughout the rest of the day; although Fred and George started elbowing each other whenever they caught Harry staring at Ginny or Ron staring at Hermione for that matter. It was okay for them because everyone knew about Ron and Hermione, but Ginny was wary of letting anyone know what had conspired between Harry and herself.
I know Bill has said he was okay with it, the twins probably won't care, Mum'll be ecstatic, and Percy will probably say it's a reasonable match, but what if it doesn't work out…what exactly are we anyway? Are we just friends who have occasional snogging sessions, is he my boyfriend, are we a couple now?
While Ginny pondered over what to call what she and Harry had, she heard Mrs. Weasley call everybody to the table since supper was ready. Bill and Charlie conjured a few more chairs, since Fred and George had invited Angelina and Alicia for dinner, bringing the grand total of people in the Burrow to fourteen. Ginny walked in and managed to grab a seat in between Ron and Harry, who clasped her hand in his after she sat down.
"You look beautiful, Gin," he leaned in and whispered in her ear, giving her hand a light squeeze under the table. She pulled her head back and gave him a smile and hoped that no one would drop a napkin or fork ad see their fingers intertwined and resting on her thigh. Luckily that didn't happen, but Harry did notice how Charlie raised his eyebrow whenever Harry accidentally bumped his arm into Percy, who was sitting to his left. After all, it was hard to eat with his left hand since his right hand was busy elsewhere.
After the meal was over and the dishes were washing themselves in the kitchen, Mrs. Weasley brought out dessert and Mr. Weasley tried to get everyone to sing along with some Christmas carols that he was playing on a muggle CD player he had brought home from work. Everyone was reluctant to join in but after having some warm apple strudel and butterbeer Fred and George finally started singing along with their father.
"You know Alicia, Angelina…I'm sure Mr. and Mrs. Weasley would forgive you if you cut out a little bit early. This must be horrifying for you two to watch," Harry told his former Quiddich teammates, but they seemed to be enjoying themselves so much that they joined in too, getting up and dancing with the twins. They were joined moments later by Percy and Penelope who started waltzing around the two couples.
"What do you say, Ginny? Care for a dance?" Bill walked over and held out his hand which Ginny quickly accepted. She also grabbed a hold of Ron, who was shaking his head rapidly and trying to sit back down until he saw the look on Hermione's face.
"Oh bloody hell. Fine, let's dance 'Mione." They danced like this for a while; Ron stealing Angelina away from George for a quick spin, Hermione pulling Charlie up from his chair, and Harry even pulling Mrs. Weasley out on the floor for a bit. Suddenly the music changed and a soft, slow, romantic song came on.
"Mind if I cut in, son?" Harry released Mrs. Weasley and watched as Mr. Weasley took his wife in his arms. He backed over to the couch and watched as the rest of the existing pairs at the Burrow split apart from their current partners and got back together; Ron with Hermione, Fred with Alicia, George with Angelina…
"Not so fast Mr. Potter," Ginny came up from behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist, pulling him back out, "I don't feel like sitting down quite yet." Harry was more than happy to comply and they joined everyone else spinning around the room.
Slowly the evening worn on and the music died down and eventually only Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny were left in the living room. Mrs. Weasley finished picking up the empty dessert dish and asked them if they needed anything.
"No, we're good. I think we're going to stay down here for a little Mum," Ron said as he hunted around the room for a stack of exploding snap cards so he and Harry could play a game.
"Alright. Goodnight dears, don't stay up too late," Mrs. Weasley said she headed up the steps.
"Do I even want to know why the hell were you on Ronald's bed…wait…why the hell were you biting my brother's nipple? Oh that is disgusting!"
"It wasn't like that, Ginny. It wasn't even me. He fell off the bed onto one of the silly dolls of his! That's how the mark got there!"
"They are not dolls, Hermione! They are miniature replicas of the Chudley Cannons players!" Ron shouted from the other side of the room, where he was still playing exploding snap with Harry. Harry looked over as well, throwing a quick smile and a wink at Ginny before going back to his game.
"Oh come off it Ronald, they're dolls and you know it," Hermione turned back to Ginny, her voice lowered, "Now what was that all about?"
"What was what all about?" Hermione cocked her head over to where Harry was sitting.
"Exactly what is going on between Harry and you now? I mean after last night when you guys….when he kissed you? And now with the smiles and the looks." The girls scooted closer together and Ginny took another glance over her shoulder to see that Harry was indeed watching her again.
"Well, he followed me upstairs and apologized."
"Apologized? Apologized how? What did he say? Both of you have had these stupid grins on your faces all day…"
"You mean like the stupid grin you get on your face whenever my dear, sweet brother is around you?" Ginny threw right back at her.
"Bugger, do I really get a stupid grin?" Ginny pointed to the mirror on the wall between where the boys and they were sitting and sure enough both girls were wearing identical goofy-looking grins. They collapsed into a fit of giggles only pausing after they heard Ron and Harry mocking them from across the room.
"You two are so annoying. Do you know that? Come on Hermione, let's go upstairs." They left the boys and headed up to Ginny's room. Ginny sat down on the edge of her bed while Hermione stood in front of her, hands on her hips.
"Okay, now as you were saying. What happened when he apologized?"
"Well he followed me upstairs and I was just so mad at Ron, I was crying and yelling and trying to just get back in my room and Harry came up behind me. Here I was all red eyed and puffy cheeked, but he just pulled me away from the door and then he kissed me. Merlin Hermione, it was just so…" Ginny sighed and fell back onto the bed.
"I know what you mean. When I kissed Ron the first time in front of all your family it was just eh…but after that he pulled me into his room right before bed and he took me in his arms…" She was interrupted when Ginny quickly sat up and practically flew off the bed.
"First the nipple biting and now this, Hermione, you know I love you but I do not need to know my brother's snogging habits! I think that's something that should just stay between you and him for right now." Ginny laughed and sat back down, crossing her legs and leaning against her headboard.
"Sorry Ginny, I just got a little carried away there. But it's just, well…it's like what you feel with Harry. Speaking of which, what did you end up getting him for Christmas? I got Ron a box of assorted candies and chocolates from Honeydukes, but now that we're sort of together I wish I had thought of something else, something more meaningful."
Ginny wondered if she should tell Hermione about the gift she had given Harry earlier in the day, or if she should leave it up to him to share, but in the end she caved. She told Hermione about shopping with Colin and about how she ran into the old witch in the shop. As soon as she mentioned the pensieve Hermione's mouth dropped and asked her how she could afford such a thing.
"I only had a few galleons left, but the old witch seemed intent on me having it. She told me that money should be no object when it comes to our loved ones and she then claimed that there was special sale going on," she explained. Ginny continued talking about how she had found the memory duplicating spell in one of her books, one Hermione had given her incidentally enough, and how she had gone to Professor Lupin for help. When she got the part about actually giving Harry the gift she uncrossed her legs, pulled them up to her chest and got just a little quieter.
"You should have seen the look on his face, Hermione. I've never seen him like that. He asked me if I wanted to take a look too, but I was afraid that if I saw him in there watching his parents, it would be too perfect to leave," she finished they both sat silently for a moment.
"I knew something was going on when you came back in here at two in the morning," Hermione said, getting up and moving over to her bed. Ginny looked at her friend in shock. "Did you actually think I couldn't hear you float back into the room? The door didn't shut as quietly as you'd have hoped."
Ginny just shrugged her shoulders, temporarily lost in the memory of the morning and the passionate kiss Harry and she had shared. She had purposefully left that detail out, because as close as Hermione and Harry were, she didn't think Hermione would want to hear about Harry anymore than Ginny wanted to hear about Ron. So sliding herself under the covers she just replayed the memory for herself, drifting off into a very sweet dream.