C H A P T E R S I X

Harry fell to earth with a thud, stomach still churning and flat on the ground of what turned out to be the Gryffindor common room . He staggered over to the best sofa before the fire and sank into it.

Just as Harry began to wonder what he was supposed to do, Ginny emerged from thin air. Naturally, she toppled over from the impact; Harry extended his hand to help her up. Ginny brushed off her jeans and joined him on the couch.

"So…what are we supposed to do?" Ginny asked after a few minutes of awkward stillness. Harry shrugged. "Wait for McGonagall, I guess."

And as though Harry had demanded her presence, McGonagall appeared next to the couch.

"Well, good to see you are both in one piece," she said by way of greeting. "I expect you are awaiting instruction."
They nodded.
"Tomorrow morning, Potter, you will report to my classroom at eleven o' clock for training. We will break for lunch at two, begin again at three, and work until five. This schedule will continue for your entire stay, excluding weekends.

"As for you, Ms. Weasley," McGonagall continued, turning to her, "You will have to earn your keep around here as well. Tomorrow you will join Potter in my room to do some organizing—filing and such. You will be assigned to other teachers at their request, and work through the same hours as Potter."

She suddenly smiled. "There's no need to look so grim. It is still summer holiday after all. Good night to you both."

Right before exiting through the portrait hole, McGonagall turned around. "Oh, and, do control yourselves. If there's any…any hanky-panky or…or anything of the sort, I will know about it."

The portrait snapped closed, leaving a very embarrassing silence in the professor's wake.

Then Ginny burst out laughing.

"She thinks…me…and—and…you! Like you would—would ever fancy…me!"
"Why is that so impossible?" Harry asked. He shut his mouth instantly. Why did I say that? It sounds like I fancy her.

Ginny became very quiet, too.
Harry cleared his throat and tried again. "What I mean to say is, there's nothing wrong with you—no reason why I couldn't fancy you."
She raised an eyebrow. "But you don't…right?"
"Not that I know of," Harry answered truthfully.
Ginny laughed softly. "Goodnight, Harry," she called, traipsing upstairs to the girls' dormitories.

Harry retreated upstairs as well, and, for the second time this month, settled into bed thinking about Ginny.

---

Harsh firelight toyed with the planes of Ginny's cheek as she flicked a page in her book, absorbed in the story. A grandfather clock in the corner of the common room chimed two in the morning, but she paid it no mind. Yet Harry wondered why he had awoken so abruptly from his sleep—it was almost as if he was supposed to be sitting here, now, on the banister of the boys' staircase, watching her.

He silently slid the length of the banister and snuck up behind her. As she made to turn the page again, Harry thrust his hand into her book.

"Interesting read?" he whispered.
Ginny started so roughly she nearly looked electrocuted.
"Harry Potter, you bloody idiot!"
He snorted off her insult and settled at the end of the couch.
"No, really. What is it?" He reached out and tipped back the cover, where a man and woman were embracing passionately.
"An American romance novel?" he asked, chortling.
"Don't laugh," insisted Ginny, looking at him over the cover and reminding Harry greatly of Hermione. "It's actually pretty good!"

Harry thought back to a passage he had read from one of Aunt Petunia's novels when he was ten, simply because he was curious. The memory still made him shudder.

"Don't they say stuff like," he put on a theatrical voice, " 'Oh, Felipe! You are my sun, moon, and stars. You are more important than the air I breathe!' "
"No!" Ginny cried defensively. "Not all of them, anyway…look, I'll prove it to you."
Harry sniggered. "How?"
"I'll read the part of Scarletta, the preppy British lawyer. You can be Hector, Scarletta's mother-in-law's cousin's exotic pool cleaner."
"Erm…okay," agreed Harry warily, scooting closer to the book. What had he gotten himself into?

Ginny cleared her throat and began:
" 'It was dark and stormy on the night before he was to be smuggled across the border. Scarletta adjusted herself on the bed and handed Hector a glass of champagne.

Here Ginny made her voice sultrier, looking straight at Harry as she said her lines.
" 'I'm going to miss you, Hector,' said the ex-uptight lawyer. 'You made me beautiful, and ex-uptight.'
" 'Hector reached across Scarletta's lap to refill his glass… Harry, that's you!"
"Huh? Oh, right!" Harry cleared his own throat and spoke in a deep voice.
" 'And I you, Scarletta,' replied the poor pool cleaner. 'You love me, even though I am a poor pool cleaner who was once addicted to crack'…what the bloody hell is crack?"
"I dunno. 'Scarletta grasped Hector's arm, which was still atop her lap, and pulled him closer. 'Your arm is atop my lap, Hector. Do you know what that means in Russia?'"
" 'No, Scarletta.'"
" ' Well, neither do I, but I know what I want it to mean.' Scarletta unbuttoned her blazer and slid down her skirt, revealing a red brazier and panties."
Ginny, without thinking, fiddled with the topmost button of her pajamas.
" 'As she shook her red hair down from its messy bun and watched him through dark chocolate eyes, Hector ran his fingers along her slender thigh, leaving trails of fire.'"
Harry never noticed his fingers creeping towards her leg, curled up next to her on the couch.
" 'Hector, your fingers leave trails of fire'."
" 'Scarletta, your eyes are like drizzles of dark chocolate'," Harry read, looking Ginny square in the eyes.
" 'Oh, Hector!' Ginny whispered, caught up in the moment. Harry felt his throat tighten. 'I want you to take me! Take me now! Take me'—to Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes?! Oh, bloody hell!" sighed Ginny, staring at the page with displeasure.
"What?" Harry asked, coming out of his trance. "What happened?"
"Fred and George got in my book and changed the sentences! Those dolts!" She giggled in spite of herself. Harry joined her.
"Too bad. Things were just starting to get steamy."
She walloped him in the back of the head with the novel and stood up. "Goodnight, Hector."
"Goodnight, goodnight, my darling Scarletta! You are my sun, moon, and stars!" Harry trilled, galloping back upstairs and laughing to himself.

Harry may have dropped off as soon as his head hit the pillow, but Ginny took her wand and removed Fred and George's trick from her book before blowing out her candle.

She wouldn't need it anymore, that candle—after all, she was the sun, moon, and stars.

A/n: I have never read or written a romance novel, and if any of you have, please keep in mind that my mockery was all in good fun. I wrote those passages badly with purpose…just ask Fred and George.

Review b/c HiPa loves you!!!