A/n: this is probably the one of the most difficult chapters I will have to write—I don't want to turn this story into one of those stupid fanfictions you read where Harry and Ginny fall in love in five minutes (personally, I think I've worked too hard for that to happen now). I've tried to do it gradually, and to keep them in character to the best of my ability.
C H A P T E R E L E V E N
After another exhausting day, Harry was stretched out on his back upon his four-poster bed. You think McGonagall would have lightened up a bit, considering what day it is. Harry's prediction had been dead on: his training was indeed intensifying.
It was a slight relief that Ginny insisted he not train her today—not only because it was his birthday and he was feeling sluggish, but also because, ever since last night, he was finding it harder to think clearly. For some odd reason, last night he had dreamt of Ginny climbing the staircase in slow motion, every detail defined. He dreamt of her cradling him, and felt the weight of her hands, her caress, upon his neck and shoulders, her fingers trickling through his hair, the smell of her hair and clothes.
He wondered why this was happening. Why last night's dreams were devoted to her. Why what he had known all along about her was now being reintroduced to him in sharp relief: She was an extraordinary person, and the only one who was able to respond to his anger without trepidation of his reaction.
Sharp knocking on the door interrupted his thoughts, and Dobby the house-elf entered the room.
"Happy Birthday, Harry Potter, sir!" he cried for the umpteenth time that day.
"Thanks, Dobby," Harry replied, grinning at him.
"Dobby has taken the liberty, sir, of preparing a special dinner in Harry Potter's honor downstairs. That is, if he would like to attend."
" 'Course I'll come," said Harry.
"Erm…do I have to dress up or anything?"
"Dobby would think it wise, sir," he said, smiling mysteriously.
Harry thought about the last instance he and Dobby had been in each other's company during dinnertime.
"Uh…there won't be any pudding, will there?"
"None that Dobby will smash, Harry Potter," giggled the elf, closing the door behind him.
---
Five minutes later, Harry jogged down the staircase, adjusting his shirtsleeves. Once he looked up, however, his jaw dropped.
After he had cleared out all the other furniture, Dobby had placed one of the common room's circular tables right before the fireplace, where a good blaze was going. The only other light in the room came from two scarlet, tapering candles on the table.
"Wow, thank you, Dobby," Harry said graciously, looking around at it all as the house-elf pulled out Harry's chair for him. "This is great!"
" Dobby was happy to do it, sir."
While plucking at the silvery bits of confetti sprinkled over the midnight blue tablecloth, Harry realized there was another place set across from him.
And its occupant was descending from the girl's staircase.
There was a black fedora tugged down across half her face, concealing her right eye, part of the nose and cheek, and most of her vivid red hair, which was pulled into a tight bun at the base of her neck. One wavy strand grazed the length of her face.
She wore a short, flowing black skirt, black, strappy heels, and a white blouse with the Gryffindor tie knotted loosely round the collar.
Harry's hand automatically jumped up to his hair in attempt to smooth it as Dobby pulled out Ginny's chair for her. Dobby placed two covered platters before them, demonstrated how to change courses (simply replacing and removing the top after each course), and excused himself from the room.
"You…erm…look nice, Ginny," Harry said, lifting his fork and not looking at her.
"Thanks. You too," she replied, staring at her own salad.
"Is that one of Fred and George's Headless Hats?"
"Yeah. The charm ran out so they let me have it."
They ate a few minutes in silence, the fire crackling happily.
"I didn't mean to—this wasn't what I would have worn—I was messing about with the school uniform when Dobby came up and told me about dinner."
He looked up at her.
"It's okay," he said, clearing his throat. "You really do look nice."
Her eye reflected the candlelight as she gazed back at him from under the hat.
"Thank you, Harry."
His stomach gave a peculiar lurch as he noticed how big and brown just that one eye was. Snapping his own eyes back to his salad, he said nothing until the next course.
"I wonder what Ron and Hermione are doing right now."
"Probably snogging each other to bits," said Ginny unconcernedly.
Harry's knife and fork fell with a clatter upon his plate of steak.
"I…was… joking," she laughed. "They probably haven't figured it out yet."
"You've said that before," Harry said, intrigued. "What haven't they figured out?"
"Why, that they fancy each other, of course!" cried Ginny. She put down her own knife and fork. "Don't tell me you didn't know?" she added suspiciously.
"Erm…" said Harry again. Truth be told, he had never really thought about Ron and Hermione's love lives.
Ginny sighed something that sounded like "men", and carried on eating.
But Harry was now somewhat interested. "They do?"
It was Ginny who dropped her cutlery this time.
"Oh Merlin…and you're supposed to be smarter than I am….It's been obvious to half the school that Ron's fancied Hermione since his second year or so…Hermione's a bit more obscure, I'm not exactly sure, but I think it was around her third or fourth…"
Harry leaned back in his chair, one hand raking his through hair. This was mind-blowing.
"Bloody Hell," he uttered, using one of Ron's favorite expressions.
"Mmm," said Ginny, losing interest and proceeding to devour the piece of chocolate cake on her platter.
After they finished desert, Ginny raised her goblet full of butterbeer.
"A toast," she proclaimed, as Harry lifted his own drink, "To Mr. Harry James Potter. May he find what he seeks…and even the goodness he does not. Happy Birthday, Harry."
She tipped back and drank to him. Harry did the same, grinning into his cup.
"Time for my birthday present," she chimed, jerking her hair out of its bun, so that it fell in waves down her back, and retreating to the record player and positioning the needle. "I have a feeling this is your kind of music."
Harry was quite surprised to hear a tango playing—something he had never danced before. However, he knew from experience that putting faith in Ginny would not lead him astray.
He marched up to her, took her left hand, bowed a bit, and asked, "May I have this dance?"
She nodded, gesturing towards the table. It scooted back several feet, giving them a dance floor.
"Take off your glasses."
"Why?"
"So you can see."
The glissando of a piano began the newest melody; Ginny, her arm extended, twirled gently into the crook of Harry's right arm. They intertwined both hands and started a mild two-step.
Dancing on tiptoes, Ginny whispered in Harry's ear.
"Feel the music. Find your escape."
And taking a deep breath, Harry did.
He grasped her fedora and put it on his own head. Spinning Ginny once, Harry dipped her backwards. She curved one leg around his knee and rose slowly. Twirling so he placed his hands on her hips, Ginny covered one of his hands with her own as the other stroked Harry's cheek and neck.
A shiver of pleasure shot through him. He dipped her back again, this time trailing his fingers tenderly from her calf to her thigh.
All time seemed to stop. Their eyes locked for what seemed a breathless eternity—beautiful, deep brown on glimmering, unconcealed emerald. Harry stood there, supporting her quite steadily, but shaking inside. Ginny's lips were slightly parted, a lock of scarlet hair tossed across her face.
Ever so softly, Harry tucked it behind her ear, eyes locked all the while. He lifted her carefully upward and met his mouth with hers.
A/n: ahh, I can hear the squeals of happiness now! lol, I had half a mind to write McGonagall running into the common room, screaming "Hanky Panky! Hanky Panky!" at the top of her lungs. But alas, that would ruin the moment.
Hope it wasn't (too) OOC, and that I didn't kill my storiee!
Review b/c HiPa Lurves You!
p.s. I would adore to see fanart bout this. if anyone is willing to put some of mine for this story on their site, plz let me noe!