The Magic of Autumn

By SnakeEyesHannah

With a squeal and a bright smile, Ginny Weasley took off out in the cold October afternoon, leaving two confused teenagers. The third still standing smiled, almost chuckled to himself and shook his head.

"What did just happen?" Hermione Granger asked, turning her head around to face the smiling redhead. Ron Weasley's smile widened, a hint of mirth in his blue eyes. Hermione, being the clever girl she was, quickly caught on to what her best friend was thinking and began shaking her head, backing away.

"Oh no, no, no, no... You're not coming near me, Ronald!" she threatened him. Ron suppressed the urge to laugh in her face – he knew she didn't really mean it. With that in mind he ignored his girlfriend's continuing rant, grabbed her by the waist and carried her out the large doors.

"RONALD WEASLEY!" the bushy-haired girl shrieked in mock anger, hitting and kicking lightly. "YOU LET ME DOWN THIS INSTANT, YOU PRAT!" she demanded.

Ron grinned and obeyed, tossing her into a huge pile of colorful leaves on the ground. Hermione yelled out in surprise but couldn't contain the giggle inside her. She started laughing and it only increased once Ron threw himself down beside her and began tickling her.

Harry Potter shook his head and rolled his shockingly emerald eyes at his two best friends' childish act. It was nice to see them together instead of bickering, but the cuteness had stopped being cute two months ago.

He shivered as he was showered with cold, slightly damp, leaves. He spun around and found Ginny Weasley smiling innocently up at him. Despite being one of the shortest boys in the school, Harry could still look down on Ginny, which amused him to no end since Ginny herself disliked being short immensely.

"Hello Harry", she said brightly.

"Hi...?" Harry replied cautiously, raising an eyebrow at her. He knew she was up to something. The innocent look on her face was only a façade - she only ever got that look when she was up to no good.

"Fine day today, isn't it?" she asked, glancing around a short second before resuming eye contact.

Harry looked at her doubtingly, suspecting she'd hit her head or something. The day, and the whole week for that matter, had been all gloom, gloom. Not a single hour of sunshine...

"Don't you just love the autumn?" she questioned further.

"Gin, what exactly are you planning?" Harry cornered her, fixing his piercing gaze at her. Ginny only continued to smile up at him. "Ginny..." he began threatfully.

She pouted, something Harry found extremely adorable. She bent her head downwards the slightest, her long mane of coppery red hair spilling down over her shoulder, covering her face. "Spoil sport", she muttered before resuming the innocent look on her face, smiling up at him.

Harry poked her, his eyes narrowed.

Ginny poked him back, grinning, her chocolate eyes big as saucers.

A full-on wrestling/tickling match was on in matter of seconds and soon the two were rolling around on the wet ground, tickling each other. Recently, Harry had discovered a spot just above navel-height on Ginny's sides where she was more sensitive, and now he mercilessly used it against her.

"Give up!" he cried minutes later as he finally got the upper hand. He was straddling her and holding her sides, ready to begin tickle any moment.

She squirmed underneath him; her breath coming is short gasps from laughing and wrestling. After all, you don't get away with wrestling a muscular seventeen-year-old boy without being a bit short of breath.

"I will never surrend to you!" she proclaimed cheerfully, breaking into hysterical laughter as Harry tickled her. "Alright!" she cried a moment later. "Alright already!"

"Why are you mad?" Harry asked her, grinning.

Ginny blinked, she wasn't sure she heard the question just right. "Excuse me?"

"I mean, you ran out of the castle without cloak or any warmer clothes than your mother's jumper with a squeal and then poof! – disappeared."

Ginny giggled, rather liking the situation they were currently in. "Oh that..." she said, waving it away. "I just love it when the leaves fall."

"That's it?"

"Don't look so surprised, you git!"

"Don't call me git!" Harry yelled, his ego bruised. As he still had the upper hand he began tickling her again. He was delighted to see her start squirm again. "Take back what you said!"

"N-never!" Ginny gasped and Harry tickled her worse. She laughed harder and began pounding on Harry's thighs and arms to get him to stop.

Suddenly Harry did stop. He still sat straddled over Ginny, but he was smiling widely down at her, his hands on her stomach.

Ginny felt the butterflies. She inwardly cursed them; they shouldn't be there now. Not when they were friends and everything. But yet there they were and everything was still fine.

"You're one twisted witch", Harry announced as he got off her. He brushed off his jeans and his jumper the best he could before offering Ginny his hand like a true gentleman.

"I shall take that as a compliment", Ginny grinned and hoisted herself up on her feet with Harry's help. They linked arms and almost skipped back up to the castle after catcalling Ron and Hermione who were still lying in the pile of leaves – only now they were kissing.

"I do like the autumn", Harry smiled as he pushed open the doors to the school. He held it open for Ginny to pass through first. She smiled back at him.

"I'm glad."

Author's note: Don't ask. I don't know. The attack of the plotbunny, I guess. Reviews, constructive criticism and food – all welcomed!

Disclaimer: Mine, mine, mine! The plot I mean. The rest would be JK Rowling's.