A/N: Again, I realize this is a very short chapter. I am, however, insanely busy with school these days and figured a short update was better than no update. I might add more to this chapter later on, and I do I'll let you know. This is all there is for now, though. Thank you so much to everyone who commented!
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28/07/00

Three weeks. Three bloody weeks. It's us, now. Not me, not Harry, but us. The whole world seems to have accepted it, and in a way, so have we. But I can't fully give myself over to it, because I know it is a hoax. I think I need to talk to him about it. We are going to meet tonight and be just the two of us. I haven't really seen him much lately because he has been spending a lot of time with Ron and Hermione. I am so happy for him. He seems so... pleased... these days. And I know he loves being together with R and Hr.

Speaking of which. Hermione asked me if Harry and I had any plans for his birthday. Truth is, I have been so busy with everything lately that I haven't had much time at all to think about it. Guess I'll just ask Harry about it tonight.

Oh, I actually have to go now. Hermione just got out of the shower and I need to make myself as presentable as I can for my man. Well... my almost man.

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"Ginny, Harry's here." Hermione quickly put her head through the door of Ginny's bedroom, and she hurried to put away her journal.

"Harry?" she called as she walked into the living room.

"Yes dear?"

"Hi." She smiled and kissed him quickly, ignoring Hermione's smirk. "Where we going?"

"My place. See you there in a sec?"

"Sure." She smiled fondly at him before waving goodbye to Hermione. "Take care!"

Two seconds later Ginny found herself on the floor of Harry's apartment. She heard a loud "oof" and then opened her eyes to find Harry lying underneath her.

"Pinpoint perfection as always," he said with a laugh when he had gotten his breath back.

"Well I do try," Ginny retorted and made as if to get up. However, instead of letting her go Harry pulled her back and stopped when their faces were only millimetres apart.

"Don't," he whispered, and Ginny could feel the hair rise on her arms. Then she snapped out of it and pulled free. She sat down on the floor next to Harry, who got up. He looked confused and worried.

"Harry we need to talk," Ginny said slowly.

"Ok?" Harry replied, obviously not understanding what she was on about. "Can we do it over dinner, though? If not it will get cold."

"Sure."

She got up from the floor and went to sit down by the kitchen table. Harry had apparently done a lot to make it look nice, and Ginny felt a little bad. He had really gone out of his way for her, and now she was about to ruin everything.

"What's the matter?" Harry asked after he had served her the food and had sat down on the opposite side from her.

Ginny took a deep breath. Her hands were shaking and she was quietly asking herself why on earth she brought this up now. Because you need something real, she told herself sternly, before she started to talk.

"Harry, I... I need to tell you something. But before I do I want you to know that these past three weeks have been the absolute best weeks of my life. When you suggested this whole thing I wasn't as dead set against it as it may have seemed, and I have truly enjoyed playing your girlfriend for the last couple of weeks. Problem is, though,"

"You've found someone else," Harry said with a serious face. "You've found someone else and now you need me to 'break up' with you."

"No, no," Ginny said quickly. "That's not it. I haven't found someone else. The problem is you see, I don't want it to be anyone else. I want it to be just you, always. I... I'm in love with you. Please don't say anything, I need to get this out." She looked at him with pleading eyes and he motioned for her to continue.

"In three days you turn twenty," she said, hoping against hope that he wouldn't freak out and get scared and tell her never to return again. "And that means I have known you for nine years. Well, nine years and a month, if you want to get technical. But it also means I have been in love with you for nine years. You may not realize it, but my childhood crush on you never disappeared. If anything it only grew stronger. And although I tried to work against it as hard as I possibly could, I soon discovered it was pointless. Because I love you – and I always have. And because of that I am going to have to ask you to let me break this whole fake relationship off. I don't think I can pretend anymore, and I don't think it is fair that you should be tied down when I know that you can make some girl out there very happy. So I am going to release you from this agreement. And I'll let my family know that we broke up. They will be a little surprised of course, but they all love you, and they will see that it was all for the best." She trailed off then, not knowing what else to say. Harry was staring at her, seemingly unable to form any coherent sentences.

"You're in love with me?" he asked after a while, and Ginny nodded. "I see. And you have been in love with me for almost nine years?" She nodded again, feeling very stupid. Of course he wouldn't have anything to do with her now. Not after this! He was probably just happy that he was rid of her. Because who wanted someone this... obsessive... for their girlfriend anyway?

"I don't believe it," he muttered. "I just don't believe it."

"Harry, I'm sorry," Ginny said and made as if to get up. He probably didn't want her there right now. Come to think of it, he probably had some girl or the other that he was longing to go see now that he was free of this make believe relationship.

"Where are you going?" he asked as she stood up.

"Home?"

"Why?"

"Because I thought..."

"Ginny, don't think so much. Come on. Sit down, eat, and then we can talk about this."

"I'm sorry, Harry, but I think I have lost my appetite." She took out her wand when Harry was suddenly right beside her.

"I am very sorry, missy, but you're not going anywhere! You haven't even heard what I have to say about all of this."

"Missy?" She laughed a little, despite herself, and Harry smiled.

"Whatever. Gin, has it ever occurred to you that I may feel the same way?"

It took Ginny about five seconds to realize just what it was he had said, and when it sank in she lifted her head slightly and looked him straight in the face.

"What?"

"I love you, too. I just don't see how you have missed noticing that."

"Umm..." Ginny was speechless. "Are you making fun of me?"

Harry arched his eyebrows at her. "Does it look like I'm laughing?"

"I guess not. I just... never expected it."

"I can tell. Now, then, will you please sit down and eat? I have been slaving like a house elf all afternoon!"

Ginny giggled. "I am telling Hermione you said that."

"Don't you dare. I quite appreciate living, thank you very much."

Ginny giggled again, then suddenly sobered. Harry was looking at her in a way that made her spine tingle and her breath caught in her throat. Slowly, oh so slowly he bent down to kiss her. The tenderness of it all made Ginny's feet buckle and she all but stumbled backwards. Harry grinned at put his arms around her waist as if to support her. "Didn't know I had that kind of powers," he said teasingly. Ginny smiled, then put her own arms around his neck and pulled him towards her. "You do," she whispered before she kissed him with all her might. Ginny could feel how Harry's hands worked their way up through her hair, then down her spine. He was caressing every inch of her body, and Ginny was sure she would die just from the pure amazement of it all. But then Harry stopped, and Ginny groaned.

"What?" she said carefully, hoping she hadn't done anything wrong. But Harry didn't answer. Instead he looked deep into her eyes, kissed her again, and slowly started to make his way out of the kitchen. Ginny was lost in his kiss, and hardly noticed when Harry's fingers suddenly met the bare skin of her back. She pulled away from him and he removed them quickly.

"Sorry," he said and blushed a little.

Ginny tilted her head slightly and looked at him. "Don't be," she replied, then slowly started to unbutton his shirt. Harry smiled slightly, then stroked the outside of her neck. Again she shivered, and Harry looked as if he liked the way her body reacted to his touch. Without saying much he then took her hand and lead her towards his bedroom. Once there he carefully pushed her down on his bed, before kissing her again. They spent a considerable amount of time kissing, getting to really know each other. Ginny delighted in the feel of Harry's body on top of her. The way his weight pinned her down on the bed, how his agile quidditch hands were caressing her in ways she never thought possible. Then, as she was sure she would burst from anticipation he sat up across her hips.

"This isn't pretending," he said then, to Ginny's great surprise. But she nodded.

"I know," she replied.

"Good." Then he carefully grabbed hold of the lower of part of her sweater and pulled it over her head. The cold air hit her all but naked upper body, and Ginny gasped. Both from the cold and from the fact that this was Harry, and he was doing everything to her that she always dreamt of. He traced his hands across her torso, and then as he bent down and kissed her again, Ginny was sure she had died, and that heaven was more fantastic than anything she ever could have pictured it to be.