AN: WARNING! NOW WE BEGIN WHY I RATED THE STORY!! (So be prepared…)
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Chapter 17
Cara was whistling as she came in through the portrait, lugging her overloaded bag of books. She wasn't about to have to go to the library for the next couple of weeks, that was for sure.
As the portrait closed behind her with a click, a head with wildly rumpled red hair shot up from the far corner, behind one of the couches. Cara blinked at the panicky look on Ron's face, that then went limp with relief.
"Uh, you ok, Ron?" she asked, dropping her bag with a thud. Hell, she wasn't carrying that anymore. It was going to be wingardium leviosa all the way up the stairs to the dorm.
Ron glanced rather wildly around the empty room. "Cara. You're a girl, right?"
Cara's eyebrows shot up. "Last time I checked," she said rather dryly. She wasn't sure she wanted to know what was going on, anymore.
"Girls like flowers, right?" Ron asked, rather anxiously.
Oooh, maybe she did want to know. "Yes," she said, walking over to kneel on the couch and peer over the back at him. "Why?" He was sitting on the floor, a little pile of twigs in front of him.
"Flowers. I can do flowers," he was muttering. "Simple spell. Did it in third year. Piece of cake." Cara grinned as Ron poked his tongue into one cheek, making it bulge, and held up one stick while pointing his wand. "Modificus florus." Instead of the daisy that should have appeared, the twig seemed to sprout two leaves and about five petals. While remaining a rather sickly brown.
Ron tossed the 'flower' into the fireplace. "Bloody idiot," he muttered. Apparently he no longer remembered Cara was there. "Can't even do a stupid spell right. What's the point, never going to work anyway…"
Cara decided it was time Ron got a little help. Because mercy knew, he needed it. She reached over and lightly hit him upside the head. "Take your tongue out of your cheek," she told him as he jerked his head around and stared at her, clearly startled to find her there. "You're mumbling."
Ron flushed. "Right, right." He picked up another stick and squinted at it. "Modificus florus." This time he didn't mumble, but he did miss the stick and instead hit the wall, promptly causing a daisy to appear on the formerly red and gold wallpaper.
Cara tsked. "You seem a little tense, Ron," she said, perhaps a little sweetly. After all, teasing Ginny's brother was something to be savored. "Any particular reason you're trying to make daisies?"
Ron turned redder, and then grumbled something under his breath. Cara grinned. "Come on, Ron, tell cousin Cara all about it," she said, propping her arms over the back of the sofa and smirking down at him. "As you so astutely realized a few minutes ago, I AM a girl, and therefore can offer advice on the ways and means of other girls. Even, perhaps, those with curly hair and above average intelligence?"
Now Ron matched the wallpaper, sans daisy. Hmm. This WAS fun. "HermionekeepskissingmeandIthoughtIdgiveheraflower," he finally mumbled. Heh heh heh.
"What was that? I couldn't quite hear," Cara said sweetly.
Ron lifted his head and glared at her. "What am I talking to you for? You're my sister's friend."
Cara inspected her nails. "And privy to quite a few little interesting tidbits, if I do say so. After all, Ginny and I tell each other nearly everything, and Hermione DOES like to join in…"
Ron's eyes were narrowing. "Do you know what Hermione's been doing, with all the kissing?"
Cara gave a rather modest smile. "Oh, I might," she said. Ron glared. She rolled her eyes. "Think about it Ron," she said, with no small amount of exasperation. Honestly. Boys. They were SO thick. "Why does a girl usually kiss a guy?"
"Because she likes him," Ron said. Then his eyes got bigger. "Oh. OH."
"And light dawns on Marblehead," Cara said dryly. That got her a confused look. "Muggle thing," she said, waving her hand. "It was an insult, trust me. So, Ronnie, I'm assuming from the pile of not-yet-daisies that you fancy Hermione a bit in return?" She waited with baited breath. As far as she knew, no one had gotten Ron to admit it yet. Not even Harry.
Ron glared down at his pile of sticks. "Shut up," he muttered.
Cara grinned, catlike. "Is that a yes?" she asked. "Because I'm always willing to help in the pursuit of true love. And I'm particularly good at Charms. And have heard quite a few interesting things about a certain Head Boy from a certain Head Girl, that I could eventually be persuaded to share…"
NOW she had his attention. "Hermione said something?" he asked, looking anxious. "What? She thinks I'm an ugly git, doesn't she? I'm kind of stupid, too, especially next to her. And Harry. Bloody hell." And he was back to staring at his sticks.
Cara rolled her eyes. "Ron, have you NO self esteem?" she said. She wagged her finger at him. "All right. I'll give you one little tidbit, but I want to hear you say it."
"Say what?" Ron asked, rather densely.
Boys. Idiots. "Do you fancy Hermione?" Good grief, she couldn't be more blunt. And, of course, Ron went red and stared down at his sticks. "Well?"
He mumbled something. Cara gave a little 'ahem' and waited expectantly. Girls were way better at getting things like this than boys. She should have siced Ginny on Ron ages ago, and they wouldn't have had to wait around on Harry to do the job.
Ron finally sighed. "Yeah," he muttered at the floor.
Cara resisted the urge to do a victory dance. "About time you said it," she told him. And then grinned. After all, she did promise him a little something… "Especially since Hermione's spent far too many evenings in our dorm, mooning over how nice you look in your Quidditch uniform."
Now that red head shot straight up, and the Head Boy started to grin. "She did?"
Cara tried not to laugh. "Yep," she said cheerfully. "So get busy on those daisies, boy. How are you giving them to her?"
"Er," Ron said, looking embarrassed. "I hadn't gotten that far yet."
Cara heaved a sigh. "Honestly, would any romance happen around here if it wasn't for me?" she asked of the ceiling. "Ginny and Harry, Ron and Hermione… Everyone would still be lovelorn and pining."
"Ginny and Harry? Hey, wait a minute, where is my sister?" Ron said, starting to frown.
Cara reached over and whacked up upside the head as he made to get up. "No. Sit. Stay," she told him firmly. "Ginny's a big girl, and Harry's going to look after her." Cara couldn't resist. "Besides, you probably don't want to see what's going on right now, anyway." Ron's face started to turn purple and Cara finally laughed.
"Oh, let it go, Ron," she chortled. "How do you think Harry feels about you panting after Hermione?" She waggled her eyebrows. "He doesn't really want to see that, either." Ron looked torn between wanting to chase down his sister and lock her in a tower and being embarrassed. Hah. "Now," she ordered, pointing at his sticks. "Make daisies." Because there was a whole lot more fun for her to have.
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Ginny stood there, by the door, and just soaked in looking at Harry. He was standing over by the window, hands shoved in his pockets, hair looking more rumpled than usually, like he'd been pulling on it. She started to smile. He was nervous.
"So," she said softly. "Here I am."
Harry was still a bit away, having seemed to stop moving, but she could swear she saw him swallow. "Yeah," he said. Hmm. Sounding a bit hoarse.
She had a cure for that, Ginny thought. One involving a little mouth-to-mouth. She cocked her head at Harry, giving him her best smile. She'd waited a bit too long for this to let him get out of doing things properly. "Do you want to say anything to me, Harry?" she asked, prompting him. After all, a girl had fantasies. Quite a few, after six years, in fact.
He seemed to be staring at her, not quite paying attention. "You… you look really pretty," he finally said. Ginny blushed. Ahah. All that primping hadn't been for nothing. His eyes wandered down away from her face and she could feel the blush spreading. And with the dress she'd borrowed from Cara, she was pretty sure he could see it…
Harry finally looked up. "Really pretty," he said, rather thickly. But of course, still didn't move.
Ginny gave him a soft smile, and what she hoped was an encouraging look. "Harry?" she asked quietly. "Would you come over here and kiss me?" One thing Cara had said as she'd been getting dressed was to remember that boys could be very, very thick and might need explicit directions. Especially to get started. Of course, then Cara had gone off on a rather disturbing tangent involving Draco Malfoy and a certain evening in the Astronomy Tower, that if Ginny thought about right now, she might loose what little dinner she'd eaten.
Harry's eyes were still fastened on her face. "I could do that," he said quietly, taking a few steps closer. Apparently the 'needs directions' bit had been right.
Ginny smoothed her hands down the sides of her dress. And waited as Harry moved step by slow step toward her. The waiting was killing her. Her palms were sweating, her heart pounding, and she was dreadfully afraid that she might have to sit down. And then he was standing right in front of her. Ginny looked up at those green eyes, gleaming in the firelight with an odd sort of glow that sent a thrill right through her.
Harry seemed to hesitate as he lifted a hand toward her face. "Are you sure, Gin?" he asked, voice rather thick. "It's not too late, you could stay a whole lot safer if you stayed away from me. I mean…"
Ginny resisted the urge to punch him, and instead made her point a different way. "Harry, shut up," she told him. And reached up to tug on his collar and pressed her lips to his.
That seemed to do the trick. His hand finally curled around the nape of her neck, the other sliding around her waist and Ginny shivered as she was pulled against that tall, Quidditch-toned body. He was most decidedly kissing her back now, his mouth hot and hungry as her own, and it sent her senses reeling. Every kiss with him just got better and better, she thought hazily, as his lips caressed hers.
With a bit of a moan that she couldn't stop, Ginny parted her lips, wanting more. And then she got more. The kiss got fiercer and hungrier and deeper and wetter, their tongues tangling and tasting. His advanced and retreated, teasing her, savoring her. Ginny wound her arms about his neck and pressed closer, feeling an ache in her body begin. She wanted to be nearer, hotter. She wanted more.
The hand at his waist began to smooth up and down her back, discovering where the back ended and bare skin began. Ginny shuddered as warm fingertips began to trace and stroke along the edges of the back, and let her own hands wander down his neck to loosen his tie. She wanted her hands on some of his skin, wanted to feel his blood pulsing beneath her hands.
He kissed her harder, pressing against her mouth almost painfully as his fingers clutched at her. Ginny moaned, the sound slipping out of her throat. The tie came loose and she slid her hands inside the small opening of his shirt, stroking along his collarbone and throat. His skin was hot, almost as hot as she felt right now. Certain parts of her body were starting to melt and shiver, as if they needed something.
His hands slipped to the edges of the opening of her dress along her back, and then dipped under the edges. He traced slowly, so slowly up her sides, making her burn and groan at the feeling. And then his hands touched the sides of her breasts and stopped.
"Gin?" he said, pulling his head back, voice husky, breathing a bit hard. Ginny was rather short on breath herself as her body seemed tense, coiled, waiting for his hands to move.
Frankly, they were going to have to work on his timing for wanting to talk, she thought, as she reached one hand up and yanked his head back down to hers. Now was NOT the time.
Harry seemed to groan, and then he was kissing her again, those deep, wet kisses that she didn't think she'd ever get enough of. She fumbled with one of the buttons on his shirt, wanting her hands on more of him, craving the feeling of skin over muscles that were tensed and waiting. All for her.
And then his hands moved, pressing under the fabric of her dress, pulling it almost uncomfortably. But she didn't notice, in fact, she'd about stopped breathing as his hands moved a little clumsily, a little hesitantly over her breasts. Ginny shuddered with sensation, head spinning and forgetting nearly everything else but the feeling of his hands on her skin.
And then they went stumbling backward and somehow managed to end up on the couch before the fire. Ginny didn't know how it had happened, but she found herself staring up into hot green eyes, his shirt halfway open, tie dangling loosely about his neck, still caught in the collar.
And he was gazing down at her, with this look of… amazement? wonder? Whatever it was, it made her feel even hotter and needier and more beautiful than she'd ever known.
"You're so pretty," he whispered, and she wasn't sure he even realized he was saying it. One hand traced down her face, her neck, and over her collarbone. "Just like my dreams." The words were wonderful, making her heart ache. But she wanted more.
He was staring down at her still, watching his hand move over the exposed skin over the top of her dress. She hadn't let Cara stuff her into one of her sexier numbers, and now wished she had. She wanted his hands back where they had been before the couch. Not letting herself think about it, she reached up and fumbled for the tie behind her neck. Harry realized what she was doing and jerked his hand back as it came loose and the fabric slid down a bit.
And then he was reaching back down, running his fingers over the newly exposed bit of skin with fascination. Ginny's other hand clutched at his open shirt, the other having lost the will to move and still up over her head as he nudged the fabric down bit by bit. Each centimeter made her shiver and shake in anticipation, her breath caught in her throat. She could feel how tight and hard her nipples were, dragging against the fabric as it moved slowly down.
And then she was bare to the waist, with nothing but firelight on her skin, and Harry had stopped moving. It was a long, still moment of him staring. She finally shivered, starting to feel uncertain. "Harry?" she whispered.
His eyes shot up to hers. "I… wow," he said, sounding hoarse. "You… wow." And then he kissed her again, and poof, uncertainty was gone. She was left with no doubt that he liked what he saw.
His mouth left hers and pressed against the side of her neck before he lifted his head again to gaze down at her. Ginny closed her eyes as one hand closed over her breast. He cupped it in his hand, and she could feel the little scars on his fingertips against the super sensitive skin. Nothing had ever felt so right, she thought hazily. Just like Cara said.
And then all thought fled entirely as his thumb brushed over her nipple, rubbing slowly, fascinated against the hard bud. Sensation shot through her, and Ginny gasped and couldn't resist arching up against that hand, pressing her body against his. As she did, she felt their lower halves brush and had to moan. Oh, she wanted something so badly…
His hand left her breast and then she felt a warm, wet kiss against the top of it. Ginny gasped again, and this time opened her eyes to stare down. Helpless, heart pounding and almost unbearably excited, she watched as Harry pressed another kiss to the side of her breast. The firelight shone over his face, her skin, as he lowered his head again and this time kissed the very tip. She shuddered with sensation. He looked up at her, saw her watching, and reached up to kiss her. Hard and deep.
And then he bent his head again and opened his mouth over the center of her breast. A moan was pulled out of her throat at the feeling. She couldn't keep her eyes open anymore, it was too much. One hand twisted into his hair, clinging, the other clutching at his neck, chest, anywhere she could get her hands on skin. Her back arched, she pressed up against that wicked, hot mouth, twisting and pressing as close as she could. She couldn't breath, couldn't think, could only feel and want and need and…
He moved to the other breast and more sounds were dragged out of her. Her hand fumbled with his shirt, managing somehow to get it spread open as her fingers almost frantically dragged across his chest. He groaned, the sound vibrating against her body and she shuddered again.
One of his hands dropped to slide along her leg, squeezing her thigh and pausing. Ginny didn't think, just let her body move as it wanted. One leg dropped against the couch, Harry now lying between them. He pressed to one side; lips still busy, hand moving slowly up her inner thigh. Ginny's breath caught, body anxious, waiting, dying. She tipped her head back and panted, little wild sounds caught in her throat. And then his fingertips brushed against the fabric of her panties and she cried out at the jolt of sensation.
The sound seemed to make Harry jerk back. "God, Gin," he groaned against her breast, moving his head to press between the two soft mounds. His hands came up to wrap around her torso, pressing her against him in an almost painful hug.
She wrapped her arms tight around him as well, her body unable to resist the need to rub against his. He groaned again, not moving, not lifting his head. The muscles in his arms were locked tight and hard, corded and tense.
"Harry?" she managed. Don't stop, please don't stop, she was thinking.
"I…" he took a breath, still not lifting his head. "Not yet," he finally said. He raised his head and looked down at her. Her eyes, this time.
Ginny couldn't help it, her face fell. Well, hell, who wouldn't be disappointed, when something that good stopped? "Why?" she asked.
He swallowed, and that made her feel a little bit better. Good. He better be finding this hard. "Because we should take it slower," he said. Sounding like he was dying, just a little bit. "Because I…" now she would swear he was blushing. "Because I've never done any of this, and I want to get it right."
Ginny couldn't help it, she laughed. "Harry, if you get it more right, you might just kill me," she said dryly. He turned red, but smirked with that smug male thing that all boys seemed to have built in. Even the nice ones. "And I've never done this either," she admitted, blushing herself.
The blush went all the way down her body, and Harry realized this, pulling back to watch in fascination. "You really blush," he said, sounding fascinated.
She turned redder. "Yeah," she said. "It comes with the red hair."
He looked back up at her face. "Beautiful," he said softly, reaching out to touch her hair. "I've dreamed about your hair." Her heart melted. Then he blinked. "I thought you dated whats-his-name, Corner, for a quite a while. You didn't…"
Ginny shook her head, embarrassed all over again. "We kissed," she said. "I… we really didn't do very much at all."
Harry suddenly smiled, and it took her breath away. She'd forgotten just how powerful that smile was, turned on one person, glowing with warmth. "I'm glad," he said. "Now we're both clueless."
She couldn't resist a saucy grin. "I think we'll figure it out just fine," she said.
He gave her a wicked look back. "Yeah," he agreed. Then he heaved a sigh, and without looking, reached down and fumbled her dress back up to cover her. "I really like touching you," he muttered, stroking a finger over her collarbone and making her shiver.
"Any time, Harry," she said softly, winding her fingers in his hair. Their eyes met, green against brown. "You can touch me, anytime." And then she gave a grin. "Although I'd recommend a little restraint around Ron. He's going to need some time to get used to the idea."
Harry chuckled with her. "I think he'll be plenty distracted himself," he said, fingers still absently stroking. "Hermione's got him pretty well tied up in knots."
"Yeah," she sighed, just savoring the feeling.
They lay there a few more moments before Harry sighed and eased himself up. "Come on," he said, holding out his hand to help her up. Ginny sat up, holding her bodice up as she did.
"Would you mind," she gestured, blushing. Harry's eyes gleamed and he flushed too, but he reached around and clumsily tied her top back together behind her neck. Ginny took his hand, then, and let him pull her to her feet.
Harry kept her hand in his as they stood there in front of the fire. "Gin," he started, looking rather serious.
Ginny wasn't about to wait for him to say something stupid. "Harry, if you're going to try to talk me away from you again, you should just save your breath," she told him firmly. "It hasn't worked yet, and ignoring me won't work either. If it didn't in my second and third years, it won't now."
Harry blinked and tightened his grip on her hand. "That long?" he asked.
Ginny gave him a wry look. "You ARE a little on the thick side, aren't you, Potter?" she said in a teasing tone.
He blew out a breath and clasped her hand tighter. "Yeah, well…" He looked down at her fingers caught in his. "I won't try to talk you away," he finally said. "I don't think it would work."
"About time," Ginny muttered, but he kept going.
"But I want you to be really, really careful," he said, looking back up at her. "Don't take any chances, give anyone the chance to hurt you."
She frowned. "Like what?"
"Um, like going outside the castle alone," he said, thinking about it. "Wandering around at night alone. Not telling someone where you'll be."
She arched a brow at him. "You really don't think I can take care of myself, do you, Potter?" she said, slightly miffed.
He shook his head, frowning. "No, that's not it, it's just… I need you to stay safe," he said. He played with her fingers a minute, then looked at her again. "I need you," he said simply, "and they're going to want to use that. And if he gets you… I don't know if I could win."
A chill went through her as she listened, as Ginny finally absorbed just how serious Harry was about everything. Cold balled in her stomach as she realized just how far she was sticking her neck out, how dangerous things could be. And then she looked at the boy standing tensely in front of her, and squeezed his fingers. "I promise you, Harry," she said quietly. "I won't take any chances." If this was one of the ways she could help, then so be it. She might go a bit stir crazy, but she'd deal.
Something seemed to lighten and ease in his face, and he squeezed back. "Thanks," he said.
She cocked her head, looking at him. "You know what else would help?" she said quietly. "The DA." Harry winced, and she shook her head at him. "Give me, give all of us the tools to fight, Potter. Because we'll be trying with or without them."
"Dammit," he muttered, raking his free hand through his hair. His shirt was still open, she noted, and got a little thrill as she reached up to start fastening it. He sighed as her fingers lightly brushed his chest as she worked. "Yeah, ok. You're right. We'll talk to Hermione and Ron tomorrow and start setting it up." She looked at him, hearing the sadness in his voice. His eyes were haunted. "Other people shouldn't have to deal with this," he muttered.
She raised up on her toes and kissed him lightly on the lips. "Neither should you," she said quietly, eyes intent. "In the meantime, we'll all just go about it the best we can."
He looked down at her, very seriously, green eyes catching a weird glow from the fire. He nodded slowly. "Ok," he said.
She smiled at him. "Come on," she said, squeezing his hand. "I think you should walk me back to my dorm. After all, you can't be too careful roaming around the halls at night."
He smiled a little at that. "Yeah," he said. And then grimaced. "Oh, god, how much you want to bet Ron's sitting there, waiting for us?"
Ginny smirked. "Oh, I'm hoping he is," she said. "I have plans to scar him for life."
"Hey, I have to share a dorm with him, you know," Harry protested, chuckling as she pulled him out of the Room.
"He's a big wuss," she said confidently, snuggling close as they walked down the long, quiet halls. "You can take him. Just aim for those big feet of his."
"Why?" Harry asked.
She lowered her voice furtively. "He's really ticklish there." She grinned. "I should tell Hermione." They both laughed, Ginny's heart warm inside her. For the moment, at least, all was right in the world.
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AN: There now, doesn't that make up for the cliffie?
Severus' Wife – Now, see, Cadbury Dairy Milk bars were what got me through five months living in Ireland, cut off from my state-side supply of Hershey's Kisses. So I can too use it. (sticking out tongue) And I think this chap more than makes up for my little ending last time… so you better be using that wand for other things, missy! (still ducking warily)
Plateado – Thank you very much! I always appreciate hearing that I've kept my characters, well, believable. The one thing I've really tried to remember as I write is that these characters AREN'T adults, they're teens. They may be in adult situations, dealing with adult issues (like life and death!), but they're still teenagers. And darned annoying about it sometimes. And I hear you on Draco. Come on, there's got to be just a smidgen of good in him. Right? (grin)
Child-of-scorpio – A pineapple? Hmm, this seems like a job for my Miracle Knife! (brandishing large, funny-looking knife) Able to slice through drywall, baby. Come on. Bring on the pineapple.
Kokopelli5287 – Good point about the wall. I'm not thinking Harry's going to be completely reasonable about everything… in fact, I foresee a scuffle or two in the future, perhaps as danger begins to close in… But you should start to see him begin shifting some bricks around in the next few chapters, so to speak. Ginny's going to teach him how to 'add on' to his wall.
MrsSakuraPotter – Now, now, like Harry just said, let's not rush things… (wink, wink)
Ferggirl99 – You better have chocolate for me, that chapter kinda drained me. So to speak. Heh heh heh. And glad you reminded me about Sonora. She's been trying to get my attention for a few chapters, wanting to get back into the action. Ack! And there goes Draco, poking me in the side… damn nosy characters…
Marauder23 – Well, Ronniekins is attempting. Please note choice of words, lol. Although with a little help from Cara, he may not do too badly… And there's a Hogsmede weekend coming up. Hmm…
Shahrezad1 – Now I have a horrible image of Uncle Sam in a wizards hat…
Siriuslover – Evil? Moi? Heh heh heh…
Crookshankx – I do hope that satisfied you. So to speak.
Sugarbaby – I think Ginny's just kind of in the 'it's about damn time' sort of mindset. Lol. Not that I blame her.
Barbelibou – Clueless is Ron's middle name. But I think he's about to fumble his way through a few things successfully. Sort of. Heh heh.
VirginiaLilyPotter713, mary-v, hawkeyessabre, cherryblossom08, Amanda, kpxiceboi, hplovah, Tsusetsu, IceSugarHigh, Superkid, Moonglaze, James Potter's Lily Flower, Maddie, sugarbaby, Lou, Lovguurl – Aw, there was an awful lot of complaining about my little ol' cliffie! Tsk, tsk, threats are not the way to get some action. Now cookies, cookies usually work. And cake. And chocolate. And reviews. Lol. Hope this chapter satisfied you all!