Title: Settling the youngest

Author: Joy

A/N: Here is a short series to last you until after Christmas. I will be posting 'The summer of discovery', the sequel to 'Unwilling Damsel' at that time so for those of you that enjoyed it just wait. I have a good portion of the last installment of the 'Unwilling Damsel' universe written. Just a warning 'Summer of Discovery' will have a physical element...the sequel to it will deal with the end of Voldemort, the change of Malfoy and the future of Harry and Gin.

Now on with the show...

Chapter 1: Why now?

Harry Potter had always held himself above the board...honest, forthright...chivalrous even. But after his abysmal attempts at romance in school, Harry had decided that a relationship was something to be worried over later in life...like maybe when he was forty. Yes, forty sounded good. People would have forgotten all about 'the boy who lived' and hopefully found someone new to obsess over. Unfortunately once Harry defeated Voldie, 'the boy who lived' became 'the boy who slayed' as they affectionately referred to him in the Prophet.

Yes, forty sounded better all the time. He would be old and flabby. A woman would have to love him for himself and not his fame or fortune... something he had amassed quietly over the years having funded the dreams of several classmates and gotten good returns on his ventures. And the fame wasn't something he sought; it just chased him like a rabid dog. He had far too many females he barely knew who offered him anything... anything... for a piece of him and his limelight.

Forty...Flabby... but he would most likely have to quite playing quidditch to get there. Maybe forty wasn't so great after all. He could always encourage those stories that he was gay...but then the number of male 'offers' would increase. Maybe he should just move to Australia.

Harry chuckled out loud to himself, "Yeah me and Alexander."

"Who's Alexander?" his favorite female voice asked.

The black haired twenty one year old smiled. Ginny. "A boy in a muggle children's story." Harry went to the shelf and retrieved a book.

" 'Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day'? What's this?" she asked. "I know you collect children's stories but..."

"He's just a little boy who's having a bad day. His solution is to move to Australia."

Ginny cocked an eyebrow at him, "You're moving to Australia?"

He chuckled, "Briefly considering it."

"Why?"

Harry shook his head, "Ya ever have one of those days you just hate your life." THUMP. "Aggghhhh. Hey! What was that for?" he asked rubbing his gut where the book had unceremoniously been shoved.

She glared at him, "I, Harry Potter, feature a significant role in your life and I don't appreciate hearing how awful your life is after getting off a really long shift at the hospital and..."

Harry wrapped his arms around her and leaned their foreheads together. "I would never go to Australia without my best friend... I'm sorry training's so tough. Here turn around and sit on the floor."

Ginny sank down as Harry sat on the couch behind her. His hands began to work over her shoulders and neck gently. She lobbed her head forward and rotated her shoulders as he worked, lost in her own thoughts.

It really sucked being 'the boy who lived / slayed's best friend. He had ruined her for all other guys. Harry had quit dating at Hogwarts. Once he left the war was still raging and 'dating' was a frivolous concern. After Tom...she tried calling him other things but Voldie would always be Tom to her...After Tom died at Harry's hand, things got really weird. He was asked to go to all sorts of functions that at the time he didn't feel like he could say no to. He would take different girls but by the end of the evening it was always apparent they were all after F & F (fame and fortune). Ginny relished the absolute indignity that Harry would growl about the next day over being propositioned by girls he barely knew. Eventually he shyly asked if Ginny wouldn't mind accompanying him to such functions from then on. It still rang in her ears his words, "You're one of the only women I know that just likes Harry and not the title." This arrangement had worked for nearly two years...at least on paper.

Ginny longed for something more but knew that if it ever moved into a romantic direction she would have to flee. It wasn't that she didn't love Harry or want to be with him. It was she didn't want to be loved by default. She knew though that things appeared to be headed in that direction.

"You're sweet to do this Harry. Sorry I was such a grump," Ginny murmured beneath the mane of red tresses.

"It's okay. I didn't mean to imply that I would trade you for anything. You're my lifesaver Gin. Can't imagine life without you."

Ginny gripped her eyes shut. She hated when he said things like that. It squeezed her heart... made her wish for things she shouldn't hope for. Hope would be the death of her especially as Harry continued to massage her back having divested her coat. His thumbs pressed up and down her spine before his fingers kneaded her shoulders.

Harry loved these moments. He never felt closer to anyone one than Ginny. She was his reason for staying...his only reason. He was a 'busy' man with no restrictions on his apparating or travel. After his defeat of Voldemort, Arthur Weasley, the new minister of magic, had given Harry a lot of freedoms that others did not get. This meant Harry could come and go as he pleased...but since Ginny was a busy woman he opted to not go far so when she did have time he was available.

Availability...that was something odd wasn't it? As Harry worked his mind took him back to an odd conversation he and Arthur had discussed not long ago. Harry's mind had brought these words up several times since but he always managed to miss the point. Maybe thinking about it in Ginny's presence might actually help.

"How are the kids and grandkids, Mr. Weasley?" Harry had asked.

"Good. Everyone is settled but Ginny...much to her mother's frustration. Molly is calming down on the subject though."

"Ginny is very busy training to be a healer. She always says she is too busy to date," he had supplied.

Arthur had just smirked back at him, "Ah...but not too busy to see you nearly every three days. Her availability for you greatly exceeds any other male...including her dad."

The point of the words was right there but Harry just couldn't quite grasp it. "You stay for her...to see her," his mind whispered, "...and she is there to be seen."

Harry felt Ginny lean back a bit. He naturally leaned forward so the back of her head could rest on his shoulder. Gin propped her elbows on his knees, before Harry encircled her briefly then hoisted her between his out spread knees on the sofa. Nether spoke of these intimacies that they shared. To any outside observer the scene would have just appeared as a couple cuddling on a couch.

Ginny let herself indulge occasionally in this forbidden touch. It wasn't as if they were kissing or groping. She was just resting her head back against Harry's shoulder and he had his arms around her waist. There was nothing untoward in the contact.

Unfortunately Ginny knew it was a lie. It was all a lie. She had been lying to Harry for years about her feelings. Hell she had been lying to herself for years about her feelings. She gently began to pull away but Harry held fast.

"Just a little longer...We don't have to talk about it," he whispered against her throat.

Those words were Ginny's undoing. What did he mean we don't have to talk about it? He has never said anything like that before.

Suddenly she felt tiny little kisses on her neck. Gin gulped. This can't be happening. Harry has never been this forward. What the hell was she supposed to do when her body was betraying her by leaning into the contact?

Harry was awash in the sensations around him. It had taken him until that moment with Gin in his arms to finally process what Arthur had told him.

Ginny didn't have time for anyone but she made time for him. She missed seeing her family on occasion for a quiet night with him. Harry remembered last month Gin had taken time off of work to rush to his side when he had been injured playing quidditch at her folks' place.

It was the most natural thing in the world to hold Ginevra Weasley in his arms...and he liked it. Harry liked the way she squirmed closer and sighed as he kissed her neck. He liked the warm feeling of her against him. But mainly he loved the feeling that she completed him. He had known that subconsciously for two and a half years...but for a boy that grew up unloved and moreover hated by those that were supposed to love him, recognizing that particular emotion wasn't his strong suit.

Harry traced two fingers down Ginny's cheek bringing her closer to him once more. Gin turned into the soft touch, looking at him over her shoulder. A bare moment passed before he pressed their lips together lightly. It was perfect...sweet...simple...almost a dream. A perfect dream...Harry was in love.

'This is horrible', Ginny's mind screamed at her while the rest of her enjoyed his embrace. It couldn't happen. Gin wouldn't let it happen. She wasn't going to live a lie no matter how badly she wanted it to be true. Harry didn't mean it. He was just lonely.

Ginny pulled away suddenly standing up. "I can't do this. I can't let you do this to me. I'm sorry," she muttered nervously running her fingers through her hair.

"Do what to you? Kiss you?" He looked at her confused. He stood cautiously. "You didn't want me to kiss you? You could have turned away Ginny. You were kissing me back," Harry fussed extremely hurt.

"You're right. I should have turned away... I can't help that I wanted to kiss you and be kissed by you but it isn't real. So I am stopping things before it gets out of hand."

Harry stared at her completely befuddled, "What do you mean it isn't real? What does that mean?!"

Ginny grit her teeth and glared at him, "That means I am a safe bet. That means you finally did what I knew you would. You're a guy. Eventually you would want physical affection and I am the obvious choice."

"Obvious choice...Safe bet... Where the hell is this crap coming from Ginny? You are my best friend. You know me better than anyone." He reached out and took hold of two of her fingers in his grip. "I feel at home with you. So I guess yeah that makes you the obvious choice."

Ginny shook her head and pulling her hand away; "I do know you better than anyone. So I know this is your nobility kicking in... You're lonely. You want to be kissed and cuddled not to mention someone to have sex with. But you're conscience won't let you just hook up with someone so you turn to me...trusty old Gin...best friend extraordinaire. Well I'm sorry but I don't want to be loved because you have a lack of options!"

Harry was in absolute disbelief not to mention the stabbing pain he felt in his chest. He used that pain to get angry, "You have got to be kidding me. I am not in the market for a bedmate! And as for lack of options we both know that isn't true. If I wanted hump and dump I could with little worry."

Ginny felt like she had been slapped at his words, "Yeah...you enjoy that little venture Potter. I refuse to be a bleeding conciliation prize!" With that Ginny apparated away.

Harry couldn't move. He couldn't think. "What just happened?" he whispered to himself. He closed his eyes to shut out the pain and hurt echoing in his mind. Suddenly his cheeks felt wet. It took a moment for Harry to realize he was crying for the first time since the war. "Oh Merlin. What have I done?" he whimpered.

TBC...

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