Having lost all track of time, it was lunchtime before Harry returned to the Burrow.

"Harry dear!" Mrs Weasley greeted him at the door. "We were worried about you! How long have you been out? You must be tired. Ron thought you hadn't slept!"

"I haven't but I'm okay, I'm fine Mrs Weasley really." Harry assured her as she felt his head for a temperature.

"Right, then you can come and get some lunch then go to bed. We don't want you to get ill from lack of sleep."

"Where've you been mate? Mum's been frantic." Ron asked as they sat down.

"Just flying, thinking." Harry ran his fingers through his hair. He had been thinking all right. He had been horrible to Hermione and what was worse was, she was right. He did keep denying his feelings but his problem was that he wasn't sure what his feelings were.

Hermione and Ginny joined them at the table, shortly followed by Fred and George. Harry caught Hermione's eye and gave her an "I'm sorry" look and she smiled her forgiveness in return. He couldn't resist sneaking a look at Ginny. As he looked towards her, she looked at him and their eyes locked for a brief moment in time.

Hermione was right! She's blushing and at that moment, so was he.

Just what had Hermione told her about last night?

~ * ~ ~ * ~ ~ * ~

"If you want me to wait, I will wait for you. If you want me to stay, I will stay right through."

Not again. Harry thought as he paused outside Ginny's bedroom door on his way to the bathroom. She was singing again. Harry could imagine her singing and dancing but he abruptly shook the thoughts from his head and hurried into the bathroom.

As Harry emerged from the bathroom deep in thought and he walked straight into someone, knocking them over.

"Sorry." Harry said automatically sticking out his hand to help them up. It was only then he realised who it was he had knocked over.

"Ginny!" He said in surprise, immediately dropping her hand and letting her fall to the floor again.

"Oof! What? What's wrong?" She asked, looking around her for a problem.

"Nothing." Harry said quickly, inwardly kicking himself for his stupidity. "Sorry." He said again, and helping her to her feet properly.

"No problem." She was blushing again.

Both stood awkwardly in silence for a few minutes until Ginny spoke.

"So... how are you?" She asked awkwardly trying to make conversation.

"Fine. You?"

"Good."

"Ok. I was... well it's just... you seemed a bit... off yesterday."

"Oh, no I'm fine. I just have to remember to close my door when I'm singing and dancing to myself in the mirror." She laughed and Harry joined her, the awkward atmosphere lightening significantly.

"Sorry if you were embarrassed, I didn't tell anyone or laugh behind your back if that's what you're worried about."

"Thanks, but most of my family have witnessed the hideous sight already."

"I.... " Harry broke off thinking about what he had been about to say and realising how it would sound.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"No, what? You can't do that - girls are too nosy."

"I was going to say I.... I didn't think you looked hideous." Harry blushed furiously.

"Thanks." She blushed until they were almost the same shade of deep pink.

"Harry?" Ron's voice carried up the stairs. "Where are you?" He climbed the stairs, frowning as he reached the top and seen Harry and Ginny standing awkwardly in the hallway. "What are you doing?"

"Nothing." Harry and Ginny replied in unison making Ron frown even harder.

"Ron, smile or the wind'll change and you'll be stuck that way. Not that it wouldn't be an improvement." She took her chance and retreated to her room closing the door behind her.

"Little miss sarcastic!" Ron complained as he and Harry made their way downstairs.

"Anyway, what was that about?"

"I was just asking her what was wrong with her yesterday."

"And...?" Ron asked nosily.

"Her time of the month I suppose." And at this Ron nodded knowingly, causing Harry to cover a laugh with a spurt of very unrealistic coughing.

'We wondered what had happened to you." Ron said when Harry's coughing had subsided. "Fred suggested that maybe you had bee swallowed by the toilet so I thought I'd check on you in case it had anything to do with them."

"No, as far as I know, your toilet is behaving perfectly normal."

"Right."

They walked outside into the streaming sunlight and seen that Fred and George were trying to knock each other off their brooms with a basket ball they had charmed to act like a bludger, while Hermione sat on the lawn watching them, a frown etched on her face.

As they resumed their game of Quidditch, Harry couldn't help but notice that Ginny had joined Hermione on the grass and was watching him intently. He could feel her eyes on him and found it very hard to concentrate, resulting in an extremely sore arm as the basketball collided with him at full force.

"Hey at least we didn't use a bowling ball like we were going to!" George defended himself as Hermione chided the twins whilst inspecting the rather large, perfectly round, purple bruise on Harry's arm. Ginny stood, scowling at Fred and George as this went on.

"Ow! Hermione!" Harry complained as she prodded the bruise. "Leave it. It'll go away soon enough."

"Hmm." She said plonking herself back down on the grass and went back to reading her book.

Dusk was falling when everyone except Hermione who was still reading her book headed inside.

"Harry, wait." She called and Harry turned back towards her as she got up from the grass. The others carried on inside as he approached her.

"Ask her out, Harry." She said plainly, walking straight past him and into the Burrow.