A/N – Okay, things do progress here between Harry and Ginny. I remind you all – this fic does have an R rating... you have been warned.
CQ
Chapter Fifteen: Relationships, Old and New
The amount of blood that Snape required was insignificant, really. He made rather a nasty gash in Harry's wrist, let the blood flow into the cauldron, and then immediately healed the cut himself. Hermione followed Harry, and Remus, staring hard at the painting before him and not even looking at what Snape did, didn't even flinch as the knife cut him. After being healed, he nodded to Snape, and sat down.
"The potion must brew for several hours..."
"I interpreted it to be almost immediate..." Hermione interjected.
"Miss Granger... I assure you that I have brewed this type of potion before, and I do know what I am doing," Snape glared at her.
"I'm sorry, Professor," she flushed, looking away.
After a moment, Snape spoke again. More quietly this time, but they all could still hear. "I must also say that you did an exceptional job of interpreting it, and your research into the essential herbs was very impressive... but there are some things that you truly do not understand... yet."
Hermione raised surprised eyes to him.
"You should, perhaps, consider becoming a Potions Master yourself. I believe... I believe that I could find you an apprenticeship, should you choose that route."
"Thank you, sir..." she said in a hushed voice.
"Perhaps you should all consider getting a few hours rest," Dumbledore said. "Severus will maintain his vigil over the potion, I am sure... and I would be happy to keep him company. The rest of you should rest... tomorrow will be a long day, I am sure."
Harry and the others nodded, then retreated upstairs. At the landing, Harry invited Remus to choose his room, and Remus smiled.
"I'll stay in James' old room, if that's okay, Harry... I stayed there many times when we were young."
"Wherever you like, Remus... there's plenty to choose from."
When Harry arrived at his door, and prepared to say goodnight, he was surprised when Ginny turned to Ron and gave him a hard look.
"I'm staying in here, with Harry, tonight, Ron. And I don't want you making a fuss."
"Ginny!"
"I am staying here because I'm... it's been a very long night... and I want to be close to Harry... nothing more. But... please, Ron, don't..."
Ron glanced between a startled Harry and a determined Ginny, then sighed.
"You'd just sneak back after I was asleep anyhow," he shrugged.
"You're darned right," she muttered.
"Sleep where you want, Gin, but if Mum catches on, I knew nothing about it."
Quickly, almost as though she were afraid he'd change his mind and start yelling at her, Ginny hustled Harry into his room and closed the door behind them.
"Umm... Gin?"
She turned to him and, for the first time since leaving the forest, Harry really saw her. There were dark rings beneath her eyes, and she looked frightened, but was attempting to hide it.
"Harry, I just..."
"Come here," he said, pulling her to him. "Let's get you out of these clothes... Where did Dumbledore put your trunk?"
"Remus brought it, but I'm not sure... it's probably in the room I shared with Hermione before. Dobby took it when we arrived."
"Never mind... you can borrow a tshirt to sleep in," he said, pulling his own trunk and wand out and enlarging it again. He opened it, pulled out a reasonably clean tshirt and pushed her towards the bath.
"Go... change. You need to sleep."
Without protest, Ginny retreated to the bath and Harry turned down the bed on the side he didn't normally sleep on.
When the door to the bath opened, Harry turned to see her standing there, looking lost, and went to her. He tried to not notice the long, slim legs that were revealed by the shortness of the tshirt he had loaned her... but it was difficult.
Very difficult. She was small, and the tshirt came down to the tops of her thighs, but it still left a lot of skin bare.
Harry tried to distract himself from the bare skin in question by tucking her into the bed and then retreating to the bath himself. He brushed his teeth and stared at himself in themirror.
Ginny Weasley was asleep in his bed. In the next room.
"I'm not going to get a bloody wink of sleep tonight," he said to his image before shaking his head and going back into the bedroom.
Ginny's eyes were closed and she was snuggled into the duvet. So far so good. He moved around the bed and pulled down the duvet on that side.
Pulling off his shirt, he debated on whether or not his boxers were decent enough to wear in bed next to her. He never wore pajamas any more, and the only thing he had that was remotely pajama-like was an old pair of sweat pants, but under the duvet they would be uncomfortably hot.
Deciding that boxers were no less decent than shorts or swim trunks, he shucked his jeans and climbed in, laying his glasses on the bedside table beside his wand, and laid back against the pillows.
To immediately have Ginny move over against him, rearrange herself, and him, until she was curled into his side with her head on his shoulder, his arm around her.
"Gin?"
"Hmm?"
"I thought you were asleep."
"And miss your striptease?" she said softly. "Never."
"You..."
"Relax, Harry. I didn't peek."
He let out a breath.
"For long."
She began to giggle and he turned her on her back, tickling her.
"Oh! Stop, stop!" she giggled.
"Now, are you going to sleep?"
"Are you?" she turned glowing brown eyes up at him.
"I... I'll watch over you."
"My noble prince..." she whispered. "Harry?"
"What, Gin?"
"I don't want to go to sleep right now."
"You... you don't?"
"No."
"Then..."
"You said you wanted to look into my eyes, Harry."
"Ginny... Dumbledore is downstairs and..."
"And what?"
"And... your parents..."
"Aren't here. Harry... don't you want to...?"
"More than I could possible tell you."
"Then why?"
"Because we just told Ron that..."
"Never mind Ron. Do you want to make love to me?"
"Yes..." he choked out through a throat that was suddenly very, very dry.
"Then come here," she held out her arms, and unable to resist her any longer, Harry fell into them.
Harry awoke feeling warm and content. He immediately knew that he wasn't in the dorm, because it always had a feeling of dampness, even in warm weather. And his duvet was different. This was soft. Feathers... rather than the heavy quilts on his bed at Hogwarts.
Something moved next to him, and he started, his eyes flying open. Soft sunshine filtered through the draperies. It was early yet.
A smooth leg touched his... bare skin snuggled up behind him.
Totally bare skin.
And it all came back. The night before, Ginny, and what he had found in her arms. He turned to her, to find her Ginny-brown eyes wide open. She looked... nervous.
"Good morning," he smiled softly at her, his hand coming up to brush away a lock of hair from her eyes.
"Good morning," her eyes sparkled with pleasure. "Did you..."
"What?" he nearly laughed at her flush.
"... sleep well?" she finished, her eyes darting away nervously as a flush rose in her cheeks.
"Ginny?" Harry sobered. "Are you okay?"
"I'm..." she looked back to him. "I've never done this before, Harry... and I've certainly never done that before... I'm just..."
"Come here," he pulled her to him, resting back on his pillows and holding her close to his side. "'That' was amazing... You..."
"Harry?"
"Hmm?"
"You're embarrassing me."
"Sorry... it's just..." He sighed. "Ginny, I don't know how to... you're wonderful... and I feel so incredibly lucky."
She pressed closer to him.
"I'm going to want to do that again," he spoke softly. "A lot. With you."
"Me, too," she agreed, pressing her hot face against his bare chest. "But I'm pretty sure that my Mum is going to arrive shortly, and I really, really doubt that she's going to allow us to share this room tonight..."
"That's not what I mean, Gin."
"Then what...?"
"I know we can't... well..." he flushed. "But eventually... I want that to be us... for us... always."
Ginny turned shocked eyes up to him.
"Don't... I know it's too soon, but... but I need you to know how I feel. Now, come on. Time to be up and dressed. I don't particularly want..."
At that moment, there was a knock on the door and they looked at each other, panicked. With a squeak, Ginny dove under the duvet.
"Who...?"
"Just me, Harry..." Remus stuck his head around the door. "Snape is nearly done with the potion... he wants everyone downstairs in fifteen minutes."
"Oh, I... okay, Remus... I'll be right there..." he was relieved when Remus nodded and withdrew.
"Oh, and," Remus said, sticking his head back around the door, a mischievious glint in his eye as he wiggled his eyebrows at Harry. "Good morning, Ginny."
Grinning , he winked before pulling back out and closing the door behind him.
"Oh, no!" Ginny whispered as she surfaced. "He knew I was here?"
"Relax, Gin," Harry smiled. "Remus won't say anything."
"To you maybe!"
"Ginny... he winked as he left. He's fine with it."
Ginny and Harry discovered the joys of the shower together, and quickly dressed. Ginny threw on a tshirt of Harry's and the jeans she'd been wearing the night before and followed him down the stairs, her hand clinging to his in such a way as to clearly communicate that he was going nowhere without her.
Ron stood at the bottom, looking up at them. As they neared, he flushed and turned away.
"Ron?"
"I do not want to know, okay?"
"Ron..."
"Harry," Ron turned on him, his eyes determined. "You are relatively new to this family, so let me tell you something, okay? Plausible deniability is everything... remember that. If I don't know, then I don't have to kill you, nor do I have to justify my brothers doing so. Understood?"
"Understood," Harry nodded.
"Good then. Now, while I go on believing that my sister is a complete innocent... I think we're needed in there."
Harry, taking a deep breath, took Ginny's hand and followed Ron into the den.
Snape and Dumbledore looked up at their entry. Dumbledore studied them for a moment before smiling and turning back to the cauldron sitting on the table between them.
Hermione looked down into the pot as Snape slowly stirred.
As they came further in, Harry saw Remus sitting on the sofa, half-asleep. He smirked at Harry, then got a rather serious look on his face, as though he had suddenly thought of something.
"I'd like to talk to you later, Harry... if you have a moment or two free?"
"Sure, Remus," Harry flushed as he felt Ginny's hand tighten in his. He gave her a reassuring squeeze, then turned to Hermione.
"I had underestimated the time involved, Harry," she flushed. "'Warmed, all, under a willow wand spark' takes rather longer than I had thought."
"Several hours, actually," Snape replied, not taking his eyes from the liquid in the cauldron. Dumbledore held the sparking wand an inch above the surface as Snape stirred constantly, peering down at the contents of the cauldron. "Proper potion making takes great patience... and... great... care..."
A thin thread of steam rose from the surface of the liquid. "There it is, Headmaster... it is ready."
Snape sighed, stopped stirring, and flexed his shoulders, closing his eyes in pain as he did.
"Wait... you've been stirring that all night?" Harry asked.
"That is what was required, Potter, yes," Snape cast sparking black eyes on Harry.
Harry stared at the Potions professor with new respect. "Thank you, Professor Snape. I greatly appreciate the fact that you were willing to do that."
"It is my job, Potter," Snape said after a slight pause, turning away and flexing his neck.
"Harry?" Dumbledore drew his attention.
"Yes, sir?"
"Have you brought those you need?"
"What do you mean, sir?"
"A friend, a loved one, a comrade in arms, Harry... you have those people here?"
"I... I thought it meant... of them..."
"No, Harry... it means three people who are those things to the person casting the spell... and that must be you."
"Oh..." He looked at the others in the room. "Yes... I have... Yes."
"Then, in the order given, they must bathe the painting with this potion... and recite the incantation, and then you must do the same. First, a friend, someone you trust above all others, Harry."
Dumbledore handed him a large brush, and Harry turned to Ron, handing it to him.
Ron looked surprised, then smiled, and moved to the cauldron, dipping the brush in and slowly drawing it over the surface of the painting of Harry's parents.
"Redutis, corroborro, sanguis, aliqued," he said softly as he did it. When he had covered every inch with the clear liquid, he handed the brush back to Harry and stepped back, out of the way.
"Now, a loved one, Harry... someone who you love above all others," Dumbledore smiled as Harry immediately turned and handed the brush to Ginny. Her eyes filled with tears, but she stepped forward, and repeated Ron's movements, her strong voice clearly stating the incantation before she moved back to Harry and handed the brush to him.
"And a comrade in arms, Harry... someone who is fighting the same fight you are, or who you would want by your side as you did so."
Harry hesitated, then stepped away from Ginny, walking over to where Snape stood looking out the window.
Coming up next to him, he held out the brush. Snape looked down at it, surprised, and then up into Harry's eyes. What Harry saw there surprised him for a moment. Snape looked almost... upset.
But then he nodded to Harry, took the brush and completed his part of the spell. Returning the brush to Harry, he held his eye for a moment, then turned away. Harry returned to the cauldron, dipping the brush in and repeating the movements of the others. He painted the clear solution over his mother's smiling face, her green eyes, and her bright red hair, so much like Ginny's. He then painted over his father, in his muggle suit, over the lopsided smile that Harry knew he shared, and over the flick of hair that stood up in the back.
He painted over the room in the background, the fire in the painted hearth, and over the onyx writing box that he had given Ginny last summer, that had held the secret to this. He painted every inch of the canvas, and then stepped back.
"Now, the incantation, Harry," Dumbledore's voice was soft.
"Redutis, corroborro, sanguis, aliqued!" Harry said, almost desperately.
It was like watching someone awaken from a nap, he decided later. There was infinitismal movement, then small stretches, then the flexing of muscles, as though too long asleep. Eyes blinked, and the couple in the painting looked at each other, smiling. They were oblivious to the others in the room as they kissed.
Harry felt tears come to his eyes. His parents had loved each other, that much was clear.
And then, they turned, and surveyed the room, their eyes coming to rest on Harry.
"Harry?" His mother's voice was musical. Light and soft, she smiled down at him. "It is, isn't it? You're my Harry..."
"Yes, Mum."
"Oh, that means that I..." she looked down at herself, her wedding finery and then at James, and then turned her eyes back to her son. "We're dead, aren't we?"
"Yes, Mum," Harry nodded, tears coming to his eyes. He felt someone take his hand. Ginny. Ginny was always there.
"Harry..." James smiled. "You're... you're a man!"
"Well," Harry smiled. "I... I'm of age, yes."
"And..." Lily's eyes moved from Harry to the girl at his side. "And who is this?"
"This..." Harry pulled Ginny forward, putting an arm about her shoulders. "This is Ginny Weasley... she's my... she's my girlfriend."
Lily smiled a beautiful wide smile, and James laughed. "Following in the tradition, I see."
"Tradition?"
"The Potter men have always gone for red-headed women, Harry," James cast a loving look at the bride next to him.
Harry flushed.
"And... Merlin! Remus?"
"Hello, James," Remus stood, his hands clasped, almost nervously, in front of him.
"Remus... what are you doing back there... come here!"
"I... James... I'm sorry..."
"Sorry?" James thought for a moment. "Sirius is gone, too, isn't he?"
"Yes, James."
"And...who..." James turned to Harry. "You raised him?"
"No, James," Remus said softly. "At the time... it was decided that I was... unfit..."
"Unfit?" James shook his head, then seemed to still.
"Who, Remus?" Lily looked as though she knew the answer already. "Who?"
Remus swallowed, and Harry thought he actually looked... sad.
"Petunia," Remus said softly. "And Vernon."
Lily and James stilled. Lily reacted first, turning to Harry.
"Oh, Harry... oh... I am... I never, ever..." she began to cry, and Harry stepped forward.
"I'm okay, really... I am... "
"I'm sorry, Harry," James said softly. "We knew what kind of people... well, Vernon Dursley is. I would never have had you there. I'm sorry. I hope it wasn't for... too long?"
"No," Harry turned and cast a very angry eye about the room. "I'm fine... I am fine."
Then he turned back to them.
"I... I need something from you... something that... I don't know that you can even give me. Voldemort..."
Lily gasped and James pulled her close.
"He's..."
"He killed you," Harry said flatly. "And I... I survived. He went away for a long time... but now he's back. And it's my job to... to defeat him."
Lily and James exchanged glances in the painting, then turned to look back down on him.
"We know of the prophecy, Harry," James said. "We know what you were fated for."
"Good," Harry said firmly. "That means I don't have to explain it."
"No," James agreed, his eyes meeting those of his son. "You don't."
"Aunt Daisy..."
"You know about her?" Lily asked, surprised. "Petunia told you about her?"
"She... came to me in a dream... she said you knew... you knew the power the Dark Lord knows not..."
"Harry..."
"You have to tell me! I have to defeat him... it's..." Harry glanced around the room, then back to them. "It's important. It's imperative."
"Harry... you already have it," Lily said softly.
"But.."
"Harry... don't know you what makes you strong? Stronger than him? Stronger than he could possibly begin to understand? What made your mother strong enough to protect you?" James asked gently.
"I..." Harry looked at them a moment, then glanced at Ginny, and Remus, and Ron and Hermione... "I..."
"That's right, Harry. You've had it all along. Don't push away those who care about you, it's your biggest strength."
"But..."
"But what?"
"I don't want them to be hurt," he said softly.
"The only true way to hurt them is to not allow them to help you, Harry. You need them to defeat Voldemort. You need everything they can give to you. But you knew that already."
Harry looked up at the painting of his parents, and nodded. "Yes. Yes, I did."
"Albus Dumbledore!" a shrill voice cried from the hall outside the doors.
Dumbledore looked from the painting to the hall doors to Harry.
"And so it begins," he said with a wink and then a sigh.
Molly Weasley had arrived.
