Chapter 15: Intuitive Actions and Innocent Alcoves

Harry slept uneasily that night, weighing out what Hermione had said. At first, when reflecting upon her interpretation of the prophecy, the only thought that came to mind was 'that's it. 'Mione's finally cracked. All that knowledge she's accumulated over the years has turned her brain to mush. Mental, that one'. After many more ponderings, hours and distressed pleadings from Ron to stop tossing and turning so he could get to sleep, Harry finally rose, donned his dressing gown and began pacing the hallway on the third floor, his thoughts moving far faster than his legs could carry him. He needed to do something, and his gut told him that taking a wander might help calm his frazzled nerves enough that he could sleep.

'What am I going to do? How am I supposed to tell Ginny? I mean, supposedly Dumbledore knows everything- but I don't think that even HE would be able to give me advice as to how to go about this.'

Harry snorted to himself.

'Honestly, the whole 'look, Gin, Hermione's gone and interpreted the Prophecy and she thinks that if we shag it will help me tap into my secret 'love' power to defeat Voldemort' approach is beginning to look a lot more likely.

'Oh shit. I don't even know the first thing about sex. I mean- saying cute things to flatter girls and picking out nice gifts for birthdays and Christmas are no problem, but… actually giving my all to her like that? And asking for it in return? You've got to be kidding me- Ginny would never. I don't deserve her. What in the name of Merlin made me even THINK that she would consider being with me like that? She's Ginny Weasley, for crying out loud! I'm surprised she even give me the time of—'

A distinct movement at the end of the hall stopped Harry's midnight thoughts dead in their tracks. Instinctively, he pulled his wand from its inside pocket underneath his dressing gown.

"Who's there?" he asked, much more boldly than he felt.

"Harry?" whispered an equally false in the bravery department voice.

"Gin? Is that you?"

Harry rushed over to her, and pulled her into an embrace.

"What are you doing up this late?"

Ginny snorted. "I think I'm inclined to be asking the same question of yourself, Mr. Potter."

"Oh. I, uh, um… Sleepwalking?" he replied, stupidly.

The disheveled redhead giggled, and took the black haired boy's hand, leading him into one of the master bedrooms.

"Come on- let's talk in here. I don't want to risk waking up any of the other midnight 'sleepwalkers' in this place."

Heading towards the nearest bedchamber, Harry found it was one of many that he had never been in. Looking at the walls that were reflecting the moonlight, he saw that they were masterfully painted in a mural fashion. Each wall had its own part of a landscape, more specifically, a bay at sunset. Harry noticed that it looked like some of the Muggle photos taken where the foreground image looked blackened against the fiery oranges, yellows and reds of the background sunset. The sun itself was painted on the westernmost wall, and each wall surrounding it showed it fading into the night with a full moon, which was pictured on the eastern partition. Harry and Ginny both stopped to admire the way the paint seemed to fade perfectly into the alternating scene- a work that surely was no easy feat. The walls seemed to be enchanted so that if you listened hard enough, you could almost hear the soft lapping of the distant waves on the sand.

"It's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen," whispered Ginny, reverently.

Harry opened his mouth to reply that he could think of something (or, more particularly, someone) that was more beautiful than this room, but he elected not to reply.

He smiled. "It is. We'll have to explore over Christmas Holiday and see what other rooms are here. We can pick a favorite once we've seen them all."

Unable to withhold his curiosity any longer, he turned to Ginny.

"So what's up? Couldn't sleep either, huh?"

"No."

"What's on your mind? Anything I can help with?" he asked concernedly.

She sighed deeply. "No, I suppose not. I mean- it's about you, of course, so I don't really know what you could do."

"Gin, you're not still letting the Prophecy bother you, are you?"

"No," she lied, although she knew it was useless.

"Ah. I see. Would it help if I told you that it's the same reason I couldn't sleep?"

He was rewarded with a small smile. "Maybe."

Harry sat down on the bed and waved his hand, causing the torches to light dimly.

"Wow," Ginny breathed, "you're really getting the hang of that whole wandless magic thing, aren't you?"

Harry grinned sheepishly, "Yeah, but it's only the little things, really. But sometimes, it's enough. Sit with me?"

It was a request, not an order, and Ginny knew as such. Smiling, she perched herself next to the wizard that was so much more than she had ever hoped he would be. Snuggling closer to him, together they leaned back on the pillows and made themselves comfortable, Ginny's head resting on Harry's chest while he smoothed her bed-rumpled hair. Ginny couldn't help but sigh and smile with pleasure at the boy's gentle and caring caress. She couldn't explain it, but she knew that when she was in Harry's arms she felt completely at ease with the world- as if nothing could touch her. She loved that feeling.

As she melted into his touch, all her worries seemed to fade. Thoughts of Voldemort, the prophecy, living up to the standard that Hermione had set for the female Gryffindor Prefects, everything- all seemed to just melt away when she was with Harry. They lay there together, holding each other, until Harry noticed that Ginny was slightly shivering. She hadn't bothered to put on a dressing gown, as she didn't think she would be out of her room this long.

"Gin?"

"Yeah?"

"You're cold. Do you want me to take you back to your room?"

She paused. In this moment, she didn't want to be anywhere other than in the arms of Harry James Potter. Taking a moment, she weighed the risks. She knew they were going back to Hogwarts in the morning, and so everyone would be up extra early. If her and Harry fell asleep together there could be dire consequences, no matter how innocent it really was. Sighing, she made up her mind.

"Harry?"

"Yes, love?"

"Can we just stay here? It's just that, I know if I go back into my and Hermione's room I'll never get to sleep."

"She snores, doesn't she?" asked Harry, chuckling.

Ginny giggled, "Haha, yeah, actually, she does."

"No wonder her and Ron were meant for each other. His snores could wake the dead some nights, I swear it."

"Hehe. No, Hermione's not that bad, but it's still irritating sometimes. What I really meant, though, is that there's so much on my mind that I know I'd never fall asleep. But when I'm with you, I just relax right off. So could we just stay here tonight? I'd really appreciate it."

Harry just stared, not believing what his ears were telling him he heard.

"For me, Harry? Just this once?" she asked, almost pleading now.

Harry was surprised. He knew that he had a lot n his mind, but he now realized how selfish he was being by not thinking about how much this might be affecting Ginny. He made up his mind. It wasn't because he was feeling sorry for her, or that he was feeling guilty, but because he knew that he felt the same way. When he was holding Ginny in his arms, it felt like nothing could hurt him. A dawning of understanding unfolded in Harry's mind, and he answered.

"Of course, Gin. I think I need this just as much as you do."

She raised her head. "Really?"

"Yeah. When I'm with you, everything melts away. I never knew you felt that, too."

"Looks like we need each other more than we thought, huh?"

Harry smiled, and kissed her forehead, reflecting on his conversation about the Prophecy with Hermione earlier that day.

"You have no idea."

Standing up, he leaned over and whispered, 'wait here' and journeyed into the hallway to call Dobby. The elf appeared in an instant.

"Dobby," he whispered, "can you do me a favor, please?"

"Of course, Master Harry! Anything the master wishes, sir!" the elf replied, his voice at least three octaves higher than usual as he was whispering, too.

"Can you make sure to wake Ginny and I up before Mrs. Weasley and everyone else? I don't want us to get in trouble."

Dobby smiled knowingly. "Of course, Master Harry. Dobby is proud to keep his secrets for his new master. I is hoping that you and Miss Ginny will help each other keep the nightmares away."

Harry looked at his house elf inquiringly, "How do you know about the nightmares, Dobby?"

The elf smiled, and then gazed down at his large toes.

"Dobby knows everything, sir. Dobby hopes sir won't think he is sneaking, but Dobby hears when Miss Ginny and Master Harry is talking in their sleep. So, Dobby goes to the room and tries to chase the dreams away with his magic."

The elf looked at his feet, and shuffled them in a way that Harry knew meant that he was scared he was in trouble.

"Sometimes it is not working, Master Harry. Sometimes Dobby can't make the dreams go away. Like the time when Dobby had to put the silencing spell on Master Harry and go get Master Dumbledore.

"Dobby was scared for Mister Potter, sir. Dobby… Dobby thought He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was after his master. So Dobby went to get powerful Master Dumbledore to make it better."

Harry got down on one knee, and pulled the small creature into a warm embrace.

"Thanks, Dobby. You're one of the best friends a wizard could have. I was wondering why I wasn't having so many nightmares any more."

Dobby looked up, tears brimming in his tennis ball shaped eyes.

"Did Master… Did Master just call Dobby a- a…" the elf seemed unable to finish.

"A friend? Of course I did," said Harry, rising from the floor. "I don't know what I'd do without you sometimes, Dob."

The elf began to cry, but he restrained himself from his normally glass-shattering sobs. Attaching himself to Harry's knees, he began to sob into them.

"Oh! Master Harry is too good to Dobby! But Dobby will make sure that he and Miss Ginny are awake before the others, sir! Dobby is a good house elf, sir, and will never let Harry Potter down!"

"Thanks Dobby, and sorry I woke you."

"Not at all, Master Harry, not at all. Dobby is only happy to work for Mister Potter. Good night, sir!"

The elf pried himself off of Harry's kneecaps and scampered down the hall, simply skipping with joy. Harry smiled, and returned to the room where Ginny was waiting, now almost wide-awake on the bed.

"I take it you heard him then?" ask Harry, walking over to her.

"Yeah. I always wondered how the nightmares would just suddenly stop in the middle sometimes. He's really great, isn't he Har?"

"Yeah. I don't know what I'd do without him, really. Now, it's time for bed."

Harry walked over, and lifted up Ginny in his arms. With a movement of his head to the side, the blankets folded themselves down, and he laid her on the soft mattress.

"Geez, Gin, I'm surprised your mum isn't telling YOU to eat more! I didn't think you'd be this light!"

She smiled as Harry pulled the blankets up to her chin, before climbing in beside her.

"Eh, fast metabolism. I had to have one with all those brothers. I could never keep up if I was fat. That and it's hard to get all the good food on the table with six brothers ahead of you in the line.

"Besides- it runs in the family. Look at Ron. He's super skinny and he eats almost non-stop."

"You've got a point there."

Harry raised his hand above the blankets, and slowly lowered it down, bringing with it the lights from the torches. Rolling onto his side, he brought his arm once again underneath the comforter, snuggled up behind Ginny and wrapped her in his embrace. She warmed to his touch, now sleepy again that he was back with her in bed.

"Good night, Ginny," he whispered.

"Good night, Harry. Sweet dreams."

He smiled, although she couldn't see since she was facing away from him.

"With you here? No need. I've got all my dreams come true."

Bringing themselves closer together under the covers, they soon fell into a sleep that was enviable: sweet, deep, long and happy. Tomorrow morning the Hogwarts Express would bring trials, adventures and friendships they never dreamed possible, but right then, it didn't matter a single bit.

Harry and Ginny had each other, and that was all they needed.