See! I Told you it would be up sooner! lol. Thanks to all the Reviewers! You rock my world.;) ~BabeyRachey

Stepping Sideways

Chapter 10: Changed Views

For the rest of that afternoon, Ginny and Harry sat together. The rest of the Weasley's were relieved to see them back to the way things were. But both Harry and Ginny realized that something was very different, even if they wouldn't admit it.

When in the company of others, Harry would sneak glances at Ginny, then look away pretending he hadn't. Ginny would sit beside Harry and look discreetly at him, blushing and looking away every few seconds. Luckily, nobody else seemed to notice this abnormal behavior.

That night, after Madame Promfrey had shooed a reluctant Ginny from Harry's bedside, Harry lay mentally berating himself for his actions.

'You can't look at her like that! She's Ron's sister for crying out loud!' He shouted in his mind. But he couldn't help thinking of Ginny's beautiful smile, the way her eyes shone when she laughed, how her hair . . .

"Stop it!" He said out loud, hitting his head with his hand. He had just patched things up with her, and he was thinking the craziest things. As if he was in lo-. Harry stopped his mind in mid-thought. He wasn't even going to go there.

But Harry thought of the past week of summer. She had been so understanding, so peaceful, so willing to listen. Harry sighed and leaned into his pillow. Things were different between them. Not uncomfortable, but different.

Had he ever noticed before that the two bottom front teeth were slightly crooked? Had he ever noticed that her green eyes had specks of gold? Or that she had a dimple in her right cheek when she smiled?

Frustrated with himself and not sure how to handle these new observations, Harry fell once again into a restless sleep.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Even as Harry was debating with himself, Ginny was lying restlessly on her bed, unable to settle down. Her mind kept spinning, filled with Harry's words, his face.

Sure she had had a crush on him for the past four years, but this was insane. She couldn't stop thinking of that moment in the infirmary, when he had forgiven her. When they had been nose to nose, her looking into his dreamy, emerald eyes.

Trying to jar these memories, Ginny sat up suddenly, but all she felt was a slight lightheadedness. "Just what I need . . " She muttered into the darkness. Leaning back against the headboard of her bed, Ginny stared into nothingness, her eyes unfocused.

Harry. . . Harry. . . Harry. . .

His name resounded in her head, which was filled with images of him from the past four years.

When she first saw him when she was ten, when he came over to the Burrow, Seeing him in the hospital bed only that very day. . .

Resigned to the fact that it wouldn't stop, Ginny reached over and pulled out her diary from her overnight bag, along with a quill and some ink.

'Dear Diary' She wrote, 'Have I got a story and a half to tell you . . . '

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Harry woke up the next morning with a smile and a feeling of great contentment, which only ebbed slightly when he realized he was still in the hospital wing at Hogwarts. With a groan he starting to swing his legs out of bed, only to be stop by a shooting pain go through his leg.

Tenderly lifting the sheets, Harry grimaced when he saw his knee. Though it was now straight, it was bruised and still slightly swollen, painful to even touch.

Looking around, Harry didn't see anyone there, so ever-so-slowly he shifted, and gingerly set his feet on the cold, stone floor. He started stand, only to collapse back onto the bed with a sharp cry of pain. Sweat beaded his upped lip from the exertion.

Madame Promfrey hurried over to his bed and immediately knew what he had tried to do.

"Now Mr. Potter, That wasn't a very smart thing to do now, was it?"

Harry only looked at her. Taking pity on him, the healer squelched her amusement, and helped him sit back up on the bed, and waved her wand. Harry immediately felt the pain in his knee fade.

"Can I get up now?" He asked, letting a little bit of a whine into his voice.

"Certainly not! You're leg cannot hold up to that much strain. You did a nice little number on your knee, Mr. Potter."

Harry sighed, leaning back against his pillows. " I thought I was supposed to be leaving today!" Madame Promfrey raised an eyebrow. "You are, indeed." "But how can I if you won't even let me out of bed?!" Harry cried, frustrated. He felt fine, at the moment.

Madame Promfrey went back to her office, and came back with a pair of crutches. Harry's eyes widened. "Uh-uh. I'm not going around on those for the rest of the summer!" The healer clicked her tongue disapprovingly.

"Perhaps not all of it, but most of it." She leaned them beside Harry's bedside table. "Unless you don't want to play Quidditch this school year. . ." Harry instant shut his mouth, which he had opened to argue.

Harry was saved from further lecture by the Weasley family bursting through the Infirmary doors. Harry couldn't help but grin. Fred and George had apparently done something to Bill's hair, which was now bright blue. Mrs.Weasley was scolding the twins, Charlie and Ginny were barely holding in their laughter, and Bill looked mutinous.

"Hey, guys." Harry greeted as they got closer. Ginny immediately took her seat beside him. Harry smiled at her before turning back to the others.

"Hey Bill," He grinned, unable to help himself, "I like what you did with your hair. It really brings out your eyes."

Fred and George hooted with laughter, along with Ginny and Charlie. Even Mrs.Weasley seemed to be hiding a smile. Bill grunted grumpily, sending them into more heaves of laughter.

After they had calmed down, Harry spoke up again. "So, can we leave now?"

Mrs.Weasley looked to Madame Promfrey, who was now rechecking Harry's knee. After several moments she stood up and gave them a small smile.

"Yes, you can leave. But," Her voice turned stern. "You will use your crutches until you come see me again in eight weeks. Is the understood? And no Quidditch." Harry nodded reluctantly.

Gingerly, he sat up and took the crutches. As he stood, he felt his knee become weightless. But as soon as he put it on the ground, the pain returned, sharp and stabbing.

"The spell will last for two weeks, Mr. Potter." Madame Promfrey explained. "By then, you better have learned common sense. Is that understood?"

"Yes, Ma'am." Harry mock saluted. Madame Promfrey shook her head, but smiled.

"Very well. Now what are you still doing here? Shoo!" Harry left as quickly as possible on his crutches, following the excited, and relieved, Weasley family. Ginny hung back to walk with him.

"We're going to Flitwick's office." She said. Harry looked at her in surprise. "Why?" "So you don't have to go up the stairs." Ginny explained, looking sympathetic. Harry frowned. He hadn't thought about getting up and down stairs.

"It'll be fine!" Ginny said quickly, seeing the look on his face. "Mum is going to set you up a bed on the couch, until you can navigate the stairs well enough." Harry nodded, but inside he winced. He had been such a burden on the Weasley's already.

Entering Flitwick's office, Mrs.Weasley quickly found the pot of floo powder. "Here Bill, Charlie, you two go first." Throwing the powder into the fire, Bill shouted 'The Burrow!", Charlie quickly following.

"Ok, Harry, You next."

Supporting the crutch under his arm, Harry grabbed a pinch of floo powder and tossed it into the fire. He stepped in and had the familiar feeling of comfortable warm flames flicking about him. Holding tightly to his crutches, he cried, "The burrow!"

Harry felt the familiar spinning, and felt his crutches hit his legs. Suddenly, he was being coughed out at the Weasley's and being caught by a blue-haired Bill.

"Thanks." He coughed, trying to right himself. "No problem." Bill replied, helping the black-haired boy regain his feet. Luckily, he moved in time to keep Ron from falling back into him. Ginny quickly followed, then Mrs.Weasley.

"You all right, Harry?" Ginny inquired. "Fine." He answered, still feeling slightly nauseous. Floo powder wasn't one of his favorite ways to travel. After several moments, he looked up to see the smiling face of Ginny. He grinned.

"Everything is perfect."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

That's it! Sorry if it's kinda short. Tell me what you think! Please review! And I will have some Ron and Hermione, give me time! :-P Thanks to everyone! And, ack, I'm really bad at this. I didn't use that hint. Arg. It'll come up, eventually. Toodles, and sry!

~BabeyRachey

Hint for the Next Chapter: Harry lay in the darkness of the living room, Sirius sleeping protectively at his feet. He heard Ginny's soft footsteps coming down the stairs. "Ginny?" He called softly. The door to the living room opened a crack. "Harry?" "I'm awake, Gin."