CHAPTER TEN
ANDREW
"I'm so glad you had this idea Hermione, it's been so long since I've had a proper girly chat." Ginny said as she sipped the glass of orange juice on the table before her. She leaned back in her seat and looked across the table at Hermione who was still deciding what to order from the menu.
"Yeah same here. We can't drift apart though, we should definitely do this more often.'' Hermione said looking up from her menu at her friend smiling.
"So have you decided yet?'' Ginny asked smiling, she knew that Hermione would order the same thing she always ordered, she did it every time. She'd spent ages pouring over the menu and then order what she always did.
"Yes I think I'll have the lasagne.'' Hermione said. Ginny grinned, she had been right. "What?" Hermione asked, noticing her friend trying not to laugh.
"Nothing Hermione. Nothing at all. So how are things with you and Ron anyway?'' Ginny asked harmlessly, trying to change the subject, she paused and waited for her friend to answer once she had given their orders to the waiter who had just approached the table.
Hermione smiled as the waiter walked off with their menus and their orders before turning back to her friend and answering her question. "Things are fine with us, just the same as they always are." Hermione replied smiling. "How are things at St Mungo's any dishy doctors there?''
"They're not doctors they're Healers and for your information very few of them are actually dishy.'' Ginny replied with a mock air of annoyance. "Well one of them is actually quite nice. His names Andrew I think he sort of likes me.'' Ginny said blushing.
"Really?'' Hermione gasped.
"I don't know, I've been working there for almost a month now, and there have been plenty of signs, you know what I mean. Extended eye contact, I've caught him looking at me a lot. You know what I mean right?''
"Yeah I know. I was never good at spotting the signs with Ron but I should've noticed his ears turn pink every time we spoke."
"I think it's actually harder to see the signs if you really like them back. I mean you're so preoccupied thinking how much they obviously couldn't like you that you don't even realise that they're watching you.''
"So are you saying you don't like this Andrew."
"No I do, but not in the same way I liked.... Harry.'' Ginny sighed, this wasn't the first time she had allowed her mind to slip back to Harry, she swore to herself that she'd forget about him for good after finding out what he did, but it was harder than ever now. That night at the party had been the best night of her life, having Harry close to her again after years of separation was heaven and now it would never happen again.
"You never just liked Harry though did you Gin, it was always more with you, you've loved him from the start, even back in your second year, that was no crush, you were in love with him.''
"I know, that's what makes it so hard."
"What's hard Gin?'' Hermione asked sympathetically ignoring the plate of lasagne that the waiter had just laid down in front of her.
"You don't know do you? You don't know why he broke up with me?''
"Yeah I do." Hermione said slowly, watching as Ginny's head swung up, her piercing eyes demanding an explanation.
"Harry told me about your row, a few days after the party.'' Hermione lied; Ginny couldn't know that she had known all along. It was hers and Harry's secret, she'd kept it well for the past four years, and she wasn't about to let it slip now.
"Oh right, so do you talk to Harry a lot then?'' Ginny asked trying to sound uninterested but failing as she picked at her plate of pasta.
"Not really that much, I hardly ever see him lately. Ron came round a few weeks ago and he just said that he had seen Harry and Sirius together talking, and I haven't really seen him since then. I guess he must just be working or something.''
"Oh right.'' Ginny said sadly.
"So what are you going to do about this Andrew then?'' Hermione asked, switching the conversation back into a more light hearted atmosphere.
"I don't know, I could be wrong, he may just be acting friendly I don't know. But if he does like me, I don't think I'd like to take it further."
"Why?''
"Well for one thing I work with him almost everyday and it would be very unprofessional and another thing, and you have to swear not to tell him this." Ginny said looking at Hermione as though deciding whether to let her secret out.
"I swear.'' Hermione said knowing what was coming next.
"I'm still in love with Harry." Ginny said in a whisper as though afraid someone may overhear and go straight to Harry and let him know. "But you cannot tell him about this, promise me."
"I promise." Hermione said resigned to the fact that she knew they were both in love with each other and the fact that she had promised them both that she would never tell the other. If only she could break her promise and just let Harry know how Ginny felt, that would give him the courage to try and win her heart, or if she could only tell Ginny that Harry was going crazy missing her, then she would see that being apart was mad. But Hermione never broke her promise and though it pained her to see her two best friends like this they would have to work it out on their own.
"Good." Ginny said stoutly and resumed eating her pasta. "So have you heard from the Department of Mysteries yet?''
"No not yet, honestly I am going crazy not knowing about it. I could even accept rejection right now; it's the not knowing that's killing me. I hate sitting around the house doing nothing of great importance while you, Ron and Harry are out doing what you love."
"You'll hear from them soon Hermione, they can't keep you waiting much longer." Ginny said sympathetically.
"I hope so and when I do hear, whether I get the job or not we're having a huge party." Hermione said grinning, thinking that a party would do everybody a lot of good.
"Excellent idea, you know I'm always up for a party. Colin will be pleased, he's always whining because we haven't been out in ages, he doesn't seem to understand how tiring it is working at the hospital.''
"Oh it must be awful, flirting all day long.'' Hermione said grinning.
"Shut up! I do not flirt, well much anyway.'' Ginny said laughing along with her friend.
"Your awful.''
"Yeah well what am I supposed to do when that useless idiot hasn't even been round to apologise yet?'' Ginny said, and although she was laughing when she said it Hermione could hear the hurt in her voice. Ginny sighed inwardly, it had been bothering her for weeks, if Harry was so sorry for what he did why hadn't he been around to see her, why hadn't he bothered to check if she was ok?
"You know what he's like Gin, we both do."
"Yes I do know what he's like.'' Ginny said with a sigh, it seemed to her as though if anybody was going to make the first move it was going to have to be her. Perhaps she could do it at Hermione's party. Keep him waiting a while longer, she still hadn't properly forgiven him yet.
Harry sat down at a small desk, his eyes skimming back and forth over the parchment that lay before him. His eyes ached; he had been staring at the parchment for almost two hours now and nothing. It was still covered with the same messy scrawl that he had written and painstakingly thought over, but it wasn't good enough. Not for her. It never would be.
He took his glasses of and rubbed his eyes, his concentration was ebbing away and all he could see were pictures of her in his mind, flashing through his mind like photographs. He could see himself holding her in his arms tightly; he saw their first kiss, their first dance, and the way her hair shone in the firelight of their room.
He needed her back in his life, he couldn't live with memories anymore, and he needed her to touch and to kiss and to feel. It wasn't enough just to picture and imagine her anymore. His heart longed for her soft touch against his face, her smooth lips on his skin, her shiny hair between his fingers, and the warmth of her embrace.
Pushing his glasses on once again, Harry focused on the parchment that lay on the desk before him, he had to get this finished, he had to get this done and done right. It needed to be perfect, it needed to capture the way he felt about her perfectly. It wasn't going to be easy to put down in words what he felt when he thought of her but he had to try, it was the only way he could try and get her back.
Ginny walked through the front door of her house, she had just returned from her day out with Hermione and was as exhausted as if she had just worked a full shift at St Mungo's but it had been worth it. They had finished up at the restaurant with two huge bowls of ice cream then proceeded to Diagon Alley to promptly spend some hard earned cash.
She left her many shopping bags abandoned on the floor just inside the front door and rushed into the kitchen to make a cup of tea, there was nothing like relaxing with a nice cup of tea. She flicked her wand and soft music started playing throughout her home. Perfect, Ginny thought as she sank down onto her sofa with a warm cup of tea cradled in both hands, this was perfect. She took a sip of sweet tea from the mug and felt her eyes drooping; she couldn't fall asleep on the sofa. Finish your tea and go to bed then, she told herself firmly, setting her teacup of the coffee table and leaning back into the soft cushions of the sofa. Do not sleep now, she repeated in her head over and over again as she drifted off to sleep. Maybe a small nap won't hurt.
Harry ran quickly down the small road to the post office in Diagon Alley, he had to make it in time he just had to, he couldn't not send it, not after spending all day writing it. He reached the small building just as the owner was stepping out into the street and locking the door behind him.
"Wait.'' Harry called as he ran at full speed towards the old man. "Please wait.''
The old man turned towards the source of the voice and was taken aback by the young man sprinting towards him, looking like he would crash into him if he didn't slow down soon. Harry stopped short of the man, panting holding a roll of pink parchment in his outstretched hand. "Please don't close up, I have to post this letter it's important." Harry panted, his chest heaving, he had run the length of Diagon Alley in under two minutes.
"I'm sorry sir, but I have already locked up, it'll have to wait until the morning." The old man said calmly, as though he were oblivious to Harry's panic.
"No you don't understand this is urgent, I have to send it right now, please.'' Harry pleaded with the old man. "You have to." He begged, pushing his sweaty fringe away from his eyes.
"Oh my, you're, you're Harry Potter.'' The old man said, apparently flustered upon learning the desperate young man's identity. "Why of course I'll let you send that letter. I'm ever so sorry I didn't realise.'' The old man said placing the key back in the lock and opening up again. Harry didn't even stop to feel embarrassed at the attention he was receiving from the elderly wizard who was now gazing at him in awe. He rushed into the shop and beckoned a small brown owl down from one of the shelves, and tied the parchment to its outstretched leg, and whispered where the owl could find her. He pulled two galleons out of his pocket and handed them gratefully to the owner of the post office.
"Thank you very much.'' Harry said gracefully handed the two golden coins over to the man. "You're very kind thank you.''
"No thank you Harry Potter.'' The wizard said as the owl swooped out of the small shop and into the dusky sky.
Harry smiled awkwardly to the old man and muttered a quick thank you before walking away feeling very pleased with himself, but then slightly nervous at the same time, she was going to be receiving that letter in a few hours, there was nothing he could do to stop it now, all he could do was wait.
Ginny lay still asleep on the sofa where she had told herself not to fall asleep, she had pulled a throw around her and now lay, wrapped up in the soft woollen throw sleeping peacefully. He fiery hair fanned out on the cushion that she lay on. A soft tapping sounded on her window, growing increasing louder and more impatient.
"I'll be up in a minute mum." Ginny mumbled groggy with sleep. The persistent tapping continued.
"Alright, alright I'm getting up.'' Ginny called out as she threw the covers of her and sat up, it took her a moment to realise exactly where she was and what was making that noise. She looked over to her window and saw an unfamiliar small brown owl tapping at the glass impatiently, a pink roll of parchment tied to its leg.
She got up from her seat on the sofa and opened the window, the owl flew in and held out it's leg impatiently as though tired of waiting to be relieved of its burden. Ginny swiftly untied the parchment from the owl's leg and stroked his feathers gently before he flew off again out through the window.
After shutting the window and sitting back on the sofa, she slowly untied the string that bound the parchment she unrolled it and read through it quickly, then again, and again. Shock registered all over her face, who was this from, who wrote this beautiful thing for her and only her.
She looked down at the smooth pink parchment and read it for the fourth time.
The sea has its pearls
The heaven has its stars
But my heart, my heart
My heart has its love
Great are the sea and the heavens
Yet greater is my heart.
And fairer than pearls and stars
You my dear, my love
Kind and beautiful maiden
Come into my great heartMy heart and the sea and the heavens
Are melting away with love.
The handwriting was unfamiliar yet strangely familiar, like she had seen it before, maybe in a dream. The words were beautiful who could've written such things for her, who could have such feelings for her. It was beautiful.
She ran her fingers over the cursive writing, her emotions jumbled in her heart.
"Andrew?'' She whispered, a quiet question that no one would hear, no one would answer but one that she knew would need to be answered. She held up the parchment and read over it again, a small, satisfied smile playing across her lips.
"Oh my God Ginny that is gorgeous." Colin gushed as he read over the pink parchment that Ginny had handed to him. "It's beautiful, and you think Andrew wrote this to you?''
"Well yeah I mean who else could it be?''
"True, I mean I don't know anyone who could write something this beautiful.'' Colin gushed. "And he does seem the type, tall, strong and handsome, very poetic.''
"Why don't you date him then Col?'' Ginny asked sarcastically, she didn't know what to make of it. It couldn't be Andrew could it? What was she going to say to him when she saw him next, how was he going to act?
"Oh believe me Gin if I could I would, but I don't think it's me he's interested in." Colin said wisely, smiling at Ginny.
"Oh shut up would you, I don't even know if it was him who sent it anyway." Ginny said sighing. "I know who I wish it was anyway." She thought quietly to herself.
"What are you so happy about?" Ron called out to Harry as he apparated into their apartment and heard Harry singing in the front room.
"Everything." Harry called back happily, walking into the kitchen where Ron was searching through the cupboards.
"Why is there no food here?'' He called out, not realising that Harry was now in the same room as him. "I'm starving."
"Well if I 'd been expecting your company then maybe I would've gone shopping.'' Harry answered back cheekily, nothing could bring him down today he was confident that he was going to win her heart.
"What are you on about, I live here.''
"You could've fooled me.'' Harry said as he switched on the television. "Oh look Ron, looks what's on the television!"
"Is that the Terminator? Oh my god we haven't seen that in ages.''
"Lets watch it, it's only just started."
"All right then.'' Ron sat as he flopped down on to the sofa next to Harry and they both sat watching the screen awestruck.
"That's was bloody amazing.'' Ron said as the credits for the Terminator rolled up the screen. "I'd forgotten how much we loved that film."
"Remember that summer?'' Harry said nostalgically.
"Yeah, it was the best, those days at Hermione's house were the best.''
"The night we played Truth or dare was pretty close wasn't it?" Harry said fondly thinking back to the summer after his fifth year, when he had thought he was totally alone and unloved, he had found Ginny, she had been his saviour his guardian angel.
"Yeah I know I told Hermione that I thought she was amazing, and you almost told Gin that you liked her." Ron said reminiscing. "Then we had to pretend that we never said anything the next day."
"Those were the days.'' Harry said smiling.
"Harry there's something I've been meaning to talk to you about.'' Ron started awkwardly, he had been a friend to Harry for years, best friends, but he only truly realised now that they had never had to have many serious conversations about feelings and stuff. That was why it was so awkward now.
"Okay, what about?'' Harry said nervously.
"Look I heard about what you did for Ginny. She told me the other day Harry. And I just wanted to tell you that I'm so sorry.'' Ron said the tips of his ears were burning pink with embarrassment, but he continued. "I'm sorry for what I did to you, I should've known that you wouldn't hurt her purposely, I'm sorry Harry...''
"Look Ron, it doesn't matter we made up years ago. It's all forgotten now okay?''
"I guess but there's one more thing I have to know. I swear I won't say anything to her, I won't even tell Hermione if you don't want me to."
"What is it?''
"Do you still love her?''
"I've never stopped loving her.'' Harry said simply, and there was a painful truth in his eyes that Ron couldn't ignore. He had no idea of how much Harry had suffered but now he did; now he could truly see what Harry had sacrificed for his only sister. "And I'm sure it'll be all right if Hermione knows.'' Harry said, knowing that Hermione was intelligent enough to act surprised when Ron told her that he still loved Ginny. He couldn't bear to tell Ron that Hermione had known all along, it wouldn't do their relationship any good, and Harry didn't want Ron to feel as though he didn't value him as a friend, it was just that sometimes he needed to talk to Hermione about these things. He needed sisterly advice.
"I'm so sorry Harry I really had no idea. God I feel like such a prat."
"Maybe because you are one.'' Harry said happily.
"Hey, I'll get you for that.'' Ron said standing up from his seat, glancing briefly at the clock on the wall. "Shit I'm late I was meant to be at Hermione's half an hour ago. She's going to kill me."
"Just tell her that we were watching Terminator, I'm sure she'll understand.'' Harry said laughing, knowing that that excuse would only make her angrier.
"Shut it you.'' Ron said mock angrily. "I'll be back.'' He said dramatically, quoting his favourite line from the film before swiftly apparating to Hermione's house.
Hermione had just got off the phone to Ginny when she heard a crack in the living room, indicating that Ron had finally arrived. She wasn't even that angry with him for being very late, she had just heard something amazing from Ginny, something that she would have to tell Ron immediately.
"Mione where are you?'' Ron called out timidly.
"I'm in the kitchen.'' She called back and he was pleased to note that she didn't sound angry at all. He walked through to the kitchen and was about to launch into a full apology but Hermione got in there first.
"You'll never guess what's happened. Ginny's got a secret admirer. Someone sent her a lovely romantic poem yesterday, she doesn't know exactly who it's from, but she thinks its from a man she knows who works with her. His name is Andrew and apparently he's been giving off signs that he likes her for weeks. Isn't that great?'' Hermione gushed, and Ron couldn't help but smile, he loved how she was so passionate about everything. Then a picture of Harry came into his mind and he shook his head.
"No, no it's not great at all. It's terrible."
"Why?''
"Because Harry is still in love with her. Ginny told me why he left her, and I spoke to him just now. That's why I was late because Harry was really upset and he needed me to stay with him."
"Really? It has nothing to do with the fact that Terminator was just on TV?'' Hermione asked knowingly.
"Of course not.'' Ron said in a scandalized voice.
"Whatever. How do you know he's still in love with her?''
"He just told me Hermione. Isn't that a real shock, I'd never of guessed.''
"Yes that is a surprise.'' Hermione said, trying to hide the fact that she already knew.
"Well we'll have to tell him he's got competition and he needs to make his move now.'' Ron said eagerly.
"I'm sure that it won't hurt if we wait until tomorrow to tell him, you still haven't made up for being late yet after all.'' Hermione said in a low voice, wrapping her arms slowly around his neck and playing with the hair at the nape of his neck, as he leaned in for a long slow kiss.
(A.N Thanks guys for you reviews on the last chapter and for all the chapters really, you've been amazing. I hope you enjoyed this chapter I know I enjoyed writing it I love fluff. I promise its only going to get fluffier. Please leave a review. Thanks.)