Time passed, but the picture of the living room in the Burrow remained the same. A boy and a girl, sitting in front of the fire, holding each other. After an hour passed in silence, Harry started talking. He told Ginny about the Marauders. How his father, Sirius, Lupin and Wormtail were at school together, about them becoming Animagi, Wormtail being the traitor, everything. She just sat in his arms, listening. After the story ended, Ginny's eyes were stinging. She now knew the whole story, and she could understand the depth of his pain. Silence fell again in the room. The flames dancing in their eyes showed that they weren't sleeping.
Two loud cracks echoed in the house, making the couple snap out of their thoughts, and sit up abruptly. They stared tensely at the door leading to the kitchen, taking out their wands, and ready to attack. They lowered them, only when they saw Lupin and Tonks entering the room, obviously having a lot on their minds.
"How come you're still up, you two?" demanded a surprised Lupin.
"Come on you guys, it's one o' clock in the morning, and we've got to rise early tomorrow, to go to the Headquarters," continued Tonks "Oh and Molly said Harry could use Ron's room. If anything's wrong we'll be down the hall, in Fred and George's room. Now go ."
Harry didn't even begin trying to tell them that, he hadn't been sleeping regularly for weeks. He just followed Ginny up the stairs sulking.
She stopped on the first landing, outside her room, "Goodnight," she whispered staring deeply in his eyes.
"Goodnight Ginny…and…"
She cut him off, "I know Harry…no problem," she said, and opened the door to her room.
He continued to the third landing, where Ron's room was located. He went in and, shutting the door with his foot, he walked to the bed and lied down. The Chudley Cannons posters on the wall seemed pale, from the moonlight shining through the opened window. Harry didn't bother lighting any candles. Whether it was light or dark, he knew that sleep wouldn't come tonight. He was nervous and uneasy with the idea of going back to Sirius' house tomorrow.
If only I could feel at peace again, like I felt earlier, in the living room with Ginny in my arms. he thought. He heard the door of the twins' bedroom being shut. He was jealous of the others who could get some sleep tonight, unlike him. Every time he had tried to close to, at the Dursleys', he had woken up, as soon as he closed his eyes. The vision of Sirius falling through the veil, was spying behind his eyelids, waiting to replay whenever he closed them.
He stood up, with a crazy idea crossing his mind. If I can't sleep, I want that feeling back. That wonderful tranquility. But I can't just go to Ginny's room, now. Or can I? No, it's Ron's sister, what if she misunderstood it he thought pacing around the room. But she seemed to understand earlier…completely understand.
He took a deep breath, and opened the door, trying to not make any noise. Carefully, he walked down the stairs, occasionally stopping to hear if any creak the stairs made had woken anyone. Reaching Ginny's bedroom, he turned the knob carefully, and stepped in. She was in her bed, and judging by her steady breathing, fast asleep. He slowly closed the door, and went to stand next to her bed. She was so peaceful as she slept; her eyes closed, and locks of her hair falling randomly on her shoulders. Beautiful , he thought as he took a lock in his fingers, and placed it gently behind her ear.
Her eyes opened slowly, and she jumped, a bit frightened. I was so stupid! What have I been thinking He felt his face getting hot, and embarrassed looked at his feet. He was making to turn and leave the room, mentally cursing himself for his stupidity, when he felt Ginny's hand on his. Looking up, he saw her, not frightened, mad or puzzled as he expected her to be. She was looking at him with concern.
"Ginny, I'm sorry. I shouldn't come, but…" he trailed off, whispering. She had let his hand go, and moved over in the bed, making space for him. She nodded, looking straight in his eyes. How can she know He was surprised, but laid down, letting her cover him with the blanket. They were now face to face; they both moved closer wrapping their arms around each other, and now Ginny's head was resting on his shoulder. It all came back. The warmth, the peace, but as minutes passed, another feeling kicked in. Harry was stunned for a bit and tried to pull away from her, his blood bubbling now in his veins, but Ginny didn't let him. After a while, Harry's efforts to drown the feeling had almost succeeded, and sleep was weighing on his eyelids.
He woke up from the sound of a door shutting. Trying to open his eyes, he got blinded by the bright sunrays, and a ginger shine near his face. He fluttered his eyes, trying to adjust them to the violent colors, and then…He saw her. She was still sleeping. And he had been too! Smiling, he moved his head, to take a better look at her. He had never woken up to a prettier sight. She stirred in his arms, and opened her eyes, fluttering them many times to adjust to the light. She looked up at him, and smiled.
"Good morning," she said in a sleepy voice.
"Good morning Ginny!" He didn't want to move an inch from where he was. He couldn't imagine a better way of waking up, or anyone else he'd rather wake up next to. Things had indeed changed. Before last night, Ginny was Ron's little sister. His companion during the fight in the Department of Mysteries, a member of the D.A. But something was different now. He tried to fight it. It didn't make sense. Ginny? But it was too good. And it was getting deeper under his skin, with every second that passed. Waking up with her in his arms, stirred a memory in his mind. A very distant one, of his very early childhood years. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but that feeling could only have one name. Home. As he looked in her eyes, that very moment, he felt something also forgotten. Happy.
But then the door opened. Tonks and Lupin were standing in the doorway, their expressions empty. For a minute, the four of them just looked at each other in awe.
"Harry-Ginny," mouthed a surprised Tonks, putting her hand in front of her eyes, "Tell me you're both dressed!"
"Of course we are," answered a blushed Harry, standing up, but at the same time feeling Ginny's warmth abandoning him.
"For Merlin's sake Harry, we thought someone took you! You weren't in your bed, no note!" said Lupin looking relieved, yet angry at the same time, "As for this, I expect you downstairs in ten minutes."
"Oh, and little lady, you're not getting away with this either, get dressed, and I'll be here in ten minutes," Tonks looked as angry as Lupin at the time, and left mumbling something, that resembled to "Molly is going to have my head, if she hears this…"
Blushing madly, Harry left the room, passing Lupin, not being able to look back at Ginny. He washed and changed clothes, thinking of her. He felt embarrassed, stupid and guilty. But I haven't done anything wrong, have I he thought. You wanted to though, didn't you A small voice echoed in his mind. He descended the stairs, thinking that he went looking for some peace, and came through, with a lot more to think about, than he had before. Where was a Pensieve, when you needed one?
Lupin was waiting for him in the kitchen, eating breakfast. He waited for Harry to sit, and drink some coffee. "What was that Harry?" Lupin's steady and calm voice, always made him feel worse, than if he had shouted.
"We didn't do anything," he replied blushing, and looking nervously at his former professor.
"I hope you didn't. I know you think it's none of my business Harry, but we were supposed to look after you, and what you did was very irresponsible. What if Molly found out?"
Harry looked up at Lupin, worried this time, "You don't understand. I haven't had some sleep, since summer holidays started…but last night…I slept," said Harry, trying to make Lupin understand. He didn't want him to think he was reckless, or Ginny to get in trouble.
"I'm not going to tell anyone, Harry. Nor will Tonks. Ginny calms you down then? Well, that's a good thing, but don't go sneaking to her room, under our nose again. It doesn't look descent. If you want to be with your girlfriend…"
"She's not. My girlfriend I mean," Harry cut him off, and when he looked up at him, Lupin just mouthed a small "oh".
"Well, we're ready to go, if you boys are ready too," declared Tonks, while walking down the stairs, tripping a bit on the last one, but standing up the next moment.
Ginny followed her. Smiling to Harry, she grabbed a piece of toast, and walking to the living room, carrying her bag back in the kitchen.
Harry caught himself smiling goofily, and watching her every move. I'm getting sillier by the minute, aren't I