Christmas morning dawned bright and chilly. Snowflakes were frosted onto
the windows so that no one could see outside until Mr Weasley hopped out
with his slippers on to chip some ice off them.
Ginny groaned and turned over in her bed when Hermione shook her shoulder gently. "Come on, wake up, Gin. You're meant to be excited about Christmas, remember?"
Ginny moaned again into her pillow. "Yeah, that was before last night, Hermione," she murmered in a muffled voice.
"What happened last night?" Hermione asked her as she pulled a thick woollen sweater over her head. Ginny threw the covers over her head.
"Nothing."
"Doesn't sound like nothing. You and Harry have a fight? I thought I heard you come in last night in a bad mood. And you locked the door, too. I couldn't get out last night."
Ginny turned to face her with the bedcovers up around her chin. "I didn't want him coming in this morning giving me a big "Merry Christmas" kiss and pretending everything was fine," she mumbled sleepily, rubbing her eyes.
Hermione stopped looking around for the key and looked at Ginny. "Gin, if Harry was in as bad a mood as you were, he wouldn't have come in to give you a morning kiss. I would know, I've seen how sulky and angry Harry can get."
Ginny laughed dryly. "Yeah, no kidding," she croaked, and leant over to get her glass of water from the bedside table.
"So, you guys aren't on good terms then, I take it."
Ginny smiled humourlessly. "I read a very definite 'no' on that."
Hermione gave her a grim look. "Well, that sucks a fair bit. On Christmas and all."
"Yeah, well, I didn't ask him for a fight late on Christmas Eve. Although he thinks I did," she said in annoyance.
Hermione stepped over her mattress on the floor and sat down on Ginny's bed next to her. "Gin, it's Christmas. Can't you and Harry at least try to sort things out a little? For the sake of the family?"
"Yeah but, Hermione," Ginny said in frustration, sitting up in her bed. "Harry's so immature. I doubt he'll even try to be friendly. He'll probably just sit in the corner sulking," she said bitterly.
Hermione gave her a small shrug, but didn't say anything. She patted Ginny on the shoulder and then stood up. "Well, I'm off to breakfast. Coming?"
Ginny slowly got up from her warm bed, groaning uncomfortably as the cold air prickled her bare skin. "Yes, I'm coming," she mumbled as she quickly pulled on some clothing and grabbed the key to the bedroom door from her cupboard.
"There it was," Hermione muttered to herself quietly, Ginny opened the door in silence and they both made their way down to the kitchen.
Music was blaring when they opened the door. "We Three Kings", an old Christmas Carol, was magically booming around the room, aided by Mr and Mrs Weasley singing merrily along with it by the kitchen stove. Everyone was down already, and Ginny scanned the room for a sign of Harry. He was sitting, slouched over at the kitchen table, drumming his hand on the wood absent-mindedly.
Hermione gave Ginny a typical meaningful look before heading off to wish Ron a Merry Christmas. Edgily, Ginny made her way to the table and sat down opposite Harry. He glanced once at her, then went back to concentrating on his rhythmic tapping.
Ginny didn't say anything to him. Instead, she took that time to look around the room at everyone. Ron was over in the corner playing Chess with Charlie and Hermione was now bossily intervening their play saying neither of them knew what they were doing. Bill and Fleur were on the couch, talking in hushed tones and kissing every now and then. Fred and George were running around the kitchen screaming "We Three Kings" out of tune, obviously mocking their parents, who didn't seem to care anyway. She smiled to herself, settling back down in her seat. However, that smile faded when she saw Harry gazing quite hostily at her.
However, before either of them could say anything, Fred and George shouted in Unison "Everyone's up, present time!"
Everyone rushed to the presents under the beautifully decorated Christmas tree, and Ginny followed a little less enthusiastically. Harry came after her and sat moodily on the edge of the couch.
"Hey, I bet this one's yours, Ron!" Fred was yelling at Ron, waving a small gold parcel in front of his face. "It's tiny!"
Ron rolled his eyes at him. "Hey, I bet yours doesn't even exist, loser," he retorted. Fred's smirk was quickly wiped of his face as he dived back into the pile of presents to prove him wrong.
"I can't find any of mine from Mum and Dad," George announced sulkily. "I bet they thought it'd be really bloody funny to leave me and Fred out this year. Really nice of them," he grouched, pulling off a bit of tinsel from the tree.
"Of course we got you two presents," Mrs Weasley scolded George. "We wouldn't leave you out."
"It's been known to happen before," George pouted.
"Nah, wait a minute, it's ok, George," came Fred's muffled voice from under the Christmas tree. "We have a sighting. Repeat, we HAVE a sighting." He emerged from beneath the tree with two rather large brightly-wrapped packages. "Mum and dad just thought it'd be a bit funny to hide them at the bottom, didn't you cherubs?" He grinned charmingly at them, before George grabbed his present from him and they ran off somewhere to open them.
Ginny recieved her presents and opened them one by one. She was quick to notice, with some degree of hurt, that Harry hadn't given her one. She had given him one, but by the looks of it, he hadn't even come to collect it from under the tree. He was still sitting on the couch, his shoulder muscles tense with pent-up anger. She knew they'd be in for a long day ahead of them.
Mrs Weasley came up to Harry with a large parcel for him, and placed it on his lap. "There you are, Harry dear, from all of us with love." Harry glanced down at it and gave Mrs Weasley a faint smile. "Thanks for that, Mrs Weasley," he mumbled quietly. Mrs Weasley was quick to pick up his tone, but she didn't press the point, and hurried off to make sure everyone had gotten their presents and weren't opening anyone else's (Fred and George had been caught moments before trying to run off with Mr Weasley's).
Harry opened the present to find a years supply of Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans, and a State of the Art broomstick polish which, apparently, was meant to add leverage to the broom.
Suddenly, a silver velvet bag was dropped at his feet. "It's from Sirius," Ron grinned at him, before heading back off to find his own presents. Harry picked it up. It was relatively heavy, and felt like a curtain hanging or something of the like. It was wrapped in a sparkling silver bag held together by a crimson cord drawstring. A note was tied to it, which read:
Merry Christmas, Harry!
Just a short note to wish you a great day. I'll be at the Burrow later on around lunchtime, but I thought you'd appreciate a present more in the morning when everyone else was opening theirs. I hope you enjoy it. It can be very useful, when you know of the right places to use it.
I heard about your Quidditch Match win. Congratulations again! I wish I could have been there to see you catch that last snitch. Dumbledore seemed pretty thrilled about it, although he told that he'd never seen a more violent match in his life! You'll have to fill me in on those interesting details when I get there. In the meantime, have fun with the present, and I hope everything's going fine with Ginny.
Love Sirius.
Harry frowned to himself. "Yeah, real bloody fine with Ginny," he grumbled to himself. Harry looked down at the bag and pulled the drawstring open. He pulled whatever it was inside out and shook it out. It seemed very similar to an invisibility cloak, only it had a multitude of stars arranged artistically on the hem and hood. The material was very thin, Harry could see through it when he put it up to the light, but it seemed to radiate a warmth when he touched it. Harry also found that the cloak had other 'abilities.' It could shrink to a very small size, expand, change colour, camouflage the wearer, and act as a noise barrier. Harry couldn't help but smile slightly to himself. It really was a great present.
Preparations for Christmas Dinner started almost immediately, and Ginny was glad to help, as it gave her an excuse to stay away from Harry mooching sulkily on the couch. Ron was watching the Christmas carol repeats on television. Fred and George had nicked off outside to throw snowballs at Bill and Fleur's bedroom window, and Charlie was deep in conversation with his father over the latest cock-up of Fudge's at the Ministry of Magic.
Hermione came to sit next to Harry on the couch, curling her legs up beneath her and opening her new book from Ron. Harry glanced at her from where she sat, and she looked up at him. She regarded him for a few seconds before she spoke.
"What's happpened between you and Ginny?" she asked him quite suddenly. Harry sighed out loud. He wasn't in the mood to explain the details of their bitch-fight the night before.
"I don't want to talk about it," he told her coolly. "And I'd sort of rather be alone," he added pointedly.
Hermione glanced up from her book. "Well, this is a couch for two, so go sit on a couch for one if you want to be alone."
Harry clenched his jaw tensely. "Hermione, you don't get it, do you? I'm not in the mood for anyone right now."
Hermione closed her book with a snap and placed it on her lap. Turning to Harry with a forced smile, she said calmly, "Harry, as far as I knew, The living room isn't a hide-out for snooty boyfriends to sulk about how unfair their life is. I talked to Ginny before and it really doesn't seem as if she's the one in the wrong here. YOU'RE the one who needs to start talking, not her. YOU'RE the one being the arsehole."
Harry didn't answer her. Instead, he stared angrily ahead of him, his jaw set at rigid angle, and his eyes boring unseeingly into the fireplace. He knew Hermione was right. Ginny wouldn't come grovelling to him, it was his fault in the first place, he would have to be the one doing the grovelling if he wanted their relationship back on track. And Ginny didn't deserve it. Even if she did, it was no excuse for his awful behaviour towards her. Sighing at himself, he turned back to Hermione. She had opened her book up again and was pretending to read. He could tell she wasn't, though, her eyes were set in the one place on her page, and her teeth were worrying her bottom lip in obvious irritation. Swallowing his pride, he leant back on couch and said to her softly, "Sorry, Hermione."
Immediately, her eyes softened, and she looked up at him over her book. "I'm glad," she said to him. "You really ought to be. To Ginny especially." Her eyes flickered to where Ginny was working with Mrs Weasley at the kitchen bench. Harry's eyes followed hers, and he knew what he had to do.
"I'll... I'll go and apologise, then..."
Hermione nodded approvingly, then turned, smiling, back to her book. Nervously, Harry turned back to face the fire for a few seconds. He was quite worried she'd throw it back in his face and tell him their relationship was over. He didn't want it to be, but he couldn't exactly blame her if she wanted it to be. He picked at the tassles on the cushion and tapped his fingers along the upholstery on the couch. Finally, he stood up and stretched his lean frame, turning around to face Ginny.
However, she was no longer beside the kitchen bench. Indeed, she was no longer even in the room. His eyes scanned around, but she was certainly gone. He walked slowly up to Mrs Weasley and asked her softly, "Uh, Mrs Weasley, where's Ginny, please?"
She turned around and smiled knowingly at him. "She went outside a few minutes ago. Probably off up to the pine trees. She likes it there," she said almost to herself, and turned back to her work.
Harry turned and grabbed the robe he had recieved from Sirius off the couch and headed out the door.
The robe provided Harry with the most wonderful warmth. Outside was sunny, but bitterly cold, the snow which had fallen the night before was extremely deep and the sun reflected off it, hurting his eyes. Harry quickly made his way down the back garden path and followed it to the bottom of the garden. He opened the small gate and made his way up into the thick pines.
He couldn't see Ginny at all, as the pine trees were planted in such a way that they were in rows which were set out along the hills. Harry continued along a row and called out to her, but no one answered and he guessed that she was deeper in the woods than he had first thought.
It was then that he spotted her, as he came to the top of the hill and looked down, he could see a small figure sitting on a fallen log, her back up against a tree, her face looking up into the grey sky.
"Ginny. I think I need to speak with you." He said as he walked up to her, extremely nervous. After all, what if she just told him to piss off and never come back?
Ginny didn't move at all, she didn't even acknowledge his presence. Harry felt like an idiot, simply standing there, lost for words.
"Look, I know I've been an bit of an arsehole." He stammered. "Well ... A lot of an arsehole. I'm sorry I stuffed up our Christmas and I'm sorry I ever overreacted about Malfoy." Ginny still didn't say anything.
"Look, I can understand if you're still angry with me. I mean ... I'm angry at myself. But don't hold it against me forever. You don't usually hold grudges, Ginny."
He watched her closely for any sign of acknowledgment. Finally, she sighed slowly and opened her eyes. "Yeah, I know, Harry." She answered him quietly. She sighed as she got to her feet and looked at him. "I'm not going to pretend that I did nothing wrong, either ... I mean, I said some nasty things too, and I'm sorry for that, but ... Harry, you were awful to me, you said some things which really hurt me alot."
Harry bit his lip nervously. "I know. And I'm really really sorry. Do you know how much I regret everything that I said? Although I have to wonder why you were so concerned with Draco, I did find that hard to take."
"You were jealous over nothing, Harry. I told you that."
"Yes, I know, I was jealous and I still am jealous. I'm jealous of anyone who would even look at you. You are mine, I love you more than I've ever loved anyone, ever."
Ginny sighed again in exasperation, rolling her eyes. "See, thats what I can't stand, Harry. I need my space, I need to know that you won't go and punch someone up just for 'looking at me funny' or saying something that you don't like. I can look after myself most of the time. I do love you as well, but it would be easier for both of us if you would just learn to trust me and calm down a little."
Harry nodded silently. He looked like a 5 year old who'd just been told off by his mother, and he nervously fidgetted with his robe and looked down at the pine needle littered ground. For a moment he didn't say anything, then he spoke quietly.
"I can do that if you wish."
"What?" Ginny asked softly.
"I can lay off a bit, well, at least I can try to. If thats what you want."
Ginny looked up at him, surprised at how willing he was to sort things out between them. She knew that he was genuinely sorry for what he'd said, and so was she. Sorry that she'd even seen Malfoy the day before.
"I'd like that, Harry," she smiled softly at him, and reached out to take his hands in both of hers. He closed the space between them and crouched down in front of her, his fingers gripped tightly around hers. His eyes held all the love he felt for her, and Ginny couldn't help but soften under his gaze. Slowly, so slowly, he moved forward, his eyes closing as his parted lips touched hers for a brief moment. He didn't go any further, instead, he pulled back and watched her eyes for any sign of opposal. However, when there was none, he reached forward again and kissed her a little more forceably.
Their kiss deepened as he pushed her back slowly into the trunk of the tree. The rough bark scraped against her back harshly, but she didn't tell Harry to stop. It had been weeks since they'd been so close, she didn't want it to end now.
"I love you," Harry moaned against her mouth, his hands finding their way up her woollen sweater and beneath her bra to her breasts. His fingertips traced unbearably gentle patterns around her nipple, and she shivered in pleasure.
"I know," Ginny whispered in return, her hands now back behind her, gripping the tree for support. "I love you too," she groaned as Harry hooked his fingers beneath the waistband of her cord trousers and slid them down, careful to keep his body covering hers so as to keep her warm. He reached over her head and pulled her sweater off, his lips moving down to her bared nipple and licking it slowly, recieving a gasp in return. Shaking with want, he pulled off his jeans and boxers, sliding off Ginny's moist knickers and bending her knees apart.
He took her arms in his hands and gently pulled her from the uncomfortably rough bark of the tree and laid her to the ground. Leaning over over her shuddering form, his lips slid along her throat as he ground his hips against hers, searching for her opening. Not wasting any time, he pushed himself hard into her, and he felt her gasp at the sudden intense contact. Ginny flung her head from side to side, torn between pleasure and pain. Harry was hurting her, but he was also pleasuring her, and she didn't want him to stop doing either.
He ground his hips against hers, and she bucked against him in instant response. Their tongues clashed together as she reached to pull him closer. His hands were everywhere, stroking her, curling through her hair, sliding intimately down her thigh. He was panting, his teeth grazing at her lips. Ginny groaned as their hips moved together rhythmically, her eyes closing as she savoured the feel of Harry so intensly close. She drew her fingers up his back, scratching deeply into his skin and drawing his blood beneath her fingernails. She could feel Harry tense with the pain of it, and smiled beneath her heated exterior, as her vision began to spin with her climax.
Suddenly, with a final, shuddering cry, Harry's muscles siezed up in orgasm, as his hands gripped painfully tight to Ginny's hair and arm, and he slumped against her with a shaking sigh. Ginny followed him a second later, her cry echoing through the pine forest, and frightening a small flock of sparrows into the air.
Harry and Ginny lay together, clammy with sweat and shaking in each other's arms. They were exhausted, and could barely move. Harry reached out and pulled Sirius's cloak over them, insulating their quickly cooling bodies against the harsh cold of the icy air. Harry moved to lie beside her so as not to crush her with his weight, and wrapped his arms around her, nuzzling his head into the nape of her neck, and pulling her close to him.
"I love you so much," he told her sleepily, as his fingertips traced lazy patterns on the skin of her shoulders. "I'd die without you."
Ginny smiled gently, reaching over her shoulder to take his hand. "No you wouldn't," she murmered to him quietly. "You wouldn't die. But you'll never forget me, or our time together," she turned to face him, smiling softly.
But Harry didn't smile. He didn't think it was a joke. "I know I won't," he answered softly, kissing her warm lips and sitting up to lean on his elbows. "I think I'll always love you," he told her seriously, looking around at the sighing pines. "I'll never be able to get away from you. You're my soulmate." He stared above him to the grey clouds, slowly trailing snow through the treetops. He turned back to her, and smiled reassuringly, as if he only just remembered then that he'd been talking out loud.
Ginny shook her head gently, a faint smile on her face as she watched him lay back down. She was up on her elbow with the cloak covering her, and she stared out into the steadily falling snow outside the forest boundary. She was warm and secure in the forest, here with Harry. She felt happy, and safe, something she hadn't felt for quite a long time. She glanced down at Harry, who was laying back on the forest floor, staring up into the cloudy sky again. She lay back against him, her arms tightening across his chest.
"You're right, Harry," she said finally. "We're soulmates."
Ginny groaned and turned over in her bed when Hermione shook her shoulder gently. "Come on, wake up, Gin. You're meant to be excited about Christmas, remember?"
Ginny moaned again into her pillow. "Yeah, that was before last night, Hermione," she murmered in a muffled voice.
"What happened last night?" Hermione asked her as she pulled a thick woollen sweater over her head. Ginny threw the covers over her head.
"Nothing."
"Doesn't sound like nothing. You and Harry have a fight? I thought I heard you come in last night in a bad mood. And you locked the door, too. I couldn't get out last night."
Ginny turned to face her with the bedcovers up around her chin. "I didn't want him coming in this morning giving me a big "Merry Christmas" kiss and pretending everything was fine," she mumbled sleepily, rubbing her eyes.
Hermione stopped looking around for the key and looked at Ginny. "Gin, if Harry was in as bad a mood as you were, he wouldn't have come in to give you a morning kiss. I would know, I've seen how sulky and angry Harry can get."
Ginny laughed dryly. "Yeah, no kidding," she croaked, and leant over to get her glass of water from the bedside table.
"So, you guys aren't on good terms then, I take it."
Ginny smiled humourlessly. "I read a very definite 'no' on that."
Hermione gave her a grim look. "Well, that sucks a fair bit. On Christmas and all."
"Yeah, well, I didn't ask him for a fight late on Christmas Eve. Although he thinks I did," she said in annoyance.
Hermione stepped over her mattress on the floor and sat down on Ginny's bed next to her. "Gin, it's Christmas. Can't you and Harry at least try to sort things out a little? For the sake of the family?"
"Yeah but, Hermione," Ginny said in frustration, sitting up in her bed. "Harry's so immature. I doubt he'll even try to be friendly. He'll probably just sit in the corner sulking," she said bitterly.
Hermione gave her a small shrug, but didn't say anything. She patted Ginny on the shoulder and then stood up. "Well, I'm off to breakfast. Coming?"
Ginny slowly got up from her warm bed, groaning uncomfortably as the cold air prickled her bare skin. "Yes, I'm coming," she mumbled as she quickly pulled on some clothing and grabbed the key to the bedroom door from her cupboard.
"There it was," Hermione muttered to herself quietly, Ginny opened the door in silence and they both made their way down to the kitchen.
Music was blaring when they opened the door. "We Three Kings", an old Christmas Carol, was magically booming around the room, aided by Mr and Mrs Weasley singing merrily along with it by the kitchen stove. Everyone was down already, and Ginny scanned the room for a sign of Harry. He was sitting, slouched over at the kitchen table, drumming his hand on the wood absent-mindedly.
Hermione gave Ginny a typical meaningful look before heading off to wish Ron a Merry Christmas. Edgily, Ginny made her way to the table and sat down opposite Harry. He glanced once at her, then went back to concentrating on his rhythmic tapping.
Ginny didn't say anything to him. Instead, she took that time to look around the room at everyone. Ron was over in the corner playing Chess with Charlie and Hermione was now bossily intervening their play saying neither of them knew what they were doing. Bill and Fleur were on the couch, talking in hushed tones and kissing every now and then. Fred and George were running around the kitchen screaming "We Three Kings" out of tune, obviously mocking their parents, who didn't seem to care anyway. She smiled to herself, settling back down in her seat. However, that smile faded when she saw Harry gazing quite hostily at her.
However, before either of them could say anything, Fred and George shouted in Unison "Everyone's up, present time!"
Everyone rushed to the presents under the beautifully decorated Christmas tree, and Ginny followed a little less enthusiastically. Harry came after her and sat moodily on the edge of the couch.
"Hey, I bet this one's yours, Ron!" Fred was yelling at Ron, waving a small gold parcel in front of his face. "It's tiny!"
Ron rolled his eyes at him. "Hey, I bet yours doesn't even exist, loser," he retorted. Fred's smirk was quickly wiped of his face as he dived back into the pile of presents to prove him wrong.
"I can't find any of mine from Mum and Dad," George announced sulkily. "I bet they thought it'd be really bloody funny to leave me and Fred out this year. Really nice of them," he grouched, pulling off a bit of tinsel from the tree.
"Of course we got you two presents," Mrs Weasley scolded George. "We wouldn't leave you out."
"It's been known to happen before," George pouted.
"Nah, wait a minute, it's ok, George," came Fred's muffled voice from under the Christmas tree. "We have a sighting. Repeat, we HAVE a sighting." He emerged from beneath the tree with two rather large brightly-wrapped packages. "Mum and dad just thought it'd be a bit funny to hide them at the bottom, didn't you cherubs?" He grinned charmingly at them, before George grabbed his present from him and they ran off somewhere to open them.
Ginny recieved her presents and opened them one by one. She was quick to notice, with some degree of hurt, that Harry hadn't given her one. She had given him one, but by the looks of it, he hadn't even come to collect it from under the tree. He was still sitting on the couch, his shoulder muscles tense with pent-up anger. She knew they'd be in for a long day ahead of them.
Mrs Weasley came up to Harry with a large parcel for him, and placed it on his lap. "There you are, Harry dear, from all of us with love." Harry glanced down at it and gave Mrs Weasley a faint smile. "Thanks for that, Mrs Weasley," he mumbled quietly. Mrs Weasley was quick to pick up his tone, but she didn't press the point, and hurried off to make sure everyone had gotten their presents and weren't opening anyone else's (Fred and George had been caught moments before trying to run off with Mr Weasley's).
Harry opened the present to find a years supply of Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans, and a State of the Art broomstick polish which, apparently, was meant to add leverage to the broom.
Suddenly, a silver velvet bag was dropped at his feet. "It's from Sirius," Ron grinned at him, before heading back off to find his own presents. Harry picked it up. It was relatively heavy, and felt like a curtain hanging or something of the like. It was wrapped in a sparkling silver bag held together by a crimson cord drawstring. A note was tied to it, which read:
Merry Christmas, Harry!
Just a short note to wish you a great day. I'll be at the Burrow later on around lunchtime, but I thought you'd appreciate a present more in the morning when everyone else was opening theirs. I hope you enjoy it. It can be very useful, when you know of the right places to use it.
I heard about your Quidditch Match win. Congratulations again! I wish I could have been there to see you catch that last snitch. Dumbledore seemed pretty thrilled about it, although he told that he'd never seen a more violent match in his life! You'll have to fill me in on those interesting details when I get there. In the meantime, have fun with the present, and I hope everything's going fine with Ginny.
Love Sirius.
Harry frowned to himself. "Yeah, real bloody fine with Ginny," he grumbled to himself. Harry looked down at the bag and pulled the drawstring open. He pulled whatever it was inside out and shook it out. It seemed very similar to an invisibility cloak, only it had a multitude of stars arranged artistically on the hem and hood. The material was very thin, Harry could see through it when he put it up to the light, but it seemed to radiate a warmth when he touched it. Harry also found that the cloak had other 'abilities.' It could shrink to a very small size, expand, change colour, camouflage the wearer, and act as a noise barrier. Harry couldn't help but smile slightly to himself. It really was a great present.
Preparations for Christmas Dinner started almost immediately, and Ginny was glad to help, as it gave her an excuse to stay away from Harry mooching sulkily on the couch. Ron was watching the Christmas carol repeats on television. Fred and George had nicked off outside to throw snowballs at Bill and Fleur's bedroom window, and Charlie was deep in conversation with his father over the latest cock-up of Fudge's at the Ministry of Magic.
Hermione came to sit next to Harry on the couch, curling her legs up beneath her and opening her new book from Ron. Harry glanced at her from where she sat, and she looked up at him. She regarded him for a few seconds before she spoke.
"What's happpened between you and Ginny?" she asked him quite suddenly. Harry sighed out loud. He wasn't in the mood to explain the details of their bitch-fight the night before.
"I don't want to talk about it," he told her coolly. "And I'd sort of rather be alone," he added pointedly.
Hermione glanced up from her book. "Well, this is a couch for two, so go sit on a couch for one if you want to be alone."
Harry clenched his jaw tensely. "Hermione, you don't get it, do you? I'm not in the mood for anyone right now."
Hermione closed her book with a snap and placed it on her lap. Turning to Harry with a forced smile, she said calmly, "Harry, as far as I knew, The living room isn't a hide-out for snooty boyfriends to sulk about how unfair their life is. I talked to Ginny before and it really doesn't seem as if she's the one in the wrong here. YOU'RE the one who needs to start talking, not her. YOU'RE the one being the arsehole."
Harry didn't answer her. Instead, he stared angrily ahead of him, his jaw set at rigid angle, and his eyes boring unseeingly into the fireplace. He knew Hermione was right. Ginny wouldn't come grovelling to him, it was his fault in the first place, he would have to be the one doing the grovelling if he wanted their relationship back on track. And Ginny didn't deserve it. Even if she did, it was no excuse for his awful behaviour towards her. Sighing at himself, he turned back to Hermione. She had opened her book up again and was pretending to read. He could tell she wasn't, though, her eyes were set in the one place on her page, and her teeth were worrying her bottom lip in obvious irritation. Swallowing his pride, he leant back on couch and said to her softly, "Sorry, Hermione."
Immediately, her eyes softened, and she looked up at him over her book. "I'm glad," she said to him. "You really ought to be. To Ginny especially." Her eyes flickered to where Ginny was working with Mrs Weasley at the kitchen bench. Harry's eyes followed hers, and he knew what he had to do.
"I'll... I'll go and apologise, then..."
Hermione nodded approvingly, then turned, smiling, back to her book. Nervously, Harry turned back to face the fire for a few seconds. He was quite worried she'd throw it back in his face and tell him their relationship was over. He didn't want it to be, but he couldn't exactly blame her if she wanted it to be. He picked at the tassles on the cushion and tapped his fingers along the upholstery on the couch. Finally, he stood up and stretched his lean frame, turning around to face Ginny.
However, she was no longer beside the kitchen bench. Indeed, she was no longer even in the room. His eyes scanned around, but she was certainly gone. He walked slowly up to Mrs Weasley and asked her softly, "Uh, Mrs Weasley, where's Ginny, please?"
She turned around and smiled knowingly at him. "She went outside a few minutes ago. Probably off up to the pine trees. She likes it there," she said almost to herself, and turned back to her work.
Harry turned and grabbed the robe he had recieved from Sirius off the couch and headed out the door.
The robe provided Harry with the most wonderful warmth. Outside was sunny, but bitterly cold, the snow which had fallen the night before was extremely deep and the sun reflected off it, hurting his eyes. Harry quickly made his way down the back garden path and followed it to the bottom of the garden. He opened the small gate and made his way up into the thick pines.
He couldn't see Ginny at all, as the pine trees were planted in such a way that they were in rows which were set out along the hills. Harry continued along a row and called out to her, but no one answered and he guessed that she was deeper in the woods than he had first thought.
It was then that he spotted her, as he came to the top of the hill and looked down, he could see a small figure sitting on a fallen log, her back up against a tree, her face looking up into the grey sky.
"Ginny. I think I need to speak with you." He said as he walked up to her, extremely nervous. After all, what if she just told him to piss off and never come back?
Ginny didn't move at all, she didn't even acknowledge his presence. Harry felt like an idiot, simply standing there, lost for words.
"Look, I know I've been an bit of an arsehole." He stammered. "Well ... A lot of an arsehole. I'm sorry I stuffed up our Christmas and I'm sorry I ever overreacted about Malfoy." Ginny still didn't say anything.
"Look, I can understand if you're still angry with me. I mean ... I'm angry at myself. But don't hold it against me forever. You don't usually hold grudges, Ginny."
He watched her closely for any sign of acknowledgment. Finally, she sighed slowly and opened her eyes. "Yeah, I know, Harry." She answered him quietly. She sighed as she got to her feet and looked at him. "I'm not going to pretend that I did nothing wrong, either ... I mean, I said some nasty things too, and I'm sorry for that, but ... Harry, you were awful to me, you said some things which really hurt me alot."
Harry bit his lip nervously. "I know. And I'm really really sorry. Do you know how much I regret everything that I said? Although I have to wonder why you were so concerned with Draco, I did find that hard to take."
"You were jealous over nothing, Harry. I told you that."
"Yes, I know, I was jealous and I still am jealous. I'm jealous of anyone who would even look at you. You are mine, I love you more than I've ever loved anyone, ever."
Ginny sighed again in exasperation, rolling her eyes. "See, thats what I can't stand, Harry. I need my space, I need to know that you won't go and punch someone up just for 'looking at me funny' or saying something that you don't like. I can look after myself most of the time. I do love you as well, but it would be easier for both of us if you would just learn to trust me and calm down a little."
Harry nodded silently. He looked like a 5 year old who'd just been told off by his mother, and he nervously fidgetted with his robe and looked down at the pine needle littered ground. For a moment he didn't say anything, then he spoke quietly.
"I can do that if you wish."
"What?" Ginny asked softly.
"I can lay off a bit, well, at least I can try to. If thats what you want."
Ginny looked up at him, surprised at how willing he was to sort things out between them. She knew that he was genuinely sorry for what he'd said, and so was she. Sorry that she'd even seen Malfoy the day before.
"I'd like that, Harry," she smiled softly at him, and reached out to take his hands in both of hers. He closed the space between them and crouched down in front of her, his fingers gripped tightly around hers. His eyes held all the love he felt for her, and Ginny couldn't help but soften under his gaze. Slowly, so slowly, he moved forward, his eyes closing as his parted lips touched hers for a brief moment. He didn't go any further, instead, he pulled back and watched her eyes for any sign of opposal. However, when there was none, he reached forward again and kissed her a little more forceably.
Their kiss deepened as he pushed her back slowly into the trunk of the tree. The rough bark scraped against her back harshly, but she didn't tell Harry to stop. It had been weeks since they'd been so close, she didn't want it to end now.
"I love you," Harry moaned against her mouth, his hands finding their way up her woollen sweater and beneath her bra to her breasts. His fingertips traced unbearably gentle patterns around her nipple, and she shivered in pleasure.
"I know," Ginny whispered in return, her hands now back behind her, gripping the tree for support. "I love you too," she groaned as Harry hooked his fingers beneath the waistband of her cord trousers and slid them down, careful to keep his body covering hers so as to keep her warm. He reached over her head and pulled her sweater off, his lips moving down to her bared nipple and licking it slowly, recieving a gasp in return. Shaking with want, he pulled off his jeans and boxers, sliding off Ginny's moist knickers and bending her knees apart.
He took her arms in his hands and gently pulled her from the uncomfortably rough bark of the tree and laid her to the ground. Leaning over over her shuddering form, his lips slid along her throat as he ground his hips against hers, searching for her opening. Not wasting any time, he pushed himself hard into her, and he felt her gasp at the sudden intense contact. Ginny flung her head from side to side, torn between pleasure and pain. Harry was hurting her, but he was also pleasuring her, and she didn't want him to stop doing either.
He ground his hips against hers, and she bucked against him in instant response. Their tongues clashed together as she reached to pull him closer. His hands were everywhere, stroking her, curling through her hair, sliding intimately down her thigh. He was panting, his teeth grazing at her lips. Ginny groaned as their hips moved together rhythmically, her eyes closing as she savoured the feel of Harry so intensly close. She drew her fingers up his back, scratching deeply into his skin and drawing his blood beneath her fingernails. She could feel Harry tense with the pain of it, and smiled beneath her heated exterior, as her vision began to spin with her climax.
Suddenly, with a final, shuddering cry, Harry's muscles siezed up in orgasm, as his hands gripped painfully tight to Ginny's hair and arm, and he slumped against her with a shaking sigh. Ginny followed him a second later, her cry echoing through the pine forest, and frightening a small flock of sparrows into the air.
Harry and Ginny lay together, clammy with sweat and shaking in each other's arms. They were exhausted, and could barely move. Harry reached out and pulled Sirius's cloak over them, insulating their quickly cooling bodies against the harsh cold of the icy air. Harry moved to lie beside her so as not to crush her with his weight, and wrapped his arms around her, nuzzling his head into the nape of her neck, and pulling her close to him.
"I love you so much," he told her sleepily, as his fingertips traced lazy patterns on the skin of her shoulders. "I'd die without you."
Ginny smiled gently, reaching over her shoulder to take his hand. "No you wouldn't," she murmered to him quietly. "You wouldn't die. But you'll never forget me, or our time together," she turned to face him, smiling softly.
But Harry didn't smile. He didn't think it was a joke. "I know I won't," he answered softly, kissing her warm lips and sitting up to lean on his elbows. "I think I'll always love you," he told her seriously, looking around at the sighing pines. "I'll never be able to get away from you. You're my soulmate." He stared above him to the grey clouds, slowly trailing snow through the treetops. He turned back to her, and smiled reassuringly, as if he only just remembered then that he'd been talking out loud.
Ginny shook her head gently, a faint smile on her face as she watched him lay back down. She was up on her elbow with the cloak covering her, and she stared out into the steadily falling snow outside the forest boundary. She was warm and secure in the forest, here with Harry. She felt happy, and safe, something she hadn't felt for quite a long time. She glanced down at Harry, who was laying back on the forest floor, staring up into the cloudy sky again. She lay back against him, her arms tightening across his chest.
"You're right, Harry," she said finally. "We're soulmates."