Chapter 4. So, here we go again! Let's see if I can turn things up a little…
Harry walked out of his room late the next morning down to the kitchen and smiled as he found himself pleasantly not the only occupant in the house. Ron was sitting at the table, his back to Harry.
He yawned and clapped Ron on the back as he passed through to the kitchen. "Morning mate."
"Hey." Ron smiled. "What are you doing home this time of day?"
"I was working late last night and didn't get home until rather early this morning, so Tonks gave me the day off to catch up on some much needed sleep." Harry said.
"That was nice of her." Ron said. "But then again, she always has had a soft-spot for her Golden Boy, now hasn't she?"
"Shut it you." Harry smiled. He summoned some bread from the cupboard, prodded it with his wand and it toasted instantly. "So, where's the Blimp?"
"At her folks. I'm actually heading over there myself… just as soon as I get all this done." Ron said, indicating the papers in front of him.
Harry frowned and cocked his head to the side, trying to read. "What's all this then?"
'Finances, loan rates, potential properties… stuff I really don't want to do but needs going over. I wanted it done before I catch up with Hermione, otherwise she'll have kittens over it." Ron said, writing some figures down on a scrap bit of parchment.
"Kitten's eh? And here I was thinking she was having a human baby. Hmm, makes you wonder what she and Crookshanks really did in their spare time, doesn't it?" Harry said with a smirk.
Ron looked at Harry in amazement. "I can't believe you just said something like that to me." He said in a somewhat awed tone.
"It was payback for that 'Golden Boy' comment." Harry said, sitting down adjacent to his friend.
Ron laughed, shook his head and went back to his work. Harry munched away at his toast for a few minutes, going over his plans for his day off when he came back to a nagging thought that had been in the back of his mind since the night before.
"So, have you seen Ginny this morning?" Harry asked casually.
"Yeah, she left not ten minutes ago. Said something about going for a run to clear her head… although I can't imagine why. She did seem a little distant at breakfast though." Ron said, staring off into space.
Harry nodded. "Just ten minutes?"
"Yeah." Ron said, watching Harry stand up and send his plate back to the kitchen. "Thinking of going after her are you?"
"I might be." Harry said, not looking Ron in the eye.
"Ah, I wouldn't."
Harry blinked and looked down at Ron. "And why is that?"
Ron shrugged. "She looked like she needed some time alone. You know how women get… they need their 'Alone time' to meditate or brood or whatever it is they claim they don't do."
Harry rolled his eyes. "Bloody women."
"Amen to that." Ron said.
"If she has a problem why can't she just say so?" Harry cried. "These women…honestly. And they reckon we bottle everything up! Gees, I can't for the life of me understand the inner workings of your little sister."
"Now you're trying to figure Ginny out?" Ron laughed. "Good luck to you my friend… better you loosing your sanity than me."
Harry smiled. "You have no idea." He muttered.
"Look, you want to go after her? Be my guest. But a lifetime of experience tells me to warn you to leave her be. Going after her with wands ablazing won't get a confession out of her any faster." Ron said.
Harry sighed. "Fine. In that case, I'll just go get dressed and do a little paperwork out the back."
"Okay, well I'm going soon anyway."
"Tell 'Maternity Barbie' I said hi."
"Will do."
Ginny smiled and fell onto the grass as she caught her breath. Her run had been exhilarating and just what she needed to take the time to think, and to get some of her nerves out of her system. Oh yes, nerves. But what did she really feel nervous about?
It can't have been totally what she had seen last night. She had seen Harry like that before…maybe even worse. The night of the final battle between Harry and Voldemort was still fresh in her – and everyone else involved – mind's eye. Harry had projected such power, anger, intimidation and determination that night to the likes no-one had ever imagined he possessed.
So why did him simply interrogating someone make her feel a little nervous around him? She knew Harry. He was not the type of person who would hurt someone for pleasure or act horrible to another human being… unless they deserved it.
Ginny rubbed her face and looked at the house beside her. She had collapsed in the back yard, hoping Harry would have already gone to work. Ron had said he hadn't seen Harry that morning… perhaps he had gone in early…
"Ginny? That you?"
She jumped and looked up to see Harry standing over her, a smile on his face as looked down at her. Ginny laughed, rolled over and leapt up onto her feet.
"Oh, yes. How could you tell?"
"Well the red hair was kind of a give-away." Harry said, shoving his hands in his pockets. "How was your run?"
"Oh… great." Ginny said, forcing a smile. "Yeah, just what I needed. How did you know?"
"I just saw Ron, he told me."
"Ah, I see."
There was an awkward silence between them for a moment, before Ginny cleared her throat and ran a hand through her ponytail.
"So er… why aren't you at work today?" she asked.
"Got the day off." Harry said simply.
"Ah, good."
Harry's eyes narrowed and he took a step toward Ginny. "Listen, are you alright after what happened last night?"
"Last night?"
"Yeah. Is er, everything okay?"
Ginny snorted. "What? Of course it is! Why wouldn't it be?" she laughed.
Harry gave her a look.
She sighed. "Am I so transparent?"
He smiled. "No, I'm just a keen observer." He said. "You want to talk about it?"
"What is there to talk about?"
"I don't know, you tell me."
Ginny considered him for a moment, before rubbing her eyes and sitting back down on the lawn. "Is your friend alright? You know, that guy Benson?"
"Yeah, he's fine." Harry said, sitting down with her. "The physician fixed him up quick smart and he was back out on the street by dawn. And he's not my friend." Harry added darkly.
"It sure seemed like it."
Harry smiled and leant back on his hands. "We're not friends, nor are we enemies. Its one of those complicated relationships that you just don't question its existence. We help each other out in sticky situations… like you saw last night."
"You call poking someone who's in pain helping them out?" Ginny asked, looking at Harry as if she had never met him before.
Harry frowned. "Is that what this is about? Me being a little brutal?" he asked.
Ginny smiled. "No, of course not."
"You know, you're not a very good liar Ginny." Harry said, quirking an eyebrow.
"I am so." Ginny said like quite the five year old.
"You might be… but not to an Auror like myself." Harry whispered, giving her a wink. "Look, I don't know what you've been thinking, but you can talk to me about it. I know it's a little different for me to act that way…"
"A little?" Ginny laughed. "Yes, okay, I admit it. I felt a little scared. I've only ever seen you behave that way once in your entire life, and that is a time I'd rather not think about, nor need any reminder of."
"Yeah, I know."
"But then why?" Ginny asked. "Why did you act like that?"
Harry ruffled his hair and smiled. "Look, you need to understand how it is out there in the field. My name carries a lot of emotion with it. Anger, irritation…sometimes even fear. And I use that. It's all drama Ginny. Flash my scar at them and they flake, say my name and they cower. I reserve no niceties when it comes to some of these people, and if flaunting what power I have gets what I need out of them… then I'll do it." He said.
Ginny looked at him. He looked a little saddened that his life had come to making people scared of him, and yet determined that this was what he was meant to do with his life.
"So… you just acting the big, mean Potter? You don't really like it?" Ginny asked.
"Well, I wouldn't say I always hate it. Sometimes – as horrible as this is going to sound – it gives me a little thrill." Harry said with a small smile. "I'm powerful Ginny, there's no denying it. I'm not saying it to boost my ego – it's a fact. And if it helps rid the world of monsters like the sort I deal with every day, then I see no harm in using it."
Ginny smiled at him. This was her Harry. The awkward, yet focused and driven man she knew and loved.
"So, does that make you feel better?" Harry said. "Knowing that I'm not going to attack you in the middle of the night, demanding answers?"
Ginny laughed, feeling a little stupid for ever feeling uncomfortable around him. "I'm sorry."
"Think nothing of it." Harry said, feeling better that now they no-longer felt awkward.
Well, about one less thing that is.
Harry looked up at the cloudless, blue sky and squinted against the sun. It was rather warm and being outdoors seemed like a good idea, but he didn't really feel like having a work out yet.
He looked at Ginny – who was pulling out blades of grass – and smiled. "Would you like to see a movie with me?"
"A movie?"
"Yeah, and then we can grab some lunch afterwards or something. Come on, I'll shout. They sky's the limit… about,' he said, reaching into his pocket and pulling out some money '20 pounds."
Ginny laughed. "Big spender."
Harry threw her a look and stood up. "Come on, let's spend the day together and annoy one another in the way only we know how."
Ginny looked at his outstretched hand and bit her lip.
"It'll be fun." Harry smiled.
She smiled, finally took his hand and let him pull her up. "Okay, you've convinced me. I just have one question."
"Yeah?"
"What's a movie?"
Harry patted Ginny awkwardly on the back, smiling apologetically at the people who passed as Ginny sobbed relentlessly into the crook of his neck.
"Ginny, calm down." Harry soothed. Everyone within the vicinity was either giving him looks of sympathy, or looks of confusion.
"It was… s-so sad Harry…" Ginny cried, her tears soaking Harry's shirt.
"Yeah, but it was only a movie." He said softly, steering her away from the entrance to the cinema out into the street.
Ginny looked up at him, her eyes red and her cheeks streaked with tears. "Only a movie? That was the best movie I've ever seen!"
"It's the only movie you've ever seen!"
"I was still sad." She said, throwing her arms around him again. "They loved each other so much, and after everything…" she broke down once more.
Harry bit his tongue against commenting again and just let her cry herself out. He had had previous experience with women crying, and nothing he did seemed to make them stop. If anything, it increased the leak within them.
"Listen, um…how about we go for a walk?" he said.
Ginny sniffed and nodded, finally releasing him. "Yes, that sounds nice." She said, her voice still a bit shaky.
Harry smiled, sighing to himself in relief and they began to walk down the street towards a park a few blocks away. "Perhaps your first movie should have been a happier one." He chuckled.
"You mean they're not all sad?"
"Of course they're not! There's comedy and drama and mystery and romance…"
"Romance?" Ginny asked, looking at Harry excitedly. "Take me to see one of them?"
Harry laughed. "Ginny, you just saw one of the most emotional movies of recent times. I doubt you need anymore drama anytime soon. Next time I'll take you to see a funny one." He said.
"And what was that one called again?" she asked.
"The Notebook."
"Ah yes. 'The Notebook'." She recited, nodding to herself. "A fantastic movie. I can't believe that there were barely any guys in there though."
"Hmm, I can." Harry muttered.
"What's that meant to mean?" Ginny asked indignantly. "That was a bloody good movie! Just because it was a little mushy and romantic and…"
"And there, you just said the magic words." Harry said. "Guys don't want to see movies full of mush and tears. They want action! Cars and guns and half-naked women…"
"Oh yes, that's a wonderful mixture." Ginny said flatly.
"It is for men."
Ginny rolled her eyes. "Can you honestly tell me you didn't enjoy that just a teensy weensy little bit?" she asked.
Harry sighed. "Okay, yes, it was alright. It was a good story." He said. "But I didn't see the need to set a hole in your plumbing over it."
"It wasn't just sad." Ginny said. "It was so beautiful. He loved her so much and she him. It makes you all warm inside, you know. I want my marriage to be like that… hell, even just to have someone look at me that way would be good enough."
"Hmm." Harry agreed flatly.
"Why are you cynical about romance?" Ginny demanded.
"I'm not cynical."
"Yes you bloody are! You have this attitude to dating that I've never seen before." Ginny said.
Harry rolled his eyes. "You know, this is not really a conversation I want to be having."
"I'll drop it when I get to the bottom of it. When was the last time you went on a date then Harry?"
"Like I have to tell you!" Harry snapped a little harshly.
But Ginny wasn't deterred. However, she was taking his lack of romance and defeatist attitude to dating as a personal insult. "Have you even had a girlfriend since school?"
"Of course I have. Jesus Ginny, I'm not a hermit locked up in my house." Harry said.
"Well, I haven't heard anything about a girl in your life since I've been back. You're obviously single, not to mention one hell of a guy… why in Merlin's name aren't you out there mixing?"
Harry stopped his walking, get out a grunt of annoyance and raised his hands to either side of her face as if to choke her. "Ginny,' he started, before sighing and letting his arms drop. "Look, I happen to find dating a waste of my time, alright?"
Ginny stood stock still for a moment as he began to walk off, before she shook herself and ran to catch up with him.
"A waste of time?" she repeated. "How can it be a waste of time? Dating is fun."
"No, it isn't." Harry said. "Look Ginny, I'm twenty five years old. I've been through the dating game, I've been through the heartache… and I'm tired of it. I'm sick of stressing about what clothes to wear to make a good impression, or what time to pick her up or where we should go or what we will talk about." he sighed. "I just want to have her. I don't want to fiddle-fart around."
"But, how can you find her if you don't look around?" Ginny asked.
"I'm a firm believer of being friends first before falling in love. Dating is all about sex; friendship is all about love and respect. The girl for me is close by, I know that. I don't want to waste my time meeting girls who are just going to be a casual thing. I'm ready for the real deal Ginny."
Ginny shivered. "You are? Wow, that's deep."
"I'm one of those guys." Harry said with a smile.
"But Harry, you don't have any female friends." Ginny said softly.
Harry looked at her. "I do so have female friends."
"Oh yeah? Okay then, name three that aren't Hermione or Tonks." She said, folding her arms over her chest.
Harry opened his mouth to speak, but the look on Ginny's face made him stop. He gave her a look and let out a soft laugh. "You know, I don't remember any part of our contract saying that I need to prove myself to you at any given time."
Ginny fell silent, feeling she had pushed him a little too far. It was a little intrusive of her to demand all this from him, especially when he seemed so uncomfortable about it. She could tell that his main focus in life was his job, but she didn't know his attitude about relationships was so dismal.
"So, she's out there somewhere eh?" she said, giving him a smile.
Harry grinned. "Yeah, somewhere."
Ginny continued to look at him for a moment, noticing something about him. "You're different."
"Is that a good thing?"
"I'm not sure yet."
A/N – Not as long as I usually make them, but hopefully enjoyable nonetheless. And about the Notebook… cried my bloody eyes out! If you haven't seen it, definitely hire it or something.
Please review!