A/N: Yes, I can't believe it myself, but since I had a pretty quiet day I was able to sit in front of the computer and type… So I'll have this post it before the weekend, and perhaps I can do next chapter sooner than I had anticipated, but that's not for sure… So, meanwhile read and enjoy this one ;o)

Disclaimer: If anyone thought I own the characters in this story or that I claim ownership over them I am very sorry to disappoint you! (Oops! I've just noticed that I didn't write a disclaimer in chapter VI, but, was it really necessary?)

The first summer of the rest of their lives

Chapter VII: The Big Date- Part I

Harry's plan had worked almost entirely, Ron's parents had believed the 'we just want to go to see the town' story and they had allowed the four of them to go alone; however, to Ron's great disappointment, they didn't let them go on a night stroll so the boys had to accept an afternoon date. The tricky part had been finding an excuse to explain Hermione why Harry and Ginny were going on her date with Ron.

Hermione was not easy to fool, and was the only person who could see right through her best friends, so Harry decided he'd have to tell her the truth, butnone of the others needed to know about it.

"'Mione, could I have a word?" He asked her, while everyone else was setting the table for dinner.

"Sure, what's up?"

"Well, in fact I need to ask you a favor… Do you mind if Ginny and I go with you and Ron?"

"No, I don't mind, but why would you two want to come to our date?"

"The truth is, is not the two of us… I just… You know I have liked Ginny for a long time now, and I thought this was a good opportunity to ask her out without having to endure the famous Weasley brother's torments, because I've told them that we are going to check on you guys… And don't worry, once we get there each couple takes its own way."

"That sounds fine." Answered Hermione smiling at her best friend; it was about time Harry did something about his love life, she thought.

"Thank you 'Mione, you are the best… Oh, one more thing… Would you mind not telling this to Ron?"

"Of course" Harry beamed at her and went to the kitchen to help the Weasley's with the cutlery. He could hardly believe that the following day he was going to go on a date with Ginny, he felt even more excited than he had the night before Valentine's day in his fifth year, but also considerably more nervous; however, he was confident that this time things were going to go much better, he knew Ginny pretty well and now he was acquainted on how to act when he was around a girl he fancied.

"Why are you so happy about?" Ron asked Harry, looking at him suspiciously.

"Nothing, I've just convinced Hermione that Ginny and I had to go with you tomorrow."

"Really? And she was ok with that?" He prompted out, sounding a bit disappointed.

"Well, she wasn't thrilled at the idea, but I found a suitable excuse." This seamed to cheer Ron up a bit.

"What did you tell her?"

"Never you mind, you just concentrate on your big date tomorrow" Said Harry, completely avoiding his best friend question. It looked as though Ron was a nervous as Harry about what was going to happen the following day because he didn't press the matter further and he remain silent for the whole meal, deep in thought.

Luckily for the four youngest occupants of the beach house, the day of the 'big date' was a sunny cool one, the weather conditions were ideal for going to visit the town.

After breakfast the boys went outside to have a game of quidditch, but the girls retreated to their bedroom as they had to decide what they were going to wear that afternoon. Half an hour later, both their closets were empty and there were pieces of clothe all over the floor and the two beds.

"Argh! I can't find anything suitable!" Complained Ginny, as she threw to the floor a pink shirt in frustration.

"Why don't you borrow this t-shirt? It will bring up your eyes, you can wear it with my white jeans and your white sandals." Said Hermione pointing at a pile of clothe next to her.

"Which one?" It was a fair question, considering that there were at least five tops in the pile Hermione had mentioned.

"The green, strapless one" She answered distractedly, while checking if she had not, by any chance, left something inside her case she could wear.

"Yes, I like this" Said the youngest one appreciatively, looking at her own reflection.

"Great, now you can help me chose what to use… because if a go on like this, I'll have to go naked."

"Ron would like that… especially if you were those red panties" Said Ginny mischievously "Where did they come from, anyway?"

Hermione blushed crimson and mumbled "My godmother gave them to me as a Christmas present last year, she is a bit of a liberal woman… my mother would kill her if she found out about them." Finished Hermione giggling.

"I know what you mean; mine would faint just by looking at them."

"Now seriously, what should I wear?"

"How about my lilac top, the one you gave me for my birthday, with your dark blue jean?" Suggested Ginny.

"No, I hate how that trouser looks on me."

"And the light capri one I wore yesterday?"

"That one could be. Let me try it on."

The girls had finally selected their outfits, but now they had to clean the disaster they had made with all their clothes. Meanwhile, Ron and Harry needed to shower after three hours of playing quidditch under the sun and also had to make sure they had a half decent t-shirt and an ironed pair of pants to wear for their date.

Perhaps they did not spent hours deciding what to wear, but after his bath, Harry passed a considerable amount of time trying to make his hair lie flat, unsuccessfully of course; and Ron had borrowed some of Charlie's cologne and kept looking at his reflection on his knife, to check that he didn't he have anything between his teeth all through lunch.

After they had finished eating, Mr. Weaseley took the four apprehensive looking teenagers to the center of the town on the van he had rented.

"You two girls look very pretty today, are you planning to find a boyfriend?" He asked jokingly, looking at Ginny and Hermione through the mirror. Their only response was to giggle nervously; but his statement made Harry and Ron blush, both of them immediately looked through the window to avoid being seen.

"Here we are" Said the Weasley father, stopping the car at a corner "I'll pick you up around five. I'll meet you right here ok? Be good, have a good time" He said winking as the children descended the car.

Ron waited until his father's car was out of sight and then he took Hermione's hand.

"Do you have any idea where you want to go?" He asked politely, turning to face her.

"Not really, do you?"

"No, but we could start walking and see if we find a place to have a drink or something."

"Yes, that's fine."

"Right or left, what do you reckon?"

"Hm, I prefer left"

"Left it is then" And completely ignoring Harry and Ginny, as if they weren't there, Ron crossed the street towards the left side of the street, still holding Hermione's hand, and she followed him.

"You know, that was kind of rude" Said Ginny, looking at the other two backs.

"Yes, but it is their date." Said Harry pointedly.

"I know, so I suppose we should take the other way if we don't want to meet them."

"Yeah. Is there something in particular you'd like to do?"

"I'd like to have an ice-cream, I've never had a muggle's ice-cream before."

"That sounds good, let go and look for an ice-cream parlor" And they set off in the opposite direction. Harry didn't take Ginny's hand, though he was longing to do it; he didn't know if she considered that a date, and he didn't want to freak her out.

They walked in silence a couple of blocks, but it wasn't an awkward silence, it was the state of two people enjoying each other's company.

"Look, there's a place" Said Harry, pointing at a colorful sign that read 'Freddo, homemade ice-cream'. It wasn't a big premises but it looked like one of those sixties American soda fountains. They crossed the street and entered the place.

"So, what do you want?" Harry asked Ginny when they got to the register.

"You don't have to buy it to me" Said Ginny, her ears turning read. From the Weasley family she was, together with the twins, the only one that didn't blush as much as the rest, but when she was around Harry she tended to lose all her confidence.

"I know I don't have to, but I want to… I asked you to be here, well sort of as it was my idea to come along with your brother and Hermione, so let me treat you" Ginny smiled and started reading the list of different flavors. She chose to have chocolate Sunday and Harry a lemon and mint cone.

They sat in one of the tables outside, licking their ice-creams and watching the people that went by, again in silence; but after a couple of minutes Ginny spoke.

"Harry, just for the record, I'm not only here to help Ron, I mean I like being here with you."

He looked at her, he knew she was saying that because of what he had said inside, but he was glad all the same to hear her saying the she enjoyed his company.

"Me too" He said. He noticed her free hand was lying on the table, and knew that it was now or never, after such a statement he had to take it: so mastering all the courage he was famous for, he placed his hand over hers.

Ginny felt a pleasant rush of electricity extending from her hand to the rest of her body; she looked at her hand on the table and then at Harry, who was staring straight at her, his face expectant. Ginny turnedover her hand so that their palms would be facing each other and she grabbed his hand, still looking at Harry. This time it was him who turned pink.

The silence between them now was a bit awkward, but Harry didn't mind much, he was really enjoying himself and had a feeling Ginny was having a good time too. Once they had finished, they stood up and continued walking, this time holding hands. A few blocks ahead they found a park and sat in one of the benches, looking at the small children playing, and chatting happily though a bit more formally than they usually did.

A ball rolled to where they were and stopped at their feet. A small boy, not older than five came to pick it up, and when he had it he looked up at Ginny in amazement.

"Sir," he said looking at Harry "your girlfriend is very beautiful."

Both Harry and Ginny laughed "Actually, she's not my girlfriend" answered Harry.

"She' not? Can I ask her out then?" Asked the little boy, not a trace of embarrassment in his voice or face.

"Well, you are a bit young for me honey, perhaps in a couple of years you can take me on a date" Said Ginny kindly, amused by the little boy's response.

"Ok then, you take care of her while I grow up" Answered the child and he ran to where his mother was, leaving the couple laughing heartedly.

"Can you believe this? It's only our first date and we've have already found someone who wants to take you away." Said Harry, not really realizing the meaning of what he was saying.

Ginny stared at him, not knowing what to say, first date? Was that a real date? And did he want to have more? She couldn't believe what she had just hear, o more likely, she didn't dare to believe that Harry Potter, the same Harry Potter she had fancied for so long wanted to date her, because one thing was to buy her an ice-cream and hold her hand, but this… Well there was only one way to find out if he liked her in that way.

"I mean… I" Harry had stated mumbling but he never got to finish the sentence because Ginny had suddenly pressed her lips against his and was now kissing him firmly. It took him a couple of seconds to recover from the shock and kiss her back.

Ginny's mind was spinning. On the one hand, she was kissing Harry Potter, not being kissed by Harry but kissing him, what would have happened if he hadn't kissed her back? What had she been playing at? It had been too risky; on the other hand, he was such a great kisser, not a clumsy guy who had no idea what to do with his mouth and tongue as most of her boyfriends had been, Harry's kisses were sweet and tender but had a mischievous something about them that made them more interesting, and Ginny was sure that if he had taken the initiative, her head would be spinning all the same.

They broke the kiss some minutes later.

"Wow" Said Harry, running his hand through his hair.

"Yeah" Said Ginny, she could tell from his face that Harry had enjoyed the kiss as much as she had. They smiled broadly at each other.

"That is something I could get used to; in fact I think its worth going through your brother's inquiry session."

"Really? That good?"

"Do you need convincing?" He said playfully, leaning forward towards her, but as he raised his arm to put it around her shoulders, she got a glimpse at his watch and moved backwards.

"It will have to be some other time, because its five to five and we have to find Ron and Hermione before my father finds us."

TO BE CONTINUE

A/N: Why Ginny! That was not a nice thing to do! He he he. Anyway, I know most of you were expecting to read about Ron's and Hermione's date but I've decided to add Harry's and Ginny's because it was less relevant for the plot line and if not the chapter would be too long, so you'll have to wait for the next one.

Also, I know some of the lines are kind of clichés but I ad them on my mind and couldn't come up with anything better :o

Ok, now that that's been said, you know what to do... yes… review! I'll love you forever if you do! As I already love my faithful reviewers, you really have no idea how happy you make me!

suckr4romance81789: You are every writers dream! A reader who likes to review! Thank you very much for doing so!

Emma-Lynn: Thank you so much! I suppose you can't complain with the updating speed…

Mental357: I'm glad you like this story! Keep reading to find out what happens.

Leigh: There you have it, a Harry/Ginny overdose ;o)

goblin monkey: Thank you very much!

skygazer007: Thanx! Yes, you'll have to read to know, but I can promise something is going to happen!

Dancerrdw: There you go, impossible to do it sooner!