Disclaimer: I give all credit to J.K Rowling, I own nothing and she, along with the publishers of this magnificent book own everything and the plot is the only thing remotely close to being mine! Maybe not even, I also want to give credit to all other authors whose stories I've had a chance to read!
And to the readers:: A BIG THANKS!!
Adeline3, sarebare22890, Ronaholic, WiDz, Emerald Desire, Miranda-C, Kim, Sweet-Oklahoma, mistik, LostRose, lemon head, Joy1, blue-angel(),Annmarie, MPPSexxySiriusJamesRemus, Rayah Papaya.
Young Love and Babies.
Ginny shut the door behind her after apparating in her apartment. It was almost 10: 30 and her head was spinning and she didn't know why. The memory of the night's events rang clear in her mind. She was on what could only be deemed as a date with Ryan West and she wouldn't have cared if the whole world saw, but He had seen, Harry had seen. The thought made her more nauseous and she went to her bed for support. She felt an odd feeling in the pit of her stomach that would not go away. After Harry had handed her the scarf, he looked behind her and could only guess that he had put together what was happening. He had been at a dinner with someone, she didn't know who, for he didn't give her a chance to speak or ask questions, he didn't say much, but only looked at her with a hurt that Ginny too felt. He looked wounded. Ginny knew, she couldn't have imagined it, she felt it too.
She lied down with a plop on her bed and stared up at her ceiling. How could she be so careless? Why did she feel like this? She felt that somehow, even though Harry and her were just friends, that she had betrayed him. She couldn't shake the feeling, the look that she saw in Harry when he handed her that scarf. Ginny replayed the moment in her head like an old muggle movie. He had cracked a weak smile in order to hide whatever he had felt, and failed through Ginny's eyes.
'You look nice Gin, have a good evening.' Was what he said last in something of a harsh tone that was hidden behind pleasantries. She could hear it, she knew. Even though he smiled at her, it wasn't the same genuine smile that Harry gave when he was happy. It was the smile he gave when he was hiding something and passing it off as nothing. She wanted to run after him and make him understand, to explain, to plead that it was nothing, anything to get that look of his face that he felt towards her. But Ginny couldn't run after him, it would be rude to Ryan if she left. She resolved to talking to Harry later and to focus on what she was there to do, and that is to have dinner with Ryan West.
The dinner seemed to go by in a whirl that took forever. She had successfully carried on conversations with Ryan for a pleasant enough evening to be had. But visions of Harry kept drowning her in fits of worry and panic, only to be rescued again by the reality of things. She stayed focus enough so Ryan won't have to feel worried about her state. She was a good actress and commended herself for it, for Ginny was in pieces inside. She wanted to stay but she wanted to go to Harry. Whenever Ryan would look away, which was not often, Ginny would try frantically to look for where Harry sat. The evening went on and Harry did not appear again. She was half hoping he would say goodbye so she can see his expression again, but he did not show. By the time dinner ended, Ginny thanked Ryan for a wonderful evening and told him that she could apparate home from behind the Two Towers. He did not protest , he wished Ginny a goodnight and waited for her to apparate first, before he himself made his way home.
Ginny didn't think anything of it then, but now, she felt that she seemed to have left in a hurry. But she couldn't blame herself. She wanted to rush home and owl Harry, or floo him, anything to be in contact with him. But now that she was at home, her thoughts got the better of her, and the panic and worry she had felt that was in the pit of her stomach had worked its way up to her chest. Ginny had always had the tenacity to solve problems. She didn't want anything unresolved for a long period of time so she would always go out of her way to mend things that needed to be mended right away. She got it from her mum she supposed.
Still in her dress robes she looked at the clock and it pointed to 'Stay up as much as you want, its SATURDAY!' She wanted to call Harry, but since it was already past 11, she didn't think it proper. Anything she wanted for Harry to know, it would just have to wait, until a good, reasonable hour. This was for the best since she didn't know what to tell Harry herself. If she waits, she could best gauge what to tell Harry. If she went on to floo him right now, she is liable to say everything in her heart that she's kept there for ten or so years. The clock was right, she could stay up for as long as she wants, this would give her time to say exactly what needs to be said.
With that Ginny got up changed to her night robes. She washed off any trace remnants of this evening and settled in front of the fire in the living room accompanied by her trusty blanket and a nice cup of tea. As she watched the flame dance, in front of the burning and flickering fire, thoughts of Harry flooded her brain and she fell slowly asleep.
Ginny woke with a heavy sensation in her stomach. She wondered for a second and all thoughts of last night flooded her brain once more and she let out a groan. She turned and realized that she had fallen asleep on the hearthrug in front of the fireplace and adjusted herself so she faced the window and the bright Saturday morning. She looked at the sunny clear sky and cursed it for having no care, no problems. She laughed at herself at the dilemma she had put herself in, if it was even a dilemma. In retrospect this was her dilemma, she was in love with Harry Potter, for which he didn't know anything about. She was also taken with Ryan West, for which he probably knew a bit about. Going out with Ryan was something Ginny didn't have any explanation for, she did it because he was interested and she liked him. She should've known better that it was a weak alternative, not that she was trying to replace Harry, but she was so confused and lost. She was, she decided, was just trying to find a perspective. She didn't know what Harry felt, he's been weird lately and the look he gave her last night unnerved her like nothing had ever before. Ryan was a nice guy, but Ginny thought with a shake of her head that he was not Harry. There is only one Harry and he was capable of making her feel like this without knowing he had. Harry had the ability to make her feel guilty without having done anything, but go out with another boy. This of course was none of Harry's fault; it was Ginny's, all of it. She had allowed herself to become so enamored with Harry that he consumed her mind day in and day out. She laughed out loud.
"Oh god, I'm going mad." She said.
"HOOOT" Willow greeted by the window flap.
There is no more use of denying it. She is going crazy. If anyone were able to read her mind, the poor soul would probably think she was mad about Harry, that she was crazed and obsessed.
"Oh God!" She whispered and hid her face behind her palm not having control of what she was thinking anymore. She was thankful that no one in the near vicinity had the power of Occlumency, other wise she'd even be more paranoid.
She shook the thoughts from her head and started to get up. She chanced a look at the fire and almost had to do a double take for she thought that she saw Harry's head for a split second, she froze and wondered if she should call Emma to have a good check up for any symptoms of insanity.
"Right then." She murmured
"Not only am I crazed and obsessed, but it appears that I am also delusional. Great!" She mused out loud.
She took one good long look at the fire once more and when convinced that she was not going to see anymore of Harry's body parts appear, she decided to get up and make some tea. But before she could do that she heard
"Ginny"
Ginny screamed bloody murder and turned around with her wand pointed to the offending voice.
"HARRY!! What the bloody hell are you doing?!?!" she screamed.
She had not been going crazy after all, because Harry's head was suspended there in the green flames that her fireplace housed.
"Good morning to you too sunshine." Harry said with amusement. And is that a smile Ginny sees in his face?
"Harry it is not funny!" Ginny calmed down and knelt in front of the fireplace
"Yes it is." Harry said trying to keep the laugh that was trying to get out in check. He continued… "But, I did show myself briefly so you wouldn't be startled."
"That! All you managed to do was made me think I was going insane." Ginny said with a laugh.
Harry had never seen her in nothing but her sleeping robes. He had to sorely look away and not make her uncomfortable nor he angry at the prospect that a certain someone could have seen her like that if the fates were hateful enough to conspire against him. But Harry kept intent on doing what he had decided to do.
When Ginny calmed down a bit, she laughed at the silliness of it all and asked more evenly " Now, Mr. Potter, what are you doing?" she added with a smile.
"Well, I am sorry." Harry added smiling sheepishly.
Oh Merlin, she loved him. Before, her mind would've shushed the idea, but now, she would just embrace the feeling, there was nothing left to do but do so.
Ginny offered him a genuine smile, for the pure reason, that she couldn't help it.
"
Well, I was just wondering if you would like to come out and accompany me today to look for a present for the baby?" Harry asked expectedly. He just hoped that he didn't sound asinine doing so. He thought it was a pretty clever idea when he ran it through his head this morning, however, given the present moment he was starting to think, not.
Ginny couldn't believe it, her head was whirling. All of last night, she was thinking of how she could talk to Harry, and here he is, in her fireplace, asking her to go baby shopping, not a trace of hurt in his face. Ginny didn't know how to feel, should she be relieved that the hurt she thought she saw and was hell bent on erasing was gone, or should she be sad because that same hurt, the one that she thought she saw was gone taking all of its possibilities that it carried along with it. She realized that Harry was still waiting for an answer.
"I'd love to Harry" Was all she could muster up.
Harry gave a nod and said " Pick you up at 10?"
"Perfect, we can have late breakfast here if you'd like?" Ginny asked, the words out before she could stop them.
"Great, see you then. Bye Ginny." And with that, Harry Potter's head disappeared and the once green flame, turned slowly again to amber.
Ginny didn't know what to make of it. She rested on the chair, her kettle shaking angrily behind her; she would just have to take it one step at a time. She was just happy that she gets to spend another day with Harry, she didn't know how it would turn out, all she knew is that she didn't want to waste it and she wanted to take advantage of the time that was given to her.
Just as the kettle was erupting furious steam, the doorbell rang and quick as reflex, she made to get up and open the door. And there, standing at Ginny Weasley's doorway, was Harry, holding a box of what looked like Ginny's favorite éclairs.
Harry raised both his eyebrows and lifted the pink transparent box eye level.
"Morning." He tempted.
"Morning." Ginny answered back and made a gesture for the box. Just as Harry anticipated, he lifted it up out of her reach.
"Hey hey hey, you haven't even invited me in yet." Harry said jokingly.
But Ginny, used to being played at by six older brothers, knew what she had to do. She stepped closer to Harry with her head tilted, looked up in his eyes, and elbowed him square in the stomach.
"Oomph" was all he could say while he lowered his arm and handed Ginny the pink box.
"Now you know not to mess with me and my sweets." She said leaving him by the door.
He came in and shut the door behind him and followed her to the kitchen.
"Yeah, don't I know it." Harry said sitting himself down at the table and smiling to himself at what had just happened.
Ginny set the plates and offered him the pink box, "Éclair?"
"Don't mind if I do." Harry said looking at Ginny in the eyes as he grabbed one as offered, as he did so his hand brushed hers just barely but it was enough to send a chill down Ginny's spine.
Ginny hoped that it wasn't noticeable, but for some reason, the air between them seemed more charged today than any other days. Ginny laid the box down and proceeded to sit there with Harry and eat breakfast. They shared a meaningful look, neither one saying anything that would betray their thoughts, but each very much aware of the others.
"So do you know what you're looking for?" Ginny asked as they proceeded down Diagon Alley. She was dressed in her light blue robes, since it was the middle of July and she didn't want to get too hot, though that doesn't say much, since they are plagued with rain most of the time. Harry was in a plain red jumper under his plain black robes, nothing too fancy but nothing too dull either. It was simple, but it made enough of a statement to earn a few glances from a few interested witches.
"All right?" Harry asked Ginny. Ginny nodded and stepped closer to him. They fought their way out of the busiest part of the street and once settled and reassured that they weren't going to get trampled, he answered her question.
"No, I don't have a clue. Do you?"
"No idea, but I'll know it when I see it." Harry had to smile again at the determined look that Ginny had every time a task was appointed to her.
"Shall we start then?" She asked.
Harry nodded a response and offered Ginny his arm. Ginny, taken aback by the courtesy looked at him in puzzlement.
"I just don't want to get separated" He said, earning a raised eyebrow from Ginny. "I don't know the first thing about babies and things of the sort." He said amusingly.
Ginny elated at how everything was going said.
"Sure, Harry. Whatever you say." Ginny said playfully as she stepped closer and linked her arms with Harry's.
Harry was all in all, still a boy, under that faithful guise as a young Auror in training that rest inside. And Ginny had to giggle at the fact that that's why they were in the Quidditch Shoppe in Diagon alley surrounded by little wizards and little witches ogling at the new supplies this year had brought. Harry had seen the new broom on display and Ginny saw the eagerness that had played in his eyes. She too was interested in Quidditch, but not to the extent that Harry and her brothers were so there was no problem stopping by and seeing what the shop had.
She floated around the store and didn't pay attention to where she was heading. It wasn't until she saw something glitter in the corner of her eye that she realized that she had ended up in the Seeker section of the store.
Oh Damn. She sighed. For the thought hadn't even crossed her mind since she and Harry had stepped into Diagon Alley. Come to think of it, Harry hadn't said one thing about last night, and they have been there quite a while now.
'Maybe I really did just imagine it.' She thought. And as if a wave of dizziness swept the room she felt lightheaded all of a sudden and made to grab the nearest thing she could find to steady herself for she was in danger of falling.
Her hand clasped around something warm. "Ginny?" Harry whispered close to her ear. It was Harry's hand her hand was holding. Actually, she was unaware that she was almost leaning onto him. "Ginny. Are you ok?" She heard the urgency in Harry's voice. Ginny was basically leaning unto him for balance. He felt warm and she didn't want to move, but her head was now clearing again and she didn't want Harry to worry more so she shifted and nodded her head. She only realized that she couldn't get far for Harry was holding her close to him. The only thing she could do was look up.
"I'm fine, dizzy spell, I'm afraid." Ginny said looking up at Harry's face. She could see that his eyes were full of worry and genuine concern. Harry was still holding her and looking at her intently.
"Are you sure you're ok?" He asked once again, fainter this time.
"Yes, I'm fine. Thank—y" Ginny started but was interrupted by a group of giggling little girls that had apparently taken the task of watching the whole thing. They both smiled and she saw a faint blush creep up to Harry's cheeks.
"What do you say we get out of here?" He asked, girls still giggling, Ginny still in arms. He didn't want to let go, and Ginny didn't want to be released, but they had to get out of there before the whole store started watching. With that Ginny started for the exit, with Harry very close behind.
Once out of the store, she felt the cool breeze of the air wash over her and was grateful that they were out of there.
"What happened?" Harry said stepping in front of her, very closely. Not that Ginny minded.
Ginny placed a hand on his shoulder, she didn't know why, she just felt like doing so.
"I'm ok, really. Probably just the heat or something." She answered back.
Harry had already begun walking with her hand still in his. Ginny had to smile at this. This little gesture that Harry wasn't embarrassed to show meant loads, she didn't know exactly to who it meant more too, all she knew was that Harry isn't the kind to hold ones hand or the like, she told herself earlier that she wouldn't make something out of nothing, but this was way too big to pass up.
Ginny was so engulfed with her thoughts that she didn't realize where Harry had taken them both. Florean Fortescues Ice-cream Parlor stood before them and she could feel the cold air coming from with in it.
"Swiss Mocha?" Harry asked.
"You have good memory Harry Potter." Ginny said impressed.
Ginny went to grab a table that was just vacated by a couple of girls with shopping bags. Harry soon joined her laden with two enormous bowls of Swiss mocha ice cream.
She had to laugh at the thing sticking out of Harry's bowl.
"What is that?" Ginny asked puzzled
"Its Cinnamon stick." He said, like it's the most obvious and normal thing to eat with ones chocolate ice cream.
Ginny just shook her head and dug into her own tempting looking ice cream.
Once Ginny had reassured Harry that she is in fact ok, they settled into conversations about babies and the finer things in baby accessories.
But as much as she tried to concentrate about other things, the Quidditch Shoppe had reminded her of what was nagging her earlier. She wanted to ask Harry, she wanted to but she couldn't get herself to do it. She still didn't know whom he was there with. But she told herself that who ever she was, or if it even was a she, it didn't matter.
'Right Ginny, keep telling your self that. '
'You're a Gryffindor for Merlin sakes, just ask him.'
Just as she was about to open her mouth, Harry spoke first and was saved the whole thing.
"Tonks and Lupin say's their Hello." Harry said intent on swirling his melted Ice cream.
'Tonks and Lupin!' Ginny breathed a sigh of relief; she just hoped Harry didn't hear it.
"Oh, I would've liked to have seen them once again." She responded
Harry looked at her briefly and went back to swirling his ice cream.
"You looked like you were having fun, we didn't want to interrupt you." He said, this time looking at her.
Did she detect a hint of jealousy?
"Oh, well, I wasn't… I mean I was... but you know, not too much." She said trailing at the face Harry had given her.
"I mean, not as much fun as I'm having now." She added. Grateful for what Harry had done by bringing it up first, so she thought she'd throw a little something in there for him to.
"Well, thank you" Was all Harry could muster, probably also taken aback by the answer he was given.
So there, it was out in the open and Harry wasn't mad. At least Ginny, felt that he wasn't. They were actually having a great time. After they had finished the ice cream they went to their last stop. The baby store they went to was called…
'Ella Enchanted' a gift of a gift for all babies.
They entered the store and Harry could only describe it as nursery like. They were greeted by a middle aged looking witch that eyed them curiously. Ginny could tell that the witch was impressed by Harry cause she had to clear her throat for her to pay attention to both of them. But then again, whenever did Harry go that he didn't garner everyone's attention. Not that he wanted it, but it was inevitable, he was Harry Potter.
"Well, aren't you the cutest couple!" The witch exclaimed.
Ginny had to take a moment to realize what the witch had said.
"Oh n—" she was interrupted.
"When are you two expecting?" The witch interjected, "We have lots of wonderful gifts for the angel that you two are going to have. I can already tell." She said slapping her hands together and looking from Ginny and Harry expectedly.
Ginny chanced a look at Harry and he could not fight the rush of blood that flooded his cheeks for it clearly showed in his face. Ginnydidnt have time to blush,but made a mental noteto revel in the compliment later, she moreor less tried to get a word in and finally succeeded.
"Oh, we're not. Its for my brother and my sister in-law." Ginny said shyly.
The witched looked at them both, pursed her lips and said.
"Well, it's just a matter of time now isn't it?" She said giddily and started walking towards the back of the store.
Ginny stared, open mouthed at the back of the witches head. She couldn't believe what the witch had just said. It was amusing and embarrassing at the same time. Not to say that she didn't like the idea, but it was still embarrassing that Harry was right beside her. She looked at him once more and he motioned his head towards the witch.
"Shall we…?" He said with a smirk playing at his lips.
Ginny nodded and started to follow where the witch had gone with Harry trailing just behind her.
"…Love."
Ginny stopped at her tracks and wheeled around to face a very amused Harry, trying to keep a straight face. He had said it with in the earshot of the sales witch, she had definitely heard and Ginny didn't know what to make of it.
Does he like the idea of us being referred to as a couple, is that why he is playing along with it? She asked herself. She just shook her at the man staring in front of her with his hand stretched out, a smile paying at his lips as to let her lead the way. She gave him a nod and started again.
"Sure honey". She said head held high and calmly approached the very giddy sales witch.
"Oh how I love young love."
