Just Old Friends

Chapter 29: Feelings

Harry looked around the main bar area; it was filled with people sitting around, talking in low voices. It reminded Harry of all the times he had sat in this bar while still at school; the excitement he had felt being allowed among the older generation.

From the corner of his eye he saw the door onto the street close and ran over to it. Reaching for the handle, he pulled it open and stepped outside. The warm summer sun shone down on his head and he felt the warmth of the day travel through him.

A gentle breeze picked up his hair and he saw a glint from a bench almost opposite. Red hair reflected the sunlight as the light wind played with the long locks. He couldn't help but remember the first time he'd seen her since he had awoken. She had changed from the carefree woman he had known in the other life.

She had been running from her past, he could see it. The more she put on a brave face so that everyone thought she was alright, the more she was losing herself. He didn't know why the others hadn't seen it... maybe it was because they didn't want to. But he saw himself in her.

She had tried everything to hide herself and charming her hair brown had been the most drastic that he had seen; he was glad though, when she had returned it back to it's natural colour. It suited her, and played with the brown in her eyes.

Her eyes locked with his at that moment, and he felt his heart skip a beat. Hippogriffs took flight in his stomach and a queasiness that he hadn't felt in years took over him. She was crying and it was all he could do not to throw his arms around her and hold her there. Something told him that he was the one who was supposed to keep her safe.

Slowly, he moved to the bench and sat next to her. She smiled coyly at him and the hippogriffs grew in size. Carefully, she wiped her eyes with the back of her right hand and looked at him.

"You should go inside Harry, I'm okay."

He shook his head at her as she continued to wipe her falling tears.

"Look at me, I'm being silly; you'd think I'd never been to a christening before."

"Ginny, it's okay if you're emotional. It's only natural."

She moved a little closer to him and he could smell her citrus fragrance. Small goose bumps that had nothing to do with the June weather played on the back of his neck.

"It's not just that; I'm so tired, I'm not sleeping."

"Why? What's wrong, Ginny?"

She raised her head and he knew it was down to the panic in his voice she looked at him intensely and moved slightly closer again and gently placed her head on his shoulder. He forced his body not to stiffen and to relax. Gently, he rested his arm around her shoulder and placed his chin on the top of her head. To anyone passing it would look like a lover's embrace and that's how it felt to him.

"It's nothing really Harry, I'm having nightmares is all, I always seem to get them at this time of year."

"Why at this time of year?"

"It's the anniversary on Monday, Harry. It'll be three years since the last battle, since we defeated him and lost everyone."

He moved a little so that he was holding her tighter; he could feel her move more into his chest but he forced himself not to react to this small movement.

"Do the others know about your dreams?"

"Yeah, I'm not the only one to get them. We all suffer with nightmares, it's just worse at this time of year because the world is all joyous of the defeat. I think sometimes they forget that we were involved, that it was our life. So many of our world just hid from it, it's hard to believe that there were only a handful of us fighting for freedom."

"I know it seemed to me that the entire world was fighting, but it was only a small number of people. It just happened to be the people that made up our world that were fighting. To be honest, I'm looking forward to the celebrations; I never really got to celebrate our win."

She smiled as she pulled away from him and moved to the other side of the bench. Disappointment took over him but he hid it from her; he didn't know where this need to protect her had come from, it had just appeared from nowhere. Looking at her though, he knew there was something else.

"You're keeping something quiet, Gin."

"It's nothing."

"Tell me, please."

Again their eyes met and he saw small tears still sat in her eyes but she was holding them back trying to pretend to be happy that things were they way they were.

"It's just seeing Tonks so happy with little Sirius has me thinking about how I can't have children. I knew it would be tough watching the others have kids but it's harder than I thought. I just want someone of my own that I can hold and protect from the world."

She stood up from the bench and walked straight back into the pub. Harry admired the way she shoved her feels aside for others. He sat there for a few more minutes and wonderment came over him; he knew how Ginny felt, he himself shared that feeling but with one difference... he had found the person he wanted to protect and he felt so guilty because of it.

Okay so another chapter for you all and yep here is the start of Ginny and Harry, its taken 29 chapters to get there and its still slow but we'll be there soon I promise.

Harryp123 glad you like hope you like this one

Jessie I don't know Australians may greet people with mate, I must ask Annie

Brilliant author seriously dating, maybe in five chapters time, but we're close now and that means we're close to the end of the story as well

Chica91 yeah it is much harder than I thought but its because I'm not a fan of Ginny/Harry I'm actually quite against the idea but I wrote it for a friend and I'm determined to make it realistic and relationships take time and hence the length of the story.

Jessie you and Dave! No you didn't tell me that, I think I need details, I shall be looking out for you on MSN. But how long and oh shall we be having baby Jessie's running around soon as well since so many others our age are starting families now ;D

Anyway please review once you've read

Kristina