Disclaimer: By now, you know that I don't own Harry Potter.

Author's Note: I'm incredibly sorry for not getting this chapter up sooner. My dad finally got these files- all 9- transferred over to the new computer- so I'm ready to finish writing this chapter and continue on with my story. Thank you to all my incredible reviewers who kept reviewing in my absence, and all you wonderful readers who made me anxious to get this chapter up as soon as possible. This chapter is entirely dedicated to you all. I really hope I didn't lose any of you- you guys are what help me to write! I'm really sorry, again. So, please enjoy this chapter!

Also, at this point, in my trip, it would have been our all day band and chorus competition, so I'm filling in many of those events with beach days. Also, we stayed a mere 4 days, whereas they are staying a full week. Oh yeah, and also, the further I get along in this story, the more far out I'm branching from the real events. So don't think that I did all these things on my school trip, because I didn't. I'm a total good girl. ;)

Chapter 9: Making Out by the Docks

It was the same day that Harry and Ginny had gotten together, only this time, it was beyond mid-morning and the new couple had already split their separate ways to their individual rooms to prepare for the day to come. Another beach day, of course, as because there was so little beach at their countryside school, everyone was more than determined to make up for it in one party-filled week.

The sun was shining and the day was hot, and what was even hotter, perhaps, was the energy that went through the new couples. Not like that of course, but there was so much, excitement. There's nothing like a first love.

They were all walking down to the beach from the hotel, everyone dressed brightly in their bathing suits, all eight, one might add. Ron and Hermione were often seen in giggling fits walking down, staring at one another and smiling constantly. It was rather irritating to the others, who had by now, really began to be annoyed at their constant behavior, seeing as their love lives were almost absent.

However, Ginny and Harry weren't bothered by them, because as they walked down, Harry would "casually" brush his hand against Ginny's and hold her hand for a few seconds, causing her to blush and smile at him. It was a pleasant sight to see, but it had to go unnoticed, this being particularly because of the overprotective older brother walking some eight feet ahead of them.

They all arrived down at the sandy shores and lay down all their towels and belongings, shading their eyes against the harsh spring sun. Hannah lay on her stomach, her back to the sky, catching the sun's rays. Seamus lay on his back a couple feet away, admiring her through the lenses in his aviator sunglasses. Luna, was, being Luna and was deeply interested in the Quibbler, reading something about sun rays and some kind of "creature" recently discovered.

"Did you know that the Red-Bellied Forgewhack is the reason why we get sunburned? You see, it's a miniscule mystical creature that lives in the rays from the sun and propel themselves on our skin, and shoot a sharp little needles into our skin, which makes it puff up and heat, therefore being what everyone refers to as sunburn." She rambled to Neville, who looked quite fascinated, yet intrigued at this new piece of information.

Harry wanted badly to touch Ginny. There was just something about the way that her flaming red hair glowing in the sun, or the way her eyes sparkled when she talked to him that just made her irresistible to him. He knew any physical contact around Ron would be too risky. Way too risky. He could touch her hand, yes, but he had the strong urge to kiss her, to hold her.

"Harry, will you help me with this?" she turned toward him, holding out a bottle of sunscreen and she held her hair up with the other hand.

"Sure, yeah, no problem." He said, taking the bottle from her and squirting some into the palm of his hand. He rubbed his hands together and began applying the lotion to her back, rubbing her shoulders.

She closed her eyes out of the pleasure of having him rub her back, and felt him relieve the tension in her muscles. He massaged her back gently, and she giggled as he occasionally hit that one spot on her back where she was ticklish and made her laugh.

Once he had applied the last of the lotion to every square inch to her back, he patted her back. "All done!" he said, rubbing what was left on his hands onto his arms. She turned around, smiling, and then got up off her towel.

"Well, I'm going to the bathroom, just so you all know." She said, directed towards Harry, and winking at him and nodding her head in the direction of the docks, which stood about fifty feet away. She got up and began walking, casually brushing the side of her leg against his as she walked past him and into the direction of the docks.

After about a minute and a half, a jittering Harry couldn't sit still any longer, so he himself got up and walked to the docks, hoping to go unnoticed. Just when he thought he'd slipped away, he heard a voice.

"Harry? Where are you going?" Ron called to him from playing in the sand with Hermione. They were building a sandcastle, which was a way for Hermione to show him how muggles enjoy the beach, and a way to have a little but more fun.

"Oh! Um… the- er- bathroom! That's right, I'm going to the bathroom!" he said, relieved that he'd found a legitimate excuse.

"Ok…have fun…" Ron said, eyeing him suspiciously, but then ignoring his train of thought when Hermione hit him with a small clump of sand. "Hey!" he said, and she smiled sweetly at him, as he threw one back at her.

They proceeded in their sand fight when Harry really did slip away, taking the time to notice they were too engrossed in themselves to pay any attention to him. Maybe Ginny was right. Maybe they were together. Damn. He thought. There's ten galleons I'll never see again. And he sprinted to the docks, just in time to catch a glimpse of red hair beneath the shadows of those docks.

"I thought you'd never get here." Ginny said, smiling up at him as he came closer to her.

Meanwhile, back at the towels, Ron and Hermione were completing the final tower and curette of their castle. At last, Ron finished with the shell windows and Hermione had filled in their little moat, and they stepped back to admire their work. Ron clapped the sand off his hand.

"I'd say we did alright." He said, taking in every angle of the castle they had built, which was sculpted to look like Hogwarts, but being them, they had rounded several corners and the model wasn't exactly built to scale. But it was a product of their cooperation and teamwork, which, anyone knew, meant more than all the galleons in the world.

"It's a little rough around the edges, but then again, so are you." She said playfully, and he playfully pushed her a little bit, and she laughed. He gave her one of his famous lopsided grins and she couldn't contain herself anymore.

"Wanna go somewhere else?" she said, inquiring something flirtatiously.

"You read my mind." He said, whispering down in her ear.

"Good, then follow me. I know a great place. It's cool, it's private, and it's all ours." She said, casually dropping hints that he was beginning to understand.

"Take me anywhere."

"Hey guys? We're going to go grab some snacks. We'll be back in a bit, okay?" she called over to the four people sunbathing on the towels, and pulled a tank top and a pair of shorts on over her suit, while Ron put a shirt on, as well.

"Sure, Hermione. Now can you get out of my sun?" Hannah said groggily, her eyes never opening.

With that, Hermione grabbed Ron by the hand and ran them off somewhere up the beach. She knew where she wanted to go, she knew she was going there, but he had no clue. And the excitement of it all was pulsing through his veins, so that she could hear his heart speed up with every step they took, inching them even closer to greatness.

"I thought you'd never get here." Ginny said, smiling up at him as he inched closer, now within her reach.

"I couldn't wait for a second without you. I came as soon as I could." He said, smiling apologetically.

"I'm glad you came."

"So am I. You have no idea."

"Mind if we skip the chatter for now?"

"What are you inquiring, Ginerva Weasley?" he raised an eyebrow at her.

"You know very well, Harry Potter. Now shut up and kiss me."

"Your wish is my command." He said, and with one last laugh from each of them and a lasting smile from Harry, he kissed her, full and hard. She kissed him back deeply, and before she knew it, they were making out, passionately. Making out under the docks. Ha, if only life were that simple.

To Ginny, kissing Harry was like a new adventure. An adventure she explored, with nothing but excitement and anticipation. He was passionate and very focused, and she could definitely get used to this. She was really into him, and from what she felt, he was into her, too.

Each time he kissed her, he was deep and lasting, and every time she kissed him back, she tried to be just as passionate, showing him how much he really meant to her.

He kissed her yet again, then broke away, breathing deeply.

"Wow." Was all that managed to escape her lips as they stood, leaning on the other's forehead, and regaining their breath.

"Hey, anyone feel like having some fun?" Seamus asked his little group, lifting his sunglasses off the rim of his nose and pushing them onto the top of his head.

"Why is that it feels that every time that you want to do something fun, there's always a catch." Luna asked, lifting her eyes from the crossword puzzle in the back of the Quibbler.

"What catch? There's no catch, not this time anyways. I swear." He said, holding up his signs to show that none of them were crossed.

"Ok, I could use some fun. What do you suggest?" Hannah asked him, lifting herself onto her elbows and turning to face everyone.

"Just a simple, safe game of Dare." He said, playing a smile.

"Ok, give me your best." She said confidently.

"Sorry, Lass, but I think Neville should go first." He said, rounding on Neville now.

"Me? Why me?" he croaked, his voice cracking slightly.

"Because, fellow Gryffindor, no one would expect you to follow through with a Dare." He said, simply, his smile growing wider.

"Fine. I'll show you. What've ya got?" He said, getting up.

"Ok. Kiss Luna." He said, his smile almost extending off of his face.

"What?!" he said, his voice really high.

"What?!" Luna said, too, really taken aback.

"Hey, a dare's a dare. Unless, of course, you don't want to…" He said, winking at them.

Then Neville kissed Luna, and he kissed her gently and tenderly, right on the mouth. He held it for a few seconds, showing just how brave he could be, and was really shocked when he felt her kiss him back, showing strong emotion and respect. After what felt like eternity, they broke apart, staring into each other's eyes, and smiling mercilessly.

"Neville, you stud! I had no idea you had it in you!" Seamus said, going over to Neville and patting him on the back and Neville blushed, touching his lips with his fingertips, feeling the remnants of her kiss linger on his lips.

"Well, neither did I, but now it's your turn." He said, it being his turn to smile.

"I'll take anything you throw at me!" He said, puffing out his chest.

"Kiss Hannah." He said, putting his arm around Luna.

"Can I just say something first?" he said, going to Hannah.

"Sure, it's your dare. Just as long as you get is done while we're all young." And he hugged Luna close to him.

"Okay." And he rounded to Hannah, looking her square in the eyes, "Hannah, I really like you. I really, really like you. Now I won't kiss you unless I know we have some kind of future together, because it would hurt me too much to have a wonderful moment with you and then go through the heartbreak of not having you after that. So, Hannah Abbott, will you go out with me?" he said in one breath, not breaking the eye contact and noticing her eyes beginning to mist up slightly.

She nodded and he smiled a smile to big for words, and kissed her, compassionately and caring. She kissed back, naturally, and they broke apart after a second, as to not ruin the moment, smiling huge, and blushing shades that matched Neville and Luna.

"Oh, that reminds me. Luna, I really, really, really, really like you, too. You really have no idea how crazy I am about you. Will you be my girlfriend?" He asked hopefully.

"Of course!" she said, leaping into his arms and kissing him lightly on the lips, and hugging him all the while. He smiled, and Neville Longbottom got his first real girlfriend.

"Mione, where are you taking us?" Ron called to her, as she continued to take him further up the beach, farther and farther from the ocean, almost as if they were headed to… "The hotel?" he said, his voice full of excitement.

She winked at him and said, "Maybe…" and he continued to follow her into the hotel, through the lobby, and into the elevator, where they held their breath as it opened at the second floor.

They piled out of the elevator and Hermione checked the landing before getting out the elevator with Ron. Crystal clear. They made their way down to room #230 and Hermione got out her key, slowly. She opened the door, and before she could do or say anything else, Ron had his lips pressed firmly against hers.

She kicked the door closed with her foot, and kissed him back, very hard. Then, he put one hand behind her head and the other on her waist, and pressed her against the nearest wall, making out with her hungrily.

She made out with him back and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling his face even closer to the warmth of her body.

Ron was caught up in pure pleasure, and only kissed her harder. He had wanted to do this for so long, and now that he was living it, it was much better than any dream he had ever had. This was… heaven.

It was better than all his quidditch matches and his becoming a prefect. It was sweeter than anything they sold at Honeyduke's, and deeper than the very middle of the Hogwarts lake. It made him happier than he had on any Christmas morning, and it made him feel more mature than on he had in all his sixteen years of living. Yet, it was scarier than any adventure because it could disappear as quickly as it started. It was, indescribable, in most ways, because it was reality. Sweet reality.

Hermione moaned softly against his mouth enjoyably and pulled him even closer to her, taking in every inch of his mouth and feeling his tongue enter the likes of her mouth and feel its way around. She took it, more than willingly and just kissed him back very passionately.

If she had known her best friend could kiss like this and give her what could only be the best moments of her life, she would have told him sooner. It was better than her first book. It was two best friends, who had known each other a large majority of their lives, and had become even closer the previous night, kissing each other, like the world would end if they stopped. To Hermione, it was beyond perfection.

Ron gently moved his hand and slid her out from the wall, and held onto her tight as he gently moved her away from the wall and towards the center of the room, kissing her still.

Hermione gave a short, very abrupt, and soft scream as she fell backwards onto the bed, taking him with her, and still kissing him. They bounced softly, and broke apart for a mere millisecond, before resuming what they were doing before.

Ron's hands toyed with the end of her shirt, and he slid his hands up the back of it, the thin fabric over his hands and her bare skin beneath his fingertips. He roamed his hands all over her back and took in her every crevice, her very shape. He still kissed her, getting even more, if that was humanly possible, possible with every kiss he placed on her lips.

She ran her hands through his hair, messing it up even more slightly, and wrapping it around her fingers. She kissed him back harder as her hands moved down, passed his neck and down his back, where they stood, examining on his muscles.

Ron broke away from their passionate kissing to kiss her neck tenderly, while Hermione just took it all in, and took the moment to regain her breath, but she didn't have long, because he met his lips against hers once more, deeper still.

She smiled against his lips and kissed him back, until…

"Miss Granger, are you in there?" It was McGonagall.

They stopped dead in their tracks and both their faces paled deeply. Ron's eyes showed that like he had just been told that quidditch was cancelled for good, and Hermione's showed mortal fear. She did the first thing she could, and she and Ron got up quickly and quietly, looking for an escape.

She spotted the closet and her eyes widened and he followed her eyes and knew what she meant and he ran into the closet, and very carefully, shut the door behind him, leaving both of them breathing heavily out of slight relief. But it was yet to be determined.

Hermione straightened her hair and opened the door, smiling at the face of Professor Minerva McGonagall.

"Hello, Professor." She said, trying to sound as innocent as possible.

"Hello Miss Granger." McGonagall said, and looked around her room suspiciously.

"Can I ask why you're here, Professor?" Hermione asked, uncertain and hiding the fright in her voice.

"Mr. Malfoy just informed me that he thought he saw you sneaking up here with a visitor. A male visitor." She said, and stared Hermione down, making the fear inside of her only build up more. She thought quickly.

"Well, Ginny came up with me, because she needed to retrieve her sunglasses, and I wanted to stay out of the sun for a little bit because I was beginning to get a little sunburned. Ginny headed back down to get back to the festivities, and I just stayed up here, watching muggle television." She lied, praying in her mind that she bought it.

"But your television is not on." McGonagall said, and looked around the room again, slowly.

"I turned it off right before I answered the door. I thought it rude to leave a television on when someone was at your door." She said, and hoed this was the end of the interrogation.

"But Miss Weasley is not a male visitor."

"I think Mr. Malfoy needs his eyes checked, then, because it was only me and Ginny." Hermione praised her quick mind. Ron smiled to himself from inside the closet, able to hear every word.

"Well then, being a Prefect, I do believe you. Your story checks out quite nicely. Please excuse me for interrupting your activities." She said, and left.

"Thank you, Professor." Hermione smiled and breathed a huge sigh of relief, and she watched to make sure that she went out the door and into the elevator before closing the door and opening the closet door for Ron.

"That was close." He said, and looked down at her, "I thought she had us."

"So did I." She smiled up at him and hugged him, and he hugged back.

"I suppose we should head back down to the festivities at the beach. We don't want any more suspicions." She said, and looked him in his eyes.

"Yes, I suppose we should." He said, and exhaled, disappointed.

"Thanks, Love." She said, and he smiled down at her.

"No problem, Love." He said, and now she smiled at him.

"I love how that sounds." She said, and leaned her head dreamily against his chest.

"Me too." He said, kissed the top of her head. Then he took another deep breath and sighed, "You go down first, I'll come down in a couple minutes. No suspicions, remember?"

"Okay. Count to—200 and then come down. That should be enough time. I'll meet you at the bottom of the steps that lead to the beach."

"It works. Then we'll head back to the towels, because we said we were leaving together."

"Okay. I'll see you in a few minutes, Love."

"I'll think of you till then, Love." He kissed her gently, and she kissed him back, then left her room, her heart racing with every thought about him and what they had been on their way to doing. It was too soon. They couldn't do that yet. Yet? There was too much on her mind right now, but Ron occupied all of it and that kept her happy.

Ron sat on the edge of the bed and counted, "1…2…3…" he counted, and thought of Hermione, and smiled to himself. His mind drifted to her, and he daydreamt until he heard his mouth finish, "198...199…200!"

He sprang from the bed and looked around to see that everything was just as Hermione had left it. Perfect. He walked out the door, and shut it behind him. He walked quietly down the hall and into the elevator, onto the landing, past the great lobby, and out the glass doors to the outside, where he saw a bushy-haired brunette waiting patiently at the foot of the steps.

"I love the way you kiss." Ginny breathed, her forehead pressed against his.

"I love the way you kiss more." Harry playfully argued, and smiled, his eyes shut.

"Let's head back. The others will start getting worried if they see we've been gone for a bathroom break for-" She opened her eyes and moved her watch into the light, "-25 minutes!"

"That long?!" Harry asked, in disbelief, and she nodded. "Yeah, I saw we should go. I want to stay though."

"I do, too, Harry, I do, too." She said, "But we can't."

"I know, I know." And he kissed her forehead, before they pulled their heads away, and walked away, Harry with an arm draped over her shoulders.

"Long time, no see." Hermione said as she looked around and saw the love of her life striding towards her.

"Too long." He said, and hugged her, before taking her hand in his, interlacing their fingers, and walking them in the direction towards the towels.

Harry and Ginny came within distance of the towels and Harry dropped his arm off of her, and they both walked independently to where everyone else was.

But to their surprise, Ron and Hermione were missing, and Seamus leaned over to kiss Hannah, who kissed him back and Luna was being cradled against Neville's body, staring off into space even more dreamily than she had before.

"Did we miss something?" Hermione asked as they approached the area, still holding hands with Ron.

"I don't know. You tell us." Harry said, looking at the couple and noticing their interlaced fingers.

"I was referring to the couples who appear to be into something that we don't know about and who look as if they've been kissing." She said, and caused everyone on the towels to break away from their trance and look up at her.

"You- er- back with those snacks, Ron?" Seamus asked, eyeing him suspiciously.

"They were out." Ron said uneasily, and looked down at the sand. Seamus sniggered.

Hermione mentally kicked herself for not covering herself up by getting snacks. Then her mind came to a thought, "Had a nice, long bathroom break, did you?" she asked, raising an eyebrow at Harry and Ginny.

"That's really very personal business." Ginny said, referring to the bathroom, although also, to herself, to making out with Harry.

"Okay, Gin, you tell me when you're ready." Hermione said, and winked knowingly at her.

Ginny blushed and Harry seemed very, very uneasy. Hermione laughed and everyone looked questioningly at her.

"Are we all ready? It's getting dark; we should head back into the hotel." Ginny cleared her throat and changed the subject.

Hermione, saving her, agreed. "Yes, Let's." She said, and, not taking her hand from Ron's, gathered up their belongings as everyone else got their's, and the four couples headed up to the beach, everyone holding another's hand.

With eight singles, now four couples, things are getting hot. And that's not just the beach weather. With a night in and everyone being roommates, secrets will surely be revealed and many stories will be shared. This day could probably top all of their lives, and it would surely be remembered by all, forever. Ahh, the young and humble game of Love.

A/N: Finis! With the chapter, anyways. I worked all night to get this chapter done for all you guys, so I really hope you enjoyed it! Please, review, and let me know what you thought about it. I might have gone a little crazy with Ron and Hermione's major make-out session, but I was just trying to emphasize the point of how strong they really felt for each other. As mentioned, nothing like this ever happened on my trip, so don't think I almost did that.  Anyways, yes, please review again!

And also thanks to everyone who read my other fic "Baby, It's Cold Outside." In the meantime of this one. It means a lot to me to have people enjoy my fics. I also hope everyone had a Happy New Year and Happy Holidays!