New chapter! Yes, you finally see what Ginny's curse is. Personally, I think its a little rushed, but tell me what you think! The story was starting to drag a little, so I hope this livens it up!

Here it is!

Chapter 9: Explosion

Clash!

Clang!

Slash!

Thud!

"Oww!"

"Sorry about that, Gin." Harry told his friend, holding his left arm out to pull her up, his sword in the other.

Ginny grabbed it and before he could move...

THUD!

"Ach, that was hard, Ginny!"

"Suck it up, Blade. What did you expect?"

"To help you up and have you fall into my arms and then start kissing me." Harry replied jokingly.

But as he said it, the electricity built up...

Swiftly standing, he sucked in a deep breath of air. It was littered with scents and aromas. He breathed in Ginny's unique scent, one of power, vanilla, strawberry and the coppery-iron tang of blood. He'd never understood why she had blood in her scent, but his wonderings had come to nothing.

Ginny looked at him breathing heavily. As she stood, she did the same. Yes, she could sense him. Blood, from where she didn't know. She assumed it was a remnant from the Dark Curses he had been hit with, like the Cruciatus. Mint and freshness. He always seemed to smell clean. And metal. The scent of well-worked metal that was one of the reasons she always called him Blade. His talent with the edged weapons was another.

"Again?" She asked.

"Hand-to-hand, no weapons. No armour. Winner has to pin their opponent to the floor." Harry informed her.

She nodded and gave a dangerous smile. Quickly, they both removed the leather clothes and jerkins they used while sword fighting. Ginny revealed her curvaceous form, clad in tight, white, cropped leggings and a similarly tight white top – cropped, sleeveless, with a zip at the front as part of the neckline. Harry revealed black sports trousers and no shirt. It occurred to Ginny that he almost never seemed to wear one for hand-to-hand combat.

"Ready?" Harry asked her.

She grinned ferally.

He smirked back.

They began circling.

The two time-travellers were skilled and dangerous fighters. They examined each carefully, searching for telltale signs and muscle movements that would betray their plans. All but the best showed them. Unfortunately, these two were the best.

Ginny flipped sharply, spinning to throw a backwards roundhouse into Harry's chin. He dodged the kick, letting her momentum carry her round. As she tried to orientate herself, he shot a kick into her back.

She turned and scowled at him.

The kicks and blow rained on each other for the next few minutes, neither giving the other a budge. Until...

"Shit!" Ginny exclaimed, tucking herself up and rolling across the floor. She flipped her head up to glance at her opponent. He smirked at her.

Then she was struck by a thought. A wicked, evil and quite probably illegal (in such matches) thought. Slowly, she got up, her back to Harry. Looking down, she smirked and unzipped her top just a little further than what was 'regulation'. Then, she slowly pulled the clip out of her hair.

"What are you doing?" Harry asked.

"Just feel like it." She told him, and turned.

Harry was floored as she came towards him. All those pent-up feelings were being brought forth again. She was displaying cleavage she shouldn't and with her hair down it was making his knees weak. And then he realised that that was just what she wanted.

She forward flipped and had thrown him to the ground in the seconds before he regained himself. She sat on his stomach, making sure he could not get up.

A wicked grin found its way onto her lips. "Just where I want you."

"That was evil, Ginny." Harry replied.

"All's fair in love and war." She contested.

He frowned, wondering where she had heard that Muggle phrase.

"All right, get off me." Harry told her.

"And suppose I don't want to?"

"What?"

This was too much for Harry. If the young woman didn't remove herself from on top of him soon, there was going to be a serious problem.

And it seemed she didn't care.

"I've got you exactly where I want you, Harry. Do you really think I'm going to get off now?" Ginny asked him. She was now leaning closer, and Harry was getting hotter and hotter as he felt her torso nearing his bare one.

"Gin..."

And then it happened.

The first cauldron exploded.

Unable to control the feelings he had been hiding for so long and the lust that the Vampire was feeding him as the full moon came closer, Harry seized the young woman's lips with his.

Ginny didn't really mind. In fact, she kissed back with the same ferocity and fervour that he did. He twisted and she found herself trapped under him as his tongue found it's way into her mouth, soothing and massaging her own. She buried her hands in his hair as she pulled him close, his body pressed against hers. Harry's hands were under her, one on the bare part of her back, the other in her hair.

The kiss seemed to last a lifetime. And then they broke apart, Harry staggering back, stunned at what he had just done.

"Ginny..."

She was breathing heavily, her chest rising and falling quickly. Her hair was dishevelled and her lips swollen. But to Harry she seemed more beautiful than ever.

"Merlin, Harry..." Ginny gasped. "Where did you learn to do that?"

"I'm sorr – what?" Harry registered what she had said with bewilderment.

"I mean that was the most amazing kiss I've ever had." She replied.

Harry's face broke into a grin. "I take it you're not mad then?"

"Mad? Why would I be?" Ginny asked.

"Well, the kiss..."

"I've been wanting that for years."

"Oh. Good." Harry stated. For a moment it looked like he would do it again. Then he stood up and saw the time. "Damn!"

"What – what is it?"

"Nearly sunset. Gin, I've gotta go." Harry told her.

'Stupid curse,' he thought, glowering inside.

She nodded, sighing. "Me too. Meeting..."

Harry left the room and secluded himself in the Moonlight Room as he called it.

Ginny went to meet Dumbledore, and he led her to an abandoned Astronomy tower where she couldn't harm anyone.

"Why you don't share, I don't know..." Dumbledore frowned.

"What?" Ginny asked.

It occurred to Dumbledore that Ginny and Harry did not know of one another's conditions. He evaded the question.

"Nothing, nothing. Be careful, Ginevra. Blood will be supplied."

She didn't even have chance to ask how he knew she needed the blood before the door was magically locked.

She sat alone, trying to figure out what it was that had made that one kiss with Harry so amazing. It had been unbelievable. She had been aching for it for so long, more when the change was approaching. But it hadn't been that that had made her so receptive to him. That released some of the lust, but... It was as though they were meant for each other. Like he completed her. Satisfied every part...

And as Ginny changed, she realised something.

"Harry... He satisfied the vampire completely..."

Meaning that tonight, Harry was changing into a Moonlight Vampire. Just as she was.

Earlier that day, James had visited Remus in the hospital wing.

"Hey, Moony. How you feeling?" James asked.

"Tired. What do you expect?" Remus asked, raising a brow.

The Head Boy shrugged. "I dunno. Sorry, stupid question. I got your assignments. I left them on your desk, ready for you to complete tomorrow."

"Thanks." Remus grinned. "Any news on Operation Teacher Creature?"

The name was what they had given trying to work out what was so strange about the two DADA teachers.

James shrugged. "They cancelled tonight's training session. If I didn't know better, I'd say they know about us being Animagi. But the two of them have been eyeing each other up all day like a wolf eyes a slab of meat. It's a little disturbing."

Remus grinned. "Anything else?"

"They mentioned serious training, something about creatures. Didn't hear much. You got anything on Miss Westley's scent yet?"

"Yes, she's got the magic all right. Vanilla and strawberry seem to be her own scent. And then blood, again. Whatever's up with the blood it's affecting them both. And Professor Potter's got something else. Smells like tempered steel, a metallic scent. Like a sword or dagger. It's strange."

"Maybe it's the sign of a warrior. He does seem to favour swords and stuff, I've seen him using them. It's like he was born with them in his hands."

"Source of the nickname Blade perhaps?" Remus suggested.

"Even when you're ill, you're full of good ideas, Moony." James grinned. "That'll be it."

"Anything else?" Remus asked.

"Nah. I'd best get going. Lily wants to talk about Hallowe'en before dinner. I'll see you later." James grinned.

Remus nodded. "Don't let Lily bully you."

"Now, why would I do that?"

"Because you're in love with her. We all know it, Prongs. No matter how much you deny it. That fifth-year crush has changed." Remus told him.

James reddened. "I don't know what you're talking about, Remus."

Remus sighed. "You do. No matter how much you deny it, you do."

Ginny woke up in the tower room, cold and exhausted. She shivered as she realised she wore nothing. There were marks all over her body where the vampire had brought razor-sharp nails across the skin in an attempt to alleviate the lust. But it was strange, it wasn't as bad as usual. Had that one kiss with Harry made so much difference?

And then she remembered. Harry. The kiss. And the knowledge that he had the same affliction. One problem. How was she to reveal her secret to him? Would he feel betrayed that she hadn't told him? Then again, he hadn't told her and she didn't feel betrayed. In fact, she felt relieved. Her curse didn't matter. It didn't stand in the way.

A knock on the door signalled her. Silently, she pulled on the rags and thanked God it was a Saturday.

"Miss Westley?" A female voice asked.

Thank goodness. Madam Pomfrey.

"Yes?" Ginny croaked.

The door opened. Madam Pomfrey bustled. "Oh dear me, you're worse than..." She stopped.

"Don't worry, I figured it out. Harry's a Moonlight Vampire too, isn't he?"

Madam Pomfrey nodded. "Yes. You seem to be worse than him. Hospital Wing for you."

"NO! No, he doesn't know. My... I'll go to my room, pretend I'm sleeping in while the potions heal me. He won't be surprised. I'm not exactly known for being a lark." Ginny gave a lopsided grin.

The matron nodded. "Very well. Come along then. Here's a fresh robe."

Ginny gratefully changed into the fresh, closed white robe.

"Okay, now I'm ready."

"He was in the hospital wing again." Remus told James and Sirius after Professor Potter had left.

"Potter?" James asked, then paused. "Do you know how weird it is to ask that?"

Remus grinned.

"What was the reason this time?" Sirius asked.

"Apparently training got too rough and he strained something. He mentioned something about being in the forest last night as well." Remus told them and stretched. "Agh, two full moons in one month, not my idea of fun."

"When's the next one?"

"Night before Hallowe'en." Remus told him. "That's two full moons Potter's been in here for. If something happens next time, there's no way its coincidence. He's not a werewolf. That leaves other full moon afflictions, or some sort of family curse or something. I know there are curses that can be cast on a family that affect only specific members. Or else he has some need to get beaten up every full moon."

"Cuts again?"

"Yep. He was limping a little, stretched calf muscle apparently. The cuts were clean, but not exactly straight. Some looked like nail marks."

"Nail marks?" Sirius asked, raising a brow. "You sure it was training that got too rough?"

"Sirius!" Remus looked scandalised, while James looked partially amused and partially disgusted.

"They're teachers."

"Young teachers. And hot teachers, Miss Westley I can tell, and from what I've heard from the girls, Potter is too. Actually, there seems to be a lot of comments about Potters in this school." He smirked at James.

The Marauder in question rolled his eyes.

"We've got Potions essays to finish, Sirius. Let's go." James told him.

"Why?"

"Because I said so. See you later, Moony."

Remus nodded, grinning. Sirius always knew how to get under James' skin when he wanted to.

He sighed, and pulled out his own potions essay until Madam Pomfrey released him later that day.

"Ginny?" Harry knocked on her door just before lunch.

There was no reply. He knocked again. None. He turned the doorknob...

Just in time to see Ginny walk out of the bathroom wearing only a towel.

"Harry!"

"Sorry, sorry!" Harry turned around. "I didn't get an answer! I didn't mean... Damn! Sorry, Gin. I was going to ask if you were up. And if so, do you want to go to lunch, since it's nearly time."

"Is it that late? I didn't mean to sleep in so long. I just had a shower... Never mind. Gimme a minute, Harry, and I'll join you for lunch."

Harry nodded and walked out, carefully not looking at her.

Ginny couldn't help grinning. Selecting underwear and then an ankle-length wrap-around skirt and long-sleeved red shirt, she slid on heeled boots, leaving off a robe.

Shoving her hair into a haphazard bun, she slid her wand into a boot and opened her door.

"All done." She grinned at Harry, appreciating his toned form in black jeans and a tight, emerald, long-sleeved t-shirt.

He grinned back. "Sorry about that, but I have to say I liked what I saw."

Ginny arched a brow. "Play your cards right, Mr Potter, and you might get to see more."

"In which case, I best ask first." Harry looked her. "Will you go out with me, Gin?"

She smirked. "Ah, what wonderful words to hear. Yes, Harry."

"Oh good." He replied, and swept her up into a passionate, yet tender kiss.

I love all my reviewers! You're brilliant and so nice to me! I'd reply to you all, but I get so many each chapter, it'd take to long! If you really want a reply, you'll have to e-mail me!

And by the way, did I mention I did really well in my GCSEs? All As and A-stars! How cool is that? (I think it's cool. After all, it's the smart people who will be running the country in fifteen years time. In theory anyway...)

Hope that was good enough for you all!

Lol, Tanydwr