The next morning, Harry, Ron, and Ginny went out to train Ginny for the Gryffindor Quidditch team; Hermione politely declined the invitation to join them and said she would rather spend her time involved in much more enjoyable, and safer, hobby. "Reading?" Ron asked smiling knowingly, but Hermione just turned up her nose and sat down in the nearest armchair with Hogwarts: a History.

"Okay, Gin, you're gonna hover to the left for a bit and make Ron think that's where you're going, and then I want you to make a sharp right and throw the ball." Harry instructed, flying next to Ginny.

"Okay," She answered a determined look on her face. She flew towards Ron like Harry had told her and just in time, threw it in the makeshift hoop (a hula-hoop bewitched to hover 15 feet above the ground) near the right.

Harry watched from a few feet behind her and clapped proudly when it soared between Ron's outstretched hands and into the goal. She turned back and smiled at him, he smiled back and gave her a wink, feeling butterflies in his stomach at the sight of her blush. They practiced some more moves and Ginny got all but one in.

They landed near the house for a break and Ron collapsed in the grass, crushing some of Mrs. Weasley's tulips. "I feel like I'm just starting out again." He groaned. Harry was about to tell him that he was better when he first started out than he is with Ginny when he saw a ball of orange fur tear out of the house. He jumped in surprise before he realized it was only Hermione's cat, Crookshanks.

Crookshanks came barreling towards them and pounced on their Quaffle. "Mangy cat!" Ron roared, reaching over to snatch the Quaffle.

But Crookshanks was too quick for him and he ran off into the trees. "Better go get that, Ginny," Ron said, looking lazily up at her and blocking out the sun with his hand.

"Why me!" She screeched. "You're the one who let him get away!"

"Your point is...?" Ron asked. She opened her mouth to answer him when Harry stopped her.

"Come on, Ginny. I'll go with you," He said pulling towards the direction in which Crookshanks ran. "We should let Prince Ron rest." He added sarcastically.

"That's more like it!" said Ron, grinning. Ginny snorted and they set off on their mission.

The pair walked through the trees, keeping their eyes peeled for orange. Harry
heard Ginny laugh under her breath. "What?" He asked.

"I was just remembering when Hermione first got Crookshanks. And she and Ron had that fight. Do you remember?" She stopped, feeling stupid. "Oh well of course you do. Anyway, that was when I first realized that they were going to be more than just friends." She answered, looking behind a bush where she thought she saw Crookshanks.

"Yeah...that cat caused quite a bit of trouble that year..." Harry trailed off, thinking about his third year at Hogwarts. That had been the year he found out Sirius was his godfather... He felt tears well in his eyes and blinked them away when he heard Ginny yell.

"There you are! Crookshanks, you are a very bad boy!" She said, picking up the
cat and the now deflated Quaffle. "He punctured it, Harry. Ah well. That can be fixed,"
Ginny pushed Crookshanks into Harry's arms, tapped the ball with her wand and
muttered "Reparo."

"Good as new. Although you can still see some bite marks..." Ginny turned and
beamed at Harry but at the sight of his face her smile faltered. "Harry, what's wrong?" She asked, furrowing her brow.

"It's nothing must be a-allergies or something." He stammered looking away from her face.

Ginny looked at Crookshanks and then back up at Harry. "Were, er, were you thinking about Sirius?" She asked quietly, looking him straight in the face. Harry, who usually felt uneasy under some people's gazes, found it easy to look right back at her.

"Yeah," He answered softly. "Yeah, I was."

She bit her lower lip. "I don't know what to say...I'm really sorry."

"It's okay. Please don't be."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Harry smiled at her. "No, it's alright. I don't want to trouble you with this,"

Ginny put her hand on her hip. "Harry! Don't be ridiculous! I'm your friend too. I want to help,"

Harry sat down at the base of the tree nearest them. "It's just...I feel like it's my fault, you know?" He said staring up at her.

"It's not your fault! Not at all! Don't think that!"

"I just can't help it. If I would have remembered about the mirror Sirius had given me...he might still be here. No. He would still be here." He said firmly.

Ginny stayed silent and Harry grabbed at his hair in anguish. He felt tears welling in his eyes and he scolded himself. Stop it. You're being stupid. Ginny is right. Listen to her.

He let his hands fall from his head and he looked up desperately at Ginny. She reached down and touched his cheek gently. Harry grabbed her hand and pulled towards him so she was sitting next to him at the tree's trunk.

They spent the better part of an hour talking about Sirius and other memories, Harry keeping her hand clasped firmly and comfortably in his. He remembered his second year. "I was just wondering," He started, turning to face her, "If you remembered Valentine's Day of my second year?" She blushed furiously and seemed to be battling with herself on how to answer.

"Yes, actually...I do," She finally answered, her cheeks still tinged with pink. Harry continued to stare at her. Blimey, is she beautiful...why didn't I notice this before? He thought to himself. Oh Merlin. I like Ginny. Well... He thought, smiling I guess there's only one thing I can do.

Harry brushed a lock of her hair away from her forehead and let his hand travel to the base of her neck. "I never thanked you for that Valentine." A smile spread across her lips that drove him crazy. He leaned toward her and kissed her softly. And to Harry's pleasure, she kissed him back. He'd never felt this feeling. His stomach seemed to be twisting round and round and it was the most wonderful sensation he'd ever felt. Enjoying the slightly sweet taste of her lips, he put his hands on her waist and pulled her towards him as she slowly snaked her arms around his neck.

After a few seconds of this they heard curses and someone stomping through leaves, they quickly jumped apart and stood up just as Ron came toward them. "Bloody hell! Have you found him yet?" He asked pulling leaves out of his hair.

Harry pointed silently at the floor where Crookshanks was having heated battle with the dreaded Quaffle. Ginny picked them both up and they walked back to the house, Harry and Ginny on either side of Ron, avoiding the other's eyes.