Harry still had his head pushed under the pillows when he heard the noise. He looked over quickly, startled by the screech. A rather scrawny owl was looking at him from the windowsill. It was dark black and looked as though it was annoyed with him for taking so long. Harry sat up cautiously, he had never seen an owl like this before, it certainly wasn't from the school, the Weasley's, or anyone else Harry knew. He took the parchment attached to the owl's leg gingerly, not wanting to be on the receiving end of a peck. The owl screeched loudly and flew through the window the moment the letter was removed. Harry watched it go, disappearing in the distance, a tiny black speck. His attention turned back to the letter, Harry was alarmed to find a familiar red was seal. He looked around for a moment, should he tell someone? He imagined what the outcome would be, Ron would insist on asking an adult, Hermione would fly to a book, and they would both look at him and worry. Harry shook his head, best to look after this on his own. He opened the letter a bit tensely,
Harry felt his breathe catch. He read the sentence several times. What? He wondered out loud. Harry's thought were interrupted by a loud knock. He shoved the letter under his mattress and laid down quickly.
"Come in," he called, trying to sound nonchalant.
Ron peaked around the door, an attempt at a smile on his face. He had a plate in his hand of sandwiches and a smudge of dirt on his forehead. He walked in quietly putting the plate on the night stand and sitting on his bed.
"Mum thought you might be hungry," he said a bit apologetically pointing to the plate. Harry nodded,
"Thanks mate, maybe later, I'll just wait."
Ron nodded and cleared his throat. "Uh, are you feeling alright?" he asked quickly, glancing at Harry as though he was afraid he might explode.
"Fine, just….full from breakfast." Harry frowned a little, he didn't like lying to his best friend, "Say, where'd you get the dirt from?" Harry tapped his forehead, asking Ron jokingly. Ron rubbed his forehead with the back of his hand,
"Ugh, Ginny, she sort of…well pushed me, and I wasn't paying attention." Harry snickered loudly,
"Ginny pushed you down?" Ron looked put out,
"Well, no, I mean yeah, but I wouldn't have stumbled if she hadn't caught me off guard."
"What did you do to her?" Harry smiled at the thought of little Ginny shoving Ron, who was a good foot taller and much bigger, to the ground.
"I made fun of that half wit Dean," Ron huffed again, looking less than enthused. "I don't know what she sees in him, I told her she ought to pick 'em better, I think she might have taken offense. Right bloody temper on that one." Ron helped himself to a sandwich.
Harry furrowed his brow ever so slightly. He faintly remembered something about Ginny and Dean from last year, he hadn't really thought about it since the start of the summer. So Ginny was with Dean? It didn't seem like a match to Harry, Dean was alright but, well not as bright as Ginny, or as quick. He really thought she would go for the more intellectual type. Harry shrugged, it didn't bother him, not at all….
"So, did the twins really get you with a portkey?" Ron asked eagerly, giving away the real reason he had come to Harry's side. Harry nodded,
"Yeah, were they not suppose to?"
"No, Dumbledore told them to get you and go to Ms. Figg's, Floo I suppose, but Fred and George always want to make an entrance. Mum gave them the chewing out of a life time! I thought she was really going to do them in for this!" Ron finished his sandwich and reached for the pumpkin juice. He eyed Harry,
"Are you really okay?" he asked putting the glass down. Harry felt the annoyance well inside of him.
"I'm fine, just…tired, think I'll take a nap." He rolled over to face the wall. He heard Ron mumble something about outside and then the door closed. Harry felt a bit guilty about blowing Ron off, but he just couldn't deal with the looks and questions right now. That's why he had been avoiding them all. There were some things he just didn't want to talk about, even with Ron or Hermione. Harry took off his glasses and put his head back under the pillows, he really was tired….
Ginny was sitting quite contentedly in the kitchen when Ron walked by. He purposely avoided her eyes as he strolled into the dark yard. Ginny huffed and threw a few choice words in his direction. It was Ron who had begun the escapade. He had no right to make judgments on Dean, or herself. She hadn't even pushed him that hard really. Ginny giggled under her hand as she stirred the stew on the fire. Ron was always butting in her life, served him right. Ginny's thoughts were suddenly torn from Ron as someone stumbled down the stairs. Harry appeared in the kitchen rubbing his eyes and looking rather put out.
"Morning!" Ginny called brightly and laughed softly, as she checked the dinner rolls. Harry nodded at her, he sat at the table and leaned on his arms,
"Where is everyone?" he asked.
"Mum is setting the table outside with the twins," she giggled thinking of their punishment, "Dad is at work, everyone else is still in the garden."
"You cook all by yourself?" Harry asked staring at her hardly. Ginny felt her face flush, she turned her back quickly.
"Well no, mum helps, I just…do the grunt work. You thirsty?" she tied her hair in a loose bun on the nape of her neck. Harry shook his head,
"No thanks," he was looking a bit bored now,
"So, I see you had an owl post this afternoon, secret admirer?" Ginny laughed as she cocked her eyebrow suggestively. To her utter surprise Harry laughed, it was short and soft but it was a real laugh. Harry looked about as surprised as she did.
"I wish, no….well, Ginny if I show you something will you not tell anyone?" he was wearing an odd look.
"Of course Harry, you can trust me," Ginny blushed again turning away quickly, she untied her apron and went to sit across from him. Harry had pulled out a small piece of parchment and slid it over to her. She picked it up, reading it with furrowed brows.
"Harry….what?"
"I don't know, I got another one, the night the twins came, It said, 'don't look under the bed,' and when I did nothing was there. Do you recognize the seal?" Ginny turned it over looking at the odd red wax.
"No, I….have you shown Ron, or Hermione?" Harry put the letter back in his pocket,
"No, I'm not going to either."
"Why, maybe they…"
"Because, they…they'll get all worried, they make me feel like a bloody kid sometimes. I mean, it's probably just someone trying to rattle me, I don't want them all wound up. Hermione would probably run to Dumbledore and I….can't deal with that." Harry stopped talking. Ginny was amazed, this was the first time he had said more than five words to her all summer, not that he had ever talked to her much.
"Well, you're probably right. But, if you get anymore…"
"I'll tell you Ginny," he smiled weakly, Ginny felt her heart leap into her throat, "Thanks for…listening." Ginny smiled back, unable to breathe for a moment.
"Of course, I'm here Harry. Not…like I have anywhere else to go." He smiled again. Oh Merlin, Ginny thought, it's like I'm ten years old again. No! she scolded herself, not again!
"Well, if you would like to accompany me to the garden Mr. Potter, I believe we are expected." Ginny picked up a cauldron of stew. Harry stood and offered his arm like a gentleman, she dumped the rolls into him instead.
"Thanks," he said dryly, following her out the door.
Dinner that night was interesting to say the least. As a punishment for the portkey Mrs. Weasley had enchanted Fred and George's hair to splice together, simulating (she said) how dangerous portkey's are. Needless to say the meal was a bit more difficult than usual. Despite their state Fred and George were doing all they could to entertain as always, including trying to toss food into each others mouths, hitting Ginny in the process more than once, who promptly smashed a supper roll in Fred's face. Despite his mood Harry found himself enjoying the dinner. He hadn't relaxed in so long, the guilt was like a load of bricks on his chest. It was good to forget himself, if only for a little while.
After everyone had eaten, and the twins had crawled off to their rooms, everyone began floating off to their own evening activities. Bill and Charlie were helping Mr. Weasley in the house, Mrs. Weasley and Ginny had begun the dishes, and Ron, Hermione, and Harry were left alone for the first time that summer.
"Have you started you summer homework yet Harry?" Hermione asked as they lounged in the garden. Harry shook his head,
"No, but I assume you have?" he smiled at his studious friend.
"Of course, I finished it the third week home, Ron did too," Harry looked wide eyed at Ron who had suddenly become rather interested in his shoe lace.
"Yeah well, uh…um, I was, getting a head start." He rubbed his neck looking shiftily at Harry.
The three friends sat and talked about this and that, their O.W.L'S, the upcoming year, and Quiddich. Harry could tell Hermione kept trying to steer the conversation back to Harry and the Department of mysteries, but Harry wasn't willing to let her.
"So Harry, how are you, I mean really?" Hermione asked turning to him, Ron had tried to distract her, but she was notoriously stubborn.
"I'm fine,"
"Really?"
"YES," Harry said, perhaps a bit too loudly, was once not enough for her?
Hermione bit her lip and backed down immediately, Harry had been told he could be rather intimidating when he tried. He stood up, deciding that it was late and he was going to bed. Ron and Hermione bid him goodnight and he turned towards the house. He could swear he heard a sniffle as he left, but kept walking. He banged the kitchen door open a bit harder than he had expected. Inside Ginny jumped a foot spraying water all over the floor. She sighed and grabbed a towel from the cabinet.
"Oh, sorry Ginny," Harry dropped beside her taking the towel. He cleared his throat awkwardly as he grazed her fingers. What was wrong with him today? It's just Ginny! He said in his head.
"Don't worry about it, I guess I'm just jumpy tonight." She laughed and smiled at him, a gracious attempt to make him feel better. Ginny grabbed another towel mopping the water off the floor. Her hair fell around her face like a hazy red halo. Harry caught himself staring at her. When had she gotten so pretty.
"Enjoy dinner?" she asked suddenly, breaking into his thought, he shook her from his mind.
"What? Oh, yeah. Nice bit with the bread." He smiled at her, trying to act casual.
"Great prats!" she said a bit angrily. Harry laughed at her tone. Only Ginny could posses such a temper that allowed her to growl and giggle all at once. Ginny smiled too, looking at her shoes. She took the wet towel from Harry and dropped it in the sink.
"Are you off to bed?" she asked breaking the silence, Harry was suddenly wide awake.
"Yeah, I…I guess, unless….you need help." He caught his breathe, what had he just said?
Ginny's mouth gaped "I'll be damned! Someone of the male species is willing to help ME, with house work?"
"Well, if you don't need it…"
Ginny shoved a sponge in his hand.
Ginny stood by the sink putting away the last plate. She had been avoiding Harry's eyes for the past twenty minutes while he helped. They had made polite conversation, and Ginny was glad to have his help. None of her brothers would ever help with house work unless specifically told to, just another example of how different Harry was. Ginny stole a look at him, he was trying to brush his messy hair from his eyes with soapy hands. Ginny reached over and pushed it back for him. She froze mid movement, she had touched him!
"Thanks,"
Ginny nodded a reply facing the wall and willing herself to sink into the floor right there. How could she dare to touch him? He was probably revolted!
"Well, looks like we're done." He handed her the towel
"Yeah, thanks a lot for helping," he caught her eyes for a moment.
The clock in the hall struck nine, as Harry looked he felt Ginny grab his arm,
"HARRY!" she screamed pointing towards the clock, but Harry had already seen, the clock's arm having Ron's face had slid from 'home' to 'mortal peril.'
A/N- OOHH, scarry huh! Ron in mortal peril? oh no, what will happen. And what about Ginny and HArry? Was that a tender moment? PLEASE REVIEW! It really inspires me! Thanks for reading.