Disclaimer: Don't own Harry Potter. Never have, never will. I'm just a huge fan of it.
Summary: "I wish it could always be like this." "So do I." Meaningless fluff, pretty much. That, and a small dash of brief angst. Inspired by the holiday season! H/G
Snow Angels
Ginny was in a peculiar mood. She didn't feel like reading, she didn't feel like studying, she didn't even feel like flying. This was why she was sitting by the window, watching the snow fall down onto Hogwarts grounds, idly telling herself that it would be best to get that Herbology paper done, but made no move to do so.
The snow looked so smooth and lovely, falling down on a year that had fallen yesterday. 'That snow would be perfect for snowballs,' thought Ginny. For a moment, she thought on previous winters, before she'd come to Hogwarts – when Percy, Fred, George, Charlie, and sometimes Bill would come home for the holidays, and they and Ginny and Ron and their father would enjoy snowball fights while their mother cooked in the kitchen, watching with a smile. In the end they would make snow angels (Ron would complain half-heartedly it was girly and Fred and George would reply by that he would feel right at home), and then go inside to a hot meal of some sort and hot chocolate….
A sudden impulse made her sit up abruptly, summon her cloak, mittens, and scarf, and walk through the portrait, down the staircases, and out to the waiting snow.
Ginny had been awfully lonely this past year – Harry, Ron, and Hermione were gone to hunt down Horcruxes, occasionally dropping by Hogwarts for research and rest. Neville had gone home over the holidays to spend time with his grandmother (Ginny didn't blame him; it was dangerous times, and Neville loved his grandmother, even if she was stern and domineering), Luna the same with her father; the rest of Ginny's friends were gone, as well. That left Ginny.
She strode around the frozen lake, a lonely figure in red and gold and black in a sea of white. After going around once, she stopped at the big beech tree at where she had spent countless hours studying and laughing and just talking with her friends…and boyfriend. For the first time in a long while, she allowed her sadness to show, and let the tears flow down her cheeks. Wrapping her hands around her knees, still crying, she stared across the ice that the lake had become.
She didn't know when the tears stopped, but they did. After a time, Ginny realized her face felt…weird. Frowning, she lifted a mitten, and managed, after a couple of minutes, to feel the frozen tear tracks. She sighed, and couldn't stop the mutter of "Oh, great."
"Oh great – what?" said a familiar voice. Ginny's eyes widened, and, slowly, reluctantly, she looked up into familiar, bright green eyes.
Ginny noticed, vaguely, that he'd gotten new glasses – maybe he'd finally outlasted his prescription, or perhaps he just wanted new ones. 'They look very nice on him,' Ginny couldn't help but think, before mentally scolding herself. 'He doesn't want us to be together.'
'No, he said that you can't be together,' said a voice in her ear.
'Shut up, you,' Ginny thought.
"Are you all right?" said Harry Potter, his brow furrowing.
"Of course," said Ginny, mustering a smile. Harry frowned.
"No, you're not," he said, kneeling down. "Wait, have you been…crying?"
"No," said Ginny quickly, turning her face away and hiding behind a curtain of red hair. Her response sounded lame even in her own ears.
A finger came up and slowly moved her chin to face Harry's face – his very handsome face. He brushed back her hair and slowly brushed over the faint trickles of ice.
"Your face gave you away," Harry said, with a weak smile. He quickly added, "I mean, the tear tracks and…" he hesitated. "And your expression. What's a matter?"
"Nothing," said Ginny. 'He looks so cute when he's all concerned.'
"You know, I used to think you were good at lying," Harry said, eyeing her. "But now I'm not so sure. What's wrong?"
"I – it's just, everyone's gone – for the holidays and – well, it's not that I don't blame them, I just – you're gone and – well, not just you, Hermione and Ron are gone too, and Fred and George, and Percy's still being a git, and Charlie and Bill are doing something for the Order, and – and…" Ginny half-realized she was babbling, and took a deep, calming breath. "I'm alone," she finished. She didn't mention that she'd also been crying because they weren't together.
She dared a glance at Harry, and saw that he had a look of compassion on his face. Ginny felt the familiar butterflies, but savagely pushed them down, focusing on Harry.
What he said next surprised her.
"I understand." At her expression, he tried to explain. "When I was younger – I mean, before Hogwarts. My aunt and uncle never really talked to me – I doubt we ever had a civil conversation – and they never paid any attention to me, and, well, you know, I don't mean to sound conceited, but I did need attention. Everyone does, especially growing up." Harry stared across the lake for a moment, before seeming to mentally shake himself, and continued.
"My aunt and uncle spent most of their time spoiling Dudley, getting him whatever he wanted, so that he was as spoiled as Draco Malfoy. I barely got anything. I sometimes spent hours alone in my cupboard, hoping someone would notice I was gone and call me out, perhaps to actually talk, but it never happened. And – I often got banished to my cupboard, not allowed to come out until I was told. It…it wasn't very nice."
Ginny was mentally kicking herself as he talked. She had no doubt brought back very unpleasant memories, memories that he didn't want to relive.
"Harry, I am so sorry," she burst out. Harry stared at her, a befuddled expression on his face. "I didn't mean to – to bring back such horrible memories. No one should have to go through that, or dwell on it after they've – after they've escaped." It was getting harder to talk, and Ginny felt, with a stab of dread, that she was starting to feel wet at the edges of her eyes.
"No, Ginny, it's all right – " Harry said quickly, horrified. "You didn't offend me at all, I don't mind – !"
Ginny couldn't help it – she collapsed into sobs, straight into Harry's arms. Awkwardly, Harry held her, rubbing her back. He wasn't good at this – Hermione was better at it, she understood emotions better than he did. He just held her, hoping he wasn't doing anything wrong.
At last, after what felt like forever, Ginny's sobs ceased and she sat back up, wiping her tears so they wouldn't freeze again.
"Th-thanks, Harry, I – I needed that," she stammered, blushing scarlet and not looking at him.
"You're welcome," Harry managed to say, forcing a smile. He searched aimlessly about, trying to come up with something to say. Before he knew what he was saying, he blurt out, "Do you want to make snow angels?"
Ginny looked at him oddly. Harry, blushing furiously, stammered, "I don't know why I said that, it – it just kind of came out. I'm sorry, I know you're depressed, I am such an idiot – "
"No, stop, you don't have to apologize," said Ginny, interrupting him. "I'm not mad; I just thought it sounded kind of…random."
"Yeah, it is," Harry muttered, staring at the ground and wishing he would disappear.
"Let's do it." She said it so suddenly and with such conviction that it was Harry's turn to stare at her oddly. Ginny shrugged.
"Why not? I've nothing else to do. Do you?"
"Well…no, I don't," said Harry.
"Well, then, let's go!" said Ginny happily, getting up. She didn't know why she was doing this, but for some reason, when Harry suggested it like that, so suddenly, she thought, What the heck, why not?
Harry got up, wondering what he did that was so right, and trudged after her. Ginny stopped in front of a bare spot and waited for Harry to stop next to her about half a dozen feet away.
"Ready, Harry?" she asked cheerfully, looking at him.
"Yeah," said Harry, deciding to go with it. At least she isn't crying...
"One, two, three!" Ginny said happily, and fell back, moving her arms and legs rapidly. She heard Harry doing the same next to her, and she couldn't help but laugh at the strangeness of the situation. Here she was, sixteen, making snow angels like she had when she was nine years old, in the middle of the Hogwarts courtyard, with Harry Potter of all people.
She stopped after she felt she'd made a decent angel, and just lay there for a moment, staring at the sky. She noted it was still snowing; either that or it had stopped and then picked up again.
Harry finished his snow angel and looked to his right where Ginny was. He couldn't help but think she was beautiful – her cheeks, no longer having tear tracks on them, were rosy with the cold and her own laughter; her smile was wide and lighting up her face; and there were snowflakes in her bright red hair. What he wouldn't give to run his hair through it – he remembered how soft and silky it was, just like her skin –
'Stop right there, Potter,' he thought.
Ginny got up, and with her, Harry. He smiled at her, and she smiled back, before looking behind her at her snow angel. There were imprints in the snow from her cloak, but there were no footprints because she'd put her feet outside of the angel when she'd stepped out. She saw that Harry's was the same, which led her to wondering if he'd done it before. The sheer simplicity of it – of a guy and a girl who liked-liked each other making snow angels together in the snow – made her heart long for the war to end, for this to be her and Harry everyday.
"I wish it could always be like this." She didn't say it sadly, or with longing – she said it matter-of-factly, as if it was a fact – and it probably was.
"So do I."
Harry didn't know why he said that, but he knew that it was true. No matter what he said, no matter what he did, he would always love Ginny. He knew that some adults would say that was ridiculous, that he was a boy who couldn't possibly know the full extent of the power that was love, but he did. He loved Ginny Weasley with all his heart and soul. It had been pure torture to not be together with her, to not rush to Hogwarts, burst into the common room, and tell her that he loved her, but he had restrained himself with the thought that it was dangerous. Somehow, that reason seemed stupid now….
"You do?" Ginny asked.
"Yes, very much," said Harry. He continued on cautiously but determinedly – he would do it, he would voice his thoughts. "So much that…I'm starting to second guess myself on if it's really all that dangerous."
"Then why do you keep on going like this?" asked Ginny. Harry didn't know when she'd moved, but she obviously had, because she was standing right in front of him, only inches away from him.
"I don't know."
It was like a window that was inside his head, a window that had been covered in something but had just been cleaned, and suddenly, Harry could see clearly again. He could see that it was foolish to leave Ginny because he thought Voldemort would increase his efforts. He could see it was stupid to let fear rule his life. He could see it was meaningless to think that Voldemort would hurt her even more if he caught her and knew that she was his girlfriend; he'd still hurt her because she was his friend, and, if not for that, then because she was a blood traitor. He could see it was ridiculous to think Voldemort would get to Ginny. Voldemort had been searching for Harry, Ron, and Hermione all year, and he still hadn't found them, and Ginny had the protection of Hogwarts! It wasn't as strong as it'd been when Dumbledore had been there, but there were Aurors, and wards, and not to mention probably numerous other protections that Harry didn't know about.
The realization hit him like a tone of bricks, so sudden he almost staggered. Harry looked into Ginny's eyes. He saw a snowflake was in her eyelash, and this time, he didn't care when he reached up and lightly wiped it out.
Before he knew what he was doing, he was lowering his head, and Ginny's lips met him halfway. Harry put a hand on the back of her neck, gently pushing her head forward even more, so their lips weren't just barely touching anymore. He stroked her hair with his other hand, while her arms were around his neck.
They stood like that for a moment, leaning into each other, truly happy for the first time in months – since the end of last year, to be precise – before they came apart for air, a reason both thought silly but necessary.
Ginny smiled up at Harry impishly, and said, "So, do you want to make snow people?"
"Mmm-hmm," said Harry. "Later."
And they kissed.
Happy Holidays, Everybody!