Harry sat at the teacher's table, idly playing with his food. He wasn't even paying attention to what kind of meat his fork was twisting around its prongs. His mind was too busy contemplating on what he was going to say to his former headmaster.
Setting down his fork full of steak, he took a moment to secretly gaze at Albus Dumbledore. The old man was deep in conversation with professor McGonagall, merrily enjoying a piece of kidney pie. It was impossible to tell what thoughts were running through his mind, and if he was thinking of the future conversation as well.
Harry let out a frustrated sigh, pushing his plate away. How did he get into this situation? Oh yes. He fell for a student. Strumming his fingers on the wooden tabletop, his emerald eyes trailed down the Gryffindor table, searching for the familiar redhead.
The corners of his mouth perked up as he watched her talk with her friends. She flipped her hair behind her shoulder, leaning in as the desserts appeared. "Harry?" He jumped out of his stupor, nearly knocking over the platter of chocolate eclairs.
Professor Sprout was holding out a large bowl of ice-cream. "Would you like some, dear?" Harry repressed the urge to raise his eyebrows, and instead shook his head politely. Funny sometimes, how he was still treated like a student. Afer all, he was only a year older then the seventh year students.
XoxoxoxoxoxoX
"Luna? I'm gonna go to the library to cram a bit."
Luna's forehead wrinkled in confusion. "For what? There's only one more exam tomorrow and its Harry's, the one you studied for it all last week. I remember because it was when Jenny spilled a whole bottle of ink on one of the library books."
Shrugging, Ginny continued to shove assorted quills and parchment into her bag. "There's nothing better to do . . ."
"There's Snape's essay." Luna gestured to Ginny's half-finished essay that was being stuffing into the bag. "I know for a fact it isn't finished yet."
"Do you, now?"
Grinning in triumph, Luna nodded. "Don't go mopping in the library over a certain raven haired guy."
Smiling back, Ginny said before walking out of the Gryffindor common room, "That's the last thing I'll be doing. Harry needs to talk to Dumbledore, then I'll fantasize about him. For now, he's like my ex-boyfriend."
Ginny was walking down a corridor, when someone rudely ran into her. To stop herself from falling to the floor, Ginny reached out and grasped the person's waist. "Well excuse-" She trailed off as she looked up into the eyes of Harry. "- you."
"Uh, Gin? No matter how much I like where your hands are, could you let go of my waist? Besides, I really have to be somewhere."
Ginny quikley removed her hand's from his waist, looking around to see if any students had seen. Luckily, the corridor was deserted. "What's your hurry, hotshot?"
"Hotshot?" Harry crossed his arms, smirking slightly.
"Yeah, hotshot. A normal person would say something like, 'I'm sorry for rudely bumping into you' or 'excuse me'."
Laughing, Harry bowed and made a motion as if he were tipping a hat. "Well, excuse me madame. I must go now, I'm expected somewhere." With that, he rushed away.
"That's not what I meant, dumbass!" Then sighing as Harry rounded the corner, she picked up her books from the floor. Harry, sometimes I wonder why I fell in love with you.
XoxoxoxoxoxoX
Harry walked slowly to Dumbledore's office. Obviously Ginny was still mad at him. He hoped that telling Dumbledore about the whole affair would help loosen some of the ties. If not, well, he didn't know yet. Probably leave the school and join the Cannons Quidditch team. At least Ron would be happy.
Speaking of Ron, Harry thought as he studied the stone floors. I wonder what's going on between him and Hermione. Hopefully better then what's happened to Ginny and me.
When he reached the stone Gargoyle, Harry hesitated before resting his hand on the creature's face. "Licorice Wands." The Gargoyle stepped aside revealing a spiral staircase leading up to Dumbledore's office. He took a deep breath and started to climb. With each step, there was a terrible thought of what the headmaster was going to say.
Step.
"You know better."
Step.
"How is it this was kept secret?"
Step.
"I held your trust, but you lost mine!"
"Stop it!" Harry exclaimed aloud. After what seemed like hours but was only seconds, his feet hit the entrance. Well, here goes nothing . . .
XoxoxoxoxoxoX
Albus Dumbledore heard a knock on his door and automatically knew it was Harry. A small smile graced his face as he said, "Come on in Harry."
He watched as Harry entered the room with a worried look on his face. It really was funny to watch, especially because Dumbledore knew all about Ginevra Weasley. "Biscuit, Harry?"
Harry squirmed slightly. "Er, no thanks Professor."
"Albus Harry, Albus. No then . . . What was it you wanted to tell me about . . . or rather, is it someone?"
The old man watched cheerfully as Harry's eyes widened and he started to fumble over his words. "What- that's not- there's no- she's just . . huh?"
Dumbledore took a bite out of the biscuit, savoring it's lucius flavor. "I'm sorry, my ears aren't what they used to be. What was it that you said?"
"Well," Harry pressed his fingertips together, looking anywhere but his former headmaster. "I . . . I've kind of been seeing someone."
"Which is to be expected. You take after your father after all, and might I say he was the second biggest Hogwarts' ladies man in history."
Snorting, Harry looked up at Dumbledore, "Let me guess, if my dad was the second, Sirius was the first, right?"
"Naturally. Those two attracted witches like Hagrid does magical creatures." He smiled at Harry over his half-moon spectacles. "So as you can see, I am not surprised in the slightest by a wonderful lady and yourself dating."
Harry's expression faded, and he resumed to looking at his hands again."That's just it professor-"
"-Albus"
"Erm, Albus . . . The girl I'm dating. She isn't exactly, uh, acceptable."
Dumbledore traced a fingertip along the brim of his teacup. "And by this you mean?"
"She's a student." Harry looked guiltily up at the old man's face, expecting to see disappointment, anger, or even sadness. He had not counted on amusement.
"You're not mad? I broke the rules! Ginny and I were breaking the rules! Aren't you going to-to fire me or . . . something?"
Albus chuckled softly. "I was wondering when you were going to tell me. You see Harry, I've known all along."
Harry's mouth dropped. "You . . . how?"
Waving a hand, Dumbledore said, "It was the numerous detentions that Miss. Weasley had with you, the countless times that you were staring at each other in the great Hall. Actually, I'm surprised no one else realized it like I did."
Rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly, Harry smiled. "So you're not mad?"
"Mad? Why would I be mad? I should have seen it coming when I offered you the job of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. You are, after all, only eighteen and can't help the hormone-controlled thoughts running through your head."
Harry could have died a long, happy life and not have heard those words come out of Albus Dumbledore's mouth. In fact, in his whole life he never thought he could blush as hard as he did at that moment.
"Er, thanks pro- I mean Albus. So, uh . . . I can date Ginny?"
Dumbledore popped a lemon drop from a large bowl on his desk into his mouth. "Why yes. But keep in mind, all rules that apply with student relationships, now apply to you. For the next few days anyway. Then, once you leave Hogwarts grounds, I give you permission to act however you please."
Harry wasn't sure if he should blush or say thank-you.
XoxoxoxoxoxoX
The next day, Ginny found herself taking a particularly hard written exam for Defense Against the Dark Arts. Not that the questions were hard. No, it was the fact that once again, a pair of emerald eyes were boring into the top of her head.
Ginny couldn't deny that she missed her boyfriend's company, but she refused to talk to him again until he sorted out his priorities. Scribbling down an answer to number seventy-four, she looked up to meet Harry's eyes.
As soon as he realized that she knew he was staring at here, he gave a jerk of his head as if to say 'what?'. Ginny replied with a look that clearly read 'you know bloody well what'. Harry looked back down at whatever he was doing on his desk. Prat. Why can't he just go talk to Dumbledore? He's driving me crazy!
Pretending to scratch an itch on her forehead, she looked up at Harry who was, thankfully, not looking back at her. He was writing something on a piece of parchment, his messy hair flopping over as he tilted his head. Dammit Harry, talk to Dumbledore, PLEASE! I love you too much for this to go on much longer!
XoxoxoxoxoxoX
Harry looked away after Ginny gave him a look that could burn a hole through an iron safe. After such a look, he wasn't sure how he was going to tell her that it was safe to get back together without the fear of someone finding out. Dammit Ginny, stop being so stubborn and let me talk to you! I can't take it anymore!
That said, or rather thought, Harry grabbed some parchment and began to think out how he was going to tell Ginny. A way that she wouldn't suspect. A way that would solve everything.
XoxoxoxoxoxoX
That night at dinner, Ginny sat quietly in her seat next to Luna, her mind on a raven-haired man. The way he smiled at her, bought her things against her will, hugged her, talked to her, kissed her . . . Ginny missed it all.
She was almost at the boiling point where she would march right up to Dumbledore and tell the fool herself about the much needed relationship. The question was if Harry even cared anymore. She hadn't talked to him in what seemed like months, and didn't know what was running through his air-filled mind.
As she mulled over her thoughts, a hand dropped a piece of parchment by her plate. Sighing in a frustrated way, Ginny snatched the paper and opened it to find two words.
He Knows
Mind not working properly, she whipped her head around to see Harry smirking. "I tried to tell yo-" he couldn't finish his sentence. In one swift movement, she was in his arms kissing him as if he would disappear right on the spot.
Both ignored the shocked gasps and gossipy whispers from the hall of students. The cat calls and whistles went through one ear and out the other; none of it mattered anymore. For after breaking the rules, it all finally paid off. They both truly felt at home.
The End
a/n: Wow. I can't believe it's over. Thank you to all of my fateful reviewers, you were the ones who gave me the strength to finish the story. I'm not sure if I'm going to write a sequel, that is if you want it. I'll think about it. For now, I have to get back to my other two stories, The bachelor and You can't turn back time. Well, it's all been great fun! Thank you!