The Devils Triangle

Chapter 17: Connections

Everyone returned to Hogwarts after the New Year, and the professors began to prepare the fifth year students for their O.W.L.S in earnest, hence they piled on the work. Ginny, however, noticed she could handle the load quite easily. Hermione had warned her that she, like Harry, might begin to see an increase in her magical powers as well as her powers of concentration. Hermione reckoned that Ginny was slower to realize these changes because her feelings for Harry had been repressed for so long, and it wasn't until she began allowing herself to love Harry freely again that her powers began to develop as well.

Ginny found it ironic that these powers, which were a by-product of her love for Harry, should appear just when she'd managed to alienate him. Well that's not true, Harry was still there, they just managed to not be alone together anymore. Ginny wasn't sure if Harry was doing the avoiding, or she was. But they'd managed to get through the first week of the new term without even a kiss. Occasionally their eyes would meet from across the dining table or across the Common Room and they could both feel the love, longing, and pain the other felt. Inevitability, one of them broke the gaze and moved on. Ginny knew they needed to talk, and Harry knew they needed to talk, but neither knew what to talk about; their problems were bigger than they were prepared to handle.

Once again, Ginny buried her problems in the Hospital Wing with Neville. He was extremely excited upon his return to Hogwarts. Their theories that residual Dark Magic was impeding any hope of recovery for his parents had proven to be correct, and Neville had spent his holiday at St. Mungo's administering a new potion to the Longbottoms. The potion had been only modestly successful in helping them purge the Dark Magic from their bodies, but this was enough to spur Neville on, although the Healers repeatedly warned Neville not to expect too much. Nevertheless, his hopes were high, and he was ready to delve into developing a stronger potion to give them.

Unfortunately for Neville, Ginny used their long hours together to vent her spleen about her troubles with Harry, and as a consequence Neville learned much more about Ginny and Harry's love life than he ever needed to know. He got into the habit of repeating the mantra: "You really should be talking to Harry about this, Gin."

To which Ginny always answered, "I know."

The first week of term ended uneventfully. Ginny was eating dinner at the Gryffindor table with her friends; however, all of Ginny's attention was focused on the Slytherin table. There was something amiss over there, and it took Ginny a minute or two of staring to decipher what it was. The first thing she noticed was that Draco and Pansy were sitting a bit closer to each other than they normally would, and then she noticed the friendly squeezes that were the norm between them had been replaced by lingering caresses, sometimes venturing northward to the neck or even the ear. Ginny figured she was glad Draco had moved on; after all she had moved on herself, and even though she and Harry were a bit tense with each other at the moment following the mess she'd made of Christmas, they were still a couple… they just had a few issues they needed to work out.

But there was still something odd with the Slytherins, so she kept staring at them while she ate her dinner. Harry and Ron were busy arguing strategies for their upcoming Quidditch match against Hufflepuff and Hermione had her head in a book and a hand on Ron's upper thigh, so Ginny had plenty of time to stare undisturbed. Suddenly she saw it!

"It's Astrid!" she gasped, finally drawing the attention of her friends.

"What's that, Ginny?" Hermione asked.

"Look! Astrid's sitting way down at the end of the Slytherin table, as far away from Draco as she can possibly get. Now that I think about it, she's been doing that all week, ever since we returned from hols. Why is she doing that?"

"Gin, she's just sitting with other first years, so what?" Harry shrugged. It was one of their first direct exchanges in days.

"Astrid would never sit with other firstys by choice… she loved the status that being by Draco's side gave her," Ginny insisted.

"Status? Sitting next to Malfoy? Are you insane?" Ron mocked.

"You do not understand how things work over there, I'm telling you something's wrong! I know it."

"Gin! He probably just told her to bugger off," Harry supplied.

"He's told her that a hundred times, and she's never listened before."

"Well then, he probably did something horrible to her to finally convince her," Ron added.

"Draco wouldn't do that!" Ginny insisted.

Ron and Harry rolled their eyes and shook their heads.

"Ginny," Ron began delicately, "just because Malfoy is capable of being nice to a girl he's trying to pull, doesn't mean he's like that with everyone. He's still a git, Gin. Why are you so blind to that fact? Just ask Andrew Rhys-Jones what Malfoy and company did to him a couple days ago. They locked him in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom after they'd worked her into a lather. Myrtle scared the crap out of him!" Ron chuckled in spite of himself.

"Draco wouldn't hurt Astrid," she continued to insist. "Never mind, I'll ask him myself," she huffed, and finished her meal in silence.

Later that evening, Draco came to fetch Ginny for rounds and the two of them fell into their usual playful banter. This was practically the only time she'd had a chance to talk to him; their paths didn't cross much during a normal school day. While they were dating, she would see him all the time, and it made Ginny realize just how far out of his way Draco had been going to see her.

"What's this I hear about you picking on Gryffindor firstys?"

"Oh, Merlin!" he groaned.

"Really Draco, how am I supposed to defend you to Ron and Harry and convince them you've changed if you keep behaving like that?"

"WHAT?" Draco exploded. "First, Weaslette, I don't give a Hippogriff's shite what those two think of me! And I certainly don't want you defending me to them. Second, I never told you I'd changed; as I remember, you dumped me for being the bastard you've always known me to be."

"And it seems I made the right choice there," Ginny grumbled.

"Third!" Draco continued adamantly. "The little shite deserved what he got! It seems some Gryffindor idiot has been spreading around that theory of your brothers about Slytherin girls' virtue. The little bugger's been sniffing around our girls like a hellhound in heat. We figured we'd take him out before the girls really damaged him. Can you imagine what would have happened to him if he tried something with Astrid?"

"It's still not a nice thing to do to Myrtle," Ginny grumbled sheepishly. "She has enough problems."

"She owes me; I don't complain when she spies on me in the Prefects bath. And fourth!" Draco continued indignantly. "I have a reputation to maintain. It's bad enough all the blokes think I went soft on the goody-goody Gryffindor Princess. The only reason I got away with it is because every one of them wants to get their hands in your…"

"GOODY-GOODY? Who thinks I'm a goody-goody?"

Draco stared at her blankly. "In Slytherin? Who doesn't?

"You think I'm a goody-goody?"

"Er… yeah… you are… you're nice… you'd get teary-eyed cleaning up a Bundimun."

"I opened the bloody chamber! I was weaned on trouble-making by Fred and George! I've broken detention records for snogging! We've…we've…we've…" Ginny couldn't quite finish that thought, so she moved on. "YOU THINK I'M A GOODY-GOODY?" Ginny couldn't remember the last time she was so incensed. This meant war!

"Don't take it so hard, Weaslette. Small potatoes to a Slytherin," he said, egging her on, because he was enjoying her fit. "Some of the blokes used to think you were quite a teasing goody-goody. However, my company did a lot to improve your reputation there. But now, unfortunately due to your recent poor taste, you've reverted back to Perfect Potter's goody-goody girlfriend. Sorry."

"Fine," she spat through her teeth, "we'll move on." Ginny stomped ahead of him, winding her way through the dungeons in silence.

A half hour later, Draco couldn't take the silence any longer.

"Come on, Gin. I know you're not that pissed, I've called you worse."

"No Draco, I'm not pissed at all," she said sweetly. Her revenge had been formulated and she needed only to bide her time until she implemented her plan… she was ready to move on. "Guess what?" Ginny continued, wanting to change the subject.

"You're expecting me to guess, Weaslette?" Draco groaned impatiently.

"Fine. Be a poop. Harry's arraigned for Ron, Hermione and I to get Apparition lessons, and him too of course!"

"Oh," he said in a bored tone.

"And when we're done, we'll be allowed to take the test even though we're underage! Isn't that exciting?"

"Thrilling, should help cut down on shagging session embarrassments. Always thinking, that Potter," Draco drawled.

"No one's shagging, Draco! Well, actually, I think Ron and Hermione are, but…"

"OH! BUGGER! Don't tell me things like that!"

"Aren't you at all jealous that I'm going to have my Apparition license before you?"

"No, I'm not, because you won't," Draco said smugly. "I'm already of age, remember? I've been taking private lessons for months, and I'll have my license in a matter of weeks. Quigley and my private security team insisted on it," Draco chuckled at Ginny's pout. "Gin, I don't want to spend another dreadful summer hiding under the skirts of the Order in that awful house. They'll start expecting my loyalty if I rely on them any further. "

"Where will you go?" Ginny asked.

"Malfoy Manor, where I belong," he said decisively.

"Draco! It's not safe there… the Death Eaters know it too well!"

"Don't worry, Gin. Everything's being taken care of, Mr. Quigley's very thorough."

"But what'll you do? Putter around in that huge house all alone?"

"Ginny, you do remember that I'm the heir to the Malfoy estate, don't you? I have a thousand employees, dozens of properties and more than several companies to run. I won't be bored… I have a lot to learn."

Ginny looked at Draco thoughtfully for a moment. "I like that Mr. Quigley; I think he's having a positive effect on you. Maybe you have changed a bit."

Draco rolled his eyes. "Merlin, you sound like my mother."

Ginny suddenly remembered what had been bothering her all week.

"Hey, Draco, what's with Astrid?"

Draco stared at Ginny blankly. "No idea. Why?"

"Don't you think it's odd that before Christmas hols she was your constant shadow, and now she avoids you like the plague?"

Draco shrugged. "Honestly, I hadn't thought about it. I'm just grateful I don't have to check for booby-traps in my bed every night."

"But don't you care? Aren't you curious why she seems afraid of you suddenly? Did you do something to her?"

"Nothing worse than anything she's done to me! Or you! Gin, just be happy she's finally making friends her own age."

Draco withered under Ginny's disapproving glare.

"Alright! I'll talk to her if it'll make you happy. I'm sure she's just gotten over her crush on me and moved on," he huffed. "There's a lot of that going around these days," he grumbled under his breath.

"Speaking of your love life! You and Parkinson seem chummier than usual lately. Are you together?" she teased.

"Maybe. I don't suppose we could change the subject?"

"Draco! You're blushing!" Ginny chuckled, and then she gasped. "You are together! And you've done more than kiss her, haven't you?"

"I've had a rather painful experience with kissing-and-telling recently Weaslette," he reminded her sternly. "I've learned my lesson. I must insist you change the subject. Never mind! I've got one for you! You never did tell me about the fallout from Christmas, with Potter and his magic fingers! Did you get into deep shite?"

"No," Ginny muttered, suddenly glum.

"NO? Come on! Not even Perfect Potter could squirm his way out of that one! What happened?"

Ginny wasn't inclined to relive the events following Christmas, especially with Draco.

"I've decided I don't have good luck, I get caught far too often," Ginny pouted. "I'm thinking of joining one of those covens who sequester themselves on a small island somewhere and live a celibate life, devoting themselves to the Gods."

Draco laughed outright and had to stop walking briefly to gather his breath again.

"Weaslette," he chuckled, when he could speak again. "You're a puzzle to me in many ways, I'll admit that, but one thing I know for certain is that you were not meant to live a celibate life."

"I'm not sure that's a compliment," she said sharply.

"It is," Draco looked at her warmly, in a way she hadn't seen in months. Then he gulped, and seemed to think twice about what he wanted to say, but continued anyway. "You let yourself feel, and you let yourself respond to those feelings; that's rare. To someone like me, who wasn't raised with a lot warmth or affection, it's very special. Please don't change." And then, Draco cleared his throat and snapped back into his normal snarky tone and drawled, "Well, except you may want to work on your self-control the tiniest bit, especially when you're with Potter. Now stop avoiding the subject… tell me how you and Potter evaded a month of detention. I need, yet another, reason to hate him."

Ginny paused for a moment and looked at Draco warily.

"Draco, do you feel something when Harry and I are together?"

"Sure! Revulsion, nausea, headaches, cramping in my…"

"DRACO! Seriously! Hermione said we sometimes create an energy…since the summer. Ron said so too. Have you felt it?"

"Yes… loads of times," he admitted grudgingly.

"Hermione and Dumbledore think we're soul-mates."

Draco stopped suddenly and whipped around. "And that's why she's been researching Carina de Florette! You keep getting sucked deeper and deeper into this, don't you?"

"I've been in over my head since I started writing in a dairy first-year. Neither you nor Harry seem to realize that! Why do you seem to know so much about Carina de Florette?"

Draco walked a bit faster, pulling ahead of Ginny and staying silent, the corridors were very quiet, without so much as one set of snoggers in sight."

"Draco, now you're avoiding the subject. Why do you seem to know so much about Carina de Florette?" Ginny insisted, once she had caught up with him and slowed him down.

Draco stopped walking and looked at her quietly for a moment.

"Ginny, I have to tell you something…I should have told you long ago, but it never seemed to be the right time."

"What then?"

"It's bad."

"Draco! Tell me."

"On my birthday, when I took control of the Malfoy estate, I received a letter from my father. He insinuated that the Dark Lord has plans for you."

"What plans? We were dating then, why didn't you tell me?"

"We didn't tell you at first because we didn't know anything."

"WE?" she asked coldly. "Harry knows too, doesn't he?"

Draco nodded. "And Dumbledore."

"Tell me everything, Draco."

Draco ground his teeth, led Ginny to sit in a nearby staircase and proceeded to tell her all he knew about Voldemort's plans and Harry's preparations to learn more through Occulmency. Ginny was suspiciously quiet when he'd finished.

"I just thought you had a right to know everything," he ended, and then Ginny remained silent for several more minutes. Draco put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her close. "Nothing bad will happen to you. I'd die first," Draco promised.

"How can Harry keep insisting that I'm not part of this?" she finally asked in disbelief.

"You're what he's fighting for, Gin. If he loses you, he loses his reason to fight. Even I can see that."

They resumed their rounds, but they were quiet together until the end of their shift.

"Gin… well… um… if you don't mind my saying so… you might want to protect yourself against Binding Curses…" Draco grimaced slightly, "if you know what I mean."

"I'm not going to lose my virginity just to inconvenience Voldemort! That's not a reason!" she insisted petulantly.

"Right. I see what you mean. If I were you, I wouldn't want to screw Potter either," Draco drawled smoothly.

"DRACO!" she shrieked and then laughed involuntarily.

Draco began to back away as he headed toward the dungeons.

"But if you ever get tired of bargain-hunting and want to shop the top-shelf again, I'd be happy to perform the service for you," he winked.

"Draco! You're such an arse!" she called after him, laughing.

"Not like I don't know the territory!" he retorted before disappearing down the stairs.

Ginny entered the Gryffindor common room still chuckling.

"What's so funny, Gin?" Harry asked from the corner table, where he was sitting with Hermione. They looked as though they'd been working on another of Hermione's Portrait puzzles; she'd gone through several of them since her birthday.

Ginny's smile immediately faded as she remembered her current problems with Harry, as well as the secret he and Draco had been keeping from her.

"You two are up late," she said crisply, not moving from her spot by the fire.

"Come join us, Gin," Harry suggested softly. "Hermione's just been trying to convince me that I may have overreacted last week. I suspect she's right. She doesn't even know what your role will be in the final plan, so I shouldn't assume the worst."

"Oh, really?" Ginny asked tartly, approaching the table. "Tell me Harry, have you told Hermione about Voldemort's plans for me? Or do you really believe that keeping us both in the dark will make it not true?" Ginny asked acidly, her voice rising steadily.

"Malfoy!" Harry growled through his teeth.

"Yes, Malfoy! At least he agrees I should know the truth about the danger I'm in. AT LEAST HE REALIZES I'M INVOLVED IN THIS!" Ginny yelled.

"Ginny, I've wanted to tell you a dozen times. I swear."

"BUT THE TIMING WASN'T RIGHT! YEAH! I'VE HEARD THAT PART ALREADY!" Ginny's fury suddenly burnt itself out and she collapsed into one of the chairs next to Harry. "I only hope that Voldemort waits for 'the timing' to be right before he turns me into his Saturday night girl."

"What the bloody hell are you two on about? Somebody tell me… NOW!" Hermione demanded.

"Tell her, Harry! Tell Hermione what you've been keeping a secret for over two months!"

"Alright," Harry sighed. "Malfoy learned from his father that Voldemort has some sort of plan for Ginny. We don't know exactly what, or why, but we know it involves… we know it involves using her for breeding."

"Eeew," was Hermione's first reaction.

"Eeew is right," Ginny agreed.

"You should have told me this Harry," Hermione scolded.

"Ha!" Ginny sneered at Harry.

"How am I supposed to figure this out if I don't have all the information?" Hermione continued, giving Ginny a warning glare.

"I would've told you as soon as we had some information, but so far that's all we know. I've been practicing with Snape, and he's preparing me to enter Voldemort's mind. But he says I'm not powerful enough yet."

Hermione was quiet for several seconds as she formulated her thoughts. "But Harry," she finally continued, "this is what I've been trying to tell you. This is where your connection to Ginny can be used to make you stronger. With her help, maybe you are powerful enough."

Ginny looked at Harry hopefully. "And we could try it from the safety of Snape's office. I wouldn't get hurt. Please Harry, let me help."

Harry met Ginny's pleading eyes and nodded. "We'll go to Snape in the morning, see what he says. But, yeah, we can try."

Ginny smiled gratefully at Harry, and reached to squeeze his hand lightly.

"Hermione," Harry began, "would you mind excusing us? Ginny and I should talk alone," he asked without breaking his gaze with Ginny.

"Of course," Hermione supplied quickly. "It's past my bedtime anyway. See you in the morning."

"Thanks, Hermione," Ginny called as Hermione disappeared up the staircase.

"Sorry I yelled, Harry," she said sheepishly once they were alone.

"No you're not," Harry chuckled as he stood and pulled Ginny to her feet and gathered her in his arms. "I'm sorry I walked away at Christmas time. I should have dealt with this sooner. I'm just afraid of losing you."

"You're not going to lose me, Harry! Not if we work together. You have to see that!" Ginny wrapped her arms around Harry's neck and kissed his lips softly. Harry responded immediately by pulling her firmly against him and intensifying the kiss. Ginny relaxed in his arms as he kissed her hungrily. He hadn't realized how profoundly this week without touching her had affected him, until he tasted her and felt her energy mix with his once again. Being near her was like coming home.

"Gods, I've missed you, Gin," he said, gazing into her eyes. "I love you, Ginny."

"I love you too, Harry. So much," she said, with tears welling in her eyes.

Harry led Ginny to his chair by the fire and pulled her down onto his lap, cradling her in his arms and kissing her all the while.

When a deep and satisfied sigh came from Ginny, a sound that reminded him of a kitten purring, Harry was spurred on. He loved listening to the sounds she made. So he let his hand run over her bare knee, which was slung over the arm of the chair, and then slowly he ventured further under her skirt, his fingers making small circles on the incredibly soft skin of her smooth thigh. He longed to taste that skin. When his fingers finally brushed the soft warmth of her knickers, Ginny pulled away slightly.

"Mmmm, Harry, we're supposed to be talking."

"Okay," Harry said, pulling her back for another deep kiss. "What did we want to talk about?"

"Us!" Ginny pulled away, just a bit further this time. "About you pushing me away, and not accepting that I'm involved.

"Oh," he said moving his lips to her neck since she'd made her mouth unavailable. "Okay, I won't do that anymore."

"Harry! This isn't a joke! I won't be left out anymore! Promise me!"

Harry paused in his amorous pursuits, for a moment, and looked at Ginny with all the love he felt glowing from his eyes.

"You know what Hermione said before you came back?" he asked, and Ginny shook her head. "We were working on that puzzle of hers, and she held up two pieces that were almost identical, but fit together. She said those pieces were you and me, that they completed each other and relied on each other and couldn't possibly fit with any other puzzle piece as well as they fit together."

"What are you saying, Harry?" Ginny asked breathlessly.

"I'm saying I can feel you making me stronger. I'm saying I can't do what I need to do without you. I realize that now."

"Oh, Harry!"

"But you have to at least let me try to keep you safe."

"Of course."

"And I don't want to think about it anymore, tonight," Harry whispered as he began nibbling on Ginny's ear and his hand resumed the caressing of her thigh. "I'd rather think about things that were abruptly interrupted at the Burrow Christmas night."

"Harry, we can't. We're in the middle of the common room," Ginny said weakly as she turned her head back to kiss him tenderly.

"Everyone's asleep," he said, as his finger slipped beneath her knickers.

"Mmmm… Harry… Oh… No… I can't…" Ginny said as forcefully as she could manage, while she stopped Harry's hand from distracting her. "You don't understand… I have bad luck with these things… I get caught."

"Ginny," Harry chuckled, "we were caught once, and it was just a freak accident."

"No," she said timidly, "there have been other times. Why did you think I had so much detention last term?"

"Oh!" Harry gasped, stiffening in his chair. "You're not talking about us. I guess I always made a point of not asking about your detentions. Thanks for clarifying," he said tartly.

"Harry, I want to be with you. You have no idea how much. Just not here."

"It's alright," Harry chuckled, his mood shifting suddenly. "I'd say it's time your luck changed then, don't you? I think you'd be impressed by how skilled I've become at evading detection during intimate moments."

"Why, Harry Potter, what are you saying?" Ginny giggled.

"I'm saying that, as you know, I've done a fair bit of snogging about the castle myself, only I've never been caught. You've just been keeping the wrong company," Harry grinned smugly.

"Have I now?" Ginny grinned back at him.

"Oh, most definitely, and I plan on proving it to you. But for now, it's very late, and we're going to bed." Harry heaved Ginny off of him; he stood and pushed Ginny toward the dormitory stairs.

"But, Harry, when?"

"Tomorrow night." Harry gave her one last kiss goodnight.

"It's a date," she grinned and ran up the stairs to bed.

The next day sped by quickly, Ginny rose early, to have her morning fly with Harry, and then she spent the bulk of her morning in the library studying. Following lunch she and Harry had a brief, extremely uncomfortable meeting with Snape. The professor mocked their idea of working together to access Voldemort's thoughts and had adamantly refused to participate in any such exercise. However, shortly after refusing to help them, an owl arrived for him summoning him to Professor Dumbledore's office. Snape swore and stormed out of his office, telling them to wait there and not to touch anything.

Of course, Harry immediately took advantage of the professor's absence to peruse his private potions cupboard. Ginny pleaded with him to stop, that he'd only succeed in enraging Snape so much he would refuse to ever help them. Harry just chuckled and said he was only thinking of her. Ginny was further appalled when she saw Harry pocket something from Snape's cupboard, but her protests were stifled by Snape's sudden return, Harry barely returned to his seat undetected.

"Mr. Potter, Miss Weasley," the professor spat, "you're to come to my office at 9 p.m. three times a week for the next three weeks. Starting tomorrow. We'll evaluate this ridiculous theory of yours for its merits."

"I take it Professor Dumbledore, saw it my way, didn't he?" Harry chuckled.

"Potter! Watch your tongue!" he snapped.

"Harry! Shhhh!" Ginny said, squeezing his hand painfully.

"Now, get out! Stop wasting my time!"

They needed no further persuasion to exit Professor Snape's office swiftly.

That evening, after dinner, Ginny was working on Hermione's Portrait Puzzle in the common room when Harry approached her with a guilty and giddy grin.

"It's all arraigned," he whispered. "Meet me in the Prefect's bathroom in twenty minutes."

Ginny looked at him, aghast. "The Prefect's bathroom? Are you mad?"

"See you there," he chuckled, as he exited swiftly.

Twenty minutes later Ginny found herself grumbling grouchily to herself as she made her way to the Prefect's bath. "Privacy! He promises me privacy and then directs me to the least private room in the school! I swear… boys are hopeless!"

When she arrived, her head immediately filled with a delicious spicy scent. Harry was already there, his shirtsleeves rolled-up because he had just finished filling the bath with hot water and those delicious smelling bubbles. There were dozens of candles cascading a warm glow about the room.

"Hi," he said invitingly.

"Harry, it's lovely… but…"

"Shhh," he whispered as he gathered her in his arms.

"…but, not private."

"Shhh," he tried again. "It's taken care of, we're all alone, I promise," he said sending light kisses down her neck and beginning to work on the buttons of her blouse.

"But you don't understand! I really can't be caught again! It's getting far too embarrassing!"

"Ginny, I swear, no one will come in here. Just us," he said, furthering his work on the blouse.

"But how?"

"Shhh," he whispered, as he backed her against the bathroom wall and kissed her soundly.

"But… Harry… how?" she continued to protest once she was allowed up for air.

Harry sighed heavily. "Let's just say I've struck a deal with Moaning Myrtle; she'll make sure no one comes in here tonight." One more button was released.

"Myrtle?"

"Yes… now shush… too much talking… I only want you to feel," he said as he finished unbuttoning her blouse while holding her firmly against the wall with his hips, his trousers already indicating the direction of the evening's activities.

"But Myrtle? Does she have her fingers in everyone's life?"

"Probably," Harry said with forced patience, "wouldn't you if you were a ghost?"

At last, Harry succeeded in removing Ginny's blouse, and the searing heat of Harry's hands on her ribs and breasts created such a distraction in Ginny that she released a primal groan, and pulled Harry in for a deep and lustful kiss.

Finally! This was enough encouragement for Harry to swiftly dispense of his own shirt and move the clasp of Ginny's bra, which he disposed of unceremoniously before his hands cupped her breasts gently.

Harry suddenly stopped kissing her and stepped back a bit, looking as though he may pass out.

Ginny opened her eyes, wondering why the activity had stopped and noticed his pallid complexion.

"Harry? What's wrong?"

"Nothing," he said breathlessly. "It's just that I've never actually… seen you…"

"Oh… sorry," Ginny said sadly, thinking she had read disappointment in Harry's tone.

"NO!" Harry reacted quickly. "You're brilliant! You're so beautiful I can barely breathe," he whispered as he lightly kissed his way down her jaw line and neck.

"Oh," Ginny squeaked.

"More beautiful than I've ever imagined… and I've imagined a lot."

"Oh," Ginny squeaked again.

Harry seemed to regain his breath and confidence as his kisses worked their way to each of Ginny's nipples, arousing them with his lips and tongue and then his fingers pinching them gently, then harder and harder until he elicited ecstatic groans from Ginny. Harry was consumed by a desire to hear more of those sounds coming from her.

Harry had found kissing other girls to be a pleasant distraction, but they hadn't aroused the level of curiosity that was currently consuming him. He couldn't get enough of the sounds she made, and he loved how she tasted. He had to learn all he could about what pleased her. He needed more.

Harry unfastened the closure at her waist and moved to remove her skirt and knickers as he knelt in front of her continuing to kiss her over her belly and down her thighs.

"Harry?" Ginny asked, suddenly lucid and trying to remember just how far she was willing to let Harry go.

Harry looked up at her hopefully. "It's alright, Gin… not everything… I just want to taste you."

Ginny nodded imperceptibly and then melted against the wall, silently praying that the stone walls of Hogwarts would be strong enough to support the spasms that were soon racking her body. She was sure that it was only the pressure of Harry arms around her thighs that kept her from crumbling in a heap on the floor. This theory was proven correct shortly after the spasms subsided and Harry pulled away; Ginny then crumbled onto the floor and into his arms. Harry moved to wipe his face before kissing her.

"No!" she gasped, grasping his lips in hers and eagerly tasting herself on his lips. She kissed him passionately, hoping to begin to return to him a fraction of the pleasure he'd just given her. Harry held her tenderly and returned her kisses.

A short while later, Ginny's sense of reality had returned a bit and she realized where she was.

"Harry?"

"Hmm?"

"Why are we on the floor of the Prefects bathroom?"

"Oh, yeah, I forgot. I have a surprise for you," Harry got up and rummaged through the pockets of the discarded school robe and pulled out a small paper wrapped bundle.

"There's more?" she gulped.

"There's lots more," he grinned shyly.

"What's that?" she asked indicating the parcel. "That's what you nicked from Snape, isn't it? Let's see."

Ginny peered into Harry opened hand and grimaced at the fistful of green, slimy, wormy looking things he was holding and then he disgusted her further by picking several of them up and eating them.

"Ichhhh! Harry! What are you doing? What is that disgusting stuff?"

"It's Gillyweed, and it allows you to breathe underwater. Are you coming in?" Harry said, dropping his remaining clothes, removing his glasses, and getting into the bath wearing nothing but a devastating grin.

Ginny stood with her mouth gaping as she watched gills form on Harry's neck. It wasn't until Harry reached out to gently pull Ginny into the bath that she realized his fingers had grown webs as well.

"Harry," she said with trepidation, "this is a bit bizarre."

Harry's grin just grew wider, as he handed her a fistful of Gillyweed.

"I suggest you eat your share, because I plan to pull you under with me," he chuckled as he disappeared under the bubbles.

"Harry? Harry?" Ginny called, but it was too late she could already feel Harry nibbling at her ankles.

"Oh dear," she sighed, as Harry's mouth did wonderful things to her calves and the backs of her knees; meanwhile, his hands explored her in every direction as far as they could reach.

Ginny was suddenly shifted off balance as Harry swam between her legs, forcing them apart, and then he began doing things to her with his mouth and water that Ginny had never even dreamt of! Ginny knew she wasn't long for the air-breathing world.

"Oh bugger!" she gasped as she gobbled the Gillyweed down and then descended below the bubbles with Harry.

Once underwater, Harry looked up and smiled at her, and then he kissed his way up her torso, while holding her gently, giving her time to grow accustomed to breathing with gills.

It was like another world under the bubbles, silent, soft and warm. Ginny looked Harry in the eyes, smiled softly, and then proceeded to kiss her way down his torso. After all, reciprocation is only fair isn't it?

But Ginny got even more than she imagined once again as Harry flipped his body around and gratefully reciprocated the reciprocation. Their bodies melted together as they floated effortlessly through the water, their buoyancy allowed them complete access to each other in a way that couldn't be accomplished on dry land.

It was a long, long time before they resurfaced again.

Harry came up into the air beaming.

"Wow! That worked!" he exclaimed.

"Yeah," Ginny said numbly, still clinging to Harry for strength. Once she was able to form complete thoughts again she said. "Harry, I had no idea you were so creative."

"Mmmm, I've been doing a lot of reading, not all of it academic," he chuckled, but then became sombre as he gathered Ginny close. "Like I said, I've imagined you a lot. I think I may have a rather overactive fantasy life where you're concerned."

"Harry, does it have to be fantasy? Are there other 'things' you'd like to try?" Ginny asked hopefully.

"Dozens," he chuckled. "We'll get to them, don't worry. First, I need to recover from this evening's adventure."

"This was wonderful, Harry. Thank you," she said as she kissed him lovingly, with a small sigh of contentment.

"See, that's what's missing underwater."

"What?" she asked dreamily.

"I can't hear you and I can't taste you. My two favourite things."

Ginny smiled. "I love you, Harry Potter."

Over the next several weeks Harry continued to be good to his word of scouting out private spots for them to be alone together. They needed to escape together between their distasteful and painful training sessions with Snape. Ginny found herself relying on the release that Harry's attentions provided her.

One morning in early February, Ginny was gazing dreamily at Harry during breakfast. Just last night he was a man, seeing to her every desire, and making her scream his name. But at this moment, he was a school boy with a glop of butter on his chin. Ginny turned to mush at the sight of him, he was lovely. She loved being allowed to stare at him openly, and she loved it more when he stared back, his bright emerald eyes twinkling with love and lust.

His 'bright emerald eyes'! His eyes are as green as a fresh pickled toad! Oh bugger! Valentines Day is coming!

Ginny's least favourite holiday in the world was swiftly approaching. Ever since her first year she'd absolutely dreaded this day! Valentines Day. For the first time in her life Ginny would have a boyfriend on this horrifying holiday. Not just any boyfriend, but Harry Potter. What could she possibly give him? How could she show him how deeply she was in love with him? And then, slowly, she realized she was ready. She wanted to give him all of her. The rightness of her decision welled up inside her, and a giddy smile spread across her face.

"What you grinnin' at, Gin?" Harry asked, as he chewed his toast. "Have I got somethin' on my face?

Authors Notes:

Thank You, as always to Jocjarmom, although I do begin to worry when I get my chapters back a 2 am! Get some sleep woman!

If you're a true TDT junkie, checkout Jocjarmom's TDT outtakes on Checkmated. She's following the R/H story, I had no idea those two were sooo randy!

I'd like to give credit to Sarea Okelani's 'Portkey Party' for bringing us a new use for the word reciprocation.

Are any of my readers going Accio 2005 at the University of Reading at the end of the month? Let me know if you are, I'd love to meet some of you.

I'd say there are 2 chapters left in the Hogwarts years, and then we return the future! YAY!