Disclaimer: See Chapter I
Also, I'd like to thank those of you who have taken some time to read and review my work (you know who you are). Your kind words have been felt and hope the wait hasn't been too long for this next installment as I'm trying to update my work every three chapters or roughly once every ten days. One final bit of thanks to the Harry Potter Lexicon that is quite the resource for anything Harry Potter related. Please note that this work should now be considered AU since Bk V has hit the streets.
Speaking of which, I believe I said in one of my earlier chapters that I was going to say as close to canon as possible. Now, I realize writing an AU fanfic of a year that has already been covered I shouldn't be too concerned in regards to canon, yet nonetheless I am. It is for that reason I've decided to incorporate elements of Book V along with the outline of events I drew up for my work. Hopefully, this won't disappoint people but I'm sure some of you may have noticed already some details from Bk. V. I won't say what they are, since I don't want to ruin anything for anyone, so just stay alert and read Book V as soon as possible. To be quite truthful, there are portions where my work and canon can dovetail quite easily and well, and I intend on using them.
One final note: if anyone reading this is also a fan artist, please feel free to draw any character from this work in any way you feel like going at it. Just make sure you drop a review telling where the image can be viewed.
Anyhow, without further trouble, the next chapter.
Chapter XIX: First DateShe ran her fingers along Harry's scalp, still short and sheered where Tom Courtenay had taken the clippers to it. The fingertips traveled, leaving only the merest sensation for Harry to feel. Harry lay perfectly still, savoring the feeling of Alice next to him, and the two of them against the cool sheets. Alice's fingers stopped on the scar on his forehead, and gently rested on it. She looked down at him, and asked, "Tell me of the girls in your life, Harry." Harry opened an eye and looked at her, sighed, and answered,
"I have three women I suppose. The first is, well, like you, a friend, a person who has watched my back since I was about eleven. She was one of the first true friends I ever made."
"Her name is Hermione Granger?"
Harry looked at Alice askew, and laughed, "You read Rita Skeeter don't you?"
Alice laughed, and said, "Yeah, and judging by your tone, it sounds as if it was only a friendship. So what about your other two girls."
Harry leaned back, and looked at the ceiling, and spoke, "The second girl is a crush, someone who I've had a crush on since a couple years ago. I tried to work the guts to ask her out, and when I did, I found out this guy I knew already asked her out." Pausing, Harry breathed deeply and continued, "I was jealous, and hoped the worst for him. It did, and now I don't think I'll have a snowball's chance in hell at winning her. Yet, I still have that crush, and it still hurts."
"And the third lady who is in your life?"
"She has a crush on me."
Alice laughed, "I take it you aren't too thrilled with her?"
Harry shrugged, "I don't know…She's the sister of my best friend, but…I don't know. I hope I'm not hurting her, but part of me knows I am."
"Why don't you like her?"
"Well, it's just that…when she first came to the school, there was a time she needed to be rescued, and I did so. Suppose that is my problem, I can't get it out of my thick skull that the girl I rescued, and the girl today are two different people." Shrugging once more, he finished, "Not that it matters since she got taken this summer."
Alice rolled over on to him, and Harry watched as breasts
pressed against his chest. She leaned down, and whispered in his ear. "No
matter Harry. Take this woman's advice though…"
"What's that?" Harry was playing the same game Alice was, tracing the outline of her breasts with a fingertip.
"If you ever get the chance again, go for the one who has the crush on you…Love is like a game of dice, Harry. You never know the result, until you wager all you have and roll."
"Speaking of rolling…"
Harry's eyes opened as he realized he was laying in bed at Hogwarts, and that he had been having another dream. Remembering the night before, where he had held on to Ginny, and they had kissed, Harry grinned to himself as he stared at the ceiling. It had felt good, sweet, much more fulfilling then any he had bought so many times over the summer. Much the same way a chocolate bar couldn't compare to a bite from a home-cooked meal. The former, while tasty, couldn't compete against the latter in fulfillment.
Swiveling his eyes, he saw that it was still dark outside, but his watch (which he had set down on the stand next to his bed along with his weapons when he went to sleep) was open and the hands were at 0530. Yawning, Harry got up, and heard the snores and breathing coming from everyone else in the room. Running a hair through his close-cropped hair, Harry felt that it was thicker, and decided to rise and go to the meet he had scheduled with Sirius and Remus. It was then he swore softly, for he realized that he still had to figure out a date with Ginny, and to keep it a secret one at that.
"Morning, Harry."
Harry turned and saw it was Dean Thomas, who seemed to be wide-awake, and writing a letter, using a textbook as a desk. "Morning, Dean."
"Morning, Harry. How was your ball?"
"I had the duty…what of yours?"
"About what I expected with Parvati taking off with someone else in the middle of it, like your own last year."
Somehow, Harry didn't think Parvati was dropping her knickers in a broom closet last year. But, Harry conceded, I have been wrong before.
"So you know, huh?" Harry asked.
"Yeah, but I can't say I blame her, since I got a girl in the shadows myself."
This was a surprising development for Harry, so he asked astonished, "Who is she?"
Dean laughed, "Nah, can't tell you, she's from Slytherin." Harry laughed, and marveled how strange the world turned. Already, he was feeling better, as now he only had two things to be concerned with: the meet, and the date.
Harry suddenly remembered something…today was a Sunday… the meet was on a Wednesday…he still had time for the meet! True it would be the hour before classes started on a weekday, but nothing was perfect.
Laughing, Harry got up and went to the shower, seeing a sudden ray of brightness as for once he had something a normal kid had to worry about: setting up a date with a girl. Sure it had to be secret, but substitute the world for parents and well…
* * *
Three hours later, Harry found himself hurriedly composing a note to Ginny with the directions to a small place he had cased out in Hogsmeade. Harry finished his writing, and folded it until it could fit into the size of half of his palm, and sipped from a mug of hot chocolate at his elbow in the table at the Great Hall. The weather had chilled rapidly, but with the previous night's excitement still heavy on everyone's minds (Harry had seen a few necks with hickies, and wondered how many more broom closets had been raided. Judging by the sudden drop in house points across the board, Harry had no doubts quite a few couples had been busted.)
Harry hadn't as much experience as, say the twins, in exploring the back alleys and little places of Hogsmeade. Yet, armed with the Marauder's Map and his instincts Harry, after washing, and a quick meeting with Moody and Figg in regards to Security (nothing interesting had happened, and things were as quiet as a tomb), Harry had hit the town of Hogsmeade. Knowing that his scar would make him a visible target, Harry had worn his wizard's cap (something which he disliked since the damn thing kept getting knocked off wherever he moved) and his cloak. Using the tradecraft he had learned over the summer, he had found a quiet, dimly lit place in one of the side streets of Hogsmeade. It was also far enough away from the usual haunts of Hogwarts students and faculty that Harry wouldn't have to worry about anyone walking in on him and Ginny.
At about eight, he had returned to Hogwarts, and settled to breakfast, as after the previous evening, everything was being done an hour late and at a much slower pace then was normally the case. Harry watched as his classmates entered the Great Hall looking for breakfast. Leaving the note unsigned, Harry folded it and waited as Ron and Hermione came in, followed by Katrina and Neville. Doc followed shortly thereafter, and Harry asked, "Where's Fred and George." Ron hooked a thumb behind his back, where he saw the twins in a heated conversation with Lee Jordan. Harry couldn't make out much of the conversation, but got the ending as Lee came and sat at the Gryffindor table. "I don't care what you do, just so long as I don't hear about it beforehand. If I were to hear about it, then I'm legally bound to stop you idiots from carrying it out, so don't ask me to run decoy for you!" Lee was all but yelling at Fred and George, who shook their heads in disgust.
Harry greeted them good morning and asked, "What was that about?"
Fred shrugged, "Just asked old Lee if he wanted in on a bit of the usual…"
George chimed in, "Mayhem, pranks, vengeance that sort of
thing."
Harry replied, shaking his own head, "Shouldn't you leave Creevey's fate up to Ginny? I mean she was the one who got hurt."
Fred responded cheerfully, "Be that as it may, we are still her brothers…"
"Honor bound to give justice where it is needed."
"Now, since Mr. Creevey's problem is in his pants…"
"Well, we have ways to correct that."
Doc, who had been silently chomping away on a stack of buttermilk pancakes, jumped in, " Ah, honor and vengeance…in both of my homelands, the two are ever so intertwined…Speaking of which, look over yonder." He pointed towards one of the doors, where Ginny and Colin seemed to be quietly conversing near the door. Colin looked miserable, whilst Ginny seemed to be drained of emotion, and tired. After a minute, Colin smiled slightly, and both of them laughed a little, and Colin handed over a stack of envelopes and proceeded to leave the Great Hall.
Ginny came by, sat down, and looked at everyone who was staring at her intently (except for Harry, who had suddenly discovered the aesthetic qualities of a mug of hot chocolate). She smiled, and asked, "I hope none of you were hoping for drama, and gushing tears, and all that rubbish?" Fred and George snorted, Fred asking, "Not quite, but we were hoping for something to give us the slightest excuse to break his head a bit." Ginny laughed and said, "Don't, I already told him it was over between us, and that there wasn't any bad feelings between us over it." Harry wondered if those moments in Hagrid's hut had really improved her outlook that fast.
Hermione asked, "Are you sure you're all right? I mean if you need someone to talk we're here for you? Me, Ron…"
"It's all right, I'm fine."
Doc asked, "By the way, what are those envelopes Colin gave you?"
"Pictures from last night."
Everyone eagerly opened them to find two copies of the ones taken last night. Ginny handed one to Harry and said, "Here's the one Colin took of me and you, Harry." Harry was pleased to see that Ginny had made the tone friendly, but just that, friendly. Opening the envelope, Harry pulled out a print, and deftly slid in the note from the palm of his hand into the envelope. Setting it down, Harry saw the picture, and noticed that it was quite well done; him and Ginny looking cheerfully at the camera. Harry smiled, and handed over the envelope to Ginny, putting it so that her hand could feel the note inside. "Quite well done, Ginny, thanks."
Getting up, he told his friends, "Listen, my uncle wants me to go over a few things. See you at the Three Broomsticks at about ten?"
They waved goodbye and Harry headed up to his room. Once there, he went to his chest and opened it. Inside, he pulled out the small magical case that he stored his weapons, the photo album full of pictures of him and his parents Hagrid had given him during his first year, and other pictures he had taken over the years. The one picture he was looking for was the one that Dudley had snapped off the day before he had left for the Weasley's, the one showing him surrounded by the ten girls and Madam Meg of Meg's. Harry had stuck it in one corner of the inside lid, and often took a gander at it every time he opened the case.
Pulling it off of the box, Harry gazed at it for a few minutes, thinking of the changes that had happened in his life within the last…what? Last summer, he hadn't expected to learn how to kill with gun, blade, and his bare hands. Harry hadn't expected to find sanity confronting risk, and death, much less expect to find he (quite frankly) thrived on it. As for women, Harry hadn't expected to learn so much and so fast, and that had no doubt a hand in ensuring he hadn't let the demons within kill him as good as a Killing curse would have. Gazing at the picture in his hand, Harry thought of what he had truly done over the summer. Did he regret it? Of course not, for as he had told Lucius Malfoy, he was young, virile, and attached to no one girl; the ideal persona for a soldier, or any young man who has just discovered how great sex could be. Also, (to himself) Harry didn't expect to live the year out, and knew it was more then likely he was going to end up a corpse. Harry's philosophy of life had been shaped by the hard men of the second platoon: enjoy what you can of life, while you can, for the next roll of dice in the game of life could wind up with you dead in some god-fucked corner of the world.
Yet, Harry had had that philosophy tempered by the very same pleasure that he had sought. Alice, the woman of eighteen years that had brought him over that pass into manhood, had taught him love was different from the sheer pleasure (no matter how therapeutic) of coupling, that he would know when he felt it. Harry had got the idea she knew of it at first hand, but hadn't pried into her past. To him, Alice was like Hermione: someone smart, witty, and above all else, someone to talk to.
Then there was Ginny…Harry wondered why he hadn't felt differently before. He had tried rationalizing, and found it was pointless. True, he could delude himself with the notion that the twin events of rescuing her from the Chamber of Secrets coupled with the blinding infatuation of Cho, but the fact remained he himself didn't know. It was times like this he wished his father were around, to ask him about him and Harry's mother.
Yet, the fact was they weren't, and all he knew was that the last night, as him and Ginny had held each other and talked, Harry had known Ginny was his sun, his moon, and his stars. Harry had remembered a vague Divination lesson about this, yet that was immaterial for in the twilight of the fire, he had felt Ginny's heart beat in her chest, and had felt his.
The two had beat as one, and that was all the evidence Harry had needed of divine favor or whatever it was called. Harry followed his instincts, and his heart.
Without another look, Harry took out the picture of him and Ginny and put it on the opposite corner. The picture of him and the girls of Meg's he put into the envelope, and tossed it into the case, and gently closed the box. Harry then, after taking out his baton and Browning, put the case back into the chest, and closed it.
Turning, Harry left his room, and didn't once look back at his chest.
* * *
Hours later, Harry found himself in the cellar of the Honeydukes candy store in Hogsmeade. At the moment, Harry was dressed in his school uniform, but with his black cloak over it, and a bowler (from Moody; Harry had told him he needed it briefly, but Moody had given it to him telling him he had another available to him) pulled low over his scar. One good thing that Harry was bloody grateful for was the fact he looked so normal without his scar visible.
Harry pulled out his pocket watch and looked at the time. Quarter to six in the evening. Harry distinctly hoped Ginny had followed the directions he had written in the note, and also hoped Ron and Hermione, along with Fred and George, and other people he was close to were busy. They were more likely to find out and cause trouble then say, Malfoy, or any of the assorted bastards out there. Sad thing was, if that turned out to be the case, it would be a clear cut example of a phrase Harry had heard of in previous years: the road to Hell is paved with good intentions.
Thinking, about Harry decided a quick look would soothe his nerves by seeing what was going on. Pulling out a piece of parchment from his pocket, he activated the Marauder's Map and took a glance. Ron, Hermione, Katrina, and Neville were heading through the grounds back to the school. That was good, as Harry had spent much of the day in their company. Around three, he had said goodbye, telling them Moody and Figg wanted to him to oversee the re-supply of a unit of goblins that was on extended patrol in the mountains around Hogwarts. Now, this was partly true, it was just Harry overestimated the amount of time it was going to take him to be with Moody. All it had involved was a quick hour trip with Moody and Figg using the Chameleon Charm, a charm Moody had shown him a month earlier in which Harry was given for about two hours the ability to blend in with his surroundings, much the same way the lizard did. It wasn't as encompassing as Invisibility cloaks (Harry had been taught that one could vaguely make out the outline of a person by careful examination), but it was cheaper, and unlike a cloak, didn't flap around when flying around at a hundred clicks an hour at treetop level. Harry had found the re-supply mission quite easy, and had rushed off to prepare for his date as soon as Moody told him to take the day off. Harry also had a sneaky suspicion that Moody knew he was off on a date for Moody had had a toothy grin on his face when he wished Harry a good evening; Harry wasn't sure if that was comforting, or worrisome.
Anyhow, after washing, he had taken the secret passage via the hump-backed witch, and once in the cellar of Honeydukes, had waited patiently for Ginny to show up. According to plan, Ginny would, about an hour after he left, say she had an assignment to turn in for Potions, and had to go check the state of how it was being fermented. Once there, she would get her cloak (one of the rules that had been implemented had been for security reasons had been for Hogwarts students to be in uniform whenever they were in Hogsmeade) and then wait for an hour. Afterwards, she would make her way clandestinely back into Hogsmeade via the secret passage Harry had described to her. Harry only hoped he hadn't made the plan too complicated.
Looking for Ginny on the map, Harry smiled, for Ginny was making her way down the passage towards the Hogsmeade candy store at a quick pace. He laughed slightly for the figure slowed briefly, with the notation that she had tripped but hadn't fallen down.
Moving out of sight behind a group of boxes, Harry watched the path that lead from the trapdoor to the rest of the cellar, and from there up into the main store. Taking a last look at the map, Harry saw that Ginny was close to the door. He closed the map, put it back into his pocket next to his wand, and leaned back into the shadows and waited. Sure enough, within a minute, Harry saw Ginny cautiously look around from the corner around the trapdoor, and headed towards the staircase. Silently, Harry snuck up behind Ginny, and covered her mouth with his hand, and whispered into her ear, "Guess who?" Harry could feel her giggle, and once he was sure she wouldn't squeal, he pulled his hand away. Ginny turned and slapped his chest, laughing quietly, "What was that for?" Harry grinned, "Surprised you didn't I?" Ginny laughed and threw her arms around him, and in the cellar, the two embraced.
Harry suddenly heard a noise, and with Ginny in his arms pulled her towards a secluded alcove behind some crates out of sight from the staircase. Putting a finger to his lips, Ginny remained quiet and watched with Harry as a large burly man came by, rummaged through a crate across from them, and went back up the stairs. Harry waited until he heard the steps fade, and grinned to Ginny, "Close eh?" Ginny smiled and asked, "And how do we get out of here?" Harry smiled, and gently took her in hand, pulling up the hood of her cloak. Together, they crept up the stairs, and ducked behind the counter, since the proprietor and her helpers were out rapidly refilling several of the chocolate racks. Harry waited until the coast was clear, then he, with Ginny's hand firmly entwined with his, got up and calmly walked towards one of the displays. With the winter weather, they weren't noticed as they walked out of Honeydukes and into one of the side alleys of Hogsmeade.
Harry moved his arm so that he could draw Ginny closer to him. Ginny asked, "So where are we going, Harry?" Smiling, Harry leaned towards her, and kissed her on the forehead. "A nice restaurant, where you are Miss Snow, and I'm Mr. Tippet. The owner is this kindly old woman who maintains these dark booths lit only by a candle or two, a place where we can have some privacy." Ginny smiled up at Harry shyly, and answered, "Hmm…I like that, Harry." Laughing the two of them strode through the darkening side streets of Hogsmeade. About a half block away, Harry stopped in front of a small building from which hung a sign showing a prancing deer with the name Bucks Tavern. Harry opened the door, and let Ginny go in first. Harry held back as he quickly took a Band-Aid from his pocket, and put it over his scar. If anyone asked, Harry was going to tell them he had banged his head open and gashed it, though with a bit of luck no one would notice.
Entering, Harry was gladdened to see the place was dimly lit from a series of candles in the air, which smelled pleasantly of wood, vanilla, and fresh baked bread. It was a small place, consisting of a bar, some tables in front (filled with an assortment of characters, most of them eating or drinking), and a series of secluded booths in the back. Looking around, Harry put his hat under his arm and went over to the bar, where a tall, gangly, woman was serving drinks to the patrons (a wide sort, including off-duty goblins, dwarves, and assorted wizards). "Hello, Ms. Thomas, is the table I reserved ready?" The woman looked up, and smiled, "Of course it is Mr. Tippet. This way, please." She led them to a darkened corner where only a candelabra burned, giving the surrounding area a light glow. There were two plates, a basket of fresh baked dinner rolls, a light salad, and a small bucket of ice with a bottle of wine (which Harry had modified by mixing it liberally with water so that only it was only ten percent wine, giving it a taste more like a sweet grape juice) in it.
Harry pulled out a chair for Ginny, and once they were seated, Ms. Thomas asked them, "So what will it be?" Harry asked, "What's the house special?" "Chicken Cordon Bleu, or Jaeger Schnitzel. French or German" Harry turned to Ginny, "Your choice dear." Ginny thought for a moment, and asked for the chicken, which Harry likewise agreed to. Ms. Thomas told them they would be served in a few minutes, and told them to try out the salad. With that, she turned and walked away with their order.
As soon as the hostess left, Ginny looked over at Harry and told him, in an impressed tone, "Wow, Harry, you really took a lot of effort into this." She looked over at the wine, and asked, "Tell me Harry, what does this taste like?" Harry, not quite ready to tell her he had set this whole date up on the cuff, smiled at Ginny and took it out of the bucket. Opening it, he looked over at her and asked, "Only one to find out. A lot like kissing I suppose." Ginny laughed the laugh that Harry found so intoxicating, and nodded, "True, true…Pour me a small glass then." Harry poured one, and then another. Sliding one over, Harry clinked his against hers and said, "To all couples out there." Ginny murmured, "To all couples." They drank the sweet wine, and Harry looked over at Ginny, who smiled and said, "This is so…sweet."
"Like you. Sweet, and tender and…"
Ginny laughed again, and Harry did too as he saw Ginny started to blush as red as her hair.
Together, they started into the salad and dinner rolls, engaging in the small talk that couples get to know each other with. Harry told of the light-hearted moments he had had with the Dursleys, and then with more confidence of his early years at Hogwarts.
"You know, I remembering hearing you the first time I was on
the Hogwarts train, telling your mom you wanted to see me."
"Oh, I forgot all about that!" Ginny laughed, "I thought you were pretty handsome before, but that was like icing on a cake. You were…well…you." She shrugged sheepishly. Harry had to laugh, for as he remembered himself as an eleven year old, it was with oversized ancient clothes, and a set of very messy hair. Indeed, the first really decent set of clothes and shoes he had ever owned were his Hogwarts robes/uniforms.
The main course arrived and during this, Ginny got to talking of her life, of the tight-knitted family that was the Weasleys, remembering the times where she had helped Fred and George in their early experiments. Harry almost choked as she told of one occasion over one summer where the twins had put a color charm on Percy's glasses, ensuring that every time he put them on, his hair turned platinum…or blue, or about fifty-two other colors. Harry asked of her friends, and besides the usual people, Ginny told him of another he hadn't heard of.
"You know Luna Lovegood, Harry?"
"No, can't say I do. Ravenclaw though isn't she?"
"Yes, but she really is a decent sort. Strange sense of humor, but a decent sort."
"Sounds like Fred or George there."
Soon, the main course was over, and they settled down to talking over the wine when Ginny asked a question Harry had been expecting all night.
"Harry?"
"Yes, Ginny?"
"Am I the first girl you have ever…" She trailed off and looked at him sheepishly
Harry looked up from the glass of wine from which he sipped. During the course of the meal, Harry and Ginny had consumed only about a quarter of the bottle, and there was still much left. Looking into it, Harry decided to go the Longbottom way: honesty.
"The first girl I have ever dated? Yes, but not the first I've kissed, or…" Harry paused for a second before continuing, "been intimate with."
"Oh?"
"Tell me, Ginny, did you hear of Neville's story?"
"Yes, he went with some friends and purchased the services of a group of scarlet women during the summertime. A friend of his uncle's arranged the whole thing."
"I was one of those friends, and it was my Uncle Alex, Professor Evans who arranged the whole thing for me to learn all about women from the ten girls at this one place in London. One of them became a friend of mine, almost like Hermione, but that was the extent of it." Harry found that despite his best efforts, his voice came out shaking slightly with fear. The fear of rejection, the fear of Ginny getting angry, at the whole myriad array of things that tortured him; Harry held his breath as he waited for her to answer.
What happened next surprised Harry: Ginny laughed. She took a moment to stop, and then spoke, "You think I'll be disgusted with you over this?" Harry could only nod. Ginny shook her head, and answered "Harry I knew you meant it when you said you loved me last night. Nothing will change that, as I know you are too much of a nice man to do anything like that if you could help it. I won't ask you again of your past if you want." She had put her hand on his during the conversation, and Harry could feel the warmth and tenderness of her hand. Filled with emotion, he took his other hand, and clasped it, so that each of their hands was in the others. Looking into her eyes, Harry spoke hoarsely, speaking from the depths of his soul and being, not knowing that he was letting within him the young man who had known so very little warmth and love over the years speak, "Ginny, I love you, now and forever. What I did in the past is in the past, and I will never betray you or hurt you. Can you believe me?" Ginny leaned over and kissed him on his lips. Harry could taste the wine, and listened as she murmured in his ear, "Yes Harry, as I love you too, now and forever, always."
They remained like that for a few minutes, Ginny with her head on his shoulder until Harry, ever mindful of the time, mentioned to Ginny, "We should be going back now." Ginny nodded sadly, and got up. Harry did likewise, and put a stack of twenty Galleons on the table. With their hands together, they walked the dark streets back to the grounds, where Harry led her through the shadows almost to the main entrance, and once there Harry drew her close to him in the shadow of the steps. Ginny kissed him on the lips, and Harry reveled in the feeling of it. They broke off only as they could hear footsteps and other students in the distance. "I love you," Harry said one more time. Ginny replied, "I'll see you tomorrow night. You tell me where and when." Harry nodded, and motioned for Ginny to run on ahead.
Ginny did so, and Harry watched from the shadows as she bounded up the steps, and into the school. As he made his way back to Hogsmeade, intending on taking the secret tunnel back (no use being seen even using the same entrance as Ginny; the number of gossips and rumor mongers out there was too great) a content smile played on Harry's lips.