Disclaimer: Seriously kids. If I owned the rights to this magnificent story I wouldn't be going so crazy about the 7th book. If I owned the rights to the magnificent song that my story is named for, I'd be on tour, and a genius. To sum up: I own nothing. i didn't even buy my harry potter books with my own money. so don't sue me.

Chapter Three: 'Without You' and Chess

Ginny sat on the bench in shock. Her hand was stinging, but surely not as much as Harry's face was. They were both silent for a while, just staring at each other. Ginny studied Harry's face.

It was as she'd remembered it. Round emerald eyes, (she cringed inwardly at the remembrance of the phrase "fresh pickled toad") a thin face shape, medium nose, messy black hair, soft lips...

Part of her just wanted to dive right back onto him. But the bigger part, the more Ginny part, wouldn't let her. The Ginny part found her voice and shouted,

"How dare you? How dare you!" Ginny shrieked.

Harry looked at her blankly, his arms still around her. She grabbed his hands and threw them off her. She stood up and started pacing back and forth in front of the glittering flames.

"First year! Since your first year, I've liked you! Since I saw you on the train. Call it a little girl's crush if you will, I don't care. It was. Nothing was based on fact, just how I thought you might be. But then...then I got to know you. You stayed at my house during the summer, was best friends with my brother. And I was even friends with you! I hope you dont think that made my little 'crush' go away!"

Harry's eyes were looking a little wet, but he was still staring at her intently.

"But Hermione told me to give up on you! So I did. I found out soon, though that giving up is much easier than getting over. But I tried! I honestly did. I couldn't do it, not completely, but I still pretended, and I pretended pretty damn well, if you ask me!"

Harry's eyes were definitly wet now, and he nodded.

"But then after the Quidditch game, you kissed me. And it was..."

Ginny trailed off and dazed into space.

"The whole thing was great! Better than anything with Dean or Michael." She spat these names out as if they were disgusting. "It was better because I actually felt something for you."

She saw Harry jolt at the way she said 'felt.'

"Then you broke up with me, and I could even respect your decision, even if I didn't agree with it. You were doing what you...thought..was...right." Ginny felt moisture form behind her eyes, and her voice was starting to crack painfully.

"And now...t-tonight...you kiss me again...and..and.." Ginny's words didn't seem to know what they were doing anymore. "Am I...am i just a good snog to you? Are you just playing w-w-with my emotions? Is this a game to you? Or some k-kind of j-oke? 'Cuz it's NOT... funny." Her voice was trembling. No, wait. Her whole self was trembling.

Harry's mouth dropped open slightly. He strode over to her and pulled her close. She buried her head in his chest. When Harry spoke, his voice was full of emotion, and Ginny could tell he was crying a bit.

"Ginny...of course you're more than just someone to..s-snog..." Harry's voice faltered, and now it sounded apologetic. "And I..suppose I was playing with your emotions a bit...but...believe me, I was NOT trying to... it's just..." He broke off and pulled away from her. He sat down. "W-what would I do...without..." Tears were falling freely from his full eyes, and Ginny's eyes soon followed suit.

"Without...without what?" Ginny demanded weakly.

Emerald eyes found hazel ones.

"You." Harry said softly.

"Damn it!" exclaimed Hermione. "Why do I never win at chess against you?"

Hmm... Perhaps my red-headed partner is so attractive it distracts me...shut up brain.

"It's my fault. I'm too good-looking. It distracts you," Ron said playfully, leaning back in his chair.

Hermione stared open-mouthed at Ron.

Ron started to shift uncomfortably. "Why are you looking at me like that 'Mione...?"

Hermione shook herself out of her daze.

"No reason. A-ha! Knight to E-3!" she crowed triumphantly.

Ron chuckled softly.

"What?" Hermione asked him, grinning.

"Checkmate."

"Damn it!"

The look of indignation on her face was apparently pretty humorous to Ron.

"Come on Ron, what's so funny?" Hermione asked, giggling uncertainly. Do I have a bogey hanging off my face?

"It's just...how...you looked..." Ron wheezed between peals of laughter. "Your face just...dropped...I'm...sorry..."

Hermione crossed her arms and tapped her foot, waiting for Ron to compose himself. The sight of Hermione was enough for Ron to go off again.

Finally, Hermione gave in and started laughing along with him.

"Wait. Why are you laughing?" Ron inquired, sobered slightly.

Hermione paused her laughing for a moment. She was obviously thinking. "I don't even know!" she giggled weakly.

They both looked at each other and burst into laughter. Ron, the clumsy boy that he was, soon fell off his chair.

Hermione offered her hand to help him up. Ron took it, but Hermione was laughing to hard to really be any help at all, and was pulled down to the floor next to him.

Hermione's stomach was really starting to ache now, and she was gasping for breath. What is wrong with me? When tears started leaking out of the corners of her eyes, and she could barely breathe at all, she decided it was time to stop. It took a lot of hard work, but eventually she stopped.

She stayed on the floor, but propped herself up on her elbows, taking deep breaths and she heard Ron cease his laughing soon too. This was a shame, really. She loved his laugh. It was so..free. It wasn't a polite chuckle, or a well thought out chortle. It was just...laughing. It was loud and fun. Rather like Ron really.

She was pulled out of her thoughts when she saw Ron staring at her. He was propped on his elbows also.

"What?" Hermione asked softly. Somehow the mood had changed in the room. The room felt smaller, darker, quieter instead of the loud, fun room it had been a moment before. Soft voices seemed more appropriate in this room.

"Nothing." Ron said, quickly looking away.

Hermione felt disappointed. Why? she asked herself. She supposed she rather like Ron looking at her...even if Ron didn't like looking at her, as he obviously didn't.

"Is it my hair?" Hermione asked. She didn't know why, but she felt a bit of frustration building inside her.

Ron looked back, shocked. "What?" He was obviously baffled.

"You were laughing at how messy my hair was, right? I don't care, really, you can laugh at it to my face," Hermione very obviously did care. Her voice was growing steadily louder. Her hair was a touchy subject with her.

"No it's not!" Ron replied, indignantly. "Well, yes, I suppose it is messy, but you were rolling on the ground!"

"Oh Ron, please. It's quite obvious, my hair is ugly, but you don't have to skirt around the issue!" Hermione had lost track of what she was saying. Was she honestly still talking about her hair? Shut up, you stupid girl! She knew Ron wasn't laughing at her hair. What was wrong with her? Yes, her hair was a touchy subject, but not THIS touchy. She didn't care as much as it must have seemed.

"Hermione," Ron started seriously. "Your hair...is not ugly." And he reached over and tucked some behind her ear.

This time however, when Ron touched her, he didn't look shocked. Hermione, on the other hand, felt her face turning red.

After Ron tucked her hair behind her ear, he didn't take his hand back. He rested it on her jawbone. He was leaning in...What's he doing? Hermione thought, somewhat panicking. Ron was staring deep into her eyes. It suddenly became clear to her what he was doing, and she felt her heart skip a beat. Or two. She might have been forgetting to breathe, too. Oh well. Since when is breathing important anyway?

She could feel Ron's warm breath on her lips. She decided to lean towards Ron a little...

And then...

The door burst open.

"RONNIKINS! WE DIDN'T KNOW YOU WERE BACK!" Fred yelled as he ran into the room, George following close behind.

Ron stood up quickly, and now his face was red. Very red.

"Um. Yes. Back. Summer. Home. Uh...unpack. Night!" Ron all but ran out of the room.

There was an awkward silence for a moment.

George broke it by looking at the red-faced Hermione (who was still on the floor) and asked, "So... what did we walk in on, exactly?"

Hermione just shrugged. She didn't think her voice would work properly at the moment.

A/N: Chapter Three is finished! Yippee! and i updated twice in one day, so you should all be happy. Probably not as happy as me. This story has been in my mind for quite some time, and it's fun to finally see it take shape and form.

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i also love my new purse ( im surprised no one mentioned the randomness of it in a review. haha)

Final Lullaby