"You aren't going to tell Harry, are you?" Ginny looked worried. "You promised you wouldn't."

"Of course not, Ginny… when you're ready, you'll tell him on your own." Hermione replied.

"How could I have done this to him? He loves me… I don't love him enough to stay loyal, though. I mean, don't get me wrong, I care deeply about Harry…but I so badly want to be with someone else." Ginny was on the verge of tears again. "I'm such an idiot! Why did I have to fall for Snape? I mean SNAPE of all people…"

"It could have been worse, you could have fallen for Malfoy, and that'd probably piss Harry off even more than Snape."

"You wont tell him then?"

"Nope, It's not my place to tell him, it's yours. But don't keep any secrets from me, you're one of my best friends, and you can tell me anything."

"What will you do if I never tell him?"

"Oh, believe me, you will…" Hermione gave Ginny a quick hug. "I'm going to go tell them that you're fine and that someone was just making fun of you in the halls. They'll believe me so don't worry about it. Just tell him when you're ready. He loves you, I'm sure he'll forgive you eventually…"

Ginny woke up the next morning to a vast pile of gifts at the foot of her bed. Among them was a bouquet of pink roses with a little card sticking out of them. She picked up the bouquet, and pulled the card away from amid the stems. "We need to talk…" it read, "In private, so meet me at the Room of Requirement at nine o'clock. Find a way to get there without getting caught after hours."

Who is this from? Ginny thought. It wasn't in anyone's handwriting that she's seen before. Then again, it's possible to bewitch quills to write for you. Ginny shrugged, placed the card back within the stems of the roses, and moved onto her other gifts.

She received a burgundy sweater from her mum and a few ingredient refills for potions from her dad. Ugh… Potions. How will I ever survive that now?

Hermione had given Ginny a book about Quidditch and an inside look on the lives of famous chasers.

There wasn't a gift from Harry in the pile, however, Ginny remembered the beautiful necklace that she was wearing and decided that it was all right. Ginny's slight smile suddenly disappeared, though. Shit… I didn't get Harry a present. What can I give him?

Harry strolled down the stairs to the common room to find Ginny. She was beautiful with her vivid red hair in curls, which he supposed she did with magic. She was wearing the necklace he had given her and she looked stunning in it. "Merry Christmas, babe." He said as he bent down to kiss her on the cheek.

"Merry Christmas, Harry." she replied. There was a short pause in which Ginny let out a deep sigh. "We need to talk…" It had come down to this. "I need to tell you something."

"Go ahead. You know you can always talk to me."

"Harry, this is different. I've done something bad… and I've fucked everything up."

"No you didn't. Ginny how could you say such a thing?"

"Harry, you don't understand." She grabbed his hand for what could possibly be the last time she ever touched him. His free hand was caressing Ginny's cheek. "You don't even know what I've done. And I'm sure once I tell you, you'll hate me forever, and break up with me."

"Ginny, I promise with my whole heart and soul that no matter what you've done, I will not break up with you."

Harry didn't realize that what Ginny was about to tell him was going to be the worst thing he could ever hear. But he was now bound to that promise, as he kissed her tears away. At least it was Snape and not Malfoy, Ginny thought.

"Harry," she began, trembling slightly. "I… and let me explain before you lash out at me… I cheated on you. But I didn't mean for it to happen, honest. I love you, and I mean that! And it all started with innocent flirting but then it grew to be more. And I'm so sorry, Harry… I really am. It isn't fair for me to tell you on Christmas. But I had to tell you. I couldn't hide it from you any longer…"

Hurt tore through Harry's chest like a forest fire. He closed his eyes. "With who?" he asked, half of him wanting to know the answer, and half of him not.

Ginny didn't try to procrastinate telling him like she did Hermione. "Professor Snape."