"Hermione" squealed Mrs Weasley as the front door banged open and Mr Weasley walked in, followed by Hermione.
"Molly!" Hermione dropped her bags and hugged Mrs Weasley.
"You're home earlier than expected. We thought you were arriving a week after Ginny was let out from school."
Hermione's eyes darted from Ginny to Ron then she smiled at Mrs Weasley and shrugged. "Well, I couldn't stand being away from you all for much longer."
A cough from the doorway made everyone turn to see who had come in.
"Oh sorry! I almost forgot." Hermione hurried over to the door and took the man's hand, pulling him into the room…he looked familiar. "Viktor and I met up in America! I had no idea he was going to Salem's as well. I got the biggest shock when I found out he was in my house."
Ron scowled as Viktor Krum held out his hand to the Weasleys who all shook it warmly. He also had to put up with Tania tugging on his arm and whispering excitedly, "Far out, that's Krum, the Quidditch player!"
"Hello everyone, eet ees very nice to see you again. Herm-y-oh-ninny has told me so much about all ov you."
"Well," said Mrs Weasley, slightly flustered and a bit pink in the face, "I'm very excited to have you here. Would you like a warm drink? Something to eat? A nice bath, maybe?"
Krum just smiled at her, but Hermione said, "Actually, maybe if Ginny could show us to our rooms? I'm so tired, travelling by portkey over continents is not fun."
Ginny led the way up the creaking stairs, knowing exactly what Hermione wanted to talk about, but Ginny wasn't so sure that she could talk about it. She didn't want to; it hurt so much. Ginny showed Krum his room (Percy's old room) then led Hermione upstairs to her own, where they would both be sleeping.
The room was warm and a fire crackled merrily in the small fireplace. Snow was beginning to fall outside and pile up on the windowsill, tinsel and paper chains were draped on the walls and a sprig of mistletoe hung over the window seat.
"So I got your owl," Hermione said, dropping her bags and flopping down onto the bed. Ginny walked over to the window and looked out. She could feel the tears welling up in her eyes, but didn't let them spill over. "When did he leave?"
Pausing before speaking, Ginny said, "A week ago." A tear leaked out of her eye but she didn't move to brush it away. "I know it's not a long time, but no one knows where he went and he hasn't replied to my owls. I'm not sure he even got them…Errol isn't too reliable."
"As soon as he finds out you're back, he'll be home. You'll see."
"But he knows when the holidays are, Hermione! He knows that I'm home! It's just…" she hiccupped and sat down on the window seat. "I'm so worried about him. I mean, a part of me almost knew this was going to happen. I remember after Voldemort died, Harry was so angry with himself because he thought he was a coward for not killing him. He'd have thought the same thing if he didn't kill Snape. But I knew if he did kill Snape, then he'd blame himself as well."
"Ginny, there was nothing anyone could do," Hermione said softly. She sat down beside her friend and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "He'll be home, and when he comes back, he'll need you."
"And what if he doesn't want me anymore?"
"Don't be stupid," Hermione said, squeezing Ginny's shoulders tightly. "Ron never looked at me the way Harry looks at you." She paused. "Viktor's never looked at me that way either."
Chuckling tearfully, Ginny asked, "So what happened between you two in America?"
"Well it was pretty simple actually," Hermione said with a shrug. "Krum was accepted to Salem's last year on a Quidditch scholarship and I just happened to be put in his house. We became friends and then," she blushed and picked at a hole in her jeans. "Well then we became…erm…more than friends."
"So…have you two…y'know?" Ginny wiggled her eyebrows and grinned.
"No we have not," Hermione said in a dignified tone. "And I'm not sure if I want to anyway," Hermione muttered quickly. "He's a bit…"
"Slimy?" Ginny suggested.
"Mmm, that's a good word. So, what's going on between Ron and that Australian girl?"
Ginny sighed. "Oh I don't know. How Ron managed to get a girl like that, I'll never know. She reeaally likes him but he seems a bit indifferent to tell the truth. It's a lot like that relationship he had with Lavender Brown, remember?"
Hermione snorted. "How could I forget?"
And for the time being, Ginny had almost forgotten about Harry. Almost. Not quite…the knot in her stomach had loosened slightly but the ache in her heart and the need to be in his arms didn't fade at all.
---
" 'Morning," Ron mumbled as Ginny and Hermione came down for breakfast the next morning. Plates of egg and bacon sat on the kitchen table, along with fresh toast, jugs of coffee, milk and juice, porridge and cereals.
"Looks good, Mum," Ginny said, sitting down and helping herself to some coffee.
"Well we've got a lot of people coming over very soon. Bill and Fleur will be arriving in about half an hour. They're bringing Christine as well, of course, and Fleur says she still cries at night so I've put a silencing charm on Fred and George's bedroom so they'll be staying there. Tania, dear, I'm going to have to put you in with Ginny and Hermione now that we need the twins' bedrooms, and Viktor if you could stay in Ron's room because Charlie, Fred and George need Percy's bedroom."
Ron scowled into his bowl of cereal, clearly displeased with these sleeping arrangements.
"Well why couldn't you just put Fred and George in their room and…" but Ginny trailed off, noticing the look on her mother's face.
"Oh, Gin, I almost forgot," Ron said his mouth full. He handed over a small scrunched up piece of parchment. "Came last night."
Taking it excitedly, Ginny pulled it open and read: -Ron. Will be home soon. Tell Ginny I love her. Ginny turned the paper over, looking for more, but there was nothing else written.
He could've written to me, Ginny thought angrily. He could've told me he loved me, not Ron. And what did soon mean anyway? Soon could mean tomorrow, or a week. Why was Harry doing this to her?
Running her fingers through her hair, Ginny tried to stop the flood of angry questions now pounding through her head. With a scrape, Ginny pushed her chair backwards and stood up. "I'm going to go and finish wrapping presents," she told the room, and left quickly, the scribbled note still clutched in her hand.
---
"Hey," Hermione said softly, stepping into the room to find Ginny curled up in her favourite place on the window seat. "You've been up here all day."
Shrugging, Ginny said, "I've been wrapping presents."
Not a single present, bow or piece of ribbon was in sight. "Clearly…" Hermione said drily. "Do you want to be alone?"
"Depends what you mean by 'alone'…"
Hermione sighed and left the room closing the door softly behind her.
A few minutes past and Ginny was left by herself, staring out into the dark night, watching the snow fall gently outside the window. A baby began to cry. Ginny had barely taken two minutes to say hello to Bill, Fleur and the new baby, Christine. She knew she was acting like a child, annoying everyone and ruining Christmas spirit but she couldn't help it. She hated not being with him. She'd been looking forward to these Christmas holidays so much because Harry would be here and they could spend two amazing weeks together before she had to return to school.
The door creaked open again and Ginny rolled her eyes exasperatedly. Why couldn't they leave her alone? "Hermione, go away! Please."
"Sorry, I didn't mean…I'll go if you want…"
Ginny spun around, the deep voice sending chills of recognition down her back. There he was, standing in the doorway. Was she imagining him? Was he actually there? He had to be…he looked so real: his pale skin, contrasting magnificently with his dark hair, bright green eyes and red lips.
"Harry." She stood, then slowly walked over to him, and carefully touched his worried face. "You're really here," she whispered, taking her hand back.
He nodded and attempted a smile. It was very weak. "I'm sorry," he said softly, his voice cracking. "I'm so sorry."
Ginny shook her head as if to tell him it was fine, that it would all be ok. They stood like that for a few moments in awkward silence until Ginny crossed the room and sat on the bed. Harry followed.
"So…where have you been?"
Harry just shrugged. "I've been trying to figure a few things out. I went to Godric's Hollow, actually…" he looked up and their eyes met for the first time that night. Ginny's stomach began to churn and her heart leapt. It was still there. Everything they'd ever felt was still there and suddenly they couldn't keep their hands off of each other. Ginny buried her face into Harry's warm chest, his arms wrapped tightly around her. Then she tilted her face up to his and their eyes locked, their lips met, and all the passion, love, desire, and anger that had been felt over the past four months poured out, and when the kiss broke, they were left gasping for breath, then going back for more.