2: When will it end?

The weeks flew by so fast that Harry almost didn't realize that the next day was his birthday. He sat quietly in his bed next to the window and peered out the grimy glass. It was ten minutes until midnight and his friends hadn't sent a letter, but he suspected they would in the morning.

He recalled the first summer he found out that he was a wizard and would be attending Hogwarts. He idly drew a crude birthday cake on the glass from the fog his breath was creating, and wrote "happy birthday to me" on it. It was childish, but Harry couldn't stop himself and he looked at his clock on the desk. It read five minutes to midnight. He urged the minutes to go by faster.

Four minutes.

Why wasn't it going by any faster; was fate deliberately trying to keep him here?

Three minutes.

'God, just hurry, I need to get out of here before I suffocate. '

Two minutes.

That little voice whispered in his head. 'What are you in a hurry for, you know you don't have anywhere to go,' the voice taunted him spitefully.

One minute.

'Are in such a rush to go and get yourself killed, or worse, anyone you care about in the wizarding world? Do you think you can handle that, Potty boy?' the voiced laughed cruelly. Harry clamped his hands over his ears in a futile attempt in trying to stop it.

When he looked back at the clock, it read one minute after midnight. Sighing, he felt as if a great weight had been lifted off his chest and he felt considerably lighter. Harry swiped his hands across the slowly disappearing makeshift cake on the window and jumped at the sound of a light tapping. It was Hedwig, followed by a darker owl. Curious, he let both of them in - seeing Hedwig a little irritated caused Harry to frown a little. He quieted them both with a treat. Hedwig didn't seem pleased that Harry was giving the other owl her food.

"Hedwig don't be so selfish, this guy's probably just as tired as you are," Harry scolded her quietly and she sulked into her cage, not giving Harry a chance to take the paper off her leg. Harry sighed; he would get it later. Turning his attention back the strangely familiar dark owl he took the paper off his leg and recognized Mad-Eye Moody's tiny seal. Smiling, Harry tore it open and read it aloud.

"Harry, myself and the Order will be arriving shortly after lunch. Please be prepared to go. Arrangements have been made for you at the Weasley's'; then it will be off to Grimmauld Place. Be seeing you soon – Moody."

Harry couldn't wait and didn't even notice how sleepy he was. He gave Moody's owl one more treat and sent him on his way. Harry quickly picked up the few clothes that were on his floor and promptly packed his books, paper, ink well and quill. He knew that it was going to be torture until noon arrived, so he laid back in bed, lost in thought. Ginny, that woman he had met on the train and Voldemort. They all swirled around in his head and when he looked at his clock again, he was shocked to find it glared an angry bright red that read three in the morning. Sighing, he finally let his thoughts slip away and fell into another fitful sleep.

When Harry woke up, sweat prickled on his head from his long night of tossing and turning. Harry was thoroughly exhausted, but when looked at his clock and noticed that his was already five minutes after twelve in the afternoon his fatigue was suddenly forgotten. Moody would be arriving any minute now and Harry wanted to get his things downstairs so he could leave ASAP.

Throwing on a fresh pair of pants, a clean shirt, and his trainers, he pulled out his wand, mumbling a still sleepy Summoning charm, and walked down the stairs knowing good and well he was of age. He confidently walked down with trunk in tow. As soon as his trunk was planted firmly at the front door he didn't bother noticing his aunt and uncle staring at him in disbelief. He rushed up the stairs and grabbed Hedwig's cage.

Harry did a double take at her leg and noticed the note still attached there. In all his thoughts last night he didn't take it off. She still seemed distressed at the early morning activities and Harry vainly attempted to get her to come to him. The stubborn owl quickly turned her back on Harry and sulked there even more, huffing; he stroked Hedwig's feathers until he finally coaxed her out onto his arm. Harry cooed at her until Hedwig finally succumbed to his treatment and stuck out her leg, still a little ruffled and not letting up on her state of mind. Shaking his head, Harry took the note from her and handed the bird a snack and replaced her back in the cage,

"What a stubborn thing you are," Harry smiled and unfurled the letter; Ginny's handwriting pounced out at him. Gasping for air he read the simple message.

Harry, we need to talk when you get here. I just want to know some things

-Ginny

The note was simple and even a little cold. Good thing he hadn't read it the night before or the little sleep he got would have been non-existent. Grief settled back on his chest as he clasped Hedwig's door closed and hurried downstairs. His face was clouded over, his enjoyment cut short by Ginny's letter. Harry sat down gruffly in an armchair next to his uncle and waited, the silence overwhelming him until he felt like he was going to scream.

Everyone jumped at the sound of a loud knocking at door. The tension snapped and Harry leapt for the door, flinging it open a little too hard. There standing with a bowler hat covering his magical eye was Mad-Eye Moody and a couple of other Order members Harry didn't really recognize.

"Ah, Harry. Are you ready to leave?" Moody stepped in the house uninvited and looked at the Dursleys' shocked expressions. Vernon grimaced, remembering their last encounter. The other Order members began to follow Moody inside, not wanting to attract any Muggle suspicion.

Vernon stood angrily. "NOW LISTEN HERE -" he was cut off when several wands were taken out to caution him.

Harry jumped between them to interject. "Well is everyone ready to leave?" he piped with anticipation. He looked at the wizards and noticed Lupin in the background. He gave Harry a quick wink and turned to see Moody giving him an once-over.

"Hmm, I see you haven't been eating properly and you look like you've been stuck in a dungeon for years now." Moody furrowed his brow and looked at Petunia. She sat down, a little taken aback, and fidgeted nervously with the handkerchief in her lap. Shaking his head, Moody instructed one of the wizards to grab Harry's trunk and head to the car the Ministry had provided.

Harry turned to his aunt and uncle. "Well, I guess this is it." Vernon did not reply and turned up his chubby face, still standing rigidly.

"Yes well, goodbye then."

With that they all headed out the door to the car, and they packed themselves in they made there way to the Burrow. Driving was the most inconspicuous way to travel in the middle of the day, it seemed. Harry leaned his head against the cool glass of the window and sank into his own thoughts, mostly Ginny. He couldn't get past the way she was acting. Knowing that she was hurting was keeping his mind off what he really needed to be thinking about. For one, Voldemort and the remaining Horcruxes.

He supposed he could kill the Dark Lord over and over again until he had nowhere else to run, but Harry didn't want it to be like that. He did not want Voldemort killing more and more people as he managed to never really die and be reborn again within something else. The thought overwhelmed him so much that the little voice popped back into his head. ' I know what you mean. Do you actually think that Ginny will ever take you back no matter how much you beg and plead? Really, Potty boy, it's pathetic. To even think you can solve everything because you know you just mess it up.'

Harry angrily shoved the voice out of his head as he continued to stare out the window, watching the hypnotizing trees zoom by. The small voice was getting louder in his head. 'So you think you can just push me aside like you did Ginny? Are you really that dense, don't you remember what Dumbledore told you about love? God, Potty.'

'STOP IT!' Harry shouted in his head, clasping his forehead with his hand and massaging his temples. His heart was beating faster as the fury he felt inside was growing stronger along with a headache. Thankfully, no one seemed to notice his odd behaviour as he continued to sit quietly next to the door.

'I will make things better with Ginny and I will defeat Voldemort!' Harry thought furiously more to himself than to the voice. He really needed to stop talking to himself; it was becoming very unnatural. Closing his eyes, Harry tried to block out the laughing. Jeez, when would it end for him? Then he realized: when the Dark Lord fell, that's when and not until then. He hoped for his own sanity it would come soon.

When they finally arrived at the Burrow it was nighttime and he was sure that no one would be awake. As they pulled up Harry was sure he saw a figure in the window that would be Ginny's room. Shaking his head, the car came to a shrieking halt and the many Aurors piled out. Then in unison they all pulled out their wands as Mr. and Mrs. Weasley came rushing out of the house. They came to a halt almost as fast as the car, and Harry jumped out of the car, rushing to them.

"Hey!" Harry shouted. Mrs. Weasley almost fainted with relief and snatched Harry into a rib-cracking hug. Harry muffled something against Mrs. Weasley's chest and she looked at him, a little confused. She let him go, all the while Mr. Weasley chuckling at his over - enthused wife. He patted Harry on the back so hard that Harry lurched forward, trying to make an effort to keep his balance. The Order followed the Weasleys inside and helped them get settled in for the night.

"Remus, are you leaving?" Harry asked. Lupin had finally sat down at the long wooden table in the kitchen and tapped its surface a couple of times. Harry joined gratefully, but before he could get a reply Moody stepped up behind Lupin and laid a hand roughly on his shoulder.

"No there is no room here but we will be back tomorrow to check in on you." Moody paused. "You will be staying here probably longer then we expected. Things are not safe for you to leave for Grimmauld Place."

Harry started to protest but was silenced with a look from both Lupin and Moody. "There have been extra precautions taken for you and Weasleys while you stay here, but you will be able to leave soon, we just don't know when."

Harry slumped slightly at the table and he heard the two talking but the words were gurgling in his ears. When he finally saw them leave the Weasleys' house, he sat there until he heard the car pull out of the yard and back onto the road. Sighing, Harry knocked his head on the table slightly, barely hearing Mr. Weasley's voice.

He kept his head down. 'How could they do this to me? I have to get out there and find the Horcruxes and find out a way to stop Voldemort.' Slipping his hands under his glasses, he rubbed his eyes fiercely, but then that damn bloody voice popped up again almost cheerfully, 'Oh don't worry Potty I think your girlfriend is still awake. Why don't you go up and see her for a little snog.'

Pounding his fist into the table he yelled out, "STOP IT, STOP IT!" He paused, slightly out of breath, his hand thudding dully with pain. Harry quickly shot his head up at the sound of someone in the doorway and without thinking he pulled out his wand defensively, only to see an all - too - familiar figure standing there. At first he thought it was the one from his fitful dreams but he soon saw that this young woman wore baggy sleeping pants and an over-sized shirt. Her bed-ragged red hair fell around her face.

"Ginny?" Harry asked timidly. She stepped into the kitchen and sat opposite of him, resting her hands neatly on the table in front of her.

"Yes Harry, it's me." A look of concern flashed over her face. "Are you alright? I heard you yelling." Harry blushed slightly, feeling guilty that he might have woken her up, considering the state her hair was in. He grinned inwardly. No matter what she looked like, that beautiful red hair and those clear brown eyes still took his breath away. He must have been staring with his mouth slightly open because Ginny gave him a curious look. Looking down suddenly, he tried to think of something to say.

"So what did you need to know from me, Ginny?" Harry probed gently with the question, not really knowing how to word it. Hearing her inhale ever so slightly made him look up at the cute freckled face of hers.

"Well that's something we can discuss tomorrow when we both get some sleep. I just came down to make sure you were okay." Harry sat up a little straighter at the thought that she cared enough to do that for him, and his insides boiled with turmoil. He wanted so much to reach out to her and touch her face and run his hands through her soft flowered-scented hair that he was so accustomed to.

Ginny seemed to notice his state of mind and stood quickly, but Harry couldn't stop himself as he reached out for her wrist and caught her. 'That's right Potty stop thinking about what to do and do something,' that bloody voice piped up once again, but this time it was the truth. Harry walked up behind her and rested his forehead on the back of her head, pausing that way for a moment. That smell in her hair just drove him insane. He leaned closely to her ear.

"Ginny..." he spoke her name as softly as he could manage. All he wanted to do was spin her around and kiss her fiercely on those soft pink lips he yearned to feel so many nights. Ginny seemed to relax a great deal in his arms and she leaned against him. He could tell she wanted the same thing. She turned around slowly so that she was facing Harry, and looked longingly into his eyes. He could tell she was hurting and wanted nothing more than to take that pain she felt away, even if he did cause it.

"Harry, I -" Ginny was cut off sharply by a yearning kiss and she gave in so suddenly to his mouth that Harry didn't hesitate to pull her into him more deeply, not wanting this moment to end. The grief he felt for so long was temporally lost in her embrace as she snaked her arms around his neck, and let him pull her up until her legs were wrapped firmly around his waist.

Walking to the table he sat her down and leaned into their kiss, letting his hand run up her leg and slip under her shirt were he rubbed her smooth back. Scratching his nails down her back, she let a small whimper escape her lips through their kiss. When they finally broke their kiss, they were both slightly out of breath from their passionate kisses. Harry let his lips rest on her forehead, and let his mind reform itself at what happening. Ginny was the first to let go, and started to shift her weight off the table. When he looked down into her face he saw silent tears rolling down her cheeks. Gently, he cupped her face affectionately and wiped them away with his thumb. Harry knew that she knew he still cared deeply for her.

"This is why Ginny," he finally said and saw her look up at him a little shocked. "I can't stand to see you cry, I don't ever want that. I don't want you hurting for me whether it be at the hands of some disgusting Muppet of the Dark Lord or hurting because I'm no longer there." The last of his words trailed off. The hurting and inward battle he had been waging for almost over a month now showed plainly on his face and she reached up lovingly to stroke his cheek. He caught it with his free hand and kissed it gently. Understanding seemed to register on her face and she gave a small smile.

"Harry, I'm so sorry I have been acting like a prat towards you, but I just want you to understand how much I do care for you and how much I want to be by your side every step of the way." Ginny kissed his cheek softly, her cool sweet breath stirring other longing feelings within him, but he controlled it as best he could.

"We can talk more tomorrow about this and catch up on things, but right now it's really too late." Ginny pushed gently on Harry's chest. Smiling, he nodded slightly and followed her up stairs and walked her to her bedroom door. There he gave her a gentle goodnight kiss, really wanting to scoop her up and carry her to bed. Harry fought the feelings again as he watched Ginny slip into her room. He leaned against her doorframe and propped his arms against it and took a few calming breaths before he headed off to bed in Ron's room.

When he finally did creep silently into Ron's room he knew that his noises wouldn't wake the deeply sleeping boy. Harry didn't think that even a herd of trolls could. Shaking his head slightly, he slipped out of his trainers and pulled the covers up over his head. As sleep crawled deep inside his brain Harry expected sweet dreams of Ginny, but he wasn't so lucky.

There she was again, that dark-haired beauty on top of him and Harry couldn't do anything but succumb to her touch. It was so intoxicating and all he wanted was more, more of those kisses on his chest, and her nails trailing down his stomach. Groaning slightly as she flattened herself on him, she moved easily as if knowing his every want.

"Who are you?" Harry finally managed to get out as she rubbed herself along his body, making his skin feel like it was on fire. Another groan slipped out of his lips. After she trailed her hot, soft tongue up his slightly muscled stomach and to his chest, she rested her chin there and looked at him, her eyes seemingly on fire as they burned a hole straight to the core of his being.

"Well, Mr. Potter, you will find out soon enough who I am..." She scooted herself up just slightly, kissed under his chin and then made her way to his lips, making it impossible for him to say more. The way she moved her body wasn't much but it was in such a way that he burned longingly for her to do it again.

Harry was awakened back to reality by the smell of eggs being cooked and fresh bread being baked. Rubbing his eyes, Harry could now hear soft voices though the thin floor. Grudgingly he got up. He had come accustomed to his nearly nightly encounter with the mysterious woman. Harry noticed that for once since he had known him, Ron wasn't still asleep; maybe it had been the food cooking that beckoned his friend from his bed so early. When he finally managed to go to the bathroom and pull on a fresh shirt everyone had already sat down to eat. Mrs. Weasley smiled and handed him a plate heaped full of food, noticeably more then the rest.

"Now you eat that up. I just know those Muggles didn't let you eat properly." She fussed around Harry unnecessarily and Mr. Weasley stopped her.

"Molly, just sit down and let the boy eat. He's just fine, as you can see." Mr. Weasley winked at Harry and gave a quick smile before she started in on him to eat his breakfast before had to go off to work. When he looked over at Ron, sleep was still apparent, but he still gave Harry a bright smile.

"So Harry, what do you want to do today? We can practice some Quidditch. Fred and George will be coming by later and maybe Ginny will play if she's not going to sulk around the house again." Ron shot her a quick look and Ginny tossed a piece of bread, which promptly stuck in his hair, giving Harry a wink she turned back to her food. Ron rolled his eyes and turned back to talk to Harry.

"I don't' think I will ever understand girls."

"That's because you don't have a clue, Ronald," Ginny shot back at him heatedly. Harry shook his head as they went into one of their never-ending sibling squabbles. Harry finally finished his plate and he was so full he thought he might be sick. His entertainment from the brother-sister argument was interrupted when Mr. Weasley stood up and gave a gesturing motion for Harry to follow. Getting up and leaving the hustle and bustle of the kitchen behind him, followed Mr. Weasley out to the garden.

"Yes?" Harry inquired, wondering about the thoughtful expression on Mr. Weasley's face.

"Well, I have some things that need to be addressed with the whole family tonight and the Ministry is sending someone here to help you with battle against Voldemort." Mr. Weasley held up his hand when he noticed Harry's rising anger. "I know that you don't think you need anyone here to baby-sit you, and you're right. She is only here to help you find out more about the Horcruxes." Letting a sigh out, Mr. Weasley's face looked ragged and much older than Harry could remember. Since this war had raged on, he knew Mr. Weasley must have been taking a lot from the Ministry, even though Harry knew that he was the head of the Office for the Detection and Confiscation of Counterfeit Defensive Spells and Protective Objects. Still there were Muggles killed just about everyday because of Voldemort's hatred for them. Finally, Mr. Weasley turned to Harry.

"Well, I'd best be off. Keep yourself and Ron out of trouble today, especially with the twins coming." With a chuckle Mr. Weasley Apparated to work with a sharp pop.

The morning passed on, thoroughly uneventful, leaving Harry's mind ready to explode. Even when Moody and some other Order members popped in as promised, nothing was very eventful. It wasn't until Fred and George's entrance that his thoughts focused on something else, and pretty soon they were in the back yard playing Quidditch like there was no war going on and no care in the world for them. Apparently Ron had taken notice in his sister's attitude change as she eagerly played along with them, actually knocking Fred from his broom with a bludger to his broom tail. As the twins screamed and laughed, chasing Ginny around the yard, Ron took the time to set his broom down next to Harry's.

"So I guess you've fixed whatever has been bothering Ginny lately," Ron stated, catching his breath.

"Well, no, but we've come to an understanding on the whole situation. I don't think it'll ever be fixed until I can truly be able to be part of a relationship with her. The only time that will happen is if I stop Voldemort." Harry noticed that Ron didn't shudder at his name or even grimace. Something seemed different about him - almost grown up - but when had this happened, Harry had no idea.

"Listen, I know you care about Ginny, but you got to understand that hot little head of hers is probably not going to let you go alone," Ron said simply as if it was a conversation over homework. Harry looked at Ron and shook his head.

"But Harry, don't let anything happen to her. I know that she won't let you go in there alone, none of us will, but I think it would take an act of the Ministry of Magic to keep her somewhere safe." His voice trailed off and the look on his face told Harry he was lost in thought.

Sighing, Harry nodded. "I know. We are going to talk more on the situation tonight. I know I can't stop her from coming with me, but maybe I can make a compromise with her." A grin spread across Harry's face and Ron looked at him a little confused. Groaning a little bit, Ron finally realized what the grin was for and jabbed him promptly in the arm.

"I don't need to hear that from my best mate, not about my baby sister." Rolling his eyes, Ron took a seat on the grass. Laughing, Harry sat down too and took off his shirt; the heat was killing him.

"Hey listen I was just joshin' you."

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure."

"Oh don't worry, I was, but we are still going to talk - and I'm being serious now - maybe we can come to an understanding," Harry said. Ron nodded at him and punched him again squarely on the arm.

"Hey, ouch! What was that for?" He laughed, and rubbed his now throbbing arm.

"If you talk that way again about Ginny, I'll have to give you more then that, mate." Ron laughed at him, and got up, swinging a leg over his broom at shot into the air. "YOU COMING OR WHAT, POTTER!" Ron shouted over his shoulder, and flew off before he could answer.

Harry simply lay back in the cool grass and let his eyes follow Ginny, watching her long red hair follow behind her like a blazing flag. Shaking his head Harry took off his glass and closed his eyes. He needed to cool off before getting back up there and working so hard with Ginny. The girl was bloody good; she always gave him a run for his money.

Ginny looked down from her perch on her new Phantom Flyer, and she saw Harry take off his shirt while talking to Ron. Ginny noticed with approval that with all the Quidditch playing and practicing that he was no longer just a scrawny kid with glasses, but well muscled and toned up. The only thought she had in her head at the moment was she wanted nothing more than to fall off her broom and pounce the Boy Wonder.

When she saw him lie down in the grass and pull off his glasses, and the yearning she felt grew. She watched as sweat dripped down his nicely muscled chest and the faint but recognizable six-pack. Ginny shuddered slightly at the thoughts she was having, but they were all cut short as she heard someone yelling.

When she looked up, Ginny noticed that she was heading straight for a tall tree. Taking a quick breath, Ginny's fast mind pulled up but it just wasn't fast enough. Her tail clipped an out-stretched branch and she lost her balance for a second. That was all she needed to fall off, but when she didn't hit the ground she opened her eyes, and saw that half-naked boy - no, man - holding her wrist. Ginny's mouth hung open. She couldn't get her damn brain to say anything.

"Ginny, are you all right?" Harry asked as they finally touched down on solid ground.

"Well, of course I'm all right Potter." The words came out so quickly and a bit harshly, and she could see the shock register on Harry's face. She wanted to reach out to him and apologize badly, but she couldn't. 'Why?' Ginny thought to her, 'Am I still angry at him for treating me like I was a child?' That couldn't be it, because all the hurt she felt the night before was gone when she saw him for the first time in weeks.

When Harry stepped away from her and started for the house, she could see he was trying to contemplate her behaviour. Ginny lifted her hands to her head and took off around the house before her nosy brothers could butt in. She wasn't crying, but she was so confused, and she planted herself behind one of her favourite trees. She leaned up against it and thought for a moment.

Why was she being like that to Harry one moment, when she was fantasizing about him the next? He was actually her knight in shinning armor and she bit his head off. Something started to nag at her as she recalled what had just happened. There was something different about him, and something not quite like Ginny remembered Harry being. Maybe it was their kiss they had shared the previous night; he seemed so distant, like he wasn't trying. Oh, the kiss was good and she felt like she was going to just melt away there in his arms, but it felt so - different. The thought plagued Ginny.

She jumped at a stick cracking near her, and pushed her hand against her chest when she saw a rabbit hop across her path. Before Ginny knew it, night had fallen and she heard her name being called by her mother. Dinner must be ready or she needed her help with something.

Harry turned away from Ginny and walked away a little bit more, frustrated with her behavior. 'Well what did you expect, Potty, that she would just forgive you just because you gave her one, probably lame, kiss?' Harry growled angrily at the voice in his head and wished it would stop again with that damned laughter. Walking past everyone, a dangerous look flashed in his eyes as he stormed past and up the stairs to the bathroom. Harry could faintly hear Ron's shouts for him to slow down, but he slammed to door to the bathroom shut.

Harry gripped the sides of the sink and turned on the water, letting it run for a moment, trying to calm his shaking hands. That damn girl always could get him so riled up. At that moment he wanted nothing more then to run back down the stairs, grab her and give her a quick smack across the face, then kiss her. Letting out the breath he was holding he tried to push out all his frustration with his breath. After a moment Harry began to calm down a bit and splashed the cold water on his face and let it drip over his eyes and down his chin.

Looking at himself in the mirror, Harry frowned at himself and then decided to take a quick shower. He didn't know if he would be going down to dinner or not. With that, he grabbed a towel out of the cabinet, stripped down, turned on the hot water and stepped in, taking the longest shower he had taken in a while, hoping that he could wash all his problems away momentarily. As much as he thought he could forget his problems, Harry knew that he was not free from them. He had to seriously find what was wrong with Ginny. Then, if he could ever get past that this summer, he needed to find a way to stop Voldemort. His mind seemed to be pulled in ten different ways as of late, and Ginny wasn't making it any easier for him.

Feeling absolutely deflated and defeated, Harry finally stepped out of the shower and into the hallway. He was ready to go to his room to just lie there, when he saw Ginny standing in the middle of the hallway. He guessed that she wasn't there on purpose from the slowly creeping blush that was sweeping over her face. Harry himself was quite taken aback, realizing that he was half naked in only a towel, and he coughed a little nervously.

"So what's up, Ginny?" 'What's up Ginny? Is that all you could say,' Harry cursed himself silently at the stupid question. When he looked back up to meet her eyes, Harry was surprised that she had moved a little closer to him. The look of embarrassment now gone from her face was replaced by a look of yearning,

"Oh Harry," Ginny flung her arms around him so suddenly. Harry took a step back to balance him self, but before he knew it he had been pushed against the wall and Ginny was on her tiptoes kissing him fervently on the lips. Succumbing to her needs and his, Harry pushed back into her kiss and held her there for what seemed like hours. When he shivered partly from the cold and the desire he felt to be in her arms, he finally scooped her up and carried her down to her room. There he kicked the door closed and placed her on the bed. Before Harry's hands could caress anymore of her petite frame, Ginny held up her hand.

"Harry, I just want you to know I'm sorry about earlier. I don't know what's gotten into me. Believe me, I'm not still angry with you. I just, well…" Ginny paused, trying to get the right words out. "You seem different, like you're not really here with me. Harry I know we only have this summer together, and I want it to be something great for both of us." Her eyes were pleading with him. All Harry could do was nuzzle his face deep into her hair and smell that sweet perfume she used. The image of the raven woman in his dreams popped in mind, but he gave it a mental shake to get rid of it.

When he finally spoke it was just whisper next to her ear. "Ginny, I love you."

"I love you too Harry, always know that..."

He wanted badly to rip her clothes off, but he stopped himself. He couldn't, not here, not like this. Seeming to understand his hesitation, Ginny sat up, a little red in the face and let Harry do the same.

"Oh there was a reason I came up here. Supper's ready and dad wants you to meet someone; someone from the Ministry."

With a heaving sigh, Ginny stood and straightened herself up, "I'll just tell them you're sleeping." Harry caught her hand and pulled her back down. He sought her lips and gave her another deep kiss,

"I love you, Ginny Weasley." When Harry managed to open his eyes fully, he saw her smiling at him, and she got up to leave. Getting up himself, he wrapped his towel around his waist more securely and headed to Ron's room. There he slipped on his boxers and fell onto bed.

'Dad wants you to meet someone, someone from the Ministry.'

The question prompted his desire to ask Mr. Weasley about the woman he had met on the train. Forgetting about it, he only lay there and stared at the ceiling for a long while.

Harry could here the commotion downstairs as Mr. Weasley walked through the back door, then he heard an unfamiliar voice. From there he heard shuffling feet out of the kitchen, and his mind began to churn faster then he heard frustrated inquires from a flabbergasted Mrs. Weasley. Before he could attempt to hear more, the door opened. Ron, Ginny, George, and Fred walked in, and all had a weird look on their faces.

"Oi, mate cover your self up," Fred burst out, and Ginny covered her mouth, trying to suppress a sidesplitting laugh. Harry noticed with great embarrassment that tears were rolling down her face. His face went a deep red as he sat up and threw a blanket over his lap.

"Sorry," Harry mumbled, his pride severely stomped on at being caught in his boxers.

It didn't help when Ginny piped in, "Oh, it's quite all right. I kind of like seeing him in his knickers." Both the twins and Ron's amusement seemed to disappear at her comment. Harry wanted to sink down into the floorboards at their slightly furious faces. When they followed Ginny out the room, they mumbled something to her back. Whatever it was, Ginny seemed to brush it off like she would some bothersome bug. Fred popped his head back in through the door.

"Better get ready, mate. Dad wants you meet someone." Groaning slightly from embarrassment and having to leave the bed, Harry got up and pulled on fresh clothes. He walked downstairs, still avoiding everyone's eyes, until he noticed a dark figure leaning up against the doorframe to the Weasley's den.