A/N: I'll just leave this here, then.
Ginny got ready for the pub before going down to the meeting that evening. She told herself it was to save time afterwards, but even she only half believed that. Still, she felt better walking into the building's common room wearing a dress and makeup, her hair down around her shoulders, instead of the messy bun and bulky trainee robes she'd been in all day.
She nodded pleasantly to the other faces she recognized before flopping down next to Ron on one of the common room's uncomfortable sofas.
"So where is everybody?" she asked, motioning to the half-full room.
"Arrows were delayed," said Ron. "Something about a labor issue at the pitch? Dam had to stay and made the rest of the team stay too. But they should be here soon." He looked at Ginny. "What a lecture today, huh? I didn't know there were truth potions other than Veritaserum, did you? The Aurors certainly keep them quiet." He frowned. "Do you think it's true that we're going to have to use them on each other and try not to spill our guts?"
"Only with the more benign ones to start," said Ginny. "And only in connection with our Occlumency lessons." She poked her brother in the ribs. "Weren't you listening at all? Most can be fought, with proper training."
Ron opened his mouth to answer, but before he could, the door opened and the team came marching through. Ginny saw Harry immediately, and was considering whether she should scoot over to make room for him on the sofa when Dam sat down with a groan.
"What a day," he said, leaning his head back and rubbing at his eyes.
Ginny didn't think she imagined the quick flash of disappointment in Harry's eyes as the rest of the team found places to sit around the room. She looked over at Ron, but there really wasn't any more space next to him, and instead gave Harry a tiny shrug.
He shrugged back and then his face relaxed into a smile. "Dam's been in labor negotiations with the league referees all afternoon, as the Arrows' official representative," he said. "I'm sure he'd love to tell you all about it."
Dam made a rude gesture. "Don't make me hex you, Potter. I don't want to have to think about that crap for another second." He rubbed at his eyes again. "How do people do that for a living, sitting inside a conference room, talking about contracts?" He looked around. "How long is this meeting going to last? I need a drink."
"Not too long, don't worry." A wizard Ginny had never seen before stood up with a witch Ginny recognized as Eleison Clowder. She was a friend of Bill's and a lot of fun to hang out with. She dated the Harpies' Seeker and was one of the only people who knew about Ginny's tryout the previous spring. That she'd kept it quiet even from Bill made Ginny like her that much more. She sat up and gave her a little wave.
Eleison waved back. Then she clapped her hands and the room grew silent. "I'm senior curse breaker Eleison Clowder, and this is one of our newer recruits, Birch Mattis. He's going to be explaining the new wards we've put on the building.
Birch cleared his throat. "Right then," he said. "Umm, Bill Weasley was here the other day, and he improved the detection speed and sensitivity of some of the wards that already exist; so that anyone who tries to do anything improper, whether a spell or hex, or use a potion, will be expelled from the building." He nodded at Ginny. "Like that laundry witch. Now, that potion she carried would trip the wards immediately."
"But what about the ones who just want to sneak in? Like that delivery boy? How do we stop them?" Dam sat forward, and Ginny heard the nerves behind his question.
Birch nodded. "The other ward we are adding is voice-triggered," he said. "Over the course of the next few days, the curse breakers will be capturing an example of the voice of every individual who lives here, and linking it to the ward. You'll have a passcode to speak to enter and exit, and another to use to let people into the building. But they will only be able to get as far as the lobby until the other detection wards assure they're safe.
"Hermione's going to love that," muttered Ron. He raised his hand. "What about people we know are safe? Like those who visit a lot?
Across the room, Harry smirked. "I'm sure Hermione can figure out a way to imitate your voice to get in the building, Ron."
"No, actually she can't." Birch had obviously missed the joke. "Each person's voice is unique; there will be no way to imitate it. That's what makes the ward so powerful, without having to rely on blood wards, which are even stronger, but also more difficult to use in a building like this, with many unrelated people. The voice wards should to the trick."
After signing up for a time to have her voice mapped into the ward by the curse breakers, Ginny joined Harry and Ron and the other Arrows in the corner of the common room. Dam still didn't seem to have gotten totally over his concern about someone breaking into the building. "Can we go now?" he asked. "All this talk of security is making me thirsty." He looked at Ginny. "You said some of your friends are meeting us at the pub?"
Ginny nodded and smirked. "Only blokes; I hope that's okay."
"It is for me," said Kipling, while Dam barked a laugh.
"If that's true, Weasley, then you're going to be the one drinking with me all night." He threw an arm around Harry and pulled him over. "You and Potter, that is. He's needing a witch even worse than me."
"I sincerely hope you aren't propositioning a threesome," said Harry. "You may be my captain but I have to draw the line somewhere." His words were light, but Ginny couldn't miss the way Harry's eyes flicked quickly to her. She tried to match his tone.
"I'm still recovering from the last time you bought me drinks at a pub, Clarke," she said, knocking her hip against Dam. "I think I'll take a pass on any threesomes tonight. Lucky for you, I think I might be able to scare up a witch or two for you." Next to her, Harry's shoulders relaxed a fraction.
Dam nodded. "Good thing, too; Potter's really not my type anyway. And anyway, I need the two of you to keep an eye on things while I get plastered. You know, do your Auror things."
Ginny was only a little surprised that Harry didn't seem to mind Dam's comment. Not many others could refer that way to Harry's past without making him uncomfortable, but there was no suggestion or accusation in Dam's words. He was openly acknowledging his own weakness, something Ginny knew he showed to very few people. Harry caught her eye and they had a silent communication. He nodded.
"Well then, I suppose Ginny and I need to stay sober then. To make sure nothing . . . untoward happens tonight." The double meaning was clear.
Not to Dam though. He laughed. "Maybe not completely sober, I want you to have some fun, Potter, after you played so well this week." He looked around at the rapidly emptying room. "Hey, looks like everyone else has beat us there. Come on."
HPHPHPHP
The pub was in full swing when the three of them arrived in the back alleyway and Dam immediately broke away to find "a stiff drink and a loose girl, although maybe not in that order." Harry saw Ginny grimace.
"It's mostly an act with him, isn't it?" she asked. "I mean, that night he and I . . . when I said no to more, he stopped immediately."
Harry nodded and opened the door, raising his voice over the sudden rush of noise that greeted them.
"Mostly, yes," said Harry. "He's very aware of his reputation, and does like to cultivate it – it's good publicity for the team – but he's not an ass." He smirked. "Although, if you'd shown interest, he'd have kept going for sure."
The topic was skirting around things he wasn't sure he wanted to talk about with Ginny, but at least they were talking, and it felt more or less normal, he supposed. He gestured to the table where Dam had already sat down and was talking animatedly to Parvati and a a few other women; the big, smoking drink in front of him was nearly empty and he gestured to the server for a second. Ginny shuddered. "Not there, please. I know Dam is a good bloke, but that doesn't mean I want to watch his technique on a willing partner."
Harry grinned. "Or partners," he quipped. They could do this –it was just going to take some effort. He knew that Ginny was trying as hard as he was to keep things natural between them, and that made it better. On a whim, he made the decision not to drink that night. Better to keep himself in control. And if Ginny happened to have a couple herself, he'd just make sure he separated himself from her. Not that he thought Ginny might lower her inhibitions around him, if she had a few drinks, he assured himself hastily. If that was a possibility, she'd have already made it clear, right?
"Right." He looked around and nodded at a table dominated by a sea of red. "How about there?"
Ginny's eyes lit up. "Perfect. They need me to explain to Fred exactly why he should just get the fuck back together with Katie already."
"I'm sure that's just what Fred needs," said Harry dryly. "Yet another sibling telling him what to do."
Ginny made a dismissive gesture before weaving around a couple dancing in the middle of the room. "Brothers, what do they know? They're just telling him to get back together with her so he can get laid again."
"That's not all blokes think about, you know. Getting laid, I mean." The second the words were out of his mouth, Harry wished he could bite them back.
Ginny gave him a long look. "I know," she said slowly. The air was suddenly heavy.
"D'you want . . ." she began, just as Harry said, "I didn't . . ."
". . . a drink?" Ginny waved in the direction of the bar. "I need a drink."
She waved to one of the bartenders. "Want a drink first?"
"Yes, definitely," said Harry.
HPHPHPHP
Ginny took a long pull of her whisky before turning back around. She could tell Harry was trying as hard as she was to keep things friendly and normal between them; she just hadn't anticipated how much work it would be. It was probably worse for her, she supposed. Harry at least had already told her exactly how he felt. She, on the other hand, was still hiding her revelation about her physical attraction to Harry and uncertain about how she felt about anything else. It was taking all her energy not to say the wrong thing, not that she even knew what the wrong thing might be, and it was with no measure of relief that she and Harry finally sat down at the table where Ron, Hermione, George, and Angelina and Bill were peppering Fred with questions about him and Katie.
"Where's Fleur?" Ginny asked as they sat down. "If we're talking relationships, she really should be here."
Bill made a face. "She's not feeling well," he said shortly. He turned quickly to Fred. "So, you said that it's 'too complicated' to try to date Katie, but you haven't said why?"
Ginny filed away Bill's odd demeanor and turned to Fred herself. "Bill's right, Fred. The two of you seemed really happy together, and then, suddenly, you broke up. Why?"
Fred sighed. "Like I said to the others, it's just complicated." He took a sip of his drink and looked away.
Ginny poked him. "Nice try, Fred. That may work with everyone else, but you know I won't accept that." She looked at George and Angelina. "What else do you know?"
"You're asking my own twin to throw me under the Knight Bus?" asked Fred indignantly. By the slight slur of his words, Ginny suspected she'd sat down at the right time to get her brother admit what was really bothering him. She decided to prod.
"Maybe the sex wasn't good enough?"
Fred groaned. "The sex was bloody fantastic. She plays professional Quidditch, remember? Her body's in top shape, and damn does she know how to use it." He turned suddenly to Harry. "Isn't that right, mate? Didn't sex become that much better once you started playing?"
Harry froze. Ginny saw his eyes dart around the table to Ron and Hermione – the only other ones who knew his status – and then sag with relief when he saw they weren't paying any attention. "Umm, yeah," he began. "I guess . . ."
Ginny thought she should change the subject, but all she could think about for the moment was an image of Harry standing in front of her, sweaty from a workout, slowly pulling his jersey over his head. She looked down, took too big of a sip of her drink, and began to choke.
Harry pounded her on the back. "Are you okay?" he asked. He peered in her eyes. "Can you breathe?"
Ginny stared at Harry's eyes longer than she probably should have, before his question registered. "Yeah, I'm fine," she said. "I just . . . it went down the wrong way." She coughed again, and realized Harry still had his hand on her back. He must have noticed at the same time because suddenly, the pressure was gone. "Can you get me a glass of water though?"
Harry jumped up. "Yes, sure. Hold on." He darted off to the bar.
Fred looked after him curiously. "What's with Harry? He seems nervous about something? Is there another witch after him?"
Bill leaned forward. "We can't ward the building any tighter than it already is," he said. "But that won't help him out in public."
"He's fine," said Ginny automatically. She really hoped her brothers would understand they couldn't continue this conversation when Harry got back. "He's just . . . he had a long week, you know? It was a big road trip." She looked back at the bar. Harry was deep in conversation with Kipling and Adam and not looking back at the table.
"So much for my water," she muttered. But she had to admit it was a bit of a relief to have the space. It seemed like every topic of conversation that came up when Harry was around was fraught with danger.
"Ginny? Isn't that your water?" Fred pointed to a spot next to her ear, where a full glass floated gently, not spilling a drop.
"Show off," she muttered, pulling it out of the air. But she couldn't help but smile.
HPHPHPHP
A week later, Ginny banged on Ron and Harry's door, wondering if she was making too big a deal out of nothing. She suspected Ron was at Hermione's but the Arrows had been at home all week and she was pretty sure they weren't due to leave again until the morning. As much as she told herself she wasn't paying that much attention to their schedule, she'd managed to run into Harry both in the laundry room and going out for a run in the past days. Their conversations had been perfectly friendly, but safe; Ginny felt even more acutely aware of the fact that Harry was likely waiting for some sort of sign from her. Just that thought made it even harder for her to set aside some time to actually think about what she wanted.
It hadn't stopped her from thinking of Harry when she was in bed though. Fred's comment about Quidditch players had been all it had taken for Ginny's imagination to take off in that direction. Most recently, Harry hadn't even started out wearing his uniform; she'd come upon him in the shower at the Arrows' stadium.
Shaking her head to clear her thoughts. Ginny pounded on the door once more. If the team had already left, she wasn't sure what she'd do next. Who else do I know who won't ask too many questions about why I need . . .
The door opened.
"Can I borrow your Pensieve?" The words burst out of her before she was even inside the flat. Harry was holding his travel bag and was dressed in his team robes; apparently they were leaving that night after all.
"Of course," he said immediately. He put down his bag and started towards his room. Then he stopped and turned back around. "Are you able to tell me why? Or do you need to keep it to yourself?"
Ginny appreciated that Harry was willing to give her the Pensieve even if she didn't tell him why she needed it. She would, of course; it hadn't even occurred to her to keep anything from him. Truly, she'd hoped he be home with nothing to do so they could maybe even look at her memories together, and he could tell her if there was actually something there, of if she was just being a typical new Auror trainee, seeing Dark Magic where there wasn't any.
But Harry was obviously about to leave. He'd make an excuse to Dam and get to their hotel late if she needed him; of that Ginny was sure. And she absolutely refused to do that, especially for something that was most likely nothing. She shrugged.
"I ran into a couple of the Bellows sisters at the Ministry today," she said carefully. She didn't mention that Zoya had been with the sister who wore the disguise; she didn't even think she'd mentioned that bit of information to Harry yet. She also didn't mention she'd seen them talking to Shepard Kane. "I can't figure out why they're there so often and I wanted to look at my memories of all the times I've run into them, to see if there's a pattern or something." It was a little vague, but mostly true, and if Harry hadn't been leaving, Ginny would have elaborated about her suspicions, and, more importantly, pushed him to talk more about what he knew. It wasn't entirely fair, she knew. In the back of her mind was the guilty thought that he'd tell her what she asked because he was hoping . . . but no. This was work and nothing else. It was her duty as an Auror (trainee) to try to figure this out.
Harry didn't need to know any of that right now, of course. He just nodded and got the Pensieve, asking her if she was sure she knew how to use it and telling her he'd talk to her about whatever she wanted – if she wanted – when he returned.
Ginny carried the Penseive carefully back to her flat and locked and warded the door. She put her wand to her temple, still not exactly sure how to get just the right number of thoughts to stick on her wand. In the end, she grabbed more than she needed, but dropped them all into the bowl anyway; hopefully she'd be able to sort through the important facts once she was looking at them.
HPHPHPHPHP
Ginny emerged from the Pensieve in a daze. Harry had once told her it was useful for helping to clear one's mind when it was crowded with too many thoughts, but Ginny's mind felt anything but clear right now. What she'd seen, the connections she was starting to suspect, the questions she now had – it was a lot to take in. Only one thing she had seen made complete sense, and Ginny watched her thoughts swirl around in the bowl, wondering how it was all going to play out.
Her clock struck the hour and Ginny started; she was already expected at the Burrow for dinner. Hurriedly, she grabbed the end of her wand and returned her memories; it wasn't prudent to leave them around where there was a chance they'd be viewed by . . . someone who shouldn't see them.
She pulled on her cloak and gave her image in the mirror an exasperated look. Her mum would be sure to remark on the state of her hair. Sighing, she said a few charms to smooth it down from the tangle that came from being up in a ponytail all day - better to be another minute or two late. With a last glance at the now-empty Pensieve, she opened the door to her flat. At least she could count on the craziness of her family to keep her distracted while she figured out what to do next.
They didn't disappoint. Her mum was bustling around the kitchen while Angelina and Hermione sat at the table with newly-pregnant Fleur, listening to her explain what exactly happened to a woman's private parts around the start of her second trimester. Ginny didn't need to know any French to understand what engorgemente meant, and the smirk Bill gave her as he walked through the room to grab another bottle of Firewhiskey and kiss his wife was just a little too satisfied for anything Ginny needed to know about her oldest brother. She flicked a napkin at him, happy at least to have his odd behavior at the pub explained.
"Isn't that how you got into this situation in the first place?" she asked with mock irritability. Truly, she was thrilled at the thought of being an aunt.
Bill finished kissing Fleur thoroughly before he answered. "You'll understand one day, Ginny." He fixed her with a teasing stare of his own. "But not for a long time, and nowhere near the Burrow, or me," he said. "And I get to meet the bloke first. Charlie too."
"Why don't you just take him to bed yourself, make sure he's up to your standards?" retorted Ginny. An image of Harry flashed through her mind and she flushed. Did Bill know Legilimency?
Bill snorted. "I'm getting enough already, married to a randy pregnant Veela," he said. "A couple more years, and you'll be able to figure things out for yourself."
"A couple more years? Bill, I'm nineteen." Ginny was no longer sure exactly how much her brother was joking.
Angelina broke in. "Half our training class has a crush on her," she said with a grin. "And possibly an instructor or two."
"What?" yelped Ginny. "Who?" She tried to think back to something Parvati had said the other day. "Copernicus, right?"
Angelina nodded. "And I caught Ernie looking at you too," she said.
Fleur leaned in. "And an instructor? I once 'ad a dalliance with a professor. When I was at Beauxbatons."
"A professor? Isn't that illegal?" Now Hermione looked interested, and even Molly stopped stirring the pot on the stove to listen.
Fleur shrugged. "It might be illegal in England," she said casually. "Not in France."
"And this is where I leave," said Bill. "I've heard this story before, and Fred hasn't drunk nearly enough to forget that he's no longer dating . . . I can't even remember her name, actually. He and Katie really need to get back together. She was a lot better for him." He dropped a final kiss on his wife's head. "Don't corrupt Ginny too much," he said as he left.
"Make sure Fred's still able to sit upright at the dinner table," said Molly affably. She gave the pot a final swipe with her wand and pulled up a chair at the table. "Now, what about this professor?"
Ginny grinned and let the conversation wash over her. This was exactly what she needed, after her earlier revelations. The comfort of her family, the promise of great food, and silly girl talk that had nothing to do with what she might or might not be feeling about Harry Potter.
The fireplace suddenly flared green.
Ginny instinctively grabbed her wand. "Isn't everyone here?" she asked, pointing it at the flames. No one but family should be able to Floo directly into the house.
The figure wobbling a bit as he brushed off his robes wasn't family, but close enough. Ginny could do nothing but stare as Harry, still in his Arrows' uniform, smiled sheepishly at her mum. "Room for one more, Molly?" he asked. "Referees went on strike; League cancelled all matches until they sort things out." He caught Ginny's eye. "I hope it's okay that I came here."
"Like you even have to ask," said Molly, taking his cloak. "Supper's almost ready and the boys are getting Fred pissed in the sitting room. You may want to join them and make sure no one breaks anything."
Not for the first time, Ginny had to grin at the relaxed tone in her mum's voice. She had always had a soft spot for Harry anyway, but after he'd succeeded in killing Voldemort, that fondness had only grown. His eliminating years of worry her mum had endured about the thought of losing her children would do that, Ginny figured. Still, it was still surprising to hear her mother talk about her sons' escapades with witches and drink in such a relaxed manner. Not for the first time, she wondered if her mum's attitude would extend to her only daughter.
Well, this is not the time to find out.
Harry caught Ginny's eye again and she thought he was going to say something. They hadn't talked, except casually in passing, since the night at the pub, and while their conversations had been perfectly comfortable, Ginny suspected that Harry was holding back as much as she was.
Except now, everything was different.
She felt a tiny swoop in her stomach, remembering the Pensieve, and looked quickly away from Harry's gaze. This wasn't the place to give anything away. Suddenly, the crowded comfort of the Burrow seemed too full of people and noise.
"Do you need any help, mum?" she asked, getting up from the table. "Fred especially is going to need to eat soon." Her mum put her to work chopping up fruit for a pie, and the next time Ginny looked up, Harry had gone.
He reappeared with the rest ten minutes later, and there was the typical jockeying for position around the groaning table. Harry ended up at the other end and Ginny wasn't sure whether to be upset or relieved. Fred plopped down next to her, waggling his finger.
"No more about Katie, you hear me, Ginny? No more. They already all took the mickey and told me how she's better than Felicia and I don't want to hear any more about it, okay?" Fred was slurring his words and Ginny shoved the vial of hangover potion she'd swiped from the kitchen and handed it to him. "I know this doesn't work as well when you're still actually drunk, but at least it will give you a fighting chance to explain to everyone why you don't want to get back together with Katie less than two weeks after breaking up with Felicia."
Fred took the vial. "Excep' I do wanna get back with her," he said in a mournful voice that was nowhere near as quiet as he apparently thought. "An' not even because she's the best sex I ever had," he continued. Across the table, George elbowed Angelina and grinned.
"Finally he admits it," he chuckled. Fred tried to throw a roll at George. It missed and plopped into Fleur's water glass. She laughed and banished the mess with her wand before giving Fred a sympathetic look.
"You love 'er, don't you?"
"Of course I love her," said Fred. "But I thought it would be too hard to date a professional Quidditch player. I thought she wouldn't want to be tied down, you know? Or that she'd be on the road all the time. But I was wrong." He looked around the table, and Ginny knew what was coming even before Fred's eyes landed on Harry.
"Harry, you know, don' you? Tha' Quidditch players can have boyfriends? Or, in your case, girlfriends, isn't that right?" Fred popped the top off the vial of potion and downed it. A second later he shook his head and when he spoke again, his words were much clearer.
"All that crap in the magazines, about how much Quidditch players just want a new wizard or witch in their beds every night, it's not really true, is it?" He was still looking at Harry, and the table had gone rather quiet.
Ginny saw Harry swallow. "Umm, right. It's not really true," he said finally. "I think . . . it's just some players who give the entire league that reputation. But there are some . . . more than some, maybe, who . . . want to be in relationships. And they can work, definitely. I've seen it." He was carefully looking everywhere except at her, Ginny noted.
Katie tried to tell me, but I didn't listen." Fred sighed, then jumped up. "I really should go talk to her about it."
"Right now?" asked Molly. "We're about to eat."
"I don't care. It's important." Fred looked at Harry. "Didn't you say the entire league's off for the strike?"
Harry nodded. "She'll be at her flat, I expect. We can't even practice." He took a sip of his pumpkin juice and Ginny noticed his hand was shaking.
"Well, let me at least make you a basket of food to take with you, you shouldn't show up empty handed," said Molly briskly. She stood up and went back into the kitchen. "I have plenty of everything except pudding," she said. "I should have gathered more berries but I ran out of time." She frowned. "Do you think Katie will mind that the shortcake is a little skimpy?"
"I'll get some, I'll go to the garden," said Ginny quickly. She couldn't wait anymore. "Harry, want to come help? I need to ask you . . . about that thing we were talking about earlier." The excuse sounded lame even to her.
Fortunately, the rest of her family seemed more interested in Fred and Katie. Bill and Fleur were offering suggestions about what he should say to her while Angelina jumped up and began straightening his robes and brushing down his hair. George poured him another shot of whiskey.
Harry stood up. "Uhh, sure. Yeah. I meant to ask you . . . about that." He sounded as awkward as Ginny felt. "Do you have a basket or something, Molly?"
They didn't speak for the entire walk to the garden; if Ginny hadn't been so buried in her own thoughts she might have wondered at Harry's silence. But she was, and so she didn't.
She was going to tell him, she knew that. She just wasn't sure exactly how to say it. For a second, she wondered if she should just suggest that they Apparate back to her flat and look at the memories together. Maybe she wouldn't even have to say anything that way; maybe it would be obvious.
"Just tell me already, Ginny. It's fine, I can handle it." Harry's voice broke through the quiet of the night, but it took seconds longer to penetrate Ginny's thoughts. She slowly turned around.
"Tell you what?" she asked. Even though she'd been trying to compose a speech to Harry in her mind ever since he'd stepped through the Burrow's Floo, something about the resignation in his tone made her pause. She stared at him. "What do you want me to tell you?"
Harry's shoulders slumped. He twisted a half-dead tomato vine in his hands and Ginny was suddenly reminded of the way he'd done the same with a corner of her curtain, that first time they'd sat together on her bed and talked. He'd been nervous then, she knew, and having just re-watched that moment earlier in the Pensieve made her understand what he was feeling now. She took a small step forward, all thoughts of Apparating home forgotten. "Harry?"
"Just tell me you've thought about it and . . . you think we should just be friends." He was very carefully not looking at her. His hands twisted again. "I can tell, you know. I know you that well." He looked up for a brief second, and Ginny could see the pain in his eyes. "Ironic, isn't it? That I should know you so well now, now that . . . that it doesn't matter?"
Ginny couldn't ease into what she wanted to say anymore. "I saw things, in the Pensieve," she said quickly. "And it made me realize . . ."
Harry's expression changed so immediately to focused and serious, that Ginny turned around to see who might be creeping up on them. No one was there, but she kept her wand out a moment longer anyway, just to be sure.
"What did you figure out?" Harry's voice was all business when Ginny turned back around "Something about Robards? Or . . . what's his name, Kane?" He frowned. "I thought I'd seen . . ."
Ginny shook her head. "Not that," she said. Then she amended. "Well yes, that, actually. I'm not completely sure what I saw, but certain things started to seem more connected than I realized. Like, things with the Bellows . . ." she broke off; this wasn't what she wanted to talk about right now. "But that can wait," she said firmly. She touched Harry's arm. "I want to show you all of that, all the things I remembered, and get your opinion." She forced herself to look him in the face. "But not now." She took a deep breath. "I saw other things in the Pensieve too."
Harry looked at her curiously. "Like what?"
Ginny tried to collect her thoughts. "Do you remember the first time I ran into you in the laundry room? Right after the first time Robards asked me to recruit you back to the Aurors." She wasn't sure how she wanted to do this, but the images she'd seen in the Pensieve had left no doubt.
Harry looked confused. "Vaguely," he said. "You told me Robards had thoughts about how well we'd work together, because of the Chamber."
Ginny nodded. "I touched you on the arm," she said, for that was the thing she'd noticed the most when she'd reviewed the memory. "It was the first time we'd ever talked about anything important, and then Dam interrupted us."
Harry nodded slowly. "He did," he agreed. "But why does that matter? We talked again not much after that."
"After I snogged Dam at that pub," Ginny agreed. "I think that was the first time."
Harry's eyes crinkled. "The first time what?"
"The first time I really started getting to know you," she said promptly. "I know we talked before that too, but that day, sitting on my bed . . . I was trying to figure out your type, trying to find you a girlfriend. I didn't realize . . ." she broke off, suddenly unsure.
"And then you told me all the reasons that Dam wasn't your type," said Harry quietly. "And we talked about why you and I didn't get along when we were younger. You told me a lot of things I hadn't known. That you'd been jealous of my taking Ron away from you. And that I didn't realize that copying Ron's behavior looked different, coming from me. Because you didn't exactly think of me as a brother."
Knowing what she did now about how Harry felt about her, Ginny wasn't surprised that he remembered that particular conversation so clearly. It had been more than eye-opening to her too, when she'd re-watched it. "I almost grabbed your hand, three times, during that conversation," she said bluntly. "And then, the night you finally told me the truth about the Chamber, I kept touching your arm, and your shoulder." She flushed. This was all coming out wrong. "I wanted to keep talking to you," she said. "I . . . liked talking to you. I still do." She gave him a small grin. "Even when we're trying to dodge crazy fan-witches." She didn't mention what else she'd seen in the Pensieve, how many times her eyes had wandered down that night Harry had been doused with the undressing potion. It wasn't important; Ginny had figured out that particularly attraction already. It was the other things she'd seen, the way she'd leaned in to listen to him, and the way he'd given her his entire attention during their talks. That was what had hit her. Maybe not with the immediate force of a Bludger, but the more she'd watched and remembered, the more she had been certain.
"We've talked a lot lately," she said. "And I re-watched parts of those talks tonight. And seeing them all, jumbled together like that, made me realize . . ." she broke off again.
"What, Ginny?" Harry didn't say anything else, but she heard the rest of his sentence anyway. Just let me down easy, I can handle it.
"You've become my best friend," she said softly. Harry's lips tightened almost imperceptibly as he nodded.
"That's . . . that's good," he said, equally quietly.
"But that's not all," she said quickly. "Not nearly all." She realized she was trembling.
Harry noticed too. He put his hand on her arm. "What else Ginny?"
Feeling Harry's touch, hearing him say her name, caused another small swoop in Ginny's stomach. She could think of no other way to say it but directly.
"Even if you hadn't told me that you fancied me, hadn't gotten me thinking about it these past weeks, I'm pretty sure I would have realized on my own that I fancy you," she said. She forced her eyes to his. "Maybe not quite as quickly, but I promise, I would have figured it out."
Harry was quiet for so long Ginny started to wonder if maybe she'd completely misread the situation, if maybe he'd changed his mind over the past days. But no, she told herself. She knew he hadn't. He was just absorbing her words, making sure he understood. It was one of the many things she knew she liked about him.
Finally he spoke. "And . . . this isn't your way of . . ."
"No, definitely not," she said firmly. "You know that I wouldn't, that I couldn't, fake anything. Even if I was trying to be nice." She touched his arm. "I'm not just being nice, Harry. I'm being honest."
Harry nodded. "I do know that," he said, and finally, Ginny saw a ghost of a smile flit across his face.
HPHPHPHP
Harry stared at Ginny, trying to get his sluggish brain to process what she'd just said. He'd spent the entire night, hell, the entire week, and the one before that, assuming she was just moments away from telling him that no, she'd thought about it, and she just didn't feel that way about him. And now she was saying she did? And what's more, she'd apparently come to the realization on her own? He looked at her. There was a small smile playing about her lips; she was trying not to grin outright, waiting for him to get there.
He grabbed her hand, and it felt natural. "Brilliant," he breathed out, and then Ginny really did grin.
"It is," she agreed. She looked back at towards the Burrow. "But now what?" Harry followed her gaze, and then looked down to where the basket the were supposed to be filling with berries had fallen over. There was not much more time before someone would come looking for them. Maybe no one was suspicious now, but one wrong move, once heated look, and everything was likely to come tumbling out. They needed time to think.
"I think we shouldn't tell anyone, not yet," he said. "Let them focus on getting Fred and Katie back together or something first." He knew she'd agree; there was no way that either of them understood exactly what they were yet, and sharing something with her family would give them no peace.
Ginny shuddered. "Definitely don't tell them," she said. "I'm not even sure what we'd say. I need more time to . . . figure things out." She squeezed his hand. "I mean, we need more time."
Harry nodded, enjoying the feeling of her hand in his. And she's already talking as if we're an 'us'. "I want to take you on a proper date," he said. "Maybe somewhere far off, in Muggle London where no one knows us."
"In disguises," agreed Ginny. "Transfigured or something." She took a step closer.
"Even better," said Harry. He looked down at her, feeling for the first time that he could look and look and not have to hide it. "And I want to kiss you," he said firmly. He gave a small grimace. "Is that okay? Here? Because I know what you saw in the Pensieve, but what if that doesn't mean that you also . . . you know." He gestured weakly between them.
"Oh, I do," said Ginny, so quickly that Harry startled. Despite the flush crawling up her cheeks she looked directly at him. "I figured that out already," she said. "That day I came to check the wards." Her gaze dropped to his waist for a moment, but Harry didn't think it was entirely out of embarrassment. A little thrill of arousal coursed through him. A second later Ginny looked up.
"I think that's what made it harder for me to trust the rest of what I was feeling," she said. "I wanted to make sure it was more than just . . . a physical attraction."
"It's more for me," you know, said Harry. "It's always been." He felt almost like he was sitting outside his body, watching them both from above.
"It's more for me too," she said simply. "I'm sure of that now."
HPHPHPHP
Harry raised his hand hesitantly towards her, as if he wasn't quite sure what he planned to do. Ginny took another small step towards him and Harry tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and then slid his hand down her cheek. Ginny knew he felt her shiver, and while he was still looking at her as if he couldn't quite believe what he was doing, she slid her own hand down to his waist and pulled him closer. After that, it felt more than natural for Harry to lean in and press his lips gently to hers.
HPHPHPHP
As soon as they kissed, Harry heard Ginny give a soft sigh, before she sort of melted against him. He made a hum of satisfaction of his own as he wrapped an arm around her and pressed closer, his physical need warring with his understanding that they needed to take things slowly. But he couldn't stop himself from opening his mouth against hers, and a second later was rewarded with the feeling of Ginny's tongue, tentatively exploring his. The spark the flared between them was unmistakable, and Harry's last vestiges of hesitation burned away. Ginny made another sound of contentment and Harry cupped the back of her head with his hand before breaking the kiss and dropping his head to her shoulder with a soft groan.
"I can't believe . . ." he began.
"I know," she said softly. She brushed her fingers against the back of his neck. "I mean, you've been thinking about this for . . . how long? Years? I only just realized . . ."
"Finally realized," broke in Harry. He felt Ginny's chuckle of agreement.
"Finally had it smack me in my thick brain much later than it should have," she said. "We can analyze all the reasons I'm worse at this than even Ron another time. Right now, I'm just trying to figure out why this feels so comfortable." She gave a little shrug. "Proof that I really never did see you as an extension of my brothers, I guess."
"Good," said Harry with satisfaction. She cocked her head to look at him. It was properly dark now, but in the soft light of the garden's warming charms he could just see her eyes and the smile in them.
"This is going to be fun, getting to know each other even better," she said softly. That was all it took. Harry moved his mouth back to hers.
HPHPHPHPHP
They finally broke apart, both breathing harder than Ginny would have expected merely from kissing. Her entire body was tingling, and by the way Harry had carefully angled his lower body away from hers, Ginny knew she wasn't the only one feeling suddenly swept away. Harry's eyes found hers, and they were wide and searching. He tucked the strand of hair behind her ear again.
"Okay?" he asked.
Ginny nodded mutely, not sure she could trust her voice. The whirlwind of the last hours made her feel a little bit like she might actually be lying in bed, touching herself to a newly constructed fantasy of her and Harry – Sneaking off to Snog and more in the Garden – there was a lot to be imagined there, for sure.
But even her wildest imagination couldn't convey the weight of Harry's hand as it rested against her hip or create the soft smell of warmth and Firewhiskey he breathed against her. And neither of them were pulling off clothes and falling down into the grass for a quick and probably unrealistically contorted shag they way they would if this was just another of Ginny's daydreams. Instead, Harry rested his forehead against hers for a minute, and brushed his hand down her cheek.
"This makes me really happy," he said.
A/N 2: About time, right? I'm really happy with the way this turned out. Hope a few of you enjoy the callbacks to Emergency; I've got more of them planned. :)