The following few weeks were filled with intense exams. Ginny was studying furiously for Defense Against the Dark Arts as she refused to give Umbridge a reason to make her fail. The witch hated her enough as it was. Studying also proved a useful distraction from Harry. He kept cropping up in her mind-especially when she least wanted him to be there. She hadn't spoken to Dean much either since Ron had interrupted them, but she was secretly relieved when he had.
As if to make matter worse, things were tense between Ron and Dean too. Ron would glare at Dean every time he so much as looked at Ginny, and she couldn't help but wonder that if this was how Ron was reacting over Dean, she didn't even want to know how he would react if he ever found out about Harry. So she decided not to breathe a word, and also maintained that it was probably a good idea to keep awaer y. Harry didn't need any distractions right now anyway-what with their O.W.L's coming up and two professor's rooting for him to fail: Umbridge and Snape that is.
It was moments like these when she missed Cedric the most-when she felt most alone. Ced had always been there to cheer her up no matter what. She was just busy thinking about all of this when she was meant to be studying by the lake Harry sat down opposite her and said softly, "We need to talk." Ginny glanced up and was stunned into silent…those eyes were so beautiful it made her stomach ache. She blinked for a second before saying back, "I can't right now, Harry. I'm studying." He rolled his eyes and murmured, "You've been studying every time I've tried to approach you ever since…" he looked at her meaningfully and she sighed, "Yeah, you're right I have been avoiding you."
Harry nodded and grimaced, "Care to explain why?" Ginny placed her quill in her pot of ink and stared at him before murmuring, "I'm scared, Harry. I don't know where this is going with us. I don't want whatever this is to ruin our friendship. Your friendship is so important to me. Besides, how will we tell Ron? We know how he will react. Look how he reacted with Dean, and he isn't even his best friend…" she trailed off and bit her lip before glancing up at Harry.
His eyes were tightened and he nodded and sighed, "I know…I've been thinking the same things. But first I want to know what is really going on with Dean?" Ginny shook her head and whispered, "Nothing. When he kissed me…all I could think about was you."At this statement, Harry's face lit up like she'd never seen it before. He grinned and he replied, "Well…that's a good thing."
Ginny giggled-she wasn't a giggly girl normally, but seeing Harry so happy made her feel that way. It was almost addictive to know that she could make Harry (who was more often somber than not) smile this way and look so cheerful and carefree. Harry smiled at her and she asked seriously, "Now what?" He took her hand in his and answered, "I think, we've secretly liked each other for a long time. Am I right?" Ginny nodded and couldn't help but blush as he grinned again and continued to trace circular patterns in her hand, "So…I think we should take things slowly, but seriously this time. I don't want either of us to back out…" he looked at her sincerely as he trailed off and Ginny felt her heart pounding as she gazed into his green eyes. How could she back out if she felt like melting just because of the way he was looking at her this way? He looked so…hopeful. She couldn't remember the last time he'd looked hopeful. She whispered tightly, "I won't. I want this just as much as you do."
He nodded and beamed from ear to ear as he murmured, "We will find a way to make it work then." He wrapped his arm around her and she snuggled in under it as she murmured, "When did you get so good at being romantic?" he laughed, but didn't respond. It didn't matter, she knew the answer anyway.
Harry told her about his career's advice session he'd had with McGonagall and how she'd insisted on helping him to become an Auror. Ginny raised her eyebrows and turned to face him, "Really? Why would you want to forcibly put yourself in a situation where you're vulnerable? You've faced more than enough of those involuntarily." She was truly surprised by his choice and not particularly happy about it either. She was sure her mother would feel the same.
Harry shrugged his shoulders and said, "I don't think I would be satisfied if I was sitting in an office all day. I'd need to be actively doing some good in the world." Ginny nodded and replied, "But you could do that by being a Healer or something. You don't need to be defeating dark wizards your whole life, Harry." He shrugged again and replied, "It's what I want to do," as if that was that and there would be no argument about it.
Ginny let the topic slide as she leant back into him and asked, "And Ron? What does he want to do?" Harry laughed, "You don't know?" She rolled her eyes at his tone and replied, "I thought he wanted to be a part of a Quidditch team. But with how badly it's going this year, he might have changed his mind." Harry nodded, "Yeah. He's thinking about being an Auror now too." Ginny groaned and shook her head, "Mum will have kittens when she finds out!"
Harry was about to comment when a tall, blonde haired figure appeared with a broomstick in his hand. Ginny hadn't noticed Malfoy walking towards her and she scowled in distasted as the blonde snarled, "Potter, Weasley…you shouldn't be sitting so close together." Ginny rolled her eyebrows and retorted, "Sod off, Malfoy. Remember I could always tell Umbridge about Parkinson…" Draco paled even more than he already looked and then he smirked, "You don't have any proof and she wouldn't believe you. This on the other hand, she'd believe." Harry rolled his eyes and pulled Ginny up, "Come on Gin, let's go and leave the git to play on his own." Ginny laughed as they walked back to the castle hand in hand.
During dinner, Ginny couldn't help but smile secretively at Harry. Hermione even commented, "Harry, you seem to be in a much better mood than you have been recently." Harry chuckled and shrugged, "Slept well I guess." Ginny glanced down and couldn't help but grin. They'd been trying to spend one on one time together over the past few days but it was proving to be increasingly difficult, mainly because Ron and Hermione usually flanked either of them, or there were other students lingering about. Not only was there extra company to contend with, but they both needed to study every day, leaving limited time for each other.
So far Ginny's exams had been going well, but now she kept getting distracted whenever she thought of Harry and she would drift off into space for a while. She'd shake herself awake irritably and would then focus back on her studies. She made sure to study in the library because she knew Harry liked to study in the common room. However, even when she physically removed herself from his presence, she still daydreamed about him. Ginny found it vaguely ironic that the only guy she'd ever found herself daydreaming over was Harry (before Riddle brainwashed her) and now it was proving to be Harry again.
When she finished studying for the evening, she hurried back to the common room, only to be interrupted once again by Draco Malfoy. Malfoy was holding Parkinson's hand and Ginny gloated, "Oi Malfoy! Too close for comfort, ey?" He immediately released Parkinson's hand and scowled at Ginny as Pansy asked him irritably, "What's up with you, Draco?" Draco rolled his eyes and spat, "Weaslette, here, is just trying to give me a hard time because I gave her and Potter one the other day. Tit for a tat right, Weasley?" Pansy interrupted, "Woah, woah, woah, woah! Her and Potter? Does her brother know?" She cackled and Ginny clenched her fists agitatedly as Malfoy smirked, "I doubt it. I think we should make it our business for him to know, right Weasley?"
Ginny ignored him as she forced herself passed them. When she ran up to Gryffindor tower breathless, she pulled Harry out of the portrait hole, ignoring Hermione's protests about Harry needing to study. Ginny explained to Harry quickly what had just happened and he raised his eyebrows sky high as he groaned, "Great! Leave it to Malfoy to ruin this!" Ginny frowned and replied, "Well…it may not be such a bad idea to tell Ron now. It's like I've hardly been able to see you since that day by the lake anyway. At least with it out in the open, we can be with each other." Harry grimaced, "But, what about how Ron and the rest of your family will react?" Ginny shrugged her shoulders, "They're going to find out sooner or later, right?" Harry nodded and sighed, "Alright. Let's get this over with."
They walked back inside and Harry took Ginny's hand in his own as they entered the common room. Several people looked up and noticed their closeness, but nobody said anything and they continued with whatever they were doing. Harry led Ginny over to Ron and Hermione by her hand, and she squeezed it reassuringly. Harry murmured, "Hey guys, can Gin and I speak to you outside, please?"
The two nodded, Hermione smirking and Ron frowning at their connected hands suspiciously. The landing was empty so Harry turned to Ron bravely and said carefully, "Ron, there's something I need to tell you, and I don't think you will take it well, but please hear me out?" Ron nodded stiffly and muttered, "Go on…" as Harry inhaled sharply and said flat out, "I like Ginny. A lot. As more than a friend. I have for a long time." Ron's eyes bugged wide and he somewhat glared their joint hands. Hermione squealed ecstatically and hugged Harry, and then Ginny delightedly. She grinned, "I knew it! I knew this was going to happen!" Harry frowned, "Why did you insist that I go out with Cho, then?" Hermione shrugged and grinned, "Because the poor girl deserved a chance, Harry." Ron's eyes widened even more, "Wait…Hermione you KNEW? How long has this been going on for exactly?!" Ginny answered timidly, "Well...it first happened in Grimmauld Place…" Ron's eyes looked like they were about to fall out of their sockets as he spluttered, "Did…did you…" he couldn't even finish his sentence.
It was perfectly clear what he was implying though as Harry snapped, "No, Ron for goodness sake! I would never do that to her! Not while we're still underage!" Harry seemed irate at the very idea that Ron had suggested they might have slept together, and Ginny couldn't blame him. She was feeling the same way herself. Besides which, this was the second time in about a month which Ron had accused her of doing just that and she felt angry with him. Hermione voiced her thoughts, "Get a grip on yourself Ronald and stop spluttering like an idiot! Be mature about this!" Ron cast Hermione an enraged glare and he was shaking he was so angry.
Ginny held Harry's hand tighter as Ron turned on his heals and stalked into the common room. Ginny sighed and said to Hermione, "We just don't want everyone to know yet. That's why we wanted to tell you two." Hermione was grinning until Harry said, "And Malfoy is threatening to tell everyone tomorrow anyway so it's best if you hear it from us first." Hermione sighed and shook her head, "I'm happy for the both of you. But I'm just warning you, I don't think Ron will be accepting this anytime soon…his best friend and his sister makes a tricky situation for him." They both nodded in agreement and Ginny said softly to Hermione, "We never said anything because we thought he'd act this way." Hermione nodded and sighed, "I'll see if I can get him to talk. I'm really happy for you guys!"
Ginny smiled her thanks and watched as her friend returned to the common room. Ginny whispered to Harry, "What do we do now? I don't want to go in there when he's all angry and mad." Harry nodded in agreement and leant against the wall as he pulled her close and hugged her tightly before whispering, "Let's just wait a bit. Hopefully he's gone upstairs."
They stood there chatting quietly and holding each other before Hermione returned and said sadly, "He's furious. He doesn't want to speak to me." Harry sighed and Ginny could tell he was upset. She knew he'd worried about this for years, and it was probably the main reason he hadn't acted on his instincts up until now. Ginny whispered, "Don't worry. He will come around." She turned to Hermione and asked, "Did you tell him that it's just between the four of us for now?" Hermione nodded and she said, "He told me he couldn't make any promises." Ginny groaned, "I hope he doesn't tell Fred and George!"
They all sighed together and Hermione said, "Come on Harry, we need to get back to studying, even if Ron isn't going to join us." They all trooped inside the common room and Ginny found a space in the corner to study. She wasn't paying attention, however, because her mind was filled with worries. About Ron. About Harry. About Ron's friendship with Harry and how that would change. About her friendship with Harry and how that would change. Things were going to change now and it set her on edge. Nobody really liked changed. People liked their comfort zones. She just hoped this change was with her.
Author's Note: Woohoo! so Harry and Ginny are officially together and I myself am thinking "It's about time!" Well, they're official in their minds, but not in everyone else's except Ron and Hermione's-yet. This is because I also really loved how Harry and Ginny's first kiss happened in the common room in front of everyone in HBP. I'm not exactly sure where their relationship is heading right now, but that's how writing works-things happen as you think of them and that's how I'm writing their relationship. So their relationship may remain a secret for a little while longer, or it may not. I don't even know yet haha.
Anyway that was a lot of drama in one chapter but if felt nice to write Harry a bit more lovey-dovey than he usually is. It lightened everything up a bit I think. I also thought it's really sweet if all Ginny wants is for Harry to be happy and vice versa. They are always looking out for each other. I think that comes from them having a much stronger friendship before they started dating and that was the plan from the beginning!
Anyway this is a super long author's note and thank you to everyone who is reading and reviewing! Your comments really make this worth writing! And I'm glad you all seem to like the bit about Cho betraying the D.A. I also thought it was quite mature of Ginny to defend her, even though she probably likes Cho least out of everybody-shows how much she's growing. Anyway, please review this chapter! I don't want to make it too lovey-dovey too soon so please let me know if this is a good in between! It would be much appreciated! And enjoy!