Ginny's P.O.V.
The amount of days until New Years' were rapidly declining.
Much to Ginny's all-time disgust, Cho had made it a habit of showing up at the Burrow unannounced, completely monopolising all of Harry's attention and making it an even harder job for Ginny to do what she had promised she would do; get over Harry.
Because if she wasn't sitting in his lap, or playing with his hair, or just generally rubbing their relationship in everyone's face, she was snogging him like she'd never again see the light of day.
At least Ginny wasn't the only one who got sick of that…
Two days before New Year's Eve found Ginny clearing out her room. Cho had showed up only a half hour ago and so she had ducked away and resigned herself to the menial task of cleaning.
She was looking for the broom, not overly sure of where her mum kept all of the cleaning supplies.
She'd checked all the floors, the ground one too. Even in the shed out back.
Which only really left… the attic.
Ordinarily, Ginny didn't like going in there.
There was something very unsettling about the place.
But it was better the attic then have to spend another moment in Harry and Cho's presence.
So she trooped on up the stepladder, sighing as she went.
About a year ago her father had finally caved and they had removed the ghoul so all that was left was a great deal of dust and maybe a few rats.
So really, the attic wasn't that bad.
Ginny was only imagining her sense of dread, nothing was going to happen…
She opened the door and peered inside.
Immediately her stomach fell from her body, and put on a show of flopping all the way down the stairs again.
There they were.
Sitting on a rather decrepit looking couch… tangled together and…
Kissing.
Godric…
Kissing… a lot.
Ginny just stood there, frozen and staring. Cho was lying on the couch and underneath Harry, her back arched as she pressed her body against his. They were kissing like they were dying and Harry's hands were moving over Cho's body in a way that made Ginny feel jealous, hurt and wistful all at the same time.
Stomach still not returned to Ginny, she clutched at her torso.
She must have made some sort of sound because not what a second later… Harry parted from Cho and glanced almost absently to where Ginny was, as his girlfriend proceeded to trail kisses over his jaw…
Ginny and Harry locked gazes.
And she saw it as his entire body froze up.
'Ginny!' he said.
But his voice was low and husky and hid some disgusting and treacherous emotion that Ginny longed to be caused by her and not Cho…
'Sorry,' she squeaked.
Before ducking down and almost falling over herself to get down the stairs.
Breathless, wide-eyed and scared, she ran straight into her room, sitting heavily on her bed and putting her face in her hands.
Of all of the things… she had to see…
Her entire body was tense and she was working so hard to refrain from thinking too hard about what had just happened, it had to have been the worst moment of her life.
'Ginny?'
Ginny's whole body jumped when a voice sounded from her door.
She lifted her head and blinked.
There was Harry standing at the door, looking agonised.
But his hair was tussled, his clothes dishevelled and his lips red and glistening.
'Are you all right?' he asked.
Ginny stared at him.
Then slowly… she nodded.
'Yeah,' she said.
But it was barely above a murmur.
'I'm… I'm sorry you had to see that, it was pretty…' Harry trailed off and he blushed just slightly, eyes flickering away from Ginny's.
Slowly… Ginny stood.
No. She was meant to be getting over him…
So that meant…
She took in a deep breath and shook her head.
'Yeah, it's okay,' she said and tried to go for nonchalant. 'I mean… it was a bit awkward but… um… yeah, it's okay. She's your girlfriend… I get it.'
'Did I, uh… did it hurt you, though?' Harry asked, sounding genuinely concerned.
It melted Ginny's heart…
But she clung with hands of stone to her hard exterior, laughing a little instead.
'No. It made me a bit, uh… uncomfortable,' she laughed. 'But… no, it didn't hurt me. I'm kind of used to it anyway… You and Cho. Well… it was just a surprise, that's all.'
Harry bit his lip.
'I, uh…' He hesitated. Then he looked away quickly and shook his head.
That sparked Ginny's curiosity.
'Yeah?' she asked, frowning. 'What is it?'
'Well, I um…' Harry frowned… then he shook his head. 'No, it's, uh… it's nothing, really.'
Ginny tilted her head to the side.
Gently… she asked. 'What are you thinking of, Harry?'
Ginny's tone seemed to startle Harry and he blinked at her, emerald all of a sudden wide and caught.
'I was… well… I was er…' He stammered for a moment. Then he shook his head. 'I was thinking about… well… about… our kiss, actually.'
Ginny blinked.
Whatever she had been expecting… it was not at all that.
'Our… kiss?' she asked hesitantly.
Harry looked at her in confusion, much like he did the night after they played that damned game…
'Yeah…' He trailed off.
Ginny bit her lip.
'What about it?'
She thought back to the kiss herself, how amazing it had felt and how her and Harry had just… worked, the fire and the passion more overwhelming than anything she'd ever felt.
'It was pretty amazing wasn't it,' she spoke to the dead air when he didn't.
Harry looked at her.
Then he winced.
'Well, uh…'
Ginny raised an eyebrow.
'Come on… you have to agree.'
'Ginny, I can't' –
She rolled her eyes and sighed.
'Come on Harry. Can you honestly tell me that you didn't feel anything amazing when we kissed?' asked Ginny.
Harry hesitated.
'Honestly,' she persisted.
'Honestly?' He hesitated. Then he sighed, resigned. 'Kissing you was… yes… it was pretty amazing. But… but Ginny, I have a girlfriend,' he said, stepping back.
Ginny sighed.
'So you keep telling me,' she said, irritation making it sharper than she intended.
This seemed to make Harry annoyed all of a sudden and he stepped into her room, striding to be mere centimetres… from Ginny.
The very sudden change in proximity startled Ginny and she blinked at Harry.
'What' –
Her question cut off and she blinked at him.
A moment of pure recklessness passed through Harry's eyes and he reached out, fixing his hands on both of Ginny's shoulders with a grip that shocked Ginny.
'Look, it's hard for me too, all right?' he whispered. 'I know you don't think so, because how could you? But it is. However, the very thing is this… She's my girlfriend. I can't just break up with her because I kissed you and it felt decent. Okay? She's my girlfriend. Is that not enough for you?'
Ginny frowned.
Then she shook her head.
'No. It's not…' she murmured.
'Then what will be enough?' Harry asked, his eyes bright in a slight frenzy.
Ginny looked at him, hesitating.
'Can I ask you something?' she said after a while.
'What?
'Do you love Cho?'
Harry blinked, his eyes widening.
His hands grew stiff on Ginny's shoulders…
And she knew immediately… the answer.
'You don't do you?' she whispered.
Harry opened his mouth, then shut it again.
Before trying once more.
'Love…' he stammered. 'It's a powerful word. Cho... is my girlfriend and I think... I think I'd be able to fall in love with her. In time.'
'But you don't love her now?' Ginny persisted.
Harry frowned.
Then he cringed.
And in one second… he pushed away from her and turned his head.
When he looked back to Ginny his expression was emotionless.
'What I do with Cho is none of your business, Ginny,' he said stiffly. 'Whether or not I love her… none of your business. And it never will be your business… You're my best friend's little sister. You're only a little girl… as if you could know love.'
Ginny blinked.
Then she glared at Harry.
Never had he ever said anything so… cruel to her.
And all in defence of the fact that he didn't even love his girlfriend.
Jerk.
'Look, don't take your anger out on me. It's not my fault you don't love your girlfriend and it's not my fault you don't like that! So don't take your anger out on me,' she snapped.
'But it's completely your fault that you're making me question it in the first place,' Harry snarled. 'Look, just do us both a favour and leave me alone for a bit. I'm going through a hell of a lot more stuff than you know about, so just… piss off.'
Ginny felt like she'd been slapped.
She looked at Harry for a long, long moment, wondering what the hell had gotten into him.
He looked back for a few seconds… before he flinched and glanced away.
Something in Ginny stirred.
If he really meant what he was saying… he'd be able to hold her gaze.
However…
'I've no idea what gotten into you, Harry. But you're acting like a total jerk… and that's not like you,' she said.
'How do you know?' he snapped.
'I know you a lot better than I really think you know yourself. And this isn't like you.'
Harry frowned at her.
Then he shook his head.
'Well maybe I'm just sick and tired of having to constantly argue with you that Cho is my girlfriend and regardless of how much I liked kissing you, or how much I want to do it again, that just can't happen okay?!'
Ginny blinked.
Then slowly… she frowned.
'You're tired of arguing it with me? Or… with yourself?' she asked gently.
And Harry stared at her in a combination of fear, sadness and anger.
Slowly he shook his head.
Then he backed out, looking rather upset in general.
'I have to get back to Cho,' he said.
Ginny didn't say anything, just watched him go.
'Next time… stay out of things that don't concern you,' he snapped.
Then, with one last wild look… he spun around and started back towards the attic.
Ginny frowned deeply.
That wasn't like Harry.
Regardless of who she had ever been to him… he'd never treated her so badly.
So what was going on?
And what did he mean by… regardless of how much he wanted to kiss her… again…?
Probably exactly that. But what did that say about his feelings?
Confused and tired and hurt, Ginny walked to the door and shut it gently.
Her conversation with Harry had made her confused.
But after a while… she figured out how she was going to face it.
She would do what he asked of her.
If he truly was having difficulty knowing what he was feeling…
Then maybe space would do him some good.
Space would certainly do Ginny some good.
Maybe she'd finally be able to get over him then.
So thus she decided…
She would stay away from Harry for as long as it took for him to cool off and get his thoughts straight.
She thought a break would be good.
Probably hard…
But good.
At the very least… it would give her a chance to get over him fully.
Which was… after all… what she truly wanted… right?