Author's Note: This took forever, I know, and I'm sorry. I meant for this to be quick and easy to go without, so as to not offend anyone, but Harry, Ginny, Ron and Hermione took over and this became longer and longer and longer. There are some things in here that are pretty important… so I can't really say skip over to avoid the sexual content. But if you get to a point that seems a little racy, skip a few paragraphs unless it's the end of the chapter. This should help. So, twenty-four pages, 10,505 words, and one heck of a chapter later, I present the next chapter of my story. Although I must warn, this is written by a 16 year old who's still a virgin…so the quality might be lacking in certain parts. Read and review…and thanks for staying with me!
The four walked back to Hermione's parents' house a few hours later. Hermione had thoroughly squashed Ron in three different sets, with Ron's technique becoming wilder by the point. At one point Ron had even thrown his racket at the incoming ball, causing Hermione to fall down and roll in hysterics on the tennis lawn while Harry and Ginny snickered together in the stands. Yet now as the four walked during the creeping sunset, Hermione and Ron seemed to have made up. Ron was walking with an arm around Hermione's shoulder, his head bowed low to her ear. Once in a while a word would flow in Harry and Ginny's direction, all seeming to come from a never ending line of apologies and praises. Hermione was wearing an incredibly satisfied smile. Harry and Ginny were acting like children, making gagging motions and accompanying noises whenever these sounds came their way.
Harry swung his and Ginny's hands slightly to the left and right, and she beamed at him. The two had paid as little possible attention to the sporting event of the other couple. Ron being mere meters away, the time hadn't been spent in Harry's favorite activity (snogging Ginny), but in his second favorite activity (talking with Ginny). They talked a little about the Weasley family's prolonged hiding, where Ginny had been during the battle of Hogwarts, and Hogwarts under Voldemort's influence. They talked some about the couple out on the tennis lawn, and their expectations for them. Yet most of all, they talked in general. They shared opinions about people at Hogwarts, Harry's life at the Dursleys', and Ginny's growing up with six brothers. Harry felt the connection with Ginny deepen, and it was with dismay that they followed Ron and Hermione back to Hermione's parents' house.
Once securely inside, the four apparated back to the Burrow only to find Mr. and Mrs. Weasley waiting for them. They were still dressed in the formal attire required by the somber event they had been attending, but smiled broadly as the quartet entered the sitting room. Seeing Mrs. Weasley's eyes graze over his hand over Ginny's for a bit longer than natural, Harry hastily let go. Of course, Mrs. Weasley was going to know. In fact, the last time she had been thoroughly overjoyed at the thought of Harry and Ginny dating. Yet it still felt awkward, as he was in her house and they weren't completely open about being official yet. At least not until Ginny actually told her mother and father. Harry didn't exactly want to be around for that particular meeting.
"Arthur and I found your note, how was your time?" Mrs. Weasley asked, breaking the slightly uncomfortable silence. Harry caught her hazard a glance at her husband, she obviously was trying to attempt what would become a boring and fairly annoying conversation for all else involved if he started asking questions about the particular muggle sport they had been playing.
"Oh it was lovely, wasn't it Ron?" Hermione asked mischievously, leaning close to Ron's ear. Harry saw Ron shudder slightly before giving Hermione an equally mischievous look.
"Absolutely brilliant. I think tennis is my new favorite sport." He said, his voice dripping sarcasm and his eyes holding a look that put mental pictures in Harry's head that he didn't even want to be thinking of. Glancing at Ginny, Harry saw that she had her eyes scrunched up as though blocking out the same mental images. Looking over at the Weasleys, Harry saw that they seemed oblivious to the obvious undertones to their youngest son's voice. Hermione only narrowed her eyes and took up Ron's unspoken challenge.
"Well, I think you'll have to wait a while until we play. I'm a little busy for a while." She said before whisking away to the kitchen under pretense of a glass of water. Ron looked as though he was in need of some water as well, but not down his throat. He excused himself to the kitchen hoarsely, and Harry made a mental note to not be the next one to enter the kitchen. Ginny, however, seemed to have other plans. She made a few complaints about being mildly hungry and made her way to the kitchen. Harry mentally wished her the best of luck, supposing that she probably had the best idea in breaking in there early.
"So, Harry, tennis? Did you play with actual raffets?" Mr. Weasley asked, wearing the avid look of a child with a pudding in front of his face. Harry decided it would be futile to explain that he and Ginny hadn't done the actual playing, so he jumped into correcting him. He was soon distracted by a rather red Hermione entering the room, a half filled glass of water clutched in her right hand. A second later, Ginny and Ron entered. Ginny looked amused and even proud of herself; Ron was scowling. Harry could only imagine how brave Ginny actually was to go and break up what was an obvious snog-fest.
The red headed girl in question gave Harry a certain look, and he scurried off into the kitchen. Ginny then gave the same look to Hermione, who dragged Ron out of the room to "go owl George." As Harry turned to click the door shut, he saw Ginny sitting down between her parents on the sofa. It warmed him a little inside to know that Ginny was going to tell them, so he busied himself with getting a quick glass of water. After a few minutes of staring around the Weasley kitchen, however, he heard footsteps in the hallway and the door slowly pulled open.
"So…I told them." Ginny said, her voice soft now that the two of them were alone. Harry was always astounded at how soft her voice became when they were alone (and not debating something).
"Reaction?" Harry asked, watching the spice cabinet alphabetize itself.
"Mum's thrilled, and Dad's proud as hell. Which isn't a surprise, Harry, seeing as you're already like family to them all." She said, hoisting herself onto the counter so that she was just level with his face: something rare on account of their mismatched heights.
"Are you not included in that sentiment?" He teased, placing his arms between her arms and her body, leaning towards her so that his forehead was touching hers.
"I'm not that kinky." She said, grinning at him before kissing him softly. Harry's response was immediate though gentle. He kissed her back, closing his arms around her back.
"Mum's going to find us. We better go upstairs." Ginny said after a few moments, breaking up the kiss. Harry made a noise of protest and tried to reclaim her lips, but Ginny shook her head.
"We'll have plenty of time tomorrow. Ron 'n Hermione are going to Diagon Alley for the day, just as a day trip. Not for school stuff just yet, seeing as we don't have the lists. It's going to be just you and me here, Mum and Dad are going to Uncle Emmit's for something or other. I think cousin Maybelle just had a baby, but I'm not sure. So we're going to have the house to ourselves."
"I don't think I'm going to mind that." Harry said, grinning.
"I don't think you will, either." Ginny said slyly, leading the way out of the room and through the hallway.
"Night mum, night Dad." Ginny said, leaning in the doorway of the sitting room.
"G'night, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley." Harry said, leaning in over Ginny and smiling at them.
"Goodnight, dears. I'll be up in a few minutes to check that you all are comfortable." Mrs. Weasley said, beaming at them.
"Of course you will." Ginny muttered, not loud enough to be heard by the Weasleys. The two started up the staircase, but a few stairs from the landing they stopped.
"I thought I heard feet." Came Hermione's voice.
"I don't. Shame I'm not allowed in you and Ginny's room, really. You wouldn't be hearing things." Ron responded.
"Right, because we'd be focusing on other things. The reason you're not allowed in our room, mind you. No thanks, I'll stick to just a simple kiss in the hallways, personally."
"You always do." Ron sighed, and Ginny turned and made a face at Harry.
"We better finish up, anyways. Somebody'll be up here any moment now." Hermione said, her voice letting Harry and Ginny know that she knew more than she was admitting to Ron.
"Alright, sweet dreams, Love." Ron said tenderly. Harry returned Ginny's look.
"Love?" Came Hermione's voice softly, quaking a bit. Harry and Ginny's eyes grew wide in fright, wondering if they should get away slowly and quickly.
"Hermione, we've known each other for seven years, and I've liked you for three-ish-four-ish. You've felt the same way, so you've told me. Doesn't that mean I can love you?" This was getting to be an extremely awkward conversation for Harry and Ginny to be listening to.
"It better, since I love you too." Hermione said. Harry couldn't help but grin, and Ginny's eyes grew all dreamy. Harry wrapped his arms around Ginny and kissed her softly on the cheek, knowing just how glad Ginny was for her brother at that moment. It took a few minutes (in which Harry had the strangest idea that Ron and Hermione were attached at the face) before the two spoke again.
"Well, like I was saying, I've got to go to bed. Goodnight Ronald." Hermione's voice had a strange wistful tone attached to it.
"G'night, Hermione. See you in the morning, bright and early for the shopping trip."
"Night!" With that, the door clicked shut, and Harry and Ginny could hear footsteps moving up the steps, sounding a little more bouncy than usual. The pair hiding in the shadows waited until they could no longer hear the footsteps and it sounded settled in the room nearby for them to speak.
"That was sweet." Ginny said, still looking dreamy, her head resting on Harry's chest. He ran a hand through her red hair before kissing her softly on the top of her head.
"Yeah, it was. I'm so glad that they're back together and actually happy. Knock on wood, because there's no way I want to jinx them." He added the superstition an afterthought.
"Do what, exactly?" Ginny asked, befuddled.
"It's a muggle superstition. If you don't want to jinx something you just said, you knock on wood. I have no idea why, you just do." Harry said, shrugging his shoulders.
"But how can a muggle jinx someone?" She asked, turning her head up to him, her eyes wide with curiosity and mild confusion.
"They can't actually. They just mean… say something that will only make the opposite happen. That's considered a jinx in the muggle world." Harry was attempting an explanation for the concept, and knew that he was failing miserably. Ginny, however seemed settled with the answer.
"Well that's just silly. But you can knock on all the wood you want, as long as you tell me three little words tonight that will send me into the sweetest slumbers ever." She said, pulling at his hand as she walked up to the landing, standing in front of the door.
"Eat more chicken?" Harry joked, and to no surprise on his part Ginny swatted her hand at him and made light contact with his arm. It didn't hurt in the least, which made the manly act of making things seem not to hurt all the more easier.
"Ginevra Molly Weasley, I love you." Harry said, true affection in his voice as he cupped her face in his hand, looking into her deep brown eyes.
"The sweetest sleep ever." Ginny whispered, standing on her tiptoes and kissing him lightly.
"Hey now, that's my job!" Harry said in a falsely indignant tone, crossing his arms.
"Says who? Goodnight Harry, I love you!" She said mischievously, her hand reaching out to open the door when she was suddenly stopped short as Harry's lips came crashing towards her own. They kissed for a good minute before Harry removed himself, looking triumphant.
"See you in the morning, Ginny." He said a little smugly.
"I can't wait." Ginny said, and with that she opened the door and slinked inside, closing the door behind her. Harry was still smirking as he made his way upstairs to Ron's room. He reflected as he passed Percy's former room that the next day Mrs. Weasley would be clearing out Percy's room and the room that had once held the twins out so that Harry and Hermione could have their own rooms.
When Harry reached the top floor landing he paused before turning the doorknob slowly, and opening the door a crack. He didn't have the slightest idea what state he would find Ron in, decent or not. But when he opened the door he saw Ron standing at the window, his shirt off but still in his jeans from the day. Ron sighed as Harry stepped into the room.
"Did you and Ginny hear us at the girls' door? 'Mione motioned that she thought you did." He said, not even turning around. A surge of guilt hit Harry in that he had eavesdropped, but his common sense told him that he hadn't had much of a choice.
"Yeah, we did kind of overhear you, mate. Congratulations. I've known for a long time you two would end up together." Harry said, tossing some spare shirts that he had thrown out of his drawers onto his bed while attempting to find a shirt this morning onto the floor.
Finally, Ron turned around and sat on the edge of the window, his red hair moving the slightest bit with the wind. He seemed to be in a bit lower mood than ten minutes past when he was downstairs with Hermione. He cupped his hands together and put his mouth to them, his elbows on his knees.
"You think she only said that out of reaction? Like I pressured her by saying that? It just slipped… I could have said…" Ron muttered dropping his head and covering his face with his hands.
"No way. She's crazy about you, has been for ages. Years, really. The way she acted when you left camp…I mean we were both upset, but she about died. And don't forget her reaction to Lavender calling you "Won-Won"… that's number two on my top-ten memories of you two only to after you got back to camp…" Harry said, now rummaging through the room for his pajama pants.
"But this isn't just being 'crazy' about me… this is more than that…" Ron sputtered, laying back against the glass of the window, his hands falling to his sides.
"And she does. Don't worry about it mate, you need to accept that she does love you. After all, you love her, right?" Harry said, changing before plopping down on his bed, his hands behind his head.
"Yeah. But…it's not like you're in this position…" Ron said, changing from his jeans to his pajama pants as well, but also pulling on a tattered Chudley Cannons shirt. When Harry didn't respond, Ron shot him a questioning glance.
"Wait… you and Ginny…" He asked, looking almost a little scared.
"Let's…go to sleep. You've got to go shopping in the morning." Harry said, taking off his glasses and leaning over for the lamp between the two beds.
"Do you… love Ginny?" Ron asked, sitting down on his own bed. Harry was caught, he was afraid of Ron's answer, but he couldn't lie. Slowly, he nodded.
"She was the last thing I thought about before I let Voldemort try to kill me… that's how much I love her, Ron." He said, running a hand through his dark hair. He didn't meet Ron's face, he was afraid of the anger he would find there…
"And she loves you, too?" Ron's voice was a little weak, Harry supposed this was a prequel to the shouting sure to come.
"She told me so today."
"Oh thank Merlin." Ron said, a new tone in his voice entirely. "I thought you two might not get back together again… Hermione said it was inevitable… but I was worried." Ron sounded completely ecstatic, which completely confused Harry.
"What? You're not mad?" Harry asked, his head shooting up to look at Ron, who was utterly beaming.
"Bloody hell, no! Mate, this is perfect! You two are brilliant for each other!" Ron said, punching the air with his fist.
Harry couldn't help but be relieved at hearing Ron's approval, although he knew that Ginny especially would be fine without it. He brushed his hair down subconsciously, smiling.
"We're all four fools, huh?" He asked, thinking of his own reaction to similar couples. But a group of two couples, that was a little over the top.
"Fools for sure, mate. You think we'll ever be like…like actually related?" Ron asked, his voice strange. Harry gulped silently, it wasn't as though he had never thought of this before. He had thought of it many times, what it would be like to be related to both Ron and Hermione through Ginny…
"Maybe… who knows?" He said, looking over at Ron.
"Yeah, who knows. Well, g'night." Ron said, looking a bit embarrassed at voicing the idea. This he hid by turning off the light with a definite click.
"Night, Ron." Harry said, pulling down the covers from his bed and settling between them, thinking of what it would be like to marry into the Weasley family.
"Harry... HARRY… HARRY!" Came a voice in his ear, and Harry opened his eyes. A mixture of grey rainy-morning light and orange-red met his eyes, so bright he had to shut them again.
"Wha…" He said, sitting up. Pulling his glasses off of the table, he slid them on to see Ginny sitting on his bed next to him, her arms folded. "Oh…good morning…" he said groggily, grinning stupidly at her.
"Merlin, Harry, you should have been awake an hour ago! Ron came down for breakfast without you, thinking you'd follow. Apparently not, so they sent me up here. Something makes me think that they just wanted me out of the room." She added the last bit as an afterthought before turning to his drawers.
"An hour? Bloody hell…" He said, ruffling his bangs off of his face. "And speaking of hell: What the hell are you doing?" He asked, throwing the covers off of himself and getting out of bed, forgetting that he was only wearing his boxers.
"I'm picking you out some clothes for the day so that it will quicken things out. Falmouth? No thank you. I thought you liked Puddlemere?" She said, rummaging through his drawers.
"I do, but Fred gave me that shirt a long time ago. Said it would help me pick out a good team, since I couldn't make up my mind. Given, it was made up the second Oliver made Puddlemere's reserve team. He's starting this year, y'know?" He asked, coming up behind her.
"Yeah, Ron told me. And that's typical Fred, trying to rub his team off on everyone else. I personally favor Holyhead, but that may just be me…"
"Crazy feminist. Like I said, good morning." He muttered, smiling and kissing her on the cheek.
"Good morning to you too, Harry. And nice boxers. Maybe I should pick out an outfit to go around them… green and gold…"
"Ah shit... I forgot… sorry…" He said, trying to find something to cover himself up with.
"Harry, I grew up with six brothers. It doesn't faze me in the slightest. Just don't ever expect it to turn me on, either." She said, smiling coquettishly up at him.
"Noted. Now are you going to let me pick out my own clothes or not?" He asked, placing his hands on her elbows.
"No! Now go take your shower and get ready. This stuff'll be ready when you come out."
"Fine… but the water'll be warm…" He joked, stretching out against the doorframe. Before he knew it, one of Ron's shirts was dangling off of his head. "Oh, you're asking for it now!" He said, flinging the shirt that Ginny had thrown at him onto the floor and running after her. Ginny squealed, but Harry caught her and pressed her against the wall, kissing her softly.
"Mmm… best way to start the day." She whispered.
"You're a much better alarm clock than Ron." He said, twirling a lock of her red hair and allowing it to fall on her bright blue shirt. The material was a little clingy, and extremely soft to the touch. Feminine as well, with a double-padded scooped collar and little frilly cap sleeves.
"Go get ready. I'll be downstairs." She said, reaching up to him and kissing him lightly. Harry turned and headed for the door. When he reached the doorway, however, Ginny called out to him.
"Oh, and Harry?"
"Yeah?" He asked, turning around.
"You might want to take care of that…excitement of yours."
Harry groaned and headed out the door.
Twenty minutes later Harry emerged into the kitchen, dressed in the gold shirt with a large red Gryffindor symbol and jeans that Ginny had picked out for him. He carried in his pocket the moleskin Hagrid had given him. Inside was his wand, the key to his Gringotts vault, and a few galleons he still had left over from the last time he had been to Diagon.
When he walked into the kitchen he found Hermione in a short grey peacoat sitting next to Ron, who was in his old buffalo plaid coat, both sipping pumpkin juice and eating pancakes.
"Sorry, it's not exactly a gourmet breakfast. Mum and dad left early for Uncle Emmit's, so I made breakfast. I'm better at making pancakes than what Mum usually makes, so I made, well, pancakes." Ginny said, standing up from her seat on the sill of the big window.
"Mmm…pancakes…" He said, walking over to the skillet where the pancakes were cooking. He attempted to pull it off of the pan with the spatula, but it only fell apart into a mixture of flaky and gooey.
"Shoo! This is why boys don't cook… it isn't sexist… it's common sense." She said, stepping between him and the destroyed pancake, pointing at the plate of already made pancakes waiting for him on the counter.
"Oh…" He said, feeling rather stupid. He picked up the plate and headed for the table. "You've just been the all-around matron today, haven't you?" He asked after taking a bite.
"Huh? Seeownymaypacakes…" Ron was apparently enjoying his pancakes with great delight, as they were heavily disrupting his speech. Hermione covered her eyes with one hand, turning away from the sight of her boyfriend speaking with his mouth full.
"Manners, Ron!" She said in an exasperated voice.
"Right… just pancakes." Ginny said with a wink, sitting down next to Harry and helping herself to a few slices of cantaloupe from the bowl on the table. "So, where in Diagon are you two heading?" She said, sucking the juice from the fruit off of her fingers.
"I desperately need to stop by Madam Malkins. I suppose that now we're all of age we should probably wear more Wizarding clothing, especially since we'll start doing job interviews." Hermione reasoned, setting aside her finished pancakes.
"Inerviews? We'regonnagobatuhHowarts, righ?" Ron said, incredulous. Ginny submerged into a fit of giggles at Hermione's furious glare, and Harry couldn't help but laugh as well.
"Honestly Ron, swallow! And you should know, having five older siblings, that in the seventh year we go through many job interviews." Hermione said, rolling her eyes. This was news to Harry. Job interviews this year? He had an odd feeling that his desired occupation wouldn't be too hard for him to enter.
A while later the four emerged onto the Burrow's front porch, safeguarded from the rain. They were laughing and talking, well fed and ready to go about their days. Harry had put on his old windbreaker jacket to protect himself from the storm gusts while he saw his friends out.
"Ready Ron? See you two tonight then!" She called out to Harry and Ginny, while she and Ron apparated. Harry looked down at Ginny and grinned.
"They're not going to Madam Malkin's, are they?" He asked, receiving a matching smile.
"Of course not. Probably the most secluded spot Hermione can find. And of course, Ron'll be incredulous." She said, rolling her eyes.
"When isn't he?" Harry asked, laughing. "Don't you need an umbrella? Your hair'll get messed up." He added, looking at Ginny's hair. It was falling in curls today, which Harry didn't remember Ginny ever having had before. Nor had he ever seen curls stay so immaculate in rain. Which only led to one answer…
"Magic. Hermione taught me how to keep my hair steady in any weather, a long harbored talent by witches. So no, no umbrella needed."
"I'm supposing she also taught you how to curl it like that?"
"No, that's a basic. I've been able to do it for years, I just never, well, wanted to. There's not even an incantation needed, you just wrap hair around your wand and want it to curl. Same for eyelashes." She added, batting her own for effect.
"That explains why Lavender usually had her wand precariously close to her eyes at breakfast. By the way, have you heard how she is?" He asked her.
"Yeah, she's doing fine. Pretty big fall though, so she'll still be recuperating for a while. Ron should be thanking Merlin, Dagda, and anything else he can find that she didn't die, that would be one awkward funeral." She said, raising her eyebrows and slanting her lips.
"Sure would. Well, should we go back inside?" He said, offering her his arm.
"Yeah, sure. Kind of odd having this whole house to just us." She mused, laying her hand on the doorframe.
"Yeah…but I'm pretty sure we can find something or other to do." He said with a smirk, and the two walked inside.
Harry followed Ginny back inside, and took off his jacket, hanging it on the hook by the door. Ginny started upstairs, and Harry followed, a bit confused.
"Hey, where are you going?" He called from a landing below her. She bypassed her own room and kept going higher, bewildering Harry.
"We're going to get your Firebolt and Ron's cleansweep…I want to play Quidditch!" Ginny called out, leaning over the railing so that her hair swept down around her face as she smiled at him. Harry leaned out over the railing so that he could see her, and their eyes locked. Harry couldn't help but return her smile.
"In this weather? Are you mad?" He asked, a grin still tugging at the corners of his lips.
"Duh! Come on, you're the captain. We have to practice in all weathers, isn't that the thing you're always saying?" She asked, bouncing up and down a little. From Harry's vantage point, this gave off a peculiar effect.
"Well yes…but in the school year… we haven't started yet… and I might not even be captain anymore, seeing as I wasn't there last year. I might not even be eligible to play."
"Of course you will. On both accounts. Now come on, I want to play Quidditch!"
"Ginny, we're both Seekers… we'll get killed by the wind!" He said, and this seemed to make some sense to Ginny.
"Well…but…" She protested, but Harry shook his head.
"It's no use. Get down here. We'll play exploding snap or something until we can fly, okay?" He asked, grinning at her obvious displeasure with the weather.
"Fine, but wouldn't one of us need to get the deck then?" She asked, placing her elbows on the railing.
"That would be the case if we weren't a witch and a wizard. Accio exploding snap!" He said, and Ron's deck flew down. Harry caught it easily in his left hand, and shifted his head to the side in attempt to get Ginny to come down. She started down, and Harry propped himself against the wall next to her door in order to wait for her. She came down the stairs a bit more upbeat than he expected, grinning.
"Last one down has to clean Arnold's cage!" She yelled suddenly, a wild grin spreading across her face as she ran out in front of him.
"Hey not fair!" He said, running after her. The two were laughing, and on the last landing he sprang over the banister and landed on the floor just before she managed to make it to the hallway.
"Not fair, you cheated!" She protested, leaning over forewards.
"So did you!" He said back to her, grinning. Ginny pouted, and Harry walked towards her. He laid a hand on her shoulder, then out of the blue he swept her up into his arms, holding her like a baby.
"Put me down!" She protested, laughing.
"Not until you admit that you cheated!" He said, spinning around quickly.
"No…no…no…no…" she laughed, turning towards him to avoid the possibility of falling.
"Say it or I won't let you down…" He said down to her, by now forgetting what they were even fighting over. He spun faster, just enjoying playing with Ginny.
"Maybe I don't want you to put me down." She said, her hands on his chest, her brown eyes peering up at him. Harry slowed down, and just as he stopped bent over and kissed her. She moaned slightly with surprise, and locked her arms around his neck. He hoisted her higher up to him, wrapping his arms tightly around her so as to not let her fall.
When the two broke apart for breath, Ginny's eyes were wide and her breath running ragged. "No, definitely don't want you to put me down." She said, even as she lowered herself out of his arms to where she was standing in front of Harry, her arms still laying idly on his chest, his arms wrapped around her waist.
Harry felt weak for some reason that had nothing to do with holding Ginny. He moved his hand to brush away a stray lock of her glistening red hair, but found his hand to be holding the long forgotten box of exploding snap.
"Oh, right…" Said Ginny, mistaking the reason for the card box dangling in front of her face.
"Yeah…uh huh…" He said, watching as Ginny sat down on the ground next to him. Shaking his head slightly, he sat next to her and dealt the cards. As they played Harry couldn't keep his mind from wandering to the way Ginny looked when she lay out a card, or how her hair was, despite its magic, relaxing out of its curls and into waves that shimmered whenever a bolt of lightening flashed by the sitting room window. Ginny seemed a little unfocused as well, and between the two of them it was a horribly played game of snap, with Harry barely coming out on top. As they started a second game, the sky started to clear up. Harry broke the ice by gloating a little bit, and the two played and laughed, being their old selves in the next round. By the time they finished (with Harry winning again), it was still cloudy, but no rain at all.
"Oooh…let's go play Quidditch now. Like…one on one with the Quaffle." She said, bouncing up and down a little. It was nearing noon, and Harry had to think for a second.
"We should probably eat first. You know?" Harry said, looking at the clock on the wall.
"Yeah. I'll make sandwiches." Ginny said, standing up and flipping her hair back over her shoulder.
"I'll help." Harry said, standing up so that he was back to being his good handful of inches above her. Ginny smiled up at him, tossing her hair back behind her head.
"If you must… but don't get in the way. We can't have you flubbing up a sandwich, can we?" She said, her eyes glistening.
"Now how can I make a mistake on a sandwich? You don't have that low of esteem for me, do you?" He asked, fake pouting and placing his hands on her hips.
"In the world of cooking…yes. That poor pancake, it never had a chance…" She murmured, echoing his pout. Slowly and definitely her hands moved upwards and clasped around his neck, and she pressed against him with her head and shoulders leaning back to look up at him.
"So like you." He murmured back, moving down and kissing her softly, passionately, warmly. Ginny moaned as his lips pushed against hers, his arms encompassing her tightly and pulling her towards him. She tightened her grip around his neck, stepping on her tiptoes while kissing him back. Harry gave a little more support under her shoulder blades, and was rewarded with the response of Ginny lifting her feet one at a time so that he was literally holding her above the ground. It was a bit straining, but with Ginny kissing him back the way she was, he was in no place to complain. As his lips trailed across her cheek she sighed, causing Harry to moan into the soft skin of her cheek.
"God Ginny…" He said, his voice muzzled by the curve of her chin, where his mouth was currently pressed. Ginny whimpered in response, all the time holding herself closer to him.
"Sandwiches…" She breathed, a weak protest in Harry's opinion, but a protest all together. Harry lowered her back down to the ground, reclaiming her lips with his own for the briefest of seconds before releasing them, a hand snuggling into the waves of her crimson hair.
"If you insist…" He teased, flipping a lock of her hair.
"Who said I insist?" She asked, her voice deep and with a little more edge to it than Harry was used to… which provided Ginny's intentional effect. Harry buckled a bit at the knees, his eyes locked with Ginny's large brown ones filled with so much heat and desire. Groaning slightly, he pulled her face to his, kissing around her jawbone and up to her temple causing her to sharply inhale. Yet even as she did so, Ginny moved and placed a kiss at his neck, making it his turn to inhale. She was also running her hands up and down over his back, and he felt as though he would surely collapse without any support from a source other than the small figure in front of him.
His hands began to explore over her as well as he reclaimed her lips again. One closed over her shoulder, the other still winding freely in her falling hair. Her hands moved under his shirt, tracing the lines of his muscles with a single finger. The feel of her fingernail against his skin caused chills to erupt over Harry's body, the gooseflesh seeming to make Ginny even more concentrated in her pursuit. Harry swallowed down a groan and started kissing her neck, nibbling at her pulse point. Ginny moaned and tried to find his lips again, but he wouldn't let her. His lips slowly and surely made their way down her neck and to her collarbone area, his fingers stroking where his hands had just been. Ginny shuddered, and Harry could feel that it was her turn to get chills. His fingers played around and stroked slightly under the scooped collar of her shirt. They next slid down and pressed underneath her breasts, his lips moving around the edges of his collar.
"Harry…" Her voice was between a whisper and a moan, her breath coming raggedly, so much that he could feel the air coming from her mouth blowing at his hair.
"Mhmmm?" He muttered into the skin of her chest, his fingers one by one brushing over the tops of her breast, dragging the slinky fabric of her shirt slightly with them as they went. However, Ginny didn't respond, she only threaded her fingers through his hair and moaned. Yet something strange happened as she moaned. It started out as a regular moan: that seductive noise Ginny made when they were in moments of passion. As Harry reflected, he realized that this was as far as they had gone before. Maybe that explained why the noise Ginny made suddenly turned from a moan to something a bit raspier. Groggily, Harry's mind was reminded of Ron by the noise. Ginny stopped stock still, flushing from what Harry could see to the face he straightened up to look at. She was embarrassed, and looked on the verge of either tears or laughter.
"Excuse me?" She muttered meekly, her face contorted with embarrassment. "I guess I really am hungry…" She moved her hand to hide her face away from him. Her embarrassment was incredibly cute to Harry, and he pulled her hand away, leaning in and kissing her. He made it a romantic gesture, tipping her a bit like in those silly movies Aunt Petunia was so prone to watching while having Harry do the dusting.
"I guess it's time for those sandwiches, huh?" He said, rocking her back and forth. She was still incredibly pink in the face, but smiling at him shyly.
"Last one in has to clean up!" She said, laughing as they ran for the kitchen.
An hour later they emerged outside in their jackets, the rain had left a crisp coolness to the air. Each clutched a broom in his/her hand, Ginny's being Ron's Cleansweep. Harry had already called in and replaced his Firebolt, seeing as he had more than enough money to provide for the top-of-the-line broom. The new broom in his hands didn't have the same familiarity as his old Firebolt, and the sentimental value of it having been given to him by Sirius was gone. Still, Harry had decided to buy a new Firebolt rather than waiting for the new continental model, the Starstruck, to come out. This was the last year he would need a competition broom, and his Firebolt was more than good enough. Harry also had the battered red quaffle under his arm. They held hands while walking to the orchard-hidden makeshift pitch. The tarnished hoops Mr. Weasley had erected for his children still stood, although the lines were so faded they could hardly be seen. It didn't matter, with one-on-one they wouldn't need a keeping area.
"Prepare to lose." Ginny said, leaning over and kissing him, stealing the quaffle in the process. With that she swung herself over her broom and flew up about twenty feet with only the briefest hesitation before starting to soar towards Harry's hoops.
"I guess saying you're cheating would get me no where, huh?" He asked while jumping on his broom and flying after her. His broom being the quicker of the pair, he was able to catch up with her fairly easily. Yet Ginny being a chaser, she easily outmaneuvered him. It was a whole new side to Quidditch, actually playing from the position rather than watching it.
"Harry, you should just give up. You're not a chaser. You don't have the build, for one." Ginny said after a half an hour, Harry having the ball and attempting to move past her. Harry smirked.
"My dad was chaser, and I look just like him." He said, attempting to hook around her but being stopped by her ever-present skill at reading him.
"Oh yeah, that's right. He had like three championships with Gryffindor." She said, the conversation not distracting her from blocking his attempt to dive under her.
"Gee, who does that sound like?" Harry said, managing final to get around Ginny with a triple-fake that took a lot of maneuvering and a slight dizziness in Harry's mind.
Six hours later Harry found himself beaten thoroughly, with Ginny at six times his score. The two called it a day and started up for the Burrow. As they were walking past Fred's grave, they could just see Mr. and Mrs. Weasley apparate outside the house. As they drew closer, they could see that both looked harried, and Mrs. Weasley was very close to shouting.
"Allow them, ALLOW THEM! Of all the brainy plans, Arthur! You saw them last night! We brushed over it, pretended we didn't see it, but the fact of the matter is that he's a hormonal teenage boy! All of them are! Harry, bless him, hasn't had such a problem, but Ron's a floundering fish around Hermione… and she's not exactly well versed in drawing the line about these things! But no, let them go off and stay the night in Hogsmeade by themselves, by all means!"
Harry's eyes widened, and looking over at Ginny he saw the same reaction. Quickly, they jumped behind a flowering bush, upsetting a bee in the process. Ginny shot it down quickly with her wand, and went back to listening to her parents.
"They just want to go shopping, Molly. I'm sure they won't…" Arthur started, fear looming in his eyes.
"Won't what? If you were a teenage boy staying in an inn with your girlfriend, what wouldn't you do, Arthur?"
"You're not one to…" Arthur started, apparently jumping on some new defense. Next to Harry, Ginny cringed at the idea of her parents as teenagers alone in an inn together.
"EXACTLY, ARTHUR! You know what this means, don't you? We have to go with them! Block them from doing something they'll regret! They only just started dating, and we both know how many times those two have fought!"
"You think Harry and Ginny will be okay left alone?" Arthur hazarded, glancing out into the yard. Harry had the slightest idea that Arthur realized they were there.
"They'll be fine. Harry's wonderful at defense, and Ginny's more than capable of defending herself. Now, give me a while to clean up and get ready and then I'll make supper, okay?" With that Molly stormed inside. Without hesitating, Ginny hopped up and walked over to her father.
"So Ron and Hermione are going to Hogsmeade?" She asked, leaning against the wall of the house. Harry came walking up behind her, smiling at Mr. Weasley.
"Yes, Hermione couldn't find a special kind of blibbergi-, blibbergeu-, oh, something that goes in a potion. She thinks she can find it in Hogsmeade, but since the shops are closed for the night she thought that it would be best if she and Ron went up there tonight and stayed over in the local inn. And I, apparently stupidly, gave my permission."
"Oh, so we've got a while to wait before dinner. Come on, Harry. The Weird Sisters are doing a special broadcast tonight." With that Ginny dragged Harry by the wrist into the house and to the sitting room, dropping Ron's broom on the floor and signaling Harry to do the same while she took the wireless and turned the dial until a familiar voice filled the room.
"Hello, Wizards and Witches, this is Lee Jordan coming to you from the newly decoded and de-secretive program Potterwatch. With me I have the biggest sensation to hit the wizarding community in ages, the Weird sisters. In a few moments they will take the stage, but before that I would like them to answer…"
Harry settled down on the couch, resting his arm across the back and spreading his legs out lengthwise in front of him, seemingly taking up just about as much space as he could. Ginny turned away from the wireless and went to sit down next to Harry, tripping over his outstretched leg. Sprawling next to him she sat back up laughing and swatting at him. Her fall had caused her shirt to ride up over her hip, giving Harry the view of gracefully curving skin. In proper male fashion, he grabbed it, tickling a bit at her stomach playfully. Ginny shuddered over protectively, pushing his hand away.
"Oooh…stop…" She said, her voice moaning but her eyes sparkling as she moved closer to him, playing up her vulnerability. Harry took the bait and started to lean in to kiss her, but Ginny shook her head.
"Not now. Didn't you hear mum? She trusts us. We'll have plenty of time for that sort of thing later. But for now…" Ginny whispered, shooting a glance at the door behind which her father stood tinkering with something that looked as though it had once been a toaster.
"Alright. But…" he whispered, kissing her quickly. "I had to get that out of my system." He said with a wink. Ginny seemed to soften a bit at the gesture, and a grin crossed her lips.
"Perfectly understandable." She muttered, reluctantly turning away. Harry couldn't help but grin at the effect he had on her, and tightened his arm around her. She shot him a glance, and he pretended to be offended.
"I am allowed to touch you, aren't I?" He said, placing his other hand on his chest and faked looking pained.
"Of course you are." She said, getting dangerously close to him before quickly turning off, an obvious smirk lifting a cheek. Harry sighed, settling down and attempting to actually listen to the broadcast.
Dinner was a quiet affair, with Mrs. Weasley still obviously furious with her husband, while at the same time she seemed delighted at the excursion. She listed off several different things she needed to buy in Hogsmeade, and her prattling gave everyone else at the table an excuse not to speak. Mr. Weasley, of course, was still (to use the common phrase) in the dog house, so he was quiet. Ginny and Harry, however, were attempting not to speak because they were attempting to hide their flirting from Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. They were sitting across the table from each other, and alternating between kicking each other and playing "footsie" while their facial expressions attempted to not convey this information.
"As I was saying, robes are in high demand right now as almost everyone lost a set while either hiding or fighting or something to that manner. So I think I should wait a while to replace mine, as the quality will go down a bit. I was thinking though that it wouldn't be a bad idea to replace that…" Mrs. Weasley was still prattling to no one in particular when Harry felt a sharp pain shoot through his calf from a particularly well placed kick from Ginny. He bent over from the pain, something Mrs. Weasley didn't miss.
"Harry dear, are you alright?" She asked concernedly. Ginny's eyes grew wide, and she was obviously attempting not to laugh. Shooting her a look calling for revenge, Harry faked a cough.
"Choked on a bit of the muffins, Mrs. Weasley." He muttered the lie quietly, as though his throat was still raw. Ginny began to shake a bit in her chair, her suppressed laughter causing her eyes to become a little wet.
"Arms over your head Harry, that's the ticket." Arthur said helpfully. Harry dutifully complied, thinking that it would be suspicious not to. Ginny's fits of giggles further ensued, and Harry rolled his eyes at her, causing her to slowly sober up to just a small grin.
"So, mum, did you already book your room with Aberforth or are you just going to get it when you get there? It's getting pretty late, you might want to get there sooner so that he's not cranky and won't give you a room next to a half-banshee or something…" Ginny said, glancing at Harry's watch from across the table. Nine at night wasn't exactly a barman's idea of late, but the idea seemed to settle into Mrs. Weasley's head.
"She's right. We best go, Arthur. Now you two behave, we'll be back tomorrow noon for lunch. There's plenty here for you to eat in the morning, and I've already had Arthur lay out food for the chickens. You know where to send Pigwidgeon if you need us." She said, rising from the table.
"Yes, goodnight!" Arthur agreed, standing up and nodding his head at the two. Molly was busy cleaning up, but after she did she took her cloak from the hook and smiled at them.
"Goodnight, dears! See you tomorrow!" She said. She and Arthur then walked out the door, and disapparated just out of sight. The two sat still for a few moments before Ginny spoke.
"Choking on the muffin? You're so lucky my parents are oblivious." Ginny accused, a smirk on her face.
"Right…because there was a better defense just dancing in front of my face…" He said, standing up and walking around the table. "And like you wouldn't have said something equally impromptu." He said, placing his hands on either side of her on the cold wood of the table, leaning over her.
"That's beside the point." She said, a wicked look on her face as she tilted her head back. Harry turned his neck just the slightest bit and lowered himself down to kiss her. Ginny slipped her arms up around his neck, pulling him the slightest bit closer.
"Hmm…I think we left the wireless on." She muttered arbitrarily as they pulled away. He followed her out of the kitchen and to the sitting room, where she promptly turned off the wireless.
"I think I'm ready for bed. I'll just put the brooms in the closet…hey, where'd the quaffle go?" She asked, looking over where they had set their brooms.
"Shit, probably dropped it when we hid behind that bush. I'll go get it." Harry said. He started heading for the door.
"Okay, but I'm going to bed. Just set it there, and we'll clean up in the morning." She said, walking over and kissing him before turning back upstairs. For some reason or other Harry didn't feel goodnights were in order, and walked outside into the cool summer night air in order to retrieve the quaffle. He found it just where he expected, behind the bush they had hidden behind. As he walked back he saw a bird swoop low over his head and land in a tree next to another bird. He stopped to watch the bird's happy homecoming, the sound of chirping baby birds as well. Harry smiled as a crisp breeze went past him, blowing his hair just the slightest bit. He started walking again, a subconscious calmness setting into him.
He walked back into the house, locking the door behind him. He dropped the quaffle on the pair of brooms and started up the stairs, attempting to decide whether or not to knock on Ginny's door and wish her goodnight. These thoughts proved themselves pointless as he reached the first floor landing, the door cracking open quietly, Ginny just visible in the sliver he could see through the door. Her hair was now almost completely straight, leaving her looking much more like the Ginny he had always known. She had removed her shoes, which even though they had been trainers left her shorter than he was used to.
"Harry, will you come here love?" She said, leaning against the doorframe, the door opening up just the littlest bit further. Harry could see into her room, see the Holyhead posters still decorating her walls, see Arnold the Pygmy Puff still buzzing around in his cage.
"Of course, sweetheart." He said, stepping towards her. He rested his arm against the frame above her head, leaning towards her. "Ah, good memories, this doorway." He grinned at her, and could notice that Ginny seemed a little timid. Yet she returned his grin, looking for an explanation.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, there was, what is it, five years ago now? That I walked past here and saw these huge brown eyes staring at me…" here Ginny blushed and swatted him on the chest at his reference to her youthful crush, "and then there was last year… so unfortunately interrupted by your overprotected brother." He finished unfazed, grinning down at her.
"Actually, that's what I wanted to talk to you about." She said, dropping her eyes just the slightest bit and then raising them back up to his, obviously attempting to gather her courage. Harry felt a stillness run through him, but grinned.
"Your overprotective brother?" He asked, attempting to lighten her up.
"No…when I asked you in here last year. Before my brother." She said, a flush rising slightly in her cheeks. Harry decided that the time for teasing her was over.
"I'm listening." He said softly, waiting for her to continue.
"It's just that we…never finished." She said, her face oddly blank, her eyes on fire. Harry stirred from his stillness, moving to wrap his arms around Ginny's small frame.
"Would you like to?" He asked her, brushing a lock of her crimson hair back from her face.
"More than anything." She said, loosening up just the slightest bit, yet still not smiling. Harry knew just how to fix that problem. Slowly, gently, delicately, he bent down and kissed her. Her response was immediate, her arms clasping around his neck and her lips opening against his, allowing his tongue to enter her mouth. This continued for some time, both frozen in time as they kissed in the doorway. Yet suddenly, Harry paused from his pursuit of Ginny's mouth and whispered delicately in her ear.
"I love you so much." He said before kissing just under her ear, causing her to start slightly before he took up kissing down her jaw and under her chin.
"Mmm…I love you too." She said, her eyes drifting closed as his lips began to suckle at her pulse point. Deciding it would be best if there were no souvenirs of their night together she took his hands in hers and brought him into her room to sit on her bed. Harry picked her up around the waist and sat her on the bed first, his fingers bunching around her stomach to tickle her slightly. Ginny moaned at the gesture, but a smile drew across her lips.
"Much better. I thought you might be going through a timid spell or something." He said, tracing around her curved mouth with his finger from his point standing in front of the bed, leaning down over her.
"Timid? You've got to be kidding me." She said wickedly, standing on the wooden frame of the bed and kissing him, pulling his shirt up as she did so, breaking the kiss only to get the shirt over his head, allowing it to drop to the floor as she launched back into the kiss, pulling him down onto the bed next to her and rolling over on him, still kissing him fervently all the while.
"Okay, I think you've made your point." He said, his eyes determinedly closed as he broke the kiss. In a quick, smooth motion he peeled her soft blue shirt over her head, followed by her matching undershirt. At what he now saw, he couldn't help but laugh just the littlest bit.
"What?" She asked, worry and defense crowding into her voice.
"A blue bra, Ginny? Of all the things I would have expected…" he said, laughing good naturedly at the sky blue bra that covered Ginny's small breasts. "Red, black, white, anything but blue!"
"I like my colors, thank you." She said, raking her fingers over Harry's chest and causing him to still the slightest bit. Grinning wickedly, she leaned over and pressed her lips to the smooth, well muscled skin of his chest.
"Hmm…you weren't so well formed last year." She said, her hands tracing over his muscles.
"Lack of food and excess of physical exertion will do that to you I guess." He said, removing her hands from his chest and holding them both in one hand. He leaned in and kissed her, attempting to show just how passionate he was about her at that very moment. Gently he ran his hand up and down her torso, loving the way she contracted slightly under him. He moved for the button of her jeans, and as he loosed the button from its hold he inadvertently brushed the smooth skin of Ginny's lower stomach, causing her to moan and arch slightly towards him. Harry quickly unzipped her pants and slid them down her legs, tossing them onto the floor next to their shirts. This revealed a smooth cottony pair of matching blue boy-shorts. Harry smiled.
"I should have known." He said, grinning wickedly and beginning to move towards her bra again. He traced the edges of the blue cotton material with his fingers, causing Ginny to shudder and wind her fingers into his hair. Yet she managed to remove them without Harry noticing, unbuckling his belt and the button of his jeans. As she slid down the zipper she found that his member was erect and ready for her, little coaxing needed. As his pants fell down to his ankles Harry kicked off his own trainers and socks, allowing the jeans to fall to the floor. Seeing the boxers she had laughed at in the morning, she smiled at him mischievously.
"I thought it wouldn't turn you on?" He teasingly whispered into her ear, his hot breath causing Ginny to close her eyes, it pleased her so much. This wasn't wasted on Harry, he ran his tongue around the rim of her ear, causing her to gasp. The two moved to right themselves on the bed, Ginny lying down with Harry propping himself up above her.
"That didn't mean it couldn't add on to what was already started…" Ginny said as Harry turned his attentions to unlatching her bra. Finally he managed to pull it away from her, releasing her two small, well formed breasts. Gently, Harry rubbed his palms over her nipples, causing Ginny to arch towards him. Harry caressed her for some time, causing Ginny to moan every once and a while, making Harry's blood run hot. He drifted one hand down, gently pulling down Ginny's underwear and dropping them off the side of the bed. He stopped and straightened, staring at Ginny's perfect figure beneath him. He could see Ginny's breathing shallow, her face hesitant. He moved over her, kissing her lips delicately.
"You're beyond beautiful." He whispered, his hands clasping on her shoulders. Ginny blushed still more yet, but a glint formed in her eye as she reached her cold hands down and stroked the muscle of his stomach before quickly and efficiently yanking down Harry's boxers.
"So are you."
He shuddered as the cool air, and Ginny's eyes, met his member. She reached out as though to touch it, but he caught her hand quickly. He placed a quick kiss to her palm before placing it back on the bed next to Ginny, concentrating very hard on how to go about doing this. He had never… he had heard very little about it… but he did remember Ron's account of something he did to Lavender that Hermione could never know about…
Harry trapped the folds of Ginny's…female parts…with his fingers, slowly rubbing them against each other and in gentle circles. Underneath him Ginny tightened, her eyes drifting shut. He continued to do this until she became pleasantly moist, and then he separated the folds and started to circle two of his fingers around the small indention just above her opening. Ginny moaned and arched upwards to him, tightening all the more. He kept the fingers of his right hand circling, but slipped his left index finger into the slick, warm opening in front of him. Ginny's response was instantaneous, she tensed further, and her insides pressed against his finger. Groaning, Harry pulled his finger out of her, stopped the circling. He slid his hands up her torso to rest on her rib cage, holding her tightly.
"Ginny, love, you haven't done this before, have you?" He asked. It wasn't accusatory, but questioning. Ginny shook her head, her eyes flickering open. She was gazing at him with the hard gaze he had become so accustomed to in their relationship; although he saw that her pupils were slightly larger than usual.
"No. And you haven't…" She asked, her face pale.
"Of course not." Harry said, kissing her sweetly before positioning his member at her base. She tensed even more beneath him, knowing what was to come. As slowly as possible, Harry started to slide into her. He was just beginning to think he was in the clear when suddenly he felt something slacken around him and Ginny tensed up in a quick movement. He stopped stock still, waiting.
"Should I…" He started hesitantly, watching her.
"Keep…going…" She cut across him, her eyes screwed closed. Gently he pushed further into her, and he felt Ginny relax a little bit. He moved further, testing her, and was confirmed in his questions when Ginny moaned again. He allowed himself to keep moving, figuring out what seemed to bring pleasure to Ginny and him at the same time. Soon he found Ginny's groans coming more frequently, and his own bliss pushing the edges.
"Gin…ny…"
"Ha…rry…" They called, and soon collapsed from their orgasms. After a few moments Harry opened his eyes and slid under Ginny's covers, helping her along with him. Her eyes were wide yet obviously sleepy, and she snuggled happily against his chest.
"Harry…get the light." She asked, and he could feel her eyelashes drag shut against his skin. Harry reached over and took her wand from the bedside table, managing to remove the light from the room with it before setting it back down. He pulled the covers up closer over them, his arms around Ginny's small body. Bending his head down, he placed a kiss on her scarlet hair before stroking through it with one hand.
"Mmm…I love you, Harry." She said, pressing a kiss to his bare chest.
"You too, Ginny." He said, tilting her head up to his with one hand and kissing her goodnight.