Chapter #8 –Falling Again
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, any of the characters in the book, or anything else related to the book.
A/N: I don't have a really important Author's note. I hope you enjoy the chapter:)
----------------
The sun slowly leaked across the sky. Harry smiled; he had still been walking with Ginny. He could tell that she was wearisome by how slowly she had begun to walk. He had gradually changed their direction until they were arriving on the steps of Ron and Hermione's house. He was refreshed; he had seen some hope. But when his feet stepped hesitantly onto the porch he glanced down at Ginny.
"I don't know if I should come in right now, some stuff happened with Hermione and I just—"
"Hermione isn't home; she left."
"Wait, what?"
"She…left. As in, took Jack and walked out. She might be back, I have no idea. I haven't heard from her since."
"Really?"
"Yes, Harry. Really." She shook her head and smirked before unlocking the door and entering with a slight sigh. He followed her inside; almost sure that Hermione wouldn't be there. The light poured into the empty room. It was mysteriously quiet; Harry remembered how early Ron would rise in the morning. He was Harry's alarm clock lately. Maybe he had left too; but where was Luna then?
"Hmm, it's really quiet."
"Yeah," Ginny agreed, before dropping her keys and hanging up her coat. Harry then threw his jacket on the couch. "I wonder where they are," Ginny smiled, "I'll go check Ron's room,"
"Okay, err, I guess I'll come up with you," Harry wasn't for sitting and waiting in a potentially empty house. It was still dark; the sunlight hadn't yet escaped into the secluded corners of the house. They headed up the stairs, almost every step sighing as a foot stepped heavily on it. "I was wondering if I could ask you what happened with Malfoy,"
"Yeah, it's fine, I'll tell you. But let me check if Ron—" She opened the door to see Ron and Luna in a peaceful embrace lying upon his bed.
"I guess Ron's home." Harry shrugged and lifted Ginny's hand off of the doorknob, "Let's give them some…privacy.""Sure," She grinned at Harry, "But he better not hurt both Luna and Hermione."
"I don't think he will," Harry added doubtfully as he headed back downstairs followed cautiously by Ginny. They went to the kitchen and cooked breakfast.
"So Harry, how's life?" She smiled sarcastically before taking a bite of her meal.
"Oh, it's lovely!" He beamed.
"That's good," Her voice faltered as she picked fiercely at her eggs and toast. "Harry, don't you feel like you're missing out?"
"On what?" He asked, though he knew exactly what she was talking about.
"Everything: children, a house, a wife, a family."
"Well," He put down his food. He had thought about this often, but was he ready to admit his secret desires? "Actually, yes. I want a family, I want that old cliché, those monotonous everyday things that everyone hates and Christmas presents and fighting over what couch to get. All of it. But I obviously can't have it. I'll never meet a sincere enough person."
"Sure you will," Ginny suggested with an assuring grin.
"Well, it doesn't seem that way right now." He pouted. "It's so simple, yet I can't achieve it."
"Gosh Harry, angst much?" She giggled slightly but he could feel the uncertainty in her voice. "But don't worry Harry; I want the same exact thing. It's worth waiting for."
"Did you wait with Malfoy?" Harry snapped, almost too fast.
She paused, unsure of how to answer, "Yes, a little too much. And well, I guess that he wasn't my type." She stood up and placed her plate in the sink as if to end the conversation.
"Since when do you have a type?" he asked a little too hastily as he remembered her several boyfriends during their years at Hogwarts and shortly after.
"Everyone does Harry,"
"Harry. Ginny!" Ron yelled suddenly as he entered the kitchen with Luna following. He turned quickly to her. Harry noticed how he dropped her hand so quickly. What was going on with those two?
"Morning guys!" Ginny greeted with a smile, "Want anything to eat?"
"Err, no thanks we were planning on going out, actually." Luna added quietly.
"Oh, well, me and Harry were just leaving. So we won't be able to cook anyway." She smiled, laughed a little and then tugged Harry by the hand into the other room. "We are leaving now." She whispered before grabbing her coat and yelling "goodbye" to Ron and Luna.
When they got outside Harry turned to her. It was cold enough to see his breath as he began to speak, "What was that?"
"Awkward! If he's having an affair it isn't our place to know about it at all." She began to walk away, causing Harry to hurry after her. He hastily shuffled through his pockets and began to wrap his scarf around his neck and push his hat onto his head.
"So now what?" Harry scanned the neighborhood, he thought to himself 'I guess we're going for another walk'.
"We are going" she said with such confidence that the next word came delayed, "Out."
"Out, oh, that's great." He grinned at this well thought out plan. A few moments of silence went by before he looked her right in the eyes. "I'm all for having no destination; but I can tell you have a place in mind."
"The Burrow. We should go see my mother. I haven't seen her since, well, when I started dating Draco."
"Err, are you sure?" He knew it would be hard.
"Yes, it's something I need to do," She paused and looked up at the sky. It seemed to be drenched of all color today. "Let's walk a little longer though,"
"Sure," He smiled. They walked, it could have been in circles but he didn't notice. The cold was a fresh coat of renewal against his skin and as the time passed he became used to it. He glanced over to her, the silence had allowed him to think. Her face was shinning, her cheeks rosy and her eyes tearing. "Ready?" He asked, but there was no reply. All she did was nod. He took her hand and with a crack they appeared at the Burrow, both with an anticipating feeling that seemed to have picked residence in the pit of their stomach.
----------------
A/N: Misery really does love company! Hope you liked it and thanks for reading. Feedback?