It's been a hot minute, but I'm finally posting chapter 3! I'm sorry for the wait, but I'm gonna be trying to update more and enjoy writing again. I hope you all love this chapter. It's set during the iconic common kiss. As always I have to thank the awesome TheDistantDusk and the incredible Breanie. They helped me so much with this chapter!

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

First Kiss - May 1997

Ginny stood beside Demelza, her butterbeer warming on the table beside her. The common room was loud and hectic. Between the excited cheers and heart-pounding music, Ginny could hardly hear her friend. If she was being honest, Ginny wasn't sure she would have been able to focus on a word being said to her. Not when her attention kept drifting towards the portrait hole.

To where Harry could walk through any moment.

She knew it was pathetic to literally be watching the door for him, but Ginny wanted to see his face when he realized they'd won. When he realized she won for him. Well… not just for him, because being the reason Cho Chang threw her broom to the ground was gratifying. But really she wanted to give Harry a reason to smile again. He'd been so down since that incident with Malfoy that it made Ginny's heart ache for him.

Ginny didn't know all the details, but she knew Harry had regretted whatever he'd done and yet, he kept punishing himself. She'd noticed how before the bathroom incident, Harry had been hanging around her. It was hard to miss the lingering looks and awkward flirty comments he'd made to her. And it would be a lie if she said she didn't like it.

Hell, she loved it.

After all these years, and Harry finally seemed to notice she was a girl. So she'd leaned into it, not that it was a hardship. She'd always fancied him, but this year there had just been such a shift between them that it was practically overwhelming. One look from those intense green eyes and her heart was stuttering. When his hand had so naturally fallen on her knee while they sat in the common room had turned her into putty.

There had been a moment before the Malfoy incident where Ginny had thought something might happen. They had been walking back up to the castle after a long practice. Ron had forgotten his knapsack in the changing room, leaving Harry and Ginny to walk alone. They'd spent the time joking, and what Ginny would consider flirting. Harry had been grinning at her as she re-enacted one of her more spectacular goals. She'd turned around so she was walking backward, not paying any mind to the ground. Which was why she'd tripped on an uneven step and nearly fallen flat on her back. Harry's fast reflexes had saved her. He'd grabbed her wrist and pulled her back up, but his strength was greater than expected, as he'd pulled her straight into his chest. Her cheek had fallen over his heart, which thundered against his ribs. She'd been able to feel her own racing heart as she started to pull away with an apology on the tip of her tongue… which had died when she looked up into his face. The way he'd been looking at her… it was like she was the most beautiful thing in the world. He'd started to lean down, and Ginny had started to rise onto her toes when Ron's voice had broken the spell between them. They'd both shot back as her brother had sprinted towards them yelling something about wanting dinner.

Ginny had been certain that after years of never dreaming it, Harry finally fancied her. But then Harry had pulled back after the whole Malfoy thing. And for some twisted reason, Ginny had gotten it in her head that if they won the cup that… that well she didn't really know what her imagination had started coming up with some rather interesting ideas as she lay in bed at night.

"Ginny?" Demelza slapped her shoulder hard enough Ginny felt the sting.

She glared at her friend. "What was that for?"

Demelza rolled her eyes. "I've literally been talking to you for five minutes and you haven't heard a word I've said. Listen, I can guarantee when Harry shows up you'll know, so stop watching the door like a lovesick puppy."

Ginny bristled. "I'm not a lovesick puppy… I just want to make sure Harry knows we won."

"Oh, and the fact the entire house is celebrating won't give that away?"

"I — I guess I want to be the one to tell him."

Demelza's expression softened. "You've got it bad, girl. And to be fair so does he so you two are perfect for each other." Demelza rested a hand on Ginny's shoulder. "Listen, when Harry arrives the entire common room will greet him, but you… you should run straight up to him and be the first to hug him."

Ginny nodded slowly. "Yeah, I'll hug him and congratulate him."

"Then drag him out of here and snog him senseless."

"Demelza!" Ginny laughed.

"What?!" Demelza lifted her hands in a gesture of innocence. "The tension between you two could be cut with a knife. Really, you'd be doing all of us a favor… well, except maybe your brother."

Their laugher was loud, even for the rambunctious common room. Ginny was about to make a cheeky comment when a loud cry came from the entranceway. Harry was slowly walking in, his expression wary. Ginny's focus tunneled on him. She could see the way his nerves quickly evaporated as he took in the excited crowd. Ron was standing there with the cup still gripped tightly in his hands.

Without realizing it, Ginny started following Demelza's instructions. Her feet started carrying her to him. She pushed past people to reach him. When she was only a few yards away their eyes locked and Ginny was nearly stopped in her tracks. He was looking at her with that intensity that shot right to her gut.

When she reached him, Ginny wrapped her arms high around his neck, fully intending to pull him as close as possible. Before she knew what had happened, Harry had closed the gap between them and pressed his lips to hers.

His lips were slightly chapped as they uncertainly moved across hers. Ginny didn't hold back. Her nails dug into his hair as she pressed herself closer to get a better angle. She lost track of everything by Harry, everything but the way his hands held the small of her back.

Eventually, they pulled away. Her entire body buzzed with energy as she tried to get her brain to come back to life. When Harry's hand fell into hers, she looked into his hopeful expression. He jerked his head towards the exit and Ginny happily followed his lead.

Once the portrait hole shut behind them, Harry pulled them to the side, his bottom lip pulled into his teeth. "Gin, I'm sorry."

Her heart sank into her stomach. Did he regret what just happened? Hadn't he meant to kiss her?

As her mind started spiraling, Harry's words broke through the blood rushing in her ears. "I didn't mean to do that there. I had intended to ask you for a walk or something. I don't know, I just… I didn't intend to kiss you in front of everyone."

Ginny blinked, the anxiety in her gut evaporating. She could feel a smile start to curl her lips. "So you meant to kiss me?"

Harry's jaw dropped as he blinked in rapid-fire succession. "I — of course I did. I'd only been dreaming about it all bloody year." His cheeks brightened as he snapped his mouth closed.

And just like that, Ginny felt like she was on top of the world. She brought her hand to his forearm, letting her finger slowly forge a trail across his skin. "All year, hm?"

When he let out a small choking noise Ginny looked up into his red face to see that his eyes were locked onto her exploring finger. "I mean — it wasn't like —" He swallowed, his chin jerking up so fast she was worried he'd hurt his neck. His eyes were on hers as he started stumbling over his own tongue. "What I mean — I know you were with Dean, but — I just —"

Ginny had heard enough. Her hand that had been on his arm moved with lightning speed to the front of his robes, fisting them. "Harry."

His bright eyes were wide as he stared at her. "Yeah?"

"Shut up." She pulled him closer, rising onto her toes and kissing him hard.