Chapter 5

Harry was at detention when Ginny woke up, but since he got off at one o'clock and it was now almost twelve thirty, Ginny didn't mind much. After breakfast Ron, out of sheer boredom, had brought out the chess set. And that's why, despite Hermione's naggings that they should be studying, Ginny and Ron were locked in a viscous battle, each trying to protect their kings.

Ginny's thoughts fell on Harry as Ron pondered his next move. Harry was... handsome, to say the least. He could have all the girls in Hogwarts, hell, the whole country, on their knees. If he was that sort of a boy, but he wasn't and for that Ginny was eternally grateful. She thought that it was because he was raised by Muggles who told him nothing of the world in which he belonged, because he had leadership and the weight of humanity thrust upon him that he was so humble and selfless. Not to say that he was perfect, far from it. His arrogance, when he let it show, overshadowed everything around him. But she was more than capable enough to put him in his place. It had been awkward, those first few hours after their very public kiss, but after that day she'd come to find that Harry was her ideal boyfriend. Not too protective, but possessive when need be, always considerate of her feelings, humorous and ready for all of her crazy ideas. Not to say that he didn't have any shortcomings, but he was as close to perfect as one could get. Besides, his faults seemed to enhance her attraction to him, much to her discontent; it really seemed as if she'd found the perfect boy! Ginny scowled to think how her mother would react, "Start planning the wedding, boys!" she'd tell Ginny's brothers, "They were meant for each other! Aaah, young love!" Ginny almost laughed out loud. Her mother... maybe she wouldn't tell her yet... or anyone for that matter. Ron knowing was enough, she didn't need Fred and George – who would undoubtedly want a private chat with Harry if they found out – taking the mickey out of her.

"Checkmate"

Ginny shook herself out of her reverie with an ear piercing "What!" She hadn't lost to Ron in ages. Well... it's not like she's played him all that much, but she hadn't lost when she had. She wasn't planning on breaking the tradition.

"Checkmate" Ron repeated slowly, as if she had a mental disability. She frowned at him as her eyes swept over the chessboard, trying to find a move that would save her king. She looked up into Ron's triumphant face, than at Hermione who shook her head sadly. She looked at her fallen pieces and her king; they too shook their tiny heads in defeat. She sighed and mumbled an apology to her queen. With a gentle hand she knocked her king over, a grudging pout pulling at her pink lips. "You win."

Ron let out a great whoop of celebration and grinned at her and Hermione. Ginny rolled her eyes, "It's just a game, Ron."

"You just don't like losing, Gin-germ."

She scowled at his use of a hated childhood pet-name. She would've stuck out her tongue as a childish retort, but at that moment Harry came through the portrait hole looking thoroughly disgusted. She smiled at him, all thoughts of the loss forgotten, as he sat down next to her on the sofa and kissed her cheek.

"How was detention?" Hermione asked from her perch on the arm of Ron's lounger.

"Bloody awesome. Sodding bastard made me tend to all the creatures he had in his sick collection. I nearly wet my pants with excitement when he broke out the sea slugs." He closed his eyes and leaned against the back of the couch, slinging an arm around Ginny's shoulders, effectively pressing her to his side. Ginny caught Hermione's eye and they shared a smile at Harry's sour mood as Ron said indifferently, "Yeah. Snape can have that effect on you." Harry shrugged nonchalantly in response, his eyes still closed.

Ginny took Harry's arm in her lap and circled a small burn on Harry's wrist, he opened one eye and looked at her, "What are you doing?" he asked.

She shrugged, "Looks painful." Noticing Ron's sickened face she exaggerated her sympathy; pouting her lips, making her eyes bigger. "Snape is such a meanie."

He laughed, catching on to her act. "Kiss it better?"

"Why, of course darling!" She pressed her lips to his wrist, keeping her eyes trained on Ron who looked almost green; she prolonged the kiss and gave Harry's wrist a small seductive lick. Harry jumped a bit, looking uncomfortable now. She kept her eyes deliberately from Hermione's who was shaking with silent laughter. Testing the waters a bit here, Ginny pulled a surprised Harry's head down for a kiss. Just as he had cupped her waist in his hands Ron cleared his throat pointedly.

Harry pulled away, allowing himself to grieve for a moment over the loss of Ginny's lips, and then he resumed his earlier position of repose, closing his eyes so as not to see Ron's glaring face. He could hear Ron making a comment on how best friends should keep their hands to themselves.

He opened his eyes a crack and said simply, "She's my girlfriend."

"She's my sister! You don't have to slobber all over her in front of us."

"Like you and Lav-Lav did us the courtesy!" Ginny yelled, jumping up from beside Harry.

Harry stood up too, wishing to avoid a row, "We were just messing around, Ron."

Ron caught Hermione's stern eye and looked away defiantly. "Yea, well. Next time get an empty classroom or something."

"Maybe we will!" Ginny said.

"No. You won't." Hermione said, ever the peacemaker. "We're all going to lunch. Come on." She glared pointedly at Ron who shoved his hands in his pockets, looking sheepish. Ron met Harry's eyes with an expression that clearly said, "What do you expect, mate? She's my little sister!"

After lunch Harry and Ginny headed down to the lake for some time alone. They'd managed to shake off Ron who kept showing up wherever they went like an obsessive martinet. Harry sat down beneath the trunk of a tree; the same tree they'd sat down under since they first came here after the Quidditch Final. Ginny promptly sat down on his lap, smoothed her skirt out, and turned to face him, her expression expectant.

"What?" He asked.

She smiled silently as she raised her hand to the scar on his forehead. Lightly, she traced the lightning shape with her index finger. Her touch was cool and he relished the affection and calm spreading out from under her finger. Harry closed his eyes, basking in her attention. She kissed the scar tenderly, the place where her lips touched felt cooler in the breeze; he opened his eyes. Her fingers curled a bit of his hair around his ear and drifted downwards, over his cheeks and jaw line, coming close to his lips but never touching. Her flowery smell had enveloped him and almost put him in a trance. He noticed that her eyes seemed drawn towards his scar. As her eyes flicked to his forehead again, he asked.

"Does it bother you? My scar?"

She looked surprised by the question, but she smiled and said quietly, "No. You wouldn't be Harry without it."

He sighed, "Sometimes I wish I could be."

Her smile was a little sad this time as she said, "You've been through so much. More than anyone should ever have to go through in a lifetime. Yet, you manage to stay... pure. You're amazing, Harry... I – I lo -"

She looked horrified for a second, a moment of silence later she hastily stood up, grabbing her bag and cloak. "I – um. I have to go, Harry. I promised... Luna, that I'd um, review with her. I'll see you at dinner, ok?" She bent down to kiss him on the cheek and ran across the courtyard.

He sat there, stunned. Then, he scrambled up, "Wait! Ginny! What were you going to say? Ginny!" But it was too late; she had already reached the doors of the castle. He ran after her, but when he opened the great oak doors, the corridor inside was deserted, and he had no idea where she and Luna were studying.

After dinner that night Harry waited, hidden behind a suit of armour, to get Ginny alone in a corner of the fifth-floor corridor. He waited in the shadows, wand ready to Accio her to him. As she said goodbye to her Ravenclaw friends and walked towards the Gryffindor common room he pointed his wand at her and murmured, "Accio."

She gave a small shriek, not anticipating the ambush. "What the - !" He pulled her to a dark niche in the hallway, holding her wrists together, his other hand covering her mouth. When he let go of her, she opened her mouth wide, her wand already in her hand. He pressed his lips to hers. She pushed him away, squinted up at him in the darkness and said, "Oh. It's you."

He managed to get his arms around her in the small space. "What?" he asked, "There are other blokes doing this to you?"

She grinned mischievously, "Well... no. But there was that one Hufflepuff boy..." Ignoring his murderous look, she continued, "But the past is past. Why did you Accio me here for? What happened to meeting in the empty classroom by the boys' loo? Leaving the realms of tradition aren't we?"

"I wanted some privacy while you finish what you were going to say under that tree earlier today."

Ginny plastered an innocent look on her face, "I finished what I wanted to say."

"Ginny..." He pouted, looking down at her from under his eyelids.

She sighed, "I did, Harry. Really."

"But you sort of... ran away earlier."

"Well, I'd just realised that I was late meeting Luna, hadn't I? That's why I 'ran away'."

Harry kissed her forehead, "You swear you weren't going to say anything important?"

In the dimness, he missed the mischievous glint in her eye. "Well... There is news... I'm pregnant."

"What!" Harry yelped, "But we haven't... I mean we... we didn't..."

She laughed – a tinkling, melodious laugh – and kissed him. "You're so cute when you're confused, Harry."

"S'not funny, Gin. I nearly went into cardiac arrest."

She giggled. Harry rolled his eyes, squeezing himself out of the alcove, he took her hand and they walked down the corridor to the Common Room. He slipped his arm around her shoulder, and she slid his arm around his waist. As she told him about Luna's new theory on the Vampire Revolution he kissed her temple.

"What's that for?"

He smiled, shaking his head. "Nothing." She continued with Luna's theory, and he thought of how much she'd come to mean to him in the short time that they'd been together.

Thanks for all the reviews! It's really great to be back from my little unofficial vacations. I feel lke i really must explain. You see, my brother just got diagnosed with cancer and well... it's been... hectic. For all you people that actually read this, there's nothing to worry about, it got caught really early and they'll just surgically remove it... but i've been worried sick. and I'm really sorry for the unofficial hiatus that my stories have been on. I've just started writing my chapters and they'll be up as soon as I can manage. Read, Review, and Enjoy my lovelies! =D

Love,

Qtip.