I think this might be the last chapter for the day... there should be more coming tomorrow I think!
Chapter 7 - Long Johns
The next day started with the threat of the storm looming over their shoulders but the ominous clouds did nothing to dampen the cheery spirit of both Harry and Ginny. After Harry's rest the day before, it seemed to everyone present that an invisible barrier between the two had lowered, creating a more relaxed state of mind for all who resided in the Burrow. The late afternoon was filled with moments of laughter as Ron quite comically went through what he knew about Harry's early life and on to the start of his first year. Ron went into great detail of the moment they both met in that compartment on the Hogwarts Express, laughing about how he should have known from the moment Hermione burst into compartment and bossed them about, that he would end up marrying her. Harry found it comforting to know even the smallest detail and would have enjoyed listening about his first year again, this day, if it weren't for the silly bet that was made before their Quidditch game the day before. The only good thing amongst the gloomily, foreboding weather was the prospect of spending more quality time with Ginny, even if it was while doing chores.
Making their way slowly out to the garden, Ginny smiled cheekily before skipping quickly along the overgrown pathway, laughing infectiously at nothing in particular. Harry found himself watching avidly as Ginny twirled happily, despite the darkening sky, finally stopping abruptly at their destination.
"What's gotten you in such a good mood?" Harry laughed.
Ginny smiled again before answering. "How would you know if this isn't me normally?"
"I'm not, it's just that you don't seem the skipping type." replied Harry.
"And this is from all those years you remember me from?" Ginny retorted cheekily.
Laughing again, Harry just shook his head then replied, "Yeah, that's right, just tease the boy with amnesia, don't you have anything better to do?"
"I do, I just like watching you think up witty come backs. Your nose kind of screws up as if you're in severe pain. Thinking really must be torture for you." replied Ginny with a little quirk of her right eyebrow.
Momentarily stymied, Harry looked disbelievingly at Ginny, who looked back with a blazing look of mischief. Was she flirting? Searching for something to say, Harry just mumbled incoherently.
"Yeah, that's the look I mean." Ginny smiled in laughter before looking away suddenly into the distance, a serious look spread clearly across her face. "We better get this de-gnoming over and done with before it rains. I'll never be able to live down the loss if we don't finish."
Nodding in reply, Harry followed Ginny a little further towards a large clump of overgrown plants right under a heavy trunked tree. He loved the Weasley's garden. There was no organisation to it, just a lot of strange and wonderful shrubs and trees scattered higgly piggly around the spread out yard. It was not everyone's idea of perfection perhaps, but to Harry it seemed like nothing could be more right. Like many other things in this strange new world. Not new, Harry told himself, just forgotten.
Taking his mind off his surroundings and back to the task at hand, Harry let out a little cough of surprise as he glanced upon Ginny, who was bent down as she searched a rather dense bush. Blushing slightly, Harry turned his head away, as to observe a small bird in the tree beside him, trying hard not to look back. After a moment he heard a soft cough in his ear, causing him to turn back slowly, only to find Ginny not in the place she was but right in front of him, smiling sweetly.
"This," Ginny started, holding up what looked like a potato with legs, arms, claws and rather sharp teeth, "is a gnome and what we're here for. What we have to do is spin it round and throw them as far as possible, like so."
Ginny spun the creature around at arm's length before throwing it out towards a paddock. "See, easy." Ginny said with a smile. "It won't be long until they all come out of their holes. They're not the brightest creatures."
Nodding, Harry started to make his way towards another bush. "This shouldn't be too hard." Harry said to himself.
"Well, I did tell you not to be too gentle with them." Ginny said with a laugh.
"I didn't expect them to bite, is all." Harry replied as he rinsed several bite marks on his fingers.
Ginny smiled then shook her head, "They don't have razor like teeth and sharp claws for no reason, Harry."
"Thanks for informing me now, instead of beforehand." Harry said disgruntled.
"My pleasure." piped Ginny before pulling out her wand and aiming it at Harry, causing him to flinch slightly at the sight of it, mostly due to the surprise. "If it's hurting you I could heal them," she offered.
Ginny stepped forward and took his hand slowly as to examine the cuts. She grazed his skin softly as though to turn it, causing Harry to breath sharply with her touch. Every hair along his arms stood up, sensitive to even the still air inside the Burrow. Looking down into Ginny's eyes, Harry felt himself draw closer to Ginny.
"So, what's the verdict, madam? Am I going to survive?" Harry asked cheekily.
"Keep that up and may not!" Ginny replied, raising an eyebrow. "I think you'll be fine. You've been through worse."
"Good point. If I can survive having my skull cracked open, being attacked by a huge dragon, not to mention being shot with a killing curse twice, I think I can deal with a few gnome bites. As long as I don't start babbling nonsense, that is." Harry started to smile before letting it drop again as he took in Ginny's surprised look. "What did I say this time?"
"How did you do that? It wasn't a guess, was it?" Ginny asked her voice soft.
Harry pondered this for a moment before shrugging, "I'm not sure, stuff like that are just popping into my head all the time and I hardly know what any of it means."
Ginny just nodded as though deep in thought before healing the small cuts along Harry's hand. "I'm glad you're regaining your memory, Harry."
"Yeah, it's a good feeling knowing I'll be able to remember everything from before, even the horrible things."
Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath in as she thought, Ginny then replied quietly as though speaking what she was in her mind. "I wish I could forget." Opening her eyes once more, Ginny smiled then brushed Harry arm slightly before making her way out of the room. As she reached the threshold, Ginny felt Harry's hand gasp her shoulder just before hearing his voice, "What's wrong, Ginny? You don't seem yourself."
"Nothing, I just need to freshen up, that's all." Ginny replied without turning around.
"What are you scared of, Ginny. I need to know."
"I - " Ginny started before taking a deep breath in and out, regaining her usual confident composure as she turned to face him, "I'm perfectly fine, Harry, It's just - well nothing you need to think about."
"You know, telling me it's nothing to think about will make me think about what I'm not supposed to think about." Harry replied slyly.
"Stop joking, I'm being serious. It's nothing."
"It's obviously something or you wouldn't even have mentioned it." said Harry, taking a step forward.
"It's nothing, Harry, just drop it!" Ginny said, her voice beginning to rise.
"If it's really nothing you wouldn't be making such a big deal."
"Oh, since when did you start to know me so well?" Ginny replied acidly.
"I don't, it's just a feeling."
Placing her hands tightly at her hips, Ginny replied. "Well, if your feelings are telling you that much then they would also be telling you not to test me too much as I'm not the kind of person that likes to be pushed!"
"It's telling me that, believe me, but it's also saying there's something you're keeping from me." Harry replied, his head tilted to the side as though to examine something deep within her eyes.
Ginny huffed and began to pace, "It's none of your business what I keep to myself, thank you very much!"
As though to stop her incessant pacing, Harry grabbed Ginny on both of the upper arms, drawing her close to look directly into her eyes. "Listen, I don't know why but I know you better than I do myself. You're pig-headed, stubborn, proud, fiery and slightly arrogant -"
"How dare you -"
"- but I also know that you're kind hearted, caring, generous, self sacrificing and beautifully gentle, even under that hard shell. So, please tell me what's wrong." Harry finished.
Holding back tears of frustration, anger, sorrow and love, Ginny replied. "If you think a few nice words flung towards me are going to help me open up, you're got another thing coming. You son of a -"
As the last word died away nothing else could escape Ginny's mouth, finding Harry's lips pressing firmly against her own.
Initial shock ran deep through Ginny's body, down along her spine, tingling her senses finally with longing. She felt as though there was nothing else that could possibly be in the world that wasn't either Harry or herself. An ultimate joy eased Ginny fully, causing her to lose herself deeper into the kiss before finally she began to sink back into the sobering reality. And in an instant, he pulled back, breathing hard. Ginny stared at him in disbelief, her mind quite unable to determine what had just happened, the look on his face showed he was as surprised as she was. It had happened so fast and so sudden that surely she had imagined it, but the tingling feeling left on her lips suggested otherwise. Ginny's mind grew more and more confused as her eyes locked upon his own, taking two further steps away from Harry. Looking up into a mass of green, Ginny frowned when she noticed a regretful look of panic coming from his eyes.
"Ok, I really wasn't planning that" Harry said lightly, shaking his head quickly as he stepped further away.
"You weren't planning it? So why did you do it?" Ginny asked, taken back by Harry's words.
"It was mostly an urge, to be honest." Harry said with a shrug, trying hard to act cool.
"Right, so you snogged me because of an urge." Ginny stated.
"Well it wasn't something I had planned ahead, if that's what you want to know. I'm sorry, if that makes you feel better." Harry blurted, starting to regret every word escaping from his mouth as he tried to conceal the fact that his insides were dancing to a song of pure joy.
"So, it was an urge that you regret and you're sorry for?" Her body began to shake as she placed her hands firmly upon her hips, her face livid.
"Well, no, I – "
But that's all he could get out as his sentence was ceased by a rather firm SLAP. Ginny's eyes blazed with fire as the built up anger and hurt simmered to the top. The words echoed in her ears, killing her with each syllable, repeating over and over again.
The sound of skin connecting sharply against skin sounded loudly through the otherwise quiet room. Ginny was not at all surprised to find that her hand, which stung greatly, inconsequently left a scarlet imprint upon Harry's cheek. Realisation rapidly hit Ginny as he had once again rejected her love for him. Her eyes stinging as she feverishly tried to stop the abundance of tears welling up; she took one last look upon Harry's face before walking out of the kitchen and away from him. Making her way blindly along the well trodden pathway and through the barrier that separated the Burrow from the rest of the world she waved off enquiries from Briohny, who was guarding the barrier. Picking up her pace, she made her way along the road, feeling as though her feet knew their destination when her mind did not. After what seemed like a life time, Ginny looked up, finding herself staring up at a rather unusual yet familiar house, its rook like shape looming over her.
Hoping Luna was home, visiting her father for the summer, Ginny slowly made her way up the neglected weaving path to the door, rapping the eagle shaped knocker in one smooth movement. Several minutes passed and just as Ginny were about to turn the door swiftly opened, revealing a tall, thin and wildly un-kept young man.
"Yep?" the man questioned, his brow furrowed and his arms ladled with what looked like long johns.
Momentarily stymied, Ginny stared blankly before finding her voice, "Umm, I'm Ginny, I was wondering if Luna was here?"
The man looked her up and down before opening up the door fully to allow her entry, "Weasley, right? Yeah, you look like one. You were all Gryffindor's, aren't you? Not particularly bright, if my memory serves me, but I didn't get to know many Gryffindor's well. I can see if it's right"
Her thoughts from earlier clouded her reaction time but before she could retort her spoke again. "I thought you're all hex first, ask questions later. Though I know I'd rather Gryffindor than Slytherin. Miserable, mean little pricks, they were. Too full of themselves for my liking."
Struck down by his blunt words Ginny frowned then looked rather eagerly for any sign of Luna or even Mr. Lovegood. Noticing this, the man spoke again, "Xenophilius is off doing something in the office. Didn't care to ask." Shrugging indifferently, he continued, "And Lun's in the loo. Don't know how long she'd be. She could be a while, want me to check?"
"I think I'm right thanks, umm?"
"Rolf? Where are you? Are you ready to – Ginny Weasley! My Friend! I didn't think you'd come and visit, with Harry back! I am very glad you have, you can come now with us to the Himalayas. We're going to track a herd of Demisguise." Luna said excitingly as she hugged her dear friend.
A small smile crept across Ginny's confused features as she returned Luna's hug with interest. Letting go of Luna, she spoke. "I thought Demisguise were invisible." Ginny quirked an eyebrow as she asked.
"Yes extremely!" Luna replied with an eager grin, making her way towards a large back pack. "So, will you come along? Demisguise are rather interesting."
Scrunching her nose, Ginny shook her head, "I might give it a miss this time."
Nodding in understanding, Luna continued to fiddle with her bag before suddenly letting out a sharp squeak and turning to Rolf, "Have you packed my omnioculars? Check my room, if you could." smiling serenely Luna nodded and waited for him to leave the room.
"Nice boy, Rolf is, but is a little bit blunt. Nearly uncomfortably so." Luna smiled again and nodded solemnly, "Will give him this, he looks rather appealing in long johns."
Letting out a small laugh Ginny felt some of her built up stress ebb away. "I missed you, Luna." she smiled.
"You're not here because you missed me though. Was Harry mean? He can be insensitive at times when he doesn't think." Luna's usual knack of saying the uncomfortable truths hit Ginny, giving her time to ponder the answer.
"Well yes – no – maybe. Okay, not really, I'm being silly."
Nodding professionally like as though she was a Healer; taking in all the symptoms of a deadly disease, Luna then smiled dreamily before gazing out into the garden.
"You know," Luna finally said after a moments silence, "people often mean what they say but rarely say what they mean and things will come along when they're truly ready."
Ginny let the words soak into her mind before coming to the conclusion that this last visit with her dad may have finally addled Luna's brain.
"You'll know what I mean soon." Luna replied dreamily, staring at Ginny with her large blue eyes. "He's an interesting person, Harry is. He's gone through a lot. This all would be confusing for him, with everything coming at him and he has no idea about it all. Wouldn't be easy."
"I guess not, though it's not that easy for any of us either."
"No, probably not, but you're not the one who can't remember their whole life." Luna said serenely as she looked up at the ceiling.
"I wish I was at times." Ginny added softly.
"Perhaps –" Luna began then turned happily and started fiddling with her bag again. "You sure you don't want to come. Demiguise are rather interesting. Their hair is what invisibility cloaks are made of, did you know?"
"Yeah I did and I'm sure Luna. Next time, maybe."
"Most definitely next time." Luna replied brightly.
Smiling, Ginny started to make her way out, turning back to Luna when she reached the door. "Have fun with Rolf and his long johns."
Luna let out a small smile and gazed towards her room, "I will, I promise."
"Okay, just as long as I don't hear any gory details."
Ginny felt it was better to apparate back to her family home feeling as though the long walk to Luna's was enough exercise for the day as well as the fact that it had finally started to pour down heavily. Apparating to the arrival point, Ginny began to run as quickly as she could towards the house, the rain soaking through her thin layers of clothes as the storm worsened. Throwing her drenched shoes off when she reached the door, Ginny padded into the kitchen dripping wet and cold from the wild wind that had whipped around her. Summoning a clean towel, she started to dry herself as she trekked back up to her room. Stopping at the threshold of her room, she pushed the door forcefully against the wall, startling the room's occupant.
Sitting silently along the length of her bed sat Harry, his eyes closed as if in a meditative state, the noise bringing him back to this world.
"You're back." Harry exclaimed, causing his voice to rise slightly.
Ginny made her way slowly into the room, still rather soaked and drying her hair. Not looking up she made her way towards her drawers before speaking. "Could you leave, I need to get out of these wet clothes and into something dry."
"I was hoping we could talk. I mean I haven't been waiting in here for no reason." His self consciousness was apparent but not consuming.
Turning around, Ginny frowned "What were you doing in here all this time? I doubt you were braiding your hair."
A mix of amusement and confusion crossed Harry's face as he answered back quickly. "No I was painting my nails and trying on all your clothes."
"Nothing fit?" Ginny replied dryly.
"Oh, everything fitted; I just took them off because it all looked better on me. You see, I didn't want you to feel bad that I had nicer legs in a short skirt and heels than you do." He replied, a grin starting to appear in the corner of his mouth.
A cheeky smile crept instinctively upon Ginny's face also as she looked back at Harry, folding her arms and frowning soon after as she tried to look serious. "Can you get out? I'm wet, cranky and in desperate need of dry clothes. We can talk once I'm dressed."
Nodding then saluting in reply, Harry made his way out of the room, closing the door after him. Ginny let out a deep sigh before quickly changing into warmer, dryer clothes. She knew that she had to fix things with Harry and though she may be unsure as to her situation and where she should go from here, she realised that no matter what happens next that keeping relations with Harry strained would do both of them no good. Calling out when she was ready, Ginny sat down on her bed as Harry tentively entered the room and sat beside her. As Ginny began to speak, Harry covered her mouth with his hand and shook his head.
"No, I need you to listen. The whole time you've been wandering I've been thinking about what happened. It took me a while trying to figure everything but I think I've got it. I understand why I did it and I'm pretty much sure why I now have a hand print on my cheek."
A muffled noise came from Ginny's mouth as she tried to answer back.
"What was that Ginny?" Harry asked, still not moving his hand. Withdrawing his hand in disgust when he felt Ginny's tongue then wiping it on Ginny's shoulder, he asked, "What was that for?"
"Well I couldn't answer you properly as I had a hand on my mouth, so I thought I'd move it."
"Sorry." Harry stated.
"It's okay. And about what you were saying, I've been doing some thinking too."
"Can I say my bit first? I know what I did wasn't right but at the same time I don't regret it. It's just my reasons for it were a little flawed and not thought out. I reacted, plain and simple. I didn't think about what would happen afterwards, I just jumped. The tension was just too much and I reacted. And I don't think it helped letting me ramble afterwards."
Smiling slightly, Ginny replied. "No, it didn't actually."
Nodding and raising his brow in agreement Harry continued. "I didn't think and I'm sorry for that. It's hard, you know, not fully understanding the stupid-ness of my brain as of late. So many things are just flooding into it and most of it I barely understand. I want to remember, really I do and it's funny, at times when I'm with you I forget that I can't remember. I don't know why, that's just what happens. So, can we just forget my idiotic actions of today and start over again? I promise to be good."
Ginny took a moment to digest everything, still staring deeply into Harry's eyes. Smirking, she replied. "Don't worry I understand how hard it must be for you all to repel my natural charms. Just make sure it doesn't get the better of you."
Laughing, Harry looked out at the window to the dark clouds outside, shaking his as he rolls his eyes. "Oh stop flattering yourself, you're not that irresistible. And I hope you know that goes with you too. I don't want you sleep walking into my room."
"Sorry Harry, you're good but not that good." Ginny replied cheekily.
"Be careful of my ego, dear, I need it to get my memory back."
"Just being truthful."
"Seriously though, I never meant to hurt you."
"I know."
Smiling, Harry stood up then placed a soft kiss upon her forehead.