Thanks for the reviews :) Here's the new chapter, hope you like it!
Sombody knocked on his door and Harry groaned, turning over in bed.
"Harry?"
Another knock.
"Harry! Open the door, please!"
He sighed and sat up when he realized it was Ginny who stood outside. A look to the clock told him that it was past 4pm and he wondered why she wasn't at work. When another knock interrupted his train of thought he rubbed his eyes and got to his feet.
"It's alright, stop knocking! I am coming!"
Harry heard her giggle in a girlish way and rolled his eyes when he pulled open the door.
"What a familiar sentence to hear," she said with a broad grin, "Although I never was the one who came knocking."
She now gave him the kind of smile that used to make his heart skip a beat and he couldn't help, but blush at the memory.
"Right," he muttered and want to sit down on his bed again.
Ginny hesitated for a moment, leaning against the doorfram, but then seemed to make up her mind and strode into the room, over to the window to pull the curtains aside.
"It's such a nice day, don't shut the sun out, Harry. You need some daylight."
She brushed her hair back carelessly and then examined him with her knowing eyes. A sigh left her lips and she walked over to him, placing both her hands on his shoulders.
"I know we're long over, but I still care for you..."
He looked into her eyes and nodded, "I know, Gin."
Suddenly, she leaned in and breathed a soft kiss on his lips, before taking her hands off his shoulders and straightening up again.
Harry was baffled for a moment; Hermione had told him a couple of times that Ginny still had feelings for him, but he hadn't been sure if she were right.
"I want you to come with me to the ball at the Ministry tomorrow."
"I am not sure..."
He really wasn't now that he suspected that Ginny still loved him. It would do no good if she thought there was a chance of them becoming a thing again.
She pouted, "Please Harry. You have to get out for a while and I promise that it's gonna be fun."
"Okay..."
Not exactly sure why he agreed to come along, he nodded. Maybe the reason was that Ginny's lips on his still felt so incredible.
...
The black dress she was wearing hugged her body in all the right places and he couldn't help but gape at Ginny when she came closer, her hair dancing around when she moved.
"Hi Harry," a smirk played around her lips and she reached up, running her fingers through his hair and destroying what he had managed to achieve in hours of combing.
"It's nicer when it's unkempt," she stated when he frowned at her.
When she stepped away again, she looked him up and down, nodded her head once and Harry thought he saw her blush.
"You look good. Really."
He snorted and rolled his eyes, "Don't lie to me. I know that I still look hideous."
Ginny shook her head and grabbed his hand, leading him to the door.
"No. You really look fine tonight. I just hope that I'll get to see you smile a bit too."
"Hm..." he just shrugged and followed her outside where a car was waiting for them.
The drove in silence for a while until Harry suddenly realized that he hadn't seen Ron and Hermione all day.
"Will Hermione and Ron be there as well?"
Ginny shook her head, absent mindedly playing with a strand of her long hair.
"No. They're at the Burrow, Mum invited them over."
"Oh... Okay."
Great, he thought, I will have to be careful and don't do anything stupid.
Once they reached the Ministry and entered the Atrium, where the ball was held, he wished desperately to be back home.
"Gin... Why didn't you tell me that there would be so many people?!"
She raised an eyebrow and handed him a glass of firewhiskey from a tray that had just been carried past them by a waiter.
"I thought you would know that yourself?"
He took a gulp from his drink, feeling the liquid burn down his throat, "Well, I didn't."
Ginny just laughed at that and laced her fingers through his, walking over to a group of people they knew from Hogwarts. Among them were Luna Lovegood and Nevilly Longbottom, who both looked very excited when they spotted Harry.
"Hello Harry," Luna smiled at him and kissed his cheek, her wide blue eyes full with adoration.
"It is good to see you again. Haven't heard from you in quite a while."
Now Nevilled stepped over and clapped him on the shoulder, "Harry, mate! Good to see you! What have you been up to lately?"
He felt trapped. What was he supposed to tell them? That he was spending his life sulking at Ron and Hermione's house? Not working at all? Was that really what he should tell them? They would be so very disappointed to hear what had become of him...
Great, famous Harry Potter fallen from grace.
Ginny squeezed his hand gently to keep him from talking and smiled at Luna and Neville.
"Harry sometimes helps me at work. He was also recently invited to the tryouts for the National Team."
"Really?!" Neville goggled at him.
"That would be awesome! We would finally win a match again!"
Harry forced a smile and nodded.
"Yeah... Would be nice to play again. I miss Quidditch a lot."
And so it happened that he got involved in a conversation about Quidditch while Luna and Ginny talked about the newest gossip.
...
A while later, they were dancing, surrounded by several other people.
Harry glanced around, looking for another familiar face, and then it suddenly hit him.
The white blond hair, the lean, tall figure and the fair skin.
"Is that Malfoy?" he whispered into Ginny's ear and spun around so she could see who he was talking about.
She nodded, "Yeah, that's him and his wife... At least I think they're married."
Harry frowned and watched the Slytherin, his eyes wandering over the woman in Malfoy's arms. She wasn't very tall, but really beautiful with her dark curly hair and fair skin, her curves swaying to the rhythm of the music.
Her eyes met his and hers were of a shocking, vibrant blue. She smiled, her red lips curving in a mocking way.
Ginny caught him looking at the other woman and clucked her tongue.
"You are here with me... Or do you, like all the others, think she's beautiful?"
She looked at him, her expression stern and Harry smiled at her.
"She is, but not as beautiful as you are."
Ginny chuckled and kissed his jaw before she leaned her head against his shoulder, moving closer.
He couldn't keep himself for glancig over at Malfoy from time to time and it happened ever so often that his wife caught Harry's eye, so it wasn't really that suprising when they came over towards Ginny and Harry.
"Well, well, well... look who we have here." Malfoy's sneer was less mocking than it had been back in their school days, but still sent a shiver of excitement down Harry's spine. He bowed his head in a silent greet and extended his hand towards the blond.
"Good evening Malfoy."
Ginny looked back and forth between them when Malfoy hesitated to shake hands for a moment, but then grabbed Harry's hand firmly and shook it.
"Potter," he too inclined his head slightly, a mocking grin playing around his lips.
Harry wasn't sure why or what it was, but something stirred inside him when the other man looked him in the eyes.
He shook his head, avoiding to look at Malfoy's face again and looked at the woman at his side.
"Who is this lovely lady, if I may ask?"
Malfoy glanced down at her and the grin that has lingered on his lips disappeared.
"My wife. Astoria."
Astoria gave Harry a polite smile and then stepped away from her husband.
"I think I will go and sit down a bit."
Malfoy just nodded and watched her disappear into the crowd.
When he looked back at Harry the mocking smile that was so familiar to him, was back and Harry waited for the blond to say something insulting.
"It became quiet around famous Harry Potter, why is that?"
Harry opened his mouth to say something, but Ginny was quicker.
"That's none of your business, Malfoy. Besides, Harry deserves some rest more than anybody, don't you think so?"
The blond smirked and pushed back a strand of hair that had fallen into his face and it was now that Harry noticed how long Malfoy's hair had become. He wore it in a loose ponytail and it went past his shoulders.
"Did I ask you or did I ask Potter?"
Ginny huffed and Harry took her hand, trying to make her keep calm.
"I decided that it was time for some rest. I have had enought trouble to last me a lifetime."
Malfoy raised an eyebrow, amusement glinting in his eyes.
"What a pity. I would've thought you would become an Auror, a Quidditch player at least... But since I never saw you at St. Mungos or read about you in the Prophet, I knew that you were neither of it."
"St. Mungos?" Harry couldn't hide the curious undertone in his voice and hoped that nobody had noticed it.
"Yes. I am a Healer there."
He looked around and Harry followed his gaze, spotting Astoria. Malfoy sighed.
"I'll have to go now."
He raised a hand and walked away. Harry watched him go, a strange longing feeling evolving in the pit of his stomach, but he tore his gaze away when Ginny cleared her throat.
"Can we go home?" she asked in a low voice and Harry wondered why she wanted to leave so suddenly but then saw her casting a dark look over at the Malfoy's.
Was she jealous?
He chuckled and she looked up at him again, "What?"
Harry shook his head and took her hand, leading her over to the fireplaces which would allow them to travel by Floo.
"Nothing," he kissed her forhead before he pulled her with him into the green flames.
When they reached the living room of Ron and Hermione's house, Harry smiled down at Ginny.
"It was a nice evening. Thanks for inviting me."
She touched his cheek gently and smiled too, "I am glad you enjoyed it. It's good to see you smile again."
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