Chapter Twenty

Flickering Flames

The colours intermingled and the sparks danced across the hearth as Harry tossed another twig into the fire and poked at it thoughtfully.

'Playing with fire again?' a light voice from behind him asked. He turned his head slightly to see Celine walking into the room with a new armload of firewood.

'Well someone has to attend to it.' He replied, 'and I enjoy it.'

She set her load down by the fire and began to add some more wood to the fire, and Harry watched.

'Mind if I sit?' she gestured to the seat beside him.

He merely shook his head and smiling, Celine seated herself beside him on the small couch. Neither said a word, they just sat and watched the flames flickering in the hearth.

'So are you nervous about tomorrow?' Harry said after a while.

Celine didn't reply at first, she simply stared more intently into the flames. Harry began to wonder if she was ever going to reply, before, with a sigh, she settled further into the cushions and brought her knees up to face him.

'Should I be?' she raised one eyebrow behind her fringe. 'Are you going to leave me in the Dark Lord's keep? Alone?'

The look on his face must have been the clarification she needed.

'Exactly. I have no reason to be nervous with you lot as my back up.'

She turned her body slightly and laid her head on his lap staring at the fire.

'I have nothing to worry about.' She said softly.

It didn't appear that she had notice Harry tense up as she laid her head on his lap in such an intimate fashion. His hands floundered for a few moments before he rested one on her hip and the other by her head. At the touch of his hand on her hip, Celine turned to him with a sparkle in her eye. She really was beautiful with her blonde hair splayed, fanlike, across his lap and her green eyes glinting mischievously.

'Would you like a drink?' she asked, tilting her head to the bottle of Firewhiskey by his feet.

'Is that really a drink for you?' he smirked.

'Caught me,' she giggled. He lent forward slightly to grasp the neck of the bottle. As he was returning to his position he felt her lips graze his neck slightly and couldn't help but shiver at the feeling.

'Do you mind drinking from the bottle? Or am I going to have to get up?' he tilted the bottle slightly. She raised her eyes upward and thought about it for a while.

'Do you have any cooties?' she asked with a slight smirk to her lips.

'Not that I know of,' he took a sip from the bottle, 'care to live recklessly?'

He offered the lip of the bottle to her suggestively.

'I always do.'

She opened her mouth and allowed him to pour some whiskey into it. As she swallowed he took a swig from the bottle himself.

'So are you nervous about tomorrow?' Celine said, moving slightly to rest her head on her hand. Harry took another drink from the bottle as he thought about his answer.

'Not really. I think the plan is rather excellent, Ron's input has made it sure to succeed.'

'Yes, he has a very tactical brain.'

'You should see him play chess. This one time in 1st year-'

'He played a giant game of chess and won?' she interrupted.

'He told you? Of course he did.' Harry chuckled.

'Actually Aimee told me, after Ron told her.' She giggled back.

Harry laughed louder.

'I should have known, he tells that story to every stranger we meet.'

'Do you think of me as a stranger Harry?' she asked coyly.

He looked down at her and gave a crooked smile.

'If I considered you a stranger we wouldn't be sitting like this.'

And so, feeling bold he lent down and lightly kissed her upturned lips.

'Nor would I do that.' He breathed, his nose touching hers. The two of them stared into each others eyes weighing the others reaction. Harry thought he had passed the line when she dropped her eyes and he began to back off. Celine made a tutting noise and crushed her lips back onto his.

'You're far too noble.' She spoke with her lips against his, 'Let's change that, shall we? '

Suddenly she pushed him back against the couch and straddled his lap. Running one hand through his hair and placing the other behind him on the couch for support, she lent forwards and kissed him again. Harry's hands subconsciously rose up past her hips and round to cup her behind, extracting a low moan from Celine. Revelling in the feeling of Celine gyrating on his lap, he lifted her slightly and placed her back on the couch, splaying himself on top of her.

They kissed like this for a few moments, exploring one another's bodies in those intimate places only lovers can go. Celine raised he arms above her head, and taking the signal, Harry helped remove her tank top to reveal a pink bra with no straps. He felt a tightening in his jeans which was made worse as Celine thrust her hips into his. The look they exchanged confirmed both of their needs and in moments they were both naked on the couch with the fire keeping them warm.

This is it, Harry thought, my first time- without Ginny.

He stopped for a moment and swallowed back his emotions. Celine seemed to sense something in his movement and stilled. She touched his face lightly and searched his eyes questioningly.

It's time to move on, he thought.

Celine smiled up at him reassuringly, as though sensing his thoughts. He returned the smile somewhat crookedly before bending his head and entering a deeply passionate kiss. He felt Celine grasp his member and gasped into her mouth pulling her closer to him, eliciting a moan that warmed him thoroughly. As their tongues entwined, Celine began to guide him inside her, at the feel of her, tight and warm around him; Harry released her mouth and groaned into the nape of her neck as Celine tilted her head back with her lips making a silent O. He thrust deeper inside her and was satisfied to hear Celine's silent O become an audible one. They continued in this position for a while, revelling in the feel of one another's bodies and ecstasy they were a part of. Suddenly Harry sat up with his back against the couch pulling Celine with him so that she was settled on his lap. Her hips rolled as she settled her knees more comfortably and he felt his head drop back onto the cushions at the sensation that sparked through his body.

'I want you to come Harry,' she breathed into his ear just before she thrust forwards driving him deep inside her. His eyes flew open at the impact of their hips meeting and he felt his hands slide up her thighs to help move her hips faster and faster.

'Come with me Harry,' she gasped.

Harry felt his eyes close and behind the lids he saw Ginny, not Celine begging him to come. He saw Ginny's flaming hair flickering around her face and the chocolate eyes burning deeply into his own. He saw Ginny toss her head back and reveal the freckle on her collarbone as her hair slipped behind her shoulder. Saw Ginny part her lips in a moan and bite her lip. Felt Ginny pressing her lips to his. Everything was Ginny. He felt a tightening across his stomach before it exploded and he felt his head roll back. Everything was Ginny.

He felt a feather light kiss on his head and opened his eyes slowly to see a blonde head of hair nestled in the crook of his neck.

Everything had been Ginny, except it hadn't been. But it should have been. This had been a mistake. But he wasn't crass enough to allow Celine to know this. Instead he swallowed down his guilt and cravings and pulled Celine into a strong hug. Maybe she wasn't Ginny; but Harry wasn't prepared to hurt her by leaving- which is what he really wanted to. Instead he summoned a blanket wandlessly lay down with Celine nestled into his chest and closed his eyes to sleep.

He was sat on a picnic blanket at the Black Lake with Hogwarts in the background. There were strawberries floating in front of him, but when ever he tried to reach for one. They floated further and further away.

Harry!

A voice in the distance cried. He half turned towards the voice, but the strawberries suddenly were before him and he began to try and catch them again.

Harry!

The voice rang out again; and once again his attention was diverted back to the strawberries.

HARRY. HARRY. HAAARY!

He bolted awake and knocked Celine from the couch onto the floor as the voice reverberated around his skull.

HARRY, SAVE ME!

'Ginny,' he whispered aloud in shock.

'Celine,' Celine spoke angrily from the floor. Harry shushed her and dug deep into his mind searching for his connection to Ginny. It was weak, and after several attempts he realised that he could only hear her.

HARRY POTTER. WHERE ARE YOU?

He winced as Ginny's voice reverberated around his skull; before he smiled broadly. Ginny's voice was reverberating in his head again. She was back. His Ginny. She was back.

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Thanks again for reading.

Before I get any haters. This chapter was all about Harry trying to move on and develop his life without Ginny, before discovering that no matter what; he can simply not escape her. Give the guy a break, it has been 8 months!

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