THE KILLING MOON - CHAPTER 5

Ginny had spent the remainder of the afternoon planning some ideas for articles she could work on in the future. With enough plans to write a series of articles, she put her parchment and quill away and returned to the kitchen to make some tea.

The sky outside had become grey with rain expecting to fall soon. As soon as she sat down at the head of the table with her cup of tea; George came sweeping into the kitchen.

'Oh, hey Gin,' he said, unbuttoning his long dragon skin coat. 'I thought you were going to the hospital?' he asked.

'I didn't think Harry would appreciate the whole family turning up at once,' she shrugged.

'Yeah, fair enough, there are a lot of us.'

He joined her at the table and Ginny made him a cup of tea as he continued.

'I think Harry would like to see you though,' he said, and Ginny turned on her heel.

'Why?' she asked with a frown.

'Because it's Harry, isn't it, he never quite manages not to stare at you,' he giggled.

Ginny scoffed and turned away from her brother where she smirked slightly before turning back to George.

'I'm thinking of taking bets, by the way,' George explained as Ginny placed the cup in front of him.

'Bets?' Ginny asked.

'Yeah, on whether Harry will become a werewolf or not.'

Ginny reached over and slapped him across the upper arm. George laughed laconically.

'I'm only joking,' he beamed, 'but who can say for sure. Best get out your silver before the next full moon.'

Harry lay back in bed, longing to be able to lie on his side. He turned his head to the stained-glass window by his bed and gazed out at the darkening sky. It was too early to sleep, but Harry felt his eyelids getting heavier. And yet, mixed with the feelings of needing a good night's sleep, he also felt more awake than he had ever been before. He felt stronger, and more energetic than he ever had.

Harry thought they had given him too many pain relief potions, but then he caught his reflection in the window. He stared at himself, and his breath caught in his throat. The pupils of his eyes had completely enveloped the green and somehow, they looked bigger, as if they had expanded.

The closing of the ward door behind one of the healers encouraged Harry to turn away. And when he looked back at his reflection, he looked perfectly normal. He took a deep breath and returned his gaze to the ceiling willing sleep to take hold of him.

'So, they've agreed to employ me during the off seasons,' Ginny beamed, after telling everyone of her successful job interview.

They were all enjoying a Sunday roast dinner around the table. Ginny had been very glad to hear that Harry seemed to be recovering well, and to the protestations of the others, she had decided to visit him tomorrow. They seemed to be under the impression that Ginny could wheedle the truth out of Harry, which she wasn't completely convinced of herself.

'Ah, brilliant,' Mrs. Weasley chimed.

'We can meet for our lunch breaks,' said Hermione, sitting beside her with a wide smile.

Ginny laughed, 'yeah, we can,' she said assuredly.

'Oh, Gin,' Mrs. Weasley said, 'when you visit Harry tomorrow, can you make sure he tells you what the healers have said? It seemed to me that he was keeping something from us,' she said with her usual worried frown.

She had already voiced this earlier, but her mother wasn't one for subtlety.

'I'll try,' Ginny shrugged, 'but when Harry doesn't want us to know something,' she lifted her hands.

'Ginny's right,' Hermione agreed. 'Harry is very good at keeping things to himself.'

When dinner had finished, and Ginny decided to return to her room, she couldn't help but worry about her visit with Harry tomorrow. She knew they were friends now, but how much she didn't really know. They were civil enough, but they hadn't held a true conversation since their break-up.

Ginny had followed Harry through the backyard of The Burrow and down the road. They stopped at the top of the hill, where the distance reached out to Ottery St. Catchpole. Ginny took a seat at the trunk of the nearest tree, and Harry joined her, sitting down tentatively with his legs crossed underneath him.

'I'm not sure what to say,' Ginny said quietly.

Harry looked at her, his face protracted in sadness, Ginny couldn't quite look at him. She took to staring at the grass instead.

'I know,' Harry said, his voice sounding clagged.

'I just don't think either of us deserves this kind of relationship,' she shrugged.

'No,' Harry replied. 'This long distance doesn't work,' he added. 'Not while you're at Hogwarts and I'm in training.'

Ginny licked her bottom lip. 'We tried though,' she sighed.

Although it had taken them seven months to figure out the downsides of long-distance dating, neither of them really wanted to break up. But it was the only option, but that didn't make it any easier.

'Yeah, we did,' Harry said and met her eyes.

She wished he hadn't, her stomach rolled uncomfortably with longing.

Ginny rose to her feet, she knew there was nothing more to be said, nothing more that could be done. She would return to Hogwarts tomorrow and Harry would return to the Ministry.

Harry rose from the ground as well. 'I do love you,' he said quietly.

Ginny smirked solemnly. 'I love you too,' she said and wished it weren't true. It would be so much easier to walk away if they didn't feel this way about each other.

'Can I have one final hug?' Ginny purred.

Harry took his hands out of his jacket pocket and his arms flew around her neck. She wrapped hers around his back, her head ducked into his shoulder. Her head swam with his glorious smell, and she took a deep breath, drinking him in one final time.

Harry pulled away from the embrace first, his face inches from hers. He kissed her tentatively on the mouth and Ginny pulled him in closer, the kiss lingering in the air as if the world had stopped to observe their goodbye.

'Hello?' Ginny sang as she peered around the door to Harry's ward.

'Hey Gin,' Harry said as he flustered with his bed covers.

'Oh my god,' Ginny said and her expression dropped.

She was looking at the large bandages wrapped across his chest, three obvious scratch marks, it was a horrible sight to see. Bill had said they would leave scars, and Ginny swallowed an uncomfortable lump in her throat.

'They're healing don't worry,' Harry said, and his face seemed slightly amused.

'And how are you feeling?' she asked, sitting on the edge of the bed.

Harry gave a lopsided smile, the kind she always loved about him. 'Yeah, I feel great.'

Ginny watched him furtively, without noticing the bandages, she would say that Harry appeared in the greatest health.

'When are they letting you out?' she asked.

'Tomorrow,' Harry said quickly.

'Really?'

Harry nodded. 'I have to come back a few times for them to check on the scratches but other than that, I'll be back tomorrow.'

'Well, that's great,' she hummed.

Harry smiled confidently and threw his hands out. Ginny frowned slightly but his pose amused her.

'I wish they'd let me go now, I have so much energy,' he said. 'I feel like my adrenaline is running on high.'

He stared at his arms and hands as if they looked different from how he remembered them.

'What did the healers say today?' she asked.

Harry tilted his head. 'Are you interested, or is it the rest of your family?' he asked skeptically.

Ginny pursed her lips. 'I may have the job of reporting back to them,' she huffed.

'I thought so,' Harry said. 'They said I have to keep taking the potions to heal the wounds, but I will most certainly be left with ugly scars. Nothing new there. They said no extraneous activities for a week or so, I guess that means no dancing at the wedding. I need to take a leave from work, but I don't think I'll be telling Robards about that. They are going to give me a wolfsbane potion for the full moon at the end of the month just in case. But they can't seem to decide whether or not I will be turning into a werewolf or if I will just exhibit some wolf-like tendencies. How's that?'

Ginny's expression dropped. 'I feel like you're not taking this seriously,' she chimed.

Harry chuckled. 'Everyone is so worried, but I think I would know if I were turning into a werewolf,' he shrugged.

Ginny smiled softly. She heard the distinct sound of Harry sighing as he looked away from her. His gaze landed on the window beside his bed and when he turned back to face her, his expression had changed.

'You alright?' she asked in shock.

'Yeah, why?' he asked.

'Your face,' she acknowledged, and he blinked. She must be seeing things, she thought. 'I thought your eyes changed colour then,' she snickered.

'What do you mean?' he asked with venom.

'I couldn't see the green for a moment,' she told him.

Harry's mouth opened slightly.

'And your face looks flushed.'

Harry shrugged his shoulders indignantly. 'Strange,' he said with a sigh. 'Maybe that's just what happens when I look at you,' he added, and his expression became soft and almost wistful.

Ginny chewed her lip. 'Nice save,' she purred. 'I should go,' she said making her mind up on the spot. 'See you tomorrow when you come back,' she said softly.

'Yeah,' he huffed, 'see you tomorrow. Are you coming to the suit fitting on Wednesday?' he asked hopefully.

'Yes,' Ginny said and rose to her feet, 'Hermione has instructed me, well, ordered me, to make sure everything's alright.'

Harry's smile creased his eyes and brightened his expression. She had to leave.

'Will you save me a dance at the wedding?' he proposed as she turned away.

She turned back to him in confusion. 'No extraneous activities, Mr. Potter,' she pointed out and turned on her heel, hearing his laughter as she wandered to the door.