My thanks go to GryffindorHealer, dumnonian, and KSummer for their kind support in giving the chapter a final checkover.
"Have a nice evening, Mrs Winterbottom." Ginny waved the elder lady goodbye. It had become a habit of hers to check on the woman before she got off work. Back at her desk, she glanced at the phone to see if she had missed a call. Fortunately, that wasn't the case.
Her eyes lingered a little longer than necessary on the phone. It was already Wednesday. And Harry still hadn't called. She sighed. Maybe, it was better that way. Sure, it was better that way. Although, if she was honest with herself, she had to admit that every time the phone rang for the past few days, she had thought of him, hoping it was him who was calling.
Ginny shook her head. She needed to focus on work. After a brief glance at the clock, she reached for the pen to finish her shift report. She had just signed the notice and put the pen aside when the door opened.
"Greetings from Harry." Amy grinned triumphantly at her as she walked into the nurses' station.
"W…What? Ginny stuttered, irritated. "How do you know...?"
Amy laughed. "The poor guy missed you by a few minutes yesterday. He apologized a thousand times for bothering me." Raising her eyebrows, she gave Ginny a reproachful look. "Why didn't you tell me about him?"
"Because there's nothing to tell," Ginny replied, rolling her eyes. When Amy didn't stop eyeing her wordlessly, she huffed, "We met last Friday at the cafe around the corner, and he asked for my number. And because I don't have a phone, I gave him this number." She nodded towards the phone on the desk and shrugged her shoulders. "There is nothing more to tell."
Amy handed her a piece of paper. "He gave me his number. You better call him back right away. He wanted to meet you tonight."
"What...? Today?" Ginny exclaimed, her eyes wide, almost panicked. She glanced at the clock. It was almost four o'clock. She would have to go home and change first. How was she supposed to do that?
"Stay calm and just call him," Amy suggested, giving Ginny an amused smile.
"You mean I should...now?" Ginny asked, unconvinced.
"I have to do my rounds now anyway to hand out the medications for the evening. In the meantime, you two lovebirds can arrange your date here, undisturbed." Amy grinned openly at her. "And tomorrow, you tell me what you two have been doing and what this Harry looks like." Amy sighed dreamily. "I can't wait to hear all the details."
Ginny rolled her eyes. "Who knows if there's anything to talk about. I don't even have a date yet. Maybe he'd changed his mind by now."
"I doubt it," Amy replied firmly. "You should have heard his voice. If I'd given him your address, he would have run immediately just to see you."
Ginny bit her lower lip and gave her favourite colleague a doubtful look. Undoubtedly, she was exaggerating. Then again... Why not give it at least a try. "Okay, okay. I'll call him."
"I knew it," Amy exclaimed enthusiastically. She put her bag on a chair and took her lab coat from her locker. "When I'm back, we'll go through the shift journal together to get me up to speed. Then you can head off to meet your prince."
Ginny chuckled, sat down at the desk and pulled the phone towards her. Glancing at the piece of paper Amy had given her, she slowly dialled the number, her heart instantly pounding louder. She held her breath as the call was set up, and the ring tone was heard in the receiver. When an excited voice came out of the speaker right after the second ring, Ginny almost jumped out of her chair. "Ginny? Is that you?"
At the sound of Harry's voice, her tension dissolved, and she couldn't help but grin. "Yes. How did you know...?"
"I saved your number on my mobile, and your colleague told me she'd see you this afternoon, and..." Harry laughed awkwardly.
"And?" Ginny asked, amused.
"I didn't leave my phone out of sight all day, so I wouldn't miss your call," Harry confessed.
"I would have tried again tomorrow," Ginny said, chuckling.
"Really?" Harry asked worriedly. "But I was hoping to meet you today. That is, of course, only if you have time."
"It might take a bit. I still have to do the shift change, and take a shower before I head home to change into something nicer," Ginny explained when another question came to her mind. "Where do we want to meet?"
"Why don't we meet in front of our cafe?" Harry suggested. "You don't have to change because of me. You looked perfect last time. How about we meet in half an hour? You're already off work, aren't you?"
"Why do I get the impression someone is in a hurry," Ginny replied, giggling, impressed by Harry's enthusiasm. She'd never imagined Harry wanted to see her again so badly. And if she was honest, she wanted it, too. The image of him hadn't left her mind for days. "I'll be there," Ginny finally said, accepting the anticipation rising within her. "But I don't think I can make it in half an hour. How about in an hour? Sounds more realistic to me. Don't want to make you wait. I must hurry now. See you soon."
"I can't wait to see you again," Harry called back, and the connection disconnected.
Ginny put the phone back down, unable to stop smiling. Amazed at herself, she slowly shook her head. Never before had she thrown caution to the wind so quickly. She could only hope the butterflies in her stomach made the right decision.
"What's there to grin about? Tell me! You have a date, right? Don't you dare disappoint me now." Amy was back from her rounds, looking at Ginny, almost bursting with curiosity.
"Yes, I have," Ginny replied, grinning. "But I can't tell you much. I have to hurry. I'll meet him in..." She glanced at her watch. "...just under an hour."
Amy laughed. "As much as I want to know more, I don't mind waiting until tomorrow." She wiggled her eyebrows. "On all the details."
** HG **
As the sun slowly dipped below the horizon, casting a warm glow over Hyde Park, Harry and Ginny strolled along the tree-lined paths toward the exit.
"How about we grab a bite to eat? I know this great pub nearby," Harry suggested.
Ginny, appreciating the casual suggestion, nodded. "Sounds perfect. I'm starving. But we can't stay long. I must get up early tomorrow morning for work, and it's already nine o'clock."
"What does getting up early mean exactly?" Harry asked, curious.
"Five o'clock at the latest. My morning shift starts at seven, but I'd rather be there half an hour earlier," Ginny replied, making an apologetic face. "I'm sorry. I would love to stay longer, but it doesn't help."
"Oh, that's really early. Let's hope we don't have to wait for a free table," Harry said, running his hand through his hair, ruffling it even more.
Ginny smiled at the sight. She loved his unruly hair. "Then lead the way. I don't know the way to this pub of yours."
The cosy pub exuded a welcoming atmosphere with the buzz of conversations and the clinking of glasses. They found a corner table, and Ginny grinned. "I think a pub is more our style than a fancy restaurant. What do you think?"
Harry returned her smile. "Absolutely. I also prefer it more casual."
"To be honest, restaurants are actually a bit too expensive for my wallet," Ginny admitted.
"Of course, you're invited," Harry interjected quickly.
"Hell no. That's not what I meant," Ginny replied, startled. "I can pay for my food." A playful grin spread across her face. "Or is this the place you usually take your girlfriends out?"
"What?" Harry blurted out, his eyes wide. "Hell no. My godfather took me here a few times, usually when we did something together on the weekend."
"You're so easy to tease," Ginny said, chuckling.
"Usually not," Harry replied, blushing slightly. "I'm actually used to it from my godfather. There are times when he can't stop teasing me."
"You seem to like him," Ginny said.
"Yeah, Sirius is great. You'd like him too," Harry replied, handing Ginny the menus.
As they perused the menu, a few dishes caught Ginny's interest. "So tell me, Harry, what's your favourite dish? Anything you can recommend?"
Slightly surprised by the question, Harry needed a moment to answer, "Oh dear. I really like fish and chips. Classic and always filling."
Ginny nodded in agreement. "I love that, too. But recently, I learned to love Indian take away. We never had anything like this when I was younger." She giggled. "We only ate what my mum cooked. Don't get me wrong, my mother is a great cook, and I always enjoy her food when I go home."
"Where are you from anyway? It just occurred to me that I never asked." Harry looked into her eyes.
"I'm from Devon. My family has a house near Ottery. And where are you from?"
"I was born in Godric's Hollow, which is also in the West Country."
"That's not far away from us, right?" Ginny stated, pausing briefly. Godric's Hollow? She had heard the name before, but didn't remember where.
"Yes, but I haven't been there in ages. I spent a lot of time abroad with my godfather, and when we came back to England a few years ago, we moved into a house here in London that belongs to him."
"Oh, that sounds interesting. You have to tell me about it," Ginny exclaimed, impressed, Godric's Hollow already forgotten.
"Yeah, I'd love to," Harry replied, nodding. "Next time we meet." He suddenly looked a bit worried. "You want to meet me again, don't you?"
Ginny chuckled. "If you ask me so nicely, I have no choice but to say yes."
Harry looked into her eyes, his gaze serious, almost pleading. "But I want you to say yes because you want to, not because I'm asking nicely."
When her eyes met his, Ginny knew he was serious and felt a blush heat up her cheeks. She nodded briefly, once. "I'd love to." And she knew she meant it, too. Her loudly pounding heart was proof.
"Perfect!" Harry was grinning ear to ear.
They ordered lasagna for Harry, chicken tikka masala for Ginny, and ginger ale for both.
When Harry returned from the bar with the drinks, Ginny thanked him. Sipping her ginger ale, she asked with a playful grin, "Have you ever been to a karaoke night? I have a colleague who swears by it."
Harry chuckled. "Oh, karaoke can be a lot of fun. If you watch. I'm not the type of person who'd sing in public."
Ginny leaned forward. "Same here. I've never been to a karaoke night, but I'd like to watch sometime. Watch. Not take part," she clarified, laughing.
"Maybe next time we meet?" Harry suggested, tilting his head. "We could go down to Soho. There are a lot of karaoke bars."
"I could ask my colleague. She knows where to go to have fun," said Ginny.
"The one I talked to on the phone?" Harry raised an eyebrow in interest.
"Yes, that's the one. Amy," Ginny confirmed and groaned.
"What is it?" Harry asked.
"Amy's going to grill me with questions tomorrow. She wants to know all the details," Ginny said, putting 'all the details' in quotation marks with her fingers. She rolled her eyes and chuckled. "She's been telling me for weeks that I should finally get a boyfriend. She says I work too much."
"So it's thanks to her that you went out with me?" Harry asked, laughing.
"No," Ginny replied, giving Harry a mischievous grin. "Unless she sent you to my favourite cafe last week. Then, I would have to have a serious word with her. I don't like being set up."
Harry chuckled. "No. I can assure you that it was entirely my idea to have a coffee there."
"Good to know," Ginny replied, relieved and thanked the waitress who served the food.
"What else do you do when you're free?" Harry asked before turning to his lasagna.
"You mean besides studying and working?" Ginny laughed. "There are so many things I would like to do if I only had the time."
"Like what?"
"I've never been to a football game," Ginny explained. "I've heard the atmosphere in a stadium must be phenomenal."
Harry looked up, clearly not expecting that answer. "Do you have a favourite team?"
"Nope. I don't," Ginny admitted. "I've seen the fans in their colourful outfits marching through the tube station, singing. I'm sure it's fun to go to a game."
"I went to Arsenal games with my godfather a couple of times. But that was two or three years ago. Occasionally, I still watch games on TV when I have time to go to a pub." Harry took another piece of his lasagne. "If you want, we can watch a game together. I would definitely love to."
"That would be great. I've often wondered what that would be like." Ginny beamed at Harry, hardly believing she was making so many plans with him. She had only been to a stadium once when she was thirteen. Her father had taken her and her brothers to the Quidditch World Cup final. Everyone was so impressed by the sheer size of the stadium and the ear-deafening noise of the thousands of wizards and witches in the stands, not to mention the incredible speed at which the players flew through the air, performing high-risk aerial moves. Wondering if a football match was as exciting as a Quidditch game, she briefly glanced up at Harry, her lips quivering in a suppressed smile at the thought that Harry didn't even know Quidditch existed. Maybe Amy was right, and she was too focused on work and her studies. She sighed contentedly. Why not take the chance to have fun?
As the evening progressed, the pub echoed with laughter and the clatter of darts hitting the board.
"Have you ever played darts?" Harry asked, obviously noticing that Ginny's eyes kept looking in that direction.
"No. You?"
"My godfather talked me into it a few times. It was really fun. But to be really good, I would need to practice a lot."
"Maybe we should come here when it's not so crowded, and we can play alone for an hour, without spectators," Ginny suggested, amused.
"We have a dartboard in the basement. You're welcome to come over for a game or two," Harry said and leaned forward. Resting his head on his palm, he looked into her eyes, a crooked smile on his lips.
Ginny chuckled. "Oh, I'm sure you just want an easy victim. You practise at home every day. I won't stand a chance."
"What?" Harry looked at her startled, ran his hands through his hair and shook his head. "No. I don't practise at all. The dartboard is just there. We barely ever use it," Harry assured, shoving his glasses up his nose with his middle finger.
Ginny couldn't help but grin.
"Don't you believe me?" Harry gave her a worried look.
"Of course, I believe you. I just like the way you ruffle your hair and push your glasses back up your nose," Ginny explained, amused.
Harry grimaced and turned his eyes upwards. "I hate my hair. Sometimes, I would like to have it cut really short."
"Don't you dare. I love your hair." Ginny smiled at Harry. "It makes you look a little ballsy."
"Okay. If you like it, I'll leave it like that. I couldn't disappoint you, could I?" Harry replied, laughing and glancing at his watch. "Oh, it's already late, and you must get up early."
Ginny also glanced at her watch. "It's okay. But I should really head home now."
When they left the pub, it was still pleasantly warm, and quite a few bargoers were still on the street, illuminated with street lamps.
"Can I take you home? How far is it to where you live?" Harry asked.
"Half an hour's walk," Ginny replied. "I wouldn't be home much quicker if I took the tube. But you don't have to make a detour just for me."
"I don't have to, but I want to," Harry replied. "Which direction do we have to go?"
"Up here to the left, towards Camden Town," replied Ginny, indicating in that direction.
When Harry took her hand, she briefly looked at him, but then returned his grin and squeezed his hand just before they walked off and disappeared into the mass of tourists crowding the streets.
After they left the busy centre of Camden Town behind them and Ginny headed towards the side street, things became quieter. Tourists rarely came here.
"This is where I live," Ginny said as she stopped in front of a heavy wooden door, the entrance to a multi-story building where mostly students lived. She indicated to a lighted window on the third floor. "This is Cassy's room, my roommate. My room is right next to hers."
"Oh, you live in a shared flat?" Harry stated more than he asked.
"Yeah, that's cheaper. And Cassy is really nice." Ginny said, her heart starting to beat louder again now that she realized Harry was about to leave. She looked into his eyes, noticing he was watching her closely. She smiled at him, and her smile widened when Harry returned it.
"When will we meet again?" Harry asked quietly in the silence. "I have all week."
"How about Friday? Or Saturday?" Ginny asked cautiously. Suggesting tomorrow seemed a little pushy.
"Why not Friday and Saturday?" Harry replied, grinning. "I'll call you Friday at noon."
Ginny nodded and stepped closer to Harry as he took her other hand. She leaned into him as his arm reached around her waist and held her close. Her eyes moved from his eyes to his mouth, which seemed so close and inviting, slowly getting closer and closer. She shut her eyes the moment their lips touched. Her hand reached for the back of his head, allowing her hand to catch hold of that black mop of black hair for the first time. She stretched further up towards Harry, going on tiptoes, pressing her lips harder against his.
When she felt his tongue against her lips, she opened her mouth, surrendering to the dance of their tongues, enjoying the tingling sensation throughout her body.
When they broke the kiss, Harry rested his forehead on hers and said in a hoarse voice. "It was a nice evening."
"Yes that it was."
"I can't wait to see you again."
"Same here," Ginny said, sighing happily.