A/N: As promised, a little earlier!
I caught the stomach flu and so all I can do currently is sit on the couch (and write) so the next chapter is also coming up very soon.
Another trigger warning, a little graphic violence. It's right at the start.
I also changed Ginny's age to 21 in the first chapter since I realised that it didn't match up with this chapter.
Loving all the amazing comments I have been getting!
And of course thank you Meg for your amazing beta work! (megonagall410 on AO3)
As soon as she heard the door of Harry's chamber open, Ginny was wide awake. Her grip on the dagger tightened as she pulled it from under her pillow. She jumped out of bed without a second thought. In the blink of an eye she was up, jerking the door open.
A tall, masked man ran towards the bed, his dagger raised high. Harry was reaching for his sword to the left of him. As the man leapt forward, Ginny lunged after him. She grabbed him by his legs with force, dragging him off the bed. The man reached forward and managed to knick Harry's forearm.
He toppled off the bed and down to the floor. She went straight after him. He turned onto his back, his dagger swinging viciously at her, she had to dodge the slashing blade. She rolled away and saw Harry closing in. She understood he wanted to help but she needed him to stay as far away as possible. She needed to move quicker.
Both she and the assassin scrambled up. She was ready this time. Breathing heavily, she waited for him to move. The moment he stepped forward to stab her, she moved to the side, switched her dagger to her left hand and used all her force to drive her dagger deep into his chest. His scream should have alerted the guards, but it remained silent on the other side of the door. She pulled her dagger back out as the man dropped his dagger and clutched his chest. Blood covered his hands and fell to the carpet in big red drops.
As he sunk to the ground, she kneeled beside him and raised her dagger again. This time she aimed well. The dagger cut through his clothes easily. It pierced skin, then she could feel the ribs break under the blade's force before it reached his heart, destroying the muscle that kept him alive.
She removed the dagger and watched as the light left his eyes, more blood welling up from the two wounds in his chest. She raised her head to check on Harry. He stood with his sword in his right hand, blood trickling down to his left. She shot up from the carpet and disappeared back into her chamber. She went to one of the two chests she brought and pulled out a bandage.
Ginny returned to his chamber and approached him. She reached out, her fingers wrapping around his arm just below his elbow and raised it up to examine the wound.
"Ginny?" he asked softly.
She paused and looked up at him. They had never met eyes from so close by, she found his eyes were less piercing as they filled with worry. His hand wrapped softly around her own forearm.
"Are you hurt?" he asked.
She shook her head. "Just you and well…" — She glanced at the assassin splayed out on the carpet — "him over there." She returned her focus to the cut. It seemed to be mostly superficial, but she'd prefer a Healer to verify. She would have asked him to wiggle his fingers, but considering they tensed against her skin, she assumed they could move just fine.
She adjusted the position of his arm and his fingers slipped from hers. She took the bandage and wrapped it around tightly, applying pressure to the wound. It wasn't meant to stay there long, just until they could go down and see a Healer.
"I am afraid that will leave a stain on your carpet, my apologies," she said as she finished wrapping it. She looked up at him. "Right, I will put my armour on and we can go to the Healer. Can you get into your trousers by yourself?"
Harry's cheeks tinted red ever so slightly and he frowned.
"What? You can't go outside in your underpants," she shot back.
"I am perfectly fine putting my own trousers on, thank you," he told her.
She shrugged and turned, stepping around the dead man. She closed the door. She pulled her armour on quickly. When she opened the door and looked at him. He was wearing trousers now but still left in his undershirt. She looked around for his vest. She picked it up from the hanger. He looked unimpressed as she draped it over his shoulders. No point pulling it on, he'd have to take it off again anyway.
"Almost completely dressed," she commented with a smile.
He sighed. "Do I need to see a Healer?" He moved his arm. "You wrapped it just fine."
"What if it gets infected? What if the blade has poison on it? No, you are going to see a Healer, there is no arguing about it," she told him firmly.
He seemed a bit taken aback by her tone but did not argue. She closed the visor of her helmet and stepped outside. The two guards down the corridor looked up curiously. She signed for them to come over.
The two guards looked in surprise at the dead man on the floor. "We didn't— We just started and the others did their usual sweep of the floor after they were done," one of them defended.
Harry sighed. "Clearly this has been orchestrated. Just… get this man down to the morgue. Alert Alastor there was an assassin that Sir Gwyn killed and that I am passing by the Healers for a very minor cut."
Ginny bent down and plucked her dagger off the floor, wiping it on the man's shirt.
As they walked to the hospital wing together, Ginny kept a tight grip on her sword, ready to draw it at the first sign of trouble. They made it through the castle without any trouble. She rang the bell at the door twice, alerting them the King needed assistance.
Soon a Healer appeared at the door. She let them into the room.
"Just a minor cut, another murder attempt," Harry clarified.
"This way, King Henry," she said. "You can lay down on the bed."
Harry followed her instructions and lay down while the Healer went to get some items.
"So do you have your own bed because you are a King or a frequent visitor?" Ginny asked quietly.
Harry chuckled. "Pretty sure it is both."
Harry watched as Ginny stepped aside for the Healer.
Healer Greta took his arm and undid the bandage. She examined the cut. "Dagger or sword?" she asked.
"Dagger," he replied.
She nodded and turned to Ginny. "Have it brought it to me, I want to check it for poisons just in case."
Ginny nodded in confirmation. When Greta turned around, she opened her visor and raised her eyebrows, mouthing 'told you so'.
He pretended he didn't see and turned his attention back to Healer Greta, but he couldn't hide the small smile.
The Healer turned to the table and wetted a cloth and carefully cleaned the cut and the blood off his arm.
"Wiggle your fingers for me, please?" Greta asked as she held his arm.
All he could remember was how tenderly Ginny's fingers had wrapped around his arm before, her fingertips hot against his skin. He wiggled his fingers for Greta, who nodded in approval.
She retrieved something from the table, applying a paste to the wound before wrapping it in a new bandage softly and neatly.
"You need to come by at least once a day for a new bandage. If it is giving you any more pain, you need to come back immediately, understood?" Greta said, then she turned to Ginny again. "If he thinks he doesn't need to come, please insist."
Ginny nodded.
"Can't get anything past you, can I?" Harry told Greta.
"Of course not."
The door swung open and Alastor came walking in. He was holding the dagger.
"Here you go, Greta," Alastor said, as if he knew she'd want to see it. He turned to Harry. "You alright?"
Harry shrugged. "Just a scratch really, Knight Gwyn did excellent work."
Alastor nodded and turned to Ginny. "True to your reputation. I looked at the assassin, excellent work."
Ginny bowed her head at the compliments of the Head Guard.
"Go back to sleep, Alastor, all is handled," Harry told him.
"No, I need to revise the guard's schedules immediately, they knew... they knew when the guards change. There is perhaps a five-minute gap, and the assassin knew it. We shall have to amend it again."
"They did indeed," Harry agreed.
"We'll discuss it in the afternoon," Alastor agreed and strode out of the Hospital Wing.
"You're all set," Greta told him.
Harry got off the bed and stood up.
"Thank you, I will see you tomorrow then I suppose," he told her.
She smiled and nodded. "Yes, you will."
They walked up to their chambers. The assassin was gone and the carpet had been removed too.
"Are you going back to sleep?" Ginny asked as she pulled her helmet off, her hair whipping down.
He shook his head as he slumped down on the couch. "No, no point. Feel free to sleep, though. I promise I'll be quiet."
Ginny smiled. "I don't think I'll catch sleep either." She sat down on the couch across from him.
"What time is it?" he asked casually.
Ginny glanced out the window behind him. "Another hour until sunrise, I guess."
"Happy birthday, Ginny," he said softly.
Her eyes shot up in surprise, as if she had forgotten it herself. "Oh. Thanks."
"Shall I finally reveal what I planned for the morning?" he teased. Ginny had not enjoyed the blank morning schedule.
"I knew it, you were planning something." She shook her head.
"Of course! You know personally I love going out on horse rides and my Knight must accompany me, for safety."
"You were almost killed an hour ago," she retorted with a frown. "Do you think a horse ride is wise?"
"It is very unlikely they'd try again the same day," he told her with much satisfaction.
"I have to abide by my King's wishes, I suppose," she said.
"Yes, you must." He grinned. "And before we leave, you should pick up a package with Lucretia."
"I am not even going to ask," she deadpanned.
"Go get ready, as soon as the sun is up, your King wants to leave."
She stood up and bowed. "At your service." She turned on her heels.
"People have been beheaded for less attitude!" he yelled as she disappeared into her chamber.
She peaked her head back out. "Look at me, shivering in fear."
Ginny walked to the stables, carrying the basket she had received from Lucretia. Harry stood waiting, far too excited, with both Red and Lightning ready to go.
Harry held his hand out for the basket. She handed it over and he attached it so Lightning's saddle. They both mounted their horses.
"Where to?" she asked.
"You'll see," was all he replied.
They rode down the lane behind the castle ground as they usually did, but this time they went even further and then Harry suddenly took a right turn straight into the woods.
"Are you sure we won't get lost?" Her question was immediately answered as she followed him in, a path revealed itself that had been obscured from view from the lane.
"No, I've come here a lot," he replied.
After a few minutes, they reached a clearing in the woods with a big pond. Ginny figured this was Harry's intended destination. Harry got off Lightning and so Ginny followed, opening her visor. They did not bother tying the horses up, they wouldn't wander far.
Harry took the basket off Lightning. "I figured my best gift to you would be a few hours of peace. Unfortunately, you can't have that without me, as you said. You can relax, though, not many know of this spot.
She sighed.
"Do you hate it?" he asked carefully.
Her eyes shot up, quick to answer. "No, it's great! I just... I am not used to my birthday being celebrated and I am your Knight. I didn't expect this."
"You are also my friend," he said and walked closer to the pond. He found a sunny spot to sit and pulled a blanket from the basket, laying it down on the ground.
Ginny joined him and settled down on the blanket too. She put her helmet down beside her.
"Regulus didn't celebrate birthdays then?" Harry asked, reaching into the basket and taking out butterbeer.
"He was set on toughening us up, make us good Knights." She looked over the pond. "I think he was intentionally harder on me. He knew I'd have to prove myself more than the others."
"But it's birthdays..." Harry muttered.
"Growing up a page and squire wasn't so bad, there are worse places to be," she told him.
He nodded. "That's true."
"So, what's in the basket?" Ginny asked now.
"Butterbeer, snacks, some cookies ..." Harry summarised.
Ginny reached into the basket and took out the first thing her fingers could grab on. She found grapes. She put them down on the blanket and put one in her mouth.
"Want one?" she asked to which Harry nodded. "I have great aim. I'll throw it. Open your mouth."
Harry frowned at her, unconvinced.
She looked at him innocently. "What? It's an important Knightly skill."
Harry chuckled. "I can imagine Regulus would teach you the most important skills, indeed."
She grinned back. "Absolutely."
Harry opened his mouth, and she threw the grape. Harry caught the grape between his teeth and bit into it. "Is there anything you can't do?" he asked.
"Nope, I can do everything." She smiled blithely.
Harry folded his arms. "You know what, throwing grapes isn't that hard."
She cocked her head and handed him grapes. "Go on, then."
She carefully opened her mouth, but the first grape bounced off her forehead. She shook her head in amusement.
"Wait wait, let me try again. You have been training this skill for years, I am sure."
She kept an eye on him this time and adjusted as the grape came towards her, catching it in her mouth. "Room for improvement, but not too bad."
"Thank you." He wiped his hands and took a cookie out of the basket. "I do want to ask about your skills."
"Most of them were trained skills, by Regulus, but some he desperately tried training out of me," she said.
"Like what?" Harry sounded genuinely curious.
"I was a good climber long before I became a page," she told him with a smile.
"That sounds like a useful skill," he said, biting into his cookie.
She grimaced. "Yes, but I was using it to sneak out of my bedroom at night. Something about a ten-year-old page that was secretly a girl sneaking about at night terrified him."
Harry laughed and it was one of the first genuine laughs she heard escape his throat. "Sounds like you gave him a hard time."
"We gave each other a hard time," she said. "I wasn't going far. Training skills he didn't want me to start yet, checking on the horses..."
"I see, your secrets are revealed. You are such a good Knight because you were training day and night."
Ginny chuckled. "I needed to prove myself. I was always the smallest and lightest, needed to work harder to be strong. I guess it worked out."
"You certainly have a reputation now and after Xydite's Parade, many Ignotians were impressed."
She smiled, not used to compliments. "I can show you how well I can climb, choose a tree."
He looked around. He pointed to a tree by the pond. "That one."
She gasped. "That's just insulting. That tree is tiny. It's twice your height maybe?"
He frowned. "I see, you like a challenge." He looked around once more and pointed at a tree behind them. "Or is that too high?"
She stood up and walked to the tree. He followed behind.
"Hey."
She looked back at him, he looked a little worried.
"Please don't die."
She locked eyes with him. "I promise."
She pulled herself up on the first branch. From there it was easy to climb up the rest of the tree, providing many branches to hold and stand on. After a few minutes she was near the top, and she looked around.
"I can see the castle from here!" she yelled down. She could barely make our Harry through the branches.
"I am pretty sure they can hear you too," he yelled back.
She chuckled to herself. "Alright, I am coming down!"
"Please be careful!"
They settled down on the blanket again after she came down.
"As a gift, you can ask me any question you want," Harry said.
Ginny thought it over for a moment. "Alright, what is up with Prongs?"
Harry laughed. "Any question and you ask me about Prongs?"
"I attend enough councils to know how you rule, have stood guard during dinners enough that I know you secretly don't like to eat veal and that you mess up your hair when you are upset about something, so yes, I will ask about Prongs."
Harry nodded. "Hm. Right, okay." He frowned for a moment. "Prongs is a gift from King Sirius, you know he is my godfather."
"Regulus has mentioned him a few times, but they seem estranged."
"They are, although I don't know why," Harry confirmed. "Anyway, I think Sirius gifted me Prongs because he is such a sassy horse. Gives him a good laugh I suppose?"
Ginny smiled. "Right."
"He is not a bad horse, honestly. Once you are riding him, he listens quite well but it's approaching him that is difficult. I also don't think he enjoys being the 'spare' horse to Lightning."
"The poor thing," Ginny said.
Harry looked at her for a moment. "Do I really mess up my hair that much?"
She grinned. "Yes. When someone proposes something stupid during council, you run your hand to your hair while you try to come up with something polite to say."
He smiled. "Family trait then, I suppose. My dad did it too, it drove my mom mad. His hair was always messy."
Ginny bit her lip, trying not to laugh.
"What?"
"That was my first impression of you. That your hair was messy for a King... but that it suited you."
Harry scratched awkwardly behind his ear. "Thanks, I guess?"
"You're welcome."
He looked at the last card in his hand and up at Ginny. Several strands of hair had escaped her braid and danced in the breeze. She looked relaxed holding onto her card, waiting for his turn. The bright light made her freckles stand out, her face slightly red from the August sun.
"I think I am going to win," he told her and threw down his card, a Queen.
A wide smile spread across her face and she triumphantly slammed down her own card. "King. I win."
"That's my card, so actually I won."
She caught his eye and snorted. "If that's how you are playing..." She took the Queen card and threw it aside. "You have no Queen, so that card doesn't count."
"I am losing because I am not married?" He pretended to be upset.
She shrugged. "You would have lost either way, it looks like."
"I guess just because it is your birthday, I will let it slip."
"Wise idea," she agreed as she began picking up the cards and putting them back.
Harry looked around. "I think our horses have abandoned us."
Ginny clapped her hands twice. Immediately she could hear the thundering of hooves and a moment later both horses appeared in the clearing.
"I am not sure if Lightning answered to that or if he is simply following Red around," Harry wondered out loud.
"The latter, I think. Red responds very well to it," Ginny said.
"I guess she has to. Does she answer to her name as well?"
"Try it," she suggested.
"Red!" he called.
Red immediately came over but Lightning stayed put, confused Harry had not called on his own horse.
"Lightning, you poor thing!" Ginny said. "Come here, Lightning!"
Lightning ran to her but made a big curve around Harry before he stopped in front of Ginny.
She laughed and stood up to pet him. "You're just a sensitive boy, aren't you?"
"Don't call him sensitive!" Harry said.
She turned around to him and Lightning tucked his head against her side. She grinned and Harry rolled his eyes.
"I stand corrected."
"Wine?" he asked as she settled across from him once again in her nightshirt. It had become her usual attire for their late chats.
"Not tonight," she told him. "Water will do."
Harry shrugged and poured her water from the jug. He poured wine for himself. He sat down on the couch and looked at her.
"How is your arm?" she asked.
He moved it to assess how much pain it was causing. "Quite good. Barely hurts."
Her eyes trained on him as if she was deciding to believe him, but then she nodded.
"I think you got a little bit of a sunburn," Harry told her. Her cheeks and forehead were redder than usual.
She nodded and held her hand against her cheek. "You put your ginger Knight who always wears a helmet in the sun for half a day. What did you think was going to happen?"
He grimaced. "I should have known better."
She crossed her legs and cocked her head. "Yes, you should have."
"Sorry."
His eyes fell on the spot where the assassin died that morning. Ginny followed his gaze.
"I bet you won't sleep well after that attempt last night," she mused.
"I usually don't... but having you there does make me sleep easier," he admitted.
"I don't think I'll catch much sleep at all," Ginny agreed. "So, you can rest assured if someone tries to get at you, they'll need to get through me first."
He sighed. "If you had not been there, I would have died today. That was an insanely close call."
She leaned forward, her elbows resting on her knees. "You have got to give yourself more credit. You were ready to put up a fight." She paused and leaned back again. "You wouldn't have come out unscathed, but you may have lived."
"May have?" He raised his eyebrows.
"I don't know how well you fight but I do assume they trained you young. You just don't have much real-life experience." She took a sip of her water and then held the goblet against her face. She closed her eyes. "Oh, that is nice."
"Do you need to get some ointment for that sunburn?" he asked with concern.
She opened her eyes again and met his with a frown. "Yes, let's reveal to a Healer I am a woman so they can treat a minor sunburn." She clicked her tongue at the mere suggestion. "I'll live."
"Enter," Harry said when he heard Ginny's knock on the door. It was time for their weekly report.
Ginny strode in and stood in front of his desk. She opened her visor. Harry looked at her for a moment. Now they were regularly talking, these weekly reports were much less needed.
He sat up a bit straighter. "Right. Excellent work on keeping me alive yesterday. The Kingdom and I extend my everlasting gratitude."
She nodded. "Just doing my job."
"And doing it very well," he added. "Not many people can do what you do, Ginny. You can be proud of that."
Her cheeks coloured red as she blushed. He would have guessed up to her ears by the colour of it, but her ears were safely hidden by her helmet. She looked down to the ground. "Thank you."
"Other than that, I don't have anything this week, I believe. Do you have anything?" he asked.
Her eyes shot back up. "Yes, I do. Regulus said he will come by and visit. Can I have half a day off?"
"Of course. Just let me know when and I will make sure Alastor provides me three guards to replace you," he told her with a smile.
"He will tell me the date with the returning letter so then I will let you know," she said.
"Good." He took the little tin on his desk and held it out for her. "This is for your sunburn."
Her eyebrows raised in surprise and then she stepped forward to him and reached out to take it. When their fingers accidentally touched, a weird sensation ran through his fingers and down to his stomach and settled there. It had happened yesterday too when she grabbed his arm to examine the cut, but once again he paid it no mind.
Ginny opened it for a moment, looked at it and nodded. She closed it again. "You shouldn't have but thank you."
Harry cleared his throat. "Alright. Then that is all."
Ginny bowed and pushed her visor closed and left his office. As she opened the door, Peter came in.
"Hi, Peter."
"Hi, Harry. We need to talk about the assassin."
"That's all everyone wants to talk about," Harry replied with a smile.
Peter smiled too. "It was such a close call. You must wonder... do you trust Gwyn?"
Harry raised his eyebrows. "Why?"
"He would know when it is best to strike, don't you think?" Peter said.
"That's true but he could have very well died yesterday. I trust him," Harry assured Peter, though he appreciated the advisor's concern for his safety.
"Okay, I just want to make sure. We don't know who he really is and your safety is the top priority. We should consider all aspects," Peter told him.
Harry wondered for a moment if he should tell Peter of Gwyn's suspicions but decided against it. He couldn't talk about it without revealing Gwyn had been talking to him. "I know that, Peter. Knight Gwyn is pretty reliable. Don't rack your brain over it, Alastor will gladly do that for you."
Peter nodded. "He has been working here for five years and he still scares the living crap out of me." He visibly shivered.
Harry grinned. "Come on, Peter. He is not that bad."
"That man thinks spies can sprout from the walls!" Peter said, now more as a joke.
"That's why he is the best," Harry said.
Ginny walked outside after her weekly report and up to the stables to check on Red.
"Hi Lightning," she greeted on her way there. She paused when he turned to her and petted him. She did not bother trying with Prongs.
She walked on to Red and got into the stall with her. Red bumped her head against Ginny in greeting. She opened her visor.
"Yes, girl. Don't act like you haven't seen me in forever, you got plenty of outside time yesterday," she told Red.
"Gwyn?"
Ginny froze as she heard Hagrid. Her heart pounded.
"Is that why you don't talk? Because you're not a man?" Hagrid said.
She sighed and closed her eyes for a moment. She could hear by his footsteps that he was approaching. He halted in front of Red's stall.
"Yes," she admitted. She turned around to face him.
She met eyes with Hagrid and he smiled.
"How old are you?" he asked curiously.
It was not a question she expected. "Twenty-two."
Hagrid nodded silently.
"Look, Hagrid—" she started but he stopped her.
"Don't worry," he said. "Your secret is safe with me."
She stepped out of the stall and closed the door. "Ha— King Henry knows," she said, catching herself and saying his proper title.
"When did Harry find out?" Hagrid said now that she had almost said it too.
She frowned as she counted. "About two or three weeks ago." She looked up at him. "I keep it a secret for my own safety, you understand, right?"
Hagrid nodded and slapped a hand on her shoulder, so hard her knees almost buckled. "I am an excellent secret keeper."
Ginny put her hands on her hips. "Hagrid, you tell me all the castle gossip while you feed the cats."
Hagrid huffed. "Yes, but I only tell you." He looked down at the ground guiltily. "Alright, I may not be the best, but I promise this one I will keep."
"I appreciate it."
"I was about to feed the cats, you can join me and I won't tell you any gossip," Hagrid told her.
"Hagrid! You can't make me lose my gossip perks!"
He laughed and gave in as they reached the cats. Hagrid opened the satchel and the cats all stood in front of him waiting. There was a choir of meows as they awaited their treats.
Hagrid put his hand into the satchel and threw the pieces of meat around and the cats ran after it.
"Forgive me, but you are a woman and you ... almost share rooms." He threw more meat to the cats.
"We don't. There is a door, I am his Knight, it's not... it's not like that," she defended herself. They didn't see each other that way, did they?
Hagrid chuckled. "No need to get so defensive. I was just saying."
"It wasn't an issue before he found out and it is not an issue now."
Ginny was still lost in thought as she changed into her nightshirt. She sat down on her bed and applied the ointment on her face and massaged it into her skin, completely missing the knock on her door. She closed the tin when the door to Harry's chamber opened.
"Ginny?"
She startled and slipped off the bed. Harry rushed to her side.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you! Are you alright?" His hand wrapped around her arm and pulled her up.
She met his eyes, suddenly forgetting how to breathe, hyperaware of how his hand remained around her arm to make sure she was steady.
"Damn, Hagrid," she muttered under her breath, glancing away from him.
"What?" he asked in confusion.
"Hagrid. He found out I am a woman," she told him as she daringly met his eyes again. This was just her King, there was nothing special about meeting his eyes.
"Oh." He released her.
"He said he would not tell, so it should be okay," she told him. She walked past him and into his chamber.
"Wine?" Harry asked behind her.
"Please," she replied. She sunk down onto the couch and settled into the corner.
Harry handed her the goblet and sat down beside her. That is when she realised she had sat on his couch again. He didn't seem to mind. She glanced down at herself, in her nightshirt as usual and she almost slapped herself in the head. How she ended up on his couch at night, clad in just a nightshirt, she did not know. She folded up her legs to hide them but then considered she looked far too comfortable that way and put her feet firmly on the ground.
"Are you sure you are okay?"
Ginny hoped her sunburn would hide her red cheeks well enough. She nodded and looked at him. He was wearing a frown. "I think the twenty-two is getting to me," she said with a weak chuckle.
He smiled warmly. "I think it is."