A/N: We are back to explore the, finally, for-real relationship.
I am SO glad you enjoyed how they got together and it was so fun reading the comments!

I know I have been speedily updating this fic but long term I cannot keep up this pace. So to level out this fic with my others a little, I have made a schedule, which is in the a pinned post on my Tumblr (you'll be able to view the latest version (GinnyW-Potter))

The Lilac posting schedule is:
Thu, 29 Feb: ch26
Thu, 14 March: ch27
Sat, 30 March: ch28: League Cup Final
Wed, 10 Apr: Ch 29

I have currently written up to chapter 27 so there will be no delays at least for the next two chapters :)

They stopped by the Burrow first thing in the early morning so Ginny could pick up her walking shoes and change into shorts. Her mum greeted her, surprised they showed up so early.

"We're going walking," Ginny said. "Somewhere remote."

"You've read the news?" her mum asked.

She nodded. "Yes, a dramatic break-up which ends with Harry in hospital. He is half dead and won't be playing the final, ensuring Harpies win. All a big ploy by yours truly…" She shook her head warily.

"Don't let it get to you," her mum said. "How is your heart, Harry?"

"Alright," he told her mum. "All healed, better than ever." He grinned at Ginny.

She chuckled. "Stop it." She pointed towards the stairs. "I'll go get changed. Don't go anywhere."

"Where would I go…?" he asked.

Ginny and Harry started the hike and it was immediately a considerable climb, which made them fall silent to save their breath. Some steps were big and Ginny had to be careful to watch her footing.

"Do you want to walk in front?" she offered. "I feel like I'm slowing you down with my short legs."

"No, all good," he said. "I'm enjoying the view."

She turned around to him to find him grinning up at her. "You should have said, I would have worn shorter shorts."

He looked down. "These are fine." He pointed up. "Continue."

"How did you not stop my mum from packing us food?" Ginny asked, who had been surprised they had gotten snack packages by the time she came back downstairs.

"If you have figured out the secret to stop her from doing it, do share. I told her it wasn't necessary, she insisted." He took a deep breath. "And as your new boyfriend, I decided to leave it be."

"You're not new." She glanced back at him. "Not really."

"Kind of am," Harry said. "She told me again while you were changing how happy she was for us."

She looked up, seeing they were nearing the top of the hill. "I suppose it's a good thing they all like you."

"I would like to think so," he responded.

"Just a little further up and then we're at the top and it'll be straight for a while," she informed him.

"Thank Merlin for that," Harry commented. "I was really starting to feel it in my legs."

They continued on their walk until they found a nice spot to sit where they could enjoy the actual view. Ginny unpacked their snacks, finding biscuits and fruit.

"Oh, and a leftover piece of pie," Ginny said, unwrapping the last thing.

She looked up and froze, seeing Harry biting back tears.

She crawled to him. "Harry?"

He shook his head, his hand coming to her cheek. "I'm fine."

She kissed his cheek softly, her lips lingering against his skin. "What happened?"

"I was just considering that now that we're together and I don't have to let you go… everything about your family, I don't have to say goodbye to that and they continue welcoming me so warmly…" He wiped at his tears. "I was just realising I am not going to be alone."

She kissed him and pulled him into a hug. "I'm not going anywhere, and neither is my family."

"I know, that's why I was crying," he told her. He looked up at her. "I'm sorry."

She shook her head. "No, I know how important it is to you, and that you worried about that." She sat down on his lap and kissed him again. "You're stuck with all of us, deal with it."

He chuckled weakly. "Good."

She picked up an orange and peeled it. "Want a wedge?" she asked.

He nodded and she popped it half into her mouth, inviting him to bite into the other half. He looked at her amused, his lips wrapping around the piece. He took it from her and she laughed.

"Didn't your mother teach you not to play with your food?" Harry asked.

She shook her head. "Should I stop?"

"No." He took a wedge from her hands and put it between his lips.

She leaned in but the moment she came close, he sucked it inside and her lips planted on his. Harry ducked away coughing.

"Didn't think that through," he commented, sitting back up again, clearing his throat a final time.

She shook her head in disbelief. "Can you please stop nearly dying?"

He smiled at her. "I'll try." He frowned a little. "Although at least then I'd die happy, that'd be nice."

"You can die happy when you're old," Ginny told him. "Promise me."

He took the orange out of her hand and put it beside them. "I promise." Then he snogged her deeply. The view was nice, allegedly, but they hadn't seen it yet.

When they had enough of their snacks, Ginny stood up and looked into the valley. A river ran through at the bottom and all the plants were blooming.

"Don't get too close to the side," Harry told her.

"Hold my hand," she said, holding it back.

Harry took it and clasped it as she leaned forward to look further down. "Merlin, that's deep," she commented.

Harry pulled on her hand and she fell back, into his arms.

"You put a lot of trust in me holding you," he said.

She turned around in his arms and met his eyes. "You plucked me out of the air mid-game. Of course I trust you to not drop me off the side of a hill."

He looked up for a moment, nodding. The sun hit his eyes just right and the green looked vibrant and more piercing than usual.

"Hm?" he asked her.

"You have the most gorgeous eyes I've ever seen in my life," she told him.

He smiled broadly, his eyes shining brightly. "Do I?"

"Yes." She wrapped her arms around his waist. "So completely gorgeous."

His cheeks turned a little redder. "You're going to make me blush."

She chuckled at him.

Ginny walked into the house. "Romeo, Romeo, wherefore are thou Romeo?"

Harry came out of the bedroom grinning and paused at the top of the stairs. "Into muggle literature, sexy," He commented as he leaned on the bannister.

She set down her bag and began to climb the stairs. "It's a classic."

Harry pushed off the bannister and waited for her. He pulled her into an embrace and kissed her softly. "Hey."

"What were you doing?" Ginny asked, pointing at the bedroom.

Harry signed for her to go in. She walked through the door and found a nightstand on her side of the bed. He clearly had just finished assembling it. Before she could turn back around, Harry came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her.

"It's yours," he murmured against her ear.

She caressed his arms softly. "Harry..." She turned around his arms and pulled him down to kiss him. Eagerly her lips met his, making sure she was getting her thank you across.

"If you are into nightstands that much, I can buy you more," he told her.

"Ha." She smiled. "You know it's not... it isn't really... it's about..." She looked into his piercing green eyes as they looked at her so adoringly. "It isn't about..." Her brain had turned to mush and the fact that he was not taking his eyes off her as he waited patiently for her to speak, didn't exactly help. She closed her mouth again, frowning slightly.

His hand stroked against her cheek. "Did I break you?"

She shook her head.

"Because you are usually a bit more articulate." His other hand came to her face too as he held her and looked at her more closely, eyes twinkling all the while.

She turned back around and looked at the nightstand again. Harry squeezed her closer and kissed her temple.

"It's really sweet," she said.

"You are all 'our bedroom' and 'let's go home'... the least I can do is give you a nightstand."

She chuckled. "They say you're officially moved in when your toothbrush is there and over half your clothes so..." She stepped to the closet and opened it only to find Harry had cleared more shelves for her. She smiled to herself. "I think with a few more items, we are there." She turned around to look at him.

"You should do that." He cocked his head, a reserved but eager smile dancing around his lips. "I want you to be here all the time."

She walked to him and put her arms around his neck. "I will be." She kissed him. "Now our relationship isn't so scheduled... and I don't feel like I am overstaying my necessary welcome..."

He shook his head. "You never did."

"But I didn't know that," she replied. "Difficult to move in when I haven't even seen every room in this house."

Harry moved at her words, removing her arms from around his neck and taking her hand to lead her downstairs. "I'll give you a tour."

Though she muttered some objections, she followed him downstairs, through the living room and the kitchen and into the pantry.

"This is the pantry," he announced.

"I know," she deadpanned. "Been here before." She grabbed a bag of crisps off the shelf and opened it. She stuffed a few into her mouth. She offered Harry the bag, but he ignored it and dragged her back out.

"Kitchen," he said and walked straight through to the living room. "Living room. Went down on a girl on that couch once or twice."

She inhaled sharply and almost choked on her crisps. She cleared her throat. "Merlin, I hope you don't give that type of tour to everyone?" She raised an eyebrow.

"No, you are getting the special," he replied unfazed as he pulled her into the hallway and up the stairs to a study she never entered before. "Can't say I use this study much but good for boring paperwork."

"Fuck me, that's a lot of books," she said, eating more crisps.

"Okay," Harry replied.

She snorted. "Let's finish the tour first, mister."

He walked out of the room and into the guest room. She followed him.

"Spare bedroom, good for letting people crash who have their sibling as their landlord," Harry told her.

"Don't tell Ron that," she said.

Harry smiled. "Isn't he looking for his own place?"

She nodded. "That could still be a while though."

They continued to the bathroom and then onto the attic. Harry pulled out the ladder and let her go first. She popped her head through the ceiling door. The attic was filled with boxes and boxes. There didn't seem to be any logic to how they had been set down. There were a few cupboards and a discarded desk as well. She stepped onto the floor and Harry followed quickly after.

"When I moved in, I just put anything I didn't know what to do with here. I have been meaning to go through them but between getting them down again and sorting through it... haven't bothered."

"Just take down one box at a time?" she suggested, deciding not to ask how much of it was his parents'.

"Yes, I keep telling myself I will." He shrugged.

She paused and looked at him. "Is this because of the memory tweaking? Is it hard?"

"I… Yes." He ran his hand through his hair. "I come across pictures of things I can't remember or items… A lot of it is my parents'. So it involves checking if I had obliviated it… It can be quite taxing. It's more than just a few boxes."

Ginny nodded, deciding not to press on it today.

"Next room, come on." He went down the ladder again.

She took the first few steps down and then let herself drop, keeping hold of her bag of crisps. Harry reached out in reflex to catch her, but she landed safely on her feet.

"Can't help it, can you?" she teased.

He smirked. "It's not my fault you fell for me."

She bit her tongue. She held out the bag. "Crisp?"

Harry took the bag out of her hands and pushed her into their bedroom. He put the crisps down on the dresser.

"Now you have to move in with me"

She smiled. "Okay."

"How was Luna? Did you pick up the photos?" Harry asked.

Ginny had almost forgotten that was why she was out. She nodded and went back downstairs for the bag, with Harry behind her. They settled on the couch to look at them.

She indicated a big one that was also printed in the article of them looking at each other. "I wanted a print of that one because I think it's so cute."

"It's a nice picture," he admitted.

She took up the next photo. "Here is your sexy photo…" She looked up at him with a teasing smile. "I think I'm going to get it framed."

To her surprise, Harry agreed. "Yes, you should. And put one in your wallet so you can look at it when some other man is making you a proposition. So you remember who is waiting for you at home."

She chuckled. "I don't need a photo for that but I'll take it." She flipped to the next photo, of her alone.

"I love your expression there," Harry said.

She chuckled. "Yeah, of course you do." She met his eyes. "I was looking at you beside Luna."

He smiled at her. "Oh."

"I've been meaning to ask…" She looked at the photos so she didn't have to look at him. "Were you honest during that interview…? I assumed you had no trouble replying because it wasn't 'real' to you. For me it was too real and I…"

Harry nodded in understanding. "…That you shut down. I did mean all I said I think… anything that wasn't blatantly made up."

She laid the photos down on the table and then cupped his face, planting a kiss on his lips. "I just knew it wasn't real, and that's the part that upset me."

"Aw, Ginny." He kissed her cheek. "If you had talked to me…"

"I know… I just couldn't deal with it then," she said, glancing at him.

He softly pushed her to lie back on the couch and he hovered over her. "I figured telling the truth then was easiest, even if it doesn't become reality."

Her hand came to the back of his neck. "That's terribly endearing."

He leaned down with a smile, kissing her and quickly working his way down with kisses. He pulled her shirt up and placed kisses along her stomach, down to her trousers.

"Can't even enjoy my nightstand like this," she muttered.

He looked up grinning, unbuttoning her trousers. "Later today perhaps." He pulled her trousers and underwear down and didn't waste any time. Diving between her legs, his mouth found her clit and started licking expertly.

"Do you ever get tired of that?" she asked him.

He shook his head, not even taking the time to stop and reply. His tongue continued working on her clit until she came. He sat up and she started pulling off his clothes.

He grabbed hold of her with a chuckle. "Are we a little feral today?"

"I want to see your bare butt, boyfriend," she replied, not resisting his hold. "I want to drive your dick, dearest."

He laughed loudly, letting go of her. He let her undress him, cooperating somewhat. She pulled the rest of her clothes off too and ordered him to lie down on the couch now. She sat on top of him and let him enter her. She paused for a moment.

"You are feral," he commented with a smirk.

She leaned a little closer to him. "What are you going to do about it?"

"Oblige," he replied. "Where do you want me?"

She let her hand slide down his chest. "No worries, I have you right where I want you."

Ginny waited for Harry to come back from the study when he suddenly called her name. She stood up and made her way over there. She found him still in the study with a box of Snitches and what looked to be a love potion.

She looked at him warily, raising a questioning eyebrow.

"So I know you said you wanted to prove your love for me and as much as I don't think that's necessary—I did remember this trick I learned at Seeker boot camp." He leaned on the desk. "You don't have to do it, but I thought it could be fun if you're up for it."

"I want to do it," she said immediately. She walked up to the desk. "So what is it?"

"As you know, Snitches have flesh memories. If you pour love potion on it after you have touched it, it'll fly to what you love most."

She nodded. "So only one person is allowed to have touched it?"

"Yes." He took up one of the snitches from the box. "I got these snitches as a novelty gift… finally I know what to do with it." He glanced towards the door. "Close the door—it flies to what you love most. It could be treacle tart."

She chuckled. "I would accept that."

Harry took the cork of the love potion, put a few drops on it and then rested it on his palm. The wings unfolded and immediately fluttered as they moved up. The snitch moved around Ginny for a few seconds as if it was inspecting her and then began flying softly around her head like a halo.

She looked at it with a smile, following it with her eyes.

"No surprise there," Harry commented.

"My turn." She took up another snitch

Harry took his out of the air and added a few drops of love potion to hers.

"Before you let go—if it doesn't fly to me there are no hard feelings," Harry said.

She grinned at him and let go of the snitch. It immediately flew up and plunked against Harry's head.

"Nevermind." Harry ducked as he tried to evade the snitch.

It flew into his head again a few times and Ginny resisted laughing.

"Ow! Why is yours so aggressive about it?" he asked her, swatting at it.

She grabbed it again and held it. "I don't know," she chuckled. "But I am glad it worked."

He smiled at her. "Me too."

They held out both snitches and released them at the same time. They fluttered around for a moment, hovering and then flew towards each other. Harry's gently, hers with force, knocking his off course.

"Maybe you love me gently and I…" She nudged against him.

He wrapped an arm around her. "You love me aggressively?"

She shrugged at him. "I suppose so."

He kissed her jaw. "I knew you wouldn't let this go trying to 'prove' you love me so I think was a better option." He gestured towards the snitches. "Before you decided to accio all things that belong to me."

Her eyes widened. "Oh! You're right I could have done that!"

"Not your greatest option in a house that I own," he muttered.

She squeezed his side and let go, stepping back to the love potion. She opened it again and took a whiff. "Yep, still the smell of rain after a hot day, Quaffle leather and…" She squinted her eyes, breathing in deeply. "Wait, there are two more smells this time." She sniffed more. "One is definitely treacle tart."

"Ha!" Harry walked up to her. "You really do like it."

She pushed him back. "Remain over there, please. Need to find the fourth smell." She eyed him. "It's a good dessert, but it's because of you. The other thing…"

"My cologne?" he tried.

She chuckled. "No." She tried to identify the smell. "Oh! It's the laundry detergent you use. Because you smell like it, and the sheets do. And I do too if you've done my laundry."

"That's sweet. You love that I do the laundry." He walked to her again and took the bottle from her.

She nodded silently. "That grey shirt I always sleep in, yours that I claimed?"

"Yeah?" he asked, pausing to take a whiff.

"That's when I started associating that smell with you." She raised an eyebrow.

"Alright, you're adorable." He kissed the top of her head and then took a few steps backwards.

She watched as he smelled the bottle. "And?"

"Treacle tart, broomstick handles and some flowery type of smell," he told her. "You would never guess what that is."

"It's my shampoo, isn't it?" she asked.

He nodded, closing the bottle and putting it aside. "It also smells like that body wash you use after practice."

"The one I use there?" she asked warily. "That cheap shit?"

He pulled her back into his arms. "Yes, because if you've had a good workout, you are all the more happy to come and relax with me. And as much as you complain, you do tend to be in a good mood when you've worked hard."

"I guess you're right about that," Ginny told him.

He kissed her cheek. "We are going to have to tell our managements about this tomorrow."

"I don't have a good feeling about that, considering the current situation," she said.

He released her and sighed while closing the box of snitches and tucking it back in a drawer. "If they have issues with it, they can go fuck themselves!"

"Harry!" she said with a gasp. "I expect that kind of language from me, but you…"

He met her eyes. "Am I wrong? They've been puppeteering us the whole time, and they don't seem to give a damn about how we are doing or feeling or the comments of the public." He frowned as he continued. "They may not like it, but they are going to have to accept it."

"It's your career," she commented.

"The League states that there are no restrictions on dating, as long as it is communicated on time. Management can't do anything." He crossed his arms.

She cocked her head, her gaze softening. "Did you look that up in case…"

He ran his hand through his hair and nodded. "I wanted to prepare in case—in case this worked out. It's not advised, which is understandable, but it's not banned." He shook his head. "It's their fault anyway."

"I don't know, I could have fallen for you on my own time," she teased, stepping closer to him.

Her hand came to his cheek and he met her eyes.

"You think?" he asked softly.

She nodded without a sliver of doubt. "Absolutely."