AN: Good news! I've made good progress on Chapter 17 today, so I decided to post Chapter 12 a week earlier than planned.
Alright, alright, that's only half the story—I'll admit it. Something happens at the end of Chapter 12, and I just can't wait to share it! ;-)

A big thank you goes to KSummer, GryffindorHealer, and dumnonian for their much appreciated help.

Oops! In my excitement, I forgot to give the chapter one last read before posting it, so if you find any typos—just keep them!

Freshly showered, Harry stepped into his room, a towel wrapped loosely around his waist. He had spent the day helping the Weasleys at the market in Ottery, and the warm shower had been a welcome relief after hours in the cold. His eyes fell on the wrapped present sitting on his desk. His mum had helped him enchant one of his dad's old broom repair books so that it looked almost brand new. Ron was always complaining about his broom acting up, and Harry was confident the book would be the perfect birthday gift to finally solve those problems. From his perspective, it was the ideal present, and he was sure Ron would love it.

He opened his wardrobe and considered what to wear. Not that Ron cared what he wore, but… Harry sighed, silently admitting to himself that he wanted to make a good impression on Ginny.

Without warning, his sister Emily burst through the door with a bang, peeking inside.

"Can't you knock?" Harry grumbled. "I'm getting dressed."

"Nothing I haven't seen before, big brother," Emily grinned. "I just came to tell you I need Hoot. So, if you've got anything to send, now's your chance."

"What do you need the owl for?" Harry asked, still rummaging through T-shirts.

"Graham sent me a letter," Emily replied with a wide smile, "and it's only polite to write back."

"Graham sent you a letter?" Harry stopped, blinking in surprise.

"Yes. Is something wrong with that?" Emily's tone shifted to one of warning.

"Er, no," Harry said, straightening up. "Go ahead and take Hoot. I don't have any mail to send."

"Thanks!" Emily gave him a quick smile before turning to leave. "And get dressed up for the party, alright?"

Harry adjusted his glasses and ran a hand through his damp hair, sighing. It didn't really bother him that Emily was writing to Graham. But the idea of his younger sister having a boyfriend before he even had a girlfriend? Now that felt a little unsettling. Maybe he should take his mum's advice and just ask Ginny… He grimaced. Why did that seem so impossibly difficult?

He shook off the thought and grabbed some underwear and socks from his drawer. Dropping the towel, he dressed quickly, pulling on his tight black jeans and threading a black leather belt through the loops. Next, he picked a white long-sleeved shirt and pulled a dark green T-shirt over it. His mum had assured him it went well with his eyes. As he glanced at himself in the mirror, the bold white letters on his shirt caught his eye: "I'm still available." He smirked, hoping Ginny would find it funny.

He paused for a moment, remembering how Ginny had laughed a lot with the boys when the new students were around. He'd felt a twinge of jealousy then, though he'd pushed it aside and joined the group. Sure, he loved seeing Ginny laugh, but he loved it even more when she laughed with him. That had been happening more often lately, and he liked to think they were getting along quite well. Maybe… maybe it was time to do something about it.

Taking a deep breath, Harry grabbed his bag and started packing for the next day. Carefully selecting a sweater, he put it on his underwear, his freshly washed and ironed favourite pyjamas followed and the gift for Ron on top. With everything ready, he gave himself one last look in the mirror. Time to go to the party.

*HG*

When Harry stormed into the living room, his mother stood by the fireplace, holding Emily's bag. "She'll be right back," she said, smiling. "She's just..."

"I know," Harry groaned, rolling his eyes. "She's sending her letter."

"Please don't tease her about it, Harry," his mum said in a kind but firm tone. "She was so excited when that boy wrote to her. Let her enjoy it."

Harry sighed. "I won't say anything, Mum, promise."

"At least she does something about it when she likes someone," she added, her voice teasing just a little. "Unlike some people…"

Harry gave her a reproachful look. "And why doesn't 'no teasing' apply to me too?"

His mum chuckled. "That wasn't teasing, it was…encouragement."

Harry grimaced, running his hand through his hair. He'd spend half the night thinking about Ginny and was finally resolved to do something about it. If only he knew what. "Encouragement isn't necessary," he stammered. "I'm...erm, I'll do something…soon."

Before the conversation could continue, Emily burst through the back door, grinning. "All set!" she announced, grabbing her bag.

With a nod from their mother, Harry followed Emily's lead. She took a pinch of Floo Powder from the mantel, threw it into the flames, and called out, "The Burrow."

Harry stepped into the fireplace after her, landing awkwardly in the Weasleys living room. He quickly stepped aside, making room for his mum, who appeared right behind him.

The Burrow was lively, as always. The table was already set for the birthday dinner, and Bill, Charlie, and Tonks were sitting near the window, chatting. But Ron was nowhere in sight. Probably, he was still showering as he'd been at the market in Ottery with Harry all day.

"Hi," Harry greeted the trio, waving. "Is Ron already down?"

Tonks smiled warmly. "He's still upstairs getting cleaned up."

"Oh, right," Harry nodded, feeling slightly awkward. "I'll... take my things up to his room."

On his way to the stairs, he caught sight of the kitchen. Mrs Weasley was filling a dessert into bowls, and, to his surprise, Ginny was there, wearing an apron and pulling a roast from the oven while Emily hurried to clear the table for her. It hit Harry - apparently, Ginny had been the one cooking most of the dinner, as her mother had been in Ottery all day.

"Hi, Ginny," he greeted her with a friendly smile.

She looked up briefly. "Oh, hey, Harry."

"I'm just going to take my bag up," he said quickly, gesturing toward the stairs.

"Take mine with you?" Emily asked, turning to him. "I'm going to help Ginny a bit more."

Ginny glanced over her shoulder, smiling. "You can just leave it in my room, Harry."

"Sure," Harry replied, slinging Emily's bag over his shoulder as he headed up the stairs.

"Don't worry, no one's in there," Ginny called after him, a teasing note in her voice. "I checked. No need to knock."

Harry couldn't help but smile, though he felt his face flush slightly. "I'll take your word for it."

He entered Ginny's room, stepping inside cautiously. He'd been in here before, and the memory that stood out most was Ginny wrapped in nothing but a towel. A wardrobe with a large mirror stood next to the bed, likely where she'd been that day, Harry assumed. His eyes drifted to the small desk, and beside it, a camping bed for Emily.

He dropped Emily's bag on the camp bed, about to leave, when something caught his eye. On the desk was a roll of paper, carefully wrapped in newspaper. He recognized it immediately. He'd seen Emily carrying similar bundles before or after visiting Ginny, always secretive about it. His curiosity piqued, Harry unwrapped the roll.

His eyes widened. Romance novels.

But not just any romance novels - they were clearly... adult. The cover showed a muscular man with a bare chest, leaning over a woman whose revealing dress left very little to the imagination. The man's hand cupped her bare breast while the woman's long legs sprawled seductively beneath him.

Harry swallowed hard, trying to calm his racing heart and ignore the uncomfortable stirring in his trousers. A creak from the stairs tore him from his musings. Hastily, he rewrapped the booklets and placed them back on the desk. Grabbing his bag, he darted out of the room, his face burning.

Just as he stepped into the stairwell, Ron appeared, grinning broadly. "Oi, mate! You lost? My room's one floor up."

"Oh, I just dropped off my sister's bag in Ginny's room," Harry said, relieved, glad Ron hadn't caught him a second earlier. "I'm heading up now."

Halfway up the stairs, Harry suddenly stopped. "Oh, wait, Ron. I've got something for you." He rummaged through his bag and pulled out the small package, handing it to Ron with a sheepish smile. "Happy birthday, mate."

Ron raised an eyebrow as he took the gift. "You didn't have to, but thanks."

"It's something practical," Harry said with a grin, already turning back to the stairs. "I'll be right back."

A few moments later, as Harry descended the stairs, Mrs Weasley's called from the kitchen, "Everyone, take your seats! Dinner's ready!"

Harry found a spot next to Ron, who sat proudly at the head of the table, while Charlie, Tonks and Bill took seats at the other end.

With eyes wide in delight, Ron leafed through the broom repair book Harry had given him. "This is perfect! I've been looking for a book like this for ages. Thank you, Harry," he said, carefully placing it on the sideboard with his other gifts.

"Watch out, the food's coming through," Emily called out as she walked into the living room. Behind her, Mrs Weasley directed a line of plates, laden with roast meat and all kinds of vegetables, setting them down on the table with a graceful wave of her wand. Lily followed closely, placing gravy boats neatly around the spread.

Ginny leaned over to inspect Ron's gifts. "Nice book, Ron. My broom could also use some repairs. I can borrow it, right?"

"Sure, anytime I'm not using it," Ron replied with a grin.

Emily slid into the seat next to Harry, leaving Ginny to sit across from him, beside Ron. "Thanks for coming to my birthday," Ron began, in mock seriousness. "And special thanks to Mum and Ginny for preparing what looks like a fantastic meal. Have a great evening. Dig in. Cheers!" He raised his butterbeer, and everyone followed, the adults lifting their glasses of wine.

The first few minutes were filled with the quiet sounds of eating and clinking cutlery. Soon enough, though, conversations and laughter started bubbling up again, especially from Charlie, Tonks, and Bill, who quickly dove back into their animated discussion.

Harry's mum leaned forward, her attention caught by something Tonks had said. "What's this I hear about the Malfoys, Dora? Are the rumours true?"

Tonks nodded. "Yeah, there's talk of something strange going on at the Malfoys' place. I don't know the details, but apparently Lucius has cancelled a few meetings with Umbridge. She's been acting nervous about it."

"Who are the Malfoys?" Harry asked, puzzled. "I've never heard of them."

Ron frowned. "I have. Dad's mentioned them before, always complaining."

Tonks leaned in. "The Malfoys are distant relatives of mine - not that I'm proud of it. But they're exactly the sort of people who'd get cosy with someone like Umbridge. Same pack. Not sure if Umbridge was a Death Eater, though. Lucius sure was."

Harry raised an eyebrow. "How do you even know all this, Dora?"

Tonks grinned. "Well, I do the occasional bit of work for Dumbledore. Mostly investigative stuff."

Charlie chuckled. "Of course. He knows you've always had that Auror ambition."

Tonks shot back with a smirk. "You had that same dream, didn't you? But then dragons won your heart."

Charlie shrugged. "In the end, neither of us got what we wanted."

"Not true," Tonks replied innocently. "I got you."

Charlie chuckled. "At least dragons don't rearrange the furniture when I'm not looking."

Harry listened closely, intrigued. He hadn't realized Tonks did that much for Dumbledore, and it seemed Charlie was often involved too, whenever his work allowed.

"What kind of people are the Malfoys?" Harry asked, turning to Ron.

"Filthy rich," Ron answered thoughtfully. "Dad always said they used their money to get whatever they wanted from the Ministry. They were Death Eaters too. At least during the war. I don't remember much more, though. I was pretty young back then."

"Maybe they still are," Harry mused, but quickly sighed. "Let's talk about something else. It's your birthday, after all."

"Yeah," Ron agreed, though a hint of sadness passed across his face.

"So, what's the plan tonight?" Harry asked, keen to lighten the mood.

"Emily suggested a game of Truth or Dare," Ginny chimed in with a mischievous grin. "You up for it?"

"I've never played, but why not?" Harry shrugged, then turned to his sister. "Have you?"

Emily snorted. "With who? It's not exactly a game you play alone with your brother."

Harry raised an eyebrow. "And how do you know about it, then?"

"I read about it," Emily said with a smirk, dodging the question. "It sounded fun."

"What are the rules?" Ron asked, intrigued. "Hopefully not too complicated."

"It's simple," Emily explained with an innocent expression. "You ask someone to choose between answering a question truthfully, and doing a dare."

"That's it?" Harry raised an eyebrow. "Sounds a bit tame. Maybe even boring."

"It's all about the questions," Ginny's eyes gleamed mischievously. "If you pick truth, you have to be completely honest, no matter how awkward or uncomfortable it gets. That's the whole point."

"Doesn't sound too complicated," Harry admitted, glancing at Ron. "What do you think?"

Ron hesitated for a moment, then grinned. "Can't see why I wouldn't answer a question. Let's give it a go."

But Harry felt a twinge of unease. A quick glance at Ginny didn't help - there were definitely questions he wouldn't want to answer in front of the others. But surely, no one would ask anything too personal… right? Especially not Ginny. Not in front of everyone. He was probably worrying over nothing.

Ginny leaned closer to the table and lowered her voice while glancing over to ensure the adults weren't listening. "I made a punch," she said with a sly smile. "Mum insisted on two - one for the adults, and one for us. Of course, I made sure ours has a little something extra, too."

Ron face lit up. "You're the best, Ginny."

"Just remember that when I need a favour," Ginny teased.

After dinner and a helping of caramel pudding with chocolate sauce, Mrs Weasley stood up and waved her wand, sending the dishes floating in a neat row into the kitchen sink. Lily followed Tonks and Mrs Weasley, supposedly to supervise the washing up - over a glass of punch.

Bill poured two measures of Firewhisky for himself and Charlie.

"You forgot about me and my guests, Bill," Ron called, giving his brother a hopeful look. "It's my birthday, after all. One tiny sip won't hurt."

"Let them have their fun," Charlie chimed in, backing Ron up.

"Just a small one," Bill warned, looking less than thrilled. He poured four more, filling each only halfway before stashing the bottle back. "Before you lot get any bright ideas, and Mum blames me for it."

Ron grinned broadly as he handed out the drinks, raising his own. "Cheers! To my birthday,"

They clinked glasses and took a sip while Bill and Charlie refilled their own and headed for the kitchen.

"Perfect," Ginny said brightly. "I'll grab the punch. Are you coming, Emm?"

Harry and Ron settled into the cosy seating area by the window, and soon Ginny and Emily returned with a jug of punch and four mugs. After pouring a round, they drained the last of their Firewhisky.

"Right, time for the game!" Ginny announced with a mischievous grin at Emily. "Who's going first?"

"Actually, the youngest," Emily replied. "But it's Ron's birthday, he can go first."

"Alright," Ginny grinned. "Go ahead, Ron. Pick someone."

Ron took a large gulp of punch, grinning as he set his mug down.

"Alright," he began, glancing around the group. "I'll start easy. Harry, truth or dare?"

Harry raised an eyebrow, pretending to mull it over. "Truth," he said confidently.

Ron smirked. "Alright. What was your most embarrassing Quidditch moment?"

Harry flushed slightly, thinking back. "Once, I was trying to catch the Snitch, but just as I reached for it, it darted out of the way and hit me square in the face. Nearly knocked my glasses off." He chuckled. "Without thinking, I grabbed it with both hands and almost fell off the broom."

Ginny burst out laughing. "Wish I'd seen that."

Harry shot her a mock glare. "I was eight at the time." His glare softened into a grin. "Your turn, Ginny. Truth or dare?"

"Dare!" Ginny responded without hesitation.

Harry's eyes lit up. "I dare you to do an impression of your mum calling everyone for dinner."

"Easy," said Ginny, standing up. She cleared her throat dramatically before bellowing in a perfect impression of her Mrs Weasley, "Dinner's ready, dears! And don't forget to wash your hands, or I'll know!"

Laughter erupted, with Harry nearly spilling his punch. Ginny sat back down, still grinning. "Alright, Emily. Truth or dare?"

"Not sure if I should trust you," Emily answered cautiously. "I'd better say dare."

Ginny grinned. "I'm not as evil as you think. Just a little bit." Her grin widened. "Eat a bogey.

"Yuck! You're even meaner than I thought." Emily pulled a disgusted face as she pretended to pick her nose.

"You won't die from it," Ginny teased, laughing.

Emily made a show of sticking her finger in her mouth, pulling an exaggerated grimace as she did so.

Ginny wiped away tears of laughter. "Alright, we'll accept that for now."

With a slight frown, Emily glanced around, then turned to Ron. "Truth or dare?"

Ron rolled his eyes but smiled. "Truth. I'm not risking whatever mad dare you'll come up with."

Emily's frown turned into a grin. "Okay, Ron. Tell us - have you ever kissed a girl?"

Ron groaned. "I once kissed a girl at the market in Ottery, or rather, she kissed me." He shook his head." A second later, she disappeared, and I never saw her again."

They all laughed. "You forgot about Cousin Ann," Ginny chimed in, amused,

Scandalized, Ron called, "You wouldn't even know if Fred and George hadn't always taken the mickey out of me about it. They were always up to some shit." His expression softened. "I still miss them, even if they were always playing pranks on me." He looked up. "Alright, Ginny. Your turn. Truth or dare?"

Ginny shot Ron a wary look. "Admit it, you've got an embarrassing question ready", she said, pondering for a moment. "I'd rather take dare."

Ron chuckled. "I dare you to kiss the ghoul, dear sister of mine."

"Ron!" Ginny cried, wide-eyed, as she jumped to her feet. "You can't be serious."

"What's a ghoul?" Harry asked, confused.

"It's a kind of a house ghost that lives up in the attic," Emily explained. "Sometimes it howls, or bangs on the pipes at night."

"Oh," Harry grimaced, suddenly feeling a bit sorry for Ginny.

Ginny stared at Ron for a moment and then marched to the stairs to climb up to the attic.

"I'm coming with you," Ron called, hurrying after his sister. "Just to make sure you do it."

"I want to see the ghoul too," Emily said, rushing after them.

Unsure how Ginny would take it if he didn't go, Harry stood up and followed the others. It would look stupid if he was the only one left down here.

It turned out the ghoul resembled a slimy, buck–toothed creature.

When Harry arrived, Ginny was wiping her mouth on her sleeve, looking thoroughly disgusted.

"Happy now?" she snapped at Ron before storming back downstairs.

Ron looked a little dumbfounded. "Maybe that was a bit much," he muttered to Harry as they followed Ginny back to the living room, where they waited for her to reappear, now wearing a fresh shirt and a clean face.

"Alright, let's get on with it," she said as she sat back down in her seat. Her gaze fixed on Harry, her eyebrows raised slightly. "Truth or dare?"

"Me?" Harry inhaled sharply, realising how cross Ginny still was. This couldn't end well. He took a sip of his punch, only to find his empty.

Without missing a beat, Ginny refilled everyone's mug, her eyes never leaving Harry.

Sensing trouble, Harry hesitated. Whatever dare Ginny had in mind wouldn't be pleasant. "Truth," he finally said.

Ginny grinned, clearly satisfied. "Wise choice." She waited a moment, enjoying his discomfort, then asked, her voice calm but triumphant, "What colour hair do you like on girls?"

Not the question he'd expected. Harry felt his cheeks flush - and it wasn't from the punch. He gave Ginny a shy smile and quietly replied, "Red"

"I knew it, mate," Ron said, smirking as he gave Harry a playful pat on the shoulder.

Ginny shot Harry one of her unreadable looks, and he was relieved when Ron chimed in. "Harry, it's your turn."

Harry paused for a moment, thinking carefully, then his eyes brightened. "Ginny. Truth or dare?"

"Why me again?" Ginny groaned, "I'm not kissing anything or anyone else. Truth."

Harry grinned widened, pleased with the answer, "Have you ever kissed a boy?"

Ginny him a dark look. "I wish," she muttered under her breath, and when Harry didn't budge, she said a little louder, "That was a no."

For some reason, Harry felt a wave of relief. He didn't quite know why, but he couldn't help feeling pleased with himself.

Ginny immediately turned to Ron, giving him a hard star. "Truth or dare, my dear brother?" she asked sweetly.

To Harry's surprise, Ron muttered, "I think I better give you the chance to come even." He pursed his lips. "Dare!"

Ginny's expression turned angelic. "Go to the kitchen, take an egg from the pantry and chuck it out of the window."

Ron groaned. "Damn it," he muttered under his breath. Without another word, he stood up and disappeared into the kitchen. Moments later, Mrs Weasley's outraged voice echoed through the house. "Ron! What was that? Have you lost your mind? No pudding for a month!"

Harry snorted, catching the way Ginny's lips trembled as she fought to suppress a giggle. She gave him a brief smile, but her face quickly turned unreadable again, as if nothing had happened.

Ron trudged back, looking thoroughly disgruntled. "Happy now?" he grumbled, sinking into his seat.

Ginny simply raised an eyebrow, saying nothing.

The game continued, and with each passing round, the tension between Ginny and Ron intensified. At one point, with a glint of mischief in her eyes, Ginny turned to an increasingly irritated Ron and asked, "So, have you ever kissed a boy on the lips?"

"We were, like, five years old!" Ron exclaimed.

Ron retaliated by daring Ginny to get them another round of Firewhisky.

Harry watched with amusement as the banter escalated until Ron, with a gleam in his eye, asked Ginny, "Has anyone ever seen you naked?"

Ginny's eyes snapped to Harry, staring at him accusingly.

Harry's heart raced as panic set in. He had never told anyone about the time he'd accidentally barged into Ginny's room. Shaking his head slightly, he prayed she would believe him.

A somewhat triumphant smile played on her lips as she turned back to Ron. "Everyone in the family has seen me naked," she said calmly. "Remember when we were kids? The bathtub was in the kitchen each weekend, and we were bathed one after the other." She smirked. "I can only hope yours has gotten bigger."

"Ginny," Ron cried indignantly, but then burst into laughter. "You're right. I'd forgotten."

Ginny shot her brother a satisfied grin, then turned to Harry, giving him an appraising look before a smile tugged at her lips. "Your turn, Harry. Truth or dare?"

For Harry's taste, the dares had gotten a bit out of hand, so he muttered, "Truth."

Ginny's eyes narrowed, her expression suddenly more shrewd. "Have you ever been in love?"

"Er, what?" Harry blurted, taken off guard. It took him a moment to process the question. "How…how would I know?" he stammered. "I mean, isn't that something you figure out over time? Together? But if you haven't, then... how would you be sure?" He trailed off, looking at Ginny with wide eyes before shrugging helplessly. "I don't know," he admitted.

"That's not an answer for a dare," Emily interjected.

Ginny gave him a thoughtful look, then turned to Emily. "It counts. Your turn, Harry."

Harry exhaled, relieved to have escaped the question so easily. His eyes scanned the room, finally settling on his sister. "Emily, truth or dare?"

"Oh." Startled, Emily sat up and blurted, "Truth... erm, no. Dare."

"First answer counts," Ginny said with a smirk. "So it's truth."

"Have you ever gotten a love letter?" Harry asked, grinning mischievously.

"Harry!" Emily groaned, her cheeks turning pink. "You already know that."

"Then it should be easy to share," Harry teased, trying to look innocent.

Emily huffed, clearly embarrassed. "Well, it's not really a love letter, but Graham wrote to me and said...he said he liked me."

Ginny's eyes lit up with excitement. "Our little Emm, the first to get a boyfriend!" she teased, nudging Ron.

"Not exactly surprising," Ron added with a grin. "They've been hanging around each other a lot when he was here."

Emily glared at Harry, her eyes narrowing with playful intent. He knew immediately she was about to turn the tables. "Harry, truth or dare?"

Uh-oh. Judging by her look, she was going to ask something about Ginny, no doubt. Better not risk that. "Dare!" he declared, feeling smug.

Emily's eyes sparkled, still holding onto her earlier annoyance. "Alright then. You have to kiss Ginny."

Ginny looked up sharply, her expression unreadable, and Harry instantly felt the tension in the room shift toward him.

"And what if she doesn't want to?" Harry asked, shooting Emily an accusatory look. "She declared she wouldn't be kissing anyone—or anything—after that ghoul."

Emily gave Ginny a pointed look. "I don't think she's the type to back down from a dare."

Harry glanced at Ginny, whose face remained unreadable. "You gonna chicken out, Potter?" she teased, her tone light but her gaze steady. "I've kissed worse."

Harry got to his feet slowly, walking toward her, while Ginny rose as well, a flicker of nervousness in her eyes. For a few heartbeats, they stood face-to-face, locked in each other's gaze. Then, Harry stepped closer and quickly kissed her on the cheek.

"Boo!" Emily groaned dramatically. "That's cheating!"

Ron, meanwhile, smirked knowingly at Harry and shook his head, as if to say, Nice try.

Harry caught Ginny's eye, and for a brief second, he thought she looked… disappointed.

At that moment, the adults chose to return, their chatter loud and the punch jug noticeably emptier.

"Let's continue later," suggested Emily.

"Anyone up for Exploding Snap?" Tonks called out.

"Great idea," Ron agreed, standing up.

Emily joined the others at the table.

"I'll sit the first round out," Ginny said, getting up. "It's getting hot in here. I need some air."

Harry watched Ginny slip out onto the porch and glanced around cautiously. Ron had already pulled out the Exploding Snap deck, and as the first game was being dealt, Harry made up his mind to follow her outside. Softly, he called, "Ginny!"

Ginny turned, eyebrows raised in surprise. "Harry?"

Harry hesitated, then took a step closer. "I'm sorry."

Ginny frowned slightly. "Sorry for what?"

"The kiss," Harry admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. "I... I wasn't sure if it was okay for you, and…"

Ginny bit her lip, crossing her arms as she glanced around the porch, clearly thinking. When she finally met his eyes again, she asked, "You didn't want to kiss me because you thought I didn't want to," she grinned, "or because I kissed the ghoul?"

"What? No!" said Harry, shocked. He hadn't even thought about that. "I just didn't want to..."

Ginny raised an eyebrow, tilting her head. "Didn't want to what?"

Harry's heart raced. He couldn't mess this up now. "I just didn't want my first kiss to be in front of everyone."

Ginny's eyes widened. "Your first kiss?"

Harry nodded, feeling heat creep up his neck. "I've never kissed anyone before."

"Me neither," Ginny admitted, giving him a small smile. "But you already guessed that, right?" She gave a mock grimace. "So here we are, both unkissed."

Harry let out a breath of relief and then glanced at her lips. "Do you… do you want to?"

"...share my first kiss with you?"

"Yeah." Harry smiled, probably looking a little goofy.

Ginny smirked, licking her lips nervously. "Let's just say I won't fight you off." If Harry wasn't mistaken, she was actually shaking a little.

"You won't?" Harry asked, a little uncertain. "That doesn't sound too enthusiastic."

Ginny stepped closer, her eyes soft but nervous. "There's only one way to find out, right?"

Slowly, Harry leaned down, brushing his lips against hers. When he kissed her again, a little firmer this time, Ginny's arms slipped around his neck, pulling him closer. His arms instinctively wrapped around her waist, and he deepened the kiss.

Harry stiffened slightly when he realized how close they were, but Ginny moaned softly, "Don't stop," pulling him even closer.

Harry closed his eyes and let it happen, savouring the warmth of her body and the intoxicating scent of her hair. When they finally pulled apart, still holding each other close, their breaths came in short gasps, their noses almost touching.

Ginny looked up at him, breathless. "Woah, that was..."

"Brilliant," Harry finished, grinning.

"Yeah." Ginny grinned back. "Was that really your first kiss?"

Harry chuckled. "I just followed your lead." Feeling a bit bolder, he added, "Did you learn that in your romance novels?"

Ginny gave him a surprised look. "How do you know?"

Harry winced. Maybe not the best time to mention the novels. "It was hard not to notice how secretive you and Emily were."

Ginny laughed, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "Maybe we can even improve or technique if we both read the books?" She grinned. "Some parts are very…educational."

Harry's eyes widened, the image of the cover he'd seen earlier flashed through his mind, and he felt warm creeping up his neck, despite the cold out here. "You…want to try all that?

Ginny looked him straight in the eye, her tone playful but sincere. "At some point, sure. But we've got time."

Harry raised an eyebrow. "But you want to…kiss again?"

"Bet your life on it, Potter." Ginny gave him a playful smirk. "Or are you chickening out?"

"Never," Harry replied, smiling softly. "But…what does that mean for us?"

Ginny's smile faded slightly as she met his eyes, serious now.

"Would you..." Harry began, his heart pounding.

Ginny smiled softly, cutting him off. "Yes, Harry. If you're asking if I want to be your girlfriend, the answer is yes. I wouldn't have kissed you otherwise." Her smile turned mischievous as she added, "But if you ever hurt me, I swear I'll make you regret it. I can be very possessive."

Harry grinned. "I wouldn't dream of it."

Ginny glanced at his shirt. "Looks like you'll need to change. The 'I'm still available' message isn't exactly true anymore. Hope you brought a spare."

"Oh," said Harry, realising he'd completely forgotten about the shirt. He couldn't help but chuckle. "So you noticed."

Ginny rolled her eyes, grinning. "A bit lame, but with the font size, it was hard to miss." She glanced towards the door, shivering slightly. "As much as I'd love to keep celebrating this…unexpected development, I'm freezing. We should head back inside."

"Unexpected development?" Harry raised an eyebrow.

Ginny gave him a wry smile. "You were a bit confusing, you know. I never quite knew where I stood with you."

"Emily's been teasing me for ages," Harry admitted with a grin. "You were pretty frustrating yourself."

Ginny chuckled. "Emily's has been trying to convince me for months that you fancied me."

"She wasn't wrong," Harry replied. "Even if it took me a while to figure it out."

"Guess we've got a lot to talk about," Ginny said with a smile. "But right now, I'm freezing."

They slipped back inside to the warmth and noise. Ron had just won a round of Exploding Snap and was shuffling for the next round.

As they re-joined the group, Harry felt a few subtle glances their way. Ginny casually sat down next to Emily, and Harry slid into the seat next to Ron, across from her.

Ginny handed a card that had fallen to the floor back to Ron, who added it to the deck without a word.

His mum caught his eye, giving Harry a small, approving nod and a knowing smile. His face heated slightly, but he returned her smile.

Emily looked amused, while Ron raised an eyebrow, his gaze flicking between Ginny and Harry with a grin. But all he said was, "You in?" As they nodded, he dealt the cards for the next round.

Ginny leaned toward Harry, whispering with a playful grin, "Ready to lose, Potter?"

Harry smirked, picking up his cards. "Not a chance."