PhoenixSong.net :: A Harry/Ginny Fanfic and Fanart Archive

Author: MyGinevra

Story: The Hog's Head

Part: 06: By The Sea

Rating: Teens

Setting: Pre-OotP

Status: WIP

Warning: Violence, strongly suggested sexual situations, extreme language

Reviews: 10

Words: 5,513

Updated: March 11, 2008, 2:32pm

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06: By The Sea

The weather turned, and the next morning was cool and cloudy, promising rain. The Weasleys and Harry Portkeyed to the Tonks's house and joined Ron and Hermione who had arrived earlier. The graves and the funeral were in a large field behind the house, and there were almost as many people there as at Fred's. Kingsley's eulogy made the same points: look into your heart to find what is right, and act on it. He also spoke about accepting differences as something that could enrich the wizarding world, not divide it. Ginny nudged Harry and pointed to a few people sitting together off to one side; they had the shabby, hang–dog look that Remus often wore.

"Werewolves," Harry whispered, and Ginny nodded.

When the ceremony was over Andromeda Tonks intercepted Harry as he was leaving his seat. She was holding her grandson swaddled in blankets; the baby was sleeping. Harry looked at Andromeda, unsure what to say or do.

"Your godson," she said. "I thought you might like to hold him for a minute."

Harry looked in panic at Ginny. "Here," she said, "you take him like this." She took the bundle from Andromeda and handed it to Harry. "Don't drop him."

"I think I figured out that part." Harry looked down at Theodore Tonks; the baby sighed and rubbed his mouth with his tiny fist. Suddenly an old emptiness seized Harry. This baby was an orphan, and even younger than Harry had been when he became one. What would this one's life be like? Surely not as brutal as Harry's. He looked at Andromeda and blinked away his tears.

She smiled. "He'll be fine, Harry. Ted had lots of relatives. The little one will have a family around him, maybe not a perfect family, but he'll be loved."

Harry nodded. "I — I'll try to see him, too, whenever I can."

"It's all right. Don't worry about it. You have plenty of things going on yourself." She smiled at Ginny and took the baby back. "Here we go. So sweet." She walked away, gently rocking the bundle in her arms.

Ginny took Harry's hand and they joined Ron and Hermione who were standing nearby, watching. Ron put his hand on Harry's shoulder as Harry wiped his face on his sleeve. "I'm fine," he mumbled. "Let's get something to eat."

They stood holding platters of tasty cooked vegetables and cold cuts and goblets of pumpkin juice. "Things are already picking up in Diagon Alley," Ron reported. "Lee came by and said he was trying to get George to come back to the shop as soon as possible, but meanwhile he's going to run it with the witches, the ones who were at the funeral. They all went back to the shop yesterday afternoon. I think each one of them thought Fred was in love with her." He looked over at the two fresh graves in the middle of the field, and started to say something, but then he looked quickly away, as though he was hiding something from the others.

"Anyway," Ron continued after a few moments, "the flat's really nice. When can you blokes come up?"

Harry looked at Ginny. "I guess after we get back to the Burrow, in a couple of weeks."

"If Mum and Dad let me," Ginny grumbled. "If George is there, maybe it'll be okay, but I don't know if you're their model of a chaperone," she said to Ron.

"Now why would that be?" Ron chuckled. "But you can tell them I never touched Hermione once while we were cooped up in that tent." Hermione scowled at him, but also blushed.

"You can tell them that one, Ron," Ginny snorted.

They spent the rest of the morning talking with Lupin's old students who had come from school, and with Kingsley Shacklebolt and his Head Auror, Saliyah Ushujaa. She was a native of east Africa, and also a dancer — very accomplished, according to Kingsley — and performed in a wizard African dance company. She invited them all to her next performance which was scheduled at the end of he summer in London. "It will be a celebration of the lives of all those who died," she said. "African dance is very emotional, as all dance is. I think you will enjoy it." They agreed to come.

Kingsley asked Harry what his plans were. "We'd love to have you join one of our intern programs. We'll be reorganizing all of them and putting some good people in charge. What do you say?"

"It sounds like you've been busy," Harry grinned. "I also wanted to tell you that a lot of my friends thought your speech was brilliant. I did, too."

Kingsley smiled. "You didn't answer my question, Harry, but being the consummate politician that I am, I won't press you. But the offer is there if you change your mind."

Hermione and Ron cast looks at each other as Kingsley and Saliyah walked away, and Ginny looked at them suspiciously. "What's going on?" she poked Ron in his ribs. "You know something that I don't."

"I told you it would be your birthday present," Harry came to Ron's rescue. "You already know that I'll be living in Hogsmeade. Ron and Hermione took an Unbreakable Vow not to spill the beans," he grinned.

Ginny scowled for a brief instant, but then she sidled up to Harry, batting her eyelids at him. "So you think you can resist me while we're alone in a little cottage by the sea for two weeks? I'll bet you ten Galleons that you can't keep it from me."

"You're probably right. I'll have to keep Bill or Fleur nearby all the time to protect myself."

"Well, then I'd rather not try to squeeze it out of you," Ginny yielded. "Three's a crowd."

Ron had stopped paying attention to Harry and Ginny and was watching people. "Look," he indicated with a nod, "Shacklebolt's talking to those werewolves. I wonder what they think about all this. Remus was always complaining about their attitude."

"They're like the rest of us," said Hermione, "wondering what's coming next, what Kingsley's going to do. It all happened so quickly, if you think about it. One day Volde– I mean Riddle, has a complete grip on power, and the next day he's dead and someone from the Order of the Phoenix, for goodness sake, is Minister. It takes some getting used to, and it's only been four days. Everyone's wondering about you too, Harry. Did you notice? They're all watching you."

Harry made a face. "Yeah, but I'm so used to it, I really don't think about it. What am I supposed to do, anyway? Lots of people fought him."

"But not like you, mate," Ron said. "You killed him. That makes you kinda different."

"Let's not talk about it, okay?" Harry said a little peevishly. "It doesn't bother me when people look at me."

"They're also looking at Ginny," Hermione said.

"So let them," Ginny tossed her head. "Maybe they'll leave Harry alone." Harry gave her an appreciative smile as Charlie walked up; he had come from a conversation with a wizard in Ministry robes

"That's Gawain Robards," he told them. "He's acting Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Do any of you know him?" They all shook their heads. "He just told me some bad but not surprising news. They found eight bodies in Malfoy Manor, all dead by a Killing Curse except — " he looked at Harry " — Peter Pettigrew. He was strangled, apparently by his own hand, or what used to be his hand."

Ron whistled. "Eight? Who were they?"

"He wouldn't tell me. But he thinks there were more than eight. They found the belongings of Charity Burbage, the one the Prophet said had resigned from Hogwarts."

Hermione turned pale. "Oh, no! She disappeared, but no one knew... Damn him!" She had tears in her eyes as well as anger, and her fists were balled. "She was just a nice person! Why?"

Ron put his arm around her. "She taught Muggle Studies and she wrote that article about them," he told Charlie. "I guess it figures that Riddle would go after her."

"They'll probably find bodies all over the country," Charlie said, shaking his head. "Sorry to bring you more bad news." He left them all in a somber mood.

"That won't be too good for Malfoy," Ron said, and he didn't seem all that unhappy at the prospect. "But who cares? We saved Draco's ass twice in the castle and I don't remember being thanked for it."

"His mum saved mine," Harry murmured, looking at the ground.

Ron grunted dubiously, but Hermione nodded. "It's got to stop somewhere, Ron," she said. "At the end, Lucius cared more for his family than for Riddle."

"Okay, okay," Ron gave up, and grinned. "I'll let him live this time, but after this, no more mister nice guy." They all laughed, then looked up at the sky as it began to rain.

* * * *

The Weasleys returned to the Burrow in the early afternoon, and soon afterward Harry and Ginny Disapparated to Shell Cottage with Bill and Fleur. They came out on top of the cliff, and Ginny exclaimed in delight when she saw the pink and cream–colored shells embedded in the walls. It was not raining there, but the skies were spitting and a damp breeze was blowing in from the sea. They hurried inside with their bags, and Fleur threw back the curtains and opened some of the landward windows. "It gets so stuffy. I suppose it will be very cozy in ze winter, but I like a breeze to come in now. Come, I will show you your rooms."

Harry had the room that Ollivander and Griphook had stayed in, and Ginny was in the room that Hermione and Luna had shared. Ginny and Fleur took her bags inside and Harry went downstairs, where Bill had started a fire.

"I think we'll eat lunch soon. This time you'll experience some really good French cooking," he grinned. "I've been totally spoiled. She even makes some of my mum's food seem ordinary."

Harry went to the front window and looked out at the water. He had spent a lot of time sitting and looking out at the sea when he stayed here before their foray into Gringotts. Was that only a week ago? What a difference a few days make, he thought, and he turned and watched Ginny come down the stairs.

"Let's go outside," she said, and took Harry's hand. "Fleur said she'll call us when lunch is ready."

It was raining lightly and they took cloaks from hooks near the door. They walked around back and stood at the foot of Dobby's grave and Ginny read the epitaph that Harry had chiseled into the stone with his wand. "Oh, Harry, you didn't tell me you had written that. It's beautiful." She went to it and ran her hand over the words. "Poor Dobby, I never really knew him. And he was killed at his old master's house." She shook her head.

Harry stared at the grave. "I'm glad Bellatrix Lestrange is dead," he said quietly. "I don't think I could have come back and stood here if she was still alive." Ginny walked back to him and put her arm through his and leaned her head on his shoulder.

In a few minutes they heard a window open, and Fleur called to them, "Lunchtime! Come inside!" They went back in and found Bill already seated at the table. There was a steaming meat pie at each place, and a basket of biscuits and a bowl of greens in the center of the table.

"I am so sorry, but I have not got ze candles out yet," Fleur apologized as she sat. "We will 'ave zem at dinnertime. It will be very romantic." She smiled at Ginny, then handed Bill a bottle. "Do ze honors, darling."

Bill uncorked the wine with a flick of his wand and poured the ruby red liquid into their goblets. He filled and raised his own. "To our family, to our best friends —" he nodded to Harry "— and to our brother and our friends who are gone." They clinked their goblets in silence.

Harry had never drunk wine before. He took a sip; it tasted very smooth and fruity with a touch of earthiness. He took another sip and looked at Ginny. She was holding her empty goblet up for Bill to refill.

"Take it easy, Sis," Bill laughed. "It'll put you right out unless you're used to it." He poured her a half–goblet.

Harry poked his fork through the crust of his meat pie and a delicious aroma wafted up. He took a fork–full. "Mmm! This is fabulous," he said to Fleur.

"Oh, it is not'ing," she waved her fork in the air. "I just t'rew zem in ze oven for a few minutes. Zey are not'ing special. Ginny, would you like me to show you 'ow to make zem?"

Ginny looked at the beatific expression on Harry's face, and he nodded enthusiastically. Ginny laughed. "Sure. My mum makes them sometimes, but this is delicious."

It started to rain during lunch, but it let up later in the afternoon and Harry and Ginny took a walk along the cliff. They looked out over the sea and listened to the waves crashing on the rocks below. About a quarter of a mile from the cottage they found a path through a cleft in the cliff that led down to the water and a beach about twenty yards wide that continued into the distance. The wind was blustery and there was a heavy overcast. They took their shoes off and walked in the cool sand with their cloaks and Ginny's hair billowing behind them. Waves broke a few yards out, and Ginny ran into the wash but came shrieking right back out. "It's freezing!" she cried. Harry laughed, and he bent down and lifted her right foot and started rubbing it. She grabbed his shoulder to keep from toppling over. "Use a warming charm," she said. "It'll work faster."

"This is more fun," Harry grinned up at her. He kissed her foot, then took the left and rubbed it. He put it down, then rose and took her in his arms and they stood together in a long, long, deep kiss.

Harry put his hands inside her cloak and moved them down her back, then lower. Ginny took them, though, and held them in both of hers between herself and Harry. She looked down and shook her head. "Harry, no, not here. I don't feel right about it, not while we're staying in their home." She put her forehead against his and they were silent.

"It's okay," Harry said after a moment. "You're right. I'm sorry I did that."

"No, no." Ginny still looked down at the sand. She brushed her toes against his instep. "Don't be sorry." She finally looked at him. "That night in the hammock wasn't a mistake, and it wasn't something I wanted to do only because I just spent a year and a day waiting for you. It was a whole lot more than that."

"It was for me, too. You know that, don't you?" She nodded. "So when I do something like I just did, when I think about you that way... I mean..." He peered at their feet and put his toes on top of hers. He said, without looking up, "Ginny, there's something I didn't tell you. It's sort of the same as this, and it's a little embarrassing."

"It's fine, love, you can tell me anything and I won't laugh." Harry looked at her, startled; Ginny had never used that word with him before. He tried to think of a response, but came up blank. She grinned. "What didn't you tell me before?"

He took a very deep breath. "When we were out there in that tent in the middle of winter, sometimes I would take out my map and look for you on it. It was usually at night, so I knew you would be in your room. There would be a little tag next to your bed with your name on it. I know it sounds stupid, but it helped keep me going. A lot."

"Why is that embarrassing?"

"That's not it. There's more."

Ginny giggled, and turned a little pink. "I wasn't in the bathroom, was I?"

"No, no! Of course not. I'm sorry, I probably shouldn't have told you."

Ginny kissed him. "Don't tell me if you don't want to, but I'm glad you had that map and it makes me feel good that you were watching me."

"Well, what it is... I would also imagine myself in that bed with you," Harry said in one rush of breath.

Ginny pulled him closer. "Ooh, now I do like that! Maybe next year when you're in Hogsmeade you can do it again, but let me know before," she laughed wickedly.

'You are a shameless witch," Harry also laughed. "And you drive me crazy."

It was starting to get dark and the clouds seemed to be lowering, so they walked back to the cottage. They were going into the wind and they put their heads down and leaned into it. They climbed the path up the cliff and saw the lights of Shell Cottage in the dusk, and hurried toward them.

Dinner rivaled anything they had ever had at Hogwarts. Course followed delicious course: soups, fresh bread, salads, poultry, fish, pasta, desserts. Harry drank a little more wine this time, and he felt better and better with each course and each goblet. Ginny also had more than one goblet of wine, but Harry noticed that her face wasn't flushed, as his felt like.

The small table was set with white linen and a beautiful silver candelabra; the candles burned with a silvery, shimmering glow. "It belonged to my grand-maman," Fleur said as they ate triple chocolate cheesecake for dessert. "She was Veela, you know. Zat is why I am so beautiful, it all comes from her. And zis candelabra is magical, Veela magic. It inspires love."

"I heard that Veelas like to bewitch men into loving them, and then they leave them heartbroken," Harry said; he was feeling very talkative.

"Oh, zat is nonsense!" Fleur's eyes flashed. "Men are saying zat because zey fall in love wiz us but we are not always falling in love wiz zem. So zey blame Veelas for zere own foolishness."

"Ah." Harry looked at Ginny.

"What are you looking at me for?" Ginny asked innocently. "You were the one who kissed me after the Quidditch match, not the other way around."

Harry giggled. "I thought you kissed me back." He leaned over and kissed her. "Yes, you did kiss me back, I remember it very clearly." He grinned at everyone.

"Hah! You see, ze candelabra, it's working," Fleur proclaimed triumphantly. "Or maybe it is ze wine. Who knows?"

After dinner Bill stoked the fire and it became very warm and cozy in the small cottage. Harry dozed in a love seat, leaning on Ginny's shoulder and snoring quietly. When Bill and Fleur got up from the sofa and went upstairs, Ginny nudged Harry and whispered into his ear, "Wake up, love, it's time to go to bed."

He opened his eyes. "Did you just call me that again?"

Ginny put her arms around him. "Yes, and it won't be the last unless you object."

"No objections from this quarter." Harry stood up, stretched, and then pulled Ginny out of the love seat. He kissed her softly and caressed her hair. "'Cause I feel the same way."

They climbed the stairs and Ginny paused at her door and looked at him, then she blew him a kiss and went into her room.

Next morning at breakfast both Ginny and Harry looked tired. "Did you sleep okay?" Bill asked Harry. "You look a little peaked."

"New bed, I guess. I'll get used to it." He glanced at Ginny who was yawning. "Are you okay?" he asked her.

"I couldn't fall asleep for a while. I was thinking about Fred, and... other things. What about you?"

Harry looked quickly at Bill; he was immersed in the Daily Prophet and Fleur was busy at the water basin. "I was thinking about other things, too," he said in a low voice.

Bill left for work after breakfast. He hadn't been at Gringotts for quite a while and was uncertain about what he would find there and what kind of reception he would get. "They'll know it was my brother who helped you break into the vaults," he told Harry as he was about to leave. "They won't be too happy about it." Harry felt a pang of guilt; he didn't want to be responsible for Bill's losing his job.

"Will they let you back?" he asked anxiously. "Maybe you can tell them that the Hufflepuff goblet was stolen, and we were trying to get it back for Hogwarts."

Bill laughed mirthlessly. "They won't care about the goblet. If they ever find out what it was, then they'll probably be glad someone took it. No, what's going to upset them is that you broke in so easily."

"It wasn't so easy. We almost got killed, more than once."

"And they won't care about that, either. To them, it was easy because you succeeded. But don't worry, Harry. I won't lose my job because they know how close I am to Kingsley Shacklebolt. When you killed Riddle, the world went topsy–turvy for goblins, as well as everyone else. They won't want to antagonize me, at least not until they know which way the wind is blowing."

Harry shook his head. "Too much politics for me. I'll walk on the beach and sit by the fire until it all goes away."

Bill laughed loudly. "That should be everyone's philosophy. You do that, Harry, you and Ginny. That's why we invited you here." He kissed Fleur goodbye, stepped outside, and Disapparated.

Ginny spent the morning in the kitchen with Fleur cooking up the menu for the rest of the day. Harry looked in on them once, but left after being ignored for five minutes while Fleur was teaching Ginny the French names of the ingredients for a cheese and bacon soufflé. He had already finished the copy of the Prophet that Bill had left, so he went up to his room and started reading Theory of Advanced Spells which Bill had lent him.

He was napping when Ginny came to get him for lunch. She served the soufflé she had made, which was delicious, and then they went out for a walk. They decided to visit a small Muggle fishing port about two miles up the coast that Fleur told them about. "Very quaint, at least for an English village," she said dismissively as she gave them some Muggle money to spend. "Oh, and 'Arry! Bill sent an owl. He is coming 'ome a little early. He wants to talk wiz you, but he didn't say why."

It was still overcast and cool, but the breeze had died down. They pulled on their cloaks and set out along the cliff–top to the path down to the beach. They walked barefoot in the sand again, and stopped often to watch gulls dip into the waves for fish, to pick up shells, and to chase each other in and out of the frigid wash. It took them about an hour to reach the village, which was set back from the beach on a low bluff. Just past it, under sheltering cliffs, was a cove where small boats were moored to a few piers. They wandered through the village, looking into the shops that sold fishing tackle and boating supplies. The Muggles looked at them curiously, but were friendly and nodded or briefly wished them good day. They bought two chocolate bars in a tiny grocery, then headed back.

They had finished the chocolate and were almost at the path that led up the cliff when they saw, ahead of them on the beach, a small fire burning in a shallow pit in the sand, and six young Muggle men standing around it. As they drew nearer, they also saw several cases of beer lying nearby, one of which was open, and empty beer bottles scattered about; each of the Muggles had a bottle in his hand. They were talking and laughing loudly, but they fell silent and turned to watch Harry and Ginny as they approached.

Harry nodded as he and Ginny passed within a few feet of them between the small fire and the waves. One of the Muggles, a large, muscular arrogant–looking blond fellow who was about six inches taller than Harry, took a swig from his bottle and belched loudly; the others laughed. "Hey, reds," he called, leering at Ginny, "your boyfriend's kinda scrawny. Why don't you try something more manly?" His mates laughed again, and one of them whistled.

Ginny tensed and took Harry's hand. Harry glanced at the man, but kept walking. The man stepped in front of them, blocking their way. Harry put his hand inside his cloak.

"Don't, Harry," Ginny said, "he's just drunk." But she tightened her grip on his other hand.

"Harry is it?" the man folded his arms on his chest and looked over at the others. "Looks more like Harriet to me." There was more guffawing. He leered at Ginny again. "Why don't you lose the fairy, reds, and we'll show you how real men do it." The others moved toward them, hemming Harry and Ginny in along the water's edge.

Harry put his arm around Ginny and looked at the Muggle. "I'll give you some advice and you'd better take it," he said quietly. "Shut your mouth and move and let us pass."

Harry could sense the men behind him moving closer, and he could feel Ginny pressing herself against him. The Muggle in front of them took another swig of beer and his eyes narrowed. "Move for you, you little faggot? I think we'll see how well you swim and how well your girlfriend —"

Harry's wand was out. There was a loud bang! and a flash of red light. The man flew up in the air toward the cliffs and landed with a heavy thud in the sand; he did not move. Harry whirled and the five behind him backed away, incomprehension and fear on their faces. Ginny was also pointing her wand at them but Harry pushed it down. He drew Ginny back, and the Muggles did not see several dozen bottles of beer rise out of the cases and hover over their heads. They did, however, hear them all burst simultaneously and they looked up at the shower of pale ale that completely drenched them.

"Stupefy!" Harry shouted, and all five slumped into the large, sudsy pool of beer they were standing in. He pointed his wand at the Muggle lying unconscious near the cliff, and he rose off the sand, then toward his five inert companions. Harry let him drop from about five feet up, and he fell with a splash and another thud into the beer bath. Harry pointed his wand at the pile of Muggles. "Obliviate!" he called, then he started to pull Ginny toward the cliff. "Come on, I'll clear our tracks and no one will be able to figure out what happened."

Ginny had an angry, blazing look, and she shook off his hand. "Wait a minute," she said curtly. She walked to the blond Muggle and pointed her wand, but Harry yelled, "Ginny! No!"

She looked back at him, and scowled, but then she lowered her wand. "You do it, then, or else I will."

"No problem, love," he grinned, and in an instant the Muggle's face was covered with small brownish lumps that had large, fiercely beating bat wings attached. Ginny looked down at him. "That'll improve his looks for a while," she said between clenched teeth. "Bastard!"

They climbed the path and at the top they turned. Harry raised his wand and all of the footprints within fifty feet of the inert Muggles disappeared. He raised his wand once more. "Finite!" he called, and the Muggles began to stir in the puddle of beer. Harry and Ginny watched for a moment, then Harry put his arm around her and they started back for the cottage.

Harry sauntered along, laughing and joking about how the six morons would have to explain their bruised, beer–soaked, and befuddled condition to their families and maybe to the Muggle police. But Ginny was silent, and after a few minutes she pulled away from Harry and walked in more silence, ignoring his banter, looking straight ahead.

"What's wrong?" Harry said; he tried to take her hand, but she wouldn't let him. "Ginny, if you had done magic there would be an owl from the Ministry waiting for you at the cottage. And they'd want to know why you used it on a Muggle."

She strode along without answering. Harry grabbed her hand and forced her to stop. She turned and glared at him. "I asked you to stop protecting me, Harry. I'm getting tired of it. I can take care of myself, even from scumbags like them."

"But — but —" Harry stammered, then had to run to catch up with her. "Ginny! What are you talking about? I kept you from getting into big trouble. Please, don't —"

She ignored him. In a few minutes they were at the cottage, and Ginny brushed past Fleur who was waiting for them inside the door. She watched Ginny stomp up the stairs, then she turned to Harry.

"Mon Dieu, 'Arry, what 'appened?" She put her hands to her cheeks. "Why is she angry?"

Harry, looking confused, told her what had happened. Fleur took his hand. "But you are not 'urt? Or Ginny?"

Harry shook his head. "No. But I don't understand. I was afraid if she did magic she would get into trouble." He thought about how Ginny had moved closer to him as they were standing in front of the blond Muggle. "I don't understand..."

He turned away, looking out a window. Fleur turned him back and put her hand gently on his cheek. "You were very brave, 'Arry. I will speak to 'er. I t'ink I know why she is angry," she patted his shoulder. Harry looked back out the window and heard her climb the stairs, then a soft knock, low voices, and a door opening and closing.

When Fleur opened the door to Ginny's room, Ginny was also looking out a window and did not turn or acknowledge her. "Ginny," Fleur said gently, "why do you treat 'Arry like zat? He was just trying to protect you from 'arm."

Ginny let out her breath. "I asked him not to do that, to stop smothering me," she faced Fleur. "I don't like it when —"

"When a man acts like a man?" Fleur finished the sentence.

"What do you mean?" Ginny said angrily. "All I want him to do is let me make up my own mind. If I want help I'll ask for it!"

"Ginny, 'Arry was right. If you do magic against a Muggle you will get into a lot of trouble. And 'e was doing what any man does when 'e loves a woman. 'e is not trying to smozer — ah, smo–ther you. He is showing 'ow much he loves you. Zere is a difference between not letting you pour your own pumpkin juice, and fighting a bully who wants to 'urt you."

Ginny's face softened, and she sat down on the bed. She thought back to the beach, and remembered the bolt of fear when the blond Muggle had looked at her with nothing but evil in his eyes, and then she remembered Harry putting his arm around her just at that moment; it had felt very good.

She looked at Fleur. "Is he okay?"

Fleur smiled, and a feeling of magical delight filled the room. "If he isn't, I t'ink 'e will be when you ask 'im zat." She opened the door and stood aside as Ginny went out.

Harry turned from the window when he heard footsteps coming down the stairs. Ginny stopped at the bottom. "Are you okay?" she said.

Harry nodded and smiled briefly. "I'm sorry."

"For what?" Ginny walked toward him.

Harry shrugged. "I don't know."

Ginny put her arms around his neck. "What you did was brilliant. What I did was stupid. I'm sorry."

"Oh." Harry couldn't say more because Ginny had put her mouth over his. Before he closed his eyes he saw Fleur slip into the kitchen and quietly close the door behind her.

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