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Author: Felix Felicis Story: Unbreakable Bonds Rating: Young Teens Setting: Pre-HBP Status: Completed Reviews: 7 Words: 139,082
Harry woke the next morning to a dull yellowish light shining through his curtains. He flipped his blankets over his face and rolled over. Happily victorious, he smiled and drifted back to sleep in darkness once again. Of course the sun wasn’t one to be bested and so it brightened more and more until not even the blankets could block it out. Harry marveled for a moment at the deep red he saw behind closed eyelids and wondered if there was a charm for blocking out annoying light. About then a thought occurred to him. He flicked his eyes open and looked at the clock, it was half-past nine in the morning. It was July the thirty-first. It was his birthday. Not that eighteen was so important in the Wizarding world. His seventeenth birthday had been so incredibly liberating he didn’t see how this could possibly live up. As a matter of fact, he rather wished to forget the last few days. After the events of the previous afternoon, Harry had disappeared into the nearby forest for the rest of the day. Forsaking food, comfort, and his friends, he’d sat by himself looking out over the lake from the highest cliff. He remembered when he had found that special place among the oaks and maples. All around were trees with trunks so thick it would take two people to reach around them. The light of day was blocked so completely that the underbrush was very scarce and small. The nearest path was probably hundreds of feet back into the trees, well hidden from view and from prying eyes. In the midst of the darkness this opening spread out at the peak of a rocky cliff, allowing some of the most breathtaking views Harry had ever seen. By himself he had sat against a tree, lonely and worried. A singular thought stuck in his head like the Black family tree on the wall at Grimmauld Place. She loves me? He repeated the words over and over until they began to lose their sense and so he shifted his focus to what they meant. He turned it over in his head many times. It seemed so complicated, at least the future did. What he had already done only needed one thing: an apology, if she would accept it. Before he knew what had happened, that old familiar guilt had crept over him. It always made him wonder why his friends stayed with him. For seven years now they had endured not only the danger of being associated with him, but worse, his refusal to outwardly acknowledge their love and loyalty. And so he sat, wondering about what he had done and trying to reason out ways he could fix it. When he finally Apparated back to his room late the previous evening he still had no idea. How could he fix something that had been wrong for so long? Now it was the morning of his birthday and his lie-in was officially over. The same worries that always plagued his mind were back and he wondered how he could possibly face his friends. He was ashamed of how he had acted and couldn’t imagine the looks of disgust he was about to face. With that feeling dragging on his heart, he forced himself to get up and shower. Thankfully he had clothes this time and he dressed in silence, worrying continuously about his reception when he appeared downstairs. The journey down the steps seemed to take an eternity. His mind was racing and he could feel his face already turning red. He even considered going back once or twice but fought it and continued his march. At the bottom of the stairs he took a deep breath, closed his eyes and prepared himself for… a hug? Even before he opened his eyes, he knew. There was only one person with that much compassion in his life. Opening his eyes, all he could see was red, a red rather like that he’d seen through closed eyelids earlier in his bed. Ginny released him quickly and stepped back looking slightly abashed. Recovering quickly, she smiled and her eyes sparkled in a way he’d missed so much. Harry felt his heart melt and he tried to sputter out an apology. “Ginny, I’m sorry. I — I was a stupid prat yesterday and—” “Harry,” she said firmly, “it’s okay. I know you have hard days sometimes and I’m just happy I can be around to help.” He frowned a little and looked at the floor. “You shouldn’t let me off that easy. I realized yesterday that I’ve been… thoughtless about you and you shouldn’t have to put up with a bloke who’s got issues like mine.” She gazed at him until he looked up. He saw an understanding in her eyes that was unfathomable to him. It was as if she could see into his heart and know all of his pains but love him anyway. He wondered if he would ever really understand her. As the seconds began to stretch out he noticed the way the early morning sun shone on her soft hair as it cascaded down around her shoulders. She wore it down today and he wondered if it was on purpose. It even looked like she had put a gentle curl in it here and there. He reached out a tentative hand and touched a few strands near her neck. “Did you…” He paused and his smile widened as his embarrassment spread to his ears. “Did you wear you hair down for me?” “I did,” she said and her smile lit up her whole face. She seemed to radiate beauty both on the outside and from within. Harry knew his heart was in trouble but found he didn’t care anymore. He would go to the ends of the earth for her. “Come on,” she said excitedly. “I’ve made you breakfast.” She grabbed his hand and pulled him into the kitchen where he stood in awe at the food laid out around the room. There were eggs and sausage and bacon and every kind of meat. A large platter held fresh fruits of all sorts, even some he didn’t recognize. Next to the platter sat stacks of cakes and biscuits. There were jugs of orange juice, apple juice and pumpkin juice, as well as milk and tea. He took in the scene in wonder. “You — you did all this… for me?” he asked faintly. She nodded happily. Harry turned around and hugged her. “You’re the best,” he mumbled into her hair. Together they heaped food onto their plates and sat down in the sunroom at a small table. Harry felt strangely at peace compared to the turmoil he was in earlier. Ginny had not only forgiven him but she’d actually cooked breakfast for him, too! They ate in comfortable silence for a while. She told him that Ron and Hermione had left already for the day. They were going to visit Hermione’s family and planned to be back around dinner. Harry was surprised to hear it and said so. “How’d you get Hermione to leave on my birthday?” he asked, swallowing a bite of bacon. He knew he’d hit on something as her ears reddened. “Well,” she said, not meeting his eyes, “I just asked.” He figured there must be more to it but decided to let it go. They continued to eat in silence until their plates were empty. Harry sat back in his chair to admire the beginnings of a beautiful day. “Thanks,” he said. “I mean, thanks for making breakfast. This is a great present. Just you being nice to me is a great present after what I did.” “Really, it’s not a big deal,” she said shyly. “In fact, I don’t want you to think about it the rest of the day. Promise me, okay?” “All right. I’ll promise to try.” “Well, in that case, I can tell you about the rest of your present.” “There’s more?” he asked in surprise. “Well, since it’s your birthday I decided to let you do whatever you want today. You won’t have to do any cooking or cleaning because I will, and you can choose to do whatever you want to do. Mum used to do this for our birthdays and I always thought it was fun. I’ll do everything for you. Just think of me as your little house-elf.” Harry laughed out loud. “Don’t let Hermione hear you say that!” “I won’t,” she laughed. “So we’ve got the whole day togeth—… er, I mean, if you want me…” He looked her in the eye. “You couldn’t give me a better present than to spend the day with you.” She blushed for a moment and then jumped out of her chair, gathering their plates as she stood. “What do you want to do?” she asked quickly. He looked around quizzically. “I don’t know. I’ve never really done this before. No one’s ever…” He stopped and clamped his mouth shut. “That’s okay,” she said gently, “I’ve got some ideas if you’d like to hear.” He stood and followed her into the kitchen where she dumped the plates into the sink. He raised his eyebrows questioningly. “What?” she asked. “I thought I’d leave them for Ron to do later.” Seeing the expression on his face, she laughed. “I’m only kidding. I’m just going to clean them later. Now, I thought of a few things we could do, but it’s your day, so you should get to choose.” “Can I hear yours first?” he asked. “Well… I thought we could go on a picnic for lunch. We could ride out along the shore on our brooms or we could go explore the forest. If you’re feeling really adventurous we could go into town and visit the shops. We could go down to the beach and swim, or we could even just sit here and relax all day. If you like, I could cut your hair, maybe.” The last bit surprised him a little and before he knew it, he’d agreed. In a flash, she disappeared upstairs to get her scissors. “Right,” she said, Summoning a chair from the table and a towel from the laundry. “Just relax and close your eyes. I’ve never done this before but it can’t be that hard.” “Wait! You’ve never done this before?” “Well… no. But it can’t be that hard, right?” He looked at her cautiously and closed his eyes again. “Okay, but don’t cut the fringe too short. I like to hide my scar as much as possible.” Ginny waved her wand over his head and a fine mist sprayed from the end. After his hair was wet she ran her fingers through it, massaging his scalp gently. She felt his neck and shoulders begin to relax and smiled to herself. After several minutes she picked up her scissors and began to snip off some of the more straggly ends. She worked her way around his head, evening up here and there and periodically stopping to inspect her work. She trimmed his fringe just enough to keep it off his eyebrows and then set to work combing. After seeing what he usually looked like and hearing his complaints about the behavior of his hair, she didn’t have any trouble at all getting it to lie flat and part down one side. She left the front to cover his forehead slightly but parted it a bit along with the rest. Finally she backed up a few steps to check her work and smiled in a satisfied way. “Harry, you can open your eyes now,” she said. His eyes stayed shut but he opened his mouth to speak. “No, this feels too good. I don’t want to ruin it.” She laughed. “Come on, Harry, I want you to tell me how I did.” He opened his eyes and she presented him with a mirror. He held it at all angles around his head and lifted his hand to touch a few places. “How’d you do it? I mean how’d you get it to lie flat?” he asked in awe. “I guess it just likes me,” she giggled. “You look very handsome. Do you like it?” “Yeah. You did a good job. Maybe you should do it more often.” “I’d like that,” she said, unwrapping the towel from his neck and shaking it out. She pointed her wand at the floor and said, “Scourgify!” The clippings disappeared in an instant and she banished the towel back to the laundry. “Do you want something to drink?” he asked as he stood up and stretched. “Sure. But remember I’m supposed to get it for you?” “Oh. Right. Er, would you mind getting me some pumpkin juice?” “Sure. Meet you on the porch?” Harry nodded and made his way out of the kitchen. Ginny pushed open the front door holding two glasses of pumpkin juice and found him sitting in the same comfortable chairs she and Hermione had shared a few nights earlier. She set the glasses down and took the seat next to him. He seemed to have a strange look on his face and she wondered what was on his mind. “Knut for your thoughts?” she asked, taking a sip of her juice. He smiled and chuckled. “Are they worth that much?” “I don’t know,” she answered cheekily. “Are they?” He shook his head and looked out towards the water. “I was just wondering what it was like… when Tom was in your head. But we don’t have to talk about that right now. This is supposed to be a fun day. What do you want to do next?” He turned to look at her and was surprised that she didn’t seem angry or hurt, instead she seemed to be concentrating very hard. “It’s okay, Harry.” She paused for a few seconds, a very far-away look on her face. “I guess it was… scary. I mean, at first I hardly noticed. I’d wake up in my bed and think I’d just taken a long nap. After a while it started to get worse, though. I’d find myself walking down a corridor not knowing how I got there. After I… after he made me paint messages on the wall I’d wake up and have no idea why my hands were red.” Harry saw the look in her eyes becoming very far away and he took her hand in his, intertwining his fingers into hers. “I started putting things together finally,” she continued. “That’s when I threw the diary in the toilet. That’s when you found it.” She turned to face him and he saw a tinge of red in her pretty cheeks. “I was horrified when I saw you with it. I was so worried that you might find out what I’d written about —” “About me?” he asked gently. She nodded. “I told him everything. Like how I was so nervous just to be in the same room with you and how I never thought you’d notice Ron’s little sister.” Her voice was full of bitterness and she looked away again. “I hardly knew what I was doing when I stole it back from you. Even without the diary, I think he was beginning to get a hold of my mind. You probably never noticed but I was having trouble eating and sleeping. There was one day when I woke up a little clearer than normal. That was the day I got up the courage to tell you I thought it was me doing everything. Then Percy had to come along and say it was just because I saw him kissing Penelope.” “Ginny, I did notice,” Harry said, “and I hardly have an excuse for not trying to help.” He dropped his head a little. “We all thought you were just having a rough year.” “That’s an understatement,” she said wryly. “Anyway, after that, I don’t really remember much until I woke up and you were in the Chamber with me. I remember how nice you were. You even tried to explain the whole thing without saying it was my fault. Professor Dumbledore saw through that but he never punished me. I was so worried I was going to get expelled. That would have been awful. Mum and Dad were really nice about it but I think it made them see me even more as a helpless little girl. I think they still see me like that sometimes.” “Yeah, well, that’s because they haven’t been on the receiving end of one of your Bat-Bogey Hexes.” “Well,” she smiled, “that’s true. Do you know what I worried about the most during it all? Even more than being expelled?” He shook his head, keeping his undivided attention focused on her. “I was worried that you would think I was just a stupid little girl.” He took a moment to absorb that profound thought. “That’s not what I thought at all,” he said, surprised. “I thought of you as another person that Voldemort had hurt because of me. I didn’t think you were weak. You had to be strong to last as long as you did, for crying out loud! I mean, I don’t think I could have lasted that long against him. I felt a little sorry for you, having to deal with the way everyone treated you, but then I figured ‘she’s cute, they won’t be upset with her for long’. I know how worried Ron was. He was the only one that came with me down to the Chamber other than Lockhart, who was completely useless.” “Wait. What did you just say?” she grinned. “That Lockhart was useless. He tried to…” He paused and the wheels reversed in his head. His face reddened. “Or maybe you meant what I said before that. I thought you were cute the first time I saw you. I think you got most of the good looks in the family.” She blushed and turned away to hide it. After a moment to recover, during which she tried to cover up by taking a drink of her juice, she turned back to him. “Did I ever really say thank you for saving me?” “You didn’t need to. That’s what friends do, right?” “Well then, thank you for being that kind of friend. You’re the only friend I’ve ever talked to about this, you know. It’s just… you’ve been there before and you know what it’s like. I trust you more than anyone.” Harry was startled by her revelation but tried not to show it. In truth, he was grateful he could be that kind of a friend for her, but there was still something more he was hoping for. Something he had only just started letting himself hope for. “Well, maybe I was only doing it to rescue the damsel in distress. You know, I save your life and in return I get a kiss.” He almost winced at his words, deciding that he was so bad at flirting he just shouldn’t even try. She laughed. Maybe just a kiss on the cheek, she thought, and leaned towards him. He frowned. That was a stupid thing to say. He turned to apologize. Instead of his cheek, his lips. Instead of an apology, a kiss. Eyes grew wide as lips engaged in their accidental encounter. For a moment in time their sweet touch remained before reality came crashing back down on them. They pulled away quickly but held each other’s gaze, their eyes almost as intent as their lips had been. Like twin setting suns their faces lit up with a high blush. Breaths caught in throats and palms sweated with nervousness. Ginny let out the smallest of giggles and her hand flew to her mouth to cover it. She tried to look somber again. Harry smiled. Ginny smiled. In a moment they were both laughing. “I was trying to kiss you on the cheek!” she cried. “I was going to apologize for the stupid remark,” he said. “Well, at least it wasn’t your nose.” “Yeah, or the back of my head!” They laughed and settled back into their chairs, stealing quick glances at each other. “So,” Harry asked nervously, “what d’you think we should do next?” “Well, I could pack us a picnic lunch and we could go for a walk in the woods. How does that sound?” Harry warmed at the thought. “That sounds great. And, er, Ginny? Thanks. Thanks for giving me the best birthday present I’ve ever got.” She smiled broadly and the sparkle came back to her eyes. “You’re welcome. I just want you to know how special you are. I wanted to do this for you.” She took his empty glass and went inside to prepare their lunch. Harry watched her go with a strange sadness. Was he really going to miss her? She was only going to be gone for a few minutes. He sighed deeply. That kiss had been excruciatingly wonderful, even if rather brief. Suddenly Hermione’s words came back to him. Think about what you feel when you’re around her and what her magic feels like in the air around you. He hadn’t been paying much attention so far but perhaps the rest of the day could give him some clues. If he was honest with himself, he was actually a little nervous. Ginny had admitted more than once that she still held special feelings for him, but he never saw any outward sign of them. If he could just get some idea that she really, truly felt the same way he did, then perhaps something could happen. He was nervous not only because it would be a big step for them but also because he had no idea how to find out how she felt. He finally decided just to try and sense her magic when she was near and see what he could glean from it. Hadn’t he once felt it give him a hug? His reverie was interrupted by the opening of the screen door. Ginny stood in front of him with a large wicker basket and wore a light jumper that fit her rather well. Her hair was still down and it rippled gently in the breeze. He felt his cheeks blush for the umpteenth time that day and reached out to take the basket from her. “No protests,” he said. “I’m going to carry the basket for us.” She smiled and gave it to him. As they began to walk away from the house he felt a cool, soft hand slip into his. He didn’t want to look down for fear it would all be a dream so he contented himself with a smile. Hand-in-hand they walked into the trees. They followed the path for several minutes until Harry nudged Ginny off into the woods. Thinking she might like to see the view from the cliff, he started off in that direction. The sky was clear and bright but only a few columns of light reached the ground through the thick canopy above. They crunched their way through the leaves until the trees parted grandly before them. Ginny’s deep breath and searching eyes told him everything he needed to know. He set the basket on the ground but continued to hold her hand as they gazed out across the water. The noon-day sun reflected in a thousand lights on the water while a stiff breeze blew up the cliffs and whipped around their faces. “Do you like it?” he asked. “It’s breathtaking, and beautiful. I could look at it forever. I feel peaceful just being here.” His eyes never left her face. “I feel the same way.” She glanced sideways at him and blushed under his gaze. His subtle meaning was not lost on her. It warmed her insides and made them flutter with butterflies. Had Harry really just said those words? Did he really mean what it sounded like? The thought was enough to make her lightheaded and plaster a silly smile on her face. She would just keep an eye on him the rest of the day, that would be enough. He couldn’t really feel that way about her, could he? She felt like a little girl again as he gently sat her down and joined her. Together they leaned back against a fallen tree and enjoyed the view in silence for quite some time. She didn’t dare turn her head or glance at him for fear of restarting the Weasley blush machine. Inwardly she cursed her family’s ability to turn tomato red just at a hint of embarrassment. She hadn’t blushed so much since her first year at Hogwarts and her Harry Potter Fan Club. Pushing those thoughts from her mind, she got to her feet and opened up the basket. Perhaps lunch would help lessen her intense desire to know his feelings. She spread a thick blanket on the ground and began pulling all sorts of food out of the basket. Harry watched in fascination. Apparently one side of the basket was charmed to stay cold, while the other stayed hot. Ginny began setting food out on the blanket. There was hot roasted turkey, soft warmed rolls, a large bowl of boiled potatoes, fresh strawberries, apple pie and even a few Chocolate Frogs. She then pulled out two large bottles of chilled pumpkin juice. “You’re amazing,” he said in awe, accepting a bottle from her. “Well,” she replied, “I figure once in a while you deserve something special like this. After all, you can’t stay at the Burrow forever and eat Mum’s cooking. Besides, looking like your cousin Dudley, eventually you’d have to get your own place to live.” She held her eyes resolutely on the ground as she spoke. He chuckled quietly. In fact, Harry wished he could stay at the Burrow forever, but for different reasons entirely. “I’ll probably end up living with Ron for a while until things get sorted out. In fact,” he raised his eyes to her, “I promise I’ll never be far from you. I’ve been thinking about it for a while and I’d like to find a flat in Hogsmeade this year. That way I can be close to Hogwarts and Dumbledore and I’ll be able to see you all the time.” Her eyes lit up hopefully. “You know,” he continued, “at Quidditch matches and free weekends and… What?” She was looking at him with something that seemed like concern. “You… you would only want to come around for occasions like those? Sometimes maybe I could visit you. We could meet at the Three Broomsticks or somewhere. Not that I wouldn’t be happy just to see you at our matches. I guess you’ll probably miss playing on the team and come out to watch everyone.” “No,” he said calmly. “I want to come and watch you play. As for visiting, I’d see you every day if they’d let me in the school.” She smiled widely and went back to eating her lunch. They ate in silence until the last Chocolate Frog was gone (Harry swore he could feel it hopping in his stomach) and then he leaned back against the log, full and happy. They chatted for a while about the Teacher and their training. It seemed that lately Harry’s hope for defeating Voldemort seemed to rest on something just out of grasp. It irritated him to no end that whatever it was continued to elude his keen search. After about an hour Ginny stood and insisted on cleaning up their picnic by herself. Harry watched as she stowed their leftover food and folded their blanket. They made their way slowly back to the house. Once again Harry demanded that he at least be allowed to carry the basket. Ginny reluctantly agreed, but smiled as he shyly took her hand in his. He’d been doing that a lot lately and he marveled at how it caused his nerves to go wild. When they reached the house, Ginny left the picnic basket in the kitchen and turned to face Harry. “Now what would you like to do, Harry?” “I wanted to go for a swim, but it’s too cold. Let me think for a minute.” “We could walk on the beach,” she said without pause. He smiled. “Yeah, I’d like that.” They walked the well-known path down to the water and left their shoes behind them. The air was cool but the sun kept the sand warm on their feet. Harry was quietly amused by the way the wind toyed with Ginny’s hair. It streamed out behind her as they walked into it and blew into her freckled face as they turned back. They talked of nothing and everything. Harry told her again how much he enjoyed spending the day with her and how special her gift really was to him. She thanked him and told him she was happy to do it. In the quiet moments, Harry reflected on his feelings for Ginny and on their changing relationship. He recalled a time not long ago when he barely spoke to her, fearful of the danger to both of them. Now, though, something had happened that he couldn’t explain. He knew she would be in danger if their friendship turned into something deeper, but he was beginning to understand that it was outside of his control. Hadn’t she told him time and again that it was her decision to help him anyway? He certainly couldn’t deny that he enjoyed having her around. And she wasn’t bad at defending herself, either. They walked slowly down the beach admiring the shimmering water and watching a flock of seagulls land in the distance. The tingling sensation Harry felt in his hand from Ginny’s soft skin had not abated since they set out nearly half an hour before. He felt a happiness and peace which he could rightly say he’d never really felt before. Something about this girl with auburn hair, playful eyes and fierce loyalty captivated him in a wonderfully welcome way. They reached the path back to the house entirely too soon in Harry’s opinion and he reluctantly let go of Ginny’s hand. She took the lead but instead of going back towards their own house, she made to go into the garden. Harry followed, realizing they still had half the day to spend together and there was no hurry to get anywhere. “I love this place,” she said as they neared the center of the garden. A large fountain stood before them, its jets of water arcing into the air and splashing in the pool before slipping off down one of the many small streams through the trees and plants. “I do too,” Harry answered. “I remember how impressed I was the first time John showed it to me. He spends a lot of time working on it. He does most of it the Muggle way, too.” Harry shook his head in amazement. “I think it’s great but there’s no way I’d put in that much effort. That’s what the wand is for.” He patted his pocket where his wand was stored. Ginny laughed. “Yes, but he’s got to find some way to pass the time, hasn’t he? He can’t always be training the next Boy-Who-Lived.” Harry narrowed his eyes at her but his smile didn’t falter at all. “Do you know what he did before… this?” she asked vaguely. Harry crinkled his eyebrows. “No, not really. I’ve never asked. It must get pretty lonely though. I mean, he goes places and visits people but I think he spends most of his time here.” “Yeah, I don’t know what I’d do if I didn’t have someone to spend my life with.” Harry saw her eyes for a moment and watched as she turned away, looking confused. His heart sped up a little and he squeezed her hand. “I don’t know what I’d do either,” he replied simply and was rewarded with her renewed smile. They passed from the open air around the fountain into a cooler shaded area where they took advantage of a comfortable bench. Harry was surprised when Ginny leaned into him and rested her head on his shoulder. Though the air was cooler in the shade, he felt like he was being warmed from within. A strange new feeling crept over him. It was a strange sort of protectiveness, and he pulled her closer. His words began to spill from his mouth without censure. “I would protect you from it all, you know, if there were some way I could. You deserve to have someone looking out for you, taking care of you. You deserve so much more than you’ll get by fighting alongside me. I wish there was some way I could keep you away from it all and safe, even though I know it’s not possible. You deserve so much more. You deserve more than all this.” He felt her shift next to him and was worried he’d said too much, but she only settled back into his shoulder again. “I know you would protect me if you could, Harry,” she said. “I don’t know what I deserve, but fighting alongside you is an honor and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I’m happy that you wish it didn’t have to be this way. But you’re all I need, really.” A warm fluttering filled his stomach and he closed his eyes, wondering if he’d really heard her correctly. They sat in silence for a few minutes before Harry felt his eyelids beginning to grow heavy. “Does a nap figure into your schedule today?” he asked. “Sure,” she said, “but not here. Let’s find someplace more comfortable.” Harry shivered slightly at the implications of her words but decided to take it on the most friendly of terms. They got up and walked back to the guest house. As the door closed behind them, Ginny turned to Harry for a moment. “I’ll get some biscuits if you light a fire. It’s chilly in here.” He could hardly say no to her sweet smile, so he nodded and went into the lounge. A small stack of firewood lay in a tray by the hearth and he piled it up carefully. He paused for a moment before pulling out his wand and whispering, “Incendio.” Ginny appeared a few moments later with a small tray of biscuits and two mugs of hot chocolate. They intertwined their legs together on the sofa and ate their snack while trying to conceal their blushes. Eventually the tray was emptied and Harry began to feel a tugging at his eyelids again. Ginny Banished the tray and mugs to the kitchen and stood up. She walked around the room, aiming her wand at the curtains and drawing them closed. Harry couldn’t help but feel slightly awkward sitting in an empty house with Ginny Weasley while she closed all of the curtains around them. As the last light of day was dimmed she turned back to him. He had stretched out on his back and was now staring sleepily at the ceiling. “Er, Harry?” “Mmm?” “Close your eyes,” she whispered. He didn’t need telling twice. His eyelids were already asking for this wonderful relief. He was dimly aware of her moving around and the next thing he knew she had lain down next to him on the sofa, resting her head on his shoulder while his arm draped around her. Her hand rested gently on his chest, rising and falling with each breath while the fire crackled quietly in the background. He had never felt so wonderful before. The last thoughts that played through his mind were ones of perfect trust and sweet flowery smells. Her hair was like softest silk on his arm and neck, and his dreams were full of happiness and comfort. ***** Sometime later the fire was briefly disturbed by a girl with thick brown curls and a satisfied smile. She remained only a moment, but that moment was long enough to see the two people curled up on the sofa together, sleeping peacefully in each other’s arms. She grinned and disappeared again. ***** When Harry awoke, he thought for a moment it had all been a dream. The peace, the comfort, the girl. As the fog lifted from his mind, he shifted slightly and was surprised by a sweet murmur from his side. He turned his head and was face to face with Ginny. It hadn’t been a dream at all. As she continued to sleep, he chided himself for never having truly seen her before. He was sorry for the times he had dismissed her so easily. He was sorry for the times he’d only seen her as Ron’s little sister. It wasn’t that he’d been unkind to her, but his indifference had been just as damaging. He observed the smooth skin of her cheek as she slept and the way her hair reflected the beautiful tones of the dying fire. Just as he lifted his hand to brush a few strands out of her face, she opened her eyes sleepily. “Hi, Harry,” she said dreamily. “Hi,” he said, smiling and feeling a bit dizzy. They lay staring for a moment before Ginny’s eyes got wide and she sat up quickly. “Harry!” she cried. “Did — did we just take a nap together?” She began to giggle and even in the dim light her face was red. “I think we did. Actually, I think I was here first and you laid down next to me. Either way it was… it was a good nap.” Then he grinned and added, “Did you like it?” She had both hands over her smile and she nodded. “I can’t remember the last time I slept so well.” She glanced at the clock on the wall and turned towards the kitchen. “I’ve got to start making dinner. It’ll take about an hour so you’ll just have to find something to do until then.” Harry got up slowly and rubbed his eyes. He spotted a Quidditch Weekly magazine on a table and grabbed it before opening up the curtains again. Ginny banged around in the kitchen for quite some time and the smells began to fill the house, tantalizing Harry’s nose. He found himself trying to think of excuses to go see what she was cooking but knew she would see right through them. He continued to read and finally, after nearly three-quarters of an hour, she poked her head around the corner and told him it was ready. He smiled at her disheveled look and knew she must have been working quite hard. When he entered the kitchen his senses were overwhelmed by the smells of sweet-glazed chicken, fried tomatoes, fruit salad, cooked cinnamon apples, and the most perfect treacle tart he’d ever seen. “The house-elves would be proud to call you one of their number,” Harry said, chuckling. “Remember, not a word to Hermione. I’m your little house-elf only.” Harry blushed as he said, “I rather like having you as my house-elf.” She smiled prettily as she brought the last of the dishes to the table. She pulled out her wand and lit the two candles Harry had only just noticed were present. “Happy birthday, Harry,” she said. He decided he really liked the way she said his name. “Thank you. This is wonderful, Ginny. No one’s ever—” She held up a hand. “I know. That’s why I wanted to do it. You don’t seem to realize how special you are and I hoped this might help out a little.” He looked embarrassed but managed a weak “Thank you” before tucking in. He enjoyed every bite of his wonderful birthday dinner and told her so. He knew that it wasn’t so much the taste of the food as it was the sweetness of the cook. As he took second helpings he suddenly realized he didn’t want to look like a pig and so took very small amounts. He often remembered Ron taking mountainous helpings at the Gryffindor table and hearing Hermione and Ginny scoff in the background. Besides, he knew Ron would eat any leftovers the next day. When the meal was over, Ginny once again Banished all of the plates and trays to the kitchen where they began to wash themselves. Harry watched in fascination. “I never learned how to do that,” he said. “I can cook like a Muggle though. Maybe sometime I’ll cook for you. I’ve been doing it since before I went to Hogwarts and I’m not too shabby. Really.” “I’d like that,” she said. They talked and laughed for a few minutes before Ginny asked what Harry had in mind to do next. He smiled. “I was thinking we could go for a broom ride. Maybe out to the cliffs. The sunset is nice up there and we could… watch it together.” “That sounds great,” she said. “You might want a heavier jumper. It’s getting kind of chilly and we’ll be riding, too.” She retrieved a thick jumper from her room and pulled it on as they walked out the front door. Harry tried not to watch but found he couldn’t help himself. As her head popped out the top and her eyes met his, he turned away, his face burning with embarrassment. Ginny only smiled. They walked to the broom shed and opened the doors. Ginny began to reach for her own broom but Harry touched her arm and shook his head. “I thought we’d just ride mine.” He shifted his eyes nervously to his Firebolt. “Oh. Okay. Er, where do you want me to sit?” He looked into her eyes. “I want you to steer.” Her mouth formed into a small ‘o’ and she gingerly took his broom in her hands. “Are you sure?” she asked. “Positive.” She sat slowly down in front and Harry climbed on behind her. He wound his arms around her and grasped one hand to the handle and the other tightly around her waist. His grip loosened quickly though at the sound of her sharp intake of breath. “Sorry. Did I hurt you?” he asked seriously. “N-no,” she said. “No, nothing’s wrong. Go ahead.” He placed his arm back around her and pulled her backwards into his chest. He felt his heart thumping faster and faster as they drifted up off the ground. Suddenly, without warning, the broom backed up into the shed with a soft crunch. Ginny looked horrified as she turned to face Harry. She began to stutter an apology. “Harry, I — I’m so sorry. I don’t know what happened.” “It’s okay,” he laughed. “No harm done. Just… forwards next time.” She still looked concerned as she spoke. “I’m sorry. I don’t… I just forgot how to ride a broom for a moment there, I guess.” Harry grinned to himself and pulled her closer to him, whispering in her ear, “Remember, forwards.” She nodded her head, her hair brushing softly against his face. He closed his eyes and enjoyed the clean, fresh scent of it. Just as he was beginning to get lost in it, she nudged the broom and it took off like a shot. They rocketed upward at an acute angle for several seconds — Harry barely hanging on — before she slowed and leveled off. “Was that forwards enough for you?” she laughed. “Oh, that was good, but you just wait for the ride home,” he said wickedly. They rode on for a while in silence. Ginny struggled every moment to contain her heart and steady her breathing. Harry’s strong arms had such a grip on her that she could hardly lean one way or the other and she loved every minute of it. She loved the fresh air in her lungs, the freedom of flying and the knowledge that she was wrapped up tightly in the arms of the boy she loved. Harry smiled the whole flight. He couldn’t help it. Ginny was so warm in his arms and she seemed to fit so perfectly against his chest. He loved the way her hair blew in his face and the peace that seemed to radiate all around them. To both of them it seemed the ride ended all too soon as they lit upon the rocky cliffs. Harry carefully set his broom aside, remembering that he wanted to fly them home, and then he joined Ginny on the ground. Even with her thick jumper, she was shivering slightly and he conjured up a blanket to wrap around them. The sunset over the water was like watching two long-lost friends come together again. The sun greeted the water gently and began to sink into the horizon, casting out its long, red tendrils in great arcs across the sky. They sat together in silence, slowly inching closer. First, Harry adjusted himself more comfortably next to her. Then Ginny found a rock under her leg that required her to shift. Harry found himself reaching out and holding her hand, receiving a shy smile at the same time. After a while, Ginny laid her head gently on his shoulder and he put a protective arm around her. At long last, the sun ebbed below the horizon, the sky darkening behind it. “I’m glad you asked me to come with you,” Ginny said, turning her head to look at him. “I wouldn’t want to share it with anyone else,” he answered. “Everything you’ve done today was so… nice, I — I just wish there was some way I could pay you back. You’ve been such a good friend to me. Sometimes I think you can even hear what’s going on in my head, you seem to understand me so well. You’re more than just a friend, Ginny. You know that, right?” She looked up at him and he was struck by how close her face was to his and how soft and beautiful her eyes were. “Am I?” she asked quietly. He found his voice stuck in his throat. “You are.” Their eyes stayed locked together. Slowly, as if guided by an invisible power, they began to move closer. Harry could feel her breath on his cheek. His heart was racing madly. He watched as she closed her eyes, exposing her beautiful, full eyelashes. He felt his own eyes closing and his hand rising up to her cheek. The moment their lips touched, all other thoughts were lost. There was only Ginny. He was lost in the softness of their kiss. It lasted only a moment but its effects lingered on his lips. As they pulled slowly apart, Harry’s heart was lighter than it had ever been. He was soaring through the sky, propelled by this wonderful feeling and wishing it could go on forever. Ginny’s smile and bright eyes captured his attention and he smiled back. He was sure his silly grin matched hers but equally sure he didn’t care. She lifted her hand up and touched his face with her fingers, exciting little shocks in his nerves. “Harry,” she said, “I’ve been waiting for that for so long.” “I know. Me too. That was… that was incredible.” “Harry, you know what this means, right?” He grew suddenly concerned. “Er, no. What does it mean?” “It means you’re mine,” she giggled. “And it means I get to do that again.” She moved close and planted her lips on his. In a second his mind was lost again. This time was even more wonderful than the first and he wished they would never have to stop. It felt like part of him that was missing had been returned and he was complete again. This girl, this wonderful girl had just kissed him! “Does this mean you’re mine, too?” he asked when they pulled apart again. She nodded her head fervently and laid it on his chest. “I’ve always been yours,” she added quietly. He squeezed her tight and felt that nothing could ever be wrong again. He could do anything if only he could remember this moment. He closed his eyes and sighed deeply, contentedly. They sat in the growing darkness lost in their wonderful new feelings. Harry knew they would have to part eventually and he finally managed to stand up, stretching his arms and legs. He gave Ginny a quick peck on the cheek and climbed onto his broom, riding in front. She sat down behind him, wrapping her arms around his waist and laying her head on his shoulder. Her breath sent shivers up and down his spine as he led them slowly back home. After they had deposited the broom back in its shed and climbed the steps to the front porch, he pulled Ginny into a long, tight hug, running his hands gently up and down her back. “Harry! You’ve finally done it!” she said. He pulled away looking confused. “Done what?” “You finally figured out how to give a proper hug.” He took her in his arms again. “If it were up to me, I’d never let you go. I’d hold onto you forever. I should never have waited so long.” “Oh, Harry. You’ve never said anything so true.” She smiled at him impishly. “Six years is a long time for a girl to wait, especially for the Boy-Who-Lived.” He pulled back a little and scowled. She put a hand on his face and looked into his eyes. “You’ll always be Harry, just Harry, to me. Always.” He smiled and took her hand, leading them into the house. They climbed to the top of the stairs and shared one more electrically-charged kiss before separating to their rooms. If only every day were this perfect, he thought as he lay in bed. If only.
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