Summary: Okay, due to popular demand (aka some reviewer comments) I added another chapter, this time from Harry's POV. Here are his musings on his relationship with his girls at the very end of HBP.
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The minute she ran towards me, I knew she was mine.
When Ginny Weasley became my girlfriend that May Saturday in the Gryffindor common room, I was elated. After months of dreaming about her while trying to ignore the monster in my chest that emerged whenever I saw her, she finally ran into my arms and I kissed her. I didn't care that most of my classmates and friends were watching; I finally had what I wanted. And what was even better was that my best friends were okay with it. For once in my life, I felt normal and happy. I wasn't the Chosen One, just a teen wizard with a pretty witch for a girlfriend.
When Ginny and I weren't alone, we hung around with Ron and Hermione. I wondered if they too, would start going out. There was nothing stopping them since Ron had split with Lavender. While they did seem a bit nicer to each other, I had no concrete proof that they were seeing each other. And for some reason, I didn't feel comfortable asking Ron what was going on.
One sunny June day, Ginny and I were enjoying a picnic lunch by the lake. We ate quickly and then spent some time snogging under a shady tree. Just when things started to get a little heated, Ginny gently pushed me away and then tried to distract me with funny stories about her brothers.
"And then Fred and George threatened to put Ron's head in the toilet, but Percy found out what they were doing and tattled to mum. She was so angry that she made them clean the toilets for the rest of the summer…."
I listened and smiled vaguely as she went on, paying more attention to the way the sunlight played off her long red hair than the words coming out of her mouth.
"Harry, are you listening to me?" She asked, peering at me.
"What? Oh, yes, of course I'm listening." I lied.
"You look a little distracted, is anything wrong?" Ginny asked.
"No, I was just wondering…..do you think there's anything going on between Ron and Hermione?"
"What do you mean by `going on' Harry?"
"Do you think that they fancy each other?"
Ginny looked surprised. "Um, I don't think they do. Ron has never hinted to me that he likes Hermione that way."
I was the one who was surprised. "Really? I think he fancies her; he was jealous of Krum and they've been bickering like a married couple since I've known them. And then there was the incident where Hermione attacked Ron with the canaries after he started snogging Lavender."
Ginny looked thoughtful, as if this was the first time she had considered this. "Hmm, you may have a point there. But sometimes I think that they fight just like brother and sister."
I hadn't considered that, could Ginny be right? "So, Hermione hasn't said anything to you."
Ginny shook her head.
"Are you two still close? I mean, after that argument you had after the Sectumsempra incident, I wasn't so sure."
"Of course, we're close," Ginny asserted. "Hermione's like an older sister to me. She's always giving me advice and telling me to study. In fact yesterday, she told me that I should be studying harder for my OWLs and shouldn't let you distract me."
"That sounds like Hermione." I smiled. "Next thing, I'll bet she'll start telling me to leave you alone so you can study."
"She's a bit of a busy body, isn't she? I mean what business is it of hers how I do on my exams? She's not my mum."
"But you know Hermione, that's just how she is," I shrugged. "She's been nagging Ron and me ever since first year to study harder. She even gave us talking homework planners for Christmas once, remember?" I chuckled at the memory.
Ginny rolled her eyes. "Who gives a homework planner as a present? Only someone as boring as Hermione would do that."
I don't know what happened, but hearing Ginny call Hermione `boring' suddenly made me angry.
"Hermione's not boring, Ginny. Do you think I would call someone who's been my best friend for six years "boring"?
"Of course, not Harry," she replied. "It's just that I find Hermione to be annoying sometimes. You remember how she wouldn't leave you alone about using that curse on Malfoy. I was so glad I shut her up."
Ginny's words did nothing to dissipate my anger, but didn't want to have my first fight with my new girlfriend. I tried to remain calm and explain to her Hermione's side.
"Ginny, at the time I was glad you did, but I realize now that she was only trying to make me see how I shouldn't have used a curse I knew nothing about. I mean, Malfoy could've died from those wounds if Snape hadn't arrived when he did. I can't stand Malfoy, but I don't want him dead."
"But you didn't kill him. He's fine now." She reassured me. "The only bad thing is that you have detention every Saturday and can spend less time snogging me."
I could tell that Ginny was trying to lighten the mood and she leaned in. But I no longer felt like snogging. I gave her a quick peck, picked up my book bag and stood up.
"Ginny, I hate to cut our lunch short, but I just remembered I have some homework to finish before class."
The truth was I didn't have any homework to finish. I just felt the need to be alone for a while.
As I walked towards the castle I heard Ginny's disappointed voice behind me. "Fine, go do your homework! But what will I do for the next half-hour?"
"Why not get some studying done for your OWLs?" I suggested, thinking of Hermione.
I didn't realize it at the time, but that was the beginning of the end of my relationship with Ginny. Only a couple of weeks later, any normalcy I was feeling vanished when Dumbledore was murdered. That was one of the worst nights of my life, only rivaled by the night Voldemort returned and when Sirius disappeared behind the veil. My carefree existence faded away as dark reality once again came crashing down.
It barely registered to me that it was Ginny who had escorted me into the hospital wing after Hagrid and I found Dumbledore's body. When we got there, the first thing I remember was Hermione running towards me, with a look of utter relief on her face.
She hugged me and I put my arms around her, also relieved to see that she was okay. I'm not sure how long we held each other; I was still in shock over Dumbledore's death and then seeing Bill's once handsome face destroyed by werewolf bites.
That night I cried, partially out of grief of losing Dumbledore but also for myself. I had lost so much and now my innocence was truly gone. I could no longer pretend to be the normal teenage wizard with a pretty girlfriend. I was the Chosen One, and it was my job to finish Voldemort. And I would have to do it alone.
After Dumbledore's funeral, I broke it off with Ginny. It seemed like the right thing to do, to keep her safe. To be perfectly honest, though, I don't think things would've lasted anyway. I never really let her into the dark side of my life and what I was facing. Being with Ginny was like taking one of the Daydream Charms the twins sold in their shop, something you take to escape reality for a short time.
And now Ron and Hermione want to come with me on the horcrux hunt. I hadn't planned on them doing that, but I need them both and they have been through everything with me. They truly are my best friends in the world.
As much as I love Ron (as a brother), I am especially relieved to have Hermione coming along. If Hogwarts stayed open, I would bet on my Firebolt that next term she would be appointed Head Girl, something I know she always had her heart set on. But instead she is coming with me. The selfless part of me wants to tell her to stay behind to keep her safe, but the selfish part knows that I need her too much. Just maybe she needs me, too.
FIN
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