A/N - well, I've caught up with what has already been written therefore the postings won't be as quick (as I have to write them first!). I've got the next three chapters written in my head, but it is much harder to get it down in print. Not too sure about this chapter but I hope you enjoy it! Oh, I guess I should warn you that there is H/G in this chapter…
Chapter 8 - Ginny
A month had passed since Hermione's confession and a lot had changed at number twelve, Grimmauld Place. At first, things were difficult. Hermione's hours in the rain added to her already weakened health, combining to a fever that had worried both Harry and Ron (even Madam Pomfrey) quite significantly until it finally broke and she only had to contend with the flu.
Harry had taken a week off work to look after her, intent in making sure she was well in an attempt to get rid of the guilt he felt that it was his fault that she was sick in the first place. Things between them were awkward but it was getting better. She was trying, as was he, and he felt in time they would be able to move on.
Meanwhile, Hermione withdrew her resignation and when she was well enough, went back to work. She also spent some time with Professor McGonagall and although she hadn't got her old spark back, she was better than she was - Harry was sure his old professor had something to do with it.
Ron shifted in and with him, laughter - both intentionally and unintentionally. He seemed to know when things were getting tense between Harry and Hermione and often broke that tension with a joke of some sort or made Hermione focus on him instead. Harry recognised and appreciated what his friend was doing on more than one occasion.
The budding relationship between Ron and Luna had something to do with the 'new and improved' Ron, including his letter writing skills. At first, Harry was concerned at how Hermione would handle the new romance but she didn't seem to mind, in fact seemed to encourage it.
This was why both Harry and Ron were in Hogsmeade on a Saturday morning, waiting for their respective girlfriends' toshow. It was Ron and Luna's first official date and he was more than a little nervous.
Harry didn't really know how he felt. He and Ginny had been writing to each other as well, but they were letters of little consequence. She had insisted on meeting him this Hogsmeade visit - he had excused himself the few previous times but this was the last before Christmas.
He didn't want to be there, not really. Part of him thought that he should break up with Ginny, that the relationship wasn't working the way that it should but he kept arguing with himself that he hadn't given it much of a chance. Today, he was determined to make an effort to try make things work.
He left Ron and Luna at the Three Broomsticks where he went inside and they carried on to some other destination. The friendly pub was pretty much empty as Harry scanned it for the familiar mane of red hair. Seeing nothing, he made his way to Rosemarta, who was busily clearing a table.
"Hi Rosemarta," he began - she looked up at him and smiled.
"Harry!" she welcomed, "what can I do for you today? Butterbeer for one?"
"Actually, I was looking for Ginny Weasley," he continued, "have you seen her?"
"I most certainly have," the barmaid smiled, "she is in room seven, upstairs."
"She's in a room?"
"Yes, she is," Rosemarta smirked, giving Harry a strange look, "waiting for you, it seems. She got here about fifteen minutes ago so you better get yourself up there…"
"Why would she be in a room?"
"Harry, dear - just go upstairs."
Frowning, Harry made his way from the main part of the pub and up the stairs to the rooms where guests could stay overnight. He was trying to think of all the reasons why Ginny would want to meet him in a room and really couldn't come up with anything.
Perhaps she wants to break up with me and not make a scene, he thought to himself, pausing outside room number seven for a moment, wondering how he felt about breaking up with Ginny and realising that it didn't worry him as much as perhaps it should. Smiling, he tapped on the door.
"Ginny," he called out as he entered the room, "it's…"
Harry stopped. Everything stopped and for a moment, he was too stunned to move.
The room had been lit by candles, all natural light gone by the drawing of the curtain. There was soft music playing and her now familiar, flowery scent drifted over him. And lying on the bed, dressed in something black, lacy and didn't cover that much, was Ginny.
A blush rushed to his cheeks while a whole different reaction happened in another part of his body, making him turn from her in embarrassment.
"Hi Harry," she purred and he could hear the bed move as he frantically tried to get his brain to work.
"What…what are you doing?" he squeaked out, jumping as her arms encircled his waist.
"I thought I'd surprise you," she breathed into his ear, her hands roaming his torso, "and let you know I'm ready to take our relationship to the next level."
"Well, I'm not!" he cried, taking her hands from him and hastily moving from her reach, doing up the buttons of his shirt she had undone.
"Come on Harry," she continued and now she was standing behind him, nuzzling his back, "we've been together, on and off, for nearly eighteen months. I know you've dreamt about this, about me and you - I want to make those dreams a reality…"
"You're only seventeen!" he squealed, moving away again, "I can't…we can't…your family would kill me!"
"I'm of age," she reasoned, but didn't move this time, "and what my family doesn't know won't hurt them…"
"No!"
"You…you don't want to have sex with me?" she asked quietly, no longer full of bravado but now sounding hurt.
"No, Ginny," he answered truthfully, before adding hastily, "I…I have to go."
Without waiting for a reply, he left the room and made his way back down the stairs. He felt numb, confused and extremely embarrassed. He could tell he was still blushing and the fact that all he wanted to do was get away as quickly as possible emphasised his turmoil.
"Harry," Rosemarta welcomed as he strode past her, "I didn't think I'd see you again so quickly."
He looked at her and realised she knew what was supposed to take place.
"Oh, God," he moaned and practically ran out of the door.
He wandered around Hogsmeade aimlessly before he remembered he was a wizard and apparated home, glad he didn't splinch himself in the process. He let himself in and went straight to the kitchen - where Hermione was making her lunch.
He blushed all over again.
"Harry!" she exclaimed, surprised, "what are you doing back so soon? Are you okay?"
"No," he answered absently, running a hand through his hair - then remembered who he was talking to and said, "yes! Yes, I'm fine."
He looked at her and saw she was watching him with concern, her sandwich sitting unnoticed on the plate before her.
"No, you're not," she stated and Harry began to pace agitatedly, "what happened? Is everything alright with Ginny?"
At the mention of Ginny's name, he paused and looked at Hermione in panic. He needed to talk to someone, to work through the issues that were numbing his brain. He couldn't and wouldn't talk to Ron and really, Hermione wasn't that much better.
"I can't talk to you about…this," he said hastily, "I mean…it's just that…it's about me and Ginny…"
"Well, I guessed that much," Hermione told him with a small smile, "look, I know things are a bit strange between us at the moment, but remember, we're best friends first, aren't we? And you're really upset - you look like you're about to burst! What happened? Did…did you break up?"
Harry shook his head 'no' and began pacing once more.
"Oh," Hermione acknowledged thoughtfully, worrying her bottom lip with her teeth as she went through possible scenarios in her mind, "so if you didn't break up then…" suddenly her eyes went wide as she blushed nearly as bad as he did - Harry stopped mid stride, "oh!" she gasped, "did…did Ginny…offer herself to you?"
He nodded without thinking - his mind once more consumed with the image of Ginny lying in the candlelight on the bed.
"Oh!" Hermione repeated making Harry stop once more as he was sure he could hear a smile in her voice. He looked at her and saw her trying to hide a grin.
"It's not funny!" he protested weakly.
"No, no you're right," she answered seriously, trying to hide her smile, "and I'm guessing you said…no?"
"She's seventeen!" he yelled and began pacing, lost in his own world again, "I thought we were going to break up, I thought she wanted to see me in private to break up with me! But she was…and she said…sure, I've thought about it - I'm a eighteen year old male! I've thought about sex a lot! But…oh God, I'm so sorry Hermione…"
"That's fine, Harry," Hermione reassured when he turned to her after he realised what he was saying, "I've thought about sex a lot too," she smirked but he could see the hurt in her eyes. Harry groaned and went back to pacing, everything he wanted to say going around and around in his mind but now he was determined not to say anything.
"Master Harry," Kreacher interrupted and once again Harry stopped mid pace to look at the house elf, "there is the youngest red here to see you."
Harry frantically glanced at Hermione, who gave him a small, reassuring smile before getting her plate of lunch and standing. Before she could leave, however, Ginny sheepishly entered the kitchen. The two girls looked at each other, with Harry in the middle, watching.
"Hey, Ginny," Hermione greeted politely, her smile growing.
"Hi, Hermione," Ginny replied just as politely, "er - are you painting?"
Harry noticed for the first time that Hermione was dressed in an old shirt and sweat-pants, splashed with drops of cream coloured paint.
"Yes, my room," Hermione said before continuing on her way, "which I better get back to. I'll leave you two to it." She gave Harry another smile and then left, taking Kreacher with her.
"She knows, doesn't she?" Ginny asked quietly, not moving from her spot.
"Yeah," Harry mumbled, "sorry."
"That's okay," Ginny snarked, sitting down, "I already feel like an absolute fool so what's one more person to add to my humiliation…"
"Ginny…"
"I can't believe I did that," she groaned, "you must think I'm a…I don't know, slag or something!"
"No, of course not," Harry exclaimed, sitting down in the seat next to her, "but why did you…why?"
Ginny sat and thought, her long hair hiding her face from him as she stared down onto the table. After a moment, she spoke.
"I know I'm losing you, Harry," she told him, "I know things aren't going like you thought it would. Like we thought it would. I had this stupid idea that once the war was over, once you were no longer in danger, that things would go back to how it was in sixth year. I realise now that I was very wrong.
"You're different than what you were - you hardly smile any more, hardly laugh. I don't know how to deal with that…"
"I've changed…" he tried to explain, "I've seen and done so much…"
"I know," she sighed, "and I guess I've changed too. Losing Fred - I want to live life to the fullest, you know? Experience as much as I can, go with the moment."
"I can't do that."
"I finally see that now."
"Is that what today was all about?" he asked softly.
"I thought that's what you wanted," she said, "I thought that if we went to the next level, you'd stay with me."
"How could you think that?" he questioned, "Ginny, we've never even talked about sex…"
"You told me you thought of me…"
"I was stuck in a tent in the middle of no-where, hungry and wanting to get out of there," Harry shrugged, "you were the bright light at the end of the tunnel - of course I thought of you!"
"Even with Hermione there?"
"Hermione?" he frowned, "what's Hermione got to do with it?"
She looked at him then, her brown eyes searching his. After a moment, she smiled, reached out and stroked his cheek gently.
"You're an incredible bloke, Harry Potter," she smiled sadly, "but I think we should be just friends, don't you?"
"Yeah," he replied, taking her hand in his, "yeah, I do. I'm really sorry, Ginny."
"So am I," she agreed, swiping a rouge tear that had fallen down her cheek, "I will always care for you."
"Me too."
She lent forward and kissed him softly, once more looking at him intently before standing and heading for the door.
"I hope you find your laughter again, Harry," she told him with that same, sad smile.
"Thanks."
"I'll see you at Christmas," she continued as he stood to follow her, "and Hermione too, I guess."
"Are you sure you'll be okay?" Harry asked, trying to be a bit thoughtful about it all.
"I'll be fine," she smiled, "mum, on the other hand, may be a different story. I'll work on her before then, though. Will you break it to Ron?"
"Yeah, sure," he replied, thinking, "he should be fine, I think," they paused when they got to the door, Ginny once more turning to him, "I am really sorry, Gin," he said again, "I never meant to hurt you."
"I know," she sighed, looking up at him sadly, "but this is for the best. And I'm sorry for today. I think it just shows that I really don't know you as well as I should," she kissed him again, "see you around, Harry."
And with that, she was gone.
Harry lent against the closed door for a moment and thought about what had just happened. He and Ginny had broken up, something that he had wanted to do for quite a while now, and it wasn't as horrible as he thought it would be.
And he got to see Ginny half naked.
Smiling, he decided he'd keep that little bit of information to himself when he told Ron. Feeling somewhat relieved, he made his way up the stairs and down towards Hermione's room. He could hear the sound of music coming from the slightly open door and peaking in, he watched Hermione humming to herself as she painted one of the walls.
"You could use magic, you know," he said from the door jam, "it would be a lot quicker and less messy…"
"But much less fun," she replied, turning to him - paint brush in hand, "how'd it go?"
"We broke up," he answered shortly, making his way into the room.
"Oh, Harry, I'm so sorry."
"Yeah, well," he shrugged, "it's for the best. And we're going to try and be friends. I guess we were heading in different directions."
"Still, it must be difficult."
"It's a bit of a relief, to be honest," he mumbled, "especially after today."
"Ginny never was backwards in coming forward," Hermione smiled, turning back to her wall to resume painting, "especially when it came to boys."
"Do you…do you think she's, well, more…er…experienced?"
"You mean, do I think Ginny's had sex?" Hermione asked, turning back to Harry, "blimey Harry, we're not kids! But no, I don't think Ginny's had sex. There were rumours, of course - she did have quite a string of boyfriends - but I think she was waiting for the right bloke. Which was you."
"Right," he sighed, then added, "it's strange talking about this stuff with you."
"Why? Because I'm a girl?"
"No, because you're Hermione," he replied seriously.
"I am getting better, Harry," she told him with a small smile, "I mean, I hit rock bottom and the only way from there is up, isn't it? Which includes working on my relationship with you, with being just friends with you. And I am human with human urges. I think of sex too, you know. After all, I'm a nineteen year old girl!"
"It's just strange to think of you like that…"
"Thanks Harry!"
"No!" he exclaimed, blushing, "not like that! I mean, it's easy to think of you in a sexual way…"
"Really?"
"No! Well, actually…no! I meant, you thinking of sex not thinking of you and sex…"
"I think it might pay for you to be quiet now, Harry," she laughed.
"Yeah, I think you're right," he sighed, joining in with her smile, "do you want some help painting?"
"Oh, you don't have to…"
"Come on, it's not like I have anything else to do now. It'll be fun."
She looked at him curiously, thinking things over while Harry just stood and waited. Today had started badly but it seemed to be getting better. And seeing Hermione laugh, even at his expense, was fantastic. After a moment, she smiled shyly and nodded.
"It might pay to get changed," she said softly, "there is a good chance you'll get paint on your clothes."
With a grin, Harry went to his room to change, feeling better than he had done in a very long while.