Bounding down the stairs to the common room three at a time, Harry landed with a bump at the bottom in front of a startled Ginny, who let out a nervous laugh.

“Well?� she prodded, eagerly eyeing the hand that held the ring box. “What did you want to give me?�

Grabbing her wrist, Harry pulled her over to one of the fireplaces lining the walls which he lit with an impatient wave of his wand. Glancing around the common room to make sure they were alone, he said, “Wait. I want to do this right this time.� He let his grip slide from her wrist until he was holding her hand instead, and dropped to his knee before her.

She laughed again. “You know you look a right ass when you do that, don’t you?�

“Oi! I don’t make fun of your traditions, do I?� he retorted, with mock seriousness, fighting not to laugh himself.

“Sorry. Sorry.� Ginny pressed her lips tightly together to refrain from laughing aloud again. “Continue,� she managed to get out through her pursed mouth.

“Ginny ...� he began and then stopped. “Or maybe at a time like this I should call you Ginevra?�

“Do and I’ll thump you.�

Harry smirked and clasped her hand even tighter. He cleared his throat, and all of a sudden he didn’t have to feign a serious tone. “Ginny Weasley, will you marry me?�

All trace of her giggles gone, Ginny dropped onto her knees too so she could look in his eyes when she answered. “Of course I will, Harry. Of course I will.� She leaned in to kiss him, but his attention was taken with opening the velvet box.

“Then this is for you ...� He held out the ring, his heart beating madly somewhere near the back of his throat.

Ginny gasped when she saw it shining in the firelight like a yet-to-be-used Golden Snitch. She peered at the setting: huge, blood-red rubies, stone of Gryffindor House, set in a distinctive zig-zag pattern, highly reminiscent of a tiny lightning bolt.

“Wow, it looks exactly like a ...� Her eyes flitted to his forehead.

“Yeah.� Harry watched her face closely; all of a sudden, a ring shaped like his scar seemed completely idiotic. “Stupid, isn’t it?�

“What?� Ginny wasn’t really listening as she took the ring from him to get a closer look. “Stupid? Are you joking? It’s brilliant!� She slipped it on her finger, still admiring it. “I love it!� She looked up at him finally, brushed away the usual untidy lock of hair from his eyes, and added softly, “I love you.�

This time when she kissed him, Harry had nothing else to occupy his attention at all.

He wasn’t sure how long they remained there like that, but several minutes at least had passed before Ginny pulled away. Reaching for his hand, she pulled him to his feet, and led him to the couch in front of the lit fireplace. He followed quite readily; it was only upon standing that he realized how cramped his legs had been getting on the floor.

Settled comfortably, they resumed kissing. And it was the same as always, but somehow completely different. Focused on the task at hand, Harry probably wouldn’t have been able to form any logical theories on the subject, but he was intuitively aware of the difference. It was Ginny, and they were kissing – something they’d done countless times before – but tonight he sensed in her an urgency that was new.

Ginny’s caresses, while never timid, nonetheless were bolder tonight. Harry revelled in this new intensity; just as he had happily followed her to the couch, he again willingly followed her lead, cooperating eagerly as she gripped the bottom of his t-shirt to pull it over his head. They had to break apart for that movement, and Harry saw Ginny’s face. The familiar blazing look in her eyes was blistering in its ferocity. But they had soon embraced again, their eyes closing once more.

Unsure at what point Ginny had undone her dressing gown, but with the beast in his chest roaring in triumph, Harry was thrilled to find it so. If he’d thought her beautiful before, the glow from the fire delicately lighting her bare skin keenly drove the point home. His hunger for her multiplying at an alarming rate, Harry had no objection when Ginny took his hands in hers and placed them on her fire-warmed skin.

Glorious minutes passed, the only sound their laboured breaths and the crackling of flames in the fire. Desire clouding his mind, only vaguely aware of Ginny’s actions, Harry was faintly surprised to find her hand at his waist, her fingers unfastening his trousers.

Every nerve in his body seemingly firing simultaneously, every particle of his being screaming with longing, urging him on, Harry was astounded when an image flooded, unbidden into his mind. Excruciatingly vivid, as if he were back in the corridor with him, Harry saw clearly the murderous look on Ron’s face after he had caught Dean and Ginny together.

The effect was immediate; Harry might have just plunged into the icy forest pool to retrieve the sword of Gryffindor from its depths.

He clutched Ginny’s hand in his. “Don’t,� he croaked out hoarsely, finding it extremely difficult to slow his breathing, to focus his heavily-lidded eyes on her face.

“What’s the matter?� Ginny gasped. “Don’t you want to?� Her respiration was as laboured as his.

“Course I do,� Harry retorted. “Don’t be stupid.� He was still struggling to breathe normally. “It’s just ... not here. Not like this. I mean, someone could just walk in ...�

Ginny shot him a shrewd look. “You mean Ron could just walk in.�

Harry looked sheepish. “Well, yeah. Come off it, Ginny, I don’t often forget you have four older brothers who could –�

“Five,� she corrected.

Harry grinned at her. “Not that fussed about Percy, actually.�

She laughed out loud at that. “Granted.� Wrapping her dressing gown around herself again and cinching the belt at her waist, she sighed. “Always the noble with you, isn’t it?�

Harry opened his mouth to reply, but she cut him off. “Leave it.�

She gave him a not-too-gentle shove to get him off the settee. “Off you go,� she ordered briskly. “My dear brother is sure to have arranged a full-castle search for us by now ...�

Harry smirked, sure she was right. Pulling his t-shirt back on, he remembered guiltily the urgency he’d felt in Ginny’s touch, the fire in her eyes. “Look, Ginny,� he began, “about before ... when I ...� He gestured helplessly at the couch. “When I ...� He stopped before trying again. “I’m sorry. But I’ll work something out. I will. There’ll be other chances ...�

Her eyes bore into his. “There’d better be, Potter.�