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Right Under His Nose
Chapter Six: Don't Kiss and Tell
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A/N: OhISee wrote: It's ridiculous the kind of glee I get from your descriptions of Harry's thought processes. I would like to branch off that for a moment and say—it’s ridiculous the kind of glee I get from your reviews. I mean, seriously. A little while after chapter five was put up I came back to my computer and saw I had four pages of reviews… I squealed. Squealed like a little girl. Now, if that’s not joy, I don’t know what is.
This story is so much fun to write, and I love getting feedback from you guys. It’s such an ego boost! To those of you who read and review and to those who just read- thank you so much.
On another note—I am sorry for the delay. I had midterm exams and then I had to go out of town. But I've already written chapter seven and I'll be submitting it very soon.
Now, on to the scene I know you're all dying to read. :D
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And then slowly, very slowly, he lowered his face to hers.
It was as though fireworks had exploded in his brain. Her lips were soft, far softer than he ever imagined them to be, and her cheek was even softer beneath his hand. Harry moved his lips against hers, and, very slowly, Ginny began to kiss him back.
Harry gave a jolt when he realized that he was kissing her and she was not protesting or pushing him away. He wrapped his arms around her in jubilation and she threw her arms around his neck. This surprised and excited Harry more than anything. Acting on impulse, he tightened his grip on Ginny’s back and lifted her off the ground, spinning her around in the air.
“Oh, Gin, I love you,” he whispered, setting her down gently.
And then, in a barely audible voice, Ginny whispered “I love you too, Harry.”
Better make sure, Potter.
“Really?” he asked in a whisper. “You do?”
Ginny didn’t say anything, but she finally raised her eyes to his. This time, instead of hard anger, he saw all the love that he felt.
But she had to say it. He needed to hear her say it.
Ginny took her time looking at him. She took her hand from his back and placed it on his cheek. Harry gasped softly and drew her closer when she began tracing the lines of his face. No one had ever touched him like this. Ginny’s deliberate touch seemed more intimate than actually kissing her. It was as though every nerve in his face was alive, and those she touched felt on fire—on fire in the most fantastic way possible.
Harry’s breath hitched and he tightened his hold on Ginny.
Ginny moved her hand from his cheek to his forehead. Gently she brushed his fringe away and traced her index finger down his scar. Harry drew in a sharp breath. Not only had he never thought it possible that his scar could tingle pleasantly, he had never imagined that Ginny’s mere touch on it would make him want to cry… not out of pain, not out of anger, but out of the deep well of emotion that he tried so desperately to keep locked down inside him. Harry squeezed his eyes shut, just like she had a moment ago.
And then Ginny did something that made one of his tears fall. Slowly and gently, she reached behind his head and brought it close to her, stood up on her tiptoes, and kissed his scar.
“I love you,” she murmured against his skin. Harry opened his eyes. She kept her hand in place on the back of his neck but went back to standing normally so she could look at him straight on. “I love you,” she said again, slowly, so he would catch every word. “I always have, and I always will.”
Another tear slid down his cheek and Ginny giggled as she wiped it away. Harry blushed, horribly embarrassed. But then he realized that Ginny was crying too.
“Look at us,” she said with a soft laugh. “Crying like a bunch of idiots.”
“Idiots in love,” he said, and Ginny stopped laughing.
Harry bent his head and kissed her again, this time with much more intensity. Their first kiss had been slow and sweet, but now that Harry knew he had permission, he wasn’t holding back. He opened her mouth under his and continued kissing her soundly, gripping her to him so tightly that they could both barely breathe.
“Wait,” Ginny gasped, wrenching her mouth from his. “Dean.”
Dean.
…
Damn it.
Very reluctantly, Harry stopped kissing Ginny and moved away from her. Her lips were bright red and her hair was mussed. She looked almost exactly like she had when he had caught her with Dean in his dormitory, except now the sight of her didn’t make him angry. It just made him want her even more.
“You know what?” he said in a husky voice that he could barely recognize as his own. “Forget Dean.”
It was as though Ginny had been waiting for permission. Before Harry could even blink, she was in his arms, his face was in her hands, and her lips were on his.
Harry wasn’t sure how long they were in the classroom kissing, but it must have been a good while, because before he knew it, his stomach had begun to growl. Somehow he and Ginny had migrated to one of the desk chairs. His first few shirt buttons had been undone and Ginny’s sweater had been taken off, leaving her in only a tee shirt. Harry was sitting with Ginny on his lap. With a groan, he separated his lips from Ginny’s so he could see what time it was.
“We’ve got to—” Harry cleared his throat, “we’ve got to head down to lunch.”
With a ghost of a smile, Ginny looked at her own watch. “You’re right.”
Neither of them moved.
“We really should head down to lunch,” Ginny suggested while closing her eyes.
“Mm hmm,” Harry hummed in affirmation, closing his own eyes as well and moving his lips to her neck.
“We don’t want to—” Ginny gasped as Harry continued kissing her, “to… miss out on the details… of what happened.”
“Details?” Harry asked, shifting his focus and kissing Ginny along her arm. He moved his lips from her elbow down to her fingers, somewhat clumsily, desperately hoping Ginny wouldn’t be able to tell just how inexperienced he was… but he could feel goosebumps raise on her arm at his touch. Harry grinned.
“Oh, you know,” Ginny said breathlessly. “All the… gossip, and—”
“Gossip from the first and second years?”
Ginny opened her eyes and smiled at Harry. “Oh… I suppose no one else has come back yet.”
“I suppose not.”
She shifted in his lap and put her arms around his neck, grinning.
“Besides,” she said, “you think there’s any better gossip than Harry Potter finally working up the nerve to kiss Ginny Weasley?”
Horror shot through him at the prospect of people knowing about… them, and Harry felt himself stiffen involuntarily as she looked at him. “You were… planning on telling people?”
Ginny sat up a bit straighter. “No… not just yet,” she said slowly. “I was just joking.” At her words, Harry relaxed and gave her a squeeze.
“Good,” he said. “The last thing I want or need is the Prophet, or… or Witch Weekly finding out about this.”
Ginny’s eyes widened. “So you’re ashamed?” she asked, making to get off his lap. Harry tightened his arms around her and pulled her back to him.
“Never,” he whispered. “It’s just…” He gave a frustrated sigh. “Gin, I know… I know what these papers are like. They print lies a lot of the time…. They’ve hurt me in the past… I don’t want them to hurt you.” He finished in a small voice, but Ginny was looking at him as though he had just given her a million Galleons.
Maybe you should file that under “Right Thing to Say,” Potter.
“That is so sweet,” Ginny said. “Have I told you I love you?”
“Say it again.”
“I love you.” Harry shivered.
“I love you,” she said, kissing his cheek, and he shivered more. “I love you,” she whispered, kissing his scar again.
Harry tilted his head back and kissed her fully on the mouth. He felt Ginny relax completely against his chest and he instinctively tightened his arms around her.
Harry had just coaxed Ginny’s mouth open with his own when he heard voices in the corridor.
“I can assure you, Mr. Thomas, Miss Weasley is not going to be in there—”
“I just want to check, Professor.”
“Mr. Thomas, one afternoon away from Miss Weasley is not going to harm you. If you had stayed in Hogsmeade—”
Harry froze; above him, Ginny gasped. They looked at each other for one terrified second before they sprang into action. Ginny leapt off Harry and grabbed her sweater from the floor, yanking it over her head. Harry set the chair back in place and threw Ginny her bag.
Ginny glanced at him quickly and her eyes widened. “Your shirt!” she whispered.
Horrified, Harry looked down. He jerked the buttons at the top of his shirt back into place as the doorknob began to turn. Harry’s glance shifted to it, but his attention was caught by something moving on the wall.
Great flapping bat bogeys.
“Scourgify!” he whispered, pointing his wand at the wall just as the door opened.
“Ginny!”
Dean Thomas stood in the doorway, grinning. Harry hastily put his wand back into his pocket as Dean strode over to Ginny and placed his arm around her waist. “Hi,” he said, kissing her on the cheek.
Anger flared low in Harry’s stomach. He fought the urge to smack Dean’s hand away and Ginny blushed. Her eyes darted to Harry’s for a quick second before she looked at Dean.
“Hi.”
McGonagall went to her desk, leaning on her walking stick. “Well, Mr. Potter, Miss Weasley. I assume you are finished?”
Harry forced his concentration to McGonagall and not on Dean’s hand moving on Ginny’s waist. “Yes, Professor. We just came back here to… to—”
“To get my bag,” Ginny filled in. Her eyes flitted to his once more and a tinge rose in her cheeks.
“Well, I must say, I wasn’t expecting you to still be here. But no matter. You are dismissed.”
“Great,” said Dean. He turned, taking Ginny with him, leading her out of the classroom. Harry wanted to run forward and yank his arm away. “There’s still time if you want to walk to Hogsmeade. Maybe we could get lunch at the Three Broomsticks?”
Ginny hesitated before answering. “Um, I kind of wanted to… to stay here.”
“What?”
“I don’t really feel like going into Hogsmeade today.”
“Why not?”
“I just… don’t.”
Dean paused. Harry used the break in their conversation to step in front of them to the door, pausing to look at Ginny. Unfortunately, it was Dean instead of Ginny who caught his eye. Dean rolled his eyes, clearly trying to make an unspoken point about the silliness of girls.
Harry glowered at him. He then turned to Ginny, ignoring Dean.
“I’m heading down to lunch in the Great Hall if you want to come with me.”
Ginny’s ears were pink. “That’s alright with me. What do you want?” she asked Dean.
Dean’s face clearly showed that he did not want to spend his Saturday afternoon with Ginny with Harry tagging along. However, he looked at Ginny, plastering on a fake smile.
“Sure,” he said. “Whatever you want to do.” He kissed her cheek again.
Harry looked away in disgust. Was Thomas taunting him, acting that way?
No, prat, he’s not taunting you. She’s still his girlfriend.
Harry avoided looking at Ginny and Dean all the way down to lunch.
***
Four hours later, Harry was up on his four poster, staring at the curtains. He hadn’t had a chance to speak to Ginny alone all afternoon. Lunch had been an almost painful experience, with Ginny and Dean on his left and gaping first and second years on his right. Dean had been intent on having a private lunch with Ginny—he had put his arm around her, whispered in her ear, and taken her hand beneath the table. All the while, Harry tried not to watch them but failed and ended up staring anyway. Ginny was trying to keep Dean off but failing as well. She shot Harry apologetic looks, trying to tell him with her eyes that there was nothing she could do. When he hadn’t been able to stand it any longer, Harry stood up, bid Ginny and Dean goodbye, and ran up the stairs to the Gryffindor common room.
But the first and second years who had already finished lunch were in the common room, sitting in the best chairs around the fire that were normally reserved for older students. His entrance set off a round of giggles that would have made Lavender and Parvati proud. Harry was very easily annoyed by the younger students. They all had irritating habits of staring at his forehead and whispering about him behind their tiny little hands—Harry was sick of it. Couldn’t they get it through their heads that he was just a normal person? And why did they all look so small?
No way you were that small when you were eleven, Potter.
Harry had stomped up to his dormitory, the only place he could get away from the stares and whispers. The thought that he could sneak into Hogsmeade with his Invisibility Cloak crossed his mind, but Harry ignored it. He had already gotten all his Christmas presents for his friends, he didn’t feel like a butterbeer, and he really didn’t fancy walking up on Ron and Hermione snogging down an alleyway.
All he wanted was to talk to Ginny. Alone.
In a dark closet, preferably.
Harry turned over on his bed, willing the image of Ginny and Dean away and coming up with images of Ginny… just Ginny. Ginny, hexing him like a pro. Ginny, hollering her head off at him. Ginny, crying, with his hand on her face. Ginny, beaming at him while sitting on his lap. Ginny, playing with his hair.
When he heard the dormitory door open, he slammed his eyes shut. He really didn’t want to talk to Dean right now.
“You’re already asleep?”
Ron’s incredulous voice came from the side of Harry’s bed. Glad that he didn’t have to feign sleep, Harry rolled over and opened his eyes.
“No. I was just lying down.”
“Oh.” Ron raised an eyebrow at him, moving to his own bed and throwing down all his purchases. Harry blushed and sat up.
“Did you have a nice time at Hogsmeade?” he asked in a suggestive voice. Harry couldn’t let the opportunity pass to tease Ron a little, even if he was feeling rather annoyed at the world. Not after the look Ron had just given him. Ron didn’t answer, but his ears turned red, and Harry laughed.
“Shut it,” Ron said, taking a playful swing at Harry. “How was your detention?” he asked in the same suggestive tone, going back to unloading his purchases.
Fantastic. I snogged your little sister until neither of us could breathe.
…
And then I snogged her a little more.
“Fine,” he said. “Ginny was there.”
Ron turned to him again with raised eyebrows. “Ginny? What did she do?”
“Dunno.”
Ron went back to his trunk while Harry sat. The thought of what Ron would say if he, Harry, told him about Ginny worried Harry. He knew that Ron had basically given him permission to care for her, based on what he said on the train last year. But Harry couldn’t help remembering Ron’s attitude concerning Michael Corner and more recently his attitude towards Dean.
“Come on, let’s get down to the common room. Hermione says that she wants to talk to you,” Ron said, interrupting Harry’s thoughts.
“All right.” Harry stood up and followed Ron out of the dormitory.
“Seriously, Ron,” he said while they were on the stairs. “Did you have a good time?” He knew Ron was sensitive about his relationship with Hermione and didn’t want to tease him too much. The twins did enough of that already.
“Yeah, it was a really good time. Saw Dean walking around with Seamus and Lavender, though, they didn’t look too pleased.”
Harry laughed. When he and Ron were at the bottom of the staircase, he swept his eyes over the room, looking for Hermione. His eyes landed on Ginny first.
Harry’s stomach gave a pleasurable squirm.
Ginny had her head bent and she was muttering something very quickly. Harry looked to her right and saw that she was whispering to Hermione, who looked delighted. Ginny whispered something more and Hermione smiled broadly and clapped her hands.
“Wonder what she’s so happy about,” Ron said, making his way over to Hermione and Ginny.
Harry had a good idea of what they were talking about and couldn’t help but feel a small stab of horror. He was embarrassed, even though it was only Hermione.
“What’s going on?” Ron asked when he and Harry approached them. Ginny and Hermione both gasped, looking flustered. Hermione, however, calmed down enough to smile.
“Oh, hi, Harry. How was your day?”
“Great,” said Harry, with his eyes on Ginny. She grinned.
“Ginny was just telling me about your detention.” Harry could feel Hermione’s expectant gaze on him and he turned to look at her. Hermione was staring at him with her eyebrows raised to let him know that she knew exactly what had happened. Harry felt a blush start and fought to keep it down.
“Is that what you were all excited about? A detention?” Ron asked, sitting next to Hermione on the couch and ruffling her hair a bit. “Honestly, you’d think Ginny was telling you about a date or something the way you were reacting.”
Harry’s heart pounded and he threw a panicked look at Hermione. He shook his head slightly at her with wide eyes, and she nodded.
“That was nothing.”
“Nothing?”
“Just girl stuff.”
“Girl stuff?” Both Ginny and Hermione blushed. Harry could sense another Ron/Hermione banter coming on and looked at Ginny. She was examining the carpet, determinedly not looking at him.
“Yeah.”
“What do you mean, it’s just girl stuff—”
Ginny finally moved her eyes to Harry’s.
Ron and Hermione’s conversation faded away. Electricity seemed to flow between himself and Ginny. Harry wanted to reach out and drag her to a dark corner. Most unfortunately, Ginny didn’t reciprocate his gaze. She looked nervous and was trying to tell him something without saying it. Harry wasn’t sure what it was… this look was not like the others she had given him before.
He needed to talk to her. Alone.
Oh, yeah, Potter, sure. You want to talk to her.
“I’m going down to dinner,” Harry announced, with a pointed look at Ginny. Ron and Hermione stopped their good-natured bickering and looked up at Harry.
“Are you sure? It’s only a little after five,” Ron said with a glance at Hermione’s watch.
“Yeah,” said Harry. “I didn’t get much lunch.”
Ginny flushed, but she stood up anyway. “Yeah, me neither. I’ll come with you.”
Ron started to stand. “OK, I’ll come too—”
“No!” Hermione interjected. She put a hand out to stop Ron, who looked confused. “Ron… you just ate all those chocolate frogs from Honeydukes. You need to give your stomach a chance to settle before you eat again.”
You’re a lucky man, Potter. Not everybody can think quickly like that.
Harry gave Hermione a grateful look. “See you later.” He ignored Ron’s raised eyebrows and started for the portrait hole.
“Bye,” he heard Ginny say from behind him. He took a deep breath and turned around, waiting for Ginny to catch up with him. She quickened her step and smiled broadly at him. Together, they made their way out of the common room.
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A/N: You all know by now that I love reviews.
I'll try to have chapter seven submitted ASAP.
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