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Right Under His Nose
Chapter Eight: What do we have here?
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A/N: I’m really, really sorry for the delay. I know how frustrated I get when writers don't update, so I guess I'm feeling a touch hypocritical. Normally I’m good about updating! Unfortunately, I wasn’t very inspired for this chapter. Call it a tiny little case of writer's block. But I've got a plan for the next few chapters, and I promise they'll be updated in a more timely fashion. :D Thanks so much to all my loyal readers for waiting! You guys are incredible.
And, as always, thanks for your reviews. You guys really know how to make a girl smile. :D
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Three days later, Harry sat in the common room, glaring at the back of Dean Thomas’s head. Only just this morning he had seen Dean wrap his arms around Ginny’s shoulder and squeeze her arm, his hand falling perilously close to areas of Ginny’s body that Harry wasn’t going to allow anyone to touch. Harry shuddered in remembrance. He seemed to be the only one who recognized just how uncomfortable Ginny was with the whole situation. Wasn’t it obvious to everyone that she was not interested in Dean anymore? Couldn’t they tell by her near grimaces whenever he touched her or kissed her cheek? Couldn’t they see that she obviously didn’t care about him?
Right, Potter. Because you’re not jealous or anything.
Much as Harry hated to admit it, the throes of jealousy were upon him. He found that he often had to hold himself back from hexing Dean in his sleep or turning around and punching him whenever he sauntered up to Ginny with his clearly ulterior motives. Harry shuddered again.
“It’s only a week,” Ginny’s voice played inside his head. However nice it was to hear it, Harry wasn’t reassured much. A week was turning out to be a very long time. Only three days had passed since Saturday, and, while there had been three fantastic secret meetings with Ginny in broom cupboards and the room behind the tapestry, there had been far more little incidents that made Harry want to throttle Dean. Dean would say something to Seamus about Ginny and Harry would finger his wand… Dean would take Ginny’s hand in his and Harry would clench his fist… Dean would try to kiss Ginny in front of everyone and Harry’s whole body would clench. It really was remarkable how much jealousy he could feel after only admitting that he loved Ginny for the first time three days ago.
Potter, tell me why you’re thinking about sodding Thomas when there are such better things to be thinking about?
Harry smiled. The memories from his meetings with Ginny had been burned into his mind so he could go over them all in slow, exacting detail whenever he chose… which was most of the time. If Harry’s Professors thought he had been distracted before he had been alone in a dark closet with the beautiful girl of his dreams, they were sorely mistaken. The only way he had even been able to complete his homework in the past two nights was with serious help from Hermione (and ignoring jealous glances from Ron over his own essays). However, the teachers didn’t seem to notice anything unusual, because most all the students were distracted. Christmas break was in three days, and no one really felt like concentrating on work. Some fourth years Harry didn’t know fancied that they would take Fred and George’s place as resident mischief-makers and had set off a round of Dungbombs in the common room Monday night. Both Hermione and Ron had taken pleasure in telling them off, even though Harry had seen Ron wink at the pair and thought he heard him whisper “Just wait a few days, mates.”
Ron hadn’t noticed anything going on with Harry and Ginny, so far as Harry could tell. Harry hoped Hermione would have enough sense not to say anything to Ron concerning Ginny… he hadn’t had a chance to speak to Hermione without Ron being in the room. Ginny must have told her about their agreement.
Harry squirmed when he thought of Ginny telling Hermione what they had done together, as he knew she would. Even if it was just kissing, Hermione was like his sister… it was strange to think of her like that.
Let’s just forget that day you walked in on her and Ron, shall we?
He grimaced, thinking how embarrassed he would be if someone walked in on him and Ginny… although he did take precautions to ensure that no one would. Hermione’s Colloportus charm had done wonders, and Ginny knew a wonderful silencing charm.
Harry couldn’t help but feel a little strange when he thought of just exactly what he was doing. He was actually with Ginny… he was with Ginny. He was running round the castle with a girl he loved… loved… laughing and trying not to get caught. Harry had had secrets before… many of them, in fact. But none of those secrets had made him feel like this. This was exciting, this was… daring. She was still going out with someone… his own roommate. Her brother was his best friend. Her family was his family.
Harry felt like he was a character in one of Aunt Petunia’s soap operas.
It was odd. He had never considered himself to be… romantic. Romantic feelings toward girls had always gotten in his way. Last year his feelings about Cho had resulted in a lot of irritation and annoyance, and then he had learned about the prophecy…. Harry hadn’t even considered girls when he arrived at Hogwarts this year. Whatever this thing was that he had with Ginny was terribly strange. He wasn’t used to it. Love had never played a huge role in his life… he had always had more important things to worry about. But now he could share those things with Ginny (his face still burned when he remembered telling her about the prophecy). It was still strange to know that he could actually tell someone besides Ron and Hermione what was on his mind.
And the fact that that someone was Ginny…
Glad you’ve finally opened your eyes, Potter.
So many times he had imagined being with Ginny, and now that it was actually happening Harry wasn’t exactly sure what to do with himself. How was he supposed to act around her? It was hard to him not to feel embarrassed when he thought of the things he had told her… he had cried in front of her, for Merlin’s sake. But Ginny didn’t seem to mind.
But, for that matter, how was he supposed to act around Ron? Harry had spent the past three days concentrating on not cracking and lunging at Dean whenever he touched Ginny. He had barely had time to consider just how he was supposed to hide the news from Ron that he, Harry, was currently spending as much of his spare time as possible snogging the life out of Ginny in empty broom closets.
You make it sound sordid.
Normally he told Ron everything… how was he supposed to hide something as big as this? Ron would never forgive him if he found out that Harry had been keeping something from him…
“Harry, I’m talking to you, can you hear me?”
Harry’s head snapped up. The noise of the common room seemed to increase dramatically as he came back to earth, instead of up in the clouds, absorbed in his own thoughts. Ginny stood in front of his armchair, a smile playing at her lips.
All thoughts of Ron flew out of his head. Biting back a grin, Harry said “Sorry, Ginny. What was that?”
“I was just asking if you wanted to come with me to the library.” She spoke slowly and raised an eyebrow at him. Harry’s stomach gave a pleasant little flip.
“Do you need some help in the… library?”
“Yes,” she said, twirling a quill in her hands and looking like she was fighting down a blush. “I wanted to work on an essay for Transfiguration and was wondering if you could help me.”
It shocked Harry just how easily this almost effortless lie slid from Ginny’s lips. If Harry hadn’t known what she was really asking him to do, he wouldn’t have had any idea that Ginny had no intention at all of going to the library.
Lucky you know what her real intentions are, eh?
Harry grinned up at Ginny, closing his book and standing. “Sure, Ginny. I’d be glad to help.” Her eyes twinkled at him as she turned to leave. He followed her out of the portrait hole, trying to keep his eyes straight ahead and not on her swinging hips. That had already gotten him into trouble once… Harry didn’t fancy another encounter with a Bat-Bogey hex.
“We’re lucky Ron and Hermione are at a prefect meeting,” Ginny said in a low voice as the Fat Lady swung close. “Otherwise Ron would have wanted to know why I asked you for help instead of Hermione."
“Oh, thanks,” Harry said sarcastically. Ginny turned to him, opening her mouth to protest, but he held up his hand. “I’m just kidding.”
Ginny sniffed and haughtily stuck her chin in the air. Harry could see that she was trying to force down a smile. Grinning, he put his arm around her shoulder, grasping the strap of her schoolbag and lifting it over her head. He then placed the bag on his own shoulder, pretending to stagger when he felt how heavy it was.
“What do you keep in here?” he asked incredulously. “Bricks?”
Ginny’s chin came down and she turned to him, really smiling now. “You took my bag for me,” she said quietly, as though she couldn’t believe that he had done such a thing. Harry tried to shrug but was stopped by the weight of her bag. Ginny laughed.
“I love you,” she whispered. Her eyes scanned the corridor up and down before she leaned forward and gave him a quick kiss. Harry’s cheeks flamed. His instinct told him to grab her and not let her go, but his reason told him to let her step away and wait until they were somewhere private.
Damn your reasoning, Potter!
Clearing his throat, Harry started walking forward again. At the intersecting corridor, he veered right… he knew of a room up ahead that had a very good probability of being empty. Ginny, however, turned left and continued walking the path to the library.
When Harry realized that he was in fact heading in the completely opposite direction from the girl he wanted to get alone, he whirled around. Ginny seemed to come to the realization at the same time he did because, out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of her hair flashing in the torchlight.
Ginny looked at him curiously. “Where are you going? The library is this way.” She pointed over her shoulder.
Harry’s mouth dropped open. Surely… surely… she didn’t want him to… to actually go to the library?
“I”er, well…” Harry stammered, fighting a blush as thoughts of what he thought Ginny had been insinuating rose in his mind. “I didn’t think you wanted to actually go to the… library.”
“Why not?”
Is she being daft on purpose or something?
“Well…”
“Well… what?”
“Ginny, you know what I’m talking about!”
Color rose in Ginny’s cheeks and she ducked her head. “Oh.”
Harry stepped forward. “Do you really want to go… I mean… is that really what you had in mind?”
Ginny flushed an even deeper red and Harry cleared his throat. “I”well, I mean….” She giggled nervously. “Well, of course it’s not what I had in mind, but””
“Good.” Harry strode toward Ginny and grabbed her hand, leading her along the corridor away from the library.
“What”where are we going?” she asked him. When he didn’t answer, she asked again “Harry, where are we going?”
Again, Harry didn’t answer. His mind was made up. He had come across this place almost four years ago by accident… he had been walking back from a detention and heard an older student murmuring the password. He continued to lead Ginny along the empty corridor, ignoring her splutters of protest. Finally, they reached his destination”a blank stone wall, directly across from a creaky old suit of armor. Harry quickly glanced up and down the corridor before pulling out his wand, ignoring Ginny’s questions and curious stare.
“Harry, is this some sort of secret passageway or something? Because we’ve got to””
“Retego Ianua.”
Suddenly, in place of the stone wall in front of them, a door appeared. With a dry click, it swung open. Ginny gasped, and Harry used her momentary distraction to pull her inside.
“Harry, we said we’re going to the library, we have to go there just in case””
After dropping her bag to the floor, Harry silenced Ginny the only way he knew how”by kissing her. Ginny tried to speak again but he just kissed her harder.
It was times like these that Harry wasn’t sure what came over him. This… this… love… was completely foreign to him. He had never had any practice in it. The Dursleys had never been the sort of “family” that openly showed their emotions… that is, emotions other than their hate for Harry and devotion for Dudley. Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia were the last people Harry would ever consider parental figures.
Maybe that was why he considered the Weasleys to be his family. Maybe that was why he fell so hard so quickly for Ginny… he had already loved her in the first place.
Maybe that’s why you can’t keep your hands to yourself.
Even as he was kissing Ginny, Harry flushed. He felt her giggle and stopped kissing her, embarrassed. His head fell to her shoulder and she put her hands on the back of his neck.
“I could feel you blush,” she whispered against his ear, sending chills up his spine. “That’s why I laughed.” Harry didn’t say anything, opting instead to revel in the feeling of Ginny’s fingers playing with the hair at the nape of his neck. He felt the sudden, almost overwhelming urge to hug her and abruptly pulled her closer to him. She shivered, and he felt his own body reciprocate.
The only people he could remember ever receiving hugs from were Hermione and Mrs. Weasley. He found he liked Ginny’s hugs much more.
“Are you all right?” she whispered, again sending chills through him at the buzz of her voice in his ear.
“I love you,” he blurted, without ceremony. Ginny’s arms tightened around him and he squeezed her back.
“I love you too,” she whispered. “But if we don’t get out of here and go to the library, people will ask questions.”
Harry groaned and buried his face in Ginny’s neck. “Forget them.”
“We can forget them…” Harry lifted his head, staring hopefully at Ginny, “…once we’ve left Hogwarts for Christmas.” His head dropped back to her shoulder and he tried to keep her in his grasp, but Ginny squirmed her way out of his embrace. “Seriously, Harry. People heard me asking you to go to the library, so we’ve got to go.”
“But I thought””
“Yes, I know you did.” Ginny walked past him and stood in front of the door. “But if we don’t show up at the library for at least a little while, people will gossip. And I know you hate gossip.”
How’d you ever wind up with such a smart woman, Potter?
Even though he knew she was right, Harry scowled.
“Oh, don’t look at me like that,” she said lightly, tossing her hair over her shoulder. “Nice trick with the door, by the way, how did you figure that out?”
Grudgingly, Harry picked up Ginny's bag and walked to the door. “I saw an older student do it my second year. I wanted to see if it was still here.”
“Oh.”
Harry moved past Ginny and quietly opened the door. Sticking his head outside, he looked both ways. No one was there.
Quickly, he seized his chance. Ginny was two feet behind him. He whirled around, placed his hand at the back of her head and drew her in for one last kiss. A noise he wasn’t aware she could make escaped Ginny and Harry grinned. Her eyes remained closed even after he stopped kissing her. Turning away, he opened the door fully. Light flooded the room and made Ginny blink.
“Come on, let’s get to the library.”
It was Ginny’s turn to scowl now, and Harry couldn’t help but laugh. “Oh, don’t look at me like that,” he said, halfway mimicking her earlier words. “If we don’t go to the library, people will ask questions.”
“Well… that’s just fine,” she said. “Who needs empty rooms behind hidden doors anyway?”
“Certainly not me.”
“Well, not me either.”
“Fine.”
“Fine.”
Harry stepped out of the classroom, fighting down a grin. Glancing over at Ginny, he saw that she was doing the same. They looked at each other… paused… then burst out laughing.
They walked in companionable silence to the library, where they spent half an hour looking for books that would help Ginny for her Transfiguration essay.
You mean she looked for books, while you looked at…
Harry flushed. He had really tried to look for the books along with Ginny, but it was much more difficult than normal… mostly because another option, and a far more appealing one at that, was right under his nose. So, while he was pretending to look for the books, Harry was really scanning to see if anyone in the library was watching them and then in turn stepping back to watch Ginny.
She really was so lovely. And she was with him.
You really are a lucky man, Potter.
Harry had a feeling that Ginny probably knew he was watching her, even if she didn’t say anything about it. She had blushed more than once… and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t hide it. She was a Weasley, after all.
They left the library, Ginny’s bag weighing down Harry’s shoulder even more now that she had just checked out three more books. Their friendly silence continued on the walk back to Gryffindor Tower… Ginny didn’t even say anything when she stepped closer to Harry and laced her fingers with his. This time it was Harry’s turn to blush to the roots of his hair. Ginny squeezed his fingers, and he squeezed back, grinning like mad.
“Well, well, well. What do we have here?”
Only one person had that voice. Harry’s stomach froze in horror as he dropped Ginny’s hand and turned, only to be greeted with cold gray eyes and a champion, much practiced sneer.
Draco Malfoy stood behind them in the corridor.
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A/N: Alas, the return of the cliffhanger. :)
*looks over chapter again* It's a bit shorter than 5, 6, and 7. My apologies.
A few disclaimers:
"...slow, exacting detail..." A phrase lifted from After the End, a fic by Arabella and Zsenya, posted at the Sugar Quill.
"Harry, I'm talking to you, can you hear me?" This is the quote from the H/G library scene in OotP. (Chapter 29, page 654 (American Edition)).
"Retego Ianua." Another made-up incantation. Retego means "uncover" or "reveal," and ianua means "door" or "entrance." Original, no? :)
Reviews? Of course. Do you even have to ask? :D
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