“Are you going to go then?”
Ginny looked up from her piece of parchment and looked at Luna and Colin sitting opposite her.
She shushed them. “You’re not supposed to talk in the library.”
“Don’t change the subject, Ginny. Are you going to see Harry tonight or not?”
“Of course I am.”
Luna clapped and hooted, drawing a look of severe reprimand from Madam Pince. She leaned closer in to Ginny, and spoke again in a whisper, “What do you think he wants?”
Ginny shrugged. “I don’t know. He didn’t say what he wanted.”
“I bet he wants to take you out!” whispered Colin excitedly.
I wish, Ginny thought.
“I doubt it, Colin. He’s a teacher. He can’t go taking students out,” Ginny said to Colin.
Luna rolled her eyes. “You’re not just a student though are you? You’re more than that to him.”
“Not any more Luna. Me and Harry are in the past,” Ginny said, even though it hurt her to say it.
“I don’t believe you,” said Colin.
“Believe what you want, Colin!” Ginny snapped at him, making sure to keep her voice low.
Colin and Luna shifted in awkward silence; they did not want to anger Ginny. Colin saw his brother Dennis enter the library and he rushed over to talk to him.
Ginny sighed.
“What’s the matter, Ginny?” said Luna kindly.
“I wish you were in Gryffindor, Luna. I don’t like not having a close friend there.”
“You’ve got Colin.”
They both chuckled, Colin was a fine friend, but you could not go to him with problems or feelings.
Ginny spoke again, “I just wish we didn’t have to come to the library to talk after lessons.”
At that point Colin and Dennis both came over and sat down. Colin sat next to Luna and Dennis next to Ginny. Dennis had always liked Ginny, ever since the days of the D.A.
“Hiya, Ginny!” he piped excitedly.
“Quiet, Dennis! You’ll get us thrown out,” Ginny said to him.
“So, Ginny. What are you wearing tonight?”
Ginny laughed. “Luna I’ve told you. It’s not a date. I’ll wear what I am wearing now.”
“You’re going on a date? Who with?” asked Dennis.
“Mind your own business, Dennis,” snapped Colin.
“It’s nearly half past seven. You should go. You don’t want to keep Harry waiting,” Luna said.
“YOU’RE GOING ON A DATE WITH HARRY POTTER?” Dennis bellowed.
“What’s all this racket?” A stern looking woman had appeared at the end of their table. “I must insist that you leave and you may come back when you can control the volume of your voice.” Madam Pince glared at them all and hurried back to her desk.
“Nice one, Dennis,” Ginny, Luna and Colin all said together, before they got up and left.
After saying goodbye to Luna, Ginny and the Creevy brothers headed back to the Gryffindor common room.
“Look guys, I’m going to go up to the dorm. I’ll see you in the morning okay?” Ginny said to the boys.
“Sure, Ginny, have fun tonight!” Colin said. Dennis glared at her.
After brushing her hair and changing into some clean robes (just in case), Ginny left the dormitory and set off for the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom.
Ginny’s heart was racing as she hurried towards the Defence against the Dark Arts classroom. She had no need to be hurrying, she was just excited. Harry Potter, the man she was so deeply in love with, had asked her to come to the classroom alone.
As Ginny arrived at the classroom she took a deep breath and pushed the door open. She had completely forgotten to knock. Harry was stood behind his desk and looking out of the window. He turned to face Ginny as she came crashing through the door. He had a big smile on his face, his green eyes were shining in the light.
He’s still smiling, he’s glad to see me, Ginny thought to herself, her eyes not leaving Harry.
“Hi, Ginny. Glad to see you’re enthusiastic,” he said, glancing at the watch on his wrist. “We should make a move. I don’t want to keep you out too late.”
I don’t mind how late you keep me out.
“Okay.” That was the only answer Ginny could manage. She couldn’t help but smile at Harry; he had this effect on her, and had done so for as long as she could remember. All she wanted to do was gaze into his eyes.
Harry had made his way to the door where Ginny was standing. He made his way around her and headed out of the door, as he passed her Ginny felt his hand brush hers, his touch was electric. She was not sure whether or not Harry meant to touch her hand but there was not time to dwell on that now. She turned and followed Harry out of the door.
Harry led the way as he and Ginny walked through the corridors of Hogwarts.
“Harry?”
Harry paused, before answering, “Yeah?”
“Where are we going?”
“The Forbidden Forest.”
Ginny took a sharp intake of breath, she could think of no reason why Harry would want to go there.
“Why are we going there?”
“I need to talk to you alone.”
Ginny paused. “Couldn’t you have talked to me in the classroom?”
“No. I wanted to have you all to myself,” he said, winking at her.
Ginny was shocked. She did not know what Harry was playing at. Did he feel the same way as she did? Or was he just getting her hopes up? Ginny decided to stop asking questions after that. She just wanted to enjoy their time together.
As they exited the school and headed towards the Forbidden Forest, Ginny began to feel a little nervous. She knew that the Forest was dangerous, but when she looked at Harry however, she knew she was safe. She knew that Harry would never let anything happen to her. That was what Harry did, he protected his friends.
They entered the forest together and both lit their wands so that they could see where they were going. The light from their wands cast shadows in the forest. Tree branches grabbed at them, threatening to pull them into the darkness as they walked past.
Eventually they reached a small clearing a little way inside the forest. Harry looked around fondly as he remembered this was the place where Hagrid had first introduced him to Buckbeak the Hippogriff. Ginny thought she saw a misty look in Harry’s eyes as he looked around.
“Harry, what’s wrong?”
Harry snapped out of his daydream as his eyes landed on Ginny. “Oh. Nothing. Just remembering Hagrid.”
Harry shook his head as if to shake away the painful memories. Ginny did not know what to do. She wanted to comfort him, but at the same time she did not want to go near him; she did not trust herself when she was too close to Harry, the urge to hold him was too great.
Harry shook his head once more and spoke. “Okay, Ginny, now we are alone. I want to tell me. Truthfully, what is holding you back in classes?”
Ginny’s stomach lurched.I knew it, he wants to talk about why I’ve been doing so badly.
Ginny looked around wildly for a distraction, anything to change the subject, so she wouldn’t have to tell Harry the truth. She could not bring herself to lie to him, but she could not find a suitable distraction either. She would have to tell him the truth.
“You are,” she said simply.
Harry looked stunned. “What do you mean, I am?”
“I mean, you are. I can do fine as long as you aren’t watching me. I would have beaten Lucas easily if you hadn’t have been watching, but when you watch me my mind goes blank. I can’t focus on what I am supposed to be doing.”
Harry was lost for words; he had not expected to hear that. “Well I’m your teacher. I have to watch what you do.”
“I know that!”
“So, you’ll just have to learn to deal with it.”
Ginny was incensed. “How dare you to tell me to deal with it! I don’t know what you want me to do! I can’t just switch off my feelings! We’re not all like you!”
Harry laughed, “When have I ever switched off my feelings?”
Ginny just glared at him.
Harry took a step closer to her. “Ginny, I, we, uh, let me start over. Look we need to get this sorted out. I’m in this school as a teacher. I’m trying to teach you so you can defend yourself better. To do that, I have to be able to watch you. It’s my responsibility to tell you what you’re doing wrong.”
“I know that! Its not like I choose to mess up whenever you watch me!”
“I know, I know, calm down.” Harry paced back and forth. “The reason I asked you to meet me tonight is I wanted to offer you a little extra help. To get you back on track. A private lesson.”
The idea calmed Ginny down, if she could successfully duel with Harry himself, then having him watch her while she duelled with someone else would be no problem.
“Sure. If you think you’re up to it,” she said, adding a wink and a little smile.
“I’m sure I’ll manage,” Harry replied, winking back.
“Bring it on then!” Ginny laughed.
“Very well.”
Harry and Ginny moved in opposite directions, took ten paces and turned and faced each other, wands at the ready.
“On three,” said Harry, a grin spreading across his face. “One, two, three!”
Ginny was ready, as soon as “Three” had passed Harry’s lips, she pointed her wand at him and said “Rictusempra!” Harry fell to floor laughing, Ginny’s tickling charm had struck her target. Ginny lowered her wand and started to laugh at Harry rolling on the floor in fits of laughter. She did not see Harry point his wand at her.
“Tarantallegra! ”
Ginny’s legs went into a frenzy of motion, sending her into a mad tap dance. Harry meanwhile was struggling to get back to his feet due to the fact he was still laughing. Finally succeeding in standing, he pointed his wand at himself.
“Finite Incantatem.” His laughter stopped. He pointed his wand at Ginny and did the same spell to her, and her legs stopped dancing.
“Nicely done, Miss Weasley. Take five points for Gryffindor,” Harry grinned.
Ginny giggled. “Well thank you, Professor.”
Harry laughed. “Expelliarmus!”
Ginny’s wand flew into the air and landed in Harry’s hand.
“That’s not fair! I wasn’t ready!” she protested, as Harry handed her wand back to her.
“Well if you’re fighting a proper duel your opponent isn’t likely to announce their attack, are they?”
“Point taken.”
“Let’s duel again. Are you ready?”
“Yeah.” And they turned their wands on each other.
The duel went on this way for the better part of an hour. Ginny couldn’t help but feel like Harry was letting her get so many jinxes on target, but she felt buoyed and was as confident she had been for a long time. Harry was laughing and smiling as Ginny kept disarming him.
Time to make her work now, he thought to himself.
Harry then began blocking Ginny’s spells, making her work to get her hexes on target. As time went on more and more of Ginny’s spells started getting through, as she got used to Harry’s defense, and began to learn ways around it. After recovering himself from one of her patented Bat-Bogey hexes Harry lowered his wand.
“Okay, okay, that’s enough for now.”
“Quitting already, old man?” Ginny smirked at him.
Harry grinned at her and quickly turned his wand on her, “Levicorpus!”
Ginny suddenly found herself hanging upside down by her ankle. She began laughing as she spluttered for Harry to lower her. The laughter becoming more and more of a squeal as Harry lifted her higher and higher.
“Less of the old if you don’t mind,” he scolded, grinning smugly at the sight of the dangling Ginny.
“Okay, OKAY! Young man! Will you please let me down now?”
“Of course. You only had to ask.” Harry waved his wand “Liberacorpus!”
Ginny fell to the floor in an unflattering heap, robes over he head. She glared at Harry, but the scowl on her face soon became a smile.
“We better be heading back to the castle,” Harry said, offering out his hand to help Ginny up.
“Yeah, we better had,” Ginny replied. Taking Harry’s hand and letting him pull her to her feet.
As they reached the edge of the forest Harry stopped walking.
“Harry, something the matter?”
“No. I’m fine,” Harry said, he was staring at Ginny, gazing deep into her big brown eyes.
“We should go,” said Ginny, blushing slightly as Harry’s eyes stared into hers.
“Yeah. You’re right.”
Together they started walking again when Ginny felt Harry slip his hand over hers and she responded, her fingers interlocking with his.
Harry had stopped walking again, Ginny turned to face him. “What now?” she giggled as she squeezed Harry’s hand.
Harry did not answer, he just moved closer to Ginny. Their hands separated as he took her in his arms. Ginny let out a contented sigh as her arms came to a rest around Harry’s neck. They gazed into each other’s eyes. Each of them saw what the other wanted and they lent in to each other at the same time…
“Bit below you isn’t it, Potter? Kissing a Weasley?”
Harry and Ginny separated and reached for their wands. Ginny looked longingly at Harry. His eyes were blazing with furious anger. Pure hatred crackled in his voice as he spoke the name of the person standing in front of them.
“Malfoy.”
A/N - Thats it for Chapter 10, Chapter 11 coming soon! Thanks to Orlaith, my beta!