Sitting at the Weasleys' kitchen table in total darkness, Harry was vaguely aware that his arms--which had been supporting his seething head for nearly two hours--were numb, though he wasn't sure if this was from lack of movement or from the shock of Hermione's cryptic revelation. The realization that he truly did... that Ginny might actually... Two hours and Harry still had not fully processed the conversation. His body and mind were in a state of total agitation. The last time Harry's stomach had been this squirmy was in his fourth year when he had eaten gillyweed. Oddly enough, the gillyweed had also affected similar sensations of dizziness and suffocation.
Harry knew what he felt for Ginny. He even knew what he had to do, what he had to say. The only problem was how. Harry had never been one for emotionally charged conversation. To further complicate matters, he'd never had much confidence when it came to women. He'd never had much confidence period except for when he was--- The answer came to him in all its glorious simplicity: "Play to your strengths, Potter."
*****
Gingerly, Harry made his way back into the living room, taking the utmost care not to wake his sleeping friends. He didn't want an audience, particularly not one consisting of an overprotective big brother and a know-all best friend. Without warning, Ron gave an almighty snore that stopped Harry cold. Silently cursing Ron's deviated septum, Harry cast an apprehensive glance at Hermione. Miraculously, she seemed undisturbed by the window rattling noise now eminating from Ron. Those two really are made for each other... Harry thought acerbically.
Though certain that Hermione was still asleep, it was another full minute before he dared make his final approach to the sofa where Ginny lay sleeping.
Kneeling beside her, Harry whispered, "Ginny?" She responded with a slight twitch of her nose.
"Ginny?" he repeated, brushing a wayward strand of hair from her face.
"GINNY!" he hissed in exasperation.
"H-h-hullo," she yawned back, giving Harry a sleepy smile. "Is there a reason you've just ruined my lovely dream? I was about to turn Phlegm into a stinkbug..."
Harry stifled a laugh. "Well, I did have something planned, but clearly you'd rather go back to sle--" He was interrupted by a Ginny-flung pillow that hit him squarely in the face.
"Does that mean you're coming with me, then?" he asked with a grin.
As they tiptoed out of the living room, Harry stole one last glimpse at Hermione and saw what looked suspiciously like a smile creep across her face.
*****
Hand in hand, Harry led Ginny out to the garden and into the Weasleys' old broom shed. Even in the dim early morning light, he could see the disgruntled glare now fixed upon him.
"Harry, I hope you didn't wake me up just so we could snog in this manky old outhouse!" Ginny said coolly. "'Cause Ron's dead asleep and I've got a perfectly empty bedroom upstairs..."
Harry, thoroughly tempted by this proposition, momentarily considered abandoning his own plan in its favor.
"Um, just grab a broom for now," he sighed, fervently hoping Ginny had not seen the look of sheer hormonally charged bliss that had crossed his face.
Back in the garden, Harry took Ginny by the hand and said, "Just follow me, okay?"
With a quick kiss they each kicked off into the air. Harry took a moment to savor the cool morning breeze whipping past his face and the revitalizing surge of confidence from being back in his element. He looked over at Ginny and couldn't help but smile at the expression of unadulterated exhileration she was wearing. She was beautiful.
"Try and keep up, Ginerva!" Harry called mischievously, rolling over in midair to avoid Ginny who--at the sound of her full name--had shot toward him like an overly aggresive Bludger.
Over the next half hour while the sun slowly peeked out from behind the horizon, Harry and Ginny soared--weaving, diving, laughing. They stopped and watched as the sun made its final ascent, hovering arm in arm.
"Isn't is gorgeous?" Ginny murmured, awestruck by a particularly brilliant crimson shade that coloured the sky.
Harry, who was more enraptured by the fiery tones of Ginny's hair in the sunlight, did not take his eyes from her as he answered, "Definitely..."
*****
It's now or never...Harry told himself. "Ginny, I've got to talk to you about something," he croaked, the familiar numbness and nausea threatening to overpower him.
"Alright, how about my ravishing good looks, Chocolate Frogs, or maybe that large growth on Mad-Eye's chin?" she suggested, batting eyelashes.
"Er, I had something in mind, actually. Seriously."
"Oh..." she said softly. "Harry, this is about Adamoculume isn't it?"
"What?! B-b-but you aren't suppo--" Harry sputtered, nearly falling off his Firebolt. "How do you know about that?!"
"First of all, you prat," Ginny spat impatiently, "you left that book you were reading in plain sight! Second, if you'd stuck around for your seventh year of Defense Against the Dark Arts like me instead of scouring Britain for Horcruxes and dark wizards you'd have already known about it, too!"
Harry stared at the far off ground. This was it. His throat felt tight and his mouth just couldn't seem to form the words. "Gin, I don't know how to say this..."
"Don't worry, I'll spare you the trouble," she said softly, a solitary tear slipping down her cheek. "I love you, Harry..."
A sonic boom exploded in Harry's heart. Her words reverberated in his ears, their energy flowing through his body like a phoenix song. She loved him. Pausing only long enough to say, "I love you more," Harry kissed Ginny, a kiss that was his first broomstick ride, Felix Felicis, and warm butterbeer. Overhead, the sun shone its approval, enveloping them in its warm rays.
*****
After what seemed like forever--and yet all too soon--they pulled apart, smiling shyly as though they shared some wonderful secret.
"You have to admit, though, you sort of stole my thunder," Harry said, feigning a bruised ego.
"What?!" Ginny snorted. "Harry, it took you six years to pluck up the courage to kiss me! Who knows how long it would've taken for you to actually tell me you love me! I figured I'd save us both a decade and tell you first."
"Hang on..." Harry started to argue, his pride now genuinely hurt. The impish twinkle in Ginny's eye (coupled with the fact that she was right) shut him up. He grinned. Just as he leaned in to kiss Ginny once more, an ear-splitting scream shattered the still morning air--a scream that came from the Burrow...
Love Never Dies by LittleDarlin909
Chapter Notes: YAAAAY! I stayed up 'til 3 am this morning, but Chapter 2 is FINALLY finished! I sacrificed my beauty sleep for you, dear reader---the least you can do is leave me some feedback ;-) Happy Reading (hope you enjoy...)
As always, this is Jo's world; I'm just playing in it!