Ginny was sitting on the couch reading a book when Harry strode into the room, looking incredibly disgruntled and tired. Ginny put her book down and looked up at him with interest as he pulled off his traveling cloak and hung it on the coat peg. He whipped off his hat and threw it across the room, sighing and running a hand through the back of his hair. Ginny smiled. Harry was always doing that, especially when he was stressed. Then it occurred to Ginny that Harry hadn’t taken notice of her yet since he came home.
“Tough day, Harry?”
Harry nearly jumped out of his skin and spun around. When he saw Ginny sitting on the couch watching him curiously, he sighed again and forced a smile.
“Yeah,” Harry said, striding over and standing in front of her. “I can’t get a job anywhere.”
Ginny chuckled darkly.
“You’d think the people would be willing to give jobs to ‘the boy who lived’ and ‘the man who killed you-know-who.’”
Harry rolled his eyes.
“Say ‘Voldemort’ Ginny,” Harry said, “I didn’t come an inch to death and break half the bones in my body so that everyone can flinch when he’s mentioned.”
Ginny sighed this time and motioned to the empty spot of the couch next to her.
“Sit,” She said, “Tell me about your day.”
Harry sat down on the couch and placed his head in her lap with his feet rested on the couch armrest. Ginny stroked his hair affectionately off his forehead as he spoke of his troubles, for it seemed to calm him a bit. He closed his eyes and the tired lines on his young face eased slightly. Harry was the epitome of overwork. He got up every morning to do odd jobs at the crack of dawn, and then went out looking for jobs for the rest of the day. He hardly brought in any money, but Ginny wasn’t exactly fazed by this at the time, for she brought in a nice amount from the Auror’s office every week.
This particular day, however, Ginny had not felt much like working, and since nothing all that important was going on, she had left early. After doing a bit of shopping and getting some lunch, Ginny had retired to the house that she shared with Harry and had stayed there for the rest of the day.
“I’m so tired, Gin,” Harry said quietly, “And I’m sick of searching for jobs every day. I suppose the twins would be more than happy to give me a spot, but I don’t know if their wages are that great and let’s face it: I’m twenty-three now. How would that look? Ron’s got a job, why can’t I get one?!”
In his frustration Harry made an attempt to sit up so that he could storm about, but Ginny shoved him forcefully back down. He was indeed more tired than she had seen him in quite some time “ so tired, in fact, that he had called her ‘Gin’ and hadn’t possessed the energy to call her by her real name. Ginny, for one, didn’t much like being called after a drink, but she supposed that Margarita, whoever that was, probably felt the same way.
“Lay down, Harry.” Ginny commanded, “Don’t get all flustered about it. Besides, working at the joke shop wouldn’t be so bad anyway. I mean, Fred and George both work there and they’re twenty-five! Not to mention, since you were their original benefactor, I’m sure they would pay you nicely.”
Harry sighed, his brow furrowed in frustration, and he rubbed his temples fiercely.
“I know I know,” he grumbled with his eyes shut, “I just hate not being good enough.”
Ginny sighed and traced his lightning-bolt scar with her index finger because she knew it gave him the chills. And indeed, he quivered slightly and his brows un-knit slightly.
“You are good enough, Harry,” She said slowly, “For me, at least. You always have been.”
Harry smiled and sighed, obviously a bit happier.
“Well that’s something,” he said good-naturedly. “Do you really think so?”
Ginny laughed and swept a strand of red hair away from her face.
“Of course!” Ginny said, “I live with you, don’t I?”
Harry suddenly looked nervous and tired again. Ginny had a strange feeling that not getting a job was not his only worry at this point, but she also didn’t want to force anything out of him. Yes, he was definitely best left to talk when ready. She watched him as he thought with his eyes clamped shut and his fingers on his temples.
“Have you ever thought,” Harry said slowly, “About the future?”
Ginny pondered this for a moment or two, absently running my fingers through his silky hair. Of course she had thought about the future, but Harry wasn’t being specific enough.
“Yes,” Ginny replied after some consideration, “I mean, I’d like to get a pay rise and I have to go and have tea with Mum tomorrow.”
Harry opened his eyes and her heart swam at the sight of electric green.
“No,” He said, “About us. Our future, Ginny. Have you ever thought about it?”
“Naturally,” She replied, “I mean, I’m still living with you, aren’t I?”
Harry suddenly looked fearful, like he used to back when he and Ginny dated in school.
Finally after a moment or two of silence, he said quietly, “Do you love me though, Ginny?”
Startled slightly by this question, Ginny raised her eyebrows. Harry, seeing her reaction, sat up and stared at her. She smiled, though, and kissed him.
“Of course I love you, Harry.” She said, “I don’t know when I started to, but I do.”
Relieved, he let out a breath and fell back to his original spot.
“Good,” Harry said in relief.
Ginny smiled and began to talk about her day while she ran hr fingers through his hair.
“…And after I left I went into Diagon Alley to get some more stuff from the Apothocary, but they were out of Gurdy Root so I just picked up some cough elixir because I noticed that you’ve been coughing a lot more lately. Oh, and on my way to the Leaky Cauldron I saw Hermione. Business is going wonderfully for her; she’s really taken S.P.E.W. to the next level! She says Ron’s been a little stressed though lately, but I can’t blame him. I mean, they’re getting married in just a few weeks! And then old man Geropsire tried to rip me off at the ice cream parlor by charging fifteen knuts for a blasted scoop of chocolate ice cream! Can you believe it, Harry, that he would even try? It’s beyond me…”
Ginny looked down at Harry after finishing her reminiscence and found that he had fallen asleep with his head in her lap, his mouth slightly agape and his glasses askew. Slightly taken aback for a moment, she closed her mouth and smiled slightly to herself. And then Ginny noticed that something was sticking out of Harry’s trouser pocket. Puzzled, she gently eased it out of his pocket without waking him and saw that it was a little black box. She opened it and had to stifle a gasp for fear of waking Harry up. Sitting in the box was a small diamond ring with a silver band. Ginny snapped the box shut in alarm and wedged it gently back into his pocket with her eyes wide.
“So that’s why he’s been interrogating me about love,” Ginny mused with the slightest of smirks.
Ginny had to admit that she felt slightly bad about ruining Harry’s surprise, but he needn’t know that she had found out. She snatched up her book and began to read again, but couldn’t concentrate on the text in front of her; in her mind, Ginny was trying to think up the best way to say “Yes!”
Surprise Surprise by Invaderk
Chapter Notes: I've written fanfictions about all my favorite pairings, and when I looked back upon my works, I found that I was missing a rather important one... Harry and Ginny! So naturally I felt compelled to write one, and I whipped this up off the top my head. Enjoy!
My Own Disclaimer: I own nothing... especially not Harry Potter