You Love Her, Don't You? by PheonixFeathers
Chapter Notes: Sorry I haven't updated for ages, I've been so busy. Thanks for all the reviews, I'll try and updae quicker this time!
Harry had known what he wanted from the very beginning. He had just been so worried, so protective…so in love, that he didn’t realise that keeping Ginny at a distance was a bad idea. He knew that no-one had thought the break-up a good idea, not even, though he hated to admit it, himself. He had thought it a solution. And it was a crap solution: she was his best source of comfort, she made him laugh, she was pretty, kind, loveable…he hoped beyond hope he could make it up to her. The thought that he could be rejected, as she was, was too much for him.
‘But,’ said his conscience, ‘she’s been through that. You dumped her already!’
Harry didn’t like to remember that, funnily enough.
He sighed. His first proper, real relationship, that could be - would be - the real thing, and he messes it up! Keeping Ginny at arms length was the biggest mistake he ever made, and he was determined to show her how he felt. But how?
The few days that followed were agony for Harry. He wanted to tell her how he felt, and he knew he could: it wasn’t like facing Voldemort. But Harry’s problem arose in the upcoming wedding; how could he make it up to her when both were busy leading up to it? Ginny’s bridesmaid dress fittings; Harry’s feeling of obligation to help Mrs Weasley (whom he’d sincerely miss when he went to find the Horcruxes) and who he wanted to thank for her years of endless meals and times he had stayed at the Burrow. There seemed no time to spare, and there was no time after: he had to find the Horcruxes. When, grudgingly, he put things in perspective, the Horcruxes were the more pressing problem; they were for all mankind, whereas Ginny was for him. Not that that made him feel any better: he felt he had to go straight after the wedding, whether he had spoken to her or not.
After several days of catching fairies for lights (after Fred and George, intent on at least a bit of mayhem, had ‘accidentally’ set them free), finding dress robes and planning his future search, Harry had still not talked to Ginny. Still with the pain of grieving, and terror of what he faced, this plunged his mood downwards, and he was often in such a mood that he should have had a figurative thunder cloud above his head.
Finally, a night came where he could talk to her; he planned what he should say, what he wanted to say…what he hoped she’d say…
“’Arry! Ave you any idea where Ginny eez? I need her for a moment, he dress needs altering!”
“Err…no, I don’t…”
He was speaking the truth; he was finding her at that moment. But after this “ she’d have to get that dress fitted wouldn’t she! His chance ruined, he went to Ron’s room, hoping he could ask Hermione’s advice. He was running out of time fast; the only option now seemed to be to talk to her at the wedding, and even that might backfire.
Lost in thought as he approached Ron’s room, he forgot to knock as he had been doing lately, and walked straight in. He walked straight back out again, and knocked. Ron and Hermione hadn’t noticed him for being ‘busy’, and he hadn’t wanted them to know he had caught them kissing. This was different that ‘Lav-Lav’, this was the real thing and Ron didn’t seem to want to broadcast it this time. Neither did Hermione, come to that.
Seeing as he had knocked, he walked in again and gave a small smile.
“Harry? I thought you were going to talk to Ginny…”
“Phlegm needed her for a ruddy dress fitting,” Harry sulked.
“Yeah, so? Mate, you have to talk to her now, or you’ll have no time. You said yourself, you’re going after the wedding. Go and find her now.”
Ron had never been this supportive of his ‘relationship’ with Ginny. He had, it seemed, been quite repulsed by his best friend kissing his sister. But now he was actually giving advice; this meant more to Harry than he could say; the fact that Ron could do that was really great. Although, as Harry thought after, he may have just wanted time with Hermione. Nevertheless, Ron had a point: Harry had to find Ginny, quickly!
Harry ran, determined to find her before Phlegm did. He checked the tree-house at the back of the garden; he checked her room; the kitchen, everywhere. Finally, he found her: by the fire ready to floo to the dress fitting.
Harry swore under his breath. Why did nothing go his way? And there was no other opportunity. The wedding was the day after tomorrow and Ginny would be with Fleur all day. He had to go, right after the wedding. He had to. He had no choice…
“Ginny…”
She looked round, startled.
“Ginny…I have to talk to you…when are you…what time does the fitting thingy finish?” he muttered, not wanting to talk in front of everyone.
‘How romantic Harry. Fitting thingy. Great,’ he said to himself.
“Half an hour,”
The flames grew emerald, and danced higher and higher. The green light reflected in Ginny’s eyes and she stepped into the flame.
“Half an hour…” Harry repeated in a whisper, “Right…”
It wasn’t until she had gone he realised he hadn’t asked to meet her, and that his chances were now even less than what they were before…