“Harry?” asked Ginny as they lay there together.
“Mmm?”
“Can I ask you something?”
“What?”
Ginny fidgeted for a moment, trying to think of the best way to put it.
“Erm - what did you . . . what was your dream about?”
She felt him grow still beside her.
Please let me be able to help. . . she prayed.
But after a few minutes of silence, he didn’t answer.
Frowning, Ginny turned onto her side to face him, placing a supporting hand over his clasped ones, willing him to let her help - in any way.
“I - it - it was . . . the Department of Mysteries,” Harry uttered.
Ginny’s frown grew deeper.
“Do you dream about it a lot?” she asked in a quiet voice.
“Mmm - hmm. . .”
Ginny laid her head on his shoulder, taking one of his hands in her own.
“You shouldn’t be ashamed of it,” she said. “You’re not supposed to push things away - it’ll only hurt worse in the end. If you keep something like this bottled up for so long you’ll eventually shut yourself down. . . Like Remus. . .”
She squeezed her eyes shut, willing herself not to cry as fleeting visions of her friend flashed in her mind. . .
The last she’d seen him, the dark circles around his eyes were even darker, and his hair was getting even grayer. The lines on his face had seemed to get deeper with his grief, and his eyes, once dancing with mirth and happiness, even in the darkest times, were cold and distant. Plain orbs of blue-gray.
Harry interrupted her train of thought.
“What did you mean when you said Tonks couldn’t get through to him?”
He was swerving away from the subject of himself.
“Well, Tonks was Sirius’s cousin, wasn’t she?” Ginny answered. “So she, next to you, was the only person that could relate with him. And she’s still trying. . . Tonks was rather fond of Sirius, as well with Remus.”
He grew silent once more, his eyes downcast.
“Everything will be all right, though,” Ginny said in a reassuring voice.
At least I hope so. . .
She took to notice that his scent was a light, fresh one. . . Like the rain soaked grass. . .
Her lips twitched slightly at the ludicrousness of her thoughts.
This is Harry, dear, said a voice much like her mother’s.
“Blimey, I’m tired. . .” Harry murmured.
“Mmmm. . .”
The low rumble of his voice was carrying her off to sleep in this dark room.
He thought he’d gotten past her without speaking about he felt, but Ginny wasn’t going to let go. . . But for now, she was sleepy, and getting him to talk at all was a victory in itself. . . Even if she had to yell at him. . . .
“Ginny?”
His voice sounded distant. . .
“Mmmmmm?”
A hushed moment. . .
“Never mind. . .”
And then she fell asleep.
*~*~*~*
Harry stared at her as she slept on his shoulder.
She really is something. . . he thought.
Harry suddenly felt that he didn’t want Ginny to go anytime soon, unlike before. He liked that she was willing to stay beside him, and something inside him flared. . .
Impulsively, he drew her closer to him, and she murmured something he couldn’t distinguish as she buried her face in his neck.
It would be selfish of him to keep her like this. . . She had a family to go home to, and she should be leaving, just for now, he just wanted to hold her tight.
Something in her presence had calmed him. . . Eased him of anxiousness, if even for a little while. . . Just a little while. . .
He smiled faintly as his sudden thoughts. . . Wasn’t this Ginevra Molly Weasley? Little sister of his best friend Ron? That little girl that had grown up and out of her fancy of him?
Harry closed his eyes. He shouldn’t think about that now. . . Right now, he should just rest.
He pulled back slightly to look at her.
He felt a grin slide onto his face when he saw that her lips were curled upward in a slight, contented smile. She curled her fingers into his shirt, snuggling her head against his slightly extended arm.
Unable to help this unfamiliar, raging emotion, Harry leaned over and kissed that wonderful curve of her mouth, smiling slightly as she murmured something against his skin.
For now, he would rest. . .
*~*~*~*
Ginny awoke to the bright, newly-risen sun, the smell of dew wafting through the window, birds chirping in the neighborhood trees.
What an annoying racket, she thought lazily.
She found her situation was much more different then it was when she awoke last night.
Harry was holding her against his chest, his hands pressed into the small of her back, his cheek resting on her temple as she had her head rested on his upper arm. Their legs were locked together, and she found that one of her arms was wrapped around his torso, he other hand grasping at his T-shirt.
She pulled back slightly to notice that his lips were turned upward in the slightest.
Merlin - he’s sleeping peacefully. . .
But she blushed as she thought this. What happened last night that was different than the day before. This was so much more different, so much more . . . personal. . . This was . . . more than friends.
Startled by her thoughts, she moved her head slightly, and he murmured something as his head fell into the pillow, his hold on her firmer than before.
“Harry . . .” she whispered. “Harry. Wake up!”
He didn’t move.
“Harry!” she said again, louder.
His eyes tiredly fluttered open.
“Erm - hi,” said Ginny awkwardly.
His cheeks flamed, and he released her immediately, putting as much distance between them as possible, which wasn’t much considering the size of the bed.
Harry’s mouth opened and closed as he sat up, a loss for words. Ginny found she was, too.
“L-listen Ginny,” Harry finally croaked, “I -”
Ginny felt her face grow very warm all of the sudden. The best thing to do right now was to get even more space between them.
“Er - hold that thought,” she said. “I’ll be right back.”
She slid off the bed and exited his room, crossing the hall for the bathroom, where she closed the door and used it to lean against, taking deep, calming breaths.
Oh Merlin. . .
A/N: Ahh - romance. Can you feel the love? And the awkwardness. *haha*
Please, please, please review!