Footsie
At two o’ clock that afternoon, the sound of Mrs Weasley calling “Dinner!” triggered a stampede of feet through the house to the kitchen. They all took their places at the table, which was laden with steaming pots of roast potatoes, carrots, brussel sprouts, sausages, bacon and a china gravy boat filled to the brim with delicious gravy. Harry took a seat next to Ron, and Ginny and Hermione sat directly opposite them. The girls smiled to the two boys across the table from them, neither of them really knowing what the other had been up to, and everyone else completely oblivious to anything that had happened that morning.
The turkey that Mrs Weasley had cooked was mouth-wateringly good, and the best meal that Harry had had all year, even at Hogwarts. By the time pudding was being served, everyone was already comfortably full, but they just couldn’t resist the rich fruity Christmas pudding, and no one held back on the white sauce. Harry was chatting to Mr Weasley about batteries as he ate (or at least, as well as he could on such an unusual topic of conversation) when he felt something prod his foot under the table. It gave him such a fright that he jumped and let out a strangled yelp.
“Are you alright?” Mr Weasley asked him, looking rather worried for Harry’s mental state.
“Oh, er, yes “ sorry,” stuttered Harry distractedly, trying to peer under the table to find the source of the prod without looking too suspicious. They had just started again on their conversation, when he felt it for a second time. This time, he realised that it felt like a toe, and he glanced across at Ginny to try to assess whether or not she looked guilty of such a crime; but she was deep in conversation with Charlie about the Quidditch League. As Harry finished off his pudding, the toe jabbed his foot for a third time, but this time he was ready, and he kicked back.
“Ow!” cried Ginny, letting it slip before she could stop herself.
Harry started to laugh, but Ginny contained herself, shooting him a look of warning. He took a deep breath, and stopped laughing.
“What’s going on?” asked Ron.
“Oh, I just hit my foot on the table leg, that’s all,” answered Ginny, winking at Harry.
“Right…” said Ron, giving them both wary looks.
Ron began to talk again with Bill, who he was sitting next to, and Harry daringly stretched out and ran his toes up Ginny’s leg to her knee. She smiled into her bowl, suppressing a giggle, then Harry felt her fingers tickling his toes, and he jerked his foot away, hitting it on his chair leg in the process.
“Ow!” he exclaimed, reaching down to rub his heel.
Ginny couldn’t help it this time, and she snorted loudly and started to giggle uncontrollably.
“Seriously, what is going on?” Ron repeated, eyeing his best friend and his sister suspiciously.
“Sorry I “ I hit my foot on my chair,” Harry told him, trying to keep a straight face, but finding it hard because of Ginny’s incessant laughter.
After a couple of minutes, Ginny managed to control herself and regain her composure, but Harry noticed that she had that sly look on her face once more. He was surprised when Ron suddenly stopped talking and looked up abruptly, then looked over at Hermione and grinned furtively. Harry immediately had to put his fist in his mouth to stop the laughter, and when Ginny frowned at him, he signalled to Ron, who was still grinning. Ginny’s mouth dropped open, but after the immediate shock of it, she burst once again into uncontainable fits of the giggles, Harry following her.
“I’m not even going to ask,” said Ron this time, still looking at Hermione surreptitiously.
After lunch they all proceeded to their rooms for a post-dinner siesta. Hermione was heading for the bathroom, so Ginny grabbed Harry’s arm and pulled him into her bedroom as he passed. As soon as the door was shut, she pressed him against it and kissed him deeply. Harry kissed her back “ he had been wanting to do that all through lunch “ and they savoured each other.
“Oh my God,” murmured Harry when they broke apart.
“What?” asked Ginny, smiling.
“You “ you’re…”
He kissed her again, and this time there was less urgency, just feeling.
“Woah “ sorry!” Harry looked up quickly, and was alarmed to see Hermione in the doorway, looking shocked. “I “ um “ sorry!” she muttered, and she left the room at once.
Ginny giggled nervously while Harry stared at the now closed door.
“Oops,” she whispered.
“That’s pretty much what I was thinking,” Harry replied.
“What shall we do?”
“There’s not much we can do,” said Harry, “except hope that she doesn’t tell Ron just yet.”
“Good point,” said Ginny. “I think I’ll go and find her. Coming?”
“I’ll “ um “ stay here,” said Harry, thinking that he’d rather not face Ron if he did find out.
Ginny nodded and left the room, leaving Harry alone. He sat down on her bed and tried to imagine how Ron would react when he found out. Would he be happy for them? Or would he fly off the handle and never speak to him again? Harry shuddered at this last thought, but was pulled from his reverie as the door opened. He stood up quickly as Ginny entered, followed by “ Hermione.
“So, um “ “ started Harry uncertainly.
“Harry, it’s okay,” said Hermione. “I’m not going to bite your head off! I think this is great.”
“You “ what?”
“It’s great that you two are together,” Hermione repeated. “And now that me and Ron are “ well “ “ Harry smiled inwardly at the idea that Hermione could be so confident about him and Ginny, but still shy about her and Ron. “Anyway,” she continued, “I’m not going to tell Ron if that’s what you want, but I think you should.”
Harry should have seen that coming.
“But don’t you think he’ll “ you know “ get mad?” he asked.
Hermione smiled. “Not if he has any sense.”
“So, yes, probably,” said Ginny with a smirk. Harry smiled at her and her hand slipped into his. Hermione saw this and grinned.
“Oh I’m so happy!” she said. “This is the best Christmas I’ve had in ages.”
“Me too,” said Harry, glancing at Ginny, who giggled.
“Well, I suppose I’ll go then,” said Hermione. “Because “ well “ I wouldn’t want to… “
“Hermione, just go!” said Ginny. “We know it’s because you don’t want to be here with us “ ”
“Okay, okay!” said Hermione. “Enough said “ I’m going!”
A/N: I know that was really short, but it was just a little fluffness to fill the gap while I decide what happens next!