Harry Potter and the Talking To

“Well, go on, get your things upstairs, boy!” Uncle Vernon snapped grumpily. “Don’t just stand there in the way!” Harry Potter sighed, and dragged his trunk and Hedwig’s cage up the stairs to his room.

After the disaster that had struck the wizarding world at the end of Harry’s sixth year at Hogwarts – the death of Albus Dumbledore, the only person the dark wizard Lord Voldemort ever feared – Harry had reluctantly decided to follow Dumbledore’s wishes, and had returned to the home of his last living relatives. The Dursleys had been shocked (but not particularly unhappy) to hear of Dumbledore’s death, and seemed more inclined than ever to see Harry’s back; however, since they’d agreed, however reluctantly, to take him in one last time for the beginning of the summer, they’d picked him up at the train station as usual. He hadn’t yet told them he didn’t intend to stay.

Harry would be seventeen in just a few weeks, and the moment that day arrived and he was of age, he would set out to his task to locate and destroy the remaining four Horcruxes, the items which contained pieces of Voldemort’s soul; only when all the Horcruxes were destroyed would it be possible to finally vanquish Voldemort for good.

How he was going to accomplish it, Harry had no idea; he pondered the problem, barely registering Uncle Vernon’s demand that he stay in his room until suppertime. It had taken everything Dumbledore had to locate what they’d thought was one of the remaining Horcruxes; only after Dumbledore’s death did Harry discover that the Horcrux had already been taken, and a decoy with a note left behind. He supposed he could start by attempting to locate the mysterious “R.A.B “, who’d left the note, but hadn’t the faintest idea who it could be.

Harry knew that the person most capable in the world of solving the riddle was Hermione Granger, but he wasn’t going to have her help. Contrary to what he’d told Hermione and Ron, Harry had no intention of involving them in the search for the Horcruxes, his reasons being the same ones he’d used to justify breaking off his relationship with Ginny: fear for their safety.

A sharp pang struck Harry’s heart at the thought of Ginny, making him pause in his ascent. Her expression when he’d told her they couldn’t be together had haunted him, and he feared it would be in his dreams for a long time, as it had been the night before. He’d hurt her more than she’s let on, he was sure, knowing of her longtime crush on him, and when she’d said she’d never really given up on him…

The truth was, ending their relationship had badly hurt him as well. Harry had never in his life been as happy as he’d been while dating Ginny. With her he’d found everything his misguided “relationship” with Cho Chang had lacked; Ginny had become a strong, intelligent and capable young woman, whose personality was confident and enticing. The fact that she’d become exceptionally attractive had been icing on the cake, and when she’d kissed him back that day after the Quidditch match (instead of punching him as he’d half feared), he’d almost wished for a Dementor to appear just so he could display the best Patronus ever. The time spent over the following months searching for a bit of privacy so they could snog – and do other things – had been just as enjoyable. The first time Ginny had run her hand over Harry’s erect penis, he’d almost exploded with joy. They’d never gone further than groping and kissing, but Harry hadn’t minded; he’d loved Ginny’s company, how incredibly alive she was. He wondered if she’d ever forgive him.

Biting his lip hard, Harry reached the top of the stairs. He set Hedwig’s cage down so he could open the door, and dragged his trunk tiredly inside.

He shut the door, turned, and yelped in alarm.

Ginny was sitting on his bed, watching him with an expression of faint amusement. She was still dressed as she’d been on the train from Hogwarts. “G-Ginny!” Harry gasped. “Wh-what- how the hell did you get here?”

“I Apparated, of course,” Ginny said calmly. “Don’t look so shocked – you, Ron and Hermione gave me enough pointers. I listened, and I practiced every Hogsmeade visit; don’t see what the fuss is about, really.”

For a moment, Harry marveled at Ginny’s talent; to learn Apparition solely on overheard comments, without supervision, was unbelievable. He was distracted by a fist pounding on the door, and Uncle Vernon’s voice; “What was that yelling for? What the bloody hell is going on in there?”

“Nothing, Uncle Vernon!” Harry called through the door, rolling his eyes as Ginny was now definitely smirking at him. “Don’t come in, I- I’m changing!”
There were some vague mutterings, but Harry heard Vernon’s heavy footsteps heading back down the stairs. “He’s really as miserable as you made him out, isn’t he?” Ginny observed.

Harry ignored that. “Ginny, you can’t have Apparated here, you haven’t done your test! And anyway, you’ve never been here before!”

“Yes I have,” Ginny said. “When Dad picked you up for the Quidditch World Cup.”

“But- but you weren’t with him…”

“Dad and Mum got so into it over Fred and George that Dad forgot to take the fireplace here off the Floo network for the rest of the day, and left it till morning. I flooed here that night when no one else was looking.”

Harry shook his head in disbelief. “Why?”

Ginny blushed slightly. “Er…I wanted to see your room…”

Despite the bewildering situation, Harry chuckled. He suspected Ginny had wanted a keepsake of her crush. “But Ginny, why are you here? Did something happen? Why were you sent, instead of someone from the Order…?”

“No one sent me, Harry, I came on my own.”

Harry’s eyes widened. “Does anyone know where you are?”

“I left mum a note,” Ginny replied unconcernedly. “She’ll know I’m fine.”

“You- she’s going to panic!” Harry gasped. “I can’t believe you did this! What was so important it couldn’t wait until Bill and Fleur’s wedding?”

“Did you really intend to show up for the wedding?”

Harry’s mouth opened and closed. How had Ginny known he’d been planning to start his hunt for the Horcruxes, and wouldn’t have time for the wedding?

“I thought so,” Ginny said coldly when Harry didn’t answer. “Did you even plan to say goodbye?”

“I- wh-what do you mean?”

“Don’t treat me like an idiot!” Ginny snapped. “I know about your talk with Ron and Hermione; you’ve got a mission or quest or something to do with Voldemort that you started with Dumbledore! And while Ron and Hermione might be naïve enough to think you really plan to have them along, I’m not blind, Harry; you’re intending to go alone.”

Harry slid down until he was sitting with his back to the door, and put his head in his hands. “How do you know that? How come Ron and Hermione didn’t-”

“Ron and Hermione weren’t looking for it. But I was.” Ginny knelt in front of Harry and met his eyes when he raised his head. “I thought about what you said by the lake, after- after Dumbledore’s funeral,” she said softly. “About how being with you would put me in greater danger. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that I couldn’t be in more danger than Ron and Hermione. With Snape and Malfoy joining the Death Eaters, Voldemort will know all our names and who’s closest to you, and that makes Ron and Hermione a lot more at risk than me. But you still b-broke off with me-” Ginny swallowed and blinked rapidly a few times. “And if you’d do that to me to protect me, you’d sever ties with Ron and Hermione too.”

Harry sighed, hoping he could keep to what he’d decided in the face of Ginny’s certain anger. “I have to, Ginny, don’t you see that? Being around me…it got Dumbledore and Sirius killed. And now…I can’t tell you what I have to do, but it’s so insanely dangerous- I really doubt I’ll survive.” Harry had to stomp on his fear to continue. “But I hope I can get rid of Voldemort once and for all, and make things safer for all of you.”

“I understand,” Ginny said with a nod, surprising Harry. “I do. If I could keep you from having to go further with this lot you’ve been handed, I’d do it in a second, Harry, no matter what it cost me. Don’t think I don’t get where the feeling comes from. But Dumbleore and Sirius didn’t die because of you, they died because they chose to fight for the Light. And no matter what you may think, you can’t do it alone, Harry, you can’t beat Voldemort without help. You’ve always had help when fighting him, and you’ve just barely survived…by yourself, you won’t stand a chance.”

“Ginny, you don’t understand! The prophecy that we tried to save in the Department of Mysteries? Dumbledore knew it, he told it to me. It was about me and Voldemort – it said “Neither can live while the other survives.”

Ginny paused. “You mean one of you has to…kill the other?”

“That’s right.”

“And?”

“What do you mean, and? I have to kill him!”

“Oh, that’s a surprise,” Ginny said sarcastically. “Like we hadn’t figured that out already! Was that the whole prophecy? I don’t see what the big deal is!”

“No, that wasn’t all of it…”

Harry related the rest of the prophecy, and fell silent while Ginny returned to her spot on Harry’s bed to digest it. “So, he marked you,” Ginny said matter-of-factly, “and one of you has to kill the other.” Harry nodded. “And that’s really it? Harry, didn’t you at least suspect you’d have to be the one to kill him a long time ago?”

“Well…it’d occurred to me, sure, but I mean…I don’t want to kill anyone, not even him!”

“Of course not, but that’s not the point, Harry; I would think you’d want our help more after hearing that! It’s not like the prophecy said ‘And Harry Potter will take on Voldemort alone and unaided’! Hell, if a hundred wizards and witches ganged up on Voldemort until he was a broken husk and then stepped aside to let you deliver the death blow, that would still fulfill your bloody prophecy! Doesn’t that sound better than facing him without us?”

“No,” Harry cried, leaping to his feet, “I can’t let you put yourself in that kind of danger for me!”

“Let me? You’re not going to let me do anything, you great prat!” Ginny yelled, also rising. “I’ll make my own choices, and I don’t need you or my parents or anyone telling me what I can and can’t do to help protect the people I love!”

Harry stared at Ginny, both of them breathing heavily. Harry’s heart was racing from Ginny’s last words: the people I love…

Harry’s door flew open, and Harry spun around to find Uncle Vernon gaping at Ginny. “Who the bloody hell are you?” he bellowed. “How did you get in here? And what is the idea of making such a clamor?” His eyes took in Ginny’s wand, which she’d drawn when the door opened, and he practically inflated with anger. “Oh, no,” he growled, “none of your freaky friends are to be in this house! Out! Get out!”

Ginny’s face darkened in a way Harry had rarely ever seen, and only when Ginny was at her most furious. She raised her wand and pointed it at Vernon, who recoiled with a little squeak. He recovered fairly quickly, though: “You’re not allowed to do magic outside of school,” he muttered contemptuously. “I know all about your rules, that Dumbelbone fellow told me!”

“Dumbledore is dead,” Ginny growled, sending a shiver up Harry’s spine. “Voldemort is killing again, the Ministry’s useless, and our school might not even reopen next year! Do you really think anyone gives a damn about underage magic?” She pointed her wand at Vernon’s feet and snapped out “Cnottastreng!”

Vernon jumped, but when nothing happened, he lifted his left foot quickly to try and see what Ginny had done. It proved to be a mistake as Ginny had tied his shoelaces together; with a startled yell he fell backward, landing on his rump in the doorway.

Ginny hadn’t lowered her wand. “Maybe I should just pay you back now for the sixteen years of hell you put Harry through,” she snarled. A strangled cry burst from Vernon and he scrambled out the door and hopped down the stairs; a flick of Ginny’s wrist and the door slammed shut.

Harry didn’t know what to say; he stared at the closed door, avoiding Ginny’s eyes. “Harry,” Ginny said quietly, “What did that part mean, in the prophecy…’He will have power the Dark Lord knows not’?”

"When my mother died to save me, her death gave me protection,” Harry answered. “That’s what stopped Voldemort from killing me when I was a baby; that’s why I’ve had to come back here every year, because so long as I live with my mother’s sister, the protection still stands in this house. That’s what it means, I guess.”

“You guess? You’re not sure?”

“Dumbledore thought there was more to it,” Harry continued dejectedly. “He kept talking about love, that it was my mother’s love for me that saved me, and how my capacity for love was really what Voldemort doesn’t understand.”

“Do you think he was right?”

“I- I don’t know. In the Department of Mysteries, Voldemort tried to possess me, hoping that Dumbledore would kill me to get him. But when I thought about Ron and Hermione, and how much they meant to me, it hurt Voldemort…he couldn’t bear the feeling of love. So I suppose love could be the power I have.”

Ginny’s hand on his arm made Harry spin quickly to look at her. “And yet you’re pushing away the people who love you,” she pointed out. “Like I thought, it’s stupid and noble, but it isn’t very wise, Harry. And it isn’t really going to protect us, anyway. Do you honestly think Voldemort won’t come for us wherever we are to use us against you? And do you really think any of us will just sit back and wait for death? And more importantly- do you really believe that any of us wouldn’t give our lives to save you? We’re your friends, Harry. Whatever- whatever else we might be.”

“You still don’t get it,” Harry muttered. “There’s more to it; there’s these things called Horcruxes-”

“I don’t care,” Ginny interrupted, and Harry heard a hint of desperation in her voice. “It’s just details to be worked out. All I care about is that we all get through this alive, and you won’t if you try to do this alone! If you leave without us, I’ll tell Ron and Hermione everything I know; and the three of us will figure out how to find you, and when we do, we’ll still help you.”

“You won’t find me, Ginny,” Harry said wretchedly. “I can’t let you. I’ll figure out how to keep away, until…”

“Please, Harry,” Ginny begged. Her cheeks were wet with tears. “Don’t do this! If our dying would hurt you, think what your dying would do to us!”

“I don’t have a choice in this, Ginny,” Harry said. “You do. You’d better go,” he continued as Ginny opened her mouth again. “Your mum must be worried sick.”

For a moment Ginny looked like she might protest again, but instead she spun to face the window with her hands over her eyes. After a long silence she finally spoke: “Harry…was protecting me really the only reason you broke off with me?”

“What else could there have been?” Harry asked sourly.

“Were you- happy being with me?”

Harry stared at Ginny’s back and fought to stand firm against the raging fear welling in him that he was making the biggest mistake of his life. “Happier than I’ve ever been in my life, Ginny,” he whispered.

Ginny’s shoulders hunched, and just before she Disapparated with a pop, Harry heard her choke back a sob.

*****

Ginny appeared in front of the Burrow. When she walked calmly in she was immediately accosted by her hysterical mother, who alternated between sobbing over her and shrieking about how irresponsible she was. Ginny simply sat at the kitchen table and stared at her hands, not really paying attention to her mother’s tirade. Finally Mr. Weasley interrupted by pointing out they had to get word to everyone to stop looking for Ginny. He sent Ginny to her room; she heard the pop of Disapparation as she climbed the stairs.

Ginny sat on the edge of her bed and stared at the opposite wall, carefully keeping her mind blank. Gradually people trickled into the house; Fleur rushed in and hugged Ginny tearfully, babbling how she couldn’t have stood to lose her sister-in-law. Ginny patted her absently. When Fred and George appeared and started in on teasing her, Ginny casually tossed off a nasty hex that had both twins unable to sit down for the rest of the night. Ron proved to be the most calm, just poking his head in to ask whether she was all right. Ginny refused to tell anyone where she’d gone, although a surprisingly shrewd look on Ron’s face told her he at least suspected the truth.

Ginny sat without moving for the rest of the night, listening to the sounds of her family moving about, eating supper (she wasn’t hungry), and eventually climbing the stairs in ones and twos to go to bed. Her lips curled up slightly when she heard George mutter “I’ll be sleeping on my stomach tonight,” before he and Fred Disapparated back to their flat.

Finally the house was silent. Ginny’s room was completely dark, and she undressed unthinkingly and climbed into bed, slipping her wand under her pillow like always. With no sounds to distract her, Ginny found her mind wandering back to her to rendezvous with Harry; how soon was he going to slip away? Would he say goodbye? Would she ever see him again?

Ginny turned her face into her pillow and bit her lip sharply as tears stung her eyes. No, she told herself sternly, I will not cry over a boy, not even Harry! I’ve known this would happen for years, this is nothing I haven’t cried out already! Plenty of girls lose boyfriends; hell, Harry was my third!

Most girls’ boyfriends don’t die at seventeen.

A sudden pop across the room made Ginny’s eyes fly open. Carefully, with as little movement as possible, she eased her hand over her wand…and twisted up out of the sheets, yelling out “Petrificus Totalus!”, and Harry toppled to the ground with a soft thud.

“Harry!” Ginny gasped. Quickly, before anyone wondered what the noise had been, Ginny cast a Silencing charm on her room, and then banished the spell holding Harry still. “Are you all right?” she asked, helping Harry up.

“I’m fine,’ Harry said, wincing a bit at his knee, which had hit a chair on his way to the floor.

“What are you doing here at this time of night?” Ginny asked. “You’d be in so much trouble if anyone knew…”

“No more than you were, I bet,” Harry said with a slight grin as he sat gingerly on the edge of Ginny’s bed.

Ginny doubted that, but didn’t say so. “Why are you here, though?”

“I thought- I’ve been thinking about what you said, in my bedroom,” Harry answered. “I thought I’d like to talk some more, if that’s okay.”

“Y-yeah, of course,” Ginny stammered slightly, hope rising in her. Had she managed to change Harry’s mind about leaving?

“Ginny, did you mean what you said- about how you’d suspected I’d have to kill Voldemort?”

Ginny muttered a quick “Lumos,” and gave Harry a look like he was being particularly stupid. “Of course I did. Since he came back, it’s all pointed that way, from my point of view anyway. And after you told me Dumbledore fought him in the Ministry that night, but couldn’t beat him, it seemed obvious it would take something special. You were the only other person that made sense.”

“So you knew I’d have to face him?”

“Merlin, I knew that long before! You’ve had to deal with Voldemort or his cronies every year since you got to the wizarding world!”

“And- and you still wanted to hang out with me, and date me?”

Ginny grinned. “Girls like a boy who’s a bit dangerous and mysterious.”

Harry didn’t laugh. “I’m serious, Ginny.”

“So am I! Harry, I admit that when I met you I was…interested in you because of the Boy Who Lived thing,” Ginny told him, flushing slightly. “But once I got over my crush, and actually got to know you, I was actually attracted to you, because of who I know you are. You’ve saved my life, Harry, and Ron’s and Hermione’s and my dad’s, but that’s not why I like you; it’s because you’re the sort of person who would do that, not out of obligation, but because it’s the right thing to do. I told you earlier that I’d give my life for you, and I meant it – because I know you’d do the same for me.”

“I- I don’t know what to do,” Harry said thickly. “I want your help; I need it. I’m so scared, Ginny… Dumbledore watched over me since I got to the wizarding world – since my parents died, really. And I know I need to grow up and face this, but knowing he’s not there to help me against Voldemort…” He shivered, trying to repress the sobs building in him. “It’s too big, Ginny. I don’t want to die.”

“We-” Ginny began.

“Don’t,” Harry interrupted. “I know, Ginny. My decision to push you all away was- well, it was made quickly and out of fear, I realized that tonight. And it was the wrong decision; all it did was make me feel alone. That was what made me realize how right you were. It’s terrifying knowing Dumbledore is gone…but when I think of you, and Ron and Hermione, and everyone, it’s easier. That’s proof enough how much I need you.”

“You were wrong,” Ginny repeated hesitantly. “About pulling away. About…everything?”

Harry smiled weakly. “It’s like you said. If I have the right to try to protect the people I love, than you do too.”

Ginny’s lip wobbled tremulously. “D-do you mean that?”

“Yeah, I do. I may be bloody useless at making choices, but every now and then I see what’s right in front of me. I saw it before you left Privet Drive today, I just was too ‘stupidly noble’ to say so. Ginny, what I said yesterday, about us…can we pretend I didn’t say that?”

“No, Harry. It happened, you can’t make it go away. But,” She added quickly, her heart skipping at Harry’s dejected expression, “you can try to win me back.”

Harry grinned. “How do you suggest I do that?”

Ginny answered by tackling Harry back onto her bed and kissing him. After a bit of very passionate snogs and gropes, Harry lifted Ginny away. “Uh, Ginn…maybe we should…”He blushed. “What I mean is, us being alone in your room late at night probably isn’t such a great idea.”

“Seems like a great idea to me,” Ginny said, wriggling slightly atop Harry and making him shudder as she pressed down on his obvious erection. “We haven’t ever had this much privacy, there’s a Silencing Charm up…it’s the perfect opportunity.”

Harry stared at Ginny, his jaw dropping. “Y-you mean you want to- to-”

“I’ve wanted to for years,” Ginny said as though it were obvious. She began pulling Harry’s shirt up. “I swear if we’d found more than ten minutes alone at Hogwarts after we started dating, then I’d have dragged you off and shagged you senseless months ago.”

“But, you don’t think we’re a bit too young for this?”

Ginny got Harry’s shirt off, and ran her hands admiringly over his slim chest. “You should listen to the gossip at Hogwarts more,” she said, as she began tugging at Harry’s belt. “We’re hardly the youngest to do this. If the rumors are true, there’s a couple honest-to-Merlin slags, in my year! And if Hermione was here, she and Ron would’ve beaten us to it.”

“Wh-what? Really? When did that happen?”

“That’s right, I forgot your uncle dragged you away before you saw,” Ginny said conversationally, yanking Harry’s jeans down and pausing to get his shoes off. “That goodbye snog they gave each other has scarred me for life, I’m sure.”

“Finally,” Harry said as Ginny got his jeans off, leaving him in nothing but boxers.

“Anxious?” Ginny said with a smirk.

“Er, I meant Ron and Hermione. But yeah, I am.”

Ginny slid up Harry. She was wearing nothing but a flimsy nightgown, and Harry whimpered slightly as her face drew even with his. “Ginny…I don’t think I’m going to last-”

Ginny sat up so she was straddling Harry’s stomach. “Focus on something else for a bit,” she suggested.

“Like what?”

“Like me.” Ginny took Harry’s hand and guided it between her legs. Harry swallowed; they’d never done this before. Harry’s hand encountered some soft hairs, and Ginny sighed. She moved his hand further, and Harry found his fingertip pressed to a soft, slightly moist ridge. Ginny let out a long breath. “Right there,” she directed, pushing Harry’s fingers against a particular spot and moving them gently back and forth.

For an unbelievable eternity, Harry rubbed Ginny beneath her nightgown, his fingers getting steadily more moist. Her wand was still lit and in her hand, so Harry got a perfect view of her expression; he didn’t think he’d ever seen anything so beautiful. “Inside,” Ginny whispered. “Here. “She took one of Harry’s fingers and guided it, carefully moving aside her folds, and suddenly Harry was slipping inside her for the first time. Ginny let out a hissing moan as Harry carefully worked the finger in; Harry could feel her legs trembling slightly against his sides. “Another,” Ginny demanded after a moment, and licking his lips, Harry worked another finger in.

Ginny fell forward and barely caught herself from crushing Harry as his two fingers seemed to torture her. She grabbed his head and kissed him ferociously, while trying to press her hips against Harry’s fingers. “I’ve wanted this for so long,” Ginny mumbled against Harry’s lips. “Harry, please, can we-?”

“If you’re sure, Ginny, then yes,” Harry managed to get out.

“Oh, I’m sure, Ginny growled.

With a shiver, Ginny pulled Harry’s hand away. She sat up and reached around behind her with her wand. A quick incantation, and Ginny tapped Harry’s cock with her wand. A slight sparkle appeared which quickly dissipated down into Harry’s skin. Harry was too startled to find it erotic. “What was that?”

“Anti-pregnancy Charm,” Ginny said. “All girls Fifth Year and up learn them.” She raised herself off of Harry so she was standing, still straddling him. “Harry, hold yourself up.”

Harry reached down and held his cock up as Ginny had directed. Ginny squatted and positioned herself, and slowly, carefully, let the head of Harry’s cock enter her. “Oh, Merlin,” she whimpered, bracing herself against Harry’s chest.

“Fuck, Ginny!” Harry gasped, sweating with the effort of holding himself still.

“We are, Harry,” Ginny said with a strained chuckle. She bit her lip, and let her weight fall onto Harry. She thought she felt something tear; there was a sharp pain, but she waited and it faded somewhat. She still felt stretched uncomfortably.

“Bloody hell,” Harry groaned. “Ginny, can you please move?”

Ginny rocked a bit and hissed as the pain returned a bit, but as she continued to move it faded quickly, leaving behind the feeling of being filled, which was growing more pleasant. She began to slide up and down, and was stunned by how good it felt; it was unlike anything she’d ever tried before. Having Harry inside her was more wonderful than she could have imagined.

“Ginny,” Harry groaned, ‘I- I’m going to-” Despite it having been no more than a minute, Harry grasped Ginny’s hips and pulled her down; he entered her as far as he could, hitting a spot inside her he hadn’t, and she yelped slightly at the slight pain; but her yelp was lost in Harry’s moan as he came inside her, straining his hips up, his fingers digging into her skin.

Ginny collapsed against Harry’s chest and just lay there, his heavy breaths causing her slight frame to rise and fall. After a moment Ginny carefully pulled Harry out of her with a little shudder, and curled up against his side, resting her head on his chest and waiting for him to recover. She felt his come, and undoubtedly a bit of her own blood, creeping between her thighs; she sat up long enough to cast a few Cleansing Charms on herself, and on Harry’s softening cock.

Harry looked up at her. “Did I hurt you?”

“No,” Ginny answered, curling back against Harry. “Well, a little, but I expected it. I’m fine, really.”

“I’m so sorry I couldn’t wait,” Harry mumbled.

Ginny heard the shame in his voice and grinned a bit in the dark. “That’s all right. From what I’ve heard it’s normal.” She raised her head and leaned forward to kiss him softly. “Harry, this time yesterday I was crying myself to sleep because I thought I’d lost you. This was our first time; it didn’t have to be perfect. I’m just as happy knowing there’s going to be a second time.”

“Bloody right there will,” Harry said forcefully, pulling Ginny against him possessively. “I’m not letting you go again.”

“Then it’ll get better,” Ginny said, feeling little shivers shoot through her, her elation almost too much to contain.

“So I’ve won you back for sure then?”

Ginny snorted. “One good snog would have done it.”

“Now you tell me.”

Ginny chuckled, and Harry joined in. It didn’t last, though. “Harry,” Ginny asked hesitantly, “what are we really facing? I- you know I’ll stand with you no matter what it is, but I need to know. What can we do? Do you have any ideas how to start-?”

“Hush, Ginn,” Harry muttered, stroking her hair. “I’ll tell you all of it, and yeah, I have some ideas what to do. But it can all wait until tomorrow. Right now I’d rather just enjoy dodging a bullet.”

“A what?”

“Er, sorry, muggle expression. I mean, I just want to enjoy…having you. Knowing you’ll be with me, and being here with you now. Tomorrow we’ll have to start in on the war…tonight, let’s just be normal teenagers in love.”

Ginny buried her face in Harry’s neck, allowing a few tears of happiness to slip free. “That’s the best idea you’ve ever had,” she whispered.

*****

Ginny woke suddenly at the pounding on her door. “Oy, sleepyhead!” Ron’s voice called. “Mum says up and about for breakfast! Better make it before Fred and George get here and start enchanting the bacon!”

Ginny heard Ron’s footsteps heading down the stairs. Her heart froze for a moment as she realized Harry was gone. Then she saw the piece of parchment attached to her mirror, flapping at her; apparently Harry had enchanted it to make sure she noticed it right away. Ginny leapt to her feet and snatched at the parchment. Unfolding it, Ginny had a moment of terror: what if Harry had changed his mind? What if he’d left already, what would she do?

But as she read the message, her heart lifted ecstatically, and she gave a little spin, squealing with giddy joy, when she’d finished:

Had to return to Privet Drive. I’m making plans – July 31, I’m seventeen, and I’ll be at the House of Black, it’s mine now, Sirius left it to me. Be there, with Ron, and the twins, on the 31st. I’ll owl Hermione to be there too – and some others if they’ll come. We’ll let the “grownups” make the noise and run about…we’ll do the real work.

I love you.
Harry

Part Two of the Harry's Seventh Year series: http://hp.adult-fanfiction.org/story.php?no=544207042