This is my little contribution to the Hinny Ficfest, so kindly organised by wonderful @clarensjoy. I’ve used the prompt 75, "By the gods! You love her... don't you?", though I’ve changed it a little to fit the fic better. Hope the prompter doesn’t mind!
I was (and still am) very doubtful about posting this or not. The last part is dreadful (I might change it if I can think of something better), so is the title, and I don’t think it’s Hinny enough for such an important occasion. But Clare has been very kind organising this fest and I don’t want to miss the party.
I have always loved the fics where Harry talks about Ginny to someone else, so here’s a little conversation between him and Hermione before Bill and Fleur’s wedding. It might be off character but, well, it’s called fan fiction for something.
Again, English is not my first language, I hate prepositions and adverbs, and I can be a mess with verb tenses. So, if you find any mistake, I’d be grateful if you could let me know so that I can correct it.
Thanks again to Clare for having organised this fest. I can’t wait to have the time to enjoy each and every work submitted!!
It was four in the morning and his mind kept drifting tirelessly from Dumbledore’s will to Ginny’s lips.
Though, being honest, and despite knowing that he should be more focused on the Deluminator, the book and the Snitch as they had to be somehow important, the remembrance of having Ginny in his arms again was becoming much more predominant in his mind as the minutes went by.
As if her mere presence around wasn’t making it already hard for him to focus since the moment he had arrived at The Burrow. Just an anguished half an hour next to her and he almost surrendered and threw his arms around her, without worrying about who else was in the room, just like the first time. And then she took his hand when she knew he needed it, so naturally it hurt.
He knew he was pining. He had been pining since he stood up from his chair next to Ginny’s at Dumbledore’s funeral, after doing what he knew he had to do but hadn’t had the guts to do before. It had already been bad when he was in Privet Drive, and now he not only smelled flowers everywhere but still could feel her lips and her body against his.
With a quiet groan, Harry removed the sheet that had tangled around his legs from tossing and turning for hours, put his glasses on, took his wand, threw an envious look to peacefully-sleeping-Ron, and left the room. There would be no way to fall asleep if he couldn’t take Ginny out of his mind, if he couldn’t stop wondering whether the kiss they had shared that morning in her room was definitely going to be the last.
He tried to not make a sound when he descended the stairs to the kitchen, throwing a longing look at the closed door on the first floor landing as he passed by it, exited outside and took a seat at one of the back steps to the dark yard.
He had his eyes fixed on the flag on top of the marquee, trying to empty his mind and enjoy the silence and the cool summer breeze, when he got startled by the sound of the door opening behind him. For a second he equally wished and feared it was Ginny, but turned his head and saw it was Hermione in her pyjamas and a dressing gown.
‘So you couldn’t sleep either,’ she said, sitting beside him. ‘I heard footsteps on the stairs.’
‘No, I couldn’t,’ he was looking at the top of the marquee again and his reply sounded drier than he’d liked. He wasn’t annoyed by her presence, but had wanted to spend some time alone all the same. Harry wondered if she had expected to find someone else when she had left Ginny’s room after the footsteps she had heard.
They spent some minutes in silence before Hermione spoke.
‘It’s been quite an overwhelming day, has’t it? With your birthday, Scrimgeur’s visit and Dumbledore’s will... and what happened this morning with Ginny…’
Harry immediately took his wand and casted Muffliato around them.
‘Are you mental?’ he said, ‘You could be heard, her room is just above us.’
There was another moment of silence, and Harry hoped that the turn Hermione seemed to want the conversation to take was lost with it. But he should have known better, he should have distracted her and kept on talking about what Dumbledore wanted them to do with the objects he had left them.
‘I’m sorry,’ Hermione was talking quietly, looking at him, ‘wish I had been able to keep Ron away from Ginny’s room for longer.’
Harry changed his stare from the top of the tent to his knees and gave a tired, resigned sigh.
‘It was not your fault, I shouldn’t have entered there… but I don’t want to talk about that.’
But Hermione completely disregarded.
‘Well, from what Ron has told me and the little I saw when I arrived after him, it seemed that you were enjoying it a lot for someone who reckons that he shouldn’t have been there.’
Harry groaned and finally looked at her. She had a little smile on her face, almost sorry.
‘So you and Ron have been talking about it?’ he asked.
‘Yes, we have. When you went back to the house after your argument we stayed a little longer in the yard. I told him he shouldn’t meddle like that.’
‘Bet he didn’t like it.’
‘No, he didn’t, but I can understand him, just like I understand why you followed Ginny into her room,’ Hermione made a little pause before she continued. ‘He said that you are like a brother to him, but she is his sister. He told me that she spent several days locked in her room when they got back from Hogwarts, and that she had a very long face. He doesn’t want her to feel that bad again after we leave.’
Harry looked back at his knees. He would feel guiltier if he hadn’t been in a very similar mood the weeks he spent in Privet Drive, but couldn’t avoid thinking that he was a prat, that he should have comforted her somehow when she couldn’t look at him after Ron had interrupted them instead of leaving the bedroom just like he did.
‘I don’t want her to, either,’ he said.
‘I know, Harry. And I know that you miss her too.’
Harry groaned again and rubbed his eyes behind his glasses.
‘Hermione, please, I really, really don’t want to talk about Ginny’.
But she disregarded again.
‘Really? Don’t you want to know that I have talked to her this afternoon too?’ Hermione asked, making Harry look at her again, now there was a mischievous smirk on her face.
‘What are you playing at? Look who’s meddling! You could use all that effort for -,’ but she didn’t let him finish.
‘She was angry, said she should have asked you to close the door with magic but she forgot. She’s told me that she couldn’t stand that your last kiss was an ordinary one, she wanted to give you a proper kiss before we left, one you would remember.’
‘Well, she did,’ he mumbled, noticing he was slightly blushing with the remembrance, thinking that he would remember every single kiss they had shared. ‘What’s got into you? You’re not this gossip normally.’
Hermione took some seconds to reply.
‘We’re about to leave, but we don’t know what we’re going to do. We’re here spending some days of summer in the Burrow as always, but everything's different. Everything’s strained,’ she paused again, and then shrugged. ‘There’s a wedding tomorrow, when will we have the chance to have a good time again? To celebrate something? I reckon we all deserve some happiness these days. You clearly miss Ginny, and she misses you too. I think you’re not doing anything bad if you two want to spend some time snogging before the storm.’
Harry laughed. How simple and complicated, all at once.
‘It’s not that easy, Hermione,’ he said, ignoring her sceptical look. ‘And you? Are you doing something that makes you happy these days?
‘Well, I must confess that Ginny has been some kind of inspiring today,’ there wasn’t much light at the Burrow’s back porch, but Harry could see that Hermione’s cheeks had turned light pink. ‘I want to have a good time tomorrow, I’m going to drink champagne and dance as much as I can, and whatever.’
‘And whatever?’ asked Harry, incredulous.
‘Yeah, whatever - whatever it takes me to.’
‘With a certain someone?’
Hermione didn’t reply, just blushed a little more and nodded very slightly, as if she didn’t want to confirm more clearly something that was unsaid - but very clear for Harry indeed.
‘I don’t think you will need to make a big effort to… whatever,’ he said, and both smiled at each other.
There were other few minutes of silence. Harry tried but failed to not think about what it would mean for their mission if something between Ron and Hermione happened before they left, or during the time they were away. It shouldn’t affect them much (after all, if things had taken a normal course instead of what had happened, Ron and Hermione should have gotten together last year), but maybe it would feel weird all the same, maybe he would feel a bit lonely, maybe he would miss Ginny even more.
‘Harry, can I ask you something?’ Hermione said, getting him out of his thoughts. He didn’t reply, but nodded. ‘This morning, when you and Ron were arguing about Ginny, there was a moment that you went from angry to… to some kind of miserable, I reckon,’ Harry nodded again, slowly, also feeling miserable again too. ‘It was when you said that she doesn’t expect you both to end up married… What -?’
‘I realised,’ he said before she could finish the question, slowly and avoiding her look, ‘that she is free and I’m not. That someday, she will marry someone.’
‘And you think it will not be you.’
He didn’t reply, the thought already felt way too painful in his mind, he couldn’t say it out loud.
‘Oh my God,’ she continued, ‘you love her… don’t you? You really do. I suspected it, but it’s true!’
Harry was not looking at her, but could feel her stare. The sound of her voice was excited, as if what she was saying was the best thing that could happen to him. But it wasn’t. He kept silent and she seemed to understand, for when she spoke again her mood wasn’t that bright.
‘In case you don’t know, Ginny is determined to wait for you.’
This made him even more miserable, though he couldn’t help feeling something very warm spreading in his chest at the same time.
‘She shouldn’t,’ he said. ‘I don’t know if I will be back, or how long it will take. She may be wasting her time’.
Hermione suddenly hugged him, it took him by surprise. He patted the arm she had on his front before she retreated. Harry finally looked at her and saw that she had watery eyes.
‘It’s not fair,’ she said.
They fell silent again, Harry hoped that the conversation was finally over. There wasn’t much more to say. The thought of Ginny meeting someone else, falling in love with someone else, went through him like a million icy knives. But he didn’t like the thought of sad-waiting-Ginny either. He just wanted her to be happy. However it was.
‘So what did Ron get you for your birthday?’ she asked, making Harry glad that the conversation about Ginny seemed finally over indeed. ‘He didn’t tell me.’
‘A book.’
‘Which one?’
‘Er - a book about Quidditch’.
‘What about Quidditch?’
‘It’s… some kind of guide… practical advice and techniques.’
‘You can give it to me in the morning if you want to take it with you, so that I can pack it with the rest of the books we’re taking’.
‘No, don’t worry, I’ll leave it here, I won’t need it,’ he said, thinking of Ginny.
They spent some more time there, not talking much, before agreeing that they should get back into the house and try to have some sleep.
When Harry woke up late in the morning he was alone in Ron's bedroom and could hear a lot of hustle from the yard. He sat up in bed, put his glasses on and found his copy of Twelve Fail-Safe Ways to Charm Witches exactly where he had left it the day before, on the improvised nightstand beside the camp bed. He took it and turned some pages randomly until something strange caught his eye, he recognised Ron’s handwriting below the title of Chapter 7, ‘So you messed it up: how to get your witch back’:
You might find this helpful someday.
So, after all, Ron was not upset about him and Ginny snogging or getting back together, he was upset about timing.
Harry smiled, planning to read Chapter 7 if he succeeded in finishing the mission Dumbledore had given him. There was nothing he wished more than the chance of being the man waiting for Ginny at the end of the aisle.
Ginny: James, if you hurt your brother...
Harry: Albus!
James: It's my turn!
Albus: La la la I can't hear you
Lily L: Am I or am I not your favourite daughter?
“I didn’t want anyone to talk to me,” said Harry, who was feeling more and more nettled.
“Well, that was a bit stupid of you,” said Ginny angrily, “seeing as you don’t know anyone but me who’s been possessed by You-Know-Who, and I can tell you how it feels.”
“I forgot,” he said.
“Lucky you,” said Ginny coolly.
Happy belated birthday Ginny Weasley ily and so does Harry
Harry finally understood why Sirius was so miserable that year.
Although Kreacher was pleasant enough to him, being alone at 12 Grimmauld Place wasn't ideal. It was dark and gloomy and much too large. He didn't protest Ron moving in with George to keep him company for a second, but it was strange, being on his own. He went over to the Burrow for dinner practically every other night, and if Ron and George would stay, he would too. But when he'd return to Grimmauld after a long day of work, he never felt more isolated.
But when Ginny came home for the school holidays and would spend any time not with her family alone with him, the house took on a new life. It was bright and open and sometimes it even felt like it could be home. But maybe that was just Ginny.
It was Easter, and they were winded after some friendly Quidditch matches and a delicious meal from Mrs. Weasley, and Ginny was holding his thigh under the table, laughing at Ron and Hermione's mix of bickering and flirting, telling them to "get a room already," and Ron responded with, "fine, we will!" and grabbed Hermione's hand and dragged her from the table out the kitchen, and her cheeks blushed but she obliged. Ginny grinned victoriously, now with her brother out of sight she wouldn't get scolded for the same activities.
"Mum, we're going to Harry's," she declared as she stood up.
"That's fine, dear," Mrs. Weasley said non-chalantly. "Take some leftover tart."
Tart and Ginny in hand, they apparated to Grimmauld Place. And as soon as they closed the door behind them, Ginny's lips were on his, and one hand wrapped around her waist, and they moved toward the kitchen. "I missed you," she said against his mouth. Harry let the treacle tart slip from his hand onto the counter, before quickly using his now-free hand to run through her hair. They didn't quite make it to the bedroom for the first time round, but made it in time for the second.
As it often happened, he woke up in the middle of the night from a nightmare, sweating and breathing heavily. He sat up, trying to calm himself down, but he didn't have to for long, as a small hand touched his arm. "It's okay," Ginny said softly. "You're safe, Harry."
He swallowed, nodded, and followed the pull of her hand as she moved higher up on the bed and guided his head toward her chest. He laid it there, sighing as she ran her fingers through his scalp soothingly. He closed his eyes and breathed in her scent, it acting as a sleeping draught as he drifted back off.
When he woke again, he felt the rhythm of her breathing was a miracle. He gently kissed her neck, and she hummed, opening her eyes slowly and smiling. "Hey."
He responded by kissing her lips, then her forehead, and then he pulled her to his chest this time. She happily burrowed her face into his skin and sighed. "Did you sleep okay?"
"Always better with you," he told her truthfully. And before he could shove down his courage, "I wish you could always be here."
"Me too," she replied. "But I've still got a couple months left of school."
"Well, what about after?"
She lifted her head up and looked at him. "What about it?"
"Well," he said, feeling the blush spread over his cheeks. "What if you were always here after you graduate?"
"You mean like... living here? With you?"
"I know it's not the most charming place in the world," Harry said. "It wouldn't be forever. Maybe we'd even get our own place one day, but until then, I mean-"
Ginny cut him off with a fierce kiss, and when she finally pulled away she had that blazing look he loved so much. "Yes. I'd love that. I love you."
She returned her mouth to his, and he melted into her touch, and the sun shined through the blinds, and everything felt warm. This could be a home, he thought. And this morning, as Ginny pulled him closer to her, it was beginning to feel like one.
They walked into the Great Hall somewhat late. They had completely lost track of time. A lot of people looked up as they entered but Harry did not let go of her hand as they walked to the Gryffindor table.
She quickly slipped on the bench in front of her brother, Harry came to sit beside her. A quick glance at Hermione showed she was far too happy about the recent development.
Ron cleared his throat. “So, are you two officially together?”
Harry looked over at her and she smiled. Harry focused on Ron. “I don’t really know.” He glanced at her again quickly. “We didn’t get much time to talk.”
Ron’s brow furrowed. “Didn’t get time? You were out for hours! What were you doing that you—” His sentence cut off abruptly and his face flushed up to his ears.
Ginny hid her grin behind her cup of pumpkin juice.
“You were right, Gin. That was fun,” Harry told her happily. He looked at Ron. “Yes, we are dating.”
Ron huffed. “I am her brother, so you better behave if you want approval!”
Ginny let out a fake laugh. “You’re full of jokes, Ron. ‘Approval’...” She shook her head. “Harry, do you recall Ron asking for my approval when he started going out with Lavender?”
Harry shook his head. “Nope.”
Ron gritted his teeth and looked away. “We are continuing the party in the common room, you better join.”
“Where else would we be?” Ginny asked. “Only so much time left before curfew.”
***
When they arrived at the common room, the Gryffindors were still in a cheery mood. Ginny was pulled into the crows and lifted into the air a minute later. Harry stood by the window, cheering along with the crowd, his eyes trained on her.
Hermione walked up him and he glanced at her. He caught her judging him rather smugly about watching Ginny. He turned to her and she quirked an eyebrow.
“Oh, shut up,” he said to her told-you-so face. He chuckled and Hermione did too.
“About time,” she said.
He rolled his eyes. “What? You saw this coming? I thought you didn’t believe in divination.”
“I don’t.” She shot him a sympathetic look. “I didn’t need to be able to look into the future to see that coming.”
Harry looked towards Ron. “I think Ron wants to talk to you,” he lied so she’s stop being so smug.
“Probably about you, though. He needed some recovery time from seeing you snog his sister in front of a crowd,” she said with a grimace.
“I didn’t mean to, it just... happened,” he told her honestly.
Hermione patted his back. “I know.” She shot him another smug look he ignored, and she walked off.
Ginny was put on the ground. she walked to him. “They’re all crazy,” she said with a chuckle. “What did Hermione say.”
“Being entirely too smug about us,” he told her. “As if she knew before us.”
Ginny pushed up and sat on the windowsill, her feet dangling off. Her eyes landed on him, looking so brightly at him. “But she did.” The blush in her cheeks darkened. “She told me a while ago she kept catching you looking at me. I believed none of it.”
Harry turned to her, and she opened her legs so he could stand between her knees. “Me? Looking at you? That’s never happened before.”
She nodded. “Precisely.” She grinned and her hands came to his face. She kissed him softly, resulting in more cheers from the other people in the Gryffindor common room. She leaned away and glanced past him. “We’ve got to find a quieter place than this.”
“I would get my invisibility cloak, but I don’t think we can fool those two over there,” he said, nodding towards Ron and Hermione.
Ginny sighed. “Suppose we have done enough snogging for one day.”
He shook his head and smiled. “Not.” His hand came to the back of her neck and pulled her down softly. He kissed her again.
“People are watching,” she said softly, their faces barely apart.
“Don’t care,” he replied. “Need to get at least two more kisses in today.”
“Two?” she responded. Her eyes lit up. “An outrageous amount. How dare you be so indecent! Whatever shall my brother say!”
He cocked his head and shook it. She beamed and leaned in again, kissing him.
“That’s one,” she said softly, their eyes locked. “I suggest we keep the other as a goodnight kiss.” The smile dancing around her lips made him want to kiss her again.
Since it is Ginny’s birthday. Can we get some Ginny head cannons?
I’m laaaaate. I know!! I’m sorry.
Ginny is a mama’s girl. Molly gives the best advice. She respects and listens to what she has to say.
But boy can they row. While Ginny respects the hell out of her mother, she’s not afraid to disagree with her either.
She gives Ron a hard time. A lot. But he’s also her favorite brother. They always played together as kids. While she’s allowed to tease Ron, nobody else is unless their names are Fred, George, and Harry because she knows they love Ron equally as much as she does. But she’d fight anyone who dares say anything negative about Ron. Meanwhile, she’ll laugh hysterically when someone teases the twins because she’s excited to see their payback.
Luna was her maid of honor. Not Hermione. In fact, Ginny wouldn’t be friends with Hermione if it wasn’t for Ron.
Angelina is her closest sister-in-law.
She never once Bat-Bogey hexed Harry.
She respected Sirius. It was her idea to name her oldest after him. Sirius was the closest thing to a parent Harry had and Ginny appreciated all he did for him.
Teddy and Albus were mama boys.
While Harry was the “I’m not mad, just disappointed parent,” Ginny was definitely the “I’m mad and you’re going to know it parent.”
