Part 25

Sunlight streamed through the curtains casting a butter-golden glow over everything in the boys dormitory.

Harry woke up, hazy thoughts just barely forming in his mind. He was warm. Blinking his eyes open, he glanced around the room, then down.

A soft sigh escaped his lips. In a tangle of red hair, he could just barely see Ginny's face as she peacefully slept.

Finally, Harry remembered what had happened last night, and he fought the urge to grin.

Harry leant down and gently kissed the top of her head. Immediately, Ginny's eyes fluttered open. "Hi." Harry said, his voice still deep and raspy from sleep.

Ginny realized where she was, and sighed happily, snuggling into his chest. "Hi." She whispered back, before pausing a moment, then swearing and attempting to get up.

"What..." Harry groaned, snaking his arms around her waist and holding her in place, hard. Ginny squirmed. "Harry... the boys..."

Harry sat up a bit and looked around. "I don't see them." Ginny rolled her eyes and wormed her way out of his grip, to Harry's discontent, then wearily shuffled to the end of the bed. However as soon as she did get up, Ginny also half regretted leaving the warmth of the bed, and the closeness to Harry.

She stretched her arms above her head, exhaling gratefully at the feeling. Fluidly, Harry swung his legs over the edge of the bed, stood up and stalked over to Ginny. She looked up at him and he smiled- looking into her brown eyes and reaching up to grab both her wrists gently.

Bringing them down to her sides Harry kissed her gently. To the boy's pleasure, Ginny let out a soft whimper and deepened the kiss. When they finally pulled away, Harry planted a peck on the tip of her nose and their foreheads connected, both of them enjoying the warmth of being near each other.

"You know this was just a one-time thing, don't you?" Harry said.

"Mm." Ginny hummed back. "I'd best be leaving then." And she abruptly turned and started towards the door. "Nonononono..." Harry mumbled, pulling her into him and wrapping his arms around her waist, her back against his chest.

Ginny's eyes slipped shut in ecstasy as Harry buried his face into the crook of her neck and kissed her shoulder gently.

"Harry..." She said.

"Hm." He replied, trailing kisses up her neck.

"I-I- I need t-to..." She was breathing heavy now, and it was hard to form a coherent thought. "Leave." She managed to get out.

"Five more minutes..." He mumbled, having made his way to her jawline. Ginny would've been happy to oblige, but immediately footsteps began up the stairs of the boy's dormitory.

Ginny whipped around to look at him, eyebrows raised, and he frantically glanced around the room, panicked, when his eyes finally landed on a box under his bed. He nodded towards it and Ginny seemed to understand.

-

Ron dragged his feet up the stairs. He'd dreamt beautiful, happy dreams that night and remembered a feeling of warmth as he fell asleep. He was cozy, and unbelievably happy. But when he woke up, he was quite the opposite. The fire had gone out in the common room and whatever blanket that he thought was keeping him warm had vanished.

Completely alone, and shivering with cold he made his way up the dorm. "Must've been drunk." He thought as he approached the door. He heard shuffling inside and assumed everyone was awake.

When he entered the room and glanced around, it was only Harry sitting on the bed, reading. The whole room was empty. "Morning Harry." He mumbled, miserable. He was about to slam the door when Harry bolted towards it and caught it before it shut, then just held it open.

Odd, but Ron was too fatigued and troubled by his headache to care. He simply pushed forward and flopped face first on his bed, almost immediately drifting off once more.

Later, at breakfast.

"Morning Harry!" Hermione chirped as Harry sat down for breakfast. He smiled at her and took his place next to Ginny. Across from him Ronald was cradling his head in both hands.

"A bit hungover." She mumbled.

"You seem fine, Hermione." Ginny chimed. "What did you get up to last night?"

On a normal day, Ron's behavior would have been out of the ordinary, but that morning the majority of Gryffindor table was nursing headaches, dashing out of the great hall to throw up, or just asleep.

They looked like hell, but the rest of Hogwarts seemed to regret missing out on what seemed to have been an incredible party.

"Oh you know..." Hermione answered, shifting nervously in her seat, and glancing sideways at Ron- who didn't notice. Ginny nodded, smirking knowingly, while simultaneously slipping Harry his invisibility cloak under the table.

"So, Harry." Hermione started. "You're giving Dumbledore the memory today?"

"Yes." Harry said, while at the same time Ginny said "No."

Harry looked at her questioningly. "Well you could at least wait until the weekend is over."

"Ginny yesterday's party was the waiting. I have to do it."

"It's one day... One day won't hurt anyone."

"How can you say that?? That's one extra day Voldemort could be out there killing another innocent person, or getting stronger so he can kill me!"

"All I'm saying is Dumbledore's not made a single move for ages. One day won't make much of a difference."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"One more weekend to just be a kid before you have to kill the most evil wizard alive... One more weekend to spend with your friends... How is that not of more value to you?"

"Of course it's of value I just-"

"Bloody stop it." Ron finally exclaimed, annoyed. "I hate it when you two do that."

"Do what?" Harry and Ginny left their bubble and glanced around the table at the people staring at them. Hermione shifted uncomfortably. "Oh right..." Harry mumbled.

"Sorry. Finished Ginny. "We can't really control it." Both Harry and Ginny had gotten into the unfortunate habit of speaking Parseltongue when stressed or upset, which was... always, recently.

To the discomfort of whoever was around them at the time, they were more susceptible to slip into the language when near others that could speak it such as a snake, each other, or Lord Voldemort, of course.

"Ron's got an essay to do." Hermione said, changing the subject. "I can brew you a tonic for the headache, but we have to get started." Hermione cooed, addressing him. Ron nodded sadly, resembling a small child or puppy. He took Hermione's hand as he got up. (He definitely could've stood up without the help.)

"Walk?" Harry said, once they'd left. "Yes please." Ginny said quietly. These walks with Harry had grown to be one of Ginny's favorite things. Just another comforting constant that she desperately grasped on to, as she watched everything around her change.

-

Once they were outside, Harry interlaced their fingers and pecked the back of Ginny's hand. She sighed. She knew why they were both really out here.

"It's so selfish." She whispered, continuing their conversation from breakfast. "I don't want everything to change. I don't want to lose this." They found their bench and sat. Harry wished he could help. But there was no way to take away the feeling because it was right. He felt it too, and he was sure most people were beginning to.

Threat was getting closer and closer. Something was brewing, and by withholding this memory- it was like stopping time. They'd get to enjoy the last of these precious moments.

Unfortunately Harry and Ginny both knew that they'd only be stopping time on their end. Every second that isn't used to weaken Voldemort is a second that he's getting stronger. Harry tried not to think about the lives that the Dark Lord could be taking as he and Ginny spoke.

"I know you have to Harry, I'm so sorry." Ginny whispered again. She feared that if she spoke any louder she'd cry.

Harry swallowed. Thoughts were flowing through his mind rapid fire. Yes, yes he does have to... A realization hit. He immediately let go of Ginny's hand. She looked at him. "What?"

Harry only leant forward, burying his face in his hands. "This was irresponsible." He said. Ginny's jaw clenched. She knew what was coming. Of course she did.

"It's my fault." Harry continued. "I kissed first."

"I kissed back." Ginny finally said.

Harry looked at her, clearly unable to form a sentence. "I'm sorry." Ginny nodded, and quickly got up and walked away. She made her way back to the castle, ignored any hellos she got on her way to Gryffindor tower, went straight to the dorm and shut the door.

She couldn't sit on the bed, she didn't know why, so she sat on the floor. She couldn't let the tears threatening her eyes win, so she looked up for something to concentrate on. Immediately she landed on the picture of Harry and her tucked into the corner of her mirror.

She looked away as quickly as she could but it was too late. She'd already teared up. "Why, thank you, universe." In her mind, the whole situation was really quite hysterical. Her person, unfortunately, was tucked tight into a ball on the floor, screaming and sobbing because it was so unfair. Poor Ginny.

-

Harry wanted to scream as loudly as he could when Ginny left his sight. He wanted to hug her tight and never leave and kiss her for as long as he wanted. His hands shook as he fidgeted with his wand.

Fuck him for grabbing Ginny at the only time he couldn't have her. Because now there's a pit in his stomach that could only be filled by her touch.

How could he have overlooked all the reasons that having Ginny now was the worst thing he could've done? He'd have to begin whatever it was he needed to do to kill Voldemort, he'd have to leave her behind.

Not to mention if Tom ever found out how Harry felt about her... Harry's whole body tensed. If he ever laid a finger on Ginny...

Now, tears silently streamed down Harry's face, and he was clenching his fist so hard that he'd draw blood soon enough. He wanted Ginny. Why couldn't he have Ginny? Poor Harry.

Lmao sike you thought 😃

If you want to read about what happened the night after the party, go to my Instagram (dobbyrip_)

The only thing I want to address here is Ginny speaking Parseltongue, I only mentioned it in this story once before this, but I thought I'd clear up that I just like toying with the idea that Ginny learned parseltongue from Tom so she could communicate with the baselisk, and that's one more thing that her and Harry just have :)

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