Post-Hogwarts #9: Serenading Ginny
Author:
Alcarcalime
Title: Serenading Ginny
Challenge: Post-Hogwarts #9. Harry and Ginny go singing in a lounge with friends one day. Harry surprised everyone with his amazingly nice vocal chord as he sings a song to Ginny.
Summary: Songs are written to express certain feelings and emotions, but is it right to think that they are used to articulate the feelings that words cannot express?
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 5,305
Warnings: Cheese and fluff are a lethal combination.
"Where are we going again?" Ginny Weasley heard her brother, Ron, ask his girlfriend as she, Ron, Hermione, Fred, George, and Harry were getting out of the subway on a packed Saturday evening. She sandwiched herself between Harry and Fred to avoid being swept by the large throng of Muggles hurrying into different directions. Even after occasional rides with the Muggle means of transportation, Ginny still couldn't get the hang of it, especially on a packed day like this.
Hermione smiled, hooking her arms with Ron's. "A karaoke bar."
"A kara-what?"
"Karaoke bar. A singing lounge," Hermione said brightly, then gave Ron and Harry a warning glance. "And I don't want you two to be party poopers, all right? You both will sing." Hermione smiled cheerily at the two before she turned around and led the way to this singing lounge she had been telling Ginny since last week.
Harry, who had been silent all throughout the ride, shivered at Hermione's pronouncement. "Whose idea was this again?" he whispered, his face wincing more and more at each step he took.
"As I recall," Fred said, tapping Harry's back slightly, "it was yours, mate."
"But I just said that we should hang out," explained Harry, "and not sing in a karaoke bar."
Ginny held back a laugh when Harry's face flashed with indignation. It was indeed his suggestion to go out at least once a month to unwind and relax on the days when he and Ron don't have Auror training. And after two years of working for the Committee of Experimental Charms, Ginny understood why Harry had suggested this. Work had been draining all her energy; they really needed to unwind and have fun once in a while. Normally, they would just go drinking at a pub or the Burrow's backyard, but for tonight, unfortunately, Hermione had suggested that they should try something new for a change-thus, the quest to give their vocal chords the exercise they needed.
Ginny linked her arms with Harry's as though saying he was stuck with them and that he couldn't get away even if he tried. "Don't worry, Harry, I'll still be your friend even if you humiliate yourself in there."
"Yeah," George quipped, "we'll still be best mates. You'll still be Harry bloody Potter, the Boy Who Lived Again."
"Very funny, George," Harry muttered as the three Weasleys erupted into hysterical laughter.
"There now, Harry," Ginny said, tapping his arms lightly. "It couldn't be that bad."
"Yeah, it won't be since I brought my camera with me to, you know, have some souvenirs," Fred said, wagging his eyebrows suggestively.
Harry's eyes grew wide at the sight of the twin's recently acquired top-of-the-line camera. Ginny had to fight the urge to burst into laughing again. Ever since the twins had bought it two weeks ago, they seemed to be taken with photography as their newest hobby. And their favorite subject? The rest of the Weasleys and Harry in the most embarrassing pose possible.
Fred took the camera out of its case and aimed to take a picture of the two lovebirds walking in front of them. "We thought this would be a great opportunity to practice our photography." There was a bright flash of light, and after punching a few buttons, Fred showed the picture of Ron stealing a glance at Hermione he took just moments ago. "Brilliant, isn't it?"
Ginny felt Harry tense beside her as the realization of having his humiliation immortalized by the twins' photos sank in. She let out another laugh as Fred continued to take pictures of everything around them-from the Muggles on the curb, the shops they passed by with George posing as a tour guide, the skipping Hermione dragging the rather unenthusiastic Ron, Ginny laughing and gamely posing for pictures, and Harry wearing a dreaded expression as they came nearer and nearer to their destination.
After a few more minutes of strolling around Muggle London, they reached the singing lounge Hermione was talking about. Ginny had expected to hear thumping music pouring out of the bar but it was rather quiet for a singing lounge. She later on knew why; the lounge didn't have a huge single room where all the costumers sit together and take turns in singing while drinking and laughing at the singers rather, it had a number of individual rooms which the patrons occupy and where they sing to their hearts' content.
And an hour and a few rounds of Muggle alcoholic drinks after…
"You know that we are living in a material world. And I am a material girl," Ginny sang while swaying her hips along with the music. "Living in a material world and I'm a material girl."
Fred and George jumped to their feet and cheered her on as she sang the last few notes of the famous Muggle song they had heard a lot of times. George took out his handkerchief and waved it in the air in sync with Ginny's dancing, while Fred continued on snapping photographs like an obsessed fan clicking away for pictures in a concert.
"Way to go, Ginny!" Hermione applauded.
"Woohoo!! That's my sister!" Ron shouted, raising his arms in the air.
"Thank you. Thank you." Ginny turned to her delighted audience and bowed, sending out flying kisses, which the twins posed to catch and pretended to be smitten.
"That's enough, Fred, or you might be asking for my autograph later," she joked as she went back to the couch and sat down beside Harry.
"That was wonderful, Ginny," Harry said, moving a little to give her space to sit between him and Hermione. He reached out on the table and handed her another glass of beer.
"Thank you, Harry."
"I couldn't tease you now because you didn't humiliate yourself back there."
"So, you're wishing that I'd make a fool out of myself just so you can make fun of me?" Ginny said, her eyebrows arching up.
A light chuckle escaped Harry's lips, and Ginny noticed the unmistakable glint of mischief in his eyes. "Yes, since I'm quite positive that you'd find every reason to make fun of me later."
"Too right, Potter."
"Who's next?" Hermione asked, waving the microphone in the air.
Ginny put her drink down on the table, took the microphone from Hermione, and held it out in front of Harry. "I'd say it's Harry's turn."
Harry's eyes went round, shaking his head while the others started to cheer him on. "Oh, no. No. NO."
"Oh, c'mon. Don't be such a party pooper," Ginny said, urging him on. "Everyone gets their turn with the microphone."
"Woohoo! Go, Harry!" George hollered, still waving his handkerchief in the air.
"Show us your singing prowess!" Fred shouted, focusing his camera on Harry and already snapping away.
Hermione gave him a playful nudge. "I said no party poopers, remember?"
"C'mon, mate. Humiliate yourself first before I do," Ron said, punching Harry lightly on his shoulders.
Ginny stood up and took Harry's hands, pulling him to his feet. But he remained rooted on his place and no matter how Ginny tugged, he still wouldn't budge. "Oh, you big brute, stand up! You're not particularly light, you know."
"Okay, okay. I'm singing," Harry said, finally standing up. "Don't blame me if it'll rain later."
"That's complete bollocks," Ginny chided. "But I'll just be here waiting for you to humiliate yourself."
"Very funny, Weasley."
"Why thank you, Harry," she said, flashing him the biggest and brightest smile she could muster all the while enjoying the mortified look on his face.
Harry took the microphone from Ginny's outstretched hands and faced the television screen. The song title appeared and a small smile formed on his face. He turned around and beamed at her. "Since you made me do this, this is for you, Ginny."
Ginny's lips curled into a grin while her brothers started their raucous cheering again. She thought that it would be another upbeat song, but it wasn't. Soft piano music sounded from the speakers and tried to compete with the loud cheering the others were making, which abruptly stopped the instant Harry's voice rang across the whole room.
"What would you do if I told you that all that I do's think of what we had," Harry sang softly, his unmistakably beautiful voice surprising everyone. "What would you do if I'm not the friend I used to be… well, at least, not to me."
Ginny found herself staring at him in a mix of disbelief and awe, a half-smile frozen on her lips. She wasn't expecting him to have such a great voice; in fact, her hands were all set to cover her ears the minute she could not bear it any longer. But then, she really didn't have to. Harry's voice was ethereal and soothing that she actually felt lightheaded while listening to it, and she realized that she was indeed listening to music. It was like-or even better than-listening to Romulus Junqueira, her favorite singer whose songs were always blaring on her wireless each single day. Describing it as "music to her ears" sounded so pale and erroneous.
"Oh, my! I didn't know Harry's got a great voice," Hermione exclaimed admiringly. Her eyes gleamed with amazement as she stared at her best friend.
Ginny nodded. "Me neither. I was ready to make fun of him, but wow! I think my plan backfired."
"It wasn't just you who were surprised."
Ginny glanced around the room and found her brothers staring openmouthed at Harry. "I guess he took us all by surprise," she said, turning his gaze back at him.
"You can say that," Hermione said, then leaned against Ron's shoulders as Harry continued to sing to them.
"'Cause I can't get over all the times you stayed. Get crazy jealous every time you're away." Harry slowly shifted his position and turned to face Ginny.
A pair of green eyes caught a pair of brown ones, startling the latter with its intense gaze. One was attempting to convey something that was hidden deep inside, something that had been there for quite a while but couldn't find the right words to make it known, while the other was searching and trying to make out a clear picture from its vagueness.
"Now I'm someone different from the one you knew, had nothing to feel for you, to feel for you."
Ginny's mind went blank that all she could do was sit frozen on her seat as she began to clearly hear the lyrics of the song Harry was singing.
"What do I do? I keep calling out your name. What do I do? I got no one else to blame. What do I do? Every time I hold your hand, it's not the same. What do I do? I think I fell in love with you." Harry immediately looked down and broke their gaze, the faintest shade of pink highlighting his cheeks. He turned back to the television screen and continued singing the next lines.
"What do I do? What can I say? Everything keeps changing every night, every day. Every word so different, every touch so real. Every glance and every look reveals the way I feel."
A massive lump suddenly blocked her throat, making her heart beat faster in order for her not to run out of breath. The lyrics seemed to pierce her heart.
"No, it's never ever gonna be the same when we hug for warmth from the cold of the rain. Yet I'm not gonna move on, not gonna change, though I find it hard to say."
Words started to float around Ginny's head making the rest of the song seem incomprehensible; all she could hear was the soothing and calming melody of Harry's voice. She didn't even notice the racket everyone had been doing: Fred was hooting at Harry; George was pretending to be a hyperventilating and star-struck girl; Ron was behind George, ready to catch him when he pretended to fall; and Hermione was singing along with Harry, occasionally laughing at the three.
Ginny just sat there, watching him as he sang, as he sneaked glances at her, as he briefly caught her eyes-as her eyes momentarily locked with his intense gaze. She knew there was something different with those glances Harry had been giving her. There was something different in his eyes but she couldn't place what it was. Its intensity scared her. It was as if he was trying to tell her something she ought to know. Something he could not say that he was using another means-the song-to let her know.
Ginny yelped a little as she felt an elbow jabbing her sides. She averted her gaze from Harry and saw Hermione smirking at her, a knowing smile plastered on her face. Her eyes suggestively turned to Harry before they meet Ginny's questioning stare. "What?"
Hermione's eyes swept from Ginny to Harry, and then back to Ginny again before she replied, "Nothing."
"Hermione. What is it?"
But she ignored Ginny. Hermione leaned back down the couch, taking a few sips of her drink and still keeping that smile on her face that Ginny suddenly had the urge to whack her friend on the head. Whatever it was, she knew that it was not good.
"Wooohooo! You're bloody brilliant, Harry!" Fred cheered, making Ginny abort her plan to try killing Hermione using death glares. She turned back to Harry as he took his final bow, a huge smile spreading on his face. Everyone had erupted into thunderous cheers and Ginny forced herself a smile and clapped modestly.
"So, do you like the song?" Harry asked as he flopped down beside her, grinning from ear to ear. The intensity and seriousness of his eyes were gone and was replaced by that teasing look she knew very much.
"I hate you," she said, shoving everything she had felt earlier at the back of her mind and put on her best mock pout.
Harry's forehead creased in confusion.
"You didn't give me a reason to make fun of you, you prat!"
Harry let out a chuckle. "You didn't give me a reason to make fun of you, either."
Ginny found herself laughing in spite of herself. "So that makes us even then."
"Yeah, we're even."
"Ron, there's no escaping now. You're on," Fred said, tossing the microphone at the youngest male Weasley. Everyone cheered again as Ron stood from his seat and took a bow.
Harry leaned over at Ginny, the hint of mischief back in his eyes. "I'm betting a Galleon that we'll have someone to make fun of later."
"You're on, Potter," Ginny said as a new song started playing. She watched with bated breath as the first lines of the song appeared on the screen.
"At first I was afraid, I was petrified," Ron sang… no, yelled… screamed-er-recited.
Whatever that was her brother had attempted to do, Ginny couldn't quite describe it wholly. She didn't even know if he was singing or if he was just reciting the words that were supposed to be sung. All she knew was that her hands were covering her ears, trying to block that dreadful noise that was echoing inside the small room.
"Bloody hell! Drop that microphone!"
* * *
"That was fun, wasn't it?" Hermione said as they got out of the subway station near the Leaky Cauldron a couple of hours later.
"Absolutely," George agreed. "But the-what was it called again?-mic whatsis shouldn't be handed to Ron again or my ear drums will finally explode."
"Yeah, yeah, whatever, George," Ron retorted. "As if your voice is any good, too. You sounded nearly as bad as me."
"But at least I had some-what do you call it?-pitch than you do. I can still carry a tone," George pointed out, smirking.
"You all should stay away from the microphone, you know," Ginny said, chuckling as she wrapped her scarf tighter around her neck. "Your voices are not pleasing to hear."
Ron let out a hallow laugh before starting to make fun of her sister. "And you think you sound good, huh? You sang horrendously, sister dearest."
Ginny flipped her hair airily and quirked her eyebrows at her brother. "Excuse me, Ron, but all of you rather enjoyed my performance."
"You think so?" Ron pressed.
"Whatever," Ginny said, rolling her eyes.
"But this is still the biggest revelation of the evening," Fred said, draping his arms around Harry's shoulders. "Harry, mate, why didn't you tell us that you're as talented with the microphone as you are with a broomstick?"
Harry laughed softly as his cheeks turned into a faint shade of red, while the rest erupted into raucous chuckles.
"Speaking of talents," Fred continued, completely ignoring the uncomfortable Harry beside him, "you sounded like you were serenading Ginny back there."
Ginny stopped at her tracks. Fred had noticed? Her daft of a brother had noticed? She turned to the twins and saw George taking their camera out of its case. A few seconds later, he was holding it in front of them, showing the picture for all to see.
It was Harry singing and looking at her wistfully, their eyes locked in what seemed like an unspoken understanding.
Ginny felt her cheeks burn from all the blood that crept up to her face. Why couldn't her brothers just shut up and leave her be?
"Tell me," Fred began, a lopsided grin was spreading on his face, "what's going on between the two of you?"
"Nothing!" Ginny answered rather quickly. After realizing that the twins were exchanging meaningful glances, she quickly added, "What are you two at, huh?"
"Nothing," George said, his lips twitching into a teasing smile. "Just pointing out our observation."
"Really, mate," Fred still went on, rounding Harry up, "is there something we all ought to know?"
"Fred!" Ginny snarled, eyeing her brother sternly. "Shut it."
But her brother completely ignored her and continued putting them on the spot. "So, is there something you want to tell us?"
If only looks can kill, Ginny was sure three people had already dropped dead tonight. And if only they were not walking around Muggle London, two redheads would find their sorry arses lying flat out on the curb after she was done hexing them to oblivion.
"There's none. We're just friends," Harry replied nonchalantly.
"Just friends?" George pressed, his eyes roving between the two insinuatingly.
"Just friends." Harry's lips curled into a small, forced smile before nodding softly. "Good friends."
Ginny let go of the breath she didn't know she was holding. Although she was relieved at his answer (since it was the truth, anyway), she couldn't help the feeling of disappointment that was slowly washing over her. A part of her had been wishing that Harry would give a different answer than what he had said. This often ignored and forgotten part of her was wishing that there were something more.
She sighed and hung back from the group as they walked back to the Leaky Cauldron, willing that feeling she hadn't felt for quite sometime now to go away. Her mood to joke around was lost. She only watched her brothers throw jokes and poke fun of Ron instead of taking over the lead in the teasing. She hated this feeling.
A trickle of water fell on top of her head. Ginny looked up, noticing the frequent raindrops falling from the perfect starless sky. "I think we better hurry up before-"
But she wasn't able to finish what she had to say when the heavy rain fell upon them without further warning. Ron grabbed Hermione's hand and led her towards the nearby shop for cover; Fred and George pulled their coats over their heads and ran as fast as could towards the Leaky Cauldron, leaving Ginny alone on the curb….
Suddenly, someone took her by the arm and pulled her toward the candle shop where Ron and Hermione were seeking cover. She craned her neck and saw a damp mess of black hair running alongside with her. Harry only released her arm when they were safely tucked under the small roof of the shop.
"Blast it! Why did it have to rain now and not when we're already in Diagon Alley!" Ron cursed, his fingers diving into the pocket of his trousers, obviously reaching for his wand, but Hermione slapped him slightly.
"Muggles," she mouthed, cocking her head towards Harry and Ginny.
Ginny looked over Harry's shoulders, and sure enough, there was an old Muggle couple standing beside them, shivering in the cold. Her eyes met Harry's; he gave him a small smile, a sort of a sorry one for being stuck in the rain.
"Where's Fred and George?" Hermione asked.
"They ran off straight to the Leaky Cauldron," Ginny replied, taking out her handkerchief from her pocket and began wiping her face dry.
Hermione shrugged, surveying the heavy rain. "I guess we have to wait here until it subsides."
Ron groaned but said nothing in protest. He then wrapped his arms around his girlfriend and pulled his coat over their heads.
It was only then that Ginny realized the shop's roof was not wide enough to give them complete shelter from the rain. Water still fell over their heads, soaking them even more. A shiver ran through her body, making her rub the sides of her arms for warmth.
"Here," Harry said, taking his coat off. He threw it over them and hitched it up over their heads.
"Thanks," Ginny said, smiling up at him before she snuggled closer to Harry and automatically wrapped her arms around his waist, as if it was a normal thing for her to do.
Instant warmth coursed through her, together with the sudden blush that crept onto her cheeks. Ginny looked down, pretending to be checking the state of her shoes with hopes that Harry didn't notice her reddening face. Through all the years of their friendship, this was the first time that she felt conscious of having Harry's body near hers. She hadn't noticed it when they had turned his cloak into a makeshift umbrella when it had rained hard while they had been on their way back to the Hogwarts castle after visiting Hagrid during her fifth year. Or the time when it had also rained while they had been strolling in Hogsmeade, or when they had been in Diagon Alley doing some errand for her mum. It hadn't bothered her then; why was this bothering her now?
She slowly raised her head, sneaking up a glance at Harry, who happened to be looking at her, too. Their eyes met and Ginny felt like she was swimming into an unending greenness, drowning her as their eyes locked into what seemed like a trance. She suddenly became aware of Harry's arm around her shoulders as he kept his coat above their heads, of his breath near her ears, of his lean frame against her slender ones, of his heart beating in perfect rhythm with hers.
As they continued to gaze into each other's eyes, Ginny noticed that there was something different in the expression he was wearing. Sure, they had caught each other's eyes once in awhile before, but he never had that look he had now. It was wistful, yearning, wishing.
Then, as if on cue, Harry's voice rang inside her mind.
"No, it's never ever gonna be the same when we hug for warmth from the cold of the rain. Yet I'm not gonna move on, not gonna change. Though, I find it hard to say…"
Ginny felt that her heart had stopped beating, her breath had caught up in her throat as she recalled the song he sang-and dedicated to her-earlier that evening.
"What would you do if I'm not the friend I used to be . . . I'm someone different from the one that you knew, had nothing to feel for you . . ."
Could it… could it be that he used the song to tell her what he feels? Don't be ridiculous. It's just a song, Ginny, she reminded herself. Just a song.
They stood in silence as her eyes gingerly searched his for a clue-any clue that would solve the puzzle in her mind. And there it was, that look. That same yearning look she had caught him giving her while singing the song. The look that was captured in the twins' camera, the one that made her think that she was only putting meaning into little things. But now, it couldn't be denied. It was there, right in front of her eyes.
As she continued to probe his eyes, Ginny felt his arms closing in around her, pulling her closer. She, in turn, felt her own hands snaking up his body in their own accord. She didn't know if she was only imagining and wishing for it, but it felt as if Harry's fingers softly stroked her hair.
Slowly, Harry leaned over, gradually closing in the distance between their faces. Ginny could feel his breath against her skin more. Another shiver ran up her spine, and she knew it was not because of the cold. Without even realizing it, she was reaching over to meet him halfway…
"Harry, Ginny, the rain had stopped. We can go," came Hermione's voice.
They both jumped in surprise, breaking their eye contact. Ginny knew that her cheeks were flushed and she had a funny and disappointed look on her face as she stepped out of Harry's coat.
"Right," Ginny answered trying to sound as nonchalant as possible. She didn't know to whom that feigned nonchalance was directed at-at Hermione and Ron so they wouldn't realize how much they ruined her would-be moment with Harry, or at Harry himself. She didn't want him to think that what had transpired-or what could have happened-back there meant everything to her, not when she was sure that he was feeling the same way. Not when she was sure that her interpretations of his actions were right.
Harry draped his now-drenched coat on one arm and took Ginny's hand in his other as they followed Hermione and Ron towards the Leaky Cauldron before they can safely Apparate to their own flats.
Whirling thoughts once again flew inside her mind while they walked hand in hand along the curb. Why did he have to take her hand? Why couldn't they just walk together with less or no body contact at all after he tried to… after what had happened back there?
Did it mean that he did feel like what that song said he was feeling? Or was he just faking it?
"I told you, you shouldn't have made me sing," Harry said, the teasing tone had returned to his voice as if they didn't share an intimate moment, in which still made Ginny's knees feel weak whenever she remembers how intense his eyes were. "See, I made it rain."
Ginny chuckled softly, trying to hide the disappointment in her face. She was expecting him to say at least a word on what had happened. "Harry…"
Harry looked at her, his eyebrows raised in question, his usual expression back on his face. He raised his free hand and pushed his glasses up, while waiting for her to continue. "Yes, Gin?"
She looked at him in slight disbelief. How could he act so normal when she swore they could have kissed a moment ago, if not for her so-called best friend, brother, and that dratted rain had decided to ruin it for her? How could it mean nothing to him when it meant the whole world to her?
"Nothing."
Harry smiled at her, and they continued walking towards the wizarding pub in silence.
"What do I do? I think I fell in love with you."
Ginny let out a soft sigh. It was just a song, just mere song he sang. The lyrics meant nothing to him. He didn't use it to tell her what he was feeling. She was just exaggerating and putting meaning into things that were insignificant in the first place.
She was-and would always be-Ginny Weasley, Harry Potter's best friend's younger sister. No more, no less.
The minute they stepped into the Leaky Cauldron, Ron and Hermione bid farewell and Disapparated at once. Fred and George had stayed only to say good-bye to Harry and Ginny before they, too, Disapparated to their flat at Diagon Alley, leaving her alone with Harry once again.
"So, good night," she said, hoping that her voice sounded as normal as possible, and her face devoid of any traces of disappointment she had felt earlier.
"I'll see you home," Harry said, his eyes desperately trying to catch hers.
But she looked away, deliberately avoiding his gaze. She nodded softly, and then felt Harry's hands closing over hers again. Hundreds of Golden Snitches fluttered inside her stomach at his touch, but she willed them away as she Disapparated and appeared the next moment at her flat's front door. A few seconds after, Harry materialized in front of her.
Ginny had no choice but to turn to him and give him a small smile. "Well, uh, thanks for dropping me off."
Harry looked at her, and if Ginny's eyes were not playing a trick on her, there was a slight hesitation on his face, as if he was contemplating if he would or would not do something. "Right. Uh, well-er-I guess I'd better go."
"Well, good night, Harry" Ginny said, turning around and reaching for her wand. She tapped her doorknob and muttered the unlocking spell.
"Ginny…"
Ginny whirled around and saw Harry still standing behind her, his eyes downcast, his hands tucked inside the pockets of his trousers. The hesitant look on his face was still here, looking like he was having a battle with himself. He let out a determined sigh before he glanced up.
"Yes, Harry?"
"Well, um, er-" he began, "there was something I forgot to do."
She flicked her eyes up to meet his and felt her heart constrict at what she saw. His face was set, his eyes in a darker shade of green than usual. She felt him move closer, his head leaning in towards her.
Ginny had to gasp for breath, but before she could say anything, Harry lowered his lips on hers. She stood frozen for a second before the sensation of his kiss took over her and made her open her lips and return his kisses. It was nothing like the ones she had before; his kisses-Harry's kisses-were soft and gentle yet she could feel thousands of emotions running through her-emotions that had been kept for so long, emotions that their hearts had tried to conceal for as long as they could remember. All coherent thought left her and everything around them seemed to vanish and all she could think of was Harry's lips locked with hers in the most perfect kiss she ever had.
She wrapped her arms around his neck as his arms circled around her waist, pulling her closer while he deepened the kiss. Ginny felt her knees go wobbly; her whole body melted as she clung more to him for support.
"Harry…" she breathed against his lips, slowly opening her eyes that she didn't notice she had closed. Harry gently broke the kiss, planting feathery light kisses along the sides of her mouth.
"Actually," he whispered, playing with the strands of her hair, a grin forming on his lips, "I don't have to go."
Ginny nodded, smiling. She released herself from Harry's arms and opened the door. "Come in."
* * *
A/N: Deepest thanks to Nyoy Volante's "What Do I Do," the song I shamelessly stolen for this fic. I couldn't find any song that fits perfectly with H/G than this one. And yes, the ending is Love Actually inspired. Much love goes to
JennaMae and
MaiJade for the beta.
This fic also goes out to Samantha, who had celebrated her birthday last month (and who "demanded" me to write her a birthday fic ;)). Sorry for the late birthday gift.