Epilogue
Title: Epilogue to The Mechanics of the Human Engine
Author: magnolia_mama
Challenge: At Hogwarts #32--During a summer holiday at the Burrow before his final year at Hogwarts, Harry discovers Sirius' motorcycle tucked away in a shed on the Weasleys' property. With Ginny's help, he gets it up and running again.
Summary: What happened after Harry and Ginny took off on Sirius' newly-repaired motorcycle?
Rating: PG
Word Count: 871
Notes/Warnings: Many thanks to bluedaisy62, who did her best to reassure me that I wouldn't be forever branded a fluff writer for posting this. And it is really fluffy. But, some of you felt the original was unfinished, so...here you go. I accept no blame for any cavities that may result. ;-D
The Mechanics of the Human Engine: Epilogue
The sky was filled with so many stars Ginny thought she'd go dizzy from looking up at them. The sun had set over an hour ago, and soon the sliver of a moon would follow it beyond the western horizon. Soon Ginny would have only the stars to illuminate her way, but as she looked down at the face of the boy whose head rested in her lap she knew they would be more than sufficient.
She had no idea where they were, only that they'd set the motorcycle down in a meadow miles east of Ottery St. Catchpole. She was tired after the day's adventures and the long ride and immediately sat down in a patch of clover with her legs curled up beside her. Harry sat too, a few feet away, but before long and much to her astonishment he soon lay his head in her lap and stretched his legs out before him, his feet crossed at the ankles. Just as the stars began to appear she found the courage to brush her fingers through his hair. Not long after that he took her free hand and brought it to his chest, where she could feel the steady beat of his heart beneath her palm.
Not a word had passed between them.
Ginny shifted her weight slightly and cleared her throat. Harry's chin tilted upward; the pale starlight reflected off his glasses. She smiled at him as she combed the fringe from his brow.
"Is something wrong?" he asked in a husky voice.
She sighed. "I wish I could see into your mind, Harry."
"What d'you mean?"
"I don’t understand what's got into you lately," she said. "You've become so...I don't know what you're going to do or say from one minute to the next."
He made an odd sort of grunting sound. "That makes two of us." His chin dropped again, but his fingers threaded more snugly with hers.
Choking back her doubts and insecurities, Ginny cleared her throat again. "Harry?"
"Hm?"
"Can I ask you something? Something personal?"
This time his whole body shifted as he turned on his side to look up at her. Ginny could almost feel the suspicion radiating off of him. "What is it?"
She took a deep breath to steel her nerves against whatever might come her way. "This-this afternoon...in the shed...why did you kiss me?"
Ginny heard his intake of breath as he returned to his previous position. His lengthy silence only fueled her agitation, but as she tried to pull her hand free his grip on it tightened. "I-I dunno," he said quietly. "Was it-should I oughtn't to've done it?"
Her lips pursed as she blew out the breath she'd been holding. "I dunno," she repeated, plucking at the clover. "I just-I hope-I don't want you turning to me just because I'm there, y'know?" She felt him shift again but couldn't bear to look at his face. "I mean, I don't want you thinking you ought to fancy me just because Ron wants you to, or just because I-I'm convenient."
Harry sat up so suddenly he almost knocked her off balance, but his hands caught her shoulders just in time. "Ginny," he said. "Ginny, look at me." She willed herself to look into his eyes half-hidden in shadow. "Whatever the reasons for what I did today, it was never about convenience." A warm flush suffused her neck and face. "I kissed you because--" He licked at his lips. "Well, because it seemed like the right thing to do at the time."
Ginny wasn't at all sure what to make of that; it was an answer that told her absolutely nothing. "Okay," she mumbled, once again picking at the clover.
"Hi, I'm Harry Potter."
She looked up at him to see that he had a hand extended forward in greeting. A mischievous smile played about his mouth. Despite her bewilderment Ginny couldn't help smiling in return. She accepted his hand. "Hi, Harry, pleased to meet you. I'm Ginny Weasley."
When she tried to pull back, however, his hand held her fast. His smile had disappeared and had been replaced by an expression of utter seriousness. "Ginny, I think I'd like to kiss you, if you don't mind."
She was quite certain her heart had stopped beating entirely. "Harry--" she breathed.
"Please?" The anxiety and doubt in his voice was unmistakable, echoing the uncertainty and insecurity she'd kept tucked away inside herself. She didn't think she could speak without losing all self-control, but he needed an answer.
Without looking at him, Ginny nodded.
First she heard the rustle of grass as he inched closer to her. Next she smelled the lingering odor of motor oil and dried sweat as he brought his hands up to cradle her cheeks. A thumb brushed against the corner of her mouth; without thinking, she turned her head to press her lips against it. He was so close she felt his sharp inhalation on her face. "Oh, Ginny," he murmured. The tip of his nose caressed hers, then his fringe swept lightly across her brow before he brought his lips into contact with hers.
She knew then that her life would never be the same.
Author: magnolia_mama
Challenge: At Hogwarts #32--During a summer holiday at the Burrow before his final year at Hogwarts, Harry discovers Sirius' motorcycle tucked away in a shed on the Weasleys' property. With Ginny's help, he gets it up and running again.
Summary: What happened after Harry and Ginny took off on Sirius' newly-repaired motorcycle?
Rating: PG
Word Count: 871
Notes/Warnings: Many thanks to bluedaisy62, who did her best to reassure me that I wouldn't be forever branded a fluff writer for posting this. And it is really fluffy. But, some of you felt the original was unfinished, so...here you go. I accept no blame for any cavities that may result. ;-D
The Mechanics of the Human Engine: Epilogue
The sky was filled with so many stars Ginny thought she'd go dizzy from looking up at them. The sun had set over an hour ago, and soon the sliver of a moon would follow it beyond the western horizon. Soon Ginny would have only the stars to illuminate her way, but as she looked down at the face of the boy whose head rested in her lap she knew they would be more than sufficient.
She had no idea where they were, only that they'd set the motorcycle down in a meadow miles east of Ottery St. Catchpole. She was tired after the day's adventures and the long ride and immediately sat down in a patch of clover with her legs curled up beside her. Harry sat too, a few feet away, but before long and much to her astonishment he soon lay his head in her lap and stretched his legs out before him, his feet crossed at the ankles. Just as the stars began to appear she found the courage to brush her fingers through his hair. Not long after that he took her free hand and brought it to his chest, where she could feel the steady beat of his heart beneath her palm.
Not a word had passed between them.
Ginny shifted her weight slightly and cleared her throat. Harry's chin tilted upward; the pale starlight reflected off his glasses. She smiled at him as she combed the fringe from his brow.
"Is something wrong?" he asked in a husky voice.
She sighed. "I wish I could see into your mind, Harry."
"What d'you mean?"
"I don’t understand what's got into you lately," she said. "You've become so...I don't know what you're going to do or say from one minute to the next."
He made an odd sort of grunting sound. "That makes two of us." His chin dropped again, but his fingers threaded more snugly with hers.
Choking back her doubts and insecurities, Ginny cleared her throat again. "Harry?"
"Hm?"
"Can I ask you something? Something personal?"
This time his whole body shifted as he turned on his side to look up at her. Ginny could almost feel the suspicion radiating off of him. "What is it?"
She took a deep breath to steel her nerves against whatever might come her way. "This-this afternoon...in the shed...why did you kiss me?"
Ginny heard his intake of breath as he returned to his previous position. His lengthy silence only fueled her agitation, but as she tried to pull her hand free his grip on it tightened. "I-I dunno," he said quietly. "Was it-should I oughtn't to've done it?"
Her lips pursed as she blew out the breath she'd been holding. "I dunno," she repeated, plucking at the clover. "I just-I hope-I don't want you turning to me just because I'm there, y'know?" She felt him shift again but couldn't bear to look at his face. "I mean, I don't want you thinking you ought to fancy me just because Ron wants you to, or just because I-I'm convenient."
Harry sat up so suddenly he almost knocked her off balance, but his hands caught her shoulders just in time. "Ginny," he said. "Ginny, look at me." She willed herself to look into his eyes half-hidden in shadow. "Whatever the reasons for what I did today, it was never about convenience." A warm flush suffused her neck and face. "I kissed you because--" He licked at his lips. "Well, because it seemed like the right thing to do at the time."
Ginny wasn't at all sure what to make of that; it was an answer that told her absolutely nothing. "Okay," she mumbled, once again picking at the clover.
"Hi, I'm Harry Potter."
She looked up at him to see that he had a hand extended forward in greeting. A mischievous smile played about his mouth. Despite her bewilderment Ginny couldn't help smiling in return. She accepted his hand. "Hi, Harry, pleased to meet you. I'm Ginny Weasley."
When she tried to pull back, however, his hand held her fast. His smile had disappeared and had been replaced by an expression of utter seriousness. "Ginny, I think I'd like to kiss you, if you don't mind."
She was quite certain her heart had stopped beating entirely. "Harry--" she breathed.
"Please?" The anxiety and doubt in his voice was unmistakable, echoing the uncertainty and insecurity she'd kept tucked away inside herself. She didn't think she could speak without losing all self-control, but he needed an answer.
Without looking at him, Ginny nodded.
First she heard the rustle of grass as he inched closer to her. Next she smelled the lingering odor of motor oil and dried sweat as he brought his hands up to cradle her cheeks. A thumb brushed against the corner of her mouth; without thinking, she turned her head to press her lips against it. He was so close she felt his sharp inhalation on her face. "Oh, Ginny," he murmured. The tip of his nose caressed hers, then his fringe swept lightly across her brow before he brought his lips into contact with hers.
She knew then that her life would never be the same.