Butter Dish

Butter Dish

"Everyone up! Breakfast in fifteen minutes!"

Molly Weasley's shout echoed through the Burrow as Harry Potter wiped the sleep from his eyes. He pushed himself up on his elbows and looked around. Sunlight streamed through the open windows, glinting off the various trophies.

This was Percy Weasley's old bedroom. He had never come back to his family, so when Dumbledore had finally given permission for Harry to leave Privet Drive after he finally turned seventeen, Molly and Arthur Weasley had handed the room over. Harry hadn't moved any of Percy's old stuff - the older boy had taken some with him, but odd trophies and cuttings still lingered.

Stretching slightly, Harry pushed the sheets back and clambered out of bed. It had been a hot night, and he was slightly sticky. He grabbed his wand from the bedside table and tucked it in his waistband. Wearing just his pyjama trousers, he padded along to the bathroom. Miraculously, no-one else had yet made it in there, so he locked the door and switched on the shower with a tap of his wand. Leaving his trousers on the floor, he stepped in the shower and started to wash his hair.

***

Upstairs, Ginny Weasley was dressing rapidly. Sixteen years of living with so many hungry brothers had taught her not to dawdle in the mornings. Not that she ever had any trouble getting up anyway; she had always thought that mornings were the best time of the day. Pulling on a new shirt, which she had bought the previous week, she raced down the stairs, hoping to beat Ron into the bathroom.

"Darn it!" she exclaimed out loud. The bathroom door was closed and locked. Showering sounds came from inside. It must be Ron, she thought. The twins never shower until after breakfast.

"You've got two minutes, Ronald Weasley, then I'm coming in!" she called through the door. She leaned against the wall, tapping her foot impatiently.

***

Harry finished rinsing his hair then stood for a minute under the shower, enjoying the jets bouncing off his head and trickling down his body. The sound of the water was strangely calming.

Reluctantly, he stepped out of the shower and switched it off. Knotting a towel around his waist, he made his way over to the sink and looked in the mirror. It was an endless joke to Ron that Harry still didn't have any facial hair. Harry rubbed his upper lip thoughtfully. He reached for his toothbrush, and grinned as he always did. With so many people in the house, Molly insisted on colour-coding their things to minimise confusion. Harry's things were all green, "to bring out the colour of his eyes". Quite why he needed a toothbrush to compliment his eye colour, Harry didn't know, but he appreciated being included with the others.

***

Ginny looked at her watch. The two minutes she had promised the occupant of the bathroom were up.

"Right, my turn!" she called, and removing an enchanted knife from her pocket, she opened the door. The knife had been a present from Harry last Christmas; he'd bought them all the same. But Ginny was pleased to receive the same as Ron and Hermione, after all, the infamous trio were usually so close, they didn't really acknowledge outsiders.

As the door swung open, the object of Ginny's thoughts turned around and looked at her in surprise.

***

Harry heard the door open and spun round, reaching for his wand. To his surprise, Ginny Weasley stood on the threshold. She was wearing her hair loose, and it tumbled over her shirt, which Harry didn't recognise. It was a deep jade green, and fit her in all the right places. Harry hoped she hadn't noticed him looking so stared fixedly over her shoulder.

"Ginny! I thought I locked the door!" he exclaimed, feeling slightly embarrassed standing in front of her in just a towel. Ginny ignored him.

"Now that's something you don't see everyday," she commented, raising her eyebrows. Harry flushed. It was true. Ron and the twins were quite happy to run around shirtless, but Harry never felt comfortable doing that. Having Ginny stare at his naked torso now only made him feel more uncomfortable.

It was a couple of minutes before Harry realised he was staring at Ginny as much as she was staring at him. And from the flush slowly creeping over her cheeks, it seemed she was aware of it. Harry wrenched his eyes away from her.

"Er...you look nice today," he ventured, studying his feet. "Is that a new top?"

He chanced a look at Ginny, who looked startled, yet gratified.

"Yes, actually, it is. I went shopping with Mum last week..." she tailed off.

They each stared anywhere but at each other for a moment before they both spoke at once.

"I'll just let you finish..."

"You use the bathroom, I'll change in..."

Still avoiding her gaze, Harry slipped out of the bathroom past her, and made his way back to his bedroom, trying not to run.

Once there, he put his head in his hands and took deep breaths. She's Ginny, you fool, he thought. You know, Ron's sister, Mrs Weasley's daughter...with six older brothers. And anyway, she doesn't feel that way about you any more. It's too late...you've missed your chance.

Harry didn't know how long he sat there, but he didn't move until Ron bellowed up the stairs that the bacon was getting cold. He pulled on a T-shirt and shorts and padded slowly down the stairs and into the kitchen.

He hesitated in the doorway. Ginny was already sitting at the table. Harry was torn. Should he pretend nothing had happened? Or should he try and show her how he felt...how he realised now he had felt for a long time.

He had to settle for smiling at her tentatively, as he took his place at the long kitchen table. Until he knew how she felt, he didn't feel he wanted to take it any further than that. But her next action made his heart leap, and confirmed what he wanted to know.

Ginny Weasley put her elbow in the butter dish.