This Thing Called Love

After the bathroom incident, I thought that I'd never ever be able to face her again. I was so ashamed of myself... bursting into the bathroom, just like that? What an idiot! But then again, I heard her scream; I didn't know that she was well... scarcely dressed. It's not like I planned on seeing her dressed like that... I was...

Damn, I thought. I shouldn't be thinking about that. I am training at the moment... but I just can't seem to take the image of Ginny's magnificent long legs... her tall and slim figure... her rosy freckled skin... and the pink towel wrapped around her body... I can't seem to take this image away from my mind...

Ginny Weasley is... gorgeous...

'POTTER! What the hell are you doing over there when the Snitch is over there?!' shouted someone from below. 'POTTER?! What in the blazes is going on with you? If you do not want to be Seeker anymore, just tell me. I'll be more than glad to replace you.'

I looked at my coach right away and then flew to the direction that he pointed. 'Sorry,' I called, cursing under my breath.

'FOCUS! CONCENTRATE EVERYONE!' he shouted, waving his hand in frustration.

Oliver just gave me a pity look and then shrugged, mouthing, 'Don't mind the stupid git.'

'Would you mind sharing with us, Wood?!' he shouted again. 'Looks like what you are telling Potter is very interesting.'

Oliver and I just looked at each other but didn't say a thing.

For not catching the Snitch in five minutes, I was asked to stay as long as I manage to catch the Snitch in five minutes for ten consecutive times. I got home at exactly midnight. I was tired but I still couldn't sleep. So I decided to go out to the terrace to breathe in some air. And I was so surprised to see her there in her pink long-sleeved knee length nightdress and pink furry slippers. We shared a terrace. I sleep in the master's bedroom, my parent's room, and she sleeps in my supposed - to - be room if my parents were alive. I just watched her first... enjoying every single minute of it.

'One hundred, one hundred and one, two, three stars...'

'Can't sleep?' I asked her when I finally had the courage to speak, feeling as if my insides were disintegrating. She nearly jumped off her seat. 'I am so sorry---I did not mean to frighten you.'

She massaged her chest and then smiled.

'I'm really sorry,' I said nervously, chuckling a little. I lay on the hedge of the terrace, resting my head on my hand.

'It's all right,' she said and then went back staring in the sky. 'Ah, Harry---I'm sorry for---'

'Sorry? Sorry for what?' I asked, knitting my eyebrow.

'I'm sorry that you had to... ah, er, I'm sorry for everything.'

I sat up and then looked at her. 'Everything? What do you mean, Virginia Weasley?'

'Well, um, it's just that Ron told me that you did not like this house very much---and now you moved out of Sirius' house and moved here---'

'Because of you?'

'Um, yes,' she replied.

'Well then, you should be,' I said seriously and I swear in Merlin's name that she was about to cry when I said that. But I was only joking. She didn't get the joke though.

She swallowed hard and then began blinking her eyes.

'Great Merlin! Ginny, I was only joking,' I coaxed, moving to the seat next to her. I swear in Merlin's name that when I sat next to her, my stomach suddenly felt... odd... 'I don't understand why you think that you should apologize to me. You did nothing wrong. It isn't your fault, OK? OK? I should, er, be the one to er, apologize---I'm sorry for bursting into the bathroom. I, er, heard you scream and---'

'Hmm, it's all right,' she said softly. Her eyes scanned the surroundings, obviously unwilling to talk about the topic. 'You have, er, a very fine house.'

Hold on a minute... Is she talking to me?

'I know,' I said. 'I didn't even know that it belonged to me.'

'How come?'

Blimey! She really is talking to me!

'I did not know that my parents was this wealthy,' I told her. 'I was greatly shocked when the lawyer showed me this---and another vault key at Gringott's. I could not believe that it was all mine. You are probably wondering why I don't live here, aren't you?'

She smiled. 'Um, yes.'

Here we go again with the non-stop Yes... No... Uh-huh...

'Well, it is such a big and empty house. It reminds me of how alone I am... that I am... Well... But I am not alone anymore. That is why I moved here because you will be here to keep me company,' I said. 'By the way, Ginny? Your favourite sugarquill is Honey Lemon, right?'

She slightly raised her eyebrows at me. 'Yes.'

I grumbled in my mind. 'I, er, got this for you on my way home,' I said, handing her a pack with two dozen sugarquills.

Her eyes twinkled. 'Thank you.' She began to unwrap one and then placed it in her mouth. 'Would you like to have some?'

She talked again!

'Hmmm... all right,' I said.

She unwrapped one and then handed it to me. 'Good, isn't it?'

So, sugarquills are her weakness...

'Really good,' I said.

'So, how was your day?' she asked. 'I mean how was Quidditch practice?'

I was surprised by her sudden interest on my day. I just stared at her as she twirled the sugarquill inside her mouth. 'Oh, I reckon that it went well,' I said, shrugging.

She raised her eyebrows. 'Are you sure? I know I am not Ron, Hermione or Neville but if you want to talk---'

'Well, I don't think,' I said, grabbing her generous offer. 'I don't think that our coach likes me.'

'Blimey! He's mental then.'

I chuckled. 'I can't believe that you just said that. For once I thought you were Ron, but then I realize that this pretty girl can never be my best friend Ron.'

I suddenly frowned at myself. Why the hell did I say that? It sounded as if I was flirting with her... my best friend's sister! But the weird thing is that I actually meant what I just said. I didn't just say it to be polite to her or as a joke. She really is beautiful... Well, not beautiful beautiful like Parvati and Padma, Fleur, Cho, Pansy, Angelina or Katie. But there is something in her that seems beautiful to me and I noticed that mystery to me... long ago. I just, I don't know. I praised Ginny's legs once, together with Seamus, and we both earned a dirty and annoyed look from Ron. I never dared to say anything about her again. Besides, I knew that she fancied me. Who knows? Maybe she still does. I just don't want to get labelled as someone who takes advantage of people. Also, there is this code between friends that you are not supposed to go out with their baby sister. Did I just say go out? What the--- Anyway, she blushed and I loved it so much when she blush because she look so cute and charming and lovely and... I could go on forever. Great Merlin, my stomach... something's in it...

'You are blushing,' I told her. 'Don't tell me that no one ever said that you are pretty---' I continued. What the hell am I saying?!

'Sod off,' she said which made us both laugh.

'No, really. Someone has told you that you are pretty, right?'

She wrinkled her nose. 'Mum, Dad, Fred and George, Percy, Bill, Charlie and most of all, Ron claims that I am the prettiest girl in their life. Well, they all did until, you know....'

'They got married and had their girlfriends,' I continued.

'Yes,' she said. 'Apparently, I got demoted... I am now the prettiest sister, not the prettiest girl in their life.'

I chuckled. 'Only family members? What about Neville? He took you to the ball once. And what about Colin?' I teased.

'Harry,' she gasped uncomfortably, shifting her position a little. 'They are just my friends,' she said tediously.

'Friends?' I laughed. 'Of course... But seriously? They never---'

'We are just friends,' she said to me again. She unwrapped another sugarquill. 'Neville and Colin only took me because they had no one.'

I was trying to increase her self-esteem. 'No they didn't,' I said dismissively. 'I know for a fact that they took you because they wanted to go with you. Just so you know, I would have taken you to one of our balls if---you are my age.' I looked away and winced. That was a dumb excuse. Come to think of it, I am only a year older than her. That is not really a big deal. It was as a matter of fact kind of an ideal age for two people that are going out.

She didn't say anything.

'What is going on? Boys at Hogwarts are totally missing something---Well then, add me to your family. Harry Potter finds Ginny Weasley cute and pretty,' I continued before I could even stop myself. What the hell am I saying? I winced again.

I am really flirting with her...

'You are so polite.'

Silence.

And then we both laughed.

She looked at me. 'Since you are so interested about other people's life, how is your life going?'

'Me?'

'A-huh.'

'Well, you really want to know?' I warned. 'It's not very exciting, you know.'

'Not exciting? I don't think Rita Skeeter would get out of her way just to see what's going on with you if your life is not exciting,' she said knowingly.

'She's crazy,' I said, rolling my eyes. 'Mad woman who invents things... Did you read today's paper? She just wrote another article saying that I only got the Seeker's position because I had connections. Dumbledore, to be exact. All she does is destroy my name.' I was getting frustrated. 'Imagine the title of the article?! What Harry Wants, Harry Gets through Dumbledore. She's trying to make me sound as if I am some spoiled brat---and poor Dumbledore.'

'Harry,' she said alarmingly. 'I am so sorry. I didn't mean to---'

'No, no, no! I'm so sorry I poured everything on you. I just had a tough day. First, the article and then my coach... I worked hard to be where I am right now. That has been my dream, you know. Anyway, my coach is another issue...'

'You say he is not fond of you, eh? Hmm... I think that, well, maybe he just wants you to know where you should be. He is the trainer and you are the trainee,' she said.

'Now you are talking,' I said, looking at her.

'I'm sorry, I'll shut my mouth now---'

'It's just that you are too quiet. Ron told me that you never shut up. We are in the same house but the only conversation that we've had was me asking you if you've seen the person that I was looking for. Even at the Burrow, I never get to talk to you too. You should talk more often. What I mean is, I like that.'

'What? Talking to me or me being talkative?'

'Both.'

We talked and talked that night. We talked about Hogwarts, Muggle and Wizarding World, Quidditch, her day and my day, and everything else that we could think of. And I swear that the one we had was one of the best conversations that I've ever had in my entire life. I never thought that she was capable of a very entertaining discussion. We were beginning to feel comfortable towards each other. But my stomach... still felt too queer for my liking...

She reached for a sugarquill. 'No more?'

'You finished it all? That's two dozen, Ginny! I only ate one!'

'Well, I could eat a whole building of Honey Lemons if I want too,' she said and then she yawned. 'Now, it's your entire fault. I was trying to quit Honey Lemon. You got me hooked again.'

'My fault?' I said light-heartedly.

'Yes, it is your fault.' She crossed her eyes and then stuck out her tongue, which made me laugh. I had no idea that she was capable of being goofy. And I had no idea that someone looked that cute with... crossed eyes. I started making my own crazy faces as well.

I started to yawn but I did not want to go to bed yet. This is too good to end. I looked at my watch. 'Bloody hell! It's 3:30 am!'

'Is it? I can't believe that we stayed up this late talking,' she said and she yawned again, 'and being silly.'

'So do I,' I said, yawning again. 'We should go and sleep.'

'We really should,' she said, 'since we are expected at The Burrow tomorrow for Katie's birthday.'

'I can't believe it,' I said, 'Katie Bell is Katie Weasley now---'

'And expecting,' she added. 'George told me she has been a little cranky lately.'

'Is that so? Katie? Cranky? I get along really well with her, Angelina and Alicia but Katie is like a sister to me. She's the most normal one of all the Gryffindor chasers... Angelina is like the girl version of Fred.'

'I think that that's what happens when a woman is pregnant. Well, mum said that she was also like that when she was expecting Charlie and the twins.'

'I think that your mum was always cranky ever since the twins was born.'

'Maybe just a little bit,' she said, giggling. 'Those were the rascals but we will never be The Weasleys without them... even if they tried setting my hair on fire once...'

'They did? Those two---'

'And Ron being my saviour pour his glass of pumpkin juice on my hair,' she continued, 'before shouting, You've killed her, you insufferable gits! Oh, Ginny! Oh, Ginny!'

'Typical Ron.' I was laughing so hard that I nearly fell off. 'How old were they then?'

'I was almost eight, Ron was nine and the twins were eleven years old.'

We continued on talking once again until 4:30 am again. By that time we were both so sleepy and tired to open our mouths and talk. I stood up and then walked her to her glass door. 'Goodnight,' I said to her, sliding the door open. 'I really had a good time.'

'Me too and goodnight,' she said. She was about to close the door, but I stopped her.

'Do you think we could do it again?' I asked hopefully.

'I'd love to,' she said. 'Goodnight.'

I actually thought that leaving Sirius' house and staying here with Ginny would be such a bore. I never thought that I'd ever enjoy her company. I was absolutely wrong.

I couldn't help but think that this wasn't a bad idea after all. I couldn't help but think about the sugarquills and what they could do to her. I walked towards my room with an inerasable grin on my face, which I wore until I fell asleep.

Since then, I was always spotted at Hogsmeade or Diagon Alley, getting all the Honey Lemon sugarquills that I could get hold of.