This Thing Called Love

I don't know how she did it but when I woke up, I was suddenly at my parent's manor. I immediately looked at the clock and saw that it was 1:30 am. I looked around and then saw her sitting on a rocking chair next to my bed, sleeping peacefully with a book on her lap, The Wizarding Health Book. I tried to move my arm and then I smiled when I was able to do it. I climbed off the bed and then walked silently to her. Carefully, I lifted her off the chair and then laid her on my bed, before brushing the strands of hair that went to her angelic face. After doing that, I suddenly felt this odd feeling warming up inside me. It was as if my insides were disintegrating... I immediately closed my eyes and then shook my head, before climbing back to my side of the bed.

The next morning, I woke up and then realized that I was alone. I immediately got off the bed, went looking for her, and then found her cooking in the kitchen. 'Good morning,' I said to her as I sat on the kitchen table. 'What time did you get out of bed?'

'Hello, Harry. Feeling better? Why are you up so early?'

'You were up early, not me,' I said, getting off the table and moving on her back as I placed my hands on her shoulders and leaned a little closer. 'Smells good, Ginny. What's that?' I have absolutely no idea what in the blazes is going on with me!

'Ham and eggs for breakfast,' she replied uneasily, still not facing me.

This is the wrong approach. I could feel her stiffen, so I decided to just back away, feeling a little rejected. 'Ah, er, Ginny,' I said. 'Thank you for everything.'

'Oh you don't have to say that, Harry,' she said, still not facing me. 'It's nothing. Here's breakfast. Ah, er, Harry?'

'Hmm?'

'Did I, er, well---'

'No,' I said after chewing and swallowing my ham. 'I woke up last night and then saw you sitting on the rocking chair. So, I carried you to the bed.' I looked at her. 'Don't worry. Nothing happened.'

'Oh, I see,' she breathed out. 'All---'

'Bloody hell! Anyway, I'll just go upstairs and get ready---'

'For what?'

I grinned with satisfaction once I got her attention. 'I have to go to Quidditch practice. I'm late!'

'And who told you that you could go to Quidditch practice?'

I knew that she'd react that way...

She placed her hand on her waist. 'If you want to kill yourself,' she said calmly, 'here is a knife or you could use your wand as well. That will be a lot more convenient.'

I told her that I can't stay home because of "this and that" but she refused to take that into consideration. She said that I have to rest and not be too active because I might get sick again. Ron used to complain about this behaviour of Ginny, but to be honest, I am not annoyed at all. It somehow makes me feel really good... and important... and wanted... and loved...

'You don't want to stay home? All right then, you can have a walk in the garden. With this massive house, I am certain that you'll definitely find something to do in here. You could also go to Muggle London,' she said. 'Or perhaps you could go on a---'

'Picnic?'

'Yes. Anything not as tiring as Quidditch...'

'All right then. I'll take the Muggle London and Picnic with you,' I said, grinning broadly and finishing up my delicious eggs and hot chocolate. 'Get ready. We will buy food in London and then go on a picnic in my garden and then let's watch a movie tonight.' I took one last look at her confused face before running up to my room excitedly.

We got to London at exactly 10:45 am and she loved every single thing that she saw. Like Mr. Weasley, Ginny thinks that Muggles are enthralling.

'Ah, Harry,' she whispered, staring at the cash register machine. 'Look at all those numbers! Every time she slides these items the price appears! How fascinating is that! Do you think she'll let me try? Could I try? Just one?'

'Can she try?' I asked the very confused cashier, who nodded, while the other people looked at us strangely.

She got the cheese and then slid it down the counter. 'Ah! There it goes! Amazing!'

I laughed and I asked the cashier if she could do some more and she agreed again, looking oddly at the people next to us, who shrugged but I really didn't care.

'This is the best! Does this operate with eckeltricity, you know, plugs and batteries?'

'Yes, they do operate with plugs and eckeltricity,' I responded. 'But I doubt that this operates with batteries.'

'Wow! Thanks for bringing me here.'

I got the bags and then dug into it immediately for my Mars bars. 'You want some?' I asked her, taking a huge bite from my bar.

She wrinkled her nose. 'No. What does it do to you?'

'Just taste it,' I said to her, placing the chocolate in front of her face. 'Look at me. Hmmm... it's really good, Ginny. And unlike Wizarding sweets, Muggle sweets don't do anything to you. It just gives you the satisfying taste of sugar.'

'Fine,' she said and then took a small bite. 'Hmmm... its good!'

I gave her one bar while moving my eyebrows up and down. 'I got a whole box of it! Just be careful... it's very addictive.'

We walked back to our car and then placed the bags in it when we saw a Fish and Chips sign.

'Have you tasted fish and chips?'

'No, what's that?'

'OK then, let's go to the other side of the road,' I said, holding her hand so that I could assist her as we crossed the street. 'It's a popular Muggle food.'

'I see,' she said, looking around.

I looked down to our hands once we were on the other side of the road and I couldn't help but notice how perfect her hand fits and feels on my hand. I took a deep breath and this time intertwined my fingers with hers. She did not do anything in protest so I realized that it was fine with her. I gently squeezed her hand and she squeezed mine in return, which made us both grin at each other. It really felt so fine and I bet that we looked lovely too.

We had so much fun in London that we didn't return to the manor until 8:00 pm. We immediately went upstairs.

'I had a great time, Harry,' she said.

'Are you going somewhere?' I asked her, opening the door.

'Don't you have to rest? You have to be up at 4:30 am tomorrow for practice.'

'We are going to watch a movie,' I said to her, grabbing her hand and pulling her in the room. 'That was the plan. And who told you that I'm going to work tomorrow? I still feel a little bad and... you still owe me a picnic.' I grinned.

She laughed a little... before... blushing? 'I think I have a bad influence on you...'

'You? Don't be silly. I have a bad influence on you. What do you want to watch?'

'Hold on, I'll change my clothes first, all right?'

I nodded as I began choosing the really good action movies that I have.

'What do you have?' she asked, walking towards me in her pink floral sleeveless nightdress and closing the door behind her, while pulling on her robe, and pink fuzzy slippers.

I began sliding my fingers on my huge selection. 'I have James Bond, Mission Impossible, Indiana Jones, The Matrix, mostly action or adventure films and---Oh, I didn't know that I still have this.'

'What's that?'

'Titanic,' I said. 'It belongs to Hermione. Ron asked me to keep it because he is so sick and tired of watching the bloody movie. Hermione loves it too much.'

'She does? Could we watch it then?' she asked, taking the DVD. 'Oh, who is this? He's quite attractive---' She was pointing at Kate Winslet's leading man, Leonardo DiCaprio. Hermione fancies him...

I wrinkled my nose. 'You really want to watch this? It's a really poignant movie about an unsinkable ship that fills up with water. It kind of bores me, too.'

'Hermione and I have the same taste, so yes, I'm certain. Oh, we--wait, what about this? The Ring?'

'Better,' I said as I played the movie and sat down next to her.

'Harry, tell me. How did those people fit in there? Are they under a Reduction Spell? Are they there all the time? Or are they like the Wizards in Chocolate Frogs who leaves? Are they---'

I looked at the ceiling, thinking hard for an answer, and thankfully the movie started. 'Chocolates?'

I have seen that movie a million times that's why I wasn't frightened at all, but she sure was. Her screams were surprising, very high-pitched and loud. But she looked so cute the way she gasps and cover her eyes and ears with the pillow. One minute, she is sitting next to me, the next minute she is on the floor, the next minute she would be at the back of the couch, and then sitting on the couch once again.

'I knew we should have watched the unsinkable ship one,' she said, as she buried her face on the pillow. 'I'm going to my room now. I don't want to watch it any longer---' She looked at me. 'How come you aren't scared at all?'

'I've seen this movie a million times. Anyway, all right,' I said, chuckling a little. 'I'll stop it now. You are so funny, Ginny.' I immediately turned everything off which suddenly caused the room to be very dark.

'Yikes,' she said, jumping to my side and bumping me a little bit in the process. 'Sorry,' she said, looking up to me.

I didn't say a thing though because I was suddenly too busy staring at her. Her face gleamed as the moon from the window reflected on it. I was so confused. I didn't know what was going on with me.

Her beautiful, expressive chocolate brown eyes just remained fixed on me, perhaps wondering what I was thinking or what I was going to do. Are those her eyes? I have seen her a lot before but I never noticed how beautiful her eyes were. I continued staring at her, studying every single part of her face. Her nose was small but perfect in every way. Awkwardly, I slowly leaned down to kiss her, my eyes still locked with hers.

She shifted her gaze. 'I---I---am sorry,' she said, stepping back.

Suddenly, I came back to my senses. 'No, no, it's OK. I shouldn't have---I---I---am so sorry, Ginny. That must---I'm really sorry.'

'No, it's OK,' she said softly. 'It's just that---It's just that I---I---well,' she said nervously.

'I understand,' I said, looking away from the sight of my second rejection.

'Have a goodnight then,' she said, swallowing a little.

I took a deep breath as I watched her walk out the door. 'You too. Sweet dreams.'

I would be lying if I said that I was OK after that rejection. I mean, I didn't want to do this. She was the one who needed this. I am just doing her a favour...

Suddenly, she smiled.

Despite the two rejections that I received by her that day, I smiled back because her smile made me feel good and forget about it. And that feeling scared me... she's not supposed to do that to me.