The Letter

Chapter 3

Ginny was very confused. It had been a few days since Harry had told Ginny how he felt, and they had kissed and held each other for a long time. But since they had walked hand-in-hand back to the common room that morning, Harry had vehemently been avoiding her like the plague! Every time she had attempted to make conversation with him over the past few days, he had made some lame excuse and darted away. Judging from the way Ron and Hermione were acting, he obviously hadn't told them about their little "chat," although they seemed to pester him almost continually about it. Though, why he didn't just tell them was a mystery to Ginny. Every time they'd come close to hinting that there might be something developing between him and Ginny, he would either profusely deny it, or change the subject. So far, they hadn't questioned Ginny, and she wasn't sure, giving how Harry was acting, what she'd even say if they did.

Ginny was sitting in an armchair by the fire, listening to Harry, Ron and Hermione talking animatedly about Quidditch. Since her back was to them, she couldn't really see them. And since the chair was so big, and Ginny, still being a relatively small person, was almost hidden in it, she doubted very much if they knew she was there. Ginny was just starting to nod off when she caught a snippet of the conversation behind her that made her freeze and listen with all her might.

"So Harry, you ever going to tell us what you chatted about with Ginny yesterday?" Said Ron, jeeringly.

"No," said Harry flatly. From his tone, it was obvious that he did not want to continue the conversation on this new topic.

"Come on Harry, we know there is something you're not telling us. Is there something going on with you and Ginny? She seems a lot keener to talk to you lately. She used to be so shy before…" Hermione piped up. Ginny cringed. Is that how everyone thought of her? As…shy? She shook her head and continued to listen.

"Listen guys," Harry said acidly "there is nothing going on between me and Ginny. Why would there be? First off, she's practically still a stupid little girl! Second, she's your little sister, Ron! Do you know how…weird…it would feel to be involved with her? I mean she's pretty much like a sister to me!" Ron made a somewhat defensive noise, but Hermione must have said something to stop Ron from completely jumping on Harry.

Ginny's jaw dropped open and she could feel the beginnings of tears forming at the corners of her eyes. She was in a state of complete disbelief and heartache at his harsh words. She got up and walked past their table, not bothering to hide her tears, or her anger. She didn't even look at Harry, but she felt his eyes follow her to the stair well. As soon as she got a little ways into the stairs, and was sure that Harry couldn't see her anymore, she flew up the stairs, into her dormitory and threw herself onto her bed, pulling the hangings shut. She buried her face in the depths of her pillow and cried.

***

The next morning, Ginny's whole body ached from crying. She had cried with such passion that night, that she was afraid that her soul itself would flee from her body in fear. She had given her heart to Harry, and this is what she got. Well, I did tell myself not to expect too much, she thought bitterly as she rinsed her face with water, and changed into her robes. What Ginny didn't understand is what would have caused Harry to have such an abrupt change of attitude. Sighing, she left her dorm and headed for breakfast. She walked into the common room to find that everyone else had already gone down to the Great Hall. Except for a black-haired boy with green eyes who sat in an armchair, staring into space as if waiting for someone. As soon as he saw Ginny, Harry leapt to his feet. Ginny faltered at the pained look on his face as he saw Ginny's puffy red eyes, but she kept walking.

"Ginny…" he said walking after her.

"Go away, Harry," she said coldly, walking faster.

"I didn't mean it, what I said last night," he said, reaching for her arm. Ginny swiftly moved it out of his reach and kept walking, out through the portrait hole and into the corridor.

"I don't care Harry. Leave me alone." And with that she took off running, leaving Harry standing dumbly in front of the fat lady.

***

Harry continued in this fashion for the rest of the day. He tried to talk to Ginny, but she ignored him. He begged her, pleaded with her to let him explain, but Ginny frankly didn't want to hear it. It was after lunch when Ginny was on her way to potions that Harry approached her again in the crowded corridor.

"Ginny, please listen to me!" Harry said, grabbing her arm and spinning her about to face him. She tried to keep her face calm and stony, but that was hard considering the rush of emotion she had to contain from the feel of his hand on her bare skin.

"Harry, just leave me alone," Ginny said, trying to pull out of his grasp. He, in turn, tightened his grip on her arm and pulled her closer. Ginny's eyes got wide, and for an instant felt a pang of fear at the somewhat deranged look on Harry's face.

"Just listen to me, will you?" he said, looking around. People in the busy corridor were giving them suspicious looks. "Come with me to the common room so we can talk about this," he said quietly, obviously not wanting to be overheard.

"And skip potions?" she said incredulously, not bothering to keep her voice down like Harry. "Do you want Snape to skin me alive?" she paused for a moment to mull over her own question. "But after what I heard you say last night, you obviously don't care." Harry looked as if he'd been slapped. Ginny took advantage of this and pushed him away.

"Leave me alone Harry! I don't care what you have to say, just leave... me... alone!" And she stormed off, the corridor emptying rapidly. Harry ran and caught up with her, just as she was making her way down to the dungeons. He grabbed her hand and pulled her back up the stairs and down the corridor.

"Harry, let go of me! Let go!" she screamed, punching and kicking him. Ginny noticed with muted pride how strong he was, to be able to pull a kicking, screaming, punching, biting, girl up seven or eight flights of stairs. Harry said nothing until they reached the portrait hole, where he gave the password and roughly, though he was trying to be gentle, shoved Ginny in and closed it behind them. Ginny slumped morosely on a couch and crossed her arms. Harry was panting from the effort of dragging Ginny all the way to the common room, and dabbing at the cut on his lip from where Ginny had punched him, only moments before. She wanted nothing more than to help mop up that horrible cut, but held herself back as she remembered why she did it.

"So, you beat me up," he said darkly, looking Ginny in the eye. She could feel herself going red. "Now will you listen to me?"

Ginny sighed. "All right. I suppose. Make it quick though…maybe I can still manage to make it back to potions…" she said distractedly, looking at her feet. Harry came over and sat down on the couch next to her.

"Ginny, I am so sorry," he said quietly, planting a soft kiss on her temple. They both winced: Harry with pain from the cut on his lip, and Ginny at the internal struggle going on inside her. "I don't know what made me say those things."

"It wasn't only those things you said that made me upset," Ginny said, more savagely than she had intended. "It was the whole way you had been treating me since we kissed in the Charms room. Since…since you told me how you felt." Ginny bit her lip and waited with bated breath for his response. A part of Ginny's mind, which she quickly subdued, wondered whether or not it was worth hearing what he had to say for himself.

"It was just…" he trailed off, running his hands through his already tousled hair. "I was scared," he finished lamely.

"Of what?" Ginny asked, utterly bewildered. Why would he be scared? She didn't understand.

"Of how everyone else would react. Especially Ron. You know how protective of you he is. What would he say if he found out…found out…all the…all my…"he trailed off incoherently as he shook his head, putting his face in his hands. Of course…Ginny hadn't even bothered to think about how Ron would react to his best friend dating his younger sister. Ginny scowled when she thought of how protective Ron was of her, even now. She was only a year younger than him, after all. She had to admit though, he had lightened up quite a bit, once he got used to the idea of Ginny dating people. She was snapped back out of her thoughts by the last few words that Harry had mumbled.

"Found out all the…all your…what?" she said, raising her eyebrows. Harry lifted his face from his hands, and smiled mischievously. To Ginny's amazement, he was blushing at the same time.

"All the things I want to do with you, and all the feelings I have for you," Harry mumbled, avoiding Ginny's eyes. She reached out and took his hand and squeezed it in hers. He lifted his face and finally looked at her. Ginny realized in that instant that she wasn't mad at Harry. She never was mad at Harry. She realized that she was madder with herself for putting her heart out there and expecting much more from Harry than was reasonable. She should have expected him to act like this. She felt a bolt of guilt shoot through her heart as she saw the look of complete innocence and passion that Harry had splayed all over his face. His green eyes caught her brown ones and she swore he could see right inside her head, to her most private thoughts. This feeling caused her breath to catch at the back of her throat. She did the only thing that seemed to make sense at that moment - she leaned closer and kissed him.