A Matter of Circumstance

Chapter 8 - Discoveries

Returning to the house with Ron, Harry found Hermione helping Mrs. Weasley to clean up the kitchen. He chuckled to himself as Ron quickly made his way out of the room to escape possible kitchen duty. Lingering by the table, Harry watched as Ginny emerged from the larder. He was entranced, just watching her move about the room putting things away. She glanced up and met his eyes, giving him a small smile. Before he'd even had a chance to return the smile, she'd looked away and resumed cleaning.

Harry picked up a stack of dishes from the table and walked with them to the sink. As he laid them on the counter, a hand on his arm caused him to start. He turned to find Hermione standing close to him, with a questioning look on her face.

"It's okay, Hermione. Ron's fine... he just needed some time to think things through," Harry softly reassured her while covering her hand with his own. "He's just really concerned about Ginny."

"I'm worried about you, too, Harry," she replied with sympathy in her eyes. "It will be okay... we'll get this all sorted out soon."

"I know," he replied with a wan smile, "thanks." Harry was grateful that Hermione seemed to realize he really didn't want to talk about everything that was going on. It was hard enough carrying around the guilt that he did. It was becoming more arduous to maintain his aplomb with each new conversation. He felt like he had retold this story a hundred times, each more difficult than the last. Now that they had finally reached the end of the list of people who needed to be briefed, he felt a modicum of relief. At least for now.

"Is there anything I can help with?" Harry asked Mrs. Weasley who was charming the broom to sweep under the table.

"Oh no, dearie," she answered with a smile. "That's so sweet of you to offer, but you go visit with Ron and the boys. We've more than enough wands in here."

His offer declined, Harry wandered back into the lounge where he was surprised to find all of the brothers still there. The five young men were standing in front of the fireplace deep in whispered debate. Knowing they were most likely talking about the spell, he felt his stomach turn.

As he approached the group, the conversation broke off and Harry had the distinct impression they had been specifically discussing him. Before he could question them, George called out, "Harry! We were just thinking of starting up a game of exploding snap. Care to join us?"

Harry noticed Fred elbowing George in his side but was distracted by Bill announcing, "I don't know, boys... it is getting kind of late. I promised Fleur I would be home long before midnight."

"Look at the time," Percy quickly added, "it's nearly eleven!"

Harry couldn't put his finger on exactly what about their behavior was bothering him, but the brothers were definitely acting peculiar. Glancing at Ron, he noticed his friend was blushing to the roots of his hair and looking very uncomfortable.

"Do you have practice in the morning?" queried Fred. Harry turned to face him. "I mean, we wouldn't want you to stay up too late. Can't keep Montrose's Seeker from getting in a good practice before an important match!"

Harry frowned in suspicion. "Yes... I have practice in the morning. Look... what's going on--"

"There you go! I'm sure you have important things you need to take care of before hitting the sack," Bill piped in, as if his statement closed any discussion.

It was clear to Harry that something was up with the Weasley brothers and he was going to get to the bottom of it. He noticed how difficult it was to maintain eye contact with any one of them, and the way they stood before him, nervously glancing at the clock one moment, then the stairs the next made his irritation grow. He was tired of this odd behavior, he was tired of this whole damn situation... he was just plain tired. Harry decided right then he wasn't going to play this game anymore

With clenched teeth, he took Ron by the arm and pulled him out of the lounge and to the bottom of the stairs.

"What the bloody hell is going on, Ron?" he demanded, rounding on his friend.

"Er..." Swallowing hard, Ron stammered, "Look, mate... we... that is Bill, Percy and the twins--" His face had gone pale and he shifted nervously on his feet. "Well... I didn't agree--"

"Spit it out, Ron," Harry ground out.

"Er... don't you need..." Ron closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Don't you need to... get together with Ginny... soon?" He re-opened his eyes but refused to meet Harry's.

Anger turned to mortification as what Ron had said sank in. "Do you mean to tell me," he began in a withering voice, "that all of you have stayed around to make sure that Ginny and I... took care of things before midnight?"

Ron winced. "Well... it's not like we planned on watching or anything! We're just concerned..."

Harry shook his head and sighed in exasperation. "Do you honestly think that I would drag Ginny upstairs and shag her... with you lot waiting around down here?"

"You have to," Ron hissed, with an edge of panic in his voice, "it's getting late. We'll all leave if you want. You just can't risk waiting until the last minute."

Oh... this was uncomfortable. Harry had no desire, whatsoever, to announce to Ron that he and Ginny had already taken care of that for the day. He also didn't relish the idea of explaining that Ginny was now living with him. But he had to say something before Ron became apoplectic.

"Ron," he began, "we've been friends for a very long time. You do trust me, don't you?" Ron nodded and opened his mouth to speak but Harry barreled on. "Do you trust me enough to realize that I would never do anything to intentionally harm your sister?" Please don't make me spell it out for you, he prayed as he watched Ron's expression change from worry to confusion.

When a look of understanding finally crossed Ron's face and he nodded, Harry almost felt faint with relief. Still, he had one more bridge to cross and he didn't want to give Ron any opportunity to start asking questions. "There is something else I need to tell you..." he prefaced, "and understand that your parents, Ginny and I have already discussed it and agreed -- so it's not up for debate." With more than a little trepidation, Harry took a breath and pushed on. "Ginny has moved in with me for the time being. There are a lot of good reasons that I don't want to get into... the most important is, it will make this whole thing easier on both Ginny and me."

Harry held his breath as his friend considered his words. Ron appeared to be at a loss for what to say. Finally he placed a hand on Harry's shoulder and said, "I can't say I really understand, mate. But seeing it's not open for discussion... well... just do whatever you need to do to keep you and Ginny safe."

Harry breathed a sigh of relief. "Thanks." Deciding to let Ron and his brothers think whatever they wanted, he added, "I think I'll see if Ginny is ready to go home now. Will you tell the others we're leaving... and everything?"

"Sure, I'll take care of it. I'll see you at the match tomorrow."

"'Night, Ron."

Harry found Ginny still in the kitchen. She was sitting alone at the table, holding a cup of tea and appeared to be lost in thought. She looked weary to Harry and he once more felt a pang of regret over their current circumstances. Thinking she could use the same good night's sleep that he was wishing for, he approached her. "I was about to head home. Are you ready... or did you want to stay here tonight?"

"Oh no, please take me away from this place," she replied, looking at him with desperation. "I've had quite enough for one night, thank you very much."

Harry held out his hand to Ginny and she rose from her chair. As she slipped her hand into his, he gave her an encouraging smile. "Ron is going to tell your brothers that we are leaving. Did you want to find your mum to say good-bye?"

Shaking her head, she replied, "She's in the back garden with Hermione. I told her I'd be leaving when you were ready." With a determined look in her eyes, she added, "Let's just slip away." Ginny took her hand from Harry's and pulled her wand from her robe. "Apparate from here?" she asked.

As he took his own wand out, Harry replied, "Sounds good to me. See you in a minute." And with that he disappeared with a soft pop.

*****

There was a peaceful silence as Harry and Ginny walked upstairs together. Although he had always found comfort in his home, tonight, for some reason, he felt especially content. At the door to Ginny's room, they stopped. With her hand on the latch, Ginny turned to Harry and smiled shyly. "Thank you... for letting me stay here," she said softly.

A warmth spread throughout Harry and he stepped closer to her without thinking about it. It was as if he was drawn to her like a magnet. Part of his mind was telling him that he had no business invading her personal space; she was an engaged woman and belonged to another man... not his by any right. He found himself so close to her that he could feel the heat coming off her body and it made his head spin. It was as if he were a mere onlooker watching from a distance. Ginny tilted her head up to look at him, her face only a few inches from his own. He was vaguely aware of thinking it would take hardly any movement at all to simply lean down and capture her lips. That thought had barely registered with him before he became aware that he had already done so.

It was a tender kiss, almost chaste, but it filled Harry with such longing. He desperately wanted to crush his body up against hers, pinning her to the door while he sampled the sweetness of her mouth. Instead, he allowed the reality of the situation to settle in and he gently pulled his lips from her. Stepping back, he realized that he had not yet responded to her 'thank you'... at least not verbally. Ginny seemed momentarily paralyzed. Her head still tilted up, her eyes still closed. Fighting the urge to kiss her again, and willing his body back under control, he finally whispered, "Anything for you, Gin."

At his words, she opened her eyes and looked at him. With a sad smile, she nodded her head, opened the door to her room, and stepped inside. As she turned around to close the door, she softly said, "Goodnight, Harry." Harry waited until her door had clicked shut before he turned to continue on to his room.

After a quick shower, Harry slid between the cool sheets of his bed and took a deep breath to relax himself. After the tiring day he had, he had hoped he would be able to fall right to sleep. Unfortunately, in the quiet of his room his mind began to play over the events of the day and he found his contentment slipping away.

The events of the morning seemed like they'd happened ages ago. Harry recalled the pain he'd felt when he'd seen his sheets; his mixed feelings at Ginny's letter; the restlessness he'd experienced attempting to wile away his morning. He once again felt the sinking pit of guilt remembering Ginny and Mark at the Leaky Cauldron.

Trying to shake himself from his memories, Harry rolled onto his side and nuzzled his head into his pillow. Doing so once again brought the faint scent of Ginny's perfume wafting to his nostrils. The fragrance triggered thoughts of their encounter this afternoon and his concern over her discomfort.

This isn't working, he thought. Heaving a sigh, Harry sat up in bed and, using his wand, lit the candle on his bedside table. Perhaps reading for a bit might take his mind off of his troubles, he thought. Slipping his glasses back on, he opened the drawer in his night stand to retrieve the book he kept there for late-night reading. Lying on top of the assorted items he kept in this drawer was the small book Dumbledore had given him only yesterday.

Harry picked up the ancient-looking book thinking that perhaps it might contain some information he would find helpful for Ginny. He settled back against his pillows with the book and opened it to the table of contents. Near the top of the list of chapters, Harry notice one entitled Beginning the Journey - Making Love for the First Time. Thinking this might be the place to start, he opened to the chapter and began reading:

Chapter 2: Beginning the Journey - Making Love for the First Time

Whether you are a Witch or a Wizard, your first foray into the world of sexual intimacy is a very special time. If you are like most, you are a bit afraid of your first time making love. This chapter is designed to help ease you into making your first sexual experience as painless and enjoyable for both you and your partner as possible. There are five main areas we will examine when preparing for your special occasion. These areas are: understanding your partner's body; sexual response; expectations and myths; planning ahead; and techniques.

An hour later, Harry blinked his bleary eyes and finally placed the book back into the drawer of his bedside table. Aside from being tired, he thought he had a very good idea of what he needed to do in order to help Ginny with the discomfort she had been feeling. The only problem would be trying to explain it to her.

Harry removed his glasses, placed them on the table and blew out the candle. Slipping back down under his covers and settling in, he yawned. He hoped he would finally be able to sleep... tomorrow would be a busy day.

*****

Harry's first conscious thought was that there was nothing nicer that waking up to bright sunshine, cool air and the smell of bacon frying. He stretched languidly as his stomach rumbled loudly. For a brief moment he was confused as to why he smelled food cooking when he was still in bed, but it didn't take long for him to remember that Ginny was there and realize that she must be making breakfast. No more wandering around starkers, he thought to himself. When his stomach gurgled again, Harry chuckled to himself. I can live with that if it means waking up to food smelling this good. Intent on satisfying his empty stomach, he got up from the bed and threw on his dressing gown. As he was walking to the loo, there came a faint knocking on his bedroom door.

"Harry? Are you awake?"

Checking to make sure his dressing gown was tied securely at the waist, Harry walked to the door and opened it. That feeling of warmth and contentment he'd experienced the night before flooded him once more as he looked down at the petite redhead. She seemed a bit startled to be suddenly face-to-face with his chest but quickly looked up and smiled sheepishly. Harry leaned against the doorjamb and returned her smile.

"Good morning," he said in a low voice.

"Morning," she returned. "I wasn't sure how early you got up, but I figured you might have a final practice before the match tonight." She fidgeted a bit and her eyes kept roaming to where the lapels of his dressing gown gaped open.

"Yes, I do," he answered. His eyes crinkled in amusement as he continued to watch her squirm to keep her attention on his face.

"Well... I... I see you're up," she stammered and eased back a bit from him, "there's breakfast ready... if you want some." She tore her eyes from him and turned toward the stairs.

"Thank you," he replied as his eyes wandered over her form. The long red curls trailing down her back seemed to draw his attention right to her backside. She wore the satin dressing gown he had bought for her and the silky fabric seemed to drape and hug the curve of her hips and bottom as she walked away. He caught himself as he began to envision running his hands along those curves and he mentally slapped himself. "I'll be right down," he quickly called after her.

Ginny had prepared a large breakfast of bacon, eggs and toast. The food was excellent and they enjoyed a light conversation as they ate their meal together. Harry found himself wishing they didn't have to get to practice. Sharing breakfast with her felt so natural... so pleasant. He could imagine doing this every morning for the rest of his life. Heaviness filled his chest as he realized it would never be with her. She would be having this special time with her husband... with Mark. Harry was surprised to find himself beginning to loathe Mark and it made him ashamed. Mark didn't deserve that -- he had seen Ginny for the treasure she was and had had the courage to make her his own.

"Would you like any more tea?" Ginny's lilting voice broke into Harry's thoughts.

"Um... no thanks," he said softly, shaking his head. He looked up into her eyes and smiled. "Everything was great. Thank you."

"You're welcome. I figured I ought to make myself useful while I'm here." She began to gather up the dishes from the table.

"Leave those. You cooked, I'll clean up," Harry said quickly. "It's only fair. And tomorrow, we can switch."

Ginny looked at him dubiously. "Hm... I don't know. Can you cook?" she asked with an impish grin.

With mock indignation, he replied, "Woman... I'll have you know I could have been a Muggle chef!"

"Forgive me if I reserve judgment on that," she said mischievously.

"You can judge for yourself this evening," Harry said, finishing off his tea. "I'll make you dinner before the match."

Ginny's grin slipped a little as she replied, "Oh... how about tomorrow night? Mark is taking me out to dinner tonight... before the match."

Harry fought the swell of jealousy he knew he shouldn't feel. Struggling to keep the smile on his face and his voice light, he answered, "You've got yourself a deal. So... are you and Mark coming to the match?"

"Wouldn't miss it!" she answered cheerfully. Glancing at the clock on the wall, she continued, "But I will miss practice if I don't go get ready. I have to stop by to see Madam Pomfrey on the way, too."

Harry's heart skipped a beat as he wondered if he and Ginny had created a life. He didn't have time to follow that train of thought as Ginny broke in asking, "You'll clean up here?"

"Um... yes," he said a bit distracted. "You go on and get dressed. I don't need to leave for another hour yet."

As he pulled out his wand to banish the dishes to the sink, he watched Ginny leave the kitchen. As it would probably be after the match tonight before he discovered Madam Pomfrey's findings, Harry thought it was going to be a long day.