Summer of Secrets

Chapter Two

For the next week Ginny stayed in her room, only venturing out for meals and late night showers. Harry knew she was avoiding him. At meals she seemed cheerful enough, but he had enough empathy to know it was just a front.

Following her nightly ritual, Ginny excused herself from the dinner table. After she put her dishes in the sink she kissed her mother and father goodnight, claiming her homework was piling up. Molly and Arthur exchanged a worried glance but didn't speak.

Harry knew Ginny was finished with her homework, even if it was only a few weeks into the summer holiday. Every night for the past week she had worked on it, and he knew there was no way she had been assigned that much homework over break. Even Professor McGonagall, the stern Transfiguration professor, would expect the students to actually complete that much homework over break. Harry decided that enough was enough. For the last week she had hid up in her room, and he wasn't going to allow it anymore. She had to come out of her shell. Something was bothering her, he just didn't know what it was.

~*~*~

Ginny was curled up in her bed reading the latest Muggle romance novel that had arrived by owl post. How she desired to have someone love and appreciate her like Jim loved and appreciated Mary Ann. Of course, hadn't Harry said just last week that he fancied her? As quickly as the thought had entered her mind she pushed it away. That was preposterous. Harry Potter fancying poor little Ginny Weasley? Not likely.

Ginny was so engrossed in her novel that she didn't hear the knock on her bedroom door, nor did she see Harry enter the room. It was only when he sat down on her bed next to her that she noticed him. She jumped in surprise and frowned.

"Harry! You gave me fright. What are you doing here? Don't you know how to knock?" Ginny scowled.

Harry nodded. "I do and I did, but you didn't answer. I assumed you were still avoiding me. I apologize for intruding but quite frankly I've had enough of this."

"Enough of what?" Ginny marked her page in her book and laid it aside on her night stand.

"You've been hiding up here for the past week. I know you're avoiding me. It's quite obvious. You can't keep doing this for long. I know you've completed your homework." Harry looked at her seriously.

"You don't know anything." Ginny turned away from him angrily.

Harry sighed and moved to the other side of the bed so she was facing him. "Why are you doing this? I know something's bothering you. Why won't you tell me? It can't be fixed if you don't get help."

Ginny knew he was right, but at the moment she really didn't care. "Nothing is wrong and nothing is bothering me, thank you very much." She glared at him. "Now if you will excuse me I'd like to be alone."

Ginny reached for the book on her nightstand but Harry grabbed her hand. "Fine, but at least answer me this. Why haven't you said anything to me about what I said last week? I fancy you. That isn't the sort of thing a bloke tells you and you don't respond to," he sighed and withdrew his hand, running it through his hair. "I know you fancy me. Why don't we go to the village, spend some time together?"

"That goes to show what you know. I'm over you, Harry." Ginny turned away from him again.

"Maybe you've fooled yourself with that little white lie, but I know better. I know you." Harry yet again moved so Ginny was facing him.

"You know, I turn away from you for a reason." Ginny scowled.

Harry chuckled. "I move for a reason," he reached for her hand, "I really do fancy you, Ginny. Why won't you give me a try? Give us a try."

"I can't . . . I can't do that, Harry."

"Why not?"

"You'll just break my heart. You blokes are all alike. Michael, Dean. They both broke my heart. I know I acted like I didn't care and it didn't phase me, but it did upset me." Ginny pulled her hand back.

"I'm not like other guys. Surely you of all people would know that," Harry mumbled.

Ginny's eyes widened. "Oh Harry. I didn't mean it that way." She sighed. "Look I'm just going through a lot right now. I don't think entering a relationship would be the best idea."

That was when Ginny noticed Harry staring at her wrist. Self-consciously, she tried to discreetly pull her sleeve down over it. This didn't go unnoticed. He gently grasped her hand and pulled the sleeve back up.

"What happened?" Harry gasped when he saw the slash on her wrist. It was clearly infected. The area around it was bright red and inflamed, and the wound itself was covered in a yellow scab.

Ginny jerked her hand back and pulled her sleeve back down. "Pig. You know how he is, always so excited. He got a bit carried away when he landed on my arm one day." The lie came easily. Harry seemed to accept this.

"You need to have your mum look at it. It's infected," Harry said kindly.

"I will tomorrow." Ginny shifted awkwardly on the bed.

"I'll leave you alone. But please, just consider it. Just one date. If I fudge it up, I won't pester you again." Harry stood up.

Ginny sighed. "Fine. One date. Tomorrow we'll go into the village."

Harry's face lit up. "Really? You mean it?"

Ginny nodded. "Yeah. Now get, I was just at the good part." She grabbed her book and cracked it open.

Harry laughed. "Fine, I'll go. Until tomorrow."

Ginny looked up from her book to glance at him. "Until tomorrow."