Summer of Secrets

Chapter Seven

"No, Tom, I won't do this anymore! I'm hurting people. I don't want to hurt them. I won't hurt them anymore!" Ginny screamed at the sixteen-year-old Tom Riddle.

"Stupid girl! Do you really think you can fight me? I'm too powerful. And its you, Ginny Weasley, who is making me stronger!" Riddle loomed over her. Ginny tried to show no fear and threw the diary into the toilet before running out of Moaning Myrtle's bathroom as fast as her legs would carry her.

"Gin! Ginny! Wake up!" Harry shook Ginny firmly. He had been sleeping peacefully when he felt a sharp pain in his leg. Harry had woken to find Ginny flailing beside him, in the midst a nightmare.

With a startled gasp, Ginny sat straight up. Tears streaked her cheeks and more continued to fall. Ginny looked around, trying to get a grasp on her surroundings. She blushed scarlet when she realised where she was, and that the covers had fallen back when she had sat up, leaving her chest completely uncovered for Harry to see.

However, Harry wasn't at all concerned with Ginny's bare breasts at the moment. He watched her carefully for a moment, making sure she was finally awake before he pulled her into his arms. Harry ran one hand up and down Ginny's back, the other holding her head to his chest. She continued to cry, even as he held her. The memory of the diary was so real.

"You're okay now, you're okay. I'm right here. I've got you. Nothing will happen to you," Harry murmured against her hair as Ginny started to relax into his hold.

"It was so real. It was like he was right there again. I was afraid." Ginny sobbed against Harry's chest.

"It was just a dream. A nightmare. Tom Riddle will never hurt you again, Ginny." Harry pushed her back so he could look into her deep brown eyes. "I promise. He will never hurt you again. I won't let him."

Ginny let out a loud sob and flung herself back into Harry's arms. Harry held her to him tightly, willing to hold her as long as it took for her to feel safe again. After a few more minutes, Ginny pulled back, finally having caught her breath.

"I'm so sorry. What you must think of me. . . ." Ginny wiped at her tears.

Harry frowned. "Do you think I'd think less of you because you had a nightmare?" She wouldn't meet his gaze. "Ginny, look at me. Do you think I'd think less of you because you had a nightmare again?"

Ginny turned her face up to look at him. Brown eyes met green and Ginny lost it. Slowly, she nodded.

Harry shook his head. "Gin . . . Ginny . . . that's just not true. Why would you even think that?"

"Because . . . because you don't have nightmares anymore," Ginny finally whispered.

Harry was astounded. She thought his nightmares were gone. Just a few months ago, they had compared their dreams in length and now Ginny was ashamed because she was still having them and thought Harry's had ceased?

"Gin, I still have nightmares. Just because I don't show it doesn't mean that they aren't there. Just the other night I dreamt that Voldemort killed you and your brother, but I refuse to let it get to me. I know that there is no way that Voldemort is going to get to you, because I won't let him." Harry took her hand in his and brought it to his lips. "Ginny, I won't let Tom Riddle or his Death Eaters hurt you or anyone else that I love. I promise, I will do everything in my power to keep you safe. And you will be safe. I promise you that. You will be safe."

"Oh, Harry." Ginny's fears all melted away at his words. Her heart swelled with the love she felt for him. Ginny brought her face up to Harry's and kissed him tenderly. Their lips met again and again until she was suddenly aware of just how naked she was. Blushing, Ginny pulled away and clutched the blankets around her.

Harry was panting when she broke off the kiss. "Ginny, what's wrong?" He noticed she was holding the blankets tightly to her chest and chuckled.

"Well that just won't do." Kissing her again, Harry gently pulled the blankets away and threw them to the other side of the bed. He pulled back to look her body up and down. Ginny flushed but fought the urge to cover herself with her hands. "There." Harry kissed her neck tenderly. "Much better."

~*~

The two lovers were the first ones out of Gryffindor Tower, that morning. This was partly because of the fear of being caught red-handed by Ginny's brother and partly because the need for sleep had long escaped them after their second love-making session.

Afterwards, Ginny had laid happily in Harry's arms while he slept, her nightmare completely forgotten. All that mattered to her was Harry and the love he felt for her, and her for him. By the time the sun was beginning to rise in the sky, Ginny had been awake for two hours thinking. When Harry woke an hour later, she was itching to climb out of bed, but unwilling to leave him when he was sleeping so peacefully beside her. It was Ginny's stomach growling, that had caused them to stop snogging and go down to the Great Hall.

Hardly any of the professors had arrived in the hall when Harry and Ginny piled their plates high with the delicious foods the House Elves had prepared for the Hogwarts population. It was Saturday, so it would be hours yet before the other students would wake up. Once their plates were cleared away, Harry took Ginny's hand and led her out to the lake. He sat down in front of the big oak tree and pulled her down to sit in front of him. Ginny sighed happily as Harry's hands massaged the knots out of her shoulders.

"You're so tense," Harry murmured, bending his head down to kiss the side of her neck. Ginny arched her neck, giving him more access. Harry ran his lips up and down her throat, smiling when she shivered from his touch.

"There you are!" Ron exclaimed louder than necessary as he grew nearer to the couple. He wrinkled his nose at the sight of his best mate and his little sister sharing an intimate moment but otherwise said nothing.

"You two certainly are up early. How are you feeling, Ginny?" Hermione asked, as she plopped down next to Harry. Ron sat next to Hermione, finding it safer not to say anything than to open his mouth and find himself at the receiving end of his sister's Bat Bogey Hex.

"Much better." Ginny smiled, leaning back into Harry's chest. He wrapped his arms around her and smiled into her hair. The last thing Ginny needed was for Ron to find out she had been intimate for the first time. And the last thing Harry needed was for Ron to find out Harry had taken his little sister's innocence, even if it had also been Harry's first time.

"That's good. So, what are you two doing up so early? I thought you wouldn't be up for hours yet." Hermione leaned back on her arms, raising her face to the warm sun.

"I wasn't all that tired really." Ginny turned to hide her face in Harry's arm so no one could see her smile, except for Harry.

Ron saw this and frowned. "What's going on with you two?"

"N-nothing's going on." Harry quickly released his hold on Ginny.

Ginny giggled. "Oh honestly!" She took Harry's hand and turned to her brother. "We're back together, Ron. Is that alright with you?"

Ron didn't speak. He looked from Ginny to Harry and back again. Finally, he nodded. "Well, all right. Just don't hurt my sister, Potter."

Harry smiled and kissed the top of Ginny's copper head. "I wouldn't dream of it, Ron. I wouldn't dream of it."