Parallel

CHAPTER 5: CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE SLYTHERIN KIND/DAMAGE CONTROL

The day started out all right, but that was one of the few good things about it. Harry had decided to move in with Ginny, and together, they went to his former home to get his belongings. But just as they arrived back at her flat and were ready to begin taking his things inside, and the loving couple thought they were alone, Harry pulled Ginny out of sight (or so he thought) for a moment to snog her passionately, allowing his hands to wander deliciously, provoking soft sighs against his lips even as he moved sensuously against her.

They were brought down to earth the hard way by a sneering but all-too-familiar voice. "Hey, Potter! Is that you?"

"So what if it is, Malfoy?" Harry shot back, abruptly releasing her. "What business is it of yours?"

"I live here, Potter. What are you doing here?" The white-blond former Slytherin and Harry's perpetual nemesis was standing by his car, flanked by his usual stooges Crabbe and Goyle, both of whom were carrying what looked like groceries to Harry. Not that he was surprised. Malfoy was so full of himself that he would never stoop to doing such menial labour. He relegated things like that to either house-elves or stooges.

"I live here, too," Harry threw back defiantly. "And for your information, Ginny is my fiancée."

"You've gone daft! What did she ever see in you?"

"If you don't know, it wouldn't do any good for me to tell you ... because to understand would require intelligence--and that lets you three out right there!"

"Harry, don't start anything," Ginny warned. "We have better things to do."

"In a minute, luv. I've got to teach a certain smart-mouth git some manners."

It was fortunate that Ginny was there, though, otherwise there would have been a very nasty confrontation. Instead of Harry drawing his wand and preparing to hex Malfoy and his stooges, it was her.

"It would be very much appreciated if you ... gentlemen would simply go about your business and refrain from harassing me and my fiancé," Ginny stated pleasantly, but with an ominous tone to her ordinarily sweet, musical voice.

"Oh, really? And just what will you do if we don't?" Malfoy sneered, directing Crabbe and Goyle to set down the groceries and prepare for a fight.

"Hex you into the middle of the next century," Ginny threatened, her soft brown eyes having turned hard and black as obsidian, her wand pointed at them in a threatening manner. "And I assure you, I can do it!"

At this point, even Harry knew that she meant business and tried to intervene. "Gin, honey, we've got to get the car unloaded. We don't have time for this."

"There's always time to make an example of three lowlifes," she retorted, preparing to shoot her favourite hex at them--and Harry knew how nasty it was, so he tried to warn them what was coming despite his dislike of them. Of course, they never had listened to him before, so they deserved whatever they got.

"I suggest you back off, Malfoy, because if Ginny throws at you what I think she's going to, you and your trained gorillas are going to end up in St. Mungo's for a month."

"Yeah, Potter? You just try it and we'll see who ends up in St. Mungo's!" Malfoy reached for his own wand and brandished it in Ginny and Harry's faces.

"Okay, Malfoy, I tried to warn you," Harry sighed.

But just as Ginny was preparing to throw her hex at them, the couple heard the sounds of Apparating, and their three tormentors were gone--at least temporarily.

"They're gone," she observed. "Luckily for them. Now let's get the car unloaded. Remember, we've still got another load to pick up back at your old place. Just the same, I think I'll stay out here and stand guard while you get your stuff inside, just in case they decide to come back."

"They've always been cowards, Gin; it's not surprising that they'd Apparate out of here to keep you from hexing them. Stupid gits like that never want to fight unless they have a gang to back them up--either that, or trained gorillas like Crabbe and Goyle."

"Don't worry, luv. Even if they do come back, I can handle them," Ginny assured him, but Harry would have none of it.

"Don't try to take them on alone, Gin; I know what they're capable of and I assure you--"

She stepped up to him and cut him off with a kiss. "They don't know what I'm capable of," she countered. "But if they continue to harass us, they're going to find out! Now get going, my love, or we'll not finish before dark!"

Harry knew it would do no good to argue with her, simply do as told--and within half an hour everything had been unloaded from the car. Of course, using magic can be a great time-saver; he hardly had to lift a finger, simply made the belongings float inside and set themselves on the living room floor ... or any other available space in the area.

Once he got everything inside and he and Ginny had safely locked her door behind them, having already decided to pick up the rest of his things the following day, Harry began to point his wand at the places he wanted them to go and they went, and if something else was in the way, he deftly moved it aside.

By dark, all that was necessary to do was put what relatively few articles of clothing he had away, and that was done with one swift wave of his wand in the direction of the bedroom closet, whose doors opened seemingly of their own accord, and the robes and dress shoes hung themselves on hangers, as did dress shirts, ties and trousers. Casual clothes went in the nearby six-drawer dresser (Ginny had cleared out some space for Harry's use), a dresser which didn't look large enough to accommodate everything, but it did. One drawer for jumpers and socks, another drawer for jeans and other casual trousers, and finally one for T-shirts and other casual shirts.

After completing the first step of his moving-in, Harry suggested they eat something, since they were going to be needing all the energy they could get in the not-too-distant future, he told Ginny with a sly wink in her direction. A short time later, they were doing just that, since Ginny had found out how the plates at the Hogwarts school automatically filled up with whatever the person before it wanted, food-wise, and she had learned the spells which made that possible. Saved a lot of time and trouble cooking, that was for sure!

Over the meal, he decided to reminisce some more about their days at Hogwarts, particularly one of the times shortly after they had begun dating in his sixth year and her fifth. Of course, it hadn't always been easy to find places for a rendezvous or assignations; there had even been times when he had had to employ the Invisibility Cloak in order to afford himself and Ginny some necessary privacy. There was one incident in particular that he would never forget.

Mainly because the part with Ginny had been so pleasant ... at least up to the time someone (Malfoy, as it turned out) stepped on the cloak and pulled it off them. Harry had done his best to make sure that Malfoy and his stooges didn't learn of his romance with Ginny; they'd never let him live it down--particularly if they happened to catch them snogging each other.

To their acute embarrassment, there were laughs, catcalls and wolf whistles once their assignation spot became apparent ... most of them from Malfoy and company. "Well, isn't this sweet? Potter snogging the Weasel King's sister! How long has this been going on, Potter? Does the Weasel King know what you're doing?"

In spite of himself, Harry felt his cheeks flame crimson; however, his anger more than canceled out his embarrassment. "Bugger off, Malfoy. This is none of your bloody business!"

Malfoy tsk'ed a few times and waved an admonishing finger back and forth. "Language, Potter. You don't want me reporting you to Dumbledore, do you?"

"I don't give a damn what you do, Malfoy. Even if you did report me, it wouldn't do you an ounce of good, because there's no law against dating here ... snogging, either. Much less occasional swearing."

"Maybe not, but I do believe there is a law against indecent exposure ... and your lady love is showing far more of her legs and chest than she should. You're not exactly respectable, either. I suggest both of you get decent before you get arrested."

This reminded Harry that his shirt wasn't buttoned, and that he must have lipstick all over his mouth ... not to mention a hickey or two. He suppressed a shiver at the thought of Ginny's small, even teeth gently biting and sucking--fortunately, in spots where Malfoy was unlikely to see them. One at the junction of his neck and right shoulder, the other on the opposite junction. But they would only be missed if he got his shirt buttoned up tout suite ... which he did, as rapidly as he dared. He'd even discovered that his jeans were partly unzipped, but fortunately his shirt-tails were sufficient to cover it.

"It's still none of your business, Malfoy ... and it would be very much appreciated if you would allow Ginny some privacy instead of ogling her. Remember, she's my girlfriend, not yours." He was thankful there were some bushes nearby; he motioned Ginny to go behind them and fix herself in private.

"Oh? What makes you think I couldn't win her over if I wanted to?"

"Mainly because she loves me ... and in the second place, she'd sooner kiss a Blast-Ended Skrewt than you! She told me that herself."

"Well, I must say I don't think much of her taste in men if she enjoys snogging with you, Potter. I would also suggest you find a better spot to do it; save you both a lot of grief."

"For your information, you thickheaded twit, we couldn't find a suitable spot ... until we got here. It was going fine until you stepped on my Invisibility Cloak and found us." At this point Harry dug into his trousers pocket and found some tissues, carefully wiping his mouth free of lipstick. In spite of himself, his groin tightened upon recalling the taste of it--butterscotch, one of his favourite flavours.

Of course, Ginny didn't really need to wear lipstick. He found her lips delicious, regardless of what type of lipstick she wore ... if she wore any at all. Usually, she just wore clear lip gloss so that if they were in danger of being late because they'd lost track of time while snogging, which was dangerously easy to do, at least he wouldn't have to worry about having to wipe lipstick off his mouth.

But Malfoy didn't need to know that. He knew too much as it was. And he would certainly never let Harry live it down if he realized how aroused Harry still was. If they hadn't been interrupted, Harry had been seriously thinking of hauling Ginny behind the bushes and into a private spot he knew where they would definitely not be disturbed. At least, not if he had anything to say about it. Even if he had to hex the spot to keep away intruders!

"Besides, I never see you snogging Pansy Parkinson anymore, Malfoy. What's the matter with her? She's usually all over you like a rash. Or did she wise up and look for greener pastures? Which reminds me--I'll give you a rash ... right where it hurts most, too ... if you say a single word to anyone about how you found Ginny and me!"

"So help me, Potter, if you say one more word about Pansy ..." Malfoy's face had become just as red with embarrassment as Harry's had been.

Out of the corner of his eye, Harry saw Ginny waiting for him under one of the big trees in the school courtyard near the Black Lake, another favourite assignation spot of theirs, so he took a step and turned in that direction. "One last thing--if I hear from Ginny that anyone's harassing her about this, especially anyone from Slytherin, I swear I'll make you sorry you ever met me! I still know that Sectumsempra thing, remember ... and if you push me too far, I just may decide to use it again. And I'll have either Ron or Hermione make sure that Snape isn't around to bail you out."

With that, he stalked off in Ginny's direction without waiting for a reply from his adversary; upon reaching her, he slid an arm around her and brushed her ear with his lips, whispering to her that they would head for the common room. Since most students were in class about now (as a sixth year, he had several free periods per day, and this was one of them--and fortunately, Ginny did too ... at least at this point in time), it was unlikely that they would be disturbed there--unless someone came unexpectedly.

If nothing else, they would go to the Room of Requirement and spend the free period there ... or in a pinch, the empty dormitory--and pull the curtains around his bed for privacy. He was becoming all het up again, and would have to get cooled down before he could face anyone. Did all young blokes feel like this upon getting serious with a girl? Too bad he couldn't ask Sirius about it ... he would surely know.

But his godfather was dead, killed by his evil cousin Bellatrix Lestrange, a Death Eater, in the Department of Mysteries, which Harry still blamed himself for. Dead, just like his unfortunate parents. He had had a vision of Sirius being tortured there and was convinced it was really happening, so he had rallied everyone he could, including Ginny, to help him rescue Sirius. It turned out that he had been lied to by the evil house-elf Kreacher that Sirius had left the house, when in reality, he had been upstairs with Buckbeak the hippogriff. Sirius had hightailed it to the Department of Mysteries once he'd heard that Harry and company were there--and was killed for his trouble.

Bellatrix's potent spell had propelled him through a magical veil from which it was said that no one ever returned ... and he didn't. To this day, it was still a sensitive subject for Harry ... and he believed it always would be. There would always be an empty spot in Harry's heart that Sirius had once filled--because no one else could replace him; not now, not ever. Only Ginny's love and support were even beginning to help ease that pain, even a little. He didn't know what he would do without her--or Ron and Hermione, for that matter.

There had even been times he had broken down and cried, tears of grief and guilt for his beloved godfather, first unjustly accused of betraying his closest friends, Harry's parents, not to mention over a dozen murders he didn't commit and spending years in prison, then having to remain in hiding, constantly on the run, even after escaping ... and now this!

At one point, Ron was holding Harry and doing all he could to comfort him, but knew it wasn't working, so he sent Hermione to fetch Ginny and bring her up to the boys' dormitory. Technically Hermione didn't belong there either, but this was an emergency. Harry needed his friends with him at a time like this, and at this point, propriety be damned!

But for a long time, though, not even Ginny could ease his pain; there was a point where he had thrown himself face-down, burying his face in her lap; his sobs were bitter and heart-rending. "Oh, luv, please don't cry. Sirius wouldn't want you to," she crooned. It only made Harry cry harder.

After a while all were convinced that Harry wasn't just crying for Sirius, but for all the love and good times he had been denied because of his parents' murders, having lost them at so young an age ... and for the incredible burden of being who and what he was. Far too heavy a burden for one so young--but there was still more to come. Mercifully, Harry didn't know this at the time, something for which Ginny and his friends were immensely thankful.

After a while, however, Harry seemed to have cried himself out--so Ginny suggested that Ron and Hermione leave so she could be alone with Harry. She sensed that right now what he needed most was sleep, so she got out some strong sleeping potion she had obtained from Madam Pomfrey, the head of the Hospital Wing, and gave it to him. Nothing untoward would happen, because he would be deeply asleep; she would simply hold him in her arms while he slept and keep the curtains drawn for privacy.

She also warned them not to disturb them unless it was an emergency, and even then, she would allow only Ron or Hermione to do so. (Of course, later on, things would change, but at the moment she was simply showing her feelings for him in as constructive a manner as possible so as not to embarrass him--at least not too much.)

But despite his best efforts, Harry found tears in his eyes at the painful memories--and enough of them so that Ginny noticed. She said nothing, however, simply led him to the tree and they sat down beneath it. She leaned against it and told Harry he could lie with his head in her lap if he wanted to. For a time he did just that, and she spent the time either stroking his silky, if unruly, hair and occasionally brought one of his hands to her lips and kissed it. This usually provoked a tender smile from him and a caress of her cheek by that same hand.

"Thank you for loving me, Gin. I don't think I could have survived this without you. Ron and Hermione are great friends, but not even they could replace you."

"It was my pleasure," she smiled. "Besides, you deserve it."

"But I don't deserve you," he lamented. "The way I've treated you ..."

She put a finger on his lips to stop him. "No more of that, luv. The past is past. This is today, here and now ... and in the here and now, we love each other. Let this be simply a happy, peaceful time for us to be alone together and share that love."

"Too bad Sirius never had that chance," Harry murmured even as he settled his head back into Ginny's lap and she resumed stroking his hair.

"We don't know that for sure," she pointed out.

"Well, if he did, he never mentioned it," Harry countered.

"I think that was because there was far too much else to concern yourselves with ... if you get my drift." Her voice had taken on a no-nonsense tone, and Harry knew that this meant she would allow no more of him feeling sorry for himself. He had more important things to think about : their love, for instance. "I also suspect that he might have considered you too young to discuss it with at the time."

"Too young!" Harry exclaimed, sitting bolt upright, green eyes blazing. "I'm bloody sixteen years old!"

"Now, yes," Ginny returned calmly, putting a tender hand on her beloved's cheek; Harry smiled despite his ire and covered her hand with his. "Not when you first met him, though. At that point, you still thought he'd betrayed your parents and gotten them killed ... and because of this, you were ready to kill first and ask questions later. Fortunately, Sirius had a chance to explain himself and you had a change of heart about him upon realizing he was innocent, that he would rather have died than betray his friends. I believe it was shortly before that that you learned he was your godfather."

"He even wanted me to come live with him once his name was cleared," Harry recalled sadly. "But I never got the chance. They didn't exonerate him until after his death." The young wizard closed his eyes in sorrow. "It's not fair, Gin. Just not fair. He missed out on so much, lost so much ... including his life."

"I know, my love. I miss him too; he was always very nice to me--and I could tell that he loved you dearly."

"He was the closest thing I ever had to a father figure, other than Dumbledore," Harry remarked. "I miss him so much, Gin. I think I always will."

Not long afterward, Harry manoeuvred himself so that his head was resting on Ginny's breast; she simply held him gently, alternately stroking his hair or his back. Harry had never rested on a warmer, more comfortable (or sweetly scented) pillow, and it was immensely soothing to feel the gentle rise and fall of Ginny's chest under his cheek ... not to mention the touch of her hand. Her soft breathing was slowly but surely lulling him to sleep--and with Ginny near, he doubted he would have any nightmares. And if he did, she would be here to chase them away.

Not much later, Ginny felt her beloved's head become heavier and realized that he had fallen asleep. She realised that his face had softened, long, thick lashes covering his beautiful sea-green eyes, and his glasses were slipping down his nose. She gently manoeuvred them off and placed them in her left shirt pocket for safekeeping. He looked like a little boy, about five years old ... the child she hoped they could have one day. Hopefully, only the first of many for them. Meanwhile, she would take life one day at a time.

What mattered was that Harry was here to share it with her, give his love to her--the love for which she had hungered so very long. She sent up a silent prayer of thankfulness that she had at last been granted the love of the one she loved so much, the chance to spend time with him, share his life, the good times and bad ... May this happiness we share never end. May we always be together and in love, whatever else happens in our lives. With that happy thought, she tightened her arms around him and allowed herself to fall asleep as well.