Promise

Chapter 2

The next day at lunch, Harry felt himself staring at Ginny yet again.

"Harry...HARRY! Aren't you listening? Honestly, lately you've been completely out of it. I really have no idea what's going on with you!" exclaimed his best friend of seven years, Ron Weasley, none other than Ginny's older brother.

"Huh? Oh...yeah, I'm listening. Sorry mate, I just have a slight headache," he said half heartedly giving a weak smile towards his red headed friend.

"Whatever, Harry. I think I know when something's up. And I certainly do not feel like dragging it out of you."

Hermione sniggered behind her book. She knew about Harry's infatuation with Ginny. Ron had to be completely and utterly thick not to notice it already. It was so obvious when he looked at her with that hazy look in his eyes...It was the exact way he used to look at Cho Chang only two years before. He looked at her with such excitement and admiration, it was like she knew something about the world that he did not.

Ginny pushed her food around on her plate, completely consumed in her thoughts. She wasn't even listening to Seamus talk to her about the latest Quidditch maneuver or something along those lines. She sighed. Why was Harry acting so strange yesterday? Had she said something wrong? Suddenly, feeling an overwhelming sense of someone's gaze on her she looked up briefly and caught Harry's eye. She smiled warmly. He quickly adverted his stare to Ron, and started up conversation. What had she done? She wanted him to notice her. She always had. The curiosity was nearly agonizing. She was about to approach him when Seamus interrupted her.

"Gin, love, you look flushed, something wrong?" he asked, nuzzling her neck and kissing her cheek.

She grinned at him and kissed him back. "No, nothing's wrong, I'm just a bit tired." Besides, everything WAS fine...wasn't it? She had strong feelings for Seamus...not Harry. Of course she had had a schoolgirl crush on him, but that was got lost through the years, along with Ginny's innocence.

Out of the corner of his eye, Harry saw Seamus nuzzle Ginny lovingly and Ginny returning the affection. He felt a pang of jealousy, but shrugged it off. He was not going to let his best friend's kid sister take over his everyday actions.

"Harry, Ron, we ought to be going now! We're nearly late for Potions," demanded Hermione, with a severe tone in her voice. Harry and Ron rolled their eyes and stood up gathering their things, and the three friends left The Great Hall together.

Later, that night, Harry tossed and turned in his sleep. He couldn't stop thinking about her. He yearned to be the one who she confided in. The one who she came to when something was wrong. He's give anything just to hold her. Feeling flushed and restless, Harry got out of his bed, grabbed his glasses, and made his way towards the common room. He flopped down on an oversized couch, rubbing his temples with his index fingers, and attempted to think things over.

"Harry?" asked a voice in the corner.

Harry jumped. "Er...Ginny?"

"Yes, it's me! What are you doing up so late?"

"Uh...I couldn't sleep; I had some things on my mind."

Ginny made her way over to where he was sitting. Harry couldn't help but stare and notice how mature and not to mention how dangerously sexy she looked in her short, white nightgown. She sat down next to him. Oh god.

"Me neither...care to share?" she asked him quietly.

"Oh...stupid things, Quidditch, school, Malfoy. He's being a real prick lately," Harry lied, even though the Malfoy part was more than true.

"Tell me about it," she replied sarcastically.

"So...how about you? What's on your mind?" he asked timidly.

"Well...I was wondering about you...you acted awfully strange the other day...and I was wondering...Did I do something wrong? Say something to offend you?"

She looked genuinely worried about him. He hated to see her like that. He wanted to make her laugh, smile...he wanted to bring joy to her world. He couldn't contain himself any longer. He was moving closer to her.

Ginny noticed Harry moving closer. Her heart was in her throat. He leaned in and whispered in her ear, "Of course not, you'd never upset me, Virginia Weasley." His voice was smooth and sensual. It was a side to him she had never seen before. She loved it. She wanted him to talk to her like that the whole goddamn night. He nipped at her earlobe planted a row of sweet, hot kisses along her jaw line. Ginny didn't protest. Seamus never did this. He stopped right in front of her lips, his touching hers ever so slightly. It was like he was teasing her with her favorite candy. She leaned in and pressed her lips against his. Her heart soared. An amazing adrenaline rush went through her veins as the kiss intensified and Harry parted her lips with his tongue.

His hand slipped up her nightdress and she broke away breathlessly.

"We can't do this...No, Harry...no." she panted.

"Why, Gin, why can't we? Why are you so terrified of admitting your true feelings?" he asked. She knew he was anxious.

"It's not what you think...I...Well...I..." she stuttered.

"Why?!" he urged her. He was desperate. "I'm willing to lay everything down on the line for you! Ginny, do you know how much it pains me to see Seamus with you? I find myself wishing I was him! Now that I never believed I would do. Can't you just be with me?"

The look in his eyes made tears spring to her own.

"Harry...I care about you...I really do...it's just I'm...c-confused. I mean-"

"Bullshit," he whispered gruffly. She gasped, never hearing Harry speak so harshly to her before. "You know perfectly well what you feel and I know it!" His emerald eyes were pleading with her.

She gathered her courage.

"No. Harry I can't." She raised herself to her feet, shaking slightly and made her way towards the girls dormitories, with Harry staring after her.