All Good Things

All Good Things

This part is set in Harry's final year at Hogwarts, Ginny's second last year.

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Part Two: In the Beginning

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Ginny ran her fingers through her hair and smiled again at the words before her. The gentle scrawl of her own penmanship was comforting to her, regardless of whether or not the words were hers. She had taken a liking to Muggle poetry recently, for no reason other than its beauty. At times it was confusing, sometimes simplistic but always with feeling. She had yet to find a poet, good or bad that had no feeling and she hoped she never would. It had started as a hobby, something to do when her friends were out riding their broomsticks.

Ginny hated to fly now. Just the idea of leaving the ground made her feel ill. Ever since she had watched Harry fly through the dragon's wrath in the Triwizard Tournament, she hadn't been able to fly. She didn't know how Harry did it. She didn't know how he'd been able to get back on that broom. He amazed her, in more ways than one. After the Tournament he had closed himself off, making sure that any contact with people was brief, it wasn't until she had blown up at him in front of the entire common room that things had started to get better. In fact, things were more than better, they were almost great.

It still amazed her. It had amazed everyone present, especially Harry. He'd never really known her and she'd just yelled at him in front of everyone. After a few awkward conversations, things had started to progress and now? Well, now Harry was a friend. It was as simple as that. He talked to her, she listened, she talked to him and he listened. There was nothing more to it than that. They knew each other's moods, they knew when to push and when to back off. And, there was nothing more to in than that. He knew more about her than anyone else ever had and she suspected the same was true in reverse. But there was nothing more to it than that. And it really annoyed her! The entire wizarding world seemed to know how she felt about the dope, but he remained oblivious.

She sighed, she was glad that she and Harry were such good friends and she wouldn't give it up for anything in the world. Especially not on the slim chance that he might reciprocate those feelings. Ginny glanced again at the words scattering the page and she couldn't help the blush that warmed her cheeks. If her brothers ever found this book, she'd die, all the protective charms in the world be damned. She knew they'd likely never find the true words, only the magical scribbles that she placed over them, but she would still die of embarrassment. She smiled to herself, and continued to write.

Feeling her skin prickle, she had the strangest sensation that someone was watching her. Carefully, keeping up the appearance that she was still engrossed in her notebook, she cast quick glances around the room, startled when her eyes locked with a pair of green ones. It took him a few moments to register that she was staring back at him, but she couldn't help the giggle that escaped when Harry's face acquired a wide-eyed blush as he quickly turned away.

He'd been staring at her a lot recently, and the Ginny of old would have taken it to heart and started to run about giggling insanely that Harry Potter was falling in love with her. The new Ginny, however, was slightly more grown up...she'd leave the running about giggling till after he'd asked her out. No! They were friends and that was how it was going to stay. Regardless of how much she wished otherwise.

Nodding her head in resignation, she turned back to her book, the words flowing from her memory as she began to scroll the words of love that some famous Muggle had conjured within his wonderful mind. It amazed her how so much feeling and emphasis could be placed on words. There was nothing profound in them, not to Ginny; to her it was the passion behind them. The words she so often found herself writing meant nothing to her until she imagined what they would mean if the man she loved were whispering them to her, murmuring words of a love so profoundly deep that her breath caught in her throat as she struggled to breath. That was the way it was meant to be. And that was yet another reason she found to leave Harry alone. What if she got him and then it turned out so different? What if love was nothing like this?

"Hey." Ginny jumped up in her chair, her book tumbling clumsily from her hands as she bit back a scream. She glared at Harry as he laughed and picked up her book. "Sorry, Ginny," he continued, "I didn't mean to scare you. You just looked so cute there with your face all scrunched up that I had to come over."

She could have been mistaken, but she was sure he was blushing. Harry Potter was blushing at something he had said to her...what had he said again? Oh yes, she had looked cute. Well, it was a far cry from, "Ginny, you're amazing, you're beautiful and I love you!" but it would do. For just now. Grinning at her childish, girly fantasies she shook her head and accepted her book from Harry.

"Oh, did you?" she asked, arching an eyebrow. "Well I'll remember that next time you're looking for the Golden Snitch and your face is all scrunched up and cute and we'll see who ends up most embarrassed."

Harry laughed and after a moment of staying straight faced, she joined him. She placed her quill into her bag and muttered the spell to hide the poetry before placing her book in her bag as well. She turned to face Harry, watching as he stared at her. He didn't even seem to notice that she was looking back at him, instead he seemed to be studying her. She shifted a little in her seat knowing that she should feel uncomfortable under his close scrutiny, but she just couldn't. She stared back at him, feeling her stomach fluttering as he continued to watch her.

"Ginny, would you go somewhere with me if I asked you to?"

She frowned and nodded. "Of course I would, Harry."

He seemed to be waiting for her to continue but she remained silent, watching him. "Aren't you going to ask where?"

She smiled. "You'll tell me when you're ready." He smiled his thanks as she curled her legs under her, snuggling further into the couch next to him. "I will ask one thing, though, and that's only when. Just let me know when you're ready."

Ginny wasn't sure why, but something inside told her that this was very important to Harry, something that he wouldn't be sharing with just anyone. And she wanted to make sure that he went through with it. As long as he felt comfortable in the knowledge that she would definitely be going with him, he would be less likely to back out, whatever it was.

"I will. Thanks, Gin, I really appreciate it." He smiled at her and leaned forward, placing a soft kiss onto her forehead before squeezing her hand and leaving. She was so stunned that she stayed where she was for a long time before muttering a soft, "Anytime, Harry," to the empty room.

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Ginny pulled her robes tighter around her, the bitter cold wind tingling her skin. She tried to force herself to resist the urge to shiver, but she couldn't. Glancing to her left, she noticed Harry looking at her. He had stopped walking and was staring at her with concern on his features.

"Ginny, we should go back, it's freezing, you'll get ill."

"I don't care, Harry, this is important to you, so it's important to me. I'm not leaving."

Harry frowned. "I don't want you to end up sick because of me."

She sighed and moved closer to him, placing a soothing hand on his arm. "Harry, I know you. You believe me that much, right?"

"Ginny you know me better than anyone, probably even Ron sometimes."

She smiled. "Then you know you can't fool me, right?" Harry nodded slowly. "Then don't try to lie now. I know this is important to you, so please don't try to tell me otherwise. I'm here for you Harry, just let me in."

After a moment of staring at her, he reached up a hand and stroked her cheek and she relished in the feel of his skin as her eyes fluttered closed and she moved into his touch. She opened her eyes again to find him staring at her intensely and she suddenly became very aware of just how close they were standing. The wind seemed forgotten as warmth spread through her. She felt right, at home, she felt more alive than she ever had.

The moment was broken as the wind whipped Ginny's cloak up causing it to billow up like a hot air balloon. Laughing, she straightened out her robes and smiled at Harry, reaching out to take his hand. They walked for a few more minutes until Harry stopped them.

Ginny turned to look at him and was suddenly faced with just how much her friendship with Harry meant to her. He was holding his broomstick as he seated himself, before pulling on her hand. She hesitated for a moment before allowing him to pull her in front of him. When she was settled, he pulled her back against him and she shivered at the feel of his breath on her neck. She felt his hand making small, slow circles on her stomach and she relaxed a little.

She felt his whisper against her cheek. "Gin, I won't let you fall, I promise."

"I know," she replied, turning her head to look at him. Suddenly they were face to face and her heart was pounding in her chest. She saw him gulp a little and she couldn't help the smile that graced her mouth, just as she couldn't help the unconscious movement of licking her lips. Harry noticed the curve of her mouth and from the look in his eyes he had noticed her licking her lips as well.

She couldn't believe she was even thinking it, but it seemed too real to be anything but true. Harry Potter was affected by her, he even seemed to, dare she even think it, want her. She looked once more into his eyes and froze. He was moving closer, it was happening very slowly, but she knew it was happening. Suddenly the wind blew an almighty gust and she shrieked as the Harry accidentally kicked them off the ground.

"Ginny! Ginny, it's okay." She was gripping at the broom with one hand and holding onto Harry's arm for her life with the other. "Ginny." His voice was softer and she cautiously turned her head again. "I said I wouldn't let you fall and I meant it. Do you trust me?" She was too terrified to speak, but she nodded. "Then trust me when I say we'll be fine. This won't be like it was with the dragon Gin, this is just flying in a strong wind. You remember what that's like, don't you?"

She was too stunned to notice the end of the question. "You knew?" she whispered and he nodded. "You knew I was afraid to fly because of the Horntail?"

"You hadn't flown since, Ron was worried, so was Hermione, and-and so was I. It wasn't like you. Ron said you always loved to fly, always loved family Quidditch games, but that summer you wouldn't play. And you never flew after that. And you stopped, I mean you..."

"I stopped coming to watch you play Quidditch?" He nodded and she sighed. "I'm sorry, Harry, but I couldn't do it again. I've seen you fall off brooms so many times and I've always been worried, but this was different. This was a dragon that was trying to kill you."

"Seems to be a popular thing with me," he joked and she smacked his arm.

"Don't even joke about it!"

He laughed a little before sobering up. "Gin, you've got to let it go. You can't give up something you love just because you're afraid. You taught me that by making sure I went through with this."

"You're right, I know that, and I will try." They smiled at each other and she nodded. "I'm ready to go now."

He smiled. "We're already here."

"What?" She looked around, noting that the scenery had completely changed. Harry had been flying them towards their destination the whole time. She grinned and turned round to him, kissing him on the cheek. "Thank you."

"Anytime."

When they had landed, Ginny took a moment before getting off the broomstick, Harry, however, seemed reluctant to move. Ginny understood why. He hadn't told her where they were going. They had been sitting in the common room with Hermione and Ron, studying, or in the boys' case, making up divination homework. He'd been restless all day and she'd almost asked him what was wrong, but Ron had beaten her to it. Harry had stuttered a few incoherent words before turning to Ginny and saying, "It's when." It had taken her a moment to register what he meant but then she'd simply nodded and they'd gone to get their cloaks, leaving a rather confused pair of friends behind them.

Looking around her now, Ginny understood completely. She understood what the importance was and she understood his reluctance now. Placing her other hand over the one that remained on his broomstick, she gently worked the wooden object free from his grip, allowing it to clatter to the ground.

Harry smiled a little. "If that's even so much as scratched..."

"I know, I know, I'll pay for it." She rolled her eyes and picked up his precious Firebolt from the ground. She smiled at him before taking his hand in hers and leading him into the graveyard.

He had never visited his parent's graves before, she didn't know how she knew, but she did. It was just something she understood. She'd never known anyone who had died. A strange occurrence given the sheer size of her family, but it was true. No relative or friend had died. She had known of many people like poor Cedric Diggory, but she'd never really known anyone. Yet this felt like she was visiting someone dear to herself. She felt like she was going to cry right there and then.

After using a quiet locating spell, they soon found themselves in front of a beautifully crafted wooden grave marking, twice as big as the ones next to it. A joint one, like some of the others they had passed. There must have been some kind of protective spell cast over it for it still looked as good as new. Ginny tried to hold back a little, but Harry clutched at her hand, pulling her right against him and she leaned her head against the back of his arm, placing her other arm around his stomach. She knew there were tears streaking down his face, she knew because she was crying herself, and her feelings could be nowhere near as heart wrenching as Harry's. They stood like that for a while; just staring at the gently crafted words.

"Here lie the bodies of James and Lily Potter as their souls move on. Loving parents, caring friends, you shall be sorely missed"

"I wasn't sure you'd ever find this place."

Ginny turned round with Harry as the voice broke them from their thoughts. She quickly wiped her eyes and noticed that Harry was doing the same. When her vision was clear, she looked up to see Harry giving his Godfather a hug. A few moments later, she found the elder man staring at her. She shifted uncomfortably because, although she had never met him and as much as she knew that Sirius was no murderer, she had once believed so, and that made her feel so unbelievably guilty.

"I'm sorry!" she blurted out. She hadn't even realised she'd said it. His look was as amusing as Harry's as their faces held the exact same expression of confusion. "I'm sorry I believed that you were-were a murderer."

Sirius actually laughed at this. "Ginny, there was no way you could have even known otherwise. What have you to be sorry about? You only believed what everyone else still does."

"That doesn't make it right. I hated you for most of my life because I thought you had deprived Harry of his parents. When I met him, those feelings grew stronger...and I'm sorry."

Sirius' expression was serious as he walked towards her. He took a hold of her arms and leaned down at her eyelevel. "Ginny, thank you for saying that. I want you to know it means a lot to hear someone say that, but please listen and believe what I have to say. You have nothing to feel guilty about, nothing at all. You were born and raised believing everything that you did and the fact that you're so sorry about something that you had absolutely no control over, simply shows what an amazing young lady you really are. Now," he straightened up. "I think we need to have a little word with Lily and James about what I saw when I got here." He winked at Ginny and she blushed despite herself.

"You know," Harry said stepping towards them, "I think that's one of the longest speeches you've ever given, my dad would be proud...and shocked." Harry grinned impishly.

"What've you heard?"

"Oh, nothing. Just a little something Professor Lupin told me once."

"That man is a big fat liar, don't you go believing a word he tells you. Right Ginny? That goes for you, too." Ginny grinned and looked over at Harry. He seemed a lot happier than she'd seen him in a long time. She liked him this way. He seemed so much more carefree, so much more...at peace.

They spent most of the evening with Sirius until they were ordered back to their 'respective' beds. Ginny blushed as Sirius hugged her goodbye and told her, "You're good for him, Ginny, he needs you. And I want an invite to the wedding." She didn't know what came over her, he was an adult after all, but she smacked him on the back of his head.

"Ouch!" Sirius pulled back in feigned shock. "Harry, I think you'd better keep a close eye on this one." He winked at her before saying goodbye to his Godson.

It took them over an hour to get home as the wind had risen in force and a storm had begun. It was lucky for them that Professor Dumbledore seemed to have known where they were, as they arrived back two hours after their curfew and were promptly sent to the hospital wing.

"Oh well," Ginny sighed. "Looks like we won't be going to our 'respective' beds after all." She grinned at Harry and giggled when he winked at her. As they climbed the stair she felt his hand slip into hers and she smiled, pulling him a little closer. Things were definitely getting better, in fact they were getting great.

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End of Part Two: In the Beginning

Look out for Part Three: In the Hands of Babes