Utter Bliss

Harry Potter was sitting on his four-poster bed, reading the copy of 'Quidditch Through the Ages' that laid on his lap. It was about six o'clock in the evening, and most everyone was having their dinner. Harry, however, wasn't hungry. It was still light outside, as the sun's summer rays played gently on his face. The birds were still up and singing happily. He could hear the noise of other students, from the Common Room, talking about the latest gossip.

Ron and Hermione had gone to the Quidditch pitch to 'talk'. Probably fighting or flirting with each other, Harry thought, rolling his eyes. Everyone except Ron and Hermione knew that they were in love; they were just too blind to see it. It drove Harry insane; he just wanted to scream at them, "Will you two just date already?!"

There was a knock at the door. Harry, confused as to who it might be, said, "Come in," and saw Ginny standing in the doorway, her red hair messy.

"Er... is Ron here?" Ginny sniffed, not moving from the entrance, wiping her eyes. They were blood-red and running down her cheeks was a mixture of makeup and tears. She was trying to hide her tears, as she was ashamed of them, but didn't do a good job of it. Her nose was red as well and her skin was very pale.

"No, sorry, he's with Hermione. Is something wrong, Ginny?" Harry asked, putting his book down and getting up from his bed.

Ginny to a step back and said, "No, no, nothing's wrong. Why would you think that?" She sounded panicky and uncomfortable.

"Well, you are crying. Do you want to talk about it? You can come in," Harry smiled, as Ginny sat his bed, tears flowing from her eyes. He sat down to her and handed her a fresh tissue.

"Thanks," she croaked, blowing her nose loudly and sniffing a few more times.

"Well, what's bothering you?" Harry asked, concerned.

"It's nothing, really. I don't know why I'm even crying over it. It's stupid," Ginny replied, looking at the floor.

"Ginny, please, tell me, I want to help."

Ginny looked at him, with big shining brown eyes, and smiled weakly. "Well, if you're sure," Ginny coughed once, then twice. "Well, you know that I was going out with Colin Creevy?" Harry nodded; he had thought they had made a sweet couple. "Well I was walking into the Transfiguration classroom, because I'd left my book for Herbology, and Colin and Samantha, my best mate, were... were..." she trailed off.

Harry didn't need to know what happened next. Ginny started to sob into her hands, and Harry wasn't sure what to do. So he wrapped an arm around her, slowly, and started to hug her, rocking her slightly, like a mother would to a crying baby.

"Shh... Shh... Ginny, don't worry. It's his loss. Colin's a git, and if Samantha was really your friend, she wouldn't have done that."

"I can't believe she still did it. We've been friends since we were five. If I knew she liked him, then I would have let her have him. She was my best friend. It's no better that she's smart, beautiful, rich, everything I'm not."

"Look, listen to me," Ginny looked up in his emerald eyes and Harry got a chill down his spine. He ignored it. "You are a wonderful, fantastic intelligent young woman and any guy would be lucky to have you. You don't have to be rich to be nice; I would swap all the money I had to be in your family."

"You're just saying that," Ginny muttered, into Harry's chest, hoping he wouldn't hear, but he did.

"Gin, I'm not. I'm being completely honest," Harry whispered, smiling warmly to himself.

Ginny lifted her head and looked at his chest, "God, I'm sorry. I've got your shirt all snotty and wet," She grabbed some tissues and tried to wipe his shirt. Harry watched as Ginny's fingers gently rubbed against his chest, and he started to breathe heavily. Harry's heart started to drum on his ribs, beating wildly. Harry tried to shake it off, but couldn't. Why am I acting like this, he thought as Ginny got up and put the tissues in the bin. He gulped loudly.

Ginny laid back down on Harry's chest, listening to his heartbeat. Ginny's hair smelt of strawberries and coconuts. Harry started to run his fingers through it and sighed at the softness of it. Ginny, not really caring, only cuddled him more tightly, but not too tight. They hugged for what seemed like hours, but they didn't care. They were lost in each others' world.

"Ginny?" Harry whispered, hating himself to break the silence. She grunted softly, to show his was listening, "Are you okay now?"

She bit her lip but nodded. "Yeah, I feel much better thanks to you. Thank you Harry. This has helped me a lot. Is there anything I do to thank you?"

"Nah... that's what friends are for," Harry shrugged.

Ginny lifted her head, so she was nearly face to face with Harry. Her lips were so full and rosy that it was hard not to kiss them. "I can think of something," She whispered quietly, leaning closer to Harry.

"What's that then?" Harry croaked, like he had a frog in his throat. He felt a bead of cold sweat run down his face. Ginny started to tremble in his arms, and gulped silently.

"Can you answer me this?" Ginny asked, tucking a hair behind her ear, her ears going crimson.

"I'll do what I can," Harry stuttered.

"Do you think I'm beautiful?" Harry blinked, with surprise. He wasn't expecting that. However the more he thought about it, the more he wanted to say, 'yes'. He thought she was more than beautiful, and he'd been dumb not to see it before now.

"I -- I, well, I... I," Harry stammered.

"Harry," she laughed quietly, "Don't be nervous," she wept the sweat off his head with her hand. Her hands were ice cold and Harry shivered pleasantly.

"Ginny," he stammered, foolishly, his cheeks blushing crimson.

"I think you're the most beautiful girl I've ever seen," You idiot! A voice in his head shouted. Ron is going to kill you. He will have your head on his wall for this. Bravo, Potter. A slow clapping sound was in his head.

"Harry," she whispered, "I never got over you, you know," She was looking down. "I'm still not. I love you, Harry. I always did, even when I went out with Colin. I can't believe I am saying this," Harry could she was blushing.

Harry, stomach doing more somersaults than a gymnastic, heart banging louder on his rib, gulped, and licked his lips, as they were dry. Slowly, he placed a hand on her right cheek, and made her look at him.

They stared into each other's eyes for a few minutes, until Harry leaned over and kissed her gently on the lips. She was surprised at first, but then started to kiss him back, with the same passion and love on her lips. She ran her fingers through his hair, and Harry's hands moved down from her face, to her hips and started to rub her back tenderly. Butterflies seemed to burst out of his stomach. He loved every second of kissing Ginny.

He didn't care about anything in the world. He didn't care about Voldemort, or even the fact that Ginny was his best friend's sister. He was in utter bliss, and no one can take that away....

"GET UP!" There was a loud knock on the door. Harry bolted up, breathing heavily. He was back at Privet Drive, back at the Dursleys'. Aunt Petunia was still knocking on his door. "NOW!"

"Oh dear God," He whispered quietly, as he still felt the imaginary Ginny's lips on his. "Oh sweet mother of Pearl."