One Day

One Day

Chapter 2

It was cool and peaceful outside. Ginny had always loved strolling around Hogwarts. Walking the grounds had been her routine when she needed to clear her head. Usually it was only one topic that she needed to get off her mind. Harry. How many times had she walked in circles, trying to reconcile her head and her heart? There was no hope. Her heart always won. It always said to wait for him. He would notice you one day.

Her one-day had never come. It had been four years since she had graduated, 11 years since she had first seen him. True, her feelings had changed. They had grown from a childish crush into something stronger, deeper. Nothing seemed to have changed with Harry though.

She hadn't really seen much of him since his graduation. He had his life and she had hers. When they did meet up, at a family dinner or Ron and Hermione's wedding, they spoke like they were old friends. That was all. Friends. She had decided that she would rather have his friendship than nothing.

Resigning herself to this, Ginny had dated several men, all very attentive, but all wanting something from Ginny, not Ginny herself. Ginny was naturally a giving person. Nonetheless, you can only go on giving for so long before the well runs dry. A time comes when you need to be the receiver; no one wanted to do that for her. Her heart was empty. She thought for a while, that maybe she didn't have a heart. However, Ginny's heart was so full there was no room left for any one else. She measured every man she dated against Harry. How could anyone even come close to him? She loved everything about him. To Ginny, Harry was perfection. Everyone else was just The-Man-Who-Was-Not-Harry.

As Ginny walked past the fairy encrusted bushes and trees, she enjoyed the soft glow and magical music floating through the air. She followed the path that was lit from the castle doors down to the lake. Taking a deep breath, she savored the smell of pine that seemed the cling to her. She admitted to herself that she had made a small wish when sitting at the table tonight. She wished the reserved spot had been for Harry. It would be just like him to have a place saved next to the people he was comfortable around.

Since the war, Harry tried to keep his private life private. It was one of the reasons he had a telephone and did not use the Floo Network. He wanted no more surprises, nothing unexpected. He controlled who saw him. He only wanted contact with a select few, the Weasleys, his close friends from school and his department superiors.

To Ginny, this seemed like a logical and obvious choice for Harry to make. Many could not understand why he chose to close himself off from the Wizarding World. Well, those who didn't understand didn't know Harry. All he ever wanted was to have a normal life.

People always thought fame was such a wonderful achievement. But if you spent one day in Harry's shoes, you would come to know that it takes as much, maybe more, than it gives. It can suck your soul dry, leaving you empty. Ginny thought she understood why Harry did what he did. She had been studying him for a number of years now. She followed all the stories in the media, the true and the false. Ginny would often see stories and pictures of Harry. He was always the #1 pick for Most Eligible Bachelor by Witch Weekly. His face was plastered all over that rag.

He was shown with a new witch every month or so. They never stuck around for long. Maybe if no marriage proposal was forthcoming, they high-tailed it out of there. Ginny was pretty sure that Harry did the high tailing. He never spoke of his girlfriends. He always referred to them as friends. Nothing more. Just like me.

She was so deep in thought; Ginny did not hear the man coming up from behind her. She jumped when he lightly touched her shoulder. Catching her breath, she knew instantly who it was. His cologne was burned into her memory. She breathed him in and instantly felt her knees go weak. Smiling, she turned and said, "Hello Harry. I'm surprised to see you here. I didn't think you would want to come."

Harry's emerald eyes twinkled. He looked happy, for the first time in a long time. He was also relaxed, not on guard. "Of course I would come, Ginny. I couldn't miss the chance to see the over-the-top decorations the Patil sisters had in store for the old castle."

He laughed out loud. It was nice to hear again. It was nice seeing him again. He was still the same - tall and lean without being thin. His training had certainly paid off. He looked good in his black dress robes. Ginny's eyes wandered from his broad shoulders, to his trim waist and down his long legs and back up. She still wondered how it would feel to run her fingers through his hair.

Giving her a critical look, Harry asked, "Gin, why are you giving me that look? I feel like a piece of beef about to be graded."

Chewing on her bottom lip and tilting her head, she replied. "Well Potter, I would say if any of those exotic beauties you have dated saw you tonight - they would never have left you." Good cover! She couldn't believe he caught her gazing at him. Did he just call me "Gin"? That was nice to hear, usually only her family called her by that nickname. She was glad she hadn't blushed. Maybe she was over that.

Harry wrinkled his nose and frowned. "Why do you think they did all the leaving? Why would they have any reason to go? I'm famous, wealthy, handsome, and - "The Most Eligible Batchelor in Wizarding History" - according to the last Witch Weekly." He said this with such a straight face Ginny almost believed him, until his eyes gave an extra twinkle.

"Don't tell me you are reading and believing your own press? Next thing I know you will be giving your autograph with a peacock quill." Ginny was giggling so hard; she barely got the last line out.

"Cold, Ginny, very cold. You sure know how to hit a man below the belt. I was going to compliment you on how lovely you look tonight." He was so serious that Ginny was sure this time she had gone too far. She was just about to apologize when he turned away from her, and shoulders shaking, started to walk away. He made it three steps before he bent over, holding his stomach, and was laughing in quiet gasps. Finally catching his breath, he turned back to look at Ginny's face.

Ginny went from being petrified to hysterics in about two seconds. Harry was laughing so hard he had to grab Ginny's shoulder so he could stand up. When he finally composed himself, Harry bowed to her. "I am rightfully put in my place." He took Ginny's hand and nestled it in the crook of his arm and started down the path to the lake. They walked in comfortable silence for a while.

As they passed the Forbidden Forest, Ginny stopped. She stood there, looking for a moment and sighed. "It is nice to be back here, kind of like coming home, so many happy memories. But, other memories...I....I try to keep them from coming. They just won't go away, no matter how hard I try to bury them. When I first came here, I was so excited. The castle, the grounds, even the air seemed to sparkle - to be electric. I had never been so happy.

"When I look at the castle now, I feel like I must surely be wrong about what I see. Teachers gone, buried after the fall of ..... of Tom. Ghosts of friends, still roaming happily toward the Quidditch pitch for a Saturday game. The Thestrals flying in and out of the treetops. I never noticed them before." Turning to Harry, she continued. "I guess I wouldn't have. It hit me when I saw them pulling the carriages up from the station tonight; I had never seen one before. It is so much more enchanting to think of the carriages being charmed to bring us up to the castle every year, rather than those bony, white eyed animals."

A tear slipped from her eye and Harry reached out had caught it. He was so close that Ginny could think of nothing but wanting to be in his arms. She felt him pull her to his chest. It felt so comfortable that Ginny placed her arms around his neck and her head on his chest. He rested his head on hers and she was at peace.

Ginny lifted her head and took a step back. "I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to spoil your evening. I'll just go find Hermione, and see how she is fairing." She turned to move away and Harry spoke.

"Being with you has been the best part of my day." So quietly did he say this that Ginny wasn't sure what she heard. She was surprised when she felt her ears turning pink. Great, another Weasley curse she had to bear. She turned toward Harry, took his hand and resumed their walk.

Ginny was miserable. Harry didn't need to be reminded of the war. How could she have been so stupid, bringing up such a sensitive topic? Harry always put on a brave face, appearing to have finally recovered from all the pain and suffering of his life. But, when he thought no one noticed, his façade fell. The sadness crept into his eyes. It was so poignant; it always brought her to tears. She reached for a topic to ease the tension. "So Harry, tell me, who is your latest lady friend?" Did that really just come out of her mouth?

"Ginny, I didn't know you were so interested. Tell me you haven't been following the gossip columns."

"No, not the gossip columns. I just listen to Fred and George. Keeping track of your love life is an endless source of amusement for them. They take bets on who your next conquest will be."

"That sounds about right. They were the ones who started the pool on Ron and Hermione in our second year." Harry shook his head; he shouldn't be surprised the twins had a pool on him.

"I'm not exactly in a relationship now. I just recently broke up with a young lady, and her parting comments made me take a look at myself, what I want in life."

"Harry, you broke up with Violet Dawn three months ago. Have you been taking a look at your life that whole time?"

Harry left go of Ginny's hand and took a step back. "Her observations were...well, let's just say she had multiple points to make." He was looking at his feet by the time he finished talking. He looked very sad.

"What did she say?" Ginny wanted to help him, but wasn't sure if talking about it would make him feel any better.

Sighing, Harry said, "It seems that one of my many problems is that I don't get out and socialize enough. I believe she said, "You don't network with the right people at parties, Harry. You really need to expand your circle of friends, Harry. You need to be more careful who you are seen in public with, Harry." I guess I don't have enough influential people in my inner circle."

"So, she didn't like your friends." Ginny was pretty sure who this meant. "Did she mean Ron?" Ron had grown quite a lot, under Hermione's influence, but he could still be the boy who loved driving a flying car to school.

"It doesn't matter who she meant. I pick my friends for who they are, not what they can do for me. Anyway, she...um...she didn't like a lot about me, my place for one."

"Not the correct address or not big enough for her?"

Laughing, Harry shook his head and grinned. "Yeah, both. She kept trying to get me to meet her friend who could show me a few decent places, not too expensive and just the right location.

"And then she started in on my clothes, my hair, my job and my fam...." Harry groaned, and ran his hand through his hair and started to walk away. Ginny grabbed his arm.

"Harry, It's ok. I know that if Dad were not the Minister of Magic, people would not be hovering around us like they do. We wouldn't be going to banquets, or openings, or galas.

"Just look at our house, Mum didn't want to move when Dad got the promotion. They haven't really changed the place since you first started coming to stay with us during the summer break. Do you really think people would want to come there and be with my family?

"And Dad, he hasn't changed, still crazy about all things Muggle. Mum...well she is no fashion plate. The rest of us, well my brothers don't exactly rank on the Eligible Bachelor list of Witch Weekly, do they. Me, I'm nothing special.

"We know who our friends are, who is part of our family. All the extra perks can be nice, but it doesn't really matter to any of us. We would be just as happy if we had our old life back with our small circle of friends."

"Gin, I am so sorry. I never meant for anyone to find out what she thought. She was so shallow. The real reason we broke up...well...she wanted me to give up my family. She didn't understand what you mean to me. How could any one expect me to do that?" Tears were in Harry's eyes, and the pain in them was so deep, Ginny decided she needed to make him laugh.

"She obviously didn't know you very well. I bet she didn't like the Cannons either. She probably wouldn't look good in orange anyway." Ginny peeked at Harry out of the corner of her eye and saw him grin.

"You're right. She didn't."

They walked the rest of the way to the castle doors. Ginny didn't want their time together to end. Quietly she asked, "How about a turn on the dance floor, Potter?"

Taking her hands in his, Harry quietly replied, "I'd really like that, but I can't." Harry seemed to sincerely regret that he couldn't dance with Ginny. He was looking into her eyes as if trying to tell her something. "There is someone I really need to speak with. I have something important I want to talk to her about."

"Oh, did you come with someone?" Ginny sincerely wished the answer was no.

"No, not a date. But I am meeting an old ...um....friend tonight. I haven't seen her in a while. Harry looked very nervous all of a sudden.

"Is it someone I know? It must be someone from your year."

"Well...she wasn't in my year, no, but she is here tonight." Harry was blushing so much that Ginny thought he looked like one of her brothers.

"It isn't Moaning Myrtle is it?"

Harry laughed out loud. "Ginny, you really know how to hurt a guy. No, it isn't Myrtle, and before you ask, it isn't The Fat Lady or Professor Trelawney either." He took a step closer and with a husky voice continued. "It happens to be a very beautiful young woman, and I am anxious to be with her."

Harry was so close she could feel his breath on her cheek. Her mind went blank. She closed her eyes and felt herself leaning into him; her forehead gently brushed his chin. Her breath caught in her chest and she moaned. She felt Harry's arms gently circle her waist and pull her close to him. She could feel his hands as they moved up and down her back, sending ripples of excitement through her body.

Suddenly, Ginny's eyes flew open. What was she doing? She needed to get out of here. She took a step back and tried to speak. Her mouth formed a word, but no sound came out. Trying again, she just managed to get out "See you later" and headed to the big tree at the edge of the lake. She started to run. She wanted to get away from her thoughts.

Ginny felt as if she had just broke through the surface of water after almost drowning. She was taking deep breaths, trying to steady herself. What had just happened back there? She needed to get a grip on her emotions before she made a fool of herself.

Dazed, Ginny was wondering who the mystery woman could be. She had always wanted Harry to see her as the one person who could make him happy. And now, it sounded like he had found her. Ginny didn't want to think of who he'd found, who had touched his heart. She only knew that it wasn't her. She reached the edge of the lake, and watched the squid lazily swim back and forth. Ginny walked toward the big tree.

Hearing a voice as she approached the tree, Ginny slowed down. She didn't want to interrupt a rendezvous. On the verge of retracing her steps, Ginny froze. She recognized that voice. How could she not? She had memorized every nuance of it, every note of sorrow, pain and happiness it ever spoke. Harry was with his special woman. She wanted to run, to hide, but her legs wouldn't cooperate. She was rooted to the spot. She really needed to leave, but what she heard Harry say changed her mind.

"There is something I have wanted to tell you for a long time. You are the most amazing woman I have ever known. You are perfect. I love everything about you. I love the way your eyes light up when you laugh. I love how your smile brightens up the room. I love the way your hair catches the light and creates a halo around you. You are so beautiful, you take my breath away. When I look at you, I am so happy it hurts.

"I never thought I would ever be able to feel this way. I'm not the luckiest of men when it comes to relationships. It is hard for me to express myself, to find the right words. But you always make me so comfortable."

Ginny heard a twig snap. Oh no, they can't be coming this way. I can't bear to hear any more of this. How am I going to get away? I can't Apparate. Oh what I wouldn't give to be an Animagus right now. With these thoughts running through her mind, Ginny heard Harry continue.

"In the past, I tried not to think about the future, my future. I never believed I'd have one. But lately, I find that I can no longer deny what I want. I want what my best friend has, I want some-one to love, some one to love me. I want a home and a family. I want a future, with you. Will you be my future? Will you let me be yours?"

Ginny's world fell apart. Harry, her Harry, was in love with another woman. She couldn't bear it. Her heart was breaking. She had to get away, to run and never see him again. She couldn't stand to see him in love with some one else.

Stepping from the shadow, Harry smiled into Ginny's eyes and took her hands in his. "Ginny, will you be my future?" He took a step closer and gave each of her hands a kiss.

"Harry, please don't tease me. I couldn't take it if this was only a joke."

He was smiling into her eyes with such love; Ginny desperately wanted to believe what she was seeing. Yet, she was scared. He couldn't possibly feel anything for her.

Harry placed his arms around her waist and pulled her close. He gently placed a hand in her hair and brought her face to his, their lips almost touching. "Ginny, I've tried to run from my feelings for you." He took a deep breath; he seemed to be savoring the smell of her. He sighed and continued, "I have loved you for so long, but I never dreamed, I couldn't bring myself to hope that you might love me. I always remembered how you'd given up on me. I only hope I haven't waited too long."

He looked into her eyes and she felt a tear fall down her check. She was confused and didn't know what to feel. Ginny closed her eyes and shook her head. She had dreamed of this moment, prayed for this moment, for so long, but she couldn't let herself believe what Harry was telling her.

Ginny could feel Harry's muscles tense up. She was confusing him, she knew that, but her mind didn't know how to stop the downward spiral she felt. "Harry...please. I know you were here talking to your lady...love. Why are you doing this to me?" Ginny's throat was starting to close up and she wanted to cry out to leave her alone. She wanted to get away.

"No one was here except you and me. I said all those things about you. I meant every word." Ginny heard the desperate tone creeping into Harry's voice.

"You can't want me. You could have anyone - someone you've already dated - someone who's beautiful and famous and smart. You don't want me." Ginny knew that soon she would not be able to hold back her tears. She was starting to tremble and she felt ill.

"I don't want any of those other women. I want you, Gin."

It was too much. Ginny couldn't believe he meant what he was saying. She tried to break away from Harry's embrace. He wouldn't let go of her. "Harry - please let go. Please, let me go." She tried to pull away, but couldn't.

"Gin, I don't understand!"

"I have to go...I have to...you don't want...I need to get away!" Ginny turned and started running toward the castle.