Menace

Chapter Ten

Just before Ginny reached the fence separating Ron's private property, Harry gave up the pretence of not being able to catch her and grabbed her around the waist, swinging her in a wide arc before dragging her behind a large tree.

"Now I've got you, what are you going to do?" he growled, pressing her into the trunk of the tree with his weight.

"I guess I'd better surrender," she murmured, giggling at his devilish look.

"Well, I guess you'd better," he said, bending to capture her lips in a sweet kiss that made her toes curl.

He took his time exploring her mouth, drawing the kiss out so he had something to keep him going whilst they were among the others. When he finally drew back he couldn't help smiling at the way her eyes remained closed and her head was still tilted upwards as if expecting more. "You want another one Pumpkin?" he whispered, making her open her eyes.

Before she could answer him a voice interrupted them and Harry groaned, rolling his eyes.

"Pumpkin, hmm?" Fred said as he leaned against the fence and cocked his head to one side.

"Sod Off Fred," Harry growled mildly, not bothering to turn around and look at him. Instead he kept his eyes on Ginny's flushed face and gave her a soft smile, one hand coming up to stroke her cheek.

"Now, now... be nice Potter," he murmured, grinning as he looked from one of them to the other, then at his brother.

"Why is your hair damp, Harry?" George asked.

"None of your damn business," Harry grumbled, grabbing Ginny's hand and pulling her away from the tree.

When the twins got a good look at Ginny, their grins got even bigger.

"Ah, I see your hair is damp too. Now, why would that be?" Fred asked.

"Fred," Harry warned, frowning and clutching Ginny's hand even tighter as she moved closer to him. He looked down at her and was surprised to see her smiling at the other man.

"Would you believe me if I told you we got caught in the rain?" she asked her brothers, still red in the face but not backing down from his teasing.

The twins seemed to consider that for a moment and then nodded. "Well sure we would," George confirmed .

"Especially if it was a sudden..." Fred continued, looking at his brother and winking before they both turned to Ginny and Harry.

"shower...shall we say?" They said together and laughed outright at the blast of colour this comment caused.

"Tossers," Harry grumbled under his breath, hating the way the twins always managed to know what was going on without being told.

"That we are, Potter," they said quietly at the same time, staring at the taller man and giving him a shit eating grin, their eyes deadly serious.

"Now that you've finally pulled your head out of your arse," George started.

"We do hope we can trust you to take care of our girl here?" Fred finished

"She isn't your girl!" Harry said immediately, and then froze as he tried to analyse the strong jealousy that had filled him with those words. These were her brothers for Merlin's sake!

George raised an eyebrow, remaining calm. "Do we have to repeat ourselves?"

Harry sighed and shook his head, aware that Ginny was watching him strangely. "No, you don't. Of course I'll take care of her."

"Good." Fred said, clapping Harry on the back.

"That's all we needed to know," George said, winking at Ginny and then looking pointedly at their joined hands then to his twin.

"Are you sure you're ready to face the pack?" Fred asked as he turned back to look pointedly at Harry.

"I'm positive," Harry said, squeezing Ginny's hand as they started moving towards the other guests. Charlie was the first to spot them and he gave Harry a hard look before looking at his sister, not missing the fact that she was holding the big man's hand.

"Are you okay?" he asked her when she got close enough.

"I'm fine," she replied, smiling worriedly at him and wondering if he knew what they'd been doing.

"Good," was all he said, before he looked up at Harry again and stared at him silently. "I don't really need to say the words, do I?"

"No, you really don't," Harry said, smiling.

"What words?" Ginny asked, confused.

"Nothing pumpkin," Harry said, letting go of her hand so he could drape a big arm around her shoulders and pull her closer to him.

"Just overprotective big brother type of stuff," George told her, grinning at Charlie.

"He just wants to make sure this big, ugly moron treats you right." Fred put in.

"Hey, less of the ugly," Harry complained, relaxing a little now.

"Yeah, he's not ugly," Ginny said, defending him and staring up at him with not a small amount of admiration. Harry saw the look and felt his chest swell with emotion.

"I'm not?" he asked her, blocking everyone else out for the moment.

She shook her head. "No, you're just perfect."

"For what?"

"For me," she murmured, her eyes dropping to his lips as he gave a sexy smile.

"You know what? I don't have a single problem with this ugly scar anymore, not if it doesn't bother you," he murmured, lifting her up and holding her close to his chest as he kissed her gently.

"Eww," George said, screwing his face up.

"Get a room!" Fred bellowed.

Harry pulled back and laughed. "I would if I didn't think big brother here would have a problem with that."

"No need to get a room," Ron said, walking up behind them and catching their conversation, his eyes crinkling as he saw the way Harry was holding Ginny. "You have a room here and it's a long way from ours."

"That is true," Harry said, wiggling his eyebrows as he stared down at Ginny, making her giggle. "But for now I'd like a nice drink and some food. I'm starving!"

"I wonder why that is?" George said, chuckling and holding his hands up in defence as Harry glared at him.

"Truce, Harry. I'll go get you both something to drink, hmm?" Fred went to walk away and then turned back, a smirk on his mouth. "Pumpkin?"

Harry glared at him again and looked slightly uncomfortable. "Why don't you just go..."

"Sod Off? We know." George said, raising his eyebrow.

"You'd think after all this time he'd be able to come up with something new," Fred to his brother, chuckling as they walked away shaking their heads.

"Pumpkin?" Ron echoed, raising an eyebrow at Harry and then grinning. "Ah, I see. Just be good to my baby sister Potter. I'm pretty liberal these days, but you never know when I may crack."

"Don't you start," Harry said, getting irritated now.

"I wouldn't dream of it, " Ron said, winking at Ginny. "Pet names are nothing to be ashamed of. I have a few that I use on my lovely wife, although I don't think any of them are quite as sugary as Pumpkin."

Harry shrugged and then gave a small smile. "It fits," he murmured, staring down at Ginny and getting lost in her wide brown eyes for a second. The way she was looking at him... Merlin, he wanted to just drag her off and have her again, something his body definitely shouldn't have been ready for, but was. Ginny couldn't fail to be aware of the changed contours as he was still holding her off the ground, and she blushed.

"Maybe you should put me down?" she ventured, her voice quiet so no one else could hear.

"Maybe I should keep you right there so no one can see what you've just done to me," he countered, his eyes crinkling warmly as he smiled.

"I didn't do anything!" she whispered.

"Yes you did."

"No I didn't!"

"Yes...you did," he said again, grinning now. When she went to deny it again he kissed her, making her go silent immediately. "There, that's better. Now I know how to stop you arguing with me, don't I? And yes, you did," he tacked on, chuckling when she gave him a glare.

Hermione walked up and ducked under Ron's arm, holding his hand as he drew her close to him and smiling up at him. "What's going on?"

Ron nodded to Harry and Ginny, a smile tilting his lips. "Looks like the dobbing great duffer finally got a bit of sense."

"Hey, I resent that!" Harry said, looking at his friend and trying to look angry. He failed miserably, because he felt more light-hearted than he had for years.

"Ahh, they look cute together," Hermione murmured, pressing against her husband's side as she studied the other couple.

"Not as cute as us," Ron whispered, bending down and flicking the lobe of her ear with his tongue, an action that made her shiver. "And it looks like the party is finally breaking up, so you wait until I have you alone, I'll show you cute."

Hermione giggled and put a hand on his face, staring at him with such love in her eyes that he wanted to drag her off right there and then. He winked at her instead and turned back to Harry, cocking his head to one side as he looked at his friend's happy face. "What are you two going to do later? The evening is still young and it looks like most everyone is getting set to leave."

Harry looked at the crowd of people that was slowly diminishing and he frowned. If the party was over, then Charlie and Rebecca would go home, Ron and Hermione would go indoors...there wouldn't be one single place that he could take Ginny and be alone.

Ron saw the wheels turning in his mind, and he grinned. "It looks set to be a beautiful night, perfect for a drive I should imagine," he said, looking up at the darkening sky and the one or two stars that were starting to appear.

"Perfect," Harry said, a huge smile appearing as he slowly let Ginny slide down his body until her feet touched the ground. "You want to go for a drive with me?"

Ginny nodded slowly, her face warming with pleasure. She would get to spend the evening with him at least, even if it would probably be impossible for her to spend the night with him. The thought of sleeping all night in his big arms took her breath away, even though it had happened before. But the last time had only been because she was upset, this time he would be doing far more than just comforting her.

He watched the expressions chase each other across her face and he smiled again, one hand lifting to smooth over her cheek and curve behind her ear. "What are you thinking about?"

Her eyes darted to the others who were still looking at the two of them curiously, and she shook her head, smiling shyly. "Nothing."

"Hmm, I think you're lying to me. I'll get it out of you later, anyway, perhaps when there's no one else around," he murmured, bending to kiss her soft lips, breathing a sigh as he pulled back. "Come on," he said, taking her hand and walking away without a backwards glance to anyone else, not even seeing Fred walk back with two drinks in his hands.

Charlie watched them go and couldn't keep the worry from his face, something that Fred saw when he looked over at him. "I wouldn't worry Charlie. Harry will take care of her," he said, patting his brother on the shoulder after he had put the two glasses down he was holding.

"I can't help it. You know how he is with women, you know his track record."

Fred shrugged. "Yeah, I do, but I can honestly say I have never seen him look at a female the way he looks at Ginny."

"He's right, Charlie," Ron interjected, still hugging his wife. "Harry looks the same way I did when Hermione walked into my life. The same way you looked the first time you brought Rebecca to the Burrow to meet Mum and Dad. He's in way over his head already, and he's finally starting to admit it to himself. He won't hurt her."

"Gods I hope you're right," Charlie muttered, shaking off his frown and smiling as Rebecca handed Leander to him. "You ready to go home?"

Rebecca nodded and smiled at the others. "Thanks for a great party."

Hermione was about to speak when a huge commotion made them all turn around, and Ron suddenly burst out laughing. "Looks like Dell and his friends have brought the boys back," he said, pointing to where Connor, Dennis, Colin and Seamus were being pushed out of a truck.

Fred grinned as he watched them look around and then march over to them, looking furious and embarrassed. "Good evening, boys," he said politely as they all stood there, three of them in their bikinis. He noticed that Colin and Connor had lost the tops of their suits, but he didn't bother asking them how.

"You...you son of a bitch!" Colin said, pointing at Ron. "You left us in that place...with those... those... eww!" he growled, wiping a hand over his ear.

"What's the matter Creevy? Didn't you have a good time?" George asked, suddenly appearing out of nowhere.

Seamus Finnegan tried to stifle a laugh and Colin glared at him. "I can't help finding it funny," Seamus said.

"Well you would, they didn't molest you, did they?" Colin snapped.

"Molest? Dell and the boys wouldn't have hurt you," Ron said, absolutely certain of that fact and wondering what really had happened.

"He sucked my earlobe...my earlobe for chrissake!" Colin wailed, rubbing at it as if he could get rid of the memory. Ron's chuckle only made him angrier and he pointed shakily at Connor. "And look at Connor's neck! He's got a hickey!"

They all turned to look, and Fred started laughing at his outraged expression. "It suits you, sweetheart."

"This is not funny! Anything could have happened!" Colin said, almost stomping his foot.

"But it didn't, did it?" Ron pointed out. "And it is funny, Colin, just not to you. So now you know how everyone else feels when they're the butt of your stupid jokes. Turnabout isn't so amusing is it?"

His words made Colin stop and think and he stood there with his mouth open, trying to think up something to defend himself. When he couldn't he just glowered at the older man. "Where's Ginny, anyway? Did she get in trouble too?" he finally asked, looking around and not seeing her anywhere.

"Yeah, Harry dealt with her," Ron said, smirking.

"Really? What did he do?" Dennis asked, speaking for the first time and looking a little guilty that he had got her in trouble as well. "It wasn't too bad was it?"

"Actually, she seemed to quite enjoy it," George put in, raising an eyebrow at Ron.

"Enjoy it? How could she have...what did he do to her?" Dennis asked again, confused.

"Let's just say we think it may have involved his tongue," Fred said, chuckling at the younger man's horrified expression.

"Oh God, maybe we got off lightly?" he asked his brother.

Colin and Connor both agreed heartily. "I need a shower," Colin said suddenly, still fiddling with his ear.

"Me too," Connor said, all three men rushing inside Ron's house with Seamus slowly trailing behind them.

Ron watched them go and shook his head. "Hopefully that'll be the last time we have those three playing any jokes."

"The threat of Harry's tongue anywhere near me would sure stop me," Fred said, shuddering and making the others laugh. His eyes were caught by Harry's truck pulling away from the front of the house, and he smiled jabbing his brother in the ribs and nodding towards the disappearing vehicle. Hopefully everything would work out for his friends, then maybe Harry could be as happy as Ron was.

Ginny smiled as Harry lifted her up into the truck, closing the door behind her before sprinting around the front and jumping in next to her. "So where would you like to go? Any special requests?" he asked as he instantly made the truck seem tiny merely with his presence.

She shook her head. "Wherever you like," she said softly, knowing she'd be happy as long as she was with him. She couldn't believe that all her previous animosity had disappeared so quickly, but these other feelings must have been buried in there somewhere, just waiting to be set free. Now that they were, there was no stopping them. She loved him, she realised, her eyes softening on his handsome face.

Harry smiled slowly at her expression, his hand reaching out to stroke down her face before he forced himself to turn away and start the engine. Merlin, if he didn't start driving he'd end up making love to her right here, giving everyone a damn good show once the vehicle started rocking all over the place. He chuckled as he pictured it and shook his head, glancing over at her with wicked eyes.

"You're bad for me, do you know that?"

"I am?" she said, frowning slightly and wondering if he meant it.

"Oh, not in a bad way, love, in a good way," he murmured as he pulled out of the driveway and drove along the road.

"I don't understand," she said, watching his every movement. He was beautiful.

"It's just that I can't get you out of my head. I was picturing making love to you right there in the truck in front of everyone," he told her, his attention on the road ahead.

"Oh!" she murmured, feeling slightly embarrassed.

"Yeah, 'oh'," he said, grinning as he flicked a brief glance at her. "Go ahead and tell me you aren't picturing me naked right now."

She blushed deeply and was thankful that it was getting dark, because it would hide her colour a little. "I'm not."

"Yeah right. I can feel those pretty little eyes running all over me like hands, so no use denying it. Hell, if we can find somewhere private enough I'll let you strip me," he said, raising his chin arrogantly as he drove.

"I might not want to strip you," she said, wondering how he knew exactly what she was thinking.

"Yes you do, and I want to strip you, look again at all those lovely soft curves..." he trailed off and shifted in his seat, his flesh swelling uncomfortably. He knew they'd never find a place to park where he could totally indulge himself, and he hated the thought of having to wait, because his needs were becoming staggeringly strong. Still, his body would just have to get used to it, he thought grimly, wishing there was somewhere to go. He almost suggested they got a hotel room, but he didn't want to cheapen what they had, it was too special.

Ginny watched his expression become grim and she bit her lip, wondering what was making him angry. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," he said, stopping at some traffic lights and turning to look at her, one hand reaching over to twirl a soft strand of her hair. "A bit uncomfortable, but fine."

"Uncomfortable?"

He nodded and grabbed her hand, drawing it into his lap and over the hard bulge there. "Yes, uncomfortable," he said, raising an eyebrow and grinning at her big eyes. He expected her to move her hand away, and he groaned when she squeezed experimentally, making him jerk. He let her touch him for a second and then grabbed her wrist, moving her hand away as he pulled the truck away from the lights. "I don't want to crash, honey, and I will if you keep that up."

"Sorry," she murmured, her eyes dropping to stare at his body.

"It's okay. If I can find somewhere quiet enough to park you can do it again," he said, grinning again, a wicked gleam in his eyes.

"Where are we going?" she asked, looking out of the window as they drove out into the quieter roads.

"Anywhere that's away from people and interruptions," he told her, looking around and taking a turning that he knew led to a single track road, where he could put the truck's charms to good use and take them somewhere out of the way. Ginny's eyes widened, as Harry hit the invisibility booster, and the enormous truck took off into the air.

It was dark and quiet, when they landed in a quiet patch of farmland sometime later and he just hoped that no one would come by and find them, not yet. He stopped and turned off the engine, turning to her and lounging against the door, his mouth curving into a smile as she sat there looking decidedly unsure of herself.

"Something wrong?"

"Not really, this just feels a bit...odd," she said, shrugging as she stared at him, suddenly shy.

"I guess it is. It makes a change for us not to be fighting, but I think I like this far better, don't you?" he asked her softly, pulling her across the seat and wrapping his arms around her. "We just have to get used to each other this way, and I have a feeling it won't take too long will it?"

She shook her head and snuggled into his warm arms, relishing the feel of his defined chest as she rested her cheek against it. A sigh rumbled through him and he relaxed, pressing her closer to him, ignoring the fact that his body was about to burst apart at the seams. They sat that way for a few minutes, silence surrounding them in the dark confines of the truck. "Gin? You want to do something for me?"

"Mmm-hmm," she murmured, her eyes closed.

"You remember what you did before, the night I rescued you...the thing that made my toes curl?" he said, nudging her face up so she could look at him and he could see her eyes. Her brow wrinkled in confusion and then she remembered, her mouth forming an 'o'. Harry smiled sheepishly and stroked her face. "Would you do that again?"

"If you like," she murmured, smiling sweetly up at him as she moved so she was kneeling on the seat in front of him, her hands coming up to frame his face. Harry watched her silently as she fussed over him, her hands framing his face again and stroking delicately over the stubble on his cheeks. He smiled at the look of intense concentration on her face, but didn't say anything, not wanting to break the mood.

Ginny ran her fingertips over his cheeks and down his nose, brushing over his moustache and goatee with a small smile. She loved his beard, especially when he kissed her neck and it grazed against her skin. Her eyes studied his mouth intently for a second before drawing her thumb over his bottom lip and pulling it open slightly, her tongue coming out to moisten her own lip as she did so. She could still taste him, still taste that strangely masculine flavour he had, like a mix of butterbeer and leather and spice. It was addictive in its own way, and she wanted more of it. But she wanted to give him what he had asked for first, and he had asked for this. Her hands traced his every feature, lingering on his eyebrows and his eyelids as he closed them over his glowing eyes, flickering softly against the long eyelashes that fell in a sweep over his skin.

Her fingers moved through the heavy mass of his hair and letting it flow over them like silk. Still holding her hands tangled in his hair, she leaned forward and placed soft kisses on his eyes, his nose, his cheeks, his chin....worshipping every part of his face and avoiding his lips for as long as she could bear...which wasn't long. His mouth was far too tempting and she soon settled her lips on it, nibbling at him and relishing the sound of the groan he gave, letting her know he was enjoying what she was doing.

"Ginny..." he murmured, trying to press his mouth more firmly to hers and giving a frustrated sigh when she held back just enough so he had the barest contact with her soft lips. His eyes opened slowly, heavy lidded with the desire coursing through his taut body, and he stared at her. She was enjoying touching him like this almost as much as he was, he thought, seeing her eyes closed and her brows drawn down in concentration. He shivered as she stroked his scalp again, and wondered at his ability to get aroused at such gentle touches. But he had known what this would do to him before he had asked it of her, known it from the first time she had so gently cherished him. Being touched in such a way, like she loved him, like she found him infinitely precious...it was almost better than sex. Almost, he thought, his lips curving into a warm smile as he finally took matters into his own hands and grabbed the back of her neck, pulling her in so he could claim her lips and kiss her the way he had been longing to. She gave in straight away and her mouth opened to the demanding slide of his tongue, letting him take possession of her totally in that instant, uncaring that they were sitting in the cab of his truck where an unsuspecting farmer could happen upon them. All that mattered anymore was that he keep on touching her.

He drew back finally, his breathing ragged as he buried his face in the crook of her neck, his arms bruisingly tight as he held her against him. "Merlin, you make me forget who I am when you do that," he said, his voice deep and husky.

"I only touched your face," she whispered, trying to breathe where he was squeezing her too hard.

Harry gave a small shudder and then pulled her up so she was straddling his lap, his big hand pushing her down until she could feel the hard evidence of his arousal pressing up against her. "I know, and this is what it does to me. Another few seconds and I'd have made one hell of a mess," he said, giving her a crooked smile.

"But...why?" she asked him, slightly confused.

He tilted his head to one side and his smile grew bigger. "You really don't know do you? Here," he said, putting her hands on his chest so she could balance herself and then lifting his hands to her face and starting to mimic her movements from before, his fingers trying to be as delicate as she had been. He knew he couldn't do it the same, his hands were too big, his skin too callused to be truly gentle, but still her eyes drifted closed and she leaned into the touch, almost purring when he started dropping butterfly kisses on her face. When he finally pulled back, it was all she could do not to rip his clothes off, and he saw the need in her eyes. "Now you know why," he murmured, taking her mouth in another deep kiss that made the temperature inside the truck rise even more.

The fact that her hips started to undulate unconsciously on top of his didn't help matters, but he found that he couldn't get his hands to stop her moving, and he groaned into her mouth as he pushed up against her, his movements totally uncontrolled. He wanted her, right here, he thought while his mind was still working, and where they were didn't matter anymore. Lifting her off him he hastily undid her jeans, laying her at an angle as he pulled them slowly down, taking her knickers with them until he could whip them over her feet.

He managed to unsnap his own too tight jeans and pull them down enough to free himself, then he dragged her back over him, his eyes running down her body and his hand following, gratified to find she was ready for him. He knew he couldn't have waited and, looking up into her eyes, he knew she couldn't wait either. Using his fingers to position himself, he slowly probed inside her, his other hand going to her hips and guiding her downwards until he felt himself sliding into the snug heat fully, his jaw clenching when she settled on his lap.

Ginny moaned softly at the feel of him, feeling the tiniest twinge of discomfort that soon disappeared as he filled her, her hands clutching helplessly at his shoulders. The instant she felt him as deep as he could go, she lifted back up jerkily, sliding him almost out and then hurriedly back in, making both of them gasp at the sensation.

"Ginny...fuck..." he growled, his hands grabbing her hips so hard he knew she would have bruises. But right now he couldn't stop himself, and he showed her how to move, guiding her smoothly over him and then squeezing his eyes shut as she moved of her own accord. It was too much, too good...and he knew he wasn't going to last much longer, he had been too turned on when they started. But as she moved faster and he reared up to meet her, the tiny noises she made let him know she was just as far into this as he was, and he indulged himself some more. Dragging her top upwards, he leaned in and took one rosy peak into his mouth, drawing on her flesh as she trembled around him, adding to the sensations rippling through her body. His big hands stroked over her hips, delving between her thighs to trace the delicate flesh stretched so tightly around him, brushing over the sensitive nub and drawing more noises from her throat. He felt her internal muscles start to tighten and he thrust his hips upwards harder, his eyes rolling up in his head as his climax approached, his whole being seemingly draining out of him and into her as he came, white hot shards of pleasure stabbing into his brain mercilessly. Ginny was in no better shape. She almost bit through her lip to stop from screaming as she clamped down on him, his wildly out of control thrusts sending her body rocketing up into space, her breath, her mind, her very life leaving her in a dark oblivion.

Harry was vaguely aware of her collapsing on his chest, and his weak arms automatically came up and wrapped around her, holding her safe against him. Somewhere inside his head was a tiny voice telling him he was bad, but he managed to ignore it fairly easily, especially since he was holding Ginny. She made him feel more complete than he had ever felt before in his life, and he never wanted to lose that feeling.

The next morning found Harry standing outside Ginny's house at just gone eight, a time he hadn't seen for months...if not years. Charlie opened the door to him and stared at him silently before stepping back and letting him in the house.

"Tea?" he asked the bigger man, setting about making it anyway.

"Thanks," Harry said, sinking into a kitchen chair and yawning.

Charlie looked at him and pursed his lips. "You're up a little early aren't you?"

"I wanted to see Ginny, I thought she'd be up by now," he said, leaning back in his chair so he could look along the hallway, hoping to catch a glimpse of her. He hadn't wanted to bring her home last night, and his stupid body had made sure he thought about her until the early hours of the morning.

"No, she's still in bed. Obviously she needed the rest," Charlie said, handing Harry a mug of tea and sitting opposite him. "So what's going on between you two?"

Harry sipped the hot brew and looked at Charlie silently for a few seconds. "I fancy her."

"Well, duh, I worked that out all on my own," Charlie said, chuckling and relaxing. "The question is, how much?"

"A lot. I feel...I'm not sure," he said, shrugging and then gave a small smile. "I do know that the thought of going back on the road is killing me, does that help?"

"Yeah, it does," the other man said, looking up and smiling as Rebecca walked in with the baby in her arms.

"Good morning," she said, smiling tiredly at Harry.

"Bad night?" he asked, sitting up and peeking at Leander's little face. He sure was cute.

"Yeah, he kept me awake for most of it," Rebecca said, sitting down next to him and looking pointedly at the tea her husband was drinking. When Charlie went to get her a cup, Harry put his own down.

"Want me to hold him?" he asked, suddenly really wanting to have the tiny life in his arms. Rebecca happily handed him over and Harry looked down at the baby's small face, fascinated by the way the unfocused dark blue eyes stared up at him. He could virtually hold him in one hand, he thought, smiling softly down at the little boy. A picture of Ginny pregnant with his child flashed through his mind and he took a sharp breath as his stomach flipped over at the feelings coursing through him. He wanted that, he realised. For the first time in his life he really wanted ties with someone, and that someone was Ginny.

Charlie and Rebecca's chatter flowed over him as he rocked the baby absently, his mind on the young girl who was lying asleep up the stairs. Sure, he had been in relationships before, but he hadn't had his heart in it and that fact had been obvious from the get go every time. With Ginny... Merlin, the way he felt actually scared him. He looked up vacantly when Charlie called his name.

"Sorry?"

"Nothing important," Charlie said, shaking his head and grinning at the bigger man's confused expression. "Where were you? You seemed lost for a second there."

"I was just thinking," Harry mumbled, looking at the baby again and then back at Charlie. "Do you need Ginny around today? Has she got a lot of work to do or anything?"

Charlie shook his head. "No, most of the paperwork is okay, although there are a lot of records that need updating. I guess they can wait. Why?"

"I wanted to spend the day with her, if she wants to," he said, freezing as he thought of that possibility.

Would she want to spend time with him? Obviously she had enjoyed what had happened between them yesterday, but had he been too forceful? Did she really want to just be with him? His face gave him away and Charlie chuckled.

"I swear you're just as bad as her," he said, and Harry's head jerked up to stare at him, frowning.

"What do you mean?"

"Last night I found her standing in the hallway looking totally empty headed, a big smile on her face. She didn't hear me when I spoke to her and, when she did finally reply, what she said made no sense at all," Charlie said, shaking his head and rolling his eyes. "I think my baby sister's in love with someone."

Harry couldn't help the wide grin that broke out on his face. "She is? You really think so?"

"Yeah, I do," he said, looking at the clock on the wall. "Maybe you should go and wake her up, hmm?"

"You don't mind? Are you sure?"

"Stop with all the questions! Just do it, mate," he said, taking the baby as Harry stood up. "If you can continue to make Ginny as happy as she was last night, then you have my blessing."

Harry felt like a teenager and he smiled at Charlie, slapping his shoulder. "Thanks mate," he said before he walked out of the kitchen as fast as he could and made his way up the stairs, wondering why the thought of seeing her again was making his heart beat faster and his stomach tie in knots. This was ridiculous, he thought. He was twenty three years old, far too old to be feeling quite this way, but damned if he was going to question it too much. Seconds later he was standing outside her door and he wiped his palms on his jeans, wondering whether to knock or not. The thought of surprising her made him simply open the door, and he poked his head around it to find her sprawled under the covers on her bed, still fast asleep. Perfect, he thought, entering the room and closing the door quietly behind him and muttering a locking spell.

He made his way slowly over to the bed and kicked his shoes off, his shirt and jeans quickly following until he was standing in his boxers. Pulling back the sheets carefully he eased into bed behind her and covered them both up again, wrapping his big arms around her sleeping form and tugging her gently back into his embrace so he could spoon around her. Ginny murmured softly and shifted, but she didn't wake up and Harry smiled, his fingers going on a slow exploration to find out what she was wearing. It felt like a T-shirt but it was fairly long, and it was black with something printed on the front by the feel of it. And obviously she was wearing nothing underneath it except for the brief little knickers he could feel. He had to force himself not to pull them away from the tempting treasure underneath, because he knew they couldn't get up to much, not with Charlie or Rebecca walking around the house. Again he wished he had somewhere to take her and the thought of maybe buying a place near Ron popped up in his head again. It was something to seriously consider, he thought, especially if it meant he could lock Ginny away and keep her for himself. He leaned his head down and nuzzled the nape of her neck, brushing her hair aside and scraping his beard against her soft skin, making her back arch in response.

Ginny's eyes slowly fluttered open as she pulled herself out of the pleasant dream she had been having and she gasped as she felt the big arms surrounding her and the huge body curved around hers.

"Harry?" she asked huskily, turning her head to try and see him.

"Who else?" he murmured, leaning up and looking at her, his hands turning her around so she was facing him. "I hope you're not used to waking up with men in your bed!"

Ginny giggled at the outraged expression he wore. "No, but I think I could get used to it."

His eyebrows arched. "Oh you do, do you? Well you better not be thinking of any man except me," he told her, his eyes wrinkling at the corners as he grinned.

"I'm not," she said, leaning forward to rest her head on his chest as he rolled onto his back. Her eyes flicked up to his. "Why are you here?"

"I couldn't stay away," he admitted, chuckling and squeezing her tighter. "Do you mind?"

She shook her head hurriedly and smiled at him, lifting herself up and leaning her arms on his stomach. "Why are you naked?"

"I'm not totally naked."

She ran her hands lightly down his abdomen and encountered the band of his boxers. "Oh."

"What's up?" he murmured, his hand lifting to wrap around the back of her neck and caress her. "You want me to be totally naked?"

"Yes."

"I just bet you do. See, now you know how good I am you can't get enough of me. I guess I'm going to be condemned to a life of sexual slavery," he said, sighing and shaking his head.

"Hey, it's your fault!" Ginny protested, unable to stop smiling. "If you hadn't touched me in the first place..."

"If you hadn't been so damn sexy none of this would have happened," he interrupted her. "It's not my fault that your body was made to be loved, now is it?"

"You think I'm sexy?" she asked, grinning happily.

"Every inch of you," he confirmed, raising his eyebrows and giving her his sexiest look. "You want to fool around?"

She considered his words and rested her chin on her palm, staring at him. "Nah, I wouldn't want to wear you out or anything."

"Wear me out?" he asked, staring at her in amazement. "What do you mean, wear me out?"

"Well, your stamina can't be all that great," she said, grinning impishly and trying to look innocent at the same time.

"Are you saying you can outlast me?" he asked, his eyes narrowing.

"Would I do that?"

"Ya know something, I think you would. And I think I might have prove otherwise," he said, his eyes widening theatrically as he grabbed her waist and pulled her over him. Ginny squealed and tried to squirm away from him, only managing to make his body go rock hard in the process.

"You might want to keep still, Gin," Harry murmured, pushing her down on him so she could feel what she had done. "Or this little challenge is going to be different to the way I'd been thinking."

"Challenge?" she asked, keeping still and staring at him.

"Oh yeah, you challenged me, and now I have to prove myself," he agreed, nodding.

"Prove what? That you can be outdone by a little witch?" she asked him, trying not to laugh at the shock that made his eyes widen at her words.

"You're really asking for it, you know that?" he asked her, giving her an evil grin.

"Asking for what?" she said, relaxing on top of him and trying for a seductive look. When she saw him swallow she knew it was working.

He tried to stop himself, but he couldn't resist sliding his hands up the backs of her thighs and pulling them open over his hips so he could press his aching flesh up against her softness. The slight wince she gave made him freeze and he frowned at her. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, just....er...I'm a bit...sore," she said, flushing as she said it.

He eased her slowly off him and stared at her with concern. "I hurt you?"

"No! No you didn't....well, not at the time, I guess," she said, shrugging.

"Oh, Merlin, I hurt you," he said, his voice hushed as he pulled her against him, cradling her gently.

Ginny lifted her hand and brushed his cheek, smiling. "You didn't mean to, and it's just as much my fault," she said softly.

"How do work that one out? I was the one sticking something inside you that was obviously far too big," he said, looking incredibly guilty.

Ginny couldn't help laughing at his wording. "It is big," she agreed, going even redder at the way he looked at her.

"Will you be serious? This isn't a joke, I hurt you," he grumbled.

"No you didn't," she said, chewing her lip. "I think it's probably natural anyway. I mean....I hadn't done it before and we did do it...er...quite a lot."

"God, and I did it again in the truck last night....that must have hurt you," he said, still looking guilty.

"It didn't hurt!"

"Are you sure?" he asked, his eyes narrowing. "I didn't hurt you anywhere else did I?"

Before she could reply he ripped the covers back and started examining her body, pulling her T-shirt up and running his hands over her skin. When he found slight bruises on her hips he frowned, brushing his fingertips over them. "I did these too, didn't I?" he asked, looking up at her red face.

She bit her lip. "Well, yes...but you didn't do it on purpose and they don't hurt," she said quickly. "Harry, it wouldn't have mattered if you'd broken my bones last night, I wouldn't have felt it, I was enjoying what you were doing too much."

"You were?" he asked, a small smile tilting the corners of his lips. "I really didn't hurt you?"

"No."

"But it hurts now?" he asked, frowning.

"It's...I'm a bit sore, that's all. I'm sure it'll all be fine in a day or so."

"I'll be leaving in five days," he said abruptly, looking at her with something indefinable in his eyes.

She hadn't thought about him leaving and it hit her in the chest, tightening it up and hurting. "Five days?"

"Yeah," he said, his face serious for a second until he pulled her T-shirt back down and got a good look at it, pleased to find it was his, the one he'd given her to wear that night with Edwin. It had been the Lupin Agency logo he had felt on the front of it. "I'm going to miss you," he told her, moving back beside her and drawing her into his arms.

"I'll miss you, too," she whispered, hundreds of questions floating around in her head that she didn't dare ask him. Was this just a fling? Would he come back again? If he did, would it be just to visit Charlie or would it be to see her? Because she didn't want to hear the answer if it was bad, she kept quiet. Whatever it was he wanted, even if it was just brief, then she would have to accept it.

"How about we spend most of the day together?" he asked, his voice rumbling through her.

"I'd like that, but I have work to do and..."

"Charlie said it would be okay," he said.

"Oh... then, yes, I'd like that," she said again, smiling.

"Good. We can explore the reserve a bit more, maybe have a picnic, go for a swim...stuff like that. I have to go and see Draco just after lunch at his office, but I'll only be gone a couple of hours or so, and then maybe we can have dinner?"

"Okay," she said, snuggling happily against him. At least he wanted to spend some time with her and it wasn't just sex, she thought, and he had said he would miss her, that was something. She would take this a day at a time, and see where it went. It was all she could do for now.