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The Seekers | ||||
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Category: Post-HBP Characters:Harry/Ginny, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley Genres: Fluff, Humor Warnings: None Story is Complete Rating: PG-13 Reviews: 64 Summary: What happens after Harry and Ginny climb out of the portrait hole? Hitcount: Story Total: 7503 |
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The Seekers What happens after they climb out of the portrait hole? Mid HBP. Contains spoilers. All characters, settings, trademarks, etc are the property of JK Rowling. The first paragraph is a direct quote from Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, Chapter 24, Page 534, US Edition. “The creature in his chest roaring in triumph, he grinned down at Ginny and gestured wordlessly out of the portrait hole. A long walk in the grounds seemed indicated, during which — if they had time- they might discuss the match.” Ginny stood rooted mutely to the spot. Harry could see the emotional war raging within her. She wanted to go, Merlin he hoped she wanted to go, but she didn’t look like she wanted another older “brother” telling her what to do. “Please?” he whispered softly. Her face melted into a smile, and she scrambled out of the portrait hole. Harry followed, careful not to touch her. The portrait swung shut behind them drowning out the catcalls of “Potter loves Weasley”. Once outside the common room, the creature in Harry’s chest decided to hibernate. He could think of nothing to say and nowhere to go. He stared at the floor, then out the window. It was so quiet he could hear Ginny’s shallow breathing. “Harry?” she finally said, “what happened back there? In the common room.” For a fleeting moment, he thought she hadn’t recognized it as a kiss. Was he that bad at kissing? He remembered Cho crying nearly every time he’d kissed her. Maybe it was his technique. Lav Lav had certainly never cried or questioned the results when she was kissing Ron. “I mean, I KNOW it was a kiss and all, I do know how to recognize a kiss, but I was wondering why all of a sudden?” “It wasn’t all of a sudden.” Harry admitted sheepishly. “I’ve been trying to think of a way to do that for a couple of months now.” “Months?” “Yeah, months,” he raised a hand and rubbed the back of his neck, mussing his hair in the process. “I thought that you’d been watching me,” Ginny mused, “but then I decided it was my imagination. I mean, I thought that all the time my first year. Turned out you’d be looking out a window, or looking for Ron-” “Yeah, well, I was pretty stupid my second year, and my third, and-“ “Quit while you’re ahead,” Ginny said firmly and Harry laughed. The creature nudged him hard so he offered his hand. Ginny’s smaller hand slipped cautiously into his larger one, and they set off down the corridor, silent again, but comfortably so. They heard Filch’s voice before they saw Mrs. Norris. “Yes, my pet, there are students about, celebrating, planning mischief-” Harry quickly slid an arm around Ginny’s waist and pulled her to face him while his other hand withdrew the Invisibility Cloak and whirled it around the two of them just as Filch and Mrs. Norris turned the corner. Ginny looked at the cloak, clearly perplexed, and started to ask a question, but Harry lowered his now free hand to her lips and shook his head. They stood that way for several agonizing minutes, Ginny’s breath tickling his finger, as Filch and the cat passed. Mrs. Norris had sniffed in their direction, but Filch had called her to follow him. When the danger had passed, Harry raised an eyebrow in question. Ginny nodded, and he replaced his finger with his lips. Funny, but he had never thought of using the Invisibility Cloak in his schemes to woo Ginny. Too soon, she pushed away slightly, and Harry released her immediately. She looked at the canopy above their heads and said, “So, this is the Invisibility Cloak.” Harry pulled it off and stuffed it back in his pocket. “Yeah, it was my dad’s”. Ginny’s hair had been mussed, whether from the cloak or the kissing, Harry wasn’t sure, so he reached out and smoothed a lock back into place. It felt like the stuffed bunny Dudley had handed down to Harry after he had ripped the ears off. “Ginny, I’ve never felt this way before, about anyone.” “I know,” she said softly, “It’s kind of like Christmas and my birthday together.” They stared at each other happily for a moment before they resumed their stroll down the corridor, hand in hand again. Several portraits pointed and whispered as they passed, and Sir Cadogan, who was visiting a portrait of a damsel in distress, declared to the lady loudly, “See? That young man has had success in his Quest!” They meandered aimlessly for awhile, eventually finding themselves at the entrance hall. Harry gestured to the oak doors. Ginny nodded, and they proceeded to wander down the steps, Harry leading. He paused at the bottom, thinking he should ask where she might want to go, but was distracted by the way the sunlight had turned her hair into a red halo. Still one step above him, Ginny reached out hesitantly and brushed a stray lock of hair off his forehead, and then ran a warm thumb across his scar. With the same look of blazing determination she had worn earlier in the Gryffindor common room, she lowered her lips to the feature that made Harry, well, Harry. He closed his eyes as the flowery scent that was uniquely Ginny washed over him, opening them again sluggishly as she admitted softly, “I always wanted to do that.” Then, quite without warning, Ginny jumped from the steps, tugged hard on Harry’s hand, and commanded, “C’mon!” “Where?” He followed her reluctantly, not sure he liked the idea of Ginny being in control of the situation. “Keep up, Potter! Either move those long legs faster or apparate us both.” “I can’t apparate! I haven’t had the test yet! And I don’t know where we’re going!” “By the lake. There’s this spot…” Harry dug his heels in and came to a complete stop. “Nu uh! I’m not going to some spot you went to with Dean, or Michael, or…” “Why not?” “Because,” he spluttered, “because, well you wouldn’t like it if I took you some place I went with Cho, like Madam Puddifoot’s, or…” Ginny dropped his hand. Her eyes narrowed to tiny slits and her chin jutted out in a way that reminded Harry of Mrs. Weasley. “First, I wouldn’t go to Madame Puddifoot’s because the place makes me want to throw up. Second, I never want to hear THAT name out of your mouth ever again. Third, I never took Michael or Dean to my spot by the lake. I was saving it for…” she stopped abruptly, as if realizing she had almost said too much. “Saving it for who, Ginny?” Harry asked angrily, wondering how many other boys there had been. She suddenly looked as if she was about to cry. Her head resolutely turned away, she choked softly, “you.” Harry’s stomach plummeted as if he had missed the vanishing step on the concealed staircase. “Aw, Gin, don’t…” But she wasn’t crying. She was glaring at him defiantly, and he started racking his brain for a counter jinx to the Bat Bogey hex. “All right. Let’s deal with it. I made a complete fool of myself over you for more than two years. And I sent that atrocious valentine.” “I kinda figured.” “But you’ve been keeping tabs on my love life for the past three years apparently.” “I have not!” “When did you decide you liked me?” But Harry didn’t want to answer that question. “Let’s just… go ahead and show me the spot.” Ginny raised her wand threateningly. “WHEN?” “All right, it was the day Ron and I caught you and Dean kissing.” She lowered her wand and whispered, “Really?” “Yeah.” “That long?” “That long.” “So it would seem you’ve been pining for me and making a prat of yourself for quite some time now.” “Yes.” She was smiling again. Harry was sure if he lived to be as old and wise as Dumbledore he’d never completely understand girls. But he certainly didn’t mind working on figuring out this one. She picked up his hand again, muttering something about them being even, and turned back toward the lake. He followed obediently. Ginny’s spot was worth the long walk, worth the wait, and worth the argument. Secluded, with a balmy breeze, and an exceptional view of the lake, Harry wondered how he, Ron, and Hermione had managed to never find it. Probably because Hagrid’s hut was on the opposite side. He wrapped his arms around Ginny from behind and watched while she pointed out her favorite trees and talked about all the times she had retreated here over the years to worry about him, school, him, her brothers, him, Quidditch, and him. “Well, you get the picture.” Harry was busy nuzzling an exceptionally soft part of skin where her neck met her shoulder, so he didn’t reply. “You know,” she said slowly, “It occurs to me that we have had our first fight, but have yet to make up.” “Huh? Oh. Sorry.” “For?” Ginny prompted. Harry thought furiously, trying to remember the details of their pointless argument. “Mentioning Ch — I mean you-know-who.” Ginny snickered. “And not trusting you. I will always trust you completely from this point forward.” ”And I’m sorry I thought about hitting you with the Bat Bogey hex.” She turned in his arms and rose up on tip toe. She kissed him first this time. The creature in his chest stirred. He kissed her back. She slid her hands around his neck and a tiny hand wrapped itself in an untidy mop of black hair. They met halfway and bumped noses. CRACK. A familiar voice squeaked, “Harry Potter must come into dinner. His Wheazy has been looking for him. Harry Potter must eat.” “Dobby.” It was more of a snarl than a greeting. “I’m kinda busy here.” “But your Wheazy says to come in and bring his sister with you.” “Does he now?” Harry looked down at Ginny with an evil glint in his eyes. He was more than a little aggravated by Ron's blatant attempt to interrupt them. “Well. If Ron wants us to come inside…” “We could finish making up over dinner,” Ginny suggested helpfully. ”And dessert,” Harry added with a flick of his eyebrows. They turned gleefully and ran the entire way to the Great Hall, Harry leading, Ginny panting and struggling to keep up. “Harry, wait!” She was clutching a stitch in her side, standing at the foot of the steps leading to the entrance. “Let me catch my breath.” The creature in Harry’s chest didn’t want to wait. They both wanted to sweep into the Great Hall with Ginny and gloat over their triumph. Rashly, he scooped her up in his arms, the creature lending Harry adrenaline, and dashed up the stairs and into the Hall, all the while Ginny was laughing and protesting, “Put me down!” Once inside he set her on her feet, one arm wrapped protectively around her waist, her gleeful face shining up at him. The students from the other houses, who had only heard rumors about what had happened in the Gryffindor common room, ceased talking, and turned as if one gigantic body, to stare at them. It was Malfoy who broke the silence. “So it’s true then. The blood traitors have hooked up.” He was standing at the end of the Slytherin table, sneering at the pair. Harry turned to face him. “That’s right.” “Well, Potter, if the Weasel girl is the best you can do, don’t let me stop you.” Harry was across the Hall and had pinned Malfoy against the stone wall before anyone realized what he was doing. “If you EVER insult my girlfriend again I will hand you the prize jewels of the Malfoy family on a silver platter and I WON’T use magic to detach them. You got that?” Malfoy, who had not completely recovered from the last curse Harry had used against him, snarled nevertheless, but didn’t reply. Ron, Neville, and Ernie from Hufflepuff had quickly grabbed Harry and pulled him off Malfoy. “Harry, not here, all the teachers…” and Ron tilted his head toward the staff table that was rapidly filling with people who had the power to put Harry in yet another detention. Harry shrugged them off and straightened his robes. “Go back to your cow,” he told Malfoy contemptuously, as Pansy Parkinson appeared by Malfoy’s side. Harry allowed Ron and Neville to lead him to the Gryffindor table while he muttered, “At least my girlfriend is good looking.” When they arrived at the table, Ron pushed him into a seat with a little more force than was necessary. Harry didn’t care. The seat was next to Ginny who was blushing furiously, but smiling happily. Harry wrapped an arm around her shoulders, the sight of her completely removing the recent altercation from his mind. Remembering their lakeside plan to harass her brother, he said loudly, for Ron’s benefit, “Now where were we before Dobby interrupted us?” Ginny turned to face him and said, “Here,” and she kissed him right on the lips. “Ah, that’s right, and I was going to…” From across the table Ron moaned, “Blimey, mate, she IS my sister!” Unable to continue their good natured torment of Ron any further, they burst into laughter. Harry, who having missed lunch was quite hungry, began loading his plate up with shepherds pie. Suddenly, the food tasted better, the candles shone brighter, and Ginny’s jokes seemed funnier than they ever had before. No potion, not even one brewed by the Prince, could have made him feel this good. Hermione noticed. “Harry, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you look this happy.” “I don’t think I’ve ever been this happy.” Ron, who was looking rather sickly, hazarded a glance at Ginny, who was helping herself to Harry’s flagon of pumpkin juice. “Please, she’s my sister.” Harry put down his fork, suddenly serious. “Ron, if it bothers you that much, just let me know, so I can keep doing it.” Ginny spit pumpkin juice all over the table. Hermione soaked it up with her wand. Ron glowered at the happy pair as Harry turned mock puppy dog eyes to Ginny. “Gin Gin, would you butter my bread for me?” “Oh, Har Har, I’d love to! Here, take a bite of bread, and I’ll lick the butter off my spoon and we can…” ”I’m going to be sick.” Ron looked rather like he had the day he had vomited slugs. “Ron’s right, Gin Gin. Har Har is a little much. How about Pot Pot?” It was Hermione’s turn to splatter pumpkin juice over the table. Ron stood up, ready to leave. Hermione recovered enough to pull him back into the seat next to her. “Lighten up, Ron, they’re just teasing with you.” “Yeah, Ron, after everything we endured with Lavender, the least you can do is be supportive of Harry and me.” “I’m trying; I’m really trying, but…” Harry looked at Ron and felt suddenly and genuinely sympathetic. He didn’t know how he’d react if he had a sister and blokes were suddenly interested in her. Especially if one of the blokes was his best friend. “Ron, you’re my best mate; you know I’d never risk our friendship unless it was very important to me.” “I’m very important to you?” Ginny queried. “Yeah,” Harry confessed to the table. Ginny rested her head against his upper arm, and a quick glance confirmed that she was beseeching her brother with big, sad eyes. Harry looked up, too. “Try to understand.” “All right,” Ron buried his face in his hands. “You have my blessing. But I can withdraw it any time I want to.” “Fair enough.” “Blimey, Fred and George are gonna kill me.” Ron looked over at the girls, who were now engaged in a conversation consisting mainly of whispers and giggles but punctuated by occasional shrieks. “You hurt her and I will kill you,” he said to Harry under his breath. Harry motioned towards Hermione with his head. “Likewise.” Ron blinked in surprise. “Hermione?” But Harry’s attention was diverted by the arrival of treacle tart. Ginny scooped lavish amounts on both of their plates, and they dug in with happy abandon. Soon, dinner was finished and the Gryffindor’s rose to return to their common room. Several students from Ginny’s year reminded her about an OWL study group that night, and she and Harry reluctantly joined the flow up the marble staircase. Ron, who it appeared was not going to give up with out a fight, pulled Ginny away from Harry and began to lecture her in a very Percyish way. Harry touched Hermione’s arm and they dropped back from the group. “Look, I’m going to need you to find me a counter jinx to the Bat Bogey hex.” Hermione snorted. “Already? What did you do?” “Nothing!” “Right. I’ll see what I can find, but I do want you to promise me something,” she said with sudden earnest. “Sure. Anything.” “Tone it down in front of Ron, OK?” Harry felt as if he’d had a Christmas present stolen from him, but he agreed reluctantly. “You know, now that I’ll be busy with Ginny and stuff, maybe you and Ron will…” ”Oh, look who’s the relationship expert all of a sudden!” “It’s just….” ”You know, since I’m not any good with feelings anymore, I think I’ll try out for Quidditch captain next year.” Harry gave a horrified yelp before he realized she was teasing him. “C’mon, Hermione. Give him a break. It’s hard for a bloke to make the first move.” But Hermione was suddenly interested in her shoelaces. They climbed the stairs in silence until they caught up to Ginny and Ron at the top. Harry could tell from the scowl on Ginny’s face that Ron might need that counter jinx sooner than he would. Hermione, however, who had not raised her eyes from the floor, walked right straight into Ron. She lost her balance and, arms flailing like a windmill, she gave a terrified gasp. Ron, his reflexes honed by Quidditch practice, quickly grabbed her around the waist and set her up straight. “Oh!” she exclaimed, and then she turned Weasley red as she realized she was clutching the front of Ron’s robes. Harry grabbed Ginny’s hand and tugged gently. “C’mere.” “What? Harry, no, I’ve got study group!” “I know, but, look.” He pointed to Ron and Hermione, who had disentangled themselves and were now profusely apologizing to one another. “I thought you were going to fall…” ”I needed to grab something to get my balance...” Ginny smothered a laugh against Harry’s chest as he removed the Invisibility Cloak from his pocket and covered them up. “Where did my little sister and that rotten, traitorous, Potter go?” “They’ll show up. Let’s get back to the common room. I have an Arithmancy quiz tomorrow.” “Oh, all right.” Ron and Hermione slunk down the corridor leaving Harry and Ginny alone again. She wrapped her arms around his waist and looked up at him, then scolded affectionately, “Slob.” One tiny hand snaked its way up to his chin and wiped treacle tart from his face. She displayed the evidence on the tip of her finger. “Mmm, two of my favorite treats.” Harry murmured before her finger disappeared into his mouth. He smacked his lips appreciatively, and she giggled. They were, however, not alone for long. Dumbledore and McGonagall had climbed the stairs, and Harry wondered, not for the first time, if Dumbledore could see through the Invisibility Cloak. He and Ginny stood quite still, and he was sure neither of them made a sound. “Minerva, I wonder if you have noticed anything new amongst the Gryffindor students?” “Why, no, Albus, whatever could you mean?” “Miss Weasley seems to be a bit preoccupied these days.” “I hadn’t noticed.” “And Mr. Potter seems to have his hands full.” “When hasn’t Potter had too much to deal with?” “Yes, but this time I fear he has bitten off more than he can chew.” Dumbledore inclined his head ever so slightly in their direction, and Ginny’s eyes widened in horror. “I shall speak to them both. Miss Weasley is undoubtedly overwhelmed with her OWLS.” “Yes, yes, undoubtedly, that must be it. Overwhelmed.” They turned the corner, but not before, and Harry was quite sure about this, Dumbledore winked at him. Harry removed the cloak, and Ginny, who looked mortified, managed to croak, “Does that thing really work?” “Of course it works. McGonagall couldn’t see us. It’s just Dumbledore who saw. And he’s, well, he’s Dumbledore.” Ginny nodded in understanding, but her face was still tinged with pink. Harry turned toward the common room, and she followed unenthusiastically. She needed to study. It was important. They both knew that, but Harry was not keen to see the end of this wonderful day, and from the frown on her face he could tell Ginny was not too keen on the idea either. When she offered a halfhearted, “Wait,” he stopped eagerly, and the creature in his chest sniffed about, hoping they’d need to get his cloak out again. “I forgot something,” and she pulled the snitch out of an invisible pocket in her robes. “How did you do that?” Harry asked incredulously. “Hm? Oh, that. Fred and George showed me how to rip holes and seal them with magic. Comes in mighty handy when you need to hide something quickly. Here, I wanted to give you this.” She pressed the snitch into Harry’s palm. It struggled valiantly. “What’s this?” “It’s the game snitch, silly. I wanted you to have it.” Harry opened his palm. The snitch buzzed stationary for a moment, and then took off. Harry reached up quickly and snagged it back. Ginny grinned, so he did it a few more times, much as he had seen his father do in the Pensieve. “Why did you want me to have it? I’ll just have to give it back to Madam Hooch.” “Because,” and Ginny became suddenly interested in the nearby portrait of an endangered maiden about to be rescued by her prince. “I’ve stopped seeking. I’ve … I’ve found what I’ve been looking for.” “I could say the same thing.” ”No, you can’t. All of Gryffindor wants to see you play seeker again, not me.” “I don’t know, Gin, I’ve got this weird feeling...” Ginny snorted. “That’s because I’ve been snogging you senseless all day.” “No, I mean,” and Harry laughed in spite of himself. Ginny could always do that to him. “I just don’t think I’ll ever play Quidditch again. I don’t know why.” ”You will,” she replied confidently and turned to plant a kiss on his cheek. “But there are certain things that you can stop seeking immediately. You’d better stop seeking if you know what’s good for you.” “But Romilda Vane is so easy to find…” “Don’t make me hex you, Potter.” “No, please,” Harry said, still laughing as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and hugged her close. “Not the Bat Bogey hex!” She punched him playfully in the stomach. “You know what you ought to be afraid of?” “No. What?” Ginny ticked off her fingers as she named them. “Bill, Charlie, Percy, Fred, George, Ron.” “Ron said he was ok with it.” “I’m not sure he meant that.” “Well he did, OK? And I don’t care how many older brothers you sic on me. I’ve found what I’ve been seeking.” He planted a kiss on the top of her fiery head. “And I’m not all that easy to get rid of. Just ask Voldemort.” “Oh, good. Now You-Know-Who and I have something else in common.” He decided to play stupid. “You-Know-Who? Are we talking about her again?” “Huh?” “That girl I’m not supposed to mention, you-know-who.” “Shut up while you still can, Harry.” He chuckled and pocketed the snitch. It bounced threateningly near the edge of his pocket. Ginny pulled out her wand and muttered “Esolc” and the pocket sealed itself. “Thanks.” Suddenly, he realized there was something important he had failed to ask her. Steeling his nerve as they resumed their stroll down the corridor he asked softly, “Gin?” “Mhmm.” “Will you be my girlfriend?’ She gazed up at him bemused. “Of course I will. I thought I already was.” “Well, you know, make it official and all.” “I thought it was official when you threatened to detach Malfoy’s-” “What’s THAT got to do with being my girlfriend?” “Because you told him not to insult your girlfriend, therefore telling Malfoy, and everyone else in the Hall that I, being the person most recently insulted, was your girlfriend.” “Yeah, I did that, didn’t I?” They had arrived back at the entrance to the Gryffindor common room. The Fat Lady was sniffing loudly and beaming at the pair of them. “Oh, it’s just so sweet!” she gushed. It was Harry’s turn to have a go at becoming Weasley red. “Er, yeah. Quid agis.” Ginny climbed through first and Harry followed reluctantly. Ginny’s OWL study group hailed her from the corner. She turned to Harry, “I’m really sorry, but I need to study.” He had to let her go. He understood why. He didn’t want to. “Will you miss me?” she asked the floor. “More than you will ever know.” She raised her face to his and demanded, “Kiss.” He gave her a brief kiss and stepped away. He knew, as he watched her join the other fifth years, that he would always do what was best for Ginny. He couldn’t live with himself any other way. Author’s note: Thanks for reading! I would appreciate HONEST feedback. I was intrigued by the fact that JKR left this so glaringly open in the book, and I think she’d like to see what we can come up with. I have seen some other good stories already filling in this void. And it was good to bring Dumbledore to life again, however briefly. I hope you have enjoyed my version. All comments are welcome. Thanks for reading and reviewing! |
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