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Holiday Sins | ||||
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Category: Alternate Universe Characters:Harry/Ginny, Hermione Granger Genres: Fluff, Humor, Romance Warnings: Extreme Language Story is Complete Rating: PG-13 Reviews: 6 Summary: They say you find love when you least expect it, and Harry definitely hadn’t been looking, really he’d been trying to dodge it entirely. But she had him under her spell, and there was nothing he could do to stop her. Muggle AU Hitcount: Story Total: 4061 Awards: View Trophy Room Disclaimer: Harry Potter Publishing Rights © J.K.R. Note the opinions in this story are my own and in no way represent the owners of this site. This story subject to copyright law under transformative use. No compensation is made for this work. Author's Notes: Just a cute Muggle AU one-shot that popped into my head! Harry and Ginny have never met. TheDistantDusk and gryffindormischief were awesome with their suggestions and edits! |
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Harry continued to scroll through numerous listings. He was looking for just a simple room, why was it so hard to find one? “Are you sure about this?” Hermione asked for the fifth time in the last hour. Harry had to refrain from rolling his eyes for the fourth time. “Yes, Hermione. I’m sure.” Harry clicked on a link. When then the screen loaded he instantly clicked the back button. That was not someone he had ever wanted to see. “It just feels a bit --” “Hermione,” Harry interrupted. “I told you. I just need to get away for a bit.” “Yes, but why not take a week at a hotel in Greece or something?” Hermione slid to the edge of her chair cushion. Her eyes were locked on him like she was staring down a hard math equation. “Why find a random room to rent in the middle of nowhere?” If Harry was honest, he could just go to some fancy hotel on the island of Crete, but instead, he was looking through different rooms for rent in Scotland. There was no reason or rhyme to his decision, but the desire to get away was too much. There was so much happening in London for him to stay in it, and really, he didn’t want to travel far. He just needed out of fucking London. His ex-girlfriend, cheating ex-girlfriend, was getting married to his ex-roommate. Those fucking pricks! Harry had never been overly fond of his roommate. If Zack hadn't been inches from homelessness, Harry would have turned him away. Alas, though, Harry wasn't heartless. Harry had let Zack into his house. Then one night after a huge fight, Cho (his now ex) had found solace in the arms of Harry’s new roommate. It had taken six months for Cho to admit how she had been sleeping with Zack every time she and Harry fought… and every time Harry was away on business… and any time Harry worked the night shift. So Harry had broken up with her, kicked Zack out, and buried himself in work. And now, his boss was refusing to give him any hours for the next month because he’d been working too much. Yeah, he needed to leave this fucking city for a bit. “Scotland is nice this time of year,” Harry muttered as he clicked the next link down. “Sure it is, but it’s not really that far.” Harry sighed. “Hermione, I just... “ He couldn’t explain it. When he had been going through the different places on AirBnb and Scotland had just stood out. He had already looked at fifteen different rooms, and none of them seemed right. He didn’t need more than a bed and a place to have breakfast. He planned on going out and wallowing on his own during the day. He scrolled down past a few ominous titles before one caught his eye. Clicking the link, he waited a second for the page to load. The base photo showed off a simple bed and dresser, but as Harry filtered through the other five images his gut told him it was the one. The pond was positioned with the sun setting behind, and Harry couldn’t imagine himself anywhere else on the perfect autumn nights that were upon them. Harry turned the laptop screen towards Hermione. “How about that?” Hermione used the mouse pad to look at the options. “I mean… it has a homey charm to it.” There was no doubting that. The blanket spread across the double bed looked warm and comfy. Perfect for snuggling under with a good book The kitchen table had a worn look to it. In other words, it was just want Harry was looking for. Somewhere he could be lost to the rest of the world. Harry turned the device back towards him. He scrolled down to see the details."It's only ten pounds a night." It was also set in a quiet little village, breakfast was provided, and only one other regular person was on the property. The more he read, the better it sounded. "Harry." Hermione paused before taking a deep breath. "Do you want me to feed Hedwig for you while you’re gone?" “One scoop for breakfast and one for dinner, please and thank you.” XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXX Harry stopped his car at the end of the long dirt drive. He double checked the address he had been given. According to user GMWeasley7, Harry was at the correct location. When the owner had said hidden gem, they literally meant hidden. Shifting into first, Harry started bouncing down the rocky road. The base in the rent-a-car he’d chosen for the trip thumped in time with the bumps. The seven hour trip from London to the quaint village of Hogsmeade had been long but good. It had given Harry a chance to think over the past few months. Between work, Cho, and his personal life, it had been a while since he’d been truly happy. It wasn’t depression, per se, more of an acceptance to not feeling joy. While driving through Bradwall, Harry had reflected on the last time he’d been happy. It had been before all this shit with Cho and Zack, it had been before Sirius had died. When his godfather had passed unexpectedly, Harry had done some rash things such as getting back together with his old uni girlfriend who came to the funeral. Instead of trying to work through his grief, Harry had distracted himself with the idea of a woman… Worst idea ever! A large pothole shook the vehicle, as he was forced to make a sharp turn. “This fucking drive needs signs,” Harry mutted under his breath as he steered back into the middle of the dirt road. Trees surrounded both sides of the path, making the natural light of the day disappear. After another minute or so the road widened into a decent sized plot of land. It was almost exactly as the photos had shown it. A pond sat with the slowly setting sun behind it. A cute red door marked the entrance of the cottage. Brown cattle fencing divided the rest of the road from the natural land. Harry pulled beside the only other vehicle he’d seen in the last hour. Now that he didn’t have to focus on the battered road, he noticed more detail. Flowers sat in little wooden boxes under the windows, a home-weaved football goal sat between two trees, and the little chicken coop sat on the left side of the yard. He slid out of the car, closing the door behind him as he just stared at the house. It was beautiful and just want he’d hoped for. Simple and reclusive. And if this G Weasley bloke was as easy to get along with as he was online... Harry was never going to want to leave. “Hello!” Harry spun at the voice. A woman rolled out from under the Range Rover he’d parked beside. Harry’s heart jumped into his throat. The first thing he noticed was her eyes. A rich deep brown that he could have sworn possible to drown in. His eyes then drifted down to a crooked smile that was all too adorable-yet-threatening, because there was no telling the amount of sass that would spill from those lips. Even her simple black shirt and blue denims looked flawless on her. She stuck out her hand, which almost had as many freckles as cheeks. “You must be Harry.” The woman smiled. “I’m Ginny. Welcome to my home.” XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXX Harry had never really traveled on his own. He was typically with a girlfriend or some mates.The idea of traveling alone had always seemed so… lonely. Now he knew that was just a preconceived notion based on what he’d heard. Really, traveling somewhere where no one knew him was freeing. He didn’t worry about his messy hair (not that he had much of choice with his genes) or feel self conscious when he tripped over his own feet. Or at least he wouldn’t have worried about any of that if his host wasn’t so bloody alluring. He couldn’t help but try to flatten his hair every time she waved at him. And don’t get him started on the number of times he’d tripped over his feet because he was distracted by her. Just the other day he stuck his elbow in the butter dish because he had been distracted by the way her tongue stuck out of her teeth while she was focused on flipping the fried eggs. In other words, Harry was ready to lock himself in his room for the remainder of his visit to avoid doing anything completely, unforgivably embarrassing. Except Ginny had taken to inviting him for walks, and to sit and chat with her while she made dinner. And she was entirely too interesting for him to pass up any opportunity to be with her. The way Ginny told stories about her uni days, family, old football club, really anything, held Harry’s attention. She explained to him she was a writer by trade, but was helping her mother with the renter business for a bit. Harry could tell the tale of why Ginny was hosting was sadder than most. Everytime Ginny mentioned the business (which in turn meant her mother), her brow would furrow and her eyes would dim. Every time it happened, all Harry wanted to do was reach out and hold her hand, maybe pull her into his arms. Fortunately, his body didn't follow orders from his frontal cortex on those instances. Just lying about the fire on a stormy day was entertaining to him. Ginny had plucked a random book off her shelf and started reading it aloud. However, Ginny didn’t just read the acts of Romeo and Juliet, she performed them -- in poor accents. She had started off simple, flicking to a random passage and read a portion in some foreign accent. First had been Irish (it was odd to Juliet to declare her love in such an unusual timbre), then Scottish and now she was on American. “O serpent heart hid with a flowering face!” Ginny raised a hand high into the air, “Did ever a dragon keep so fair a cave? Beautiful tyrant, feind angelical, dove feather raven, wolvish-ravening lamb! Despised substance of devinest show, just opposite to what thou justly seemest” – her hand came down and wiped across the empty air as if casting a spell–. “ A dammed saint, an honourable villain!” Harry snorted back his laughter. “I am literally from the home of Shakespeare and you read his work in an American accent?” Ginny’s mouth fell open as she gasped dramatically. “Thou haveth no imagination, eh Potter?” This time Harry couldn’t hold back his amusement. His cheeks hurt from how wide his grin had become. “Trust me, I have a vivid imagination.” “Oh?” Ginny leaned forward in her chair, the book closing in her lap. “Pray tell! What have you been dreaming of?” Harry’s mind drifted back to his dream the previous night. It had been him and Ginny by the pond. Ginny had claimed to be cold and that she needed Harry to help warm her. The way her hands had moved under his jumper… he could feel the heat spreading across the back of his neck. “Oh, you know–” Harry cleared his throat. “I think I’m gonna turn in.” He stood from the sofa, hoping the blush hadn’t spread any further. Ginny looked disappointed. “Oh well, then I shall leave you with a parting message.” She opened the book flicking through a few pages until she found the passage she was looking for. “Good night, good night! parting is such sweet sorrow, That I shall say good night till it be morrow.” She looked up from the pages, her teeth showing in her wide smile. “Good night, Harry.” Harry felt as if air rushed from his lungs... as if her smile had knocked the wind out of him like a sucker punch. “Good night, Gin.” He hoped he didn’t start having dirty dreams in Old English … XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXX “So, Potter, what’s your story?” Ginny rose up onto her elbows, her long red hair falling down her back like a waterfall. Harry hadn’t been able to take his off her the entire time they been out relaxing around the pond. The weather was what autumn was known for. A slight chill but the sun still giving the day warmth. The perfect old pair of denims and a light jumper day. Instead of working on home maintenance, that she had planned for, Ginny had asked Harry to come lay about the pond, something he had been more than thrilled to do. “What do you mean?” Over the past few weeks, Ginny had interrogated him better than some of his fellow MET detectives. He had already told her about his piss poor childhood and all about Sirius. What more could she want? Ginny rolled her eyes at him, her smile countering the show of annoyance. “I mean, why did you decide to book a month in the middle of nowhere? People don’t come up here unless they’re on the run or running from something.” She quirked an eyebrow at him. “So which is it for you?” Harry let out a small laugh. “Well, as an officer of the law being a fugitive is frowned upon.” “So that leaves running from something.” Ginny’s eyes narrowed as she observed him as if she thought she could read his mind. After a few seconds, a self-satisfied smirk formed on her lips. “It’s an ex, isn’t it? She broke up with you?” For a moment, Harry considered changing the topic but there was something about Ginny that made him willing to talk about his least favorite topics, such as she-who-must-not-be-named. He sighed, sitting up and turning his body so he was fully facing Ginny. One free hand feeling around the fallen leaves they sat on. “I broke up with her actually, after I found out about her cheating on me with my roommate.” Ginny’s jaw dropped, her body copying his position. “No fucking way! What a bitch!” Harry nodded. “Yeah and now they’re getting married. Actually,” he went through his mental calendar, “I think they got married yesterday.” If it was possible Ginny’s jaw got closer to the ground. “Harry,” her voice was soft as her hand reached out and clutched his. “I’m sorry for bringing it up, I didn’t think -- I mean, I tend to put my foot in my mouth, but this is extreme even for me.” Harry shook his head, his focus divided between her words and the way her thumb kept brushing along his. “It’s fine. I mean it sucks and I never plan on speaking to either of them again but.” He shrugged his shoulders. Ginny’s nose scrunched as her lips curled in indignation. “No, that never should have happened. You’re too --” Her mouth moved without words coming out. She shut it, her eyes blazing like a bonfire. “You’re too good for her.” Warmth spread from his chest through his entire body. Hermione had said the same exact thing, but hearing it from Ginny… It was different, in a good way. He wanted to tell her how much it meant to him, but his mouth was never talented at expressing his feelings. So instead of the heartfelt speech he’d wanted to give her, all his traitorous mouth did was grin stupidly at her. “Thank you.” “Well, I mean it.” Ginny’s eyes held his in that intense inferno. Harry felt as if he was getting lost to the rest of the world, and he didn’t mind it for a moment. Harry wasn’t sure how long they remained in silence, both seeming content in just watching the other. It was Ginny who made the first move. Her lips quirked in a mischievous smile. “So, I don’t know if you noticed but you left your book on the sofa last night. I didn’t take you for a romance bibliophile, Potter.” Now it was Harry’s turn to have his jaw hit the ground. “W - What!?” “A Pound of Flesh, sounds scandalous!” Harry took a handful of the dead leaves and threw it at her adorable laughing face. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXX “So what’s the plan for today?” Ginny asked as she scrubbed the frying pan clean. They had just finished breakfast and now she was cleaning up the dishes. Harry took the clean but wet dish from her, using the towel to dry it. He hated dishes, but for some reason he kept offering to help her in the morning routine. It was either a sign of his continued journey of maturation, or evidence of the lengths a boy will go to when he fancies a girl. “I was thinking about checking out that village down the road.” Harry checked for any remaining water droplets before putting the pan away. Ginny nodded. “Hogsmeade is a cute place to go. Actually.” She turned off the water before reaching for a different towel. “I need to go get a few things. Why don’t we go together?” Harry nearly dropped the final plate he was drying. His mind started working in overtime as he gently placed the plate down. Harry had always had a rather strong imagination when it came to women. And at that moment, his mind was concocting an image of Ginny pulling him aside near a little shop because she was just so turned on by his suave and generous company that she couldn’t help but snog him. “Harry?” Ginny’s voice and hand waving in front of his face brought him back from his daydream. “If you’d rather be alone --” “No!” Harry’s voice became way too loud. He cleared his throat. “No, it would be great to have the company.” Ginny beamed at him. “Great. I’ll go get changed.” Before Harry’s brain could pull away from the image of Ginny changing -- and perhaps him coming in to help -- one slender arm came around his neck. Ginny’s body was warm against his as her lips grazed his cheek in a chaste kiss. Harry thought he was about to explode . Fortunately, Ginny backed away from him before he did something stupid. “I’ll be back in a minute.” Harry sat down hard in the kitchen chair. Oh he was in trouble! XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXX “So that’s when Ron screamed at the top of his lungs.” Ginny let out a laugh that seemed to warm the autumn chill. “And he ran straight into the pipe.” Harry joined in laughter. “Ron sounds like a real character.” “That’s one way to describe him.” Ginny paused at the street intersection, waiting for the road to clear. “That’s how you could describe all my brothers.” Harry glanced at her. They had been walking around the different village shops for a few hours, and he never wanted it to end. Normally he’d rather gouge out his eyes than spend the day shopping, but Ginny made it fun. Between her stories and challenge to race on toddler bikes, Harry wouldn’t admit it out loud, but he was completely smitten by his cheeky redheaded host. This trip was supposed to be him rediscovering himself… instead, all he wanted to discover was how Ginny’s lips tasted. When the final car crossed the intersection, Harry and Ginny started moving at the same moment. As his hand swung forward, it brushed against Ginny’s. He could feel the little scar he’d noticed on her knuckle against his skin. Just from her slight touch, goosebumps ran up his arm. He was like a lovesick teenager, and his heart felt lighter than it had in ages. Harry tried to focus on the road but his gaze dropped to her hand again. Because he was so distracted, he didn’t mind the gap between the pavement and road. He tripped over the street, and would have eaten cement if Ginny hadn’t caught him around the waist. “Woah there!” She laughed lightly. “I’m not opposed to men groveling at my feet, but I’d rather it be without a broken nose.” Harry could feel his face heating. “Guess I should have watched where I was walking.” “Maybe. At least when there is a chance of getting run over.” Ginny released him, disappointing his inner lovesick puppy. She pointed over at the local tavern. “Care for lunch?” “Sure.” Harry kept his focus on the pub. He refused to trip again because he couldn’t stop looking at Ginny. He kept his resolve until he felt that little scar against the back of his again. He couldn’t not look down. They way they’d paced themselves, their hands kept skimming against each other. Harry took a deep breath. He had to try it, he’d regret it if he didn’t. Taking a deep breath, Harry slowly scooted his pinky to link with hers. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Ginny’s head look down at their hands before looking back up. “Took you awhile to take the hint, huh Potter?” Her words made him stop dead. She froze with him. When he looked at her she was grinning like a Cheshire Cat. “Take the hi–” Harry was sure this was another dream. There was no way she had been – Ginny fully gripped his hand, pulling him towards the side of a building. “I’m a pretty good host, but I’ve never been one to give out a deluxe package…to anyone but you.” Her free hand came up to run along the back of his neck. Harry thought his mind might explode. There was nothing for it. He leaned down and connected his lips with hers. The fingers on his neck slid up into his hair. He was the first one to pull back, his forehead coming to rest on hers. Her eyes were alight with mischief as her smirk became coy. She released his hand and ran her fingers along his jawline. “Thus with a kiss I die.” And just like her dramatic proclamation, she moved her hand over her chest before falling back against the stone wall of the shop. Her eyes closed. Harry snorted. “Really?” Ginny slowly opened her eyes. This time when she spoke she used her poor American accent. “Sin from thy lips? O trespass sweetly urged! Give me my sin again.” “Well, if you insist.” Harry followed her instructions, his hand coming to rest on the wall as he leaned back over her. He had a full head of height on her, so connecting her lips to his took some maneuvering, but it was worth every second of the geometry puzzle. When Harry could finally tear himself away from her, he spoke in a husky tone.“I have another week of holiday time saved up, and I’d love to book a room with you again.” Ginny nuzzled his nose. “I think that can be arranged. How do you feel about having a roommate for a few nights?” |
| Reviews 6 |
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