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At The Stroke Of Midnight | ||||
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Category: Post-OotP Characters:Harry/Ginny Genres: Angst, Fluff Warnings: None Story is Complete Rating: PG Reviews: 28 Summary: As the whole school celebrates, Harry and Ginny spend an evening together in the common room. A New Year's Eve story. Hitcount: Story Total: 7247 |
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A/N: My apologies to those who are reading It's Always Been You. Let's say that school, finals, holidays, work, and writer's block are to blame. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy this little fic I put together. Happy New Year! Thanks to XiaoXiao for being a great beta! DISCLAIMER: I just own the plot. Music and laughter filled the Great Hall. Conversations were abundant among those who sat at the tables, while whispered talk passed between those who twirled around the dance floor. The atmosphere was warm and light and for once no one was thinking about the dire time they lived in. For one night, they could forget that a brutal war was taking place outside the walls that protected them. For one night they could forget all their worries and be happy. Soon they would all gather around the large clock that stood above the Head Table and count down the seconds to the New Year. And hopefully the New Year would not only bring happiness to their world once more, but an end to the war against the Dark. While everyone was gathered in the Great Hall, dancing, eating, drinking and talking, two students were far away from the festivities. Instead of joining their classmates and teachers, Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley were snuggled up together under a blanket on a sofa in front of a roaring fire in the Gryffindor common room. Music floated softly around the room from the wireless she had borrowed from a friend. A half empty case of butterbeer that he had smuggled in from Hogsmeade lay on the floor in front of them. Neither one of them spoke very much to the other. They were perfectly happy to sit in silence as long as they were together. The announcement of the New Year’s Eve Ball had caused a buzz of excitement to bubble amongst the students of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It was something fun to look forward to and something for them to get their minds off of the horrible things happening around them. But for Harry and Ginny, the dance didn’t cause them the same excitement as it did everyone else. Harry had turned very bitter the moment Professor Dumbledore had announced it. He didn’t see the point in having fun like that. It was as if everyone was just forgetting the war that was going on, that people were dying everyday and they were going to laugh and dance the night away while others were fleeing for their lives. Ginny knew that bringing up going to the dance would not set well with him especially after knowing how he felt about it, so she didn’t. She was desperate to make an official appearance as boyfriend and girlfriend and knew this would be a good opportunity to do so, but she didn’t want to force him into it and then spend the whole night with a bitter boyfriend. So instead of pushing him into going together, she suggested that they spend the night together, since everyone else would be at the dance. She reasoned with him that they had rarely had a chance to spend time alone together since they began going out at the end of the last school year and this would be the perfect opportunity for them to have that time. Harry had seemed to like the idea and agreed to it. Harry brushed his lips against Ginny’s forehead and she smiled, snuggling closer to him as he wrapped his arms more tightly around her. She still couldn’t believe that she could call him hers. She had the ability to call him her boyfriend and to hold his hand and kiss him in the hallways. And she loved it. It had all started when, out of the blue, he had kissed her as they were walking back to Gryffindor Tower together after she had taken her last OWL. Ginny was taken by surprise, but it didn’t take long for her to kiss him back, and not long after that for them to stumble into a nearby broom cupboard, only to reappear half an hour later hand-in-hand. He had confessed that he had slowly developed a crush on her over the past few months, after discovering what a great friend and person she really was. He told her that he was comfortable around her and was able to tell her things he couldn’t tell other people. She was different from most people, he had told her. She never let him get carried away and act arrogant. She kept him in line and didn’t put up with anything. But she also knew when she should and shouldn’t push him. She knew when he needed his space and when he needed someone. Ginny seemed to understand him more than other people did and that drew him to her. He seemed to be happy ever since they got together and she loved it whenever she made him smile. When he was able to join her family over the summer holidays, he didn’t seem to have a care in the world. He was laughing and smiling and actually enjoying life. Harry loved to steal moments to grab her around the waist and kiss her passionately, pulling away just seconds before someone in her family would interrupt him and kissing her again once the person left. He was happy and that’s all that mattered to Ginny. Just after school began, his happiness shattered into a thousand tiny pieces. Word of vicious and gruesome attacks reached his ears and the boy he had become over the summer was gone. He was often angry and bitter about being stuck at school and not being able to do anything. She had caught him on a few occasions trying to sneak out of the school on his broom or under his invisibility cloak, and somehow convinced him to stay; after each time, a row would occur between them. He withdrew from everyone, hiding himself in a shell and throwing up a wall around him. Ginny was the only one able to break through the wall and she did anything she could to bring even the smallest of smiles on his face. One day, Ginny had had enough of his bitterness and his attitude and demanded to know why he was so upset and why he continued to try to leave the castle. He didn’t say anything at first, telling her it was none of her business and she should stay out of it, but she was making it her business. She yelled at him, telling him that he wasn’t the only one who wanted to help fight and who hated being locked up in the school and unable to do anything. He would have his chance, just like she would and there was nothing he could do about it. He had fallen silent and the words that came out of his mouth following the silence were not what she was expecting to hear. He told her of the prophecy and what he was expected to do. He would kill or be killed. Ginny suddenly understood it all after that conversation and wondered how anyone could deal with that weight on their shoulders. His anger had continued, but it was more muted after he had told her about the prophecy. He slowly slipped back into the Harry she remembered from the summer and she was determined to keep him that way. But tonight he was different. That morning, Professor Dumbledore had called him to his office and after Harry returned, he wasn’t the same. He had gone back to his solitude and thrown up his barriers, yet he showed no hint of anger or of happiness. Ginny was beginning to worry about him. “I’m glad we didn’t go to that stupid ball,” Harry said. “This is nice.” “Yeah, it is,” Ginny agreed. She pulled away from Harry and he removed his arms. She reached over him to grab her butterbeer off the small table next to him. She felt him run his hand up and down her back, sending shivers of pleasure down her spine. She picked up her drink and took a sip, glancing at the clock and seeing that the New Year was only twenty minutes away. She set her bottle back on the table and sat back again. Harry twisted himself around to face her and raised one hand to her face. He cupped her cheek in his hand and gently rubbed his thumb against her skin. “You’re so beautiful,” he whispered. Ginny felt herself blush, still not used to hearing him say that even though they had dated for six months. “I still can’t believe you’re mine.” Ginny smiled and raised her hand to cup his face in her hand as well. “I’ll always be yours,” she whispered. He leaned in closer to her, his lips capturing hers in a sweet kiss. He pulled away and rested his forehead on hers, wrapping his arms around her “I really am glad we’re spending time together like this,” he said, his voice sounding slightly pained. Ginny drew away from him and looked at him, frowning slightly. He was staring at her with a worried expression. “What’s wrong?” she asked, reaching up and running a hand through his hair. His hair felt coarse between her fingers and she loved the feeling of it. He closed his eyes and he pulled her close to him. He remained silent and after a few moments he opened his eyes and she saw they were bright. “Harry, talk to me. I know something’s wrong.” He sighed and buried his face in her shoulder. Ginny wrapped her free arm around his shoulders and pulled him with her and she lay on her back on the sofa. She held him as he kept his arms securely around her, pressing a few kisses against her shoulder. She waited, knowing that if she pushed him to talk, he would not and he would sink deeper into his hole. She kept running her hand through his hair, kissing him softly on the side of his face and waited. Finally, he lifted his head and looked down at her. “It’s going to happen,” he whispered. “Soon.” Ginny kept her eyes on his, waiting for him to continue. “Dumbledore talked to me today. He said Voldemort is going to attack very soon,” Harry continued. “How soon?” Ginny asked, suddenly feeling fearful for him. He could see her fear mirrored in his eyes, but unlike in her eyes there was determination and strength in his. Something fierce was in the sea of green, something powerful that she couldn’t name. “Within a month according to Dumbledore,” Harry said. He licked his lips. “It all ends in a month.” Ginny didn’t know what to say. What sort of comforting words could she say? “I don’t think I can do this, Ginny,” he said, closing his eyes. “Of course you can,” she assured him and he shook his head. “No. I can’t. I’m not prepared for this,” Harry said. “What do you mean you’re not prepared? Harry, you’re a very good dueler and brilliant at Defense,” Ginny tried to reason with him but he continued to shake his head. “That won’t help me!” he whispered angrily. “None of it will help me!” He buried his face in her shoulder again and tightened his grip around her again. Ginny closed her eyes, feeling helpless. She didn’t know what to do for him. She simply held him against her. She felt him turn his head and felt his warm breath against her ear. “What power do I have that he doesn’t?” he whispered. “What is going to help me win against him?” “I don’t know Harry,” she replied. “But I know you’ll figure it out and I know you’ll win.” “How do you know I will? How do you know I’ll be the one to survive,” he whispered, his hot breath tickling her skin and sending a shiver down her spine. “I don’t know,” she whispered back, “I just know you will.” Harry pressed a kiss to her neck, running his hands down the sides of her body. Ginny’s breath hitched in her throat and she tilted her head to the side to allow him better access to her neck. His mouth found hers and they shared a searing kiss, one that made her head spin and lose all coherent thought. After a few minutes of roaming hands, passionate kisses, and sighs of pleasure, they broke apart, both gasping for breath. “I love you,” Harry said once he caught his breath. “I love you, too, Harry,” Ginny said and hooked her hands behind his neck. He lowered his head so his nose was barely brushing hers. “I want to show you how much I love you,” he whispered. Ginny’s eyes widened and she stared at him in shock. “Wh — what?” she stammered. “Harry, are you suggesting what I think you’re suggesting?” He sighed and closed his eyes again. He pushed himself away from her and sat up. Ginny sat up again and settled herself next to him. She took his hand in hers and waited. “I honestly don’t know if I’ll make it, Ginny,” he whispered and looked at her. “And I don’t want to — to — I don’t want to die without you knowing just how much I love you.” “I know how much you love me, Harry,” Ginny replied, lifting a hand and cupping his face. “I mean in a physical sense, Ginny.” Ginny bit her bottom lip and sighed, dropping her hand to her lap. There had been one occasion where they had almost taken that next step, but stopped themselves before they got too far. They both knew they weren’t ready for it and decided to wait for a while until they knew that they were. “Harry, are you sure you’re ready for something like this?” she asked. “I want to,” he replied. “But are you ready?” she asked again. He didn’t reply. He merely stared into the fire that was starting to fade out. “No,” he said quietly and looked back at her. “I just. . . .” He turned away from her and sighed heavily. Ginny lifted her hand and turned his face so he looked at her again. “Harry, we don’t need to rush into things. I know you want to show me how much you love me; I want to show you, too, but we shouldn’t do it if neither one of us is ready,” she said. “I know, I know. We talked about this before,” Harry sighed. “I just . . . I don’t know. It just feels like something I should do before—” “You won’t die, Harry,” Ginny said quickly. “Don’t you dare say it, don’t you dare think it, because it won’t happen. I’ll kill you long before Tom does.” Harry gave her a half smile and put his arm around her shoulder before silence fell over them again. Ginny glanced at the clock and saw that it was a minute before midnight. “Turn up the wireless, Harry. They’ll do the countdown soon,” Ginny instructed. Harry obeyed and leaned over to turn up the volume. He sank back on the sofa, pulling Ginny closer to him and wrapped the blanket around them once more. They listened to the announcers on the wireless and joined them in counting down to the New Year. “Three . . . two . . . one! Happy New Year, Great Britain!” Harry turned to Ginny and captured her lips in their first kiss of the New Year as cheering came from the wireless. “Happy New Year, love,” Harry whispered after they shared a second kiss. “Happy New Year,” Ginny replied. And as they shared their third kiss of the year 1998, Ginny desperately wished that it would be a happy year for Harry. She hoped that it would be a happy year for everyone and that their world would live in fear no longer. And on the last day of the new year, at the stroke of midnight, she hoped she would be kissing Harry again, just like this. The End |
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