(no subject)
Title: The Summer After
Author: ladysarahii
Fandom: Harry Potter
Pairing: Harry/Ginny
Written for: edgeriffic
Prompt: An argument about something silly. Also, a waterslide.
Rating: Pg-13
Spoilers: Up through Deathly Hallows
Disclaimer: Not mine, the characters belong to the genius that is JK Rowling.
Distribution: Yes, this can be archived. :)
The Summer After
Harry sighed and rolled over in bed when he heard the knocking on the door. He had not slept well. He'd spent the last several weeks at the Burrow with the Weasleys, relaxing and trying to keep the battle out of his mind. For the most part, going out to London with his best friends Ron and Hermione, as well as playing Quidditch with the boys, seemed to be helping. But every so often, there were the nightmares.
The knocking became louder and he ran one hand through his hair impatiently on his way to the door. It was Ginny. “Mum wanted to know where you'd-- oh, you two are absolutely ridiculous.”
“What?” Harry asked, frowning at the red head standing in front of him.
She frowned right back and pushed past him to walk inside the room. He had no idea what was going on, but Harry thought that she was really very pretty, even while she stood there with her hands on her hips, surveying the room.
“Don't you two ever pick up after yourselves? And hey, is that my-” she bent over and picked up a dusty photoalbum. “Yes!” she snapped, opening the book. There were pictures of a very young looking Ginny with her friends. The images moved about and one of the girls gave Ginny bunny ears and then flashed an impish grin. On the top of the page she had written “Hogwarts: Year One” in fancy, sparkling letters.
“I have no idea what that's--” Harry rubbed his neck. Sensors were going off in his brain; he didn't know why, but somehow he just knew he was in trouble.
“Was it you looking at my pictures, or was it Ron?” She turned towards him and suddenly she looked very much like an angry cat.
“It wasn't me, it was-- I-- it must have been Ron.” Okay, so it had been both of them, really. But it had been Ron's idea. He'd found it when Mrs. Weasley had roped them into doing some spring cleaning around the house and, well, it had seemed like a good idea in the first place.
“You're a rubbish liar, Harry. But here's a little clue. When you see a book with the words 'Ginny Weasley' keep in mind that it's personal!” She stamped her foot for emphasis.
“Look, I'm sorry,” Harry said, getting annoyed. Really, what a stupid little argument they were having. Weren't there more important things to get rattled about? “I won't do it again, I swear. Now, can we talk about more important things?”
“Like what?” she closed the book with a thud and clutched it to her chest. Harry tried not to think about how lovely she looked with her cheeks pink like that, her hair cascading down her shoulders...
“Well, what we're planning on doing tonight.”
Ginny looked as if she was about to explode for a moment, but then she let out a little laugh. “You mean other than baby-sitting Teddy?”
Harry frowned for a moment. He had completely forgotten about the baby. He'd had such wonderful daydreams about going with Ginny to the pub and maybe getting together with Ron and Hermione later. “Can't your mum--”
“No, I promised her I'd watch him tonight. Look, I'm sorry, Harry.”
His face must have looked really downcast because she came closer to him. She put the album aside for a moment and hugged him. She smelled nice, like strawberry shampoo. “S'all right,” he said, not letting her go.
“Are you okay, Harry?” she asked.
“Yeah. I'm always okay.”
“No, I mean, are you okay?”
“I'm just... so tired,” he admitted as they pulled apart. Harry hadn't even admitted this to Ron and Hermione. Because Ron would pretend like it was nothing and Hermione would obsess over it, and maybe word would get out to Mrs. Weasley who would fuss over him. But he could trust Ginny not to tell a soul.
“Why?”
“I haven't been sleeping well lately. I don't think even Ron's caught on, he sleeps so soundly. But yeah. Nightmares and all that.” He tried to laugh it off, but there was a rather annoying tightness in his chest that kept the laugh from sounding genuine.
“Well, you did save the world.”
Harry found his face getting hot and he looked down at his shoes. He hated it when people did that, bring that up in conversation. He hadn't done it to be the hero, he'd done it because Dumbledore-- well. He didn't want to think about that.
“What do you dream about anyway?” Ginny asked. “No, look at me, Harry. Not at the floor. Me.”
He lifted his head and looked into her brown eyes. Her eyes were narrowed, staring at him intensely. “King's Cross Station.”
“What an odd thing to have a nightmare about,” she said quietly. “Sometimes I dream about Fred's death. I mean, I know I wasn't there, but my brain keeps imagining it. And then I see your face in my dream and I want to cry.”
Well, now Harry felt foolish. His nightmares about a large white room and that thing lying on the ground seemed like nothing in comparison.
“Okay, on to more cheerful things,” Ginny announced, picking up her book and holding her head up high. “Swimming trucks, now.”
“What?” Harry said, frowning.
“I know you're not much of a swimmer. You can borrow Ron's if you want. He never uses them anymore, he won't miss them.”
“Ginny, I--”
“Don't argue. Or I'll tell Mum you're free for the afternoon. I'm sure she could come up with things for you to do. So if you like de-gnoming...”
“You wouldn't dare,” Harry said, smiling despite himself.
“I would. Swimming trunks. You heard me.”
~*~
Harry felt absolutely ridiculous, standing out in the backyard of the Burrow half naked. The swimming trunks were bright orange, with the Chudley Cannons logo on the bottom. Quidditch players swarmed around his pant leg.
Yeah, like he needed that.
He hoped that none of Ginny's brothers would see him there. They'd probably take the mickey out him, badly.
A few moments later, Ginny came out in her own bathing suit, looking lovely as always. She'd picked a light blue suit and it flattered her. Harry tried very hard not to let his jaw drop.
“You tell Mum and I'll kill you,” Ginny said very seriously.
He became slightly nervous-- what did Ginny have planned? He certainly hoped it was nothing illegal.
She waved her wand and a tall, blue waterslide appeared at the edge of the pond. It twisted and turned in every direction and looked a bit like a giant snake. Harry wondered what Mrs. Weasley would say if she happened to look out her window and suddenly see a giant waterslide in the middle of her yard, but he decided not to think about it too awfully much.
Ginny grabbed his hand and they began walking towards the waterslide. “Charlie did it for us kids the moment he became a legal wizard,” she said. “Mum went balistic, told us it was highly dangerous and if we ever did it again she'd kill us.” She didn't sound nervous at all. Rather, she sounded delighted.
“Then why are we doing it now?” Harry, who did not like water very much at all, felt like there was no way this was worth Mrs. Weasley's wrath.
“Because you need it. And because I can't go out with you tonight.” She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek.
Well, if she was going to put it that way.
He followed her up the ladder, using the opportunity to admire her calf muscles. There was a small sprinkling of freckles on her legs. How very... beautiful.
“Okay,” she said, sitting down at the top. “Put your hands around my waist.”
Harry did as he was told, and peered over the side of the slide. It looked so very high and twisty. He felt his stomach clench at the sight of the water waiting for him below-- what if he drowned? That'd be terrible.
“Nervous?” Ginny asked him.
“No,” Harry lied, wondering if he should have put his glasses away before doing this. He might lose them.
“Yes, you are,” she said. “Seriously, Harry. You defeated Voldemort, no problem, but a measley waterslide and you're losing it.”
“I'm fine,” Harry insisted.
“If you say so.” Ginny pushed with her hands and suddenly they were flying, through the air. He heard Ginny scream and then laugh as they went over a bump and temporarily went up into the air. They gathered speed and then plunged into the water. He was only underwater for a second, but he popped back up quickly. He didn't even lose his glasses. Waterslides were new to him; the Dursleys had certainly never taken him to an amusement park before. But they weren't all bad, he decided.
Harry laughed as Ginny popped back up, too. Her hair was now a dark shade of red and clung around her face.
“Come here,” he said, playfully.
“What? Harry, don't--”
He grabbed her around the waist. And this time, when they kissed, it wasn't just a peck on the cheek.
Author: ladysarahii
Fandom: Harry Potter
Pairing: Harry/Ginny
Written for: edgeriffic
Prompt: An argument about something silly. Also, a waterslide.
Rating: Pg-13
Spoilers: Up through Deathly Hallows
Disclaimer: Not mine, the characters belong to the genius that is JK Rowling.
Distribution: Yes, this can be archived. :)
The Summer After
Harry sighed and rolled over in bed when he heard the knocking on the door. He had not slept well. He'd spent the last several weeks at the Burrow with the Weasleys, relaxing and trying to keep the battle out of his mind. For the most part, going out to London with his best friends Ron and Hermione, as well as playing Quidditch with the boys, seemed to be helping. But every so often, there were the nightmares.
The knocking became louder and he ran one hand through his hair impatiently on his way to the door. It was Ginny. “Mum wanted to know where you'd-- oh, you two are absolutely ridiculous.”
“What?” Harry asked, frowning at the red head standing in front of him.
She frowned right back and pushed past him to walk inside the room. He had no idea what was going on, but Harry thought that she was really very pretty, even while she stood there with her hands on her hips, surveying the room.
“Don't you two ever pick up after yourselves? And hey, is that my-” she bent over and picked up a dusty photoalbum. “Yes!” she snapped, opening the book. There were pictures of a very young looking Ginny with her friends. The images moved about and one of the girls gave Ginny bunny ears and then flashed an impish grin. On the top of the page she had written “Hogwarts: Year One” in fancy, sparkling letters.
“I have no idea what that's--” Harry rubbed his neck. Sensors were going off in his brain; he didn't know why, but somehow he just knew he was in trouble.
“Was it you looking at my pictures, or was it Ron?” She turned towards him and suddenly she looked very much like an angry cat.
“It wasn't me, it was-- I-- it must have been Ron.” Okay, so it had been both of them, really. But it had been Ron's idea. He'd found it when Mrs. Weasley had roped them into doing some spring cleaning around the house and, well, it had seemed like a good idea in the first place.
“You're a rubbish liar, Harry. But here's a little clue. When you see a book with the words 'Ginny Weasley' keep in mind that it's personal!” She stamped her foot for emphasis.
“Look, I'm sorry,” Harry said, getting annoyed. Really, what a stupid little argument they were having. Weren't there more important things to get rattled about? “I won't do it again, I swear. Now, can we talk about more important things?”
“Like what?” she closed the book with a thud and clutched it to her chest. Harry tried not to think about how lovely she looked with her cheeks pink like that, her hair cascading down her shoulders...
“Well, what we're planning on doing tonight.”
Ginny looked as if she was about to explode for a moment, but then she let out a little laugh. “You mean other than baby-sitting Teddy?”
Harry frowned for a moment. He had completely forgotten about the baby. He'd had such wonderful daydreams about going with Ginny to the pub and maybe getting together with Ron and Hermione later. “Can't your mum--”
“No, I promised her I'd watch him tonight. Look, I'm sorry, Harry.”
His face must have looked really downcast because she came closer to him. She put the album aside for a moment and hugged him. She smelled nice, like strawberry shampoo. “S'all right,” he said, not letting her go.
“Are you okay, Harry?” she asked.
“Yeah. I'm always okay.”
“No, I mean, are you okay?”
“I'm just... so tired,” he admitted as they pulled apart. Harry hadn't even admitted this to Ron and Hermione. Because Ron would pretend like it was nothing and Hermione would obsess over it, and maybe word would get out to Mrs. Weasley who would fuss over him. But he could trust Ginny not to tell a soul.
“Why?”
“I haven't been sleeping well lately. I don't think even Ron's caught on, he sleeps so soundly. But yeah. Nightmares and all that.” He tried to laugh it off, but there was a rather annoying tightness in his chest that kept the laugh from sounding genuine.
“Well, you did save the world.”
Harry found his face getting hot and he looked down at his shoes. He hated it when people did that, bring that up in conversation. He hadn't done it to be the hero, he'd done it because Dumbledore-- well. He didn't want to think about that.
“What do you dream about anyway?” Ginny asked. “No, look at me, Harry. Not at the floor. Me.”
He lifted his head and looked into her brown eyes. Her eyes were narrowed, staring at him intensely. “King's Cross Station.”
“What an odd thing to have a nightmare about,” she said quietly. “Sometimes I dream about Fred's death. I mean, I know I wasn't there, but my brain keeps imagining it. And then I see your face in my dream and I want to cry.”
Well, now Harry felt foolish. His nightmares about a large white room and that thing lying on the ground seemed like nothing in comparison.
“Okay, on to more cheerful things,” Ginny announced, picking up her book and holding her head up high. “Swimming trucks, now.”
“What?” Harry said, frowning.
“I know you're not much of a swimmer. You can borrow Ron's if you want. He never uses them anymore, he won't miss them.”
“Ginny, I--”
“Don't argue. Or I'll tell Mum you're free for the afternoon. I'm sure she could come up with things for you to do. So if you like de-gnoming...”
“You wouldn't dare,” Harry said, smiling despite himself.
“I would. Swimming trunks. You heard me.”
~*~
Harry felt absolutely ridiculous, standing out in the backyard of the Burrow half naked. The swimming trunks were bright orange, with the Chudley Cannons logo on the bottom. Quidditch players swarmed around his pant leg.
Yeah, like he needed that.
He hoped that none of Ginny's brothers would see him there. They'd probably take the mickey out him, badly.
A few moments later, Ginny came out in her own bathing suit, looking lovely as always. She'd picked a light blue suit and it flattered her. Harry tried very hard not to let his jaw drop.
“You tell Mum and I'll kill you,” Ginny said very seriously.
He became slightly nervous-- what did Ginny have planned? He certainly hoped it was nothing illegal.
She waved her wand and a tall, blue waterslide appeared at the edge of the pond. It twisted and turned in every direction and looked a bit like a giant snake. Harry wondered what Mrs. Weasley would say if she happened to look out her window and suddenly see a giant waterslide in the middle of her yard, but he decided not to think about it too awfully much.
Ginny grabbed his hand and they began walking towards the waterslide. “Charlie did it for us kids the moment he became a legal wizard,” she said. “Mum went balistic, told us it was highly dangerous and if we ever did it again she'd kill us.” She didn't sound nervous at all. Rather, she sounded delighted.
“Then why are we doing it now?” Harry, who did not like water very much at all, felt like there was no way this was worth Mrs. Weasley's wrath.
“Because you need it. And because I can't go out with you tonight.” She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek.
Well, if she was going to put it that way.
He followed her up the ladder, using the opportunity to admire her calf muscles. There was a small sprinkling of freckles on her legs. How very... beautiful.
“Okay,” she said, sitting down at the top. “Put your hands around my waist.”
Harry did as he was told, and peered over the side of the slide. It looked so very high and twisty. He felt his stomach clench at the sight of the water waiting for him below-- what if he drowned? That'd be terrible.
“Nervous?” Ginny asked him.
“No,” Harry lied, wondering if he should have put his glasses away before doing this. He might lose them.
“Yes, you are,” she said. “Seriously, Harry. You defeated Voldemort, no problem, but a measley waterslide and you're losing it.”
“I'm fine,” Harry insisted.
“If you say so.” Ginny pushed with her hands and suddenly they were flying, through the air. He heard Ginny scream and then laugh as they went over a bump and temporarily went up into the air. They gathered speed and then plunged into the water. He was only underwater for a second, but he popped back up quickly. He didn't even lose his glasses. Waterslides were new to him; the Dursleys had certainly never taken him to an amusement park before. But they weren't all bad, he decided.
Harry laughed as Ginny popped back up, too. Her hair was now a dark shade of red and clung around her face.
“Come here,” he said, playfully.
“What? Harry, don't--”
He grabbed her around the waist. And this time, when they kissed, it wasn't just a peck on the cheek.