Work Text:
The past few days filled Harry with a lot of hope. He rarely had moments like this, for he had been stressing literally all his life and had a strong tendency to obsess over things, like Draco Malfoy scheming something. He didn’t know what exactly, but he knew.
The fact that he had managed to get Slughorn’s memory was great, but what was even better was the news that Ginny had broken up with Dean. It helped him forget, at least a little, about his more unusual preoccupations. He much preferred obsessing over Ginny than over Draco, obviously.
He had been obsessing over her for six months now, but hey, who’s counting? And now he finally had a chance. He promised himself he was going to ask her out soon. Of course, a war raged in his mind: Ron or Ginny? Ginny or Ron? And what about Dean, who was his roommate? Wouldn’t it be awkward?
These were the thoughts that haunted him during the day. But at night, when he lay in his four-poster bed, his mind drifted to Ginny: her contagious laughter, the way her nose crinkled, her fragrant hair, her hands grabbing his arm as she laughed at his jokes, her T-shirt clinging to her still damp skin after a shower, her long freckled legs mounting a broom, the way her perfectly shaped, curved body moved as she stretched before practice…
Let’s just say Harry thought he might go crazy if he had to go any longer without tasting her full, pink lips.
So when the opportunity arose after a particularly good practice, after Ron, driven by his breakup with Lav-Lav, left immediately to join Hermione, who had been watching their game, Harry decided to take his chance.
He took a quick shower and went to the captain’s office to check something, but really he just stood by the window, waiting to see Ginny heading back toward the castle.
He heard her laughter in the distance, which meant she had already left the changing rooms. A moment later, he caught a glimpse of her bright hair. She was walking with Demelza and Katie. Harry hoped they’d be easier to get rid of than Ron.
He stepped out of the office and pretended to tie his shoelaces until Ginny and the girls drew level with him.
It’s now or never.
“Ginny!” he called, a little too loudly. All three girls stopped.
“Oh, I thought you left with Ron and Hermione,” she said, smiling at him. Polite. Too polite. Harry felt a flicker of panic. It was dangerously close to turning into small talk, and he couldn’t let that happen.
“I actually wanted to, er, talk to you about something. Alone.” He summoned all the confidence he had buried somewhere deep inside, though it came out a bit too much like I’m your Quidditch captain and this is important.
Ginny’s eyes widened slightly. He had never, ever told her off before, and for a horrible second he thought it might’ve sounded like that.
“See you at dinner, then,” Demelza said quickly, grabbing Katie by the arm. Harry could’ve sworn he saw her wink at Ginny, who blushed faintly.
“Should I be scared?” Ginny asked once they were alone.
“What? Er, why?”
“Was I awful today?”
“What? No! No, no, no! You were brilliant! I mean, you played brilliantly, as usual.” He could feel himself blushing now, every bit of confidence draining away.
“Sooo… what is it?” she asked, and they started walking slowly toward the castle.
Harry briefly considered offering to carry her broom, but thought better of it. Ginny would probably hex him.
“I wanted to ask you…” he began, swallowing hard, but the rest of the sentence vanished completely as she looked at him with those wide, expectant brown eyes.
“…if practice doesn’t clash with your, uh, revising. You’ve got O.W.L.s coming up.”
“Oh! No, it’s fine, really.” She looked at him with her brow furrowed in amusement.
He felt like an absolute idiot.
“Good. I wouldn’t want you to neglect your studies.”
Ginny snorted with laughter.
“I think you’ve officially lost it, Harry. You spend too much time with my brother and Hermione.”
He ruffled his hair nervously and let out a weak laugh at his own stupidity. Brilliant. Just brilliant.
“Anyway,” she went on, swinging her broom idly, “I’m not the only one with exams. Why don’t you ask Demelza too?” Her tone was suspiciously playful now, like she found the whole situation highly entertaining.
“Don’t tell anyone,” he said, lowering his voice conspiratorially, “but you’re kind of a V.I.P.”
“Oh yeah? And why’s that?” She stopped walking and leaned on her broom, smirking at him.
And there it was, the teasing that always crept into their conversations. If he had any sense, he’d play along properly.
Instead, he was himself.
“Because you’re my mate.”
Too late. The words were already out.
What the hell was that?
Ginny burst out laughing. “Thanks! It’s an honour, really.”
“I meant you’re my best friend’s sister, I mean you’re my friend too, of course, actually you’re like a sister to me—”
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Shit. Absolutely fucking brilliant.
How did he go from wanting to ask her out to calling her his sister?
“I mean, yeah, that makes sense.” Ginny nodded slowly, as if seriously considering it. “Thanks, bro. You don’t have to worry about me, though.” She laughed, bumped her shoulder into his, and then started up toward the castle.
Ugh.
Harry facepalmed and hurried after her. Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant. Now he’d have to wait for another perfect moment. At this rate, he might actually need Felix Felicis next time.
“So,” she began when he caught up and fell into step beside her, “I really don’t know how you did it last year. Passing your O.W.L.s with Umbridge breathing down your neck, everything going on all the time, and leading the D.A. on top of that. Mental.”
“Well, it wasn’t exactly relaxing,” Harry said. “I did fall asleep during one of the exams.”
Ginny giggled and Harry felt his heart melt all over again. He loved her laugh, loved making her laugh, especially when he didn’t even mean to. He had studied every kind of her laughter since the summer, and the one she had just let out was definitely his favorite. He glanced at her with what must have been a very blurry and stupid look.
Her cheeks were a little flushed, maybe slightly sunburned, strands of damp hair still clinging to her face. The evening light caught the copper in it. She walked with that easy confidence of hers, broom slung casually over her shoulder. It seemed like flying had left some permanent trace in the way she moved, light, balanced, and completely sure of herself.
“You’ll pass, all right, Ginny. You’re smart and funny and—”
“Funny?” She stopped short and turned to him, staring. “And how exactly is being funny going to help me pass any exam?”
“It’s important,” he said defensively, though a grin tugged at his mouth. “Confidence is very important.”
“Confidence,” she repeated, nodding solemnly. “Right. Why am I even revising? I’ll just charm the examiners into passing me.”
“You probably could,” he muttered.
Ginny’s eyes narrowed slightly, but there was a spark of amusement. “Careful, Potter. Sounds like you’re suggesting I rely on something other than brains.”
“I’m just saying,” he said, matching her tone despite the way his heart had started beating faster, “you’ve got… advantages.”
“Oh?” She took a small step closer, tilting her head. “Go on, then.”
He immediately regretted everything.
“I didn’t mean, I just meant—”
The last thing he wanted was for her to think he believed she was stupid and could only rely on her humour and looks. That wasn’t what he meant, but his brain felt like mashed potato right now.
“That I’m charming?” she offered sweetly.
“Yes, no, I mean yes, but not like—” He stopped, exhaling sharply. “You’re doing this on purpose!”
“Maybe,” she said, smiling just enough to make it dangerous.
He relaxed a bit. She wasn’t cross with him.
They started walking again. The castle loomed closer, but neither of them seemed in much of a hurry.
Harry risked another glance at her. The teasing expression was still there, luckily.
It’s now or never.
He got rid of Voldemort when he was just one year old. He surely could ask a girl he fancied on a date…
“Ginny, I—”
“Hmm?” she said, looking at him with an expression he didn’t quite recognize. Curiosity, perhaps. Expectation, maybe.
It’s now or never.
He grabbed her arm to stop her and didn’t let go. The skin of his palm burned at the contact. Her big, beautiful hazel eyes searched his face, a soft smile tugging at her lips, one eyebrow raised in question.
“I was wondering if you’d maybe want to—”
“Harry!”
Bloody hell.
He let go of her quickly, and he thought he saw a hint of disappointment on her face.
“I just remembered something about that feint we tried today and I couldn’t wait to tell you! I was looking everywhere for you,” Ron said, then stopped, clearly noticing Harry’s expression. “Why are you looking at me like that? Why were you taking so long anyway? Were you laughing at me again?” He narrowed his eyes in the exact same way his sister always did.
“Yes, Ron, we were talking about you, because you’re the center of the universe,” Ginny said, clearly irritated. Harry was strangely pleased to see it. It meant she had wanted to hear him. “We were discussing Harry’s excellent study techniques.”
Ron frowned. “His what?”
Harry stared straight ahead.
Next time, he thought grimly, I’m definitely using Felix Felicis.