several sunlit days

A/N: AAAND its here!  HBP Hinny multi chapter woohoo!

Also available on FF and Ao3!

love, 

@fightfortherightsofhouseelves

&

@gryffindormischief

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The train sways and shakes its way to Scotland, following the same old tracks it’s done year after year for entire centuries, and Harry’s steps are uneven and a little bit uncertain as they lead him to Ginny. He can see her at the other end of the corridor, poised yet relaxed, leaning on a nearby compartment’s door as she laughs easily with some friends. It’s a strange feeling, new even, that his heart skips faster and his breath slightly catches when she grins and laughs, runs a hand through her wild mane of hair.

Still, Harry dismisses the feeling, sauntering closer to her and taps her on the shoulder.

“Fancy finding a compartment?”

Her brown eyes widen for the briefest of moments, harboring something Harry can’t quite put his finger on.

“I can’t, Harry, I said I’d meet Dean,” says Ginny brightly. “See you later.”

A twinge of annoyance or maybe a pang of something more hits Harry as he watches her walk away from him, most probably off to meet Dean.

Dean, hm. What an odd turn of events, him and Ginny. Not that Harry has anything against him in particular, it’s just unusual, that’s what it is.

He’s left to do whatever else one can do while stuck on a what feels like a never ending ride to Scotland until he receives the oddest invitation: the Slug Club. Perplexed, Harry feels that nothing can sink his boats further down - no Ron and Hermione to spend his time with, no Ginny, no desire to do anything in particular - so he shrugs and says to himself yeah, alright, what can be worse?

Only to walk right into a compartment full of…Ginny? A very dumbfounded and bemused Ginny, crammed into a tiny bit of space between Horace Slughorn and the wall.

She shrugs at the same time as Harry does and they’d both share a laugh if not for the diverse and unusual company. Hermione, Neville, some arrogant looking prick, and Blaise Zabini from Slytherin all bundled into the same two meters is not a sight Harry sees every day.

And speaking of sight, Zabini seems to be in top form since his eyes have been scanning Ginny head to toe on repeat ever since Harry stepped through the compartment door. Or maybe even longer. His dirty little eyes staring at her, pausing at the small bit of exposed freckled chest, lingering on her hair, her face, her lips. Harry could just -

Could just what exactly? Defend her? Foul as he is, Zabini didn’t as much as touch one flaming red hair on her head, but -

But still she’s Ron’s little sister! Harry owes him so much as kicking any arsehole’s stinky butt if they dare…Dare what Harry does not know and he shakes himself back to the present before he can find out. Slughorn’s been asking him something or rather talking at him and he’s starting to draw unwanted attention. As usual. He almost longs for the days of Snape’s tenure as Potions Master.

Ginny’s cheeky and confident as she speaks and so very far from the nervous girl he met five years ago, and yet there’s something that remains the same. She’s always had that undercurrent of Gryffindor bravery that lead to anything from telling off Malfoy in Diagon Alley to following him almost blindly into the Department of Mysteries to battle Death Eaters.

Before he can fall down that rabbit hole, whatever it is, the odd little gathering’s over and Ginny joins him in the hall.

“How come you ended up in there, Ginny?”

“This left Harry, Ron, and Hermione to share a table with Ernie. They chose the one nearest a gold-colored cauldron that was emitting one of the most seductive scents Harry had ever inhaled: Somehow it reminded him simultaneously of treacle tart, the woody smell of a broomstick handle, and something flowery he thought he might have smelled at the Burrow. He found that he was breathing very slowly and deeply and that the potion’s fumes seemed to be filling him up like drink. A great contentment stole over him; he grinned across at Ron, who grinned back lazily.”

-

“Hang on,” said a voice close by Harry’s left ear and he caught a sudden waft of that flowery smell he had picked up in Slughorn’s dungeon. He looked around and saw that Ginny had joined them.“

‘Because, you know, to girls that means love.’

Ron might as well have kicked him in the stomach and spat in his face. He sighed heavily. ‘Oh, please don’t, Ron,’ he muttered. He rolled over so his back was facing Ron’s bed, pulling his arms up in front of his face and gripping at his hair, closing his eyes so tightly it was a frown. 

Thankfully Ron did not push it further, but it was too late. A thousand images were rushing through his mind of what might have happened, what could have happened, what that blissful oblivion had been gently leading him to do. He had thought of precisely this many times before, of course, but there had always been a reaction that seemed far more natural and significantly more enjoyable than the painful ache in his chest. 

He wondered, if Dumbledore had not died, whether they might have ended up in the same situation. His birthday might have seemed to Ginny the right sort of time anyway, but in a house like this they probably still would have been interrupted. No, even if Dumbledore had not died, he could not have been with her like that today. He had been stupid to ever let himself even fantasise about it, because that made this longing all the more agonising. 

He should not have ever allowed himself to think about her dappled skin or how soft she was or her breathy sighs or the way she murmured in his ear. He should never have even come close, all those times in secret, hidden places of Hogwarts where they fumbled and grasped and clumsily kissed, never let himself imagine going further and embracing that oblivion. This was always going to be inevitable, and it was better that he understood that now, than before he condemned her with his heavy heart. This way he could keep it secret and safe and perhaps, eventually, he would learn to forget it entirely. 

He gritted his teeth, and tried desperately to think of something else. She would forget it entirely too, one day. Her future was free and bright and there could be marriage and children and years stretching before her. She would do that with someone else, she would sigh their name in their ear, would run her fingers through and gently tug their hair, they would be the ones to kiss over her soft skin and lose themselves in her. They would probably be the happiest person in the world, because briefly he had been. 

A/N: I hope you like!! flirty, fluffy, a little sultry.

It’s late, when Ginny gets home.  The kitchen light is on, a dish covered with foil and a messy little note on top, because Harry can be as much of a mother hen as Molly Weasley when he’s in the mood.

Bone tired as she is, Ginny also hasn’t eaten since 11:30 lunch with her agent.  Demelza’s always a laugh, but business is still business and it feels like her mind has been whirring since four this morning. 

Still, there’s no reason she can’t multitask.  So she grabs a fork and tucks in, moaning around a mouthful of mashed potatoes while she kicks off her shoes, works her trousers down her legs, releases her hair from its braid.  By the time she’s finished with her double portion of cottage pie, Ginny’s ready to swallow a glass of wine, cuddle up in her pajamas, and drift off to sleep next to her adorable husband.

She’s checked off goals one and two and thrown in a quick face wash and tooth brushing, when a gasp sounds from the bedroom.

Even this long since the war, it’s not unusual for either of them to wake up gasping for air, phantom loved ones just out of their reach.  And Harry, well it’s not as if dark wizards and death are ever far from his mind, given his chosen career.

But when she enters the bedroom, it’s not quite as dark as she expected, or as…sleepy.  Instead of Harry’s curled up form resting cozily beneath the covers, their bed looks like a - tent?

Something’s glowing from the inside, probably Harry’s wand if she’s guessing.

Padding around the bed softly, Ginny finds a break in the sheets and pokes her head in.  Harry drops his book and nearly his wand - probably best that he’s overcome that impulse, given his profession - “You’re home.”

“You, young man, have work in the morning.”

“Gin, I promise I can explain.”

With a grin, Ginny gently crawls into the fort and settles in next to him.  “I’m listening.”

“So I - what time is it?”

Ginny fumbles around for Harry’s bookmark - World’s Best Reader, a gift from Hermione when she discovered his New Year reading resolution  - and slips it in place before setting it aside.  “Late.  It’s very late.”

“Emma is totally not picking up on Mr. Knightley mooning over her and it’s like the stress of Ron and Hermione all over again,” Harry moans, “I mean, the personalities aren’t a match but damn.”

Humming thoughtfully, Ginny snuggles into his side.  “It’s a lot.  People should just snog in front of their entire house instead of all this will they won’t they business.”

“Some pining is good though,” Harry says, soft.

“Within reason,” Ginny amends, “Sometimes you have to put a poor bloke out of his misery before he gets brain damage from bludgers to the head.”

“Excuse me, who put whom out of their misery?”

“The leaper - not the leapee,” Ginny asserts, “Also you still haven’t explained the fort.”

“Forts are fun,” Harry shrugs, “And that was a hug until I snogged the daylights out of you.”

Ginny sits back with a grunt.  “Until you?”

Harry quirks his brow.  “Yes.  And forts are not for fighting, they’re for fun.”

As he leans in, Ginny tilts her head so Harry can work his way down her neck, nipping and teasing.  But she’s not about to let the subject get changed.  Playful arguing is one of her top favorite methods of foreplay. 

“That,” Ginny sighs, “Is absolutely false.  Forts are specifically for fighting.”

“Not pillow forts.”

“These are - ah - sheets.”

Ginny rolls over, grinning down at him.  “These are sheets, we’re under them, it’s late.”

“And I’m on administrative leave,” Harry adds, mostly a moan.

Pulling back, lips red and face flushed, Ginny squints.  “Front page worthy?”

“A given, but not the main headline,” Harry answers, lifting her top off.

“We’ll discuss later - usual?”

“Arsehole potential suspect, long week, grinding wheels of justice.”

POTIONS IN HP UNIVERSE challenge: @lovesickjily vs @beaubcxton ↬ amortentia

“Are you pranking me?” James asked breaking the kiss.

 “No, I’m not pranking you, James.”

They were standing in the corner of Leaky Cauldron, James leaning into the building behind him, his hands wrapped around her waist and Lily’s fingers playing with the hair in his neck. They were waiting for the rest of the Marauders as planned, because Lily had promised to show them around Muggle London for James’ birthday. James had had fun making out with his girlfriend and gazing at the crowds of Muggles walking by, but now he had completely forgotten anyone else but the girl standing in front of him.

“For sure? Sirius is not going to jump behind the corner screaming ‘gotcha’?” he asked.

 “For sure,” she smiled.

James tried to find a hint of joking in her expression, but all he saw was the light sparkling in her forest green eyes and a loving giggle forming in the corner of her lips. But still he couldn’t come to believe what she was saying, so James laughed too.

“You’re crazy, you know that Lily Jane Evans?” he pulled her even closer and gave her his most threatening look. “If you’re pranking me right now, I’m going to tickle you to death.”

Lily laughed and kissed him again. He kissed her back and for a moment it was just them too, her lips, her taste. She was everything James ever wanted in life.

“Will you marry me or not, Potter?”

NEW STORY! FFN and AO3

I’m posting early because it’s @thisismegz birthday today and I want her to have a birthday one-shot. Happy birthday beautiful! Luv you girl!

Ron knows that something is up with Ginny and Harry is in on it. Of course, he’s going to figure out what’s what.

Gumshoe

Ron has always been the closest to Ginny, even as adults, they see each other at least once a month. And Ron loves that. Ginny’s right brilliant and Harry is his best mate. So when Hermione was sent to Canada for a week, Ron was happy to accept the invitation for dinner with the Potters for every night Hermione was away. Ron appreciated the company, he missed Hermione when she was gone and having the guarantee that he would have Harry and Ginny with him for dinner made Hermione’s absence a bit easier.

“I really appreciate you two inviting me over.” Ron smiled at Harry who looked very preoccupied. Harry didn’t respond.

“Mate,” Ron waved his hand in front of Harry’s face.

“Harry, I know what I’m doing…”