Make You Mine

1. The First Night

It's not even been one day back for Eighth Year at Hogwarts and Ginny is already sending and receiving Howlers. The recipient? Harry bloody Potter. Not sure what the subject is about but it always seems to be Ginny's fault according to him.

The last argument, which was around three days ago was about how she says certain things. Apparently they almost always have an innuendo or are in general inappropriate.
If he ever bothered to ask the room or just observe a little closer, he'd see the rest of us laugh with her, Molly included.

I don't know what's gotten into him lately. I get that the War has changed everyone but he's changed in a way I can't explain. Ron and I are the same people as we were during the War as we are today, albeit in an awkward hiatus since our spurt of passion in the Chamber of Secrets. We don't talk about it anymore and continue to ignore it. I thought it's best we keep our relationship to friends since it is much stronger than the whole boyfriend and girlfriend thing.
I mean, there has been attraction both physical and emotional between us since Fourth or even Third Year but, after the War, I've been completely thrown off by the idea of a relationship because there'd always be a voice in my head that would tell me that there would be no time for one in case the Wizarding World fell into another crisis, war etc.

I was sitting on my bed, Walkman in hand and earphones in, listening to Elton John's "Don't Go Breaking My Heart". I turned to music and used it as my coping mechanism for when "reality" set in. Music allowed me to zone out and just relax. I've never appreciated muggle mechanics until recently and I'm grateful Arthur gave me this Walkman as an early birthday.

Eyes closed, I was nodding along to the chorus of the song when Harry's Ministry owl, Declan, swooped in through the window, dropping off another of the many red envelopes of the night.

'Oh, for crying out loud! What now?' , Ginny's frustrated groan resonated around the dorm we shared, making me press the pause button and take off my earphones and come face to face with a furious redhead.

I could see her hands fumbling with the seal in order to open it. They were shaking. Either with anger or anxiety, I'll never know, along with what was in the Howler. The Howler rose and floated in the middle of the room, Harry's voice echoing off the walls:

"GINNY, HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU THAT MAKING DIRT-"

My wand in hand, I yelled a quick "incendio", watching the scarlet letter go up in flames and land in a small pile of ash on the carpet. Now Ginny won't have to stress over the Howler either.

I never understood how their relationship quite came to this. I mean, she's loved him ever since she first laid eyes on him when he came to the Burrow the summer before Second Year. It was all stolen glances from them on, neither one of them realising where they'd be today.

Why wouldn't Harry laugh at her "dirty jokes" when they are actually funny and don't make the atmosphere uncomfortable at all! He's so wound up about Merlin knows what that I don't think he knows he's slowly losing her. You could almost see it in Ginny's physical appearance. When they first started dating, she was practically glowing. Luna would probably say something about her "aura" but I don't understand that stuff anyway. Throughout the War itself, Ginny was fearless, savage all while being painfully beautiful. She fought with such determination for the love of her life. Yet, as of recently, she still is all those things but it seems like someone has knocked it all down a couple notches. And I think that someone is Harry.

I'm looking at her right now as she stares at the ash pile on the carpet, looking completely numb. The purple shadows under her eyes and the gaunt expression on her face are now visible due to the glamour that she placed wearing off. Being with him is exhausting her. Being happy with him is exhausting her.

She looks at me, straight in the eyes with a tired smile on her face.

'I needed that. Thanks 'Mione. You probably should've incendio'd the very first one he sent so we wouldn't be watching me argue with a Howler more than Harry himself' , she chuckled dryly. I could tell she was trying to lighten the mood but it wasn't working.

'He's been an arse lately, I guess you'll have to wait until it gets out of his system. But you're here and he's at the Ministry so the time away from him might make him see logic'. My words seem to cheer her up a little, her tired smile looking a bit more genuine and I can imagine a little weight lifting off her shoulders.

Ginny walks to her bed and falls on to it dramatically with a loud sigh while I vanish the ash and walk to her bed, wrapping one arm around one of her bedpost.

'It will get better for you, you know. Not sure about him but for you, it definitely will get better' . I hear another groan from her, watching her press the heels of her hands into her eyes.

'Why is it so hard 'Mione? It's. So. Fucking. Hard!', Ginny regrets saying those words as soon as they come out of her mouth. There is deadly silence, and all I can do is stare at her.

A few moments pass.

One.
Two.
Three.

'That's what she said!'. We both say in unison, bursting into fits of giggles, causing me to hold on tighter to the bed post in case I fall over.

My stomach aches from the laughter. Maybe hers does too. This is how Ginny should be with Harry. He should be laughing with her.

It's probably late now and we really should get to bed, being at school and all, we need to set a good example for the younger years. I walk back to my bed but before I am able to pull my covers out, Ginny speaks again.

'Could you stay with me tonight, if it isn't too much to ask?', she looks at me with hopeful eyes and I can't say no to her. She's my best friend. I'd do anything for her.

I walk around the room blowing out the remaining lit candles and climb in next to her. We lie facing each other and she grabs my hand and squeezes it tight.

'I wouldn't know what to do without you', she tells me and I just kiss her forehead and tell her to sleep.

We fall asleep in that exact position.
We are still holding hands.
The night ends well.