Putting The 'M' in Mystery~ Hinny/Jily

Ripped from My World

Ginny stared at her own hand, as though she could barely believe what it had just done. Then, very softly, she started to giggle. Harry stared at her incredulously, and then dared a tentative laugh of his own. Ginny exploded.

"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YO ARE DOING, POTTER?"

"Er, well, I was just, well, y'know, laughing, because you were, er, well, laughing..."

"HAVING A BIT OF A LAUGH AT ME, WERE YOU? THOUGHT IT WAS FUNNY, HOW WORRIED I'VE BEEN, DID YA?"

"No, Gin, love, I was just..."

"DO YOU REALIZE JUST HOW MUCH MAGIC JUST ABSORBED INTO YOUR CHEST? DO YOU? DO YOU?"

"Well, actually, no, but..."

"IT WAS A LOT, POTTER! A HELL OF A LOT! ENOUGH TO MAKE YOU FALL TO THE FLOOR LIKE AN OLD SOCK! AN OLD SOCK, POTTER!"

"I promise I won't do it aga..."

"LIKE HELL YOU WON'T DO IT AGAIN, BECAUSE YOU REALLY DON'T WANT TO KNOW WHAT I'M GONNA DO TO YOU IF..."

She was cut off abruptly by Harry yanking her roughly toward him in a giant hug. Her tense body relaxed into the hug, and allowed her thin arms to slide up round his neck. Her slender hands held tight to fistfuls of the robes he was still wearing from the battle. Her head glinted copper as she buried her face in shoulder.

"Never do that again," she concluded into his shoulder, and Harry dropped a gentle kiss on the top of her head.

_._._._._._._._

Lily didn't know how long she sat there, flushed and embarrassed by witnessing such a private moment. It was only through the rhythmic breathing that floated through the curtain that she knew that at least one of them was asleep.

She stood up, still embarrassed and ready to disappear at a moment's notice, and poked her head around the curtain.

Harry was sleeping, and Lily realised that this was the first time she had seen him without a tense, alert expression on his face. For once in his life, vulnerable.

Ginny was leaning back in her chair, her eyes closed lightly, but clearly not asleep herself, as the hand that wasn't tightly clamped in Harry's was drumming long nails on the arm of her seat.

Lily shifted her weight very slightly, and the pale eyelids fluttered open. She glanced around, her fingers straying to her wrist, where accustom-made leather holster heldher wand. She relaxed when she saw Lily, giving her a wide, friendly smile.

"Hiya, Lily! Have a seat."

She gestured with her free hand to another monster of a chair, and Lily sat down on the edge, feeling self-conscious. Despite her genuinely friendly expression, Ginny's eyes were watching her every move.

"You are visiting Marnie?"

Lily nodded; glad that she had a valid excuse, though eavesdropping had rather interrupted her visit. Ginny sighed.

"You know, she was absolutely amazing in the battle. Fought like a woman possessed, she was so strong."

Lily smiled at the praise of her friend. It was true, Marnie was the sweetest person alive, but when angered, her fierceness was second only to Lily's own.

"Not as amazing as you, though."

Lily glanced up, surprised. She'd done next to no fighting; she'd only stunned a few Death Eaters, and had nearly blubbered when she'd seen exactly how embedded James's shirt was. Ginny must have seen her 'We both know that's not true' expression, as she grinned and said, "It's officially been declared impossible to move eleven to thirteen year olds any distance in any space of time. You did your job as Head Girl, and you did it proud."