"I'm fine!" Ginny said irritably. She wished that her brothers would stop fussing about her. It didn't much help.

Partly to avoid her brother Bill's investigative gaze, she looked around the heavy wooden table. Familiar faces were all around, some of them looking back at her worriedly, others talking to each other. Ron and Hermione sat next to each other, holding hands and looking oddly flustered. Ron quietly said something and Hermione threw back her head and laughed. Ginny briefly wondered what her brother had said. She was getting used to seeing her brother and her best friend together, as a couple – but sometimes it still surprised her.

Next to Ron sat Remus, looking tired but smiling nevertheless. Ginny remembered it was almost full moon, and was happy to see Remus could still smile.

Sirius sat between Remus and the twin. Tall, dark and handsome, laughing out loud at a twin's joke, he hardly looked older than on the photos she had seen of him. It was not easy to find the frightening prisoner he had once been back in him.

The twins, next to Sirius, had broad smiles on their faces, though Ginny thought she saw a glimspe of guilt on Fred's face.

There was her mother, looking around, a proud expression on her face, her eyes a bit clouded. Ginny knew whom she was thinking of. She gave her mother a quick smile when her eyes rested upon her only daughter, then turned away. She didn't need her mother reading her thoughts, which Ginny was sure she could.

Bill and Charlie were now in discussion with their father, though Bill's eyes still wandered around the room. Ginny looked the other way and experienced a shock of surprise.

He was looking at her. His expression showed worry, pride and something she couldn't quite name. His green eyes looked around the table shortly, then went back to Ginny.

"Want to walk?" he simply asked. Ginny nodded. The peaceful atmosphere right now asked for more.

They both stood up. Several pairs of eyes flickered to them.

"We're going to take a walk outside," Ginny said in what she hoped was a casual and steady voice. Hermione smiled encouragingly and Sirius and Remus exchanged knowing looks. Her mother seemed slightly satisfied, but her voice was normal when she answered: "Okay, but not too far."

Ginny followed Harry outside and closed the door behind them. Harry waited for her, then cleared his throat and starting talking.

"Where do you want to go?" He sounded a bit nervous, and Ginny couldn't blame him. They hadn't had much time together, though, she thought, they both knew what they wanted.

"I don't know," she answered. "Just ... away." Harry nodded and together they walked down to the gate. Then they both turned left without talking. The silence was comfortable and friendly, but Ginny wanted to break it. She owed Harry an explanation.

"Look", she started, "I'm sorry about it, but I –"

"Shh," said Harry softly. She felt his arms brush hers as he moved a little closer. "You don't need to tell me. You have nothing to say sorry for." Ginny looked at him sideways. He looked back, and their eyes met. Ginny saw peace in them -something she hadn't seen for quite a while-, and something else. Excitement. Immediately, she felt excited too.

They walked for a while. The air felt different now, more mature, but also more tense. They entered a park.

"Shall we sit down?" Harry asked, pointing at a wooden bench. Ginny nodded and sat down on it. Harry came sitting down quite close to her, his hands on his lap.

Ginny stared at the trees in front of them, seeing nothing but their intense shade of green.

Percy had liked green. He had always had plants in his room, and Ginny was sure he had visited this park a lot. Percy ... Ginny's eyes filled itself with tears. Thinking of him was unbearable.

Suddenly she felt a soft touch. Harry had grasped her hand. Ginny suppressed a shudder. They had touched before, necessary touches, and every time she had felt a flood of happiness rushing through her. She had told herself over and over again it couldn't be how she wanted it to be. But tonight, she dared to hope again.

They held hands in silence. Eventually she got used to it, and found herself wondering how their hands could fit so perfectly well.

Ginny let her thoughts wander off and ended at Percy again. Lately, every thought ended with him. She just couldn't stop thinking about him – how he was, how he had felt when it happened. What he had been through. Every time, she felt endlessly sad for teasing him so much, for not knowing who he really was, and she was sure others felt that way, too.

Silent tears were moving down her cheeks now, but she made no attempt to stop them. They felt almost good. She now realized that she was past the stadium of deepest grief: the emptiness Percy had left seemed to decrease a very little bit. It would always be there, no doubt about that, but maybe it would start shrinking.

A dark hand touched her cheeks. Harry. He touched her tears, brushed them away. Ginny closed her eyes, feeling amazed and slightly ashamed at how much she enjoyed his gentle touch.

She turned to him. He was looking at her face, a determined and curious look on his own. Ginny sighed almost inaudibly. His eyes... So startingly, beautifully green, showing what his words couldn't describe. The eyes were coming closer. Ginny closed her eyes again. She wasn't quite so sure what she would do if those eyes kept looking at her like that. All nervosity seemed to disappear. She and Harry, here, now, felt so natural, so right.

Soft lips kissed her cheek very lightly. Ginny opened her eyes again. The touch had activated a thousand shivers going through her whole body. She reached out and kissed Harry back, somewhere near his mouth. She wasn't sure she could go any further, if he would enjoy it. But she wanted it more than anything. Ginny moved right, slowly, hesitantly, then met Harry's lips in a dazzling move. He didn't back away. He kissed her.

Ginny couldn't believe what she was feeling. She had kissed before, of course, but those kisses suddenly looked unimportant and childish. This was it. This was the real thing.

An electrifying feeling went through her; it cost her all her power not to go any further.

Then she felt the tip of a tongue against her lips. She opened them, not able to resist any longer. Was this really her body? Was she really feeling what she felt? Was she, was anyone, really able to make her feel this way? Her body felt like exploding. She could clearly feel every piece of skin touching, every nerve in their tongues connecting. Wishing it would never stop, she gripped more tightly. Harry respond with enthusiasm. He lay one hand on her shoulder and waved a little with the other, apparently not knowing where to put it. Ginny took it and placed it carefully on her waist. The warmth of his hand, of his whole body, warmed her own.

Finally they broke apart, Harry panting slightly. They looked at each other for a long time. Then Harry opened his mouth.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled, leaning forward and kissing Ginny's neck.

"Don't be", Ginny whispered. "Don't be."

They sat for hours on the cold bench, but neither felt the cold. They kissed, talked and kissed again. Ginny didn't think she had ever felt so good. Her whole body was warm, glowing, burning. Every nerve, every touch seemed intensified and magnified a thousand times.

Harry was strange, new, and yet so familiar. He seemed to know everything she wanted to do and responded amazingly fast to it.

Eventually, they decided to go back home. The air was definitely cold now and stood in shrill contrast at how Ginny felt. They talked all the way up to the Burrow, holding hands and sometimes stopping to kiss. Ginny really didn't want to go back. She wanted to stay outside, with Harry, catching up on all the time they had wasted on other things than each other before.

Harry seemed to feel the same way. As they came closer to the Burrow, he walked slower and slower. But they both knew they had to go back.

The lights were still on. Everybody was still downstairs when Harry and Ginny entered through the kitchen door.

"Had a nice walk?" Sirius asked, looking at Harry. Ginny almost couldn't stand the animated look on his face.

"Yeah," Harry said hoarsely. He looked in Ginny's eyes. They silently agreed and walked away simultaneously. Ginny went to Hermione, who was smiling knowingly.

"Later," she whispered. Hermione nodded and went back to her conversation with Ginny's mother. Ginny saw Harry cross the room to sit down next to Remus. She smiled at him and he smiled back. Ginny felt warm and fuzzy. This winter was going to be so much better.