Treason - 6

"We're seeking an alternative safe house. I'll let you all know when we've found something suitable," Professor McGonagall said, adjourning the meeting. "We might have to split up for a time. Perhaps it'll be better that way."

The conversation at the dinner table was extremely subdued after that, particularly for Weasley standards.

*~*~*

Harry was trying to write the letter to Ron but couldn't. Crumpling up his parchment, Harry tossed it in the bin with several other rolled-up pieces. This was impossible. It was much harder to write a goodbye letter than he'd originally thought. As if the Cannons would ever play well, anyway…

He pulled out another piece and decided to try again. He sat on his bed, leaning on a book and trying to collect his thoughts. Mrs. Weasley had noticed him rubbing his arm after dinner and frog-marched him up the stairs, insisting he wasn't to get up again until morning. Honestly, he'd been too tired to argue with her.

He looked up as his bedroom door creaked open, and Ginny slipped inside, wearing a frayed yellow dressing gown. Harry's eyes were immediately drawn to the worn spots and the faint glimpse of flimsy blue material he could see beneath the thinning fabric.

"Hi," she whispered, nudging him aside with her hip so she could sit down. "Ron and Hermione are saying goodnight in my room, and they kicked me out."

Harry obliged by shifting over, gathering his parchment so she wouldn't see what he'd been doing.

"What are you writing?" she asked.

Harry shrugged. "Just some notes," he replied vaguely. "So, they gave you the boot, huh? Lucky me."

Ginny grinned. "Why aren't you asleep? I thought I was just going to come in here and make certain you were snug and covered."

"You were going to tuck me in?" he asked, quirking his eyebrow, a pleasant warmth spreading through his body. He couldn't remember anyone ever doing that unless he was in hospital.

Ginny kissed his forehead softly, a somewhat sad smile playing on her lips. "You're supposed to be sleeping. Mum will have kittens if she knows you're in here working."

"Couldn't sleep," Harry said. "My body's tired, but my mind's still racing. You were fantastic today, you know."

"I was?" Ginny asked, staring at him blankly. "Harry, was that a compliment?"

Harry poked her in the ribs. "You were! I was so proud of you when you jumped across that ledge despite your fear. You were brilliant. Do I not compliment you enough, Ginny?"

"Here's a newsflash for you, Harry. You do tend to be a bit…reserved," Ginny said, rolling her eyes.

Harry pulled a face. "Let me make up for that, then," he said, wrapping his arm around her and pulling her back so she was lying alongside him. "I think you're beautiful."

Ginny's hand instinctively reached for her shorter hair, a pretty pink blush spreading across her freckled cheeks. Harry grabbed her hand and pulled it away, playing with her hair. "I think all of you is beautiful, Ginny – inside and out. I think you're fun, and fiery, and you can always make me laugh."

"Great!" Ginny said. "I can tell a good joke. Just what I want my boyfriend to feel when he thinks of me."

"No," Harry said, continuing to play with her hair. "Laughing is good. Sometimes, it's the only way I can cope, and you're always there with a ready smile. You show me a different life – what I want my life to be. When I wake up in the morning, I get this funny feeling in my stomach just because I know I'm going to see you."