Chapter Four - Ginny Returns Home/Diagon Alley

It was only a week later that Harry heard back that his request for home study had been accepted. He was so happy at the prospect of not having to leave Ginny that he felt like celebrating, intending to share his study time with her and helping her when possible, either with potions, charms or whatever. However, since Ron and Hermione's requests had been tendered somewhat later, they hadn't heard anything one way or the other yet as to whether or not theirs had been granted. Now that they knew Harry would definitely be taking home study courses, they didn't want to return to school unless absolutely necessary.

Just the same, they still had to go get the necessary textbooks and such for the seventh-year classes; Harry had already planned to take Ginny to Diagon Alley and pay for their school supplies himself. Maybe they could even go to Madam Puddifoot's for a butterbeer while there; he'd have to wait and see on that one, especially if Ron and Hermione happened to be with them.

Maybe he could even buy her a little trinket that would make her think of him whenever she saw it and they didn't happen to be together, like a "mood" necklace or something. He would have preferred to give her a promise ring, but that came under the heading of rushing her, so he regretfully put that on hold for the time being.

As it turned out, Ron and Hermione were turned down and got the regular letters which told them to report to Platform 9¾ at 10 a.m. on September 1 to board the Hogwarts Express for their seventh year. As may be expected, neither of them were pleased, for their own reasons ... but obviously the Powers That Be didn't consider their reasons for wanting home study sufficient to grant them the same privileges they had Harry and Ginny. It would seem strange going without them, but it couldn't be helped. Just the same, once they calmed down, they told them what had happened and admonished both to make sure they kept them up-to-date on how they were doing.

Even at that, they all went together to Diagon Alley to buy the necessary books, Ron and Hermione armed with blank cheques from their parents to cover the cost. Harry was armed with his usual bag of gold, although he had made a substantial withdrawal (substantial for him, at any rate ... around one hundred Galleons) from his Gringotts account the previous day to cover the costs of the textbooks and other school materials for himself and Ginny.

It usually cost at least forty Galleons for textbooks and such, although Harry fully expected it to be more this time, at least for him, since this was his final year and the extra books he got covered the subjects he would need to know in order to realise his career goal of being an Auror, such as Occlumency and Legilimency, not to mention Advanced Transfiguration and an updated book on Advanced Potion-Making, as well as the Standard Book of Spells, Grade 7.

With Ginny, on the other hand, the extra books she needed involved the various subjects she would need to know to realise her own career goal of being a Healer...Advanced Potion-Making being only one of them. Other books she needed were Magical Healing Techniques, which also covered various spells commonly used to aid in healing wounds, both emotional and physical, and Healing Draughts and Their Effects, to name just two. She also needed the Standard Book of Spells, Grade 6 and Confronting the Faceless, the sixth-year DADA textbook.

But even with the cost of books and materials, including sales tax, for both himself and Ginny, Harry had calculated that there would be roughly eighteen to twenty Galleons left over...enough so he could buy her something, be it a mug of butterbeer or a piece of jewelry, if not something else which reflected his feelings for her.

Just the same, both Ron and Hermione had been warned not to be too extravagant in buying non-essentials, so when it was agreed that they all go to Madam Puddifoot's in Hogsmeade for a snack and butterbeer, Harry ended up picking up the tab for everyone. He had frankly hoped that he would have the chance to be alone with Ginny, but now would simply have to make the best of it.

Lady Luck smiled on him, at least to a degree, so that he was near enough to be able to reach out and hold Ginny's hand unobtrusively under the table while his other hand held onto his mug of butterbeer. Even at that, he could have sworn he saw his two friends exchange secretive looks and snigger as they looked in his and Ginny's direction, especially when they believed they had caught them smiling at each other or something.

He would ordinarily have demanded to know just what they thought they were doing, acting like that, but at this point was too enraptured by his nearness to Ginny, his ability to hold her hand and smell her perfume, see her smile and watch her drink her butterbeer, particularly when she tilted her head back to give him a provocative view of her creamy throat, which (next to her lips) he had always loved to kiss, to give it more than passing notice.

He knew it was silly to envy an inanimate object like the mug, but it at least touched her lips, which was more than he was able to do at the moment. If they had been alone, he might have at least attempted to kiss her hand or something. As it was, he had to content himself with what he was already doing.

Upon leaving the tea shop, which also offered other beverages (such as butterbeer), all looked at each other and asked, "What did you want to do now?"

"I don't have money enough to do anything else," Ron groused; the rest had to smile at his irritation. "I guess I'll just have to go back to the Burrow and pack my trunk or something."

"What about you, Hermione?" Harry asked. "Gotten your trunk packed yet?"

"Oh, yes," she assured him. "Just need to put my books in and make sure Crookshanks is ready."

"Got any money left?" Ginny put in, seeming as hopeful as Harry (although he could have imagined it) that they would actually be left alone.

"Some, but not a lot. I think I'd better hang onto it," she decided.

"Then you're both leaving?" Harry fought not to sound overly hopeful.

"Harry, you're not being very subtle," she threw back. "Yes, I think we're both leaving. Why? Where were you thinking of going?"

"I wanted to show Ginny something," he all but mumbled.

"Such as the most popular location for snogging?" Hermione retorted with a wicked grin.

"Now who's not being subtle?" he shot back, blushing in spite of himself. "No, it's something I saw the other day in a shop window after getting my money and was thinking of buying for her...but didn't want to do it without her approval." He gave Ginny a hopeful look; she smiled and nodded. "Which reminds me...do you think you could take our books back and put them in our rooms? They're too heavy to be lugged around for long."

"I suppose so." Hermione reached for Ginny's bag and Ron for Harry's. "Have a good time, you two ... but not too good, because I'll be checking both of you over when you get back!" With that, she and Ron Disapparated out of Hogsmeade.

Once they were finally gone, Harry scarcely able to believe his luck at actually being left alone with Ginny, he forced himself to simply hold out his arm, which she took. "Shall we go, my lady?"

"Harry, you really did see something in a shop window that you wanted to show me, didn't you?"

"Of course. Why?" He gave her a strange look, hoping that this wasn't the beginning of the post-trauma distrust phase which the Healer had warned about.

"Just making sure," she returned with a smile. "Let's go."

A moment later they began walking hand-in-hand. Ginny was uncharacteristically quiet as they walked, although she kept tight hold of his hand and occasionally smiled reassuringly at him. "You don't mind me holding your hand, do you?"

"Of course not! What a thing to say!" she admonished affectionately as they stopped momentarily. "I never mind you touching me, Harry."

I certainly hope not, he couldn't help thinking. I don't think I could stand not being able to touch you, at least occasionally.

"Glad to hear it," he returned. "I hope you never do."

A short time later, after they had resumed walking, they reached the shop in question ... a stationery shop, although that was not all it sold. Once they reached the large window, he pointed out what he wanted her to see: a device that would change pictures whenever it was moved a given way...like the first position would simply be one of a person smiling or whatever, the next would be of them with a companion, perhaps kissing or having an arm around them, the next still another romantic position such as having one's head on either the companion's shoulder or in their lap ... then back to the original picture.

"Well, what did you think? When I saw it, I couldn't help but think of us."

Again, Ginny seemed uncharacteristically quiet for a while, then she squeezed his hand and smiled. "It's lovely. Did you have a picture you wanted to put into it and give to me or something?"

"I was thinking along those lines," her companion admitted. "Would you mind?"

"I never mind you giving me presents," she assured him. "Although you really don't need to."

"I want to," he declared.

"It's not too expensive, is it?"

"It wouldn't matter to me if it was," Harry assured her. "I have plenty of money." With that, he turned in the direction of the door and she followed him inside without a word.

She only let go of his hand briefly to examine something on the other side of the aisle; he took the opportunity to slip the clerk a request for a brief inscription on the frame, such as "To Ginny ... I'll Always Love You ... Harry." It only took a moment to make the inscription; then the article was placed in a bag and handed to Harry.

"Let's go," he called to her; she stepped over to him and they linked hands again.

Upon leaving, they simply walked down the street again, content in each other's company. After a time, Harry brushed her ear with his lips and whispered a question he had been longing to ask ever since she'd been released from the hospital.

She smiled up at him and said, "As soon as we can find a private spot."

Harry's relief was almost palpable; despite her trauma, Ginny still wanted him to kiss her. Of course, he naturally wanted more, but one step at a time. If he could get her used to their kissing again, maybe they could even work up to shagging ... No, that was getting ahead of himself. If he could get her used to their snogging again, the rest would come in time.

He finally spotted a secluded walkway next to Gringotts and steered them onto it; once they came to a high, thick hedge, he pulled her behind it. "Here's the private spot."

She looked up at him, her lovely brown eyes soft and her lips almost irresistible. Harry's pulse rate went into the stratosphere, and he had to stuff the bag into his pocket to keep from simply dropping it on the ground. How could anything look so delicious and still be real? "Ginny ... may I hold you?"

"Yes, Harry ... please hold me," she acquiesced softly. "I've missed it."

He had to force himself to gently pull her close; it would never do to frighten her while the trauma of her assault was still so recent. She's missed it? That's almost too good to be true! Nonetheless, he didn't question it. "So have I." A moment later he bent his head and their lips touched. Gently, tentatively, at first, then his embrace gently tightened. It wasn't long before he felt breathless, certain that his heart was now literally skipping beats, it was going so fast. All the same, her lips were so warm, so sweet; he just couldn't get enough of them. "Gin, I love you ... I love you ..."

She reached up to stroke the back of his neck; he shivered and moaned softly against her lips. "The feeling is ... very mutual, Harry."

A moment later he tore himself away. Ginny looked astonished and hurt. "Is something wrong? Don't you want to kiss me any more?"

"Too much. That's the problem. It's still too soon, too much to ask, after your ... assault."

"You don't think I want you to kiss me because of that? That's rubbish, Potter...pure, unadulterated rubbish! All this time I've been thinking it was you who didn't want to. For Merlin's sake, I know you didn't mean to do it. What's it going to take to make you realize that I've forgiven you? Now let's get back to snogging." She gave him a sly wink.

"You're sure?" Harry could scarcely believe he was really hearing what he was hearing.

"More than I've ever been of anything in my life. Now come here, Mister. We've got a long time to make up for." She held out her arms to him; the look in her eyes and on her face made him forget all his noble intentions. He was frankly unable to move fast enough, and once they came together again, the snogging began in earnest ... and all track of time was lost. All that mattered was the touching, the kissing, and the loving...and most importantly, the forgiving.

* * * * *

As it turned out, the appointment with the Muggle doctor was scheduled for the following afternoon at two p.m. Since Ginny was pretty much healed, at least physically, she naturally questioned Harry as to the necessity of having a medical. He had never been good at deception, but gave it his best shot. "We ... just want to make sure you're healing properly. Please, Gin ... if only to humour me?"

She sighed. "If it'll make you feel better."

Again, Harry decided to take her to the doctor's himself on his Firebolt; this time she sat behind him, her arms around his waist, and rested her cheek on his back. Again, he loved feeling her warmth and smelling her perfume as they flew. Within half an hour (with fifteen minutes to spare), they had arrived and checked in with the nurse/receptionist. Within another fifteen minutes she called them inside, having Harry wait in the doctor's office while Ginny was being examined, assuring him he would have a female assistant present at all times while checking her over.

The examination took roughly half an hour; then the doctor joined Harry in his office. "Where's Ginny ... my girlfriend?"

"In the waiting room. I was told you wanted to discuss the examination results privately with me because of her recent trauma."

"That's right. I believe it would harm her greatly if we discussed this too freely in front of her this recently after her ... trauma."

"Your concern is most admirable, young man. Now what exactly was it that you expected me to find?"

"Evidence of ... sexual assault, for one thing."

"Oh yes, I definitely found that. A brutal one, at that."

"Would you be willing to put all that you say in writing, if asked, or testify to it in court?"

"Most certainly ... but why do you ask?"

"Let's just say that I want to punish the one, or ones, who did it. Which reminds me, would you say that her ... injuries, although healed, indicate that there was more than one attacker?"

"Definitely more than one attacker," the doctor declared. "Again, why do you ask?"

"She was led to believe there was just one ... specifically, me, since I'm her steady boyfriend."

"Prior to her ... trauma, she was not sexually involved with either of the perpetrators, correct?"

"Damn bloody right she wasn't," Harry shot back. "One of them she'd never even met before! ... Sorry about the language."

"It's understandable," the doctor dismissed with a smile. "Are you saying that you have not been ... sexually involved with her?"

"Correct," Harry confirmed. Not that I wouldn't like to be, he finished in his mind. And considering what's happened, who knows how long it will be before I can, thanks to what Malfoy and Dudley have done?

"How long have you been ... steady dates?"

"Roughly two months total," Harry revealed. "Before her ... trauma, we'd been together a total of five weeks."

"May I assume you intend to continue dating her, that your feelings for her have not changed because of what happened to her?"

"Of course," Harry assured him. "What happened to her wasn't her fault. She was kidnapped."

The doctor was stunned into silence for a moment before speaking again. "Kidnapped, you say?"

"Yes, indeed. One of my ... adversaries and a relative of mine with whom I've never gotten along teamed up to try to get revenge on me by ... going after my girlfriend."

"Do I know this relative?" the doctor asked.

"I think so," Harry confirmed. "His name's Dudley Dursley."

"Dursley ... his parents are Vernon and Petunia Dursley, correct?"

"Correct. Petunia is my mother's sister."

"So Dudley is your ... cousin, then?"

Harry nodded reluctantly. "Why would your cousin do this to you?"

"I've given up trying to figure him...or them...out, frankly. There are times I'm convinced that they're totally and thoroughly evil. Not to mention in total denial where Dudley is concerned."

"Why do you say that?"

"Years of physical and emotional abuse of me while spoiling Dudley literally rotten. They seem to believe him incapable of doing wrong...but we're not here to discuss my problems, Doctor. Ginny ... my girlfriend ... is my main concern."

"But he...and they...obviously are capable of wrongdoing, if what's happened to your girlfriend ... and you ... is any indication."

"Of course he is, and they are ... but all I want is to see him punished for what he's done to Ginny, whatever I have to do. Which reminds me. I'll be expecting your report on my girlfriend and her injuries to be available whenever I call for it."

"When will you be needing it?"

"I couldn't say exactly when. How would it be if I ... came in one day, say, in the next couple of weeks or so...and requested it?"

"I think that could be arranged," the doctor agreed. "What name shall I put it under?"

"My girlfriend's name is Ginny Weasley," Harry told him. "I'd better go now. She's probably wondering what's taking so long."

"Might be a good idea. Don't need to have her asking too many questions you can't satisfactorily answer," the doctor concurred.

"Thank you for your time, Doctor. Ginny and I very much appreciate it."

"Glad to help ... Harry Potter, isn't it? I hope everything works out for you and your girlfriend, that you can manage to see that your cousin is punished for what he did to her."

Harry nodded. "Thank you again, Doctor. We'll need all the help we can get." With that, he stood up and turned for the door, walking through and closing it behind him as he headed back to the waiting room.

Ginny looked up from leafing through a magazine. "Well! I was beginning to wonder if you were ever coming back. May I assume you discussed the doctor's findings with him?"

Harry nodded again. "He says you're healing nicely and should be just fine."

Ginny looked at him suspiciously. "Can't I know what you discussed? After all, you were talking about me."

"We agreed that it was too soon after your ... trauma to do so, that it might prove harmful to you if we told you."

"Harry, you know I don't like things being kept from me...especially when they concern me," she warned, quietly but ominously.

He put one hand under her chin so their eyes met. "Do you trust me, Gin?"

"More than anyone," she assured him.

"Then trust me in this. It's in your best interests that you not know these things just now. Rest assured, I will tell you ... at the proper time."

"And when will that be?" she retorted.

"Just as soon as possible," he promised. "In the meantime, let's just concentrate on our upcoming lessons." He leaned down, putting his hands on her shoulders, and kissed her deeply, with tender passion, for an interminable moment, then released her. "Let's get back to the Burrow now."

Ginny sighed, then smiled. "You know I can never refuse you when you kiss me like that." They then turned for the door which led outside. Once there, Harry removed the Invisibility Charm he had placed on his Firebolt; then they mounted it and were soon airborne.

Harry didn't like keeping things from Ginny, but as he'd told her, it was in her best interests that she not know certain things until the proper time. It was also good that he had obtained the doctor's promise that he would have a report on Ginny and her injuries ready for him when he needed it ... not to mention his statement that he would be willing to testify to confirm his report if called upon to do so.

The next step would be to go before the Wizengamot and talk it over with them, but that wasn't for another three days. He would have to owl Neville and ask him to meet him there to possibly make a formal statement. While there he would ask regarding the legality of using Veritaserum to "persuade" Draco to tell the truth about his actions the day Ginny was abducted ... and when the time came, do the same regarding the legality of using sodium pentothal to make Dudley tell the truth about his actions that day. Meanwhile, all they could do was wait not only for the day of that appointment, but for the resulting reports on the DNA samples, including his own, from both St. Mungo's and the Muggle hospital...and knuckle down to their upcoming lessons.