A/N: Eh, screw the priorities and with how spacey the meds are making me, I'm going to write some unedited fluff! If you like this variation of Harry/Ginny, then try out And We'll be Chasing Stars, and 'you hold my heart'.

Title is from Beyonce's Halo. This is because the Check, Please webcomic owns my soul.

Disclaimer: Listen; I lack the motivation and many other things to be a professional writer (although one can make the argument that my plots are less zany than Cursed Child's. Okay, well, not counting the fic that had killer teddy bears!)

Title: remember those walls i've build

Words: 1K

Summary: Halley Potter has realized several things about Ginny Weasley. Gender AU.

i.

It was in Halley's Third Year when she first kissed Ginny

The Dementors had caused a thick layer of mist and shadows blanketing everything at the castle. It was hard not to feel the cold reach slowly into you, even in the bright October sun when all the trees were a riot of flaming colors. Every morning and into the night, students would feel the icy affect of the creatures dig deep, creating worries about what the winter would be like.

It was a very simple action that took place in a corridor somewhere, devoid of gawking people and gossiping ghosts.

Flowers, Halley realized as Ginny's lips left hers. Ron's sister smelled like flowers.

"Does that help?" Ginny nervously chewed on her lower lip, face a bright shade of red.

Right. Helping. They'd been talking about the Dementors and their unnatural coldness. Now looking at Ginny as the autumn sunshine painted her with colors from the stain-glassed windows, Halley felt a sparks of warmth reach her cold fingers and toes.

ii.

The second time Halley kissed Ginny was in the broomshed at the Burrow.

The World Cup had been an experience that Halley would never forget, but in her dreams, the dancing Veelas and Ginny's long hair became intertwined with flying and becoming a professional Quidditch player. The fact that she and Ginny were sharing a room only made it more awkward with Hermione in it—and nothing got by her.

As if sensing her sudden restlessness, Ron had suggested playing a game of Quidditch against his brothers. Their team of her, Ron, Ginny, and Hermione were a motely bunch against the more experienced Charlie, Fred, and George, but they had their victory.

And Halley was kissing her. In the shadows and cobwebs with the faint tingle of broom magic in the dusty air, she likened the feeling to catching the makeshift Snitch during their match—but this kind of the rush of exhilaration and joy nearly eclipsed that of winning.

"You really do think I'm prettier than the Veelas," said Ginny.

Halley frowned. "How do you know about that?"

"You talk in your sleep." Her freckled smile was definitely better than catching a Snitch. Halley leaned in to kiss her again, but Ron barged in with an armful of brooms that needed to be put away.

"Seriously?" he said. "This is what you've two been up to?"

iii.

Jealousy was a new feeling for Halley. It prickled and itched at her skin, but she couldn't bring herself to look away as Ginny danced with Michael Corner. Standing with Ron, their backs against the wall, they both watched their respective crushes have a much better time without them.

I should've asked her, thought Halley, unable to blot out the images of kissing her throughout the summer. I don't have enough nerve. Now all she could do was stare as Ginny, who was looking so pretty in her light green dress robes, was being twirled by some Ravenclaw.

Ron sighed miserably next to her. Halley sighed in equal amounts of misery.

'Are you going to ask me?' Ginny had said weeks before. 'Or would you rather mope about Cho Chang?'

The answer had been a stuttering mess.

Halley winced at the memory. Everything about her Fourth Year was so far confusing and weird. First was the Triwizard Tournament, Sirius's messages and the strange dreams, but wizards and witches were becoming just as peculiar. Staring at Cho with hopeful eyes had been another one of Halley's activities, even though the older witch was never going to ask her out.

She really needed to get better at communicating her feelings. Everything was becoming a tangled web.

Like how to ask Ginny if she wanted to go on a date, and tell her that Halley wasn't settling for someone that was second best.

Ron jabbed her shoulder with his index finger. "You should've told her."

Halley swatted his hand away. "Look who's talking?" She glared at him, lowering her voice to match his. "'Hermione! You're a girl!'"

He groaned and dropped his head into his cupped hands. "I've ruined everything with her! Next time before I open my mouth when saying something to Hermione, just stab me with a fork."

iv.

"Thank you!" Ginny seized Halley by her wool blanket, pressing kisses all over her face even with the Weasleys watching. "Thank you, thank you…"

Stammering with the cold lake water dripping around her, Halley wasn't sure what she was saying, but it apparently had absolved her of everything, because Ginny was hugging her tightly, and Ron was giving Halley the thumbs up.

You did it, he mouthed. And all it took was for Halley to save his life from mermaids and terrible tournament ideas.

v.

"Ginny, I…" Halley steeled herself, curling her hands tightly by her sides. "When this is all over can I—can we—" She gave up and tried again. She screwed her eyes shut, painfully aware of the hitch in Ginny's voice, the soft roar of the cheering crowd outside the tent. "I really like you."

The bench creaked as extra weight was added. She felt Ginny's hand covered her shaking one. "I like you, too."

Halley opened her eyes. "Oh," was all she said. She threaded their fingers together. "Does this mean we can date?"

Ginny brushed Halley's hair away from her face with her free hand, her touch lingering. "Are you really that nervous about dating me?"

"Have you seen your brothers?"

She snorted. "My brothers don't tell me who to date, Halley Potter. I do." She pressed a soft kiss against her cheek, and another on Halley's lips for luck.

vi.

In the end, Halley broke down into uncontrollable tears.

Her entire world had fallen apart—Cedric was dead and Voldemort was back. This was a nightmare come to life, and even worse, Halley knew that no one was safe. If she couldn't had save Cedric, then how were Ron, Hermione, and Ginny going to survive? She had to tell them to leave—to keep them safe—she would only be a danger to them—

"We're with you," Rom reminded her. "No matter what, we got your back."

"You won't be alone," Hermione promised. "We're your friends, and it's going to stay that way."

"I'm not leaving you," Ginny said. "It'll take more than You-Know-Who to scare me."

vii.

Halley wanted to say so many things.

Instead, holding Ginny's hand, she sad: "Being with you is like something out of someone else's life." The train started to slow down. They could hear the thundering footsteps of students getting ready to go home for the break.

Ginny's eyes blazed. "Don't be noble," she said in a low voice.

But Halley continued. "I'm scared," she admitted. "I am so scared of losing all of you. It's why I've been thinking that maybe we should…" Halley trailed off, letting go of Ginny's hand. "Until it's all over."

"That could take a long time."

"I know."

Finally, after some silence punctuated by the groans of the train stopping, Ginny tugged at Halley's sleeve. "But you're worth so much more to me."

Halley let out a breath. "So much for the noble break-up."

"I've already told you." The kiss was fleeting. Ginny stood up and pulled her jumper on. "I'm not giving up on us."

Halley fiddled with a loose strand on the sleeve of the jumper. "Have I ever told you that you're incredibly stubborn?"

"You seem to like it." Ginny opened the compartment door, and she held her hand out. "Come on, I want to make your aunt and uncle squirm."

Halley allowed herself to laugh, enjoying what was left of their time together. She took her girlfriend's hand, and they left the train, thinking of a brighter future.