A/N: A request from ThisIsMegz. I really tried to make this work in canon and I just couldn't get it to flow the way I wanted it to. So we're throwing that in the bin (all fifty-some-odd attempts) and jumping into some extreme AU territory because I want to do this thing and I need it to be fun! Life needs more fun in it! So I do hope you enjoy this Harry/Ginny Secret Dating AU.
Harry Potter lived his life in the public eye, not by choice, but because no one would allow him a moment's peace. Though his mother would remind him on a regular basis that this was a part of his life, he couldn't escape his responsibilities. In Harry's defense, he didn't want to escape his responsibilities. He rather enjoyed the philanthropic work they did as well as learning the best way to help the country continue to function as a whole, but Harry didn't enjoy every journalist in the kingdom following him everywhere hoping to catch the crown prince doing something stupid.
Harry did his very best to keep things as boring as possible for the media. He wanted to be sure that there weren't any repeat fiascos like the poor girl he sort of dated as a teen. That had been a right nightmare when the press found out, and while Harry hadn't really thought it would go somewhere, the articles, and pictures, that hit ensured the end of that soiree. Not that his parents had anything against marrying a commoner, his mother was a commoner, but they hadn't really loved how Harry handled that one. From that point forward, Harry decided to keep everything as boring as possible for the media. And he'd done reasonably well at it, but the catch had been if his life was boring for the media, it was also generally boring for him.
"You need a vacation." Neville drawled as they sat in one of the gardens. Neville was his best friend. On the payroll he was his "companion at arms" but in reality Neville was the man who had a million different ways - and weapons - to protect Harry from everything - but the media.
"I'm not going to go muck about for the enjoyment of the media, Nev." Harry groaned as he set his book down.
"Who said anything about mucking about?" Neville laughed. "I said vacation. You could even set it up with your parents. I'm sure there's a way to get you someplace quiet and out of the way for a while. Honestly Harry you look like Hell."
"Thanks, Nev," Harry chuckled. "I'll think about it."
"Think about what?" The Queen walked out and sat down in one of the chairs, as both men stood.
"Neville thinks I need a vacation," Harry shook his head as he sat back down and turned to his mum.
"I think that's a wonderful idea!" Lily smiled warmly at Neville.
Harry gawked at her, "You're kidding."
"Close your mouth dear, you'll catch flies." Lily chuckled, "And I'm not kidding. You could fly up to the chalet. The press doesn't care for the drive and it would give you a chance to break away from the public appearances and your responsibilities for a few days."
She stood and laughed as Harry stared at her like a fish pulled from a lake and Neville attempted to pull him to standing. "I'll talk with James, we'll find a solid week for you to spend at the chalet, and we'll do our best to not let the media know. Then she left Harry gawking after her.
Two weeks later, Harry, Neville, and at Harry's insistence Neville's wife Hannah, Her Majesty's public relations liaison, were aboard the small commuter plane the Royal family owned and heading for the family's chalet up in the mountains of their small country. The flight was short, but they were flying at night to increase the chances that they'd make it up there without alerting every journalist in the capital city that Harry had left.
Harry yawned and looked over the least populated area of his father's kingdom, the lights still on were scattered and few, and Harry hoped beyond hope that this week would be as relaxing as everyone seemed to believe it would be for him.
"Are you excited Your Highness?" Hannah pulled him from his thoughts.
"Hannah," Harry groaned and adjusted his glasses. He'd opted to forgo his contacts this trip. They drove him crazy half the time anyway.
"My Lord?" She smirked at him and Harry shook his head.
"I don't want titles this trip. I just want a week of not worrying about the press and the next thing they'll say. This week I'm Harry, alright?"
Hannah turned to Neville, "Is he like this all day every day?"
Neville chuckled and nodded, "I think it has to do with how often Lord Black is around."
"That would make sense," Hannah nodded, "Her Majesty complains about his theatrics."
"Please you two," Harry pleaded.
The Longbottom's exchanged a long-suffering look before Neville nodded. "For the next seven days you're Harry and we're just a group of friends vacationing together in the mountains."
And that was exactly what it was. They spent the first two days at the chalet hiking and enjoying the scenery. They went swimming in the lake nearby and they played board games and laughed. Harry stopped fretting about keeping his hair neat and wore his band t-shirts and jeans and old trainers. By the end of the second day, Harry finally felt like himself again. He felt free.
"Let's go to the market today," Harry said as they sat down to breakfast on their third day. "We can grab something there for lunch and wander a bit."
Neville looked at him like he'd grown two heads. "Harry, I thought the whole point of this was to avoid the public eye - hence the mountain chalet as the vacation spot."
"Come on, Nev, I doubt anyone will pay three friends walking around any notice." Harry countered.
Hannah stared intently at him. "I don't think anyone will really recognize him, love. His glasses and hair throw you off enough, and his outfits are ones we'd never let him out of his quarters in while at the capital. With you and I there as well to run interference, a quick jaunt down to town and back should be alright."
"Hannah you're my new favorite!" Harry beamed at her.
Neville sighed, "If my wife and my next monarch are going to team up against me I don't see I have much choice."
Shortly before noon, the three set off for town, walking at Harry's insistence.
It felt good to walk about the town as a nobody, and Harry adored the anonymity he seemed to have in a pair of glasses and unkempt hair. They stopped into shops and Harry even took time to talk to people. They lay out on the lawn near the center of town to eat their lunch and Harry wondered what it would take to never leave.
"We should get ice cream," Hannah said as they lay in the summer sun, breathing in the mountain air.
"I saw a place, back by the market entrance," Neville chuckled as Hannah jumped up.
"Well come on you two!"
"You two go ahead, I'll save our spot on the lawn." Harry gestured them towards the ice cream.
"I'm not supposed to leave you, Harry." Neville stopped rising and sat back down.
Harry groaned, "Neville, can you see the ice cream spot from here?"
Neville strained his eyes and then nodded, "Just barely."
"So you're not leaving me alone, you'll be able to see me the whole time." Harry smirked at him. "Now go take a few minutes with your wife and let me show the town I'm old enough to sit on the lawn until my parents return like a good little boy."
Neville looked up at Hannah and the look in his eyes told Harry he'd already won. "We'll be quick," Neville stood and took Hannah's hand.
Harry watched them go and sighed, it was hard to see his best friend get all the things he wanted but was sure he'd never have, at least not like them. His parents had the classic fairytale story, but nothing about Harry's life felt like a fairytale. Romance didn't just fall into this real Prince's lap.
He'd been so busy watching Neville and Hannah walk away that he didn't notice the woman walking towards him until she tripped over him on the lawn.
She cried out as she fell and Harry was caught in a flash of red which he later identified as the lady's hair.
"I'm so sorry!" She said pulling herself off of him. "I was just so caught up thinking that I stopped paying attention to where I was going and I know that's an awful excuse but really I'm sorry!"
Harry had been rendered momentarily speechless by the woman before him. Her red hair was stunning as it framed her freckled face and made her brown eyes look like the deepest forest. He couldn't seem to form any thought as he gazed at her.
"Are you alright?" She knelt before him and Harry was suddenly aware that he hadn't moved or spoken since she fell over him.
"Er...yes. Sorry, I, I was surprised is all. I'm, I'm Harry." He pushed up and offered her his hand, resisting the practiced part of him that went to kiss her hand as she took his, shaking it firmly.
"Ginny," she smiled at him and his heart sang.
"I, I hope you won't find this too forward, but, would you be interested in an ice cream by any chance?" The words left Harry's mouth before he really had a chance to think them through and his stomach plummeted to the lawn when he heard them.
Ginny laughed at him, "Do you make a point of buying ice cream for women who trip over you?"
"You're the first," he fisted a hand in his hair, suddenly very nervous that she would say no.
"How about you let me buy you a cone, to make up for trampling you?" She stood and offered him her hand.
Everything in Harry's body screamed at the thought of Ginny buying him a cone, but there was something about a woman who could hold her own that was enchanting, and like a snake to a snake charmer, Harry nodded and took her hand to stand.
"Can I buy you a cone to apologize for being an oblivious blob that didn't even hear you coming because I was also lost in thought?" Harry tried to not let the electricity he felt at her hand touching his render him incapacitated.
"So we're basically buying our own cones then aren't we?" Ginny smirked at him.
"No, because I'll order what I want and you'll pay and you'll order what you want and I'll pay and then we'll trade cones." Harry chuckled and wondered if he touched her hand again he'd feel the same electricity from the first time.
"That all sounds very complicated," Ginny laughed.
"I could buy both cones," Harry shrugged, and his heart skipped a beat when she turned to look up at him, suddenly noticing she wasn't very tall.
"That, Harry, is what most people refer to as a date." Ginny's eyes bore into his and Harry simultaneously wanted to back away and step forward to meet the challenge she seemed to be giving him.
"Why, I do believe you're right," Harry tried to put some substance behind his voice as he took the proverbial step forward.
Ginny held his gaze for a moment longer before smiling, "Alright, I think I can handle you buying both cones."
Harry's chest seemed to roar in excitement.
Then he spotted Neville and Hannah.
If there was ever a time Harry attempted to put a million things into one look, it was this moment. Thankfully Hannah seemed to get the message, because she suddenly became very interested in something in a shop window and pulled a rather disgruntled looking Neville over with her.
"So do you have any awful ice cream tastes I should be aware of beforehand?" Ginny smirked up at him. "Because if you order avocado ice cream I will walk away and never look back."
"They make avocado ice cream?" Harry was sure the face he made was ridiculous because Ginny burst out laughing.
"Yes, for some horrible terrible reason, they do." Ginny smiled as he opened the door for her.
"I'm a butter pecan guy, myself, but you strike me as someone who goes for those flavors that have all the chunks and pieces in them." Harry felt her brush up against him as they waited their turn in line and attempted to not let his breathing betray how she made him weak in the knees
"What if I decided to prove you wrong and just ordered vanilla?" She raised an eyebrow at him and Harry tried to inconspicuously wipe the sweat off his palms.
"You'd suffer through a flavor you don't like just to prove me wrong?" Harry liked this woman, she had spunk.
"I might, but I don't think I will today. I really want to try their newest flavor." There was a light in her eye as she turned to the handwritten chalkboard listing the day's flavors.
When Ginny had her blueberry muffin surprise and Harry his butter pecan, he decided to save Neville from having an aneurysm and led them back to the lawn they'd met at. Neville and Hannah sat a few yards from them.
"So what brings you this far into the hills? Not many people are willing to make the six hour drive to get here." Ginny's tongue was bright blue from the blueberry ice cream she was licking far too slowly in Harry's opinion, because his mind was racing with how attractive the action was.
Harry just caught himself from giving away how much quicker it was to get to this town when you could fly. "I just really needed a vacation." Harry shrugged. "Work has been draining and my family and friends thought I should get away for a week."
"How far into your week are you?" Ginny looked up over the shops and into the mountains.
"Today is day three," he smiled as his gaze followed hers.
"It appears to be working then, you don't look drained at all now." She turned to smile at him and Harry's heart did a flip.
"I don't feel drained at the moment at all," then he waxed bold, "I'd like to blame part of it on present company."
Ginny's smile turned to a smirk, "That was rather smooth. Are you always so charming with women Harry?"
Harry leaned a bit closer, "Actually, no. You seem to have some sort of effect on me."
"Do I?" She was closer now; Harry could almost count the freckles on her face. He nodded and was seriously considering closing the distance to kiss her when the church bells pealed out the hour and made him jump back.
Harry had never had reason to curse church bells or the time, but in that moment he would have been willing to sign a decree banishing them both.
Ginny cleared her throat. "I have to get back. I'm only visiting from the capital as well and my family will be expecting me to help make dinner. Thanks for the ice cream, Harry."
She moved to stand and panic overtook Harry. He reached out and grabbed her hand. "Can I see you tomorrow?"
Ginny froze and her gaze locked on Harry's hand loosely grasping hers. Harry moved closer.
"Depends, what time?" Ginny smirked at him and Harry's heart could have lifted him off the ground for how light he felt.
"How about lunch again, if you're free? I'll meet you here, at noon?" Harry held his breath as she looked back at him and then down at his hand still grasping hers.
A slow shy smile crossed her lips, "It's a date."
Not even letting go of Ginny's hand could dampen the smile on Harry's face as Ginny waved before turning and heading for her parents' home.
Harry watched her go until Neville's voice pulled him back to reality.
"So, we're coming back here for lunch tomorrow then?" There was a level of teasing to his voice that Harry knew he was making fun of him, but he couldn't have cared less while thinking about seeing Ginny again.
"Harry," Hannah waved her hand in front of his face.
"Yeah, yeah, I can hear you," he ducked to watch Ginny disappear down the main road.
"If you like her this much, you ought to tell her who you are." Hannah admonished as Neville pulled Harry up to standing. "She'd do well too, very photogenic and she isn't afraid to stand her ground I gleaned from the snippets of conversation I heard. It would be easy to introduce her to the public and then she'd look amazing at all your events."
"No," Harry cut Hannah off. "I'm not telling her anything, and there will be absolutely no public involvement in this." He started for the chalet.
"Harry," Neville caught up to him, "she deserves to know who you are."
"Why? So she can get scared away before she even has the chance to get to know me?" Harry picked up his pace. "I'm not risking it, Neville."
"Then promise us this," Hannah grabbed his arm, "If you want to continue seeing her after this vacation, you tell her who you are." Harry went to protest but Hannah held up her hand. "Because, if you want to keep this away from the public eye, then she needs to be on board with it."
"You'd help me keep a relationship under wraps?" Harry looked at Hannah dubiously.
Hannah laughed, "Harry, I work for your mother. Do you have any idea how many surprises I've helped pull off for both your father and the population? If you want this a secret, I really just need her to be on board and we make it happen."
Harry stared at Hannah a moment before nodding slowly as the hope for a private relationship started to bloom within him. It was an exhilarating thought.
"Alright," Harry smiled, "if I still want to see her come Saturday, I'll bring her up to the chalet and we can broach the subject with her."
"I didn't catch her name," Neville smirked at the look on Harry's face.
"Ginny."
Noon came slowly the next day, and Harry was sure he was driving Neville and Hannah mad, but their frustration faded away from his thoughts as he spotted Ginny sitting on the lawn waiting for him.
"Ah, you were serious," Ginny smiled up at him and took the hand he offered to help her stand.
"I may joke from time to time, but I'll never stand you up." Harry smiled down at her and waited for her to release his hand.
She didn't.
"Hmm you speak as though there will be more than one opportunity to prove that," Ginny stepped closer to him and Harry felt his pulse double
"I'd very much like those opportunities," Harry stepped close enough to see the individual freckles on her face.
Harry thought he heard Ginny's breath catch, but she seemed to recover and started to pull him up the road.
"Well, start off your first opportunity right and buy a poor girl some lunch."
Harry quickly matched her stride and he laughed. "What would the fair Lady like to be treated to?"
"What are you? A walking Shakespeare play?" Ginny gave him a gentle shove with her shoulder, still grasping his hand. "Who talks like that?"
"It's called wooing," Harry tried to hide the embarrassment he felt, "and the fact that you're noticing means its working, right?"
Ginny smirked and turned to look up at him, "It means I'm listening."
Lunch was more fun today than it had been yesterday, and Harry's mind reeled from it. Infatuated wasn't an accurate descriptor of what he felt. Harry was fairly certain he'd grown attached over the nearly eight hours they'd had together. They lay out on the lawn and were enjoying the clouds overhead as they held hands.
"Tomorrow?" Harry turned and asked as he heard the chapel bells ring out the hour
Ginny smiled at him, "Fancy a hike?"
Harry realized that leaving the lawn would make it difficult for Neville and Hannah to follow. But they'd promised this trip he was just Harry, it would probably be alright for them to be along, especially if he wanted this to become something more than lunch dates over the next few days. "Would you be alright if two of my friends were along? They've come up for my vacation."
Ginny seemed to consider it and Harry held his breath. "Alright," she finally nodded, "I think I'd like to meet your friends. I bet they could give me all the details about why you talk like a Shakespearean actor."
Harry rolled onto his side and poked her stomach. "One time I say something poetic and now I'm a Shakespearean actor? You'll inflate my ego talking like that."
Ginny shrieked and poked him back, "Enough you!"
The teasing and poking continued for a few moments before Ginny pushed up to leave and Harry stood with her.
"You don't have to get up every time I stand, Harry." She chuckled, but she seemed to find it funny, and Harry breathed a sigh of relief that she didn't read into it more.
"Just trying to keep you around a bit longer is all," Harry took her hand and pulled her into a hug.
He was shocked at how well she fit in his arms, how her head was the perfect height to rest against his chest, how his heart seemed to leave his body behind as it fluttered away.
She pulled back and Harry resisted the urge to keep her where she was. "I'll show you my favorite hike tomorrow." She took another step back and Harry ran his hand along her waist and hip before she stepped back again and was out of his reach.
"I can't wait," he smiled as she slowly walked away, glancing back periodically as Harry watched her go like a lovesick fool.
When she was finally out of sight, Harry turned to see Hannah dozing against Neville and he smiled. That level of happiness didn't seem so far away anymore.
"We're going on a hike tomorrow," Harry chuckled at how Hannah jumped at his voice. "And," Harry cut off Neville before he could object, "she's agreed to meet and have my two friends along for it."
Neville relaxed visibly. "Thank you for that, it'll be immensely easier to do my job not having to trail along behind the two of you."
Harry helped Neville to stand, "You've done magnificently at it though, I've not noticed you half the time."
Neville chuckled as he gave Hannah a hand up off the lawn, "Glad I can earn my keep."
While Harry knew it was necessary, he was nervous, incredibly so, for Ginny to meet Hannah and Neville. Not so much because he thought it wouldn't go over well, but because if today went as well as the last two days had gone, he'd have to tell Ginny who he was in order to see her again. Harry tried not to pace as they waited for Ginny. He kept toying with a strap on his rucksack willing his feet to remain still.
"Ready?" Ginny's voice sounded behind him and Harry couldn't help the stupid grin that took over his face.
"I think so," he turned and decided to wax bold and wrapped her in a hug. She didn't pull away from him as he moved to introduce her, electing instead to wrap an arm around his waist. Harry tried to recover from the moment of elation he felt by wrapping an arm around Ginny's shoulders.
"Ginny, this is my best friend Neville and his wife Hannah. Neville, Hannah, this is Ginny."
Ginny shook their hands, "I'm excited to learn all the embarrassing details about Harry."
Hannah laughed, "I'm sure we'll get to those. Harry tells us you're taking us up into the mountains."
Ginny nodded, "It's my favorite hike. I grew up in this town and it's still my favorite place."
"Sounds like we're in for a treat then," Neville pulled his rucksack on, "Lead on, Ginny."
A treat ended up being an understatement. Ginny took them along a hunter's trail for a mile or so before it opened up into a meadow of heather.
"This is beautiful!" Hannah exclaimed as they walked into the clearing.
Ginny smiled back at her, "I love it here, but this is just the first part. We can eat lunch here and then we'll follow another hunter's trail up to a small waterfall. From there we follow another trail to an area that overlooks the entire valley. That's my favorite part, I love being able to look out over everything."
"That sounds amazing," Harry pulled Ginny's hand till she was close enough to wrap his arm around her waist.
"I'm glad you think so," Ginny smiled up at him. "Let's eat, the sooner we finish up here the sooner we can get to that look out. I haven't been up to it since last year; I'm antsy to get back."
Ginny's description of the lookout did it little justice in Harry's opinion. He was speechless as he stood looking out over the entire valley and at the mountain peaks that surrounded them. It was a feeling he'd never experienced before, a sense of peace and calm and awe that he couldn't put into words. It was beauty in a way he'd never experienced it. It was breathtaking in a way that made his heart stop. It was enchanting and captivating in a way that made him never want to leave the rock he sat upon with his arms wrapped around Ginny.
"Why do I live in the capital?" He whispered, more so to himself, but Ginny chuckled.
"Because it's nearly impossible to make a living up here. There are the few tourists that come in the summer, but almost no one wants to come up here in the winter, there are ski resorts closer to the capital so no one wants to put one up here, and so unless you can buy out one of the small shops on the main road, there's not much you can do but scrape by." She sighed. "It's a dual-edged sword too because if it were to happen that some sort of tourist industry came up here, we'd be sharing this look out with other people right now. The hunter's trails would become more manicured and widened. You'd have people trampling the heather meadows, and scaring the wildlife, you'd lose a part of this. But you gain a lot too, you gain the public desire to keep it a recreational area and you don't have to worry about losing it all to mining or to something else ridiculous like that."
Harry nodded, he'd never been terribly concerned about the mountains before, but now, listening to how much Ginny loved her home and sitting in awe of how amazingly beautiful it was here, Harry was overwhelmed with this desire to do right by them. To preserve them and the people who chose to scrape by in exchange for living someplace where beauty was preserved.
"When do you leave for the capital?" Harry asked after it had been quiet for a moment.
"I'm leaving after lunch. My parents have been a bit put out with all the time I'm spending in town, so I don't know if I'll be able to see you tomorrow." She sighed and snuggled into his chest.
Harry's heart increased its pace two-fold. Neville and Hannah were a few yards away, and Harry realized this might be the time they'd need to have the conversation that was causing Harry a great deal of excitement and dread.
"We live in the capital full time, you and I." Harry ran a hand through her hair, fastened back at the nape of her neck.
"Are you asking to see me again in the capital?" Ginny turned back and her smile was bright enough to power the sun.
Harry took a deep breath, "I don't think I'd be happy if this was the only place I got to see you , Gin."
Ginny's smile seemed to grow impossibly wider. She turned in his arms and pressed her lips softly to his. Harry was sure there was never a point in his life previous that moment that he was really alive. Ginny's lips were soft against his, but the electricity that filled his veins was overpowering and it stopped his heart and lungs. And though his vitals returned when she pulled away, Harry almost would have preferred death to the feeling of her lips leaving his.
"I'd love to see you again when we're both back at the capital." Her voice was quiet, but there was an excitement in her voice and Harry couldn't stop smiling.
He leaned in again and this time, he wasn't going to let the kiss end so quickly. He brought a hand to her cheek as his lips explored hers, and when she sighed against him and parted her lips, Harry tentatively brushed her lips with his tongue. When she brushed her tongue against his lips, Harry was surprised the electricity he was feeling didn't electrocute him right there. He'd frankly forgotten anything around him aside from the beautiful woman wrapped in his arms with her lips on his.
At least until Neville cleared his throat.
Ginny pulled back and bit her lip with a shy smile; a light tinge had cropped into her cheeks, and an imprint of where his glasses had pressed into her face. Harry wasn't sure the mountains could compare to this.
"I hate to intrude," Neville chuckled, "but if we want to get back before dark, we should get going."
Ginny looked at her watch and sighed. "Yeah, at this rate our walk through town will be in the dark."
Harry suddenly realized that their conversation had to be while moving and he didn't necessarily fancy that, but if he wasn't going to see Ginny tomorrow, then it had to be on the hike down.
"So," Harry started as they began their descent. "There's one thing to being able to see me in the capital."
He heard Hannah choke on the drink of water she'd been trying to take.
"Don't tell me," Ginny smiled cheekily at him, "you're really an international spy and my King can't know you're here."
Harry laughed, "That sounds a right bit better than the truth."
"You're an exiled outlaw?" Ginny teased again.
"I'm the Crown Prince." Harry said it quickly and braced for Ginny's reaction.
Ginny laughed, "Ok, ok, so what's the issue, you work out of the country a lot?"
Harry fisted a hand in his hair, "Well, the King does send me to do foreign relations on occasion."
Ginny froze and turned to look at him. Slowly she reached up and pulled his glasses off his face, even in her blurred state, Harry saw the color drain from her face.
Gently he took his glasses back and placed them on his face before taking her hand. "I'm afraid I wasn't joking, Gin. I am Crown Prince Harry."
Ginny didn't respond beyond to just stare at him.
"Ginny, I'm Her Majesty's public relations liaison," Hannah stepped up next to her. "Harry wanted a bit of time away from the public eye, and I'm sure you know the Royal family owns a chalet here. Her Majesty thought this was a good place for him to have a week of relaxation. Harry chose to make it a week of anonymity."
Ginny nodded her face still wide in an expression of shock. Harry desperately wanted her to say something, anything.
"We could keep this entirely just between the four of us." Harry took Ginny's hand in his. "No one would know, you wouldn't have any of the media after you, it would be like not dating the Crown Prince at all, just Harry."
"You talk like you're two people, Harry." Ginny finally spoke and while it wasn't necessarily in the affirmative, Harry decided to be happy it wasn't a rejection.
"He really is," Neville stepped forward. "There's a certain set of requirements for the Crown Prince, and many of those traits aren't really Harry at all, but he has to put them on in order to do his job."
Ginny looked down at Harry's hand holding hers, before looking up between the three of them. "I, I really don't know."
"How about this," Harry was never so grateful that Hannah was his friend because in that moment he didn't think he could answer Ginny. "Let's get you Harry's personal number, and then you can think about it and let him know after you've had a chance to think it through."
Ginny stood still for a moment before nodding slowly, "Alright," she pulled out her phone and handed it to Harry.
Harry slowly typed in his name and phone number, then he laid his heart on the line, and in the notes section he typed five words that seemed to encompass everything he was thinking. Please give us a chance. He handed the phone back to Ginny and she took a deep breath as she pocket it.
"Let's get going," she sighed.
The hike back down was beautiful as the sun set behind the mountain peaks, but Harry couldn't be bothered to care. Ginny wouldn't look at him, and her bright smile was nowhere to be found. Instead, she watched her feet as she hiked down and led them back to the main road.
When they made it back down, she finally looked up at Harry, and his heart fell at the sadness in her eyes, "Goodbye, Harry."
She didn't wait for a response, turning on her heels and walking towards her childhood home.
Harry watched her until well after she was lost in the darkness that was falling around them.
"Come on, Harry," Hannah's voice pulled him out of his thoughts. Harry nodded and walked silently back to the chalet. Tomorrow they'd head home. Tomorrow he'd return to his life as the Crown Prince, to the life that he was now certain would forever deny him of any happiness.
Harry headed straight for his quarters when they made it back, but before he started up the stairs, he turned back to Neville and Hannah.
"Do me one last favor," He ran a hand in his hair and sighed, "This situation, it doesn't leave the three of us."
"Of course, Harry," Neville nodded sympathetically. Hannah looked like she might cry, but she nodded and Harry moved to his quarters, sure that if he saw Hannah cry he'd lose what little control he had over himself.
For the first few days back in the capital, Harry held out a bit of hope that Ginny would text him or call him. He answered every single call he got on his personal number, and he kept kicking himself for not getting her number before he'd told her he was the Crown Prince, at least then he'd stop hoping every call was her. After the first week, Harry resigned himself to the fact that he wasn't going to hear from her, and he stopped carrying his phone around.
It was three weeks after the vacation, two weeks after he'd accepted that his station had effectively scared off the best damn thing that ever happened to him, when he picked up his phone after a day of running from one meeting to another because his dad wanted him to start learning the ruling side of things as well as all the charitable work that his mum had him doing, that Harry noticed a missed call and a text message from the same number.
Harry opened the text and his heart hit the floor.
Can we talk? - Ginny
Harry jumped up and ran. Harry was staying in the palace for the rest of the day and had told Neville to convince Hannah to take the rest of the day off and go enjoy themselves. Now he needed their help.
"Neville!" Harry shouted as he spotted him turning towards the wing of the palace that housed the offices of everyone who worked for the Royal family.
"Harry, what's wrong?" Neville immediately became highly aware, and then confused when he didn't see anything actively pursuing the Crown Prince.
Harry handed Neville his phone and tried to catch his breath as Neville's eyes went wide.
"Can you help me?" Harry tried to calm his breathing from both the run and the adrenaline that hit from reading Ginny's text message.
Neville gave him a half smile and nodded, "Head back to your quarters, Hannah and I will be along in a few moments."
Harry tried desperately to walk calmly, to keep his general appearance and demeanor normal, but his heart was racing at the glimmer of hope that maybe, maybe Ginny thought that it was worth a go with him, because she'd been all he thought about for the last three weeks.
It wasn't long before the three of them were seated around a table in Harry's study and Hannah was explaining the options they had.
"I think it would be best to have this initial conversation under the cover of dark, and probably in the public relations offices. No one pays attention to us coming and going at odd hours."
"So what do I reply with?" Harry kept turning his phone round and round in his hands.
"It would honestly be better if you called her instead of texting, most everything as far as meeting places should be verbally communicated only when possible. You can still text her, but in regards to when you see each other, try not to put anything in writing." Hannah continued.
"Ok, so you're sure that there won't be anyone there Sunday evening?" Harry asked for what had to be the hundredth time.
"Yes Harry, and I'll be there to run interference if something comes up."
Harry took a deep breath, "Here goes nothing."
He dialed Ginny's number, now saved in his phone, and waited as it rang.
"Hi," Ginny's voice sounded over the receiver and Harry felt like he was back at the chalet with his hand wrapped around hers and all the cares of the country weren't waiting to sit on his shoulders.
"Hi, Gin," Harry tried to breathe, but he couldn't keep the smile off his face.
"So, are we ok to talk now? Or, how is this going to work?"
"Well," Harry started, "If you'd like to talk in person, Hannah has a way for us to talk in private Sunday night, if that works for you." Harry held his breath as Ginny went quiet and for a moment he wondered if the call had dropped.
"Alright, I think I'd prefer that," Ginny's voice seemed warmer suddenly and Harry wondered if he'd imagined it.
"Great," Harry felt something in his chest that he'd never felt before as he gave Ginny all the details to see each other Sunday night.
The two days he had to wait seemed to take an eternity.
But finally Harry was sitting on a desk in an unoccupied office full of miscellaneous pieces of unused furniture waiting for Hannah to bring Ginny back. He'd come from a charitable event and was still in his suit though he'd removed his tie and unbuttoned the collar of his dress shirt. His hair was still slicked into place in the way that made his head hurt and his contacts were starting to kill him, but he didn't want to risk being late for Ginny, or worse being pulled into something that he couldn't get out of and miss out on seeing her at all.
Neville chuckled as Harry tapped a rhythm out on the table, but Harry chose to ignore it, he was too wound up to really talk at the moment.
Finally, Harry heard Hannah's knock on the door and he just about fell over himself getting to the door. Ginny stood next to Hannah and Harry felt lighter than he had in the last three weeks. He restrained himself from his gut reaction to kiss her and instead opted for gawking at her with a stupid smile on his face like a madman.
"Hi," he finally managed to regain control of his ability to speak.
She smiled at him and Harry felt a spark of optimism blossom in his heart. "Hi Harry."
"I'll just be on the other side of the door," Neville smiled at the two of them as Hannah gave Ginny a bit of a push and she stepped into the room, shutting the door, and leaving them alone.
"You look great," Harry finally said something after they'd both stared at the closed door for far too long.
"You look so different," Ginny looked at him like he was a different person and part of it killed Harry.
"Just think about it like my uniform," Harry reached out and tentatively took her hand. "The man with messy hair and glasses is really me; this is what I look like when I have to do my job."
Ginny nodded and was quiet for a moment. "I've been thinking and I want to give us a chance. I'm sorry it took me three weeks to figure that out, honestly I had written you off in my head the moment I said goodbye to you that night, but…" she smiled to herself and looked down at her trainers, "I couldn't stop thinking about you."
Harry finally stopped holding himself back and pulled Ginny into him and kissed her. He sighed as she melted against him and Harry wasted no time in deepening the kiss.
"I've been thinking about you this whole time too," He whispered against her.
Ginny kissed him passionately, as though knowing he was just as invested in her as she was in him broke down some sort of wall.
"What's next?" she sighed as he moved to kiss her neck.
"We talk to Hannah," Harry felt her knees start to give way when he spoke against her skin. He smirked and brought his lips back to hers, "She has all the details figured out."
"In a moment, yeah," Ginny asked as she ran her hands along his chest.
"They'll wait for us," Harry chuckled.
When they finally made it out of the office, Hannah and Neville looked thoroughly amused, but Harry couldn't be damned. Ginny was going to give this a shot; she was going to give him a shot.
At first, they met Sundays in the public relations offices. Ginny would pick up take away and they'd eat and talk. Sometimes Hannah and Neville would join them, other times they'd leave Harry and Ginny to themselves. Harry finally convinced Ginny to let him pay her back for half the meals she brought. They texted endlessly, and Harry had to start giving his phone to Neville during events and meetings, especially with his parents because he was incapable of not checking it and responding to Ginny instantly. Ginny found this hilarious.
It was a dreary winter night nearly six months after they'd started their relationship when Ginny asked Hannah a question he'd been trying to figure out himself for a couple of months.
"When do I get to leave the public relations offices? Not that I'm complaining, but it'd be nice to have a date that isn't the same as the last six months."
Hannah leaned back in her chair and turned her fork around in her fingers, "We could probably figure something out. It would be best to stay on the grounds, but we'll be risking the King and Queen finding out. Are the two of you alright with that?"
Ginny sighed and looked at Harry. He hadn't had anything proper that day and looked very much like himself and not the Crown Prince. "Do you think they'll like me?"
Harry squeezed her hand and smiled, "They'll disown me and adopt you."
"Do you just want to bring them in on this?" Neville asked.
Harry shook his head, "I don't see Mum taking to us keeping this under wraps. When they find out, she'll probably make us go public with it."
Hannah nodded, "Those were my thoughts exactly. If you'd like, we can set up for you to enter through the public relations offices, and then Neville or I can get you to Harry's quarters. You'd have access to the private gardens and the Prince's quarters has a small kitchen, you'd be able to make meals instead of buying takeaway every week."
"Could we find a way to meet more frequently?" Harry asked.
Hannah nibbled on the end of her fork, "You'd be risking the staff finding out, Harry."
Harry groaned.
"You could just come out that you're dating," Neville chuckled.
"I'm not exposing Ginny to that," Harry shook his head.
"Harry," Ginny grabbed his hand, "I'm not ashamed to be dating you."
"The press isn't nice when it comes to dating," Harry insisted stubbornly. "I'm not going to let them drag you through the mud."
"How about we stick to Sunday nights for now?" Hannah interrupted, "And we can move these meetings to your quarters."
Harry ran a hand into his hair and sighed. "Alright, I'm alright with that for now if Ginny is."
Ginny nodded, and then smirked at Harry, "I'm sure the furniture in your quarters is much better than the furniture in these offices."
And then their norm became making a late dinner together on Sundays, snuggling up together on one of the couches and throwing something on one of the televisions. After a couple of months, Hannah just gave Ginny a key card to the offices, and Ginny would let herself in and make her way to Harry's quarters. When Ginny started spending the night, Harry started to realize that hiding his happiness wasn't going to last for long. In fact, it didn't last two weeks after that revelation.
He and Ginny were a bit preoccupied, in his bed, and so when the His Grace Sirius Black walked into Harry's quarters and found the main rooms empty, he went to harass his godson in his room.
His laughter made Ginny bolt under the covers and Harry turned ready to kill his godfather.
"What the Hell, Sirius?"
"I just thought I'd spend some quality time with my godson, but obviously you've found someone more appealing for the night." Sirius laughed as he backed away from the door.
"Wait," Harry groaned, "Will you wait in the sitting room? We'll be out in a moment."
Sirius nodded as his laughter brought tears to his eyes, shutting the door behind him.
"I'm never coming out of here," Ginny declared as Harry tried to pull the covers back.
"Gin," Harry ran a hand over her back, "Gin, it's going to be alright. Sirius is a bit of a dramatic prat some days, but he really does care. He'll love you more than my parents probably. But he's shite at keeping secrets from my dad, so we're probably going to have to at least tell my parents."
Ginny groaned and pulled the covers further over her head. "None of that changes the fact that this man saw me partially naked, Harry!"
Harry tried not to laugh, leave it to Sirius to make his dating life harder even when he didn't know Harry had a dating life.
"Come on, love," Harry burrowed under the covers with her and laughed at the web of red her hair was creating around her. "I promise, we'll make this as painless as possible. I love you and I refuse to let anyone hurt you."
Ginny sighed and moved her hair to better look at him, "Let's get this over with."
Sirius sat lounging on one of the chairs and chuckled when the couple emerged from the bedroom.
"Sirius," Harry guided Ginny up to him, "This is Ginny Weasley, my girlfriend."
"Really?" Sirius stood, "Your parents haven't mentioned a girlfriend. It's nice to meet you, Ginny." He shook Ginny's hand and then looked at Harry expectantly.
Harry sighed, "We've been keeping it under wraps for almost a year now."
Sirius beamed at him, "I knew you were more like your father and me than your mum! Nearly a year? That's amazing! I'm proud, Harry, immensely proud!"
"We might as well go find Mum and Dad," Harry sighed.
"Why?" Sirius quirked an eyebrow at him.
Harry laughed, "When was the last time you kept something from Dad for longer than 24 hours."
Sirius pouted, "That's a low blow, Harry."
"True though," Harry smirked as he took Ginny's hand. "You're not welcome to come along by the way."
"Sure, leave me to my own devices in your quarters, that's a great idea…" Sirius gave him a challenging stare and Harry hesitated.
"Don't tell Mum how you found us," then he pushed past Sirius and pulled Ginny along with him.
"You alright?" Harry asked Ginny quietly as they walked down the corridor.
She chuckled nervously, "I'm alright, I just am trying to decide which is going to be worse, meeting the King and Queen as the woman currently dating their son, or telling my family that I've been lying to them for almost a year and have been dating the Crown Prince."
"I'm far more nervous about the press finding out we're dating than either of those situations, honestly." Harry shuddered.
"Well, we're going to end up with all of those scenarios here in the next while so we might as well get used to it. At least we had almost a year to ourselves, yeah?" Ginny smiled up at him and Harry found that when he looked into her eyes, the fear that the press would scare Ginny away was gone. He felt confident that she'd stand by him, through it all. As he walked into his parents' quarters, he decided maybe the press would get their introduction to Ginny as his fiancé, assuming she'd take him.
The look of happiness on his mother's face also told him she'd known for a while, and was just ecstatic to finally get to meet the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with.