This fic was inspired by the song Bet U Wish U Had Me Back by Halestorm. Great band, I highly recommend you go give them a listen. I claim no ownership of it, I only use it for inspiration.

Angst/Romance. Contains mental health issues.

Ginny hated that stupid bloody alarm clock. It was always ruining the very best dreams. Tonight's had been the memory of that first time with Harry a few days after the final battle. It was everything she had always hoped her first time would be, even if it hadn't actually been her first time. But she knew that anything which came before Harry was irrelevant.

As the last vestiges of sleep left her under the continued assault of the noisy contraption, Ginny noted the tense feeling in her loins and the feel of her smooth wet folds around the fingers of her left hand. She had been so very close when that damn clock ruined everything. And the longer that she lay there, the more the feeling in her belly lessened. Chasing it down now would be either fruitless or take her far too long if she wanted breakfast before class.

She growled as she withdrew her hand and grasping her wand, fired the charm to silence the metallic beast on her side table much more aggressively than was strictly necessary, knocking it off the table to the floor.

She glared at it as she swung her legs over the edge of the bed and climbed to her feet. What kind of mother gets her daughter an alarm clock for their seventeenth birthday. One that has proven ridiculously impervious to any spell other than the charm meant to silence it each morning. So what if she had failed to get up on time once or twice, this summer. They'd just ended a horrible war, surely they were entitled to a little extra rest after something like that.

A small smile spread over her lips as she recalled a few of those mornings waking wrapped around the firm body of her lover. Harry hadn't stayed the night many times, but when he did, it had always led to another round of vigorous sex before they rose.

Ginny quickly moved through the dorm, noting that all the other girls had already dressed and left. She swept into the showers and as she washed her tight figure, she felt the flames begin to rise once more. This time recalling how she'd had Harry in the shower at the Burrow the morning of her birthday. She moaned as she let herself fall into the feeling once again, but mastered herself before allowing it to go too far. She was monstrously hungry, so skipping breakfast for a manual orgasm was hardly a wise choice.

She filed away the memories of the greatest summer of her life and quickly finished washing up. After committing to breakfast, it did not take her very long to finish getting herself ready, thanking her genetics for keeping her hair so easy to maintain as it dried in long straight lengths over her shoulders, highlighting her face and leading the eye downward to her athletic figure.

Ginny winked at her reflection before spinning on her heel, grabbing her bag and heading for the Great Hall. It was a buzz of activity as students prepared for the first day back after the Christmas break. Everyone sharing stories of their holidays still as they dined and did their last-minute study. But Ginny's eye was drawn as it ever had been, to the messy black hair at the far end of the Gryffindor table.

Even with his face obscured behind the bushy mass of brown, Ginny could always find her Harry in a crowd. She smirked to herself as the girl pulled back, allowing her to see the smile on his face that she knew was reserved for her. It set the fire in her belly burning brighter than any dream or memory could.

She danced lightly down the aisle, watching as Harry ran his fingers through the brown curls of her friend. She was grateful to Hermione for keeping him alive during their mysterious hunt the year before. Though they would not tell her what it was they were doing beyond that. The elder girl had kept him safe and on track, allowing him to return to her at Hogwarts the previous year, where he had then destroyed the evil Dark Lord in front of everyone.

The very thought made her swell with happiness and a desire to touch him in ways that would certainly have Headmistress McGonagall taking points if they occurred here in the Great Hall, during breakfast. She watched as he nipped the little pieces of fruit from the slender fingers of his best friend. The goofy grin he wore throughout like a light in the darkness of life, warming her soul.

"Harry!" Hermione scolded as she sat opposite the pair, seeing Harry smear a little of the yoghurt on his spoon over her lips as he fed it to Hermione.

"Sorry, love." He apologized before leaning in and licking the lips clean, leading to a short snog in the process, before a throat cleared from the nearby head table and they broke apart.

Ginny smiled internally. She knew Harry's attempts to woo Hermione were a vain attempt to cover the pain he was feeling at their short separation. The brave face he showed to the world so that they would not think him some normal man, subject to the whim of emotion. He was a knight, a king. He was beyond such pitiful things. But she was a queen, and even a king hurt when his queen gave him cause to.

"Knock it off! Trying to eat without throwing up." Came her brother's irritating tone.

"Ron, you really need to get over it. We've been dating for four months now." Hermione chided as she wiped the small spot of yoghurt on her cheek that Harry had missed.

"It's disgusting. This is breakfast, most important meal of the day, so you always tell me. Go find a broom closet if you want to do that."

Ginny giggled at the exchange, drawing the eye of the couple opposite. Hermione gave her the same weak smile she always had since they started back at Hogwarts. It was her cover to keep from admitting she was only helping keep Harry's secret while they took their break. And as with everything the muggleborn did, she gave it her all. No one but Ginny seemed to see the truth.

Harry gave her the forlorn look that he always wore in her presence. It made Ginny smile all the more. He would soon have suffered enough. He knew what he did wrong now and she would soon be ready for him to apologize publicly and to take him back for good. After all, he needed to propose before the school year was out if they were to have their dream wedding between both their birthdays in the coming summer.

"Good morning, Ginny." Hermione's voice sounded off, much as she did when speaking to her closest female friend these days.

"Good morning," she parroted back, allowing the warmth suffusing her to shine through.

Everyone seemed to give her odd looks these days when she did this like they were worried for her. Ginny had no idea why. She knew what she was doing. Harry knew it as well. It was why he had sought comfort in the arms of his best friend, someone who could help him with his charade while not being so foolish as to believe that things might continue. Harry belonged to Ginny Weasley and soon he would be hers once more, ready to make her Ginevra Potter.

Ginny sighed fondly at the thought before working on her breakfast, only half paying attention to her actions as she let her mind drift back over the times in June where they had gotten really heavy. She had always felt sore in the best ways during that month. Harry had been like a beast, a man possessed as he ravished her body. Like he was dying of thirst and she was his life-giving oasis. A never-ending source of nourishment in his desert.

"Ginny!" Hermione called, shaking her shoulder gently and breaking her from her delicious memories. "We're going to be late."

Ginny nodded as she finished the last of her toast and stood. She watched as Harry wrapped his arm around Hermione's waist and, smiling softly in her direction, lead the brunette out of the Great Hall. Ginny found herself wondering as she walked if Harry could resist the memories burning through him as he pretended to court Hermione. How often he would picture her face as he kissed the bookworm. Ginny thought it a touch cruel to lead Hermione on as he was given she would be alone again once she deigned to take Harry back.

Not to mention how much he must be backed up with the obvious lack of sex. Ginny had known how to rile him up in the best ways. A little bickering to light the fire in them both before she would have him against a wall, or on the dining room table. Almost every surface in the Burrow now had a carnal memory attached to it from their summer of wild abandon.

"Ginny!" That same voice called once more, interrupting her thoughts.

She turned to stare at the source of the voice, once more seeing Harry standing with Hermione wrapped around his side, both staring at her with that same concerned look.

"It's Transfiguration now. In here." Hermione pointed at the room the pair were standing in the doorway of, and which she had almost passed by in her absent-minded wandering.

Ginny smiled as she followed them inside, taking her seat beside Luna as she always did in their classes with the Ravenclaws.

ϟ

Ginny watched from across the common room. The pair were once more trying to convince the masses of their little deceit. Hands exploring over and occasionally under the loose clothing. Long kisses in varying locations on their faces and bodies. The light giggling laughter Hermione would give when Harry gave a nip on the tanned skin of her throat.

It made her happy to see how miserable the pair of them were with their little ruse. Ginny often found herself wondering how the rest of them didn't see it for what it truly was. It was plain as the light of day to her. Harry was still sore over their split, even though she knew it was temporary. But being the prominent public figure he was after his very heroic victory over evil, he could hardly be seen to be single at a time like this.

Only she seemed to notice the way the pair turned away from the other during these 'moments of intimacy'. How the light that suffused Harry's gorgeous green eyes never glowed so brightly when he looked at his brown-haired friend as when he had locked eyes with Ginny during their times together. That fire that she stoked in him during those summer months, and the short time in their sixth year, was still present, but it was a bare smoulder in the presence of the other girl.

She was too pliable. Bending to his will with ease and agreement. They would never fight like Ron and Hermione, or Harry and herself. And without that fire, there could be no passion between them. It was clearly evident to anyone who chose to look. Yet none seemed willing. She could only imagine how mundane and boring their sex must be if Hermione could even coax such a reaction out of Harry at all with her plain nature and simple figure.

And then the moment came. Those green eyes she had been watching from afar met her own brown ones from across the room, and she saw that fire once more. Harry was ready at long last. Her smile must have been truly radiant as she stood and swayed her way across the room. She had picked this table to sit at as it gave the best view of the pair as they faked it to the world, but also for the fact it would draw almost every eye in the room as she made her way sexily over to her love. And indeed almost everyone in the room watched as she came to stand by the couch.

"It's good to see you came to your senses, Harry." She smiled brightly as the couple looked up at her, that look of confusion still plain on Hermione's face.

"My senses?" Harry replied, eyeing her with a crooked tilt of his head.

"I know it must have been hard, but you're ready now."

She had chosen her outfits carefully, waiting for this moment. A little extra cleavage bared between the undone buttons of her shirt, the long length of pale skin visible beneath the short skirt. Even the sliver of her belly that became visible if she stretched or leaned too far in any direction. Ginny knew she had a magnificent figure and she was more than happy to show it off.

"I've been keeping this warm and ready for you, you must be starving for it after so long."

The look of confusion seemed to shift from Hermione's face to Harry's as he looked at her baffled, while the brunette seemed to be putting her only real talent to work on the matter at hand. She knew that Ginny was taking back what was rightfully hers and trying to puzzle out a way to keep herself from looking bad when the obvious goes down.

"Tell me," She cooed as she ran her fingers down the open edge of her shirt, directing every eye in range to follow their journey as she revealed even more of her pale freckled chest, "How badly have you craved this in your stubbornness?"

She saw the moment the light clicked on in Harry's mind and he swung to look at the bookworm. The only thing she truly envied Hermione was this. That crazy ability those two had that allowed them to share thoughts with only their eyes. She knew he was asking her advice and it made her a little mad that he was playing hard to get now that he had shown he was ready. After this morning's failure to get there herself, Ginny was in grave need of his attention. She was unsure if they'd even make it out of this room before she would have him inside of her again.

"Ginny," Harry muttered, clearing his throat as he turned back to look at her beautiful brown eyes, "do you really think I have been pining over you for the past five months?"

"Of course" Ginny giggled her reply. "I knew you'd come back to me eventually. We're made for each other." She carefully eased herself down over his lap, pressing her barely covered sex against his crotch as he flicked his eyes to Hermione once more. "Try to tell me you haven't been craving this. You couldn't get enough of it during the summer. And neither could I!"

She bit her lip as she pressed her lithe body against her man. Hermione quickly jumped up from the couch and rushed out the portrait hole, obviously heading off somewhere to soothe her wounds. Ginny knew that no one could get that close to Harry and not be affected. No matter how much they proclaimed to be only friends, he was a fire that burned too hot for you not to get burned when you touched it.

"Ok, Ginny. But not here. Come with me." Harry gave her that same soft smile he had for months, but now it further fuelled the burning desire within.

Ginny nodded and stood once more, allowing her lover to guide her to the portrait hole, everyone watching in silent awe at her masterful seduction, and out into the cool air of the corridor. She found herself lost in his presence. Thighs grinding together as she let him lead her. Harry, after all, knew all the best shortcuts to the most perfect hiding places. She trusted him to take her somewhere special for their first night together in ages.

Though to be honest, she hadn't expected him to take her to the hospital wing. He must want to break in that special bed of his, even though he's avoided using it so far this year. Ginny smiled to herself at the kinky idea of having him there, without bothering with silencing spells or the cloth dividers that usually hid away something the greater public shouldn't be seeing. Not that she was the slightest bit embarrassed at the thought. Let the world watch, they can see how truly perfect we are together.

"Sit here a moment, Ginny," Harry said as she took a seat on his bed.

Harry ducked away around the dividers disappearing into the well-lit depths of the room. Perhaps he'd needed to prepare himself, as he clearly hadn't expected tonight to be the one where he finally came to his senses once more. He was, after all, only a male. They were clearly less intelligent than her own gender.

But that was one of the things she most adored about her Harry, he wasn't as stupid as her brother Ron. He understood how to follow instructions and do as he was told by his lover. Surprise overcame Ginny as she noted another four people walk into view, but she was happy that some of them were there.

"Mummy, daddy. Isn't it lovely? Harry has finally seen the light." She smiled as she greeted her parents.

She couldn't understand why they both had such a grave look on their faces. Or why Madame Pomfrey was there as well standing beside Hermione. They were all eyeing her as if she was dangerous or broken.

"I hope you all plan to clear out before festivities start. I mean, I love you dearly, but I am not overly fond of shagging my fiancé in front of my parents."

Her mother broke out in tears at that and Ginny was beyond confused. Was she not happy that her little girl was back with the man she so dearly loved as though he was her own? When they married she would truly be Harry's mother, as she had so often proclaimed to be. Ginny smiled gently at her parents as Hermione turned and dashed out of view again, a hurt look on her face as she left.

Ginny felt a little bad. She hadn't meant for the other girl to get hurt in all this. When Harry had left after they broke up she had known he would be back. She had only broken things off due to him trying to prevaricate on the matter of their wedding date. She already had the whole thing planned out, but he was acting as if he was unsure. Getting cold feet as they say.

She was further distracted as her mother wrapped her in her arms and sobbed away on her shoulder. Crying out for her baby girl. Ginny returned the hug, wanting to reassure her mother. But mostly she wanted them all gone so that she and Harry could get to things.

ϟ

Hermione sobbed gently into his shoulder as Harry stayed out of the line of sight of the bed that had once been his own in the wing. Ginny had been her closest female friend for years and seeing her like this had broken his fiancé's heart to witness.

"Shhhh," he whispered, running his fingers through her hair. "Madame Pomfrey is the best. She's fixed me up loads of times. And if she can't, I'll make sure she gets the best treatment possible."

"It's just so hard to see. I knew she was a little confused. The talks we've had since you broke up, she truly thinks you were hers. I tried to make her see, and recently I thought she had come to terms with it all."

"I know, Hermione. It's mostly my fault. I was hurting so badly after the battle that I needed something to distract me, and I let Ginny do that. That summer was intense and I can barely remember any of it I was so lost in my own mind and feelings. When things became clear the week before we returned here, I knew I had to break whatever it was we had off. Ginny was telling me how much she was looking forward to our wedding this coming August. But I didn't realize she was so far gone."

Hermione sniffled on his shoulder for several minutes as muffled voices came from the concealed bed. Harry watched Madame Pomfrey place a short floo call before returning to the bed and he could still here Ginny proclaiming how wonderful things were now she and Harry were back together.

"Why do I break everything I touch?" He whispered aloud.

A soft slap to his upper arm drew his gaze to the beautiful chocolate eyes looking up at him. "This is not your fault, Harry. She was never treated after the whole Diary thing. Who knows what Riddle did to her mind. Riddle made that horrible thing decades before you were born and probably gave it to Malfoy before your parents even got together. And her obsession with you was there long before she ever met you. You may have encouraged it once or twice, but you are not responsible."

"Sure feels like it."

"That's your saving people thing." Harry scoffed at the term. Hermione loved prodding him over it. "And you'll do everything in your power to help her get better. So, even if somehow, in some crazy alternate universe, it was your fault, you will be the one to help fix it."

The entwined couple watched as the fire roared and a man and woman in green healer robes stepped out. Madame Pomfrey met them and led them to the bed, where a renewed round of happy comments from Ginny began to emanate.

Harry pulled Hermione tighter to himself as they drew comfort from the other.

"I truly love you, Hermione. I hope you realize that."

"I know. I love you too, Harry. She's in good hands."

"You're right. But then, you're Hermione Granger, and she is always right."

A second slap on the arm brought a small chuckle out of him. "She's in good hands." He echoed, stroking her hair once more. "C'mon, let's go find the others. They will probably want to know what's happening."

Hermione nodded against his chest as the voices from behind the divider faded as they walked away. He still felt guilty for feeding this delusion Ginny had of their continued relationship. But Hermione was right. She was already in the best hands they could find. And if they weren't good enough, he would find someone better. Ginny was, after all, the little sister he never got to have. He loved her as such and would do anything in his power to help her.