A/N:

Title: Emotions

Grammar School Challenge

School: Hogwarts

Year: 5

WC: 900 (Before A/N)

Slowly, everyone turned in for the night on Harry's birthday. Except, Harry sat awake in his bed, listening to Ron snore. His mind was too full of thoughts to sleep. He thought back over the last few weeks with a smile and a flutter in his stomach. Three weeks had passed since the Weasleys and Harry had arrived in Egypt after Harry's traumatic second year. Mr. Weasley had arranged for Harry to join them on their vacation. The biggest reason for this was so Harry could help Ginny recover from the Chamber of Secrets. Ginny was with him constantly since he had arrived at the Burrow. They had talked about their common experience together, slowly.

The day of Harry's birthday was spent in an almost constant party from the time he was awakened to a loud firecracker set off by Fred and George until well after dinner. Dinner that night had consisted of all of his favorites prepared by Mrs. Weasley. She had somehow convinced the hotel to let her use the kitchen to make their dinner and the cake. Everything was as delicious as ever, but the cake had tasted even more so than usual. At one point during the day, Harry had been rather distracted by Ron and his brothers and had not realized Ginny was absent. To his surprise, Ginny had helped her mother with the cake. She kept giving him shy looks every time she thought he wasn't looking. After dinner, Harry had smiled at Ginny when he caught her looking. She had blushed but held his gaze.

They had become very close in a short amount of time, mostly because they had shared something no one else had. A wave of guilt washed over him. Harry slid quietly out of bed, certain it was Ginny's feelings he was feeling. He walked out onto the balcony to find Ginny staring off into the desert. It was blazing hot during the day, but now that the sun had gone down it was rather pleasant. Ginny's hair and robe fluttered in the slight breeze. Harry could smell her flowery shampoo, that he was becoming very fond of, on the wind as it blew toward him. He stood and just watched her for a few minutes.

"I know you're there, Harry," she said without turning around. "What were you and Ron talking about the day we got here?"

"How worried your family is about you bottling up your feeling about what happened in the Chamber," Harry moved to stand beside her, leaning on the railing slightly. "And so am I."

"No, I'm not. You've helped me learn to deal with them, slowly. But I need to know something." She turned to him with a very serious look in her eyes. "Am I more than Ron's little sister to you?"

"Yes," he answered without any hesitation. He took a deep breath. Ginny could see how hard this was for him. "The way I feel about you has changed since we've been talking more. I'm really starting to like you, as more than just a friend."

"Really?" she squeaked, blushing. Harry smiled, nodding. "Why has it been so hard for you to tell me this?"

"Because it's a feeling I'm not used to thanks to the Dursleys," Harry sighed, a touch of sadness in his voice. "They've never shown me any kind of love or kindness."

"What!" Ginny's eyes flashed with rage. The air around her crackling with energy. Small dust tornadoes started forming below the balcony they were standing on. Harry reached out and took her hand calmly. The rage she felt slipping away at his touch.

"Don't worry your pretty little redhead about them," Harry placated calmly. "There muggles and don't understand magic, therefore they fear it." As Ginny calmed, she looked into his green eyes, seeing the honesty there. "Why the guilty feelings?"

"Thinking about the Chamber again," Ginny turned away, facing the desert. "Riddle really messed with my head."

"I know the feeling," Harry agreed. "When I saw you lying there all I could think was 'please don't be dead'."

"Really?" Ginny swung her head back to face him.

"Yeah," Harry said quietly.

"I'm sorry," Ginny looked down as another wave of guilt washed over her again.

"None of that was your fault," Harry shook his head. "You were used by a master manipulator. Nothing for you to feel guilty about. Is this what's leading to your nightmares?"

"Some," she said quietly. "Others are things that didn't happen, but…could have."

"Like what?"

"Like Riddle letting me go, and taking your soul instead," Ginny whispered. "The basilisk eating you."

"Oh, Gin," he breathed. Without conscious thought, Harry stepped forward and hugged her close to him. "It didn't happen, Gin. I'm right here." The wind picked up a little, send a cool breeze around them, but neither noticed at first, they were too focused on comforting each other. Soon, Ginny shivered slightly. "Come on, let's go inside."

Harry started to lead her to her room, but she stopped him. She pulled him lightly over to the sofa and sat down with him. Harry stretched out, Ginny leaning on him between his legs. He smiled as he hugged her closer. Ginny sighed contently before falling asleep with her head nestled in the crook of his neck. Harry smiled and kissed the top of her head. Within minutes they were asleep.