Forgive And Forget

A/N - I did intend to have this up in time for Valentine's Day but real life got in the way. Thanks to Amelie for the beta.

Chapter 6: The Valentine's Ball
Ginny woke up on Valentine's Day to the sound of persistent tapping on her window. Sitting up, she saw that Hedwig was perched there with a long, slender package and was tapping to be let in.

"Hedwig!" exclaimed Ginny as she got up and opened the window for the snowy owl, who swooped in and landed on her bed.

Her roommates began to stir as Ginny moved back to her bed and, with fumbling fingers, untied the package from Hedwig's leg. She lifted the lid off the box to find a single red rose with a letter tucked underneath. Gently, she lifted the letter out and opened it. It read,

Ginny,

Happy Valentine's Day! For the things that I did wrong, I am truly sorry. I hope that you can forgive me and allow us to have a second chance together.

Until tonight,
Harry

Ginny was shocked. Harry had never put his feelings so plain and open for her to see. He always kept them slightly guarded, certainly not without good reason, apart from the one time at Bill and Fleur's wedding when he told her that he loved her.

"Oh, Ginny!" exclaimed Vanessa as she and Grace climbed out of their beds and noticed the red rose in the box beside Ginny. "Who's that from?"

Ginny didn't answer and instead tucked the letter out of sight in her bedside cabinet - there were some things that she didn't want to share with them. She turned back around to find that Hermione was looking at her with a knowing smile on her face.

"Is it from Harry?" asked Grace. "That's his owl, isn't it?"

Hedwig hooted softly as Ginny gently stroked her feathers. She nibbled Ginny's fingers affectionately before taking off out of the still-open window. "Yes," replied Ginny quietly as she watched Hedwig leave.

"Are you two back together then?"

"No," replied Ginny as she turned away from her roommates. As Vanessa and Grace started muttering quietly to each other, Ginny finished in her head, But I hope we will be soon.

***

"Wh at's wrong?" asked Hermione as she watched Ginny drop her hair brush for the third time.

"I'm nervous, but it's only a dance, it doesn't necessarily mean anything," replied Ginny, more calmly than she felt. Deep inside, she knew that she was lying; the Valentine's Ball meant everything - Harry's letter and the rose that morning had already proved that.

"For Merlin's sake, Ginny, it's not just the dance that's making you nervous, it's Harry. You're still in love with him and you know it," exclaimed Hermione sharply.

Ginny nodded slowly in agreement. "You're right, I do still love Harry," she said, taking a deep breath as she prepared herself for her next words. "I've finally come to a decision about him."

"And," prompted Hermione.

"I've known for ages now that I still love him. I want to give us another chance. I've got to risk giving him my heart again, for both our sakes. I've tried again to get over him, but it didn't work. I can't be apart from Harry any longer, Hermione," said Ginny. "I won't deny that he hurt me, but I've hurt him too, and now we've got to learn to move on with our lives - together.

"I'm glad," replied Hermione. "It's torn you both apart this year and I can only imagine how hard it must have been for you last year."

"Yeah," murmured Ginny quietly.

"Come on, then," said Hermione, "It's time for us to go downstairs."

***

Harry and Ron waited in the common room for Ginny and Hermione to come downstairs from the girls' dormitory. Harry's robes were a similar colour to the ones that he'd worn at the Yule Ball, and Ron was wearing a set a plain grey robes which were thankfully lace-free.

Harry's hand strayed nervously to his hair, which he'd tried, and failed, to get under some semblance of control, leaving it stuck up as usual.

"It'll be fine, mate," said Ron as Harry fidgeted again.

"I hope so, Ron, I really do. I just-" Harry stopped mid-sentence when he saw Ginny step into the common room. She was wearing a simple cream coloured dress and had left her hair long and flowing down her back. She looked beautiful and Harry couldn't find the words to speak.

Ron was in a similar state next to him as Hermione walked over to him in an elegant forget-me-not blue dress with her hair piled up on the top of her head.

"You look beautiful, Ginny," said Harry as he breathed in the scent of flowers that was so uniquely Ginny.

Ginny smiled. "Should we go then?" she asked as Ron too regained the use of his voice and whispered something into Hermione's ear, which made her blush prettily.

"Yeah," replied Harry as a feeling of calm descended on him. Everything was going to be ok. Ginny was here with him, they were going to the Valentine's Ball together, and she surely knew what this night meant for them, having received his letter and rose that morning.

The four left the Gryffindor common room and made their way to the Great Hall which had been transformed with decorations for Valentine's Day. Streamers of various colours, but mainly white, red and pink had been draped around the walls and the four house tables had gone, replaced instead with smaller tables.

After the feast, Professor McGonagall moved the tables to around walls so that the floor was available for dancing. Several couples got up to dance, Hermione and a very red Ron included.

Harry turned to Ginny. "Shall we dance?" he asked.

"Ok," replied Ginny, taking the hand that he offered her.

They walked out onto the dance floor, and found a space. Ginny was tense as Harry put his hands on her waist and they began to dance. She could feel Harry watching her as they revolved slowly in time to the music, but she didn't know what to say to ease the tension. Thankfully Harry seemed to realise this and as soon, as the song ended, he whispered into her ear, "Can we go for a walk outside?"

"Yes," replied Ginny with relief as Harry took her hand and led out of the hall and through the front doors of the castle.

They walked in silence, still holding hands, until they reached a bench set back into the privacy of some bushes with glittering fairies hovering above.

As they both sat down, Ginny tried to calm her racing nerves.

"Ginny, there's something that I need to tell you," said Harry.

"What is it?" prompted Ginny when he didn't continue.

Harry took a deep breath. "I've been an idiot. I should never have pushed you away like I did. I should never have let you go, it was a mistake. I'm sorry, Ginny," he said in a rush.

"I'm sorry too. I've been stupid all year, and I shouldn't have said the things that I did," replied Ginny.

"Do you forgive me?" asked Harry.

"Harry, I forgave you a long time ago, I just didn't realise it," said Ginny quietly. "I've been so determined not to let you push me away again, that I didn't even realise that I'd already forgiven you for it, and what's more it that I understood why you'd done it in the first place."

"Can we try again then?" asked Harry. "I want us to have a second chance together and I don't want to be apart from you any longer."

"Me neither," replied Ginny, turning her body slightly so that she could look at Harry and lose herself in the depths of his eyes. "I love you, Harry, and I want us to be together again."

Gently, Harry rubbed the back of Ginny's hand in small circles before reaching across with his free hand to touch her cheek. "I love you too, Ginny."

Ginny brought her other hand up to Harry's shoulder before leaning in slowly to kiss him. It was as if they had never been apart as they kissed, and it was several minutes before they separated breathlessly.

"No more fighting?" questioned Ginny.

"No more fighting," repeated Harry firmly before kissing her passionately.

When they broke apart again, Harry noticed that Ginny was shivering slightly in the brisk February air. "Let's go in," he said.

They stood up and Harry put his arm around Ginny as they headed back to the front doors of the castle. They re-entered the Great Hall and headed for their table, where Ron and Hermione were taking a break from dancing.

"Is everything ok?" asked Hermione when they sat down.

"Everything's great," replied Harry.

"Yeah, it is," agreed Ginny happily.

"Come on then," said Harry, "Let's dance."

Harry and Ginny made their way out onto the floor again, but this time Ginny looked straight into Harry's eyes and whispered, "I love you."