Chapter 1 – Humidity Relief

(August 1991)

There was still some days left at The Burrow before the Weasley children and Harry Potter caught the Hogwarts Express to travel to Scotland. If all the nights were like the night Harry was currently experiencing though, he probably would spend the entire trip catching up on his sleep instead of meeting his new classmates.

Harry had been shocked at a surprise birthday party that afternoon that Dumbledore and the Weasleys had sprung on him. He was very pleased that all his new friends had shown up along with some very important adults that had come into his life. Remus Lupin, Mr. and Mrs. Granger had been there along with Luna's father as well as number of kids his approximate age. That didn't even come close to the enjoyment he had about having Hermione and Ginny as special attendants as well as semi-official girlfriends. Hermione had flooed away home after supper as Harry had settled down to sleep downstairs.

But the heat and humidity had only climbed as the darkness had dropped across the area and Harry had only slept fitfully before the heat brought him awake again. Harry thought of the magical summer, or most unusual month, he had ever experienced. From finding out he was a wizard to being ready to take the train to Hogwarts in a few days, Harry thought he was living out one of those improbable hero stories that he had found out had been written about him.

The "Weeks of Weirdness", as the Weasley twins soon named it, had a little bit of everything but the kitchen sink. Harry had rescued Ginny a few times and saved Hermione from being crushed at Ollivander's. He had flown with and without a broom and had somehow traveled cross-country with Ginny as a result of an almost mythical bond. He had also had come close to dying once or twice too and that gave him a shiver as he remembered the pain and weakness he was just recovering from.

None of those thoughts helped him cool down or relax enough to get to sleep. Mrs. Weasley, in an effort to help cool down the house, had even opened all the doors and windows in the hope of coaxing some type of breeze in. It hadn't helped any and even though Harry had stripped down to his shorts, the heat and humidity were just too much.

Harry finally gave up his tossing and turning on the couch and donned his glasses and trainers. He had some hope of going down to the pond and at least putting his feet into the water to help cool off. The couple of minute walk outside didn't help any and Harry was dripping in sweat when he got to the tiny dock. He removed his shoes and let a sigh of relief out when his feet came into contact with the water.

"Harry?" A voice came out of the area next to the dock and Harry realized who it was immediately.

"Ginny, was it too hot for you to sleep too?"

Harry heard a chuckle and thought that Ginny was sitting in the shallow part of the pond so that she could cool off more. She couldn't have more than 12 feet away from him but his eyes hadn't adjusted to the darkness yet.

"Yes, mostly the heat but I was starting to get nervous again about riding the train to Hogwarts with you and everybody else. What if I'm rubbish at being a healer or nobody likes me or wants to talk to me? I'll just die if I have to come back here and start all proper next year."

Harry smiled at her troubles but then he had experienced the same thoughts himself just a few days ago and had a few close friends settle him down.

"Well as 'somebody' told me to relax and not worry about things I couldn't change, I'll give the same advise right back to you."

Harry thought that he could see Ginny now. She was about up to her armpits in the water and some sudden flashes of light made it possible to see that she was grinning at him.

"Mind some company over there Gin."

"I'd like that Harry but all I've got on is a thin shirt. Mum would go spare if she found us out here with me dressed like this."

"I think you've the right idea about getting into the water. If I promise not to go all pervy on you would it be ok if I came down in the water too?"

There was a bit of silence but then Ginny agreed. Harry left his trainers on the dock but walked around the edge of the pond so he could wade in about five feet away from the youngest Weasley and sit down. The coolness of the water provided an immediate relief and Harry relaxed and settled back on his elbows.

"That's not fair Harry."

"What's not fair Ginny?"

"That all you guys get to take your shirts off when you go swimming but I'm supposed to cover up like it's the Middle Ages."

"I don't think it's fair but on the other hand I'm pretty sure your Mum and brothers would have a major problem if you showed off your…"

"Boobies, Harry you can say boobies."

Harry hoped the darkness concealed the blush he was currently showing.

"I'm pretty flat Harry. I don't even need a training bra yet. Percy's got more on top than I do."

Harry joined in Ginny's chuckle. He had seen Percy swimming once and because he wasn't outside and as active as the rest of his brothers, he had developed a little body fat in spite of his slim frame. "I won't comment on that Miss Weasley; it just wouldn't be gentlemanly."

Harry and Ginny watch the flashes of lightning for a while and talked about the light show. Ginny had seen a lot more of the summer effects and told Harry about some of the storms she had seen from her bedroom window. Harry didn't have much experience since he had been locked in his cupboard most of the time. Harry asked her what she and her family called the flashes of light that occurred without the rumble of thunder. He grinned when she replied that the magical world called them 'pixie burps'. She thought the muggle expression of 'heat lightning' very boring but Harry said a lot of muggle expressions were like that.

The two had talked for another fifteen minutes before Harry heard Ginny shuffle over so that she was setting next to him. Harry tried to keep his gaze straight ahead to preserve some modesty but when Ginny sat down next to him, she splashed him a bit.

"Ginevra Weasley, I ought to…" Harry's threat died in his throat as he turned to talk to Ginny and saw what she was wearing. The t-shirt that she was wearing had turned all but transparent. Harry was staring at her chest and the way that her nipples stuck out into little points. Harry realized he had been staring and brought his hands up to quickly cover his eyes.

"I'm.. sorry Ginny. I didn't mean to look. I'll leave… I'm really sorry." Harry tried to turn and scramble up to his feet but he found he had been grabbed by the band of his shorts and couldn't move. He settled back down but kept his eyes firmly closed.

Incredibly hearing a giggle from next to him, Harry asked Ginny if she enjoyed having him embarrassed. She sobered up enough to say that it was a pleasant task most of the time as Harry picked back at her. Harry replied that that this wasn't one of those times and both went silent for a few minutes.

"Harry" Ginny asked, "do you still think all of our futures are possible?"

"Yes, I do Ginny. Do you realize how many impossible things have happened to both of us since we met?"

"I do Harry and I'm sorry that some of them have been painful for you."

Harry reached out a hand blindly since he still had his eyes closed and was happy when Ginny held it for a moment. She rubbed the back of his hand a few times with her thumb and then let go of his hand. Harry heard her move again and then he heard something fly over his head and hit the dock with a wet splat.

"What was that Ginny?"

"Something that you don't have to worry about tonight Harry." Harry heard Ginny move again and was surprised when he felt her come and kneel in the space between his spread legs. Her hands were initially on his knees but then she got her balance and reached for Harry's shoulders.

"I'm not sure exactly why I'm doing this Harry but it seems a real good idea right now." Harry felt Ginny lean in to him and kiss the end of his nose. She immediately moved back without releasing her grip on his shoulders. "Open your eyes Harry."

There was a tone in Ginny's voice that Harry was just not able to disobey. When he opened his eyes, he was very surprised. The heat lightning had moved closer and intensified a great deal. Harry could see the smile and affection in her smile as she looked at him. He also discovered that the sound he had heard coming from the dock was the wet shirt Ginny had removed and had thrown over there.

Ginny was sitting back on her heels in the shallow water with only a pair of faded blue knickers on. Harry shockingly realized that the phrase 'only a pair of faded blue knickers on' meant that she was topless. Harry tried turning his head quickly but a firm grip on his chin stopped that movement. Harry had his eyes closed but a sudden whisper in his ear caused him to take a deep breath.

"I've gotten to look at your damaged back and your front many times in the last month Harry. I am not scared or embarrassed of you looking at me because I trust you. I don't have much now but I want you to see me. Plus if you don't take a good look I will just have to remove my knickers and throw them where my shirt is now."

Harry opened his eyes to see a devilish grin on Ginny's face. "You're going to blackmail me like this Ginny?"

"In a second, Mr. Potter. You should know that by now as my fiancé."

Harry shook his head and then grinned. "I don't understand this one bit but I've learned not to argue with you."

Ginny giggled and straightened up so that she was more or less upright in front of him. The flashes of light were almost steady now and Harry blushed as he looked at Ginny's young boobs. Harry knew that Ginny was still young but even the roundness of the two small mounds seemed to suit her and were very attractive in their own right. Size wise, Harry would have to guess that each was the size of an average lemon.

Harry saw that her nipples were sticking out just a little bit and were a lot browner than the rest of her fair skin. Harry wanted to ask a question about her nipples but realized that he had halfway reached out to touch one of them. He pulled his hand back with an apology. Ginny seemed to realize where his eyes were focused and told him that water had that effect on her. "But it could also be because I'm real close to my half-naked hug buddy."

Harry stuck out his tongue at her and blew her a raspberry. Ginny giggled and Harry thought that was a very nice thing to happen. Ginny's boobs shook a little and Harry was downright fascinated by the way they seemed to move independently of her body. Ginny moved her shoulders just a little bit and smiled as Harry's mouth just fell open.

There was something different about Ginny's chest that Harry had made an erroneous assumption about. He had thought that the area around each nipple was round for every person. In Ginny's case however the shape of her areolas was elliptical with each one pointing inward and down toward her belly button.

Harry leaned back on his elbows and closed his eyes briefly. "Thank you for this Ginny. There was a part of me that was very curious about how you looked since I've gotten some very great hugs from you and "they" can be felt through our clothes. They are very pretty and I can look forward to the day that I can get to play with them."

"Did you want to touch one or both of them Harry. I think I might like that."

Harry sat back straight up so that he was looking Ginny more or less directly in the face. "I would like that too but if you don't mind I'll just keep this memory for a while. I don't want to hurry you or me into anything too physical because I think we should remain friends first and foremost. Are you disappointed in me because of that?"

"No Harry, you said that perfectly. But I would like to indulge myself in a hug with you, bare chest to bare chest. Is that too much?"

"I don't think so Miss Weasley. Didn't you appoint yourself as my personal hug instructor after I first got here?"

Ginny smiled. "Darn right, I almost forgot. Time for another important lesson then Mr. Potter."

Harry and Ginny met in the middle of the space between them and both quickly realized how much more enjoyable this type of hug was. Harry reluctantly broke it after a long minute because the lower part of his body was starting to respond to his almost naked young girlfriend.

Harry tried to keep his voice level as he looked into the smiling face of Ginny Weasley. "You know, I think I wouldn't mind practicing that particular type of hug a few more times."

"I thought you might. Think we can talk Hermione in following form and trying it also?"

"I'll leave discussions of that nature to the both of you. I wouldn't want to impose any hopes I have on either she or you."

Harry and Ginny broke up laughing at the serious of Harry's answer but then a real long rumble of thunder swung both of their attentions to the sky. Storm clouds had rolled in and the heat lightning had given way to real lightning. Both realized that being in the pond was the last place they needed to be and Ginny stood with a little effort and gave Harry a hand up to. He waded out of the water and watched both the sky and Ginny as she retrieved her top and put it back on. He hurried over to her and grabbed his trainers and her hand as they started back toward the Burrow. They were a third of the way back when a burst of lightning hit really close and it began to rain.

Harry and Ginny began to run but the weight of his water soaked shorts caused them to fall down from his hips. Harry tripped over them and fell flat in the muddy path. Ginny came back to help Harry stand back up. She gasped and noticed something disturbing as he hurriedly pulled his shorts up. She grabbed his hand and with one hand holding up his shorts Harry followed Ginny as she led the way into Mr. Weasleys' garage and shut the door behind them. It was a good thing that Mr. Weasley always a light on in there to keep someone from accidentally tripping over his collections.

Luckily the rain and splashing had washed some of the mud off of Harry's front but the two still stood looking at each other for a couple of seconds before they broke up laughing at each other's appearance. "This is going to be one of those things we're going to look back and laugh at, isn't it?"

"Why wait that long Harry." Ginny looked down at the way her top still clung to her and just started laughing at herself again.

Harry looked down at the remains of his muddy slide on the path and just couldn't imagine anyone recognizing them if they happened to come upon the soggy pair.

Ginny looked around at the contents of the garage and pointed at a bench that she and Harry could sit on. While Harry went and sat down, Ginny managed to find a couple of old towels somewhere and a blanket that Mr. Weasley had brought out for some reason. She tossed a towel at Harry and started drying her hair before she sat down beside him.

"Well, that's one way to cool off I suppose." Ginny peeled her soggy top off and wrung it out before laying it out on a flat surface to dry off. Harry was still busy toweling himself off but noticed when he turned back that Ginny was topless again. Ginny heard his squeak of surprise and quickly wrapped the blanket around herself before she sat down. Harry turned back to talk to her when she had completely covered up but he turned sideways for a bit when she did some fancy maneuvering and took off her knickers to place them out to dry beside her top.

He tried not to stare at her when he looked back but she just offered him a piece of the blanket to wrap up with. Harry looked at her but followed her example to strip off his soggy shorts and throw them out to lie next to her clothes. He then started laughing all over again.

"What is it now?" Ginny asked.

"May I have your hand Miss Weasley?"

Ginny held her hand out and Harry interlaced his fingers with her. He made sure the blanket was wrapped around him before his free hand came out and pointed to the small pile of clothing. Ginny amazingly felt a trickle of the bond magic come through the connection and Harry whispered the drying charm that Mrs. Weasley had taught him a few weeks earlier. Harry's face was white when he let go of Ginny's hand but their clothes were dry.

"You shouldn't have tried that Harry. You're not strong enough yet."

Harry slumped over as if he was really tired. "I had to try. If anyone came out looking for us and found us sharing a blanket naked – well, I don't want to think of the consequences."

Ginny nodded as she definitely understood how her mother would probably react. She asked Harry to close his eyes as she retrieved her long top and knickers and put them back on. Harry breathed a sigh of relief when Ginny said she was dressed again. He wrapped the blanket tighter about himself to keep warm.

Harry was about to ask Ginny to turn away so he could slip his dry shorts on but she put a hand on his neck. She also wrapped him in a hug from behind.

"Why haven't you ever told anyone?" Harry had to strain to hear Ginny's voice even if she was speaking from a few inches away from his ear.

"About what?"

"That your bum is as scarred up as your back used to be. Was it your uncle?"

Harry's shoulders slumped. "I didn't want anyone to know."

Ginny tightened her hug. "I understand that; it's a highly personal spot. If you hadn't just tripped outside I wouldn't have seen either. I really hate your uncle."

"Are you going to tell anyone?"

"No, even though Madame Pomfrey should know so you could get some of that ointment put on it."

"No, I'm not sure if I could even let her touch me there. I'd just die of embarrassment."

There was a long period of silence as Harry and Ginny both tried to make some sense out of this latest revelation. Ginny couldn't stand the thought of Harry hurting in any way, and hoped her mother would understand the difficult decision she was making. It went against every idea of proper behavior but she had to help her best friend.

"Harry, do you think you could trust me to do it? Put that ointment on your bottom I mean. Mum's still got some in the kitchen; I could go up there and be back in a minute. It's stopped raining or at least it's tailed off. I can't hear it anymore."

"I… I'm not sure Ginny. We've pushed our luck in not getting caught so much already. And it's not something you should even ask about."

"I just want to help. Then you might let me?"

"There's nobody else I trust as much as you. It's just… more than I ever could expect of anybody, including you."

"But you know how much the ointment helped heal up your back Harry."

Harry thought for a couple of minutes and Ginny got anxious as she thought he might turn down her offer. But he eventually turned his face toward her and nodded his head. Ginny kissed his temple and promised that she would be right back. Ginny slipped out the garage door and closed it silently behind her.

Harry sat on the bench and picked up his shorts. He thought about putting them back on and then disappearing before Ginny got back but he was a little afraid that she would tell her parents about everything. Before he could act on that impulse though, a breathless Ginny had returned from her quick trip to the Burrow. She was breathing hard from the hurried run but she held the little jug that held the healing ointment.

Keeping his eyes closed, Harry asked Ginny where she wanted him to lie down. After she caught her breath she just asked him to lie down on the bench where they had been sitting. Not believing that they were actually doing this, Harry asked her to turn away until he got ready. Ginny agreed and turned her back.

Harry removed the blanket from around him and folded it up so that the blanket covered the little bench. He sat down and then lay on his front on the blanket so that his head was the furthest away from where Ginny was. He eventually told Ginny he was as ready as he was going to be.

Ginny turned and moved close to where Harry was laying. She looked at where Harry was laying and tried not to react much as she saw the scars that cruelly decorated both cheeks of his bum. Ginny promised herself she wouldn't cry; Harry needed help and some serious attention to that problem, not a little emotional girl.

"Harry, would it be okay, if I sat across the back of your legs so I can reach everything?" She saw Harry nod ever so slightly and wondered if he was as nervous as she was.

Ginny straddled the bench and walked herself up to where she thought she could reach all the scars that Harry had. She put down one of the towels they had to screen off any possibility of seeing Harry's bits. She settled down on the towel and felt Harry flinch badly when he felt her weight on his legs.

"Two knuts for your thoughts Harry."

"They're not worth that much Gin but I'll tell you. I'm trying to remember to relax so you can work on the muscles. I'm hoping not to fart in your general direction as your working back there. And…"

"Yes Mr. Potter?" Harry heard a little bit of amusement in Ginny's voice about his comments. He wasn't sure he wanted to tell her about the last thought he had but he had promised never to keep things from her. He heard her rubbing her hands together so he hoped she was just warming up the ointment.

"I'm hoping I don't enjoy this so much that laying on my front gets painful too."

"You mean you might get a ..?"

"I hope not but I'm not going to guarantee how I'm going to react to this type and placement of your touch Ginny."

"O…kay then Harry." Ginny sounded very nervous now and Harry wondered if he should tell her to forget about the whole thing. It was then that Ginny laid both of her hands on his backside. Harry was startled both by the touch and the feeling of the ointment. He gasped and Ginny's hands stopped moving.

"Too much? Does it hurt Harry?"

"No, quite the opposite. It just was the surprise; it actually feels fantastic."

"I'll start back on working at it then."

Harry surprisingly nodded and relaxed totally. Ginny saw his lower cheeks relax and she leaned over to that she could put her attention on those damaged areas. The ointment she had applied all over had soaked in already and Ginny had to open the jar and pour another handful out on the palm of her hand. She rubbed her hands together briefly to make the ointment warm and then started digging in with her hands and fingers. She paid particular attention to the many scars as she worked the ointment deep into the affected tissues. Ginny had been told that the tissues needed to be broken down and kneaded to help the scars heal.

Feeling the ointment settle in and reduce the tightness and pain in his bottom, Harry moaned in happiness. He spoke up and reassured Ginny that the ointment was working and he was feeling better already.

Ginny smiled from her place over the back of his thighs and continued to work the ointment in. She found that when she had gotten over her embarrassment that she really like seeing the sight of Harry's naked bum. The feeling that she got from touching him there and feeling those muscles under her hands and somewhat under her control made her stomach flutter and not because of nervousness. Harry was squirming just a little bit from time to time as she moved her hands around and Ginny found out that it was a fascinating sight.

Ginny found herself a little breathless at one point and couldn't remember if she had been breathing too much or too little. She also realized that her nipples were getting bigger and harder the longer she worked on Harry's bottom. That had never happened before. She gulped soundlessly and closed her eyes in an effort to control her suddenly active imagination. It helped a little that she was not seeing Harry's bum but she really had to concentrate on what she was doing instead of how wonderful it felt to run her hands all over it.

It took another ten minutes for Ginny to admit that she had done all she could do for now. She reluctantly broke off the contact and straightened straight up. Her back cracked once and Ginny watched as Harry chuckled. That made his butt cheeks jiggle just a little bit and Ginny fought off the impulse to apply a light slap to one side or the other.

Ginny threw her leg over Harry, stood up and sat down on the end of the bench. She tried to calm her racing pulse down as she heard Harry sit up. She saw him reach for his shorts and Ginny firmly closed her eyes as she didn't want to have any more intimate peeks at the body of the incredible boy beside her.

She heard the zipper being drawn up and then Harry slid down the bench and put an arm around her shoulders. "That was absolutely brilliant Ginny. You did a fantastic job. My bum feels so much better now."

'Yes! It feels and looks so much better' Ginny thought to herself. She turned to Harry and gave him a nervous grin. "Always at your service Mr. Potter."

"That was way above and beyond the normal call of duty Miss Weasley."

"Since when are you calling anything the two of us do together normal?"

Harry chuckled but stood up and offered his hand to Ginny. She couldn't help notice that Harry's shorts were extremely tented in front. She disguised her shock by reaching down for the ointment jar and putting the stopper back into it.

"We should be getting back to the Burrow and sneak into our beds. The heat and humidity have broken so it should be easier to get back to sleep."

Ginny nodded wordlessly and the two left the garage and walked hand in hand back to the front door of the Burrow. Harry turned her around and gave Ginny a big hug and a small kiss directly on the lips. "You have no idea what you've just done for me Ginny. Thanks for everything. This is a night I'll not soon forget."

Ginny punch Harry lightly on a bare shoulder and then placed a kiss on the exact spot that she had hit him. Wishing him good dreams, Ginny hurried to get to the stairs and up to her room.

As she closed the bedroom door behind her and settled onto her bed Ginny couldn't help thinking about the few incredible hours she had just spent with her best friend and maybe fiancé. "And you have no idea of what you've just done to me Harry. It was an incredible night."

Ginny turned over and fell asleep with a wide grin on her face.