Twist

Chapter 4

"I'm in love with you, and I know that love is just a shout into the void, and that oblivion is inevitable, and that we're all doomed and that there will come a day when all our labor has been returned to dust, and I know the Sun will swallow the only Earth we'll ever have, and I am in love with you." -John Green, 'The Fault In Our Stars'.

Harry arrived back not an hour later. Ginny dragged him into his room.

"What are you doing?" Harry asked, bewildered.

"They think we're together!" she exploded, throwing her hands up in the air. "Everyone does, Harry! My mother asked when the wedding was going to b the other day!"

"Ginny! Calm your ass down," he demanded, remaining calm, as always. "It's always been that way. Why are you so mad now?"

"Because!" she fumed.

"Why?"

"Just... I don't know!" she said crossly, scowling at him. "I don't like..."

For the first time in what felt like ages, he seemed to get very defensive. "Wait, are you saying you don't like me? What's so disgusting about me that you're completely revolted at the misconception of going out with me?"

"I didn't say that!" she snapped. "I just meant that I'm tired of it!"

"Tired of what?" he looked genuinely angry, and it threw her off horribly. "Tire of me? This? Us?!"

"There is no 'us', that's the point!" she cried in frustration. His anger only made her mood worse.

"Why do I even BOTHER, then?!" he asked loudly, his voice harsh.

"Why are you so mad at me?!" she demanded.

"Why are you?!"

"I'm not mad at you, Harry Potter! I'm annoyed at the stereotypes about us!"

"AND MAYBE IF I WASN'T SO IN LOVE WITH YOU, I'D AGREE!" Harry snapped.

Everything froze. He was red-faced, still breathing deeply and fixing her with an intense glare, his fists clenched at his sides. Her mouth was hanging open, and she felt like she would cry any second, which she didn't rarely do.

She had known. She had always known he loved her. He just never said it, or acted on it.

But she still had known it.

"Harry..." she began, tears leaking from her eyes now.

"No," he said, a whisper compared to his state a few seconds ago. "No. I get it, Ginny. I know you won't love me back. I know you just want to be friends. It's taken me over ten years to say it, but god damn it, I love you. I should've told you when I was fifteen. I'm in irreversible and uncontrollable love with you. Jesus Christ, Ginny, I love you so much it hurts."

Ginny could barely form words. "I... Harry, I..." Finally she asked very shakily, "Can - can they hear us? Through the walls, can they hear us?"

Harry almost cried out. Ginny didn't want them to hear him telling her this. She wanted to get away. It broke his heart.

"No," he said hoarsely, trying not to let himself cry. "No, I've got charms all around it..."

"Good," Ginny said quietly. "Because I'm going to tell you something, Harry. Don't try to talk to me about being in love with me this entire time, when I've loved you longer." She was crying. He was too. "You always pushed me away when I needed you most. You were my friend - my best friend - but I can't live with that. Not anymore. I love you too much."

Harry reached out a hand to touch her, but then recoiled, as if she was fire. He choked out, "We - we can try to... make this work, then?"

"I... I'd not have it any other way, Harry," Ginny confirmed.

Then they were kissing.

They did a lot of kissing in the next days.