"Hogwarts?" Harry said and I moved quicker to see what he is seeing, I have been taking my time to climb up, as I took a look inside the hall there were a miniature models of all schools and universities, we moved closer to have a better look.
It was really Hogwarts and alive. It showed us the current activities taking place in it, the huge castle looked funny in it's small size yet glorious, nothing can match it's beauty.
The castle has extensive grounds with sloping lawns, flowerbeds and vegetable patches, a loch called as the Black lake,Forbidden forest several greenhouses and other outbuildings, and a full-size Quidditch pitch. The tree towers and also the the great hall could be seen.
Harry looked longingly at Hogwarts and I know how much it meant it to him "Do you still miss it?" I asked him.
"Everyday" He replied. A sad smile grown on my face and I moved to look around different schools and universities, there was even mine.
"Harry, you can see my university clearly this time" I called him eagerly to distract him. He came after a minute. Took a one look and moved away.
"How did you like it, look I can explain it" I said him , he meekly shook his head. "It doesn't look like, it has a Quidditch pitch in it" He remarked.
"No, it doesn't have Quidditch pitch" I sadly replied, I missed Quidditch like breathing air when I moved to Paris first time.
"Do you remember, how we practiced it harder every year? Even in holidays we made a team and played against eachother" Harry asked, his lips stretching into a smile and it reached his eyes.
"Yes. I do. It feels like yesterday" I smiled a lot brighter than him, it was my favourite memories, till certain time.
"We can set back our practice real soon , and can possibly have some matches, as there will no issue of traveling and you can be home when ever you like" Harry suggested and I was amazed by his idea.
"Just like old days, any day Potter, match is on" I teased him over his own idea.
He gave me a warm smile, that's what I use to call him back in school, when he always insisted to call him ' captain'
"What changed?" Harry asked me.
"What do you mean?" I asked him in return half smiling now.
"We were a team, we competed against eachother only to unite stronger" Harry replied now sobering up.
I furrowed my eyebrows, unable to understand his questions " Nothing, I suppose" I wairly replied him.
"Nothing, that's seems an appropriate answer" Harry half smirked and I grew warm, what happened to him, I felt a change in his body language, I have been avoiding myself to go there since we were having a pleasant time. Rocking back forth on my hill, I thought to call it off, we had seen a majority part of the Museum anyway.
Clearing my throat " We should probably, call it night" I said him tugging a lose strand of my hair.
"Why, you were perfectly fine minute ago" Harry tilted his head a small smile on his lips.
"I am, since we have nearly seen half of it" I lamely concluded my reply, Harry said nothing but took a step nearer to me, I averted my eyes suddenly growing interested in the carvings of the walls.
"I have a few questions in my mind, after that we can call it night, if you like" Harry replied moving steadily taking his time reaching towards me.
"What questions, ask away" I replied boldly when I started to shook internally something doesn't click, and why is he moving closer. Unintentionally I took a step back.
"Hm, how to begin." His abrupt change of mood gave me more knots in my stomach. " I think I have figured out what changed from those Quidditch practice sessions till" Taking a pause he said "between us"
He stood two feet apart and I felt my neck warm , I didn't want to ask what changed or what happened because I was simply not interested or so that I thought " And what are your deductions" I heard my self say loud and clear with a steamy breath.
"Do you still think we are friends?" Harry asked ignoring my question and taking a step ahead. On reflex I took a step back maintaing the distance. "Yes" I said without hesitation.
"Are you certain?" He asked again, holding his steps. My jaws tighten, what is his upto.
"What do you want Harry? You know you don't need to play silly games. Ask forward" I challenged him. His eyes brighten on hearing me.
"You" He said. One word and an eternity of silence filled the space, my breathing went shallow, I had to try hard to look straight at him, his one word rang in my ears and thoughts were all over the place.
"I am leaving" I said and turned away, my blood began to boil, my ears were turing red, " I expected you would run like always, just not this soon" Harry said, his voice held a trace of humour in it. His words not made me turn but the thought that this seems funny to him made me stop.
"Its fine to tease around, but this kind of jokes are unacceptable, I don't appreciate your humour" I bitterly replied him, folding my hands, with an irked expression crossing my face.
"I never realised I have a type in humour, or humour a tol" Harry raised his eyebrows, "I am commonly known to lack in that department"
"I neither appreciate your snarky comments" I slit my eyes at him. Harry face set in grim line.
"Wow. This is going entirely on different route, Ginny, I came here" Harry said when I cut in between "yes, why you came? Why did you showed up your face so randomly that's it's impossible to digest" I shouted at him when he was only began to explain. That's how frustrating it was to hold in.
"Certainly not to thank for your box of chocolate, I came here to see you, to confess to make you understand, what I feel" Harry exclaimed.
I vigorously shook my head " No, you don't feel anything. " I laughed softly at his statement.
"Right, I didn't unless you made me feel them" Harry said staring head straight towards me.
"No Harry, you don't you are confused, let's go home" I said it slowly to make it through his head. His pace increase and he ignored me, like all my words were falling on deaf ears.
"I don't feel anything, if you don't feel anything for me. I will agree I have no feelings whatsoever, if you don't have any for me, I won't bait an eye on your rejection if you proof me wrong" Harry said clearly holding my gaze making me transparent.
"You are mistaken, it's not a feeling, it's your regret speaking, the burden I thought you would never take. I should have never said anything to you" I said him, his mask breaking, he came forward standing infront of me, but I have no place to step back I was already corned.
"Yes you are right it's not a feeling, you can't name it as a feeling, it's much beyond that, pure and strong, feelings come and go, they fluctuate. What I feel for you in here is much greater than that" Harry said, poking his chest with his finger, his voice edgy and I knew it was sincere, every word but I can't take it. His nearness were stealing my air to breath in.
I tried moving away his right hand blocked my way, I tried quickly ducking left he was quicker than me he trapped me in his hold, " Move, you aren't thinking straight" I said looking away from him.
" You can run away as much as you like Gin, but you can't run forever, look at me, I know what it feels to hide" His words made me lose my trigger, I threw him a sharp glare " I never hide, I never ran. I infact came out clean"
Harry snorted " Must appreciate you for being true to your words, but Darling, you live in your happy bubble where your conscience is clean and you are afraid that it might burst with a sharp needle, via truth" Harry face were inches apart, his speech turing slow and quieter, whispering almost in my ears.
"I can bear the truth" I spat my words at him.
"Shall we test, I think Ginevra, I might like you, or may be even more than that" Harry said loudly leaning closer, " Just stop it! Stop it at once " I closed my ears with my hands, my control slipping away .
Harry took a hold of my hands, gently removing them and tugging me towards him I looked at him all lines of humour disappeared from his face and He opened his vulnerable side of his, like he did that fateful night, " listen to me, and listen it carefully because I am just gonna say this once, I love you" his words came out like a spear penetrating my old wounds, his rejection played back in my mind like some sick joke. My feeling were scattered making fun of mine. pushing him with all my might I break free of his hold and walked away.
Turning furiously at him I shouted " No, you don't love me. Take it back. You don't mean it. Take it back before it's too late, before you regret just take it back. I beg you. I can't bear anymore lies" Tears started pouring out of my eyes, it was getting hard to breath. My throat went dry and I felt the ache spreading through my body like venom. Harry stood still his jaws twitching. "Then you stop lying to me" He seethed his teeth and I gave me an confused look.
"Part of me knows one more day won't do anything except postpone the heartbreak. But another part of me believes differently. We are born in one day. We die in one day. We can change in one day, and we can fall in love in one day, Anything can happen in just one day." Harry said earnestly boring his eyes into mine "And I chose this day. I am ready to debate all of your arguments, your points, because this time I am ready to chase you till stars." his eyes flash with mine in sheer determination, he ain't gonna back out.
"Don't make this harder for me, I wont last this heartbreak, It's not love Harry, if it was you won't have taken a year to understand it. Your are in delusion" I said him wiping away my tears struck cheeks. Turning around I left the area and I mistakenly entered another part of the floor thinking it's as an exit. I heard footsteps following me and I closed my eyes in despair, He wont give up.
"Fun fact, I took a year not to understand my feelings, but to explain myself that what you said that night was not a dream nor like you pointed a 'Delusional thought' or a part of my imagination. But in fact an unbelievable truth." Harry said with a sad smile, I chose not to speak as I couldn't think of much. He leaned over the wall and looked at me with lazy eyes, a look I currently despised.
His words were slowly starting to effect me, to avoid him, I started looking around, Huge portraits were hanging in mid air of all famous wizards and witches who have truly left an impact of there's on our world, along with an detailed information about them, Albus Dumbledore was one of the greatest wizard of our time and his huge frame was rightfully hanged among the rest, I kept walking towards them when my feet froze I blinked at seeing his portrait, His menacing cold green eyes and a sly smile on his face made me scream internally, my nightmare was standing right infront of me and I couldn't even turn my gaze, It was just like when that time he trapped me in his trance and I was unable to escape his deadly claws, It was a portrate of Tom Riddle.
Harry soon following my gaze looked at the hanging portraits of all worldly infamous Wizards and Witches his stare fixed on his portrait Leaving his support on the wall he walked a few steps closer to me, He saw my fixed state and instantly knew my condition, outside I looked perfectly normal but inside the hurricane which was slept for a longer while started to brew, all the evil memories unleashed inside me making me go mad.
"Do you know how difficult it is to lay down at night thinking about an stupid but brave young women who just as easily confessed her years of love in a minute to a equally stupid young man like it was telling him about catching a cold" Harry laughed louder this time, " It took me a year to make myself believe that you did love me and things haven't changed since back then when I again saw you at Wedding, I wanted to talk you, But things got in way" I heard Harry, but I wasn't able to respond.
I felt a strong hold on me, a hand was placed on my shoulder and it turned me around on his will I turned and I knew even If stood for an century I could not have mold myself away from his cold dead eyes, Harry sensed my fear, My scared eyes met his warm green one, the one I almost worshiped years ago.
"He told me, what he did to you. In the chamber, when you were out cold, He filled your heart with fear and despair, left you alone, whispered his dark and filthy acts, He saw your pure soul, He told me he won't leave you alone, because he has seen the real you, his fear will always haunt you in your dreams, But you need to know, He is gone, He is just a bad memory you are forced to live with, You defeated him once and you can always." Harry whispered " I know what it feels like to have him in your head, only we have endured that pain, and that's how I fight him and I win" His word comforted me, and the hurricane I felt in my chest started to subdued. After all this time I could ask one thing "why?"
"Tom, warned me about us, he told he would haunt you and you can never look pass through him, you have proved him wrong much earlier, I have seen a scared girl and also an brave women, both part's of you." Harry said and I wanted him to speak forever as he knew what it felt to chase away from those deadliest memories.
"I am sorry, I wasn't there enough for the little red haired girl, but I want to be there for this brilliant young lady, I want to safe her, love her, keep her close, I want her to give me one chance to make it right" His humble apology made my heart squeeze, I wanted to fight back his words, argue with him, but I couldn't do any of it, as I helplessly started to fall in his sweet charm.
"I know I have wrong you, knowingly, unknowingly, You are important to me, I think if there is anything that its going to last forever, it's that. Whether we separate, stay in touch or rarely speak again, you will always be that little someone I really do care for, that I wold sacrifice everything for to protect and keep you safe" Harry voice became hoarse I tried to look at his face but I was blinded with water in my eyes.
I blinked furiously but more kept coming, he was breaking all the barriers one by one, the wall I had around my heart started to crumble and it was going down and fast. Unable to stop myself I blindly padded my steps towards him, Harry saw me coming opening his arms and I crashed myself into him, holding him firmly afraid to lose his strength and warmth I moved closer to him.
Harry securely wrapped his arms around me and I broke in his arms. Crying my heart out and he soothed me, his hand padding my hair and I kept saying him "Sorry" the more I said him sorry the more he tighten his grip around me. " Hush now, Darling" He kept whispering sweet words in my ears and I still cried, He hold me in his arms till I stopped bawling like a two year old. once he was sure that I have stop my crying he broke the embrace and took my face in his hands.
His thumb wiping away the salty liquid blend and I saw his face clearly, his eyes were dabbed wet around the corner of his eyes and I slowly raised my hands, my finger touching his cold skin and I brushed away the wetness. His eyes glowed with care and love and a small smile made way on his lips. Harry rested his forehead against mine and took a deep breath, He kept tracing my cheeks with the pad of his thumb, I Hold his wrist for the support.
"I am going to do a thing which I have been longing to do for years" Harry said hoarsely and I looked at him, confused, lowering his head down, His warm breath fanned my face and tickled my nose, His lips made an contact with mine, and I shivered, his lips were cold and soft just like I remembered, it was a feather soft touch at first, he slowly moved his lips with mine and parted them wide, my hands flew over his neck and into his hairs, his hand continued to hold my face and tilt it to his right, his lips moved faster and the kiss escalated quickly to a deeper one and much longer one, we grew short of breaths and yet held eachother captivated, in increasing amount of short kisses I kept hearing Harry say "I love you" And I thought I might explode from his sweet words or his sweet actions, we lost the track of time as we were very much lost in each other.