Blast from the Past Fic: Of Waltzes and Gerbera Daisies
Author: Darth Firefly... formerly known as angelus_d
Title: Of Waltzes and Gerebra Daisies
Rating: PG
Challenge: 12. Harry shows Ginny that dancing can be without the treading of foot and wincing of pain. (At Hogwarts)
Summary: Harry asks Ginny to a dance as a friend. But is there something more?
Warnings: Extreme Harry/Ginny Sweetness and WAFF.
Word Count: 8108
Betas: spikora
Notes: This is a very, very, very old fic of mine, done all the way back in 2005. I dug it up and figured I should move it here, as this story was never posted anywhere other than on the Harry/Ginny Fic-A-Fest page. Please note that this was written BEFORE the release of Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince - so if I unknowingly made any amazing speculations as to the plot on that book, it's purely coincidence.
It all began when someone in the Hogwarts staff, Harry had no idea who, had thought it would be wonderful for there to be a ball for the older students on Christmas. While it seemed rather unfair to the younger students at first, he mused that anyone below fourth year was welcome to the agony of having to ask someone to the dance. It had not really been worth it for him two years ago, and it certainly wasn't worth it now.
Harry was not much of a dancer, and given that he had gone with Parvati Patil, who had seemed much more delighted with the whole idea than he had. So the Yule Ball was nothing more than a dull memory. He had spent most of that dance silently seething at Cho Chang being there with Cedric Diggory. After the past year, however, he couldn't quite remember why he thought Cho was so wonderful. It had probably only been because of two things: she was very pretty, and she played Quidditch.
Since attendance wasn't mandatory for him this time, Harry had resolved to just spend the whole night in Gyffindor Tower. It was a lot easier than finding a date for the stupid dance. Christmas was next week and he had not had anyone ask him.
As Harry came back from classes, he had decided that not being asked wasn't all that bad either. The Gryffindor common room was not very full at this time of the afternoon. Harry, who had dropped Divination, had his last hour of Thursday empty of classes. After a morning of double Potions and then double History of Magic, he was often relieved. Hermione was in Ancient Runes and Ron, who had also dropped Divination, was off doing something for his duties as a Prefect. It was probably tied to that stupid dance. Harry yawned and sat down next on one of the couches, dropping his bag on the floor. Staying at school during the holidays was now a given for Harry, and he would rather spend detention with Snape for a week than spend the winter holidays with the Dursleys.
As he looked around the room, rubbing the back of his neck, he noticed Ginny Weasley sitting in a chair facing the fire, her arms folded. She looked throughly angry about something. Harry stood and walked over to the chair. “You all right Ginny?”
Ginny looked up into Harry's face, frowning. “I'm fine, Harry.”
“You sure?” He was skeptical of her answer.
“I'm just annoyed.” She turned back to the common room fireplace. “And you can tell Ron it's him I'm annoyed with.”
He sighed. “Is it about that stupid ball on Christmas?”
She pursed her lips. “Something like that.”
“Let me guess, Ron disapproves of who you're going with.” He asked himself why was doing this, but shrugged the notion off.
“I'm not going with anyone.” Ginny snapped. “I may as well not go, because no matter who I go with, Ron will make a big deal about it.”
Harry sat down in the second arm chair and looked at Ginny. He didn't have any siblings, so he had no idea how brothers and sisters acted towards one another, except in the Weasley family, and if all brothers were as protective of their sisters as the Weasley brothers were of Ginny, it was a miracle girls ever got to go out. “But you really want to go to the ball?”
Ginny jerked her head towards Harry, wondering why he was asking her this. “I think it would be fun, I mean, Hogwarts doesn't have dances regularly. Dad says that some Muggle schools have up to five of them a year. But Ron will be hounding me no matter who I go with... you remember how he was when Hermione went to the Yule Ball with Viktor Krum.”
Harry rolled his eyes. “I don't think I could forget that.”
Ginny turned back to the fire. “I thought Dean was going to ask me to the ball, but I found out today he's going with Parvati.” She sighed. “You're not going to the ball, are you?”
“I wasn't really planning on it.” Harry recalled watching Ginny dancing with Neville Longbottom at the Yule Ball, wincing as he stepped on her feet, and thinking that he would have enjoyed the Yule Ball so much more if he had gone with Cho. He didn't mind the sour memory he had, but if dances were important to girls as they seemed to be letting on... “Ginny?”
“Yes, Harry?” She turned and looked at him. He had the oddest look on his face, like was trying to say something more, but couldn't quite get the words out.
Harry cleared his throat. “You want to go to the ball with me?”
Ginny's jaw dropped. This is not happening. This is some wild dream. I've fallen asleep and I'm dreaming! Harry Potter has just asked me to the Christmas Ball. “Are you serious?” She squeaked out.
“I don't usually joke about something like that...” He saw the blush rising in her face, it was almost bright enough that her freckles were hidden. “So do you?” Harry felt his cheeks turning red. Why was he blushing?
Ginny knew her face had gone scarlet. There was also a blush rising in Harry's face. She struggled to regain her composure. “I... I'd love to go, Harry.”
Harry smiled awkwardly. “You think Ron's going to object?” He was hoping he could stop blushing before Ron and Hermione got back.
Ginny's look slowly changed. “I'm not going to tell him.” The idea forming in her mind. “And don't you tell him either..”
“What?” He gave her a look of shock.
Ginny's nodded slowly. “I want him to be surprised.”
Harry thought for a moment. It wasn't going to be easy, keeping something like this from Ron. “He's going to find out Ginny.”
“Not if he thinks we're not going.” She smiled. “Knowing Ron, he probably wants to avoid the subject.”
“Someone else will..” Harry looked around the common room, expecting to see some one watching them, but the only people besides them were a few first years, who were pouring over a large book, paying no attention to them.
“Then we won't tell anyone, not until we're getting ready for the ball itself.” Ginny nodded, as if this settled the matter. “When Ron asks who you're going with, just say you're not telling. If Hermione can pull of not telling who she was going with, so can we!”
“She told you.” Harry pointed out.
“That's only because I asked if Ron was taking her.” Ginny knew her cheeks were still flaming. She was surprised she could still speak. Her brain was still trying to process the thought I'm going to the Christmas Ball with Harry. “It's only a week.”
Harry thought for a moment. “It's not going to be easy.”
“I know...” Ginny stood up. She needed to calm down before she went to dinner. “I'll... I'll see you at dinner...” She turned and raced up the stairs to the girl's dorm, and Harry stood and watched her. It reminded him of the day she had raced up the stairs of the Burrow after catching sight of him at the breakfast table. He walked over to where he had dropped his bag and headed for the stairs to the boys dormitory. He though he better calm down before he went down to dinner too - or Ron would probably suspect something.
****
Later that night, Harry lay in his bed, thinking about what he had done this afternoon. He had asked Ginny because, well, it seemed like the right thing to do at the time. It wasn't pity, he was pretty sure of that. He folded his hands behind his head, staring up at the ceiling. How did he feel about Ginny anyway? She was his friend, yes. But it wasn't like being friends with Hermione. Hermione was like a sister in a way, they were close, but while Harry could remember how pretty Hermione had looked at the Yule Ball, he didn't really 'feel' anything for her - at least not in the way he used to feel about Cho.
His feelings for Ginny he couldn't quite place. Harry knew it was suicide for any boy to toy with the emotions of Ginny Weasley. Not only would she hex you, her brothers would fight over the next round, even Percy.
Perhaps there was something like a very good friendship, but it went deeper than that. It was tied to that night in the Chamber of Secrets. The night he found out what had been going on in the school, the night he found out that Ginny had been going through hell, and had been so alone. Alone, perhaps very scared, and she had nearly died at the hands of Lord Voldemort.
Harry winced. That had been horrifying, finding her barely alive in the Chamber, and then remembered how hard Ginny had cried when it was all over. Why had he been so worried about her being expelled? It was something he couldn't explain. Then there were other things. A ten year old Ginny racing after the Hogwarts Express, waving and weeping when he left for school the first time. Ginny in the Department of Mysteries, Ginny being brave. Ginny who had somehow stopped being a little girl and turned into a young woman, all while he wasn't bothering to notice.
“Hey Harry, you awake?” Ron came into the boy's dorm and sat down on his bed.
“Yeah Ron. Why?” Harry heard two thumps as shoes fell to the floor.
“Do you know what's wrong with Ginny?” Ron had noticed his sister at dinner, eating alone and blushing furiously.
Harry was glad Ron couldn't see his face. “I dunno... I only saw Ginny for a few minutes this afternoon when I came back from class. Hermione might know, it's not like she and I talk a lot.”
Ron yawned as he got into his pajamas. “I will be so glad when this stupid ball thing is over.”
“You're going with Hermione, aren't you?” Harry asked. Truth be told, he wasn't sure if Ron had asked her.
“She did the asking, so yeah.” Ron grinned. “Shame she can't take both of us.”
“I'm not going, Ron. I'd rather stay here and do something more interesting. Maybe just work on my chess game or something like that.”
Ron chortled. “Sounds more fun than having to get into dress robes and make an arse of myself.”
“You won't.” Harry yawned. “You might actually have fun.”
“Oh sure I will, not when I have to worry about who's taking Ginny.” Ron got into his bed and jerked the curtains closed. “She says she's not going, but I don't believe her.”
Harry swallowed. “Maybe she really means it.”
“She's not going.” Dean had come into the room. “I don't think anyone's asked her.”
Ron sat up and jerked his curtains open. “I thought you were dating her.”
Dean looked at Ron strangely. “No... I'm not. I'm going to the ball with Parvati.”
“Weren't the two of you an item?” Ron asked.
“We sort of were an item...” Dean changed into his own pajamas. “But it just wasn't working really. There was just nothing there between us.”
“I see.” Ron looked over at Harry's closed curtains. “Are you going with Ginny to the ball?”
Harry sighed. “No. I already told you, I'm not going to that stupid ball.”
Ron frowned. “If she's going with that Smith fellow in Hufflepuff...”
“Oh please.” Harry said. “I don't think Ginny would go with Zacharias Smith even if he begged on his hands and knees.”
Ron thought for a moment. “You're probably right. Michael Corner is still going with Cho, isn't he?” He didn't want to take any chances that Michael and Ginny had gotten back together.
“Will you just shut up about the stupid dance!” Harry pulled his pillow over his head. He wished Ron would just leave the subject be.
“Harry....” Ron began, and the curtains of his friend's bed slid open.
“Just drop it. I don't think there's a boy in this school who'd try anything with Ginny. If she hexed Malfoy as bad as you say she did last year, it's a fair bet no one wants to get on her bad side.” Harry jerked the curtains closed, leaving Ron open faced, gaping a his best friend.
“Now just a minute, Harry....” Ron began.
Seamus staggered into the room. “What's going on?”
Dean looked from Harry to Ron and then back to Seamus. “The best I can tell, Ron's upset that no one is taking his little sister to the dance.”
“I am not! I'm worried about who is taking her!”
“Maybe she's telling the truth and she's not going.” Dean said.
Neville, who was half asleep, muttered from his bed. “Don't look at me, Ron... I'm going home this Christmas.”
“Don't worry about it anymore tonight mate.” Seamus yawned. “You've got a week to find out if she's lying to you or not.”
Ron shook his head and shut the curtians of his bed. It was soon dark in the boy's dorm, the only sound was the constant drone of Neville's snores.
Harry lay awake for a long time and an idea slowly came to him. He may not be much of a dancer, but it was something that was important to Ginny. If this was the only time he ever really spent with her one on one, then it should be a good memory. For both of them.
****
Ginny constantly told herself that Harry asking her to the ball was something he had done as a friend, and that he really didn't like her. He found out how much she wanted to go, and had asked her so that she could be spared Ron's harassment. That was the sort of thing a friend did. Even if they were just friends, it was hard to keep her mind going off into daydreams that he actually fancied her. There was still that little hope in her heart that it was something more than merely friendship.
The girls in Gryffindor Tower talked of nothing more than the Ball, it seemed. Who was going with who and what they were wearing. Despite the ball, a number of students had gone home for the holidays. The group that remained was comprised mostly of fourth and sixth years, as several of the fifth and seventh years had gone home to get peace and quiet to study for their exams in the spring.
Ginny, of course, had stayed because Ron was staying, and claimed he should have some family with him at the holidays. Or this is what she told everyone, save for her mother. Molly Weasley was the only other person aware that Harry and Ginny were attending the ball together. Harry and Ginny agreed to inform her and no one else. It had made it a little easier, knowing that someone besides them knew. What Ginny had really needed was someone to know just how thrilled she was with the fact she was going to the dance. There wasn't a girl in Gryffindor who wouldn't let it slip, or at least act like they knew nothing about her going. Ginny had debated telling Luna, but the chance of someone overhearing them or her friend accidentally letting it slip was a little to great.
Ginny stretched and rubbed her face. The girl's dorm was quiet this early on Christmas Eve morning, and tomorrow, the secret would be out. From the corner of her eye, she saw a small box lying on her bedside table. She sat up and picked the box up. It was a simple white box with a single green ribbon tied around it. Who in the world had left this for her? She undid the ribbon and lifted the lid. Lying on a slip of parchment was a wrist corsage, a dark red gerbera daisy, with two tiny sprigs of baby's breath. Ginny's eyes lit up and she carefully picked up the parchment underneath and unfolded it.
Ginny -
I found this in Hogsmeade last Saturday. I just hope it goes with your dress robes. According to the lady in the shop, this flower is perfectly preserved at it's height of freshness.
Harry
Ginny grinned and tucked the parchment back into the box and closed it. Her excitement for tomorrow had just increased tenfold. She jumped out of bed and hurriedly dressed. She was probably blushing again. As she pulled the door of the dorm open she almost ran smack into Hermione Granger. “Oops! Sorry Hermione.”
Hermione shook her head. “It's okay. I don't think you're the only girl who's going around with stars in their eyes.”
“What's that supposed to mean?” Ginny tried to look nonchalant.
“The Christmas Ball is what I am talking about.” Her friend grinned. “I think that's all most of the girls can think about. You're going, aren't you?”
“No.” Ginny replied. “I'm not going.”
Hermione was skeptical of that answer. Ginny seemed a little to happy. “So what's with you're current mood?”
“No classes.” She waved off the notion. “I usually have double potions and then double divination today, and it's a relief.”
“Divination was such a waste of time. I could never understand the purpose of it.” They started down the stairs.
“It's okay... I'm not really interested in Ancient Runes, and that was the alternative.”
“Ancient Runes are fascinating!”
“Some people might say that about Divination. Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil to name two.”
“Maybe.” She shook her head, thinking. “I can't believe I had to ask your brother to this dance... I sometimes wonder how thick his head is. And I can't believe Harry's not going either.”
“He's not?” Ginny tried to keep her voice even as they came to the bottom of the stairs.
“No, says he's going to stay here in the tower. Maybe he'll do something useful, like work on his Occlumancy or his homework.” She shrugged her shoulders.
Ginny giggled. “If he procrastinates anything like my brother does, that's not very likely.”
“Point.” Hermione said as they started down towards the Great Hall for breakfast. “I would have thought you were going.”
“No. No one really asked me. I mean, I suppose Neville would have, but he went home for the holidays.”
“True. Who knows, maybe they'll have another one next year.” Hermione sighed. “In the middle of studying for N.E.W.T.'s... just what I won't need.”
“So dump it on the prefects in my year.” Ginny shrugged. “Just don't tell Madeline Jacobi I said that.”
“I won't.” Hermione grinned as they sat down to breakfast.
****
Harry woke up on Christmas morning completely relieved. Somehow he and Ginny had managed to pull it off, and the only person who was wise to their situation was Mrs. Weasley.
There was a small pile of presents at the foot of his bed, and from the looks of the paper around Ron's bed, he'd been up a while. “Merry Christmas, Ron.”
“Merry Christmas, Harry.” Ron grinned. “Thanks for the Cannons bag!” He brandished the Chuddly Cannons messenger bag Harry had found for him. “And I needed a new bag and all...”
Harry grinned. “Yeah. I know.” He pulled open a box from Mrs. Weasley, and it contained the usual sweater (blue this year), socks, and some homemade meat pies.
“You want to have a snowball fight after breakfast?”
“Sure. Sounds like fun.”
****
The day passed too quickly in Ginny's mind. One minute she was opening her gifts and going to breakfast, and now it was just after six in the evening, and she had heard the boys tramping into their dorm, in from the cold. She had agreed to meet Harry just outside the portrait hole at quarter to seven. It seemed to Ginny that most of the girls were so caught up in getting ready, they weren't paying any attention to one another. Ginny was finishing with her hair when Hermione She pushed the door of the room open. “Ginny, are you in here?” Ducking around Madeline Jacobi, who was looking into a mirror and turning her face from side to side, a jar full of blush powder in her hand.
“Sure, what's the trouble?” Ginny saw how Hermione was grasping the back of her robes and trying not to mess up her hair, which was in a very smooth French twist.
“Could you fasten this for me? It's sort of hard to do.” She turned around as Ginny took the clasp in her hands and quickly fastened it.
“There you go. All done.” Ginny grinned as Hermione turned around, and her jaw dropped slightly. Ginny was in dress robes of silver, which had a jacquard pattern of dragons. Her hair was pulled back from her face, curling faintly and looking very pretty.
“I thought you weren't going to the ball!”
“We all thought that.” Madeline shut her jar of powder with a snap. “Then we all came back from lunch, and she was starting to primp with the rest of us.” She tossed her hair over her shoulder.
Ginny grinned. “Well, I wasn't going until recently.”
Hermione grinned. “Who are you going with?”
“I'm not telling.” Ginny went over to her dresser and fluffed her hair a little.
“Oh. I see.” She didn't blame the girl, because knowing Ron, he would be complaining about it all night. “I'll see you there then.” She smiled. “Thanks for the help, Ginny.”
“No problem.” Ginny bent down to get pull her shoes on as Hermione left the room.
“So who ARE you going with, Weasley?” Madeline was pulling her own shoes on.
“I didn't tell Hermione, and I'm not telling you either.” Ginny grinned. “You'll find out when everyone else does.” She added the corsage Harry had given her and then opened the door and started down the stairs. “See you there, Madeline.” The common room was packed with students, in robes of all colors, chatting with one another. She scooted around the side of the room, and managed to get out into the corridor without being spotted, at least not by anyone who stopped her.
Up in the boys dorm, Harry was trying, unsuccessfully as always to get his hair to lay flat. He tossed his comb down in annoyance. “This is pointless...” He ruffled up his hair and grinned at his reflection. That actually looked better.
“Harry?” Dean's voice called out to him.
“Yeah Dean?” Harry sat down on his bed, polishing his glasses.
“I thought you weren't going.”
“Well, I changed my mind.”
“Who are you going with?” Dean checked his watch, he really should be meeting Parvati.
“Oh, someone. I'll see you there.”
Seamus sneezed and set down his bottle of hair tonic. “I think that snowball fight was a bad idea, I think I am coming down with a cold.”
“Maybe it's nerves.”
“See you both later.” Dean left the room as Harry checked his glasses for spots and then put them on. He was still nervous about the dancing part. He figured as long as he managed not to step on Ginny's toes... He went down the stairs after Dean and managed to slip out of the common room, the only person he spoke to in the process was Lavender Brown, who asked if Seamus had drowned in a sink upstairs.
Harry replied that Seamus was in the middle of fixing his hair. The answer seemed to make more sense to her than he thought it would. He pushed open the door of the portrait hole, and looked around for Ginny. When he saw her, he nearly gasped. Ginny caught sight of Harry and went scarlet.
Harry thought that Ginny looked extremely pretty, in dress robes of a pale silvery color and there was a silver barrette in her hair. He smiled. “You look very... very pretty Ginny.”
Were it possible, Ginny would have gone even more red. “You look nice too, Harry.” The dress robes he wore weren't the ones he had worn to the Yule Ball. He had apparently outgrown them, and was now dressed in robes of a midnight blue.
“Thanks.” He grinned awkwardly. “Shall we go down?”
“Uh huh....” She bit the corner of her lip as he held out his arm, wondering if she should take it or not. She tentatively took it, and they started down the corridors toward the great hall. “Did Ron find out?”
“If he had, would we be walking like this?” He grinned.
“Point.” She beamed. Even if they were just friends, Ginny was determined to make this night one she wouldn't forget. Even if they did nothing more than sit together and walk down the hallway like this, that was enough for her.
Down in the entry hall, Hermione was standing with Ron, who looked angry. “What do you mean, Ginny is coming to ball?” He was annoyed. “Who's she going with?”
“She didn't tell me Ron. It's her own business anyway.” Hermione sighed. If he kept up like this, she was going to have a good idea how Harry felt at the last Yule Ball when Ron complained about her date. Honestly...
She shook her head and looked up the stairs and knew her jaw dropped.
“Hermione, what's wrong?” Ron wondered what had shocked her so badly. He turned and followed her gaze up the stairs. Where Ginny was standing- next to Harry. His jaw fell in a mirror of Hermione's. “I...I don't believe it!”
“There's Hermione and Ron.” Ginny said, indicating the two people with their jaws scrapping the ground. She and Harry came down the stairs and went over to them. “Hi Ron, Hermione.”
Hermione recovered first. “Harry, Ginny... when...” She turned to Harry. “Why didn't you tell us you were coming together?”
Ginny had gone scarlet again. She merely shook her head.
“I think it was worth not telling you to see the look on your faces...” Harry grinned awkwardly. “Going to hex me for escorting your sister to the dance Ron?”
Ron shook his head once or twice as if still trying to comprehend what he was seeing. “Why would I do that mate?” He suddenly grinned. “I just wish you'd have told me.”
“I told him not to.” Ginny said, her voice just above audible. “I wanted to surprise you.”
“Well... I am at that....” Ron looked at Hermione.
“Oh, let's just go in...” Hermione felt it would probably be best for all four of them if they could sit down. The Great Hall was decked out for the holidays as always, but the long tables were gone, replaced by tables that varied in size, seating from six to sixteen. They were squared around a large empty space, where normally the staff, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw tables would stand. A long table was off to the side, in front of the hour glasses that showed the current standings in house points. They were all shortly sitting at a table along with Lavender and Seamus. Lavender had no sooner seen Harry and Ginny together and had broke into giggles. When they sat, Ginny picked up the menu lying on her plate and perused it. It was going to be a miracle if she was even able to eat, she was nervous. She kept trying to tell herself over and over that she and Harry were just friends, and he had only done this to be nice to her.
Harry glanced over at Ginny from his menu. Something was wrong. He wasn't entirely sure what it could be, she had wanted to come to the ball, hadn't she? He glanced back to his menu. Had they been back in the common room, he'd have asked her what was wrong, but the last thing he needed was someone jumping down his throat. Maybe she was just hungry. After placing their orders with their plates, and Lavender had recovered from her fit of giggles, it was easier to talk.
There was not nearly the crowd there had been at the Yule Ball. It was probably just half that, and Harry was extremely thankful that he wouldn't have to be leading off the dancing this time. Just dancing alone was terrifying. He he had managed to dance once without stepping on Parvati's toes, but Harry had already told himself that he wouldn't be sitting and watching for the majority of this ball. Even if all they did was move slowly around the floor, he was resolved not to step on Ginny's toes.
Ginny took a long sip of water. She wanted to stop blushing like she was eleven years old again. She hadn't blushed this badly around Harry in well over a year. Not since the last ball.
“Where'd you get that flower, Gin?” Ron had just noticed the bright red flower on Ginny's wrist.
Ginny smiled, feeling her blush abate some. “Harry gave it to me.”
“Can I see it?” Lavender leaned towards her as Ginny held out her wrist. “That's pretty...” She grinned at Harry. “That's a sweet thing for him to do.”
Harry nearly choked on his cutlet. “I was just being nice.”
“Where'd you find it?” Seamus asked.
“A shop in Hogsmeade, last weekend.” Harry smiled at Ginny. “I just wanted... to you know, be nice.”
Ginny's fingers brushed against Harry's arm when she pulled it back towards her. “I wasn't expecting a flower... I still don't know how he managed to get it into the girl's dorm.”
Harry grinned. “Just a little house elf I know....”
There was no real band for this dance, just a wizard in an artfully patched robes wearing sunglasses who stood behind a long table with some flat devices that reminded Harry of records. According to a name on a case lying next to the table, the man was Shawn Kilroy, and under his name were the words Magical and Muggle Music Productions. He had been playing light music for most of dinner, and had now pulled out a disc and turned up the volume, announcing the start of dancing. It was a very loud, very fast song, and Harry recognized the singers at the Weird Sisters.
Almost at once, Lavender pulled Seamus onto the dance floor, and it looked as if she was not alone in her enthusiasm. Ron stood up and he and Hermione went onto the dance floor, but it appeared as if Ron was actually trying to keep tabs on Ginny and Harry as they sat there.
Hermione took his hands and wheeled Ron to the other side of the dance floor. “Just leave them be, they're fine. We know Harry. He's not going to try anything.”
“Yeah...” Ron grinned. “Who'd have thought it, huh?”
“Are you okay, Gin?” Harry wasn't quite ready to go onto the dance floor.
Ginny sighed. “Why did you ask me to the ball, Harry?”
Harry blinked, taken aback by her question. Why had he asked her? He'd been rather resolute in not going, and nearly everyone in the school knew it. But he had known Ginny wanted to go, and no one seemed to want to ask her. “I... it just seemed like the right thing to do, that's all.”
Ginny folded her arms. “Is this supposed to be charity, then?”
Harry's eyes widened. “Charity? Merlin, Ginny, I wouldn't ask you if I didn't...”
“Didn't what?” Ginny's head jerked up. “If you didn't what, Harry?”
“If I didn't like you.” Harry was started to feel terrible. This wasn't how it was supposed to happen.
“As a friend, right?” Ginny just wanted the truth.
“Yes, as a friend... and...” Harry sighed. How did he really feel about Ginny? “As a very good friend...” This was not easy, not in any since of the word. “I can't really explain why...”
Ginny drew in a breath and leaned towards Harry, this wasn't something that was easy for him, she could tell that. Why was it so bloody hard for him to say he had merely asked her to be nice? True, that wasn't really the sort of answer she wanted, but that's all she was expecting. “Then try to explain it... please.”
Harry stared at his hands. “I did it because... because I didn't like to see you upset... you just looked so hurt and upset when I saw you in the common room last week.” Words started tumbling out of him. “I couldn't believe that no one had asked you to the ball, I mean... you're very pretty, and your a very nice person....” Harry slowly looked up into Ginny's face, and saw something there. It was if something had occurred to her, something she couldn't quite believe.
She stared at him in shock. “You think I'm pretty?”
“I do.” Harry kept staring into her Ginny's face, he raised his hand and very carefully, brushed his fingers against her cheek. “In fact, I think your beautiful.”
The music changed to a slower tempo, and Harry stood up, Ginny stared up him her eyes wide.
“What are you doing?” Ginny's voice barely audible.
“Something I should have done a long time ago. Ginny, would you like to dance?” He continued to hold out his hand as she slowly took it in hers and stood.
“I would love to, Harry.”
Harry escorted her to the dance floor, and, still holding her hand in his, set his free hand on her waist. Ginny set her hand on his arm and they slowly started revolving around in one place on the dance floor. Dancing was not that easy, especially when Harry's primary concern was not to step on Ginny's toes. The same words kept going over in his mind - one, two, three - one, two, three. Just keep counting, he told himself. Just keep counting and he'd be fine.
Ginny smiled as they slowly turned in a circle. Harry may not be the world's greatest dancer, but he was avoiding her feet with ease. Then again, dancing with Neville had been awkward for the both of them, but she had appreciated him taking her to the ball, because they both had wanted to go badly. She had never stopped liking Harry. She had just accepted that he was never going to notice her. She could live that way; she had given up, but never let go. Letting go, in her mind, was far too much. She knew that letting go would be impossible since that day in the Chamber. The night he had come to rescue her from Tom Riddle.
She had fully expected to die that night. To die there, scared and alone. She had been saved by the person who was already a hero in her mind, and ever since then he was her hero. She had been so scared the day he found Riddle's diary, and in the end, he had come to save her from the Chamber, the place that haunted her dreams. Harry who kept going through hells that few people, both wizard and muggle could comprehend, and he kept going. She could barely understand his turmoil, for she knew so little about it. But in her heart, she knew that maybe she could understand.
When she had told him that Voldemort wasn't possessing him last year, he said that he had forgotten what had happened to her. That had angered her. With all the hell he went through he failed to see that she, of all the people in his life that was still living, knew just what sort of person Voldemort could be - she knew far to well. It wasn't something Ron could understand, no matter how good of friends he and Harry were. As for Hermione, she could read every book on the subject, but still not know firsthand what it was actually like to have that wicked presence within you, looming over you like the shade of a nightmare that would not release you.
Harry looked down into Ginny's face and smiled. He hadn't been lying when he told her that she was beautiful. She was a very kind person, she wasn't afraid to stand up for herself. She was such a strong person in his mind. It seemed that she had been strong since she first started at Hogwarts. Ginny had endured Merlin only knew what when she was possessed by Tom Riddle. Riddle had prayed upon her like the vermin he was, and she had endured it all. She had refused to be left behind when they had all gone to the Ministry of Magic last year.
A true Gryffindor - there was no other way to describe her in a few words. Brave, daring, and unafraid to stand up for what she believed in - all this and more only added to her beauty.
But if Hermione was correct, Ginny had given up on him. Hermione had said so last year. A tiny voice in the back of his mind suddenly made a new thought occur to him. Who ever said that giving up meant letting go?
The last notes of the song ended and for a minute, Harry and Ginny just stood there, still slowly moving, reluctant to let the moment end. It wasn't something that Harry could find words to explain. All he wanted to do was keep holding Ginny like this, to just let the song go on, and even if they did not move around the dance floor as some of the couples did, it was wonderful just to be like this. When he looked down at her, he saw that the only part of her face that was pink were her cheeks.
The music had started again, a faster one this time, and already the couples around them were dancing. Ginny smiled up at him. “You want to keep dancing?”
Harry smiled. “Sure... but I'm not very good at this..”
She took her arm from his shoulder, and spun out from him, still holding his hand tightly. “You just move your feet a little faster, that's all."
“I think I can manage that.”
And so the evening went on, and neither of them could recall how many times they danced that night, only that they sat down a few times to cool off. There had been fast dances as well as slow ones, and Harry had decided that slow dancing was definitely better. He was starting wonder why he had ever thought of not coming to the dance in the first place.
Harry checked his watch when they sat down after another fast dance, and saw that it was nearly midnight. “Having fun Gin?”
She smiled. “Yes... I'm having a wonderful time.” She took a sip of butterbeer and glanced at Harry. “Are you?”
He nodded. “I am, Ginny.” He set his hand on hers, and brushed it with his palm, studying her smaller one in his. Her hand, despite the time playing Quidditch, was soft against his thumb.
Ginny looked down at their hands and smiled. “I'm really glad to you asked me Harry. Even if it's only just because we're friends.”
“I don't know if I just want us to be friends, Gin...” Harry blurted out.
Ginny's eyebrows lifted. “You mean, you'd like to try being more than friends?”
“I... I'd like to try... but I don't want to risk ruining our friendship..” Harry kept staring at his hand on hers. Her hand seemed to fit in his perfectly.
Ginny smiled and lifted Harry's chin with her other hand. “There are times when the risk is worth it. You of all people should know that.”
Harry slowly smiled. “Yeah... I guess I should...”
The last song started, a slow one, and he stood. “One last dance?”
Ginny stood. “Of course.” They started dancing slowly around in a circle, as they had for most of the night, and Ginny caught herself looking down at their feet, not once had he stepped on her toes, despite how closely they were dancing. She raised her head and looked directly up into Harry's bright green eyes. Something in them had changed. They weren't like they had been a week ago when she had agreed to go to the ball with him. They were brighter, softer. It was the look that she told herself time and time again she would never see in the eyes of this boy. It was almost a loving look. She had thought she would always be the little sister of his best friend, nothing more. It was like a wonderful, beautiful dream, and she never wanted to wake up.
If he was thinking about trying to be more than friends, then he wasn't the only one who had to risk things. There were some things that were risking, and dreams are never fully given without effort.
Ginny smiled as they turned around on the dance floor, and moved closer to him, resting her hand on his shoulder and her head against his chest, wishing with all her heart that perhaps this one dream, the only dream she ever prayed would come true, was to happen.
Harry closed his eyes and set his head against Ginny's, and placed his hand in the middle of her back. For once, he didn't care if anyone was staring at him. If they knew just how wonderful this felt, they'd not say a word. It just felt so right, to be standing here with Ginny, holding her like this, and he became aware that their feet were barely moving. That suddenly didn't matter either. A warm feeling was rising him, something he couldn't quite explain. It wasn't like it had been when he was around Cho, it was something stronger, something more potent. Whatever this feeling he couldn't place was, he never wanted it to end.
Ginny had closed her eyes when she had set her head on his chest. It was almost unreal, to be dancing like this with him. It was a scene from one of her most secret fantasies. And it was happening. It was actually happening. She felt his hand brush her hair for a moment, and then heard his voice whispering in her ear.
“I'm not afraid of the risk, Gin.” Harry said softly. Then pressed his lips softly against her temple.
****
Later that night, Ginny lay in her bed, still holding the gerbera daisy in her hands, her fingers running across the petals. It hadn't really been possible to respond to Harry's statement, because when the music ended, it seemed as if there was a mad crush of people trying to leave the Great Hall. Ginny would have liked to have stayed there in the Great Hall in Harry's arms until they fell asleep standing up.
Sleep, although she was exhausted, wasn't going to be upon her any time soon. She was far to elated to sleep. She sat up and set the daisy on her bedside table. The other fifth year girls were asleep, and as she put her feet into her slippers and decided she would rather be downstairs in front of the fire, remembering just how wonderful the night had been.
She was halfway down the stairs when she heard Ron's voice carrying up towards her.
“Honestly, Harry, what the hell do you think you're doing?” Harry might be his best friend, but Ron wasn't about to let a thing like that mean anything if it was his little sister who was at stake of being hurt.
“Ron...” Harry ran a hand through his hair. “At first I asked Ginny as a friend, she wanted to go - I'm not sure if anything is going to come of it, I don't even know how she feels about it.”
“My sister's isn't like Cho Chang, Harry. You should know that.”
“You think I can't tell the difference between a girl like Ginny and a girl like Cho?” Harry rubbed his forehead. “Ron, I'm not trying to hurt your sister, I wouldn't do something like that.”
Ginny took in a sharp breath and advanced a few more steps, still out of sight of both boys, but she could still hear them very clearly. Why was Ron so upset about her going to the ball with Harry? The way he was acting, it was almost as if she had gone with Zacharias Smith.
“I want you to be straight with me, Harry. Do you like my sister - as more than a friend?” Ron folded his arms, glaring at his best friend, still trying to comprehend what had happened this past night. A week ago, Ginny and Harry seemed like mere friends, tonight, however - they seemed to be more than that, much more.
Harry raised his head slightly and looked his friend in the eye. “Yes, Ron. I do.”
“Now, Harry....” Ron started again.
“Tomorrow Ron, it's late, and we'll be able to discuss this better after we've both had a good night's sleep.”
Ron sighed. “I suppose your right... I'm still not sure if I like this... but maybe you're right... and tomorrow would be best. Good night.”
“Good night.” Harry watched Ron go upstairs, he wasn't quite ready to go upstairs himself. He needed a few moments alone. Things had turned out far differently than he had expected tonight. He had no idea if a relationship with Ginny was even possible - she had not told him how she felt about him, but he was more worried about hurting her than he was of being hurt. True, he did not like pain, but he would rather endure the pain if there was someone who had to be hurt.
Ginny came down to the bottom of the stairs and looked around the common room. It was empty, save for Harry, who was leaning against the same arm chair she had been sitting in a week ago. He likes me... as more than a friend. She came a few steps closer. “Harry?”
Harry jumped at the voice and turned around. “Ginny? I didn't know you were in here.”
“I just came down...” She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “I...I wanted to know something... did you mean what you said to me earlier? About trying to be more than friends?” She came over to stand next to him.
He swallowed. “I did. But if you don't, I'll understand.”
She silently cursed as she felt her cheeks turning pink. She was going to have to work on this blushing problem around Harry all over again. “I wouldn't be true to my feelings if I said no.” She smiled. “I'm willing to try at being... more than friends.” Ginny took a deep breath and raised her chin. “I'm not afraid of the risk either.”
Harry raised his hand to Ginny's cheek, studying her face for a moment, taking in each tiny freckle that dusted her cheeks. He could feel her short, quick breath against his skin. He slid his hand up her cheek and into her hair, and lowered his lips to hers.
It was a kiss that was certain, yet not overly passionate, a kiss that tasted of chocolate and butterbeer, and it was warm, tender. The kiss held a promise that this, while it was the first, would most certainly not be the last.
****
“So you're going to try at being more than friends?” Ron asked Harry at breakfast the next morning.
“Yeah...” Harry took a spoonful of hash browns. “Neither of us really know where this is going to lead.”
Ron poked at his eggs. “I just don't want to see Ginny hurt, Harry. You know how she was about you back... well, you know.”
Harry nodded. “I don't think I could really forget all that, Ron, and I certainly don't want to hurt Ginny.” He sighed. “Is there anything more you'd like to discuss in this matter?”
Ron shoved a forkful of potatoes into his mouth and chewed, thinking. He had been wanting Harry and Ginny to be together since the Yule Ball in their fourth year, and now that it was actually happening, it was a little hard to comprehend. Ron swallowed. “Just don't do anything that would make me have to hex you, Harry.”
Harry gave his best friend a lopsided grin. “I think, should that happen, you'd have to wait for what was left of me when Ginny was done.”
Ron picked up his mug of tea. “You've got a point there, mate.”
Title: Of Waltzes and Gerebra Daisies
Rating: PG
Challenge: 12. Harry shows Ginny that dancing can be without the treading of foot and wincing of pain. (At Hogwarts)
Summary: Harry asks Ginny to a dance as a friend. But is there something more?
Warnings: Extreme Harry/Ginny Sweetness and WAFF.
Word Count: 8108
Betas: spikora
Notes: This is a very, very, very old fic of mine, done all the way back in 2005. I dug it up and figured I should move it here, as this story was never posted anywhere other than on the Harry/Ginny Fic-A-Fest page. Please note that this was written BEFORE the release of Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince - so if I unknowingly made any amazing speculations as to the plot on that book, it's purely coincidence.
It all began when someone in the Hogwarts staff, Harry had no idea who, had thought it would be wonderful for there to be a ball for the older students on Christmas. While it seemed rather unfair to the younger students at first, he mused that anyone below fourth year was welcome to the agony of having to ask someone to the dance. It had not really been worth it for him two years ago, and it certainly wasn't worth it now.
Harry was not much of a dancer, and given that he had gone with Parvati Patil, who had seemed much more delighted with the whole idea than he had. So the Yule Ball was nothing more than a dull memory. He had spent most of that dance silently seething at Cho Chang being there with Cedric Diggory. After the past year, however, he couldn't quite remember why he thought Cho was so wonderful. It had probably only been because of two things: she was very pretty, and she played Quidditch.
Since attendance wasn't mandatory for him this time, Harry had resolved to just spend the whole night in Gyffindor Tower. It was a lot easier than finding a date for the stupid dance. Christmas was next week and he had not had anyone ask him.
As Harry came back from classes, he had decided that not being asked wasn't all that bad either. The Gryffindor common room was not very full at this time of the afternoon. Harry, who had dropped Divination, had his last hour of Thursday empty of classes. After a morning of double Potions and then double History of Magic, he was often relieved. Hermione was in Ancient Runes and Ron, who had also dropped Divination, was off doing something for his duties as a Prefect. It was probably tied to that stupid dance. Harry yawned and sat down next on one of the couches, dropping his bag on the floor. Staying at school during the holidays was now a given for Harry, and he would rather spend detention with Snape for a week than spend the winter holidays with the Dursleys.
As he looked around the room, rubbing the back of his neck, he noticed Ginny Weasley sitting in a chair facing the fire, her arms folded. She looked throughly angry about something. Harry stood and walked over to the chair. “You all right Ginny?”
Ginny looked up into Harry's face, frowning. “I'm fine, Harry.”
“You sure?” He was skeptical of her answer.
“I'm just annoyed.” She turned back to the common room fireplace. “And you can tell Ron it's him I'm annoyed with.”
He sighed. “Is it about that stupid ball on Christmas?”
She pursed her lips. “Something like that.”
“Let me guess, Ron disapproves of who you're going with.” He asked himself why was doing this, but shrugged the notion off.
“I'm not going with anyone.” Ginny snapped. “I may as well not go, because no matter who I go with, Ron will make a big deal about it.”
Harry sat down in the second arm chair and looked at Ginny. He didn't have any siblings, so he had no idea how brothers and sisters acted towards one another, except in the Weasley family, and if all brothers were as protective of their sisters as the Weasley brothers were of Ginny, it was a miracle girls ever got to go out. “But you really want to go to the ball?”
Ginny jerked her head towards Harry, wondering why he was asking her this. “I think it would be fun, I mean, Hogwarts doesn't have dances regularly. Dad says that some Muggle schools have up to five of them a year. But Ron will be hounding me no matter who I go with... you remember how he was when Hermione went to the Yule Ball with Viktor Krum.”
Harry rolled his eyes. “I don't think I could forget that.”
Ginny turned back to the fire. “I thought Dean was going to ask me to the ball, but I found out today he's going with Parvati.” She sighed. “You're not going to the ball, are you?”
“I wasn't really planning on it.” Harry recalled watching Ginny dancing with Neville Longbottom at the Yule Ball, wincing as he stepped on her feet, and thinking that he would have enjoyed the Yule Ball so much more if he had gone with Cho. He didn't mind the sour memory he had, but if dances were important to girls as they seemed to be letting on... “Ginny?”
“Yes, Harry?” She turned and looked at him. He had the oddest look on his face, like was trying to say something more, but couldn't quite get the words out.
Harry cleared his throat. “You want to go to the ball with me?”
Ginny's jaw dropped. This is not happening. This is some wild dream. I've fallen asleep and I'm dreaming! Harry Potter has just asked me to the Christmas Ball. “Are you serious?” She squeaked out.
“I don't usually joke about something like that...” He saw the blush rising in her face, it was almost bright enough that her freckles were hidden. “So do you?” Harry felt his cheeks turning red. Why was he blushing?
Ginny knew her face had gone scarlet. There was also a blush rising in Harry's face. She struggled to regain her composure. “I... I'd love to go, Harry.”
Harry smiled awkwardly. “You think Ron's going to object?” He was hoping he could stop blushing before Ron and Hermione got back.
Ginny's look slowly changed. “I'm not going to tell him.” The idea forming in her mind. “And don't you tell him either..”
“What?” He gave her a look of shock.
Ginny's nodded slowly. “I want him to be surprised.”
Harry thought for a moment. It wasn't going to be easy, keeping something like this from Ron. “He's going to find out Ginny.”
“Not if he thinks we're not going.” She smiled. “Knowing Ron, he probably wants to avoid the subject.”
“Someone else will..” Harry looked around the common room, expecting to see some one watching them, but the only people besides them were a few first years, who were pouring over a large book, paying no attention to them.
“Then we won't tell anyone, not until we're getting ready for the ball itself.” Ginny nodded, as if this settled the matter. “When Ron asks who you're going with, just say you're not telling. If Hermione can pull of not telling who she was going with, so can we!”
“She told you.” Harry pointed out.
“That's only because I asked if Ron was taking her.” Ginny knew her cheeks were still flaming. She was surprised she could still speak. Her brain was still trying to process the thought I'm going to the Christmas Ball with Harry. “It's only a week.”
Harry thought for a moment. “It's not going to be easy.”
“I know...” Ginny stood up. She needed to calm down before she went to dinner. “I'll... I'll see you at dinner...” She turned and raced up the stairs to the girl's dorm, and Harry stood and watched her. It reminded him of the day she had raced up the stairs of the Burrow after catching sight of him at the breakfast table. He walked over to where he had dropped his bag and headed for the stairs to the boys dormitory. He though he better calm down before he went down to dinner too - or Ron would probably suspect something.
****
Later that night, Harry lay in his bed, thinking about what he had done this afternoon. He had asked Ginny because, well, it seemed like the right thing to do at the time. It wasn't pity, he was pretty sure of that. He folded his hands behind his head, staring up at the ceiling. How did he feel about Ginny anyway? She was his friend, yes. But it wasn't like being friends with Hermione. Hermione was like a sister in a way, they were close, but while Harry could remember how pretty Hermione had looked at the Yule Ball, he didn't really 'feel' anything for her - at least not in the way he used to feel about Cho.
His feelings for Ginny he couldn't quite place. Harry knew it was suicide for any boy to toy with the emotions of Ginny Weasley. Not only would she hex you, her brothers would fight over the next round, even Percy.
Perhaps there was something like a very good friendship, but it went deeper than that. It was tied to that night in the Chamber of Secrets. The night he found out what had been going on in the school, the night he found out that Ginny had been going through hell, and had been so alone. Alone, perhaps very scared, and she had nearly died at the hands of Lord Voldemort.
Harry winced. That had been horrifying, finding her barely alive in the Chamber, and then remembered how hard Ginny had cried when it was all over. Why had he been so worried about her being expelled? It was something he couldn't explain. Then there were other things. A ten year old Ginny racing after the Hogwarts Express, waving and weeping when he left for school the first time. Ginny in the Department of Mysteries, Ginny being brave. Ginny who had somehow stopped being a little girl and turned into a young woman, all while he wasn't bothering to notice.
“Hey Harry, you awake?” Ron came into the boy's dorm and sat down on his bed.
“Yeah Ron. Why?” Harry heard two thumps as shoes fell to the floor.
“Do you know what's wrong with Ginny?” Ron had noticed his sister at dinner, eating alone and blushing furiously.
Harry was glad Ron couldn't see his face. “I dunno... I only saw Ginny for a few minutes this afternoon when I came back from class. Hermione might know, it's not like she and I talk a lot.”
Ron yawned as he got into his pajamas. “I will be so glad when this stupid ball thing is over.”
“You're going with Hermione, aren't you?” Harry asked. Truth be told, he wasn't sure if Ron had asked her.
“She did the asking, so yeah.” Ron grinned. “Shame she can't take both of us.”
“I'm not going, Ron. I'd rather stay here and do something more interesting. Maybe just work on my chess game or something like that.”
Ron chortled. “Sounds more fun than having to get into dress robes and make an arse of myself.”
“You won't.” Harry yawned. “You might actually have fun.”
“Oh sure I will, not when I have to worry about who's taking Ginny.” Ron got into his bed and jerked the curtains closed. “She says she's not going, but I don't believe her.”
Harry swallowed. “Maybe she really means it.”
“She's not going.” Dean had come into the room. “I don't think anyone's asked her.”
Ron sat up and jerked his curtains open. “I thought you were dating her.”
Dean looked at Ron strangely. “No... I'm not. I'm going to the ball with Parvati.”
“Weren't the two of you an item?” Ron asked.
“We sort of were an item...” Dean changed into his own pajamas. “But it just wasn't working really. There was just nothing there between us.”
“I see.” Ron looked over at Harry's closed curtains. “Are you going with Ginny to the ball?”
Harry sighed. “No. I already told you, I'm not going to that stupid ball.”
Ron frowned. “If she's going with that Smith fellow in Hufflepuff...”
“Oh please.” Harry said. “I don't think Ginny would go with Zacharias Smith even if he begged on his hands and knees.”
Ron thought for a moment. “You're probably right. Michael Corner is still going with Cho, isn't he?” He didn't want to take any chances that Michael and Ginny had gotten back together.
“Will you just shut up about the stupid dance!” Harry pulled his pillow over his head. He wished Ron would just leave the subject be.
“Harry....” Ron began, and the curtains of his friend's bed slid open.
“Just drop it. I don't think there's a boy in this school who'd try anything with Ginny. If she hexed Malfoy as bad as you say she did last year, it's a fair bet no one wants to get on her bad side.” Harry jerked the curtains closed, leaving Ron open faced, gaping a his best friend.
“Now just a minute, Harry....” Ron began.
Seamus staggered into the room. “What's going on?”
Dean looked from Harry to Ron and then back to Seamus. “The best I can tell, Ron's upset that no one is taking his little sister to the dance.”
“I am not! I'm worried about who is taking her!”
“Maybe she's telling the truth and she's not going.” Dean said.
Neville, who was half asleep, muttered from his bed. “Don't look at me, Ron... I'm going home this Christmas.”
“Don't worry about it anymore tonight mate.” Seamus yawned. “You've got a week to find out if she's lying to you or not.”
Ron shook his head and shut the curtians of his bed. It was soon dark in the boy's dorm, the only sound was the constant drone of Neville's snores.
Harry lay awake for a long time and an idea slowly came to him. He may not be much of a dancer, but it was something that was important to Ginny. If this was the only time he ever really spent with her one on one, then it should be a good memory. For both of them.
****
Ginny constantly told herself that Harry asking her to the ball was something he had done as a friend, and that he really didn't like her. He found out how much she wanted to go, and had asked her so that she could be spared Ron's harassment. That was the sort of thing a friend did. Even if they were just friends, it was hard to keep her mind going off into daydreams that he actually fancied her. There was still that little hope in her heart that it was something more than merely friendship.
The girls in Gryffindor Tower talked of nothing more than the Ball, it seemed. Who was going with who and what they were wearing. Despite the ball, a number of students had gone home for the holidays. The group that remained was comprised mostly of fourth and sixth years, as several of the fifth and seventh years had gone home to get peace and quiet to study for their exams in the spring.
Ginny, of course, had stayed because Ron was staying, and claimed he should have some family with him at the holidays. Or this is what she told everyone, save for her mother. Molly Weasley was the only other person aware that Harry and Ginny were attending the ball together. Harry and Ginny agreed to inform her and no one else. It had made it a little easier, knowing that someone besides them knew. What Ginny had really needed was someone to know just how thrilled she was with the fact she was going to the dance. There wasn't a girl in Gryffindor who wouldn't let it slip, or at least act like they knew nothing about her going. Ginny had debated telling Luna, but the chance of someone overhearing them or her friend accidentally letting it slip was a little to great.
Ginny stretched and rubbed her face. The girl's dorm was quiet this early on Christmas Eve morning, and tomorrow, the secret would be out. From the corner of her eye, she saw a small box lying on her bedside table. She sat up and picked the box up. It was a simple white box with a single green ribbon tied around it. Who in the world had left this for her? She undid the ribbon and lifted the lid. Lying on a slip of parchment was a wrist corsage, a dark red gerbera daisy, with two tiny sprigs of baby's breath. Ginny's eyes lit up and she carefully picked up the parchment underneath and unfolded it.
Ginny -
I found this in Hogsmeade last Saturday. I just hope it goes with your dress robes. According to the lady in the shop, this flower is perfectly preserved at it's height of freshness.
Harry
Ginny grinned and tucked the parchment back into the box and closed it. Her excitement for tomorrow had just increased tenfold. She jumped out of bed and hurriedly dressed. She was probably blushing again. As she pulled the door of the dorm open she almost ran smack into Hermione Granger. “Oops! Sorry Hermione.”
Hermione shook her head. “It's okay. I don't think you're the only girl who's going around with stars in their eyes.”
“What's that supposed to mean?” Ginny tried to look nonchalant.
“The Christmas Ball is what I am talking about.” Her friend grinned. “I think that's all most of the girls can think about. You're going, aren't you?”
“No.” Ginny replied. “I'm not going.”
Hermione was skeptical of that answer. Ginny seemed a little to happy. “So what's with you're current mood?”
“No classes.” She waved off the notion. “I usually have double potions and then double divination today, and it's a relief.”
“Divination was such a waste of time. I could never understand the purpose of it.” They started down the stairs.
“It's okay... I'm not really interested in Ancient Runes, and that was the alternative.”
“Ancient Runes are fascinating!”
“Some people might say that about Divination. Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil to name two.”
“Maybe.” She shook her head, thinking. “I can't believe I had to ask your brother to this dance... I sometimes wonder how thick his head is. And I can't believe Harry's not going either.”
“He's not?” Ginny tried to keep her voice even as they came to the bottom of the stairs.
“No, says he's going to stay here in the tower. Maybe he'll do something useful, like work on his Occlumancy or his homework.” She shrugged her shoulders.
Ginny giggled. “If he procrastinates anything like my brother does, that's not very likely.”
“Point.” Hermione said as they started down towards the Great Hall for breakfast. “I would have thought you were going.”
“No. No one really asked me. I mean, I suppose Neville would have, but he went home for the holidays.”
“True. Who knows, maybe they'll have another one next year.” Hermione sighed. “In the middle of studying for N.E.W.T.'s... just what I won't need.”
“So dump it on the prefects in my year.” Ginny shrugged. “Just don't tell Madeline Jacobi I said that.”
“I won't.” Hermione grinned as they sat down to breakfast.
****
Harry woke up on Christmas morning completely relieved. Somehow he and Ginny had managed to pull it off, and the only person who was wise to their situation was Mrs. Weasley.
There was a small pile of presents at the foot of his bed, and from the looks of the paper around Ron's bed, he'd been up a while. “Merry Christmas, Ron.”
“Merry Christmas, Harry.” Ron grinned. “Thanks for the Cannons bag!” He brandished the Chuddly Cannons messenger bag Harry had found for him. “And I needed a new bag and all...”
Harry grinned. “Yeah. I know.” He pulled open a box from Mrs. Weasley, and it contained the usual sweater (blue this year), socks, and some homemade meat pies.
“You want to have a snowball fight after breakfast?”
“Sure. Sounds like fun.”
****
The day passed too quickly in Ginny's mind. One minute she was opening her gifts and going to breakfast, and now it was just after six in the evening, and she had heard the boys tramping into their dorm, in from the cold. She had agreed to meet Harry just outside the portrait hole at quarter to seven. It seemed to Ginny that most of the girls were so caught up in getting ready, they weren't paying any attention to one another. Ginny was finishing with her hair when Hermione She pushed the door of the room open. “Ginny, are you in here?” Ducking around Madeline Jacobi, who was looking into a mirror and turning her face from side to side, a jar full of blush powder in her hand.
“Sure, what's the trouble?” Ginny saw how Hermione was grasping the back of her robes and trying not to mess up her hair, which was in a very smooth French twist.
“Could you fasten this for me? It's sort of hard to do.” She turned around as Ginny took the clasp in her hands and quickly fastened it.
“There you go. All done.” Ginny grinned as Hermione turned around, and her jaw dropped slightly. Ginny was in dress robes of silver, which had a jacquard pattern of dragons. Her hair was pulled back from her face, curling faintly and looking very pretty.
“I thought you weren't going to the ball!”
“We all thought that.” Madeline shut her jar of powder with a snap. “Then we all came back from lunch, and she was starting to primp with the rest of us.” She tossed her hair over her shoulder.
Ginny grinned. “Well, I wasn't going until recently.”
Hermione grinned. “Who are you going with?”
“I'm not telling.” Ginny went over to her dresser and fluffed her hair a little.
“Oh. I see.” She didn't blame the girl, because knowing Ron, he would be complaining about it all night. “I'll see you there then.” She smiled. “Thanks for the help, Ginny.”
“No problem.” Ginny bent down to get pull her shoes on as Hermione left the room.
“So who ARE you going with, Weasley?” Madeline was pulling her own shoes on.
“I didn't tell Hermione, and I'm not telling you either.” Ginny grinned. “You'll find out when everyone else does.” She added the corsage Harry had given her and then opened the door and started down the stairs. “See you there, Madeline.” The common room was packed with students, in robes of all colors, chatting with one another. She scooted around the side of the room, and managed to get out into the corridor without being spotted, at least not by anyone who stopped her.
Up in the boys dorm, Harry was trying, unsuccessfully as always to get his hair to lay flat. He tossed his comb down in annoyance. “This is pointless...” He ruffled up his hair and grinned at his reflection. That actually looked better.
“Harry?” Dean's voice called out to him.
“Yeah Dean?” Harry sat down on his bed, polishing his glasses.
“I thought you weren't going.”
“Well, I changed my mind.”
“Who are you going with?” Dean checked his watch, he really should be meeting Parvati.
“Oh, someone. I'll see you there.”
Seamus sneezed and set down his bottle of hair tonic. “I think that snowball fight was a bad idea, I think I am coming down with a cold.”
“Maybe it's nerves.”
“See you both later.” Dean left the room as Harry checked his glasses for spots and then put them on. He was still nervous about the dancing part. He figured as long as he managed not to step on Ginny's toes... He went down the stairs after Dean and managed to slip out of the common room, the only person he spoke to in the process was Lavender Brown, who asked if Seamus had drowned in a sink upstairs.
Harry replied that Seamus was in the middle of fixing his hair. The answer seemed to make more sense to her than he thought it would. He pushed open the door of the portrait hole, and looked around for Ginny. When he saw her, he nearly gasped. Ginny caught sight of Harry and went scarlet.
Harry thought that Ginny looked extremely pretty, in dress robes of a pale silvery color and there was a silver barrette in her hair. He smiled. “You look very... very pretty Ginny.”
Were it possible, Ginny would have gone even more red. “You look nice too, Harry.” The dress robes he wore weren't the ones he had worn to the Yule Ball. He had apparently outgrown them, and was now dressed in robes of a midnight blue.
“Thanks.” He grinned awkwardly. “Shall we go down?”
“Uh huh....” She bit the corner of her lip as he held out his arm, wondering if she should take it or not. She tentatively took it, and they started down the corridors toward the great hall. “Did Ron find out?”
“If he had, would we be walking like this?” He grinned.
“Point.” She beamed. Even if they were just friends, Ginny was determined to make this night one she wouldn't forget. Even if they did nothing more than sit together and walk down the hallway like this, that was enough for her.
Down in the entry hall, Hermione was standing with Ron, who looked angry. “What do you mean, Ginny is coming to ball?” He was annoyed. “Who's she going with?”
“She didn't tell me Ron. It's her own business anyway.” Hermione sighed. If he kept up like this, she was going to have a good idea how Harry felt at the last Yule Ball when Ron complained about her date. Honestly...
She shook her head and looked up the stairs and knew her jaw dropped.
“Hermione, what's wrong?” Ron wondered what had shocked her so badly. He turned and followed her gaze up the stairs. Where Ginny was standing- next to Harry. His jaw fell in a mirror of Hermione's. “I...I don't believe it!”
“There's Hermione and Ron.” Ginny said, indicating the two people with their jaws scrapping the ground. She and Harry came down the stairs and went over to them. “Hi Ron, Hermione.”
Hermione recovered first. “Harry, Ginny... when...” She turned to Harry. “Why didn't you tell us you were coming together?”
Ginny had gone scarlet again. She merely shook her head.
“I think it was worth not telling you to see the look on your faces...” Harry grinned awkwardly. “Going to hex me for escorting your sister to the dance Ron?”
Ron shook his head once or twice as if still trying to comprehend what he was seeing. “Why would I do that mate?” He suddenly grinned. “I just wish you'd have told me.”
“I told him not to.” Ginny said, her voice just above audible. “I wanted to surprise you.”
“Well... I am at that....” Ron looked at Hermione.
“Oh, let's just go in...” Hermione felt it would probably be best for all four of them if they could sit down. The Great Hall was decked out for the holidays as always, but the long tables were gone, replaced by tables that varied in size, seating from six to sixteen. They were squared around a large empty space, where normally the staff, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw tables would stand. A long table was off to the side, in front of the hour glasses that showed the current standings in house points. They were all shortly sitting at a table along with Lavender and Seamus. Lavender had no sooner seen Harry and Ginny together and had broke into giggles. When they sat, Ginny picked up the menu lying on her plate and perused it. It was going to be a miracle if she was even able to eat, she was nervous. She kept trying to tell herself over and over that she and Harry were just friends, and he had only done this to be nice to her.
Harry glanced over at Ginny from his menu. Something was wrong. He wasn't entirely sure what it could be, she had wanted to come to the ball, hadn't she? He glanced back to his menu. Had they been back in the common room, he'd have asked her what was wrong, but the last thing he needed was someone jumping down his throat. Maybe she was just hungry. After placing their orders with their plates, and Lavender had recovered from her fit of giggles, it was easier to talk.
There was not nearly the crowd there had been at the Yule Ball. It was probably just half that, and Harry was extremely thankful that he wouldn't have to be leading off the dancing this time. Just dancing alone was terrifying. He he had managed to dance once without stepping on Parvati's toes, but Harry had already told himself that he wouldn't be sitting and watching for the majority of this ball. Even if all they did was move slowly around the floor, he was resolved not to step on Ginny's toes.
Ginny took a long sip of water. She wanted to stop blushing like she was eleven years old again. She hadn't blushed this badly around Harry in well over a year. Not since the last ball.
“Where'd you get that flower, Gin?” Ron had just noticed the bright red flower on Ginny's wrist.
Ginny smiled, feeling her blush abate some. “Harry gave it to me.”
“Can I see it?” Lavender leaned towards her as Ginny held out her wrist. “That's pretty...” She grinned at Harry. “That's a sweet thing for him to do.”
Harry nearly choked on his cutlet. “I was just being nice.”
“Where'd you find it?” Seamus asked.
“A shop in Hogsmeade, last weekend.” Harry smiled at Ginny. “I just wanted... to you know, be nice.”
Ginny's fingers brushed against Harry's arm when she pulled it back towards her. “I wasn't expecting a flower... I still don't know how he managed to get it into the girl's dorm.”
Harry grinned. “Just a little house elf I know....”
There was no real band for this dance, just a wizard in an artfully patched robes wearing sunglasses who stood behind a long table with some flat devices that reminded Harry of records. According to a name on a case lying next to the table, the man was Shawn Kilroy, and under his name were the words Magical and Muggle Music Productions. He had been playing light music for most of dinner, and had now pulled out a disc and turned up the volume, announcing the start of dancing. It was a very loud, very fast song, and Harry recognized the singers at the Weird Sisters.
Almost at once, Lavender pulled Seamus onto the dance floor, and it looked as if she was not alone in her enthusiasm. Ron stood up and he and Hermione went onto the dance floor, but it appeared as if Ron was actually trying to keep tabs on Ginny and Harry as they sat there.
Hermione took his hands and wheeled Ron to the other side of the dance floor. “Just leave them be, they're fine. We know Harry. He's not going to try anything.”
“Yeah...” Ron grinned. “Who'd have thought it, huh?”
“Are you okay, Gin?” Harry wasn't quite ready to go onto the dance floor.
Ginny sighed. “Why did you ask me to the ball, Harry?”
Harry blinked, taken aback by her question. Why had he asked her? He'd been rather resolute in not going, and nearly everyone in the school knew it. But he had known Ginny wanted to go, and no one seemed to want to ask her. “I... it just seemed like the right thing to do, that's all.”
Ginny folded her arms. “Is this supposed to be charity, then?”
Harry's eyes widened. “Charity? Merlin, Ginny, I wouldn't ask you if I didn't...”
“Didn't what?” Ginny's head jerked up. “If you didn't what, Harry?”
“If I didn't like you.” Harry was started to feel terrible. This wasn't how it was supposed to happen.
“As a friend, right?” Ginny just wanted the truth.
“Yes, as a friend... and...” Harry sighed. How did he really feel about Ginny? “As a very good friend...” This was not easy, not in any since of the word. “I can't really explain why...”
Ginny drew in a breath and leaned towards Harry, this wasn't something that was easy for him, she could tell that. Why was it so bloody hard for him to say he had merely asked her to be nice? True, that wasn't really the sort of answer she wanted, but that's all she was expecting. “Then try to explain it... please.”
Harry stared at his hands. “I did it because... because I didn't like to see you upset... you just looked so hurt and upset when I saw you in the common room last week.” Words started tumbling out of him. “I couldn't believe that no one had asked you to the ball, I mean... you're very pretty, and your a very nice person....” Harry slowly looked up into Ginny's face, and saw something there. It was if something had occurred to her, something she couldn't quite believe.
She stared at him in shock. “You think I'm pretty?”
“I do.” Harry kept staring into her Ginny's face, he raised his hand and very carefully, brushed his fingers against her cheek. “In fact, I think your beautiful.”
The music changed to a slower tempo, and Harry stood up, Ginny stared up him her eyes wide.
“What are you doing?” Ginny's voice barely audible.
“Something I should have done a long time ago. Ginny, would you like to dance?” He continued to hold out his hand as she slowly took it in hers and stood.
“I would love to, Harry.”
Harry escorted her to the dance floor, and, still holding her hand in his, set his free hand on her waist. Ginny set her hand on his arm and they slowly started revolving around in one place on the dance floor. Dancing was not that easy, especially when Harry's primary concern was not to step on Ginny's toes. The same words kept going over in his mind - one, two, three - one, two, three. Just keep counting, he told himself. Just keep counting and he'd be fine.
Ginny smiled as they slowly turned in a circle. Harry may not be the world's greatest dancer, but he was avoiding her feet with ease. Then again, dancing with Neville had been awkward for the both of them, but she had appreciated him taking her to the ball, because they both had wanted to go badly. She had never stopped liking Harry. She had just accepted that he was never going to notice her. She could live that way; she had given up, but never let go. Letting go, in her mind, was far too much. She knew that letting go would be impossible since that day in the Chamber. The night he had come to rescue her from Tom Riddle.
She had fully expected to die that night. To die there, scared and alone. She had been saved by the person who was already a hero in her mind, and ever since then he was her hero. She had been so scared the day he found Riddle's diary, and in the end, he had come to save her from the Chamber, the place that haunted her dreams. Harry who kept going through hells that few people, both wizard and muggle could comprehend, and he kept going. She could barely understand his turmoil, for she knew so little about it. But in her heart, she knew that maybe she could understand.
When she had told him that Voldemort wasn't possessing him last year, he said that he had forgotten what had happened to her. That had angered her. With all the hell he went through he failed to see that she, of all the people in his life that was still living, knew just what sort of person Voldemort could be - she knew far to well. It wasn't something Ron could understand, no matter how good of friends he and Harry were. As for Hermione, she could read every book on the subject, but still not know firsthand what it was actually like to have that wicked presence within you, looming over you like the shade of a nightmare that would not release you.
Harry looked down into Ginny's face and smiled. He hadn't been lying when he told her that she was beautiful. She was a very kind person, she wasn't afraid to stand up for herself. She was such a strong person in his mind. It seemed that she had been strong since she first started at Hogwarts. Ginny had endured Merlin only knew what when she was possessed by Tom Riddle. Riddle had prayed upon her like the vermin he was, and she had endured it all. She had refused to be left behind when they had all gone to the Ministry of Magic last year.
A true Gryffindor - there was no other way to describe her in a few words. Brave, daring, and unafraid to stand up for what she believed in - all this and more only added to her beauty.
But if Hermione was correct, Ginny had given up on him. Hermione had said so last year. A tiny voice in the back of his mind suddenly made a new thought occur to him. Who ever said that giving up meant letting go?
The last notes of the song ended and for a minute, Harry and Ginny just stood there, still slowly moving, reluctant to let the moment end. It wasn't something that Harry could find words to explain. All he wanted to do was keep holding Ginny like this, to just let the song go on, and even if they did not move around the dance floor as some of the couples did, it was wonderful just to be like this. When he looked down at her, he saw that the only part of her face that was pink were her cheeks.
The music had started again, a faster one this time, and already the couples around them were dancing. Ginny smiled up at him. “You want to keep dancing?”
Harry smiled. “Sure... but I'm not very good at this..”
She took her arm from his shoulder, and spun out from him, still holding his hand tightly. “You just move your feet a little faster, that's all."
“I think I can manage that.”
And so the evening went on, and neither of them could recall how many times they danced that night, only that they sat down a few times to cool off. There had been fast dances as well as slow ones, and Harry had decided that slow dancing was definitely better. He was starting wonder why he had ever thought of not coming to the dance in the first place.
Harry checked his watch when they sat down after another fast dance, and saw that it was nearly midnight. “Having fun Gin?”
She smiled. “Yes... I'm having a wonderful time.” She took a sip of butterbeer and glanced at Harry. “Are you?”
He nodded. “I am, Ginny.” He set his hand on hers, and brushed it with his palm, studying her smaller one in his. Her hand, despite the time playing Quidditch, was soft against his thumb.
Ginny looked down at their hands and smiled. “I'm really glad to you asked me Harry. Even if it's only just because we're friends.”
“I don't know if I just want us to be friends, Gin...” Harry blurted out.
Ginny's eyebrows lifted. “You mean, you'd like to try being more than friends?”
“I... I'd like to try... but I don't want to risk ruining our friendship..” Harry kept staring at his hand on hers. Her hand seemed to fit in his perfectly.
Ginny smiled and lifted Harry's chin with her other hand. “There are times when the risk is worth it. You of all people should know that.”
Harry slowly smiled. “Yeah... I guess I should...”
The last song started, a slow one, and he stood. “One last dance?”
Ginny stood. “Of course.” They started dancing slowly around in a circle, as they had for most of the night, and Ginny caught herself looking down at their feet, not once had he stepped on her toes, despite how closely they were dancing. She raised her head and looked directly up into Harry's bright green eyes. Something in them had changed. They weren't like they had been a week ago when she had agreed to go to the ball with him. They were brighter, softer. It was the look that she told herself time and time again she would never see in the eyes of this boy. It was almost a loving look. She had thought she would always be the little sister of his best friend, nothing more. It was like a wonderful, beautiful dream, and she never wanted to wake up.
If he was thinking about trying to be more than friends, then he wasn't the only one who had to risk things. There were some things that were risking, and dreams are never fully given without effort.
Ginny smiled as they turned around on the dance floor, and moved closer to him, resting her hand on his shoulder and her head against his chest, wishing with all her heart that perhaps this one dream, the only dream she ever prayed would come true, was to happen.
Harry closed his eyes and set his head against Ginny's, and placed his hand in the middle of her back. For once, he didn't care if anyone was staring at him. If they knew just how wonderful this felt, they'd not say a word. It just felt so right, to be standing here with Ginny, holding her like this, and he became aware that their feet were barely moving. That suddenly didn't matter either. A warm feeling was rising him, something he couldn't quite explain. It wasn't like it had been when he was around Cho, it was something stronger, something more potent. Whatever this feeling he couldn't place was, he never wanted it to end.
Ginny had closed her eyes when she had set her head on his chest. It was almost unreal, to be dancing like this with him. It was a scene from one of her most secret fantasies. And it was happening. It was actually happening. She felt his hand brush her hair for a moment, and then heard his voice whispering in her ear.
“I'm not afraid of the risk, Gin.” Harry said softly. Then pressed his lips softly against her temple.
****
Later that night, Ginny lay in her bed, still holding the gerbera daisy in her hands, her fingers running across the petals. It hadn't really been possible to respond to Harry's statement, because when the music ended, it seemed as if there was a mad crush of people trying to leave the Great Hall. Ginny would have liked to have stayed there in the Great Hall in Harry's arms until they fell asleep standing up.
Sleep, although she was exhausted, wasn't going to be upon her any time soon. She was far to elated to sleep. She sat up and set the daisy on her bedside table. The other fifth year girls were asleep, and as she put her feet into her slippers and decided she would rather be downstairs in front of the fire, remembering just how wonderful the night had been.
She was halfway down the stairs when she heard Ron's voice carrying up towards her.
“Honestly, Harry, what the hell do you think you're doing?” Harry might be his best friend, but Ron wasn't about to let a thing like that mean anything if it was his little sister who was at stake of being hurt.
“Ron...” Harry ran a hand through his hair. “At first I asked Ginny as a friend, she wanted to go - I'm not sure if anything is going to come of it, I don't even know how she feels about it.”
“My sister's isn't like Cho Chang, Harry. You should know that.”
“You think I can't tell the difference between a girl like Ginny and a girl like Cho?” Harry rubbed his forehead. “Ron, I'm not trying to hurt your sister, I wouldn't do something like that.”
Ginny took in a sharp breath and advanced a few more steps, still out of sight of both boys, but she could still hear them very clearly. Why was Ron so upset about her going to the ball with Harry? The way he was acting, it was almost as if she had gone with Zacharias Smith.
“I want you to be straight with me, Harry. Do you like my sister - as more than a friend?” Ron folded his arms, glaring at his best friend, still trying to comprehend what had happened this past night. A week ago, Ginny and Harry seemed like mere friends, tonight, however - they seemed to be more than that, much more.
Harry raised his head slightly and looked his friend in the eye. “Yes, Ron. I do.”
“Now, Harry....” Ron started again.
“Tomorrow Ron, it's late, and we'll be able to discuss this better after we've both had a good night's sleep.”
Ron sighed. “I suppose your right... I'm still not sure if I like this... but maybe you're right... and tomorrow would be best. Good night.”
“Good night.” Harry watched Ron go upstairs, he wasn't quite ready to go upstairs himself. He needed a few moments alone. Things had turned out far differently than he had expected tonight. He had no idea if a relationship with Ginny was even possible - she had not told him how she felt about him, but he was more worried about hurting her than he was of being hurt. True, he did not like pain, but he would rather endure the pain if there was someone who had to be hurt.
Ginny came down to the bottom of the stairs and looked around the common room. It was empty, save for Harry, who was leaning against the same arm chair she had been sitting in a week ago. He likes me... as more than a friend. She came a few steps closer. “Harry?”
Harry jumped at the voice and turned around. “Ginny? I didn't know you were in here.”
“I just came down...” She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “I...I wanted to know something... did you mean what you said to me earlier? About trying to be more than friends?” She came over to stand next to him.
He swallowed. “I did. But if you don't, I'll understand.”
She silently cursed as she felt her cheeks turning pink. She was going to have to work on this blushing problem around Harry all over again. “I wouldn't be true to my feelings if I said no.” She smiled. “I'm willing to try at being... more than friends.” Ginny took a deep breath and raised her chin. “I'm not afraid of the risk either.”
Harry raised his hand to Ginny's cheek, studying her face for a moment, taking in each tiny freckle that dusted her cheeks. He could feel her short, quick breath against his skin. He slid his hand up her cheek and into her hair, and lowered his lips to hers.
It was a kiss that was certain, yet not overly passionate, a kiss that tasted of chocolate and butterbeer, and it was warm, tender. The kiss held a promise that this, while it was the first, would most certainly not be the last.
****
“So you're going to try at being more than friends?” Ron asked Harry at breakfast the next morning.
“Yeah...” Harry took a spoonful of hash browns. “Neither of us really know where this is going to lead.”
Ron poked at his eggs. “I just don't want to see Ginny hurt, Harry. You know how she was about you back... well, you know.”
Harry nodded. “I don't think I could really forget all that, Ron, and I certainly don't want to hurt Ginny.” He sighed. “Is there anything more you'd like to discuss in this matter?”
Ron shoved a forkful of potatoes into his mouth and chewed, thinking. He had been wanting Harry and Ginny to be together since the Yule Ball in their fourth year, and now that it was actually happening, it was a little hard to comprehend. Ron swallowed. “Just don't do anything that would make me have to hex you, Harry.”
Harry gave his best friend a lopsided grin. “I think, should that happen, you'd have to wait for what was left of me when Ginny was done.”
Ron picked up his mug of tea. “You've got a point there, mate.”