Work Text:
The Yule Ball
A/N - For joshuazdanowicz whose prompt was "Harry/Ginny Yule Ball". This probably was not exactly what they had in mind, but it is where the muse led me. I hope you enjoy it.
Harry looked aghast at his Professor, unable to process her words. He was expected to attend a Yule Ball, with a partner, and dance – in front of over half the school! Without another word, Harry fled the classroom, heedless to Professor McGonagall's calls of, “Potter! Potter, come back!”
Secretly glad Hermione and Ron were nowhere to be seen, he wandered aimlessly for hours in a seldom used wing of the castle. What was he to do? He couldn't dance – didn't know the first thing to know about dancing – and he certainly didn't know how to ask a girl to be his partner. And that didn't even address the issue of which girl.
Yes, Hogwarts was filled with all manner of the female species, but most of them were giggly and flighty. Truth to tell, he was hardly acquainted with any girls. Most of them failed to give him the time of day, or else they pointed at him and discussed him amongst themselves with hushed tones and muted laughter.
His Quidditch teammates were nice enough, and treated him as a regular bloke, but other than Quidditch, he didn't interact with them much. He briefly considered Hermione as a possible partner, then dismissed the idea. She was more like an older sister, or interfering cousin bossing him around.
And there was the matter of the surreptitious looks he noticed his best friends giving each other, although for the life of him, he could not understand the attraction on either side. He could not imagine anyone less suited to Hermione than Ron. As for Ron, why would he want someone telling him what to do all the time. Wasn't his mother enough? Mrs. Weasley was a kind caring person, but she dearly loved to tell everyone what to do, and Merlin help you if you didn't fall in with her wishes.
Lavender and Parvati were of the giggly and flighty variety, which made him reluctant to consider them. The Hufflepuff girls were rather antagonistic towards him, believing he had unfairly stolen the limelight from one of their own.
The Slytherin girls might have been intriguing, but the thought inviting one of them to be his partner – not Pansy, of course – might draw even more unwanted attention to his person. He was much more comfortable in the shadows, a habit painfully learned from his early years with the Dursleys. No, it was wiser not to turn in that direction.
Which left the Ravenclaw girls. He knew his eyes kept straying to the pleasing form and figure of the Ravenclaw Seeker, but she was already spoken for. A shame that. Upon further reflection, however, Harry realised he knew very little about her other than she played the same position he did on the Quidditch pitch. Parvati's sister Padma was in Ravenclaw, but, once again, he knew very little about her or her interests. As for the other Ravenclaws in his year, he hardly recalled their names or faces.
Harry wedged himself into a window alcove overlooking the Black Lake. If he was honest with himself, he really had very little interaction with anyone at Hogwarts, other than his best friends, some of the Weasleys, and his dormmates. He shook his head in disgust. So much for his plans of going off to a new world and making friends. How had he allowed this to happen? How foolish of him to limit himself in this way.
Whilst he dearly enjoyed spending time with Ron and Hermione, allowing himself to be monopolised by them to the exclusion of all others – that was rather shortsighted of him, of them all, to be truthful. How many friendships had he denied himself by his selfish choices?
Neville instantly sprang to mind. Seamus and Dean had bonded from the first, as had he and Ron. Neville was the odd one out, and he struggled to think of who Neville could call friend. His first year, he had wasted so many opportunities to befriend the awkward boy.
Ginny was another name that popped to mind. Ron's younger sister was a puzzle. He had saved her life her first year, but had hardly spoken with her since. Some of that was because Ron was forever pushing her away, unwilling to allow her to become part of his admittedly small circle of friends, whilst at the same time intent on monopolising Harry's attention, leaving him little time to socialise with anyone outside their threesome.
Harry shook his head with regret. Another potential friendship thrown away by his own carelessness. He recalled more than one instance Ginny had attempted to speak with him, only to be dissuaded by her brother, and Harry had never once spoken up in her defence, nor sought her out at a later time. Who were her friends? He could scarcely think of any, except perhaps, Colin Creevey, someone he tended to avoid like the plague as his tendency to idolize Harry and sneak pictures of him was incredibly discomfiting.
Staring blindly out on the grounds of the only home he had ever known, Harry was filled with regrets for missed opportunities and selfish choices. Squaring his shoulders, he made a decision. It was more than time for him to stand on his own, to become his own person.
He was done hiding behind Ron and Hermione. He had allowed the two of them to guide his direction and his choices simply because he was enamoured with the novelty of having friends and too afraid of driving them away if he dared to be himself. It was time for him to come out of the shadows, out of their shadow, and forge his own path.
He didn't even like Divination! Arithmancy or Runes sounded much more intriguing, and whilst he really liked Hagrid – he had saved him from the Dursleys – and wanted to support him, Magical Creatures were interesting and all that, but not necessarily what he would have picked, given a real choice.
Another regret. Why couldn't someone have mentored him, discussed his choices for extra subjects with him and explained what they entailed? Someone like his Head of House, or one of the Prefects? Why didn't they offer that type of support to all those coming in from the Muggle world? Obviously their parents would be rubbish at helping them choose subjects they knew less than nothing about. Having your classmates help you pick was foolish, unless, of course, your friends were wise enough to offer you sage advice.
He sighed. Hermione simply wanted to be the best, which translated wanting to take everything, and Ron wanted to avoid academics as much as possible. Not a very good combination.
I wonder if I could read up on Runes or Arithmancy, or both, and pick up those subjects part way through the year, or beginning of next year? he mused. I wish I knew who to talk to about it.
Still staring sightlessly out into the creeping dusk, oblivious to the lateness of the hour, he mentally considered his options. A soft touch stunned him out of his reverie, and he almost leapt through the window in shock. Wand in hand, he anchored himself in the corner of the alcove, looking wildly around, “Expelli--”
“Ginny! You startled me,” he slumped back down, as adrenaline began to leak out of him. His hands began to shake in reaction to almost having injured someone.
Eyes wide, Ginny stared at Harry, her expression shocked.
“Erm, sorry?” she offered a bit tentatively. “I was just asking if you were going down to supper. Ron and Hermione are frantic. They haven't seen you for hours and are asking everyone if they've seen you.”
Harry hung his head, then lifted it defiantly.
“I'm the one who should be sorry, Ginny. I almost hexed you for nothing. I could have seriously injured you.”
Ginny smiled at him, “That's not surprising, Harry, given all you've experienced. I suppose I should have said something first.” She snorted in amusement. “Although with how far away you seemed to be, I'm not certain your reaction would have been much better.”
A wry smile crossed Harry's face.
“You may be right,” he acknowledged. “I've just been doing a great deal of thinking.”
He looked at her sideways, tempted to confide his recent enlightenments with her. What was it about Ginny that made him think she would make a good confidant? Perhaps it was their shared history of facing Voldemort and having survived, although neither was unscathed.
“Do you ever think about the Chamber?” he blurted out. “Sorry, stupid question. Of course you do,” he muttered, smacking himself on the head. “I'm a brainless git to have even asked.”
The smile fell from Ginny's face, and her expression tightened. She half turned her body and looked away from Harry, as if trying to hide from him, all the while muttering something incomprehensible under her breath.
“Do you have nightmares about it too?”
“Almost every night,” came her swift reply. “Wait, you have them too?”
“At least once a week. I spend at least half my nights by the fire. It's hard going back to sleep.”
“I just lie in bed and try not to think about it. Sometimes it works.” Her smile was wry.
“Well, next time you can come join me by the fire,” he glanced up at her through the fringe of hair covering his eyes, hoping he hadn't offended her.
“I think I'd like that.” Her voice sounded a bit wobbly.
“So, were you looking for me?”
“Not really. Sometimes I just like to be alone. Being around so many people all the time can be a bit much.” She sent him a sideways glance.
Harry grimaced. He knew the feeling. Unfortunately, his opportunities to escape one and all were few and far between. It felt like he was always with Ron or Hermione or both.
“Do you slip away often?”
“Whenever I need to. Sometimes I go for a fly, sometimes I wander around the grounds, and, when it's too cold outside, I roam the more remote parts of the castle.”
“Like today?”
“Like today.”
She paused, and turned her gaze upon him, her expression inscrutable, appraising him. Finally Ginny nodded as if she had come to a decision.
“I don't rub along well with most of my classmates. They like to remind me of what happened First Year.”
Harry reached out a tentative hand and placed it lightly on her arm.
“I don't blame you. I hope you know that. I've meant to talk to you about all that happened. I'm sorry I haven't.” He shook his head in disgust. “I've been doing some thinking. I'm not certain I like the person I've been.”
He looked intently into her eyes.
“I'd like to get to know you. I'm sorry for not standing up to others and allowing them to push you away. I knew you could use a friend, and I never made an effort to become that person.”
Laying her hand over his, Ginny acknowledged his words.
“It's not easy sometimes. I accept your apology. I could have used being friends with you, but perhaps I wasn't truly ready last year.”
She dropped her gaze.
“I've always thought of you as being a bit of hero, a knight in shining armour. It's why I had such a hard time being around you when you first came to the Burrow. And then you saved me from Tom, and myself. You became my hero.”
Harry began to protest, but Ginny cut him off.
“Shut it, Harry. Whether you like it or not, you did save me. Maybe you had help, and maybe it was dumb luck, but I would have died or worse if it hadn't been for you. You're a bit of a scrawny git, and you're not perfect, but when it truly mattered, you were there for me.”
She took a deep breath. “I'd like to get to you know, too. The real you. If you'd let me.”
Harry flashed her a brilliant smile. “I'd like that. I'd really like that. Do you want to go to the kitchens with me and grab a bite? I'm not certain I'm ready to face everyone in the Great Hall yet.”
“What about my brother and Hermione?”
“I don't have to answer to them,” he retorted with a bit of asperity. “They'll get over it.”
“That may be, but I'm guessing Hermione will rake you over the coals for causing her so much worry.”
“Then let her. I've decided I'd like to begin to work on other friendships as well as hers. She will need to get used to sharing me a bit more, they both will.”
Ginny looked at him in interest. This was a new side to Harry. His thoughts must have been quite interesting.
“What brought all this on?”
Harry blushed in embarrassment. “I have to attend the Yule Ball with a partner and open with the first dance.”
Ginny smothered a grin. “And?” she pressed
“I don't have anyone to ask, and--” his voice dropped to a whisper, “I don't know how to dance. I'd make a fool out of myself and my partner.”
Ginny nudged him with her elbow as they walked along. “I could teach you to dance,” she offered quietly.
Harry's face lit up. He turned to her, his face brimming with excitement and hope. “Truly? You would be willing to do that?” he asked breathlessly. “You're the best!”
“And don't you forget it, Potter!”
Harry laughed and tucked his arm through hers, dragging her through the empty halls to the entrance to the kitchens. Over a feast served to them by the delighted house elves, they chattered animatedly about everything and anything. By the end of the evening, they had made plans to meet up twice a week in a remote empty classroom for their lessons.
“What about music?” inquired Harry worriedly. “We can't dance without music? And what if it's not the right music or the right steps, or--”
Ginny put her hand over his mouth. “Harry, Harry, Harry. Don't worry. I'll take care of everything. All you need to do is show up and pay attention.” She looked at him admonishingly. “Do you think you can handle that?”
Harry nodded, and Ginny withdrew her hand. “Now, what are you going to tell Hermione and Ron?”
Harry's expression soured. “Not much. Just that I needed some time to myself.”
“Do you think that will work?”
“Not really, but I'd rather not have to explain myself to them.”
“Are you trying to keep this a secret?” Ginny waved her hand around them.
“Of course not! I simply don't think they need to know everything about my life.”
Ginny nodded sagely. “You may not think so, but Hermione might not agree.”
“You're probably correct,” he admitted wryly, “but maybe I'll turn the tables on her. Can you imagine if I insisted she tell me what she was doing and where she was going every minute of the day?”
Ginny laughed. “That I would have to see. If you decide to do that, make sure I'm around. I would hate to miss the show.”
In companionable silence, the two headed back towards the Gryffindor Common Room. By tacit consent, they parted ways prior to reaching the door so as to avoid entering together and opening up a whole other can of worms.
Harry was the first to enter, and was immediately jumped upon by his bushy haired friend, who grabbed his arm and dragged him off to their corner, completely missing Ginny's entrance only a minute later, so absorbed was she in her mission to get to the bottom of Harry's disappearance.
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It was thus a new pattern to Harry's days was begun. Despite his long explanations, neither Hermione nor Ron quite understood Harry's new desire to widen his circle of friends. Both, in their own way, nurtured feelings of hurt of and resentment, and felt they were no longer adequate.
Harry had attempted to encourage them to do the same – to reach out to others who might share some common interests and form new friendships – but to his knowledge, neither one of them had chosen to follow his advice, not seeing the need to effect any changes. They were content with the way things were.
Harry and Ginny were meeting twice a week for their dance lessons, and Harry was making great strides. He discovered he really enjoyed his lessons, and had more than one discussion with Ginny as to how they might apply dance moves to the Quidditch pitch.
Harry also discovered that his success in learning something new was increasing his confidence, which was slowly extending over into his studies. After another tete a tete with Ginny, and Neville, with whom he began to sit regularly with at lunchtime, he had approached Professor McGonagall.
He began by apologising to her for his abrupt exit from her classroom, and then inquired as to the possibility of changing his electives.
Professor McGonagall was, at first, rather skeptical of his request, as his academic performance was not particularly stellar. She acknowledged such a change was not entirely impossible, but emphasized it would be quite a challenge to accomplish successfully, requiring a serious amount of time and dedication on his part.
Harry listened politely and then asked, “Why is it, Professor, that the school does not provide any counselling at the end of Second Year to help us select our electives? Especially those from the Muggle world and those with poor family situations – pupils who don't have anyone to go to for advice.”
Professor McGonagall looked at him for a few moments before replying. “That is an excellent question, Mr. Potter. I cannot think of one reason why we don't. I shall have to suggest the idea to the Headmaster. Perhaps something can be set up before the end of this year.”
Harry appeared both pleased and guarded. “Please, Professor, don't mention my name when you bring it up with Professor Dumbledore. I would really rather not have him know I have anything to do with it.”
Professor McGonagall looked as if she was about to demand an explanation, but the pinched look on Harry's face caused her to change her response.
“Very well, Mr. Potter, I will refrain from mentioning it. However, I must warn you, the Headmaster will have to be consulted if you decide to go forward with your plan to change electives. I suggest you only change one, if you are serious about your intentions.”
“I understand, Professor. I will think about it and let you know my decision. I have friends who are willing to help me study and bring me up to speed in both Ancient Runes and Arithmancy, which is quite similar to the mathematics I was studying before coming to Hogwarts.”
“Very well, Mr. Potter. If you have no further questions--”
“Oh, but I do. I have one more, Professor. Is there any way I can obtain a copy of the books used in those classes? If I had the books, I could use them to study and prepare for the end of year exams.”
McGonagall quickly sorted through some papers in the bottom drawer of her desk, and handed Harry a form.
“This is an owl order form for Flourish and Blotts. Simply fill it out and send it via owl. You will need to authorise Gringotts to pay for your books, and the shop will owl you with your order.”
“Do other shops have similar arrangements? And how do I authorize payment?”
“If you had paid better attention, Mr. Potter, during your introductory visit to Diagon Alley, you would have known the answers to those questions.”
Harry stared at his Head of House in bemusement.
“What seems to be the problem, Mr. Potter?”
“Someone was supposed to explain about how the shops and Gringotts worked to me when they took me to Diagon Alley?”
“Of course. It is standard procedure when introducing new pupils to the magical world. How else are they supposed to know how to place orders and pay for mid-year replacement supplies? Don't tell me you thought the amount of potions ingredients you purchased at the beginning of the year was supposed to last the entire year.”
“They're not?” came his stammered response.
“Mr. Potter, I know you are not dim-witted, and you don't often run around with your head in the clouds. I quite fail to understand why you seem to have completely forgotten everything Professor Flitwick told you during tour.”
“Professor Flitwick?”
“Yes. Filius especially requested he be the one to escort you around. He had a special fondness for your mother who was a dab hand at Charms, and had planned to pursue a Mastery in the subject under his tutelage.”
“Professor, I think there has been a misunderstanding. I never met Professor Flitwick until our first lesson in Charms. Hagrid was the one who escorted me around, and he never explained anything to me. He mostly sent me off to the shops with my list whilst he ran errands and recovered from our visit to Gringotts.”
“Hagrid? Why would anyone send Hagrid to escort a pupil around? He doesn't know--”
Professor McGonagall's voice dropped, and Harry swore he heard her mutter imprecations under her breath, and did she call the Headmaster an old goat? He waited in silence for her to recover her equanimity, curious what she would say next.
“Mr. Potter, it seems I owe you an apology. You are completely correct. There has been a serious misunderstanding. No wonder you seem to have struggled so in your first few years here. I had no idea. I also apologise for not having followed up on my concerns and spoken to you before this.”
She paused, and once again began to sort through the folders in her desk drawer. Withdrawing several pamphlets, she handed them to Harry.
“Here this ought to get you started. I suggest you order the books mentioned in these pamphlets, they should be of great benefit to you. It is a wonder Miss Granger never mentioned any of this to you. I cannot understand it. She was so eager to learn as much as she could.” She shook her head. “Anyway, if you have any questions, please come see me or Professor Flitwick. I will explain to him what happened, and I am certain he will be as eager as I am to help you in any way we can.”
Harry hid a smile. He wondered how often Professor McGonagall apologised to a student.
“Thank you, Professor. I will look these over, and order some books. How long do I have before I must give you a decision about my electives?”
Checking the calendar, she informed him it would be best if he made his decision before the beginning of the next term.
“That should give you a few weeks to think things over and make your decision. I wish you luck. Good day, Mr. Potter, and well done in rethinking some of your choices. It shows the beginning of wisdom and maturity. You have the makings of a fine young man. Your parents would be proud.”
Harry's heart warmed at the praise, and he left the meeting determined to continue to work on living up to his parents' legacy.
Coming out of his Head's office, he found Ginny impatiently waiting for him. Flashing her a bright smile, he asked, “What are you doing here?”
“Well, I knew you were planning on speaking with McGonagall about electives, and I couldn't wait to hear what she had to say.”
“Well, Miss Weasley,” Harry began, offering her his arm, as he led her to a less populated part of the castle, “she was a bit hesitant. I don't think my academic record reflects well on my ability to succeed in this undertaking.”
His tone of voice was extremely proper and pompous. He sounded like an even more stuck up version of her older brother, if that was possible, and Ginny broke out into giggles.
Elbowing him in the ribs, she quipped. “C'mon, Potter, don't give me that drivel. You're quite brilliant, when you want to be.”
Harry stopped abruptly and eyed her questioningly.
“Why do you say that?”
“Harry, truly. You could not possibly have accomplished half the things you have based on luck alone.”
She put her finger against his lips to stop his protest.
“Hush, I know you had my brother and Hermione to help you, and Hermione is quite bright, but you tend to underestimate or even ignore your contributions to your successes.”
She began ticking off her fingers. “Who successfully managed to prevent Quirrel from getting his hands on the Stone? Yes, you had help navigating the traps, but in the end, it was you and Voldemort, and you figured out how to stymie him. Who managed to defeat the basilisk and prevent Tom from taking over my body? Who managed to conjure a corporeal patronus at the age of thirteen, and figure out a way to save his godfather and Buckbeak? And who successfully managed to retrieve the egg out from under a dragon?”
She regarded him intently, her expression quite fierce. “You, Harry, that's who. You used your mind, and showed courage and resourcefulness. Hermione could not have done it, Ron couldn't have done it. I most likely could not have done it – look where you found me, on the floor, life essence draining away, completely powerless. Don't sell yourself short.”
Harry flushed at her praise. After so many years of being bullied and denigrated by his relatives, it was almost impossible to believe himself capable of anything. When he first began school, he had embraced learning with enthusiasm and diligence. The response he had received when he had presented his first evaluation taught him the need to never succeed. Such habits were hard to break. Intelligence and ability were to be hidden at all costs. The cost of success was too high a price to pay.
Even at Hogwarts, where he had believed he would have a new start, a new chance to succeed, he had quickly learned that if he were excel, he would lose the good regard of his only friends. So, once again, he learned to hide. That Ginny had seen what so many others, including his professors, had not, astonished him. He was in awe at the wisdom, insight, and resourcefulness of the girl in front of him.
Without thinking, without any forethought, he blurted out, “Ginny, would you come to the Yule Ball with me? I can't imagine having anyone else as my partner.”
As quickly as he had spoken, his face flushed a bright red, and he fixed his stare on his shoes, and wished himself away. He could not believe he had just asked her to the ball. And it was so poorly done. Why did he think anyone would want to be his partner? If he could take it back he would.
Her silence was deafening. He began to pull his arm away from hers, intent on escaping as far away and as quickly away as possible. He had completely mucked everything up. Of course, she didn't want to go with him. What was he thinking?
Harry felt pressure on his arm, why couldn't he untangle himself from her? He began to tug more insistently, when his efforts were stilled by her gentle voice.
“Harry. Harry, look at me, please.”
He refused to raise his eyes from the floor.
“Potter, don't be a bleeding idiot. Look at me!”
When she finally had his attention, Ginny began to speak in earnest.
“Do you mean it? Do you really want me to be your partner?”
Harry nodded.
“Then, Mr. Potter, I would be delighted to attend with you.” Her smile was incandescent. “I shall be the envy of all the girls.”
Harry's face reddened at her comment, lowered his eyes, and mumbled, “No one is interested in me.”
Ginny stared at him for a moment in bewilderment. Had he honestly no idea how desirable he was as an escort? Had he not noticed the swarms of girls milling around him, hoping to catch his notice? She began to suspect he was blissfully unaware of all the attention he garnered. He seemed genuinely clueless.
“Harry,” she began gently, “have you not noticed all the attention the girls have been paying you lately?”
Harry lifted his eyes and regarded her with a puzzled expression on his face.
“Erm, no?”
“Let me ask you this, how many times have you been bumped into today?”
There was a bit of silence as Harry contemplated the answer. “I dunno. Loads?”
“And who has been bumping in to you?”
Once again, Harry was silent as he mentally reviewed the events over the course of the day. The more he considered things, the redder he became.
“Oh. I guess I am a complete idiot. They were all girls. I never even noticed.”
Genuinely puzzled, he asked, “But why are they bumping into me? I don't understand.”
Smiling, Ginny responded tartly. “Because they're bleeding attention seeking harpies, that's why!”
“Erm, Ginny, I still don't understand.”
“It's simple, Harry. They are trying to attract your attention. So, they invent an excuse to bump into you, hoping you will look at them, and invite them to the ball.”
“They want me to invite them to the ball? So they bump into me? Why would I do that? And why would anyone want me to invite them to the ball? I'm just an average scrawny git? And apparently, a not too bright one, at that.”
This caused Ginny to break into laughter. “Harry, in case you haven't noticed, you have started to grow and fill out a bit this year. You may not be as tall as some of the other boys, but you are not hard on the eyes, and you are Harry Potter, and a Tri-Wizard champion to boot. As far as the bumping, it's simply their way of trying to draw your attention. It may not be the most sensible way of going about it, but girls, and boys, have been doing it for ages.”
Harry shook his head. None of this made sense, but he would trust Ginny's interpretation of the situation since she seemed much better versed in social interactions.
“But everyone thinks I cheated my way into the tournament and blame me for taking all the honour and glory away from Cedric, the true champion.”
“At the beginning, yes. And that sentiment was well fed by Malfoy's actions. But after the first task, people have taken a very different view. They either believe no one could be foolish enough to choose to participate in such a dangerous undertaking, or if they are still of the opinion you put your name in, they think you're receiving your proper comeuppance.”
“What about you? What do you think?”
“Harry, I don't think, I know. You said you didn't do it. I believe you. You are honest and brave, and certainly not the attention seeking git Malfoy, and my brother, has accused you of being.”
Flushing at her praise, Harry steered her in the direction of the kitchens as, once again, they had missed supper. Their evening meal was filled with laughter and smiles, and little touches as often as they could manage.
Harry could scarcely tear his eyes away from the beautiful young woman across from him. She was like fire and light and as bright as the sun. He shook his head in bemusement. How could he have ever wasted a second glance on Cho Chang? She paled in comparison to the brightness of Ginny Weasley.
As they slowly walked back to the Common Room, he daringly linked her hand with his. Before they reached the Fat Lady, he pulled her into an alcove and covered her mouth to prevent her from speaking.
“Hush. I need to get this out before I lose my courage. Ginny Weasley, would you be my girlfriend? I think I really like you, and I feel so much better just being around you.”
His voice trailed off into nothingness as he forced himself to keep his eyes focused on her and hear her out.
Ginny's eyes grew wide, and the specks of gold dancing in a sea of liquid chocolate grew brighter. Throwing herself into his arms, she whispered, “Harry, I would love to be your girlfriend. I don't know of any boy I admire more than you, and with you I don't have to pretend to be anyone other than myself.”
Harry carefully put his arms around her, he was still rather unused to unexpected physical contact, but it felt brilliant to have her this close to him. Staring down at her, he noticed she had tears in her eyes. Pulling away slightly, he regarded her with concern.
“Are you alright? Did I do something wrong? Should I not have asked you?”
Ginny flashed him a watery smile. “These are tears of happiness, Harry. Nothing to fuss yourself about. I think I really like you too.”
This time it was Harry's turn to pull her closer to himself. They stood there for several minutes, a bit unsure as to where to go from there and simply enjoyed being in each other's embrace. After a few minutes, Harry brushed a tentative kiss across her lips and then hastily retreated, as if spooked by his own audacity.
Ginny followed him and responded by brushing her lips against his, a bit more firmly, but almost as briefly.
“You didn't do anything wrong,” she hastily assured him. “Don't worry,” she joked, “I'll be certain to let you know if you've displeased me.”
With a wry grin, Harry elbowed her gently. “Don't you always? C'mon, it's time we leave. We don't want to get ourselves in trouble.”
“Are we going to tell anyone?”
“What do you think? Keeping it secret, at least until the ball, seems like a brilliant idea. We won't have anyone giving us a hard time, or glaring at us and trying to intrude on our time together. I'd like to keep you to myself a bit longer and keep building on what we have before exposing ourselves to the rest of the world.”
Giving him a tight hug, Ginny nodded her head. “Agreed. I'm not ashamed of you, or ashamed to be your girlfriend, but I'd rather not share us with either. Nor do I want to deal with my brothers, any of them.”
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The eve of the Yule Ball arrived more swiftly than most pupils were prepared for. Ron still had not found the courage to ask anyone to be his date, thus he was staying behind in Gryffindor Tower, unwilling to expose himself to the derision of his classmates. Hermione would be attending but was unwilling to reveal the name of her date, not even to Ginny.
Harry had assured everyone he had a date, but he too refused to reveal her name. Both Hermione and Professor McGonagall kept shooting him concerned glances, not entirely certain he was telling the truth, but helpless to do anything about it.
Neville had decided to invite Luna Lovegood, a friend of Ginny's from Ravenclaw, to the Yule Ball. She was a quiet girl, with a bit of a unique outlook on life, and Neville found her perspective to be a breath of fresh air. She had a calming effect on him, and he found he was not quite as overcome with shyness when he was around her.
Harry and Ginny had decided to to meet outside the Common Room and only reveal themselves as a couple when it was time to enter the Great Hall. Standing together in the shadows, they murmured quiet reassurances to each other, and exchanged more than one gentle kiss.
Finally, it was time. Professor McGonagall announced the Champions and their escorts needed to line up.
Brushing one last kiss across Ginny's lips, savouring the taste of strawberries and honey, Harry held out his arm, and proudly led her down the stairs. He hardly noticed the reactions of the waiting crowd below them. He had eyes for no one other than his beautiful girlfriend. To his mind, no one could hold a candle to Ginny who was dressed in pale green robes which fit her to perfection and complimented his own robes of deep green. Although part of her hair was caught up in an elaborate twist, a length of it was swirling down the front of her dress like licks of flame.
Ginny, for her part, could not be prouder to be seen on Harry's arm. She loved the robes he had chosen for her, and was so thankful she was able to explain to her mother that her robes were in payment for the lessons she was giving Harry. Her mother had fussed about it, but after consulting with her father, everything had been smoothed over.
Hermione, at the front of the line on the arm of Viktor Krum, wore a rather stunned expression, tinged with a hint of hurt and betrayal. Before she could say anything, Viktor leaned down and spoke quietly in her ear. Whatever he had said, brought a smile to her face, and, squaring her shoulders, she turned to face the closed doors.
Professor McGonagall nodded to them, and motioned them to take their place in line behind Cedric and Cho off to the side. The four champions and their partners waited quietly as the rest of the students flowed into the Great Hall. Once the entryway had been emptied she motioned to the couples to follow her, and they all paraded into the Great Hall to the applause of everyone assembled.
Taking a deep breath, Harry led her through the doors and gasped in amazement at the sight before him. The Great Hall had been transformed into a winter wonderland. He glanced at Ginny and saw she wore an equally astonished expression. He flashed her a bright smile. The evening was going to be brilliant.
At dinner they were seated near her brother Percy, who was filling in for Mr. Crouch, who was, once again, missing. He insisted on regaling Harry and Ginny with tales of his work for the department and the honour that had recently been bestowed upon him – he was now Mr. Crouch's personal assistant.
Percy also regarded the two of them with a great deal of suspicion and disapproval. Every time Harry or Ginny leaned over to whisper in each other's ears, he shot them a fierce glare and snapped out a reminder they had best behave as everyone was watching them, causing Ginny to giggle and Harry to stifle a snort, which only serve to further irritate him.
When the Weird Sisters appeared on stage, Ginny whispered excitedly in Harry's ear, “They're my favourite band! I'm so thrilled to see them in person!”
Harry rose to his feet, gallantly extended his hand to Ginny and, taking her hand and tucking it into the crook of his arm, proudly led her onto the dance floor behind the other champions. The two of them took their places and fluidly began spinning around the room in time with the music. They only had eyes for one another, not even noticing when the floor began to fill up with students and staff alike.
“You look so beautiful,” Harry murmured quietly. “I can't stop staring at you. And your hair, you left part of it down.” He reached up and wound a stray strand around his finger. “I love your hair, it's so soft and fiery.”
Smiling up at him, Ginny replied. “I made certain to request a style that would leave part of it down, just for you.”
Bending down, Harry thanked her with a lingering kiss, oblivious to the reaction of those around him. Once the music changed, he glanced at Ginny, silently asking her if she wished to continue dancing or if she would rather catch up with friends.
In response, Ginny grabbed his hands and led him deeper onto the dance floor. Three quarters of an hour later, Harry led her off the floor in search of the refreshment table. Grabbing two butterbeers off the table, he scanned the tables looking for a familiar face. He spotted Hermione who was frantically waving her arm at him, motioning to two empty chairs at her table.
Bending his head in her direction and receiving a nod in return, he led them through the crowd and joined Viktor and Hermione. Grateful that Viktor's presence would hopefully stave off most of her questions, they cheerfully exchanged opinions on the evening. Hermione pulled Ginny close and began whispering intensely, shooting glances in Harry’s direction every so often. He noticed Ginny’s sly grin and hoped she wasn’t giving Hermione too hard a time.
“You make a charming couple,” Viktor remarked. “You dance very nicely.”
Harry smiled. “Thank you. We have had a lot of practice.” Indicating Hermione, “You look very well together. I didn't know you were acquainted. I'm glad she is making new friends.”
“Thank you. We met in the library. She is very intelligent. And does not chase after me.”
Harry flashed him a wry smile. “I understand. Ginny grounds me. She sees me for who I am, and is still willing to be around me.”
“Yes, exactly.”
It wasn’t long before they were joined by Neville and Luna, introductions were made, and soon the six of them were chatting away like old friends, although Harry did notice Hermione shooting Luna some suspicious glances. He smiled inwardly. Ginny had introduced him to Luna the week before, and he quickly learned she had her own unique perspective on life and the world around them. He actually quite enjoyed talking to her, never knowing what she might say next, however he could easily imagine her type of wisdom would drive Hermione around the bend.
The opening chords of the next song prompted Ginny to grab his hand and drag him back onto the dance floor. It wasn't until quite a bit later, that Harry requested they take a stroll outside. The paths were mostly deserted, and Harry and Ginny found a quiet corner just to themselves. Harry cast an obscuring charm to further hide them from any prying eyes and turned his attention to his riveting girlfriend.
“I'm almost glad Ron isn't here tonight. I would hate to have to deal with his reaction to seeing us together.”
“Potter, don't you ruin my evening. It's been magical so far, and there is no need to bring my brother, any of my brothers into it.”
Harry laughed and kissed her slowly, running his hands up and down her back in a soothing pattern. Pulling back slightly, he murmured, “I beg your pardon, milady. That was an unforgivable error on my part. I must make amends.”
“See that you do,” was her response, as she pulled him closer, sliding her hands into his hair.
For many minutes words were scarce, and when they finally made their way back into the castle, their faces were flushed, and their lips were swollen. As they climbed the stairs towards their Common Room, they spied Viktor and Hermione in an embrace and slipped quietly past them, unwilling to disturb or embarrass their friends.
“This has been a perfect evening, Harry. I'm so glad you asked me to the ball.”
“I can't imagine being with anyone else. And it all started because I didn't know how to dance.”
“Offering to teach you was one of my more brilliant ideas, if I do say so myself.”
“I couldn't agree more,” was Harry's swift reply. “Thank you for everything. For lessons, for agreeing to be my date, for being my girlfriend, for being you.”
Ginny blushed and regarded her boyfriend intently. “Whilst we are on the subject of lessons, what are you going to tell Professor McGonagall about your electives? Have you made a decision yet?"
“Thanks to your brilliant tutoring, I am almost caught up with you in Arithmancy. I’ve been studying the Ancient Runes text, and your suggestion to ask Padma Patil to tutor me in that has been working out brilliantly. It was rough when we first started, but I think I’m beginning to get the hang of it, and it’s quite fascinating."
“Does that mean you’ll be trying for both?"
“I think so. If you and I keep working at it the way we have, I’ll be able to start on the Fourth Year material around the time of the Second Task."
He grinned at her. “And then you’ll be ahead of your year. Do you think they would allow you to move ahead? It would be brilliant to have you in at least one of my classes."
Ginny looked uncertain. “I don’t know. I’ve never heard of that happening, but it doesn’t mean it isn’t possible. Perhaps I’ll join you when you speak to Professor McGonagall and ask her."
She flashed him brilliant smile. “It would be smashing to share a class.” Her expression grew thoughtful. “I wonder if I could do that for any other classes."
Harry groaned. “Oh, no. I think I’ve created a monster. Please don’t become as obsessed with schoolwork as Hermione. I don’t need both of you on my case about studying."
Ginny reached up and smoothed his hair back from where it had fallen in his face. “Don’t worry about that. I take my studies seriously, but there is more to life than studying. Now, Mr. Potter, enough of that for tonight. We’ll have plenty of time to discuss things before the term starts up again."
Harry nodded and pulled her close burying his face in her hair, breathing in the scent that was Ginny. Ginny snuggled in against him, rubbing her face against his chest, simply enjoying being close to him. Soon they were lost in each other, exchanging kisses and caresses. A sudden clanking echoing through the castle caused them to jump apart looking around a bit wildly. Not spotting any movement, they laughed and worked on slowing down their breathing.
Indicating the door, Harry asked, “I guess that means it’s time for us to go in and face the music? This evening has been magical, one of the best in my life, and all because of you.”
Ginny's smile was wobbly. “No, Harry, you had as much as a part in this as I did. If anything, it was because of us.”
Harry nodded. “Because of us. I like it.”
After one more passion filled kiss, they linked hands and entered the Common Room, together.