"No, no, no. You have to come forward more. Like you're bobbing for apples, only really fast."

Dean Thomas aimed his wand at the transparent red bubble in the middle of the room. With a quick flick of his wrist the music stopped. The animated band on top of the CD shimmered, then started the song from the beginning.

"Hey, hey, mama, said the way you move, gonna make you sweat, gonna make you groove."

Dean clenched his left fist and began strumming the air with his right fingers as a blazing guitar kicked off Led Zeppelin's "Black Dog." He scrunched up his face and rapidly bobbed up and down.

"See, Harry . . . you have to feel the music . . . throw your whole body into it."

Harry Potter positioned his hands similar to Dean's, tightened his face to the point he looked like he was about to be sick, and snapped his torso back and forth.

"Yeah, that's it." Dean's fingers wiggled, keeping pace with the song. "Now you're getting the hang of it."

Dean glanced at the other side of the room. Ron Weasley and Neville Longbottom stood against Neville's bed, both wearing quizzical expressions.

"Muggles seriously do this?" Ron asked.

"Of course." Dean leaned back, his right fingers moving in a blur. "It's called air guitar."

Neville shook his head. "Why not just get a real guitar, cast a spell, and make like you're really playing?"

"Where would the fun in that be?" Dean started mouthing the lyrics while Harry's head snapped up and down.

"But you're not even playing anything," Neville went on.

"That's not the point."

"Then what is the point, mate?" Ron's brow furrowed.

Dean snorted. "It's hard to explain. You have to be a rocker to really understand."

Ron and Neville exchanged confused looks. "Give me the Weird Sisters over this Muggle noise any day."

Dean stopped his gyrations and eyeballed Ron. "Led Zeppelin? Noise? They're one of the greatest bands ever, Muggle or otherwise. Honestly, Ron, whenever I listen to the Weird Sisters, I'm glad I'm Muggle-born and have a father who appreciates good music. I couldn't imagine growing up listening to the rot that passes for 'good wizarding music.'"

"I like the Weird Sisters," Neville muttered.

"They're hacks." Dean bared his teeth and mimed another riff.

"What in Merlin's name are you doing?"

Dean pivoted toward the door. Ginny Weasley leaned inside his room, cocking an eyebrow.

"We're doing air guitar."

Ginny canted her head, her red hair cascading down her left shoulder. "It looks like you're having a fit."

"Dean says Muggles do this when they listen to music." Ron shrugged. "Don't ask me why."

The corners of Ginny's mouth twisted. "Well, better not let Umbridge catch you. She'll put up another decree outlawing this."

"Umbridge can go to hell." Harry continued strumming the air.

"Yeah!" Dean pumped his fist. "That's what Muggle rock n' roll's all about. Rebellion!"

He waved Ginny inside. "C'mon, Ginny. Give it a go."

The redhead worked her jaw back and forth. "Oh, why not?"

Dean grinned. He figured Ginny would do it. She didn't have very many inhibitions. That's what made her so cool in his eyes.

Once he showed her the proper hand positions for air guitar, Dean changed the song to "Rock And Roll." He, Harry and Ginny got into it, while Ron and Neville stood off to the side shaking their heads.

Halfway through the song he glanced over at Ginny. "Wow!" he silently mouthed.

Ginny threw herself completely into the music. She bobbed up and down with unbridled fury, her red hair flying in all directions. It reminded Dean of another redhead. Simone Simons, the singer for the Dutch metal opera band Epica. Blimey, was she hot.

Dean's hands froze. Was he thinking of Simone Simons just then . . . or Ginny?

XXXXXXXXX

Dean took some CDs and headed downstairs to the Gryffindor study room to catch up on his Potions homework. Since his first year at Hogwarts he found the study room the perfect place to work. No one ever used it. Plus he could play his CDs while doing his homework, something he couldn't do in a room he shared with Harry, Ron, Neville and Seamus Finnigan.

He laid out his parchment, quill and ink bottle and sorted through his CDs. Which one, which one?

He settled on Nightwish's Century Child. For some reason, he seemed to do his best work when listening to the Finnish metal opera band.

The awe-inspiring combination of guitar, keyboards and Tarja Turunen's voice unlocked Dean's creativity. The quill flew across the parchment. He'd be done with this assignment in no time.

Dean's quill came to a dead halt when the CD reached the song "Ever Dream."

"Ever felt away with me, just once that all I need. Entwined in finding you one day."

Ginny popped into his mind.

"Ever felt away without me, my love it lies so deep. Ever dream of me."

Dean stared blankly at the parchment. He felt his heartbeat increase as he thought back to this afternoon, watching Ginny's red hair flying about wildly during her air guitar session.

I'm not thinking this way. She's Ron's little sister.

Dean forced himself to keep writing as the song continued.

"Give in, give in for my touch. For my taste, for my lust."

He imagined himself taking Ginny in his arms, holding her so close he could count the freckles on her round pretty face.

But she's a friend, a mate.

She's Ron's little sister.

Dean thought back to Ginny's first year at Hogwarts. Such a shy, awkward little girl. Cute too, in a pat-her-gently-on-the-head kind of way.

The lyrics drilled into his brain.

"Your beauty cascaded on me, in this white night fantasy."

Dean dropped his quill and covered his face with his hands. Ginny wasn't cute any more.

She was a beautiful young woman.

XXXXXXXX

When Dean awoke the next morning, it wasn't the top of his canopy bed he saw. It was Ginny's smiling face in his mind's eye.

He sat up, his heart racing. "Ever Dream" blared in his head so loud he thought Nightwish actually implanted themselves in his brain. With every line of that song, he saw a different image of Ginny. Smiling, laughing, walking, practicing spells in their D.A. classes.

"Morning, Dean."

He whipped his head to Ron, who was crawling out from under his covers.

"Um, yeah."

"You okay, mate?" Ron gave him a queer look.

"Uh, yeah. Sure. Um, just a nightmare."

"Let me guess. Ol' Toadface, huh?"

Dean swallowed. "Um, yeah. Who else?"

Dean got dressed as quickly as possible and bolted out of the room, not wanting to face Ron.

It's his little sister.

"Ever Dream" played in his mind again. He pictured Ginny smiling at him.

She's not that little any more.

He turned into the corridor leading to the Great Hall. Dean shut his eyes tight, willing the song and Ginny's image to vacate his mind.

Neither did.

Why am I thinking about her this way all of the sudden?

Dean opened his eyes . . . and skidded to a halt.

Ginny stood outside the Great Hall. He held his breath, his gaze running up and down her body.

"Your beauty cascaded on me, in this white night fantasy."

"Ever Dream" wouldn't stop playing in his head. And now he had the real Ginny standing no more than fifteen feet from him.

He couldn't open his mouth even to say "hi." What the hell's wrong with me? He never had any problems talking with Ginny before.

Back when he just thought of her as a cool friend.

Dean nearly gasped when Ginny turned his way, smiled and waved.

Oh my God.

He gave himself a mental slap.

It's Ginny, idiot. Wave back.

Dean started to bring up his hand when someone moved next to him. He glanced at the dark-haired boy walking toward Ginny.

It was Michael Corner.

"Morning." Ginny wrapped her arms around him and kissed him.

Dean's shoulders sagged as he watched the two stroll hand-in-hand into the Great Hall for breakfast.

Suddenly another Nightwish song popped into his head, one most appropriate for this moment.

"Slaying the Dreamer."

Dean trudged back to the Gryffindor Tower, his appetite destroyed.

XXXXXXXXXX

Weeks passed. The D.A. was busted, Dumbledore fled and Umbridge grew more unhinged by the day. Dean wished he could say thinking of Ginny managed to keep him sane throughout this turmoil.

All it did was make him more depressed.

Whenever he saw her in the Great Hall, the corridors, the Common Room, the same two thoughts popped into his head.

She's so beautiful.

She's with Michael Corner.

Several times when he saw her in the corridors, he deliberately turned and walked the opposite way. The less he saw of Ginny, Dean reasoned, the easier it'd be to get over her.

Unfortunately Hogwarts wasn't that big a school. He always seemed to run into her. He liked seeing Ginny, but at the same time he didn't. Dean feared the contradictory thoughts would drive him straight to the mental ward at St. Mungo's.

Whenever he played Century Child, he made sure to skip over "Ever Dream," the damn song that started this whole mess.

Unfortunately, lyrics from other songs tortured his emotions.

From "Forever Yours," "Fare thee well, little broken heart. Downcast eyes, lifetime loneliness. Whatever walks in my heart, will walk alone."

From "Ocean Soul," "My lonely soul is only filled with fear. Long hours of loneliness, between me and the sea."

And "End Of All Hope" summed up his feelings best.

Dean tossed the CD into his trunk and vowed never to play it again. Maybe that would help him stop pining for Ginny.

A week later Dean headed to the library to get with Seamus and work on their Divination project. He seemed to be thinking of Ginny less and less. If only he could fully convince himself that he was finally over this . . . phase, for lack of a better word. Ginny was with Michael Corner. He needed to accept that. Besides, Hogwarts had other girls to choose from, like that cute brunette from Hufflepuff that sat one desk over from him in Herbology.

Dean turned the corner . . . and froze.

Ginny stood against the stone wall, head down, arms folded.

His heart sped up. Every inch of his body began to warm.

"Ever Dream" exploded in his head.

" . . . my love it lies so deep, ever dream of me."

Something in his brain screamed over the song, telling him to turn around.

His heart demanded he stay.

Before Dean could decide which to listen to, Ginny looked up at him.

"Oh . . . um, hey, Ginny."

"Dean," she muttered.

"Um . . . you all right?"

Ginny bit her lip, then shook her head. "I had a row with Michael."

"Really?" He winced, knowing that came out more enthusiastic than he wanted.

Ginny pushed herself off the wall. "He's an idiot, he is."

He had so many responses. "Yes he is." "Dump him." "Please go with me."

"Do you know what he told me?"

Dean shook his head, wondering what he should say.

Ginny scowled. "He actually told me I should stop hanging around with Harry and Hermione and Ron. Says he doesn't want to see me get in trouble."

"Uh-huh." Dean gazed at her lovely face, his heart thumping out of control.

"I can take care of myself, you know."

"Um, yeah, you can." It was the best response Dean could muster.

"I don't know." Ginny folded her arms again. "All that time in D.A. classes, listening to him go on about how great it was to defy Umbridge. And now this? I can't believe Michael turned into such a . . . mushspine."

"Yeah, me neither."

Ginny flashed him a grin. Dean's knees buckled.

". . . Entwined in finding you one day . . ."

"Ever Dream" played louder and louder in his head. The urge to take Ginny into his arms consumed him. But would it be appropriate? Would she hex him if he did it?

"Ginny?"

Dean's eyes widened at the new voice. He turned around.

Michael Corner walked up to them. He shot Dean a nasty look. Dean just stared blankly at him.

"What do you want?" Ginny practically hissed.

"Look, can we talk . . . alone?"

"What, going to come up with a list of people I can and can't be with?"

"Ginny, please . . ."

Ginny stared at Corner for the longest time. Throwing up her arms, she said, "Fine."

She whirled around and started walking. Corner put a hand on her shoulder. She shrugged it off.

"See you later, Dean," Ginny said over her shoulder.

Corner shot him another nasty look.

Dean waited until they turned out of sight. He drew a deep breath. For the first time in weeks, a smile expanded across his face.

They're going to break up. I know it.

He strutted to the library and found Seamus sitting at one of the back tables.

"What are you so cheerful about?" Seamus cocked an eyebrow at him.

"You'll find out soon enough."

The next morning Dean strode to the Great Hall. He expected to find Ginny depressed over her break-up with that jerk Corner. Then he could help cheer her up. And then . . .

The world collapsed around him when he saw a smiling Ginny Weasley walking into the Great Hall hand-in-hand with Michael Corner.

Dean turned around and trudged back to his room.

XXXXXXXXXX

Dean sighed as he watched Ginny flying above the Quidditch pitch, her red hair flailing wildly in the wind.

"Your beauty cascaded on me, in this white night fantasy."

He couldn't get "Ever Dream" out of his head. He didn't even bother trying to stop it now. He'd grown used to the torture.

His eyes continued to follow Ginny. She sat up on her broom, her head on a swivel, trying to find that elusive Golden Snitch.

Dean didn't know the score, barely heard Lee Jordan's commentary and all but tuned out the Slytherins and their stupid "Weasley is our King" song directed at poor Ron. All he could do was follow Ginny's every movement and wallow in his own misery.

God, I wish the end of term would get here. Maybe a summer away from Hogwarts would make him forget about all these feelings for Ginny.

"Come on, Dean." Parvati Patil slapped him on the shoulder. "How about a little cheering? We just scored."

"Huh?" He turned to face the slender Indian girl. "We did?"

Parvati leaned over, her lips hovering over his ear. "You'd know that if you weren't so obsessed watching Ginny Weasley."

Dean choked on his own saliva. "Wha . . . No. I mean, uh . . ."

"Oh please." Parvati grinned at him. "We know you've been pining for Ginny for months."

"What!?" Dean felt his ears grow hot. "We? Who's we?"

"Oh gosh. Me, Padma, Lavender, Katie, Alicia. It's not exactly a secret."

Dean stared at her, mouth agape. Were they the only ones who knew? Couldn't be. Not the way girls loved to gossip. Oh God, did all of Gryffindor know he was in love with Ginny? All of Hogwarts?

Did Ginny know?

He turned away from Parvati and gazed up at Ginny just as she grabbed the Snitch in front of a shocked Cho Chang.

Everyone around him stood and cheered Gryffindor's win over Ravenclaw. Just as McGonagall presented Angelina Johnson, the team captain, with the Quidditch Cup, Dean slipped through the ruckus crowd and tramped away from the pitch.

He stopped at a lone tree and sat against it, staring at the Forbidden Forest in the distance. Dean had no desire to go back to the Gryffindor Tower, where everyone no doubt would be laughing behind his back.

"Like he would ever have a chance with Ginny Weasley," he could hear them say.

He snorted and banged the back of his head against the trunk, not caring about the pain. He'd never felt more like a fool in his life. A lovesick fool pining for a girl he could never have. A fool who couldn't listen to a Nightwish song without thinking of Ginny Weasley.

For a moment he wished he could move out of Gryffindor Tower and stay in Hagrid's cabin, far removed from the castle.

But no, Hagrid would probably laugh at him, too.

"You know how important that Quidditch Cup was to me."

"Oh, and it wasn't important to me?"

Dean peered around the tree. He held his breath when he spotted Ginny and Corner about twenty feet away, still wearing their Quidditch robes and carrying their brooms.

"It was a fair contest, Michael. One of us was going to win and one of us was going to lose. Get over it."

"You know how long it's been since Ravenclaw won that Cup? Now Davies is kicking everything in sight, Cho's crying . . ."

"Yes, well Cho is rather good at crying, isn't she?"

Corner's face scrunched in anger. "That was uncalled for, Ginny."

"Well then, if you feel so strongly about it, why don't you go loan Cho your shoulder to cry on."

"Maybe I will." Corner spun on his heel. "At least she's a more reasonable person than you are."

"I'll show you reasonable, Michael Corner." Ginny's voice rose several octaves. "I'll do the most reasonable thing I can think of. We're through!"

Dean's jaw dropped. His entire body trembled. Was this really happening?

"At least you taught me a lesson," Corner shouted over his shoulder. "I shouldn't date anyone outside of Ravenclaw."

"You taught me a good lesson, too." Ginny hollered back. "I shouldn't date an idiot!"

Ginny stalked off. Dean's gaze followed her. I don't believe it. They're through. They're actually through.

It took five minutes for Dean to break free of his stupor. He dashed back to Gryffindor Tower, out of breath when stumbled into the Common Room.

No sign of Ginny.

Neither did he see her at supper.

Maybe she's off having a good cry.

Or she's making up with Corner, his paranoia tortured him.

XXXXXXXXX

No matter how hard he tried, Dean couldn't fall asleep. He'd close his eyes and the song would begin.

"Ever felt away without me, my love it lies so deep. Ever dream of me."

"Ever Dream" played over and over again in his head, always accompanied by Ginny's lovely face.

Dean threw off his blankets, knowing sleep would never come. All he could think to do was quietly open his trunk, grab his Century Child CD, find a secluded spot in the tower to play it, and think of Ginny.

How should I handle it? Should he wait a few days before asking Ginny out? What if someone beat him to her? What if she actually reconciled with Corner?

No way. Please, no way.

He trotted down the steps to the Common Room. Halfway down he stopped. A lonely figure wearing pajamas sat stretched out on the couch.

It was Ginny.

She looked up at him. "Oh. Hi, Dean."

He swallowed. "Um, hi."

"Trouble sleeping?"

"Um . . . yeah." Dammit, say something. Talk to her like you used to. "Winning the Quidditch Cup, you know. I'm still excited about that. You did great."

"Thanks. At least you can admit it."

"Excuse me?"

Ginny frowned. "Michael and I had a row. He got all sulky because Ravenclaw lost. Like he expects me to throw the match because we're going out. So I dumped him."

"Really?" Dean feigned ignorance. "I didn't hear."

Ginny looked to the ceiling and shook her head. "I can't believe I wasted so much time on a loser like him."

Dean gripped the banister when his legs went to jelly. Come on, mate. Now's the time.

Slowly, he walked the rest of the way down the stairs. "Um, I was just coming down here to listen to some music." He held up the CD. "You, uh, want to listen to it, too?"

A half-smile formed on Ginny's face. "Sure. Do we have to do air guitar to this, too?"

Dean chuckled. "No. We can just listen."

Ginny swung her legs off the couch to make room for Dean. His heart banged away like a John Bonham drum solo. Sitting this close to Ginny he could feel her presence engulf him.

He held up the CD and cast the spell. A floating red bubble surrounded the disc. Moments later animated figures of Nightwish appeared atop the CD.

Dean flicked his wand again. He took a sideways glance at Ginny as "Ever Dream" started up.

"Ever felt away with me, just once that all I need. Entwined in finding you one day."

Ginny turned and smiled at him. Dean managed to smile back, his stomach quivering.

"I'd take you away, castaway on a lonely day."

Dean inched closer to Ginny.

"Your beauty cascaded on me, in this white night fantasy."

"You're really beautiful, Ginny."

Dean's heart skipped a beat. Oh God, did he just say that out loud?

Judging by Ginny's wide eyes, he did.

"Dean . . ."

"I'm sorry, Ginny. I shouldn't . . . I'm sorry."

He started to get up. Ginny's hand on his shoulder stopped him.

"Dean. That was really sweet."

"But . . ."

Ginny canted her head. "But what?"

"Aren't you going to tell me we're just friends or something? I mean . . ."

Ginny drew in a quiet breath. "Dean. I know you've had a crush on me for a long time."

Dean turned away from her. "According to Parvati, everyone knows it. I feel like the biggest git in the world."

"You're not."

A tingle went down Dean's spine as Ginny squeezed his shoulder.

"Ginny, every time I play that song, the only person I can think of is you. Merlin's beard, you wouldn't believe how much I've had 'Ever Dream' stuck in my head. Appropriate, I guess. All I ever seem to dream about is you."

Ginny blinked and chewed on her lip. "Now I know I made a mistake."

"What do you mean?"

"It's just . . . Dean, I always enjoy being around you. You're funny, you're loyal, you stand by your beliefs. There were times when I wondered . . . wondered what it would be like, you and me. Then Michael . . . oh God, did I make a mistake."

"I . . . I . . . didn't know."

They stared at each other in silence for an eternity.

"Um . . ." Dean felt as though his heart would explode. He prayed this didn't sound stupid when he said it.

"Your beauty has cascaded on me."

A smile grew across Ginny's face. "Dean, that's so romantic."

He couldn't contain himself anymore. Dean reached out and cupped Ginny's face. He leaned in and covered her lips with his. His heart skipped a beat when he felt Ginny's hands glide down his back.

Dean pulled back and smiled. He slowly ran a finger along Ginny's cheek. She smiled back and gently grasped his hand.

Dean pulled her in to him and hugged her, burying his face into her flaming red hair. He took a deep breath, savoring her scent.

In a distant part of his mind, "Ever Dream" played.

Finally, Dean Thomas' dream had come true.

THE END –

AUTHOR'S NOTE: The songs and lyrics are solely those of Nightwish and Led Zeppelin and are used in this story for fictional purposes. I am a huge Nightwish fan despite the fact their music is way outside the mainstream in my country because the dolts who run the American Music Industry won't promote anything that isn't rap or "American Idol" garbage. So this is my way to honor them and, at the same time, hopefully craft a good story around one of their songs.