Disclaimer:
I don't really own this, it's true;
Though I try to add something new.
I know what I've got,
It's only the plot,
And I'm making no money: Don't sue!

Author's Note: Something I wrote for a challenge a while back and prettied up in my spare time between chapters of 'Expectations of Grandeur'. Short, sweet, and very fluffy, so if you like darker stuff click the back button quickly! But if you go ahead and read it, please review!

Misinterpretation

"Harry, what is it?" Ginny asked as he dragged her along the hallways. There was, evidently, somewhere he wanted to take her – and it was, evidently, absolutely essential that he take her there very quickly.

"It's… it's just… Oh, I'll tell you when we get there, but hurry!" He flushed.

Ginny wasn't used to such odd behavior in her brother's best friend. Her friend. After the Department of Mysteries rescue last year, it was hard for them not to be friends. You rarely go through such a traumatizing experience…

Well, that wasn't exactly true – he did save her from Riddle in her first year, and they weren't fast friends when she returned in her second year.

"Harry, we've been here before. You're running in circles," she said, tugging at his hand to make him stop.

"Well, that's the point. We're going to the room of requirement." And sure enough, the hallway was the one where the room of requirement would be – had they passed one more time. Ginny sighed.

"Okay, fine. What am I supposed to think of, then?"

"I can't much tell you without giving it away, now can I? Hurry up!" he pulled her along after him again, and she nearly tripped as she ran to keep up.

It certainly didn't help the situation that her legs were much shorter than his. She had to take three steps to each of his two – and so as he barreled down the hallway he was quite literally dragging her behind him.

There might have been a time when she found such behavior endearing in him – then again, there had been a time when she found any behavior in him endearing, so that didn't really say much. She sighed.

She remembered a conversation she and Luna had had in the library recently – Luna had just burst out laughing, for no obvious reason. Once she calmed down, Ginny had forced an explanation out of her as to this explosion.

"It's amusing, you're just so potty about Potter," Luna had exclaimed, breaking down once again in laughter.

This statement didn't make sense. Ginny had been complaining – about Professor Snape's homework assignment. Of course, sense and Luna rarely converged, but even so such random outbursts were abnormal in her abnormal Ravenclaw friend. Ginny demanded to know what had brought on this outburst.

"Well, you can't deny it, can you? After all, I only have to say his name and your face brightens – try as you might to deny it."

"I do not!" Ginny whispered harshly – Madam Pince was giving them strange glares, so speaking above a whisper was not a good choice.

"Really?" Luna asked. "Harry Potter."

Ginny couldn't tell, but from Luna's expression she guessed that she had flushed.

It was only understandable, after all. Honestly, when put on the spot like that, how did anyone expect her to react? How could she react other than that? Merlin's beard, she no longer had a crush on –

"Ginny." Harry said.

– Harry.

Ginny was abruptly brought back to reality, to find herself standing in front of the door to the room of requirement. He was talking. "Ginny, I… er… well, you see…"

He dug his foot into the ground. Ginny was greatly puzzled, because if she had any inkling of what was going on, it was something that most certainly was not supposed to go on. Not in the world that she lived in.

"Well… Um… I suppose I should begin by apologizing," Harry said, as if this was really quite a good way to begin.

"Apologizing?" Ginny was taken aback. As far as she knew, there was nothing for Harry to apologize to her for. "For what?"

"Well, for ignoring you for one thing. And for assuming you would always fancy me for another. And for trying to stop you from going to the Ministry with us last year, and… and, well, and for pulling you along here because I didn't have the courage to just talk to you in the common room."

Ginny blinked. "Well, if there's something important in that room, perhaps we should go in?"

"Oh, yeah. That… yeah." And Harry put his hand on the doorknob. But he didn't open it. Instead, he continued. "It's just that, well, I've been looking at you in a new light lately, and I know that I've missed my chance, but I felt like I might as well try and so…" he trailed off.

This could not be happening. Ginny absolutely refused to believe it. She had to be dreaming – either that or whatever Harry was trying to imply was completely different. He was probably going to try to recruit her for the Quidditch team, in full, oblivious, Harry fashion. After all, tryouts were in a week. "The room?" Ginny prompted.

"Oh, yeah. Your brother suggested this…" Harry opened the door.

In retrospect, they should have realized that it looked vaguely like a door to a closet. But then again – Ginny had no idea what Harry was using the room of requirement for, and Harry evidently wasn't thinking very clearly at the moment.

The two bodies tumbling out of the closet were a good reminder, however. Ginny yelped. Harry jumped away, and the two people almost exploded away from each other – revealing a rather bedraggled Cho Chang and Michael Corner. Ginny could do nothing but stare at them, mouth gaping open. Fortunately, both Cho and Michael were too shocked to say anything as well – and scurried off down the hallway, embarrassed at being caught.

The hallway space being evacuated, Ginny was able to turn her attention to Harry. "I hope that this wasn't-" she began, but saw how embarrassed he was and realized she didn't have to go any farther.

"Um… Ginny… I guess I'm sorry about that too. I sure have a lot of things to be sorry about…" He closed the door to the room – or perhaps now the broom closet – of requirement, and sat on the floor. "I suppose this is as good a place as any… The room was a stupid idea anyway…"

"I would think Ron didn't suggest a broom closet?"

"Of course not! Oh, this has just all gone wrong…" Harry put his face in his hands. Ginny's heart went out to him, really it did, but she reminded herself that this was, after all Harry – and he was about to put all her fears (and hopes) to rest and act out in his typical oblivious fashion. "Yes. It certainly did go wrong," was all she could say.

But Harry must not of heard her – especially not the lump in her throat as she said it. "It's just… Okay. I've thought of you as my best friend's sister for a long time, only, I realized recently that I don't think of you as my best friend's sister now, and I haven't for a while. Since my fourth year, I guess. And even more recently – just this year, I've realized that it's because you're not just Ron's sister or anything like that – you're that and so much more… and I guess what I mean to say is… well, I thought back on our friendship – if you can even call it that, because I really can't, and I think about how horrible it must have been for you when you fancied me, and I feel for you, I really do, because… because…" Here Harry paused. The hallway was completely silent – Ginny wasn't even breathing. "Because I feel that same way myself, now. And I know that you don't and that's what's so horrid about it. And I just want to kick myself because-"

Ginny stopped him. "Who told you I didn't fancy you anymore?" She asked.

"It's perfectly obvious – you talk to me now, you're not at all bashful or quiet like you were when you fancied me. Hermione told me all about it; 'She used to fancy you,' she told me – 'but she's gotten over you' or some such thing. And… oh, I shouldn't have put you in this situation, I'm sorry Ginny, really I am…" he started to get up.

Ginny stopped him. Something in her head was shouting that this was her chance – her chance to have all those childhood dreams fulfilled; Mrs. Harry Potter…

But then something else shouted, just as loud, that it was high time she got over that pathetic dream – and now that he thought she no longer fancied him the rest of the school wouldn't be long in coming. Uncertain, she could only say, "Harry, stand up and look at me." She paused for breath. "First of all, you should be sorry for leading me here like this – it's right horrible of you. I hope Ron never finds out, or he'll have your throat. Second-" she paused. Here was the moment of decision – the point of no return. She blanched at either prospect. "Second…"

She didn't have to continue, Harry could always be trusted to blindly carry on. "Ginny, would you like to come to Hogsmeade with me this Halloween?"

Every thought that had been in Ginny's head before was promptly pushed aside. Here was when she said no, she had gotten over him, and certainly did not give pity dates or anything of the sort. Here was when she denied fancying him. Here was when… "Yes," she said. "Yes, I'd love to."