"Harry?"
"Hm?" Harry looked at his girlfriend who was sitting to the left of him. He'd been lost in thought and hadn't heard anything his significant other had said.
"Did you hear me?" Ginny asked, sighing when she saw his blank expression. "I asked if you wanted to dance."
"Oh." Harry started. "I mean, sure. I'd love to." He gave her a small smile and stood up, extending his hand out to help her up. She gave him a weak half smile and took his hand. They walked onto the dancefloor, just in time for a slow song. Ginny wrapped her arms around his neck as Harry put his arms loosely around her waist. She could see him eye to eye, but he wasn't looking at her. Laying her head on his shoulder, she thought about how distant Harry had been lately.
Searching through the pile of rocks, Ginny picked up the flattest one she could find and threw it at the water. It skipped once, twice, a third time, and finally a fourth. She bent down to look for another rock when something caught her eye. She looked to her right, and saw Harry and Hermione sitting on a bench, talking to one another. They were silent for a while, and all Ginny could see was Harry looking straight at Hermione. She was somewhat far away from them, but she could see the look Harry had in his eyes. He hadn't looked at her like that in such a long time. He looked at Hermione with... with love.
Sure, they were friends, but she could tell that there was much more to it. Ginny was sure that Harry loved her, but it was different than the way that he loved Hermione. He'd known Hermione and had been close to her since their first year at Hogwarts. Ginny was only his best friend's starstuck little sister. But she had looked past all that, and fell in love with him, not who everyone knew him as. He loved Ginny too, just in a much different way.
Ginny pulled her head back just enough so she could view his face. Without looking, she knew where, or, at whom, he'd been staring this whole time. Of course, his eyes were locked on none other than Hermione Granger.
She couldn't deny that Hermione looked gorgeous, especially tonight, in every way possible. The top half of her hair was pulled up by clips - Ginny would know, since she had helped with it - and her hair was perfectly curled. Her make-up looked so natural that you couldn't even tell that she was wearing any, besides her lips covered in pink lipstick; cerise pink, to be exact. Her dress was a darker shade of what was on her lips, but they went together nicely. Her cheeks were flushed, from the blush or the dancing, Ginny wasn't sure.
"Harry?" Ginny said softly, her brows furrowed.
"Mhm?" His eyes lingered on Hermione for another second longer, then finally lander on her. She nibbled on her lower lip, deciding what she should say to him.
"Are you happy?" The question seemed to have caught him off guard.
"Of course I am, Gin. Why wouldn't I be? Is there something wrong?" Ginny sighed and gave him a small smile.
"No, nothing's wrong. I was only wondering." She moved away from him, both of their arms dropping to their sides. "I'll be right back. I need to check something." She turned and left without giving him a chance to say anything. She hurried out of the Great Hall, all the while brushing off the tears that were beginning to roll down her cheeks.
Genuinely confused, Harry walked off the dance floor and went over to the refreshments table where Ron came up almost immediately after. He was no sooner downing a glass of Butterbeer. "Hey, Ron. You alright, mate?"
"Yeah, I'm good. Hermione went to the loo, so i'm getting a little pick-me-up." He chuckled and took another sip of his drink. "Where'd Ginny run off to?"
"Y'know, I really don't have a clue. She said she needed to check something, but who knows." Harry sighed and took off his glasses to rub his eyes. Ginny had been acting a little off lately, but he hadn't thought he should ask her about it. Ginny could have quite a temper when she was pissed off. "Has something been going on with Ginny lately? She seems a bit, er, i dunno...?" He looked over at his best friend who was now shoveling food into his mouth. All Ron did was shrug.
Ginny wiped at her smudged make-up, then used a quick spell to fix it up. Her face was slightly red from all the crying she had done, but if anyone else had seen it, they would have thought she was just flushed from all the dancing. She stepped back from the mirror when she heard a sound coming from behind her. Spinning around, her hand hovered over her wand until she saw that it was Hermione who had walked in. She let out a sigh of relief and could feel herself relaxing a little.
"Merlin, Hermione! You scared me!" She laughed a little, hoping she wouldn't be suspicious of anything.
"Sorry, Ginny. I didn't know anyone was in here." She chuckled, stopping just a few feet from Ginny. "You alright?"
"I'm fine. I only wanted to check my hair and makeup." She didn't exactly like lying, but what could she really say?
"Ginny, you look beautiful," Hermione smiled at her friend. "Harry's lucky to have you."
At the mention of Harry, Ginny felt her heart drop to her stomach. Before she could stop herself, the words she had been thinking about for weeks came tumbling out of her mouth.
"I think Harry would rather be with you. I see the way he looks at you, it's really quite obvious. I know you might not see it, but I can. And before you say anything, I'm not angry at you, or at Harry. Maybe i'm upset that I'm not the one he really wants to be with, but it would be pointless to be angry about it. You can't help who you fall in love with, and I think Harry's in love with you." Ginny's voice started strong but was starting to fail her the more she spoke. "I'm surprised I've held it in this long, but I honestly can't hold it in anymore," she confessed. "Sorry if I've upset you, I'll just be going now," she finished, taking a deep breath. She turned around and started for the door, but stopped when she heard Hermione's voice.
"Ginny... I- I don't know what to say. I don't even know if there's anything to say. But I'm really, truly sorry you feel that way." Hermione walked over to Ginny, tears in her eyes.
"You don't have to say anything. Whether or not you share the same feelings as him, I need to break it off. I can't sit here and give him my undivided love and attention when his heart just isn't in it." And with that, Ginny took a deep breath, building up her courage to go talk to Harry. She turned around and continued on her previous path out of the bathroom, leaving Hermione to stare after her.
Stopping at the large doors to the Great Hall, Ginny prepared herself. Merlin, this was going to be difficult, but it just had to be done. She took a deep breath and walked through the doors.
Trying to walk through the dance floor was harder than she had previously thought. People were bumping into her from all directions and she could hardly take a few steps without being hit. After what seemed like an hour, she finally got to where Harry and Ron were waiting, their backs turned to her. Of course they were be by the food. Such boys. Ginny rolled her eyes, but stopped walking when she realized they were having a conversation.
"Ron, I don't know how to tell her."
"Just be honest with her, mate. Watch your shins, though, she's a kicker."
Harry chuckled. "That's not what I'm worried about. I'm worried about how she's going to take it. I don't want her to be depressed because of me." Harry's hand made his way up to his head, running it through his hair.
"If she loves you like I know she does, she'll only want the best for you."
"Let's hope that's the case... And you're sure you don't mind it?"
"Why would I? I've known you've liked her for the longest time, I'm not blind. And it's not like she's my girlfriend or anything, we're just here as friends."
Having heard enough, Ginny coughed, signaling that she was here. Both boys tensed up and turned to look at her slowly. She gave Ron a small smile and stepped forward to grab Harry's arm. "We need to talk."
"Okay..." was all Harry could say as Ginny pulled him away and sat them down in a deserted part of a nearby table.
They sat in silence for a few awkward moments. "I just-" "I don't-" They both started.
Ginny would have laughed if she wasn't about to break up with him. "Can I talk first?" Harry gave her a small nod. "Yes, I heard your conversation with Ron. Yes, I know what you're talking about. It just so happens that I came looking for you to talk about just that."
Harry stared at his hands on the table, a guilty look in his eyes. "You did?"
"Yes, Harry, I did. I know you have feelings for Hermione. More feelings than you should, considering I'm your girlfriend and she's not." Harry coughed. "I don't want you to think that you should stay with me just because I'm going to be heartbroken over this. It's not right and-"
"Before this goes any farther, I just want you to know that I'm sorry," Harry interrupted. "I didn't mean to fall in love with her."
Ginny gave a sour laugh. "Who means to fall in love with anybody, Harry? It's not something you can very well choose. That's why I'm not angry at you or Hermione." She said the last part quietly. "And that's why it needs to end here. There's no point in trying to make this work if there's only one person interested in the relationship."
Neither of them said or did anything for a few minutes until Harry looked up over Ginny's shoulder. She turned around and followed his gaze, not surprised when she saw Hermione walking back into the Great Hall. Ginny stood up and gave Harry one last look before walking away with her head held high, smiling at Hermione, who was heading in Harry's direction. She sure as hell wasn't okay, but that didn't mean she had to show it.