HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

By skichik

Harry & Ron nervously waited in the common room for their dates to come down the stairs, from the girls dormitories. It was New Years Eve & there was to be a party in the great hall for all students who wished to attend, when the announcement was made Harry & Ron decided that this would be the perfect opportunity to ask their crushes out - but neither of them new who the other had asked.

Suddenly they both heard many sharp intakes of breath at the beauty descending the stairs, they both looked up to see Hermione making her way down to them; she looked like a fairytale princess in a lavender sleeveless dress that fitted her perfectly & showed off her gorgeous frame then gracefully flowed out from her hips to create a wide skirt that moved beautifully with each step. She had tamed her bushy hair & pulled it back into a high ponytail, then pinned it into large hoops with a few well- placed bobby pins. Then just to complete her elegant look she had a wrap the same colour as her dress draped over her shoulders & forearms.

Following behind Hermione was a petite redhead, Ginny. She was wearing a pale blue straight dress that shimmered in the light, with shoestring straps; she also wore a wrap that matched her dress. Her waist length hair was brushed out & left hanging down her back, where it bounced with each step she took. Both she & Hermione had put on a small amount of make up but it looked as though they wore none at all - & they naturally possessed such colours.

The two girls headed towards their dates, with all eyes on them; they walked gracefully as though they weren't touching the ground at all. Harry & Ron looked at each other shocked, as the two girls walked towards them. Both guessed whom the other had asked by using their powerful skills of deduction. The boys took their dates by the arms & the four of them walked to the great hall.

The great hall had been rearranged for the evening with small tables that seated four at each. Harry, Ginny, Ron & Hermione sat a table & ordered their meals, they chatted quietly as they ate. Harry & Ginny finished before Ron & Hermoine did.

"Would you like to dance, Ginny?" Harry asked nervously.

"Sure, Harry" replied Ginny, smiling.

With that the couple got up & moved out onto the dance floor. Harry placed his hands gently around Ginny's waist pulling her close. Ginny put her arms around Harry's neck, gently the pair swayed to the music. The two of them danced for ages, until Harry decided he wanted some fresh air, so he & Ginny went outside into the gardens where they found a quiet place to sit & talk quietly.

"Harry why did you ask me to come with you tonight?"

"Because I wanted to. Why?"

"Well you could take your pick of just about any girl at Hogwarts, so why would you pick me?"

"Because I like you, Ginny, because just about every other girl would become a total idiot if I asked them out & then I wouldn't have any fun, & because I can talk to you as easily as I can with Ron & Hermione."

"What do you mean when you say you like me?"

"I mean exactly that"

"But in what way do you like me?"

At this question Harry shifted nervously, 'Should I tell her the truth' he thought, 'or should I lie & say I like as a little sister?'

Ginny could see that Harry was nervous, 'Does he really like me or did he ask me because he thought I couldn't get a date, therefore asking me out of pity?' Ginny thought desperately.

"I'm just not sure how like you Ginny, but I can assure you that I like you a lot" Harry finally replied.

"You know what Harry?" Ginny asked, her voice rising. "When you have a really large family - like mine - you learn really quickly how to tell when someone is lying to you, & you have to be one of the least convincing liars I've ever met. So, how about you tell me the truth Harry"

Again Harry shifted nervously, making Ginny more apprehensive.

"Just tell me Harry, how do you really feel about me? Do you actually like me, or was this all some dare to make me look stupid?"

"Ginny, no one dared me to ask you out, I asked you out under my own free will."

"Ok but still how do you feel about me, did you ask me out, out of pity, or do you actually like me?"

"Fine, you want the truth, then I'll give you the truth." Harry said, becoming quite red in the face. "I don't like you Ginny-"

Ginny now looked like she was just about to explode & or at least kill Harry, she was just about to open her mouth to speak when Harry held up his hand, silencing her.

"Let me finish before you get angry, now as I said before your attempt to interrupt, I don't like you Ginny, I love you, I always have but I've always been too afraid to tell you so." Harry was now a brilliant shade of red.

Ginny's anger evaporated with the rest of Harry's statement & it was replaced by a grin so large her face looked too small to handle it.

Now that he'd confessed to his feelings Harry waited nervously for Ginny's reaction, he thought that her smile was a good sign, but then again maybe she thought it was funny - what if she hated him?

'The poor thing, look at how afraid he is' thought Ginny, 'I've never seen him look this afraid before, not even when he almost died down in the chamber of secrets, I terrify the great & fearless Harry Potter now that's something not many people can own up to. I'd better say something - give him some sort of reply - before he runs & I lose him forever, but what do I say? Do I love him? What am I thinking this is Harry the boy I've liked since I first saw him, he's my brother's best friend & he's practically part of the family, but still what do I say to someone who's just admitted that they love me?'

By now Harry looked like he was going to pass out, he was dangerously red & sweating profusely & Ginny knew she had to say something to reassure him.

"I love you to" Ginny mentally kicked herself at her stupid reply, but she knew that if she'd waited to think of a better response Harry would have lost consciousness.

Harry heard this & he was so happy that he immediately jumped up pulling Ginny into his arms, hugging her so tightly that she was sure that he broke her ribs - but she didn't care, she'd found the guy of her dreams & he loved her. The next thing she knew there was a hand under chin, forcing her to look up, her eyes connected with his & suddenly his lips were on hers, how long they stood there like that neither of them could say but when they broke apart it had started to snow & there were soft flakes swirling around them.

"I love the snow," cried Ginny with delight, as she twirled with her arms spread out.

Harry just laughed at her, before catching her hands & pulling her close once more & the two of them danced until they could no longer feel their limbs. They headed back to the great hall to find it almost completely empty; they did a quick check for Ron & Hermione but they had left already, so Harry & Ginny walked back to Gryffindor tower together. As they reached the end of the corridor that held the portrait of the fat lady, Harry stopped, Ginny turned back to him, wanting to know why he sopped.

"Ginny, there was one thing I forgot to ask you outside."

"What is it, Harry?"

"Will you be my girlfriend?"

"Honestly Harry I don't see why you bothered asking-," Harry's face fell, "of course I'll be your girlfriend"

Harry was so happy that once again he grabbed Ginny & kissed her, unfortunately Ron chose that exact moment to walk round the corner stopping directly in front of them.

"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING, POTTER!?!"

Harry & Ginny sprang apart, both turning bright red under Ron's furious glare.

"Ron, well you're the first to know that Harry & I are now officially a couple"

"Oh, no you're not!"

"Ron, I can date whoever I want - I'm old enough to make my own decisions, without having to justify my actions to you"

"I'm sorry, Gin, but you just gave me a fright, I mean I just walked in to my little sister kissing my best friend - that's gotta scare even the bravest of us. But then again I can think of worse people for you to date, at least I can trust Harry not to hurt you." With that he turned on Harry, "if you hurt her, mate, I'll have to hurt you, understand?"

"Yeah, but I don't intend on hurting her, so, you don't have to worry." Harry grinned.

Ron grinned back, before shaking Harry's hand & hugging Ginny in congratulations.

~*~*~*~* 2 yrs later at the burrow~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"5,4,3,2,1 HAPPY NEW YEAR!!" cried everyone in unison.

When everyone finished their racket about the New Year Harry & Ron nodded to each other, before walking over to where their girlfriends were talking quietly. Everyone else knew what was coming & they all went silent to watch.

"We need to talk" Harry & Ron said in unison

Hermione & Ginny looked very worried.

Both Harry & Ron put their hands in their pockets, then perfectly in-time with each other they pulled their hands from their pockets, got down on one knee & took the hand of their girlfriend,

"Will you marry me," they said at the same time. By now no one could contain them selves any longer & they all burst out laughing - that is everyone but Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny & Mrs. Weasley (who'd started crying).

Ginny answered first "Yes, of course I'll marry you Harry." She cried before hugging Harry so tightly that he was sure she had broken his ribs, but he didn't care - the girl of his dreams had just agreed to marry him.

Hermione answered after a while "I'll marry you, as long as we can have a separate wedding to Harry & Ginny, it isn't that I don't like them it's just that we had our first dates together & we've had many since then too, then you propose to us together, I just want to know if you can do something on your own without Harry there to hold your hand - ok?"

"Sure, Harry & I were planning to have separate weddings anyway, right, Harry?"

"Yeah, that's right."

Now that the proposals were over all of the Weasleys & their now large extended family cheered & applauded - they'd finally gotten their acts together.

THE END

Author's Note: hope you all enjoyed this little one-shot, I know it isn't that great but oh well it just came to me & even I didn't know where it was going so don't blame me coz it wasn't my fault. Anyway plz review, o & I don't own any thing except the plot everything else is property of JKR. Thanx 4 readin' Always skichik.