Meant To Be
Harry walked into the commons room, still wiping the sleep from his eyes. The huge feast they had every year on the first night at Hogwart's always made him extra sleepy. He was immediately awoken however when he heard Ron and Hermione screaming at each other.
"I had no idea that Krum was coming to Hogwarts! It's understandable though, I mean, his headmaster ran off to become a death eater again Ron!"
"Well there's no reason for you to get all sappy when you see him!"
"I didn't get all sappy, I simply said hello! What's wrong with being friendly? And besides, you got all sappy when you found out that Fleur was going to be learning to teach here!"
"That's different, she's part veela, I have an excuse!"
"Victor is my friend! There's no reason at all for you to get angry at me for saying hello to him! Why do you even care?"
"I don't care! Go have breakfast with him if you want! Go be more friendly! There's nothing wrong with being friendly!" Their argument continued, and Harry looked around the commons room. Ginny was sitting in one of the big comfy commons room chairs, watching Ron and Hermione bewilderedly. Harry went over to her.
"I was supposed to go down to breakfast with them." She smiled and shrugged her shoulders. "Can you believe it's the first day and they're already fighting? Krum came into the commons room to say hello, and Ron just went ballistic."
"Well, you can come down to breakfast with me, I don't think those two are going to be done fighting for a while."
"Ok." She stood up from her chair and they quietly walked by Ron and Hermione, not wanting to get pulled into the argument. As they were walking out of the portrait hole Ginny tripped, and Harry automatically held out his hand to catch her. When he touched her wrist he felt an unfamiliar tingle. What was that? he wondered. Ginny seemed to have felt it to, she blushed and pulled her wrist away.
"Thanks." She said in that familiar, quiet voice. "Wouldn't do me much good to have to go to the hospital wing on the first day."
"So what classed are you taking this year?"
"Oh, I forgot to tell you guys, I did some work over the summer, and since my dad helped me and everything they're letting me into Advanced Muggle Studies. I'll get to be in the same class as Hermione!"
"Wow! You'll be in class with me and Ron too! We couldn't take any more of Professor Trewlaney, so Dumbledore agreed to let us to switch to Advanced Muggle studies!" They reached the dining hall and walked in to the smells of delicious food. Neville immediately came running up to them.
"Hi Harry, Ginny! Wow, you look really pretty Ginny." Ginny blushed a deep red, and Harry looked over at her in surprise. He hadn't noticed it before, but she did look very pretty. Her flaming red hair had streaks of blonde in it now, probably from being lightened by the sun. She was incredibly petite, he had noticed that when he had caught her coming out of the portrait hole.
"Thanks Neville. Um, how was your summer?"
"Oh it was great, really great! Did you see that they're having a back to school dance for fourth years and above? The Yule Ball was such a big hit that they've decided to have lots of dances this year!"
"Wow, no I didn't, that seems great."
"Maybe we'll go to one of them together!" Ginny blushed again, and Harry felt a strange anger start up inside of him. For some reason he wanted to kick Neville right in the shins.
"Maybe, we'll see Neville." Ginny seemed incredibly uncomfortable, so Harry broke into the conversation.
"We better go eat Ginny, we'll be late for class." Ginny smiled gratefully at him, and Harry felt something flutter in his stomach. The began to walk over to the Gryffndor table.
"Thanks. I like Neville, but not that way, you know? I didn't want him to have to go to the dance alone last year, but I think I gave him the wrong idea."
"It's no problem. You're Ron's little sister, it's my job to look out for you." Her face fell, and she turned away. What did I say to make her angry? But within a couple of seconds, Ginny had turned back to him and began to talk animatedly about classes and how excited she was to be a fourth year. They finished the meal talking and laughing the whole time, and then set off to the commons room to get their books for their first class.
"Oh shoot!" Ginny said as she realized that her wand had fallen out of her pocket in the crowded hall. "It'll take me forever to find it with all these people around. You go on without me, I don't want you to be late because of me."
"No, of course I'll help you find it!" As he leaned down to start looking he brushed her hand with his. He immediately felt that weird tingle, and this time he blushed.
"Ginny! Ginny! You dropped this!" Colin Creevy came running up waving her wand around.
"Oh, thanks so much Colin, it would have taken me forever to find it."
"Oh, it's no problem, no problem at all." He was beaming at her with a strange look on his face. Harry was about to grab Ginny's hand and start walking away when he started talking again. "Um, Ginny, I was wondering, will you go to the back to school dance with me?" Harry felt like someone had punched him in the stomach.
"Oh, well I'd really like to Colin, but, um..."
"She's already going with me. Sorry Colin." Colin looked disappointed but smiled and walked away. Harry glanced over and Ginny and realized she was staring at him with an angry look on her face.
"What are you doing? Trying to 'protect' Ron's little sister again? I can make my own decisions you know, and I don't need your protection." Ginny turned and stalked away to the commons room, leaving Harry standing in the middle of the hallway, very confused.