A/N: Short and maybe sweet? I like writing Ginny with any random guy (goodness, does that sound terrible!). I was going to do this with Seamus or Dean, but I've already written a few Ginny/Seamus and Ginny/Dean pairings and wanted to try out a new boy.
Disclaimer: I don't own any characters or places you recognize from the Harry Potter world. I bet that just shocks you don't it?
"I want to dance Harry!" Ginny could be heard hollering from several feet away in the Great Hall. She was attending a ball with Harry and he refused to dance. She wasn't sure why, but she was certainly getting angry. Why would he invite someone to a ball if they didn't wish to dance? Did he not know it was expected of one's date?
"I hate dancing Gin. You know that," he responds annoyed. He had told her that several times tonight already.
"Why would you ask a girl to a ball if you won't even bloody dance with her?" Ginny asks, fully exasperated with the boy in front of her.
"Well I needed a date," he says obviously. The many girls who heard this comment thanked Merlin that they weren't there with Harry Potter. The many boys just shook their heads at his stupidity. Ginny Weasley was quite a catch. She had an easygoing personality, a great sense of humor, brains and was one powerful witch. Not to mention she was on the unofficial 'Top Ten Gorgeous Girls' list of the school for her age range that a group of Ravenclaw guys had created the previous year. Those smart guys sure did like their lists.
"Oh, you just needed a date Harry?" she asks in a sweet voice, as if she now understood his brilliant reasoning.
"Well yeah, you can't show up to one of these things with out a date," he says as if it were obvious. Nobody is really sure if he seriously thinks that this conversation is going to end in his favor or if he's just being a git.
Seething with anger she turns away from him, not dignifying him with an answer, and stalks towards a random table. She furiously pulls an empty chair out and sits down roughly. She was beyond angry with him. Who did he think he was to treat her like she was just some convenience? Didn't he realize what a treasure he had with her? Obviously not! This was not turning into a very good night. In all fairness she knew this was not a serious "date" but more of a "friends" affair as far as Harry was concerned, but still she felt she had the right to be angry to be asked her and then brushed aside. She looks up moodily and groans. Had she actually looked where she was going, she wouldn't have sat here, but it was too late to turn back now.
"What's the matter Weasley?" Zacharias Smith smirks. "Finally realize what a nuisance you are?"
"Shove it Smith," she angrily replies.
"Oh, problems with Potter then?" he teases.
"I said shove it. Don't think I won't pull my wand on you just because this is a formal event," she threatens venomously.
"Like I'm really-"
"Leave it Zach," a stern voice on his right interrupts.
"I'm just having a little fun Justin."
"If you must tease someone, go tease Harry. At least he deserves it right now." Smith brightens at this and nods before taking off cheerily. It isn't every day he has reason to bother Potter.
"Thanks," she mumbles out as she turns to face the boy.
"No problem. He can be a real pain."
"No kidding," she sarcastically replies. "Not sure how anyone can stand him really."
"He's not that bad once you really get to know him," he shrugs. "He can be a really good friend when he's not being insulting to everyone."
"I'm sure," she snorts. "What was your name? Justin?"
"Yea, Justin, I'm a year above you," he responds as way of introducing himself.
"Ginny," she says offering her hand, realizing belatedly how awkward the gesture was for her.
"Yeah, I know who you are," he says taking the offered hand. "I'm friendly with your brother and them."
"Let's not refer to them right now," she says firmly.
"Sure thing," he chuckles. "Look, I know I'm not Harry, but would you like to dance?"
She thinks it over for a second before responding. The current song calls for the formal, proper, dance style. It couldn't hurt to try; he seems pleasant enough and she did want to dance. "I'd love to."
He smiles and offers her his hand, leading her to the dance floor. They get in the proper position and begin to move in time with the music. They continue to talk amicably through out the song. Each pleasantly surprised to see they have a lot in common. By the time the song ends they're both hesitant to leave the floor and he finally suggests they continue dancing.
And so their night went on together. They danced to many other songs. If they weren't dancing, they were sitting at one of the tables with a glass of punch each, chatting away merrily. Ginny chose not to return to Harry at all for the remainder of the dance, spending all the time she could with Justin. He was great company and she was certain he thought the same of her. When the time came to leave the Great Hall they walked out together.
"Would you like me to walk you up to your tower?" Justin asks unsure.
"It's up to you. I know your common room is right by here somewhere so if you'd rather not you have no obligation to." She was nervous about the uncertainty in his voice. If he was going to walk her it would be his choice, not her telling him he should.
"I wouldn't mind talking the scenic root," he grins.
"Good answer," she grins back. They began their trek up the seven flights of stairs to the Gryffindor Tower entrance.
"I had a lot of fun tonight Justin. Thanks for dancing with me," she says once they in sight of the Fat Lady.
"Believe me, the pleasure was all mine," he says with a charming smile.
They both stand there a minute, neither quite sure what to do now. Do they kiss? Do they hug? Do they shake hands? No, certainly not shake hands; they did the awkward handshake thing earlier. Finally Justin just made a decision.
"Well good night Ginny." He steps forward and leans to place a sweet kiss on her cheek, causing her face to take on a soft smile.
"Good night Justin," she says softly. She stares at him a second before giving him a brief, simple kiss on the lips. As soon as she separates from him, she feels her cheeks heat up and she takes the rest of the steps and mumbles the password to the Fat Lady. She disappears to the sound of his light chuckles.
"A good night indeed," he whispers, making his way back down seven floors to the Hufflepuff common room.
A/N: I don't really know where this came from. I've been switching between writing five or six different one shots and this was not one I had planned. It just came to me.