Ginny- Regrets and changes

She had plunged all her savings in buying this dress. It was not exactly very fashionable, but mercifully not second hand like her brothers. Her mother had done her best. She had also given whatever she could, like her old jewelry, which she had worn at her brother Fabian's wedding. It didn't really match with her pale green and pink dress, but she had no choice. She thought wistfully of Hermione's dress, which she had shown her back in the summer. She hadn't felt bad at that time; because she wouldn't be going. She really liked Hermione, but the natural feminine instinct was making it difficult for her not to be jealous. She was even sadder when she thought that Krum had asked Hermione. Her sadness increased exponentially when she thought that she could have gone with Harry.

"Luck, bad luck will screw my life", she muttered.

She thought about the time when Neville had asked her out. She had bumped into him outside Library. He looked totally lost.

"Ouch! Watch where you are going", she had said angrily, "Oh, it's you Neville".

He was so lost that he didn't even answer.

"Neville, Neville", she shook him.

"Oh Ginny, it's you", he seemed unnerved. "Sorry, about that", he said, looking at the books that were scattered around. "I'll help you".

He bent down to pick up the books, and his face looked so miserable that she asked, "Everything all right, Neville?"

"Umm. Not really. I don't have a date for ball."He looked as if a great tragedy had occurred.

I t took a great effort on her part to keep her face straight.

"Well," she said, "Ron and Harry also don't have dates. It's okay."

"Oh they will get soon. And Harry is a champion. Lots of girls have already asked him. I don't know who he is waiting for. And so will Ron. And even if he doesn't, it won't matter much. But I'll be killed if I go alone."

"Why?"

"My uncle Algie sent me the robes, along with a long letter. He told me to go only with a date. Apparently in his time going in the ball alone was considered social suicide". He had gained some of his color back and made a face.

"But this isn't his time."

"I know. I'd just been fooling myself into believing that that I could also get a date", he said looking down, shaking his head dejectedly.

Ginny felt really bad for him. "Look Neville," she said "You can get a date. You need to think of someone who is friends with you and then ask her."

Neville turned his dejected face towards her, "I have already tried that."

"Really. Who did you ask?"

"Hermione"

"Oh. What did she say?"

"She said that she was sorry but she already has a date. She was so nice to me lately; I thought she would come with me"

"Oh right", she could not think of anything else to say.

"What I fail to understand is that who is she going with if she is not going with Ron or Harry?"

Ginny decided to play dumb even though she knew exactly who Hermione was going with.

"So who are you going with?",he asked her.

"Oh I don't have any invites"

She could see logic forming in Neville's eyes; she thought if she had had been overly nice.

"Would you like to come with me?" he asked her so suddenly that she was completely taken off guard. He looked at her expectantly. It was so pathetic that half of her wanted to laugh and half wanted to cry. She considered her options, there was no one but one whom she wanted to go with, but she didn't have the nerve to ask him and she knew that he wouldn't ask her. If didn't say yes to Neville she might not go at all. Neville, sensing her dilemma said,

"If you don't want to, its ok."

"No", she said suddenly, "I will come with you. "

He beamed at her, "That's great, Ginny. Thanks"

She couldn't help laughing at his enthusiasm, "The pleasure is entirely mine, sir."

She was passively happy about going to ball, but not really interested in Neville. It should be fun, not many third years were going. She had not been miserable, if not out rightly happy, till the night Ron had returned ashen faced after asking Fleur. After that fateful conversation with Ron and Harry, she became about two things; first, that if she hadn't said yes to Neville she might have gone with Harry, and second, that Harry liked Cho Chang. Suddenly she was very less excited for ball and her misery grew day by day. No one noticed; no one except Hermione, who talked to her about this the first chance she got.

"Ginny, what's wrong with you?" she said one day prior to the ball, as they made their way to the girls' bathroom.

"Me?" she said, really surprised for a second.

"Yes", looking at her with concern in her brown eyes.

"Nothing. Why do you ask?"

"Ginny," she said, half smiling, "If you think I am as blind as your brothers and the rest of people, then you are mistaken".

Ginny remained quiet, not knowing how to frame her problem.

"If you don't want to tell me, it's okay", her voice still kind "but if you ever need any one I am always there"

"It's ….."

"Harry?" she prompted.

She took Ginny's silence as consent.

"Look Ginny. I am going to give it to you straight. You cannot get him by aching your heart over him like this. You have to go out, live your life. Easy around him a little bit. Let life take its course. By making yourself unhappy about someone you can't have you are closing door on many other people who might come in your life"

She nodded her head," You are right Hermione, I am just being stupid"

Hermione put an arm around her, "its okay dear, just be happy, okay"

She nodded.

"Thanks Hermione"

"Anytime, dear", she smiled.

The memory of this conversation still brought tears and smile to Ginny's face simultaneously. She looked at herself in the mirror. Tears had spoiled her mascara. She corrected it with her handkerchief.

"I'll be happy. I'll move out and be myself", she said to herself.

She smiled at her reflection, and at her new found confidence.

A/N-Please read and review.