Chapter 4

*Authors Note* This chapter is in Ginny's P.O.V in the interest of moving she and Harrys' relationship along.

"Come on Hermione!" whined Ginny, as she stood impatiently by the company car her father had borrowed from the Ministry. Ginny was anxious to go shopping, and Hermione was taking a ridiculously long time saying goodbye to Ron. He had better get a move on and pop the question Ginny thought, rolling her eyes at the long and wet goodbye kiss they exchanged. After they broke apart, Ron stuck his tounge out at her. Ginny noticed a vast improvement from the girlfriendless Ron to the this model- he was less grumpy, and less annoying about her relationships. Not that she had any at the moment, she was holding out for a certain someone... "About time, I was about ready to come of age over here!" teased Ginny, pushing the thought of him from her mind.

"Oh come on you" sniffed Hermione, opening the car door and sliding into the back seat.

Once they had reached London, Ginny and Hermione parted ways with Mr. Weasley.

"Now girls, Molly told me to tell you to stay together, not to go down Knockturn Alley, not to talk to anyone strange, and not to buy anything you weren't completely sure of." said Mr. Weasley in a patronizing tone before they got out of the car.

"Dad, we aren't twelve." said Ginny, annoyed and a bit embarassed.

"I'm aware, so I won't say that. All I'll say is have fun, be safe and don't spend to much." said Mr. Weasley, smiling. "All I ask is that Molly doesn't... err.. you don't mention to your mother... Just don't forget what Mum said yes? It would be my head as well as yours." he said, his moment of free speech tainted by his well reasoned respect for his wife.

"Of course not Mr. Weasley. We'll meet you back here around one." said Hermione as the girls slid out of the air conditioned back seat and into the sweaty, stinky heat of the London streets. They quickly walked to the entrance of the Leaky Cauldron, and walked straight through the pub. Ginny grimaced as two old wizards wolf whistled at them, calling to them to join in their drink. She sped up, taking Hermione's arm and dragging her along.

"I don't know why you let them get to you Ginny." said Hermione, slightly amused at her friends discomfort. "We both know you could have hexed those morons into oblivion."

"I know Hermione, but I can't stand to be stared at like a piece of meat. Come on, I want to get to Madame Malkins. I deperately need new robes."

Once inside Diagon Alley, the heat was stifling. Ginny vaugely wondered why someone hadn't cast a charm to fix this, thinking surely there must be one, but then she looked around. Peddlers booths, which had once sold protective devices during the panic of the war, now sold fail safe ways to keep cool in the heat. Hand painted signs hung around all of these booths, proclaiming everything from Instant Heat Relief potions to Everlasting Fans, a copy of the Muggle design of the motor propelled fan with foam arms with a simple charm placed on them. All wastes of money to be sure, but that was why nobody had stopped the heat. Or perhaps they had, and one of the peddlers had cast the counter charm.

It was disgusting, the way these people had stayed around even after the end of the war. They were parasites, leeching off peoples' fear and now, their discomfort. Ginny felt badly for them, but was also a bit sickened by their calling voices, their reaching arms, shaking things at her that reeked of cat and forgery. They have to make a living too said a little voice in the back of her mind. Well perhaps they should have payed more attention in school and gotten a proper job the annoyed part snapped back, effectively silencing the little voice.

Ginny and Hermione reached Madame Malkin's Robes for All Occasions and sighed with releif as they stepped into the climate-controlled boutique. Madame Malkin greated them with a wave as she helped a young girl and her annoyed mother find proper school robes. Ginny thought sadly of her first year. This is the last time I'll go school supply shopping she realized with a start. The thought gave her the funny feeling of missing something that wasn't gone yet. It was quite like the feeling she had gotten when he... No! she thought to herself roughly. This is not the time nor place to be worrying about him!

Ginny went immidiatly to a rack of school robes, while Hermione strayed towards the section of the shop containing day to day muggle clothing. Ginny watched her pick through the rack, pulling out certain things and going over them critically. She sighed inwardly as Hermione cast away a mauve colored sundress, ebroidered with little white flowers on the bodice. She had thought it was extremely cute, for Hermione at least. Ginny knew the mauve would clash horribly with her hair.

It was amazing how different she and her best friend's styles were. As Ginny watched Hermione skim over clothes she liked she thought of her mother. They often argued about what clothes looked best on her, but Ginny usually won. She turned back to the school robes, smiling fondly at these memories, and selected some in her size. Three plain black robes to replace those she had ruined last year. She then walked over to join Hermione at the casual racks.

"Whats the matter with this?" she demanded, pulling out the sundress once again.

"Oh, Gin, it's very cute for someone like you. It's to tight, I could never pull somthing like that off." sighed Hermione.

"Oh, come off it Mione! You have a great figure!"

"Well yes, I suppose, but I have..." Hermione trailed off, blushing.

"You have what?" Ginny demanded. If she was honest with herself, she was extremely jealous of Hermione's figure, and wanted to know what on earth it was that could make her so insecure.

"I have... Skinny ankles." whispered Hermione, embarrassed.

Ginny stared at her for a moment before saying "Oh no, Mione, that's a lie! Whoever told you that must have been out of their mind." Ginny was astonished that something so trivial had altered Hermione's self image so much. That must be why she never wears sandals Ginny thought, the realization hitting her that she hadn't actually seen Hermione in ankle-showing clothing in quite a while.

"Yes, well, she was one hundred and seven, and I'm sure her goblin-made tiara made her quite the expert on muggleborn ankles." said Hermione crossly.

"Muriel said that to you? And you believed her? Mione, really! She's just a miserable old woman, and when she could find no fault in Fleur that day, other than her being french," (this Ginny said in a near-perfect immitation of Muriel) "she had to find a new victim. According to her, Ron's hair is far to long and I will never bear sons because my hips are 'far to skinny and frail'." said Ginny, air quoting with a grimmace.

"Well, I suppose.." said Hermione weakly, smiling in spit of herself at Ginny's spot on interpretation of the woman.

"Oh come on, your getting this." Said Ginny, dragging her off to the fiting room, despite Madame Malkin's look of disdain at their loud behaviour.

"Oh, Mione!" breathed Ginny, starring at her friend as she stood before her in the flattering sundress.

"Do you like it?" asked Hermione, frowning and checking her reflection in the long mirror next to her. Ginny swore she saw her glance at her ankles.

"Hermione, you look amazing! And stop checking your ankles, Muriel is blind. They are graceful, not skinny." said Ginny passionately.

"You really think so? asked Hermione, a smile spreading across her face.

"I definatly think so. And you know what else?" asked Ginny, a smirk playing on her lips.

"What's that?" asked Hermione, distractedly admiring her reflection.

"Ronald isn't going to be able to keep his eyes off you." she said teasingly.

"Ginny! Not so loud!" Hermione shushed, embarrassedly looking around. "Come on then, lets see what your picking." And she hustled back into the changing room.

Ginny and Hermione traded places so she could try on the simple creme colored dress she had found. Ginny rather liked the effect it had with her hair and skin tone. It make her hair look deeper red, and her skin look lighter, more ebony than usual. She liked it best that way.

"Oh, Gin! You look amazing!" said Hermione, gazing at her.

"Thanks Mione." smiled Ginny, admiring the way the dress clung to her body. She twirled, and sent it out into a small poof around her. It was a casual dress, but it still made her feel like a princess.

"You have to get that!" said Hermione

"Way ahead of you Mione. Mum's going to love this, she's always trying to get me to wear dresses more." said Ginny, still admiring herself.

"You know what I think Gin?" asked Hermione slyly.

Whats that?" she asked, turning back to Hermione.

"Harry won't be able to keep his eyes off you." she said, smirking.

"Oh, please. He hardly looks at me any more." said Ginny, trying to hide the hurt in her voice.

"Well you're obviously not seeing what we are." said Hermione, still smirking. "He's always looking at you when he thinks no one else is."

"Well, even so, that doesn't mean he..." started Ginny, trying not to let the hope she felt bubbling up in her chest show.

"He what, likes you still? More like loves." snorted Hermione.

"You think so?" she asked, staring at Hermione, amazed.

"Ginny, trust me. That boy is crazy for you. He's scared you don't feel the same way." said Hermione airily.

"Well that's rubbish!" snapped Ginny, rather loudly. Somewhere in the store Madame Malkin sniffed in annoyance. They heard this and both blushed, having forgotten they were in a public place. Ginny hurridly changed and they paid for their purchases, and decided to head to Flourish and Botts.