CHAPTER 4

Harry decided that discretion was the better part of valour (even to a Gryffindor) and kept out of Ginny's way for a week. It was just as well, because Ginny was in a particularly short-tempered mood and even hexed George so badly that Mr. Weasley had taken her aside for a small talk. She stopped hexing them after that but still didn't speak to anyone except Hermione and her parents. Hermione spent a large part of the weekend with Ginny and could be seen talking very gravely to her. Harry hoped she wasn't giving away his secret.

Thankfully, none of the other Weasleys' seemed to take any notice of Harry's preoccupation and Ron hadn't said anything about what happened between Harry and Ginny. Whatever Hermione was saying to Ginny seemed to be working and Ginny seemed to calm down slowly. By Tuesday, she even stopped glowering at Harry whenever he was in the room. This gave Harry a bit of second wind and he decided to go out the next morning. No plan, he thought, no breakfast, just Hot Chocolate.

The clock read four in the morning when Harry slipped out of his room and crept downstairs. His nerves mounted as he reached the backdoor. He paused. Harry opened the door and found Ginny already sitting there with two cups of steaming Hot Chocolate.

"You're just in time," she said.

Harry sighed in relief and sat down next to her. Ginny passed him the Hot Chocolate and looked away quickly.

"Hello," said Harry.

"I – I wanted to say sorry for hexing you last week," said Ginny, "I know that I shouldn't have, but I just felt so angry."

Harry said nothing and looked at her.

"Hermione told me that I was being very ungrateful and that I should be happy that you care enough to try and help." Ginny continued, "The problem is that I'm still trying to process what happened…" She trailed off.

"Ginny," said Harry, to get her attention. "I want to help you – or not if you think it's none of my business, but to make that decision I need to know what's going on. If you think it is none of my business, then you just need to say so, but then you need to stop being so harsh on everyone. We can't be held responsible if you don't want to tell us."

"I know, and I want to tell you. Hermione was right and so are you. Friends don't behave the way I have. Friends tell each other their problems and I know that's something you learnt as well."

Ginny stopped and took a deep breath.

"Did you read the Daily Prophet two weeks ago?" she asked.

Harry blinked at the apparent change in conversation.

"No," he replied.

Ginny removed a folded piece of parchment from her robes. It was a bit crumpled and looked worn out as if she had folded and unfolded it many times already.

Ginny passed it to Harry. He slowly unfolded it to reveal the society pages of the Daily Prophet dated two weeks prior. Right in the middle of the page were a smiling couple walking into a very up-market restaurant. The two in the photo were waving at the crowds and holding hands. With a shock, Harry realized he knew the man in the picture.

It was Dean Thomas.

Dean Thomas holding hands with a witch the caption identified as Melody Cuffe, daughter of the Daily Prophet editor, Barnabas Cuffe.

"But -" Harry started.

"Yes, I know, "said Ginny, "Funny isn't it? As if that isn't enough, I get an owl from him asking me why I can't get a flat in London for when he needs me. He says that he misses me."

"What?" Harry exclaimed. The blood started boiling up as hot as he remembered it when he and Ron caught Dean and Ginny kissing at Hogwarts after Quidditch practice. Harry tried to calm down, getting angry wasn't going to solve the problem.

They sat in silence until a thought occurred to Harry.

"What about that owl that Luna sent you? You seemed upset at that," he said.

"She said that she saw Dean with a witch at another fancy restaurant. She said that they seemed very cosy together and she thought that I needed to know," said Ginny.

"But Dean says he misses you?"

"Yes. He keeps asking me to come up to London to see him."

"Why doesn't he come here to see you if he misses you?" asked Harry.

"Oh, Dean doesn't like the Burrow," replied Ginny, "It's not glamorous enough for him. He'd rather go out in London where everyone can see that he's out with me."

"Oh," said Harry, "Wait, how can anyone not like the Burrow?"

"You're different Harry. Dean goes out in London to be seen and to try to be famous. You are already famous and you prefer quieter places. It's quite refreshing really."

"I think I'd also like to go someplace where people could see me, if I went with you," said Harry unthinkingly. Ginny looked sharply at him.

Realising what he had said, Harry turned to Ginny quickly and said, "I didn't mean it that way, any man would be lucky to be seen with you... I'm just making this worse, aren't I?"

Ginny looked at him in silence for a few minutes. Harry was confused; she didn't look angry but more thoughtful.

"So, Mr. Potter," she said slowly, "Where would you like to take me?"

Harry's brain shut down at that point.

"There's always the Leaky Cauldron," he said weakly.

"I hope that's a joke, Harry," Ginny replied sweetly, "I expect a bit more than that for a first date." She smiled at him.

Harry's brain managed to smile back.

"A joke, yes, of course," he said, recovering a bit.

"How about you surprise me," said Ginny, "tomorrow night?"

Harry blinked and looked to see whether Ginny was joking with him. She seemed to be serious.

"Tomorrow night?" he said, "Tomorrow's Thursday."

"Well tonight is too soon for a witch to get ready properly," she replied, "And I'd like to go sooner rather than later."

Harry's heart took over. His dislike of Thursdays took a distant second place to the chance of going on a date with Ginny.

"Ok," he said, "Tomorrow night."

He would have to ask Hermione about this.

- - - - - - - -

Harry found Hermione sitting in the kitchen eating breakfast when he came downstairs an hour later. Ron wouldn't be done for at least another hour and Mrs. Weasley was in the living room.

"Hermione, I'm glad I found you," he said urgently, "I've got a problem I need your help with."

"A problem as in where you're going to take Ginny tomorrow night," she replied grinning broadly at him. Harry gaped at her, strongly resembling a fish out of water, before he sat down.

"How do you know," he asked, "Where you listening at the door?"

"Absolutely not!" Hermione exclaimed, "Ginny woke me up to tell me everything. And I thought you'd never get round to saying anything."

"I wasn't going to, it kind of slipped out. I'm glad it did though. The problem is that tomorrow is Thursday."

"So," asked Hermione.

"Hermione," Harry said, "You know how I feel about Thursdays. She said tonight is too soon and that she'd rather go sooner than later."

Hermione laughed.

"It's not funny, Hermione." Harry said, starting to get a bit irritated.

"Yes it is, Harry," she replied. "You know what Ginny said to me this morning?"

Harry shook his head.

"She said that she'd waited seven years for you to ask her on a date and that you asked in such a roundabout way that she's scared if you don't go tomorrow night that you'll wait another seven years to ask her again."

She giggled again and Harry couldn't help but grin back at her.

"I suppose that's true," he replied honestly. "Not that I meant to ask her out. But I'm glad I did."

"So is she, Harry, very glad." Hermione said, "Now, you're going to need better robes and we're going to need to find someplace that suits you to take her."

"Take who where?" asked a voice from the doorway.