CHAPTER 7

Harry apparated Ginny and himself to a few metres from The Fairy Garden and immediately turned to her to see her reaction.

"Oh Harry," said Ginny looking around in wonder at the small restaurant, "This is stunning. Look at all the trees. Where did you manage to find it?"

Harry wanted to say that the setting could only be beautiful while Ginny was there but couldn't trust his mouth to form more than 'gah' at that moment and so settled for extending his arm to escort her inside. She took it and they entered to find the owner waiting patiently for them.

"Monsieur Potter, such an honour to see you again," he said bowing at Harry. He turned to Ginny, "Mademoiselle, such a delight to have you in our fine establishment. I trust your evening will amaze you. I have selected our finest bottle of wine at no charge to accompany our best table. Nothing is too good for our special guests."

The man bowed to them again and beckoned a smartly dressed waiter.

"Nigel will show you to your table. If there is anything you require, anything at all, please do not hesitate to ask."

Nigel, the waiter, bowed at Ginny and then Harry and indicated for them to follow. Ginny giggled slightly and Harry gestured for her to walk first. As he followed Ginny down the winding path though the dark trees behind Nigel, he happily watched her gape in amazement at the fairy lights scattered everywhere, including the small fishponds along the path, that gave a mystical glow to the garden. Amazing as it had been during the day when Harry made the reservation, the garden really came to life in the evening.

"Here you are," said Nigel, stopping at an intimate table decorated in a pure white tablecloth and lit by three floating candles. Harry pulled out a chair for Ginny to sit in and seated himself opposite her.

"May I open the wine?" Nigel asked.

"Yes please," replied Harry.

Harry waited while the man poured two glasses of wine into crystal glasses and then, when he had left, raised the glass.

"To the most beautiful witch I have ever seen," he said still wondering whether Ginny was going to hex him or when she would reveal this whole evening was some joke.

"No," she said smiling and blushing slightly, "To a stubborn man finally asking me out."

Harry relaxed and laughed. He leaned forward so they could touch the glasses together.

"To many more," Ginny added, and winking at him, took a sip of the wine.

- - - - - - - -

Harry couldn't have imagined a better evening. He and Ginny sat and talked for what appeared to be hours through a delicious dinner. Harry could not remember what he had ordered or what it had tasted like, but he knew it had been good. The wine was spectacular but the company, he decided, was infinitely better.

He and Ginny had just ordered their desserts when there was a commotion across the garden. The owner and a waiter rushed past Harry and he just caught the words 'Melody Cuffe', 'date' and 'drunk'. That was the girl from the Daily Prophet clipping that Ginny had showed him! The one with Dean Thomas! He looked at Ginny in alarm and from her face knew that she had heard it too.

Both of them turned to look and there was Dean Thomas staring at them with his plate on the ground and a glass of wine in his hand. The girl from the picture was sitting opposite him and obviously trying to get his attention. The waiter knelt beside him frantically cleaning up while the owner calmed the girl down.

Dean stood up unsteadily, clearly worse for the wear, and slowly made his way over to them, Melody Cuffe and owner in tow still apologising.

"Ginny," he said, suddenly sounding dead sober, "What are you doing here with Harry Potter?"

"Hello Dean," Ginny replied calmly, "If you don't mind, Harry and I are on a date, just like you."

Dean's face darkened and he glared at Harry. Melody Cuffe on the other hand looked up quickly at Harry's name.

"Harry Potter?" she exclaimed, "Such a pleasure to meet you. I'm sure you've heard of my father, Barnabas Cuffe, the editor of the Daily Prophet."

She clearly expected this to impress Harry.

Dean, Ginny and Harry looked at her. Harry didn't know how someone as attractive as Melody could repulse him so much.

"Dean my dear," she said, "Why don't we join them? You clearly know the girl and Mr. Potter well, I'm sure they wouldn't mind."

"Clearly we don't know Dean very well," said Harry standing up, "I would never have thought him capable of what he's done recently."

"Don't go there, Harry, I'm not the one who wanted to stay in the dull boring countryside with the famous Harry Potter for company. I needed her here!" said Dean, who seemed to know exactly what Harry was talking about.

"Please," said the owner, appealing to Harry and Dean, "Let's all calm down and go back to our meals. I don't want any trouble here."

Both men ignored him.

"If you had needed her that badly you would have come to the boring countryside to see her. No," Harry was warming up now, "you needed a trophy."

He looked at Melody disgusted at her clear snobbishness.

"It looks like you found one."

Dean gasped and punched Harry before Harry could get out of the way. The next moment Dean was lying on the ground hiding his face in his hands. Harry saw black wings trying to escape from between Dean's fingers. He got up and looked down at Dean and then at the redheaded girl next to him with her wand in her hand.

Harry turned to the owner who was standing there mouth wide open in shock.

"I'm so sorry for the disturbance," he said, "Your restaurant is wonderful, and I will definitely come back here."

"Mr. Potter, please do not mention it. I must apologise for letting this man disturb your evening. Please stay, finish your dessert, this person will be evicted shortly," the owner assured Harry.

"Thank-you, but no," Harry replied, "I think it's time we were going."

He looked at Ginny and took her hand. She smiled back at him and nodded.