Hello my lovely readers:)
Thanks to Dreaming Haven, PhoenixWolfGirl, DrLynn19, pettybureaucrat, fons19, potterhead90, scrappy8 and startailsbomber for your reviews.
Thanks a lot to all the people who have added it as a favourite and are follwing it.
I sincerely apologize for my absence for so long. Work and personal life do take a toll on all of us. Well, without further ado, here we go. Enjoy:)
Once they were sure Harry was calm enough to not create any more ruckus, Ron and Hermione set to restore the things to their original form and place with quick flicks of their wrists.
Harry was in the kitchen making tea for them all. Once the steaming black liquid was generously poured into three large cups, he fished the cupboards for some of Mrs. Weasley's leftover cookies. Carrying the two trays, he made his way to the now systemic common room.
"Ahem", he cleared his throat at the couple who seemed to be welded together at the lips.
Ron and Hermione sprung apart almost comically and blushed scarlet red.
He set the trays down and sat down opposite to his two best friends with a cup of tea. "So, you guys promised to help me. Soooooo... tell me how do I win her back", he asked with hopeful eyes.
"So", began Hermione, "let's make a plan" and she pulled out a parchment and quill from her bag.
"Tell me all the things Ginny likes and we'll go from there".
Harry let his mind wander to the girl of his dreams and within a fraction of a milisecond his face was lit with the brightest smile.
"She loves lilies. She also loves caramel filled chocolates from Honeydukes. She loves when it snows and she loves the fireworks. She is crazy about quidditch and she likes jewellery when she goes into her so called 'girl mode'. She loves long walks and discussions and jam and toast. She likes listening to soothing muggle music and she sings and dances when she thinks noone's watching. She loves baking but hates the frying pan. She-"
Ron and Hermione shared an amused glance as Harry ranted on and on about Ginny.
"Harry"
"She just loooves flying. Especially at night. It's when the wind -"
"Harry, wait"
"-just a gnome. But she made Luna believe it was some creature or whatnot. She obviously loves pranks but -"
"HARRY!"
"Huh. What?" He snapped out of his daze.
"It's enough to get going for now Harry", Hermione said gently.
"Honestly, mate. How on earth did you not know that you loved her? You know more about her than she does herself I think", said Ron with a small grin.
Harry blushed from head to neck and thanked his lucky stars that he hadn't started talking about her skin or assets. He also realized that he'd been the world's biggest moron for not seeing something that was so obvious all these years.
"Ok, so I have a plan. You take a bouquet of lilies and order a few chocolates that she likes and go to her. Best time would be when she's in the common room. Then you go up to her and apologize again and give her those gifts. She might not melt immediately but it'll be little better. Then each day, starting tomorrow, you do something that she likes. Slow and steady. We'll have her thawed in no time.. then you confess your love to her through fireworks. I know a spell that can arrange letters even with normal fireworks, so we can arrange it here without involving Fred and George. Then she'll say yes and the prince and princess will live happily ever after", Hermione finished beaming at them.
"That, 'Mione, is a brilliant plan. Really. Thanks. I'll start now. You're the best", he said and rushed out the portrait hole.
"He's got it bad, like, really bad", said Ron.
"I know, Ron, I know. I hope everything goes out accordingly. Oh! He forgot to take his Marauder's map! How will he know when to approach Ginny?"
"Don't worry, love. He'll figure it out. It's Harry and Ginny. Everything will work out somehow".
"Yeah", Hermione replied leaning into Ron with a satisfied smile, "it's Harry and Ginny".
Two hours later
The boy-who-lived had ordered the female Weasley's favourite chocolates from Honeydukes via speed delivery and had plucked some lilies from Herbology patch. After making a decent bouquet of the flowers and tying it with a green ribbon, he made his way to the Gryffindor common room.
He had a hard time containing his grin as he imagined, over and over again, the smile that would grace Ginny's face when she sees the gifts.
"Password?" asked The Fat Lady.
"Grubbyplank", said the Head Boy and entered his abode of the last six years.
He saw the back of Ginny's head on the couch and was going to walk upto her when he noticed another figure sitting quite close to her. Dean.
Harry held the flowers and chocolates behind his back and moved behind a pillar to try to eavesdrop what that git was saying to his girl.
Dean said something very softly to Ginny and she laughed lightly.
"You're mental, Dean", she said.
"No, honestly. You are the prettiest girl in this school. I wonder why I never made a move on you before", replied Dean.
Yeah you didn't cause she was dating someone else. Not that you cared much with the way you always stared at her even when you had a girlfriend, thought Harry bitterly.
"Oh well, it's all about the timing I guess", said Ginny.
"Yeah, but I'm glad that the timing is perfect now", said Dean. He brushed her hair behind her ear and whispered something in her ear. He then tilted his head to one side as if waiting for a response. Ginny blushed and shyly nodded her head. An unsettling feeling developed in Harry's gut. Dean grinned and cupped her face with one hand and pressed his lips to hers.
Harry was just about to come out of his hiding spot to pry Dean off Ginny when Ginny's hands moved to Dean's neck and returned the kiss.
The world had stopped. It had stopped and it was never going to start again. This is how death probably felt. This is how heartbreak felt. Harry had a tightening in his chest which he doubted would go away by rubbing it or taking any potions. This is what Ginny would have felt every time she saw Harry and Cho kissing. Something wet fell on his hand that was holding the pillar and Harry realized he was crying. Silent tears streamed down his face as he finally wrenched himself away from the pillar and turned his back on the snogging couple. Lead laden feet quietly moved on the carpeted floor back towards the portrait hole. This is how it felt. Nothingness. Emptiness. The emotional turmoil of the past few days had finally ended and he felt like an empty shell. Like an organ had been forcibly removed from his system and he'd never be whole again. They say the subconscious registers the common routes and actions for you. Which would have been the case cause Harry would never remember how he left the Gryffindor common room, reached his own dormitory, gave the password and went inside.
The door shut behind him and Ron and Hermione looked up from the parchments of homework that were strewn across the table.
"Oh Harry, you forgot to take the Map. Did you find her? Harry, Harry are you - are you crying? What happened?"
"She kissed him".
"Who kissed whom, mate?"
"Gin.. she kissed Dean".
"Oh Harry! It .. you shouldn't lose hope. It must not mean anything."
"I saw it, Hermione. I saw them. She ... she was ok with it. She wants to move on. Maybe I'm too late. Maybe, maybe it's all over", he said dejectedly.
"No! Harry, Ginny loves you. She said so herself. You.. just talk to her... confess your feelings again. Tell her to leave Dean -"
"No".
"But Harry-"
"I said NO Hermione! I'm not going to pressurize her into anything. Yeah, she loved me. So what? Why should she give up everything the day I decide to realize my mistake. She was right. I've fucked this up. I am not going to try to take away her freedom and wishes from her. If ... if this is what she wants, fine. I'll. . I can just wait. Like she did. Nothing else. I-I'm going to bed", he said and entered his room with shoulders slumped and rejection plastered on his face.
Same day, Gryffindor girls dormitories : 10 PM
Ginny Weasley sat in front of her mirror and brushed her long fiery locks, lost deep in thought.
Harry. Harry had told her he loved her but she was too hurt to trust him so soon. She needed time. Dean... Dean was a sweet guy. He'd asked her to the ball and he'd kissed her today. She smiled at the memory. Her mind treacherously pulled her back to another kiss or rather kisses.. by a black haired green eyed wizard. Dean's kiss was nothing compared to Harry's. But of course, she loved Harry and not Dean. Still, she wouldn't go running to Harry. What if she was just a rebound? She wouldn't be able to handle another heart break. She needed to stay away from him. She always ended up getting hurt when Harry was involved. She decided to give her complete try to the relationship with Dean.
Ginny was snapped out of her musings by the tapping on her window.
"Hedwig", she exclaimed.
She rushed to the window and let the snowy owl enter. "What is it girl?" She removed a parcel from Hedwig's leg and fed a couple of owl treats to her. The owl affectionately nibbled her finger before soaring into the black sky.
Ginny opened the parcel and gasped. Inside was a box of her favourite caramelized chocolates and a shabbily made bouquet of white lilles. Something so plain, yet so Harry. As she opened the chocolates a note fell from it. With trembling fingers and heart thudding against her chest, she opened the note and read it.
"Hey Gin.
I don't know if you'll read this letter or if you're too mad at me to even open the parcel, yet here I am. I had come by the common room today evening to give these to you in person but I accidentally walked into you and Dean. I apologize for it. Gin I- I don't know what to say. You were right. You were absolutely right. I've hurt you. A lot. I've been so stupid. I don't expect you to just forget everything in one go and be with me. I just want to say that I'm - I'm happy for you Gin. If you're really happy with Dean then... I couldn't ask for anything more. Your friendship is the most important thing for me in this world Gin. You're the most important person to me and I don't want to lose you. I just wanted you to know that I'm always here for you. Whenever you need me. I'll be your 3 A.M. floo call and your boxing bag when you're angry. I'll .. I'll still be your best friend Gin. I want to be. Please don't take that away from me. I'd understand if you don't want to talk to me now. Really I would.. but just know that Harry is always there for Ginny. Irrespective of the circumstances. Always.
Wish you all the happiness in the world.
Yours,
Harry"
By the time Ginny finished reading the letter it was covered with her tear drops that blotched the ink at places. She opened her desk drawer and put the box and the note inside. She placed the flowers on her desk near the frame that showed two youngsters in happier times, wrapped in each others arms and laughing after a quidditch victory.
She hugged her pillow and let her sobs lull her to sleep.
In another tower, the Head Boy was too drifting off to sleep, a photo of a red haired beauty clutched in his hand over his chest and tear stains randomly dispersed on his shirt and pillow.
A/N: Aargghhh please don't kill me! It's an offense and there are still many places in the world that I want to visit. Sooo what's your take on this? Are you satisfied with Ginny's decision? What about Harry's letter? How was Hermione's plan? What do you think will happen next? Let me know. Also, I'd like to add that English is not my first language. So if you happen to find any errors, please feel free to let me know:)
I've been going through a rough patch right now. Sooo let me know your thoughts on this one. Also, the next chapter might be the ball. So any ideas? Review, review. I love hearing from you people and it's your support that keeps me going. I'll try to update the next chapter soon.
Until next time,
MrsGinPotter