The next morning the picture of the kiss between Harry and Ginny was plastered on the front page of the Prophet with the title "Lucky Kiss". Ginny was the recipient of many glares that morning in the Great Hall. When the announcement for the Yule Ball was made later Harry asked Ginny and Ron asked Hermione so the four of them were settled.
"Luna, are you going to the ball?" he asked.
"Yes but not with you." she said, "I am hoping to be asked by someone else."
"Ok, so you won't mind if I ask someone then?" he made sure.
"No if my choice doesn't ask, I don't want to go." she replied.
"So who are you going to ask?" Ron wondered.
"I'll tell you after I ask." Neville grinned, "I may yet win the third round of the bet." he interrupted himself by jumping up and saying, "See you later."
He was out the door before anyone could ask what was going on. They found out later that morning in their first class. Even though he had left the hall long before the others he was the last one in the door just before being late. He had a large smile on his face.
"What's up with you?" Harry asked.
"I've got a date to the ball." he whispered back, "Hannah Abbot."
"Good for you Bear." Harry grinned.
Harry took time that evening to write to Sirius and Remus. He begged them to get Mrs. Weasley's help when buying his formal robes. He didn't think he'd needed to tell them about Ron's robes. One look at them and they wouldn't allow Mrs. Weasley to purchase them. Sure enough a few days later both he and Ron received packages in the mail. Ron refused to open his at the table thinking they were the same as before. Hermione was all ready to head to the library to find a transfiguration spell. However when Harry read his letter he stopped her.
"Here read this first." he handed the note to the two of them, both smiled as they read.
"What does it say?" Ginny asked.
"I asked Sirius to take your Mum with them when they shopped for my formal robes." Harry said, "I was counting on the fact that she'd try to pick up Ron's at the same time. Sirius forced her to put them back and bought him a good set. He told her that Ron would be humiliated in those and that I would feel bad and buy him another set anyway. He also bought you a different dress. It's not ready yet so it will be mailed later."
"Mum let him do that?" She asked.
"She didn't have a choice. He said he would buy them anyway and let you guys decide which one to wear so she might as well save her money." Harry grinned, "She can't force him not to buy them."
Large grins were sported on all the faces of Harry's group of friends. Even Luna was smiling widely.
"Did you get asked?" Ginny questioned her.
"I did." she said.
"Who?" Harry had been wondering who she liked.
"You'll find out at the ball." she giggled at his look of disappointment.
Harry decided he needed some help. He was not going to embarrass Ginny the way he had Parvati. He only knew of one person who could help him so he approached her in the hall before any of his friends made it down to breakfast on that particular morning.
"Fleur can I talk to you a moment?" he asked.
"I already have a date to the ball." she didn't even turn around.
"So do I." Harry said, "I have a different question for you."
"Oh, sorry." she turned and smiled at him, "I've just been asked so many times."
"I understand. You must find it difficult with everyone drooling on you." he chuckled.
"You do understand." she smiled and stood then followed him out of the hall.
"I have a problem." he said as they walked out into the courtyard, "I don't know how to dance."
"Didn't your mother ever teach you?" she asked.
"My parents were killed when I was a baby." he stated. He couldn't believe she didn't know that.
"I mean the woman who has been your mother since then." she patted his arm, "Even we French know of your sacrifice."
"My aunt raised me but she didn't teach me this." he said, "I'm not sure she knew how to either."
"And what will I get in return?" she asked.
"Do you know how to interpret the egg yet?"
"Yes." she smiled.
"What do you want?" he asked.
"I do not know but maybe at a later time you can do something for me?" she laughed.
"I'll do my best. As long as you don't ask me to lose the tournament or do something illegal." he replied with a smile, "When can we start, I'm really bad."
Over the weeks until the Yule Ball he met her in abandoned classrooms and had dancing lessons. By the time the Yule Ball rolled around he felt better prepared if not ready. At the end of the first song Ginny was staring at him wide eyed.
"You did not dance this well last time." she hissed.
"I didn't have a private tutor last time." he smiled, "I asked Fleur to teach me."
"When did you have time?" she wondered.
"I've been skipping history class." he grinned, "I had to tell Hermione but no one else cared that I skipped out. Are you ok with this?"
"This is fantastic." she smiled as the next song started, "No smashed toes at all."
"I wanted to make sure you had a good time." Harry moved to the edge of the dance floor, "I'm not very good at it but I'm trying."
"You are doing great." she sighed, "Look there's Luna, her dress is something else."
Harry turned a found her without a problem. He agreed her dress was something else. He had been expecting some of her normal outlandish things but it wasn't. It looked very similar to the dress Hermione had worn last time and with her white blond hair the colors looked really good. Harry gasped when he realized her date was Dean Thomas.
"She went with Dean?" he asked, "I didn't think she liked him like that."
"They were going to go on a date before we left." she whispered close in his ear, "She felt like he should be her first date here to make up for the missed one."
The evening moved along and soon the formal dancing finished and the Weird Sisters took stage. Harry had to give her up for a short time so she could dance with each of her brothers, but she was soon back in his arm. At one point they were getting hot so they stepped outside for a breath of cool air. Ginny started to talk but Harry hushed her.
"You never know where Rita might be lurking." he pointed to a large bug that seemed to be watching Hagrid.
Ginny frowned at it for a moment before conjuring a jar with holes in the lid, "Just what I've been looking for. A large beetle for my entomology collection." she scooped up the bug.
"Your what?" Harry asked.
"Bug collection. I gather bugs and then when they die I pin them to a board behind some glass." she said tapping the glass of the jar, "I have some Egyptian bugs from our trip and a few from Romania that Charlie sent me. The rest of them are from around here. But I don't have one quite like this."
"How did you get started collecting bugs?" Harry was interested in this hobby of hers.
"Bills fault." she said, "He bought me a small collection of Egyptian bugs."
She sat the jar on the edge of the bench they were sitting on a just watched the bug inside frantically trying to get out. Harry pulled her in for a hug and away from the bug.
"How long are you going to keep her?" he whispered.
"Just long enough for her to not want to be around us anymore." she replied.
"Do you really have more?" he asked.
"A few." she grinned, "I don't really like bugs. That's why Bill and Charlie sent them. Trying to creep me out and all that."
A little while later Hagrid walked by and found them still on the bench. He bumped the jar which fell and smashed against the stone walkway. Harry and Ginny scrambled after the bug but it got away.
"Hagrid if you see that beetle again catch it for me." she said, "I really want it for my collection."
It was all Harry could do to not laugh. He could just picture the look on Rita Skeeter's face at the thought of being part of a bug collection. Back at the dance they spent the rest of the evening on the dance floor mostly just holding each other close and moving in small circles.
Christmas morning was eventful and not just because everyone had presents. Harry and Ginny nearly killed themselves laughing as they tried to relay the story of how Rita was almost part of Ginny's bug collection.
"I've never seen her move that fast before." Harry chortled, "Not even in human form."
The rest of the group of eight were also laughing themselves silly at the description of the bug catch. They continued to laugh about it off and on all day. The next big thing to come up was the second task. Harry was far more nervous about this than he was the dragon. Finally a week before the task the group of friends hauled Harry to the ROR to talk.
"What's going on Shadow?" Hermione asked, "You are… I don't even know what you are."
Harry just looked at her but didn't speak.
"Harry don't shut us out." Luna implored him.
"We just want to help mate." Ron added.
"I…." he started. He had to take a deep breath before he could continue, "Ron you won't be in the lake this time."
"I was pretty sure about that already." Ron said, "Did you think I'd be mad?"
"No." Harry said, "I'm just… scared."
"Harry I can take care of myself." Ginny said hotly.
"Not when you are unconscious under the water." he stated standing up to pace the room. He ran his hand over his face before he turned back to her, "I didn't know what I'd miss the most first time, what they would take. I know this time, I know what's going to happen and I'm scared something is going to go wrong."
"What can we do?" Fred asked, understanding what Harry was getting at, "Where can we help?"
"Can we hide Ginny?" he asked.
"No!" she replied indignantly.
"First of all she'll have her wand." Hermione said, "I had mine last time. If worse comes to worst and she wakes up under water she can do a bubble head charm to sustain herself."
"I know she can." he yelled, "I'm just freaking out about what could happen before she wakes up. I'm having all kinds of nightmares about worst case scenarios and mine are a lot worse than your ideas of worst case. I don't even want to put voice to them so I don't jinx this. I'm so terrified I can't even think."
"You are freaking out." Luna agreed.
"I never thought I'd say this." Neville said, "But here goes. Shadow quit being such an idiot. You should have more faith in your friends. We aren't going to just let this go without being there. The guardians have already sent Dumbledore a letter to find out the details and ask who is guarding the champions thing they would miss until they can get there. We've already told him the merpeople are not enough. They need a protection that can stand up to another wizard specifically a dark one. Even if they do nothing that we've suggested we will still be there. I have plenty of gilly weed and we can all do the bubble head charm. "
"You'll guard her all night?" Harry asked.
"We'll be taking half hour shifts." Neville said, "You should have known we would be there."
"I know." he said, "But like I said I'm so scared I can't even think straight. I don't think I could function if Ginny wasn't here. I'm sorry I doubted you guys."
"It's alright." Neville replied.
"I sorry Gin." he whispered because he was too emotional and had lost his voice.
Ginny didn't reply she just walked over to him and pulled him into a tight hug. Neither of them moved for a long time. While they were preoccupied Fred turned to Neville.
"Did you do that?" he asked.
"Do what?" he asked as he watched his friends hug.
"Send the letter to Dumbledore and plan us to watch her." George answered.
"I did it yesterday." Neville looked at his feet.
"Why didn't you tell us?" Hermione whispered.
"I didn't think you all noticed he was in a bad way and I didn't want to embarrass him if you didn't." Neville said, "His nightmares have been horrendous. I had to spell Seamus and Dean's beds so they didn't get woke up."
"I didn't hear anything." Ron commented, "Did you spell mine too?"
"No." Neville grinned, "You snore louder than he talks and you could sleep through a hurricane."
"Probably could." Ron admitted, "Good job Bear."
Harry and Ginny were whispering to each other as they held each other tight, "Sorry I didn't mean to cause you stress. If you want I'll hide out in here that night so they'll take Ron."
"If they'll keep an eye on you then I think I'll be ok." he sighed, "I don't even know what time during the night they took Ron and Hermione. I think they should just keep you all in the castle till right before the task and then take you down."
"I'll suggest that if they try to take us earlier." she said, "We'll also have to cover for the others. They should take naps the day before so they aren't so short on sleep after it's over."
"I hope I'm not scaring you." he kissed her temple.
"No not really. I mean Ron and Hermione already told me what to expect." she paused for a moment before she went on, "You know, you could function if I wasn't around."
"Since that bond thing I'm not too sure." Harry said, "I crave your touch, to hear your voice and see you. I'm not sure what would happen if you weren't here. I think I'd go crazy very shortly."
"I know I feel the same way." she admitted, "So you better be careful too."
"I guess we should get back to the others." he sighed.
"After I kiss it to make it feel better." she said reaching up to kiss him on the lips.
"I think I may need a few more of those to feel better." Harry grinned when they pulled apart.
"Later." she swatted his arm before she grabbed it and pulled him back to the group.
"Feeling better?" Luna asked.
"Yes, thanks." he replied.
"Shadow, it was all Bear's idea." Hermione said.
"Thanks." Harry patted Neville's shoulder, "Since you're on a roll have you found something other than gilly weed?"
"The only other thing you could do is a bubble head charm." Neville suggested, "I already ordered the gilly weed but you don't have to use it."
"If you use the bubblehead charm it could give us away." Hermione pointed out, "It's really advanced for a fourth year to figure out all on his own."
"You know this sucks." Harry huffed.
"Sorry." Neville shrugged.
"Why?" Ron laughed, "Is it because nothing except Ginny could make you choke down gilly weed again?"
Harry only growled as all but Ginny laughed, "I'm glad you'll choke it down for me. I'll make sure the taste is removed after you save me. How much snogging do you think it will take to make you quit tasting it?"
"A lot." Harry grinned while Ginny's brothers groaned.
"Aren't you glad you didn't have to promise that Wings." Neville howled with laughter.
The night before the second task found Harry and Ginny cuddled together in his favorite arm chair next to the fire. They didn't talk or even kiss very much they just held onto each other. The rest of Harry's friends were nowhere to be found but none of the rest of the Gryffindors dared to interrupt them to find out where they were. Harry didn't have any idea what time it was when they came to get Ginny. He kissed her one more time before she left.
"What's going on?" Dean asked.
"Second task." Harry sighed.
"What is it?" Seamus asked, "Did you ever figure out the egg?"
"Months ago." Harry said, "It was a merish song that basically said they'll take the thing I'll miss the most and drop it in the black lake for me to find."
"Any idea what they will take?" Cormac McLeggen asked.
Harry looked at him incredulously as Angelina Johnson walked over and popped him in the back of the head, "They just took Ginny you stupid idiot."
"Why?' he asked as everyone rolled their eyes.
"No wonder Gryffindors have the reputation for stupidity." Harry mumbled before stating loud enough for the teen to hear, "Cormac, they needed to put the person I would miss the most in this task. So they came and got Ginny. They'll have a hostage for each of the champions. I'm guessing Cedric may be rescuing Cho Chang who was his date for the ball, Victor took that Hufflepuff girl so I'd imagine he'll have to rescue her. I can't imagine Fleur going after Roger Davies after how their date ended so I'm guessing one of the French contingents will be for her."
"So you have to go get her from the lake tomorrow?" he asked.
"Yes." Harry talked slow and nodded in an exaggerated manner.
"That's going to be boring watching you just swim out to get them and then back." Cormac whined.
"More boring than that." Harry agreed, "They'll all be down at the bottom of the lake somewhere. You won't see anything."
"Won't they drown?" he asked.
Harry threw up his hands and turned away as Oliver took back over. He flopped back onto his chair and groaned in frustration. He really just wanted to be left alone but it didn't look like he was going to get that wish as he felt two people walk over to him.
"Where's the rest of your group?" Seamus asked, "Surely they didn't take them all?"
"No." Harry sighed, "The twins have detention with McGonagall. Neville has it with Snape. Luna and Hermione have drug Ron to the library to make him finish the potions assignment due Monday."
"The forgetfulness potion?" Dean asked, "I finished that a week ago."
"Normally Ron would have too but he said Snape must have dripped some of it on him because he keeps forgetting to do it." Harry chuckled slightly remembering when Ron had tried to use that line on Hermione in the first time line. He couldn't tell Dean and Seamus that his friends were sharing guard duty in the lake to watch out for Ginny so he wouldn't be a total wreck.