Chapter II: What Cho Wants
Mrs. Weasley called the teens down for dinner that night. Ginny waited until she was sure that Harry and Ron had passed her door, and then she left her room and made her way to the kitchen. Harry and Ron were sitting together on one side of the table and Mrs. Weasley was dishing herself a plate on the other side. Ginny had no choice but to sit opposite of Harry. She couldn't bring herself to look at him, no matter how much she wanted to.
"Anything wrong, Ginny?" Mrs. Weasley asked.
"No," Ginny whispered.
"Are you sure?" Mrs. Weasley said. "You were so happy this morning. Did something happen at George's?"
"He probably made her watch as he fed that rabbit a poisoned potion," Ron sniggered.
"He doesn't have a rabbit," Ginny told him. "He calls his girlfriend Bunny."
"That's a relief," Ron laughed, directing his comment toward Harry. "I was starting to think that George was stricken with an animal."
"That's absurd," Mrs. Weasley voiced.
"You should see George's house, Mum," Ginny went on. "He lives in a pig pen. Only Laurel can find anything."
"Laurel is the girlfriend then?" Harry asked.
Ginny nodded, keeping her eyes on her meat loaf.
"Where's Mr. Weasley?" Harry queried
"He's been working a lot of late nights lately," Ron explained, stuffing mashed potatoes into his mouth.
"Trouble at the Ministry?" Harry asked.
"Well, the whole You-Know-Who thing is escalating and Arthur has been finding more and more rotten enchantments on muggle objects," Mrs. Weasley told him.
"Are they planning on destroying all the muggles with tea pots and keys?" Harry asked.
"Unfortunately, the most recent enchantments are on guns and knifes," Mrs. Weasley said, avoiding eye contact with the rest of the table.
Silence fell. Ginny looked up at Harry. His brow was furled in a pensive expression. Ginny wondered what, in specific, he was thinking about. She was sure that the whole Voldemort thing was upsetting him. Ginny smiled, thinking about how thoughtful and generous Harry was. Harry shook his head slightly and combed his black hair out of his face with his fingers. Ginny suddenly found herself looking straight into his green eyes. The frightening thing was that they were looking back into hers. Panicked, she dropped her eyes to her meatloaf again. He saw her staring at him. Ginny's stomach started turning and she felt her forehead getting hot.
"Mum, may I be excused?" Ginny asked. "I think I may be ill."
"Of course darling," Mrs. Weasley allowed.
Ginny stood up and left the room as casually as she could in the condition she was in. As she reached the Lavatory, she heard Ron say, "Man has she been acting funny lately. First she's all dreamy-eyed. Then she got hostile. After that she seemed depressed. Now she's sick. What's the matter with her?"
Ginny quickly closed the door behind her and hung her head over the sink, staring into the drain. She felt so embarrassed. It wasn't as bad as the first time Harry had stayed at the Burrow. She kept knocking things over and running out of the room. That was when she was only eleven, though. She was fifteen and she knew better. Suddenly she remembered the poem that she wrote him for Valentines Day. The memory flooded into her head and she couldn't stop it That horrible little cupid singing shrilly while sitting on Harry's legs. Ginny winced, remembering Harry's embarrassed reaction. She didn't mean to embarrass him. She just wanted him to know how she felt. What a disastrous attempt that was.
Then, the year before this one, she noticed how much Harry watched Cho Chang. In an attempt to attract his attention, she tried to charm her hair black. Being as unskilled as she was, it turned her hair green instead. She was made fun of for weeks, until it got monotonous and less of a great event. She got a howler from her mother for it and Mrs. Weasley went through extensive charms to get it the exact color as it was naturally.
Yet through all that, Harry still seemed to not even see her. She was there, but she never felt like she was anyone important like Ron, her mum, and her dad were. She was just the other member of the family.
Ginny sat down on the tiled floor and pressed her fingers against her eyes to stop the tears. It was no use, though. She never remembered crying very much before Harry came into her life. She just wanted him so badly and knew she could never have him.
********************
Ginny had a sleepless night. All she did was think of Harry and cry. When she got up the next morning, she felt tired, but things seemed clearer to her. There was no use in fighting the inevitable. Harry was never going to see her as anything except for Ron's little sister. He was only making her miserable. She didn't need Harry Potter to be happy. She didn't need anybody.
Ginny went down the stairs the next morning and found that she was a little early. Mrs. Weasley was frying bacon in the kitchen. Harry and Ron were probably still in Ron's room.
"Need help, Mum?" Ginny asked, cheerfully.
Mrs. Weasley looked at Ginny suspiciously, "Sure. Crack those eggs into that bowl and scramble them."
Ginny nodded, taking a couple of eggs out of a carton. She cracked them into a pink plastic bowl and began to beat the yolks with a spatula. Just then Ron and Harry ambled in. Ron's was in his pajamas and Harry's hair was more disheveled then usual.
"Morning Harry, Ron," Ginny twinkled.
"You're making breakfast?" Ron asked in surprise.
"Correction," Ginny began, "I am helping to make breakfast."
Ron gave Ginny a baffled look and then whispered something to Harry. Ginny barely caught, "She's so weird."
Ginny gazed at the two briefly.
"Can I help?" Harry said quickly.
"You, too?" Ron exclaimed as Mrs Weasley told Harry to cut up some freshly baked bread. "Soon everyone'll be cooking at the same time. How'll we fit in the kitchen?"
"Think of it this way," Mrs. Weasley began, "breakfast will be done faster."
"That's always a good thing," Ron said, going over to the stove and turning the sausages.
The kitchen was a little crowded. When Ginny was done beating, she had to get to the stove.
"Excuse me, Harry," She said as she came between Harry and his bread. It was a close squeeze. Ginny looked into Harry's eyes for a second as she passed. Going over to the stove, Ginny poured the scrambled yolks into a pan.
When breakfast was done, they all sat down.
"Arthur, breakfast!" Mrs. Weasley called.
Mr. Weasley came into the room looking very tired. He went over to his chair, and slumped down into it. His eyes lit up suddenly as he saw Harry.
"Hello, Harry," He greeted excitedly. "I have another question for you."
Ginny wondered how the word "another" applied since Mr. Weasley hadn't seen Harry since he had arrived. Harry, however, looked at Mr. Weasley intently.
"Vacuum cleaners," He said simply.
"Uh," Harry began. "Well, it has one of those pugs that I explained to you. The electricity turns on this engine inside that makes the end of the Vacuum suck in air. So when you rub it against the carpet, the sucking picks up the stuff on the carpet."
"Molly, do you want a vacuum?" Arthur almost pleaded. "I know where I can score one. I can even charm it so you don't even have to push it."
Mrs. Weasley glared at Mr. Weasley.
"Will you pass the butter, Ginny?" Harry asked.
For a second Ginny froze, and then she picked up the butter dish and handed it to him. She thought she felt Harry's fingers graze hers as he took the dish. Ginny took a deep breath and reminded herself of her decision that she didn't need Harry.
"Did you get that floo powder?" Mr. Weasley asked. "We're supposed to go school shopping today."
"Yes, Arthur," said Mrs. Weasley.
"Good, when shall we go?"
"Right after breakfast," Mrs. Weasley told him.
"Have we planned to meet Hermione?" Harry asked Ron.
"Yup, she's supposed meet us at Gringotts," Ron explained.
Harry nodded.
"Oy, Harry," Ron said suddenly. "The new Thunder Hawk 300 is out. You oughtta get one Harry."
"I don't think I need a new broom, Ron," Harry droned.
"You haven't got a new broom in three years!" Ron exclaimed. "The Firebolt is way out of date. How do you expect to win a Quidditch match on a broom as slow as the Firebolt?"
"I don't know," Harry began. "The Firebolt has never steered me wrong."
"Maybe not, but it has steered you slowly," Ron blurted.
"I suppose I'll look at the Thunder Hawk 300 while we're in Diagon Alley," Harry gave in. "But I won't guarantee that I'll buy it."
"I think you'll buy it," Ron voiced.
Harry raised his eyebrows for a second and smiled. Ginny had a hard time not staring at Harry's cute smile.
"Well, I suppose everyone's finished eating then," Mr. Weasley stated. "Let's go to Diagon Alley."
Mrs. Weasley stood up and began to clear the table. Ginny jumped up to help. Surprisingly, so did Harry. Mrs. Weasley thanked them for their assistance and then everyone went over to the fireplace, after Ron ran up stairs to change. One by one, they took a pinch of floo powder. Ginny went first. The flames turned a dark green and flared up. Ginny walked into the heightened fire, feeling as though she stepped right into a warm breeze.
"Diagon Alley!" She called to the flames.
She was immediately pulled into a effervescent spin. Keeping her eyes closed, she felt the cold smack her face. The spinning stopped and she knew she was there. She opened her eyes and walked out into the sultry pub, The Leaky Cauldron. It smelled like pipe tobacco and burnt almonds. Ginny wanted to leave to the Alley, but she had to wait for the rest of her family. Spinning around to look at the fireplace, she wondered if Harry would be the next one through.
Soot gushed down the hearth and cascaded toward Ginny. She quickly dashed away to escape being covered in ash. A figure emerged as the ash cleared. Ginny was disappointed to see a somewhat short and red-headed person. It was Ron, not Harry.
"Not usually that dusty, is it?" Ron asked himself, looking around the dusty floor. "You get much soot, Ginny?"
Ginny shook her head which Ron didn't see because he was looking elsewhere. The next arrival, which happened to be Harry, was less dusty. He came straight down on to his feet, the impact causing him to crouch down. Ginny looked down at Harry as he slowly stood up, dusting himself off.
"Off to Gringotts then?" Ron asked.
"Shouldn't we wait for your mum and dad?" Harry said, walking up to Ron and Ginny.
"Ginny could wait for them while we go to Quality Quidditch Supplies," Ron proposed.
"I'm not gonna follow Mum and Dad," Ginny snapped as if Ron has severely insulted her.
"What, you expect us to let you tag along?" Ron laughed.
"Well," Ginny said to Ron, "if I can't go with you then I can go by myself."
"Oh, Ginny, you-" Ron began.
Mr. Weasley fell down the fireplace smiling.
"Don't you find floo powder exhilarating?" He asked, ducking under the mantle and starring at the three teens.
Mrs. Weasley came down next. She didn't have to duck much to get out of the fireplace.
"Well, let's be off," She said. "We got to get to Gringotts."
The Weasleys and Harry walked to Gringotts wizard bank. After they had gone in and taken that which they needed for the days shopping, they left the bank and stood on the stone steps.
"Where's Hermione?" Ron asked, looking around for her.
"Mum, do I have to go with you and Dad?" Ginny asked.
"Oh, Ginny," Mrs. Weasley began, "I'm not sure if I could let you go off on your own."
"She could always come with us," Harry blurted.
Ginny's eyes shot to Harry in shock, watching as Ron elbowed him in the side. Harry cringed. Ginny looked back at her mother pleadingly.
"All right," Mrs. Weasley agreed. "You all go off and have fun, but meet us back at Flourish and Blotts to buy your books."
"Right, Mum," Ginny held back an excited jump for joy.
Mrs. and Mr. Weasley walked off back to the Leaky Cauldron. When Ginny had turned around, Harry and Ron had already started walking toward Quality Quidditch Supplies.
"Hey, hold up!" Ginny yelled, trying to catch up with them. "What about Hermione?"
"She wasn't where we were supposed to meet," Ron explained. "She must have forgotten and gone to get a broomstick."
"Hermione doesn't fancy flying," Ginny reminded him. "Your just making excuses so you can go off and get Harry to buy that silly broom."
"It's not just any broom, Ginny," Ron told her as if she was stupid. "It's the Thunder Hawk 300."
Ginny folded her arms and looked away. She happened to glance upon Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor, which kept her attention for a few moments until Ron and Harry began talking.
"Maybe you should buy your own Qudditch ball set," Ron advised. "Then you can better practice during the Summer holidays."
"I couldn't practice at Privet Drive," Harry told him. "I'd only have the chance to practice at your house. And if I'm only going to practice there, I might as well just leave the set with you so it won't get dusty in the compartment under the stairs."
"Well, I suppose we wouldn't mind holding on to it for you. Will we Ginny?" Ron asked.
"I honestly don't care," Ginny shot at Ron.
"Gin," Ron stopped and turned to her, "with George and Fred off and gone, you're the only one I have to practice Quidditch with when Harry's not around."
"Really make me feel important, why don't you?" Ginny snapped. "I seem to be your last resort. You might as well play Qudditch with Mum. It'll be just as challenging."
"I'm sure you're not that bad," Harry commented.
Ginny looked briefly at Harry and then back at Ron.
"Fine, I hoped to try out for Qudditch this year," Ron admitted, "but if my sister won't support me and help me train over the Summer holidays, then I might as well not try out at all."
"Hey, Ron," Harry began, "I could go to stay at your house any time you wanted. Dursleys won't mind a bit. You won't have to play with Ginny."
Ginny gaped at Harry. First, her brother treats her like a last resort and then Harry practically says Ron had to suffer through playing with her. Ginny stuck her nose in the air and went walking down the alley. Harry could stay at her house all Summer for all she cared. But if he did, she was going to spend all that time in her room studying for the O.W.L.s. As she had decided before, she didn't need Harry. The Quality Quidditch Supplies shop was up the street a little. Harry and Ron would catch up with her there, so she didn't have to continue on her own. As she neared Nigil's Necromancy Nursery, Harry caught up with her sooner then she expected.
"Look," He began, "I'm sorry for what I said. I didn't mean it to come out like that."
Ginny stopped and looked at him curiously. Giving Ginny a sorry smile, Harry leaned down a took one of Nigil's Clairvoyant Daisies and handed it to her. Ginny, looking quite surprised, took the flower and smiled slightly. Harry's emerald green eyes glinted slightly behind his large-framed glasses. Trembling, Ginny couldn't believe how warm she felt inside as she watched him gaze at her.
"What are you two waiting around here for?" Ron interrupted. "The Thunder Hawk awaits us."
Harry and Ginny broke eye contact at the same moment to glare at Ron. Ron looked bemused back at them as he walked on. Harry and Ginny followed. Ginny took occasional glances at Harry until they reached Quality Quidditch Supplies.
Ron stood next to the case of the Thunder Hawk 300 and held his hands out as if he was first presenting it to the public. Harry looked over the broom closely. The handle was varnished mahogany and the bristles seemed to be made of fine gold strands. Ginny eyed it, not very impressed.
"That's a fine broom, Ron," Harry commented.
"Gonna take it then?" Ron asked.
Harry considered the broom once more.
"Well," Harry said slowly, "I really don't think-"
"Buying the Thunder Hawk, Harry?" a voice said behind them.
Harry, Ron and Ginny spun around to see Cho Chang. Her shoulder-length black hair and almond eyes added a mysterious and exotic look to her smooth features. Ginny sighed out of disappointment. Things were going so very well. Cho had to come in and spoil everything.
Harry gaped at her for a while and then shook his head saying, "I'm sorry, what did you say?"
"I asked you if you planned on buying the Thunder Hawk," Cho informed him.
"Oh," Harry breathed, "I haven't decided."
"It's a ruddy good broom," Cho commented.
"Yes, it is," Harry said quietly.
"You should get it," Cho told him.
"Should I?" Harry asked. "I mean..I should."
"Good choice, Harry," Ron voiced.
Harry and Cho just looked at each other as if Ron hadn't said a word. Ginny felt more like they were completely oblivious to the fact that Ron and herself were standing right next to them. This didn't seem like Harry. He might have overlooked Ginny in the past, but he never ignored Ron. Ron was his best friend.
"I was going to visit the Magical Menagerie," Cho said out of the blue.
"Can I walk you?" Harry asked.
"Alright, but you'd better pay for your broom," Cho told him.
"Oh yes, the broom," Harry gasped.
Harry went over to the register and asked the man the price of the broom while Ron and Ginny looked at Cho. Cho was looking at Harry for a while and then she turned her eyes toward Ginny and gave her a devious smile.
Just then, a tall wizard came over to them and unlocked the glass case. He gently lifted the broom and held it out to Harry. Ron and Cho reveled at the wondrous broom. Harry took the broom with his finger tips.
"C'mon," Ginny snapped. "Mum and Dad are probably at Flourish and Blotts right now."
Ginny stormed out of the shop. The other three followed her.
"Harry," Cho began as he, Ginny, and Ron started toward Flourish and Blotts, "weren't you going to walk me to the Magical Menagerie?"
"Well, I really ought-," Harry began and then stopped and glanced at Cho a moment. She looked at him seductively.
"Your Mum and Dad wouldn't mind us being a little late, would they?" Harry asked. "Plus, they didn't give us a set time to be there, did they?"
"Well, no," Ginny answered.
"C'mon, Ginny," Ron shot at her. "Don't be such a baby."
Ginny let out a disapproving moan as they headed off toward the Magical Menagerie. Why on Earth did Cho need Harry to buy some pet? In addition, Ginny didn't trust Cho.
Harry and Cho were walking side by side while Ron and Ginny lagged behind. Ginny tried to catch their words, but Cho seemed to be whispering and Harry wasn't talking very much, just laughing stupidly.
"Ron, Harry, Ginny, wait up!"
Ron and Ginny turned around to see Hermione running toward them, her frizzy hair waving ferociously as she ran. Ginny looked behind her for a moment and saw Harry and Cho stopped near Gambol and Japes Wizarding Joke Shop. Harry seemed to be explaining something about Quidditch (apparent from his flying hand movements) as Cho ran her fingers through her raven hair.
"Why weren't you at Gringotts?" Ron queried.
"Oh, Dad had to work this morning and Mum was feeling ill," Hermione explained, out of breath. "I had to wait until Mum was well enough to take me on the underground before I could get here."
"Can't go on the underground alone?" Ron teased.
"Have you even been on the underground?" Hermione shot back.
Ron looked away and didn't answer.
"Besides, Mum is worried about the You-Know-Who thing," Hermione continued. "She is especially worried since I am a muggle-born witch in the muggle world. She thinks I'll be a prime target."
"You're only a student, Hermione," Ginny pointed out. "Why would Voldemort care about a student?"
"Tell that to my Mum," Hermione said. "Where's Harry?"
Ron and Ginny both pointed at Harry and Cho with disdain.
"Since when does Cho hang out with Harry?" Hermione asked.
"Just today," Ron told her. "We were talking the other day about how she never pays attention to him. Now, she won't leave him alone. It uncanny."
"I'd call it inconceivable," Ginny blurted. "I think there's something going on here that we don't realize."
"Come off it, Ginny," Ron shot at her. "You're just upset it isn't you."
Looking affronted, Ginny exclaimed, "I do not!"
"Let's just feel happy for Harry," Hermione suggested. "He's liked her since, what, fourth year. It's finally happening for him and we should be supportive."
Ginny felt a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. She thought it might be finally happening for her, but then Cho had to step in.
"Let's talk about something else, like where we're going." Hermione said, beginning to walk toward Harry.
As Ginny and Ron followed, Ginny answered, "We're going to the Magical Menagerie because Cho wants to."
"Good," Hermione commented. "Chrookshanks needs some Fleas Flee Enchanted Flea Powder. He's been playing with the dog next door."
"I don't need to go there," Ginny huffed.
"You know, you didn't have to come, Ginny," Ron snapped.
Ginny folded her arms, thinking, Harry wanted me to come.
***************
At the Magical Menagerie, Harry followed Cho as she immediately sprinted toward a cage of huge black bats. Ron and Hermione visited the counter to ask about flea powder. Ginny, being very irate, stood near the door and awaited everyone's willingness to leave. As she stood anticipating, she decided to read her Hogwarts requirements before they went off for Flourish and Blotts. There wasn't much. It was just The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 5, Wrong Rune, Right Rune by Willow Perth and she needed to get more parchment and ink.
Ginny looked up from her list. Harry and Cho had found their way to the counter to buy Cho a vampire bat. Hermione was just paying for her flea powder, Ron by her side.
"Guaranteed that fleas will never come back," Hermione muttered, reading the back of the can of powder.
"That'll be some magic," Ron laughed.
"What exactly do you mean by that?" Hermione snapped.
"Isn't she cute?" Cho cooed to her bat.
"Cute as a werewolf," Ron whispered to Hermione and Ginny.
"Let's be off, Harry," Hermione said finally. "The Weasleys are expecting us at Flourish and Blotts."
The Weasleys there were expecting too. Ron was expecting Harry to get back to his shopping. Ginny expected Harry to get back to his senses.
"We really ought to go," Harry told Cho.
"Alright," She said, smiling. "I'll see you at Hogwarts."
"Absolutely," Harry blurted.
Cho nodded and then walked off. Hermione and Ron had to physically pull Harry away from that spot. He wanted to stay and watch her walk away. Ginny felt as if she was going to loose her breakfast.
Mrs. Weasley called the teens down for dinner that night. Ginny waited until she was sure that Harry and Ron had passed her door, and then she left her room and made her way to the kitchen. Harry and Ron were sitting together on one side of the table and Mrs. Weasley was dishing herself a plate on the other side. Ginny had no choice but to sit opposite of Harry. She couldn't bring herself to look at him, no matter how much she wanted to.
"Anything wrong, Ginny?" Mrs. Weasley asked.
"No," Ginny whispered.
"Are you sure?" Mrs. Weasley said. "You were so happy this morning. Did something happen at George's?"
"He probably made her watch as he fed that rabbit a poisoned potion," Ron sniggered.
"He doesn't have a rabbit," Ginny told him. "He calls his girlfriend Bunny."
"That's a relief," Ron laughed, directing his comment toward Harry. "I was starting to think that George was stricken with an animal."
"That's absurd," Mrs. Weasley voiced.
"You should see George's house, Mum," Ginny went on. "He lives in a pig pen. Only Laurel can find anything."
"Laurel is the girlfriend then?" Harry asked.
Ginny nodded, keeping her eyes on her meat loaf.
"Where's Mr. Weasley?" Harry queried
"He's been working a lot of late nights lately," Ron explained, stuffing mashed potatoes into his mouth.
"Trouble at the Ministry?" Harry asked.
"Well, the whole You-Know-Who thing is escalating and Arthur has been finding more and more rotten enchantments on muggle objects," Mrs. Weasley told him.
"Are they planning on destroying all the muggles with tea pots and keys?" Harry asked.
"Unfortunately, the most recent enchantments are on guns and knifes," Mrs. Weasley said, avoiding eye contact with the rest of the table.
Silence fell. Ginny looked up at Harry. His brow was furled in a pensive expression. Ginny wondered what, in specific, he was thinking about. She was sure that the whole Voldemort thing was upsetting him. Ginny smiled, thinking about how thoughtful and generous Harry was. Harry shook his head slightly and combed his black hair out of his face with his fingers. Ginny suddenly found herself looking straight into his green eyes. The frightening thing was that they were looking back into hers. Panicked, she dropped her eyes to her meatloaf again. He saw her staring at him. Ginny's stomach started turning and she felt her forehead getting hot.
"Mum, may I be excused?" Ginny asked. "I think I may be ill."
"Of course darling," Mrs. Weasley allowed.
Ginny stood up and left the room as casually as she could in the condition she was in. As she reached the Lavatory, she heard Ron say, "Man has she been acting funny lately. First she's all dreamy-eyed. Then she got hostile. After that she seemed depressed. Now she's sick. What's the matter with her?"
Ginny quickly closed the door behind her and hung her head over the sink, staring into the drain. She felt so embarrassed. It wasn't as bad as the first time Harry had stayed at the Burrow. She kept knocking things over and running out of the room. That was when she was only eleven, though. She was fifteen and she knew better. Suddenly she remembered the poem that she wrote him for Valentines Day. The memory flooded into her head and she couldn't stop it That horrible little cupid singing shrilly while sitting on Harry's legs. Ginny winced, remembering Harry's embarrassed reaction. She didn't mean to embarrass him. She just wanted him to know how she felt. What a disastrous attempt that was.
Then, the year before this one, she noticed how much Harry watched Cho Chang. In an attempt to attract his attention, she tried to charm her hair black. Being as unskilled as she was, it turned her hair green instead. She was made fun of for weeks, until it got monotonous and less of a great event. She got a howler from her mother for it and Mrs. Weasley went through extensive charms to get it the exact color as it was naturally.
Yet through all that, Harry still seemed to not even see her. She was there, but she never felt like she was anyone important like Ron, her mum, and her dad were. She was just the other member of the family.
Ginny sat down on the tiled floor and pressed her fingers against her eyes to stop the tears. It was no use, though. She never remembered crying very much before Harry came into her life. She just wanted him so badly and knew she could never have him.
********************
Ginny had a sleepless night. All she did was think of Harry and cry. When she got up the next morning, she felt tired, but things seemed clearer to her. There was no use in fighting the inevitable. Harry was never going to see her as anything except for Ron's little sister. He was only making her miserable. She didn't need Harry Potter to be happy. She didn't need anybody.
Ginny went down the stairs the next morning and found that she was a little early. Mrs. Weasley was frying bacon in the kitchen. Harry and Ron were probably still in Ron's room.
"Need help, Mum?" Ginny asked, cheerfully.
Mrs. Weasley looked at Ginny suspiciously, "Sure. Crack those eggs into that bowl and scramble them."
Ginny nodded, taking a couple of eggs out of a carton. She cracked them into a pink plastic bowl and began to beat the yolks with a spatula. Just then Ron and Harry ambled in. Ron's was in his pajamas and Harry's hair was more disheveled then usual.
"Morning Harry, Ron," Ginny twinkled.
"You're making breakfast?" Ron asked in surprise.
"Correction," Ginny began, "I am helping to make breakfast."
Ron gave Ginny a baffled look and then whispered something to Harry. Ginny barely caught, "She's so weird."
Ginny gazed at the two briefly.
"Can I help?" Harry said quickly.
"You, too?" Ron exclaimed as Mrs Weasley told Harry to cut up some freshly baked bread. "Soon everyone'll be cooking at the same time. How'll we fit in the kitchen?"
"Think of it this way," Mrs. Weasley began, "breakfast will be done faster."
"That's always a good thing," Ron said, going over to the stove and turning the sausages.
The kitchen was a little crowded. When Ginny was done beating, she had to get to the stove.
"Excuse me, Harry," She said as she came between Harry and his bread. It was a close squeeze. Ginny looked into Harry's eyes for a second as she passed. Going over to the stove, Ginny poured the scrambled yolks into a pan.
When breakfast was done, they all sat down.
"Arthur, breakfast!" Mrs. Weasley called.
Mr. Weasley came into the room looking very tired. He went over to his chair, and slumped down into it. His eyes lit up suddenly as he saw Harry.
"Hello, Harry," He greeted excitedly. "I have another question for you."
Ginny wondered how the word "another" applied since Mr. Weasley hadn't seen Harry since he had arrived. Harry, however, looked at Mr. Weasley intently.
"Vacuum cleaners," He said simply.
"Uh," Harry began. "Well, it has one of those pugs that I explained to you. The electricity turns on this engine inside that makes the end of the Vacuum suck in air. So when you rub it against the carpet, the sucking picks up the stuff on the carpet."
"Molly, do you want a vacuum?" Arthur almost pleaded. "I know where I can score one. I can even charm it so you don't even have to push it."
Mrs. Weasley glared at Mr. Weasley.
"Will you pass the butter, Ginny?" Harry asked.
For a second Ginny froze, and then she picked up the butter dish and handed it to him. She thought she felt Harry's fingers graze hers as he took the dish. Ginny took a deep breath and reminded herself of her decision that she didn't need Harry.
"Did you get that floo powder?" Mr. Weasley asked. "We're supposed to go school shopping today."
"Yes, Arthur," said Mrs. Weasley.
"Good, when shall we go?"
"Right after breakfast," Mrs. Weasley told him.
"Have we planned to meet Hermione?" Harry asked Ron.
"Yup, she's supposed meet us at Gringotts," Ron explained.
Harry nodded.
"Oy, Harry," Ron said suddenly. "The new Thunder Hawk 300 is out. You oughtta get one Harry."
"I don't think I need a new broom, Ron," Harry droned.
"You haven't got a new broom in three years!" Ron exclaimed. "The Firebolt is way out of date. How do you expect to win a Quidditch match on a broom as slow as the Firebolt?"
"I don't know," Harry began. "The Firebolt has never steered me wrong."
"Maybe not, but it has steered you slowly," Ron blurted.
"I suppose I'll look at the Thunder Hawk 300 while we're in Diagon Alley," Harry gave in. "But I won't guarantee that I'll buy it."
"I think you'll buy it," Ron voiced.
Harry raised his eyebrows for a second and smiled. Ginny had a hard time not staring at Harry's cute smile.
"Well, I suppose everyone's finished eating then," Mr. Weasley stated. "Let's go to Diagon Alley."
Mrs. Weasley stood up and began to clear the table. Ginny jumped up to help. Surprisingly, so did Harry. Mrs. Weasley thanked them for their assistance and then everyone went over to the fireplace, after Ron ran up stairs to change. One by one, they took a pinch of floo powder. Ginny went first. The flames turned a dark green and flared up. Ginny walked into the heightened fire, feeling as though she stepped right into a warm breeze.
"Diagon Alley!" She called to the flames.
She was immediately pulled into a effervescent spin. Keeping her eyes closed, she felt the cold smack her face. The spinning stopped and she knew she was there. She opened her eyes and walked out into the sultry pub, The Leaky Cauldron. It smelled like pipe tobacco and burnt almonds. Ginny wanted to leave to the Alley, but she had to wait for the rest of her family. Spinning around to look at the fireplace, she wondered if Harry would be the next one through.
Soot gushed down the hearth and cascaded toward Ginny. She quickly dashed away to escape being covered in ash. A figure emerged as the ash cleared. Ginny was disappointed to see a somewhat short and red-headed person. It was Ron, not Harry.
"Not usually that dusty, is it?" Ron asked himself, looking around the dusty floor. "You get much soot, Ginny?"
Ginny shook her head which Ron didn't see because he was looking elsewhere. The next arrival, which happened to be Harry, was less dusty. He came straight down on to his feet, the impact causing him to crouch down. Ginny looked down at Harry as he slowly stood up, dusting himself off.
"Off to Gringotts then?" Ron asked.
"Shouldn't we wait for your mum and dad?" Harry said, walking up to Ron and Ginny.
"Ginny could wait for them while we go to Quality Quidditch Supplies," Ron proposed.
"I'm not gonna follow Mum and Dad," Ginny snapped as if Ron has severely insulted her.
"What, you expect us to let you tag along?" Ron laughed.
"Well," Ginny said to Ron, "if I can't go with you then I can go by myself."
"Oh, Ginny, you-" Ron began.
Mr. Weasley fell down the fireplace smiling.
"Don't you find floo powder exhilarating?" He asked, ducking under the mantle and starring at the three teens.
Mrs. Weasley came down next. She didn't have to duck much to get out of the fireplace.
"Well, let's be off," She said. "We got to get to Gringotts."
The Weasleys and Harry walked to Gringotts wizard bank. After they had gone in and taken that which they needed for the days shopping, they left the bank and stood on the stone steps.
"Where's Hermione?" Ron asked, looking around for her.
"Mum, do I have to go with you and Dad?" Ginny asked.
"Oh, Ginny," Mrs. Weasley began, "I'm not sure if I could let you go off on your own."
"She could always come with us," Harry blurted.
Ginny's eyes shot to Harry in shock, watching as Ron elbowed him in the side. Harry cringed. Ginny looked back at her mother pleadingly.
"All right," Mrs. Weasley agreed. "You all go off and have fun, but meet us back at Flourish and Blotts to buy your books."
"Right, Mum," Ginny held back an excited jump for joy.
Mrs. and Mr. Weasley walked off back to the Leaky Cauldron. When Ginny had turned around, Harry and Ron had already started walking toward Quality Quidditch Supplies.
"Hey, hold up!" Ginny yelled, trying to catch up with them. "What about Hermione?"
"She wasn't where we were supposed to meet," Ron explained. "She must have forgotten and gone to get a broomstick."
"Hermione doesn't fancy flying," Ginny reminded him. "Your just making excuses so you can go off and get Harry to buy that silly broom."
"It's not just any broom, Ginny," Ron told her as if she was stupid. "It's the Thunder Hawk 300."
Ginny folded her arms and looked away. She happened to glance upon Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor, which kept her attention for a few moments until Ron and Harry began talking.
"Maybe you should buy your own Qudditch ball set," Ron advised. "Then you can better practice during the Summer holidays."
"I couldn't practice at Privet Drive," Harry told him. "I'd only have the chance to practice at your house. And if I'm only going to practice there, I might as well just leave the set with you so it won't get dusty in the compartment under the stairs."
"Well, I suppose we wouldn't mind holding on to it for you. Will we Ginny?" Ron asked.
"I honestly don't care," Ginny shot at Ron.
"Gin," Ron stopped and turned to her, "with George and Fred off and gone, you're the only one I have to practice Quidditch with when Harry's not around."
"Really make me feel important, why don't you?" Ginny snapped. "I seem to be your last resort. You might as well play Qudditch with Mum. It'll be just as challenging."
"I'm sure you're not that bad," Harry commented.
Ginny looked briefly at Harry and then back at Ron.
"Fine, I hoped to try out for Qudditch this year," Ron admitted, "but if my sister won't support me and help me train over the Summer holidays, then I might as well not try out at all."
"Hey, Ron," Harry began, "I could go to stay at your house any time you wanted. Dursleys won't mind a bit. You won't have to play with Ginny."
Ginny gaped at Harry. First, her brother treats her like a last resort and then Harry practically says Ron had to suffer through playing with her. Ginny stuck her nose in the air and went walking down the alley. Harry could stay at her house all Summer for all she cared. But if he did, she was going to spend all that time in her room studying for the O.W.L.s. As she had decided before, she didn't need Harry. The Quality Quidditch Supplies shop was up the street a little. Harry and Ron would catch up with her there, so she didn't have to continue on her own. As she neared Nigil's Necromancy Nursery, Harry caught up with her sooner then she expected.
"Look," He began, "I'm sorry for what I said. I didn't mean it to come out like that."
Ginny stopped and looked at him curiously. Giving Ginny a sorry smile, Harry leaned down a took one of Nigil's Clairvoyant Daisies and handed it to her. Ginny, looking quite surprised, took the flower and smiled slightly. Harry's emerald green eyes glinted slightly behind his large-framed glasses. Trembling, Ginny couldn't believe how warm she felt inside as she watched him gaze at her.
"What are you two waiting around here for?" Ron interrupted. "The Thunder Hawk awaits us."
Harry and Ginny broke eye contact at the same moment to glare at Ron. Ron looked bemused back at them as he walked on. Harry and Ginny followed. Ginny took occasional glances at Harry until they reached Quality Quidditch Supplies.
Ron stood next to the case of the Thunder Hawk 300 and held his hands out as if he was first presenting it to the public. Harry looked over the broom closely. The handle was varnished mahogany and the bristles seemed to be made of fine gold strands. Ginny eyed it, not very impressed.
"That's a fine broom, Ron," Harry commented.
"Gonna take it then?" Ron asked.
Harry considered the broom once more.
"Well," Harry said slowly, "I really don't think-"
"Buying the Thunder Hawk, Harry?" a voice said behind them.
Harry, Ron and Ginny spun around to see Cho Chang. Her shoulder-length black hair and almond eyes added a mysterious and exotic look to her smooth features. Ginny sighed out of disappointment. Things were going so very well. Cho had to come in and spoil everything.
Harry gaped at her for a while and then shook his head saying, "I'm sorry, what did you say?"
"I asked you if you planned on buying the Thunder Hawk," Cho informed him.
"Oh," Harry breathed, "I haven't decided."
"It's a ruddy good broom," Cho commented.
"Yes, it is," Harry said quietly.
"You should get it," Cho told him.
"Should I?" Harry asked. "I mean..I should."
"Good choice, Harry," Ron voiced.
Harry and Cho just looked at each other as if Ron hadn't said a word. Ginny felt more like they were completely oblivious to the fact that Ron and herself were standing right next to them. This didn't seem like Harry. He might have overlooked Ginny in the past, but he never ignored Ron. Ron was his best friend.
"I was going to visit the Magical Menagerie," Cho said out of the blue.
"Can I walk you?" Harry asked.
"Alright, but you'd better pay for your broom," Cho told him.
"Oh yes, the broom," Harry gasped.
Harry went over to the register and asked the man the price of the broom while Ron and Ginny looked at Cho. Cho was looking at Harry for a while and then she turned her eyes toward Ginny and gave her a devious smile.
Just then, a tall wizard came over to them and unlocked the glass case. He gently lifted the broom and held it out to Harry. Ron and Cho reveled at the wondrous broom. Harry took the broom with his finger tips.
"C'mon," Ginny snapped. "Mum and Dad are probably at Flourish and Blotts right now."
Ginny stormed out of the shop. The other three followed her.
"Harry," Cho began as he, Ginny, and Ron started toward Flourish and Blotts, "weren't you going to walk me to the Magical Menagerie?"
"Well, I really ought-," Harry began and then stopped and glanced at Cho a moment. She looked at him seductively.
"Your Mum and Dad wouldn't mind us being a little late, would they?" Harry asked. "Plus, they didn't give us a set time to be there, did they?"
"Well, no," Ginny answered.
"C'mon, Ginny," Ron shot at her. "Don't be such a baby."
Ginny let out a disapproving moan as they headed off toward the Magical Menagerie. Why on Earth did Cho need Harry to buy some pet? In addition, Ginny didn't trust Cho.
Harry and Cho were walking side by side while Ron and Ginny lagged behind. Ginny tried to catch their words, but Cho seemed to be whispering and Harry wasn't talking very much, just laughing stupidly.
"Ron, Harry, Ginny, wait up!"
Ron and Ginny turned around to see Hermione running toward them, her frizzy hair waving ferociously as she ran. Ginny looked behind her for a moment and saw Harry and Cho stopped near Gambol and Japes Wizarding Joke Shop. Harry seemed to be explaining something about Quidditch (apparent from his flying hand movements) as Cho ran her fingers through her raven hair.
"Why weren't you at Gringotts?" Ron queried.
"Oh, Dad had to work this morning and Mum was feeling ill," Hermione explained, out of breath. "I had to wait until Mum was well enough to take me on the underground before I could get here."
"Can't go on the underground alone?" Ron teased.
"Have you even been on the underground?" Hermione shot back.
Ron looked away and didn't answer.
"Besides, Mum is worried about the You-Know-Who thing," Hermione continued. "She is especially worried since I am a muggle-born witch in the muggle world. She thinks I'll be a prime target."
"You're only a student, Hermione," Ginny pointed out. "Why would Voldemort care about a student?"
"Tell that to my Mum," Hermione said. "Where's Harry?"
Ron and Ginny both pointed at Harry and Cho with disdain.
"Since when does Cho hang out with Harry?" Hermione asked.
"Just today," Ron told her. "We were talking the other day about how she never pays attention to him. Now, she won't leave him alone. It uncanny."
"I'd call it inconceivable," Ginny blurted. "I think there's something going on here that we don't realize."
"Come off it, Ginny," Ron shot at her. "You're just upset it isn't you."
Looking affronted, Ginny exclaimed, "I do not!"
"Let's just feel happy for Harry," Hermione suggested. "He's liked her since, what, fourth year. It's finally happening for him and we should be supportive."
Ginny felt a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. She thought it might be finally happening for her, but then Cho had to step in.
"Let's talk about something else, like where we're going." Hermione said, beginning to walk toward Harry.
As Ginny and Ron followed, Ginny answered, "We're going to the Magical Menagerie because Cho wants to."
"Good," Hermione commented. "Chrookshanks needs some Fleas Flee Enchanted Flea Powder. He's been playing with the dog next door."
"I don't need to go there," Ginny huffed.
"You know, you didn't have to come, Ginny," Ron snapped.
Ginny folded her arms, thinking, Harry wanted me to come.
***************
At the Magical Menagerie, Harry followed Cho as she immediately sprinted toward a cage of huge black bats. Ron and Hermione visited the counter to ask about flea powder. Ginny, being very irate, stood near the door and awaited everyone's willingness to leave. As she stood anticipating, she decided to read her Hogwarts requirements before they went off for Flourish and Blotts. There wasn't much. It was just The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 5, Wrong Rune, Right Rune by Willow Perth and she needed to get more parchment and ink.
Ginny looked up from her list. Harry and Cho had found their way to the counter to buy Cho a vampire bat. Hermione was just paying for her flea powder, Ron by her side.
"Guaranteed that fleas will never come back," Hermione muttered, reading the back of the can of powder.
"That'll be some magic," Ron laughed.
"What exactly do you mean by that?" Hermione snapped.
"Isn't she cute?" Cho cooed to her bat.
"Cute as a werewolf," Ron whispered to Hermione and Ginny.
"Let's be off, Harry," Hermione said finally. "The Weasleys are expecting us at Flourish and Blotts."
The Weasleys there were expecting too. Ron was expecting Harry to get back to his shopping. Ginny expected Harry to get back to his senses.
"We really ought to go," Harry told Cho.
"Alright," She said, smiling. "I'll see you at Hogwarts."
"Absolutely," Harry blurted.
Cho nodded and then walked off. Hermione and Ron had to physically pull Harry away from that spot. He wanted to stay and watch her walk away. Ginny felt as if she was going to loose her breakfast.