Chapter Four

"Madame Pomfrey?" Harry asked awkwardly as he stepped into the hospital wing. The nurse immediately stopped humming and stared in exasperation as he ducked down and squeezed through the door frame.

"What's happened to you now, Potter?" she asked dryly.

"Incident in potions with the Height Potion," Harry explained, staring down at Madame Pomfrey.

She sighed. "Don't worry. You're not the first, Potter. I'll be right back."

He sank down awkwardly on one of the beds, his head a disturbingly small distance away from the ceiling. In a few moments, Madame Pomfrey came over and handed him a golden goblet containing a sky blue liquid.

"Keep taking sips of this until you're back to your normal height," she instructed, transfiguring a small pocket mirror on a bedside table into a full-length one that levitated in thin air. "Wait around thirty seconds in between sips."

Harry stood and took a sip of the liquid, which tasted a bit like muggle cotton candy. Immediately, he shrunk a few inches and was able to see half of his head in the mirror. He repeated the process a few more times until his whole body was visible in the looking glass. After taking a few more sips, he was a bit taller than Ron. He lifted the goblet to his lips, then paused.

If he was a bit taller than Ron, he would be around Ginny's height.

Smiling slyly, he set the goblet down onto the bedside table and announced to Madame Pomfrey, who had her back to him, "I'm all better now. I'd better be off to Transfiguration."

And with that, a newly-tall Harry Potter stepped happily out into the corridor. It was mostly deserted, seeing as class had let out and then started again moments before. As a matter of fact, the only other figure in the hall was a slender redhead who was currently bent over on the floor, struggling to pick up a scatter of books, parchment and quills.

"Dammit," she was muttering angrily. "Snape is going to kill me."

Grinning, Harry bent down and picked up a textbook, then handed it to Ginny.

"Here."

She looked up, cheeks seeming to flush.

"Oh, thank you, Harry," she said, smiling in a manner that made her look even more radiantly beautiful than usual.

"No problem," he responded, trying to stay calm as he gathered up a few more things and handed them to her. When they both stood up once more, Harry found that he was an inch or two taller than Ginny.

"Harry," she said in surprise. "You're...tall."

"Yeah," he said, feeling his cheeks flush and cursing blushing inwardly. "Incident with the Height Potions in Snape's class."

"Well," she said with a sweet smile. "You look...nice."

"Thanks," Harry said, trying to stop himself from grinning like an idiot at having the ability to stare down at her.

They studied each other in silence for a moment, Ginny's warm brown eyes dancing merrily.

"Er...I'd better get to Transfiguration," Harry said awkwardly.

"Yeah," Ginny agreed. "I'm already late for Potions."

"Well..."

"Well..." Ginny echoed, smiling.

"See ya," Harry managed to squeeze out, raising one side of his mouth at her in a half-smile.

"Bye, Harry," she said happily.

And with that, Harry turned and hurried towards McGonagall's classroom, resisting the urge to punch his fist into the air and yell, 'Yes!' at the top of his lungs.

Making her way down to the dismal dungeons, Ginny skipped through the corridors, grinning foolishly to herself.

~*~

"Harry," Ron burst out as soon as they left double Transfiguration and made their way to the Great Hall for lunch, "You're tall!"

Unnoticed by Harry, Ron and Hermione exchanged a high five after this statement.

"Yeah," Harry said with a grin. "It looks like your little accident in Potions wasn't all bad, after all."

"At least something came of it," Hermione sighed wistfully, still a bit downcast at losing her perfect potion.

"Oh, Hermione, you made another one and it was exactly the same!" Ron exclaimed. "Quit being such a moany muffin."

At this order, Harry and Hermione both burst into hysterical laughter.

Tears of mirth in her golden-brown eyes, Hermione managed to choke out through her giggles, "Moany...muffin?"

"My mum's words," Ron said at once, staring down at the floor in embarrassment. "Not mine."

"Suuure," Harry said with a cheeky smile. "We believe you, Ron."

"I miss the days when I could smoosh you like a bug," Ron proclaimed moodily.

"I don't."

"Figures," Ron said. "Otherwise, you'd be dead by now."

"So, Harry?" Hermione asked casually. "Are you thinking of asking anyone to the ball?"

At once, Ron seemed to tense up, and his expression turned cold and stony.

"Yeah," Harry said. "I think I've got someone in mind. How about you?"

"Well," she responded, blushing. "I suppose I'd like to be asked by...never mind."

"C'mon!" Harry urged. "Who is it, Hermione?"

"No one," she said, embarrassed. "Oh, look, we're here."

And with that, the silent trio entered the Great Hall.

~*~

"Weasley."

"Aah!"

Ginny let out a shriek of fright as she felt someone grab her and pull her into Professor Flitwick's empty classroom. She turned around to see Draco Malfoy's amused face smirking at her.

"What is it, Malfoy?" she asked impatiently, eager to get down to the Great Hall and see Harry.

"Go to the ball with me."

It was an order rather than a proposition.

"Are you ordering me?" she asked, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

"Well, who would you rather go with?" Malfoy asked, laughing shortly. "Potter?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I would."

Malfoy rolled his eyes. "Well, I doubt he's going to ask you, Weasley."

"I wouldn't be so sure," Ginny responded coldly, lying through her teeth.

"It's in three days," he reminded her. "I doubt Potter will suddenly realize his 'undying love' for you by then."

"Well, even if he doesn't ask me, I'd rather sit in my dormitory and write History of Magic essays than go with you, Malfoy."

"Fine, Weasley," he snapped. "But it's your loss."

"I'm sure I'll regret it for the rest of my life," she retorted sarcastically, picking up her bag and leaving the classroom (and Malfoy) behind.