A/N: ok I know I said it would only be two parts, but this is turning out longer than I expected so there will be one more installment coming up. I'm almost done, but I'm really sad b/c I only got five reviews on the first part (Thanx to Sarah, Aurelia Darcy, college girl I love your stories!, Farie, and Asterix for reviewing. All of you are sooo sweet.) So I'll post part three as soon as I get 10 reviews. Hope you enjoy it!
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A Dream Come True
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Part 2 of 3
At once she pushed him away and saw that he had a creepily self-satisfied look on his face. She swallowed, looked him in the eye and said:
"Colin, no, I'm sorry. I don't like you like that. I'm sorry." She shook her head and walked away as quickly as she could. Ginny had never felt like this. This was the worst feeling she'd ever felt. Her wonderfully perfect evening had just been ruined by someone she had considered her friend. Ginny felt scared, angry, rather sick, and nervous all at the same time. And she was learning quickly that the combination of these feelings apparently results in a burning, prickly feeling all over. Feeling as though her legs were slowly becoming jelly, Ginny sat down on a fluffy white couch by the hearth.
Ginny was had just taken her third shuddering breath while trying to fight back tears ('I really don't know what I'm crying about. But I just feel so awful all over.'). She had just begun to concentrate on stopping her hands from shaking when Harry (Ron and Hermione were still dancing) walked over and joined her on the couch.
"Escaped from Colin so quick? And the song's not even over. I'm impressed." But upon seeing the state Ginny was in, the smile faded almost instantaneously from his face.
"Ginny? Are you alright? I'm sorry; Colin's not that bad, really."
"Yes he is!" Ginny couldn't hold back the tears anymore and they spilled from her eyes onto her lap as she avoided Harry's worried gaze. He started to ask what happened, but she shook her head. "I'm just being stupid is all. He should be the one upset, not me! I just wish I knew why!" Harry gently lifted her chin and wiped her tears away. He looked so concerned Ginny thought for a moment that he might actually truly care.
"Why what?"
"Why that infuriating imp has to like me. It isn't fair!" That was all she managed to get out before she began to cry once more. Then for the second time that night Harry took her completely by surprise. He leaned in and hugged her until her sobs finally subsided. 'Why do you have to be so perfect Harry Potter? Especially if you're never going to love me.'
"I'm sorry," she whispered.
"For what? You didn't do anything. You just needed a friend, that's not a crime." Harry smiled that spectacular smile again. "Now are you going to tell me what happened?" Ginny sighed and told him everything that had occurred after Colin had whisked her away. They sat there a moment after she finished; neither of them spoke until:
"Well I know why." Harry was gazing at her intently again.
"Why what?" she asked trying hard not to blush, but unfortunately blushing is not something that is easily controlled.
"Why he likes you." Harry smiled as their eyes met again. "Do you want me to tell you?'' she nodded. "Well you're kind, and sweet. You're a really great friend and funny and clever. And one of the most beautiful girls in school." Before Ginny could stop herself, she had moved closer to him and kissed him.
For a second this was the best feeling in the world and then of course that hammer of reality hit and Ginny realized what she had done. She pulled away and saw the look on Harry's face that brought the tears rushing back to her eyes. The complete and utter shock that played across his face must have been identical to the way Ginny had looked after Colin kissed her. Feeling as though she might retch, Ginny stood up and sprinted toward the safe haven of her dormitory as quickly as she could.
As she reached her room Ginny had come to a conclusion: Being kissed by someone you don't like is not the worst feeling in the world. Kissing someone who obviously does not like you is the worst feeling in the world. And having both happen on the same night doesn't feel too great either.
That night was perhaps the worst ever for Ginny. Instead of sleeping, all she could do was ridicule herself for her foolish behavior. 'It was going so perfectly! And you had to go and do exactly what you had been complaining about Colin doing. So now not only does Harry probably feel terrible, he'll no doubt tell Ron and Hermione. Ron will hate me and make fun of me FOREVER. And I doubt Hermione will think I'm worth having as a friend anymore. And Merlin help me if Colin bothers me anymore. Well at least I have learned the secret of life out of this whole ordeal. Actually just the secret of my life: Life is rubbish. Just deal with it. Maybe if I'm lucky Voldemort will regain his power, kill us all and end my misery.'
'Now is that anyway to think?' Another voice in Ginny's head seemed to be trying to cheer her up. 'Really there are more important things in the world to worry about besides what some silly boy thinks of you.'
'You're right.' Ginny replied to the second voice. 'There are more important things to worry about, like why I have two voices in my head. For some reason this bothers me. Oh well good night voices.'
The morning came all too quickly for Ginny's liking. At first it started like any other, then that feeling that she was about to retch returned to Ginny as she remembered the previous night's events and realized one more horrible thing about today: Her first class was double potions.
How she managed to get dressed, brush her hair and teeth and drag herself down to breakfast, she never knew, but when she got there she was delighted to see that while her brother and company were absent, Cleo and Emily were there talking happily. Ginny thought that she might get lucky and never have to tell her two best friends what had happened, but as Hermione came down to the table and was acting rather coldly toward her, Ginny realized that she'd have to tell them before someone else did. It was obvious by her unusually callous attitude this morning, that Harry had told Hermione (and therefore Ron) and that eventually it would end up reaching Cleo and Emily.
"Hey guys?" Cleo and Emily looked up at Ginny "Ok here goes: Last night after I went to talk to Ron, Harry asked me to dance, it turns out he was kind of avoiding Meredith-Fiona Biddle but whatever, and everything was going perfectly until of course, Colin cut in. Then Colin told me he liked me and he kissed me."
"What! Ew!" Cleo immediately regained her composure and continued listening carefully to every word out of Ginny's mouth.
"Yeah I know. That was my reaction. I wasn't feeling too well after that and right when I was about to burst into tears, Harry appeared. He comforted me and then he told me I was nice and pretty and I kissed him and then I ran and if you noticed how Hermione looked at me this morning, I think it's obvious he told her and he hates me now."
"Well one good thing is..." Emily was looking puzzled like she knew that it was a good idea to mention the silver lining, but thought the situation was actually as horrid as Ginny found it to be. "Wait I know! One good thing could be if Colin saw you kissing Harry. Then he'll really get the point and never bother you again."
Colin had just then been walking by their end of the table unnoticed by Ginny, Cleo or Emily. Upon hearing this news (he had obviously not seen Ginny's great moment of humiliation) he shouted out.
"You kissed Harry! How could you! Noooooo!" With that he ran back upstairs and all of the people along the table, and in fact in the Great Hall turned to stare at Ginny.
"You were saying." Cleo grinned sardonically as she patted Emily on the back. Ginny simply lay her head on the table closed her eyes and let the voices take over again.
'Well at least Harry and Ron weren't down here to witness that.'
'Yes but Hermione was and she'll tell them for sure.'
'Oh shut up. I don't like this second voice at all. But anyway this morning already reaffirms my belief about my life. It is most definitely rubbish, but I don't know how much longer I'll be able to deal with it.'
However things, as they most often do, only went from bad to worse to even more worse. Cleo and Emily had only just barely been able to drag Ginny to their potions class in the freezing, dank dungeons ("Achoo!"), where she realized she must have been getting a cold. 'Lovely, just lovely. Colin probably gave me this infernal cold...which means of course that, in my great show of love for Harry, I probably made him ill as well. Yep everything's is rubbish.'
"Miss Weasley! 10 points from Gryffindor! The next time I ask you a question, answer it!" Snape's great greasy face was bellowing at her from the front of the room.
"I'm sorry, I was just..."
"You were daydreaming! That's what you were doing! I don't tolerate daydreaming or talking back. You have a detention. Be here next Saturday evening at 5:30." Snape then returned to his desk as the students worked on their assignments. Finally, what seemed like an eternity later, the bell sounded dismissing class. Ginny grabbed her bag and stormed from the classroom. Cleo and Emily hurried after her. They tried their best to cheer her up, but it was no use. It was only Wednesday, and Ginny had the horrible feeling that this would be the longest, most dreadful week ever.
She was right. Ginny passed through the next two days as though she were continually walking through a grey fog. She was so despondent and miserable everything that had happened, nothing seemed to matter. To make matters worse, Harry, Ron and Hermione seemed to be giving Ginny the cold shoulder. It was as though they were never going to forgive her for kissing Harry. 'It's really not fair. The three of them could just get over it. I am sorry. Do they want me to be depressed for the rest of my life?'
'Well you haven't forgiven Colin yet have you?
'Oh shut up you stupid second voice. I kissed Harry by accident! Colin kissed me on purpose!'
'Oh yes now I see the difference. How blind I have been'
'Grrrr.'
Ginny's temporary depression had affected Emily and Cleo as well. None of them had been acting themselves and by the morning Ginny's detention, many of the students in Gryffindor House were terribly worried about the three normally bubbly girls. As it was Saturday, they all slept late. Ginny and Cleo woke up first and headed down to breakfast. Emily told them she would meet them in the Great Hall in a few minutes.
Cleo and Ginny sat down at the table without speaking. They were just about to begin eating when Emily skipped into the Hall and over to their table, looking happier than any of them had looked in days. She was, in fact, positively glowing.
"Good morning!" she chirped as she took a seat next to Cleo, opposite Ginny. Cleo and Ginny stared at her as though she were some annoyingly bizarre creature from a faraway land.
"What is wrong with you Em?" Cleo finally asked.
"Oh nothing. Nothing at all." She continued beaming and only turned away to watch Harry, Hermione, and Ron stroll across the Great Hall and take their seats at the other end of the table. Almost immediately she turned back and smiled even more broadly.
"Oh all right! I can't keep this a secret for very long!" With that Emily began whispering rapidly in Cleo's ear. With each passing second, Cleo's expression grew happier and happier. When Emily had finally finished, they both turned and faced Ginny, looking much happier than they had in days (really they looked happier than they ever had, truth be told).
"Well," said Ginny. She was now completely baffled by their behaviour, but of course, wanted to know whatever secret it was that had cheered them up so quickly. "Aren't you going to tell me?"
"No." And with that they both began to eat breakfast as though nothing unusual had happened.
"No? No? The three of us have been depressed for nearly four days now, and Em finds out something wonderful, tells you, Cleo, it cheers you both up instantly, and you're not going to tell me? Are we not friends anymore?" Ginny looked at them each searchingly. She was sure that little plea would convince them to tell.
"Oh no, we're still friends, it's just that you probably don't want to hear it from us." Emily smiled at Ginny and then continued eating.
"Wha?" Ginny was amazed. 'They actually aren't going to tell me.'
"Sorry Gin no can do." Cleo smiled as well and then made a motion to show that she had zipped her lips.
While the fact that Emily and Cleo were keeping something from her bothered Ginny, it was hardly the thing she was worried about most that crisp autumn Saturday. Ginny still had detention that evening with Snape to look forward to and visions of the horrible things he might have her do danced through her mind as the day progressed.
"Look it can't be something too terrible Ginny." Emily had been trying to reassure her all day long of that rather unbelievable fact. It is Snape we're talking about here.
"Yeah," Cleo piped up, "the worst I've ever heard was that one time he made this second year Hufflepuff collect a few ingredients."
"Well I suppose that wouldn't be too bad." Ginny said perking up slightly.
"Of course not. I mean all he had to get was a few stingers of Gargantuan Hornets, some East Indian Cobra fang, and a few Needled Neerum weeds. Oh wait, but all of that was in the Forbidden Forest. But really how bad could that be?" Cleo smiled weakly knowing that her attempt to comfort Ginny had just failed like a stone trying to resist gravity. Just then the clock in the Gryffindor Common Room chimed the 5th hour of the afternoon.
"Well I guess I better go." Ginny mumbled dejectedly as she rose from her chair.
"Yeah have fun!" Emily called
"See you later! And try to remember everything so you can tell us all about it later." Cleo was actually grinning as Ginny left. 'What was that about? Oh well, here I go off to my doom. I just hope this detention doesn't leave me with too many scars.'
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A Dream Come True
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Part 2 of 3
At once she pushed him away and saw that he had a creepily self-satisfied look on his face. She swallowed, looked him in the eye and said:
"Colin, no, I'm sorry. I don't like you like that. I'm sorry." She shook her head and walked away as quickly as she could. Ginny had never felt like this. This was the worst feeling she'd ever felt. Her wonderfully perfect evening had just been ruined by someone she had considered her friend. Ginny felt scared, angry, rather sick, and nervous all at the same time. And she was learning quickly that the combination of these feelings apparently results in a burning, prickly feeling all over. Feeling as though her legs were slowly becoming jelly, Ginny sat down on a fluffy white couch by the hearth.
Ginny was had just taken her third shuddering breath while trying to fight back tears ('I really don't know what I'm crying about. But I just feel so awful all over.'). She had just begun to concentrate on stopping her hands from shaking when Harry (Ron and Hermione were still dancing) walked over and joined her on the couch.
"Escaped from Colin so quick? And the song's not even over. I'm impressed." But upon seeing the state Ginny was in, the smile faded almost instantaneously from his face.
"Ginny? Are you alright? I'm sorry; Colin's not that bad, really."
"Yes he is!" Ginny couldn't hold back the tears anymore and they spilled from her eyes onto her lap as she avoided Harry's worried gaze. He started to ask what happened, but she shook her head. "I'm just being stupid is all. He should be the one upset, not me! I just wish I knew why!" Harry gently lifted her chin and wiped her tears away. He looked so concerned Ginny thought for a moment that he might actually truly care.
"Why what?"
"Why that infuriating imp has to like me. It isn't fair!" That was all she managed to get out before she began to cry once more. Then for the second time that night Harry took her completely by surprise. He leaned in and hugged her until her sobs finally subsided. 'Why do you have to be so perfect Harry Potter? Especially if you're never going to love me.'
"I'm sorry," she whispered.
"For what? You didn't do anything. You just needed a friend, that's not a crime." Harry smiled that spectacular smile again. "Now are you going to tell me what happened?" Ginny sighed and told him everything that had occurred after Colin had whisked her away. They sat there a moment after she finished; neither of them spoke until:
"Well I know why." Harry was gazing at her intently again.
"Why what?" she asked trying hard not to blush, but unfortunately blushing is not something that is easily controlled.
"Why he likes you." Harry smiled as their eyes met again. "Do you want me to tell you?'' she nodded. "Well you're kind, and sweet. You're a really great friend and funny and clever. And one of the most beautiful girls in school." Before Ginny could stop herself, she had moved closer to him and kissed him.
For a second this was the best feeling in the world and then of course that hammer of reality hit and Ginny realized what she had done. She pulled away and saw the look on Harry's face that brought the tears rushing back to her eyes. The complete and utter shock that played across his face must have been identical to the way Ginny had looked after Colin kissed her. Feeling as though she might retch, Ginny stood up and sprinted toward the safe haven of her dormitory as quickly as she could.
As she reached her room Ginny had come to a conclusion: Being kissed by someone you don't like is not the worst feeling in the world. Kissing someone who obviously does not like you is the worst feeling in the world. And having both happen on the same night doesn't feel too great either.
That night was perhaps the worst ever for Ginny. Instead of sleeping, all she could do was ridicule herself for her foolish behavior. 'It was going so perfectly! And you had to go and do exactly what you had been complaining about Colin doing. So now not only does Harry probably feel terrible, he'll no doubt tell Ron and Hermione. Ron will hate me and make fun of me FOREVER. And I doubt Hermione will think I'm worth having as a friend anymore. And Merlin help me if Colin bothers me anymore. Well at least I have learned the secret of life out of this whole ordeal. Actually just the secret of my life: Life is rubbish. Just deal with it. Maybe if I'm lucky Voldemort will regain his power, kill us all and end my misery.'
'Now is that anyway to think?' Another voice in Ginny's head seemed to be trying to cheer her up. 'Really there are more important things in the world to worry about besides what some silly boy thinks of you.'
'You're right.' Ginny replied to the second voice. 'There are more important things to worry about, like why I have two voices in my head. For some reason this bothers me. Oh well good night voices.'
The morning came all too quickly for Ginny's liking. At first it started like any other, then that feeling that she was about to retch returned to Ginny as she remembered the previous night's events and realized one more horrible thing about today: Her first class was double potions.
How she managed to get dressed, brush her hair and teeth and drag herself down to breakfast, she never knew, but when she got there she was delighted to see that while her brother and company were absent, Cleo and Emily were there talking happily. Ginny thought that she might get lucky and never have to tell her two best friends what had happened, but as Hermione came down to the table and was acting rather coldly toward her, Ginny realized that she'd have to tell them before someone else did. It was obvious by her unusually callous attitude this morning, that Harry had told Hermione (and therefore Ron) and that eventually it would end up reaching Cleo and Emily.
"Hey guys?" Cleo and Emily looked up at Ginny "Ok here goes: Last night after I went to talk to Ron, Harry asked me to dance, it turns out he was kind of avoiding Meredith-Fiona Biddle but whatever, and everything was going perfectly until of course, Colin cut in. Then Colin told me he liked me and he kissed me."
"What! Ew!" Cleo immediately regained her composure and continued listening carefully to every word out of Ginny's mouth.
"Yeah I know. That was my reaction. I wasn't feeling too well after that and right when I was about to burst into tears, Harry appeared. He comforted me and then he told me I was nice and pretty and I kissed him and then I ran and if you noticed how Hermione looked at me this morning, I think it's obvious he told her and he hates me now."
"Well one good thing is..." Emily was looking puzzled like she knew that it was a good idea to mention the silver lining, but thought the situation was actually as horrid as Ginny found it to be. "Wait I know! One good thing could be if Colin saw you kissing Harry. Then he'll really get the point and never bother you again."
Colin had just then been walking by their end of the table unnoticed by Ginny, Cleo or Emily. Upon hearing this news (he had obviously not seen Ginny's great moment of humiliation) he shouted out.
"You kissed Harry! How could you! Noooooo!" With that he ran back upstairs and all of the people along the table, and in fact in the Great Hall turned to stare at Ginny.
"You were saying." Cleo grinned sardonically as she patted Emily on the back. Ginny simply lay her head on the table closed her eyes and let the voices take over again.
'Well at least Harry and Ron weren't down here to witness that.'
'Yes but Hermione was and she'll tell them for sure.'
'Oh shut up. I don't like this second voice at all. But anyway this morning already reaffirms my belief about my life. It is most definitely rubbish, but I don't know how much longer I'll be able to deal with it.'
However things, as they most often do, only went from bad to worse to even more worse. Cleo and Emily had only just barely been able to drag Ginny to their potions class in the freezing, dank dungeons ("Achoo!"), where she realized she must have been getting a cold. 'Lovely, just lovely. Colin probably gave me this infernal cold...which means of course that, in my great show of love for Harry, I probably made him ill as well. Yep everything's is rubbish.'
"Miss Weasley! 10 points from Gryffindor! The next time I ask you a question, answer it!" Snape's great greasy face was bellowing at her from the front of the room.
"I'm sorry, I was just..."
"You were daydreaming! That's what you were doing! I don't tolerate daydreaming or talking back. You have a detention. Be here next Saturday evening at 5:30." Snape then returned to his desk as the students worked on their assignments. Finally, what seemed like an eternity later, the bell sounded dismissing class. Ginny grabbed her bag and stormed from the classroom. Cleo and Emily hurried after her. They tried their best to cheer her up, but it was no use. It was only Wednesday, and Ginny had the horrible feeling that this would be the longest, most dreadful week ever.
She was right. Ginny passed through the next two days as though she were continually walking through a grey fog. She was so despondent and miserable everything that had happened, nothing seemed to matter. To make matters worse, Harry, Ron and Hermione seemed to be giving Ginny the cold shoulder. It was as though they were never going to forgive her for kissing Harry. 'It's really not fair. The three of them could just get over it. I am sorry. Do they want me to be depressed for the rest of my life?'
'Well you haven't forgiven Colin yet have you?
'Oh shut up you stupid second voice. I kissed Harry by accident! Colin kissed me on purpose!'
'Oh yes now I see the difference. How blind I have been'
'Grrrr.'
Ginny's temporary depression had affected Emily and Cleo as well. None of them had been acting themselves and by the morning Ginny's detention, many of the students in Gryffindor House were terribly worried about the three normally bubbly girls. As it was Saturday, they all slept late. Ginny and Cleo woke up first and headed down to breakfast. Emily told them she would meet them in the Great Hall in a few minutes.
Cleo and Ginny sat down at the table without speaking. They were just about to begin eating when Emily skipped into the Hall and over to their table, looking happier than any of them had looked in days. She was, in fact, positively glowing.
"Good morning!" she chirped as she took a seat next to Cleo, opposite Ginny. Cleo and Ginny stared at her as though she were some annoyingly bizarre creature from a faraway land.
"What is wrong with you Em?" Cleo finally asked.
"Oh nothing. Nothing at all." She continued beaming and only turned away to watch Harry, Hermione, and Ron stroll across the Great Hall and take their seats at the other end of the table. Almost immediately she turned back and smiled even more broadly.
"Oh all right! I can't keep this a secret for very long!" With that Emily began whispering rapidly in Cleo's ear. With each passing second, Cleo's expression grew happier and happier. When Emily had finally finished, they both turned and faced Ginny, looking much happier than they had in days (really they looked happier than they ever had, truth be told).
"Well," said Ginny. She was now completely baffled by their behaviour, but of course, wanted to know whatever secret it was that had cheered them up so quickly. "Aren't you going to tell me?"
"No." And with that they both began to eat breakfast as though nothing unusual had happened.
"No? No? The three of us have been depressed for nearly four days now, and Em finds out something wonderful, tells you, Cleo, it cheers you both up instantly, and you're not going to tell me? Are we not friends anymore?" Ginny looked at them each searchingly. She was sure that little plea would convince them to tell.
"Oh no, we're still friends, it's just that you probably don't want to hear it from us." Emily smiled at Ginny and then continued eating.
"Wha?" Ginny was amazed. 'They actually aren't going to tell me.'
"Sorry Gin no can do." Cleo smiled as well and then made a motion to show that she had zipped her lips.
While the fact that Emily and Cleo were keeping something from her bothered Ginny, it was hardly the thing she was worried about most that crisp autumn Saturday. Ginny still had detention that evening with Snape to look forward to and visions of the horrible things he might have her do danced through her mind as the day progressed.
"Look it can't be something too terrible Ginny." Emily had been trying to reassure her all day long of that rather unbelievable fact. It is Snape we're talking about here.
"Yeah," Cleo piped up, "the worst I've ever heard was that one time he made this second year Hufflepuff collect a few ingredients."
"Well I suppose that wouldn't be too bad." Ginny said perking up slightly.
"Of course not. I mean all he had to get was a few stingers of Gargantuan Hornets, some East Indian Cobra fang, and a few Needled Neerum weeds. Oh wait, but all of that was in the Forbidden Forest. But really how bad could that be?" Cleo smiled weakly knowing that her attempt to comfort Ginny had just failed like a stone trying to resist gravity. Just then the clock in the Gryffindor Common Room chimed the 5th hour of the afternoon.
"Well I guess I better go." Ginny mumbled dejectedly as she rose from her chair.
"Yeah have fun!" Emily called
"See you later! And try to remember everything so you can tell us all about it later." Cleo was actually grinning as Ginny left. 'What was that about? Oh well, here I go off to my doom. I just hope this detention doesn't leave me with too many scars.'