Disclaimer: All characters, places, etc etc belong to the legend that is JK Rowling. I don't own her characters or make any money from them. I just have fun with them.
For the next few days, Ginny avoided Harry as much as she could. She saw him at mealtimes, of course, but she declined any further invitations to practice flying with the boys, and spent most of her time in her room, writing in her diary. She felt extremely confused.
Dear Diary,
It's Monday and I've spent the morning in my
room again. I think Mum's getting worried about me. She tried to convince me to
go blackberry picking with the boys again, as long as we promised not to have a
berry fight this time- it took several very strong Cleaning Spells to get the
juice off- but there's no way I'm going with them again. I'm so confused,
Diary. What did it mean? Why did Harry hold my hand like that, and look at me
in that way? Does it mean that he…likes me? Does he see me as something more
than just Ron's little sister? Sometimes, when I see him at mealtimes, I look
up and he's watching me. It used to be the other way around and I don't know
what it means.
No, I'm being stupid again, Diary! Whatever it means, it
doesn't mean THAT. He's probably just watching me because he can't believe how
clumsy and stupid I am. There is no way he likes me, Diary. I've got to accept
that. But I can't deny something has changed- and I can't help avoiding him. I can't believe I almost told him! It's-
"Ginny! It's nearly lunchtime, darling!" Mrs Weasley called. Ginny accidentally blotted the page with her quill, but closed the diary nevertheless and shoved it under her mattress. She walked down the stairs to find her mother alone in the kitchen, checking on a steak and kidney pie that was baking in the oven. Ginny sat herself at the kitchen table and dropped her head onto her hand. Mrs Weasley glanced over at her.
"Ginny, I wish you'd tell me what the matter is," she said. "Are you sure you feel all right? Maybe you need some Pepper-Up Potion. I could ask Dad to get some."
"No," Ginny shook her head, "I don't need any Pepper-Up. I just- I guess I'm feeling a little lonely. I know Fred, George, and Ron all love me, but there's no getting around the fact that they're all boys and I'm a girl. I can't help but feel out of things when I'm with them."
"And Harry?"
Ginny glanced up, to find her mother looking at her in a very shrewd and direct way. A blush rose in Ginny's cheeks.
"I- I-" she stammered. Her mother smiled gently.
"It's all right, Ginny. I know what it feels like, to have feelings for a boy and to have them pay you little or no attention. As you know, your father and I were at Hogwarts together, but it wasn't until our sixth year that he finally took notice of me- and I'd liked him since our first year! It was very frustrating. I resigned myself to the fact that he'd never like me, but I couldn't stop myself liking him. But it did happen, darling. I just had to wait."
"I-I didn't know that you realised about-"
"Your feelings for Harry? I'm your mother, Ginny. Mothers know these things about their daughters- and since I only have the one daughter I can pay a lot of attention to you."
"Well, Dad may have liked you in the end, but Harry's never going to like me," Ginny said. "To him, I'm just the little sister of his best friend. Just little Ginny, someone to be friendly to, someone in Gryffindor House, someone who he probably sees as another Colin Creevey- a fan."
"I wouldn't be so sure, darling," Mrs Weasley took the steaming pie out of the oven and set it at the table. "I have seen him looking at you. And he never laughs if you accidentally knock something over-"
Ginny burst into tears. She jumped up, knocking her chair over, and ran towards the front door.
"Ginny! Wait!" her mother said in concern, but Ginny pulled the door open and ran outside, almost colliding with the boys who were trooping inside, carrying their brooms. They all looked very startled as Ginny ploughed through them, her face streaked with tears. Ron called her name, but she ignored him and kept running. She ran through the garden until she reached a secluded corner, shielded from common view by a tree and several bushes. It was Ginny's favourite place; a place she often went to read or think or draw. But now, she flung herself on the grass, sobbing. She didn't even know exactly what it was that she was crying about, only that she felt utterly miserable.
She heard her mother calling her name and stifled her sobs, lying still on the grass.
"Ginny! Please come back, darling. It's lunch-time. Come on!" Mrs Weasley called, but Ginny did not move. Eventually, her mother stopped calling and Ginny heard the door close again.
For a time, she lay still, but eventually she sat up and wiped her eyes. She leant against the tree and stared up at the blue, cloudless sky. It was a beautiful day, but the weather was the furthest thing from Ginny's mind. She thought instead of bright green eyes and tangled black hair, a smile that made her heart jump…
Suddenly, Ginny was hit by one of her more embarrassing memories. She had a flash of a dwarf sitting atop Harry's ankles, singing, while a crowd of students snickered…
"His
eyes are as green as a fresh pickled toad, his hair is as dark as a blackboard,
I wish he was mine, he's really divine, the hero who conquered the Dark Lord…."
Ginny covered her face at the memory. How could she have done that? I wish he was mine, he's really divine, the hero who conquered the Dark Lord- surely, if Harry knew for certain that she had sent that Valentine, that 'hero' line would have made him think that she only liked him because he was famous. But that wasn't the case. She didn't, she-
"Ginny?"
Ginny jumped violently, and let out a little squeal. She had been so caught up in the humiliating memory that she hadn't heard footsteps approaching. She spun about to see Harry standing on the other side of one of the bushes, looking at her. Why was he here? Ginny stayed still, looking up at him.
"I finished lunch first, and your mum asked me to come and look for you," Harry said, walking around the bush and kneeling beside her. "Are you okay?"
I'm going to kill my mother, Ginny thought. She didn't say that aloud, however. She merely nodded, her eyes on the ground.
"What's wrong?" Harry asked quietly. "You looked pretty upset before."
Ginny nodded again.
"Is there anything I can do?" Harry asked. "You can tell me. I'm your friend, remember?"
To Ginny's extreme embarrassment, she burst into tears again before she could stop herself. She buried her face in her hands, her shoulders shaking.
"Hey," Harry touched her shoulder. "Come on." He sounded a little uncertain, as if unsure of how to cope with crying girls. "Ginny?" Go away. Ginny continued to cry, her face still in her hands. Harry moved closer to her, pulled her hands away, and took her in his arms in a hug. This made Ginny cry harder. She buried her face in Harry's strong shoulder, feeling his arms wrapped tightly around her. He was rocking her back and forth ever so slightly, one hand gently stroking her hair.
To be held, so tight and securely…Despite her tears, Ginny could not help but feel warm and safe. The loneliness she so often felt subsided a little, as she realised that she had unconsciously longed to be held like this for a very long time. And by Harry…
Eventually, Ginny's sobs subsided and Harry released her. She avoided his eyes as she self-consciously wiped her eyes, but she knew he was looking at her. He reached out, and gently smoothed a tear from her cheek. Ginny kept her eyes downcast. Harry was sitting so close, and she felt inexplicably frightened, now that the tears and sorrow had passed. Not knowing what else to do, she got to her feet. Harry did the same, and they began walking back to the house, Ginny still not looking at him.
Just before they reached the door, Ginny turned, and forced herself to meet Harry's eyes.
"Thank you," she said, very softly. Harry smiled at her.
"That's all right," he said. "Just remember, if you ever need to talk, I'm a good listener. Come on. Your mum was saving some lunch for you."
A/N Sorry it took me a while to get this chapter up, but I haven't had much time lately. Chapter Four is coming soon…please keep reading and reviewing! I do really appreciate your reviews. I know things are happening slowly between Harry and Ginny…but I prefer it that way. Not a lot happened in this chapter, I know, and it's a bit shorter than the others, but as I said I've been really pressed for time lately and this was the best I could do. =)