Well, now the plot is becoming a bit more obvious...Harry is being a very bad boy _ Yes, well, please read and find out....
Ginny flopped back onto her bed, grinning to herself. That night had been the best of her life.

"And what are you grinning about?" asked Jewel as she walked inside their dorm.

"Oh, nothing," Ginny sighed, rolling onto her stomach. "I'll tell you in the morning."

~*~
Harry walked up to bed that night feeling very pleased with himself. As far as he was concerned, Ginny had taken the bait and his plan was working; soon Hermione would be his again. For a moment, he felt a slight pang of guilt in his stomach, but as soon as he thought of running his fingers through Hermione's bushy brown hair, it disappeared.

~*~
Ginny was all smiles the next morning as she got dressed. Was Harry really serious about what he said to me last night? she thought as she brushed out her thick red hair.

She headed down the stairs, hoping to catch up with Harry before breakfast. After a quick look around the common room, she saw that he wasn't there and went ahead downstairs with Jewel.

"So, tell me what happened!" pried Jewel eagerly.

"We were just heading back up to the portrait hole when he told me that I looked extraordinarily beautiful," said Ginny. "Then he asked me if I had a boyfriend, and I said no."

"Well, go on!" insisted Jewel.

"And then...he kissed me."

"Really? On the lips? He really did?" she squealed.

"Yeah..." Ginny said, blushing slightly.

The two walked into the Great Hall and sat down in their usual seats near the end of the Gryffindor table. Ginny scanned the table for Harry, and sure enough, there he was, seated between Ron and Hermione. When Ginny saw Hermione, her heart sunk, but she was more reassured about the previous night's occurrences when Harry turned and gave her a smile and a little wave.

~*~
Harry watched as Ginny walked into the Great Hall, chattering with a tall girl Harry recognized to be a Gryffindor. He grew nervous as she took a seat and peered over at him--how could he keep his plan up without having Ron know about it? Harry didn't especially like the idea of lying to Ron, but he would much rather do that than get beat up by him.

"And so then he said that he had never met anybody who knew so much about Linden's theories before." Hermione was dragging on about her interview with Professor Keedstone, a teacher at a medical school for wizards.

"I don't know why you're so worried about your future right now," commented Ron.

"Ron! This is our seventh year! Next year, we're out in the real world. It will be much easier if you're prepared beforehand," she said matter-of-factly.

"We still have six months left," said Ron. "I'll wait until later."

Hermione blew up at Ron, reminding Harry strongly of a Howler--she had even turned the same shade of red (which really was a good color for her, he thought). "What do you mean you'll wait until later? The future is later, so you have to be ready for it now!" She continued telling him off, giving Harry a chance to glance back down the table. Much to his dismay, Ginny was looking back. He gave her a smile and a little wave, and then turned back around.

"What was that?" asked Ron as Harry turned back in his seat.

"What was what?"

"That. That...wave thing."

"Oh. A wave thing."

"Why did you just wave to my sister?"

"Because it's a way of saying 'Hi' in this country. "

"That wasn't a 'Hi' wave, Harry, and you know it!" Ron pounded his fist on the table angrily. "After all these years of being friends, you have to go and hit on my little sister!"

"But I--" Harry started to protest.

"Don't even bother." Ron stormed out of the Hall fuming.

"I don't know what's gotten into him lately," Hermione said, "but don't let it get to you." She put her hand on his comfortingly, and Harry smiled.

~*~
"Hey, Ginny, wait up!" Harry called out to Ginny as she left dinner that evening.

"Hi, Harry," she said, spinning around. "Is there something you wanted?"

"Just to see you." He smiled and slid his hand into hers.

"Oh." She walked on, not knowing what to say, but nonetheless smiling to herself.

"So..." Harry started, trying to fill the awkward silence with conversation. "How was your day?"

"Boring, as usual," replied Ginny. "In Potions, Colin's cauldron exploded and got sleeping potion all over everything--half of the class was out cold. Needless to say, Snape wasn't very happy."

Harry laughed. "I can't wait until next year--I'll never have to sit through another Potions class again. I've been put through pure torture for all these years; it'll be great to finally end it all."

"We'll miss you when you leave, though," said Ginny. She blushed suddenly and added, "Because, well, you know, you're the best Seeker we've ever had, and..." She trailed off, now a deep shade of magenta.

"Thanks," Harry said, giving her hand a squeeze. "That means a lot coming from you."

"Harry!" Harry's stomach sank as he heard the familiar voice of Ron Weasley behind him, his load footsteps echoing through the hall. Harry dropped Ginny's hand and turned around to face Ron.

"Yeah?" Harry asked.

"I was wondering if I could talk to you for a moment," said Ron. "Privately," he added, glancing over at Ginny.

"I'll just go on to the common room, then. See you two later." She turned on her heel and continued down the hall. After she was out of sight, Ron rounded on Harry.

"What do you think you're playing at?" asked Ron, furious.

"What are you talking about?" Harry said, pretending to look confused.

"Now you know very well what I'm talking about. Ginny!" His brown eyes flashed as he growled angrily, and for once Harry could tell that he was truly Mrs. Weasley's son. "What do you want with her?"

"I...I want to spend time with her," lied Harry quickly. "I really like your sister, Ron."

"You don't like Ginny any more than you like Millicent Bulstrode," Ron hissed. "Don't lie to me."

"I don't know why you can't accept the fact that sometimes people like other people, but believe me, it happens," Harry snapped. Ron glared at him for a moment, and then stormed off to Gryffindor Tower.

Harry sighed and rested his head against the cold stone wall. How could Ron have seen right through him? Was it really that obvious that he didn't really like Ginny, and he was just using her for a while? He certainly hoped not.

A soft nudge in the side reawakened him from his thoughts. He glanced over to see Hermione looking at him, worried. He was glad--she always looked adorable when she was worried.

"Are you okay?" she asked, starting to walk with him.

"Yeah. I'm fine...just fine," said Harry.

"You're sure nothing's bothering you?"

"Yes," said Harry. "So...how about the weather, eh?" he said, changing the subject abruptly. "It's getting rather cold out." He drew his cloak closer around him, as if to reinforce what he was saying.

"Harry," said Hermione, annoyed. "Stop being so difficult."

"I'm not being difficult," he replied stiffly. "There is absolutely nothing difficult about me. I am the epitome of nondifficultness"

"That's not even a word," snapped Hermione. She emitted an annoyed sigh. "Okay. Fine. You're not difficult. You are the least difficult person in the world!" Hermione said, throwing her hands up in the air.

"It's about time somebody agreed with me," said Harry.

"I was being sarcastic," came Hermione's irritated reply.

"I know." The two walked on to the common room in silence, the only noise coming from the howling of the wind across the grounds in the harsh, beginning-of-winter weather.
A/N Well goodness gracious! How long has it been? ::yawns and stretches:: No, I didn't die....although it did seem like it for a while, didn't it? I can't believe it's been *three* months between posts ::cough cough cough:: Wow. That's about all I can say. It's about time I finished this thing already. Yeah, well...that's about all I have to say. This was too mushy and boring. Next chapter is more exciting. Much more exciting. Well, there are quite a few more people who get genuinely pissed off, so I suppose that could be counted as more exciting...