Harry Potter & the other characters and places in this story belong to JK Rowling

A/N:  Thank-you to everyone who has reviewed the story.  I'm really glad you're enjoying it.

Chapter Nine - Reactions

After Ginny's departure, Harry collapsed into a chair in the Common Room.  He felt almost queasy.  What had just happened out there in the Entrance Hall?  This was dangerous business... falling in love with Ginny Weasley.  Constant vigilance, constant vigilance he kept repeating to himself, but the image of Ginny looking into his eyes... into his soul... would not go away.  Then he remembered what he had told himself earlier this year: if he ever felt like he was falling in love with someone, he would remember what Cho had looked like after Cedric's death.  He could not allow Ginny to be hurt like that.  This thought sobered him up a great deal.  He also realized how angry Ron would be if he found out that Harry liked Ginny.  Harry resolved that he and Ginny would remain friends, and nothing more, no matter how much he liked her.  He got up off the chair, and returned to his dormitory and fell asleep.

The next day, Harry got up early and stayed in the library all day.  He didn't trust himself to be around Ginny yet.  He didn't return to Gryffindor Tower until Madam Pince kicked him out of the library at 11:00PM.  He was starving hungry, having eaten only a few candies all day.  Ron gave him a worried look when he returned to the dormitory.  "Hermione said she saw you in the library.  What were you doing there all day?"

"I had a lot of homework to catch up on," Harry replied.

"But you didn't even come down for meals.  The only other time I've seen you in the library for that long was right before the second task of the Triwizard Tournament, where you had to find out how to breathe underwater.  Is there something going on that I should know about?" asked Ron.

Harry almost shouted at Ron, but he knew that Ron wasn't being nosy, he was just concerned, so he replied, "No, everything's OK, I just got a little panicky over how much homework we had.  I'm sure I'll be fine tomorrow."

Thankfully, Ron didn't press the issue, and they both went to sleep.

+ + +

Harry had wanted to avoid breakfast on Monday, but when he woke up, he was ravenous, and so decided to brave the Great Hall for the first time since Saturday night.  As he expected, Ginny was sitting with Hermione when he and Ron arrived.  Hermione had a look of open admiration on her face when she saw Harry.  "Were you really in the library all day yesterday?"

"Yeah... lots of homework," Harry replied, and concentrated on his toast.

"Next thing you know he'll have 'Hogwart's: A History' memorized," said Ron sarcastically, then started a conversation with Ginny about Fred and George's latest inventions.  Harry forced himself to look at Ginny until he could do so without getting fluttery feelings in his stomach.  Hermione was looking at him strangely, so he stopped and returned his attention to his breakfast.

The day passed by rather quickly, despite a horrid Potions lesson from Snape in the morning.  Before he knew it, it was time for their weekly run around the lake for Quidditch practice.  Harry found himself running beside Ginny.  Good, he thought, This will be a good test.

"I can't believe Angelina's making us run in this weather," Ginny complained, after making sure that Angelina was out of earshot.

"I know," agreed Harry.  "It must be below freezing today, and the wind makes it feel even colder."

They continued chatting about several new Quidditch strategies that Angelina had come up with.  Harry found his mind wandering.  He kept thinking how pretty Ginny looked with her face all flushed from the excercise and her vibrant red hair starting to escape the elastic band holding it in place.  When she smiled at him, his heart melted.  How could he repress his feelings for her?

"Earth to Harry... Earth to Harry"

"Huh?  What were you saying?"  Harry looked over and saw Ginny laughing at him.

"Oh, just asking if you thought Ron and Hermione were kissing yet," Ginny said.  "I'm just kidding!" she added after seeing Harry's shocked expression.

"Don't scare me like that!" Harry said.

"So... do you think they're kissing yet?" Ginny asked with a mischievous grin.

"I don't want to know!  But I don't think so.  At least, I haven't caught them at it," Harry replied.

"Me neither, but I guess it's only a matter of time, eh?" said Ginny.

"It still seems kind of weird to think of them... together," said Harry.

"I know what you mean.  But I think they're pretty happy.  At least I know Hermione is ecstatic about it," said Ginny.

"You talked to her about it?" asked Harry, somewhat surprised.

"Um... yeah!  Girls always talk about that stuff.  You mean you haven't talked to Ron about it?"

"Not really.  I mean, not since they started going out.  He'd probably break my arm if I asked him if he was kissing Hermione."

Ginny laughed.  "Well, I haven't asked Hermione if she's kissed Ron, but I do talk to her about her feelings about the whole relationship.  And I talked to her lots before they started going out, and how nervous she was that he would never ask her.  I know she doesn't show it a lot, but she really likes him."

Harry smiled, "I just never imagined you two talking about that.  I mean neither you nor Hermione are normal girls."

Ginny raised an eyebrow, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"No, I didn't mean that.  I meant that neither of you are obsessed with who likes who and all that stuff."

"Aren't we?"  Ginny asked with a playful smile.

Harry grinned broadly, "Really?"

"Oh, you have no idea!"

Harry looked at Ginny with a mixture of surprise and admiration.  He had never seen this flirtatious side of her before, and he had to admit he liked it.  Harry was sorry to see that they were nearly finished their lap around the lake.  They met up with Ron, who had finished ahead of them, and walked back up to the castle to get changed for dinner.

To be continued…