Harry spent a lot of time over the next month mostly dragging himself
around school, trying to remain unnoticed by his peers other than the
occasional taunt from Malfoy. Of course everyone knew of Sirius' death, but
almost no one knew that he was Harry's godfather, and Harry wanted to keep
it that way. He didn't want any more sympathy, pity, or any kind of special
treatment than he was already getting. He was very upset and depressed
about Sirius' death but tried not to let it show for that reason. Ron and
Hermione gave him his space because they knew he needed time to heal, but
after about a month had passed, they began to try and get him back into a
normal routine.
"Come on, Harry, first Hogsmeade visit this weekend!" Ron said excitedly. "Don't you want to go?"
Harry just looked away painfully. Usually when they went to Hogsmeade they sneaked off to go visit Sirius in the cave where he would be hiding with Buckbeak.
"Come on, Harry." Hermione said gently. "It's time to move on. You really should go, you know, and get your mind off things."
Harry looked at her. She looked back at him determinedly. He sighed and nodded, knowing she was right.
That weekend, when they were lining up to go out in the horseless carriages that would bring them to Hogsmeade, Harry started lifting his head and allowing himself to be noticed for the first time in a month. He found that he started noticing things himself. He caught a glimpse of Ginny through the crowd standing with some of her fourth-year friends and suddenly realized that he had barely given her a thought in the past month, he had been so wrapped up in his own misery. He also realized that she must be totally heartbroken and thinking that he didn't care about her. He decided that he had to do the right thing; go talk to her and straighten things out. He hoped there wouldn't be too much tension between them, because he still cared about her and wanted to make things right again. He wanted to build a real relationship with her and just looking at her had made him actually realize that.
Once they arrived in Hogsmeade, Harry saw that some things had changed. They had numerous kinds of new sweets at Honeydukes, which Ron was very pleased about, and many never heard of tricks at Zonko's, which made Fred and George excited. The outside of the Three Broomsticks had been painted, and the Shrieking Shack was one of the few places that remained the same. Harry stared at it for awhile and remembered that it was there that he had met Sirius for the first time. He stood there recalling the event clearly, right down to the last detail until Ron nudged him awake from his daydream.
"What? Oh, sorry." Harry mumbled, and allowed himself to be pulled in the opposite direction of that memory of Sirius. They spent some time in the shops looking at all the new items, and as they were exiting the Three Broomsticks clutching butterbeers in their hands, Harry saw Ginny and some of her friends walking towards them. Harry's heart started beating twice its usual rate and he could feel tension creeping up on him.
Hermione waved Ginny to come over, and they made small talk about things they had bought while one of Ginny's friends was eyed Ron with great interest. Ron, indulged in the sweets he had bought earlier, took no notice. Harry considered informing him, but thought twice and remembered how Ron and Hermione had seemed to be starting something of a relationship or at least a much closer friendship together. They had been getting along unusually well, that was for sure.
When Ginny and Hermione were finished talking, Harry and Ginny caught each others eye and from what Harry saw in the look on Ginny's face, she had just been told about Sirius. The look on her face was a mix of shock, sympathy, and surprisingly, relief. Harry concluded that she was most likely relieved because she now knew that the reason Harry had been acting so strange was not anything to do with her but because of his loss of Sirius.
Harry gave Ginny a small but honest smile, which she returned. He reached forward, took her hands, and pulled her away from the crowd.
"I need to talk to you," he whispered.
"I was wondering when you finally would," she whispered back with a slight smile on her face.
He smiled a true smile for the first time in weeks. She made him so happy for unexplainable reasons.
They found a comfortable place out on the grass to sit, and they talked for what seemed like hours about everything that had been going on in their lives. Harry apologized over and over again for not talking to her sooner, and let her know how much he liked her and cared about her and how much he had missed her. Ginny expressed her sympathy for his loss of Sirius and also her relief that she had found out that she meant something to him. Little did they know it, but they were slowly falling in love.
"Come on, Harry, first Hogsmeade visit this weekend!" Ron said excitedly. "Don't you want to go?"
Harry just looked away painfully. Usually when they went to Hogsmeade they sneaked off to go visit Sirius in the cave where he would be hiding with Buckbeak.
"Come on, Harry." Hermione said gently. "It's time to move on. You really should go, you know, and get your mind off things."
Harry looked at her. She looked back at him determinedly. He sighed and nodded, knowing she was right.
That weekend, when they were lining up to go out in the horseless carriages that would bring them to Hogsmeade, Harry started lifting his head and allowing himself to be noticed for the first time in a month. He found that he started noticing things himself. He caught a glimpse of Ginny through the crowd standing with some of her fourth-year friends and suddenly realized that he had barely given her a thought in the past month, he had been so wrapped up in his own misery. He also realized that she must be totally heartbroken and thinking that he didn't care about her. He decided that he had to do the right thing; go talk to her and straighten things out. He hoped there wouldn't be too much tension between them, because he still cared about her and wanted to make things right again. He wanted to build a real relationship with her and just looking at her had made him actually realize that.
Once they arrived in Hogsmeade, Harry saw that some things had changed. They had numerous kinds of new sweets at Honeydukes, which Ron was very pleased about, and many never heard of tricks at Zonko's, which made Fred and George excited. The outside of the Three Broomsticks had been painted, and the Shrieking Shack was one of the few places that remained the same. Harry stared at it for awhile and remembered that it was there that he had met Sirius for the first time. He stood there recalling the event clearly, right down to the last detail until Ron nudged him awake from his daydream.
"What? Oh, sorry." Harry mumbled, and allowed himself to be pulled in the opposite direction of that memory of Sirius. They spent some time in the shops looking at all the new items, and as they were exiting the Three Broomsticks clutching butterbeers in their hands, Harry saw Ginny and some of her friends walking towards them. Harry's heart started beating twice its usual rate and he could feel tension creeping up on him.
Hermione waved Ginny to come over, and they made small talk about things they had bought while one of Ginny's friends was eyed Ron with great interest. Ron, indulged in the sweets he had bought earlier, took no notice. Harry considered informing him, but thought twice and remembered how Ron and Hermione had seemed to be starting something of a relationship or at least a much closer friendship together. They had been getting along unusually well, that was for sure.
When Ginny and Hermione were finished talking, Harry and Ginny caught each others eye and from what Harry saw in the look on Ginny's face, she had just been told about Sirius. The look on her face was a mix of shock, sympathy, and surprisingly, relief. Harry concluded that she was most likely relieved because she now knew that the reason Harry had been acting so strange was not anything to do with her but because of his loss of Sirius.
Harry gave Ginny a small but honest smile, which she returned. He reached forward, took her hands, and pulled her away from the crowd.
"I need to talk to you," he whispered.
"I was wondering when you finally would," she whispered back with a slight smile on her face.
He smiled a true smile for the first time in weeks. She made him so happy for unexplainable reasons.
They found a comfortable place out on the grass to sit, and they talked for what seemed like hours about everything that had been going on in their lives. Harry apologized over and over again for not talking to her sooner, and let her know how much he liked her and cared about her and how much he had missed her. Ginny expressed her sympathy for his loss of Sirius and also her relief that she had found out that she meant something to him. Little did they know it, but they were slowly falling in love.