Secret Wish
She's laughing.
The melodious sound sends tingles up my spine.
I glance up at Hermione whose knowing eyes laugh at me.
She knows of my childish secret. And she knows why I refuse to do anything about it.
I ignore her raised eyebrow and turn to Ron, thankfully oblivious, who is engrossed in the quidditch annual that I gave him for Christmas.
"Any good?" I ask him in the hopes of a conversation to distract me.
He barely looks up as he mumbles some inaudible reply.
I sigh and involuntarily my gaze strays back across the room to the fiery hair of the still giggling object of my affection.
I am surprised by Hermione's whisper in my ear.
"Go and talk to her."
She suggests.
I feel my heart speed up and my hands feel cold.
Hermione grins and nods her head towards Ron.
"I can keep him occupied."
Some strange force seems to lift me from my chair, and before I have a chance to stop myself I'm walking across the room.
"Hi Ginny."
I say, amazed that my voice still works.
She smiles up at me and gestures for me to join her group of friends on the rug by the fire.
I recognise Simon Appleby as one of them. Gryffindor's new quidditch keeper.
He nods at me before going back to his conversation.
Feeling suddenly uncomfortable I clear my throat.
Suddenly a familiar asian girl speaks up.
"That was a wonderful bandaging charm you managed yesterday Harry."
She says looking between Ginny and myself.
I blush as I remember the incident.
Ginny had slipped on some ice on her way back from Herbology and sprained her ankle.
Being the first to find her whilst on my way back from Hagrid's class I had used the charm we'd learnt from Madame Pomfrey and bandaged it up for her before helping her up the steps to the Hospital Wing.
I look at Ginny who's also blushing and can't help but laugh.
"It wasn't a very good charm. It was meant to stay on for hours but it had almost come off by the time we got to Madame Pomfrey."
I insist with a shrug of my shoulders.
Ginny just nudges me playfully and argues that I'm far too modest.
I look at her, and I feel my heart start to race again.
I wish so much that I could kiss her.
But for now I simply smile at her, and let myself bask in the smile that she returns to me.