Chapter 4
Ginny was just about sick of the library. Well, it was more or less like a doubled-edged sword. If she stayed in the library and did her work like a good girl, then she wouldn't see Harry, and feel her heart break all over again. But now, she was late for lunch, and she was starving. She had gotten about six steps from the library doors when---
Rip—
Her tattered book bag had seen its last day, and the seam had deposited its contents all over the path, and all over a pair of designer shoes. Those shoes belonged to none other than Cho Chang, whose arm was looped in Harry's. Ginny quickly gathered up her belongings, trying to tell herself her worst nightmare wasn't unfolding before her eyes, but it was too late… her ink bottles had smashed, and left ugly spots on Cho's shoes.
"Watch it!" Cho cried angrily.
"I'm so… so sorry," Ginny said hastily, stuffing her books back in her bag.
"Calm down," Harry said, annoyed, and bent down to help Ginny.
"Calm down?" Cho repeated. "Calm--- calm…" she paused, and then, saw her shoes. "You clumsy little bitch!" she screamed. "Look at my shoes, they're RUINED!"
"I'm sorry!" Ginny cried. "I'll pay you back whatever you spent…"
But Ginny knew that was a lie; her parents could never afford to waste money on a pair of designer shoes.
"And how do you plan to do that!?" Cho cried. "You're poorer than the filth on your robes!"
"Cho!" Harry yelled angrily. "Ginny is my friend, and you will NOT speak to her like that!"
Ginny lowered her head, and they started to argue, feeling utterly terrible, and saw that Cho was right. She was poor, and her robes barely covered her scrawny ankles. She looked up when Harry lightly grabbed her elbow. She saw Cho retreating in the other direction.
"Are you okay?" he asked.
She slowly nodded.
"I'm sorry about her," Harry said. "Don't… don't pay any attention." He pointed his wand at her broken bag, said a few words, and the seam mended itself together. "Hermione," he told her with a wink. He then flung it over his shoulder, and they began their way to the Pitch. They walked up into one of the stands.
"She's right, you know," Ginny said after awhile.
"What?" Harry asked.
"All the stuff Cho said," Ginny answered. "I am poor… I could never afford the things she wears…"
"Having designer clothes doesn't make you a good person," Harry said. "And you're one of the best people I know."
"Really?" Ginny asked. Did he mean that?
"Really," Harry said.
"I don't know, Harry… a lot of people… a lot of people pride themselves on what they have, and I have very little… that was what I deserved."
"What you deserve?" Harry asked incrediously. "You have no idea what you deserve, Ginny. What you have isn't in riches, or silks, but in your heart, and in those you love and who love you, and it shows through you… it makes your values seem more clear, and it creates a glow about you, a glow I love." He blushed.
Ginny was silent a moment, taking in everything he had said. "Harry… Harry, do you mean that?" she whispered.
Harry reached out and tucked a strand of auburn hair behind her ear. "Yeah," he whispered.
"Thank you," she whispered.
"Don't mention it," he said.
They stared at each other a moment, their faces growing steadily closer.
"Harry!!"
Cho stood off to the side, tears streaming down her face. Harry jumped back and turned to her.
"I'm so sorry, Harry… I don't want to fight…" she wiped her eyes.
Ginny looked to Harry, and felt her heart break. He was here with her, making her feel better, while he had just had a fight with his long-term girlfriend. She couldn't keep him in here any longer, it wasn't right. "You… you should go to her," Ginny said, looking everywhere but at him. "She's your girlfriend… and she needs you. Go."
Harry leaned down and cupped Ginny's face. He then got up, and left after Cho.
A/N:
Thank you to all my reviewers!
Moe: Who rocks, and was the inspiration for this story!!
Amergin, dancerbabe, katc, april and animegirl- rock on!!!!