Author's Note: Recognize a character in this story? Chances are, it isn't mine. Unless you believe I am J. K. Rowling, in which case you have bigger problems than that.

Chapter Two

Ginny's Hope

" Why? Did she say no?" Harry exclaimed.

" Well, she didn't exactly say no," Ron admitted, " But she's not going to the dance in general. I still think you should give Ginny a chance."

They were both standing outside, Harry in his Quidditch uniform, the sun setting behind them. Harry looked hurt for a second; then, his eyes closed and he took a deep, steady breath. " So I guess I will ask Ginny," He said more to himself than Ron.

" She's been waiting four years for this," Ron said excitedly.

" Why are you suddenly so interested in Ginny?" Harry asked, crossly.

Ron shrugged. " I just really, really want her to be happy. That's all."

*

Ginny sat in the library, flipping through some Witch Fashion magazines. There was a lovely cape on sale; it was black with crimson lining and had little embroidered suns and moons on it, in gold thread. It was gorgeous. She dreamed of herself wearing that cape as she went out on the dance floor to dance with Harry, his green eyes peering gently into hers.

He would run his fingers across her shoulders and say, " Your cape is magnificent. But not as lovely as you."

" Oh, Harry!" She'd cry out.

" I love you, Ginny," He would whisper softly, leaning in to kiss her.

" Oh, Harry!"

" You are my sun and moon," He'd continue, tilting her face to his, letting her lips be on the same level as his.

" Oh, Harry! We're too young," She'd croon, putting her hand up to her forehead in a swoon.

" But my love for you courses through my veins, natural to me like my own blood," Harry would reply, " Kiss me. Kiss me, make this evening mine."

And she would let him kiss her, but not in a wanton way; she'd smile and tilt her cheek to him first, letting him trail some kisses down her jawbone towards her lips, like in movies.

Yes, the cape would be wonderful!

" What are you up to, giggling to yourself like that?" She heard someone ask from behind her.

Ginny spun around and saw that it was Hermione. Hermione grinned and plopped herself down on the chair next to Ginny's. " Witch Fasion?" She asked aloud, " Isn't that the Fall Cape issue?"

" It is," Ginny replied self-consciously. What if Hermione has the same cape in mind, Ginny thought, and Harry would fall in love with her after she wore it? She's got the nicest hair, and I'm stuck with these ugly red locks!

" Can I see?" Hermione lifted the magazine and stared at the cape, " Oh! It's so silly!" She laughed, " It's like something a Barbie would wear for trick or treating."

Luckily, Ginny knew enough about being a Muggle from her dad to understand what Hermione was talking about. Her face turned very red and she whispered angrily, " I think it's a nice thing to wear to a dance. It's something so pretty and romantic. A boy would probably fall in love with me just because I'm wearing it."

" A boy?" Hermione asked.

" Harry." Ginny said triumphantly. Now the cards were on the table. Ginny wondered if Hermione would now start an argument.

Hermione's face flushed and she looked at her lap for a moment. Then she looked up with a huge smile plastered on her face. " Ginny! Why, that would be a lovely thing to wear to go out with Harry. He'd think you were the belle of the ball."

" Yeah. Too bad I'm too scared to ask him!" Ginny muttered, " Besides, I bet you're going with him."

" Nope," Hermione replied, " And you know why?"

" Why?" Ginny wondered.

" I hear he really likes you," Hermione confessed, " But promise you won't tell Harry that you heard it from me. I… I don't think he wants me to know that he likes you. I think he's worried it would hurt my feelings."

" Does it hurt your feelings?" Ginny asked.

" Not at all," Hermione grinned brightly, " I'm just glad to see my friends happy." She squeezed her hands into fists under the table, though, crumbing her robes in her fists as she did. Ginny could see this, but she said nothing.

" Do you really think Harry would go with me?" Ginny sighed dreamily, " Because Ron keeps teasing me about how I don't have a date yet."

" Well, you won't hear anymore teasing. Harry will go with you," Hermione said.

" Thank you so much!" Ginny threw her hands around Hermione's neck, giving her a quick hug, and then leapt to her feet, " I have to go find him and ask before someone else finds him!"

" You do that!" Hermione watched Ginny turn and run off.

She's so childish, Hermione thought bitterly, how could Harry like her and not me? Why don't any boys like me? The only answer that came was the soft tapping sound of Cho Chang's pencil. She was sitting a few tables away, writing an essay of hers.

The woman of Harry's heart, and now Ginny is the princess of Harry's admiration, Hermione thought. How can I compare to these girls? They're so fashionable, and into whatever's popular these days.

She flipped through Witch Fashion with a bored expression on her face. Pages and pages of stick thin girls, who looked so thin, anorexic even, but they weren't being hospitalized. Oh no, they were on gorgeous beaches with muscled young men holding them. They were so perfect, so lovely. If any other girl were to get as thin as them, they'd be put into a hospital. But these models – they are ideal!

Hermione sighed and pushed the magazine away. It felt as if the world was pointing a finger at her and laughing.

*

Harry wiped the glaze off sweat from his forehead. Then he removed his glasses and cleaned them. His clothing was stained green after falling off his broom and sliding through the grass. He had tried to do a last minute Bludger-Dodge practice, but it didn't go very well. He was unusually upset and distracted about things.

He wondered how to approach Ginny about going to the dance with him. He had been hoping so much that Hermione would go, but now he saw that Hermione truly was too involved in her books to think of him as anything more than a study buddy.

" Harry!" Someone was calling him.

He left the boy's sleeping area and stepped into the Gryffindor common room. Ginny was there, her eyes bright with excitement. " Harry!" She repeated, and then smiled nervously, " I want to ask you something."

" I'd, uh, been meaning to ask you something too," Harry admitted.

" Would you go to the dance with me?" Ginny exclaimed, " Oh, please, please, please?"

Harry felt taken aback. Is this unfair? I don't want to go with her! Would it be all right for me to go with Ginny solely on pity basis? Would I go with her because her brother begged me to?

" Harry?" She asked, " You aren't mad, are you?"

" No!" He laughed nervously, " I'm just surprised, Ginny."

" So will you go with me?"

" Yes," He said, patting her head uncertainly. He then realized what a gesture it was – it was a gesture that someone would do to a small child!

Ginny didn't seem to notice though. She twirled around excitedly, " This will be so fun! I have the perfect outfit in mind, and oh, thank you so much for saying yes! I promise I'll be totally fun! It'll be the best night of your life!"

Harry grinned in reply and said, " I can't wait!" I can't wait until this date is behind us!

*

Author's Note: Gary Skinner - Sorry for the short chapter again; I'm hoping to get some more readers before I start pulling some longer ones. I don't want to discourage people by posting huge amounts of writing. I'm glad that you're reading this though, it's better than having 10 of those "I LUV IT!!!!1111!1! RIGHT MORR! XOXO" sort of reviews. Sorry that I haven't written a Harry Potter story in two months, I was sort of sick in a way. I lost 35 pounds. I mainly just uploaded some previously written Jhonen Vasquez fiction in that time and I just moped around for a while, trying to gather ideas. Now I'm going to try and write again. I would never abandon writing! He he!