Chapter 4

Harry awoke with the same thoughts he fell asleep to. Ginny Weasley. This plagued him. He felt like he wasn't supposed to be thinking about her and at the same time he felt like she was the only thing he'd been supposed to be thinking about for a long time now.

He looked over at his sleeping best friend. A smile on his face. Harry ached to know the details of he and Hermione. He couldn't picture them together… yet he always knew they'd end up that way. He had a lot to think about, and not much time to relish in his thoughts. Its was yet another day of classes as Hogwarts.

***

As Harry and Ron made their way down the stairs they Harry saw Hermione's eyes light up at the sight of Ron. She of course shied away the moment she realized what she was doing. But Harry was jealous of those few seconds the two shared.

"Guys Listen" he began to say to them, "I don't want anything to be weird between us"

"Harry.." they both began but he cut them off.

"I'm serious, no weirdness, you've been my best friends for nearly 5 years and that's not gonna change. I want you to feel free to snog in front of me and to each be able to talk to me about the other one. And that's an order!" He finished his lecture, smiling at his friends. "Its gonna take time guys… but I don't want things to change between us".

"Me and Ron are NOT snogging! What Ron? I tell you I might like you and this is what you do? You tell Harry that we're snogging? I knew I shouldn't have believed you! You're a liar and a pervert and I DON'T have feelings for you!" Hermione cried and ran back up to her dorm.

Ron stood there in shock. "What the hell just happened?"

"I am SO sorry, I was NOT expecting that… that was awful" Harry said, wide eyed.

"Yea… don't worry about it, whatever, lets go to breakfast, I don't care anymore, if she wants to be a little bi.."

"Ron don't. You know you don't mean it, just let it go" Ginny said from the stairwell.

"Yea.." Ron began and looked like he was going to say something else, then shook it off. "I'm gonna skip breakfast… maybe I'll write a letter to Percy or something, I'll catch up with you in class Harry"

"Tell him I say hello!" Ginny exclaimed as he ran up the stairs.

He lit up as Ginny walked toward him, and he held out an elbow to her. She gladly accepted.

The two of them walked around the castle talking, forgetting all about breakfast. It gave them a chance to be alone. When it came time for them to go to class they were both surprised how time flew when they were together, and how just that little time spent with one another lit their world up like never before.

Harry walked Ginny to her first class and stopped her shortly before they got there.

"Ginny, I have to tell you…" Harry began to say as he took Ginny by the hand, "I've never felt like this… you make me so happy"

Ginny grinned, "Happy like 'thanks for being a great friend' or happy like 'I'm gonna kiss you' ?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

Harry thought of what a perfect opportunity that opened for him and leaned in for the kill.

The moment his lips touched Ginny's, every thought in his mind went blank and a feeling rushed over him. A feeling that said this is exactly what he had been missing in his life. Of course, kissing Ginny could not fill the void of his parents, or growing up with the Dursleys or now 4 death escapes. But she was something that could take him away from all that pain. But somehow this felt right.

"Harry, is that you?!" Harry heard a voice from down the hall, a look of horror took over his face as he saw Ron coming down the hallway.

Harry pushed Ginny into the hall and she ran into her classroom, potions, only one door away.

"Was it just me or were you snogging just then? Who was that? Cho?" Ron asked as he walked down the hall and peered into the potions classroom.

"A fourth year? Harry…"

Harry was speechless, he stood there unable to say or do anything. So worried what Ron would say or do if he knew about him and Ginny.

Ron gave him a disturbed look. "Fine you wont tell me, I'll find out from Ginny, she's in that class… whoever you're snogging with must have gone in late"

"LATE!" Harry screamed, "WE'RE VERY LATE!"

Luckily it was for Care of Magical Creatures, and Hagrid knew they probably had good reason to be late and did not give them detention, but consequently took 5 points off, as to be fair. Hermione gave them a disapproving glare. Ron gave her a dirty look in return.

***

As they sat down to lunch, Harry could see that Ron was just itching to ask Ginny who was late to potions so he could know who Harry was kissing in the hallway. The nerves began to build up in Harry's stomach so much that he found himself unable to eat.

As Ginny came to the table, Harry found himself trying to telepathically communicate with her… but of course could not… if only Ginny were a snake.. He thought.

"Ugh, herbology is just dreadful, I hate plants" Ginny said with a snarl as she sat down.

"Do you need help with it?" Hermione asked, loving an opportunity to show off her smartness.

"Yes that would be great"

"I can help you study tonight"

"Oh I cant tonight, I have detention for being late to potions" The second the words came out of Ginny's mouth she wished she could swallow them up again.

Harry involuntarily choked on his pumpkin juice and looked over as Ron's eyes grew large.

"YOU!" he fumed and pointed to Ginny, "AND YOU!" he snapped his head to Harry.

Harry stood up and began to back away, "Now Ron, please, just hear me out"

"MY LITTLE SISTER HARRY!"

Ginny got up and stood between them, giving a look of hate to her brother.
"Ron, you are over reacting, and you're making a fool of yourself" She steamed at him.

Ron looked around to see the entire room looking at him. Some in shock, wondering what would happen next, some laughing and rolling their eyes, knowing this day would come.

Ron turned around and left, he didn't know what else to do.

Harry followed him out, he couldn't wait for things to mend themselves out, he knew if given a chance, he could talk some sense into his best friend.

As he chased him down the hall, he wondered what exactly it was that he was going to say to him.

"Ron! Ron please don't be mad, I'm you BEST friend"

"NOT ANYMORE" Ron said harshly as he entered the common room.

Ginny, Hermione, and a crowd of Gryffendors gathered into the common room to see what was going on. A fight between Ron and Harry was rare and this had to be about something good.

"Harry, HOW COULD YOU"

"Ron! Stop being an ass!" Ginny yelled at him "Harry and I just kissed, that's ALL, there's nothing else going on, God let me live a little" and with that she stomped out of the room.

Harry's expression went blank. He felt as though his heart had just been pulled out of his chest and ripped into one thousand pieces.

Ron obviously didn't catch what Ginny had just said or the meaning behind it cause as soon as she was gone he went right back to taking all his anger out on Harry. But Harry didn't hear a word he said. He couldn't hear anything at all. In his 15 years he had never let a selfish or unappreciative thought enter his mind but at this moment he thought his life wasn't fair. He thought that after all the things that had gone wrong in his life he had finally found someone that he could talk to and share his feelings with. Someone he could have feelings for that were more than friendship and someone that he would one day love and care for more than anyone else. But she'd taken that away from him as quickly as she'd so deviously given it to him. Was it just a tease or was there something behind what she had said? Harry wondered if he really wanted to know the answer to that.

"Harry? … Ron stop yelling at him… Harry are you ok?" Hermione went over to where Harry was now sitting up against the wall, blocking out everything around him. He then realized how he was acting and stood right up.

"I'm sorry Ron, I shouldn't have done that… I shouldn't have done that at all." With that, Harry collected his books and walked out of the common room.