Chapter 3

"I'm going to ask Parvati Patil to the Valentine's ball," Ron said determinedly the next morning at breakfast. He eyed Parvati, who was chatting unconcernedly with Lavender Brown. "I might as well get a pretty girl." He glowered at Hermione – the two had not been on speaking terms since the day before.

"Ron, I asked her," Harry reminded him. "She's going with someone."

"Oh." Ron was silent a moment, then, "Who?"

"She didn't say," Harry said.

"What did she say?" Ron pressed.

"'No, sorry'", Harry replied. "I think."

Ron brightened. "Maybe she isn't going with anyone! Maybe she just didn't want to go with you, Harry . . .

Harry stared at him. "Thanks a lot," he muttered darkly.

"Can I sit here?"

Harry and Ron slid over to make room for Ginny, who looked very tired.

"Where have you been?" Ron asked her. "Somewhere at midnight last night?"

Ginny blushed and looked down at her plate. Ron groaned.

"You have, haven't you?"

Ginny nodded slightly. "Yeah," she said softly, avoiding Harry's gaze.

"Where?" Ron pressed.

Ginny became even redder, blushing to the roots of her crimson hair. "The Astronomy Tower," she admitted.

"WHAT?" Ron exploded. "Why? That's so stupid, Ginny . . ."

"I got a note," Ginny said defiantly. "I got asked to the ball."

Ron gave a low whistle. "Some romantic date, nearly getting you expelled."

"I didn't get caught!" Ginny protested. "And now I can go to the ball."

"She's right, you know," Hermione said philosophically. "It will be great. I can understand why you didn't want to miss it, Ginny. So who asked you?"

Ginny turned scarlet and glanced across the Great Hall to where the Slytherins sat, noisily enjoying their breakfast.

"Well?" Harry asked, interested in spite of himself.

"Draco Malfoy," Ginny mumbled. Hermione and Ron stared, aghast.

"That's okay," said Harry mildly. "You see, I've suddenly undergone a wild change of heart and now I regard Draco Malfoy as one of my best friends. I can see why you, as a girl, might find him attractice, Ginny. Congratulations. However, I must admit I'm still harboring jealous emotions as befits a wounded admirer, for of course you've guessed that I planned on asking you to the ball myself."

Ginny stared at Harry, utterly dumbfounded. "You what?" she squeaked.

Harry shrugged. "It's true."

"You were – you would –,"

Harry nodded. "Yeah."

"Ginny – do you mean to say that Malfoy – Malfoy – is taking you to the Valentine's Ball?" Ron sputtered. Ginny nodded and looked down at her plate again, then back at Harry.

"But if you – if you still –,"

"Sure, I still want to ask you," said Harry reasonably. "But you see, now I'm hurt and so even if you turn Malfoy down, it'll take me time and a few other girls to come back to you, since I'll have to nurse my emotional wounds. So it might take a while."

"Harry?" Hermione said from his other side. "Are you feeling all right?"

Harry nodded. "Yeah, why shouldn't I be?"

"You're acting awfully strange . . ." she glanced at Ginny. "I've never heard you say things like that about Draco Malfoy before."

"Oh, it's all in the rule book," Harry explained nonchalantly. "You know – How To Be A Hero. If my secret love is asked to a ball by my archenemy, my feelings for him will change, you see? It's very clearly stated."

Ron choked. Ginny, after taking a last, bewildered look at Harry, fled.

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Harry and Ron made their way through the thick crowd towards Charms class. Ron was gloating in an undertone to Harry – he had asked Parvati that afternoon to the ball and she'd said yes.

"WHAT?" Harry had exploded when Ron told him. "She said yes to you, but no to me?"

Ron shrugged. "Yeah."

Harry fumed. "Who will I go with, then?"

"Hermione?"

"After what she tried to pull? No thank you."

"Ginny?"

"She's going with him." They both gave a collective shudder.

"Harry!" Harry turned, trying to see who had called him. Cho Chang, a sixth-year Ravenclaw, was fighting her way toward him. She waved a quill. "You dropped this!"

"Oh, thanks!" Harry called back, and stood still as the student body surged past him. In a moment, Cho had pulled level with him and handed him the quill. "Thanks," he repeated.

"Oh – it's not a problem," Cho said, blushing unexpectedly.

"Hey," said Harry, struck by a sudden thought. "Would you go to the Valentine's ball with me?"

Cho nodded and ducked her head. "Sure," she said. "I'm completely besotted with you, you know, Harry . . ."

"Really?" Harry said. "Cool. Well, see you later." He hurried after Ron.

"Cho is going to the ball with me!" he said exultantly once he had caught up with his friend.

"Really?" Ron said icily, and turned away.

"What's the matter?" Harry said, pressing forward.

"You were supposed to ask Ginny," Ron said just as coldly. "Besides, Cho likes Cedric."

"But – but –," Harry stopped, lost for words.

"Can't you ever get anything right?" Ron asked over his shoulder. Harry sighed.

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