Chapter 7

The night of the ball came in a flourish of colours and chattering voices. Hermione was in a baby blue gown and hanging off Ron's arm as Harry came towards them. "Wow, you two look great," said Harry, who was dress in newly styled emerald green robes.

"Thanks mate," said Ron, who was dress in navy blue.

Harry looked around. "Harry she couldn't come, Madame Pomfrey wanted her to have a check up," said Hermione softly.

"Oh," said Harry, slightly disappointed. "That's okay, it's important that she gets well."

They went down to the Great Hall. It was decked out in red and green; thousands of floating candles lit the dance floor. Sitting down at an empty table, they ordered their meal.

It was halfway through their meal when a couple of guys wolf whistled. And the whistles were getting closer.

"Wow," said Ron.

Harry looked up to see Ginny walking towards their table. His eyes nearly fell out of their sockets. She was wearing lime green flowing dress robes, with a plunging neckline and a fitted waist. Her normally wavy hair was out, but was now set in tight ringlets that cascaded down her bareback.

Two words. Absolutely. Stunning.

"May I sit here?" She asked politely.

"Of course," said Harry, standing up and pulling her chair out for her.

"My, what a gentleman," said Ginny. Harry blushed.

"Are you going to order Ginny?" Asked Hermione.

"No, I've already eaten, but thankyou for asking Hermione.

"Oh great," mumbled Ron, as Snape in his usual black came over to the table.

"I thought it would be fair to note that your potions test has been rescheduled Miss Weasley, due to your condition," the Professor said with some distaste, as if rescheduling a test was a crime against nature. Snape walked off.

"I'm sorry, was Snape being nice just then?" Said Ron in disbelief.

"Yes, but it was almost like he wasn't saying it to you though Gin-," Harry broke off when a realization came to him. "Of course, why didn't I see it before," he exclaimed.

"Ginny would you come with me please?"

He took her by the hand and led her out of the Great Hall and back up to Gryffindor tower. Moving towards the boys' stairwell, Ginny tugged at Harry's arm.

"Harry, I can't go up there!"

"Why not? Everyone's at the ball?"

Ginny thought he had a point so she followed him up to his dorm.

He offered her a seat on his bed while he rifled through his trunk. "Ah ha!" Called Harry as he brought a leather bound book over to Ginny. Sitting down next to her, he flipped through the pages until he found what he was looking for. Ginny gasped.

It was a picture of Harry's parents, looking at a similar age to the pair sitting on the bed. They too, were dressed up for a ball. What shocked Ginny the most however, was how much Lily and James looked like...

"You and I Ginny. I think that Snape is a little nicer to you because you look very similar to my mum. And look, see in the background? I think that's a younger Snape staring at them."

"So you think that Snape had a thing for your mum?"

"Yeah, but she was already going out with my dad."

Ginny looked down at the picture again. It's amazing how much we look like them. Except, of course, we're not a couple."

Ginny looked up to see Harry staring at her intently. He smiled softly and cupped her face in his hands. Leaning in towards her, he kissed her softly. She leant in, pressing her lips against his. Harry kissed her deeply, letting her scent of flowers and honey drift over him.

Abruptly it stopped, Harry opening his eyes to see a look of terror on her face as she fled the room.

Harry followed her, leaping down the stairs in threes'. He tripped on the last one, falling heavily onto the common room floor. "Ginny, come back, please," Harry called as she ran out of the portrait entrance.

Harry hauled himself up off the floor, staring dismally at the open entrance. "What did I do wrong?"

* * * * * * *

Ginny didn't appear back at the ball that night, and she wasn't in the common room when Harry, Ron and Hermione came back either.

"Honestly, what did you say to her to upset that much Harry?" Said Hermione.

"I didn't say anything!"

"Well what did you do then?" She exclaimed.

Harry looked down at the ground and mumbled something incomprehensible.

"I'm sorry Harry, I didn't quite catch that."

"I kissed her okay! It's not like I planned it, it just happened."

"You WHAT! To my little sister? You've got to be kidding me. No, no don't tell me you're not. I'm going to bed before I do something I regret. 'Night Hermione."

Ron gave Hermione a kiss on the cheek and when upstairs.

"Harry, I know you've like her for a while, so tell me what happened."

"I don't know. One minute we were kissing, the next, she had a look of pure terror on her face and ran out of the dorm."

"You kissed her in your bedroom," said Hermione, eyebrow lifted.

"Hey! I was showing her my photographs."

"Are you sure that's all you were showing her?"

"Hermione!"

"Sorry. What could you have done that made her run away from you?"

"I don't know."

"Then maybe you should sleep on it," she suggested.

Harry yawned and nodded. "I guess. Goodnight Hermione."

"Goodnight Harry. Don't have any nightmares will you."

"I won't"

He ascended the staircase and went into the dorm. He fell straight into bed and drifted off to sleep.