Disclaimer:

If I had a penny

For every character that was mine

I would be poorer than dirt

Or else I'd be lyin'

Ok, so it's not as good as Angelzgaze's poems, but it's better than saying "I don't own these characters", now isn't it?

HOLD YOU UNTIL I DIE

Chapter ten: Hoping You'll See

"Coming to Hogsmeade, Ginny?" Ron asked as he, Harry and Hermione walked across the common room toward her.

Ginny glanced at Harry, then got this sick feeling in her stomach and looked away.

"I have homework," Ginny muttered.

"We all have homework," Ron blurted.

"Ron, please," Hermione said, sitting next to Ginny. "Is there anything the matter?"

Ginny quickly shook her head.

"Look, you have to take a break from studies sometime, right?" Hermione said, smiling presently. "Come on. Don't leave me to spend the entire day with two boys. I need someone to shop with."

Finally, Ginny gave in. She hadn't planned to spend an entire day with Harry, especially after what had happened in the dream. It pained her that her and Harry shared a most perfect and intimate kiss, yet he knew nothing about it. Still, Hermione had played the guilt card, so Ginny had to go.

Hogsmeade was bustling with people, mostly students from Hogwarts. The sight of the Shrieking Shack on the hill still gave Ginny the shivers.

"Want to buy some jokes, Harry?" Ron asked.

Harry shrugged, saying, "Sure."

"Not us," Hermione insisted, putting her arm around Ginny. "We're going to go to more interesting stores like that robe shop over there."

"Robes more interesting than jokes?" Ron said, an eyebrow raised in confusion.

"Yes, now if you'd excuse us," Hermione said, turning on her heels and pulling Ginny along by the wrist.

The tinkle of a bell sounded as Hermione and Ginny entered the robe shop. It had quite a nice variety of robes, some even looked like Muggle dresses.

"The Yule Ball is coming," Hermione announced, "and we're going to be dressed to kill."

Hermione stopped to look at a sleeveless black dress with a slit up the side. Ginny was experiencing a lack of interest until she saw it. Awestruck, Ginny neared the beautiful, blue dress cut in a Jane Austin style with lace and a high waist. It was just like the dress that she wore in Harry's dreams. If only he could see her in it, that would make him see that it was her he had been dreaming about.

"See something you like?" Hermione asked in her ear. "It is lovely. Guys would go crazy if they saw you in it."

"It's much too posh for me," Ginny insisted. "How could I even afford it?"

Hermione ran off and came back with the woman who took care of the store. This woman took the dress down and held it up to Ginny. All three looked in the mirror.

"With your hair up," Hermione said, combing her fingers through Ginny's long, red hair, "you will look fantastic."

"I couldn't possibly buy this," Ginny protested.

"Don't worry about that," Hermione told her. "It's yours. Call it an early Christmas present."

"Hermione, you shouldn't," Ginny insisted.

"Come on, Ginny," Hermione said. "Every girl deserves to look like a princess."

That she did. Ginny tried the dress on. Hermione tried about a dozen dresses on and they danced about the store, pretending they were at a royal ball. It was quite late by the time Hermione settled on buying a brilliant deep purple dress with sleeves that fell off the shoulder elegantly. She paid for the dresses. The store lady wrapped them neatly in little bundles, then the girls ran off to meet Harry and Ron at the Three Broomsticks.

The boys sat at a table, eating their candy and messing with their tricks.

"Bought clothes, I see," Ron rolled his eyes as the girl came up. "Girls are so odd."

"Wait until you see us in them," Hermione winked.

Harry smiled at Ginny, who quickly looked away. Suddenly, everyone began clapping. A small boy went up on the stage and began singing. His voice was way too high for a boy and was so shaky that Ginny could not make out words or any specific tune.

"Boooo!" yelled Malfoy, who threw a bottle of butterbeer at the poor boy.

"What's going on?" Ginny asked Ron.

"It's karaoke night," Ron explained.

"Oh!" Hermione exclaimed, grabbing Ginny's arm. "You should sing!"

"What?" Ginny asked, the idea filling her with terror.

"Come on, Ginny," Hermione pleaded. "I've heard you sing. You're very brilliant. Don't you agree, Ron?"

"Yeah, she's actually pretty good," Ron insisted.

"No, I couldn't," Ginny muttered, feeling her heart pounding.

"Please, Ginny," Hermione said.

"Yeah, Gin," Harry began, "I've never heard you sing."

Ginny stared at Harry for a moment. How could she refuse now that Harry wanted her to? Closing her eyes, Ginny got up and took the stage.

"Weasley? Come on!" laughed Malfoy.

Ginny's heart was in her throat. She was so nervous, she was about to cry. What if Malfoy drove her off the stage like he did to that poor boy? The audience was growing restless. She had to do something. Ginny pointed her wand to a harp standing nearby on the stage. The melody of her favorite song vibrated across the stings.

"Dreams," Ginny sang, her voice sounding hoarse.

Malfoy laughed loudly, but all Ginny could hear was the beating of her own heart. Then, she looked at Harry. He was leaning forward, his arms on the table. He was smiling at her with his green eyes sparkling beneath his glasses. Everything melted away and it was just her and Harry sitting under the willow in their dream. Suddenly, Ginny didn't feel nervous anymore.

"Dreams to dream

In the dark of the night

When the world goes wrong

I can still make it right

I can see

So far in my dreams

I'll follow my dreams

Until they come true

There is a star

Waiting to guide us

Shining inside us

When we close our eyes

Come with me

You will see what I mean

There's a world inside

No one else ever sees

You will go

So far in my dreams

Somewhere in my dreams

Your dreams will come true

Don't let go

If you stay close to me

In my dreams tonight

You will see what I see

Dreams to dream

As near as can be

Inside you and me

They always come true"

The audience exploded with applause. Even Malfoy couldn't complain. As Ginny stepped off the stage, Harry, Hermione and Ron came up and congratulated her.

"That's the best I've ever heard you sing," Hermione insisted.

"I had no idea you had it in you," Rom said.

Ginny glanced at Harry.

"It was amazing," Harry assured her.

Ginny blushed.

Hermione and Ron sat back down to watch the next person. Ginny went to follow, but then Harry grabbed her hand. She turned to look at him. Smiling, Harry pulled Ginny along out of the Three Broomsticks.

As they walked down the darkening streets, Harry asked, "Do you mind if I voice something I noticed?"

"If you want," Ginny muttered.

"You were looking at me through your entire performance," Harry pointed out, smiling.

Ginny blushed.

"That was because...well...I," Ginny sputtered. "See, I just feel comfortable around you. It helps to calm your nerves if you look at someone you're comfortable with."

Harry nodded slowly, still looking at her. Then Ginny noticed that Harry had not released her hand after they had left the pub. He still held it. Ginny sighed. She was walking through Hogsmeade, hand-in-hand with Harry Potter.

Not even noticing where they were going, they ended up back on Hogwarts grounds, near the lake. The colors of the sunset where reflected all over the water.

"Lovely, isn't it?" Harry said, sitting down on the edge of the lake.

"Yes," Ginny agreed, setting herself next to him.

Then, he put his arm around her. Ginny couldn't believe what was happening. She was warm and safe right next to Harry. Feeling that he wouldn't mind, Ginny gently set her head on his shoulder.

This was it. They were alone and his arm was around her and the sun was setting. It was the perfect moment to tell Harry how she really felt. She couldn't do it, though. If only she could say it in a way that wouldn't be incriminating. How was that possible, though? Then, an idea came to her.

"Harry," she whispered.

Harry let out a small "hmm?" to show he was listening.

"We're friends, right?" Ginny asked.

"Of course, Gin," Harry insisted.

"Since we're friends, can I say that I love you as a friend?" Ginny asked, nervously.

"Sure," Harry said, smiling wryly.

"I love you then," Ginny whispered, staring at the lake.

"I love you too, Gin," Harry laughed, pulling Ginny close to his side.

Ginny sighed, blushing pleasantly.

A/N: The song that Ginny sings, I didn't write it. It's very pretty and I wish I could have written it, but I didn't. It was written by who knows who and was sang on the movie "American Tale 2: Fievel Goes West".