A/N: You all are so lucky that I even am continuing this fic! Today in class I was writing part of a very mushy fic (not this one) to Cheese Diva and my teacher took it and read it! Luckily he thought it was funny so I didn't get in trouble, but I have been scared for life! Oh horrors! Anyway time for the thanx:
Natalie Potter731: You read my chapter at one in the morning? Honestly I'm not that good! :) *blushes*
Icebreaker20037: Sorry it took me so long to update! Hopefully I will be quicker with chapter 11! What's your fic about? Tell me in your review!
Cheese Diva: Glad you liked it! LOL read authors notes! It's all your fault!
morgan: Don't worry I haven't forgotten about R/Hness! I mean how could I? Look at my name for goodness sakes! :) Please keep reviewing, your reviews are always the ones I look forwards to!
RussellGrl15: Thanx for finishing my fic! I think falling in love with your bestfriend has got to be the best thing in the whole world! Although I've never done it so what do I know? :) Thanx for reviewing!
Lily106: Aw! Thanx! Don't cry though I can't bare it! *Chokes back sob* it makes me cry when you cry!
Kagome19: Don't worry Ron and Hermy are coming! I have plans for them!
michelleywelley: Thanx for reading! I love your fic, please keep it up! You rock!
Disclaimer: I own nothing, just like I owned nothing in that note I was writing...Ooops!
Chapter Ten: Darkness in Hogsmeade
"Bye, you four!" Mrs. Weasley said as she wrapped each of them in turn into a giant bear hug. "We'll see you at the end of the year."
The foursome said their goodbyes and hopped onto the train before it could leave the station.
"Should we find a compartment?" Hermione asked smiling. She seemed to have been in a better mood ever since Christmas and, although Harry knew she would never admit, she hadn't taken off Ron's locket since the night she received it.
"Yeah, ok," Harry agreed and he, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny trekked off down the narrow corridors towards an empty compartment at the back of the train.
Harry sat himself down next to Ginny. He hadn't stopped thinking about her since the night he had kissed her. She really was such an amazing girl who had much more to offer than just being another bright haired Weasley in the crowd, so often overlooked by the wizard population. She had a sense of humor and a brilliant smile that could give even Gilderoy Lockhart some competition. Whenever Harry was around her he got a feeling of content as if this woman was definitely the one who would change his life forever.
Harry hadn't officially asked Ginny to be his girlfriend, but planned to soon. He hadn't even confessed to her what she was doing to his heart, that he seemed to know that he was in love with her. He knew he would have to tell her eventually or she would think he was just playing her. That he had only kissed her for a bit of a thrill. Harry couldn't bear to have her think that.
"Say, Harry," Ron said. Harry had noticed that he had been happier also ever since he had received his new Nimbus. He talked nonstop about it and never seemed to stop thanking Hermione for it. "Are you alright? You look like you've got something on your mind."
Harry jumped. He hadn't noticed that he had been in a daydream about Ginny again. What would Ron think when he found out that he was planning on dating his little sister? That was if Ginny wanted anything to do with him, of course.
"Er…I'm fine…I just was thinking about…exams," he finished lamely.
Hermione's eyes lit up.
"Well it's about time you started to put a little bit of thought into your schoolwork! I swear sometimes I think that you are a hopeless case. Now only if you would think about exams, Ron, life would be so much easier.
Harry saw Ron roll his eyes as Hermione looked away and smirked to himself. Would they ever learn?
The train ride back to Hogwarts was exceedingly uneventful. The only thing worth being the slightest bit interesting were Ron and Harry's many brutal games of Wizard Chess. And even that got boring after a while, considering that everyone knew the outcome of the games before they were over.
They stepped into the carriages, which were going to be taking them back up due to the heavy snowfall. Harry sat down next to Ginny and grinned at her as the carriage started to bounce along the snow-white road.
"I'm exhausted," Hermione said when they were back in the common room. "I could probably go to sleep and never wake up."
Harry laughed at the expression on Ron's face. He looked like he had just swallowed something tremendously nasty tasting.
"Don't die, Hermione," Harry said grinning widely. "We'd miss you too much." (A/N: That's actually a line I always say to my friends that I thought I would stick in here for kicks!)
Hermione laughed and bid them all goodnight as she headed up the stairs to the girls' dormitories. Ginny followed her as soon as she could, hauling her trunk behind her. Harry couldn't help but gaze after her retreating back.
"Harry? Harry!"
Ron snapped his fingers in front of Harry's now quite dazed faced.
"Huh?" he asked feeling his face heat up.
"What the bloody," but he was cut off by Harry whipping towards him sharply.
"What?"
"Who were you looking at?" he asked narrowing his eyes.
Harry gulped. Ron would be mad either way. If he was looking at Hermione he was bound to kill him and if he had been looking at Ginny…well he wasn't sure what he would do…
"No one," Harry lied grasping his trunk by the handle and carrying it up the stairs to the boys' dormitories. It was a few moments before he heard Ron's heavy breathing, due to carrying his heavy trunk up a flight of stairs. (A/N: Yeah I know I keep saying that, but I can only imagine how difficult that must be…)
"Liar," he breathed when they had finally arrived in the dormitories. "You were looking at someone, and if it wasn't Ginny then it had have been-"
"What makes you think it wasn't?" Harry interrupted. He supposed it would be better for Ron to know he wasn't looking at 'his girl' than get pulverized for gawking at his sister.
It took Ron a few moments to catch on to what Harry had said. Finally conception dawned on him and he grinned.
"You were looking at my sister?" he said, looking very much like he was trying to suppress a laugh.
"Why don't you use your imagination," Harry said flopping down on his bed.
Ron hooted with laughter and sat down on his own bed still staring at Harry, a permanent grin plastered on his face. "You like Ginny?"
Harry felt an unwanted grin spread across his face and finally decided to let it go. "What's not to like?"
Ron snorted. "I guess she is a pretty nice girl," he said thoughtfully.
"I don't see why I never noticed her before," Harry said, sitting up to look at Ron with a serious expression on his face. "I mean, she's so understanding and smart. Not to mention beautiful."
Ron grinned. "Yeah I always thought she was pretty, but you know in a different way, of course."
Harry laughed. He was so glad that Ron was taking his liking of Ginny so well. He looked at him to see that his face had gone serious.
"Listen mate," he said softly as to not wake the sleeping boys in the room. "I'm happy for you and all, but I want you to know that if you hurt her well there will be serious consequences."
If this had been out of context it would have seemed pretty funny to Harry, but in context was a completely different story.
"I know, Ron. I wouldn't dream of it. I mean I haven't even told her I like her yet, much less are we going out. All I did was kiss h-"
"You what?" Ron asked his eyes growing to the size of dinner plates.
"Well…er…there was mistletoe…and…er…"
Ron stared for a little while longer and then started to snicker. Before Harry knew what was happening Ron was clutching his stomach, as he lay on his back breathless from a laughing fit.
"What?" Harry asked, his face going red again.
Ron managed to gasp, "It's just funny that both of your kisses have been under mistletoe! I mean you can't even get a girl to kiss you out of traditional binding!" This set him off into another roar of laughter that he had to stifle with his pillow.
Harry was taken aback and then narrowed his eyes at the amused Ron. "Hey! It's not like Cho didn't want to kiss me, and well as for Ginny I kissed HER! And besides it's not like you've had very many snogs in your lifetime."
This shut Ron up immediately and he looked at Harry. His eyes were pained slightly and he looked rather pale.
"So?" Ron asked but the tone told Harry that he had indeed struck a nerve.
"I'm sorry, Ron I didn't mean it," he said hastily. "I just…well you'll kiss Hermione soon, eh?"
Ron jumped. "I doubt it," he said glumly. "She doesn't like me."
This time it was Harry's turn to laugh. "You're such a prat." Then Harry closed the curtains of his four-poster leaving an extremely confused Ron to brood in his own thoughts.
It wasn't until Valentine's Day that they had another Hogsmeade weekend and Harry was thinking of the best way to invite Ginny. True he did want to go with her, but what about Ron and Hermione? They couldn't exactly go together and he didn't want them tagging along. He decided since Ron already knew about his feelings for Ginny that he would tell him about it.
"Oh, well, I'll try to keep Hermione out of your way mate, but I don't exactly know how to do that," was his reply.
"Oh come Ron, you can figure it out, your sm-well your not as dumb as you make yourself out to be."
"Ha, ha, ha," Ron said in a monotone voice.
"Maybe you could snog her or something, eh?" Harry smirked at the look on Ron's face. It looked as though he was having a fight with himself.
"No I couldn't do that mate," he said solemnly, "But I will try to keep her out of your way."
"Thanks, Ron. You're the best friend I could ever have."
Ron snorted. "Let's not get all mushy."
Harry laughed and threw a quill at his head.
Later that day Harry was walking down the hall looking everywhere for Ginny. He hadn't seen her in days. It seemed as though she was avoiding him but he couldn't imagine why. He finally found her in the library looking very Hermione-ish with her nose stuck in a book.
"Hey, Gin," he said plopping down next to her and making her jump.
Ginny turned a light shade of pink Harry found most attractive.
"Oh, er, I Harry! You startled me."
"Sorry," he said looking down at the book she was reading. It was titled "Great Witches and Wizards From Around the Globe" and looked incredibly boring.
"Did you want something?" she asked smiling sweetly at him. Harry felt his heart leap into his throat.
"Er, well you know there's a Hogsmeade weekend coming up and I wondering if…" his voice trailed off and he looked at Ginny. She was hanging on his every word. He took a deep breath. "If you would like to go with me."
Ginny smiled showing her gorgeous pearly whites. "I'd like that," she answered making Harry's heart speed up rapidly.
Ginny suddenly looked down at her watch. "Oh I didn't realize it was getting so late! I'll see you tomorrow, alright Harry?" She stood to leave and Harry followed suit.
"I'll meet you in the common?"
"Yes, I'll be there! Bye Harry!" She hurried out of the library leaving Harry to catch his breath.
The next afternoon Harry spent a little more time than necessary trying to make his hair do something other than stick straight up, but it ended up to be a losing battle. After putting on his favorite sweater, the one Mrs. Weasley had made him with a dragon on it; he headed down the stairs to the common room. He found Ron and Hermione consumed in a game of Wizards' chess.
"Who's winning?" he asked pointlessly. Ron looked at him with a raised eyebrow.
"I am," he answered as though talking to a mad person and not his best friend.
Harry colored and managed a shaky laugh. "Of course."
Hermione looked at him critically. "Harry, are you alright?"
"Couldn't be better!" he lied. In reality he felt like he swallowed a couple of Cornish Pixies.
Hermione didn't seem convinced, but Ron had reminded her that it was her turn and she hastily turned back to the chessboard.
Just then Ginny came down the girls' staircase. She looked radiant with her hair pulled back in a lose ponytail and dressed in a white hooded sweater. (A/N: I don't know if they wear those, but it sounded cute)
"Hi, you guys!" she said and sat down next to Hermione looking with narrowed eyes at the chessboard.
"You're losing, Hermione," she said causing the three of them to roll their eyes at her.
"Of course I am," Hermione said looking rather flustered. "I never win to Ron."
Ron snorted and grinned. "If it makes you feel any better, nobody else does either," he said.
Hermione rolled her eyes, but Harry noticed she looked as though she was trying to suppress a smile.
"Well, everyone's leaving to go now," Ginny said standing up. 'Shall we?"
Harry blushed slightly. "Yeah, I guess we'd better."
"Have fun you two," Hermione said grinning at them. Harry got a queasy feeling in his stomach to accompany the nervousness.
Harry and Ginny walked side by side to the entrance hall and after being checked off by Filch they exited. They didn't talk much as they walked through the snow and Harry had a horrible feeling that this "date" may be a repeat of his first date with Cho.
"So," Ginny said, breaking the ice, "How have things been with you? I mean I haven't talked to you lately, you know?"
Harry nodded. "Yeah I guess we haven't. Pretty good I guess. Ron and Hermione haven't been fighting much, so there's a plus."
Ginny laughed. "Well how could they? I mean Ron still owes her for that broom she bought him. Goodness that must've cost two fortunes!"
Harry felt slightly embarrassed, but shrugged. "He seemed to really like it."
"Yes, I can't believe she spent that much on him, though."
Harry laughed. "I can."
Ginny raised an eyebrow as if to ask for an explanation.
"Well you know how Hermione is…she's not one to open up to me so I wouldn't know for sure or anything, but…I think she's got a thing for Ron."
Ginny laughed. "You think? I'm positive she does."
"Did she say anything to you?"
"No, like you said she doesn't open up about her feelings that much. I have this feeling that she wants everyone to think she is incapable of feeling anything less than platonic love for a guy, but I have seen the way she looks at him when she thinks nobody's watching."
Harry laughed again. By now they had arrived in the little town of Hogsmeade. It looked like a winter wonderland all decorated for Valentine's Day. Everywhere he looked he could see couples holding hands, kissing, just walking and talking. It looked very much like it had when he has gone with Cho.
"Where should we go?" Harry asked her with a grin.
"The Three Broomsticks I suppose," she said. "I could use some butterbeer right about now."
They pair trekked off to The Three Broomsticks. It seemed as if everyone and their dog had come here, but Harry didn't mind. It was by far a better place in his opinion then that horrid little coffee shop he had gone to with Cho.
"I'll go get some drinks," Harry said. Ginny nodded and took a seat at the nearest unoccupied table.
As Harry walked back to the table he saw a little girl slinking back into the shadows. He thought nothing of it and sat down to talk to Ginny.
"Thanks," Ginny said as she took a sip of the warming substance.
"No problem," he answered and then began to think. He wanted to ask Ginny to be his girlfriend formally but didn't know how to go about doing it. He decided he would start by bringing up the kiss they had shared.
"Hey, Ginny?" he said trying to choose his words carefully. "You remember on Christmas when I…?" He drifted off and turned slightly red.
Luckily Ginny knew what he was talking about and nodded.
"Well, er, I hope that didn't freak you out to much, I just…." He drifted off again. This wasn't going too smoothly.
"I understand, Harry," she said, though she looked rather hurt. "There was mistletoe, what were you supposed to do?"
Harry's head shot up to look at Ginny. She thought he had only kissed her because of the mistletoe. "No! I wanted to!" he said before he could think of a more poetic way of saying it.
Ginny looked at him and a grin spread across her face. "You did?"
"Yes!" Harry said and he took her hand from across the table. He could feel his heart pounding a hundred miles per hour. "Ginny, what I'm trying to say is…I want you to be my girlfriend. Would you like to be my girlfriend?'
Ginny beamed. "Yes! I'd love to!" She squeezed his hand.
Harry felt as though he was waling on clouds. This was definitely the best day of his life or so he thought. Right then the little girl he thought he had seen earlier came out from the shadows and looked at him with her dark cold eyes.
Rhonda Garrison was standing there as though carved of stone staring directly into Harry's eyes. Harry wondered vaguely what a first year was doing in Hogsmeade before he stared to lose control. His vision was becoming narrower and he felt himself slipping again. He heard Ginny calling his name and forced his eyes to stay open. He wouldn't let the girl win; she wasn't going to ruin this moment for him, not if he could help it. He forced himself to keep holding Ginny's hands and looked back into Rhonda's eyes. Finally it seemed as though whatever connection had been made was broken and he was able to turn his head back to Ginny.
"Come on," he said standing up and pulling Ginny along with him. Before she could protest they were out of the bar and heading as fast as their legs could carry them to Hogwarts. Harry turned around and saw Rhonda standing in the snow staring penetratingly at him, like a vision from a nightmare.
A/N: Heh heh! Another cliff hanger! Hope y'all liked it! Please review or I will have no motivation and life will turn black and white! :(
Natalie Potter731: You read my chapter at one in the morning? Honestly I'm not that good! :) *blushes*
Icebreaker20037: Sorry it took me so long to update! Hopefully I will be quicker with chapter 11! What's your fic about? Tell me in your review!
Cheese Diva: Glad you liked it! LOL read authors notes! It's all your fault!
morgan: Don't worry I haven't forgotten about R/Hness! I mean how could I? Look at my name for goodness sakes! :) Please keep reviewing, your reviews are always the ones I look forwards to!
RussellGrl15: Thanx for finishing my fic! I think falling in love with your bestfriend has got to be the best thing in the whole world! Although I've never done it so what do I know? :) Thanx for reviewing!
Lily106: Aw! Thanx! Don't cry though I can't bare it! *Chokes back sob* it makes me cry when you cry!
Kagome19: Don't worry Ron and Hermy are coming! I have plans for them!
michelleywelley: Thanx for reading! I love your fic, please keep it up! You rock!
Disclaimer: I own nothing, just like I owned nothing in that note I was writing...Ooops!
Chapter Ten: Darkness in Hogsmeade
"Bye, you four!" Mrs. Weasley said as she wrapped each of them in turn into a giant bear hug. "We'll see you at the end of the year."
The foursome said their goodbyes and hopped onto the train before it could leave the station.
"Should we find a compartment?" Hermione asked smiling. She seemed to have been in a better mood ever since Christmas and, although Harry knew she would never admit, she hadn't taken off Ron's locket since the night she received it.
"Yeah, ok," Harry agreed and he, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny trekked off down the narrow corridors towards an empty compartment at the back of the train.
Harry sat himself down next to Ginny. He hadn't stopped thinking about her since the night he had kissed her. She really was such an amazing girl who had much more to offer than just being another bright haired Weasley in the crowd, so often overlooked by the wizard population. She had a sense of humor and a brilliant smile that could give even Gilderoy Lockhart some competition. Whenever Harry was around her he got a feeling of content as if this woman was definitely the one who would change his life forever.
Harry hadn't officially asked Ginny to be his girlfriend, but planned to soon. He hadn't even confessed to her what she was doing to his heart, that he seemed to know that he was in love with her. He knew he would have to tell her eventually or she would think he was just playing her. That he had only kissed her for a bit of a thrill. Harry couldn't bear to have her think that.
"Say, Harry," Ron said. Harry had noticed that he had been happier also ever since he had received his new Nimbus. He talked nonstop about it and never seemed to stop thanking Hermione for it. "Are you alright? You look like you've got something on your mind."
Harry jumped. He hadn't noticed that he had been in a daydream about Ginny again. What would Ron think when he found out that he was planning on dating his little sister? That was if Ginny wanted anything to do with him, of course.
"Er…I'm fine…I just was thinking about…exams," he finished lamely.
Hermione's eyes lit up.
"Well it's about time you started to put a little bit of thought into your schoolwork! I swear sometimes I think that you are a hopeless case. Now only if you would think about exams, Ron, life would be so much easier.
Harry saw Ron roll his eyes as Hermione looked away and smirked to himself. Would they ever learn?
The train ride back to Hogwarts was exceedingly uneventful. The only thing worth being the slightest bit interesting were Ron and Harry's many brutal games of Wizard Chess. And even that got boring after a while, considering that everyone knew the outcome of the games before they were over.
They stepped into the carriages, which were going to be taking them back up due to the heavy snowfall. Harry sat down next to Ginny and grinned at her as the carriage started to bounce along the snow-white road.
"I'm exhausted," Hermione said when they were back in the common room. "I could probably go to sleep and never wake up."
Harry laughed at the expression on Ron's face. He looked like he had just swallowed something tremendously nasty tasting.
"Don't die, Hermione," Harry said grinning widely. "We'd miss you too much." (A/N: That's actually a line I always say to my friends that I thought I would stick in here for kicks!)
Hermione laughed and bid them all goodnight as she headed up the stairs to the girls' dormitories. Ginny followed her as soon as she could, hauling her trunk behind her. Harry couldn't help but gaze after her retreating back.
"Harry? Harry!"
Ron snapped his fingers in front of Harry's now quite dazed faced.
"Huh?" he asked feeling his face heat up.
"What the bloody," but he was cut off by Harry whipping towards him sharply.
"What?"
"Who were you looking at?" he asked narrowing his eyes.
Harry gulped. Ron would be mad either way. If he was looking at Hermione he was bound to kill him and if he had been looking at Ginny…well he wasn't sure what he would do…
"No one," Harry lied grasping his trunk by the handle and carrying it up the stairs to the boys' dormitories. It was a few moments before he heard Ron's heavy breathing, due to carrying his heavy trunk up a flight of stairs. (A/N: Yeah I know I keep saying that, but I can only imagine how difficult that must be…)
"Liar," he breathed when they had finally arrived in the dormitories. "You were looking at someone, and if it wasn't Ginny then it had have been-"
"What makes you think it wasn't?" Harry interrupted. He supposed it would be better for Ron to know he wasn't looking at 'his girl' than get pulverized for gawking at his sister.
It took Ron a few moments to catch on to what Harry had said. Finally conception dawned on him and he grinned.
"You were looking at my sister?" he said, looking very much like he was trying to suppress a laugh.
"Why don't you use your imagination," Harry said flopping down on his bed.
Ron hooted with laughter and sat down on his own bed still staring at Harry, a permanent grin plastered on his face. "You like Ginny?"
Harry felt an unwanted grin spread across his face and finally decided to let it go. "What's not to like?"
Ron snorted. "I guess she is a pretty nice girl," he said thoughtfully.
"I don't see why I never noticed her before," Harry said, sitting up to look at Ron with a serious expression on his face. "I mean, she's so understanding and smart. Not to mention beautiful."
Ron grinned. "Yeah I always thought she was pretty, but you know in a different way, of course."
Harry laughed. He was so glad that Ron was taking his liking of Ginny so well. He looked at him to see that his face had gone serious.
"Listen mate," he said softly as to not wake the sleeping boys in the room. "I'm happy for you and all, but I want you to know that if you hurt her well there will be serious consequences."
If this had been out of context it would have seemed pretty funny to Harry, but in context was a completely different story.
"I know, Ron. I wouldn't dream of it. I mean I haven't even told her I like her yet, much less are we going out. All I did was kiss h-"
"You what?" Ron asked his eyes growing to the size of dinner plates.
"Well…er…there was mistletoe…and…er…"
Ron stared for a little while longer and then started to snicker. Before Harry knew what was happening Ron was clutching his stomach, as he lay on his back breathless from a laughing fit.
"What?" Harry asked, his face going red again.
Ron managed to gasp, "It's just funny that both of your kisses have been under mistletoe! I mean you can't even get a girl to kiss you out of traditional binding!" This set him off into another roar of laughter that he had to stifle with his pillow.
Harry was taken aback and then narrowed his eyes at the amused Ron. "Hey! It's not like Cho didn't want to kiss me, and well as for Ginny I kissed HER! And besides it's not like you've had very many snogs in your lifetime."
This shut Ron up immediately and he looked at Harry. His eyes were pained slightly and he looked rather pale.
"So?" Ron asked but the tone told Harry that he had indeed struck a nerve.
"I'm sorry, Ron I didn't mean it," he said hastily. "I just…well you'll kiss Hermione soon, eh?"
Ron jumped. "I doubt it," he said glumly. "She doesn't like me."
This time it was Harry's turn to laugh. "You're such a prat." Then Harry closed the curtains of his four-poster leaving an extremely confused Ron to brood in his own thoughts.
It wasn't until Valentine's Day that they had another Hogsmeade weekend and Harry was thinking of the best way to invite Ginny. True he did want to go with her, but what about Ron and Hermione? They couldn't exactly go together and he didn't want them tagging along. He decided since Ron already knew about his feelings for Ginny that he would tell him about it.
"Oh, well, I'll try to keep Hermione out of your way mate, but I don't exactly know how to do that," was his reply.
"Oh come Ron, you can figure it out, your sm-well your not as dumb as you make yourself out to be."
"Ha, ha, ha," Ron said in a monotone voice.
"Maybe you could snog her or something, eh?" Harry smirked at the look on Ron's face. It looked as though he was having a fight with himself.
"No I couldn't do that mate," he said solemnly, "But I will try to keep her out of your way."
"Thanks, Ron. You're the best friend I could ever have."
Ron snorted. "Let's not get all mushy."
Harry laughed and threw a quill at his head.
Later that day Harry was walking down the hall looking everywhere for Ginny. He hadn't seen her in days. It seemed as though she was avoiding him but he couldn't imagine why. He finally found her in the library looking very Hermione-ish with her nose stuck in a book.
"Hey, Gin," he said plopping down next to her and making her jump.
Ginny turned a light shade of pink Harry found most attractive.
"Oh, er, I Harry! You startled me."
"Sorry," he said looking down at the book she was reading. It was titled "Great Witches and Wizards From Around the Globe" and looked incredibly boring.
"Did you want something?" she asked smiling sweetly at him. Harry felt his heart leap into his throat.
"Er, well you know there's a Hogsmeade weekend coming up and I wondering if…" his voice trailed off and he looked at Ginny. She was hanging on his every word. He took a deep breath. "If you would like to go with me."
Ginny smiled showing her gorgeous pearly whites. "I'd like that," she answered making Harry's heart speed up rapidly.
Ginny suddenly looked down at her watch. "Oh I didn't realize it was getting so late! I'll see you tomorrow, alright Harry?" She stood to leave and Harry followed suit.
"I'll meet you in the common?"
"Yes, I'll be there! Bye Harry!" She hurried out of the library leaving Harry to catch his breath.
The next afternoon Harry spent a little more time than necessary trying to make his hair do something other than stick straight up, but it ended up to be a losing battle. After putting on his favorite sweater, the one Mrs. Weasley had made him with a dragon on it; he headed down the stairs to the common room. He found Ron and Hermione consumed in a game of Wizards' chess.
"Who's winning?" he asked pointlessly. Ron looked at him with a raised eyebrow.
"I am," he answered as though talking to a mad person and not his best friend.
Harry colored and managed a shaky laugh. "Of course."
Hermione looked at him critically. "Harry, are you alright?"
"Couldn't be better!" he lied. In reality he felt like he swallowed a couple of Cornish Pixies.
Hermione didn't seem convinced, but Ron had reminded her that it was her turn and she hastily turned back to the chessboard.
Just then Ginny came down the girls' staircase. She looked radiant with her hair pulled back in a lose ponytail and dressed in a white hooded sweater. (A/N: I don't know if they wear those, but it sounded cute)
"Hi, you guys!" she said and sat down next to Hermione looking with narrowed eyes at the chessboard.
"You're losing, Hermione," she said causing the three of them to roll their eyes at her.
"Of course I am," Hermione said looking rather flustered. "I never win to Ron."
Ron snorted and grinned. "If it makes you feel any better, nobody else does either," he said.
Hermione rolled her eyes, but Harry noticed she looked as though she was trying to suppress a smile.
"Well, everyone's leaving to go now," Ginny said standing up. 'Shall we?"
Harry blushed slightly. "Yeah, I guess we'd better."
"Have fun you two," Hermione said grinning at them. Harry got a queasy feeling in his stomach to accompany the nervousness.
Harry and Ginny walked side by side to the entrance hall and after being checked off by Filch they exited. They didn't talk much as they walked through the snow and Harry had a horrible feeling that this "date" may be a repeat of his first date with Cho.
"So," Ginny said, breaking the ice, "How have things been with you? I mean I haven't talked to you lately, you know?"
Harry nodded. "Yeah I guess we haven't. Pretty good I guess. Ron and Hermione haven't been fighting much, so there's a plus."
Ginny laughed. "Well how could they? I mean Ron still owes her for that broom she bought him. Goodness that must've cost two fortunes!"
Harry felt slightly embarrassed, but shrugged. "He seemed to really like it."
"Yes, I can't believe she spent that much on him, though."
Harry laughed. "I can."
Ginny raised an eyebrow as if to ask for an explanation.
"Well you know how Hermione is…she's not one to open up to me so I wouldn't know for sure or anything, but…I think she's got a thing for Ron."
Ginny laughed. "You think? I'm positive she does."
"Did she say anything to you?"
"No, like you said she doesn't open up about her feelings that much. I have this feeling that she wants everyone to think she is incapable of feeling anything less than platonic love for a guy, but I have seen the way she looks at him when she thinks nobody's watching."
Harry laughed again. By now they had arrived in the little town of Hogsmeade. It looked like a winter wonderland all decorated for Valentine's Day. Everywhere he looked he could see couples holding hands, kissing, just walking and talking. It looked very much like it had when he has gone with Cho.
"Where should we go?" Harry asked her with a grin.
"The Three Broomsticks I suppose," she said. "I could use some butterbeer right about now."
They pair trekked off to The Three Broomsticks. It seemed as if everyone and their dog had come here, but Harry didn't mind. It was by far a better place in his opinion then that horrid little coffee shop he had gone to with Cho.
"I'll go get some drinks," Harry said. Ginny nodded and took a seat at the nearest unoccupied table.
As Harry walked back to the table he saw a little girl slinking back into the shadows. He thought nothing of it and sat down to talk to Ginny.
"Thanks," Ginny said as she took a sip of the warming substance.
"No problem," he answered and then began to think. He wanted to ask Ginny to be his girlfriend formally but didn't know how to go about doing it. He decided he would start by bringing up the kiss they had shared.
"Hey, Ginny?" he said trying to choose his words carefully. "You remember on Christmas when I…?" He drifted off and turned slightly red.
Luckily Ginny knew what he was talking about and nodded.
"Well, er, I hope that didn't freak you out to much, I just…." He drifted off again. This wasn't going too smoothly.
"I understand, Harry," she said, though she looked rather hurt. "There was mistletoe, what were you supposed to do?"
Harry's head shot up to look at Ginny. She thought he had only kissed her because of the mistletoe. "No! I wanted to!" he said before he could think of a more poetic way of saying it.
Ginny looked at him and a grin spread across her face. "You did?"
"Yes!" Harry said and he took her hand from across the table. He could feel his heart pounding a hundred miles per hour. "Ginny, what I'm trying to say is…I want you to be my girlfriend. Would you like to be my girlfriend?'
Ginny beamed. "Yes! I'd love to!" She squeezed his hand.
Harry felt as though he was waling on clouds. This was definitely the best day of his life or so he thought. Right then the little girl he thought he had seen earlier came out from the shadows and looked at him with her dark cold eyes.
Rhonda Garrison was standing there as though carved of stone staring directly into Harry's eyes. Harry wondered vaguely what a first year was doing in Hogsmeade before he stared to lose control. His vision was becoming narrower and he felt himself slipping again. He heard Ginny calling his name and forced his eyes to stay open. He wouldn't let the girl win; she wasn't going to ruin this moment for him, not if he could help it. He forced himself to keep holding Ginny's hands and looked back into Rhonda's eyes. Finally it seemed as though whatever connection had been made was broken and he was able to turn his head back to Ginny.
"Come on," he said standing up and pulling Ginny along with him. Before she could protest they were out of the bar and heading as fast as their legs could carry them to Hogwarts. Harry turned around and saw Rhonda standing in the snow staring penetratingly at him, like a vision from a nightmare.
A/N: Heh heh! Another cliff hanger! Hope y'all liked it! Please review or I will have no motivation and life will turn black and white! :(