The prodigal daughter hath returned! Enjoy!
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Harry was seriously considering asking Ginny to the Yule ball. Dumbledore had announced that he felt the school was in dire need (his exact words) of some cheering up, and hence the ball. Of course, Harry knew that Ginny was "over him" and he was rapidly discovering how unfortunate that was. The idea of going with her was somehow comforting. It would be perfect: romantic, but nothing for Ron to get all worked up about. Well, that was what Harry hoped. One day, after a particularly painful potions he decided that if he could survive Snape, he could survive anything--even rejection. So, Harry went off to find Ginny. However, as he headed towards the Gryffindor common room he felt a slight pressure on his shoulder and turned around to find himself face to face with Cho Chang.
"Harry, I know you don't feel like you're ready for a relationship-" he heard a few passing Slytherins snicker "-but I was thinking we could go to the ball together. No commitments, just... as friends."
"I--I don't know."
"Harry, I'm worried about you!"
Harry could tell she was about to start crying again. He really didn't want her to start crying again.
"Harry-"
He could see the tears forming in her eyes. He knew it was callous, but he just couldn't stand to have her start crying all over him in the middle of one of the halls. He sighed in defeat.
"Ok."
"Oh Harry!" Cho hugged him and ran off.
Harry trudged up to the Gryffindor common room and was met by a beaming Ron. "How'd you manage it? Cho Chang! I thought after that Hogsmeade thing... you're a lucky bugger, is all I can say!" Ron leaned towards Harry and whispered conspiratorially "I was kind of worried Ginny would do something daft like ask you!"
Harry groaned.
"Harry? Hey, are you all right, mate?"
Harry didn't answer for a moment.
"Ron," he said.
"Yes?"
"You listening?"
"Of course, Harry."
"Go ask Hermione." Ron blushed at Harry's order. Harry continued: "I'm serious. Now. Now!"
Ron went and asked Hermione; to no one's surprise except Ron's, she said yes.
---
"Harry, what do I do?"
"Snog her brains out."
"Harry! I don't even know--I mean she said yes, but--what if she doesn't REALLY like me? What if she thinks we're going as friends? I thought if I asked her it would be easy! Like, all of a sudden we'd look into eachother's eyes or something stupid like that and--I don't know! So, what if I tried to--er--you know--kiss her--and she started screaming or hitting me or something?"
"Ron, I'm impressed."
"What?"
"That was an awful lot to say without taking a breath."
"Harry!"
"Ok, I'll be serious. Tell her you love her."
Ron blushed. "But--"
"She loves you too. Just tell her."
The truth was that Harry didn't really want to talk to Ron about Hermione. He wanted to sulk about Ginny going to the stupid ball with some stupid Ravenclaw fifth year instead of Harry. Hermione had said he was cute. Harry didn't want him to be cute. Ginny had already gone down to meet him--he wanted to give her something before the ball, apparently. Harry and Ron were waiting in the Gryffindor common room for Hermione, then they were all going to go down and meet Cho.
Cho. Harry really didn't want to think about Cho. Every time he did he was reminded of his own stupidity. Harry was lucky, however, because his frustrated musings were interrupted by Hermione's arrival: Ron began clutching his arm like some sort of mad man. Harry could feel the limb going numb from Ron's death grip. He didn't see what all the fuss was about, anyway. Hermione was pretty enough, but she wasn't strikingly gorgeous like Ginny. Harry suddenly frowned. He had it bad.
Hermione smiled and said to Harry "could you go on ahead to the ball? I need to talk to Ron."
He smiled, a little sadly, at them both and left.
---
Harry was getting drinks when Ron and Hermione finally came down to the ball. He noted how Hermione's arm was looped though Ron's, how they walked as close as humanly possible to eachother, and how they both seemed a little flushed. They looked happy.
Ron glanced around and spotted Harry. He whispered a few words to Hermione, who smiled and nodded. Ron ran over to Harry, who could have sworn Ron's jaw would break from the pressure of that enormous smile he wore.
"Snogged her brains out?"
Ron turned bright red but his smile, if possible, grew wider. "She said to me! It! I mean, she said it to me! You know! It!"
"Yes, I'm very well acquainted with it, actually. It's one of my favorite pronouns."
"Harry! Would you just--I--you know what I meant! She said 'Ron, I love you' and I think I just sort of stood there for a moment... I was just so happy I couldn't think and then she sort of asked 'well?' and I don't remember exactly what I said but it was basically that I love her too and--and it's simply unbelievable, Harry. I've never been happier."
Ron rushed back to Hermione, leaving Harry very much alone. He was rather confused. He was happy for Ron and Hermione--but he was sad, too. He, Ron, and Hermione had always been a set... but now Ron and Hermione were a pair. What did that make Harry? It wasn't even like he hadn't seen it coming. He had realized what was happening that night when he had caught them talking about him.
He was almost glad when Cho came over to find out what was taking so long. He told her that Ron and Hermione had admitted their feelings for eachother and Ron had wanted to talk to him.
"That's so beautiful!" she said, as tears started to form in her eyes.
Harry looked dazed. 'You have got to be kidding me...' he thought as a crying Cho dragged him out to the dance floor. She soon cheered up and started chatting at him, unaware that he wasn't registering a single one of words that she heaped on him. 'Did I really like her? It seems so strange now. Cho is so... dull. And the way she cries about everything! Perhaps it's--' and then Harry stoped thinking entirely because the sky fell down. At least, that's what it felt like to Harry. He saw Ginny. She was beautiful. Her new green dress robes were unusually revealing, clinging to her body, and her hair cascaded down her shoulders like a river of fire. Her eyes glittered in a way that made Harry's heart race. Her cheeks were flushed with laughter. She was laughing... with her date.
Harry knew why he couldn't be perfectly happy for Ron and Hermione. He looked at Cho. 'As soon as she likes me, I lose all interest in her. I'm such a fool.' Then Harry sighed audibly but Cho didn't notice. She seemed to be talking about how mean Snape had been to Harry in potions three days ago. Harry interrupted her.
"Cho, we have to talk."
"Of course, sweety."
Harry winced. 'Sweety? What happened to just friends? Hell, even if we weren't just friend I wouldn't want to be called sweety!' Harry thought as she looked up at him adoringly. 'Ginny would never simper at me like that. I better get this over with. She's going to cry. Ugh.'
He spoke. "Look, I guess I didn't realize this when you asked me, but... i don't like you. I mean, I do! But not as a... er... girlfriend. You know?"
Cho looked shocked and then screamed "I hate you Harry Potter!" Everyone stopped and looked at them. Cho stormed out, tears coursing down her cheeks. Harry trudged out a moment later, feeling like the most nauseating beast possible. Despite his annoyance with her, he knew Cho was a good person and he didn't want her to feel sad. Harry made his way up to Gryffindor tower, kicking random objects as he went.
'Great. Just great. Well, Cho, you're not alone in your opinion. I hate Harry Potter too. He's a fool. A beautiful, intelligent, sweet, kind, interesting, pefect redhead adored him for years and he only fell in love with her once she was over him. Yes, Harry Potter is a--wait. Love? Do I live Ginny?' Harry groaned. 'Of course love Ginny. Of course I am absolutely head over heels in love with the girl who is over me. I'll never be happy like Ron and Hermione. It isn't meant to be. Voldemort should have just killed--what's that?'
There was a brightly colored package lying on his bed. There was no note, but it was clearly a present. Harry picked it up. He examnied it carefully. 'Well... maybe I'll be lucky and it will kill me,' he thought. He chuckled at his own morbid joke as he carefully peeled back the wrapping paper, revealing deep purple gem. Curious, he stared into its depths.
If anybody had been watching they would have seen Harry crumple down onto his bed, clutching something in his hand. However, nobody returned to the dorm room for several hours. When the boys finally filed in Ron's grin turned into a worried frown at the sight of his friend sprawled across his bed with his dress robes still on. Ron removed Harry's shoes and tucked him in. Then he plopped down in his own bed and started dreaming about a certain studious young witch with brown hair, completely unaware of the magic that was working in Harry's mind.
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Harry was seriously considering asking Ginny to the Yule ball. Dumbledore had announced that he felt the school was in dire need (his exact words) of some cheering up, and hence the ball. Of course, Harry knew that Ginny was "over him" and he was rapidly discovering how unfortunate that was. The idea of going with her was somehow comforting. It would be perfect: romantic, but nothing for Ron to get all worked up about. Well, that was what Harry hoped. One day, after a particularly painful potions he decided that if he could survive Snape, he could survive anything--even rejection. So, Harry went off to find Ginny. However, as he headed towards the Gryffindor common room he felt a slight pressure on his shoulder and turned around to find himself face to face with Cho Chang.
"Harry, I know you don't feel like you're ready for a relationship-" he heard a few passing Slytherins snicker "-but I was thinking we could go to the ball together. No commitments, just... as friends."
"I--I don't know."
"Harry, I'm worried about you!"
Harry could tell she was about to start crying again. He really didn't want her to start crying again.
"Harry-"
He could see the tears forming in her eyes. He knew it was callous, but he just couldn't stand to have her start crying all over him in the middle of one of the halls. He sighed in defeat.
"Ok."
"Oh Harry!" Cho hugged him and ran off.
Harry trudged up to the Gryffindor common room and was met by a beaming Ron. "How'd you manage it? Cho Chang! I thought after that Hogsmeade thing... you're a lucky bugger, is all I can say!" Ron leaned towards Harry and whispered conspiratorially "I was kind of worried Ginny would do something daft like ask you!"
Harry groaned.
"Harry? Hey, are you all right, mate?"
Harry didn't answer for a moment.
"Ron," he said.
"Yes?"
"You listening?"
"Of course, Harry."
"Go ask Hermione." Ron blushed at Harry's order. Harry continued: "I'm serious. Now. Now!"
Ron went and asked Hermione; to no one's surprise except Ron's, she said yes.
---
"Harry, what do I do?"
"Snog her brains out."
"Harry! I don't even know--I mean she said yes, but--what if she doesn't REALLY like me? What if she thinks we're going as friends? I thought if I asked her it would be easy! Like, all of a sudden we'd look into eachother's eyes or something stupid like that and--I don't know! So, what if I tried to--er--you know--kiss her--and she started screaming or hitting me or something?"
"Ron, I'm impressed."
"What?"
"That was an awful lot to say without taking a breath."
"Harry!"
"Ok, I'll be serious. Tell her you love her."
Ron blushed. "But--"
"She loves you too. Just tell her."
The truth was that Harry didn't really want to talk to Ron about Hermione. He wanted to sulk about Ginny going to the stupid ball with some stupid Ravenclaw fifth year instead of Harry. Hermione had said he was cute. Harry didn't want him to be cute. Ginny had already gone down to meet him--he wanted to give her something before the ball, apparently. Harry and Ron were waiting in the Gryffindor common room for Hermione, then they were all going to go down and meet Cho.
Cho. Harry really didn't want to think about Cho. Every time he did he was reminded of his own stupidity. Harry was lucky, however, because his frustrated musings were interrupted by Hermione's arrival: Ron began clutching his arm like some sort of mad man. Harry could feel the limb going numb from Ron's death grip. He didn't see what all the fuss was about, anyway. Hermione was pretty enough, but she wasn't strikingly gorgeous like Ginny. Harry suddenly frowned. He had it bad.
Hermione smiled and said to Harry "could you go on ahead to the ball? I need to talk to Ron."
He smiled, a little sadly, at them both and left.
---
Harry was getting drinks when Ron and Hermione finally came down to the ball. He noted how Hermione's arm was looped though Ron's, how they walked as close as humanly possible to eachother, and how they both seemed a little flushed. They looked happy.
Ron glanced around and spotted Harry. He whispered a few words to Hermione, who smiled and nodded. Ron ran over to Harry, who could have sworn Ron's jaw would break from the pressure of that enormous smile he wore.
"Snogged her brains out?"
Ron turned bright red but his smile, if possible, grew wider. "She said to me! It! I mean, she said it to me! You know! It!"
"Yes, I'm very well acquainted with it, actually. It's one of my favorite pronouns."
"Harry! Would you just--I--you know what I meant! She said 'Ron, I love you' and I think I just sort of stood there for a moment... I was just so happy I couldn't think and then she sort of asked 'well?' and I don't remember exactly what I said but it was basically that I love her too and--and it's simply unbelievable, Harry. I've never been happier."
Ron rushed back to Hermione, leaving Harry very much alone. He was rather confused. He was happy for Ron and Hermione--but he was sad, too. He, Ron, and Hermione had always been a set... but now Ron and Hermione were a pair. What did that make Harry? It wasn't even like he hadn't seen it coming. He had realized what was happening that night when he had caught them talking about him.
He was almost glad when Cho came over to find out what was taking so long. He told her that Ron and Hermione had admitted their feelings for eachother and Ron had wanted to talk to him.
"That's so beautiful!" she said, as tears started to form in her eyes.
Harry looked dazed. 'You have got to be kidding me...' he thought as a crying Cho dragged him out to the dance floor. She soon cheered up and started chatting at him, unaware that he wasn't registering a single one of words that she heaped on him. 'Did I really like her? It seems so strange now. Cho is so... dull. And the way she cries about everything! Perhaps it's--' and then Harry stoped thinking entirely because the sky fell down. At least, that's what it felt like to Harry. He saw Ginny. She was beautiful. Her new green dress robes were unusually revealing, clinging to her body, and her hair cascaded down her shoulders like a river of fire. Her eyes glittered in a way that made Harry's heart race. Her cheeks were flushed with laughter. She was laughing... with her date.
Harry knew why he couldn't be perfectly happy for Ron and Hermione. He looked at Cho. 'As soon as she likes me, I lose all interest in her. I'm such a fool.' Then Harry sighed audibly but Cho didn't notice. She seemed to be talking about how mean Snape had been to Harry in potions three days ago. Harry interrupted her.
"Cho, we have to talk."
"Of course, sweety."
Harry winced. 'Sweety? What happened to just friends? Hell, even if we weren't just friend I wouldn't want to be called sweety!' Harry thought as she looked up at him adoringly. 'Ginny would never simper at me like that. I better get this over with. She's going to cry. Ugh.'
He spoke. "Look, I guess I didn't realize this when you asked me, but... i don't like you. I mean, I do! But not as a... er... girlfriend. You know?"
Cho looked shocked and then screamed "I hate you Harry Potter!" Everyone stopped and looked at them. Cho stormed out, tears coursing down her cheeks. Harry trudged out a moment later, feeling like the most nauseating beast possible. Despite his annoyance with her, he knew Cho was a good person and he didn't want her to feel sad. Harry made his way up to Gryffindor tower, kicking random objects as he went.
'Great. Just great. Well, Cho, you're not alone in your opinion. I hate Harry Potter too. He's a fool. A beautiful, intelligent, sweet, kind, interesting, pefect redhead adored him for years and he only fell in love with her once she was over him. Yes, Harry Potter is a--wait. Love? Do I live Ginny?' Harry groaned. 'Of course love Ginny. Of course I am absolutely head over heels in love with the girl who is over me. I'll never be happy like Ron and Hermione. It isn't meant to be. Voldemort should have just killed--what's that?'
There was a brightly colored package lying on his bed. There was no note, but it was clearly a present. Harry picked it up. He examnied it carefully. 'Well... maybe I'll be lucky and it will kill me,' he thought. He chuckled at his own morbid joke as he carefully peeled back the wrapping paper, revealing deep purple gem. Curious, he stared into its depths.
If anybody had been watching they would have seen Harry crumple down onto his bed, clutching something in his hand. However, nobody returned to the dorm room for several hours. When the boys finally filed in Ron's grin turned into a worried frown at the sight of his friend sprawled across his bed with his dress robes still on. Ron removed Harry's shoes and tucked him in. Then he plopped down in his own bed and started dreaming about a certain studious young witch with brown hair, completely unaware of the magic that was working in Harry's mind.