~*~*~*~
The Phoenix's Prophesy
by Daphne Li
Chapter 17.
~*~*~*~
"MARRY CHRISTMAS!!!"
"*Happy* Christmas"
"Whatever! Presents!"
"Deck the halls with boughs of wrapping paper..."
"Ugh! Shut up!"
"More presents! Yippy!"
This last comment, said by Shane, seemed to sum up what everyone was thinking on this rather hyper Christmas day. Because of the Yule Ball, everyone had decided to stay at the school over the holidays, instead of going back home.
"HOLD IT!!!" Hermione finally shouted, causing everyone in the room to go silent. They had all grouped in the sitting-room of the Salem students' rooms, and were now sitting around a huge tree, and several large groups of presents.
"Thank you. Now, how about we open our presents in a calm, and orderly fashion." She suggested in a dangerous voice. Everyone knew her too well to argue. They slowly began to open their presents, 'oohing' and 'ahing' over everything opened. Harry was delighted with his new things, looking from one to the others. One of his favorite presents was the one Ginny had given him, however. It was a stag pendant on a long silver chain. It was spelled for protection, and also allowed the wearer to become invisible for short amounts of time. How she had come to afford it, he would never know, nor did he really want to.
Harry looked up, as Ginny reached her last present, a carefully wrapped silver parcel. She looked at it in confusion, and then looked up at him. He grinned and motioned for her to open it. Inside, there was silver wrapping paper surrounding his gift. But on top was a note written in Harry's neat hand.
//Ginny:
I saw these and knew immediately that they were made for you. I hope that you like them.
Happy Christmas!
~Harry//
Ginny glanced up at him, then unfolded the wrapping paper. As soon as her eyes caught the contents of that box, her mouth fell open and her eyes welled with happy tears.
"Oh...Harry! They're beautiful!" She gasped, holding up her gift. They were beautiful white robes that glimmered many different colors in the light. They had a rounded neck, and long, scooped sleeves that trailed nearly to the floor.
"Thank you!" She gasped, reaching over and hugging him. Harry felt a blush rise to his cheeks but ignored it.
"This is great! Ginny, why don't you and Hermione dress in our rooms tonight, then we can help each other prepare for the ball!" Rose suggested, her eyes lighting up. Ginny nodded in agreement, while Hermione looked utterly relieved. Ron had finally asked her, and Harry sensed that she wanted to do everything in her power to knock his socks off, so to speak.
He grinned. This was going to be an interesting day.
~*~*~*~
"Jackson, how do you put on cologne again?"
"Shane, have you seen the hair-gel?"
"Where's my other shoe?"
"On your foot. The gel's in the bathroom, and here, I'll show you." Shane sighed, as he took the cologne bottle from Ron. Harry had just exited from the bathroom after a refreshing shower, to find his bedroom in absolute chaos. He jumped back as Jackson sped past him, slamming the bathroom door behind him.
"I take it you started preparing a little late?" He chuckled, noting that he and Shane seemed to be the only ones in complete ball-attire. Ron was smoothing his semi-wrinkled robes while trying to comb his hair, and Neville was only now stepping into his robes. Jackson had been only half- ready as well, from what he had seen.
"We didn't know it was so late. And you took your sweet time in the lavatory." Ron grumbled, smoothing his sky-blue robes once more. Harry smiled.
"I had to have somewhere quiet where I could get dressed." He informed his nervous friend. Neville, who now seemed to be ready, stood next to the dormitory door anxiously. Within moments, Jackson had come back, looking rakishly handsome in his red-brown robes. Harry felt a tinge of jealousy when he saw Jackson's hair lying so naturally across his forehead. His own hair had insisted on fighting the gel he had tried, so he had finally given up and washed it out.
"Ready to go, gentlemen?" Jackson crowed, leading them to the staircase. Harry and the other's nodded silently, and made their way down to the common room to wait.
"Um...guys? I've got to go pick up my date." Shane muttered after a few minutes, making a quick escape before Jackson could question him.
"Me too." The said boy announced, turning on his heal and going out of the portrait hole after his friends. Harry, Ron, and Neville watched after them, until a movement from the head of the stairs broke their concentration. The boys turned to see a stunning blonde walking down the stairs from the girls rooms, her blue eyes filled with mischievousness.
It was Shirah. Her long blonde hair was pulled up in a intricate knot, and her sea-foam green robes made her look like a nymph. The sleeves were loose and see-through, while the bodice and skirt clung gracefully to her slim figure.
"I...I thought that you were dressing in your room." Neville stammered out, his eyes wide. Shirah grinned.
"We did. But Hermione figured that we'd make much more of an impact if we came down the stairs." She informed them. Then her eyes moved to somewhere beyond them and she smiled. They all turned to see one of the Weasley twins standing behind them, looking stunned.
"Hello, George. Bye, gentlemen. See you at the ball!" She waltzed past them, grinning cheekily at the older boy who was obviously her date. Ron looked shocked at his brother's arrival, but couldn't say anything because within seconds, the couple had disappeared out of the room.
"That was strange." Ron muttered. There was a soft giggle from behind them, and they turned to see Rayana standing at the bottom of the stairs, watching them with amused eyes.
She too, was quite lovely. Her wavy black hair had been pulled up into a dainty twist, and her dark purple robes fitted her like a charm. She smiled at the lightly.
"George asked her a few weeks ago, when he found out about the ball in a letter from Ron." She explained, walking past them towards the exit. The boys thought this over in silence, but a slight shuffling from above caused them all to look up. Every one of their mouths dropped open.
There stood Hermione, in royal-blue robes that accented her figure flawlessly. Her hair was braided in a halo about her head, with little tendrils allowed to hang down to frame her face. She smiled down at their shock, and then slowly walked down the stairs towards them, her eyes on Ron the entire time. Harry noticed that his friend looked so thunderstruck, he still hadn't closed his mouth.
"You're going to catch flies with that." She murmured, using a bent finger to push up his chin. Ron's ears turned red and he straightened up, offering her his arm. She took it, flashed a grin at them, and then winked slyly at Harry. He worked to suppress a chuckle as his two best friends disappeared from sight.
"She looked...nice..." Neville trailed off, as his eyes flew back to the staircase. This time, Harry didn't have to look to see who it was coming down the stairs. Neville's dumbstruck gaze told it all. Harry smirked and turned to watch as Rose descended the staircase, her warm blue robes fitting perfectly, and her red hair pulled up in a french twist. Neville seemed to be speechless, so Harry did the honors for him.
"You look wonderful, Rose." He informed her, gaining a shy smile from his sister. Neville was quick on the uptake and quickly complimented her as well, earning himself a beaming smile. Offering her his arm, Neville gently led his date out of the common room. Harry noted this with a protective, yet pleased attitude. Once more, he allowed his eyes to trail up to the stairs, and found himself stunned beyond words.
There stood Ginny, wearing the robes he had given her. They glinted in the light, sending color flooding around her like a glow. They floated around her as she descended, revealing curves that Harry had never imagined she had, and accenting her figure in a way that made his thoughts fail him.
He finally managed to pull his head out of the clouds only after she had stopped in front of him, looking up at him nervously. He noticed that her hair had been pulled up into curls at the top of her head, and laced with tiny gemstones that gleamed in the light. Tiny curls had been allowed to escape to frame her perfect face.
Harry was lost. Completely and utterly lost in something that he wasn't sure he wanted to be released from. It was Ginny, and yet it was a Ginny that no one had ever known before. A Ginny that *he* had never paid attention to, and now regretted it above all else. His eyes were open now, to the girl...no, woman, that she truly was. That she always had been.
Harry drew in a sharp breath, before smiling at her and offering her his arm.
"You look stunning, Ginny." He managed to murmur, as she took his arm. She looked up, a happy smile on her lips. And Harry felt something in his stomach squirm.
Oh, boy.
Ron wasn't going to like this.
~*~*~*~
When they finally reached the Great Hall, Harry noticed that they were among the last few to arrive. Jackson, with Luna on his arm, arrived at the same time they did, and he shot Harry a 'thumbs-up', before going into the Hall. Harry suppressed a laugh and looked down at Ginny, who was rolling her eyes at Jackson's obvious meaning.
"Ready?" He asked.
"Ready." Was all she had to say. Harry led her into the Hall, finding himself at the center of attention at once. All eyes went to them as they walked in, and Harry felt the urge to pull Ginny even closer, when he saw the looks on several boys faces. She simply smiled up at him, however, and he felt his unease leave him. They silently walked into the room and over to where several of their friends were standing.
"I told you the gems were the right touch." Shirah informed them, as George twirled her past them as they danced. Ginny blushed and Harry avoided everyone's eyes, until he realized that Ron was glaring at him threateningly.
"Um...hey, Ron." Harry muttered nervously, as Ginny's face gained a glare that rivaled her brother's.
"Take care of her, Potter." Ron muttered into his ear, as Hermione dragged him past them, onto the dance-floor. Harry stared after him in surprise, but soon grinned. Then his good-sense kicked in, and he realized that he and Ginny were just standing there, doing nothing. Again, something he wasn't going to make a mistake about this time.
"Ginny, would you like to dance?" He questioned, feeling nerves fluttering around in his stomach. Ginny looked up in surprise and smiled eagerly.
"Of course! I love this song." She stated, as a new song began to play. Harry felt relief wash over him. It was an up-beat song. He didn't think he was ready to slow-dance with her yet...luckily, he had begged for Rose's help when he remembered that he couldn't dance, and she had taught him the basics and a few dances on the side.
After several more songs, Harry and Ginny fell breathlessly onto a bench at the edge of the room, grinning at each other. He had found Ginny to be a rather good dancer, and was immediately grateful for Rose's lessons. He had also managed to avoid stepping on her feet, something he was quite proud of.
"Harry, do you see Ron and Hermione anywhere?" Ginny asked suddenly, her eyes roving around the crowd. Harry looked around as well, then shrugged.
"Perhaps Ron finally came to his senses and told her how he feels." He said, half-jokingly. Ginny gave a delighted gasp.
"I bet that's what it is! They fancy each other enough..." She trailed off, grinning. Harry smiled at her enthusiasm, but found himself looking around the room again, trying to spot his friends in the crowd.
Rose and Neville were on the dance floor, Neville smiling at her in a way that left Harry in no doubt about his feelings for her. Raya and Goyle were in a corner of the room, staying carefully away from the Slytherin crowd. Jackson and Luna were by the punch bowl, laughing at something. And Shane...
Harry smirked as he finally found the blonde boy among the other people. He was standing beside a dazzling Cassia Malfoy, smiling kindly down at her as she spoke earnestly to him. So. Shane had a thing for Cassia. Draco Malfoy certainly wouldn't like this one bit! He could see the deathly glare on his rival's face now, as he walked by his sister with Pansy Parkinson on his arm. Harry chuckled lowly and turned away, his eyes finally finding his two missing-in-action friends.
Ron and Hermione were once again entering the dance floor, both looking happy and blissfully unaware of anything but themselves. Harry was almost certain about what had happened between them, and he felt a content feeling settle in his stomach. He couldn't have been happier for them.
"Harry?"
He turned to see Ginny looking shyly down at her hands.
"Can we dance again?" She asked softly, almost as if she was afraid of offending him. Harry smiled and immediately rose to take her hand.
"Of course, my lady." He joked, leading her into the dance. It was a slow song, but now that he was more relaxed, he was sure he could handle it. Couldn't he?
"They'll be happy together, won't they?" Ginny asked, as she looked at her brother and Hermione. Harry smiled.
"I'm sure they will be. They've been needing to get that off their chests for some time." He murmured, focusing on his two best friends. Unfortunately (or fortunately, perhaps, in this case), he didn't notice that he was unconsciously pulling her closer until her body was almost completely pressed up to his, and her lovely head rested on his shoulder. He nearly jumped out of his skin in surprise, then felt heat flood to his face.
She felt warm and soft in his arms, but also delicate and breakable. His mind whirled with the sensation of having her so close in his arms, and he felt everything fade away except for the warm body that leaned against him so willingly. Never before had he felt this, even when he had that crush on Cho. With her, it had been all stomach-butterflies and nothing. But with Ginny, with was chest flutterings, stomach flutterings, whirling thoughts, warmth, substance. All of these things and more.
For the first time in a long time, Harry allowed everything to just fade away, until he was living in that one moment, and that one moment alone. This moment with Ginny was all he needed.
~*~*~*~
"Harry? Mate? Can Hermione and I talk to you?"
Harry opened his eyes to see Ron standing over him, the other boy's face hidden in shadows. After the slow dance, the rest of the ball had been a blur to Harry, and he barely remembered any of it. He knew that Ginny had suggested they leave right after the last dance, so as not to get caught in the rush of everyone leaving. Harry had gladly taken her advice and they had been the first ball-goers back to the common room. When there, Ginny had thanked him for the wonderful night, and teasingly suggested that they do it again sometime. Then, to Harry's great surprise, she had risen on her toes to give him a peck on the cheek before darting up to her dorm. Harry could only remember going up to his dorm in a daze, and falling onto his bed. Nothing beyond that.
"Sure, Ron." He muttered, wondering what had brought this about. He cautiously got out of bed, and noticed that all of the other boys were already in bed and most likely asleep. It must have been later than he thought. Harry silently followed Ron down to the dark common room, and collapsed into a chair across from the couch Hermione was sitting in. It did not surprise Harry in the least when Ron chose to sit next to her. They both looked exceedingly uncomfortable, and Harry rolled his eyes in amusement. He had no doubt about what they wanted to talk about.
"About time." He said shortly, putting them out of their misery. His best friends looked at him in shock, Hermione's face going red and Ron's ears turning red. There was silence for a moment, then:
"How did you know?" Ron asked, reaching over and linking his fingers with Hermione's. Harry grinned.
"Ron, you're a git! *Everyone* has known since last year, almost. It's been obvious to everyone but you! Well, maybe Hermione, too." Harry chuckled. His friends turned red again, but both looked more relaxed than before.
"Thanks for understanding, Harry." Hermione whispered, leaning over and squeezing his hand. Harry smiled at her, but Ron's face became dark.
"Harry..." His voice was slow and calculating, causing Harry to stare at him in surprise.
"...you're as much of a lost-cause as we are...were."
"What?!" Harry asked, incredulous. Ron frowned.
"Don't think I didn't see the way you were acting at the Ball. The way you held Ginny during that slow dance, or how you were never more than twelve inches away from her afterwards." He went on, causing all the thoughts about the dance and Ginny to come flooding back. Confusion swept over him and he shivered, unable to sort out his emotions.
On the one hand, he was still blissfully aware that Ginny was the only person who could make him forget everything, even Voldemort, and focus only on her. She was the only person who set his emotions reeling beyond even his comprehension, until he was unable to tell which way was up. He didn't know how she did it, but she did.
On the other hand, this feeling was distracting him from his duties to the school and to the headmaster. If he was to continue with openly ignoring everything that was going on around him, he was going to endanger more than just himself and his friends. He would be sacrificing the entire wizarding world, not to mention the students, his friends, and...Ginny.
And yet, he found that he couldn't give up what he found in Ginny. It was just too alluring, drawing him in too deeply, to a point where he didn't want to escape. He was addicted. He was addicted to Ginny.
But did it add up to what Ron was implying? Could it be possible that he truly liked Ginny, beyond even friendship? Could he possibly be...
...in love with her?
His thoughts whirled and for the first time since school had started, he felt helpless, like a baby who is dependent on a mother that wasn't there. It had happened so gradually, he hadn't seen it coming, nor had he expected anything like this to happen. Merlin's beard, he was only sixteen, and she was only fifteen!
It couldn't be.
It wasn't possible!
Right?
With a groan, Harry buried his head in his hands, his stomach churning from all these new revelations. He felt a hand on his shoulder, and knew it was Hermione. But he refused to look up. He didn't even notice when Hermione motioned Ron away, and they both departed to their dorms.
Reality could be a cruel thing, and when it hit, you would never be ready for it. Harry certainly wasn't, but now that it had, he was horrified by the truth it held behind it. Terrified, actually. This could cause so many bad things to happen. Things he knew he would have to defend them from. The Weasley's were already high targets on Voldemort's hit-list, but now...now they would be an even higher prize.
Now that he was in love with their youngest child.
Now that he loved Ginny.
Now that he *knew* he loved Ginny.
"Merlin! What am I going to do?" Harry groaned, turning anguished eyes to the dim firelight.
What was he going to do?
Well, he knew one thing. He was not going to take it sitting down. Ginny wouldn't be put in to danger for his account, he would make sure of that. No. She was too precious to loose, now. She was one of the few things keeping him standing. Sure, his friends, his sister, even Dumbledore were supporting him. But Ginny...she was his backbone. The person he leaned on when everything went wrong.
He loved her.
And he would make sure nothing happened to her.
"I promise you that, Ginny." He muttered, before finally getting up and going up to his dorm.
~*~*~*~
"You should tell her, Harry." Rose murmured, the day after the Ball. Harry had taken refuge in their living area, knowing that his friends and Ginny were going to be outside playing in the snow. Rose, who had sensed Harry's distress, had decided to stay behind and talk to him.
"And what am I supposed to say? 'Oh, by the way, Ginny. I love you. I know that I've ignored you in the past, and thought of you as a sister, but can't we forget about that?'. She'd hate me forever." Harry groaned, falling backwards on his chair. Rose giggled.
"How about, 'Ginny I love you'. Short and sweet. She'll understand, Harry. I'm sure of it."
"I don't want to put her in danger." He said dryly.
"She's already in danger. We all are. There's no reason you should keep your feelings from her just because of Voldemort. That's just stupid." Rose's voice was surprisingly sharp. Harry stared at her a moment, then buried his head in his hands, groaning.
"I can't. Rose, I have to fight Voldemort. I could easily die in that battle, then were would she be? I would have told her my feelings, and then I would die. Is that fair to her?" He asked, his voice muffled. There was a pause, and he curiously looked up at her. He was shocked to see tears falling down her cheeks, and her lips trembling.
"It wouldn't be fair to keep your feelings from her. You love her, and there's no doubt that she cares for you. Don't be stupid, Harry. Just don't be stupid." She whispered, before getting up and fleeing from the room. Harry stared after her, guilt filling him. What had he said that made her act like that?
"It's not your fault, Harry." Came the soft voice of Rayana. He turned to see her standing in the doorway, looking wet and tousled. Her face held a pained expression on it.
"What's the matter with..."
"Neville." The girl interrupted. Harry's eyes widened.
"What happened?"
"He told her he loved her after the Ball. She...she turned him down." Raya whispered. Harry sank down onto his chair again.
"Did she say why?"
"No. She told him that she cared for him, but that they could never be together. Then she ran away. Greg and I overheard them, accidentally, when he was bringing me back to the common room. I've never seen Neville look so hurt. He hasn't come out of his room since." Her voice trembled, and he could see tears gathering in her eyes.
"But Harry, I know she loves him. She's told me before. I don't understand why she..."
"I think I do. Don't dwell on it, Raya. I'll talk to them." He murmured, his green eyes narrowing as a thought came to him. She nodded and then turned to go to her room. Harry stood thinking for a few more moments, then walked briskly out of the room, his steps full of purpose.
~*~*~*~
When he reached his own dormitory, he noted that the drapes around Neville's bed were closed tightly. Now that he thought about it, he hadn't seen Neville at breakfast, nor at any other time that day. And now, he knew why. With a quick jerk, he opened Neville's curtains to reveal the boy himself...or, rather, the form of the boy that was hidden underneath tightly pulled up covers.
"Neville, can we talk?"
There was a shaky intake of air, and the mound shifted slightly.
"Please just leave me alone." The other boy whispered. Harry breathed out hard.
"No, Neville. I have to talk to you, now. It's about Rose."
At his words, the blankets were flung down to reveal Neville's tear-wet face and red-rimmed eyes. He looked pale and drawn, and far from the boy he had been just a few days ago.
"Please, Harry. Anything but her..."
"She loves you, Neville." Harry said shortly. This shut the other boy up immediately, staring at Harry with wide amber eyes.
"Rayana accidentally overheard your conversation last night. She told me after I caught Rose crying just a while ago." Harry explained. Neville groaned and turned over, so his back faced Harry.
"She told me we couldn't be together." His voice wavered. Harry sighed.
"Rose has a lot of secrets, Eventide. Many that could endanger her life beyond anything she is facing now, if Voldemort was to find out. If I know her, and I do, she turned you down because she felt guilt at being unable to tell you everything, and fear that she would endanger you, too."
"That doesn't matter!" Neville exclaimed, turning onto his back and pounding the mattress with his fists. Harry shook his head.
"It does if you're the one trying to protect the person you love. And with Rose, it's multiplied ten-fold. One of her secrets is so deadly, that if Voldemort were to find out, he would be after her and anyone that she loved in a flash. And yes, I know the secret. But I only know because it involves me, too."
"I don't care! I'd rather die by her side, then not being with her at all." Neville moaned. Harry flinched, feeling pain tighten in his chest.
"It's not that easy, Neville! Rose could never put someone she loved in that sort of danger, if she could help it. No one would! I should know. I'm in the same boat." Harry whispered, looking down at the floor and finding it quite interesting.
"Ginny?" Neville asked softly. Harry groaned and collapsed onto Seamus's bed, which was right behind him. For the first time since he had cried with Rose, he felt his eyes burn with unshed tears. He nodded speechlessly, and looked away. They were silent for a while.
"Harry? Tell her." Neville finally said, startling Harry.
"What?!" He asked nervously. Neville frowned slightly.
"Tell her. I don't regret telling Rose. At least she knows about my feelings. Ginny deserves to know. She loves you."
"Everyone is telling me that. But it doesn't make it any easier." Harry ranted, as a small grin formed on his friend's face.
"It doesn't. But you won't regret it, trust me. Just promise me one thing."
"What?"
"Don't let her get away." Neville whispered, getting out of his bed and going into the lavatory. Harry stared after him for what seemed like ages, then stood up.
Perhaps he should take Neville's...and Rose's advice.
"And do a little matchmaking on the side." He muttered, looking at the closed door of the bathroom.
~*~*~*~
The Phoenix's Prophesy
by Daphne Li
Chapter 17.
~*~*~*~
"MARRY CHRISTMAS!!!"
"*Happy* Christmas"
"Whatever! Presents!"
"Deck the halls with boughs of wrapping paper..."
"Ugh! Shut up!"
"More presents! Yippy!"
This last comment, said by Shane, seemed to sum up what everyone was thinking on this rather hyper Christmas day. Because of the Yule Ball, everyone had decided to stay at the school over the holidays, instead of going back home.
"HOLD IT!!!" Hermione finally shouted, causing everyone in the room to go silent. They had all grouped in the sitting-room of the Salem students' rooms, and were now sitting around a huge tree, and several large groups of presents.
"Thank you. Now, how about we open our presents in a calm, and orderly fashion." She suggested in a dangerous voice. Everyone knew her too well to argue. They slowly began to open their presents, 'oohing' and 'ahing' over everything opened. Harry was delighted with his new things, looking from one to the others. One of his favorite presents was the one Ginny had given him, however. It was a stag pendant on a long silver chain. It was spelled for protection, and also allowed the wearer to become invisible for short amounts of time. How she had come to afford it, he would never know, nor did he really want to.
Harry looked up, as Ginny reached her last present, a carefully wrapped silver parcel. She looked at it in confusion, and then looked up at him. He grinned and motioned for her to open it. Inside, there was silver wrapping paper surrounding his gift. But on top was a note written in Harry's neat hand.
//Ginny:
I saw these and knew immediately that they were made for you. I hope that you like them.
Happy Christmas!
~Harry//
Ginny glanced up at him, then unfolded the wrapping paper. As soon as her eyes caught the contents of that box, her mouth fell open and her eyes welled with happy tears.
"Oh...Harry! They're beautiful!" She gasped, holding up her gift. They were beautiful white robes that glimmered many different colors in the light. They had a rounded neck, and long, scooped sleeves that trailed nearly to the floor.
"Thank you!" She gasped, reaching over and hugging him. Harry felt a blush rise to his cheeks but ignored it.
"This is great! Ginny, why don't you and Hermione dress in our rooms tonight, then we can help each other prepare for the ball!" Rose suggested, her eyes lighting up. Ginny nodded in agreement, while Hermione looked utterly relieved. Ron had finally asked her, and Harry sensed that she wanted to do everything in her power to knock his socks off, so to speak.
He grinned. This was going to be an interesting day.
~*~*~*~
"Jackson, how do you put on cologne again?"
"Shane, have you seen the hair-gel?"
"Where's my other shoe?"
"On your foot. The gel's in the bathroom, and here, I'll show you." Shane sighed, as he took the cologne bottle from Ron. Harry had just exited from the bathroom after a refreshing shower, to find his bedroom in absolute chaos. He jumped back as Jackson sped past him, slamming the bathroom door behind him.
"I take it you started preparing a little late?" He chuckled, noting that he and Shane seemed to be the only ones in complete ball-attire. Ron was smoothing his semi-wrinkled robes while trying to comb his hair, and Neville was only now stepping into his robes. Jackson had been only half- ready as well, from what he had seen.
"We didn't know it was so late. And you took your sweet time in the lavatory." Ron grumbled, smoothing his sky-blue robes once more. Harry smiled.
"I had to have somewhere quiet where I could get dressed." He informed his nervous friend. Neville, who now seemed to be ready, stood next to the dormitory door anxiously. Within moments, Jackson had come back, looking rakishly handsome in his red-brown robes. Harry felt a tinge of jealousy when he saw Jackson's hair lying so naturally across his forehead. His own hair had insisted on fighting the gel he had tried, so he had finally given up and washed it out.
"Ready to go, gentlemen?" Jackson crowed, leading them to the staircase. Harry and the other's nodded silently, and made their way down to the common room to wait.
"Um...guys? I've got to go pick up my date." Shane muttered after a few minutes, making a quick escape before Jackson could question him.
"Me too." The said boy announced, turning on his heal and going out of the portrait hole after his friends. Harry, Ron, and Neville watched after them, until a movement from the head of the stairs broke their concentration. The boys turned to see a stunning blonde walking down the stairs from the girls rooms, her blue eyes filled with mischievousness.
It was Shirah. Her long blonde hair was pulled up in a intricate knot, and her sea-foam green robes made her look like a nymph. The sleeves were loose and see-through, while the bodice and skirt clung gracefully to her slim figure.
"I...I thought that you were dressing in your room." Neville stammered out, his eyes wide. Shirah grinned.
"We did. But Hermione figured that we'd make much more of an impact if we came down the stairs." She informed them. Then her eyes moved to somewhere beyond them and she smiled. They all turned to see one of the Weasley twins standing behind them, looking stunned.
"Hello, George. Bye, gentlemen. See you at the ball!" She waltzed past them, grinning cheekily at the older boy who was obviously her date. Ron looked shocked at his brother's arrival, but couldn't say anything because within seconds, the couple had disappeared out of the room.
"That was strange." Ron muttered. There was a soft giggle from behind them, and they turned to see Rayana standing at the bottom of the stairs, watching them with amused eyes.
She too, was quite lovely. Her wavy black hair had been pulled up into a dainty twist, and her dark purple robes fitted her like a charm. She smiled at the lightly.
"George asked her a few weeks ago, when he found out about the ball in a letter from Ron." She explained, walking past them towards the exit. The boys thought this over in silence, but a slight shuffling from above caused them all to look up. Every one of their mouths dropped open.
There stood Hermione, in royal-blue robes that accented her figure flawlessly. Her hair was braided in a halo about her head, with little tendrils allowed to hang down to frame her face. She smiled down at their shock, and then slowly walked down the stairs towards them, her eyes on Ron the entire time. Harry noticed that his friend looked so thunderstruck, he still hadn't closed his mouth.
"You're going to catch flies with that." She murmured, using a bent finger to push up his chin. Ron's ears turned red and he straightened up, offering her his arm. She took it, flashed a grin at them, and then winked slyly at Harry. He worked to suppress a chuckle as his two best friends disappeared from sight.
"She looked...nice..." Neville trailed off, as his eyes flew back to the staircase. This time, Harry didn't have to look to see who it was coming down the stairs. Neville's dumbstruck gaze told it all. Harry smirked and turned to watch as Rose descended the staircase, her warm blue robes fitting perfectly, and her red hair pulled up in a french twist. Neville seemed to be speechless, so Harry did the honors for him.
"You look wonderful, Rose." He informed her, gaining a shy smile from his sister. Neville was quick on the uptake and quickly complimented her as well, earning himself a beaming smile. Offering her his arm, Neville gently led his date out of the common room. Harry noted this with a protective, yet pleased attitude. Once more, he allowed his eyes to trail up to the stairs, and found himself stunned beyond words.
There stood Ginny, wearing the robes he had given her. They glinted in the light, sending color flooding around her like a glow. They floated around her as she descended, revealing curves that Harry had never imagined she had, and accenting her figure in a way that made his thoughts fail him.
He finally managed to pull his head out of the clouds only after she had stopped in front of him, looking up at him nervously. He noticed that her hair had been pulled up into curls at the top of her head, and laced with tiny gemstones that gleamed in the light. Tiny curls had been allowed to escape to frame her perfect face.
Harry was lost. Completely and utterly lost in something that he wasn't sure he wanted to be released from. It was Ginny, and yet it was a Ginny that no one had ever known before. A Ginny that *he* had never paid attention to, and now regretted it above all else. His eyes were open now, to the girl...no, woman, that she truly was. That she always had been.
Harry drew in a sharp breath, before smiling at her and offering her his arm.
"You look stunning, Ginny." He managed to murmur, as she took his arm. She looked up, a happy smile on her lips. And Harry felt something in his stomach squirm.
Oh, boy.
Ron wasn't going to like this.
~*~*~*~
When they finally reached the Great Hall, Harry noticed that they were among the last few to arrive. Jackson, with Luna on his arm, arrived at the same time they did, and he shot Harry a 'thumbs-up', before going into the Hall. Harry suppressed a laugh and looked down at Ginny, who was rolling her eyes at Jackson's obvious meaning.
"Ready?" He asked.
"Ready." Was all she had to say. Harry led her into the Hall, finding himself at the center of attention at once. All eyes went to them as they walked in, and Harry felt the urge to pull Ginny even closer, when he saw the looks on several boys faces. She simply smiled up at him, however, and he felt his unease leave him. They silently walked into the room and over to where several of their friends were standing.
"I told you the gems were the right touch." Shirah informed them, as George twirled her past them as they danced. Ginny blushed and Harry avoided everyone's eyes, until he realized that Ron was glaring at him threateningly.
"Um...hey, Ron." Harry muttered nervously, as Ginny's face gained a glare that rivaled her brother's.
"Take care of her, Potter." Ron muttered into his ear, as Hermione dragged him past them, onto the dance-floor. Harry stared after him in surprise, but soon grinned. Then his good-sense kicked in, and he realized that he and Ginny were just standing there, doing nothing. Again, something he wasn't going to make a mistake about this time.
"Ginny, would you like to dance?" He questioned, feeling nerves fluttering around in his stomach. Ginny looked up in surprise and smiled eagerly.
"Of course! I love this song." She stated, as a new song began to play. Harry felt relief wash over him. It was an up-beat song. He didn't think he was ready to slow-dance with her yet...luckily, he had begged for Rose's help when he remembered that he couldn't dance, and she had taught him the basics and a few dances on the side.
After several more songs, Harry and Ginny fell breathlessly onto a bench at the edge of the room, grinning at each other. He had found Ginny to be a rather good dancer, and was immediately grateful for Rose's lessons. He had also managed to avoid stepping on her feet, something he was quite proud of.
"Harry, do you see Ron and Hermione anywhere?" Ginny asked suddenly, her eyes roving around the crowd. Harry looked around as well, then shrugged.
"Perhaps Ron finally came to his senses and told her how he feels." He said, half-jokingly. Ginny gave a delighted gasp.
"I bet that's what it is! They fancy each other enough..." She trailed off, grinning. Harry smiled at her enthusiasm, but found himself looking around the room again, trying to spot his friends in the crowd.
Rose and Neville were on the dance floor, Neville smiling at her in a way that left Harry in no doubt about his feelings for her. Raya and Goyle were in a corner of the room, staying carefully away from the Slytherin crowd. Jackson and Luna were by the punch bowl, laughing at something. And Shane...
Harry smirked as he finally found the blonde boy among the other people. He was standing beside a dazzling Cassia Malfoy, smiling kindly down at her as she spoke earnestly to him. So. Shane had a thing for Cassia. Draco Malfoy certainly wouldn't like this one bit! He could see the deathly glare on his rival's face now, as he walked by his sister with Pansy Parkinson on his arm. Harry chuckled lowly and turned away, his eyes finally finding his two missing-in-action friends.
Ron and Hermione were once again entering the dance floor, both looking happy and blissfully unaware of anything but themselves. Harry was almost certain about what had happened between them, and he felt a content feeling settle in his stomach. He couldn't have been happier for them.
"Harry?"
He turned to see Ginny looking shyly down at her hands.
"Can we dance again?" She asked softly, almost as if she was afraid of offending him. Harry smiled and immediately rose to take her hand.
"Of course, my lady." He joked, leading her into the dance. It was a slow song, but now that he was more relaxed, he was sure he could handle it. Couldn't he?
"They'll be happy together, won't they?" Ginny asked, as she looked at her brother and Hermione. Harry smiled.
"I'm sure they will be. They've been needing to get that off their chests for some time." He murmured, focusing on his two best friends. Unfortunately (or fortunately, perhaps, in this case), he didn't notice that he was unconsciously pulling her closer until her body was almost completely pressed up to his, and her lovely head rested on his shoulder. He nearly jumped out of his skin in surprise, then felt heat flood to his face.
She felt warm and soft in his arms, but also delicate and breakable. His mind whirled with the sensation of having her so close in his arms, and he felt everything fade away except for the warm body that leaned against him so willingly. Never before had he felt this, even when he had that crush on Cho. With her, it had been all stomach-butterflies and nothing. But with Ginny, with was chest flutterings, stomach flutterings, whirling thoughts, warmth, substance. All of these things and more.
For the first time in a long time, Harry allowed everything to just fade away, until he was living in that one moment, and that one moment alone. This moment with Ginny was all he needed.
~*~*~*~
"Harry? Mate? Can Hermione and I talk to you?"
Harry opened his eyes to see Ron standing over him, the other boy's face hidden in shadows. After the slow dance, the rest of the ball had been a blur to Harry, and he barely remembered any of it. He knew that Ginny had suggested they leave right after the last dance, so as not to get caught in the rush of everyone leaving. Harry had gladly taken her advice and they had been the first ball-goers back to the common room. When there, Ginny had thanked him for the wonderful night, and teasingly suggested that they do it again sometime. Then, to Harry's great surprise, she had risen on her toes to give him a peck on the cheek before darting up to her dorm. Harry could only remember going up to his dorm in a daze, and falling onto his bed. Nothing beyond that.
"Sure, Ron." He muttered, wondering what had brought this about. He cautiously got out of bed, and noticed that all of the other boys were already in bed and most likely asleep. It must have been later than he thought. Harry silently followed Ron down to the dark common room, and collapsed into a chair across from the couch Hermione was sitting in. It did not surprise Harry in the least when Ron chose to sit next to her. They both looked exceedingly uncomfortable, and Harry rolled his eyes in amusement. He had no doubt about what they wanted to talk about.
"About time." He said shortly, putting them out of their misery. His best friends looked at him in shock, Hermione's face going red and Ron's ears turning red. There was silence for a moment, then:
"How did you know?" Ron asked, reaching over and linking his fingers with Hermione's. Harry grinned.
"Ron, you're a git! *Everyone* has known since last year, almost. It's been obvious to everyone but you! Well, maybe Hermione, too." Harry chuckled. His friends turned red again, but both looked more relaxed than before.
"Thanks for understanding, Harry." Hermione whispered, leaning over and squeezing his hand. Harry smiled at her, but Ron's face became dark.
"Harry..." His voice was slow and calculating, causing Harry to stare at him in surprise.
"...you're as much of a lost-cause as we are...were."
"What?!" Harry asked, incredulous. Ron frowned.
"Don't think I didn't see the way you were acting at the Ball. The way you held Ginny during that slow dance, or how you were never more than twelve inches away from her afterwards." He went on, causing all the thoughts about the dance and Ginny to come flooding back. Confusion swept over him and he shivered, unable to sort out his emotions.
On the one hand, he was still blissfully aware that Ginny was the only person who could make him forget everything, even Voldemort, and focus only on her. She was the only person who set his emotions reeling beyond even his comprehension, until he was unable to tell which way was up. He didn't know how she did it, but she did.
On the other hand, this feeling was distracting him from his duties to the school and to the headmaster. If he was to continue with openly ignoring everything that was going on around him, he was going to endanger more than just himself and his friends. He would be sacrificing the entire wizarding world, not to mention the students, his friends, and...Ginny.
And yet, he found that he couldn't give up what he found in Ginny. It was just too alluring, drawing him in too deeply, to a point where he didn't want to escape. He was addicted. He was addicted to Ginny.
But did it add up to what Ron was implying? Could it be possible that he truly liked Ginny, beyond even friendship? Could he possibly be...
...in love with her?
His thoughts whirled and for the first time since school had started, he felt helpless, like a baby who is dependent on a mother that wasn't there. It had happened so gradually, he hadn't seen it coming, nor had he expected anything like this to happen. Merlin's beard, he was only sixteen, and she was only fifteen!
It couldn't be.
It wasn't possible!
Right?
With a groan, Harry buried his head in his hands, his stomach churning from all these new revelations. He felt a hand on his shoulder, and knew it was Hermione. But he refused to look up. He didn't even notice when Hermione motioned Ron away, and they both departed to their dorms.
Reality could be a cruel thing, and when it hit, you would never be ready for it. Harry certainly wasn't, but now that it had, he was horrified by the truth it held behind it. Terrified, actually. This could cause so many bad things to happen. Things he knew he would have to defend them from. The Weasley's were already high targets on Voldemort's hit-list, but now...now they would be an even higher prize.
Now that he was in love with their youngest child.
Now that he loved Ginny.
Now that he *knew* he loved Ginny.
"Merlin! What am I going to do?" Harry groaned, turning anguished eyes to the dim firelight.
What was he going to do?
Well, he knew one thing. He was not going to take it sitting down. Ginny wouldn't be put in to danger for his account, he would make sure of that. No. She was too precious to loose, now. She was one of the few things keeping him standing. Sure, his friends, his sister, even Dumbledore were supporting him. But Ginny...she was his backbone. The person he leaned on when everything went wrong.
He loved her.
And he would make sure nothing happened to her.
"I promise you that, Ginny." He muttered, before finally getting up and going up to his dorm.
~*~*~*~
"You should tell her, Harry." Rose murmured, the day after the Ball. Harry had taken refuge in their living area, knowing that his friends and Ginny were going to be outside playing in the snow. Rose, who had sensed Harry's distress, had decided to stay behind and talk to him.
"And what am I supposed to say? 'Oh, by the way, Ginny. I love you. I know that I've ignored you in the past, and thought of you as a sister, but can't we forget about that?'. She'd hate me forever." Harry groaned, falling backwards on his chair. Rose giggled.
"How about, 'Ginny I love you'. Short and sweet. She'll understand, Harry. I'm sure of it."
"I don't want to put her in danger." He said dryly.
"She's already in danger. We all are. There's no reason you should keep your feelings from her just because of Voldemort. That's just stupid." Rose's voice was surprisingly sharp. Harry stared at her a moment, then buried his head in his hands, groaning.
"I can't. Rose, I have to fight Voldemort. I could easily die in that battle, then were would she be? I would have told her my feelings, and then I would die. Is that fair to her?" He asked, his voice muffled. There was a pause, and he curiously looked up at her. He was shocked to see tears falling down her cheeks, and her lips trembling.
"It wouldn't be fair to keep your feelings from her. You love her, and there's no doubt that she cares for you. Don't be stupid, Harry. Just don't be stupid." She whispered, before getting up and fleeing from the room. Harry stared after her, guilt filling him. What had he said that made her act like that?
"It's not your fault, Harry." Came the soft voice of Rayana. He turned to see her standing in the doorway, looking wet and tousled. Her face held a pained expression on it.
"What's the matter with..."
"Neville." The girl interrupted. Harry's eyes widened.
"What happened?"
"He told her he loved her after the Ball. She...she turned him down." Raya whispered. Harry sank down onto his chair again.
"Did she say why?"
"No. She told him that she cared for him, but that they could never be together. Then she ran away. Greg and I overheard them, accidentally, when he was bringing me back to the common room. I've never seen Neville look so hurt. He hasn't come out of his room since." Her voice trembled, and he could see tears gathering in her eyes.
"But Harry, I know she loves him. She's told me before. I don't understand why she..."
"I think I do. Don't dwell on it, Raya. I'll talk to them." He murmured, his green eyes narrowing as a thought came to him. She nodded and then turned to go to her room. Harry stood thinking for a few more moments, then walked briskly out of the room, his steps full of purpose.
~*~*~*~
When he reached his own dormitory, he noted that the drapes around Neville's bed were closed tightly. Now that he thought about it, he hadn't seen Neville at breakfast, nor at any other time that day. And now, he knew why. With a quick jerk, he opened Neville's curtains to reveal the boy himself...or, rather, the form of the boy that was hidden underneath tightly pulled up covers.
"Neville, can we talk?"
There was a shaky intake of air, and the mound shifted slightly.
"Please just leave me alone." The other boy whispered. Harry breathed out hard.
"No, Neville. I have to talk to you, now. It's about Rose."
At his words, the blankets were flung down to reveal Neville's tear-wet face and red-rimmed eyes. He looked pale and drawn, and far from the boy he had been just a few days ago.
"Please, Harry. Anything but her..."
"She loves you, Neville." Harry said shortly. This shut the other boy up immediately, staring at Harry with wide amber eyes.
"Rayana accidentally overheard your conversation last night. She told me after I caught Rose crying just a while ago." Harry explained. Neville groaned and turned over, so his back faced Harry.
"She told me we couldn't be together." His voice wavered. Harry sighed.
"Rose has a lot of secrets, Eventide. Many that could endanger her life beyond anything she is facing now, if Voldemort was to find out. If I know her, and I do, she turned you down because she felt guilt at being unable to tell you everything, and fear that she would endanger you, too."
"That doesn't matter!" Neville exclaimed, turning onto his back and pounding the mattress with his fists. Harry shook his head.
"It does if you're the one trying to protect the person you love. And with Rose, it's multiplied ten-fold. One of her secrets is so deadly, that if Voldemort were to find out, he would be after her and anyone that she loved in a flash. And yes, I know the secret. But I only know because it involves me, too."
"I don't care! I'd rather die by her side, then not being with her at all." Neville moaned. Harry flinched, feeling pain tighten in his chest.
"It's not that easy, Neville! Rose could never put someone she loved in that sort of danger, if she could help it. No one would! I should know. I'm in the same boat." Harry whispered, looking down at the floor and finding it quite interesting.
"Ginny?" Neville asked softly. Harry groaned and collapsed onto Seamus's bed, which was right behind him. For the first time since he had cried with Rose, he felt his eyes burn with unshed tears. He nodded speechlessly, and looked away. They were silent for a while.
"Harry? Tell her." Neville finally said, startling Harry.
"What?!" He asked nervously. Neville frowned slightly.
"Tell her. I don't regret telling Rose. At least she knows about my feelings. Ginny deserves to know. She loves you."
"Everyone is telling me that. But it doesn't make it any easier." Harry ranted, as a small grin formed on his friend's face.
"It doesn't. But you won't regret it, trust me. Just promise me one thing."
"What?"
"Don't let her get away." Neville whispered, getting out of his bed and going into the lavatory. Harry stared after him for what seemed like ages, then stood up.
Perhaps he should take Neville's...and Rose's advice.
"And do a little matchmaking on the side." He muttered, looking at the closed door of the bathroom.
~*~*~*~