A Moment Like This
Chapter 3 – The Contest
"Hermione, I don't think I'll be able to do this!" Ginny wailed. She wrung her hands nervously while pacing back and forth in the seventh year girls' dormitory, where she and Hermione were getting ready for the contest. They'd decided to wait and wear their new dress robes the next night, which was both Christmas and the day of the ball.
"Calm down, Ginny. If you do, I'll tell you a secret." Hermione sincerely hoped that this would keep Ginny's thoughts from wandering to the contest. It did.
"What? Tell me, please! I promise on my wand that I won't tell a soul!" Apparently, Ginny had a liking for secrets. "Please? Pretty please, with those funny red fruits on top?"
"Okay, okay, calm down!" Hermione smiled.
"Well?" Ginny looked at her with her hands on her hips.
"Okay...I heard," Hermione said lowly, "that Harry is singing a song about his feelings for something...or someone." She winked suggestively, and Ginny gasped.
"You're not thinking...no! It must be someone else...are you sure?" She looked at Hermione closely.
"Ginny- I've been one of his best friends since first year. I think I'd know when I'm right."
Yeah, and you're also the smartest person in the school, thought Ginny. But she didn't dwell on that. "Did you hear what...what his feelings are?" She sounded hopeful.
Hermione shook her head sadly. "No. Only that, and I got it from Ron, so perhaps it's not entirely reliable." They both laughed.
Ginny looked at her watch, and said with a groan, "Almost time. Where's Elizabeth?"
"I'm here!" came a voice from the bathroom. Hermione put her hand over her mouth to stifle a giggle.
Ginny answered, "Well get your Scottish butt out here- we've got five minutes 'till it starts." Somewhere behind the oak door, Ginny was sure she heard a gasp of surprise.
Elizabeth entered the dormitory seconds later, wearing her bathrobe and a shower cap. Hermione raised her eyebrows.
"Um, why aren't you dressed? Ginny said that you entered."
Elizabeth laughed. "No, no. This is my costume. I'm singing Rubber Ducky for Fred and George. They owled me a couple days ago," she added when she saw Ginny's confused face.
"Okay," Hermione said, sounding businesslike. "I'll just use the loo and we can go downstairs." She bolted for the bathroom.
Pressing her ear to the door, Ginny asked, "Are you okay, Hermione?"
No answer. Then- "Yeah," she heard Hermione croak. "I'm okay."
She emerged a few minutes later, looking a little pale. However, she smiled at Ginny and Elizabeth, and led them downstairs to hear Parvati walking onto a makeshift stage. "Here we go," she said.
"Ron! Where are my shoes?" Harry was panicking. His glasses were askew from flopping on the floor and sticking his head under each and every bed, looking for his shoes. Ron had taken them to go to the Owlery to give Pigwidgeon some Owl Treats, but they hadn't come back.
"I dunno. I left 'em right there," he pointed to a pile of robes. Harry dove, throwing the robes backwards.
"You okay?" Ron asked from under three different colored robes that had flown at him unexpectedly.
"Just ducky. When I find my damn shoes, I'm going to chuck 'em at your bloody head."
"Ooh, touchy, touchy, touchy!" Ron peeled the robes off his freckled face just as Neville came skidding in the door.
"Harry! Ron! Parvati says it's time!" He looked worriedly from one to the other. Harry was tying his shoes hastily. Ron, on the other hand, turned a sickly shade of green.
"Tttime? For...for the contest? Already?" He looked pleadingly at Harry, who shrugged.
"You're the one who got yourself in this mess." He put on a surly voice. "If you want, I'll do it, 'Mione. I'd do anything for you, you know!" He grinned as his taunting caused Ron's face to go from green to deep scarlet in ten seconds.
"Shut up, you," Ron growled. "Or else the whole dorm will know about you and...other members of my family."
Harry stared. "You wouldn't dare." He wouldn't do that, would he? Not to me, at least. I hope.
"Okay, then. Keep your mouth shut, and I'll keep mine shut." He turned, and held open the dormitory door. "You coming?"
"I guess. Now or never."
"Can I have your attention? May I present the host of the singing contest, Miss Lavender Brown!" The crowd of Gryffindors clapped loudly as a seemingly nervous Lavender in lavender silk dress robes stumbled out from the girl's staircase.
"Good...Good evening. I am Lavender Brown, and I will be presenting the contestants tonight. First up, is Elizabeth Cole, singing Rubber Ducky!" More clapping.
Closest to the stage, Ginny, Hermione, Ron, and Harry clapped the loudest. Elizabeth might have looked absolutely ridiculous, but she sang well.
"You were great!" Ginny exclaimed when she joined their group.
"Thanks. When're you up?"
"Not until number five. Wish me luck!" Ginny turned, and was swept into a dual hug by Hermione and Ron.
Hermione whispered into her ear, "Go get 'em." Ginny looked over Hermione's shoulder at the one person she would have given anything to hug. Harry. Their eyes met, and Ginny saw a blush creeping up his neck.
"Good luck," he whispered. Ginny grinned.
"Thanks, everyone. See you later!" She disappeared behind the makeshift curtain. As soon as she was out of sight, Ron turned to Harry.
"If you don't go through with it, mate, you'll regret it." Harry nodded slowly. "I'm serious," Ron continued in a barely audible voice, "If you don't say anything tonight, some other bloke will. And I don't want that to happen-" he said hastily, seeing the look on his best friend's face "-because that would mean that I would have to pummel him, and I don't want to get all dirty before I go up onstage." Ron grinned. "Actually, it's probably better that it's you that likes her, because I wouldn't have to bloody you up, just tease you mercilessly for the rest of your life."
"Thanks a lot," Harry said hotly, regaining some of his color.
Hermione poked him in the spine and hissed, "Shut up, you two. Ginny's up now!"
Harry and Ron stopped bickering long enough to see Ginny slide through the gap in the scarlet curtains, dressed in dark blue Muggle jeans and a green shirt that Ron guessed she'd picked out because it matched Harry's eyes. He glanced sideways at Harry, and was pleased to see that he was blushing again.
"H-hi, I'm Ginny Weasley, and I'll be singing A Chance." She looked around nervously until she found that swath of red Weasley hair next to a mop of black hair. She grinned in spite of her nervousness.
Hermione crossed her fingers as she smiled up at Ginny expectantly. Harry couldn't help but notice the way she'd steal glances at Ron once every five minutes. He hoped they'd say something, or he might take drastic measures and lock them in a broom cupboard until they'd snogged.
The music started, and the whole tower took out their wands and lit them, swaying back and forth to the slow beat.
'Boy, don't you know it's all I can do
To keep my hands off of you
Anytime you're around
And when the stars come out at night
I dream of holdin' you tight
Everytime I lay down
It feels so good to me to have you this bad
The only other thing I wish I had was
A chance
A chance
To tell you how I feel about you
How it feels to live without a chance
A chance
To tell you I'll love you forever
Knowing that I'll never have a chance
Sometimes reality hurts
And you wonder if life's worth living at all
Knowing no matter how much you care
You'll never have a prayer
Of having what you want
At least I've been close enough I could taste
Beauty at it's best but never a trace of
A chance
A chance
To tell you how I feel about you
How it feels to live without a chance
A chance
To tell you I love you forever
Knowing that I'll never have a chance
A chance
A chance
To tell you I'll love you forever
Knowing that I'll never have
The chance'
Even though the applause was so loud Harry couldn't tell what Hermione and Ron were saying, and they were right next to him, he couldn't help but think, Oh my God. Did Ginny Weasley just say what I think she said? To me? He looked over again at Ron and Hermione. They were staring at him, but averted their eager gazes at the last second.
Harry was in such a daze that he didn't notice when Ginny came back and settled herself in between Hermione and Elizabeth, and Ron hurried backstage. When his best friend took the stage moments later, Harry found himself thinking, When did he leave? He shrugged, more to himself than to anyone else.
Ron walked through the curtains, and fell flat on his face. He picked himself up quickly, turning beet red in the face. He mumbled, "Sorry, slipped on my robes."
Everyone laughed heartily. He looked helpless, but Hermione gave him an encouraging smile, and he took the microphone in his hand.
"I'm Ron Weasley, and I'll be singing Unbelievable. I also," he said with a mischievous glint in his eye, "want to dedicate this song to the most unbelievable girl I know, Hermione Granger."
Hermione gasped as the spotlight shifted from Ron to herself.
'She's so kissable, huggable, lovable, unbelievable
She's a mouthful of anything and everything a man could want
She ain't typical, she's unpredictable, she's available, it's a miracle
How my heart stumbled into someone so kissable, huggable, lovable, unbelievable
Up 'til now my life has been so lonely and boring
I never thought I would find someone so
Elegant, intelligent, heaven sent, all my money spent
I put a big down payment on that itty bitty diamond ring
She's so beautiful, it's indisputable, it's undeniable, she's got-to-havable
She's music to my ears and makes my heart sing, so
Kissable, huggable, lovable, unbelievable
There's so many things
I want to tell her
Like I love her
But every time I talk
I start to stutter
She's so elegant, intelligent, heaven sent, all my money spent
I put a big down payment on that itty bitty diamond ring
She's so beautiful, it's indisputable, she's got-to-havable
She's music to my ears and makes my heart sing, kissable, huggable, lovable, unbelievable
Kissable, huggable, lovable, unbelievable
Kissable, huggable, lovable, unbelievable'
Ron finished, and Lavender Brown walked over to Hermione and Ginny and handed Hermione a large bouquet of enchanted red roses. Hermione blushed to the color of Ginny's hair, but didn't say anything. Then it was her turn.
Stepping up to the microphone, Hermione said, "I'm Hermione Granger-" loud cheering "-and I'm singing Cowboy Take Me Away, for Ron Weasley, the only cowboy in orange."
Ron's mouth dropped open after she said that and Harry nudged him with his elbow.
'I said I wanna touch the earth
I wanna break it in my hands
I wanna grow something wild and unruly
I wanna sleep on the hard ground
In the comfort of your arms
On a pillow of bluebonnets
In a blanket made of stars
Oh it sounds good to me I said
Cowboy take me away
Fly this girl as high as you can
Into the wild blue
Set me free oh I pray
Closer to heaven above and
Closer to you closer to you
I wanna walk and not run
I wanna skip and not fall
I wanna look at the horizon
And not see a building standing tall
I wanna be the only one
For miles and miles
Except for maybe you
And your simple smile
Oh it sounds good to me
Yes it sounds so good to me
Cowboy take me away
Fly this girl as high as you can
Into the wild blue
Set me free oh I pray
Closer to heaven above and
Closer to you closer to you
I said I wanna touch the earth
I wanna break it in my hands
I wanna grow something wild and unruly
Oh it sounds so good to me
Cowboy take me away
Fly this girl as high as you can
Into the wild blue
Set me free oh I pray
Closer to heaven above and
Closer to you closer to you
Closer to you
Cowboy take me away
Closer to you'
The crowd of Gryffindors cheered as she walked offstage and was replaced by Colin Creevey. Toward the end of his song, Hermione poked Harry in the spine again and told him that it was almost time for him to go up. Harry felt sick to his stomach. He smiled weakly at Hermione and Ginny. Right before he ascended the stage, Ron grabbed him by the arm.
"Now or never, Harry. Don't break my sister's heart." Harry nodded.
He closed his eyes, and began to sing, not caring who heard him- Malfoy could come and listen for all he cared- all he wanted to do was tell Ginny how he felt, as she had.
'They read you Cinderella
You hoped it would come true
That one day your Prince Charming would come rescue you
You like romantic movies
And you never will forget
The way you felt when Romeo kissed Juliette
And all this time that you've been waiting
You don't have to wait no more
I can love you like that
I would make you my world
Move heaven and earth if you were my girl
I would give you my heart
Be all that you need
Show you you're everything that's precious to me
If you give me a chance, I can love you like that'
Ginny was awestruck. Is he saying...? She looked over at Hermione, and she nodded. Ginny couldn't believe it. Harry Potter?
'I never make a promise
I don't intend to keep
So when I say forever
Forever's what I mean
I'm no Casanova
But I swear this much is true
I'll be holding nothing back
when it comes to you
You dream of love that's everlasting
Well baby open up your eyes...
I can love you like that
I would make you my world
Move heaven and earth if you were my girl
I would give you my heart
Be all that you need
Show you you're everything that's precious to me
If you give me a chance, I can love you like that
If you want tenderness
I've got tenderness
And I see through to the heart of you
If you want a man
Who will understand
You don't have to look very far'
Ginny was grinning stupidly. She was sure this was what Hermione had meant. Or was it? She so desperately wanted to know, once and for all.
After the last performer finished, Lavender took the stage once more. She wore an enormous smile on her face.
"Ladies, gentlemen, and Ron." The crowd laughed uproariously as he tightened his arm around Hermione. "We are pleased to announce the surprise of the evening. We drew two names out of all of the performers that stood here tonight-" she gestured at the stage around her "- and took the liberty of arranging a song for them. These two individuals haven't a clue that they have been picked, so, without further adieu, put your wands in the air for Miss Ginny Weasley and Mr Harry Potter, who will be singing Someday."
Ginny looked past Hermione and her brother to look at Harry. He had a skeptical look on his face.
"Did you know about this?" he asked her. Ginny shook her head. "I guess we'd better go up, then," Harry said shakily. They walked up and found themselves staring at the song printed out on a stand in front of them. The music began.
'I wipe the tears away
As I give up this day
Wonderin' if I'll ever find someone
An' when I close my eyes an' dream
These are the words I'm whispering
Someday, love will come
I won't have a doubt
My head up in the cloud
And certain as the mornin' sun
I will always believe
There's somebody just for me
Someday, love will come
Someday, after all these nights of waitin'
An' someday, I'll find the chance worth takin'
An' saving me
From waking up alone
My heart will find a home
Someday'
Harry looked at Ginny with a smile. She looked so cute, with the dimple showing on one cheek when she smiled. He suddenly wanted time to stop, to tell her openly that he loved her.
'An' she'll be so beautiful
The sweetest miracle
Someday, love will come
Someday, after all these nights of waitin'
An' someday, I'll find a chance worth takin'
Saving me
From wakin' up alone
My heart will find a home
Someday
An' when I close my eyes an' dream
These are the words I'm whispering
Someday, love will come
Someday, love will come'
Through the blinding light that shone from nowhere, Harry could see the weeping outline of Professor McGonagall. Apparently, he realized, she'd heard about the contest and decided to have a peek. His insides shriveled up at the thought. Then he remembered that Ginny was standing next to him, and pushed all doubt and worry to the back of his mind.
The after-show party was fully underway when Harry decided to work up the nerves to say something to Ginny about the ball. Next to him, Hermione and Ron were exchanging words and grinning like fools.
Noticing his best friends' silence, Ron tore his gaze away from Hermione and said seriously, "Mate, Ginny's right over there with her friend Elizabeth. Go on, ask her to the ball. We know you want to, no use denying it." Hermione nodded in agreement.
Harry nodded. He didn't trust his voice, his mouth was so dry. Hermione noticed this, and gave him a small hug.
"Go on. It's not that hard."
Harry wanted to shout at her, 'Yes it is, you two just got lucky this time around! Remember how hard it was for me to ask Cho?', but couldn't make himself do it. He had just made up his mind, voice or no voice, he was going to talk to Ginny Weasley when, halfway across the common room, Colin Creevey approached Ginny and, by the looks of it, asked her for a private word.
Harry slumped back to the table and collapsed in his vacant chair with a sigh of disgust. Why hadn't I just done it when they told me to? Now she'll probably go to the ball with Colin. Colin. He sat up. Would she go with Colin? Yes, he answered. He's nice, and hasn't ignored her for six years. He wanted to cry.
Ginny was laughing with Elizabeth and another sixth year named Jamie when she saw out of the corner of her eye that Harry was walking towards her. She fell silent immediately, praying that he was going to ask her to the ball. Then, for some reason, he turned around with a look of pure disgust on his face. She looked wildly around, trying to locate the reason he turned around, but only saw Colin.
Colin. She wanted to scream at him for coming over to her in particular, and asking for a private word. Reluctantly, she followed him outside the portrait hole, bracing herself for what was so obviously yet to come.
Colin gave Ginny a small smile. "Ginny? Could I ask you something?" Inside her head, the little voice was moaning, Here we go, this is it, he's asking me to the ball. How do I let him down easy? Could I possibly say, 'I'm sorry Colin, it's just that I've been waiting for Harry Potter to ask me, that's all, so I can't really go with you?' No, that would sound too mean.
Her somewhat flustered voice said, "Sure Colin."
A/N: Colin Creevey, you bum. Why d'you say that? Colin's cool. 'Course, he did literally attack Harry with his camera in make a fool out of Harry around Lockhart. What's not to like? … Don't answer that. Yeah, that's what I thought. Well, he grows on you. Umm, okay. Your love life, not mine. I DO NOT HAVE ANY ROMANTIC FEELINGS WHATSOEVER FOR COLIN CREEVEY! My heart belongs to Oliver Wood. Eye candy. Mere eye candy. Harry is better. Much better. Don't know what you've been eating, but I know a hot British person when I see one. And I saw Ollie. Harry's better, Wood looks like Dudley next to him. TAKE THAT BACK! TAKE IT BACK RIGHT NOW OR I'LL…I'LL... You'll what? Jump up and down screaming 'Seize her!'? HA! Allow me to scoff! That's very impolite, Dufoli. Scoff, scoff. Dufoli… Scoff. -Siaryst & Dufoli