The next day, Harry decided to ask her out but during lunch, she wasn't in the Great Hall and after classes, she was with Colin and some group of fifth years, doing their assignments.
"Oh, shit! Tomorrow is Valentines' Day! The ball," Harry said on a Friday night. I've got to ask her or else someone else'll ask her… Harry thought and went inside the common room. There, he found Ginny alone beside the fire and seemed thinking so deep that she didn't notice Harry sat beside her.
"Uhmm… Ginny," he said softly, trying to bring her back to reality without embarrassing her. When Ginny heard his voice, she almost jumped.
"Harry! What are you doing here?"
"Er—nothing, I just want to sit with you," he lied.
Oh! Shit! How can I ask her? "Ginny, may I honor in going with you to the ball?" The honor? That's for the olden times. Come on, Harry, don't be so old-fashioned. "Ginny, do you think I can go with you at the ball?" Maybe she was asked by someone else. Maybe Dean—or Michael—or Colin. Fate, help me, he thought desperately.
Is he asking me to the ball? No-he'll never ask me. Maybe I could ask him by myself? No—he'll just think that I'm a flirt. You're not like this, Ginny. Let a boy make the first move. What am I going to do now? Just sit here, not knowing what to do? Maybe he already has a date. Fate, please give me the answer, Ginny thought.
Then, suddenly Colin went inside the common room and saw Harry and Ginny, who were both thinking the same thing. He smiled evilly to himself.
"Why are you, two, so quiet there? Or is this just an embarrassed silence?" he said slyly. Harry and Ginny went out of their thoughts and spun around.
"Oh, shut up, Colin! And don't you dare tell her!" Harry said, remembering what Colin knows.
Flashback
Harry, Ron, and Hermione were exiting the Great Hall, heading for their next class.
"Harry, did you tell Ginny that you like her?" said Ron eagerly.
"Ron, why are you always asking me that? Do you want me and Ginny to end up together?" said Harry irritably.
"Yah, 'coz I know I can trust you coz we knew each other for ages. I think that you're the best guy for my sister. Since you saved her from the chamber, I reckon that you care for her," said Ron.
"But Ginny doesn't like me," said Harry. Hermione was about to say something when someone said, "Ginny, Harry?" It was Colin. "You want me to tell her that you fancy her?"
"So want me to strangle you?" said Harry.
"No, but it's better she knows the truth,"
"If you tell her, Colin, I swear…" Harry trailed off.
End of flashback
"What if I'll tell her?"
I really hate to hear the word "her". It will always remind me of Harry's special someone, thought Ginny angrily.
"I'll strangle you,"
"Really?" he asked, pretending to get scared.
"Yeah, really. So you better disappear," Harry said irritably. With one final look, Colin went to his dorm, still smiling slyly.
If I'll not ask her, I will never know the answer. Come on, Harry gather all your courage. Why am I so afraid to ask an ordinary girl like her when I'm so brave facing Voldemort? No—she's not an ordinary girl. She's my special someone. Go on, Harry, grit your teeth, ask her and you'll know the answer, he thought.
"Ginny?" he said. Come on. It's easy. Ginny, will you go to the ball with me? He thought
"Yes?" she replied. Maybe he's going to ask me now, she thought.
"Uhmm… Will you—Will you, er, go to the ball?" he paused. Come on just say those two words. They're the only ones missing. "er, with me?" he finished and felt his cheeks getting hot.
Finally! But don'tblush,don'tblush,don'tblush, she thought. Too late! She felt her cheeks starting to burn up.
"Harry, uhmm…" she began and looked at Harry, who was looking at the ground, hands on his face. Fate, please don't tell me she'll say "no", please… he thought.
"Okay, I will," she said. Harry looked up and saw her smiling. The words "Okay, I will" kept ringing in his head. His eyes glinted with happiness.
"You will?" he said with great joy.
"You want me to change my decision?" she asked with a smile.
"YEEESSSSS!" he shouted so happily that he almost hugged Ginny, causing heads to turn to their direction.
"Be quiet! You're attracting attentions," hissed Ginny. "But you really mean it?"
" Of course!" Harry said.
"Why?"
"I just want to spend the night with you,"
"Why?"
"Why there's always a 'why'?"
"Why are you asking?"
"Why are you answering my question with a question?"
"Why do you care if I answered your question with a question?"
"Why do you like the word 'why'?" They're so noisy now that some third and fourth years went to their dormitories. Hermione and Ron entered the common room and saw Harry and Ginny arguing but smiling, like they're teasing each other. Ron and Hermione looked at each other.
"Look at those two, it's obvious that they love each other. Why don't they just tell each other?"
"Ron, I think Harry's going to tell her tomorrow—on Valentines' Day," whispered Hermione. Ron smiled.
"Maybe," he said and put his arm around Hermione's shoulders as they walked towards Harry and Ginny's direction.
"Why I like the word 'why'? Because it reminds me of the letter 'Y', which is the last letter of my crush's name," she said without thinking, but she's certain not to stammer or else it would be obvious. She had thought of some things to cover up what she has said.
" The letter 'Y'. Last letter. Like—like a boy named Harry, right?" he teased.
"Harry, I didn't know that you were that assuming,"
"I'm not assuming that you like me. I'm just telling the truth,"
"But you're bending the truth,"
"Well, anyways, I also had a crush whose name ends with a letter 'Y'…"
"Like—Ginny?" someone said. It was Hermione. With sideways glance at Ginny, Harry saw her blushing.
"What if I'll say 'yes'?" Harry said and noticed Ginny going redder than before; Harry smiled.
"I missed that blush," he told Ginny slyly. Ginny grinned, said "And you missed this?" and punched Harry's shoulder playfully.
"Ouch! I'm not asking you to punch me," he said.
"Whatever! Harry, we better go to sleep or else we'll be a disturbance to Ron and Hermione's …" she trailed off, seeing the expression on Ron and Hermione's faces. Harry grinned and said, "Yeah, we better" Harry and Ginny stood up, heading to their dormitories.
"Goodnight, Ms. Weasley," Harry said jokingly.
"Goodnight, young Mr. Potter," Ginny said teasingly and went to her dorm, thinking, That was the best night I had ever experienced with him. I didn't know he had also a great sense of humor…
END OF Chapter 2