DISCLAIMER: I own only the plot. Everything else is owned by JKRowling.
***
The next couple of months passed so quickly I barely noticed them. Despite You-Know-Who being back, everything seemed the same as ever. McGonagall was still strict, Snape was still nasty, Dobby was still weird, Fred and George were still losing house points left, right and centre... Nothing had changed at Hogwarts.
It was December now. We were eating breakfast in the Great Hall when Dumbledore spoke up. "The Yule Ball will be held two weeks tonight. Obviously, you are expected to bring partners. I fully acknowledge that none of you will get any work done over the next fortnight what with the excitement of you all inviting each other... but never mind. Dress robes are expected to be worn. I think that is all? Yes. Well then, enjoy your breakfast!"
***
That evening I was sat in the Gryffindor common room when Neville came over and sat by me.
"Um... Ginny?"
"Yes, Neville?"
"I was wondering, well, since I went to the Yule Ball with you last year, well, er, I was wondering if you'd like to go with me again...? Please?" Neville was a very interesting shade of scarlet by this time.
"Oh... Erm... Look, Neville, I'm really sorry but I'm kind of going to ask someone else and..."
"Harry, I suppose." he said wryly.
I turned crimson. "Um..."
"It's OK, Ginny. Everyone knows how you feel about him. Well, everyone except Harry that is! Anyway, I'll see you around..." With that, Neville got up and walked off. Presumably to hunt for Trevor the Toad.
I felt pretty bad. Last year, I'd only gone with Neville because Harry hadn't asked me and, otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to go. I was only in Third Year then, you see. I hoped he wasn't too upset.
But then all thoughts of Neville Longbottom were flung out of my mind by the appearance of Harry in the portrait hole. He'd grown taller over the holidays and become more muscular. He was so handsome... He looked around the room, saw me and smiled.
Please come over, please come over, please come over I kept thinking over and over again.
He came over.
"Hey, Ginny!" He grinned at me.
"Hiya Harry." I smiled back. Right, I thought, take a deep breath and -
"Would you like to go to the Yule Ball with me, Gin?"
I snapped out of my trance-like state mid deep breath. "What?" I gasped.
"I said, would you like to go to the Yule Ball with me?" He looked as nervous as I felt.
"Of course I would, Harry." I said shyly.
"Really?"
"Yes."
"OK. Well, should I meet you in the common room at about half-seven on the night and then we'll walk down to the Great Hall together?"
"Yeah, that's fine."
"Alright then. Well, I have to go now to do some homework so I guess I'll see you later then, Gin."
"See you later..."
I was on cloud nine. Harry Potter had asked me, Ginny Weasley, to the Yule Ball. He must really, honestly like me if he asked me himself, instead of just saying yes to me... Ooh! Now I had to decide what to wear!
***
That fortnight was the fastest fortnight of my life. I'd been saving my money and, over the summer, I'd owl-ordered gorgeous sparkling emerald green dress robes with matching strappy shoes. I was piling my hair up on top of my head with silver and green hair jewels, and wearing silver and emerald earrings with a matching necklace. A shimmery wash of green eyeshadow, some black mascara, sheer pink lip-gloss and I was perfect, if I do say so myself.
Hermione didn't need to ask Ron as he asked her himself - clearly he'd learnt from last years Viktor Krum disaster.
On the night of the Ball I came down from the girls' dormitories with Hermione, who looked sensational in pale gold, to meet Harry and Ron who were both waiting for us in the common room. I saw Harry look up and stare when I walked in. I don't think he could believe his eyes. I know I sound horribly vain but I just looked so different to all the other times he'd seen me I don't think he honestly could believe what he was seeing.
"You look great, Ginny." He murmured.
"Thanks." I blushed. "You look nice too."
We hardly spoke on our way down to the Great Hall. I knew that if I opened my mouth then the only sound that would come out would be a horrible squeak.
It was a magical evening. I know that sounds so clichéd but it was true. We ate and talked and danced and it was amazing. I was so crazy about him it hurt. All I wanted was to do was hug him and kiss him and... Oh, it was lovely!
It was about half-eleven. We were slow-dancing together, my head on his shoulder, his arms around my waist, when Draco Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson came up next to us.
"What did you do, Potter?" Sneered Malfoy, "Pay her to come with you? I mean, you couldn't get a girl any other way and we all know she needs the money!"
Pansy collapsed into sniggering giggles.
I felt Harry tense in my arms. "Just ignore them." I whispered, "Let it go."
"Whispering sweet nothings, Weasel?" Smirked Pansy.
"Well, nothing's all she can afford." Malfoy muttered.
"Get lost, Malfoy. I'm warning you..." Harry growled.
"You are warning me, Potter? Not a very good idea I have to say. Especially since I know the exact reason you invited the little Weasel here..."
"Shut it, Malfoy! Ignore him, Gin. He doesn't know what he's talking about."
"Oh, I think I do, Potter... Cho Chang said she didn't want to go with you because it was too soon after Diggory and you couldn't even get the next best thing so you went after Weasel..." Malfoy grinned triumphantly at the pair of us.
Harry said nothing.
Pansy looked down at me. "And it is true, Weasel. Ask any of the girls." With that the two of them walked off to the other Slytherins.
I was on the verge of tears. "Harry, is that true? You only asked me because Cho wouldn't go with you?"
"Look, Ginny, I did ask Cho first and she did say no. But I didn't just ask you because I couldn't get anyone else like Malfoy said. I do like you and I respect you and I -"
"But you'd rather have Cho." I finished for him. "It's been a nice night, Harry, but I don't want to be someone you're settling for, OK? I'll see you in the morning." And I turned on my heel and headed back to the Gryffindor tower.
***
The next couple of months passed so quickly I barely noticed them. Despite You-Know-Who being back, everything seemed the same as ever. McGonagall was still strict, Snape was still nasty, Dobby was still weird, Fred and George were still losing house points left, right and centre... Nothing had changed at Hogwarts.
It was December now. We were eating breakfast in the Great Hall when Dumbledore spoke up. "The Yule Ball will be held two weeks tonight. Obviously, you are expected to bring partners. I fully acknowledge that none of you will get any work done over the next fortnight what with the excitement of you all inviting each other... but never mind. Dress robes are expected to be worn. I think that is all? Yes. Well then, enjoy your breakfast!"
***
That evening I was sat in the Gryffindor common room when Neville came over and sat by me.
"Um... Ginny?"
"Yes, Neville?"
"I was wondering, well, since I went to the Yule Ball with you last year, well, er, I was wondering if you'd like to go with me again...? Please?" Neville was a very interesting shade of scarlet by this time.
"Oh... Erm... Look, Neville, I'm really sorry but I'm kind of going to ask someone else and..."
"Harry, I suppose." he said wryly.
I turned crimson. "Um..."
"It's OK, Ginny. Everyone knows how you feel about him. Well, everyone except Harry that is! Anyway, I'll see you around..." With that, Neville got up and walked off. Presumably to hunt for Trevor the Toad.
I felt pretty bad. Last year, I'd only gone with Neville because Harry hadn't asked me and, otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to go. I was only in Third Year then, you see. I hoped he wasn't too upset.
But then all thoughts of Neville Longbottom were flung out of my mind by the appearance of Harry in the portrait hole. He'd grown taller over the holidays and become more muscular. He was so handsome... He looked around the room, saw me and smiled.
Please come over, please come over, please come over I kept thinking over and over again.
He came over.
"Hey, Ginny!" He grinned at me.
"Hiya Harry." I smiled back. Right, I thought, take a deep breath and -
"Would you like to go to the Yule Ball with me, Gin?"
I snapped out of my trance-like state mid deep breath. "What?" I gasped.
"I said, would you like to go to the Yule Ball with me?" He looked as nervous as I felt.
"Of course I would, Harry." I said shyly.
"Really?"
"Yes."
"OK. Well, should I meet you in the common room at about half-seven on the night and then we'll walk down to the Great Hall together?"
"Yeah, that's fine."
"Alright then. Well, I have to go now to do some homework so I guess I'll see you later then, Gin."
"See you later..."
I was on cloud nine. Harry Potter had asked me, Ginny Weasley, to the Yule Ball. He must really, honestly like me if he asked me himself, instead of just saying yes to me... Ooh! Now I had to decide what to wear!
***
That fortnight was the fastest fortnight of my life. I'd been saving my money and, over the summer, I'd owl-ordered gorgeous sparkling emerald green dress robes with matching strappy shoes. I was piling my hair up on top of my head with silver and green hair jewels, and wearing silver and emerald earrings with a matching necklace. A shimmery wash of green eyeshadow, some black mascara, sheer pink lip-gloss and I was perfect, if I do say so myself.
Hermione didn't need to ask Ron as he asked her himself - clearly he'd learnt from last years Viktor Krum disaster.
On the night of the Ball I came down from the girls' dormitories with Hermione, who looked sensational in pale gold, to meet Harry and Ron who were both waiting for us in the common room. I saw Harry look up and stare when I walked in. I don't think he could believe his eyes. I know I sound horribly vain but I just looked so different to all the other times he'd seen me I don't think he honestly could believe what he was seeing.
"You look great, Ginny." He murmured.
"Thanks." I blushed. "You look nice too."
We hardly spoke on our way down to the Great Hall. I knew that if I opened my mouth then the only sound that would come out would be a horrible squeak.
It was a magical evening. I know that sounds so clichéd but it was true. We ate and talked and danced and it was amazing. I was so crazy about him it hurt. All I wanted was to do was hug him and kiss him and... Oh, it was lovely!
It was about half-eleven. We were slow-dancing together, my head on his shoulder, his arms around my waist, when Draco Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson came up next to us.
"What did you do, Potter?" Sneered Malfoy, "Pay her to come with you? I mean, you couldn't get a girl any other way and we all know she needs the money!"
Pansy collapsed into sniggering giggles.
I felt Harry tense in my arms. "Just ignore them." I whispered, "Let it go."
"Whispering sweet nothings, Weasel?" Smirked Pansy.
"Well, nothing's all she can afford." Malfoy muttered.
"Get lost, Malfoy. I'm warning you..." Harry growled.
"You are warning me, Potter? Not a very good idea I have to say. Especially since I know the exact reason you invited the little Weasel here..."
"Shut it, Malfoy! Ignore him, Gin. He doesn't know what he's talking about."
"Oh, I think I do, Potter... Cho Chang said she didn't want to go with you because it was too soon after Diggory and you couldn't even get the next best thing so you went after Weasel..." Malfoy grinned triumphantly at the pair of us.
Harry said nothing.
Pansy looked down at me. "And it is true, Weasel. Ask any of the girls." With that the two of them walked off to the other Slytherins.
I was on the verge of tears. "Harry, is that true? You only asked me because Cho wouldn't go with you?"
"Look, Ginny, I did ask Cho first and she did say no. But I didn't just ask you because I couldn't get anyone else like Malfoy said. I do like you and I respect you and I -"
"But you'd rather have Cho." I finished for him. "It's been a nice night, Harry, but I don't want to be someone you're settling for, OK? I'll see you in the morning." And I turned on my heel and headed back to the Gryffindor tower.