Disclaimer: I do not own this.
Dedication: To NotYourAverageSchoolgirl, an amazing author! Her angst makes me want to cry, and her fluff makes me want to dance. Merry Belated Christmas, and a Happy New Year!
Kiss Me Under the Mistletoe
Ginny could not believe she was doing this. She couldn't believe that she was walking down the staircase on her way to Hogsmeade with a pale green shirt that had the words "KISS ME UNDER THE MISTLETOE" glaring upon it. Had she no shame? Yes, yes she had. She was too ashamed to be labeled a coward by Lavender Brown, whose shirt this was. Her pride was what brought her here, the reason she was walking down to Hogsmeade wearing a fluffy white hat and scarf ("To set off your hair!"), an open white jacket, and matching gloves. Lavender and Parvati had insisted that the shirt would be the focus, and Ginny had no doubt that it would be. In fact, the two annoying girls were trailing behind Ginny at the very moment, determined to see the reactions on the faces of the boys they were bound to encounter.
The redheaded girl sighed in despair, and wondered just what had happened to make her fall into this horrifying situation. Ginny went over everything that had occurred from the beginning: Lavender insisted that Harry was in love with her, Ginny; Ginny had denied it; Hermione had contradicted her; Parvati agreed with Hermione; Ginny had admired Lavender's shirt, although she hadn't noticed what it had said on it; Parvati insisted that she wear it and that would prove Harry's love for her; Ginny had scoffed at this; Hermione slyly insinuated that it would be an educational experience and a boost to her self-esteem; Lavender had dared Ginny, and then had the audacity to tell her that she would be a coward if she didn't do it; and then Ginny had no choice. Yes, Ginny nodded, it was all Lavender's fault. Because she, Ginny, would never back down, not if it killed her.
Ginny turned around and scowled at Lavender who smiled brilliantly at her and caught up, Parvati at her heels. The two girls flanked Ginny, as if determined not to let her escape, which happened to be an idea brewing at the back of the youngest Weasley's mind. Ginny tugged anxiously at her scarf, and then fidgeted nervously with a piece of her hair.
"Relax, Ginny," soothed Parvati, patting her arm. "It's just an experiment, and you don't even have to do anything! Lavender and I will watch the boys for you; all you have to do is walk by them and smile."
Ginny let out an outraged hiss. She could not believe their nerve. "Me? Not do anything? I have to wear the bloody shirt don't I? And smile? Excuse me, but I think that's pretty much everything!"
"Don't forget we'll have to find Harry to walk by too," added Lavender encouragingly. "I bet he won't mind."
"No, of course not," Ginny said sarcastically, stomping down the steps. "He'll have a whoop-dee-do time watching me wear a shirt that orders people to kiss me under the mistletoe. Yeah, that'll bring him right over! Smart one, girls!"
"Ginny, there are plenty of boys who would jump at the chance to kiss you," Parvati insisted. "You've got gorgeous hair, and pretty skin, and you're excellent at Quidditch. What guy wouldn't like you?"
"Harry!" said Ginny exasperatedly as she looked longingly towards the big doors that lead outside. If I could just get outside, I could make a break for it, and barricade myself inside Hagrid's cabin. "We've been over this before. This is pointless. Harry looks at me like a friend and nothing else. I might as well be Hermione to him."
"Well, I hate to break your self-pity bubble," said a new voice. Hermione was walking briskly behind them to reach them. "But the way that Harry looks at me is nothing compared to how he looks at you."
"See?" Lavender said smugly. "Now be quiet and let's go."
"You're so lucky, Ginny," said Parvati dreamily. "I wish it would happen to me!"
What have I done to deserve this? I'm a coward--a filthy, stinking, coward who doesn't have enough willpower to say 'no' when a dare comes her way. Ginny couldn't take it anymore and yelled at the three girls, making them all jump. "Would you all shut up and get your heads out of the clouds? NOTHING HAS HAPPENED, AND NOTHING IS GOING TO HAPPEN!"
"Never say 'never,'" said Lavender, pulling her coat tighter as they finally made it outside. Her breath curled in the frosty air. "Hermione, where are Ron and Harry?"
"I think they went ahead," answered Hermione, winding her scarf snugly about her throat. "I told them that I had to go back and get something. I just wanted to make sure that you got Ginny out here."
"What's the first stop?" asked Parvati, pulling out a piece of parchment and consulting it as the four girls crunched through the snow. "We need a place to which the boys swarm." Did she just say 'swarm'? Why must they be so cruel to me?
"I'd say Zonko's," replied Lavender, leading the way through the gates. "It's always full, and there's that really good-looking guy at the counter. No doubt he would look twice."
Ginny's jaw had dropped during this entire exchange, and had been hanging open in shock until Hermione told her to shut it. Speechless, Ginny resorted to making a snowball and chucking it at the back of Lavender's knee, causing her to stumble and fall down.
"What was that for?" Lavender complained, getting up and brushing herself off. "I'd get you back, but I don't feel like it." You just don't want to see me beat your arse to the ground, that's what!
"You're going to run me by the clerk at Zonko's and see if he blinks?" Ginny asked furiously.
"Why not?" asked Hermione innocently.
"Because that's ridiculous, because I don't know him, because--no!" shouted Ginny, turning to go back. Who cared if she was labeled a coward? Who cared if she holed herself up in the common room for the rest of her life? She was caught immediately by her arms, and marched into Hogsmeade.
"Good thing you showed up, Hermione," Parvati panted as she pushed the struggling girl from behind. "Give it up, Ginny. You're outnumbered."
"What do I get for putting myself through this misery?" asked Ginny, falling limp and smirking as Hermione staggered under her weight. These evil, evil girls owe me their lives for doing this. "A million Galleons perhaps? A lifetime supply of butterbeer? A bottle of Firewhiskey? You can forget about the Galleons if you promise me the Firewhiskey."
"The knowledge of how many boys long and pine for you, but know that they can never have you," Lavender said dramatically, flinging her arms wide open. "You really are lucky, Ginny."
"Would you stop saying that?" Ginny said through gritted teeth, as they approached the noisy joke shop. "I am not lucky. Nobody is pining for me! Leave me alone!"
"Ginny, I swear, if the clerk at Zonko's doesn't look at you, we'll drop it right then and there, okay?" said Hermione pleadingly. "Just be a good sport and go through with this. It might be fun, and you might get a good idea of things."
"Fine, and I get to sneak down to the kitchens as often as I want," Ginny said grudgingly. Parvati beamed and nudged her forward.
"Great! All you have to do is pick up some Dungbombs, take them up to the clerk, smile really big at him, and pay," Lavender rattled the list off, and pushed Ginny through the door into the crowded joke shop. "It'll be easy. Parvati and I will tally everything up."
I'm stuck doing this. I might as well make it worth my while. Ginny plastered a bright smile on her face and put a little bounce into her step as she passed the clerk. She grinned at him and headed over to the barrel of Dungbombs. Opening a bag, and scooping a pile of the stink pellets into it, she smirked to herself. She tied the bag closed and glanced around to see where the other girls were. They winked at her from over by the shelf of Biting Teacups. I can't believe I'm doing this…Ginny walked over to the counter and smiled at the clerk who grinned shyly back. Suddenly, another clerk rushed over and whispered frantically in her ear. The smile on the boy's face dropped and he look frightened. What is going on? The handsome clerk tried vainly not to look afraid of her, but quickly rang up her purchase and hastily went on to the next customer.
"What in Merlin's name just happened?" wailed Ginny as soon as she got out the door. "I did exactly what you told me to do, he smiled back, and then boom!, he looks like a scared rabbit! That's it, I'm done here!" I knew I was ugly, I knew it, I knew it!
"I don't know what happened," soothed Hermione. "But you can't go yet, he did smile back, and we saw him look at the shirt and grin. We'll just have to go to the Three Broomsticks next." And have them look at me like I was a dead fish too? I just want to go back to Hogwarts!
"The guy was an idiot," said Lavender in a superior tone. "He obviously knew that you are out of his reach." Parvati nodded, pulling Ginny along the street.
"Can't I just go back to Hogwarts?" begged Ginny, as they shoved her into the Three Broomsticks.
"Oh, look! There's that cute guy from Ravenclaw, smile at him!" Lavender squealed, as they walked through the maze of tables to find an empty one. "So what if he's a year younger? This is purely for educational purposes." Ginny rolled her eyes, but gamely shot a sweet smile to the fourth year, who timidly smiled back. To her shock, his friend next to him jabbed him in the side, and said something to him. The friendly fourth year's smile fell, and a terrified look came into his eyes. What did I do? Do I have a wart on my nose? Twice in a row? This can't possibly be a coincidence.
"Well, what do you know?" Hermione said disapprovingly. "Twice in a row? There's something wrong here."
Parvati looked outraged. "What is wrong with them? I dressed Ginny myself, it's not because she looks like a slob!" She sat down huffily, and dragged Ginny with her. Gee thanks, you superficial, rude--Mustn't say that. Lavender and Hermione sat down as well.
"I honestly want to kill all three of you," Ginny said angrily. The three other girls flinched. "Didn't I tell you that they'd look at me like I'm a toad? Didn't I tell you that this would be pointless? Whatever happened to a boost to my self-esteem? I feel worse than I have this entire week! And because I do, I order you to buy me a butterbeer right now!" She hunched back in her seat.
Hermione silently got up and came back a minute later with an unusually large bottle of butterbeer and handed it to Ginny. "If it makes you feel better, I don't think that this is a coincidence. You are not and never will be a toad, and nobody thinks that way about you, least of all Harry. I can prove it too. I just need you to keep doing what you've been doing for a little while longer." Again? More? NO! I won't do it!
"Absolutely not!" hissed Ginny, slapping her palms down on the table. "What makes you think that'll will help you find out why I'm a toad in the eyes of everyone here?"
"I think that maybe somebody has been threatening those boys," Hermione said simply. Parvati and Lavender gasped in horror, and gasped again, exchanging looks of understanding.
"Whoa, whoa--Did I just miss something here?" demanded Ginny. I just have to flirt with everybody, and yet I'm told nothing. This isn't fair! "Why do you suddenly look as if you know something?"
"Because we think we do," Parvati said in a secretive tone. "Promise you'll just do this for a few more minutes?"
"Fine, but only because I want to know why I look like a toad," said Ginny heavily.
"Good girl," said Lavender. "Now you go up to the counter and order some more drinks from Madam Rosmerta. Smile at those boys at the table right in front of the Christmas tree, and we'll observe." Why am I doing this? Why don't I just run out the door and never come back? Because I bloody well want to find out what is going on.
Ginny swung her legs out to the side of her chair and got up. She walked smoothly across the floor and smiled brightly at the group of Ravenclaws in front of the tree. Not bothering to see if they winced at her too, she continued towards the counter.
"Hello dear," greeted Madam Rosmerta kindly. "What can I do for you?"
"Three butterbeers, please," Ginny said politely. She itched to turn around and see the boys' faces. I'll cry if they look scared.
"Right away," answered the lady and produced three bottles. "Anything else?"
"Actually, could you do me a favor?" asked Ginny quietly. "Do you see those Ravenclaws in front of the Christmas tree? Could you tell me what their faces look like?"
"They look rather frightened if you ask me," Madam Rosmerta answered, looking strangely at Ginny. "Can't imagine why though. That's a darling shirt by the way."
"Thank you very much," whispered Ginny, slapping some coins on the counter. Hermione's right! They're threatened, by me! But why? What did I ever do? She walked quickly across the room, and put the bottles down and sank into her chair.
"They looked so scared!" Hermione said anxiously. "I honestly don't know why! Who wouldn't want you to be able to smile at people without having them running from you?" Wait a second…
"Say that again--?" said Ginny icily. Hermione repeated herself. "I've got a hunch. Where did you say my brother and Harry were?"
"I think they said they were going to Zonko's," Hermione said. "We must not have seen them there." She clapped a hand over her mouth and Ginny nodded grimly.
"Of all the mean, stupid, outrageous, infantile, childish, idiotic…" ranted Hermione, knocking over one of the unopened bottles of butterbeer. "Threatening any boy that might show an interest in you? I'll kill him!"
"Are you saying that Ron--?" Parvati said in a hushed voice. Lavender looked appalled.
"Little Ronnie is going to die," Ginny said. I have no time to be a coward. I must save all my energy for a murder. "What did he do? Threaten the entire school?"
"He must have," breathed Lavender. "Oh Ginny, do you mind if we get some more people to watch you rip Ron apart?"
"The more the merrier," said Ginny stonily. "Bring the entire school. Gather all of the villagers. Summon every witch and wizard from the sky! Call all the prisoners from Azkaban. I'm probably going to be one of them soon; might as well get acquainted. I don't care." Lavender grabbed Parvati and the two of them rushed out the door. Ginny yanked her gloves back on, jammed her hat on her head, and wound her scarf back around her neck.
"Come on," Hermione said. "We're going to go find them. Ron's not going to admit it, so I'll distract him, and you get it out of Harry, because I know he'll break if you ask him." She's at it again. We're about to kill her best friends, and she insists that Harry is going to melt into a puddle at my feet and tell me all of his darkest secrets. Hah!
"Right, Hermione," said Ginny. Hermione ignored her sarcasm.
The two of them stormed out the door, and ran into the exact people they were looking for. Hermione immediately grabbed Ron before he could say anything and took off down the street, leaving a confused Harry at Ginny's mercy. You poor, naïve, innocent boy…
"Hi, Harry!" said Ginny brightly, slipping her arm through his and starting to walk. "I haven't seen you in a while! How are you?" Oh Merlin, I'm flirting with him… And why? So that I can wheedle out the information I need to kill Ron. How utterly pathetic! No wonder I look like a toad! I'm a toad on the inside, and now it's showing!
"Good, and you?" said Harry, blushing slightly. Why isn't he scared of me? After all, this is a toad looking at him. Unless… unless he helped orchestrate the whole Threaten-Anyone-Who-Looks-At-Ginny-and-Vice-Versa thing. Why, that two-faced, scheming son of a--Mustn't say that. "Ginny, why are you acting as though you haven't seen me for two days. I just saw you two hours ago. And why did Hermione just kidnap Ron?"
"Oh, but a lot of things happen in two hours," she said, biting the inside of her cheek. And what just happened to me will never be forgiven. I know exactly what you boys did now. "I think Hermione wanted to show Ron a really exciting book she saw. Did you guys buy anything good?"
"The usual," said Harry, holding up his bag and making the contents rattle. "Anything interesting happen?"
"Now that you mention it, the most incredible thing just happened!" exclaimed Ginny, putting a lot of unnecessary sugar into her voice, and semi-true flourishes in the story. "I went into Zonko's earlier, and when I was buying my Dungbombs, I happened to notice that the clerk was really handsome, so I smiled at him--" I didn't particularly think he was handsome, actually. She noticed Harry's face harden slightly and instantly became suspicious.
"The clerk was handsome--so you smiled at him?" he asked stiffly, shifting his bag to a more comfortable spot on his arm. "You're telling me this, why?" Ginny grinned secretly to herself. Maybe Hermione was right. A little bit. Not a lot.
"That's right, and then all of a sudden, this other boy comes rushing up and whispers something to him," Ginny continued, pretending she hadn't heard him as they ambled down the street. "And then do you know what he did?" She pretended to sound hurt and sad, and leaned her head against his shoulder, and gave a little sniffle.
"What did he do?" Harry asked, narrowing his eyes down at her. Goodness, is he jealous? Why would he be jealous of Zonko's clerk? And over a toad, too!
"He looked as if someone had told him that I was Medusa," she said flatly, stopping abruptly and crossing her arms. She stared intently into his eyes. His incredibly green and beautiful--Mustn't go there. "He looked like he was ready to run. He looked as though I had brought the bubonic plague into Hogsmeade under my hat. And he wasn't the only one either. Every single non-female person at the Three Broomsticks acted like I was Snape or somebody equally disgusting. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that would you?"
Author's Note: That was interesting. I don't know what possessed me to write that. It was inspired by a friend's shirt. It's a little late, but I still feel Christmas-y! The culmination of this story in Harry's POV will be coming up tomorrow sometime--probably. This was hastily written, but I hope it doesn't seem that way! Please review, it would make my day!
Shameless Plug: I've updated Letters and Care Packages (and the chapter is one of my favorites), and I've written an H/G poem, which is quite funny, I might add. It's called Ode to H/G. You might find it worth your time. Please R and R!