Chapter 41

Ginny gave her brother a disgusted look before she ran after Harry leaving a totally aghast Ron behind. "Harry please wait" Ginny called after him.

The black-haired boy didn't reply. Why did Ron have to embarrass me like that, he thought. It's hard enough as it is. I like Ginny a lot and when I take her out then not just like a friend.

His feet moved faster, when he heard Ginny coming closer.

Her friendship means a lot to me and I don't want to spoil it, but Kayla said she sort of likes me too, he mused when Ginny's little hand closed around his arm.

"You like it when girls chase you through the corridors, don't you?" she panted, when she finally caught up with him.

Harry turned slightly pink, when he recognized how her chest was moving up and down due to her heavy breathing. Her red hair fell in long waves around her face and shoulders, sparkling like a ruby in the torch-light.

"What is wrong with you? What upset you so much?" she asked kindly, not removing her hand from Harry's arm.

"Nothing "he answered dolefully.

"Harry please. You know you can talk to me about everything. What did Ron do to upset you like that? Even though he's my brother, I wouldn't hesitate to hex him into next year if he did anything to you" she said, her voice sounding more than a little angry.

Harry looked at his friend, like he would just see her for the first time. Her cheeks were slightly flushed after her sudden outburst, and he could see the famous Weasley temper in her eyes.

He managed a little smile and sighed. Suddenly Ginny flicked her wand and called "Accio cloaks", then handed a bewildered looking Harry his cloak, took his hand in hers and dragged him down the hallway. Harry was too shocked to defy and followed her lead down several hallways and out of the castle. He was well aware that she still held his hand when they walked side by side to a bench next to the lake. Somehow it felt comfortable to just walk next to the girl he liked and to feel her hand in his.

He couldn't understand how he had ever thought he had true feelings for Cho. Since the terrible night at the graveyard he hadn't thought of her anymore. She had never been interested in him and the one time he had talked to her had been just a terrible flop. She was too wound up in her own problems to worry about others and this was not what he wanted. Ginny always had seen when he felt bad like today and in the last one and a half years she had always been around knowing when he needed somebody, just like today.

They sat down next to a tree and silently watched the squid playing for several minutes, while Ginny waited for him to talk.

It was still at least two hours until sunset but the gloomy storm clouds made it darker than it should be. Harry knew it would be snowing soon and the cold breeze was stinging his skin. It was not really a romantic atmosphere, but he didn't care. He knew if he wouldn't do it now, he'd never do it. This might be his only chance and he didn't want to blow it. Harry needed all his courage for what he was about to do. He put his arm around Ginny's slightly shivering shoulders and pulled her closer. Ginny stared at him in disbelieve, but Harry swore he could also see pleasant anticipation.

He cleared his throat and squeezed her hand, when he looked deep in her eyes and asked "Would you like to go to the Yule Ball with me as my date?"

At first Ginny didn't say anything; then, to Harry's total confusion, a single tear trickled down her cheek. Dammit you fool, he thought. You should have known she already has a date.

Then, to his delight, she smiled widely and then started sobbing.

Oh no, Harry sighed mutely, when does she know if she's happy or not.

All of a sudden she threw her arms around Harry's neck still sobbing slightly, but now Harry was quite sure she was happy.

He could feel her breath on his neck as she whispered "I'd love to go with you"

Harry's heart skipped a beat when he embraced her gently and his face grew hot, despite of the cold air, when she leaned her head against his shoulder and sighed happily.

They sat like that for several minutes until Harry recognized that Ginny was shivering heavily. "Shouldn't we go back inside?" Harry whispered. "It's getting cold and I don't want you to get sick"

Ginny nodded but didn't move. Harry would have loved to stay like that for hours; just holding the girl he cared for.

Then the black-haired boy listened to reason and detached himself from Ginny's tight embrace. Yet before she got up, she looked deep in Harry's vivid green eyes and smiled. "This was the best time I ever had" was all she could say. "Yes" Harry whispered and lowered his head and gently touched Ginny's lips with his.

Arm in arm they walked slowly back to the castle, both with a wide smile on their faces, which were red from the cold winter breeze.

When they entered the common room, everybody was so busy to watch Fred and George's new invention, they called them Burning Bites. While all the Gryffindors watched the Weasley twins chewing a piece of harmless looking candy and immediately belching fire, nobody recognized Ginny and Harry's happy faces or how their fingers were interlocked.

Everybody except Hermione. She looked after her friends longingly, when both of them said good night and went to their different dorms, before anybody could realize they were back.

Hermione was not interested in Harry, but she also wanted a special someone. A person she could talk to and confide in, but the person she really liked seemed not to return her feelings.

Ron and Kelsey looked extremely dumbfounded, when Harry left the dorm the next morning, humming happily with a silly smile on his face. Ron hadn't seen his friend so happy since they had won the quidditch cup for the first time in their third year.

When they reached the common room, the girls were already waiting for them to go down for breakfast. Ginny walked up to Harry, stood up on her tiptoes and kissed Harry on the cheek.

Ron gasped in shock and stammered "Wha-wha-what? Harry... GINNY? What do you think you're doing with him?"

"Drop it Ron!" Ginny exclaimed "You know I like Harry since forever and as you see Harry likes me too. Just except it. I'm not a little kid anymore"

"But he is... he is a GUY! You can't just kiss a stranger" her brother yelled before he turned to Harry to go on with his tirade.

"And you... you... I THOUGHT YOU WERE MY FRIEND" he now screamed and his face turned the same color as his hair.

"Ron please calm down now" Hermione pleaded and grabbed his arm before the furious Gryffindor could do anything harsh.

"Harry this is MY little sister you're abusing here"

"This is quite enough, mate. Nobody is abusing anyone here. I like Ginny very much and I'M not going to harm her. You're blowing this way out of proportion" Harry said sternly, also he would rather have burst out laughing about the ridiculous outburst of his friend. "We're not going to run off and I'm not planning on abducting your sister."

"If you ever find out you've been importunate, I'm going to skin you alive my friend. Do you understand me?"

Harry just shook his head and placed an arm around Ginny's shoulder.

"Who do you think you're talking to Ronald Bilius Weasley? He is your friend for over 4 years already. I thought you would trust him above all others" Ginny spat and was pleased to see her brother's face turning crimson now.

"I'm sorry mate" he mumbled. "But she's still my little sister... hope you understand. And no snuggling in front of me! " "Sure Ron" Harry said reassuringly.

Relieved that this problem was settled, they went down for breakfast. At lunchtime, Kayla got more and more nervous. She had taken care of almost everything for their midnight ritual at the astronomy tower, but she had no idea how to get there without getting in detention.

While they followed Hagrid to the edge of the Forbidden forest for Care of Magical Creatures, Hermione suggested they could ask Harry for his invisibility cloak. It could be useful to inform the boys after all; they could have a look at the marauders map to make sure nobody would run in on them.

Harry, Ron and Kelsey were a little taken aback about the girls' plan but promised their help and so right after class Kayla was on her way to borrow a cauldron from the potions classroom.

Hidden under the invisibility cloak, she sneaked to the dungeons and managed to seize the requested item right in front of Professor Wells' nose. When she carefully walked back up the marble staircase, she almost ran into the Fat Friar, who was discussing the latest antics of Peeves with the Bloody Baron. The pretty Gryffindor could have sworn that the gloomy Slytherin ghost stared exactly in her direction and his gaze followed her for a few seconds, but he didn't say anything.

Maybe I start seeing things now, she shuddered as she reached Gryffindor tower. Hiding behind a loudly snoring suit of armour, she took off the cloak and wrapped it around the cauldron, before she approached Perseus' portrait.

"Be very careful tonight, young lady" the knight said in his soft, deep voice when he let her in. "We will" she whispered and smiled gratefully as she passed him.

Hermione and Ginny were already waiting for her and she could see that they both had a quite unpleasant feeling about their plan.

Ginny seized Kayla's arm and pulled her up the steps to the 4th year girls' dorm followed by Hermione. Fortunately all of Ginny's roommates were in the common room and so the girls could have their briefing.

"I have the cauldron" Kayla grinned and placed the item on Ginny's bed.

"So are we all set now?" Hermione asked.

"I already got some ground from the greenhouse, a feather, a goblet and I trust you will provide us with your famous waterproof, blue fire ", she said to Hermione.

The Gryffindor prefect chuckled and nodded.

Ginny looked at her and smiled wickedly "How do you feel about breaking the school rules as a prefect?"

"It's for a good purpose" Hermione answered. "We are trying to protect the school and even if McGonagall would say it's not necessary, I'm positive it is."

"Good that Lupin is the head of house now. I suppose he'd be a lot cooler about the whole thing if we should get caught." Kayla stated.

"I doubt it Kayla. Lupin might not be as strict as McGonagall, but he still wouldn't approve of it." Ginny retorted.

"We mustn't get caught" Hermione added firmly.

"So do you think the others will show up?" Ginny wondered.

"I'm absolutely sure about Zara; she wouldn't let us down." Kayla replied. "Neither would Amber" Ginny shot back.

"I'm a little worried about Jozlyn. She didn't seem too fond of the idea of giving her blood for the ritual. And what about that Slytherin girl?" Hermione said, a questioning look on her face.

The fact that Kalliope was involved in their plans made her feel slightly uneasy. The Gryffindors and the Slytherins never got along very well; and this was quite an understatement. If she wouldn't show up this would mean they would have to start all over again. Kayla had practiced the incantations for days now and she had the most dangerous job of them all. If something went wrong she'd be the one to suffer. And if the Grecian girl decided to tip a teacher or Filch off, they would all be in detention or worse expelled.

All they could do was to have trust in her honesty even if it was hard to trust somebody from Slytherin. She trusted Snape after all and she worried about him. The fact that Dumbledore called for Snape's worst enemy, after he had received a note from the potion master, had increased her fears. He must be in peril of death. She had never believed Dumbledore's story about the ministry mission. She was sure that he was on a mission for the Order and something went horribly wrong.

Kayla got up and walked up to the window. It looked like another storm was coming and she shivered.

"I know Kalliope will come." she said absent-mindedly. How was she supposed to concentrate if there was a thunderstorm roaring around her? She was deadly afraid of thunder and lightning since she'd been a little girl.

Kayla could remember the night very well. Kelsey and her had been playing hide and seek in the little forest next to their home and she had been hiding so well that her brother couldn't find her. After several hours it was getting dark outside and she decided to go home. When she ran through the woods, she could hear a thunderstorm roaring in the distance.

She ran faster and escaped the forest just in time before the storm arrived. Her little legs were too short for running such a long distance. The house was still 15 yards away and she was out of breath. Then it was thundering all around her and she could see lightning strike a tree close by and she screamed. Her 5 year old mind was terrified and she felt rooted to the spot. She cowered on the ground when hell broke lose. A cloudburst soaked her in seconds while the storm increased.

She closed her eyes and screamed for her mother but she couldn't hear the words that came out of her mouth. The storm and thunder was so loud it drowned out every sound. She couldn't see the lightning that was heading for her, but she could feel the electricity flowing through the wet grass and made her fingers prickle. Then strong arms lifted her up in the air and she couldn't remember anything after that. The next morning her father had told her that he was running over to her when the lightning stroke. He had seen that it was heading straight towards her and it seemed to him that it had been diverted by an invisible force. This had been the first sign of her magical powers.

But nevertheless she was paralysed with terror whenever she saw a thunderstorm coming and she didn't know how she was going to survive that night, exposed to the elements on the astronomy tower.

"I think it is time for dinner and then we should get ready" Hermione said when she walked over to the window. She touched Kayla's arm and the girl with the mahogany hair snapped out of her thoughts and nodded. Ginny grabbed the cauldron and put it in her trunk "It will be safe here until later" The girls met Kelsey, Harry and Ron in the common room and they headed down for dinner.

Ginny recognized that all the participants were quite nervous except the Slytherin girl, who chatted animatedly with her neighbor.

When they went upstairs, Harry nudged Kayla and whispered "We all don't fit under the invisibility cloak. How do you think this is going to work?"

"Ginny, Hermione and I are going to the astronomy tower before curfew. After curfew, I ask you, Ron and Kelsey to come and guard the entrance to the astronomy tower. Check the marauders map and hex anybody who comes close the tower"

"You're kidding" Harry grinned "And Hermione knows about this?"

Kayla just laughed when they reached their common room. "She came up with the idea in the first place"

Half an hour before curfew, Kayla, Hermione and Ginny walked casually to the astronomy tower, wrapped in warm winter cloaks. The two Ravenclaws, Zara and Amber, were already waiting for them, both shaking slightly in the winter breeze.

Kayla placed the cauldron in the middle of the floor and turned to the Ravenclaws.

"Kelsey, Harry and Ron will be watching out for us and warn us in case somebody is coming."

They heard footsteps coming up the stairs and Jozlyn burst through the door. "That was close", she panted, clutching her side. "Filch was following me and I almost didn't make it. Thank god Peeves dumped a bucket of ice water over him just in time so I could escape"

Kayla, silently thanking the poltergeist for his antics, stared expectantly at the door, hoping she hadn't misjudged the Slytherin girl.

Then she heard a distant thunder and tensed. Her whole body was covered with goose bumps, as she hoped the storm would change direction.

She decided to set up everything so they could start as soon as Kalliope arrived. At first she had wanted to perform the ritual at midnight, but she didn't want to spend more time out here than necessary. When Filch was still on their toes, this might end in something worse than detention. She hadn't told anybody, not even Hermione, that this was a very dangerous thing to do; not so much for the other girls, but for her. She had to speak the exact incantations at the right time and if she made a mistake the elements might turn against her.

Hermione joined her friend in the middle of the floor and asked "Shall we get ready to start?"

Kayla nodded silently and Hermione transfigured an old chair, which was standing next to the door, into a little table.

The mahogany-haired girl was just about to place the cauldron on the table, when the door opened and Ron poked his head outside. "We're in position, Hermione" he said shortly, feeling a little uncomfortable around all the pretty girls.

Hermione smiled at her friend and said "When somebody is coming, cast a colouring charm on the door and try to keep them off long enough for us to escape.

Ron smiled back at Hermione and nodded, before he closed the door from inside.