Chapter 1

I don't feel anything for her…maybe.

A tall, scrawny boy of 16 walked down the stone hallway. He wasn't paying attention to a large, redheaded boy walking next to him. That was Ron, his best friend. No, Harry had other thoughts than Ron babbling on about how the Chudley Cannons were going to win this year.

No, his thoughts were on another redhead. Ginny Weasley. Over the Summer he found himself thinking about her a lot more. He began to think of how tall and grown-up she looked. At how her red hair seemed to-.

"Harry? Are you even listening to me, mate?"

Harry was snapped out of his thoughts and brought to reality, "Yeah, I'm sure the Chudley Cannons'll win. No doubt."

"Harry. That's not what I was talking about. I said, don't you think Hermione and Ginny have been spending a lot of time together?"

"I suppose. I haven't really noticed."

"Been paying too much attention to Ginny," he said innocently.

"Yeah, you know I- NO! I haven't." Harry went red in the face.

"Harry, I know. It's ok."

"Know about what. I don't know what you're talking about."

Now Ron and Harry had stopped and moved to the side of the angry swarm of Hogwarts students that crowded the school.

"What do you mean. You think I don't see you staring at her all the time. At lunch, you try to sit next to her. You talked to her almost all night in the dormitory, on the first night! I know. It's ok, just don't try anything funny. I will kill you if you do anything to her.'

"Ron, I don't know what you're talking about. I don't feel anything for her, at least like that. We're just friends. Besides, you and Hermione seem to be spending a lot of time together. What's up with that. You guys are starting to do stuff without me. We've only been here a few days and I already feel left out,' he punched Ron in the arm.

"We've just been…busy," Ron's ears now going red.

"Hey man, it's ok. I was just joking. C'mon, let's get to the dormitory, it's almost nine. Filch'll be out soon."

They both walked up several flights of stairs, Ron talking about the Chudley Cannons again. When they reached the dormitory, they found it strangely empty. Their were a few first years in one corner of the room, and a small group of others who seemed to be planning something.

Hermione and Ginny were sitting in the arm chairs next to the fire. They seemed to be just sitting there so, they went over and sat down next to them. They all stared at the fire, seeming to all understand one another's silence. Harry, starting to feel uncomfortable, tried to break the silence.

"So what have you guys been doing," he asked.

"Oh nothing really, Hermione was just helping me get ready for my classes this year," Ginny answered.

She seemed to be in her own little world. It seemed as if she was lost in thought.

"I'm going upstairs to finish unpacking," said Ron.

"Me too," said Hermione.

Harry got up from where he was at, and moved to one of the better chairs on the other side of the room. As he sat down Ginny reached her hand over to him and he twined his fingers with hers.

"It took them forever to leave," she said.

"I know. Remind me again why were hiding this from Ron and Hermione."

"I don't want to ruin your and Ron's friendship, and if that happens then Hermione will think you're both being immature, and you will all be mad at each other, and then I'll get mad…the list is endless."

"Got it," he said laughing a bit.

"So what were you and Ron doing out so late,' both of them now looking each other in the eye.

"After dinner, we went to talk for a bit. We, uh, we were talking about last year. We are trying to figure out that dumb prophecy. I have no idea what it means."

"We'll figure it out. Have you talked to Dumbledore?"

"I can't. I don't know what might happen. I can still be controlled by Voldemort at night. I haven't even started my Occlumency lessons again yet. I can't look at Dumbledore. I don't know what I might do."

"It's ok. We'll figure everything out. You never know. It could be tomorrow, it could be next year. None of us really know. All I know is, you will not die on my watch," she laughed a bit.

Harry stared down at the floor, "I don't want to talk about dying. I'm not going to die. At least not while you're watching me anyway. Ginny, I don't want to go anywhere that's too far away from you."

"How far is too far?"

"About a couple of feet."

"That sounds good."

She leaned in and kissed him on the cheek, "I'm tired, I'll see you in the morning."

"Ok. I'm gonna stay up for a while. I can't sleep. I can't get that prophecy off my mind."

"You want me to stay for a while?"

She unlinked her fingers with his and stood up.

"No, I don't want to keep you up. Trust me, you have a lot to do this year. You can't miss a minute of this."

"If you're gonna be up, I don't want to leave you. This is one of the few times we have, you know, together."

"Ok, if you want to. I'm going to go upstairs real quick."

They both headed up separate staircases. Harry reached a door that now read, 'Sixth Years'. He opened it and inside he found Neville Longbottom, Ron Weasley, Thomas Dean, and Seamus Finnagin. He walked over to his bed ignoring everyone but Neville, who was reading a book, talking about Quidditch. He loved the sport, but Ron talked about it too much.

"Oh, hullo Harry. Where've you been?"

As Harry changed out of his robes into jeans and a sweater he answered," I just been talking to a friend downstairs. I have to go back. See you later."

He was surprised Neville hadn't followed him out. He walked downstairs to find the Common Room empty. He went to one of the chairs next to the fire.