Harry and Ron had waited for 15 minutes in the common room, seeing many of their fellow students heading down to the Great Hall or waiting like them for partners. Ron had become restless, twisting the edge of his robes in his hands again and again until they wrinkled, then feverously flattening them to make them remain straight,

They heard the click of high heels on the girl's stairs again, looking up again.

What Harry saw took his breath away. Everything left his mind but the image in front of him of Ginny Weasley gracefully descending. Their eyes met as she walked slowly to extend the moment as long as possible.

Feeling the suppressed love welling up inside him, all common sense evaporated. He forgot every reason he had to stay away from her, leaving him with only the with to hold her close to him.

She finally reached the bottom stair, her heart racing. He was finally paying attention to her!

He took a step towards her. "You look…" he paused, searching for the right word… "incredible."

Looking down, the Weasly blush swept across her cheeks.

In the background Ron also turned red, but for an entirely different reason.

Harry didn't even notice him, entirely focues on Ginny. He took another step towards her, tentaviely pulling up her chin.

He had planned to say something, but when he looked into her eyes, he could not find the words. All he knew was that he wanted to kiss her.

Lowering his head, he gently put his lips to hers'. She responded by slipping her hands around his waist, tilting up her head. Her mouth was just starting to open- but Ron had had enough.

"Harry," he warned, leaving no friendship or happiness in his voice.

Ignorant to his friend's rage, Harry let his tounge slip into Ginny's mouth, caressing her mouth gently.

"Harry!"

This time he heard his friend's yell, and reluctantly broke away but didn't move his hands away from Ginny.

"Do you have a date for the ball?" he asked quietly.

She felt her hear soar. She had been kissed by the boy she had had a crush on for six years and now he was asking her to the dance!

"She's not going with you." Ron interjected.

They both turned to face him. Ginny's expression was furious, Harry's flabbergasted.

"Why not?" he asked.

"Because you didn't even want to go with her until she came down the stairs looking like that." He retorted.

"How do you know that?" Now Harry was beginning to get angry.

"Because you would have told me!" Ron was yelling again.

"No I wouldn't have! I don't have to tell you everything!"

Ron stopped short, unable to comprehend what had just been said. "But you're my best friend."

Quickly changing the subject, Harry raised the problem again. "Then why don't you want me going out with your sister?"

"I won't let you break her heart." He had stopped yelling but this protectiveness of his sister made itself forceful enough.

"What makes you think I'll break her heart?"

"She doesn't understand you like Hermione and I do."

Harry had expected a confrontation but this he didn't understand. "What has that got to do with anything?"

"Because she won't understand when you desert her."

"I won't desert her!" Harry was amazed at the accusation.

"If how you treat everyone else in your life as any kind of indication I seriously doubt that."

His mouth opened to retaliate, to remind him how important his friends were to him, but then he saw Hermione, nodding her head. She agreed with him! How could she agree? He remembered all their years together. All the fun times, and when they had faced danger together, the worry he felt when he had had to leave them…

Ron was right. He let his hands fall away from Ginny. He hadn't even realised they were still there.

"Harry," she breathed.

He looked at her and saw the love and innonce in her eyes, and the worry. She deserved better.

"I'm sorry," he murmered.

"What?" her shaky voice foretold tears.

"You deserve better than this. Than me." He pulled away from her completely.

"Don't you think I can decide that?"

He ignored the question. "Goodbye Ginny."

"Where are you going?"

Harry turned back to the boy's dormitories.

Seeing tears in both pairs of eyes, Ron realised he had gone too far, "Harry, mate."

"Enjoy the dance, Ron," he didn't even look back.

Ron sighed.

"Why did you do that?" Ginny demanded as one tear escaped, running down her cheek.

"I had to Ginny."

"HAD TO! You just HAD to ruin my life!" Another tear escaped, and another, splashing down like a waterfall when the rain falls.

"Ginny, your life's not ruined." Ron tried to convince her.

"How can you say that? He kissed me, Ron. And you scared him away!" Picking up her robes, she turned and ran back up the stairs.

Ron just stared after her. "I was just trying to protect her." He commented, trying now to convince himself.

"I know Ron. But you saw how she reacted."

Ron slumped onto the couch, angry with himself and upset with the whole world.

"Come on, get up. Cho will be waiting for you." Hermione reminded him, but knew the evening would now hold little enjoyment for them.