Disclaimer: Still don't own anything… unfortunately.
Cinderella – chapter 5
Previous chapter:
"Umm, who are you?"
"I am Minerva Martha Mcgonagall, your Fairy Godmother."
Ginny couldn't believe her ears. Did this woman really just say that she was Ginny's fairy godmother? That can't be possible! Since when do fairy godmothers exist?
The lady was looking at her kindly from her taller perspective. She was chuckling as she thought about what must be going on in the younger girl's mind.
"But - when – how - what?"
"You're fairy godmother dear." She said as though speaking to a child. "I'm here to help you so you can go to the ball."
"Go to the ball? But look at my dress. And my hair," She tried to brush her fingers through the amber locks, but only managedto them to get tangled up in a knot that held a few twigs. "I must look awful."
"Well, I'm here to fix that. Now stand up, I haven't got all night you know." She spoke sharply, but not unkindly.
Ginny just stared at the woman who claimed to help her.
"Up! Up! Up! Can't you hear?"
Mumbling a sorry, Ginny stood up in front of Minerva.
The red head was starting to feel a little uneasy and self-conscious when she started being circled by her 'godmother'.
"Umm, Miss Minerva?"
"Professor Mcgonagall." She corrected Ginny sternly.
"Right, sorry. Professor Mcgonagall, what are you doing?" She was completely confused on why it was necessary to be pulling at her hair and making her stand with her arms held straight out at her sides.
"I'm trying to decide on what dress. Now hold a minute."
"Do you have some dresses with you?"
"No."
Then Mcgonagall pulled out a dark wooden stick, her wand. Ginny looked at it wearingly, not quite sure if a wand could help her at this point.
"Now hold still." The professor warned. She moved her wand in a complicated, but fluent pattern in front on Ginny, when tiny silver sparks shot out of the end and twirled their way around her.
Ginny didn't dare move. To afraid of what would happen if one of the glittering sparks touched her, as they were now just a few centimeters away from her skin. She closed her eyes when she felt her hair being pulled up gently.
Only a few seconds later and the light behind her eyelids faded.
"You can open your eyes now." Mcgonagall said not holding the amusement out of her voice.
Ginny did as she was told and looked down at the new material that was actually covering her.
She was standing in a magnificent sparkling white gown with tiny straps that was there more for decoration than to hold up the dress. It had a tight bodice that went out slightly at the hips, accentuating her curves. The material was soft and smooth like silk, but heavier. Her hair was no longer a tangled mess, but down her back in soft waves with small hair clips pulling some tendrils back from her face, but leaving the smaller ones that went just below her eyes. On her feet were a pair of glass slippers with a small heel, but the long gown covered them.
To say Ginny was shocked would be an understatement.
"Well, what do you think?" Mcgonagall asked, though by the look on her face, she already knew what Ginny thought of it.
"I – Thank you. Thank you so much." Ginny exclaimed as she ran over and gave Mcgonagall a big hug.
Now it was the older woman's turn to be shocked. She awkwardly hugged Ginny and immediately pulled back.
"So, how are you planning on getting me to the castle? I have no idea where I am." Ginny asked.
"I have just the solution." Mcgonagall whistled, (yes, she whistled.) and through the trees and bushes came a broomstick that stopped in the air next to the professor. "You know how to ride a broomstick I presume?" Ginny nodded her head and was handed the broom. "You're a little late, but I think if you hustle you should have plenty of time."
"Thank you again. This is like a dream come true." Ginny hopped on the broomstick sidesaddle and was about to take off when Mcgonagall reached a hand and stopped her.
"Don't forget that at midnight all this will go away, your dress, your hair, everything. Use your time wisely, and make sure to be out of the ball by the last stroke of midnight."
"Okay, I will."
"Have a good time, Cinderella." With a small smile and nod, Ginny was left alone again in the woods.
"Well, here goes nothing." Taking a deep breath, the broom took off towards the Hogwarts castle.
At one of the chairs that were at the front of the room on a raised platform, Harry sat, bored out of his mind.
The ball had started over an hour ago and still no sign of Cinderella.
"Harry, come on. You could at least dance with some of the other girls while you're waiting. Socialize a little bit." Her mother insisted when her and James had finished talking to some royalty from Switzerland or something.
"Fine." Harry mumbled.
He stood up and headed for the dance floor. Almost immediately girls of all ages and cultures, asking him for a dance, surrounded him. Whoever wasn't with him were flocking around Orion at the other side of the Great Hall.
Picking a random brunette girl from the crowd, he ushered her out to the center of the floor, much to the dismay of the other women around. He instantly regretted this girl when she started boring him with blabbing on and on about her family and all the money they had. Harry glided almost unconsciously through the dance steps, having memorized them years ago.
Across the room, Harry caught the sight of his best friend who was talking up some blonde with a low cut black dress. Orion smiled over the smaller girls head when he noticed Harry's attention. Harry smiled back and rolled his eyes at the girl who was still talking.
He couldn't see Orion anymore after they twirled. Finally it was the end of the song.
Politely excusing himself from the girl he made his way over to the refreshment table and grabbed a flute of champagne, downing half of it in one gulp. The bubbly feeling in his throat and the alcohol relaxing him slightly.
"I wouldn't drink too many of those." A voice said from his side. Turning he smiled at Remus who had also picked up some more champagne. "Girls have this thing where they get mad if they're meeting you some where and you get drunk before they arrive."
"If they ever arrive." Harry took another gulp of his drink, but not as much as his first.
"True, true. But I'm sure she'll be here soon enough." Remus smiled down at his best friend's son. He looked almost exactly like James. It was scary sometimes. The same thing with Orion, he could easily pass for Sirius' younger twin.
"What are you two doing moping over here?" Sirius asked as him and James walked up to them.
"We're not moping. We're talking." Harry corrected him.
"Well so-rry."
The four of them stood there for a little bit, looking over the people who were dancing, talking and drinking their cocktails.
"Hey Harry, some girl wants to dance with you." Orion said as he walked over and grabbed a drink from behind his father.
"What girl doesn't want to dance with Harry?" Remus said as more of a statement than a question.
"It's that girl who I was talking earlier. She wouldn't shut up about him so I just told her I would get him to dance with her. She had some weird name like Misty or Wisty or Wystery or something like that."
"Oh thanks." Harry said, his voice full of sarcasm.
"Having trouble with the ladies, Orion?" Sirius teased.
"They're all so caught up on stupid Harry Potter." Orion complained.
"Hey!"
"You'd think they'd know that they don't stand a chance." He added as though Harry had never talked.
"There were a bunch of girls talking to you before." Harry pointed out, smiling at some giggling girls who were standing just out of earshot, (thankfully).
"But they were talking about you."
The five handsome guys stood at the table, sipping from their glasses, waving every now and again at some passing groups of girls who were too nervous to ask one of them to dance.
"I swear it's like they travel in packs." James muttered as another group of older women passed. They had unashamedly checked out Remus, Sirius and James and they were afraid the three women were going to ask them to dance. But luckily Lily came over and slyly escorted them away. James smiled at her and she winked at them over her shoulder.
Orion sighed at another two girls who were very good looking in their tight blood red and black dresses who were pointing slightly in their direction. Unfortunately they were obviously whispering about Harry and walked away from them.
"That's it." He announced suddenly, getting the attention of the others. "The next hot girl who walks through those doors won't even know who Prince Harry is. Got that Harry? The next one here is all mine."
"Okay Orion." Harry said smiling. The other three laughed and looked up when the doors opened.
"Here you go Orion." Sirius said, nodding at the opening doors.
The room's noise level had gone down to just above a whispering. A lot of the men who were there had crowded around the doors, blocking the views of Remus, Sirius, James, Harry and Orion, who were all on the other side of the room.
Slowly the noise was back up to where it was earlier and people had resumed dancing. But to the side of the dance floor a crowd still formed over the new comer.
"Must be pretty hot." Sirius pointed out.
"Sorry, got to go make sure she doesn't catch a glimpse of the prince before seeing me." Orion announced, while walking away from their group whom were all laughing at his back.
Only one or two minutes later and Orion came back pouting slightly.
"That didn't take to long." James said with a smirk. They all knew what was coming.
"She's already taken." Orion sighed. He was in front of Harry and glared at him. "I really don't like you tonight."
"I'm not interested, Orion. Go ahead and dance with her." Harry told him.
"No, I think you are interested." He moved out of the way and walking her way towards them was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. Apparently, all the other guys in the ball thought so too.
Her red hair was glittering in the light and she looked breath taking in her white dress.
"But if you say you're not interested," Orion began with a smile on his face.
"Don't even think about it." Harry said as he walked away from them.
"Hi."
"Hi."
Ginny and Harry met just a little ways away from his father and friends.
"Do you want to dance?" Harry asked.
"I don't know how good I'll be." Ginny admitted.
"That's okay. I'll teach you." Without waiting for an answer, he took her hand and led her to the middle of the dance floor.
He got a better grip on her hand and put his hand on her waist. Ginny put her other hand on his shoulder, pretty certain that's what she was supposed to do.
Harry led her through the dance and soon she had caught on to the steps, so she could dance and talk at the same time.
"I feel like we haven't seen each other in the longest time." Ginny said, blushing slightly.
"I've felt the same way." He said smiling. He decided that she looked super cute while blushing.
"What have you been doing this past week?" He asked.
Ginny looked around the room a little uncomfortable. "Umm, not much. Just doing a little cleaning and some cooking."
"You cook?"
"Sometimes."
"That's great. Mum loves to cook, but the house elves won't let her without someone in the kitchen and anyone else in the family would probably mess everything up."
She chuckled a little. "Harry? Why are all the girls here giving me death glares? Did I steal their eye candy?" She was teasing at the end, and Harry laughed at her.
"Not to sound conceited, but yeah, you did. Orion was just complaining that all the girls were only interested in me. It was pretty amusing to see him struggle to get their attention."
"I take it it's not something he's used to?"
"Oh, definitely not. He loves getting girls' attentions and girls usually love giving it to him."
They danced for a few more songs and Ginny was getting much more comfortable. She even threw a smirk in the direction of the Malfoy siblings when they had been watching them.
"I think my parents want to talk to us." Harry said at the end of the current playing song. They looked over and sure enough the King and Queen were waving them over. "Do you mind?" He asked, looking back at Ginny.
Ginny looked up at his bright green eyes and she felt herself get lost in them. "Not a problem." She said softly. He smiled and took her hand as they walked to the front of the room.
"Uhh, Harry." Ginny said about half way there. She gently pulled on his hand, causing him to pause and look at her questioningly. "I need to tell you something. It's important."
"Can it wait?"
She shook her head. "No, I really want to tell you before your family and everything. It will be really quick. Could we just go somewhere?" She asked uncertainly. Harry looked up at his parents who were staring at him. He held up his finger to let them know they'll be right back.
"This way." He pulled her through the crowd easily as everyone moved for the prince and the pretty mystery girl.
Once outside into the entrance hall, they went up the main staircase and he pulled her to the side where a balcony was hidden behind a tapestry of a past royal family.
"Okay, what did you want to tell me?"
Ginny looked down at the ground and started fiddling with her fingers. A nervous habit she picked up.
"The thing is," She mumbled quietly. Harry couldn't really hear her. He grabbed her hand, which made her look up in his eyes. She was getting lost again. Taking a deep breath she tried again.
"The thing is, my name isn't Cinderella." There, she said it.
"It's not?" Harry was surprised and he looked it. Ginny didn't think he would be mad about her lying to him, but he might kick her out of the ball once he learns that she's a servant in her own house.
"It's just a nickname my brothers gave me. My real name is Ginerva, but call me Ginny. I can't stand Ginerva." She sighed in relief as half of her lies were taken off her shoulders.
"Okay, your name is Ginny. Was there anything else?"
Ginny tried desperately to decide how to tell him her secret. She had a sinking feeling it wasn't going to go over to well. Especially if Wisteria and Draco decide to visit their distant, distant family, the Blacks.
When she had yet to say anything Harry decided she might need something connected to it. "How did you get your nickname?" He asked. Not aware of how connected to the truth that question was.
Ginny's brothers had actually given her that name when she had to clean the chimneys and fireplaces and would get cinders all over her face and clothes. It was real cute when she was seven. Now, not so much.
"My – uhh – fireplace –" She wasn't making much since but suddenly her chocolate eyes widened when the sound of a clock rang out through the castle. The first stroke of midnight. "Oh my God." She mumbled then pulled her hand out of Harry's and ran out of the balcony.
"Where are you going?" He called to her and easily caught up with her at the top of the stairs.
"I know this may sound crazy but I really need to leave." Another clock's chime and she started to go down the stairs.
"Why? What were you going to tell me?" Another chime.
"I just need to leave and I hope we'll be able to see each other again." Another one.
"What were you going to say? Don't leave, please." Another.
"Harry? Where have you two been?" Lily said as she opened the doors with Sirius, James and Remus in tow.
"One second Mum." He turned back to Ginny who was running for the door, but Harry got to her only half way there.
"Harry, trust me, I'm not the person you think I am and you'll probably find out someday and be happy that I left." Another chime.
"What are you talking about?" Another chime.
"You're not leaving again are you?" James asked as they moved towards them. Another chime.
"I'm sorry Harry." Ginny said with tears in her eyes. Before Harry could say anything she grabbed his neck and pulled him down to give him a long lingering kiss. Three chimes went before Ginny pulled away and smiled. The tears now down her cheeks.
Without another word she ran towards the doors and out them at the eleventh stroke of midnight.
Harry was still standing there, shocked about that kiss, but soon snapped out of it when he realized she had actually left. The door that she left through didn't close all the way and when he walked over to it, followed by him parents Remus, Sirius and now Orion, something was stuck at the bottom that stopped the wooden doors to not close. He bent down to pick it up and in his hand he held a glass slipper with a small heel.
"Was that Cinderella?" Orion asked when Harry turned around. Everyone else nodded, looking from the shoe in Harry's hand to Harry himself.
"Her names not Cinderella," Harry said, surprising them all. He smiled slightly. "It's Ginny."
A/N: Okay, I know the 'clock chime' things don't exactly match up time wise, but it's the best I could do. I know everyone was looking forward to this chapter and I hoped you weren't disappointed. Not too much H/G action, I know. But there really isn't a lot except for the last chapter and even then it's not much. shrugs- just the way it worked out. (even though I haven't written the other chapters yet, I have a pretty good idea what's gonna happen.)
Thanks to everyone who reviewed!
Danny: If you want to know about the names (Wisteria and Orion I'm guessing) I figured Malfoy would name his kid some weird name and that just sort of came and I also decided that since Sirius' name is a star then his son's name should have to do with the stars too. There ya go!
I don't care what you want to write, just give me some reviews! Hell, tell me what happened during your day for all I care! I really have nothing to do after school and I live for reviews!
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