Disclaimer: I give all credit to J.K Rowling, I own nothing and she, along with the publishers of this magnificent book own everything and the plot is the only thing remotely close to being mine! Maybe not even, I also want to give credit to all other authors whose stories I've had a chance to read!
AN: Big thanks to:
Misticmuggleborn, jill, Stefi, Sarahamanda, MPPSexxySiriusJamesRemus,
lavalampronsgirl, queenofpain, claire and the rest of my readers who don't review,
I still love yah... thanks for reviewing and leaving your thoughts. It means a lot. =)Surprise, Surprise!
"Oh" was all Ginny could mutter.
"Hello Darling!" Matilda exclaimed. Going to Ginny's side to envelope her in tight a hug.
"Oomph…Hi" she said from the force of the hug, trying to calm her face, trying to avoid the figure at the door.
"How was your vacation?"
"Great" Ginny couldn't utter more than one word answers.
"Good, good! Well, I trust that you knew we were coming?"
"Err…. yeah." She said with a smile, trying to gain her composure and failing very hard about doing so.
Then Matilda did what Ginny was dreading from the moment she poked her head out from under her desk.
'Oh, Merlin' she thought of the reminder. She must've looked positively dishelved from her search and was wishing she could mutter a quick hair spell to calm it down a bit, that a long with her flaming face as well. But there was no time for that, as she thought of how horrid she looked, Matilda was quickly ushering her to the figure by the door.
"Ginny, I would like you to meet Ryan West." Said Matilda dangerously sweetly.
Ginny hadn't looked up, actually she was looking everywhere but him, hoping that he had grown another head and developed a big nasty wart in the middle of his nose, so to discharge her growing shyness.
Why the heck was she shy in the first place? She thought.
Thinking that there was no way out of this, Ginny extended her hand and looked up at the Ryan West, and much to Ginny's disappointment, Ryan West was…flawless.
'Right, no extra head, and no wart…right then.' She thought.
"Hello, Welcome." Ginny said.
'What was that??? Are you welcoming him to a country??' Her head screamed at her introduction.
His eyes lit up with a bit of amusement and traveled to his mouth. With a very sexy smile directed at Ginny, he said " Nice to finally meet you." Extending his hand to clasp that of Ginny's.
'You are smiling like an idiot you know that? Don't you?' Her head said.
"Well, I'll leave you two alone, you have much to discuss." Matilda said with a nod and a smile.
"Thanks again Matilda" Said Ryan, before Matilda could reach the door.
"Oh, no problem sugar." Turning from the door to face Ryan. When he had turned to face Ginny once again, Matilda gave Ginny a wink before slipping out. "You two have fun." She added.
Ginny, still very surprised at the wink that she hoped Ryan didn't see, she faced the inevitable and looked up once again to the handsome man in front of her.
Ryan West looked, if possible, better in person. He was very tall, built, but slim, although not too skinny. His hair was short and blond, and a little messy, it had streaks of gold in it, probably due to all the training in the sun and his eyes, his eyes were bright piercing blue. She couldn't stop looking into it now that she started. She now understood how women trip over at the sound of his name. He was wearing really expensive looking navy robes that was, Ginny surmised, made of velvet for it reflected the light shining through her window. It matched his eyes perfectly. He had a very soft face but not at all feminine, it was strong and gentle at the same time, and his smile was something Ginny could be in company with all day.
'Get a grip Ginny' she told herself.
"Well, Hello" he finally said, looking at Ginny expectedly.
"Hi"
Merlin, why was this so damn hard?"Oh, here you go" Ryan said extending his arm to give Ginny what looked like a box of imported chocolates.
"Thank you" she said a little surprised at the thoughtfulness.
"You didn't have too," she said while looking at the shiny box.
"Well, your brother always talks about you and he mentioned a couple of times how you loved sweets so I thought I'd get you some as a 'nice to meet you present', you know?"
Ginny was floored. She wondered if her mouth was still open from his comment.
"Wow. Thank you! I don't know what to say." was all she could utter.
"Well, please sit down." She offered upon realizing that she hadn't asked.
"Actually, the things is…" He said looking really regretful.
"I would love too, but I have to run." He said apologetically.
"I had owled Matilda this morning and when she found out I was going to be around the area she asked me if I wouldn't mind making a visit, to see the place you know."
"Oh, ok then." was all Ginny said.
"She said it would be a good chance to meet with you before the interviews began and then I thought it'd be a good time to see for myself what Ron has been talking about all these years." He said smiling.
Ginny had to smile too; in fact, she hadn't stopped smiling since his 'Hi'.
'Note to self:' she said to her head 'Give Ron a BIG hug, next time I see him.'
"I hope I didn't cause any trouble."
"Oh, no no. You didn't, really." She said still with a smile.
"Ok, glad to hear it. I will definitely get in touch with you before the end of the week. Is that ok?"
"Yes, yes, whenever you're ready." Ginny replied back.
Just then a knock on the door was heard and when Ginny looked over Ryans shoulder, she could've fallen right then and there at the sight that she saw. Harry Potter was standing at the entryway not 10 feet from where she and West were standing.
"Harry!" Ginny exclaimed, very surprised, she could feel her blush starting to creep again.
'Oh Geeez! What in Merlin's name is going on!?' She thought truly bewildered.To her left, Ryan West stood, with his GQ-ish demeanor and to her right, stood Harry Potter, in all his essence.
"Harry! What a wonderful surprise!!" Ginny said walking up to him and giving him a hug.
"Hey." Harry said.
When Ginny saw behind Harry during their hug, she realized most of the people on the floor had their eyes glued to her office.
'I would too if I was out there' she thought. She had two of the best-looking eligible bachelors in her office right this moment. Many and women would've performed an 'Unforgivable' to be in her place right now.
Being reminded that she had to introduce the two men, she broke the hug and turned to back to Ryan.
"Harry, I'd like you to meet Ryan West." Ginny said.
"Yes, we've met before." Harry said shaking the extended hand Ryan had offered a bit too firmly.
"How you doing, mate?" Ryan said to Harry returning the firm handshake.
'Whoa, it's getting little hot in here.' Ginny realized at the sudden rise in temperature. Oblivious to the friction that the two men were emitting under polite disguises.
"I'm good thanks, you?" Harry said returning the question.
"I'm doing all right." Ryan answered.
"Am I interrupting anything?" Harry said.
"Actually, no, I was just on my way out." Ryan said not taking his eyes off Ginny, which did not go unnoticed by Harry.
"Oh… right then. Thanks again for dropping by, and for the chocolates."
"My pleasure, I'll see you soon Ginny."
Ginny walked him to the door, much to Harry's dismay.
"See you around Potter." He added with a nod before leaving.
"West." Harry replied.
While Ginny and Ryan said their goodbyes, Harry chanced a look at Ginny's desk. What he saw was a thin square box of blue and gold wrapped in red ribbon, he then realized what West had said about 'enjoy the chocolates' and it dawned on Harry at his own attempt at getting something for Ginny.
'Great Potter, West got her expensive chocolates, and what do you get Ginny?
Bread!' Reminded his head.
Harry, trying to save an embarrassing event from happening, looked around frantically for a place to stash the cookies when he realized that he could hide it under his cloak.
"What do you have there Harry?"
'Damn'Ginny couldn't possibly have missed the bright red cellophane wrapper Harry held in his hand.
"Err…just, err….well, I got you something. But I see you've already got a snack." Harry stammered, his attempts at trying to hide the gingerbread witches crushed. Harry handed her the packaged and she took it.
Ginny looked positively lovely, Harry noticed. She looked really touched.
"I'm touched, Harry. Thank you. I don't know what I could've done to deserve this today." She said truly happy.
'You deserve this everyday' he thought.
"Its just a little desert." He said.
"You can't ever have too much desert Harry." She opened the plastic and couldn't stop the smile that played at her lips at the sight of the shape of the bread.
"Aww…. they're little witches with red hair. Its really lovely Harry, thanks."
When Ginny regained her composure, she took a minute to make her face calm down and relax, she would put her excitement under wraps for now, at the fact that Harry had taken her offer to visit while he had time to kill so quickly.
"Please sit down"
"Thanks." Just then Harry caught a sight of something green glistening from under the chair. He picked it up and realized it was the green pen he had given Ginny when she first started working at Witch Weekly. It made him smile for he remembered clearly how she was amazed at the writing tool that didn't require an inkbottle and was free from feathers.
"Look what I found."
"You found it!" Ginny exclaimed. "Oh, I was looking for it earlier, where was it?"
"Under the chair.
"Must've slipped there while I was moving papers and such." Ginny said taking the pen from Harry's outstretched hand. "Thanks"
Ginny treasured that pen, she shared the same fondness of muggle things that her father has. She was stunned when she found out that 'pens' already had ink inside the little tube thing, and when it runs out, you can just get refills, or say a little spell to fill it up again. No messy ink and no quills. And besides, it was a gift from Harry, so it had sentimental value.
"So what brings you here, Mr. Potter?" Ginny asked from behind her desk, a little curious to Harry Potter's sudden visit.
'Well, I did invite him didn't I?' she thought"Well," Harry said pausing, "Well, I was just...err… you know…err… I was…"
Harry was stalling and he knew it. He had planned that he was going to visit Ginny today, got all his bases covered, except for one part, he had not thought how to go about actually asking Ginny what ever it is he was to ask her and his reason for being there was. Seeing the look on Ginny's face that said to him that she too was also wondering why he was there, he finally came up with…
" Well, I was at home you see, and was doing nothing and I thought I would just come around and take you up on your offer."
That was a lie of course and he felt a little bad lying to Ginny about it, but you have to do what you have to do right? Harry continued when Ginny didn't.
" So I was just wondering if you could show me around, that is, if you have time. And in return for your service of playing tour guide, I shall repay you with lunch… or dinner, whichever you prefer." Harry finished with a smile. He let out a long silent breath for getting it out and waited for Ginny's response. He hoped that she would take dinner for lunch would not suffice. From his pre-planning, he surmised that they would not have enough time to sight see and have lunch, those things should really be done on the weekend not lunch breaks, so he thought that if he asked that way, she would take dinner. That would mean that they would have the rest of the night to see that part of London and have plenty of time to eat and all in all, spend more time together.
Ginny drew a long breath. 'Is Harry asking me out?' She thought. 'WOW. He can't be, this is just so, so, too good to be true.' Having this inner battle of dream and reality in her head, she realized that Harry was waiting for an answer that she still hasn't given. With a start, Ginny said "Oh, yes, yes sure, absolutely. But Harry I hope you don't mind, I don't think lunch would suffice, so how about dinner?"
Harry could not help but smile.
"Dinner is perfect."
"I hate to think that you came all this way just for that though." Ginny added at the thought.
"No really Gin, its ok, it was worth it." Harry said before he could stop the words from his mouth.
Both Harry and Ginny went scarlet. Ginny was very flattered at the comment and Harry was happy that Ginny smiled. They sat there for another 5 seconds before they snapped out of their little bubble. Harry was the first to break the silence.
"I'll see you tonight then? At seven? I'll pick you up." Said Harry getting up from the chair.
"Yes, see you tonight." Ginny was smiling more broadly than ever that her mouth was starting to hurt. She made to get up as well but Harry stopped her.
"It's all right, I'll walk my self out, Gin. Thanks." And flashing her one of those famous Harry Potter-make-you-weak-in-the-knees- smile, Harry walked out of her office and into the eager watchful eyes of two-dozen women outside.
AN:2
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