A/N: Harry/Ginny chapter! Does mini hooray dance I'm going to post the next chapter tomorrow, hopefully, so that i can get all the Christmas chapters up before Christmas! As for notes etc: Someone mentioned why classes would be cancelled when they are inside. Well, care of magical creatures isn't inside, is it? And Herbology is in a green house, so... meh. Someone also said i need to put more action in this story, as it's turning into a teenage mini drama. I do agree, but ive already written these chapters, and when i wrote them i wanted to explore the characters further. I also needed to spread the things which happen out more, so bear with me! I am trying to make up forit though, by updating more. And i promise you that there will be plently of drama soon, just wait for the Ball.

As always, Angel

Chapter 20- The loop

'What is going on with you and Erin?' Seamus asked, as they followed Dean into the boys dormitory.

'It's none of your business.' Dean said, throwing his hands into the air in anger, and walking to the window.

'You've upset my sister.' Harry said, taking a seat on his bed. 'I think I have a right to know.'

'He's got a point.' Ron said, sitting down with Hermione. 'I know if anyone was to upset my sister, it'd be the last thing they did.'

Ron gave Harry a shifty look, but Harry ignored him.

'Wormtail, just tell us.' Harry said. 'If not, then we'll ask Erin. It's as easy as that.'

'Ok.' Dean said, turning to face the group. 'It's like this. I wanted to ask Erin to the ball. I hinted to her, that I'd ask her to the ball. I was really going to, only… I was worried that she'd say no.'

'Oh my god.' Seamus sighed, with his hand on his head. 'You're a marauder. Girls always say yes.'

'But Erin's not just any girl.' Dean said honestly. 'She's Erin. Normal girl rules don't apply to her.'

'But why's she so angry?' Harry asked, curiously. 'There's still plenty of time for you to ask her to the ball.'

'That's the thing. I thought I'd speed up the process so…' Dean said, with his head down. 'I flirted with Skye right in front of her, to make her jealous.'

'Ouch.' Hermione said, biting her lip.

'That was a bad move.' Seamus said.

'Well it usually works! Girls usually come begging for me to ask them to the ball, but not Erin.' Dean explained. 'What am I supposed to do now?'

'Apologize.' Ron said simply.

'I'm sure she'll forgive you.' Hermione said, resting her head on Ron's shoulder.

'Yea.' Dean muttered, walking to his bed. 'Maybe you're right.'

'Can I ask you something?' Harry said seriously, and Dean nodded his head. 'Do you really like Erin?'

'Yea.' Dean said, looking Harry in the eye. 'She's really something.'

'Well…cool.' Harry said, nodding his head.

'I'm glad you think so.' Dean replied, sincerely. 'Now I don't know about you lot, but I need some sleep.'

'Yea.' Seamus yawned. 'Time to turn in.'

'Goodnight.' Hermione said, as she stood up from Ron's bed.

'Goodnight.' Ron replied, standing too. He gave her a small hug, and a kiss on the forehead, before Hermione left with a smile on her face.

'Goodnight, everyone.' Harry whispered, before they all went off to sleep.

Harry awoke the next morning to find Dean's bed empty, and was informed by Ron that Dean had left early to make amends. When entering the common room, Harry saw Dean and Erin sitting on a chair together in front of the fire, talking. It was at this moment that Harry knew it was going to be ok. There was something about the way that Dean looked at Erin, that told him that she was in good hands.

Monday and Tuesday dribbled by with rain and sleet, before Wednesday brought a clear winter sky. This was the day Harry had been waiting for. He only had double potions on Wednesday morning, so he knew that it was his last chance to put his plan into action.

Harry wandered into the Great Hall for breakfast, his mind in other places. He found where Ron and Hermione were sitting, and took a seat to the left of Ron.

'Alright mate.' Ron said as Harry sat down.

'Pretty much.' Harry said, his eyes skimming Gryffindor table for a certain red head.

'Dean and Seamus aren't here, they're pranking the defense rooms.' Ron said, misunderstanding who Harry was looking for.

'Huh? Oh, I'm not looking for them.' Harry replied, hastily.

'Erin's in the library with Daisy.' Ron added again, and Harry was about to reply, when Hermione beat him too it.

'Ginny's in the Entrance Hall.' Hermione said simply. 'A Ravenclaw boy just took her out there. I should imagine he's asking her to the ball.'

'What!' Harry exclaimed.

'Don't worry. She'll turn him down.' Hermione said, half heartedly.

'How do you know that?' Ron asked Hermione, thickly.

'Because I'm in the loop.' Hermione replied, smiling sweetly.

'The loop?' Ron asked dumbly, scratching his head.

'Yes Ron, the loop.' Hermione replied.

'Well how come I'm not in it?' Ron asked.

'Because you're a boy.' Hermione said. 'And an ignorant one at that.'

'At least I'm not rude.' Ron said back, raising his voice. 'I think I'd rather not be in the loop if it's just full of people like you.'

'Shhh.' Harry hissed at the red faced pair. People had started to look round at the argument between the schools favourite couple. 'Calm it you two.'

'She started it.' Ron replied icily, and Hermione rolled her eyes.

'I believe it was your nosiness that started it actually.' Hermione replied, harshly.

'You two are supposed to be a couple, remember?' Harry said, looking between them.

'How can I forget.' Ron muttered, and Hermione looked suddenly sad.

'Why don't we head to lessons.' Harry said, eating the last of his breakfast.

'Lessons don't start for 10 minutes.' Ron said, loading his plate with more food. 'There's no point.'

'Hello!' A cheery voice sang, as a pretty red head took a seat next to Harry.

'Hi.' Harry replied, examining her. Her long cinnamon hair was down in wavy curls, and was held in place with a forest green hair clip. Her deep brown eyes were bright, lined with long brown eye lashes, and shadowed with a hint of green. Harry had the sudden urge to ask her to the ball right then, but resisted.

'How are you all this morning?' Ginny asked, with a smile.

'I've been better.' Ron grouched, and Hermione mumbled something in reply.

'Oh.' Ginny said, then turned to Harry. 'And you?'

'I'm good.' Harry said, nodding his head politely.

'Incase anyone's interested, Michael Corner just ask me to the ball.' Ginny said, taking a slice of toast from Ron's plate. Harry bowed his head.

'So?' Ron mumbled, not trying to hide his bad mood.

'I said no.' Ginny said, with a shrug of the shoulders. 'He's nice, but he's not my type.'

'How interesting…' Ron yawned.

'What is your type then?' Harry couldn't resist asking, with a charming grin. Ginny looked him in the eye for a moment, before deciding to reply.

'Tall, handsome.' Ginny began, not breaking eye contact. 'Dark hair, puppy dog eyes, strong, maybe a quidditch player.'

'Really?' Harry asked, raising an eyebrow.

'Weren't you going somewhere, Harry?' Ron drawled.

'Yea.' Harry said, breaking eye contact with Ginny. 'I'll see you later.'

'You will?' Ginny asked.

'I will.' Harry said, with a smile, and bowed himself from the table.

Minutes later, Harry found himself wandering absent mindedly into his potions room.

'Harry.' Sirius grinned, turning away from the blackboard he was writing on. 'What brings you to my quarters. Lessons don't start for another five minutes. Shouldn't you be pranking Filch, or chatting up girls or something.'

'Well it's about that.' Harry explained, perching on the edge of a desk. 'See, there's this girl I want to ask to the ball-'

'Ginny Weasley.' Sirius smiled.

'Yes, and I need some time to sort something out.' Harry explained.

'Your pulling something, eh?' Sirius barked.

'Kind of.' Harry said, twiddling his thumbs. 'So would I be able to skip some of your lessons to sort it out?'

'Sure Harry.' Sirius replied. 'But first could I ask you one thing?'

'Fire away.' Harry said, feeling more confident now.

'What's so special about this girl?' Sirius asked, seriously. 'I mean, I know Miss Ginevra Weasley is one of the more attractive girls at Hogwarts, but why do you have to ask her. She's not the only pretty face at Hogwarts.'

'But she's not just a pretty face.' Harry found himself saying, but not really knowing where it was coming from. 'Look, I don't know. There's just something about her.'

'That's what your father said about your mother.' Sirius sighed. 'He couldn't describe it, but he knew there was something special about her.'

'Oh.' Harry said, going red. 'Well, it's not quite like that. It's tradition to ask her, for one thing. And I had a vision-'

'That's what they all say.' Sirius replied shaking his head, as the ball rang. 'Now run along. You can be as long as you need to be, but make sure you make some sort of an appearance in my class. Don't want people to think I'm favoring my godson.'

'No problem.' Harry grinned, and dashed out of the room.

Harry made his way to the deserted Entrance Hall, and stood in the center of it, looking upwards. He grinned. It was all going to work out perfectly.

Harry strolled into the potions room an hour and a half later, with an innocent look on his face.

'Where have you been?' Ron questioned thickly. He was sitting at a desk at the back of the room, and Hermione was sulking beside him.

'He's been doing some work for me.' Sirius said, before Harry could answer. 'Take a seat Harry. We're doing some revision at the moment, so you've not missed much.'

Harry took his regular seat next to Ron, and behind the other two Marauders, who were currently hexing a quill to leave the writers hands black.

'You two still not made up yet?' Harry grinned, and the pair gave him identical poisoned looks, which made Harry chuckle. 'You two are supposed to be Hogwarts' favorite couple. People are starting to get suspicious.'

Ron shrugged his shoulders and Hermione lifted her head.

'Maybe we should stage a break up.' Hermione suggested.

'That's the best idea you've had all day.' Ron smiled.

'No!' Harry exclaimed. 'You can't just break up. That would mess things up. The old Ron and Hermione can't just come back and find out they've broken up.'

'But when the old Harry comes back, he's going to find out that he went to the ball with Ginny.' Ron stated. 'That's a change too.'

'But that's different.' Harry argued. 'The old Harry asks Ginny to the ball every year.'

Ron sighed, and flicked over the page in his potions book.

'Harry.' Hermione asked, with a thinking face. 'When the other ones of us come back, they aren't going to remember what has happened throughout the last few weeks.'

'They'll think they had amnesia.' Harry said, with a shrug of the shoulders.

'Then we could change things, and it wouldn't make any difference.' Hermione said. 'If someone told them what we did, they'd just think they did it.'

'Not if it was out of character.' Harry replied.

'He's right, Hermione.' Ron sighed. 'The other Ron and Hermione would never break up. They were glued together.'

'How'd you know?' Hermione asked Ron, whose ears went red.

'I don't.' Ron replied, quickly.

'Ron.' Hermione said in a warning voice. 'Tell us what you know.'

'I dunno…' Ron said, looking suddenly worried.

'Tell me.' Hermione said, finally.

'Well, don't be mad at me, but I found a pensieve belonging to the other Ron in my room a few days ago.' Ron rambled, looking down at his feet. 'It doesn't have many memories in it, but there are a few.'

'Why didn't you tell us about it?' Hermione stressed.

'Because…' Ron mumbled, looking from Harry to Hermione. 'Well, it's embarrassing! The other Ron and Hermione are all mushy and stuff.'

'Oh.' Hermione said, and Harry sniggered. 'Well I still think we have a right to see it.'

'Well, if you really want to.' Ron said, closing his book. 'We could go into all the memories sometime. I mean, I've only been in one of them.'

'One was enough, eh?' Harry grinned.

'Something like that.' Ron said seriously, not meeting Harry's eyes.

'Well I guess we ought to pack up.' Hermione said. 'The bell's going to go any minute.'

'What!' Harry exclaimed. 'I've got to go.'

Harry rushed out of the room, and down the corridor to the Entrance Hall. He levitated himself to where he needed to be, and waited patiently for the bell to ring.

The bell rang right on time, and the halls suddenly flooded with students. Harry searched frantically for a red head among the crowd, but Ginny was nowhere to be seen. Harry was starting to worry that he'd got Ginny's timetable muddled up, when he spotted her over the other side of the Entrance Hall.

She waltzed gracefully through the crowd, followed by her small group of admirers. Harry saw the other Marauders and Hermione enter from a corridor on the left, and new it was time.

When Ginny crossed the center of the Hall, Harry dropped a long robe, hanging from the ceiling to the floor, at Ginny's feet. The surrounding crowd suddenly went quiet, as people looked up for the occupant of the robe.

Harry pulled the invisibility cloak off himself, and tossed it to one side dramatically. A few girls squealed as they caught the discarded item, and Harry grinned as best he could.

Harry took a deep breath, before sliding down the robe, like you would a fireman's pole, and landing a few steps away from Ginny. Even though his hands were burning, he put the thought from his mind and looked forward to Ginny. She had a pleasantly shocked look on her face, and when she met Harry's eyes she smiled. This was all the encouragement Harry needed.

'Ginny, will you go to the Christmas ball with me?' Harry asked, and the crowd went silent.

Ginny looked as if she was having a mental battle for a moment, before meeting Harry's emerald green eyes. She searched them for a moment, before giggling, 'Yes, I'll go with you.'

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