Author's Notes: Being the second part of a quartet of one-shots featuring a variety of character reactions to the "fact that Harry Potter was going out with Ginny Weasley". This particular one-shot focuses on the discussion that takes place one evening between Dean Thomas and Ginny Weasley, one evening after an O.W.L study session in the Gryffindor common-room, after the rest of the House has gone to bed, and a lone Ginny is left to study the goblin wars.
Disclaimer: Messrs Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs wish you a good day, and advise people thinking that Polska Princess owns Harry Potter and all related indicia to get their heads read, the idiots.
You Seem… Happy
There comes a time, just after you have broken up with your boyfriend and subsequently got off with someone else, when certain discussions can no longer be avoided.
Ginny Weasley knew instinctively that this time- and this discussion- had arrived, as it inevitably does, when one night as she was studying in the Gryffindor common-room, Dean Thomas hung back after everyone else had gone to bed. He had the sort of look on his face that signals that the person with the expression is requesting a discussion, a serious chat, with the person on the other end, preferably at that moment.
"Hello, Dean," Ginny said tentatively, idly turning pages in A History of Magic.
"Hi, Ginny," Dean replied; he seemed to have trouble looking directly at her. Ginny shifted nervously; would he yell at her, perhaps? In all the flurry since the Quidditch match, and that kiss, and the break-up, they'd never really… discussed anything rationally.
"How're you?" Dean asked.
"I'm fine," Ginny answered.
"Yes," Dean said, "Yeah, you look it."
"Dean –"
"So, you and Harry seem… happy." Dean said carefully, his face conveying the jealousy his words didn't betray.
"We are, yeah," Ginny said.
There was an uncomfortable silence.
"Dean, I'm sorry about –"
"No worries," Dean said shortly. "Look, I'm fine with it, okay? We weren't working, and it was just one of those things, bound to happen. But what I'm not fine with… I can't help wondering if we broke up because you still fancied him."
"Dean, I- of course I fancied him! I always did- will- but I'd given up on him, see?"
"Given up, eh?" Dean snorted derisively. "Given up. I saw how you kissed him, Ginny. You didn't seem very 'given up'."
"Look, Dean, we broke up because it wasn't working. Plain and simple. You wanted to put me on a bit of a pedestal, and I like that, you just did it, you know, too much."
"Why didn't you ever tell me?" Dean asked.
"I suppose I knew we were already a bit rocky and I didn't want to make it any worse. I really liked you, Dean, I did."
"I'd always fancied you, Ginny. You were so pretty and so popular; you've never had trouble making friends and you accept everyone. You love Quidditch. We even had fun talking about Muggle football, eh, didn't we?"
"Yes, of course we had fun, Dean, and I fancied you too, but… you never… you're not Harry, you won't ever be Harry… I don't want to make you feel awful, you're a wonderful boy, Dean, but you're not Harry, and Harry's the one I…" She let the sentence trail off.
"You don't just fancy Harry, do you?" Dean asked. "You love him."
Ginny hesitated. It would be breaking Dean's heart to say it; he never had a chance of replacing Harry.
"Yes, I love him," she replied finally. Dean's face crumpled; it hurt Ginny's heart to see it.
"Well, then… I never had much of a chance, did I," Dean said. It was a statement, not a question. Ginny shook her head.
"Why'd you bother, Ginny? Why'd we get together, if there was no chance?"
"Oh, come on, Dean," Ginny burst out, "I'm not saying I didn't fancy you, honestly, I did, but we just didn't work… and Harry…"
"Bloody Harry Potter!" Dean snapped. "Ginny, he's always had you all turned around, I shouldn't have told you how I felt, you'd never have had to know."
"No, Dean, it's not like that- "
"Might I remind you, Ginny, that I share a dormitory with him? That I have to go up to that dormitory and sleep in a bed across from his, knowing that he's smiling to himself and dreaming about you the way I used to? Do you know how damned uncomfortable it is, how betrayed I feel every time I picture you kissing him? I'm jealous, Ginny, I'll admit it. I'm really, really jealous and I want nothing more than to hex the kid. When I remember that look on your face as you parted from him and you looked at me... I tried to smile, you'll remember. I wanted you to be happy, but I tend to forget that for me, being without you is bloody miserable."
"Oh, Dean…" Ginny said, putting a hand on his arm.
Dean shook it away, an irritated look on his face.
"I didn't come to fight with you, Ginny, I came to talk to you rationally. I'm not doing a good job of it, so I might as well quit while I'm behind, and tell you that I miss you, and I still really like you, and- and… and if Harry Potter so much as looks at you funny, I'll make sure that he lives to regret his mistake." With that, Dean turned away from Ginny and strode off in the direction of the boys' staircase.
"Wait! Dean!" Ginny called, running to catch up with him at the stairs. Dean whirled around, his eyes blazing with anger. Ginny caught up with him and gripped the front of his robes.
"What? Breaking my heart into about a thousand pieces isn't enough for you?"
"I didn't want to hurt you, Dean, it's just how it happened." Ginny insisted.
"Just get out of my sight before it gets damaged further." Dean said quietly and with no lack of anger.
"But I want to… can't we be -" Ginny asked, a pleading note slipping into her voice.
"I don't want to be your friend, Ginny!" Dean snapped.
"But Dean!" Ginny protested, gripping his robes tightly.
"Forget it, Ginny! Now let me go, because unfortunately, you can't Reparo a broken heart. This is one ailment that has to be healed the Muggle way. With time."
"We shouldn't end it like this!"
"It ended about a week ago, when we had that massive row. Now you can't fix it. You can't Reparo it like I did that glass that got crushed in my hand when he snogged you. And when you kissed him back. Good night, Ginny."
Dean sprinted up the staircase, tripping slightly on the fifth step. Recovering quickly, he continued running up the stairs and rounded the corner. Ginny watched him leave, and walked back slowly, as if in a trance, to tidy up her books and stationery. There'd be no more studying that night.