Warning minor Harry/Ginny ship
Chapter 14 - Clothes and Other Distractions
"What's wrong, Ron." Harry asked.
Ron, who was putting away his new robes into his repaired cupboard sighed, "It's just all this stuff you bought us." He said regarding the pile of goods on his bed. The other boys in the sixth year dorm stopped their own sorting of their new processions to listen. "You shouldn't have done this…" Ron said unhappily.
"Ron, we discussed this. You guys should not have to suffer because of me. I was glad to do this. Besides it's the Malfoys that will end up paying the bill in the long run. Just think, now Malfoy won't ever be able to tease you about your robes or anything else again." Harry said.
"Yeah there is that I suppose." Ron replied.
Harry had given the others in the room a look for support.
"Yeah Ron! Just think how it will stick in Malfoys craw everytime he sees us in the robes he paid for." Dean Thomas said.
"Besides they're dead spiffy!" Seamus chipped in.
"I like the embroidered crests." Neville said holding his new robe up. The Gryffindor Crest shone with the lustre of silk threats it was made of.
"We're going to be right babe magnets in this lot!" Seamus added.
Ron smiled at that. He finally had clothes he would not be embarrassed wearing on a date with Hermione. Ron blushed bright red at the thought.
"Oh! Who you be thinking of there Ron mate eh?" Seamus teased seeing Ron blushed face. "Wouldn't be a certain bushy haired prefect now would it?"
"None of your business!" Ron said in an embarrassed tone.
The other boys just laughed. "Come on!" Dean said, "Let's get this stuff put away and then go show the girls our new looks. I got to find a new girlfriend as someone pinched my old one!"
"Dean mate, look I'm sorry…" Harry said apologetically.
"Don't worry about it Harry. I always knew the score. No hard feelings!" Dean replied pleasantly. He leaned in close to Harry and whispered, "Beside her five brothers were scaring the crap out of me. I wouldn't have lasted much longer. Hope you know what you are doing!"
Harry frowned and muttered to himself, "So do I!"
A few minutes later in the common room a voice rang out. "Ladies and Gentlemen, I have the pleasure to bring you the all new sixth year boys!" Seamus yelled as he came leading the others down the stairs.
Lavender made those noises only an excited girl can make when the boys walked down the stairs in the crisp new school robes. The other students laughed as Seamus did a complete catwalk number swirling his way through the common room.
"Ron, you look so handsome!" Hermione beamed. Ron instantly turned bright red.
Ginny laughed at the two and said, "Get a room you two!" she then made a beeline for Harry.
"Harry," she said as she embraced him, "you are going to need to talk to Dad about… you know. Mum too but it will be best if its just Dad first."
"Oh! Yeah, I suppose I should. I'll see if Professor McGonagall will let me fire call them tonight in detention from her office." Harry replied. "I just hope he doesn't kill me."
"No, he likes you. Mum is the one that will kill you!" Ginny said helpfully, only it didn't really help as Harry went a sickly green colour. "It'll be fine, Harry. Stop worrying."
"That's fine for you to say. You know I don't have any parents to inflict on you." Harry teased.
"Do you think your mum and dad would have liked me?" Ginny asked softly.
"They would have loved you. Mind you Dad would have pranked you mercilessly until Mum made him stop. Sirius liked you a lot. I could tell. He would have hated the idea of the courtship rituals though." Harry choked up a bit. "Did I ever show you my Mum and Dad's photos?" He asked. Ginny shook her head no and Harry got up to get his photo album of his parent from his dorm. Ginny couldn't help notice the way all the other girls were looking at her.
Harry was soon back with the album and he and Ginny cuddled in the corner of the room as Harry showed her his only link to his parents. It was approaching eight o'clock before the couple broke up, Ginny to resume her OWL studies and Harry to make his way to McGonagall for another detention session.
Harry checked the marauders map before he left the tower and found once again two dots labelled Snape and Malfoy hanging around outside McGonagall's office.
"Ginny, can you do me a quick favour?" Harry asked sweetly.
"Come in!" Professor McGonagall replied to the loud knock on here office door. The door swung open and Ginny Weasley stood there.
"Sorry to disturb you Professor but Harry Potter had to go to the Hospital wing. He won't be able to make it to his detention tonight." She said.
"What is wrong with the boy?" McGonagall asked concerned.
"Fell down the stairs into the common room. Just a bit of a bump on his head, Professor. He'll be fine after a night in Madam Promfrey's care." Ginny said.
"Very well thank you, Miss Weasley." McGonagall said.
Ginny closed the door to the office and hurried back to her studies in Gryffindor Tower. Meanwhile two figures hurried down the Hall in the opposite direction on their way to the hospital wing.
Professor McGonagall sighed as she thought to herself. "That boy just can't keep out of trouble!"
"I hope that sigh wasn't about me, Professor." Harry said from his chair in front of McGonagall's desk.
"Goodness, you almost frightened the life out of me, Potter. I thought you were in the hospital wing?" McGonagall replied.
"No, I just got Ginny to say that to get rid of Snape and Malfoy outside." Harry said grinning.
"That's Professor… Oh, what's the use!"? McGonagall said. "So why don't you get started on your homework, Harry. And while you are doing it feel free to tell me anything at all." Professor McGonagall went back to correcting her third year's transfiguration essays. She knew from experience that a student preoccupied with their homework would often say more than they would just asking them to talk, especially if the Professor seemed more intent on other things, themselves.
"What sort of things do you what to me to talk about, Professor?" Harry said.
"Anything at all. It can be mundane like the weather or profound like your current feelings. It's up to you. I will be here to listen to whatever you wish to say, Harry. Why don't you start on something simple, like how your day went." McGonagall replied as she scribbled a comment on the bottom of the essay she was marking.
"My days are never simple, Professor." Harry replied as he started in his charms homework. "I was enjoying my first sleep-in this morning before Dumbledore…"
"That's Professor Dumbledore, Mr Potter." McGonagall interrupted.
"Sorry! Before Professor Dumbledore brought Malfoy into Gryffindor Tower and I had to hi tail it out the window with my broom."
"You flew out the dormitory window?" the Professor asked.
"Ah! Yeah, is that against the rules?" Harry asked.
"Yes Mr Potter, it is against the rules. I will have to assign you another detention for that." McGonagall said trying not to smile.
Harry smiled back at the joke, "You don't need to worry about me doing it again Professor. The Headmaster warded the window to prevent anyone doing it again."
"Oh!" McGonagall replied.
"Yeah, but it's funny in a way. I mean, he's the great Albus Dumbledore and he puts this really advanced ward on the dormitory window. I mean it's so tied in to the schools wards I don't think even Bill Weasley could break it." Harry said.
"Well, he is known as the most knowledgeable wizard alive for a reason, Harry." McGonagall commented.
"Yeah, but that's just it see. He warded the dormitory window with this super advanced ward but he forgot the other windows in the Tower totally. I only had to go into the fifth year's dorm next door and use their window… That's another detention isn't it?" Harry said.
McGonagall nodded.
"Anyway, it's just like him, don't you see? He does these amazingly complex things with ease but totally forgets the simple things." Harry stated emphatically.
McGonagall sighed, "Yes that does sound like Albus… I mean the Headmaster."
"He's so obsessed with the big picture, he misses the small details. Like me having a life!" Harry spat out angrily.
McGonagall didn't comment and Harry went back to trying to concentrate on his charms homework. McGonagall knew better to try to push him tonight. It would take time before Harry was comfortable talking to her about his anger at the Headmaster freely. But tonight was a good start.
"Ummm, Professor! Could I make a fire call to the Mr Weasley sometime? I sort of need explain to him about Ginny." Harry said looking pale.
McGonagall studied the boy for a moment trying to keep the amusement off her face. Harry could face the Dark Lord without batting an eye but the parents of a girl scared him to death.
"Go right ahead, Harry. I imagine that it is best not to put this off. Do you wish some privacy?" McGonagall asked.
"No that's all right Professor." Harry replied and got up shaking nervously.