Harry Potter and all characters, etc. belong to J.K. Rowling, not me.

Learning to Dance

Chapter 3 – Honesty

Hermione and Ginny went down to lunch when they finished talking, and found Harry and Ron already eating in the Great Hall. Just as they had for breakfast, Ginny sat next to Harry while Hermione sat across from him. Harry visibly tensed up. He said, "Er, uh, hi Ginny, Hermione.

"Hello, Harry!" greeted Ginny, smiling broadly. "I didn't have the chance to tell you how well you did during our lesson!" she complimented, while quickly patting him on the back.

"I, um, practically broke your feet," countered Harry, looking intently at his plate. "I'm, er, sorry about that."

"That's okay, Harry, but I meant that you showed a lot of progress, once you stopped stepping on my feet. In fact, you seemed to be enjoying yourself."

"I, er, did. I'm sorry I, um, left like I did."

"That's all right, Harry," replied Ginny. "You had homework to do." She winked at him. "I hope you got it done, because I think we should have another lesson after lunch. I don't want you to forget what you learned."

Harry appeared scared to death and glanced at Hermione, who smiled and nodded her head, which caused him to tense up even more. She remarked, "I think that would be a great idea!"

Harry slowly nodded and agreed, "Er, I guess so."

This lesson went better as far as dancing goes. Harry wasn't stepping on her feet, and was, in fact, making very good progress as Ginny coached him. Ginny was wearing the same clothes as that morning, and Harry had trouble looking at her face instead of her outfit. He found himself liking her more and more, and decided to take Hermione's advice when the music stopped. While they were putting on their robes, Harry asked, "Ginny, er, would you, um, like to, er, play a game of chess when we get back?"

Ginny breathed deeply, resisting the urge to blush. She calmly answered, "Sure, I guess so."

When they got to the common room, Harry asked Ron if he could borrow his chess set, and then got it out of their dorm. Harry and Ginny played for about two hours, laughing and talking the whole time. After their sixth game, Ginny suggested, "I think it's about time for dinner." Harry agreed, so they put away the game and went to the Great Hall together.

They spent a lot of time together over the next few days, with dancing lessons, games of chess and exploding snap, even snowball fights. Neither one of them took Hermione's advice to try studying together. Ginny even noticed that they'd passed Cho Chang in the hallway and Harry hadn't given her a second look. Ginny was immensely enjoying their time together, enjoying Harry's obvious attraction to her, but was getting frustrated with Harry's refusal to admit how he felt. She kept reminding herself that Harry would probably wait until the ball because he was afraid of ruining everything. Therefore, she was surprised at the end of their afternoon dance lesson the day before the ball when Harry said he wanted to talk with her.

He looked very fidgety, unable to keep still while staring straight at the floor. He unsteadily began, "Um, I, er, know I asked, um, you, er, to the ball, um, as, er, friends. I'd, um, kindof, er like to, uh, change that."

Although she knew what he was trying to say, she thought she'd have a little fun with him. After all, she'd waited years for this moment. She kept a completely unreadable face and asked, "What? You don't want to take me to the ball anymore? What am I going to…"

"No! Er, no, that's not it! I, um, really want to, er, take you, but not as, um, friends."

"Why," asked Ginny, holding back laughter as she tried to look hurt, "Aren't we friends anymore? Are you mad at me?"

"No! I'm not mad at you!" exclaimed Harry, looking frustrated and desperate to communicate with her. "I'm such rubbish at this!" he muttered under his breath. He looked into her eyes and slowly forced himself to speak very clearly, "I want the ball to be an actual date," and then blushed and looked quickly back to the floor.

Ginny couldn't help but blush now, and was glad he couldn't see her face. She took a deep breath to calm herself and asked softly, "Are you saying that you, um, fancy me?"

Still looking at the floor, he whispered just loud enough for her to hear, "Yes." Then he quickly added, "But if you don't fancy me, we can still go as friends, if you're willing!"

She decided to be a bit merciful at this point. She answered, "That won't be necessary. I'll go with you as your real date. I suppose I can give you a chance to impress me."

Harry swallowed at this statement and repeated, "Impress you? Er, what do you mean?"

She chuckled at this statement and replied, "I'm not gonna explain that to you," and walked out of the classroom, leaving a confused-looking Harry behind.

-LTD-

Hermione was playing a frustrating game of chess with Ron when Ginny burst into the common room and declared, "Hermione, we need to talk!" Hermione left the game and an aggravated-looking Ron behind as the two girls walked up the stairs into the girls' dormitory.

"What's wrong?" asked Hermione, with concern in her eyes.

"Nothing," answered Ginny, "I'm just so, nervous, excited, I don't know!" She then proceeded to tell Hermione all about her conversation with Harry.

"Well, that's wonderful that he's finally admitted it!" Hermione admitted excitedly, "But why did you tell him he has to impress you?"

"I just, I just don't want him to think I'm, I'm easy. That he can just wink at me and I'll faint dead away!"

"Won't you?" asked Hermione, giggling.

"I don't know. He's never winked at me before," replied Ginny, also giggling.

"You want him to be honest about his feelings when you won't be?" asked Hermione, more seriously.

"What are you trying to say, that I should throw myself in his arms no matter how he feels about me?"

"No, Ginny. I'm saying that he's told you how he feels. In fact, you're the only girl he's ever admitted he fancied! Right now, he probably feels like he's made a fool of himself."

"No, he didn't. He just told me how he feels…"

"And you pretty much told him you don't fancy him, but you're giving him a chance to try to change your mind. Now, he's probably incredibly nervous, and is dreading the ball even more than he was when he didn't have a date! No matter how many girls asked to go to the ball with him, or how many dragons he's faced, he still feels low self esteem. He's probably sure that no matter what he does tomorrow, you're not going to like him."

"You think I was too hard on him," asked Ginny, hanging her head down.

"I think you should talk to him, Ginny. You don't have to throw yourself at him, but at least let him know that you fancy him a little, before he runs away from the school."

"Fine. I'll talk to him, to at least give him a reason to look forward to the ball."

They went downstairs and Ginny started to play a game of chess with Ron while she waited for Harry. After Ron had made his first move, Harry walked into the common room with his head hung down. Ginny got up from the table without a word to her brother, who looked outraged, and walked toward Harry. She asked, "Harry, can we take a walk?" He nodded, and then they got their coats and left, while Ron was yelling about everyone leaving in the middle of a game.

They walked in silence through the castle until they got outside. Ginny said, "Harry, I want to apologize for not being honest about my feelings."

"I think you made your feelings clear. I'm sorry that I said what I said. Can we just pretend I didn't? I really enjoy spending time with you, even if it is as a friend."

Ginny smiled when he said he enjoyed spending time with her. She replied, "I've enjoyed the time we've spent together, too! But I didn't make my feelings clear. I, I do fancy you, Harry. You don't have to impress me. You already have." She took his hand in hers as she spoke.

"Then why did you…"

"I was playing hard to get. I know it's stupid. Girls expect guys to pour out their hearts to them, while the girls barely acknowledge the guy's existence. I guess it makes the girl feel better about herself while she watches the guy she fancies jump through hoops for her."

"I've heard of that," responded Harry knowledgably. "I just never figured out why a guy would harass a girl who's made it clear she doesn't like him. It's humiliating." Then he smiled at her and explained, "I do fancy you a lot, and I'm very glad you fancy me, but if you didn't I wasn't about to chase you all over the castle quoting love poems and begging you to change your mind!"

"I know, Harry. That's why I decided to tell you the truth. You deserve honesty from me, Harry." She smiled mischievously at him while reaching for some snow on the ground and said, "For example, you honestly will not hit me with nearly as many snowballs as I'll hit you with," as she smashed a snowball into his face and ran off, with him chasing after her, wiping the snow from his now red face.

-LTD-

Chapter end