Harry Potter had never thought much about affection, much less about romance. You couldn't blame him, though; Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon never displayed any affection apart from a peck on the cheek rarely. Dudley had always been interested in computer games, Harry hunting, bullying everybody, Harry hunting, television, and Harry hunting. Harry never considered the possibility of liking someone or being liked by someone. But that was before he attended Hogwarts. That day, he saw a family of redheads, most prominently a red-headed girl who would, from then on, rule his heart.
Ever since Harry had met Ginny on the first of September in 1991, he had had a crush on her, as had she on him. In 1992, the two of them were shy and awkward around each other, and Harry had always regretted it. Ginny ended up being so neglected that she became a victim of the Chamber of Secrets. Ever since Harry had saved her, he had sworn that he would never ignore her again. That night, as he sat next to Ginny's bed in the hospital wing, he kept turning over the past year in his mind wondering how he and the Weasley brothers had neglected Ginny so much she had almost to get killed.
At the corner of his eye, he saw Ginny wipe her eyes hastily as she pulled up the blankets to get warm enough to sleep. Harry then noticed Ron helping Hermione, who had been unpetrified, drink some pumpkin juice.
Ginny apparently noticed him grin.
"Harry, what's up?" she asked.
"Oh, Ginny, how are you feeling now? I was so worried. As for them…." Harry indicated his best friends, "You don't know? I think you'll know once you observe my two best friends!" Harry's grin was wider, and Ginny gave a watery smile. Oblivious to them, Ron and Hermione had seen them over the other side of the room.
"My best friend and sister are already getting together so well!" Ron muttered happily.
Hermione was also elated! "I know, right! Look at them!"
Over the next year, Ginny still had nightmares from the Chamber. But the one good thing that she noticed was that Harry was interested in her just like she was interested in him. Not to mention her prats of the brothers who had ignored her all her first year were now more responsible and had stopped ignoring her.
"I just can't! I'm sick of those nightmares!" She shook her head one evening as she sat next to Harry and Ron. They were sitting close to the Fat Lady's portrait that was the entrance to the Gryffindor Common Room. "Either Riddle kills me before Harry comes to the Chamber, or Harry hears Riddle's version of events and decided to let me rot in that hell!"
"You know both are untrue, Ginny." Harry said, putting an arm around her, "I'd neither let Riddle hurt you in any way nor would I just turn away and abandon you."
"But you almost died because of me!" Ginny hated herself as she felt the familiar flood roll down her cheeks. Why did she have to start tearing up all the time? But then she felt Harry give her a squeeze, "I told you not to blame yourself for that, Ginny. It's not your fault. Besides, I'm totally fine!" As she leaned against Harry, she smiled bravely. She would never be this damsel in distress who was dependant on others. She sat up straight as Hermione finally looked up from her Arithmancy notes. She had been half-hidden in the shadows apparently and had dark circles under her eyes.
"Harry's right, Ginny. You mustn't resort to self-blame."
"Where did she come from?" Ron looked startled. "Did any of you see Hermione come in?" But Hermione ignored him.
"Besides, you're a Gryffindor. We know you'll fight! You aren't alone. We're all here!" Hermione said, with her nose in the air. Ron looked abashed, "I wish I were the one who went and dealt with Riddle."
"Are you crazy?" Harry snapped. "Your broken wand would never defend you against Riddle. Look what it did to Lockhart when he tried to Obliviate us. Imagine if you had to duel Riddle, and the curse backfired on you!"
"Look who is talking! Who was the one who said they would go after Black despite Hermione and me telling them not to!" Ron demanded furiously.
"B-Black? Harry! You're going after Black! He is a MASS MURDERER! You'll only put yourself in more danger!" Ginny exploded angrily. Ron's smirk irritated Harry more. "What?" Harry demanded.
"Ginny is now being more herself!" Ron happily shrugged. "You do not want to get on her wrong side, Harry."
Harry didn't care. "Black betrayed my parents! Lily and James Potter are dead because Sirius Black sold them to Voldemort! And he also killed twelve Muggles and Peter Pettigrew by blasting apart that street! Am I not a Gryffindor? Shouldn't I seek revenge?" Malfoy was right! I should've gone after Black ages ago!"
"So you'd rather listen to that moron instead of those who wish only the best for you?" Ron stood up angrily.
"You will not go anywhere, Harry, and that's final!" Hermione said with such a look that Harry would get scorched badly if looks could hurt you.
Harry stomped to the boys' dormitories before Ginny could say anything. While he was angry with them at the moment, by morning, he felt that Black was a legitimate threat and that Harry shouldn't be too reckless.
By the time the Quidditch World Cup arrived, Ginny's nightmares had subsided a little. As Ginny sat at the Top Box, she heard Harry's voice next to her, "Dobby?"
She turned around to look, just as Ron and Hermione on Harry's other side did.
"Did sir just call me Dobby?"
"Sorry," Harry told the elf, "I just thought you were someone I knew." "But I knows Dobby too, sir!"
The elf introduced herself as Winky. Ginny was as fascinated as Ron and Hermione to meet this house elf. Viktor Krum from the Bulgarian team caught the Snitch, but Ireland won. The celebrations lasted for a long time. Little did Ginny know, as she enjoyed her mug of Hot Chocolate, that her nightmares hadn't ended.
The Dark Mark set high up in the sky sent chills down her spine. Bill, Charlie, and Percy were injured, and Fred and George were shaken. Ron was with Harry and Hermione, presumably with her father, or at least she hoped so. It was with such great relief she saw the four of them she nearly crushed them all in hugs.
Hermione seemed indignant. "How could he do that to that poor elf?! He makes her sit in that Top Box even though she is frightened of heights, and then forbids her from fleeing to save her life and now dismisses her cruelly for running to safety!" Ginny could literally feel hot fumes coming from Hermione.
Not that the nightmares stopped after the Dark Mark was sighted. If anything, it only got worse. As she rubbed her eyes, she froze at Dumbledore's words.
"Harry Potter!"
There was shocked silence in the Great Hall. Nearly every eye was upon Harry, who sat next to her, seemingly frozen. The atmosphere had become like ice. Furious mutterings erupted across the Hall.
"He is a cheat!"
"He is not even seventeen!"
"How did the Goblet choose two people from Hogwarts?"
Hermione and Ginny pushed Harry so that he went to Dumbledore, who stared at Harry as though he saw James Potter return to life. Time seemed to freeze and yet move faster than usual. Very soon, Ginny found herself in the Boys Dormitory, Hermione at her side, and Ron on the bed. Harry entered.
"Where've you been?" Harry said, looking relieved to find Ron. He had a scarlet Gryffindor around him, which he discarded at the foot of Neville's bed.
"Oh hello," said Ron sounding rather betrayed. "Congratulations"
"What d'you mean, congratulations?" said Harry, sounding hurt.
"How did you get across that Age Line when Fred and George couldn't?" Ron asked.
"I thought you might've told me how to so that we could both enter our names. But you kept me out of this when you evidently found another way."
"Listen," Harry's voice sounded like pleading, "I didn't put my name in that goblet.."
"You even mentioned this morning you'd done it last night. It's not wrong to want the Thousand Galleons prize money or to not have to write the end-of-year tests. But the least you could've done is told me." Ron said, evidently feeling betrayed.
"I didn't put my name in that goblet! Why are you being so jealous?" Harry's voice was a little louder now.
Ron and Harry were now glaring at each other. Ginny stood up.
"Ron, stop being a prat! I'm sure Harry didn't put his name in the Goblet of Fire! He wouldn't be insisting otherwise!" And before either Ron or Harry could respond, Ginny continued, "Harry, you're being really stupid, you know? My brother isn't jealous of you or anything. Hermione and I suspect someone else put your name in that Goblet!"
Hermione grunted and nodded, still staring at the Gryffindor hangings around Ron's bed, evidently calculating something. She revealed it then. "Why do you think Professor Dumbledore hired the Auror Moody to teach at Hogwarts this year? I think it's because Professor Dumbledore too suspects that someone is after Harry!"
"You're right. Professors Dumbledore, Moody, and McGonagall reckon someone's trying to kill me, and their first step was to put my name in the Goblet of Fire. They were discussing it a while ago." Harry said, drawing shocked gasps from Ginny, Hermione, and Ron.
"Will you be allowed to withdraw…" Ron began, but Harry cut across him, "No, Ron. It is a magical contract, and now I have to participate."
"Why are they letting you in that Tournament if someone is obviously trying to kill you, Harry?" Ron was shocked but thankfully did not sound betrayed or hurt this time. His voice didn't carry any accusation either. This was a genuine concern.
"I don't know, Ron." Harry shook his head.
Hermione's voice was exactly how Ginny was feeling, as Hermione said, "H-How could they allow this? Oh, Harry!"
"I'll be fine. I have you guys." Harry smiled and moved over to drink water. Of course, Harry could rely on Ron, Hermione, and her, Ginny thought. Tom Riddle would be Albus Dumbledore before Ginny or Ron or Hermione betrayed Harry.
Ron walked Hermione over to the entrance to see her off to the girls' dormitories. Ginny went and embraced Harry, "We will all be with you, Harry. We won't let anything happen to you! She mumbled.
Harry heard these words of comfort simultaneously, feeling the front of his robes dampen. "Thanks, Ginny. I know I can rely on you three." He embraced her warmly.
Ginny's nightmares continued, although featuring an ugly thing covered in blankets that spoke in a cold voice. Apparently, Harry had similar visions, too, as he admitted it to her, Ron, and Hermione. It was Ron, Hermione, and Ginny who stood by the tent in the aftermath of the First Task, waiting for Harry. Ron was fuming about Karkaroff being unfair to Harry in terms of marks. Hermione looked relieved, and Ginny took Harry's hand as the four of them walked back to Hogwarts castle.
Very soon, the Yule Ball arrived. McGonagall had instructed Harry to bring a date with him to open the ball, but Harry hadn't found a date yet. By the time he worked up his nerve to ask Ginny out, she had agreed to go out with Neville. Of course, she hadn't known that he didn't have a partner. Hermione felt sorry for him and asked if he needed help. "Wait a moment!" Harry suddenly said, making a seventh-year Slytherin girl nearby scowl at him and walk away, muttering darkly about people being loud.
The Yule Ball opened. Ron's mouth dropped open when Hermione and Harry opened the ball. Harry and Hermione were followed by the other champions and their dates. Cedric was with Cho, Fleur was with Roger, and Viktor was with another girl.
"This can't be happening! Harry? With Hermione?"
Ron angrily made his way towards Harry. He wanted to tell his best mate that he had betrayed his trust for the second time that year by going out with Hermione, the first time being when he thought Harry had entered his name in the Goblet of Fire.
"Hermione and I have come to the ball as friends." Harry was telling someone.
"Harry and I didn't find partners, so we decided to come together but as friends." Hermione was telling someone else.
Ron stopped in his tracks. "As friends? Harry, I like Hermione! It's hard to see her with…."
"You like her?" Harry said, looking relieved. "Thanks, Ron. Hermione, Ron here wants to spend the rest of the ball with you."
Ron's cheeks reddened as he watched Hermione blush. "Sure, Harry. When you're ready, Ron."
Before Ron knew it, the Yule Ball had improved beyond his imagination.
Harry sat on one of the chairs away from the dance floor, happily watching his two best mates. He was upset that Ginny hadn't gone out with him and was trying not to think about it. His gaze shifted towards Ginny. Neville was constantly stepping on her toes during the dance. Ginny kept wincing in pain but didn't say anything to Neville. The duo moved across the dance floor slowly and came towards Harry. Just then, Ginny stumbled. Before she could fall, Harry stood up and caught her in his arms.
"Sorry, Ginny. I lost balance." Neville looked gloomy and angry with himself.
"T-Thank you, Harry. D-Don't be so hard on yourself, Neville. Just relax. Eat something. Enjoy the party." Ginny turned around.
"Ginny, would you like to dance with me?" Harry asked her. Neville had left to find something to eat. Ginny agreed.
Ron and Hermione were having the time of their lives. As Hermione placed her head over Ron's heart, she saw Harry. "Ron, you will love this! Look!" She said. Ron turned around, and his face broke into a happy and content smile. There was Ginny, her head over Harry's heart, as they both danced on the dance floor.
Harry couldn't forget that night. Both couples really had had such a good time! He felt warm and happy seeing Ron, Ginny, Hermione, and Sirius all there to help him with the Tournament. Thanks to Dobby, Harry was able to face the Second Task. It was now time for the Third Task.
That evening, Ginny heard from Ron and Hermione how Harry had fainted during a Divination Class with his scar hurting badly. According to Harry, he could see from Voldemort's perspective. An already alarmed Dumbledore was panicking when Ginny told him about her never-ending nightmares about the Chamber, Tom Riddle, and the ugly thing covered in blankets that kept recurring. That meant the one thing everybody in the Wizarding World dreaded.
The day of the Third Task arrived. As Harry looked up, he saw five judges, Percy Weasley being one of the judges. He wasn't the only Weasley there though. Earlier that day, he, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny had met Mrs. Weasley and Bill, who had come to cheer on Harry's behalf
Harry went into the maze with Cedric Diggory, followed by Viktor Krum and Fleur Delacour for the Third Task. And now the audience all waited with bated breath.
Harry felt himself slam flat into the ground. When he opened his eyes, he was looking up at the starry sky, and Albus Dumbledore was crouched over him. "He's back," Harry whispered. "He's back. Voldemort."
When Harry returned with Cedric's body claiming Voldemort's return, Mrs. Weasley, Bill, and Percy (as the fifth judge of the Third Task of the Tournament) were there, as were Ron, Hermione, and Ginny. Percy accompanied Bill later to inform the remaining Weasleys about Voldemort's return while Albus Dumbledore personally sought out Cornelius Fudge.
Fudge refused to believe Dumbledore and treated Harry Potter with disdain. But Percy made his loyalties clear. He was going to side with his family, even at the cost of his promotion, something he personally desired so much. He continued his job at the Department of Magical Transportation only thanks to his merits as a lot of wizards and witches put down their foot and demanded Percy should not be dismissed or fired. They had all seen and appreciated Percy's hard work during and after his Hogwarts years. Even during the Tournament year, Percy had worked to the best of his abilities.
To Be Continued….
Authors note: I am planning on continuing this fanfiction. I hope you all liked the idea.
