Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter...yadda, yadda, yadda...

WHITE LILIES

CHAPTER TWENTY: FORGOTTEN

Thursday.

The day before Friday. Only a day before the Ball. The day that I must decide if I wanted to go with the lily guy.

Or maybe not.

"Don't tell me you haven't got an answer yet," Ron exclaimed while we were in the Great Hall. Ron found out that the mystery guy invited me and that I wasn't able to give him my reply yesterday.

"Yeah – sort of," I said, watching the owl that delivered the lilies fly away. "I haven't decided yet."

"So you sent that owl away again with nothing," he said. "Poor guy, he'd want to be informed soon if you're going to come with him or not so he could prepare or something."

"I know, so stop making me guilty!" I snapped. "Besides, I still have time to think until tomorrow morning. Tomorrow, I'll send my answer. Tomorrow, he could prepare for – whatever."

"And all you've got to tell him is 'no,'" Ron joked. I slapped him at his arm. "Hey, I was only joking!"

"I'll think about that 'no,' too," I said.

"Whatever," Ron said then he turned to Harry. "Hey, you seem to be so lame. Whazup?"

Harry ignored him. He was twirling his wand in his hand and was staring at nowhere. He looked upset about something.

"Earth calling Harry Potter!" Ron called louder. "Mate, what's bothering you? Is it about that girl you asked? Did she already say yes?"

Harry suddenly stopped twirling his wand and sighed. "Unfortunately, no."

"What!" Ron yelped. "A girl rejected Harry Potter's invitation?"

"No, not rejected," said Harry defensively. "But like Hermione, she's not responding yet."

Ron shook his head. "Girls are all similar. They are a real pain in the ass."

Harry directly looked at me. "You bet."

After dinner that same day, Professor McGonagall called the Head Girl and Boy to her office. Since Harry's out practicing Quidditch with the rest of the Gryffindor team, I went alone. When I was in front of her office, I knocked on the door.

"Come in," I heard her say so I turned the knob and went inside.

Professor McGonagall's office was pretty much the same when I first entered it in my third year with Harry. A fire was still roaring at the fireplace and the tray of tartan biscuits still sat on her table.

"Good evening, Professor," I greeted her with a warm smile.

"Good evening to you, Miss Granger," she said. "Come and sit down."

I walked towards the chair in front of her table and sat. "Have some biscuits," she said, indicating the tray that I mentioned earlier.

"Oh, no, thank you. I'm full." It was pretty silly of her to ask me that since we just had dinner.

Then she noticed that I was alone. "Where is Potter?"

"They have Quidditch practice, Professor," I said.

McGonagall sighed. "Well, go and fetch him. Tomorrow is going to be a busy day and so I must tell you my instructions now."

"Okay, Professor." I stood up and went out of her office.

Tomorrow is going to be a busy day, I thought as I walked along the corridors. Of course, the Ball. We must make some arrangements for that special night.

When I went out of the Great Oak doors, I noticed that it was raining. I didn't bother to get any umbrella or something because I like rain. And I figured that it wouldn't take me long since it was almost nine and some players are not allowed after that time. Harry should know that. He's Head Boy, for goodness' sake!

When I was walking down the grassy Quidditch pitch, I met Ron and the other players.

"Oi, Hermione, why are you standing in the rain? You might catch a flu," Ron said when he saw that it was me. He cares about me. How sweet.

"Where is Harry?" I said.

"He's still at our changing rooms," Ron replied, looking past my shoulder. "What's taking him too long, anyway? Go check him out, will you?"

"Okay, thanks," I said and I jogged towards the changing rooms.

The door of the changing rooms was slightly open so I took a peak. At first I thought that no one was in there. But then I saw Harry standing at the middle of the room. He was not alone.

He was with Ginny. And he had his arms around her in a tight embrace.

I slowly took a step backwards. My head was spinning. No...this can't be happening...

I turned away from them as ran as fast as I could. I didn't know where I was going. I just wanted to get away from there, fast.

Then I stopped to catch my breath. I noticed that I was near the lake. I walked over to the tree that the three of us used to stay.

So the girl was Ginny, I said to myself. The girl that he mentioned when we were at the library ages ago was Ginny. I should have known…

I was soaked to the bone and it was getting cold, but I didn't care. I forgot about McGonagall, I forgot about that important thing that she was going to tell us, I forgot everything! Everything except Harry and Ginny.

It's over. Ginny won. It's all over. Then I cried. And the rain fell harder.