Ginny and Harry ended off the evening with an upbeat dance. Ginny laughed at how Harry was shaking awkwardly about the dance floor like he didn't care. This was probably due to the fact that there were very few people watching. Just when the song finished and everybody was clearing out, the band struck up a new, slow love song. Harry was laughing with Ginny as he grabbed her and pulled her close to him. They were now the last two left in the hall. He swayed her around playfully and for the first time in her life, Ginny truly believed that Harry was her best friend. It was like a meteorite had fallen from the sky and exploded in her brain. She giggled and Harry smiled, "What are you laughing at?" he asked curiously. She shrugged her shoulders as he swirled her around in small circles and she replied, "Just that...I've just realised that you're my best friend." Harry grinned and chuckled, "Took you long enough."
Ginny grinned and laughed with him, "Yeah. That it did." When the song ended, they separated and the Myron Wagtail (the lead singer) approached them, "Excuse me, but Mr Potter, can I get an autograph please? My nephew is a great admirer." The guy had long, greasy looking hair and a thin, elongated face. Harry usually didn't do this kind of thing but he said, "Sure, as long as you can give my friend he an autograph. I know she loves you guys." Harry winked at her and Ginny grinned as the guy pulled out a notebook and handed it to Harry, who looked slightly surprised. He shrugged and replied, "My son makes me organised." They laughed Harry quickly scribbled down a note and his signature. Then the Myron asked, "Who do I make this out to?" Ginny smiled and replied embarrassedly, "Ginny, please. G-i-n-n-y." He scribbled quickly on another page, tore it out and handed it to her. He smiled at Harry and said, "Keep this one around. You two make a good couple."
With that he turned around and Harry lopped Ginny's arm in his and they headed out the Hall. Ginny stopped them outside of the hallway, "Wait, hold on! How did you know I like them?" He smiled softly at her and replied, "It's pretty obvious. Ron's told me you have their posters all over your room and that you have all of their CD's." Ginny shook her head in disbelief, "You're amazing, Harry Potter."
Harry chuckled and shrugged his shoulders, "I do my best. What happened to Neville?" Ginny sighed and replied, "I don't know. He sort of...he's not the most sociable guy. I find him hard to talk to. Besides, I actually noticed him staring at Hannah most of the night. When I went to the bar, he spent the rest of the night with her." Harry laughed. "Hannah Abbott? In Hufflepuff?" She nodded and asked curiously, "What's wrong with Hannah?" Harry shook his head, "Nothing. Just a weird couple, that's all." Ginny shook her head, "I think it's cute. Not weird."
Harry changed the topic of discussion quickly, "And Cedric? He was with Cho all evening." Ginny grimaced at that, "Yeah I'd really rather not talk about it." He raised an eyebrow and sighed, "Fine. But I'm here if you want to." She nodded thankfully and read the note from Myron out loud:
To Ginny
You and Mr Potter make a fine couple. Look after him. Hope you had a wonderful evening and it was great meeting you both.
From Myron
Ginny laughed and so did Harry as he commented, "I can't believe he thought we were a couple." Ginny shrugged her shoulders and sighed, "I can believe it." Harry stopped mid-step and asked, his green eyes questioning her, "Why? I mean, we're just friends." Ginny sighed as she whispered, "What Cedric and I spoke about was how when a guy and a girl are best friends, it often leads to more than friendship. He was telling me that that's what it's like with Cho." Harry was sullen for a second before inquiring, "And...?" Ginny sighed and relented, "He basically said it's the same with us."
Harry was quiet for a while until they reached the Fat Lady. He turned to her and said, "I can't help but wonder...do you still feel like you can't be around me like how you did in your second year?" Ginny came to a halt and she turned to face Harry as she whispered, "No. I thought that was obvious when I told you earlier that you're my best friend." He smiled kindly and nodded, "I understand that. And I'm grateful for that. But do you think you could ever feel about me the way you feel about Cedric? Or is that never an option?" Ginny felt a blush spread across her cheeks for the first time in two years because of him. Maybe it was the way he asked it, so hopefully, but she couldn't help but whisper, "Yes. I think it's a possibility. But I just need more time." Harry beamed a smile that could light up the whole of Hogwarts it was so bright. He nodded and replied in a whisper, "Alright. Thank you for this evening. You made it worthwhile." Ginny couldn't help but grin back at him, "No, thank you. It's good to see you loosen up once in a while." Harry hugged her tightly and once they stepped into the portrait whole, they both went up to their dorms.
Over the next couple of weeks, Ginny became close with Cedric- so close, that even her brothers believed they were dating, no matter how much she denied the rumours. It was quite funny really, since Cedric had asked Cho Chang to the Ball and not her. She didn't mind that though. If he had asked her, she wouldn't have ended up with Michael, who asked her to Hogsmead the day after the Yule Ball.
Ginny had been heading to breakfast and had not been expecting it. Her and Harry had been walking down and laughing about how ridiculous Draco Malfoy had behaved last night, trying to pick up every girl who hadn't had a date-or so rumour had it, when Michael intercepted them. He grinned at her and acknowledged them both before asking, "Hey Gin! I was wondering if we could talk, please?" Ginny nodded in agreement, "Alright. I will meet you there, Harry."
Harry grinned at her before walking off. Michael smiled shyly and said, "I had a really good time with you last night." Ginny grinned and replied, "I had a great time with you too." He shuffled his feet and then looked her in the eye. His bright blue ones sent her heart thumping in her chest as he asked, "I was wondering...would you like to go to Hogsmeade with me when we next go?" Ginny thought quickly and then nodded eagerly in agreement. If Cedric was going to be with Cho, Ginny saw no reason to hang around him all the time. She might as well have her own dates so she replied, "I'd love to go with you! I think they're only going in two weeks though."
Michael nodded, grinning beaming from ear to ear as he replied, "I know, I just wanted to ask before any other guy got to you first." She giggled as they neared the Entrance Hall, "Like?" she asked flirtatiously batting her eyelids. Ginny wasn't usually the flirty type, but for some strange reason, Michael gave her the confidence to do so. He merely shrugged his shoulders and replied, "Harry Potter, Neville Longbottom, Cedric Diggory, Dean Thomas- those guys all have a crush on you from what I've been told." Ginny laughed as she explained, "Okay, you need to know that Harry and I are just best friends, Neville is a friend but I don't fancy him that way. Cedric is with Cho, so we're just friends...and I don't know about Dean but I don't fancy him either. In fact, I quite like you." Michael shook his head, as though disbelieving her and he chuckled, "Well...it's a good thing. I suppose I kind of thought because you had so many other guys around you all the time, that you wouldn't be interested."
Ginny smiled kindly as they reached the Great Hall and turned to him, "I'm used to having six elder brothers around so I suppose I just get on better with guys than with girls. I'm a bit of a tomboy at heart." He chuckled and replied, "That's cool! I like a girl with a strong sense of independence. Anyway I'm going to go and have breakfast because we're going to have Quidditch practice in half an hour and I don't want to be late." Ginny nodded as he hugged her goodbye and then whispered in her ear, "I like you a lot too," before running off to the Ravenclaw table.
When she reached the table, she sat down next to Harry and opposite Ron and Hermione. Ron grumbled through his cereal, "What are you so cheery about?" Ginny grinned as she sipped her pumpkin juice and replied, "I have a date." Ron nearly spat it out, but forced it down. Hermione giggled, "Who's the mystery man, Ginny?" Ginny put down her piece of toast she had been about to chew on and reencountered, "And what about your mystery man, Hermione? I feel extremely offended that you wouldn't tell me it was Krum!" She huffed as she took another sip of juice and she watched in satisfaction as the elder girl blushed brightly and defended, "Because you would have told Harry who would have told Ron!" Harry rolled his eyes dramatically and ate his omelette. Ron seemed to be ignoring Hermione with all of his might as Ginny argued, "I would not have told Harry if you had told me to keep it to myself!" Ron scowled irritably, "Yeah, well if I'd have found out sooner, I would have put a stop to it. She's fraternising with the enemy." Ginny's eyes widened in surprise as she laughed loudly, "I thought you love Krum?! You did at the World Cup anyway!" By now a good portion of the table was watching them, Fred and George included. They sniggered and nodded in mock-seriousness, "Oh yeah, Ronniekins had a bit of a crush on Krum himself. Don't worry Hermione, he's just jealous," said George.
This made Ron stand up from the table and stomp away childishly. Ginny rolled her eyes and carried on with her breakfast as Harry whispered to the twins, "That was a bit much, don't you think?" Fred shrugged his shoulders, "He needs to learn to get over himself." Hermione seemed sullen and she stopped eating. She got up and told them, "I'm going to go and speak to him." Harry nodded in agreement and let her go.
They finished breakfast in silence. Ginny whispered, "Do you think they will sort it out?" Harry sighed as he finished his omelette, "I hope so. I'm so tired of them arguing. So how is it with Michael?" Ginny grimaced and replied, "It's so weird because it happened so suddenly. We haven't kissed yet or anything, but he said he likes me and I told him the same. I think this might be going somewhere." Harry sighed and shook his head, "Just...I don't want to see you get hurt." Ginny smiled sadly at him and whispered, "I won't, Harry. I don't want you to get hurt with Cho, either." He nodded and smiled grimly, "At least we understand each other about something." She hugged him tightly before heading off to class.