Later that evening, Ginny was sitting in the common room with Dean, Seamus and Neville and she was tapped on the back by a timid looking first year. She smiled at him and said, "Hey there. What's up?" He stuttered, "Uh…uh…Miss Weasley…Professor Slug Horn told me to deliver this to you." She smiled and thanked him before he scarpered away and Dean chuckled, "Clearly, someone is intimidated by you," he said with a wink. His flirting made her feel uncomfortable, and that's when she realized it was probably because he didn't know about her and Harry yet.

She read the cursive script to herself:

Dear Miss Weasley

I'd be delighted if you joined me in a dinner party later this week, for a select few students of course. You could accompany Mr Potter if you wish, as he is also in attendance. It will be on Thursday evening at six o clock during dinner time. Miss Granger is invited too. Please reply as soon as possible.

Kind Regards

Professor Slughorn

Ginny frowned. She wasn't sure if she liked the idea of a "select few students" being shown preference, but she supposed if it's what Dumbledore wanted Harry to do, then she should do what she could to help. Neville asked, "Who's it from?" She shrugged and replied, "Professor Slughorn. Just wants to see me about something." She knew it was a stupid thing to lie about, but she didn't want to look like she was bragging or rubbing it in.

At that moment, Harry walked through the portrait hole. Ginny hadn't seen him at dinner and so she smiled at him when he came over to greet her, "Hey Harry," she said happily. He looked exhausted and he murmured, "Hey Gin. Hey guys," he nodded at the three of them, who greeted him and Harry continued, "Can I have a word with you please?" His eyebrows were raised earnestly and she nodded, "Sure, should we step outside?" They walked through the common room in silence and when they reached the landing she asked, "What's up?"
Harry shook his head in disbelief and murmured, "I…uh…McGonagall…she told me that I had been made captain of the Quidditch team, due to popular voting last year." Ginny's mouth fell open and then she beamed, "Oh Harry! That's amazing! I'm so proud of you!" She pulled him into an embrace and then sighed happily. He nodded and whispered, "I'd like you to be my vice captain, and McGonagall agrees." She pulled away quickly and frowned, "Harry, I'm not even on the team! I want to audition like everybody else! I want people to know that I can get in on my own accord and not because my boyfriend is the captain!" Harry smiled goofily and she giggled, "What's that look for?" He shrugged, "Just like hearing the word boyfriend that's all." She chuckled at the expression on his face and grinned, "He shook his head and became serious again, "Right sorry. No soppy boyfriend stuff!"
She smacked his arm playfully and said, "Oh you should probably know…Dean was flirting with me earlier…" Harry rolled his eyes and grumbled, "Will the guy ever just give up? You've turned him down before." Ginny nodded, "It's probably because he doesn't know we're together." Harry grumbled, "Yeah and how do you tell people this kind of thing without making a scene?" At that moment, Romilda Vane happened to walked passed, with Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee beside. Romilda blinked firtasciously at Harry and said quickly, "Hey Harry! Congrats on making team captain! I'm sure it will be a great season for you!" Harry blinked and frowned confusedly, "Thanks…" She giggled and hurried inside the portrait whole, Rebecca and Julia throwing dirty looks at Ginny.

Ginny sighed, "Let's wait until I get on the team of my own accord please? If I get on the team at all. Then we can make it official." Harry nodded but asked distractedly, "Fine. But who was that girl who's friends with Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee?" She shrugged, "Romilda Vane. She's really interested in you, clearly." She couldn't help the seep of jealousy that entered her voice. Harry frowned and shrugged, "Whatever. I need to go inside and do some work. Have the professors started pouring on the homework yet?" She nodded and sighed, "So much! I've got an essay for Snape for tomorrow and then an assignment for Herbology on Tuesday. When are tryouts going to be?" Harry smiled, "Probably on Monday. If you need any help with the work just ask, okay? Or maybe ask Hermione. She's better than me at most subjects…" Harry winked at her before grabbing her waist and pulling her in for a kiss.
Ginny sighed happily against his lips, but then pulled away quickly. The Fat Lady was eyeing them curiously and she hurriedly walked through the Portrait Hole before asking Harry, "Did you get Slughorn's…?" Harry finished and nodded, "Letter? Yeah. Please be my date?" They had just reached the stairs of the dormitory and Harry said that really loudly as they had passed Dean, Seamus and Neville. S

She felt herself blushing as she said rather loudly herself, "We'll see, Harry," before winking at him discreetly and then running upstairs to get her study things. She had a long evening ahead of her.

Thursday evening arrived and Harry walked down from the common room with Ginny to go to Slughorn's dinner. She was feeling very nervous as he had said, "Dress smart," so she was a wearing fairly plain, lilac dress which had a black bow around the middle and a sweetheart neckline that she had felt was far too exposing, even though Hermione had assured her that it was fine. She had worn a blue cardigan with it though, just to be sure, and some stockings as it reached just above her knees and it was particularly cold inside the castle. She shivered and Harry put his arm around her and held her close as she rearranged her dress and he sighed, "Stop stressing. You look beautiful." He was wearing jeans and a nice, blue shirt which bought out the color of his eyes." Ginny rolled her eyes, "You're a one to talk! You've been stressed the whole week and you haven't been yourself!"
It was true. She'd hardly gotten to spend one on one time with him because he'd been preparing the tryouts, doing heavy loads of work and attending lessons with Dumbledore. She'd only found out that he'd started the private lessons because Ron had let it slip during dinner one night. Apparently, Harry had been informing them what it was about, but he hadn't mentioned a thing to her. For some reason, this irked her intensely. Surely, being his girlfriend, she had a right to know what was going on in his life? What irked her even more is that she didn't really have a girlfriend whom she could rant to, or ask these kinds of questions which bothered her. Ginny had Hermione of course, but Hermione would avoid these particular kinds of questions whenever she asked them.

Harry had fallen silent after her remark (and removed his hand from her waist) about him not being himself. She suspected it was because he knew she was right, but still wasn't willing to tell her why he'd been so distant. Finally, they reached Slughorn's classroom, and Harry knocked before Slughorn opened it and allowed them in, "Ah! Mr Potter, Miss Weasley, what a lovely couple the two of you make! Please come in!" Ginny smiled sweetly but said firmly, "We're not a couple, professor. Just good friends. And as you suggested, Harry took the liberty of escorting me here this evening, that's all." Slughorn looked disappointed as his face fell and he shrugged, "Oh well, one can keep on dreaming! Please, find your places at the table."

The desks that usually stood there had been cleared to make space for a big, round table in the middle of wthe room. About fifteen people sat around it, Hermione was already there, and Ginny found her name beside her. As she sat down, Harry whispered in her ear, "What was that all about?" She frowned and asked politely, "Whatever are you talking about, Harry? Please don't whisper in front of others, it's rude. Hi Hermione! Hey Neville!" She said brightly.

Hermione, not being a fool, had of course already sensed the tension between the two of them. Harry sat down beside Ginny rather grumpily and Hermione said neutrally, "Hey Ginny! Loving the dress!" Neville also greeted her and the three of them spoke about Quidditch while soup was served as starters. Harry was quiet for most of it until Slughorn suggested that they circulate and talk to each other before the mains arrived. So Ginny got up and had a look around the room. The other people Ginny vaguely knew were Zacharias Smith and Cormac McLaggen. Smith sidled up to her and nodded, "Weasley." She rolled her eyes, "Smith." He grinned a slimy smile and said curiously, "So…I couldn't help but wonder…what really did happen in the Department of Mysteries? Dumbledore's managed to keep it all very hush hush. But I heard you were there?" She rolled her eyes, "Oh yeah? Who told you?" He laughed and replied, "It was in the newspaper, Gin." The way he said her name as if she was so inferior and he said it so sarcastically it just made her want to slap his face. He was faking as though they were best friends. He winked at her and the grabbed her elbow playfully, causing her to freeze. She looked at him stiffly and whispered tightly, with her drink in her other hand, "Smith, let go of me now or so help me God I will Bat Bogey Hex you into oblivion!" Smith smirked at her and chuckled, "Oh yeah? A silly, little girl like you? Don't be ridiculous!" Her wand was on the table at her seat, otherwise it would be in her hand right now. The words "silly little girl" rang through her mind. It was exactly what Riddle called her when he had seized full control of her and she finally realized then that she was in trouble.
Ginny managed to yank her hand free and she glared at him before Harry appeared next to her, "Smith," he said in a rather unfriendly tone. Zacharias nodded to him, "Potter. I was just asking Ginny here, what exactly went down in the Department of Mysteries between you lot? Care to enlighten us on the situation or are you just going to keep us in the dark like you did with Diggory?" Ginny felt every muscle in her body tense, a sharp pang spring into life in her stomach and she felt like slapping this guy across his face. Ced…she hadn't thought of him in far too long. She suddenly craved his presence as she knew he would defend her furiously if he'd heard that comment. Harry seemed to tense as well and he snarled, "Keep Cedric out of this! He has nothing to do with it." Smith smirked carelessly and had a sip of his wine, "My my, Potter, getting a bit defensive over there, aren't we?"
At this moment, McLaggen interrupted them and winked at her, "Ginny," he said smiling in what he probably thought was a sexy manner. Harry was so tense he didn't even greet McLaggen. McLagggen nodded at the other two and asked her, "Are you trying out for the team? I saw you playing last year. You're particularly good." Ginny felt like she wanted to fall through a hole in the floor and die. This was beyond humiliating and it didn't help having Harry standing here like a statue and listening to another guy flirt with her in front of him. Harry was glaring at him silently and irately and she wished he would tone it down a notch and not be so obvious about it. Ginny nodded, "I am. I'm assuming you are too." McLaggen nodded, "I sure am. Cheers to that." He held out his glass to hers and she was forced to clink hers.

Thankfully, Slughorn announced that dinner was ready not a moment too soon. They took their places and Ginny whispered to Harry, "It's not my fault that he did that." Harry remained silent and shrugged his head as dishes appeared on the table in front of them (like in the Great Hall) and they all began piling on food.

When the meal was over, there was still desert of large bowls of ice-cream. Ginny groaned, feeling like the evening was dragging with Harry being so morbid and all. Eventually, the drawn out conversations came to an end and Neville, Hermione, Ginny and Harry left together. When they got outside the classroom, Harry told them, "I'm going to go back in. I uh…just need to speak to Slughorn about something." They nodded and Neville asked, "I wonder what he needs?" Ginny shrugged, "You won't find out either way." She glared at Hermione who shrugged her shoulders, "You'll have to ask Harry, Gin. It's not my place to tell you." Ginny sighed in exasperation, "Hermione, as my best girl friend, it is your job to tell me what my boyfriend's up to!" She had let slip, forgetting Neville was right next to her.

He raised his eyebrows, "So, you and Harry, huh? I'm not entirely surprised. It explains why you kept turning down Dean." Ginny couldn't help but roll her eyes, "I turned down Dean because I don't like him that way, Neville. But I'm begging you, please don't tell anyone. I'm trying out for the team and I want people to know that if I get in, I get in because I'm good enough and not because Harry is my boyfriend."
Neville nodded, "Fine, fair enough. I won't say anything." She smiled at him gratefully, "Thank you. That means a lot."

They walked the rest of the way in silence and finally reached the fat lady, tired and saying the password before the portrait swung open. The rest of the night passed painfully slowly as she was forced to work on a pile up of assignments. When Harry came in, he hardly acknowledged her. She knew he was upset, but he needed to get over himself. He couldn't be jealous of her every time another guy looked at her, could he? She supposed he could…but it was unfair to get upset with her. It wasn't like she initiated it.

Ginny saw him working in a corner by himself and eventually she picked up her things and walked over to him, "Hey…" she whispered. He nodded at her, "Hi," was all he said. She sighed, "Harry, I can't help it if they flirt with me…" He looked up at her irritably then, "Well, how do you think I feel about it, Ginny? I literally just have to sit back and watch other guys flirt with my girlfriend and not do anything about it, even though I feel like punching them in the face." She smiled half heartedly, "It's not even another week Harry. Can't you hold on until then, please?" He grumbled under his breath, "Fine." She rolled her eyes, "You know, you don't exactly make it easy by not telling me what's going on in your private lessons with Dumbledore." Harry groaned, "Gin, I've told you already…it's not because I don't want to." She looked into his eyes and decided that he genuinely meant it. It seemed as if he was pleading with her to understand. She sighed, "Fine. Well we can make a compromise then? I'll not pester you anymore about it if you give me the time I need to tell people we're together?" Harry sighed, "Fine. Can we stop arguing now please?"

Ginny nodded and turned his focus back to his studying, as did she, and they spent the rest of the evening in total silence.

Author's Note: Again I'm sorry this has taken a while. I've had some free time so I've just been watching movies and chilling a little bit while I can since I don't always have time to do that. I only had another exam in two weeks so I will have lots of time to post and update!

Anonymous, to answer your question, I have read most of the books at least three times. My favorites are in descending order, Goblet of Fire (which I am currently reading for the fourth or fifth time) and Half- Blood Prince (about three times) and Deathly Hallows (I think three times). Most of the others I've read once or twice. Anyway thank you again to everyone for your kind reviews! I think when I've finished the main story I might take a bit of a break before writing after Hogwarts as I want to do a writer's course online when I graduate, but it 99% certain will be happening. I can never say 100% haha! Thank you all again for the extremely encouraging reviews!