Ginny's P.O.V.

Ginny sat by the fire in the Gryffindor common room, staring aimlessly out of the window. The sun was still high in the sky and Dean had left to find Seamus only minutes prior, leaving Ginny fairly bored.

She was just about to head back up the stairs to (grudgingly) start unpacking, when Harry entered the common room again. He looked a little disheartened, and so when he sat across from her, his head falling immediately to his hands, Ginny felt an inch of sympathy. Maybe she could openly talk to him just this once. Only once, though.

'Is everything all right?' she asked him quietly.

Harry's head snapped up and he looked at her in surprise.

'You're starting up a conversation with me? I thought you were mad at me,' he said apprehensively.

He just sounded so innocent and sweet…

Ginny cringed at how much it melted her.

'Yeah, well… you look pretty low, so I've decided to break my promise just this once. But, don't get me wrong, I'm still mad at you. It's only this once that I'll willingly talk to you,' replied Ginny. Which was true.

Harry gave a small sigh.

'Right. Well really, there's nothing wrong. I'm fine,' he said.

Ginny rolled her eyes. Ever since Ginny had met Harry, she had grown to know the depressed and generally moody stages he often went through. She used to like to think she could fix it, if given the chance. Now, she wasn't so sure. But it was worth a try.

'Come on, Harry. Even I know when you're unhappy about something. It doesn't take a genius to see that,' she said firmly.

Harry bit his lip.

'Truly, it's not important,' he said.

'Well it's important enough to cause you to look so dejected. I for one, don't want or need to see you go through another angst episode,' replied Ginny.

Harry raised an eyebrow.

'Another?' he asked.

'Yes, another. Just ask anyone. But, don't change the subject! You're going to tell me what's wrong and that's final,' she said.

Harry frowned… debating for a moment…

Then he sighed in a resigned way.

'Okay. If you insist.'

Harry's P.O.V.

'I broke up with Cho,' admitted Harry to Ginny.

Ginny raised her eyebrows at him, her deep brown eyes widening.

'Really? Why?' she asked.

Harry hesitated. Well, he couldn't say it was because of her. She had said already that she was still mad at him so Merlin knows what she might do if he told her the truth.

'It just… it just wasn't working,' he lied shakily.

Ginny looked apprehensive.

'It wasn't? That's not what it looked like over the Christmas holidays,' she said.

Harry felt his temper rising.

'Well how would you know?' he demanded.

Ginny's gaze turned cold.

'Sorry I asked,' she said lowly.

Harry sighed.

'No. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have snapped at you. To be honest, I know in myself that ending it with Cho was for the best, no matter what happened over the holidays,' he said.

Ginny nodded.

'Okay, then. I understand you must be feeling a little sad, but you really shouldn't be if it was, as you say, "for the best",' she said.

Harry started. He wasn't sad about ending it with Cho, but more like that it really hadn't done much to his situation with Ginny. But, hey, it was better for her to believe that he was upset about Cho, rather than herself.

'Yeah… thanks Ginny. I'm… glad I told you,' said Harry. It had been nice to have a normal conversation with her… really nice. Not to mention, she had gotten him to open up, something that he knew even within himself was a hard thing to do.

Part of it was her no-nonsense attitude… the other part was maybe just because he was rather a sucker for the youngest Weasley.

Ginny gave Harry a bright, genuine smile that flipped his stomach and he really couldn't help but smile back.

'It was my pleasure. But don't forget I'm still mad at you,' she said, ending sternly.

Harry nodded, keeping a straight face. But when Ginny looked away, and Harry could see her lips twitching up into a tiny smile, he couldn't help but let a tiny smile on his lips too. Maybe it wouldn't take too much to win her over after all.

However, for all the experience he had had with Weasleys, it was likely that Ginny wouldn't give up without a fight. Or at least without making him suffer…

A few weeks later, Harry was sitting with Hermione and Ginny (Ron was locked up in the library after handing in his Transfiguration essay two weeks late. Thereby Professor McGonagall had given him yet another, longer essay on a topic they hadn't even covered yet), playing absently with a quill when Dean approached them, sitting himself down next to Ginny.

'Oh, hi Dean,' greeted Ginny, smiling warmly at him.

'Er, hey,' said Dean. He was sitting on the edge of his seat, so Harry could tell he was nervous. But about what? 'So um, Ginny. I was wondering… Would you possibly… er, would you maybe like-? Um, will you go on a date? With me?'

Harry's head snapped up and blinked.

What?

'A-a date?' questioned Ginny and for a moment, Harry had hope that she'd say no. 'Um, yeah sure! I'd… I'd love that.'

Or not.

Dean let out sigh of relief.

'Good. So, er, I guess next weekend I'll meet you in Hogsmeade?' he asked.

Ginny smiled.

'Great. Can't wait,' she said.

Dean beamed, sprung up and bounded off.

Ginny immediately turned to Hermione.

'I was right, see? I told you he'd ask me,' she grinned victoriously.

Hermione rolled her eyes.

'Yes Ginny… ' she said.

Ginny scowled at her, but then very soon, a smile crept up on her face.

'Come on, Hermione, you have to admit this is good,' she grinned.

Hermione raised her eyebrows.

Then she laughed.

'Yes, okay. This is good. Very good in fact.'

Ginny purely beamed…

Harry, on the other hand…

He let out a long sigh which drew Ginny's attention to him.

'Are you okay?' she asked.

Harry nodded.

'Yes. I just have one question,' he said.

'Yeah?' Ginny asked, smiling pleasantly.

'Why are you going out with him?' asked Harry.

The smile slipped from Ginny's face, replaced soon by a frown.

'Because I like him, and he likes me. That's generally why people go out with each other… do you have a problem with it?' she asked coolly.

'Yes,' said Harry. 'I do, actually.'

'And what's that?' asked Ginny.

Harry stared at her.

'Because in case you haven't realised, but every girl that Dean has ever dated, he ended up cheating on her. Don't tell me you didn't know that?' he asked incredulously.

'Of course I knew that! But Dean said he had changed!' said Ginny defensively.

'Changed? Do you honestly believe that?' asked Harry.

'Yes! I do!' nodded Ginny fiercely. 'What is your problem anyway, Harry? When have you ever cared?'

Harry's stomach twisted and he leapt up.

'I just don't want to see you get hurt! Can't you understand that?' he demanded.

Ginny leapt up too.

'Not particularly! I mean' – she halted mid-sentence. Then slowly… she frowned at Harry. 'What's that even supposed to mean?' she asked lowly.

'It means… well, it means… er, it means that… that I I care about you. A lot,' admitted Harry hesitantly.

Ginny froze and Hermione got up quickly from where she had been observing the scene.

'I think what Harry's trying to say is that he doesn't want to see you get hurt because you're Ron's sister, therefore he cares about you. Like a brother would a sister,' she said carefully.

Harry let out a tiny sigh of relief. If Hermione hadn't stepped in, Harry would have had to answer some very awkward questions. He made a mental note to thank properly later.

'Yeah… that's what I meant,' he said, trying not to sound overly relieved. 'Look you two, I… I think I'll go and see what Ron's up to now… '

At this point he was just desperate to get out of the common room.

Hermione nodded.

'Okay then. Bye Harry,' she said.

'Bye Hermione, Ginny,' nodded Harry before he turned quickly on his heel and strode hurriedly out of the room.

Halfway to the library, Harry turned and leant against the wall, sighing hugely. So Ginny was going on a date with Dean. The very thought had his stomach churning. And yet there was nothing he could do, but sit and hope dearly that something would go horribly wrong.

Harry's shoulders sagged. Sure, Harry could try anything to win Ginny back, but it would do almost nothing if she was going out with Dean.

Groaning, Harry continued down the halls. It truly did seem as though the universe was against him and Ginny getting together. However, there was no way in all the world, that Harry was going to give up on her too soon.

That was when it suddenly occurred to him; it would seem, that Harry and Ginny had all of a sudden switched positions. And now that Harry knew what it was like for Ginny… well let's just say he was all of a sudden much more apologetic…