DISCLAIMER: I don't own Harry Poter.
A/N: I'm such an awful person... Last time I forgot to thank my betareader for his wonderful job and immense support. Thank you so much Birkiguy!
When I look into your eyes…
I looked at myself in the mirror, trying to flatten my messy hair to no avail. I gave up on the job and picked up my wand, making my way downstairs and out of the door. Today was Ginny's engagement party which was going to be held at the Burrow. I had no business there since I wasn't friends with her, but Ron had bugged me relentlessly to come and I finally gave in.
I hadn't seen Ginny for seven whole years and I was feeling a bit awkward, because the last time I saw her, she was a scared young girl of eleven years old. She had just come out from hell after a year of being possessed by Lord Voldemort and in the end, barely escaping death in the famous Chamber of Secrets with my help. The near death experience she had suffered made my heart go out for her and I had tried to speak to her and help her stand on her feet again. "Never forget what happened, because this made you stronger, even if you don't know it yet. Keep going and never lose hope," I remember telling her before we got out of the train in Kings Cross station. A few weeks later Ron sent me a letter telling me that his parents sent Ginny to Beauxbatons Academy of Magic in France, because she couldn't deal with the aftermath of the Chamber event. A change of environment would be good for her Ron said, and I hoped with everything that I had that he was right. Every summer she would visit her family, but I never got to see her because, when I arrived at the Burrow, she would already be gone to France.
I stood in front of the gates of the Burrow, giving myself a pep talk and trying also to convince myself that it was possible that Ginny didn't even remember me. I made my way to the crooked house that filled me with a sense of belonging to this family, the family that took me under their protection and smothered me with love. I was ready to knock on the kitchen door, when it was suddenly flung open and there stood Molly Weasley, my mother in everything but blood, with her arms open for me. I bent down and squeezed her affectionately. "Hello Mum," I greeted her.
"Harry dear, it's so good to see you again. I missed you!" She sniffed and pulled me inside the house. "You know you are late, right?"
"I'm sorry Mum, but I returned from my mission this morning and I didn't have much time to gather myself."
"I know dear", she whispered and patted my cheek. "Go outside now and have fun."
I smiled, kissed her on the cheek and practically skipped to the garden. They had done a wonderful job with the decorations. A large buffet was lying on the right side of the garden and a wizarding gramophone was placed on a table on the left. The guests were standing in the center chatting happily, while waiters were strolling around offering drinks. I easily spotted Ron and his girlfriend, Hermione Granger -my two best friends- and made my way over them.
"Hey guys!" I said cheerfully.
"Harry!" Hermione squealed in delight. "How are you?"
"I'm good Hermione, how about you?"
"Same old, same old! How did the mission go?"
"Successful as always", I replied with a smirk. I am an Auror now, and a really good one. I'm not arrogant, it's just the truth. From the moment I joined the Auror department, we captured the remaining Death Eaters that have been lurking in the shadows, and every mission in which I participated, went without a hitch. "So where is the happy couple?"
Ron just groaned. "Happy my arse…"
"Ronald! Watch your language!" Hermione scolded.
"Why? If that's the definition of a happy couple, I'm out of here! He's a pompous, rich git, and I can't understand for the life of me why my sister is with him!"
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"You haven't seen, how he looks at us. How he treats us and speaks to us when she's not in the room! He believes that we are dirt on his shoes! All of us except for Ginny, of course…"
I frowned. The Weasleys were a poor family but a very loving one, and I couldn't understand how he could treat them like that when he would marry Ginny.
"What's his name?"
"Eric Bouvillard"
"Huh, and what does he do for a living?"
"Something in the ministry, don't know much…"
"Ron! How could you? He's the Head of the Department of Magical Sports in the French Ministry!" Hermione said scandalized.
"Right," Ron replied distastefully.
"Ginny's coming our way," Hermione said. I turned to look where she was pointing and my breath caught on my throat. I opened my mouth to say something, but only strangled sounds came out.
"Harry, are you all right?" Hermione asked, worried.
"I'm … I'm fi-fine," I stuttered. I cleared my throat and snatched a glass of champagne from a waiter passing by. I drunk it in one go and took a deep breath to clear my head. Ginny was… beautiful. Words were failing me as I tried to find a word that described her perfectly. She was wearing a strapless ice blue dress that flowed down her knees. Her legs were adorned by silver high heeled sandals, making them look a mile long. She had her red hair straight flowing down her back and a beautiful smile crossed her face once she spotted me.
"Harry!" she exclaimed and hugged me tightly.
"Ginny!" I managed to utter, while hugging her back. Inside I was doing a happy dance. She remembers me!
"Oh mon dieu, Harry! It's been ages! How are you doing?" she asked excitedly.
"Great," I croaked and cleared my throat once again. 'Get a grip Potter!' I said to myself, while I was trying to control the butterflies that filled my stomach. I had never had such a reaction to a girl before … okay that's a lie. I felt like that once when I first started dating my first and only girlfriend, Cho Chang; Hey, we were only fifteen for Merlin's sake! What was happening to me? 'Don't act like you don't know what's happening', was my subconscious' reply. 'You're attracted to her, very much so!' God! What I had gotten myself into? I couldn't be attracted to her, because she was engaged to be married!
"I've been great Ginny," I tried again. "How about you? You look stunning!"
An adorable blush painted her cheeks and she looked to the ground. Finally she raised her eyes back to my face and I had problem breathing, again. Her eyes were pools of warm, liquid chocolate and I felt myself getting drowned in them.
"Thank you Harry," she answered. "You look handsome yourself!" It was my turn to blush this time. I mumbled a quiet thanks and she continued. "I'm fine, really. I'm playing quidditch professionally, which was my dream job, and I'm getting married to a great man! What else could I ask for?" My heart fell. She loves him. I realized with a pang of sadness. Stupid Potter, what were you thinking? Of course she loves him, otherwise they wouldn't get married!
"That's great Ginny, I'm very happy for you," I said, trying to act as normal as possible. Suddenly a pair of arms encircled Ginny's waist. Eric. I didn't notice him approaching us. Ginny held my entire attention.
"Hey baby, won't you introduce me to your friend?" he asked, nuzzling his face in her neck. 'Get the fuck away from her!' my mind screamed at him, and my palms balled into fists trying desperately to keep a thread of my control and not punch his face. He was tall, blond with blue eyes and a smile that made my insides clench in anger. He was the typical French boy and a good-looking one. It pained me to admit it to myself, but how could I compare to him?
"Of course," she said pleasantly. "Eric, this is Harry, Ron's best friend. Harry this is Eric, my fiancée."
Eric extended his hand to me and I grasped it reluctantly. He had a very firm grasp, much firmer than a typical handshake and a warning crossed his eyes. "Mr. Potter I presume?" he asked.
"That's right," I said. He continued holding both my hand and gaze, until I pulled my hand back.
"I'm sorry," he said, his tone apologetic, but his eyes told me a different story. "Ginny darling, the Emerson's are waiting for you."
"Oh, right!" Ginny said and a look of disappointment passed her face. "I'll see you around Harry, and don't be a stranger, okay?" She smiled at me and my insides flipped.
"Of course not," I replied, returning her smile.
"It was a pleasure meeting you Mr. Potter," Eric said in a cold voice.
"The pleasure was all mine," I replied in the same tone, holding his gaze. They turned around and left. I sighed and run a hand through my unruly hair.
"What the bloody hell was that?" Ron asked bewildered, and I jumped. I had completely forgotten he and Hermione were still there. Hermione was looking at me with a questioning gaze.
"I really don't know Ron," I said, releasing a breath. "But, I agree with you. I don't like him. I don't like him at all"
A/N: Now, be nice and leave me some love...!
