A/N Here it is! :) Fifth chapter! It was just a short one. It was more of a continuation of the last chapter. Enjoy reading! And oh, it is not a requirement but it would be really nice if you could post a review after reading. I will really appreciate it. :)


Chapter 5: Freed

The music started playing a fast beat. People started moving towards the dance floor in groups, laughing and merry. Harry just stood there, still looking at the direction where Ginny had gone. He could not believe what had happened, or rather, he could not explain what he felt. He was frozen on the spot.

Harry felt Cho touched his arm. He faced her but didn't know what to tell her. In fact, he didn't know what to do. But one thing is for sure, he knew Ginny was hurt and it was because of him.

"I've got to find her. Talk to her," Harry told Cho. She gave him a reassuring smile and nudged him.

Harry ran into the direction where Ginny went – outside the Great Hall. Once outside, he was unsure on where to go, on where to find her. Just as he was about to go up the stairs, he heard Ron and Hermione calling his name.

"Where are you going? Where's Ginny?" Ron asked as soon as they reached him.

Harry didn't answer. How could he? He can't tell his best friend that he played a jerk and dump his sister so he could get back with his girlfriend. Ron would not like it for sure, no matter how understanding he can be.

"Harry, what happened?" Hermione asked him when he didn't answer.

"Nothing. I just… I need to go," Harry dismissed them and went up. He was thinking of where could he find Ginny when he saw Luna, or rather Luna saw him.

"You're looking for Ginny, aren't you?" He nodded.

"She went up to the Gryffindor Tower. I tried to follow her but I don't think I'm allowed there. She did tell me she was fine. But she didn't look like she is." Luna told him while looking straight at him. "Looks like she's upset."

Yes, she is. And it's because of me. Harry thanked her and went to the direction of the Gryffindor Tower. He ran, hoping that he can still catch up with Ginny before she went up to the girl's dormitory. When he reached the tower, he found that it was deserted. Most of the students who weren't at the ball already left for home this morning. When he turned a corner to where the Fat Lady was located he found Ginny about to give the password.

"Ginny!" Harry called her and ran towards her. "Please, let's talk."

To his surprise, Ginny faced him. He had been expecting to see her crying, but she wasn't. She still had that unreadable expression she had earlier though Harry can tell that she was hurt and she was mad at him. He just stood there looking at her when he realized she was waiting for him to speak.

"I'm sorry about what happened," Harry began and he felt that he really was.

"Why?" Ginny asked. She must've understood the confusion on his face because she spoke again. "Why are you sorry?"

"Because I know you're hurt. Because I forgot about you being my date. I shouldn't have. I'm really sorry, Ginny." Harry knew he was sounding desperate for Ginny to forgive him.

Ginny just looked at him for a long time and for a moment he thought she was going to leave but she spoke again.

"Tell me Harry, why did you ask me to go the ball with you?"

Harry was taken aback. He knew Ginny was waiting for him to answer but he didn't know what to say. This was one question that he had been asking himself ever since the ball rehearsal. He had the option to just stay and don't attend the ball. But he still did, and went with Ginny. He knew the whole school knew that Ginny was the reason why he and Cho broke up, but still he asked Ginny.

"Ginny," Harry began. "I….. don't know."

He knew this wasn't the answer that Ginny wanted to hear. But it's the most honest answer he could give her. Without removing her eyes from his, Ginny asked him again.

"Suppose you found out earlier that Cho had broken up with Michael the day of the ball rehearsal, would you still have asked me to go to the ball with you?" There were no judgment in her eyes yet Harry felt guiltier.

One thing was clear; Ginny knew that Cho and Michael broke up. Also, she knew it the day he asked her to be his partner. And now he had been asking himself the same question Ginny asked him. Would he still have asked her when he knew he could have Cho?

"Alright, I'll make it easy for you," Ginny said when he didn't answer. "Would it even cross your mind to ask me if Hermione hadn't suggested it?"

If he had been really surprised, Harry knew it was written all over his face now. He had no idea that Ginny knew about that or how she knew. It was highly unlikely that Hermione would tell her that. And aside from Hermione, who else would tell her that? He was about to ask her when she handed him something, a small piece of crumpled parchment.

"You dropped that last night, the time we came back from the rehearsal," Ginny answered him, this time she was no longer looking at him.

Harry took the parchment. He was straightening it out trying to read what it was even though he knew what he would find inside. As the parchment straightens, Harry could recognize Hermione's handwriting and he felt numb when he could see the fullness of the note. He completely forgot all about this until today that he's reading it:

Harry,

I heard from Luna that Ginny hasn't got a partner yet. Go ask her.

Hermione

Now he knew why Ginny dashed towards the girls' dormitory as soon as they came back from the rehearsal. He knew he could not get out of this one. He knew he lost the chance of Ginny forgiving him. And for the millionth time today, he didn't know what to say. When he looked at Ginny, he saw her smiling bitterly and spoke again.

"You know what? Maybe she was right. Maybe I did think I had that advantage since I was Ron's sister, your best friend's sister. I've always had that single thread of hope, Harry. Hope that one day, you'll take notice of that little girl who had a crush on you ever since the day she met you on King's Cross. And I never lost that hope. I never let go of that hope. Not even when you started going out with her. I distanced myself, yes. Even tried to forget whatever it is I feel for you by treating you plainly as a friend. But I couldn't. When you asked me to come with you to the ball, I was at my happiest. It's like finally, I was able to make something out of that hope. I thought my time has come. I thought I was right about not letting go, about not losing hope. I thought that by holding on strongly to that hope, at last something happened. But then, I was wrong. I didn't hold strong enough. I was actually wrong in believing that you will ever going to like me, to notice me. I should have known it was never me. It will never be me." As Ginny turned his back on him, he caught a tear fell from her eyes.

Harry had always known that Ginny liked him; it was obvious. It's just that he never expected her to tell it straight into his face. And now that she did, he didn't know what to feel. And to top it all, he had no idea that he had been hurting Ginny for quite a long time now.

He watched Ginny as she stood in front of the Fat Lady. He could not find the will to move and follow her. He wasn't sure what to say if he did.

"Password?" Harry heard the Fat Lady asking.

Looking down, Ginny answered in a soft voice, "Ilicet".

"For now," said the Fat Lady before granting her access to the dormitory.

And just before Ginny went inside and closed the door, Harry heard her sob.


A/N There you have it! By the way, the password Ginny gave to the Fat Lady is Ilicet. It's a Latin word meaning "it's finished" or "it's over". So what do you think of this chapter? :) Hope you could leave some reviews! Thanks!