DISCLAIMER: I own none of these characters and I did not come up with the concept. These belong to J.K. Rowling.

What Might Have Been

"Hermione, you're an idiot." Ginny muttered fervently as the girls scrubbed the dinner dishes.

"What are you talking about?" Hermione asked, thoroughly confused.

"I've been giving Harry the signals all day and he hasn't treated me any differently."

Hermione laughed so hard that the plate she was drying slipped from her hands and shattered on the floor.

"Reparo!" Ginny said furiously, "And what is so funny about this?"

"Ginny, it takes more than a few hours to convince someone you're interested in them. I'm sure Harry noticed, he just doesn't know if you've gotten less shy or if you're actually flirting with him."

Ginny frowned and furiously scrubbed the last dish, "Fine. I'm going to bed." She had to think for a long while, and she couldn't do it around someone like Hermione. Hermione had it all: brains, a good figure, and a boyfriend who would do anything for her. Even if that boyfriend was Ginny's brother, she still found herself insanely jealous. Most of all, Hermione could spend as much time with Harry Potter as she wanted.

Ginny didn't realize that she had made it to the landing until she ran smack into Harry and almost fell back down the stairs. Quick reflexes saved her from this fate, as Harry grabbed her wrists and pulled her back onto her feet.

"Oh…Harry, I…" Why, oh why couldn't she speak!?!

"All right, Ginny? Looks like I scared you a bit." Harry said, grinning and making Ginny's heart melt down to her toes.

"I'm fine. If I'd known you were going to save me, I would've fallen down the stairs a long time ago." Ginny said as huskily as possible, winking at Harry as she brushed past him and shut the door to her room.

Harry stared after her retreating back, aghast at what had just occurred between the two of them. Ginny couldn't really have feelings for him…she was his best mate's little sister, after all. Strictly off limits to him. She had certainly looked radiant today, but nobody could help noticing that. Ginny had always been one of the more beautiful girls at Hogwarts, and she was suddenly all interested in him. No, Harry thought, lonely as I am, I can't do that to my best mate. He thought of how awkward his beloved trips to The Burrow would be if he and Ginny ended badly.

But there was no harm in flirting back, right?