Hi, everyone! I'm so sorry about the wait, I got completely swept up in the chaos of the holiday season and spent all my free moments laying down. I found some time this week to sit down and write, and, even better, I drafted an actual plot outline (thank you to my friend who made me do this)! I was genuinely just making stuff up before, but now I have a rough idea of how the story will go, which will hopefully make updates a lot more consistent (no promises; we all know that every time I say that it never ends up happening). Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this chapter. Happy reading!
The residents of Hogwarts took weeks to recover from the excitement of the second task, and it was only after a stern address from Professor McGonagall that enthusiastic first years stopped attempting to recreate it on the banks of the lake. It had become something of a legend within a very short time: how Harry Potter had rescued two people by himself with barely enough magic to sustain him for an hour in the depths of the deep water.
For his part, Harry was doing his best to ignore these murmurings. He was no stranger to this attention, and all he really wanted to focus on at the moment was surviving the dreary weather, making it through his classes, and, most of all - though he wouldn't admit it to himself - spending time with Ginny. Since the task, they had been seeking each other out, almost unknowingly. It had been different before. They had waved at each other in the halls, stopped to chat during meals, and shared a friendly rivalry on the Quidditch pitch. Anyone could see that the night of the Yule Ball had shaped them into good friends - what was unexpected was the way the task changed that. A casual rapport quickly turned into whole evenings spent by the Gryffindor fire trading childhood stories and hours out on the grounds practicing spellwork (which consisted mostly of teasing each others' failed attempts).
Harry and Ginny never acknowledged this newfound fervor in their friendship, but it was not long before Hermione noticed, and she was eager to discuss it.
"So," she said one evening, plopping down in the creaky armchair beside Harry that Ginny had vacated not half an hour before. Harry looked up at her blankly, and she sighed exasperatedly. "Care to tell me what's been going on between you and Ginny?" Hermione continued. At the sound of Ginny's name, Harry snapped to attention, and he immediately shook his head, bearing a stubborn expression.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Harry said lightly, attempting to control the twitch in his jaw. Hermione scoffed.
"Oh, please," she laughed, "it's plain as day that you and Ginny are really close."
Harry, who, despite his promise to Ginny, was still a bit concerned about the toll his friendship might take on her, didn't comment. He knew full well that Ginny could handle herself, but he also knew she shouldn't have to. Hermione huffed and snatched the unread book from his lap, forcing him to look at her.
"Harry," she said haltingly, "I know that this isn't the way you expected your year to go, but if you mess this up with Ginny, I'll be really mad at you."
Surprised, Harry looked up. "What are you talking about?" He said, brow furrowed.
"I mean," she sighed, "that Ginny might be one your best friends now, but she's been one of mine. She's really excited about getting to spend this time with you, and if you can't figure out how to act around her, you'll only end up hurting her feelings."
Harry frowned harder. "I don't know what you're talking about," he retorted. "I know how to act around her, and it's going really well, as you've noticed! She's my friend," he said, swallowing down the other words he wished he could say about their relationship, "and I wouldn't mess that up."
"I know you wouldn't, not on purpose," Hermione hedged, "but you and I both know that, at least on your side, there's something a little more going on there."
Feeling the beginning of a flush creeping up on his face, Harry looked away.
"You don't have to say anything about it, Harry," she continued, "but it could influence a lot of things, and I just don't want Ginny - or you - getting hurt." Hermione squeezed his arm, attempting to soften the blow of her irritatingly reasonable words, and he sighed. "Right then," she mumbled, "I'll leave you to it."
As she rose to leave, Harry looked up at her. "Thanks, Hermione," he muttered, "I appreciate it." Smiling slightly, she nodded.
It took Harry a long time to leave the common room that night, and he fell into bed with a jumbled head of thoughts that quickly yielded to sleep.
The next week, a notice for a trip to Hogsmeade had been posted on the bulletin board, bright emblazoned words promising an outing on the upcoming Saturday. Before Harry even had the chance to ask Ginny if she'd like to hang out, Ron had expressed his interest in checking out the newly opened broomstick gallery (Hermione intended to visit the bookstore), and Harry had accepted. There would surely be plenty of other opportunities to spend time with Ginny, and he loved hanging out with Ron, too.
As fate would have it, Ginny had become swamped with work in the days preceding the Hogsmeade visit (something about making her potion explode in Snape's face), and was only able to see Harry in the brief moments when she wasn't buried in the library scratching out an essay with her eagle feather quill.
The morning of the trip dawned with looming clouds and the smell of approaching rain in the air. Harry, suddenly feeling less enthusiastic about the walk into the town, shrugged on an extra cloak and went to shake Ron awake. When they were both dressed and ready, they traipsed down through the castle and followed the trickle of students heading out the front doors and down the twisting road.
Chatting idly about the beginning of the new Quidditch season, Harry kept a close eye on the roiling clouds above them, glancing up frequently. They made it into Hogsmeade and the crowd dispersed in different directions, with Ron immediately dragging Harry over towards the broomsticks. After nearly an hour of admiring the sleek, shiny new models, they headed over towards The Three Broomsticks, where Hermione was waiting for them.
It was as Harry stood by the bar ordering butterbeers for his friends that he spotted the flash of long, shiny red hair out of the corner of his eyes. He turned, seeing Ginny standing with a group of friends, laughing as she nursed her own drink. Her eyes sparkled under the light of the many candles illuminating the pub, and Harry swore she looked more like an angel than a human. Turning again to take the drinks, he wove back towards the booth in which Ron and Hermione sat waiting, already bickering over an upcoming essay for Professor Binns.
Harry handed them their drinks distractedly, trying to see Ginny over the many jostling figures.
"Harry?" Hermione asked with a barely disguised smirk on her face, "What are you looking for?"
At this, Ron swiveled around, following the line of Harry's gaze. He raised his eyebrows when he saw Ginny, but mercifully said nothing and instead waved her over, calling out, "Oi! Ginny!"
She turned, eyes alighting on Ron before flickering over to Harry. Smiling she began weaving over to them until she reached the booth and plopped down, Harry hastily scooting over to allow her room. She smiled at him gratefully, and he felt the corners of his lips tug up.
"Weren't you all supposed to be looking at brooms?" Ginny asked, quirking an eyebrow.
"We already did," Ron said, "so we thought we'd grab a drink. What are you up to?"
Shrugging, Ginny eyes her friends across the room. "I was going to go look for something from Gladrags," she sighed, "but none of the girls want to go out in the rain."
Harry blinked. "It's not raining, Gin," he said, confused. She laughed.
"No," Ginny agreed, "but it's supposed to start soon, and they'd rather wait it out."
Before Harry could stop himself, he opened his mouth. "I'll go with you," he said, then immediately felt the blush crawl over his face. He could almost feel Hermione grinning like a cheshire cat across the table. "I mean," he continued, "there's no reason you shouldn't go, and if you just want someone to walk with you, I can."
Ginny beamed up at him, grabbing his hand and dragging him out of the booth. "Perfect," she grinned, "we'll be back soon".
Tripping over his feet, Harry hastened after her, throwing a look over his shoulder to see Ron with an expression of bewilderment. Hermione was just shaking her head amusedly. The chatter quieted as they left The Three Broomsticks, and Harry glanced over to see Ginny smiling happily beside him despite the looming clouds.
Gladrags Wizardwear was only a few shops down - Ginny really needed better friends - and the bell over the door tinkled as they walked in. The small place was filled with the slightly musty scent of old fabrics, a maze of racks covered in clothes of all kinds snaking its way towards the changing rooms in the back.
"Okay, what are we looking for?" Harry asked, setting his hands on his hips. Given the pure volume of fabric in the room, it could take some digging. Ginny just laughed.
"All I'm after are some new dress robes," she said, grabbing Harry by his sleeve and tugging him over to a rack. "I normally just browse, but I've been saving up my loose change, and I think I can afford a nice set for the next time they announce a ball." Harry mentally added dress robes to his growing list of gifts he could purchase for her birthday as he began shifting through the hundreds of cloaks.
Within half an hour, Harry found himself sequestered on a small stool in the back, waiting for Ginny as she changed into the outfits she had liked.
"I doubt you'll be quite as excited about this activity as my girlfriends would, but I hope you're still having fun," Ginny's voice called over the changing screen. Harry frowned.
"I don't know what you're talking about," he shrugged, a small smile building on his face. "I love seeing you enjoy things."
Ginny peeked her head around the curtain, smiling. "I hope you're prepared to be very enthusiastic about all of these options, then," she laughed, and Harry assured her with complete honesty that he was. When she stepped out in the first robes, a silk maroon set that complimented her hair and made her freckles pop, Harry couldn't stop the grin breaking over his face.
"You look amazing, Ginny," he said, and she smiled.
"Thank you," she said with a wink and a turn back towards the changing room, "but you haven't seen the rest."
Over the course of the next several minutes, Ginny tried on a variety of robes, each of them more stunning than the last. By the fourth set, Harry was kicking himself for not just going out with Ginny when she was still interested in him, back in second year. Of course, she could hardly speak to him then, but if he had known the kind of person she would grow to be, the kind with passion and grace and intensity in everything she did, he would've made far more of an effort to be friends with her. This thought lingered in his mind as Ginny called over the curtain, "Okay, last one!" She stepped out, and Harry had to lock his jaw to keep it from dropping.
"Well, what do you think?" She asked, wrapping her arms around herself.
"I think…" Harry murmured, "that your friends missed out."
She was wearing a deep, cobalt blue set made of velvet, a light sheen sparkling across the surface. A cape linked around her neck, covering her back, but the front was visible; a flowing, empire waist dress with a square neckline, setting off her skin with a milky glow. She almost didn't look real.
"I think you're right," she said finally, "this is the one."
Harry made no objections. As Ginny darted back into the changing room, he hummed thoughtfully.
"I'm sorry I wasn't your friend back then," he said finally. There was a moment of silence as the shifting of the fabric halted on the other side of the curtain.
"What do you mean?" She asked lightly.
"Just…" Harry wondered if he should continue this train of thought, but ploughed on, "I wish I'd known you better two years ago. We could've been friends all this time."
Ginny chuckled. "It's a nice thought," she called, "but as you likely remember, I could hardly speak to you back then. It's hard to be friends with someone you don't talk to."
"True," Harry remarked as she reemerged from the changing room, robes slung over her arm. "Why is that?" He asked as she sat down next to him.
"Why is what?" Ginny frowned.
"Well, why couldn't you ever hang out with me or have a normal conversation?" Harry peeked at her out of the corner of his eye.
"Well…" she mused, frown deepening. "I assumed you knew, I guess. I had a very serious crush on you back then." Harry's heart skipped.
"What happened?" He asked, struggling to swallow.
"I got to know you," she shrugged.
"Oh. Ouch."
"No, that's not what I meant!" She laughed, "Just that the version of you I had a crush on was the one I grew up hearing stories about, the magical saviour. As soon as I got to know you, it became clear that the manufactured image of you was not the true one, at least not in that way. Once I knew you, I was able to understand that you were just a person - a powerful, incredible one, but just as human as me. And that was all it took, I suppose."
Harry hid his offense. "So, the me that I am right now isn't crush-worthy?" This was hardly shocking to him, especially since Ginny, as his close friend, had gotten to see a lot of his flaws and issues.
"Oh please, that's not true and you know it," she scoffed, "in fact-" but then she pulled up short, shutting her mouth. Harry's heart dropped.
"What?" He urged desperately.
Ginny hesitated, then continued, "Quite a few friends of mine have crushes on you, Harry Potter, so don't start. We both know you're crush-worthy." A faint blush spread across her cheeks, but Harry, for once, took no joy in it.
"Anyway," Ginny heaved a sigh and smiled slightly, "let's get going. That rain will start soon, and I haven't learned a weather-shielding charm yet." Harry smiled despite his distress and followed her toward the front, where she excitedly paid the unenthusiastic shop owner and hurried towards the door with her bag.
They were walking back in the direction of The Three Broomsticks, where Ron and Hermione were undoubtedly wondering why they were taking so long, when the first drops splashed against Ginny's cheeks. She gasped, looking up - and then the downpour started. Harry quickly unclasped his extra cloak from around his shoulders and threw it over their heads, drawing Ginny closer to his side. She laughed, reaching her hand out towards the water and flicking it at his face.
"Hey," he tried to scowl, "I'm trying to help!" Ginny just grinned.
"I suppose you also haven't learned your weather-shielding charms, then?" She mused as they continued walking. "Flitwick has some work to do."
"Nah," Harry sighed, "but Hermione probably could've done something; you might've been better off with her."
"Nonsense," Ginny said, wrapping her free arm the crook of his elbow as she held the other side of the cloak to shield them. "At least chivalry isn't dead." Harry chuckled at that. As long as he and Ginny Weasley were friends - friends, he reminded himself with a pang - he would keep chivalry alive for her.
As they approached the inn, Ron and Hermione emerged, covered protectively by an invisible surface repelling the rain from their bodies. Other students spilled out behind them, immediately holding up their arms against the rain, and Harry almost checked his watch before remembering it had been broken since the task. Hermione answered his question.
"It's time to go," she said, spotting the bag around Ginny's wrist. "Did you get everything you needed?"
"Yep," Ginny beamed happily, "Harry was a great help!"
"I'm sure he was," Hermione smiled. Harry glared at her from behind Ginny. "Come on, then," Hermione continued, "let me show you the charm."
Before Harry could respond with his thanks, Ginny spoke up. "Actually, I'm enjoying the refreshment. Thanks, though." She turned to Harry, asking with her eyes whether or not he would like to shield himself properly with magic, but he just shook his head.
"Suit yourself," Hermione shrugged, and she and Ron turned towards the lane leading up to Hogwarts, debating animatedly about the ethics of bludgers in Quidditch. Harry and Ginny walked on behind them, exchanging smiles and occasional remarks about the debate. Harry, for his part, was lost in his thoughts, contemplating the situation. It wasn't as though he had expected that she would return his budding feelings, but when there was still a possibility, it was easier to stand beside her and admire her and appreciate every lovely thing about her, because perhaps he would get to say all these things one day. With that possibility extinguished, he felt drained and glum. "What if"s filled his head, but he pushed them away. If there was anything he had learned, it was that dwelling on the past never brought satisfaction.
Harry tightened his grip around Ginny's elbow as he adjusted the cloak above them, and she smiled up at him. Romance aside, there was nothing like being Ginny Weasley's friend, and if that was all that lay in store for him, it could be a happy fate indeed.
If only he knew her true thoughts on the matter.
We made it! Sorry for the angst. I promise it will be quickly resolved, I just felt like there had to be some kind of conflict or it wouldn't really be a story (it wasn't originally intended to be a story, just a one-shot, but that's besides the point). I have three more chapters planned out right now, so we'll see how that plays out, but in theory everything will be wrapped up without too much frenzy. Anyway, let me know what you think! I feel like this one had a bit of a better flow, if only because I knew where it was going. Thank you as always for reading!
See you in the next one,
BatBogey7