Adult-FanFiction.org : Harry Potter

Rejection: A Double-Edged Sword	By : brooklynvtc Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Harry/Ginny Views: 21247 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter and I do not make any profit from this story.

Chapter List
- 12
- 13
- 14
A/N: OMG, you guys! I had a typo that autocorrect changed in the last chapter. Where Harry described Hermione's face to look like a "frazzled raisin"! That obviously wasn't what was meant to be written, and when I found it after I posted, I couldn't stop laughing!
As for Ginny going off on Ron, I wanted to show that Ginny was far from perfect. And though Harry is still infatuated with her, he can recognize that he can still be disappointed in her attitude or choices. Same goes for Harry. He isn't perfect.
.
.
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Chapter Thirteen
When Harry got to the dorm room, it was to find that Ron was already in his bed, his bed hangings closed tightly shut.
He had taken a bit of a detour under his invisibility cloak, to try and walk off his own anger and frustrations. He had been out for longer than he had intended.
Glancing towards Dean's bunk, Harry was relieved to see it occupied. It was better that he still wasn't with Ginny.
"Ron? Are you still awake, mate?" He whispered.
He got no response, and quickly changed and got into his bed. Falling into a troubled sleep.
.…...
Ginny lay awake very early in the morning, still feeling dreadful for what she had said to Ron the night before...
She still couldn't believe how she had lost her temper like that! Ron had barely said anything to her and she went off on his insecurities.
It was just that the day before had been so grating on her nerves the entire day... People were treating her differently, she had noticed.
First there was Dean and Seamus when she first saw them on the train... They had stared at her as though they were goldfish! And then Dean was acting all jealous of Harry when he had found out that Harry had spent the summer, which was irritating...
Then, Draco had come along and started hitting on her! In a very creepy and infuriating way, might she add...
Then she had to go and join that stupid Slug Club when she didn't even want to!
Then just when she had finally had a nice, happy moment with Harry when he had told her that she was already on the Gryffindor Quidditch team; Dean had to come along to accuse and berate her because of his jealousy.
Then Ron had to come along and threatened her boyfriend in front of EVERYONE!
Then after the feast, she had forgiven Dean - because he was sincerely sorry - they just had to be caught snogging behind a tapestry by none other than her brother and Harry Potter... of all the people!
She knew that Ron had been about to go off on her, and the thought had caused her to snap after having an already stressful day...
She now regretted her words greatly towards Ron. The look that he had on his face as he had walked away was still clear in the forefront of her mind.
Then there was Harry... Who was really her saving grace for the entire day. And the disappointment on his face from the night before was branded into her mind.
What right did she have to lose her temper and go off on people for having a bad day, when Harry had so many bad things happen in his life? And yet, he still remained hopeful... strong.
She groaned and threw her pillow over her face. She really had acted like a cad... and she would make sure to apologize. At the first opportunity that she got.
Deciding that it was pointless to stay in bed, Ginny threw off her covers and stripped off her pajama pants and shirt. The proceeded to dress in her uniform for the day.
When she got down to the common room, it was mostly empty except for the few early birds...
But her eye caught on a friend she hadn't yet had the chance to talk to. And she went and sat next to him on the couch, where he was fiddling with his camera.
"Hi, Collin!" Ginny beamed, feeling happy for the first time that morning.
Collin looked over at her with a smile. "Hi, Ginny." Then he gave her a once-over and gave a dramatic whistle. "When did you get hot?"
This took Ginny aback, not really comprehending the sudden, unexpected compliment. "What do you mean?"
Though Collin had never said anything about it to her, she always suspected that he was gay... With the way he was obsessed with Harry, and had a certain look in his eyes when she caught him looking at boys.
"Have you not had a chance to look in a mirror, yet, Ginny?" Collin asked with raised eyebrows. When she still didn't respond, just as confused as ever, Collin sighed dramatically, "Surely you must have noticed..."
And his head gestured at two fourth-year Gryffindor boys who were looking at her with odd expressions on their faces.
Collin chuckled, "They are currently fantasizing about you, Ginny..."
A violent coughing fit overtook her, and the two boys snapped out of their trances and looked as though they wanted to come over and help. But they didn't as soon and she had calmed down, and sputtering, she managed to choke out to Collin, "Th-That's disgusting!"
Collin smirked. "Doesn't make it any less true..."
Ginny rolled her eyes and stood again. "Let me know when you stop having delusions..."
Collin laughed uproariously, "I could say the same about you!"
It was then that she caught the sight of Harry walking down the stairs from the boys dormitories, making his way towards the exit. He looked glum, as though he hadn't had much more sleep than she did...
"See you later, Collin." She said, distractedly, before making her way towards Harry. She didn't hear Collin's reply.
"Harry...?" She called, timid hesitation in her voice.
Harry froze in front the fat lady's portrait, half open with one of his feet out of the hole. He didn't turn around.
"Are you in, or are you out, Mr. Potter?" The Fat lady scolded, and it broke Harry from his frozen state, and he continued on, closing the portrait.
Ginny groaned out in exasperation, and quickly followed him out, slamming the portrait door behind her, as the Fat Lady yelled at her from behind about rudeness.
"Harry!" She called, running up to him.
He still didn't turn around, as he picked up the pace of his stride. But he was still walking as she was running and she easily caught up to him.
"Harry, wait." She reached out her hand and grabbed his, making him stop.
Heat shot up her arm, starting from where her hand touched his. It was the same sensation she had felt when she took his hand at the feast the night before...
Harry froze at the contact and finally turned wide eyes to hers, before his eyes creeped down to observe their connected hands...
Ginny flushed and quickly dropped his hand, as though she were burned. "Sorry..." She said, sheepishly.
Harry shook his head quickly. "Don't be."
He looked down at his shuffling feet, and Ginny took a moment to study him. He looked so tired, judging by the dark circles under his eyes... She wondered if he had another nightmare about Voldemort. And if he had, would he still trust her enough to tell her about it? Or had she disappointed him last night so much, that she forever lost the right to knowing any of his secrets...?
"I'm sorry," She said again.
Harry looked up at her inquisitively, with a raised eyebrow and a slight smirk. "You said that already."
Ginny felt herself relaxing at his smile, even if it was only a small one.
"I know," She smiled tentatively back at him, "I'm apologizing for last night..."
His smile disappeared from the mention of the night before, and somehow, Ginny felt horrible for even bringing it up... even if it was to apologize.
"Did you apologize to Ron?" Harry asked.
Ginny bit her bottom lip and shook her head. "I hadn't seen him yet. But I plan to as soon as I do..."
Harry watched her in a way that made Ginny think that he was assessing if she was serious or not.
Then, miraculously, he smiled. Not a small one, either. A wide, accepting smile. And she found herself grinning back, feeling better than she had been since last night.
"I forgive you," Harry said, "Not that there was really much to forgive from my end, but I still know a way that you could make it up to me..."
He said this teasingly, but his eyes were uncertain. Which was odd to Ginny.
"Name it."
"Spend breakfast with me?" Harry asked, hesitantly.
Rolling her eyes, Ginny replied, saucily, "I was under the impression that I already was..."
Going along with her mood, Harry replied, teasingly, "Fine, then."
Then he offered her his arm. "It would do me the tremendous honor if you would allow me to escort you to breakfast." He said in an overly posh accent.
Ginny couldn't help herself... He had her giggling from his antics, and she found herself easily accepting his arm with her own. Heat traveled up her arm again where it touched his.
Something her mind wasn't yet comfortable questioning.
"The pleasure would be my own, good sir."
And they both strutted forward, backs pin-straight, and noses very high in the air. Ginny thought that they would have at least made Umbridge somewhat proud with their prim and proper behavior.
...
Harry couldn't suppress the smile on his face as he sat at the Gryffindor table next to Ginny.
They had gotten there early, so they had a little bit of time to themselves to talk about things.
Harry had to admit, though, that it was really nice to have settled things with Ginny. And the way that she had grabbed his hand... it was as though sparks shot up his arm.
His heart skipped a beat and his fingers twitched with desire to grab her hand again.
"So, did you start your training with Dumbledore last night, Harry?" Ginny asked, after she bit into a piece of toast with jam, talking as she covered her mouth with her hand.
Harry shook his head as he cut up pieces of his breakfast sausage. "No. He only wanted to talk to me about my schedule for this year." He speared a bit of sausage with egg with his fork, popped it into his mouth and chewed thoughtfully. When he swallowed, he continued, "He did give me permission to continue the D.A., though."
Ginny paused mid-bite and drew the toast away, a bit of jam was left on the corner of her adorable, pouty lips.
"That's great, Harry!" She exclaimed, "Though, I really wouldn't have expected a different outcome... but it would be kind of fun to sneak around like we had last year, if it wasn't allowed again this year..."
Harry could see her devious side shining through, and he laughed. "Luna said something along those lines too! She will be disappointed to find that we got permission..."
As he said this though, his eyes were trained on the bit of jam on the corner of her lip.
"What is it?" She asked, distracting him from his fixation, "Do I have something on my face?"
Harry chuckled and shook his head, trying to clear the cobwebs. "Actually, you do."
Ginny started to wipe all over her cheeks, wiping anywhere that wasn't where the jam actually was.
"Here..." Harry said, picking up a cloth napkin, "Let me..."
And he slowly wiped away the jam, his eyes focused on the spot of the corner of her lips, fearing that if he met her eyes at that moment, he would kiss her without her consent. But he couldn't help but be fixated on how tempting her lips were... He wondered what it would feel like to press his own lips against them. They looked so soft... inviting.
Kissing her would almost be like having his first kiss... as his first had been so disastrous and disappointing that he still didn't know what a real kiss felt like.
Would it be warm? Tender? Perhaps some of the time it would be, but he couldn't help but imagine that kissing Ginny would be passionate. Just like her fierce personality and her fiery hair...
Once he wiped away the last traces of jam away, he slowly lowered his arm, and finally met her eyes.
Her eyes were wide as his own locked gazes with them, and Harry was worried that he had crossed a line that wasn't meant to be crossed just yet. In fact, Harry would have to say that her expression looked panicked... but that couldn't be right. She couldn't be afraid of him... could she?
No, she couldn't. Not after all that they had been through together... She had to know that Harry would never harm her and would do anything within his power to keep her safe.
He had just been about to open his mouth to apologize for overstepping boundaries; when the slamming of a large textbook on the table in front of them caused them to jump and jerk their eyes away from each other involuntarily.
Their eyes met the bushy haired witch that sat across from them, obviously annoyed about something, with the way she threw her precious book on the table and the way she harshly loaded up her plate with food.
"Hermione...?" Harry asked, his voice cautious, not wanting to upset her even further.
Hermione began to mutter as she administered an unkind treatment to her book with the way she flipped the pages.
Harry and Ginny glanced at each other, perplexed by their friend's behavior.
"Mione," Ginny tried, since Hermione had failed to acknowledge Harry, "Are you alright?"
Ginny reached forward to touch her hand, and Hermione startled out of her furious concentration. "Hmm? Oh, yes. I'm fine." She said, stubbornly, as though she was trying to convince herself.
Harry gave her an incredulous look. "You don't seem fine..."
Hermione's stubborn look remained, until she sighed and slouched forward in her seat.
"Oh, alright. It's just- well, something that Lavender Brown was saying, is all."
Ginny's eyebrows puckered in concern as she asked, "What is it exactly that she said?"
Hermione huffed, getting worked up in her annoyance once again. "She kept going on and on about 'Won Won', and how they had some sort of a connection late last night..."
Harry eyed Ginny at this, and saw that her entire expression grew contrite with guilt. She must have been thinking along the same lines as he had. They both knew that Ron and Hermione secretly pined for each other. In fact, Harry and Ginny often joked about putting together a grand scheme to get them to admit their feelings...
But now, they were both wondering that if Ginny hadn't made fun of Ron's inexperience the night before, then Ron wouldn't have felt the need to encourage Lavender, and inadvertently hurt Hermione in the process.
"...I just think that Ron deserves someone better than Lavender. At least someone that has the same interests as him, or to have intelligent conversations with." Hermione continued, not noticing the look that Harry and Ginny exchanged.
"This is all my fault, Hermione," Ginny said, guiltily.
Hermione seemed startled by the sudden admittance. "What do you mean? You didn't force Ron to... uhh, enjoy Lavender's company... You were out with Dean last night."
Harry's lips thinned at the mention of how Ginny had chosen to spend her time with Dean the night before.
"But that's the thing. Ron and Harry caught me with Dean last night..." Ginny flushed with the memory, " And I sort of went off on Ron about how everyone had kissed someone except for him..."
Ginny bowed her head, once again feeling ashamed, and continued, "Ron must have gotten close to Lavender because I said that... I'm really sorry, Mione! You've helped me so much with my relationship drama," Harry gave Hermione a pointed look at that one, even though they had settled that feud the day they had it. "And then I had to go and muck up yours..."
"Shhhhhh!" Hermione shushed her, and indicated to Harry that he was listening.
Chuckling, Harry said, "You really thought that I didn't already know that you like him, Mione?" Hermione gaped at him in surprise. "How could I not, the way you two always go at it?! Honestly, you two could come up with a better form of flirting than always arguing... it's really annoying."
Hermione's entire face was a blazing red now, and embarrassed, she replied, "Our arguments aren't flirting..." She mumbled this unconvincingly.
Both Harry and Ginny gave her skeptical looks.
"Well, if it makes you feel any better," Harry said, in a nonchalant manner, but inside he felt as though he were about to burst. "He likes you back."
Both Hermione and Ginny seemed taken aback by this. For entirely different reasons, of course.
"He actually admitted it to you?" Ginny asked, surprise in her voice and beautiful features.
Harry shrugged, "More or less. We heard Dean, er... yeah, before I was able to get the actual words out of him, last night. But it was implied."
Ginny flushed scarlet at the mention of Dean moaning the night before. Harry found himself wishing that she was horrified at the idea of even doing anything like that with Dean, rather than just getting embarrassed at getting caught.
Harry shook his head. His jealousy was getting the better of him. But he couldn't help but wish that it had been him in Dean's place behind the tapestry... that it was his hands fisting Ginny's shirt at her waist as he ravaged her lips, and that it was Ginny's arms around his neck as he did so...
Hermione looked at him, perplexed. "Are you sure that you read him right, Harry? I mean, it would be perfectly reasonable if you had mistaken what he was implying..."
But Harry had stopped listening, and Hermione drifted off as she realized that Harry's attention was elsewhere. She followed Harry's gaze to the double door entrance to the great hall, and felt her heart sink at the sight.
Walking through the double doors towards them was Ron, with Lavender Brown hanging on arm; cuddling close and giggling in his ear. Harry thought that Ron seemed mighty embarrassed, but also self-satisfied and rather smug.
It was right at that moment that Harry knew that Ron felt nothing for Lavender, and a part of him felt pity for the girl. As it seemed to Harry that she was only being used by Ron to boost his ego... even if Ron wasn't intentionally trying to hurt her.
Harry peaked over at Hermione, only to see her look absolutely crushed. And the sight of her sad eyes - the eyes of his sister in all but blood - made him want to thrash Ron into a bloody pulp for making her feel this way. A least, only in that moment he wanted to do that.
Ron finally made it to them, and sat down next to Hermione, as Lavender got distracted by talking to people as she passed by.
They all stared at Ron with level stares as he piled his plate high with sausages and eggs.
"Ron..." Ginny started in, hesitance evident in her voice. And she waited until he looked up from shoveling food in his mouth before continuing. "I'm sorry... for, er, what I said last night. I was out of line."
Ron swallowed his food heavily, and waved off her apology. "It's fine, Ginny. I realize that I can't baby you forever, and I understand that's the reason why you went off on me..."
Ron's eyes drifted towards Lavender and he caught her eye as she said goodbye to whoever it was she was talking to, and started to make her way over. "Besides," Ron continued, "It's not as though your words from last night still hold true..."
And he smiled at Lavender as she sat down next to Ron. Hermione's bowed head was focused so hard on her lap, Harry feared that she would burn a hole in her skirt from her hard gaze.
"Ohhh," Lavender cooed in excitement, "This is exciting. Sitting with the Golden Trio for breakfast."
Harry gave her an odd look, and Ron and Hermione did the same.
"I'm sorry," Harry said, confused, "What did you call us?"
Shocked would be an understatement in how to describe Lavender in that moment. "You didn't know that's what everyone calls you? It's because of all the adventures you three go on! The three of you aren't very inclusive, either. Not like that's a bad thing... it's very grandeur. Almost like an exclusive club for the elite."
Harry, Ron and Hermione stared at her, each wearing different expressions on their faces.
"We are not exclusive!" Hermione stressed, indignation heavy in her posture and tone.
"Yeah," Ron chimed in, confusion still evident on his face. "We talk to loads of other people. Like Neville and Luna..."
"Yeah," Harry interjected, wanting to protest simply because the idea that Lavender put in his head made him feel distinctly uncomfortable. "If you also haven't noticed, Ginny is sitting with us as well..."
Lavender waved him off. "That's only because Ginny is Ron's little sister."
Harry was quickly starting to get over his embarrassment and was starting to get rather irritated at the bubbly Gryffindor.
"No. Ginny is sitting here because I like having her here." Harry said, and not noticing the odd looks that he got from his words, he continued in a passionate tone, "If anything, we would be the 'Golden Quartet', if such a thing even exists..."
It was then that his words caught up to his mind, and he realized what he had said.
Lavender didn't seem at all upset that Harry had basically told her off... oh, no... she looked like a cat that caught a canary. Like Rita Skeeter when she got to a juicy story.
Ron looked at him as though he was barking mad, and Harry praised all that is holy that Ron is still as thick in the head as usual, and didn't get the implication of his words.
Hermione was merely giving him a bemused grin, her own grievances forgotten momentarily.
And then there was Ginny...
Harry was almost afraid to look and see her reaction to his emotional outburst, but knew that he had to.
He slowly turned his head to look at her, and was surprised at what he saw.
Her eyes were shining with unshed tears, and Harry thought that he had somehow upset her at first, but the smile on her face told a different story.
And before he could say anything to retract what he had said, she launched herself at him, wrapping him in a tight embrace that rivaled Mrs. Weasley's.
It was the second time that she had attacked him with a hug, but he still couldn't get used to it. The wonderful feeling that he got in the pit of his stomach was still so foreign to him. He never had gotten any affection growing up, especially hugs, and it was still difficult for him to understand that he actually had people that cared about him.
At that moment, it didn't much matter that Ginny didn't like him in the way that he liked her... all that mattered was that she was there. In his life... in his arms...
It was then that he realized that he wasn't hugging her back, and just as he was about to rectify that, and wrap his arms around her; she pulled away, a smile on her face. "Thank-you, Harry."
Harry couldn't reply vocally, he could only smile shyly at her. His pants were now tight underneath his school robes, his cock straining painfully against the zipper.
She had been so close, and yes, it had been comforting, but Harry was still a boy... a boy who had just been hugged by the girl of his dreams. And that fact, added to how he could remember the feeling of her perky breasts smashed against his chest... well, it had him twitching inside of his pants. And Harry knew that he would have to beat off to the memory that night in order to get sleep.
"A few announcements, if you all please." Dumbledore called from the head table, jumping Harry from his thoughts. And as Harry looked around as the hall quieted, he noticed how much the tables had filled with students. Then he turned his attention to the headmaster just as everyone else did.
Dumbledore smiled serenely, his sapphire-blue eyes shining. "Thank-you. Now, last night there was another prefect meeting called by Miss. Granger to discuss a Hogwarts Unity Day that will take place on November the first..."
"You didn't tell me that there would be another prefect meeting last night!" Ron hissed at Hermione.
Hermione stiffened and whispered back emotionlessly, "You were busy."
Then she turned forward again, her hair whipping in Ron's gobsmacked face.
"...A day which we will learn and celebrate the differences and history of each of the houses."
A few groans could be heard all around the dining hall at the prospect of learning new things and having to get along with each other for the day.
Dumbledore chuckled. "I know, I know. Very exciting, isn't it? And at that very evening, we shall have a Hogwarts Unity Ball. Available to students who are fourth years and up."
Excited chatter filled the hall, tittering between girls expressing their joy at the looming ball, and some groaning from the boys who were dreading the coming chore of having to find a proper date or having to even find the courage to ask.
"Settle down now, settle down. I know you are all excited, but I must let you know that the ball will only be available to those who fully participate in the events of Unity Day. If a professor has grounds to ban you from the ball, then you are not to attend. That being said, let us get on to the next announcement. Miss Lovegood seems to be missing the left foot of every pair of shoes she owns. If you know of the whereabouts of these missing shoes, please return them to their rightful owner."
Bouts of laughter filled the hall, and Harry found himself glaring at those who did laugh around him. It was so unfair how people still mocked Luna just for being different.
"And finally, those of you know that there were rumors of a secret defense club that was organized last year. And that they called themselves, 'Dumbledore's Army'. Which I must say, I am deeply flattered by the chosen name. But I am now confirming that those rumors are true, for those of you who didn't already know. And that it was agreed to last night that the club would resume for this year, which will be led and taught by Mr. Potter."
Everyone was now staring at him, and he fidgeted in his seat at the attention he was getting, trying to keep his attention on the head table. But it was difficult to do when so many eyes were boring into him. Ginny must have noticed his discomfort, because at that moment, she chose to reach out her hand and grab his, her palm resting against the back of his hand.
Their hands were hidden under the table, pressed together on top of his thigh, so no one saw anything...
Heat and sparks traveled up his arm. His heart started to beat fanatically in his chest... he feared that it would beat right out of its confines.
The sparks now traveled to his lower stomach, sending butterflies rampant and free, giving him the desire to vibrate and shake in order to release what he was feeling.
All of this, resulted in his cock swelling at a bigger size than it had been from the brief hug he had shared with Ginny.
He was acutely aware at how close Ginny's hand was to his lap... but stopped his thinking of it, as it was a creepy thing to think about when the person was sitting right next to you.
Instead, Harry focused on the comfort that came with holding her hand. It made his entire body feel so warm. He felt taken care of, for once. Something that he must have gotten from his parents at one point, then Mr. and Mrs. Weasley after years of no loving contact of any kind.
A different desire come to his mind, and he wondered if he was brave enough to try it...
Well, was he a Gryffindor or not?! So, Harry slowly twisted his hand from under Ginny's and turned his hand over and threaded their fingers together. Then he gave their intertwined hands a squeeze, then waited with bated breath for her to pull her hand away from his forwardness.
But to his surprise and joy, Ginny squeezed his hand back, and didn't pull her hand away.
He felt as though he could fly without a broom.
"Anyone will be welcome to join..." Dumbledore continued on, as the students chatter calmed down once again, and Harry was brought back to the Headmaster's announcement about himself. "...if they so choose. It will be supervised by any one of the number of professors we have, but when and where the club will meet will be entirely decided by Mr. Potter. And I advise you to be respectful, as Mr. Potter will have the same merit as any professor during these club meetings. This includes the right to give detention, deduct house points, and the barring of any student from attending that ball."
Harry's eyes bugged out at that news, as it was the first he was hearing of it. He would essentially be a professor this year and all that cane with it... and he wasn't sure how he felt about that, but reasoned that there wasn't much that he could do about it.
He looked up at Dumbledore and he only saw pride and confidence on his mentor's smile and eyes. Before he turned his attention back to the rest of the student body. "That is all. Enjoy the rest of your breakfast. Your heads of houses will be around to give you your class schedules soon, I'm sure."
And then Dumbledore sat, and began pouring maple syrup over his bacon.
The entire hall erupted into chatter from all of the interesting news.
Neville came over instantly, and sat next to Harry. He didn't seem to notice that Harry and Ginny were holding hands. "This is great, Harry! You got Professor Dumbledore's permission? Bloody brilliant!"
Ron nodded enthusiastically, "And you can give detention to those no-good Slytherins on top of it! They won't be giving us any trouble this year!"
Lavender giggled madly at Ron's comment, thinking it to be hilarious as she hugged his arm. Hermione rolled her eyes in exasperation, not even bothering to argue with Ron that not all Slytherins were bad. Harry would've been annoyed too, if it weren't for Ginny's hand in his.
At that moment, he felt as though nothing could bring down his jovial mood. And he smiled wide at all of his friends.
"Harry?" A high, feminine voice said from behind him.
Harry turned to look behind him, a smile still on his face, before it disappeared entirely at the sight on the person before him.
It was Cho...
The memory of his last conversation with Cho came to mind, and he almost audibly groaned out loud. He had forgotten all about it.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Ginny turn to see who was talking to him, and when she did, she slowly released his hand and pulled hers away.
Harry mourned at the loss and inwardly cursed Cho for being the cause of it...
"Hi, Cho," Harry said, without much emotion in his voice.
Cho bit her lip in the same way that she had on the train and asked the same dreaded question.
"Can we talk, Harry?"
The last thing he wanted was for Ginny to see him go off with Cho. He looked back at his friends and started saying, "Actually-"
"It's alright, mate," Ron cut him off, trying to suppress a randy smile. "You can go off without us. We'll get your schedule from McGonagall for you."
Now that Harry had no excuse, thanks to Ron, he sighed before he stood and started walking out towards the door, with Cho following behind him.
As they were walking out the door, they passed Dean as he was walking into the dining hall, obviously late. Dean looked at Harry and Cho with what could only be described as shocked and surprised.
Harry ignored him, and continued walking until they reached a hidden alcove down the hall from the dining area. Then he turn to face Cho, trying not to display his downright terrible mood.
Cho stepped closer, so that she was hidden in the alcove as well. Then she stopped and stared at him, studied him, just as she had on the train.
"Was there something you wanted to talk about?" Harry asked, unable to keep some of the annoyance out of his voice.
Cho pouted a little before she forced a smile. "I just wanted to let you know that it's great that you're teaching the D.A. again this year."
Harry felt himself start to relax. That was all that she wanted to talk about? It was so tame in comparison to what he was thinking she was going to say.
"Yeah, I wasn't going to at first, but Neville gave me the idea, and I thought that it was a good idea. Considering that Voldemort is out there..."
Cho cringed at Voldemort's name, but to her credit, she didn't ask him not to say it.
"I think it's smart. I learned so much from you last year, Harry. And I realize that I never got to thank you..." She took a step forward, and Harry instinctively took a step back.
"I-it's really no problem. You don't need to thank me..."
Cho shook her head, "I insist, really... you hardly get the recognition that you deserve, Harry."
Then she leaned forward and kissed his cheek, leaving a flush behind from where her lips had been. "Thank-you, Harry." Cho whispered as she pulled away.
He really didn't know what to say, as he stood there and gaped at her. When had Cho become so forward?
Harry was just glad that the kiss hadn't been wet... or that she hadn't kissed his lips instead. Harry wanted to save his *real* first kiss for Ginny.
"Harry...?" Cho asked, then she bit her lip again in hesitance.
Harry was still staring at her as though she had come from another world, but managed to snap out of it to answer her. "Y-yes?"
Cho shifted her weight from foot to foot. "Will you go to the ball with me?"
Harry's jaw dropped. There had been a time that he would have been shocked for an entirely different reason if Cho had asked him to the ball. He would have been shocked at first, but then he would have eagerly accepted.
But that wasn't the case anymore...
He couldn't believe that she still didn't get it through her head... he had rejected her. Or, at least he had tried to. She had to know where his true feelings lie when it came to her... he didn't feel the same way as he once had.
It was easy to be honest with himself when he asked who he really wanted to go to the ball with... but he figured that Ginny would want to go with Dean, and would be unavailable.
So he said the first excuse that came to his mind.
"I-I'm sorry, Cho," Harry said, actual regret in his voice, "I already asked Hermione to go with me, and she said yes."
Cho looked at him with wide, sad eyes for a moment, before they narrowed suspiciously. "I thought that you said that you and Hermione had nothing going on?"
Harry panicked as he scrambled for an excuse. "W-we don't! She's like my sister, really. It's just that Ron has Lavender now, and... well, yeah."
Cho's eyes softened slightly, and she now only looked disappointed. "I understand. Will you at least save a couple of dances for me?"
Harry couldn't see any reason to deny her that, so he nodded.
They stood silently for a moment, before Cho suddenly leaped forward and pecked him on the lips quickly before turning and running away.
Then Harry was left standing there, gobsmacked at what had just happened.
...
Harry spent the rest of the day floating in and out of classes, his mind settled on being somewhere else entirely.
Harry couldn't stop thinking about the 'attack kiss', as he had taken to calling it in his head, that he had gotten from Cho. And the more that he thought about it, the angrier he got about it. What right did Cho have to just kiss him like that?! He made it perfectly clear to her that he didn't want to do such things like that with her anymore!
It wasn't until he was walking to lunch with Hermione - Ron and Lavender had already ran ahead of them - that he remembered his excuse to saying no to Cho when she asked him to the ball.
"Hermione?" Harry asked, his voice unsure.
Hermione's attention snapped up to him, surprised that he even said anything. As he hadn't said a word since he and Cho left the dining hall together. "Yes, Harry?"
"Would it be alright if you, well, that is, if you want to, go to the ball with me?"
Hermione stopped walking, Harry followed her example and stopped as well, and she studied him in a way that made him feel as though he was a very old spell book that she had gotten her hands on.
After a while, Harry started to get uncomfortable. "It would only be as friends, Mione. You're like a sister to me."
Hermione quickly nodded, "Oh, I know that... it's just that, well, you've been so quiet all day since..." She trailed off and tilted her head to the side, inquisitively. "This doesn't have anything to do with Cho, does it?"
Harry nodded his head slowly. "She asked me to the dance, and I... I'm sorry, Mione, I know that I should have asked first, but I told her that I was already going with you... So, will you? Go with me, that is."
Her eyes softened and she smiled. "Of course, Harry. I would love to. It will save me from having to find my own date to the ball, since..." She suddenly trailed off, as though she had forgotten that Harry knew that she fancied Ron.
"...Since Ron might be going with Lavender?" Harry asked.
Hermione nodded solemnly. "I'm sorry for never telling you how I felt about him, Harry... but you have to understand that you're his friend, too. And I guess I was afraid that you would think that it was silly."
They started to walk again. "I never thought it was silly. Even when you two thought that you were fooling everyone into thinking that you didn't like each other. I had my suspicions in our third year, but it wasn't until the Yule ball did I finally know for sure."
They made it to the dining hall for lunch, and Harry dropped the somber mood, that he had been carrying with him since breakfast, entirely. As he found himself searching the Gryffindor table for a certain red-headed fifth year...
"She's not here..." Hermione told him, dropping her own melancholy for her matter-of-fact attitude once again. Harry wondered if it was a defense mechanism against feeling the jealousy for Ron and Lavender. "She's out sick for the day. Said something about not feeling good and not getting enough sleep last night, not long after you left with Cho."
Harry felt himself grow concerned for Ginny, as Ginny wasn't the type of person who ever complained even when she had cause to. "Is she going to be alright?"
She had seemed fine at breakfast, though a bit tired... and maybe a little flushed.
"She'll be fine. Nothing that a little rest won't fix."
Then she sat down abruptly across from Neville, which Harry noticed was practically on the opposite side of the hall from where Ron and Lavender were sitting. Harry vowed then that he would be having a long talk with Ron... No one upset his sister this much and got to get away with it without repercussions.
He sat down next to Hermione, where she was talking to Neville about the ball and how her and Harry were going together as friends. And she somehow got Neville to admit that he wanted to ask Luna to go as his date.
"You don't think that she's already been asked, do you?" He had asked.
The rest of the day had been rather dull for Harry. He found himself missing his Ginger Firecracker far more than he had anticipated. He didn't realize until the end of lunch, how much he had been looking forward to the lunch hour just so that he could see her. And his hopes had been dashed as soon as he didn't. Leaving him disappointed and grumpy for the rest of the day.
At the end of the day, Harry had a free-period, which he chose to spend lazily flying around the Quidditch pitch, trying to pretend that he wasn't as gloomy as he felt.
He was worried about Ginny... he hoped that she was feeling alright.
If only he could just see her... hold her close, and cuddle all the sickness and pains away.
Harry abruptly stopped his broom, mid-air, as an idea suddenly came to him.
"That's it!" Harry exclaimed, and landed his broom, before yelling clearly to the empty pitch, "Dobby!"
A loud crack broke through the quiet September air, and a small elf appeared in front of him, out of nothing.
"Harry Potter needs Dobby?!" The little elf exclaimed, bouncing up and down on his little toes, and pulling his long ears in his joy. "What is it is Dobby needing to do for Harry Potter, Sir?!"
Harry would have been uncomfortable by the adoration Dobby was showering him with, if he wasn't so excited for the idea he just had. "No need to call me sir, Dobby. Harry is just fine."
Dobby ran forward and wrapped his small arms around Harry's legs. "Dobby forgets that Harry Potter treats Dobby as a friend. Harry Potter is a great and kind wizard, he is...!"
Dobby started to wail in his joy. "Harry Potter is a friend to poor house-elves!"
A twinge of discomfort sparked in Harry, but he pushed it away. He knew how Dobby worked, and he knew just the thing to say to Dobby to distract him.
"Dobby?" Harry started, in a kind tone. "Can you do me a favor?"
Dobby looked up at Harry from when he was still wrapped around his legs, and his eyes held nothing but admiration. "Anything for Harry Potter! Anything!"
"Can you get me a picnic basket with soup and bread? I have a, er... friend that is sick."
Dobby beamed at Harry more, if that were even possible. "Harry Potter is so kind to his friends!"
Then he disappeared, and not a minute later, returned with a basket with a mouth-watering smell of soup.
Harry took it and thanked Dobby before Dobby disappeared with a crack in the air.
Then Harry mounted his broom and flew up towards Gryffindor tower.
...
A/N: Wow! A lot went on in this chapter! Let me know what you think! And I'm sorry it took me so long to update... I've been busy, and I tried to write as fast as I could. Hopefully the longer chapter makes up for it! :)
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Rejection: A Double-Edged Sword