“Wassamatter, ’Arry?” Ron asked through a mouthful of food.
Harry, Ron, Tonks, Remus, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were standing in the hallway, waiting for the girls to come back downstairs, Ron still munching on a breakfast muffin.
“She’s mad at me,” Harry said a low voice so none of the other’s would overhear.
“What? Why?”
Harry grimaced, swallowing hard.
“Ron - I never -”
“Ah - there you are, girls,” said Mrs. Weasley briskly as Hermione and Ginny descended the stairs. “Hurry up - let’s get going, then! We’ll have to be put in pairs so - come on, then!”
Perfect, thought Harry.
Remus and Tonks were paired up, then Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, followed by Hermione and Ron, and -
“Are you going to just stand there, Harry?”
Ginny was standing beside him, her arms crossed over her chest. But she would not look directly at him.
“Y-you first,” said Harry, trying to smile at her.
She did not see it, therefore she did not return it.
Harry’s shoulders sank as he followed her.
This didn’t look like it was going to go well.
“All right - don’t get separated,” Mrs. Weasley said as they stood outside Gringotts. “If one of you is lost - come and find one of the adults, all right? Just remember to stay together.”
Ginny, Hermione, Ron and Harry nodded.
“We’ll be in Flourish and Blotts,” Tonks said as she led Remus away.
“And we’ll be visiting your brothers,” Mrs. Weasley said, walking in the opposite direction.
“So where d’you want to go first?” Hermione asked the group at large.
“Florean Fortestcues?” suggested Ron.
“Ron - we just ate breakfast,” said Hermione, rolling her eyes.
“I say Quality Quidditch Supplies, then,” said Ron. “You girls can go somewhere else if you’d like.”
“Fine,” Ginny said, grabbing Hermione’s hand.
They soon disappeared into the crowds of the large alley way, away from Gringotts but most importantly away from Harry.
Anybody could lose themselves here for hours. Diagon Alley was simply bursting with life, from those little groups of witches down for a days shopping to those recently graduated
students. Even those diplomatic wizards arguing about -- well, who knows what. It was the most sensible place for Ginny to think, actually. The house was too quiet -- she felt like everybody could read her thoughts. Here things were too loud -- too cauotic. It was wonderful.
Ginny went on for a full five minutes before Hermione interrupted her fast pace.
“Ginny! Slow down!”
The redhead obliged immediately, crossing her arms over her chest. “Sorry.”
“I don’t understand why you won’t talk with him,” said Hermione, wiping her hair away from her eyes.
Ginny shook her head, but did not offer an answer.
“Boys are just oblivious,” said Hermione fairly. “No offense, but look at your brother.”
“None taken,” said Ginny with a small grin. “Still, Harry can trick a dozen Death Eaters yet he can’t talk to a girl.”
“Yes, our complicated hero,” murmured Hermione.
Ginny chuckled. “He still has to figure it out on his own. He’ll -- he’ll do it . . .” but she faltered. She wasn’t so sure after all.
“You never explained what he did wrong in the first place,” said Hermione helpfully, indicating towards a nearby quill shop.
“Hermione - you’re supposed to be the clever one. Don’t you see? After years and years of . . . of me being ignored, he suddenly comes around and . . . he just kisses me -- like that!”
“Oh.” Hermione bit her lip as the shop bells sounded above them.
For the most part they were silent as they browsed for quills. The shop itself was a quiet one, but it gave Ginny space to think.
As if it really helped, though. All she could think about was the kiss. . . How he kissed her and how it felt.
How could a boy cloud her mind so badly?
And how long has he liked her? What made him like her? What was so different about her this year than last year?
Boys were just stupid. The smartest thing to do was to ignore them at all costs -- no matter what. He drove her so mad.
Then again, he might just be confused. . . Maybe she should talk to him? Not right now, though. She wouldn’t be able to keep her temper in check.
“Mmm -- d’you think he’s thinking about me?”
Ginny jolted from her musings. “Who? Harry?”
“No - Ron,” said Hermione with an exasperated smile.
“Oh. Yeah. . . He does a lot, I think.”
Her best friends mouth dropped open. “Really? Wow . . . I can’t believe . . . wow.”
Ginny rolled her eyes. “Are you so sure Ron’s the oblivious one, Hermione?”
“Shut up!” said Hermione with a laugh, playing punching her friend on the arm.
Ginny grinned with amusement as she watched the older girl shop for quills, a small smile playing about her lips.
She had sworn last year that if her brother and Hermione didn’t get together this year, she would turn to desperate measures.
Every so often she would glance out the window. One she saw Neville Longbottom wave to her, his ancient grandmother by his side. Then a roommate of hers, Scarlett Worely. . . Even
Colin and Dennis Creevey. Then it was . . . Harry.
She stared as he talked with Ron. It looked like they were laughing about something. Harry showed Ron what was inside his bag before glancing into the shop. She nearly gasped as he looked up again, and froze as his eyes met hers for the first time since they kissed.
What was going through his mind? What would he do next? Would he make a move -- or would she have to? What would happen?
Ron followed Harry’s gaze and smiled at her.
She watched him say something to Harry, indicating toward the girls.
Oh Merlin. No -- she couldn’t deal with this right now. It wouldn’t be right -- everything would go wrong - and it all be because of her temper -- she knew it.
“Er -- Hermione, let’s go,” said Ginny, blocking her friend from seeing the boys.
“Oh -- all right,” said Hermione. “Just let me pay for this.”
She pulled a Galleon from her purse, going to the clerk standing at the counter.
“Come on, come on, come on,” muttered Ginny under her breath as she heard the jingling of the doorbells.
The clerk looked rather bored, reading a wizard magazine.
“Keep the change,” Ginny said quickly, throwing the Galleon onto the smooth surface before grabbing Hermione’s hand and dragging her out of the shop.
“What’s the hurry?”
“Er -- I just remembered -- they have a new broom model at Quality Quidditch Supplies -- I told Charlie I’d check it out.”
“Oh.” Hermione didn’t sound interested at all.
Ginny dragged the girl out into the alley way of the store, looking this way and that for a familiar head of black.
“Oh look -- is that Ron?” asked Hermione.
Ginny gasped. That meant Harry was somewhere near.
“I’ve gotta go to the restroom, ’Mione,” she said. “I’ll meet you in front of the shop.”
“Okay -- I’ll meet up with the boys,” she answered.
Ginny hurried up the alleyway, out of sight. She’d just run around a bit to lose him -- she’d come back in fifteen minutes when her head was right again.
“Ginny?”
She hid behind a tall man as she saw him pass by. “Just go away!” she hissed.
“Hm?”
The man looked around, then down at her. He raised an eyebrow at her small form. “Oh -- not you.”
Harry disappeared again, giving her the chance to get away once more. She’d run to Flourish and Blotts or something -- find out what her parents were doing --
“Ginny.”
There was a touch on her shoulder, and she jumped. Horrified, she turned about, her hand over her mouth. “Harry.”
“You okay?” he asked.
“Yes,” she answered. “I was just looking for the ladies room.”
“They have one inside the shop, Ginny.” His brow furrowed. “Are you all right.”
“Yeah, I’m fine.”
She pushed past him, back up the alleyway.
“Ginny -- can I talk to you?”
“Why?” she asked, not looking at him.
“About what?” Ginny asked casually.
Harry reached out a hand to grasp her wrist. Ginny went still at the contact.
“Us.”
She turned about to look at him. “You obviously don’t want to be with me, Harry -- what is there to talk about?” The words rushed out before she could stop them.
“No -- I do.”
Ginny’s mouth dropped open. “W-what?”
“Gin, I think we need to talk,” he said.
*sigh* To tell you the truth, I'm not wholly satisfied with this chapter simply because it was so very rushed -- and that's only because of another site. They have a deadline and my three weeks was up, so -- yeah.
But anyway, won't you please tell me what you think of it anyway?