Chapter 5 I Can See Only You
As the feast drew to a close, all the students began to trickle out of the Great Hall and went to their respective houses to rest. At this point, Harry had just remembered that he had promised to meet Ginny in the common room to show her something to make up for the gloomy picture. He became increasingly agitated because he still did not know what to give her.
“Harry, can I talk to you for a minute?” Aria’s voice sounded soulfully in his head.
He turned to look at her. She was gazing and smiling at him while sitting alone by herself at the main table. Hagrid and the other teachers were talking amongst themselves at one end. Dumbledore was busy talking to McGonagall across the hall.
“Ginny, I have to talk to Hagrid about something,” Harry lied. “Can you go with Ron and Hermione and I will meet you in the common room a little later?”
Ginny nodded and followed the others out. Harry had always liked this about Ginny, that she was never too clingy with him and that she was always willing to give him the space as he needed. He pretended to walk towards Hagrid but then he gradually changed his direction and approached Aria.
“Harry, I want you to be honest. Do you still want to be my friend?” she asked, gazing into his green eyes.
He paused for what seemed like an inordinate amount of time because he didn’t really understand why she would ask him this. Nevertheless, he felt less self-conscious with her this time because she was sitting down and he didn’t have to worry about being shorter than her. As he stood there, he recalled what Hermione said about telepaths. And truthfully, having Aria’s voice sounding in his head and having her read his thoughts were somewhat eerie to him. But then he thought of his own lightning scar and how it made him stand out all his life, the hardships and burdens he had to endure, and the feelings of isolation as a result. He had understood her.
“Why? Nothing in the law book says that a professor and a student can’t be friends. Hagrid and I are very good friends, and he’s a professor,” Harry replied, trying to sound composed.
“It’s not that. It’s just…you don’t mind that I… am a telepath?” she asked anxiously.
“Uh…Of course not. I think you’re…cool,” Harry was lost for words.
A glowing smile appeared on her face, “I…The minute I saw you…I am never wrong when it comes to people. But…I just wanted to hear you say it.”
She removed a hairpin from her bun and placed it in his hand, “I know you’re thinking about Ginny. Here, give this to her. This is perfect for her flowing red hair. Tell her you bought it at Diagon Alley as a present to celebrate the start of a joyous school year.”
The hairpin was in the shape of a butterfly. It was obviously enchanted because the sparkling wings were flapping gently in his hand as if it were a real butterfly. Harry didn’t know what to say; he was just staring nervously at the hairpin and his mind was flooded with all sorts of thoughts.
“Harry, don’t worry about me,” she giggled, turning her head around to show him. “You know, you are such a charming boy! Always worrying about other people! My hair isn’t going to get undone that easily. I am wearing another pin just like it. One is more than enough to hold it together. And…you’re welcome.”
Harry was very embarrassed and blushing heavily because he realized she had just read all his silly thoughts and answered all his concerns.
“Thanks, Aria…I mean…Professor Hannibal…” he muttered awkwardly. “I gotta go…I guess I’ll see you in class.”
“Please, call me Aria,” a hint of disappointment crept across her face as she nodded. “I understand, Harry. I hope to see you soon.”
He ran out of the hall as fast as he could, trying to save himself from further embarrassment. Aria sighed deeply as she watched him speed away, hopelessly yearning for him to turn back and give her one last look. Her longing eyes could no longer see anything else but him as they faithfully followed his back and his fading footsteps until he disappeared from the hall. Feeling disillusioned, her smile gradually paled away because she could feel her heart aching and her stomach tightening into a knot. A sense of yearning had taken over her.
“That Harry, you can’t find a better person in this world! He’s the greatest kid. Isn’t he?” Hagrid called out to Aria, whose eyes were still locked on the entrance of the hall.
“Yes, he is indeed, Hagrid,” Aria replied breathlessly, with a longing and aching look on her face. “Yes, indeed.”
Harry ran up the castle stairs to the common room as fast as he could, anxiously clutching the butterfly hairpin in his hand. When he entered the empty common room, he noticed Ginny talking with Hermione by the fireplace.
“Oh, I think I hear Harry,” Hermione said cheerfully to Ginny.
Hermione quickly got up and dragged him by the arm towards Ginny, who also got up and was rubbing her eyes. As he looked into them, he noticed they were slightly red.
“I guess I’ll head up. See you tomorrow,” Hermione blurted out while giving Harry a quick glance of disapproval.
“Ginny, I have something for you,” Harry muttered hesitantly as he opened his palm and showed her the hairpin. “I got it at Diagon Alley for you…It’s…to celebrate…the start of a…joyous school year with you.”
She retrieved the pin from his hand and admired it intensely. The wings of the butterfly were fluttering gently on her palm.
“It’s so beautiful and unique,” Ginny said as she examined the pin, with a look of amazement on her face. “For a guy, you certainly have good taste and know about girls’ stuff. Help me put it on.”
For a brief moment he was completely offended with the fact that Ginny thought he knew about girls’ stuff. He wanted to say so badly that he knew absolutely nothing about hairpins. However, at the risk of upsetting her, he reluctantly agreed and helped her put it on. Much to his surprise, he was rather good at handling the pin.
“You look absolutely gorgeous!” Harry yelled out as she spun around. She purposely crashed into him.
“I’m sorry for the photo. I don’t know why I looked like that. But I know there is another picture, and I can tell you that one is perfect,” Harry heard himself say as his hands rested on her shoulders, trying to steady her.
“Where is this picture?” she asked eagerly.
“It’s here. I carry it with me at all times,” he heard himself reply tenderly as he pointed and poked at his heart. “I take it out and admire it everyday, the reflection of you giggling behind me while you were trimming my hair in your room.”
Ginny smiled and nodded, “I know I shouldn’t be upset…”
Harry watched his hand cover her lips and pulled her closer, “Shhh…For the past while, I know I haven’t paid much attention to you and you have every reason to be upset with me because you deserve better. I’m really sorry.”
He gently stroked her hair and heard himself say, “I promise, from now on, my eyes will see only you.”
He nuzzled her forehead and kissed her.
“Harry, I am sorry I got upset at you,” she muttered to him.
He grinned at her reassuringly and heard himself whisper, “Nothing you can do is going to drive me away. I’m afraid you’ll be stuck with me for a very long time.”
“I have to say again that for a guy, you do have great taste,” Ginny giggled with excitement. “Wait till Hermione and the girls see this!”
She broke out of Harry’s embrace and ran upstairs, but then quickly turned around and ran back towards him.
“Oh, I almost forgot. Goodnight, Harry. Pleasant dreams,” she said hastily as she pecked him on the lips.
Immediately after their lips met, Harry suddenly took a big giant sweeping step backward. Feeling very stunned and swallowing very hard, he took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes, looking very dazed. Blinking very quickly, he felt like he had just woken up from a trance, as if he had just been floating from a distance, watching himself say those things to Ginny.
When I See Only You by gossipweaver
Chapter Notes: What are Aria’s intentions when it comes to Harry? Is it friendship? Or does she want more?