It happened on a day very much like today: The sun was shining, the wind was blowing, and love was definitely in the air. Well, it was Valentine’s Day, after all.
I was so nervous about the whole thing I thought I was going to be sick. Early that Saturday morning, Harry and Ron were sneaking around Gryffindor Tower doing Merlin knows what, so there was no way I could possibly avoid them. They really do make a nice couple, I must admit, and Ron seems really happy… But I still can’t help being a bit terrified about what he’ll say when I tell him how I feel about Ginny. All the happiness in the world can’t defer a protective older brother, I’m afraid.
Harry came over to where I sat on a soft couch in the corner of the common room and said good morning. He naturally wondered why I was up so early (though I could certainly have asked him the same thing) and if I was alright. Very nice of him to ask, but of course I couldn’t tell him. Normally I would trust him with anything, but as Ron was standing right there with him I sort of panicked and just told him everything was fine.
Then Ron made it his goal to force it out of me. “Come on, Neville, tell us what’s wrong,” he had said. “You helped us out by keeping our secret; now let us help you. Obviously you’re not getting anywhere yourself“maybe we can put things into perspective for you.”
Ron was right about that though; I had kept their little secret safe because I knew it was important to them. I guess he felt like he owed me, but I still had my reservations.
“I can’t tell you, Ron. You’re the last person I can tell,” I told him.
Then, with all the tact Ron possessed, he came back at me with, “What in the bloody hell are you talking about? Why can’t you tell me?”
And this time I couldn’t help but be honest and come out with it. “Because you’d beat me to a pulp, that’s why.” I’m absolutely sure he could smell the fear that I felt shiver down to my very bones.
I think he got a little offended that I even suggested he would do such a thing by the way he crossed his arms and said, “Now why would I do something like that? I happen to be a very understanding person, you know.”
“Because I’m in love with your little sister!” Immediately after I blurted it out I regretted it and covered my mouth tightly with both hands. I couldn’t believe I had finally told him and began preparing for a knockdown, drag-out row.
“You what!?” Ron’s mouth hung open in what I took to be shock.
I apologized to him sincerely, hoping he would forgive me, and promising never to act on my feelings. “I’m sorry, Ron! It just happened! And anyways, I’m not going to tell her, so you have nothing to worry about.” I’m sure I blushed as red as my scarf. I was humiliated, scared, and so, so sad.
“You damn well are going to tell her! It’s Valentine’s Day, after all. She deserves to know. Besides, what if she loves you, too? Are you just going to sit there wondering for the rest of your life?” Ron’s ears grew red with his enthusiasm and I couldn’t hide my utter disbelief. Had he really just said that? For a while I couldn’t decide if my hearing had been deceiving me, so I didn’t say anything.
Harry looked as astonished as I was but let Ron continue talking. “Neville, if there’s one thing I’ve learned these past couple of weeks it’s that you can’t ever pass up good thing. Sometimes it’s worth the risk.”
They turned and kissed each other so lovingly… Harry told Ron how proud he was of him, and they both just seemed so in love. I really, really want the kind of love they share; Ginny means everything to me and I’d do whatever it took to win her over.
I eventually told them I’d give it a shot and tell Ginny how I feel, after a long while of examining the box I held her present in. Harry saw Ginny’s name on the top and must have thought it was pretty funny because he decided to tease me about how I “wasn’t planning on telling her.” I like that Harry. His remark almost made me forget how nervous I was about doing what I had to do.
They left soon after that, and I was afforded all the peace and quiet the common room had to offer at 7:30am on a Saturday. The sun was still low enough in the sky that I could have taken a quick nap if I had wanted, yet my mind raced so much still that I knew sleep wouldn’t come even if I tried my hardest. I had no idea what I would say to Ginny when I finally saw her, or if I’d be too terrified to even speak. She’s so beautiful… Beauty like hers has such a hypnotizing effect I could never hope to keep my composure around her.
“Neville?”
I heard someone behind me say my name in a soft, sleepy voice. I turned around to see Ginny standing next to my seat, still in her dressing gown and bathrobe. Her long red hair was pulled back in a messy ponytail and her eyes were narrow slits adjusting to the light. My heart nearly leapt out of my pounding chest when I saw her; even without any of the preparation girls so often do, she was still the most beautiful girl I had ever known.
“Ginny,” I said with a cracking voice. “What are you doing up?”
Ginny sat down next to me on the couch and fell into the cushions, her arms and legs sprawled lazily about. “I’m exhausted, but I just can’t sleep. Tammy and Maria keep snoring and tossing and making entirely too much noise.” She yawned so widely I thought her jaw might unhinge and closed her eyes.
“Listen, if you want to lie down here I can move,” I offered politely. “I’ll go get you a blanket and some pillows.”
But she didn’t let me do it. “Don’t be ridiculous, Neville, you can stay.” Then a blanket and pillow appeared on her lap where she had conjured them and began to spread out the fluffy blanket. “You don’t mind, do you?”
It took me a while to realize what she was asking me, but I got the hint when she put the pillow in my lap and laid her head down. She stretched out on the length of the couch while I help spread the blanket over her. I really couldn’t believe that was happening at all; maybe I was the one sleeping and the whole thing was one elaborate dream.
It wasn’t. Within fifteen minutes Ginny was still there, lying on the couch, asleep, with her head in my lap and her hand on my knee. Just before then she had accidentally nudged the necklace box in my pocket and asked me what it was, but I was able to distract her and tell her it was nothing. She probably didn’t believe me though”girls like that never miss a thing.
So she slept, and the time got later and later (and my bum sorer and sorer, but I didn’t dare move for fear of waking her). I nearly fell asleep once myself, but avoided it by talking to her. What could it hurt? She was asleep, anyway, right?
I told her everything, knowing full well that she wouldn’t process or remember anything once she woke up. I admitted that I couldn’t stop thinking about her and how happy she made me when I was with her. I told her I know how many boys like her and that someone like me would never have a glimmer of a chance of being with her, but that I loved her more than she could know and I would do anything to make her happy.
I told her how I was scared of what Ron would say and how he had been the one to encourage my openness with her. I brushed my hand over her soft hair and told her about the necklace I bought but was too afraid to give to her. I said everything I had wanted to say the entire year, yet still she slept on. I knew I had gotten lucky with this chance to have her alone and so close to me and that it would likely never happen again.
Inevitably she woke and was embarrassed for some reason that I let her sleep on me for so long. I honestly didn’t mind one bit, but of course I couldn’t tell her why. Ginny vanished the pillow and blanket and ran back up to the girls’ dormitories, and I remained in the common room, alone once more.
I looked out the window and saw Harry, Ron and Hermione down by the lake. They all looked so happy together the way they talked and laughed so easily. Some couples I could always tell were going to be together for the rest of their lives, and Harry and Ron were one of them. How I wished I could have the same thing with Ginny…
A corner of the necklace box jabbed into my thigh, almost as if it were trying to force me to give it to its intended owner. Well, at least it didn’t let me forget I still had it.
I put my hand in my pocket and wrapped it around the box. My eyes were closed and I involuntarily sighed Ginny’s name.
“I’m here, Neville,” Ginny said, once more standing before my seat on the couch.
I felt my face grow redhot and I frantically tried to cover it up like a yawn, but before I could do anything, Ginny had bent down and put her face centimeters in front of mine. She kissed me hard and deliberately, putting her hand behind my neck to keep my nerves from pulling me away.
After she broke it I was still completely out of breath. I couldn’t say anything”I still hardly believed what happened. She sat on my lap facing me, with one leg on each side, and put her arms around my neck to hug me. I wrapped my arms around her back, feeling that she was indeed there and not just a figment of my imagination, and she said, “I love you.”
We kissed again and then I reached into my pocket for the box, my hands shaking. I let her open the wrapping and she gasped at the diamond pendant, saying how much she loved it and how I shouldn’t have. I had to disagree with her on the last comment.
“Everything you said…” she whispered in my ear as I clasped the necklace around her neck. “Thank you. But you needn’t be afraid; you’re the only one I want to be with, and no one can ever change that.”
I tried to talk to her but only choked on my words. Even averting my eyes from her didn’t seem to help at all. “I lo-… I…”
“I know,” she said, smiling and looking far into my eyes.
“Iloveyou,” I spluttered.
Ginny grinned widely and repositioned herself to nestle close to my side; her head rested on my shoulder and I tried to contain my elation. That was the happiest day of my life.
Fin.