It Only Took a Tragedy

"Ginny, hurry up! I really have to go!" yelled Ron as he pounded on the bathroom door - the only bathroom in the whole house.

"Just a minute! Good Merlin!" she yelled back as she tried to curl her hair. She had pushed Draco out of her mind. Today was her big date with the boy of her dreams, Harry Potter, and she was determined to make the best of it. She had finally gotten enough courage to ask him out. Well, actually, she had pleaded with Ron to ask him out for her. He said yes, and they were going into Hogsmede at a fancy restaurant called Magic's. Okay, it wasn't that fancy, but she thought anywhere alone with Harry was surely going to be exciting.

She put on a little lip gloss as a finishing touch. She really didn't think she looked pretty, but it was certainly an improvement from the low maintenance Ginny. "Ginny!"

"Okay! Okay! I'm done." She barged out of the door, nearly knocking Ron over.

He gave a disgusted look. "Girls!" he said exasperatedly.

Ginny walked down the stairs to ask her mother's opinion on how she looked. "Mum, how do I look?" She gave a little turn to show off.

"Oh, dear, you look amazing! That dress I made is breathtaking on you!" Mrs. Weasley had took the two weeks Ginny was grounded to make her dress for the special occasion. Everyone knew how big her crush on Harry was, and especially now, she made a big fuss over him.

Ginny hugged her mother. The dress she had made was a simple, but elegant. It was a dark green color, that Ginny thought matched Harry's lovely eyes. "Thanks, Mummy."

Her father had just walked in the room. He gave a whistle which made Ginny giggle. "You look beautiful, Gin! I'm going to have to have a talk with Harry before he leaves with you!"

Ginny's cheeks turned red. "Dad! Stop teasing me!"

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Mr. Weasley checked his watch. "That must be Harry," he said as he went to answer it.

"Wait, Dad! Let me go back upstairs!" She was a little bit nervous and wanted to check her appearance one last time before Harry saw her.

"Okay," he laughed. He waited until he heard her door shut before opening the front door.

"Hello, Mr. Weasley," greeted Harry. Harry was dressed in khaki pants and a nice shirt. His hair was messy as usual, but that could not be helped. Sirius, who he was now living with, had bought him contacts to wear since he always seemed to be breaking his glasses in Quidditch scuffles.

"Hi, Harry! Nice to see you! How's Sirius?" Mr. Weasley asked as he let Harry step in through the door. Mrs. Weasley greeted Harry as well and gave him a big hug.

"Just fine," Harry replied.

Ron had heard Harry's voice and came downstairs. "Hey, Harry! Ginny will probably be ready in another hour or two," he joked.

Ron and Harry sat on the Weasley's living room couch. It was rather lumpy and uncomfortable, but Harry kept his opinions to himself. After Mr. and Mrs. Weasley went into the kitchen to fix dinner, Ron whispered to Harry, "If you and Ginny start going out, please just don't kiss in front of me. That's too weird."

Harry's cheeks were hot with embarrassment. He knew how awkward this was for his best friend. But throughout the years, Ginny and Harry had just gotten really close to one another. He tried to hide his feelings for a long time, but since Ginny had asked him out, he had no intentions of hiding any longer. He finally realized that she didn't just like him for being the famous Harry Potter anymore, but rather, for who he was. "I'm not, Ron," he finally said.

A few minutes later, Ginny shyly came downstairs. Harry got up quickly and went over to meet her at the bottom of the staircase. She looked into his eyes and smiled. Her stomach felt like there were butterflies fluttering in it when he smiled back. "Hi, Ginny."

"Hi, Harry."

"You look very pretty today."

Ginny giggled. "So I don't look pretty on other days?" she teased him.

Harry's eyes looked down at the floor. "That's not what I meant."

"Oh I know, Harry. I was just joking." Harry wouldn't realize a joke if it hit him on the head.

Ginny yelled into the kitchen to her father. "I'm ready to go now!" Mrs. Weasley had insisted that Ginny be escorted there and picked up by Mr. Weasley. She had lectured to her it wasn't safe for two young people to be out at night alone. Not wanting to get grounded again, Ginny had reluctantly agreed.

They walked out to Mr. Weasley's new Muggle car. He had won it in a Muggle contest that he had entered, but to anyone besides close friends, it was a secret. Much to Ginny's delight, Harry was being a real gentlemen, even opening the car door for her.

The ride there was fairly silent, besides Mr. Weasley rambling on about his work at the Ministry and asking Harry about various Muggle objects. Ginny spent the time gazing out the window at the shining crescent moon. She was relieved when they finally arrived at the small restaurant where they could finally be alone.

The restaurant was quite charming, Ginny thought as Harry pulled her chair out for her. "Hmm... what are you going to order, Harry?" she said after the waitress handed them a menu.

"Uh, probably the fish sticks," he said, licking his lips.

"Harry, you're looking at the kids' menu," she replied. Harry can be so... extremely goofy at times.

"Oh, oops," he gave a little laugh to cover up his embarrassment.

"I think I'll have the fettuccini noodles," Ginny said when the waitress returned. Harry ordered the barbecued ribs.

They sat there in awkward silence, Harry staring off into space and Ginny fiddling with her straw. Finally, Ginny asked something that had been on her mind. "Harry, did you just go on this date with me just because you were fed up with me bugging you all the time?"

Harry immediately said no. "Ginny, I really like you. In fact, I wanted to ask you tonight if you would be my girlfriend." He grabbed onto her hands.

After a slight delay, she whispered, "Yes," not really meaning it. At any other time, Ginny would have been overjoyed with what Harry just said. She used to fantasize about being Harry Potter's girlfriend. But when it could finally come true, she wasn't as happy as she seemed. Worse than that, she didn't know why she felt that way. Nothing really made her happy anymore as much as she tried. She felt dead inside.

***

Draco and his girlfriend, Pansy Parkison, were celebrating their one year anniversary. There had been a ball at the Parkison Manor, and now Draco was taking her on a romantic moonlight broom ride on his brand new Firestorm, the improved version of the Firebolt.

"Draco, how will you propose to me?" she asked dreamily as the wind blew through her hair. Everyone thought it was obvious that they would eventually be married, but Draco got annoyed with her constant nagging about it. He didn't even want to think about spending the rest of his life with... her.

"Hell, I don't know! Don't think about that now." He rolled his eyes.

"Humph! Well I'm cold... and hungry!"

"Okay, I guess we can head back to your house," he said, ready to turn his broom around.

"No, Draco. I'm hungry now! We're over Hogsmede, let's just stop at a restaurant now. I know you have money on you, you always do."

Money and eating, that's all she cares about. "Errr, fine." He wasn't about to listen to her whine and complain if she wasn't able to stuff her face immediately. Honestly, she was more spoiled than he was.

"Hold on," he said as she rapped her arms tighter around him. He darted downwards as fast as he could, making her scream in panic.

When they landed, Pansy shoved him angrily. "Don't scare me like that, you jerk!"

Draco sneered, "I thought you wanted to eat now!" He pointed to the door of a cheap slum called Magic's. "Will this satisfy your eloquent tastes?"

"Yes, smart arse," she muttered with an upturned pug nose, as she walked through the door with her hot pink dress swaying in the wind. She didn't want to make the scene worse than it was. People on the street were gawking at them.

Draco and Pansy waited impatiently in the line. Pansy was gossiping about Blaise Zambini going out with a Hufflepuff and what a disgrace that was, but Draco wasn't paying any attention. Instead, he was staring at Ginny Weasley and her precious Harry Potter. Awww, how... pathetic.

He sneered at Potter, who was chomping down ribs like a slob. Ginny was eating rather daintily, and Draco wondered with as little food she probably gets, why she wasn't eating like Potter. She's way too good for that oaf. Wait a minute, why did it bother him she was with Potter? Could he possibly be jealous? Draco pushed the thought away when Ginny noticed him staring at her.

"Draco, hello? Our table is over here!" Pansy grabbed him by the shirt and pulled him over to a booth. They were sitting across from Harry and Ginny, but they both ignored the Gryffindor pair. Such different people wouldn't be caught dead talking to eat other, unless it was cruel.

Pansy ordered two meals and dessert, while all Draco had was a cup of coffee. Much to Draco's disgrace, she was jabbering at him and eating at the same time. He tuned her out, occasionally sneaking a peek at Ginny when he thought she wasn't looking. He had never seen her all dressed up, and she looked stunning. Her dark green dress and silver jewelry reminded him of the Slytherin colors.

Draco looked back over to Pansy. "Merlin, Pansy! You eat like you're pregnant!"

Pansy stopped eating and quickly looked away. It was supposed to be a joke, but she didn't take it like one. She whispered, "Maybe I am."

Draco nearly spit out his coffee. "What? You must be joking!" he nearly yelled.

Tears started to come to her eyes. Before Draco could say another word, she had ran out the door. Draco threw some money on the table, then chased after her. She was half way down the street, and he grabbed onto her arm to stop her from going any further.

"Pansy, wait! Where are you going?" She jerked her arm out of his grasp and hit him with her purse.

"Anywhere that you're not! I hate you! This all your fault, you... you rapist!"

Draco couldn't believe his ears. "I did not rape you! Don't you accuse me of such a thing!" Everyone three blocks away and closer now thinks I raped her. He snarled, "I doubt it's even mine. You've probably been sleeping around, you filthy little wench."

Pansy shook her head, then slapped Draco as hard as she could. He took it like a man though, and didn't admit how much it really hurt. "I am not a wench!"

***

Harry was watching Pansy as she got up and left. Once Draco left as well, Harry said with a curious look on his face, "Well, that was weird."

"I know." Unlike Harry who just caught the last scene, Ginny had heard everything. Draco got Pansy pregnant? She couldn't believe it. She didn't say anything to Harry about it though, it was way too personal, and judging by Pansy's character, was probably totally false. From the rumors she had picked up at Hogwarts last year, they had a pretty dysfunctional relationship which was full of jealousy and lies.

After they were done eating, Harry surprisingly asked her to dance to the slow song that was playing on the jukebox. Ginny said yes, but she was a tad embarrassed, considering they were dancing by themselves in front of everyone. It finally hit her that she truly was Harry Potter's girlfriend. I should be thrilled, so why am I not? Is it because I'm still depressed over Percy's death? Is it because I finally got what I wanted, but that seems to be never good enough for me? Or is it because of Draco? Draco! Why does my mind always seem to come back to that stupid git? I hate him! He's a selfish, arrogant, snobby, conceited-

"Ouch!" Ginny, lost in her thoughts, had stepped on Harry's toe with her high heel.

"Sorry, Harry!" It's Draco's fault... There I go again! She cursed at herself under her breath.

Harry had overheard her and immediately stopped dancing. "Ginny, are you alright? You seem kind of mad at me or something," he said, looking hurt. Ginny didn't want to continue with the date any longer. For some reason, she just wasn't acting like her usual self in front of him.

"It's not you Harry! I just feel a little sick. Can we go home now? I'm so sorry."

He didn't look convinced. "I guess so. So do you really want to be my girlfriend?"

Ginny put on a smile. She didn't want to be responsible for making Harry feel any worse. "Of course." It may have reassured Harry, but to her, it was a statement full of doubt that was silently nagging at her all the way home.