Ginny Weasley and the Red Shoes

Chapter Six - Results

Today is Saturday. I'm sitting in the library doodling on a notebook. It's gloomy outside and I'm feeling rather lazy. My Transfiguration book is lying unopened on the table and I know I should be doing my homework, but I'm just not in the mood. Hopefully Hermione will be along soon and she'll motivate me into starting. Besides, I haven't had a good chat with her in awhile. There are some things we can only talk about with each other.

I realize I'm humming and I expect Madame Pince will come over to shush me any moment now. It must be because of the audition. I think Colin and I surprised ourselves with how well it went. And now I can't stop thinking about dancing. My mind is wandering back to the Yule Ball - specifically, on the robes I wore that night. They weren't bad, even for second-hand. Mum really did pick them with care, and they only needed a tiny bit of mending. I had Colin snap a photo of me before I went down to the Ball so I could send it back to her. I think she was very pleased; she owled me to let me know that Neville "seemed like a very respectable young man, and I hope you had a lovely time dancing together." Well, one out of two, Mum.

I hear a commotion in the doorway and look up, expecting Hermione, but it's a group of my classmates. They head straight for me.

"Congratulations, Ginny!"

"Oh, isn't it exciting?"

"I can't believe you guys did it!"

"What?" I frown at them. "What are you all going on about?"

"You and Colin, silly - you've both come out near the top of the cut list! It's posted right outside of the Great Hall. Didn't you see it when you went to breakfast?"

I knew I shouldn't have skipped. I'm sure my mouth is hanging open because they burst out laughing at me. Then I spot Colin coming up behind them. His face is split in an ear-to-ear grin.

"Ginny, so you've heard, eh?"

"I... y-yes," I murmur. I'm feeling a bit of shock, truthfully. "I can hardly believe it."

He gives me a flabbergasted look.

"You can't...? Why ever not, after all those nights we practiced? And you see what happened? So start believing it! Come on, admit it Ginny - aren't you glad we tried out?"

I smile in spite of myself. Trust Colin's unflagging natural enthusiasm to override any notions of self-doubt.

"Yes, I am," I agree. I'm starting to feel rather good about this. Colin, however, is still caught up in cheering me on.

"Excellent! You'll see, Ginny, we're going to be great - and with all the more reason, too. Because you know what this means, right? You and I - we get to compete for Gryffindor!"

Compete for Gryffindor. For House points. In front of the entire school. My brothers, and... Harry.

Oh, oh, oh, oh...

I pull out a chair and fairly yank Colin into it. Everyone stares.

"It means we'd better come up with a dance routine. And quickly," I add.

*****

We spend most of the morning throwing out ideas, but neither of us can agree on what to do. Colin wants to do something modern; I'm more interested in something traditional. Ultimately we agree that, whatever it is, it can't be boring or make us look stupid, especially in front of the entire school. But nothing seems appealing.

We finally give up and head down to lunch. I deliberately choose a spot not far from Ron and the others. I'm hoping for the opportunity to make him eat his words. But after five minutes I realize I shouldn't bother - Ron can be so completely oblivious to anything that happens outside his little sphere. Actually, the same holds true for Harry, but then he's not my brother. Thankfully.

I'm already halfway through my stew when Hermione comes to sit next to me.

"I heard the news - congratulations, Ginny." She squeezes my arm. "And you too, Colin. So what have you two planned on performing?"

Colin and I trade a glance, and we both sigh.

"Still working on it," Colin mumbles, quite unlike his usual self. The long morning has worn him down.

"Haven't a clue, really," I mutter. The day hasn't done much for me either.

"Why?" asks Hermione, looking between us. "What's wrong?"

"We're having some trouble trying to figure out what kind of dance to use," admits Colin, rather diplomatically in my opinion.

She gives us a thoughtful look.

"I see. Well... rather than deciding on the type of dance right now, maybe you could choose a piece of music, or perhaps a favorite story, and then choreograph your dance to fit it. Most dance performances tell a story, after all. That's something the audience can readily relate to."

I immediately perk up. Use a story? I turn to Colin and see that he's in favor of the idea, too. Hermione, meanwhile, is starting to reminisce.

"My parents once took me to see the Royal Ballet when I was little and I remember how lovely it was. The ballet we saw was called Swan Lake - that's a Muggle fairy tale, Ginny; a lot of dances are based on them, actually - not that you'd have to do the same, of course - but anyway it was so romantic and tragic, and I remember how even my Dad...."

But I'm only half listening, as my own memories are resurfacing. A Muggle fairy tale....