A Girl's Song

Disclaimer: All things here belong to J.K...wahhhh

Chapter Two: Telling Him

"...no. She said no." Ginny hadn't realized that she was holding her breath until a whoosh of air escaped her mouth. She shook soft waves of red hair out of her face and placed a hand on her heart absentmindedly.

"Then why...why did you worry me like that?" Ginny gave Ron a little shove and started to turn into the corridor that would lead her into Potions. Ron stopped her.

"Because, Ginny dearest, she will eventually say yes. She is still very sad about Cedric, you know. That's why she refused Harry. But it's only a matter of time until she says yes. It’s been two years, and…Harry really likes her, Gin. And you know better than most that Harry is very easy to like in return. They will eventually find their way together." Ron's eyes, identical to Ginny's own but for color, shone sympathetically. Ginny's mouth curved into a determined smile. With a huff, she whipped out the song she had written in Professor Flitwick's class.

"Not if I have anything to do with it."

* * *

Harry Potter burst into his dorm room in a breathless whirl. His messy black hair flopped into his eyes and droplets of sweat traveled down his face. His glasses, fogged up enormously from the humidity outside, sat on the bridge of his nose. Behind them peered a pair of green eyes that were alert and aware. He raised a bottle of water to his lips and guzzled the contents down. He sighed.

Quidditch practice had been especially brutal today. The team's new captain, Angelina Johnson, was working the team into the ground. Changing positions to accommodate the tremendous loss of Oliver Wood, the previous captain, was proving tumultuous to the skills of everyone else on the team. Most everyone, the Bludgers, the Keeper, and the Chasers, were all seventh years. Harry would be the only veteran next year. He shrugged out of his practice cloaks, the thin cloth clinging to his skin. He missed Oliver in spite of himself, how would he feel next year with a whole new team?

With another sigh, Harry slipped into a plain t-shirt and jeans. Muggle clothes were still the most comfortable for him, but to keep him from standing out too much, he threw a black Hogwart's cloak over his shoulders. With another quick gulp of H20, Harry swept out of his room and slid down the banister of the stairs leading down to Gryffindor common room. He closed his eyes and took in the fresh air wafting in from an open window in the corner of the room. When he opened them a minute later, he started. Standing there was Ginny Weasely.

"Hullo, Harry," she said pleasantly. "Can I speak with you for a second?"

Ginny smiled again, holding onto the bannister of the stairs casually.

"I hope I'm not bothering you," she said seriously, her eyes twinkling. Her legs were crossed and she had her left hand placed on her out-thrust hip. To the casual observer, she would look like any other girl, flirting with a crush. But to Ginny, this wasn't any old crush; this was life and death. This was Harry Potter.

Harry looked perplexed. "Um, no Ginny. I was going to dinner though, uh, would you like to walk with me?" Ginny's eyes didn't light up like they usually did. She narrowed her eyes, thinking hard. Then, she sighed.

"I suppose so."

Harry grinned. "Well, don't sound so enthusiastic." Ginny laughed and nudged Harry's arm.

"I'm sorry. It's just that I've got to talk to you. And the Hall isn't exactly a private place." Ginny felt a tingle thrill through her. She'd never been so brave before.

Harry's eyes widened. "Well, alright, Ginny. I guess we can skip a meal now and then, right?" He placed a brotherly hand on Ginny's shoulder. "What's wrong? Is it Ron?"

Ginny usually made it a point not to speak to Harry nowadays in a manner anything but a stranger’s. He wondered why that bothered him, and why she wanted to speak to him now.

Ginny sighed. This was going to be harder than she thought. She gently picked Harry's hand off her shoulder and clasped it with hers, savoring the thrill off holdhing his thin, strong fingers in hers.

"Harry. Alright, there is no easy way to say this for me." She snorted, then noticed they were still standing in the middle of the room, attracting knowing looks from curious Gryffindors. Ginny bit her lip; she'd gone this far, why not up the possibility of more embarrassment? Thinking fast, she pulled a confused Harry by the sleeve into a small hallway leading to the girls dormitory.

"Ginny! Wha-what do you want? This is the girls dormitory. I could get detention for this, you know." Harry adjusted his glasses, cocking his head. What was so important that Ginny, the girl who hand't spoken to him since fifth year, was now so anxious to tell him?

Ginny took a breath and steadied herself. "Okay. Here it is." She twiddled her thumbs and scratched her head absentmindedly.

"I like you."

Harry's brow furrowed. "Well, alright Ginny. I like you too, you're a nice girl. What was the thing you had to tell me?"

Ginny blew her bangs out of her eyes and tried again. "Harry," she said impatiently, "I mean I like you as in like you like you. I...I really have a huge crush on you." She looked down and sighed. She could feel the heat rush up to her cheeks; she must be redder than a beet.

Harry's silence was her only answer. Ginny looked back up and her bright eyes softened. "Oh, Harry," she whispered at his shocked gaze, "I'm sorry. I-I don't know what came over me. Please...please don't mention this to anyone. I-just forget we had this conversation." She pushed past Harry, ignoring his bewildered look. Her stomach had turned to hot molten lava, bubbling and frothing. She was going to throw up.

Blinded by her tears and sudden nervous nausea, Ginny ignored Harry's cries of "Ginny! Ginny, come back, please!"