Bloopers

Bloopers

Chapter 2: Talks and Traditions

Breakfast the next morning was almost painful for Ginny. The night before she had resolved to try and get over Harry.

There is not much I can do about it, she thought unhappily. To him, I'll always be the best friend's little sister.

But seeing Harry walk in talking intimately with Cho Chang, Ginny couldn't help but feel a stab of pain. Last night, she had overheard Ron and Hermione talking on the stairs, debating whether Harry was really going to ask Cho to the next Hogsmeade visit or not. From the look on his face as he settled down to breakfast, it seemed as if he asked. And hit jackpot. Even though he tried to hide it, a smile kept creeping into Harry's eyes. Ginny knew that Cho had Harry, and there was no competition.

Of course she has him, Ginny told herself. Cho is smart, pretty, popular, plays Quidditch, and just seems perfect.

Miserably, Ginny finished her juice and set off to class.

"I can't believe that Harry is really going with her!" Ron exclaimed incredulously as he,

Hermione and Ginny crunched across the few remaining leaves into Hogsmeade. Harry and Cho were a bit ahead of the three, going on about Quidditch tactics.

"Ron," Hermione prompted, "let Harry be. He's fifteen years old, and you're NOT his mother. Could we please not talk about it?"

She gave Ron a look over Ginny's head. Ginny smiled at Ron's face where a look of confusion appeared, followed by an "Oh!" of understanding.

"It's OK, you guys. Don't worry about me, I'll be fine. Really."

"Come on," Hermione urged. "Let's go to The Three Broomsticks."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

One evening, a few days before Christmas break, Hermione plopped down on the couch beside Ginny.

"Don't we look comfortable."

Ginny was curled up in her red and gold Gryffindor blanket in front of the fire. She was reading A Spell to Remember for the 7^th time.

"How can toy read a book 7 times?" Hermione asked.

"Hmm?" Ginny mumbled, completely engrossed with her book. "Did you say something?"

Giggling with Ginny, Hermione asked "Are you staying here for Christmas?"

"Yes. You?"
"Yeah."

"It's because of Ron, isn't it?"

Hermione blushed. "Well, since Harry and Cho began to- Oops. Sorry."

"Nah, it's OK"

"If you say so. So when Harry and Cho started going out, Ron and I, well..."

"Please spare me the details," Ginny broke in.

The two girls began swapping stories about Ron, giggling nonstop. All of a sudden, Harry burst through the portrait hole, looked around, and stormed upstairs to his room.

"What was that about?" Ginny asked, getting a shrug from Hermione as a reply.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Letting herself sleep late, Ginny woke up on Christmas afternoon to a pile of gifts at the foot of her bed and an empty dormitory. Among her presents was the notorious sweater her mother knitted along with a sizeable portion of homemade fudge. Hermione had given her the huge book, Les Miserables ("Wow Hermione!"), a large assortment of Honeydukes sweets, and a bag of new tricks and jokes from Fred and George (which Ginny was apprehensive to open). After sampling the sweets and fudge, Ginny decided to go down to the Great Hall for a real lunch, when a handsome eagle owl soared through the window. It dropped a letter on top of Ginny's gifts, before seeking a long nap in the Owlery. Slightly puzzled, Ginny opened the letter.

Dear Miss Weasley,

I hope you're enjoying your holiday. I was sorting through the term papers on the Muggle topic of your choice, and was particularly interested in yours. You chose a brilliant subject, comparing Muggle and wizard theatre. Having seen Les Miserables myself, I completely agree with you. (Muggle theatre is much more interesting than wizard!) I knew that you were staying at school for the holidays, so I wanted to give you a gift.

Happy Christmas!

Professor Jessica R. Tolkien

Ginny hardly even noticed the three rolls of parchment written in her own handwriting among the letter. At the top of the first roll of her bulky term paper, a note in Professor Tolkien's hand was scrawled next to a grade of A+.

Miss Weasley! Well done! I'm very pleased to say, you received the top mark in the class! (But don't tell anyone I said that!) I am also greatly impressed. Keep up the terrific work!

Ginny hurriedly got dressed and ran down to the lunch with the essay and letter still in hand. She swiftly found Ron and Hermione talking rather intimately at their usual spots at the Gryffindor table. Speaking in low whispers, as the great Hall was rather empty, and they didn't want anyone, Malfoy of all people (he too stayed for the holidays), to hear them. Rudely interrupting them [A/N-Ginny isn't rude or anything, it's just when she gets important news like this, the cute childish (in a good way) side comes out in her, and she wants to share this with Ron and Hermione], Ginny shoved the essay right under Hermione's nose, too astounded to speak.

"Ginny! What the-?"

"Ron!" Hermione exclaimed, her voice echoing through out the Great Hall, causing several heads to turn her way. Lowering her voice and ignoring the looks Malfoy was giving them, she excitedly brandished the paper in Ron's face. His face lit up, a mixture of happiness and astonishment clearly expressed.

"Bloody hell! What did you write about that got you top marks on a term paper?!?"

"She wrote about the differences between Muggle and wizard plays," Hermione said breathlessly. "Wow! Ginny, this is great! Congratulations!"

Ron smirked. "Don't tell me you wrote about 'the people who were less miserable than the others'?"

"Oh, come on, Ron! You know its Les Miserables," Ginny said, irritated, her French accent absolutely flawless. "Stop calling it 'the people who were less miserable than others'!"

"Oh, shut up, Ginny."

"When you shut that fat trap of yours!" Ginny retorted, her temper getting the better of her. Does he really have to ruin my Christmas with this crap?!? Unluckily for Ginny, her voice raised just as Malfoy was passing.

"Tut, tut. Weasley, we must watch that mouth of yours. If you don't, it might cost you more than you'll ever have in 3 lifetimes."

Hermione and Ron jumped up, but not before Ginny could rush right up to him. Malfoy towered over her, being a full head taller, but Ginny had a special effect to make people cower, like her mother did. Malfoy didn't exactly cringe in fright, but he certainly did have a look of shock, afraid that Ginny might whip out her wand and curse him (which she happened to know a few good ones).

"Poor Draco," she said, her voice as sweet as honey, but with a pinch of spice. "There are some things money can't buy. [A/N- Thanks MasterCard!] Unfortunately for you, brains and a heart are permanently out of stock."

Ginny, Hermione and Ron all laughed loudly, as Malfoy shoved his way past them. As they all sat down to have lunch, Ginny said "I swear, if I have to put up with Malfoy's shit anymore, I'll kill him."

"Ginny!" the other two cried, flabbergasted.

"What?!?" she asked innocently. Smiling, she offered them wizard crackers. "So, how have you guys been?"

Ron and Hermione exchanged secretive grins, talking with their eyes.

"Oh, come off it!" Ginny giggled. "Isn't the Astronomy Tower reserved for another couple? (It took you guys long enough.)"

"Like who?!?" Ron jumped in, a blush creeping to his cheeks.

"I don't know," Ginny said, looking around, her eyes falling on the person who just entered through the immense oak doors of the Great Hall. "Maybe, Harry and Cho."

Hermione shot Ron an apprehensive glance.

"Not possible," Harry said, startling all of them. "Cho went home for the holidays. Actually, she went to visit her old hometown. Somewhere, north of London. I don't remember the name of the town."

As Harry sat down next to Ginny, Ron and Hermione smiled at each other.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Because they had the common room to themselves, Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny took their favorite seats near the fire, and settled down for a long relaxing afternoon of Gobstones and Exploding Snap. They only took a break for dinner, when they continued. At about 8:30, Ron and Hermione stood up, claiming to want to stretch their legs with a walk. Harry and Ginny traded reserved smiles.

"OK," Ginny said, doing her best (and very good) impression of Mrs. Weasley. "Don't get lost, don't do anything irrational..."

"And I want both of you back in this common room no later than 12:30, you hear me?" Harry demanded, putting on a stern face.

Ron and Hermione bowed collectively, and nearly ran out of the common room.

Still giggling slightly, Ginny went up to her dormitory, grabbed her brand new copy of Les Miserables, the sweets Harry and Ron gave her, and her Gryffindor blanket. She scampered back downstairs, and snuggled up in front of the blazing fire. Only a quarter of an hour later did Ginny realize that the common room was completely empty.

I wonder where Harry went? she thought.

The contemplating redhead was answered with a pair of strong hands covering her eyes.

"Hey!" she yelled. "Get off of me, or I'll, I'll hex you!"

The hands instantly let go. "OK, OK, no need to threaten me like that."

"Harry!" Ginny exclaimed in shock. "Don't you dare ever frighten me like that again!"

Harry smiled sheepishly. "Sorry. You want hot chocolate?" With a wave of his wand, Harry expertly conjured up two mugs of the steaming drink.

Ginny's face lit up. "Yes, please!"

The two of them sat in silence, side by side on the small couch.

"So, " Harry began, obviously trying to make conversation. "How are classes?"

"Classes are good," Ginny replied. "I got the top marks on a Muggle Studies term paper."

"That's great! What did you write about?"

Ginny picked up the hardback that lay open on her lap. "I compared Muggle plays to wizard plays, using the only Muggle source I had." Waving the book, she continued. "Dad once took me to see a Muggle play, Les Miserables. Oh," she sighed, remembering the fateful summer day right before her second year. "It was my twelfth birthday, and Dad wanted to do something special to take my mind off of the things that happened at the end of my first year." Ginny blushed faintly, as Harry grinned at her. It was he who saved her life from the sixteen-year-old memory of Lord Voldemort. "So one day, a few weeks beforehand, he heard some Muggles talking about this great play they saw, called Les Miserables. According to Dad, they were raving like madmen and praising it to an extent that Dad believed that they were referring to real magic when they called the play 'simply magical'. So Dad wanted to see it for himself, and he knew how much I enjoyed wizard plays, so he took me. And it was better than any wizarding play I have ever seen. It had an even more unique magic to it than real magic. If you don't stop me soon, I'm going to go through the entire play, with commentary, and by itself, it's already four hours long!"

Laughing, Harry said, "OK, I'm stopping you!"

Ginny smiled into her cup, and took another sip of her hot chocolate.

"So how have you been?" they each asked at the same time after a few moments.

Smiling, Harry politely said "You first."

"I've been OK, and I guess I still am. You?"

"I'm OK too." Harry thought for a moment, trying to come up with another topic to discuss. "Read any good books lately? I think I've memorized Quidditch Through the Ages, I've read it so many times!"

"Actually, I have! Ever read A Spell to Remember? I've just finished reading it for the, umm, the seventh time, really."

"Seventh?" Harry said, apparently amazed. "Well then, it must be good. Can I borrow it?"

"Sure," Ginny said, standing up, keeping the red-gold blanket wrapped around her. "I think I left it around here, somewhere.... Aha! Here it is!"

She handed him the book, and seated herself again. Harry and Ginny sat for a few hours, just reading by the dazzling firelight. At around one o'clock AM, they began to drift off to sleep, only awakening three hours later by noises right outside the portrait hole.

"Really! Students these days!" The Fat Lady exclaimed in a rather loud whisper. "You know Mr. Weasley, you're just like your parents! Back in their day, they woke me up at four o'clock in the morning, too!"

Ron and Hermione rushed in as quietly as possible. Harry and Ginny exchanged smirks.

"What in the name of Merlin were you two doing?" Ginny reprimanded.

Ron and Hermione glanced at each other, thoroughly embarrassed.

"Nothing," Hermione hastily said.

"What have you two been up to?" Ron asked.

"We've really been doing nothing!" Harry laughed.

Ron yawned a very fake yawn. "I think I'm gonna go up to bed."

"Me too," Hermione added.

Grinning even more, Harry said, "We'll let you say your goodnights in private."

Shooting Harry an appreciative yet you-shut-it-or-I'll-get-you look, Ron followed Hermione up the stairs. Still chuckling, Harry and Ginny collected their things, and were about to go up when Ron called from a few steps ahead.

"Wait!"

Harry and Ginny froze in the doorway.

"D'you know where you're standing?"
"At the foot of the staircase?" Ginny suggested, looking around her. She caught Harry's eye and they both shrugged their shoulders.

"Under the mistletoe!" Hermione said in a singsong voice. "Come on! It's a stupid tradition, but it's a tradition!"

Harry and Ginny nervously faced each other, harder to tell who was looking more like a beet with every passing second. Slowly, they inched towards each other, and their lips met.

Beaming, Hermione and Ron went to their rooms, leaving Harry and Ginny gazing into each other's eyes, a similar look of astonishment on each other's face.