A Little Push

"Everyone got it?"

Everyone at the table nodded as Harry came hurrying over to his seat. "Shh! They're coming!"

Luna quickly jumped into Neville's lap and Harry looked over at them in shock. "Nice touch," he muttered, impressed.

Ginny looked over as well. "I've got them well-trained," she whispered proudly, then shut her mouth with a slight clicking of her teeth as Ron and Hermione came within hearing distance and sat down.

"What's for breakfast?" asked Ron hungrily, dishing some eggs on his plate.

Hermione sat down slowly beside him, a bit more interested in the sight of Neville and Luna than she was in her breakfast. The two were now whispering sweet nothings in each-other's ears. Really, they were just exchanging herbology notes, but nobody had to know that.

She looked over at Harry and nodded her chin in the couple's direction, giving a look that clearly said when did this happen? Harry just shrugged as Ginny adjusted his tie.

Hermione watched this suspiciously until she was distracted by the sight that awaited her across the table; a sight that caused her to forget all about Harry and Ginny.

"Seamus?... What did you do to your hair?"

Seamus looked up from his Daily Prophet. "What? Oh, yeah." He shook his head like a dog shaking off water as if that would show off the hair-do better. "You like it?"

Hermione looked unsure what to say. "I uh... It's..."

Lavender, who'd been sitting next to him, put her arm around Seamus, and smiled sweetly at Hermione. "I always thought he'd look good in cornrows. Now I know I was completely wrong!"

Seamus rolled his eyes as Lavender kissed him with a giggle. "It's alright, Seamussums! We'll fix it later."

Hermione just stared. What was going on?

Then, something completely surreal happened. Ginny, Luna, and Lavender simultaneously reached down, each picked up a grape, and dropped it into the corresponding boys' mouths.

Hermione's fork slipped from her hand and clattered to the plate causing everyone, including Ron, to look around in concern.

"Herm..." Ron started, but trailed off at the sight of how pale Hermione was. "Hey. Hey, Hermione. Helloooo." He waved his hand in front of her face. "What's up?"

Hermione shook her head. "N.. Nothing. Did you see...?"

Harry leaned forward. "Are you okay, Hermione? Maybe you should go to the Hospital Wing."

He certainly wasn't expecting Hermione to glair at him. "Harry, we have class starting in half an hour, are you mad? I'm fine. It was nothing."

Ron stared for another moment before shrugging at Harry and going back to his meal. The rest of breakfast continued without event until...

"Hermione?" asked Ron. "Could you pass me the grapes?"

Hermione glanced over at the grapes and then looked back at her own plate, her face stony.

"No."

-----------------

Back in the common room that night, students roared with laughter at the re-telling of the morning's events.

"Did you see her face?!" Ginny spluttered. "'Beautiful! Just perfect! Ladies and gentlemen, matchmaking is an art that I find myself seriously considering taking up professionally."

Harry smiled as well, but mostly at Ginny's sheer enjoyment. It gave him a satisfyingly warm feeling to watch her so entertained.

"Ouch!"

"Oh! Sorry Seamus!" Harry said apologetically. They'd all been taking twenty-minute shifts to try and get those bloody cornrows out of Seamus' hair and really all Harry had succeeded in was getting it more tangled.

"Here, Harry. Lemme try," said Lavender as she came over and took a braid out of his tired hands. "If I can't get it after a little while, I'll bring him up to the hospital wing."

Seamus' eyes widened. "What? No, I don't think we have to go that far."

Lavender bent slightly to look at him face-to-face. "Well, we could cut off every single one of these little braids..."

Seamus groaned.

As Harry traveled over to where Ginny was sitting, he passed by Neville and Luna. They were still sitting on each other and whispering as if they'd never broken apart that morning.

"Er... guys? It's okay. Ron and Hermione are at the library."

They both looked up at him and although Neville looked embarrassed, Luna just shrugged indifferently. "Neville says that you can never be too careful and I find myself completely agreeing with him."

Harry laughed. "In that case, keep up the good work."

Neville and Luna went back to "exchanging notes" as Harry finally made it over to Ginny. "So what do we have for tonight?" he asked quietly.

Ginny turned to him and her grin widened. "For when they get back?" she asked. "Well, Dean's going to be doing a little karaoke to prove his love for..." She paused in thought. "I don't remember. Some seventh year he picked out. Who was I to deny him?"

Harry was impressed. And all he'd had to do strut around in a suit. "Do you know what song he's planning on singing?"

At this, Ginny tried hard not to burst out laughing. "That I do remember. It's a muggle song called How Can We Be Lovers If We Can't Be Friends."

Harry snorted and Ginny lost her battle against the giggles. "Does this girl know about the plan?" Harry asked.

Ginny shook her head, still giggling. "No. Should be fun, right? You still gonna be down here?"

"Of course. Wouldn't miss it for the world."

Ginny's eyes sparkled especially bright for an instant as she searched Harry's.

But Harry had something he'd been meaning to ask about. "So you've now got a good portion of the male population at this school falling all over themselves for the girls. Did you give any thought to the possibility of some women giving anything to the cause?"

"Oh, sure!" said Ginny quickly. "That's tomorrow. I myself plan to ask Hermione for advice on how to win your love."

Harry was unimpressed. "That's it? No Karaoke?"

Ginny laughed and shook her head. "Don't underestimate the power of girl talk."

Harry was about to reply when the portrait hole opened. Ginny swelled with pride as she saw the entire common room separate into pairs on cue. As Ron and Hermione came through and noticed this, they appeared to become slightly uncomfortable.

Good.

"Hello! Everyone, listen up!"

All of the people in the common room, including Ron and Hermione, turned to see where the voice was coming from and were met with the sight of Dean standing on top of a table, looking remarkably determined.

"I have something very important to say to someone very special."

Ginny and Harry smiled in unison.