The Slimmest, Wildest Chance

Chocolate in the Library

The more Ginny looked at her watch, the more he didn't come. She tapped her fingers in irritation to avoid Madam Pince's eye - Ginny never stayed this late in the library. She bit her lip - maybe he'd just forgot. It wasn't a pleasant thought - she'd kill him. Maybe not actually, but Harry Potter would definitely be missing his nose once she'd finished with him.

Ginny didn't know why she put up with this - as Hermione pointed out; she was Ginny Weasley - and, excepting her brothers, (and apparently Harry Potter) every Gryffindor male had been in love with her at some stage. She didn't have to put up with this - it wasn't as if she couldn't get another guy if she wanted him, at least, so Hermione said.

In fact this wasn't true. Since Harry Potter had started walking her to and from class, going to Hogsmeade with her, and sitting by her at every second meal, she'd become known as 'Harry Potter's Girl'. At first she had tried to deny it, but eventually she had given up in frustration. What was the point - no one, not even Ron, really believed her.

But the worst part of it was - Ginny didn't even want someone else to ask her out - not even to make him jealous. Not going out with Harry was better than going out with any one else in the world - and Ginny couldn't be more furious about it (though, due, no doubt, to her sad, romantic nature, she was more furious about not being furious than actually angry.)

She sighed, remembering the long conversation she'd had with Hermione that morning. Time to get pro-active Hermione said; time to tell him she wasn't going to take any more of this rubbish. But then, of course Hermione would say that - she had been lucky enough to find her true love at seventeen, and he liked fighting with her. Fights with Harry tended to become long, drawn-out feuds, and Ginny just didn't have the energy for something like that. It would hardly be possible to have that conversation without a fight.

Ginny gathered her belongings and stood up, her bag slung over one shoulder. Clearly Harry wasn't coming - which was why it came as something of a surprise to feel a pair of arms and then a cloak draped around her. She stiffened in surprise and only relaxed when she heard him whisper into her ear, "It's just me."

"Took you long enough." She said, trying to not to notice that his mouth was too close to her skin, and his breath came and went against her ear.

Within a few minutes the last remaining students and Madam Pince had left the library. Harry removed the invisibility cloak with a flourish and they went in search of various defence books. Someone had to do this with Harry once a week to make sure he would get the material he needed covered without staying up all night. It didn't really work though, and from now on Ginny was going to suggest they use the Room of Requirement.

They'd made their way through about two books each when Ginny demanded a break. Harry tended to read without pause if you let him, but Ginny had something she thought would convince him to stop. She held up the bag and shook it slightly, saying, "Chocolate frogs."

Harry grinned at her and leaned back in his chair. "Chocolate in the library," he said in a high-pitched voice. "Shocking. Get out!"

"Shut up or I won't give you any."

Harry smiled at her and produced a surprise of his own - a flask of chilled pumpkin juice. Ginny could have kissed - an emotion that it was not exactly unusual for her to feel.

Harry conjured a few more tapers and Ginny sighed - another romantic evening with Harry Potter. That was just what she needed to aid her in her search for emotional equilibrium. The candlelight lit his face up, making his smiles all the brighter, but hiding the darkness that always shadowed his eyes. He was so handsome it took Ginny's breath away.

It took her several minutes to work up the courage to say what she had to say to him, and she was quailing inwardly as she said, "Harry?"

"Yes?"

"People have been saying..."

"What?" He put his hand over hers - it was distracting.

"They've been saying that I'm...that I'm 'your girl' and I was thinking that maybe you should do something about that if you actually want to go out with someone...else, cause nobody believes me."

Ginny knew her voice had increased in pitch and speed - but she could barely look at him anyway. She heard Harry sigh and dared to look up at his face. He smiled at her and said, "Ginny...don't worry about that. I don't want to go out with anyone...else."

"Well...if you're sure."

He shook his head, frustrated, and said, "Look, you and Hermione are the only girls I really know and...I can't be bothered to spend time with someone I barely know, when I could be with the two of you and Ron."

Ginny nodded, disturbed that he grouped her with Hermione, but smiling and desperately trying to figure out his precise meaning. His fingers were playing with hers, and she couldn't get away from his eyes - even when she looked away she could feel him looking at her. Ginny bit her lip, ignoring his sharp intake of breath; it was so hard not to lean over there and just kiss him.

But she couldn't - every time she steeled herself to do it, she remembered the look on his face all those years ago, and she just couldn't. She didn't have enough nerve, even though his fingers were sliding over hers at this very moment.

She cleared her throat and said, "I was wondering if you could do me a favour. I've to get Ron's Christmas present in Hogsmeade next weekend, and I thought maybe...you could come with me and let me know if I'm getting it horribly wrong or anything."

He grinned at her and said, "Sorry. I can't - I've got present-shopping of my own to do."

Ginny put all her effort into not looking too crestfallen and succeeded when Harry touched her chin and said, "But we could meet in the Three Broomsticks - compare purchases."

"Oh. Great. I haven't had a Butterbeer in ages."

"Well...I'll see you there then."

He was smiling and for a moment Ginny expected him to say something wonderful - then he opened his mouth and said, "Ginny? We should get back to work."

Though they worked on for another two hours in candlelight, and walked back to the common room under the invisibility cloak, Ginny couldn't quite get over the effect of his first sentence.