Just Another Midnight Escapade

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"Well, no matter what you two go as, you better not break Ginny's heart. I may not like her sometimes, but she's still my little sister." Ron advised as they walked down the corridor to the infirmary. "You understand?" he asked, stopping and turning Harry around to meet his face.

"I'll try," mumbled Harry, his ears turning a distinctive shade of pink.

"Try?" exclaimed Ron, obviously shocked. "Harry! You're my best friend, and all you'll do for me--and my sister--is 'try'? I'm horrified!"

"Well," defended Harry, "what if I do it on accident? I mean, I can't read her mind!"

"You won't do it on accident," Ron stated. "Now, do you understand?"

Harry nodded reluctantly. "Yes, I understand Ron. Now, let's get going, I want to get my glasses fixed and still have time to finish up our charms homework."

Ron grinned. "Well of course!" He took off rather quickly, using his lengthy legs to his advantage. "C'mon Harry, can't you catch up?" he laughed. Harry stumbled for a moment to catch up with his friend and gave him a playful shove.

They got to the infirmary rather quickly, and found Madam Pomfrey checking up on a third year Ravenclaw that was knocked out on one of the beds. Harry knocked lightly on the side of the door frame, grabbing her attention.

"Excuse me, Madam Pomfrey, are you busy?" he asked timidly, not wanting to interrupt anything important.

"No, I'm quite able to see you," she chortled, walking past a few bunks to the door. "Is there anything I can help you with?"

"Err, yes," Harry stammered, "My glasses need a stronger prescription; is there something you can do to, perhaps, fix them up a bit?"

She grinned at him. "Why, yes! In fact, I've been waiting for you to ask me something like this for some time now! You see, those frames are so bulky on your face, and I could easily correct your vision, eliminating your need for glasses entirely, if you'd like. Otherwise I can make them a bit stronger, but I think the first option would do you a bit more good."

A slow grin crept onto Harry's face. "That . . that would be excellent! I had no idea you could do that!"

Madam Pomfrey returned his smile. "If you never ask, you never know. Now come over here, and sit on this chair . . ."

Ron and Harry grinned at each other as Harry was marched over to a small black chair. "Ron, this is definitely a good day."

Ron nodded. "Definitely!" But he wasn't all that happy. He kept on feeling that familiar emotion creep back, the one that haunted him so much in their fourth year . . . jealousy.

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Harry sat on top of his bed, just grinning to himself. Finally, no glasses! It's what I've been waiting for. I feel so different when I look in the mirror--so . . . handsome. I feel on top of the world! But suddenly his spirits dropped. Wait--I still have to decide what I can do for Ginny . . .

I've already made a prick of myself by trying to save myself a chance with Cho, but I know deep down that Cho and I will just never happen. We can't face each other after Cedric's death enough to have a relationship, and even if we could, it's obvious she's not interested. But Ginny--such a wonderful girl, I'd never want to upset her. She's always there for me, always trying to help me in my problems with Ron, and make me laugh when I'm feeling sad. She'd really love me, and she'd never do anything to hurt me, not at all.

And now that this year is almost over, I can tell she's really changed. She's grown up. Her voice, her smile, her . . . her eyes. Beautiful eyes, a shocking blue that plays as water to her fiery hair. The more Harry thought about Ginny the more he wondered why he hadn't seen all this good in her before. Maybe--maybe I will go to the dance with her as more than friends. Maybe it's time I realized that the "little sister" isn't so little anymore, maybe she's just right.

With a triumphant grin, he hopped off his bed and practically skipped towards the stairwell. Maybe it's going to be a happy ending after all.

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Ginny sat quietly at a table in the Gryffindor common room. She'd been working on her transfiguration homework for ages now and she was getting slightly restless. No matter how hard she tried to work Harry's image kept burning in the back of her mind, his cruel words lingering in her ears like a strong, bitter aftertaste. How come somebody I love so much causes me all this pain?

As if on cue Harry walked confidently into the common room and swiveled his head around. Spying Ginny a slight grin crept onto his face. She smiled back and felt like she had chugged a bottle of butterbeer. "Harry! Hey," she exclaimed. "W-what brings you here?"

Harry bit his lip and looked down. "Well, I thought about what I said earlier, about the dance . . ."

"Yes?" Ginny asked, casually wiping her sweaty hands on the sides of her robe.

"Well, maybe I could go as your . . . your date. For real." He looked up at Ginny expectantly.

Her jaw dropped. "Really?" she squealed.

A wide smile took over his face. "Yeah, really."

She threw her arms around him and cried, "Oh, Harry! You . . ." She pulled away. "You're wonderful."

Harry opened his mouth to return the compliment, but their little "moment" was interrupted by a shout from Ron.

"And just what do you think you're doing to my sister, Harry?" He mock-scolded. "The poor girl looks devastated!"

"Oh yes, Ron, I'm just dying, really," she drawled.

"Look at her, she's going to burst into tears any moment!"

"Tears of joy, that is!" Hermione added quietly from her seat across the room where she was snuggled up with a rather large book.

"But seriously, what's going on here?" Ron inquired.

"Well, I guess Ginny's going to be my date at the end-of-term dance," Harry chuckled.

Ron smiled. "Excellent choice."

Harry nodded, "I quite agree."

Ginny's face was now a splendid shade of red.