Five Sickles A Girl

"You need a girlfriend," Ron announced. Harry started in surprise, dropping his chess piece onto the table in the process. His green eyes widened when he realized Ron was being serious.

"Pardon?"

"A girlfriend," Ron repeated. "You know, the certain *some*one who you can argue hours on end with, then realize at the end of the day, its okay, because you absolutely love her and realize being wrong is okay when its with *her*."

Harry blinked. "Are you proposing I date Hermione?"

"NO!" Ron cried, blushing crazily. "I, er, mean..."

Harry grinned. "Its okay, Ron. I understood what you meant. I don't know, though," he frowned, "I don't think dating is an option for me right now."

Ron scoffed, leaning back in his chair. They were in the common room of the Gryffindor tower, playing a one-sided game of chess. Ron was winning, of course, and Harry had problems just keeping his pieces in line. "So you're the-boy-who-lived, big deal. I could bet you five sickles that I could find you someone who would go out with you who doesn't care about that."

Harry raised his eyebrows at that, staring at his redheaded best friend skeptically. "All right, Weasley. We have a bet. If you can find a girl who wont go crazy about me being famous, I'll date her."

Ron smirked. This would be the easiest five sickles he'd ever won.

***

Harry walked silently through the halls of Hogwarts. The conversation with Ron had given him a lot to think about, even if that hadn't been its intended purpose. Or perhaps it had been. He had picked up on Hermione's devious streak over the summer. It was actually fascinating to watch. He'd gone from squirmy to mature, although he suspected that wasn't *all* Hermione's fault. The summer had impacted everyone, Harry the most, he was sure.

Watching Cedric fall to the ground, dead, still gave him nightmares, but at least now, he didn't feel as guilty. And he owed the Weasleys everything for that, especially Ginny. The past five months had brightened his days considerably, all thanks to a little redheaded girl he'd always just known as 'Ron's little sister' or personal fangirl. She had an air about her that made her wise beyond her years. And he often wondered if that was the result of her first year at Hogwarts. Or, perhaps like everyone else, it was just the result from the tournament and Cedric's death.

Harry smiled to himself, despite his morbid thoughts as he thought back to the earlier conversation. So. Ron was going to find him a girlfriend. It wasn't bloody likely, that's for sure. What girl in this school *didn't* like him for his status as boy-who-lived? No one.

Except maybe Ginny, a little voice whispered. Harry shook his head. Even she had started out as a fellow worshipper. But is she now?

"No," Harry thought out loud. But she wasn't going to be the topic of his thoughts. She was like a sister to him. Someone off limits, if even for the fact that she's Ron's little sister. "No," he repeated. "She's just a friend."

A friend who wakes you up in a cold sweat, when you realize she was the latest victim to Voldemort? A friend who makes you rethink yourself when feeling low? A friend who--

"All right," Harry said, interrupting his inner turmoil. "Maybe she *could* be more than a friend, but she's still Ron's sister. How can I betray him like that?" This time, the voice stayed silent.

***

Ron paced the Gryffindor common room an hour later. Their game of chess had dragged along that night, but unsurprising Ron had ended up winning. It's always how it was. When *didn't* he win?

The table in the corner held his parchment, ink, and quill, waiting for it to be scribbled on with female names. Hopefully female names that would like to date Harry.

"Maybe Lavender Brown," Ron murmured. He glanced across the common room, where she sat with her best friend Parvati Patil, working on Divination homework. He suppressed a shudder when he remembered his own predictions he had to write still. His eyes lingered on the girls for several seconds, then shook his head. Harry would never go for either of them. He remembered Harry's whispered words of guilt from ignoring Parvati at the Yule Ball. And Lavender... well, he didn't know much about the girl but had a feeling she wasn't his type. No, he better stick to people like Hermione. But, there really wasn't anyone else quite like 'Mione. And he really *didn't* want to share.

Crossing the room to the table, he plopped down into a chair and picked up his quill and bit at the end of it, lost in thought. Finally, he began to write down names. Katie Bell, Alicia Spinnet and Angelina Johnson were all obvious choices, as they played with him on the Quidditch team. Although, call three were two years older than him, but that didn't matter, did it? The only other girl he would think of in Gryffindor was Natalie MacDonald, but he didn't know her very well. Who knew if she'd act all lovesick over Harry?

"What are you doing?" Ron jumped at the familiar sound of a female voice. He hid his hands over the parchment and guiltily looked up at Hermione's curious gaze.

"I'm... writing a list," Ron finally admitted.

"On what?" Hermione dislodged his grip on the paper, and picked it up. She scanned over the short list of female names. "Looking for a replacement?"

Ron's eyes widened at her tone, "NO! I'm looking for a girlfriend for Harry."

"Can't he find one on his own?" Hermione asked, skeptically. Ron shook his head, and Hermione pressed her lips together suspiciously. "And why not?"

"We have a bet going," Ron admitted. "We bet five sickles that I could find him a girlfriend who wouldn't care about his famous status."

Hermione nodded in understanding, "Hmm. I have an idea."

"Really?" Ron stared at his girlfriend in surprise, "Who?"

"Ginny." she said simply.

Ron looked scandalized. "Ginny! 'Mione, no!"

"Why not?" Hermione asked. "I think they'd look cute together..."

"She's my *sister*!" Ron objected. His mouth felt dry at the prospect. It wasn't that he didn't want Harry, *or* his sister to be happy, because he did, he *really* *really* did. Just... not happy together.

"Yes," Hermione agreed, "which should have been the deciding fact for you! You can't deny--Since Ginny got over her silly hero worship, she and Harry get along well. I've seen them more than once outside talking by the lake."

Ron frowned at that. "Talking had better be *all* they do together."

Hermione frowned in return, "Oh, *honestly* Ron."

Ron hmphed, sitting back in his chair. "Harry would never love my sister. He's even told me--that's all he feels for her. Like he's another brother." And with that, Ron went back to his parchment. "Maybe that Ravenclaw Mandy Brocklehurst would like to date Harry. She's an awful bore, but some people *like* that..."

Hermione stared at Ron for several seconds before leaving in a huff.

"What did I say?"

***

Harry approached the lake, outside of Hogwarts, where Ginny was waiting for his arrival. The redhead was still in his thoughts, no matter how hard he tried to shake them. The lake loomed ahead of him, and he could see her petite figure sitting beneath a tree that had unofficially become theirs. It had become a daily ritual since his fifth year had begun. Over the summer, she had proved to him just how much she had grown up in the aftermath of the Triwizard Tournament. She wasn't the only one who had changed in the inward appearance. His own experiences with the tournament had left much more desire in protecting his friends. After many talks, that still left him reeling in surprise, with Ginny, he decided he'd do what he could; but wouldn't dwell on what he couldn't. He supposed her own experiences with Tom Riddle had left a more mature side, hiding away under the shell of youth. Although, at times, he wondered if anyone at Hogwarts had ever had an actual childhood.

"Hullo, Harry," Harry glanced up from his thoughts and smiled at the petite redheaded Gryffindor.

"Hello," he responded. He ducked into the spot next to her, underneath a towering tree with golden leaves of orange, red, and brown. "I just came from playing chess with Ron." Harry made a face. "He's decided I need a girlfriend."

Ginny giggled, "And what did you tell him?"

"We made a bet, actually," Harry confessed. "He thinks, for a price of five sickles, that he'll be able to find me a girlfriend. One who won't be hung up on my boy-who-lived status. I think it's impossible, but I won't break his heart by saying so."

Ginny snickered at the imagery that displayed. "Oh yes, the loyal Harry Potter could never break his best friend's heart." Under her breath, she said, "Not that it would make much of a difference. He's already lovesick for three." Harry laughed. "He's that bad?"

Eyes widening, Ginny nodded. "It surprised us. Fred, George, and I were discussing him earlier during the summer. He burst into tears about the slightest *suggestion* of a problem with 'Mione. He's so afraid to lose her. But," she added cheerily, "it gives us much blackmail."

"Hmm," Harry mused. "It sounds like the Weasley humor skips a generation."

Ginny nodded seriously. "Ron, I suspect, will be the next Percy. He...just doesn't realize it yet. Hermione rubs off on him."

Harry snorted, trying to hide a grin with a stern frown. But it was useless and two broke into a fit of laughter at the thought.

Calming herself, Ginny turned sparkling brown eyes up to Harry, who was staring oddly at her. Flushing at the intensity of his gaze, she stammered, "So. Do you think he'll be able to do it?"

"Do what?" Harry asked, confused.

Ginny rolled her eyes, "Find you a girlfriend, silly."

"Oh," Harry grinned at her flushed cheeks. It was odd. Ever since Ron had mentioned his plan of finding him a girlfriend, and his confusing thoughts from before, he'd finally realized something. He didn't *need* to *look.* He'd already found the perfect girl. A girl who he'd known for the better part of five years, but not acknowledged until recently. A girl, who he knew, felt something of the same thing. So he could wait. Until the time was right. When both were ready to embark on something meaningful. Something that would last past the school crushes.

A redheaded, brown-eyed Gryffindor girl named Ginny Weasley.