Just Plain Harry

Chapter 15 Up to Something

Life became even stranger for Harry a week later. Practically all of Gryffindor was in the common room one evening, studying. Harry, Ron, and Hermione were working on Potions. This year, Snape told them exactly what was going to be on the end-of-term practical exam, but it didn't help. He was going to give each of them a Fear Potion, and the antidote was so tricky, even without having to concoct it while under the influence of the Fear Potion, that even Hermione was worried about it. Ginny pored over another Divination book, trying to find references to white to give her a clue to what her vision had meant. George was about the only person in the common room not studying; he was just staring into the fire, while Fred gave him concerned looks over his History of Magic textbook. George hadn't been himself since Brenna had tried out her Communication Charm.

Into this almost complete silence, Professor McGonagall entered the room. Everyone stared at her; usually, her entrance meant something dire had happened. She took a look around, then came straight over to Harry and Ginny, who were sitting next to each other, with Ron and Hermione across from them.

"Mr. Potter, Miss Weasley, Professor Dumbledore would like a word with the two of you." She smiled as their faces took on almost identical looks of horror. "You're not in trouble, but perhaps you should be if you're that worried about it. He has an...interesting proposition to put to you. The password is Sugar Quill." She gave each of them a piercing stare. "I'm going to be making an announcement to the rest of Gryffindor, but I'm sure you'll hear all about that when you get back."

Harry and Ginny left immediately. When Professor McGonagall said to jump, all anyone could say was "How high?". They practically ran up to Professor Dumbledore's office.

On the way, Harry said, "What do you suppose he wants?"
"I don't know," Ginny said. She gave him a sidelong glance. "Have you been up to anything I should know about?"

Harry gave a short, barking laugh. "When have I had the time?"

"There is that," Ginny said. "Do you suppose it's about my vision?"

"It could be...but it's been a week, and I really think we've hashed out everything that can be gotten from it with Miss Stuart. So, what about you? Have you been up to anything that I should know about?"

"Nope. My conscience is absolutely clear," Ginny said, grinning. "This time, anyway."

Even with such remarkably clear consciences, they hesitated a minute before giving the gargoyle guarding Dumbledore's staircase the password. Finally, Ginny gave an exasperated sigh, and said, "Well, it can't be that bad, can it? Sugar Quill."

"Ah, Miss Weasley, Mr. Potter," Professor Dumbledore said as they entered. "Come in, sit down." His eyes twinkled over his spectacles as he say the looks on their faces. "Nothing to worry about, I just have a slightly odd favor to ask the two of you. I believe that you have been visiting Winky and Dobby in the kitchens from time to time."

This was so far from what they had been expecting to hear that neither Harry nor Ginny responded immediately. Then Harry gave a slight gasp - they weren't supposed to be visiting the kitchens, after all - and said, "Well, Dobby has been a really good friend to me -" at the same time that Ginny said, "I've been really worried about Winky, Professor -"

They both stopped and looked at each other. Dumbledore chuckled.

"I'm glad to hear it," he said. "We must never forget our friends, or ignore people who are in distress, just because they aren't prestigious or powerful. But I'm also glad to hear it, because I'm having some problems with the house elves in general, and Winky and Dobby in particular, that I hope you two will be able to help me solve."

Harry and Ginny looked at each other again, and Ginny said, "Of course, Professor, we'll do whatever we can to help."

"You see, much as I, and I think Miss Granger, would like to believe otherwise, having Dobby here is not helping the other house elves desire freedom. They are also prejudiced against him, so I'm afraid that he doesn't have many friends. Winky, though she is doing much better lately, has not settled down since her arrival here. I think she needs to have just one master; being here at Hogwarts is too nebulous for her." He stopped and looked at Harry and Ginny as though expecting something, but they just stared back at him.

"Well, you see, Harry, Dobby has asked if he could work for you. He would want paying, of course, but if you can get him to take more than he's earning now, which isn't much, I will be very surprised. Ginny, Winky has formed an attachment to you. I know that you also don't believe in the enslavement of house elves, but it would really be a kindness to allow her to work for you. She won't take paying - I've tried - but perhaps you could come up with some way to pay her that she doesn't see as payment. Presents, perhaps."

Now Harry and Ginny were staring with eyes completely wide open. Ginny's mouth was open, too, but she obviously wasn't going to say anything just then.

Dumbledore chuckled again, as he watched them, and continued. "This would be a responsibility, of course. House elves, as you may have noticed, tend to be a bit, well, obsessive about their owners, and I don't think the fact that you would pay Dobby would change that, Harry. I did take the liberty of talking to your parents, Ginny, and, though they think you're a bit young for the responsibility, they have agreed to abide by your decision."
At that, Ginny shut her mouth with a snap, then opened it again.

"I think it's a wonderful idea, Professor. Every time I've gone down to the kitchens, Winky has seemed better, and I'm certain that if I have her with me more of the time, she'll become herself again."

"Good, good," Dumbledore said. "And you, Harry?"

Harry thought for a moment. Truthfully, he found Dobby rather trying, most of the time. The thought of having a virtual slave around to do his bidding might be nice in the abstract, but when it was accompanied by "Harry Potter, sir! Harry Potter, sir!" all the time, it might not be so good. But Dumbledore was right; Dobby wasn't happy, and if he worked for Harry, he would be.

"All right, Professor," he said. "When will they start?"
"I'll tell them as soon as you leave," Dumbledore said. "They might even be waiting for you when you get back to your dormitories. Thank you, both; you've taken a load off my mind."

When they got outside Dumbledore's tower, Ginny let loose.

"How dare he go to my parents, as though I couldn't make up my own mind? Why does everyone always treat me like a child? He didn't say anything about asking Sirius, I noticed!"
Even while confronted with a very angry Ginny, Harry had to laugh at that.

"Can you imagine Sirius' response? He'll love it, you know he will! He's been wanting to meet Dobby ever since I told him about the enchanted Bludger."

"That's not the point! If you're old enough to make a decision like this, so am I." She was about to continue, but both of them heard footsteps thundering down the hall. They waited anxiously, but the person who came running around a corner was just Colin Creevey.

"Hi Harry, Ginny," he said, panting. "Can I talk to you for a minute, Harry?"

"Uh, sure, Colin," Harry said, watching the younger boy in bewilderment. What could be important enough for Colin to run through the halls, just to talk to him?

Ginny looked equally confused, and even more so once it was clear that Colin wasn't going to say what he wanted to in front of her. She let out a huffing sigh that sounded suspiciously like, "Boys!" to Harry, and stalked away. Both Harry and Colin watched her until she turned the corner. Then Harry had to prompt Colin, because he didn't seem anxious to start.

"Erm, what is it, Colin?" he asked.

Colin stared apprehensively up at Harry for a moment, then burst out, "I suppose you've already asked her, and she's already said yes, but I just thought that I would see, because if you haven't, I want to, but I wanted to make sure you hadn't before, I mean, that you're not planning to, because if you are, then I won't."

He said all this very quickly, in one breath. Harry just stared at him for a moment, completely confused. Colin watched him anxiously.

"Uh, ask who what?" Harry finally managed to say.

Colin's eyes got even wider. "Asked Ginny to the Yule Ball! I figured Professor McGonagall must have told you two first, and you wanted to ask her right away, so you took her for a walk. And if you asked her, Harry, I'm sure she said yes."

Harry continued to stare at him, his mind catching up with events. Why Colin would think Professor McGonagall would tell him something like this first, he had no idea, but that was Colin all over. It wasn't important, anyway. What was important was that there was going to be another Yule Ball, that he'd have to go through asking a girl to it again, and that he suddenly realized that the only girl he wanted to ask was Ginny Weasley.

Whatever the hero-worshipping Colin might think, Harry wasn't convinced that if he asked her, she would say yes. They had certainly become friends this year, but he hadn't seen any indication that she wanted anything more. For all he knew, she would prefer to go with Colin, or Neville, or that boy from Hufflepuff who kept sending her funny cards and things. She was smart, fun to be around, generous, the best listener he had ever known - she could have anyone she wanted. It didn't hurt that she was beautiful, too, much prettier than Cho, with her soft, warm brown eyes, adorable freckles, and that hair that Harry longed to touch.

And he never could. That realization came to him almost as swiftly as the first. She was in enough danger right now, simply because she was a Weasley and his friend - imagine if Voldemort knew that he loved her. He just couldn't put her in that kind of danger. He would have to bury his feelings, and act the same as usual around her. It wouldn't be easy, especially because she was so good at reading him, but he would have to do it. He couldn't lose her friendship, now that he finally had it, even if he could have nothing more.

Colin had been waiting patiently through Harry's silence. Any other person would think Harry was losing it, but Colin thought so highly of him that even acting like an idiot didn't make any impression. His hopeful eyes were still fixed on Harry's face.

"Ginny and I are just friends, Colin," Harry said, speaking each word very clearly, as though by doing so he could make them true. "You can certainly ask her to the ball. I hope she goes with you - I'd rather see her with you than with some of the other boys."

"Really?" Colin said, practically jumping up and down in his excitement. "Harry, d'you think I should ask Ron, or Fred, as well?"
"What are you going to do, ask all of Gryffindor?" Harry asked.

"No, but I thought, you know, they're her brothers."
"Yeah, I know," Harry said, smiling slightly. That was one worry he wouldn't have, at least. "I don't think they'll mind and, if they do, you can tell them I said it was okay."
"Oh, thanks, Harry -"
"Giving your little tag-alongs permission to date each other, Potter?" a sneering voice said.

Harry and Colin both turned around to see Draco Malfoy leaning against the wall a little ways away. Before they could say anything, though, he straightened up and laughed.

"Don't think I'll ask permission, Potter," he said, before stalking around the corner.

Since Harry couldn't think of a comeback, it was a good thing he had left. Colin turned to him in anguish.

"You don't think he'll ask her, do you?"

"No," Harry said. "But I rather hope he does - I'd like to see what he looks like afterwards."

That made Colin grin, and the two of them started back to Gryffindor Tower. Harry couldn't stand the younger boy's chatter, though, in his current state of mind.

"Colin, do you mind telling Ron when you get back that I'm going to the Owlery to send a letter," he said, hardly giving Colin time to say, "Of course, Harry," before walking away from him.

How he reached the Owlery, he never knew, for his mind was full of Ginny. It was amazing - all that time that she had had that crush on him, and he never really thought of her as a girl. She was just Ron's sister, the person who couldn't speak to him, and who blushed every time he looked at her. And now...she did look like Ron, but somehow it all looked better on her. Of course, her nose wasn't as long as his, it was small and dainty and cute, just like her. Harry put his head in his hands and groaned. He couldn't believe he was obsessing about someone's nose. What am I going to do? he thought. Well, for starters, she can't ever know. If she did, she'd...hmm...she'd probably laugh and say that I missed my chance. No, Ginny would never say that, not Ginny. But I did miss my chance - all that time she loved me, and I just took it for granted. I just assumed it would always be there, and now that I want it, it's not. This is what I was missing back at the Burrow - Ginny. Then, it wasn't that I loved her, I just expected her to be there, I was so sure that she should be there, that when she wasn't, it was like my leg was missing, or something. And, now...now I'm going to have to spend each day with her, pretending to be just friends, watching her go to the ball with Colin...okay, Potter, the only way this is going to work is if you don't think about her at all. That's right, starting right now.

He stared out of the window, stroking Hedwig's feathers, and thought about Ginny.

"There you are - what are you doing sitting here all alone?"

Harry turned from the window to see Ron bound into the room, looking happier than he had seen him in awhile. Ah, he must have asked Hermione to the ball, he thought.

"I just got a letter from Dad - you can come to the Burrow for Christmas!"

Then again, maybe not. Oh, God, Christmas at the Burrow with Ginny. Somehow, Harry managed to smile. "That's great, Ron, but are you sure it'll be safe?"
"Yeah, because of everything Dumbledore did this summer. Moody'll be there, too," Ron said, making a face.

"And Hermione?" Harry couldn't picture a Christmas without Hermione, any more than he could picture one without Ron. This might cause problems later on, once we've graduated, he thought suddenly.

"Oh, well, she said that her parents want her for Christmas, since she hasn't been home for three years. But I sent Pig back to Mum, she'll invite all the Grangers, I know she will."

Harry had to grin. Mrs. Weasley probably would, and how they would all fit in the Burrow, he had no idea.

"This is going to be great, Harry," Ron continued. "You've never had a wizard family Christmas - we're going to have so much fun. Oh, did you hear about the ball?"

"Yeah, Colin told me," Harry said, with a smile. He wasn't about to tell Ron that Colin wanted to ask Ginny, much less that he wanted to. That was a task he didn't want, and maybe Ginny would turn Colin down. "Wait a minute, how can we go to the Burrow for Christmas if we're going to be here for the ball?" Maybe he wouldn't have to see Ginny go with someone else, after all.

"They've moved it up - it's going to be on the last night before the holidays," Ron said. "So, are you going to ask Cho again? I don't have to ask anyone, of course - I have a date."
Harry stared at him. Ron looked smugly satisfied, and it was all Harry could do not to mimic Ginny and smack him on the back of the head. He might not know much about girls, but he knew better than this. Of course, he didn't really want to give Ron romantic advice, either, but then, it was Hermione...

"Uh, Ron, maybe you should ask her to go with you," he said.

"Why? She has to go with me, because of the bet."

"I know, but she'd probably like it if you asked her anyway."
"Really? Hermione? You think so?" Ron looked so hopeful, Harry was hard put not to laugh.

"Yeah, I mean, you're friends, it shouldn't be so hard, right?" He couldn't help teasing Ron, even though that question hit almost too close to home. Well, it was immaterial - he couldn't ask Ginny even though he wanted to. A wave of envy of his best friend hit him so suddenly he was glad he was already sitting down. Yet another thing Voldemort had taken away from him: a normal teenage love life.

"Right...friends," Ron said vacantly, then turned around and left the room. Harry hoped that would all be settled soon; sometimes life was like a battlefield around Ron and Hermione, and sometimes it was so emotionally charged Harry was surprised the air didn't burst into flames. Maybe once they finally admitted their feelings for each other, things would calm down a bit. Of course, that would only throw him and Ginny together even more. Harry dropped his head back onto his hands and groaned.

Chapter 16 Repercussions

When Harry finally forced himself to go back to Gryffindor tower, he found Hermione alone in the common room. She was writing in her diary, and he didn't know if that was a good sign or a bad one.

"So, excited about the Yule Ball?" he asked, as he stood in front of her. She didn't look up. This whole situation just kept getting stranger and stranger, and he really didn't want to get caught in the middle, but he suspected that he would.

"Oh, sure," she said. "I'm very excited about going to the ball with my friend."

"Erm, you are talking about Ron, right?"

"Yes, he asked me as a friend," she said.

Harry opened his mouth to say something - he wasn't sure what, but an apology seemed appropriate - when he heard a gasp behind him.

"He did what?" It was Ginny. Harry didn't turn around, but he could see out of the corner of his eye that she had her hands on her hips and looked furious. Okay, just act like normal, he thought. Uh...what would be normal?

"I know, can you believe it?" he said, turning sharply to face her, which unfortunately brought her elbow into contact with his stomach. He doubled up in pain.

"Oh, Harry, are you all right?" Hermione asked, but Ginny didn't even seem to notice.

"Where is that boy? I need to talk some sense into him," she said, looking around the common room.

"No, Ginny, please don't, I'm all right, it will be fine," Hermione said, but Ginny wasn't really listening to her, either.

"And speaking of talking sense into people," she said, turning to Harry, "who gave you the right to approve my dates?" Her hair, which had been twisted up into a knot to be out of her way while studying, was coming loose, and her eyes flashed. Harry caught his breath at the sight of her, and stood up straight, drinking it in. How could he live like this, so close to her, but with no right to reach out and touch her? Oh, right, she had asked a question.

"Well, you couldn't expect Colin to go to Ron, or Fred or George, could you? I was the next best thing," he said, in what he hoped was a reasonable tone.

She had already had her mouth open, probably to yell at him some more, but at that she looked confused. "You mean Colin asked you as...as my brother?"

"Of course, what else would it be?"

"Hmm..." she said, eyeing him sharply. He must have looked innocent enough, because she just added, "Then you'll be happy to hear that I've accepted him," before turning and walking back up the stairs to her dormitory.

Harry watched her all the way up the stairs, until even her feet disappeared. When he turned back to Hermione, she was watching him with narrow eyes. He sank down onto the sofa next to her.

"You're right, of course," he said, trying to school his features and his voice into not giving himself away. "Colin didn't ask me as Ginny's brother. He wanted to make sure that I wasn't planning on asking her to the ball before he did. Can you believe that boy? I really hope he'll grow out of this...thing he has about me soon." Harry realized he was babbling, and shut his mouth with a slight snap.

"And what did you say?" Hermione asked, still watching him closely.

"I told him to go for it! I mean, aside from his attitude towards me, Colin's a great guy. Of course, no one's really good enough for Ginny, but he comes close." There. If that didn't convince her, he didn't know what would.

Apparently it did, because she just said, "You're right, no one's good enough," before turning back to her diary. Harry wasn't going to let her get away that easily, though.

"So, Ron asked you as a friend?" he prompted.

Hermione sighed. "I really don't want to talk about this right now, Harry," she said.

"But, Hermione, we're friends! Who can you talk to if not to me? Besides, I might be able to talk some sense into him."
"No one can talk sense into Ron," Hermione said, her eyes slightly unfocused as she stared off into space. "He needs to come around to sense all on his own, or it just won't happen. And when you start opening up to me, perhaps I'll open up to you."

Harry was so shocked by what she said that he just stared at her. Hermione watched him for a moment, gave a short nod, and packed up her things before following Ginny up the stairs. After a moment, Harry remembered that there was someone else he could ask about Ron being an idiot, so he went up to his own dormitory to find Ron himself.

He didn't make it two steps into the room before he was knocked flat onto his back on the floor. He slowly recovered his breath and his vision, but he didn't need either to figure out who was sitting on his chest.

"Harry Potter, sir! Harry Potter is the greatest, the kindest, the best wizard ever! Harry Potter says that Dobby can work for him! Dobby will tell all house elves about your greatness and goodness, Harry Potter, sir!"

Harry also didn't need vision to know who else was in the room, sniggering at his predicament. He pushed Dobby off of him, stood up, and glared at Ron and Dean. Before he could say anything, though, Dobby threw his arms around both of Harry's knees, so he had to deal with him first.

"Thank you for coming to work for me, Dobby," he said, his annoyance at what would probably be a common greeting melting as he saw the radiant look on the house elf's face. "We need to talk about your wages and days off - I want you to take more than you let Professor Dumbledore give you."
Dobby looked horrified. "Oh, but Harry Potter, sir -"

"Dobby, I insist," Harry said, trying to look stern. "But we'll talk specifics later. It's late, and I'm tired. Was there anything else you needed to do here tonight?"
"No, Harry Potter, sir!" Dobby said, looking shocked. "Sir won't even know I is here!" He disappeared with a pop.

Harry turned to his roommates, who had both collapsed with laughter again.

"Look, guys, Dumbledore insisted, I didn't have much choice, it won't be so bad, will it? Besides, I'm not the only one - Winky's going to be working for Ginny, and -"

Ron's laughter ended suddenly, and he sat up on his bed. "Ginny's getting a house elf?"

Harry and Dean both stared at him, surprised at his change in mood.

"Dumbledore says that Winky needs to work for just one person, and Ginny's the person who's been nicest to her. She's been going down to the kitchens to visit Winky, and try to cheer her up, since she hasn't taken to freedom well," Harry said, adding the last bit for Dean's benefit, because he couldn't imagine what Dean was thinking about all this. Dean knew about last year's Moody really being Crouch, of course, because the real Moody told all of his classes, along with the obligatory lecture on constant vigilance. But no one knew about Winky's part in all that, except Harry, Hermione, and the Weasleys.

Ron obviously wasn't thinking of that. "I should have known that Ginny would be the one to get a house elf," he muttered.

Harry and Dean looked at each other, not sure what to say. Harry wasn't about to remind Ron that he had known all about Winky, too, and he hadn't done anything to help her.

"But I'm sure Winky will help all of you when you're at home, and Dobby will probably help all of us here, right, Harry?" Dean said after a moment.

"Oh, yes, of course, I'm sure he won't mind," Harry said.

Ron wasn't listening, though. "And how is Ginny going to pay Winky? I mean, I know she probably won't take much, but Ginny doesn't really have anything." His ears turned pink, and he avoided looking at Dean.

Harry knew it would come to this eventually. "She won't be paying her," he said.

"What? I wonder what Hermione'll say to that? One of the charter members of spew owning a house elf?"

"She'll probably be glad that the person who owns Winky will treat her well. Can you imagine Ginny mistreating anyone?" Dean asked. He was an only child, and Harry knew that he didn't like it when siblings undervalued each other.

"Besides, Ginny's going to try to get Winky to accept some form of payment, even if it's just presents," Harry added.

"Yeah, whatever," Ron said, perking up a bit. "It's still slavery, and I can't wait to hear what Hermione has to say about it."

He started getting ready for bed then, but Harry wasn't about to let him get away with that.

"So, did you ask her?" he said.

Ron and Dean both looked at each other, as though they weren't sure who he was talking to. At least, Dean wasn't sure - Harry could tell that Ron knew quite well, he just didn't want to talk about it. "Ron?" he prompted.

"Well, yeah, I asked her - that's what I came back here to do, remember? And she said yes, which she had to do anyway, so I don't see what all this fuss is about." Ron didn't meet Harry's eyes, though.

"Whoa, does this mean what I think it means?" Dean said, looking back and forth between the two of them, grinning like a maniac. "Did you actually ask Hermione to the Yule Ball already?"

"What do you mean, already?" Ron said belligerantly. "I didn't really have to ask her, anyway, because -"

He broke off as Harry went into a coughing fit and glared at him significantly. Dean was a good friend, but Harry didn't think that Hermione would want anyone else to know that she was going to the Yule Ball with Ron because of a bet. Luckily, by the time his fake coughing stopped, Dean had put another interpretation on Ron's words.

"Well, of course you didn't," he said, chuckling a little. "Everyone knows about the two of you - probably no one else would have asked Hermione, just because we all knew you would. I'm just surprised you were this quick, but I suppose you didn't want to miss out." He grinned at Ron's outraged face.

"So, who are you going to ask, Dean, if it's not Hermione?" Ron asked, trying to make a recovery. Dean was so dark that it was hard to tell when he blushed, but Harry thought he did at that question.

"I was actually thinking of asking Ginny," he said. Now it was his turn not to meet the other boys' eyes.

"What? My little sister Ginny?"

"What other Ginny do you know?"

"Why would you ask Ginny? How do you even know her?"

"Ron. Hello! We're both in Gryffindor, of course I know her. And...well, you know when you go to Hermione with a question, and she's a little impatient becuase you don't understand as quickly as she wants you to?"

"What do you mean? Hermione's not impatient."

"Maybe she's not impatient with you -" Dean broke off for a moment. "Or maybe you've got it really bad. Whatever. Anyway, she's impatient with the rest of us, and it makes us feel a little stupid, you know? But this year, Ginny's been with her a lot of the time, and when Hermione goes too fast, or says something really incomprehensible and expects me to understand instantly, Ginny always says something to make me feel better. Sometimes she asks Hermione to go slower so she can understand. And sometimes, it's just something friendly with a smile. She's got a wonderful smile, your sister."

Ron just sat in a stunned silence. Dean gave a slight chuckle.

"So I thought I'd ask her, anyway. Can't hurt, can it?"

"She can't go with you," Harry said. He didn't want to get in the middle of this, but he simply couldn't sit there and listen to Dean praise Ginny any longer. He agreed with every word Dean had said, even the part about Hermione being impatient when interrupted, but it was just too painful.

"Why not? Did you ask her? Please tell me you didn't ask her, too," Ron said.

Harry had to laugh at that. "No, but Colin did, and she accepted."

Ron groaned and threw himself onto his bed, his head in his arms. "I can't take it, I just can't!"

Harry and Dean both laughed at him, but Harry could tell that Dean really was disappointed. Well, what did you expect? Harry thought. Even though you just realized how wonderful Ginny is, it doesn't mean that other guys didn't notice long ago. And you have no right to be jealous, none at all.

As he got ready for bed, he kept telling himself that, but it didn't help. He still wanted to hex Dean into next week for daring to dream of his girl.