Just a Goodnight Kiss

CHAPTER TWO

Harry looked at his friends. Ron looked confused. Ginny looked both confused and curious, and Hermione was wiping her mouth, as though she had expected this rather peculiar announcement. Should have known, Harry thought.

He then surveyed the rest of the Great Hall. Most of the students looked utterly perplexed. It seemed that only the seventh years and a handful of the sixth years had any idea about what was going on.

"What was that all about?" Ron asked, looking at Hermione. He, like Harry, seemed to have realized that Hermione alone looked unfazed by this declaration.

Hermione only shrugged as she finished her meal. Harry saw a twinkle in her eyes. She knew something that they didn't. Ron looked at Harry, rolled his eyes, and then shot Hermione an annoyed glance.

"Right, well, I'd better be going then," said Ginny. Harry had almost forgotten that she was a fifth year. She stood up and grabbed her bag. "You lot had better tell me what this is all about back in the common room." It wasn't a request, it was an order.

Ron looked skeptically at his sister while Harry smiled and nodded. Hermione, Harry noticed, appeared not to have heard Ginny at all. She seemed to be in a reverie and was gazing intently at the bit of mashed potatoe still left on her plate.

Harry waved his hand in front of her face and she came back to life.

"Sorry," she said as Harry lowered his hand.

Suddenly Ron jumped to his feet making Harry and Hermione start. Ron was staring at something across the Great Hall. He opened his mouth and took a deep breath, as if getting ready to yell. Harry quickly followed his gaze and saw the back of Ginny's head making its way into the Entrance Hall, trying to push a blond boy who had his arm slung around her shoulders off of her.

"Hey you! Leave my sister alone! GET OFF HER YOU BLOODY GIT!" Ron bellowed. It seemed that everyone but Ginny and her harasser heard, as all heads turned to look at Ron. However, the blond boy continued to try to pull Ginny closer to him.

Harry took a handful of Ron's robes and pulled him hard back down into his seat, but kept his eyes locked on Ginny, as did Ron.

Ginny stopped suddenly, and turned to face the boy, who was smirking. She pushed his as hard as she could in the chest. He flew backwards and hit the floor hard with his bottom, finally skidding to a halt a short way under the Slytherin table. He seemed at a loss for words. He crawled forward from underneath the table and stood up, looking to be in a great deal of pain and gripping his bottom tenderly.

Ginny, her ears red, had not stopped to watch the boy fall, but had continued walking and was now in the Entrance Hall. She turned left and headed for Gryffindor Tower.

"She can take care of herself Ron," said Hermione, who had been watching the struggle but did not seem at all worried.

"She's my little sister!" Ron argued heatedly.

"Right. Which is why you should know that Ginny doesn't need to be protected anymore. She can handle herself now. She's not 10 years old," said Hermione briskly.

Harry thought she had a point, but decided not to comment.

Ron opened his mouth to retaliate but Hermione cut him off "-Just think about it Ron," she said.

Ron looked for a moment as though he was going to start shouting anyway, but then closed his mouth, scowling.

Harry sat uncomfortably in his seat. He never knew exactly what to do or say when they argued. As Harry squirmed, a huffy silence fell over the three of them.

Harry contented himself with a continued watch of the reactions of the people around him. All the seventh year students were talking excitedly, but mostly the girls. Actually, Harry realized as he continued to stare around, it was only the girls. All the boys in seventh year seemed rather shifty, as if they wanted to leave, knowing what was coming but not liking it one bit. Harry heard lots of giggling, whispering...

It couldn't be another- he thought, but was cut off by Professor Dumbledore who had stood up and cleared his throat. The last of the younger students had left the Great Hall and the great doors were being closed. All attention was on the Headmaster, and most of the sixth, and all of the seventh year girls, were sitting on the edge of their seats.

"As most of you know, the annual Winter Ball will take place over the holidays. It will be held on the 24^th of December, starting at eight o clock and ending at one o clock in the morning, much like the Yule Ball. You are, of course, welcome to invite students of any year," he said, as more giggles and whispers escaped the girls.

"There will also be a feast during the ball and a musical guest that will be kept secret as a surprise for you all. If you have any more concerns, please feel free to ask me or your Heads of Houses. That is all. Have a good night, and, again, happy holidays!"

...ball.

* * *

"You had no idea, then?" Ginny asked, looking at Ron and Harry.

Both shook their heads.

Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny were now sitting in the common room, just having filled Ginny in on Dumbledore's big announcement.

"Harry ought to have known," said Hermione.

Harry was perplexed. "Me? How would I have known about this bloody ball?"

"Well, you did date Cho, and she was in sixth year," said Ron thoughtfully.

Harry thought hard. They were right, you would have thought he'd have heard something about it from Cho. But as he racked his brains, Harry concluded that Cho had never mentioned this to him.

"She never once said anything about a Winter Ball, I'm sure of it," he told the others.

"Well..." said Ginny slowly, "she probably didn't want to go because of the Yule Ball the year before. It would have reminded her of Cedric too much."

"Yeah, probably would have cried into my shoulder the whole time," said Harry miserably. Not only was he miserable thinking about Cho's tendencies to choose to start bawling at all the wrong moments, but he was not looking forward to this ball. It would just give him another excuse to embarrass himself, once again.

"At least you don't have to go, and if you do, you don't have to dance with everyone ogling at you," said Hermione.

Harry looked up to find all three of his friends watching him. His despair must have shown on his face.

He smiled gratefully at them.

"Yeah, I suppose. So are you all going?" he asked.

Ginny answered promptly. "Well, as I can't go unless someone else asks me, I guess that's a no, at the moment," she said. "Neville's a good guy, but if someone does ask me, I don't want to have to worry about my poor feet getting trampled on!"

Harry laughed and looked at Hermione and Ron, who were looking in different directions and looked slightly awkward.

Harry caught Ginny's eye and looked away, grinning.

"Lets make an agreement," said Ginny in a determined voice, forcing her smile away and putting on a more serious face. "We will all go to this stupid ball, and, though it is, well...stupid...we'll all have a good time."

Harry knitted his eyebrows as something occurred to him.

"And as for me, I'll ask someone if I have to. Or else sneak in..." she said deviously.

Hermione looked up at her in alarm.

"Only kidding, 'Mione. No need to worry. But don't fret, I'll get there somehow," said Ginny.

"So, what do you say you two?" Harry asked, looking up at Ron and Hermione.

Hermione smiled and nodded then said, "Sure, why not?" Ron, on the other hand, hesitated before shrugging casually and saying, "If you guys are going I might as well tag along."

"And you Harry?" Ginny looked at him.

"I'm up for it," he said.

With all of my friends behind me, maybe this ball won't be so terrible after all, he thought.