Maybe This Time

CHAPTER FIVE: FIGHTS AND JEALOUSY

'Please,' said Harry, running to his usual place where he waits for Ginny to pass with her friends. 'Please. Please. She hasn't passed yet... please...' but he bumped into someone. 'Who---'

'Hey,' said Ginny, punching his arm playfully. 'I'm here to see who the lucky girl is...' Harry opened his mouth but closed them again. He just didn't know what to say. 'You haven't even talked to her yet?! What is happening to you? You are now so slow---'

'Wha--why would you want to know who she is,' said Harry, swallowing hard with his eyes wide opened. 'A--aren't you late for class?'

'What is wrong with you? You always tell me who the flavor of the month is...' said Ginny, peeking over Harry's shoulder. She looked at him. 'Is it that girl, Madeline? She looks like some Potter girlfriend material...'

'No,' said Harry, shyly. He wanted to punch himself for saying no. He should have said yes so that Ginny would stop. 'I, er, mean---'

'It's her?' asked Ginny, hiding the jealousy that she was feeling with a very bright smile. 'I have to talk to her then---' Ginny began to walk away but Harry gently grabbed her arm. 'What?'

'Why would you want to talk to her?' he said awkwardly and then immediately let go of her arm.

'To set you up on a date with her,' said Ginny, looking at him like he is dumb. 'That's my job, right?' Harry wanted to disappear that very moment.

'No, it's not,' said Harry softly, leaning on the wall and closing his eyes. 'What---'

'Besides, I also happen to have a date,' she said, happily. Harry immediately opened his eyes and then glared at her. Luckily, it was dark, so she didn't see her.

'What did you say?' he asked, firmly.

'I said I have a date. Ian, you know from Hufflepuffs, asked me out just this morning,' she said, happily. 'Maybe we can double.'

'Ian, who? Does Ron know about this?' he asked, his arms crossed on his chest.

'You know him,' said Ginny, her hand on her waist. 'He's that tall dark haired chaser of the Hufflepuffs.'

'I don't care if he is even Krum,' said Harry, sarcastically.

'Don't you speak ill of him,' warned Ginny, 'If you want me to set you up with Maddy.'

'Then don't set me up with her,' snapped the very annoyed Harry. 'Who told you that I liked, what's her name, anyway?'

'Maybe I would never ever set you up with anyone again,' she snapped back. 'What the hell is going on with you?' Harry groaned and then walked away. He was jealous---very jealous. He was walking absentmindedly when he bumped into someone.

'Harry,' said Ron while Draco just grinned at him. 'Want---'

'Prat!' called Ginny, carrying Harry's stuff, 'You forgot your things!'

'Oh,' said Draco, 'What seems to be the matter?' Harry just glared at him.

'Shut up, Malfoy,' said Harry.

'Ron, Draco, there I was offering him help,' said Ginny, 'and then he suddenly goes mental!'

'What kind of help?' asked Ron. Harry just looked helpless.

'That I'll set him up with Maddy and we will go on a double date.'

'You have a date, Gin?' asked Draco and then smirked. 'Maybe Potter is jealous---' Harry glared at him again while Ginny wished that it is indeed true. Ron bit his lip to keep himself from laughing. 'What?' said Draco to Harry, 'I was only joking. It's not true, is it?'

'No,' snapped Harry.

'Then don't glare at him, Harry,' said Ron. Harry glared at him as well.

'I'm late,' said Ginny and then walked away from them. Harry just looked at Ron and Draco, seriously, while Draco gestured for him to follow her. Harry obeyed after a few seconds.

'Ginny,' he said, gently grabbing her arm. 'I'm---'

'It's fine,' she said, smiling up to him. It has always been like that. He does something bad to upset her and all he has to do is say sorry and she will accept him with open arms. She has always been so nice to him. Always... 'What is wrong, anyway? We are friends, right?'

'Yes, of course we are,' said Harry, walking beside her and not even looking at her. 'You are late. You better hurry up, you know. Bye.' He walked away with his head bowed.

'Hey Harry,' she said. Harry turned around to face her. 'So we are going double, OK?'

'Yeah,' said Harry, weakly. ==========================

The next day, Harry was walking absentmindedly, with his friends in the afternoon, when they saw Ginny... with someone.

'Who's that?' whispered Seamus in Harry's ears. Harry's eyes just narrowed but did not say anything. Ginny and the boy looked so happy together.

'Probably that Hufflepuff Chaser boy,' said Draco, smirking. 'They look so happy...'

'If I were you, Harry,' said Ron, placing a brotherly arm around him. 'I'd hurry up and make my move. Ginny's so fond of him---'

'I don't bloody care,' said Harry, bitterly. He was about to turn around and walk away when he heard Ginny's voice.

'Sure you don't,' said Draco but Ron nudged him.

'Hello,' greeted Ginny, 'Ian, I would like you to meet my dear brother, Ron, and his friends. This is Seamus, Draco, Dean, Neville, Blaise and Harry.' Ian smiled at them and then reached out to shake each of their hands. When he reached out to shake Harry's hand, who was at the very back, Harry just looked at his hand and then eyed him up and down before walking away. Ginny looked at Ron annoyingly.

'He was complaining about a stomach ache,' lied Ron, 'since this morning---' =======================

The Gryffindor table, during dinner, was awfully quiet. Harry, who was sitting beside Neville and Seamus, and Ginny, who was sitting beside Hermione and Parvati, has been glaring at each other all evening.

'What's wrong?' mouthed Hermione to Ron who just shrugged while shoving a whole spoonful of mashed potatoes into his mouth. Hermione did not buy it, of course, but did not dare to break the silence as well.

'Where is the bloody salt?' said Ginny irritatingly. 'Where is it? Why the hell is nobody answering me?'

'It's in front of Harry's plate,' squeaked Neville which made Ginny look at him.

'Well then,' said Ginny, 'Could you please tell him to pass the salt please.' Everybody looked at her and then to Harry and then back to Ginny again.

'Could you please tell her that she doesn't have to tell you to tell me something,' said Harry, 'I can hear her quite well.'

'If you can hear me, why haven't you handed me the salt yet?' she snapped.

'Because you are angry with me,' he said, not looking at her.

'Look at me,' she said with gritted teeth and Harry did. 'If you weren't so damn rude, I wouldn't be angry with you. You embarrassed me!' She started to stand up and lean on the table to remain eye contact.

'If you weren't parading the halls with Huffle Boy---'

'Don't call him that!' Harry was now standing up as well and leaning on the table.

'I will call the git whatever I want,' he said firmly.

'You prat! And I was not parading the halls!' Her face was now very red with anger.

'Oh Ian! You are so funny!'' said Harry in a mock attempt to imitate Ginny.

'I was not---' said Ginny and then grabbed the nearest thing that she could touch, which is Hermione's glass of water.

'You were! You were parading the halls with the git!'

'Well, you can parade with this!' yelled Ginny and then splashed Harry's face with water. 'I was not parading the halls with him!

And what do you care if I do?! Who are you to act like that?! Ron doesn't even mind!' This shut Harry up and then took one last look at her before walking away. Ginny just looked while he walked away.

'Ron,' she said softly, 'Will you follow him for me?'

'OK,' said Ron but she grabbed his arm.

'Please don't tell him that I asked you too,' she added.