One week post-break up, Ginny is finally able to freely lounge again in the Gryffindor common room without the threat of Dean pestering her to get back together or gossips speculating about the future of her love life. She decided to spend a relaxing night on the couch and read a novel instead of a text book. All the studying and Quidditch practices are beginning to take a toll on her.
She is so immersed in reading the novel that she failed to notice that someone quietly took the space beside her.
"Ginny..." The familiar voice startled her. She quickly looks over her book, green eyes behind black-rimmed glasses staring at her.
"Harry!" she squeaked. Ginny mentally scolds herself for being jumpy as if she is still that 11-year old girl crushing on the Boy-Who-Lived. Well, did she ever stop?
"Ahm..." Harry avoids her gaze and glances at her book instead, "Sorry to disturb you...I just."
"Yes?" Ginny's brows are now furrowed. She is trying to recall what she could have done to make Harry uncomfortable talking to her. She thought she did fine at their recent Quidditch practice.
"Do...do you...have any plans for this weekend?" He finally blurted out, a tinge of pink coloring his cheeks.
Still confused, Ginny answered, "Not much. Might drop by Hogsmeade before studying."
Ginny could not help but ask, "Why? Am I forgetting a scheduled practice?"
"Ah no." Harry breathes deeply before continuing, "Maybe we can go to Hogsmeade together this Saturday?"
That is unexpected. The three of them rarely invite her to hang-out with them outside of school. Ginny is hoping that this is not their version of baby-sitting her after a break-up. She is moving on from all that drama. Maybe they are just being thoughtful and want to make her feel included. Seeing Harry's awkward smile as he waits for her response, Ginny hesitantly agrees.
"Brilliant!" Harry is grinning now. "Let's meet by the gates at 10am, Saturday!"
--------
For the Hogsmeade trip, Ginny wore a white cropped tee over a pair of black tracksuit pants with red side stripes. She slipped on her dirty white sneakers and finished her look with a black bomber jacket. She spared about a minute to apply her red matte lip gloss, that Hermione gifted her last Christmas. She grabbed her small black purse with her wallet and wand inside before she dashed out of the Gryffindor's girls' dormitory.
Harry is already waiting for her by the gates. He is wearing an unzipped dark blue tracksuit jacket over a maroon shirt., a pair of faded black denim pants, and black sneakers. His green eyes instantly brightened when he noticed Ginny walking towards him. He welcomes her with a shy smile when she finally reaches him.
"You look lovely, Ginny." Harry comments awkwardly, avoiding her gaze. Surprised by the compliment, Ginny is unable to reply right away. This is the first time that Harry praised her appearance. She has always thought that Harry sees her as his best friend's tomboy sister with her baggy clothes and Quidditch fascination. Well maybe today is an exception, her reflection in the mirror earlier is that of a girl ready to have a fun weekend.
"Thanks." Ginny responded before turning her head away. She does not want Harry to notice her blush at the idea that she might be a girl to his eyes.
"Where's Ron and Hermione?" Ginny glances at the castle to check if the two is on their way.
"Ahm....They..." Harry stutters. He inhales and exhales deeply.
"Yes?" Ginny shifts her attention to Harry who is now fidgeting with his jacket's zipper.
He takes another deep breath before he makes eye contact with her. "They'll just catch up with us later."
"Oh. Okay." This is another first time. It is usually the three of them hanging out together. When their trio are being less cliquish, Ginny gets to join them. But she has never been alone with Harry before. Her face instantly heats up. It will just be the two of them until Ron and Hermione show up.
Harry's inquiry broke the silence, "Where do you want to stop by first?"
"Zonko's" Ginny replied. Trying her best to compose herself, she shifts her body towards the road.
"Spying for Fred and George?" Harry grins at her. Ginny giggled.
After cementing their status as Troublemakers-in-Chief against Dolores Umbridge last year, the twins dropped out from Hogwarts and opened their own joke shop, Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes in Diagon Alley. Unknown to their parents, their investors include Sirius Black, Harry's godfather and Remus Lupin, former Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. On behalf of his father James Potter, Harry also contributed some money from his inheritance. They were the Marauders, Fred and George's predecessors as Hogwarts' Mischief Makers.
Once inside, Ginny and Harry roamed around Zonko's Joke Shop. Together, they checked each shelf. They inspected the new products, laughing at the funny descriptions and side effects.
"I think I have enough to report to Fred and George." Ginny said as she grabs for two sugar quills. For sure, she would need something to chew on when she resumes studying later. Harry reached for a few hiccough sweets as they walk toward the counter.
"Who are you going to prank?" Harry just chuckled, placing the sweets beside Ginny's quills.
Ginny is opening her purse to get her wallet when she hears Harry asking the cashier, "How much for all these?"
Ginny hastily gets coins from her wallet but before she could hand them to the cashier, Harry already beat her to it. She tries giving the coins to him instead but he just laughs and puts the wrapped sugar quills on her hand.
"Don't worry about it Gin." The endearment made her heart skipped a beat. Did Harry just used a special nickname for her?
"Th...Thank you." Ginny stammers as she meets Harry's eyes. He grins at her as he playfully ruffles her hair. The contact makes her cheeks flush.
When they step out of Zonko's, Harry proposed that they head next Spintwitches Sporting Needs to check out the new Quidditch supplies. Ginny happily agreed. The store is not as big as the famous Quality Quidditch Supplies in Diagon Alley but it has enough space to display Quidditch balls, jerseys, robes, broomstick servicing kits, and the new mid-range broom models-Turbo XXX and Air Wave Gold.
Firebolt remains top of the line despite being in the market for four years now. Harry owns one, a gift from Sirius when his Nimbus 2000 did not survive his fall in third year. Ginny could not help but be envious. Ron even got a brand new Cleansweep Eleven last year for being a Gryffindor prefect.But she is stuck with her old Cleansweep Seven despite making it to the team for two consecutive years. Her family just could not afford another expense.
Hearing her sigh, Harry suggests that it is time for lunch. They are able to secure a table for two at the Three Broomsticks. Ginny scans the crowd for Ron and Hermione. They have been absent the whole morning.
"Ron and Hermione are not here yet, do they have a prefects' meeting?" Ginny asks Harry who is nervously wiping his glasses with his shirt.
"Probably." Harry answered. Changing the subject, he asks Ginny her order.
Ginny instinctively reaches for her wallet as if feeling with her hands if she has enough money for a meal. After a quick mental computation she replies, "A butterbeer and spaghetti."
While eating, they chatted about Quidditch and O.W.L.s. Harry gives Ginny some tips he did to pass his tests.
"I can help you study Gin." She does not know what made her blush, his offer or endearment.
"I am particularly good with Defense Against the Dark Arts." Harry beamed. Beside scoring Outstanding for it, he is also the leader of Dumbledore's Army. He established the club last year to teach his fellow students about practical Defense Against the Dark Arts missing from Umbridge's theory-only approach. Ginny is one of its members. They still meet every other month to brush up their skills.
"I did fine with other subjects too. Well, except History of Magic, I was dreadful." Ginny laughed. This is what she likes about Harry Potter. Despite being the Wizarding World's hero, who as a baby defeated He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, he remains humble and down-to-earth.
When they finished their meal, Ginny reached for the bill to check how much is her share. Harry places his hand over hers. Shocked, Ginny abruptly removes her hand from the paper. Harry takes the chance to grasp the bill.
"I got this." Harry grinned, waving the paper at her before walking to the counter to pay Madam Rosmerta.
Ginny looks at her left hand that Harry touched. Her heart is beating rapidly.
"What is happening?" She asks herself. Why is her long-time crush being nice and sweet to her.
"Ready?" Harry breaks her reverie. Ginny just nods. She steals a glance at Harry, hoping to figure out his actions since morning. Did Ron and Hermione ask him to look after her today?
"Dessert." Harry said as he leads her to Honeydukes. They entered the sweet shop side by side. Shelves upon shelves of assorted sweets welcomed them.
"You like chocolates right?" Harry shyly asks. Ginny agreed. Harry grabs two chocolate frogs, a box of peppermint toads, a bag of pink coconut ice, and a pack of fizzing whizbees. All of Ginny's favorites. How did he know?
"We can share the chocolate frogs. The rest is for you." Harry smiled at her.
"Harry, you do not have to-" Ginny did not get to finish her sentence as someone bumped into them causing the sweets to fall on the floor. Ginny and Harry crouched to pick them up. A dark hand reached for the pack of Jelly Slugs that got mixed into the pile.
"Zabini." Harry acknowledged the tall handsome man who collided with them. Blaise raised his eyebrows, looking them up and down.
"Watch it, Potter, Weasley. Spare me the Gryffindor clumsiness."
And with that he stepped between them to avoid crushing the sweets still on the floor.
--------
Dominic Maestro's Music Shop is Draco and Astoria's secret meeting place whenever they are in Hogsmeade. They can have a peaceful time together while Pansy and Daphne are at the hair salon, Crabbe and Goyle are in Zonko's and Blaise is in Honeydukes.
"Help me choose, Draco." Astoria is currently perusing the stack of records for classical music.
'You can choose me,' Draco thought as he looks at her elegant fingers flicking the records forward one by one. She could have been wearing an engagement ring from him by now.
"Something that I can bring with me to Bulgaria," Astoria continues.
'The Malfoy name,' Draco smiled sadly at the thought.
"Here." Draco handed her his choice.
"The Rite of Spring," Astoria reads the cover.
"Stravinsky composed it for the French," Draco says. Astoria laughed knowingly.
"To remind me of your heritage." Astoria caressed his cheek gently. Draco removes her hand from his face. He interlaced their fingers before pulling her to the more secluded section of the shop.
The center piece is a wooden music box, on top of it is a ballerina wearing a pink dress and red shoes charmed to dance the complicated series of En Pointe, Grand Jete, Pirouettes, Foutte, and Grand Adage with Tchaikovsky's songs.
"Oh, Draco!" Astoria hugs him tight before kissing him deeply. This is his last present for her.
--------
After dropping Astoria off at Madam Puddifoot's tea shop where she would meet her friends, Draco enters Dervish and Banges to check out the latest model of the Wizarding camera. Blaise would meet him there before they go together to Spintwitches.
Draco is about to lift the new camera model from the stand when a flash of red passed by outside the glass window, a mop of black hair beside her. The Weasel and the Mudblood are nowhere in sight.
Blaise arrives at the store. He does a gesture as if he is going to vomit.
"I just witnessed the most disgusting thing today," he whined.
"What are you talking about?" Draco raised an eyebrow at his bestfriend.
"Potter buying little Weasley sweets at Honeydukes." Blaise pinches the bridge of his nose as if he is nauseous. "And it is not even for charity!"
"I need to rid my mind of seeing them together," Blaise cringed.
Just then Draco noticed how Saint Potter walked close to the pretty Blood Traitor.
Are they actually on a date?
"Sneaky seeker of a bastard!" Blaise cursed and Draco could not help but agree.
She is so immersed in reading the novel that she failed to notice that someone quietly took the space beside her.
"Ginny..." The familiar voice startled her. She quickly looks over her book, green eyes behind black-rimmed glasses staring at her.
"Harry!" she squeaked. Ginny mentally scolds herself for being jumpy as if she is still that 11-year old girl crushing on the Boy-Who-Lived. Well, did she ever stop?
"Ahm..." Harry avoids her gaze and glances at her book instead, "Sorry to disturb you...I just."
"Yes?" Ginny's brows are now furrowed. She is trying to recall what she could have done to make Harry uncomfortable talking to her. She thought she did fine at their recent Quidditch practice.
"Do...do you...have any plans for this weekend?" He finally blurted out, a tinge of pink coloring his cheeks.
Still confused, Ginny answered, "Not much. Might drop by Hogsmeade before studying."
Ginny could not help but ask, "Why? Am I forgetting a scheduled practice?"
"Ah no." Harry breathes deeply before continuing, "Maybe we can go to Hogsmeade together this Saturday?"
That is unexpected. The three of them rarely invite her to hang-out with them outside of school. Ginny is hoping that this is not their version of baby-sitting her after a break-up. She is moving on from all that drama. Maybe they are just being thoughtful and want to make her feel included. Seeing Harry's awkward smile as he waits for her response, Ginny hesitantly agrees.
"Brilliant!" Harry is grinning now. "Let's meet by the gates at 10am, Saturday!"
--------
For the Hogsmeade trip, Ginny wore a white cropped tee over a pair of black tracksuit pants with red side stripes. She slipped on her dirty white sneakers and finished her look with a black bomber jacket. She spared about a minute to apply her red matte lip gloss, that Hermione gifted her last Christmas. She grabbed her small black purse with her wallet and wand inside before she dashed out of the Gryffindor's girls' dormitory.
Harry is already waiting for her by the gates. He is wearing an unzipped dark blue tracksuit jacket over a maroon shirt., a pair of faded black denim pants, and black sneakers. His green eyes instantly brightened when he noticed Ginny walking towards him. He welcomes her with a shy smile when she finally reaches him.
"You look lovely, Ginny." Harry comments awkwardly, avoiding her gaze. Surprised by the compliment, Ginny is unable to reply right away. This is the first time that Harry praised her appearance. She has always thought that Harry sees her as his best friend's tomboy sister with her baggy clothes and Quidditch fascination. Well maybe today is an exception, her reflection in the mirror earlier is that of a girl ready to have a fun weekend.
"Thanks." Ginny responded before turning her head away. She does not want Harry to notice her blush at the idea that she might be a girl to his eyes.
"Where's Ron and Hermione?" Ginny glances at the castle to check if the two is on their way.
"Ahm....They..." Harry stutters. He inhales and exhales deeply.
"Yes?" Ginny shifts her attention to Harry who is now fidgeting with his jacket's zipper.
He takes another deep breath before he makes eye contact with her. "They'll just catch up with us later."
"Oh. Okay." This is another first time. It is usually the three of them hanging out together. When their trio are being less cliquish, Ginny gets to join them. But she has never been alone with Harry before. Her face instantly heats up. It will just be the two of them until Ron and Hermione show up.
Harry's inquiry broke the silence, "Where do you want to stop by first?"
"Zonko's" Ginny replied. Trying her best to compose herself, she shifts her body towards the road.
"Spying for Fred and George?" Harry grins at her. Ginny giggled.
After cementing their status as Troublemakers-in-Chief against Dolores Umbridge last year, the twins dropped out from Hogwarts and opened their own joke shop, Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes in Diagon Alley. Unknown to their parents, their investors include Sirius Black, Harry's godfather and Remus Lupin, former Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. On behalf of his father James Potter, Harry also contributed some money from his inheritance. They were the Marauders, Fred and George's predecessors as Hogwarts' Mischief Makers.
Once inside, Ginny and Harry roamed around Zonko's Joke Shop. Together, they checked each shelf. They inspected the new products, laughing at the funny descriptions and side effects.
"I think I have enough to report to Fred and George." Ginny said as she grabs for two sugar quills. For sure, she would need something to chew on when she resumes studying later. Harry reached for a few hiccough sweets as they walk toward the counter.
"Who are you going to prank?" Harry just chuckled, placing the sweets beside Ginny's quills.
Ginny is opening her purse to get her wallet when she hears Harry asking the cashier, "How much for all these?"
Ginny hastily gets coins from her wallet but before she could hand them to the cashier, Harry already beat her to it. She tries giving the coins to him instead but he just laughs and puts the wrapped sugar quills on her hand.
"Don't worry about it Gin." The endearment made her heart skipped a beat. Did Harry just used a special nickname for her?
"Th...Thank you." Ginny stammers as she meets Harry's eyes. He grins at her as he playfully ruffles her hair. The contact makes her cheeks flush.
When they step out of Zonko's, Harry proposed that they head next Spintwitches Sporting Needs to check out the new Quidditch supplies. Ginny happily agreed. The store is not as big as the famous Quality Quidditch Supplies in Diagon Alley but it has enough space to display Quidditch balls, jerseys, robes, broomstick servicing kits, and the new mid-range broom models-Turbo XXX and Air Wave Gold.
Firebolt remains top of the line despite being in the market for four years now. Harry owns one, a gift from Sirius when his Nimbus 2000 did not survive his fall in third year. Ginny could not help but be envious. Ron even got a brand new Cleansweep Eleven last year for being a Gryffindor prefect.But she is stuck with her old Cleansweep Seven despite making it to the team for two consecutive years. Her family just could not afford another expense.
Hearing her sigh, Harry suggests that it is time for lunch. They are able to secure a table for two at the Three Broomsticks. Ginny scans the crowd for Ron and Hermione. They have been absent the whole morning.
"Ron and Hermione are not here yet, do they have a prefects' meeting?" Ginny asks Harry who is nervously wiping his glasses with his shirt.
"Probably." Harry answered. Changing the subject, he asks Ginny her order.
Ginny instinctively reaches for her wallet as if feeling with her hands if she has enough money for a meal. After a quick mental computation she replies, "A butterbeer and spaghetti."
While eating, they chatted about Quidditch and O.W.L.s. Harry gives Ginny some tips he did to pass his tests.
"I can help you study Gin." She does not know what made her blush, his offer or endearment.
"I am particularly good with Defense Against the Dark Arts." Harry beamed. Beside scoring Outstanding for it, he is also the leader of Dumbledore's Army. He established the club last year to teach his fellow students about practical Defense Against the Dark Arts missing from Umbridge's theory-only approach. Ginny is one of its members. They still meet every other month to brush up their skills.
"I did fine with other subjects too. Well, except History of Magic, I was dreadful." Ginny laughed. This is what she likes about Harry Potter. Despite being the Wizarding World's hero, who as a baby defeated He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, he remains humble and down-to-earth.
When they finished their meal, Ginny reached for the bill to check how much is her share. Harry places his hand over hers. Shocked, Ginny abruptly removes her hand from the paper. Harry takes the chance to grasp the bill.
"I got this." Harry grinned, waving the paper at her before walking to the counter to pay Madam Rosmerta.
Ginny looks at her left hand that Harry touched. Her heart is beating rapidly.
"What is happening?" She asks herself. Why is her long-time crush being nice and sweet to her.
"Ready?" Harry breaks her reverie. Ginny just nods. She steals a glance at Harry, hoping to figure out his actions since morning. Did Ron and Hermione ask him to look after her today?
"Dessert." Harry said as he leads her to Honeydukes. They entered the sweet shop side by side. Shelves upon shelves of assorted sweets welcomed them.
"You like chocolates right?" Harry shyly asks. Ginny agreed. Harry grabs two chocolate frogs, a box of peppermint toads, a bag of pink coconut ice, and a pack of fizzing whizbees. All of Ginny's favorites. How did he know?
"We can share the chocolate frogs. The rest is for you." Harry smiled at her.
"Harry, you do not have to-" Ginny did not get to finish her sentence as someone bumped into them causing the sweets to fall on the floor. Ginny and Harry crouched to pick them up. A dark hand reached for the pack of Jelly Slugs that got mixed into the pile.
"Zabini." Harry acknowledged the tall handsome man who collided with them. Blaise raised his eyebrows, looking them up and down.
"Watch it, Potter, Weasley. Spare me the Gryffindor clumsiness."
And with that he stepped between them to avoid crushing the sweets still on the floor.
--------
Dominic Maestro's Music Shop is Draco and Astoria's secret meeting place whenever they are in Hogsmeade. They can have a peaceful time together while Pansy and Daphne are at the hair salon, Crabbe and Goyle are in Zonko's and Blaise is in Honeydukes.
"Help me choose, Draco." Astoria is currently perusing the stack of records for classical music.
'You can choose me,' Draco thought as he looks at her elegant fingers flicking the records forward one by one. She could have been wearing an engagement ring from him by now.
"Something that I can bring with me to Bulgaria," Astoria continues.
'The Malfoy name,' Draco smiled sadly at the thought.
"Here." Draco handed her his choice.
"The Rite of Spring," Astoria reads the cover.
"Stravinsky composed it for the French," Draco says. Astoria laughed knowingly.
"To remind me of your heritage." Astoria caressed his cheek gently. Draco removes her hand from his face. He interlaced their fingers before pulling her to the more secluded section of the shop.
The center piece is a wooden music box, on top of it is a ballerina wearing a pink dress and red shoes charmed to dance the complicated series of En Pointe, Grand Jete, Pirouettes, Foutte, and Grand Adage with Tchaikovsky's songs.
"Oh, Draco!" Astoria hugs him tight before kissing him deeply. This is his last present for her.
--------
After dropping Astoria off at Madam Puddifoot's tea shop where she would meet her friends, Draco enters Dervish and Banges to check out the latest model of the Wizarding camera. Blaise would meet him there before they go together to Spintwitches.
Draco is about to lift the new camera model from the stand when a flash of red passed by outside the glass window, a mop of black hair beside her. The Weasel and the Mudblood are nowhere in sight.
Blaise arrives at the store. He does a gesture as if he is going to vomit.
"I just witnessed the most disgusting thing today," he whined.
"What are you talking about?" Draco raised an eyebrow at his bestfriend.
"Potter buying little Weasley sweets at Honeydukes." Blaise pinches the bridge of his nose as if he is nauseous. "And it is not even for charity!"
"I need to rid my mind of seeing them together," Blaise cringed.
Just then Draco noticed how Saint Potter walked close to the pretty Blood Traitor.
Are they actually on a date?
"Sneaky seeker of a bastard!" Blaise cursed and Draco could not help but agree.
Author notes: The song and composers are real. The rest of the Harry Potter jargons are owned by J.K. Rowling. Some events are from Prisoner of Azkaban and Order of the Phoenix. I got the names of the Hogsmeade shops and their products from HP-lexicon and Harry Potter fandom websites. The plot is mine. The pace may seem slow but I want a steady foundation for this story. I want to capture that Draco and Ginny have been living separate lives before their worlds collide.
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