Author: Joy
Title: Pining
Summary: Harry cannot take Ginny's new friendship/relationship with Draco Malfoy. He begins to court her to the best of his abilities but Draco beat him to the punch to ask Ginny to the New Year's Eve Ball. Will Harry get the date? Will Ginny go with Draco to spite Harry? Has this all been an elaborate ruse to get Harry's attention or could she actually like the guy? When left with the possibility that Ginny might actually spend New Year's Eve with Draco, Harry must get his act together and show Ginny how he really feels...a kiss might be a good place to start.
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: Around 1,500
Notes/Warnings: Thanks to Tante for being my beta. It certainly improved the piece a great deal.
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Soft lips and warm arms were all Ginny could focus on for a moment. The kiss, loving and romantic, she was receiving made her stomach do somersaults. It didn't help matters that the person kissing her was one Harry Potter.Ginny stared like a deer caught in headlights at the young man holding her.
This was not happening. That did not just happen.
For Harry's part he didn't lose his nerve.
"Harry."
"Yes."
"You are aware that you just kissed me, right?"
"I had noticed."
"You are aware that you have never done that before or, for that matter, shown any interest in me at all."
Harry crocked an eyebrow, "I wouldn't say that."
Ginny looked shocked, "What would you say?"
"I would say, I have been flirting with you for months, trying to get your notice...to no avail. I have taken you on as many pseudo dates as humanly possible because you wouldn't accept them as real dates. I have even gone so far as to let each of your brothers torture me. When none of these things made a dent, I was forced to take physical action."
"Why?"
"Because Gin, though you could rationalize everything else away...I thought a kiss would get your attention."
"You have my attention."
-
"Good...Will you spend New Year's Eve with me?" Harry asked pointedly."What?"
"New Year's Eve."
Ginny gazed at him confused, "As in go with you to that fancy ball thing as your date?"
"Yes."
"Let people gawk and speculate about us?"
Harry nodded, "A-huh."
"Maybe even get our picture in The Prophet?"
"Probably."
"Is this some elaborate attempt to make sure I don't accept Draco's invitation?" Ginny accused.
Harry smirked, "Well, you were only considering him so I would get my arse in gear, right? Or do I need more therapy than I thought?"
"My going out with Malfoy would send you to therapy?"
"No... But choosing him over me would send me to a mental ward," Harry confessed.
"Well sir, It's not my fault that you can't handle the fact now that Daddy Dearest and Tommy Boy are gone Draco is actually a decent guy, let alone that he likes me," she snipped sticking her finger in his chest repeatedly.
He raised his hands in mock surrender but whispered gently, "Ginny, I can believe that any man would fall for you... I just have a hard time trusting Malfoy with those I love...especially you."
"You don't need to say that."
"Why?"
"..."
"It's true, you know...I do. Now would you please stop going out with him."
-
Ginny pondered a moment. "I have the same innocent relationship with him as I do with you. Why should you worry?" she asked."Because I want all of your attention."
"Slightly selfish don't you think?"
"Me?! I'm selfish. You're the one stringing two guys along," Harry said, frustrated.
"Is that what I'm doing? I kinda thought I was enjoying the company of two male friends."
"Yeah, right Gin."
-
"So..." Harry began, concerned."So." she responded lightly.
"Come to the New Year's Eve ball with me. A real fancy date."
"I don't need fancy."
"I know you don't need fancy, but you once told me It's lovely to get dressed up now and then."
"I have nothing to wear," Ginny stalled.
"I'll buy you something," Harry offered.
"Draco did ask first."
Harry heart sank...his face crestfallen. "Did...did you say yes?" he managed to choke out.
"No."
"No?!"
"No."
"Why?"
"Because as you said," Ginny smiled slyly, "I wanted to get your arse in gear."
-
Harry smiled slowly. "So do we have a date then?"Ginny thought a minute. "Is it just a date or are we dating?"
He sighed, "I'll take you any way you'll have me."
"Not on the first date," she said with mock indignation.
Harry turned red, "That isn't what I meant and you know it."
"Well then?"
He sighed again, "I want to date you but if that's too much pressure then I'll settle for a date and hope for more."
Ginny smiled, "Then we have a date, singular."
"Okay...you win," Harry groaned. "When do you want to pick out your dress?"
"How about tonight?"
"All right... I'll apparate over at around 7:00 p.m."
"See you then."
She watched him leave.
-
Ginny knelt at the fireplace in her flat to floo a friend...one with whom she had a rather odd friendship. "D...Draco?""Yes, dearest," the blond young man answered.
"It worked."
"Of course it did..." he said smugly.
"How did you know it would work?" asked Ginny's head from the flames.
"He practically itched every time he saw us talk. If he thought our friendly lunches were 'dates' I knew he would have to stop us...well, me."
"I accepted one date from him, for the New Year's Eve ball you said he'd ask me to. How you knew that I have no idea..." she ran on. "But as I was saying, I accepted one date rather than start dating like he wanted."
Draco smirked, "Why's that sweets?"
"For one thing so Harry knows how it feels to pine...and for the second, because I'll not stop hanging out with you."
"Well, I should hope not."
"So with whom are you spending New Year's?"
"Eve."
"Ah-yes, the mysterious Eve whom I have yet to meet."
"Well, she would have complicated our plan to make Harry jealous."
"Not likely. It would have just given him extra reason why I shouldn't see you... You Cad."
"You wound me with your words!" the blond said dramatically putting his hand on his heart. "The charming, illusive Eve and I will be staying in for a cozy fireside evening on New Year's so have a blast at the ball."
"Thanks for your help!" she called as she left the flames.
-
--
Few minutes later Harry suddenly returned, sullen and glowering.
"Gin...why go dress shopping with Malfoy if you were going to say no to him?"
"How...?"
"I mention it," he began casually, "because I went over to Lavender's shop to look through her selection for you. She seemed confused and mentioned..."
"Why would you do that?" Ginny interrupted.
"Do what?"
"Go to Lavender's shop...Be seen publicly, in a witches' robe shop," she gestured wildly. "Set off without me?"
He regarded her in confusion, "Because, like I financed your brothers' dreams...I did Lavender's also and knew I could rely on her taste. Now what was that about?"
"Well, I was going to the ball with one of you so..."
"Ginny, you have given him every indication you two are going together. I'm not sure about..."
She sighed in resignation, "Draco already has a date for New Year's Eve. He was certain if you knew he had invited me to the ball; that would be enough to get you to finally ask me out... Draco never expected to go with me."
Harry digested the information for a minute. She had been lying to him, but he suddenly realized the necessity of her deception. He wouldn't have gotten off his bum if he didn't have a 'rival'. Harry chuckled at himself. "I'm that predictable?"
"Afraid so."
He wrapped his arms around her gently, slowly to let her adjust. "I suppose we'll have to work on that."
Ginny curled into his arms naturally gazing up waiting to be kissed. "I imagine so," Gin whispered with a smile just before Harry embraced her once more.
-
When they came up for air Harry asked, "So now that your plot is exposed can we start dating please?""But I wanted you to pine for me," she murmured with a sexy little pout.
"I have been pining for you, woman. Have you not been paying attention to the conversation thus far?"
She raised an eyebrow, "You have been pining for me?"
"Yes," he stated emphatically.
"You're sure?"
"Of course! Shall I prove it to you?" Harry asked.
"Maybe...I'm really not certain."
"Wait here...I have proof."
-
A few moments later a very annoyed Hermione Granger-Weasley stood before Ginny with Harry nudging. "Tell her," Harry instructed."This is ridiculous," Hermione grumbled.
"Please, Mione."
She shook her head a bit then regarded Ginny. "Fine...I have listened," Hermione huffed, "to Harry mope, gripe, sigh, whine, blubber, grumble, howl, wail, snivel, groan, weep, whimper, lament, bellow, moan, sob, holler, and of course pine for you for three months...something along the lines that you in your perfection would never want lowly old him."
-
"Really?" Gin said timidly as Harry wrapped his arms around her again. He kissed her forehead and nodded.Hermione turned to Harry. "Can I go now? I was at work."
"Sure."
Hermione rolled her eyes. "I'm so glad I will never be out there again," she muttered and apparated away.
-
Harry turned back to Ginny proudly, "See...pining."Gin's face broke into a huge grin. "Okay Mr. Potter, you can quit pining."
"Well good... Now what are we going to do about Malfoy?"
Ginny leaned in and kissed him soundly; then pulled away leaving Harry dazed.
"On second thought, never mind Draco; this is far more interesting."
"Good answer," Gin commented as she moved in for another kiss.
-
Finite...