Title: Lost You For A While
Author: itsmysunshine
Pairing: H/G
Rating: PG
Word Count: 1332
Summary/Prompt: Something you lost might turn up soon.
Notes: Written for the Fortune Cookie Challenge at hpgw_otp.
4th year
Ginny Weasley would never ever forgive herself for listening to Hermione.
“Gin?”
Ginny lifted up her face. Hermione looked at her with such concern that started to make her feel sick.
“Are you okay there?” she asked again, her hand brushed Ginny’s hair. Their homeworks laid open on the table, being forgotten.
“Sure,” Ginny tried to compose herself. Why should this news shocked her? It’s not that new that Harry liked Cho. Cho Chang. The beautiful Cho Chang. The gorgeous Cho Chang. Why should this news of Harry kissing her –finally- hurt her this much?
She felt disgusted. That girl was nothing. She only liked Harry because Harry resembled Cedrig in some ways. Heh. Aside being a Quidditch player.
“First of all, you’re not okay if you say ‘okay’ with a face like that,” Hermione declared with her usual tone of “I know exactly what you’re thinking”. She closed her homework and looked at Ginny intently.
“And you’re getting nowhere, Hermione. Stop confronting me about Harry, I have a life that I have to live the best I can instead of spending my time thinking about him,” Ginny closed her own parchment. She felt very tired suddenly, and this homework from Prof Binns can wait until tomorrow. At least.
“I wasn’t confronting you, Ginny. I just tried to make you see that Harry moved on. And you have to do that too,” Hermione watched while Ginny took all her belongings in a hurry.
“Okay, you got your point there. And just for you know, I am moving on,” Ginny still could felt the anger in her voice. She really hated when Hermione commanded her what to do.
“Yeah sure. You and Michael Corner. You can fool everyone that you’re happy with him, and you can always tell me to pretend to everyone that you’re that happy with him. But you know that this is not what you call ‘moving on’,” Hermione packed her things too and then tried to match Ginny’s steps. “You’re not in love with him, and I can still see you’re blushing red secretly everytime Harry is around.”
“Thanks for the heads up, Hermione. I know what’s best for me,” Ginny ran hurriedly through the stairs and leaving Hermione behind. She needed to be alone. And she really felt that she was all alone.
***
She cried. That’s not new. She’d been cried for Harry before. What’s the different now?
Of course now it’s very different. She wasn’t the 10-years-old Ginny who was desperately in love with Harry. Well, except for the fact that she was still in love with him. Five years almost passed, and she’s still dreaming about having him.
Michael Corner was not really helping her forgetting Harry. Sure, he was very nice, kind, and all. His kisses were good, their dates were smooth. In fact, often she thought that she has finally given up on Harry, thanks to Michael.
But she didn’t seem to be able to suppress the happiness glowing in her heart everytime she talked to Harry. She learnt her lesson; Hermione told her to just be herself, relax a bit in front of Harry. Her face could do that, but her heart couldn’t.
She hated when Hermione was right. And she hated it even more because she realized it even earlier than Hermione did.
But Harry liked Cho. And he kissed her. There was no Ginny Weasley in his eyes, only Ron’s little sister. His best friend’s little sister.
I’ve lost him. Accept that fact, Ginny Weasley.
***
“Hey Ginny.”
Ginny stopped talking to Michael for a while. They just headed to the main entrance of the castle. But she had to stop. She recognized that voice. She knew that voice very well. And she longed for the owner of that voice to be hers.
“Hey Harry,” Ginny smiled. Not her honest smile, but at least it’s properly aligned on her face and not a silly nervous smile like she used to wear. She’s getting used with acting like this.
“Going to Hogsmeade?” Harry smiled a little, noticing her entwined hands with Michael’s. His expression went sad.
“Yeah, we thought we want some Butterbeer,” Ginny answered cheerfully. That was getting easier and easier.
“Great,” Harry’s voice sounded grim. “Well… have fun, I guess.”
“Hopefully. And you have to do that too, Harry. You look and sound like a mess,” Ginny said blatantly, hoping to sound relax.
Harry didn’t answer. He just went away.
“Geez, he really looks so depressed, doesn’t he?” Michael commented while Ginny tried to figure out in her mind what’s going on with him. “Well, guess he could do better than Cho, even though she is not bad at all.”
“What are you talking about?” Ginny demanded.
“Oh you don’t expect him to date Cho anymore after that incident with Marietta, right?” Michael laughed a little. “Too bad, she is quite good looking and a quite good Quidditch player too.”
“Yeah, bet she’s better than you,” Ginny teased him and laughed. “I beat her anyway.”
Michael’s face went red. “Ginny, just because Gryffindor beat Ravenclaw, doesn’t mean that you’re a better player than me,” he said hard.
“Oh come on Michael. Stop whining about that,” Ginny sighed. She’s getting tired with this kind of conversation. “And I didn’t say that I’m better than you,”
“You meant that.”
“No I didn’t!” Ginny started to feel pissed off.
“You said that she is better than me. And you said you beat her. So that means you’re better than me, doesn’t it?”
“Michael, I was just joking!”
“Didn’t sound like that for me.”
“Fine! I’m indeed better than you!” Ginny turned away and walked back to the castle. But just few steps, she turned again. She stared at Michael angrily.
“Just so you know, we’re done,” she said again, and then she left.
What a moron, he couldn’t even stop whining! I’m fed up with him!, Ginny screamed in her head.
Ginny walked to the dining room, and she saw Harry there, alone. He stared at his soup absently.
A bit hesitant for a while, Ginny walked towards him. Honestly, she didn’t want to interrupt him, but something about his expression drew her.
“You don’t only look like a mess, but your food looks like a mess too,” Ginny commented from behind his back.
Harry turned his head. “Hey Gin, I thought you were going to Hogsmeade with Michael,” he replied slowly while turning his head again to his soup.
Ginny opened her mouth to tell him that she was not Michael anymore, but for some reasons, she felt like she didn’t have to. Not that time.
“Cancelled. Suddenly I wanted to just stay inside,” Ginny took a seat beside him.
Harry raised his eyebrow, looked curious. But he only shrugged, and back to his soup again.
“You know, you’re supposed to eat that,” Ginny said again. Harry didn’t answer.
“Is it about Cho?” Ginny asked, tried to sound casual. Harry still didn’t answer.
Ginny sighed. “You deserves better than her, Harry.”
This time, Harry looked at her with full attention. “Yeah, I guess,” he said sarcastically. “Who then?”
Ginny held his breath. His eyes locked at her, and so did hers. “Someone who lets you to be you, I think,” finally she managed to catch her breath. God, I hope he didn’t notice that. “And obviously, someone who won’t get jealous over Hermione.”
Harry’s expression went warm. “Hermione told you everything, didn’t she?” Harry guessed.
“Not everything,” Ginny laughed a bit. “Well, almost,” she corrected.
Harry laughed too.
“Thanks, Gin,” Harry finally smiled at her, his true smile. The smile that she’s longing for such a long time.
Ginny smiled back.
***
5th year.
He kissed her. And she kissed him back.
Well, I guess I did lose him for a while, Ginny said to herself. But at that time, Ginny Weasley thought that something that you lost might turn up to you eventually. And this just feels right.
