"That was some bidding war!" Connie said with a smile. "Let's hope you're worth it!"
Harry laughed nervously and stood to shake her hand. "I hope I don't disappoint you." He said with a smile. She took his hand warmly and sat in the chair he pulled out for her. "How did your background screening fare? All this security for a simple date, you'd think they were afraid that you were from Azkaban ..."
"They were pretty thorough with their questions and I don't think they'd let me through if I were playing the role in some Death Eater plot to assassinate you." She smiled at the look of relief on Harry's face and took the glass of water he offered her.
"Miss Covert, Mr. Potter, there are some forms the Ministry requests that you complete to dissuade any actions against the departments involved with this event should any mishaps occur." An attendant announced from the curtain opening. She walked into the makeshift room and handed each a stack of papers. "Please read these over and sign them in the indicated places on all three copies. When you've finished, please leave them with the personnel by the table at the end of the stage where bidding registration was located earlier."
Harry and Connie looked over the papers and began signing where indicated when she sighed in frustration and stood abruptly. "I'll be right back. I signed in the wrong place." Harry smiled at her and watched her leave before returning to his own papers.
"What was that?" Ginny asked with a sly grin.
"What was what?" Harry asked without looking up from what reminded him of a small novel lying on the table in front of him.
"That look! I haven't seen you look at anyone like that."
"You aren't always around me, now are you?" Harry replied with a grin as he continued his search for the indicated signing locations in the massive amounts of text the parchment held. "I admit, she's attractive ... and there's something vaguely familiar about her ..."
"You'll have a day and an evening to find out what that is." Ginny said with a smile. She sat back in her chair and took a long pull from her glass before sighing. "It would have been interesting if I had won ... That might have given Draco a real reason ..."
"Gin, I'm sorry but he's a git, he always has been ... What did you see in him anyway?"
"Do you want the truth?" She sat on the edge of her chair and leaned forward.
Harry finished scrawling the last signature and looked up. "That would nice. I've never been able to figure out what women saw in him." He replied with a lopsided grin.
"Don't go spare on me, but you and Draco have a lot in common." She rolled her eyes and sat back when Harry's face went red. "Don't you start! You wanted the truth ... There are differences between you two ... He was spoiled rotten by his parents ... But that's all in the past and I know he wasn't the nicest person in the world! He didn't join the Death Eaters when his father pressed him to so he can't be all bad!"
"You don't have to be a Death Eater to be evil, Ginny." Harry said evenly. "You're an Auror now, you should know that. I don't agree with what you said about us being alike, not one bit! And don't roll your eyes at me! He's hated me from the day that I refused to shake his hand during first year. You've seen how he acted all through school, how he treated your brother, your best friend, and how he put down your family! He's the one who left you, that tells me he wasn't worth it. You've got much more going for you than having to date someone like him. I half expected you to help Neville when that elderly woman bid on him ..." Harry smiled at the look she gave him.
"Why on earth would I be remotely interested in him?" Ginny said with a look of disgust.
"Well, he's far more like me than Malfoy ever will be, he's a great guy, he's intelligent, and I think he's had something for you since he took you to the Yule Ball during the Tri-Wizard Tournament."
"He's also homely, clumsy, and rather insecure."
"Wouldn't you be insecure if the people he called his friends couldn't get past his flaws and see him for who he is?" Harry said with a smile.
Ginny glowered at him and mumbled something under her breath.
"What was that? I couldn't hear you ..."
"I said, look who's ..."
"Sorry that took so long." Connie said with a smile. "They had to floo in another copy of the papers."
Harry gave Ginny a 'we'll talk about this later' look and stood when his soon-to-be-date arrived. "Is there anywhere in particular you wanted to go on our date?" He asked with a smile as he offered her chair once again.
She smiled and thought for a moment. "Actually, I've only been to the hotel restaurant and don't know the area well." She grinned sheepishly and looked to the floor.
Harry smiled then slapped his forehead. "Sorry, I'm not thinking. Connie, this is my sister, Ginny Weasley. Ginny, Connie Covert."
Both women jumped and smiled awkwardly at each other before shaking hands.
"Weasley? But if she's your sister ..."
Harry nodded. "Her parents adopted me when I was sixteen. We kept that detail out of the books ..."
Connie looked over Ginny quickly and smiled. "I see what you mean about the resemblance. We could pass for sisters ourselves ..."
Ginny stifled a laugh and smiled apologetically. "I think the accent would give it away, Connie." They both shared a laugh and Harry smiled at them.
If she gets along this well with Ginny, Hermione might just approve!
"When did they say the date was scheduled for?" Harry asked after a few moments.
"Wednesday night." Connie replied with a smile that quickly disappeared.
"Oh." Harry said perplexed. "That complicates things a little bit ..." Hermione's advice about Cho echoed from the back of his head and he smiled apologetically. "Connie, a few friends of mine and I get together Wednesday nights in Hogsmeade to remember friends who've died in the war ... Would it be ok if we stopped by for a quick drink after our date? I'd like to introduce you to my friends, we won't be long, I promise."
"Would these friends of yours be Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger?" She asked quietly.
"Yes, that would be them." Harry admitted. "If you don't want to go, that's fine, I'm sure they'll understand if I miss one night ..."
"N-no, that's ok, I don't want to disrupt any traditions or anything that you three have built up ..." She said with a small smile.
"Harry, your limo is ready to take you and Ron back." Ginny piped in quickly after pocketing her communication crystal.
"Do you want to come with?" Harry asked with a smile. "We could have the driver drop you off at your hotel."
"Oh, that's alright." She said with a smile. "I'll just apparate to my room. We do have all day tomorrow, don't we?"
"That we do ..." Harry sighed. "I've got to let Wood know that I can't make it to practice ..."
"Why don't I come watch you?" She asked helpfully. "It might be fun."
"I don't know if you want to sit around and watch us fly in circles for eight hours." Harry said with a grin. "It shouldn't be a problem since Wood has to spend the day with Angelina ... We'll probably just move the practice to Monday. I'll floo him tonight ... How should I contact you when I find out what's going on?" He got to his feet and smiled inquisitively at the young woman sitting across from him.
"You can owl me. I am a witch after all." She said with a smile.
"That does make things a bit easier ... Well, at least let me walk you out." Harry said as he extended his hand to her.
Connie smiled and took the offered hand. "Just as far as the apparition point, it's just inside the main doors."
Harry laughed. "Alright, I'll let you know Wood's decision tonight then."
The three of them made their way through the lingering crowd and just inside the doors Harry and Connie said goodnight. They settled for a handshake and with a small pop, she was gone. Harry shook his head and followed Ginny out under the awning, following the path they'd taken earlier from the street. Within a few moments, the two of them climbed into the apparently occupied limousine.
"Harry! You're back a bit early!" Ron said nervously as he scooted rather quickly and awkwardly from a smiling Luna.
Harry bit back a laugh and quickly looked to find Ginny had done the same.
"What's so funny?" Ron asked indignantly.
"My lipstick seems to adhere to your lips better than mine, Ronald." Luna said in her signature sing-song voice.
Ron blushed to the point where one couldn't tell where his hair ended and face started. Harry and Ginny burst into a fits of laughter at the sight of their brother quickly scrubbing his lips clean.
"Ron ... It's ok!" Harry said between gasps for air. "I won't tell Hermione ..."
"Why not? I've been over that crush I had on her since I found out that ..."
"Luna, why'd you spend so much on this dolt?!" Ginny asked suddenly as she scooted forward, blocking Harry's view of Ron in the process. Ron jerked his foot out from under hers and rubbed it gingerly.
"What in bloody hell did you do that for?!" Ron barked at her.
"Oh, was that your foot?" Ginny asked with a sickly sweet voice. "I'm so very sorry about that."
Luna seemed to not notice the banter between the Weasley siblings and retrieved her butterbeer bottle cap necklace from her purse. She slid it over her head and popped one of them in her mouth as she contemplated the answer she'd give.
"I thought that if I bid high enough, nobody would be willing to steal Ronald from me." Luna said with a dreamy look in her eyes. "It seemed to be the logical thing to do."
"I mean, two-thousand Galleons? I think you could have had him for far less." Ginny said with an evil grin and a wink to Harry.
Harry smiled and watched as his best friend's face became redder. "Well, she did beat everyone to the punch and avoid a bidding war."
Ron looked at Harry with a look of shock etched on his freckled face. "You're turning against me too?"
"No, just stating the obvious." Harry said with a smile. "I was almost bought by Cho ... I never want to be stuck in a contract with her ... Thanks for saving me tonight."
"I felt the temperature drop more than what Dementors cause ... I didn't want the crowd to go into a panic." Ron said with a laugh.
The ride home was rather uneventful, aside from the jibes that Ginny kept throwing at Ron for snogging with Luna. The eccentric blonde didn't seem to mind in the least she continued to gaze dreamily at the object of her affection and occasionally popped a bottle cap in her mouth as she hummed Weasley Is Our King out of tune.
Harry found that no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't get Connie out of his mind. He felt like he'd met her before but wasn't quite sure where.
As soon as they arrived at the flat, Harry flooed Oliver for confirmation that practice was indeed moved to Monday to accommodate the dates that the two of them were bound to fulfill. He sat back and sighed with relief that the first scheduling snafu was cleared up and smiled because Connie agreed to join the three of them at The Three Broomsticks. Harry quickly scribbled a note letting her know that everything was a go for Sunday and to meet him at his flat at ten for their day out and about. A quick scout around the back garden revealed Hedwig's hiding place and Harry quickly tied the note to her outstretched leg.
"Pig's at the Burrow, Hedwig." Harry said with a smile. "No need to hide tonight. Could you deliver this to Connie Covert?"
Hedwig nipped Harry's finger affectionately and took flight not long after. Harry watched her fly off and grinned as she disappeared into the night. "One of these days, I'll find out how you know where to find people ..."
Thinking about the next day was a challenge. Harry had never been on a date with anyone other than Cho and the only female companionship he ever really cared about was Hermione's.
I can't keep asking her for advice ... He thought as he paced his den. I'm going to have to figure these things out for myself sooner or later. Harry reviewed the times he spent with Hermione or Ginny or both of them and attempted to piece together the best course of action he had available to him. Hermione enjoyed reading and testing different restaurants when they were out. Ginny, on the few outings he'd had with her before Draco came into the picture, liked to do sporty things, hiking, bicycling, flying ... She even found that rounders and football were fun when he'd taken her to a park where they watched children play these games. Hermione liked picnics as well.
Harry sat at his desk and quickly drew up a schedule for the next day. He laughed to himself when he realized what he was doing and laughed harder at the imagined reaction Hermione would give him if she'd found out.
He quickly formulated a plan and set off to the kitchen to make sure everything for a picnic lunch would be available. Harry was in luck and was soon slicing up the chicken Molly sent home with Ron and searing it in a pan with a few herbs and spices. It took him a good hour or two to put together the sandwiches, fruit, and cakes for lunch. The forecast called for chilly, but comfortable and dry weather so he decided to brew a fresh batch of hot cocoa in lieu of tea in the morning.
"May as well make it romantic." He said to himself as he dug around for a candle in one of the cupboards. Soon afterwards, he had two blankets and a bottle of wine ready as well. The cocoa could be substituted if it was too chilly for wine. He placed everything in a basket and placed a chilling charm on the contents. After locking it in his room to keep Ron from devouring everything, he made his way to the den.
"Hermione's flat." Harry said clearly as he threw a pinch of floo powder into the fireplace. He got to his knees on the pillow he used for floo conferences and slid his head into the green flames.
"Hermione? Are you home?" He called into the dark room. There was a clatter and someone stumbled into the room.
"Harry?" She said quietly.
"Are you alright? Your voice sounds a little rough ..." He asked concernedly.
Hermione cleared her throat and rubbed her neck. "Just a little congested." She said quietly. "How'd the auction go?"
"Connie placed the winning bid." He said with a smile. "There are going to be some happy children in the future. Ron and I pulled in five-thousand galleons alone."
"How much did she pay for you?"
"Three-thousand ..." Harry said with a greenish blush. "I missed most of the bidding when Draco dragged Ginny outside. They broke up tonight because Ginny bid on me ..."
"He what?! If I get my hands on that low-life, I'm going to wring his neck!" Hermione sat in a huff in front of the fireplace.
"I know. Gin said she could handle it, but I know quite a few people who are in line to show the ferret what Buckbeak's favorite snack is ..." Harry said with an evil grin. "That or he'll figure out what he's done wrong when Ginny unleashes the bat-bogey hex on him ..."
"How did the screening go for Connie?" Hermione asked dryly. "Was she a Death Eater?"
"They wouldn't have let her in to see me if she were, would they?" He replied with a grin. "That brings me to why I've called so late, and sorry for doing so."
"That's fine, what's on your mind?"
Harry thought for a few minutes, trying to find the best words to use. "The Ministry already set the times for the winner's date and day with me ... Wood pushed training back to Monday, but the date is Wednesday night. I talked with her about meeting with you and Ron after dinner if that's ok with you?"
"That'll be fine, Harry." Hermione said dismissively. "I need to get some sleep, as per someone's orders ... There's going to be even more paperwork to go through tomorrow to funnel the winnings to Comic Relief. Did they give you the standard disclaimer forms?"
"The ones where the Ministry isn't held liable for damages or any type of disasters that the event might cause? Yeah, we had to finish them before we left."
Hermione turned to a knocking on her window and flashed Harry an apologetic smile. "I've got an owl at the window, can I talk to you later?"
"Sure, Hermione. Oh, what would be a safe flower to give to someone you don't quite know yet? I don't think roses are appropriate for a first day together."
Hermione looked at her window then quickly smiled at Harry. "Try daisies, they're romantic but not as formal as roses. I'm sorry, Harry, but I've got to go ..."
"Thanks for the tip! Goodnight, Hermione." Harry winked at her then pulled his head from the fireplace just as she stood to open her window.
"Daisies? I'm going to do some running around tomorrow." He mumbled to himself as he walked to his room. The chilling charm was still in place and though he was tired, a smile crept across his features.
Tomorrow I discover more about the enigmatic Miss Covert ... Harry changed into his pajamas and crawled into bed eagerly waiting for the next day to arrive.