Here's the next chapter! Enjoy!!! And thanks for the great reviews!! I'm having SO much fun writing this one!
Chapter 4
"Hey Harry, want to get in on it?" Fred asked.
Puzzled Harry stepped over to where Fred and George were huddled together. "Get in on what?"
"Fluer is about to throw the bouquet," George told him. "We have a bet on which girl catches it. Everyone's pretty much bet on Ginny, since she plays Quidditch and all, the odds are in her favor."
"Neville put 5 Galleons on her," Fred said. "I put 10 on Katie Bell. She'd have my hide if I didn't bet on her. Threatened me. Told me no snogging for a week if I bet against her."
"I didn't know you and Katie were dating," Harry said.
He grinned. "Yeah, we hooked up a couple of times during school, but we're serious now."
"Well, put me in for Ten Galleons."
"On Ginny?"
"No, Hermione."
Their jaws dropped. "Are you nuts, Harry? I mean no offense, to Hermione, but she can't catch worth a lick."
Harry shrugged. "But she's smart. I have a feeling she'll figure it out." He spotted Hermione standing by with the other girls, waiting for the event to begin. "Better go give her a pep talk."
"Hey, it's your money, mate," George said.
Harry walked over to Hermione and pulled her aside. "Hey, I have ten on you, so you better catch it."
"What are you talking about?"
"The guys are betting on which girl catches the bouquet," he said with a grin. "I bet on you and if you catch it I'll split my winnings with you."
"But I'm no match next to Ginny, she'll knock me down!"
"So use your brains," he said giving her a friendly pat on the arm. "Good luck."
Harry stood by Fred, George, Neville and Ron as they watched the group of girls pushing and shoving to get a good spot, while Fluer held the bouquet. "This is going to be brilliant," Ron said.
When Fluer finally threw the bouquet, she threw it a little too hard and it sailed right over the swarm of girls and to everyone's shock, fell right into Ron's hands. Everyone laughed as Ron stared dumbly at the flowers. "Nice, Ron," Harry laughed. "I'll be sure to make it to your wedding. You'll make a pretty bride."
"Nice catch, Ron," Bill said as he took the bouquet away. "But girls only I'm afraid."
Harry, Neville and the twins were chuckling while Ron pouted and grumbled in annoyance. The second time around, Fluer made it to the sea of girls and the guys were entertained while the bouquet when flying in and out of greedy hands. Harry saw Hermione standing off to the side, not even trying, and was about to yell at her to get in there, but what she did next made his jaw dropped.
She pulled out her wand from the cleavage of her dress then pointed the wand to the bouquet. "Accio bouquet!" The bouquet flung out of the sea of hands and floated right to her.
Harry just grinned and shot up his arms in triumph as Hermione ran up to him beaming. For a split second he had the memory of Ginny running up to him like that, seconds before he first kissed her. It seemed so right to do the same thing, he almost did as he braced for her hug. He came to his senses at the last minute and shifted his mouth away barely avoiding contact as she jumped into his arms. "Nice catch."
Her feet dangling in the air, she held onto him still gripping the bouquet with one hand. "It just sort of came to me," she teased.
"And nice place for the wand I might add," he whispered in her ear with a teasing voice.
She blushed and swatted him on the shoulder. "I had no where else to put it!"
"Well, I think it's brilliant," he said putting her back on her feet. "You just won us the jackpot, Hermione."
"Hermione, you can't do that!" Ginny yelled as she stalked up to them. "That's cheating!"
"Cheating?" she asked puzzled. "Why? Because I used magic?"
"None of the other girls used magic," she protested.
"Because none of the other girls thought of it," Harry said defending Hermione. "Ginny, it's just a stupid bouquet toss."
"You bet on Hermione!" she shrieked. "Over me!"
Not sure what was going on with Ginny, he decided to answer carefully. "Listen, Ginny it was between you and Hermione, okay? In the end I decided to go with brains instead of brawns. That's all."
"But…I was your girlfriend, Harry."
"Was being the operative word," Harry said in a hush tone, realizing they were getting looks. "Ginny, I thought I'd made it clear that…"
"Your reason for breaking up with me was stupid, Harry," she said raising her voice. "I'm not a child."
"I know you're not, Ginny," he said in a exasperated voice. "It's just that…"
"Harry," Hermione said gently. "This isn't the place, why don't you two…"
"Oh, shut up, Hermione," Ginny said angrily. "Can't you once let Harry think on his own without butting in?"
Seeing the hurt in Hermione's eyes made anger bubble up inside him. "Now wait just a minute," Harry said pointing a finger at Ginny. "I'll have you know that Hermione's frequent 'butting in', as you call it, has saved my hide many times. Hermione's my best friend and I thought she was yours. You had no right speaking to her like that!"
"Harry, it's okay," Hermione said calmly.
"No it's not okay!" he said angrily.
"Fine, I'll leave you alone with Hermione, since that's where you obviously want to be!"
Fuming with anger he watched Ginny stalk off into the crowd. He was so tense he jumped when Hermione placed a hand on his arm. "Harry, you need to go talk to her."
"The bloody hell I do!" he snapped. "She's acting like the child she claims she's not."
"Oh, Harry, don't you see?" she asked as she stood in front of him so he could look at her properly. "When you broke up with her, your only reason was for her safety. So naturally she thinks that once things are over, you two would go back to being together. You need to go and talk to her, make her realize where you stand."
Harry frowned and looked over to where Ginny was sitting. Neville was by her, obviously trying to comfort her. "She shouldn't have snapped at you."
"I'm sure she didn't mean it, she was just hurt. The girls you date are going to feel threatened by me, Harry. Even Ginny did, even though she hid it well."
Harry thought about the times Cho complained about Hermione and knew she was right. "I guess it wouldn't hurt to talk to her, I don't want us to end like this."
"If there's another reason why you two can't be together, you need to tell her. Your excuse back at the beginning of the summer isn't good enough anymore." She then broke off for a second and studied him. "That is unless you want to stay with her."
Harry sighed as he shook his head. "No, it's not just because of her safety. Back then it was, but now I know we wouldn't work."
"Then you need to explain it to her." She gave him a little nudge. "Go on, I'll be around. Find me later."
"Okay," he said giving her a grin. "Go track down the twins and collect our winnings."
She laughed. "I'll get right on it."
Harry left Hermione and made his way over to Ginny's table. "Neville, can I talk to Ginny for a second?"
Neville looked up, then over to Ginny and when she gave him a nod, he got up and walked away. Harry just sat down and waited while Ginny kept crying. "Oh Harry, I'm so sorry," she finally said as she wiped her tears away. "I don't know what came over me."
"You don't need to apologize to me," Harry said calmly. "But I'd appreciate if you sent one to Hermione before the night is over."
"I will," she nodded as she sniffed back her tears. "It's just, I've always been so jealous of Hermione. You always respected her so much and always asked her opinion on everything. Even when we were dating, I always saw you talking with her and it always looked important. I always wished you would confide in me that way."
"Ginny," he sighed. "You were my girlfriend. Hermione's my best friend. It's just different is all."
"But a relationship should be close, Harry," she said leaning forward in her chair. "It's not just about the snogging, I wanted what you had…have with Hermione. I felt like all I was to you was a getaway."
"Well, to be honest Ginny…you were. But in a good way."
Ginny scowled. "In what way exactly?"
"Last year was kind of crazy, a lot of things were going on. It's too complicated to go into, Ginny, but it weighed me down." He placed a hand over hers in a friendly manner. "You were my escape, Ginny. I'm sorry if that makes you feel used, I hope it doesn't because I will always be grateful for that and to you."
She sighed as she gave him a shaky smile. "I feel a but coming on."
He smiled a little. "But." He squeezed his hand. "I can't be with you anymore and not just because of your safety. Although it took me awhile, I finally realized that you grew up. You're a very pretty girl, Ginny, but deep down you'll always be Ron's kid sister."
Ginny sat back in her chair and slipped her hand away. "Ouch."
"No, listen to me," he said softly. "I adore you, Ginny. I always will, okay? I don't want this to end badly, it would kill me if I lost your friendship."
"You don't have to worry about that," she said giving him a small smile. "I'll admit, I'm a bit disappointed, but I understand and I appreciate you being honest."
"So, friends?" he asked letting out his hand.
She took it. "Friends."
He grinned. "You know…Neville's gaga over you."
She giggled as she searched her eyes for Neville, easily finding him close by. "Yeah, I know."
"You would be lucky to have him," Harry said getting up and gesturing to Neville that he was done. "And he would be lucky to have you." He then turned to Neville and patted him on the shoulder. "She's all yours," he said in a soft voice only he could hear before walking off to find Hermione so they could celebrate their winnings.