Harry's POV.

The day of the Yule Ball is fast approaching, and Ginny won't stop nagging me about it.

We know what I'm going to wear, my dancing has slightly improved, and I honestly don't know what else there is to talk about. 

"But Harry," Hermione reminds me, "This is your first dance together.
Of course she wants it to be special."

I guess I've been complaining a lot.

Ginny walks over to us and tries to pipe up a conversation.

"Mum says she's sending me the dress by Owl and I'll get it today!" She says excitedly.

She and Hermione continue talking about it for the rest of the meal. Practically boring both me and Ron to sleep.

When I hear the fluttering of wings and hoots fill the great hall, I look up along with every other student to observe the owls finding their owners.

"It's here!" Ginny squeals, excitedly while jumping up and down.

I glance over and she immediately puts what I assume is the dress back into its box.

"No peeking," she protests.

"Isn't it a little late for that to be arriving?" Ron asks. "The ball's today," he continues.

"Well I had a back up. But this dress is one that mum made," she replies, smiling.

"Alright, Ginny. Now that you've got the dress can we please talk about anything else," Ron begs.

"Actually we've got to go get ready," Hermione tells him, grabbing Ginny's hand and pulling her out of the great hall and to the Gryffindor common room.

"Girls," Ron sighs.

I distractedly nod in agreement.

~△⃒⃘~

Hermione's POV.

"You look absolutely stunning Hermione, really," Ginny gushes.

I do a little spin and collapse on my bed to to finish of my eye makeup.

"Hermione," Ginny begins, "Do you... think it's strange that Harry and I haven't said 'I love you' to one another yet? Seeing as we've been dating for quite some time and..." she trails off.

"Well, I mean.. do you love him?" I ask tentatively.

"I do. It's just sometimes I wonder if he feels the same way," She confesses.

"You could tell him. See how he reacts," I propose.

"It would be nice to get the feeling off my chest. And I mean, there's no real reason he has to say it first, right?" She confirms.

I nod, thinking.

~△⃒⃘~

Hermione only just manages to get away from Ginny for a bit to try to find Harry.

She knocks on the doors of the boys chambers and Ron answers.

"Mione? Shouldn't you be getting ready with Ginny?" he asks, concerned.

"I actually need to talk to Harry, about Ginny.. so," She gestures for him to let her come in.

Harry looks up at Hermione and makes a motion with his head for her to sit while straightening his tie.

Ron looks over at them, feigning disinterest in the conversation. The rest of the boys seem to have left the dormitory earlier in the evening.

"You haven't told Ginny you love her," Hermione marvels.

"Well, no," he says, slowly.

Hermione wonders why that is.
"And do you? Love her, I mean?"

"I thought so.." he says, trailing off and busying himself with his tie again.

"Thought so?" Ron looks up from his shoes, "You better not be playing with my sister, mate," he cautions.

"Shush Ron, let him speak. Um, how do you feel now? What's uh.. what's changed?" Hermione questions sympathetically.

Harry doesn't answer and just fiddles with his tie some more. Hermione huffs and gets up. She turns him to face her and starts to tie it herself.

Harry looks at her, then at Ron.

"Have.. have you ever felt those butterflies in your stomach that people talk about? Have you ever met anyone that makes you feel like you're alive, really alive for the first time?"

Ron looks at Hermione and shows a small smile, his eyes giving away his feelings, but Hermione is too busy with the tie to notice.

"I thought that I felt that with Ginny," he continues, "After all, I certainly felt it more with her than with Cho, for example. But the thing is, I think I confused how I felt about her as a friend or like a sister with... romantic feelings."

"So," Hermione blushes a bit at the topic, but asks anyway, hiding behind her work with the tie, "have you felt butterflies? And you know, fireworks? All those things.. for someone other than Ginny?"

"No," he says loudly. It startles Ron who narrowly misses falling off the bed, but manages to still get tangled in his robes.

"Well.. maybe," he concedes, looking to see if Ron is mad. He's still too busy trying to figure out how the frilly lace piece fits to give Harry any sort of reassurance

"What if.. what if there's this person, and I feel like my heart is breaking when I think about them being in love with someone else? What if they're the first person that has ever made me feel like I want the bad parts of relationships too? It's been so long since I've felt anything close to real, romantic emotions and I want everything with them. Not just the kissing and the cute conversations, but the fights, and the early morning drowsiness, and the promise to stick by someone even if they say something incredibly nasty. What if I found someone who makes me feel like that, and they aren't Ginny?" He asks.

Hermione finishes the knot of the tie and carefully pats it down before stepping away and sitting next to Ron, who is now looking at Harry like he's an idiot.

"Harry, don't be stupid. Look, I liked you and Ginny together, mate. But if you're falling for someone else, break it off. Or you'll break her heart. And then I'll have to break your face," he says, only half jokingly.

Harry gives him a small smile, but then decides to clarify.

"I'm not falling for anyone, by the way."

"Oh, Harry. I mean you're usually blind to your own emotions but... anyway, it kind of sounds like you are," Hermione says.

He looks at her with anxious eyes before whispering, "Hermione, what if this someone, what if they.. what if they..." he doesn't finish the sentence, so Hermione finishes it for him.

"What if they don't feel the same?"

Harry slowly nods.

"You just have to put on a brave face, and walk away."

He looks more concerned than ever as Hermione gets up to leave.

"Oh, and Harry, she's going to tell you she loves you tonight. Don't hurt her, okay?" She warns.

Harry nods again, looking extremely nonplussed.

As Hermione thinks over their conversation,  she realises he played the pronoun game.
Probably nothing. Most likely nothing.
But still, possibly something.

~△⃒⃘~

The hall is filled with dazzling decorations. There are fairy lights that glitter like stars covering the columns, the ceiling has been magiced to show the snow that's barely starting to fall outside. Candles are bobbing around their heads, putting everyone in the best sort of mood.

Pansy has been running from couple to couple all night, showing off her dress in the least obvious way she can, and so far she seems to be having a pretty amazing time.

Draco himself is in high spirits, despite not really moving from his spot by the fountain magically flowing with butterbeer all night.

He sees Potter with the Weaselette, and Granger with Weasley, all the couples smiling and laughing through their slow dances.

Everything is as it should be.

But Draco can feel something in the air. He's always been able to do that. Trelawney would've loved it. Something is going to happen. People are never happy for long.

He learned that lesson a long time ago.
He supposes everyone has to at some point.

~△⃒⃘~

Harrys palms are slick with sweat. Ginny has taken him outside near the fountains to 'talk'.

He can feel it coming. He's prepping himself for the absolute worst.

"Harry," Ginny begins, making him once again try to prepare himself mentally for what's about to happen.

"I think.. I think we should break it off," she explains.

"Ginny listen I really..
Wait.. wh- what?" He stutters in response.

What's happening? Is she joking? Does she know? How did she find out? Harry's head head is spinning a million miles a minute and he finally remembers to look at her face. She seems agitated and... maybe sad. She gestures with her head for him to join her sitting by the fountain.

"Harry, I love you. But Hermione told me how you feel.. about someone else."

Harry shifts around uncomfortably, not sure if he should be grateful or just angry. Why'd Hermione have to go and do that?

"You're not mad, I mean.. at me?" He asks

Ginny swats him on the shoulder, "Of course I'm bloody mad. If I had it my way I'd curse you into next week but," she pauses, "I love you, you git. So I think you're allowed to be happy. With someone who's not me."

Harry gives her a small smile and bumps her shoulder with his.

"Thank you, Ginny. I... I'm sorry," He adds.

"You bloody well should be. Leading me on and all." She shrugs again and gives him a smirk, "So Harry, who is she anyway?"

Harry looks up at her, not sure if he should tell her. Saying the name out loud would make it all too real.

The desire to live in denial for a little longer it extremely tempting, but, doesn't he owe this to her?

He takes a deep breath.

"He."

"What?" Asks Ginny, looking up from where she's been picking at her stockings with a start.

"Ginny," He pauses, collecting his thoughts, knowing he's in too deep to take it back.

How should he phrase this?

"I like boys. At least, I like one boy. Maybe.. I might be gay. Cause.. cause I finally understand what people are talking about, when they're talking about love, or infatuation or whatever. It actually means something. And I've never felt that before."

"-Sorry," he says quickly, hoping she isn't offended that he never felt it with her.

Ginny is thinking. And pretty hard apparently because twenty minutes pass before she says anything. They just sit there quietly.

"I think this calls for hug?" She says questioningly, making Harry smile slightly.

Ginny wraps her arms around his neck, squeezing briefly before letting go.

She takes a breath, exhaling quickly.

"Do you want to tell me his name?" She asks.

This is clearly hard for her. And why shouldn't it be? Harry doesn't really want to tell her, or anyone. Ever. But he decides that he needs to try his best to be honest, especially with her, after all the lying he's been doing lately.

"It's um.. it's Malfoy," He mumbles, as if this action helps keep it a secret.

"Malfoy?" She echoes.

"The one and only," Harry confirms.

She laughs out loud.
"Only you, Harry"

He looks at her strangely, noting the smile playing at her lips, but she keeps talking, so he keeps listening.

"Well... I'm glad you see something in him, other than that he's a conceited, self- absorbed, asshat who tortured us for years," she tells him, teasing lightly.

Harry is surprised she's taking this so well. Ginny is clearly trying to figure out how much teasing she can get in without offending him.

"I know," he scoffs, "it's just, when he was helping me practice dancing, cause I really am not very good, it was like I was seeing him for the first time."

"Don't get sappy."

Harry grins.
Merlin, she was right. He was cheesy.
"It just.. it would've been the easiest and yet hardest thing in the world to kiss him then and there. And, Merlin, I wanted to," he says.

Ginny smiles at him and Harry knows that means they'll be okay. Eventually.

"Of all the people in my life, I believe you're one that really, finally deserves some happiness. So whether you find it with Malfoy, or some other guy, I want that for you. Seriously, Harry." She says.

"You're not gonna cry, are you, Gin?"

Ginny leans in close and gives him another smile that morphs into a sort of smirk, "Don't flatter yourself, Harry."

He grins at her one last time before finally getting up to leave her with her thoughts.