Ginny's side to the story

Chapter One ~ Dean Thomas

Ok fine I'll admit it, Dean Thomas is a good kisser. Fine he's a great kisser. Everything about us as a couple should have been perfect. We look good together, we get on well together, we're actually friends not just each other's dates and we're both pretty popular.
It all sounds great when you put it like that, I bet you're thinking what's not to love? But what you should be thinking, is when's the 'but' coming. Well here you are.
I don't love him. Sure we're friends and I like him. But I don't feel anything when I'm with him, there's nothing special about us. He pulls me in, I kiss him, he jokes, I laugh, he smiles, I smile. But still there's no real connection. I know that probably only happens in films and books, but you'd think I'd feel a bit more than nothing.
And maybe I am looking to deep into it all, but surely if you're with the one you love you're gonna feel something? That's what I thought at least, because if this is what love is like, then I'm not sure I'll be bothering with it for much longer. I'd much rather do something fun or follow in Fred and George's footsteps (not that I need any assistance with life).
I mean there are other options...but they're not really possible. I've moved on from him anyway and I'm pretty sure he likes Cho. Never mind. I've got Dean. And Dean will have to do.
So I'll tell you the story of me and Dean then. We got together at the end of my fourth year when my last boyfriend, Michael Corner, got upset when Gryffindor beat him in the quidditch match (he then ran off to comfort Cho and ended both me and Harry's relationship in one, but as I said, I've moved on from him). And then Dean asked me out and we became a pretty solid couple. Of course Ron was pretty mad as usual to find out I had a boyfriend, but I've never cared about his opinion on my life and I never will. I wish he'd stop acting like I was a child though, he should have worked out by this point that I am more than capable of looking after myself. And to add to that, I feel bad for Dean, Ron's been cold shouldering him for weeks now. But now it's the summer again and we'll all be going back to school in a few weeks so I deceived to go on a date with Dean to make use of my time.

"What was it like", Hermione says giggling, her hands are on my knees and she's smiling up at me, waiting for a reply.
I smile slowly, teasing her with a lack of information, then I spill the beans.
"Great" I say, it comes out like I've just been running for a long time, making me giggle even more, "great kissing should I say."
Hermione bursts out laughing then hugs me in delight, "don't let Ron hear you say that", she says laughing even more.
"Hear who say what?" Ron says looking suspicious, poking his head round the door.
"That I've bought another new book" I say thinking quick, and managing to look as always, as if I'm telling the truth very reluctantly.
"Another one?! You girls never stop shopping do you?" Ron's says shaking his head and leaving the room again.
Hermione turns to me, we're both grinning silently at each other.
"I never will understand how you can lie so well, and I never will know whether that's a good thing or not" she says but the hands on her hips don't match the look on her face. I just smile and don't say anything. It is true. I'm a good liar if I say so myself. "Anyway", Hermione begins, in a tone which makes me unsure whether or not I want to hear what she's got to say, but I don't interrupt, "what's going on with you and Harry?"
"What do you mean?" I ask a little too quickly. Hermione notices it and smirks at me.
"Over him?"
I pause unsure whether or not to lie to her, but this time I decide on the truth.
"Well, I'll admit Michael Corner and Dean Thomas may only be as you said 'to loosen up around him and go out with with a few more boys'"
Hermione smiles again but this time she seems more sad than anything else.
"Sometimes boys can be really slow", she reassures me, "just give him a little more time".

The rest of the day passed happily, me, Ron and Hermione tried to play quidditch together with little success, so we spent the rest of the day in the sunshine of the burrow's garden, teasing Ron and eating mum's delicious pumpkin pasties she had made because she was so excited about my new boyfriend. Mum got like that when ever I was dating someone new, she made a big fuss about it and told me the boys were lucky to have me. No matter what she said, it didn't go unnoticed by anyone else that she fussed over me a lot more than was necessary. I wasn't complaining. But it wasn't until after dinner, though, when things got a lot more interesting.

"Ginny!" Mum called down the stairs, "can you bring me Ron's dress robes I'm going to try and make them a bit longer, your brother won't stop growing!"

I grunted, but got up from where I was lying on the floor, reading a couple of Ron's rejected 'Flying with the Cannons' magazines, and began to slide down the banister.
I wasn't really thinking about anything in particular, and was more concerned about  planning my route after landing at the bottom of the stairs. So you can imagine my surprise when I'm half way down the banister, and I spot Harry standing in the middle of the kitchen looking as though he has no idea how he got there, but grinning all the same.

"Harry!" I exclaim, jumping off the banister and running the remainder of the stairs down to the kitchen. I stop at the bottom, hesitating on how I should greet him. Then I cast everything aside and run to hug him. He hugs me back, his arms strong and warm around me.
The most peculiar thing happens during the few seconds I'm hugging him, this strange tingling feeling spreads through me, making me feel hot and giddy, and most unlike myself may I add. But perhaps Harry feels it too because when we pull apart, he's staring at me as if he's never seen me before. I feel my checks colour up and I step further away from him. I'm still unsure what just happened to us, but being unsure just makes me wary.
It's only then that we notice the presence of mum, Ron and Hermione, all with very different facial expressions. Mum is smiling at me and Harry fondly, love clearly etched into her face, Ron is staring at us both completely oblivious to everything as usual, and Hermione is grinning at us both with an "I told you so" look on her face.
I step away into the shadows, wrapping my arms around my shoulders in a sort of hug, as everyone else makes a fuss over Harry.