Lost Memories // Drarry

Chapter 43: Go On a Date with Me

"Will you go on a date with me?"

"Yes."

***

Harry's stomach swirls with a mix of butterflies, nerves, and excitement. He looks at himself in the mirror.

He combed and styled his hair, and it looks so different. It doesn't even really look like him. He frowns as he pats it. But his friends said he should style it for his date, so that's what he did. He even wore nice clothes: dress slacks and a white button-down shirt.

Harry continues to frown at himself in the mirror as his eyes criticize him, pulling apart his confidence viciously. He's gotten too skinny, and it shows. His clothes are loose on him, and he had to belt his pants which generally didn't need to be belted.

He sighs and swipes his hand through his hair. Then he curses. He can't mess his hair up. He groans as he looks at the pieces that now stick out. He tries to flatten it, but it fails, and so he walks away.

What do you even bring on a date? What do you say? Is it going to be incredibly awkward and weird? Yes.

Harry walks into the common room and is met with whistles and calls. His cheeks go red, and he looks down sheepishly.

Hermione walks up to him with a smile.

"I'm really glad you're doing this, Harry. I think it will be good for you," she says. Harry can't seem to figure out what's up with her. Her smile is so perfect that it's almost forced. "After everything you've been through, it will be nice to have some fun and get away from it for the night."

He nods, and she clasps her hands together.

"Where's Ron?" Harry asks as he scans the room.

"He's sulking," Hermione rolls her eyes, and Harry finally spots him in a chair in the corner of the common room. He's wearing a scowl and avoiding Harry's eye contact. "He doesn't approve of it..." Hermione says absentmindedly as she looks at him. Harry looks at Hermione in an attempt to read her. He can't.

"Anyways!" Harry startles as she turns to him abruptly. "You'll be late! You have to go now." She shoos him off, and he stumbles towards the door.

They're supposed to meet in the courtyard, where they will then go to Hogsmeade. The eighth years are allowed to go pretty much whenever.

Harry makes his way down to the courtyard slowly. It's like he is trying to prolong the inevitable.

He takes a deep breath and attempts to shake out his nerves before stepping out of the shadows into view.

A few people mill about, but he doesn't spot his date. His eyebrows go together. Does he have the wrong time? Is he early? Late?

Then he sees them, and his breath leaves him.

"Ginny..." He mumbles as he blinks at her. He has a split second of confusion, but he shakes it off and covers it with a smile as he approaches her.

"Harry!" She exclaims gleefully when she notices him. She runs up to him and goes in for a hug, but Harry dodges it. It's painfully awkward. She clears her throat. "You look nice."

"You too." He isn't sure what to say. It's...weird. And they have only just started their date.

"Oh, thanks." They stare off for a few seconds before Ginny cuts the silence. "So? Should we go ahead?"

Harry nods, and they start walking.

The silence is deafening.

He's not sure what he thought when he agreed to go on this date. Maybe because it seemed so painfully...normal? So easy, and Harry searches for that in his life.