The Golden Wand [Harry Potter/Percy Jackson]

Chapter 40: Girl Trouble

Harry POV:

"Ginny, will you be my date to the ball? No, that's not it... Ginny, I was wondering if you hadn't been asked to the ball yet - no, that's crap. Ginny, please come with me to the ball... or I will set the school on fire - what am I saying?" I sighed and sunk into my bed. This was impossible. I wanted to ask Ginny out so badly but every time I thought of asking her my brain would go fuzzy - the words just wouldn't form. No matter how many times I practiced I still said something stupid. 

"Girl trouble?" Said Nico from behind me. I screamed in shock, jumping up from my bed. 

"Nico? When.. what... when did you get here?" 

"Like, five minutes ago," the younger boy shrugged. He held a half-eaten chocolate frog in his hand. "I just blend into the shadows sometimes."

"How much of that did you hear?" I blushed. 

He stared at me with amused eyes. "Considering the fact that I've been standing here for five minutes, being completely silent and watching you, I think I would have to say all of it."

"Oh, Christ, well... don't tell anyone-"

Of course, that's the moment that Percy, Jason and Nico decided to walk in. The three of them were slightly wet, telling me they had just come from the pool. 

"- don't tell anyone what?" Percy smiled, reaching for a towel in his drawers and ruffling up his already messy hair. 

"Harry doesn't know how to ask Ginny to the ball," Nico explained. The boys' smiles widened.

"Nico! I said not to say anything!" I yelled, throwing a pair of dirty socks at his head. He dodged them easily, a grin still plastered on his face. 

"Don't worry about it, dude, you're secret safe with us," Jason smiled. 

"Yeah, and if you need any help you could always ask us," Percy flashed a cocky grin. "We all seem to be doing pretty well in that department."

"Well, that's unfair," I protested. "You're already in a relationship, and so is Nico - I bet it was really easy asking your partners out."

"Actually, I asked Will... but then Nico overheard and kicked me in the balls, and then Annabeth asked me out of pity," Percy winked. Nico nodded to confirm his story. 

"Wonder Boy over here just asked our Fleur," Draco winked at Jason. "You should have seen it, she practically swooned when he asked."

Jason's pale cheeks shone crimson. 

"How did you do it?" I asked hesitantly. "Like, what did you say?"

"I, um, just asked her," Jason shrugged. "I think you're overthinking it, dude. Really, it's just a case of going up to her and asking her to be your date to the Ball. Nothing much to it."

"Right, but what if she rejects me?" I questioned. Jason stared back at me blankly. I rolled my eyes. "You've never been rejected before, have you?"

The Goode Head Boy blushed apologetically. 

"I've been rejected before!" Percy said happily. "By Nico, actually! He said I wasn't his type."

Despite the smile on his face, Percy sounded genuinely offended. Nico rolled his eyes and held up his middle finger to Percy. Draco stood up quickly and clapped me on the shoulder. 

"Honestly, Harry, it'll be fine," Draco insisted. "I just asked Granger out, and we've been a thing for way shorter than you and Ginny have-"

"-What? Ginny and I aren't a thing..." I protested, but all the boys chuckled as if I was joking.