Disclaimer: The Harry Potter universe is owned by JKR. I'm making no profit by this.
A/N: Special thanks to Happydog for putting up with my delays and dashes! :)
Part Two
Coming to a Personal Understanding Wherein Ginny Discovers That She Has Lied to Herself
Hogwarts, Fall
Over the summer, Ginny did a fair job forgetting all about her encounter with Tonks, a better job convincing Hermione that she really was over Harry, and an even better job convincing herself of the same.
School began. Ginny decided not to tell Michael about the Order or the lie that she'd told him. It was partly guilt over her lie that kept Ginny from spending lots of time with Michael, and she regretted his absence; there wasn't nearly enough snogging to keep her mind off things. Every lesson with Professor Umbridge made Ginny increasingly nervous about Voldemort's return. Dumbledore may be right that Voldemort couldn't control her anymore, but that didn't make the idea of facing the Dark Lord without practical magic any less daunting.
If it wasn't for Fred and George, chocolate, Dungbombs, and Hermione's companionship, Ginny knew she'd be a nervous wreck.
Not that anyone else could tell. She made sure of that.
There was at least Hogsmeade to look forward to.
Snogging in five weeks, she thought when the whole school whispered about Harry's sanity.
Three weeks, she thought when Hermione told her that Draco had noticed Sirius at the station.
Two weeks, she thought when Hermione explained the lines branded into the back of Harry's hand. Harry had been guarding his hand from sight for several weeks, but Ginny managed to see it one breakfast when he passed the salt. After the news about how Harry's scars developed, it had been particularly difficult to convince Hermione's watchful eye that she was only concerned for Harry as she would be for any friend. Ginny thought she managed the feat rather well. After all, she was only interested as a friend, now.
When she heard about stupid git Percy's letter, it was all Ginny could do not to grab poor Neville, who was the nearest male in the common room at the time, and snog the living daylights out of him. Whoa -- OK -- perhaps not Neville—that would confuse him too much.Why didMichael insist on studying so much?
Therefore, she wasn't quite sure whether to be pleased when Hermione sounded her out about the Hog's Head meeting. She was overdue some serious snog escaping with Michael, and Ginny had planned on making use of the entire Hogsmead day, if possible.
"You can bring Michael," Hermione said when she hesitated. "In fact, perhaps you should bring Michael. Don't you think it's time to let your brother know? I've almost let it slip several times, now."
Irritated, Ginny snorted. "You've seen how protective he is about you and Viktor--imagine how much more protective my raging, freckled, hormonal, Dungbomb of a brother will be with me."
Hermione crossed her arms. "Ginny Weasley, I refuse to lie for you any longer, at least where Michael Corner is concerned. If you won't tell Ron, then I will."
Ginny shrugged, trying to appear as though she didn't care. "Fine, then." She couldn't help crossing her arms. Hermione might be older and smarter, but she was rubbish where Ron was concerned, sometimes. This was definitely not going to be fine.
They stared at one another.
Eventually, Hermione looked away, flustered. "Well, anyway...look, about the Hog's Head... Whether you bring Michael or not, you should be there, Ginny. For your own sake. I know how worried you've been ever since V…V..."
Ginny looked up sharply, then sighed and sank onto her bed. "I sometimes forget that you actually know about that whole diary incident. Guess I can't hide everything from you, can I?"
Hermione gave her a bittersweet smile. "Well, I do have ample experience reading Harry. I'm afraid you simply aren't much of a challenge in comparison."
Ginny grinned at that. There was so much Hermione did not know.
The next day, Ginny slipped out of her seat across from Harry and joined Michael and his friends at the Ravenclaw table. Michael gave her a broad smile.
"It's my favorite Gryffindor!" he said, kissing her cheek. He slipped his hand into hers and squeezed it under the table. "Excited for Hogsmeade? I've been looking forward to it for weeks, now."
He rubbed his thumb against hers and Ginny wriggled in her seat, happy in the sensations traveling up her arm.
From across the table, Terry Boot and Anthony Goldstein sniggered. "Michael's been mooning over you."
Anthony grinned. "Indeedy. Can barely concentrate on his studies."
Michael's neck flushed a bit. "I was trying to plan where to go..." he lowered his voice. Terry and Anthony got the hint and started a conversation about Charms. "Madame Pudifoot's will be crowded as it's the first weekend, but I thought we could get some Butterbeers at the Three Broomsticks, or--"
Ginny gave a hopeful look. "--Or we can go to Zonko's? You could replenish my Dungbomb stock?"
Terry betrayed that he was eavesdropping by spraying pumpkin juice across the table and laughing.
Michael grinned. "Sure."
Satisfied that he knew she was still looking forward to spending time together, Ginny decided to bring the conversation to where she wanted it.
"So how was Umbridge this morning? Beastly as usual?"
Michael made a face. "If she doesn't start teaching us useful stuff soon, I might consider gaining practical experience Malfoy style and start hexing my enemies."
Ginny giggled and, with the topic of Umbridge now sufficiently raised, she launched into her pitch. Hermione was right, after all. The more people Harry trained in practical defense, the better--hang Ron, anyway. Besides, Ginny still doubted Dumbledore a little--perhaps Voldemort would control her again. If he did, then Michael might end up needing to know how to defend himself against her (Should I tell him about first year?). By the end of her pitch, she was aware that Terry and Anthony were listening as well, and she extended Hermione's offer to them.
All too soon, the first Saturday of October arrived, and she was walking with the three boys to the Hog's Head.
It wasn't until Ginny was actually standing outside the Hog's Head that she felt nervous. She originally attributed the sensation to worry about how big of a git Ron might be if he found out about Michael, but she wasn't certain that's where her anxiety came from.
Michael and his friends entered without noticing that she had come to a stop. Greasy and filthy as the pub's windows were, Ginny could still make out the crowd assembling within--the bright Gryffindor scarves and the blurred images of three smears of hair: red, brown, and jet black. Ginny stood there in the strong wind, listening to the sign squeak as it swung.
"Having your doubts as well?" piped a voice from behind her. Ginny turned to find a tall, blonde boy looking down at her. "He's not the most stable nut, but I thought I'd see what the fuss was about."
Ginny was about to retort that he couldn't talk about her brother that way when she realized that the blonde boy was talking about Harry. She felt the familiar stirrings of anger, but managed to suppress them. It wouldn't do to get into a fight here and attract unwanted attention. Especially a fight about Harry...even more especially since Fred, George, and Lee had just turned the corner and were headed their direction. She'd never hear the end if she got into a fight defending Harry.
Putting on her brightest smile, Ginny said, "Yeah, I heard the bartender keeps a dodgy shop. Professor Flitwick told Hermione we should bring our own glassware. I'd stick with the Butterbeer, if I were you." She winked and then whispered, "But I think we should be fine."
The boy seemed taken aback, but Ginny was aware of him following her when she sallied through the door, into the smell of goats and dust.
The next few minutes were a blur as her brothers and Lee arrived and Butterbeers got passed about. Eventually, everyone had formed a seated crowd around Harry.
Poor Harry was looking bewildered and even a little angry with Hermione. Ginny winked encouragingly at her best friend when she looked her way--this was still a brilliant idea, whatever Harry might think initially. Then Hermione started speaking and the meeting began. Ginny was proud of Michael and his friends for saying nothing stupid. The tall, blonde boy managed to anger Ron, however, not that his words didn't anger Ginny as well.
But what caught Ginny's attention was that, when it came time for Harry to speak, he seemed absolutely unable to make eye contact with Cho Chang.
As the meeting wore on, Ginny found her attention drifting in and out, sometimes focusing on Harry, sometimes on Cho. She spoke up only to prevent Luna and Hermione from fighting, but the rest of the time, she was silent. Ginny wriggled her fingers between Michael's (under the table and out of Ron's sight, of course), and tried to ignore the sensation gathering within her, a sensation that strengthened whenever she looked at Cho. It felt vaguely familiar. She remembered last feeling it on the ride to Hogwarts, just before scourgify-ing plant slime from Harry's face. Cho had been there then, too.
Ginny was astonished when she realized that the sensation was jealousy.
Illumination
Gryffindor tower, October Hogsmeade Evening
After another sleepless hour had passed that night, Ginny decided that not many people could fool themselves as completely as she had. Around her, the other Gryffindor fourth year girls drew deep, dreaming breaths. Ginny pulled her covers to her chin, turned onto her other side, and shoved her arm beneath her pillow. How long have I been feeling this way?, she wondered.
Slowly, the memory of her conversation with Tonks returned to her. She had had many other conversations with Tonks, of course, but only one conversation that she tried to forget.
Become his friend, she thought. Well, I've done that now, in a way. She and Harry weren't close, but at least she wasn't always blushing around him, now, and they could exchange grins about Ron or smiles in the hall. Maybe it was being with Michael—maybe it was convincing herself that she had actually given up on Harry that had allowed her to befriend him. Maybe she had been subconsciously following Tonks's advice all along.
"I'm such an idiot," she mumbled, punching her pillow into shape. How had she managed to lie to herself so completely? One of her dorm mates drew a gasping breath and rolled over. Ginny sighed. Would this night never end?
Ok. So maybe she still had some feelings for Harry. Fine. That didn't mean that she had to run out and break things off with Michael (The post-Hog's Head snogging had been absolutely wonderful). Harry might talk to her sometimes; he might smile back at her when they passed each other between classes, but that still wasn't enough for her to get all misty-eyed and angsty about him again. The feelings might be there, but the "giving up" part must remain in effect: for sanity's sake, if nothing else.
"Right," she agreed.
However...Cho. What about this whole Cho business? Chang wasn't exactly suited to Harry's character, after all. Besides, Ginny thought. She hadn't wanted to talk to Harry when he had that Stinksap on his face, and she wears a Tornados badge when she obviously wasn't a born and raised Tornados fan. Bloody fair-weather fan.
What does Cho have that I don't? she wondered as sleep finally crept closer. They both had freckles and long hair, and Ginny knew she was just as attractive. So what else had attracted Harry to her?
"Mmm," Ginny mumbled into her pillow as her final, coherent thought came to her. Quidditch. That must be it. You have to admit... she is an excellent seeker...
Ginny grinned and pulled her blanket higher. So was she.
Becoming Bold
Hogwarts, Fall
Ginny didn't mean to become territorial. It just happened. When they found out where the Defense meetings were to be held, Ginny made sure to tell Cho Chang so that Harry didn't have to. When Cho came up with the clever name "DA" for the Defense Association, Ginny had to go one further and suggest "Dumbledore's Army." She was not oblivious to Harry's approval during their first DA duels, nor to the fact that Cho Chang was positively wretched at defense; she was worse than Michael.
Cho shot Ginny nasty looks in the hall and at DA meetings, but Ginny saw the looks more as positive encouragement than dissuasive. Ginny would think about Cho's glances at the end of the night, as she was about to fall asleep, and they always made her grin.
When Harry was given his Quidditch ban and Ginny sat beside him in the Common Room, she knew what she had to do. After all, how else had Cho truly garnered Harry's attention than through Quidditch?
Not that I'm doing this to get Harry's attention, Ginny told herself when she showed up for the Gryffindor tryouts. The team needed someone who was willing to give up his or her position once Harry's ban was lifted and Ginny didn't trust anyone else to do it.
Ginny thought she was doing rather well with Tonks's "become friends" tactic until the last DA meeting before Christmas. During the meeting itself, Ginny caught Harry looking at her occasionally, but it was usually with a sort of stunned, jealous expression (obviously, someone had told him she had been made Seeker). She also noticed the way he kept looking at Cho and finding excuses to walk past her and that whining Edgecomb girl.
Apparently, Cho was still winning the Harry battle, but Ginny believed that everything was on track...
...until Harry didn't show up back in the Common Room when everyone else did.
Ginny sat with Ron and Hermione for a while. Ginny and Ron worked on homework while Hermione labored over her letter to Viktor Krum--which Ginny found hilarious. How silly of Hermione to think that getting Ron jealous would actually do any good.
"Where's that git run off to?" Ron muttered. "It's been twenty minutes already! I was hoping to work on my Transfiguration paper with him."
"I noticed Cho Chang hanging behind after practice..." Hermione said absently. She always used that absent tone when she was trying to evoke certain reactions from others. Ginny tried to appear as though this news didn't interest her--she knew that the Brightest Witch of their Age was watching closely to see signs of jealousy. It was only a matter of time before Hermione called Ginny's bluff.
"Well, he'd better hurry up," Ron grumbled.
Ginny stayed a few minutes longer, then complained of fatigue and went to bed. Curses on Cho Chang, anyway. Judging by the length of time that Harry had been absent, it was obvious that he too had discovered the joys of snogging.
Foiled Again
Grimmauld Place, Christmas Evening
That was it, then. Cho and Harry were together. And git Harry had completely forgotten about the entire Chamber incident. So what if he had spent most of that first night of Christmas break, the very night of his first kiss with Cho, staring at her while they waited for news about Dad--stares didn't mean anything.
"It's strange," Hermione said as they dozed off. "We're finally getting somewhere, aren't we? Ron gave me that wretched perfume, and Harry's new attachment to Cho has given him the courage to talk to you more." Ginny froze. Hermione continued, "I thought you'd blown your chances for sure when you started arguing with him the other afternoon, but look at the pair of you, now. He never jokes with me that way. It must be confidence from kissing Cho--you know, like how dating Michael gave you confidence to talk to Harry. Well, not that Harry has noticed any change in himself, I'm sure." She sighed and muttered something about clueless boys.
"Hermione?" Ginny mumbled into her pillow. She was far too tired to get into an argument.
"Yes?"
"Sod off."
"Ginny!"
"Look," she said, turning over and propping an arm beneath her head. "Firstly, my being able to talk to Harry now has nothing to do with my dating Michael." She ignored the fact that she'd thought the very same thing not too long ago. "And secondly…"
"Harry noticed," Hermione blurted.
"WHAT?"
"When I told your brother about Michael, Harry asked if that was why you talked around him now. He's noticed."
Ginny gritted her teeth. "So you told Harry that I could talk to him now because of Michael?"
"No, I told Ron that you'd given up on Harry, and then Harry asked if that was why you could talk around him now, and I said it was because it is."
"Argh!" Ginny rolled onto her back and shoved her pillow over her face. After screaming, she threw the pillow at Hermione. "I can't believe you said that! You...argh! Some best friend you are. Gave up on him, gave up on him! Couldn't you at least have said that I was over him?"
Hermione threw the pillow back. "Well, I did say that you used to fancy him. I thought Harry deserved the truth; not that he'll understand the fine distinction between 'over' and 'gave up.' Honestly, it serves you right, lying to me the way you have been these last several months. Lying to me, to Ron, to...to... to Michael," she spluttered.
Ginny groaned. "Please, please just stop talking about this. I want to go to sleep."
"At least admit to the truth."
Ginny burrowed into her pillow. "What truth?"
"Ginny! Take that pillow from your mouth and answer me."
"Fine. So I still like Harry, big deal. You're an incredibly clever witch for figuring that out. Now let me sleep."
Hermione was silent for a long while, but Ginny knew that she wasn't yet asleep.
"Don't do anything," Hermione said eventually.
Ginny tried to figure out what Hermione was talking about and gave up. She sighed. "Do anything about what?"
"Cho. You can't interfere with Cho and Harry anymore, like you have been. He needs to have something normal for a little while."
Ginny snorted. "Girls who sob while you snog are not normal. Besides, it's not like I was making any progress, and whose side are you on, anyway?"
Hermione was silent. "Ginny, I love you like a sister, and you know I'd love for you and Harry to get together... but I love Harry like a brother, and I want him to be happy, too--even if he has made a rubbish choice. This Cho thing probably won't last, but Harry should have it anyway."
Ginny sighed and tried to ignore the prickling sensation in her eyes.
"Ginny?"
"Fine," she said tightly. "I won't interfere."
"Thank you," Hermione said quietly. "This means a lot to me."
But I'm not doing it for you, Ginny thought. In her mind's eye, she saw Harry as he had been that afternoon, grinning with her about Dad and his stitches, laughing at Ron and his spattergroit, joking with her about Professor Lockhart. There was something wonderful about a happy Harry.
A treasured image came of Harry, pensive by firelight as he stared at her for what had seemed minutes. Ginny's throat constricted. If Cho makes him happy...
"Ginny?"
"Yes?"
"Thanks for inviting me out here for Christmas."
Ginny swiped at her eyes and tried to swallow. "Well," she said hoarsely. "Harry needed you."
And then, at last, Hermione let her fall asleep.
Gits, Gitettes, and the White Flag
Hogwarts, Late Winter/ Early Spring
When the time came for the second Hogsmeade visit of the year, Ginny was more than happy that Angelina had ordered the team to spend the day on the Quidditch pitch. The only person that she wanted to spend a Valentines Day in Hogsmead with was going with Cho bloody Chang.
Michael was annoyed, of course--he kept complaining that she really aught to skive off for the day--but Ginny coolly informed him that she took her new position on the team very seriously, which was partly true. Mostly, Ginny dreaded Michael's subsequent hints that, if Ginny skived off practice, then he would take her to Madame Puddifoot's. Ginny knew that Cho Chang was partial to doilies and pink bows. The very idea of having to spend Valentines Day in a warm, humid tea shop with the boy she increasingly disliked while the boy she'd always loved sipped tea or coffee with the new love of his life made Ginny nauseous.
But, after practice, coming in partway through Harry and Hermione's conversation about Harry's failed date, Ginny wished she had been there after all, if only to see Cho's ploy backfire spectacularly.
She also wished she'd gone because Michael was starting to be a bit of a git. As the weeks passed, it became clear that he held a grudge against her for not skipping the Valentines Quidditch practice.
"You could at least have had dinner with me," he complained after bringing the topic up for what seemed the fiftieth time. "But, no. You had to have dinner with Harry, didn't you?"
It was the first time he had ever mentioned her crush on Harry. And, since when did a dinner bolted in complete silence in the company of her best friend and brother constitute a "dinner" with someone?
She and Michael were in the library, the only place she could find Michael these days. Ginny set down her quill and stared at him. Up until that point, she'd been ignoring most of what he had to say -- she was used to ignoring gits -- but this new accusation was enough to rouse her.
"Don't be stupid," she said coolly. Ginny had to shove her hands into her robe pockets to keep from grabbing her wand and hexing him. There was a box there: the chocolate frog George had given her for Valentine's Day. Emergency chocolate rations. This was rapidly becoming an emergency.
Michael muttered a few other things about how she had lied to him about her summer (exactly how Michael had discovered this was a mystery). Ginny tore open the box and bit into the frog's head before it could hop away. The arrival of an irate Madame Pince, shrieking about chocolate in the library, was the only thing that prevented Michael from wearing his bogies on his face for the next several hours.
Michael was right, of course. She could have made some effort to meet with him on Valentines Day. Of course, if he hadn't been so difficult about her skiving off practice, they might have arranged something beforehand.
Harry and Cho seemed wonderfully cold to one another during DA sessions until the Quibbler article came out, but this new understanding was thankfully short lived. When Marietta betrayed them to Umbridge, Cho chose the wrong side. Their second break-up was talked about even more so than their first -- spectacular -- break-up at Madame Puddifoot's.
Ginny wanted to be happy. She wanted to seize her chance with Harry, but she couldn't.
Harry looked absolutely miserable.
Over Easter break, Ginny spent a great deal of time watching Harry. He hardly ate. He pretended to Ron and Hermione that he was busy with OWL revisions, but his quill barely moved. She knew that others saw Harry as being preoccupied with studies, and his frowns did appear to be frowns of concentration, but Ginny knew better. She followed him from Common Room to Library to Great Hall, much as she had during the period of her childhood crush. This time, she followed out of some mysterious, masochistic impulse. Harry had a case of the sullens worse than Sirius had at Christmas, and Ginny knew why.
He was in love with Cho Chang after all.
As the week wore on, Ginny would catch a glimpse of Harry's face and have to run upstairs so that she could shriek or cry into her pillow. This was awful. Cho might have gotten over Harry, but Harry certainly hadn't gotten over Cho, and Ginny knew how long an unrequited crush could carry on.
"All right, Ginny?" came Hermione's voice. Ginny nodded into her pillow.
"Cramps," she lied. Heart cramps? Are there such things?
Ginny turned onto her side, glad that this jog upstairs had been for screaming rather than crying--at least puffy eyes wouldn't give her away.
"You talked to him about it again?" Ginny asked.
Hermione looked horrified. "And risk getting the silent treatment for another week? No thanks. I'm not stupid. Besides, Harry will forget about her eventually."
"Someone should talk to him about it," Ginny said, remembering what had happened over Christmas holiday.
"Harry will talk when he's ready."
Ginny snorted.
The next day, as Ginny rushed through a pre-practice breakfast, Ginny continued her observation of Harry. If Hermione was too afraid to speak to Harry, then there was little doubt that Ron would be afraid as well. When Mum's package of Easter eggs came through the mail, Ginny knew what had to be done. Someone had to talk to Harry.
And, if Cho makes him happy... she thought, remembering her promise to Hermione. Ginny swallowed to try to lessen the tightness in her throat. She blinked back tears. But there was nothing else to be done. Tonks said that she had to be a friend, and Hermione said that Harry deserved normalcy, and so there was nothing else to be done. Hermione said that Harry was absolutely hopeless when it came to women, and Ginny knew how to help.
It was time to lie again, time to perform, time to express her love in the only way that she safely could. Ginny took the chocolate eggs with her to practice, and vowed to find Harry afterwards.
After the Library
Hogwarts, Spring
Ginny lay in bed thinking about Harry's chocolaty grin. Again. She thought about how he was over Cho, and how everything she had dreaded these past few weeks was actually nothing to dread or worry about. It made her giddy. "It's not Cho I want to talk to..." she remembered Harry saying, and he talked to me.
Tomorrow was the big day: Seeker Ginny versus Seeker Cho. Harry would be watching, she had felt him watching throughout the Hufflepuff game, but this time it would be Ginny and her rival, half the reason why she had tried out for Seeker in the first place.
The game had barely begun when Ginny noticed Harry and Hermione leave the stands with Hagrid. She felt a brief flare of disappointment, but the sensation faded when Ron made his first save. Glaring at Cho's long ponytail, Ginny urged her broom forward so that they were side by side. Cho glared over at her.
"Ready to lose again?" Cho asked.
Ginny knew that Cho wasn't talking about the Hufflepuff game. She felt her cheeks flush with cold air and anger.
"Can't lose what you haven't had yet," Ginny said. "I don't think I'm the one who's lost something." She rolled into a feint, grinning at the swooping sensation in her stomach and the knowledge that Cho had tumbled after her and was struggling to keep up.
If the Seeking match was going to be catty, perhaps it was a good thing that Harry had left the match early...
Ginny and Cho taunted each other while they watched for the Snitch. As the game continued and Ron kept blocking shots, Ginny found her confidence growing. Cho's response times were slow, and she often acted out of rage or anger rather than careful thought. She was easy to trick into diving after flashes of light.
When Ginny spotted the Snitch, she led Cho one way, and then rocketed off towards her goal. Cho caught on and was after her with an intensity that surprised Ginny. This was the real thing, and Cho was really scary.
Perhaps I shouldn't have underestimated her, Ginny realized when Cho's broom was suddenly parallel to her own. They both rode, hands stretched out, fingers reaching for the snitch.
My Snitch, Ginny found herself thinking as her fingers closed around the jewel-like ball that fluttered like a heart. Mine and mine alone.
Ginny touched down softly and held the snitch close to her while the Gryffindor stands grew loud and wild. Their cheers seemed dim to her ears; Ginny felt wrapped in serenity. The only thing she was aware of was the fluttering snitch in her hand, and the irate shrieking of Cho Chang. Everything else seemed muffled, even the rantings of Michael Corner when he at last joined her on the pitch.
"I can't believe you did that!" Michael shouted at her. "I told you: Gryffindor doesn't have a chance at the house cup. Ravenclaw stands a better chance of beating out Slytherin, and you took that chance away!"
"Go stuff yourself," Ginny said calmly. "You might want to go help Cho. She seems to have misplaced her broom."
"Ginny!"
Ginny felt some of her awareness return. She regarded him coolly. "It's over, Michael." And, so saying, she wandered off to enjoy a hard-won celebration, and rejoice that she had finally one-upped Cho Chang in a way that would satisfy Ginny for a very long time.
Decisions
Summer, Hogwarts.
"So that's it," Ginny confided to Luna as they walked the Hogwarts corridors late one evening. "No more lies. No more pretending to love boys that I don't, no more pretending not to love boys that I do like."
Luna gave her a dreamy look. "Well you'd hardly be you if you didn't," she said. "And who would you be then?"
Ginny frowned as she tried to make sense of Luna's statement.
It was at that point that the shouting began. Ginny recognized Harry's voice instantly. Without speaking, she and Luna took the last steps to the door.
Harry shouted something about rescuing sisters from basilisks. Cheeks burning, Ginny hoped Luna wouldn't understand.
"It's a good plan," Luna said absently. "This friend of yours, Tonks, has the right of it." "Might as well be friends if you can't be something else."
"Luna--"
Harry shouted something.
"And," Luna continued, "It sounds as though Harry needs a friend who'll listen. You're very good at that, you know."
Hermione shouted back.
Ginny looked at the door in uncertainty.
"Besides," Luna said. "You're funny, and Harry needs funny people...why else would he hang out with Ronald?"
Ginny tried not to snort. Ginny knew she was funny because she planned it that way, whereas Ron was funny because he had a propensity to say ridiculous things. But Luna was right.
Harry was shouting again.
Feeling very uncertain, as though this one decision affected much more than the immediate moment, Ginny gathered up her courage and opened the door.