The Real You
Ginny dragged her feet as she walked towards the Great Hall. In truth, she wasn't very hungry at all. She just had to get away from the common room. It was too much watching Harry moan and groan over that cow, Cho Chang. Stupid Cho Chang, stupid Harry, stupid Ginny for saying yes to Neville.
'I mean really, what does he see in her?,' she thought to herself. Sure she was quite beautiful, in that exotic sort of way. And yes, she was very popular... good at Quidditch... smart. Given that she was in Ravenclaw, there was no doubt she was intelligent. And yes, all right! She was older, too. But other than that, Cho Chang wasn't anything special... much.
"Who am I kidding?" She muttered, dropping onto the bottom step of the marble staircase. Of course Harry was going to fancy Cho over Ginny! Cho never babbled or blushed or dropped things in front of him. Not to mention, Ginny highly doubted Harry would ever think of her as pretty.
What with hair the color of tomato, and those ghastly freckles that covered her entire body... No, Ginny didn't blame him for fancying Cho over her. It wasn't like there were other blokes that were lined up to go out with her either. Neville had only asked her to the ball because he didn't want to go alone.
"Stupid ginger hair and stupid freckles," she muttered beneath her breath.
"Ginny? What are you doing here? I thought you were going to go to supper?" Hermione was descending the marble staircase with her school bag slouched over her right shoulder. She took a seat next to Ginny, when she reached the bottom.
"And I thought you'd gone up to your room to study or rather get away from Ron," Ginny smiled.
Hermione scoffedand rolled her eyes. "I left a book in the library. What about you? You'll miss dinner if you don't hurry."
"I'm not really hungry," Ginny shrugged, it wasn't a lie.
Hermione gazed at her discerningly for a moment. "I suppose you're wishing you hadn't said yes to Neville?"
There were times Ginny thought Hermione was a mind reader. It was quite annoying.
"No, not really... well... maybe a little. Still, even if I hadn't agreed to go with Neville, and Ron had still told Harry to take me... I doubt he would have," she moped.
"What makes you say that?" Hermione asked, looking somewhat surprised. For a smart girl, Hermione could be dense at times.
"Oh come on, Hermione! It's not that hard to figure out why he fancies Cho and not me. Cho's never a complete klutz or blushes like a tomato or stammers in front of him. Not to mention, she's much more prettier than I," Ginny added the last part grudgingly.
"Well, he just doesn't know the real you!" Hermione proclaimed. Ginny noticed that she didn't contradict her about Cho being prettier. But she didn't retort since Hermione pressed on.
"I mean, you never act clumsy or even stutter a single word around other boys. And the only time I've seen you blush is around Harry. So... he doesn't really have fair opinion of you, does he? And yes, Cho is pretty, but that doesn't mean you aren't. The way I hear it from Lavender and Parvati, you've got half the boys in your year mad over you!" Hermione smirked.
Ginny shrugged her shoulders and scoffed. "That's only because I know all about Quidditch and stuff no other normal teenage girl knows. And I only know all that 'cause I have six brothers."
Her friend shook her head in disbelief. There were times that Ginny could be as dense as a boy. Perhaps it was because she grew up with nothing but brothers. Hermione pitied and envied her at the same time.
"Ginny, you're almost as thick as Ron and Harry are!" Hermione chortled.
"I thought you were trying to make me feel better, not insult me," Ginny grunted moodly.
"Look, just try to act more like yourself around Harry. Or better yet, try going out with other boys to get Harry off your mind. Then maybe, you can relax around him and he'll see the real you," she suggested.
"By then it'll be too late! Cho will probably have snapped him up," Ginny said resigned.
"I doubt that," Hermione rolled her eyes. "Besides, I think Cho might like Cedric Diggory a bit more than Harry. I mean, he is after all quite good looking. Not to mention very nice, I saw him chase off a few Slytherins who were trying to pick on a first year. And Harry's... well he's nice too but he's just... Harry. I think Cho's flattered by the fact that Harry Potter asked her out."
"D'you mean she fancies him, because he's famous and the whole Boy-Who-Lived stuff?" Ginny frowned.
"No, it's just that having someone as famous as Harry like her probably does good things for her ego. I mean, it's really nice knowing that Viktor Krum likes me," she smiled.
"Lucky you," Ginny snorted. She sighed deeply.
"Well, thanks for the sympathy and advice. I'll try to keep it in mind." Ginny stood up and headed for the door which lead to the basement.
"Where are you off to?" Hermione asked her.
"Kitchens. I'm not in the mood to talk to-"
"There you are, Hermione."
It was Harry.
"Hey Ginny," Harry said absentmindedly. "Hermione, look I know you're upset with Ron at the-"
"Don't worry Harry I'll help you with your potions essay, though heaven knows why you always wait until the last second to do it."
"Thanks Hermione. Oh sorry, I wasn't interrupting anything, was I?" he asked as an after thought and looked at Ginny.
She shook her head no, but didn't speak.
"No, we were done talking. See you later, Ginny and keep in mind what I said." Her friend smiled at her brightly.
Ginny gave Hermione a weak smile and a half hearted wave before she disappeared to the basement. She thought she'd done very good. She hadn't hardly glanced at Harry, and she didn't even blush. Maybe Hermione was right. Maybe she should just relax and try to be herself.