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No Pride To Stand Between Us
By St Margarets

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Category: Canon Challenge (2004-4)
Characters:None
Genres: Fluff
Warnings: None
Story is Complete
Rating: PG-13
Reviews: 52
Summary: ** Winner of Best Romance in the Canon Challenge **
A duel and a trip to McGonagall's office are all Harry and Ginny need to sort out their feelings.
Hitcount: Story Total: 10504



Disclaimer: Harry Potter Publishing Rights © J.K.R. Note the opinions in this story are my own and in no way represent the owners of this site. This story subject to copyright law under transformative use. No compensation is made for this work.





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A/N I just want to remind the readers that this was written for the Canon Challenge. The big, honking mistakes are deliberate! The smaller, annoying mistakes are just . . . me. Hopefully, none of the mistakes will take away from your enjoyment of yet another story about Harry finally waking up.

1) Ginny is going north to the castle from the lake, so the sunset would not be over it. 2) Bat-Bogey Hex 3) Fred and George first mention it. Then Ron 4) Expelliarmus 5) Lumos 6) Up the hill 7) Don’t go through the Great Hall 8) Wall is of stone, not brick 9) Ravenclaw ghost is a tall, thin woman 10) Ginny is restricted by under-age magic law — not Molly 11) Angelina is no longer at Hogwarts Harry’s sixth year 12) They lost all those points his first year 13) Prior Incantato Spell 14) That spell only shows what the wands did before, not how quickly.

No Pride to Stand Between Us

Harry was sitting in the Hogwarts library with books open and quill in hand, but his thoughts were not on his homework. Tomorrow was the first Hogsmeade weekend, and he would be going alone. He'd be with Ron and Hermione, of course, but that was as good as being alone, seeing how wrapped up they were in each other. Sure he could hook up with Neville or Seamus, but that just didn't sound like fun.

Third year going to Hogsmeade in and of itself was a thrill. Now, in his sixth year, he just wanted more . . .But more what?

Harry heard someone sit at the table behind him. Idly, he turned to see that it was Ginny, and that she wasn't looking in his direction. She was arranging her books and parchment in such a studied way that Harry wondered what she could be up to.

The answer came when Dean ambled in. Dean, that's right. Ginny chose him. She said that on the train to Ron. Harry began to quietly gather his things. He did not want to hear what Ginny and Dean had to say to each other.

It was too late.

"Hey, you wanted to talk to me?"

"Hi, sit down."

Dean chose to sit directly behind Harry, effectively blocking him in. Harry tried to close his ears.

"S'up?"

"I wanted to know if you would go to Hogsmeade with me tomorrow," Ginny said all at once.

There was silence.

"Oh - yeah - right then." Dean shifted so vigorously in the chair that Harry could hear it squeak in protest. "I can't . . . I'm already going with some mates."

"Oh - maybe some other time then," Ginny said jauntily.

"Um." The chair groaned again.

"Look Ginny, I have a girlfriend . . .back home. She's a Muggle - but she knows about Hogwarts. I don't want to mess that up."

"I didn't know . . ." Ginny trailed off.

"Right - well - I'll be seeing you around." He pushed back so abruptly that he crashed into Harry.

"Sorry, Harry," he said as he quickly left the library.

He didn't dare look at her. He wondered how she felt. It had to be worse to have someone overhear . . .well, he'd never tell.

"You might as well look at me, Harry. I know you heard everything."

He turned around. She looked flushed and her eyes were bright.

"Er."

"You don't have to say anything," Ginny said in a trembling voice. "I'm going."

She stood up and started to stuff her books and papers pell-mell into her satchel. Harry saw one tear run down her cheek.

Without really thinking about what he was going to do, Harry got up, grabbed her by the elbow, and propelled her out of the library. "Come on."

"My things."

"You can get them later." Harry steered her down the corridor and down the stairs. Where to go? He knew Ginny wouldn't want to face the common room with a tear-stained face.

Outside, away from curious eyes, seemed to be the best place. Harry pushed open the door to the shadowy and silent courtyard. After the stuffy library, the air felt fresh and damp. Even though the sun was fading in the late afternoon sky, and it was strictly against the rules to be out on the grounds at this time of day, Harry thought a walk might calm her down. The lake seemed to be the best destination.

Harry didn't say anything as they picked their way over the muddy spots. A tiny breeze barely ruffled the silver surface of the lake. It was very quiet, now that Ginny had stopped crying.

Ginny stood still, and looked around, as if she was noticing her surroundings for the first time.

"We're not supposed to be out this time of day."

"I know. I just thought you might like to be away from people."

She gave a short, derisive laugh. "I'm humiliated enough as it is. I don't think any more people witnessing it would make much of a difference."

"It's just me. I'm not going to tell anybody."

"It's worse that you, of all people, know."

Harry was taken aback. "Why? Ginny, I don't think there is much pride left to stand between us."

"What do you mean by that?" she asked sharply as she turned to him, looking more upset.

"I . . ." Harry floundered. "I mean you saw me looking like an idiot in front of Cho . . . I had green sap all over my face . . . and you were great about it . . .I mean . . ."

"You just don't get do you?" Ginny clenched her fists.

"Get what?" Harry was starting to get angry. He hadn't signed on for an argument when he pulled her out of the library. It didn't seem fair that she was taking her frustrations out on him.

"Why do you think I asked Dean to Hogsmeade?" Ginny demanded.

"How should I know? You fancy him or something?"

"To protect myself from you!" Ginny practically shouted.

"What the hell, does that mean? I'm your friend! You don't need to protect yourself from me."

"Some friend! Since we've come back to school you barely talk to me. After all our talks this summer . . .after all the time we spent together . . .. " Ginny stalked off toward the castle; the sunset was a strip of dull peach and gray over the battlements.

Harry watched her for a minute. She was right, they had spent a lot of time together this summer. But it was so different at school. Why? He had never thought of it before.

"Ginny, wait!" He sprinted after her.

She whirled around. "Don't worry about me." Then she laughed that ugly laugh again. "But you wouldn't worry, would you? This whole conversation will affect you about as much as breakfast - you'll have forgotten it by lunch!"

"That's not true-"

Ginny cut him off as she drew out her wand. "Maybe if I hexed you, you'd remember that!"

"Have you gone mad?"

Harry felt the spell narrowly missing his left ear. He hoped that she wasn't going to try that Bat-Boogey Hex Ron had always admired.

He took out his wand and deflected the next one. It went into the ground sending up a spray of mud and grass.

Ginny screwed her mouth in concentration. She looked determined to get the better of him. Another hex-this one whizzed harmlessly by. Immediately after, came another-which Harry had to deflect into the ground. Soon, it looked like fountains of dirt were exploding all around them.

Harry remembered the DA sessions when he noticed how formidable Ginny was against Michael Corner. Apparently the poor lad was not being polite.

Then the rhythm of her dueling changed. She became more controlled, more forceful. Maybe she's not angry anymore, he thought. But what is going on in her head? Harry couldn't tell, but he knew that he'd better pay attention. He had never dueled with her before. He didn't know she was so good. Maybe that's what she's trying to tell me.

Harry was so intent on watching Ginny that he didn't notice anyone approaching.

"Exempelliarmu s!"

Their wands flew through the air. Without the light and noise of the constant spell work, it was quite dark. Harry couldn't see who it was, but he thought with a sinking heart that it was Professor McGonagall who had caught them out of bounds, using magic.

Harry looked over at Ginny. He couldn't see her face clearly, but he could hear her breathing rapidly. She must be tired, he thought. He certainly was, and he was only deflecting curses.

"Lumios,"said Professor McGonagall's crisp voice.

Harry squinted against the sudden light in his face.

"Potter! - and Miss Weasley? What is the meaning of this? Out of bounds! Not at supper! And when I find you-you're dueling!"

Harry heard Ginny give a big sniff. He opened his mouth to say something, but McGonagall cut him off.

"Save it until we get to my office." She turned on her heel and stalked down the hill toward the castle.

They trudged behind, not speaking, but walking side by side. It was completely dark now; the stars were out and the wind was cool. Harry heard Ginny shivering. Wondering how she would respond, he shrugged off his jumper and threw it around her shoulders.

Ginny faltered and then drew it more securely around her neck.

The journey to the castle seemed interminable. Harry wondered what on earth he was going to tell Professor McGonagall. There was no doubt they would get detention and Gryffindor would be docked points.

But the worst part was that they would have to walk through the Great Hall to reach McGonagall's office - and there would be questions. Harry didn't want that for Ginny; she was humiliated as it was - all of Hogwarts didn't need to know about this escapade.

Luckily, supper was over and the Hall was empty. "Potter you wait in the corridor. I want to talk to Miss Weasley alone."

Harry leaned against the cold brick wall and closed his eyes. He felt so at sea. He tried to be nice to Ginny, but ended up getting them both in trouble. Why is she so angry with me? She said I'd forget it like I forgot breakfast.

He didn't think he would ever forget the sight of Ginny's eyes flashing as she hurled at him every jinx, hex, and curse she had ever learned.

It was quiet in this corridor. The Ravenclaw ghost, a short woman in a nun's habit, drifted through the wall, taking no notice of him.

Professor McGonagall came out into the corridor, gently shutting the door behind her. She looked serious, but no longer angry. Harry took heart from this. "Ginny? Is she all right?"

She studied him for a moment before she answered. Harry noticed, inconsequentially, that she had to look up at him. When did that happen?

"I asked Miss Weasley if she was afraid of you - if that was why she was throwing every spell she knew your way."

"What! But - I wouldn't -"

"And she said that no, she wasn't afraid of you, but of herself."

Harry stared at her, totally confused.

"She must trust you a lot, Mr. Potter."

He bit out a laugh. "I don't see that. Hate me a lot - but trust?"

"You're probably the only student in the school who could have withstood that assault with no harm done. You were a safe person for her to let out her anger."

"But - she's upset with me, not upset in general. And I don't know why."

"I think you should find that out. I want you to go in there and sort this out."

"What do I do? What do I say?"

Her face softened slightly. "Some wounds can only be healed by the same weapon that inflicted them." With that cryptic comment she left, carrying both their wands.

He watched helplessly as McGonagall turned a corner and vanished from sight. At least Ginny can't hex me, he thought.

As he quietly opened the door, he remembered the last time he had been in this office with Ginny. Fawkes had lead them here from the Chamber. He had been worried about her then too.

She was sitting in one of two straight-backed chairs facing the professor's desk. She still had his jumper around her shoulders, and her hair was mussed up.

"Hey," he said softly, as he sat in the chair next to hers.

"I'm sorry I hexed you," she said stiffly, looking at her hands, "that was completely uncalled for."

"You're really good you know. Did you practice on Ron all summer?"

She stole a look at him out of the corner of her eye. "No - like Mum would let me. She heaved a sigh, "No, you taught me everything I know." Then she lapsed into silence.

Harry didn't know what to say to this. He felt lost all over again. Ginny, who was always so open and fun, was not looking at him or encouraging him in any way.

He knew that even if she started to rain hexes on him, it was better than this wooden silence.

"Look, I'm sorry for getting us in trouble by taking you outside. I was just trying to help."

"I know you were." Ginny continued to study the certificates hanging over the professor's desk.

"Aren't you going to talk to me?"

"Would you miss it if I didn't talk to you? Would you notice, I wonder?" she said to the wall.

"I'm noticing now! Blimey Ginny! I can't take much more of this! If I'm the villain I at least want to know why!"

His anger sparked hers. "It's not you, it's me!" She stood up and loomed over him. "I'm tired of feeling the way I do, and you not noticing I'm alive! You're right! There is no pride between us! At least on my side." She sat down with a thump and crossed her arms over her chest, avoiding his eyes yet again.

"Ginny, there aren't any sides here. I'm on your side."

She rolled her eyes.

"No wait," Harry said heatedly, "why do you assume I don't know you're alive?"

She turned a stony face to him. "Prove it."

"For breakfast," he began in a fierce voice, "you had porridge and toast with jam - but you only ate half the toast. At lunch you sat between Angelina and Katie and you ate all of your soup - but only half of your sandwich. This afternoon you had Charms and this morning you had Potions."

Ginny turned to him, astonished. "How did you know that?"

"Because I know you're alive."

"Maybe you just notice things - that doesn't prove anything."

"I'm the nitwit who forgets breakfast, remember? You can't have it both ways, Ginny!"

To his great surprise, she started to laugh, with real humor. He had to smile too, his anger evaporating as quickly as mist in the sun.

"Oh, Harry-I don't think you're stupid. I just think you don't care. There's a difference, you know."

"But I do care about you!"

"Then why don't you talk to me?" Ginny asked in a reasonable way, which encouraged him enough to try to give her an honest answer.

"Because you're always surrounded by a million people, for one thing. And Hermione told me that you were over me, whatever that means. And, well, I thought you were going out with Dean." He took a deep breath and continued, "I would have asked you to Hogsmeade if I had known."

Ginny pivoted toward him so that her knees brushed his. "You would have?" Ginny's eyes narrowed as she assessed the truth of what he was saying.

"I would have." And Harry realized that this was true. That vague disquiet, that restlessness he had been feeling ever since he had seen Ginny again at the Burrow - it all made sense now. Some part of his brain had filed her away as "off limits" so long ago that he had never let himself think about her.

She was still searching his face.

"I wish you would believe me. I wouldn't lie about something like this. It's true. I have been avoiding you - I guess I was protecting myself, just like you were protecting yourself." Harry held his breath. Did she trust him enough to believe what he had only discovered in the last half hour?

"What were you protecting yourself from?"

"I don't know." He took a deep breath; this seemed to be the time for the moment of truth. "If I acknowledged - even to myself - that I liked you - and then if I had to see you prancing around with someone else . . ." Then to his horror, all his hurt and confusion surfaced when he repeated, "I thought you were going out with Dean."

"You thought that because I wanted you to." Her eyes were full of remorse. "I shouldn't have done that. I'm sorry."

He wanted that sad expression to go away. "It's not your fault. I could have asked you if you were really going out with Dean."

She smiled ruefully, "And I could have just invited you to go to Hogsmeade with me instead of cursing you."

Suddenly the situation didn't seem so dire. He said with a light heart, "So I'm afraid of you, and you're afraid of me. We're pathetic excuses for Gryffindors. Ginny will you go to Hogsmeade with me tomorrow?"

"Yes - that is if we aren't cleaning the Great Hall with a toothbrush."

Harry groaned. "I forgot about McGonagall!"

"I'm sorry I got us in this mess."

"Don't be - I needed to wake up - and it was good practice."

"Still the Defense against the Dark Arts teacher, aren't you?" she asked, smiling at him fondly.

"Mr. Potter, Miss Weasley, I trust you resolved your differences?" Professor McGonagall asked as she walked to her desk, their wands in her hand.

Harry thought about what they must have looked like when she walked in: two people facing each other, knees touching, talking so quietly and intently that they didn't hear the door open. Somehow, he didn't think that she was surprised to see them this way - it was almost as if she knew that they liked each other before they did themselves . . .

"It's time to talk about your punishment. You will both have a detention, of course. As for points against Gryffindor - I'd say fifty points apiece is fair."

One hundred points! Harry felt sick. He hadn't lost Gryffindor so many points since his second year. That was sure to be noticed - by the entire school. Ginny looked stricken.

Professor McGonagall handed back their wands. "By the way Miss Weasley, we preformed Priori Incantatem on your wand. You threw seventy-five curses, hexes and spells in ten minutes. Excellent work. Fifty points for Gryffindor. Potter, you deflected them all. Fifty points as well."

Then she gave them a rare smile. "I think you both have met your match."

Reviews 52
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