Ginny Weasley sighed as she gave her hair one last glance in the mirror. "As if what I'm doing will make any difference at all," she said to herself as she hurried downstairs. It had been some time since she'd "moved on" and started dating other guys in an attempt to forget Harry Potter, now, in her fifth year, she knew her efforts had been useless. It seemed she'd never get over him, and as for Harry, it seemed she barely existed in his world.
But today, at least, he would have to acknowledge her existence. The Gryffindors had decided to resurrect the practice of Boxing Day and teams had been assigned to make boxes for different teachers. By some matter of luck, she had been assigned with Harry, but unfortunately they had been assigned to fill a box for Professor Snape. Hermione and Ron were filling a box for Dumbledore, and Neville and Dean, while unhappily not assigned to team up with someone of the opposite sex, nevertheless had the fun job of filling a box for Hagrid.
Ginny had to admit to being a bit nervous about the planned Hogsmeade shopping trip with Harry, although she tried to deny it. "I'm just not into him anymore." she kept telling herself. But then again, she was going to spend the day with him, and that had never happened before. "Must admit, this is one tradition I would like to start!" Plus there was the added challenge of trying to please a professor that she absolutely loathed. When Harry had drawn Snape's name, he had flung the bit of parchment down with frustration, cursing his bad luck. But when he had drawn Ginny's name as partner, he had quite a different reaction. A small smile, and a wink that melted her heart. No, it just gave her warm fuzzies. No, it didn't do anything to her at all. He was just not into her. But she wasn't in to him either, right? So it didn't matter at all. Not one bit.
By now, Ginny had reached the stairs and saw that Harry, Ron and Hermione were waiting for her below. "Hi, guys! Sorry I'm late, I'm having a really bad hair day!" Hermione smiled sympathetically and started to reply but Ron grabbed Ginny's arm and said, "Would you come on already?" and pushed her out the door. "Well, excuse me!" Ginny bit back. Hermione rolled her eyes, grabbed Ron's arm and led him ahead, shouting back at Ginny, "Your brother has the manners of a garden gnome," and proceeded to tear into Ron viciously for his lack of social graces. "But she's just my little sister!" she heard Ron replying in feeble defence.
Ginny glanced over at Harry, who was red-faced with embarassment, but who also had a sly grin on his face. Ginny felt absolutely humiliated over Ron's last remark, since it seemed a reinforcement of all that Harry would ever see her as- Ron's little sister (not that it mattered AT ALL that he would). But Harry didn't seem to be thinking about it, he was watching Ron and Hermione walk off together and suddenly said, "You should have heard what she said earlier. Ginny, I hope you know that wasn't about you at all."
"What's that, Harry?"
"I think Ron and Hermione were looking for a way to be alone, don't you?" he asked, looking at her with a big grin on his face.
Ginny suddenly smiled. "I think you're right, Mr. Potter. So where does that leave us?"
Harry looked down quickly, seeming to stare at one particular snowflake for a moment, then looked back up at Ginny and said, "I think it leaves me to go shopping with the prettiest girl at Hogwarts, who is most definitely NOT having a bad hair day."
Ginny started. It seemed her mind had ceased to function as she tried to take that in, and fumbly tried to think of a reply. Of course, it was hard to think of a reply when she couldn't even think of a single word in the English language. When reason finally returned, all she could think was, "He's just being nice- you know he's just not that into you. He's just not that into you. He's just not that into you. Uh, wait a minute, SAY SOMETHING, you idiot!" Gathering her composure, she took Harry's arm, looked into those deep green eyes and said, "Why thank you, most handsome sir! Perhaps we'd better go bestow our ravishing good looks on the good citizens of Hogsmeade?"
Harry looked a bit put out for a second but then grinned. "Then come with me, my fair lady!"
The walk into Hogsmeade was pure intoxication. It was gently snowing, and there was much to talk over. Quidditch, Ron and Hermione, the general state of things in the Wizarding World, and of course, the big question of what to purchase for Professor Snape. "Cheese is always good," thought Ginny, but before she could say it, Harry grabbed her hand.
"You'll think I'm crazy, Ginny, but now I'm really glad I drew Snape's name."
"You must be joking!"
"It's time I proved to Snape that I'm not my father."
Ginny stopped walking. "Excuse me?"
Harry looked around and saw a log they could sit upon. "Do you mind?"
"No, not at all."
They sat down and Ginny watched him patiently while Harry fumbled for words.
"Last year I saw one of Snape's memories of my Dad and Mum in his pensieve."
Ginny gasped. "Does he know you saw it?"
"Uh...did you never wonder why he stopped giving me Occulmency lessons last year?"
"Oh...I see...but you must have seen something important!"
"I saw Dad and company picking on him. It was kind of like watching me and Malfoy, except Dad was, well...spiteful. Kind of stripped me of my Dad-hero-worship, you know? He wasn't Mr. Perfect Potter. In fact, he did it just to show off in front of my Mum. He must have fallen for her a long time before she fell for him, because she was furious at him for humiliating Snape."
"Furious,Harry? I rather think she was really into him, otherwise she wouldn't have reacted that way. Maybe she wouldn't admit that she cared about him until he showed her that he was above showing off, or acting the tough guy. Maybe she just wanted him to be himself around her and not try to be someone he wasn't. To me, that's showing real love."
Harry was quiet for a minute. "So...you mean she could love my Dad despite the fact that he wasn't perfect all the time? That he wasn't a hero?"
"Harry, your Dad WAS a hero. He did extraordinary things and don't forget, he died defending you and your Mum. If that's not being a hero, I don't know what a hero is. Heroes aren't perfect, Harry. Look at yourself- you're a hero but you're not perfect either."
"Ouch!" said Harry, "Once upon a time, you thought I was perfect, Ginny."
Ginny took a deep breath. Harry was not into her, he was not into her..."I did. But now that we've become friends, I know that you're just as faulty as the rest of us. But you have an enormous capacity to...umm...love. Anyway, you're no less a hero to me now than you were when I was a little girl. now you're just a more accessible and realistic one."
"I can do accessible," Harry whispered, and locked eyes with her.
"He's just not that into you. He's just not that into you," repeated over and over in Ginny's mind. "Get a hold of yourself, Ginny Weasley, he's just not that into you." But she was getting lost in those big green eyes. "Well, maybe, no, no, NO...he's just not that into you."
Ginny abruptly stood up. "Well, come on, Mr. Accessible Hero, let's go find Snape a gift that will build bridges over generational quagmires!"
****
On Boxing Day morning, the Gryffindors cheerily set out to make their deliveries. "Are you sure that's the right box?" Hermione asked Ron several times. "I wouldn't touch that box if I were you" was heard as Seamus reached to grab Hagrid's gift, but he had no need to fear. Hagrid received a pet rock, which he found to be not a very interesting pet until he discovered it highly entertained Fluffy, as all three heads competed for it. Dumbledore received woolly socks, and with a twinkle in his eye stated that he had never received a gift he had wished for more. All deliveries were made and fun was had by all until it came time, finally, for Harry and Ginny to present their gift to Snape.
"Uh...guys...maybe Gin and I had better take this one ourselves. It might not be pretty."
"Oh, okay, if that's the way you really feel," said Neville, whose face instantly showed relief. The other Gryffindors agreed, and Harry and Ginny set out on their own to Snape's small, sparse house on the edge of the Hogwarts' grounds.
"Do you think he'll understand, Gin?"
"It doesn't matter if he does or not, Harry. What does matter is that you make the effort."
Harry took a deep breath and knocked on Snape's door.
Snape opened the door and glared at them. "Well, if it isn't Potter and Miss Weasley. Just why are you here?"
Harry handed him the box. "Happy Boxing Day, Professor."
Snape snorted. "What's this?"
"It's a Boxing Day gift for you, sir."
Snape snarled. "It's obvious Luna Lovegood probably made that box. Mr. Potter, I don't give or receive gifts for the holidays," and tried to give it back to Harry, but Harry wouldn't take it, so Snape just flung it into his front yard. The package magically disappeared, but flowers began to appear all over his yard, peeping out through the snow.
Snape froze.
The flowers were lillies.
"These are to remind you, Professor, that there are kind and good people in this world. My Mum was one of them. She always stood up for you. Professor..." Harry took a deep breath and looked directly into Snape's eyes. "I am not only my father's son, but also my mothers. I love them both, and they are both with me."
Snape didn't say anything, but cut his eyes away from Harry to the lilies, which were now growing profusely in his yard. Harry thought he saw a tear well up in Snape's eyes, but Snape merely turned to face him again, inclined his head in acknowledgement, and turned around and went back into his house, closing the door behind him.
Harry and Ginny walked slowly back towards Hogwarts through the snow. "Not very accessible, but I guess it's a start," said Harry.
Ginny nodded. "I think that was the first time he saw your heart, Harry. Give him some time."
"Have you seen my heart, Gin?"
Ginny turned and looked at him. "Harry?"
"You seem to understand me so well, I thought for sure you must have. But I guess the fairy tale is over, huh, Gin? You're just not that into me."
Ginny grabbed his hand. "What did you say?"
"I said, you're just not that into me. Remember the fairy tale? Once upon a time there was a little girl who loved a boy. A perfect boy. But then he turned out to be not so perfect so she got over him. Did I get it right, Gin?"
Ginny took a deep breath. "No, she was just waiting for him to be himself around her, remember? To show her his true heart? That's what real love is. He was still her hero, and..." she took another deep breath, "she was still really into him."
Harry moved closer and his voice became husky. "She was? Because he is really, really, really into her."
Ginny smiled softly and moved towards him. Just before their lips met, she said, "and they lived happily ever after."
THE END
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