Reality Bites by Trinka



Summary: Ginny is persuaded to be on a Bachelor-type reality show against her better judgement. Who is the hunk all the women are fighting over? We know him. We love him. But in my story, Ginny's never met him. NOTE: If you think you'll hate this story, read it anyway! I hate reality shows too, you know! lol Trust me, you'll love it...I proclaim in as non-arrogant a way as possible... *sweat drop*
Rating: PG-13 starstarstarstarstar
Categories: Alternate Universe
Characters: None
Genres: None
Warnings: None
Challenges: None
Series: None
Published: 2004.08.24
Updated: 2005.07.15


Reality Bites by Trinka
Chapter 11: What's Going On?
Author's Notes:

Episode Eleven
What’s Going On?



“What the —” was all Ginny was able to get out before she was again hit. A pillow fight? Why on earth…? Trista, ducking around other flying pillows and giggling, ran to Ginny’s side. “What’s going on?”


Trista answered Ginny’s question with another giggle. “It’s a pillow fight, silly!” Ginny heard from behind her, where Tier was standing using one of the pillows that had just recently hit Ginny to guard herself from the continued onslaught.


Ducking down to pick up the other pillow, Ginny laughed with them as she also dodged the feather-filled weapons. “Well, I can see that, but why? Won’t it take a while to clean this up? We have the rose ceremony tonight.”


Trista shook her head, picking up a pillow to toss back into the fray. “Connie told us it’s been rescheduled for tomorrow instead. She didn’t really explain why. But it appeared she was looking for someone while she was telling us.” Ginny’s felt as though she’d just received a pillow to the stomach at hearing this comment. Is she looking for me again?


“Speaking of Connie looking for someone,” Tier added conspiratorially with a pointed look at Ginny. Trying to act innocent, Ginny just gave Tier a blank stare. “Don’t even try to hide it,” Tier laughed. “I saw Connie come in looking for you a while ago. What was that all about?”


“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Ginny answered, punctuating her reply with a pillow to Tier’s face.


What followed after turned out to be the World War III of pillow fights. It seemed as though all of the girls had joined in, this being the last night all twelve of them would be there. Janice even seemed to be enjoying herself, which was a wonder to Ginny. You know, smiling genuinely like that, she almost looks human. This thought was immediately negated when she witnessed Janice being hit in the mouth by a stray pillow causing her to stumble backward and bump into the corner of one of the end tables next to the couch. Bruised, both in pride and in body, Janice scowled at whoever happened to look at her and hobbled dramatically away, complaining that everyone was playing too rough.


Exhausted, some of the girls took themselves off to bed until only a handful of them were left. “So,” started Tier, swiping at Ginny with a pillow, which she dodged easily. “Are you going to tell us why Connie wanted to see you? Because, you know I don’t believe you’re as dumb as your acting.”


“I’ll take that as a compliment,” replied Ginny with a vicious smile as she maneuvered herself around and swatted Tier in the back of the head with a pillow.
“I’m serious, Ginevra. What did she need to talk to you about?”


Ginny though for a moment before answering. “Well, the way I took it, she basically told me that if I ever think of going off alone with Harry again, I might as well sleep with him, because they could use that to get better ratings for the show.” As was imagined, this comment birthed a whole slew of other questions. Answering to the best of her ability, Ginny told them all about the rollercoaster incident and Christina, who had joined the conversation not long after it started, helped explain how she fit into the story.


Ginny couldn’t tell if the other girls were mad at her for the whole thing or just shocked at what had happened. “She actually told you that they were going to use the situation for promoting the show?” Ginny nodded grimly.


“So, I wonder if she was looking for you again when she came to announce the postponement of the rose ceremony,” Trista speculated out loud.


“Wait, there’s something I’m missing,” Christina interjected. “If you were just in Connie’s office discussing this with her, why would she have had to come here to find you?”


“There you go, then. She wasn’t looking for me.” I’m saved! Ginny thought triumphantly.


“Yes, but at the same time, why did it take Ginny so much longer to get back?” Tier’s comment left a deafening silence in its wake.


“What’s going on, Ginevra?” Trista’s eyebrows were drawn down as she spoke, and the other two seemed no less interested.


Ginny sighed. “Okay, okay. You caught me.” They were still waiting, so Ginny took a deep breath to prepare herself. “I got lost on the way back and stumbled into our eligible bachelor.” She had obviously not prepared herself enough for the reaction.


“Did you talk to him?”


“What happened?”


“Where was this? Do you know what room he’s staying in?”


Raising her hands, Ginny tried to quiet them. “Hold on a second! I can’t answer you all at the same time. First of all, yes, I did talk to him, and made a fool out of myself, like usual. What happened is that I knocked in to him while I was trying to find my way back. He made some comments about some events from the date, which I answered as well as I could. Then, I tripped over my bloody tongue, embarrassed myself to no end and ran away before he could comment.


“Lastly, I don’t know where his room is, or even why he was in the hallway, though I may be able to get back there. I’m not exactly sure; I mean, I was lost at the time, after all.”


The three sat looking at her, and Ginny felt nervous sweet run down her back. This was not how she had wanted to have this conversation. In fact, she had not wanted to have this conversation at all.


“You are so lucky!” Trista squealed. The others added their agreements and Ginny found herself wondering briefly if this was really happening.


“Why aren’t you mad at me?” she asked weakly.


“I for one know from experience that Ginevra doesn’t do things like that on purpose.” Christina said, sharing a knowing smile with Ginny.


“Oh, I didn’t think Ginevra had meant to do it, but…” Tier put a pouting face on. “it’s just not fair!”


Laughing, the girls finally decided to get some sleep. Ginny, at least, was nervous about the next day. Not having been in the room when the announcement was made, she didn’t even know when the ceremony would be held.


Janice was apparently in the shower when Ginny and Tier got back to their room for which Ginny was extremely grateful. She changed quickly and climbed into bed dreading the morning.

*

Standing in the hallway with Harry in front of her, Ginny knew she was dreaming and didn’t care a bit. In her dream she didn’t make a fool of herself, but instead engaged Harry Potter in intelligent conversation and made him laugh with her witticism. In her dream Harry seemed genuinely interested in every thing she said. In her dream, Harry leaned forward to kiss her. Only in my dreams, Ginny thought as she was shook violently awake.


~*~*~*~*~*~*~

I know this chapter is short, so I'll try to post the next one in just a few days. Reviews are always appreciated! :)

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