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Changing Partners
By rinoa

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Category: Post-OotP
Characters:Harry/Ginny
Genres: Fluff
Warnings: None
Story is Complete
Rating: G
Reviews: 38
Summary: While changing partners, Harry realizes there's no one he'd rather dance with than Ginny. H/G, r+r
Hitcount: Story Total: 7389







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Changing Partners

Summary: While changing partners, Harry realizes there’s no one he’d rather dance with but Ginny. H/G, r+r

Disclaimer: Characters familiar to you are Ms Rowling’s. The plot and storyline, however, is strictly mine. Stealing is evil and worthy of an Unforgivable Curse, so beware *evil smile*

A/N: this is my second H/G fic, as I’ve been requested to do more of them =D thanks so much for that support, everyone! It’s also an attempt to get over writer’s block for my Lily/James fics. I hope you like this one, and please review if you do! I’ll really appreciate it! ^^



____________________




We were waltzin' together to a dreamy melody
When they called out "Change Partners"
And you waltzed away from me
Now my arms feel so empty as I gaze around the floor
And I'll keep on changing partners
Till I hold you once more.




Harry hated dance Balls. They reminded him of the one in his fourth year, when he had came to the Yule Ball with Parvati Patil. He honestly liked the girl, but she was so… demanding. Anyway, he thought bleakly, I was too busy noticing Cho to really care about her, so it wasn’t really her fault.

It was really turning out to be a lousy Christmas.

Now a sixth year, Harry Potter had himself plenty of admirers, though he couldn’t really fathom why. He was lanky and a bit awkward with his movement, and was taller than he would have liked. His unruly hair was… well, unruly, and his eyes were the brightest green he knew of. His annoying glasses still remained, often slipping down his nose and making him look like a dork…

Honestly, he thought with a sigh, I wonder whom they like — me or the scar.

That was probably the reason he was sort of dateless for this Ball. He didn’t want to have to go to the Ball with someone fake and treated him like he was a prize or something. It wasn’t like he wanted all that…

Ginny Weasley’s image came to his mind. It was his second year, and they were at Flourish & Blotts when they had met Malfoy. "Leave him alone," Ginny had snapped at Malfoy, "he didn’t want all that!"

She knows, Harry thought with an absent smile, she really knows.

He spotted the redhead across the Hall, dancing with Seamus Finnigan. If Harry wasn’t mistaken, she was dateless for the Ball, too. I wonder why, though, Harry thought as he looked at her smile at Seamus. She’s rather pretty…

He was shaken out of his reverie when Professor Dumbledore took the stage, his voice echoing around the Great Hall. Couples had stopped dancing, and were paying attention to him.

"…I hope you all are having a great time dancing, and making merry for this Christmas Ball," Dumbledore was saying (Harry thought the Professor was looking at him as he said that), "After all, what other time can you come together and have fun? However, I thought we could have a special treat for those of you who were dying to dance with the girl — or boy — of your dreams…"

Professor McGonagall looked a little disapproving of Dumbledore’s choice of words, but stayed mum.

"We’re going to Change Partners for you," Dumbledore continued merrily, this blue eyes twinkling. "Now, if you’d be so kind… form a circle in pairs, all of you. I’m sure the Hall is big enough… boys on the outer circle, girls on the inside…"

Harry found himself pushed on the outside circle, and glanced at his partner. It was Padma Patil, from Ravenclaw. "Er — hello," he stammered.

Apparently, she still haven’t forgiven him for pairing her up with Ron two years before, and rolled her eyes at him.

Really. Christmas just got lousier, Harry thought, annoyed.

"Now, the band will play for you, and you will dance," Dumbledore continued, "However, when I say ‘Change Partners’, the girls will waltz to the boy on your left. Is that much understood?"

There was a muffled yes from everyone. Harry noticed Ron and Hermione were just a couple away from him, and Ginny just two from his right, beside Ron and Hermione. Oh, he thought with a pleasant blush. Looks like I’ll be dancing with her, if not for awhile…

The music started, and Padma grabbed Harry’s arms. Harry was sure she was a fine dancer — Parvati was, anyway — but the way she waltzed with him was so full of bad feelings that Harry found it hard to enjoy himself. He was relieved when Dumbledore called out "Change Partners!" and she waltzed away, and in waltzed Lavender Brown, Seamus’ date.

Lavender was a much easier partner to dance with, though she kept shooting daggers at Hermione, who was apparently laughing at Seamus’ Irish jokes. Harry glanced at Ron, who was dancing with Ginny. Ron was looking almost annoyed with his little sister, but Harry thought he saw a bit of pride in Ron’s brown eyes as he looked at Ginny. It was true, she had grown up so much since the Chamber of Secrets…

"Change Partners!"

Hermione took over Lavender’s spot, and she smiled happily at Harry. "Hello, Harry!" she said enthusiastically. "How’s it going?"

Harry had to grin back, in relief. "Better now that you’re here," he responded lightly. He had to smile to himself as he realized why Ron liked her so much; Hermione was certainly getting a lot lovelier these days. Her hair, though bushy (Harry thought Ron liked it best that way) was straightened for the Ball, and her robes of violet did well for her; she looked nothing like the usual bookworm Harry knew.

"Honestly, Harry, you should get out and enjoy yourself," Hermione was saying. "If you brood all evening, you’ll never know how to have fun!"

"Bit rich coming from you," Harry said.

Hermione blushed. "Well — it’s Christmas, the circumstances are different! Now, don’t you dare wear Ginny down, I don’t think I’ve ever seen her happier than — "

"Change Partners!"

"Just be nice to her!" with that, Hermione waltzed to Ernie Macmillan. Harry felt awkward as Ginny waltzed in from Seamus, her cheeks flushed from mirth — what is it with Seamus and his Irish jokes? — when she noticed who she was dancing with, and blushed even further. "Harry!"

She certainly was very pretty, Harry thought. Ginny was not drop-dead beautiful, but she was an innocent pretty. Her red hair was piled on top of her head, with strands falling down her face like silk, and freckles were splashed across the bridge of her nose — that’s cute, Harry thought, smiling — and her eyes were really beautiful; soft, chocolate brown. Sort of like Ron’s, come to think of it (Only that, well, no offense, Ron, it looks a lot more appealing on your sister).

"Hello, Gin," Harry said with a nervous smile, as he took her in his arms. "How are you?"

"Great!" Ginny said, a lovely smile taking over her lips. "It’s been wonderful, this evening, I’ve never had more fun — " she noticed Harry’s wistful look, and paused. "Harry, don’t tell me you didn’t dance much at all."

"I — er — "

"There are plenty of girls who’d dance with you," Ginny said firmly, "if you’d just let them."

"I’m dancing with you now," Harry said a cheeky smile.

"I don’t count," Ginny chided gently, her eyes alight with mischief. "Maybe I can introduce you to a friend of mine, Harry, she has a crush — "

"Why don’t you count?"

Ginny blinked, and she smiled. "I’m just Ron’s little sister, Harry."

"But you’re as good a dancing partner as the rest of them," Harry said, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear and making her blush. He realized how much he missed her blushing for him — it stopped a long time ago.

"Change Partners!"

"Save me the last dance, then, Harry," Ginny said, meeting his green eyes and smiling faintly. She began to waltz to Ernie, but Harry kept hold of her hand as long as he possibly could before he was willing to let go. Ernie smiled knowingly at Harry, then at Ginny, causing them both to blush. Harry didn’t even register the next few girls he was dancing with; he was so engrossed with watching Ginny dance with her other partners.

Dumbledore clapped his hands awhile later. "Now, everyone, you may, for the last time, Change Partners," he said, his eyes falling on Harry. "Of course, may I add, for the last dance, you are free to choose your partner…"

There was a mad scramble as everyone went to find a partner. Harry spotted Ron grab Hermione from Justin Finch-Fletchley, and Neville Longbottom run for Susan Bones. He found his eyes straying across the Hall, to a pretty redheaded girl who looked rather lost among the crowd…

Save me the last dance, then, Harry.

Harry felt as if he was taken over by something else as he strode across the Hall to the girl dressed in soft cream robes. Ginny’s eyes were filled with amazement as he stood before her, holding out a hand. A faint blush graced her cheeks, and her eyebrow raised slightly.

"Dance with me?" Harry asked, his voice low and hopeful.

"Yes," she breathed, smiling as he broke into a grin. He took her hand, and led her to the middle of the dance floor. It just felt so right with her in his arms, and suddenly Harry didn’t feel empty anymore. Ginny looked up to him, her eyes sparkling merrily. "Thank you, Harry."

"For what?"

"For dancing with me, just once," Ginny said, not meeting his eyes. "I mean, I just didn’t expect that… well…"

"That I’d dance with Ron’s little sister," Harry said, causing Ginny to look up, flustered. "You may be my best friend’s sister, Gin, but you’re also my friend." He paused, looking at her for a moment. "And a very pretty one at that."

"Y-You think so?" Ginny stammered, blushing.

"Never thought you’d blush for me again, Weasley," Harry teased. "I thought you were over me since ‘His eyes are as green as fresh pickled toad’… I mean, that was a bad experience for you…"

Ginny playfully smacked his arm. "Don’t even, Potter," she mumbled.

Harry smiled and quickly bent down to kiss her forehead. Ginny blinked, and looked at him questioningly.

"That’s to thank you for sticking up for me at Flourish & Blotts in my second year," he said softly. "And also for the Valentine’s Day card — as well as for the get-well cards in third and fifth year… Ginny, I never thanked you, have I — "

Ginny stopped dancing. She took Harry into a close hug, oblivious to the dancing couples around them. When she let go, her eyes were filled with tears. "That," she said with a shaky smile, "was to thank you for saving my life."

Harry stared into her brown eyes, feeling his hand search for hers. Their fingers entwined together, and as much as Harry wanted to kiss her right there, he knew the time just wasn’t right. There was so much he needed to know about her; so much she needed to know about him. Harry knew they always had a magical bond unspoken of, and suddenly, he knew how to use it.

"Let me get to know you, Ginny Weasley," he whispered, smiling at her.

"If you’d let me do the same for you, Harry Potter," Ginny said quietly.

Harry grinned happily, and they began to dance again. He knew it was the beginning of a close friendship, and he wasn’t sure if they’d be more than that as time goes by — but Harry knew that if it happened, it was going to be magical.

He looked into her eyes and smiled, realizing with a start, that he wouldn’t mind coming home to those eyes one day. Nope, he thought, blushing pleasantly. I wouldn’t mind…

Not at all.





Though we danced for one moment and too soon we had to part
In that wonderful moment somethin' happened to my heart
So I'll keep changing partners till you're in my arms and then
Oh, my darlin' I will never change partners again.


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A/N: I really liked this one. I hope you do, too, if so, review! You can give me comments on where I can improve — it would mean so much to me! Thanks for reading! Review!

http://livejournal.com/~fire whiskey
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