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SIYE Time:1:17 on 29th March 2024
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Shining Armor
By English Muffin

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Category: Alternate Universe
Characters:Harry/Ginny
Genres: Romance
Warnings: None
Rating: PG
Reviews: 13
Summary: Ginny realizes the real Harry doesn't match up to her fantasy version.
Hitcount: Story Total: 7573; Chapter Total: 2543





Author's Notes:
Hope you like it!




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Chapter 2

Once Ginny calmed down a bit, she forced down the urge to dance a victory jig in the entrance hall. With a wide grin fixed on her radiant face, she instead skipped through the doors to the Great Hall and down the aisle to where she could see Colin sitting at the Gryffindor table. Bounding up to him, she threw her arms around his neck, and exclaimed, “Guess what just happened!”

Her exuberance seemed to affect Colin, who grinned and said, “Judging by the 180 degree difference in your attitude since the last time I saw you half an hour ago, I would say you are now going to the ball with someone. Who’s the lucky bloke?”

Ginny’s grin grew even wider, impossible though it seemed, and said, “I’m sure you can guess that, too!”

Colin gasped. “He didn’t! Are you telling me that Harry Potter asked you to the ball?”

“Sure did!” Ginny replied smugly, as she started filling her plate.

“Wow! You’ll have to tell me everything about it. Well, at least one third year will be attending. It couldn't have happened to a better, more deserving person.”

“Thanks, Colin. Oh, but what am I going to do for a dress? Nothing I have will be acceptable! I need to go to the owlery!” She jumped up, ignoring Colin’s protests that she barely touched her dinner, to send her mum an emergency owl. Surely she would splurge a little, for such a momentous occasion!

Running up to the owlery, Ginny’s thoughts drifted to the possibilities of what she would wear. She imagined herself descending the dormitory steps to Harry in his handsome emerald green dress robes, waiting with bated breath in the common room, posed elegantly by the fire with a bouquet of lilies. Her own cream colored silk gown flowing down the stairs behind her, her auburn hair in an elegant up-do, as she glides toward the man of her dreams. He looks up at her adoringly, mesmerised by her beauty (a girl can dream, can’t she?), greets her, and offers her his arm. Staring into each other’s eyes, they leave together through the portrait hole. Dancing under the stars of the Great Hall is absolutely breath-taking. They only have eyes for each other, and as they dance to song after song, Harry’s face gets closer and closer to her own. The owls in the distance hoot soothingly as his lips reach hers.

Of course that is only one way it could happen. Ginny had plenty of opportunities up until this moment to envision her first kiss, always with Harry. Of course, recently it centered around the Yule Ball.

Penning a quick but meaningful and pleading letter to her mum, Ginny attached it to an owl, one that was hopefully a tad faster that his compatriots. She glanced longingly at Hedwig, knowing that she was one of the swiftest in the owlery, but alas, she did not yet have full access to that marvelous bird. Letting the chosen owl go, she watched as it flew in the general direction of the Burrow. After a few minutes, and a couple more harmless fantasies, Ginny turned and headed back to the Gryffindor tower.



Three days later, she received a box and a note from her mum. Excited, she tore into the note, which expressed her mum’s deepest congratulations, and explanation that unfortunately, money was still a bit tight, and that she did the best that she could. Biting her lip, Ginny looked at the box. Hermione, who was sitting near her at breakfast, noticed her face falling, and realizing what must be in the box, she gestured to Ginny, and they both got up from the table, leaving the Great Hall for the common room.

Up in Ginny’s dormitory, which was blessedly empty - three of the other four girls that shared the room with her had decided to go home for the holidays, and the last one must have still been at breakfast - the two girls opened the parcel. Hermione gently took hold of the fabric, and lifted it out of the box. It seemed to be a sort of dull brown color with scuffed gemstones in tarnished settings around the neck and shoulders. Ginny looked at it in disappointment. Hermione urged her to try it on. Upon donning the dress, she could see that it had some potential.

“I think all it needs is a bit of flare added to it,” Hermione said thoughtfully.

Ginny nodded slowly. “Unfortunately, I have never fixed up something like this before. I don’t know where to start.”

“Well, to be honest, neither have I, but how hard can it be? All we need to do is look up a few spells in...”

“The library. Yes, I know. It is the perfect starting place, isn’t it?” Ginny grinned cheekily at Hermione.

“All right, take the mickey out of me. See if I can’t help you be the most stunning witch at Hogwarts before the end of the day.”

“You’re on, Hermione!” Ginny said excitedly. The girls rushed out of the room toward the library to improve upon Ginny’s evening attire.



Christmas Day arrived, and after an exhilarating snowball fight, which Hermione decided not to participate in, the two girls headed up to the tower to begin preparations for the ball. With a little help from Hermione, Parvati and Lavendar, Ginny was ready with fifteen minutes to spare. Her previously dull brown dress shimmered bronze now, and the gems lining the bodice shined in emerald green, topaz gold, and garnet red. Cream colored gloves covered her arms to above her elbows. A thin bronze colored crocheted shawl gathered in the crooks of her arms. Clutching it closer to her, she stepped out of her dormitory.

She went to the top of the stairs and paused, breathing deeply. She had waited for this moment for an eon it seemed. At last, she found her courage and stepped off the landing. Nearing the bottom of the stairs, she could see a group of boys milling around, waiting for their dates, presumably. Nervously, those faces peered in her direction, and, seeing that she was not their date, the boys resumed their nervous pacing. All except one.

Harry stood up from the couch he was occupying, and started toward her. He glanced at her dress, and gave her a little smile, saying, “Shall we?” He gestured toward the door. Ginny smiled up at him, and nodded, gloved hand unnecessarily smoothing her dress. Together they headed out through the portrait hole.

After a uncomfortably silent walk to the Entrance Hall, Ginny caught a glance at Hermione with Krum, and smiled at her. She waved to a few others she recognized, but mostly kept shooting glances at Harry, who seemed completely distracted. Looking in the same direction as Harry, she caught sight of none other than Cho Chang. He was staring at her! Harry Potter asked Ginny to the Yule Ball, and was mooning over another girl! How humiliating! She wished she could shrink down into nothingness, to avoid what she knew to be the piteous eyes of everyone gathered in the Entrance Hall.

“Champions over here, please!” Professor McGonnagal’s voice called out.

Ginny shook herself out of her stupor, forcing the red in her cheeks to subside. This was no time for self pity! She intended to make Harry look good, and she would succeed! As they made their way to the professor, Ginny smiled at Harry, saying, “You look rather dashing, Harry. Green is a good color for you.”

Blushing slightly, Harry said, “Thanks. You look quite pretty yourself.”

The smile she had painted on her face became genuine with the compliment. He thought she was pretty!

They reached the doors to the Great Hall, to be told to stand to the side while everyone else entered. Ginny took this opportunity to study the other champions and their dates. Fleur looked obnoxiously perfect, while her date, the handsome Quidditch captain Roger Davies looked upon her with a stunned face, as if he couldn’t believe his luck, nor could he seem to peel his eyes away from her. Krum looked his normal glum self, while Hermione looked absolutely radiant! Ginny almost wouldn’t have believed the transformation her friend had gone through had she not witnessed it herself. Harry, she noticed, finally pulled his gaze away from Chang, and glanced in Krum’s direction, then did a double take, eyes wide.

“Hermione?”

“Hi Harry! Hi Ginny! Exciting, isn’t it?” she said. Just then, Ron passed by them with Parvati’s sister without even noticing Hermione! The nerve! How could he not notice his best friend?

Glaring after Ron, Ginny turned her reluctant attention to the final pair in the group. Cedric Diggory and Cho Chang. Barely keeping a sneer off her face, Ginny had to admit the other girl’s exotic beauty, with her almond shaped black eyes, long, glossy ebony hair, and slender womanly curves. Ginny, painfully aware of her distressingly flat chest, wasn’t sure she would ever catch up to that girl.

Once everyone was seated, the champions and their dates (Ginny still thrilled whenever she thought of herself being included in that list!) lined up to enter the Great Hall. As the crowd applauded, they paraded toward the large round table where the judges were sitting.

It was very hard for Ginny not to gawk at the elaborate decorations. everything seemed to have been delicately touched with ice and frost, draped with garlands of mistletoe (Ginny blushed as she glanced at Harry) and ivy. Instead of the large house tables, numerous smaller tables were situated around the hall.

Ginny tried diligently to keep her feet under her. Although they generally weren’t seen under her long gown, her shoes had heels on them, which she wasn’t quite used to. She practiced walking in them quite a bit the previous day so that she wouldn’t fall flat on her face and embarrass both herself and Harry. She was also growing increasingly nervous, as she imagined the eyes of everyone in the hall upon her.

Getting to the table, Ginny suddenly realized that her brother Percy was sitting with the judges, and indicating that Harry should sit next to him. He barely glanced at Ginny. Harry, being perhaps too polite, acquiesced, taking the seat proffered. Having no other alternative, Ginny sat next to him. For the next few minutes, she sat listening to her brother drone on about his importance and promotion. She was quite relieved when Professor Dumbledore ordered his porkchops, as it not only let her know how to get her food, but also broke Percy’s drawn out litany of Mr. Crouch’s attributes.

Once her food appeared, Ginny turned to Harry to finally draw him into conversation with herself. She thought she had been patient enough with everyone else taking up her date’s time, but enough was enough.

“Harry, I haven’t gotten a chance to say how very impressed I was about how you handled your dragon! Yours was the most amazing display out there!” Ginny said.

Harry looked at her as if surprised to see her there. No, he couldn’t have forgotten she was his date! He was merely startled by her conversation starter. Was she saying too much, too soon? She pushed down an almost overwhelming desire to panic. “Oh, er, thanks.” Cheeks slightly red, Harry turned away.

That was it? Maybe he was just overly modest. A fine characteristic in proper doses. Ginny was just deciding to use a different tactic when she was thrown a bit off guard by Dumbledore mentioned something about an exceptionally full bladder. Deciding to ignore the comment as yet another sign of the professor’s madness, she turned back to Harry, to see him snorting into his food. Well, perhaps it was a bit funny, she thought with a smile.

“What do you think of the decorations? I think they are absolutely marvelous! How festive with so much mistletoe!” Ginny managed to keep her blush to a minimum, as Harry turned back to her, with a small grin on his face.

“Yeah, it’s really nice.” Harry replied.

Before he was able to turn away again, Ginny continued, determined to draw out her apparently shy date. “My friend Luna says that nargles often infest them.”

“What’s a nargle?” Harry asked, looking slightly confused.

“I’m not sure, to be honest!” Ginny giggled. “It is often hard to get a straight answer from her. She went home for the holidays so she and her father could go study some strange creature or other.”

“Oh.”

After a few seconds of silence, Ginny tried something else. “Do you dance very much? I expect we will need to at least lead one dance.”

“The first. No, I’m afraid I don’t dance much. Not very many opportunities where I grew up.” Harry grew somewhat distant at that comment.

“I love dancing! My mum taught all of us how to dance, and I dance whenever I can! You’ll see how much fun it is, soon, I’m sure. I heard the Weird Sisters are performing tonight. I have most of their albums.” Ginny noticed Harry’s increased interest in her talking. At least he wasn’t looking at Chang anymore. “I wonder what songs they will play. Oh, it looks like they are setting up now! Come on!”

The other champions were standing up, and Ginny hurried to follow. She tried not to notice Harry tripping on his robes as he stood, and waited for him to straighten so she could latch onto his arm to walk onto the dance floor. It was an incredible feeling! When they got to their place, Harry looked completely lost, so she discretely place one of his hands on her waist (both of them blushing like mad!) and taking hold of the other one, started moving her feet. Since her dance partner had obviously little or no experience, she started very simply, just standing in one spot rocking from foot to foot. Once he seemed comfortable with that, she smiled at him, and started turning around slowly. Harry caught on quickly and followed. Soon they were moving about the dance floor fairly nimbly.

“You are a fast learner, Harry,” Ginny commented.

He gave her a slight smile, saying, “You dance very well, and are a good teacher. Thank you.”

Ginny grinned at the compliment, and blushed as the music wound down to a close. Stepping apart, they applauded the band.

Harry glanced hopefully at her. “Let’s sit down, shall we?”

“But we were only warming up! and dancing fast is so much easier than slow dancing! Just follow my lead.” With a look of trepidation, Harry grudgingly nodded. He was a surprisingly quick learn for fast dancing, as well as slow. Very soon, they were both laughing, and jumping and twirling to the music.

All of a sudden, Harry’s face fell. Ginny looked around to see the culprit of her dates fallen countenance and saw none other than Chang dancing vigorously with Cedric Diggory. Intent on keeping Harry happy, Ginny said, “I am absolutely parched! Let’s go get some punch, and take a breather.” With that, they left the dance floor and headed to the refreshments table. Harry prodded his way to the front, then returned shortly after with two cups of punch. Taking the lead, Harry found Ron and Hermione, who seemed to be having an argument.

“Who’s got a model of him up in their dormitory?” Hermione exclaimed.

“I s’pose he asked you to come with him while you were both in the library?” Ron retorted.

Ginny caught sight of his date, who was looking at the two of them with incredulity. Harry looked torn in two, as if he had no idea what to do. Ginny decided to take matters into her own hands. Just as Hermione was defending herself of helping Krum with his egg, Ginny tugged on Harry’s arm and led him away.

“That won’t be favorable toward his for Hermione,” Ginny commented. Harry said nothing, but looked at her thoughtfully, as they passed Krum heading in the opposite direction with a two bottles of butterbeer.

“Shall we go for a walk? Maybe step outside for a tick?” asked Ginny. Smiling slightly and nodding, Harry let the way to the Entrance Hall. Stepping outside was even more impressive to Ginny than the Great Hall, with the fair lights twinkling, and the statues, rosebushes, cozy benches tucked away and even a pleasantly gushing fountain.

Winding along the path, Ginny began considering her night so far with Harry. He seemed much more quiet than she was expecting. With Ron and Hermione around, he never seemed to be lacking for something to say, but he wasn’t very forthcoming this evening. She wondered if he was just shy with people he was intimate with, like he was with the other two.

Her thoughts were interrupted by Professors Snape and Karkaroff arguing over the clarity of something or other. They sounded a bit worried over it. She didn’t have much time to mull over it, as the two professors rounded the corner, taking points from students caught in illicit situations. Coming up to the two of them, Snape sneered at Harry and, not seeing any reason to take points from them, swept past, with Karkaroff hurrying behind him.

“I wonder what that was about?” mused Ginny. “Snape seemed his usual charming self, didn’t he?”

Chuckling, Harry replied, “I don’t know, but they were quite familiar with each other, weren’t they? First name basis?”

As they reached a large reindeer statue, they suddenly heard Hagrid’s gruff voice saying, “Momen’ I saw yeh, I knew.” Stopping short they looked at each other, then heard Madam Maxime reply, “What did you know, ‘Agrid?” Looking panicked, Harry pointed back down the path, indicating that they should not be listening in to this particular conversation. Agreeing, they hurried down the path, passing Fleur and Roger Davies on the way. Taking another path through the rose garden, they came across an unoccupied bench, and sat, still a bit embarrassed about the conversation they almost overheard. Seconds later, they heard a shriek.

“‘Ow dare you!” startled, Ginny looked in the direction of the shout. Back toward Hagrid and Madame Maxime. They heard more indistinguishable accusations, then moments later rustling as Madame Maxime stormed by.

“This is a night of arguments, isn’t it?” Ginny shook her head, continuing, “I hope whatever fallout they had, they can reconcile it; they are so cute together!”

“Why would Maxime be so upset over being a half-giant?” Harry asked, bemused.

“Half-giant? what do you mean? Could you hear what she said?”

“Not really, but ‘half-giant’ and ‘big bones’ were the only things I could reasonably hear. Not that I meant to!” Harry added hastily.

“Oh, Harry this is bad! If Hagrid suggested that she was half-giant, that means that he is likely one too! If this gets out, it could hurt Hagrid very badly! I hope no one else heard.”

“I don’t understand. What is so bad about it? What does it matter if either of them are half-giant?” Harry said.

Ginny tried to explain. It was difficult explaining what she took for granted to someone who was really very new to the wizarding world. Soon, however, Harry began to understand the magnitude of the circumstances. Continuing their discussion, they stood and headed back to the Great Hall.

Seeing everyone dancing made Ginny want to get back out on the dance floor. “Come on Harry, let’s enjoy the rest of the evening!”

Hesitantly, Harry followed her after glancing at the judges table, presumably looking at Madame Maxime. After a couple of songs, Harry, in a much better mood, suggested they sit down and enjoy a couple of butterbeers. Gazing longingly at the couples slow dancing under streams of mistletoe, Ginny followed Harry to where Ron sat alone, staring angrily at the dancers.

While Harry was telling Ron about what they overheard out in the gardens, Ginny once again thought about her night as Harry Potter’s date. It wasn’t at all what she anticipated it to be. Where was her chivalrous knight? Yes, Harry was nice, and not completely aloof, once Ginny got him talking, but he didn’t seek out conversations with her. In fact, he seemed to try listening in on as many other conversations as he could!

He also wasn’t very complimentary like she imagined a gentleman should be, like she observed in her father to her mum, except that one comment on her looking nice. He was supposed to make her feel like the most beautiful girl at the ball! Between leaving her room and leaving the common room, she had gone to feeling almost womanly, to the little girl Harry found in the Chamber. He also didn’t give her flowers, or even look like he wanted to kiss her!

And Chang! Half of the time he seemed determined to find her and look like a lost puppy! The more she thought about it the angrier she became. Of course, she wouldn’t just leave him high and dry, like Ron’s partner had apparently done, as she seemed to be dancing with a boy from Beauxbatons. Then again, Ron didn’t seem to be a very good date to her, either. No, Ginny would continue to be Harry’s partner, and see what happened at the end. There was still a possibility that it could turn out in her favor.

The last song died out, and Ron and Harry stood up, looking like they were about to go. Trying to salvage what she could of the night, Ginny asked Harry, “Wasn’t this delightful?” Harry looked at her, startled, as if he had forgotten her presence. “What a beautiful night! I wish the ball could have gone on forever!”

“It was very nice, Ginny, thank you. I enjoyed my time with you.” Ron had continued on to the tower by himself, leaving Ginny and Harry loitering in the entrance hall, Ginny looking hopeful, and Harry nervous.

“Hey - Harry!” Harry’s anxious smile turned into a grimace. He obviously held a grudge over Cedric Diggory, who had called out to Harry, probably over Chang.

Diggory walked up to Harry, who replied with a curt, “Yeah?” The three of them stood in silience for a few seconds while Cedric kept glancing at Ginny. It was quite obvious that he did not want to speak in front of her. Ginny, not willing to waste any more of her time with Harry, intentionally didn’t take the hint.

Addressing Ginny, he politely said, “May I borrow your date, please?”

Hesitantly she agreed, heading slowly to the stairs leading to Gryffindor tower, where she stood to wait for Harry. Even watching for body language, she had no idea what Cedric wanted to say to him, but whatever it was Harry was staring incredulously back at him. Giving him a friendly pat on the shoulder, Cedric walked back to his date, while Harry headed toward Ginny, mumbling. She was able to catch the last few words, before Harry realized she had waited for him.

“...a bloody bath! What’s he playing at!” Harry ranted quietly. When he reached her, his cheeks had turned fairly pink, with both anger and embarrassment. “Er, sorry. Cedric was giving me a few pointers.” That last word was accompanied by a sneer. This was slightly confusing to Ginny, seeing as Harry’s hygiene was fairly good for a boy his age. Harry continued, “You didn’t have to wait for me, but thanks again.”

“It’s not a problem. I don’t mind spending a few more minutes with my date,” Ginny said with a smile, still hoping for a positive end to a mediocre night. Unfortunately those hopes were dashed as she entered the portrait hole to the sound of yelling. Ron and Hermione’s very loud argument effectively killed any mood there was of a fairy tale happy ending. As Harry quickly said good night and followed Ron up the stairs, Ginny collapsed onto a sofa, and fought the tears that threatened.
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