Feel

Ginny's heart was racing while Colin guided her into the shop. A bell clanged loudly as they entered and several pairs of eyes looked in their direction. Ginny kept her eyes on the ground because she didn't want to face Harry.

"Look, it's the gang! Ginny, I need to talk to Hermione. She's hired me to take her wedding photos. Is that okay?" Colin looked into Ginny's eyes. Ginny merely nodded and felt Colin grab her hand for moral support. Holding her hand, Colin pulled her through a throng of people to get to Hermione's table.

"Colin! I'm so glad you made it." Hermione smiled at Colin and tried to catch Ginny's eye. Ginny avoided Hermione's scrutiny and looked at everyone but she and Harry.

"Yeah, well I was wanted to meet up with Ginny. I hadn't seen her in ages." Ginny felt Colin squeeze her arms.

"Ginny, I thought you weren't feeling well and that's why you didn't come to lunch." Ron said this through a mouth full of food.

Ginny raised her eyes to meet Ron's. "Colin convinced me to come. He wanted to discuss something with me." Ginny heard a snort come from Harry's direction, but ignored it.

"Why don't you sit with us?" urged Cho. Ginny managed to drag her eyes off the floor and look at Cho. The girl had lost no beauty since she had graduated from Hogwarts. She had on a red satin top that complimented her fair skin and dark eyes. To top it off, Cho had a perfect figure. Ginny mentally ground her teeth and dug her fingernails into Colin's palm.

Colin smiled down at Ginny and declined their offer. "Nah. There's some stuff I need to discuss with Ginny without an audience." Ginny looked up at Colin gratefully and continued to hold his hand as he walked to an empty booth far from their table. Colin sat down across from Ginny and picked up the menu.

"What shall we eat?" Colin perused the menu. "I'm starving."

"Colin, I'm not really hungry. I just needed a friend to talk to." Ginny wrung her hands nervously and began to shrug off her cloak. Ginny noticed that Hermione was looking over at her. Hermione looked at Ginny as if asking permission to come over. Ginny nodded and Hermione stood up.

"Where are you going?" asked Ron. Both Cho and Harry looked up as well.

"I'm off to talk to Ginny. I need to ask her something." Hermione pecked Ron on the cheek and walked over to Ginny and Colin's booth.

"Hello, all. Nice to see you again, Colin." Hermione sat down across from Ginny, next to Colin. "Ginny, is Colin here by coincidence or did you ask him to come with you here?" Hermione asked.

"Hermione, I found Ginny walking back to Hogwarts very upset. I asked her to come here. I had no idea you all would be here." Colin grabbed Ginny's hands in his own and stroked them soothingly.

Ginny pulled her hands free from Colin's grasp. "Hermione, I was just feeling a little low. I mean, wouldn't you be? Look at Cho and her fan club." Ginny nodded her chin in the direction of Harry's table. Cho was telling some story while Harry and Ron leaned in to listen. Both were engrossed in what she was saying and were looking at her adoringly. "Smug bastard. He knows all he has to do is pull my strings."

Colin nodded. "You should shag me senseless to get back at him. Right here on this table."

Ginny laughed at Colin's comment. "Colin, I'm warning you." She waved a finger in his face and saw Harry was watching them.

"Ginny, I have some good news for you. Cho came to Hogsmeade to pick up her pre-nuptial agreement. She's marrying Justin Finch-Fletchley." Hermione smiled at Ginny. Ginny looked over to see if anything was amiss.

"You mean he didn't ask her here as a date?" Ginny's face was breaking into an uncontrollable smile. "They're not a couple?"

Hermione shook her head. "Nah, Cho's got her eyes on a larger fortune. Justin's going to be a lord or something. He's got loads of money. Cho has tons from her days as a seeker for the Wimbley Wasps. They are signing the agreement to keep their money separate."

Colin rolled his eyes and snorted. "Leave it to the filthy rich to have their own best interests at heart. Merlin! Why does Harry always ruin my plans?"

Ginny and Hermione looked over at Colin, surprised. "Colin, you know I don't love you like that. But I do love you like a brother or best friend."

Colin hung his head and looked at Ginny. "I know. I just keep hoping that you'd see how much I love you and you'd forget about Harry."

Ginny looked shocked and checked Hermione's table to see if anyone there had heard. "Colin! I told you that in strictest confidence! Keep your mouth shut!"

Hermione guffawed. "Ginny, everyone knew how you felt about Harry. Everyone! Dogs knew, trolls knew! Sheesh!" Ginny threw her head on the table. "Ginny, you need to stop feeling sorry for yourself and get over there to Harry. Cho might be taken, but that won't stop him from looking."

"You know she is rather pretty. She looks like Lucy Liu, don't you think?" Colin commented.

Hermione nodded. "I always thought so. You know, . . ."

"Shut up! Enough about Cho! How do I get myself out of this situation?" Ginny said.

"Well, Harry's probably getting the idea that you and Colin are together. You might want to squelch his ideas about that." Hermione said.

"What should I do?" Ginny fiddled with the salt shaker on the table.

"You need to figure out on your own. I can't get you out of the mess you've dug yourself into. This is between you and Harry. Both of you have done some stupid stuff, you know?" Hermione looked reproachfully at Ginny.

"I know. I should have a talk with Harry tonight. I'll apologize to him." Ginny pulled her cloak back on and scooted out of the booth. She picked up her leather backpack and stood in front of Hermione and Colin. " I need to get back to work. I'll tell you how things work out, okay?"

Hermione smiled and nodded then got up from the table herself. "I gotta get back to my table. I'll keep an eye on Harry for you."

Ginny hugged Hermione and said goodbye to Colin. As she walked by Harry's table, Ginny stopped. "Cho, it was really nice to see you. I hope you'll be at the wedding."

Cho shook her head. "Justin and I will be on our honeymoon. But I'm sending a gift."

Ginny decided it was time to bite the bullet and turned to Harry. "I'll see you at work, Harry? There's some things I need to show you."

Harry looked at Ginny with a surprised expression on his face. "I think I'd like that. I'll make sure to find you when I get back." Ginny nodded and walked over to Ron.

"Goodbye, Ronnikins! I miss you so much." Ginny gave Ron a kiss on his cheek, leaving a lip print, which Ron didn't notice. "Have a good afternoon!" Ginny waved to her friends and walked out of the restaurant.