"Uhmmm hi…" Ginny shyly muttered, shifting slightly as she was let in by the smiling boy.
"Trouble with your mom?"
The redhead stared at him for a moment in shock, before bursting out into laughter, thankful that Harry had setup silencing spells moments prior. "One of these days you're going to be surprised by something."
He grinned back, "Well if it makes you feel better, I have no idea what is in the bag."
The younger teen glanced over at her 'surprise', something she had come across last Christmas in a 'Teen Witch' magazine. "Uhm yeah… that's uh… well I got it last year and I just thought that maybe… I mean if you don't want to I understand since it's a bit weird and I'm a bit weird but…"
His lips covered hers, silencing her anxious rant and earning a whimper from the redhead before pulling back from her, "It is hard for me to tell you I am fine with it if you don't tell me what it is. Also, I like your weirdness."
Her heart fluttered, as she fought the urge to simply give in without even trying for the plan she had been working on, but still she persevered. "I uh… just need to uhm… use your bathroom and change really quick…"
His head tilted to the side, an odd expression on his face, "You know that you don't need to try and impress me with fancy clothing, right?"
"I-I know I just… well I had this… I mean I know some people have fantasies and Tonks mentioned some stuff she was into and I just thought that maybe…"
"You have a fantasy you want to act out?"
"Y-yeah… but if you don't want to…"
His smiled sent her heart racing once more, "I am more than willing to try anything with you."
Yup, that was it. Good bye logical Ginevra Weasley, hello 'madly-in-love-and-you-won't-convince-me-otherwise' Ginny.
"I-I-I just need to change really quick…" before Harry could even reply she had bolted into his private bathroom, slamming the door shut and locking it behind her. Once inside she struggled to calm her breath and racing heart. This was it, the 'moment of truth' so to speak. He was going to see just how weird she was, how much of a freak she was when she thought about him.
"No… no he wouldn't do that." She muttered to convince herself and quiet her nerves. A moment later and she opened the bag she had delayed their trip for and changed into her outfit. Less than ten minutes later she was staring back at her reflection in the mirror, cursing her own stupidity and childish nature.
It wasn't Ginny Weasley that stared back, but rather 'Princess Ginevra', a persona she had long ago created in her mind.
A princess, that was what she had always dreamed of being, and what little girl didn't? The difference was that she was no longer a little girl. She was a teenager… wearing a princess dress she had bought out of a catalog and silently praying that the hero in the room waiting for her would indulge in this utterly ridiculous fantasy of hers.
"I'm such a loser…" she muttered, leaning over the sink and fighting back the tears that were forming at her eyes.
The redhead wasn't one hundred percent sure that she wasn't hallucinating when a voice replied to her through the door a moment later, "I don't think you are a loser."
Her laughter was humorless and full of self-loathing, "Of course I am… if you could see me right now… I am such a freak… all because I had this stupid dream when I was growing up…"
Silence prevailed, until the boy spoke up once more, "I had a dream growing up too…"
"Y-you did?" Merlin when had she started crying ?
"Of course, when I was much younger I dreamed of having parents… of having a family. Sure, I had Hedwig but… it just wasn't the same."
There it was, a single moment of weakness… and he had shared it with her . Memories from earlier in the summer came flooding back, of a conversation had with those closest to Harry. He didn't need a fangirl, he needed someone who cared .
She unlocked the door and pushed it open, revealing that he had, indeed, been standing on the other side. His eyes trailed over her outfit, allowing for a warm smile to form on his face.
"You look beautiful."
She was quite sure that her cheeks were as read as her hair with just that one comment. "I always dreamed of being a princess as a child, it's stupid and silly but…"
"I don't think it is, you look like a princess to me."
The girl hesitated for a moment, biting her lip as she worked out what to say next without sounding too ridiculous. "Uhmm so maybe just for tonight… I could be the princess and you the knight in shining armor?"
He smiled again, before his outfit seemed to melt and reform taking on the appearance of metal plates, like a Muggle knight of old.
"Showoff…"
Grin widening, Harry offered her his hand, and upon taking it he guided her back into the room. "If you would like I can make you one this year as well."
The girl nodded quickly, "I would, but until then…"
"How may I be of service, your highness?"