Yuletide Blessing in Disguise

Sweet Revenge

Ron stared at Ginny, gaping at her, mashed potato still covering most of his face, which was growing redder by the second judging by the colour of his ears. For a moment he felt torn between being cross at Harry, angry at Ginny, and confusion. Then Ginny's point finally seemed to reach its target somewhere in Ron's frontal lobes.

"Bloody hell!" Ron groaned, sounding horrified. "I'm sorry Ginny! You didn't really think I wanted to, er... you know, with you, did you?"

"Of course not, dimwit!" Ginny rolled her eyes and huffed. "Though I wasn't entirely sure for a moment. ... I think you were just thinking about harems and orgies, saw a redhead, and forgot that I'm your sister!"

Fred and George howled with laughter again.

"Good one, Ron!" Fred sniggered, slapping him on the back. "Maybe we should tell Mum to start planning the wedding."

Ginny rolled her eyes again but otherwise ignored Fred as she continued. "... And I think you forgot that all the other girls supposedly in the 'harem' are sitting at this table."

"Oh! Er..."

Ron gulped and peered shiftily at Lavender and Parvati who were still glowering at him, and shot sidelong glances at Hermione, Luna, and Fleur who all looked more amused than anything.

In truth, Ron hadn't forgotten that at all, but it didn't seem like a very good idea to admit that he had been hoping that he could convince Harry to let him join in the fun with all of them and Fleur. Neville raised his eyebrows at Ron, giving him an "I-know-exactly-what-you're-thinking" sort of look.

"Erm, sorry..." Ron mumbled as he picked up a napkin and started wiping the rest of the mashed potato from his face. "Ginny's right! I wasn't thinking... I'm an idiot!"

Hoping that would settle the matter, Ron was a bit alarmed when Ginny groaned and looked aggravated again. He heard giggling behind him and gulped, hastily trying to get the last bits of mashed potato off, wondering if a load of girls had come to laugh at him. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted a few other Gryffindor girls in Ginny's year; one of them was Romilda something or other - he'd never really paid attention.

The gaggle of giggling girls whispered and pushed Romilda-Something-or-Other forward. She grinned awkwardly and cleared her throat.

"Erm... er, Hi Harry," said Romilda-Something-or-Other brightly, batting her eyelashes in what she clearly hoped was a sexy manner, "We were just wondering if... er... if we could join your harem..."

~o0o~

The rest of Saturday after Rita Skeeter's article could have been worse, Hermione supposed. Yes, whispers, giggles, and some nasty comments followed them around the castle. But besides Romilda Vane and her friends, a few other girls from other Houses had either approached Harry or had struck seductive poses whenever they spotted him passing by in the corridors.

Several girls had even shyly approached Hermione - including Susan Bones surprisingly enough.

The most startling encounter was when a stunningly pretty, dark-haired, older Slytherin girl - perhaps in sixth or seventh year - had sat down in an armchair next to Hermione's in the library. The dark-haired girl had glanced around to make sure no other Slytherins were nearby and said in a hushed, sultry tone, "You and Potter can imperius me anytime, Granger!"

Then the Slytherin girl rose to her feet and Hermione gaped at her, speechless, as she slinkily sauntered away wiggling her bum. Dora, who was sitting nearby reading a comic, chortled and shook her head, admiring the view.

"What was that all about?" asked Harry when he popped out from behind a tall bookshelf and sat next to Hermione, narrowing his eyes at the Slytherin girl who was now at the library entrance. "She wasn't giving you a hard time was she?"