A Big Brother's Advice ? Twice

As the girls made their way back to Gryffindor tower, they saw Neville coming up behind them. "Oi, Hermione, wait up will you?" He was huffing from having run up the stairs to get to them before they reached the portrait of the Fat Lady. "Can I have a word?"

"Sure, Neville." Hermione stopped to wait for him. "Ginny, I'll see you later, okay?" Ginny nodded and walked off. Hermione watched her go and then turned to Neville. "What's up?"

Neville looked at her apprehensively. "Well, I was wondering if I could ask you something?" he said, still short of breath.

"Of course," Hermione replied.

"You're always nice to me and everything." He paused to watch her face carefully, "I... as the girls go, I think you're very nice and I was, if you're not going with anyone yet..." He looked at her imploringly. "Maybe we could go, together... just as friends... if you want to, that is?"

"Oh, Neville." Her voice told him what he was already dreading. Rejection showed clearly in his eyes. "I would have liked to go with you. Really, you would have been a good dance partner and everything. But Neville, I'm so sorry, but I've been asked already." Hermione reached out and stopped Neville from leaving as he turned, looking crushed. "Neville, I would have gone with you." He looked dubious. "No, Neville I would have, really. We would have had a fun time together, as friends. But I already said yes to some one else."

"It's okay," Neville said, disheartened as passed her to go into the Gryffindor common room.

Hermione called after him encouragingly. "I know you'll find someone, Neville. Don't get discouraged."

Just then Fred and George stepped forward from where they had been watching the scene in the hall from the adjoining corridor. They approached Hermione as Neville slumped past them and passed through the hole behind the portrait of the Fat Lady. "That wasn't very nice," George admonished.

"What wasn't?" asked Hermione.

"Turning down poor Neville like that," Fred stated.

Hermione started to say to him. "I didn't turn him down exactly..."

"Sure sounded like a turn down," Fred said, cutting her off.

"I'd say it sounded that way to me." George accused her, turning to look squarely at Hermione.

"No I didn't!" Hermione snapped at them. "Well, sort of... Look, I just told him that I have already been asked, and couldn't go with him. That's all!"

"Hey, if you don't want to go with Neville, fine with us," Fred replied, holding up his hands.

"For your information I would have gone with Neville, happily! He's a really good dancer! And he's a really nice guy!" Hermione emphasized clearly to the twins. "But I've already been asked and said yes to someone else!" She blurted the password at the portrait of the Fat Lady, who had been watching the scene, and scrambled inside. The twins stood rooted to the stone floor, surprised as the portrait closed behind her.

"She's right. I heard Missy tell Violet that Neville had been showing a few of the boys dancing steps in an old classroom. He's apparently a very good dancer," the Fat Lady said firmly. "I'd have been delighted to be asked to go to the Ball with Neville!"

Her lofty tone ruffled Fred, who snapped the password at her. "As if you could get off your frame and dance with him!" he said angrily as he followed George into the common room. The portrait slammed rather firmly behind them.

~~*~~*~~*~~

Ginny was sitting in a large, puffy chair waiting for Hermione to come in. She looked up as Hermione plopped down in a huff next to her. "What did Neville say to you?" she asked, concerned.

Fred and George entered and sat down in a pair of chairs at an old table. They were close enough to hear Hermione and Ginny talking, but not close enough to be noticed. They pulled out their books to appear as if they were doing their homework, a subtle subterfuge at best, for eavesdropping on the girls conversation.

"He asked me to the Ball," Hermione stated sharply.

"What did you tell him?" Ginny piqued.

"That I was sorry, but I had already said yes to someone else," Hermione said flatly.

Ginny looked at her confused. "So what upset you then?" she asked.

"Your brothers that's what! They heard Neville asking me." Hermione crossed her arms and exhaled sharply. "They heard me telling Neville no and had the nerve to say that I just turned him down because it was Neville!"

"But would you have gone with Neville if he'd asked you?" Ginny asked her.

"I suppose I might have. Neville's really nice. When he asked me he said that we'd go just as friends. He said he wanted to go with me because I had always been nice to him." She paused to consider for a moment. "You know Ginny, I might have really considered going with Neville. Yes, you know, I think I would have."

Fred gave his brother an incredulous stare that was reflected right back at him.

~~*~~*~~*~~

As the dance loomed nearer, the girls started acting much more obvious about who they would like to have ask them to the Ball, although they were still congregating in groups. Several girls even became bold enough to ask guys to the Ball. Ginny watched Harry and Ron as they struggled to find partners, secretly wishing Harry would ask her.

One evening Professor McGonagall posted a notice for all the students fourth year and above to meet in the Transfiguration classroom after dinner. It was to be a meeting about the Ball. Ginny looked wistfully at the posted notice over the shoulders of two other third year girls.

"Oh, I wish I could go," one sighed.

"We could if someone asked us!" the other declared.

"That's just it, we have to be asked by a fourth year!" the first girl responded back as the two moved away. "But I'd go if anyone asked me to go, just as long as I could go!"

Ginny nodded in quiet agreement as she slipped out of the common room to head to dinner.

In the Great Hall everyone at the Gryffindor table was talking about Professor McGonagall's notice. Speculation was rampant, although nobody knew what it was about.

Ginny, feeling a bit down, went and sat between her brothers, Fred and George. "What's up, sis?" George asked, surprised by the visit.

"Nothing," Ginny stated, not looking at him. She knew that Harry still had not asked anyone yet, but he wasn't even considering asking her either. She secretly wished he would but knew it was completely hopeless. He hardly ever acknowledges me anymore, she thought, feeling a bit down knowing this.

"It's not 'nothing' if your face looks like that!" George insisted. "What's eating at you?"

"Who do we get to hex for making you look so down?" Fred asked, making an attempt at humor.

Ginny let out a big sigh. "It's..." Ginny said as she looked up and saw Harry and Ron sitting a few spaces past Fred, "silly really. It's no big deal."

"If you look like this, it's a big deal." Fred turned Ginny's face up to look him square in the eye. "Did Ron say something?"

"We could always straighten him out if he did!" offered George beside her.

"No, it's not Ron. Really, he didn't do anything," Ginny stated matter of factly. She saw Harry talking to Ron, who was laughing at something Harry said to him.

"Okay, was it Harry?" asked George, noting where Ginny was looking.

"No." Ginny shook her head. "It's something I heard from one of my dorm mates coming down to dinner. Everyone is talking about the Ball." Ginny slouched in her seat.

"Don't worry, Ginny, you'll get asked," George stated.

"We could fix something up for you if you like?" Fred asked, still looking intently at his sister.

He wasn't joking about it; he was actually being serious, Ginny thought.

"Yeah, if you like, we can take care of it!" George put his arm around her and gave her a reassuring hug. Just then Dumbledore stood up to give the evening speech before the feast, which was brief as usual, and suddenly the platters and bowels filled with food.

Fred and George tried to make Ginny laugh as they ate. By the end of dinner, they managed to make her laugh so hard she spit her pumpkin juice all over Lee Jordan, who was sitting across the table from her.

As the plates disappeared, Professor McGonagall arrived to lead all the fourth years and up to her classroom. Ginny smiled and waved to her brothers as they headed away, before she got up and headed back to the Gryffindor common room.

~~*~~*~~*~~

As soon as McGonagall opened up the door to the classroom, they noticed that the normal tables and desks had been removed. Instead, rows of benches lined the length of the room along opposite walls.

"Everyone find a seat now," she called out as they filed in. "Come on in now, settle down." Professor McGonagall directed. Once inside, the girls mostly congregated together on the left side and the boys on the right

Filch entered, pushing a small table with a large phonograph under a very large magnifying horn. Mrs. Norris followed him and settled at his feet.

The class turned out to be a class on dancing.

Ron, Harry, Fred and George were making comments to each other as Professor McGonagall spoke, trying to stifle their laughter. However, Professor McGonagall noticed and pulled Ron off the boys' bench to stand in the middle of the room with her, effectively quieting everyone else. Professor McGonagall began explaining how to do a simple waltz, using Ron to demonstrate the steps.

"Oi, guys," Harry called quietly over to Fred and George. "You guys ever going to let him forget this?"

"Never!" Fred and George chorused, both beaming with malicious glee flashing in their eyes and mischievous grins on identical faces.

Ron struggled to follow Professor McGonagall's coaching as she lead him forcefully and tried desperately to avoid stepping on her feet too much. Ron's cheeks and ears were red the whole time.

"Alright then, everyone find a partner and pair off," she finally announced as she limped around matching Gryffindors into pairs.

Fred raced over to grab Angelina in his arms the way Professor McGonagall had held Ron. "May I have this dance?" he asked as he tried to turn her in a circle, almost tangling her feet with his.

"Just as so I can still ride a broom tomorrow!" she admonished, him laughing.

George zipped to over Alicia just as Rolando approached her and spun her around to face him. She almost fell, tripping over their feet, but he managed to pull her back onto her feet and against his chest. Some of the other students laughed at his 'dip', and others his 'nice recovery' as Alicia broke out laughing.

Fred watched Neville doing a few dance steps with Helen and was rather surprised. He poked George in the ribs and pointed to Neville, who spun Helen around to the music and then gracefully performed a small dip. George caught his twin's eye and raised his eyebrows. Fred gave George a nod.

However excruciating the class was, at least it provided Fred and George plenty of opportunities to slide over and nudge Ron, tripping him up. Harry couldn't help but laugh at them, watching their antics. In fact, Harry was paying far more attention to his friends, causing him to trip up several times as well. All in all the class wasn't too bad.

As Fred and George left, they followed the fourth year guys as they all headed back to the Gryffindor common room, talking amongst themselves about the class.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking, bro? Might not be a bad idea," George said to Fred loudly enough so that Neville, who was in the back of the group, could hear them. George then lowered his voice and whispered, "Neville would be a nice match for Ginny."

"He just might be, bro," Fred agreed, watching Neville. "He might just be the ticket," he said a bit louder. Neville looked back at them and blushed as he caught their stares. He quickly faced forward again and tried to bury himself within his dorm mates.

"Actually, Neville is quite good," Fred admitted loudly again.

"Ginny would at least get to dance, and she'd have a good time," George said softly.

Neville, who could hear bits and pieces, knew that they were talking about him. He couldn't make out all of what was said, but he knew that it was about him. He tried to speed up to get away.

"Oi! Neville, give us a moment will ya?" George called. Neville froze.

"We got something we want to ask you," Fred stated as they stopped right next to Neville. "Where did you learn to dance like that?" Fred kept his gaze on Neville as several students passed by them.

"My Gran has parties all the time. She taught me," Neville stated nervously.

If this was going work they had best reassure him a bit, thought George. "You're a really good dancer," he stated matter of factly.

"Are you taking anyone to the Ball then?" Fred asked bluntly.

Neville blanched. "I, um, asked, but she said no." He looked embarrassed. The corridor was emptying of students and getting quieter.

"We heard about that," Fred said.

"Hermione told our sister Ginny," George pointed out, then cringed when Neville looked down at his shoes, blushing. He had meant that to sound nice.

Neville scuffed his toe on the stone floor. "She said she would rather go with some one else."

"The way I heard it, she is going with someone else," Fred said.

"When you asked her, she already had a partner for the Ball, and so she said no," George finished with a warm smile and then looked squarely at Neville. "But what she told Ginny was that she would have gone with you."

"As friends of course; if she hadn't accepted going with this other fellow," Fred added. Neville looked stunned. "So, have you tried and asked anyone else yet?" he asked.

"Ah, I, ah, no..." Neville stuttered. Fred and George had pulled too many pranks on him, not for him to feel nervous.

"How about asking Ginny?" George asked.

"Ginny? I don't think..." Neville looked puzzled. "She's cute, but I've never talked to her much."

"We think it would be okay," Fred said as friendly as he could. "Don't see why not. You've always been nice enough to her, haven't you?" he asked, but Neville just shrugged.

"Could put in a good word and all," George said with a smile.

"Would she go with me?" asked Neville. He sounded uncertain, but at least he smiled at the thought.

Good, he was starting to warm to the idea, George thought, hoping he didn't look as smug as he felt.

"Trust us..." both chorused together.

"Give us a couple minutes with our sister to suggest it, let her know you want to, and then ask her tonight," Fred said, placing his hand on Neville's shoulder, reassuringly. Fred could see that Neville was beginning to like the idea.

"We'll get Ginny alone so it'll be easier. We'll give you a signal, and then you come over and ask her," George said as they turned to go and walked into the common room.

Ginny was sitting with nine others in the common room, doing her homework as Fred and George walked up. "Can we have a moment with our sister?" Fred asked them and pulled Ginny aside.

"We have solved your problem!" George said with a flourish.

"I didn't know I had a problem to solve," Ginny said, a bit confused.

"The Ball! You want to go or not?" Fred asked her.

"Yes!" Ginny answered enthusiastically. "I want to go..."

"So we found some one who is going to ask you," George said proudly, cutting her off.

"Brother approved," Fred announced, equally as proud.

"Nice gentleman," George assured her.

"And he can actually dance." Fred sounded like this was a major factor in the decision process.

"Which is a bonus!" George added. "At least you'll have fun."

"Okay, okay, who is it?" Ginny asked, looking around.

"He's a bit shy to ask you, but he wants to," George said. "You need to be available so he can."

"So you need to be alone for a bit. Sit over there by yourself," Fred said.

"Not all guys are as self-assured as we are." George puffed up his chest, which made Ginny laugh at him.

"Yeah, sitting with a bunch of other girls, well, it makes it hard on us guys," Fred said as he looked around.

"Okay, I'll stay over here for a while," Ginny said. "Are you sure he wanted to ask me?"

"Well, when we mentioned that he had our approval," Fred said as Ginny gave him hard look. "He was actually pleased. Seemed right glad that we thought that you might say yes," he added.

"He was afraid you'd say no to him." George shrugged. "Rejection and all."

"Which is very intimidating to a guy," Fred said, grinning.

"So we thought we should help him out a bit." George turned to his brother. "Good deed done. Shall we depart?"

"Remember what we said, Ginny. You'll have good time going with him." Fred looked at her seriously. "When he does ask, consider going with him, okay?"

Ginny watched her brothers plop down in the cushy chairs nearest to where they had left her and tried to look like they were busy reading. She pulled out her Herbology book and began to read, but she couldn't concentrate. Who is it? Who would Fred and George consider... they said 'brother approved?' She flipped through the pages, barely looking at the pictures. But I get to go... I actually get to go! She looked up as Fred and George casually stopped another girl from coming over to see her. She noticed that they blocked most of the guys too. Ginny peeked around the room, trying to be inconspicuous. Dean, Neville and Seamus were sitting across the room, playing Gobstones. They aren't even looking at me. Whom ever it was, she wished they would come and ask.

Soon, the room began to empty as people went to bed. Fred and George, however, stayed in their chairs tossing Exploding Snap cards at each other over their books. Ginny was getting tired of reading her Herbology book. Herbology wasn't a hard subject for her. What I need is my Transfiguration or Charms book. I really need to get my essay done too... Both Fred and George shook their heads when she got up to go. Ginny slumped back down in her chair. Only Seamus and Neville were left at the table. But they're talking to Lavender and Louise. Neville and Seamus probably already asked them to the Ball, so it can't be either of them. I'm sure Fred and George wouldn't fix me up with a guy in their year, but maybe a fifth year? Would they? At another table sat most of the fifth year Gryffindors. And they are all studying for their O.W.L.s. But as Ginny watched them, none of them even looked her way. She opened her book again, reading about some of the plants Professor Sprout hadn't mentioned in class yet. Finally she heard a small voice beside her, and she looked up to see Neville standing there, looking fairly nervous.

"What are you reading?" he asked.

"My Herbology textbook. I'm reading up on the plants Professor Sprout showed us this week," Ginny responded. It was the only book that was still in her bag when her brothers pulled her aside. Everything else was still piled on the table.

Fred and George, however, were looking carefully elsewhere and trying to act like they were not watching them. But Ginny recognized their antics. If Fred and George were acting like this, then he must be the one they were talking about. But Neville? But Ginny didn't know Neville all that well. Taking this as a hint of what her brothers had planned, she decided to make it easier on Neville. "That's one of my favorite classes."

She looked at Neville thoughtfully and seriously considered going with him. He's always been nice, shy... but he's a clutz and forgetful... gets nervous easily... However, Ginny had only been around him when she was with Hermione. The image of Hermione helping Neville with spells they had learned in class flashed in her mind. He always tries so hard to learn them... and he does really good when he's not nervous. Some of the girls coming back from McGonagall's dance class mentioned with awe that Neville was surprisingly a very good dancer. At least Fred and George were right. I'd have a great time if I went with him to the Ball.

"I like it too," Neville was saying while he tried to get the nerve to ask Ginny what he had really wanted to ask. Ginny was sure about that now.

Nah, he is nice – just not as self-assured as my brothers are... but as a friend... So lead him in the right direction, she thought. "How was class tonight? What did Professor McGonagall teach?"

"Dancing." He looked at Fred and George, who gave him an encouraging nod. George also gave him a thumbs-up, discreetly, just above his book. "Doyou-u wannago to-d, the-a Ball-with me?" he blurted out as he turned away from her brothers. He looked so nervous and yet so hopeful.

"Sure," Ginny said, trying to hold her smile. Do not laugh, don't laugh... she beamed at him. If she hadn't already known what he was going to ask her, she would've needed him to repeat it. He had asked her so fast she could barely make out the words properly. If I laugh now, he'll think Fred and George were just pulling another prank on him! Keep cool...

"We can go just as friends if you like," Neville continued.

He hadn't even taken a breath. "Okay." Ginny had to keep her face in control. Must not laugh... must not laugh... she thought sternly as she continued to smile.

"I can dance and all... and... you said yes?" Neville had the most shocked expression she had ever seen him use.

"Yes, I'd like to go to the Ball with you, Neville," Ginny said, smiling.

She watched as Neville turned to her brothers with a big smile and then looked back at Ginny. "Right then, okay, that's... great, thank you." He turned to go.

"Neville!" Ginny called, "I'm really happy you asked me, really. I know that we will have fun; thank you." Neville's gleeful expression as he turned to the boys' stairs was delightful to see. Fred and George picked up their things and headed for the stairs, each giving Ginny a knowing wink. They looked smug and happy, but definitely smug.

Ginny raced to get her things and ran up the girls' stairs to tell Hermione her good news.

Author's note: I know that Professor McGonagall's dance lesson was from the movie version and not canon, but honestly, it was so brilliant and funny, I just had to use it. The very thought of Ron dancing with Professor McGonagall, being snickered at by Fred, George and Harry was too good to ignore. Besides, I liked the fact that Neville was a good dancer