"Do you want to..." he said, but his confidence broke, "...want me... to help you study?"
                              
"Oh," she said, sounding a little disappointed. "Err... no... I... err... think we'll be... alright..." she mumbled.
                              
"Ok... well... err..." he rambled.
                              
"Yeah, I'll s-see you later," Ginny said, sadly.
                              
"Yeah, bye..." Harry said.
                              
They both left quickly in opposite directions. He had blown it. He was furious with himself. He had faced Voldemort and seen his family and friends die, but he could not work up enough courage to ask Ginny out? What was wrong with me? he thought angrily. Was it the prophecy or was he just afraid to ask? 
                              
No, I just chickened out, responded the nasty little voice in his head. 
                              
By the time Hermione and Ron got back up to the common room, he was not remotely interested in talking. It was a very quiet afternoon and when dinner came around, they had to drag him downstairs to eat. Ginny was already there. He looked over and she was sitting with the other Gryffindor fifth years, but she looked over to him. He did not want her to think he was staring at her, so he did not look over any more, but he had a feeling that she was watching him. He managed to eat something at dinner, and he went back up with Ron and Hermione before Ginny had left. 
                              
The rest of the night passed uneventfully. He thought maybe he could get another opportunity to ask Ginny out, but she went to bed early. Ron and Hermione did not say much to him, though they did realize that he was not participating in their conversations anymore. Therefore, in an effort to include him, Harry assumed, they played Exploding Snap with Dean and Seamus until well past midnight. Harry was not really into the game and he only won once. After Dean won five times in row, Seamus quit angrily and he went up to bed. The others soon followed, and the room was almost empty. Tomorrow was the ball and everyone wanted to get some sleep. He really did not care to sleep, but Ron and Hermione headed up to bed. It was going to be a big day for them.
                              
As he watched them separate and go up their respective stairs, his thoughts came around to Ginny, again. He had missed his opportunity. There was nothing to be done now. There was not going to be another chance. It was probably for the best. Everyone closely observes everything that he does, and Ginny did not need that kind of attention, especially Voldemort's attention. 
                              
But... she is already a known target of the Death Eaters. She is a blood traitor and fought them in the Department of Mysteries, Harry thought. Would she be risking anything more by going out with him, when everyone knows how close he is to the entire Weasley family? 
                              
He thought no, but he then realized that this kind of thinking was pointless, now. His chance was gone, but he was so deep in thought that he did not even hear everyone else leaving, or more importantly anyone coming down the stairs.
                              
"H-Harry?" a voice asked suddenly, making him jump out of his seat and turn around.
                              
"Ginny? W-what are you doing down here?" he asked, while noticing that she had not changed into her pajamas, yet and her ears were already a deep shade of red. 
                              
"Is everything alright?" he asked.
                              
"Yeah... fine, I just didn't feel like sleeping. What are you doing?" Ginny asked awkwardly.
                              
Oh... just was thinking... about... things..." Harry managed to say, already sweating bullets. He had wanted to say about you, but decided against it.
                              
"Oh... I... umm... hope... I'm not bothering you," Ginny said, slightly bashful. 
                              
"No-no, not at all," he stammered. 
                              
What am I going to do? Should I ask? he thought. Say something....