Love is in the Air: Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley

Ginny Weasley has always had a thing for Harry Potter. From the first time Ginny meets Harry it's obvious she likes him. She turns beet red and runs off whenever she sees him and in Chamber of Secrets she's apparently been talking about him all summer long, as told by her older brother and Harry's best friend, Ron. Harry doesn't really give Ginny a second glance. She's his best friend's sister and she's a year younger then he is. Finally when they seem to be on the same plane Harry's life is about to be tossed in a new direction, leaving Ginny behind. What's going to happen between these two?

Ginny carries a torch for Harry all the way up to Order of the Phoenix. Harry has spent his time pining after Cho and hasn't even given Ginny a second glance. Finally Ginny tells Hermione that she is tired of waiting for Harry to look her way and has basically given up on him. Now that Ginny is not crippled by her crush on Harry she can be herself and begins a relationship with Michael Corner. At this point Harry and Ginny actually become friends, the start hanging out while at Grimmauld Place (headquarters of the Order) and she even helps Harry in the fight at the Department of Mysteries.

Harry and Cho's relationship gets shot down before it even gets off the ground and Ginny and Michael break up and even Ron notices that there's something between Harry and Ginny. But since Ginny has given up on Harry she goes out with Dean Thomas and this makes Ron very unhappy. Then Harry spends the summer between Order of the Phoenix and Half-Blood Prince with Ron, Ginny and their family and when they're on their way back to Hogwarts Ginny turns Harry down to go sit with Dean when he suggests they share a compartment on the train. Harry finds himself rather annoyed at this and isn't sure why.

Harry begins to figure it out in Potions class when he smells a cauldron of Amortentia, the most powerful love potion in the world. The potion makes the person smell whatever they find most attractive. Harry smells a few things, one of which is some flowery smell from the Burrow where Ron's family lives. He gets a whiff of that smell later and realizes it's Ginny. Still not exactly sure what it all means, he is a boy after all, Harry gets a bigger clue when he catches Ginny and Dean kissing in Hogsmeade. Still Harry stifles his feelings and convinces himself that he just feels like a protective older brother.

Finally, after Christmas at the Weasleys, Ginny and Dean's relationship starts to nosedive. Hermione figures out Harry's feelings and it's likely she tells Ginny since the two are actually very good friends. Ginny and Dean break up but instead of Harry jumping on the chance to ask Ginny out he drags his feet. When they are both finally on the same page Harry and Ginny are together. But now that Harry has to go after Voldemort, what's to become of them?

At the end of Half-Blood Prince Harry does his best to break up with Ginny, telling her that as long as he's in danger, those that he loves are in danger. Harry simply couldn't bare it if he risked her life by being in a relationship together. Ginny tries to tell him why she loves him so much but he just can't bear to hear it. So it seems that they are broken up at the end - but it can't last. For one thing the two will be together for Bill and Fleur's wedding and they will be at the Burrow together. And once Harry vanquishes Voldemort he will return to Ginny and she will definitely be there waiting for him!