Molly Weasley flipped the eggs over and looked at her husband over breakfast.
"Arthur, dear, I've been meaning to ask, isn't it about time to think about bringing Harry here?"
Arthur looked up from the Prophet. "Why, yes! I had nearly forgotten. Poor boy hasn't got Ronnie's letters, is it?"
"Something of the sort. Although, if it were Errol's fault, I wouldn't be too surprised. All those Muggle houses look the same."
Arthur launched into an explanation about post numbers and how the Muggle postman delivered the letters as Molly playfully rolled her eyes.
Neither parent noticed a small redheaded figure eavesdropping from he edge of the first landing,
Ginny ran up to her room and shut the door before wildly dancing around. Harry Potter was coming here! To her house! The Harry Potter!
She pulled out TheRiseandFalloftheDarkArts and stared hopelessly at his picture, staring into his eyes. Those gorgeous green eyes! They were the color of the fresh pickled toads in the Apothecary. And his hair! So black. And she'd heard he wore glasses now, he was probably really really smart, and at the top of his Muggle class.
She sighed wistfully and clutched the book to her chest tightly, wishing he'd come soon.
Ron was unsuccessfully trying to read in peace. This was the newest issue of The Adventures Of Martin The Mad Muggle and the stupid ghoul would not cease banging the plumbing around.
"Oi! Stop that noise NOW!" He did his best impression of Mum's glare for a full five minutes before he remembered that the ghoul could not see him.
"If you continue doing that, I'll make Mum come up here!"
The bloody ghoul didn't stop.
"Ugh, fine." Ron unceremoniously threw himself off his bed and made for the door, hoping Ginny would let him read in there. He really didn't want to read in either Percy or the twins' room. He'd rather not read than have Percy give him some "suitable" reading material or have the twins tease him about being the next Percy.
Ron walked into Ginny's room and realized far too late he forgot to knock.
"Ginny, what the bloody hell are you doing?"
Ginny was crooning softly to a picture of...Harry?WasthatHarry?
Ginny was talking in a soft whisper to Harry, his best friend?
She looked up and her eyes widened. She dropped the book and said in a trembling little voice, "Ron."
And then, stronger, "Ron! What do you think you're doing! This is my room!"
He pulled her down on the bed next to him. "Ginny, look, about Harry-"
"What about him?"
"I know you fancy him."
"S-so?"
"Harry doesn't like people worshipping him."
"Ron, go away! No one asked you!"
"Gin, he's my best friend, and you're my sister, and I don't want him to be uncomfortable here."
"Ron, no one asked you! Why don't you go talk to your girlfriend?"
That hit a nerve. "Hermione's not my girlfriend! And if you ever want Harry to like you, you won't go mumbling about white picket fences and checked curtains!"
Ginny turned scarlet. "I just think he's really cute."
"Spare me, please. I only came here to read. Just...please don't...you know, make a fool of yourself, and try not to talk too much."
Ginny stuck her tongue out at him, but didn't kick him out, so he settled down by the window.
"Ron! He's here! Harry Potter's here!" Ginny rushed into her brother's room as soon as she had seen the messy black haired boy in the yard the next morning. She didn't care about the fact that she was still in her pajamas.
Then she discovered that he'd brought Harry, that very night.
Ron always had been her favorite brother.