"Ginny, would you please find Harry and tell him Dinner is about ready."
"Sure, Mum."
Ginny found Harry dozed off in one of the living room armchairs.
"No…Mustn't…Ron wouldn't want…Can't" Harry muttered, twisting in the chair.
"That's usually the best reason to do it." Ginny said loudly.
"AAHHHHHHHHH!" Harry screamed, falling off the chair.
Ginny found that amusing.
"Do what?" Harry asked, panicking, wondering how much he'd said or what Ginny had heard. He tried to keep his calm and natural, but it wasn't really effective. Ginny was still giggling.
"Whatever it is Ron doesn't like." Ginny flashed a friendly smile at Harry. "Dinner's about ready." Ginny, still chortling, began to return to the kitchen.
"I'll be right in." Harry replied. His insides were churning – how much did Ginny know…what had he said in his sleep…had he been talking in his sleep for months? No, no he couldn't have. Ron would have killed him…not to mention Dean…Harry was painfully aware of his slender form compared with Dean's strapping physique.
Harry was calmed as dinner went on. Ginny made no indication that she was in the slightest aware of Harry's feelings toward her, which allowed Harry to join in on Fred, George and Ginny's ribbing of Ron over his relationship with Lavender; which Ron took rather genially.
"So, Harry. Who'd you break up if you had the choice? Ron and Lavender or Ginny and Dean?" George asked. Ron and Ginny seemed to find this line of questioning quite acceptable; there were no leaps to the defence of their absent partners.
"Well…" Harry began, pretending to mull it over. He split Ginny and Dean up – but he couldn't say that. "Ron and Lavender, definitely."
"And why is that, Harry?" Fred asked, waving a baby carrot around.
"Have you been in their presence? It is excruciating. At least Ginny and Dean are usually discreet about it all."
George narrowed his eyes at Ginny, as if appraising her, before quickly breaking off from the developing staring contest to ask Harry: "So, who's your girlfriend?"
Harry was in the process of taking a drink of water when George asked the question, and he coughed and spluttered. Ginny thumped his back.
"I don't have one."
Fred's ears perked up. "Do I hear that correctly? Witch Weekly's most eligible bachelor is a bachelor?"
"I'm on Witch Weekly? But I'm only 16." Harry replied, feeling quite confused.
"Yes, it's all rather silly," Fred continued, to approving looks from Mrs Weasley. "Everyone knows that I'm the most eligible bachelor in this room."
"Dream on Fred, dream on." Said George.
"So Harry, who've you got your eye on?" Bill asked, Fleur perched across his legs.
"You, Bill." Harry replied, keeping his gaze on Bill's face.
"I don't mean literally; who catches your fancy."
"No one…absolutely no one at all..."
"Harry's been quiet in that area all year. Bit surprising really, seeing as everyone else is coupling up left right and centre."
"Well, you've come to the right place, Harry." Fred declared.
"We're experts, you see, and we'll have you dating away in no time." George added.
"Not necessary guys." Harry tried to decline their offer. Fred and George pulled 'what are you on about, Harry' faces.
Ginny, mercifully came to his rescue. "Let him be, you lot. If he doesn't want your help in pulling the girl of his dreams, let him manage on his own."
"What girl of what dreams?" Ron asked rather inconveniently. "There is none."
"Well, sure there is, Ron." Ginny replied, looking quite pleased with herself.
Ron turned to Harry. "It's not Luna, is it?"
"No, it's not Luna." Harry replied, and then added. "It's not Luna because it isn't anyone."
"You keep on telling yourself that Harry." Ginny grinned.
"Well," Ron frowned at Ginny. "Why don't you tell us who she is, if you're so smart?"
"Nah, I'd better not." Ginny shook her head. "It's much too personal."
Harry moment of relief was shattered a moment.
"That's right, because you can't. Besides, we're all Harry's friends here – he won't mind, will you, Harry."
"Nah;" Harry tried valiantly to be jovial. "I'd like to know her name too."
"Well, you've been very good at keeping it close, Harry. I reckon Hermione might know; but she was all like 'You figure it out for yourself, Ginny' when I asked her about it – a topic, I might add, that she brought up herself. Anyway, I've at last figured out who's caught your fancy, Harry. Let me tell you, you're playing a very dangerous game."
"How'd you figure it out?" Fred asked.
"Why, you told me, Harry." Ginny leaned in and whispered in Harry's ear. "Ron wouldn't want it." Ginny sat back. "There was only one possible answer, one possibility that fit all the criteria, Harry Potter, you fancy m…"
Ginny coughed and took a drink of water, as Harry waited for his doom to fall.
"Mosag."
Harry, who'd been expecting Ginny to say 'me', was completely stunned to say the least.
"Well done, Ginny, you've broken him." George laughed.
"Mo-who?" Bill asked.
"Mosag, Aragog's wife…The Acromantula in the Forbidden Forest."
"But…you are in love with ze spider?" Fleur asked Harry.
"I can see the difficulties physically, but if you love each other…" Ginny said before Harry could respond. "Besides, it'll still be prettier than Ron and Lavender."
Harry just held his forehead in his palms. Ron had turned green during the exchange. "But Harry, you can't love a spider."
"Why not?" Fred asked. "Lee does."
"As a pet, not as a wife! Am I the only one who sees anything wrong with this?"
"NO!" Harry called, as Fred and George yelled. "YES!"
Ron comforted himself with desert, and the conversation went down other paths.
Harry cornered Ginny after everyone had dispersed.
"Thank you." Harry didn't know how much Ginny knew, but if she knew, she hadn't said anything.
"For what?"
"For not…telling anyone about…"
"Harry, I told everyone." Ginny gave him an odd look. "Don't you remember?"
"Right. I'll help you with those dishes." Harry said, stacking the plates. Ginny was distracted by a little spider scurrying along the wall, and after capturing it, she insisted on chasing Harry around the Burrow, telling him that it was his destiny to adopt the little critter.
"And let it visit Uncle Ron every day!" Ginny called, as Ron barricaded himself and Harry in their bedroom.