Disclaimer: This little Fifth Year ficlet is not to be confused in any way with
Order of the Phoenix. The latter was written by J.K. Rowling, who owns
all characters and situations attendant thereto (and who is now richer
than the Queen of England because of it). The former was written by ME,
purely for fun and NOT for profit. This story is presented here to be
read freely by all, so for Merlin's sake, put your credit cards away
before J.K. calls her lawyers!
Author's Note: I'm going to make quite a bold statement for a lowly fanfic writer: This story contains elements which I firmly believe should be used by J.K. Rowling as part of the permanent HP mythos.
What? How cheeky can a bloke get? But there you are. The readers are free to judge the audacity of my statement once they have finished the story. So be sure to read the whole story, okay? It's only 6 chapters, none of them very long. And when you're done, THEN you can tell me if I'm spitting in the dragon's eye or not.
Ready to accept the challenge? Right, then. Let's go.
***
When Ginny heard the heavy footsteps thumping in increasing volume on the boys' staircase, her eyes did not so much as flicker from the text of the book she was reading in a soft chair by the fireplace. Her wand was out, and she was moving it back and forth as she practiced a tricky spell she was to perform in her next Charms class. Without looking up, nor altering the pattern of her strokes by so much as a millimeter, she said casually, "So, where are you off to, Ron?"
"How'd you know it was me?" Ron said as he halted in mid-stride.
"Like I haven't heard those great plates of yours pounding up and down stairs all my life," Ginny said amusedly. She did not have to look up to see in her mind's eye the grin spreading across her brother's face. "Where you off to, then?"
"Date with Hermione," Ron said with a note of casual indifference.
Ginny's wand jerked up suddenly, sending a shower of red sparks into the air, a few of which landed on the hem on Ron's robes.
"Watch it!" Ron cried as he slapped frantically at the smoldering pinpoints searing his robes.
"Sorry," Ginny said, casting a hasty Extinguishing Charm that smothered the glowing embers still clinging to her brother's robes. "But you startled me. What's this about you having a date with Hermione?"
"It's not that kind of date," Ron said, though Ginny detected a note of regret which stated most clearly that he wished it was 'that kind of date.' "Just a little dueling practice."
"Who are you planning to duel?" Ginny smiled as she retrieved her Charms textbook, which had slipped from her lap and fallen to the floor. "Malfoy? Or is this a prelude to future Auror training?"
Though there was nothing overt in his sister's query, Ron had the distinct impression that Ginny found the notion of him becoming an Auror about as likely as Eloise Midgen being the next cover model of Witch Weekly magazine. "You never know," he said in a very serious manner. Ginny's smile retreated, and Ron's defensive posture relaxed. "Look, Ginny, You-Know-Who came back last Summer, and everyone knows he'll stop at nothing to get Harry. Hermione and I had a talk, and we agreed that we'd both better be ready to stand by Harry if the worst happens. We're his best mates, Hermione and I. We're not going to just stand by and let him face You-Know-Who alone."
Ginny didn't know whether to hug Ron for his courage and loyalty, or put a Body-Bind on him and lock him in Filch's broom cupboard until he came to his senses. Setting her book aside and rising from her chair, she chose the former.
"You are a good friend to Harry," she said, smiling as she saw his ears glowing pink. "And I'm sorry I thought you were going after Hermione behind his back, when you know how much he fancies her."
Ron's embarrassed grin became strained. Wordlessly, he removed Ginny's hands from his shoulders and shifted in the direction of the portrait hole.
"RON!" Ginny said in mild alarm. "You're not -- "
"No," he said quickly. "I'm not going behind Harry's back. But that doesn't mean I think he's the right one for Hermione."
Hearing these words, Ginny felt her heart skip a beat. Memories of the previous school year crashed against her brain like a rampaging hippogriff. All the signs had been there, for her and anyone else to see: The Yule Ball, Ron's jealousy of Viktor Krum, and his ill-disguised resentment at Rita Skeeter's inference that Hermione was Harry's "true love." Ginny thought Ron had left those feelings behind at the end of last term.
A tenuous thread had formed between Harry and Hermione, beginning with their parting on the platform at Kings Cross, and extending through the Summer holidays. When the two of them had visited the Burrow only a month ago, Ginny found the electricity between them all but tangible. And since the beginning of the new school year, the bond linking them seemed to grow stronger every day, reflecting a deepening of friendship and mutual respect into something more, something indefinable. Only someone completely blind could fail to see it.
But love was blind, so went the old saying. Ginny did not doubt that Ron was sincere in his feelings for Hermione. The bookish girl had crept into and through him over a space of many years, and it was clear now that the events of a single Summer could not undo that. Nevertheless, Ginny felt compelled to speak up, no matter the seeming futility.
"Ron," she said gently, "you've seen them together. You've seen the way they look at each other. Can you honestly say that Hermione looks at you -- " Ginny cut herself off, fearing she had said too much. But Ron merely shrugged.
"No offense, Ginny, but girls don't always know what they want, or what they think they want. And as I was so forcefully reminded last December, Hermione is a girl.
"And if it comes to that, I happen to know that Harry hasn't even kissed her yet."
Ginny looked horrified. "You haven't been spying -- ?"
"Of course not," Ron said, clearly insulted. "I don't have to. Harry tells me everything. We're best mates, aren't we? And Harry told me only last week that he isn't sure how he feels about Hermione."
"Harry's been through a lot in the last few months," Ginny said. "He probably needs some time to sort out his thoughts on...everything."
"Right," Ron agreed. "And as I said, I am not going behind Harry's back. But Hermione has a say in this, too. If she chooses Harry, that's fine. I'll stand by the both of them. But the way I see it, until someone decides one way or the other, the door is still open."
"So what are you looking for?" Ginny asked. "A sign from Heaven?"
Ron paused at Ginny's words. "That's as good a way to put it as any. A sign. Something. One way or another, something's going to happen that will sort all this out."
"And you'll know it when you see it," Ginny said flatly.
"Yes," Ron replied decisively.
"And you'll abide by it, even if it favors Harry?"
Ron paused again before answering with a reluctant nod.
"Well, then," Ginny sighed. "I guess you'd best be off. I imagine Hermione's waiting for you, and she's not one to be kept waiting." As Ron grinned his agreement with this statement, Ginny added, "I stand by what I said before, Ron. You're a good friend to do this for Harry."
"Where is Harry?" Ron now thought to ask. "He disappeared right after breakfast."
"He went to Hogsmeade," Ginny said.
"What?" Ron exclaimed. "This isn't a Hogsmeade weekend. I saw the notice posted in the Great Hall."
"Well?" Ginny said, rolling her eyes. "Harry's a Prefect, isn't he?"
"What's that got to do with anything?"
"Ron!" Ginny said with a reproving look. "Percy told us any number of times!"
"Like I ever listen to Percy if I can help it," Ron clucked.
"Hogsmeade weekends have to be sanctioned by the village council," Ginny explained patiently. "They can't have hundreds of students swarming over the town without making special preparations first. It's like the Norman invasion once a month."
"Who's Norman?" Ron said, scratching his head. "What house is he in?"
Rolling her eyes with a shake of her flaming head, Ginny resumed, "But individual students Fifth Year and above can petition for a Discretionary Pass. It has to be approved first by the student's head of house, who then takes it to the village council for their approval. And all Prefects receive automatic approval." As Ron digested this revelation, Ginny added, "You know, Hermione thinks I have a good chance of making Prefect next year."
"Just what I need," Ron grimaced. "My little sister taking points from me for snogging a girl in a broom cupboard."
"Oh?" Ginny said, lifting a suspicious eyebrow. "And which girl would that be?"
"Uh..." Ron said nervously. "I...gotta go. Don't want to keep Hermione waiting. If you see Harry before I get back, don't tell him what I'm doing, okay? I want to...surprise him."
Ginny looked after Ron thoughtfully as he disappeared through the portrait hole. Chuckling lightly, she sat back down in her chair, drew her wand, and opened her book to resume her lesson.
***
Author's Note: If all goes well, chapters will be posted weekly, leading us right up to the release of Order of the Phoenix, at which time I (and everyone in the world, I suspect) will be putting everything on hold to read about Harry's fifth year at Hogwarts. But until June 21, fanfics rule! See you next week.
Author's Note: I'm going to make quite a bold statement for a lowly fanfic writer: This story contains elements which I firmly believe should be used by J.K. Rowling as part of the permanent HP mythos.
What? How cheeky can a bloke get? But there you are. The readers are free to judge the audacity of my statement once they have finished the story. So be sure to read the whole story, okay? It's only 6 chapters, none of them very long. And when you're done, THEN you can tell me if I'm spitting in the dragon's eye or not.
Ready to accept the challenge? Right, then. Let's go.
When Ginny heard the heavy footsteps thumping in increasing volume on the boys' staircase, her eyes did not so much as flicker from the text of the book she was reading in a soft chair by the fireplace. Her wand was out, and she was moving it back and forth as she practiced a tricky spell she was to perform in her next Charms class. Without looking up, nor altering the pattern of her strokes by so much as a millimeter, she said casually, "So, where are you off to, Ron?"
"How'd you know it was me?" Ron said as he halted in mid-stride.
"Like I haven't heard those great plates of yours pounding up and down stairs all my life," Ginny said amusedly. She did not have to look up to see in her mind's eye the grin spreading across her brother's face. "Where you off to, then?"
"Date with Hermione," Ron said with a note of casual indifference.
Ginny's wand jerked up suddenly, sending a shower of red sparks into the air, a few of which landed on the hem on Ron's robes.
"Watch it!" Ron cried as he slapped frantically at the smoldering pinpoints searing his robes.
"Sorry," Ginny said, casting a hasty Extinguishing Charm that smothered the glowing embers still clinging to her brother's robes. "But you startled me. What's this about you having a date with Hermione?"
"It's not that kind of date," Ron said, though Ginny detected a note of regret which stated most clearly that he wished it was 'that kind of date.' "Just a little dueling practice."
"Who are you planning to duel?" Ginny smiled as she retrieved her Charms textbook, which had slipped from her lap and fallen to the floor. "Malfoy? Or is this a prelude to future Auror training?"
Though there was nothing overt in his sister's query, Ron had the distinct impression that Ginny found the notion of him becoming an Auror about as likely as Eloise Midgen being the next cover model of Witch Weekly magazine. "You never know," he said in a very serious manner. Ginny's smile retreated, and Ron's defensive posture relaxed. "Look, Ginny, You-Know-Who came back last Summer, and everyone knows he'll stop at nothing to get Harry. Hermione and I had a talk, and we agreed that we'd both better be ready to stand by Harry if the worst happens. We're his best mates, Hermione and I. We're not going to just stand by and let him face You-Know-Who alone."
Ginny didn't know whether to hug Ron for his courage and loyalty, or put a Body-Bind on him and lock him in Filch's broom cupboard until he came to his senses. Setting her book aside and rising from her chair, she chose the former.
"You are a good friend to Harry," she said, smiling as she saw his ears glowing pink. "And I'm sorry I thought you were going after Hermione behind his back, when you know how much he fancies her."
Ron's embarrassed grin became strained. Wordlessly, he removed Ginny's hands from his shoulders and shifted in the direction of the portrait hole.
"RON!" Ginny said in mild alarm. "You're not -- "
"No," he said quickly. "I'm not going behind Harry's back. But that doesn't mean I think he's the right one for Hermione."
Hearing these words, Ginny felt her heart skip a beat. Memories of the previous school year crashed against her brain like a rampaging hippogriff. All the signs had been there, for her and anyone else to see: The Yule Ball, Ron's jealousy of Viktor Krum, and his ill-disguised resentment at Rita Skeeter's inference that Hermione was Harry's "true love." Ginny thought Ron had left those feelings behind at the end of last term.
A tenuous thread had formed between Harry and Hermione, beginning with their parting on the platform at Kings Cross, and extending through the Summer holidays. When the two of them had visited the Burrow only a month ago, Ginny found the electricity between them all but tangible. And since the beginning of the new school year, the bond linking them seemed to grow stronger every day, reflecting a deepening of friendship and mutual respect into something more, something indefinable. Only someone completely blind could fail to see it.
But love was blind, so went the old saying. Ginny did not doubt that Ron was sincere in his feelings for Hermione. The bookish girl had crept into and through him over a space of many years, and it was clear now that the events of a single Summer could not undo that. Nevertheless, Ginny felt compelled to speak up, no matter the seeming futility.
"Ron," she said gently, "you've seen them together. You've seen the way they look at each other. Can you honestly say that Hermione looks at you -- " Ginny cut herself off, fearing she had said too much. But Ron merely shrugged.
"No offense, Ginny, but girls don't always know what they want, or what they think they want. And as I was so forcefully reminded last December, Hermione is a girl.
"And if it comes to that, I happen to know that Harry hasn't even kissed her yet."
Ginny looked horrified. "You haven't been spying -- ?"
"Of course not," Ron said, clearly insulted. "I don't have to. Harry tells me everything. We're best mates, aren't we? And Harry told me only last week that he isn't sure how he feels about Hermione."
"Harry's been through a lot in the last few months," Ginny said. "He probably needs some time to sort out his thoughts on...everything."
"Right," Ron agreed. "And as I said, I am not going behind Harry's back. But Hermione has a say in this, too. If she chooses Harry, that's fine. I'll stand by the both of them. But the way I see it, until someone decides one way or the other, the door is still open."
"So what are you looking for?" Ginny asked. "A sign from Heaven?"
Ron paused at Ginny's words. "That's as good a way to put it as any. A sign. Something. One way or another, something's going to happen that will sort all this out."
"And you'll know it when you see it," Ginny said flatly.
"Yes," Ron replied decisively.
"And you'll abide by it, even if it favors Harry?"
Ron paused again before answering with a reluctant nod.
"Well, then," Ginny sighed. "I guess you'd best be off. I imagine Hermione's waiting for you, and she's not one to be kept waiting." As Ron grinned his agreement with this statement, Ginny added, "I stand by what I said before, Ron. You're a good friend to do this for Harry."
"Where is Harry?" Ron now thought to ask. "He disappeared right after breakfast."
"He went to Hogsmeade," Ginny said.
"What?" Ron exclaimed. "This isn't a Hogsmeade weekend. I saw the notice posted in the Great Hall."
"Well?" Ginny said, rolling her eyes. "Harry's a Prefect, isn't he?"
"What's that got to do with anything?"
"Ron!" Ginny said with a reproving look. "Percy told us any number of times!"
"Like I ever listen to Percy if I can help it," Ron clucked.
"Hogsmeade weekends have to be sanctioned by the village council," Ginny explained patiently. "They can't have hundreds of students swarming over the town without making special preparations first. It's like the Norman invasion once a month."
"Who's Norman?" Ron said, scratching his head. "What house is he in?"
Rolling her eyes with a shake of her flaming head, Ginny resumed, "But individual students Fifth Year and above can petition for a Discretionary Pass. It has to be approved first by the student's head of house, who then takes it to the village council for their approval. And all Prefects receive automatic approval." As Ron digested this revelation, Ginny added, "You know, Hermione thinks I have a good chance of making Prefect next year."
"Just what I need," Ron grimaced. "My little sister taking points from me for snogging a girl in a broom cupboard."
"Oh?" Ginny said, lifting a suspicious eyebrow. "And which girl would that be?"
"Uh..." Ron said nervously. "I...gotta go. Don't want to keep Hermione waiting. If you see Harry before I get back, don't tell him what I'm doing, okay? I want to...surprise him."
Ginny looked after Ron thoughtfully as he disappeared through the portrait hole. Chuckling lightly, she sat back down in her chair, drew her wand, and opened her book to resume her lesson.
Author's Note: If all goes well, chapters will be posted weekly, leading us right up to the release of Order of the Phoenix, at which time I (and everyone in the world, I suspect) will be putting everything on hold to read about Harry's fifth year at Hogwarts. But until June 21, fanfics rule! See you next week.