That One Summer

A/N- Hey all, if anyone has been reading Unconventional Commitments you know about a particular summer that has been mentioned several times throughout the story. I've had a few people request to hear the actual tale of that summer, and I was more than happy to grant that, lol. But, you do not have to have read Unconventional Commitments to get this story at all. So, if you haven't, please feel free to still read this without reading that first.

Chapter One

Unpacking Only Leads to Trouble

Everyone has their defining moments in life. You know, those nice little stories that people are just more than willing to share with you about how this one event changed the course of their life forever. Normally, said event is a pleasant one; it will bring a smile to the storyteller's face, as well as to the listener's, because, who doesn't love a good sappy tale? Unfortunately for me, my main defining moment is something straight out of a b-rate horror novel.

My event is rarely spoken of in blatant terms. It is most often referred to as 'that one summer' and followed by either a cringe or a smirk of satisfaction; depending on who is talking about it. Needless to say, I am the cringer. The smirkers….well, they become quite obvious later.

Unfortunately, the only true way to tell the events of my moment is to go back to…that one summer. It would be wise to take all restroom and food breaks now, and after that make yourself comfortable, for this may take a while.

=D =D =D =D

Ginny Weasley sat anxiously by the fireplace as she convulsively checked her watch for the fifteenth time in three minutes. He had promised to be here by six o' clock…it was nearing a quarter after!

She ran a fidgety hand through her hair, he had decided not to come. That must be it, he had come to his senses and realized that he just simply could not be with anyone who would go out with Michael Corner…Dean had decided that she was just too stupid and naïve for him. Well, that was just fine with her, because if she was too stupid for him, then he was too stupid for her. After all, he was no one special. Just another fish in the proverbial sea.

Except…he wasn't just another 'fish' he was different; exceptional even. He had enormous potential when it came down to the love category, and everything about him just seemed to fit her. Alright, so maybe she had jumped the gun a bit by planning out the details of their wedding after one night of innocent flirting…but, really, if they did get married she could make a great speech out of it. She would be standing there, in front of all their friends and family, looking gorgeous, of course, and she would gaze down lovingly at her new husband as she revealed to all the story of her knowing from their first conversation that it was fate, Dean and she were meant to be. And then the crowd would cheer wildly, and Dean would stand with her and announce to all that he loved her with all his--

"Ginny?"

She jumped and gave a small shriek at the unnoticed arrival of her imaginary future husband. "Dean," she breathed as she placed a hand over her fast beating heart, "I didn't know that you had come."

He smiled at her knowingly. "Obviously."

She smiled back in relief. "You're late. I mean, that's fine of course, I just thought that maybe you…you know, changed your mind or something."

Dean laughed easily, "I am not quite that fickle, Ginny. Besides, how could I pass up the opportunity to spend a few weeks of my summer vacation with the most beautiful girl at Hogwarts? Do you really think I am that dense?"

Ginny blushed good-naturedly and stood to help him with his luggage. "Well, let me take you upstairs, you'll be staying in Ron's room with Ron and Harry."

She led him up the stairs and they both stood awkwardly in Ron's room once they arrived. "Of course," she said apologetically, "I know that it is a bit cramped and all…but--"

"It's brilliant," he covered her would-be apology smoothly. "I would expect nothing less from Ron than this orange…place."

Ginny laughed at his assessment. "Well, that's one thing you could call it. You should hear what Fred and George say about his room, it's absolutely hilarious--"

"But he wouldn't want to hear about all of that, now would he, Gin?" Fred and George interrupted the new couple at the mention of their names. "So," Fred continued, "you must be…Din, was it?"

"Dean," Ginny amended with a warning glare to each twin. "And I didn't get the memo that you two were in full-fledged stalker mode today."

"Oh," George picked up, ignoring Ginny's second comment, "Dean, right. Of course. Tell me though, what kind of name is Dean, really? Sounds more like a job title than a name."

Dean glanced at Ginny curiously before facing the twins. "Actually Dean was my grandfather's name. He died back when my mother was still a child, an intruder broke into their home and he died saving them. She named me after him to honor his memory."

Fred and George had the decency to look embarrassed. "Oh," Fred finally responded, "that is a…nice back story to the name then. I suppose."

"Well," Ginny broke in while giving her brothers a shove out the door, "I guess the two of you better be off then. I believe you have some sort of business to be running if I'm not mistaken."

She was met with equally suspicious looks. "We could leave," George said after a minute, "but I'd suppose that you'll be wanting to be getting back to your room as well. After all, this is Ron's room, Gin, yours is down the hall. Here, we'll escort you."

"I do not need an escort," she said lowly through clenched teeth. "Leave. Now."

Fred caught George's eye and the two seemed to come upon some sort of silent agreement. "Alright," Fred relented, "we'll leave you alone, Gin."

George nodded slowly before following his twin out of the room and down the hall to their own. "You want to tell me why we are leaving our baby sister quite alone in a room with a boy with raging hormones?"

"But of course. Do you really want to be on the receiving end of one of our sister's curses? I do believe that some discretion is required…not to mention reinforcements."

"Reinforcements? You don't mean--"

"I do."

"Really? It's that serious then?"

Fred shook his head affirmatively, "It is. Did you see the looks Din was giving Ginny? As noble of a deed as it is to take on this task by ourselves, the time has come to bring in back-up."

"Back-up," George echoed. "Of course. Should you call, or should I?"

"Why not together?" Fred suggested.

"Right. I suppose we should do that now then."

"Now would be best."

The pair snuck down the stairs to the fireplace. Fred threw in the powder and they called their eldest brother. They sat congested in the mouth of the fireplace until Bill appeared to speak with them.

"Is something the matter?" Bill asked seriously. "I'm kind of swamped here, so unless this is an emergency--"

"You need to come home," Fred interrupted.

"Yeah," George backed, "and bring Charlie with you."

"Why, what's happened."

"It's Ginny," George began.

"Is she alright? Is she hurt?"

Fred shook his head, "Worse. She has a boyfriend."

Bill's eyes widened. "Are they serious?"

"Look to be."

"I'll be home as soon as possible, I'll notify Charlie too. Maybe he'll be able to make it their before me…You two do know what to do, don't you?"

"Of course," George reassured, "we just thought we could do with the extra help."

Bill nodded. "Well, you did the right thing by coming to me. God speed, you two."

"You too," they said simultaneously.

With their conversation to Bill done they both sat back in relief. "Alright then," Fred said finally, "I suppose it is time to make…plans."

"Yes," George agreed, "plans. Excellent idea, dear brother."

=D =D =D =D =D

Ginny stretched out on Ron's bed, looking up at Dean with a lazy grin; "So, I guess that we are finally alone."

Dean gulped audibly. "Yeah, it appears that way. Uh, so…I guess that I should…unpack."

She sat up with a incredulous expression on her face. "You want to unpack? We haven't seen each other in weeks, we are alone, and you want to unpack?"

"I dislike procrastination," Dean defended with indigence, "is that a crime?"

"No," she responded with a confused smile. After a few moments of silence Ginny finally got off the bed with a look of determination across her features. "I'll help you," she offered graciously."

"Thanks," Dean said with a newfound unease. "If you could find someplace for me to put my trunk, that'd be terrific."

"Of course," she said smoothly. Ginny crossed the few steps it took to get to Dean before tripping on an imaginary obstacle on the floor. His arms reached out to catch her out of instinct and Ginny found herself exactly where she wanted to be. "Oh," she exclaimed with mock embarrassment, "how horribly clumsy of me. Thank you, so much."

"No problem."

When he didn't make a move to put his arms down Ginny allowed herself a moment to relish in her success before taking the initiative and making the first move. She closed the small gap between them and eased him into an unexpected kiss.

Dean had been planning on being the perfect gentlemen while he was taking up residence in his girlfriend's home, but he was only a teenage boy after all, and when an opportunity arises he could do nothing but crumble. His resolve of going four days without so much as touching Ginny (in respect of her home, and her family) vanished from his mind, as did his intentions to unpack. The smooth kiss flipped as they clumsily fell back onto Ron's bed; Dean inhaled the sweet fumes of Ginny's perfume and lost what little control he had left. His hand--completely of its own accord--was making its way up Ginny's shirt. He had almost reached his destination when the door opened and a noise of utter disgust was made loudly.

"Oh, ick," Ron exclaimed at the site he found waiting for him in his room. "And on my bed too! Harry, are you seeing this?"

Dean rolled off of Ginny as quickly as humanly possible and found himself staring straight into the threatening faces of Ron Weasley and Harry Potter. He gave silent thanks for the fact that his dark skin made it impossible to see the hot blush that was waiting underneath, and stood to face them both like a man.

Ginny, however, seemed to have alternate plans. "Do get out, Ron," she said with a mixture of impatience and annoyance.

"Get out?" he repeated incredulously. Ron looked at Harry, as if for him to confirm that Ginny had indeed said those words. "This is my room, Ginny! Besides, you do not need to be doing…that with," he gave a reprimanding look to Dean, "him."

Ginny rolled her eyes and got up from the bed with reluctance. "He has a name, Ron. A name I do believe you should know, being that you have shared a dorm with him for five years now."

Ron glared daggers at Dean, and Dean lost all the 'manliness' that he had previously felt. "Uh, hey…Ron," he said awkwardly.

"Hello," Ron breathed lowly.

Harry looked at the two of them, lost in his very own awkward moment. "Hey, Dean," he said friendly, as if this would fix the situation between brother and sister.

"Harry," Dean nodded.

"You know what," Ginny declared, "this is dumb. C'mon, Dean, we'll just go to my room."

Ron's mouth dropped open as he immediately went over to the doorway and blocked the exit. "Oh, no you don't! Dean is not going with you to your room!"

Ginny pushed Ron out of the way, "You aren't my keeper. I'm a big girl, Ron, let me make my own decisions."

Ron again looked to Harry to make sure that his baby sister was really saying all this to him. Harry shrugged in response. Ron's mouth opened and closed a few times before he finally stumbled upon the words which he wished to say. "I'm getting Mum."

"Oh, God, Ron, grow up. You tell Mum about this, and I'll tell her about you and Hermione."

Ron's eyes shifted uneasily, "What do you mean? Hermione and I didn't do anything."

"Oh yeah?" Ginny threatened, "so how come I have pictures then?"

Ron took a sharp intake of breath, "You have pictures? How?! No one knew about it!"

Ginny laughed cruelly, "You are so gullible."

"So…you don't have any pictures then?"

"No, but now I have your confirmation that something happened. Good going, Ron."

Ron narrowed his eyes in anger, "Get out, Ginny!"

Ginny raised an eyebrow at him before making her way out the door. She gave Dean a wink before disappearing into the hallway.

Dean stood in the same spot, hoping that if he made no movements that Ron would forget that he was there. No such luck.

"You," Ron pointed an accusatory finger, "who do you think you are?"

"Uh…I was Dean the last time I checked. But that might have changed…"

Harry covered up his snicker with an ill-placed cough, and then intervened on Dean's behalf. "Ron," he began, "don't be irrational. It is not as though this whole thing would be Dean's fault, now."

Ron's glare shifted from Dean to Harry. "Harry," he hissed lowly to his friend, "you are not helping here. And," his voice raised back to a level that the whole room could hear it, "how is this not his fault?"

"I didn't say it wasn't his fault some, just not all. Ginny can be…persuasive, you know."

"Yeah," Dean piped in, "she is very persuasive."

Ron's stare stayed on Harry. "And how would you know about her persuasions?"

"I…" Harry stalled, "I don't know, per se…I've just, you know, umm, seen her. In action."

"You spy on my little sister, Harry?"

"What? No! Ron, come on, I was just trying to show you--"

"That you are some sort of pervert that is obsessed with Ginny!" Ron interrupted.

"I am not a pervert! I've just seen how Ginny is at times, and I was just saying that Dean--"

"Was taking advantage of my baby sister."

"Ron, will you please shut up for two bloody seconds so you can listen to reason."

"I'll show you reason…"

"You are being ridiculous--"

"And you are being a bad friend!"

Dean looked back and forth between the bickering friends. When he noticed that neither one of them was paying the least but of attention to him, he made slow unnoticeable movements until he managed to slip out the door.

Once out of hearing range Dean allowed a victorious smile to spread across his face. He would have added a small dance to go with it, if it weren't for fear that someone would come across him doing it.

He looked around the hallway with unease, now to find Ginny's room. Safety. He had seen Ginny turn left…so her room had to be this way. He walked a few steps, there were four doors. A one in four shot to find his girlfriend. There was really only one solution…

Dean took a deep breath and held out his hand. "Eni mini miny moe, catch a tiger by his toe, if he hollers let him go, eni mini miny moe. My mother said to pick the very best one and you are it."

His decisive hand landed on a random door. He opened it, all the while hoping beyond hope to find Ginny behind it, and found…Fred and George. Shit.

=D =D =D =D

A/N- Okay, so this was going to be one chapter…but it just kept getting longer and longer and longer….yeah, so now it's going to be more than one chapter, lol. Side projects…I really shouldn't try them. But hopefully someone is enjoying it, lol.