12 Grimmauld Place

"Honestly Harry, what in the WORLD was all that about?" Hermione asked Harry. She was braiding her hair for the backyard party taking place later that day.

"I…dunno. Wait, about the…you know, or the assistants?" Harry asked her.

"BOTH!" she yelled.

"Well, that…um, kiss, came out of no where," Harry said, "And the Dark Lord's people, I think he's after me again".

Hermione just shook her head.

"He can't be. You know that, Harry, he hasn't been seen ever since that day your parents died. You would've heard something if he was back." Hermione told him.

"But he IS back, Hermione. I just know it." Harry insisted.

"Hello! Hi Harry! How are you? What are you doing here?" Ron's annoying sister, Ginny exclaimed at once when she saw her crush.

She was followed by Ron, who said, "God Ginny, get away from my friends." He shoved his sister away to sit down next to Harry.

"So, um, what ARE you two doing here?" Ron asked once Ginny left.

"Dumbledore." Harry and Hermione answered at the same time with a shrug, and the threesome laughed.

"Harry, my boy!" a voice exclaimed.

"SIRIUS!" Harry ran to his beloved godfather.

They hugged each other, and Sirius said, "I see you've found my home."

"This is where you live?"

"Yep. Harry, I'd like to talk to you before the garden party, if that is all right with you and your friends over there," he said with a serious look on his face.

Harry quickly nodded and gave Ron and Hermione a last look before he left the room with Sirius.

They came to the kitchen, small, but cozy. Harry sat at a stool while Sirius made a snack for him.

"Now, Harry, if I am not mistaken, there was an attempt to take you today, by the Dark Lord, correct?" Sirius casually asked.

Harry broke into a cold, nervous sweat. How in the world did he know?

"Y-y-yeah, there was, Sirius." Harry finally admitted.

"Well then, why the HELL didn't you say so earlier! Why do I need to find out these things from your FRIENDS? Harry, YOUR life is the most wanted out there, and you act like your death would be NOTHING!" Sirius yelled. He smashed down Harry's plate in front of him with anger.

"Sirius, I can explain…" Harry started.

"No need, my boy. Hermione told me everything."

There was an awkward silence as Harry nibbled down on his sandwich. Sirius is an awesome cook, he thought as he munched down his sandwich to little remains.

"So…that's it. You can go." Sirius broke the silence by saying.

Harry jumped off the stool and put his plate in the sink. He was about to leave when he remembered something.

"Thanks, Sirius".

And he ran off to the room he shared with Ron to get ready for the party.

"I feel Harry has been getting into too much trouble." Remus Lupin said with a sigh.

"He IS you responsibility, Mr. Black." Mundungus Fletcher agreed.

The Order of the Phoenix was having their own mini-meeting at the garden party, where even the minors were having fun, getting tipsy and dancing and plainly having fun.

"But, Remus, Mundungus, he hasn't gotten HURT yet. We can thank Sirius for that, yes?" Arthur Weasley interrupted.

It was at times like this that Sirius felt only Arthur understood him.

"Yes, Arthur. Thank you." Sirius said with a smile.

Meanwhile, the teens were all having fun, it was like the Yule Ball Fred and George talked about.

Hermione was dancing along, besides Ginny. She tripped and fell on Harry.

"Be careful Hermione…bet you can't rock those heels." Harry said with a smirk.

"Sure I can…see…whoa!" Harry caught Hermione before she fell face flat on the ground. They laughed and laughed.

Ron was looking at them from the other side of backyard, feeling envy bubbling inside of him. It was at times like these Ron felt excluded and like the third wheel.

From the beginning of their time at Hogwarts, it was always Harry and Ron, then Hermione. Lately it was Harry and Hermione, and Ron. This wasn't the first time Ron felt something was going on between his two friends.

Except, the problem was that Ron liked Hermione too. Although, it seemed like Hermione didn't like Ron, at all, and only dealt with him for Harry, her true love. Harry didn't make things better, being the Boy Who Lived, and loving Hermione back, when there were thousands of other girls who loved him out there, people he could date. Why did he have to pick Hermione?

It was at times like these Ron felt jealous of his famous friend. Which was odd for him, considering he never felt that at the beginning of the friendship, and he felt this way more often lately. For instance, why did Harry and Hermione come to the Burrow together? And who knows what happened before the Dark Lord incident?

Then, a most horrifying thought hit Ron. What if…they kissed? No, no, they wouldn't do that and not tell him. But what if they DID?

As he watched Harry and Hermione, Ron made a vow to himself.

"I love Hermione, and she is mine. I will get her with all I got. I can beat the Boy Who Lived."

Ron stepped out proudly to join his friends, step one of his plan to get his girl.