Okay. I know it's been 3-ish months since I last updated. I know – it's a horrible crime to abandon something for 3 whole months! But I'm back now so please read on! Sorry for the SUPER long delay –

Chapter 13

On the Same Page

So it was that Harry and Ginny went flying again, this time on Ginny's new broom. They didn't come back until dinner time and Ginny's face was flushed from having the wind in her face for so long. As they landed, Harry leaned forward (Ginny was, of course, steering) and spoke into Ginny's ear.

"Hopefully we've missed the rest of the planning." Ginny laughed.

"Somehow I doubt it. Hermione will probably have put pause to everything until we get back."

"Hmm…you're probably right."

"You know I am," Ginny laughed again.

"Like you always are."

"You better believe it, Harry Potter."

"Don't worry, I do."

"I needed a break though…definitely needed one. So thanks."

"Hey, no problem. My work there was done."

"We'll have to get McGonagall to excuse us for the wedding."

"And the…erm…birth," Harry added.

"True. You don't think she'll just have done and fire us for asking for leave so often, do you?"

"I think she'll find it in her heart to forgive us somehow."

Their feet touched ground as they landed steadily in the Weasley's backyard. Ron and Hermione had positioned a bench by the back door.

"You know," muttered Ron darkly as they got off the broom, "I ought to forbid you two for going out so often and coming back so late."

"Ron," Ginny rolled her eyes, "it's barely seven o'clock."

"Yes, and I ought to enforce a curfew on you."

"Ron, I'm eighteen."

Hermione broke in. "So technically, Ron, she is a legal adult."

"By whose count?"

"Um…," Hermione didn't seem quite sure how to answer this. "The law?"

"Oh," said Ron. "Alright then. I'll let it go this time. One, because I'm a kind, benevolent brother. Two, because Harry's responsible. If this were, say, Dean, I'd have to be more stern. Three, Mum's got dinner ready and more of my lecturing would only be keeping us all from her famous mashed potatoes."

With that he turned and went inside. Hermione followed, a half-amused, half-apologetic look on her face.

Alone in the yard, Harry and Ginny looked at eachother. And burst out laughing.

"Ah, Ron. He'll never change," Ginny muttered between giggles.

o.o

The mashed potatoes were, of course, delicious. They were Mrs. Weasley's famous mashed potatoes, after all. They all sat around the table, munching, chewing, and swallowing in various degrees of fullness.

Hermione was speaking. "…Of course, Gin, I left making any decisions until you came back from flying, so you haven't missed anything…."

Ginny glanced at Harry, who made an acknowledging "you-were-right" face. Ginny smiled.

o.o

It was Harry and Ginny's last night at the Burrow before heading off for Hogwarts once more. To be frank, Ginny wasn't exactly eager to leave. She was loathe to leave Hermione in her "delicate" state, and wasn't looking forward to seeing Dean again either. She was afraid of what he might say.

Ginny was busy throwing everything into her suitcase. Hermione sat on her bed, wincing as each new item entered the trunk. Ginny ticked through her items in her mind. She was sure she had gotten all her clothes. Her wand was safely tucked into the front pocket. Her robes were at the top of her suitcase…anything else? Oh yes, the broom. She would have to carry that – she could think of no other way to do it. Her suitcase wasn't long enough to fit it and she probably wouldn't have wanted to shove it inside anyway in case it broke. Hermione winced again as Ginny found a stray sock under her bed.

"What?" Ginny asked, turning to Hermione. "You look like you're in pain."

Hermione swallowed. "Oh, no…nothing."

Ginny thought she knew. "Harry and I will be back in April for the wedding and then back in May again for the baby. It's less than 4 months!"

"Oh, no, I know. It's not that." Hermione suddenly seemed on the verge of laughter.

Ginny tilted her head in confusion. "What is it then?"

Hermione hesitated. "It's just…your suitcase. It's so…messy."

"Are you serious, Hermione? You are the most neat-freakish person I have ever met!" Ginny laughed.

"How can you just throw things inside? Doesn't it bug you?" Hermione continued.

"No, not exactly," Ginny said with mock seriousness, "seeing as the moment I get to Hogwarts I'll be taking it all out again."

"Ah! I can't stand to watch!" Hermione screeched, giggling and hiding herself under her blankets.

Ginny rolled her eyes and threw a pillow at Hermione's huddled form. "You are going to have a fun time living with Ron."

"I know," Hermione said, surfacing from beneath the covers.

"But don't worry," Ginny added, "I'm sure he'll be as neat as a button after a month living with you."

Hermione giggled in a rather un-Hermione-ish way.

"And what about you and Harry?" Hermione said suddenly.

Ginny was caught rather off guard. "What do you mean?"

"Oh, I don't know. I have a feeling about you two."

"What kind of feeling?" Ginny said, suddenly more curious than she would like to have admitted.

"Oh, nothing. Just a feeling, that's all."

Ginny carefully observed the contents of her trunk, then closed it decidedly and clicked the latch.

"Hermione…," she said in what she hoped was a nonchalant one, "I've never known you to be mysterious. New development, eh?"

"Maybe," breathed Hermione, turning over and yawning. "I'm going to bed. Good night, Gin."

"Night," Ginny said, and flicked off the lights, crawling beneath her own covers.

o.o

Ginny lay on her back, staring at the ceiling for what seemed to be a long while, mulling over Hermione's words. A feeling? What did that mean – a feeling? As in…a good feeling or a bad feeling? It was too bad she hadn't managed to get more out of Hermione. Where had this mysteriousness come from anyway?

Then a terrifying thought struck her. What if everyone else was seeing something she couldn't? About her and Harry. Even worse – what if Harry saw it too? What if she was the only one who couldn't come to terms with the truth?

Just as these thoughts crossed her mind, she heard a slight vibration coming from beneath her pillow. She slid her hand underneath and her fingers closed around a brush. It took her a moment to realize that it was the one corresponding to the brush she had given Harry earlier this morning for Christmas.

Then it all came flooding back. She had, after all, told Harry that they ought to use the mirrors tonight. She shook herself into awareness and drew the brush from beneath the pillow. She whispered a spell and, in a moment, the bristles of the brush had drawn back to reveal a mirror.

A shape swam inside it for a moment, as though reflected in water. Finally, Harry's face came into focus.

"Speak of the devil," Ginny whispered, a smile on her lips.

"Damn it," whispered Harry, "wrong number."

"Oh, shut up, Harry," Ginny laughed, pulling the covers over her head. Instantly the mirror was illuminated, as if Harry was lit from behind.

"These things are pretty cool," Harry said.

Ginny smiled.

"And they work as actual brushes, too. I tried it."

Ginny laughed again. "You are such a dork, Harry."

"Aren't I?"

They paused for a moment.

"So what's up with you?" Harry said.

"Not too much. Just talking to Hermione, but then she went to sleep."

"What about?"

"Oh nothing, she was just trying to convince me we're perfect for eachother." It wasn't exactly a lie, either, Ginny insisted to herself. She was sure that was what Hermione had meant.

Harry laughed. "Everyone seems to be trying to convince me of that, too."

Ginny laughed, but, inexplicably, her heart seemed a little lighter.

"Well I, for one," she said, smiling, "am not bowing down to pressure. I won't be convinced."

"Neither will I," Harry agreed, shaking his head decidedly.

"Good, then we're on the same page."

"We're always on the same page, Gin."

Ginny turned over on her back, holding the mirror above her. "You know, I think I should tap out. Floo travel is gonna take it out of me tomorrow."

"Alright. Nice chatting. Potter out!" Harry said.

Ginny laughed. "Night, Harry."

"Night, Gin." Ginny watched as Harry fiddled with the mirror and spoke a short spell, and then her own mirror went black. The little bristles began to grow back over the oval glass and Ginny gently tucked it beneath her pillow.

She fell asleep thinking, as always, of Harry.

o.o

Alright. That's it for this chappy. I'm trying to think of what should happen next. Any ideas? Let me know by REVIEWING! Tata.