The Carefree year

By Dueler312

Note: I Do not own Harry Potter. All characters belong to J.K. Rowling.

Chapter 14

Lion Vs. Badger

Harry and the others were having a good Christmas time together, mostly spending it in a couple-form. They just couldn't seem to stay way from their soulmate for more than twenty minutes. Fred and George did try to tease Ginny and Harry about them being together, but after getting cover in mucus form Ginny's Bat-Bogey Hex, they learned to not mess with them. They didn't even dare try to go after Ron and Hermione, because they weren't sure what spell Hermione had hidden up her sleeve if they tried to mess with her and Ron.

Before they knew it, it was the day before they had to go back to Hogwarts. They wanted to have a little alone time, but Hermione and Mrs. Weasley pointed out that they needed to get everything that they wanted to take back to Hogwarts put back in their trunks. They all agreed, (Ron moaned a little, but his mum glared at him) and went up and started to get everything they had left out. Harry knew Hermione was right because they didn't want the last minute scramble of trying to get to the train before it left. Ginny also agreed with her because she didn't want to leave anything behind, including the case for the Phoenix necklace that held it when Ginny took it off when she went to bed. Ginny wanted to hold on to it, forever.

Ginny was just getting Arnold, her Pygmy Puff in its basket when she heard a knock at the door.

"Who is it?" she asked.

"Its me," she heard Ron voice from the other side of the door. "Can I come in?"

Ginny went to the door and opened it for him. "What do you need?" she asked.

"Hey, can't the youngest of your brothers hang around with my sister?" Ron asked. Ginny looked at weirdly and said, "You did something wrong."

"Did not!" Ron retaliated back. "Actually, I came to say thanks."

"Hmm?" said Ginny. She was looking at her brother really weird, trying to figure out why he said that. Finally, she gave in and asked, "What for?"

Ron sat on her bed and motioned her to sit down next to him. Then he started to explain.

"Well, I noticed that you have done some things that have help us out. And I just wanted to thank you for that." Ginny just shook her head and said, "You know I didn't do much."

"Actually, you have," Ron said. "You've help us get our lives back, help us take down the Death Eaters and V-Voldemort, (he was still finding it a little hard to say his name) and from I've seen, you made Harry one happy wizard."

Ginny blushed and turned red when Ron said that. "Well, if it wasn't for you meeting him and befriending Harry, I wouldn't never have gotten with him. So, you got that part of the blame." Ginny then did something and hugged her brother real good, although not as tight as their mom does. Then she planted a kiss on Ron's cheek.

"GINNY!" Ron said as she backed off.

"What? I can kiss you on the cheek okay. Just be glad I didn't do it where Hermione's been doing it," Ginny said. Ron turned red in no time flat when she said that and tapped her on the shoulder. Ginny just giggled.

"Oh, thanks for the rings as well," Ron said. Ginny stopped giggling and looked at him, smiling.

"Well, me and Hermione had to get our boyfriends something," she said, getting up and walking over to the window. Ron followed her.

"I know, but to me right now, it's actually meaning something else, besides me and Hermione promising to be together, no matter what." Ron said.

"What else does it mean to you?" Ginny asked.

"It showing proof that the us, Harry, and Hermione are going to stay together and close, even if we are married or not. Its like, I feel this ring is reminding us that our bond of friendship is strong and will stay that way," Ron tried to explain. He always had trouble trying to explain things to others.

Ginny looked at her brother while showing her sisterly love to him. She was glad that Ron also considered her as one of his friends. Ron wrapped his arm around her sister, embracing her in a one-arm hug. Unknown to them, they had two watchers from Ginny's bedroom door, until one of them laughed a little. Ginny and Ron turned around and saw Hermione looking at them in the middle of the doorway, while Harry was behind her, doing the same thing.

"How long have you two been there?" Ginny asked.

"Long enough to hear what Ron had said," said Hermione. Ron just looked at her as she came in, and planted a kiss on his lips. Ginny and Harry didn't even turn away from that. "I actually loved what you said," Hermione added also. Ron just couldn't help it and smiled.

Harry was proud of what Ron had said, about using the rings as a reminder of their friendship, as he looked at his own. He definitely felt that two promises on one ring would definitely help him; Ron, Hermione, and Ginny stay really close. He was thinking about that real heavily until he heard Ginny's voice from a distance.

"Hey," she called, "are you going to join us or not?" Harry just laughed as he joined his friends and his love, as Ron pulled out a deck of Exploding Snap cards and challenged them. They knew they were never going to be separated.

The four were all packed the next morning and had their trunks waiting for them downstairs. They had put them their the night before so they wouldn't have any trouble getting them down. They all said good-bye to Bill and Mrs. Weasley, as Fleur couldn't get up because she was on medical orders for bed-rest, and with Bill promising them that they would be able to see his new daughter when they get her in good health, they set off and apparated to the alley that was a few feet away from King's Cross. They knew the train wouldn't leave until eleven o'clock, as it was ten-fifteen right now, but they wanted to have sometime to each other as usual. They got to King's cross, found some trolleys for each of their luggage, and headed for the barrier; trying to act as the muggles as best as they could, with Harry and Hermione doing the best since they lived with muggles.

They got to the barrier in no time at all. Harry and Ron went in first with no trouble. They got to the train and started to unload their luggage when Ginny and Hermione came through the barrier, looking for them. Harry waved to them to get them to notice him and Ron. Ginny finally saw his hand and motioned Hermione to follow her.

"Man, it looked like a lot of students stayed behind this year," Ron said as he looked around. The other three couldn't agree more. There were not a lot of students on the platform when they looked around. Then Ron saw something surprising as he gained everyone's attention.

"Umm guys, you might want to look over there," Ron said as he pointed to what he was seeing. Harry, Ginny, and Hermione looked at where Ron was pointing and then started smiling with a look of surprise on them. Neville was kissing Luna right under the Hogwarts express sign, but not like a friendly kiss. It was more like couples kiss. Harry was excited that those two decided to try to be together, but as he told the others, to let them expose their secret when they wanted to. They all agreed.

They found a compartment close to the prefect carriages. Ron and Hermione could've gone in there, as they were Head Boy and Girl, but Ginny and Harry weren't prefects so they decided to choose a compartment where they could all stay together. Ron and Hermione didn't have to go ride in the carriage for the first few minutes because most of the prefects were back at Hogwarts. But they still had their duty to do as well. They knew that the Slytherin trio, Pansy, Crabbe, and Goyle, and any other Slytherin who went home for the holidays were on the train, and it was their duty to make sure no trouble was going to happen.

"Man, it will be good, going back there and hanging out together," Ron said. Harry and Ginny just smiled, while Hermione just put her head down.

"What's wrong, Hermione?" Ginny asked.

Hermione just smiled and said, "It just sinking in that we'll never be able to live with each other in the same castle again." The other three just smiled. Harry knew though that Hermione was right. They only had two terms left of Hogwarts, and then they would be graduating from the school. He knew it was going to feel different leaving the home that he known and lived for seven years.

The compartment door opened and Neville and Luna came in.

"Hey you two," Ginny said. "What's up?"

Neville and Luna looked at each other as they were talking to each other in their minds. Luna nodded and said, "Me and Neville, we actually got, um,"

The other four didn't need any more words from them because they were turning red. With the combination of the words plus the redness from those two, they knew Neville and Luna had gotten together.

The six friends were chatting as Neville and Luna told them on how it happened. Apparently, they been growing close together throughout the year, and on the day after Christmas, they had a dinner at a restaurant where Neville popped the question. Luna didn't say anything, but came around the table and started to kiss him. Although, when they got to that part, they started to look at each other and started to kiss again. They only stopped when Ron reminded them that the Head Boy and Girl were here. Neville and Luna laughed nervously a little.

They actually had a good timing conversation when the train was moving back to the castle. The other four showed them their promise rings, as well with Ginny's new necklace and Hermione's new bracelet. They were actually having such a good time that before they knew it, the train had stop at Hogsmeade station. They all got out together and after stopping a young Ravenclaw boy from trying to get a Fanged-Frisbee in the carriage so he could try to sneak it in to Hogwarts, they went up to the castle.

When they arrived, Luna, had to disappear, so she kissed Neville, and said "Later," to the others. The others were about to head to Gryffindor tower when somebody called them.

"Mr. Weasley! Miss Granger!" They heard Professor McGonagall call as they started to head up the steps.

"Yes Professor, what is it?" Hermione asked. Ron and the others were looking curious.

"I need to speak to you both. Its about the note you sent with your owl, Mr. Weasley, which by the way, you need to get under control," McGonagall explained.

Ron made a mental note to strangle that bird of his as he, Hermione, and the other three started to head up the stairs. When they got to the second floor, Hermione and Ron asked Ginny and Harry to take their trunks up stairs. They agreed, with Neville volunteering to help. They got all five trunks up their with a little difficulty, but with the secret passages Harry knew about, they cut the time in half.

"Manticore," Harry said to the Fat Lady when they went up to her. "Correct," she said as she swung on her hinges to allow them in. Even though only Ginny could Hermione and her trunks up the staircase to the girls' dormitories, as boys weren't allow up there, she, Harry and Neville got all five trunks up to the rooms.

They all met back downstairs, and Neville said that he was going to get something to eat. Ginny and Harry felt too full still from Mrs. Weasley breakfast cooking and the sweets, they didn't feel like eating. Instead they decided to cozy up together in the chair, with Ginny on Harry's lap.

"Feels good being here, huh?" Ginny asked.

"Always, as long as I'm with you," said Harry. Ginny just smiled as she started to kiss Harry. Luckily, they both had enough mental control to not get too far in the kissing, but luckily enough that Ron and Hermione saw what they were doing, and decided to let them go for a while. Ron and Hermione both said goodnight quietly that Harry and Ginny didn't know that they were there. Although, they were surprised when they got up to their own rooms.

The next morning, Hermione and Ron told Ginny and Harry about had happened in Professor McGonagall's room last night. It was about the note Hermione sent with Pig about Pansy, Crabbe, and Goyle and what they were doing to that first year during the holiday ride back to King's Cross. According them, she told those three that even though they didn't lose any points because it didn't happen at school, but they each had gotten detention for one week, with Pansy working with Filch, Crabbe, with Slughorn, and Goyle with McGonagall. In addition, if they heard about or see anymore of it, they would get expelled.

"So, they are on disciplinary probation? That'll teach them, I hope," said Harry. The other three didn't think that, but agreed as well.

Harry and Ginny though didn't have time though to worry about Pansy and her two boy guards. Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and him had a bunch of homework set down whenever they left their class. They had to use much of their free periods to get everything done. Harry, Ron, and Ginny needed to get it done especially. Even though Ron had Head Boy duty, he, Harry and Ginny also had to practice for their match against Hufflepuff. The snow soon melted, and Harry scheduled a Quidditch practice on the weekend

Harry watched as he saw that his team was doing well. Even Ron was improving, even though he usually has nerve problems. He wanted to make sure he was ready, because as he remembered, the last time they won against Hufflepuff was back in Harry's first year. Even though Gryffindors were usually friendly with the Hufflepuffs, they couldn't resist a little trash talk. Although they made sure it was out of the way of the teachers.

The day of the match, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny came in and got some breakfast. They could see that the Hufflepuff table was eagerly excited to see if they could beat Gryffindor again. Harry hope they wouldn't.

"You guys ready to win this?" he asked Ginny and Ron.

"I hope so," Ron said nervously. Hermione took pity on him and kissed his cheek a little, which made him stop shaking.

Ginny laughed as she said, "You know I'm ready."

"Hey, you guys just be careful, okay." Hermione said as she laid the book she was reading down. "The last thing I need is one of you guys with bones broken that you would be a rag doll."

Ron just looked at her shockingly and said," I think I'm going to go down to the field now." and grabbed a piece of toast and chartered off out to the grounds.

Harry and Ginny just shook their heads. They knew Hermione meant well, but they were afraid that she put Ron back into his nervous mode.

Harry and Ginny met up with the rest of the team and went to get change into their Quidditch robes. When they got in them, Harry talked to them and said, "Okay guys, let try to win today. We haven't beaten Hufflepuff in a while, but lets try to do it today, all right?"

"You got it, Harry," said Ginny as she held out her hand. Harry did the same.

"You know I'm in," Ron said as he did the same thing and put his hand along the other two. The other players joined in, promising that they would beat Hufflepuff.

They heard the whistle blew as they started to head out onto the Quidditch field. They definitely felt warmed up as they heard Hermione, who was still doing the commenting, called their names. After Harry shook hands with the Hufflepuff Captain, Maric, they all went up into the air, and Madam Hooch released the Bludgers and the Snitch, and tossed up the Quaffle to begin the game.

Harry started to look for the Snitch as Ginny caught the Quaffle and began to head for the Hufflepuff goal.

"Chaser Weasley heads to the goal post like a red bullet, passes it to Creevey as she dodges a Bludger sent by the Hufflepuff Beater, and Creevey passed it back to her, who tosses it in, making it 10-0 to Gryffindor."

Harry thought it was a good thing for Hermione to be neutral, but he also missed the crazy interruptions that Lee Jordan, Fred and George's friend, had to do because of Professor McGonagall warning him to stop.

Harry though had to get out of memory lane. He had to find the Golden Snitch before Hufflepuff's Seeker, Reece, could beat him to it.

The game lasted for twenty minutes, with Ginny and Dennis scoring the most points for Gryffindor. Hufflepuff had scored ten times, making it 110-100. It was getting close, when Harry saw the Snitch from his team's goal posts. The problem was, Reece, was closer to it. Harry knew he had no choice but to go for it. And he laid down flat on his Firebolt to speed up. Reece saw Harry speeding right behind him and started to try to catch up to him, but it was no use. Reece was riding a Cleansweep Eight, and no way could catch up to a Firebolt. Harry got up to the Snitch and caught before it could leave the posts.

Harry held the Snitch in the air as he heard Hermione saying that Gryffindor won, 260-110. The rest of the team went up to him and surrounded him, excited that they beaten Hufflepuff's streak of winning against Gryffindor.

(A/N" Time to review everyone. Hope you like this one. Has anyone forgotten about Hermione and Ginny's dress robes yet? I'm just wondering because that ball is coming. It's not far away now. Anyway, you're up.)