"There must be something in one of these!" Ron shouted as he picked up one of the many books Hermione had asked him to look through. "Otherwise, what is the point in these things!"

He slammed the book onto the table and received simultaneous irate looks from Harry, Hermione, and Ginny alike.

"What?!" but no one countered him, although he did see Ginny roll her eyes in his direction.

Ron knew he was being unfair; he was just so frustrated. The four of them had been locked up in this library for the past three days, reading and re-reading and reading anything and everything Hermione could get her hands on. Yet still they were no closer to finding a way for Harry to breathe underwater for a whole hour. He gazed wearily up at the giant clock on the wall. 2am... He sighed and rubbed at his eyes.

But before Ron had to think about opening another one of the dusty volumes, they were interrupted.

"Good Morning, all," Professor McGonagall swept promptly over the foursome, whose red and glossy eyes stared openly back at her.

"Hello, Professor!" Hermione answered, panicked. "We know we are up too late, but we just wanted to try and help Harry study right up until the last min-"

"Yes, yes, that's quite enough Ms. Granger. I know why you are here," she hushed her. "But unfortunately, I need to see yourself and Ms. Weasley immediately in my office."

Ron's mouth dropped open. He looked around the room and found his expression echoed on the faces throughout the room.

"But-um, Professor, we-we only have a few more hours," Ginny stuttered.

"Yes, and I am sure Mr. Potter could use those few hours in some well needed bed rest, which I am quite sure he can do without the two of you," she spoke sternly, making eye contact with each of them. With the look on her face, Ron knew there was no arguing with her. ''Now come along both, and quickly please."

When they found themselves alone in the room, Ron caught eyes with Harry. He seemed just as wretched as Ron felt. They really were screwed now.

Ron was shaking, his heart pounded heavily in his chest, and in his throat, and stomach and... Just about every part of him.

The three people closest to him in this entire world were currently deep down in a lake, where he couldn't see or hear them. He had no idea what was going on, how they were if they were okay. He felt another wave of nausea roll over him. Colin Creevey, who had been stood close by him taking photos of the audience, suddenly took a sidestep away from him. He knew he must look green.

He couldn't concentrate. His eyes kept flicking back and forth between the lake and the giant clock floating above the champions' podium.

15 minutes under water.

Harry was yet again in danger. As always. The three of them spent far too much time in and out of danger for Ron's liking. Ron found spent more time thinking about Harry than anything else, which was probably quite strange for a 14-year-old teenage boy's mind.

20 minutes under water.

Why couldn't he just be worried about the things that the other boys in his year were worried about? Like Dean and Seamus, just worried about whether Lavender or Angelina have noticed their attempts of getting a six pack. Or his late-night groans could be heard by his fellow roommates. Not that that was an issue with Ron. Nor Harry he presumed. He hadn't heard those kinds of groans from Harry's bed in a while. Maybe he relived himself in the shower. Or maybe he hadn't really found the time for that kind of pastime, just like Ron hadn't in a while.

Jesus. Ron rubbed his hand over his eyes. Why was he thinking of Harry's late-night antics? Ron hadn't thought of this kind of activity in a long time. The last time had been a little traumatic. Hermione had suddenly popped into his mind, and whilst that wasn't the first time that had happened, it was the first time since she had been through all she had been through with Malfoy. Something about it all felt wrong, improper. Since that point he had struggled to find himself in the mood for that kind of release.

30 minutes under water.

A break in the surface of the lake and Ron found him back at the second task again. He shook his head abruptly and stared desperate to see his friends or his sister. It was the first time ever he had been disappointed to see Fleur Delacour.

When he heard wind that there had been an issue with Fleur, Ron's hands tightened on the banister in front of him and panic flooded his whole body. What if one of them was hurt?

Ginny. She's only just becoming a part of Ron's life again, for all the wrong reasons, sure but still... The two of them growing up were inseparable, more like another pair of twins in the family. Ginny always wanted to be running around with her brothers, despite his mother's tries at keeping her inside the house, trying to get her to help with kitchen duties and other household things. Ginny wouldn't have any of it. She was the one who was always convincing him to have one more round of catch the quaffle first or throw the gnome the furthest. She was always such a happy kid. A real, liven up the room kind of person. Ron hadn't realised how much he had missed her company.

40 minutes under water.

And after all that rubbish in her first year, with the diary and you-know-who, he knew he should have been there more for her. He knew she had it tough afterwards, he had heard her in the middle of the night as she woke the entire burrow screaming after her first nightmare of the summer. He didn't know how to be there for her and so he just... Wasn't. He watched her from a distance last year in school and knew she had had trouble making friends after that. She ate with the others in her year, but he never once saw them actually engaging in conversation with her, or she with them.

Ron shook his head to clear his thoughts a little. He vowed that if - when she got out of that lake, he double down on his efforts even more to make sure she knew she could come to him. They would be friends again.

50 minutes under water.

Hermione was waiting under that water too. Ron couldn't linger on that thought for too long. It scared the bejesus out of him.

55 minutes under water.

He vowed that when they all got out of that lake, he would find a way to get them out of this mess. Ginny, Hermione, and Harry. Ron would get them all out of this mess.

Ginny gasped.

Air.

She could breathe again.

She stared around frantically until her eyes landed on Harry's, and when those green globes locked on hers, all her anxiety that had pent up for the last hour finally dissolved. Thank Merlin, he was safe.

Someone grasped her forearm and finally Ginny was pulled back into the current day. A young blonde girl, who she instantly recognised as Fleur's younger sister, was trying to pull herself up Ginny's body and use her to float. Ginny wrapped her arm around the young girl, glanced and Harry and tipped her head towards the Champions Podium. Harry gave her a lopsided grin and started towards the podium also taking one of the young girl's arms, bringing her along with the two of them.

Ginny all but fell into Hermione and Ron's arms as soon as she pulled herself onto podium.

Hermione was wrapped in a Hogwarts gown and multiple towels which she immediately began wrapping around Ginny too. Ginny's arms slid around Hermione's waist as she leant forward and rested her head against Hermione's neck and shoulder. As she leaned back, she felt Ron's arms wrap around the two of them as he placed his head on top of Hermione's.

Ginny took a long deep breath.

She only took another when she felt Harry slide his arm around Ginny's back and lean his head to rest itself on top of her head.

"You okay, Red?" Harry whispered into her ear. She nodded and looked up at him.

"You?" she whispered back. He nodded and leant forward to rest his forehead against hers.

Ginny took a long deep breath.

Right here. Right here, with these three. This was it. This was the safest place in the world. Ginny was sure of it.

"So, you knew what was happening?" said Ron.

The foursome sat in the Room of Requirement, which was set up as it was when they were usually there together, a mock version of Gryffindor common room. Hermione sat curled in one of the armchairs closest to the fire, quietly in thought.

"I mean, kind of," Ginny responded. She sat down on the sofa opposite Ron and curled her feet up under her. Harry who also shared the sofa with her, lifted his arm automatically letting Ginny lean in and rest against him. He also seemed deep in thought. Ginny thought back to what McGonagall had said to her. The thing you will miss the most. She suddenly found herself very aware of the hard chest she was tilting against and couldn't quite force her head to look up at the face that belonged to the chest. Although she could feel his eyes starring at her. At need of a distraction she looked back up at Ron.

"McGonagall basically told us that we would be sleeping," said Ginny. "And the next thing we would remember is waking up once we left the lake. That's kind of true… I remember waking up, but I feel like I remember being under water too." Ginny paused before continuing.

"It was… it's like remembering a dream," she spoke quietly. "I remember feeling in danger, but also feeling – I guess kind of, in the right place. Like something was about to happen, and it was good. Like something wanted me down there…" She trailed off.

It was quiet for a long time before Ron scoffed.

"Yeah, sure, that makes complete sense," he starred at her completely baffled and Harry and Hermione laughed. Ginny laughed too and the tension in the room was diffused.

Ron flopped himself down on Hermione's armrest and placed his arm around her shoulders before leaning down to plant a long kiss on the crown of her head. "Well I for one, am glad to have the three of you above sea-level again. That was torture not knowing where you all were, how you were doing… not being able to help."

Ginny stared at him. His face was of genuine worry. She watched as he turned his eyes upon Hermione, who had also lifted her head to watch him. She leant up and caressed the side of his face slowly and he bowed his face into her hand whilst smiling softly back at her. God, the two of them were so in love. How could they not see it, not act on it. It was so obvious to her; how could they be content with ignoring it.

Hermione would make her brother so happy; anyone could see that. Their relationship was passionate with their consistent arguments over nothing, but also there was this absolute calmness about the two of them too, something not everyone saw about their relationship. They were like ying and yang, everything the two of them did balanced the other out. If Ron got frustrated, Hermione became calm. If Hermione became upset, Ron tried his best to level her out again. They worked in every which way Ginny could see. Why wouldn't the two of them take the next step?

Ginny could guess why. Malfoy had put an end to any hope of a relationship Ginny ever thought she could have with anyone. Not only could she never imagine being sexually intimate with anyone ever again. She also couldn't imagine herself getting comfortable with another person, allowing another person that close, trusting another person, ever again.

She finally flitted her eyes away from Ron and Hermione to look at Harry. He had only taken his eyes off her once since they had left the lake and that was to speak to Professor Dumbledore. Harry had a dark look across his face. Catching his eyes again, sat here in the fake common room she finally felt ready to acknowledge his gaze. And it was terrifyingly intense… Harry looked scared. His jaw was clenched, his eyes were dark. The way he was looking at Ginny frightened her, and she was the first to look away. He squeezed her shoulder softly and sighed.

"I'm gonna go for fly, coming Red?" Harry stood and offered her a hand.

Ginny looked at the outstretched hand for a moment and then up into his face again. She wanted to say no. Today had been a lot and she was exhausted. They had been staying up late for the past week trying to help Harry with the task, and Malfoy had called on her already twice this week. Her body ached for bed and her ribs still weren't fully comfortable after being healed only a couple of days ago. But when she looked up at Harry, she found herself unable to say no.

"Sure," he smiled briefly at her response, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. She reached up and grasped his hand as he pulled her to her feet. When she had righted herself and the two of them had left the room of requirement Ginny made to drop Harry's hand, but he grasped it even tighter.

"Please?" he had stopped walking and had tugged on her hand, so she spun and faced him. He was gazing at her intently again. "Please, it's nice to have you close."

Ginny felt a little heat raise to her face and her stomach clench at the same time. She was a little embarrassed by his intensity, embarrassed and something else she couldn't quite put her finger on.

"What's going on Harry?" she whispered back. His bottom lip trembled, and Ginny immediately took a step closer to him. His lip trembled for a second time, and finally he broke his gaze dropped his head and sighed again.

"I can't – I can't talk about it, not yet," he was still looking at the floor. Ginny slowly lifted his chin with her hand and looked back and forth between each of his eyes. There was so much sadness there it hurt Ginny. So much loss and grief and fear and plain old sadness. It broke her heart, and she thought if there was anything that she could do to fix it, she would. This swelling pain changed inside her chest began to take over her whole body and Ginny suddenly realised how close together they were. How her hand had so naturally curved around his face, and her other hand had come to rest on his hip. His hands were both resting on her waist.

Harry's lips were so close to hers, and she didn't think anything of it. She leant forward and placed her own lips against his, so softly. He pressed his lips back against her briefly and then the two of them simultaneously pulled back and pressed their foreheads against the others. They stayed there frozen in that moment for a long time, both looking into each other's eyes. It was comfortable, it was calm, it was them. Ginny knew there was nothing in that kiss than pure reassurance and support.

"Whatever it is Harry," she finally whispered. "Whatever it is, we will get through it, me, you, Hermione and Ron. We will get through it together."

He unexpectedly looked solemn again.

"Yeah, we will."

Flying was one of Ginny's favourite things to do. There was something freeing about soaring through the air, only hearing the whistle of the wind. No thoughts followed her here, no nasty dreams, or memories followed her in the sky. It was liberating and she could tell Harry felt the exact same. Up here he wasn't the boy who lived, or Hogwarts unwanted champion. He was just Harry. His face lost all that darkness that Ginny had so sadly come to associate with Harry Potter, the boy who lived.

They had been up in the sky for about an hour now and spent much of that time laughing, racing through the sky. Ginny felt she could stay here forever, but unfortunately the weather had different ideas. It was only when the lightning had started that they both decided to call it a day.

"Well, this sucks," Harry spoke loudly so she could hear him over the rain. "That was so much fun Red!"

They stood huddled under the stands both looking out into the rain. It was coming down so heavily now.

"Guess we are stuck here for a little while," said Ginny as another spike of lightning lit up the Quidditch pitch.

"Guess we are," Harry said softly. Ginny looked back around at him. There it was, that darkness again.

"Wanna sit?" she said. "I love watching a storm."

She grabbed his hand and pulled the two of them back to the wooden stands and dropped to the floor. Harry raised his arm and she curled herself into his side. They sat like that for a while, until Ginny finally plucked up the courage to talk to him.

"Okay, if you can't talk about what's been bothering you since leaving that lake, can I ask you something else Harry?" she wasn't looking at him. Instead she focused on watching the giant drops of rain fall from the edge of the stands and land into the puddles that had formed on the perimeter of the pitch. He was quiet for a second or two before nodding.

"Why are you calling me Red?" she questioned. Harry immediately laughed. Ginny loved that sound.

"Because of that incredible, Weasley hair of yours, of course Red," he responded when he had finally finished laughing and he took the chance to ruffle it lightly. "Among other reasons."

"And do I get to know these other reasons, hm?" Harry chuckled again at her. "And stop laughing at me!"

"I can't help it Gin, you make me laugh," he squeezed her closer to him and placed a peck on the crown of her head.

"Fine," she sighed playfully. "You didn't answer my question though. It only started today, this little pet name of yours."

He didn't respond and Ginny turned to look at him. He was looking out into the pitch too, but Ginny didn't think he was looking at anything in particular. He had gone away again, and that dark look was back.

"Hey," she reached up to pull his face back to hers. "Come back to me."

His face found hers again just at the same time the pitch was lit up with lightning again alongside a giant rumble of thunder. Ginny flinched but Harry ignored it. It was as though he had forgotten they were in the middle of a storm. His gaze was intense again, too intense for Ginny to keep up with it. She wasn't sure why Harry's stare intimidated her so much. It felt like there were a whole bunch of words sat there in his eyes, bursting to come out.

"When I saw you down there, Gin…" the words were barely over a whisper. "I was so scared." The admission cost him; she could tell.

"But I did spot you straight away," he turned to look at her, grinning. "That hair was like a giant red halo. It was calling me over, through the murky water."

"Like a giant red halo," she chuckled. "Okay, I can live with that nickname then."

He smiled at her as he placed his hand on her cheek and he looked serious again. Merlin, his moods were giving her whiplash today.

"You're my best friend, Gin. You are very important to me," he spoke deliberately. Ginny knew there were more words waiting to fall past his lips. She felt something clench inside of her again. "I feel like there's something here."

Ginny was beginning to feel uncomfortable. He was important to her too, more important than anyone else. She felt connected to Harry. It was easy with him; it was like they had known each other forever. She could read his face, his thoughts even, at least she felt like she could. Ginny knew that he was an attractive guy too, she had had a crush on him forever. But she didn't think she had a crush on him anymore. It was deeper than that, more than that. It was like friendship but tenfold. She didn't want to date Harry, hell, she didn't want to date anyone, but she knew she couldn't be without him in her life. It was more than what she felt with her family, more than her friendship with Hermione. It was powerful, and beyond anything, it was confusing.

"You're my best friend too, Harry," she said. "I couldn't have gotten through any of the past few months without you… but I don't know what you want from me. Because I don't think I can give you what you want."

"No, gods Gin," he shook his head. "It's not like that, I mean – at least – I don't think it is," the words stumbled out of him.

"I just needed you to know, I need you in my life," he stated simply.

"I need you too, Harry," and with that she leant forward and kissed him briefly on the mouth again. It was meant as a sign of comfort, of friendship and she knew when she pulled away that that is what he took it as too.

"That's good to know Red, because I don't plan on going anywhere soon."