Chapter 3:
As they all got onto the Hogwarts Express, Ron and Hermione found an open compartment where they could all fit, and the four of them clambered in the compartment. When Ron and Hermione had put their trunks in the places for them above the seats Ron turned to Harry and Ginny and said: "Me and Hermione have to go to the prefects compartment, just to get the news about what's going on this year and the new rules if there are any." He said "But don't worry we won't be gone too long." Hermione added and then winked at Ginny before she left with Ron to go to the prefect compartment. Ginny and Harry were alone again and as soon as the compartment door closed Ginny got up and sat next to Harry. Harry's thoughts were racing: 'She obviously likes me at least a little bit or she wouldn't have come and sat down next to me. Well maybe she just didn't like to be sitting alone, I can understand that. Man she looks great in those jeans and top. I wonder if she likes me, well she has to like me, she kissed me back in her room. Maybe if I just lean in a little and see what she does.' Meanwhile Ginny's thoughts weren't still either: "Oh man, Hermione was right, he is gorgeous. Just look at him sitting there all hot and relaxed. How does he manage to pull that look, its like he's not even trying, oh I want him so bad, but what if he doesn't have the same feelings I do. Well, he has a little bit of the same feelings, or he wouldn't have kissed me in my room a week ago. Oh why can't he just kiss me like that again.' Just then, the compartment door slid open and in came one of Harry's least favorite people, Malfoy. "Oh, well look who it is, Potty and Weasly Junior." Malfoy said with his usual cold drawl and smirk on his face. "Well if it isn't Malfoy, what are you lost?" Harry retorted back. "Well, actually if you must know," Malfoy began but paused. For the first time he had just noticed how Ginny had changed over the summer and his eyes fell upon her chest and he kept staring in mid-sentence. Just then Crabbe and Goyle appeared behind him staring at Harry and waiting for Malfoy to tell them what to do. Harry looked at where Malfoy was staring and got very agitated that he was looking at Ginny in that way and got up, but Ginny pulled him back down and said, "Let me handle this," and she winked and got up. Malfoy was still staring at her chest when she got up and began walking up to him. He only realized she was standing right in front of him when Crabbe sneezed and caused him to look up. Harry was just staring at Ginny wondering whether she knew what she was getting herself into or not. Malfoy looked up from her chest at her pretty face and put his arm around her waist and pulled her so close their noses were touching. This was too much for Harry, he got up and walked over to where Malfoy and Ginny were standing and was about to hit Malfoy when he was restrained by Crabbe and Goyle who had his arms twisted behind his back in pain. Ginny looked at Harry and squealed. "Let him go!" she yelled, but Crabbe and Goyle just laughed stupidly and tightened their grip on Harry's arms and caused him more pain and he let out a small yelp of pain. "What's wrong, Weasly? Can't handle the pressure? Are you to prude to finish what you started in front of Potter?" Malfoy sneered. Crabbe and Goyle just laughed stupidly again and Harry let out another small yelp of pain. "Oh, I can handle the pressure," Ginny began more calmly as Malfoy tightened his hold around her waist and brushed his other hand across her face. "As a matter of fact," she continued, "I am not too prude to finish what I started especially in front of Harry." And she put her arms around his neck and leaned close to his ear and whispered, "I wouldn't kiss you if were the last boy on earth. I'd kill myself before I'd kiss you." And she tried to pull out of his embrace but he tightened his hold and grabbed her face and was less than half an inch away from her lips when the compartment door slid open and Ron rushed over to where they were standing and grabbed Malfoy just as the train jerked and Malfoy and Ginny fell onto the ground and he gave her a sloppy wet kiss on the lips just before Ron pulled him off and started punching him with so much anger even Harry couldn't believe it. Hermione had put a stunning charm on Crabbe and Goyle and Harry was released and grabbed Ron from on top of Malfoy who was bleeding so badly is black robes were now scarlet. "Let me go Harry!" Ron yelled fighting against Harry trying to get at Malfoy some more and Harry dragged Ron out of the compartment into another one let him go. "What'd you go and pull me off him for? You saw what he did to Ginny! That dirty slime ball!" Before Harry could answer Ron, the door slid open and in came Ginny and Hermione. Ginny ran up to Ron and gave him a huge hug as Ron did the same thing. "Are you okay?" Ron was asking her, "Did he hurt you?" "Yea, I'm fine I was just going to kick him and then he grabbed me so hard I couldn't move. Oh, Harry, I'm so sorry are you ok? Did they hurt you too bad? I'm really sorry." Ginny said as silent tears ran down her cheek.
"Yea, I'm fine Gin, it's ok, nothing but a few bruised arms." Harry said trying to hide his now purple and green looking arms from her so she wouldn't worry about him. "I'm sorry I let you try and handle it, I shouldn't have let you do that, Ginny if it's anyone's fault, it's mine." "You're fault?" Ron said, with rage turning around to look at Harry. "You let her get that close to him? How could you? Why I ought to-" and he started towards Harry and Ginny screamed "Ron no! Leave Harry alone, it's not his fault!" But Ron wasn't listening, he was already to Harry and had started hitting him, giving him a bloody nose. Hermione grabbed Ron off Harry and shouted "Ron! He's your best friend, he wouldn't do anything to hurt Ginny and he certainly wouldn't let anyone else hurt her or do anything to her. Ron, he tried, he couldn't do anything, Crabbe and Goyle had him good, you saw yourself." "Yea, I guess your right Hermione." Ron said calming down a little and he turned to where Ginny was standing when he left her to go after Harry but she wasn't there anymore, he looked around the small compartment and she was on the seat right next to Harry trying to clean up his bloody nose. Ron walked over to Harry, and Harry flinched but Ron said, "Sorry, mate, you know I just got a little carried away, I should have known, I just wasn't thinking." And he stuck out his hand to shake Harry's. Harry looked up at his friend and stuck out a very horrible looking hand and arm to shake Ron's. "Oh Harry!" Ginny and Hermione screamed together when they saw his arm and Ron had this look of disgust on his face. "No, I'm really alright," Harry began, "Really, it's not as bad as it looks." And with that he tried to stand up and show them he was alright, but collapsed immediately and they all gathered around him on the ground. "Harry, you look horrible, you can't even stand, you're not alright." Ron said looking really concerned about his best friend and feeling guilty about what he had just done. "Fine! I'm not alright but would you help me onto the seat and just let me rest until we get to the school. How far are we anyway?" Harry said exhausted. "We should be there any minute now" Hermione said matter of factly, still looking concerned. Ginny began to sob silently next to Harry and Harry tried to put a comforting arm around her but with difficulty because it hurt so bad and he didn't want her to feel bad for him. "Oh, Harry!" she sobbed, "This is all my fault! If I had just let you handle it you would be fine and none of this would have happened!. Oh I'm so so sorry Harry." And she buried her head in her hands. A few minutes passed in silence except for the small sobs coming from Ginny and they finally arrived at the Hogsmeade station. Ron and Hermione supported Harry off the train and Ginny got them a carriage and Ron and Hermione got Harry into the carriage with much difficulty because he was a lot broader than he used to be and a little taller and Hermione wasn't very strong so Ron was pretty much doing it by himself. When they got to the castle Ron and Hermione and now Ginny on Hermione's side supported Harry up to the hospital wing where Madam Pompfrey sat quietly in her office reading a book. When she saw they were there she rushed over to them as quickly as possible and got Harry onto a bed and Ginny and Ron explained what happened.
Harry was out of the hospital wing in 2 days good as new. His rib cages had been bruised by Ron and the bruises from Crabbe and Goyle hadn't completely gone away but they were looking a whole lot better. The first month back went by pretty fast and it seemed that everyone was grateful to be back at the castle from their holidays.
As they all got onto the Hogwarts Express, Ron and Hermione found an open compartment where they could all fit, and the four of them clambered in the compartment. When Ron and Hermione had put their trunks in the places for them above the seats Ron turned to Harry and Ginny and said: "Me and Hermione have to go to the prefects compartment, just to get the news about what's going on this year and the new rules if there are any." He said "But don't worry we won't be gone too long." Hermione added and then winked at Ginny before she left with Ron to go to the prefect compartment. Ginny and Harry were alone again and as soon as the compartment door closed Ginny got up and sat next to Harry. Harry's thoughts were racing: 'She obviously likes me at least a little bit or she wouldn't have come and sat down next to me. Well maybe she just didn't like to be sitting alone, I can understand that. Man she looks great in those jeans and top. I wonder if she likes me, well she has to like me, she kissed me back in her room. Maybe if I just lean in a little and see what she does.' Meanwhile Ginny's thoughts weren't still either: "Oh man, Hermione was right, he is gorgeous. Just look at him sitting there all hot and relaxed. How does he manage to pull that look, its like he's not even trying, oh I want him so bad, but what if he doesn't have the same feelings I do. Well, he has a little bit of the same feelings, or he wouldn't have kissed me in my room a week ago. Oh why can't he just kiss me like that again.' Just then, the compartment door slid open and in came one of Harry's least favorite people, Malfoy. "Oh, well look who it is, Potty and Weasly Junior." Malfoy said with his usual cold drawl and smirk on his face. "Well if it isn't Malfoy, what are you lost?" Harry retorted back. "Well, actually if you must know," Malfoy began but paused. For the first time he had just noticed how Ginny had changed over the summer and his eyes fell upon her chest and he kept staring in mid-sentence. Just then Crabbe and Goyle appeared behind him staring at Harry and waiting for Malfoy to tell them what to do. Harry looked at where Malfoy was staring and got very agitated that he was looking at Ginny in that way and got up, but Ginny pulled him back down and said, "Let me handle this," and she winked and got up. Malfoy was still staring at her chest when she got up and began walking up to him. He only realized she was standing right in front of him when Crabbe sneezed and caused him to look up. Harry was just staring at Ginny wondering whether she knew what she was getting herself into or not. Malfoy looked up from her chest at her pretty face and put his arm around her waist and pulled her so close their noses were touching. This was too much for Harry, he got up and walked over to where Malfoy and Ginny were standing and was about to hit Malfoy when he was restrained by Crabbe and Goyle who had his arms twisted behind his back in pain. Ginny looked at Harry and squealed. "Let him go!" she yelled, but Crabbe and Goyle just laughed stupidly and tightened their grip on Harry's arms and caused him more pain and he let out a small yelp of pain. "What's wrong, Weasly? Can't handle the pressure? Are you to prude to finish what you started in front of Potter?" Malfoy sneered. Crabbe and Goyle just laughed stupidly again and Harry let out another small yelp of pain. "Oh, I can handle the pressure," Ginny began more calmly as Malfoy tightened his hold around her waist and brushed his other hand across her face. "As a matter of fact," she continued, "I am not too prude to finish what I started especially in front of Harry." And she put her arms around his neck and leaned close to his ear and whispered, "I wouldn't kiss you if were the last boy on earth. I'd kill myself before I'd kiss you." And she tried to pull out of his embrace but he tightened his hold and grabbed her face and was less than half an inch away from her lips when the compartment door slid open and Ron rushed over to where they were standing and grabbed Malfoy just as the train jerked and Malfoy and Ginny fell onto the ground and he gave her a sloppy wet kiss on the lips just before Ron pulled him off and started punching him with so much anger even Harry couldn't believe it. Hermione had put a stunning charm on Crabbe and Goyle and Harry was released and grabbed Ron from on top of Malfoy who was bleeding so badly is black robes were now scarlet. "Let me go Harry!" Ron yelled fighting against Harry trying to get at Malfoy some more and Harry dragged Ron out of the compartment into another one let him go. "What'd you go and pull me off him for? You saw what he did to Ginny! That dirty slime ball!" Before Harry could answer Ron, the door slid open and in came Ginny and Hermione. Ginny ran up to Ron and gave him a huge hug as Ron did the same thing. "Are you okay?" Ron was asking her, "Did he hurt you?" "Yea, I'm fine I was just going to kick him and then he grabbed me so hard I couldn't move. Oh, Harry, I'm so sorry are you ok? Did they hurt you too bad? I'm really sorry." Ginny said as silent tears ran down her cheek.
"Yea, I'm fine Gin, it's ok, nothing but a few bruised arms." Harry said trying to hide his now purple and green looking arms from her so she wouldn't worry about him. "I'm sorry I let you try and handle it, I shouldn't have let you do that, Ginny if it's anyone's fault, it's mine." "You're fault?" Ron said, with rage turning around to look at Harry. "You let her get that close to him? How could you? Why I ought to-" and he started towards Harry and Ginny screamed "Ron no! Leave Harry alone, it's not his fault!" But Ron wasn't listening, he was already to Harry and had started hitting him, giving him a bloody nose. Hermione grabbed Ron off Harry and shouted "Ron! He's your best friend, he wouldn't do anything to hurt Ginny and he certainly wouldn't let anyone else hurt her or do anything to her. Ron, he tried, he couldn't do anything, Crabbe and Goyle had him good, you saw yourself." "Yea, I guess your right Hermione." Ron said calming down a little and he turned to where Ginny was standing when he left her to go after Harry but she wasn't there anymore, he looked around the small compartment and she was on the seat right next to Harry trying to clean up his bloody nose. Ron walked over to Harry, and Harry flinched but Ron said, "Sorry, mate, you know I just got a little carried away, I should have known, I just wasn't thinking." And he stuck out his hand to shake Harry's. Harry looked up at his friend and stuck out a very horrible looking hand and arm to shake Ron's. "Oh Harry!" Ginny and Hermione screamed together when they saw his arm and Ron had this look of disgust on his face. "No, I'm really alright," Harry began, "Really, it's not as bad as it looks." And with that he tried to stand up and show them he was alright, but collapsed immediately and they all gathered around him on the ground. "Harry, you look horrible, you can't even stand, you're not alright." Ron said looking really concerned about his best friend and feeling guilty about what he had just done. "Fine! I'm not alright but would you help me onto the seat and just let me rest until we get to the school. How far are we anyway?" Harry said exhausted. "We should be there any minute now" Hermione said matter of factly, still looking concerned. Ginny began to sob silently next to Harry and Harry tried to put a comforting arm around her but with difficulty because it hurt so bad and he didn't want her to feel bad for him. "Oh, Harry!" she sobbed, "This is all my fault! If I had just let you handle it you would be fine and none of this would have happened!. Oh I'm so so sorry Harry." And she buried her head in her hands. A few minutes passed in silence except for the small sobs coming from Ginny and they finally arrived at the Hogsmeade station. Ron and Hermione supported Harry off the train and Ginny got them a carriage and Ron and Hermione got Harry into the carriage with much difficulty because he was a lot broader than he used to be and a little taller and Hermione wasn't very strong so Ron was pretty much doing it by himself. When they got to the castle Ron and Hermione and now Ginny on Hermione's side supported Harry up to the hospital wing where Madam Pompfrey sat quietly in her office reading a book. When she saw they were there she rushed over to them as quickly as possible and got Harry onto a bed and Ginny and Ron explained what happened.
Harry was out of the hospital wing in 2 days good as new. His rib cages had been bruised by Ron and the bruises from Crabbe and Goyle hadn't completely gone away but they were looking a whole lot better. The first month back went by pretty fast and it seemed that everyone was grateful to be back at the castle from their holidays.