~*Love and Rumors: Part 7*~

A/N~ Well, not much to say, except to a certain little dude (You know who you are!). Was this fast enough for you? PLEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAASE don't send the C-person after me! And, as usual, thanks to Lizzy Rouseau for her time, help, etc. Thanks to all four of the people who've reviewed Part Six!

Disclaimer~ I only own Cassie, Lizzy, Bria. The Shooting Star restaurant was a "joint" collaboration by Lizzy and myself at 3 AM one night, meaning it was mostly her idea... Anything you recognize is apparently not mine, or I'd be a multi-millionaire living somewhere other than Beavercreek, Ohio....

* * *

"Harry, I'll see you back in the common room. Love ya!", Ginny said with a peck on his cheek before leaving to find her brothers. She discovered them discussing profits rather animatedly with Professor McGonagall.

"Fred. George. Could I talk to you? Please!", she asked, looking nervously around the room.

Fred and George ended their conversation with McGonagall, and followed Ginny into a deserted room off of a hidden stairwell in the entrance hall.

"Now that you've brought us all the way up here, what is it?" Fred questioned, slightly suspicious of his younger sister's ulterior motives.

"Well, I need you to help me get back at Colin. I need to embarrass him or get him into trouble. It has to be something that will spread quite easily. You know, like brush fires in the desert!", Ginny said passionately, a thousand terrible tortures running through her mind.

"Let's see. Revenge, eh? How about a get-well basket of ton-tongue toffees, pimple-pops, boiling bubble gum, and other lovely things like that. Of course, complete with a fake wand and disappearing ink to replace the real things," George said gleefully, thoroughly enjoying planning this bit of mayhem.

"And our specialty, don't forget. Our vengeance variety of chocolates. They're charmed to make the person do whatever you want for 12 hours," Fred added, with the same tone as his twin.

Ginny smiled malevolently, and said, "Perfect. When can I have it? How much is this going to cost? How soon can I make him suffer!?"

"Tomorrow," George said.

"We couldn't charge you, you're our sister," Fred replied firmly.

"He'll be wishing he'd never messed with you, Ginny!", George remarked.

"And did you really push him into the lake?", Fred queried, dubious of that statement's truth.

She blushed, "Yes, but keep that quiet. Thanks you guys!"

"We'll send it back with Pig tomorrow morning. We're off to see Ron, but I believe you have a date waiting in the Common Room!", George teased, making her blush to the roots of her flaming hair. They said their good-byes and parted company.

* * *

Fred and George walked into a very grim scene in the Hospital Wing. Hermione was giving Madam Pomfrey her sweet as candy and innocent as newly fallen snow routine, flashing her most angelic smile, trying to get out of her detention. When this didn't work, she reverted to pleading desperately. Colin Creevey was in the middle of another sneezing fit. Draco Malfoy was howling in pain as his bones mended. Ron was still in his enchanted sleep, oblivious to the chaos of the other coughs, sniffles, and painful moans around him. The twins chose seats by Ron's bed. Hermione stomped over a few moments later.

"What was that about?", Fred asked curiously.

"Remember that detention I got for slapping Colin?", at their nods, she continued, "Well, I have to serve it in here during the first half of the dance. Goodness! That'll be LOTS of fun!", Hermione sat down in another armchair and frowned.

"Yuck!", she said. After about half an hour with no change in Ron's sleeping state, the twins pardoned themselves, and left. Hermione was just about to leave also when Ron finally awoke.

"Hey," she said, smiling softly, "How're you feeling?"

He sat up, careful not to move his hurt foot, and after getting comfortable, answered, "Fine, but I'm really tired." He yawned.

Hermione laughed at this, the told him about Colin, the dance, and why she was missing half of it.

"I'll wait. Don't worry about it right now," Ron said, noticing that she was still wearing the semi-wilted rose in her hair.

"Maybe she'll change her mind or something," Hermione said hopefully. The door to the wing opened again, and Ginny and Harry stepped in. Ginny seemed to have a death-grip on Harry's hand for moral support. Hermione leapt to her feet to go hug Ginny.

"I'm sooooo sorry! I was so horrid to you! I'm sorry! Oh my gosh, I can't believe I hit you! I'm soooo sorry!", Hermione apologized. Ginny smiled.

"That's okay. You were stressed. Just forget about it. But that's not why we're here," Ginny said, turning to Harry.

"We were wondering if you two wanted to double with us to the dance," he asked, the cold note vanishing without a trace from his voice.

"We'd love to, except it'll only be for the second half. Pomfrey gave Hermione detention during the first," Ron said. He gulped, then added, "Ginny, I'm sorry too." Ginny giggled, and smiled at him.

"That's it. Feel better, Ron. See you later Hermione!", Harry called as the pair excused themselves.

Hermione looked at Ron, sighed, and whispered, "I'd better go. I'll be back right after breakfast in the morning. I love you." She began to stand up, but their eyes met and locked. She kissed him and finally broke the spell by getting up. "Bye!", she called.

* * *

Ron was released the following morning, just in time to accompany Hermione and a rather breathless Ginny down to the Quidditch pitch for the Gryffindor match against Ravenclaw. The trio took their seats out in the chilly October air, waiting for the game to begin. The Ravenclaw captain, a surly looking sixth year unknown to Hermione, Ron, or Ginny, shook hands with Harry, As their fingers broke apart, a shrill whistle signaled the start of the game.

Ginny watched the scarlet blur that was Harry very anxiously; cheering loudly each time Gryffindor scored. In practically no time at all, Harry captured the snitch with a spectacular dive that rivaled even the likes of Viktor Krum. The three followed the crowd onto the field, and fought their way like salmon going upstream to get to Harry.

Ron grinned at him in amazement, Hermione hugged him, and Ginny kissed him in congratulations.

"Wow!", was all Ron could manage.

"That puts us in the lead for both cups!", Hermione trilled in.

"It's great, isn't it? Come on, let's go back inside," Harry said, eager to get away from the angry Ravenclaws coming his way, and anticipating the party that was surely called for.

* * *

Ginny disappeared in the swarm of people heading into the castle, and started for the hospital wing to make sure Colin had gotten the basket she'd delivered earlier. A sudden cold epidemic had filled the room with more sniffling and sneezing patients. Ginny tiptoed around to Colin's bedside, and found him sleeping again. However, the basket had been rummaged through and the card opened. She grinned deviously, hoped that he fell for it, and went to join the party in the Gryffindor Common Room.

* * *

Hermione looked around the crowded Common Room for Ron, Harry, or Ginny to tell at least one of them that she was going to the library to do her homework, and to escape the party. She saw Harry and Ron engrossed in a conversation with Dean and Seamus. She rolled her eyes, grabbed her bag, and headed out of the portrait hole toward the deserted library. She picked out a table and set to work writing her Potions essay, half-smiling to herself as she knew Ron would imminently need help with this later.

"Oh no!", she said softly, perturbed with herself as she realized she'd left the one book she actually needed in the Common Room. She heaved a sigh, then went to retrieve it. She almost ran headlong into Ginny outside the Fat Lady's portrait. Once again, Ginny was red-faced and breathless, but this time smiling evilly.

* * *

A/N~ That ended at a slightly awkward part, and it isn't meant as any sort of cliffhanger. I'll pick up in Part 8 with that last sentence. Au Revoir mon amis!