The Blood of Ronald Weasley
Okay, I think I may have nicked the title to this chapter from someone else's fanfiction. Whoever it was, I'm sorry, and please don't sue me. Oh, yeah, I wouldn't need to say don't sue me if I was JKR, which I'm not!!
CHAPTER TWELVE: ONE KISS AND THREE LITTLE WORDS
At lunch on Tuesday, Dumbledore made an announcement to the school concerning the whereabouts of Professor Snape.
"Attention students," he began, and the hall immediately fell silent. "As some of you may know, Miss Angelina Johnson has temporarily taken over Professor Snape's classes and Miss Katie Bell has done the same for Professor Peverell. I am pleased to inform you that they eloped last night."
Hermione kicked Ron under the table and mouthed "I told you so." Ron rolled his eyes but put his arm around her chair.
Dumbledore continued, "Professor Snape told me last night so I could arrange for someone to take over their classes, and I gave them my blessing. They will be back in two weeks and I expect you to give Miss Johnson and Miss Bell, or should I say the future Mrs. Weasley and Mrs. Weasley, your full attention and cooperation. Thank you."
"Never knew old Snape had it in him," Seamus said chuckling.
"Kind of makes you lose your appetite though, doesn't it? Two teachers running off and getting married and—"
"Stop right there, Harry. We get it. No need to elaborate," Ron said.
Hermione tutted and Ginny raised an eyebrow. "Honestly, you are such boys."
"Well, I'd consider that a good thing, wouldn't you, Harry?" Ron said.
"No, Hermione's right. You two think it's gross that they ran off, but we thinks it's romantic," Ginny said.
"Romantic? Snape? Those two words shouldn't be in the same sentence," Ron replied.
"Well, I wouldn't expect you to understand anything having to do with romance," Hermione snapped. And with that, she stood abruptly and walked out of the great hall.
"What's gotten into her? I didn't know you two were fighting," Harry said.
"I didn't either. I should go talk to her," he said.
"I don't know, Ron. Maybe the problem is you don't know what the problem is. And apologizing for it wouldn't do any good," Ginny said.
Ron crinkled his nose. "What? And it doesn't even make any sense, what she said, I mean. Just this morning I was romantic. After you two went off to breakfast I woke her up."
"Oh, that's romantic," Harry said sarcastically.
"It could be," Ginny said.
"It was. Now what is her problem?" Ron put his head in his hands.
"Maybe the action was romantic, but you left something out," Ginny hinted.
Ron looked confused again. "Elaborate please."
"Maybe you did all the right things, but your left something important out," she said.
"Keep going, Gin. You're losing me."
Ginny tutted just like Hermione. "Did you tell her you loved her?"
Ron paled. "No. But I have. She knows I do. Do I have to say it with every bloody sentence?"
"No need to swear, Ron. You don't have to say it in every sentence, but you need to remember what you don't say sometimes speaks louder than what you do say. You could make her all the promises in the world and offer her all the riches to go along with it, but without those three little words it means nothing," Ginny said.
Ron just nodded. Since when did his baby sister get so smart?
Harry sat and said nothing. What if Ginny was trying to tell him something? Was she really talking about them? But I do love you, he thought. I just haven't found a good time to say it. Is there a right time? Or do you make it the right time after you say it? Ugh, what a predicament.
***
The rest of the week went very well. No more was heard from Ron and Hermione about her little outburst at lunch on Tuesday, and Harry spent the rest of the week trying to think of the best time and place to tell Ginny he loved her.
Before they knew it, it was Friday afternoon and they were getting ready to meet Fred, George, Angelina and Katie in Hogsmeade.
"How do I look, Hermione?" Ginny asked. She was in Hermione's dormitory posing in front of the mirror.
"Lovely, Ginny, for millionth time, you look great. Perfect. Superb. What more do you want me to say?"
"Well, I've been saving up for these robes for a long time and I adore them. So I expect a lot of praise."
Indeed, Ginny did look great. The robes were sky blue and blended well against her red hair. She left it down this night, and was curly and well-maintained.
"You look good, too, Hermione," Ginny said plopping down beside her friend on the bed.
"Yeah right."
"No, you do! I love those robes on you. Purple really is your color. And its just right, too. If it was dark, it would look bad because your hair is kinda dark. And it just wouldn't look right if it was too light. This is perfect."
"Thanks Ginny. Maybe your brother should take lessons from you on how to give a compliment."
"Are you still sore at him?"
"No. Yes. Oh, I don't know. And I don't like being unsure. He's perfect the way he is, but I just want a little more. Is that wrong? I don't mind that he's not overly romantic because I don't believe in some of that nonsense, but something small every once in a while wouldn't kill him," she said.
"What about the other morning?"
"That's what I'm talking about. It was nice and cozy but he…he didn't say he loved me. He just…I don't know. He's said it before, but it's nice to hear it. I'm just so confused."
Ginny nodded. "It's okay, Hermione. He'll get the hang of it. Just be patient. He is a guy, after all."
Hermione nodded and smiled. "So true."
Since the defeat of Voldemort, sixth and seventh years had been allowed to go to Hogsmeade any weekend they wanted. So it was no problem for Harry, Ginny, Ron, and Hermione to meet Ron's brothers that night.
When they entered the pub at seven-thirty, they were greeted by a cheerful Madam Rosmerta.
"Good evening, good evening. What can I get for you?"
"Four butterbeers, please. There's a taste of fall in the air, I'll tell you that," Harry said. He carried the drinks over to where Fred, George, Angelina and Katie sat. Since there were eight of them, Harry and Ron had to nick some chairs from surrounding tables.
"Hey, Harry. How's things mate?" Fred asked.
"Good. How about you?"
"Well, this one here," he pointed to Angelina, "talks non stop about the big 'W'. Don't ever hear anything else. 'Are these the right kind of flowers Fred?' 'What do you think of these robes, are they too frilly?' Like I know anything about robes and flowers."
Angelina looked like she was going to argue, but Fred kissed her before she could say a word.
"But you love hearing it. You can't argue with that," Angelina said when Fred released her.
"Never said I didn't like it." He grinned.
"What about you, George?" Harry asked.
"Same all around. The girls love to show us magazines with titles like So Your Gonna be a Bride and Wonderful Weddings for Whimsical Witches. But if they insist on having a tasteful wedding, it's the least we can do to play along."
"And we've already made it clear that there will be no dungbombs, no Canary Creams, no nothing. No pranks or jokes of any kind," Angelina said.
"We're not even married and she's already sucking all the fun out of life," Fred said.
Hermione's eyes got wide and Ginny kicked her brother under the table, but Angelina just smiled.
"Are you going to let that dudderhead get away with that?" Ginny asked.
"I know he's kidding. You can't be engaged to Fred Weasley and not have a sense of humor."
"George either. They speak before they think," Katie added.
"They do everything before they think," Ron said.
"Hey, what is this? Everyone's ganging up on us, George!"
"No fair, that's six against two!"
"It isn't a competition," Hermione said.
"Life is a competition, Hermione. Whatever you want, you have to compete for it. Or you have to fight for it. If it's good, it's worth a rough fight," Fred replied.
"But sometimes no fight is necessary, Fred. You also have to remember not to fight for something you already have," Angelina said.
Fred's vivid smile vanished and was replaced with a serious expression. "I know. But when you don't know you have something that you do have and you fight for it anyway, doesn't that prove something?"
Angelina looked as though she was going to cry. "It means everything."
"And the here come the waterworks. Both of them, non-stop. Crazy females," George said.
Katie jabbed him. "Stop it, you sentimental fool, you. Let's go for a walk." She stood and practically pulled George out of his chair.
"I'm coming, I'm coming. No need to be pushy," George said as he walked out of the pub with Katie.
"That seems like a good idea. Here's some money for the bill. We'll owl you soon and come visit. After all, the future Mrs. Weasleys will be there for awhile, what with old Snape and the new fox running off. Good night then," Fred said standing.
"It was nice to be able to talk with you, outside of class," Angelina said. "See you on Monday."
"Bye," they chorused.
"Well, I say your brothers have the right idea. Want to walk around for a bit before we go back to the castle?" Harry asked.
"Yeah, sounds good," Ron answered.
They left The Three Broomsticks and Ron took Hermione's hand, and Harry Ginny's. Ron turned left, so Harry purposely turned right.
"A private walk. Very creative, Mr. Potter," Ginny said smiling.
"Thanks."
They walked along the streets of Hogsmeade holding hands and talking softly. Ginny wouldn't have traded that moment for the world.
Ginny said something that made Harry laugh, and then he looked into her eyes. His face sobered and he bent down to kiss her.
When he pulled away, his breath caught in his throat. "I love you."
Her eyes shimmered in the evening light, and they registered surprise. "I love you too, Harry."
They met up with Ron and Hermione five minutes later and started back to the castle together.
Hermione could tell something was different between Ginny and Harry, and she felt it was good. She couldn't wait to get back and pump her friend for details.
I have no author's note to put here. So, I'll just say thanks to all my reviewers! I love you guys!!