"Hey Will?"
"Yeah, sweetie?"
"I know we were gone for a week, and lots might have happened, but when was the last time you saw that?" He pointed to the Gryffindor table. They had returned late Sunday night from Sunnydale, and barely made Monday morning breakfast.
She followed his finger along the table, her eyes narrowing at his discovery. Ron sat at one end, shoveling food into his mouth in an obvious attempt to dine as swiftly as possible. Neville, Hermione, Harry and Ginny sat at the other end. Hermione and Neville were merrily chatting away, but Harry and Ginny seemed to be staring at their meals as if nothing interested them more than the array of uneaten food. Every few seconds, Harry would sneak a nervous glance at Ron. The redhead pretended not to notice.
"Let's go ask Tara," Willow said, noticing the blonde witch sitting with Hagrid at the faculty table. She led Grey over to two empty seats next to them.
"How're yeh? Safe an' soun', I hope," Hagrid greeted them.
"We're fine, Hagrid," Willow answered. "A little tired, but unscathed."
"Big nasties?"
"Only of the human variety, Tara. I'll give you the details later, but … yech, not mealtime conversation. What's going on here, though? Is it me, or is there a major foofaraw with our favorite Gryffindors?"
"Foofaraw?" Grey smirked.
"Shut up, Grey. I talk how I want."
"You certainly do."
Tara laughed, but her expression quickly faded to concern. "A-actually, yeah. While you were away, there w-was some trouble." Seeing their alarm, she continued. "It's alright now. No lasting consequences." She explained what had happened with Fred and George, and how the Slytherins had been arrested and expelled.
"So they tried to get Ron's father removed from the Ministry," Grey commented when she had finished. "That's a pretty bold move." He glanced at the unhappy Gryffindors across the room. "That was fast work on their part," he said with appreciation. "How'd the Slytherins convince the Zonko's people that Fred and George did it?"
"P-polyjuice potion," Tara said. "Snape used a truth potion on them, and Dumbledore got the whole story. It was the only way to make Fudge believe it."
Grey made a sound low in his throat at the mention of Fudge's name.
"H-he's a little … narrow-minded," Tara added generously. Fudge had flat out refused to believe the boys had been working for Voldemort, claiming that they had been deceived by 'that vile O'Brien woman.' Dumbledore, obviously exasperated by the Minister, had finally agreed with the fat little man, more, Tara believed, to get rid of him than anything else.
"That story doesn't explain this …" With her chin, Willow gestured towards the Gryffindors.
"H-hermione told me that Ginny kept Ron and Harry safe long enough to take down the Slytherins. I guess she was pretty amazing. At the end, she and Harry had a … a moment."
Four eyebrows rose in unison.
"Th-they kissed. I-in front of Ron. Hermione had to pull him off of Harry, and I guess they had a big fight, and Ron and Ginny had a big fight, and nobody's talking to anybody. Both Ron and Harry missed our research parties this weekend."
"S'not good when these kids figh'," Hagrid offered, his tone sad. "I've seen it now an' then, but usually it's quickly a'righ' again. Hate seein' 'em unhappy, that's fer sure."
"They had to pull Ron off Harry?" Willow said incredulously. "Why?"
"Big Brother syndrome," Grey said with understanding. "What's the deal between Ginny and Harry?"
"I don't know," Tara answered with a shrug. "According to Hermione, and we only had about t-two minutes when Ginny was in the bathroom, neither of them really know what to do now. About Ron or about each other."
"Hey, 'Mione," Ron said, peeking his head into the girls dorm. Thankfully, his sister was not about. Even before she spoke, Ron could see that Hermione was steaming.
"Ronald Weasley, I am not interested in speaking with you. Please go away."
"I don't think so, hon." He stepped into the room, and she rolled off of her bed and moved further away.
"Don't call me that. I'm quite cross right now, and you must leave."
He plunked down on the bed next to hers. "Can we just talk? I … I haven't got anyone to talk to 'bout this."
"I shouldn't, you know. I'm firmly with Ginny and Harry." He flashed his wide puppy-dog eyes, making her stomach flip-flop. She hated seeing him so unhappy. "Alright. You have exactly one minute to convince me that I should talk with you."
"I knew you'd come 'round," he said with a small smile. "It's just … I know I shouldn't've done what I did, but she's my little sister. We both know Harry doesn't feel that way about her, an'," he paused, gathering his thoughts, "I don't want her to get hurt. I know he didn't mean to encourage her, but that's what he did. Seein' it, I just got so mad I forgot it was Harry."
Before he even finished, Hermione was shaking her head.
"You just don't understand it, do you? Must you always see the world the way you wish? Do you really think Harry would do that? Lead her on that way?"
"What d'you mean?"
"Harry feels the same way about Ginny that she does about him. He didn't know it until she kissed him, but I've seen it for months. So have Willow and Tara. So have you, if you'd only admit it. How many times have you seen his arm around her, or the two of them off by themselves talking?"
"A … a lot, I guess," Ron said, trying to remember. Harry and Ginny had been interacting much, much more this year, he realized, considering they never even talked before. Ginny had always been too afraid to say much of anything. He thought of all the nights in the library when he and Hermione had been huddled together, sneaking kisses in the stacks or actually doing Giles' research, then emerging to smirks and whispers from the other two. "All those times…"
"In the library," she finished with a nod. "Other times, too. In the common room. At meals. She's been eating with us for months."
"Still, it doesn't mean he fancies her," Ron protested. "She's a nice girl. They could just be friendly. Girls that Harry … look at with Cho. He couldn't say two words. Even with Dawn, he was awkward. He's not like that at all with Ginny."
"Of course not, because she's your sister, and she is so obviously afraid of being around him. Or at least she used to be. He's comfortable with her. Or he was, until he had to acknowledge that he was interested. Now they can't say two words to each other."
"She's my little sister, 'Mione," he said again, his voice resigned and heavy. "Y'know Harry's like one of my brothers. Closer even, sometimes. What if … what if I had to choose between them? If one of them hurt the other?" He had been thinking about this all weekend, and she knew it was what he had really come to talk about. He had seen the kiss returned even more clearly than she had.
She walked over and rested a hand on his shoulder. He leaned back into a soft embrace, needing the comforting feel of her against him.
"It's not really your choice, Ron. You can't say whether they'll be together or not. You just have to do the best you can with whatever happens." She kissed the top of his head as he let out a soft sigh. "They'll take care of each other. Like us. You have to trust them with that, just like they do."
Dear Sirius,
Sorry to write you when you're busy with Hogwarts business. I hope your quest for the Eye is going well. I wouldn't have said anything, except I sort of need advice, and I don't
Harry put down the quill. He knew he should be in bed, not out here in the firelight of the common room, in the dead of night, trying to draft a bothersome letter to Sirius about his girl troubles. If he even had girl troubles. Not to mention the best friend troubles.
The exhaled breath came loud and long. He slid deeper into the high-backed chair, the small fire warming his face. His muscles felt tight and stretched, his whole body a vibrating rubber band of tension. A walk would have been nice, if he wasn't assured of running into Spike or one of the faculty. Doing it hunched over in the invisibility cloak would hardly be relaxing either.
Behind him, someone stumbled coming down the stairs and banged into the railing. A voice muttered "Soddin' carpets" quietly, and Harry knew who it was.
Ron came around to the front of the chair. He had the cloak in one hand and a weathered parchment, likely the Marauder's Map, in the other.
"Saw you were up," he said tentatively. "Fancy a snack?" He had no idea how to make things right with Harry; they had not spoken since Ron had tackled him in the storage room.
"That'd be good." Harry tossed the unfinished letter in the fire, wondering what he could say to his best friend that would make things alright. He felt terribly guilty about the entire misadventure, at the same time that he was angry at Ron for not trusting him. More than anything, though, he knew he didn't want a repeat of the weeks of silence they had endured after Harry's name popped out of the Goblet of Fire. That memory pushed him up and out of the chair. They would figure it out somehow, or maybe ignore it until it faded.
"Snape's about, patrollin' the halls. Looks like Grey and Filch, too."
"What about Spike?" The vampire could hear their heartbeats, though he was as likely to join their repast as not.
"Dunno. Map shows him at Hagrid's, I'm guessing their downing a few pints."
"Makes sense. 'Specially if Grey's out."
Ron held the map into the light. The two routes to the kitchen both had staff on them, one blocked by Grey and the other by Snape and Filch. "Pretty obvious which way to go, don't you think?"
"Yeah," Ron agreed.
Wordlessly, they slipped under the cloak and out of the common room. Skirting the routes adjoining Snape and Filch's locations, they ended up in the same hallway as the former auror. He leaned against a wall, scanning the corridor like a predator on the hunt. They came to a complete stop and waited for him to move.
Grey heard light footsteps in the empty passage, then the muffled sounds of breathing. Anxiously, he drew his lightsaber and flicked it on. Invisible opponents were not high on his list of fun diversions.
"If you're Harry or Ron," he said softly, "show yourself." More loudly, he intoned, "if not, I know you're here. It won't be pretty for you."
Ron pulled off the cloak in one swift motion. Grey relaxed and holstered his weapon.
"Didn't think I'd find both of you," he whispered. They traded a nervous look, and a ghost of a smile played over his lips. "Snape's on the other route to the kitchens with Filch and Mrs. Norris. We switch spots in an hour." He brushed pass them, heading for the other end of the corridor. "Try and get a little sleep. You do have class tomorrow."
The rest of the trip went smoothly, and twenty minutes later they were back in the Zonko's storeroom, piles of food in hand courtesy of Winky.
"So …" Harry said, taking a spoon full of chocolate pudding as he searched for a topic. "Quidditch practice tomorrow."
"I came up with an idea for a new move," Ron declared around a piece of eclair. "I was going to show you this weekend …" His voice faded, remembering their troubles.
"Ron…"
"Harry…" They paused.
"You first…" They said simultaneously. Harry forced out a slight grin and pointed his open palm at Ron.
"Harry, I'm sorry. I've been a total wanker about this."
Harry watched him for a minute. "Yeah. You have."
"I didn't mean to be. It just all happened so fast, an' I forgot it was you an' just … reacted. She's my sister, Harry. I went a little insane and bollocksed everything up, and then you weren't speaking to me, and she still isn't, and even if you had been, I didn't know what to say." He paused briefly, cocking his head to look at his friend. "I didn't know you felt that way about … Ginny."
"Me either," Harry said with a sigh. "That … just kind of happened. And all of a sudden I was glad it was happening. It was … electric," he said, then quickly remembered that he was talking about Ron's sister. "Then you got upset, and … you're my best friend, Ron. If you tell me to stay away from her, I will."
"Do you want to stay away?"
Harry shook his head. "I don't know why I'm feeling this way, but I am. I get knotted up just thinkin' about her now."
"Like with Cho?" Harry nodded. "Bugger all."
"Tell me about it."
"Hermione was right."
"What d'you mean?"
"She said she knew how you felt way before you did. Said Willow an' Tara did too."
"I guess. Hit me like an anvil, though."
They sat in silence for a few endless minutes, staring at each other.
"I don't own her," Ron said finally, echoing Hermione's words. "We both know she really likes you; I can't tell her what she can or can't have. An' it'll be somebody, someday," he finished seriously. "You're MY best friend, Harry. I want you both to be happy. It's not like there's a bloke out there who'd be better to her."
"Thanks for that," Harry said.
"You hurt her and I'll give you what for."
"I won't."
"I know." Ron offered his hand, and Harry shook it eagerly. "I'm sorry for being such an idiot."
"You're forgiven."
"So we're square?"
Harry nodded. "Now if I could figure out what to say to her, everything would be fine."
"Me too," Ron said, drawing a rueful laugh from his friend. "Pass me some of those cookies, will you?"
Harry and Hermione skipped lunch in the dining hall on purpose, opting instead to go directly to the kitchens and gorge themselves on the offered food. Ron, as they had instructed him to, took a seat across from his sister at the half-full Gryffindor table.
She saw him sit down and rose to leave.
"Gin – wait!" He cried, instantly halfway out of his seat.
She stood absolutely still, fiery red hair covering half of her face and her one visible eye scorching him with a glare. His stomach crumpled and all of a sudden Hermione's idea seemed like a very bad one.
"Please … let me explain?"
Her eyebrow twitched slightly in response. Blood rushed to her cheeks.
"Look, I was … am a total jackass, a'right? And I'm really, really sorry."
"You knew," she spat. He had never heard such venom in her voice. "You knew how I felt … feel about Harry. You knew it, and you ruined it for me. The one time I actually … you bloody ruined it!" She stifled a sniffle, afraid that one tear would shatter the dam completely. The entire room heard her yelling and turned to stare at them.
"I didn't mean to," he responded weakly, conscious of all the attention focused on them.
"Yes you damn well did!" Her righteous anger exploded after days of restraint. "As if you care anyway. Most of the time you can't even be bothered to talk to me. Then you see me kiss a boy, a boy you know I fancy, after I save your life no less, and you suddenly decide to be overprotective? What the hell is wrong with you?"
"You think I don't care about you?" A tear meandered down his cheek.
"I know you do," she said, her tone softening at the sight, "but why did you choose then to show it? D'you know how hard that was for me to do?"
"I don't want you hurt, Ginny. I didn't think …" She nodded, but he missed it and continued. "I didn't think that he felt that way, and I didn't want you to get hurt. I just … I know how hard it must have been. I shouldn't have done it."
"No. You shouldn't have," she said firmly, stepping away from the table. "I know you're sorry, Ron. In awhile, I'll probably even forgive you. But for now, just leave me alone, a'right? I'd like to deal with losin' my one shot at Harry without you hounding after me for forgiveness."
"Losin' your one … but …" She was out the door before he could finish. He dropped back into the chair and stared at his now cold food. The silent room watched him carefully.
"That was very…" Fred began.
"Very bad, Ronnykins," George finished as the twins came up behind him. He put a hand on his brother's shoulder. "An' just wait 'til she tells mum."
Ron paled at the thought.
"Howler for sure," George added.
"Best that you duck," Fred said.
"Damn."
"How'd it go?" Harry asked Ron as the two of them and Hermione walked out of Transfiguration later that day.
"Might've gone worse," Ron responded. "She didn't curse me or anythin'."
"But?" Hermione said.
"Could be years before she talks to me again. Mum'll have my head for this. Last time I try an' do the right thing," he grumbled.
"I hope so," Harry said. "S'not like I get kissed often enough that I can afford you breaking 'em up."
"She thinks she missed her one chance with you."
Harry stopped and grabbed Ron's robe.
"She what?" His eyes were wide with fear. They had the same look Ron remembered from the year before, except that one had been for Cho and not his baby sister. The thought boggled his mind.
"She blames me for mucking things up for her for good. S'why she's so mad."
"So she's still … I mean, that is …"
Hermione's eyes narrowed.
"You think she doesn't like you anymore?"
"Well…" He had the sudden urge to be anywhere but under Hermione's nose.
"Harry, don't be absurd. Why on Earth would she feel any differently?"
"She's been avoiding me, an' … every time I look at her, she looks away."
"She's embarrassed," Hermione explained. "Aren't you?"
"A little," he mumbled, feeling foolish.
The brown-haired girl looked pensive. "So you're still interested?" She hadn't known if he would be, but Harry nodded emphatically. "Okay then, here's what you'll do …"
Harry was sitting alone at an empty research table in the library when Ginny arrived.
"Hey, Ginny."
"Hey, Harry." She blushed, wondering where the heck everyone was. "Are we still researching tonight?"
"Umm … not quite." He gulped the breaths in, hoping she didn't hear his nervousness.
"Oh. I thought … well, I'll just leave you to your … studies or somethin'." She spun to leave quickly, silently cursing Hermione for telling her the wrong night.
"Hold on, Ginny. Don't go, okay?"
She stopped and turned back.
"I … I thought we could, y'know, talk?" He said tentatively. For the first time, she realized he was nervous too.
"O-okay." She walked over and took the seat across from him. "What'd you want to talk about?"
He didn't respond immediately, mesmerized by the way her hair had fallen in front of her face and down onto her shoulders. She seemed a lot prettier in the half-light of the library than he remembered. It didn't help the butterflies dancing in his stomach at all.
"Harry?" Is he … staring at me? No. He can't be.
"S-sorry. Look, I just … I just thought we should probably talk about the other day."
She stiffened. "Is there really anythin' to say?"
"A lot. I really, really like you and want to kiss you again, and I've been an idiot for not noticin' you before."
Unfortunately, Harry didn't say that out loud. What he actually said was:
"Yes? No? Yes."
"Like what?"
"You … you've been avoiding me since then, and I … wanted to make sure things are alright between us."
"Of course things are a'right," she said, taken aback. He thought they weren't? "I mean, I hope you aren't mad … I didn't mean to …"
"I'm not … you didn't mean to?" Dammit, Hermione.
"Well, not … there was the fight, and us nearly …"
"BecauseI'mrathergladyoudid," he interrupted in a rush.
"Huh?" She stared at him.
He forced himself to speak slowly. "I'm … glad … you … did."
"You are?"
He nodded. "I'm sorry about the fake research, but I needed to tell you, an' … Ron tol' me about what you said at lunch. I know I wasn't interested before, but, well, we've been talking so much and I've really enjoyed it. Then, when you kissed me … it was fantastic," he finished, relieved to say everything at once, even though his heart felt close to combustion and the bottom had dropped out of his stomach. "I didn't want you to think I didn't like you. I was a moron for not likin' you sooner."
She swooned. Every dream she had ever had about this moment couldn't hold a candle to the real thing.
"Really?"
"Really."
Instinctively, she leaned forward across the table. Harry did the same. The air in the room vibrated with possibility.
When their faces were inches apart, she spoke again.
"Are you sure? 'Cos I …"
He interrupted her with his lips. She knew instantly that he was pretty damn sure.