Harry was awakened early by footsteps coming down the stairs. Seeing the early morning light, Harry was shaken awake by the fact he had slept downstairs, in the common room. Wondering was time it was, Harry sleepily turned to see who had woken him up.

Ginny was walking down the stairs, and startled upon seeing Harry, asked "Did you sleep down here all night?" Ginny blushed.

Nodding affirmation, Harry got up woozily and wondered if it was breakfast time already.

Seeming to understand him, Ginny said, "Oh, I'm just going outside . . . you still have plenty of time to go upstairs and get some real sleep."

"Um . . . thanks." Harry found himself blushing. He went toward his dorm.

***

After napping for an hour or so, Harry decided to get up. Realizing it was around seven in the morning, Harry thought 'the others won't be up for another hour and a half.' Quietly changing, Harry snuck down to the great hall for a piece of toast.

"Walking along the grounds is pleasant this early," Harry realized for the first time, murmuring to himself. The still coolness of the air invigorated him, and he slowly awakened to the silent sounds of early morning. Harry had never truly experienced this kind of calm before.

Upon approaching the Quidditch grounds, Harry noticed Ginny sitting a third the way into the field. He decided to walk over to her.

"I'll try not to sneak up on you this time," he said while sitting down on the damp grass diagonally form her. Ginny laughed and blushed, but didn't say anything.

"I never knew how nice it was in the morning," Harry commented.

"I love being out here," Ginny spoke. "Everything is so quiet and gray, it seems as though the world could never be anything but calm. As if as long as you get through the night, everything can get better."

Her words rang true for Harry. Before he knew it, he was telling Ginny of early morning Quidditch matches, never defined as 'calming', as Fred and George always sleepily wreaked havoc on each other. Telling her the story about Fred and George colliding at practice one morning, Ginny chuckled.

"They've never been early risers."

She told him how the twins had once stayed up quite late being rowdy, and as punishment Mrs. Weasley woke them up two hours early. Sleepily they got dressed, not realizing they had put on the wrong matching sweaters, with a 'G' on Fred and a 'F' on George.

"Even though I knew, it came to no one else's attention throughout the day. Fred and George each realized around noon, and sniggered when somebody called them. They went the whole time without telling anyone, they probably would have gone the whole week if I hadn't confronted them."

"How did you know?"

"They're not exactly alike."

"How are they different?"

"Physically you mean?"

Harry nodded eagerly.

"That . . . is a secret." Ginny laughed and smiled at Harry. He looked at her thoughtfully.

"It must have been fun growing up in the Weasley household," he sadly smiled, finding himself longing for memories like these.

"I don't think I fully appreciate it," said Ginny. "Growing up with five older brother just makes me different from the rest of the girls in my grade." She flipped her hair mockingly then blushed. "Not that there's anything wrong with them . . ." she trailed off into silence. Harry spoke up.

"I'm not too fond of them myself," he shrugged. "Too giggly." He imitated a giggle, causing Ginny to laugh.

Harry checked the time and said, "Everyone will be getting up now. Want to come back to the castle with me?" Harry stood up and offered his hand. Ginny pulled herself up, and they chatted their way towards the school.

Upon reaching the Great Hall, Ginny sat down next to Hermione and Harry looked for Ron.

"He's still sleeping, I believe," stated Hermione. Harry decided to go looking for him.

***

"Where were you this morning?" Ron asked as they went toward the Great Hall together. "I'm having a late breakfast because of you."

It turned out that Ron had woken up late because he had expected Harry to wake him up.

"Oh, I . . . I went for an early morning walk."

Apparently Ron did not know that Harry had slept in the common room, which was a pleasant revelation for Harry.

"So you're taking a drop out of Ginny's caldron, are you?" Ron asked, laughing. Seeing Harry's confused face, he continued. "She never slept much, even as a baby. Bloody racket she made. And she's never even had a proper summer . . . always getting up before eight, if not earlier. Did you see her?"

"I, uh, had a chat with her at the Quidditch pitch."

"Oh." Ron raised his eyebrows. It was a good thing they reached the Great Hall, because Ron became too preoccupied to notice Harry's involuntary blushing. They saw Hermione and Ginny talking animatedly. The girls laughed, and Hermione glanced up in time to cut off what Ginny had been saying.

"What are you two up to?" asked Ron, peering suspiciously down at his younger sibling.

"Nothing," Ginny innocently sang, and Hermione giggled. When Ron irritably turned red, Hermione began to guffaw.

"She was just . . . tell-telling me a story," she creaked out through her laughter. Harry caught Ginny's twinkling eye and expectantly smiled. She smiled back, in affirmation that she would tell him later.

Over the course of breakfast, Ron unceasingly demanded one of the girls reveal the contents of the conversation, but to none of his avail.