The last week passed by quicker than they had imagined.
On the Monday, Fred and George arrived, ready to make a compromise with their bet. Harry would fly around the Quidditch pitch in his underwear, but Fred and George kindly agreed that he could do it now, before school started, in the relative privacy of just the two of them, Ron and Hermione, and Ginny, who would still have to wash their socks for a month. Fred and George were disappointed by the rather uneventful affair it turned out to be: Ron was too busy laughing to watch, Hermione was looking away discreetly, and Ginny was very red underneath her hands over her eyes.
On Tuesday, Snape arrived at Hogwarts to make prepare his dungeons. He seemed to glare at them even more fiercely as the two couples walked around the school, hand in hand. But it didn't matter, because in the holidays, he couldn't take away house points. And it was a whole five days until school started. 'That's like, forever,' Ron said, blissfully, during one sunset with Hermione.
Wednesday was uneventful. Ron and Hermione finished their book, and he agreed that it had got better towards the end. He promised to be the one to read the next one aloud.
It was on Thursday that Ginny tried to cut Harry's hair. The more she cut, the less it seemed to have any effect, until she turned away for a moment and upon her return, it looked just as it ever had. They decided not to risk disturbing it anymore, and went for a picnic outside instead.
Molly came to visit them on Friday. She spent most of her day gazing proudly at Ron and Hermione, and Ginny and Harry, and making carefully casual comments about how nice brides looked in ivory and pink these days, and what a lovely name Alexandra would be for a girl. Ginny and Ron gave Hermione and Harry apologetic smiles.
On Saturday, Dumbledore appeared unexpectedly in the common room. He told them that they would be attending school as normal on Monday, and not to mention to anybody about staying here over the holidays. He also rather mysteriously, congratulated them on 'recent events' and mentioned that he was pleased everything had gone to plan. Hermione had frowned, Ron had looked bemused, Harry had been surprised, and Ginny blushed.
Finally, on Sunday, they came to the realisation that this was their last day. They spent the day trying to be cheerful outside, enjoying having the Quidditch pitch to themselves, and they realised, to most the surprise of three of them, that Ginny was actually quite a good Seeker. Hermione spent most of the time watching them from below, smiling proudly at Ron's Keeping.
That evening, Harry, Ginny, Ron and Hermione lay on the grass in the twilight and looked up at the stars.
"Just think," Hermione said, sadly, "this is the last time we'll look up at the stars like this, all alone here."
"That one's not a star, Hermione Granger, that's Venus," Ron teased, and wriggled away as she tickled him in revenge.
"Something of it will still go on," Ginny said, seriously. "Everything we've learnt will stay with us."
"Very wise, Ginny." Harry smiled at her. "I agree with you."
"So do I," Ron said breathlessly, pinning Hermione's hands by her side. "Totally."
"Me too." Hermione nodded, and relaxed in Ron's grip, surrendering. "You know, we should go to bed. It's a big day tomorrow."
They stood up, dusting the grass off each other, and gazed up at the stars in farewell.
"I suppose this is the end," Ron said, sighing dramatically.
"Not the end, Ron," Ginny told him. "There's all of forever to go yet."
On the Monday, Fred and George arrived, ready to make a compromise with their bet. Harry would fly around the Quidditch pitch in his underwear, but Fred and George kindly agreed that he could do it now, before school started, in the relative privacy of just the two of them, Ron and Hermione, and Ginny, who would still have to wash their socks for a month. Fred and George were disappointed by the rather uneventful affair it turned out to be: Ron was too busy laughing to watch, Hermione was looking away discreetly, and Ginny was very red underneath her hands over her eyes.
On Tuesday, Snape arrived at Hogwarts to make prepare his dungeons. He seemed to glare at them even more fiercely as the two couples walked around the school, hand in hand. But it didn't matter, because in the holidays, he couldn't take away house points. And it was a whole five days until school started. 'That's like, forever,' Ron said, blissfully, during one sunset with Hermione.
Wednesday was uneventful. Ron and Hermione finished their book, and he agreed that it had got better towards the end. He promised to be the one to read the next one aloud.
It was on Thursday that Ginny tried to cut Harry's hair. The more she cut, the less it seemed to have any effect, until she turned away for a moment and upon her return, it looked just as it ever had. They decided not to risk disturbing it anymore, and went for a picnic outside instead.
Molly came to visit them on Friday. She spent most of her day gazing proudly at Ron and Hermione, and Ginny and Harry, and making carefully casual comments about how nice brides looked in ivory and pink these days, and what a lovely name Alexandra would be for a girl. Ginny and Ron gave Hermione and Harry apologetic smiles.
On Saturday, Dumbledore appeared unexpectedly in the common room. He told them that they would be attending school as normal on Monday, and not to mention to anybody about staying here over the holidays. He also rather mysteriously, congratulated them on 'recent events' and mentioned that he was pleased everything had gone to plan. Hermione had frowned, Ron had looked bemused, Harry had been surprised, and Ginny blushed.
Finally, on Sunday, they came to the realisation that this was their last day. They spent the day trying to be cheerful outside, enjoying having the Quidditch pitch to themselves, and they realised, to most the surprise of three of them, that Ginny was actually quite a good Seeker. Hermione spent most of the time watching them from below, smiling proudly at Ron's Keeping.
That evening, Harry, Ginny, Ron and Hermione lay on the grass in the twilight and looked up at the stars.
"Just think," Hermione said, sadly, "this is the last time we'll look up at the stars like this, all alone here."
"That one's not a star, Hermione Granger, that's Venus," Ron teased, and wriggled away as she tickled him in revenge.
"Something of it will still go on," Ginny said, seriously. "Everything we've learnt will stay with us."
"Very wise, Ginny." Harry smiled at her. "I agree with you."
"So do I," Ron said breathlessly, pinning Hermione's hands by her side. "Totally."
"Me too." Hermione nodded, and relaxed in Ron's grip, surrendering. "You know, we should go to bed. It's a big day tomorrow."
They stood up, dusting the grass off each other, and gazed up at the stars in farewell.
"I suppose this is the end," Ron said, sighing dramatically.
"Not the end, Ron," Ginny told him. "There's all of forever to go yet."
