Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, brilliantly created by J.K.
Rowling. Most situations are based on those created by J.K. Rowling.
Chapter Twenty-Four: The Double Date
Harry, Ginny, Ron and Hermione soon discovered that being friends with another couple had its perks. For example, they enjoyed spending time together, but they all understood when it was time for the couples to have some privacy. Also, the girls understood when the boys needed time to themselves, and vice versa.
School was set to begin in two weeks. The letters had just come from Hogwarts, and Hermione was, as expected, made Head Girl. Ginny passed all the O.W.L.'s she had wanted to pass and everyone felt in need of a celebration. Mrs. Weasley suggested that the four go into town and have dinner. She offered to help them pay for it, and the couples agreed. "It'll be our first double date!" Hermione exclaimed, excited that she didn't have to hide Harry and Ginny's relationship anymore.
"Why are you girls so into these things?" Ron asked.
"Oh come on," she said. "You know you are too."
"Only so I can keep an eye on Harry and Ginny," Ron protested.
Hermione put her arms around him. "Ron, do you really want to do that?" she asked. "How would you like it if someone was always keeping an eye on us?"
"That's why I'm so glad you don't have any brothers," Ron said.
* * *
"So, where are we going?" Harry asked Ginny when the four set out. He carried a very large picnic basket. The four had opted to make their own food and take it with them, rather than worry about trying to get muggle money. The Weasleys lived around some other witches and wizards but the town close by was pretty much all-muggle, and Mrs. Weasley didn't want them heading to Diagon Alley all by themselves when there was still the Voldemort threat lurking around. She had gladly packed them various sandwiches, drinks and desserts.
"It's not too far," said Ginny as she veered off the road and started walking up a small hill. "This is where Ron and I used to hide whenever Fred and George would get too much to handle." She looked behind her to make sure Ron and Hermione were not too far away.
"I'm surprised he's not right here next to us," said Harry.
"I think that's Hermione's doing," said Ginny. "She always seems to say the right thing to get him to calm down."
"That's a change then," said Harry with a laugh. "Usually they say something that gets the other all mad."
"Come on!" Ginny called out to her brother and Hermione. "Hurry up!"
"I know the way Gin!" Ron called out. "Why don't you just go and we'll be there in a minute!"
Ginny shrugged and then turned back to Harry. "Should we go then?" she asked him. Harry took her arm and nodded.
When they were out of sight, Hermione laughed at Ron. "You're doing very well, leaving them alone," she said.
"Only because you're holding my arm," Ron said. Hermione gave him a look. "Okay, okay. Do you want me to admit it? I actually LIKE the fact that Harry is dating my sister. I just don't EVER want to hear any details."
"I knew you'd come around," said Hermione. "It's a nice situation. Of course, they could break up, but I don't think so."
"And if they did, I'd pummel Harry anyway!" Ron exclaimed. "Nobody messes around with my sister!"
Hermione smiled at him, "You know, Ron, that's one of the things I love so much about you. The way you love other people so much." Ron blushed, and they continued to walk along.
* * *
They ended up in a small clearing in the woods. When Ron and Hermione arrived, Harry and Ginny had already set up the blanket and were taking food out of the basket. "You get to carry that thing back," Harry said to Ron. "And maybe we'll put some rocks in it to make up for the weight taken out of it here."
"Ha, ha, very funny," said Ron, and he sat down. "I'm starving."
"You always are," Hermione laughed, and she sat down beside him.
"There's plenty of food here," said Ginny, "so eat a lot!"
"Don't worry, Ginny," said Hermione. "Ron will take care of it. Bottomless pit that he is." Everyone laughed at the truth of Hermione's words.
* * *
After the food was gone, Harry and Ginny stood and told Ron and Hermione that they were going to take a walk down to a stream Ginny knew about. "Behave yourselves," teased Ron. "Don't make me come after you."
"Wouldn't dream of it," said Harry, and he and Ginny disappeared into the trees. Ron stretched out his legs and lay down on the blanket.
"What are you doing?" Hermione asked.
"Watching the clouds."
"And what do you see?"
"All kinds of things," Ron said, "look." He pulled her down so that she was lying next to him. They watched the puffy white clouds float by. Ron pointed out his visions. "See, that one is a house elf. It resembles Dobby quite a bit. And there's a rough version of Hogwarts."
"Uh-huh," Hermione murmured, as she felt herself drifting off to sleep. She dozed off, and Ron continued watching the clouds, perfectly content in their little clearing.
* * *
Ginny coaxed Harry onto a large rock in the center of the stream. "Come on, you won't get wet," she said. "It's perfectly dry. The water never goes this high." Though he was reluctant, Harry ended up sitting next to her. They sat in a very comfortable quiet, the only sounds around them of bugs moving around and birds chirping.
Harry pulled Ginny to him and played with a strand of her hair. "Have I told you how much I love you?" Harry asked.
Ginny giggled. "Not today," she said. "But I have a pretty good idea."
"That won't change, y'know," he told her. "We're it, Gin."
Ginny sighed, "Yeah, I know." She yawned. "I'm tired."
"Rest your head," said Harry. "I'll wake you up when we have to leave."
"Okay," said Ginny, but she was already way ahead of him, her eyes drooping as she rested her head on Harry's shoulder.
And so the afternoon passed by, with Harry and Ron thinking of the future, while the women they loved slept beside them.
Chapter Twenty-Four: The Double Date
Harry, Ginny, Ron and Hermione soon discovered that being friends with another couple had its perks. For example, they enjoyed spending time together, but they all understood when it was time for the couples to have some privacy. Also, the girls understood when the boys needed time to themselves, and vice versa.
School was set to begin in two weeks. The letters had just come from Hogwarts, and Hermione was, as expected, made Head Girl. Ginny passed all the O.W.L.'s she had wanted to pass and everyone felt in need of a celebration. Mrs. Weasley suggested that the four go into town and have dinner. She offered to help them pay for it, and the couples agreed. "It'll be our first double date!" Hermione exclaimed, excited that she didn't have to hide Harry and Ginny's relationship anymore.
"Why are you girls so into these things?" Ron asked.
"Oh come on," she said. "You know you are too."
"Only so I can keep an eye on Harry and Ginny," Ron protested.
Hermione put her arms around him. "Ron, do you really want to do that?" she asked. "How would you like it if someone was always keeping an eye on us?"
"That's why I'm so glad you don't have any brothers," Ron said.
* * *
"So, where are we going?" Harry asked Ginny when the four set out. He carried a very large picnic basket. The four had opted to make their own food and take it with them, rather than worry about trying to get muggle money. The Weasleys lived around some other witches and wizards but the town close by was pretty much all-muggle, and Mrs. Weasley didn't want them heading to Diagon Alley all by themselves when there was still the Voldemort threat lurking around. She had gladly packed them various sandwiches, drinks and desserts.
"It's not too far," said Ginny as she veered off the road and started walking up a small hill. "This is where Ron and I used to hide whenever Fred and George would get too much to handle." She looked behind her to make sure Ron and Hermione were not too far away.
"I'm surprised he's not right here next to us," said Harry.
"I think that's Hermione's doing," said Ginny. "She always seems to say the right thing to get him to calm down."
"That's a change then," said Harry with a laugh. "Usually they say something that gets the other all mad."
"Come on!" Ginny called out to her brother and Hermione. "Hurry up!"
"I know the way Gin!" Ron called out. "Why don't you just go and we'll be there in a minute!"
Ginny shrugged and then turned back to Harry. "Should we go then?" she asked him. Harry took her arm and nodded.
When they were out of sight, Hermione laughed at Ron. "You're doing very well, leaving them alone," she said.
"Only because you're holding my arm," Ron said. Hermione gave him a look. "Okay, okay. Do you want me to admit it? I actually LIKE the fact that Harry is dating my sister. I just don't EVER want to hear any details."
"I knew you'd come around," said Hermione. "It's a nice situation. Of course, they could break up, but I don't think so."
"And if they did, I'd pummel Harry anyway!" Ron exclaimed. "Nobody messes around with my sister!"
Hermione smiled at him, "You know, Ron, that's one of the things I love so much about you. The way you love other people so much." Ron blushed, and they continued to walk along.
* * *
They ended up in a small clearing in the woods. When Ron and Hermione arrived, Harry and Ginny had already set up the blanket and were taking food out of the basket. "You get to carry that thing back," Harry said to Ron. "And maybe we'll put some rocks in it to make up for the weight taken out of it here."
"Ha, ha, very funny," said Ron, and he sat down. "I'm starving."
"You always are," Hermione laughed, and she sat down beside him.
"There's plenty of food here," said Ginny, "so eat a lot!"
"Don't worry, Ginny," said Hermione. "Ron will take care of it. Bottomless pit that he is." Everyone laughed at the truth of Hermione's words.
* * *
After the food was gone, Harry and Ginny stood and told Ron and Hermione that they were going to take a walk down to a stream Ginny knew about. "Behave yourselves," teased Ron. "Don't make me come after you."
"Wouldn't dream of it," said Harry, and he and Ginny disappeared into the trees. Ron stretched out his legs and lay down on the blanket.
"What are you doing?" Hermione asked.
"Watching the clouds."
"And what do you see?"
"All kinds of things," Ron said, "look." He pulled her down so that she was lying next to him. They watched the puffy white clouds float by. Ron pointed out his visions. "See, that one is a house elf. It resembles Dobby quite a bit. And there's a rough version of Hogwarts."
"Uh-huh," Hermione murmured, as she felt herself drifting off to sleep. She dozed off, and Ron continued watching the clouds, perfectly content in their little clearing.
* * *
Ginny coaxed Harry onto a large rock in the center of the stream. "Come on, you won't get wet," she said. "It's perfectly dry. The water never goes this high." Though he was reluctant, Harry ended up sitting next to her. They sat in a very comfortable quiet, the only sounds around them of bugs moving around and birds chirping.
Harry pulled Ginny to him and played with a strand of her hair. "Have I told you how much I love you?" Harry asked.
Ginny giggled. "Not today," she said. "But I have a pretty good idea."
"That won't change, y'know," he told her. "We're it, Gin."
Ginny sighed, "Yeah, I know." She yawned. "I'm tired."
"Rest your head," said Harry. "I'll wake you up when we have to leave."
"Okay," said Ginny, but she was already way ahead of him, her eyes drooping as she rested her head on Harry's shoulder.
And so the afternoon passed by, with Harry and Ron thinking of the future, while the women they loved slept beside them.