Part Nine:

Many weekends in May were spent planning the wedding. Helen Granger managed to get the Squibe vicar to marry Hermione and Ron. And then there were other preparations to be made.

Harry, who was busy enough with exams, came out to the Burrow to help. He also went to a Muggle tuxedo shop with Ron and his brothers to rent a tux. He remembered when Dudley bought one for his graduation ball at Smeltings. Uncle Vernon had been against renting one. "Only losers rent tuxedos," he'd barreled.

Well, guess that makes us all losers, Harry thought with a smile. Dudley never wore that expensive tuxedo again, and Harry doubted whether he would ever need one again. So, renting was the way to go.

Even Ron rented his. "Yeah, I'm not gonna spend hundreds on my wedding atire like CERTAIN PEOPLE," he said sarcastically. Hermione, who was within earshot, gave him a dirty look. But she softened when Ron gave her the grin she found so charming.

During this time, Harry was forced to endure more of Ginny's coldness. She wasn't bothering to even pretend to be polite to him anymore: now, she was pointedly spiteful towards him, and everyone could see it. Mrs. Weasley would shoot her daughter a look whenever she acted like a prat, but it did no good. Finally, Harry knew that he had to say something.

One weekend at the Burrow, Ginny was being particulary rude to him, spouting off sarcastic comments right and left. Finally, to put a stop to it, Mrs. Weasley had ordered her to go get lunch started. Ginny seemed glad to get out of Harry's sight, but it didn't make him feel any better.

Pretending to be going to the bathroom, Harry snuck into the kitchen. As he hoped, Ginny was alone. He came in and said, "Um, hi, Ginny."

"Hello," she said icily without looking at him. That's when Harry really lost it.

"Look, I don't know why you're being this way towards me."

"Oh, don't you?" Ginny turned around to face him, a look of fury on her face. "I think you do."

"No, I DON'T."

"Then why don't you take a minute to think about it."

"Look, Ginny, I never did anything to you!" Ginny tutted and turned away, but Harry wasn't through with her. "I thought that we were okay with what happened last summer. That's not what this is about, is it?"

"I think you know what this is about."

"I DON'T!"

Ginny threw down the spoon she'd been using to stir the soup on the stove and turned around to face him again. "Fine, then, I'll tell you. This is about you being a pathetic little prat! Are you happy now?"

"Oh, yes, Ginny," Harry said sarcastically. "That really explains everything! And how, pray tell, was I a "pathetic little prat"! And DON'T say I know, I already told you that I don't."

Ginny lost some of her fury, but she still spoke angrily. "I thought we had an agreement not to tell anyone about...you know, what happened."

"We did. And I kept my part of it."

"Oh, did you?" Ginny gave him a mean, raised-eyebrow look. "Well, then, how did everyone I work with find out?" Ginny had been working as an assistant at the "Daily Prophet".

Harry was surprised. "I didn't tell anyone, I already told you that."

"You didn't?" Ginny looked confused, then her face filled with a sudden understanding. "I'M GOING TO KILL LUNA!"

"Huh?"

"She's the only person I told, remember? That's the only way anyone could've found out." Ginny suddenly looked horror-struck. "Unless somebody SAW us?"

"Have people been giving you trouble about it?"

Ginny shrugged. "A bit, I suppose." She sighed. "I'm so sorry, Harry. I shouldn't have accused you of that. I should've known that you would keep your promise." Ginny muttered, "Unlike some big-mouthed people..." She looked remorseful again. "Can you forgive me, Harry?"

Harry wasn't sure what to say. She'd gone from being completely rude to him, to begging for his forgiveness. "Um...yeah. I forgive you, no problem."

"Oh, Harry!" Ginny threw her arms around him and hugged him. "Thank you. You're the best friend." Harry wrapped his arms around Ginny's waist in a hug. He closed his eyes and pulled her close. He liked having Ginny in his arms. Suddenly, Ginny pulled away, looking slightly flushed. "So! The big wedding is coming up? Isn't it exciting?"

"Yeah, it is."

"Percy and Charlie both had really nice weddings, but I think that Ron and Hermione's is going to blow theirs out of the water." Ginny smiled and turned back to her work, blushing slightly. "Well...see you later."

"'Bye." Harry turned around and walked out of the kitchen. When he reached the doorway, he turned around to look at Ginny, and was surprised to find her watching him. She gave him a nervous laugh and turned around quickly.

And Harry began to get that weird feeling again...