I OWN NOTHING!
~~~~ Chapter 9: Finally, a Night's Peace! ~~~~
Ginny woke up a week later, the air knocked forcefully out of her lungs. She opened her eyes to see purple carpeting smashed roughly against her cheek and groaned, quickly realizing that she had fallen out of her bed and onto the floor, her body tangled in a mass of covers.
Hermione stood above her in her dressing gown, laughing. Ginny groaned and reached up onto the bed, feeling around until she felt the soft material of her pillow. She pulled it down and tucked it under her head, trying desperately to go back to sleep in her current position. This was the first good night's sleep she'd had in weeks, and she was NOT about to let it go to waste.
"Time to wake up, Gin," Hermione giggled. Ginny grunted in a very unladylike fashion, and rolled over on the ground, trying to get comfortable.
"I swear, Gin, you're just like your brother. A nuclear bomb could go off next door, and you'd sleep peacefully through it!"
Ginny didn't comment on the 'nuclear bomb,' whatever that was, but instead tried to bury her head further into her pillow.
At that moment a stampede of feet barged through the door, just as Mrs. Weasley's voice echoed up the stairs into Ginny's room. "What's happened? Is everything all right?"
"She's all right, she just fell out of bed," Hermione shouted, her voice moving toward the bedroom door.
Ginny heard the door click shut and the rustle of Hermione's nightgown as she swept back across the room. The mattress springs creaked and moaned as Hermione sat down on her bed. Ginny began to feel the distinct sensation of eyes on her.
"Ginny fell out of bed," Hermione repeated much quieter.
Ginny lifted her head in confusion. Hermione sat on the bed looking down at her, an annoyingly wide-awake grin on her face. Fred, George, Ron, and Harry all stood above her, amused smiles gracing their faces.
She groaned and dropped her head back into her pillow again, trying to find her way back into her comfortable, dream-free sleep.
"So we heard," said Ron, a smirk evident in his voice.
"My god, I thought she'd thrown herself off the bed, or against a wall, or something, it was so loud. Granted, our room is right under hers," said Fred groggily.
"Ahh yes, the sounds of Ginny falling out of bed in the morning. It wouldn't be a day without it," said George.
"She fell back to sleep after that?" asked Harry, his voice coming closer.
She felt someone crouch next to her, and lean their head close to hers. "Ginny?" Warm breath tickled her ear. She shivered, and flipped over, away from the voice.
"Harry, don't, if you know what's good for you," warned George.
Harry seemed to have ignored him, because he began to prod her back. She flipped back over, roughly, and opened one eye to glare menacingly at Harry.
"Ginny?" he asked bending lower to talk into her ear.
"Go 'way! Don't you get the picture?" She swiped his face away, knocking off his glasses. The other occupants of the room laughed as he scuttled across the room to retrieve them.
"We tried to warn you, she's a violent morning person. But nooo, the great Harry Potter goes by his own rules," said Fred. "Watch and learn."
Ginny lifted her head from her position on the floor to look at what Fred was talking about. She sat up hastily as she saw him pull something out of his robes that looked like a small blue pill.
"Fred-" she said warningly, but her plea fell on deaf ears. Everyone was looking at Fred, who had already bitten off the top of the pill and flung it on the other side of the room, near Ginny.
The pill gave a mini-explosion, emanating a small bright blue mushroom cloud, right where Ginny's head was. She was engulfed in the raspberry- scented fumes. Her lungs filled with the bright blue smoke, and she felt herself begin to sputter and cough.
"Jeez! I'm-bloody-awake!" she coughed, waving the clouds of blue away from her face. She hastily stood up, pushing the mass of blankets away from her and stumbling over them as she purposefully made her way toward her twin brothers. Her hair was slowly turning a violent shade of blue, starting at the roots and slowly creeping down to the tips, like a water balloon that had exploded on someone's head.
"Uh--Gin," said Hermione, pointing nervously to Ginny's head.
Ginny looked across the room into the mirror above her dresser, and shrieked, her eyes wide with terror. She picked up a strand of her hair, and stared at it. Her mouth fell open.
She caught Fred and George laughing in the reflection behind her, and immediately dropped her now-blue hair. She turned to her brothers slowly, suddenly murderous. Every muscle in her body was tense with the need for revenge.
Fred and George took one look at their little sister, and immediately stopped laughing. "We thought you could use a little cheer--You know-- since you've been down lately," George tried, backing up into the far wall, away from Ginny's attack path.
Ginny didn't say anything. The cloud of bright blue smoke was slowly disappearing into a blue haze, engulfing the small room and all of its occupants. She walked toward them slowly, having every intent to make them regret their little joke.
"It'll only last an hour!" said Fred, as she came within hitting distance of them. She didn't say anything. She only lifted her hands and began to hit them repeatedly, flailing her thin arms at them. They tried to back up farther into the corner, and shrunk under their sister's wrath.
"Do you see my hair! MY HAIR! MY HAIR! WHY MY HAIR?" Ginny shrieked.
"Taste it, Gin," said George quickly.
"What? Taste my hair?" she asked sarcastically, pausing from her attack.
"Yea," he smirked.
"Are you kidding me? Try something you made?" she shot him an angry glare.
"just try it."
Ginny gave George and Fred one final punch, before taking a strand of hair into her mouth. Her eyes widened. It tastes like raspberry. "What was that pill?" she asked.
"Our new invention, for our shop." They grinned at her. "Haven't thought of a name yet, but it comes in many different flavors," supplied George.
She heard Ron and Harry burst into peals of laughter. Hermione bit her lip, trying to contain her laughter, but she let a slight chuckle.
"When will it come out?" Ginny growled.
"In an hour."
"It better."
"FRED, GEORGE, WHAT WAS THAT EXPLOSION? GET DOWN HERE THIS INSTANT! THAT BETTER NOT HAVE BEEN ANYTHING INVOVING WEASLEY'S WIZARD WHEEZES IN THIS HOUSE!" Mrs. Weasley shrieked up the staircase, sounding very much like an angry wolverine.
"Ginny wouldn't get up! You know how she is! We were just doing it for the good of our sister, to get her out of bed!" Fred called down to their mother. George and him exited Ginny's room.
There was an awkward silence following the twins' exit that hung between the four still left in Ginny's room.
Ginny moved to her dresser, and examined her hair from every angle. "Blue-- blue? Why blue?" She shook her head.
There was silence, Ginny saw Ron in her reflection fidgeting uncomfortably. He opened and closed his mouth, wanting to say something, then changing his mind last minute.
She turned to face him. "Ron?"
"Look, Ginny, please forgive me for charming you at Colin's house the other day, I.I just didn't know how else to get you back, you know me."
Ginny cracked a smile. "It's fine Ron, I feel a bit better being back anyway." She pointedly looked at Harry, watching his face grow red. "Ok, now that that's cleared up, you two have to leave. Hermione and I need to get dressed."
Ron and Harry looked at Hermione and Ginny before shaking their heads and walking toward the door.
After the door closed behind the boys, Ginny turned to Hermione.
"Look, Herms, I'm really sorry about yesterday, I was in a really bad mood," Ginny admitted sheepishly.
Hermione looked up at Ginny and smiled. She swung her arm around Ginny's slender shoulders.
"No problem, Gin, you know you can always talk to me. What are friends for?"
Ginny just smiled at her.
"Gin, can I try your hair?"
Ginny rolled her eyes, and yanked a hair from her head, handing it to Hermione, who took it gladly.
Hermione sucked on the strand of hair as she walked over to her trunk. Ginny went to her closet.
"Hey, Gin, what do you say we dress Muggle today?"
Ginny turned around, and raised her eyebrows at her clever friend. "My Muggle clothes aren't in fashion."
"Oh, don't worry about that, I've got enough. Come here."
Ginny walked over to Hermione's trunk and watched anxiously as Hermione dug through her trunk. She pulled out a dark blue halter-top and a pair of short khaki shorts. "For you." She handed over the outfit. "It should go well with your hair," Hermione giggled, at Ginny's scowl.
"Thanks," Ginny muttered, before slowly climbing into the clothes Hermione had loaned her. She looked in the mirror, turning slightly to get the whole effect. The halter-top fit snugly, accentuating her new curves. The shorts hugged her hips nicely, and showed off her toned legs. The only thing that was off was her bright blue hair; she sighed, and turned to see if Hermione approved.
"Wow, Gin, my clothes fit you better than they do me! You look great. We must be the same size."
Hermione wore a black short-sleeved shirt, and jean shorts accentuating her womanly curves as well. Ginny put on a touch of eyeshadow and mascara, while Hermione combed a bit of Sleekeasy's Hair Potion through her bushy locks.
The two girls wandered down the stairs. When they entered the kitchen everyone looked up, and Harry and Ron's jaws dropped, both for different reasons.
"GINNY!" Mrs. Weasley yelped. "Now really! What on Earth are you wearing, young lady? I suggest you go change this instant! You're not going into Diagon Alley dressed like a scarlet woman. What would people think? I'll tell you what they'd think! They'd think that I raised you to.to." Mrs. Weasley drifted off in her anger. Her eyes were set in determination, displaying her disapproval.
"Molly, I believe that's Muggle fashion, although, I have to say, I'm not sure I like this particular one," Arthur put in frowning from behind the Daily Prophet.
"Tell me, is it Muggle fashion to have your hair.bright blue?" Mrs. Weasley turned her rage back to her daughter, who stood in the entrance to the kitchen.
"Mum, that isn't my fault!" said Ginny, gesturing to her head.
"Not your fault? Then whose is it?" Her eyes immediately drifted over to Fred and George, just as the names slipped from her daughter's lips.
"Fred and George."
A look passed over Mrs. Weasley's face. "They call themselves grown men," she tutted. Now, you march right upstairs, and change that shirt, young lady."
"Mum!"
"Now!"
"Molly, let her change after breakfast," her father said.
She continued to stare at her daughter, her lips pressed together tightly in disapproval. She sighed, "Fine, but you're changing before you leave the house."
"Fine," Ginny mumbled. She watched her mother bustle into the kitchen a moment later, muttering under her breath.
"I can not believe you wore that down here," Ron sniggered. "I personally think you should change now, and spare our eyes!"
Ginny's smile dropped from her face to be replaced by a scowl. She glared at her brother. "Like you're my father or something! For your information, Hermione loaned me these Muggle clothes."
She sat down in the seat between her father and Harry.
"Don't you think it shows too much skin? I didn't know they made clothes like that," said Ron.
Ginny looked up and gave her brother a death glare. She thought she saw him jump slightly, a look of anguish on his face. She smiled inwardly; Harry or Hermione had probably kicked him beneath the table. She was grateful; she didn't need Ron preaching to her, especially now, when she could feel her guilt building as her mother came into the kitchen carrying a large frying pan of bacon. The sight alone sent her stomach churning. But she supposed she would put a smile on her face, and eat at least one rasher.
"Yes, it shows too much skin. I can't believe that you actually thought I was going to let you just waltz right through here, wearing practically nothing!" her mother muttered, placing five strips of bacon on Ginny's plate. "Is this enough?" her mother finished.
Ginny smiled weakly at her. "That's more than enough, thank you."
Her mother nodded before walking back into the kitchen.
"Don't you like it, Ron? I'm wearing Muggle clothes too. Do I look bad?" Hermione asked quietly from across the table.
Harry coughed from next to her, but the cough sounded false, and almost joyful. She had an idea, from the vibrating coming from him that it was to cover up a laugh.
Ron looked at Hermione with wide eyes, "No, NO, you look.Great.er.Good."
There was a movement beside her, and Ginny saw Fred pass something to Harry under the table. Harry's body shook violently, though he tried to hold it in. Ginny turned in her seat and smiled at him. He looked up enough for only her to see his face. He was beet red, and tears of laughter were welling in his pools of emerald. Ginny stared in amusement.
He reached out his hand to her, and held out a small piece of parchment.
Ginny opened it, and scanned the parchment.
Harry,
How do you think Ron would look in Hermione's outfit? Or better yet, Ginny's? Fetching, huh?
Gred.
Ginny leaned over Harry's plate to look at her other brothers sitting next to him. Fred winked at her. She could feel Harry next to her, shaking with silent laughter.
She leaned back into her chair, and bent over her plate biting her lip, trying desperately to stifle the bubble of laughter building in her throat.
"What's so funny?" Ron asked, frowning from across the table.
Ginny turned red with the effort of trying not to laugh. Harry was losing that particular battle, and had to resort to excusing himself for a brief minute. Fred and George looked at Ron innocently.
"Bleeding crazy, I tell you!" Fred announced.
"Clinically insane," George agreed shaking his head.
When Harry came back, he was under control, and continued to eat his breakfast, not daring to look at Ron or Hermione in fear of having another laughing attack. Ron watched him curiously before turning back to his sister.
Ginny picked up a piece of bacon, and looked at it in disgust. Ron looked curiously at her.
"Aren't you going to eat, Gin?"
Harry looked up at her, frowning. Ginny sighed, and put the bacon on the plate. She was angry with her brother for bringing attention to her.
"I'm not really that hungry."
Under the table Harry picked up her left hand, and squeezed it, hard. Ginny tried hard to ignore the pain. "Ginny, you have to eat," he said, giving her a concerned look. She scowled at him as he crushed her hand. When did he get off telling me what to do?
"Ok," she whispered harshly, yanking her hand out of Harry's grasp. She began gently rubbing her injured hand, before picking up her bacon, and taking a bite. Harry nodded contentedly, then leaned toward her ear.
"Did you have a dream after I talked to you?"
Ginny scowled at him for bringing it up at the table, before shaking her head stiffly. "No, not after you left, that's why I wanted to sleep in. That was my first peaceful night in a few weeks."
Harry looked at her in sympathy, "I'm sorry Gin, I should have made them let you sle--"
"NO! It's good you didn't, no one will suspect," she whispered frantically back.
He looked at her worriedly, his eyebrows furrowing together. Then he smiled and leaned in again. "By the way, you look great, Gin."
Ginny blushed, not daring to look over at him. "Thank you, Harry," said Ginny, almost shyly.
"Don't mention it."
"Secrets, secrets are no fun, they should be told to everyone!" Fred and George chanted happily from next to Harry.
Ginny blushed and stared fixedly at her plate. Don't Harry! Don't!
"What were you two talking about so secretly?" George asked in a suggestive tone.
"Nothing. Actually, I was just asking her where we were going first when we get to Diagon Alley. Ginny needs to stop at Gringotts," lied Harry.
Ginny raised her red face, and mouthed 'thank you' to Harry, who returned with a quick nod.
"Who said Ginny's coming with us?" Ron asked.
Harry and Hermione's heads snapped in his direction, both glaring daggers at him.
Ginny saw him wince, and lean under the table to message his leg, probably where Hermione had given him a swift kick. "OW! Hermione! What the hell!"
"Ron! Language!" Mr. Weasley said behind his newspaper, "and that wasn't very nice what you just did to your sister."
"Aww, come on, she knows I was kidding," Ron pleaded.
"You're so thick Ron!" Hermione muttered under her breath, intending for only Ron to hear, but Harry and Ginny didn't miss it.
"Don't worry, I'll meet Colin today," said Ginny. She stood up, and politely excused herself from breakfast, brushing an imaginary thread off of her shorts. She was not going to make a scene out of nothing. She was going to walk away quietly.
I'm not going to draw more attention to myself. I'm not going to draw more attention to myself.
"Ginny, I was kidding," Ron repeated. Ginny smiled weakly at her brother, but hurried up the stairs toward her bedroom to write a hurried note to Colin. She knew spending time with her brother and his friends was too good to be true and wouldn't last. She sighed and opened the door to her room.
~~~~
Harry, Ron, and Hermione still sat around the kitchen table, though Fred, George, and Mr. Weasley had all left for work already. Hermione kicked Ron again.
"Ow, Hermione! Will you stop!"
"You unbelievable prat! Your sister thinks that we don't want her coming with us now!" she shouted.
"She knows I was joking!" Ron said in his defense.
"Does she, Ron?" Harry asked his voice low with anger.
Ron looked at him in shock.
"Ron, I'm not going with you if you don't apologize to your sister and tell her that we want her to go!" Hermione seethed.
"Me too," Harry added.
Ron looked defeated.
"Fine. When she comes back down," he said, shaking his head.
~~~~
Thanks again to Trouble, because your suggestions were a lifesaver!
PLEASE REVIEW!
~~~~ Chapter 9: Finally, a Night's Peace! ~~~~
Ginny woke up a week later, the air knocked forcefully out of her lungs. She opened her eyes to see purple carpeting smashed roughly against her cheek and groaned, quickly realizing that she had fallen out of her bed and onto the floor, her body tangled in a mass of covers.
Hermione stood above her in her dressing gown, laughing. Ginny groaned and reached up onto the bed, feeling around until she felt the soft material of her pillow. She pulled it down and tucked it under her head, trying desperately to go back to sleep in her current position. This was the first good night's sleep she'd had in weeks, and she was NOT about to let it go to waste.
"Time to wake up, Gin," Hermione giggled. Ginny grunted in a very unladylike fashion, and rolled over on the ground, trying to get comfortable.
"I swear, Gin, you're just like your brother. A nuclear bomb could go off next door, and you'd sleep peacefully through it!"
Ginny didn't comment on the 'nuclear bomb,' whatever that was, but instead tried to bury her head further into her pillow.
At that moment a stampede of feet barged through the door, just as Mrs. Weasley's voice echoed up the stairs into Ginny's room. "What's happened? Is everything all right?"
"She's all right, she just fell out of bed," Hermione shouted, her voice moving toward the bedroom door.
Ginny heard the door click shut and the rustle of Hermione's nightgown as she swept back across the room. The mattress springs creaked and moaned as Hermione sat down on her bed. Ginny began to feel the distinct sensation of eyes on her.
"Ginny fell out of bed," Hermione repeated much quieter.
Ginny lifted her head in confusion. Hermione sat on the bed looking down at her, an annoyingly wide-awake grin on her face. Fred, George, Ron, and Harry all stood above her, amused smiles gracing their faces.
She groaned and dropped her head back into her pillow again, trying to find her way back into her comfortable, dream-free sleep.
"So we heard," said Ron, a smirk evident in his voice.
"My god, I thought she'd thrown herself off the bed, or against a wall, or something, it was so loud. Granted, our room is right under hers," said Fred groggily.
"Ahh yes, the sounds of Ginny falling out of bed in the morning. It wouldn't be a day without it," said George.
"She fell back to sleep after that?" asked Harry, his voice coming closer.
She felt someone crouch next to her, and lean their head close to hers. "Ginny?" Warm breath tickled her ear. She shivered, and flipped over, away from the voice.
"Harry, don't, if you know what's good for you," warned George.
Harry seemed to have ignored him, because he began to prod her back. She flipped back over, roughly, and opened one eye to glare menacingly at Harry.
"Ginny?" he asked bending lower to talk into her ear.
"Go 'way! Don't you get the picture?" She swiped his face away, knocking off his glasses. The other occupants of the room laughed as he scuttled across the room to retrieve them.
"We tried to warn you, she's a violent morning person. But nooo, the great Harry Potter goes by his own rules," said Fred. "Watch and learn."
Ginny lifted her head from her position on the floor to look at what Fred was talking about. She sat up hastily as she saw him pull something out of his robes that looked like a small blue pill.
"Fred-" she said warningly, but her plea fell on deaf ears. Everyone was looking at Fred, who had already bitten off the top of the pill and flung it on the other side of the room, near Ginny.
The pill gave a mini-explosion, emanating a small bright blue mushroom cloud, right where Ginny's head was. She was engulfed in the raspberry- scented fumes. Her lungs filled with the bright blue smoke, and she felt herself begin to sputter and cough.
"Jeez! I'm-bloody-awake!" she coughed, waving the clouds of blue away from her face. She hastily stood up, pushing the mass of blankets away from her and stumbling over them as she purposefully made her way toward her twin brothers. Her hair was slowly turning a violent shade of blue, starting at the roots and slowly creeping down to the tips, like a water balloon that had exploded on someone's head.
"Uh--Gin," said Hermione, pointing nervously to Ginny's head.
Ginny looked across the room into the mirror above her dresser, and shrieked, her eyes wide with terror. She picked up a strand of her hair, and stared at it. Her mouth fell open.
She caught Fred and George laughing in the reflection behind her, and immediately dropped her now-blue hair. She turned to her brothers slowly, suddenly murderous. Every muscle in her body was tense with the need for revenge.
Fred and George took one look at their little sister, and immediately stopped laughing. "We thought you could use a little cheer--You know-- since you've been down lately," George tried, backing up into the far wall, away from Ginny's attack path.
Ginny didn't say anything. The cloud of bright blue smoke was slowly disappearing into a blue haze, engulfing the small room and all of its occupants. She walked toward them slowly, having every intent to make them regret their little joke.
"It'll only last an hour!" said Fred, as she came within hitting distance of them. She didn't say anything. She only lifted her hands and began to hit them repeatedly, flailing her thin arms at them. They tried to back up farther into the corner, and shrunk under their sister's wrath.
"Do you see my hair! MY HAIR! MY HAIR! WHY MY HAIR?" Ginny shrieked.
"Taste it, Gin," said George quickly.
"What? Taste my hair?" she asked sarcastically, pausing from her attack.
"Yea," he smirked.
"Are you kidding me? Try something you made?" she shot him an angry glare.
"just try it."
Ginny gave George and Fred one final punch, before taking a strand of hair into her mouth. Her eyes widened. It tastes like raspberry. "What was that pill?" she asked.
"Our new invention, for our shop." They grinned at her. "Haven't thought of a name yet, but it comes in many different flavors," supplied George.
She heard Ron and Harry burst into peals of laughter. Hermione bit her lip, trying to contain her laughter, but she let a slight chuckle.
"When will it come out?" Ginny growled.
"In an hour."
"It better."
"FRED, GEORGE, WHAT WAS THAT EXPLOSION? GET DOWN HERE THIS INSTANT! THAT BETTER NOT HAVE BEEN ANYTHING INVOVING WEASLEY'S WIZARD WHEEZES IN THIS HOUSE!" Mrs. Weasley shrieked up the staircase, sounding very much like an angry wolverine.
"Ginny wouldn't get up! You know how she is! We were just doing it for the good of our sister, to get her out of bed!" Fred called down to their mother. George and him exited Ginny's room.
There was an awkward silence following the twins' exit that hung between the four still left in Ginny's room.
Ginny moved to her dresser, and examined her hair from every angle. "Blue-- blue? Why blue?" She shook her head.
There was silence, Ginny saw Ron in her reflection fidgeting uncomfortably. He opened and closed his mouth, wanting to say something, then changing his mind last minute.
She turned to face him. "Ron?"
"Look, Ginny, please forgive me for charming you at Colin's house the other day, I.I just didn't know how else to get you back, you know me."
Ginny cracked a smile. "It's fine Ron, I feel a bit better being back anyway." She pointedly looked at Harry, watching his face grow red. "Ok, now that that's cleared up, you two have to leave. Hermione and I need to get dressed."
Ron and Harry looked at Hermione and Ginny before shaking their heads and walking toward the door.
After the door closed behind the boys, Ginny turned to Hermione.
"Look, Herms, I'm really sorry about yesterday, I was in a really bad mood," Ginny admitted sheepishly.
Hermione looked up at Ginny and smiled. She swung her arm around Ginny's slender shoulders.
"No problem, Gin, you know you can always talk to me. What are friends for?"
Ginny just smiled at her.
"Gin, can I try your hair?"
Ginny rolled her eyes, and yanked a hair from her head, handing it to Hermione, who took it gladly.
Hermione sucked on the strand of hair as she walked over to her trunk. Ginny went to her closet.
"Hey, Gin, what do you say we dress Muggle today?"
Ginny turned around, and raised her eyebrows at her clever friend. "My Muggle clothes aren't in fashion."
"Oh, don't worry about that, I've got enough. Come here."
Ginny walked over to Hermione's trunk and watched anxiously as Hermione dug through her trunk. She pulled out a dark blue halter-top and a pair of short khaki shorts. "For you." She handed over the outfit. "It should go well with your hair," Hermione giggled, at Ginny's scowl.
"Thanks," Ginny muttered, before slowly climbing into the clothes Hermione had loaned her. She looked in the mirror, turning slightly to get the whole effect. The halter-top fit snugly, accentuating her new curves. The shorts hugged her hips nicely, and showed off her toned legs. The only thing that was off was her bright blue hair; she sighed, and turned to see if Hermione approved.
"Wow, Gin, my clothes fit you better than they do me! You look great. We must be the same size."
Hermione wore a black short-sleeved shirt, and jean shorts accentuating her womanly curves as well. Ginny put on a touch of eyeshadow and mascara, while Hermione combed a bit of Sleekeasy's Hair Potion through her bushy locks.
The two girls wandered down the stairs. When they entered the kitchen everyone looked up, and Harry and Ron's jaws dropped, both for different reasons.
"GINNY!" Mrs. Weasley yelped. "Now really! What on Earth are you wearing, young lady? I suggest you go change this instant! You're not going into Diagon Alley dressed like a scarlet woman. What would people think? I'll tell you what they'd think! They'd think that I raised you to.to." Mrs. Weasley drifted off in her anger. Her eyes were set in determination, displaying her disapproval.
"Molly, I believe that's Muggle fashion, although, I have to say, I'm not sure I like this particular one," Arthur put in frowning from behind the Daily Prophet.
"Tell me, is it Muggle fashion to have your hair.bright blue?" Mrs. Weasley turned her rage back to her daughter, who stood in the entrance to the kitchen.
"Mum, that isn't my fault!" said Ginny, gesturing to her head.
"Not your fault? Then whose is it?" Her eyes immediately drifted over to Fred and George, just as the names slipped from her daughter's lips.
"Fred and George."
A look passed over Mrs. Weasley's face. "They call themselves grown men," she tutted. Now, you march right upstairs, and change that shirt, young lady."
"Mum!"
"Now!"
"Molly, let her change after breakfast," her father said.
She continued to stare at her daughter, her lips pressed together tightly in disapproval. She sighed, "Fine, but you're changing before you leave the house."
"Fine," Ginny mumbled. She watched her mother bustle into the kitchen a moment later, muttering under her breath.
"I can not believe you wore that down here," Ron sniggered. "I personally think you should change now, and spare our eyes!"
Ginny's smile dropped from her face to be replaced by a scowl. She glared at her brother. "Like you're my father or something! For your information, Hermione loaned me these Muggle clothes."
She sat down in the seat between her father and Harry.
"Don't you think it shows too much skin? I didn't know they made clothes like that," said Ron.
Ginny looked up and gave her brother a death glare. She thought she saw him jump slightly, a look of anguish on his face. She smiled inwardly; Harry or Hermione had probably kicked him beneath the table. She was grateful; she didn't need Ron preaching to her, especially now, when she could feel her guilt building as her mother came into the kitchen carrying a large frying pan of bacon. The sight alone sent her stomach churning. But she supposed she would put a smile on her face, and eat at least one rasher.
"Yes, it shows too much skin. I can't believe that you actually thought I was going to let you just waltz right through here, wearing practically nothing!" her mother muttered, placing five strips of bacon on Ginny's plate. "Is this enough?" her mother finished.
Ginny smiled weakly at her. "That's more than enough, thank you."
Her mother nodded before walking back into the kitchen.
"Don't you like it, Ron? I'm wearing Muggle clothes too. Do I look bad?" Hermione asked quietly from across the table.
Harry coughed from next to her, but the cough sounded false, and almost joyful. She had an idea, from the vibrating coming from him that it was to cover up a laugh.
Ron looked at Hermione with wide eyes, "No, NO, you look.Great.er.Good."
There was a movement beside her, and Ginny saw Fred pass something to Harry under the table. Harry's body shook violently, though he tried to hold it in. Ginny turned in her seat and smiled at him. He looked up enough for only her to see his face. He was beet red, and tears of laughter were welling in his pools of emerald. Ginny stared in amusement.
He reached out his hand to her, and held out a small piece of parchment.
Ginny opened it, and scanned the parchment.
Harry,
How do you think Ron would look in Hermione's outfit? Or better yet, Ginny's? Fetching, huh?
Gred.
Ginny leaned over Harry's plate to look at her other brothers sitting next to him. Fred winked at her. She could feel Harry next to her, shaking with silent laughter.
She leaned back into her chair, and bent over her plate biting her lip, trying desperately to stifle the bubble of laughter building in her throat.
"What's so funny?" Ron asked, frowning from across the table.
Ginny turned red with the effort of trying not to laugh. Harry was losing that particular battle, and had to resort to excusing himself for a brief minute. Fred and George looked at Ron innocently.
"Bleeding crazy, I tell you!" Fred announced.
"Clinically insane," George agreed shaking his head.
When Harry came back, he was under control, and continued to eat his breakfast, not daring to look at Ron or Hermione in fear of having another laughing attack. Ron watched him curiously before turning back to his sister.
Ginny picked up a piece of bacon, and looked at it in disgust. Ron looked curiously at her.
"Aren't you going to eat, Gin?"
Harry looked up at her, frowning. Ginny sighed, and put the bacon on the plate. She was angry with her brother for bringing attention to her.
"I'm not really that hungry."
Under the table Harry picked up her left hand, and squeezed it, hard. Ginny tried hard to ignore the pain. "Ginny, you have to eat," he said, giving her a concerned look. She scowled at him as he crushed her hand. When did he get off telling me what to do?
"Ok," she whispered harshly, yanking her hand out of Harry's grasp. She began gently rubbing her injured hand, before picking up her bacon, and taking a bite. Harry nodded contentedly, then leaned toward her ear.
"Did you have a dream after I talked to you?"
Ginny scowled at him for bringing it up at the table, before shaking her head stiffly. "No, not after you left, that's why I wanted to sleep in. That was my first peaceful night in a few weeks."
Harry looked at her in sympathy, "I'm sorry Gin, I should have made them let you sle--"
"NO! It's good you didn't, no one will suspect," she whispered frantically back.
He looked at her worriedly, his eyebrows furrowing together. Then he smiled and leaned in again. "By the way, you look great, Gin."
Ginny blushed, not daring to look over at him. "Thank you, Harry," said Ginny, almost shyly.
"Don't mention it."
"Secrets, secrets are no fun, they should be told to everyone!" Fred and George chanted happily from next to Harry.
Ginny blushed and stared fixedly at her plate. Don't Harry! Don't!
"What were you two talking about so secretly?" George asked in a suggestive tone.
"Nothing. Actually, I was just asking her where we were going first when we get to Diagon Alley. Ginny needs to stop at Gringotts," lied Harry.
Ginny raised her red face, and mouthed 'thank you' to Harry, who returned with a quick nod.
"Who said Ginny's coming with us?" Ron asked.
Harry and Hermione's heads snapped in his direction, both glaring daggers at him.
Ginny saw him wince, and lean under the table to message his leg, probably where Hermione had given him a swift kick. "OW! Hermione! What the hell!"
"Ron! Language!" Mr. Weasley said behind his newspaper, "and that wasn't very nice what you just did to your sister."
"Aww, come on, she knows I was kidding," Ron pleaded.
"You're so thick Ron!" Hermione muttered under her breath, intending for only Ron to hear, but Harry and Ginny didn't miss it.
"Don't worry, I'll meet Colin today," said Ginny. She stood up, and politely excused herself from breakfast, brushing an imaginary thread off of her shorts. She was not going to make a scene out of nothing. She was going to walk away quietly.
I'm not going to draw more attention to myself. I'm not going to draw more attention to myself.
"Ginny, I was kidding," Ron repeated. Ginny smiled weakly at her brother, but hurried up the stairs toward her bedroom to write a hurried note to Colin. She knew spending time with her brother and his friends was too good to be true and wouldn't last. She sighed and opened the door to her room.
~~~~
Harry, Ron, and Hermione still sat around the kitchen table, though Fred, George, and Mr. Weasley had all left for work already. Hermione kicked Ron again.
"Ow, Hermione! Will you stop!"
"You unbelievable prat! Your sister thinks that we don't want her coming with us now!" she shouted.
"She knows I was joking!" Ron said in his defense.
"Does she, Ron?" Harry asked his voice low with anger.
Ron looked at him in shock.
"Ron, I'm not going with you if you don't apologize to your sister and tell her that we want her to go!" Hermione seethed.
"Me too," Harry added.
Ron looked defeated.
"Fine. When she comes back down," he said, shaking his head.
~~~~
Thanks again to Trouble, because your suggestions were a lifesaver!
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