A/n: Wow, I was surprised at the feedback I got for the fic! Not only surprised but very very happy! Thanx to everyone who reviewed and who told me they liked this--your compliments make me want to keep writing all the time! Okay, well, on with the story...

Disclaimer: Nope, don't own this

Chapter 2: Many Musings

"It's him!" Ron yelled. "Hermione, he's here!" Hermione smiled. It was like seeing a five-year-old jump up and down in excitement at the arrival of his playtime friend. Which she found extremely cute. Funny how she kept noticing these adorable qualities in Ron...you'd think that after so many years of doing so she would have run out of cute aspects about him! But no, he gave her reasons to like him more every day. Her thoughts were interrupted when Ron grabbed her hand swiftly.

Hermione bit her lip. She couldn't understand why this meant so much to her. After all, it was just a simple touch. Then again, she found it signified much more to her because it was Ron's touch. It felt so--what was the correct word?--it felt right. But whenever this thought popped into her head (something that happened more often than not), she would also remember that this probably meant nothing to Ron, that he didn't feel his stomach doing somersaults, that his breath didn't catch in his throat when he touched her.

"Come on!" Ron said cheerfully. Hermione grinned and let him tug her out of the room and down the stairs. She couldn't take her eyes off their hands, entwined as they raced down the stairs. It was somewhat ironic how her small hand fit snugly in Ron's rather large one. As they stepped off the last step, Hermione saw Ron glance towards the door, his mother having just dashed out. She could hear Ginny and Mr. Weasley laughing and Mrs. Weasley squealing. Ron's eyebrows furrowed slightly and, to Hermione's disappointment, released her hand quite abruptly. He nodded more to himself than to her and ran towards the door. Hermione closed her eyes briefly and shook her head vaguely before following him.

She and Ron were met at the door with the sight of their best friend in a bone-crushing embrace with Mrs. Weasley. When she released him, Hermione zoomed forward and threw her arms around him. She was so glad he was safe. Everything had hung with such an ominous feeling lately and with Harry so far away, Hermione couldn't help but feel an anxious churn in her stomach whenever she thought of Harry, all alone to grieve at Privet Drive. She understood why Ron was so frustrated. There was no way they could commiserate. She and Ron hadn't lost someone so close to them; Sirius had been the closest to a father Harry had ever had, closer than even Mr. Weasley. Just when Harry was starting to accommodate himself to Sirius being there for him, always willing to talk to him and give him advice, he had been ripped from him so brutally. She hadn't been there to witness his demise but Harry had. He had seen him before he tumbled through the archway. Professor Lupin had told her and Ron, in a shaky voice, what had happened. Shaking these sorrowful thoughts out of her head, she released Harry.

Ron clapped Harry heartily on the back. Harry smiled but Hermione noticed that it didn't reach his eyes. The emerald green seemed faded, and there was a hollow, lifeless look about them.

"I'll take your stuff upstairs for you, Harry," said Ginny, picking up his trunk. Harry nodded and thanked her. Hermione grabbed Hedwig's cage and said, "Yeah, I'll come with you, Gin."

The teenage girls made their way slowly up the stairs. Hermione looked sideways at Ginny, who was unnaturally quiet. "What's wrong?" she asked the younger girl. Ginny looked up, gave her a weak smile, and shook her head. She was quiet for a moment; then she said, "Harry's really devastated...he was so quiet on the way here..."

"Oh, I know, Gin, but there's really nothing we can do about that. You know how hard it hit him..."

Ginny nodded. "But Harry's not the only thing on my mind."

Hermione didn't have to ask. She could already predict that Ginny was thinking about her boyfriend, Dean Thomas. She had been talking like mad about him all summer, until she got her first owl from him. "Is there something wrong with Dean?"

Ginny smiled. "You know too much. Well, it's not Dean, it's more my problem. I like him, he's a really great guy and everything but...I dunno, at times it feels sort of...forced, if you get what I mean."

It was Hermione's turn to nod. "Yes, I do. Oh, but I feel so useless...I can't really give you any useful advice since I've never really had a boyfriend." For some reason, Ginny started sniggering. "What?" Hermione asked, puzzled.

"No, nothing, it's just that I think that'll change soon."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Ginny shook her head. "Nothing. Anyway, look, you're a girl, and I need advice from another girl...I can't ask Mum for advice 'cause she gushes over me and gets teary-eyed every time I mention I have a boyfriend. It's like she expects me to come home for the summer to plan tea parties with my teddy bears and dolls."

Hermione chuckled. "Okay, I'll tell you what I think. I'm not trying to offend you but I think you might be hurt that Michael broke up with you and are finding a sort of consolation in Dean. I bet he's too busy drooling to notice that you guys don't have a strong basis for this relationship, exactly."

Ginny looked at her in admiration. "I have no idea how you can understand this so much even though you've never had a boyfriend. Of course, if my assumptions are correct, and I'm pretty positive they are, you're gonna be taken soon enough..."

Hermione stopped at the top of the stairs. "That's it. I'm not moving till you tell me what you mean."

Ginny raised an eyebrow. "You mean you want me to stand here and say, so everyone can hear, that you like R--"

"Why don't we go to your room?!" Hermione half-screamed. She raced into the boys' room, set Hedwig on the desk, and zoomed off into Ginny's room, where she waited while the Weasley girl left Harry's trunk in his room.

When Ginny came in, Hermione gave her a sharp look, her lips thin. Ginny sniggered. Hermione blinked rapidly and said, "Don't do that!"

Ginny tilted her head to the right. "Do what? Snigger or say that you fancy my brother dearest?"

"Shh!" Hermione said urgently. "Just because you know doesn't mean the whole entire world needs to know!"

"Um, Hermione, I hate to break it to you, but they've kind of noticed by now." Ginny's mouth twitched at the corners and it was obvious that she was trying very hard not to laugh.

Hermione shook her head. "No they haven't. I bet they all have some crazy idea that I belong with Harry." Hermione gave Ginny a quick glance to see what her reaction was, but Ginny seemed not to care. "It's ridiculous! Honestly, Harry and me? Never. We've got more of an unconditional friendship. People just can't stop eating up that rubbish Rita wrote in fourth year. And then there are the ones, like Ron, who believe that I'm marrying Viktor the moment I finish school! No, never Harry and me or Viktor and me. We're all just friends."

"But..."

It was Hermione's turn to laugh. "Yes. But Ron...well, I guess I don't need to tell you since you are so keen to finding out everything that goes on around here. But nobody else has noticed! I mean, come on, all we ever do is bicker incessantly! It's a good thing we don't have claws, that's all I'm saying."

"Wake up. Can you smell that?" Ginny exaggerated sniffing the air. "It smells like reality. If you stopped arguing with that prat for one second you would notice that everyone thinks you make the perfect couple. Trust me, it'll be no surprise to anyone when you two get together--"

"Beg your pardon?"

Ginny sighed exasperatedly. "Please, Hermione! Don't tell me you think this is one sided!" Hermione gave Ginny a sheepish look, which the red head returned with a withering one. "I thought you had brains in that head. Ron can't stop drooling over you. How many times did he write to you before you came over?" Hermione opened her mouth but Ginny answered her own question. "Daily. He wrote to you every bloody day! Oh, and don't tell me you missed his reaction at the Gryffindor breakfast table the day of the first Quidditch match when you gave him a kiss on the cheek. He wouldn't have been walking if Harry hadn't been half dragging him up to the Quidditch pitch. And he wouldn't stop touching his cheek." Ginny placed a finger to her chin in mock-thoughtfulness. "I'm willing to bet he hasn't even washed that cheek since then. Maybe he's hoping that it'll be too dirty and next time you'll go for his lips instead of his cheek." Ginny laughed heartily at her own joke.

Hermione had gone from pale to red and back to pale. She stuttered for a moment, then said, "That's nothing. Anybody would do that...right?" Ginny gave her a you-know-better-than-that look. "Look, Ginny, I'm not the type of girl your brother wants okay? My hair is like twice the size of my head, my eyes are the dullest things you've seen, and I look like I'm eleven rather than almost sixteen. Besides, it seems that Weasleys are the kind that like veelas, from what I've heard about Bill. And I am nothing close to veela! Oh, and did I'm mention that I'm bossy and a know-it-all and--"

"--brilliant and a great friend and funny and caring and must I go on or do you get the point? And so what if you're stubborn, he is too." Hermione smiled. Ginny shook her head and continued. "Hermione, you are such a nice person. You don't leave me out or treat me like I'm three. You are so smart it amazes me. No, it's not book smarts because I've heard you've come up with plans that are quite clever. Probably most important, you are loyal. I can't believe it, but I'm sure you would give your life for those two gits. And you're so much more! But what I like most about you are those three things: you're nice, clever, and loyal."

"Great. I'm a dog."

Ginny burst out laughing. Clutching her side, she gasped, "And funny. You're actually pretty funny."

Hermione shook her head. "Whatever. I just know that Ron doesn't like me and never will, trust me. It's my fault for being stupid and falling for my best friend. I mean, who's thick enough to go and do a thing like that? At least I'm smart enough to keep it to myself and not tell him." She nodded curtly and said, "Well, come on, we need to make Harry feel welcome, although I'm sure your mum has beat us to it."

Ginny grinned. "About Harry..."

"You can't help it if it doesn't go away all too quickly. He's the first boy you ever fancied, and I don't think I'm mistaken when I say that's it's become more than a crush?" Ginny nodded. "Don't worry. I know you're trying to forget him. Hey, he thinks you're over him. That helps, doesn't it?"

Ginny laughed and said, "Yes, yes it does, thanks for telling him that."

Hermione stood and hugged her friend. "No problem, Gin. Now, what do you say we go downstairs?"

Ginny took a step forward and stopped. "You know, if you end up marrying my brother--"Hermione blushed. "--and Harry marries me--"now Ginny blushed. "--then we'd all be one big happy Weasley family." Hermione laughed and said, "Yup, big and happy." She put one arm around Ginny and they both walked out of the room, not at all minding the idea of a big happy Weasley family.

END POV

Harry sat quietly in Ron's bedroom, gazing out the small window at the starry sky. His best friends lay on the bed on their stomachs in front of each other, their legs in the air, glaring at each other over a chess board displaying Hermione losing horridly to Ron.

"Check!" Ron said triumphantly and sniggered. "This is too easy...my brain needs more of a challenge."

Hermione shot him a dirty look and said, "Yeah, it must feel weird for that tiny brain of yours."

Harry smiled slightly. They were so happy. He was surprised they weren't snogging the living daylights out of each other but he had a feeling that it would happen soon enough and surprisingly wasn't too sickened by the thought. Well, as long as they didn't to it in front of him.

But no matter how much comfortable content surrounded him, he felt hollow and empty. He could explain that. This loss...Merlin, it hurt more than having his heart ripped out and being left to bleed. He really didn't think he could go on. He couldn't sleep at night because the image of Sirius's friendly face was interrupted with a replay of the moment when Bellatrix sent the wretched spell at him; how, in what seemed like slow motion, he had registered what was happening a millisecond before it happened; and how his handsome face still had a half smile plastered on it as he fell through the archway. This haunted him more than anything ever had. More than Cedric lying dead in a graveyard. More than Voldemort rising slowly out of a cauldron. More than corridors ending in locked doors. More even than hearing his mother scream.

He heard Hermione scoff distantly. "Why do I even try?"

"You enjoy feeding my ego. Wait a minute." Ron put his hand to his ear. "It thanks you, kind lady." He grinned as Hermione rolled her eyes playfully.

Harry let his eyes stray to the floor. He hated having to deal with all the burdens. He felt Hermione walk over to him and noticed her feet as she stood in front of him. "Harry, are you all right?" He nodded slightly. Hermione sighed and crouched before him so she could see his eyes. She bit her lip before speaking. "I'm really sorry. I wish I could help. I wish I could tell you that I know how you feel. I wish I could take all those burdens away from you. But I can't and, unfortunately, you have to deal with the pain." Her voice sounded sincere. She was such a great friend.

"Right now, I'd do anything to see a true smile on your face, mate," came Ron's voice, which was beginning to deepen. "You don't deserve this crap." He glanced at Hermione to see if she would chastise him for swearing, but when she didn't, he continued. "Stop blaming yourself 'cause it's not your fault." How did he know? There was another one who knew him better than he knew himself; another priceless friend. Hermione stood and Ron walked over to her. They stood there, side by side, gazing at him with eyes full of love for their best friend. Harry felt a lump in his throat start to grow gradually. A familiar stinging came to his eyes.

He looked up. He could see his tears in Ron and Hermione's eyes. Without thinking twice, he jumped up and embraced the two at the same time, burying his face in the space between their heads and letting the tears fall. He felt his best friends wrap their arms around him.

END POV

Ron closed his eyes. This was the first time Harry had ever cried in their presence. This moment felt sacred; they were sharing something without uttering a word. He rubbed Harry's back for a second until his hand hit another. Slowly, he reached for Hermione's fingers and held them with his own. They had been wrong. This is how they could help. This is what he needed. He needed someone who would give him the shoulder to cry on he had never had. He needed someone to love him enough to let him relieve his pent up emotions.

And that's what they were. They were a small shelter from the rain. They were his friends.

END POV

"Bloody hell!" Ron muttered as Crookshanks zoomed over his shoes, chasing a sprinting gnome. He shook his head, muttered, "Crazy cat," and kept walking.

He had always loved his backyard. It was so...fresh. When he had been a little boy, before Hogwarts, he had come out every night to lie on his back on the dewy grass, looking up at the navy blue sky. From his backyard, he could always see the stars. He would giggle as he made up his own constellations. He wished he could go back. Those where the times when all he had to worry about was his mum screaming at him for getting his T-shirt dirty or how he would manage to get his hands on a box of Chocolate Frogs. But now...he was starting to understand what it felt like to be an adult--he would be turning seventeen in less than a year--and he knew he wouldn't be surprised if he ended up with gray hair among his red locks by the time he was twenty. Yes, he would love to go back to when he was a young kid.

Near the small lake a few yards away from where he stood now he saw someone lying on the grass like he had done so many years ago. He was amazed that, even from a distance, he could see she was twirling her favorite quill in her hand.

He wanted his worry-free childhood back, yes. But if it meant a childhood without her and Harry...well, maybe it was best that time had passed. He didn't know what he would do without them. They were some of the few who accepted him as someone of value, not as "Harry Potter's best friend" or "the Weasley baby boy." No, for some strange reason, they appreciated him for being Ron Weasley, even if they had to put up with his temper. He wasn't rich, brilliant, or charming, yet they really treasured him. He had never done anything special but they wanted him with them. Feeling a sudden gratefulness for having such special friends, he ran over to Hermione.

"Hey," he said softly, dropping into a sitting position next to her. Without taking her eyes off the stars, she murmured, "Hi." Ron stared at her for a moment and then lay down. He took a deep breath and looked up at the stars.

"We should study my constellations in astronomy," he said.

Hermione glanced at him slyly out of the corner of her eyes. "Your constellations?" He nodded. "Do tell," she said, sniggering slightly.

"Ha, yeah, funny, but I do have some constellations of my own. It's easy to make things with the stars. It's like connect the dots." He pointed up. "See that up there?" He outlined the shape of a teddy bear with his index finger. "I made that one up to represent my teddy bear when I was six."

Hermione was staring at him. "What was his name?"

Ron smiled. "Erm...Bear." He laughed. "I wasn't a very creative six-year-old, huh?"

"Of course you were! You made up a constellation!" She laughed too. "You know, I think we really should study the constellation of Bear."

"You're making fun of me."

"No! Of course I'm not...now show me another one."

Ron glared playfully at her. "Yeah, okay, I've got one I'm sure you'll love." He used his index finger to outline a hand with a single finger sticking up.

"RON!"

"You think it's brilliant too, eh?"

"How old were you when you saw that one?!"

"Ten."

"Oh, honestly," Hermione said, although Ron noticed she was smiling. Her eyes were moving, looking at the night sky with the concentration she used at school. "Oh!" she said softly.

"Found one?" She nodded slowly. "Well, the crazy thing is that you find constellations that resemble what you're thinking. I found Bear when I was lying out here hugging Bear. I found the other one when I was really mad at Fred. Okay, show me what you found."

Hermione raised an eyebrow. "You said it's what you're thinking about."

"Well, yeah. Show me your constellation."

Hermione nodded and started tracing the stars with her finger. Her finger outlined the shape of a feather. "A quill!," she said, smiling.

Ron propped himself up on one elbow, allowing him to gaze down at her. She returned his stare, still smiling, although her cheeks were pink. "I think we all know what that means."

Hermione blinked up at him in confusion. "And what would that be?"

Ron grinned and said, "Well, you want to buy me a big box of Sugar Quills!"

She lifted herself up while rolling her eyes, then shoved him lightly. "Right. Trust you to think of candy all the time." Then she was silent, a smile still playing on her face.

Ron looked at her for a moment, then looked back up at the sky and said, "I really like stars."

Hermione bit her lip and glanced at him. "Yeah...me too..."

END POV

"Get your lazy arse out of bed, we're going swimming!"

Harry opened his eyes groggily. Without his glasses he saw a pale round thing topped off with fiery red slamming a pillow on his head. He smiled and put on his spectacles. His freckled best friend was grinning at him, still in his pajamas. "C'mon, it's like a thousand degrees outside all of a sudden, I told Hermione and Ginny we should go swimming."

"Swimming? Don't tell me we all fit in that little lake in your backyard."

"'Course we do! Now, come on!"

"I didn't bring my swimming trunks."

"Oh, for the love of all that is sugar! Just go into Fred and George's room and find something there, mate. They won't mind if you borrow something from them. In fact, I bet they'd be honored." Ron bowed mockingly.

Harry laughed. "Well, you're in a good mood this morning."

"Uh-huh. Now shut the door on your way out, Harry, I'm gonna change."

"Sure." Harry walked out of the room, shutting the door lightly so that it was left open a crack.

Ron pulled off his pajama shirt. "Too bloody hot," he muttered as he threw the shirt on his messy bed. "Damn, what the hell do I do in my sleep, wrestle a bear?" Remembering about telling Hermione about Bear the night before, he laughed.

Suddenly someone burst into the room. "Ron, Ginny says that we'll mee--"Hermione had stopped abruptly, her mouth slightly open, her cheeks flushing. Ron had whipped around at the sound of her voice and his ears started to burn as he realized she had walked in on him changing.

"Oh, I'm sorry...I--I saw the door was open a crack and I, um, thought it was okay to--to come in and..." Her voice trailed of. Her mouth kept moving soundlessly. Ron nodded and turned around, his back facing her. "Erm, okay, well, Ginny and I will meet you down there. Sorry." Hermione turned and flew out of the room.

Ron let out a slow whistle. Dammit. Why did he let her do this to him?

Shrieks of laughter came from the lake at the back of the Weasleys' backyard. Harry and Ron grinned at each other as they approached. Hermione and Ginny were both sitting at the edge of the lake with their feet in the water. Ginny looked up when she saw the boys approaching.

"Hey, I don't remember this outing being for funny looking fellers like you!" she joked, splashing a bit of water on them. She noticed Ron and Hermione looking offhandedly at each other occasionally. She looked at Harry and they both rolled their eyes. "C'mon, Ron!" she said. She stood up and pounced on her brother, sending them both flying into the lake. Ron's head emerged a second after Ginny's, and he glared at her. "Very funny," he uttered.

"Yes, I thought it was simply hilarious!" Hermione said. Ron threw water at in her face and, shaking it out of her eyes, she kicked some at him. Ginny turned away from them and looked at Harry. "C'mon," she said. Harry gave her a tiny smile and he lowered himself into the water. Ginny couldn't help but notice how distant he seemed; she couldn't blame him. They were all in high spirits while he really couldn't join them. She gave him a sympathetic smile and swam over next to him to watch Ron and Hermione shriek and throw water at each other.

"Ron, you git!!" Hermione screamed. "I've got water up my nose! And my clothes are all wet!"

"Mission completed!" Ron sniggered. "It's your fault for staying out of the water." Hermione rubbed her nose and kicked some more water in his face. Ron grinned and said, "Okay, if I show off for you, will you stop pouting?" Hermione opened her mouth. "Don't tell me you're not pouting 'cause you are. So, wanna see a trick to make you feel better?"

Ginny shook her head. All Ron wanted was her attention and, not surprisingly, he was achieving just that.

"Fine, don't answer, I'll just show you, being the sweet, caring friend that I am," he said. He swam over to Ginny. "Hello, Ginevra, how are you on this fine day?" Ginny raised an eyebrow and said, "Go suck a salmon, Weasley." Harry and Hermione sniggered. "Aww, come on, Gin, play along, to make dear Hermy feel better!" He turned to Hermione. "Watch and be amazed, Miss Granger." He turned back to Ginny and said, "Now, my dear sister Ginevra has agreed to be my special assistant."

"I never said I--"

"Watch while I pick her up effortlessly!"

"Ron, that's crap. Anyone can pick up anyone in the water."

"Hush now, Ginevra. My 'magic' is most certainly not crap." With that said, he put an arm around Ginny's waist, put his other arm under her knees, and lifted her easily.

"Oh, Merlin...PUT ME DOWN, YOU GIT!" Ginny shrieked. "NOW!! I MEAN IT RON, LET ME GO!!" Ginny certainly had inherited Mrs. Weasley's ability to scream bloody murder. Ron laughed and put her down with a loud splash. "Jackass!" she said, punching him on the shoulder.

Harry shook his head. "Ron, you are a jackass. That's so easy, look." And he picked up Ginny in the same manner Ron had. This time, however, she seemed too startled to speak. She wanted to tell him to put him down so it wouldn't seem suspicious, but she was marveling at how much she liked him holding her like this. She was expecting Ron to start telling Harry off and swearing at him any second.

But he was too busy grinning slyly at Hermione. He said, "I'm the Weasley Quick Picker-Upper!" Hermione's eyes widened as she stood up, scrambling away from the lake. "NO, Ron, you are not getting me any more wet!"

Ron laughed. "Come on, it's so hot out here!"

She shook her head nervously. "No, no more."

Ron raised his eyebrows. "Oh, really?" She nodded seriously, although there was a small smile on her face. Ron shrugged and got out of the pool, then ran at her and gave her a very wet hug. She shrieked as Harry and Ginny laughed and Ron spun her around once. When he let go, she ran to the other side of the lake, away from him and shook her head at him, laughing.

"You just don't do what I say, do you?" she said, lifting the bottom of her dripping tank top lightly and glaring at him.

"Nope! It's just another day with the Weasleys!" he said, laughing and throwing himself into the water, wetting her even more.

A/n: Yay, another chapter done! :::does happy chicken jig::: please review!!