A/n: This chapter builds up for something important that'll come up later in this fic so, naturally, this chapter is important. Thank you all for reviewing and, well, enjoy this chapter.

Disclaimer: I own this franchise as much as I own the Simpsons franchise. Yes, sadly I own neither.

Chapter Four: In My Dreams

What the hell are you doing, Weasley? Are you just gonna sit here? Ron ripped a piece of grass forcefully out, a scowl on his lips. Yes, he was very much inclined to just sit here and ignore her, no, both of them. Well, in all honesty, Harry hadn't done anything wrong, he just was finally realizing that he really had no business having friends like him. And Hermione...well, she was just being Hermione.

Which, of course, he didn't mind, but that in itself bothered him.

He wrenched another blade of grass out from the ground. This wasn't fair. He hadn't done anything wrong. Hermione was probably doing this on purpose; she might actually be trying to make him angry.

You know that's not true. It was remarkable, really, how much that voice in his head reminded him of Hermione sometimes. He felt a smile tugging at his lips and he sighed. So this was it. He was resigning to himself. He would—this was even scary to think about—apologize. He shuddered. It really was frightening, him apologizing. To Hermione, of all people. They weren't the kind who apologized. They just had this sort of silent agreement. They always seemed to end a row without the words "I'm sorry" taking part in the conversation. But maybe he should change that.

Because other things had certainly changed.

He was beginning to think that Hermione might actually like him back, crazy as that could be. After all the time they had spent alone the last year, it was pretty much inevitable. She was so playful sometimes. He loved it. That's why he really enjoyed being a prefect; it gave him an excuse to spend time alone with her. And he could have kissed his mother when she told him he would be spending time with Hermione at Grimmauld Place last year. Only Hermione. He didn't have to baby-sit Ginny—who really wasn't so little anymore—or subject himself to the twins' pranks. He had to be around Hermione. Despite the fact that he knew a Dark wizard was seeking to kill his best friend, he couldn't help savoring every moment he spent with Hermione in that house. He loved how she looked put out every time Sirius had insulted Kreacher. He remembered catching himself watching her while she used some clever spell to get rid of a pest. He felt his ears grow red as he recalled Hermione looking back, seeing him staring at her, and giving him a tiny smile. That had to mean something good...

...right?

Ron buried his head in his hands. He could do this. He was sixteen years old, for the love of Merlin! It was about time the two of them surpassed the blushing state. He threw down the blades of grass he had been holding and stood up. He turned to face his house and took a deep breath. The odd churn his stomach gave did not console him.

Resolutely, he walked back to the house. When he entered the kitchen, he avoided looking at Fleur, and was somewhat dismayed that all her attention was on the fussing Mrs. Weasley. He shook his head. He was starting to believe his attraction for Fleur had just been a reaction to her Veela blood; he was rather sensitive when it came to Veelas. He was surprised to find himself in front of Ginny's room, his hand just about to knock on the wooden door. How had his feet carried him here this fast? With a sinking feeling he realized he was not ready to apologize.

Slam! The sound from inside the room made him jump slightly. After the many rows he had had with Hermione, he recognized that sound. Book on wood. Oh, shit, she must be really pissed. He grinned a little. The only temper that could match Hermione's was his own. He took a deep breath and knocked.

"Go away, Ron."

He gaped at the door, his mouth dropping open. How had she known it was him? Maybe be was right...maybe she did know him better than most people. He licked his lips and said, "Hermione, just let me in."

"No!"

"You are acting like you're three."

No answer. Great. He had succeeded in pissing her off even more.

"Hermione!" With an exasperated roll of his eyes, he turned the doorknob fiercely and to his surprise the door gave way. He entered the room and looked from the door to Hermione. He understood. She expected that the last thing he would try would be to open the door.

"One step ahead of you, Hermione." He grinned at her. Her eyes snapped onto him, narrowed and glaring. His smile widened. He loved seeing her mad. Her lips became all pursed and pouty. She rolled her eyes and walked over to Ginny's bedroom window.

"What is so funny?" she snapped under her breath.

"Look, I'm—"oh, he was actually gonna say it...he saw Hermione turn with disbelief etched across her face. "I'm sorry, okay?" He threw his hands up. "If you know me so well, you must know that—"

"It must have taken every fiber of determination you have in you to apologize to me, of all people," she finished for him, very obviously biting back a smile.

"Yeah." With a surge of momentary bravery, Ron walked over to her. Now she was avoiding his gaze. "Um...I didn't mean to bring up Krum. I..."

Hermione shook her head and finally looked up at him. "Ron, I just want you to understand something. Something really important. I have no feelings whatsoever for Viktor. I'm not attracted to him in any way like you seem to think. He's a really nice guy and all but...but the place he vies for is already occupied. Does that make any sense?"

Ron was slightly aware that his mouth was hanging open. He wasn't sure whether it was because she had just said that Krum meant nothing to her or because she had admitted to actually liking someone. Not that it meant she liked him, but there was a chance that it might. Ron gulped and said, "Er, yeah, okay, I understand. I won't bring him up like that." Of course, he thought that maybe by now she would have figured out that the reason he accused her of liking Krum was because he was jealous of the attention she had given him. So it was only a matter of time till she realized he, Ron Weasley, fancied her.

Or maybe she already had.

Bloody hell. He had never thought of that. If he—thick as he always was—had figured out that the feelings might be mutual, of course she had too! She was brilliant. She had probably known that he liked her before he himself knew. Suddenly, Ron felt like throwing up. Hermione obviously noticed because she raised an eyebrow.

"Are you feeling alright?" Ron nodded, afraid that if he opened his mouth he would most certainly puke. Hermione was staring at him with wide eyes. "Well, you're looking a bit on the green side..."

Ron shook his head and took a deep breath. "Um, it's nothing..." How could he test to see if she could figure out these things so easily? Muttering incoherently under his breath, the answer finally came to him. Ginny. "Hey...what do you think of Ginny and Dean?"

Hermione bit her lip. "Well, I think it's sweet that Ginny's giving him a chance but...to be frank, I don't think she's very much attracted to him." Ron looked at her expectantly, waiting for her to further explain herself. Hermione blinked rapidly, something he noticed she did whenever she was nervous, and said, "Do you really want me to venture further into this subject? Because I've got musings I'm not sure you would enjoy hearing." When he didn't answer, she sighed and said, "Very well. I think Ginny isn't quite over Harry."

Completely forgetting that she was testing him, Ron bellowed, "WHAT?!?!"

Hermione winced slightly and glared at him. "I told you I didn't want to tell you!"

"What are you smoking, Hermione?"

Hermione looked taken aback. "Ron!"

"Yes?!"

She sighed exasperatedly. "You ALWAYS take things the wrong way! And you make EVERYTHING something to bicker with me about!" She stepped away from him and turned her back on him. "Leave."

"Hermione—"

"NO, Ron! I try to be decent with you but it never works! It's like all you want to do is argue!"

Ron silently chided himself. He had come up here in hopes of ending an argument and instead he had started a new one. You're a jackass, Weasley. Ron rubbed his eyes. Hermione was standing very still at the other end of her room, her head down. She was obviously waiting for him to either leave or apologize. Ron chose the latter. He walked toward her and stood directly behind her. He noticed her hands were at her side and she was breathing oddly. Slowly, he took her hand. He heard a sharp intake of breath and felt her body go rigid.

With some of that rare Gryffindor courage, he leaned down and whispered in her ear. "I'm sorry." Hermione shuddered at his close proximity, which made Ron grin. He didn't know he could do that to her. Feeling a little bolder, he lay his chin on her shoulder and said, "Hermione, there are more important things to worry about than how much of a prat I am." He saw her lips twitch. Without turning her head, she glanced down at him.

"Yes, I suppose you're right," she said, in a shaky voice.

He gave her a grin he had learned she found irresistible and said, "Friends?"

Hermione stepped away and turned to face him. She smiled softly and said, "Friends."

END POV

"Checkmate."

Harry looked up, stunned. He hadn't played chess with Ginny much, but she had always assumed that she might, well, sort of suck, since Hermione did. He had forgotten that Ginny Weasley was related to the all-time chess champ.

She was smiling at him, her chin in her hands. She sighed and looked out the window. Her smooth red hair fell into her face. Harry found himself staring at her.

Ginny wasn't the little girl he had met on Platform 9 ¾, the child clutching her mother's hand and gazing at him in awe. She was a beautiful young woman. The dim light coming from the lamp on the table lit up her milky skin so every one of her freckles was visible, sprinkled across her nose like little bits of cinnamon. She had small pink lips that she licked whenever she was concentrating, like she had done one moment when he had put her in check earlier. Her hair was so long. Caught in the right light, Harry had noticed that it had flecks of gold in it. It was really thin, yet she had so much of it. She had a nice smile. She showed all her teeth when she smiled, but it wasn't obnoxious like Lockhart's smile had been. And her eyes were deep hazel looking out from under the longest eyelashes he had ever seen.

Since when had he started noticing so much about Ginny? After all, she was his best friend's sister, almost like his own sister...wasn't she?

She reminded him of someone. He wasn't quite sure whom. The long red hair, the pale skin, the freckles...there was something about her reminiscent of someone he had seen before. Whoever she was, she must have been beautiful, because Ginny most certainly was.

Oh, sweet Merlin. He was staring at Ginny. And he liked it.

Ginny looked back at him and looked somewhat startled to see him staring at her. "Is something wrong?"

Harry shook his head and gave a shaky laugh. "No, no, nothing...it's just..." He threw caution to the wind and decided to tell her. "You remind me of someone, Gin. I don't know who, but it's someone I've seen before, and the resemblance between you and her is uncanny."

Ginny watched him with slightly raised eyebrows for a moment. Then she gave him a weak smile and looked down at the table. "Do you have any idea who it could be?" she said softly.

"No," he replied.

He saw her licking her lips and wondered what she was thinking about. She looked up and said, "I'm really glad you decided to play chess with me. I—I was starting to worry about you...being so quiet and all. Not that I blame you but..." Her voice trailed off.

"It's okay, Gin, you and Ron and Hermione are being great. I don't know what I would do without you."

Ginny looked away again. She blinked and said slowly, "Do you think about it often?"

Harry sighed and said, "Yeah. All the time. Unfortunately. It hurts to remember because I know that now that's all I'll be able to do...remember." It was true. He hated remembering everything about Sirius, but he couldn't help it. It caused him so much pain because every time he remembered something he had said or done, he'd be hit with the realization that, apart from the memories he had, Sirius wasn't there. And he'd also understand that the few memories he had were the only ones he would ever have. Because Sirius was gone.

Ginny gave him a look that he couldn't quite place. It wasn't sympathy or pity, which he really appreciated. He was tired of people staring at him with eyes full of pity, tired of people who were surely thinking "Oh, poor little boy." But this look Ginny was giving him...it was different. He noticed her eyes getting red as she bit her lip. After what seemed like a lifetime, she did something simple yet soothing. She grabbed his hand, looked him in the eye, and said, "It's better to remember what little you have of him than not remember at all." He held her gaze for a moment. Then she took her hand away and stood up. "I'm going to bed." She walked towards the stairs. She stood with her foot on the first step for a second, apparently mesmerized by the wood of the banister, before murmuring, "Good-night, Harry."

END POV

"Come on, you can do better than that!" His voice resonated through the vast Death Room. The jet of light flew at him, hitting him on the chest. With half a smile still plastered on his face, his eyes widened. He began to fall, slowly, through the veil. Looking both afraid and surprise, he vanished behind the veil...he did not come back.

"SIRIUS!" Harry's voiced echoed over and over again in his head, mingled with Bellatrix's victorious scream. Lupin was holding him back. Sirius wasn't emerging from behind the veil.

"He can't come back, because he's d—"

Nooo! Lupin's words stabbed at him, like a knife tearing into his chest, like a hand ripping his heart out. Why wasn't he coming back? Why was he staying behind that damn veil? Sirius...Sirius! SIRIUS!

"SIRIUS!"

He wouldn't come back. He was gone.

"SHE KILLED SIRIUS! SHE KILLED HIM—I'LL KILL HER!" Her heavy lidded eyes...he hated her! She took Sirius from him. Filthy bitch, she should die! She deserved more than death, more pain than could be caused.

Sirius...

Again his face as he fell...shocked and scared, half laughing, eyes wide, back arched, veil flying, Sirius gone...

Then Harry...in a graveyard...

"Kill the spare."

Cedric falling...dead...on the floor...

Voldemort rising from the cauldron...sinister red eyes burned into him...staring hungrily at him...

But now...no longer in the graveyard...in a house...a man yelling..."Lily, take Harry and go! It's him! Go! Run! I'll hold him off!"...a door bursting open...a flurry of red hair...a baby crying...a woman sobbing...a shrill voice laughing...

"Stand aside, you silly girl...stand aside, now..."

A baby crying... "Not Harry, please no, take me, kill me instead---"

Laughter, shrill and malevolent...screaming...he could suddenly see through Voldemort's eyes...his mother standing in front of him, clutching him close to her in her arms...her green eyes wide with fear and pleading...tears streaming down her freckled cheeks...

Then her eyes turned a deep hazel color...there was no longer a baby in her arms...she looked younger...her facial features changed slightly...a man stood beside her...dark messy hair...glasses...Lily and James?...no...his eyes were green...it was him, Harry...

"AVADA KEDAVRA!"

A flash of green light...the young woman crumpled...before she fell to the floor, Harry caught her... "Noooo!!" It was him yelling...he turned her over, to look into her face...milky white skin...freckles sprinkled across her nose...long, thin red hair...wide, hazel eyes, staring, horrified...

It was Ginny...

"NOOOO!!!" Harry's eyes snapped open...his breathing was coming in short gasps and he felt tears on his face...he saw Ron stirring in the bed beside him. He sat up.

"Harry?" he said groggily.

Harry held his breath and wiped his tears brusquely. Ron stayed staring at him for a long moment, then lay back down. Harry finally exhaled. His breathing was still quick. He had to get away...get some air...

...check up on Ginny.

He threw the covers off of him, put on his glasses, and raced out of the room, not bothering to close the door behind him. He had to see if Ginny was all right...he would never forgive himself is she wasn't...

So that's who she reminded him of. His mother, Lily. And he looked like James, it was uncanny (except, of course, for his eyes, Lily's eyes). What a strange coincidence...He raced down the stairs until he was in front of Ginny's room. He opened her unlocked bedroom door.

She lay by the window. Her face was pale against the incoming moonlight. At least her eyes weren't wide and horrified...for some reason, he had a sort of desperation to make sure she was okay...

He crossed the room on tiptoe until he reached her bed. He knelt in front of her and shook her shoulder slightly, murmuring, "Ginny..." She kept sleeping. "Ginny," he said again, shaking her a little more forcefully. Her eyes fluttered open. "Whaa...?" Harry's stomach gave an odd lurch. She was fine. She wasn't hurt. When she realized it was him, she jumped a little.

"Ha—Harry...what are you doing here?" she whispered.

Harry took her hand and motioned for her to leave the room with him, pressing a finger to his lips. Ginny let him drag her out of the room, and she closed the door softly behind her.

"What's wrong, Harry? You look pale..."

"Are you okay, Ginny?"

"What?"

"Just tell me. Are you okay? Do you feel all right?"

Ginny obviously noted the urgency in his voice. "Yeah..." she said, raising an eyebrow in confusion. "Harry, wha—"

She couldn't finish her sentence; Harry had thrown his arms around her, hugging her tightly. "Gin, you have no idea how glad that makes me...I was so scared, I woke up crying..."

She hadn't responded to his hug in any way, but slowly she began to rub his back. "Harry, I don't understand. Did you have a nightmare?"

Harry pulled away slightly, enough to be able to look into her face while still having his arms around her. Why wasn't he letting go of her? "I dreamt about—about Sirius, and then about Cedric, and then about the night my parents died...it's just that, when he was about to kill my mum, she turned into you, and he killed you...and I woke up with tears on my face and, damn, I was so scared, I thought something had happened to you, and I couldn't bear to think about that...oh, and I figured out that you resemble my mother, you look so much like her...I didn't realize she had turned into you in my dream until you were in my arms and—and you weren't moving and I felt so afraid, I didn't know what to do...so I raced over here, I had to make sure you were okay...I..." His voice trailed off and he took a breath. "I'm not sure what I would have done if something had happened to you..."

Maybe it was the fact that he was groggy, but after spending almost two weeks at the Burrow, he was feeling attracted to Ginny...what was wrong with him???

Ginny was staring at him unblinkingly. "You wanted to make sure I was okay?"

"Yes! I—damn, when I woke up it was like you were still lying rigid in my arms and—and I was frustrated and terrified and desperate to see you alive, breathing...I'm sorry...damn, I'm so sorry..."

He closed his eyes, since a familiar burning sensation was prickling at the edges of his eyes. He felt Ginny put a hand to his cheek. "Don't be...I'm flattered that you thought of me..."

Without thinking, he placed his hand over hers. "Of course I thought of you! If anything had happened to you...I don't even want to think about it, Gin, I..." He stopped talking. He felt himself moving forward. What the hell was he doing?! Potter, what is WRONG with you?!?! His brain was screaming at him but he was ignoring it. He could only concentrate on Ginny...the way she was staring at him made him feel warm inside, and he had a sudden desire to stay with her here forever...he had to protect her, he couldn't let anything happen to her, he'd rather die than let Voldemort hurt her like he had done before as his sixteen-year-old memory...he had to stay here with her...he wanted to stay with her...

Why now? After so much time, now he wanted to be with her...he'd always liked her, he had just never considered liking her...but, really, there was nothing wrong with liking her...she was smart, brave, caring, funny, beautiful, willing to put herself in danger to help others. He had spent more time with her this year and he had subconsciously enjoyed her company...

Oh, Merlin's bear. He liked Ginny Weasley. His best friend's sister.

I like Ginny Weasley.

That one thought flashed in his mind...a second before he pressed his lips against hers.

Holy crap! What the hell was he doing? Nothing wrong. Well, no, not really...it's not like it was prohibited, he wasn't NOT allowed to like Ginny, to...kiss her! He had every right to if he so desired. And it wasn't half bad, actually.

The panic and sorrow that had coursed through him was being melted away with a warm feeling in the pit of his stomach. All he could focus on was being here, in the middle of the night, kissing Ginny Weasley, his hand over hers, her hand still touching his cheek lightly. It was so sweet, so innocent, he could have sworn he was still twelve years old and she eleven. Just his lips touching hers. Nothing more. Well, except the exceptional warmth shooting through every part of his body.

Slowly, they parted. Ginny opened her eyes and stared at him, her mouth slightly open. She took her hand away from his face and touched her lips. He imagined they were still warm, because his were. Her eyes darted around, staring all over his face. Then she gave a small gasp and turned around. "Good-night, Harry," she murmured, facing the door.

Harry licked his lips. Yes, still warm. "Good-night, Ginny," he whispered back, before walking up the stairs.

As he climbed back into bed, he couldn't help thinking...

Yet another one I'm putting in danger...

A/n: Going crazy here! Review please!!!