Bring Back The Sun

06. The First Pair

I crawled out from the pain of yesterday

I crawled to you and

I said all the things that you said to say

Have I said enough

"I'm not sure I understand," Hermione said, looking thoughtful as she and Harry stretched out in the Weasley's backyard to have a bit of a private chat. "You're asking me what?"

"Do you think Ron really is upset about me liking Ginny or is he just putting it on?" Harry repeated, feeling antsy; his legs were bouncing up and down almost uncontrollably. Everyone else was inside helping Mrs. Weasley prepare lunch. He could hear her yelling at Fred and George about doing things the old fashioned way like Muggles, and then Fred and George's angry protests.


Hermione glanced inside and saw Neville scramble past the window with Fred at his heels, brandishing a wand. "It won't HURT Neville! We need to try this spell before we put it inside the Hopping Hippogriffs!"

"Hippogriffs don't HOP!" Neville yelled back, picking up his pace. Hermione heard a shattering glass as something was knocked over. Mrs. Weasley yelped and repaired it quickly.

"This is a candy! It's chocolate!" George yelled, "Just hold still! Ginny won't let us use her as a guinea pig anymore, since we sliced her hair off. And Ron's a Prefect, so he doesn't want to sacrifice himself for the better of the family."

"Being a Prefect has NOTHING to do with ANYTHING," Ron yelled at his brothers, "And stop chasing poor Neville."

Luna sighed dreamily, "You're so sweet, Ronald."

"He hates being called Ronald," Ginny remarked; Hermione could see the two girls standing stoutly at the kitchen table, folding napkins and sending plates to spots on the table.

"I don't think it's either, to be honest," Hermione said after a moment of silent giggles.


"Well, what am I supposed to do then?"

"Harry," Hermione said, scooting closer to him and lowering her voice, "Do you think this sudden---thing---for Ginny has to do with, well, wanting to replace a vacant spot in your heart?"

"Are you a psychiatrist?"


"No, they prescribe drugs. You'd want to say psychologist, but I'm not one. I'm worried you're still very upset about Sirius, and to compensate, you're setting your attentions on Ginny."

"Well, that's not true," Harry replied, folding his arms across his chest and staring at Hermione with a hurt expression on his face.

"It's not?"

"No, for your information, I've always liked Ginny. It's just that now I've gotten to know her, and she's really grown up…and I fancy her. I'm not even afraid to tell you. Or HER for that matter."

Hermione sighed and placed a hand gently on his arm, "Harry, I'm just worried about you."

"So is everybody else," Harry said bitterly, "And I'll tell you something, you don't NEED to be. I'm FINE."

Hermione pulled back, as if he's stuck her, "I just don't want you to jump into anything. I don't want you to hurt Ginny, because it'll effect us all."

Harry looked her straight in the eyes, calming his breathing before he spoke again, "I would never hurt Ginny."

"Not on purpose, no, but---"

"Not at all," Harry said forcefully.

She nodded, "All right. Well, my advice, if you want it, is to talk to Ron seriously first before telling Ginny how you feel. We all know she used to have a slight crush on you, but I'm pretty sure she doesn't anymore. So, if you're willing to risk rejection…"

"Hermione, I don't know how long I'm going to be around, you know the prophecy. I can't go another day holding this all inside, I need to let SOME things out. Some things, I'll admit, I'm keeping inside for a long time, but this needs to get out. I need to tell her."

"Tell who what?" Ron asked, breaking in on their heated discussion. Hermione shook her head; Harry glared at him, aggravated by the interruption.

"Neville's going to be turning into a Hippogriff who hops if you don't go save him," Harry stated.


"Nah, he's fine," Ron replied, plopping down on the ground between them, "I've convinced them to practice on Trevor instead."

Harry laughed, Hermione's mouth flew open and she looked at him angrily, "You know how much Trevor means to Neville."

"Well, he's YOUR boyfriend, not mine, so you go save him."

"For your information, Ronald Weasley, Trevor is a toad and therefore, not my boyfriend."

"You know what I mean, Hermione," Ron replied, sighing heavily. She stood up, stomped her foot and stalked into the house, leaving the two boys in an uncomfortable silence.

"No one seems to have noticed that since Trevor is a toad he ALREADY hops, so a spell won't do anything. You're all so thick---" Harry was laughing, which made Ron trail off in mid sentence. He looked at him, "What?"

"Nothing, it's just funny. And the spell WILL do something if it backfires."

"Whatever," Ron said, "The point is that neither Fred or George got the joke."

"Wow, they must really be serious about all this, then."

Ron nodded, smiling, "Must be."

"DINNER!" Mrs. Weasley yelled loudly, breaking the early evening silence that had set itself upon the Burrow.


Ron and Harry both stood; Harry took this opportunity to talk to Ron, "Ron. Would you really be bothered if I asked Ginny out?"

"No," Ron replied, "You'd be better than that twit. Or Dean. Nothing against Dean or anything, but he doesn't seem the type to settle down right away."

"Neither am I," Harry said regretfully.

"No, I know, but still. If you fancy her, go for it. I don't care."

Harry raised an eyebrow in doubt, but decided not to press his luck, "Okay, thanks."

When the two of them entered through the back door, they grabbed onto each other in shock and horror because in the shaded, dark corner of the living room, Neville and Hermione were locked in a tight embrace. Though it was dark, Ron and Harry could easily see that they weren't just having a friendly hug.

"Ugh," Ron muttered, pulling Harry into the kitchen behind him. "Snogging. In my HOUSE!"

Harry burst out laughing, "Ron, you're not getting what's going on here. Hermione and NEVILLE!"

With that, Ron joined in the laughing and neither took any notice that the patrons of the new dinning room were staring at them very oddly indeed.