::A/N:: Okay, school is finally over, so I should be able to update regularly from now on! Yay. This chapter is still mostly about the relationship elements of the story, but the action also finally starts. Thanks to all my reviewers for being patient. Keep 'em coming!

            Ginny walked into the bedroom she was sharing with Hermione, feeling slightly happy and slightly downcast at the same time.

            "What's up with you?" Hermione asked as she closed the door.

            Ginny plopped down on her bed. "Nothing," she said.

            Hermione put down the book she was reading and surveyed Ginny more closely. "Is it Harry?" she asked. Ginny didn't say anything. "Did you two just have a moment?" Hermione continued.

            Ginny considered and replied, "Sort of."

            "Sort of?"

            "He was talking about Sirius. It was almost bittersweet."

            "Oh," Hermione said, suddenly less curious. The two girls lapsed into space for a moment, thinking about Harry's plight. "He must really miss him," Hermione whispered.

            "I miss him too. We all miss him. But Harry misses him the most." Ginny stared at the ceiling, wondering why all these horrible things happened to Harry. "Anyway," she continued, deciding to change the subject, "have you and Ron made up?"

            Hermione sighed. "Do you have to ask?"

            "Aww Herm I'm sorry," Ginny said, coming to sit on her bed. "He's still being a stupid prat then?"

            "As always."

            "He'll grow out of it….I hope." Ginny gave Hermione a side-hug, squeezing her shoulder. "I'm going to go to bed…I'm exhausted from the beach today. Are you going to read some more?"

            "No, I'll turn in too."

            "Okay, just try not to dwell upon that stupid brother of mine too much."

            Hermione smiled. "I'll try."

            Fifteen minutes later, Ginny was sound asleep dreaming of (who else) Harry. Hermione, on the other hand, had a harder time trying to relax her mind. She kept contemplating her relationship with Ron, and wondering how she of all people had fallen for that insufferable, yet loveable, prat.

……………………………………………………………………………………………

            Harry woke up early the next morning and couldn't fall back asleep. He lay in his bed for a while, listening to Ron's gentle snores, and thinking about the dream he had had. It was the usual horrible dream about the Department of Mysteries, but for some reason Ginny had been standing next to him while Sirius fell through the veil. As the sun began to creep weakly through the blinds, Harry decided to get up and go have a quiet breakfast. He tiptoed quietly to the kitchen and opened a cupboard to get a cereal bowl out. As he was reaching for a spoon in the cutlery drawer, he looked out the kitchen window and spotted Hermione lying in the sand dunes. He was surprised that she was up this early too and wondered if something was wrong with her. Putting down his bowl, Harry quietly opened the screen door and stepped out into the glorious morning sunlight. He followed Hermione's trail, gently kicking sand with his bare feet. She was lying on her stomach in the sand, still wearing her flannel pajama bottoms and a blue tank top. She didn't seem to notice he was there; she stared out at the ocean with her elbows propped up and her eyebrows knitted like they usually were when she was trying to figure out an impossible homework problem.
"Hey," Harry said softly. Hermione gave a start and looked wildly around at him.
"Oh, it's you Harry. Couldn't sleep?" she asked.
"No, and by the looks of it, neither could you," he replied.
"I've just been thinking..." she said.
"About what?" Harry looked at her but Hermione said nothing; she looked down at the sand, picking up a few grains with her fingers. Harry sat down next to her and stared out at the beautiful sea. "Oh," he began, comprehension dawning, "is this about Ron?"

            Hermione still didn't reply, but Harry took advantage of her silence to get something that had been bothering him off his chest. "You know, maybe if you two stopped being so stubborn and actually acted the way you really feel, all the bloody fights would stop. You drive everyone mad, you know."
Hermione stopped playing with the sand and turned to Harry, looking offended. "It's not my fault he's so touchy about Viktor!"

            "Hermione," Harry said, "don't tell me you don't know why Ron is so touchy about Viktor. You're the most brilliant witch at Hogwarts." Hermione looked down and continued to fiddle with the sand; her expression was unreadable. "Okay," Harry continued, "well I thought it was pretty obvious that he fancies you. So I don't see why the two of you won't just admit it to each other. I mean, you fancy him too, don't you?"

             "Well...yes....I suppose," she whispered. She lifted her eyes to Harry, as though daring him to laugh, but Harry just smiled back, forgetting his anger and suddenly amused by the whole situation. Hermione said timidly, "I do like Ron...a lot actually...but sometimes I just don't see how we could ever be more than friends." She began to play with the sand again, but Harry grabbed her wrist so that she was forced to focus her attention back on him.
"Hermione, think about the situation here. You like Ron, Ron likes you. Unless Ron turns out to be a woman in disguise I really don't see a problem here," Harry said. Hermione laughed and stared out at the ocean again, now resting her head down on her arms. "Come on," Harry said, "at least make up with him. I think Ron just needs to know that there is nothing between you and Krum." He paused, looked at her, and said, "There isn't anything between you and Krum, right?"
"Of course not," Hermione replied. "I never thought of Viktor as anything but my friend, but Ron just doesn't get that."
"Well, he's a bit defensive when it comes to you," Harry said. "I mean, I know both of us can be overprotective of you, but he puts me to shame sometimes. He cares about you a lot Hermione."
Hermione blushed and grinned slightly. "I suppose you're right, Harry," she told him. "It's just…how do I know this won't ruin our friendship?"

            "Er," Harry said, wondering how he had become the relationship doctor. "Well, you guys already have a strong friendship. You've had countless fights, so why would getting along put a bigger damper on things?"

            Hermione chuckled. "That's good reasoning. I don't know….I guess I'll try and talk to Ron after breakfast...maybe I'll get it through that thick head of his that there is nothing between me and Viktor." Harry nodded, glad that this conversation was over. The two friends gazed at the horizon in a comfortable silence. Hermione was pondering how she could make up with Ron and also musing at how Harry had somehow made her feel better than Ginny had.

            "Harry," Hermione said quietly.

            "Hmm?"

            "You're a really good friend. Thanks."

            "No problem. You know, you're supposed to be the one who's good on feelings."

            "Well, you could give me a run for my money. Thanks though. I feel a lot better now."

            "Want to get breakfast?" Harry asked. Hermione nodded, so he stood up and pulled her to her feet. The pair of them made their way through the sand back to the screen door. Hermione paused with her hand on the handle. "Harry," she said, "Are you positive that Ron likes me?"
"Well Herm, put it this way. After the Yule Ball last year I found bits and pieces of his miniature Krum model all over our dormitory. I'm pretty sure he was ripping it apart," Harry replied.
"Oh, well, I guess that's kind of like how I threatened Fleur Delacour last year," said Hermione. Harry stared at her, clearly bewildered, but she laughed and said, "I'm only kidding Harry!" Harry tried to look as though he knew she had been joking, although he could tell that Hermione saw right through the act. They walked into the kitchen and began to prepare pancakes for breakfast, and Harry found himself wondering when Ginny would come downstairs. The first person to come downstairs, however, was Ron, who rumpled his hair and yawned widely. There was an awkward silence for a moment when Ron and Hermione looked at each other, but then she offered him some pancakes and the two of them seemed to silently agree that they would forget their fight and be friends again.

            Around seven, Ginny emerged at the bottom of the stairs and joined the trio for pancakes. The four of them had a nice quiet breakfast discussing what they would do that day, since the girls were trying to persuade Harry and Ron to go shopping with them. Suddenly, two loud pops cracked the air behind them and they saw Fred and George appear, looking worried and rushed.

            "Fred? George? What are you two doing here?" said Ron in amazement.

            "Where are Mum and Dad?" asked George.

            "Upstairs, but why—?"

            "Don't move. Stay right there," Fred commanded as he followed George hurriedly up the staircase.

            "Wonder what they're—"

            Ginny was interrupted when a loud crash startled the four of them. The back door had been knocked down, and they were horrified to see six Death Eaters swooping upon them with pointed wands. Before Harry could react, before he could register the screams, he was hit with a spell and saw no more.

::Yes, how nice of me to leave you with a cliffhanger there. I hope everyone enjoyed the convo between Harry and Hermione. I really wanted to put in a cute platonic moment between those two. Review unto others as you would have them review unto you!::