This chapter is deciated to Crystal-Gaze. Sorry it has taken so long!

Chapter 3

There was something up stairs.

And it was banging.

Loudly.

Gwendolyn pushed back the soft, worn quilt that was placed on her bed. Her eyes easily adjusted to the darkness. Her suitcases were piled neatly in the corner of the room. Most of her clothes were put away, tucked into closets and drawers. Her personal products and toiletries littered the top of the dresser, ready to move into the bathroom come the morning. Most importantly her easel, and paints were set into perfect order. It was the last thing to be packed and the first thing she set up. The canvass was blank, prefect for her to begin her new project. 'Whatever that may be,' she thought with a yawn.

She swung her toes over the edge and padded gently across the room. She passed Ginny and Hermione's room before she headed to the stairs. The girls were very friendly with visiting her and helping to unpack. It helped that she knew a bit of the celebrity gossip, though Ginny appeared disappointed that she wasn't American but rather Canadian. "Lots of good actors come from Canada," Ginny informed her, listing off a few names. They were very patient about her questions about the magical community and Hermione promised to send her some very good reading on it. In return, Gwendolyn allowed the girls to raid her wardrobe. The open and natural relationship began with the three girls, laughing and gossiping into the night. Gwendolyn felt oddly close to them, and was sadden that she wouldn't see them until Christmas. "Don't you worry," Ginny said as they bade each other good night. "We'll owl from school."

"Owl?" she asked starting another explanation.

Heading up the stairs, she passed another room, and continued upwards. The banging was getting louder.

"What are you doing?"

Gwendolyn jumped, her blond hair whipped around her face as she twirled and jumped into a very irritated Ron. "I heard a noise . . .. Banging the pipes."

Ron rolled his eyes. He was having difficulty sleeping when he saw Gwendolyn, in her tiny baby doll pajamas, sneaking by. With Harry not in the room. Something was up. "That's just our ghost." As an emphasize on his presence, the pipes gave a loud shake and bang.

Gwendolyn jumped into Ron, grasping the top of faded t-shirt. "G-g-ghosts?" she whispered in fright. Her eyes had grown large, and appeared almost silvery in the darken hall. Ron felt a lump grow in the back of his throat. "Yeah."

A giggle had the two break apart. Peering around the corner, two shadows were seen down the hall. Ginny appeared to be leaning against the wall, her arms wrapped around Harry's neck. Harry's hands where on Ginny's hips. Their foreheads were touching each other, as they smiled, sharing a private joke.

Ron made a motion to go over and . . . what? It was his best friend and kid sister! Gwendolyn gripped a firm hand on Ron's freckly arm. "What do you think you're going to do? Embarrass the hell out of all four of us." They backed themselves around the corner.

"So it was the ghost that woke me up," Gwendolyn said in a loud voice that carried around the corner. "Sorry to get you up Ron."

Giving Gwendolyn a dirty look Ron rolled his eyes, "He usually stays up in the attic, he won't bother you." The sounds of bodies scurrying away were heard.

Gwendolyn idly began to play with the charm at the end of her necklace. "Thanks Ron, I didn't want to embarrass them. Ginny would have been mortified."

Ron was thinking of a quick comeback but it died when he realized that this near stranger had understood his sister so quickly. "It would have wakened up the whole house anyway."

The blond nodded her agreement, her fingers still over her charm. "Good night Ron. I'll see you in the morning."

Ron watched her disappear before he went to his own room, where Harry was pretending to be asleep. Ron wisely chose to say nothing. There is plenty of time later to bring it up. Ron thanked goodness that he was going to Hogswarts in the morning; he couldn't get the curvy blond out of his head. He was sure as soon as he got to school, she'll fade away like last night's dream.