I'm sorry you guys, but I have LOTS of family coming over tomorrow for the next week because three (yes three) of my cousins are graduating in the space of two days. So, the chances of me actually having the time to update are... well a bit slim. I'll try to get back to you guys ASAP (say, Tuesday maybe?), but well, we'll have to see. Sorry guys. So anyway, thank you so much to my reviewers! You guys totally rock, PLEASE KEEP ON REVIEWING GUYS. I want more. (Muahahha, yes the schoolgirl is greedy)
Anyways:
Nightwing- Thanks for keeping up with my story! I'm glad you like it, and lookie, here's the next chapter for you to read! =)
Kingmaker- Yes, thanks to your review, Harry and Ginny have been found out. Now the hoards of people hoping for the scheme to continue will come after you and skin you alive =).
Ronnies gurl- I'm glad you like how the story's progressing (though I'm not sure what direction this whole thing is moving in either). Thanks and keep on reviewing!
Leoking- My new biography is up, so go read it! Anyway, thanks for following my fic, and you BETTER review. Come now; let's be at least a bit productive this summer.
Alexandrea- As always, you rock! Thanks for reviewing my story thus far, and I'm glad you find it believable.
A Harry and Ginny Dreamer- Hah! I'm not going to tell you whether or not Harry's getting a kiss for two reasons: 1) I have no idea (I'm sorry but it's true), and 2) Let's make it a pleasant surprise when it does happen, okay? Well thanks for the reviews, and I hope you like this next chapter.
WhyDoYouCare36- Glad you like it! I have written more and here it is! =)
Lightprincess- Thanks for reviewing my story! Hopefully, this chapter (which is a tad bit longer) should satisfy you.
JamieBell- I'm glad you think my story's cute =). Thanks for the suggestions... I tried to incorporate a bit more detail into this chapter, but as I didn't read your review until I was almost done with it, the next chapter will probably be more to your liking.
Okay, now that we're done with that- READ READ READ! Oh and if you don't review, I may not ever come back. Kidding of course, but still. Reviews encourage me to actually write, so don't forget after you read to REVIEW. Thanks!
The next morning, Ginny happily flounced downstairs in her new robe, delighted with the "oohs" and "Oh goodness Ginny, you're so lovely!" that Mrs. Weasley and Hermione uttered when they saw her.
Harry looked up from his breakfast, calling out shyly, "You look good, Ginny."
"Thanks," she blushed, sitting down next to him. "It was really nice of you to buy me the robe, Harry," she whispered, reaching over for some toast.
"No problem," he muttered back, reaching over to hand her the jam.
"Thanks," she said again, surprised. She smiled at him, eyes sparkling as she took the jar from him.
Across the table, George and Fred (who had, instead of glaring at Hermione and Ron, begun to smile at them all too innocently) nudged each other, noting Harry's behavior towards their little sister. Ron too was observing the two, although not as much as the twins were. Hermione, chatting away beside him, kept him occupied for the most part.
On noticing the attention that he was receiving from the male members of the Weasley family, Harry gulped nervously.
"Harry? You alright?" Ginny asked, looking rather concerned. "You look a bit pale."
He laughed weakly. "I'm fine."
"Okay," she smiled, completely oblivious to how her brothers were looking out for her. "Anyway, I thought that I could, you know, repay you for the robe."
Harry opened his mouth to protest, but she cut him off.
"No really Harry, I feel bad. I don't have the galleons to pay you back with money," she looked a bit embarrassed at this, "But Mum packed us a picnic lunch, and I thought we'd spend some time together this afternoon, you know," she lowered her voice to a whisper, "Give Hermione and Ron some alone time."
Harry snickered. "Sounds great," he smiled.
Hermione reached out for a piece of toast, but hesistated when George offered her a slice. "Would you like some?" he asked, smiling innocently.
"No," she shook her head, looking worriedly at Ron.
"Well Fred, offer her some milk then!" Mrs. Weasley chided her son.
Fred too smiled, holding out the pitcher for Hermione. Leaning over, he whispered to her, "Does this look familiar to you?"
She eyed the glass pitcher, biting her lip guiltily. "No thank you Fred," she said, smiling weakly in Mrs. Weasley's direction. "I'm alright."
Ron too regarded the food warily. "I think... I'm not hungry any longer."
"So," Mrs. Weasley announced, beaming. "Harry and Ginny are spending more time together today-"
They both blushed at this.
"-So I've arranged for George, Fred, Ron and Hermione are going to spend the day together again while I go to visit your great-aunt Wilma."
The twins began to smile all-too-innocently. "Sounds lovely, Mum!" Fred exclaimed enthusiastically.
"Yeah," George agreed. "We'll watch those two for you!"
Ron and Hermione exchanged horrified glances.
"No Mrs. Weasley!" Hermione tried, somewhat desperately. "I can-"
Ron coughed.
"I mean Ron and I," she quickly amended, casting Ron a guilty glance. "Can come with Harry and Ginny, can't we?" She looked pleadingly at Harry and Ginny.
Harry opened his mouth to protest, but Ginny cut him short, sighing. "Well," she said rather reluctantly. "I suppose you can. It can be like a double-date," she remarked emphasizing the 'date'.
Hermione appeared flustered and Ron reddened, both mumbling, "Well... not a date."
"Yes mate," Harry said, not sounding enthusiastic at all. "Come along with us."
"Harry," Ginny hissed, pulling him aside. "This is the best we can do... If anything, they'll start to see it as a double-date."
"Yeah," Harry replied, blushing as he realized that he had been looking forward to spending time alone with Ginny again. "But you know," he ran a hand through his unruly hair. "It would've been better for them to be alone."
"Well," she pursed her lips together thoughtfully. "It might be better to have them around us rather than the twins," she rolled her eyes. "I mean, the twins do mean well, but their last attempt at matchmaking was... well... not very appreciated."
"It did bring Hermione and Ron closer together though," Harry grinned mischievously.
"For revenge!" Ginny protested. "I mean, I'm not saying that it was a bad thing, it certainly worked out to our advantage, but if we leave them here with Fred and George," she glanced at the twins, hissing, "They'll be killed!"
"Fine."
As soon as Mr. and Mrs. Weasley left the house, Ginny, Harry, Ron and Hermione shot out after them, turning back to yell a quick, "Bye!" to the twins.
A short, twenty-minute walk later, they found themselves at a small park with witches and wizards wandering about aimlessly, as well as a playground that was unlike any that Harry had ever seen. Little witches and wizards scrambled out of the small cottage, which seemed like it could, at most, hold perhaps two children. Yet after the first 20 children crawled out, Harry began to suspect that the cottage was enchanted. Also, there were children whizzing by on their toy brooms, as well as little play structures covered with moving pictures that would emit sparks or loud bangs from time to time.
"Wow," Harry muttered.
"Over here Harry!" Ginny motioned, already having run ahead with Hermione and Ron.
They settled down on the fresh grass, Ginny happily smoothing out her robe as she listened to Hermione and Ron chatter away, still triumphant over their prank from the day before, but a little worried about what the twins would try to pull.
"What do you think they'll do?" Hermione asked, biting her lip.
"I don't know," Ron muttered rather darkly. "But it won't be good."
Ginny looked up, eyes meeting Harry's as they exchanged shy smiles.
"Ginny, would you like to take a walk with me, then?" Hermione interrupted their 'moment.'
"Sure," Ginny replied, quickly getting up. "We'll be back later!" she told Harry and Ron as she and Hermione walked off together.
Harry shot Hermione's back a resentful glare.
To pass the time, Harry and Ron sat and concocted up plans for pranks to play against the twins in retaliation for their prank, which was sure to come. Most of the ideas were ridiculous, but the boys had a good time laughing together and trying to outdo the other's suggestions.
"I know!" Ron shouted. "We could put a man-eating plant in their bedroom!"
Harry countered. "No, mine is better! We'll put Snape in a bikini and leave him in their bedroom!"
Ron looked aghast. "Mate," he said rather weakly, looking a little traumatized. "That's just wrong! You have no idea how horrific the picture in my mind is right now."
Both boys looked at each other for a moment and shuddered.
"I suppose you're right," Harry admitted, looking a bit horrified himself. "I just thought about it now, and well... it's not a lovely image."
"Yeah," Ron nodded. "Just don't ever say anything like that again."
"So," Harry said, desperate to rid himself of this new mental image. "How are you?"
"Feeling a bit sick."
"Oh. You still see it?"
Ron nodded in assent. "Yeah, and terrifyingly enough, it's getting more detailed. Get this- Snape in a pink and white polka dotted bikini, lounging seductively on Fred's bed."
Harry yelped, covering his ears. "God Ron! I didn't need to hear that!"
"Well you started it," Ron muttered, still looking very nauseous.
A few minutes later, Ginny and Hermione strolled back to where the boys were.
"Goodness. You both look rather pale," Ginny remarked in surprise.
"You're not ill, are you?" Hermione asked worriedly, coming over to sit by Ron.
Both Ron and Harry shook their heads.
Harry managed a weak smile. "We're fine."
"Yeah," Ron echoed faintly. "Just fine."
"Okay, if you're sure," Ginny looked a bit uncertain.
"Well let's eat then," Hermione began unpacking the basket. They settled down to eat, all munching away.
Once Ron had recovered from the imaginary Snape, he and Hermione talked animatedly throughout the meal, apparently still glowing from their "victory" over the twins the day before.
Yet Harry and Ginny sat side by side in a rather awkward conversation.
"So yesterday was fun," Harry remarked.
"Yes," Ginny nodded. "I had a good time."
"On your date?" Hermione cut in.
Harry and Ginny exchanged nervous glances for a moment, both nodding as they blushed profusely.
"Yeah," Harry replied. "We were talking about... our date."
Ginny idly fidgeted with her robe, blushing as she stared at the ground.
"You know," Ron commented, looking a little suspicious. "You two really don't act like a couple."
Harry paled.
Ginny giggled nervously.
"Oh Ron," she said, her voice a bit more high pitched than usual. "Don't be silly. Of course we do."
"Yeah," Harry echoed, blushing again. "Of course."
"I mean it's obvious you fancy each other and all-" Hermione added.
Harry and Ginny blushed, starting to shake their heads, then seemed to remember and stopped, looking a bit guilty.
"See!" Hermione pointed out in exasperation. "You even deny THAT."
"Come on now, guys," Ron persuaded. "Tell us what's really going on."
Harry cleared his throat and glanced sideways at Ginny, who was currently staring in mortification at the ground, her cheeks a bright pink, then at Hermione and Ron's inquisitive stares. Finally he sighed, "Well," he remarked, "I suppose we have a bit of explaining to do."