An unwilling damsel by Joy

A/N: I'm going to do this all together rather than separate. It takes too long otherwise.

1) I got the twins in the wrong year. Sorry. Not going to change it now. Just play along please.

2) Snape helping Ginny- re-read Dumbledore's explanation in chapter 3. But to some up- in my version Snape isn't really all that bad a guy. He just had some serious long for Lily in school. Ginny and Lily are very similar to some degree. Snape gets the chance to protect 'Lily' again in Ginny. I was a psych major. You would have to read all sorts of theories on transference to get it completely.

3) The twins will not really play much of a role in this story. As I said before- they are window dressing. I have been toying with a sequel idea where they might actually make more of an appearance but as of now that idea is on hold. I have a month until I move across country. Be thankful I got this out when I did.

And FINALLY 4) This is one of those uncomfortable chapters that exposes a lot of Ron's feelings of inadequacy. That does not make for fun...well until the end. This may be considered a squirm in your seat chapter so be warned.

Idiot...Wanker...Tool...Prat...Whelp...Git

9.

Hermione was speaking softly to Ginny in the corner when Ron and Harry returned. Hermione looked up. "I told you to behave," she muttered seeing Harry's eye swollen.

"He gave me permission," Ron rationalized.

"Not on the likely," Harry muttered. "I agreed to let him hit me if I made Ginny cry. I did not realize it was retro-active."

For a moment they all stared at one another while Ron debated what would happen next. Harry made the decision for him by eyeing Hermione to get her and Ron away from there. Ron looked back only once to see how gently Harry was speaking to Ginny stroking her upper back absently. The black haired boy had sat down very close to Ginny, caddy corner to her. He was must be apologizing. Hermione tugged at Ron and he turned away from the couple.

Harry sat down next to Ginny who was sniffling a bit. He stroked her back softly for a while. "I'm a right awful git of a boyfriend, running away like that. Wouldn't be surprised if you never wanted to speak to me again?" He hoped his words weren't true. He hoped that Ginny was more upset with Ron than him. Ginny's tear stained cheeks hurt his heart but her blood shot eyes that looked at him pitifully made him reach out and hug her on instinct. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have left. I..."

"I'm still yours?" she whispered.

"No," he murmured. Gin started to push away. Harry let her but only just so he could frame her face with his hands, "I'm yours...if you'll still have me. 'Property of Ginevra Weasley' remember?"

Ginny breathed shallowly searching his eyes for teasing or cruel malice. She found neither. We're really going to have to work on his hiding instinct if this is going to work.

Harry waited patiently but was becoming nervous. Maybe I was being too forward. Maybe I am scaring her by being so serious. "Gin?" he whispered.

"Kiss me again," she responded. Harry wasn't sure what to make of the request but obeyed dutifully.

As they parted Ginny still said nothing but when Harry attempted to remove his hands from her cheeks one of her small hands covered his. The other hand cupped the back of his head and drew him into another kiss. This time when they parted Ginny leaned her forehead against Harry's and nipped his upper lip before whispering, "Mine!"

Harry sighed with relief, "Yours...all yours." He pulled Ginny into his chair sitting her on his lap holding her close. "Thank you...thank you for forgiving me." She smiled hugging him tight.

Hermione watched Ron's face flicker with random emotions watching his best friend and his sister hold each other close. To comfort him, Hermione stroked his hair idly. "Should be us, ya know?" he said from nowhere. Hermione looked down at him. Ron still was facing Harry and Ginny. "Don't know what I was so bent out of shape really. I mean look at them...they're happy."

Suddenly Ron turned to face her, "I guess I'm just jealous that things between them are settled. He knows how Ginny feels. He's not second guessing every move he makes wondering will this be the step that sends her away."

"Ron..." Hermione began but Ron continued capturing Hermione's fingers.

The red haired boy faced his best friend and sister again. "He's not thinking about how far out of his league she is no matter how close they are as friends."

"Ron..." She was becoming concerned where this was going. "You're not..."

Ron interrupted her, "He's not wondering when the day is going to come that she realizes how beautiful she is and how she could have any guy she wanted. He's not afraid of that moment when she realizes, no matter how much she doesn't want it to be true, that she is better than him...too good for him." He gritted his teeth shutting his eyes to his own words as if that would abate the pain, "...and that she will resent him eventually for the missed opportunities."

Hermione's heart broke, "Don't do this..."

An almost sardonic smile graced his face, "So that's why we're different Mione. Harry's got something to offer...a future. He can make a move on the girl." Ron shook his head swallowing, "I can't... I can't trap her in that."

Ron ran his fingertips lightly over the palm of her hand and tips of her fingers, "...but I can't let her go either because it would shatter me to see her in someone else's arms, so I'm this right bastard that just hovers."

"Stop," Hermione pled in near tears, very afraid of what was to come. "Stop saying those things. It's not true."

He let out a rye chuckle and let go of her hand, "Why Mione? It's true. It's all true. I won't ever be a great wizard. I won't ever make money or be successful. I will lead a mediocre existence and you..." he murmured, for the first time acknowledging it was Hermione he was referring to. "And you Hermione are destined for greatness. I can't compete with that. And I can't keep you from that."

Ron looked up at her again, "Which is why I won't be around anymore. I'll find something else...hell preferably someone else...someone I can be mediocre with. You're on your own Hermione. Find a new sparing partner...someone more suited to your talents. I'm giving up my post." Without another word he fled up the stairs to the 6th years dorm wanting to make it to his bed before he might dissolve into very unmanly tears.

Harry caught the abrupt motion out of the corner of his eye. He watched Ron flee from Hermione and disappear up the stairs. Ginny tugged at him and pointed to Hermione who practically collapsed into one of the stuffed chairs. "She crying... Go help her. We're okay," Ginny encouraged. Harry nodded and walked to his friend.

"Mione...you okay?" Harry asked kneeling before her. She shook her head. "What happened?"

She wiped her eyes, "For awhile now I have known my friendship with Ron has been turning into something more." Harry rubbed her hand waiting for her to continue. "Been trying to figure out why he didn't just kiss all the times he wanted to..."

Hermione turned to Harry and smiled, "He all but told me he loved me. He talked about the future..." Then her smile faded and she turned away, "All the future held was how great I was destined to become and how plain his existence would be...how too good for him I was... how I would come to resent him for holding me back. So now he won't be around anymore. He'll find someone else as should I."

Hermione was crying again, "I didn't even know how I felt...that I actually did love him until this minute when he just broke my heart." Her big eyes met Harry's as she shook her head, "He won't even try Harry. He won't even give me a chance. He won't give us a chance to make it work..." Her chin quivered, "How can he be so selfish to lock himself away from me like that?" Silent tears rolled down her face, "Why won't he love me too?"

Harry pulled Hermione out of the chair and hugged her close. "He does love you. He does. This is just what he thinks he has to do to give you the life you deserve...no stumbling block for you along the way."

Hermione set her chin in her normal snit pose, "Then he's a complete idiot."

"Yep...utter wanker," he nodded in agreement.

"Tool," she muttered.

"Prat," Harry said with a smirk.

Hermione half smiled, "Whelp."

"Git."

Harry sighed, "Stay here. I'll be right back." He kissed the back of Hermione's hand, made his way to Ginny to kiss her goodnight, then bound up the stairs to show Ron what it meant to hurt his family. Hermione may not be blood but she was his little sister.

A/N: This brother/sister bond is necessary between Harry/Hermione is necessary for later chapters. (Hint at next chapter- Hermione and Ron.)

A/N2: Hey send me other British insults. I realized I stuck a very American insult of 'Tool' in there and couldn't think of anything to go in its place.

Since you guys actually seem to find it amusing that I leave these little messages at the bottom of the page here goes: I will REVIEW this story because Joy will not post over the weekend again if she does not get REVIEWS this weekend since last weekend was an utter wasteland... Umm... You don't have to repeat all that... just the 'REVIEW this story' part.