Brother and Sister
"For there is no friend like a sister in calm or stormy weather"-Christina Rossetti
Chapter 1
"That girl is insufferable!"
Ginny tried to hide her smile and, for the most part, succeeded.
Ron slumped down into the chair opposite Ginny at a table off to the side in the Gryffindor common room. Ginny bent down to finished the sentence on her Transfiguration essay while Ron watched her for a moment, her face lit up by the candlelight. She looked so much older for some reason to him. When they were younger the year's difference in age seemed so much bigger. But it didn't matter that she was older. She would always be his younger, and only, sister.
Ginny finally realized that she was being stared at and looked up to Ron's steady gaze. "What?" she asked confused.
Ron glanced warily around the room. Making certain no one was giving them any sort of special attention he leaned in and asked, "You're friends with Hermione, right?"
Ginny was confused. "Yes, I'd say so. We're in different years of course, but yeah, I'd say I'm the closest friend she's got, who's a girl."
Ron nodded. This confirmed his suspicion. "So what do you think she sees in Victor Krum?"
Understanding dawned on Ginny. She tried not to laugh at the absurdity of it all. "What you really mean is what does Victor Krum have that you don't."
Ron opened his mouth to tell Ginny she was completely mental, but for some reason he didn't. He closed his mouth and nodded wearily. The truth was he fancied Hermione. Maybe he hadn't always realized it. Maybe he had just been afraid to admit it to anyone, let alone himself. It hurt him painfully to think that Hermione didn't feel the same way about him. He was beginning to hold his own in Quidditch, but he wasn't famous, older, or wealthy like Krum. She's just too good for me.
"No, she's not," said Ginny firmly but quietly.
Ron looked up at her startled. He hadn't realized he had spoken his last thought out loud.
Ginny put her quill down and looked at her brother. It hadn't been easy growing up in the Weasley household for either of them. Being the youngest and the only girl had caused everyone to treat her differently, which, like everything, had its advantages and disadvantages. She loved all her older brothers, even as insufferable as Percy could be sometimes, but it had been even harder for Ron growing up. At least she had been distinguished in some way, but Ron had been the youngest of six brothers. And maybe it was the fact that out of all her other siblings, she and Ron were closest in age, or maybe it was that year she spent alone before going off to Hogwarts after having spent a year at home with Ron, that made her realize that Ron had a special place in her heart. Or maybe, it was simply the fact that she too knew what it was like to fancy someone and fear the unreturned affection that was wanted.
"She fancies you, Ron."
"What???" asked Ron, his voice disbelieving. However, there was now a distinct spark of hope present in his eyes. "She's still writing to Krum, you know. Might go and see him this summer."
Ginny couldn't help chuckling. "Of course, she fancies you, Ron! I think everyone knows it except for you."
Ron began to turn a distinct shade of scarlet.
Ginny continued. "Victor Krum may be a famous Quidditch player, but he's not you. Hermione doesn't fancy him. She thinks he's nice and doesn't want to hurt his feelings. She's flattered that he pays attention to her, that he notices her. Oh Ron, if only you would pay more attention to her instead of always having a go at her. Tell her how you feel. She's fancied you for ages only you've been too blind or stubborn to notice."
"I am not...," but Ron closed his mouth pondering Ginny's words. Was it is that easy? But no, it couldn't be that easy. "But why does she fancy me?" Ron clearly wasn't getting it.
Ginny put a hand out comfortingly on her brothers' arm. Her voice was patient. "She's your best friend, Ron. You two are so different that it makes sense-you balance each other out. You remind her to have fun, that obeying the rules isn't everything, your brave, loyal and kind to her. She has fun with you. You always stand up for her when Malfoy or anyone picks on her. Stuff like that." Ginny looked up in concentration for a moment. "Nah, you're right. Not certain why she fancies you at all."
Ron threw her a withering gaze but it was all in good fun. Then he became serious. His heart beat a little faster. "Told you all this, did she?" Ron asked, still needing confirmation.
"Course not," said Ginny simply. "I wouldn't betray her trust if she told me. I think she's worried about putting me in an awkward position, you being my brother and all. But she's a really wonderful person and I..."
But whatever else she was going to say was interrupted by Hermione's arrival in the common room.
"For there is no friend like a sister in calm or stormy weather"-Christina Rossetti
Chapter 1
"That girl is insufferable!"
Ginny tried to hide her smile and, for the most part, succeeded.
Ron slumped down into the chair opposite Ginny at a table off to the side in the Gryffindor common room. Ginny bent down to finished the sentence on her Transfiguration essay while Ron watched her for a moment, her face lit up by the candlelight. She looked so much older for some reason to him. When they were younger the year's difference in age seemed so much bigger. But it didn't matter that she was older. She would always be his younger, and only, sister.
Ginny finally realized that she was being stared at and looked up to Ron's steady gaze. "What?" she asked confused.
Ron glanced warily around the room. Making certain no one was giving them any sort of special attention he leaned in and asked, "You're friends with Hermione, right?"
Ginny was confused. "Yes, I'd say so. We're in different years of course, but yeah, I'd say I'm the closest friend she's got, who's a girl."
Ron nodded. This confirmed his suspicion. "So what do you think she sees in Victor Krum?"
Understanding dawned on Ginny. She tried not to laugh at the absurdity of it all. "What you really mean is what does Victor Krum have that you don't."
Ron opened his mouth to tell Ginny she was completely mental, but for some reason he didn't. He closed his mouth and nodded wearily. The truth was he fancied Hermione. Maybe he hadn't always realized it. Maybe he had just been afraid to admit it to anyone, let alone himself. It hurt him painfully to think that Hermione didn't feel the same way about him. He was beginning to hold his own in Quidditch, but he wasn't famous, older, or wealthy like Krum. She's just too good for me.
"No, she's not," said Ginny firmly but quietly.
Ron looked up at her startled. He hadn't realized he had spoken his last thought out loud.
Ginny put her quill down and looked at her brother. It hadn't been easy growing up in the Weasley household for either of them. Being the youngest and the only girl had caused everyone to treat her differently, which, like everything, had its advantages and disadvantages. She loved all her older brothers, even as insufferable as Percy could be sometimes, but it had been even harder for Ron growing up. At least she had been distinguished in some way, but Ron had been the youngest of six brothers. And maybe it was the fact that out of all her other siblings, she and Ron were closest in age, or maybe it was that year she spent alone before going off to Hogwarts after having spent a year at home with Ron, that made her realize that Ron had a special place in her heart. Or maybe, it was simply the fact that she too knew what it was like to fancy someone and fear the unreturned affection that was wanted.
"She fancies you, Ron."
"What???" asked Ron, his voice disbelieving. However, there was now a distinct spark of hope present in his eyes. "She's still writing to Krum, you know. Might go and see him this summer."
Ginny couldn't help chuckling. "Of course, she fancies you, Ron! I think everyone knows it except for you."
Ron began to turn a distinct shade of scarlet.
Ginny continued. "Victor Krum may be a famous Quidditch player, but he's not you. Hermione doesn't fancy him. She thinks he's nice and doesn't want to hurt his feelings. She's flattered that he pays attention to her, that he notices her. Oh Ron, if only you would pay more attention to her instead of always having a go at her. Tell her how you feel. She's fancied you for ages only you've been too blind or stubborn to notice."
"I am not...," but Ron closed his mouth pondering Ginny's words. Was it is that easy? But no, it couldn't be that easy. "But why does she fancy me?" Ron clearly wasn't getting it.
Ginny put a hand out comfortingly on her brothers' arm. Her voice was patient. "She's your best friend, Ron. You two are so different that it makes sense-you balance each other out. You remind her to have fun, that obeying the rules isn't everything, your brave, loyal and kind to her. She has fun with you. You always stand up for her when Malfoy or anyone picks on her. Stuff like that." Ginny looked up in concentration for a moment. "Nah, you're right. Not certain why she fancies you at all."
Ron threw her a withering gaze but it was all in good fun. Then he became serious. His heart beat a little faster. "Told you all this, did she?" Ron asked, still needing confirmation.
"Course not," said Ginny simply. "I wouldn't betray her trust if she told me. I think she's worried about putting me in an awkward position, you being my brother and all. But she's a really wonderful person and I..."
But whatever else she was going to say was interrupted by Hermione's arrival in the common room.