A/N: It's finally here: Chapter nine. Finally. I had a bit of writer's
block halfway through this chapter, which is why I didn't post this sooner.
Hopefully that won't happen again.
DISCLAIMER: I don't own them. I have no money. There's no point in suing me. You won't get anything out of it, cuz I got nothing.
Chapter 9: The Start of Term
Harry and Ginny walked towards Dumbledore's office hand in hand. Harry didn't know exactly how she had done it, but last night Ginny had made him feel more confident, stronger, and happier than he had ever been. The feeling of her hand in his brought him comfort and a sense of peace he was rarely familiar with.
They entered the office to find Dumbledore in his chair. "Good morning, Harry," said Dumbledore, smiling widely. "Ginny, you are looking as beautiful as ever."
Ginny blushed deeply, making Dumbledore laugh. Harry smiled slightly, giving her hand a squeeze. Whatever was going on, it must have been good to make the old headmaster this happy.
"Now, I called you here to discuss your schedule," the professor said. "Harry, I have called a friend of your mother's to train you. She was the one who gave Lily the idea to make you a Paxturus, and she went to the finest Paxturus school in the school. She is more than happy to be teaching you. Your lessons will be at seven every Monday and Thursday night. Ginny, you will continue your classes with Professor Snape at that same time. On Saturdays, you'll have physical and dueling training with Tonks and Remus, and you will have Sundays off." He looked at the two teens in front of him, suddenly serious. "I expect you both to work very hard. These are things you need to learn, now more than ever."
They nodded in understanding. "Now, Harry," Dumbledore said, turning to him. "I don not know if you were planning on telling anyone about the prophecy, but I think that Ginny here should kn-"
"Harry already told me it, Professor," she interrupted him.
Dumbledore seemed taken aback for a second, but then he returned to his jovial mood. "Excellent. Because I have a plan."
"I'm really not sure about this," said Harry.
"Don't worry, Harry," Ginny replied. "Dumbledore believes in the plan, and so should we." They were walking down to the start of term feast after spending the day discussing the plan with Dumbledore. While they weren't informed of the whole entire plan to destroy the Dark Lord, the little they heard was enough to tell them it was an extremely dangerous undertaking.
"Gin, if something goes wrong, you could die," Harry pointed out.
"I know, isn't it great?"
"Virginia Weasley, please tell me that you didn't mean that," Harry looked at her with his emerald green eyes.
"Well, not that way," she said, defending herself. She stopped walking in front of the Great Hall doors. "But, try to see things from my point of view. For almost four years I never had to deal with thoughts of my death, just that of others. Even the possibility of dying was out of the questions. And now I'll get that chance back."
"Just promise me that you're not going to purposely mess this up-"
Ginny interrupted him angrily. "Harry, do you think I'm suicidal? Oh, my God, you do!"
"No, G-"
"I don't want to die. I just want to be mortal again! I want to be human. And anyway, do you think that I'm selfish enough to risk millions of innocent lives and the whole entire fate of the world for me to die?"
Harry was quiet for a minute. She was looking at him, her eyes filled with tears. He sighed. "I'm sorry, Ginny. I meant something completely different than that. I'm just really worried about his plan."
"Don't be. Everything will be fine. I promise." She leaned and kissed him. She pulled him to her as she leaned back against the wall, so that she was pinned between it and her boyfriend.
A loud cheer made them pull apart. The rest of the student population at Hogwarts had just arrived, catching them making out. Both Harry and Ginny turned a deep shade red, but the joined the crowd as they walked into the Great Hall.
"While I'm not against the two of you dating," Ron's voice caused them both to turn around. Harry saw his best friend's smiling face, and grinned back at him. Ron continued, "I still have a problem with your tongue shoved down my little sister's throat, Potter."
"Leave them alone, Ron," said Hermione, rolling her eyes.
"Besides, Ron," Ginny said. "It's usually my tongue shoved down his throat." She turned to Hermione. "Harry is very shy, you see."
Hermione let out a laugh while Harry turned red again under Ron's glare. They sat down at the Gryffindor table, the girls laughing, the boys choosing to avoid the subject. After the Sorting, the food magically appeared in front of them, and no one hesitated to fill their plates up with shepherd's pie, chicken, rice, baked potatoes, roast beef, among other dishes.
"Did you notice that there's no new teacher at the High Table?" asked Hermione, counting the teachers at the table.
"What do you mean?" replied Ron through a mouth full of chicken.
"Urgh, Ron, don't talk with your mouth full!"
"Maybe the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher isn't here yet," suggested Harry, remembering impostor Moody's entrance at the end of the feast during his fourth year.
"I doubt it," answered his girlfriend. "There was no new Defense book in our list this year."
"I noticed that, too," he agreed.
"But Dumbledore will be able to find someone, right?"
"I don't know," admitted Hermione. "I remember Hagrid told us once that no one ever applies for the job. Everyone thinks it's cursed."
"Maybe it is," said Ron. "I mean, we haven't had a teacher who has lasted more than a year."
"That's true," Ginny replied. "I bet Lupin would have if it hadn't been for Snape's 'accidentally' slipping out his secret of being a werewolf."
The other three nodded glumly. Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas, who were sitting nearby, turned toward to congratulate his appointment at Quidditch captain. The talk turned to the famous wizarding sport. Dean and Ginny exchanged awkward smiles, and she turned to Hermione, hoping to avoid talking to her ex with her new boyfriend right besides her.
"So have you found anything about the You-Know-What in the library yet?" Hermione asked in an urgent whisper.
Ginny shook her head sadly, knowing she meant the veil at the Department of Mysteries. "Nothing. It's as if it doesn't exist."
Hermione gave out a disappointed sigh. "I've been thinking about asking Dumbledore about it. I've got a feeling he knows something."
"Yeah, but he won't talk about it until he's ready," the redhead answered.
After the desserts were eaten and all the students were full and content, Dumbledore stood up to make the usual announcements. "First year students are to know that the Forbidden Forest is forbidden to all students. Quidditch try-outs will begin Friday afternoon. See Madam Hooch or your house team Captain for exact times and the positions available.
"Now, a very important assignment concerning your Defense Against the Dark Arts class. For this upcoming week, you will not have a teacher and you will therefore have that time free to yourselves. However, please be prepared to welcome back Professor Lupin to Hogwarts next week for your classes." A loud cheer erupted from three of the Hogwarts house tables. Ginny and Harry exchanged a surprised look, but clapped along with everyone else.
Once everyone settled down again, Dumbledore continued, "There are new rules imposed on Hogsmeade weekends due to recent events in the wizarding world. Your head of House will explain these new rules before the first Hogsmeade visit at the end of this month. That is all." He sat down and turned to have a whispered conversation with McGonagall and Snape.
"Awesome! I wonder why Lupin didn't tell us about it yesterday when we saw him," said Ron.
"We'll ask him when he comes back," suggested Hermione. "I, for one, am happy he's back. I know we'll learn something useful this year."
"You mean to say that you didn't learn anything with me last year?" asked Harry in a hurt tone.
"No, I didn't mean that!" Hermione said, realizing what she had said. "I meant-" She was cut off by Harry and Ginny laughing. She narrowed her eyes at the couple and linked her arm with Ron's, dragging him a few steps forward.
"What do you think?" she asked Ron when they were out of earshot.
"About what?" he looked perplexed.
"Harry and Ginny," said Hermione. "What do you think of them?"
"Oh, well, I think they both deserve each other," he smiled lightly as he looked over his shoulder at his sister and best friend, who were whispering together and holding hands. "They were made for each other, 'Mione."
"Yeah, they were," Hermione smiled.
Ron looked around to make sure no one was listening to them, then lowered his voice. "After what happened to Ginny in her first year, she would get this terrible nightmares. She wouldn't sleep alone at night, and we had to wake her from her nightmares up to three times a night. She lost a lot of weight those first few months. And every time I see Harry having one of those nightmares, it reminds so much of Ginny, it scares me. All I want to do when I see him like that is run to see Ginny's okay."
Hermione squeezed his hand lightly. "I know. Ginny can understand what he's going through right now. I think she can help him."
Ron looked back at the couple. Harry now had arm around Ginny's waist and she leaned into him. He frowned. "I think I need to have a chat with Harry.
"Oh, Ron, please!" his girlfriend said. "I thought you wanted them together."
"I do," he answered. "But that doesn't mean that I won't look out for my sister. I have to protect her, and she protects me. It's always been like that in the family. Also, I'm a boy. I know what goes through boys' heads. And Harry's no different."
"So, what's that supposed to mean? That Harry's with Ginny for the sex?"
"Hermione!"
The sixteen-year-old froze, not wanting to turn around in fear of seeing an enraged Ginny.
Ron was trying unsuccessfully to turn his laughter into a coughing fit; Harry had turned red as some students who were passing them in the corridor eyed them suspiciously.
"Well, you know I didn't mean that," stuttered Hermione.
"Wow, 'Mione, that's the second time you mess up today," said Ginny.
Hermione relaxed visibly when she that Ginny wasn't really angry at her. She shrugged half-heartedly, then continued her route to Gryffindor Tower. Ginny followed, laughing, and soon fell into step with her.
Harry was about to go after Ginny when Ron put an arm around his shoulder. "Harry, I think that we need to have a little chat."
"A chat?" Harry scowled.
"Yes, a tiny little chat about your intentions towards my sister."
"Look, Ron-"
"Rule number one," began, ignoring Harry's attempt to speak. "You are not to touch my sister in any intimate way. Rule number two, you are not to kiss my sister in public. Which brings me to rule number three, kisses between you and my sister should not exceed ten seconds."
Harry tried to contain his laughter as Ron continued with his rules. "Rule number four, Ginny has a bedtime. Therefore, at exactly nine thirty every night, you will say good-night to her. Rule number five, under no circumstances are you and my sister to be alone together."
"So when do I get to kiss her?" asked Harry.
"You don't. Rule number six, while in public, the most you can do is hold her hand. And the most important rule of all- Rule number seven," Ron became suddenly serious. "Ginny is young, naïve, and still doesn't understand the ways of the world. She's fragile. She trusts too easily. She's my sister and I love her and I will do anything for her. And you better not break her heart, Potter. You're my best friend and I want to keep things between us the way they've always been. Don't hurt her."
Harry smiled. "Ron, I love Ginny. So much it hurts when I'm away from her. I can't picture my life without her. I won't hurt her, that's a promise."
Ron nodded and smiled at his best friend. "I thought as much. Now, you better not break any of the seven rules, or I will have to hurt you."
"Don't worry. I will follow each and every rule faithfully," he answered seriously.
The redhead frowned. The first six rules were a joke. Would he follow them? "Harry? Um-"
"No, Ron," he held his hands up. "I understand that you have Ginny's best interest at heart. So do I. That's why I will follow every rule you give me." Harry kept his face solemn at his friend's stunned look. "Now, I need to have a small chat with you. As you know, Hermione and I are only children. I have come to consider her as my sister. And of course, having 'my sister's best interest at heart,' I have to lay down a few rules for you. Come, my friend, walk with me, talk with me." Harry put his arm around a paling Ron's shoulder as he led him in the opposite direction of Gryffindor tower.
"Where do you think the boys have gone?" asked Hermione worriedly.
"I don't know," replied Ginny. "Probably off somewhere talking."
"Oh, no," the older girl groaned.
"What's wrong, 'Mione?"
"Ron wanted to have 'a chat' with Harry concerning your relationship." Hermione grimaced as she pictured what that conversation would be like.
"Oh, really?" Ginny's deep brown eyes sparkled mischievously. "Hmm."
"Yes. Ron said something about knowing what went through a boy's head and needing to protect you from your boyfriend."
"Yes, well, Hermione, I think we should have a small talk of our own," the redhead said, giving the other girl a smile reminiscent of Fred and George's identical grins when they were up to something.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, you know, Hermione, my brother protects me and I have to protect him as well," began Ginny. "It's what we do in this family."
"Ron said that, too," grumbled Hermione.
Ginny laughed and moved to sit next to her friend in the couch in front of the fire. She became suddenly severe. "Okay, Hermione, you know that I love you. You're my best friend. But Ron's my brother and I feel it my duty to let you know this."
Hermione took a deep breath and nodded for Ginny to continue.
"What you do with this information is completely up to you," the younger girl said. She abruptly smile. "All right. First thing you need to know is Ron sucks his thumb. It's-"
"What?" Hermione was astounded that Ginny would tell her this. For one, she had been waiting for some sort of serious conversation over Ron and how Ginny would never forgive her if she broke her brother's heart. Two, Ron sucked his thumb?
Ginny laughed as she realized what Hermione had been expecting. "Well, I think this is better than me warning you to not break Ron's oh so fragile heart, but Ron is probably embarrassing Harry right now, so I'm going to embarrass him in front of his girlfriend. I do to all my brother's girlfriend. Fleur Delacour and I spent a good half hour laughing over Bill's snoring two summers ago, when she first started seeing him."
The sixth year laughed appreciatively. "So Ron sucks his thumb?"
"Only while he sleeps," smirked Ginny. "Oh, and he's got this blue bunny Mom knitted for him when he was little. He still has it. And then there's the time that he walked in on our parents- well, you know."
"Ginny, that's disturbing," she said.
"Still, if you ever mention it to him-"
"Which I won't."
"Look very closely at his face. He twitches and shudders at the memory. It's quite funny really."
"Rule number twenty-seven," said Harry. "Hermione has a lot of responsibilities with her schoolwork. If her work gets anything less than an Outstanding, then you are to not speak to her until she raises her grade."
Ron looked at his best friend as though he had gone mad. Harry's rules were more strict and outrageous than the ones he made up for him.
"Rule number twenty-eight, you are not to breathe the air around Hermione in public," the Boy-Who-Lived said as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"Um, Harry?"
"And finally, rule number twenty-nine: You break her heart, I'll break your neck." They halted in front of the portrait of the Fat Lady. (They had turned back around when Harry reached rule number fourteen: Ron was not allowed to eat anything cooked by house-elves in front of Hermione). He turned to the Fat Lady and muttered the password (extraterrestrial) and left his friend no choice but to follow wordlessly.
They found Hermione and Ginny rolling on the floor in laughter in front of the fireplace. "Oh my God, that's hilarious," Hermione choked out. Harry raised his eyebrows at the two girls on the floor, who were ignoring the looks they were getting from the people left in the Common Room. "Are you alright?"
Ginny nodded slightly. She stood up and went towards Harry to kiss him, but shook his head as he steeped away. "Sorry, Ginny, but that's against Ron's rule number two."
"Ron's what?" Ginny glared at her brother maliciously.
"Ron's rule number two: I am not to kiss you in public. We're also in violation of rule number four. We should have said good night well over half an hour ago," explained Harry calmly. He then turned to Ron. "I believe that you, Ron, are in violation of rules number eight, twelve, sixteen, and twenty-two."
"What?" asked Hermione.
"Well, 'Mione, I really hope that you don't mind," Harry took Hermione's hand in his. "But you are like my sister. And as such, I have had a little talk with Ron concerning your relationship."
Ginny smiled, pleasantly surprised that Harry had been able to turn the situation around on her brother. He continued in a solemn voice. "Ron will follow those rules as I will follow his."
"You know, Harry," said Ron, finally being able to talk. "I think I might have gone a bit overboard with those rules."
"Really? A bit?"
"Yeah, so I say you forget rules one through six. But I won't let you off rule seven," Ron said.
Harry nodded. "Alright, but only if you forget rules one through twenty- eight. But twenty-nine still stands."
"What were rules seven and twenty nine?" asked Ginny, curios.
"You gave Ron twenty-nine rules?" Hermione asked Harry.
"Yeah," he answered her. "Rule twenty nine is if he ever breaks your heart, then I'll break his neck." Hermione smiled widely at him and hugged him tight.
"And my rule number seven was that if Harry ever hurts Ginny I was going to have to kill him," shrugged Ron, avoiding his little sister's eyes.
Ginny smiled slightly. "You would do that for me?"
Ron nodded mutely. Ginny gave her brother a tight hug and a big kiss on the cheek happily. She and Harry weren't going to have to go through with Dumbledore's plan alone. They had Ron, the most loyal and brave person she knew, after Harry, and Hermione, the most intelligent witch in possibly all of Hogwarts. They had all the love and support they could ever want. They were going to make it. And everything will be fine in the end. A/N: So what did you think? Please review.
Love, Amalia
DISCLAIMER: I don't own them. I have no money. There's no point in suing me. You won't get anything out of it, cuz I got nothing.
Chapter 9: The Start of Term
Harry and Ginny walked towards Dumbledore's office hand in hand. Harry didn't know exactly how she had done it, but last night Ginny had made him feel more confident, stronger, and happier than he had ever been. The feeling of her hand in his brought him comfort and a sense of peace he was rarely familiar with.
They entered the office to find Dumbledore in his chair. "Good morning, Harry," said Dumbledore, smiling widely. "Ginny, you are looking as beautiful as ever."
Ginny blushed deeply, making Dumbledore laugh. Harry smiled slightly, giving her hand a squeeze. Whatever was going on, it must have been good to make the old headmaster this happy.
"Now, I called you here to discuss your schedule," the professor said. "Harry, I have called a friend of your mother's to train you. She was the one who gave Lily the idea to make you a Paxturus, and she went to the finest Paxturus school in the school. She is more than happy to be teaching you. Your lessons will be at seven every Monday and Thursday night. Ginny, you will continue your classes with Professor Snape at that same time. On Saturdays, you'll have physical and dueling training with Tonks and Remus, and you will have Sundays off." He looked at the two teens in front of him, suddenly serious. "I expect you both to work very hard. These are things you need to learn, now more than ever."
They nodded in understanding. "Now, Harry," Dumbledore said, turning to him. "I don not know if you were planning on telling anyone about the prophecy, but I think that Ginny here should kn-"
"Harry already told me it, Professor," she interrupted him.
Dumbledore seemed taken aback for a second, but then he returned to his jovial mood. "Excellent. Because I have a plan."
"I'm really not sure about this," said Harry.
"Don't worry, Harry," Ginny replied. "Dumbledore believes in the plan, and so should we." They were walking down to the start of term feast after spending the day discussing the plan with Dumbledore. While they weren't informed of the whole entire plan to destroy the Dark Lord, the little they heard was enough to tell them it was an extremely dangerous undertaking.
"Gin, if something goes wrong, you could die," Harry pointed out.
"I know, isn't it great?"
"Virginia Weasley, please tell me that you didn't mean that," Harry looked at her with his emerald green eyes.
"Well, not that way," she said, defending herself. She stopped walking in front of the Great Hall doors. "But, try to see things from my point of view. For almost four years I never had to deal with thoughts of my death, just that of others. Even the possibility of dying was out of the questions. And now I'll get that chance back."
"Just promise me that you're not going to purposely mess this up-"
Ginny interrupted him angrily. "Harry, do you think I'm suicidal? Oh, my God, you do!"
"No, G-"
"I don't want to die. I just want to be mortal again! I want to be human. And anyway, do you think that I'm selfish enough to risk millions of innocent lives and the whole entire fate of the world for me to die?"
Harry was quiet for a minute. She was looking at him, her eyes filled with tears. He sighed. "I'm sorry, Ginny. I meant something completely different than that. I'm just really worried about his plan."
"Don't be. Everything will be fine. I promise." She leaned and kissed him. She pulled him to her as she leaned back against the wall, so that she was pinned between it and her boyfriend.
A loud cheer made them pull apart. The rest of the student population at Hogwarts had just arrived, catching them making out. Both Harry and Ginny turned a deep shade red, but the joined the crowd as they walked into the Great Hall.
"While I'm not against the two of you dating," Ron's voice caused them both to turn around. Harry saw his best friend's smiling face, and grinned back at him. Ron continued, "I still have a problem with your tongue shoved down my little sister's throat, Potter."
"Leave them alone, Ron," said Hermione, rolling her eyes.
"Besides, Ron," Ginny said. "It's usually my tongue shoved down his throat." She turned to Hermione. "Harry is very shy, you see."
Hermione let out a laugh while Harry turned red again under Ron's glare. They sat down at the Gryffindor table, the girls laughing, the boys choosing to avoid the subject. After the Sorting, the food magically appeared in front of them, and no one hesitated to fill their plates up with shepherd's pie, chicken, rice, baked potatoes, roast beef, among other dishes.
"Did you notice that there's no new teacher at the High Table?" asked Hermione, counting the teachers at the table.
"What do you mean?" replied Ron through a mouth full of chicken.
"Urgh, Ron, don't talk with your mouth full!"
"Maybe the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher isn't here yet," suggested Harry, remembering impostor Moody's entrance at the end of the feast during his fourth year.
"I doubt it," answered his girlfriend. "There was no new Defense book in our list this year."
"I noticed that, too," he agreed.
"But Dumbledore will be able to find someone, right?"
"I don't know," admitted Hermione. "I remember Hagrid told us once that no one ever applies for the job. Everyone thinks it's cursed."
"Maybe it is," said Ron. "I mean, we haven't had a teacher who has lasted more than a year."
"That's true," Ginny replied. "I bet Lupin would have if it hadn't been for Snape's 'accidentally' slipping out his secret of being a werewolf."
The other three nodded glumly. Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas, who were sitting nearby, turned toward to congratulate his appointment at Quidditch captain. The talk turned to the famous wizarding sport. Dean and Ginny exchanged awkward smiles, and she turned to Hermione, hoping to avoid talking to her ex with her new boyfriend right besides her.
"So have you found anything about the You-Know-What in the library yet?" Hermione asked in an urgent whisper.
Ginny shook her head sadly, knowing she meant the veil at the Department of Mysteries. "Nothing. It's as if it doesn't exist."
Hermione gave out a disappointed sigh. "I've been thinking about asking Dumbledore about it. I've got a feeling he knows something."
"Yeah, but he won't talk about it until he's ready," the redhead answered.
After the desserts were eaten and all the students were full and content, Dumbledore stood up to make the usual announcements. "First year students are to know that the Forbidden Forest is forbidden to all students. Quidditch try-outs will begin Friday afternoon. See Madam Hooch or your house team Captain for exact times and the positions available.
"Now, a very important assignment concerning your Defense Against the Dark Arts class. For this upcoming week, you will not have a teacher and you will therefore have that time free to yourselves. However, please be prepared to welcome back Professor Lupin to Hogwarts next week for your classes." A loud cheer erupted from three of the Hogwarts house tables. Ginny and Harry exchanged a surprised look, but clapped along with everyone else.
Once everyone settled down again, Dumbledore continued, "There are new rules imposed on Hogsmeade weekends due to recent events in the wizarding world. Your head of House will explain these new rules before the first Hogsmeade visit at the end of this month. That is all." He sat down and turned to have a whispered conversation with McGonagall and Snape.
"Awesome! I wonder why Lupin didn't tell us about it yesterday when we saw him," said Ron.
"We'll ask him when he comes back," suggested Hermione. "I, for one, am happy he's back. I know we'll learn something useful this year."
"You mean to say that you didn't learn anything with me last year?" asked Harry in a hurt tone.
"No, I didn't mean that!" Hermione said, realizing what she had said. "I meant-" She was cut off by Harry and Ginny laughing. She narrowed her eyes at the couple and linked her arm with Ron's, dragging him a few steps forward.
"What do you think?" she asked Ron when they were out of earshot.
"About what?" he looked perplexed.
"Harry and Ginny," said Hermione. "What do you think of them?"
"Oh, well, I think they both deserve each other," he smiled lightly as he looked over his shoulder at his sister and best friend, who were whispering together and holding hands. "They were made for each other, 'Mione."
"Yeah, they were," Hermione smiled.
Ron looked around to make sure no one was listening to them, then lowered his voice. "After what happened to Ginny in her first year, she would get this terrible nightmares. She wouldn't sleep alone at night, and we had to wake her from her nightmares up to three times a night. She lost a lot of weight those first few months. And every time I see Harry having one of those nightmares, it reminds so much of Ginny, it scares me. All I want to do when I see him like that is run to see Ginny's okay."
Hermione squeezed his hand lightly. "I know. Ginny can understand what he's going through right now. I think she can help him."
Ron looked back at the couple. Harry now had arm around Ginny's waist and she leaned into him. He frowned. "I think I need to have a chat with Harry.
"Oh, Ron, please!" his girlfriend said. "I thought you wanted them together."
"I do," he answered. "But that doesn't mean that I won't look out for my sister. I have to protect her, and she protects me. It's always been like that in the family. Also, I'm a boy. I know what goes through boys' heads. And Harry's no different."
"So, what's that supposed to mean? That Harry's with Ginny for the sex?"
"Hermione!"
The sixteen-year-old froze, not wanting to turn around in fear of seeing an enraged Ginny.
Ron was trying unsuccessfully to turn his laughter into a coughing fit; Harry had turned red as some students who were passing them in the corridor eyed them suspiciously.
"Well, you know I didn't mean that," stuttered Hermione.
"Wow, 'Mione, that's the second time you mess up today," said Ginny.
Hermione relaxed visibly when she that Ginny wasn't really angry at her. She shrugged half-heartedly, then continued her route to Gryffindor Tower. Ginny followed, laughing, and soon fell into step with her.
Harry was about to go after Ginny when Ron put an arm around his shoulder. "Harry, I think that we need to have a little chat."
"A chat?" Harry scowled.
"Yes, a tiny little chat about your intentions towards my sister."
"Look, Ron-"
"Rule number one," began, ignoring Harry's attempt to speak. "You are not to touch my sister in any intimate way. Rule number two, you are not to kiss my sister in public. Which brings me to rule number three, kisses between you and my sister should not exceed ten seconds."
Harry tried to contain his laughter as Ron continued with his rules. "Rule number four, Ginny has a bedtime. Therefore, at exactly nine thirty every night, you will say good-night to her. Rule number five, under no circumstances are you and my sister to be alone together."
"So when do I get to kiss her?" asked Harry.
"You don't. Rule number six, while in public, the most you can do is hold her hand. And the most important rule of all- Rule number seven," Ron became suddenly serious. "Ginny is young, naïve, and still doesn't understand the ways of the world. She's fragile. She trusts too easily. She's my sister and I love her and I will do anything for her. And you better not break her heart, Potter. You're my best friend and I want to keep things between us the way they've always been. Don't hurt her."
Harry smiled. "Ron, I love Ginny. So much it hurts when I'm away from her. I can't picture my life without her. I won't hurt her, that's a promise."
Ron nodded and smiled at his best friend. "I thought as much. Now, you better not break any of the seven rules, or I will have to hurt you."
"Don't worry. I will follow each and every rule faithfully," he answered seriously.
The redhead frowned. The first six rules were a joke. Would he follow them? "Harry? Um-"
"No, Ron," he held his hands up. "I understand that you have Ginny's best interest at heart. So do I. That's why I will follow every rule you give me." Harry kept his face solemn at his friend's stunned look. "Now, I need to have a small chat with you. As you know, Hermione and I are only children. I have come to consider her as my sister. And of course, having 'my sister's best interest at heart,' I have to lay down a few rules for you. Come, my friend, walk with me, talk with me." Harry put his arm around a paling Ron's shoulder as he led him in the opposite direction of Gryffindor tower.
"Where do you think the boys have gone?" asked Hermione worriedly.
"I don't know," replied Ginny. "Probably off somewhere talking."
"Oh, no," the older girl groaned.
"What's wrong, 'Mione?"
"Ron wanted to have 'a chat' with Harry concerning your relationship." Hermione grimaced as she pictured what that conversation would be like.
"Oh, really?" Ginny's deep brown eyes sparkled mischievously. "Hmm."
"Yes. Ron said something about knowing what went through a boy's head and needing to protect you from your boyfriend."
"Yes, well, Hermione, I think we should have a small talk of our own," the redhead said, giving the other girl a smile reminiscent of Fred and George's identical grins when they were up to something.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, you know, Hermione, my brother protects me and I have to protect him as well," began Ginny. "It's what we do in this family."
"Ron said that, too," grumbled Hermione.
Ginny laughed and moved to sit next to her friend in the couch in front of the fire. She became suddenly severe. "Okay, Hermione, you know that I love you. You're my best friend. But Ron's my brother and I feel it my duty to let you know this."
Hermione took a deep breath and nodded for Ginny to continue.
"What you do with this information is completely up to you," the younger girl said. She abruptly smile. "All right. First thing you need to know is Ron sucks his thumb. It's-"
"What?" Hermione was astounded that Ginny would tell her this. For one, she had been waiting for some sort of serious conversation over Ron and how Ginny would never forgive her if she broke her brother's heart. Two, Ron sucked his thumb?
Ginny laughed as she realized what Hermione had been expecting. "Well, I think this is better than me warning you to not break Ron's oh so fragile heart, but Ron is probably embarrassing Harry right now, so I'm going to embarrass him in front of his girlfriend. I do to all my brother's girlfriend. Fleur Delacour and I spent a good half hour laughing over Bill's snoring two summers ago, when she first started seeing him."
The sixth year laughed appreciatively. "So Ron sucks his thumb?"
"Only while he sleeps," smirked Ginny. "Oh, and he's got this blue bunny Mom knitted for him when he was little. He still has it. And then there's the time that he walked in on our parents- well, you know."
"Ginny, that's disturbing," she said.
"Still, if you ever mention it to him-"
"Which I won't."
"Look very closely at his face. He twitches and shudders at the memory. It's quite funny really."
"Rule number twenty-seven," said Harry. "Hermione has a lot of responsibilities with her schoolwork. If her work gets anything less than an Outstanding, then you are to not speak to her until she raises her grade."
Ron looked at his best friend as though he had gone mad. Harry's rules were more strict and outrageous than the ones he made up for him.
"Rule number twenty-eight, you are not to breathe the air around Hermione in public," the Boy-Who-Lived said as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"Um, Harry?"
"And finally, rule number twenty-nine: You break her heart, I'll break your neck." They halted in front of the portrait of the Fat Lady. (They had turned back around when Harry reached rule number fourteen: Ron was not allowed to eat anything cooked by house-elves in front of Hermione). He turned to the Fat Lady and muttered the password (extraterrestrial) and left his friend no choice but to follow wordlessly.
They found Hermione and Ginny rolling on the floor in laughter in front of the fireplace. "Oh my God, that's hilarious," Hermione choked out. Harry raised his eyebrows at the two girls on the floor, who were ignoring the looks they were getting from the people left in the Common Room. "Are you alright?"
Ginny nodded slightly. She stood up and went towards Harry to kiss him, but shook his head as he steeped away. "Sorry, Ginny, but that's against Ron's rule number two."
"Ron's what?" Ginny glared at her brother maliciously.
"Ron's rule number two: I am not to kiss you in public. We're also in violation of rule number four. We should have said good night well over half an hour ago," explained Harry calmly. He then turned to Ron. "I believe that you, Ron, are in violation of rules number eight, twelve, sixteen, and twenty-two."
"What?" asked Hermione.
"Well, 'Mione, I really hope that you don't mind," Harry took Hermione's hand in his. "But you are like my sister. And as such, I have had a little talk with Ron concerning your relationship."
Ginny smiled, pleasantly surprised that Harry had been able to turn the situation around on her brother. He continued in a solemn voice. "Ron will follow those rules as I will follow his."
"You know, Harry," said Ron, finally being able to talk. "I think I might have gone a bit overboard with those rules."
"Really? A bit?"
"Yeah, so I say you forget rules one through six. But I won't let you off rule seven," Ron said.
Harry nodded. "Alright, but only if you forget rules one through twenty- eight. But twenty-nine still stands."
"What were rules seven and twenty nine?" asked Ginny, curios.
"You gave Ron twenty-nine rules?" Hermione asked Harry.
"Yeah," he answered her. "Rule twenty nine is if he ever breaks your heart, then I'll break his neck." Hermione smiled widely at him and hugged him tight.
"And my rule number seven was that if Harry ever hurts Ginny I was going to have to kill him," shrugged Ron, avoiding his little sister's eyes.
Ginny smiled slightly. "You would do that for me?"
Ron nodded mutely. Ginny gave her brother a tight hug and a big kiss on the cheek happily. She and Harry weren't going to have to go through with Dumbledore's plan alone. They had Ron, the most loyal and brave person she knew, after Harry, and Hermione, the most intelligent witch in possibly all of Hogwarts. They had all the love and support they could ever want. They were going to make it. And everything will be fine in the end. A/N: So what did you think? Please review.
Love, Amalia