A/N: I am so sorry that I haven't been updating, but I have a good excuse. See, my computer's had this really evil virus since around Memorial Day. It made the computer go really slow and eventually freeze up, so I couldn't open anything for fear of deleting it. If any of you out there ever get something called spyware, that's what it is. We had to download a program called Ad-Aware to get rid of it. Just so you know. So anyway, I'm gonna give you a lot of chapters to make up for lost/wasted time.

Chapter 6: Questions & Answers

"Where were you?" Hermione snapped.

Ginny whipped around. "Umm...the toilet?"

"For 45 minutes?"

"Okay, you caught me," Ginny said, "Do you want to guess?"

"Shut up, Ginny. This isn't funny. I know you were with Harry!"

"So what if I was?" she said defensively, "We didn't do anything wrong!"

"How can you say that, Ginny? The whole thing is wrong!"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You know what Ron would say–"

"Oh," Ginny shouted angrily, "so it's okay for you and Ron to stare dreamily at each other all day, but Harry and I can't have any sort of relationship?"

Hermione looked momentarily embarrassed, but she continued, "Not that sort of relationship!" lowering her voice a bit, she said, "Staring dreamily is one thing, but visiting each other's bedrooms at night is quite another."

"You don't know what you're talking about, Hermione. Besides, Harry's never been in here."

Hermione scowled. "I think I do know what I'm talking about, Ginny Weasley," she said with a dangerous sort of softness to her voice, "How do you know that Harry feels the same way?"

"What way would that be?" Ginny was afraid of the answer she knew she would receive.

"You still like him!" she hissed, "Do you have any proof that he feels the same way?"

"I–" she stopped. Did she? She'd certainly felt something, but had she interpreted it correctly? "No," she said dully, "I don't."

"Don't go breaking your heart, Ginny."

"Just leave me alone, Hermione." With that, Ginny got into bed. She was silent until she fell into an uneasy sleep.

"Harry, I need to talk to you," Hermione said as Harry came down for breakfast. Ginny looked up from the grapefruit she was cutting. This can't be good, she thought.

Harry glanced at Ginny as Hermione pulled him out of the kitchen. Seeing the look on her face, he thought, This can't be good.

"Exactly what do you think you are doing, Harry?" Hermione hissed angrily.

"What d'you mean?" he asked, bewildered, "Coming down for a bit of breakfast?" he ventured.

"That's not what I mean, and you know it, Harry," Hermione glared at him.

"Okay...Let's say I don't know what you mean," he said slowly, "...Now can you tell me?"

"You..." she said with difficulty, "and Ginny."

"Oh, is that all?"

"'Is that all?'" she repeated, looking stunned, "Harry, this is serious. What you've been doing is...is..."

"Hermione, according to you," said Harry, who was extremely confused by now, "what have we been doing?"

"Well," she looked embarrassed, "you know...Oh, what's that supposed to mean?" she sounded exasperated.

"We've just been talking, Hermione. That's all," he explained.

"Oh," Hermione really looked embarrassed now.

"Nothing to worry about," he said, patting her arm, "Now, if you don't mind..." he turned back towards the kitchen.

"Harry," Hermione caught her arm, "I'm afraid that Ginny's got the wrong idea. She thinks..." she trailed off.

"Yes?"

"She thinks...Oh, Harry, she thinks you like her!"

"I do!"

"...As more than a friend," she finished.

"I do!!"

"That's not true," she said quickly.

"Who are you to say it isn't?"

"I know you, Harry. A month ago you were head over heels with Cho."

"And?"

"And now you're suddenly over her because Ginny's strolled back into your life? I don't think so."

"Oh come on, Hermione, I'm not that shallow!"

"Just talk to Ginny, okay?" she said with caution, "I don't want her to get hurt."

"She's not going to get hurt," Harry said forcefully.

"Hmpf," said Hermione, and she strode back into the kitchen. Harry followed.

Ron and Ginny, who had been conversing quietly, both looked up abruptly as they entered.

"Sorry, Harry, Hermione," Ginny said breathlessly as she got up from the table, "I have some things I've got to get done." Without further comment, she left.

Hermione went to get some breakfast, and Harry sat down across from Ron.

"What's up with Ginny?" he asked his friend.

"You'll have to ask her, mate. I think she's got some things she needs to think over," he gave Harry an odd look.

"Thanks," Harry said, and he too left the kitchen and went up the stairs.

Ginny sat down on her bed with her mind reeling. She played the recent conversation she'd had with Ron over in her head:

"Ginny, what's wrong?" Ron asked her.

"Hmm? How do you mean?"

"You haven't been sleeping well, and you and Hermione seemed oddly distant just now. Did you two have a row or something?"

Ginny was impressed. Her brother had actually noticed that something weird was going on. "Umm...It's kind of hard to explain," she began, "You know how Harry's been having those nightmares?"

"No."

So much for noticing weird stuff, she thought. "Well, he has. Almost every night. He dreams about Sirius, his parents, Cedric, that sort of thing, and he usually wakes up screaming."

"Yeah?"

"So every time I hear the screaming, I go up to your room and, well, just – talk." She waited for the enraged outburst. She braced herself for the unbearable laughter.

"How come I don't know about this?"

It took her a moment to realize that her brother was neither laughing at her nor angry. Hastily she said, "You're a really heavy sleeper, Ron."

"Point taken. What I meant was, why didn't you tell me?"

"I was afraid you'd laugh at me," she said lamely, "or get mad at Harry."

"Ginny, I'm your big brother. Making your life difficult is my job and my duty, but when it comes to stuff as serious as this, I'd never do anything like that," he assured her kindly.

"So you're not mad?" Ginny said, hardly daring to believe it.

"Well, I might have to have a little chat with Harr–"

"Oh, Ron, don't!"

"– but yeah, I'm okay with it."

"Oh thanks, Ron," she hugged him, "you're the best!"

"Okay, you and Harry talk about his dreams. So what's the problem?"

"The problem is that Hermione figured it out last night, and she thinks it's a problem. Which really isn't fair because she so likes y- uh...She likes, um, yakking, yes, uh – yakking about her dreams to me!"

"What?"

"Er...hehe, she thinks Harry and I are, like, meeting each other to kiss, or – God knows what!"

"But you're not, right?"

"No! Of course not!" she said quickly, conveniently forgetting to mention that she had kissed Harry twice. Not on the lips, though, she tried to make her lie seem more acceptable. "She thinks I'm going because I like Harry–"

"And do you?"

"Yes, but–"

"Ginny! I thought–"

"Shut up, Ron," she cut him off, "Just listen. She told me that Harry doesn't necessarily like me back."

"Why would she say something like that?"

"She said that I was going to break my own heart."

"Ginny, why don't you just talk to Harry? Ask him about it."

"Okay, I think I–"

That's when Harry and Hermione had reentered the kitchen.

Ginny stood up and went out into the hall. In doing so, she came face to face with Harry.

"Hi," he said awkwardly, "er – want to go for a walk?"

"Umm, okay," Ginny said without looking at him.

Because they were not allowed to venture into Muggle London, Harry and Ginny decided to walk within the house; it was big enough.

"Hermione said I should–" he started, but at exactly the same moment, Ginny spoke.

"Ron told me to–"

"Talk to you," they finished together.

There was an awkward pause.

"So..." Ginny was suddenly at a loss for words, "Hermione talked to you..."

"Yeah."

"What did she say?"

"She said you were going to get hurt."

"Why? How?"

"She thinks I'm trying to get over Cho by, you know, you."

"But you're not..."

"No! Ginny, I really like you. If it seems like I–"

He stopped. He could hear snatches of a conversation that was drawing ever closer. Harry could tell by the sound of the speakers' voices that they would not appreciate being overheard.

"In here," he whispered, pulling Ginny into the nearest room. It was not a very smart thing to do in the House of Black, but he had no other choice.

"Harry, what...?" Ginny asked quietly.

"Shh," he held a finger to her lips to silence her, and he strained to hear the voices in the hall.

"...All I'm saying, Arthur, is that we could learn a lot from him."

That sounds like Lupin, Harry thought, and he must be talking to Mr. Weasley.

"I don't know...Molly won't like it..."

"But you're alright with it?"

"Well," Mr. Weasley sounded reluctant.

"He won't get hurt, Arthur, I promise."

"Okay, then. As long as Percy doesn't get hurt."

"Good. It'll be nice to finally have some control over the Ministry..."

The voices faded as Lupin and Mr. Weasley continued down the hall. Harry looked at Ginny. She looked back with pleading eyes.

"Please, please tell me you didn't just hear my father agree to spy on Percy," she said.

"Ginny, I'm sure he didn't mean–"

"He did mean it, Harry," she shouted, "My father's going to put his own son under an Imperius Curse – or who knows what–" she ran out of the room and down the hall.

Harry caught up with her when she stopped in the boys' room to talk to Ron and Hermione.

"Ginny," he panted, trying to fix the mess he felt responsible for.

"Harry," Hermione interrupted him, "what happened?" She looked at Ginny then back at Harry. Ginny herself was sitting crying next to Ron, who had his arm around her. Harry could tell that if he hadn't been so concerned with his sister, Ron would have been shouting his lungs out at Harry by now.

Harry didn't know what to say. He didn't feel he had the right to share the disturbing conversation he'd overheard. Even if he'd had the guts to tell Ron, he didn't want to make Ginny feel any worse.

"It wasn't H-Harry," Ginny whimpered, "It was Dad, Ron."

"What? What's Dad got to do with this?" he asked completely bewildered.

"We heard him talking to Lupin," she squeaked, "They want to use Percy to get closer to Fudge."

"But your dad would never agree to it..." Hermione said with a questioning look at Ginny.

"He did!" she sobbed, "I couldn't believe it..."

She went on until Ron addressed Harry.

"Could I speak to you?"

He left his sister and gave Hermione's hand a squeeze. She looked at him strangely before taking his place next to Ginny.

Harry followed Ron out of the room and down the hall. They then turned into Buckbeak's room. The hippogriff was noticeably glad to see them. Harry and Ron both bowed and waited for the creature's response. Buckbeak returned the bow, and they sat down next to him.

"Okay, Harry. I want your version of what you heard," Ron said seriously.

He told Ron all he'd heard. As he went, he watched Ron's mouth fall further and further open and his eyes get wider and wider.

"I dunno, Harry," he said when Harry had finished, "It just doesn't sound right..."

"I know, Ron, it's weird," Harry agreed, "It doesn't sound like something your dad would say yes to."

"Maybe you and Ginny heard it wrong?" Ron half pleaded.

"Maybe. We could ask them."

"Who? Lupin and Dad? But that'll mean admitting you overheard them."

"Yeah, I know, but it's better than having Ginny feeling betrayed and all..."

"She's not the only one."

After a slight and thoughtful pause Harry spoke.

"Want to just find them now and ask them?"

"Yeah, let's go."

With that, the two boys got up, and, much to the hippogriff's distress, left the room. They found Lupin and Mr. Weasley in the kitchen along with Tonks, Mrs. Weasley, and Mad-Eye Moody. Harry went up to Lupin, his legal guardian, as Ron approached his father.

"Could we talk to you?" Harry said in an undertone to Lupin with a sidelong glance at the two Weasleys. All four excused themselves from the room.

"What is it, boys?" Mr. Weasley asked.

"Harry?" Ron said. They had earlier agreed that Harry would be the one to tell how they had come upon their knowledge.

"Well, you see," he started, "Ginny and I, we accidentally heard you two talking about using Percy to see if Fudge was being controlled. Ginny was really upset because she thought you were going to put him under an Imperius Curse and –"

"Wait a minute, Harry," Mr. Weasley interrupted, "I'm afraid you've got the wrong idea. We're not going to control Percy. We're going to try to get him to join the Order."

"Oh," the boys said in unison.

"How did you find out about Fudge being controlled?" Mr. Weasley asked. Ron sent Harry a very accusing look. Harry gulped. Oops, he thought. "Oh well," Mr. Weasley continued, "it's not as if you wouldn't have found out soon enough anyway...Just don't tell Molly you know."

"Don't worry Harry, Ron," Lupin turned to them, "we'd never do anything like that to Percy."

After an embarrassed thanks, Harry and Ron left to find the girls.

"Where were you?" Hermione asked them.

"We found out what was really going on," Ron grinned, "They weren't going to curse Percy, Gin," he said to his sister, "They're trying to get him to join the Order."

"Really?" she laughed, "Oh, I feel stupid now." She wiped her eyes on the back of her hand.

They decided to celebrate with a game of Quidditch (in which Hermione did partake). This was followed by numerous butterbeers and many games of exploding snap and wizard chess.

Harry got into bed that night feeling he might actually be exempt from his nightmares that night.

"Harry?" Ron said as he climbed into his own bed, "Do you really have nightmares every night?"

"Yes," Harry said simply but not defensively.

"Wow," Ron was awestruck. "Harry, I'm sorry if I haven't been – aware, I'll say, of your...er..."

"It's alright, Ron," Harry when he realized Ron's awkwardness, "I know you've got other things on your mind," he finished slyly.

"Yeah – wait! What're you on about, Harry?"

"Don't think I haven't seen those looks you give Hermione."

"Looks? I don't give her any–"

"So you like her, then?" Harry went on undaunted.

"I dunno, Harry," he seemed to have given up, "It's so hard, you know? I don't want to do anything because I don't want to ruin our friendship. Hermione's the sort of person who's either been waiting for me to ask her out for years, or she thinks it's stupid to date someone she's friends with only to ruin the friendship when it's over."

Harry was shocked at Ron's amazing insight, "That's rough, man," he said.

"So what about you and Ginny?" he quickly changed the subject.

"What about us?"

"Do you like her?"

"Yeah..."

"So why didn't you tell me?"

"I thought you'd, you know, beat me up or something."

"Are you crazy, Harry? You're the only one I'd actually let Ginny date."

"She's been doing okay without your guidance..."

"Oh, shut up," Ron threw a pillow at Harry's head. "One condition, though, mate," he said seriously, "Okay, maybe more than one."

"What?"

"You're to treat her with respect." He gave Harry a look that said, You might be my best mate, but no allowances will be made.

"I respect her, Ron, and I'll treat her that way," Harry assured him, "She's helped me so much...I owe her that much."

"Good. Also, you're to keep your hands to yourself," he smiled, going from big brother to best friend, "within reason..."

S/N: Yeah!!!!!! We sunk that spyware ship!!!!!!!! Flan was all, 'Oh no! what if all my readers forget about me?! They probably hate me!!!' Then i (i'm not going to capitalize my i's just because it bugs poor Flannie) said, in a reassuring voice (yeah right), 'Did we give up on our favorite authors just because they were a little slow on their updates? No. No siree Bob.' So we've been wallowing in self-pity and/or bordem for the past few weeks. . .My little sis painted my nails today and they keep distracting me when i type. . .bad, tangents, bad! Tootles,

Skye