Sad how pathetic Harry could be when it came to asking out a girl, Hermione thought as she trudged back to the common room. Though, all in all, she had seen worse approaches from far too many of the male population at Hogwarts. By some standards, Harry had been downright charming as he extended a rather fumbling invitation to tea to Charity Broadbent. Perhaps if Hermione hadn't been hiding in plain sight behind a bookshelf. . . she already knew Harry wasn't good under pressure.

"Circe," she told the Fat Lady, and the portrait swung open. Thankfully her chair had not yet been taken over. . .she still had valuable reading to do that had to get done before Harry returned to panic before her. She had, perhaps foolishly left him in the library to have what must be a painfully awkward conversation with Charity. But the deed was done. Charity had said yes, probably because Harry was Harry Potter and she felt sorry for him. So Harry had his strange dating desire momentarily fulfilled.

She curled up in the chair and pulled her book back out, ready to start again into a rather fascinating essay on the tie between alchemy and Muggle recycling. Almost ready. She flipped to the page where she thought she had been at and gazed steadily at the words. They weren't making any sense. She wasn't going to fall asleep again, was she? She really did need to focus on her studies, being that this was her last year of Hogwarts. Of course she had to study. It didn't matter how difficult everything had been recently. . .

And what was up with Harry? She almost slammed the book shut. She had never seen him so bent up on asking a girl out. And a girl he didn't even know at that! Well, if it made him feel better, then perhaps it was for the best. He had to get the craziness out of his system, that was a given. But why Charity Broadbent? All of Harry's rambling explanations plodded through her head. So for some reason he connected it all to Ron? Why Ron? What did Ron have to do with any of it?

Some strange part of the grieving process; she had decided that earlier. And she understood it. For whatever reason, Harry was connecting Ron and Charity, and perhaps there really didn't need to be any more explanation. After all, a new relationship could be good for Harry. It would get his mind off of Ron.

Ron. . .

She glanced quickly around her, almost expecting Parvati or Lavender to jump out of the woodwork with cookies or something. Those two. . . Hermione had never really appreciated them until recently. They had always been nice, friendly girls, but nothing much more than that. Now they were a blessing, and frankly Hermione didn't know how she would have survived the past few weeks without them following her around like two guard dogs. But part of her still hated them to see her tears.

She could be so pathetic. With a silencing sniff she wiped her eyes on her sleeve. Was she ever going to get over this? At least Harry was trying to do so.

The entire concept rushed again through her thoughts. Harry had said Charity had reminded him of Ron. She thought she had understood, for the most part. But there was something far too odd about that, something she couldn't quite put her finger on. . .

Well, it wasn't any of her business. Harry was trying to move on, the least she could do was let him.

"Hi, Hermione." Ginny's voice was actually reasonably cheerful. "Studying?"

"Huh?" Hermione snapped out of her thoughts. "Oh, yes. Well, I'm trying to. I heard a rumor there would be a quiz tomorrow. . . ." As if Ginny cared about Hermione's education life. "How are you doing?"

Ginny shrugged, dropping into the chair Harry had been so recently sitting in. "I think I'm beginning to despise Transfigurations. And I mean it. I swear, the next time Professor McGonagall transforms herself into a cat. . . "

"Such violence," Hermione replied. At this rate she'd never get herself to study. But what did it matter at this point? "I think Fred and George poured some revenge on her my first year. . . did they ever tell you about that?"

"The bleeding ink on her desk? Oh, yeah. I've heard the story."

She gave a small laugh. She remembered yelling at the twins about that one. Though Ron, of course, had found it hysterical. . .

Ginny also managed to laugh. "I don't think McGonagall would fall for the same trick again, though. Especially from another Weasley."

"Very true. She has quite the memory, McGonagall."

"I suppose I could think of something else," Ginny mused. "But I don't see how that would help me pass the class."

"I could tutor you," Hermione offered. "If you want."

"I'd really like that." Too much of an effort to say. The laughter was gone.

Of course Ginny didn't really want to talk about classes. Hermione could have kicked herself; she was really falling out of the loop. This was actually the first time Ginny had spoken to her in several days. The girl was keeping far too much to herself. "So. . . how are you feeling lately?"

Ginny shrugged again. "Better, I guess. I really don't know. I'm thinking about going home for a weekend to see Mum and Dad and the twins."

How lucky Ginny had that much of her family left. "Oh, Ginny, that would be wonderful for you."

Another natural smile. "Dumbledore said I could go. You could come, if you want."

To see the rest of Weasleys again. Something pulled at Hermione's heart. "Really? I'd. . . I'd really like that" But she had to study that weekend.

Ginny's smile widened until her face was practically glowing. "You would go home with me?"

The poor girl looked near ecstatic. Hermione couldn't bare. . . "I. . . hope I can go. I can't be sure, yet. But I really want to," she finished quickly. Yes, she wanted to go. But then she didn't. Flashes of the Burrow. . . Ron's room was there. "I promise you I'll consider it."

That seemed to satisfy Ginny. "If you didn't come, it'd be just me and my family there, you know."

"Ginny. . ." Hermione couldn't even think of what she wanted to say.

"Huh?"

Emotions swept through her. She could still see the Weasley home in her mind. "Are you going to invite Harry?"

"Harry?" It seemed that the light around Ginny faded.

Hermione had said the wrong thing.

"Exactly why would I invite Harry?" Ginny asked. She wasn't angry; for all intents and purposes the question was all the logic anyone could cram into any thought.

Hermione sighed, wishing she could take it all back. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that."

"Do you think I'm being mean to him?" Ginny pressed.

"I'm not thinking anything. . ."

"Because I don't think I am." She pushed her fingers, one by one, into the soft material of a pillow. "I just. . . I just can't talk to him right now."

Hermione gazed at the other girl, once again trying to fully comprehend Ginny's issue with Harry. It was hard, of course. It had to be. But this was the same boy Ginny had once had a crush on. And they had been friends after that. Why this now? "Well, he is your friend. You really can't blame him for what happened."

"I know that." Ginny's voice dropped to eerie near-silence. "I don't. . . I don't feel that way at all. . ." With a sniff she shoved the pillow to the floor and met Hermione's eyes. "I think I told you that before, haven't I? I'm. . . I'm not supposed to feel that way, am I?"

Hermione sighed deeply and reached over to grab Ginny's hand. "You can feel whatever you want. And yes, you've probably told me all of this before. But. . .Harry still is your friend, at least?"

"Of course he is!" She seemed shocked by the very idea of otherwise. "I mean, I think he is." She gave a small scream and fell back against the chair, her hand jerking from Hermione's. "Oh, Hermione, I don't know what I think anymore!"

Poor thing, Hermione thought. At least she herself had some logic left. "I think I know exactly what you—"

And then, to her surprise, Ginny started laughing. It began with small giggles that built slowly into hysterics. People turned to stare.

All Hermione could do was sit there. Perhaps she did need Parvati and Lavender here.

"I'm sorry," Ginny gasped, fighting for her breath as the laughter continued to storm out. "I'm so sorry, I don't know that the matter is with me." She shook her head, red hair breaking from her braid. "Hermione, how insane am I?"

Hermione found herself smiling. Clearly everyone was insane but her. Though maybe she was insane in a different way. "Maybe I should tell you something about Harry."

Ginny's hysterics rolled to dead stop. "He's not inviting himself, is he?"

"Ginny, you just told me you wanted to go home. Harry has no idea."

"Oh." She sucked in another lungful of air. "I really am going crazy." She flipped her back and tried to look calmly back at Hermione. "I'm sorry. So. . . what did. . . Harry do?"

"He's pursuing a dream girl," Hermione replied. "A Slytherin. Charity Broadbent. He claims he had this overpowering urge to ask her out. He. . . " She considered what she was about to say; Ginny was plenty on the edge. And she herself had been thinking too much of Ron lately. "For some reason he thinks Ron has something to do with it."

For a long moment Ginny was utterly blank; Hermione feared another onset of laughter.

"Did he already ask this girl out?" Ginny's voice was tiny, barely audible.

"Yes. . . I just introduced them to each other about ten minutes ago."

"Did she say yes?"

Hermione blinked. "Well, yeah. She did say yes. Ginny. . . I thought you wouldn't mind. . ."

Ginny shook her head, face so tight her freckles seemed ready to jump out. "I don't mind. . ."

"You don't. . . you don't still like him, do you?" Hermione had always held that suspicion, for over two years, but never before had she thrown it out Ginny like this. "I actually was thinking this might be good for him."

In a flash Ginny was on her feet. "How can this be good for him? He's dating some girl he doesn't even know. And a Slytherin, for crying out loud!"

"Charity's perfectly nice!" And why was she defending the girl? "Ginny, I just think Harry needs to deal with everything in whatever ways he thinks best."

Her brown eyes flashed with something else to say, but then, meek as a kitten, she fell back into her chair. "I'm not. . . Hermione, I think I am crazy."

Hermione almost laughed. "You're not crazy. If anyone is, I think it's me. But really, why do you care who Harry dates, if you don't like him anymore?"

A slow blush filled Ginny's face as her eyes dropped like hot coals to the floor. "I don't like him that way. You know that. I just. . . Can I just say that if you get to be crazy, I do, too?"

Maybe it was the best they all be crazy for a little while. "Fair enough."

"Let me see that envelope," Ron said, sneaking a hand toward Percy's pocket. "Just one look."

Percy jerked away, robes whirling into the corridor walls just beneath a painting of two witches in a garden. "No!"

"If we give it to the Gray Lady, we're never going to see it again, so we might as well open it while we can."

"Ron, do you have any idea how illegal it is to read others' mail?"

Ron sighed and hung back a way, trying to figure out what Quidditch move would be the best for attacking Percy and stealing the envelope. "I would hardly call a piece of parchment from the spirit world mail. You are such a prat."

"Diggory entrusted me with his."

"But he doesn't even know what it is!" No move came to mind, but anything was worth a shot. He shot through the air toward Percy, arm outstretched. It couldn't be too horribly hard. Percy had never been the most athletic one in the family.

"What do you think you're. . . " Percy managed to duck out the way.

Ron felt the echo of splinters as he tumbled head-first into a staircase in the middle of moving.

Dream sighed dramatically, her long silvery hair whipping into the ceiling. "Perhaps I should just deliver the letter for you. Though, Ron, you are certainly welcome to come with me."

Ron tried to ignore the fact that she had just winked at him. "Percy, you're going to let Dream see the letter?"

"No, I am not going to let Dream see the letter. It's not her responsibility, either."

The corridor turned a sharp corner where Dream spun in the air to face Percy. "Oh? And I suppose it is not my responsibility to lead you to Ravenclaw Tower?"

Ron paused, expecting Dream to launch a fight. Unless Percy took that role. Though he knew Percy would never strike a girl. Even if she was a ghost. Dream, on the other hand. . .

"Don't forget that Cornelia here is also leading you to Ravenclaw," Jillie put in with a nod.

"But Dream offered in the first place," Cornelia admitted. Yet she was ahead, drifting just under the ceiling. "Even if I have been a Ravenclaw longer. . ."

"You're a wonderful Ravenclaw, Cornelia," Dream said sweetly. "We can both lead them. It's our responsibility, if that makes you feel any better."

"What if the Gray Lady isn't even in the tower?" Ron said. They had been unable to get rid of the girls, who had insisted on throwing themselves into the mission to the Gray Lady. He suppose that since she was their House Ghost it was only fair, but. . . he hadn't even been allowed to see the stupid envelope!

"Then we can look somewhere else," said Jillie. "You are so impatient…"

Percy seemed to be thinking about something else. Summoning all his strength, Ron again sprang at him. Percy's cloak slid through his fingers. The pocket. . .

"Knock it off!" With surprising strength Percy pushed him away.

How humiliating. Ron had been Quidditch Keeper and Percy could still keep the envelope out of his reach.

If only he had been a seeker instead. . . Well, that wasn't an option. Seeker had been Harry's position and Ron simply wasn't Harry.

But there were other options.

Ron pointed at a dusty corner between classrooms. "Look! It's the Grey Lady right there!"

"She can't—" Even the girls turned to look.

Stifling a laugh Ron dove a final time at Percy and snatched out the envelope.

"Hey!" He felt his brother's hands at his wrists, but it was now far too easy to just jerk away. "Ron, you can't read that!"

"Ron can read whatever he wants to, you moron," Dream said. "I still don't see Rebeccah."

"That's because she's not there." Percy still gripped in vain at the letter, but Ron held it out of his reach.

"You're the one that fell for it," he said with a sneer.

"Ron, you are. . ."

Ron ignored him and stared at the envelope in his hand. It was strange, almost tangible unlike all the real objects around him. At least he could touch it. Rebeccah's name as scrawled across it. So it was for her, whatever was inside. But somehow it didn't seem important to open it now. As long as he had gotten it away from Percy.

"If anyone cares to notice," Cornelia said softly. "Ravenclaw Tower is right next to us."

"Penny never let me over here," Percy muttered.

The stone wall stretched up near a staircase, a gigantic tapestry of a unicorn nearly covering it like a blanket.

"Carl steps out of the way to let in the living students when they give the password," Cornelia explained with a small laugh.

Ron stared at her.

"Carl?" Percy echoed.

"The unicorn," Dream clarified with a smile, patting at the unicorn's head even though her hand passed right through. "That's his name."

"His name is Carl?" Ron asked. How did Ravenclaws put up with such a thing?

"Hey, we didn't name him. We don't even bother. We can just go on through."

A unicorn named Carl. Ron studied the tapestry, shaking his head, while Carl blinked back at him with a rather offended expression. Maybe the unicorn didn't like his name, either. He didn't even notice that the others had already slid through the wall until he felt the too-familiar jerk at his wrist.

"It's rude to stare," Carl hissed as Ron slid past.

The Ravenclaw commonroom wasn't too much different from Gryffindor Tower, except for the fact that everything was in blue and bronze and there was a bookshelf taking up one entire wall.

Hermione had almost been sorted into Ravenclaw, Ron suddenly thought. How she would have liked that bookshelf.

Cornelia and Dream floated into the center of the room.

"Rebeccah!" Dream called. "Rebeccah!"

A shimmer of smoke plummeted from the ceiling, and the Grey Lady appeared.

"Dream!" she exclaimed. "How nice to see you! And. . . the Weasleys." She practically glowed. "Did you make it through the Veil all right? It wasn't too dangerous? I told Nicholas you shouldn't have been allowed to go, but he never listens."

Listened? Ron smirked. The entire conversation between Nearly Headless Nick and the Grey Lady had been one big trick.

"The Veil was fine, ma'am," Percy said with an awkward bow. "We. . . we found something for you."

"For me?" She gasped in delight. "Where is it?"

Four pairs of eyes turned to stare at Ron. It took him a moment to realize what they wanted. The envelope, of course. He searched his pocket. Empty. Had he even put it in his pocket?

Percy rolled his eyes. "You lost it, didn't you?"

"I didn't lose it." He tried to think. Carl the unicorn. "I probably dropped it when you dragged me in here."

"Still fighting, I see." The Grey Lady clicked her tongue disapprovingly. "I thought you would learn better."

"Oh, they always fight," Jillie said. "It's fun to watch."

"I'll go look," Cornelia said, disappearing through the wall. In a moment she was back, letter clutched in her hand. "I found it! Carl was trying to eat it."

The Grey Lady seemed to start at the envelope, like Ginny when she wanted to say something. Ron found himself watching her. What was. . .?

"Give it here," she said. "Please. Oh, thank-you for this."

"Who is it from?" Cornelia asked as she placed the letter in the Grey Lady's hand. "Percy and Ron have been trying to steal it from each other all day. . ."

"It's from no one. No one important." The Grey Lady smiled as she slipped off a pale glove and slit open the envelope with a long fingernail.

"You seem happy to have it," Percy observed. He, too, was watching her, and Ron's gaze slipped to him momentarily.

"Oh, I am. I'm so glad you brought it to me. She squeezed open the parchment and glanced inside, her smile broadening. "Actually, I have to confess something to you, Mr. Weasley. Both of you. I tricked Nick into letting you go through the Veil."

Percy almost laughed. "We had guessed that."

"Then I don't feel too terrible." She shook her head, hair whirling around her. "Miss Oracle, Miss Constellation, Miss. . . whatever your name is, Gryffindor girl. Could you please excuse us for a moment?"

"What?" Jillie's mouth fell open. "We. . . wanted to see. . ."

"They can tell you later if they want. Cornelia, please take her somewhere?"

Cornelia shook her head, grabbed a still-arguing Jillie by the shoulders, and pushed her back through the wall.

"Bye, Ron," Dream said with a wave before following the others.

Good riddance, Ron thought.

"Is this something important?" Percy asked, staring after the girls.

The Grey Lady sighed and placed the envelope in her pocket. "I feel just horrible, and I really must tell you something."

"There's nothing. . . too wrong with letting us go through the Veil."

Despite the fact that they had learned nothing.

"It's more than that," she said, putting her glove back on. "The. . .something in the envelope has been in the spirit world for a long, long time. My sister Jane and I left it there, before we left. . ."

Ron blinked. "You were in the spirit world?"

"Yes. It's wonderful there, but. . . I thought it best I stay with this school; I love the students so much. You know very few ghosts go back and forth. I mean, the two of you wouldn't even be able to stay long in the spirit world. So few try to go."

Percy nodded. "I didn't realize that."

"This was very important to us, what was left there. They kept it waiting for us, if we ever returned." She brushed her eye. "But I couldn't. And Jane never leaves London. So I had to get you to go."

"I still don't see why you feel so bad," Ron said. "It was nice there. You can send us back, if you want."

She stared at him for a moment, face twitching. "Oh, Ron. It's more than that. I needed a reason for you two to want to go through in the first place. You see, well. . . I can't even say it."

What had she done?

She sighed again, more tears slipping from her eyes. "It's just terrible for me. I. . .played another trick on you." She gestured at the rope at Ron's wrist.

For some reason he felt it burn.

"I'm. . I'm the one that got the Bloody Baron to put those on you."

SHOUT OUTS!

Ajaliebe: Thanks

Birdy: Wow, no one has pitied Harry for awhile! Yes, he's not quite all there.

cAJUNpIPPINpIRATE: Ties the girls together?! Goodness! Lol, that's a great idea! Yes, Harry is in SERIOUS need of closure.

CharliesMommy: Well, Percy is a jerk! Yay Percy. Yes, Ron will go visible again.

Crystal Lightning: Thanks for the tip! I like the thought that Ron would be somewhat prejudice against Slytherins. I'll see if I can get him to cause chaos later.

Dr. Huff-Puff: Aww… you are so sweet. You're thinking the right way on the ghost representative.

duj: I think the girls have a store of spectral sugar somewhere. They are nuts.

HiddenFlame42: Thanks! I thought there needed to be some comic relief.

Hi I'm Crazy: The girls know exactly who Ginny is. They just want Ron and Percy to participate.

Hafae a.k.a. Hufflepuffer242: They didn't get the names up; they're playing a nasty, nasty trick. =)

Hotdog-Jo: You're questions shall be answered. =)

Hydrangea777: You actually liked the conversation? Wow… No, Charity won't do to much.

hydraspit: The world refuses to let Ron and Percy bond. Thanks!! I'm so loving your story, by the way!

kalathetrumpeter: Thanks so much!

Krenya-alenak: You might be confused because the girls played a dirty trick. Charity.. she's just a date figure I needed. She won't be terribly important.

Lady Kazaana: Yay Brian! Well, I was looking all over for you! And you never called me back last night!

Lady Meriadoc: So… why would I let something go… wrong on Charity and Harry's date? What on earth gives you that idea? What kind of person do you think I am? ;)

Lady Peregrin: Oh, don't feel bad at all! AP is so hard! (I had no idea you were both in the same classes) and if you're sick… Thanks for your review. Yes, I think you do know what Harry mean when he was connecting Charity and Ron.. it is hard to explain, isn't it? But yeah, the girls some associated Ron when they were telling Harry to date Charity and Harry sensed that.

LJ Fan: No, the ghost cookies are a wonderful idea! Do they come in oatmeal?

liseli: More cliffies for you!

Madam Whitbrook: I think I'm just resorting to sublteness. This was originally was supposed to be drama/humor.

meenyrocks: You were right on with the girls' trick. See? You are with it!

Moony: Yes, I'm terrible with cliffies and updating. Sorry.

Neoma: Hey, I want him with Ginny just as much as you do!

Phillipa of the Phoenix: It's something between Rebeccah and her sister. An item they left. Well, I'm going to explain that later in the story, but there is no reason why I shouldn't explain Percy's "Harry is a murderer" obsession right how. Basically, Percy does love Ron despite all their arguing, and he blames Harry for not saving Ron. Percy is okay with himself being dead, but he is Ron's older brother and is protective…

rosepetal13: Always glad to make you laugh. =)

severus's bane: Well, my brothers are protective, so I like to think Ron and Percy would be the same way.

starsmiles: Yes, Percy really needs to make some closure, doesn't he?

Tru Lys: … yes.