A/N: Hello! I'm a bit hyper, just went to a circus workshop with someone 'nice' sighs and blushes deeply had really great time. But anyway, like any of you care, what you care about (I hope!) is this story. We'd got that bit about the shooting star hadn't we?

Thank you:

Witchintraining - :D where are my cookies?

CharmedLeoLvr - I'm glad you like it, SSHG may sound odd at first, but everone knows they're just meant to be

mysticdarkraven - thank you for reviewing again, I thought you'd forgotton me ;-)

Natsuyori - I'm I still "keeping it up"?

CelestWikit - Thank you for your views, chapter 2 was not the best one I know, maybe you could give me some ideas to undo some of the damage?


Losing All The Wrong Games

Harry and Ron were surprised to see Hermione sneaking into the common room past midnight. They were the only people there, just finishing their particularly violent game of wizard's chess.

"Er...Knight to G3,"

"Bishop to G...Hermione?"

"What, Ron, that's not a number you plonker." Harry's chair wasn't facing the portrait hole, so he hadn't seen Hermione come in.

"Hey Herm, are you alright?" Hermione lifted her face, startled, as did Harry.

"Hermione what were you doing?"

"I just went out...for a bit," she murmured,

"What about us? Do we not get to hang out with you any more?" Ron prodded her with his finger, "I know! You've being seeing someone haven't you? Haven't you?"

"Shut up Ron, Leave her alone." Harry came over to them and pulled Ron away,

"Why are you cheating on Vicky?" Ron demanded,

"For God's sake Ron, me and Viktor can't really have a trans-continental relationship, can we? Anyway, I haven't heard from him for a while..."

"So who is it then?" Ron continued to pester her eagerly.

"Oh...no one you'd know,"

"Try me,"

"It doesn't matter, it's not important," she looked at the fireplace, "Oh is that the time? Do you mind if I go to bed now, or are you planning on continuing your interrogation?" She ran up the stairs to her dormitory.

"Are we ever going to understand that girl?" Ron pondered wistfully, Harry smiled and sighed.

"C'mon Ron, let's go to bed." Ron threw one final glance at the staircase leading to the girls dormitories and wondered what the odd tingling sensation in his groin that had just subsided could have been.


The next morning Hermione found Ron waiting for her at the bottom of the stairs, Harry she was told was just getting dressed. "I wanted to say sorry for being such an idiot last night, a couple of seventh-years were passing round some Fire-Whisky around midnight, I might have had a teeny bit you know."

Hermione stared at him horrified, "Ron! You're a Prefect, how could you put you're badge in such jeopardy?" Ron shrugged hopelessly and quickly moved out of the way when Harry appeared, "I hope you weren't drinking last night too Harry?"

"Me? How could you suggest that I did?" Harry chuckled, "Course not Hermione, I'm not a plonker like this young man here," he clapped Ron on the shoulder,

"Ouch Harry, verbal and physical abuse at the same time is not something we prefects can handle." Hermione scowled, "So are you going to tell us who the lucky boy is then?"

"No!"

"We'll find out somehow, you can be sure about that!" Ron put on a cheery face, but inside him he felt like a thousand snakes were wriggling through him, churning up unexpected emotions, he kept quiet for the rest of the walk to the Great Hall.

It didn't take long for the three of them to notice something was up with the world that morning, they passed tables engaged in grave murmurs, and numerous Daily Prophets being fervently read. Harry was the first to realise, sitting down at his table and picking up the newspaper, he saw the faces of six familiar people, under the heading

SLAUGHTER OF 4 FIGHTERS OF THE DARK LORD AND 2 INNOCENT MUGGLES BRINGS BACK THE TERROR OF YOU-KNOW-WHO

Harry gasping passed the paper across the table to Hermione and Ron, who saw four people nervously pacing around the confines of their photos and the two static shots; of a thin pale woman with a long neck and of a large blubberous boy grinning with rosy red cheeks. They then scanned down to see: a slightly dumpy woman and her tall freckled husband, both with bright orange hair, a tiny excitable little man in a purple top hat, and a pale man, with black robes and hair, a long hooked nose and a severe expression.

The three of them stared at each other for a moment, before Hermione suddenly put her arms around Ron, and whispered kindly in his ear, Harry just sat there looking aghast, it took him a while to notice Professor McGonagall who was standing at his shoulder, "Potter, Weasley, Granger, if you would come with me please, the headmaster would like to see you, do not be alarmed." They looked at her shocked, to she the degree of calmness she was taking and quietly followed, her in-between sobs. Hundreds of pairs of eyes turned to watch them out of the hall, and then the whisperings began.

"Crumple-Horned Snorkack!" she said and the extremely ugly gargoyle in front of them sprang to life, moving aside as the wall behind him spilt in tow to reveal the magical spiral staircase, "Come on now, up you go."

When they arrived at the top Professor McGonagall told them to wait and they found Ginny, sobbing hysterically on her own beside the door, "Ron! They're fucking telling me to fucking calm down! How fucking can I?" Ron, who had remained for most of the time with his head buried in Hermione's shoulder, looked up, his face blotchy and flushed far deeper than his hair, his cheeks streaming he let out a wail and collapsed into his sister. Hermione too was shaking incessantly filled with regret and grief, it was only Harry who stood there like a man, who put his arms around the three of them, who told them it would be OK and who kept his composure.

Ron slid down the side of the wall followed by Hermione, between their consoling to each other he gently put out his hand and stroked hers, he hugged her, at the same time whispering in her ear, "I'm sorry it has to be now Hermione, but I need you, you Hermione, I really like you," He bent towards her face and touched her lips gently with his, he could taste her hot salty tears as they ran down her face.

She bit his lip and put his lights out, "How could you Ron? You've just found out your parents are dead and you're already trying to hit one someone!"

"Fucking bitch!!!" he screamed, and then more quietly, "I thought you wanted..."

"Never!" she exclaimed, "how do you think I'm feeling right now anyway?"

"What? You are feeling something worse for these people than me?"

"I really loved Sev..." she span away, covering her mouth horrified, Ron hadn't heard most of what she had said through Ginny's screams, but he had heard something.

"What did you just say?"

"Mr Weasley! Miss Granger! Miss Weasley! Mr Potter!" What has been going on? How was I or Professor Dumbledore supposed to even hear ourselves think?!" McGonagall roared, "Come in at once and be quiet!"

They ran in as if she had just whipped them across their backsides, Dumbledore was sitting at his desk, his fingers together, and his eyes twinkling. "I so glad you could all join us, take a seat, and a mint humbug if you wish."

They stared at him in disbelief, six people had just died, four of whom family members of three of them and he was there offering them sweets.

"Do not look so alarmed Mr Weasley, and Miss Weasley could you possibly quieten down for a few moments so everyone can hear me. So, I am sorry you had to find out this way but it was for the best. Now I think there's something you ought to know..."


A/N: Story getting a bit darker and I'm sorry to disappoint all those people who just want romance, but I needed to give the story a frame to fit into. Ron's a bit of a naughty boy isn't he, is that working well? Cos it was just an idea, if people like that I can carry it on or we could forgive and forget – up to you. Which is why I need reviews! And could I possibly have more constructive criticisms this time (OK so something was bad, thank you for telling me, but how do you think I should make it better?!). So if you want to find out what Dumbledore is about to tell them all, review! :D