DO YOU KNOW ME

SUMMERSHINE

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.

HERMIONE

Harry, just talk to us!"

"Hermione, leave me alone!"

"Ron! Ron, help me out!'

Hermione Granger glanced quickly at Ron Weasley to find that he was gazing steadily in the other direction. He also appeared not to have heard a word Hermione had said. Heaving an angry sigh, Hermione turned quickly around to face Harry, only to find that he had disappeared up the steps and into his room. Lurching forward onto her feet, she marched over to where Ron was standing, glowering.

"Ronald Weasley! We need to get through to Harry before he loses himself in his self-pity! Do you know how difficult it will…?"

Her words were cut off by a slam of the portrait door. Ginny, looking incredibly surly, marched across the room and sank roughly into a squashy armchair, muttering viciously under her breath something that sounded a bit like: "Bastardly git, thinking I don't care, I'll show him when his precious wand disappears in the morning…"

Hermione interrupted her tirade with a quick clear of the throat. Ginny looked up, surprised. She seemed not to have noticed anyone. Hermione gazed at her, one eyebrow lifted archly, and Ginny turned crimson.

"Sorry… it's just… he makes me so mad!" She spat angrily.

"Who does?" Ron demanded, turning sharply towards her, his face laced with a scowl. Ginny scowled back.

"Michael Corner. Snogging the living daylights out of Cho right as I happen to pass by and then telling me I don't care anyway because I was the one that ditched him in the first place… It's not like I care that much, but he is so rude! And if you get up now and go to beat him up, Ron, your wand will be missing for quite a few days."

It seemed that she had actually been quite aware of the language she had been spouting when she came in.

"But… but he deserves death!"

"Ron," Hermione broke in warningly, but Ginny cut her off cheerfully. "Oh, I know, Ron. There's just one thing: I'm going to be the one to deliver it to him, not you."

Ron grumbled, but when it appeared Ginny was not going to give in, he sighed, and lay back with a bittersweet smile stretched across his face, probably anticipating Ginny's actions. Hermione glanced at him disconcertingly, but he gave no notice.

Finally, Hermione, tired with the stretching silence, broke it. "Ron, we need to get back onto the subject of Harry. We need to discuss what we're going to do with him!"

Ginny's ears seemed to almost perk up, and she stretched lazily, before standing. "Don't worry, Hermione. You want to get him out of his self-pity, right?"

Hermione nodded sharply, and turned to Ron quickly. "Ron, I think you should talk to him. You are his best friend, and… well…" she turned to Ginny for assistance, but Ginny was gone.

GINNY

Ginny grabbed the bit of elastic around her arm and yanked it off, quickly tying her hair in a ponytail as she meandered up the steps to the 6th year room. Her thoughts were whirling around inside her head, but they did not penetrate her calm demeanor. Instead, they finally landed on one particular event. One she had shared with Sirius.

"You have to know how to destroy the walls he's built up, Ginny. If you want to get to know him, he can't be guarding himself."

"And what the hell is that supposed to mean?" Sirius gave a dry laugh. "Surprise him. He won't know what hit him. He'll talk."

Ginny gave a hopeless sigh. "His walls are metal encased in a protective layer of steel," she muttered sourly.

Sirius grinned. "It always worked with James. Just do the thing he's least expecting. Or, do the thing he expects the most."

Reaching the door, she shoved it open roughly. Glancing around the room, she spotted Dean's West Ham pictures, Ron's Chudley Cannons posters, Neville's toad, and Seamus's… well; she guessed that it was his bed. The other bed, she knew, occupied a raven-haired boy who was probably currently sulking. Taking aim, she raised her wand, and in a clear, cold voice, called, "Diffindo!"

The curtains split, revealing a very shocked Harry, who was clutching his wand as he peered into the darkness.

Noticing her, he gave a moan, and turned around. Ginny wasn't having it, though.

"Do you know me, Potter?"

"Huh?"

Ginny stepped forward. "Botega!"

"Bloody hell! Protego!"

Ginny smirked, and inched foreword. "Very good Potter, you're learning. How are you feeling?"

Harry looked completely bemused. "Er… annoyed, actually, and quite surprised that one of my friends is shooting hexes at me."

"Oh? Densaugeo!"

Harry, caught unawares again, ducked this time, and eyed Ginny warily. She turned her back to him, and began to speak softly.

"Why are you pushing your friends away?"

"I'm not! I just don't want to talk to them!"

"Don't lie to me, Potter! Furnunculus!"

Harry dodged this curse, and turned very startled eyes to Ginny, who was smiling calmly.

"Incendio!" Ginny shouted, almost lazily, pointing at Harry's robes. They burst into flame, and Harry gasped, putting it out with the pillow on his bed. Ginny edged closer, gazing at him.

"Why are you pushing your friends away?"

"Because I don't want them to get hurt." Harry, wheezing, suddenly stood up. He hadn't meant for that to slip. He must have not been thinking while trying to stop the fire from destroying his robes.

"Reducto!" A piece of plaster flew down, landing on the ground right behind Harry. He cursed, and jumped to avoid it.

"Why don't you talk to them? Pushing them away won't work."

"To hell it won't! Bugger it, Ginny, leave me alone!"

"No! Rictusempra!" Harry, not being able to avoid this one, bent over, wheezing with laughter. Ginny strode over to him.

"Finite Incantatem. Talk to them. Do it. Now."

"Ginny," Harry gasped, rubbing his stomach, "I'm not going to, leave it!"

"Tarantallegra! Talk to them!" She watched Harry's feet do a frenzied Italian dance motion. He looked lost for words.

"Finite Incantatem. Go." Harry stood gaping at her. Finally, he pushed past her and down into the common room, creating a feeling of tension. Ginny stood after him, a thoughtful look on her face.

HARRY

"Ron. Hermione." Harry's voice was slow and unsure. Hermione looked up, surprise written on her face.

"Harry! We heard a commotion upstairs, is anything wrong?"

"Erm… nothing, really. I just got the shock of my life." Ginny's words floated back to him. "Do you know me?" "Guess not," he muttered quietly.

"Huh?" Hermione looked a bit bewildered. Sighing, Harry made his way over to her and Ron, who was watching Harry with a guarded expression. Harry understood. He had blown up at them countless times.

"Look, you guys…" This was going to be harder than Ginny had made it out to be. "Look, I'm sorry. I… I've been pushing you away."

Hermione nodded knowledgably, but offered no comment. Harry, not expecting this, plunged on, his eyes slightly closed. "The thing is… well, I wanted to protect you. I don't want you to get hurt. And… well, I'm sorry. I guess I shouldn't have done that."

Hermione smiled lightly. Ron stared above Harry's head, where a grinning Ginny stood on the stairwell, enfolded in darkness. He gave her a discreet smile, and then turned to Harry. Standing up, he made his way towards him, and gave him a manly, one-armed hug. "S'kay. Just next time, don't get my sister so mad at you that she has to deal with you. She gets nasty when she's angry, Ginny does."

Harry grinned. "Okay, Ron. I will be sure never to get her mad at me again."

Hermione sniffled, and wrapped her arms around him, her eyes tearing up. "Oh, Harry," were the only words out of her mouth. Ron grinned. Ginny quickly made her way to the girl's dorm, noticed only by Ron.

ALL

The next morning, the four made their way down to the Great Hall for breakfast, their stomachs grumbling. Ron looked down at his and patted it, muttering, "Don't worry, mate. Kippers soon!" Hermione rolled her eyes, but Harry and Ginny shared a smile over their heads, causing Harry to trip and plow into a nearby suit of armor. The three stared at him, and he blushed, quickly picking himself up. Ron grinned, Hermione hummed, and Ginny turned red.

As they walked into the spacious room, Michael Corner, accompanied by Cho, passed them. Stopping by Ginny, he stopped. "Ginny, I'm sorry you had to see that. But you shouldn't have been so affronted! We did break up, you know, and I'm going out with Cho now! I am allowed to kiss her!" But Ginny grinned, and pulled Harry to her, making him choke.

"It's okay Michael. Looks like we swapped boyfriends, didn't we?" Ginny said this bit particularly to Cho, who turned a furious cherry-red. Harry flushed, and Ginny whispered in his ear, "Just go along with it… pretend!"

Harry straightened up, put his arm around Ginny's shoulder, gave a smile, and pulled her away to the Gryffindor table. He felt Ron, Hermione, Michael, and Cho's gaze at the back of his head, but ignored it. Experiencing a fluttery feeling in his gut, he coughed. He didn't mind pretending much, he realized.

Ginny smirked. She rather liked this situation. And Michael had gotten his, hadn't he?

Ron, grinning broadly at Harry and Ginny, turned to smile at Hermione. She had a curious look on her face, but she smiled, and they walked away to the Gryffindor table.

A/N: It's my best yet, I think. :) I just might do a little sequel… Spells were found at MuggleNetdotcom. I didn't know what the Bat-Bogey Hex incantation was, so I made up the incantation Botega. Please review!