Disclaimer: No matter what the voices in my head might try to say to me, I can claim absolutely no rights to the Potterverse. Only the lovely and talented Ms Rowling, her agents, publishers and film companies can do that. Pity, that.

Ginny's letters from the first half of the summer had done so much to bring Harry back from the brink of the abyss he'd been teetering over. The young wizard just didn't have the words to tell her how much she'd done for him, what she meant to him, what he owed her. When he'd arrived at the Burrow the day before his birthday, he'd wanted so much to tell her, but words had failed him. The most he'd managed to muster was a weak thanks, the morning after his birthday party. She'd nodded her welcome and flashed him a brilliant smile, before pulling him into a hug and giving him a kiss on the cheek, before disappearing up the stairs to her room. He'd stood there a moment, a stunned bunny look on his face, before his hand went to where her lips had touched him. A moment later, he'd shaken off the daze, looking quickly around to make sure no one had seen. As far as he could tell, no one had.

Unbeknownst to him, that wasn't quite accurate.

Contemplations

The youngest Weasley male had seen what had happened, and witnessed the look that had come over his best friend's face. Contrary to what the residents of Gryffindor Tower might suspect, Ron wasn't incensed, enraged, or even angry at this turn of events.

In fact, the best word to describe his state of mind at this point would have to be elated. This was the reason he and the Twins had spent a good portion of the past two years threatening and hexing nearly every boy in Hogwarts that even looked at their sister. They'd decided a while back that Harry would be the only one who would ever be good enough for her. After all, he was nearly the only male in the castle that had never teased her over the Valentine that had been sent to him back in second year, and he'd been the one with a disgruntled dwarf sitting on his legs, having to hear the whole thing. He'd always been nice to her, no matter how much she'd embarrassed him. He'd also saved her life in the Chamber that same year, and stopped Bellatrix LeStrange from casting the Cruciatus on her, in the Department of Mysteries. The two of them shared a connection that Ron wasn't even sure Harry was aware of, both of them having all too intimate knowledge of Voldemort. Too, there was the fact that Ginny was the only one not afraid to back down from Harry's temper, being very volatile in her own right. There had been quite a few times during the last school year when she'd dragged him off his high horse, letting him know just how much of a prat he was being. Strangely enough, he'd taken it from her, where he likely would've hexed anyone else who'd said the same things too him. Also, from comments Sirius had made during the time they were all at Grimmauld Place, Potter males usually fell for red headed witches. His father, grandfather, and great-grandfather had all married women with vividly red hair. Put simply, it was inevitable.

The only time Ron had wavered from the plan was during the beginning of the Tri-Wizard Tournament, back in fourth year. For a short time, his jealousy had gotten the better of him. Thankfully, he'd finally gotten past that particular emotion. Any envy or jealousy he'd held onto, due to Harry's money, fame, or any of the other supposed advantages Ron had perceived Harry held, had died a painful death after the abortive trip to the Ministry of Magic. Seeing Harry lose one of the last links to his parents had really brought it home to his friend. That was when he finally believed what Harry had said along, that he'd trade all the gold in his vault, just to have a family like Ron's. That was the moment when he decided that do everything he could to be the kind of friend Harry deserved, the kind of friend Harry had been all along. Part of that decision was his determination that, one way or another, Harry and Ginny would be together. They were good for each other, and would be good together. They just needed each other.

Harry still had a slightly stunned look on his face when he entered Ron's room a few minutes later. Ron was trying to conceal the slightly smug look that wanted to decorate his face, and managed to look fairly casual. He couldn't wait to tell Hermione about that look when he saw her the next morning. Getting Harry together with Ginny was one of the few things they always agreed on, especially after he and Mione had gotten together. He knew she'd be as happy as he was over this turn of events.

As it happened, Ron needn't have worried about concealing anything at the moment, as Harry was more than a bit pre-occupied. His mind was a whirl of conflicting emotions, not the least of which was, "Nimue's nipples! When did she get all those curves? When did she get so pretty?"

"Hello, idiot! She's been pretty all along! It's just taken you this long to figure it out. Bloody thick, aren't you?"

"Sod off, you!"

"Just telling the truth. I mean really, she's liked you forever."

"Yeah well, not anymore. She gave up, remember?"

"Whatever. Cute little bum she's got, isn't it?"

"Yeah. Now, shut it!"

Ron chose this moment to break into his thoughts.

"So Harry, that was quite the hug you two just had, eh?"

"Erm, yeah." He shrugged. "I just thanked her for the letters she sent over the summer. They really helped a lot."

"So...did you see where our Hogwarts letters said there'd be a ball this year?"

"Yeah, I did." Rolling his eyes, he commented, "Just what we need, huh?"

"Oh, I dunno. I already know who I'm going to ask. Takes loads of pressure off, having a girlfriend. Know who you're going to ask?"

"Hadn't given it much thought, really. Dunno if I'm even going. Why?"

"No reason. Just please tell me it won't be Cho this year?"

Harry laughed at the pleading tone in his best mate's voice. "I think I can guarantee that." He looked thoughtful as he continued. "Like I said, I don't know if I'll even go. It was hard enough getting a date for the last one. In case you hadn't noticed, my dating history isn't exactly stellar. Both dates I've had so far were about as close to an unmitigated disaster as you can get without actual bloodshed. I ignored Parvati at the Yule Ball after the first dance, and I don't even want to think about Valentine's Day with Cho." Just the thought of it was enough to make him shudder. "To be honest, Madame Puddifoot's is still the locale for some of my more normal nightmares."

At this, Ron laughed, until Harry continued with, "I just hope Hermione doesn't decide she wants to go in there, just to see what all the fuss is about."

Ron's eyes went wide, his jaw dropped, and the color drained from his face at a spectacular rate.

"No mate. You don't think...she wouldn't...oh Merlin." The last came out in a very quiet voice, quite different from his normal delivery. It was all Harry could do, to keep from laughing outright.

The rest of the evening was spent in devising ways to ensure that a certain bushy-haired brilliant young witch never got the urge to check that particular tea shop out.

This had distracted Ron for the rest of that night, but he had spent much of the intervening time dropping hints that Harry should ask Ginny out. Of course, Ron being Ron, his hints were almost as subtle as a flaming, neon pink, bludger, the size of a lorry. Almost. Harry was convinced that she no longer had any interest in him, aside from as a friend. Harry did his best to ignore these helpful hints, no matter what Ron tried to tell him.

It wasn't that the ebon-haired wizard wasn't interested. Far from it. From the moment of that innocent kiss at the Burrow, he was extremely aware of Ginny, and of the effect that just her very presence had on him. He didn't want to think of the number of times he'd almost flown his Firebolt straight into the ground when she was in sight. The worst was the day he'd been in the middle of a Wronski Feint, just ten feet from the ground, and saw her emerge from the pond, wearing a very small bright green two piece swimsuit. At seeing this, he was surprised that his short-circuited brain had allowed him to avoid crashing. It had been a near thing, though. As it was, he bounced off the ground, still on his broom. This was almost as painful as a full-out crash, but at least he stayed airborne. Ron had asked him if he was trying a new Wronski variant, smirking all the while. Harry had replied with an extremely rude gesture, and an anatomically impossible suggestion. Hermione had yelled at him, but she'd been smirking at him as well. Harry was just grateful that Ginny had noticed none of it.

One of the major benefits of having resumed Occlumency training upon their return to school for the next term had been the fact that, no matter what effect she had on him, he was now able to conceal it. That was possibly the only thing preventing him from turning into a gibbering idiot every time he was around her. If not for that, it just wouldn't have been a pretty picture. Not at all.

The fact that Ron had sussed out Harry's feelings for Ginny didn't help matters either, not at all. At every opportunity that presented itself, Ron started in on him, telling him he needed to ask her out. Harry continued to point out that, according to Hermione, Ginny had given up on him, as evidenced by the boys she'd dated. Ron still persisted in insisting that nobody knew his sister like he did, and that she still fancied Harry. This circular argument had endured all through the rest of summer hols, and had gone through the three and a half months since the fall term had started, showing no signs of letting up in the near future. Frankly, the distant future didn't look to hold much promise either.

This was where things stood as the sixteen year old made his way to Mrs Pince's domain. At the start of term, Dumbledore had given Harry and Hermione each a blanket authorization to peruse the Restricted Section of the library, and both frequently took advantage of it. This way, it would be much easier to find things for the DA, as well as looking into ways of beating Voldemort, hopefully soon. That's how they had come across the tomes on the animagus transformation, wandless magic, blood magic, and even more arcane topics. All had been useful in one way or another. Just one example was the protections that had been devised for Hermione's parents. With all the attacks on muggle-born witches and wizards and their families, she had nearly been driven to distraction with worry, especially as she was known to be very outspoken in her support of the Light. The fact that she was the first known witch from her family, along with the fact that she was the brightest witch of her year, made it almost a certainty that the Grangers would be targeted at some point. Between Harry and Hermione, they had come up with a combination of blood magic, a modified Fidelius charm, and some wards of their own devising, that would keep them safe for as long as would be needed, without disrupting their lives. In the end, the combined forces of Alastor Moody, Albus Dumbledore, Minerva McGonagall, and Filius Flitwick, some of the most accomplished users alive, had been unable to locate them, even knowing in advance the general area where the couple should be. A week later, none of them even remembered making the attempt. Given the knowledge, power, and abilities of this august group, this was enough security to give even Hermione peace of mind.

Harry looked up a few things, taking notes as he went. Though the notes were extremely detailed and thorough, his mind wasn't even close to being on spells or hexes. Rather, it was on a certain red-headed young witch, who should even now be on her way into the shower in the infirmary. He was picturing how peaceful she'd looked as she'd slept that morning. That was a much safer mental image than the other one that was trying to make it's way into his head, one involving the aforementioned shower. Thoughts of her in the hospital wing led to the reason she was there.

When he had seen her collapse in the middle of the dementors the night before, he had nearly come undone. It was a very good thing that most of the DA had been present, as his patronus had left the other dementors alone, going straight for the quintet surrounding Ginny.

The strange part had happened as it had reached that particular group of the foul creatures. In his fear at losing Ginny to them, feeling his love for her as something basic, fundamental and raw, Prongs had nearly doubled in size, taking on a gold tinge, and appearing to be almost solid. When he reached the dementors, he didn't just push them back, as would usually happen. Rather, he lowered his head and charged at them, hooking them on his antlers, seeming to gore them. As he did so, they let out a scream, a sound that nobody in living memory had ever heard from them. Accompanying the screams were tearing and rending sounds, along with a noxious odor. When he'd charged through all five of them, he rapidly made his way through those dementors that hadn't scattered at hearing the screams from their fellows. Within a matter of seconds, he stood next to Ginny again, standing guard until Harry could make his way to her. Gently, Harry had gathered Ginny in his arms, and triggered the portkey he wore, and was transported to the infirmary.

Ron and Hermione had stayed at his side, waiting to make sure that Ginny would be alright, only leaving once Molly Weasley had arrived. After checking on the condition of her only daughter, she'd engulfed Ron, Hermione, and Harry in one of her famous hugs, checking on them as well. Of course, all three had to restrain the urge to check their ribs after she was done, but all had practice in this. Molly was always a very exuberant woman when it came to the affection she showed to those she loves, and this occasion was no exception. The Headmaster had done all he could to assure her of Ginny's condition, but she had to see for herself. After all, a mother just knows. Once she was secure in this knowledge, she'd thanked Harry profusely for saving her baby girl's life, once more. By the time she'd finished singing his praises, Harry had worn a blush worthy of any Weasley. Hermione was beaming with pride for the young man she'd always considered to be a brother to her, and Ron was sniggering softly into his hand at the red hues on his best mate's complexion. He knew that this was one of the few people he couldn't turn down praise from, as she simply wouldn't stand for it.

An hour after she'd arrived, she realized that it was getting close to time for breakfast. She'd chivvied Ron and Hermione up to the dorms for their showers, and to go change clothes, as they still wore what they had after the attack. She said that she'd meet them in the Great Hall for breakfast in a bit, once they'd made themselves presentable again. She'd tried the same with Harry, but he'd managed to beg off, promising to go with Ginny down to the kitchens as soon as she awoke.

"Molly, we'll see you in a while, yeah? You'll be around later?"

She'd nodded and replied, "Of course I will. With Arthur at work, the Twins at their shop, and all the jumpers for the holidays finished, there's nothing much to do at home right now. I think I'll spend a nice day here with all of you. We'd better see you both in the common room later." Before he could respond, he was once again wrapped in her arms. "Thanks again, Harry. I just don't know what we'd have done if..." As her voice trailed off, all he could do was nod in response.

As the Weasley matriarch walked out of the infirmary, she heard a very quiet "Me either, mum." As happy as she was to hear him refer to her that way, she was even more intrigued to hear the emotion in that whispered statement. Hopefully, it meant what she thought it might. She filed it away for further contemplation. She'd have to see what Ron had to say about this. Happily, she went on her way down to the Great Hall, leaving Harry to wait for Ginny to wake.

Making his way back from the infirmary from the library, Harry was too busy mulling everything over, and not paying sufficient attention to everything around him. It took him by surprise then, when an arm snaked out from a doorway, pulling him into an empty classroom.

A/N: Just a few quick things here. For those that have asked, LCaS will be completed. Really and for true. Unfortunately, I didn't do the same that I did with this one, and write out the whole story before even thinking about typing it up. This story is actually completely written (save final edits & expansions on a few things), and should, hopefully, be typed up and submitted in good time. In the notebook, it totals about a hundred pages, though the total word count will be more once it's typed up. There will be quite a bit of fluff coming, and a surprise or two. I do have two chapters that I'm working on for LCaS, as well as one that I'm finishing for mine and my lovely wife's jointly written story, so I hope to have them ready to post fairly soon. The next one for this story should be posted later today, as long as RL doesn't intrude too much. I'm glad everybody seems to be enjoying this one so far. Please let me know what you think.