A/N: Okay, notes to reviewers…

Inny-hakky- I actually rather agree with you. I didn't like chapter 12 much either. I commented on my note at the end of the last chapter saying that the chapter had been written by my co-author, and I don't really like her work. It just doesn't suit this fic. Anyway, thanks for the review.

Spacehog26- I agree, it hasn't been moving quickly, but once you get to about chapter 17 or so, it finally starts to speed up. Sorry about that, I wrote most of this fic a while back and didn't have too much experience in fanfiction at the time (now I have tons) Also, sorry for any typos, like with the whole OWLS thing. Yes, I realize they're in NEWT classes right now, but as I said above, my co-author wrote this chapter, and I edited it as best I could, I just didn't notice that one. She had so many mistakes it's scary. But whatever. I'm glad you like the fic, though. Lol.

Mkay now that I finished that…hi! Okay, so um…not much to say other than LOST season 2 premiers tonight and you should all watch it. Okay then. Here's chapter 13.

Chapter 13

The next day, after a long day that included double-transfiguration—where they had to turn a picture frame into a pig—Harry was tired of hearing the different versions of what had happened yesterday in Defense Against the Dark Arts. Tonks had suddenly become the most popular professor and students couldn't wait to go to their class, hoping that something exciting would happen. There had also been many owls flying in from concerned parents, but no Howlers so far.

Harry sat down in his favorite cushy chair in the empty Gryffindor common room and began an essay. He was about half way into his essay when Ginny walked in.

"Hey Harry."

"Hey Gin."

"Whatcha doing?"

"Oh, you know the usual, working on homework."

"I was just wondering when you were going to schedule our Quidditch tryouts."

"Oh man!" Harry smacked his forehead. "With all that's been going on, I completely forgot to book the pitch and post an announcement. I'll do it right now." He put down his essay.

"No wait Harry. I'll do it. I don't have much homework tonight, and you look like you're drowning in yours."

"Really? Thanks, Gin."

Ginny stood up, gave Harry a quick peck on the cheek, and walked out through the portrait hole, leaving Harry blushing slightly.

Just then, Ron walked in.

"Hey mate, what are you—what's on your face?"

"My face?" Harry was completely bamboozled.

"Yeah. You got something pink on your cheek?"

Harry put a hand to his face. Ginny's lip gloss! "Oh…uh…it's uh…ink…."

"Harry, ink's black."

"Oh…yeah right."

There was an awkward silence.

"Is something going on with you and my sister?" Ron blurted out suddenly, clearly uncomfortable.

"Ah…well…." Harry and Ginny had planned to tell Ron together that they had…something.

Ron just stood there, staring at Harry as if he had never seen him before.

"Yes Ron, there is."

"What? H-how c-could you…I mean, I've told you…why-why would you…do that?"

"The same reason that you would go out with Hermione," Harry stated flatly.

"B-but…I mean, I-I don't want to date Hermione!" Ron said desperately. But this just caused Harry to give Ron an annoyed look that clearly said stop trying to deny the obvious. "Oh, well…okay. Fine. But if I were going out with Hermione, I wouldn't be putting Hermione in danger by dating her!" Ron began to shout.

A look of clear and complete fury, but yet sadness covered Harry's face instantly.

Harry spoke quietly now, slowly, "You think I haven't thought about that? You think I haven't been going completely insane over the fact that I'm falling for your sister? That I'm scared out of my wits about what could happen to her? That I can't sleep at night over this guilty feeling on my conscience, over the fact that I could be putting her in danger?" Harry's voice slowly escalated into a yell, "But no Ron, you didn't stop to think. You never have, and it looks like you never will!"

Harry stormed out of the dormitory, slamming the door behind him, only to find Hermione right in front of the door.

"Harry? What's going on?"

Harry ignored her and continued to storm off, out of the portrait hole, just in time to see Hermione enter the boy' dormitory to see what her best friends' newest feud was about.

Harry wasn't even looking where he was going, knocking down students as he blundered past, but he subconsciously knew that he was heading toward the Room of Requirement, so he kept going. When he got in the room, he looked around. There was a comfortable loveseat, and and a glass of butterbeer waiting for him. The walls were painted a serene blue, and Harry could feel himself calming down.

He sat down on the loveseat and punched the pillow, imagining that it was Ron's face. How could he? He's supposed to be my best friend. Harry sighed in frustration. Didn't Ron understand how deep his feelings were for Ginny, and how badly he wanted to protect her too?

Just moments later, Ginny walked in. Speak of the devil, Harry thought.

"Harry?" Ginny asked timidy.

Harry remained silent as Ginny approached him and sat down next to him on the loveseat.

"Harry…are you okay? I-I heard you and Ron yelling. So you told him?"

"He asked, and he got really mad, seeing as he's the stupid thoughtless git that he is."

Ginny remained silent for a moment and then spoke, "I'm sorry Harry. Ron will get over it, I know he will. Don't you remember your fourth year? He was miserable without you as his friend. It'll just take some adjusting."

Harry nodded, and Ginny pulled him into a hug.

"So," Harry began, "this is it, huh? We're…a…couple?"

"It would appear so."

Ginny looked at his face, seeing the sadness, but at the same time happiness, shining through his emerald eyes. She leaned in slightly and kissed him on the lips, Harry soon kissing her back. They broke apart moments later and rested their foreheads together.

They both sighed. "You know," Ginny began, "I could hear what Ron said. Its okay, Harry. I understand that it would cause me to be in danger. But I don't care. I mean, we're all in danger just being your friends anyway. I was at the Department of Mysteries…they know I'm your friend. So I still think that it's okay if we're more."

Harry merely nodded, tears glistening his eyes slightly. Ginny brushed them away with her thumb.

"I'll leave you to think," she said quietly. Ginny kissed him on the forehead and exited the room.

Harry made sure to wipe the lipgloss off his face this time before anyone else caught him.

He lied back down on the loveseat, just trying to collect his thoughts. Stupid prat, Ron. Does he understand anything? Harry sighed again. He couldn't really blame Ron that much for being protective of his little sister. But Harry was finally sure about one thing: his feelings for Ginny. He cared for her deeply, and wasn't about to let Ron take that away from him.

The minutes passed quickly and about a half-hour later Hermione entered the room.

"Harry?"

"Yeah?"

"Are you…okay?"

"I'm fine."

"Well you don't sound fine."

Harry didn't respond.

"Harry look, you've got to give Ron a little bit of a break here. I mean you literally just shocked him there, though I don't know how he hadn't noticed it yet. It was sort of obvious you know."

"Oh." Harry wasn't in the mood to talk anymore, so he let Hermione do most of the talking.

"Harry, you didn't let what Ron was saying get to you though did you? Because you and Ginny have seemed happy lately, and…and with all you're going through…you shouldn't have to give that up."

"Thanks Hermione." Harry hugged her, in a friendly sort of way. "Thanks for understanding."

"Well, I'll go now Harry. I just wanted to make sure that you were okay."

"See you later Hermione."

As Hermione opened the door, Harry called out, "Ron really does fancy you, ya know."

Hermione blushed, and closed the door.

About half an hour later, dinner was to begin, so Harry headed out of the Room of Requirement. He entered the Great Hall and sat next to Ginny and Hermione. All throughout dinner, Ron would shoot glances at Harry, but Harry chose to ignore it.

Later that night, Harry sat in the common room with Ginny, doing his homework. Ginny was finished with hers, and had begun to help him research all the elements of the Wolfsbane Potion for the essay he was writing. Other than Harry and Ginny, the common room was empty.

"Um, then you need…three grinds of moonstone, to be mixed in exactly seven minutes after adding the…rationed pig tail, ew that's gross," Ginny added.

Harry chuckled, "Thanks for helping me, by the way."

The pair stayed up for a few more hours and then decided to call it a night.

"Are you sure?" Ginny asked. "I mean, it's not quite finished."

"No, that's okay. I only have a few inches left. I'll finish at lunch."

Ginny nodded and they stood up.

"Er—goodnight," Harry spoke awkwardly.

"Goodnight."

They walked up to the staircase, kissed goodnight, and parted their separate ways.

When Harry entered his dormitory, he saw that Dean, Seamus, and Neville were asleep, but Ron lay awake on his bed, curtain not yet drawn.

Ron looked at Harry and sat up. He stared at him momentarily and opened his mouth, as though preparing to speak, but nothing came out. He closed his mouth again and sighed.

Harry decided to just ignore his meager attempts to speak, and got ready for bed. Once ready, he climbed into bed and drew his curtains to a close. Just as he began to drift off to sleep, he distinctly heard the words "I'm sorry, Harry," coming from Ron's bed. But Harry soon fell into a deep sleep, and the memory became a hazy dream.

A/N: Yeah, I know you love the last paragraph. Haha. Okay. Lol, sorry I love my last paragraph. ((shrug)) K, I gotta go do homework. Bye then.