Ch 25 Night Harry

A/N: Don't ask about the delay… all I have to say is "Finals"

"Get over it, mate" Ron tried to console Harry at breakfast the next morning.

"Yea, at least you don't have a broken arm" Ginny said.

"Or neck" Ron added bluntly.

Harry couldn't help but smile at his friend's lack of tact and his morning got better from there. His classes went well, even Snap's was bearable, something that happened very rarely.

At lunch, Professor Dumbledore summoned Harry to his office. He came, naturally, accompanied by Ginny, Ron and Hermione.

"I see you've brought a few associates to this meeting" Dumbledore observed as the 4 walked through his office door "Did the note I sent not say 'private meeting'?"

"To me private means only the four of us" Harry declared, matching Dumbledore's tones of light amusement.

"What's up, professor?" Hermione asked, taking first of four chairs that Dumbledore created with a single swish of his wand.

"As all of you but Harry know, this castle now has several layers of defense, should there ever be an attack upon it's grounds." Dumbledore started.

"Professor…" Ginny piped up "I actually already told Harry most of this. In fact, I've shown him most of the defenses personally."

Hermione giggled but, fortunately for Harry, Ron didn't understand the conclusion Hermione was drawing. Hermione knew about his overnight stay with Ginny and didn't know that they hadn't done anything… ill-disciplined. Ron hopped that Hermione wouldn't tell Ron because Ron's overactive imagination was sure to draw many false conclusions.

"I see" the headmaster said, obviously drawing the situation from the faces of the students before him "Then let's go into the details. I'm sure Harry was slightly... preoccupied that night"

"Or day" Harry added hurriedly.

"Indeed" The headmaster agreed "Shall we proceed?" He asked indicating the door and gesturing for his guests to proceed.

They were on the front lawns when the headmaster finally stopped to talk.

"Here is our first layer of defense…"

--

"I'm exhausted" Ron declared, flopping onto a couch in the common room.

"Me too" Hermione agreed, flopping next to him and putting her head on his shoulder.

"You know he's tired when he won't bother getting up and going to supper" Ginny said to Harry, as she sat on a chair next too the couch he was laying on.

"You look sad, Harry" She noted. Upon looking, she found Ron and Hermione to be kissing, off in their own little world.

"I kinda am" Harry admitted "It depresses me, thinking that Hogwarts might be attacked."

"You need to cheer up" Ginny said.

"I will eventu…" Harry started to say "Hey!" he protested after Ginny unceremoniously jumped onto him, landing in his lap, causing him to sit up.

"You'll pay for this" He told her, getting out his wand.

"Going to jinx me?" She asked, wearing a cheeky smile.

"Nope" Harry said, raising the wand. Ginny scrambled from the couch trying to hide behind Ron's head.

Harry sent a tickling charm at her, missing but hitting Ron square in the chest. He removed it, apologizing

"That's it Harry!" Ron declared drawing his own wand and shooting a laughing charm at Harry. Harry blocked the charm easily but failed to defend against Hermione's ear-tap-dance jinx that had just missed Ginny.

"Lucky everyone is at dinner, or we would have civilian casualties." Ginny pointed out, blocking Ron's attempt to transfigure her ears into tea cups and sending a laughing spell at him.

"I disapprove!" Hermione tried to convince herself, all the while dueling with Ron.

A scream, followed by laughter, echoed from the portrait hole as a tickling charm ricocheted off of Harry's shield charm and hit professor McGonagall square in the chest.

"What is the meaning of this!?" She demanded between bouts of laughter.

"Finite Incantasium!" Hermione exclaimed quickly.

"What are you four doing?" McGonagall demanded, getting up.

"Homework?" Ron tried. After a 2 second pause the whole room burst out laughing. The professor tried to keep a straight face but failed and joined the rest of the room in their mirth.

When she managed to get herself under control professor McGonagall scolded the four but let them off without punishment.

"That was interesting" Ginny said, too the three now comfortably sitting around a table, ignoring the increasing number of students around them.

"What a great end to a great day. I'm off to bed, night all." Harry said, before kissing Ginny goodnight.

"Night Harry" Ginny said.

A/N: Like I said before, Finals. Even now, I'm just on a break from studying. Oh well, can't complain. Keep reading and keep reviewing. See ya later.