Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.
The eight teenagers had been sitting around the campfire for about an hour. No one had really said anything. They were each looking into the campfire, contemplating their own lives. Ron's thoughts were running rapidly through his head.
Why did Dean bring up marriage? Does he really think that Mione and I are going to be married someday? Do I even want to be married to her? Of course I do! I've liked…no, loved her for as long as I can remember! Why wouldn't I want to marry her? But that's so far ahead. Is it bad to think of it now? Why am I even worrying about it? We have bigger things to worry about right now. We have to figure out what we're all doing for the rest of our lives! But isn't that what I want for the rest of my life? To be married and have children? More specifically, to be married to Mione? But who even says that I'm old enough to even consider marriage. These are crazy thoughts. I should worry about now. Right now I have Mione beside me, I have friends around me, and we're content in front of a roaring campfire. Well, I guess by now it's sorta dwindling…
Ron looked over at Hermione and gave her a half-smile, hoping that she wouldn't see the confusion running through his mind. He did not want to let her know that anything was bothering him. Especially something that Dean said. Dean was just joking around, right? Bluffing? Trying to press his buttons? Bloody hell, now something that Dean said has me going crazy…Ron thought, annoyed. He decided to shrug it off for the moment and enjoy the evening. Then he heard exactly what he did not want to hear.
"Ron, Ginny! We're home!" Ron heard Mrs. Weasley call from inside of the house.
"Bloody hell! We've gotta get this cleaned up, and quick!" Ron said, getting up quickly. In the process he jostled Hermione, who had been falling asleep on his shoulder.
"Ron, what are you doing?" she asked sleepily, squinting her eyes.
"My parents are home. They'll go crazy if they see everyone here!" exclaimed Ron.
"Mate, relax. We invited everyone because we figured they wouldn't care, remember?" said Harry calmly. He also sounded like he had been dozing off.
"We're not supposed to be here?" asked Neville nervously. He stood up and looked around quickly. Ron didn't know if he was looking for Mrs. Weasley or for an escape route.
"No, Neville. You're fine where you are. My parents won't care," said Ginny. She waved her hand at Neville, motioning for him to sit back down.
Seamus looked at his watch. "It's about time for me to go anyway. My mum'll be furious if I'm late for curfew again, and if I don't leave soon, I'll fall asleep right here." With that Seamus disapparated with a pop.
"I should be going, too. Thanks for a great night you guys!" said Dean as he, too, disapparated.
"Maybe we should go too, Luna," said Neville, taking her hand. Luna's eyes were barely opened, and she just nodded. She must also have been sleeping, Ron thought. They disapparated quietly, just as Ron saw Mrs. Weasley leave the house and walk toward the campfire.
"Well, isn't this an adorable sight? Everyone snuggled up by the campfire, practically asleep. You should all be in bed, so off you go. I'll take care of the fire, you just head right on upstairs," said Mrs. Weasley, shooing Hermione, Ron, Ginny, and Harry into the house while putting out the fire with water from her wand. There was no arguing. They were all extremely sleepy. Except Ron.
Am I the only one who is still wide awake? He thought. Maybe I'm just over-reacting about all this. Sleep will do me good. Ron left Hermione at Ginny's door and went onto his own. He stripped down to his boxers and got into bed. Rather than lying awake all night like he thought he would, Ron fell fast asleep within a minute of his head hitting the pillow. He slept soundly through the night, dreaming of the future.
The next morning Ron woke up to hear pots and pans banging in the kitchen. Mmmm…breakfast! He raced down the stairs to find that he was the last one up. He sat down and started to shovel food into his mouth, despite the look he got from Hermione.
"What?" he asked innocently. Hermione just shook her head and went back to her own food.
"I can't believe that I only have one week until I have to go back to Hogwarts," whined Ginny.
"Oh, Ginny. I'm sure that you and Harry will be fine, and I'm sure that he'll be able to visit you," said Mrs. Weasley.
"Mum, that's not why I'm whining about going back," Ginny protested.
"Sure it is. Now eat your breakfast," replied Mrs. Weasley. Ginny blushed and glanced at Harry, who did likewise.
Ron, on the other hand, did not mind Ginny's return to Hogwarts. No more Ginny meant one less person for him to compete with for Hermione's attention. This feeling left as soon as it came, though, and was replaced by guilt. Hermione was already his girlfriend; he shouldn't feel like he had to compete.
The days until Ginny's departure seemed to creep by for Ron. He couldn't wait to have just the three of them together again. Although it was a nasty thought, and Ron knew it, he also felt that he deserved some time with Harry and Hermione…especially with Hermione. They had been best friends since first year, and Ginny just seemed to somewhat creep into their relationship in the past couple of years. Although, if Ron had thought about it even harder, he would see that all their relationships were changing and evolving. Ron no longer saw he, Harry, and Hermione was siblings. Hermione was now his girlfriend, although Harry was still like a brother. At the same time, Harry was his sister's boyfriend, giving them a different sort of relationship. And Ginny, who had already been a great friend of Ron's and his closest sibling before Hogwarts, was again not only a sibling, but one of Ron's best friends, although he didn't always treat her that way. Of course, Ron did not see past the he and Hermione part, since that was what he was concentrating on at that time.
"Earth to Ron!" Ron shook himself and finally noticed Hermione's hand waving in front of his face. "What do you want to do today?"
"Umm….I don't care," replied Ron, feeling somewhat confused after being so deep in thought.
"Do you want to go and get your nails done with me?" asked Hermione, taking advantage of Ron's confused state.
"Yah, sure…NO!" exclaimed Ron after figuring out what she said. Hermione, Harry, and Ginny all tried to hide snickers behind their hands. The girls were pretty good at it, but Harry couldn't hold it in. He doubled over, laughing so hard that no sound came out. "Get off it!" shouted Ron, and when Harry didn't stop Ron lunged for him. Harry may have been laughing, but his reflexes were quick and he rolled out of the way just as Ron hit the ground. Ron recovered quickly and lunged for Harry again, and this time he got him. Unfortunately, Harry had rolled next to the top of a hill and when Ron lunged for Harry this time they both started to roll down the hill.
The girls looked at each other and smiled. Then they both dove for the hill and started to roll down themselves, laughing the entire way down. By the time the girls were halfway down the boys had gotten up and brushed themselves off. They were waiting for the girls when they got to the bottom.
"Ginny, I think we're in trouble," said Hermione as she stopped rolling to see Ron and Harry smiling over them.
"I think you're right," agreed Ginny as Harry picked her up and threw her in the swimming pond.
"Ronald Weasley, don't you lay a hand on me or I'll…I'll," sputtered Hermione.
"Or you'll what?" replied Ron, giving Hermione a lopsided grin.
"I'll hex you!" cried Hermione.
"Good comeback," replied Ron as he picked Hermione up and threw her into the pond with a splash.
Once Hermione was in the water Ron took off his shoes, socks, and shirt and jumped in the water himself.
"You coming, Harry?" asked Ron as he surfaced and brushed his hair back out of his eyes.
"I don't know, mate. These are my good shorts," replied Harry.
"You gonna let him get away with that?" whispered a voice into his ear. Ron turned toward the voice to see Hermione grinning at him. All of the thoughts that were running through his head earlier left him, and he decided that things were just fine as they were. He wasn't going to try to overanalyze his friendships and relationships anymore. Ron brushed her hand under the water.
"Of course not," he whispered. "Whatever, Harry. You're missing out!" shouted Ron. Hermione gave him an odd look.
"Just trust me," Ron whispered. "And go get Ginny." Hermione squeezed Ron's hand under the water and swam to Ginny. When Ginny started to swim over to Ron Harry got an odd look on his face. Once Ron, Hermione, and Ginny started to confer together Harry started to look somewhat afraid.
When the three broke apart, Ginny started to get out of the water and walk toward Harry. Harry started to back away, smiling but looking frightened of what she was going to do.
"Harry, what are you doing?" asked Ginny, walking slowly toward him. "I just want to sit with you." Harry relaxed somewhat at this and sat down. Instead of sitting down, Ginny fell on Harry and gave him a big hug with all her wet clothing on, making sure to push her body against his to get him as wet as he could.
Ron gritted his teeth. I don't like this, thought the overprotective brother, but it's for a greater good.
Once Ginny stopped rubbing her clothing on Harry and sat next to him, Harry completely relaxed thinking that the danger was over.
"Whew, it's hot out there," said Ginny loudly. "Don't you think so, Harry?"
"Yah, I guess it is," replied Harry.
"Why don't we sit nearer to the water so we can put our feet in?" suggested Ginny.
Harry gave her an odd look then said, "Okay…" The two got up and found a spot to sit by the deeper part of the pond so they could put their feet in without having to worry about sitting in water.
Once Harry had his feet in the water Ron and Hermione disappeared under the water. "What's going on?" asked Harry, suddenly wary of what the others were doing.
Suddenly Harry felt a tug at his ankles, and before he could look down to see what was happening, Ron and Hermione had tugged him under the water.
When Harry surfaced he shouted, "I'm going to get you for this!" But the others had started running toward the house by this time. It didn't really matter; Harry was smiling anyway.
A/N: I'm so sorry for the delay! I started school in September, and since then things have been crazy! I'm no longer going to try to write stories while I'm at school, because all fanfiction activity seems to stop then. Especially next semester when I'm in teacher book camp! This story will hopefully be done in a chapter or two, and I know the last couple chapters have not been the best. I am getting ideas for a new story, though, and am going to type it up before posting anything to make sure that this big gap doesn't happen again. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!