Hermione Granger and Ginny Weasley had become like sisters over the past few weeks at 12 Grimmauld Place. They did everything together, including helping the Order find information on the different creatures Voldemort was using and how to fight them. Since they were the only children living at Grimmauld and the fact that they were both teenage girls, they gravitated towards each other greatly. They took care of Hedwig together, and they shared their secrets with each other.
One night the two of them heard the familiar sound of a falcon's cry when they saw Regal perched on the top windowsill.
"Regal!" Hermione and Ginny both said with joy. Ginny loved it whenever Regal arrived because it was something that made her think of Sean, Hermione loved it because it meant that Harry was doing well and learning much. It had been nearly a month since Harry and Sean had left, and Regal's visits were very anticipated.
Lupin was kind enough to inform the Grangers and Weasleys about how Harry was doing. He was also becoming more and more confident about his relationship with Tonks, and was much more affectionate with her. The Grangers and Weasleys were becoming very close and had become great friends, the two of them almost wished that Hermione would give up on Harry and marry one of the Weasley boys so that they would become in-laws. Hermione and Ginny were especially very close, they would both do research to help the Order of the Phoenix and would afterwards often settle down on a couch in the living room to relax and talk.
They were doing so one day after a long session of research. The two of them were exhausted but were contented to stay up for a little while longer. Although she wanted to, Hermione had not told Ginny about her and Harry and what had happened in the few days before Harry had left with the Knight of St. George.
She knew that Ginny deserved to know, they were best friends, "and best friends don't keep secrets like this" Hermione had reasoned to herself. Running her fingers along the golden bracelet that decorated her left wrist, Hermione took a deep breath and began to speak. "Ginny?" Hermione began with nervousness in her voice, "there's something I need to tell you."
Ginny tensed slightly at this, she had noticed the nervous tone in Hermione's voice and was anticipating something bad. A myriad of possibilities raced through Ginny's mind as to what the confession would be, "maybe she's been using Regal to communicate with Harry," "maybe she's found something bad about Inferi or vampires," "or maybe…" Ginny stopped herself long enough to answer, "Okay, tell me."
"Well," Hermione began, not sure how exactly to get to the point. She decided on the direct approach, "At the Burrow before the wedding…Harry and I kissed."
She blurted out the last four words to this quite fast, wanting to get it out before she could stop herself. She looked at her best friend in an attempt to see her reaction. Ginny stared blankly at first, and then a smile came across her face.
"Oh wow, I am so happy for you!" Ginny squealed with enthusiasm.
"You mean, you aren't jealous, or angry?" Hermione questioned her friend in disbelief as to the lack of hostility she was feeling from her.
"Of course not" Ginny said, "I think that it's wonderful that the two of you finally acknowledged how you feel."
"What do you mean "finally"?" Hermione asked her friend sincerely not understanding what was meant by her use of words.
"Oh please" Ginny responded with a tone that suggested that she had just said something blatantly obvious. "Ever since my first year I knew that the two of you liked each other. I just wonder why the bloody hell it took you two so long to see it."
Realization dawned on Hermione that it probably had been obvious to observers. "I suppose," Hermione began trying to explain, "that we didn't realize because we were so young when we met. And we started out as friends, I guess it just took us a while to put two and two together and then act on it."
Ginny nodded in understanding before asking, "so how was it?"
The next thirty minutes were spent with Hermione recounting her experiences with Harry in the few days they had had together before he left with Sean. They laughed and giggled at Hermione's stories like a couple of little schoolgirls and they were enjoying every moment of it.
Ginny's expression changed to one of awe when Hermione told her about the bracelet and showed it to her; "that is so romantic" Ginny responded.
After Hermione talked about the morning Harry had left, she paused and noticed how Ginny's expression changed whenever Sean was mentioned. "Oh my gosh," Hermione thought to herself as she realized, "I think she's in love with him."
Hermione thought that it would be good for Ginny to express whatever her feelings were, she decided to start off slowly.
"So," Hermione said, "if you could do that dance at the wedding over again what would you do differently?"
"Well," Ginny began, "I probably would have said something different than 'does it hurt when you do the splits?' and 'why are you dressed like that?'"
"I know how you feel," Hermione said, "I wish I had had that fireplace talk with Harry back in fifth year." Ginny stopped and got a look on her face that Hermione could not place. "Ginny are you alright?" Hermione asked with a hint of concern in her voice.
Ginny paused before taking a deep breath and beginning to speak to her best friend.
"As long as we're confessing things," Ginny began with a monotone voice that conveyed her being nervous, "there is something I should tell you."
Hermione paused, she was expecting something about Sean, but what Ginny would say would surprise even Hermione.
"Do you remember that night when I insisted on going in with Sean to look to the horses?" Hermione nodded and Ginny continued, "well, something happened." Ginny then began to recount to Hermione what happened that night between her and the Knight.
It was still light outside when they came to the horses. They felt relaxed after the break they took when they had finished with the preparations for the wedding that would take place the next day. Sean gave the horses some water and began to stroke their manes. Ginny just stood back and pretended to be admiring the beautiful brown and black stallions, but was really gazing at the young man giving them water and admiring how tender he was around the animals.
Ginny had to say something; the silence was driving her mad.
"Are these your horses?" She blushed when Sean turned to face her as he gave his answer.
"The brown one is called Cuchulainn," Sean then faced the brown stallion and stroked its mane, "and he has been my companion and friend for many years now." Ginny breathed out an affectionate sigh before Sean continued. "And this one," he said pointing to the black one, "My friend and comrade Daniel Flanagan has graciously let me borrow, and his name is Collins. Named for the man who helped to lead our country to independence not too long ago."
The two of them did not speak for a while as Sean went back to tending to the animals and Ginny tried to help as much as she could, since she was admiring him so much.
"Ginerva?" Sean asked breaking Ginny out of her revelry.
"Yes" she asked after she snapped out of it.
"Would you please hand me those cans of oats over there?" Sean pointed to some cans that were full of oats for the horses, the horses were very good but had to be fed and watered at certain times to ensure their effectiveness.
Ginny picked up the cans and handed them to Sean, as Sean reached for them, their hands touched.
It was only for the briefest of moments, but both of them were completely taken for a time. Ginny was taking into effect that she had touched him; her mind was immediately taking in everything about that touch. It was taking in the hard and calloused feel of his hands, the warmth behind them, and the question of how he could be so gentle and tender with such strong hands.
For Sean, this was the first time he had ever touched a woman in any way but a handshake or formal greeting, other than his mother, that he didn't have to kill later, and his mind was going at one hundred miles an hour at the new sensation.
Sean came back to reality after a brief moment and thanked Ginny for her help. He then asked her if she knew how to brush a horse, when she said yes, he asked her to tend to the brown horse and he would clean the black one. Ginny did not fail to realize that Sean was having her clean his horse and wondered if there was something implied by that.
After a few minutes of brushing the horse, Ginny decided to try and engage in some small talk. "How old are you?" she asked Sean.
"Twenty-one" he said matter of factly and continued brushing his horse.
"Are you married?" Ginny had a hint of nervousness in her voice as she asked this question.
Sean paused and turned to look at Ginny. "I am a member of a monastic order" he said in a kind and patient voice, "and we practice celibacy."
Whatever hopes Ginny had began to crumble and fade away, she had met the man of every woman's dreams and he was untouchable.
"Why would you want to live your whole life without…" Ginny began and paused but said the last word in a hushed tone "love?"
Ginny turned her face down and looked at the ground, but then she felt a strong index finger lightly bring her up to face the man with whom she was becoming more and more infatuated with.
"In the Order" Sean began in a tender and calm voice, "we devote ourselves to an ideal that is higher than anything else we could hope for in this life…with the exception of marriage."
Ginny was slightly confused and not sure where he was going with this, but Sean continued.
"Most of the men join after they have been married. But some, like me, are brought in at a young age. Most of the time, we serve until we die. But very rarely, a Knight will be relieved of his oaths and be allowed to go into the world."
Ginny was a bit under whelmed to hear this, but at the same time she was hopeful that there was a chance that she could end up with the man she was falling in love with. She didn't care that Sean was five years older than she was, that was about the same age difference as Bill and Fleur, and she hoped that she could one day live happily ever after with her handsome Knight.
"Do you think you will ever be relieved of your oaths?" Ginny asked.
"If by some miracle I do," Sean said, "I intend to return to Ireland and live the kind of life God would have me live."
If Ginny was infatuated with him before, she was falling in love with him now. He was like something out of the storybooks her mum would read to her when she was a little girl. The only thing different was that Sean had short hair unlike the princes in the books that were shown with long hair.
In that moment, as she looked at her handsome knight, she knew that she would never meet a better man, and she wanted to spend the rest of her life with him and never look back.
"…And then mum called us in for dinner" Ginny finished telling the story to Hermione, who was now looking at Ginny with a look that simultaneously suggested happiness, awe, and concern.
"Do you love him?" Hermione asked her friend.
Ginny paused for a moment to think. "All I know is that before I knew about him being a knight and a vampire hunter I was quite fond of him. Then, after I danced with him and learned more about him…" Ginny started to stray off as a wistful look crossed her face but then reverted to one of almost despair.
"I am still so confused…" Ginny began before stopping.
"About Sean?" Hermione asked finishing Ginny's thought.
"Yes" Ginny said, having lost all desire to pretend anymore, she needed to get everything out, and she felt she could trust Hermione.
"I think I am in love with him, and that this is for real." Hermione knew why this was a big deal for Ginny, she had many inhibitions about falling for Sean and was nervous that she was in love with him for real, not like with all her previous flings at Hogwarts.
"But," Hermione started, "you are probably thinking about his age, and his profession, the fact that he's a Muggle?"
"I keep thinking about all that stuff," Ginny started, "but the more I think about all the reasons I shouldn't fall for him…the more ridiculous they seem. I just keep thinking about the dance, about how he's so handsome and cavalier, when he touched my hand under those trees, the fact that he doesn't wear shining armor…but that he's a real knight, and then I just want to run away with him to wherever he goes."
"You don't know what it's like to be in love with someone, and know the two of you can never be together."
Ginny was beginning to cry, Hermione knew that Ginny had to vent, so she didn't try to stop her, she merely moved next to her and wrapped an arm around her friend.
"Harry was never completely out of your league, it was just unlikely for a time."
"Wotcher Ginny," Tonks had appeared behind them and now had a hand on Ginny's shoulder comforting her, "the man I'm in love with is older, poor, dangerous, and devoted to a sacred Order as well."
They had a good laugh at this for a while before Tonks continued. "Do your parents know how you feel?"
"No," Ginny answered, "I wouldn't know how to start or how to tell them about it, or how to respond to what they might say, or…"
Tonks cut her off. "Sometimes talking can be like…well, magic, just starting is the hardest part, but then it can go on to exactly what it needs to be."
Tonks and Hermione helped Ginny realize that if she was going to confess her feelings for Sean to anyone, she had to do so to her mother.
Ginny eventually agreed, and then went looking for her mother. It was the early evening, and Mr. Weasley was still at work, the Ministry was working harder than ever after Voldemort's activities had increased. Ginny found her mum sewing some blankets, with all that was going on; Mrs. Weasley had found sewing to be relaxing therapy.
"Mum," Ginny began with a slight hint of nervousness in her voice.
"Hello little girl," Mrs. Weasley said affectionately, "Have you come to help your old mum with her knitting."
Ginny knew this was the time to start, but she chickened out, "sure, I'd love to help you with the sewing."
They talked and sewed for a while, they talked about how happy Bill had been when he had come to his first Order meeting after getting back from his honeymoon.
"He did look very happy, happier than I have ever seen him," Mrs. Weasley said. "Are you looking forward to returning to Hogwarts?" she asked her daughter.
"It will be strange going back this time," Ginny started, "with Dumbledore gone, and this battle that is coming up at the feast. But I am sure that if the best happens and we all survive, that this will be the best year ever."
"I am glad to hear you talking so optimistically," Mrs. Weasley said, "my brave little girl." Ginny looked over to see her mum beaming with tremendous pride, and her eyes were on the verge of tears.
"Mum, don't cry" Ginny said.
"I can't really help it," Mrs. Weasley said, "all my little children are so grown up…and so much has happened." Ginny remained quiet for a while and went back to knitting.
After a while, Ginny could no longer take the silence and decided it was time to confess.
"Mum, there is something that I wanted to talk to you about, or rather tell you."
"Oh," Mrs. Weasley said putting down her knitting supplies and getting ready to give parental advice to her youngest child and only daughter. "Go on Ginny."
Ginny took a deep breath, this was it, "I think I'm in love!" she blurted to her mum.
"Someone new?" her mum asked with sincere curiosity.
"Yes" Ginny answered, "but you have met him."
"It's Bill's friend Sean isn't it?" Mrs. Weasley said. Ginny didn't know how to respond to this or how her mum could have known.
"Am I that obvious?" Ginny answered trying to lighten the mood and have her and her mum talking in a friendly way because she was sure that the conversation was going to turn ugly.
"We saw you at the wedding" Mrs. Weasley said, "and it was obvious to anyone that you were very much in love with him." Ginny stopped and supposed that she hadn't masked her feelings at all. But now she wanted to vent her frustrations.
"The thing I hate about all this is that…I know that we can never be together" Ginny was starting to cry again. "He's too old, he's a Muggle and I'm a witch, he's a monk who travels the world fighting demons. I try to just accept it and move on, but then I think about how cavalier and wonderful he is, that he's a real knight, and I think about that dance, and when we touched hands feeding the horses."
Ginny was crying very hard at this point, and had moved over to where her mum was sitting and kneeled on the ground as she sobbed into her leg.
"There, there" Mrs. Weasley said as she held her crying daughter, "it took a lot of courage for you to confess this to anyone." Mrs. Weasley paused before continuing, "and you must not be so quick to abandon hope, if it is meant to be, love will find a way. Because love conquers all."
Ginny sniffed as she raised her head to look into her mother's face, "really?"
"Absolutely," Mrs. Weasley stated, "I remember with your father and I." Mrs. Weasley paused and a slight blush rose to her face.
"What?" Ginny started enthusiastically, "tell me more." Mrs. Weasley then began to tell Ginny about meeting her father and just knowing that he was the one. Ginny had only heard her mother talk about her and Arthur as being made for each other and eloping…she had never heard any kind of details.
"It was so strange at the time, I always thought that I would meet some kind of fairy tale knight in shining armor and he would sweep me off my feet. And then some wonderful normal wizard came and swept me off my feet without my even knowing it."
"That's so romantic," Ginny said to her mum with an almost far off dreamy tone. "So," she continued to her mum, "you're saying that I need to forget Sean because the fairy tale ending doesn't happen and I should look for a normal wizard."
Ginny was a little disappointed at this, she and every other girl dreamed of the Prince Charming ideal, and Ginny had actually met and fallen for a man who fit the bill.
"I didn't say that," Mrs. Weasley responded. "If you want to know what I think, I think it's wonderful that you have met a real life Prince Charming…a knight in shining armor, even though he doesn't literally have the armor. I believe that you should not give up hope, that one day love will find a way to bring you and that wonderful young man together."
Mrs. Weasley raised her daughter's head to look into her eyes, "and when it does, your father and I give you and your knight in shining armor our blessing."
"Oh thank you mum!" Ginny squealed with delight as she hugged her mum tightly.
Ginny looked at the time and then turned back to her mum, "I should be going to bed now, who knows what may happen tomorrow."
"Good night then darling" Mrs. Weasley said to her daughter.
"Thanks again for listening and helping mum."
"You can talk to me anytime, I'm your mum." Mrs. Weasley hugged her daughter and decided to end the night on a happy note. "Just remember that if you don't go after him I will." Ginny laughed and went off to bed.
Mrs. Weasley stayed awake for a little while longer waiting for her husband. He apparated into the living room about an hour later and kissed his wife hello. "You really didn't have to stay up waiting for me, I'm sure the others have all gone to bed."
"Arthur" Mrs. Weasley began with a serious tone, "our little girl opened up to me about something and I think we need to talk about it." Mrs. Weasley then told her husband what Ginny had told her and what she had said in response.
"You still remember what we said at the wedding?" Mr. Weasley asked his wife with a surprised tone.
"Of course I do, that's why I told her she would have our blessing…" Mrs. Weasley paused at this, she wondered if she should tell her husband all that she had told Ginny.
"You might as well tell me what you were on the verge of saying, because you know I will find out sooner or later," Mr. Weasley said to his wife.
Mrs. Weasley realized that she wasn't going to get out of this without admitting what she said to their daughter earlier. "I told our little girl that when love finds a way to bring her and her brave, handsome knight together that they will have our blessing."
Mr. Weasley contemplated what was said, it had been enough for him to grasp the concept of his daughter or his sons not surviving past the welcome feast of their next year at Hogwarts. Now, he was faced with the reality that his little girl was growing up and that he would one day have to give her away, now he understood what Jacques felt like at the wedding.
"We don't know if she will survive the battle that is coming" Mr. Weasley began with a somber tone. "And it could be bad to get her hopes for the future up only to be dashed," Mrs. Weasley interrupted him at this point.
"We support Nymphadora and her efforts with Remus, so why not our own daughter!"
Mr. Weasley, taken aback by the sudden venom in his wife's voice, sorted through his thoughts.
"I suppose the only thing to do is be supportive and hope that it all works out for the best."
"Yes dear," Mrs. Weasley answered her husband affectionately. With that, they went upstairs to their room and retired for the evening.