Thanks for the reviews for the last chapter. I actually realise now (despite vigorous reading through to check for mistakes) that nothing really happened, I'm going to try and make my first chapters a bit more interesting in the future. This one's a bit more eventful, but it all explodes in chapter 3.
Chapter Two - Stench
"Ron it stinks in here!" Hermione gasped, as they entered Ron's bedroom.
"Does it?" he sniffed deeply, and shrugged, "I must have gotten used to it, I don't smell anything."
"He claims," Ginny said, through the sleeve she was using to cover her nose, "That Fred and George let off something experimental in here last time they were home. I have other theories."
Harry smirked underneath his own sleeve, glad Fred and George had chosen Ron's room, rather than their own, where he was staying, to test their latest stink bomb.
Hermione looked around, "Ron…is it not time you, well…" she looked for a tactful way to say it, found none and so said out right, "Replaced the Chudley Cannons wallpaper with something slightly more mature?"
Ron looked shocked, Ginny stifled a giggle, Harry, aware of his friends over sensitive feelings on his choice of décor, stepped in quickly.
"Who's up for a game of quidditch?" he said, forcing a smile.
Three days had passed since their first lazy summer day. More reports of deaths came daily and at night Harry barely slept as he tried to accept the chaos Voldemort was hurling at the world. But during the day, in the blazing sun and the tranquillity of the Weasley's garden, it was easy to forget. Summer did funny things to your head.
"Me!" Ginny beamed, although she was unsure if it was because she wanted to avoid another of Ron and Hermione's less than friendly fights, or because Harry looked at his best on a broomstick.
As Harry and Ginny left, Ron looked around, "The wallpaper isn't that bad is it?"
Hermione looked at the glaring orange walls, "I suppose not," she lied.
Ron smiled, from underneath her sleeve, Hermione did too.
Later that night, Arthur returned home. It was the first time since Harry's very first night he'd actually seen Mr Weasley, he'd always returned too late from work. Now, he was carrying a box.
"Arthur!" Molly beamed as he entered. Black rims circled Mr Weasley's eyes, and he sank gratefully into a chair.
"Early home today." he gave a tired smile, "I mean…home early today. Yes, I'm home early. I might get called out later again but I think even the Minister will allow me a little break."
Harry raised his eyebrows, Mr Weasley must really be exhausted if he'd been willing to tear himself away from the Ministry.
"I brought these." Arthur patted the box on the table in front of them, "It's muggle music. Thought you might like it particularly Harry. At first the department thought it was some kind of dark magic and confiscated it. But," even in his state of exhaustion he managed to puff out his chest in pride, "Using my considerable knowledge of muggle artefacts, I managed to identify these as muggle music devices. They call them "CD's" in the muggle world. And this," he pulled a portable discman out of the box, "is used to transmit the music, it's called a "CD player". Isn't that right, Harry?"
"Er, yes." said Harry, surprised that Mr Weasley had got the names of the objects right.
"I may go now. To bed." Mr Weasley said, and disappeared up the stairs, still wearing his coat and shoes.
Ron peered inside the box suspiciously. "What do these do then, Harry?" he asked.
"It's music." Harry replied, ever amused by Ron's ignorance when it came to the muggle world, "See you put the CD in here," he took a CD out of its case and put it into the (relatively old looking) CD player. "Put the headphones on." he handed the said headphones to Ron, who simply looked at them.
"Like this." Hermione sighed, taking them from them and placing them over his head. Ginny watched, curiously.
"Then you press play." Harry pressed the 'play' button, and watched Ron jump as music suddenly started playing.
"I didn't know muggles could make things like this!" he said, picking up the CD player and peering at it from all angles.
Later still that night, Harry and Ron had decided to take a last fly around the garden on their broomsticks. From Ginny's bedroom window, she and Hermione watched them. Ron seemed slightly…drunk, although he swore he hadn't had a thing to drink. He was still listening to the music and singing along loudly. Harry simply watched Ron, whereas the Weasley somersaulted and flew figures of eight around the garden, Harry flew in a straight circle. He seemed quiet, thoughtful, he laughed a lot less now, Ginny noticed, but then who could blame him?
"God, he's an awful singer." Hermione murmured, making Ginny start, she'd forgotten her friend leant against the window sill beside her. Ginny glanced at her, and was surprised to find the same look in her best friends eyes as she had seen often enough in the eyes of other infatuated friends.
"You better not be thinking what I think you're thinking about because if you ARE thinking what I think you're thinking about then, well…" she looked back out at the noisy garden, "I don't know what you see in him."
Hermione gave her a sideways glance, and paused before saying, "Dunno what you're talking about." but the pause told Ginny she was right. She could almost forgive Hermione though for what she had presumed no girl was going to feel for her brother (it's a sister thing), summer did funny things to your head.