A/N: Alright, Chapter Four is finally here! And I've already written Chapter Five. I'm just waiting for it to be Beta-ed. I hope you enjoy!

Chapter Four

An Afternoon Picnic

Harry awoke the next morning feeling very confused. He usually didn't sleep very well at night, but he now felt rested. He looked out the window and saw that the sun was bright and high up in the sky. He must have slept in pretty late; it looked to be about noon.

Harry tried to remember what had happened last night. He remembered having that awful dream, and then Ginny waking him up. Then she had gotten angry with him for not telling him about the dream... and then he remembered being really sick. He shuddered as he recalled it. He hadn't been that sick in a long time. Not since before he knew he was a wizard.

But now he felt fine, which was odd. Then he remembered that Ginny had given him a potion to help him get better. It had also helped him sleep, which explained why he had slept in.

Yawning, he stood and got dressed. Then he headed downstairs to the kitchen. Before he emerged in the room, he could hear voices.

"When is Harry going to get down here?" came Ron's impatient voice.

"I've told you already, Ron, he was sick," said Ginny, sounding equally impatient. "Drink your pumpkin juice."

"How do you know he was sick?" Ron asked accusingly.

"I was in his room last night." Harry heard a noise that sounded very much like someone spitting out their drink in disbelief. Harry felt like laughing out loud, wishing he could see the look on Ron's face.

"Oh, honestly Ron, we were just talking. Besides, we broke up, remember?"

Hearing Ginny say that wiped the smile off Harry's face and he walked into the room, feeling guilty and depressed. Ginny saw him walk in and smiled.

"Morning, Harry. Feeling better?"

Harry nodded and smiled in return

"Harry! Finally, you're awake!" Ron shot out of his chair and put his cup in the sink.

"Oh, good," said Hermione. "Now we can go for our picnic!"

"Picnic?" Harry asked. "What picnic?"

"We're going on a picnic for lunch," said Ginny. "Mum packed it for us. Sorry you slept through breakfast, but we should eat soon."

"Where are we going?" Harry asked curiously.

"Just past the paddock where we play Quidditch," said Ron. "Let's get going. I'm starved."

The four friends made their way across the yard of the Burrow. They had to walk for about a quarter of a mile through a lightly wooded area to get to the small paddock on the hill where they normally played Quidditch. They brushed past trees and all sorts of bushes. Ron led the way, followed by Harry, Ginny, and Hermione.

They made it to a small creek, which completely baffled them all.

"I don't remember there being a creek on the way," said Ron, thoroughly confused.

"That's because there never was!" said Ginny angrily. "I knew I should have been the one leading."

"What are you saying, that I'm not capable of finding my way around my own yard?"

"Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying, you stupid git!"

Harry and Hermione were trying very hard not to laugh as they watched the youngest two Weasleys argue. They had both turned very red in the face and were shouting at each other even though they were only a foot apart. Finally, Harry couldn't take it any longer.

"Ron! Ginny! Relax, it's easy to find our way back!"

He pulled out his wand and muttered, "Point me." His wand spun in his hand and pointed to his right.

"Okay, the paddock is east of the Burrow, so let's just keep going straight."

Ginny gave Ron one final lethal glare, and then led the way onto the log to cross the creek. Harry followed in suit, and Ron fell behind with Hermione, complaining about the disgrace of having a little sister.

Ginny was walking fairly quickly and Harry found he nearly had to jog to catch up to her. She had just begun crossing another creek, which was considerably wider and deeper, when Harry got right up behind her. She was going extremely slow, dragging her feet along.

"Come on, you can go faster than that," Harry said.

"I don't want to fall in, thank you very much," she replied, keeping her attention on the log.

"Why not? It's a warm day," he said, and she stopped abruptly.

"Do you really want to be soaked through to the bone while we eat?" she asked.

"I won't. I can do magic, now, remember? I can dry myself off."

"Well, I can't. So I'm trying to avoid getting wet, if you don't mind." She continued her slow pace across the log.

She seemed to not be in a very good mood. But Harry thought he might be able to cheer her up. So he grabbed her wrist, making her stop again.

"What if I throw you in?" he asked mischievously.

She shook her head. "You would never do that."

Harry pretended to be insulted. "How do you know?"

"Because I know you Harry," Ginny said, turning to look at him. "You wouldn't do that. Especially if I asked you not to."

Harry sighed. She was right. He would never throw her in if she had expressly told him not to. Then he realized he was still holding her wrist. She didn't appear to mind, and he didn't either.

What are you doing? his conscience screamed at him. You're never going to be able to resist her if you keep on flirting with her like this! Just walk away and leave her alone!

But Harry ignored his conscience, for once. He realized Ginny was staring at him with an amused expression on her face. She opened her mouth to say something, but someone else spoke first.

"Will you two get a move on?" Ron called above the loud stream. "I've been standing here for five minutes!"

He proceeded to jump on the log Harry and Ginny were standing on. Suddenly it started to roll, turning under their feet. Ginny grabbed onto Harry for support, but it was too late. They lost their balance and fell into the water.

Harry resurfaced feeling very annoyed at Ron. He had just been joking earlier. Now he was soaking wet. He looked up at Ron, who looked horrified about what he'd done, and Hermione who was doubled over with silent giggles. Then he felt a huge wave go over him. He turned around to find Ginny laughing her head off, splashing him as she kicked around in the lazy water.

"Hey, I thought you were the one who didn't want to get wet!" Harry exclaimed, not able to help himself from thinking how beautiful she looked when her hair was wet.

"Well, now that I'm here I kinda like it," she said before dunking under again. Harry laughed and was about to turn and splash Ron when suddenly something tugged onto his leg and he sank into the water, swallowing a bit in the process. He came up to see Ginny laughing at him and he couldn't help but grin.

"You two are having a little too much fun for my taste," said Ron with a pretend scowl.

"Well, then, join us!" Harry said, splashing Ron with huge amounts of water, getting him completely soaked.

"Hey!" said Ron, looking at his soaked clothes. "I'll get you for that!" And with that he kicked off his shoes and dove into the water.

They all laughed and splashed each other for a few more minutes until they realized that Hermione had yet to join them.

"Hermione, come on in. It's not that cold!"

Hermione shook her head, smiling at them. Then she opened her bag and pulled out a book.

"Oh, no you don't," said Ron sternly. "You are not going to read while we have fun." He climbed out of the water and walked over to where Hermione was sitting.

"Ron, you're dripping on my book!"

"Who cares?" He took the book out of her hands and threw it aside. Then he picked her up and brought her over to the edge of the creek.

"Ronald Weasley, if you even think about-"

But her scolding was soon muffled as Ron winked and threw her into the water. She resurfaced with a look of outrage and pleasure mixed on her visage. Ron laughed at her expression and jumped into the water after her, splashing all of them in the process.

They all proceeded to play around, laughing at each other and playing various games in the shallow water. After a while they started to get cold, though, and decided to call it a day. Harry especially was shivering quite a bit, and he hoped that he wasn't still sick. They all got out and dried themselves off with their wands (They promised Ginny they wouldn't tell, even though she was underage).

"So, how are we going to find our way back?" Ginny asked, sounding a little worried. She eyed Harry, who was still shivering. "Harry, are you okay? Are you feeling sick again?"

Harry shook his head. "I'm fine, just a bit chilly."

In truth, he did feel a bit ill. He didn't really know what to do, though, except get back to the Burrow. He pulled out his wand and laid it flat on his palm.

"Point me," he mumbled. His wand instantly whirled around and pointed directly in front of him.

"We're west of the Burrow, right?" Harry asked, willing himself not to shudder, suddenly feeling icy chills run through him.

"Yes," said Hermione, looking to where Harry's wand was pointing. "So that means we need to go right, correct?"

Harry shivered as he nodded.

"Harry, are you alright?" Hermione asked. "You look a bit pale."

"I feel a little sick," Harry said truthfully. "Let's just get back, all right?"

His three friends nodded as he shivered violently again.

"Mate, is there anything we can do?" Ron asked, looking worried.

"I'll be fine, Ron," Harry said firmly. Then he waved his wand, muttering "Temperatus." Instantly a warm blanket fell into his hands, which he quickly wrapped around himself. Feeling a little better, he began walking, leading the way back to the Burrow.

They had only been walking about ten minutes, but it felt like hours to Harry. He felt icy cold from the inside, like he could never be warm. He also felt very dizzy, finding himself stumbling over all sorts of things. And on top of that, he was starting to feel like he might be sick again.

They emerged from the forest, but Harry barely noticed, because he suddenly felt incredibly ill. He felt his insides boiling and fell to the ground, retching horribly. He felt as if he was shriveling up and the muscle spasms in his stomach made him afraid that he'd vomit up his own insides. He continued to heave for several long minutes, until there was nothing left. Slowly, the heaves subsided again, just like they had the night before. He found himself on his hands and knees, with Ginny patting him on the back while Hermione and Ron stood beside him. He was trembling all over and his whole body ached a he shakily wiped his mouth.

"Harry, are you okay?" Hermione asked worriedly as Ron helped him up. He shook his head, swallowing heavily.

"I need to lie down," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Mate, I thought you were better," said Ron. He looked to Ginny for confirmation, but Ginny shook her head.

"I thought so too," she mumbled. "We have to see what mum says." She took Harry's other arm. "Come on, Harry, let's get you inside."

As Harry nodded blearily, Ginny and Ron helped him across the yard while Hermione walked ahead of them, opening the door to let them inside.

"Hello, dears," said Mrs. Weasley from where she stood waving her wand over a steaming pot. "I was just about to call you inside. Dinner is almost- Harry, what's wrong?"

Mrs. Weasley looked at him with great concern, but Harry just shook his head. The smells of the kitchen, which normally made him hungry and ready to eat, now made him feel like he was going to be sick again. He let Ron and Ginny guide him over to the living room, where he laid down on the couch.

"Thank you," he whispered to Ron and Ginny, closing his eyes.

Ginny explained to Mrs. Weasley how Harry had been sick last night, and she had given him medicine, and he seemed to be better, but then he got sick again on the way back from the woods. But Harry barely heard any of it. He began shivering again and couldn't seem to think of anything else except his desire to get warm. He felt a blanket being tucked around him and a warm hand on his forehead, and he calmed slightly.

"Yes, he has a fever. You say you gave him some Likosin?" came Mrs. Weasley's voice, sounding muffled in Harry's ears.

"Well, if that's that blue powder in the Healing cupboard, then yes," Ginny replied, sounding distressed. She was quiet for a moment, and then she spoke with strain. "This is all my fault, I should have come to you, Mum-"

"Shh... Ginny dear, it's not your fault Harry's sick. I would have given him the Likosin too. I don't know what's wrong."

Harry opened his eyes a crack and saw Mrs. Weasley hugging Ginny, who seemed to be struggling to fight back tears. This made Harry feel worse, if possible. He had only seen Ginny cry twice. Once was after she had barely escaped with her life in the Chamber of Secrets and the other was last night when she accused him of not knowing her as well as he'd claimed. Both times he had been responsible in some way or another and it broke his heart.

"Ginny..." he said, barely above a whisper. She turned to him and he held out his hand. Ginny smiled and walked over to him, taking his hand as she sat down. He gave her a weak smile in return and closed his eyes, falling into a fitful sleep.