Ginny sighed with ecstasy as she lay next to Harry in bed. Harry, she thought, looked adorable when he was sleeping. Normally he was so alert, so guarded. To see him like this, curled up; peaceful. She felt a thrill knowing that she was the only one who could see Harry this way. She moved in closer to the warmth of his chest and laced her fingers into his, trying to capture the moment in her mind so she would never forget. She fell asleep again but it couldn't have been for more that a few minutes before she was woken by loud footsteps echoing up the stairs.

Amazingly, Harry was still fast asleep despite the noise.

'My goodness, he can sleep through anything!' she thought. But with a sudden fear she realized that the footsteps had stopped just outside her door.

She ducked under the cover and made sure she was completely covered and inconspicuous.

"See, all's well here. She must have just ducked out for a walk or something." That was Mrs. Figgs voice, she noticed.

"Indeed, Arabella. Let's go and let Harry sleep." That was Lupin. What on earth were they doing here? They must have noticed I wasn't in my bed! Oh dear!

"I guess, sorry to come barging in." OH. MY. GOD. That was Ron!

"Well you do tend to jump to conclusions." And Hermione! Ginny inwardly screamed and prayed Harry didn't wake up and give them away.

Thankfully she heard them turning to leave then.

"Wait!" Hermione's voice said. Oh no!

"What is it 'Mione?" Ron asked.

Hermione hesitated then said, "Oh, er, it's nothing at all. Let's go, shall we."

But unfortunately for Ginny, Hermione was not a very good liar.

"'Mione, what…" Ron began but then suddenly there was silence followed by a gasp.

'Oh please NO!' Ginny thought.

Just at that moment, Harry woke up. He raised himself from the bed taking the covers with him and revealing Ginny. She felt his body tense as he noticed the others staring at him. Ginny peaked around Harry's back and saw what had caused everyone to gasp. Ron was holding his wand outstretched and dangling from the end where he had picked it up was Ginny's nightgown.

There was a shocked silence for a moment where everyone froze unable to do anything. Hermione was the first to move. She picked up Ginny's nightgown and tossed it to her. Ginny gave Hermione a meek 'thanks' and pulled it on.

Harry got the idea from her and pulled on his boxers.

"Well, this is none of my business," Lupin said from the corner, "Shall we make breakfast, Arabella?" Taking the hint, Mrs. Figg followed Lupin out of the room and down the stairs. The kitchen door banged shut and that was when Ron made his move.

With a fierce yell, Ron ran at Harry on the bed and began attacking him in every way he could. Lashing out with arms and legs and hitting any part of Harry he could reach.

"Ron, no!" Hermione screamed, but Ron would not relent.

Harry was not fighting back, he was trying to get away but not hurt Ron, Ginny caught bits of what he was saying.

"Ron, geez…being such a prat…not gonna hit you. Well, fine then!" And then Harry punched Ron across the face. Ron staggered backward at the blow and Harry took the opportunity to get off the bed and stand up and run at Ron. Ginny sighed and left the two boys as they were, let them blow off a bit of steam. She hurried off into her room and dressed, when she returned they were still at it but Hermione seemed to be trying to stop them now as both boys were bleeding from several cuts and bloody noses.

"Alright, that's enough!" Hermione finally shouted, she was half crying with exasperation and both boys stopped and looked up at her.

"Sorry, Hermione," they both mumbled.

'Unbelievable!' Ginny thought, 'how does she do that?' but now it was her turn to take action. She stepped in-between her brother and her boyfriend and grabbed them both by the top rims of their ears with a pincer like grip.

"Ok, Ron you are going to have to COOL off and realize that I am very nearly a grown woman and I can make my own choices and if choosing to sleep with my boyfriend is one of them then you just have to live with that!" Ron was panting from the fight and from the pain on his ear but seemed to refuse to back down. She pulled harder on his ear.

"Are we agreed?"

He panted heavily once more.

"Yes,' he whispered hoarsely.

"After all it's not like it's my first time."

The whole room gasped. She had NOT meant to say that. Oh GOD!

Ron widened his eyes in shock and outrage before storming out of the room.

Hermione whispered an apology on Ron's behalf and followed him out of the room.

"Uh, Ginny?" Harry spoke.

"Oh, Sorry, Harry!" she said finally letting go of his ear. "I just got so worked up!"

Harry rubbed his sore ear with his finger before getting up and dressing.

A few minutes later they entered the kitchen. Ron was staring holes into his bacon and didn't acknowledge their presence at all. Hermione gave a weak smile and Mrs. Figg seemed to be pretending nothing had happened at all.

"Er, Harry, mind if I have a word?" It was Lupin and he gestured toward the study across the hall. Harry followed him into it and took a seat in a dusty, uncomfortable high-backed chair. Lupin sat down on a couch that was just as dusty.

"Harry, this is a little awkward, but as your parents are unable, and Sirius is… well, I suppose the duty falls to me, I doubt your aunt and uncle ever… but all the same…"

"Remus?" Harry asked, "Mind telling me what were talking about?"

Lupin seemed jolted out of his line of thought.

"Yes, of course. We're talking about the Talk."

"What talk?"

"The Talk. The sex talk."

Harry's eyes widened in understanding, "Oh! Remus, you don't have to. I mean, we learned that stuff at school. Madame Pomfrey did a special class for all the sixth years."

Lupin sighed in relief. "Oh, thank Merlin for that!" he chuckled.

"You know, it's a shame James isn't here now,"

"Why's that?"

"Well, because I'd owe him a spot of money today," Lupin smiled down at Harry with a familiar look in his eyes. Harry loved that look because it always came when Lupin was about to tell Harry a story about the marauders.

"When you were just a baby Harry, this was just a joke, mind you, but we all placed bets on how old you would be when you… you know."

"WHAT!" Harry cried.

Lupin laughed hard. "Yes, James betted sixteen, it was the same age for him," Lupin winked at Harry.

"What did everyone else bet?" Harry asked curiously.

"Well, I said seventeen. Peter, who never really thought for himself decided on the same. Sirius, however, thought you'd take after him and be the same age he was."

"When was that?" Harry asked anxiously. Lupin looked down at him with a grin.

"Fourteen,"

"Wow," Harry wanted to ask how much they had bet but stopped himself when he saw the look on Lupin's face. He knew then that the conversation was over because Lupin had slipped into that melancholy state of missing his friends. Harry pitied him. He couldn't imagine bearing the loss or betrayal of one of his friends, they were all he had.

They both re-entered the kitchen and finished up their breakfasts. No one was speaking much after the fiasco that morning, but Lupin went around healing Ron and Harry's injuries.

When everyone had finished it was time for them all to go home. (Lupin had cancelled the lesson for that day).

"Bye Harry, I'll see you at the burrow in a few weeks for your birthday," Hermione said giving him a hug before disappearing through the fire place.

Ron merely grunted at Harry and followed. Lupin shook Harry's hand and also disappeared.

"Well, I'll see you soon Harry," Ginny whispered to him

"Not soon enough,' he replied to Ginny, kissing her tenderly.

"I'll talk to Ron, he'll be ok."

"I hope so."

Ginny looked up from Harry and called up the stairs, "Sorry about all this Mrs. Figg and thanks!" She gave Harry one more kiss and stepped into the flames.

"The Burrow," she called and was gone an instant later. Mrs. Figg had disappeared upstairs so Harry got the idea he was supposed to let himself out and headed back to the Dursleys. The next few weeks would be pretty boring, but Harry would sustain himself with thought of being back at the Burrow for his seventeenth birthday. Ron would have cooled down by then, Ginny will manage it.

'After all,' he thought, 'there's nothing my girl can't do.'

AN: Finally! A new chapter! Sorry for the long wait everyone. I was up at a cottage for a week and then when I got back I was trying to hang out with my friend Layla as much as I could. She's going to Japan for a year tomorrow cry

In a little over a week I'm going to Australia for the rest of the month so hopefully I can finish before I go. Hope you all liked this chapter, I tried not to make this one too fluffy and there's going to be action soon! First with the ministry (hint go back to chapter one, Percy's conversation with Scrimgeour) and later with Death Eaters. As always though, feedback is appreciated.