Disclaimer- I still own nothing
A/N: Just because I don't do this enough and really should do it more often I want to thank my beta, and friend, gracierose. She is remarkable and well just thanks. I cant say it enough.
The distinct sound of apparation ended the conversation and saved Ginny from the awkward confession she was about to make. She looked up and was surprised to see Harry stride into the room. She had expected that he would stay a little bit longer with Hermione and avoid Ron for the next few hours. When he had given her instructions concerning Ron an hour ago she had thought that he would stay away most the night, only returning when he had calmed both Hermione and himself. The fact that only an hour later he had returned to the flat was shocking to say the least. Maybe Hermione sent him. She thought but then realized that he had apparated and not flooed. He hated apparation and only used it when absolutely necessary yet her he stood in the middle of his flat. She tried to catch his eye and indicate that everything was fine. That Ron was truly repentant of his actions and was willing to do almost anything for a chance to fix it. Unfortunately Harry seemed to avoid her gaze as he made his way towards her brother.
Harry acted before Ginny could even process what was happening. One minute Ron had been standing up facing Harry and the next he was sprawled out on the floor. She wondered if Ron had tripped over something and quickly looked around for the offending item. It was only when she found nothing that she realized what she saw had indeed happened, Harry had punched her brother.
Shock could not begin to describe how she was feeling right now. Part of her just sat there watching the two men she cared about the most. One breathing heavily, fists still clenched, looking down at the ground; the other clutching his face and letting off a litany of curses that would have made the twins blush. She knew that she should be abhorred at what had just happened. Her boyfriend had just hit her brother over a girl, a girl that was not her. Yet Ginny was actually turned on by that little display. If Harry was willing to take such action over a friend what would he be willing to do for her?
Realizing that Harry was about haul Ron back up for what Ginny could only assume would be another punch she deftly pulled at her wand and remembering all the lessons that her mother had taught her for situations like this she muttered, "Locomotor Mortis." And Harry froze where he stood.
"Ginerva," Harry's voice seethed as he struggled against the curse she had leveled against him. "Ginerva let me go right now."
Oh she was in trouble. Harry had called her Ginerva; not Ginny, not Gin, not even Red- Ginerva. He only did that when he was annoyed with her. Oh well better her than Ron. She looked down at her brother and who was now sitting up, terror, shock and amusement playing across his face. She also noticed he was developing quite a nasty black eye. Not feeling generous enough to heal him she picked up a pillow from the overstuffed chair and transfigured a cold compact for him, and held it out.
"Ginerva, I am not kidding. Let. Me. Go." Harry bellowed feet from her.
Ginny steeled herself; she understood that he was upset, she got that. An hour ago she had been ready to throw Ron off the highest turret of Hogwarts if it would have done any good; but that was before she had talked to her brother.
Her brother. She still wasn't sure if she wanted to hex him or hug him. He looked so devastated, defeated really as he pulled himself up into the overstuffed chair clutching the cold compress as if it was his life line. She wanted to help him and if she could stop Harry from killing him for one second maybe she could convince him that Ron was worth sparing- at least until Hermione could get her hands on him.
"Harry, I am going to let you go, but you have to promise me that you will listen to me before you attack Ron again."
"Ginny." Harry said
"Make that promise to me right now, Harry Potter, or you will regret it." Her words laced with a sincere threat and her wand aimed at him once more.
"Fine." He muttered and a flick of her wand released him.
Harry moved backwards and with a sigh, sunk into the couch behind him. Ginny noticed that he looked as upset as Ron and wondered what Hermione had said after they left. Ginny was about to inquire after her when Ron broke the silence.
"How is she?" he asked, not able to meet Harry's eyes.
Ginny felt more than saw Harry tense again and shook her head at her brother. He really was clueless sometimes. She had just cursed her boyfriend to stop him from giving Ron a beating she now, really felt he deserved. And now before she could explain everything to Harry, Ron had to open his mouth again. She moved towards Harry as if to stop him from answering. Harry sensing this turned to her-
"No Gin, he needs to know. He needs to know the hurt and pain he has put her through tonight. He needs to know that she sat there for at least a half an hour crying, no sobbing, over him. She was so upset that I didn't know what to do. She finally fell asleep from sheer emotional exhaustion. He needs to know that her heart is broken and it is not the first time. He's broken her heart one to many times and it's time he either admitted that he love her or let her move on. Her heart isn't going to take much more of this."
Ginny looked at her brother remorse now etched across his face. She went to speak again when this time her brother cut her off, "Don't you think I don't know that Harry? Don't you think that every time I see her I have to fight the urge to kiss her? Don't you think that these last years have been hard on me to watching her date one bloke after another? Knowing that none of them were good enough for her but also knowing that she would choose one of them over me."
"Ron," Ginny started not really knowing what she should say. For the last hour she had sat with him listening to him berate himself. She knew how Hermione felt about him and tried to make him see that or at least understand but her thick headed brother didn't want to see what was right in front of him. No. He was a prat, an undisputed, pig-headed prat, which she had to help. "Ron, listen to me. You need to talk to her. You need to tell her everything."
"What good would that do Ginny?" Ron snapped at her "We have been over this before. She doesn't want to talk to me. And if I ever said anything do you know what that would do to us?"
"Is it going to make it any worse than it is now Ron? Really. Look at what happened tonight? Do you think that you telling her how you really feel is going to make it any worse than it already is? Honestly."
Ginny turned to look at Harry for support but he remained stubbornly attached to the couch glaring at Ron as if he were his worst enemy. She was at her wits end. Both boys were acting; well they were acting like girls and needed a quick kick in the pants. It looked like it would be up to her to provide it. Glaring at Harry she decided to start with him.
"Harry James Potter not one hour ago you were telling me that Ron and Hermione had to fix their own disagreements and sort this out on their own. Now you are over here acting like her knight in shining armor, well guess what. I am tired of it. Hermione is a big girl and can take care of herself."
"Ginny."
"No Harry. What is wrong with you? I know you care for Hermione but you are acting like an overprotective prat. Merlin, you remind me of Ron." As the words left her mouth Ginny realized what she had just said and what it inferred. He was acting like Ron, he was behaving the same way Ron did when ever he thought she was hurt or in trouble. He was acting first and not thinking-he was acting like a brother.
That idea surprised Ginny. Harry had always been there for Hermione and she knew that they were close. For years during school she had live with the rumors that Harry and Hermione were dating or that they were holding off on any relationship out of respect for Ron. She had tried to laugh these off knowing that none of the rumors were true but they had always hurt. Now she realized why Harry and Hermione were so close. Neither had ever had a sibling, someone that would care for you no matter what you did someone to turn to for support, someone that was always there for you.
She looked at Harry again, he was still looking disgruntled with everything and she had to suppress a grin. She loved this boy. This boy that cared so much for one best-friend he was willing to risk a friendship with another. Taking his face in her hands she leaned in and kissed him.
"Oi you two. Knock it off already." Oh her idiot brother, despite everything she had forgotten he was there.
"Shut it Ron." She said pulling away from Harry. "Harry, I know what Hermione means to you. But you need to know what happened with Ron when I got him back here. You need to understand Harry."
She told Harry everything that had happened since she left Hermione's flat. How she had to do a full body bind on Ron to prevent him from following Harry up the stairs and then when she had gotten him to Harry's flat he had cursed her, struggled against the bind she had him in trying to get back to Hermione. She told him about Ron's feelings towards Hermione and his own self-doubt. Ron sat there through her monologue never offering any help or any rebuttal.
When she had finished, Harry just sat there stunned. Then looking at Ron he came to a decision. Walking over to where her brother sat Harry put a hand on his shoulder forcing Ron to look at him. "Sorry mate."
Ginny watched her brother studying Harry and he seemed to realize that the apology was sincere. "It's alright Harry. I deserved it."
"Yes you did." Harry said chuckling but then turning sober again. "But really Ron, I am sorry."
"Well, now that that is taken care of we need to figure out how we are going to fix this." Ginny said.
Ron and Harry looked at as if she had grown a second head. Their expressions clearly saying, why she thought this was still a fixable situation? She just had to get Ron and Hermione into the same room and then make sure neither left before they had the conversation they had desperately needed to have for the past five years.
"Red," Harry started "you need to tell Ron the truth about your 'run-in' with Lavender. He deserves to know that much don't you think?
Ginny was stunned. How was her little white lie about Lavender important now? Didn't Harry know that this would just further aggravate Ron?
'Red." Harry prodded again. He looked stern and she knew that he wasn't going to back down.
"Fine." Ginny took a deep breath and then looked right at her brother "Ron, I may have not been entirely truthful tonight."
Her brother just stared at her looking confused. "Well you see," she continued "I really wanted you and Hermione to see what you two could have together. I wanted you to be happy so I-"
She couldn't go on. She couldn't tell him, he would hate her and then Hermione would find out and she would hate her too.
"You did what Gin?" Ron asked
"I made up the story about Lavender. I never saw her; in fact last I heard she still hated you. I am so sorry Ron, I really am. I never meant for this to happen I thought it would just give you the push that you needed. I am so sorry Ron." She stopped and looked at her brother waiting for the curse that was sure to be directed her way. Instead he shocked her.
"Hell. I am a right prat aren't I?"
"'Bout time you figure that one out." Harry laughed
Ginny joined Harry in his laughter and crossed to Ron. She hugged him and then smacked the back of his head.
"Hey what was that for?" Ron muttered, rubbing the back of his head.
"That was for being an idiot." She answered and then going up and kissing him on the cheek she finished "and that was for finally realizing it."
All three of them kept laughing and Ginny was happy to have the situation calm for the time being. The three of them could work this out and tomorrow she would talk to Hermione and tell her everything that had happened tonight.
Ginny was getting ready to tell the boys her plan when she heard a 'pop' then she heard a voice that was unwelcome right now.
"Harry?" Hermione's voice came from the hallway "Harry are you here?"
Ginny saw Hermione enter the room and stop. She looked awful, eyes still puffy and blood shot, hair and clothes rumpled. Harry moved quickly and was over to her in three strides. He pulled her back into the hallway and Ginny could hear them talking. She turned to her brother and noticed that all the blood had drained out of his face. She was about to comfort him when Harry entered the room again, Hermione trailing behind him.
"Gin," he started "why don't we leave these two alone."
She looked at him as if he was crazy but he turned towards Hermione. "We will be at your flat if you need us." Hermione nodded her head her eyes still fixed on the floor. "Com'on Red." Harry said.
Ginny still stunned followed him out to the hall casting one more glance at her brother. She tried to smile at him and reassure him that it would all be okay but it failed her. She joined Harry in the hallway and looked at him.
"What are you thinking we can't leave them alone? She will kill him." Ginny muttered.
"Gin, it will all be alright. For once we have to let them be to work this out."
And with that he picked up his broom and took Ginny's hand. "Let's go."