Hello there! Yes i know it has been a while, but i have been busy, over-used excuse i know but it cannot be helped! I have also had many family issues that i have had to deal with, one in particular has and still is occupying most of my mind. Also since it is the summer holidays, i have been working over time at my saturday job, which is fun...yeah...

I have also been working on two one-shots which have already been posted for about a week or two. If you haven't already done so, if you feel like a laugh, or a cry read and review :D Make me happy:D I need it!

I am also working on another fic, which i am currently planning and writing, look out for more details on my profile shortly:)

So you don't want to hear me ramble on and on when all you really want to do is read this! Well i will leave you to it!

Thanks again to The Steppy-One for beta-ing this for me, and for all your help! You're a star:D

Chapter 6

Harry sighed as he looked through the load of files that just landed on his desk. It seemed that everyday brought more and more victims from those cruel Death Eaters.

He looked at a picture clipped on the inside cover of a file of one of the victims. She was young, only just turned nineteen from the profile situated on the first page. She had brown hair that fell just below her shoulders and piercing brown eyes. Just looking at the victim's photo reminded him of one of his best friends, whose life is in grave danger.

He had been called in yet again to look through the recent files, but he was also here because he felt he needed to be there. He knew Ron didn't mean those words he said, and he knew that they weren't true but he couldn't help think that there must be a link that somehow relates back to him.

A knock on the door startled him, he turned round to see Tonks standing at the door.

"Wotcher Harry!" Tonks greeted, trying to sound as cheerful as she could, but it still came out forced.

Harry just smiled lightly, turning back to his file he replied "Hey"

"You still down about what Ron said?" Tonks said abruptly, which got Harry's attention again.

"No…"

"Harry?"

"No, really I'm not. I know he doesn't mean it, it's just…"

"You feel a little responsible for all this?" Tonks prompted

Harry looked at Tonks and the look that he gave her said it all. It was a guilty look that Tonks and many people had seen before. Harry felt guilty that it was his fault that bad things were happening. He felt that it was his fault that muggle borns including Hermione were in danger of being brutally murdered by his enemies. He felt that if only he pushed harder after the war to round the stray Death Eaters up then this wouldn't be happening. He felt responsible, and everyone knew that Harry wouldn't be persuaded otherwise.

"Oh Harry! You know that you're not responsible! Please don't do this to yourself!" Tonks pleaded.

"I know I'm not responsible, that's what everyone keeps telling me! But it doesn't make me feel any better about the situation. I am always going to be their enemy, and they will find new ways to get to me. This time they have chosen Hermione"

Tonks sighed; it was always a hard task to get Harry to see sense that in fact it was not his fault that things like this were happening. He was stubborn, and once he had made up his mind it was a hard job to make him see otherwise.

"Harry, you don't know that Hermione is in danger for sure" Tonks reassured

"But her name was on that list! You saw it" Harry snapped, getting quite frustrated.

"I did see it, but you have to realise that they would have noticed that they left that list of names behind. They would have changed their tactics by now"

"They will still go after Hermione! She is my best friend! It would be stupid not to target her!" Harry argued, feeling anger rising inside of him.

"True, but you have to stop worrying about whether or not Hermione will be attacked. It's not doing you any good, and if she were to get attacked, it would not be your fault," Tonks reassured "Just remember that"

Harry put on a fake smile, which Tonks instantly recognised. She took that as her queue to leave and made her way to the door. As she opened the door, she saw Ron standing there looking very sheepish.

"Wotcher Ron!" Tonks greeted as she slipped past him, Ron smiled at her cheerful greeting.

"Hey Tonks," He called after her, he made sure that she was out of earshot before turning to Harry, "We need to talk"

Harry simply nodded as Ron closed the door to ensure their privacy. Ron looked at Harry and he could see the guilt glistening in his eyes, "Look Harry, I'm sorry I said those things…it was out of line," Ron said sincerely.

Harry simply nodded, "It's ok Ron, really"

Ron shook his head, "No, it's not," He stated still seeing the guilty look in Harry's eyes. "You still feel guilty, so it's not ok"

"Ron, you don't know what you're talking about," he stated clearly.

"That's bull Harry, and you know it!" Ron snapped, "You're upset about what I said! Stop pretending that everything is ok for once and at least act like you are angry with me!"

Harry chucked, "Ron, I'm not angry with you," He said as he placed a folder he was looking at into the filing cabinet beside him.

Ron sighed, "Why not? You should be angry with me after what I said! It was out of line!"

Harry arched his eyebrow at this comment; "It sounds like you want me to be angry with you,"

"I do! Be angry with me! I deserve it, Harry! Just please stop pretending it's ok!" Said Ron waving his hands up in the air in exasperation.

Harry sighed, "Fine, I am angry with you Ron, In fact I hate you for saying those things to me, happy?" He said, grinning.

Ron's eyes widened, "No! I want you to be really angry, and you are a lousy actor Harry…good thing you are a great auror!"

"Ron, I know I'm a lousy actor, in fact I am the worst! But I am not going to get angry at you!" Harry said whilst chuckling.

"Hit me"

"What?" Harry said, wondering if he heard Ron correctly.

"Hit me"

"Ron, I am not going to hit you"

"Come on Harry! You know you want to!"

"No, I refuse to hit you!"

"Come on!"

"Ron, no!"

"I hurt you Harry, I know I did! Let me feel your pain!"

"No, I am not hitting you"

"Don't be a dick!"

Harry was taken aback, "What did you just call me?"

Ron, noticing that Harry was getting annoyed acted upon this, "I called you a dick Harry! Because that's what you are! A dick!"

Harry sighed, feeling a headache coming on, "Ron…"

"Harry is a dick!"

"Ron…please stop, you are making a fool of yourself!" Harry said whilst rubbing his temple.

"Harry?"

Harry sighed knowing what was coming, "What…"

"You're a dick!"

"Ron! For Merlin's sake will you just shut up!"

"Not until you hit me!"

Harry felt like screaming, why was it becoming so hard not to hit him?

"I am not going to hit you, Ron!"

Ron sighed heavily, "Why not?"

Harry let out a hysterical laugh, "Because I don't want to!"

"Sure you do!" Ron grinned, "There must have been a time you wanted to hit me! So come on! Now is your chance! One free hit on the house!"

"You're not going to give up are you?"

"Not unless you hit me!"

Harry sighed, preparing himself for what he was about to do.

"Di…" Ron didn't get to finish what he was saying because Harry punched him hard in the face.

OoooOOOoooO

"Harry, please explain why my boyfriend has a bruise around his left eye," Hermione demanded, in a surprisingly calm way.

"Yeah, I would also like to know why my brother has a shiner!" Ginny chirped, poking it with her finger.

"Shove off, Ginny!" Ron mumbled as he waved her finger off.

Harry gave an uncomfortable smile, "He told me to," He said sheepishly

"He what?Well that was stupid! Wasn't it Ronniekins?" Ginny mused slapping him on the arm.

Hermione was puzzled, "Why exactly did you tell him to punch you, Ron?"

"Because I wanted to be punched in the face," Ron said sarcastically as he whimpered in pain.

"Ron, that is absurd! Why would you want to be punched in the face?" Hermione questioned as she handed Ron a pack of frozen peas.

"Thanks," Ron said as he placed the frozen peas against his eye followed by 'Ooo!' and 'Ahhhh' as shock of the cold wore away. "I told Harry he could punch me, no catch, no retaliation…"

"Are you stupid?" Ginny chipped in, obviously amused to see her brother with a black eye.

"Are you raving mad? Why would you do that Ron? What sane person would ask such a thing?"

Ron removed the peas from his eye, "Hermione, lay off it," He replied in an annoyed tone.

"I certainly will not!" She retorted as she smacked the peas back against his eye.

"Ouch!" Ron exclaimed loudly, whilst Ginny merely laughed. "You did that on purpose!"

Hermione smirked, "Now why would I do that?"

"Can't you just do a healing spell to get rid of this, Ginny?"

Ginny laughed, "Absolutely not!"

Ron scoffed, "Why not?"

"Because, I may not see something like this again and I want to make the most of it!" Ginny mused as Harry and Hermione laughed.

"You won't be getting any birthday or Christmas presents from me then," Ron threatened, hoping Ginny will change her mind.

"Oh don't worry, Hermione will make it up," Ginny said with a grin as she patted Ron on the shoulder.

Ron turned to Hermione, giving her a soft look, "Hermione, you wouldn't give the mean girl her birthday and Christmas presents, will you?"

Hermione chuckled, "Sorry Ron, I'm with Ginny!"

"You two are cruel!" Ron exclaimed in a defeated tone.

"Well you asked for it!" Harry mused.

"Yeah, but I didn't want you to do it that hard!" Ron scolded.

Harry smiled, "You were getting on my nerves! I did it to shut you up!"

Ron glared at Harry, "Shut up Harry," He warned.

Hermione looked to Harry, "Why did he ask you to punch him, may I ask?"

Harry looked to Ron, who was shooting him a warning glare. He figured that Ron hadn't told her about the list, and that angered him. Hermione needed to know if she was in danger, no matter how much Ron thought it would protect her not knowing.

"He wanted to see if I could throw a good punch," Harry said sheepishly, knowing full well that Hermione wasn't stupid enough to fall for a lie like that.

"Look, I am not stupid Harry, I know when you are lying," Hermione stated, Harry could detect a hint of annoyance in her tone, "Please, if it is something I should know then tell me"

Harry looked to Ron, who was shaking his head. Harry knew it was wrong, but to avoid conflict and a fall out with Ron he went with his wishes, if he thought it was best that Hermione was kept in the dark about this; then he really had no say.

"It's nothing important Hermione, don't worry," He said, whilst looking in her eyes.

Hermione surveyed him for a while, before saying, "Ok, I believe you," She said with a smile.

Harry looked at Ron with an unimpressed look, whilst Ginny sighed. Hermione was the only one not in the know that she was in grave danger, and the longer Ron left it before telling her; the worse things are going to get.

OoooOOOoooO

Later that evening Harry and Ginny were back at their home debating what happened at Ron and Hermione's.

"Ok Harry, why did you really hit my brother?" She asked sternly.

"He asked me too! He wouldn't accept that I am ok with what he said!" Harry protested.

Ginny arched her eyebrows, "Are you?"

Harry sighed, "For the last time YES! Why do people find it so hard to believe that?"

"Because we know you too well, and we know what you're like," Ginny stated, "You're not ok with it Harry, I know you're not"

"Fine! I'm not! But I'm not ok about lying directly to my best friend either!" Harry exclaimed, obviously annoyed.

"I agree, you should have told her! She has a right to know!"

Harry sighed as he ran his hands through his messy hair, "Merlin, don't you think I know that? She needs to know for her own safety! But Ron is too high-headed to see that!"

"Then make him see sense!" Ginny expressed, "She needs to know Harry, and since you dragged yourself into this she will be angry at you both when she finds out"

"What about you? You know about it and you haven't told her! She will be angry with you as well," Harry retorted.

"All the more reason why we should! If she finds out and storms off knowing that we haven't told her…"

"Gin' please don't say it, I don't want to think about things like that!"

"I just can't believe Ron thinks this is best! And I can't believe you looked her in the eyes and lied to her!" Ginny exclaimed loudly

"Well, I don't feel good about it! I only did it to make your brother happy," Harry sighed, "Why does he have to be so stubborn!"

"He's a Weasley, sorry Harry." Ginny joked as she pulled him in for a hug, "But seriously, you shouldn't be thinking about what Ron thinks is best…If you think Hermione has a right to know, tell her," She said as she kissed him on the lips before going off to bed.

"Ron, you better be grateful!" Harry muttered before following Ginny to bed.

OoooOOOoooO

Well another chapter out of the way:) Let me know what you think, reviews appreciated:D