Chapter 6

That night at dinner, Charlie was no there. He had left to go with Shannon and Blythe back to America. Mr. Weasley informed Harry, Hermione, and Ron about their Apparition test the following day.

"You three will be going with Bill and me tomorrow," said Mr. Weasley. "He's going to bring you home afterwards cause I have to work all day."

"Yes, sir," said Harry and Hermione.

"Yes, dad," said Ron.

After dinner, everyone except Mr. and Mrs. Weasley went outside to play Quidditch. The sky was a beautiful rainbow of colors.

"Come on, Hermione," said Ron. "If you play it'll be three on three."

"I've told you, Ron," Hermione said. "I don't know how to play. Even though I've watched dozens of matches."

"Fine," pouted Ron. "Who want's to sit out?"

"I will," said Harry. "I'll trade someone if they get tired."

"Okay," said Ron.

Crack. There stood Charlie. They were use to Bill, Charlie, the twins, and Mr. Weasley popping in and out of the house. He looked around at everyone.

"Playing Quidditch, I see," said Charlie.

"We need another player," said Fred. "Wanna play?"

"Sure," said Charlie as he headed for the door. "Let me get my broom."

"Hey, Charlie," said Harry walking over to him. "You can use my broom."

"Thanks, Harry," Charlie said taking Harry's Firebolt broom. "Let's play."

"Ok," said Bill. "Fred, George, and Ron versus me, Charlie, and Ginny."

"Why didn't you play?" asked Hermione.

"I thought you might want to spend time with me without anyone else around," Harry said smiling.

Hermione smiled as she looked at him. "Do we want to keep this from Ron?" he asked her as they sat on the grass.

"Keep what from him?" asked Hermione.

"Us being together," Harry whispered.

"Oh yes, I think we should," Hermione said, leaning against him. "He might not be too happy with us if he finds out that we're together."

"Your right," Harry said as he watched Ron defend the goal. "He's gotten better."

"Yes he has," Hermione said. "I'm so glad that Dumbledore allowed you keep playing."

"Yeah, and we got to keep Ginny on the team," said Harry, as the youngest Weasley child scored. "She's very good."

"We better figure out how we're going to be alone while at Hogwarts," Hermione whispered. "We can't really sit in the common room holding hands and kissing."

"We could use the Marauder's Map," suggested Harry. "It's always been helpful."

"Or we could use the Room of Requirements," said Hermione as Ron kicked the Quaffle straight at them. "Watch out!"

Harry jumped to his feet and grabbed the Quaffle before it hit Hermione. "Nice one, Ron," said Harry tossing it to Bill.

"Time for bed," called Mrs. Weasley from the kitchen window. "Hurry up now."

"Thank for letting me use your broom, Harry," Charlie said as he landed on the ground.

"Your welcome," Harry said as he took his broom. "So how's Blythe?"

"A little mad," said Charlie as they went inside. "She wants to go with me to Romania, but I won't let her. She's really attached to me. I'm like a father to her."

"Well that's good," Harry said. "Everyone needs a father or father figure."

"Your right," said Charlie as they started up the stairs. "Oh I've got to talk to mum about something."

With a loud crack, Charlie disappeared. Hermione quickly moved to Harry's side and pulled him into Ginny's room. Harry had never been in Ginny's room before but to his surprise it was a lot like her brothers' rooms. Quidditch posters all over the walls and a small pile of dolls sat in a corner by her closet.

"Hermione, what are you doing?" asked Harry once the door was closed.

"Ginny's outside helping Fred and George pick up and Ron's down stairs talking with Mrs. Weasley about something," said Hermione. "Just thought we'd see what it's like trying not to get caught with so many people around."

Harry gave her a sly smile as he leaned down and began to kiss Hermione. Hermione wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed herself against him. They both listened for footsteps on the old stairs as they hid in Ginny's bedroom. After about five minutes of kissing, Harry pulled away from Hermione and smiled at her. With a last quick kiss, Harry left the room and slipped into Ron's.

"Where did you disappear to?" asked Fred.

Harry had completely forgotten that Fred and George could Apparate to wherever they wanted. "Bathroom," lied Harry. "Why?"

"No reason just thought you wouldn't have been in here before us," George said as they slipped into their pajamas. "Hey, Harry?"

"Yeah," asked Harry as he slipped in his nightshirt.

"George and I were wondering-," started Fred.

"-If you wanted to be a partner with us," ended George.

"Of course, Lee Jordan's all ready a partner," said Fred.

"But we want you be a partner too," said George.

"So what do you say?" asked Fred.

"With your joke shop?" asked Harry sitting on his bed.

"Yeah," the twins said simultaneously.

"I'll get back to you about that," Harry said as Ron came into the room.

"Sorry about the Quaffle earlier," Ron said. "Didn't mean to kick it your way. I was trying to kick it back at Bill. It's his fault I fell off my broom."

"No it's our fault you fell off your broom," confessed Fred as he laid down. "Night."

"Night," George said, lying down too.

"Night," said Harry as Ron changed. "So what's going on between you and Hermione? Are you two still together?"

Ron looked at Harry as if he had just seen a ghost. "I don't want to talk about it," he said quickly.

"Come on, Ron, tell me," Harry said.

"Fine," Ron said sitting on Harry's bed. "We split up."

"What happened?" asked Harry, wanting to know both sides.

"I don't know," Ron said. "She said I was too childish for her. She didn't like explaining everything to me that was muggle. I didn't like the fact she was still talking to Viktor Krum. Which made things worse."

"Is that all?" asked Harry.

"I knew she wanted to be with someone else and not me," said Ron. "We just don't go together. Now you and her go together. Both of you were raised in the muggle world and would know what the other was talking about."

Harry felt his stomach drop. Did Ron know about him and Hermione? Or was he just saying they would make a good couple?

"You really think Hermione and I would make a good couple?" asked Harry.

"Yeah I do," said Ron. "You two get along better than her and me."

"What would you think if we did get together?" asked Harry. "I'm just saying."

"It would be great," Ron said, not looking at him.

Ron still likes Hermione, Harry thought, I don't think he knows about us. I hope that's how it stays too.

"Well we better get some sleep tomorrow's going to be a long day," Harry said taking off his glasses.

"You're right," Ron said turning off the candles and climbing into bed. "Night, Harry."

"Night, Ron," Harry said as they drifted off to sleep.

The next morning, Harry woke to a still dark room. Something was humming next to his ear. He opened his eyes and looked to his right. There was a custard-colored hairball lying next to his head. Only after putting on his glasses did he notice it was a Puffskein. He scooped it up in his hands and looked at it.

Mrs. Weasley Apparated in the room with a loud crack, startling Ron, who was apparently still sleeping, and said, "You two better wake up before your late. What do you have there, Harry, dear?"

"Oh it's a Puffskein," Harry said. "I think Blythe left it here when she left."

"Better ask Charlie when he gets up later, dear," she said. "Get moving now, Ronald Weasley, before I send Bill in to get you."

"I'm up, I'm up," Ron said as he attempted to climb down the side of the bed without a ladder. "Um, where's the ladder?"

"At the end of the bed, dear," Mrs. Weasley said before Apparating out of the room.

"Hey watch it," Harry said as Ron attempted to touch his bed.

"Where's the bed?" Ron asked.

But before Harry could answer him, he fell off his bunk onto the floor. A loud thud filled the room rattling Fred and George awake.

"What was that?" asked George sitting up.

"What time is it?" asked Fred.

"That was Ron falling of the bed and it's too early in the morning to be getting up," Harry said as he helped Ron up.

They dressed in silence so not to disturb the twins who fell right back to sleep. As they left the room, Hermione came out of Ginny's room rubbing her eyes.

"Good morning, Hermione," Harry said. "Sleep well?"

"Yeah," Hermione said. "Did you guys hear that thud a few minutes ago? It sounded like it was coming from your room."

"Yeah Ron fell off the top bunk trying to get down," Harry said as they went down the stairs. "Don't think he broke anything."

"I don't think so either," Ron said rubbing his arm. "Never again will I wake up this early."

"Well you better hope you never have too," Mrs. Weasley said as they entered the kitchen. "Breakfast will be done soon. You're father better hurry up and get down here."

"Good morning all," said Mr. Weasley as he Apparated in the kitchen. "Smells wonderful, Molly."

"Thank you, dear," Mrs. Weasley said as everyone sat down around the table. "Eat up."

Mrs. Weasley put a plate in front of each person piled with sausage and eggs. Everyone ate in silence. Bill finally emerged from his room with Charlie close behind. As they sat down Mrs. Weasley placed a plate in front of them and they began to ear. Once everyone was done, Mrs. Weasley cleared the table.

"I'll see you all later," Mrs. Weasley said as the six of them marched from the room. "Charlie, why are you going?"

"I've got business at the Ministry today so I thought I'd go with them," Charlie said.

"Have fun now and you three behave for Bill afterwards," Mrs. Weasley said to Harry, Ron, and Hermione as they trudged through the darkness.