Chapter Twenty-Four.
Lavenders comeuppance.

Harry swiftly shoved Aberforth's letter into his pocket and looked around at everyone. Ron was sitting in the armchair in-between Hermione and Lavender clearly at a loss of what to say. Lavender was smiling sweetly at Hermione who scowled back at her. Harry was getting more annoyed by the minute at Lavender and was impatient enough to leave the others to it and go and read the letter on his own.

"What do you mean by what are we going to do today?" Hermione said with a tone of resentment in her voice.

"I have…erm…homework." Ron said awkwardly holding up the piece of parchment he had been writing on. Lavender giggled and hit Ron's arm playfully. "Ow." Ron mumbled looking confused rubbing his arm where Lavender had just hit him. This made her giggle even louder now falling back into her chair. Harry was sure Lavender had gone insane and exchanged baffled looks with Ron.

"Since when did you start doing homework?" Lavender said still giggling to herself. Hermione choked looking disgusted. Harry had heard enough and wasn't going to sit and listen to Lavender all day when there was a letter in his pocket he needed to read.

"Right well as fun as this is, I've got to go…" Harry trailed off, why couldn't he think of something he had to do right at this moment? "Meet Ginny in the library." Harry finished standing up feeling pleased with his self.

"Morning Harry." A girl's voice said from behind him, he turned around to see Ginny coming out from the girl's dormitory.

"Ginny I thought you were in the library." Harry said trying to make some sign so that she would go along with it.

"No why would I be there?" Ginny laughed kissing him and sitting in the armchair Harry had just been sitting in pulling him into the chair with her. Lavender gave Harry an accusing look and went back to concentrating on Ron. Harry saw Ginny glance at Ron, Hermione and Lavender. "Plus why would you want to leave when things seem so interesting here?" She smiled mischievously.

"As interesting as it looks Ginny, it really isn't. Ron maybe you should go and work in the library. You know, away from any distractions." Harry suggested hoping Lavender wouldn't follow Ron.

"Yeah good idea Harry. Let's go Hermione." Ron said getting up and putting his books back into his bag.

"I could help you Ron." Lavender said hopefully jumping up from her chair.

"Hermione's got that covered but thanks." Ron said picking up his bag and not looking thankful at all.

"Well maybe I could get some work done too…" Lavender tried again.

"You wouldn't have that much work, you've only had about two lessons and one of them was transfiguration which I know we had no homework for that." Hermione said looking slightly triumphant. Ron looked relieved and the two of them walked out of the common room through the portrait hole. Lavender definitely looked disappointed, but not defeated. Harry didn't think they'd seen the last of her.

"Were going too, you know…alone time and everything." Ginny said getting up and now leaving with Harry. When they arrived in the corridor they saw Ron and Hermione waiting for them and the four of them did not go to the library they went out into the grounds under a tree where they couldn't be found. It was a sunny day so Ron could at least get some of his work done outside. The four of them were sitting down on the grass; Harry leaned against the tree with his arm around Ginny. Ron sitting opposite with his work spread on the ground, Hermione next to him checking over the essay he had just written.

"Ron why don't you just tell her your not interested?" Harry asked his best friend.

"Because won won is too much of a coward when it comes to 'his sweetheart'." Ginny teased laughing. Harry knew Ginny was referring to the necklace Lavender had bought him when they had been going out. How Ginny knew about this Harry didn't know. Ron's ears turned red and he stopped writing.

"How do you know about that Ginny?" Ron said angrily staring at Ginny who was trying her best to look innocent.

"Know about what?" Hermione said looking up from the essay she was reading.

"Nothing." Ron muttered turning redder and continued writing. Hermione eyed Ron and Ginny suspiciously. "So are you going to read Aberforth's letter then or just leave it in your pocket?" Ron said changing the subject. Harry reached into his jeans pocket and pulled out the letter. It was definitely Aberforth's writing.

Harry,
I'm sure you have read about the thing that happened recently. Just to let you know that I am fine and cannot reveal my whereabouts in fear of this being intercepted, it is an extremely safe place so please don't worry. Please keep practising the thing I told you too. That's if you haven't already mastered it, you are an extraordinarily talented wizard. There would be no point in us meeting just yet, but we will soon. Keep going in your search. Do not give up for even a second.
Stay safe.

Harry finished reading it to the others and they all looked relieved, even Ginny who barely knew Aberforth. Something in the letter troubled Harry.

"Were not really working on finding the horcruxes enough are we." He said feeling slightly guilty. For all he knew the death eaters were planning an attack on Hogwarts tonight, and if they managed to remove the horcrux he had no hope of finally getting rid of Voldemort.

"Harry, were doing all we can. You know that." Hermione said calmly. Harry nodded in agreement. The rest of the morning went by quickly, Ron finished most of his work and the four of them finally retreated back to the common room after eating lunch in the great hall with Lavender unfortunately eating with them. While they were walking down the corridor to Harry's surprise they bumped into Percy Weasley.

"What are you doing here?" Ron demanded. Percy ignored his brother and turned to Harry.

"The minister of magic would like to request a meeting with you tomorrow." Percy said in a businesslike tone that rather irritated Harry. Ron who didn't take kindly to being ignored muttered 'see you in the common room Harry' and walked off looking furious. Hermione followed Ron giving Percy a cold stare.

"Wait for me Ron." Lavender called to Ron running after him and Hermione. Ginny however stayed with Harry. Percy who looked like he had heard none of this continued to wait for Harry's reply.

"Considering what's been said in our previous conversations you can tell him to stuff it. Especially when his choice of assistant is an arrogant pompous prat." Harry said rudely walking off taking Ginny's hand.

"He deserved that." Ginny said with a slight smile on her face. Harry grinned back at her.

"So what are we going to do about Ron's stalker? I don't think I can take another second of her. Honestly I think she's worse than Romilda Vane was with me." Harry complained.

"I don't think she'd go as far as to slip him a love potion, well actually she might." Ginny said walking up the staircase with Harry. "Anyway, if we want her to leave us alone. Ron has to tell her."

"That's never going to happen." Harry said.

"Isn't it?" Ginny said. Harry noticed she had a mischievous look on her face.

"What are you planning?" Harry asked her curiously. Ginny said nothing and refused to tell Harry what it was. Saying he would have to see for himself. The rest of the afternoon went by quickly, Ron was still angry from seeing Percy but he calmed down after he had insulted him several times to Harry and Hermione who went along with it. Later that night Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny were sitting in the common room. Harry was finishing his last piece of homework. He looked up to see Lavender enter through the portrait hole and Ginny immediately got up from her seat. Harry looked back down at his work pretending he hadn't seen Lavender and carried on writing.

"Is this seat free Ron?" Harry heard Lavenders annoying voice.

"Please don't sit there." Harry looked up in surprise at Ron. Hermione who had been reading did the same. Lavender who acted like she hadn't heard Ron sat down anyway. Ginny, Harry saw had a proud look on her face.

"Ron why are you wearing that hat?" Hermione asked him. Harry now noticed Ron was wearing a pointed hat. Not just any hat, the hat Fred and George had sent him. Knowing this couldn't be good Harry got up to try and take the hat off Ron but Ginny stopped him and he sat back down.

"I think it suits you Ron." Lavender admired. Hermione gasped and Harry knew she must have just realised what Ginny had done.

"Bugger off Lavender. What hat?" Ron said looking bewildered, reaching up and grabbing the hat. Though he could not pull it off. "What the bloody hell is going on? Did I just say that out loud? Why am I saying everything that comes into my head?" Ron continued to mumble to himself.

"Ron you are strange sometimes." Lavender giggled.

"You're the strange one, no not strange psycho. It's quite obvious that I'm not interested but you're too thick to realise it. I didn't think anyone could be that thick." Ron was now starting to turn red still not realising why he couldn't stop himself from saying what he was thinking. Lavender stood up from her chair looking enraged at Ron. Hermione was watching them trying to hide her amusement. Harry was unable to take his eyes off the scene in front of him.

"I'm a thousand times better than…her." Lavender screeched pointing at Hermione. Harry wouldn't have been surprised if Lavender exploded.

"You're not in any way better Lavender. Jeez wouldn't be surprised if she slapped me in a moment." Ron carried on but was cut off by Ginny reaching over and pulling the hat off Ron's head.

"I think that's enough." Ginny said still looking pleased with herself.

"Aren't you going to apologise to me?" Lavender said.

"If I said anything I should be sorry for, I'm glad." Ron said now speaking for himself. At that moment Lavender turned around and walked quickly up the girl's dormitory stairs. Harry was now certain they were rid of her. Ron glared at Ginny realising what she had done.

"Why did you do that?" Ron shouted angrily.

"You should be thanking me. Now you're rid of Lavender at least." Ginny said looking offended.

"That was dangerous though Ginny, Ron could have said anything that no one else should know except us if you know what I mean." Hermione said turning more serious.

"Well it didn't did it?" Ginny said rolling her eyes.

"And you got that from my trunk?" Harry asked her pointing to the hat in Ginny's hand. Ginny nodded. "Quite impressive I must say." Harry smiled kissing her. The four of them decided to finally go to sleep a few hours later. Harry taking his dreamless sleep potion and feeling so tired he fell asleep as soon as he got into bed.