I woke up feeling amazing. It was one of the best nights of sleep I had ever had. I sat up still on Ron's spare bed and looked down at the sleeping figure next to me. He looked so peaceful and I brushed his hair out of his face. I just stared at him for the longest time. Then I'm not sure what made me do it but I leaned down and gave him a soft kiss on his lips. He didn't stir.

Then I said it, well whispered it more like it, "I love you."

He broke into a big smile, his eyes still closed, "I love you too."

Ron opened his eyes and I slapped him on the arm. "Hey, I thought you were asleep." I said playfully.

"I'm glad I wasn't." He sat up, cupped my cheek and gave me a tender kiss. "You don't know how long I've been waiting for you to say that."

I lowered my head, suddenly shy. "I'm glad you've been so patient but you understand why. I'm still not all the way there yet."

"I know. Can't I be thrilled with the progress?" He gave a small laugh.

I smiled and leaned in for another kiss. It was really the first time I had initiated anything. We continued kissing; it went from soft, sweet and tentative to more and more passionate. Somehow I was now laying on the bed with Ron on top me, snogging me senseless. I ran my fingers through his hair and his hand began to venture up my thigh. Suddenly he stopped. We were both breathing hard, trying to catch our breaths.

"We should stop for now, don't you think?" Ron said with a somewhat high and unnatural voice for him.

"You're right." I sat up and got off the bed brushing my dress down.

"You know it's not that I want to stop it's just that…"

"I know what you meant Ron; thank you."

"Hungry?" He asked out of the blue. But this is Ron so I guess it's not such a big leap from kissing to food.

I rolled my eyes. "A little."

"Let's have some of mum's cake for Harry. Can't let it go to waste." He got up and bounced down the stairs; I ran after him.

"Cake for breakfast? What would your mum say about that?"

"That's the beauty of being an adult with his own place 'Mione. It doesn't matter what she says anymore."

He fixed us both a piece and we sat at his table having cake and milk for breakfast. "So what are your plans for the day?" He asked.

"I actually have to work today."

"It's summer; there aren't any midgets at the castle."

"I'm sure they are going to love you calling them that! And for your information I have a shipment of books arriving in a few hours that I need to sort. It's an amazing collection of ancient rune literature that covers all sorts of eras like the Vikings and the Sumerians…"

"Okay, okay. Let's do something together tomorrow."

"Tomorrow I'm going shopping with Paige remember. We can have dinner or something."

"Alright. I think I might drop by the Burrow then today."

I looked up at him suddenly. "Are you going to try to talk to Ginny?"

"Yes. I am her older brother and all."

"Don't make things worse for your mum. She's going through enough. Don't get into an argument."

"I'll try not to; for you that is." He gave me a lopsided grin and I rolled my eyes laughing.

I arrived at the Burrow a little anxious. I made my way in and found my mum at the kitchen table staring into her cup of tea. There was another cup on the table and I presumed that was Ginny's.

"Hey there mum." I walked up behind her giving her a kiss on her cheek.

"Oh, hello dear."

"Everything alright?" I asked somewhat tentatively.

"She's going back today and she says that she doesn't think she'll ever come back again." Mum began to sob. "Apparently I'm supposed to go there from now on."

I sat down in a spare chair and took her hand. "Mum, it's probably better for her to stay away anyway. You can't keep asking favors from the Aurors. In five years the statute will run out and she can return all she wants. Things will be better by then anyway."

"What if they try to, you know, ship her back?"

"You mean extradite her? I doubt it. It's too much trouble for an obstruction charge and I think that out of respect for our family, they'll let her be." She seemed satisfied with my answer and took a sip of her tea that looked to be stone cold.

"How was Harry's dinner?"

"It was really nice. The cake you gave him was great. 'Mione and I had it for breakfast."

"Breakfast? Tell me you didn't do anything you shouldn't have. She's still recovering with or without that pensieve."

I leaned back in the chair letting out a sigh. "She slept in the spare bedroom last night. Nothing much happened." Mums always concluded the worst.

"What do you mean nothing much?"

I hesitated but knew it would brighten her spirits. "Mum, she told me she loved me." I couldn't help but smile like a maniac and I wiggled my eyebrows at her.

"Thank Merlin. I'm happy for you dear." She leaned over and gave me a big hug. "I knew if things were meant to work out that they would."

"Mum, where is Ginny now?"

"Upstairs packing."

"I'm going to go see her."

"Please don't start anything. I don't want her leaving angry again." She pleaded in a sort of panicked way.

I made for the stairs and paused outside Ginny's old room. Memories flooded my brain. I remembered growing up together, sharing secrets and plotting revenge on the twins. We were so close once. She was my favorite sibling.

"Are you going to come in or just stand there playing dumb?" A voice came from behind the partially opened door.

"I think I'll come in." I opened the door the rest of the way and took a seat at her desk. "Mum's downstairs pretty upset."

"She'll have to deal with it. I can't stay here, she knows that."

"She does but it doesn't make it easier. I appreciate that you told her you wanted her to come visit you."

"Of course I do; she's my mum." She continued to fold things and put them in her suitcase. "Oh screw it!" With a wave of her wand everything was packed and she sat on the bed looking defeated. "So who's this Paige bimbo?"

"She's not a bimbo, she's actually rather nice. I only met her last night."

"How long have they been together? I hope he at least waited for the ink to dry on the divorce papers."

"Unlike you?" I quipped and received a death stare. "They are only friends Gin and they haven't been that for very long. They are both coming off of some harsh breakups so they seemed to have bonded over that."

"A rebound then; I hope she breaks his heart." She muttered.

"I'm sorry to disappoint you but she's actually pretty cool. Hermione and I both like her a lot."

She rolled her eyes and leaned forward putting her head in her hands. "Brother dear, I really hope you come to your senses there. You deserve so much better than her. She'll only ruin your life the little tramp."

I let out a long breath. "Gin, I don't think you'll ever get me to understand your position."

"Please, you were crazy in love with her and she was out shagging Viktor. I saw them you know; even dad did at the Ministry."

"I doubt she and Viktor were shagging in the Ministry."

"Well they were certainly enjoying each other's company. You should ask her about it."

"Maybe I will." I said somewhat heated. "Besides Gin that was in the past; Viktor is dead."

"She's probably the one who killed him or had him killed."

I threw up my hands in frustration. "Ginny, this is ridiculous. I wanted to tell you that you still had a big brother if you needed one but forget it. Have a safe trip back to Australia and keep in touch for mum's sake." I walked out the door.

"Good bye Ron." She stated and slammed the door behind me.

When I ventured back downstairs mum was cleaning the family room. "Well there wasn't any shouting and only a door slam. I'll take it as a success."

I grinned and gave her a hug. "She just won't see reason but maybe she'll come around. I'll see you Sunday."

"Bye dear." She said as I apparated to Hogsmeade near the entrance of Hogwarts Castle.

After sorting the new arrival of books I found myself sucked into one of them on ancient Babylonian runes. I was sitting there on the floor in surrounded by stacks of books when there was a tap on my shoulder. I let out a scream as it was so unexpected and Ron just laughed at my jumpiness.

"I thought you were putting those away?"

"Yes, but this one is so interesting. It describes the way that the…" he raised his hand to cut me off before I went into too much detail. I let out a huff of frustration. "I thought you were going to the Burrow."

"I did, it was just not a very long visit so I decided to come see you."

I smiled but I felt there was another reason. "I feel like there is something else. What is it?"

"Was there any truth behind your relationship with Viktor?"

"No, not at all. What did Ginny tell you?" I was so irritated to think she would still spread that lie.

"She says she saw you at the Ministry getting pretty intimate with Vicky."

"That's a lie. I can't believe you believe her." I had noticed the disdain in his voice and had gone from irritated to angry.

"She said she wasn't the only one that saw you; that my dad did too and he kept it quiet."

"What?" Then I remembered Mr. Weasley coming to my rescue that must have been what she saw. "Wait, there was something that happened at the Ministry but it was nothing like that."

"Well what was it then?" He spat.

"I can't believe you!" I was now furious. "Fine if you must know we had all gone to the Ministry and I saw Viktor. I stayed behind to talk to him. He was talking about how he broke up with that girl Maria. Then suddenly he has me backed up to a wall and was kissing me. I struggled to get away but couldn't. Finally I managed to push him off and I kneed him in the groin just when your father got there. He had seen what was going on and was coming to help me. He was pretty proud of me if you must know and he let me have a cry. I was so embarrassed and he promised not to tell. I guess if Ginny saw she jumped to the wrong conclusion. There was nothing romantic about Ron; it was just a preview of my future in Azkaban."

Ron looked horrified and ashamed. "I thought the pensieve was helping."

"It is Ron but I haven't forgotten! The memories are just less vivid, less painful." He tried to speak but I wouldn't let him. "Now if you don't mind I have a lot of work to do. Please leave."

"But…" he stammered.

"Now please. I'm very busy." I got up and began to busy myself with the stacks of books.

"What about dinner tonight?"

"I don't think so."

"What about tomorrow night after your shopping trip?" He began to beg with a hint of panic in his voice that he had royally screwed up.

I hesitated then said, "maybe."

"Okay, I'll send you an owl tomorrow. I'll cook you dinner if you'd like."

"Maybe," I repeated not looking at him but the books.

He turned and left, his shoulders sagging. I already knew I'd have dinner with him but I was just so angry. To think that all this might have happened because Ginny saw something and misinterpreted it. I wonder why she didn't ask me about it though. I guess I understand why Ron had to ask but it still hurt not to be trusted. I returned to my books, the one love in my life that had never doubted or betrayed me.