A/N Hi! A giant thank you to Professor McGonagal for reviewing you made my day! In hindsight it probably wasn't the best idea to start a story the same week as 2 midterms and a term paper but I found that writing this fan fic was a nice break from organic chemistry! Without further ado,
"Harry? Oi. Mate! Whatcha looking at?" Ron followed Harry's gaze down the table to where Eliza and Ginny were sitting with their friends doing what appeared to be a hilarious reenactment of Flitch and Mrs. Norris after Fred and George had managed to transfigure Mrs. Norris into a howling toddler with whiskers and a tail. Harry smiled as Ginny imitated Flinch's uncomfortable soothing of his newly transfigured cat before locking her into a closet and running to Dumbledore to fix her. Having witnessed the event, Harry couldn't help but compare the transfigured Mrs. Norris to Hermione after she accidently put cat hair in her polyjuice potion instead of Pansy Parkinson's hair. It turned out better that Hermione didn't help Harry and Ron prank the Slytherin common room or else Malfoy would've snogged her instead of the real Parkinson. Harry really didn't know how they would've gotten out of that mess-
"Marcus Belby's staring at your sister again."
Ron's words snapped Harry out of his nostalgia, and his eyes jerked away from Ginny to the Ravenclaw table where he scowled at Marcus Belby. He was the arse Harry assumed Eliza had secretly been seeing since the dungbomb incident.
"How did I let this happen?" Harry groaned and stabbed potato disgruntledly.
"I told you all that tutoring nonsense was just a slimy way to get after her."
"Well maybe if you weren't hogging Hermione's help Eliza wouldn't have resorted to asking him!"
"Don't blame this on me mate, what's he pretty boy 'tutoring' her in anyway?" Ron asked with finger quotes.
"Gehhh don't even imply that. I think it's potions."
"Nah that's not right, for some weird reason Snape adores Lizzie, Ginny says it's disgusting."
"Do you think I should tell my dad? Or Snuffles? Or Moony? Or would that just make me the son-who-failed-them?"
"I think it's Eliza's wrath you got to worry about. She's puts the aggressive in passive aggressive."
"Maybe I should just stay out of it. She'll tell me when she's ready right?"
At that moment Harry looked up only to witness his very own sister do the patented 'Sirius smirk-n-wink combo' directed at none other than Marcus Belby. Harry gagged on his lunch. Nope, no way in hell was he letting this go on one more day.
Harry paced in the entrance hall waiting for his sister to finish lunch. He was sure Professor Lupin would support his reason for being late to Defense Against the Dark Arts and didn't want to make a scene with his sister in front of the whole school about something like this. So when she emerged from the hall engaged in a conversation with Ginny and Luna Lovegood, Harry felt comfortable getting her attention.
"Hey Lizzie, come 'mere I got a letter from mum today and she wants me to, um, give you, er, something." Harry finished lamely, quickly losing investment in his lie. Luna waved goodbye to Eliza and Ginny, and the pair began to make their way over to Harry.
"Shouldn't you go to class too Gin, wouldn't want you to-" be here for this, hate me, think this applies to you to, "be late."
"Thanks for your concern about my attendance record Harry but Liz and I have Charms together next. Besides, I thought you already learned from the Yule Ball that girls don't go anywhere by themselves."
"Yeah but you're not like Cho Chang, you don't need anyone to hold your hand, you're more -" beautiful, funny, intelligent, daring, witty, breathtaking, "ah, independent."
Ginny smirked at Harry knowingly, "Nevertheless this will only take a minuet right?"
"Oh yeah, um right," Harry muttered as his gaze fell on his sister and his reason for calling her over . Eliza looked annoyed and dug her fingers into the textbook she held against her chest.
"Oh you've finally noticed I'm here have you? No hello Lizzie, how nice to see you. Sorry to bother you in the middle of the day but I just want to make you late for no reason."
Noticing her mood and the unexpected visitor Harry grunted, "Nevermind, just go to class Liz I wouldn't want you to need any more tutoring."
"I'm already late as it is so get on with it!"
"Okay, well…" Harry glanced at Ginny and took a deep breath before saying, "Ron told me, that Hermione told him, that Parvati told her, that her sister Padma, you know the Ravenclaw prefect, well she told her that when she was on patrol she caught you and Belby snogging in a broom closet."
Ginny bit her lower lip and her eyes sparkled as she bit back laughter. Eliza, was not amused. She shifted her textbook to one hand and put the other pointedly on her hip. She was a carbon copy of their mother, except with dark hair of course. After a moment of awkward silence Eliza cocked one eyebrow and flippantly replied, "Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaand?"
Harry gulped, this was the same stance his mother took whenever he'd done something wrong and tried to make excuses. Maybe it was the reaction to feeling like a five year old, maybe he'd just had a change of heart, maybe it was because Ginny was watching him expectedly with that mischievous glint. Regardless the cause, Harry said something none of them expected.
"I'm sorry."
Eliza raised both brows in shock and glanced sideways at Ginny to confirm she'd heard that right. When Ginny looked back equally confused Eliza tentatively asked, "For what?"
Harry sighed and ruffled his hair, a nervous habit he'd picked up from his father despite his mother's best attempts to break him of it. "For not being a good enough brother I suppose. You're smart, and you're strong willed, and I know you can take care of yourself but, well, you're still my baby sister! It's just, odd, to see you grow up. I want you to be happy, I really do, with ya know, whoever makes you happy. You shouldn't have to hide your boyfriend from me. Long as he treats you right, he shouldn't have to worry about too much harassment from me," he added with a grin, "dad and Snuffles will take care of that."
"Harry. James. Potter. That has to be the nicest most loving thing you have ever said to me." Eliza cooed as she embraced her brother but as she let go she started to giggle, "But Belby and I were never really dating, it's all just one big misunderstanding!" Ginny seemed to be in on the joke because she was clutching her stomach and shaking with silent laughter.
"That night that Padma only saw us leaving the broom closet, we hadn't been snogging, we were practicing. Although I suppose Marcus hasn't actually come out of the closet yet, no worries he will soon enough he was going to try this weekend in Hogsmeade actually!"
"What? He was just at lunch, you 'Sirius smirk-n-winked' at him!"
"Well Harry, there's this expression for when gay people tell other people that they're gay, it's called coming out of the closet, and it can be quite the ordeal really," Ginny relpied cheekily between her fits of laughter.
"It really is!" Eliza nodded, "Here's the thing, I sorta picked up on it when he was tutoring me for Ancient Runes, so when I asked him who he thought the cutest guy in Hogwarts and got some nail care tips from him was he asked me to help him come out to his friends. I told him that if their real friends, a) they probably already know, and b) they're obviously still his friend so there's nothing to worry about!"
"You take Ancient Runes?"
"Yes Harry do try to keep up, anyway he still was nervous I was helping him practice and I thought literally walking out of a closet would be a fun way to ease his mind and build confidence."
"But, I thought you two were dating that time—"
"The time you threatened to kick me off the team and dung bombed him, yeah I remember and you're still not forgiven. For the last time holding hands with someone in Hogsmeade doesn't mean you're dating and even if I was dating some bloke it certainly does not warrant getting kicked off the team!"
"Someone SAW you two canoodling!"
"What gay guy's aren't allowed to experiment," Ginny started cheekily, "WAIT did you just say canoodling?"
"Not now Gin! Honestly Harry do you believe everything you hear!"
"Harry just said canoodling. That's the funniest thing I've heard all week!"
"Mr. Potter. Miss Potter, Miss Weasley." Ginny started coughing to hide her laughter at the sight of Professor Snape looming over them. "What, may I enquire, are the three of you doing outside of class?"
"Good afternoon Professor, Harry was giving me my Charms book, mum, you know our mum, well I forgot it at home during the break and she sent to him on accident. She's been a bit hair brained ever since her and dad started having troubles. You wouldn't punish us for our mother's misfortune would you?" Eliza pouted her lip to Snape and blinked innocently. Harry's jaw dropped.
The corner of Snape's mouth twitched before he quickly said, "And you needed Miss Weasley to accompany you why?"
"She was comforting me about all the fighting my parents do. I reckon they'll split soon and I just don't know I can handle it alone." Eliza sniffed in fake tears, Ginny soothingly patted her back and nodded to Snape. Harry openly gaped.
"Pity, Lily could do so much better. Do send her my regards Miss Potter. Off to class now."
The three students immediately started up the stairs before Snape could remember to deduct house points or assign detentions. When they were out of ear shot Harry finally broke out of his shock, "Mum and dad haven't had a real spat in years."
"Snape doesn't know that." Eliza grinned mischievously, "Honestly Harry you've got to learn how to play the game."
"So that's how you've never had a hard time from Snape!"
"Well it's a delicate balance, if she goes too far with it and Snape might send your mum a love letter and the whole scheme will be ruined!" Ginny remarked.
"Well I'd love to stay and chat more about our parent's imaginary disputes but we really ought to get to class now." Eliza said as she hooked arms with Ginny and steered them down the corridor only pausing to look over her shoulder and shout, "Oh and Harry since you're soooo understanding Collin Creevey is taking me to Hogsmeade this weekend! I'm so excited I'm pretty sure some canoodling is going to happen!" With a wink Eliza disappeared around the corner tugging Ginny along with her, both in stitches with laughter.
A/N Please review! I want to know what you think, thanks for reading :)