Evangeline stayed with the Weasley's from that day on, and as the months went by she and Ron were stuck like glue. There weren't many nights when you wouldn't find the two playing a game of Wizard's Chess, which Ron almost always won. They were together for buying their Hogwarts equipment at Diagon Alley, and they were together when one Harry Potter entered their compartment on the train, along with Hermione Granger, looking for Neville's toad, and they were together for all the trouble that seemed to be attracted to them.

The four were inseparable, the Golden Quartet, never far from trouble but always, of course, together.

Ron wasn't sure at what point he'd started fancying Evangeline. As they got older she became less and less like his best friend Evey and more and more like a beautiful, curvaceous young woman. Little things like her resting her head on his shoulder in the sofa, and walking from the bathroom to her's and Ginny's room in a towel made him get a little hot around the collar, and he couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed about it. Unlike Ginny, Fred, George, Bill, Charlie and even Percy, he'd never been able to see her as a sister.

He didn't know of course, that the older they got the more she fancied him as well. For her it had started in the first year, when Ron had been so brave on the giant chess game to get Harry to face Quirrell. She knew that Ron didn't have a very high opinion of himself, but it was beyond her as to why. In her opinion, he was handsome, brave, and one of the most caring friends that she had.

Life at the Burrow was the happiest she'd ever been in her life, but after the return of Lord Voldemort, everyone had the thought in the back of their minds that it couldn't possibly last. They'd be temporarily moving to Grimmauld Place soon and Evangeline wasn't too happy about it... But need's must.

...

The Burrow

It was hot in England, and every window was thrown open in hope of tempting in a non-existent breeze.

Evangeline and Ginny were sitting by the lake, shorts on and legs in the water, enjoying the cool moisture.

"We might actually catch a tan at this rate." Evangeline chuckled, looking down at both their pale skin, and lying down on her back.

"Yeah right. We'll either fry or just stay the same." Ginny replied with a laugh.

Evangeline enjoyed the feeling of the sun rays beating down on her skin and sighed as she swished her legs in the water.

Ron crossed the field in a run toward Ginny and Evangeline, looking forward to delivering some good news.

"Evey, Ginny." He said breathlessly, the two looked up at him, and Ron became suddenly aware of how much of Evangeline's legs were shown off by the shorts she wore, and the fact that the vest she had on had ridden up her stomach slightly, showing her belly button.

"Hermione's here." He told them, voice cracking slightly. Evangeline instantly sprung up, the water splashing Ginny slightly as she removed her legs from it.

"She's early!" She grinned, before taking off in a sprint across the field, not bothering to put her shoes back on. Ron rolled his eyes but smiled at her excitement, before following after her with Ginny.

"Alright Ron, put your eyes back in their sockets." She said to him teasingly, elbowing him in the ribs.

"Shut up." He mumbled, making Ginny laugh.

Evangeline arrived at the kitchen door breathlessly.

"Where is she?" She said to Molly urgently.

Molly chuckled. "Living room."

Evangeline grinned and rushed in, where, as expected, Hermione was just placing her suitcase on one of the couches.

"Hermione!" She exclaimed, and the second she turned round, pulled her into a hug which nearly knocked her flying. Hermione laughed and hugged her back.

"It's so good to see you." Hermione said, before the two pulled away, but still holding onto each other's elbows.

"How come you're so early?" Evangeline asked, beaming.

"The Summer holidays were getting boring without you and Ron and Harry..." Hermione trailed off, and Evangeline nodded solemnly.

"I suppose you got the letter from Dumbledore too, not to contact him." She said, pulling apart from Hermione.

Hermione nodded. "I feel so bad about it."

"Me too... But Dumbledore doesn't do anything without a reason, y'know?" Evangeline tried to reason.

"Come on, let's get you moved in to mine and Ginny's room, even if it is just for a week." She grinned, and her and Hermione began to heave her vast suitcase up the spiraling staircase, which creaked underfoot.

"Bloody hell..." Evangeline groaned. "Are you needing bricks for your classes this year Hermione?" Hermione just laugh.

Two loud cracks were heard, and Fred and George materialized out of thin air in front of them on the stairs.

"AAGH!" Both girls screamed and jumped, causing the suitcase to be released and clunk down the stairs they had just struggled to carry it up.

"Oh for the love of..." Evangeline groaned.

"Sorry about that Evey." Fred and George said, all though their expressions seemed otherwise.

"Nice to see you Hermione." George added. Hermione flashed him a frown, clutching her heaving chest. Ron had appeared behind them at this point on the staircase, attempting to pull up Hermione's case from the bottom, not to much avail.

"Nearly gave us a bloody heart attack you twonks." Evangeline slapped Fred's arm then George's.

"Alright, alright, we said sorry." Fred held his hands up in defense. "Anyway, we, unlike you pretty little things are allowed to use magic outside school, so we'll help you cart that upstairs..."

"That is of course if you're nice and polite to us." George added with a wink.

"A kiss wouldn't go amiss, Miss Brown." Fred suggested, before he and George offered their cheeks to her. With a roll of her eyes, Evangeline leaned forward and pecked each of their cheeks.

Ron looked up in time to see this, and couldn't deny the strange feeling he got in his stomach when she did this.

"Lovely." Fred and George said, before they cast a levitation spell on the case, and carried it that way up to Evangeline and Ginny's bedroom, and Ron scowled at the back of his brother's heads.

"Thanks," Hermione said, once the case was set down on Ginny's neat bed, as opposed to Evangeline's rather messy one. The twins left the room, and Evangeline collapsed down onto her bed, which stood beneath the bay window that looked out over the grounds... Evangeline so loved her little window.

"Oh I'm so glad you're here Herms." She sighed.

"Me too, I don't like being too far from the wizarding world now that... That You-Know- Who's back..." She said sadly, sitting herself on Ginny's bed.

"I'm not sure how much better off you are here... The Daily Prophet is basically perpetuating that Harry and Dumbledore are liars, and Molly has forbidden us from knowing basically anything." Evangeline said, proceeding to pick up a few loose socks from her bed, and throw them in the wash basket.

"How are things going with the Order and all? I know you couldn't mention much in your letter."

"Well- Hi Ginny."

Ginny gave a small wave and sat beside Hermione on the bed cross- legged.

"Well," Evangeline continued. "As far as I can see they're getting whoever they can into England and on side. Bill's back from Egypt, and copping off with that French blondie from last year." She rolled her eyes, and Ginny and Hermione exchanged amused looks. Both knew perfectly well why she didn't like Fleur. "Charlie's staying in Romania, Dumbledore wants us to have foreign contacts and all."

"What about Percy?" Hermione asked. This caused Evangeline and Ginny to exchange looks.

"Well, Percy's not been entirely present lately." Evangeline tried to put it delicately.

"Been acting like a complete and total twit is another way of putting it." Ginny said darkly. Hermione raised her eyebrow in surprise and questioning.

Evangeline let out a sigh before explaining. "Basically, Percy got this big promotion at the Ministry, don't ask me how, it's beyond me... Anyway, he came home and told Arthur, expected him to be all pleased about it for some bloody reason, and they got in this big fight-"

"And you know Dad he doesn't fight with anyone." Ginny added. "Dad was saying how he thinks Fudge only wanted Percy in his office to spy on the family and Dumbledore. As you can imagine Percy went completely mental, started shouting at Dad and saying how he's always had to struggle against his 'lousy reputation', and that he has no ambition and that's why the Weasley's have always been – you know- not had a lot of money."

Hermione's jaw dropped at this.

"You're joking."

Ginny shook her head.

"Wish I was... It only got worse from there though. Said dad was stupid for running around with Dumbledore, and that Dumbledore was heading for trouble and that Dad was going to go down with him." Ginny spoke in somewhat of an angry growl.

"Percy reckons he knows where his loyalty lie and that it's 'with the Ministry,' and that if Molly and Arthur were going to become traitors then he was going to make sure everyone knew he didn't belong to the family anymore." Evangeline went on.

Hermione shook her head in disbelief.

"Packed his bags and left that night. Living in London now." Ginny said glumly.

"I can't believe it, it's awful." She said.

"Mum's been in a bit of a state with it. Crying and stuff." Ginny sighed. "We just try to keep her mind off it if we can."

"It's all you can do I suppose." Hermione conceded.

The trio sat in complatative silence for a moment, somewhat brought down by the conversation.

"Anyway," Evangeline clapped her hands together to break the silence, "who fancies a game of Gobstones?"

...

That night, once Hermione's makeshift bed was made up by Mrs Weasley, Evangeline, Ginny and Hermione sat around on their individual beds in their pajamas', (which in the heat consisted of a t-shirt and a pair of pants), girlishly giggling as they played, 'kiss, sleep with or marry?'

"Okay, Evey," Ginny said thoughtfully. "Oliver Wood, Seamus Finnigan and... Cormac McLaggen."

Evey tapped her chin in mock thoughtfulness. "Well, I'd kiss Seamus, 'cause I don't really like him," this made Ginny and Hermione chuckle. "I'd sleep with Cormac, 'cause he's attractive but a bit of a dullard... And I'd marry Oliver, 'cause he's pretty hot."

Hermione and Ginny laughed quite loudly at this, falling back into their pillows.

"Okay, my turn." Evangeline thought hard, and laughed to herself when she thought of her choices. "Okay Hermione... Draco Malfoy." Hermione made a face of disgust. "Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle."

Ginny laughed loudly at the choices, as Evangeline grinned evilly.

"Ugh, can't I go again?" Hermione complained, hands over her face.

"No no, those are the rules." Ginny grinned.

"Alright, I'd kiss Crabbe..." She said painfully, and Ginny and Evangeline clutched their sides with laughter. "I'd sleep with Malfoy and I'd marry Goyle." Hermione crossed her arms with a scowl, as Ginny and Evangeline laughed hysterically.

"Oh, be quiet." Hermione scolded, but couldn't help the smile on her face.

"Hermy and Goyle sitting in a tree..." Evangeline began.

"K-I-S-S-I-N-G." She and Ginny chorused, as Evangeline stood up on her bed and bounced over to Hermione's, laughing. "First comes love, then comes marriage, THEN COMES A SLYTHERIN IN A BABY CARRIAGE!" She fell over on Hermione, who laughed hysterically and Evangeline made smoochy faces at her.

The bedroom door opened swiftly, and Ron stood there, looking disgruntled in his dressing gown, with his hair stuck up on one side.

"Will you lot please shut-" Ron noticed Evangeline's state of undress and gulped slightly. "Up." His voice was weaker at the end.

"Oh, we weren't that loud, Ron." Ginny sighed, getting herself under her sheets.

"Yes you bloody were... And I couldn't sleep anyway." He grumbled.

"Aww, ickle Ronnikins couldn't sweep." Evangeline walked over to him and pinched his cheek, to which he batted his hand away, as she did that a lot. "C'mon, I'll make us all some hot chocolate." She led him out of the room, and he hastily followed, leaving Hermione and Ginny to give each other a knowing look.

Part of the problem with the Burrow being Evangeline's home for five years was that she felt perfectly comfortable to walk around in a t-shirt and pair of stripy cotton pants. It didn't mean that Ron was comfortable with it.

The pair descended the creaky staircase, mindful not to wake any of the other people in the family.

Unfortunately, Evangeline's clumsiness meant that she tripped over the next step from the bottom and went tumbling forward, Ron instinctively grabbed her waist to steady her, and ensure she didn't fall headfirst into his mother's knitting table.

"Bloody hell Evey, I've never known anyone more clumsy." He whispered into the darkness, and heard her stifle her laugh in her hand.

"Ron..." She said.

"Yeah?"

"You're still holding my waist." She grinned with her back to him. Ron's hands sprung away suddenly like an electric shock went through her, and he blushed about ten shades of pink, he was glad it was dark. Evangeline couldn't help but smile to herself at his actions as she continued into the kitchen.

"How come you can't sleep then?" She asked quietly as she found out a saucepan from the vast cupboard.

"I dunno, I've been finding a bit hard to sleep lately..." He shrugged, looking at the floor with his hands in his dressing gown pockets.

"That's not like you." She commented, and picked up her wand from the counter to heat up the milk which she poured into four mugs. Technically, she wasn't allowed to do that, but the Ministry didn't generally jump over fifteen year old's for heating up some milk.

"I know." Ron laughed slightly and sat himself at the kitchen counter, watching Evangeline add the cocoa powder to each mug.

"I s'pose there's been a lot going on lately to keep your mind working." She carried two mugs over to the counter and leaned on the other side, handing him his.

"Yeah well," He sipped his hot chocolate. "We haven't been getting much good news lately."

"You're right there." Evangeline sighed, and sipped her own drink. "You look very handsome with your new haircut by the way... That's some good news." She smiled. Ron laughed slightly and felt his neck and ears get hot at the compliment.

"And I wish you'd stop getting taller, you make me feel tiny." She giggled.

"Yeah, that's 'cause you're about four feet tall." He scoffed. Evangeline smacked his upper arm.

"Piss off you cheeky git." She said, although couldn't fight off her grin. Ron let out a wide yawn, and Evangeline chuckled at him before finishing off her drink. "Come on, let's go to bed." She picked up his hand and pulled him to his feet. Ron knew what she meant by this, but he couldn't help the slight tingle he felt at her choice of words, and the way her small hand held his.

The two made their way upstairs and back to their hallway, before arriving at Ron's bedroom door.

"Night night Ron." She said.

"N'night, thanks for the hot chocolate."

Without much thought, Evangeline leaned in and pecked his cheek, and it was only when she pulled away that she realized what she had done, and hastened into her bedroom, turning crimson.

It was always a bit different with Ron, she could kiss Fred or George on the cheek or hug them and it'd be fine. But with Ron, she'd always find that she felt a tad nervous about it, and her heart rate would pick up slightly.

Ron lay in bed for a while with a confused expression, not quite sure what had just happened, but knowing that he liked it. He did manage to sleep afterwards, with thoughts of Evangeline and his handsome new haircut.

...

The week trotted by at the Burrow. Hermione, Ron and Evangeline spent a lot of time sitting around together and talking as always, or trying to overhear conversations when members of the Order would drop by. Hermione chewed their ears off about 'SPEW' to which they would just roll their eyes and let her go on about it. All in all, the three were just desperate to see Harry, to fill him in on what had been going on and to apologize for not having been able to let him know about anything.

Everyone sat around the living room one evening; Evangeline and Ron slouched over their chess game over the small table by the window, Hermione in the armchair reading some thick ancient book, Ginny cross legged on the floor, and the twins on the couch, throwing a conjured up ball of light to one another, boredly.

"I wonder who'll be teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts this year." Evangeline wondered out loud to the room. She instructed her remaining bishop to take Ron's castle.

"I've not heard anything..." Hermione said, not looking up from her book.

"Hope it's someone as good as Lupin..." Ron commented, grinning as his queen took Evangeline's bishop, he noticed Evangeline scowl in annoyance.

"Yeah, he was the best teacher we had." Ginny sighed as she stitched the seam of one of her school skirts.

"Can't be much worse than a Death Eater posing as Mad-Eye can it?" Fred said, extinguishing the ball of light.

The group let out murmurs of laughter.

"Right." George sprung up. "I'm off to bed, night all." He said ceremoniously.

"Night,"

"N'night."

"Night night."

"Goodnight."

George disappeared upstairs, and Fred to the opportunity to stretch himself comfortably out on the couch, and close his eyes.

Everyone enjoyed the quiet for a while, the only sound in the room that of Hermione occasionally turning the page of her book, and Evangeline's and Ron's chess pieces taking each other. Ron moved his queen so that it trapped Evangeline's king in the path of it, and his bishop.

"Checkmate." He said triumphantly, with a smile.

"DAMNIT!" Evangeline shouted and banged her fist on the table, making the entire room jump and Fred almost fall off the couch. "... Sorry."

...