Clare

Ginny's Diary

Chapter 8

"Hey, Ginny, the boys said it was okay for us to camp out in their room again—shall we get Harry and Ron back for not completing their dare?" Hermione asked with a grin.

"Um, let's see...yeah!" Ginny said, laughing.

Harry stuck his head round the girls' door and smiled. "Hey, what's all the laughing for?" he asked with sudden interest.

"Oh, nothing, Harry. Go on, now, we're on our way to your room. Make sure it's clean this time!" Ginny said in between giggles.

Harry raised his eyebrows, making the girls laugh harder, and then shrugged his shoulders. It was obvious he wasn't going to get any answers from them whilst they were giggling. Giggling should be against the law, he thought sourly. He entered his room, and as usual it was a tip. He flicked his wand and all of Ron's things flew into a trunk; then he did the same to his own stuff. The girls walked into the room just after Harry had cleaned up. Ginny eyed Harry's wand and began to giggle again, and Hermione joined in. Harry groaned and went to find Ron.

Ron sat on the roof, staring out over the Burrow's grounds and thinking. He didn't notice Harry at first when he joined him on the roof.

"I'm going to miss this place," Harry finally said, breaking the silence. "This has been the best place ever, more like my own home than the Dursleys' house, and the people that make it so nice are like the family I never had."

"Yeah? You know, I think Mum thinks of you and Hermione as her own kids; I wouldn't put it past her. Oh, man—what happens if she loses her mind but still thinks Hermione's her daughter and I ask her to marry me…? I can just imagine Mum running down the aisle shouting about me marrying my sister," said Ron, laughing.

"You really like Hermione, don't you? I think you should propose to her before we go and get ourselves in trouble with the whole Horcrux thing," Harry said, the serious look returning to his face.

"What about you?" Ron asked his friend. "You"ll be all alone."

"Yeah, I know. I'm not feeling sorry for myself when I say this, but—what's new there, then?"

Ron looked at Harry; he could only imagine the sorts of things Harry went through. First people at school tormented him for something in the papers about his parents, or in his third year when he thought Sirius Black was after him, then he learnt that Sirius Black had been his dad's best friend and Harry's godfather. Ron had his own source of pain to remind of that night when Sirius had dragged him off by the leg. After a few minutes of silence Ron began to talk again.

"Ginny's coming now, isn't she? Mum is going to be all alone. Ask Ginny out, otherwise you'll both be alone—and that's the only time you're getting my permission," Ron said jokingly.

"No way, I'm not doing that to her. If Voldemort finds out, he'll aim for her like he did everyone else." Harry shook his head.

"Harry, go and look at the clock—she's in danger whether she's with you or not. We all know you're going to win. You beat him when you were one, and again when you were fourteen. He keeps coming back, and every time you win. To be honest, I've heard people say he was quite intelligent...but if he is, why keep trying to kill the boy who keeps beating him?" Ron half laughed.

"Ginny will say no. We're just friends," Harry told Ron.

"Yes, and Hermione and I were just friends. That never stopped us, did it?" Ron was trying his best to convince his mate.

"I want you to go and propose to Hermione when we get in," Harry said firmly.

"Harry. I would love to, I really would, but I can't. I mean, this is Hermione we're talking about. She'll want us to wait a few years before we get married, then about another ten years before we can even have a kid." Ron sighed.

"I can sort the ring problem out. I don't think she'll say no, though. I think she'll say yeah. I heard Hermione telling Ginny she really wanted to get married soon," Harry said in an effort to persuade his friend.

"Okay. I'm going to Floo-call Mum and see if she has a ring I can use until I sort some money out." Ron was beginning to stand when Harry pulled him down again.

"I"ll sort the ring out—and don't argue," Harry growled at his friend, reminding Ron forcibly of his fourth year DADA teacher, or rather the impostor who had pretended to be Moody for most of that year.

Ron nodded, and Harry Apparated to Hogsmeade.

"Hey, Ginny, can I have a word with you?" Harry asked nervously as he entered the room. Gods, they're still giggling, he thought.

"Ummh, sure, Harry," Ginny replied as she stood up.

Harry and Ginny walked into the gardens and sat down near the small creek that ran down the end of the garden.

"I wanted to know if you'd—well, erm—willyougooutwithme?" Harry asked all in one breath.

"Harry, dear, I don't mean to be rude, but—what the heck did you just say?" Ginny asked, looking totally confused.

"Awww, man...I said—will—you—go—out—with—me?" he said slowly, making sure he breathed and that Ginny could catch every word.

He looked at Ginny cautiously. She hadn't said anything. Was she upset or happy? Had he blown it, or was she just thinking

"Harry," was all she said, then she jumped up suddenly. Harry cowered behind his arms, thinking Ginny was going to hit him, but instead she hugged him

"Let's go back in now. It's getting cold," Ginny said, shivering.

"We can't. Just give it five more minutes." Harry closed his eyes, enjoying the feel of her arms wrapped around him.

"Why?" Ginny questioned.

"I'm sure Hermione will tell you, then you can have rather annoying giggling fit," he replied, his eyes still shut.

Up in Harry and Ron's room, Ron had gone down on one knee before a surprised Hermione.

"'Mione, will you do me the great honour of agreeing to be my wife?" he asked. Who the hell said that? he thought.

"Oh, Ronald…I would love to, but what about this search—and Harry, won't he mind?" Hermione searched Ron's face for any kind of reassurance.

"Harry won't mind. I know he won't, because—well, he helped me think about all of this and right now he's in the garden asking Ginny out," Ron smiled.

"Well, in that case…yes, Ronald, I will marry you," she said, flinging her arms around his neck.

"Come on. I think it's safe to go back inside now," Harry said whilst his teeth chattered together. For July it was really cold.

Harry and Ginny ran into Ron's room to find Hermione and Ron in a rather disturbing kissing session.

"Erm, guys? You can stop now. We're back!" Ginny exclaimed loudly.

"Oh, hey, Ginny…so what's new?" Hermione asked, turning red and trying to smooth her hair.

"Harry and I are going out! What about you?" Ginny asked. She had only left her friend for about ten minutes, so why did she suspect something had happened that changed Hermione's life?

"Ohhh, Ginny!" Hermione screeched. She flung her arms around her best friend's neck.

"What—what's Ron done to you? I'll kill him!" Ginny said, her face turning red as she tried to push Hermione off her.

"He proposed!" Hermione squealed.

"What? Oh, wow! Let me look at the ring! Show it!" Ginny shouted, even though Hermione was right next to her.

Hermione held out her left hand and Ginny grabbed it and gasped—and then they began giggling once again.

Damn it, there they go again, Harry thought. Why do they have to make that stupid sound—can't they just laugh normally?

"Hey, I think it's time for bed," Ron said, waving his wand. This time two double sleeping bags appeared, one in each corner of the room.

"Ron, Hermione—I'm warning you, now, I don't under any circumstances want to hear any strange noises coming from that sleeping bag," Ginny said threateningly.

"Yeah, Harry and Ginny, same goes for you, then!" Ron said.

Harry's eyes widened instantly. Did Ron mean what he thought he meant?

"Shall we play Truth, Dare, Kiss or Promise?" Hermione asked, breaking the silence.

The boys nodded and Hermione winked at Ginny.

"Ron, seeing how you didn't complete your dare last time—you're going first!" Ginny said with an evil glint in her eye.

Ohhh, great… Ron thought.

"I want you to go downstairs and Floo-call Fleur, and tell her about your undying love for her since you first saw her in the Great Hall!" Hermione told him, whilst giving Ginny the thumbs-up.

"What? Bill would kill me, and you know it, Hermione. How would you feel if Harry confessed his love for me?" Ron asked, instantly realising how wrong that had come out.

"First I'd wonder why he ever went out with Ginny if he was gay, and then I'd wonder why he wasn't eager to do the last dare we set you," Hermione smirked.

"Fine, I'm going," Ron grumbled as he sat up.

"Ginny, go with him to make sure he does it!" Hermione ordered.

Ginny stood up and saluted Hermione sarcastically, then followed Ron down the stairs. Harry and Hermione sat waiting, whilst talking about what plans Hermione had.

"Well, I think we should wait until after the war to tell our families. You know—just in case." Hermione's voice trailed off as she said the last bit.

Harry nodded and Ginny barged back into the room, dragging Ron with her.

"He did it. Bill went berserk. He threatened Ron and everything! Fleur just acted like it was no biggie; then she insisted that she knew all along Ron was attracted to her in some way. Then she said, 'It muzzt 'ave zomething to do wiz her part Veela'," Ginny told the other two whilst laughing extremely hard.

"Hey, you three, it's getting late. Let's sleep. We have to be up early tomorrow," Harry said, climbing into bed.