A/N: Because you guys are just so sweet, here's an extra long (at least for me) chapter. Thanks for those that reviewed, seriously that was all that was encouraging me to finish this chapter :) Some responses to reviews at the end as always.

Chapter 20 – This piece fits

Harry watched Ginny pull off the invisibility cloak before she kicked off her shoes and sat down on his bed.

His throat suddenly felt very dry and every part of him screamed at him to look away, to get out of there but his eyes remained glued on the red head now looking at him from the bed. Ginny sat her head titled to the side and her legs stretched out in front her, Harry noticed how white her skin was compared to the dark tones of her uniform.

Painfully he forced his eyes away from Ginny. Harry turned and leaned against the bedpost of Dean's bed, which was halfway across the room. His arms were folded across his chest and he felt his fingernails dig into his hands.

'Get a grip! This is little Ginny Weasley you're thinking about!'

But his mind wouldn't co-operate.

His thoughts returned to the moment he saw her transform in front of his eyes and the strange sensations he felt afterwards. He could still remember the feel of her small body pressed against his back when they had hidden outside the Gryffindor Common Room. He wondered if she had felt how tense his body had gotten when she had touched him, he had practically jumped away from her and ended up taking his frustration out on the first year.

"Harry," Ginny spoke and Harry kicked himself for actually jumping at the sound.

He gulped nervously and wondered if it was as obvious to her as it was to him how uncomfortable he felt. She was here and they were alone. He felt an electric pulse crackle across his skin as he looked into Ginny's deep brown eyes.

"Are you alright?"

'Yep, way too obvious.'

"Fine," he replied his voice sounding harsh and strange to him and he saw Ginny raise an eyebrow at his tone.

Ginny let her eyes drop to the bed and the dark red of the bed sheets.

'Is he angry with me?' she wondered to herself, 'He looks like he's about to fly into another one of his classic mood swings.'

She lifted her eyes and saw that Harry was still standing across the room from her, his jaw clenched and his body tense.

'Does it bother him that I'm here or is he just worried about Hermione and Ron?'

Ginny pondered this thought for a moment. She sat up and crossed her legs.

"Harry?"

"Mmm," he responded, his thoughts clearly elsewhere.

"What do you think about Hermione? You know, about her pretending to be a boy and attending school with you?"

A long silence elapsed and she wondered if he was even listening.

"I don't have an opinion about it either way," Harry replied finally.

Ginny studied the stitching on the bed sheet and voiced the thought she had been considering ever since Hermione had confessed to her.

"How would you feel if I also studied at Hogwarts Boys?"

Again silence.

"What do you mean?" he questioned and she could tell that he was genuinely confused.

"If I came here, and studied here and…lived here," Ginny felt every inch of her skin burn.

"I…"

Ginny looked up when Harry stopped speaking, his face was still confused and his eyes analysed her intently.

"I don't –"

The door slammed open and John stood in front of them. The door quickly closed again and he cast a silencing charm on the room. John turned to look at them. He looked pale, out of breath and like he may just throw up.

Then he screamed.

Ginny and Harry placed their hands over their ears at the sound.

"Hermione!" Ginny screamed loud enough to be heard above John's scream.

"Silencio!" Harry yelled and the next moment the room was silent once more.

"Sorry," Harry said as he led John to the bed and stepped away guilty before removing the silencing charm.

"It's alright," John replied rubbing her neck, "That helped actually."

"Okay," Ginny jumped off the bed and stood beside Harry, "What happened? Why did you come in here and start screaming like a banshee?"

"Ron…white and…oh it was ink…but he…"

Harry looked at Ginny in confusion as though expecting her to make any more sense out of John's ramblings than he could.

"Deep breaths," Ginny said to John before she and Harry sat down on the bed opposite.

Hermione felt like pulling her hair out. This must be a nightmare, or worse a dementor had snuck into Hogwarts and managed to suck out her soul and this was what one saw when they were devoid of happiness.

"Ron…" she gulped took a few more calming breaths and tried again, "Ron k-kissed me."

Ginny shrieked in delight and instantly hugged her.

Hermione pushed her away in annoyance.

"You're not happy about that?" Ginny said in confusion.

Hermione stared at her before waving her hands down her body. Ginny continued to stare at her but slowly Hermione saw Ginny's eyes widen and her mouth fall open.

She heard a strangled noise behind Ginny and looked behind her friend to see Harry struggling not to laugh. He wasn't doing a very good job.

"Wow, bet you're glad Hermione didn't agree to let you sort things out for her," Harry laughed and Hermione's fingers twitched to hex him.

"Harry, that is disgusting!" Ginny replied.

"What do I do no-"

The door slammed open loudly and Hermione thought it would be pulled off its hinges by the force.

"Harry! I need to talk…to…you…"

Brown eyes met blue.

Ron instantly turned around to walk back out but Harry stopped him.

"Actually I need to show Ginny back to Hogwarts Girls," Harry said hastily throwing his invisibility cloak over to Ginny, "Won't be long, just wait here."

The next instant Hermione found herself alone with Ronald Weasley.

"I don't think that was a good idea," Ginny whispered as she tagged along behind Harry underneath the invisibility cloak.

"Better to get it over and done with now then later," Harry replied taking longer than necessary to walk out the portrait of the fat lady so that Ginny could scramble through.

They remained silent as they walked down the hall.

"Feel like going for fly around Hogwarts?" Harry said suddenly and Ginny heard the hesitation in his voice as he spoke.

"Sure," she replied immediately before remembering where she was, "But won't people see me?"

"We'll just do a couple of laps around the astronomy tower, no one will see us that high up."

Harry reached back and found her hand and squeezed it just as they walked out into the sunlight. She felt shivers run up her spine at his touch.

"Okay," Ginny agreed, pretty certain that she would have said yes to anything Harry asked at this moment even if it was to jump off the astronomy tower.

Ron couldn't stand the silence any longer. This whole situation was driving him insane.

He looked over to Hermione and saw her slowly edging her way further away from him as though desperate to escape the room, to be anywhere but near him. He gritted his teeth in frustration.

'Oh no you don't,' Ron said to himself, 'I'm not letting you get away again.'

"Talk to me," Ron broke the silence and walked over to stand in front of Hermione, forcing her to look up at him.

She looked up at him before quickly averting her eyes as though the sight of him hurt her eyes. That surprised him.

"I –" She began but her mouth quickly shut again.

"You?" he said encouragingly, his arms aching to reach across and hold her but that would hardly help the situation.

"I don't understand," she said slowly taking a step away from him.

"What don't you understand?" he questioned taking a step forward to close the gap again.

He saw her fidget and twist her fingers viciously.

"I thought you liked Hermione," her voice was quiet and the sadness in her voice stung him as though she had just physically slapped him.

"I do," Ron replied before he could stop himself, "I – I just…"

He trailed off.

'Would she be upset if she found out that I knew she was a girl this whole time?' He wondered internally watching her shoulders sag.

"It's complicated," He tried to explain, "I do like Hermione - so much. She's kind, incredibly smart and the most beautiful thing I've ever seen in my life."

He saw Hermione start at his words and he toke another step towards her.

"I can't explain why I kissed you, I suppose…I suppose I just thought you left and when I saw you again –"

'Smooth,' his inner voice mocked him and Ron gritted his teeth again, 'Yeah very helpful' He retorted.

'Okay talking to yourself, first sign that you're losing it – it was bound to happen sooner or later,' Ron sighed rubbing his face tiredly.

"Maybe…"

His head snapped up when Hermione spoke.

"Maybe you just need some time to get to know Hermione," she said and he could see the cogs in her brain working.

He looked at her in confusion not sure if she was talking to herself or him.

"I was just glad to see you again, I don't know what came over me," he finished lamely wishing that a Buckbeak would suddenly appear and eat him alive.

Hermione nodded her head but her eyes remained on the floor.

"Are you angry with me?" he questioned, his fingers once again aching to touch her and he jammed them painfully inside his pockets.

"No, not really."

'Was that a smile?' he wondered to himself but Hermione's face was half hidden in shadows and he couldn't tell for sure.

"We should get to bed – I mean room. Back to our room," Ron corrected himself quickly.

'Again, very smooth Weasley,' Ron felt the heat rush to his face.

"Maybe in a bit," Hermione replied, "I have some things to do first."

"Oh," Ron replied unable to keep the disappointment from his voice, "I'll see you later then."

"Okay, later."

Ron watched Hermione's face carefully, she was smiling at him as he left the room.

'Weird,' he thought to himself as he trudged back up the stairs to their dorm room.

Was it just her or was Harry acting strangely?

They were both sitting on his nimbus and flying slowly above the Astronomy tower. She held tightly onto Harry and her head was leaning against his back. But every now and then Harry would twitch or suddenly change direction. She almost lost her grip a few times but his hands always reached up and held her tightly to him.

He made a sudden swerve again.

"Harry, what's wrong?" Ginny questioned from behind him, "Has someone seen us?"

"No," he replied, his voice sounding strained.

"Come on, lets go down."

"It's fine, just a little longer," he almost pleaded, that surprised her but she didn't say anything in response just placed her head on his back and hugged him tightly.

"Okay."

'There you go agreeing to him again,' Ginny sighed, she definitely needed to get control over her raging hormones.

"Ginny?"

"Yeah?" Ginny leaned over Harry shoulder so she could hear him properly.

A long pause followed. After a few more laps around the tower they began to descend towards the balcony of the Astronomy tower.

Ginny jumped off and straightened herself.

"Harry, what's going on?" she said folding her arms and trying to look as stern as was possible with tossled hair.

Harry was staring at his broom. He looked up at her then quickly down. He put his broom down on the ground and looked at her again. Ginny waited.

He licked his lips and she knew he was preparing himself to tell her something. Ginny's heart began to beat irradically.

"I don't think it's a good idea for – Hermione to be at a boys school," he blurted out suddenly while folding and un-folding his arms.

"Oh," she replied her brow furrowing in confusion, "Okay."

Ginny blinked a few times and wondered why he was looking at her expectantly.

"But's she's here now," Harry continued, "I have no problem with her if that's her choice – but I'm just saying…in my opinion she shouldn't be here surrounded by men who…" He ran a hand through his already messy hair, "I-I…I'm just trying to say that I don't think she should be here, so close to men whose intentions towards her may not be…pure?"

He finished his rambling statement as a question and Ginny was left staring at him at a complete loss.

"Um…okay," she said slowly trying to piece together what he had just said to her.

"Okay," he repeated before smiling at her. He nodded his head in satisfaction before looking at his watch.

"We'd better see if Hermione and Ron are okay."

Hermione smile disappeared the instant Ron left the room. She sighed before collapsing into the nearest bed.

"Merlin, what a mess," she groaned to herself.

"Oh – sorry."

Hermione lifted her head when she heard someone enter the room.

"Hey Neville," she greeted as happily as she could.

"Hi," he replied eyeing her strangely.

"Something wrong?" she questioned not entirely sure she could handle any more surprises right now.

"I should be asking you that," he replied, "You look like well – um – tired."

She smiled.

'That's an understatement,' she thought to herself.

"Mind if I just crash here for a bit?" she questioned Neville who was now searching for something in his desk.

"Fine by me," he said his back facing her, "But I think Harry's looking for you."

"He is?" She said in surprise sitting up in the bed, "Where is he?"

"He said to meet him at the astronomy tower," Neville replied.

"When was this?" Hermione questioned in response, something seemed strange about what Neville had said.

"Just now," Neville answered turning back to look at her, "Don't know much more than that, sorry."

Hermione nodded her head before walking out the room.

"Thanks Neville," she replied closing the door behind her.

She found Harry sitting on the ledge of the Astronomy tower and she cringed as she watched him swing his legs around to face her.

"How'd it go?" he asked the instant she stepped toward him.

"Fine," she replied.

She must not have been very convincing because Harry raised an eyebrow at her.

'Is Ron in love with John? But then he just told me he liked me, the real me that is, the girl me.'

"Bugger, I've got Quidditch Practice," Harry said suddenly breaking through her thoughts, "Ginny, why don't you talk to her."

Her friend had been sitting quietly on the marble bench behind her and Hermione had not even noticed that she was there until Harry had spoken to her.

"Sure, have fun at practice," Ginny said waving to Harry walking over to stand beside Hermione.

Harry snorted as he mounted his broom before jumping off the roof.

"You've never meet Oliver Wood," he grumbled before zooming off in the direction of the Quidditch Pitch.

Ginny watched him leave before turning around to look at her.

"That bad huh?"

Hermione shrugged as she walked over and sat down on the marble bench that Ginny had just vacated. Ginny stood in front her, leaning against the ledge.

"We just skirted around the issue," Hermione confessed looking into the distance rather than at Ginny whose red hair wasn't helping her mood.

"Are you going to leave?" Ginny asked picking lint off her school shirt.

"No," Hermione replied her brow furrowing, "You were right. I can't run away – I won't. And besides I love it here, I'm challenged every day and I have friends, its wonderful."

A silence fell between them and Hermione was glad of it, she got the sense that Ginny was trying to gather her courage to tell her something, something she wasn't going to like.

"So what did you tell him?" Ginny asked her breaking the silence finally.

"Nothing," Hermione sighed.

"Is it so bad?" Ginny questioned her.

Hermione was surprised by the question.

"What do you mean?" she replied genuinely confused.

"Is it so bad to be with the guy you like and actually know that he likes you too," Ginny answered and Hermione heard some bitterness in her tone.

"But he likes John, not me, its not the same," Hermione tried to explain getting up from her seat and walking over to Ginny, "Ginny – are we still talking about me?"

"Of course we are," Ginny replied quickly turning away from her.

Hermione followed the direction her friend was staring and it hit her.

"You – like – Harry?"

Ginny sighed and her head fell slightly.

"It's complicated," Ginny replied in a soft voice.

Hermione could have laughed at that statement but didn't.

"I've got time."

"Okay its not complicated," Ginny admitted after a moment, "I just hate it."

Hermione didn't say anything in response, she didn't want Ginny to feel pressured to explain.

"I just wish he didn't think of me like a little sister," Ginny rested her head on her hand, "Because I definitely don't think of him like a brother."

Suddenly Ginny spun around to stare at her.

"What?" Hermione said warily.

"Let me swap with you," Ginny said in an excited voice.

"What?! Ginny, no," Hermione backed away from Ginny, "Think about what you're asking me."

"I am," Ginny smiled, "You need to get away from Ron for a while – let him get to know 'Hermione' and I can be here."

Hermione looked at her friend unimpressed.

"Come on," Ginny pleaded grabbing her hand, "I'll take heaps of notes so you won't fall behind in any classes, and," Ginny face lit up as she spoke, "I'll make sure my brother won't look at you other than as a guy."

Hermione bit her lip. It did sound like a good idea, she needed a few days to figure out how to make Ron like the 'real' Hermione. She wouldn't be running away technically, just taking a little break to figure things out.

"Actually that may not be such a bad idea after all," she said thoughtfully.

"Really? This is great, so we'll just switch timetables, we should tell Harry too and oh we need to move your stuff into my dorm room and mine into yours. Is Ron and your room very big?"

Hermione felt a shock run through her heart.

"You'd be replacing me," she said slowly, "You'd be staying in my room."

"Yeah," Ginny nodded her head enthusiastically.

"With Ron," Hermione added.

"Yeah of cou-" Ginny broke off and took a step back from Hermione.

Hermione felt herself blush under the intense scrutiny.

"You –" Ginny looked at her for a moment longer before continuing, "You like sharing a room with Ron."

"What?! No!"

A smile slowly spread across Ginny's face.

"Oh you so like it," Ginny giggled, "You like playing house with my brother."

"Ginny, you're being ridiculous."

"Am I?" her friend said a smile still on her face, "Then why did you have a panic attack when you realised that I would be spending time in your room with Ron?"

"Because…" Hermione trailed off pathetically.

Ginny really laughed this time.

"You love it – you love him," Ginny said in a sing-song voice clearly enjoying the moment.

Hermione huffed annoyed at herself for not being able to deny what Ginny was accusing her of and at the realisation that it was defiantly a Weasley trait to make fun of her.

"I don't love him," Hermione retorted trying to stop Ginny's infectious giggling, though deep down she felt something twist at her words.

"Okay, I won't take your place, for now. I wouldn't want to deprive you of my brother's company," Ginny wrinkled her noise at the last part before she smiled again.

"Weren't we talking about Harry and you?" Hermione questioned determined to change the topic.

"That can wait," Ginny replied, clearly delighted by this new development.

A/N: Here's some responses to some questions and general comments.

3's all around: Thanks! I'm so glad that you've noticed little hints that show how all the characters are developing. My mistake in previous stories I've written is rushing the process which ends up seeming unrealistic. I hope that this fic is as realistic as possible in such extraordinary circumstances.

HermioneGrangerTwin: thanks! Good to hear from you.

Kil: Though I never put it down as a definate plot point, it was an issue I wanted to touch on and will be very important throughout the stroy. Thanks for your comments - as much as I love the 'Please update now' comments, reading your thoughts helps my own thinking process - so thank you, again :)

That.which.we.call.a.rose: Nice name and very releavant to this story :) Your comments made me so happy, I'm doing everything I can to make this fic as realistic as possible and I'm so incredibly glad that I'm achieving that goal. The last thing I want is an unrealistic fluff-fest (though some fluff is okay too). And yes, you were correct, Hermione probably would have confessed or at least begun to explain some things to Ron, but we love him for being so hot-blooded at times like these :)