AN: Sorry for the long hiatus... my computer hates me :( To make up for it I'll be posting two chapters today

Chapter 23

Harry stretched his legs out over the length of the couch and crossed them at the ankles. He settled back against a pillow and turned the page of the mystery book Hermione'd recommended. It was amazingly enthralling, which was perfect to help him stay awake until she got home and it gave him a semi-believable alibi too. The others had long since gone to bed, and usually he and Ginny would take full advantage of Ron's absence, but it was obvious from his lack of response to Ginny's seduction attempts that tonight wouldn't be one of those nights. Not for the first time, he was grateful to call such an understanding woman his.

He commended himself on his acting skills when he didn't react to the flash of green flames in the fireplace and pretended not to notice when Hermione stepped through. Still frazzled, Hermione straightened out her clothes, failing to notice the figure on the couch. Knowing he'd appear most innocent his he seemed surprised to see her, Harry turned the page, making a show of it to make a small noise. Hermione immediately reacted, jumping and gasping softly. In response Harry jumped dramatically with an exaggerated grunt of surprise.

""Mione?" Someone should just hand him an Oscar now.

"Harry," Hermione's voice was high and strained.

"Sorry, guess we surprised each other," Harry grinned and sat up, misconstruing why she was acting so funny.

"Yeah, I wasn't expecting you to be down here," she admitted. "Ron's not staying at Lavender's?" She suddenly grew worried, ready to turn and step back through the floo to Lavender's flat.

"No he is," Harry quickly reassured her, "Ginny just wasn't feeling good." He was in too deep to feel guilty over yet another lie. The look of concern didn't leave her face making him mentally smack his forehead. "Just fatigue from a long day, so I came down here so she could go to sleep early."

"Oh," Hermione relaxed and smiled. "Well I can still sleep in your bed tonight if you want."

"Thanks," Harry nodded, never one to pass up time with his girl, even if they were asleep. "You probably want to get to bed – it's been a long day."

"Yeah," Hermione turned to leave and stopped short.

"Uh oh," Harry suddenly sensed danger as she slowly turned and stalked toward him.

"What did you say?" She asked, making him nervous.

"It's been a long day," his answer sounded more like a question as he realized his mistake. "Food… you always shove food at her when she gets home late. Bloody idiot!" He could have bashed his head against the wall.

"Harry," her voice was dangerously low and calm.

"… Yes Hermione?" If anyone could see him now they'd never let him live down being so thoroughly cowed by his much smaller best friend. It only took the characteristic arch of her brow for him to crack and confess not only what he'd done but the entire events of his and Ginny's retrieval mission. By the end Hermione was shaking her head, but he was pretty sure it wasn't at the siblings' antics. "'Mione what's wrong?"

Hermione stiffened, "damn it, he can never just let me be can he?" Harry reached out and pulled her to sit next to him on the couch. He held her hands in a grip tight enough to tell her she wasn't going anywhere until she told him. "This is just between us… only the two of us, okay?" Harry nodded, immediately on high alert; it was almost unheard of for her to tell one of the guys something and forbid the others from knowing. She quickly told him what happened; speaking so low and fast Harry had to concentrate to understand. That, paired with the death grip she held on his hands, were the only things from keeping him from leaping up and killing the eldest Weasley.

"Please don't Harry," Hermione's plea broke through the angry haze.

"Don't what 'Mione," he ground out, carefully controlling his temper. Something the Weasley men seemed in desperate need of practice in.

"I know what you're thinking Harry. Starting a fight with Bill would do nothing but cause trouble for all of us. It wasn't meant to be malicious… he didn't know…"

"I know," He growled, thankfully cutting her off from having to finish her sentence. "I promise I won't start a fight."

"Thank you," she gratefully kissed his hands, still grasped between hers. Harry just sighed and nodded, obviously still miffed. They sat together in silence for a few more minutes before he stood, pulling her with him up the stairs. Outside the room he usually shared with Ron he stopped and gave her a light kiss on the forehead before turning and entering the room she and Ginny usually shared.

Hermione quickly undressed and pulled out a pair of shorts and a tee-shirt from Harry's dresser drawer. She contemplated funning to the bathroom to brush her teeth, always having felt cleaner doing it the muggle way, and decided she was too tired and charmed them clean instead. She padded over to Harry's bed and quickly slid in, already looking forward to the deep sleep that awaited her. The sheets were cool, smooth and smelled like a mixture of fresh laundry and Harry's body wash. With practiced efficiency, she fluffed the pillows and positioned them perfectly with one beneath her head and the other drawn to her chest as she lay on her side cuddling it. In a snap decision she levitated Ron's pillows over to nestle closely along her back and bent legs. Her eyes fluttered shut as she inhaled deeply. Memories of the warm safe feeling of being sandwiched between Harry and Ron while they camped out during the war came flooding back to her, gently lulling her to sleep.

Harry quickly stripped to his boxers and neatly folded his clothes and placed them on a chair before sliding into bed next to Ginny. Sensing the presence of a warm body, Ginny rolled over and quickly cuddled up to his chest with a satisfied sigh. He smile as a flood of love filled his chest so viciously it hurt. He wound his arms around her and held her possessively close, the physical contact providing some relief to the emotional turmoil gnawing at him inside.

He was still seething from Hermione's story, but knew she was right. It would hardly solve anything for any of them if he barged into the man's house and demanded a duel. Especially since the man didn't know the full situation and would think he's gone insane and demand an explanation. And it wasn't Harry's place to share it.

Reviews make the pen flow faster...