The Hogwarts Express came to a grinding halt at Hogsmeade Station and hundreds of Hogwarts students began to disembark the scarlet steam engine. Harry was hand in hand with Susan as they stepped onto the train platform together. Harry's heart filled with warmth as he heard the familiar call of "Firs years! Firs' year o'er here please".
Harry turned and saw the looming shadow of the Hogwarts gamekeeper with his bright lantern waving to the new students to join him for the boat ride to the castle. Harry had a flash of himself and Ron only a few years earlier being awed as they followed Hagrid down to the boats. It seemed like a lifetime ago.
"Come on Harry." Susan smiled, tugging him along with her. Harry followed his girlfriend towards the line of waiting carriages, each tethered to two thestrals. Harry no longer feared the strange creatures but found that he now felt great respect for the beasts. Before he joined Susan, Hannah, Neville, and two fourth year Ravenclaws in the carriage, Harry stopped to give the closest beast an affectionate pat.
Susan took Harry's hand once again when he sat next to her in the carriage, and didn't release him until they had to part inside the Great Hall. She gave him one final peck on the lips before following Hannah to the Hufflepuff table. Harry followed Neville, and the two boys sat down cross from Ron and Lavender.
"Where's Hermione?" Ron asked. "I thought she'd be with you lot."
""She's was with Zach." Harry shrugged. "I'm sure she'll be along soon enough."
It was only another minute before the bushy haired witch joined her friends at the Gryffindor table, smiling brightly.
"Did you take care of Zach's wrackspurt problem?" Harry asked with a smirk.
"Shut up." Hermione replied, slapping his arm. She was trying to look angry, but she couldn't stop herself from grinning.
A moment later, McGonagall led in the first years to be sorted. Harry and the others at the Gryffindor table cheered loudly whenever someone was sorted into their house, just as the other houses did the same for the new inductees. When the sorting had finished at last, the golden plates filled with food, and the feast began.
"So, another song about joining together." Ron said as he tore into a roast chicken leg.
"We won't win this war by standing alone." Harry shrugged. "But how do we join together? None of us trusts anyone in Slytherin, and they aren't too fond of us either."
"You know, I've wondered about that." Hermione said as she cut into a potato. "They're pretty isolated. You never see Slytherins with any of the other houses. They keep to themselves all the time. It's odd. I mean, yes they hate us on principle, but why don't they associate with Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff either?"
"An unsolvable mystery." Neville concluded.
"I'd like to know how this stupid feud started." Harry said. "It seems like it's been going on since time began."
"I told you when we first met that Slytherin has a reputation for turning out Dark wizards and witches."
"But dark witches and wizards could come from any house, Ron." Hermione countered.
"I know, but the worst ones have always been from Slytherin. And because of that reputation, once someone's sorted to that house, the rest of us begin to mistrust them."
"So we're all to blame." Lavender said. Ron turned and gave his girlfriend a smile, which she returned.
"Seems really stupid." Hermione said. "But I have no idea how to change it."
"Even if we alter how we think of them, it won't change how they think of us." Harry pointed out.
"You never know." Neville smiled confidently. "Things always change. All you need is one person willing to open their mind."
When the last crumb had been devoured, Headmaster Dumbledore rose from his seat to give his start of term speech. Every one fell silent as Dumbledore gazed upon them all.
"To our new students, I say welcome, and to our returning students, welcome back. I have only a few start of term notices to give to you before I release you to the warm comfort of your beds. First, as always, the Forbidden Forest is exactly that, forbidden. Also, Mister Filch has asked me to tell you all that any product from Weasley Wizarding Wheezes is banned. You can of course see the full list of banned items on Mr. Filch's office door. I am told it is now quite extensive.
"Anyone wishing to play on their house Quidditch team should see their team captain to find out when try-outs will be held. Also, I would like to tell you that a new club will be open to all students this year. For those interested in more Defense Against the Dark arts and Dueling, Please see Professor McGonagall to sign up."
Harry gave a sigh of relief. He didn't really want hundreds of students hounding him to be allowed into the Defense club. Dumbledore had anticipated this and given the responsibility to the head of Gryffindor house. Harry also noticed Snape's lip curl slightly at this announcement.
"Now I would very much like to introduce our new Potions teacher, Professor Horace Slughorn."
Slughorn rose from his chair as the students applauded him. Harry noticed that Slughorn blushed slightly.
"Professor Slughorn will be taking over for Professor Snape, who will now be teaching Defense Against The Dark Arts."
Harry turned to watch Snape rise to accept his applause, of which there was little, most of it coming from the Slytherin table. However, Snape did not stand. In fact, to Harry's immense surprise, Snape actually looked upset.
"Why do you think he looks so sour." Hermione asked. "He's wanted that position for ages, and now that he's got it, he looks like he wants to vomit."
"No one's lasted in that job for more than a year." Harry replied.
"It's not a reward." Ron said with a small satisfied smile. "It's almost like he's being punished."
"And now, it is time for bed. Classes will begin tomorrow, and it will not do for you to be unrested." Dumbledore smiled, raising his arms to dismiss them. The Great Hall was a cacophony as students began to head to their common rooms.
Susan found herself being forcibly steered into her dorm room by Hannah, with Sally-Anne and Megan Jones hot on their heels. The door was shut, and Susan turned around to find the other three girls staring at her expectantly.
"Spill it Bones." Megan said, going to her bed and hoping up onto it,
"What are you talking about?" Susan asked, a little confused.
"You're not going to get away with the innocent act here Suzie." Hannah said with a mischievous grin. "Everyone saw you two all cozy on the train and the whole school's talking. But we know there's more then what everybody else is talking about, And I know that you have been with Harry nonstop since after your birthday. We haven't gotten a chance to share, so I'm asking you now, what did you and Harry get up to?"
"Ahh." Susan said now understanding what the three girls were after. They wanted all the juicy details of her intimate relations with the Harry Potter. She gave a sad little shrug as she crossed to her own bed and began pulling out her sleepwear, which was little more than a camisole and some shorts.
"Sorry girls, but unfortunately Harry and I did not get time to snog. We had only two real good kisses, one of which happened last night after you lot left."
"Wait?" Megan asked looking hurt. "You had a party and didn't invite me?"
"We sent an invitation, but you never responded." Susan said.
"I'm just pulling your chain." Megan laughed her musical laugh that always made the others begin to giggle. "I was in Italy until just this morning. Please continue."
"Are you honestly telling me that in two and a half months you only kissed him twice?" Sally-Anne said looking indignant. "What is wrong with you?"
"How could he keep his hands off of you is what I'm wondering." Hannah said. "After the way you practically threw yourself at him, nearly naked I might add."
"He saw you naked?" Sally-Anne asked, eyes bulging.
"No!" Susan shook her head. "I had my swimsuit on. It was similar to the one I was wearing yesterday."
"Good call by the way. I imagine he was trying hard to keep his wand from poking you." Hannah giggled. Susan smiled, but her cheeks turn the color of ripe tomatoes, and Hannah fell over with laughter.
"He was poking you!" She squealed.
Susan could only nod, and the other girls began to laugh as well.
"It isn't funny." Susan said irritably. "He must have been so embarrassed."
"You could have been a sweet girlfriend and helped relieve him." Megan smiled, waggling her eyebrows.
"I think I made it worse after you all left. We sort of started snogging on the sofa, and I felt it between us, and I freaked a little. I knew what it was, but I just... I was afraid my Aunt might have walked in on us and I... oh I don't know." Susan said sitting heavily on her bed.
"There's nothing wrong with that." Hannah said, finally calming down. "Go at the pace you're comfortable with. If he gets pushy, hex his bits."
"I don't think Harry's the pushy type. It was more what I wanted to do. I just kept having these feelings, and I wanted to do more than just kiss him, and when I felt his… manliness between us, I got freaked out a bit. I don't know that Harry needs to be distracted." Susan admitted. "He's kind of got a lot on his plate."
"No kidding." Megan agreed. "What's with all this chosen one business?"
"It all because of the fact they were fighting Death Eaters in the Ministry." Susan said. "It doesn't mean anything."
"Did he ever tell you why they were there?" Sally-Anne asked. Susan shook here head.
"Forget that." Megan said. "How did you even start dating him? I can't think of anytime where you said you fancied him. When we left for holiday, you were still pining over Zach, who I noticed was quite close with Granger still."
"Yeah... well, I uh..." Susan stammered. She and Harry had never come up with a story on how they came to be dating. They had agreed not to speak of the contract, but they hadn't discussed a cover story to explain to people why they were together.
"Oh, come on Susan." Hannah rolled her eyes. "Fine, I'll tell them."
Hannah then spun a tale about how Harry had apparently had been nurturing a huge crush on Susan, and near the end of the previous year, had tried to talk to her a few times. Susan noted that Hannah had taken the few spare nuggets that Susan and Harry had lamely muttered at the end of summer party and wove a rather romanticized tale of Harry and Susan coming together with much encouragement from Hannah herself.
"Why was Harry at your house when it got attacked?" Sally-Amie asked.
"He was staying the night," Hannah said quickly. "We got back really late from our date, and Harry's house isn't connected to the Floo. So Susan's Aunt sent a letter to Harry's relatives, and made him stay the night. Lucky she did too, or we might not be here talking to you about it."
"Was that your new house we were at yesterday?" Sally Anne asked.
"No, It's Harry's." Susan said quickly before Hannah could respond. "A few days before all of that, Harry found out he'd inherited a house from his godfather, and he said we could stay with him until the school year."
"Wait." Megan said, looking perplexed. "I thought you said his house wasn't hooked to the Floo network. If he had his own house, why didn't he go there after your date?"
"We didn't go to his house right away. He was still living with his relatives the night we were attacked. We stayed with them for a few days while Harry got things together at his new house." Susan lied almost flawlessly. Hannah gave a confirming nod.
"His relatives just let him leave?" Sally-Anne asked skeptically.
"They're not nice people." Susan said shaking her head. She remembered meeting the Dursleys on their date and how horrid they had been to Harry. "They seemed glad to be rid of him." Susan said. "He won't talk about it, so I don't know much more about it. To be honest, I don't know that I want to know."
"So you're all alone in his new house and you didn't have your way with him?" Megan asked truly appalled.
"Like I said, Harry's got a lot going on, and there was a bit where we really weren't getting alone. But that's all behind us, and I think now we can get closer. I really think all the bad hard stuff is behind us."
"I should think you'd like the hardness in front of you." Sally-Anne smirked.
"Or in you." Megan blurted out and began to laugh. Sally-Anne and Hannah joined in, and even Susan giggled a bit at the innuendo.
"You're kind of disgusting, you know that?" Susan asked climbing into bed.
The girls continued talking for another two hours about boys and what comes naturally when girls and boys get together. Megan shared a thrilling tale of two different boys that she met and got to know very well in Italy. It wasn't a secret between the now sixth year Hufflepuff girls that Megan was the first of them to have experienced sex. Megan herself had told them all the day after it had happened. It had been only last year, and had happened with the Hufflepuff Keeper, who'd been a seventh year. None of the other girls had been awfully surprised at all. Given the increasing tension within the fifth, sixth and seventh years. As Hannah had said on the train home, it had been a very sexually charged year. Susan was sure that this year was going to be similar if not more so.
Susan wondered idly as she listened to Megan go on about allowing a very handsome boy named Armand, or something like that to get his hands into her knickers and the amazing things he had done to her, just what she and Harry might experience. With their new extended curfews, they had a bit more time to find a good quiet, private place in which they could be alone and perhaps become more intimate. She had to smile when she thought about the previous evening and the way Harry had tried to hide his excitement for her. He really was one of the sweetest boys she had ever known.
"Are you joking?" Megan shrieked, breaking Susan from her musings. Hannah was blushing terribly and shaking her head.
"You total slag!" Sally-Anne said vehemently.
"Wait, what?" Susan asked now perplexed. Hannah was laughing hysterically, her face buried in her pillow to hide her redness.
"Did you know?" Sally-Anne asked, turning to Susan. "Did you know she did that to Neville?"
"What?" Susan asked, now becoming more curious.
"What did he do? What did he say?" Megan asked. "Did he try and stop you or anything?"
Hannah nodded at the last question but was still laughing to hard to answer.
"You are such a tramp!" Megan shouted gleefully. "How did you like it?"
"It was alright. I just imagined it was a popsicle, like Cathy Bennet said last year. It was better than I thought because Neville's kind of a clean freak. But it was nothing compared to what he did to me!" Hannah said, muffled by her pillow. "We'll just say he returned the favor!"
"No he didn't." Sally-Anne said, now quite disbelievingly. "No offense to your boyfriend, but I didn't think he even have a clue about..."
"Oh, trust me, he does, and he was uh… he was amazing." Hannah sat up, her face still a deep crimson, though her eyes were a bit glazed over, and Susan noticed she was rubbing her thighs together. "He told me he heard Seamus talk about it enough, he was sure he could pull it off, and I'm telling you as sure as I'm sitting here that it's true. He did it beautifully, and my legs shook for two days afterwards. That boy knows how to use his tongue!"
Susan finally understood what they were talking about, and had puzzled together what Hannah must have done to Neville. She was shocked, and her hands went to her mouth as she stared at Hannah, who looked extremely wound up.
"I highly recommend getting your bloke to learn how to do it. You'll all thank me."
''Preaching to the choir." Megan reminded them. "Do none of you remember what I told you about Deacon in the locker rooms last year?"
"Oh my god, how come you didn't tell me before now?" Susan asked, her hands still covering her mouth in awe.
"I wanted to, but there was way to many people around yesterday and today, and I wasn't about to bring it up with him sitting next to me. He would have freaked out. He's not unlike Harry in that he's a pretty private person." Hannah explained.
"I just can't believe it." Susan said. "When did it happen?"
"About a week ago. I went to visit him, and his Gran was gone all day. So we were in his room, and one thing led to another, and the more we kissed, the more I wanted to do more, so I did, and then he did, and I'm not sorry about it." Hannah said proudly.
"Wow." Sally-Anne said, looking at Hannah with awe. "I'm just... I'm so surprised that Neville Longbottom is that good in the bedroom."
"How big is he?" Megan asked suddenly. Hannah held up her hands, with a very pleased look on her face. The other girls seemed impressed as well.
"That's bigger than Deacon was, good for you." Megan smiled. "What'd it feel like?" Sally-Anne asked.
"Ok, I'm putting a stop to this." Susan said suddenly. "We have classes in the morning, and I don't want to spend my night dreaming about Neville's wand."
"I wouldn't mind." Megan grinned, and Sally-Anne nodded in agreement.
"No!" Susan said adamantly, though she was having trouble keeping herself from smiling. "Hannah, you're the damned prefect, shouldn't you be the one ushering us to bed?"
"Who am I to deny my friends what they want to hear?" Hannah smirked.
"Ugh! You're all filthy disgusting harlots, you know that right?" Susan shrieked. All three girls nodded with big grins on their faces.
"I'm going to bed." Susan threw her hands up, and climbed into her bed, shutting the curtains, and casting a silencing charm so she wouldn't have to listen to her friends go on about how well Neville was built. She didn't need that imagery when she was trying to picture how her own boyfriend was put together. She had a decent idea from the previous night, but she was still extremely curious. What made Susan smile was the fact that she knew she would be finding out in time. As she snuggled into her pillow and shut her eyes, she made a mental note to ask Hannah just what it was she was supposed to do should the situation arise.
Ron and Hermione had to patrol the castle, keeping an eye out for any start of term rule breakers, while the new fifth year prefects guided the first years up to Gryffindor Tower. Harry and Neville followed the procession up the moving staircase, commenting to each other about how neither of them could remember ever being so small. Neville had to tell one of the straggling first years to pay more attention, or they would get lost.
"Hey Harry." Katie Bell said as she and her best friend Leanne came up beside Harry and Neville on their walk. "So, I heard you're the new Quidditch captain. Congratulations."
"Thanks." Harry smiled proudly. "I thought for sure it'd be you who got it."
"I won't lie. I was hoping I'd get it. But the more I thought about it, the less I actually wanted it. When are you going to be holding tryouts?"
"Probably in a week or so. I don't want to wait to long for it. The sooner we fill all the slots, the quicker we can get to practice."
"Can I give you a bit of advice?" Katie asked, and Harry nodded. "Hold tryouts for every position, including mine. Don't just let me on the team because we've worked together for years, or Ron because he's your mate. You could be missing out on some really good flyers. I'm not saying that I don't want to play, but if you found someone better on a broom then me..."
"I don't think that's going to happen." Harry smiled.
"I don't think so either, but if I had been given captainship, you would be trying out all the same, even yours." Katie said seriously, and Harry understood.
"I'll think it over. Thanks for the advice." Harry said gratefully.
"Anytime. Can I ask you something else?" Katie started to look a bit nervous.
"Sure."
"Is it true that you're with Susan Bones?" Katie asked, her voice had dropped in volume, and her cheeks flushed with color.
"Uh, yeah. Yeah, we're together. Why?" Harry asked puzzled.
"Oh, uh...no reason." Katie tried to wave it off, but her best friend wasn't going to let Katie off as easily.
"Because if it wasn't true, Katie wanted to ask you to be her boyfriend." Katie's friend grinned, talking across Katie.
"LEANNE!" Katie shrieked with humiliation.
"What?" Harry asked startled. "Really?"
They had stopped walking now, and Harry, Katie, Neville and a chuckling Leanne were standing together just outside the portrait of the Fat Lady that hid the entrance to Gryffindor tower.
Katie turned to took at Harry now, still blushing. "Um.. .yeah." She finally said. "Since last year some time. I thought for sure that you'd still be unspoken for at the start of the year, and I planned to find you on the train and ask you, but I had no idea where you were. Then I overheard someone say that you were dating Susan Bones."
"Oh." Was all Harry could get out. "I'm sorry."
"It's alright, Harry." Katie smiled. "I should have asked you out last year after I heard you and Chang had imploded. Well, if things between you and Bones don't work out, just know that I'd like a chance with you."
Katie's face was nearly glowing scarlet as she and Leanne passed through the portrait hole and into Gryffindor tower. Harry turned to Neville who appeared just as confused as Harry felt.
"What just happened?" Harry asked. Neville shrugged, but began to laugh. Harry shook his head, and he and Neville entered into Gryffindor common room. They both said hello to a few of the fellow Gryffindors before heading up to their dorm room where Seamus Finnegan and Dean Thomas were already unpacking.
"Hey Harry." Dean said upon seeing his room mate. "Have a good summer?"
"Of course he did." Seamus smiled. "Haven't you heard, the lad was staying with the fair Lady Bones this summer."
"How do you know that?" Harry asked.
"I didn't know for sure until you just confirmed it." Seamus grinned, and Harry rolled his eyes. Neville laughed and shook his head, heading to his bed and opening his trunk.
"So it's true you fought Death Eaters over the summer again?" Dean asked. Harry nodded slowly. "The Prophet actually got some of that right."
"Harry, You could not give me enough gold to switch places with you." Seamus sighed. "Mind you, I wouldn't mind having a bit of your stock with the ladies, but it isn't worth all the rubbish you end up facing."
"Thanks, Seamus." Harry said wryly, shaking his head. "Wait, what do you mean stock with the ladies?"
"Clueless." Dean rolled his eyes.
"But that's part of what makes it work." Seamus grinned. 'The thing is, it's gotta be genuine. You can't fake it. Trust me."
"What are you lot talking about?" Harry asked, getting irritated.
"Alright, it's like this mate." Dean said, taking a seat on his bed. "It started around the Yule Ball, though Seamus thinks it goes back to our first year."
"You are the standard by which most of the birds in this place compare us blokes." Seamus interrupted. "There are exceptions, of course."
"What are you talking about?" Harry was now very confused.
"Ok." Seamus said, sitting next to Harry on Harry's bed. "So, I keep my ear to the ground a lot, listening to see who's interested in who and all that, because if I hear some bird finds me fanciable, I can make a preemptive strike, and get things going, you follow?"
Harry nodded, and Seamus went on.
"Now, you've always been a hot topic of conversation, but ever since before the Yule ball, the tone of those conversations have changed from what kind of trouble you might be causing to how hot you were getting. Last year, you should have heard some of the things girls were saying about you. I heard a few seventh years discussing making you a man, if you catch my meaning."
"Oh, he does." Dean laughed, pointing at Harry's crimson hue.
Harry's eyes were as big as cauldrons now as he stared between Seamus, Dean and Neville.
"Why didn't anyone say anything to me? Why didn't any of these girls talk to me?" He wondered aloud.
"I have the answer to that." Seamus smiled, and Harry threw his hands in the air.
"Of course you do."
"We never mentioned it, because quite frankly, well, why should we help you get some action when we could be focusing on our own attempts. Plus, to be frank , you and I weren't on the best of terms last year."
"Don't worry about it. As I recall, I was a bit of an arse to you as well." Harry said easily, and Seamus clapped him on the shoulder.
"The second answer is that almost every girl I've ever heard talk about you in that manner all agreed on one detail, which I agree with. They were all worried about scaring you right off."
"Painfully shy are the words I always heard." Dean added.
"Intimidating too, don't forget that." Neville said.
"Right." Seamus nodded.
"Wait you knew about this too?" Harry asked Neville who shrugged.
"Honestly Harry, would it have mattered if you had known?" Seamus asked. "Those girls were all correct. You're intimidated by the fairer sex, and if some bird had come along and been forward with you, it would have freaked you out, and you would have run away."
"He's done ok with Susan." Neville said, and Seamus nodded.
"But I bet she didn't throw herself at him. I'm guessing she eased our little Harry into trusting her before she ever did anything of a romantic nature."
"Actually, that's pretty accurate." Harry said, though he did recall Susan being pretty overt on their first date. He smiled softly as he remembered the way she had launched her scantly clad form into his arms in the pool and how glorious her body had felt pressed against his the previous night.
Seamus grinned as he stood up. "I for one would like to thank you, Harry. If you were more confident, there would be no girls for the rest of us."
"Glad I could help." Harry rolled his eyes.
"So what the hell is with Snape getting the Defense job?" Dean asked, changing the topic.
"Dumbledore must want to be shot of him." Seamus grinned. "Everybody knows that position is jinxed. I'm hoping for a beheading, personally."
"I'd like to see him done in by his own hex bouncing off someone's shield." Neville sighed.
"Too quick for my liking." Dean said. "Something really slow and horrendously painful. That's my vote."
"Boiled in his own slime" Ron suggested as he entered the dorm. "That's my vote,"
"Hey Ron." Seamus smiled. "How in the bloody hell did you manage to convince Lavender to be with you?"
"What do you mean?" Ron asked, looking confused. He wasn't sure if he should be insulted.
"I've tried for two years to turn that girl's head my way, and she always snubbed me. She always said that she didn't want anything serious. She wouldn't even let me take her to Hogsmeade."
"Wait, but what about those rumors that you two got together in the astronomy tower." Neville started but Dean began laughing.
"He started those rumors." Dean howled.
"I didn't mean to start those rumors." Seamus said quickly. "Truth was, I convinced her to go up there with me so I could ask her out.. .for like the seventh or eighth time. I thought you know, moonlight, warm spring night... set the mood. Everything got blown out of proportion, and she got really mad at me when she heard the rumors."
"So nothing ever happened between you two?" Ron asked.
"No mate." Seamus stated. "Not for lack of trying. But she just never gave me a chance. So how did you do it?"
Ron could only shrug. "In all honesty, I don't know. The thing is, she kepi coming to my brothers store where I was working, and we would take lunches together. We just talked. A lot. I asked her to come to Harry's party at the end of summer, and she asked me if it was a date. I told her it was just a party,, and that it didn't have to be a date, and she asked if Parvati could come. So I didn't think it was anything until just after we got to Harry's."
"Wait, you guys were all snuggly last night. I thought you were together." Neville observed.
"By then, we were. It got made official not long after we got to the party. In the water, actually." Ron said with a shy smile. "We were a bit away from everyone else, and she swam up to me and put her arms around me. She leaned in and kissed me and told me that she'd wanted to kiss me all summer. I was just... I didn't know what to say."
"Oh man." Seamus said bitterly as he flopped onto his bed.
"What did you say?" Harry asked.
"I said that I liked her, and that I thought she was one of the best looking girls in the school, but that I had no idea she liked me like that. She said that had been the idea. She wanted a chance to get to know the real me, and that if she had let on that she might like me, she was afraid I would either..." Ron began to laugh a bit now. "Act like Seamus and fall over myself trying to get her attention, or run away."
"She really said that?" Seamus looked up, and at Ron's nod began punching the side of his head. "Stupid, stupid, stupid." He kept repeating, making the other boys laugh.
"So that was it. She asked if we could make a go of it, and I said... I believe my exact words were hell yes."
"Good on you mate. Seems like Seamus is the only one of us without a girl now." Dean smirked.
"Which reminds me." Ron said, looking hard at Dean, who cowered a bit. "I'm not going to play the over protective brother thing here, Dean, but I will just tell you that if you hurt Ginny, When she's finished with you, I'll get the rest of my brothers, and we'll be having a discussion to make sure you know just what you did wrong. Cool?"
"I have no intention of hurting Ginny." Dean said easily. "And to be honest, I'm more afraid of her than you and you brothers combined."
"Too be honest... I am too." Ron said, going to his trunk to prepare for bed. "Anyway, that's all I wanted to say on the matter. From now on, it's none of my business."
"Wow." Harry remarked.
"What?" Ron looked at his best friend.
"Nothing. It's just I always kind of pictured you stalking whoever Ginny wound up with, or accompanying her on dates to make sure nothing got to far."
"I talked with her a lot over the summer." Ron shrugged. "I gave up my right to be like that in her first year when I all but ignored her."
Ron's face darkened, and Harry knew Ron was referring to the business with the diary and the Chamber of Secrets. He felt a stab of guilt as he remembered trying to avoid her for fear of making her become embarrassed. Harry wondered if he had acted differently that year, if perhaps his feelings for the youngest Weasley would have been different. Would they had in fact been a couple? What would have it been like to discover the Marriage Contract while he'd already been dating someone?
Harry grimaced inwardly as he tried to imagine having to break up with someone and resenting Susan all because of the contract. Harry counted himself very lucky that they had both been without significant others in their lives when the contract surfaced. It would have most definitely complicated an already difficult situation.
As Harry climbed into his bed, and the lights were extinguished, Harry closed his eyes and pictured Susan lying in the sun in that stunning blue bikini she'd been wearing the day before, and what the bare flesh of her midriff had felt like when he'd been holding her as the sun set. He began to dream of what could have happened between them when they had begun kissing on the sofa after everyone had gone home.