"Harry... I need to ask you something," Ron said as a miniature McGonagal screamed in a tiny voice, 'Avada Kedava!' and killed Voldemort.
"What?" Harry watched as all the other figurines held a tickertape parade for her.
"Did Hermione talk about me. I mean, before we came?"
"Er... yeah, it was her idea to paint the game room orange.... Why do you care if Hermione says anything about you?"
"It's like this.... I think.... I want to see if it's ok with you first because... er.... If it's not then I won't, but I really want to. So if you could just-"
"Ron! Just say it!"
Ron was about to say something, but was cut off by Mrs. Weasley announcing that dinner was ready.
Ron headed out first, leaving Harry to pick up the game. He put it in the cupboard and started to head towards the kitchen, but was stopped by a tugging on his collar. He looked behind him to see a very angry looking Hermione. Before he could plead with her to spare him she motioned for them to go upstairs.
Once the door closed Harry began his pleading.
"I am so sorry. It was a birthday present from Tonks.... Well actually, it was from Sirus, but Tonks was the one who sent it. I didn't know anyone would find it. I am so sorry. Did I say I was sorry? I wish I could do something to make it up to you.... I'll go downstairs and tell her it was mine and-"
Hermione put her hand up and stopped him from saying anything more.
"You want to make this up to me," she asked in a neutral tone.
"Yes, anything."
Hermione led him to the bed. He sat down, and she sat not a foot from him. She took out the book and opened it to the first page.
"Mrs. Weasley didn't like this one so much. It made her itch a little on her...."
* * *
"Harry dear, would you like a breast?"
"NO!!"
Harry snapped out of his trance and looked up to see the Weasley's look at him as if he just grew a second head. He looked down at the platter of chicken Mrs. Weasley was holding and said, "No thanks, I'm not hungry."
Since his talk with Hermione he hadn't been able to look Mr. or Mrs. Weasley in the eye. He noticed Ginny kept blushing whenever he dad spoke to her, and looked at him as though she was solving a long mathematic equation when he wasn't looking.
Harry got up and went to his room. He laid down on the bed he hadn't used in months and stared up at the ceiling. He didn't know why he started to feel melancholy, but he felt it and did nothing to change it. It had nothing to do with what had happened that day. Maybe it was the fear of having to go back to Hogwarts soon. He never feared it before. He was always so excited to go, but the idea of going back there twisted his insides somehow.
He heard a soft knock on his door.
"Come in."
He didn't look over when the door opened; he just laid there as if no one at all had entered.
"Hey Harry," Ginny said.
"Hey."
Ginny lay on the other side of the bed. She looked up to where Harry was looking.
"Hermione told you about the talk Mum had with us."
"Yeah, -word for word. The book was mine. Sirus gave it to me as a birthday present.... I was opening my presents in her room. She got up to get a drink and once I saw what it was I hid it."
"I don't think I can look at them the same again...." Ginny said.
"At least you can look at them."
That made Ginny laugh, "You should have seen your face when Mum asked if you wanted the breast."
"Hey, I wasn't the one who shivered when your dad asked if you had touched the thigh. You went all white when your mum waved that neck around."
They both laughed.
"Don't make me bring up how white you were when you realized it was me in the shower."
"No offense Ginny. But that would be like seeing my little sister in the shower. I mean, you are the closest thing I have to a sister...."
"Excuse me, but I am not little, as many of your classmates can vouch for,"Ginny winked.
"I don't think they will anymore. I think Ron's taken names. When he's through with them I don't think they'll say anything at all."
Ginny laughed, "That git."
"Hey, that git is my best friend," Harry said not very seriously.
"I know, that git also happens to be my brother. I think he fancies Hermione... you should have seen the way he was staring at her when you left."
"He's only shocked that she had that book."
"No. I think it's more.... He looked that way with Fleur," Ginny said in a matter-of-fact tone.
This statement made Harry's insides quiver with a feeling that could never be described as good.
"I think you should tell him about you and...er... I mean...I saw you coming out of her room one morning.... Actually, a lot of mornings...."
"It's not what you think," Harry said.
"I'm not stupid, Harry. Ron may not have caught onto the sounds coming out of your room, but I heard Hermione in there too...."
"No, you don't understand, Ginny. I mean it really isn't.... That was a spell, something called the Sempetutela Spell."
She seemed to understand that.
"The other times... we don't really talk about it, but it's nothing really. We... er.... I know you won't believe me, but we just sleep."
"I believe you Harry. Besides, if it was anything, I would have it out of Hermione in a second," Ginny said.
"Please don't tell anyone...."
"Don't worry, your secret's safe with me. Besides, Mum would die of a heart attack if she found out."
"Ginny... I meant it when I said you are like a sister.... If any of those idiots hurt you...."
"Thanks Harry, that means a lot. I never thought I'd ever hear myself say that...."
Harry sat up and looked at the red head, who matched his movements.
"You know you're a lot better when you don't fancy me. Maybe it's the fact that you can actually use words," he said.
"Once I got to know how much of a dork you really are it wasn't all that difficult. You became the dork brother I never wanted...."
Ron poked his head through the door and walked up to the two.
"Out Ginny," Ron said.
Ginny winked at Harry, which he knew could never be good, and wrapped her arm around him.
"You get out. We were snogging before you so rudely interrupted," Ginny said.
"Ginny!" Ron yelled.
Ginny rolled her eyes and made her way to the door. Before she left, she turned back to Harry, blew a kiss, then walked out. Harry would have been fine with her trying to make her brother crazy if it hadn't been for Hermione seeing the entire transaction from the doorway.
"I see you've been busy with Ginny, rather than studying like you promised you would," Hermione said.
"Look, I got here first. You can force him to study later."
"Fine," she said, as she sat at the foot of Harry's bed. Ron's face turned the shade of his hair.
"Would you get out of here," Ron said, clearly trying to suppress his anger.
"Why do I have to go? I don't have an evil book in my hands to harm you with information."
"Because I said!"
"But this is Harry's room, you can't just order me to leave without a reason."
Ron and Hermione continued to yell at each other, so much so they didn't notice Harry leaving. He didn't want to be alone, but then he didn't want to be around anyone. He knew what he wanted to do, but didn't know where he'd be able to. A vision of his parent's house drifted inside his mind. He knew he would be followed but he didn't care, he just wanted to feel it for a moment.