I woke up early to the sun streaming through the window above my bed. I sighed, more content than I had been since the incident in the Department of Mysteries. All of us who had been there had changed; we all believed Harry when he said he saw Voldemort (for some reason the name didn’t really bother me anymore; well, at least not to think. I still would never say it), but it had never seemed real. Not until there were Death Eaters swarming around trying to kill us. Things were back to normal with Hermione, which was one of the reasons I was so happy. I understood that I wouldn’t have her completely to myself, but I didn’t mind. If there was one thing having six brothers taught me it was how to share (even when they stole things, I was the one that never got mad. But that was probably because there wasn’t much that they actually wanted, much less stole, from my room. They stole a lot more from each other than they ever stole from me). Plus, there was always Harry who I could fall back on if Hermione and Ron started to ignore me again. He was acting so odd, though! Why was he suddenly hugging me and staring at me? I looked at my alarm clock and saw that it was only seven-thirty. That left me an hour before my mum called me downstairs for breakfast (well, at least as long as we didn’t let on that we were awake). I took a long shower then spent the remaining time talking to Hermione. “So... when did this whole thing with you and Ron start, anyway?” I asked. “Well, I guess it all started this summer. At first we actually were talking.” When I looked at her skeptically, she added quickly, “But only at first. Later we did… other things. I don’t even really know how it happened.” “Did you make the first move or did he?” I wanted to know. “He did,” she replied. I shuddered, and she laughed. “I know it must be hard for you to take; I mean, he is your brother.” I nodded.
At 8:30 Mum yelled up the steps to tell us we should come down and eat. “Why does Mum make us have breakfast so early?" Ron complained as the four of us walked downstairs. I shrugged. “I was already awake.” I felt someone’s eyes on me; when I turned around, I realized that Harry was staring at me. He quickly averted his gaze when he realized I had noticed him. Why is Harry staring at me? I wondered. I was saved from thinking any further because we had arrived in the kitchen. I grabbed my pancakes and went to sit down. Hermione sat on my left and Tonks on my right. Ron sat down next to Hermione, and Harry sat down at the end of the table next to Ron. “How is everything?” Tonks asked. “You and Hermione seem normal, but maybe I’m reading it wrong.” I let out a sigh and smiled contentedly. “It’s as normal as it can be while she goes out with Ron,” I replied. She looked at me with raised eyebrows. “Don’t get me wrong, I’m not angry, but it is a little awkward, having your best friend going out with your brother.” She nodded. “I see what you mean,” she agreed. “But I don’t have a brother, so I wouldn’t know. I’m just glad everything’s okay between you guys.” She put her arm around my shoulder. “How are things with Harry?” she asked curiously. “Has he done anything else?” “No!” I hissed, incredibly irritated. “For the last time, I do not like Harry. Not like that. He’s just a friend.” “I see.” She looked at me skeptically. “I hope the letters come today,” Hermione said, saving me from the uncomfortable conversation I was having with Tonks. “I want to know how many O.W.Ls I got! What if I failed? Then I’ll never be able to”” “I’m sure you did really well, Hermione,” I said reassuringly. “Maybe,” she said. “But I could’ve gotten eleven!” Suddenly four brown owls flew in the window. I looked over at Hermione, “Oh my gosh!” she squeaked, eyes growing wide as one owl dropped a letter in front of her. She ripped open the seal and her eyes frantically skimmed the letter. “I got eleven!” she exclaimed disappointedly. “That’s great!” Tonks congratulated her. “Good job, Hermione.” “What are you talking about?” Hermione demanded. “I came so close to getting twelve, but I didn’t!” “That’s really good!” I told her. “No it’s not!” Hermione replied miserably. I turned over to Ron. “What did you get?” I asked. “Nine,” he answered. “Not bad. How about you, Harry?” “Ten,” he replied quietly. “Good job, all of you,” I said, looking back at my plate. I suddenly realized that I had a letter of my own sitting in my lap. I carefully tore off the seal and unfolded it. Something shiny was sitting on the parchment, so I picked up and stared at it. Hermione peered over my shoulder. “Ginny’s a prefect!” Hermione announced loudly. “Oh, Ginny!” Mum exclaimed, crushing me in a tight hug. I looked over her shoulder, seeing a barn owl sitting on the windowsill. “Mum,” I wheezed, “there’s an owl”” she loosened her grip once she realized that I was talking. “What is it, dear?” she asked. I didn’t have to respond, though, because the owl flew over and forced the letter into my hand. I opened it up and stared at it. Dear Ginny,
I’m sorry I couldn’t do this in person, but I have to get it off my back. I have a lot of things going on right now and I just don’t feel like I could be a good boyfriend; the kind you deserve. I hope you’re having a good summer.
The next week passed by fairly uneventfully. It took me a few days to work out how I felt about Dean dumping me, but I decided that I was okay with it. And if he really was having problems like he said he was, then it was probably better if he had some time to think only of himself. As mean as it sounds, not having to worry about others can sometimes help a lot when you’re sad. I knew what it was like. I spent my time hanging out with Ron, Hermione, and Harry. Now that Ron and Hermione were dating, we all spent a lot more time together. That wasn’t a problem, of course; I liked hanging out with Harry and Ron. But Hermione was the only one who felt sorry for me as far as the breakup was concerned. In fact, she probably felt sorrier for me than I felt for myself. When it came up, Ron just snorted. “Dean is a git,” he told me. “I can’t believe you actually went out with him.” “Well, I didn’t really. We never had a date,” I said. “He was still your boyfriend,” Ron pointed out. “Will you promise to choose someone better this time?” He looked at Harry, then back at me. I got the message, loud and clear, and I wished I could punch him for it. Oh, great, I thought, rolling my eyes. Now Ron is trying to set us up, too! Why do I even put up with this? Harry said nothing, just shrugged. Merlin, he was so quiet! Ron started going on about how he hoped I actually dated “better” people in the future. “Who are you going to move on to next, Colin Creevey?” he ranted. I shook my head. “I’d never go out with Colin.” Harry snorted but still said nothing. “Why couldn’t you go out with Harry?” Ron continued to complain. “He’s not a stupid git…” “Oh, no, I don’t think so.” I stopped, realizing that Harry was sitting right next to me and might be offended. “Harry’s a good friend, but I don’t think”” “Its fine, Ginny,” he intervened. He didn’t really seem angry or offended, but I was still blushing profusely. We were all starting to get bored by Thursday; I had been cooped up in this house for two weeks, and Harry had been here for a week. Sitting around a house got boring no matter who you were with. Friday morning Lupin stood up. “Tomorrow we are going to Diagon Alley to get books for your classes,” he told us. “Tonks, Mad-Eye, and I will escort you four.” Escorts! I looked over at Harry. He looked angry, sad, and very guilty. We all knew he was the reason we had escorts, and he knew we didn’t exactly enjoy being followed everywhere. I think he thought we blamed him for it. “Why do we have to be escorted everywhere?” Ron complained. Oh, my God, Ron, how can you be so stupid? I wanted to yell. Couldn’t he tell that Harry was having a hard enough time without Ron whining about it? “To protect Harry. And now you three could be targets as well, since you were there at the Department of Mysteries. Sirius’s death was…” Tonks trailed off and sighed, thinking of how to put it. “Sirius’s death was unfortunate, but we’re trying to prevent something like that from happening again. I’m sorry we have to do this. I know you probably hate us for following you around everywhere. But it’s for your own good.” Harry shoved his chair back from the table and stormed up the stairs. Tonks shook her head, and Ron and Hermione looked uncertain of what to do next. “I feel so sorry for him,” Tonks said sadly. “He’s never really had anyone who cared about him like Sirius did. And now he’s dead and we’re still watching him all the time.” Lupin sighed and put a hand on her shoulder. “It’s the right thing to do, Tonks.” “Being here must make him think of Sirius,” Tonks said. “Everything makes him think of Sirius,” Hermione replied. “And don’t worry about mentioning Sirius. Harry was probably thinking of him anyway,” I added. “True,” Tonks agreed. It seemed that no one else was going to go up and talk to Harry, so I decided I’d do it myself. “I’m going to go see if Harry’s okay,” I said. I stood up and went up the stairs to Harry and Ron’s room. “Harry?” I said, knocking on the door. “Harry, I’m going to come in.” I opened the door to reveal Harry lying on his bed, staring up at the ceiling. He turned away from me. “Go away, he muttered. I heard him sniffle. He’s crying, I thought. Oh Merlin. Do you really want to get into this? But I decided that was the only thing to do. I had to help him. He really needed it, and it didn’t seem that he would get it from anyone else. I think that Ron and Hermione had kind of given up on him talking to them. “Harry, you need to talk to someone. And don’t say, ‘I’ll talk to Ron later’ because I know you won’t. And we both know that Ron isn’t exactly capable of understanding other people’s feelings all of the time. So you’re going to talk to me. Now,” I responded firmly. Silence. I went to go sit on his bed. He sighed in resignation, sitting up next to me but still saying nothing. He had tear streaks on his face, and I could tell he didn’t want me to notice. But I did. How could I not? It hurt me to see others in such pain. After what felt like forever, I prompted, “So you’re going to talk, right?” I looked at him. He wiped his face off and was blinking back more tears. “I miss him,” he said. “And it’s all my fault he died.” “It is not,” I protested. “You can’t take the blame for it. You-Know-Who did it to you. And Kreacher lied. You did what you thought was right.” “But if I hadn’t quit on Occlumency, Voldemort wouldn’t have been able to get through to me. Then Sirius wouldn’t be dead and everyone who came with me wouldn’t have had to be put through that,” he argued. “Well, quitting Occlumency it was a mistake. And a really big one, I won’t deny that,” I admitted. “But we all make mistakes, Harry. We’re only human.” He didn’t say anything to that. I could tell he still thought it was his fault, but he would have to get over that by himself. But I could also tell he felt better. Maybe he was actually starting to believe that he didn’t’ have to take the blame. “I’m sorry you had to see all that at the Department of Mysteries. And I’m sorry your ankle got broken. It’s my fault,” he said. “It’s not your fault! I decided to come along by myself. You never forced me,” I told him. “I guess I feel like I owe you for when you saved my life back in first year.” “You don’t owe me anything,” he disagreed. “And no matter what you say, I’m still blame myself that everyone came with me. I think they should just stay away from me. After what Dumbledore told me”” I narrowed my eyes. “I’ve always wondered what Dumbledore told you that night,” I said. It was more of a request to get him to reveal what had happened; I was sure he picked up on it, but not sure he would actually tell me. “He told me a lot of stuff,” he replied evasively. “Nothing, really.” “You’re lying. It had to have been important. Why won’t you just tell us?” I asked. He sighed. I think I’m breaking him down, I thought. He might tell us soon. “He said…” he hesitated. “Why won’t you just tell us?” a familiar voice asked irritably. I jumped, and Hermione came over and sat on the bed. “We won’t run away once you do.” I had no idea how long she had been there, but when we made eye contact I could tell she had seen most of it. “Are you okay mate?” I turned around to see Ron coming in the door. “He told me there was this prophecy made that said…” he stopped again. “Tell us!” Hermione and I yelled at the same time. “Fine,” he huffed. “He said that there was someone born at the end of July that had the power to defeat Voldemort. And that one of them had to kill the other.” We cringed when he said his name. “You have the power to kill You-Know-Who?” Ron asked. “Why didn’t you tell us before?” “It could have been Neville,” he said wearily. “He was born at the end of July, too.” We all sat in silence; it was a lot to take in. “Oh Merlin,” Hermione said. “You could die, Harry!” Harry shrugged. Ron was dumbstruck. I could tell he had no idea what to say, and that he was scared for Harry; They were best friends, though. And we were all scared for him; Hermione continued to worry loudly about what danger he was in and how he could get killed, but I just sat there, staring at him in disbelief. It was terrifying, thinking that Harry could be meeting up with Voldemort on a more regular basis. I shuddered. What was I supposed to say to him? He was probably feeling bad enough about it himself without us making a huge deal out of it. “Well, I’d better go take a shower. See you later,” I said finally. That morning I had felt especially lazy and hadn’t gotten dressed before breakfast. Plus, when You-Know-Who came up it was always best to steer clear of the three of them; they had been through so much together (mostly revolving around him) and it was best not to intervene. I felt kind of left out. And I was terrified about As I was getting my things together, Tonks came in without knocking. “Is Harry okay?” she asked worriedly. “I think he’ll be fine,” I replied shakily. I decided against telling Tonks about the prophecy; she might have already known, but I didn’t want to be the one to tell her if she didn’t. I figured Harry would tell her if he wanted to. “Good,” she said. “I’m really worried about him. Are you all right?” “I’m fine. And we’re all worried about Harry. I think that part of it is that we can’t really do anything for him,” I said. “I mean, we can talk to him, but he has to come out of this slump by himself.” Tonks nodded. “I agree. He has to get through it himself. I’m going to go help your mum clean more.” With that, she left and I headed into the bathroom to take my shower. I had a lot to think about; I hoped Harry was okay, and thinking about how he could die scared me. It was either him or Voldemort; but how the hell was Harry expected to kill him? He was smart, yes, but not a cold-hearted killer. We could all die if we continued to go with him. But Harry was our friend, and we would do anything we could to help him. At least I knew I would. For some reason, I had spent a lot of time in the past few days thinking about what Ron had said. It kept playing over and over in my mind. Why couldn’t you go out with Harry? I shook my head to get the thought out and undressed. You aren’t going to go out with Harry! I told myself. You don’t even like him anymore! At least I hoped not. Things were complicated enough as it was.
A/N: Review!! NOW!!! I hope you liked it...