Ron looked down from the window of the second story bedroom he had been sharing with Hermione and watched her as she sat swinging in the garden. He was amazed at her beauty. She took bits of stale bread and tossed it into the pond for the fish. That simple gesture made him smile. She looked peaceful, but still not the Hermione he had left. She often looked worried. He couldn’t understand why. This was the time everyone should be enjoying. The war was over and he was home after five long years. Just then it hit him. How could he be so thick? Her parents. She didn’t’ talk about it, and no one else ever brought it up. But then he thought maybe he should. She needed to talk about them. Remember them.
*******
Ginny laughed as she sped pass Harry. They weren’t your normal couple. One minute they would be all over each other in the corner of the lounge and the next pounding each other in the air. They would release the snitch and fight to catch it.
“Come on Harry! You can do better than that.” Ginny yelled as she plowed her elbow into him as she passed.
“I refuse to hit you to get that thing!” He said and thinking how lovely she looked with her hair blowing about in the colder than normal September air.
Ginny stopped in mid-air turning her broom in his direction. “Harry Potter, you have come back from Auror training a bigger sissy than when you left.” She laughed, “I’ll have to owl the Daily Prophet. I can see it now, ’The Boy Who Lived Turns Yellow’.” She hit a nerve.
With that being said Harry sped toward her at top speed. “Oh really, okay Miss Weasley, you asked for it.” He leaned into his broom and bolted at her. He made contact with her shoulder and went for the snitch just 20 meters behind her. When he grasped the snitch and felt the beating wings on his ice cold hands he turned in her direction, only she wasn’t there. His eyes looked down to the ground below where she had just been and saw her body lying limp on the dead grass below.
“Oh Bloody Hell!” he screamed as he raced to her. “Ginny!” He lifted her head gently. “Can you hear me?”
“Harry?” Her eyes fluttered , “Did you get it?”
“Who cares?” He spat. He was furious with himself for falling for her scheme to get him to play harder. “Are you hurt?”
“My leg” Her face grimaced with pain.
Harry looked down at her leg. He could see the slight bend where there shouldn’t be one. He lifted her into his arms. “Hold on, this is going to hurt.”
Ginny fought back the tears. She had initiated all of this. She really didn’t want to hear ‘I told you so’.
Harry could only imagine what her brothers were going to say. And then he made a mental note to remember his wand next time. With every step on the long walk to the house he could have kicked himself. She might be small, but put those heavy Quidditch robes on her and she might as well be Ron.
*******
Ron stepped out from the backdoor of the newly remodeled Burrow carrying two cups of tea. He saw Hermione still sitting on the swing with her feet now curled underneath her and her cloak pulled tight around her shoulder. Ron was glad that he had picked up a quilt as walked out. He walked up to her pausing just behind the large swings. “Ahem” he cleared his throat to get her attention.
Hermione turned and saw Ron standing there with two smoking cups and a quilt thrown over his shoulder and a smile plastered across his face.
“Would you like company?” He asked as he offered the warm cup and began spreading the blanket across her lap.
“Your company? Always!” She smiled as she put the hot tea to her lips.
Ron sat beside her on the swing and pulled the quilt to cover his legs as well. She laid her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes.
“A knut for your thoughts.” Ron said quietly trying not to disturb the wildlife around the pond.
She placed both hands around the cup to try and warm them. “Just thinking how lucky we are.”
“Really?” he didn’t quite believe that. “Are you sure its not your Mum and Dad?” he would swear it, he thought he saw her shiver the minute he mentioned them.
She sat there a minute not saying anything. “I think of them, too. And I know what they would say. Don’t be sad. Live your life to the fullest, we’ll be watching. So that’s what I’m doing.” She took another sip of the tea.”
Her parents had been captured and tortured by the Death Eeaters. Hermione and Ron were also prisoners and had seen the whole horrible ordeal. The Grangers had gladly joined the forces of their wizarding friends. The only problem, they were not armed as the rest were. They worked hard with the Order tracking the activity. This was suppose to have kept them safe. They were used by the Death Eaters to get Hermione and Ron to talk, because of course they really wanted Harry. The Grangers refused to allow the youngsters to ‘talk’. Hermione didn’t cry or give in. She held her head high with the pride and courage her parents had possessed.
Ron then noticed a single tear roll down her cheek. “Hermione, it’s alright to cry. They were your parents. It’s okay to be sad. We all understand.” He knew that’s why she held it in. She didn’t’ want to depress everyone else. “We’re here for you.” He took her chin in his hand and turned her head to look at him. “I’m here for you. I always will be.”
She fell into his chest and cried. She had not let herself do that . She wanted to cry until she could cry no more. She felt her cup slide from her hand and hit the ground. Ron’s soon followed. He had both arms wrapped tight around her.
“It’s okay love, you cry as long as you need to.” He kissed her forehead and cried with her.
*******
Harry felt as thought he would collapse at any moment. His heart pounded faster as he heard Ginny’s muffled whimpers. He looked up and saw someone in the garden swing. “Someone help!”, was about all he could get out. He didn’t think he could yell again when he saw Ron and Hermione running to the edge of the field. Ron finally got to them and took Ginny from Harry just before his arms give out.
“What happened?” Hermione asked as she helped to steady Harry.
“She fell from her broom.” He managed through deep breaths.
“For Merlin’s sake Ginny” Ron said walking briskly to the Burrow. “You need to start acting like a girl and stop playing so rough.”
Harry sighed with relief that Ron didn’t blame him. She always played rough. But he couldn’t help but laugh under his breath. She was damn good. Good enough to play professional, but he didn’t dare tell her that.
Mrs. Weasley was standing in the kitchen when they all came staggering in. “What in Cornish Pixies is going on?” She demanded.
“Ginny’s broke her leg.” Harry was now able to speak more clearly.
“Oh my, let’s get her to St. Mungo’s” Mrs. Weasley grabbed her cloak and Rose.
A/N Okay, Ginny has got problems, to say the least. Hope you like the story so far and look forward to reviews. Thanks to those of you that have reviewed.