“Has Harry already gone down to breakfast?”
“I suppose so.”
“You didn’t see him get up, then?”
“Well where else could he be, Ronald?”
A beat.
“Okay, let’s go.”
Harry waited for the sound of footsteps to fade away before drawing back one of the white drapes. No one there “ good; not that anything had happened, but he had a feeling that Ron wouldn’t be too pleased if he saw Harry emerging from his little sister’s bed.
He got up carefully and crossed the room to his trunk, pulling on some trousers and a shirt, and heading silently towards the door. He descended the wooden staircase, passing several bleary-eyed strangers on the way, and entered the kitchen at the bottom of the house.
“Good morning, Mrs Weasley,” he said as he sat down.
“Oh, hullo Harry,” she muttered, as she attempted to pick up a stack of plates at the same time as commanding a wooden spoon to stir porridge with her wand.
“Er, do you want some help?” asked Harry tentatively.
“Sorry? Oh, yes, thank you. Here, take these,” and she thrust the pile of plates into Harry’s arms.
He stumbled slightly, but managed to regain his balance and staggered towards the dresser where they were kept.
“Am I allowed to use magic?” he asked Mrs Weasley as he put the crockery down. He did not want to take Ginny’s version of the rules as standard.
“Yes, dear, go ahead,” she said, absent-mindedly, “I think we’re past punishing people for a little magic here and there, when there are Dementors roaming the streets here, there and everywhere.”
She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, then carried on. Harry charmed the plates to put themselves in the correct place, and they flew into the dresser, hitting together slightly more than perhaps they should have done.
“Morning,” grunted Ron, who had just come through the door with Hermione.
Harry wondered for a moment about where they had been since he had heard them leave the bedroom a few minutes ago, but decided it was best not to think about it.
“Hi, Harry,” said Hermione cheerily, sitting down beside him and taking the bowl of porridge that Mrs Weasley gave her. “Good sleep?”
“Yes, thanks,” said Harry, also taking a bowl. “You?”
“Oh, all right, yes,” said Hermione, although she didn’t sound sure.
“Where’s Ginny?” stabbed Ron.
“I dunno,” said Harry innocently, “maybe she’s still in bed.”
At that moment, a fatigued Ginny wandered into the room, her hair still messy from the night but her eyes bright.
“Oh for goodness sake, Ginny,” snapped Mrs Weasley, “would it kill you to comb your hair before parading around the house?”
“Oh, yeah, parading,” mumbled Ginny, dropping down onto the bench beside Harry, “that’s what I was doing.”
She pulled her wand out of her pocket and pointed it lazily at her hair. It untangled obediently and fell straight. Harry observed that it had looked just as nice before.
They all ate their porridge in silence, Harry suddenly realising that the house was full of Ministry wizards, and wondering what they were going to do all day. As if she had read his mind, Ginny said:
“What are we doing today?”
“Staying where I put you,” said Mrs Weasley sternly, “and don’t let me catch you wandering about like I did yesterday, Ginevra.”
Ginny rolled her eyes and got up, pulling Harry’s hand with her.
“Let’s go back upstairs,” she mumbled.
Harry nodded and they traipsed back through the hall, where there was already a small group conversing in a corner, and up the staircase. They got back to the bedroom and collapsed onto Ginny’s bed.
“Aren’t we allowed to go anywhere?” asked Harry.
“Nope,” replied Ginny. “She usually makes us stay in here all day.”
“All day? We’re not allowed out?”
“Seriously, there’s hardly any point trying,” said Ginny grumpily. “All the doors are locked, anyway, so even if we did get out…”
They lay there for a bit, each in their own reverie, until Ron and Hermione came in several minutes later.
“Got to stay in here again,” grumbled Ron. “Mum says we should decorate.”
“Yay,” said Ginny sarcastically. “Like that’s going to fill up the day.”
“It might be quite fun,” said Hermione. “What colour do we want?”
“Anything’s better than grey,” said Harry, staring at the depressingly murky walls.
“Well, we could do it red and gold like the Common Room,” said Hermione brightly.
The other three grunted their assent; Hermione seemed to snap.
“Oh, I “ give “ up!” she cried. “I am coming to the end of my tether with you lot! If it’s not Ron moaning because he misses Quidditch, it’s Ginny moaning that she’s bored! We may be stuck inside this cesspit of a house, but if we don’t at least try to keep our spirits up then we’ll die of depression before any Death Eater even has a chance! So will you please pull yourselves together?”
Without giving any of them time to respond, she turned on her heel and stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind her. Harry, Ron and Ginny stared at it, gob smacked.
“What’s got into her?” said Ron after a long pause.
“Someone should go and apologise,” said Ginny. When neither of the boys volunteered, she gritted her teeth, flicked her hair over her shoulder, and followed Hermione out of the room.
“Women,” muttered Ron, “they are so finicky. Couldn’t they just give us all a break from time to time?”
Harry laughed half-heartedly, but he was actually feeling a bit ashamed that he hadn’t gone with Ginny to say sorry to Hermione; she was right “ they could all do with being a bit less sulky. Ron, however, carried on with his rant.
“I mean, it’s not like we don’t care,” he continued, “we’re just a bit more laid-back about stuff. There’s no use getting all uptight about things “ or all enthusiastic about living here, because that’s hardly a joy. And plus, it’s not always us giving her a hard time “ she’s not exactly an easy person to live with either “ and Ginny’s no better, what with her massive temper and the way that she’s always striking up arguments with Mum, which gets them both in a bad mood for the rest of eternity, but then I guess you don’t mind that, do you?”
Harry was a bit taken-aback by this sudden enquiry.
“Er “ I dunno,” he said vaguely.
“Well you spend half your time with her, so you can’t find her that annoying. I personally don’t know how you stand it.”
Harry sat up; Ron never spoke about his relationship with Ginny.
“She’s not always in a stress,” he told Ron.
“Not with you,” muttered Ron, “it’s like you’re immune.”
“Hardly,” said Harry, surprised that Ron felt this way, “we have our moments.”
“Approximately once every 3 months!” retorted Ron. “You never seem to bother her at all.”
“Well it’s a bit different, isn’t it?” cried Harry. “I am her boyfriend, you know!”
“Yeah, I’d noticed!” Ron cried back, his ears turning red. “Hardly keep it a secret, do you?”
“What the hell are you talking about?” yelled Harry, standing up. “Do you expect me to pretend she’s not my girlfriend when you’re around or something?”
“I’d appreciate a little more decency!” Ron yelled back, also standing up.
Harry couldn’t believe his ears.
“You just can’t accept that I’m with her, can you?” he asked, bringing the volume of his voice down. “You’ve always been touchy about it, ever since we got together, but I thought that you might’ve gotten over it by now!”
“SHE’S MY LITTLE SISTER!” yelled Ron. “WHY CAN’T YOU UNDERSTAND THAT THAT’S WEIRD FOR ME?”
“WHY CAN’T YOU UNDERSTAND THAT I LOVE HER AND THAT WHAT YOU THINK ISN’T GOING TO CHANGE THAT?”
The door opened, and Ginny and Hermione walked in. Ginny’s face was murderous.
“What the hell is going on?” she asked, looking from Ron to Harry and back again. They both gaped. “Well?”
“It doesn’t matter,” murmured Harry, turning away from all of them.
“Ron?” asked Ginny.
“No, it doesn’t matter,” Harry heard him say. “I’m going.”
Harry heard the door shut behind him, and could feel two sets of eyes burning into his back.
“What just happened?” asked Ginny.
“I’ve told you, don’t worry about it.”
He knew that he should tell her, but something inside him didn’t want to. Ginny cried out in frustration, and Harry heard one of the beds creak as she parked herself on it rather more fiercely than normal.
“This is just great,” she snapped. “Now everyone’s in a mood.”
Harry turned back around and flopped down onto one of the beds, burying his face in his arms. He couldn’t believe what had just happened; Ron was actually annoyed because Ginny wasn’t angry at him? That was fair. Harry avoided looking up, knowing that it would only make it easier for Ginny to understand what he was thinking. He could already feel her somewhere in his mind, and he willed her to leave.
“How else am I going to know if you don’t tell me?” said her voice.
“Maybe I don’t want you to know,” thought Harry.
“Harry?” Hermione spoke for the first time. “Should I go and talk to Ron?”
“Yeah, then maybe he can explain to you what a bad friend I am, and turn you against me, too,” Harry mumbled into the bed sheets.
“Oh, rubbish,” said Hermione. “You can’t honestly think that, can you?”
“Well he seems to think so,” said Harry bitterly.
“Why? You were getting on fine earlier.”
Harry hesitated; he didn’t want to tell them that it was because of Ginny. A part of him realised that this was because he didn’t want to subject Ron to her wrath, but he pushed that part to the back of his mind and ignored it.
“Oh Harry, come on,” said Ginny. “It can’t be that bad.”
Harry turned onto his side and looked at her.
“He started talking about us,” he said.
Ginny’s expression hardened.
“What did he say?”
“He said that he’d ‘appreciate a little more decency’ when it comes to us, and that it’s still weird for him.”
Harry held his breath and waited for her reaction. It came.
“He WHAT?” she yelled. “Oh, I am going to sort him out!”
She got up and practically ran to the door before Harry could stop her.
“Ginny! Wait!” he called, but she had already run down the stairs, leaving the door swinging on its hinges behind her.
“Great, that’s just great,” said Harry, frustrated that it was only his first day and yet everyone was already miserable.
“It’s not your fault, Harry,” said Hermione consolingly, coming to sit on the bed beside him.
“I never said that it was!” said Harry.
“But you thought it.” Harry didn’t reply, not wanting to admit that she was right. “Ron can be such an idiot.”
“Tell me about it,” said Harry.
Hermione put her arm around his shoulders.
“He’ll get over it,” she told him. “Once he realises he’s being stupid.”
“Or once Ginny has released her pent up anger on him,” muttered Harry.
“That’s true,” said Hermione, smiling slightly.
“Trouble is,” said Harry, “that’s what started this stupid argument in the first place.”
“What do you mean?”
“Ron got annoyed because Ginny doesn’t get angry with me like she does with him.”
“Seriously?” asked Hermione. “That’s why he’s mad?”
Harry nodded. “That and the fact that Ginny and I got together in the first place.”
“Oh for Pete’s sake,” snapped Hermione. “I’ve told him to give that a rest a million times! Who does he think he is to decide who his sister goes out with?”
“Exactly,” agreed Harry.
“WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM?” The words drifted up the stairs and through the open door to Harry and Hermione. “MORE DECENCY? I’LL GIVE YOU MORE DECENCY! HOW ABOUT I JUST STOP SEEING HARRY? WOULD THAT MAKE YOU HAPPIER? MAYBE YOU’D FEEL BETTER TO SEE YOUR BEST FRIEND AND YOUR SISTER BOTH MISERABLE JUST BECAUSE YOU’RE TOO IMMATURE TO BE ABLE TO SEE THEM HAPPY TOGETHER? IS THAT IT? DON’T LOOK AT ME LIKE I’M THE ONE OUT OF ORDER, RON!” There was a pause, presumably in which Ron tried to defend himself. He shouldn’t have bothered. “WHY DO YOU THINK I LOSE MY TEMPER WITH YOU AND NOT WITH HARRY? DON’T YOU THINK THAT MAYBE, JUST MAYBE, HARRY IS A SLIGHTLY MORE UNDERSTANDING, BETTER PERSON THAN YOU ARE? DID THAT EVER OCCUR TO YOU?” Harry groaned; Ron would never dare to come within so much as 10 miles of him after this. “DON’T BOTHER, RON. COME BACK AND APOLOGISE WHEN YOU’VE GROWN UP!”
Harry could feel Ginny’s anger pulsing through him as her footsteps crashed up the stairs. She appeared in the doorway, stomped over to her bed and yanked the drapes shut with such force that the whole bed wobbled slightly. Harry approached it apprehensively, worrying that she would still have some anger left to take out on the next person she set eyes upon. He lifted back one of the white curtains slowly; Ginny was lying face down “ her face in her pillow “ breathing heavily.
“Ginny?” he asked tentatively.
“What?” she retorted.
“You’re “ you’re steaming.”
“Wha “ ? Oh damn.” Ginny turned over and, sure enough, faint trails of steam were rising from her body like thin wisps of excess anger.
“Are you all right?” asked Harry anxiously, now feeling a slight heat radiating from her.
“I’m fine,” she said firmly, “that just… happens sometimes.”
Harry watched as Ginny took several deep, calming breaths, and the steam gradually whiled away to nothing.
“I’m going to leave you alone,” said Hermione, and she left the room.
“Come here,” said Harry kindly, and Ginny got up and sat on his lap.
Harry hugged her close and kissed her hair.
“Sometimes I wish I didn’t have brothers,” she said.
“It’s what makes you who you are, Ginny,” Harry replied.
“What, the loner girl in a family of men?”
“No,” said Harry patiently. “Independent, unconventional, feisty, no nonsense “ well, some nonsense “ “
“Okay, okay!” said Ginny. “I get the idea, but you know what I mean.”
“Strange though, isn’t it?” said Harry. “I would kill for a big family like yours, and yet you’d gladly be an only child.”
“Not that gladly,” said Ginny reluctantly. “It’s okay sometimes, especially when you’re younger.” She paused for a moment, remembering. “I remember once when I was about seven; Mum wouldn’t let me play Quidditch with the others, so they all went against her “ would ignore everything she said until she let me, even got Dad on their side “ and one day, she eventually gave in.”
“There you go then,” said Harry, “brothers aren’t all that bad. Ron’s only being protective; he won’t admit it, but he does care about you.”
“It’d be nice if he showed it once in a while,” mumbled Ginny.
“Yeah, well, he’s not exactly one for public displays of affection, is he?” said Harry. “That’s why he’s got such a problem with us and why poor Hermione doesn’t know whether she’s coming or going.”
“My my,” said Ginny with a smirk, “we’re very observant today, aren’t we, Potter?”
Harry laughed. “I do try.”
He stopped laughing abruptly as the door opened and Ron walked in, followed by a stern-looking Hermione. Ron was staring around the room, looking everywhere but at Harry and Ginny.
“Yes?” enquired Ginny.
“Erm, I “ er “ “ Ron stuttered. Hermione hit him over the head. “I just wanted to say,” he muttered, rubbing his head, “that… that…” Harry saw Ginny raise her eyebrows; Ron looked even more disconcerted. “I don’t have a problem with you being together,” he blurted out.
Harry would have smiled had it now been for the somewhat serious nature of the conversation; Ron looked so uncomfortable “ he was squirming and still gazing at the wall just to the right of Harry’s head.
“We appreciate it,” said Harry.
“Well… good,” muttered Ron. Hermione gave him a questioning look. “And, um, I also wanted to tell you, Harry,” Ron continued, now looking at the ceiling, “that “ er “ I’m glad it’s you who’s with Ginny, and not some other random.”
Ginny got up and walked towards Ron.
“There’s no taking that back now, Ronald,” she said seriously. “I don’t want to see you so much as flinch, okay?”
Ron nodded. Ginny stepped forward and hugged him; Ron took a moment to react, then tentatively returned the gesture. Harry felt suddenly a lot better about himself “ more comforted “ and he went to stand with the others.
“It’s about time we showed some real unity,” he said. “That is what we’re working for, after all.”
A/N: Hope you're liking the story so far. I'm still not sure how many chapters I'll get to, but please do keep checking back for more! And leave a review!