Ginny and her friends weren’t the only ones to have noticed the new couple. It was obvious that the other Gryffindors were well aware of the change in relationship status of one of their own when Neville entered the common room later that same evening to applause and a chorus of cheers and wolf-whistles. His only response to the outburst was a quiet smile to himself as he made his way across the room, and up the stairs leading to the boys’ dormitories. His manner was nonchalant, deliberately so.
After a quick good night to Ginny and Hermione, Harry and Ron headed up the staircase after him. They found Neville in the otherwise empty dormitory, gazing out the window at the moonlit grounds.
– ‘Evening, Harry, Ron,†he said as they walked in, his back still to them.
–All right, Neville?†Ron asked.
Neville turned to them, grinning widely. –Never better.â€
–Things going well with Hannah, then?†Harry said.
If possible, Neville’s grin widened. –Going very well,†he said, confidently, –Hannah’s- She’s so- She’s just so- †He broke off with a shrug at his inability to articulate his thoughts. –I’m mad about her.†He rubbed the side of his face reflectively for a few moments. –Sometimes you just know, don’t you?â€
It was Harry’s turn to smile. –Eventually ...†he remarked, sheepishly. He glanced over at Ron, who seemed preoccupied. –Of course, some take ages to suss it out.â€
Neville chuckled at that before steering the conversation back to the young woman in his life. To Harry’s relief, Ron wasn’t really listening, and so hadn’t heard his comment.
–I don’t know,†Neville was saying, –why I never noticed how lovely she is, how brilliant, how sweet.â€
–She is very- †Harry began, but Ron cut him off.
–You know she’s not - †he blurted out. –Hannah, I mean. You know, don’t you, that she’s not ... in Herbology ... she’s not really - â€
Neville turned shrewd eyes upon the other young man. –Ron, I may not be Hermione, but I like to think that I’m not completely daft.
–Of course I know.â€
The remaining time before the third task was spent by all reviewing for examinations. Not only did Harry, Ron, and Hermione have to help the professors prepare the students for their OWLs and NEWTs, but they themselves were madly revising for their own.
As assistants, they felt the pressure to push their students to excel, annoyed by the dual distractions of warm summer days, and the building excitement over the upcoming task.
–Honestly!†Hermione exclaimed one evening in the common room as she let the pile of books in her arms tumble to the floor beside an empty armchair. She sank down into the chair and looked up at her friends. –Have they forgotten everything Minerva and I have taught them? I just had an extra session with a group of fifth years who couldn’t even Transfigure a matchstick into a needle!†She dropped her head into her hands. –If they’re not careful, they’ll get nothing above ‘Dreadful’on their OWLs!â€
–Do you mind?†Ginny complained, looking up from her book. –Some of us are revising here!â€
Hermione quickly apologised. Ginny sighed. –Me, too. It’s just - †She glared at her brother. –One of the assistants has it in for me. Keeps giving detention.â€
Ron didn’t meet her eye. –Well, if you’d hand in your assignments on time ...â€
–They were extra-credit!†Ginny shot back. –Optional!â€
Ron shrugged, his eyes focused on the book in front of him. –If you don’t want to do well ...â€
Ginny’s grip tightened on her wand. She must have thought better about hexing him, though, and gathered her things instead. –I’m going to the library,†she announced. With one last glare for her brother, she was gone.
Harry punched Ron in the arm. –That was stupid.â€
Ron shrugged again. –Just doing my job ...â€
Ignoring him, Harry picked up his own things. –I’m going to join her,†he told Hermione.
She looked up from her Standard Book of Spells, Grade Seven. –And I’ll see if I can knock some sense ...†She looked sidelong at her fiancé, who was rummaging in his rucksack.
–He might be easier to get along with as a ferret ...†Harry suggested before he headed off after Ginny.
Hermione smiled to herself.
Ron sat back up. He frowned. –Ferret? What?â€
Hermione pointed at the textbook in front of Ron. –Never mind. Just keep studying. You don’t need ‘Troll’ marks to match your behaviour.â€
As soon as he entered the library, Harry wished he’d worn his Invisibility Cloak. When the younger students there saw him, they immediately clamoured around him to ask Defense Against the Dark Arts questions. Frustrated at this hindrance, Harry nevertheless responded to them as patiently as he could. It took many minutes before he was finally able to head further into the room to Ginny’s table. She had been watching his slow progress with amusement.
As he sat down opposite her, she smirked. –Give them your autograph, as well, did you?â€
Harry shot her an annoyed look, but didn’t reply.
–Ron’s not joining us, is he?†she asked suspiciously as she returned her eyes to her work.
–No,†Harry assured her, –Hermione’ll keep him in the common room.†Taking his books out of his rucksack, he placed them on the table. –She might turn him into a ferret, too.â€
Ginny didn’t look up from her parchment, but muttered, –Knew there was a reason I liked her...â€
Harry grinned as he opened one of his textbooks.
It was much later before either of them spoke again. Ginny broke the silence when she slammed shut her Transfiguration text with a loud groan of frustration. Across the room, Madam Pince’s head shot up, and she glared in their direction at the noise.
–You know what bothers me?†Ginny asked plaintively.
Harry looked up. –Exams were cancelled for champions last time.â€
She nodded.
Harry shrugged. –I guess that’s the difference with having McGonagall in charge instead of Dumbledore.â€
Ginny pulled a face at him, before reaching for another book.
Circulating high above the Quidditch Pitch, Harry carefully scanned the area below him, but saw no sign of the Snitch. He soared over to his opponents’ hoops, hoping to catch a glimpse of it. He squinted in the bright afternoon sun, grateful to be at the altitude he was and not in the heat of the spectator stands far below. He thought he might just have seen something glint beneath the opposing Keeper’s right foot, when someone called his name. He glanced quickly around, but no one was in hailing distance. He frowned, confused.
–Harry!†Hermione called again. She shook his shoulder. –Harry! Wake up!â€
He jolted awake; the Quidditch Pitch vanished abruptly only to be replaced with the Gryffindor common room. He sat up, dazedly, in his chair, the Potions books on his lap sliding to the floor. He rubbed his eyes behind his glasses.
–You done already?†he asked, still groggy.
She nodded. –It’s nearly twelve,†she informed him. –The others aren’t back yet?â€
Harry shook his head. –Didn’t see them. But I wasn’t looking very hard, as you saw. They would have woken me up if they’d come in, though ...†He had gotten to his feet as he spoke and was now tidying up his things.
It was the first day of their NEWTS examinations. Harry had a day off, but Hermione, Ginny, and Ron had all done their first written papers that morning. Harry was supposed to have been studying.
–How did Ancient Runes go?†he asked as they climbed out the portrait hole.
–I’m sure I did well,†Hermione said, uncharacteristically confident. Before Harry could comment, she went on. –I’m more concerned with how Ron did in Muggle Studies. Ginny was well prepared, but Ron ...†She let her voice trail off. –It is his only year taking it,†she reminded Harry pointedly, as if he’d argued with her.
The two of them met Ron and Ginny about halfway between the examination room and Gryffindor Tower. Ginny, looking calm, was talking animatedly to her brother, who seemed more concerned with each second he listened.
–So, I mixed up the Muggle money questions, too,†he was saying. He noticed Harry and Hermione. –How do you keep pounds and pence straight?†he demanded.
–You must have done well on the transportation section, though,†Ginny pointed out. –At least you’ve ridden on buses and aeroplanes and underground tubs.â€
–Tubes,†Ron corrected automatically.
–See?†Ginny shot back.
–I’m sure you both did very well,†Hermione said soothingly.
–Well, I did get the bonus mark about Hoovers,†Ginny conceded. –Hard not to, with Dad going mad about them at your house.†She looked at Hermione, and they all grinned, remembering Mr. Weasley’s enthusiasm.
As Ron asked Hermione about her own exam, Ginny turned to Harry. –How did your Potions revising go?â€
–Not very well,†he admitted. –I fell asleep.â€
–It was all that help you gave us late last night,†Ginny reminded him. –It was well past three when we finally went to bed.â€
Ron nodded at that. –Thanks again, mate. You saved my neck, I’m sure.â€
Harry acknowledged the thanks with a nod. –Let’s get to lunch,†he suggested. –You still have your practical this afternoon.â€
Ron groaned as they headed down the corridor together. –Don’t remind me ...â€
The following morning, they were all scheduled for their NEWT-level Potions written papers. After time had been called, the examiners were most likely surprised to see a group of students in exceptionally high spirits laughing loudly together as they made their way out of the examination room.
–Who would have thought?†Neville crowed in disbelief.
–I know,†Ron agreed. –It was brilliant!â€
–It really was extraordinary good luck,†Hermione added, and everyone roared with laughter. She looked bewildered until she realized what she had said. –I just meant -â€
–We know,†Ginny assured her. –It was very lucky. I really don’t think that the examiners would ever guess that a group of students would actually have first-hand knowledge of the effects of Felix Felicis.â€
–They wouldn’t have included so many questions about it, if they did,†Luna pointed out.
Harry remained quiet. He was overjoyed at their good fortune, and was savouring the knowledge that he had, in all likelihood, just received a very high mark on the exam.
Hannah drew up to the little group. –What was all that noise about?â€
Still grinning, Neville turned to her to explain.
Glancing at the three couples now before her, Luna remarked, –I suppose, without a boyfriend, I’m the odd one out again ...â€
In the uncomfortable silence that followed, the others exchanged awkward glances.
–Let’s have lunch!†Hermione blurted out, the cheerfulness of her suggestion sounding slightly forced.
Still in good spirits, they ate heartily. As they were making their way through a assortment of iced cakes at the end of the meal, Neville turned to Ginny. –I never asked you about your Muggle Studies practical yesterday,†he said. –I presume you did well, you were preparing so much for it.â€
Ginny nodded, as she finished a mouthful of sponge cake. –I had to log onto a computer, create a few files, before doing a simple Internet search. I then had to do some gardening. I was so glad I had experience with both!†She shot a grateful look at Hermione and Harry.
–Gardening?†Neville repeated. –How do they set that up? Like a Herbology practical?â€
–More or less,†Ginny agreed. –They conjured up a small plot of earth with a mixture of different plants. I had to prune the area, and weed out the unwanted plants. Ron was lucky, he had to -â€
–Speaking of Herbology ...†Ron cut in, before she could finish. –You will help us, won’t you?â€
–Of course,†Neville assured him. –But let’s concentrate on this week’s exams first, shall we?†He turned to Hermione as they got up from the table. –Best guess as to possible Potions practical topics?â€
–Try saying that three times fast,†Ron and Ginny muttered at the same time, as they headed across the Great Hall.
Their NEWTS for the rest of that week passed uneventfully enough; there were no more fortuitously easy sections, but nothing horrendously difficult either. Everyone did very well on both parts of the Defense Against the Dark Arts examination, Hermione even managing to produce a very good Patronus during her practical.
As Ginny and Hermione left the exam room together afterward, Ginny was teasing her friend about it. –I saw your Patronus floating around the room,†she said with a grin. –Wonder what happy thoughts you were picturing to conjure that so well?â€
Hermione’s cheeks reddened, but she managed to answer quickly. –No question what you picture, Miss Weasley,†she shot back. –I see yours has changed to a doe.â€
–It was always a deer,†Ginny retorted defensively.
–A fawn, yes,†Hermione agreed, –but not a full-grown doe the size of Harry’s stag!â€
Ginny had no time to argue as the young men drew level with them just then.
–What was your Patronus doing strutting across the room?†Ginny asked, turning to Harry. –I would have thought that everyone knew by now that you can produce one.â€
–I tried my hand at getting it to give a message,†Harry replied, –reckoned it would be worth some bonus points from my examiner.â€
–Did it work?†Hermione asked.
–Not really,†Harry admitted sheepishly, –I think it told the other examiner that he was beautiful.â€
As Ron guffawed, Hermione asked, straining not to laugh, –So, your stag went prancing over-â€
–Emphasis on the ‘prancing’,†Ginny cut in, straight-faced, causing Ron to let out another bark of laughter.
–Yes, right,†Hermione went on, still trying desperately not to break down, –your stag pranced across the room and announced to a male examiner that Harry Potter thought he was beautiful?†She stifled a giggle. –I suppose the bonus marks went out the window?â€
–Oh, I don’t know,†Ginny said, –Harry’s a good-looking bloke. Might have increased his chances ...â€
She and Hermione both lost their composure at that point.
Harry simply glared at them for many minutes. –Are you quite finished?†he finally asked, stiffly.
As promised, Neville helped his friends with their Herbology revision. After the exam, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and Harry were pleased with their efforts, not expecting to receive Outstanding, but confident that they had passed.
With Hermione’s assistance, the Transfiguration NEWT likewise came and went with the friends sure they had done very well.
After their last exam, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny left the castle after dinner together, feeling as if they hadn’t stepped outside in ages. The day had been a hot one, and the air was still warm, despite it being nearly half-past seven, and they all breathed deeply, relieved to have the tests behind them at last. Hagrid had asked them round to celebrate, and they headed down to his hut, Harry’s step lighter than it had been in weeks.
At least it was until Ginny commented, –With our NEWTS out of the way, the only thing to worry about now is the -â€
–Last Task,†Harry finished for her, feeling as if a large weight had just settled in his stomach.
–It’s in three days,†Hermione remarked. –You still haven’t heard anything?â€
–McGonagall told me earlier that there’s a meeting tomorrow morning before breakfast. All she said was we had to make a decision, and that there would be an announcement to the school.â€
They didn’t have much time to mull over this information, as they arrived at Hagrid’s doorstep just then. Within minutes of knocking, they had been invited in, heartily congratulated on the end of their exams with immense slaps on the back from Hagrid (which almost knocked them to the floor), nearly licked to death by Fang, and seated at Hagrid’s huge table. Sipping tea from his massive mugs, the friends were now warily eyeing the cake Hagrid was proudly displaying.
–What do yeh think of tha’, then?†he asked eagerly.
When the four of them did not reply immediately, he must have sensed their reluctance, as he hurriedly assured them, –Not to worry, not to worry. Had some of the house elves give me some pointers. –Should be quite tasty-like.â€
He looked so pleased with his efforts that they couldn’t turn him down. They were pleasantly surprised, though, to discover that it was, indeed, delicious, and very nearly moist, unlike Hagrid’s usual fare.
–This is good, Hagrid,†Hermione cried, her mouth still half full, and the others enthusiastically agreed, quickly offering their plates for seconds.
Hagrid beamed, but his expression soon turned serious, his black eyes filling with tears. –Wanted a special tea for you lot,†he told them, his voice cracking. –Yeh’ll be leavin’ soon ...†He hiccoughed, as tears started sliding down his cheeks.
They quickly assured him that they would always keep in touch, even when they had left Hogwarts, but Harry realized with a jolt that he would never again be living at the school, never again be within walking distance of his large friend. The thought left him with an empty feeling inside that he hadn’t felt since Sirius had died.
–DOWN, Fang! Yeh great stupid brute,†Hagrid bellowed, as the big animal pulled his front paws back off the table after snatching Harry’s second piece of cake off its plate. The big dog slunk off guiltily to a corner, wiping the evidence of his crime off his chops with his great tongue. Harry and his friends laughed at the boar hound’s antics, and even Hagrid grinned indulgently at the animal.
As Happily Ever After As They're Gonna Get by cjbaggins
Chapter Endnotes:
Before anyone tells me that Ginny's patronus is a horse, Ms Rowling never put that in the books, it was only in the movie. Just as we don't know what Neville's patronus is, we don't know Ginny's either, meaning we fanfic writers have free rein!Please note, if anyone can find proof for me (and not just "wiki-answers") that Ms Rowling has said in an interview that she agrees with the choice of a horse for Ginny's patronus, I will gladly change my story.
Thanks!
cj