Growing

Snogging and changes.

Harry walked into the Weasley's living room wincing slightly as he nursed his hand, from where a particularly nasty garden gnome had decided his hand looked tasty and bitten it.

He stopped short at the sight in front of him and broke into a huge grin as he took in the scene in front of him. There on the sofa were his two best friends, Ron and Hermione, engaged in an extremely passionate kiss. He coughed once loudly and both of them shot up in surprise.

Ron and Hermione both turned bright red and Ron stuttered, "We were.... Umm. I mean.... It.... Hi?"

Harry rolled his eyes and said "I know what you were doing, you prat. It's about bloody time you two got together. You've been flirting with each other since third year and quite honestly it was starting to get on my nerves. I'm pleased both of you finally opened your eyes."

"Really, Harry? Oh, thank you. We were so worried you'd be upset!" Hermione exclaimed hugging him. Harry just smiled and sent Ron a huge smile over Hermione's head, which Ron happily returned.

"What's going on in here? Why is everyone hugging? And why does Ron look like he's just won a hundred galleons?" an amused voice said behind them and they turned to see Ginny Weasley leaning casually against the doorframe.

"Well, that would be because I've just caught Ron and Hermione engaged in some heavy snogging and I think they've finally realized they have feelings for each other." Harry said smiling at Ginny.

"Seriously?" Ginny exclaimed."About bloody time. Did you know there's a betting pool on when you two would get together?

"What?"Hermione exclaimed, "Did everyone know we liked each other except us?"

"Yep." Ginny said happily.

"Oh." Hermione said blushing slightly. Ron flushed slightly himself before putting an arm around Hermione and pulling her nearer to him.

"What's all this, then? What's Hermione blushing about? And why do you all have smiles on your faces? Are you planning something? If so, do you need help and will we get caught?" Fred asked eagerly eying them all suspiciously and rubbing his hands together as him and George entered the room. All four of them rolled their eyes at the rapid questions shot at them and Fred's eager face.

"You two still act like 17 year olds!" Ginny said rolling her eyes, "But no, we aren't planning something. Harry just caught Ron and Hermione proclaiming their undying love for each other and swapping spit on the sofa," she continued as she flopped down onto a chair.

"Ah, good, good. We were expecting this. I knew it would only be a matter of time. And likkle Ronnedkins is getting his first ever girlfriend. How sweet!" Fred exclaimed smirking at his brother's blush.

"Oh that's simply spiffing!" Fred exclaimed, "Welcome to the family, Hermione. Be warned though, he does snore If you ever get fed up of his terribly habits you know there's always a place at 'Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes' in Hogsmeade for you." Fred said giving Hermione a hug.

"I'm sure I'll be ok. Oh, and believe me I know ALL of his bad habits and exactly how to sort them out." she said winking at Ron causing him to go bright red again and the others in the room to burst out laughing.

"Come on you lot, it's time to go to Hogwarts. Do you have all your things ready, Ginny?" Molly asked bustling into the room.

"Yes, mum, for the one hundredth time, I'm ready. Can we please go now?" Ginny replied sighing and rolling her eyes.

"Oh yes, of course. Now are we all ready dears? Yes? Good. Now Ginny and Harry you go first, then Ron and Hermione and finally Fred and George. Now remember to say the words 'platform 9 and 3/4' clearly ok? And you two don't cause any trouble." Molly said glaring at the twins who were attempting to look innocent. She handed Harry and Ginny a handful of floo powder and both of them stepped into the flames and shouted the words Molly had told them. Immediately Ginny felt the strange whooshing feeling she got every time she flooed. As she stepped out of the fireplace at the platform she couldn't help a smile from spreading across her face at the scarlet train.

"Oi, Gin. Virginia! Gin! Over here!" a voice called and Ginny grinned as she caught sight of her best friend Holly Deacan heading towards her. "It's great to see you! Hey Harry." she enthused sending Harry a small smile which he returned. As Ron and Hermione appeared she grinned at their intertwined fingers and lifted an eyebrow at Ginny, who nodded quickly.

"Hey Ron, Hermione you guys ok?" Holly asked smiling.

"Oh yes I'm fine thank you Holly. It's good to see you" as the two hugged and Ron sent her a slight nod not being one to show affection in public.

"We better get on. Don't want to miss the train." Ginny muttered as she attempted to drag her trunks onto the train. "So how was Portugal?" she called over her shoulder as, with their trunks securely on the train, they began to look for an empty compartment.

"Oh God it was heaven." Holly replied swooning in memory. "The men there could have given Malfoy and Zabini, Hogwarts resident sex Gods, a run for their money!"

"They must have been hot." Ginny said thoughtfully with a straight face even with Holly gawking at her in surprise.

"Is Virginia Weasley finally admitting the prince of Slytherin is in actual fact good looking?" Holly in mock horror.

Ginny rolled her eyes, sat up and said in a threatening tone, "Yes but if you tell anyone I will deny it till the day I die."

Holly snorted. She had straight shoulder length black hair and dark blue eyes. She was what the boys at Hogwarts would describe as 'a bit of all right!' followed by much elbowing and snickers. She a slim wiry figure due to a muggle sport called foot bull or some other strange word. Her and Dean got on like a house on fire, as both of them supported Puddle mere United. She was witty and had a sharp tongue which marking her out with Ginny as girls you did not want to get into a sparring match with. She was also incredibly loyal proving this when she worked extra hard in potions to get an outstanding and move up with Ginny when she was told she would most likely be in advanced potions if she got an outstanding. Not only that but she didn't hold the Chamber of Secrets against Ginny, which was why her and Colin Creevey had been the only two people to befriend Ginny in her second year. They'd remained friends ever since.

"So what about your summer? Have a good time?" Holly said as that sat down in an empty compartment.

"Yeah it was good. As I'm sure you noticed Ron and Hermione finally realized they had feelings for each other but only at the end of the summer. It drove most of us up the wall watching the two of them flirt." Ginny replied smirking slightly in memory of a particularly nasty fight which had involved Hermione to throw a shoe at Ron and cause him to walk around with a shoe sized bruise on his face, as her mother had refused to heal it as a punishment for upsetting Hermione.

Holly grinned but sighed when shouting began outside their compartment. "What's happening now?"

Ginny shrugged as Holly got up and opened the door to see what all the commotions was about.

"God Zabini that was great" a voice exclaimed. "Did you see their faces?"

"I know. Definitely worth waiting all summer for." Zabini replied smirking. Ginny was slightly surprised to see Blaise Zabini and Draco Malfoy walk past their compartment with smiles on their faces. Since when did they know how to smile?

"Hmm Malfoy and Zabini look different." Holly said thoughtfully as she closed the door again and sat down.

"Yeah that's what I was thinking. But I suppose with Voldermort gone they don't have to spend their time checking to see if they're being watched."

Holly shrugged. "Oh well. We'll see when we get back to Hogwarts and they start lessons with your brother and his friends again."

Ginny nodded and promptly forgot about Malfoy and Zabini as they began to talk about Portugal again.