All of This

"Fantastic! Book lists are here!" Ron exclaimed, tugging three envelopes from a rather aggressive barn owl's beak.

"Since when were you so excited about book lists, Ron?" I asked, flicking a piece of toast towards the bird.

"I ... uh ..."

"So that means Hermione will be coming to stay today, then?" Mum asked, moving around the table and tipping more sausage onto everyone's plate.

Ron blushed slightly, nodded and became intensely interested in his coffee.

My fork fell onto my plate with an unusually loud clatter. I stared back and forth between Harry and Ron. "What?"

Hermione always shared my room when she came for a visit, and if Hermione was sleeping in my room for the next two weeks that meant Harry wouldn't be.

Harry looked up slowly and met my eyes. He attempted a friendly grin at my confused and disappointed expression. "When I got here, Ron wrote and made arrangements for Hermione to meet us in Diagon Alley the day the lists came out and to stay the rest of vacations here. I'd forgotten until just now."

"Oh ... well ... in that case, I'd better go move some stuff around and get a camp bed down from the attic. See you all later."

I got up from the table and walked as quickly as possible out of the kitchen. Taking the stairs two at a time, I practically ran through my bedroom door and frantically started shifting stuff aside to make room for Hermione.

It wasn't that I wouldn't be happy to see her, or share my bedroom with her for a few weeks ... under normal circumstances. But having Hermione here would mean not being nearly as close to Harry. Giving up our nights together, our long talks, the possibility of him answering the questions that had been burning in my mind since I was ten, finally resolving the tension I had felt for the past few weeks.

Tears of frustration began leaking out of my eyes as I stuffed books and clothes that had been lying around into my school trunk.

Someone knocked on my still open door and I swung to face who ever it was with an armload of old jumpers.

Harry stood in the doorway, his hair the usual mess, a slightly nervous expression on his face.

"Are you coming with us? Ron wants to Floo to the Leaky Cauldron as soon as he's through brushing his teeth."

"Oh, no, I'll just have Mum pick my stuff up later. Thanks for offering though," I said as calmly as I could, dumping the jumpers into the trunk and slamming the lid shut.

Harry glanced up and down the stairs then slipped all the way into my room, quietly closing the door behind him. "Don't be upset with me for not telling you. I honestly forgot."

"What? Why would I be upset?" I asked, storming past him. I gathered the last few remaining books that were on the floor and stacked them neatly under my bed.

"Well ... because you look upset and I thought ... maybe ... I don't know."

"It's just ... I've got so much crap lying around that I've got to clean up, then all the stuff I got for my birthday ... I don't know."

"Looks like we're in the same position, then," Harry said shyly.

I stood up, planted my hands on my hips and looked him determinedly in the eye. "Yeah, maybe."

We stood staring at each other for several moments. I wondered if I'd be able to figure him out if I stared at him long enough. Didn't get the chance, though.

"Hey, Harry! Where are you? I'm ready to go!" we heard Ron shouting, stomping past my bedroom and up the stairs on the way to his own in search of Harry.

I strode quickly to my door and opened it just enough to peek out.

"He's out of sight. Quick, get downstairs before he comes back," I whispered, gesturing Harry out of my room.

"I meant it, Ginny. I really did forget," Harry insisted earnestly, but still not making a move to leave.

"I know, Harry. It's ok, really. Now -- "

"But you seemed upset at breakfast," he said, taking a step towards me. "I was, too. I'd totally forgotten about Hermione coming and how I won't - we won't --"

Harry was so close to me I could see the little specks of bronze in his eyes. I could see his white teeth through his slightly parted lips. He looked so lonely, so unsure of what to do. I wanted nothing more than to throw my arms around him and kiss him right then.

"Harry, I ..."

"Harry! I don't want to get there too late!"

We both jumped as we heard Ron's shouts and footsteps coming back down. I realized my hand was still on the doorknob, holding it open. I snapped it shut and pressed my ear against the old wood.

"OK ... he's back downstairs. Go, quick!"

Harry opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something else, but apparently thought the better of it and started to walk out onto the landing.

"Oh, don't forget," I said as he moved past me. "Hermione's eighteenth is coming up. Make sure Ron gets her a present; he never remembers her birthday."

Harry stopped so abruptly I nearly shut the door on him. He turned around with the biggest grin on his face. "Birthday, that's right! Ginny, you're brilliant!"

"What?" I said, completely nonplussed.

Harry opened his mouth to answer, but before he could, Ron started back up the stairs exasperatedly calling Harry's name.

"I'll see you later, OK?" Grinning broadly, he gave me a quick kiss on the cheek and ran down to meet Ron.

"Ginny! Ginny, get down here and help your brother!"

I sighed and tossed my book away. After cleaning my room, wrangling a bed down from the attic and helping Mum tidy up the rest of the house, I was desperately glad of having a few moments to relax before everyone got back. Guess this just wasn't my day.

I met Ron halfway down the stairs. He was lugging a huge, heavy trunk behind him and panting.

"Oh, thank Merlin," he wheezed. "Grab the other end of this, will ya?"

"Is all this Hermione's?" I asked, dazed.

"Yep. Her eighteenth birthday's coming up soon, so Harry insisted we buy her all sorts of ridiculous stuff, then we had to pop for an extra trunk to carry it all back here. OK, c'mon now, heave!"

We managed to push and pull the wooden monster up the stairs to the landing in front of my bedroom where we paused for breath before going inside.

"You said extra trunk, so where's the other?" I asked, opening my door and pushing it back far enough to allow us to enter.

"Back at Flourish and Blotts," Ron said, pushing sweaty red hair out of his eyes. "Harry went with Hermione to go get it after they helped me drag this beast to the Leaky Cauldron. All right, only one more flight. Let's go."

"Hey, my room's right here," I said as Ron bent down to grab the handle on his side.

"I know, but we're going to Percy's old room. Hermione and all her stuff will never fit in there with you. Harry told me to clear it with Mum. Heave!"

I had to try extremely hard to suppress a laugh of sheer delight. Harry had gone out of his way, not to mention out of Ron and Hermione's way, to make sure I'd have my bedroom all to myself ... ourselves.

Three excruciating minutes later, the trunk was finally against the wall in Percy's old bedroom. Mum strode in right behind us with fresh sheets and blankets for making up the bed. Ron collapsed beside Hermione's trunk with a sigh of relief. I started to help Mum when we all heard a loud bump and a muffled curse come from downstairs.

"They must be here already," Ron groaned, pushing himself up off the floor. "Mum, can't you levitate this one?"

"No, I can't," she answered, bustling around with the sheets. "I'm busy making the bed."

"Ginny can do it," Ron said with an eager glance at me.

Mum straightened and looked at Ron. "Ginny's got to help Hermione settle in, and it wouldn't kill you to be chivalrous, Ronald."

Ron slouched out of the room grumbling something about knights in shining armor with broken backs.

The rest of the afternoon and evening was dedicated to making Hermione at feel at home. After a few hours, Ron dragged Harry off to play Quidditch in the forest clearing near our house. I desperately wanted to go and have a good fly, but Hermione was in the middle of showing me the rather impressive collection of books she'd gotten for her birthday.

The boys trooped past the open door of Percy's old room, brooms thrown over their shoulders. Harry waved cheerily at me as he went by and in return, I gave him what I hoped was a radiant smile.

"It was only published earlier this year, but it's made a huge impression on the Arithmancy community and - good Lord, I thought they'd never leave the house!"

It shocked me how quickly Hermione switched from animated chat to exasperated sigh. She closed the book she had been showing me and tossed into back into the trunk from which it had came.

She grabbed my arm and pulled me over to the bed. "Sit," she said, pushing me down. She, too, climbed onto the bed and sat facing me, cross-legged and smug looking. "So, tell me!"

"Er ... tell you what?" I asked, bewildered.

"You and Harry, of course," she prompted, smiling delightedly. "There's something between the two of you, isn't there?"

"I ... uh ... I dunno ..." I said lamely. It was the truth as far as I knew. I really didn't know.

Hermione chuckled softly and shook her head. "C'mon, Ginny. You're not Ron. I know you can tell if someone likes you or not."

I laughed and patted Hermione's hand in sympathy. My brother really was dense. "Things have been a bit different lately," I admitted. "But you know, we've become better friends the last year or so, so I don't know if it means anything or not." Again, the truth, but not the whole truth.

"Well, I, for one, think it means something," she said brightly.

"Why do you say that?" I asked curiously, hopeful little butterflies blooming in my stomach.

"I've known Harry since my first day at Hogwarts," she began in a wise, sisterly tone of voice. "And in all the time I've known him I've never once seen him not able to stop talking about a girl."