Getting Use to Change

Ron walked slowly behind Professor McGonagall turning over events in his mind. Even the small things...like Ginny's first ride on a broom, it had been Ron who had shown her how because nobody else wanted to take the time. He remembered his first year at Hogwarts and how Ginny would constantly write to him and speak of how boring it was at home, so he would write little missions for her to go on until a later date when he would be home for the summer. Then he remembered to her second year when she was slowly slipping into the hands of Voldemort...at least the teen version...but, he'd been too busy thinking it was Malfoy to even notice his little sister's cries for help. Then when she was taken to the Chamber of Secrets and he, Lockhart, and Harry ventured down there to save her...he wasn't able to because Lockhart was a stupid prat. Instead he saved her.

He was there at the right time to defeat the giant monster that held Ginny captive. He defeated Voldemort yet again. And he rescued Ginny, he held her close he not Ron, but he. He was more than another "brother" to Ginny, he was a love interest, he could take care of her and show her new things, things that made Ron shudder to think about. Ron didn't want Harry showing Ginny these new things...Ron didn't want anyone showing Ginny these new things...Ron wanted the young Ginny back...the one who idolized her brothers and the one who would follow him to the ends of the earth.

With Harry and Ginny together things were different, and when things are different changes have to be made, but Ron wasn't sure if he wanted these changes. He was perfectly content with the way things were. Changing meant growing...whether it be physically, mentally, or emotionally. It was all too much work. Change meant something new, something to grow into and to get used to, and a lot of times change didn't bring good things. This is why Ron had kept his feelings for Hermione under wraps for so long.

Hermione...now that was a different story entirely. At first she had just been this smart girl who always made him feel like a dumbarse whenever he would say something. That wasn't the case anymore, over the years she had toned down her zealousness for learning, it was still there--and that was one of the things Ron loved about her. She was so intelligent, and just witty and great with her words. Ron looked up to her and wished that he could be like this. She had changed, but for the better, her figure was filling in nicely and she was proving to be a very lovely young woman. That's not what Ron found most attractive in her though...it was her smile...that smile that could penetrate any horrid feelings. Ron was pretty sure that her smile could drive away the effects of the Dementors, but Ron never told her this...he was afraid of what she'd say. He was afraid that she'd laugh at him and tell him to quit being foolish. She would be right, Ron thought to himself, what's the point in liking someone like me? My family is poor, I'm not very smart, and I don't have good looks like some of the other guys around here! She would have to be raving mad to like me! Ron sighed out loud.

"Now, now Mr. Weasley, I will hear none of that...you brought this on yourself you know," Professor McGonagall said taking the sigh as a sign of irritation.

"You have no idea," Ron said under his breath.

"What was that Mr. Weasley?"

"Nothing Professor," Ron said. They walked in silence for what seemed like forever until they finally came to a wing of the castle that Ron didn't even know existed. It was very elegant looking, the ceiling looked to be pure, "gold?" Ron asked curiously. McGonagall looked at him then to the ceiling and chuckled slightly, "Correct, Mr. Weasley. Helga Hufflepuff loved gold and priceless gems. Mr. Weasley if you were this observant in this class there is no reason you couldn't have top marks in my class."

"I'm not observant, I'm just attracted to shiny things," Ron said as if it were common knowledge. "Wait, you said Helga Hufflepuff--"

"Indeed I did," McGonagall said without looking at Ron.

"Is this where the Hufflepuff common room is located? If it is I must say Godric was holding out on the Gryffindors!" Ron was sure McGonagall would explode at his last comment, but she chuckled instead, "This is not anywhere near the Hufflepuff common room, this is a very secret hall selected to house very select few people. Some people are housed here because letting them sleep in normal dorm rooms with other students could either harm them or the other students."

"So violent people?"

"Not necessarily, some are reserved for people who have horrible bad dreams that cause them to scream in their sleep, others for people who can't control what they say when they're sleeping. Some of these rooms are reserved for people who have social phobias. There are many reasons for people to be housed here. Ah ha! Here we are Mr. Weasley; I do believe that these accommodations will suit you better than your previous arrangements. The password is 'sogni dolci'," at her words the portrait swung open to reveal an extravagant common room, it didn't seem like a common room, it was like walking outside into a backyard. The floor was white marble, there were steps leading to the main floor of the 'common room' there was a fountain in the center of the room, and one tree that stood behind the fountain. There were benches spread throughout the room; there was also a hammock that hung a good five feet off of the ground.

"How am I supposed to get up there?" Ron asked motioning to the hammock.

"It comes down to meet you, then raises you as high as you want to go. The room is what you make it Ronald remember that," McGonagall said a smile playing on her lips. The room is what you make it...hmmm...what do I want to make the room? Ron thought. He shut his eyes and thought about what he wanted the room to be he heard McGonagall gasp beside him. His eyes flew open to see if it had worked and indeed it had, the room had changed miraculously into a Quidditch pitch.

"I've never seen anyone do that one yet," McGonagall said not trying to hide the amusement from her voice. "Shall we continue then?" she motioned leading him up a flight of stairs that appeared to the side of the Quidditch pitch, he followed obediently still speechless from the Quidditch pitch, that meant that he could practice whenever he needed to! He wouldn't have to worry about people being around to make him nervous and laugh at him. He'd just have to charm the quaffle so it had to try and get itself through the goal posts. McGonagall opened a door that appeared to her right. She stepped into the room followed closely by Ron. If possible Ron's mouth dropped further.

"What is this place?" he whispered in a voice that didn't sound like it belonged to a sixteen-year-old boy.

***

Ginny stared at the ceiling of her dormitory. She could hear the snores of her fellow fifth years. She really hated making her brother so angry, but he just had to come to terms with reality, she was with Harry and that wasn't going to change if she had anything to say about it. She had wanted this for so long, why couldn't her brother understand this?

There were only a few hours until Ginny had to get up and make sure that Hermione was okay to go to classes. She was sure that nothing could keep Hermione from her studies, but she was really worried about her friend. Hermione was like a lovesick little puppy, but Ron didn't realize it. He was really thick especially when it came to Hermione. Ginny knew that Ron had feelings for Hermione, but Ron had stopped telling her his feelings about Hermione once he realized that girls tended to talk.

Ginny couldn't count the many nights that Hermione had kept her up to 'talk' about Ron. How much Ron had upset Hermione. Or "how sweet Ron could be sometimes". Or "he's so shy it's the cutest thing honestly Gin!" Or "why doesn't he just tell me he likes me Gin?" Or "am I horrid Gin? I don't get why he hasn't asked me out yet." Then there were the countless times Ginny had to clean up Ron's mess once he and Hermione got into one of their rows, which seemed to be happening more and more often lately.

Ginny was sure that if Ron gave it a chance that Hermione could help him through his adolescence. When was he going to open his eyes and see that he needs someone else to help him through these hard times? Harry had come to terms with it and Ginny was very happy when he realized it. Thinking of Harry made Ginny smile and she slowly drifted off to sleep.